Wild Moose Cafe- North Wollongong NSW

My Cape Town risotto.

Please note that the Wild Moose has since September 2014 moved to 40 Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow, NSW 2519.  It has since closed in 2015.


Cosmopolitan, with hints of cross culturalism, a definite haven of rugby union gatherings and unique offerings in the regional city of Wollongong NSW.  This is the Wild Moose, with a primary heritage of South African cuisine, clever touches of Scandinavian and feeling comfy as a breakky and brunch hideaway.  I tried the Cape Town risotto and was struck positively by its inherent flavours, with chunky pieces of pumpkin, roasted pine nuts and tasty bites of chicken.  I eyed the Zanzibar chicken but saved it for next time.

There is a rather extensive menu for a place that does not open in the evenings (except for Friday evenings, when it is open till late with live music) and also does not operate from Mondays to Wednesdays.  The Boer heritage means a good drinks list (Swedish Mojito and Shaken Margarhita stand out)  with Fair trade organic coffee.   Did I get a hint of nutmeg from the brown toned culpa, or was it all in my imagination?

You have both indoor and outside seating, and the morning menu is littered with names like Karoo and African Sunrise.  There is modern Aussie fare like the prevalent Eggs Benedict and the version of Big Breakfast is christened the Jungle Brekki, with twosomes of bacon rashers, eggs and the unique Boerewors. The latter is a classic back in the home country - sausages of beef and coriander, also sold separately as take away snacks from the counter.  One of these mornings, when I next visit, I would want to try the Walnut Delight, a healthy vegetarian gathering of avocado, rocket and oven roasted Roma tomatoes , served on home baked walnut embedded bread and topped with a touch of the Mediterranean - feta and drizzled balsamic glaze.

An interesting set up from the previous site in North Wollongong.

Sited along a busy part of the Princes Highway just slightly north of Wollongong CBD, it is a good spot in the middle of increasingly bustling Fairy Meadow, with its variety of cafes, small business shops and three supermarkets - Aldi, Woolies and Coles. The couple who run this unique place, Wouther Debbes and Anki Rask, have created a uniqueness on the Wollongong cuisine scene. Anki is engaging, friendly and articulate when I met her - and so are her staff.

For a light meal at working lunch time, do go for the Jabulani Chicken burger, laden with baby spinach, chicken breast pieces, tomato cuts, pineapple, cheese and red onions with toppings of peri peri sauce.  There Chicken Marrakesh is pan fried and comes garnished with preserved lemon,fresh tomato, oven baked potato wedges and parsley mushroom - what refreshing and unusual combinations!   There is in addition the old reliable salt and pepper squid to accompany the beer.
Also available is the mango chicken salad. On Friday evenings, two dishes stand out - the marinated Mozambique tiger prawns, with a textured crispy coconut coating and peri peri sauce, and the grilled wild barramundi fillets panfried with Bourbon butter and accompanied by tiger prawn cutlets and chunky beer battered chips (more like wedges).  For takeaway, there are also muffins - I tried the strawberry version on my recent visit.

Do moose exist naturally on the African continent?  It is of Eurasian origin but a North American term.  Most moose are found in the snow laden territories of Russia, Canada, Alaska and Scandinavia.  In Europe, the animal is more referred to as the elk.  So why is this place honouring the moose? Good question, a surprise but I reckon it reflects the imagination and creativity of its owners and menu. I love it!

Redfern Sydney - Eveleigh Street Markets, Breakfast Time

Stunning, captivating and crowded.

Love grows in Redfern.

I just adore the produce from this stall - it has elegance, taste and aroma!

Blooms that delight from a walking dog's eye view.

Friends and more meet along the long alley way surrounding the markets.

What a way to start a Saturday - loaves, rolls and baked stuff

The view from Carriageworks, worth visiting in its own right.

From the Bird, Fish & Cow outlet.

