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FNQi-Chef, Clifton Beach (2026)

28/08/2026

Short takes on long lunches…

When you have an out-of-town visitor, where do you take them? To places you’ve enjoyed obviously. So….. our son arrived for a short break and we’ve been doing the rounds at some of our favourite eateries with mixed results.

The first was Punjabi Palace - 39 Lake street. The last time was a fantastic experience but we left not having tried their ‘half-metre’ meat platter ($65.00) and vowed to return to enjoy it. When it arrived it was somewhat less impressive than what I had imagined it to be. There was only two small lamb cutlets (from, it seemed, an anorexic lamb), two each of Seekh kebab, samosas, tandoori chicken, some onion pickle, chutney and two naan’s cut into four. The lamb was good but miserly, the chicken generous and well seasoned with spices but a little dry - it could have used some brining to keep juicy, the kebabs were pretty good, and the samosas excellent by all accounts. Still… the plank was underwhelming and for the price, could have been much more! In any event it was our entree so we had high hopes for the main event, the curries! Angelika had the Beef Kashmiri ($28.50) and although she couldn’t finish it all, thoroughly enjoyed the onion, tomato and cashew flavours. Couldn’t be faulted. We all shared the coconut rice which nicely aromatic.

Julian opted for the Lamb Saag ($29.50) which was redolent with spinach and onion and spiced just right. In comparison with my version at home it was quite different. Mine is bright green, spicy, and softened with coconut cream whereas Punjabi Palace’s version was darker and, I think, not having the coconut and cashew nut purée that mine does. Nevertheless, he enjoyed every morsel - it certainly looked and smelt great!

I picked the Lamb Madras ($29.50) as it’s one of my favourite curries. Despite asking for it to be ‘hotter than Hades’, it came uncontaminated by the requested Scoville rating. Even so, it was delicious! I do like the taste of mustard seed permeating the rich gravy. My plate was licked clean!

We also had our wonderful friends Adrienne and Ryk who chose quite differently! They shared the Keema Samosa ($16.50) and Lamb Seekh Kebab ($23.50), then shared a curry with some Jeera rice ($6.50). The samosas presented unusually with mint sauce and tomatoes over them but were clearly delicious. As were the kebabs.
The dishes all looked very good and apart from my quibbles about the ‘half metre’ board, and the lack of extra chilli, the standard for the food was good. My suggestion is to stick with the curries and you can’t go wrong!

A couple of days later we needed some good clean Asian soup. Sadly my first choice of Changmai Thai (on Smithfield Village drive) had just closed a half hour earlier! Damn! I already had a yearning for Laksa…. and they do a good one. So we went to Rolld in Smithfield shopping Centre and all three of us indulged in some fast food soup not expecting too much. But, frankly it wasn’t half bad at all. Two Sliced Rare Beef Pho and a Mixed Chicken and Beef Pho later ($17.90 each), and we were dated and happy - plus I got some extra chillies! 😀 The service was quick, polite, and the soups were good. And at that price? No one can really complain.

Finally a day later we really wanted som Dim Sum but….. Cairns is sadly not replete with many good yum cha venues. There’s the ridiculously overpriced Golden Boat (Lake street) but, it is still the best, Yum Sing (183 Lake street) which does a few dim sum dishes but lacking a number of our favourites like chicken feet, radish cakes and so on. And Dim Sum House has closed during the Covid years. So…. we gave Treasure Court Seafood restaurant another shot. The place is a bit run down and the barely live fish moping in their aquarium looked desolate and bored. But… they had an $18.90 for three choices option as a special - a veritable bargain! But when we saw the options it became obvious that some of the twenty-four varieties on offer, weren’t. Worse, the combo fried dumplings weren’t available either! We ended up picking nine with some Chinese tea and ate what they had. In the past, Angelika, Julian and I can knock off around 17 dishes without breaking a sweat … so this time it was just enough to hold us from eating the chairs! But, to be fair, the dishes we did get were fresh, tasty and surprisingly good. If they expanded their dim sum menu, do a bit of publicity, at that price they’d fill the restaurant easily!

