Chairman Mao, the ultimate “Chinaman”, greets us with a smile and a wave as we step into Neutral Bay’s newest Asian offering – Chinaman Dumpling.
Located just off Military Road in Cremorne, Chinaman Dumpling serves a selection of Australia’s “tried & tested” Chinese favourites in a comfortable, contemporary setting.
The new street food kitchen strikes a balance between a modern, atmospheric restaurant and a casual, takeaway service. Perhaps the successful blend of East and West is down to the experience of business owner Kenny Lee. If you have visited Cha Cha Dumpling Bar in Cammeray or Makanai Ramen Restaurant in Chatswood, you may already be familiar with Lee’s winning formula.
Delicately carved birdcages (direct from Southern China) adorn the ceiling as light fittings whilst a long, open kitchen sees dumpling expert and head chef Alex Lee (formerly of Mr. Wong) busy at work amid rising plumes of steam.
Chinaman Dumpling’s menu is neat and concise with an entire page dedicated to its namesake. Dumplings come steamed, pan-fried or boiled in a variety of different styles, with vegetarian options available. The steamed Prawn and Pork Shumai ($9) and the Pork & Chive Dumplings ($13) were on par with the best Haymarket vendors have to offer and make for a great starter.
The Peking Duck Pancakes ($16) came served the traditional way with sweet plum sauce, crunchy cucumber and spring onions. It’s a DIY affair – place the crispy duck in a light, transparent pancake, add the sauce, onion and cucumber and had fold into a delicious little bundle.
For mains, the Black Pepper Wagyu ($26) is a gourmet take on the classic beef stir-fry. The Salt and Pepper Prawns ($19) are standout – big, juicy, marinated Tiger Prawns come served with wasabi mayonnaise. Despite being displayed as a “side,” the Vegetable Fried Noodles ($12) are delicious enough to gain “mains” status.
Everything is designed for social eating – a dumpling here, a prawn there. As an accompaniment, three different fried rice options are on offer, as well as stir-fried veggies ($14).
On a Thursday evening the restaurant is packed out. The back room is filled with a Christmas party crowd and a constant stream of takeaway pickups adds to the small restaurant’s liveliness. Chinaman Dumpling is BYO. A bottle shop is conveniently located just across the road in case supplies run low.
Chinaman Dumpling has closed