Tim Ho Wan Chatswood - City Lunch Australia 28 June 2015

A collage by Ms Zoe Yu.

We missed Angie in Castlehill and Michael in Nagambie.  We did continue our series of City Lunch Australia commercial outlet gatherings outside the Sydney CBD this year after gathering at Kin by US and the Kopi Shop.  The aim was to utilise the private dining room facility (PDR) at the first Tim Ho Wan outlet in Australia.  There were rules, every one had to be present at the same time before we were seated by THW, there was the usual minimum spend and we only had two hours utilisation of the room, which did not have a door.  However it was lovely not to have to queue for a change as we were shown into our booked room not long after we all arrived.

Sari, Jacob, Edwin and the one with full concentration facilitating order - Chip.

THW has an optimally sized menu, printed with colour and also used as a serving mat in Asian style.  Like Papa Rich, you tick against the menu dish codes and that forms the basis of a  no-fuss invoice.  In yum cha and Japanese fashion, there are miniature photos of each dish, ranging in price from AUD 5.80 to 8.80.  It was unanimous that we left out the steamed egg cake slices (Kai Tan Ko in Cantonese), which is one of the so-called "four Heavenly Kings" of THW offerings.  We almost ordered a sample of each of the THW menu items, without also selecting the poached  seasonal vegetables,  the three rice variations, spring rolls with egg whites, two vermicelli roll creations and the two dessert choices.

The queue lines on Sunday afternoon.

The winning preference for the group was of course the baked marinated pork buns, with the tender to the bite full flavoured Char Siew fillings inside.  Over all, we ordered eight serves of this, with three buns in one serve.   Maybe the congee with bits of century preserved egg,  lean pork slices, julienned ginger and salted egg was the last preferred by this group.

Siew Mai pretty!

Focus group.

Dee found the vermicelli rolls with sesame seed sauce (Chee Ma Cheong Fun)outstanding - this can be a difficult dish to prepare as the overall effect on the palate depends on the quality of the rolls and sauce - and nothing else!  Sally pointed out the Worcestershire sauce sitting in the sauce tray waiting to be used with the shrimp filled beancurd skin wrapped deep fried rolls.  Chip then reminded us about the Hainan cuisine available on Penang Island.  Raymond liked the Siew Mai and Har Gou for their quality.  I say the pork ribs in black bean sauce were pretty standard this afternoon.

The large Lazy Susan, with call button attached.

We were not totally obsessed on food, as there was a lively and informative conversation on the latest Apple watch, which Edwin was wearing and kindly showed us.  There was the banter about Bob's hair style, of which Bob was sporting about.  Chip's relocation to Adelaide in the coming weeks touched upon the choice of removalists.  We reconfirmed about gathering at Sari and Jacob's newly built house by this coming weekend.   Zoe and Raymond has celebrated 25 years of wedded bliss two days before.  Above the table were three mirror reflective lamp shades, which gave a bit of festivity to this end of financial year party.  City Lunch Australia commenced as informal gatherings for lunch on working days.

The women of City Lunch Australia.

Chatswood can be  a vehicle parking nightmare.  Five of us took public transport and the rest used private vehicles, with two fortunately finding a good spot on nearby Railway Street.  Some of  us took a walk around the evolving development of District Dining, lamenting the still to be opened Ipuudo restaurant there.  John and I were fascinated with the nearby Pishon Korean style cafe, offering unusual drinks like sweet potato latte.

Settling into the table.

Wasabi laced salad shrimp dumplings.

The THW food, once it first came out, rolled on consistently, amidst the various cluttered chop sticks (some used as serving utensils),  emptying plates and stacked bamboo baskets.  Surprisingly, we hardly dipped into any sauces, for the THW items were mostly delicately made and had fresh ingredients upper most in their preparation.  John mentioned that it was better to get to savour the original taste of the dishes sans the sauces.   The PDR table was not overly large and it did facilitate group conversation.

