Behind Racist Impressions

 My experience living in Australia for more than 30 years does not synchronise with the news reports in America of Asians or Asian looking people suffering violence with racial suggestions as victims of robbery attacks.

Racism can be a two edged sword.  It may not just be articulated by individuals or groups representing so called mainstream society on minorities - but can also occur the other way.  Racism can be subtle or covert, especially when the law or public policy is to ban it, or overt, as in societies like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, India, Fiji and Myanmar.    Is it better to be able to read racism openly or do we have to put up with it in various shades like career progress ceilings, restricted admissions to prime universities, unspoken loops or barriers and moves behind your back?  I would rather be physically attacked than be discriminated in subtle and gradual ways.   Talking of individuals who commit violence on the streets of New York, Sydney, London or Perth, there may be unknown factors behind the video clips of such attacks.   Is it economic, with no racial intentions at all, or is it an unstable mental health manifestation?   Can one be in the wrong place at the wrong time in crime hidden areas?  African-Americans and Asian-Americans can come together being discriminated by whites, but Blacks are seen to attack Asians and Asians are heard to look down on Blacks.  Maybe we cannot interpret everything through an ethnic identification lens.

As the population of minority groups come to dominate the flavour and flow of certain suburbs in Western nations, the phenomenon of a perceived safety in numbers seems to manifest itself.  Increasing numbers of suburbs across Greater Sydney are populated more and more by people who are not Caucasian in background.   The so called white Aussie, on visiting such suburbs, can not be blamed to feel possibly left out, as if they have been pushed out of such suburbs by creeping economic, educational and business disparities. 

The demographics in regional Australia can be different.  I reckon one of the root causes of racism anywhere, even in Malaysia, is the unwillingness of so called racists to reach out half way to better understand the so called other side.   Attacks we see by people who seem racist also indicate that  that they often have no social connections with people of another ethnic background.

China nationals have arrived in significant numbers to reside in Australia in the so many years before Covid ravaged 2020.   They entered residency through higher education, the better purchasing power of a rising middle class back in China and have made business and trading more dynamic in Australian capital cities. 

The social habits of China nationals however can be very different from Malaysian migrants who have benefitted from growing up in a multi-racial and more diverse society.   Those who migrate from Malaysia tend to mix better with all racial groups in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.   China migrants tend to stick together amongst themselves, perhaps due to their increased reluctance to speak English and always proud to articulate primarily in Mandarin (unless they have no choice).   Malaysian migrants like to try a diversity of the wonderful culinary dishes available in contemporary Australia, while most migrants from China I am told, rightly or wrongly, tend to stick to their hot pots, Ma La Tang (spicy hot soups) and niche dishes.   The opportunity of Caucasians to know China migrants better is limited to working with them or marrying one of them.   When more numbers of a specific ethnic community congregate in certain suburbs, they find they can go through a viable life pattern in Australia without  necessarily making social networks with other races.   This reality can also apply to migrants of Korean, Thai, Latin American, Polynesian and Turkish  origin across Australia, often not out of their choice.

On the other hand, Indian migrants tend to be expressive, are comfortable speaking English and have a more gregarious personality.

The chances and risks of getting beaten up by anyone increases when one has no choice but to be out on the streets and lanes when thugs, unstable people and petty criminals tend to hang about.   If I have to do a second job at a fast food joint that closes late at night, I can increase my chances of meeting violence while I transverse a lonely park or busy drug peddler's lane on the way home.   If I have to take public transport, I increase my chances of  coming across a person who already has addiction, alcohol and mental health issues.   Such violent individuals can really beat up anyone in their path - and their social intelligence and experience are so depraved.  Many recent migrants anywhere lead a battler's life making ends meet, especially in these Covid ravaged  .

Kin by US, Macquarie Park Sydney

Luscious and delicious - the well marinated pork belly served with an Onsen poached egg and a waffle.

The Australian food scene has leapt by bounds especially in the past dozen years.  Fusion, innovation and boldness seem to be the common thread in striking new offerings in cuisine, setting and taste.  It seemed inevitable - the country is located in the Asia-Pacific, a region with swirling flows of demographics, cultural inspiration and inter-mingling of produce and styles.

