Xi Xiang Feng Seafood Restaurant

Beverly Hills might just be the best spot for Cantonese food in Sydney. And not just any Cantonese food – we mean fresh-out-of-the-tank seafood banquets. A bunch of spots here do high-quality seafood and southern-Chinese specialities, and each family will have its preference, but the three big-hitters are Yummy Seafood, Gourmet Taste Seafood and Xi Xiang Feng Seafood.

All are excellent, but Xi Xiang Feng has the best non-seafood options of the bunch, including offal, hotpots, and braised and steamed meats. Unfortunately, unless you’re a confident Cantonese or Mandarin speaker, ordering will be more difficult. Case in point: the crispy-skin pigeon. This is one of the most popular items at Xi Xiang Feng (and one of the best renditions in all of Sydney), but you won’t find it on the English menu.

Regulars here will just ask for what they want with barely a passing glance at the menu. Chinese-language skills will open up the true delights of the menu, such as roast goose, white-cut chicken, soft tofu and prawn hotpot.

Luckily, the staff here are good communicators, and they’ll help out as much as they can – but if you need someone to translate 40-odd dish names, get in early while they’ve still got the time to dedicate to you. As for the seafood, it’s the same deal as at other live-tank Chinese joints. Check the daily price (written out on a white board at the back); choose your cooking method (steamed or fried, and served with soy, garlic butter, black bean sauce or XO, etc); prepare your stomach for a feast; and then prepare your wallet for the hit afterwards.