The price of precious metal

Taking part in the weekend yum cha crowds doesn't top the list for my favourite weekend activities. But it must be done if you're after a huge variety of freshly steamed dumplings, or golden fried  tidbits, or other traditional Cantonese yum cha fare.

We're at Zilver one Saturday morning with half of Sydney it seems; all patiently waiting and craning to hear the inaudible, jumbled raffle ticket numbers being called out. Fear sets in that you may have missed your calling - I think we checked with the front desk three times to see if our number had been called.

Dai ji gow - scallop dumplings from Zilver, Hay Street, Haymarket

Eventually we get into a slightly crammed spot and sigh, then immediately look out for desirable food. For me, scallops have an irresistable magnetic attraction - I have to work real hard to not order them if they're on a menu. The scallops are a little difficult to find in these dumplings, which also felt like they'd done a few rounds while we were waiting outside. Dunked in chilli sauce though, it's hard to really tell.

Braised honeycomb tripe

Not my offal of choice, these honeycomb-patterned strips, while vibrant in colour and marinade, were a little too chewy for ladylike consumption. Don't try talking with an entire piece in your mouth unless someone nearby knows the Heimlich maneuvre.

Pai gwut - pork spare ribs

The steamed pork spare ribs were easier eating, although still a little messy with bone-littered plates all over the table. This dish came with large pieces of taro steamed with the pork ribs; a very nice surprise as I have taro so rarely in its pure form (that is, not powdered in a milk tea or in sweet bun).

Siu mai - pork and prawn dumplings

The siu mai are boisterous little things; stuffed to the max with minced pork with a whole prawn and fish row added on top for mostly visual purposes. Delectable with chilli sauce and an absolute must-have.

Har cheung - prawn rice noodle rolls

The har cheung here also seemed to have done a few rounds, presented to us in a lukewarm state and as ever, drowning in a sweet soy sauce. These rice noodles are delicate stuff: too hot and they stick, too cold and they just don't have the silkiness that makes them so great.

Prawn wontons

We don't normally get the deep fried items, but one of us are unable to resist the perfectly formed and fried prawn wontons, like beautiful, golden yellow crowns filled with nothing but prawns. This was served with a plain mayonnaise and a green tinted wasabi mayonnaise.

Beef balls

This was actually the first time I'd ever had the beef balls, ordered by a devotee. Despite their intimidatingly large size, they are actually really light, the meat taking on a mousse-y texture and thus making for delightful, slightly whimsical eating. Who thought beef could be so light? These are steamed and served with a vinegary sauce that had mandarin peel notes.

Har gow - prawn dumplings

Last but not least, good old dependable har gow - these ones fresh hot from the steamer and an appropriate end note, with chilli sauce, of course.

Tofu fa - tofu dessert

In absence of my favourite coconut jelly (they only had the one with red beans in it), I had tofu fa, which was not at its best. It lacked smooth silkiness, which is one of the primary traits of this dish, but was still edible, especially with the subtle ginger syrup.

In all, the weekend yum cha affair takes a good couple of hours including the wait, though lunch is seldom needed afterwards. And that's the price of Zilver.

Looking for the silver lining

I hold in my hands a small, rather plain, half empty glass at the moment. I look at it and I know it can change, but I'm not sure how. Do I turn it a little this way and see it from a different angle? Do I turn it completely upside down? Or do I compensate for the overly rosey tint and see it for what it really is? A small, plain tumbler filled half with air, half with other matter and just one part of the whole?

It takes a serious optimist to find the silver lining sometimes, to the point cynics doubt there even is one. Zilver's silver lining is found somewhere in between some of the service, some of the food and some of the interiors - somewhere.

It's late in day in the scheme of yum cha but a significantly calmer atmosphere than peak hours. Our self-appointed seating turns out to not really be on the trolley route, but a few steer over and the rest are brought to the table by friendly and helpful faces.

Har cheung - prawn in rice noodle from Zilver, Hay Street, Haymarket

The har cheung is a staple on my personal yum cha list - silky soft rice noodle enveloping a few firm whole prawns, drowning in sweet soy sauce and oil pool. The perfect starter from my current half empty tea cup perspective, although sadly left of lukewarm on this occasion.

It's a long, chatter-filled pause before a red-clad waitress notices our barren tabletop and offers aid in the form of tracking down specific requests. Out comes the rest of the must-have list plus a friendly suggestion too.

Har gow - steamed prawn dumplings

The har gow look sprightly in their clear white skins, more prawns peering out temptingly. These are nice and hot, the prawns ever so much nicer for it. I must also mention my sudden, but probably actually gradual, need to have condiments with everything these days. So it goes without saying that everything consumed got the chilli sauce treatment. I wonder if it's a genetic tendency?

Siu mai - steamed pork dumpling with prawn

These siu mai are unexpectedly massive, the egg wrapper barely containing the minced pork and mushroom filling. An additional prawn sits precariously on top of each dumpling, also topped with a dollop of bright orange roe. It's packed with bouncy meat and fresh flavour, winning favourite dish of the day.

Dai ji gow - steamed scallop dumplings

The suggested dai ji gow uncharacteristically fall short of the mark, probably having done a few rounds of the restaurant since leaving the steaming coop. On first look, the skins are broken here and there. On first barely warm taste, the scallops are dry and hardening. It still retains flavour of the sea and fresh vegetable, but is a disappointing mouthful or two. Serves us right for being tardy, I guess.

Foong jao - fried and marinated chicken feet

Lastly it's the foong jao - on another's must-do list. These are delightfully hot and steaming, pleasingly soft and juicy with a spot-on sweetness to spiciness ratio. For those who aren't enamoured with the concept of chook's feet, it really isn't that bad - these marinated versions especially. Think soft, flavour-packed skin with some tendons in a slightly strange form - not unlike pork knuckle when you really think about it, just minus all the meat.

Coconut jelly

It's not yum cha for me without coconut jelly. Three jiggling, snow white cubes signal the end of a yum cha meal, despite my being able to pick at the jelly for ages. These wobbly but firm boxes are lightly scented with creamy coconut, the sugar levels subdued and the perfect follower to numerous soy sauce-rich plates.

As the restaurant peters out to empty, we're left pondering our empty teapot and half-filled teacups amid busily hustling staff. As I down the rest of my chysanthemum tea I notice the world looks different in a teacup. Zilver provides a hour or so of escapism away from the real, half-empty glass world, and if that's not a silver lining I don't know what is.