Dumpling King - Moonta Street, Central Markets

Many years ago Dumpling King was the scene of a food epiphany for me. Their dumplings became the standard against which all other dumplings are judged. I've had many a dumpling since then - some better but many much worse. Regardless, Dumpling King will always have a place in my heart and when a friend suggested we eat there for lunch I immediately agreed.

Although they were obviously busy we were quickly ushered to tabled (this is almost always possible if you are happy to share) and immediately ordered sweet and sour soup, fried chicken and prawn dumplings and steamed greens with oyster sauce.



The sweet and sour is a very textural soup - thick and almost glutenous liquid; creamy, firm tofu; crunchy black fungus and bamboo shoots; and soft egg. It also has enough heat and acid to get the saliva going and excite the taste buds for the dumplings to come.



Crispy, chewy dough filled with minced chicken and prawns that pop these dumplings are grease bombs with insane flavour - especially after you hit your dumps with some chilli onion jam, black vinegar and soy sauce. I could literally feel the fat running down my chin while eating these. When your family motto is 'adipem est saporem' this isn't a problem.



I'd recommend your order some greens with your dumplings. There's nothing particularly special about them but you need something to take the edge off the grease-bombs.

Although I've heard a lot of people complain about the service I've never had a problem with it - it's chaotic, not bad. So long as you're happy to go with the flow and demand whatever you need (usually more of the FREE tea or a couple of little bowls if you're sharing a meal) you'll be fine. Plus, the food is good and the price is right.

Thea, Gawler Place

Thea Vegetarian Tea Garden is less of a garden and more of a modern iteration of a tea house. The girls at work love this place, and have been known to eat here a couple of times a week. Specialising in flavoured and textured soy protein dishes, if you're into well priced and interesting vegetarian food, Thea is the place go.


What is immediately noticeable about Thea is the striking decor. Bridging the gap between modern and traditional Asian furniture, the dark-wooded tables, arresting artwork and scattering of tea making implements in the store suggests a haven of peace. The atmosphere is anything but. Filled to the brim with office workers, this place is always pumping. I've been here a number of times before, and the food usually comes out pretty quickly.

Serving up dishes with names like Sweet and Sour Thing (breaded gluten and seaweed protien served with sweet and sour sauce) and Mushroom Nuggets with Black Pepper Sauce (which is exactly as it sounds) the menu could look quite daunting to the average anglo eater. So, while everything is pretty tasty, this is not a place for picky eaters.

I went with a couple of friends from work. Usually the soup is pretty popular, but I ordered the mushroom nuggets.

Though the nuggets didn't resemble anything like mushroom (the texture was like a rubbery cardboard), the black pepper sauce was perfectly peppery and nicely savoury. The rice was delicately flavoured and the salad was fresh and light (even if it had bloody corn in it... what is it with corn at the moment?).

A number of colleagues ordered the bbq rice, which if I remember correctly, was textured soy and rice protein made to resemble pork. This dish passed muster with the dedicated meat eaters of the group.


Thea also specialises in hot and cold tea. I ordered a hot lemon green tea, which was sweet and lemony. A fellow diner ordered a strawberry snow bubble tea, which was sculled without the offer of a taste. I'm told it was delicious.


Thea is open during the week for lunch, and Friday night for dinner. As a dedicated meat eater, it's the kind of place I'm happy to go to once every couple of months. It's also the place to go if you want to impress that hot, sophisticated vego.