New Shanghai, Chatswood Chase

New Shanghai is one of those few Chinese restaurants which just keeps getting better, and has since managed to open 4 branches across Sydney. Tonight we’re visiting their second Chatswood branch which is located in the higher-end Chatswood Chase Shopping Centre (the other one is located in Lemon Grove) and the menu has gotten significantly larger since I last visited a couple years back.

Fresh Made Jasmine Milk Tea – $4.80

The menu now includes a whole range of drinks, featuring popular bubble tea drinks. I get the jasmine milk tea which is sweet and very fragrant from the jasmine infused within.

New Shanghai Pan Fried Pork Bun (8pcs) – $10.50


New Shanghai Xiao Long Bao Steamed Mini Pork Bun (8pcs) – $7.80

We then kick off with some classic Shanghainese dishes including the pan fried and steamed pork buns. The fried buns are crispy on the bottom and are juicy, containing a small ball of pork and soup inside. The steamed buns are a thin pastry version of this, and both contain hot soup inside so best to eat with caution or wait until it cools a bit to avoid getting burnt!

Pan Fried Pork Dumpling (8pcs) – $9.90

Another classic staple dish and favourite are the pan fried pork dumplings. Larger than the pork bun counterparts, these also contain some soup inside and are crispy on the bottom, yet juicy when eaten.

Prawn Wonton tossed with Peanut Butter, Red Chilli Oil and Spice (10pcs) – $14.80

Next is one of the new menu items which is an interesting combination of prawn wontons, peanut butter and chilli. It all goes quite well together with the peanut butter adding a sweet undertone, and the chilli oil keeping the wonton moist.

Steamed Pork Belly Bun (2pcs) – $6

Many restaurants are now doing their own renditions of these half-folded buns, and this is another new addition to the menu. Containing pork belly, cucumber and hoi sin sauce, it’s a bit messy to eat with the sauce oozing out but it is definitely worth it with that tender pork belly steamed to perfection.

Braised Tofu and Mushroom in a Sweet Soy Sauce – $16.80

To mix it up a bit, we get a vegetarian dish next consisting of tofu and mushrooms on a bed of spinach. I’m a huge fan of this type of tofu which is a bit firm on the outside, but is silky smooth on the inside. The mushrooms and spinach had also soaked up a lot of the sweet soy flavours, resulting in a super tasty dish.

Stir Fried Clams with X.O. sauce – $15.80

Another new addition to the menu are stir fried clams (aka. pipis) which are one of my favourite seafood dishes of all time. Hidden inside the shells is the small nubbins of chewy flesh infused with the X.O. sauce which is a bit sweet and spicy. I find the clams here a bit chewier than other restaurants (not sure if they’re undercooked), but otherwise they’re quite tasty and the portion is generous for the price.

Salt & Pepper Soft Shell Crab – $29.80


King Prawn with Vermicelli in Ginger and Shallot in Hot Pot – $23.80

Rounding off the savoury dishes are two more new seafood additions to the menu. First is the salt and pepper soft shell crab which is crispy and not overly oily. The meat portions on this dish are quite big which is a nice surprise since I particularly hate it when some restaurants just give you a little meat and too many legs! The other dish is a hot pot containing King Prawns and vermicelli. Due to the cooking style, the vermicelli has soaked up all the prawn flavour and is super delicious to eat on its own. The prawns are also juicy but are a bit difficult to peel given that it’s at a boiling hot temperature inside the pot, but waiting for it to cool down is worth it.

Fresh Mango/Strawberry Shaved Ice (seasonal) – $10.80

By this time we are completely stuffed full and unsure of how we can possibly fit in dessert. But knowing that I was sharing my dessert with a couple others made me think that the amount I would actually eat would be a small portion. I was wrong. The shaved ice dessert that came out was served in a very large bowl (like a small vase, or jug without handles), topped with lots of mango pieces, strawberries and vanilla ice cream. Sweet, creamy and cold, it’s just the perfect combination to end the night.

You know it’s a good night when there’s so much food that each person can even pack a takeaway box for a delicious lunch the next day. New Shanghai delivers that without breaking the bank in a charming and sleek environment. This visit has been similar to all my previous visits – full of delicious food and good memories. Their extended menu just adds more options and demonstrates why they’re constantly busy every lunch and dinner sitting.

Excuse Me Waiter dined as guests of New Shanghai

New Shanghai (Chatswood Chase branch)
Chatswood Chase/345 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067
Ph: (02) 9412 3358

New Shanghai Chinese Restaurant on Urbanspoon

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