I met some amazing people working at the Garden of Unearthly
Delights and this dinner at Ky Chow was with one of those people, sadly they have
jetsetted back to America since then. I've eaten at Ky Chow before and have never
been disappointed, and this occasion was no different. We arrived in peak
dining period on Friday night with no booking (not a smart move if you’re
looking for a Gouger Street eatery...rookie mistake on my behalf) however the
staff at Ky Chow found us a table really quickly. Even better at no point did
they rush us to free up the space despite being crazy busy the whole time we
were there. After just the right amount of menu pondering time an efficient and
friendly waiter took our order of two entrees, two mains, a vegetable dish and
a serve of rice to share.
First up we had the shallot pancakes. This are a little bit
of a favourite of mine at Chinese restaurants and these were spot on. Crispy,
golden, not oily and plenty of shallot flavour. These were also perfectly
portioned for a 3-4 person group to share.
Next up were the Chinese buns, we ordered a serve steamed
and a serve fried. This are also one of my go to menu items at a Chinese restaurant.
Both versions were cooked well, the steamed one was soft and fluffy with a slightly
sticky texture whilst the fried had a crackly golden crust that gave way to a
pillowy soft centre. The bun itself had just the right amount of sweetness and
was a great side dish for our other meals, although my co-diners were surprised
they didn’t have a meat filling.
We ordered a large serve of special fried rice and a serve
of the Chinese green vegetables. Again, both staple dishes at any Chinese restaurant
and both done well by Ky Chow. The fried rice wasn’t oily and had a good balance
of meat/eggs/vegetables and was a generous serve that was just the right amount
for the three of us (it would have served four… but I'm bulking ;). the vegetables
still had a slight crunch to them and the sauce had a good balance of slaty/garlicky
flavour without being overpowering.
For our 'main'' dishes we chose the crispy honey chicken and
the sizzling beef with ginger. I had never had crispy honey chicken before so I
can’t say how 'good' Ky Chows version is in comparison to other places but I
LOVED this dish. So much sweet, sticky crunchy, crispy goodness! I literally
could have devoured the whole plate. The beef was a little slow on arriving (I
did ask if it was on its way...I suspect it may have been forgotten however it
was quick to arrive after my query) it was certainly sizzling and again was the
perfect portion for three to share. The flavour balance was good; the meat was
tender however I personally found the dish a little soggy texture wise. Not a
bad dish, but not an outstanding one.
Ky Chow certainly provided us with a
great meal, quick and friendly service and good value for money. There was a
slight hiccup with one of the mains but it was resolved quickly and with no
dramas. Overall I really enjoyed this meal, and would certainly return to Ky
Chow again. If you’re looking food a good Chinese place that covers the basics
well I’d recommend here.
For dessert we headed to the American Cupcake Diner at
Norwood. If you read my blog you will be aware that I adore this place and this
visit was just as great as all the others. I went with the strawberry Nutella waffle
turnover. As you can see it was pure sugar epicness on a plate, I loved every single
mouthful! Perfectly light crunchy golden waffles, a very, very generous serve
of Nutella, juicy, ripe strawberries and plenty of whipped cream and ice-cream.
A fantastic way to finish off the night. In all honesty I really think that if
you like your desserts and American food this is a MUST visit diner (if I had my
way it would be a must visit for me on a weekly basis!)
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