Bodhi in the Park, Sydney

It has been years since I last went to yum cha. Similarly it has also been years for D, whose attempts at yum cha in Tassie two weeks ago were foiled by a closed yum cha restaurant, so it was with not a small amount of excitement that we ventured forth to Bodhi in the Park.



It was slightly difficult to find, located as it was underneath where I thought College Park was located, and lacking any useful signs. Wander down the stairs, away from College St, towards the smell of chlorine and the splashes, and turn left. It is hidden there amongst the trees and under the walkways.

The menu is extensive, though not as extensive as I had hoped it would be, lacking my very favourite type of dim sum, chee cheong fun (and the related cha siu chee cheong fun). It is also expensive, coming to a total of about $65.00 for the two of us. The food was however quite tasty.



We started with a deep fried spinach roll, not exactly traditional dim sum but still pretty good. The spinach was complimented by I think almond flakes and tofu. We followed this with a curry bun, a new taste sensation for D, who has not had much experience with the squishy sugary bun and savoury filling phenomenon so common through Malaysia, and easily experienced (by non-vegans) at a range of chain bakeries such as bread top, bread box, etc (which I notice has moved in to Sydney).



The curry bun was excellent. This was followed by deep fried sweet potato squishy things, which were delicious but gooey and I could feel my arteries clogging, as it were. The sticky rice was okay, and being served on a tomato quarter was a nice touch, but nothing spectacular.



The cha siu bao, another of my favoured treats, was tasty. We rounded it off with some spicy noodles, which were good but definitely far, far too much on top of everything else.

As we sat there, unable to move, we picked up a little fruit bowl, as we hadn’t had any fruit all weekend, and in the hopes it would help us feel better after all of that deliciousness.



Eventually we stirred and went for a wander through the Botanical Gardens, walking very slowly and spending a lot of time sitting around, trying to force our bodies to metabolise faster.



I love the Chinese style, tiny dishes one by one, elongating the meal and picking and picking. Yum cha is that style taken to its optimum, the tiniest dishes ever and oh deliciousness. We have another dim sum excursion scheduled in March, when we will be venturing to Box Hill, and I am absolutely looking forward to it (and have high hopes for chee cheong fun). In the meantime, though, I am considering a dim sum party in my home. Om nom nom.


Bodhi in the Park
Cook and Phillip Park
(beneath the forecourt of St Mary’s Cathedral)
College Street
Sydney