Oriental Yum Cha

ORIENTAL YUM CHA RESTAURANT HAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.

Oriental Yum Cha Restaurant has added a slick new dimension to Fortitude Valley dining since opening its lofty glass doors a short stroll from the Chinatown action.

Soaring ceilings with spiky metal light fittings, a split level dining room, 2 open kitchens. live seafood tanks and glass walls that connect to the traffic noise and street action give it downtown South East Asian feel.

At lunch time by glass-sided yum cha trolleys whizz around peddling their steamed and fried fare straight out of the dedicated Yum Cha kitchen – bamboo baskets of steamed or fired BBQ pork buns, prawn and peanut, chive and garlic or pork and prawn dumplings, chicken feet and custard tarts to name a few- and owner Jackie, of Aspley Oriental fame, is here there and everywhere checking on his customers and overseeing his staff.

House specialty here and one that warrants a trip to this restaurant alone is the mouth-watering Peking Duck, served as two courses and wheeled out and carved individually at the table. For $59.50 for 2 the result is an unforgettable feast – delicate steamed pancakes with duck, shallots and ginger as entrée then for main the rest of the duck is taken away and stir-fried with vegetables before being served as San Choy Bow (in a lettuce leaf cup) or with chow mein (crispy fried noodles).

Whilst the rest of the a la carte menu contains comforting old Aussie faves like sweet and sour, beef in black bean sauce, other dishes on the signature list include salt and pepper flounder, spare rib flambé and crispy brown worms (finely shredded wok fried beef spiced and in a honey glaze) or Hong Kong style chilli sand crab.

Oriental Yum Cha is fully licensed and serves some wines (which hail from NZ, Oz and France) by the glass, French champagne and sparkling wine, a range of local and imported beer such as Tsing Tao and a handful of traditional cocktails.

And when the day or night munchies strike, Oriental has a substantial takeaway menu too.