My Fav Home Cooked Dishes

 I gradually and unsuspectingly fell in love with home cooking...

and appreciate  more of the ingredients and local produce here.

My fav dishes whipped up are, in no particular order:

1.  Linguine in pesto sauce with prawns.

2.  Fish curry Straits Chinese style.

3.   Stir fried rice vermecilli with lamb slices.

4.   Rissoto with seafood marinara.

5.    Sourdough toast with smashed avacado, marmalade preserve.

6.   Yoghurt or gelato or ice cream with a variety of nuts, blueberries.

7.    Roast pork belly with crackle, the meat marinated with Chinese five spice powder.

8.    Salads in season with dressing.

9.    Herbal Chinese soup with goji berries, chicken on the bone, red dates...

10.  Penang creamy chicken curry.

#yongkevthoughts

And When Being Back in Penang

  

The land jutting out in the city centre comes to view with a hundred details.

 There is a mixture of architectural styles. What I like most of all are the Victorian styled terrace shophouses, with louvred windows, strong supporting columns, the covered five foot ways and the coloured tiles of the roofs.

Welcome back to George Town, and you can most likely see it first from the air as your air craft is landing.   

Sited on the north-eastern corner of an island smaller than Singapore, with a geographical feature of an island shaped like a tortoise and named after the areca nut palm.   The settlement has had humbled beginnings, with this cape partly cleared of the jungle by the cannon shooting of coins to help accelerate clearing of the jungle.  

The conurbation that developed is a testament to the days of monsoon winds powering sails, of adventurers from another side of the Earth and of trading and the search for spices driving schemes, financial power and politics across various cultures.

George Town, on Penang Island, thrived on the exchange of goods and produce that were sourced nearby or in exchange as an entrepôt facilitation between China, the South-east Asian isles, India, the Middle East and Europe.   The original engine of growth can be seen in the dry goods provisions, porcelain displays and crafts stocked in shops and markets full of character located in what UNESCO has deemed to be a world heritage quarter.

The streets laid out by Captain Francis Light and his able administrators are still there, luring backpackers, youthful tourists and well heeled groups cycling or walking on them or seated on pedalled rickshaws.  The walls of buildings tell a thousand stories, many of them faded and jaded, but there are also others well maintained with fresh paint or with street murals.

There can be several things to do during a short stay, but having a foodie trail seems to dominate.  Penangites are dominantly Hokkien, with food, cultural practices and traditions from the southern Chinese province of Fujian.  They, along with others from a China in dynastic turmoil, migrated since the 1800s for opportunity and risk to make a better life.

The street food from these Hokkiens include Lobak meat and veg rolls, oyster omelettes or Orh Chien, Char Koay Teow, Char Kueh Kak ( savoury radish cake) and prawn stock flavoured noodles ( Penang Hokkien Mee).  Add the Cantonese migrants who brought along their roast meat styles, Chow Hor Fun ( stir fried broad rice noodles oozing with wok heat), yum cha dumplings and claypot rice with Lap Cheong cured sausages.

People snack several times from food courts and street stalls a day and night here, but the servings are small, varied and so appetising anyone easily joins into this regime.  

Penang had fusion a long time ago.  The hybrid between East and West can be observed in the way of dress, eating habits, creative dishes and social attitudes.   The ability to obtain ingredients from various parts of the world is emphasised in what they have as day to day food.  You can have American styled burgers, Japanese ramen, South Indian banana leaf rice, English fish and chips, Italian pasta and pizza, Aussie beer, Tandoori chicken, German frankfurters, Chinese hotpot, Thai stir fries, Eurasian Sugee cakes, Straits Chinese delicacies, Vietnamese spring rolls, Malay Rendang and bacon on toast without any problems at all - and the only advice is to avoid the midday sun.

The island is essentially compact, with most of her population packed on to its eastern side.  To her west, quality durians have been cultivated on hilly slopes that look out to where the Andaman Sea meets the Straits of Malacca.

