Zilver, previously called Silver Spring, closed down and renovated a few years ago, completely changing its image, and vastly improving its menu, whilst uptiering its target market to a more upmarket offering. Its “All you can eat for $17.50″ days have long gone and it has transformed completely into a rare gem of Chinese dining - great food AND service to go with it!
My friends Tracy and Chris got married on the weekend, and apart from being a long awaited marriage, it was also for me a long awaited feast hehehe. And I was not disappointed at all. First cab off the rank- suckling pig entree platter with shredded cuttlefish. The pig wasn’t overly fatty although the skin was quite thin so was slightly chewy. Chewy the jellyfish was not - it was the perfect thickness and appropriately crunchy in texture. Second course was deep fried seafood balls - minced seafood - predominantly prawns, rolled into balls and covered in almond flakes deep fried and served on a bed of shredded cabbage.
Palate cleansing vegetables came next - perfectly cooked and crisp broccoli and mushrooms covered in a sauce thick with dried scallops - a real chinese delicacy. And then came the emperor of all soups - sharks fin soup. So expensive is this dish that waiters often use a bread plate to catch any drips off the ladle that dare escape on the way from the tureen to bowl. You can have it with shredded chicken or crab meat as well as dried fish stomach (don’t ask, just drink).
What a treat. Lobster cooked in classic ginger and shallot sauce. One of my friends told me that when you have lobster at a wedding banquet, it adds an extra $300 per table of 12 (you do the sums!). So I relished my huge tender chunk of lobster tail and made an attempt at the huge claw. But didn’t try too hard as once my grandmother stabbed her finger with one of the sharp bits - ew!
Stomach reaching capacity, next came sliced abalone and mushroom in oyster sauce with lettuce, and then steamed live coral trout. It must be so hard cooking 25 two kg fish to the point of just cooked, and then sending it out to the masses. Nevertheless, this one was perfect, its meat sweet and succulent.
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Ever tried one of these? I’ve tried it before on various exotic fruit platters (including the fruit salad at David Jones FoodHall), but never actually cut one up, as it looked too complicated. Well at 67c each at Harris Farm I was willing to give it a go - and it was a cinch! Just cut it in half and scoop out the flesh like an avocado. It’s a very clean, refreshing taste. Not soft, but firm - doesn’t crunch. Sweet tasting, and also comes in white with black seeds.