So…. that has been our last few days. Next week we are tackling a new venue on Williams Esplanade in Palm cove. Hope it’s even half as good as the hype! Cheers and happy eating! 😄

11/08/2026

Soffritto Italian Restaurant
Shop 2/113-125 Louie Piccone Way,
Piccone village on Bruce Highway
Edmonton 4869 QLD
Hours:
Sun & Mon Closed
Tue - Sat 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM; 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Tel: (07) 4019 7786

It’s been awhile since we ventured to the ‘southside’ of Cains. In fact the last time was at a Thai restaurant that has now changed hands and has been reborn as Soffritto! They’ve been open for around three months with a new fit-out giving the eatery a whole new ambiance.

The term ‘soffritto’ literally means fried slowly, and refers to a flavour base of finely chopped onions, carrots, and celery sautéed in olive oil or butter to impart flavour for soups, stews, and sauces - essentially what, in France is called a Mirepoix. Often herbs like thyme, bay, parsley stems etc would be added as well as peppercorns wrapped in the outer part of a leek - or ‘bouquet Garni’.

Greg chose the Linguine Marinara ($42.00) which was brimming with barramundi, squid, prawns, clams, mussels in a Neapolitan sauce with white wine and shallots. It was a good looking plate with just enough sauce to coat but not overwhelm the cast of sea creatures nestled in the pasta. You can always tell when Greg likes his tucker because he says very little - his attention is laser focused on eating, and I don’t blame him! Apart from some shells, the plate really didn’t need to be washed… it was licked clean!

Kim opted for the Scaloppine al Marsala ($39.00) which were pork escallopes sautéed in Beurre noisette - literally to hazelnut butter or ‘brown butter’. Accompaniments included, rosemary roasted potatoes, beans and broccoli. The sauce was based on deglazing the pan with a subtly sweet Marsala wine, thyme and demi-glacé (which is traditionally made by combining espagnole sauce, or brown sauce, and brown stock. I had a taste and thought it was fine but Kim felt that the sauce was not quite as good as one she had before. Perhaps it wasn’t as sweet or the lack of finishing it off with a touch of cream may have been the difference. In any case all but a few of the potatoes were gone in a blink of an eye!

Angelika picked the Linguine Carbonara ($29.00) - dish she loves and one I make for her often at home! This one was a winner despite the departure from authenticity! Instead of guanciale, a traditional protein usually used from the jowls of a pig, it had pancetta. There was also garlic, shallots, white wine and a touch of cream along with the parsley and Parmesan. Yes it’s not a true carbonara…. but it tasted great. In spite of being a purist, I also acknowledge that if you’ve got a busy service, a less time consuming way of making a dish that closely resembles a carbonara may be more enticing to a kitchen.

And moi? I just had to select the Linguine con Salsiccia ($30.00) which came with Italian pork sausage accented by fennel, garlic, leeks, black olives and mushrooms in wine, cream, Neapolitan sauce! I did ask for some fresh chilli to be added but when I got the dish, they made me extra happy by bringing out a large bottle of chillies in oil! I tried a little on my fork and at first thought it a touch bland but then the heat kicked in. Ooh La La! I poured it over the linguine very liberally! The dish was hard to fault! The pasta was perfectly cooked and as Al dente as I know Italians enjoy it - which is a touch more so than other palates might appreciate. The flavours were absolutely spot on, with a range of complimentary sapors and piquancies that delivered on every level!

It’s a bit of a way to go from the northern beaches but the trip to Soffritto was well worth it! You can find slightly cheaper places but at the expense of the level of excellent dishes we enjoyed here. The kitchen is definitely the star of the show! The service was efficient if diffident but the drinks and dishes came out fairly promptly. The atmosphere is comfortable, although I would suggest a more Italian-centric type of background music would be nice. There’s plenty of parking but annoyingly, the toilets are outside the restaurant, over by the Star Liquor shop. Never mind, grab a bottle to take home!