Penang's northern shores host a winding and mostly narrow road that stretches from Tanjung Tokong ( Temple Cape) to Teluk Bahang ( Bay of Heat).   Residences cling on to hill sides and intersperse with contemporary architecture hotels and resorts.

Food stalls, souvenir outlets and night clubs congregate at Batu Ferringhi ( Rock of Foreigners) that heralded the hype beach scene in South East Asia from the 1970s.

In the middle of this Pearl of the Orient stand out two landmarks that have withstood the test of time.  The Kek Lok Si ( Temple of Ultimate Happiness) exemplifies the best of Buddhist architecture with Thai, Burmese and Chinese influences - and has a giant statute of the Goddess of Mercy Guan Yin.  The beautifully lit up KLS can be best experienced during the 15 days and nights of the Chinese New Year festival.

Penang Hill began earnest existence as a British colonial hill station, replete with bungalows that were built from around a hundred and more years ago.   The views of Penang Island and the surrounding mainland of the Malayan Peninsular are inspiring anytime,  but more so at sunrise and sunset.

What are the downsides of contemporary Penang? 

The lack of public transport infrastructure is so obvious to residents or visitors alike.
The population has increased several fold but many of the roads remain as narrow and unchanged as when I grew up there.   Vehicle numbers have spiked beyond the ability of current roads to cater to them.

With two landmark Penang Bridges connecting the rest of the peninsular Malaysia to this small island,  long weekends and festive periods result in congestion, crowding and chagrin for the island's residents.  Traffic jams have caused a normally 30 minute car ride to Penang's Airport from the UNESCO Heritage Quarter of George Town into an uncertain delay and stress for many airline passengers.

High rise residential reality of the 2020s signals a change from single storey accommodation of the mid 20th century.
The cooks who are behind Penang's well known and unique street food are no longer the Chinese, Malays and Indians but these days can be from Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.  French or Italian culinary are so protective of their strict traditions, but are Penangites equally so?

What business or industrial sector will make Penang's future?  The making of chips once made Penang famous as "Silicon Island" throughout the IT world.

Tourism revenues continue at its pace, with more investment in new hotels in the past few years.  Is medical tourism still growing, with costs cheaper than Singapore but more expensive than Thailand?

In the socio-political landscape of the Federation of Malaysia, Penang is one of the few hubs with a Chinese demographic (others can be the Klang Valley in Selangor, Ipoh and Taiping in Perak, Kuching and Sibu in Sarawak and the Johor Baru region next to Singapore).
How can present Penangites and their diaspora living overseas do effectively to better Penang's future in economic 
growth in a diverse society?

The big question remains, what can Penang do to differentiate herself from her competitors?

#yongkevthoughts

Street Food Revisited

 Street food, with whatever label you call it, is the core of cultural dynamics you encounter in any society.  They are what is daily eaten and drunk by the populace, mostly without any pretension or hype, tending to true sentiments of a lifestyle not tainted by high margins, expensive rents and temporary fads. 

Inflation has spiked - and street food preparation, labour supply, venue rentals and pricing have all been shaken to the core.  Even the record, of rather stabilised prices of hawker food in the sanitised food courts of the Republic of Singapore, has been affected.  Access to ethnically diverse food in major cities of Australia and New Zealand have put us pause in our tracks with smaller sized servings and price hikes averaging 25 per cent. 

Culinary history follows the path of socio-economic evolution in the community.  Increased mobility, facilitated by better technology and higher standards of living, encourages experimentation, cross cultural influences and changing demands from the dining consumer.

No one society increasingly can claim to be the 

exclusive owner of a specific dish.

Even the setting for us to partake street food has been changing.

Smashed is the stereotype of eating street food with us exposed to the elements, risking a dodgy level of hygiene and soaking in an exotic atmosphere.  Most of us do not have to go through the Khao San Road Bangkok vibes or sit on those ridiculous low rise stools in Saigon.

We can eat our street food in air conditioned comfort in Shanghai, London or Vancouver. 

