A typical suburban Chinese…

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to write about this particular dining experience because it is so typical of many restaurant meals that I have with my family. In fact, it’s probably very similar to dozens or hundreds of such family outings that happen each weekend in the suburbs of Sydney.

Hurstville is in the southern suburbs, and until about 10 years ago, was pretty much a traditional, red brick, meat and 3 veg type of town. Then, property developers moved in, highrise apartment blocks went up, and a large Chinese and Asian population moved in. As did the Chinese restaurants and grocery shops.

The imaginatively named Hurstville Chinese Restaurant is a very popular eatery on Forest Road (corner of Park Rd). Together with Sunny Harbour Seafood, it’s probably the most crowded on weekends, ie. filled with Asian diners, so it must be good! The food is the usual, above-average Cantonese, with a fresh seafood emphasis that draws in the local diners. The service is also better than average, with helpful waiters and a fairly fast kitchen turnaround (good if you hate waiting for your food, like me).

Chinese menu; pickled carrot and radish; complimentary pork bone and watercress soup

This time, we had a special of steamed ginger and shallot scallops in shell, with another something else in shell ($4.80 per serve, excellent value). I really don’t know what the other mollusc was, as the entire transaction was conducted in Chinese by my mum. She didn’t know the English for it either...

Then we had a fried tofu with some prawn embedded in the middle of it. Apparently, they form the tofu into a roll shape and slice it before frying, hence the circular shape.

Steamed scallop and 'other' shell thing; fried tofu with prawn

More seafood in the form of a steamed ginger and shallot fish was next. Again, the type of fish escapes me, except that the flesh was white, soft and very tasty. After this came a duck topped with taro and deep fried. This was okay, with some of the duck a bit dry.

Steamed fish with shallot and ginger; fried duck with taro; complimentary fruit and red bean soup

I like restaurants that provide the gratis stuff, and Hurstville Chinese gives you lai tong (free soup) and pickles to start, and red bean soup and fruit to finish. The soup this time was piping hot (good) though a bit watery (not so good).

Outside the restaurant; it must have won some award...

Overall, it’s a reasonable place for casual weekend dinner. If you live in the area, you really are spoilt for choice. I don’t live around there, but luckily have relatives who do!