Our experience was difficult to grumble about, but I’ll try…… hmm….. well, even though my pants were tightening around my waist like a noose, I could and would have forced myself to eat another bowl! To put it bluntly, our Southside culinary adventure was Bella Bell-ah* 😁

*meaning ‘beautiful’!

11/08/2026

Baron River Hotel
35/37 Stratford Parade,
Stratford QLD 4870
Hours:
Sunday: 11:30 am - 8:30 pm
Monday - Wednesday: 11:30am - 2:30, 5:30–8:30pm
Thursday: 11:30 am - 2:30pm, 5:30 - 9 :00pm
Friday - Saturday: 11:30 am - 9:00pm
Tel: (07) 3558 3325

Originally an 1887 timber workers' lodging house, the Baron River Hotel, commonly referred to as the ‘Stratty’, is considered the oldest continually operating hotel in the Cairns area. Interestingly, it is apparently the home to a well-known ghost who is believed to be surveyor called Bunda Edwards, who died in one of the hotel rooms in 1889, called George by staff. The resident spirit allegedly is responsible for turning TVs on and off, pulling out chairs when tables are set, and turns lights on and off. Anyway…. in spite of the possibility of running into a spirit (I’d much rather drink one), we found a table… grabbed some menus, ordered drinks and settled in.

Adrienne chose the Pesto Gnocchi ($25.00) which she enjoyed. The gnocchi itself wasn’t the lightest but certainly not the ‘bullets’ I’ve had in other places. The sauce lacked the punch of color in a fresh pesto and the flavor was a tad muted. Still, it was kind of what I expected when I took a small taste.

Ryk picked the Chicken Burger ($27.00) which, in my opinion, was the best looking plate on the table. He devoured it without taking a breath! The chicken was very generous and crisp, good amount of cheese, some jalapeño for a kick, tomato, coleslaw, pickles and lettuce with a suspiciously pink sauce!

Angelika ordered the Mushroom and Truffle Risotto ($27.00) with garlic, onion, shallot and Parmesan. The rice was properly cooked and the taste of the truffle oil dominant. Personally I’m not a huge fan of the oil but Angelika really liked the dish - and that’s what matters 😏. I thought that the plate would have benefited from some acidity like lemon zest and a selection of caramelized whole mushrooms scattered on top.

I opted for the Pork Cutlet ($38.00). Well, actually….. I was talked into it because my first option would have been the fish. And I’m glad, because the pork was very tender and moist - no complaint. I could have eaten two! The sweet potato mash was somewhat watery and would have benefited from being boiled in stock to give it more flavor. The seasonal greens consisted of about six paltry beans but they were green and beautifully crisp. It’s a pity they were hiding in the mash! The mango salsa was utterly forgettable and, given the way it was made, surplus to requirements. A good fresh Chimichurri sauce would have provided the punch the pork needed. Still…. A pretty solid effort.

For those of you who don’t like rants…. feel free to skip the next two paragraphs!

I confess to being bored brainless by what’s commonly referred to as ‘pub grub’. They are so predictable, dull and from a culinary perspective, tedious. There’s the irremissible burger (with a steak knife through it, killing not only the overcooked mince but also the appetite), hyper-priced fish ‘n chips, steak Sanga, ubiquitous Parmy with soulless variations, disagreeably executed Carbonara, hellacious Caesars……etc. Why don’t these venues opt for something distinguishes them instead? How about a gastropub which focuses on a speciality? Like… maybe, a genuine grill being known for its variety of delicious steaks, brined pork chops, and house made pies? And serving old fashioned freshly baked potatoes filled with butter, sour cream and chives? And sauces that didn’t come out of a packet, stock-powder or bouillon cube?

