Fat Buddha

There’s an echo of Hong Kong glamour at this brand new QVB yum cha palace. But that’s where it ends. The selection is fairly limited (no egg tarts, WTF?), though the staff are extremely nice and the room is beautiful. There’s even a giant jade cabbage out front - a replica of the jade cabbage found in the National Palace Museum in Tapei. Over one chocolate-coloured wall, there’s a giant golden etching of the laughing Buddha, while ornate Chinese lightshades dot the room and screens divide the large, open space. On the food side, the barbecue pork is oddly dry, which is disappointing. Prawn dumplings are captured in gossamer skins, however, and are definitely worth ordering, as are the green beans with black bean and soy sauce. There’s a fair bit of repetition as to what’s on offer - the same type of stuff seems to be doing the rounds. There is a fantastic coconut custard from the dessert menu that’s definitely worth poking a spoon into, though. We wouldn’t rush back to Fat Buddha, but if you’re just after a quick dumpling stop mid-QVB-shop, it’s not a bad option