Bankstown Bazaar - Sydney

The hype about Bankstown has been exotic, with a market atmosphere and a possible mystery.  At the grassroots, these are ordinary battlers and some resourceful business people who make a living based on turnover, logistics and crowds.  Maybe not unlike from where they and their families came from. Perhaps not different from financial traders, who move their wares and transactions by bytes and bytes, instead of having to heave them physically - but all have to constantly watch the flow, trends and movements.

A stroll through the markets at Chapel Street can open our eyes and minds to the culinary delights on offer in this bustling suburb.  This time around, I shall focus on the small things that can bring a smile to our face or a sensational feel to our palate.  I begin with the most plain and freshly produced snack - the prawn and veg roll or the goi cuon (image above), tightly wrapped, not deeply fried but eaten as a rather healthy bite. Shredded carrots, basil leaves and lettuce provide the crunchiness. Vermicelli thins fill up the rice paper wrap.  Coriander and mint offer their aromatic advantage.  Trimmed bean sprouts and roasted peanut pieces are optional.  Chili-based and peanut dipping sauces are a must.

I am told that the pomelo, which is the largest citrus fruit, can also be found in Israel, Australia and California, despite its usual associations with South-east Asia and southern Asia.  It has a unique and attractive coral-pink flesh once you pull away its outer green and protective layer.  The pomelo goes well with salads, chicken and lime dishes.  It is grown ideally in tropical climes and is compared most times with the grapefruit, although I prefer the pomelo for its better taste.  The fruit can become yellow as it ripens (picture above).  In the Malaysian peninsular, the fruit is linked with the town of Tambun and fondly used by the Chinese population there for the Mooncake Festival.

Both savoury and sweet at the same time, the "sweetheart" or "wife cake" (photo above) is a staple of many Asian-run bakeries all around the world.  It is Cantonese in origin.  The sweetness comes from the inclusion of candy mashed winter melon, mixed with glutinous rice powder and white sesame seeds. The savoury comes from pork lard shortening,  almond paste and five spice powder.  In contrast, there is also a "husband cake" which primarily utilises mashed star anise as filling.

You can also find a preponderance of steamed rice flour cakes in Bankstown. The versions I found here are the Banh Bo, chewy bites that surprisingly were not overly sweet.

 

I was not too impressed with the layered jelly bites shown above - the coconut was mild but the jelly was under whelming.  I preferred the ingredients below, gathered to help make a salad with smoked salmon - these include the flesh of the pomelo, cuts of Italian tomatoes and bean sprouts.

To wind up the walk about in Bankstown, I love getting some chicken flavoured biscuits (below) that has a peppery and sesame seed tinge about them. Known to the Cantonese community as kai chai paeng, there are hard and soft versions. Do note that there is no chicken ingredient in these biscuits.

They can be addictive. Enough said!

 

Duck With Vermicelli Soup

Dong Ba, at 296 Chapel Road South in the suburb of Bankstown in the greater Sydney region, is an unassuming, down to earth cafe that reminds one of the hustle and bustle of old Saigon, but easily accessible when you are in the so-called Indo-Chinese quarter of Australia's largest metropolitan area. From Wollongong, it is a leisurely 45 minute drive and signals the start of what I refer to as the Asian foodie arc, that extends past Campsie, Marrickville and Eastwood.

The place is popular with on-the-run diners with thoughts on grocery shopping, but needing relief with a bowl of hot piping food, especially noodles in soup or served mixed dry. I had to try their duck breast cuts (above), which are served separately with garnishings of finely cut lettuce, onions, roasted peanuts and garlic oil relish - and you have the option of pouring them all on to the rich broth (below) or not. The broth hides delicately cooked fine white mung bean vermicelli, the texture of which goes well with the duck on the skin.

I had all the available servings swirlings on to the broth (above) and then contemplated adding the sauces below - left to right, freshly prepared Viet styled chili paste and Chinese hoi sin sauce. Downed with complimentary standard jasmine, we were charged at ten dollars per person. I found the meal refreshing, not heavy for lunch time and savouring the herbal aromas of the garnishings on top of a rather satisfying stock for the soup. The duck provided was not fatty but just right.

Click on the following link for more fascinating duck themed culinary experiences, including those at

PM 24, 24 Russell Street, Melbourne; Miss Chu's, both at 150 Bourke St Darlinghurst, Sydney and 297 Exhibition St, Melbourne; Harvest, 1 Harvest Road, North Fremantle, WA; and The Flower Drum, 17 Market Lane, Melbourne.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/executive-lifestyle/gallery-e6frg8jo-1226036088489?page=1

Back at Bankstown Too

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.

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.