And the menus….. They don’t have to try and accommodate a grab all of diverse ethic cuisines to try an appeal to the widest audience - because it doesn’t work! They don’t all have to offer disappointing tinned pineapple laden pizzas with sugary barbecue sauce! Instead they should send their apologies to Italy for discrediting their national dish! Have a smaller menu instead, that promises higher quality and a focus on more imaginative and creative plates of food that diners actually want to come back for!

There…… end of my rant! I feel better, do you? 🤣

So, what did we think? The first thing was the noticeable stench of ci******es going into the restaurant area from the back carpark. Along the way you pass the gaming areas which, I suppose, explains the strong ni****ne aromas! The service is efficient if lacking in much warmth or charm… but I guess they seemed quite busy even on a miserably cool drizzly Sunday. The facelift to the outside areas look good compared to when last there a few years ago. It looks more inviting for sure. The food sits slightly above most pubs but with it comes a higher price point too. Perhaps I’ve become a little jaded by a lack of culinary imagination in these sorts of places but at least the Baron River Hotel has a kind of historical ambience that I like.

So…. go to the ‘Stratty’, have a meal…..a few drinks and bring your Ouija board to converse with George! 😁

28/07/2026

Dunwoody’s Hotel - bistro
317 Sheridan St,
Cairns North QLD 4870
Hours:
Sunday – Wednesday: 11:30 AM – 8:30 PM
Thursday – Saturday: 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM
Phone: (07) 3558 3322

Touted an iconic pub and sports bar in Cairns… a locals eatery and watering hole that I’ve heard of for years but, until today, haven’t ventured into. It was named after 19th century Mary Dunwoodie, an early pioneer who operated local licensed premises. The current building however, was opened in 1992 but quaintly, feels a bit like a dementia ward…you know, like a 1970’s group home for the perpetually bewildered.

The second thing I noticed were the more ‘mature’ patrons that inhabited the venue. It was not therefore surprising that there was an extensive ‘seniors menu’ with very reasonable pricing such as Schnitzel for $18.00 and Rissoles for $19.00! Not bad in this day and age! The normal menu was fairly typical of pubs that try to cater to mundane palates that were nurtured on undemanding flavours. In other words it was ‘safe, and numbingly familiar’. Not really what I personally look for. I like going on a culinary journey but that’s not everyone’s cup of tea!

Kim was going to order the Hawaiian Parmy but I’m glad she didn’t. The idea of a sad ring of tinned pineapple perched on a forlorn piece of suicided crumbed chicken would be too much! So instead she picked the Atherton Parmy ($32.00) which came with bacon, avocado, hollandaise, salad and fries. It was a generous portion to be sure but… the chicken crumb looked overcooked and a bit dry. There was plenty of bacon but Kim would have preferred it to be ‘cut up’ rather than in rashers though I’m unsure why. I did try the hollandaise and it tasted as if out of a packet. I’m sure I tasted stabilizer and a distinct lack of lemon. Anyway, Kim did the best she could but left quite a bit on the plate.

Greg went for the Dry Aged Barramundi ($39.00) which had pesto, potato Rosti, truffle mushroom, olive, tomato salsa and lemon. He assured me the fish was cooked very well - translucent in the centre, it flaked well. The briny pops of olives countered the basil hit from the pesto. Greg thoroughly enjoyed his meal. My only visual cue was that the Rosti was more like a hash brown with a fancy name. It clearly wasn’t prepared fresh at the time the meal was ordered.

Angelika predictably chose the Pasta Carbonara ($27.00) which had bacon (rather than the guanciale), cracked pepper, and Parmesan. She enjoyed all the flavours and while not traditional, had a nice overall balance.

I opted for the Main Fried Squid ($29.00) mainly because it was supposed to be Szechuan spiced, along with salad, tartare and fries. Szechuan? No, not at all. Not even a hint. But it was crisp and plentiful. The tartare came from a jar rather than prepared in-house, the salad wasn’t bad at all, and the fries were what you expect.

