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If the waiter unceremoniously threw san choy bow in your general direction at Golden Century when it was in Sydney’s Chinatown, you’d probably laugh it off. You’d most likely be down with it even if a bit of spicy pork mince or a sprig of coriander landed in your eye. Or if there were a few suss stains on the carpet. Nobody went to the OG Golden Century for the friendly service or fit-out. Back in the day, you’d be downright disappointed if not served with a side of surliness. It was part of the theatre at the restaurant that was considered an institution in Sydney and woven into the city’s culinary identity over three decades. The waiters weren’t pathologically rude, more perfunctory and efficient.
Diners accustomed to polished service at Crown Sydney are perhaps less likely to be forgiving of that kind of behaviour. The Wong family declared their intent when it comes to amping things up when they got the defibrillator out and revived the much-loved Sydney icon in this new ritzy harbourside location.
The waiters, on the most part, are young and a lot of them appear inexperienced, but they are led by a brisk head waiter who directs them around the sprawling dining room like a traffic warden.
It’s easy to forgive one of said young waiters who shrugs and smiles when you ask him about the wine list. Especially when he does the right thing by pointing oh-so-sauve sommelier Pac Chan toward our table. Chan worked at Tetsuya’s – another much-loved Sydney icon – for close to ten years. He arrived in Australia from Hong Kong at the age of eight and said he and his family dined at Golden Century for decades.
The last time we ate at the iconic OG Sydney venue, it was late at night, and actor Claudia Karvan was at the next table tucking into Cantonese staples with a group of friends. It’s reported A-listers such as Rod Stewart and Lady Gaga also gave the lazy Susan a spin at the old digs.
Despite the fact it always attracted everyone from fat-cat politicians to celeb chefs and A-list actors, Golden Century remained gloriously unpretentious. Ditto with this rendition of the diner. You never know who you’ll be rubbing shoulders with until you spot them, locked in a chopstick duel, over the last dumpling.
We decided to cycle to Barangaroo from Cronulla to work up an appetite for a lazy weekend lunch. In the time it takes for us to lock up our e-bikes outside Crown Sydney, the well-heeled drivers of a Lamborghini, Bentley and BMW have all handed over the keys to their vehicles for valet parking. And, whether you’re sporting neck tatts or chinos, it’s this main-character energy that makes dining at the restaurant such a blast.
Stepping into Golden Century’s new home is like visiting an old friend who’s had a bit of not-so-subtle cosmetic work done
In this instance, the nip and tuck extends to those zhuzhed-up harbour views. The restaurant is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows and our table faces toward Sydney Harbour Bridge and the darling little rows of heritage terrace houses that line Millers Point. We’re seated in one of the emerald banquettes close enough to the neighbouring couple to start a conversation. They’re visiting from Brisbane and had a yearning for yum cha. Across the way, there’s three men and a baby.
This section of the dining room has a particularly high ratio of prams to people, and the vibe is get-togethers with the extended family, many of whom speak Cantonese.
In a city constantly chasing the next big thing, revisiting Golden Century feels like an extended family reunion
As Chan tells us, the clientele is a mix of old regulars and new faces keen to try out the new kid on the Barangaroo block. After our two-hour bike ride, we’re keen to keep it simple with starters of san choy bow and cold cucumber with a garlic vinaigrette, both placed neatly in front of us rather than lobbed from afar. Both are compelling options if you’re craving something light and bright. The san choy bow is appropriately peppery and right on the mark, loaded with fried vermicelli noodles and bamboo shoots for crunch and wrapped in a tight little taco leaf of lettuce. The cucumbers are scored and drizzled in garlic – a divine amalgam of crunch and flavour. The drinks menu is concise and Chan’s recommendation of a glass of the Henschke ‘Golden Century’ riesling from the Eden Valley is met with appreciative nods.
On our first visit to Golden Century mark two at Crown Sydney, we had the Peking duck with pancakes. This time, we forgo the pancakes in favour of a platter of roasted duck, which arrives lacquered golden in succulent pieces served on the bone. The duck comes with a sticky sweet, thick plum sauce which we could have done with more of. But the roast duck is more than a filling main to share when accompanied with a plate of poached Chinese broccoli served in a delicate puddle that goes easy on the oyster sauce. Chan’s recommendation for the Ocean Eight Gippslander pinot noir from the Mornington Peninsula is a winner: it’s soft and juicy and pairs perfectly with the duck.
There are a few daring diners gnawing on chicken feet. And an abalone steamboat. And others picking out lobsters or crabs from the tanks of sea creatures we passed on the way in. The waiter is met with applause when he delivers the lobster to a nearby table not long after it is transported from the tank to the kitchen. We vow to return for lobster cooked in a numbing spicy Szechuan sauce.
Do as the waiter suggests and order the hot lava buns, injected with a custard that incorporates salted egg yolk. It’s a fan favourite for TikTokkers who film it oozing with filling, but proceed with caution as it really is molten lava inside. Linger over endless pots of complimentary jasmine tea at this Chinatown transplant until your two-hour time slot is up and leave feeling like your gong-fu cup has been filled.
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