So the decor is modest, service is when you can get it and the food is meant to be good, fast and cheap. But does Supermeal pull off the 'cheap and cheerful' Chinese restaurant model?
The video attests to the modest decor, but what it doesn't show is the impossibly slippery floor when it's wet... like today - a wet Sunday afternoon. I thought it was just us slip sliding around, but soon discovered the waiters themselves also found it hard going.
But what about the food?
The stir fried morning glory was good but a tad over cooked, rendering the leaves soggy and limp, while the stem was soft rather than crisp.
I prefer the calamari batter a little crunchy/crisp, but found these soft and spongy. Although, the salty flavours were there and the calamari were cooked quite nicely.
The crispy chicken was the most successful dish for me, the skin crispy and thin, meat tender and well cooked. The sauce was light but tasty.
For me, Supermeal failed on 'cheap and cheerful' - it was neither cheap; our meal came to over $50, nor cheerful; the bill didn't make me terribly cheerful and the staff didn't seem terribly happy either. And that floor is atrociously dangerous when wet.
Supermeal Chinese Restaurant
39 Goulburn St, Sydney Chinatown
(02) 9211 1568
That's disappointing to hear; I always enjoy going about discovering new places to gorge my face around Sydney and it's always disheartening when you walk out unimpressed (happened to me this Friday; coincidentally, also in Chinatown). About the morning glory, I have a feeling they're serving it family style, because our version, too, often falls into the 'slightly soggy' trap. And I can't explain why (well, conditioning, I'd imagine) but I prefer it that way, especially as it lends to a more sauce-y base (which I slurp soon after).
ReplyDeleteI've really gone off this place; the floor was always pretty greasy and dangerous, but the food was all right. Doesn't look like any of your dishes are very good except the chicken but that's hardly surprising.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a massive fail - what a pity. And I hate slippery floors...I'm un-co at the best of times!
ReplyDeleteken and i went there a month ago for congee.. its better than superbowl. We were seated and we left casue i couldnt take the smell of eating and chroline.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny, agreed, it comes like that any many places, just that I'm a fan of less soggy
ReplyDeleteHey Joey, so glad we weren't the only one that thought the floor was just not safe.
ReplyDeleteHey MissPiggy, I almost fell over two or three times! yippes!
ReplyDeletePoor Dolly, I couldn't smell chlorine thank god!
ReplyDeleteAwwww - I love Supermeal to bits - dodginess is next to godliness in my books - I come here every year for my birthday :-)
ReplyDeleteThe mud crab congee and salt and pepper tofu here are fabulous. It has changed owners but still has the waiters with mad Tokyo cyberpunk hairdos. Perhaps just an off day for them?
ReplyDeleteShame, I didn't see the cyberpunk.. but I guess I went at lunch... maybe a different chef?
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