Noodle & Chapas Banquet Elite Event

This is probably the most exclusive Unilocal event I’ve been to. I was a bit worried at first since none of my close Elite buddies were going and there were no +1s. But the upside of not having a +1 is that I make more of an effort talking to fellow Elite Unilocalers, including ones I’d never met before. Which I did, and it was cool, because they were awesome.
There were appetizers on the table as soon as I was seated, which I gladly devoured. Wine flowed freely throughout the night, with the waiters attentively hovering for an immediate top-​up. Food came, not with the strength of a supertyphoon, but with with the steadiness of a constant rain whose force is underestimated until you realize your house is underwater and you never stood a fighting chance. Seriously.
Consensus of the table: all the food was good, though some of it stood out more than others. Consistently yummy, tasty Chinese food that is obviously made with top-​notch ingredients.
It’s been written about in just every other review on here, but the show they put on was amazing. Do they do that for all chapas sessions? I’d definitely go back for it. They taught us how to make two kinds of noodles, and the chef was so adorable with his flash cards.
Thumbs up to Yardley & co., and Ben & co.

YEP 5 STARS!
OK this is a seriously hard call but I think this was my favourite elite event yet! The *other* vegetarian Josh L and I were seated at the top of the table near all the action & not only was the company fine & the wine flowing freely but they catered to us veggos as if we actually deserved our spot at the head of the table, muahaha.
I don’t even know where to start… I used to catch a bus from directly across the road from here & was always a bit curious about Chef’s Gallery, to be perfectly blunt though i assumed it was just another food court or similar. HOLY SHIT WAS I WRONG. First of all i would like to point out that 90% of the customers were Chinese. Always a good sign in a Chinese restaurant.
The waitstaff, our chef, our hostess Yardley were all friendly, lovely, and the service was impeccable. That’s probably enough with the housekeeping cause you guys want to know what went down, don’cha. We started with a couple of salads. One cucumber & one seaweed. They. Were. Divine.
Then we got to the noodle-​making. Our chef (whose name escapes me, did i mention the wine was free-​flowing?) came out & as he doesn’t speak much English, held up cute cue cards for us, his audience. You have to roll, and fold, and stretch out the dough and like magic you have freakin noodles! I’m not usually one to volunteer but when they offered if anyone wanted a go there’s no way i wasn’t getting in on that action. FUN AND DELICIOUS! Every dish (*i only had the vegetarian dishes) that hit our table was fresh, perfectly cooked, and amazing. If you’ve read any of my previous reviews you will know i can be racist against Chinese food– well Chef’s Gallery made me want to marry it & I dunno breed some little inter-​racial noodles or something… I will be bringing all my friends from out of town here & no doubt booking parties here too. Not only highly entertaining & great service but goddam awesome food as well. Colour me converted!
PS until seeing the other reviews I had no idea Chapas meant Chinese tapas. Genius.

This event wasn’t just Chapas, it was a booming maternity ward by the end of the night. They fed us sooo much yummy food that we all got knocked up with high quality due in 3 month food babies.
Starting off with the cultural experience we were provided with a chapas menu of all the yummy food which would go into the making of our food babies:
Entrees:
–cucumber side dish
–black fungus, mushroom, tofu dish
–chinese spiced kettle chips (they should packet these!)
–pastry bun with bacon, prawn and raddish (this dish won IMO)
–pork sliders which tasted like McChicken (yay)!
–sang choy bow with the best spiciest pork mince
–peking duck roti cake
Mains:
–make your own noodles
–try to roll your own noodles
–sorghum noodles
–squid ink noodles
Desset:
–Three little pigs village complete with pigs, ice cream,. wafer and grass.
I have to say everything was very well presented at tasted amazing with copious quantities of everything.
The culinary experience was fantastic. Yardley does a great job of hosting the banquets and JPL is sooo cute with his cue cards. Making noodles is much harder than it looks and I found out I am a fail Asian, as I failed to make noodles successfully twice that night.
Also cudos to the lovely waiter who made sure everyone was filled up with drinks and put jacket covers on everyone’s chair. Such a lovely place! Thanks for the winner Unilocal event!

