New Royal Garden

It’s not a palace, there is no DOG (delusions of grandeur) and no flora inside. Once the home of Imperial Kingdom, plonked on the corner of High St and Blackburn Road is New Royal Garden, though you could have sworn things never changed. It’s a typical Chinese restaurant, white linen and lazy Susans atop a sea of various sized round tables with banter in multiple dialects of Asian vibrating your eardrums. During yum cha, the waiters here must have Strepsils paid for by Workcover as they croak their trolley’s dim sum. It’s the best in the area in my opinion, plenty of choice and as good as yum cha can get. Dinner is a little quieter, but the kitchen doesn’t slack off. A feast of gigantic proportions ordered fit for a King. Slices of fatty suckling pork does a disappearing act which would have made Copperfield proud. A large red snapper is prepared 3 ways – stir fried medallions in nothing more than oil, spring onion and salt, steamed with the usual soy marinade, and stewed in gravy containing plenty of garlic, ginger and soy. Peking pork spare ribs keeps the kids with less adventurous tastes happy, as does the crispy fried chicken and stir fried scallops and vegetables. If you’re lucky enough, you might find an imperial princess here, but that’s unlikely. Least you’ll walk away well fed.

3.5 / 5 yums!

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Where? 562 High Street, Syndal

What? Yum cha, average $17 per person, Average mains $16-20

Left to Right : Suckling pig, Stir Fried Red Snapper, Steamed Fish, Stewed Fish, Peking Pork Spare Ribs, Stewed Fish, Crispy Skinned Chicken, Scallops and Vegetables