Earlier in the year, my foodie friends and I celebrated Lunar New Year’s Eve at SoupStone. Located at the Australian National University near the bus station, it can be easy to walk past and miss it.
When we arrive, the table is set up and ready with two high chairs, plastic cutlery, plates and cups for the kids. The restaurant has simple décor and large bi-fold doors that can open up. Pity the view isn’t anything special.
Customised banquets are available via pre-order, which is what my friend did so I’m not certain of prices.
Being Lunar New Year, a must have dish and the first to arrive is the lobster tail with crispy egg noodles. There are two plates of this amongst our table so I’m not sure how many lobster tails we actually received. The lobster easily pulls out of its tail shell. The whole dish tastes exactly like it should – juicy lobster on top of crispy noodles that get a little soggy in the yummy garlic, ginger and scallion sauce.
The braised efu noodles are plentiful mixed with shiitaki mushrooms and Asian greens.
I enjoy the bean curd and vegetable hotpot which has glass noodles inside. I keep going back for more. It’s so saucy with large chunks of mushrooms, carrot and cabbage. Something I’d order again.
The beef brisket includes plenty of Asian greens, shallots and topped with coriander. It isn’t as tender as I would like, but flavoursome nonetheless.
The barramundi fillets come with snow peas, carrot, and scallions, cooked lightly in a delicious (I’m assuming) oyster/soy/shallot combination sauce. Very simple and tasty.
The Zhengjiang style pork chops come with a dark vinegar sauce and are sticky and sweet.
The Yin Yang fried rice doesn’t look all that great to the eye. Half is smothered in tomato sauce and prawns. The other half is mixed with a creamy chicken sauce. The tomato side is the bolder flavour (it is mostly tomato paste and/ketchup). This is not a dish I grew up with, however I can see its appeal.
XO pippies come in a garlicky XO sauce – a big punchy flavour hit!
We end the evening with crispy mantou with condensed milk.
Everything was tasty and I honestly had no complaints. Service was very attentive and friendly which we appreciated.
SoupStone does not have the most advantageous location, with a bus stop at the front. I gather many people walk past without looking or forget about it altogether.
The regular menu has decent prices – around the $18-20 mark for most main dishes. The usual Westernised dishes are there – cashew, satay, Mongolian, lemon, sweet and sour, and honey. There are dishes like chicken bok choy, or chicken broccoli, or chicken snow pea – I guess for the more pickier vegetable eaters. The kaya hong kong style french toast is on my list to try. There are vegetarian and vegan options too.
As advertised on SoupStone’s Facebook page, you can find $11 lunch special rice set meals Monday-Friday. Check them out if you work in the city or are wanting to try somewhere new.
SoupStone
6/26 Barry Dr, Acton
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