Ding Hao is the best place for yum cha in Adelaide. I’ve been here so many times over the years and I have never been disappointed. If you want to get a seat, you’ll need to book. On a weekend, the lines are often queuing all the way from the register to outside the restaurant. The yum cha is the best here and everyone knows it!

We start off lunch with the Fried Prawn Eggplant. Nice juicy minced prawn on top of an even juicier crispy eggplant that is covered by a delicate light batter. The sauce that it is covered in gives the dish good depth.

Next up, we had the Pork and Prawn Bean Curd Rolls. The pork and prawn filling was juicy and succulent, and it was covered in a nice crispy sheet of bean curd.

We then had the King Prawn Dumplings. Nice juicy perfectly cooked king prawns steamed inside a soft delicate dumpling skin. You could taste the strong hint of sesame oil in this dish.

After that, we had the Moon Crescent Pork Dumplings. The filling contains marinated bits of minced pork in a fried golden brown battered shell. There’s too much air inside and not enough filling in my opinion.

We then had the Prawn Bean Curd. A big chunk of bean curd topped off with minced prawn that is then lightly battered. I’m not keen on bean curd, but then again, anything deep fried tastes good.

Birds Nest Taro Dumplings were up next. The filling consists of a thickly mashed taro that is fried to give the appearance of a nest. The filling is perfectly seasoned and the exterior provides a nice crunchy texture.

I’m not a fan of tripe, but it’s mainly psychological. This dish tasted like a marinated piece of rubber to me.

Then there’s the classic Chicken Feet. I’ll never know what the fascination is. Marinated skin and bones anyone?

Finally, we had the BBQ Pork Pastry. The pork filling was well marinated and the meat was lean. The pastry was nice and crusty, and baked until a golden brown.

For dessert, we had the Pineapple Custard Buns. The custard filling was smooth with a nice subtle sweetness. The bun was soft and delicate with a heavenly crunchy top. My favourite everytime I come for yum cha.

The service here is good from the waitresses bringing over the yum cha trolley to constant teapot refills. This place can get busy and you can end up feeling cramped, but I don’t mind being close to my friends as long as they shower. I can’t speak highly enough of this place and I recommend that you look no further than this place when it comes to yum cha.

WHERE: 26 Gouger St, Adelaide