With just five days to go until we celebrate Chinese New Year, I thought this would be a great chance to go to town with suggestions of where to eat the best dumplings. In fact, it’s not only dumplings that are eaten around this time, but also copious amounts of fish, which represent abundance and good fortune, and noodles, for longevity.

Chinese food resonates in our family well. They say ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’, and maybe the dinner I prepared for my husband many moons ago was the final seal on my marriage. (It could also have been that he was desperate for a good meal, as he was doing his national service at the time and the food was pretty dismal.)

Anyway, I spent the entire day preparing a Chinese feast. I don’t remember it exactly – it was over twenty years ago – but I do recall a traditional sweetcorn and chicken soup. There was duck involved, too (he never stops talking about it); a chicken lemony cashew nut stir-fry, which is still a favourite; and I also made sticky bow ties and jasmine tea.

I love going to Chinese supermarkets; it’s a highlight whenever I visit New York China Town, and Northbridge in downtown Perth. We don’t get it here – I think it’s got something to do with the health regulations – but the best are the Peking ducks and barbequed pork slabs hanging in the windows over there. One of my best meals was had after watching the chef chop them into chunks with his cleaver and dish them up roughly into a bowl filled with steamed rice and bok choy.

Once I took my dad with me, and we spent the morning in the kitchens watching ducks being deep-fried whole in huge vats, and then hung out in front of dryers to crisp up. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos at all, but were still made welcome with broken English or nothing at all, and I came away with the fondest memories.

I find it difficult not to wander down Derrick Road in Cyrildene when I’m in Johannesburg. When I chat to locals I find it a shame that many have never been there to shop at the biggest Chinese supermarkets in the country or eat at some of the most authentic restaurants.

I do, however, believe there’s only one place in South Africa to eat Peking duck, and that is at Haiku in Cape Town. It’s perfect: crispy skin, soft meat and great pancakes. It’s all done just the right way, instead of a plate of shredded duck that’s been deep-fried to China and back. What I have never had the opportunity to experience, though, is an authentic Yum Cha. This is a Chinese meal where you eat dumplings of all sorts and sip tea. But back to my list of dumplings.

These are some of my favourite spots, and I’ve thrown in a few Chinese supermarkets where I buy steamed buns to take away:
– Mainland China Supermarket
– New Asian Spice Supermarket
– Sake House Food Store
– Saigon  
– Haiku  
– South China Dim Sum Bar  
– Gwefey  
– Dynasty  
– Chinese Northern Foods  
– The Good Luck Club

Happy New Year!
(And my resolution? To eat more Chinese food!)

Abigail

PS) Also see the list that the team put together of the best dimsum spots across SA. And, as there's more to Chinese food than just dumplings and duck, check out our list of the best Asian restaurants, and their speciality dishes.  

Photograph: Gwefey