North Sydney’s Holy Duck!

Holy Duck! – Castlecrag, Sydney

Review & Images by Roswitha Schleicher

Image supplied
Image supplied

Compared to its trendy, Chippendale-based mother restaurant, Holy Duck!’s North Sydney extension embraces more traditional flavours, along with abundant visual appeal. Tucked away in Quadrangle Shopping Village at Castlecrag, founder Dr Stanley Quek exchanged Kensington Street’s trendy wall décor with floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, and a rustic interior with large, round tables with white cloths, reminiscent of a classic, local family eatery. Decor variations aside, the scents drifting out of the kitchen smell every bit as delicious as we remember from Holy Duck!’s city centre location, promising an evening of pleasingly full stomachs and prosperity.

The excitement around the table peaks as entrée approaches: Prawn har gau. These exquisitely sticky, steamed dim sum melt in your mouth, revealing a juicy, tender filling, while the Duck and pork dumplings were wrapped in a more al-dente dough and steamed to perfection. These little parcels sent our taste buds to cloud nine!

Steamed dim sum prawn har gow
Steamed dim sum
prawn har gau
Steamed Duck & Pork Dumplings in Shangainese sauce
Steamed Duck & Pork Dumplings in Shangainese sauce

Served in a delicate bisque and a generous amount of butter-soft lobster bits,  Holy Duck’s! Ee-Fu noodles dish is a must-try main for self-proclaimed seafood connoisseurs.

Seafood Ee-Fu Noodles
Seafood Ee-Fu Noodles

Of course we couldn’t resist ordering a Holy Duck! classic (…when in Rome…); the Signature crispy duck. A super dish served with 6 pancakes, greens and Hoisin sauce for sharing.

Signature Crispy Duck
Signature Crispy Duck

Holy Duck! in Castlecrag offers a tranquil family environment, maintaining the quality of the contemporary, innovative, inner-city restaurant Chinese cuisine this Sydney eatery is renowned for.

Steamed Duck & Pork Dumplings in Shanghainese sauce
Steamed Duck & Pork Dumplings in Shanghainese sauce

**Rose was a guest of Holy Duck! Castlecrag/Cardinal Spin PR – this is an independent account of her dining experience

**Additional Information, Menu and Images Courtesy of Holy Duck!/Cardinal Spin PR

HOLYDUCK_MENU_6

Connie Lambeth

The Australia Times News

Editor GOURMET – Food/Wine/Events

theaustraliatimes.com/news

connie.lambeth@theaustraliatimes.com.au

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HOLYDUCK_MENU_1

MENU HOLY DUCK!

Holy Duck! Menu:

Entrée:
  • Steamed Dim sum platter
  • Steamed duck & pork dumplings
  • Crispy fried crab & pork dumplings
  • Crispy fried rice balls
  • Spring rolls
  • Sweet & sour pork
  • Steamed scallops on sliced zucchini
  • Crispy calamari
  • Chinese pickled vegetables

Dim Sum (Lunch Only):

  • Prawn har gau
  • Scallop & prawn dumplings
  • Vegetable dumplings
  • Chicken sui mai
  • Mushroom dumplings
  • Prawn & chive dumplings
  • Steamed duck & pork dumplings
  • Crispy fried crab & pork dumplings
  • Shao long bao
  • Char sui bao

BBQ & Roast Meats:

  • Holy Duck! Specialty Platter
  • Platter of Pork Delights
  • Roast Holy Duck!
  • Roast holy Duck! Deboned
  • Caramelised sweet & sticky BBQ pork
  • Crispy crackling roast pork belly

 

 

Sharing Mains:
  • Signature crispy duck
  • Crispy spring chicken
  • Sichuan style hot & numbing chicken wings
  • Roast beef short ribs
  • Stir fried wagyu beef
  • Pork san choi bao
  • Drunken fish fillet
  • Handmade pink salt & black sesame egg & spinach tofu
  • Sichuan style crispy battered zucchini
  • Stir fried seasonal vegetables
  • Steamed Chinese greens

Rice & Noodles:

  • Stir fried rice noodles
  • Roast Holy Duck! fried rice
  • Crispy egg noodles
  • Seafood Ee-Fu Noodles
  • Jasmine Rice
  • Extra Mandarin Pancakes

Dessert:

  • Key lime tart
  • Fried ice cream
  • Gluten free, dairy free & vegan friendly sorbet