iMasticate

Today, my mum and I had cravings for dim sum after staring at food photos on Tumblr. Imperial Court in Como has lovely views of the river, ample free parking, and does impressive business for a Wednesday afternoon. Make sure that you get there early if you go on a weekend, or suffer waiting in a line that rivals the most popular spots in Northbridge!

Steamed King Prawn and Black Fungus Dumplings

To try something a little bit different, my mum recommended the prawn and fungus dumplings. Dipped liberally in chilli oil, I enjoyed the unusual combination of ingredients and chewy bits of fungus. 

Custard Buns with Salted Egg Yolk

The menu included a number of other interesting choices that provide a nice change from the standard “top 50” approach of most dim sum restaurants. The custard and salted egg yolk buns were a curious mix of savoury and sweet. While this would normally be a type of ‘dessert’, we opted to eat it in the middle of our meal.

Creamy salty custard filling

Be careful of the hot liquid centre. The buns burst open like runny eggs! 

Shanghai Dumplings with Mixed Mushrooms in Fish Soup

Imperial Court prepares xiaolongbao dumplings in a cloudy fish soup. While the dumplings were juicy and the wrappers were soft, I prefer the dry-version served in other restaurants. I prefer to delicately slurp the soup from inside the dumpling and appreciate the burst of flavour (that’s what she said).

Pork and Prawn Dumplings

Each dish was well-presented, including the standard shu mai dumplings. While I appreciated the chunky pieces of prawn, the dumplings tasted too ‘porky’ for my liking. The meaty aftertaste lingered even after my tongue stopped tingling from the chilli oil.

BBQ Pork and Coriander Flour Roll

Yum! The salty brown sauce was flavoursome and the BBQ pork was tender. I would definitely order these rice flour rolls again.

We left feeling full and our meal for two people cost $33, including my favourite Chinese tea (bolay cha) and the 2% credit card surcharge.

Service is much more friendly and attentive than I have grown to expect from a dim sum restaurant. The staff promptly set our table, took orders, re-filled tea, and brought out dishes as they were prepared.

The lady who owns Imperial Court suggested I visit her restaurant in Northbridge, Noble House. She proudly told me that the menu offers authentic and does not include Westernised dishes like spring rolls and sweet and sour pork. Sounds like a winner!

Summary 
Likes: excellent service, unusual dim sum choices

Dislikes: no black bean tripe (my favourite!) 

Value for money: good

Overall: great dim sum in a convenient location

Contact

Address:
125 Melville Parade
Como WA

(08) 9368 0385