David's

Ph: 9529 5199; 4 Cecil Pl, PRAHRAN 3181 www.davidsrestau

Chinese, $$ -, ** for Food & Ambience
Open Mon-Fri noon-3pm Sat-Sun 11.30am-3pm Sun-Thu 6-10.30pm Fri-Sat 6-11.30pm; Licensed, BYO sun-fri , Corkage $10 bottle; AE DC MC V
Chef Jeffrey Xiao (5-12-08) Owner David Zhou (5-12-08)

Mietta's Review
The large, split-level room has white-painted walls of exposed brickwork and in spite of the occasional Chinese wooden artefacts adorning the walls and separating the two levels, David's doesn't feel like a Chinese restaurant. The tables are widely spaced, the waiters smartly attired in dark shirt, pants and aprons look as if they had just stepped out of a smart modern Australian cafe. Which is what David's is except for the quality of the Shanghainese food. The prices are slightly higher than Little Bourke St and considerably more than the eastern suburbs. The clientele is mostly Australian: often parents with their grown-up children and for them the price is a little less than other well appointed places in Prahran - for a better product. Also at Ay Oriental Teahouse 455 Chapel St, Sth Yarra.

Other published opinions

Age Good Food Guide 2009 Score: 15/20 "Almost a well-kept secret, David's is tucked away from busy Chapel Street but, once inside, the hubbub signals its considerable reputation. Serving outstanding Shanghaianese food, David's is the real deal, with Chinese red vinegar bite, Shaoxing wine tang and smoky wafts of Longjing tea"

Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "David's has attained its place as a favourite on Melbourne's crowded food scene by following a simple formula: interesting and refined Shanghainese cuisine, served by attentive staff who can navigate the diverse wine list, in elegant but relaxed surrounds"

Herald Sun Extra Food, Bob Hart, 23-09-08 Score: * "This consistent Shanghainese place has been turning out top food for lo years"

Herald Sun Bob Hart, 3-08-08 "CHEFS at David Zhou's highly consistent Shanghainese restaurant, tucked in behind Chapel st, have been working their magic here for just on a 10 years. And in terms of the quality of the food that lands in front of you when you dine here, little has changed: the steam still rises into the open ceiling space, the aromas are hypnotic and all is well with the world. But these days, the softly spoken Zhou, who owns the building and the restaurant, is on his way to becoming Melbourne's uncrowned dumpling king."

Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 15/20, One Hat "David's is an artful restaurant in every sense. The dining room nods to proprietor David Zhou's Shanghainese roots with its red-lacquer colour scheme and signature furniture pieces, but large decorated lightshades and clear sightlines give the decor a clean and contemporary feel"

Gourmet Traveller 2008 Australian Restaurant Guide "Melbourne's broad Chinese culinary landscape is refreshing and David's is a prime example of this, from the wide selection of teas on offer, to the refined ambience of the chic room, modern wine list and contemporary take on Shanghainese cuisine"

The Age John Lethlean score 16/20 "Following a makeover last year to give the old split-level warehouse a far more contemporary look, David's is an altogether groovier-looking space than the restaurant opened seven years ago by Shanghainese tea entrepreneur David Zhou. Indeed, a lot of people still don't know about the place, despite seven years' trading."

The Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 14/20 "Royal-blue velvet drapes, antique carvings, ceiling fans and waiters in black uniforms evoke a Shanghai chic, while the food draws from that city's culinary heritage, as well as that of Beijing and Sichuan. The menu is like a beginner's guide to traditional Chinese medicine."

Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide * "David's tosses aside Chinese restaurant conventions with e slick warehouse space punctuated by cherry blossom lampshades, a Chinese Pop-Art frieze and dark wood panelling. And the menu takes similar liberties, emphasising "food as medicine" and the dishes of Shanghai."

Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide Best Chinese "Dishes that need to be ordered ahead of your visit, such as the eight-treasure duck, are definitely worth the effort, and David's continues to put a smart face to Shanghai food"

The Age Good Food Guide 2005 "DAVID ZHOU is a perfectionist. His side-street restaurant is continually being tweaked to greater heights of refinement. Decorative but highly effective acoustic ceiling pads have been added to reduce noise. Intricate fretwork windows set with mirrors now complement charming old advertising posters featuring elegant Shanghainese."

Gourmet Traveller 2005 Restaurant Guide "Many a la carte dishes are based on traditional recipes from Zhou's native Shanghai"

Age A2 17/7/04 "In this largish, yet intimate space, dotted with Chinese objects d'art and, somewhat dramatically draped in swathes of red and blue, you'll find a menu featuring mainly Northern Chinese dishes, which in many cases not only taste good, but are good for you as well. "

The Age Take 5 John Lethlean 12/9/04 "Arguments rage over Melbourne's best yum cha; the iconoclasts vote for this small and highly individual restaurant with its emphasis on Shanghai and Beijing cooking"

The Foodies' Guide 2004, Allan Campion & Michele Curtis,'We have heard rumours that this is Cheong Liew's favourite place for yum cha. Never mind his,it's definately one of ours!'

The Age, Agenda, 4/7/04, Roslyn Grundy,'you'd be mad to visit a Chinese restaurant specialising in dietotherapy (food as medicine) and stick to fried rice.'

AGFG 2004, 1 hat, score 15/20, excellent wine list

Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide Australia 2004, Good vegetarian options,'Is David's a Chinese herbal clinic disguised as a restaurant?Not exactly...The menu also lists various ingrediants' healing powers...You don't need to be looking to balence your yin and yang to come here,though-fine cooking, good service and a nice wine list make David's a real find.'

Herald Sun, Weekend, 31/1/04, Bob Hart,'Melbourne's Greatest Dishes','one of Melbourne's great food experiences is to be had in Prahan establishment David's'

Vogue Entertaining & Traveller, March April 2003

Herald Sun, citystyle, "National Treasures", Bob Hart, 8/4/03. Best Chinese

Herald Sun, citystyle, Dining Out, Stephen Downes, 1/4/03, Score 18/20.

The Age Good Food Guide 2003. Score 15/20.

The Weekend Herald Sun, Eat, Bob Hart, 3/8/02

The Age, 02.11.99, John Lethlean Score 14 out of 20