PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
The name suggests a refined elegance, and the restaurant succeeds with quite a bit of spunk to boot. The Ian Halliday designed interior offers comfort and style; the restaurant’s signature Asian-inspired print is featured prominently on the back wall of the restaurant. There’s an open kitchen at one end and the bar at the other, however most of the action is on the boardwalk in the middle, which is consistently busy and buzzing.
Executive Chef Frank Shek has carved his niche in an area starved for good Asian cuisine. Start with crispy Sichuan pork and warm cuttlefish salad with hoi sin sauce - a delicious combination of both taste and texture. Braised eggplant with Thai-style fish stuffing, the chilli salt squid, and the tea-smoked ocean trout with green herb salad and green nam jim are other notable entrees. Main courses include a delicious wok-fried blue swimmer crab and Chinese mushroom omelette, or indulge in the twice-cooked duck with plum and tamarind sauce. The extensive wine list includes many options by the glass, however the Asian inspired cocktails are incredible and are a great substitute for the standard bottle of plonk.
Libby Travers, December 2005
LOCATION
On Woolloomooloo Wharf, ten minutes from the CBD.
DETAILS
With a spectacular vista of the Sydney skyline, China Doll elegantly resides at the historic Wharf at Woolloomooloo. This stylishly sleek Iain Halliday designed beauty offers a balanced menu of generously portioned, modern Asian dishes from the talents of chef Frank Shek.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Choose from an array of seafood dishes such as freshly shucked oysters, plump Coffin Bay scallops with ginger and shallots, or Steamed Tasmanian Salmon with coriander and chilli oil. Succulent meat dishes tempt and crispy skin chickens and ducks are masterstocked and roasted on premise.Match dishes with a wine selection from the thoughtfully eclectic yet reasonably priced list, or simply relax on the wharf while the sun sets and sip one of their Asian inspired cocktails. With the right mix of relaxed yet professional service, moorish food and cocktails and glamorous location, China Doll delivers a quintessential Sydney dining experience for both visitors and locals.
Tip:
Arrive in style with
Water Taxis Combined or
Yellow Water Taxis
H2O Water Taxis