Still there can be nothing like trying hawker food in the perceived chaos beside a busy street in Havana, Kinhasa or Napoli.  We keep our wits sharp and senses stimulated downing our coffee, watching out for much talked about bag snatchers and making sure we have not been ripped off looking as obvious tourists. 

There is nothing like having ramen seated along a rather narrow counter with salarymen, punk haired youngsters and elderly pensioners in Tokyo.  Many recommended street food outlets are literally off the street, most likely locating their exact spot only after successfully navigating the rabbit warren of lanes and cubicles. 

Street food is more freshly prepared, massages our nostrils better and does taste better when we sit not far from the cook.  The roti, teh tarik and curry has more flavour when we see them created right in front of us.  Whether it is in Marrakesh, Delhi or Kuala Lumpur, the syncophany* of the street level can be incomparable. 

On an expensive cruise ship buffet, private tour or self managed adventurous track, the basic principles of choosing and consuming street food can be simple.  Avoid raw food or cooked ones which has been sitting out exposed to sunlight, pollution and dodgy handling.  What can be handled by local stomachs does not mean they also suit us.  Try to take small portions for variety.  The ingredients used in Melbourne can be much better than those utilised in other cities. 

Authentic street food is not naturally accompanied by wine, no matter what Michelin and Tatler may pronounce.  The best modus operandi when in a produce market or local eatery is to first observe, apply choices seen to your gut inkling and speak to any friendly diners. 

Partaking of street food is basically one of snacking.  Several times we realise there is no place to sit down, takeaway packaging is flimsy and we have to use our hands to best relish such food.   When touring, we may not have the numbers, financial or diners, to order every thing we want.  Pocket tissues are handy, especially popular in east and south east Asia. 

There are distinctive, delightful and unique street food servings in every nation. East Canadian Poutine, Portuguese preserved cod, dried camel meat, indigenious Australian bush tomatoes or South African Biltong come to mind - life is to be lived fully, try everything untasted of yet before at least once. 

Authentic street food around the world usually requires payment in cash -  this implies crumpled notes and a heavy load of coins.  No tipping is obviously called for in such places.  You have no chance to tap your smart phone or plastic credit card - and you do not want to anyway. 

One who goes for street food anywhere also enters a world unseen from a hotel restaurant, allows you to better understand the people and it opens doors to other perspectives. 

Language can be yet a challenging but delightful interim barrier, but hey, most societies do use English, perhaps not in selected communities and even migrant enclaves in Western cities.  Some street food stall holders can cling on to conservative attitudes of not wanting them or their food to be photographed. 

Street food reproduced by migrants in their settled countries can taste different from their nations of origin.  Usually they cost more than the same dishes in their hometowns. Street food can however remain precious to immigrants, part of the pyschological comfort required when they find themselves far removed from family and the hometown. 

Street food reproduced at airports do cost more and taste less.  Several Asian airlines include their iconic street food dishes as part of the on board menu.  

For me, one of the most memorable experiences of street food was discovering Teochew styled roast goose at a popular one-person stall in the thick and thin of the morning markets at Shantou on the southern coast of Guangdong Province.   The cooked meat hung seductively, language used was Mandarin for which I am not well versed with and the serving area kept rather clean.  Using hand signals and eye contact, the seller and I developed an optimal exchange.  The latter had a good demeanour, even if he was real busy and I enjoyed a social exchange away from the plasticised environment of street food outlets elsewhere.  Every bite of the yummy roast goose was savoured with gratefulness. 

#yongkevthoughts

Why, How and What Not

 Why is is that Yum Cha is never served like on a sushi train, with diners sitting around a carousel and picking up the moving  tapa sized plates?

Why are not more different culinary dishes served in small snack sizes late at night to accompany laughter, the party mood and small shots of alcohol after midnight?

Why are not more non Japanese restaurants using the useful Bento boxes to showcase samples of their food?

Why are serves of food still sticking to rather large bowls or plates - and diners wanting small serves are not catered for?

Why does the asking price for simple street food dramatically rise in price with the addition of a piece of seafood?

