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Chinese vegetarian restaurant located above Noodle Kingdom with access via a lift. Food is mostly vegan except for dessert containing dairy and drinks containing honey - ask which ones. Has vegetable dishes, stir frys, rice plates, and mock meats. Simple, pleasant decor. Re-opened following renovation, Dec 2016. Open Mon-Sun 10:00am-10:00pm.
Category: Vegan-friendly, Chinese, Take-out, Asian, Taiwanese
Reviews (27)
First Review by KingKong
Contributions +16
Amazing - Edit
This is by far the best food I've eaten in my life.
The sweet and sour pork and special fried rice is spot on.
I live in Mooroolbark but it is well worth the drive.
Pros: Staff are very friendly, Really quick service
Cons: Move to the eastern suburbs!!
Contributions +16
delicious and authentic - Edit
this was a rare case where a veg Chinese restaurant that feels authentic. it was also really delicious! plenty of tofu and veg options for people who don't like fake meat.
my meat eating friends also loved it.
Pros: delicious food, great service, tons of options
Cons: not very big
Contributions +21
Really Tasty Veg. Chinese Restaurant - Edit
I've found myself in Melbourne on business and stumbled upon this gem right in the heart of the City. I've eaten in veg. Chinese restaurants all over the world and I can't recall one I've found as pleasant as this one. Thus far I've had 4 meals here. Each one seemed better than the last. The balance of salt, oil and flavor is just about right.
Contributions +817
Nice city option - Edit
I came here with a group of people, not knowing what the restaurant was going to be like having quickly found it on HappyCow, one of the few vegetarian places close to Flinders Station.
The restaurant was almost empty which was nice as we needed a table for 7 people (and all of our luggage). The menu is extensive and everything is vegetarian. I didn't ask whether the things I was ordering was vegan, as I thought it would be. I ordered the spicy bean curd on rice, and unfortunately for me, there was egg in the rice.. but the spicy bean curd tasted really delicious and was quite a large serving for $12.50
Would definitely like to go back, but next time I will ask if the dish is vegan before ordering!
Pros: In the CBD, Vegetarian
Cons: Vegan not marked on menu
1 Response
trevtdogg 23 Feb 2017 - just a fyi - the yellow in their rice is not egg, even though people commonly think it is. they have no egg in any of their items! no dairy either, only non-vegan item they use is honey on 2 of the food items and 1 of the drinks.
Contributions +43
amazing food - Edit
This is my favourite fake meat option restaurant anywhere.
Their sweet and sour pork is amazing and the goose is to die for, like eat so much you die of fullness.
I take my meat eating friends here and they love it because the flavours and consistency are similar and better.
It has helped me turn those friends from meat eating to plant based diets.
Thanks Gong de Lin!
Contributions +22
Good food, big menu - Edit
The food was good and the mock meat was okay. Their menu is big so I would be interested in trying more dishes. The staff was average and price are a little high.
Pros: Vegan, Big menu, Nice atmosphere
Cons: High prices
Contributions +40
amazing - Edit
I love gong de Lin ! The options are endless The sweet corn soup is just Devine !! ❤️❤️
Pros: sweet corn soup
Cons: none
Contributions +176
Great food - Edit
I came here on a recent visit to Melbourne and was very happy with the food. The restaurant was fully booked when I got there (I hadn't called ahead) so they offered me a little table in the corner along with a free soup. I had the beef and black bean with rice and it was very tasty but a little oily. The sweet corn soup was great. I really enjoyed coming here and would recommend it.
Pros: location , good food, nice staff
Cons: can be oily
Contributions +36
Impressively changed my perception - Edit
Made our second visit recently after a not-so-impressive dining about 2 years ago. Our rating for this place has totally changed to the better. Plenty of choices, lot's to try. Nicely cooked. Not the usual Chinese cooking (Malaysian / HK/ Singaporean); it's a different taste. Highly recommended.
Contributions +3400
Darn good dumplings - Edit
Enjoyed some excellent steamed dumplings, probably the best in recent times, along with an assortment of other snacks, a soup and a rice dish. The food was all well presented and of good quality.
The service however, put a dampener on the experience. We found the waitress to be a little too impatient and persuasive with the ordering process and she seemed surly when I declined to leave a tip. Based on the food alone, Gong De Lin is definitely worth a visit or two.
Contributions +2207
Going up - Edit
Prices are higher than usual for this type of fare and the waitress was very demanding/pushy; the majority of dishes were of a decent standard and I am somewhat keen to further explore the menu, hopefully I will be able to select fresher/more vibrant dishes.
Contributions +787
Place of many choices - Edit
Such a wide range of dishes to chose from. I have been visiting for years and I think the quality has actually improved.