Helensburgh Hindu Temple - Canteen Delights

Nestled in the bush at Helensburgh NSW, in the vicinity of the Sri Vankateswara Hindu Temple grounds sited on a hill at the northern end of the Illawarra coast, lies an unassuming canteen which offers delights in Indian vegetarian cuisine.  If driving by car, you have to turn off the ramp from the main highway south of Waterfall and not head towards Wollongong and the NSW South Coast.   City trains do have scheduled runs to Helensburgh, but it is a distance to navigate from the station to the Temple at Temple Road. The place is packed with crowds on religious festive days and Sundays, but it is always wise to plan your trip and arrive early , meaning like around 1030 am.  The canteen opens at 10am on weekends. The menu consists mainly of dosas, breads, rotis, deep fried snacks, yummy vegetarian curry and yogurt based dipping accompaniments.  Even the 'blank" dosas are delightful as they are light and easy.  An interesting combination is the dhalpuri, a version of the roti that is packed with yellow split beans, garlic, pepper and cumin. I just love the sambar offered here, with deeper intensity of taste than some commercial competitors in Australian conurbations -  and offering a kick when eaten with the fluffy warm pancakes or crepes.  Rotis are essentially made from atta  flour (stone ground wholemeal flour).  Another of my favourite choices from this canteen is the paratha.   Some of the curries - essentially light and soupy with no coconut milk - can be hot and vary in spicy intensity.  On a cold late morning, i have now learnt to not take my hot coffee too early but after my meal.

The canteen is well organised, asking for customers to line up and order/pay at a central spot.  You are then given coupons which you use to collect your food and drinks from other counters.  As in any self-respecting outlet, the food is prepared and served fresh.  Disposable utensils and plates are used - and there are sinks to wash up and neatly maintained garbage bins. You sit under cloth tent covers or in the open - I rather prefer the latter on a fine day as I did with Arun last month.  We could take in the pleasing and inspiring views of gum trees, the Aussie blue sky and feel the fresh air in our face.

The Dough Collective

Heaps and loads of baked stuff in displays that leaves the visitor gaping for making a decision.
The rolls seem heavier than for most competitors when held on the hand.  At rush hour, walking around the shelves makes one feel like in a train station.  Coffee from Single Origin Roasters in Surry Hills  is offered but there is always the happy risk that one can overload for the purchases. Everything is take away, there is no seating. The best strategy is to reckon who in your family or fraternity house loves what and you
will have one interesting gem for each individual the next morning.  The Dough Collective says it approaches each creation with love and care, and so should the buyer.

The view along George Street, next to the Metro Theatre and straight across the Event cinemas in Sydney CBD.  Perfect and strategic location for office workers, tourists, university students and shoppers.   A bakery that goes to the next dimension non its spectrum of flavours, choices and pricing options.  If you buy the rolls for home, they can last hop to 30 days in a freezer, and when thawing them, do spray over some water to help ease the process before putting them to reheat in an oven.  The roll size is good as a snack, lunch or breakfast.

These are tame combinations in the picture above, wait till you see and taste pumpkin, ham pizza toast, Belgian chic, goji, orange-choc, Grana Padano parmesan, longan, hot dog, kimchi and more.  I saw a higher percentage of savoury buns when compared to the expected sweet ones. My own favourite hands down is the Gangnam, with several Korean inspired ingredients. There is a wholesomeness in the stomach after devouring a Dough Collective roll.

These artisan breads are not made from bulk styled ingredients and cost around AUD 5 each.
Carefully thought out designs around the shop show off the breads at its best.  Visitors can sample bits and
portions of each flavour before deciding to buy or let go.  There is a fusion feel about this bakery, it is not totally
Asian but neither is it fully Australian.   Taiwan interests are behind this business concept and model -
the outlet in Sydney CBD opened in February 2014.  The rolls are not as rich as
contemporary Western styled breads and offer a different sensation and texture if you
had only prior confined yourself to sourdough.

Ajisen Ramen from Kumamoto- Sydney NSW

There can be such a big number of ramen stalls and restaurants these days in any large city around the world.  What makes one more attractive or better in taste or experience when compared to another?

Ajisen stock soup, although still based on pork bone flavours, is not so thick, provides a different taste and yet can be addictive in a different way.  The hard boiled eggs have a yellow yolk instead of orange.  The X factor for me was the chill condiment, not overly hot, but gives a flavour kick till I finished almost all the soup, once I got the condiment stirred in.   Those who prefer a lighter sensation with their ramen can try the Ajisen recipe. On my most recent visit, I tried the in-house version but I also noticed a tom yum version of ramen soup.   Is that taking cross- cultural vibes too far? Maybe not, as the ramen model has successfully transposed itself across various cultures and countries.