Why do we appreciate knowing the source and origin of ingredients used in our restaurant serves?

Do we welcome complimentary serves of appetisers like Korean Banchan - or hot piping soups and free fruit platters at the start and end of Cantonese banquets?

Must hot curries be accompanied by cooling yoghurts or pickled vegetable slices?

Must fries accompany battered or deep fried seafood?

Is sitting around a simmering hot pot or grill adding to the sharing of eaten food?

Why are dumplings found across Russia, Austria, Poland, Italy, China, Korea, Mongolia and south-east Asia?

Why do Thais traditionally use forks and spoons instead of chopsticks?

The Middle East, Mexico, Ethopia, Indian subcontinent and south east Asia encourage the use of hands to help down food at meals.

Why are Italian pasta hardly used in Chinese cooking - and Chinese noodles not used in Mediterranean cooking?

Why are diners forced to agree to 90 minute sessions of meals, hurried up especially in crowded suburban and city locations?

Why is the cooking fire and heat preserved endlessly through so many years in several traditional restaurants?

Why do most restaurant operators not own their venues?

Most eating places in Australia no longer open for the whole day.

Why is it mostly so difficult to find reasonably good eats near transport hubs?

#yongkevthoughts

The Marigold Revisited - Haymarket NSW

Horizon Restaurant, Cabra-Vale Diggers NSW

Katoomba Revisited

The Blue Mountains in New South Wales, over a two hours drive one way west inland from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, has been a consistent tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors.  Its main hub, Katoomba, seem to have its buildings frozen in time, especially in the town centre.

I understand this clever native fauna comes to have fast food as lunch almost every day along Katoomba Street.

It is interesting to come across Malaysian street food in Katoomba.  Above is a serve of the Nasi Lemak, with coconut milk flavoured steamed rice, accompanied by yummy Rendang chicken curry, peanuts and other garnishings.  You can have your feed at the Unique Patisserie, formerly owned by Chinese from Malaysia but now run by a Vietnamese couple, Mr and Mrs Phan.   Do try their Bak Kut Teh but avoid their Char Koay Teow.  On the day of our visit, their Tamarind Laksa was over sourish and the pastry of their pies not encouraging on the bite.   

There was a crowd waiting in front of this cafe restaurant, which cleverly has only eight items on its hybrid menu which includes Chinese slider Baos, Bali fried rice and other offerings like a scene from a backpacker and hipster's shared memories.

 Over the railway bridge, Katoomba harks back to another era in its feel, architecture and size.   Not far away are the Three Sisters at Echo Point and the iconic view of primeval cliffs that epitomise our perception of the Blue Mountains in their natural glory.

We Will Carry On

 

How many club memberships, living in Australia, have you chalked up over the years?  I am not referring to exclusive country or city clubs where you network with the rich, politically connected and inner sanctum of useful contacts.   The prevalence of these other clubs I am talking about here, across the many suburbs of this Great Land, often depend on turnover, a huge but cheap membership base, gaming machines, a bistro of varying quality and some measure of community activities.

Increasingly significant is the local barista.  Over many years, so many blends of coffee beans have come out of Australia, establishing Aussie brands in this space with a strong reputation beyond its shores.  The routine of having brunch or breakky has contributed to the new styled cafes mushrooming with new fangled food recipes accompanying the beverage.  Tea has nevertheless not lost its embedded loyalty, together with other penchants for avocado smash, sourdough toasts, Granola mixes and sauteed mushrooms.

Beer craft and wine appreciation communions now express themselves in watering holes not just in the cities, but also in populated regional hubs.  The accompanying pizzas,  burgers and randomly performing local musician adds extra zest and layers of attraction to visit such venues.  The traditional Aussie pub though still stands tall, but can face challenges without the tribes gathering pre and post footy games, the family gathering for a wholesome Aussie roast and its truly vital role in the fabric of its local community.

And then in capital cities, Asian run bistros seem to be a  contemporary cornerstone of those RSLs and comparable clubs.  Vietnamese and Chinese operators provide alternative menus to pasta, Wellingtons, schnitzels and salads.

