New Shanghai Westfield Sydney — Restaurant in Sydney

Ok food but poor service. I have a very neutral view on their service until tonight, and I've decided I won't go back there again, at least for a very long time. They close at 9pm on Wednesdays as advertised on Google. I arrived at 8.30pm, seated promptly and was told it's the last order and they will be closing at 9pm. I'm just by myself, so it's fine. Just need a quick dinner, in and out, after hitting the gym. I took 2 minutes to decide what I want, while the staff are busy clearing out others' tables and not responding to my signal to order. When I finally got hold of a waiter, he told me the kitchen is closed. And reiterated that they are closed before checking, and when he checked, it was with the front counter instead of the kitchen. (In hindsight I should have just left) When I wanted to order the steamed Xiao Long Bao which they are famous for, he told me they are not making that anymore tonight. I asked why they gave me the special menu, and the smart guy just smiled and said "I didn't give you the menu". A better waiter would apologize and recommend an alternative. One day, they'll all be replaced with apps and iPads if all they do is being unhelpful and take orders.I chose the Shepherd's Purse which is my go to. Did not get offered any water or asked if I wanted to order any drinks. Whilst I was eating, a waitress starter sweeping. I always thought it's a bit rude to be sweeping when people are eating, I used to be a waiter myself. Unless when it really needs to be done like for safety reasons. The deal breaker was when she was actually sweeping under my table and around my feet, without even asking. It's a very big restaurant with lots of places to sweep. What's the point of clearing under my table, if say I drop something later? The staff are not well trained. They are probably in a rush to finish off for the day because maybe they don't get paid for closing late. I paid $15 for my meal and I think I am entitled to at least enjoy it. I gave feedback after I paid, saying that I'm there for both the food and the experience. And the experience was poor. The counter staff apologized. I have had many meals with many friends there. It's a pity, I think I am too annoyed by the whole experience to convince myself to pay good money for poor service and ok...

Dumplings and pork buns, there is something about these tasty little parcels that draw us in. This is our favourite part of Shanghainese cuisine. New Shanghai have a few restaurants around Sydney and are known for producing delicious dumplings, wontons and buns. We visited the New Shanghai Restaurant in Westfield Pitt Street mall to get our fix. New Shanghai is set up to make you feel as though you are dining in the streets if Shanghai. The decor is architecturally a modern adaptation of a street market, but indoors. It is vibrant and fun, and you can get a glimpse of the staff making the dumplings.

New Shanghai is also a licensed venue a great spot for a bite to eat and a drink after work, with a good wine list and some interesting cocktails.

Dumplings on our mind, with the shumai first picked. In this instance, they are a brilliant multi-coloured soupy pork dumpling. Trying our best to maintain dumpling etiquette; place the dumpling on the spoon, pierce the dumpling add vinegar, soy sauce and chilli to taste.

The pan fried pork and prawn buns were phenomenal, all four disappeared in quick succession, with a tasty filling, the buns literally bursting with flavour when bitten into. The spicy prawn wontons were another favourite and were huge, a massive serving of yum and a must order.

It's not all dumplings and buns, Shanghinese cusine has a variety of dishes and cooking styles. Grab a fried rice and sizzling mongolian lamb for some classics.

For a unique dish the clay pots are a good option. The clay pot with tofu and prawns with salty egg was on our order list and we were advised they may not be to everyone's liking, however we enjoyed this dish and would recommend it to broaden your culinary experience with this traditional dish.

The location is good, right in the heart of the city. It has plenty of room for small or large groups too. Staff were lovely, in particular the on duty manager Zin, who had amazing...

I've been coming to New Shanghai for years. The food is consistently excellent (some dishes are better than others), though the service tends to vary between average and disappointing. There is no clear organisation amongst the waitstaff so orders get confused, dishes get forgotten or taken to the wrong tables, and questions need to be asked multiple times. It's not uncommon to order 7 dishes for the table, have 5 dishes come out one after the other, then have to remind the waiters that you're still waiting on another two.

Unfortunately, after booking a friends birthday dinner for last night, I was incredibly disappointed by the service. We ordered a number of items, including two plates of pan-fried pork buns (a MUST-have dish), and a few different drinks. After the waitress took our order, she came back to report that three of the drinks we ordered were unavailable, and asked people to change their orders. We then received most of the dishes we ordered, and waited for the rest to arrive. By the time we'd eaten everything on the table, we ordered some more food, and I had to remind the waiters twice that we had ordered two plates of pork buns, not one. It wasn't until the second reminder that a waiter came back and said, "We decided you'd ordered so much food, you probably don't need a second plate of porn buns."

One of the guests asked why her drink still hadn't arrived, and the waiter said, "We're missing one of the ingredients and can't make that drink for you." We have no idea why they didn't tell us this from the beginning. They also included that drink on the bill, and we had to ask them to take it off.

Everyone at the table acknowledged that the food was excellent, but the poor service left a bad taste in our mouth. It's a shame that it overshadowed...