Potluck Dining

829 Glen Huntly Rd
Caulfield, VIC 3162
https://www.potluckdining.com.au/

Potluck Dining sounds really cool on paper; it’s been touted in media as being a next-gen Chinese restaurant, inspired by all the family gatherings the owner had growing up. First impressions smelt super legit, and the whole restaurant had a great retro suburban Chinese restaurant vibe to it. Unfortunately, the overall experience leant ordinary. The food was pretty good, but given the small portions, felt overpriced when there was nothing to set it above its competitors. It’s a shame really, because I really wanted to like Potluck.

Rating: 12/20 – pot-un-luck.
The good bits: they have great Asian non-alcoholic drinks. and $5 corkage for those who are interested.

The snacks are the highlight at Potluck; for example, the Pork and Cabbage Dumplings ($16, 6pcs) were made to perfection, skilfully balancing the juicy filling and light, crispy bottoms.

The Chicken and Prawn Siu Mai ($16, 4pcs) gives the best yum cha restaurants a run for their money. The balance between meat and seafood was just right, and with a generous amount of shiitake, created an umami bomb that showcased the bounciness of the fresh prawns.

The Prawn Toast ($12) here is a more upmarket take on the original, but retained the all-important contrast of tender prawn and crispy toast. The addition of mayo and roe gave it a little extra decadence.

I was most excited for the Mapo Tofu ($19), because hey, is there anything better than silky, saucy tofu over a bowl of rice? But whilst this got the spicy, numbing sauce down-pat, it just wasn’t all that satisfying. I put that down to the small portion, and the little bits of tofu that just weren’t slurpy enough.

Same goes for the Lamb and Cumin ($28). Despite the bold seasoning and smoky aroma that brings to mind Chinese New Year street festivals, the lamb just didn’t have the fatty succulence to complete the experience.

The Vegetarian Fried Rice ($20) however was top notch, though the cynical part of me does want to point out that it’s just fried rice, and should surely be the bare minimum.

The drinks here however are top notch. My favourite of the lot would be the Sour Plum Juice ($8.5), which had a surprising dark smokiness to complete the familiar tangy flavour, and the result is unexpectedly refined. For something a little sweeter, try the Sweet Jujube Tea ($10) that boasts a palate of fruit and honey. And if you’re a traditionalist, I would recommend the Chrysanthemum & Honeysuckle Tea ($8), which pairs delicate floral notes with the more medicinal notes of the traditional chrysanthemum-only brew.