17 January 2018

Dainty Sichuan ~ Chinese - World Square

Dainty Sichuan in World Square opened with hoopla and queues because it's from Melbourne. Which puzzled us because Sydney kicks Melbourne's butt when it comes to Chinese food. But that's the way it rolls these days, we just take it on the Chin Chin.



So we get down and dainty in World Square and find we quite like the place. While it has a bit of a chain store vibe, the food is good and the menu is interesting - and we really like sitting in the little outdoors bit watching the world go by in World Square - dang pleasant indeedy. Weirdly, if you sit outside you don't get trusted with real knives and spoons and have to make do with plastic ones, but real chopsticks are OK.




Chongqing spicy noodle - $12.80. If there was any disappointment it was with the Chongqing noodles - while it was very good, it just lacked that bit of magic.



The same goes for the Chongqing spicy noodle with minced pork and peas - $16.80. Very good but not quite a knee slapper. We are not sure why - maybe we like it with more of a garlic or chili wallop.




The veggie skewers ($6.80) turned us into Dainty Sichuan believers - we got hooked on these suckers in Leshan on our Sichuan trip last year - they tasted just as good as China. The quail eggs are boiled soft and the coating of chilli packs a bit more of a pow.



Stewed duck with pickled chili & rice - $13.80. The pieces of duck are chopped and bony so prepare to get your fangs in. They are lightly five spiced, not much chilli in them. There were more vegetables underneath, the pickled chilli in bits amongst it.



We ordered spicy green bean jelly noodle but ended up with something else - we think it's the Sichuan Cold Noodle - $5.50. It's a happy accident.



Pickled vegie threads - $4.50. These were a good side dish / snack that had a little sweetness to it as well as a light vinegar kick form the pickle.



Dried peas soup - $5.80. This was a surprise thigh-slappingly good soup - gentle and subtle in flavour. Ordering this shoup and a couple of side dishes is a good way to stretch your dollar and get a range of different flavours.



Dainty Sichuan menu - click to enlarge your mind...


Dainty Sichuan menu - click to enlarge...


Dainty Sichuan menu - click to enlarge...


Dainty Sichuan menu - click to enlarge...



Dainty Sichuan is at the World Square shopping thingy, 644 George St.




2 comments:

  1. Sorry, but the normally well-tuned B-Kyu antennae should have been vibrating alarmingly on your approach to this place. Large chain/franchise (not mom and pop store), expensive fitout, premium location. (Looking forward to an extensive write-up of your travels to KL and Padang!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haha, we went in cynical and came out converted, it was disappoitingly good.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment joy - please keep your musings happy - if you want to complain about a restaurant please do it on a restaurant review site (or your own blog) - we're all about celebrating cultural diversity and the great eats that come along with it :-)

Our ethics: We pay for all our own meals and travel (though sometimes Mum shouts us).