If you haven’t been to Mrs Wang’s, put it on your bucket list – at the top – even if it’s to bask in the glory of the 1930s Art Deco fitout, writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON.
IT’S wow-factor at Mrs Wang. Your tastebuds are guaranteed an exciting gastronomic journey at this modern Australian Chinese restaurant, in the heart of the bustling Tiger Lane precinct at the Canberra Centre.
If you haven’t been, put it on your bucket list – at the top – even if it’s to bask in the glory of the 1930s Art Deco fitout (I love the massive neon M and W letters adorning the bar).
Mrs Wang is a place of discovery. Inspirational local chef Gerald Ong is heading the kitchen and has just rolled out a new lunch menu, new lunch specials and yum cha. So now is the time to go.
Gerald (think Project Enoke) seizes the moment with every dish, putting a contemporary twist on traditional Chinese flavours.
The key to the prawn toast – the best I’ve ever had – is in the duck fat ($4 each). With the new menu, these tasty morsels are changing shape from round to triangle but will be just as divine. They’re coated in seeds for crunch.
We worshipped the dumplings and Mrs Wang makes all versions (and its dim sum) in-house, executed by its own dumpling master. Give the soup dumplings a go and don’t go past the crystal skin prawn and bamboo dumplings (both three pieces for $14).
From the small-plates section, we shared a vibrant hiramasa kingfish that melted in the mouth ($22). The key with all Mrs Wang’s dishes is quality ingredients. The kingfish is no exception. It comes with a wedge of fresh lime and ginger kosho. Squirt just a bit of lime on so as not to overpower the fish.
Our group rarely goes past duck pancakes and Gerald’s version is fantastic ($32 for four pieces). The succulent duck is sliced and tossed in a bowl with ingredients I’ll keep secret so it’s a surprise. The hoisin is silky smooth.
Although the menu is “new”, Gerald has kept some of the most popular dishes customers can’t live without (he probably fears for his life). One must-have newbie is the cauliflower, which tastes as amazing as it looks. A whole cauliflower is sliced in half and then wood-fired and served with a thrilling almond and sambal sauce ($19).
The beef tenderloin and broccoli may sound familiar, but it packs a punch and was sizzling away on the hotplate when it arrived at our table.
If you want to feast, Mrs Wang has carefully curated a selection of dishes guaranteed to impress ($60 a person or $75 a person).
Mrs Wang has live lobsters and crabs in a massive tank at the entrance. We’ll be back… for the Singapore chilli crab and/or the steamed ginger scallion lobster and egg noodles (both dishes market price). Yum!
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