Xuxu Dumpling Bar

My partner & I stumbled across perch as a spontaneous date idea, I was definitely blown away by how time efficient everything and everyone was. The staff, chef and bartenders were amazing. Everything that touched my palate was absolute magic! Hats off to everyone that worked tonight! Superstarsss - highly recommend the impossible pork wontons & the midnight moth cocktail ;)

Perch, situated in the heart of Britomart, occupies a charming and welcoming corner spot, making it an ideal choice for a refreshing drink and some appetizers before heading out for a night on the town or winding down for the night. The ambiance exudes a delightful allure, promising a pleasurable experience. The service provided throughout the visit was exceptional, leaving a lasting impression. The cocktails were delightful, and I highly recommend trying the Impossible Pork Wontons. However, the true standout for me was the Smashed Garlicky Cucumbers, which were absolutely divine. If I were to offer a constructive comment, it would be that the food selection could benefit from more variety. While their menu is compact and concise, it leans towards the pricier side, considering the portions are not particularly substantial.

Spotted a write up in Denizen that said we should revisit this quirky little dumpling and cocktail house. Not disappointed! We chose to sit outside under the heaters and enjoyed some people watching :-) Food wise; No1. The Duck Rolls - come in three and our very friendly and thoughtful waitstaff Leine asked if we would like to add a fourth - so glad we did. They were delicious. The photo shows three - had already eaten one by the time I took the photo! No 2. the Sichuan cold Noodles - so much flavour and an excellent contrast to the hot dishes. No 3. Prawn and Pea Shoot Dumplings - perfectly cooked accompanied by a delicious XO Chilli sauce No 4: Beef and Kimchi Dumplings - not quite to my tastes Left the Impossible Pork wontons until next visit Drinks Smokey Bandit cocktail - Loved the presentation of the smoking cinnamon cigar - tasted pretty good too! Lady of the Lake cocktail - it was ok but would try something else next visit Catalina Sounds Chardonnay - excellent Villa Wolf Pinot Blanc - also perfect for the one with the sweeter palate Overall delicious after work dinner in a very warm and inviting atmosphere. The service was prompt, we ordered as we went so we could space the dishes. $150 for 2 cocktails, 2 wines, and 4 dishes. Highly recommend. Living in the city we are spoilt for choice but this one is a keeper - we will definitely be back soon, even on a rainy night :-)

Nice, intimate atmosphere for a random Thursday night. The Midnight Moth cocktail was the fave of the night, along with the beef and kimchi dumps which had a really good chilli hit to them. Sadly, our least fave was the pea shoot and prawn as we felt it tasted quite fishy which worried us (but we were fine the next day). We also found the service was good when we had it - it wasn’t busy yet I found myself having to wave someone down everytime our glass was empty. Would return!

If you come here with the mindset of authentic Asian food, you're going to complain and I suggest you head over to a greatly rated dumpling place by Asians for Asians. If you come here for a modern, western twist on Asian cuisine, then you'll probably have no complaints. It is difficult to rate a cultural food place fairly if you walk in with the cultural expectations. One of our guests specifically said that her ancestors are probably rolling in their graves at a "banoffee dumpling" - however, we approached the menu with an open mind. The prawn and ginger dumplings were so fresh and delicious, the duck was exceptional. Both the vegetarian dumpling options had great presentation but needed a little something for a flavour punch. The chocolate steamed buns were definitely a highlight of the night and I would even go as far to say that these beauties are so underrated and steal the banoffee dumpling's thunder. The caramel in the banoffee needs more work and they probably need to be pan fried or even deep fried rather than steamed. A bit of texture contrast would actually set this dish on a higher level. The house made Mango, Cinnamon and Toasted coconut soda was BOMB AF as was the atmosphere and service of the staff. It's definitely a whole experience from the entrance to the setting to the presentation.

Quite a small menu but it has everything you need at a dumpling bar. The duck + hoisin dumplings are AMAZING. We also tried the fish, sambal and coconut dumplings which were a nice variant to the usual dumpling flavours. We hadn't ordered prawn dumplings but they somehow were included with our order and they just let us have them for free! We tried both the dessert dumplings; chocolate & banoffee. Both so so good but the chocolate dumpling was a definite winner. The decor and vibe of the restaurant is really good and the staff are amazing. I will definitely be going back.