Guinea pigs we were and like little piglets we ate! We also ate some little piglet-​looking black sesame buns for dessert, replete with little piglet ears, faces and tails. And that was the *ahem* icing on the cake.
Yardley is an accomplished maitre-​d-​awesomeux, instantly welcoming our elite bunch of hungry reviewers deep through the wonderful folds of Chef’s Gallery. Wine, beer and food flowed after her like a sultry, long sateen and silk dress; her effervescent personality guided us through an evenings entertaining. Wow — Chef’s Gallery. Wow. Seriously, how good is this place?!
Chef’s Gallery has been on my must try list for ages and tonight was the night I finally made it. Boy am i glad, because tonight we were the guinea pigs that were to star in our own interactive feast; it really blew us away. Are you ready for this?
Strike your best strut and full on magnum Zoolander pose, because Chapas: — it’s so hot right now.
Have you not heard of it? Chapas: It’s a noun, as in «Wow this is great chapas». It’s also an adjective. «Wow man that is chapas!» Functioning as a verb it may be rendered thus: «Man I’m gonna chapas» No I will not go back to school to relearn my appalling, misguided, malappropriated misuse of grammatical form. Because: — (!)
Cringe if you must fellow lexicographers; this word is gonna be hip-​hot-​to-​hop-​trot very soon.
But Andy, what is it???
Chapas is Tapas. Chinese style. Get it? Chapas. Tapas. Chapas… Tapas. Chapas… Tapa… you get it?! Such a great contraction.
Personally, I feel that pan-​Asian cuisine might be overdoing the little dishes; Chinese culture already has that Doyen of food-​writ-​small — YumCha. But hey — so what! Good on them for creating new opportunities! I sense a market-​cornering monopoly on small plates coming up– ‘Spain would you mind moving a little to the right? — out of the frame if you don’t mind, please’
Tonight was the first night that Chef’s Gallery showcased it’s unusual interactive style banqueting and even if I wanted to lie, I couldn’t. It went very very smoothly — a tribute to the planning that has gone into creating a corporate/​group event within the restaurant. I could nit-​pick about one or two minor issues which I discussed with Yardley; they are truly minor: The use of the auto-​cue cards because of the (charming) accent of our chef-​host — I’d rather hear the charming broken English or even Chinglish rather than exercise my half-​sozzled optic nerves in a vain attempt to read. Nit-​picking, I know.
This event was a true winner — and for a first attempt two times a winner; I can see this banquet going places for Chef’s Gallery.
The food is damn fine and the interactive squeeze-​your-​own and pull-​your-​own noodles are a real hit — they taste amazing, especially when paired with the spicy, sweet, sour triumvirate-​triumphal flavour in the broth that was calmly, firmly, sweetly, frantically bludgeoning you about the mouth. Sorghum wheat noodles were the king of the night, followed by a course of interesting, whimsical, tasty and fresh set of little dishes that didn’t fail on any level. San-​choy-​bow that was spicy enough to cavitate my nasal passages, but sweet enough to devour greedily. Squid ink noodles harnessed that mighty Tartarean blackness into something unctuous, oozing, textured and spread with succulent mussels. Sliders (thats mini-​burgers to the uninitiated) of fried bread and pork — a winning combination that made me smile after each mouthful.
Then came dessert. Heston Blumenthal move over because these guys are in your league. Piglets made from gooey dark sesame buns ran squealing from our mob of pitch-​forks and spoons amid a wooden field of wafer-​houses and mango and lychee ice-​cream trees. This pastorale-​extrodinaire was set amongst a field vert of green dyed coconut and custard powder. Check out the photos of this amazing feast-​stopping end game of delight.
Once again good food, good company, good wine (oh boy did it flow) and a great event in a fabulous setting combined like blessed auguries of the muses to conjure a truly awesome experience — one I am humbled and privileged to be part of. My thanks go to the inestimable, indefatigable Ben and Unilocal Sydney for their generosity in allowing me to attend such an outstanding experience. To Yardley and Adrian and Chef’s Gallery, my hat goes off to you; professional in your professionalism, and worthy of my custom, I sincerely thank you. Rest assured that I will be singing the praises far and away into the future.
Truly, another magical event.

