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What to see in Chinatown, Sydney Travel Tip - Tim & Tim's Travel Tips | Travelodge Hotels travel tip
| Fascinating Chinatown in Sydney |
| Like most large cities around the world, Sydney boasts it’s very own Chinatown - a place where you really can lose yourself and feel like you’ve landed smack bang in a completely different country (China… to be precise.) Located a handy fifteen minute stroll from central station, Sydney’s Chinatown is centred around the pedestrian only Dixon St, and these days spreads as far as George St in the East and Darling Harbour in the West. Within these bounds, you can find literally anything from Asia. From Chinese herbal medicines to the most exotic (and seemingly inedible) live seafood, to cheap clothing brand imitations and of course a hell of a lot of food. And while a cheap decent meal is almost definite, there are a few rules you should abide by in order to guarantee that your Chinatown experience will be a memorable one. |
| Rule #1: If the number of Chinese people eating in a Chinese restaurant far outweighs customers of other ethnicities it’s going to be good. |
| Rule #2: Don’t expect restaurant staff to have a full grasp of the English language. “Not too spicy”, often means quite the opposite to chefs of this region, but don’t fret there’s another rule I usually hold, which is that the lower the level of English spoken in a restaurant often means a higher chance of scoring an amazing meal. If the chef shoots back at you with a “yeah mate, no worries… ya sweet ‘n sour pork’ll be out in a tick eh..” then I suggest you bail out of there well before it does… |
| Rule #3: Try something different. When you walk past a Chinese BBQ restaurant and see a variety of creatures in all shapes and sizes hanging up in the window, don’t just turn to your mate and pull a dirty face… get in there and try the weirdest and wackiest thing you can find. You’ll either like it or not, and often you’ll be very surprised. If you’re feeling a little bit adventurous you might even dare to take part in a little game that I like to play on occasions. Hustle your way into the most authentic Chinese restaurant you can find and by that, I mean NO ENGLISH… not even CHINGLISH! All the signage must be in Chinese with no form of English translations whatsoever. From there, it is a little game of Russian Roulette – a simple point and order. If the waiter or waitress hesitates or looks shocked then you’ve backed a good horse. Sit back, with a good Chinese beer and wait to see what wonders come before you. All rules aside, Chinatown really is a fascinating and vibrant place to visit while you’re in Sydney, and if you play your cards right, you might just leave with a new favourite dish or eatery that will leave you hanging for your next visit to the region. |