Beef balls wrapped with bean curd skin -   山竹牛肉球 water chestnuts, coriander, dried mandarin peel and Shaoxing wine bring up the taste.

Servings can be  relatively small - some expressed the opinion that except for a few outstanding dishes, the rest seemed pretty ordinary, with Sally indicating preference for the yum cha outlet in the Rhodes Shopping Centre.   Kevin reaffirmed his liking for the vermicelli rolled with pig's liver, the  steamed spinach and shrimp packed dumplings and the fish maw braised in a prawn stock paste.  Chip summed it up by observing the elegance and delicacy of most of the THW food in front of us.

Bob, Sally and Raymond  (left to right)

The tea provided at AUD2.50 per person was pretty ordinary although refillings were offered.    The THW staff pretty much responded only when you require and call them, without anyone checking on how the food so far served was going, as is practised in most Western styled restaurants.  We had to request the staff to provide a food scissors to help cut up some items for sharing.

They did pack up take away orders in neat containers and placed them in practical paper bags.  Billing was relatively efficient and painless with no administrative errors.  The staff did take the effort to say good bye.

Baked Char Siew buns, the signature dish of THW.

I found the pan fried turnip cake uplifting, light and not bogged down in an oily setting.  We had three servings of such variations like the goji berry anointed Siew Mai, wasabi topped salad prawn dumplings  and pork ribs with black bean sauce.   It was a good strategy to go slow with doubtful items, order surely tasty items early and leave out obvious no-nos.

Raymond, John, Dee and Zoe (left to right)

Each of us had a fun exercise in rating our individual impressions of the THW lunch, giving scores out of ten, ten being the best.  Service by the staff was generally more engaged with us as PDR guests when compared to sitting outside in the general dining area, with guest tables packed so close to each other.  Scores between 6.5 to eight were voiced.

Those who gave higher scores pointed out the efforts made by THW on presentation of the food, the attention on fresh ingredients used and the  choice of a  few outstanding items.  Lower scores were provided on account of the lack of variety of items, several items not tasting that much better than in other Dim Sum places around Australia and the small servings made.

Chicken feet, or lovingly known as golden phoenix claws, braised in abalone sauce.  Under the subdued lighting, the marinade seemed under whelming and it actually was in taste.

Dee did notice there was a difference in taste and texture  for an item or two between the Hong Kong and Chatswood outlets of THW.

Chip very usefully mentioned to me it is how THW continued to manage customer expectations, especially with the all the hype in the beginning.  Where to from here, Tim?

Outside the private dining room.

Tim Ho Wan Chatswood is located on an upper floor of District Dining, near the rail station on north shore Sydney.
Opening hours are daily from 10am to 9pm.  All day yum cha!
Photo credits in this blog post to Ms Zoe Yu, Mr Edwin Chee, Mr Bob Tang and Mr Kevin Yong.

Peranakan Place - Straits Chinese in Auburn Sydney

Durian custard puff served with Choux pastry.

The outside of the restaurant may look unassuming and the location is more of light industry rather than a food hub.  Parramatta Road in near western Sydney can be confronting with passing traffic at times and yet can be a quiet neighbourhood otherwise.

We were looking for the traditional dishes of Straits Chinese cuisine - and there they were.  Peranakan is an Indonesian-Malay term for "descendant" and have two main streams, Indian and Chinese.  The cuisine here primarily refers to the Straits Chinese tradition, which is a major fusion development in south-east Asia for already a few hundred years.

I have not tried the Chicken Buah Keluak, a rather challenging dish to prepare.  Just like the Japanese art of getting ready the Fugu fish for sashimi.

First you have to source the fresh nuts, like what this restaurant does by importing them, from trees known as the Pangium Edule, native to Sumatra.  Treatment of the Buah Keluak is critical to obtain the edible washed kernels, which are ground up to become the rawon, used for gravies in beef, Sambal, chicken and rice recipes in the Spice Isles.  The fresh nuts are high in poisonous Hydrogen Cyanide, which is patiently removed by boiling in water and burying them in ash.   So a potentially dangerous ingredient is transformed to a safe to eat savoury must, rich in iron and Vitamin C for the body's nutrition, in this Straits Chinese offering.

