China Red

Shop 6, 206 Bourke Street
Melbourne 3000

The first time I peeked through the viewing window into the kitchen where the chefs were wrapping dumplings with stealth-like precision, I experienced flash backs of the legendary Din Tai Fung chain - the best dumplings in the world! China Red looks and feels like it's in a different league to your David and Camy's and Shanghai Village's. The decor is modern and funky and more importantly, the dining area and kitchens look much, much cleaner. 

The most unique aspect of the China Red experience is the touch screen self-ordering system. It's intuitive and user friendly, and actually kind of fun to use when dining with a group of friends. I know what you're thinking, 'what a gimmick!'. Gimmick they may be, but the touch screens are actually an improvement and should be used more widely. The ordering process, food preparation and bill payment are all more efficient. Of course, plenty of staff are on hand should there be a problem or to provide recommendations. While most of them are friendly enough, this is still a Chinese restaurant and on some days you will be thankful that the touch screens minimise your interaction. 

Vegetarian Dumplings

Pan Fried Dumplings

The dumplings at China Red are a bit different in that the skins are slightly thicker than most other versions. Whether this is a good or bad thing will be a matter of personal preference. The skins are well made and have a good degree of chewiness, but don't make for a terribly authentic pan fried dumpling. The bottoms are always perfectly browned, but lack the crunchy goodness. I have found all fillings to be of good quality, albeit somewhat lacking in cabbage and chives. I would highly recommend the steamed vegetarian dumplings. The filling includes tofu which adds another dimension to the flavour, and the thicker skin suits the softer vegetables. They also look stunning. With a silky, delicate wrapper and an absolutely delicious mix of vinegar and chilli as an accompaniment, the wontons in chilli oil are also a must have. 

Xiao Long Bao

The xiao long bao and pan fried buns are to be avoided at all costs. This has go to be one of the worst xiao long baos I've ever had. The skins were thick, the meat had a terrible grainy texture (too much corn flour), and there was no orgasmic explosion of juice when bitten into. In fact, they were pretty dry and needed to be drowned in vinegar. The buns are similarly disappointing and are ridiculously small for their price. 

Spicy Dan Dan Noodles

The noodle and rice dishes, while pretty supersized, are nothing special. In general, I find the noodles too soft and rather unauthentic. For example, the Shanghai fried noodles taste more like their Hokkien cousins. Note that I'm talking about the actual noodles used rather than the flavour of the dish. You would be reasonably safe with anything that's spicy. A myriad of ingredients go into the spicy sauces served up at China Red, exciting the taste buds with intense, multi-dimensional flavours. As far as mains go, China Red is again acceptable but not spectacular. Be sure to try the tofu in salty egg yolk and the stuffed eggplant braised with abalone sauce. These are unique dishes with bold flavours that really hit the spot. Avoid anything deep fried (particularly the soft shell crab), as China Red's batter lacks crispiness and is amongst the most oil ridden I have ever had the displeasure of experiencing. 

Overall, China Red promises more than it delivers. In general, the food is average and extremely hit and miss. It's a shame that there isn't more consistency. If everything was made to the same standard as the vegetarian dumplings or the stuffed eggplant in abalone sauce, this would be so much more than your average run of the mill Chinese restaurant. As it turns out, that's what China Red is, just presented in a nicer, cleaner package. 

Casual Dining 


Food - 3/5
Ambience - 3.5/5
Service - 3/5
Price - 3.5/5

Total - 13/20