Dunwoody’s is a step back in time. Its epicurean trajectory is rooted in the seventies as is the atmosphere of the place. The service was absolutely fine and friendly. I can see why it’s a magnet for certain age groups who long for the comfort of their earlier years. Some of the menu items seem a little overpriced but others slightly under. The offerings are large and decent if not particularly creative. And there’s certainly a market for that. For me though, it’s ‘culinary Valium’ - it fills your stomach rather than your emotions or heart. 🙂

22/07/2026

G’day Bami
Shed 4/117 - 121 Anderson Street,
Manunda, QLD 48701.
Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM &
Thursday - Saturday: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Tel: (07) 4034 3402

Newly opened eatery nestled in a row of businesses, it probably wouldn’t be my first choice of location. But, it kind of makes sense when you consider the number of local employees and tradies in close proximity, who would rather order some fresh and fast comfort food instead of making their own. And the prices certainly reflect that! Their biggest sellers I’m guessing would be their bánh mì selections.

The words bánh mì literally translates to "wheat bread" or "baguette" in Vietnamese. It comes from the word bánh, which refers to baked goods including cakes, or pastries, and mì which denotes wheat. Colloquially the Vietnamese term simply describes the bread and the sandwich made with it. And if the five reviews that I saw are anything to go by, the rolls are very fresh! Still…I can’t help but wonder how many of those reviews were generated by themselves or friends. But never mind - you have to start somewhere!

As it turns out, both Kim and Greg like their sandwiches rolls….. they chose the Crispy Roast Pork ($14.90) with Kim wanting a touch of chilli and Greg opting out of the coriander. Each came with mayo, pate, pickled carrot, cucumber, and spring onion. They were sizeable and generously filled with the pork. Needless to say they enjoyed them. Indeed…..they had been here before, which is why Angelika and I were brought here!

Angelika wanted a soup but none were available. Apparently they do have noodle soups but only as a special close to the weekends. So, she chose the Stir-Fry Beef with Steamed Rice ($19.90). She enjoyed the flavours and the beef was surprisingly tender. I tried a few pieces and apart from one bit of gristle (just my luck 😩), I had to agree. The salad was fresh and needed to contrast with the rice and beef.

I tried to order the Crispy Skin Chicken with the intriguingly named yellow rice ($19.90) but sadly luck was not on my side. It was ‘unavailable’. So, I opted for the Thai Beef Salad ($19.90) which had beef not dissimilar to Angelika’s, but perched on a mound of baby spinach leaves (there must have been a sale!), cucumbers, tomato, coriander and onion. The traditional mint flavour was scant if not absent, and I couldn’t discern the fish sauce but, it was a pleasant if unspectacular salad. There were hints of chilli but I doused it in Sriracha to amp it up a bit.

G’day Bami isn’t really the kind of place I’d normally be drawn to. Having said that though…. I like ‘hole in the wall’ places because sometimes you find real gems. For me though, I think there’s a lot of competition for good Vietnamese and Thai food around with less compromise. Its market positioning is for local tradies to grab a good plate of food quickly, inexpensively, and conveniently, to their place of work. There are a few tables but I suspect they are used mostly by those waiting for their tucker. The two ladies were working hard and fast to ensure a speedy service. I certainly wish them well because they are filling a much needed niche market. It’s not expensive and you are amply filled, but for me, there are more inspired eateries. 😁

14/07/2026

Murphys pub
86 Sheridan street
Cairns city, QLD 4870
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 10:00am – 10:00pm
Friday – Saturday: 10:00am – 12:00am
(07) 3558 3309

The weather has finally conformed to expectations with blue skies, gentle breeze, raised temperatures and mercifully, children back in prison…. I mean school! What better to celebrate than a trip to the pub. And a new Irish one at that. Murphys pub is barely a month old and it’s on my ‘to do’ list. There’s something special about Irish pubs. Done right, they’re cosy friendly places to imbibe generous pints of Guinness or Kilkenny, listen to Celtic music, and wile away the hours with anecdotes and good humored banter.

