Sydney CBD Chinatown
Eating is one of the best parts of travelling. Cheap eats makes the whole experience even better. Let me share my top 10 cheap eats in Sydney CBD Chinatown.
Mother Chu's Taiwanese Gourmet
1/84-88 Dixon St, Sydney
Mother Chu is a place dear to my heart where I would pop in for a quick bite when in the city. Their egg pancake is so simple but so satisfying and is below $5. It’s a pancake with a layer of egg inside with spring onions that they serve with a side of sweet soy sauce.
Another item at Mother Chu’s is their glutinous rice roll if you’re looking for something more substantial. Glutinous rice rolls are these delicious rice rolls you can eat on the go as you find pickled vegetables and a Chinese donut inside.
Nanjing Dumplings
6 Little Hay St, Haymarket
Nanjing Dumplings have a great menu of items, but to keep things cheap – I ordered the steamed pork bun. This bun is massive. The exterior is fluffy and soft steamed bread, while the inside is a savoury, juicy meat ball made out of pork, herbs and spices.
Mr Chen Beef Noodle
Prince Centre TG5 Quay Street Enter via, 8 Thomas St, Haymarket NSW 2000
Mr Chen Beef Noodle is another place I really enjoy going to. Their menu is full of items that don’t disappoint. However, today we’re ordering the wonton with spicy sauce. It’s a plate of pork wontons with a very fragrant mix of chili oil, garlic and other things that make these wontons extremely appetising.
The second item from Mr Chen Beef Noodle is their salt and pepper tofu. Tofu has a natural nutty flavour that’s a great base for any flavour you give it on top, and salt and pepper works perfectly.
Cho Dumpling King
Shop TG6, 8 Quay St, Haymarket
A Taiwanese classic – braised pork rice at Cho Dumpling King is the perfect mid-day snack. Pork is braised in this savoury sauce until it’s completely broken down. It pairs perfectly with rice.
Another great cheap eat they provide is a selection of cold dishes for less than $5. Again, a great light bite to keep you going during a long work day.
Mrs Chan's Kitchen
635 George St, Haymarket
I had many bowls of boat noodles in Thailand and Mrs Chan’s Kitchen serves a great bowl for just $6.9. The broth was packed with flavour without it being greasy. The noodles were nicely cooked and the portion size will satisfy most with all the different meat balls, meats and bean sprouts.
6. Xi'an Cuisine
4/90 Hay St, Haymarket
I’ve featured Xi’an Cuisine before and this time ordered the pork pita bread, or better known as rou jia mo. It’s a pita-like flat bread that’s sliced and then filled with tender pork meat that’s been braised in a broth of spices and herbs. It’s delicious.
Another item is their cold noodle with spicy sauce. (liang pi) I think the liang pi at Xi’an Cuisine is made really well, with the texture of the cold noodles still springy and their spicy sauce isnt actually very spicy, which makes it a great summer lunch.
7. Emperor's Garden Restaurant
96-100 Hay St, Haymarket
Honestly, would any list of cheap eats at Chinatown be complete without Emperor’s puff. Emperor’s Garden have been serving these since I was a kid. People have always lined up for these and they still do. There’s nothing fancy about this bite sized cream puffs, but they’re so consistently made well and fresh everyday.
Which I think speaks how good Emperor Garden is, if they can delivery everyday the same loved flavour without fail.