Migrant food has also been hipsterised and hybridised with fusion offerings, contemporary presentations and more use of alternative ingredients.  Outlets offering  such experiences are evolving a unique trend in the development of what foreigners increasingly acknowledge as uniquely Australian.  Drop by a new styled bakery run by Koreans, French and Japanese  here - while we still have access to traditional stuff from the Italians, Lebanese and our grandmother's Aussie cookbooks.

The roadhouse is so important for many remote communities, truckers and tourists out in the Woop-Woop.  It is a petrol station, sandwich bar, souvenir shop, grocery outlet, cafe, toilet stop, rest area and contact point for many both enduring and enjoying the vast, seemingly empty land that is Australia.

Our borders with other countries has been closed for so many months, but we still enjoy the Long Drive within our own state or when varying governments permit, across to other states on this continental island.  Straight roads for many kilometres delightfully surprise our visitors - and also coastal scenic drives, sojourns across farmlands, adventures across deserts or Alpine country.   What most of us agree upon is to avoid traffic jammed scenarios in our capital cities during the so called rush hour - or the increasing high tolls on roads labelled as Connex.

The water source, whether it is a constructed indoor or outdoor pool in suburban hubs, lake or a rock pool along one of our countless beaches, beckons many and perpetuates the influence of water in the life of many Aussies.

Most Aussies still reside within 100 km of its magnificient coasts. Swimming and surfing are anchor sports, whether competitive, recreational or
for exercise, in the fabric of this Great Southern Land.   Not many activities are as physically wholesome, mentally refreshing and rewarding as interacting with water.

Expressing one's self, taking part in public protests and telling a yarn also run through the veins of Aussie history.   At times, the giving of opinions, as overly encouraged by social media channels, politics and so called democratic freedoms, can lead to no action and just talk. The contemporary disease of mixing of facts with diverse views, manipulation of selective truth and aggressive marketing agendas by strong vested interests, has however thrown more than a spanner in this unrelenting confusing cauldron.

The unique spirit of being a larrakin still is very much alive in the Australian character.   However, this can be challenged by some aspects of a rising trend of political correctness which can at times lose this essential quality of humour and humaneness in negotiations, dealings  and various transactions of society.

Australia has always thought itself as the Land of the Fair Go.   Building upon layers of viable cultures, philosophies and traditions, we and our society have special routines, daily regimes and refreshing attitudes, when we zoom in on the beneficial and positive ones.  In the course of a day, each of us can find opportunity to have that healthy breakky, soak in a rewarding outdoor activity, press on with that work challenge, catch up with mates and try that unusual dish down the road.

#yongkevthoughts

What's For Lunch?

 

A Sort of Christmas Message

CHRISTMAS 2019

My long time gardener, Glenn, has moved on to different pursuits.   I have cut down the stocks at my home food pantry  - in fact, I even managed to change my 

day-to-day nutrition, on a consistent basis, for some time now.    There seems to be more choice in contemporary society, but it has not meant a rise in in the quality of what has been offered.   The fish in my home tank are weary hardy, continuing to do their swims, both horizontal wise and vertically, providing me, still, with some measure of inspiration.

The 90 minute long commute by train to the Sydney Basin gets increasingly crowded.  Some commuters selfishly continue to prevent others from sitting next to them on three seat rows.  Those who deserve seats for a rather long commute have to stand or ask the more able to move over.   Occasionally, there are signs of human civility in public but ethical standards are lowering or people are not talking at all to each other but staring at their portable screens.

Such train rides are useful real life laboratories that showcase the best or worst of human behaviour.

I still drop by to visit specific neighbours once a week, maintaining our friendship face to face.   Mates observe that there is more gusto in my step.   There have been scandals and minor dramas in my resident village, but such is the vibe of human habitation.    Yet there is so easy communication with the world beyond my village.