So… in that spirit, how do you confuse and confound an Irishman? Give him a potato. He wont know whether to eat it now…..
or ferment it and drink it later. 🤣

We drove into Cairns and found a park almost right outside - very convenient. The first thing we noticed was the outdoor seating which would be great in summer. The inside is large with a smaller more intimate area adjacent to the bar. The place feels new - too new to have character. A lot of the bric a brac seems a trifle fake but I understand the difficulty of shaping an environment that has a credible ‘personality’. That takes time, dust and discovery. It’s still a nice space but felt large for the numbers of people there. Anyway,we find a table and take time to peruse the offerings.

The menu isn’t large but that, by itself, is not a bad thing at all. A smaller selection of options allows each one to shine showcasing good ‘Ol traditional Irish fare. But how Irish is the menu…..really? Where is the Colcannon (mashed potatoes with butter, milk, & finely chopped cabbage? Or Champ (mashed potatoes with butter, milk, & chopped spring onions? Or soda bread? Instead we have Irish chicken curry with root vegetables, basmati rice AND chips! If they had included some pasta as well, they would have hit the carbohydrate ‘quadfecta’ (yes, it is a word) and earned themselves a place in the Guinness book of silly menu ideas! Well, at least Guinness is Irish - and thank the Blarney Stone for that!

Kim opts for the Loaded Baked Potato ($12.00) with Guinness braised beef and bacon (+$9.00). It wasn’t the most appealing looking dish but ironically she enjoyed everything but the spud! The reason was that it looked and tasted like a reheated one from a day or longer ago. I could see that the inner part was sad and discolored. Kim tried to eat it but gave up and ate everything but. To the waitress’ credit (and the kitchen), she was asked if there was anything wrong. Yes….there was, and promptly offered a complimentary drink which she declined.

Greg chose the Fish & Chips ($28.00) which came with salad, chips and store bought tartare sauce. The fish flaked beautifully in a light batter, the fries were crisp,and the salad fresh. The portion was also generous. Had they made their own tartare, they could have set themselves apart but…. well, they didn’t.

Angelika predictably picked the All Day Breakfast ($27.00) which was a well presented plate of two well cooked sunny side up fried eggs, bacon, black pudding (made from pork blood, with pork fat or beef suet, and a cereal such as oatmeal, oat groats). There was also a sausage, grilled tomato, toast and white pudding (which is similar to black pudding but without the blood). She enjoyed all the items bar the baked beans which were straight from a can dripping with tomato-colored sugary nastiness. Just like the tartare sauce, these sorts of details undermine what could have been special about the plates. Fortunately there was no frozen and fried hash brown on it - another bugbear of mine. It’s so easy to make Rösti…. there’s really no excuse.

I had to try the 250 Rump Steak with salad, chips and Stout sauce ($32.00). I did ask for blue and got rare, which is kind of what I now expect. Few places can do blue - the Waterbar & Grill Steakhouse being the notable exception. It’s frustrating but there you go…. Still, the steak was tender, the salad was good and the fries as you’d expect. The stout sauce was unexceptional and, it may not have been, but it tasted like one of those bought ones. Again, another missed opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

Murphy’s has barely been open a month so I accept that there will be teething issues. It’s normal in a new venue to need some time to settle down, see what works and what doesn’t. It’s happened to me on all three of my restaurants. The trick, if you’re not too stubborn, is to accept and learn from feedback. You can’t take it personally… you have to take the issues on the chin, make the necessary changes and be ruthless enough to move forward.

