With more than 50 dishes on Spice Temple's menu, this longstanding Sydney venue pushes Chinese cuisine in new directions without losing traditional flavours. The extra spicy dishes highlighted in red serve as a warning to those intolerant to fiery mouthfuls of food or a beacon to those who love said burning sensations.
The dishes, to be shared, are monumentally large — even for two people. A half-share of any main is a minor challenge to finish. Divided between salads and cold cuts, hot entrees, noodles, dumplings, seafood, poultry, pork, lamb, beef and veggies, Spice Temple's variety is impressive.
Nikki To
The starter of lamb and prawn wontons with black vinegar and chilli, while the pork and prawn spring rolls are another hit. Other choice selections to kick things are the the stir-fried wagyu brisket with baby eggplant and chilli paste or steamed Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce and fried onions. For the next hit, the black Angus scotch fillet with kampot pepper and curry leaves is a hearty delight.
The highlight of the Sydney Spice Temple menu, a beef fillet in fire water, is a fancy way of saying wagyu beef strips in a chilli broth with peppercorn. To cool the fire and as a recommended necessity, the greens stir fried with garlic are a great juxtaposition to the spice. For dessert, the three-milk cake with pistachio and almond is a delicious treat in a custard and raspberry bed.
If you're coming with a group then be sure to try and book the Eastern dining room equipped for 50 guests and designed to resemble a jewellery box, while the 12-seater dining room is more intimate and luminous with seductive lighting.
For Chinese food, yes, this is a tad expensive, and to truly dent the vast menu, you need a group or repeat visits. If you're keen, there's generally a comprehensive banquet option on offer, but a return trip or two is recommended, especially if your body is your temple, and your tastebuds are the entrance.
Nikki To