Tao Tao House
Home to some of the best yum cha in Melbourne.
Overview
Hawthorne's Tao Tao House is your classic white linen Chinese restaurant complete with lazy susans, with a strong focus on traditional and aromatic dishes served with just barely the hint of a smile.
The menu here is everything you dream of when heading to a Chinese-Australian restaurant. Tao Tao House has an impressive and notably delicious yum cha selection including classics such as prawn dumplings, spare ribs in black bean sauce and mushroom and duck roll.
The poultry dishes are also big hits. These include diced chicken in a teriyaki sauce and a succulent sesame duck — stuffed with prawn paste, coated with sesame and served with mushroom sauce. Vegetarians can indulge with the 'typhoon shelter' eggplants that are wok fried with garlic and chilli and a side of Chinese broccoli and fried rice.
Wash it all down with a hot a sour soup or a crab meat sweet corn soup. For dessert, get around Tao Tao House's egg custard tarts, a mango pudding or some very charming Cadbury chocolate sesame dumplings. If you're in Hawthorn and haven't tried Tao Tao House, add it to your list right now.