Taiwan Markets, Chatswood Mall NSW

Vegetarian pastries, including mooncakes.

Red is the colour of celebration and festive joy.

Freshly prepared pan cakes with moulds, dough and flavour.  Memories of the Shih Lin night markets in Taipei.

A happy Sunday morning!

Puppetry is a treasured tradition and craft in Taiwan, echoing influences from the Chinese mainland.

This fresh sugar cane stall is often operating at the Mall markets.

The Indigenous culture in Taiwan gave rise to the Polynesian nations.

Takoyaki, snacks which are popular in Osaka but which also reflect the Japanese past in Taiwan.   These pan fried  or grilled dough balls are usually combined with octopus (Tako) and are yummy bites on the go in street markets.

Bodhi in the Park - Sydney

The captivating dumpling choices.  Photo credit - Ms. Zoe Yu

Hidden below the street level, placed in a probable secret garden and not easily visible, though near Sydney's iconic St. Marys Cathedral.  It was a rather warm day in the city centre, wedding parties were  gush with striking patterned and designed wardrobes and the buzz was swirling around.  The church bells pealed out in clarity and wonder every now and then.  More than a hundred people patiently waited for their turn to get inside a pop up stand of Friends on Stan at a far corner of Hyde Park.  No signs lead to Bodhi, like the proverbial search for something unique, you have to make your own effort, follow your heart and communicate with reliable friends. 

Once my group was met by Raymond, we were led to a hidden stairway that then showed us a courtyard, a small garden and people relaxing along side canteen side wooden tables.  We were thirsty for sure by then...

Yum cha can be oily, crowded and stereotyped.  This restaurant used to be located in Sydney's Chinatown near the Customs House but the business has been changed to a more hipster, Aussie ambient surrounding.   There is no written menu, only a guide to cocktails and other drinks - and there is more than piping hot tea available.  The mainly young staff hold trays of petite and unusual concoctions , all with a vegetarian and vegan theme.   There are steamed, deep fried and freshly wrapped recipes.  I recommend sharing, samplings and tasting.  Most plates have offerings that can be cut with a food scissors, but then they only have dining bread knives.  Your eyes keep alert to the variety, some of which cannot be found elsewhere.  Most are served open on small plates but as not unexpected, some come warm in bamboo baskets.  It can be finger picking food, but at times they can be too hot to handle, like steamed dumplings.  Lots of paper napkins are necessary, especially when the sauce drizzles and runs all over.

I just adore the sweet Japanese pumpkin dumplings, what an excellent idea! The glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves and then steamed is not one my favourites but it came relatively nice on the palate, though packed tightly with carbohydrates.  Even if no meats are served, the offerings include flavours that invoke thoughts of carnivores - chicken flavoured and so forth.  Asparagus and shitake mushrooms can be difficult delicate things but the marinade utilised was just right for the related dumplings.  I also suggest trying the so called "Char Siew Bao", with a slit on each top showing what seems to be typical barbecued pork inside the freshly steamed dough buns - the taste can match the best in non-vegetarian restaurants but one is actually not partaking in any meat.

The skill and art of vegetarian cuisine is how one manages to uplift flavours, use the best of textures and somehow emulate some main stream dishes.   Presentation is the companion to taste and I must note that each dish served at Bodhi has had much thought on how they would come out right in front of the eyes of customers.  A hotch potch of the crowd reflected the diversity of Sydney society these days - hipsters, young families, city dwellers, tourists and office workers.   My group of six persons eased into comfort, though somehow the strong sunlight kept focusing on one side of our table.  Hey,  no one at my table had tea at all.  The quick working staff cleared our cleaned out plates efficiently and there was not much wait to continue choosing and tasting several different offerings.

Sesame paste filled steamed buns. Photo credit - Ms. Zoe Yu

We did not choose much of fresh vegetables or salads, though there was one dish with fresh greens wrapped in translucent skin.  The menu reflected the variety of East and south-east Asian influences - Vietnamese, Hong Kong, southern Chinese, Singaporean, Japanese and Shanghainese.  Bodhi had been an institution in this cuisine niche for 27 years but in the past few years had shown a transformation as the business changed hands form mother to daughters.  Are there too many staff employed? Has the food gone more fusion?  How will it compete with its rather niche space?   Is it more of a bar than a restaurant?   Its location at the business end of town also underlies perhaps a desire to attract corporate custom.  The warm months in Sydney, from October to March, do serve the restaurant and its licensed bar well.

Inspired from the Wu Kok or yam snack, this totally vegetarian idea shows a make believe prawn tail sticking out.
Photo credit - Ms. Zoe Yu

With a smile, with attentive listening and multi-tasking, the staff do keep to their best on the day we visited.  The washrooms for customers are unisex.  You can choose to sit under the trees or near shrubs.  One is not eating indoors but al fresco outdoors if you avoid the under cover seating.  I find this place to be relaxing with people you know, not eating too much and offering lots of walking especially in the nearby Hyde Park.  Cut straight across this city's central park and you reach the QVB and shopping precinct.  There is sufficient space between diners, the breeze can be felt and kids will love the ability to move around.  The venue can cater for up to 300 people and booked functions are open till 1am.

