PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAFor true Cantonese food one usually peddles into Chinatown, but a few years ago this suburban treat took up residence in Norwood. In 2005 it was taken over by manager Hugo Guo and chef Weiqiang Dong. Having migrated from China, Dong brought Cantonese cooking skills from his previous restaurant in the Fujiang province, continuing Fortuna Court’s stream of accolades. For those who wander in content to order beef with black bean sauce, sweet and sour pork and fried rice – I hope you leave dreaming about the coral trout and “8 treasure duck”. Should you wish to preview a dish before you order it, there are no laminated, blurry food photos to be seen here, but rather a smart new feature in the form of a wall screen projecting a continuous slideshow of well-styled food shots. It holds the attention of your tastebuds long after the waiters have taken your order.
Guo is an energetic front-of-house figure who tempts diners with his specials board. He assures me the Fortuna soy duck is better than anything in; and points out another unique menu offering in the prawn and seaweed salad. Salt and pepper squid aficionados will delight in the separate menu board devoted to seafood seasoned with this popular flavour, including whitebait, prawns, oysters and fish. You can even go vegetarian with the salt and pepper pumpkin and eggplant. If you’re being that good, then afterwards pander to your inner-child with a dessert of fried ice-cream, drizzled with your choice of toppings.
Roz Taylor