Prawn and pineapple yellow curry.

I did dive into the Babi Pongteh, belly pork or trotters marinated in soy sauce and other ingredients ala Baba and Nyonya.  ( Baba refering to the gentlemen and Nyonya, the lady)  This appetising braised gravy dish goes well with steamed rice and Sambal - I was more than happy with the Pernanakan Place rendition of this unique item.    The chestnuts had been cooked properly and the Shitake mushrooms not over done.  The critical ingredient for Babi Pongteh I reckon is  the quality and right amount of the fermented soy bean paste ( Tau Cheong in Cantonese).  Potatoes are cut into bite sized chunks to soak in the gravy flavours whilst cooking.  Palm sugar (or the Gula Melaka), dark soy sauce and ground white pepper are added for taste.  I had been unclear what the difference between Hong Bak and Babi Pongteh is and now I know.  The Hong Bak utilises dark soy sauce, Cekur roots, coriander powder and lesser portions of the fermented soy bean paste.

Babi Pongteh is  a desired item for wedding festivities and in the past, an essential serving for the Tok Panjang, the long table laden with various food items of good omen and significance for wedded bliss.  Many a Straits Chinese maiden had to master to exacting standards the quality and presentation of several key dishes, as they count high in the evaluation scores by matchmakers, prospective in-laws and measures of general society expectations. 

To be fair, this meant many long and regular hours of practice and skills build up staying at home.  The world of the Peranakan meant the man ideally went out to earn fabulously and the woman focused on crafts, cuisine and family relationships.  One can now observe that this arrangement no longer applies in such distinct shades.

Mortar and pestle ready to unravel the Buah Keluak.

The menu offerings are not restricted to Straits Chinese in this restaurant.  The owner hails from Singapore.  Advance orders are required for specialties like the iconic Singapore chili or pepper crabs and two specific Teochew classics, the Chwee Kway steamed rice cakes and the traditional Teochew styled duck (the Lor Ark in Hokkien dialect).

Which Aussie cannot recall the pleasure of digging into fresh Singapore crabs on a sweaty afternoon on the East Coast and then having the pleasure of downing Tiger beer? 

Now we may be more familiar with Beijing duck, but this version found at the Peranakan is another that hails from Chaozhou province in southern China.  The latter has the outside of the duck marinated in a mixture of five spice powder (or the Ng Heong Fun in Cantonese).  The inside of the duck is rubbed with the ever popular fermented soy bean paste and placed with Galangal and garlic cloves for flavour.  Hmm, did they really use Galangal back in Chaozhou province? Spices in the Ng Heong Fun used include black peppercorn, star anise and cinnamon sticks.

The Chwee Kway ( literally meaning "water dish" so they are light on the palate) is popular amongst true blue Singaporean Chinese and it is consumed like a ready on the run snack, being easily available from food courts and hawker entertain the island republic.  Initially I did find these a bit plain but I cannot underestimate the delicacy about this creation, with preserved radish placed on top of a plain base when served.  This water dish started from less positive economic times in southern China, when rice holdings had to be sparingly and carefully used in consumption.  The migrants who then landed in Singapore carried the recipe for this snack to contemporary times.  Corn flour and shallot oil are used to enhance the rice dough and these snacks are best eaten fresh.

Classic motifs on Straits Chinese porcelain on display at the Peranakan Place.

Penang inspired Char Koay Teow.

There are two versions of Char Koay Teow in the menu, the Singapore and Penang variations, both of which I have yet to try.  What is the difference, can anyone please tell me.

