Chin Chin

TLDR: amazing service, quality food with good portions, well trained staff, able to accommodate many dietary requirements and accommodate different budgets. - - - - My most recent visit was my fourth time dining at Chin Chin, this time it was with work colleagues for a Christmas lunch. The food was delicious as per usual, and it is worth noting that despite the fact that the restaurant was absolutely packed and insanely busy, all of our dietary requirements were met without fail (lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance). In terms of cuisine you wont find anything “traditional” at Chin Chin, it is Asian fusion at its finest, but everything is well thought out, well balanced and also fun. The service was excellent with the staff explaining each dish, making sure our drinks were topped up, checking in with us in between courses and even taking the time to have a quick chat with our table. Additionally when I passed by the kitchen it was very clear that they had their communication locked down. Always a pleasure to dine here.

Went for dinner on a Thursday night. Partner was coeliac and every accommodation was made. Amazing food, service, and atmosphere. The Pad See Ew Duck was the best dish I have ever had in my life. A must do!

I’ve been to Chin Chin once before around five months ago and enjoyed a lovely meal so was happy to return again last week. Unlike however, the amazing experience I had last night at another Lucas group restaurant, Hawker Hall ( I’ll review that next !) myself and party of five were gobsmacked at the rudeness of the waitstaff at Chin Chin. Particularly the male who may have been a senior waiter / maitre d etc … in relation to my dietaries, who plonked my vegetables WITHOUT SAUCE ( capitals added to convey the manner in which he curtly announced their delivery , sorry , plonking ) . My current dietaries are neither lifestyle choices or flippant preferences , but medical necessities for an acute condition which I truly do not enjoy …..let alone being made to feel like a nuisance and a pest on a rare occasion when I’m trying to enjoy company and a night out , and when I can barely eat or drink anything… They are not fun. Something which last night at Hawker Hall, they clearly understood. The culture at Chin Chin seemed very different. Because I did not want to make a big deal about my health issues in front of others ( one of whom I had only just met ) I was trying to be discrete when ordering with the young waitress . I told her that I had a lot of dietary requirements … too many to list out loud … and asked if I could just have a few ingredients removed from the dishes that I could see that I most likely could eat . For example I cannot currently eat citrus, so asked if I could just have the kingfish without dressing . I also told her I couldn’t have gluten, dairy , and chilli at the least . She then asked the table if there were any dietaries. I told her I’d just given her some of mine. Those relevant to the dishes I had ordered. When the food arrived, the kingfish had the dressing . Another waiter brought it out. The younger original one noticed and said ‘ Yes I know you asked for no dressing ‘. She took it back and then returned saying that the chef was not prepared to let me eat it without the dressing because ‘ We are not known for our fish ‘ so presumably she thought it would taste bad 🤷‍♀️. When I also politely challenged the waitress about a chef not wanting to cater for a health issue , she said that it was because it was my ‘preference ‘ not a ‘dietary’ . WTAF 🤦‍♀️ Why on earth would I later complain about a bland tasting dish if I expressly asked for it to be served that way!? Hmm.. I was prepared to pay for and eat such a dish, rather than be hungry! 🤷‍♀️ Apparently also, because the waitress did not put my request under ‘dietaries’ and instead put them under something I suspect like …the ‘crazy hippy lady who feels like eating things she doesn’t like just to annoy the chef ‘ … I could not have modifications made. One of my dinner friends owns a successful hospitality business and said a few times through the meal … that she could not believe the attitude of the staff. I’m getting tired of restaurants who seem to have forgotten that patrons do not need to feel that it’s a privilege to eat there. Patrons are PAYING for a SERVICE. The vibe at Chin Chin makes you wonder how happy the staff are to work there. As a customer, I don’t want to feel that I’m inconveniencing the people I am paying to feed me. There are plenty of restaurants who get this right. And are not so arrogant to believe that ‘being seen’ at certain restaurants is not longstanding in fickle consumer land…. And can turn in an instant. I suggest we go to those who derive reward from providing a valuable service . And stop rewarding businesses who seem to have little concern for repeat business. And when it comes to people with health issues daring to go out and try to pay for something to eat …. I don’t think it’s going to be at Chin Chin.