Jack Zhong is the new Tiger Lane manager, heading up Mrs Wang’s new menu. Photo: Zachary Griffith.
Tiger Lane is reinventing its flagship restaurant with new leadership, a new menu and a new vision for the modern Chinese space.
Tiger Lane opened in 2023 and encompasses a fleet of restaurants, cafes and street stalls aimed at emulating the Asian street food experience inside the Canberra Centre.
Now Canberra restaurateur Jack Zhong is taking the helm, bringing over a decade of experience from his time running much-loved local Chinese restaurant Wild Duck.
“We shut Wild Duck at the beginning of the year because the lease was up and the other partners decided to move on. But I really loved Wild Duck, and I still think Canberra needs something like that,” Jack told Region.
“Mrs Wang is very similar in a lot of ways. It’s a really nice set-up, so I figured this is the perfect place to carry on. I want to bring that same quality of interesting Chinese food to Ms Wang.”
Stepping through the stimulating neon streetscape of the hawker stalls, Mrs Wang aims to offer an inviting, elevated dining experience. Despite clear references to a retro aesthetic, the menu at Mrs Wang is classic (rather than dated) with favourite dishes elevated into the modern space.
The naturally coloured dumpling skins mark the different fillings like king prawn, wagyu beef and chicken with kimchi. Photo: Zachary Griffith.
Shanghai Xiao Long Bao (pork soup dumplings) are made by a specialty chef. As well as the traditional pork filling, Mrs Wang now also offers king prawn, chicken and kimchi, and wagyu beef fillings, cleverly wrapped in naturally coloured dumpling wrappers (bamboo charcoal, beetroot and turmeric creating the vibrant colours).
Sandong Duck is another of Jack’s favourite dishes on the menu.
“Sandong duck has been very popular since we reopened. We steam the duck with vegetables and spices until it is very tender, then it is deboned, lightly battered and fried until crispy. We serve it with a sandong sauce, and the juices get sucked into the crispy coating so there are very nice texture and flavours.”
Sandong Duck is a favourite menu item. Photo: Zachary Griffith.
The accordion-cut yuxiang eggplant has been another popular vegetarian menu item.
In addition to his role at Mrs Wang’s, Jack will also offer his experience in Cantonese BBQ to the Lucky Duck stall and oversee a number of other stalls and restaurants in the busy precinct.
The menu has a strong focus on banquet dining, and Mrs Wang is a great space to bring large groups for celebratory occasions. But there’s also an express lunch menu and other quicker à la carte options for those needing to get in and out quickly. Jack explained that the banquets are a way to take the guesswork and decision fatigue out of dining.
“I think everyone is very busy these days. And it can take a lot of time and effort to go through the menu and decide what to have, so we just choose all the best dishes for them, and everybody can relax, drink some wine, and we will just bring the food to them!”
Mrs Wang is located at Tiger Lane, FG 16 B 148 Bunda St. They are open for lunch and dinner, Wednesday to Saturday. Visit their website, or follow Mrs Wang on Facebook or Instagram.