Most of the food was good but not spectacular. A few adjustments here and there and it’ll come together. And definitely add in some genuine Irish dishes! Try them as a special if need be…. but otherwise from a culinary perspective, Murphys becomes just another pub grub venue - and we already have too many of those. For example, reimagine the loaded potato by baking them, cutting them in half, scooping out the inside for Champ, then deep fry and stuff the skins? Little changes lead to big results. We’ll go back… but maybe in six months to see the changes. But I truly wish them all the luck of a four leaf clover! 😀

08/07/2026

iDumplings Asian Food & Dragon Bar
Located in Mantra Trilogy
Shop 3A/105 Esplanade,
Cairns City QLD 4870
Hours:
Open 7 days 11:30am - 9:30pm
Tel: 0448 124 101

Cairns isn’t usually this wet at this time of the year. But it does invite the opportunity to try something a bit different from the kinds of places we often go to. So here we are - idumplings! Generally very good reviews but one diner wrote “the food here was just the kind of heat that kills every other flavor on the plate.” In other words, my kind of place! Of all the regions of China two standout for me - Szechuan and Hunan. The cuisines from both have a Hiroshima quality that bombs the tastebuds with a hellish chilli kick that I have a deep appreciation for. Unlike Sichuan food, which is both spicy and numbing (via the wonderfully aromatic Szechuan peppercorns), Hunan focuses on a dry chilli heat and savory fermented black beans, often with a vinegar or sour note.

Kim predictably opted for the Crispy Sweet and sour chicken ($23.90), and shared, with Greg, the Satay Chicken with spicy Peanut sauce ($11.90). Kim really enjoyed the pineapple and sugar covered crispy chicken and mentioned a few times just how crisp they were. The trick, if it is one, is to combine equal parts all-purpose flour and cornstarch, and a touch of baking powder. It’s definitely not my kind of thing… but I felt as if id get diabetes just looking at it! 🤣 The Satay skewers looked pretty good, having some char and topped off with crushed peanuts and spring onion. I might try that next time!

Kim and Greg also had the Singapore Noodles ($24.90) which Kim found too spicy, Greg found to be just right…..and I thought was flavorsome although really needed a whole lot more chilli! In hindsight, I should have probably ordered it for myself.

Angelika and I picked the Pork and Chicken Pan Fried Dumplings ($20.90) to share as a starter. They tasted fresh, with a crisp undercarriage, and nicely steamed above. The flavors were quite muted so I was very happy to bathe mine with some chilli oil on the table. She then chose the Barbecue Pork Noodle Soup ($23.90) which she enjoyed although the broth could have been much tastier. In comparison to a good pho, it was quite pedestrian. The barbecue pork slices were however, moreish.

I then ordered the Chonging Spicy Noodle Soup ($23.90) but because I’m a carnivore, added barbecue pork for an additional ($5.00) charge. It’s supposed to be a fiery broth hit with the aromatics of ginger, star anise, Chinese five spice, fermented red bean paste - or doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic and dried chilli, finished with spring onion and crushed peanuts but….. it really didn’t have any of it that I could discern. If it was there… you’d need a forensic specialist to find any traces. It wasn’t terrible, and the pork plus added chilli saved it from being embarrassingly ordinary. I ordered badly I think. I should know better….

The iDumplings Asian Food & Dragon Bar is a curious venue with a street food vibe about it. There are beers to be had to go with the numerous variations of the dumpling variety. And they’re good. Portions are fine and, for the esplanade, not expensive. The service is pleasant and helpful. There are a couple of niggles though…. The tables are small so that the four of us struggled to sit comfortably on two of them. And there was a bit of a mixup at the time of payment where Kim and Greg were initially overcharged - but that was sorted quickly. On the upside, it’s on a waterfront location, car parking is easy, and there’s quite a bit of life going on all around. It’s interesting. Oh…. and there’s a robot ‘cat’ that brings out some of the dishes and which meows when you remove your plate from it. Kids, and some bigger kids 🤭, probably enjoy that! My advice is to stick to the dumplings, maybe get a few different ones and drinks and you’ll enjoy it. The soups are perhaps better elsewhere.

FNQi-Chef

28/08/2026

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11/08/2026

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