Nothing beats a delicious spread in a chic city-centre venue. So when we heard that this is what Mr Wong is all about, we had to go and see whether it lives up to the hype.
THE AMBIENCE
Tucked away in a small alley, Mr Wong immediately creates the feeling that it’s off the beaten path. It’s not hard to find, but you’re unlikely to stumble on it by accident. We love that. The arched windows let you peek inside as you approach the door. Inside, the atmosphere is as warm as the greeting from the hostess. We walk past the open kitchen where everything looks clean and efficient. She leads us to a table near a towering glass wine storage unit. Music is playing softly in the background; no lyrics, just a chilled compilation to add to the cool vibe of the venue. 
The dark wood floors, exposed beam ceiling and bare brick walls make the room quite dark, adding to the authenticity. So far, we’re suitably impressed.
THE FOOD
Both the food and the wine menus are extensive. The selection of Cantonese dishes are both traditional, yet unique with it’s gourmet tweaks. It’s lunchtime, so not all of the menu options are available right now. We go for Roast Duck and Chive Dumplings, Steamed BBQ Pork Buns and Crispy Pork and Asparagus Wontons with Szechuan sauce. Service is attentive and prompt, with our water glasses being constantly replenished. When the food arrives, the presentation is great. The food is even better; the roast duck dumplings were simply divine. The pork buns were fluffy and heavenly, while the wontons proved as always, impossible to eat with chopsticks. I tried to refrain from licking my fingers but the Szechuan sauce was that good. 
We initially declined dessert, but our personable waitress said the fried ice cream with butterscotch sauce would change our lives. That was not an exaggeration; it was exceptional.
THE PRICE
Mr Wong is not by any stretch of the imagination a budget eatery. Nor would we want it to be, there are often waiting lists for tables as it is. Our bill for the food and dessert came to $54. It wasn’t a huge amount of food, but we aren’t big lunchtime eaters and we were saving space to try another place for dinner. Sydney is notoriously expensive, especially for foreigners, but we thought this was good value for money.
WOULD WE GO BACK?
I’ve already decided what I’m going to order next time I’m there. If you’re in Sydney, you absolutely have to go.
Have you been already? We know Mr Wong has a couple of other venues, so we’d love to hear your thoughts on those in the comments below.