Once again, I came across iced landscapes, hazy skies and little rainfall.   Bondi,Watsons Bayand North Sydney returned to my life with getaways and chill outs with good mates.   I loved walking at twilight at these places, feeling the outdoors, appreciating the changing ambiance and enjoying the company.

The persistent ageing of infrastructure in my adopted city was punctuated by the opening of a gleaming new metro line not far from my previous suburb, but it can still be disheartening to have to put up with the quality of the rest of public facilities.     Public toilets are not kept clean, a shame that Australian attitudes bear when compared to what we find in Japan, Singapore and China.  What a visitor first sees – the airport, main rail stations and roadsides with litter for example - can be embedded in their impressions no matter what the related excuse is.   

Eating out has cost more this past year, no matter what the inflation statistics issued by Canberra tell me.   What was originally street food is now charged by some at exorbitant prices. There are more barista styled cafes in the Illawarra  - does that mean there are more coffee drinkers?   

Restaurants that are not top class can still put up minimum spend requirements on customers. Specific eating outlets, churning out food that are not particularly inspiring, can still impose limits on the length of time you occupy a table, as the owners insist on having three revenue sessions per evening.   Yum charestaurant cashiers can unashamedly ask for tips when you pay the bill.   Wait staff can carry fancy laptops to take your order but may not be sufficiently well trained when interacting with customers.   The personal space between meal tables can get too close when operators pay expensive rents.   China town in Haymarket is dominated by other demographics and cuisine  - no longer Cantonese.    The food business is still pockmarked by underpayment to staff, lots of hype and high rental costs.

Commercial food in parts of the Sydney Basin became more East Asian, highlighted by such exotics like Mala Tang(spicy numbing soups) and more outlets of bubble tea and Taiwan dessert.    I seem to consume more east Asian, Greek and Italian culinary instead of my intended favourites of Spanish,  Sri Lankan and Serbian.     Oh yes, there were several occasions of savouring those Portuguese custard tarts and sashimi.

Hong Kong Palace, first Cantonese restaurant of some standard in my region closed down after several months.   There have been recent closures of my other fav restaurants  - Botolliin Burwood, Cornersmithin Marrickville, Sha Keein Woollaware, Costa Azzurain Fairy Meadow.     Yet at the same time, I rediscovered the inherent joys of crafted cheese in Sydney’s Shire, fusion at BillsBondi, contemporary styled Korean bakeries in Eastwood and home cooking.

Has the outside world become more risky and dangerous?   Every generation of Earth time has faced its peculiar set of scenarios.  Mankind may have been good at bettering technology, but has to improve in acting beyond both individual and collective selfish egos and narrow mindsets.   Every news event can be boiled down to this inherent cause.    We are not unique, we are just an animal species that got real lucky in competition with other life forms.  

The balance of power amongst nations has shifted.  Managing this optimally requires visionary leadership, sufficient time and new ideas.   Perhaps the more things change, the more remains the same.   May I wish you and family the best of this festive season.

Kindly Yours,

Kevin Yong 

Da Orlando Italian, Wollongong NSW

The owner's name is Orlando.  The restaurant has a family like setting in a light industrial area along an extended Keira Street just maybe ten to 15 minutes stroll south of Wollongong City Centre and its main rail station.  Nearby are Delaney's , an institution of a cake shop for the region, a BP station and Europa, a reliable supplier of eastern European groceries that I use.


Is the cooking style from Rome?    The popular item is freshly fired pizza, with toppings from Margarita to veg to meat, attracting many take aways and delivery runs.  One can see the wood fired stove immediately in front of the entrance.  The venue provides some outdoor seating, but the internal tables are often packed at every meal time.  Da Orlando is open every day now, after a few years of operations.  Vehicle parking is street side, with the restaurant a hub of lit buzz on evenings when the neighbours only open for the day, due to the inherent nature of their businesses.

It is a pleasure to see another culinary outlet do well in a region with not more than perhaps 300,000 people, an area south of Sydney that attracts residential lifestyle whilst the money is made in the Big Smoke up north.  Parents may come home from Sydney side and find no time to cook for the family, so off they go to Da Orlando.  The menu has remained relatively unchanged all this time, and this can apply even to the black board items.   Diners sit snugly with tables of various sizes and the staff has also remained not much changed.

