Are we still in Sydney, Australia?

This is the question you will probably ask yourself after you step into The Northeast Restaurant. It’s located right next to the stairs leading up from Chatswood train station.

When you enter from its ground floor, you will notice walls plastered with Chinese newspaper cuttings. An electronic voice greets you as you walk upstairs to the dining floor.

An attentive recreation of village-style China 

Portion sizes are decent

Located in three locations in Sydney

The interior of this Chinese eatery is super attentive to detail. They serve food from “dong bei”, meaning, you guessed it, the north-east part of China. Here the weather can be cold and harsh, with winters stretching longer than summers.

Dong bei cuisine, hence, relies partially on preserved food and larger portions because of the short growing seasons allowed by the climate. At The Northeast Restaurant, you pick your dishes from a tablet. The menu is wide and varied, with hearty flavours being the underlying theme. 

Much of your attention will probably be drawn to the large round basin that cradles each table. Fascinatingly, you can order meals cooked directly here. Removing the giant lid and watching your meat broth simmer, it’s a memorable sight. Watch this video on TikTok.

These photos were taken at the Chatswood location. The Northeast Restaurant is also at Kingsford and Eastwood.

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