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Decorated buns (L) and a dish (R) of steamed rice with spinach sauce and egg white are seen at a Hello Kitty-themed Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong, China May 21, 2015. Reuters/Bobby Yip

Preparations to celebrate Chinese New Year 2017 have already begun in Sydney, Australia. No celebration is complete without good food. In the spirit of the Year of the Fire Rooster, here are six popular Chinese restaurants from Sydney that you may try this Lunar New Year.

Mr. Wong

The Cantonese style restaurant has about 60 recipes on the menu. The restaurant is also known for dim sum recipes. The highlights of the restaurant include Kung Pao Chicken, roasted five-spice pork belly and crispy fried Balmain Bugs among others. Fine cocktails and renowned Chef Dan Hong’s recipes makes Mr. Wong a must-try restaurant.

  • Cuisine: Cantonese, Chines and Yum Cha
  • Address: 3 Bridge Lane, CBD
  • Opening hours: 12PM-3PM, 5:30PM-11PM (Monday to Wednesday), 12PM-3PM, 5:30PM-12AM (Thursday and Friday) and 12PM-3PM, 5:30PM-10PM (Saturday and Sunday)
  • Phone number: 9240 3000
  • Average cost: $120 for two people

Billy Kwong

Celebrity chef Kylie Kwong’s (who has published five cookbooks and three TV series) restaurant is known for her signature recipes that include crispy duck with mandarins, oranges or plums. The restaurant is known for its great dumplings and noodles. Billy Kwong serves Australian-Chinese mixed cuisine. The bird’s eye view of Macleay St’s rich from the restaurant and the natural light that floods in from the floor-to-ceiling front windows makes it a good day-time option to try during Year of the Fire Rooster celebrations.

  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Address: 28 Macleay Street, Elizabeth Bay, Potts Point
  • Opening hours: 5:30PM-10PM (Monday to Thursday), 5:30PM-11PM (Friday and Saturday) and 5:30PM-9PM (Sunday)
  • Phone number: 9332 3300
  • Average cost: $100 for two people

China Doll

The Chinese restaurant has a modern Asian menu by renowned Chef Frank Shek. Dumplings, Peking duck, Vietnamese-style chicken salad and twice-cooked pork belly are the highlights of the restaurant. Furthermore, China Doll has a great dessert menu as well. The water and skyline view off Woolloomooloo Wharf makes it a superb place to be at.

  • Cuisine: Asian and Chinese
  • Address: Shop 4, 6 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo
  • Opening hours: 12PM-3PM, 6PM-10PM (Monday to Saturday) and 12PM-3PM, 6PM-9PM (Sunday)
  • Phone number: 9380 6744
  • Average cost: $150 for two people

Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung serves one of the best dumplings in the city. The Taipei-based global chain has become a household name in Sydney because of its most famous Xiao Long Bao (pork dumplings). Shrimp as well as Pork Wonton Noodles are the other recipes that are worth trying here. It has four outposts (World Square, The Star, Westfield Sydney and North Sydney) and all of them attract queues because of the delicious food that is prepared under the guidance of skilled dumpling experts.

  • Cuisine: Chinese, Taiwanese and Yum Cha
  • Address: Level 1, Shop 11.04, World Square Shopping Centre, 644 George Street, CBD
  • Opening hours: 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5:30PM-9PM (Monday to Wednesday), 11:30AM-2:30PM, 5PM-10PM (Thursday to Saturday) and 11AM-3PM, 5PM-9PM (Sunday)
  • Phone number: 9264 6010
  • Average cost: $70 for two people

China Lane

China Lane has a 1960s-Shanghai vibe as it is decked out with lounges, decorated with empty bird cages and has miniature TV screens. The ambience makes it a perfect restaurant to try on Chinese New Year 2017. It offers a modern take on tradition Chinese flavours. The highlights of the restaurant are duck pancakes, Wagyu beef semur as pulled pork on steamed bao.

  • Cuisine: Asian, Chinese and Japanese
  • Address: 2 Angel Place, CBD
  • Opening hours: 12PM-3PM, 6PM-10PM (Monday to Friday), 5:30PM-10PM (Saturday), closed on Sundays (usually)
  • Phone number: 9231 3939
  • Average cost: $70 for two people

Chefs Gallery

Chefs Gallery has a glass walled kitchen and so the food is cooked right in front of the customers. The dumpling house is known for handmade noodles, dim sum and chapas. Other highlights of the restaurant are Macanese-style mini burgers, handmade egg, beef and sundried tomato dumpling and spinach tofu.

  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Address: Shop 12, Regent Place Arcade, 501 George Street, CBD
  • Opening hours: 11:30AM-3PM, 5:30PM-10:30PM (Monday to Friday), 11:30 AM-10:30PM (Saturdays) and 11:30 AM-10PM (Sundays)
  • Phone number: 9267 8877
  • Average cost: $70 for two people

Since, it is Chinese New Year 2017 and excitement for celebrating the Year of the Fire Rooster is soaring high each passing day, a lot of people might be visiting to celebrate the spring festival. Hence, book the table in advance to avoid waiting.

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