Cuisine is never static, driven by the requirements of greater movements of different tribes, powered by a richer customer base looking for variety and transformation.  When East met West in the past, for example in the period of Western colonialism, creativity flourished, new and old ingredients raised expectations and opportunities translated into fascinating options.

I was told of the possible interplay of cooking styles and ingredients in this cafe restaurant sited in the hub of an emerging new world in the north-west of Sydney. Many migrants with a south-east Asian background live in this residential corridor.   If I am direly looking for traditional cooking, I would not come here to KIN, but I am looking forward to creativity and making the best blend of what the modern world can offer.  I read the menu - hmm, Asian sandwiches, beef Rendang on a burger ( Bao Cheeka Wow Wow) and durian or palm sugar Affogato - they immediately caught my eye.   No heavy meals, all are apparently brunch and breakfast items.  Oh ya, toasted brioches, my favourite, in the Sub-Marine.

Congee with deep fried crullers, garnishings of shallots, pork floss, ginger , chillies and served on a wooden board.  Photo Credit - Ms. Zoe Yu.

The four persons in my group sat at one end of the community wooden table.  There is an outdoor aspect with good ventilation in KIN, even if there is no outdoor seating.  I felt as if I was in a mate's place and in a lounge with a high ceiling and wide open sliding door ways.  I was fascinated with the counter and above the counter, with its carefully selected and placed items used in the open kitchen.

As with most contemporary cafes, industrial lighting lamps are utilised.  Six months into operation, KIN already has a healthy base of customers, even in the early morning, particularly for train commuters as well.  The burgeoning IT business hub of Macquarie Park is also a positive contributing factor.  Coffee is a partnership with Reuben H and using the La Marzocco machines.

Even on a weekday arvo, the customers dig in.

Some names on the menu stood out - the BFF Burger, Snap Crackle Plop (chicken rice), No Lah (breakky with fibre and grain) and the daily special but changing Sambos.   There were already some items not available by noon (well, KIN has been upfront by stating this on their menu), so a fan of this place will come early.   Mushrooms are referred to as "Shrooms".   I like the idea of changing sandwich fillings for the Sambos, providing an element of surprise and delight - a good strategy for regulars.

The Onsen egg is the ubiquitous offering (apart from the purple cabbage shreds) which accompany several of the menu dishes and perhaps underlining the cafe experience here.  Call it the 63 degree Celsius thing or bathed egg, mine was served on top of a good looking waffle and increased the attractiveness on the plate.   Gooey, runny, flavourful, fresh.  It also came with the congee, which is perhaps the most traditional of KIN's current offerings, together with the Miso soup and coconut milk based Kaya spread.  The Miso Yummy is  better choice in flavour than the congee.  In addition, there is also a good variety of teas, including iced options.  We could watch one of the staff members preparing waffles fresh.

Gula Melaka palm sugar infused ice cream with your Affogato.

Our experience with the service was fast, friendly and satisfying.  The mainly Gen Y table interaction crew showed energy, interest and engagement.  I love the miniature bamboo board servers and the blue designed cups and plates.   Servings tend to be on the small side, but larger sized dishes are indicated accordingly.

Does KIN live up to the fusion expectation on my part?  It is hard to deny KIN's menu is currently a hotch potch of Asian, rather than extending too far beyond.  Definite influences and recipes from Straits Chinese, Singaporean, Japanese, Italian and Korean inspirations.   This may most probably echo the kinship ties with such cuisine for its owners, Uel and Shannelle Lim.

It feels core cosmopolitan, the kind of snacks and burgers for the urbanite busy.  KIN appeals straight to the heart and palate of its target market.

I would say the Waffle Belly tops their menu in my opinion.   The belly melts in my mouth and I must say a lot of thought has gone into the marinade, it is neither over sweet or salty and allows the inherent flavours of a good braising to come through in the served cuts.  Waffle has usually been associated with maple or sweet syrup and this is a good twist on the combination in one plate.

A well designed prep counter.