After last night’s Unilocal Event at Chef’s Gallery I’m delighted to announce that Chinese tapas and table theatrics is my cup of green tea.
Our hostess Yardley was passionate, friendly and attentive throughout the entire evening. She excitedly explained the concept of *chapas* (chinese tapas) — elevating standard chinese fare to a new level with exquisitely prepared dishes and coupling that with tableside interactive entertainment in the form of a chef who will get your table involved in the cooking process.
As the Iron Chef, JPL, was introduced to the table the first thing that stuck me dumb was the wickedly sharp cleaver the noodle ninja was brandishing. Seriously sharp steel renders me speechless. This was no ordinary steel. This was Hattori Hanzō (服部 半蔵) steel.
His rapid swipes of the blade brought me back to my senses and gasps of glee escaped from my gaping maw as the reality of the situation set in. Here, in our midst, was a true samurai of the sorghum noodle order. He sliced, diced and julienned that poor noodle slab into chop suey!
Then it was our turn. One-​by-​one the apprentices took their turns around the cauldron of hot oil, noodle bag in hand to showcase their piping prowess. One or two quick laps around the bowl to create enough noodles for everyone and we were done.
For mine the shredded Peking duck with cucumber and hoisin sauce wrapped in a fluffy chinese roti was the hero of the night. An honourable mention goes to the Macanese style mini burger filled with pork fillet and pork floss which to me was the perfect amuse-​bouche — which is interesting when so many other places get the simple slider portion so wrong.
I don’t think I saw the bottom of my wine glass the entire night, which for me is serendipity. The service was over-​the-​top good.
The only improvement to the menu that could be made is a slight tweak to a couple of dishes. The squid ink noodle and mussels dish was very tasty but too large and probably would’ve been championed more in a portion size more in line with the other dishes. The flaky pastry filled with white radish, in my opinion, didn’t fit on the menu. It seemed out of place, but maybe that’s just me.
All in all a ba-​rill-​yant night. So amazing I woke up this morning thinking it was all a dream. One thing is for sure though I no longer count sheep. Oink oink ;)

WOW! What an amazing experience! Chef’s Gallery located off the Town Hall train line on George St and Bathurst is inside the little shopping mall next to the KFC. If it’s not on your Bookmark list, it should be.
I suggest making a booking BC this place was packed! When you walk in past the front desk you can see the open kitchen with the Chefs busy hand making fresh noodles, roti, flakey pastry dough and pretty much everything else you’ll be enjoying through out the evening.
Hands down, this has been one of the most unique and interactive Unilocal Elite event I’ve been to, so my hat’s off to Yardley, the Chef Gallery team and Ben B for putting this together for us.
The evening started off with us seated for a round of Welcome drinks and flowing Chinese tea. I also have to give mention to the attention on the staff for bringing a chair cover to protect my purse and coat from falling off the back of my chair or getting spilled on. I had this experience in China so feel that this may be a traditional way of doing things there. Either way, I liked it.
After the drinks, the chapas and noodles began to flow. From tofu seaweed salad to Macanese mini pork buns, hand made Chinese Roti (there’s an entire chef dedicated to making roti) Each dish that came out looked as amazing as the first just like a piece of art. I loved the flakey pastry puff balls filled with diced radish, bacon and prawns. Yes I said it, BACON!
As we continued to eat, drink, and be merry, the chef soon made his way to our table with a tray of noodle dough and and introduced himself with a few funny signs. The signs are actually great despite maybe not speaking English very well because it’s loud inside and would be difficult to hear plus it’s engaging. And so our noodle making began. There was excitement, noodles splashing, and people staring. I could tell they wanted to do what we were doing!
Chef JPL provided an amazing noodle making experience and to top it off the piggy bun dessert was spectacular. This is a must try for everyone. Dessert is served on a tray as a story, the pigs visit the bunny home for ice cream. Its really a special art piece with the sesame filled piggy buns, white coconut covered marshmallow bunnies and a wafer house all on a bed of grass which was green coconut shreds.
All in all Chefs Gallery really lives up to the hype and food critic reviews, I can’t wait to return and share this experience with all my friends!

Well Chapas has the all round 5 stars from me!
I had no idea what Chapas was until this night. Surrounded by people who were just as interested in what was going on with the food as me was a delight in itself. There were some interesting dinner conversations that kept me entertained.
I did, however, want to totally put a shout out to Yardley & Chefs Gallery, our hostess with the mostest! She was actually great to watch in action. She was animated and full of information about the different foods, ever so helpful with the splattering of soup as we were informed of the various noodles and flavourings we would experience.
I loved the chef’s cards for us to read as he didn’t speak english.
I think my favourite kind of dining is indeed a hands on experience. Where we got to make our own fish noodle by squirting it into some broth as well as stretch our own noodles and well. There was the farm wasn’t there? Who could forget the farm? You knew it was going to be delightful when everyone squealed in excitement when it was placed in front of us on the table.
I never ate piggies with such excitement before.
The wait staff were ever present, attentive and smiled a lot. My wine glass was ever at a nice full stage.
My dish of the night would have to be the fish noodles that we actually helped squirt into the water. Apparently they were more fish than noodle mix which gave it that lovely fish flavour in the broth. It was light, fluffly, fishy… just yummy!
Will I be back? Absolutely, no more will the long lines out the front deter me. I totally get why there are lines now and will need to talk my stomach out of it’s instant gratification mode so that I can taste the yum that is Chef’s Gallery in a nutshell.