I recommend the sweet and sour pork, and hot and sour noodle soup. But the dumplings are lovely and the sizzling dishes are exciting.
Service is generally good, although variable. Prices are good and it's in such a convenient location in the CBD.
Pros: Quality food, Big serving sizes
Contributions +90
great central vegan food - Edit
I had pan fried noodle with vegetarian pork and cabbage. It was very tasty, nicely spicy and a big serving: perfect!
Contributions +599
Good Chinese in the city - Edit
A friend and I came here for dinner on a weeknight last week. We didn't make a booking, and we had our choice of seats.
I'd have to visit a few more times to be able to make a fair assessment of the (extensive) menu, but we really enjoyed what we had - sweet and sour pork (awesome return to childhood Chinese favourites) and mushrooms with bok choi. I also tried a hot freshly made soy milk, which was nice but not exciting.
The setting was modern, clean and pleasant, and the staff were nice. I probably won't be back in a hurry, but I expect that I will visit again more than once.
Pros: Clean, bright interior, Extensive menu
Cons: Not cheap
Contributions +14
“nice food in melbourne china town for a vegan” - Edit
very nice food in a clean and modern little restaurant in china town.
prices were very good and overall was great value for money.
If you're a vegan i would highly recommend you give this place a visit.
staff were very friendly too.
Pros: vegan, well priced, nice resturant
Contributions +111
Strange place. - Edit
I went in here once at around 9pm as I really felt like dessert, and most other places in the CBD that did vegan desserts were closed. It took over 45 minutes for them to make the dessert, which was strange because it wasn't overly busy. I can't even remember exactly what I had, I think it was just a deep friend banana with ice cream. To be fair, it was delicious and I was in a pretty good mood that night so I didn't really mind waiting anyway. Can't really comment on any of the food but the stuff other people were eating looked pretty tasty.
Contributions +14
NOT GLUTEN FREE FRIENDLY - Edit
While the food was tasty, this place is NOT GLUTEN FREE FRIENDLY.
I am gluten intolerant and my dining partner has crohn's disease, so not eating gluten isn't a lifestyle choice. From the start of our visit I was politely querying our waitress about dishes on the menu. She assured us that some of the fake meat was wheat protein and some was soy. When our "tofu hotpot" (which she confirmed on ordering was GF) arrived, it was full of fake seafood. I again queried her to make sure it wasn't wheat protein meat, which she told me it was not.
Unfortunately within minutes of eating my dining partner began to have a major reaction - so definitely not gluten free!
We went here because some sites had tagged this place as "gluten free friendly", but please avoid Gon De Lin if this is one of your requirements.
Pros: Tasty food, Huge menu, Loads of fake meat dishes
Cons: Do not communicate clearly on GF, Do not clearly describe dish on menu
Contributions +31
Good Option - Edit
While the atmosphere is a little lacking the staff are nice and the food is great. You can pick up a cheap lunch ($10.50 for a spicy tofu with rice) and spend upwards from there. The menu is focused on Chinese mock meat dishes but if that isn't your thing there are still plenty of alternatives.
I'd give you 4.5 cows if you played some music :)
Updated from previous review on Wednesday December 03, 2014
Pros: Authentic , $
Cons: Atmosphere
Contributions +38
Brilliant - Edit
Been here once now, it was fantastic. We were fast to be seated and got a view over the street. The menu was full of pictures and good descriptions so off to a good start.
There is lots of variety in their menu. Took some time to have our order taken but it arrived prompt and tasted delicious.
Pros: Taste, Variety, Service
Contributions +11
Huge Variety in Menu for Vegetarians - Edit
This is the first place in Melbourne CBD that I have come across for a chinese cuisine and that too completely vegetarian. They have a lot of options to choose from in their Menu. We ordered Iced Tea with Spring Rolls, Vegetable Noodles and another Main Course dish of Mushrooms. Spring Rolls were good but not great. Iced Tea was with a bit extra sugar. Vegetables Noodles was really good and filling too. The other main course dish of mushrooms for which , I do not remember the name was real spicy but then it was indicated int he menu too.
Overall nice food and can be visited once in a while.The ambience looks good if you get seated to one of the tables near window where you get a view of the outside world. Else, it had a decent ambience. But it is a bit difficult to be located. You need to enter a small lift which will take you to the 3rd floor where the restaurant is located. At all other floors, there are other Chinese restaurant located. For the first timers, it might be a bit difficult to spot the restaurant. Service was good but could have been more warm.
