Ba Guo Bu Yi

(08) 8212 0000

98 – 100 Gouger Street

Adelaide 5000

So 2013 brings us back to our reviewing things retrospectively! So on a unusually wintery evening in the Adelaidean summer 12 of us decided to go out for a catch up after the silly-season. Pre-drinks at Lotus Lounge with lots of food talk built up our appetites and at 8pm we eagerly trotted around the corner onto Gouger street to taste the offerings at Ba Guo Bu Yi, where we had made a booking, thankfully, as the place was packed.

We did not bring our own wine as the corkage is $12 per bottle so felt it was easier and most likely cheaper to just buy it there, which it was. In South Australia our wines are often sourced locally so a lot of the time so the prices are generally quite reasonable.

Our table was the massive one at the back, which I am sure is reserved for the rowdy groups where laughter, cheap talk and rice is flown around dangerously so we are placed at a safe distance from the other patrons. As soon as we were seated we were given menus, not enough but after requesting more were promptly delivered, and drinks offered. Jess ordered 4 bottles of Sauvignon for the 12 of us which at first seemed a bit light but it was just enough, as the food was so delicious so we had little time for drinking. Water was supplied and then orders taken one by one with infinite patience.

We each chose a dish that we wanted to eat – nothing was themed or based on what compliments what. We just chose things that we thought looked yummy. The menu is offered in 2 forms. 1 is their popular dishes that looks as though it is designed for the safer-western pallet but the big picture menu was where the excitement and adventure lay. Then entrees of spring rolls and dumplings (both steamed and fried) were delivered first and these dumplings were delicious. Obviously fresh and made with care you could only glimpse them briefly as they flew off the plates. Liam grabbed a staff member and DEMANDED we get more dumplings STAT! And while we were worried we were going to have too much food (we kid ourselves that there is such a thing) we all loved and ate those dumplings. Liam said he might cancel the order and just get dumplings for us all….this would have been acceptable. They were awesome.

Okay so basically the menu is huge so I’ll just list what we had:

Spicy Crispy Fish in Black Bean Sauce – not finsihed. Very boney and traditional.

Deep fried Lamb Cube in Cumin – very tasty with lots of greens.

Fried Chicken with Dry Chilli – tasted like KFC and disappeared very quickly.

House Beer Duck – was a disappointment actually! Was the only dish not finished apart from the fish.

Sauteed Shredded Pork - yummy and subtle.

Pan Broiled Mushrooms with Bacon – it has bacon in it. Of course it was baconlicious.

Steamed Corn Bun with Chilli Bean and Diced Pork – the winner of the night! Not enough to go around for all so order 2 if you have a big group.

Golden Fried Sweet Corn – close runner up! So sweet and most of us added this to our rice. Mm Mmm!

Braised Potato, Beans and Eggplant – flew off the table. Fresh and tasty for a vegetarian dish.

Bok Choy and Garlic – always a winner when fresh and it was.

Fried Rice – was a less greasy version of a typical chinese rice. Pretty good with the flavour of all the other dishes.

So as you can see we ordered enough to feed a small country and consumed nearly all of it. The staff were prompt, filled our glasses and offered us more when we needed it. The toilets could use more attention but at least they flushed, had soap, bins and paper towel…as Carrie said, ‘what do you really expect in china town’. She is correct.

We did have to ask for the bill but once asked it was brought over directly and it appeared all other patrons were enjoying themselves too. The place was quite clean and the staff used headsets as obviously a busy place. The chef’s could be seen through an open door which is normally a positive. We will most certainly be going here again. Jess and Josh have already set up their menu for their next visit and I can see a lot of us returning for those dumplings. We advise you go here if you feel like basic to authentic chinese food. The total account came to $430 which equated to approximately $40 per person.

Ba Guo Bu Yi gets 7.5 out 10 dumplings.