The owner operator, Sam, is a gently sociable and experienced personality with lots to chat about, adds to the ambiance of this restaurant.  Sam is passionate about this cuisine and tells me he is doing this mainly to promote his heritage and culinary styles.  This does open the eye of the Sydney diners to another yummy branch of cuisine and culture from south-east Asia.  Even back in south-east Asia, such restaurants are few and far in between, with Singapore and Penang promoting much of this niche heritage.  A few diners find that orders come out not as fast when there is a crowd but the place does run on minimal staff.  The wife at times cooks in the kitchen, her husband engages with the customers and there are framed prints to check out on the walls.  A display shelf cupboard is devoted to Straits Chinese craft and cultural items.

Ngor Heang.

For those who loved their deep fried pork stuffed inside bean curd rolls from Penang or Malacca, there is this Straits Chinese twist  called the Ngor Heang.   Serving was small here but the taste passed the required test. Best of all, I fell in love with the durian custard puff tucked in Choux pastry buns for dessert.  The chicken satay was well marinated sufficiently and the accompanying gravy stood up to the palate, thick and peanut spicy.

To add to the confusion, Ngor Heang literally means 'five spices" in Hokkien dialect.  Concurrently it refers to this deep fried roll that is a cousin of the Penang Lobak. No surprises that the Ngor Heang requires use of Chinese five spice powder, but it also utilises finely cut up water chestnuts, potato starch, deveined chopped up prawns and diced carrots. Perhaps the common elements between Penang Lobak and Straits Chinese Ngor Heang are the the use of shoulder pork and the bean curd skin wraps.

A trove of Straits Chinese cultural icons for the display cupboard.  Tiffin carriers in red, woven baskets and beaded slippers are just some of the significant craft used especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries in colonial Malaya and Singapore.

Let-downs one evening on another visit were the Kueh Pie Tee and the prawn Nyonya curry cooked with pineapple.  The former did not remind me of those served at house parties back in Penang and Singapore, perhaps the slicing was not fine enough or there was just something missing.  

Kueh Pietee (or also known as "Top Hats") have daintily crafted crispy to the bite miniature casings,  holding tapas-like fillings of chopped and deveined/shelled prawn bites, julienned carrots, finely cut shallots and julienned Jicama.  To make the casings, you need a specialised mold.  The casings have to be just right freshly made on the bite,  having been shaped from lightly beaten egg contents, plain rice flour, a pinch of salt and water to form a mixture that is then deep fried.  They are best served for high tea or as starters to dinner courses. Each "top hat" is small and can be held by the fingers.

The lack of freshness that evening in the prawns used threatened to spoil the latter dish and I wanted the gravy to be stronger.

I did notice a few dishes from the Straits Chinese cuisine that were not served here.  The classic curry Kapitan, concocted by local cooks on board a ship run by a colonial master.   The deep fried chicken as in Inche Kabin, perfect as pub food, with a unique marinade as only traders, chefs and a certain Mr Cabin could conjure and make into reality.  I also did not find the Katong inspired Nyonya Laksa or the chicken Kerabu (cold entree mixture).

Perhaps I should just be content that in this restaurant, I can still have my Thai Otak Otak, Indian Muslim Nasi Briyani,  Malay-Indonesian chicken Rendang and Hainan styled pork or chicken chops.  It says a lot that the Straits Chinese mostly lived in harmony with the other ethnic groups in years past - and that dishes from other races and cultures are still offered in the Peranakan Place Restaurant in Australia.

Babi Pongteh - marinated pork belly from a traditional recipe.

The Peranakan Place is located at 139 Parramatta Road in Auburn, not far from the major intersection with St Hillier's Road and Costco.
Telephone: 02 9737 8989
Opening Hours: Wednesdays to Sundays only, lunch from 1130am to 230pm and dinner from 530pm to 10pm.
Vehicle parking is best along the nearest cross street, Station Road.



 

Crown Street Wollongong - Markets Revisited

Freshly made Kurtosh snacks are made using imported kitchen tools and then dipped in fine peanut sugar.

The variety of flavours of Kurtosh at the Wollongong CBD markets are good, including coconut!

There is nothing like good old sausages and eggs for a breakfast.

Unusual blooms at the stall of the florist.

The violinist can be like a Piped Piper!