Pros: Many Options to choose from
Cons: Difficult to Spot for the first timers
Contributions +2100
Not really impressed - Edit
I first reviewed this place in February this year and was not particularly impressed but now having been a few times my opinion has changed a bit. I still think you have to be selective about what you order and some menu items - especially some mock-meaty ones - are pretty bad (for example the 'steak'). However, some dishes have taken me by surprise: the soy fillets are actually quite nice. I was here with a friend this week and we took the cramped lift (now attended by a security guard during busy periods) up to the very clean and slightly tacky restaurant and were seated in a booth by a friendly staff member. We ordered from the menu and took photos of our food as it arrived (me for this site, my friend for Facebook). Our meal consisted of: spring rolls (nice but not exceptional), pan-fried mushrooms with rice (tasty), pan-fried rice cakes (unfortunately a bit doughey) and stirfried string beans (a recommended staple of mine at this place, with a delicious garlicky flavour). My non-veg*n friend remarked on how good it was. Mains come with free orchids (as garnish). Previously I had found it a little challenging to know what was vegan but now it is clearer. There is a business card saying "Fully Vegan" and I have been informed by staff that all dishes are vegan except some desserts. I still find this place a little expensive for what it is: mains are in my experience around $18-$20. After gaining some familiarity, I feel this place is fine as an option when you're in the Melbourne CBD but order judiciously.
Pros: A veg*n option in the difficult CBD, All non-desserts are vegan
Cons: Prices a bit too high, Menu can be a bit hit-or-miss
Contributions +73
hard to find but worth it - Edit
when you enter the noodle kingdom doors there is no real directions, but get the lift to level 3. pleasant decor as opposed to so many " vegetarian places" ho think veggie means down-market mix no match decor. food is $16 to $20 for mains however servings are quite ample and quite tasty. Have been veggie for 20 years and quite pleased to find this place, not having to suffer the dodgy veggie dishes in nearby Chinese cafes. This is above the cafe level and is a restaurant, staff are possibly volunteers as it seem to be run on the Buddhist realm, all in all, great place and worthy of a revisit
Pros: value, tasty, comfortable
Cons: bit pricy but is reasonable, entry
Contributions +19
Very Uninspiring And Uninspired Food - Edit
Bland, boring, oily and the staff are so rude! Plates stick to the tables so hygiene is quite suspect here too. Beware the veggie pancake, it had no veggies in it! Lol.
This place is a bit of a joke. Very expensive for what the dishes entail. If you've been vegetarian only for a couple of weeks, you may like this place, however most vegetarians care about what they eat and there is no care in this flood
Pros: Cbd
Cons: Expensive, Oily, No Taste
Contributions +80
Nice Noodles! - Edit
Went with family, easy to locate (but of course parking in CBD always a problem). Nicely decorated, clean.
Very impressed by Fried Noddle With Assorted Vegetables NO. 2.
Staff friendly.
Tried RO1 Fried rice with vegetarian pork in casserole but I think this dish a bit bland. Healthy though.
Will go again to try!
Pros: Nice Noodles!, Food very nicely presented., Nice view from the restaurant.
Cons: Parking a bit of problem.
Contributions +52
Glad this place is here - Edit
Pretty happy with the noodles I've had here a couple of times (see pic). Tea is nice too. One of the better lunch options in the CBD. Big menu with lots of different stuff including mock meats etc. Can't speak for all that stuff but my food was really good and came out quickly. Food on other tables looked good as well.
Pros: Tasty food, nice tea
Contributions +52
Really liked this place shame about the building - Edit
I have been here twice for food and have had a great time both times however even though the restaurant is nicely decorated the lift and restaurant below (it's on the 3rd floor) is not so nice. Well worth a visit for the food - I loved the sweet and sour 'pork'.
Contributions +84
Nice, healthy and great taste - Edit
I came across this place literally yesterday.
It's above Noodle Kingdom on Swanston street, a stones throw from Bourke street, Melbourne Central and QV. Access is via the lift which is the main negative of this place. If you're a bulky wheel chair or have a double pram... plan ahead. I ended up just ditching the double for a single and a baby carrier.
Once upstairs, you're greeted by professional staff with nice decor. Very Eastern Buddhist influence.
Food wise: good price, good size servings and more importantly, tastes great. Loved their Jade Buddha fried rice and that Egg plant... well done.
Criticisms? The lift aside, and there's not much that could be done about that, a few more rice and noodle dishes can't hurt. For the lunch crowd, might be a little limited. Otherwise, it's a nice, healthy option. The thing I love about it is that there isn't an over-reliance on Mock meat. This is a vegie place that knows Vegetarianism's roots.
Pros: Location, Price, Food
Cons: The lift, Exposure, Lunch Variety
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