Now I’m no yum cha connoisseur, so am unable to give the ‘technical terms’ for most yum cha delicacies, however I am an avid fan of the food and the experience. I never say no to a yum cha invite and I get very excited whenever the steaming trolleys head my way and cannot wait to see what goodies they hold within…. so yes, a yum cha enthusiast if you may.

Marigold was a recommendation of a Eurasian friend of mine.  This friend knows the YC technical terms and has also introduced me to the wonder of Golden Unicorn (a fabulous yum cha joint in the unlikely location of Maroubra – and to be reviewed at a later date), so I knew his recommendation was not made lightly.

As I would give away my yum cha amateurism by going through each dish in detail, I’ve simply included a photo gallery of my most recent experience and overall impressions underneath. Simply click on the picture for a larger image.

Overall impressions of the place:

1. Great variety of dishes and regular turnaround
2. Efficient service and you can book
3. They make to order, for example, sticky rice is an old favourite of mine and because it’s one of the ‘less popular’ items, I always order this from one of the staff. Speaking of which, this is a very good sticky rice – not too funky, with enough minced meat to provide some substance, and 3 rolls per serve.
4. Reasonable. The bill for four of us was $94.50 and we were pretty stuffed
5. Clean bathroom facilities… which is not always a given at Chinese restaurants
6. The kai lan (not ordered on this trip) is made fresh for you at the trolley
7. The prawn dumpling with minced prawn, chestnut, spring onion and fresh chilli was definitely the star of the show from our recent visit.
8. They have a staff member whom I have observed on both visits, called Panda. Awesome.

Return factor? Definitely. Marigold is a Sydney yum cha institution and provides a consistent experience. It’s in a convenient location near Central Station  and you always leave feeling satisfied.  Plus Mindy Woods, contestant from Master Chef Season 3, was my (B-grade) celeb spot when at Marigold last  – I would imagine she’s got fairly high standards for what she eats, so this must be a good sign!

Eatfreaks yum cha’ed here with company during October 2012