Rather, Vivisen is a small serene room in a palette of calming green. Jade table tops, opaque green glass plates, smart high-backed chairs and a smiling Buddha here and there contribute to what is a charming space with a tranquil ambience.
Vivisen serves dim sum as well as an extensive list of entree and main course dishes based on fresh local produce. Despite the myriad appealing Chinese dishes available it is a simple and ancient beverage that stars at the Tea House.
Forget expensive anti-ageing cream and botox, Vivisen specialises in goji tea. Goji berries are known to be one of the most nutritious foods on earth and have been used as an antiageing agent in Asia for more than 5000 years.
Vivisen’s goji tea is made to an old Chinese recipe, including goji berry, chrysanthemum leaf and liquorice root. Its earthy liquorice flavour may not suit all tastes but if you believe in the teapot of youth it is well worth a try. Failing this you can also order goji berries stir-fried with Chinese vegetables ($16.80) as a main course.
In Cantonese the term dim sum translates as, touch your heart and there is nothing that touches my heart more than sharing interesting food and good conversation with friends. Dim sum, in the same vein as tapas, allows the diner to share a number of small bites and experience a range of exciting Chinese flavours and textures.
Vivisen’s dim sum is hand-made to order and the dishes are as authentic as the chef, who recently joined the Vivisen team from Guangzhou, China. The combination of pan-fried vegetarian dumplings ($7.50, three pieces), lotus leaf sticky rice with chicken ($7.50, two pieces), Peking duck spring rolls ($8.50, three pieces) and cucumber salad ($9.80) we ordered was a veritable feast for two.
All the dim sum were packed with fresh ingredients and came with sides of ginger oil and sweet-and-sour sauce. The cucumber salad was a standout with a simple dressing of rice wine vinegar, garlic and chilli. It proved a perfect refresher alongside the heavier dim sum dishes. That great flavour combination of duck and spring onion was perfect in the spring rolls.
Main course is a list of 33 mouth-watering dishes dominated by a northern Chinese influence.
Our choices of Szechuan chilli lamb ($19.80) and sweet-and-sour pineapple chicken ($19.80) were generous servings and could have easily fed four with a side of rice. The ingredients were tremendously fresh, with vibrant green vegetables and glossy sauces.
The Szechuan lamb lacked a little punch, with just a subtle hint of pepper and heat.
The sweet-and-sour chicken had good balance and lacked the nasty thick batter for which it has become infamous.
The beverage list at Vivisen is all organic, including the goji tea, juices, flat water, espresso and green tea. You can bring your own alcohol at $2 corkage per person.
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| Exciting flavours: Dim sum at Vivisen Tea House. Pictures: Gerald Moscarda |
Ambience: The restaurant’s decor features a palette of cool greens. |