Church Corner - Christchurch

One of my favorite Chinese restaurants offers hearty, classic dim sum during the day (yumcha) and delicious à la carte options for dinner. At lunchtime, they provide a fantastic selection of steamed, pan-fried, and deep-fried dim sum, along with desserts and pastries. I especially enjoy their steamed dumpling buns, egg tarts, and durian pastries. It would be great if they could expand their vegetarian offerings, as the current selection is quite limited. On my most recent evening visit, we ordered sizzling tofu, a whole roast duck, fish fillet in spicy oil, sizzling lamb, prawn paste with chicken skin, and a variety of stir-fried vegetables. I was very satisfied with the meal; the food was flavorful without being overly seasoned. We also received complimentary mango puddings at the end, leaving our table full of happy diners.

For me personally, the food wasn't the best since I'm not particularly fond of Chinese cuisine. However, this place is one of the few restaurants that stays open late, until 2 or 3 AM every day. The food is decent, the environment is clean, and the ambiance is pleasant. Since most restaurants close around 9:30 PM, this has become my top choice for late-night dining, especially for those of us who finish work late.

When Asha closed down, many of us who loved YumCha were quite disappointed, as they were the best in town at that time. I'm thrilled to see the owners and chefs back, and they haven't lost their touch. Their Cantonese cuisine is spot on and truly authentic. The deep-fried squid is probably the best you'll find in town, and their tofu dishes are excellent as well—especially the tofu with a crispy exterior and a melt-in-your-mouth interior. My personal favorites are definitely the cumin beef and lamb, which pair wonderfully with rice. In fact, most of their dishes go perfectly with rice; I often find myself reaching for one bowl after another. The decor creates a genuine Chinese ambiance, and there's plenty of space, making it feel open and comfortable without any cramped corners. It has a very cozy and family-friendly atmosphere. Overall, it's a fantastic choice for a Chinese restaurant.

We visited the restaurant for yum cha and dim sum, but unfortunately, there was no trolley service available. We ordered combination fried rice and a pork and vegetable dish over rice. Both were average at best and lacked flavor. The tea was disappointing as well, tasting more like hot water than anything else. We won't be returning.

I had an incredible tofu dish that was supposed to be sizzling—although it wasn't actually sizzling at all. However, the quality of the tofu more than made up for any little shortcomings. The staff were friendly, and the place can get quite busy, filled with many Asian diners, which is always a good sign. Overall, I’m giving the tofu a solid 5!