Cantonese Food in Melbourne
Yum Cha Time in Gold Leaf Restaurant (June 5 2022)
Cantonese cuisine is a unique food culture in the coastal region of southeastern China, also as one of the most important parts of Chinese cuisine. One important fact you must know is that both Hong Kong and Macau are culturally and geographically part of Guangdong. With the wave of immigrants that emerged in the 19th century, Cantonese people gradually spread to every corner of the world resulting in Cantonese cuisine becoming well-known. Melbourne is not an exception, so let's explore the Cantonese food in Melbourne!
Johnson Lu, a Cantonese immigrant living in Melbourne who founded First Taste in 2006 and has four branches in the area.
Vincent Lau is an Australia born Chinese, a food lover living in Melbourne with immigrant parents from Guangdong.
First Taste Restaurant (头啖汤) in Carnegie (May 30 2022)
8:44PM - It is about to close, and the staff is doing the final cleaning.
Melbourne is a city full of great food, and Cantonese food is endless. Glen Waverley and Box Hill are the haven for Chinese who living in Melbourne to taste their cuisine, but good restaurants are still dotted around the city, such as First Taste in Carnegie. It is not the largest and earliest branch, but it is the best location for the taste of home for Chinese, Cantonese and international students living in the surrounding communities, Vincent said.
Claypot Rice (煲仔饭) in First Taste (May 30 2022)
Beef Kim Chi Hot Pot (left) and Claypot Rice with Lap Cheong (Chinese sausage) (right)
As the uniqueness in Cantonese cuisine, Claypot Rice is the best memory of every Cantonese. From the appearance, it seems to be just a simple stone-pot rice, but there are a lot of details to speak of in there. Johnson said the first thing is the choice of rice, sausage and claypot, followed by the amount of water, and then the control of the fire. Each of them is crucial, and once any mistake is made it will eventually lead to a big difference.
Slow-cooked Soup (Stewed) with Herbs (炖盅/老火汤）in First Taste (May 30 2022)
Rock Sugar Stewed Herbs & Paw Paw (top) and Fish Maw Stew with Chicken (bottom)
Slow-cooked Soup with Herbs as the key part of Cantonese cuisine, the most distinctive features of the soup is not only use meat and fruit as its ingredient, but also animal organs and herbs as the most important components of it. Meanwhile, it is not just common soup, as different soups with different herbs and they are all good for our body; for example, the soup above can help you stop coughing and dissolve phlegm, and the soup below can help you tonify the kidneys and blood, among other effects.
Johnson Lu in the Kitchen of First Taste, Carnegie (May 30 2022)
8:00 PM - The chef is very busy in cooking 6 Claypot Rice at a time for the guests.
Johnson Lu is the founder and owner of First Taste, but his love for the cuisine and the desire to provide the best dining experience for his customers has led him to stay hands-on as the chef at Carnegie. His love for cooking claypot rice originated when he was young. He has been a chef since he was living in China, and continues his passion even now that he has settle down in Melbourne, Johnson said.
PoPo Feng (封记牛腩) in the City of Melbourne (May 31 2022)
6:00PM - A rainy night with fewer consumers than usual to come out for dinner
Vincent said: As a food lover, PoPo Feng is one of the best Cantonese dishes he has eaten in Melbourne, although there are some differences compared to the traditional flavours, it is the best combination of Cantonese and Western food culture. PoPo Feng is not only a Chinese restaurant, but also a Western restaurant that combines the two culinary cultures to make their own speciality.
Radish Beef Ribs with Garlic Bread (广式带骨牛腩和烤蒜香包) in PoPo Feng (May 31 2022)
Braised Beef Brisket in traditional Cantonese style with claypot and garlic bread
As one of the representatives of Cantonese cuisine, Braised Beef Brisket has always been an essential menu for all the food lovers. Vincent said, Cantonese-style Braised Beef Brisket has much different from other flavours, such as Korean and other Chinese cuisines. It has a lighter taste compared to other flavours because Cantonese cuisine is essentially about the flavour of the ingredients themselves, while some other cuisines may pay more attention on their sauces.
Gold Leaf Restaurant (金辉) in Dockland, Melbourne (June 2 2022)
Yum Cha is a tradition in the Cantonese culture, which you can interpret as a Cantonese-style Brunch. You may be wondering how it differs from brunch in Australia, and here you can tell they are completely different. Yum Cha includes Chinese tea and various styles of Dim Sum and most of them are served in a unique bamboo steamer, which serves as a container for steam and a dish to be served on the table.
Meat Dish Dim Sum in Gold Leaf (June 2 2022)
Scallop Dumplings (left) & Steamed Spare Ribs (right) & Chicken Feet (middle)
It may be difficult for many people to accept chicken feet, but it has always been a common ingredient in Cantonese cuisine and even Chinese and many Asian cuisines. Especially in Yum Cha, people have even given it the name Phoenix Claws to glorify it. Chicken Feet is one of the signature dishes in Cantonese brunch, as well as the Steamed Spare Ribs, which are something we cannot miss in this meal, Vincent Said.
Meat Dish Dim Sum in Gold Leaf (June 2 2022)
Scallop Dumplings (left) & Steamed Spare Ribs (right) & Chicken Feet (middle)
It may be difficult for many people to accept chicken feet, but it has always been a common ingredient in Cantonese cuisine and even Chinese and many Asian cuisines. Especially in Yum Cha, people have even given it the name Phoenix Claws to glorify it. Chicken Feet is one of the signature dishes in Cantonese brunch, as well as the Steamed Spare Ribs, which are something we cannot miss in this meal, Vincent Said.
