V-Rating: super V
Where: Lower Mezzanine Level, Cook & Phillip Park, 2-4 College St, Sydney
When: Saturday 10 February 2007
Tel: (02) 9360 2523The Post-Wedding Review. 

The experience of eating out is never just about the food- a range of factors influence the pleasure of the whole experience and subsequently, the enjoyment of the food itself.  So it was following the excitement-fuelled pre-wedding BBQ and the wedding banquet feasted upon by a room filled with guests riding a wave of celebratory joy, that the (slightly less populated) wedding party floated for a last hurrah and Sunday brunch yum cha at Bodhi’s Restaurant and Bar.  We were a little weary but basking in the glow and warmth of the post-wedding delirium.  For Bodhi’s this meant a large party of agreeable guests, whose first consideration with every mouthful was not to debate whether this restaurant was indeed the Best Vegetarian Yum Cha in Sydney (well, at least in the 15 kilometre radius of the CBD), but simply to enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.  

Bodhi’s is nestled between a pool and a cathedral in Cook & Phillip Park.  In the middle of summer, Bodhi’s was outside dining only*.  A large courtyard area has tables laid out under big umbrellas that proved to be excellent shelter (for nearly all of us) from both the sun and the brief shower that passed through while we were dining.  Dining outside at Bodhi’s offers a view further down the hill and out to the gardens when (if?) you manage to lift your head to pause between mouthfuls.  The table and seating is basic: square-seated wooden stools that fit into the long, low wooden-slatted tables that dominate the eating area (seating twelve).  There are some potted miniature bushes between some of the side tables (for smaller two-to-four person parties) and a few large trees offering shade that manage to bring some of the nature of the nearby gardens up to the urban, concrete space we’re occupying.  For a group as large as this, yum cha was the perfect solution for the final gathering.  Being a post-wedding brunch guests were coming and going over the course of the two or so hours we spent at Bodhi’s, as long return journeys to far-away homes beckoned.  While the numbers fluctuated, the food was nothing if not consistent.  Although there was a little wait for the onslaught to begin, once the small plates of delicacies began to arrive they continued at a consistent pace for over an hour.  So the yum cha experience: basically one of the small army of waiters would be dispatched to approach groups seated along the long tables with plates of savoury fragrant sticky rice in wanton skin (among a million other dishes) and we would say ‘ooh yes please’ and accept a plate to share, followed in quick succession by other dishes.  The time it took for each plate to be cleared was the most effective measure of time passing, as the morning became afternoon there was a noticeable shift in pace, and even refusals to the offer of new dishes- as delicious as they looked.

The food, on the whole, was excellent.  Yum cha is a wonderful way to experience many different dishes and to ensure everyone will find something they really enjoy.  A quick survey of fellow diners saw a range of dishes nominated as the most memorable: from vegetable curry puffs to cream corn crispy wanton to steamed BBQ buns to a brown rice & seaweed stuffed fried tofu pocket.  In the small white ceramic bowls, eating with disposable wooden chopsticks, we sampled many delights.  There were some dishes that were shared rather than single portions on a plate, including stir fried noodles with seasonal vegetables- a delicate, sticky rice noodle and vegetable mix, more noodle than vegetable with a sweet, delicate soy-based sauce.  Many dishes were variations on a theme- so, for instance, there were steamed lotus seed buns and steamed mung bean buns and steamed peanut buns.  There were fried wantons with all sorts of fillings.  There was gow (a tightly wrapped, rice paper/noodle parcel presented in a bamboo steaming dish) of many varieties including an enoki & field mushroom gow that offered a burst of the pungent smell and flavour of rich mushroom.  The fresh rice noodle folds with mixed vegetables were a hit- while the rice was the usual slippery test for the chop-stick-challenged it was a rewarding mouthful of vegetables and what seemed to be egg wrapped into the long rectangular parcels, with a burst of fresh coriander to make it a much cleaner taste sensation.  One of our diners was limited to foods that met her current health-related diet restrictions (not particularly yum cha friendly) but bent the rules just a little to sample the satay salad of fresh spouts, thai mint and basil in a (fried) tofu pocket, with the satay dribbled across the top.  These were a fresh and crispy mouthful- and worth bending the rules for!  The blanched fresh Chinese green kale was also a hit- the simplicity of steamed greens is always cleansing when eating Chines foods that include lots of glutinous rice dishes accompanied by rich sauces (although, of course, a special sauce did accompany the kale for those who wanted to drizzle it across their serving).  A big hit was the early arrival of bowls of fresh fruits- mainly melon fruit (watermelon, honey dew and cantaloupe) with some green grapes- that also allowed for some fresh, clean flavours.  After a brief Sydney downpour the day become decidedly more humid and fresh fruit was more than welcome and continued to be available throughout the meal. 

While the entrée and main course dishes are barely distinguishable when dining yum cha-style, the gear shift when desserts begin to arrive is noticeable.  This is partly due to dessert-lovers beginning to groan and wish aloud that they had saved more room for dessert and also because Chinese-style desserts are so eye-catching, they look so interesting- the agar jellies, the chilled fruit (mango, lychee) puddings, the crispy coconut balls.  A good friend recommended some special white coconut balls covered in desiccated coconut filled with crushed peanuts, palm sugar, salt and a few other specialities.  She had been addicted to something very similar during her time in Cambodia and despite being a long way from Phnom Penh was very pleased with the Bodhi’s version.  The groom himself sampled the coconut milk agar jelly- looking stunning, with the clear agar agar jelly on the bottom and a thick white jelly on top- his pleasure was evident in the way it quickly disappeared from the plate.

Like all good things, however, the yum cha and the wedding celebrations had to come to an end.  Once our dearest friends and the wedding couple had left, our appetites also disappeared.  Bodhi’s served quite a feast that was clearly enjoyed by all present.  There were a few hiccups along the way- there was difficulty in accessing water to drink and eventually it came out in plastic water bottles where large jugs of iced tap water would have sufficed.  In fact drinks, on the whole, were a little slow to arrive.  It seemed the well-oiled yum cha machine can accommodate special requests but not always expediently.  However, such issues are not major criticisms.  The food itself was fresh and delicious and enjoyed greatly by all- not only because we were all so happy to be there.  A veritable vegetarian feast.

*There were no tables to be seen inside, and the space inside seemed much smaller than the front courtyard, however I assume that during winter the focus no doubt shifts to indoor dining.

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