I found the gyoza (pan-fried dumplings) lovely and with a wonderful blend of cut ingredients inside - they feel and taste like home made yummy.  The donburi section of the menu provides the Pai ku don (tenderloin pork ribs with sauce on rice) and what stands out in the entree is the soft shell crab.  For vegetarians, there is a version of the adegashi tofu, always a great choice to test the quality of a cafe or restaurant.  And I did acknowledge the renkon chips, really suitable to go with beer!  These are simply deep fried lotus root slices.  Three choices of green tea are available - the premium Genmaicha, premium Sencha and the Houjicha.

Originally from Japan, the Ajisen chain has the logo featuring a little girl named Chii-Chan. In Australia, I understand that there are six more Ajisen outlets apart from the World Square in Sydney - at 270 Forest Road St George and in Melbourne - in Hawthorn, Boxhill, La Trobe Street Melbourne Central, Glen waverley and at 130 Bourke Street in the CBD.

Ajisen hailed from Kumamoto on Japan's southern island of Kyushu.  Well known for its iconic castle, the prefecture also hosts a variety of universities - and there in I can see the connection between a steady good reliable ramen model and a large potential market.  I recall being in Kumamoto many years ago and loved the character of the island, with impressive memories as well of Oita and of course Nagasaki.  Even though we are on the other side of the Pacific, I feel fortunate that we can have access to so many varieties of ramen from Japan.

Citizen Corner, Surry Hills Sydney

It is not a brightly lit place and does not have too many tables.   Sited on a corner outlet, which could have the old dairy store or small pub long ago in Surry Hills, the Citizen Corner  is however walkable from Sydney's Central Station and bus terminus.  The Hills have sloping roads, though most with gentle gradients, at the southern end of the CBD.  Key roads like Albion, Bourke and Crown compete with Devonshire for the location of several interesting culinary experiences, offering mostly modern Australian, several breakfast and brunch places and trendy night gathering holes.  In the Hills, not all the culinary and foodie outlets are easily clustered in more obvious hubs - and they can be dispersed.  So Citizen Corner was relatively easy to find.

The demographic is twenty something, alternative, double income no kids and battlers.  The restaurant customers do come from the eastern suburbs, inner city hubs and tourist profiles.   You have places that open early and do not see sunset.  Others are only accessible around dusk.

The Citizen Corner, intersecting with Holt and Devonshire streets, does both breakky-brunch and dinner, the latter only from Thursdays to Sundays.  Quick lunch options are mainly Italian and pasta based but there is also the easy option of a beef burger, chicken schnitzel or poached trout.

Seafood and garden pea accompanying my risotto.

The relish of a spicy chorizo sauce added a new dimension to contrast with the subtlety of masterfully seared scallops and hand crafted celeriac mash.  I did not regret changing from my first selection of the tuna carpaccio with baby capers and chill oil, perhaps too confronting for my palate.

The service from the two female staff on the restaurant floor was friendly and relaxed. By 8pm on a Saturday evening, all the tables had been taken.The subdued lighting added to a chill out ambiance and diners can also watch the world go by outside the windows.  I reckon Citizen Corner is more befitting cosy small groups or couples.  Its compact size is just perfect for booking out exclusively the whole place for your very own party of maybe up to fifty guests.

There is an extensive and impressive drinks list, obviously carefully thought out. St Hallet Rose 2012 from the Barossa in South Australia was the choice to accompany my risotto, keeping it simple, relaxing and fresh.  There is no lack of adventure and variety, for more than several estates have a representative selection available from around Australia and New Zealand.  Sparkling wines are confined to French and Italian sources - with names like Piccolo and the Jacquart Brut champagne.

And then the mains - a wide choice, from fresh kingfish curry with basmati rice to the expected fillet steak with mushrooms, cream and shallots.  What caught my eye most was the fishermen's pie - with salmon, scallop, egg, cream , rocket, fish and prawn.  A must try for the next visit.  There is also the tempting pappardelle pasta with pork and duck ragout.  For entrees, I would recommend the fisherman's soup with a rouille crouton, heavenly for these current nippy nights.

