LOCATIONIn North Adelaide Village on the corner of O’Connell and Archer Streets.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAOne of the most elegant Asian eateries in town, Maple House’s immediate appeal lies in its aesthetics. Glass panes wrap around this top-level, corner location in snazzy North Adelaide Village. The gleaming tiled entry introduces a split-level bar area and tres chic chandeliers sparkling throughout. A ceiling recess in the expansive dining room is filled with luminous ice-blue light. In contrast, navy blue-upholstered chairs appear dull during daytime dining, but take on a richer look at night. Chairs aside, white linen tablecloths and napery in permanent residence maintain the elegance (a brave move considering the frenzied yum cha sessions). Stately pillars flank the stairs to upper-level dining with cosy corner nooks. Tastemakers will appreciate the dignified decor but become regulars because of the menu’s substance.
Yum cha fiends will swarm like bees around a hotpot in this spot that offers the treats seven days a week. Owner Hoi has the wheels in motion to get those fun trolleys patrolling around, so in the meantime you get to tick off your favourites from the impressive checklist. The steamed selection includes prawn and pea shoot dumplings, “snow white” chicken feet, bean curd skin rolls and tripe with ginger sauce. Fried options offer salt and pepper squid tentacles, and Chinese radish cake. Barbecue pork buns compete with the heavenly steamed egg custard version and rice rolls tempt with fillings such as golden mushroom chicken. Weekend yum cha is made extra special with combination peanut dumplings, century egg and salty egg congee, and shredded duck with jellyfish. Do not ignore the a la carte menu. Prawn-stuffed crispy chicken, steamed coral trout, taro duck, prawns in the shell with dry garlic and salted fish and chicken fried rice demonstrate why.
Roz Taylor