While the burbs are well served with yum cha options, the long wait for a Brisbane CBD yum cha is now answered by Phoenix in Brisbane Quarter.

It’s the first venture into Queensland for Sydney-based Phoenix Restaurant Group and their fifth restaurant in 20 years of business.

Cris Chen from the Phoenix Group said the company chose Brisbane over Melbourne for their expansion – lucky us! – and have created a more luxurious version of their Sydney restaurant for the upmarket Brisbane Quarter setting. Cris and his team have done their due diligence with extensive market research (that means eating out) of Brisbane’s Chinese food.  He believes Phoenix fills a definte gap in the market with its high quality Brisbane CDB yum cha.

Phoenix Yum Cha

Phoenix in Brisbane Quarter specialises in yum cha at lunchtime, although you won’t see any trolleys and seafood at dinner time. The lack of trolleys is to speed up the service but also to give customers dishes fresh from the kitchen says Cris.

Their chefs start hand making the hundreds of different kinds of dim sims freshly every morning at 5.30am. Expect a variety of steamed dumplings, shumai, pork buns, rice noodle rolls and chicken on the menu as well as a la carte dishes including their popular barbeque roast meats.

For Yum Cha lovers, the must-tries are fresh crab meat Xiao Long Bao, King Prawn and Bamboo Shoot Dumpling. My favourite was the Scallop and Caviar Shumai, King prawn and Goji berries rice noodle roll.

Next time I will try the Mango pancake which is designed to pair with the signature cocktail, Phoenix Red Chilli made with chilli, lychee and vodka.

Prices average around $10 for a three-piece serve.

When it comes to sweets, you won’t be disappointed with cream-filled mango pancakes and unctuous egg custard tarts.

The drinks list includes Chinese wine alongside Australian and New Zealand wines, Asian beers and a mix of classic and speciality cocktails.

Phoenix at night

Signature a la carte dishes on the menu will include Fragrant Pipa Duck, Lobster Tail in Garlic butter and black pepper, Pan-fried Wagyu beef in roast sesame sauce and Salt and Chilli Eggplant.

Phoenix has live seafood featuring lobster, snow crab, coral trout, barramundi and abalone. Some of it is on display in three tanks set into the dining room wall. Guests choose how they would like their seafood cooked with options such as lobster with ginger and shallots. There’s also a mandatory selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes.  

The restaurant seats 180 diners per sitting with three private dining rooms that can be combined to seat groups of 10 to 32 people at round tables.

The décor created by restaurant designer Jackson Teece is a twist on a traditional Chinese streetscape with a palette of red, black and gold.

Inside the 20-seat private dining room, there’s a full-height book-matched Calcutta marble wall, custom velvet lounge and pendant lighting for a prestigious Chinese dining experience.

Dining there

You’ll find Brisbane Phoenix Restaurant on level two of Brisbane Quarter on the corner of George, Adelaide and Ann Streets near Personne, and Phat Boy.

I can see Phoenix becoming a favourite for business lunches with its quick lunch turnaround, because doesn’t everyone love yum cha?

Want more like this?

For more CBD dining options try Black Hide at Treasury for steak and Donna Chang for Chinese fusion cuisine.

Disclaimer: EdbK was a guest of Phoenix Restaurant.