A fascinating choice board of various dips, flavours and condiments to add to cooking recipes. From Dean Shaw and Michael Zahra linked to YourInspirationAtHome.

This store was especially popular.

Kurtosh on the run.

The Kopi Shop, Campsie NSW

Penang fashioned curry puffs with potatoes and chicken.

More legal migrants from Malaysia have arrived on the shores of Australia in the past three years. Perhaps this echoes the growing dissatisfaction over the quality of socio-economic and political life back in their home country.  What is Malaysia's loss is the gain for Australia, especially immediately in the perspectives of cuisine!  Although more Malaysians, ex and current, settle in Melbourne than Sydney, there has been an increasing number of so-called Malaysian food outlets around the greater Sydney area, some of varying quality.  So I was happy to check out a recent one at Campsie in Sydney city's outer south-west.

The label of Malaysian cuisine may be a misnomer, really there are sub-categories like Indian, Malay-Indonesian, colonial, Chinese, Straits Chinese, Eurasian and some that arise from regional hubs.  The Kopi Shop specialises in Penang cooking, with the owner-operator Alan, hailing from the suburb of Air Hitam.  Many a visitor to Penang island's George Town, currently hailed as one of the top foodie places in the world, would be smilingly familiar with the menu at the Kopi Shop.

The classic Char Koay Teow.  Photo Credit - Mr W H Tang

My first choices sampled here are the durian shake as a quick drink and the curry puffs for a snack.  It was an unexpected quick drop by with some colleagues.  The pastry for the Penang styled curry puffs can be different from samosas and related puffs from southern Asia.  You can notice that the pastry is more flaky. Here the recipe utilised is by preparing two separate types of dough.  The buttery dough consists of self-raising flour and butter; the other dough's plain flour, caster sugar, a dash of salt, soft butter, self-raising flour and water to mix.  The stuffing inside is first cooked as a chicken curry with small cubes of potato.  I gave the Kopi Shop version of the Penang curry puffs a thumb of approval!


If you have a gathering with relatives, mates and others, you may want to have a banquet.

What goes well with steamed rice are stir fry prawns with the chili and shrimp paste based Sambal; beef Rendang, a signature dry curry from Malaysia and well known in the the Australian mainstream community; and the Straits Chinese fish yellow curry brewed in a  claypot, laden with okra (also known as ladies fingers in Penang), eggplant slices and tomatoes.  (No fish heads though in the Kopi Shop)

Ask Alan for the type of fish available that day, he is accommodating and can even tailor make dishes on your request when he can.  This is an intriguing option not available in most restaurants.

The Kopi Shop also offers ethnic Malay dishes  of tomato flavoured rice served with the Ayam Percik.  Pickled slices of hard veg (Acar), Sambal condiment, sliced hard boiled eggs and southern Indian crispy bites (Papadums) are accompaniments - Penang street food has many sides that enhance and uplift the taste in their dishes.    Straits Chinese and Malay Acar are finely cut vegetables like carrots and cucumbers  sprinkled with sesame seeds plus ground peanuts and infused with a sourish-chili hot sensation on the tongue.

I am a fan of Mamak lamb curry, swirling with different spices and texture, and best eaten with steaming white rice!  The lamb is cooked tender and easy on the palate.

Belacan Kangkung is only available according to season.  This popular stir fry in Malaysia uses the water spinach and the dried shrimp paste plus chili concoction called the Sambal.   It can be appetising, stirring and tasty.  This is also a standard fare of many places labelling themselves as Malaysian restaurants.

Otak Otak is the Malaysian version of the Thai Homok, as popularised by Spice I Am in Sydney city centre, consisting of steamed fish pieces in a spicy custard mix.  You can consume this by itself but I reckon it is best served with some steamed rice.  The flavours can be subtle or sharp, depending on which part of the Otak Otak you have - I like the aroma when it is freshly prepared , steamed and served. The creamy stuff often sits on banana leaves or the Daun Gaduh.  I am aiming to try this at the Kopi Shop next!

