Head to Ocean Treasure Asian Dining in Blacktown for must-try house-made Cantonese barbecue, live seafood and a glistening pyramid of steamed pork belly.
Kevin Cheng
Cantonese$$
“Just come have a look,” orders the Chinese aunty before strutting off towards the seafood tanks stacked at the front of Ocean Treasure Asian Dining. Instantly, my Taiwanese heritage kicks in, where respect for your elders is paramount. I better follow quick smart.
That’s part of the fun at Ocean Treasure upstairs at Club Blacktown. You’re welcome to inspect the row of seafood tanks at the entrance, with squeaky clean aquariums housing live fish, abalone, lobster and crabs. The tanks sit on top of larger tanks normally found in wholesale seafood shops – that’s how much seafood this place goes through every day.
Owner-chef Stevenson Su adorns the wall of the entrance with pictures of himself with celebrities and politicians, but it’s the snap of him spooning braised abalone with two gentlemen that grabs my attention: Yeung Koon-yat, famously known as the “King of Abalone” in Hong Kong and his student Guangfan Mai – the “Prince of Abalone” – both of whom Su trained under. Su’s cooking resume includes the three Michelin-starred Forum in Hong Kong plus restaurants in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Singapore. The guy knows a thing or three about cooking live seafood and every table I walk past has ordered some.
The cook on the steamed live grouper is right up there with Cantonese powerhouses in the CBD. White flesh flecks off the bone; fattier parts melt on the tongue. The soy-based sauce is delicately balanced between savoury and sweet. Steamed live barramundi is spot-on, and stir-fried live lobster is tender, bouncy and easy to pry from its shell. (Ocean Treasure’s garlic butter sauce is less pronounced in buttery richness though, and has a sweetness that had me craving the usual umami flavour.)
It turns out the abalone, braised for two days, requires at least six hours notice if you’re keen to indulge. There’s so much more to the menu, however, that we didn’t feel we were missing out. I couldn’t help but recite “¿Por que no los dos?” (why not both?) when the salt-and-pepper whitebait and squid arrived. Instead of having to choose between one or the other, the combined plate is a game-changer and seasoned with just the right amount of MSG. The squid is springy and retains a firm bite; the whitebait isn’t over-battered so you can actually taste the fish.
Definitely have a look at the chef’s specials on the menu. Su’s fish soup has a luxe texture that can only be achieved by long hours of cooking fish bones. Cantonese-style roast duck is restrained on the savoury notes and served as the whole bird, head intact, with its crispy, fatty skin. The Peking duck is excellent too, and the second course consists of the remaining carcass chopped and brought out in its entirety – great value. Poached free-range chicken is properly tender and juicy.
Steamed pork belly with mustard greens is a classic southern Chinese dish that Su fashions into a pyramid. Layers of glistening sweet pork belly are balanced by the umami of preserved greens and best enjoyed with steamed rice.
There are certainly some misses: the bed of vermicelli sitting under the XO pipis was too thick and undercooked on one visit and the sauce’s flavour was muted. Diced beef with wasabi mayo is an unconventional combination for good reason.
I asked the waitstaff how long the 25 per cent off deal for yum cha (weekdays) and dinner (Monday to Thursday) would be going for, and the smirk fired back suggested the promotion has been running for a fair while.
The bright red acoustic panels seem to be more for show than for purpose, as noise levels can elevate as it gets busier. But this is a place for the people, where multi-generational families meet for their weekly Cantonese feast, and private dining rooms are filled with groups celebrating birthdays and reunions.
I could write a whole guide about Cantonese restaurants attached to leagues clubs and RSLs in Sydney (editor’s note: yes please, Kevin). The proliferation of these club dining rooms speaks to the cuisine in Australia: we love Chinese food, specifically dishes from Hong Kong and southern China. It has become an essential part of our culinary identity.
The Vietnamese-Chinese community is spoiled for choice in Sydney’s south-west with Jumbo Seafood at Mounties in Mount Pritchard and Horizon at Cabravale Club Resort (formerly helmed by Su). Tingha Palace has been open for nearly 20 years at Parramatta Leagues Club, and down south there’s Crown Dragon at St George Leagues and Zen Yum Cha at Ramsgate Memorial. Also, my local spots: Dynasty at Canterbury Leagues and Sun Ho at Campsie RSL.
Ocean Treasure in Blacktown is another one of these eateries that represents the beating heart of the suburbs, and Su’s opening a spin-off branch in Cabramatta (at Cabra Bowls) soon. Next time, I’ll be sure to pre-order the abalone.
The low-down
Atmosphere: Live seafood-focused RSL club Chinese
Go-to dishes: Steamed live grouper (market price), steamed pork belly with preserved mustard greens ($38.80); salt-and-pepper whitebait and squid ($32.80); whole Cantonese roast duck ($48.80)
Drinks: Four types of Chinese tea; small selection of beers (Tsingtao of course) and standard-issue Australian wines
Cost: About $120 for two, excluding drinks
Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can’t pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide.
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