KIN by US
Corner of Saunders Close and Herring Road
Macquarie Park, north west Sydney
5 minutes walk from Macquarie Station, Shopping Centre and University exit
Vehicle parking across on Herring Road for up to 2 hours
Opens everyday except Sunday, from 7am to 3pm
Tone - Eat and go or takeaway, and then go for some serious shopping at H & M

Links:  www.facebook.com/kinbyus

Kingsford NSW - Food Street

The Kingsford section of Anzac Parade, between the adjoining Middle and Meeks Streets, has in the recent few months become even more of a food hub for a variety of Asian food.  Sydneysiders know that Kingsford, which lies like a fifteen minute drive south-east of the city centre on a good day, is also a residential  focus for 18 to 25 year olds, mostly customers of the University of NSW in nearby Kensington and a mecca for the various nationalities from South-east Asia, China and Hong Kong.  Apart from English, the predominant languages you hear spoken on the streets are often Indonesian, Hokkien, Mandarin and Cantonese.  Above, a Japanese outlet with transparency, not far from the roundabout - there I was at the bottom right hand side, trying to take this shot.

Kingsford once had hopes of being joined to the Sydney rail network but that plan was dashed by cost cutting in the late 70s and the line terminated at Bondi Junction instead.  Today the theme is food, as illustrated by the view shown above, walking along the pavement towards the roundabout - a series of well known cafes specialising in yogurt, gelato and Malaysian street food.  The Petaling Street chain  is well known in Melbourne circles and refers to the main street in Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown. This outlet in Kingsford joins its Sydney Chinatown branch opened around two years ago.  The latter joint is narrow, crowded and has dining in a basement.  The one in Kingsford is spacious, offers so much better light inside and outside and sits on a raised floor overlooking Anzac Parade.  Lovers of KL Cantonese and street food
will check out what Petaling Street provides - my favourites there are claypot noodles, ice kacang dessert and chicken satay skewers.  Their competitor is only a few doors away along Anzac Parade - Albee's - with its unique chunky curry puffs, fish head curry, Hainan chicken rice, char koay teow and lobak (Straits Chinese pork rolls) counted as my preferred choices there.

Odea's Corner (above) now stands in contrast to the medium high rise apartment block behind it. On an early August Saturday, it was rather warm for a winter season but the sky was deep blue and the trees still bare.  Small groceries, service shops and newsagents dot the main commercial strip that is Anzac Parade, but behind just a row of shops are housing, mainly units, a lot perched on hilly land, many old and with a varied past.  Vehicle parking can be intensely competitive around lunch times. Eastgardens Westfield shopping centre is only a ten minute drive away and Coogee Beach beckons past Randwick to the east.

I came across a strikingly easy to read display of Indonesian street food - the dishes offered look more Sumatran than Balinese, but I loved the simplicity of it all.  Satay skewers from Padang, chicken slow cooked in yellow curry, the popular gado gado salad and hard boiled eggs served in a chili based sambal all sounded to me like what South-east Asian backpackers want and do eat!  Ayam Goreng 99 is not too far away, offering deep fried chook in various cuts and styled servings from Java. Indonesian food outlets have been operating for more than 20 years in Kingsford - some are halal, others are not, some run by ethnic Indonesians and others run by Chinese families with Indonesian names.   Buck-Me Jellico restaurant takes a pun on the name of one of its main dishes ( bak-mee). Ubud offers Balinese fare, Palembang Pampek Noodle is from Sumatra and there are two Rasas to choose from - Indo Rasa and Sedap Rasa.

The Greeks used to dominate Kingsford, and they came mostly en mass from the Mediterranean island of Castellorizo, as symbolised by the Castellorizian Club along the very winding and long Anzac Parade itself.  It is interesting to note that the UNSW has been graduating many international and domestic students of Asian  heritage for the past 50 or more years - and it is no surprise to know that over a fifth of Kingsford's residents claim Chinese ancestry, whilst those with Greek background now number less than 9 percent.  There are more residents in Kingsford of Asian origin than those with English roots or true blue Aussies.  The suburb, part of the Randwick Shire, is close to the Sydney Airport, otherwise known as Charles Kingsford Smith Airport.

