China Doll, Woolloomooloo

China Doll at Woolloomooloo combines modern Chinese cuisine with alfresco dining. On a sunny but very windy day, we were seated on one of the outside tables with a great view of the Sydney skyline.  

The Cured Hiramasa Kingfish was a perfect way to kick start our meal. It was light, fresh and tangy and got us wanting more.

Cured Hiramasa Kingfish with Avocado & Jicama $25

The Fried Tofu with Five Spice Salt were beautifully crisp on the outside and silky smooth on the inside.

Fried Tofu with Five Spice Salt & Ginger Soy $12

I had been to China Doll years early and remembered the Tea Smoked Duck as a highlight. Of course I had to order it again and it was just as good as I remembered it. The aroma of the tea was evident as the dish hit our table. It had a distinct smokey flavour and together with the crispy skin, mandarin segments and the plum and tamarind sauce, made for a stunning dish.

Tea Smoked Duck with Tamarind & Plum $39

The side of Broccolini with Oyster Sauce & Garlic was simple and gave us our veggie intake for the afternoon.

Steamed Broccolini with Oyster Sauce & Garlic $12

The Penang Curry, whilst not the most photogenic dish, delivered in terms of incredible flavour. The beef shin was tender and falling apart, soaking in the curry sauce which was salty, tangy and sweet.

Penang Curry of Slow Braised Wagyu Beef Shin $38

We also ordered the Steamed Market Fish, which today was a Snapper. It is cooked in the traditional Cantonese style, topped with shallots, ginger and soy sauce.  Whilst not as bold in flavour as the duck or beef curry, it was a very comforting plate of food.

Whole Steamed Market Fish (Snapper) $42

For dessert, we were treated to the Large Dessert Platter​ (we had ordered the Small but the server upgraded it for us as we were celebrating a birthday).  The platter consisted of the Sago pudding with Vanilla Coconut cream and passionfruit coulis, Raspberry and Mango sorbet and Black sticky rice with cris corn and poached pear. Each was very enjoyable in their own way and I especially loved the Sago pudding which had a great balance of salty, sweet and tangy flavours.

Dessert Platter Large $30

China Doll is one of the few fine dining Chinese restaurants that I feel is worth going to with fantastic food, attentive service and water views.