We now enter Great Century Restaurant, one of the many great places to eat in Bankstown. During the weekends it's bustling with families coming in for good value yum cha while weeknights are a lot quieter with few families coming for a good dinner, utilising the mid week specials on the mud crab and lobster.
We are promptly greeted by the manager who took us to a round table, asking us how we've been and if we're here for seafood again tonight. Oh yes...why else would we come?
Jasmine tea is ordered for our table and a small plate of fried salted peanuts come out.
I dont know what is considered culturally appropriate or rude, but it's fun and challenging to pick peanuts up with chopsticks rather than stick your fingers in the plate.
The tea is fragrant and not at all burnt which is how all restaurants should serve their tea. But sadly many chinese restaurants scald their tea and serve a cheaper grade tea stem that turns bitter on tasting.
I much prefer tea where the leaves are long and full, where you can see jasmine petals and the fragrance transfers to the taste. This was good tea.
While the tea was being served conversation began about the crab. There was the usual king crab versus mud crab, option of lobster and how we wanted it cooked. I appreciate coming here on quiet nights as we have more time to talk to the waiters, each of them well educated with how the chef cooks the crab and each of them with opinions on the best way of eating crab. They approved of our choice but encourage us to try different styles when we come back next time.
We were in luck as they were also serving Peking Duck tonight which came out quickly after a second plate of peanuts was ordered. As it was my mum's birthday, we did not hesitate to go all out.
Carvings of duck on warm pancakes were generous with a good crispy skin to meat ratio.
Two tasty juicy peking duck packages for each person.
The left over duck is sent back to the kitchen to be cut and presented properly.
In the meantime, a large platter of chilli mud crab comes out. Its red and orange and piled up high.
There is no way to eat this with class so chopsticks are left by the side of the plate and fingers come out to hold up the large pieces of crab.
The sweet spicy sauce is mixed with garlic and congealed with egg. Its lapped up quickly. The shell of the crab is hard and meat is white, firm and sweet - a sign of a freshness.
The duck comes back again in another large plate and we attack it quickly, the drumsticks disappearing first.
A hot pot of combination tofu comes out "to fu poh". The sauce is soaked up by the tofu and the bottom of the pot reveals the vegetables we need to balance the meal. Not a wow dish but it doesnt disappoint. You will find wom bok cabbage, mushrooms, carrot, ginger, chicken, BBQ pork, calamari, scallops and prawns. It's a bit pricey nearing $20.
Three dishes were all we could muster tonight. We've learnt the long way many times not to over order for out family. Before we signaled for the bill a plate of sweet orange slices and a plate of almond & peanut cookies were served up.
The biscuits were a lovely way to end the night as we rolled out of the restaurant and into the carpark.
Great Century Restaurant can be found on 23 Greenfield Parade, Bankstown NSW 2200, Australia
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