Wall display at the Kopi Shop.

If you are after street food, here are my suggestions available at the Kopi Shop.

Hawker dishes well known on the streets of Georgetown on Penang Island include the Char Koay Kak, sautéed radish cubes accompanied with chives, bean sprouts, shredded egg omelette, shrimps and pickled vegetables.  It can look like full of carbohydrate but has a unique taste not the same as the classic Char Koay Teow, perhaps Penang's iconic dish.  My cousin Susan makes a really yummy version of this CKK!

The dark soy sauce stir egg noodles with soy sauce ( Kon Loh Mee) is my childhood favourite, a comfort food.  Here at the Kopi Shop, it can be requested to be served with curry chicken, Hainan steamed chicken or Cantonese styled barbecue pork slices with red edges (the Char Siew) or pork stuffed wanton dumplings.   These diverse options are usually not available at other related places in Australia.

The Kopi Shop provides thicker and more substantial curry to go with the Roti Canai, in contrast to Mamak's in Melbourne, Chatswood and Sydney, which give more diluted curry.  Although Dhal curry can be the traditional accompaniment, here you can ask for either the chicken curry of beef Rendang to go with your fluffy Canai.

Roti Canai served with chicken curry and Sambal condiment. Photo Credit - Ms. Zoe Yu

Familiar and not so familiar.....

Oh yes there is also the ubiqutious curry laksa from Kuala Lumpur, offered in prawn, vegetarian, chicken, various seafood and combo versions.  Nowadays across Australian capital cities these are as common as Lebanese kebabs, Italian pasta, Vietnamese Pho and Aussie styled meatballs.  In Sydney, Malay-Chinese Takeway, currently at Hunter Street, consistently comes up with perhaps the most popular curry laksa.

Clay pot Bah Kut Teh are pork ribs simmering in a herbal tasting soup that also include meat balls, sliced mushrooms, pork belly slices and bean curd squares.   This may have medicinal nutrition benefits but always assure a warm feeling inside especially on a winter's evening.   The BKT was formulated by Chinese immigrants in Malaya and Singapore, talk of innovation, localisation and transformation in cuisine!  The regional city of Klang holds the record for producing the best BKT in Malaysia though.

Tamarind juice infused Laksa (Assam Laksa), I often believe, is one of the best dietary street food items around, with lots of herbs, fish stock, a stimulating soup base and slippery rice noodles.  It can be an acquired taste but do try this once in your life.  An original concoction from Penang, it reeks of influences from Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia itself.  I have yet to test this version from the Kopi Shop and see if it fares better than the version from the Hawker restaurant in Sydney CBD.

Penang styled Lobak.  Photo credit - Ms. Zoe Yu.

Another acquired taste dish is the use of salted fish in a fried rice version garnished by chicken strips and a stir fry marinade.  Most southern Chinese and south-east Asians have no problems with this dish - and it is good to recall that the Norwegians and Portuguese also have an impartiality towards salted cod.  Maybe the European colonials introduced the greater use of salted fish in cooking to parts of Asia, an ingredient which can cause an affront to the noses of unassuming neighbours in increasingly higher density blocks in Australian capital cities.

I noticed the southern Indian Mee Rebus, one of my weaknesses, simmering with a rich and flavourful potato based gravy, laden with yellow Hokkien noodles, garnished with lime juice, shallots or spring onions and soaked with deep fried cubes of bean curd, sprinkling of bean sprouts and hard boiled egg slices.  I am going to try this definitely and compare with that dished up by Temasek Singaporean restaurant in Parramatta.

The durian shake, yummy and fulfiling.  Perhaps this is another acquired taste?

For starters,  Lor Bak contain pork cubes (with a bit of fat) seasoned with Chinese five spice powder and stuffed into bean curd sheets with chopped up ground onions and leek.  These tightly packed rolls of around six inches long are then deep fried in woks  and served with tasting condiments consisting of  sesame chili sauce and pickled ginger.  Ex-Malaysian Chinese across Australian capital cities are comparing the relative taste of such Lor Bak from different emerging outlets.  In the greater Sydney area, one can think of those from Sambal in North Ryde;  Hawker in Sydney city centre; Peranakan Place in Auburn (where they do a related version called the Ngor Heang);  and Albee's in both Kingsford and Campsie itself.