Dong Dong Noodles (picture above) has been my fav easy and casual Hong Kong styled cafe, where for more than 15 years I get to gobble endless egg noodle strands mixed with a sweet yet savoury sauce and served with bits of char siew, duck cuts, roast pork with crispy skin or soy flavoured steamed or roast chicken.  Here, in a narrow spaced shop with seating in front and also at the back, customers, mostly youngsters, couples or family groups, enjoy soul food from southern China without fuss and with a relatively quiet sense of contention. There are condiments concocted from cut ginger, pounded garlic and vinegar, but rarely a chili can be seen, unless you specifically ask, and then it is just a chili sauce and not fresh cut chili strips.

Shihlin offers Taiwan street styled snacks, to resolve the need for a hunger pang at any time of the day or when you may not want a full serve meal.  Modelled like a fast food outlet, and named after the Shihlin markets in Taiwan, with earlier opened outlets in Indonesia, Subang Jaya in Malaysia and Somerset in Singapore, the business seems ethnocentric.

It has signature dishes like crispy floss egg crepe, sweet plum potato fries, seafood tempura and hand made oyster flavoured mee sua (thin noodles), reflecting the melting pot of influences from Japan, Fujian and native Taiwanese itself.   Its focused market is clear - the next branch in Australia is at One Central Park in the southern end of Sydney CBD where Chinatown meets Broadway. Even Simon Reeve of the BBC production on Australia today could not help to remark how Asian the streets of Sydney have become, although he did not get to see Kingsford.

Asian Food On the Run

A festive occasion, when glutinous rice, meat and /or savoury mushrooms are packed into tightly bound bamboo leaves and then steamed. The result (foreground above) - made only once a year - can be filling to the palate, but also eaten in rememberance and honour acknowledged to a
poet and statesman in feudal China. The latter was banished back to his provincial roots from the national capital when he protested against corruption. In desperation and protest, he threw himself into the raging waters of the river. His supporters jumped into a boat to try to rescue him, but this was in vain.Next they had to distract the fish from feeding on his body by then throwing in cooked rice. Hence, the traditions of the Dragon Boat races and the related steamed dumplings were born.

Simple but tasty - hawker fare on Penang Island (above image), with sauce stir fry egg noodles (left of picture), accompanied by a sambal-based condiment and a bowl of soup with tofu blocks and fish balls. Image credit to Roy Lim.

A light but attractive salad of lettuce and bean sprouts can be found in many Vietnamese inspired cafes and restaurants around the world (above). A traditional soup (below) accompanied by prawns found at Bau Troung in Canley Heights, in Sydney's south-west.

Cantonese-inspired steamedoysters on the shell, garnished by julieanne slicesof ginger and shallot. (below)

Chinatown Foods - Sydney

Sugar-cane juice, anytime welcome in the humid countries of South-east Asia and the Caribbean, offers a little presence in a tucked away food court between Sussex and Dixon Streets.

The ubiquitous Asian food outlet, with pictures, trolleys and more.

Glutinous rice dumplings steamed with wrapped bamboo leaves, a traditional must for the Dragon Boat Festival, celebrated by most communities in East Asia, in honour and memory of a wronged public official in China's past.

Simple but tasty snacks - the deep fried wantons from Southern Chinese roots.

Another cooked food stall that caught my eye and which I plan to try tasting at my next visit to Sydney's Chinatown.

A Sunday Night in Carlingford

A home setting - stirfried vegetables with mushrooms and more, typical food of Chinses immigrants around the world.

Susan and Boo Ann's delectable chili concoctions and combinations, to garnish the main dishes and tickle the palate.  That home grown chili is hot.

Crackling roast pork, suitable for snacks but best served with rice on a winter's night.

This particular serving has a special ingredient - we have to ask Boo Ann.

Hainan-inspired chicken flavoured rice.

Bean curd squares with minced pork - easy to digest and good for any age.