I was too full for dessert but never mind others at the table had theirs and I saved this for a return visit.   The item waiting for me would be then caramelised apple and rhubarb tart with vanilla bean ice cream.  I find Citizen Corner to the core is so Australian in its offerings - a foundation of hearty and familiar Down Under favourites served with an eye for detail and carefully thought of ingredients.  Yet it has embraced dishes from the Indian Ocean, Italy and good old Mother England.
The setting is all at the same time retro, contemporary and village like. Pity they have a closed kitchen, but on a cold night, this did not matter much.

Vivid Sydney

Inspiration, drama and visuals

Intricacies in the financial district.

Mutants at the Rocks.

Environmental concerns at Martin Place.

So zen, so anime, so chic - floating over Chinatown.

Euro candy, Latino fiesta or African rainbow?

Glow of gifts like on Christmas Eve.

Happy moods, red vibes and an inner swirl of letting go.

Lady J Cafe & Wine Bar - Bondi Junction, Sydney

A bit away from the mall and Westfield at Bondi Junction, at the far end of Oxford Street, you come across two very different food concept outlets but located side by side, not exactly conjoined twins but almost. Lady J has an west coast US feel plus Spanish influences, especially in its tables, cutlery boxes and food styles.  The Paleo lists out organic ingredients.  It was a nippy Sunday morning and the obvious choice was for warm comfort breakfasts and a strong but good cup of Gabriel barista coffee.   The decor also had more character at Lady J, with its pervasive wood feel, so it had a more natural appeal on the rather first cool weekend of winter for Sydney this year.  I could not help comparing this to a smaller version of Wollongong CBD's Three Chimneys - hey this was a bar, cafe and modern Australian outlet with a special feel, in Sydney's iconic eastern suburbs.

Service was prompt, friendly and unobtrusive. There are not many tables but they were spaced beautifully.  Fine attentive touches of wall art, accessories and shelved bottles and glasses - they all added to the unique feel.   There was an open air flow view to the street. Oh yes, also Brasserie Bread rolls, sourdough and baked stuff.   I have not been there at night, but I was already advised to try the tapas. My Eggs Benedict, laden with fine avocado slices and a wonderful Hollandaise sauce, was one of the better ones I have come across.   The engaging staff gave a big beaming smile when coffee was requested and even came to say good bye.  My cappuccino was refinedly designed to catch the eye. And then you can go shopping to your heart's content.

What A Ten Dollar Note Means

What difference does a ten dollar note mean? When I first migrated to Australia, that represented more than my budget for breakfast and lunch during a working day in the Big Smoke.  25 years later the same note has less meaning, has reduced value and is worth only a shadow of its former self....or is it?   In plastic form, the Australian ten dollar note looks more sprightly, feels better and is actually more durable than its paper version of many years ago.  I examine one again and notice more security features, better design and a more friendly feel.

When commuter trips have risen in price, coffee and tea with a biscuit can add to ten dollars in a fancy cafe setting you get to enjoy for under an hour. A simple potted plant comes up to more than this amount when you check out at the counter of a nursery. A freshly squeezed fruit or veg juice cup is creeping up to around that for large.   However when you purchase things in bulk, you get more out of this note. In wholesale markets, you can cart away a whole box of your favourite fruit at closing time.  You can travel further on public transport as a pensioner. A cocktail at a bar costs more than this, so with one fancy dish of modern Australian cuisine even at breakfast time.   A child can obtain perhaps three goldfish. You may fill up perhaps at least one-fifth of basic unleaded petrol in the tank of a car.  What was once seen as two dollars may now be five, what was once the power of five can now be only be bought for ten. How much wi-fi capacity you get depends on your provider and perhaps the time of day or night.

Ten dollars stretch better when buying on line for airfares, holiday accommodation and restaurant vouchers.  Ten dollars put aside each day can still accumulate to much in superannuation, loan repayments and a long term nest egg - unless wiped out by inflation, speculative values and health costs. Ten dollars saved can be put to a better use, like creating a smile on a  child's face, a puppy's jump and a grandmother's satisfaction. Ten dollars can be the difference between an unhealthy sugary stuff and a treat in better fruit or eggs.  Ten dollars contributed consistently to a superannuation or home saving deposit may mean nothing when you are 25 years old but offer a satisfying reflection on what you have done right looking back when you are 52.

