food reviews Archives - Wander Wonder Wonton

I’d been recommended to visit Fat Dumpling by a few people, Friday night, upon learning it was BYO was the night.

When we arrived they said half an hour but then seated us straight away. Service was certainly slow – they could do with an extra staff member for sure.

The hilarity began when I was opening the champagne. I took the metal and foil off, ready to pop the cork but the waiter distracted me. POP!!! The cork flew straight up to the roof and ricocheted back. Suddenly the whole place wanted to chat to us.

We were speaking with two people on a date (the guy wasn’t too happy but the girl was chatty as can be) to start then the table next to them joined in too. They’d obviously had a few wines already and were rather jovial!

It’s quite an intimate space, only one line of table on each side so when the dating couple with annoyed boyfriend left, the waiter ushered us into their table and pushed it over to join the rowdy tables saying ‘you can sit with your friends now.’ It was all pretty funny and we were having a great time with them but did feel rude gate crashing their party so old mate waiter could fit another in couple!

Anyway it took forever for him to take our order. We went with the steamed pork and cabbage, steamed prawn & garlic chives, crystal cucumber salad and the salt and pepper squid (as recommended by rowdy table.)

Very glad we took the squid recommendation, it’s the best I’ve had in a long time. Great flavour and great texture. The dumplings were delicious – soft and flavoursome.

Fat Dumplings is cheap and BYO, it’s on Brunswick Street in the Valley so easy to get to and while the service certainly wasn’t spectacular, we did make some lovely new friends and nearly create some new ventilation in the roof with our cork!

After a great day roaming St Kilda, Fred, Sam and I finally made it to The Pier in Port Melbourne. We’ve been meaning to make it there for months now!

I ordered an amazing cocktail, a strawberry & chilli caipirinha. I can’t describe to you what it tastes like.. Lolly like but not sickening sweet. Cachaca, strawberries, chilli, sugar & lime. Very unusual and definitely worth a go!

Entrees were oysters (yes I adore them, leave me alone) and a cucumber and tomato salad.

The owner, who is a lovely man, suggested we order the calamari salad and the meatball pasta. He should know, right?! So of course we ordered them both to share.

For the main I had the char grilled aged eye fillet, Sammy had the pan fried barramundi and Fred admitted food overload (our third meal out that day) and stuck to the sides!

I think I ate half the the meatball pasta on my own. It was not what I expected, it was a thousand times better. Beef meatballs with orecchiette, kale & pinenuts. Give it a whirl!

My steak was perfectly rare and the owner sent over a bottle of Pinot noir (Rabbit Ranch) that washed it all down just nicely. We had a lovely and attentive server too.

These pictures aren’t great, but their website is! Check is out HERE.

Fat Dumpling Bar, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

Pier Port Melbourne

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