Chin Chin, Melbourne

Yesterday, my friend Lee had her birthday lunch at Chin Chin.  Chin Chin is a very popular restaurant with a South-East Asian inspired menu, and generally, you can't book.  However, to secure a space for Lee's event, we had 12 people and ordered the banquet menu ($69).   This is a selection of dishes from Chin Chin's menu to share.

 

Our tables were downstairs at the GoGo bar:

 

This very cool neon sign is on the wall of the GoGo bar, along with numerous prints of Melbourne for purchase:

The drinks menus are entitled "Little Black Book" and "For adults only":

I ordered a margarita ($18.50):

Margaritas go down way too easily, so I limited myself to just the one.

Then the food started coming, and boy, was there a lot of it.  First up was a bright and citrusy kingfish sashimi, and shredded pork pancakes with hoisin sauce:

Next came salt and pepper squid:

then barramundi and pork belly with peanut sauce:

The pork belly was melt-in-the-mouth delicious, but the barramundi was a little dry and overcooked.

The next dishes were soy beef stir fry:

caramelised pork with Asian vegetables:

a lovely, silky, smooth baked salmon:

butter chicken curry with rice and roti:

and chilli soft shell crab:

If that wasn't enough, there was also dessert.  First up came palm sugar icecream which tastes like caramel, and is topped with honeycomb:

Next came coconut sago:

Finally, there was a banana roti (my least favourite):

One of Lee's friends also made her a red velvet birthday cake in the shape of her Yorkshire terrier, Zelda:

It was a lovely way to pass the afternoon, and on the whole, the food was very good.  My only complaint - I had way too much to eat!

Chin Chin Restaurant

125 Flinders Lane

Melbourne VIC 3000

Ph: 03 8663 2000