EAT: CHEF DAVID, MELBOURNE CBD
Lights! Camera! And action… cue the flashing neon lights and smoky dry ice! When it comes to dining at Chef David, expect the oohs and aahs as soon as you step into the venue, and throughout the meal as the dishes come out. It’s really hard not to do so when your dishes get served with a side of billowy dry ice.
Theatrics and visual effects aside, the food also makes quite the tasty statement. Their specialty may be Sichuan cuisine but the menu actually features what I would describe as a mix of ‘cuisines’ or signature dishes including fresh seafood and sashimi, and Peking Duck in addition to Sichuan grill. Which truly makes Chef David the perfect place to dine with a larger group - sharing is most definitely the way to go if you want try it all. And this you do - all the items we tried across the board were well executed and went down a treat. Particularly if spice is your thing. The Peking duck pancakes tasted just the way they would if we had gone to a restaurant specialising in Peking Duck. The oysters and sashimi were superbly fresh. As for the Sichuan items, we opted for the beef skewers and Sichuan style squid wok, which we figured were manageable-sized dishes between the two us. Both proteins were tender, and the flavours packed punch and fiery-meets-tingling spice! But if you do visit with a larger group, word on the street is that the grilled live fish is a must order - a whole barramundi cooked in the presence of fragrant and hot hot hot Sichuan spices right at the table. Takeaway is an option if you do go in with bigger eyes than your tummies and over-order.
Cold noodles - mixed with chilli sauce, spring onion, cucumber shreds and crunchy soybean.
Fresh oyster - topped with black tobiko, spring onion, ponzu sauce.
Sashimi platter.
Peking Duck pancakes - with spring onion shreds, cucumber shreds and Soybean paste.
Beef skewers.
Sichuan style squid wok - wok-fry squid with chilli, onion, celery and Sichuan spicy sauce.
Chef David
Level 1/462 Elizabeth St,
Melbourne, Victoria, 3000.
+61 3 8797 2666
Disclosure: I dined as a guest of Chef David. All opinions expressed in this post are based entirely on my experience and observations made during the time of my visit.