Chin's Love Song

Copyright Chin

Return to Pasteur's

It may look like a simple soup dish, but the pho noodles from an outlet of this Pasteur's chain speaks volumes in my heart. I first came across them upon moving into Sydney and recently was delightfully surprised to find this unique food offering still alive and available from the very first chain of modest shops making them. The world-wide Pasteur chain has a business history pre-Australia and is an illustration of the combination of French influence, Asian spices and Vietnamese creativity. You can find noodle soups in various forms in several countries, from the clear forms with dumplings to Japanese bean miso and chilli laden encounters in tom yam and prawn flavoured versions. The stock soup of the pho utilises the potent aromatic stewing of cinnamon and meat bones, filled in by chicken or beef slices and tempered by fresh bean sprouts, fiery chilli cuts, a twist of a lemon slice and the headiness of basil leaves. It is a product of the Vietnamese penchant for fresh produce and a solid brew.

The look and feel of the Pasteur shops in Sydney have not changed much despite the passing of the years. Even if they were the pioneers, they now face competition from many to cater for a large regular market. It is not just the pho which attracts this clientele - my other favs from the Pasteur days include the broken rice dishes, the crispy fried chicken served on a bed of tomato-flavoured rice, the paper thin rolls with the most sweet tasting refreshing vegetables and the sugar cane cuts with prawns. Why the name Pastuer? Louis would have been proud.

Back At Bankstown

My fav sauce-mixed noodles with seafood, bean sprouts, chilli cuts and a twist of lime juice

It's not Saigon nor Phnom Penh nor even in Asia.

The diverse variety of vegetables at the mall.

Niche entertainment that livens up what may be another ordinary Sydney suburb.

The several varieties of fruits on sale, most with a Northern Territory or Queensland growth origin.

Menu in a down-to-earth restaurant.

Self-explanatory!

Prepared food that emphasises on salads and vermicelli.

Light and Easy

Ever since I was introduced to tea-infused cuisine in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year (refer to my posting "Catching Up, Three and More"), I have been eagerly looking forward to lighter, less oily and still tasty meals served with a kick to the palate. I recall the long beans and chicken servings, with the light aromatic infusion of oolong tea, with the refreshing feeling leaving the Purple Cane Restaurant in the heart of Kualla Lumpur's Chinatown.

It has not been easy to do so in Australia, with the summery barbeque stuff on the grill, the southern Chinese courses that can leave a certain thirst in the middle of the night and the bacon and egg blends of breakfasts at cafes here.

Then I remembered the unique Chinese and Korean dishes prepared at Towon along a quiet side of Victoria Avenue in Chatswood, north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.   I had a recent opportunity to partake some dishes there, which offered a change from the stereotypes of udon, sizzling beef plates and kimchi.   Instead my group of seven persons, from Carlingford, Auckland and Wollongong, dived into peppered chicken and pork fillets, seafood-laced tofu and Sichuan flavoured king prawns that stood apart from the normal perception - and taste of Chinese cooking.  Even the northern Chinese roast duck with wraps was a world apart from Beijing duck - it was afforded a different lean and mean twist.

There were two menus available, labelled simply as Chinese or Korean. Towon is no tea-infused place. However, the good taste was not accompanied by a dose of unhealthy ingredients and flavourings. What was rich admittedly is the dessert range, from deep fried ice cream to toffee bananas.

Memories of The Moon

A Man walked on the surface of the moon more than forty years ago.

Mooncake making has been in the process for thousands of years in East Asia. Obviously various communities and nations across Earth have been fascinated by this satelite, ever appearing to light up the night sky and missed when there is heavy and thick cloud cover.

I cherish and relish the sight of the the full round moon, with warts and all, hanging so close above the horizon, like one year memorably over Eastwood in Sydney's north-west. The clarity of the sky was superseded by the sharpness of features of the still inhabitable Moon. Other planets may have several moons, but we have only one special one.

Another fond memory is that of the moon looking down on Earth over a sheep grazing farm in South Island, New Zealand - this was surrounded by a plethora of visible stars - and that over Koh Samui, with all the heaviness of the balmy equatorial air and the soothing lightness of the sounds of gentle waves in the Gulf of Thailand.

