Royal Treasure Seafood Restaurant | Burwood

Wondering what to do on the weekend? The one thing that comes to our mind is catching up with family or friends over yum cha. We absolutely love yum cha! It's such a great way to enjoy a long brunch and they are generally more than happy to cater for you, so long as you are still ordering!
We usually have yum cha at Vinh Phat or Iron Chef in Cabramatta however, we decided to venture off to explore Burwood to a place called Royal Treasure Seafood Restaurant. The name is definitely a mouthful, but as we soon found out it was a mouthful of flavour. We have heard from many that this yum cha spot was the place to try, so we couldn't resist.

Tea

Yum cha typically involves small portions of steamed, pan-fried, deep-fried and some sweets to be shared and washed down with tea. If your tea is empty, lift the lid up and place it on an angle - this notifies the waiters to top up your tea! I also find the tea helps you digest better as most dishes can be quite oily.

Bamboo Steamers

It's very hard to stay focused on a conversation when you see the carts being pushed around. We can't help wondering what's inside each steamer and it really peaks our curiosity that we have to ask. The cart ladies usually starts telling you about items in the steamer - sometimes you have no idea what's inside (even after her explanation) because before you can process the information, another cart lady begins to explain what's in her cart. It's a busy, loud and somewhat competitive environment and we love every bit of it!

Xiao Long Bao

Xiao Long Bao isn't something we typically order from yum cha but we decided to give it a go. We normally have it from Taste of Shanghai or Din Tai Fung. The dumpling was overflowing with steaming hot soup which ended up on our shirts as we took at bite! It's so fun to eat but be careful, it's going to squirt everywhere. We enjoyed the xiao long bao even though the dough was thicker than normal.

Spinach and Prawn Dumpling

Spinach and prawn dumplings are a must to order. There is just so much going on inside the dumpling that you may find yourself ordering 2 or 3 plates more. We love the bouncy texture from the dumpling and it was perfectly translucent! The filling was delicious and the dumpling was so plump. Don't forget to signal the waiter for chilli sauce and vinegar to dip your dumplings in.

Asian Greens

We never order Asian greens at yum cha because I think it's a quick way to fill you up! Similarly, we never order noodles either. I'd much rather pick a few items from the carts and enjoy more rather than less (or whenever our stomach yells 'stop feeding me').

Deep Fried Taro Dumpling

Taro is from the potato family, but it is much like its brighter cousin the sweet potato. It is sweet and yet very starchy, but it is perfect when cooked right. The Taro Dumpling is a popular dish to order at yum cha, just not if you are counting your calories. We always ask it to be cut in half (sometimes in quarters) because it can become moorish to eat the whole dumpling yourself. Inside this dumpling is usually pork, shrimp, mushroom and shallot and a fluffy taro skin.

Pan Fried Rice Rolls with Peanut Sauce

The pan fried rice paper rolls is one of our "must order" dishes whenever we visit. The one pictured above wasn't as crispy as other places however, the taste is quite similar. Served with peanut and hoisin dipping sauce, this dish has the perfect balance between sweet and savory. The only difference about this rice roll was the tiny shrimp cooked with the roll. We wish this could be fried a little longer so it's crispy on the outside. The only downside of ordering this dish is it fills you up very quick!

Pan Fried Turnip Cake 

Pan fried turnip cake is a popular dish over the Chinese new year period. It's a must eat dish as it symbolises prosperity and rising fortunes. In Christie's family, her grandma would always make this ever since she was little! Therefore it is safe to say that we definitely enjoyed it. The turnip cake was a little too bitter, but nonetheless it wasn't enough to ruin the taste of this dish.

Tofu Fa

Don't forget to leave some stomach space to enjoy the dessert dishes! The tofu fa is an easy dessert to eat - it's so light and healthy. Every spoonful just glides down your throat and warms your belly up! We love ending yum cha with tofu fa; it's best enjoyed warm so don't wait. Dig in but make sure you ask for extra syrup (thank us later).

Mango Pancake

Finally you should end your yum cha experience with the mango pancake dessert. This brings a smile (or grin) to everyone on the table. Thin mango pancakes stuffed with vanilla scented cream and fresh mangoes. These are always the best during mango season, but if you don't see it around on any carts, don't be shy and just ask! They can be made well in advance so I'm sure they have heaps in the fridge.

Snapshots of Food dined as guest of Zomato and Royal Treasure Seafood Restaurant