hillsbilly

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  8     

Food was great, came out quickly and service was efficient and attentive but not smiling.

Non-Chinese diners, you need to know that there are two very different menus. This happens at a lot of Chinese restaurants. Be brave and ask for recommendations, choose from what you see others are having or go with someone who can read Chinese. Otherwise you're going to get offered boring western style Chinese food, it will be well done and delicious but a shame not to try real Chinese food at a place that does it so well.

Until more people show more interest in proper Chinese food yes, you will continue to be stereotyped and get only the best Mongolian lamb and fried rice.

Apr 25, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  8     

We've been here maybe 25 times now and it's pretty good but not great. It's cheap Cantonese home style cooking so it's homey and satisfying when you want an old favourite.

The barbecue is usually good in terms of its cooking. The roast pork has great crackling, teh char sui a little marbled but not fatty, the duck skin is crisp and papery, but depends on who is doing the chopping as to what kind of portion and presentation you get. This week we have been twice and once we ordered a char sui and roast pork plate and it was beautifully sliced and arranged but second time when we had duck and roast pork it was messy and much smaller, the crackling on our roast pork was all broken but the previous time each slice was a perfectly neat rectangle. Barbecue aficionados, you know what I mean.

We love the congee, soups, laksa and all the stir fried noodles. These are always generous and delicious. The lunch time specials are excellent value ($8.50 - $10 + free soup) and their spring rolls are fat and scrummy.

There is an older guy who serves and he is a bit brisk and brusque. Why, of all the people in the shop, do they put the least cheerful person to work the floor?! There is a lady there who is only slightly more cheerful. There is a younger guy who is there sometimes and he is very nice and friendly and chatty and I think he must be behind all the new stuff and specials and ideas, is he Tim? He seems very interested in what we think of his menu changes and decor etc. I like the recent addition of duck salad but haven't seen the young guy or anything new for a while now.

I love chinese food so this is a good local place for a quick casual bite but I must admit I would go if someone better came along.

Apr 15, 2011

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

Finally got to try this place, and so happy to find good pho on the northside! My friend and I both had pho Bo and I had the works w tripe, tendons and brisket. My extras weren't as thinly sliced as I'm used to and It was just standard mint leaves. I think if you're a gweilo you need to specifically ask for rare beef ("ethnic" restaurants of the world, please don't make assumptions about your diners and just give us the same food!). The soup itself is great and a fair substitute for An Pho. This is a busy little shop, you will have to share a table and queue at lunchtime. Even before 12 o'clock it if full.

Oct 30, 2010

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

Delicious! We have been here twice, once in a group for dinner and once just the two of us for lunch. At the group dinner we got to sample about ten different things, everything was beautiful and they were very accommodating of our group, happy to bring extra cups and napkins and wine glasses etc whenever we needed something.

Highlights include the roti, beef rendang, soft shell crab and we had one of the stir fried flat rice noodles, delicious. There was also a yellow chicken curry and that was great too. It was all great really.

Today we went for a late lunch. Our food was excellent. I had the hainan chicken which was beautiful, boneless chicken with a great chilli sauce and delicious rice and soup that is actually worth consuming. It's not just yellow stock cube water! I was offered a choice of white or dark meat as well, much appreciate that. My husband had the Har Mee which he found a bit sweet but I tasted it and I loved the big prawn stock flavour. We also had salt and pepper squid, it was perfect.

When we got there today there were five tables at 2.30 in the afternoon on a weekday. One was a father and son, the rest were groups. Good to see. Service was friendly and unobtrusive. We're locals and will be back!

**Since then, we have been probably half a dozen times again. The marmite chicken is delicious. And I love that their hainan chicken is boned. **

Jul 02, 2010

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

Late lunch here today. We got here about 2.15 on a Tuesday afternoon and they were busy. Tables turn over pretty quickly so no problem seating us. We had steamed pork and chive dumplings, seafood stir fried handmade noodles and pork belly and preserved veg hotpot. All of the food was delicious. Dumplings obviously freshly made (not cooked from frozen imported chinese ones).

Service efficient and pleasant but a bit friendlier would be so nice. Our pork belly came out when we had finished the other two dishes but no big deal. On the whole, a nice neighbourhood restaurant. We'll be going again. 3 dishes was just shy of $40. Pretty good.

Apr 13, 2010

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  8     

Food was great, came out quickly and service was efficient and attentive but not smiling.

Non-Chinese diners, you need to know that there are two very different menus. This happens at a lot of Chinese restaurants. Be brave and ask for recommendations, choose from what you see others are having or go with someone who can read Chinese. Otherwise you're going to get offered boring western style Chinese food, it will be well done and delicious but a shame not to try real Chinese food at a place that does it so well.

Until more people show more interest in proper Chinese food yes, you will continue to be stereotyped and get only the best Mongolian lamb and fried rice.

Apr 25, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

7 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  8     

We've been here maybe 25 times now and it's pretty good but not great. It's cheap Cantonese home style cooking so it's homey and satisfying when you want an old favourite.

The barbecue is usually good in terms of its cooking. The roast pork has great crackling, teh char sui a little marbled but not fatty, the duck skin is crisp and papery, but depends on who is doing the chopping as to what kind of portion and presentation you get. This week we have been twice and once we ordered a char sui and roast pork plate and it was beautifully sliced and arranged but second time when we had duck and roast pork it was messy and much smaller, the crackling on our roast pork was all broken but the previous time each slice was a perfectly neat rectangle. Barbecue aficionados, you know what I mean.

