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Recently dubbed Koreatown, Healey’s Lane is buzzing with pocha and Korean imports, but tucked between them is a down-to-earth shop specialising in southern Chinese rice rolls known as cheung fun. The brand is based on a franchise from Guangzhou, though it feels distinctly homegrown, with all rice rolls made from scratch in-house.
The vibe
The compact space nods to a retro era of southern China, with bulb-lined signage, rattan pendant lights and booth seating. Service is relaxed – order via QR code and help yourself to condiments and cutlery. Some dishes take longer than others to arrive, so the best approach is to share and eat things as they land on the table.
With most dishes under $20 and some starting below $10, you can (and should) try widely across the menu. The starch-heavy dishes and generous portions mean items are more filling than they appear, but staff are happy to pack up leftovers to take home.
The food
Rice rolls, known in China as cheung fun, are a staple defined by their soft, slippery texture and satisfying chew.
While they appear at a handful of venues across Melbourne, Liyin is one of the few spots dedicated entirely to the dish – and perhaps the only one making them from scratch in the traditional way. Fresh rice is soaked and ground into a paste, spread onto a mesh cloth and steamed to order. The difference is immediately apparent. Where store-bought versions can be dense or slightly stale, these retain a delicate freshness and a nutty rice aroma.
They can be ordered plain or filled, with more than 20 options ranging from fish and prawn to beef and pork, available in various combinations. Some arrive folded, others rolled, like the special red rice roll stuffed with crispy fried prawn, or the youtiao rice roll filled with a savoury Chinese cruller. The doughnut maintains a fresh, airy chew that contrasts beautifully with the soft sheets wrapped around it. On its own, the flavour is subtle, served in a shallow pool of soy sauce for depth – but self-serve pickled mustard greens, green chillies and chilli oil are there to dial things up.
While the more elaborate options are fun, the standard rolls are the best way to appreciate the unadulterated texture and flavour of the steamed rice sheets. The vaguely labelled “fish fillet” version is an unassuming standout, filled with flaky white flesh that nearly blends into the cheung fun itself, highlighting its delicacy. For something heartier, the beef, pork and char siu combination triples down on protein.
The cheung fun may be the headline act, but it’s worth straying for other menu items – particularly the beef hor fun. A Cantonese staple, this version ranks among the better iterations in Melbourne, with dark soy-slicked rice noodles stir-fried with bean shoots and expertly caramelised slices of beef.
The drinks
There’s a liquor licence and a small alcohol list centred on Chinese beer and house wine. For something more classically Cantonese, opt for lemon-spiked tea or Coke, or a salty lemon soda.
Time Out tip:
Order one plain rice roll alongside a filled version to fully appreciate the texture – then customise generously at the condiment station.
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