The celebrated restaurant, known for its dramatic jungle-inspired interiors and contemporary take on Chinese tradition, has launched its most significant menu evolution since opening.
The refreshed menu balances heritage with creativity, blending authentic techniques with premium Australian produce and bright Vietnamese influences. The result is a dining experience that is at once refined and soulful, familiar yet daring.
Executive Chef Benny Lam and Head Dim Sum Chef Yanle Tao have sharpened the restaurant’s focus on authenticity and craftsmanship. Every dumpling is rolled by hand, layered with flavours from house-fermented chilli, toasted Sichuan pepper, and recipes that pay respect to tradition while embracing the modern palate.
“This menu represents an evolution for Southside,” says Lam. “We have leaned further into premium ingredients and technique while remaining approachable. We have reimagined dishes that people know and love, delivering bold flavours and thoughtful details that connect with families, casual guests, and devoted food lovers alike.”
Diners can expect reimagined Australian Chinese classics from the nineties, Vietnamese-inspired dishes, and premium cuts elevated through traditional Chinese cooking. Highlights include a Vietnamese lemongrass pork tomahawk finished with kaffir lime oil, a sizzling Mongolian wagyu with charred leeks and onion, and steamed wild-caught red emperor with ginger, shallot and sea herbs. Handcrafted dumplings also take centre stage, from truffle pork sticky rice dumplings with truffle mayo to wagyu beef gyoza with chilli bean and Sichuan pepper.
Firm favourites remain on the menu, including truffle prawn toast, potato and truffle spring rolls, and the much-loved yellow kingfish sashimi with green chilli and kombu.
The drinks offering has also been refreshed. Southside now serves Jade Dove Chardonnay from China’s Ningxia region, alongside a growing list of premium Chinese wines. On the cocktail front, the new Kāi-Krush captures the spirit of spring with gin, cherry blossom syrup, quandong, lime, and guava, its name inspired by the Mandarin word for “bloom.”
This bold new direction cements Southside’s place at the forefront of modern Asian dining in Brisbane, where tradition and innovation come together with flair, precision, and heart.