Lanterns at the Jurong Gardens in Singapore, red, pink and orange, were the highlights of a September or October evening after a hard earned day's work in Singapore. The lantern lights were reflected over the still and calm waters of a man made lake, remniscent of Suzhou in central China but really, this was on a tropical island in South-east Asia.

The increasing price of mooncakes and its affliate pastries in Sydney's Asian suburbs have been both a disturbing and fascinating reflection of the economics of products made only once a year. Mum tells me that the prices even back in my hometown of Penang have taken a steep rise this year.

The combination of sweet bean paste and emulsified egg yolks in mooncakes may not go down well with the office audience in the Illawarra, but I love the five nuts package, with bits of healthy crunchy stuff like breakfast cereal, except that they are then coated with other stuff. The spread of more challenging varieties like yam and durian are only the stuff of my dreams here but I did spot them in boxes in some shops in Sydney suburbs.

This year there was no moon to be seen on the fifteenth night of the eighth moon, only passing showers and an overcast sky. Not that the heavenly creation was not there.

I recall migrating to Australia just when the Mooncake festivities were getting on. This had made it harder to leave my hometown. many years later, the festivities symbolise a comfort zone and also of leaving behind to face a new dimension. It makes the festival even more special. I have not walked on the Moon, but I may have tried.

Chinatown Groceries

A Selection of Pick-Me Ups from Chinatown Grocery Shopping -
Top L to R:
Thai chicken seasoning mix; coconut cream and pho (rice noodle) soup stock;
Penang prawn mee condiments and dry noodle pack; sago dessert in Malacca palm sugar and pre-mix sauce for stir-frying pad thai (rice noodles Thai style).

Bottom: Seasoned sauce for steamed fish ala Hong Kong.

Three Worlds, All On a Sydney Saturday

The pavements overflowed with fresh produce - vegetables, fruits and concoctions that came from both Australia and South-east Asia. I could not figure out totally if the stall holders and customers were all Cambodian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Burmese or Thai - but one thing was for sure, there was a notable absence of Caucasians. The cooked dishes called out in an appetising manner, whether they were fish in marinade, roast duck or curries. There were grapes red and green, seedless or with seed; longans on their stalks, plucked from plants; and all types of meat cuts in the butcher shops. I sensed the strong buzz of commercial enterprise and personal dynamics of purpose in the place. I had accompanied Jen and Viv on a market adventure. This was Bankstown Mall on a sunny May evening, the autumn air crisp and the aroma of flavours floating in the air.

The mocha had the delightful quality of Colefax chocolate. Five of us were lounging around a low table sipping in the hot beverages and taking a break from the everyday.
A Saturday morning, and the hustle and bustle of an Italian village lifestyle carried on outside, with happy children in the company of busy parents, couples lining up for pastries and cakes and the odd outsider visitors checking out the shelves of Zanetti or Lamonica. I could not resist getting my fav bread rolls in the bakery along Dalhousie Street, eyeing the currant studded buns with caramelised tops.
My group of friends relished in the lunch at Napoli en Bocca, which waiter Freancesco described a s "A Taste of Naples in the Mouth". I was impressed with the calamari ripieni, a delightful package of wrapped seafood in a stimulating sauce. Needless to say, it was good to see Alessandro again at the homely cake shop of A & P Sulfaro. This was Haberfield on the start of a weekend, with the proverbial blue skies and everything nice.

It was early night, and I tucked in the bonito curry, served with tangy tomato cuts and spicy reminders from the Indian Ocean. The lobak pieces melted in my mouth and instantly brought me back to memories of Penang coffee shops and home cooking. Lobak are compact parcels of tender juicy pork cuts marinated with five spice powder, amongst other things, and mixed with crunchy vegetables and other stuff, all cut finely and wrapped by bean curd skins, before they are deep fried in a wok. Then there was soy sauced chicken with hints of pepper. All thanks to the home cooking of Joyce and Aunty Rosie. I finished up with Italian biscotti and Charmaine's dark chocolate cake with sensations of nutty flavours. There was familiarity of chatter and conversation. There was banter with familiar people and friends. Ashleigh and Caitlin danced to the Wiggles on screen. This was Baulkham Hills at night, with the nippy air biting outside and flashes of lightning in the far distance.

