Chrysanthemum House - Doncaster East

Many Cantonese chefs have retired, and a new generation has taken their place. It has been difficult to find a good value Cantonese restaurant, but we decided to give Chrysanthemum House a try for a birthday dinner with our extended family. We opted to order from the menu instead of choosing between a set menu and a la carte options. We started with complimentary soup and ordered two styles of crab. The crab cooked in golden salted egg was decent, but it lacked the roe that I enjoy. The other crab dish with ginger and spring onion needed more flavor. The steamed oysters with half xo sauce and half garlic were too small. We prefer our dishes to come out one at a time, but despite reminding the waitress, they all arrived at once, causing the food to get cold. The pigeon was soft and not crispy, but the plum sauce fried chicken spare ribs were a highlight with their crispy exterior and tender meat. As we were still hungry, we ordered beef rice noodles, as every vegetable dish we tried to order was sold out. Despite booking a table and there being other diners, the kitchen seemed unprepared. Additionally, when paying the bill, I was disappointed to be charged a surcharge for using eftpos savings.

The restaurant may not look impressive from the outside, and the interior isn't much better. However, don't let that deter you from asking your waiter for recommendations. We tried tofu with Chinese mushrooms and fungus, steak with XO sauce, snake beans with minced meat, and chilli and pork ribs. All the dishes were flavorful and freshly prepared. The steak with XO sauce was particularly outstanding and tender. The prices were a bit on the high side for a suburban restaurant. There was ample parking available, and the restaurant had a lively atmosphere.

The staff's service at the restaurant was lacking. We were not warmly welcomed, just asked to choose between two tables and then ignored. The staff handling the plates and bowls often touched them with their hands. The food was decent, better than the service. The only time we were greeted with a smile was when we paid and left.

We had the banquet. The waitress was a bit rude. Was so looking forward to a nice meal, but all dishes served were quite salty... didn't taste much else except for saltiness of the food.

The service of the staff was poor. There was no real welcome, we were told to pick one of two tables and were then left. The staff when handing out the plates and bowls put their thumbs and fingers in the bowls and on the plates.The food was better then the service, acceptable.The only time we got smile was when we paid and were leaving.