Chefs Gallery, Town Hall

Ever since opening in 2010, there is almost no way you could miss Chefs Gallery thanks to the large (and quite bright) lights spelling out its name. This mainstay on George St offers modern Chinese cuisine at modest prices, so you won’t burn a hole in your wallet. Every time you go in there’s an assortment of diners; everyone from couples on date nights, family dinners, and girls on a fancy night out.

Prawns, scallops, Artic surf clam, bamboo pith served in duck broth with chrysanthemum cut tofu ($16.90)

The first thing that catches my eye is a block of tofu delicately cut to resemble a chrysanthemum flower once submerged in the duck broth. Two pieces of bamboo pith, or as I call them, loofahs, are shared between us.

Salt and pepper calamari served with a sweet chili mayo and Chinese salad in a sesame soya dressing ($19.90)

Salt and pepper calamari probably isn’t the first thing you would think of ordering in a Chinese restaurant, but nevertheless, it was ordered and the ball was not dropped. The lightly battered and crisp seafood was accompanied by an Asian version of tartare sauce: sweet chili mayo.

Kingfish sashimi Chao Zhou style. Infused with a blend of fish and soya sauce, citron jam, served with finely shredded ginger and chopped lettuce ($19.90)

Chao Zhou is the eastern part of Guangdong province whose cuisine is based mainly around seafood and vegetables. Hence it’s not much of a surprise to see raw kingfish in that style. I could have sworn I tasted sesame oil and am not sure where the citron jam is…

Spinach handmade thick noodles wok fried with prawns, mussels in shell, baby calamari tubes, Chinese shitake mushrooms, dusted with seaweed and sesame powder ($18.90)

I tried to pick these up with chopsticks and it just did. not. work. These noodles have to be tackled with a fork. Sure, spinach lends its color, but not its flavour. Even though it looks really “wow”, the flavour is just not that surprising.

I’m not sure I can even count the amount of times I’ve been to Chef’s Gallery and this certainly won’t be the last. This restaurant is one of the old faithfuls, as evidenced by the long lines every night. While not exceedingly spectacular, it always offers a good and filling meal.

Chefs Gallery
Shop 12, 501 George St
Sydney NSW
Website