Oriental Tea House

Ph: (03) 9826 0168; 455 Chapel St, SOUTH YARRA 3141 www.orientalteahouse.com.au

yum cha-teahouse, $ -
Open sun-Thu 10.30am-10pm fri-sat 10.30am-11.30pm; Licensed; AE MC V, No bookings, Seats inside 160, Private room
Chef Liang Pan & Ming Ling (7-11-07) Owner

Mietta's Review
Pick your way through the gift shop that is Ay's face to Chapel St and find a table in the cafe behind. Clever design makes the place seem much smarter than the reality of it's basic 'laminex' setting. Service can be a little confusing as tea has it's own waiter, and it must be said that his offerings are the best thing on the menu and seem to be priced on that basis. For the rest, the occasional professional waiter is outnumbered by slightly unkempt Asian waitresses (who might be students in another life). They carry round trays of yum cha items. The quality is not good. You may discover that the back of the tea list contains the complete list of yum cha items, ordering from that gives better, but not great, results. The crowd is Chapel St shoppers looking for something more exotic than the burger places that inhabit this section of the street. Also at David's 4 Cecil Pl Prahran.

Other published opinions

The Age Cheap Eats 2008 "A huge selection of harmony-promoting, hangover-curing, anxiety-relieving and antioxidantrich teas double as decor at this clever tea-house where the westernised yum cha is reliably .."

Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 13/20 "Oriental Tea House, the bright yum cha restaurant/tea emporium, continues to pack them in several years after launching its unique (for Melbourne) concept"

The Age Cheap Eats 2007 "Sure, it's Anglicised yum cha - no trolleys and, worse, no tripe! - but it's done with great finesse, providing a bright, innovative take on Old Shanghai."

The Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 15/20 1 Hat "With traditional steamed and fried dim sum, along with creative dishes such as seaweed salads with tofu, and shredded chicken with Chinese fungus, Zhou has put before us some of the best Cantonese and Shanghai-inspired food yet seen in Melbourne."

Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide Best Chinese "AY Oriental Tea House combines modern design with stunning food."

The Age A2 14/5/05 Jane Faulkner "The restaurant is designed so that there appears to be several separate areas - one space with a white banquette and white chairs, another set with Thonet bistro chairs. It works well, although it can get quite noisy here, just like most yum cha eateries. Besides, everyone, a full house on this night, is thoroughly enjoying themselves and this unique dining experience."

Herald Sun Stephen Downes 10/5/05 score 14/20 "Ay Oriental Teahouse is a brave innovation A to suit our times. Service was somewhat erratic on a busy night, and let me repeat, I waiters should not ask diners how their day has been or how their meals are going or what they thought of the food. The wine list is extensive and fairly well-priced, a dozen whites and li reds come by the glass."

The Age Epicure John Lethlean 5/4/05 score 15/20 "A unique concept for Melbourne; superb food and great value for money. "

Herald Sun 9/4/05 Bob Hart "Actually, he has recaptured rather a lot of it with his handsome South Yarra tea house which imbues excellent, allday service with an admirable insouciance - a suggestion that fine food should be available at all times, that meals should be served and eaten on demand, and not at pre-ordained times."

The Age Epicure 5/4/05 John Lethlean score 15/20 "A unique concept for Melbourne; superb food and great value for money. "