Ten dollars mean much more when you are raising a child - or a few of them.  ten dollars can give much more satisfaction to teenager and a retiree than a middle aged person.  Financial value is relative but is better measured when it is translated in what it can do in things that money usually cannot buy.  It may represent the slight advantage in having a better performing sports shoe or having a safer option. It can transform the taste in our palate or the aroma in our nostrils.  It may mean a better hair style or a faster choice.  Ten dollars in the nick of time can springboard an individual to commence a different, more promising direction and path.  Ten dollars can bring to reality the fine distinction between carrying on an endless journey of poverty to one with better education and potential.  The same amount can also lead to eventual oblivion if spent on damaging activities and addictive consumption.

They do say the best things in life are free. I say perhaps they can be obtained for under ten dollars.
Entry paid to a reserve or national park.  Watching a movie in a dark hall which influences us for the rest of our lives.  Spending time with children for under ten dollars and teaching them indirectly on financial wisdom.  Ten dollars for a charity run. The measure we place on a barter item or exchange of currency is up to us.  It is not the number that we or society ascribes that is helpful all the time, but the quality of what we can do with less or with prudence.  Do try to conjure up with the best possible thing yourself with your own perceived or actual ten dollars! Then do it.

Gumshara Ramen - Sydney Chinatown

The progress of what was simply street food with noodles and tasty soup, whether it is referred to as ramen in this contemporary age, or called shina soba until the 1950s, is a  fascinating journey of cultural fusion, care for ingredients and continuing innovation. Soba can be unique to what we know as Japanese cuisine, but the ramen is said to be a Japanese way of saying la mian in Mandarin, literally meaning hand pulled noodles.  Depending on which part of Asia you visit, there are various versions of such hand made noodles, apart from the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East.  The mainland Chinese form of such a dish was already cooked in thick and starchy concoctions of gravy.

Today this thickness in noodle soup dishes was confronted by me at the Gumshara Ramen stall in the often crowded but unassuming food court at the end of Dixon Street, Sydney Chinatown, bordering with Goulburn Street.   Never have I seen such gooey richness and concentrated so-called soup accompanying noodles.  There were the usual half hard boiled eggs with outstanding yolks, Nori seaweed garnish and compulsory pork portions. I had looked forward to the version I finally had - not just with tonkotsu broth but with the special magic of fish based stock. It was a revelation - the Japanese had combined the best flavours of the sea with the rewarding essence of the versatile bovine. It may not be to everyone's preference, but I liked most of it, although the bowl I had was really rich, though I would never ask for a dilution of such broth.

A food court with mostly, if not all, Asian dishes usually has people usually sitting tightly together savouring what they love best - and in Australia, this means anything from Indonesian padang rice to Hainan chicken and Korean bim bap.   At times the best food can be found hidden amidst the noise, the clutter and such crowdedness. What would happen if Gumshara had equity backed funding and moved to a fancy setting?   Would the taste be commensurate with what is to be paid? At around ten dollars a bowl, this may be the best bargain in Japanese ramen in Sydney.  Noodles are made from basic ingredients like salt, water, wheat flour and alkaline mineral water.   The proof is in the soup, the recipe behind it and how the soups are made hour after hour.   Whether it contains natural flavouring stuff like skipjack tuna flakes or pork ribs, the proportions do count in the outcomes of the final product.

Gumshara is also noted for its rather obvious chunky offerings of pork ribs on the bone, braised sufficiently to provide opportunities for crunchiness and texture.  The other alternative, also popular with many other competitors of Gumshara, is the cha shu or sliced barbecued or braised pork, some with red coloured rinds.  I avoid the lactate fermented bamboo shoots but do have a soft spot for those season boiled eggs.  Freshly made ramen puts us off the instant varieties and these are often at the opposite ends of the spectrum for satisfying gratification and quality finesse.  The bowl I consumed looked to me comparable to Takayama ramen - but Gumshara has produced its own feel of a rather delicate dish.

So what makes Gumshara different from others? Is it the more buttery and collagen laden broth? The name itself evokes concentration or franticness by one's self and not being recognisant of the people or surroundings around. Is this an effect once one dives into the Gumshara soup? Is the food much more oily than one expects from Japanese cuisine, mostly due to the liberal utilisation of the flavours from pork bone and ribs?  I reckon each has to decide for him or herself and not be taken by the hype but immerse in reality.  I would return to Gumshara but maybe more on an early morning or mid-afternoon.  And ramen is always perfect for a nippy winter's day.