Melbourne Food Review: Supper Inn, Chinatown, City

We have been to Supper Inn a few times but we never had a chance to actually eat there because the queue is usually all to the way to Fitzroy. But on the day, we were quite early (probably just before 7?) so we only had to wait five or so minutes for the table. We were directly downstairs for a table (I didn’t even know they have a downstairs).

(Chinese doughnut – you tiao – $2.00)

The menu was nothing interesting, just your typical suburban Cantonese menu. However I have heard many wonderful things about the congee, so I decided that one of the dishes we order must be a congee. I settled on salt pork and century egg congee. The congee was good, with chunky pieces of salt pork and century eggs. They didn’t skimp on the pork and the egg like many restaurants do, which was always welcome. The Chinese doughnut was horridly oily and that was definitely a downer for me because I love the stuff and a good bowl of congee just wouldn’t be without a good side of Chinese doughnut on the side.

(Roast pork chow mein – $14.50)

We felt like a bit of noodles and settled for roast pork chow mein, which was egg noodles deep fried until crispy and topped with Chinese barbecued pork and greens. I personally am not a big fan of Chinese barbecued pork (char siu) in general and I was expecting plain roast pork belly, Chinese style. I was a bit disappointed. The char siu itself was average, so was the whole dish. I also didn’t expect the noodles to be deep fried.

(Deep-fried eggplant, beancurd and green beans with spicy salt and chilli – $16.50)

Our last dish was deep fried eggplant, beancurd and green beans with spicy salt and chilli. It was basically eggplant, beancurd and green beans battered and deep fried with spicy flavouring. While good and flavourful, it was a little bit oily but I think a lot of it was attributed to oily you tiao and deep-fried noodles and my stomach just had enough of the grease.

(deep-fried ice cream with coconut coating)

We finished the dinner with deep-fried ice cream (Josh chose, thank god it wasn’t oily!). It was covered with coconut but the ice cream inside was a little generic so it could have been a bit better. It was good but could have been better.

To be perfectly honest, I’m really not too sure why it’s so popular. Maybe it’s just one of those things that are popular because they are. The place reminds me strongly of those suburban Chinese restaurants and I suspect Melburninans are just into something that has been there a long time.

Didn’t really float my boat. Won’t queue up to get in again. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t worth the many great reviews I have read.

Supper Inn Chinese Restaurant, 15 Celestial Ave, Melbourne City