Zilver Seafood Restaurant, Haymarket

The beauty of yum cha is its reliable welcome of harried chaos. The room will be a-clatter with chopsticks and conversation, the waitstaff will be rushed off their feet re-filling teapots and dispensing chilli sauce, and the trolley ladies will harangue you incessantly with the last of the cabbage-filled spring rolls.

Zilver is nothing like that.



Zilver used to be Silver, as in Silver Spring, but now the S has become a Z and the interiors have gone from nice to "noice". The approach from the downstairs escalators (which had to be relocated to accommodate the $3m refurbishment) is bereft of any tacky red and gold ornaments, instead the logo, signage and decor are now all modern, sleek and sophisticated. It feels so clean and crisp and understated, it feels so terribly... North Shore.



There's a bit of industry buzz about the new-look Zilver though. Henry Tang and wife Chillie have finally inherited the reins from Henry's father, and helping them realise their vision of "a new vision in Chinese cuisine" is executive chef Jack Ng, a Hong Kong-born chef with over thirty years experience.



The theme of sophistication continues within: a sleek and modern black granite bar flanks one side of the restaurant, opening out to sturdy bronze mosaic pillars, ornate fish tanks and a reassuringly familiar red feature wall with red lanterns hanging overhead. It feels like a Chinese restaurant, and yet it's not. It's akin to stepping into a real life lay see lucky red envelope. It's Chinese all right, but just not as we know it!

Tables are topped with cloths of slate gray, and the upholstered silk seating is soft and *gasp* actually comfortable. The table feels unnaturally high though, and I'm sure it's due to the chairs being a wee bit lower than usual.

A yum cha trolley soon comes our way. The offerings are familiar and generally well-executed. The har gow prawn dumplings are plump and shiny, the gow choi gow garlic chive dumpling are pleasant. Har cheung fun prawn long noodles come with vein still attached (much to the consternation of my dining companion) and the fatty bone-chewing satisfaction of pai gwut pork ribs are tasty but could perhaps do with a little more black bean and a heavier scattering of chilli.

Nothing makes me really sit up and gasp with delight, although the appearance of orange fish roe on the siu mai makes me realise that yes, the usual grated carrot atop the yellow-robed pork dumplings are just a cheap imitation of its original concept.


Har gow (prawn dumplings)
Large dim sum dish - $4.80


Gow choi gow (garlic chive and scallop dumplings)
Medium dim sum dish - $4.20


Siu mai (steamed pork dumplings)
Medium dim sum dish - $4.20

The siu mai are spicier than usual encounters, with more than a sprinkling of pepper and perhaps a touch of five spice. For those not content with trolley offerings, a perspex menu holder on each table advertises alternative fare available a la carte, upmarket Chinese offerings like steamed sea cucumber dumpling and fish maw in hot pot, moving to the positively exotic: prawn balls filled with cheese, for instance, and stir fried beef stick with peach.

As we peruse the menu, we soon encounter Zilver Service (like Silver Service, with a Zee) as a helpful hostess silently and suddenly materialises by our table with a smile.

"Do you need any help with the menu?" she asks politely in non-accented perfect English.

We graciously defer, and with a humble nod and short bow she departs with a pleasant request to "please let her know if we require any assistance."

You could say that I'm slightly shocked by this display of customer service, politeness and pro-active hospitality. In a Chinese restaurant? At yum cha? No!

Ten minutes and two bamboo steamers later, another impeccably attired female staff member appears by our side.

"How has your meal been today?" she enquires with concern. "Have you enjoyed it?"

I almost choke on my dumpling as Rebecca nods agreeably.

"I'm an Adviser," the woman explains. "I'm here to help with the menu and your selection of dishes. Please, if there's anything on the menu you need help with, or if you require any advice in any way, then please, do let me know," she says, smiling sweetly.

This feels so surreal. Am I really in Chinatown, or have I stepped into the Singapore Raffles Hotel?

Where is the surliness? The grimacing? The I've-got-better-people-to-tend-to-than-you attitude?

I can only sigh. What has my beloved yum cha become?


Pai kwut (steamed pork ribs with black bean and chilli)
Medium dim sum dish - $4.20


Har cheung fun (prawn long noodle)
Extra large dim sum dish - $5.80





Zilver Seafood Restaurant
Level 1, 477 Pitt Street, Haymarket, Sydney, Australia
(Sydney Central building, corner Hay Street)
Tel: +61 (02) 9211 2232

Lunch Mon - Fri 10am - 3pm, Sat - Sun 9am - 3pm
Dinner 7 days 5.30pm - 11pm

This post has been submitted as part of the online foodblogger event, Dine & Dish #6: Amazing Graze. Check out the wrap-up of "small dish dining" around the world, presented by our reservations host Sarah, of The Delicious Life.

Related GrabYourFork posts:
Zilver, January 2007