Can't chat, cramming my face with crispy pork belly stir fried with red curry paste.
Washed down with a durian and sticky rice pudding.
And I'm spent.
Smashing out $3 Tacos in the company of young hipsters.
That's Tuesday night at the Norfolk.
Beef brisket and pulled pork flavours let down by excessive cooking time reducing the meat to string, the fish & anchiote paste and chargrilled chicken, guac and chipotle make me much happier.
Can’t say that I’ve been to the previous David’s, but I’m liking the new fit out that’s warehouse cool washed in laboratory white, with a nod to the mainland through the industrial lanterns. Feels rather homely.
No decisions required, a series of dishes selected by the man himself to showcase the new sharing menu designed to share.
The entrée section shined, balanced by salty, sweet, pickled and spice.
Drunk chick: white cut chicken marinated in Chinese wine that won’t get you smashed.
Green ‘n red: el dente green soy beans, bok choy and chilli was refreshing and my favourite dish of the night.
Shredded Duck and Veggie Wrap – Peking duck it ain’t. A nice stir fried filling but probably better with rice.
Spicy beef with white radish & cucumber – pickled with a bit of heat.
Mains I’d order individually, but not all at once as that familiar savoury flavour of oyster sauce can be too much.
‘One bite’ soft shell river prawns: consuming these crunchy suckers head to tail is so hot right now.
Grandma’s 8’s: origins from the olden days, we’ve been told that each family has their own version of this, and its basically leftovers combined into a tasty dish the day after. Bought forward to the modern era with fresh ingredients and presto, David's suped up version! If this Shanghai medley of scallop, shrimp, pork, chicken, chestnut, cashew, bamboo & shitake is this good, it’s a symphony better than Bach or Lady Gaga.
Sticky pork belly & chat potatoes: country comfort it definitely is a BAU home dish.
Tofu & field mushrooms: silky.
Man these country folk must eat so well: Peasant’s crab of diced scallops, fish & egg white tossed in the wok.
Golden eye fillet with sweet potato, ginger & soy: you will need rice.
Now Asian desserts… need I say more?
Osmanthus & Red Bean Black Sticky Rice Pudding: it’s hard to make this look any better. I like red bean, and black stick rice, but this is challenging.
Much better was the traditional almond pudding sprinkled with black sesame.
A new beginning and a new chapter, we’ll be back for more of David’s Country Shanghai.
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Where? 4 Cecil Place, Prahran, VIC
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