Italian culinary, I believe, is meant to be shared with mates and family.   The rich nature of its sauces, its creams and  its toppings make it more sensible and a pleasure to partake them communally.   You may not want to be stuck with just a huge size pizza unless you are hungry or still growing up fast.   Diners do take pizzas here as their mains but i prefer some variety in degustation.   I must say the pizzas at Da Orlando are consistently rewarding.


Often when we arrive, Remmie is there, busy with customers or behind the counter.     There is also Molly who used to work at uni and is now pursuing a wholesome degree.  There is the hard working young man with light hair who usually takes our orders and arranges the wine.   The walls of the dining hall are graced with posters and photographs suggesting of the old country. 

Favoured entrees are Arancini and Gnocchi.   The former offering, literally referring to "little oranges", are filled with a gratifying yummy risotto still warm inside, with the outer skin dark brown and almost crispy.  Three are served on a plate for starters.   The former are like dew droplets to tease the appetite  -  they are not my favourite but are served with a sauce that does get us going.


I am always happy with two particular mains at Da Orlando.  I have a soft spot for their Linguine Fruits of the Sea, presented with a heady mix of rich tomato sauce, and for a comparatively lighter option, their Penne with chicken pesto.
Both dishes could not be so different, and yet complete a delightful experience.

Wollongong is a town with several Italian restaurants of note.  
I like the Pecorino cheesewheel pasta at Cin Cin in Thirroul; 
look forward to the pizzas crafted at Pizzeria 50 in downtown Wollongong and Gambino's in Fairy Meadow; and love the scenery looking out from the North Beach Pavilion in North Wollongong Beach.  Servings are generous at the Costa Azzurra in Fairy Meadow and there is a community atmosphere at Cucinas along lower Crown Street in down town Wollongong.   


So there is much competition and choice for Wollongsiders as far as Italian fare is concerned.   Yet at most meal times, Da Orlando is packed with a happy buzz. The quality of their offerings is consistent, the service is quick and you do nicely bump into your mates at the place.My weakness here is for the Calzone packed tightly with Nutella choc spread, again best eaten to be shared with teenagers.  

There is a notable absence of meat dishes though, with the menu emphasising pizzas and pasta.   So what are my overall impressions of Da Orlando? 


Ambiance  8 out of ten
Taste  8 out of ten
Staff Engagement  8.5 out of ten
Culinary Variety 7.5 out of ten
X Factor   8 out of ten
Overall Score    8 out of ten


Da Orlando is located at 348 Keira Street, Wollongong NSW.

Vinh Phat Restaurant, Cantonese Yum Cha, Cabramatta NSW

Preceding my recent visit to Vinh Phat, I had my imagination and expectations already fired up for a few months  by now.


The restaurant, located in the heart of Cabramatta, south-west of Sydney CBD, had been recommended and occupies an upper floor, not far from the traditional Chinese gates of the nearby mall.  I had seen queues of more than hundred individuals line up patiently at lunch time on weekends, the eager customers spilling out definitely on to the outside 
pavement and then up the stairs.


So what was it that created this demand for the cooking here?


At this stage I have not had a dinner at this venue, but at one lunch time, I did flip through the menu, which emphasised on lots of seafood cooked Southern Chinese style and on duck, all icons of a sumptuous dinner.  Here I offer my reflections of this Yum Cha session with two mates, one who only restricts his consumption of exotic East Asian to prawns and chicken, while the other friend has a more eclectic taste.

The two types of dumplings served for us were of generous size.  They were freshly made and the quality showed when we bit into them, they had excellent texture and the skin was thin enough.  They reminded me of the Siew Mai at Sunny Harbour, Restaurant, Hurstville NSW.


The fried rice had aromas of sufficient wok heat, but to me lacked the eggy over lay that I prefer and find at Sha Kee Restaurant, Cronnula Sharks Club, Woollaware NSW.

