Bangla food review: Bottomless yum cha lands in South Perth. But is it bang for buck?

Descending the stairs, I step out of South Perth and onto the famous party strip of Phuket’s Patong Beach.

Well, almost.

Moody red fluorescent lighting illuminates Bangla’s cosy underground space, where photographs of its namesake Thai street adorn the walls, and jars of pickled produce line the shelves. It’s atmospheric, playful and transportive — without the airfare or questionable decisions usually associated with a night on the Bangla strip.

My other half and I are partial to Asian cuisine and, more importantly, a feast, so we jump at the chance to try the venue’s newly launched bottomless yum cha.

For $59 per person, diners can work their way through an endless procession of dishes over two hours, while $98 adds bottomless cocktails into the mix. There’s also a non-alcoholic drinks option featuring proper mocktails rather than the usual consolation prize of soft drink, which is a thoughtful touch.

The food starts strong with steamed prawn dumplings. The plump little parcels are topped with soy and black bean vinegar caramel, red chilli and sesame. They’re creamy, succulent and bite-sized enough to disappear dangerously quickly.

Wild mushroom mandu dumplings paired with chilli soy vinaigrette are delicious, too, though amid such stiff competition they don’t quite become the main event.

I leave the wagyu beef lollipop to my partner, who absolutely adores the slow-braised beef with house satay and chilli peanut. I’m far more preoccupied with the banh mi bao — fluffy buns packed with roast pork, pickled vegetables, kewpie, coriander, chilli and hoisin. Phenomenal.

But then the Korean mayak corn ribs arrive.

Slathered in General Tao’s sauce with soy, sesame, chilli and crispy coconut, they’re the undisputed winners of the evening. The chargrilled corn brings a smoky edge to the sweet, sticky sauce and has us immediately mourning the empty plate.

Until, that is, we remember this is bottomless yum cha. Another serving is swiftly ordered.

Crispy chilli squid dusted with spice and dunked into chilli mayo is another crowd-pleaser (to this humble crowd of two): crunchy, tender and dangerously easy to keep eating. A generous bowl of fried rice with bean sprouts, mushroom, baby corn and shallot rounds everything out nicely.

Our first cocktail provides an unexpected spectacle when the Coco Kiss Kiss — vodka, coconut, pineapple, lemon and soda — arrives not in a glass, but an enormous dispenser designed for sharing. It’s sweet, tropical and fun, though the Berry Tea-se, combining gin, blackcurrant, black tea, lemon, strawberry and lime, proves the more refreshing of the two.

I’ve eaten my way through plenty of Perth’s bottomless offerings, but Bangla might just take the crown for both flavour and bang for your buck.

If there’s one criticism, it’s that two hours absolutely flies when dishes and drinks are arriving thick and fast, and another half-hour would allow for a more leisurely pace. Though I appreciate that’s a big ask for a bottomless sitting.

Still, we emerge back onto the comparatively calm streets of South Perth very full, very satisfied and already debating which dish deserves another round next time.

Verdict: 18/20

Bangla nails the bottomless brief with excellent food, playful drinks and an electric atmosphere.

Bangla

1 Mends St, South Perth WA 6151

OPEN Monday and Tuesday 5.30-10.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday 12pm to late

BOOKINGS Yes

CONTACT www.thestationsouthperth.com.au/bangla