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Friday, May 05, 2006

Canton Noodle House, Burwood

There's no shortage of Chinese restaurants or barbecue shops when it comes to Burwood Road. Tonight we were looking for a quick bite-to-eat before a Saturday night movie session. Sheer proximity and a reassuring crowd of locals lead us to the cheap and cheerful looking Canton Noodle House.

Canton Noodle House interior

As we wait for a table to become available, we admire the handwritten specials on fluorescent cardboard, blu-tacked artfully on the otherwise bare white walls. Within a couple of minutes we are ushered to a table, a process which involves much breathing in and fumbled apologies as we try to squeeze through tiny gaps that even Kate Moss would struggle with.

salt and pepper calamari
Deep-fried calamari with salt and pepper $11.80

We can’t resist an order of salt and pepper calamari. It is a side ambition of ours to find the best version there is in Sydney. The calamari is tender and the batter is light, albeit a little on the floury side. I take great pleasure in pecking at the generous scattering of finely sliced shallots and chilli, garnished with crispy shallots: all fried and salty and very addictive.

beef with vegetable
Stir-fried beef with Chinese broccoli $13.80

Our order of beef with vegetables is tailormade for us, after we have a hankering for some beef and make some enquiries of our waitress. Most Chinese kitchens will cater to your request. We always check which vegetables are available for that day.

The beef is tender but slightly spongy in texture. The oyster sauce is tasty though, and the Chinese broccoli provides a pleasing vitamin-packed crunch.

eggplant hotpot
Eggplant and pork mince hotpot with special spicy sauce $11.80

I've always had a soft spot for the Szechuan style of hotpot with eggplant and pork mince. Soft cooked Chinese eggplant and fragments of pork mince absorb the sweet spicy flavours of hot bean sauce. It's a winter dish that begs to be dolloped over mountains of fluffy steamed white rice.

It's perfect comfort food although we collectively think the sauce could do with a little less sugar and a little more chilli.

Canton Noodle House sign

There's a rather extensive menu for such a small restaurant with minimal floorspace. Plenty of deep-fried goodness abounds with chicken, fish fillets, whitebait, tofu balls and soft-shell crab all available in coats of crunchy golden brown. Add whole live fish, mud crabs with ginger and shallots, stir-fried bitter melon and pippies in XO sauce and you have a seemingly neverending banquet of available choices.

Noodles come in soup or dry, and word has it that their won ton noodle soup is a house specialty. I think I've just found my perfect excuse to return.

Canton Noodle House
45 Burwood Road, Burwood, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9744 1833

Open 7 Days: 10.30am – 10.00pm

Unlicensed. BYO corkage $1 per person.
Cash only, no credit cards.
9 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (AugustusGloop) on 5/05/2006 09:21:00 pm


9 Comments:

  • At 5/06/2006 3:12 am, Blogger Robyn said…

    I just ate salt and pepper squid too! WEE! Fried stuff is awesome.

    Love those fluorescent decorations on the wall, hehe.

     
  • At 5/06/2006 10:08 pm, Blogger Helen (AugustusGloop) said…

    Hi Robyn - I agree. Fried stuff rules! =)

    They always have such neat writing too. Their characters are so perfectly squared off.

     
  • At 5/07/2006 5:44 pm, Blogger shinyruby said…

    the quest to find the best salt and pepper calamari in sydney is very admirable! most important too :)

    please keep us updated!!!

     
  • At 5/09/2006 12:58 am, Blogger Helen (AugustusGloop) said…

    Hi shinyruby - lol. It is my personal mission. I will report back dutifully =)

     
  • At 5/15/2006 8:54 pm, Blogger Mark Vicuna said…

    this is a family owned chain. they have different specialties per store.. the burwood one , you have to try the crab!

     
  • At 5/16/2006 11:01 pm, Blogger Helen (AugustusGloop) said…

    Hi Mark - I didn't realise it was a family-owned chain. Now did you mean the mud crab with ginger and shallots, or the deep-fried soft shell crab?

     
  • At 5/31/2006 5:31 pm, Blogger Mark Vicuna said…

    hi helen

    the mud crab, but then i love soft shell crab - you really can't go wrong with soft shell crab - so personally its both :)

    yes, they have one in hurstville on rose street, and another one (sorry i forget where).

     
  • At 6/12/2006 8:43 pm, Blogger Sue Crane said…

    Went there tonight. Don't bother with the wonton noodle soup, it was borderline food court average. Better to try the soft shell crab as Mark suggested - saw some others eating it and it looked good. I had salt and pepper calamari, xo braised chicken and had to take away the bok choi in garlic.

     
  • At 6/13/2006 10:26 pm, Blogger Helen (AugustusGloop) said…

    Hi Mark - Oh I do love mud crab. And ooh, soft shell crab too. lol. I'll have to keep an eye out for the one in Hurstville.

    Hi Sue - Ooh wontons can be a bit and miss I find. Thanks for the research though. Looks like soft shell crab for me on my next visit!

     

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