Mask of China Restaurant, Melbourne
A forbidding Chinese opera styled mask looks onto Little Bourke Street – home of Melbourne’s Chinatown. Beyond the mask, is Mask of China, a Chinese restaurant specialising in Chui Chow cuisine.
Generally, Chui Chow style food is focussed on letting the individual characteristics of the ingredients show, with delicate cooking of poaching or steaming and a pleasantly earthy and salty taste compared with (relatively) oily Cantonese and North Chinese food.
Mask of China’s tables are covered with linen and set with good spacing between them. The noise level from other diners has never been intrusive – it’s a great spot for either pleasure or business. Tonight however was different. Seated near a large group of businessmen (with no women in sight) who were obviously enjoying themselves, the noise level was intrusive. A request to be relocated to a quiet spot upstairs was quickly and smoothly accommodated.
If you’ve never been to Mask of China before, or you are with a group of indecisive people a good way to sample the food is with the “let us surprise you� banquet. It can be easily tailored to food and dietary preferences.
The extensive and carefully selected wine list is a delight. Knowledgeable staff can assist matching the wide range of dishes to wine or to the selection of fine teas. Tonight, a 2001 Olivier Leflaive “Les Charmes� Meursault was selected to match with the first few dishes. This is a very aromatic wine with a nose of honey, vanilla and with a long buttery finish.
A soup of prawn balls and bamboo pith ($15.50) was a revelation. The bamboo pith was almost sweet and was gently crunchy while remaining tender. Well-seasoned and tasty prawn balls provided a firmer, supporting texture and flavour contrast.
Following on from the soup was a delicate parcel of chicken wrapped in the thinnest, eggwhite surrounded by thick reduction of chicken stock ($9.50). Taste, texture and aroma all allow the individual ingredients to be savoured.
If there were one reason to come to Mask of China, it would be for their famous spicy quail ($14.00). Marinated overnight and cooked to perfection, it’s like no other quail I’ve tasted.
The other highlight of the meal was wild boar in Chinjew (herb and peppercorn) sauce ($38.00). It’s very different from pork – more tender, earthier and less unctuous. This was paired with a half bottle of 1999 Mount Mary Pinot Noir (Yarra Valley, Vic) – a fine, well-balanced wine with smooth tannin, silky mouth feel and long length. Accompanying vegetables of kai lan (Chinese broccoli) with garlic and mushroom was of the highest standard ($19.80).
A dessert of red beans encased in sweet potato and sesame, fried and served with hazelnut ice cream ($11.80) ended the night well. Not having a sweet tooth, the dessert was deliciously savoury. It was matched to “Iron Buddha� tea (TiKuanYin) - a delicious oolong tea offering floral notes with a background of cinnamon. As pleasant as lingering over the tea was the night sadly had to end.
Mask of China sports some of the finest, most original Chinese food in the country with consistently good service, fine wine, teas and a comfortable dining space.
Restaurant Review Summary
The Bill: Most Entrées: $9-$25, Most Mains: $20-$40
Awarded: Two Roos - One of the best Chinese dining experiences anywhere.
Contact and Restaurant Details
Mask Of China
115-117 Lt Bourke St
Melbourne, Victoria
P: (03) 9662-2116
Open: Dinner seven days, Lunch Sun-Fri
Bookings recommended.