We love the congee, soups, laksa and all the stir fried noodles. These are always generous and delicious. The lunch time specials are excellent value ($8.50 - $10 + free soup) and their spring rolls are fat and scrummy.

There is an older guy who serves and he is a bit brisk and brusque. Why, of all the people in the shop, do they put the least cheerful person to work the floor?! There is a lady there who is only slightly more cheerful. There is a younger guy who is there sometimes and he is very nice and friendly and chatty and I think he must be behind all the new stuff and specials and ideas, is he Tim? He seems very interested in what we think of his menu changes and decor etc. I like the recent addition of duck salad but haven't seen the young guy or anything new for a while now.

I love chinese food so this is a good local place for a quick casual bite but I must admit I would go if someone better came along.

Apr 15, 2011

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

Finally got to try this place, and so happy to find good pho on the northside! My friend and I both had pho Bo and I had the works w tripe, tendons and brisket. My extras weren't as thinly sliced as I'm used to and It was just standard mint leaves. I think if you're a gweilo you need to specifically ask for rare beef ("ethnic" restaurants of the world, please don't make assumptions about your diners and just give us the same food!). The soup itself is great and a fair substitute for An Pho. This is a busy little shop, you will have to share a table and queue at lunchtime. Even before 12 o'clock it if full.

Oct 30, 2010

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

Delicious! We have been here twice, once in a group for dinner and once just the two of us for lunch. At the group dinner we got to sample about ten different things, everything was beautiful and they were very accommodating of our group, happy to bring extra cups and napkins and wine glasses etc whenever we needed something.

Highlights include the roti, beef rendang, soft shell crab and we had one of the stir fried flat rice noodles, delicious. There was also a yellow chicken curry and that was great too. It was all great really.

Today we went for a late lunch. Our food was excellent. I had the hainan chicken which was beautiful, boneless chicken with a great chilli sauce and delicious rice and soup that is actually worth consuming. It's not just yellow stock cube water! I was offered a choice of white or dark meat as well, much appreciate that. My husband had the Har Mee which he found a bit sweet but I tasted it and I loved the big prawn stock flavour. We also had salt and pepper squid, it was perfect.

When we got there today there were five tables at 2.30 in the afternoon on a weekday. One was a father and son, the rest were groups. Good to see. Service was friendly and unobtrusive. We're locals and will be back!

**Since then, we have been probably half a dozen times again. The marmite chicken is delicious. And I love that their hainan chicken is boned. **

Jul 02, 2010

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

Late lunch here today. We got here about 2.15 on a Tuesday afternoon and they were busy. Tables turn over pretty quickly so no problem seating us. We had steamed pork and chive dumplings, seafood stir fried handmade noodles and pork belly and preserved veg hotpot. All of the food was delicious. Dumplings obviously freshly made (not cooked from frozen imported chinese ones).

Service efficient and pleasant but a bit friendlier would be so nice. Our pork belly came out when we had finished the other two dishes but no big deal. On the whole, a nice neighbourhood restaurant. We'll be going again. 3 dishes was just shy of $40. Pretty good.

Apr 13, 2010

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

Food is consistently good, but not amazing. Service is civil and polite but I prefer friendly and relaxed. But thankfully none of the rudeness you can find in more chinesey restaurants. We come here for yum cha only because there's nowhere else around. I can't believe there are so many chinese people in the area and no where great for yum cha. Please! Someone.

Bit pricey compared to Chinatown favourites but will satisfy yum cha cravings when we're in the Hills. The room looks great, pretty enough for special occasions and first dates.

Apr 13, 2010

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  10     

Everything is always fresh and delicious. We get great service when I go with my dad, he's kinda well known in certain parts of the Sydney Chinese community, he is very well known at Masthai and they suck up to him. But when my gweilo husband and I have turned up as the first of our party they will tell us there is no booking, they tell us to wait outside etc. As soon as my dad turns up it's a different story.

Someone else mentioned the confusing name? It used to be a Thai restaurant. Years ago, they kept the same thai decorations their predecessors had left behind and we even saw them giving the old Thai menu to a couple.

The quail is excellent. Giant oysters very lightly steamed with ginger and shallots are beutiful. The slow cooked soups are perfect. The lobsters are always fresh and delicious. We like lobster served sashimi first course followed by stir fry w handmade noodles. My dad loves their jung kong pork ribs. Their veg is always fantastic. The food is just great. Everything. I've never had a bad meal here but have overeaten every single time. Dad and I both live in Surry Hills (not together of course!) so we have Chinatown on our doorstep but we always go to Masthai for special occassions. I only go with him.

Good luck if you're going sans Chinoise!

Apr 13, 2010

7.5 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  7     

@smartybox, I think you miss the point entirely. They go through an incredible amount of plastic every day, I have no idea how they can do it without feeling conspicuous and just plain bad! Maybe you need to have a quick google if you don't understand the big deal about serving everything on two plastic containers.

The food is nice but yeah, the plastic bothers me. Can anyone explain to me if it is an indonesian tradition to serve the rice separately? I think they could almost half their plastic consumption just by putting my steak straight onto my rice. I did get a takeaway once and asked for the chilli sauce to be put with the rice, instead of the meat, and they just would not do it, they gave me an extra container instead.

Apr 04, 2010

7.3 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  8     

Poor things. We came here for lunch one day, as always, they were empty but we couldn't go past the crazy $5 flounder special. We also had some pork thing, can't remember, but both were delicious. Room is a bit tatty and dirty looking and really, it doesn't help to have your lights off when everyone else is on!

Apr 04, 2010

6 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  6     

Just okay, there's so much competition along this strip, we didn't love it enough to ever go back.

Apr 04, 2010