New Moon, 6000

A hint for a good Chinese restaurant I think, is the house chili oil. Chili oil to Chinese is what complimentary bread is to a French restaurant. New Moon have built a recipe for a deep flavoured spicy oil that has an unpredicted crunch. Between three of us we drained about nine serves of the stuff. Couldn't get enough!



As the routine goes at any worthy dim sum joint, the room is hustling in disorderly order. Things move rapidly and orders are hollered across the room. High turnover means dumplings appear in shimmering, steaming, joyous freshness. I'm not exactly the authority on a quality dumpling like I am say on cake or ice cream (I have only had a handful of yum cha experiences in my day) but these guys impressed me most. 



I heart the comforting fluffy pork buns (Char Siu Bao). Sweet shreds of Chinese barbecued pork, snuggled inside a pillowy bun. I had to gobble two. Prawn Coriander dumplings were also le goods. The parcels were packed with hearty chunks of sweet prawns and chopped herbs, with little stodge.

BBQ Pork Buns

Prawn and Coriander dumplings; slippery wrappers with generous stuffing

Fried Chili Squid Tentacles were a tad on the tough side, but I don't think I've ever tried any that weren't.  We ordered some perfectly steamed Kai-Lan which were served with the routine oyster sauce on the side. 

Chilli Fried Squid Tentacles; well seasoned but hard to the bite

Steamed Kai-Lan served with self pour oyster sauce

Xiao Long Bao come recommended. Also known as Shanghai dumplings or soup dumplings, these gems contain filling along with a gingery rich broth. They’re a bit of a delicate procedure and best consumed with a spoon or by slinging them into your mouth in one go! 

Xiao Long Bao; 'soup dumplings' or 'Shanghai dumplings' reveal a surprising broth inside

I'm not usually an Asian dessert wooer but the silky Egg Custard Tarts were perfect! The flaky pastry split in a pinch when I divided it with a chopstick. And those golden sunny centers. Yerrmm.

Egg Custard Tarts. Divine!

Décor is new and well lit with the token garish light fixtures. Is it an authentic dim sum restaurant without the kitschy chandeliers? The brigade of trolley shufflers revealed a friendly demeanor, which was out of custom with the usual yum cha service.

Dumplings and iPhones. New Moon on a Tuesday lunch

8 bamboo baskets and endless tea filled three of us up for just under $16. Great-value fresh dim sum means that weekend queues are a norm. I ran into a (hungover) friend who had been waiting over an hour (ouch!). VIP-it and book ahead. You'll be the object of dim sum die-hard envy! 

While New Moon is probably the newest dim sum joint in Northbridge, they're already a hit with dim sum devotees. They offer the traditional trolley service but step into the new age by blessing us with dumplings on Friday and Saturday nights too. Picture it: the tail end of Friday night drinks and the munchies call. Dumplings rule over a greasy doner kebab, for sure!

Food: 4/5 (Fresh, delicate, hot and tasty!)
Ambience: 4/5 (A bustle of efficient chaos, bright modern interior with the token garish light fixtures)
Service: 4/5 (Super efficient and friendlier than is the norm for dim sum)
Value: 5/5 (8 plates and endless tea = $47)