A new addition to Westfield Tea Tree Plaza’s recently upgraded precinct is Tang Song, an authentic Chinese restaurant serving up traditional yum cha dishes best shared with family and friends.
Named after two very prosperous periods in Chinese history, Tang Song hopes to deliver authentic food from imperial times to the local community, according to owner Rick.
The atmosphere capture’s Tang Song’s Chinese essence, with parasols hanging from the roof, lantern-style lighting and wall artwork painted by a local Chinese artist.
Adelaide Food Central were lucky enough to try a broad variety of Tang Song’s dishes from their new menu, ranging from delicious dumplings to traditional Chinese desserts.
Prawn Dumplings
Served in a traditional bamboo steamer, these prawn dumplings were soft on the outside to reveal a delicious prawn and herb filling on the inside. Each serving comes with three little dumplings inside, and believe me when I say these were so mouth-watering you’ll be ordering multiple servings!
Scallop Dumplings
Slightly different in shape to differentiate them from the prawn dumplings, the scallop dumplings offer a slightly softer, less rubbery texture than that of the prawn. With each bite, the delicate scallop flavour explodes in your mouth and leaves you wanting more of these bite-sized treats.
Pork Dim Sims
Pork dim sims are a staple on any Chinese menu, and Tang Song certainly delivers with these classic crowd favourites. The moist outside wrapper unfurls in your mouth to reveal a flavoursome filling mainly consisting of tender pork, but also with a touch of prawn.
BBQ Pork Buns
Tang Song’s pork buns are quite generous in size – big and fluffy just how all pork buns should be! Biting into the soft and fluffy bao bun reveals a morsel of succulent cha siu pork coated in a juicy and slightly smoky barbeque-flavoured sauce.
Deep Fried Prawn Balls
These deep fried prawn balls are uniquely presented in patty pans and topped with fried noodles that offer a satisfying snap. The crispy noodle topping reveals a golden deep-fried ball underneath, which you bite into to reveal a delicious prawn filling much like that within the prawn dumpling.
Eggplant Stuffed With Prawn
Nestled within two slices of eggplant is a succulent prawn filling, creating a unique sandwich of textures. The eggplant offers an unexpected meatiness, whilst there is a hint of honey present within the crisp, golden deep fried flour exterior. Drizzled with black bean sauce, this dish is the perfect option for those who are pescatarians as it balances out the prawn with the vegetarian favourite of eggplant.
Cheese Prawn Dumplings
Deep fried to golden perfection, these dumplings offer a twist on traditional dumplings with the combination of prawn as well as cheese. The crispy outside contrasts the soft filling inside, with the cheese melting in your mouth and adding a creaminess to the seafood flavour of the prawn.
Salt and Pepper Squid
A generous serving of squid tentacles, deep-fried to have a thin, crispy layer of golden goodness. Infused with flavours of salt and pepper and topped with a sprinkle of rice and spring onion, these pieces of squid are best enjoyed with a dipping sauce such a sweet chilli to add a zesty tang.
Deep Fried Savoury Triangle
Although these looked more like circular puffs than triangles, these savoury morsels certainly intrigued us from the moment they were served. Coated in a slightly golden glaze, the thick layer of fluffy pastry had a hint of sweetness to balance out the savoury filling inside. Salty and succulent, the juicy filling exploded in your mouth at first bite, giving us hints of cheese and herbs.
Satay Chicken
Tender pieces of chicken breast were coated in a satay sauce, which proved to be surprisingly spicy but nothing too unbearable to handle. Mixed in with carrot, capsicum and onion, the peanut flavour within the sauce was not too overpowering and allowed all of the flavours to come through without competing with one another.
Sweet and Sour Pork
Balls coated in a crispy batter to reveal tender pork inside were mixed with a vibrant red sweet and sour sauce, mixed in with onion and green capsicum to add hints of colour. The sweetness of the sauce was balanced out by chunks of fresh pineapple, which contributed to the sour side of the dish.
Squid Salad
A new addition to their menu, this dish consists of squid thinly sliced to be tender and juicy rather than rubbery in consistency. Soaked in a white vinigarette to add a powerful tang and topped with tiny slices of chilli and sesame seeds, this squid salad is a cool and refreshing choice for summer.
Chicken and Cornflake Salad
The waitress was met with our looks of confusion and curiosity as she stated that this salad combined chicken as well as cornflakes. Who knew a breakfast cereal could pair so well with chicken? The salty chicken pieces were balanced out by the sweet cornflakes, and when combined with a green leaf salad this dish proved to be a unique combination of textures. Tang Song also cater for those that are gluten intolerant, with this dish being gluten free.
Custard Buns
No yum cha feast is complete without dessert as the last course! Custard buns are a highly popular traditional Chinese dessert, and when we tried them we could well and truly see why they are worth the hype. The most fun part was breaking open the savoury, fluffy bun to reveal the sweet, golden yellow custard inside, making for the perfect soul-warming comfort food.
White Coconut and Matcha Red Bean Jellies
We also tried two varieties of their jelly cakes, which come as bite-sized cubes that wobble at the slightest touch. Pure white and silky smooth, the white coconut jelly provided a refreshing burst of tropical coconut flavour. Filled with little red beans to add texture to the smooth jelly, the matcha red bean jelly showcased the classic green tea flavour of matcha in dessert form.
Durian Pastries
Durian is an exotic Asian fruit that comes in a spiky shell and is known as the world’s smelliest fruit, yet Tang Song subdue the offensive smell and capture the durian flavour in the form of a dish much like an apple strudel. Wrapped in crispy, toasted pastry, the durian is soft and warm inside, tasting like no fruit we have ever tasted before.
Offering two private dining rooms available to book for functions, Tang Song also hope to introduce karaoke to their restaurant sometime in the new year.
Located next to the new Hoyts cinema, Tang Song are open 11am – 10pm Monday to Sunday.
Words by Tayla Giles
WHERE: Westfield Tea Tree Plaza, 976 North East Rd, Modbury
