NewsBite

Advertisement

Contemporary Chinese restaurant Shi Hui Shi opens inside Hotel Sorrento

Emma Breheny
Emma Breheny

Fried rice is part of the raft of likeable Chinese dishes at Shi Hui Shi.
Fried rice is part of the raft of likeable Chinese dishes at Shi Hui Shi.Threefold Social

Hotel Sorrento might be the last place you would expect to eat Chinese food, but 40 years ago that's exactly what was on the bill of fare. It's a quirk that planted the seed for newly opened Shi Hui Shi, nestled deep within the limestone walls of the 150-year-old pub.

Meaning "good food" and "limestone" and pronounced she hoo shee, the restaurant is led by former Red Spice Road chef Jerry Li, a native of Qingdao in Shandong province.

It has come together under the watchful eye of culinary director George Calombaris, who was inspired by the story of co-owner Rob Pitt cooking beef black bean, lemon chicken and other Aussie-Chinese staples back in the 1980s.

Kung pao cauliflower and steamed barramundi at Shi Hui Shi.
Kung pao cauliflower and steamed barramundi at Shi Hui Shi.Threefold Social
Advertisement

"I love that we've got a new addition to the hotel that has some meaning," says Calombaris, who joined the team a year ago.

The menu embraces that history, serving sweet-and-sour pork with large chunks of pineapple, sang choy bao, and fried ice-cream that went through seven iterations to achieve the right level of crispness.

"I was thinking about the Chinese restaurants in Mulgrave, where I grew up," says Calombaris. "I wanted to play off the prawn crackers out of the freezer bag; that nostalgia."

"I wanted to play off the prawn crackers out of the freezer bag; that nostalgia."

Balancing out the tongue-in-cheek retro dishes are hand-made har gao and other dumplings, steamed barramundi with spring onion and ginger, hand-pulled noodles with lobster, and kung pao cauliflower.

Advertisement

Situated in the former ballroom on the hotel's lower levels, the space is softly lit, its dark timber walls hung with contemporary art, matched by panelled timber ceilings and dark timber furniture. The design inspiration is Hong Kong's streetscapes of the 1960s and Chinese cinema.

Since joining, Calombaris has tweaked the pub's menu. He ran a souvlaki bar pop-up last summer and has plans for future pop-ups, as well as more dining options when Hotel Sorrento's redevelopment is complete in 12 months.

Fried ice-cream joins Aussie-Chinese favourites like sweet-and-sour pork.
Fried ice-cream joins Aussie-Chinese favourites like sweet-and-sour pork.Threefold Social

That project will add a day spa, 30-metre lap pool, signature restaurant, luxury suites and conference facilities.

It represents a serious investment in the popular peninsula town, which is also home to The Continental Sorrento.

Advertisement

Open Fri 5pm-late, Sat noon-2.30pm and 5pm-late, Sun noon-4.30pm

Tucked within the limestone-walled basement of the Hotel Sorrento, the restaurant combines new and old design flourishes.
Tucked within the limestone-walled basement of the Hotel Sorrento, the restaurant combines new and old design flourishes.Threefold Social

5-15 Hotham Road, Sorrento, hotelsorrento.com.au

Continue this series

Melbourne hit list December 2022: Hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now
Up next
Heide Museum of Modern Art's cafe has reopened as Heide Kitchen.

Heide Kitchen by The Mulberry Group replaces the cafe at Melbourne's Heide Museum of Modern Art

Heide Museum of Modern Art's rebranded cafe adds picnic baskets, a coffee cart and a menu that makes use of the site's kitchen gardens.

The nine tapas tasting box.

Melbourne's Sakedokoro Namara will transport you to Tokyo

This sake bar is so like what you'd find in Tokyo, it made me a little giddy, reviews Besha Rodell.

Previous
Frankie's Tortas and Tacos owners Stuart Morton and Todd Vanneste.

Say hola to the bigger and boozier Frankie's Tortas and Tacos in Fitzroy

Upgrading from a van serving tacos to customers sitting on milk crates, at Frankie's Tortas and Tacos you can now sip mezcal while enjoying the fun cantina vibe.

See all stories
Emma BrehenyEmma BrehenyEmma is Good Food's Melbourne-based reporter and co-editor of The Age Good Food Guide 2024.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement

Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/contemporary-chinese-restaurant-shi-hui-shi-opens-inside-hotel-sorrento-20221118-h27ywi.html