Celebrity chef Rick Stein, known for his upscale establishments, has a penchant for more understated dining experiences, frequently visiting Peacock Gardens, a Chinese restaurant in Sydney's Crows Nest. Stein shared that a meal at Peacock Gardens has become a tradition on his final night in Sydney before returning to England.
He was recently seen dining at the restaurant with his wife, Sas, and stepdaughter, Olivia. During their visit, the group enjoyed Peking Duck and fortune cookies. Stein remarked on his fortune cookie's message, "Make happy for those who are near and those who are far will come," which he considered a fitting mantra for a restaurant.
Peacock Gardens, established in 1975, was previously managed by Mathew Chan and is now run by his niece, Evelyn Lee, who took over in 2020. The restaurant has received numerous accolades, including the American Express Restaurant Award for Outstanding Performance & Service and the Gault&Millau Yellow Rose Award in 2017. It also boasts hundreds of positive online reviews.
For groups of six or more, Peacock Gardens offers a banquet menu for $56 per person, featuring popular dishes such as Cantonese Fried Rice, Mongolian Lamb, and Crispy Chicken. Other menu highlights include Deep-Fried Lobster Tails and Bombalaska.
This is not the first time Stein has publicly praised a local eatery. Earlier in the year, he expressed his admiration for a sausage roll from Bakers La Vie, a bakery in Port Stephens. He described it as a classic Aussie bakery staple, best enjoyed with tomato sauce and a Solo lemon squash. His wife, who is Australian, reportedly confirmed that tomato sauce is the customary accompaniment for such treats.
Bakers La Vie, located in Soldiers Point, is a small bakery known for its traditional offerings, including meat pies, sausage rolls, sandwiches, and banh mi, as well as a variety of sweets. While Stein favored the sausage rolls, recent customer reviews have frequently highlighted the banh mi sandwiches as a standout item, with diners describing them as "perfection."