637476 Fri Jul 17 18:40:30 -0700 2009 1 37 Australia/New Zealand 0 4868812 Just went for Yum Cha at Grand Harbour down at the Viaduct: http://www.grandharbour.co.nz Not really an expert on Yum Cha - have had it maybe a dozen times but still getting to grips with all the dishes on offer - but this was definitely the best example of Yum Cha dishes I have ever had. We had: - crab - softshell fried with chili, salt and pepper - sui mai - this was by the far the best i have had - delicous melt in the mouth egg custard tarts - coconut jelly - a bit tough for my liking (maybe a lot of agar?) but nice flavour - combination dumpling - this was turnip, peanut and other things (?what) in a soft wrapper - scallop dumpling - same wrapper as the above - tripe - not sure what sauce but very delicious and garlicy and of course tea! all up for 2 of us was $50NZ and we had way too much food Interested to hear what other chowhounders think of this place and what your favourite yum cha places and dishes are!! Fri Jul 17 18:40:30 -0700 2009 81179 food fascist 1 5060887 Grand Harbour is really good but it can be hard to get a table if you don't book so it can be hard to go there spontaneously. I like the fact that they validate your car parking for the carpark building next door so you get cheap parking (or is it free parking for the first hour? I can't remember). Sunshine (at the Viaduct as well) is excellent. If you go there, try the dessert of ice cream mochi balls. They look like a platter of small, pure white, slightly flattened balls. My husband could eat a whole plate on his own! I'm sure they validate parking as well. My favourite is Pearl Garden in Newmarket - good quality, nice decor and service. I've just tried Dynasty in Wakefleld St for the first time and they were good - friendly service, lots of trolleys going around with lots of selection. We had 6 dishes (deep-fried squid, coriander dumplings, prawn dumplings, beef tendon, deep-fried taro dumplings and eggplant stuffed with fish paste) and that cost us $31.95 - mega good value. They do yum cha until 4.30pm. Ming Court at SkyCity is good for families and if you are shouting because it is all-you-can eat yum cha. I think it's NZD$17.95 pp? The selection is not has varied as a proper yum cha restaurant but it is supplemented by a serve-yourself table of hot dishes and another table of desserts. The yum cha comes around on trolleys as usual and the portions are smaller so you don't waste the food but it is all you can eat. My favourite yum cha dish is deep-fried squid and I also can't go past beef tendons or turnip cake. Sticky rice is soooo good but far too filling if there are only 2 of you. I'm not usually a dessert fan but I like the desserts at yum cha but I'm usually too full to have any. Sat Sep 26 18:39:43 -0700 2009 4868812 129365 Billy33