 The Har Cheong or steamed prawn rolls showed finesse, was tasty and provided a slurping satisfaction.  Asian uncles and aunties would of approved.


Interesting enough, Vinh Phat oferred chicken spring rolls  - I prefer those from veg or pork.     The chicken was snugly packed within the deep fried rolls and turned out to be all right after all.


Best of all was the serving of mango pancake, two on the small plate  - the egg white mixture enveloped the mango in a sophisticated style and was the fitting end to a session of Dim Sum, a touch of the heart.  This may possibly be the best mango pancakes I have tasted in the greater Sydney region.

This was a Yum Cha or drink tea session as well  - and we had chosen the well smoked but still smooth Pu'Er blend, which was a good change from what you get in most Chinese lunch time gatherings.   The venue was almost full house by 1pm, with a solid Asian demographic, emphasised by elderly couples, family groups and Millennials.   People were walking up the stairs seemingly every minute.


As expected, the tables were placed tightly against each other in such an establishment.  The washrooms were clean and the lighting just right.  The audio level of chatter corresponded with the size of the lunching crowd.   The trolley ladies were friendly, spoke both Cantonese and English and moved about their offerings with a purpose.


For those customers not willing to venture outside their Aussified tastes, the selections can be limited, but there was enough variety if you are keen on braised chicken feet, fish maw, steamed yam cakes and the like.   What was disappointing to me and a fellow luncher was the absence of roast pork cuts.   There was a belly pork dish at dinner time, but this may echo the lack of varied meats at Vinh Phat when compared with seafood.


Would I return for the dinner menu?  Most probably yes.  
My impressions of lunch here are as follows.

Ambiance  7 out of 10
Taste  8 out of 10
Staff Engagement  8 out of 10
Culinary Variety  7 out of 10
X Factor  7 out of 10
OVERALL    7.5 out of 10


Vin Phat Restaurant is at level One of 10-12 Hughes Street,
Cabramatta NSW.   Best to go there by train on weekends, vehicle parking can be a challenge nearby.

When You Next Eat Out

It is lovely when a food outlet has a staff member asking you how the meal went. This has been the practice in many mainstream establishments in the greater Sydney basin, but to observe it being carried out in a Chinese Malaysian culinary outlet recently was most welcome. 

On the other end of the spectrum is the increasing tendency of Chinese restaurants, whether for dinner or yum cha, to ask for tips when a customer pays the bill at the counter. The staff member unabashedly asks the customer in the face. We are not the USA. Customers are willing to pay tips but not when pressured. Tips given are a voluntary token of appreciation for good service, not to burden customers who already pay a higher average cost for dining or lunching in Australia.

Are the tips collected shared amongst all staff members working that day or evening, or are they scooped up by the boss owner?

And then there are now tips asked for in Uber services - are these for the driver with still a percentage cut for the company?

The restaurant trade is not easy to run and there are heavy rental and high labour costs in a market as small as Australia's. Food outlets do provide much appreciated employment and income for youngsters and young adults who are forced to work on a casual and part time basos, to pay for costs of living and study.

Many of the kitchen and wait staff who labour to provide us a satisfactory dining experience are said to not even receive the official minimum pay per hour, not to think of superannuation. 

The bane of many eating and food businesses are high costs of franchise, venue rental, renovation requirements in shopping centres and the seasonal nature of revenue spikes. Although some capital cities have become more vibrant at night, the absence of night shopping (except for one or two evenings a week) does not encourage regular daily dining revenues. 

The operational costs of cafes are set off by getting volume in coffee and quick breakfasts in early mornings. Very few cafes are open after sunset, except in family run businesses in immigrant suburbs.

So called fine dining places do charge more than a quid for creative and unusual dishes, a remarkable setting and with excellenr wait service ( with more than the question of how your meal went). Corporate and government credit cards do go to pay for such establishments, with the ultimate costs borne by business customers, taxpayers and a rising cost of living for all.

#yongkevthoughts