It’s the exotic smells that you hit you first as you walk into 88 Alley, a new Chinese restaurant on the Central Coast. It’s a reminder of life before lockdown, facemasks, social distancing and all those other unfun words.
A life when you could travel and savour in unique flavours and different cultures.
And it might be a while before any of us can jet off to Asia again, luckily for coasties the luxury to indulge in authentic, mouth-watering Chinese cuisine is made possible with a newfound dining destination in Gosford.
88 Alley was launched within Gosford RSL in May, right in the thick of the pandemic. It was the RSL’s pivot, offering Chinese takeout to nearby locals.
But now we’re a few months out of lockdown, its success continues to reign. Now offering a sit-down Chinese meal, the sweet sauce of 88 Alley’s success is down to one thing: This is authentic Chinese cuisine, and some of the very best on the Central Coast.
88 Alley is the brainchild of talented head chef Kevin Zhang, who hails from the hustle of Sydney. He has new vision to deliver a contemporary twist on Chinese food to the Central Coast.
“It’s slowly getting there. The food of 88 Alley is a different flavour to what is eaten locally here,” Kevin explained to Coasties.
“Our menu style is designed for sharing, but I’ve noticed people usually like individual plates. Our idea is to share the food and get people together.”
So, what exactly is on the menu? Well, there’s plenty of variety, for one. And for those who aren’t familiar with Chinese dishes, a precise description is written under each menu item that parallel the flavours of the food to a tee.
During our visit, we start with the pork wontons that were cooked in an eight-hour chicken broth.
These little round delights simply melt in your mouth, welcoming a delicate interplay between a hearty meat flavour and a juicy sweetness that balanced each other beautifully.
The pastry wrapping the little spheres of meat was cooked perfectly, holding a bouncy, soft texture that soaked up all the earthy flavours of the warm broth.
This one is sure to awaken your umami senses.
Next was the wok fried, dry spiced Mongolian lamb – because if you’re going to try out the new Chinese gig, you can’t go past the traditional Chinese stir-fry.
Succulent and sticky, dark tenderised lamb strips popped with spice and flavour – singing out to all the cumin lovers here, this one’s for you.
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As anticipated, it was a feisty little bite, but it won’t set your mouth on fire. It plays fair.
To bring it all in, the vegetable and tofu fried rice with king brown and shiitake mushrooms takes your taste buds on wild adventure back to the original paddocks where these veggies would be grown to thrown directly into the wok.
The rice is aromatic, fluffy and well executed.
Finishing off with the matcha yuzu dessert was an excellent choice. Gorgeously presented with a range of traditional Chinese delicacies all in one, dusted with fine powdered matcha and a generous drizzle of zesty, citrus sauce.
Safe to say, 88 Alley is reviving the hungry crowds of the Central Coast, and keeping the spirit of the club alive with its contemporary take on traditional Chinese cuisine and impeccable service.
Zhang has truly hit the mark with some nice touches to his carefully chosen wooden furnishings and a warmly lit intimate space that welcomes customers in for a relaxing dining experience.
Good fortune here has favoured the brave. After all, launching a new business in the middle of the lockdown is no easy feat. Making it a success, well, that is one hell of a mammoth achievement.
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Details
Name: 88 Alley
Address: 26 Central Coast Hwy, West Gosford NSW 2250
Book today: https://grsl.com.au/
Congratulation!