My curry puff starters.

The young female staff attending on my first visit was enthusiastic, communicative and helpful.  Diners may also get a free dessert of Gula Melaka if you click like on Facebook.   GM is essentially steamed pearl sago pudding drizzled with coconut milk and brown palm sugar.

In summary, dropping by the Kopi Shop is like visiting a food court back in George Town.  Seating is amply provided in a modern setting in this restaurant.  Vehicle parking can be a challenge in the suburb of Campsie unless you re willing to walk or take City Rail.  Campsie itself is a colourful place to visit, with Australian multiculturalism flowering at its best.  At the other end of the same Beamish Street is the well known Albee's Malaysian, owned by a family from Sarawak on the island of Borneo, but which is still part of the Malaysian Federation.  In between these two ends are a multitude of variety on retail commercialism, ranging across discount wares, fruit and veg markets, computer accessory outlets and cuisines across the Asian sub-continent.   The food scene can be lively going in to the evening hours - and Sydney Airport is not far away.







The Kopi Shop is located at 108 Beamish Street, Campsie opposite some Canterbury Council buildings and on the far end away from Earlwood.
Telephone: 02 9718 2988
Open every day except Mondays from 11am to 10pm.

Seascape Cafe - Port Kembla NSW

The call of surf and sky, the sounds that lull into a sense of inner comfort, these are all ever green captivating us when we connect with the outdoors and Nature.   To have breakfast or lunch looking out at rather empty ocean and a beautiful horizon is a wish come true.  And you may have this at the Seascape Cafe, located at the end of a quiet Foreshore Road in Port Kembla NSW.  You walk up the stairs of the Maritime Police Centre.  It looks like a family run cafe but the owner and staff are as apple hearted as can be.  The menu does not echo of fancy or unusual, but is assured you to remind you of reliability and wholesomeness that city folks often miss and yearn for.

I went back to Seascape earlier this month and loved the ever reliable scenery.  The cafe is located on a vantage point within the Maritime Police Centre.  The ocean winds were refreshing and there was a wholesome crowd at lunch time.  I just loved the veg laden burger, not entirely healthy as it was deep fried but really yummy and of  such  large serving!  The Seascape can be a good choice for a meal if you are visiting the nearby Nan Tien Temple in Berkeley.

I am not a fan usually of lasagna but this cafe has one that made me notice their version.  It just has the right richness, taste and overall attractiveness.  On my very first visit, on the recommendation of Katie and Scott, and accompanied by Janie and Jen, I had the Seascape version of the Big Breakfast - this was like home made, generous and with all the works.  Eating on an outside table under the ocean breezes can prove challenging if the winds step up and the seagulls are watching you and your grub.

The Seascape may have started life as the cafe for the Maritime Police Centre, but its appeal I reckon goes beyond this.  


The Seascape Cafe is located at 91 Foreshore Road, Port Kembla NSW.
Park your vehicle below the Maritime Police Centre.
Opening hours are from breakfast to lunch time every day.
Book for good weather days.

 

Bergie's Fish Cafe - Thirroul NSW

If one has a single focused passion, the world is there to conquer.

A rather easy snack, with all the stuff that reminds one of growing up, with no pretensions - and it has its veg and wedges too.

The waves beckon just out there, and here we are taking in our sustenance and joy, whilst we gaze at the big blue.

The Bergies is located at 216 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul NSW
Nearest cross road  - Cochrane Road
Opened from Thursday to Sunday only, from 11am to 830pm.
Friendly staff like people we know down the road, in a place that is mostly forever summer and young.
Come up from the beach, or park by the side roads, if you cannot pull up right in front of the cafe itself.
Chat up and you may find yourself on an exciting fishing trip.