LOCATIONThe New Farm end of Brunswick Street.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAChinese food is a very subjective thing – everyone has their own take on who does it best, be it a little takeaway joint around the corner or a flashy place in Chinatown. My theory is that you can tell the quality of Chinese food by: (a) the number of full tables; and (b) the amount of native Chinese people occupying those tables. My subtle bigotry aside, the way things are shaping up this Tuesday night at the newly opened New Farm branch of Yum Yum Peking Duck, this could be a revelation for the burgeoning food district that is the corner of Merthyr and Brunswick Streets.
With a brand spanking new fit-out, the owners of what is generally known as one of Brisbane’s best Peking duck restaurants have brought their much vaunted birds much closer to the city. Not that its Darra location has stopped people from making the drive out. The eponymous signature dish is clearly the biggest drawcard as the wait staff are constantly rushing the fragrant, shiny ducks back and forth from kitchen to table. The bird itself is expertly prepared; the thin, crispy skin sits over tender, flavoursome flesh that so often is over-cooked to the point of toughness. Other dishes, too, demonstrate that traditional Chinese food can be a touch above the norm; vegetables are crisp and fresh, while sauces have depth and complexity. Lifting the lid on a pork and tofu hotpot results in a mouth-watering rice wine aroma, followed by warm garlic and ginger bottom notes. The actual taste of the dish, I assure you, is every bit as good as the initial impression. Is this the best Chinese food in Brisbane? Maybe. Is this the best Chinese food in New Farm? I believe so.
Nicholas Wong, May 2009