Category: Reviews | Post by: Andrea Wong
Mr H and I enjoy our cheap good eats, normally Asian noodle bar-type of places - I love a good bowl of tasty noodles. Last week we rocked up to our tried and trusted favourite, Hansan in Panmure only to find it absolutely packed and a huge wait for a table. Oh yes, it must have been their first day open after their two week summer break. What bad timing!
After a bit of hunger-induced brain racking, we headed to Dominion Road to check out New Flavour Restaurant (near KFC, Potters Park and just across the road from the Capitol Cinema). I have heard so many good things about this place and its famous dumplings, it was about time we tried it.
New Flavour specialise in Chinese-style hand made noodles and dumplings. And by the looks of what was on people's tables as we walked in - their pancakes must be pretty good too. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table but that gave me a good opportunity to see what everyone was eating (dumplings and pancakes).
After sitting down, we were immediately served a pot of tea. Like a typical Asian eatery, the decor is nothing to write home about but it is clean... and that is enough. The tables are sparsely adorned with a pair of chopsticks and a napkin each, and a wee bowl of chilli oil and soya sauce.
After taking a quick look through the long menu - which included not only dumplings but other dishes that you can typically find at a Chinese restaurant - we settled on a bowl of beef brisket in soup with home made noodles ($8) and pork, chives and prawn dumplings ($12 for 20 dumplings, an extra $1 if you want them fried or in soup).
Drinks are either from the small selection from the fridge from which you help yourself... or unusually - BYO beer.
The beef brisket was wonderfully tender, the soup flavourful and light, and the noodles silky with a slight bite. I love a well-fried dumpling and these dumplings were cooked well. The filling, although not super-stuffed, was generous enough and if you use the table condiments of soya sauce and chilli oil, it's d'lish!
We did order a spring onion pancake ($1.50) as well, but it seemed that it was forgotten and we cancelled it. But that's ok, I look forward to trying it next time. By the time that we left, there was a decent queue of people waiting for a table - so if you want to go to New Flavour, I advise to go early, late, in a small group, or be willing to loiter for a table. And by late, you can go really late - Mr H and a friend went there at 1.30am on Saturday night and they said that it was still doing a steady trade when they left.
I think that I have found a new favourite place for a cheap and cheerful dumpling dinner. I'll be back to try other dumplings and maybe even one of those elusive pancakes!
New Flavour Restaurant
541 Dominion Road
Balmoral
(09) 638 6880
BYO (even beer!)
Open Wednesdays - Mondays 5pm - 3am
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