Had a Zomato group dinner last Monday night at Golden Lane. I hadn't been there for quite some time now and was keen to see if anything had changed since our last experience.
Sitting down at our shared table, the first thing I noticed was the menu had changed. Upon review, we noted that the dishes on offer were more economical and mainstream than their previous menu. The design of it wasn't as extravagant (or big) but it was still intricate.
Starting with tea, soup was served a little while after. The Pork and Watercress soup was tasty and appetizing but unfortunately served lukewarm. Unsure whether if this was from being left our for too long, but we would definitely have enjoyed it a lot more if it was hotter.
Next we each had a serve of peking duck. Cut up in front of us, it was also prepared so that we didn't have to wrap it ourselves. Whilst convenient, it meant no seconds :P. The pastry was fresh and thin, the duck was very crisp and delicious, but again, it was served cool.
The highlight of the evening for me was the Roast Pigeon. For people like Adam who have never tried it before, it strikes a good balance between chicken and quail. These were plump and fatty, with crispy roast skin. As a fan of pigeon, they're not easy to find in Brisbane, and I definitely appreciate any opportunity to eat some.
We had two very similar pork dishes that evening. The top photo was the Peking Pork dish, whilst the bottom was your standard Sweet and Sour Pork. Although the base flavours were similar, the Peking Pork was far superior with a lighter and thinner batter, as well as a leaner meat. We also enjoyed the added flavour that the pineapples provided to the Peking Pork dish.
Sharing three Deep Fried Sole, these were fried to an exceptional crisp. The salt and pepper flavours definitely overpowered the fish flavours. I found the batter a little on the thicker side but the crunch when biting down was undeniable.
Another seafood dish was the Fish Fillets in Chilli Oil. From my experience at with Sichuan food at Fortune Well, the key to this dish is to only eat the fish fillets and bean sprouts whilst avoiding too much chilli oil or sichuan peppers. The fish fillets were flaky and the chillis were fragrant, but again the dish wasn't overly hot.
Our veggie dish for the night is a Century Egg and Salty Egg dish with Spinach cooked in broth soup. The spinach was tender and warming. The combination of salty egg and century egg complemented each other fairly well. We would have enjoyed a bit more soup in the dish so we could share a bowl each.
At this point we received the second course of our Peking Duck, served in San Choy Bao. Again the fillings were quite seasoned so as to overcome the taste of duck. Split between the ten of us, there wasn't too much go go around. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the light peppery taste wrapped in the crisp fresh lettuce.
Our final savoury dish for the night was the black pepper beef with mushrooms and assorted veggies. Although the pepper did again overcome the taste of beef, I found it surprisingly delicious with the mild flavours of mushroom. Absorbing the sauce in like a sponge, it redeemed the dish.
First dessert of the night was a Sesame Paste Dessert. The sesame was fragrant but the paste itself wasn't well mixed through, resulting in a sort of lumpy texture. Breaking the parts down myself with the spoon made it a lot more enjoyable.
Second dessert was the mix of osmanthus and coconut jelly. These had good flavour and texture. Compared to other coconut jellies I've had at other places, these were fresher but less creamier.
Rounding off the meal, fresh oranges were also provided. Will definitely have to come back and try again at a later point.
Espresso and Matcha were invited guests of Golden Lane, however as always, our opinions are solely our own.
Taste: 7/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 7/10
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