Awesome new banquet set up by the manager here for the Elite event and into the future depending on how they find its popularity.
Displays of skill by both chef and attendees were very well done. Loved most of the food, especially the sorghum noodles shaved by the chef at the table, and the fish noodles — very good presentation and opportunity to learn how these noodles are made. The dessert was incredibly presented.
Some of the simplest noodle meals were the tastiest, as was the chili cucumber. Out of the ten dishes on the banquet, I would probably skip or adapt three; the squid ink (or make it smaller into single portions — maybe on a single spoon), pastry (not great) and seaweed salad which just needs less chili oil. The other seven dishes were amazing. Highly recommend the noodle dishes above, plus the pork sliders, duck pancakes and san choy bau.
Will be back, already planning on the group numbers.

Unilocal Elite events don’t get much better than this: interesting location, great food, fun participation, and meeting other Elites!
Chefs Gallery is a noodle restaurant with two differences: you can get end-​of-​table special and participatory shows for groups, and food comes in tapas-​style tasting sizes. This works really well for an event.
The staff put on a funny and engaging show for us, showing us how to make noodles, and even letting us have a go. Language and noise issues are easily handled by the use of fun cue cards to the table. My favourite was the piping bag full of fish noodle paste. We had a real laugh.
We sampled a whole banquet of dishes, every one of which was exceptionally tasty. The real surprise was the dessert tray, a whole edible (and cute) barnyard scene of pigs and trees and buildings.
The beers and wine kept flowing (more than I could consume, I was driving!). The service was attentive. And I experienced something I’d never seen in any restaurant before: a cover for my jacket, which I’d hung over the back of my chair, to keep it from getting food on it in the close quarters of the busy restaurant.
A top experience.

Spoiled. Spoiled rotten!
This wasn’t dinner and a show. Dinner *was* the show.
A Chinese banquet, noodle entertainment and a culinary education. We learnt the various arts of noodle making (I didn’t know there were so many ways one could make noodles!) and also got the first bite of Chefs Gallery Chapas, and maybe Chapas anywhere. Chinese + tapas = Chapas. I just did a Google search and ”Chapas” returned no such Chinese-​y small plates results. Chefs Gallery are artisans and pioneers. Chinese foodie trendsetters.
Service throughout the evening was exceptional, almost *too* good. Thanks to old mate Franky, I don’t think there was a moment when our glasses were thirsty.
The noodle DIY was comical. Manners went out the window and Unilocalers got stuck right into the culinary fun. My favourite dishes were the seaweed entrée and the duck pancakes rolled with sweet hoi-​sin and coriander. I don’t even know where to start on the desert piggy pen. Was it a toy? Was it a dessert? Was it diorama? Did we all squeal like little piggies when it arrived? Just look at the pics and you’ll have your answer.
Special mention to our graceful and charming host, Yardley. She looked after us so well. And of course, BB. Thank you. Elite life is sweet.

Woo hoo! what is more fun than hot bubbling soup, when you get to squirt your own noodle creation into it? Nothing, that’s what. I even tried my hand at stretching the dough for some egg noodles, and marveled at how easy it seemed.
Chef’s Gallery is tucked away in George street just off the side of the cinemas, behind the KFC on the corner., and is trying to break away from the plethora of other Asian food places that have sprung up all around here, in nook and in cranny.
In an area that is crammed with Chinese and Japanese food joints, it pays to have something different going for you.
Our gracious host Yardley presented: Chapas!
Explaining it as Chinese tapas, it was almost like being in a Singaporean restaurant. Fusion, fusion everywhere. From the fried bun pork belly with Pork floss sliders with mayo, to the Squid ink pasta with mussels and the Peking duck rolls that resembled burritos, Chef’s Gallery have some works of art to be proud of. Not least of which the Piece de resistance Piggy pig pig dessert tray! So much cute, and so fun to blow their house down with my big spoon. They love it so much they made a little stop motion animation of them and brought out a laptop to show us.
Killer service. Our waiter was on the ball. At my table his job was easy. Bring wine, and bring it often. Relaxed and chilled vibe, and seemed like it would be cool for a casual drop in before a movie or a show.
Another awesome Elite event! You have to love a Chapas Banquet.
Thanks Ben and the Unilocal team for a great night.