Golden Century

2 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  2     

Very disappointing experience here, service was MIA. Food was "chunky chinese" at best, I am sure the live seafood is the way to go but restaurants should consider their whole menu representative of their quality. I even saw a few gloing dishes go by, no doubt the style of sweet and sour you get at the local shopping centre food court. Not returning here with so many good chinese restaurants around.

Feb 23, 2009 

5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  3      Value  5     

I went here for dinner last Saturday. Food was okay, nothing special. Dessert was bad, they served watermelon and there was a little cockroach on it and when the waiter was notified they took it out back and got rid of the bug but gave us the same fruit platter back. Wouldn't recommend eating here until they clean up their act.

Feb 10, 2009 

5 Average

Food  6      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  7     

Not a bad place for a group meal. The service is a lot like China - rude. As this Australia an improvement in this area would be nice. If you ring to make a booking the person who answers the phone will not make it clear that you are talking to the Golden Century.

Feb 10, 2009 

4 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  5     

Food ok. Restaurant too busy and make waiting for too long. Expensive for seafood and worst service I have in Sydney. Never find restaurant like this in Japan. Terrible.

Jan 21, 2009 

7.5 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  6     

Dishes Ordered for Party of 8: Pipis with XO sauce served on Friend Rice Vermicelli, 1.5 Kgs Lobster with Ginger and Shallots (Green Onions) served on Garlic Noodles, 2 kinds of mushrooms with Vegetables, 500 gr Drunken Shrimps,
1.5 kgs Steamed Fish with Ginger and Shallots, Steam Rice. Price Paid $580.00.

No doubt this is the best seafood restaurant in Sydney, Chinese style. The renowned and celebrated chef Neil Perry (Rockpool Restaurant's Chef) was seen eating at this restaurant many times. Celebrities and overseas leaders were also taken to this place often. That should speak for itself. Excellent Food!

Jan 19, 2009 

3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

Mediocre food, laden with MSG. Waiter was rude and abused us when we didn't leave a tip for the poor service. Never coming back.

Jan 17, 2009 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

For a place this big and busy I am always amazed at how fresh and how well all the dishes are prepared. You simply can't go wrong when ordering. Whether it be entrees of scallops in ginger and shallots or any of the wonderful soups, right up to lobster in garlic butter or pippis in XO sauce, you are assured of a great meal. So what if the waiters seem disinterested, so would we if we were being run off our feet all day and night long. Don't be so precious, it's nothing personal. Pick up the menu and order with total confidence.

Jan 15, 2009 

7.3 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  8     

1/1/09 Update, all of the below still stands and I only circle back because staff attitude has gotten worse. Despite 3 requests (starting from when first ordering) to keep the pace leisurely, we still had all the food delivered at an alarming rate, and I did my 'nana when the last 2 dishes appeared right on top of everything else, then they got the message, but shame it had to get to that.

The food eventually received (when we were ready) was freshly made again. Would have also appreciated fresh bowls after appetizer, and also had to query 8 corkage charges for party of 6 adults and 2 children. Was told that it was because 2 of us had drank champagne, necessitating 2 sets of glasses. When politely, but firmly, told that corkage is by person not by glass, they did correct it. All credit though that a place of this calibre even has BYO, and the food is outstanding, but I know what to watch out for!

Previous, it's chaotic and the service staff don't really care about you a great deal, but hey, this is Chinatown and at 7 pm on a recent Wednesday, those unwise enough not to make a booking (myself included) are already having to wait for a table. And it's worth the wait, especially for the wonderful fleshy mud crab, of which we tried the ginger and shallot version. Enjoyed several other dishes including a flavoursome sang choy bau, the salt and pepper prawns, and a version of shredded peking beef that somehow managed to be traditionally firm on the outside while remaining moist in the middle.

Washed down with a Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc, we enjoyed the lot but it is the crab we'll be coming back for, even at $89 a kilo, we would be happy to have the same again or maybe try another variation the next time around. We liked the look of the dishes included in the suggested banquets for 12 people which featured at the back of the menu, in the $35 - $50 range, and including crab, peking duck and many other goodies, they look like awesome value!

Jan 01, 2009 

8 Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

Who can fault this place, honestly? The food is fantastic, every time. The Chef's Hat should be reflective of this. If you know what to order, you are guaranteed to be served exactly what you had the time before and of exactly the same quality. The seafood is undeniably fresh and cooked to perfection. Dishes I highly recommend: Pippies in XO sauce, Mud Crab in Szechuan sauce, salt and pepper squid or prawns, honey king prawns, whole fish in various cooking styles, even the gow gees are superior! The list goes on.

The only downside could be that it's not 'cheap'.... If you go as a small group. The way to eat at this place is Book!, go in a group of 6 of more, order what the locals order and enjoy fantastic food at reasonable value. When a Chinese restaurant is packed with Chinese clientele, it's a fair indication that you're about to eat the real deal as far as Cantonese cuisine is concerned.

Tip: the more you eat here, the less you get disregarded by the staff whom, admittedly, can be a little biased in regards to which ethnicity gets the better service. I've had to wait far too long, many a time - But: it's a busy place. I've been eating there religiously for 9 years and can't wait to go back.

Dec 19, 2008 

5 Average

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  2      Value  4     

Had a party here recently and was very disappointed. We waited nearly 40 minutes before the staff brought out drinks, and probably an hour all up before the first course in the banquet was brought out. When asked what the delay was, staff said 'it's coming' and walked off. Staff seemed abrupt and not interested in being there.

Apart from the staff being uncoperative and service very slow, I will say that the food was delicious, very fresh and tasty - the mud crab was delicious but annoying that they only had one implement for opening the crab to share between 10- 12 people. I'm not sure if I would come back to this place on account of the service being so inefficient.

Dec 16, 2008