We think about ourselves quite well-versed in yum cha Chinese food here in Sydney. We’re positive we might tell you the very best locations to go for dumplings… however something has occurred that’s knocked us totally for six – really there were ten of them.
On our trip out to Mudgee recently, we had a tip-off to go to a bit town called Rylstone for yum cha in a location called 29 nine 99. At very first we nodded politely, believing that we’d discovered the dumpling zenith right here in Sydney.
But slowly – after one person as well as then one more told us we should go – we started to pay attention.
In the end, we’d booked a table for as early as possible on the morning of our drive back to Sydney. Rylstone’s type of on the method from Mudgee anyway. Kind of.
We pulled up in this adorable one-horse town as well as hunted down this location everyone’s been speaking about. It’s opposite the petrol station as well as the ‘Little Bottler’ bottle shop, as well as just down the road from the guns as well as ammo store.
The restaurant itself is in a gorgeous old two storey sandstone building, which is likewise a country-style inn.
We were satisfied by the lovely Na Lan, who opened this bit gem in 1998 after moving to Rylstone from Byron Bay. She called it 29 nine 99 after the date of her wedding.
We selected to sit out in the bit courtyard in the late morning sun while Na Lan explained the menu to us.
The concept is you choose if you can eat 6, 8, 10 or 12 dumplings then select which ones you want from the other side of the menu card. My advice – order 12 as well as don’t even bother looking at the choices. Ask Na Lan to surprise you with a selection.
The exact same goes for the tea. Mrs romance just ordered jasmine tea however – since I’m rubbish at choosing – I asked Na Lan to draw out whatever she liked. My infusion was some type of black tea she’d restored from her last trip to China as well as it wasn’t on the menu. It was type of wonderful as well as nutty, as well as a bit chocolaty – like chicory or wattle.
By the end of brunch, Mrs R had abandoned her tea was hectic drinking all of mine!
When the dumplings came out – all of which are handmade by Na Lan as well as her team the night before as well as then steamed to order – we were blown away.
Every single morsel was like a flavour celebration. So fresh, so cleverly made. Our stand-out favourite, the beef, carrot as well as leek dumpling, had so much depth as well as flavour, we were specific there was some type of mad Willy Wonka magic going on in Na Lan’s bit kitchen.
And oddly, if we’d selected the dumplings ourselves, we would never have ordered beef, carrot as well as leek. I mean it truly doesn’t communicate the concept of a flavour paradise existing within that thin dumpling case, does it?
With our dumpling set likewise came dessert options. Mrs R went for the wonderful black sesame dumpling. I selected a savoury surface as well as had a steamed pork bun, which was huge, doughy, sweet, sticky, crammed full of pork as well as sauce as well as thoroughly delicious.
As we were completing our meal, so the location started to fill up with the Sunday lunch crowd. service was still excellent, however I believe our early begin truly provided us the advantage of having Na Lan’s undivided interest as well as the location to ourselves.
So if as well as when you choose to make that trip to Mudgee, make sure you book up an early table in Rylstone. however be prepared to have whatever you believed you understood about dumplings seriously tested.
We ended up buying a few of that tea as we paid the bill. Na Lan brings back great deals of artifacts, chances as well as ends from her gos to to China. The shop you walk with to get to the restaurant is full of retail temptation. before you leave, make sure you spend a bit of time browsing the shelves.
Regulars likewise understand to bring a cooler bag or an esky to 29 nine 99; Na Lan offers bags of frozen dumplings she’s made. people come from as far away as Newcastle to buy up as well as cook at home, which I believe is an excellent idea!
We didn’t understand we might buy frozen dumplings, so we’ve decided not to have any type of other dumplings once again for a while. We understand we’ll be comparing every single one to Na Lan’s, as well as that’s just not fair!
Where are the very best dumplings you’ve ever had? Are you a pork, prawns or veggie dumpling type? tell us in the comments!
Images by Mrs Romance.