Chinatown Delights, Sydney

A walking tour of any niche cultural district, in any city around the world, is always worth the effort. Forget about structure; sink into the atmosphere brought from places far away and so different from the mainstream; and get absorbed into a pace removed from our otherwise everyday lives.

So-called Chinatowns outside China offer perspectives that may surprise the eye and delight the heart – and we are not just talking of yum cha. Sydney is no exception, although the conglomeration of Chinatown businesses, malls and streets can blend seamlessly into the other major precincts of the central business district. The term Chinatown can be a misnomer, as it can contain things that are not Chinese in origin, but which are brought by already immigrant Chinese from other countries and cultures. The variety of spicy Thai soups, Vietnamese spring rolls, Indonesian salads and Malaysian curries in Sydney’s Chinatown is a good example. More illustrative is the South Indian murtabak available from a Chinese-owned outlet along Goulburn Street – the dish is a lamb or chicken laden rich pancake, originated by Indian Muslims (Mamak) and widely popular in Malaysia and Singapore.

One expects an Oriental theme in the architecture and signage of retail outlets, and this is amply provided when strolling through the Dixon Street Mall. What caught my eye is the prevalence of al fresco styled dining (or lunching) as if one were in Europe.

Off side, towards Harbour Street, I came across a vista of contrasts, with colonial facades on one side and the inevitable red lanterns on the other. Uighur, Korean and Japanese outlets have sprouted on this side of Chinatown as well. In the adjoining Darling Harbour, the Cantonese Gardens (reputedly the largest outside China itself) have matured and host so-called Western fashioned wedding ceremonies and visitors looking for a place of calm in the city. Paddys Market, operating for four business days a week, has a collection of stalls run by as many ethnic groups as the varied population of Sydney itself. The Capitol Theatre is offering a hit stage show from the UK, Billy Elliot, but finds itself surrounded by Hong Kong styled barbecue meat shops, computer retail stalls and over packed grocery shops.

Backpackers still find value in the relatively low cost of Chinatown meals at food courts. So do students from the University of Technology which has its main campus between Glebe and Chinatown. I was introduced by a good friend to a modest Thai café at the junction of Wentworth and Elizabeth Streets (maybe a stretch to still consider it as part of Chinatown). The food ordering and delivery is quick paced with no fuss, and the dishes served have a kick to the palate of those familiar with South-east Asian food. Meanwhile, the big Hong Kong styled restaurants still offer the more expensive menus at dinnertime. The Reading Cinema at Market City offers Mandarin and Cantonese language movies as if you were residing in Singapore, Shanghai or Macau. Freshly baked buns and drinks mixed with milk and fruits seem to dominate the snacks on offer.

When night falls over the gates of Dixon Street Mall, one may hear the clatter of mahjong tiles on gaming tables, the humdrum of muffled karaoke sounds from indoor and closed rooms and perhaps other multifarious deals beyond our imagination. Are the people lurking around tourists, immigrants, visitors from Sydney outer suburbs or long time residents? Who knows, who cares? I just enjoy feeling the pulse of making a living, making a business and making a life in this corner of Sydney.

New Supply Chains

Five years ago, the Wollongong area's concept of Asian food and ingredients was seen to be caught in a time warp, with anything labelled short and long soups, sweet and sour or satay sauced expounded as the representatives of something Oriental. East Asian or South-east Asian parents of overseas graduands at the nearby University did not stay around after the ceremonies to partake in Wollongong cuisine - they rushed off north to Hurstville, Cabramatta or Sydney's Chinatown, to have their seven to ten dishes in celebratory banquets, which may reflect their unfounded fears of non-Asian food or just reinforces their gusto for food from back home.

The so-called Chinatown Street in Wollongong Central - Keira Street - has several outlets of Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai and Malay origin - but they do supplement these offerings with a sampling of southern Chinese dishes. Asian food is accepted in Wollongong as noodles, peanut butter laden sauces and small mouth bite pieces of meat or vegetables marinated with lemon grass and chilli pastes. Some go brave and provide upmarket surroundings in furniture and decor. Some practical places charge at reasonable prices but can review their food taste strategies. Attempts at yum cha resulted in a limited variety of choice. It can be confusing to other Australians - but it only takes to realise that many South-east Asian dishes are prepared by ethnic Chinese.

