Oriental Teahouse brings Dumplings for Dating back to celebrate Valentine’s Day
Is there something you’ve always wanted to know about your partner but been too scared to ask? Or do you need help getting out of the friend zone? A Melbourne restaurant has created a quirky way to bring love to the table this Valentine’s Day.
Inner East
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David Zhou wants to fill hearts as well as bellies.
The restaurateur has seen plenty of couples crash and burn over dinner and drinks.
“It is a lot of pressure, especially on Valentine’s Day,” he said.
A couple of years ago he decided to give Cupid a hand, devising a cheeky game to help would be love birds break the ice.
“Sometimes people need some help getting to know each other,” Mr Zhou said.
The Dumplings for Dating concept returns to the Oriental Teahouse in Melbourne and South Yarra on February 14 to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
The game is played over a set banquet using a board game style questionnaire for couples to follow.
Questions range from conservative ice breakers such as ‘What’s your preferred holiday destination?” to racier requests like “What are the chances we are going to Netflix and chill after this?”.
“It gives people on a first or second date a chance to find out more about each other,” Mr Zhou said.
“But it is also good for someone trying to take their friendship to the next level.”
The concept was workshopped with the Teahouse team and tested on customers.
“A lot of thought and effort has gone into this. But that is the same for everything we do here,” Mr Zhous said.
He said the menu, which includes five dumpling dishes, a shared main course, dessert and two drinks, was designed to be “non-threatening”.
“This is not a time to challenge people through their tastebuds. I don’t want the food to be a distraction. It needs to be comfortable and easy,” Mr Zhou said.
There’s also a separate plant based banquet.
The drink selection is intended to represent personality traits revealed in the game.
Categories including ‘the romantic’ or ‘the mysterious’ are assigned to cocktails such as The Pink Panther, Hello Vera and the classic Jasmine Margarita.
The second stage of the game will offer players house beer and wines including Asahi, La Prova Pinot Grigio and Hesketh Art Series Shiraz.
The entree and main dishes are served “unobtrusively” while the couples work their way through the game
But dessert has to be earned by carrying out one of three dares.
Couples can choose between taking a photo together and sending it to their parents, sharing an embarrassing secret or allowing their date to scroll through the camera roll on their phone.
The challenges are matched with sweet dishes including custard bao, white chocolate dumplings and chocolate dumplings.
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“We called the dessert stage Happy Ending,” Mr Zhou said.
“Because doesn’t everyone deserve one?”
Dumplings for Dating 2.0 is $80 per person at Oriental Teahouse in Chapel St, South Yarra and Little Collins St, Melbourne for one night only – February 14.
Bookings: orientalteahouse.com.au