In the past 12 months, there has been a change of scene and slight improvement in offerings of Asian cuisine. I can now get duck cuts with egg noodles in a refreshingly hot soup in Corrimal. Chinese-styled barbeque meats (whether in chicken, pork or duck) are now seen hanging in a small shop window along Keira Street. The night strip along Corrimal Street in downtown Wollongong also has a new Chinese restaurant to compete with the Spanish, Greek and Italian fare. With all the fresh produce from the ocean and farms in the Illawarra and South Coast regions, I long for an Asian restaurant to come up with a refreshing cuisine utilising such local produce and inspiration.

The Immigrant Shop

It was what long time residents would call an “immigrant shop”. For most of this shop's customers, it is a slice of home, a reassuring place of what they knew from childhood and where they can be fully themselves. It was also a sort of McDonalds for them, where you know you can get what you want. This happened to be a Hong Kong-styled eatery I was in that day.

The owners had to encourage business to compete with similar outlets surrounding them. The staff tried to greet every person who stepped inside, past the plastic sheaves vertically hanging down at the entrance, placed perhaps to discourage insects. It was obvious this was originally a butchery business now expanding to sell food.

So on a typical day at what would be lunchtime, there are steaming bowls of egg noodles in soup graced with roast chicken or duck. The so-called fellow countrymen and women knew what to order – hot pots with chicken and mushrooms – without having to refer to numbers. The mainstream society customers, who did not know the language and food of the owners, had to ask for descriptives, and quote numbers from photo panels on the wall.

Yes, business was growing, but the operators were slow in coming out with the meals required. They did not distinguish between take-aways and sit-in food orders. Who can wait longer when there was pressure on the cook, heard but not seen, audibly busy with his wok in the kitchen somewnere behind another door and beyond the view of the customers. There was an obvious boss moving around, but he too looked overwhelmed, although happy with the number of people who had ordered food.

An elderly lady was struggling with the size of the serving in front of her. She had just returned from Hong Kong the day before, and maybe just a bit shocked at the huge amount of food served in this fortunate land. On another table, a mother and her grown up son were quietly enjoying their food. She looked tough and aggressive while her son seemed too gentle and demure – what a contrast! There were grandparents who brought their grandchildren, the former conversing in the mother tongue, while the latter were twirling their tongues in Australian English.

The impatience of customers who had waited more than the customary ten minutes began to show. Fidgeting, eyes staring into the counter or the ceiling. A teenager walked in with his Maltese on hand. Young mothers brought bags of shopping with them and waited for their take-aways. An ambulance service woman could not contain her impatience anymore whe, after ordering, she had to wait for an inordinate length of time just to get fried rice. She burst out in English to the staff member at the counter, “how long is it going to take further, I have a job to go to”. Unfortunately this staff member did not understand English. Now why have someone, who did not understand the mainstream language, serve at the front line? Ah, she does actually know the language of most of her customers, originally from Hong Kong and other parts of Asia.

There are boxes stacked up even beside customers’ tables. There is no emphasis on aesthetics, only the logistics to bring in the money. It’s interesting how yuppie restaurants go to the other extreme, with ambience and designer environs, while Hong Kong restaurants tend to be rough and ready. It’s okay as long as the food tastes good and is value for the money paid. There’s no point to have paintings to observe while swallowing unpalatable food.

Two young men in white overalls carry the cleaned carcass of a pig past the customers’ tables. Their long truck is parked outside. So the Hong Kong shop turns such raw stuff into delicacies such as roast duck, smoked flat chicken and barbequed pork. From the inside, one could hear two men making a bit of a riot in trying to sell boxes of bananas at wholesale prices on the pavement.

A little bit of Hong Kong thrives in a Sydney suburb. Hong Kong may have changed through the years, but this shop shall most likely carry on traditions and practices that may already be discarded in Hong Kong itself.