What is my top preference on this particular recent visit?  It is those white porcupine looking sesame paste filled steamed buns.   They look elegant, they are a pleasure on the palate and they are truly non-meat.  The freshness and quality of the sesame stood out.  Sweet corn filled dumplings are okay but not to me the Bak Choi and green tea plus Choy Sum filled versions, I would rather have those fresh Asian vegetables served lightly with oyster sauce.  Next visit for lunch, I  want to try the chili smoked soy and beetroot dumplings; Roma tomato cups with wasabi apple and mushroom salsa; the Konyaku noodles; and crispy wanton wings made from carrot, corn and mushrooms.  There are many Asian styled tapas choices for dinner time as well.

Photo credit - Mr. Raymond Ho

Bodhi in the Park is located at No 2-4 College Street, across the road from the north eastern corner of Hyde Park in Sydney CBD.  It is best to also remember that it is at the lower mezzanine level of the urbanite Cook and Philip Park.

Telephone:  612 9360 2523

Open from 11am to 4pm for yum cha seven days a week.

Dinners only from Tuesday to Sundays from 5pm till 10pm.

 

Mr. Bao - Sydney CBD

The customer demographic in any food business  transforms with varying attitudes and lifestyle patterns of your target customer groups.  Do people want to pay excessive prices for a working lunch hour?  Does your customer actually have time to sit down and eat your food?  Are they very strict with their diet and nutritional requirements?  Does their mindset follow exactly when they utilise social media - instantaneous, exciting and easy to access?  Do they want to queue up?  Do your clients want their food orders prepared fresh after they order, instead of sitting on food warmers?

When you open your cafe or restaurant, your biggest liabilities and costs are in venue rentals and staff costs.  How do you as a business owner ensure that your aimed for margins are kept rolling?  There are only so many hours in a day when your paying customers are present to depart with their cash.  How do you motivate any of your customers to return regularly to your business?  You have regulations to comply with, quality of food to maintain and ensuring the set profit to cost ratio is always achieved.  Cash flows are significant to pay providers, staff and the Government.  The centre of a city is where thousands of your potential customers arrive by the train or bus load every business day.

Welcome to Mr. Bao, an interesting business model based on the key pillars of turnover, reputation and a simple menu.  Using the soft white dough of a Taiwanese bun, they offer several variations of what to eat with these Gua Bao- whether it is Japanese karaage chicken, Chinese crackling pork, Aussie fried chicken or braised pork belly.  Their offerings can be eaten under 5 minutes, on the run and serve just right for the middle of the day in a large city.  They give the buns an appealing adjective - pillow soft.  They have done their homework at various market stalls before committing to a physical site.  You can see the boys and girls prepare the buns before your eyes - giving assuring transparency.    They share their site at York street in Sydney with another two businesses, instead of carrying on the burden of rent for a full shop.  They are near a popular bus stop.

Critics can bring up the fact that most Asian run food outlets are chock a block, have small spaces and at times likely to give rise to risky customer interfaces scenarios.  The most important person on the ground in such businesses is the one taking the orders and money upfront.  At Mr Bao, the staff are mostly Gen Y.  They ask for your name like at Gloria Jeans, and the order slip then goes to the bun preparers.  Now the food served does not take rocket science to dish out, as it reminds me of an Asian version of KFC or MacDonalds.  Once a person gets going with putting the main ingredient inside each soft pillow, it becomes automatic, repetitive and perhaps boring to do so for so many hours.   The idea is to push out as many dishes ordered as fast as possible.   The challenge is to ensure quality in every one of the hundreds prepared each day.  I saw an elderly woman staff controlling the issue of the fried stuff or braised pork - and if she is happy, things go well.  When our orders did not come within the expected waiting time, it can be not nice,   especially when you have to go back to the work place in a short time - and if you have to keep asking at the counter.

Aussie society still values the patience in lining up to order but expectations are raised after you have paid the money.  The full menu is displayed on a  small board on the wall.  There is not much seating.
There are no clumsy soups to carry on take away.  People are standing all scattered near the order line.  There is a healthy level of background noise, not just from the Mr Bao outlet, but also from its neighbours sharing the joint and also from the street.  So what was once sold by mobile vendors or in street markets back in Taiwan has entered inside the shop.  I am reminded of the Vietnamese pork rolls going hipster as in Wollongong's Bakery Boys along lower Crown Street.

The owner-founders Angeline Lee and James Pham do understand their target market very well.   They focus on their product, do not over complicate and aim for a quick process to satisfy the hunger of many people who do not want to spend much.  I am also reminded of the Mamak model accordingly.    James Pham's family has run a bakery in the thriving suburb of Cabramatta, south-west of Sydney city centre, for many years.

What James and Angeline has added value to the Bao is to introduce an array of pan Asian ideas to accompany the soft bun.  Whether as obvious as crispy tofu, as well known as Singapore crab or as standard as tempura prawn, each offering comes in a petite size and with a yummy taste.  My preference is for the crackling pork -  I have yet to try their braised pork belly.  Drink choices are limited but echoes the sentiment of the owners in not over indulging at this stage of the business.



Mr. Bao's buns can be found at Shop 3, 56 York Street, Sydney, in the block between adjacent King and Market Streets.
This York Street outlet is open on weekdays from 11am to 3pm (Thurdays and Fridays they are open till 9pm) and on Saturdays from 11am to 3pm.
They also maintain their presence at the Bondi Farmers Saturday markets from 9am to 1pm. These markets are sited at the Bondi Beach Public School at the northern end of Campbell Parade near the beach;
and
at the Brewery Yards Sunday markets from 10am to 4pm, at 28 Broadway, located opposite UTS in Central Park in Chippendale.  Only on the first and third Sundays of each month.

Din Tai Fung - Miranda Fair Sydney

Busy in the open view kitchen - the emphasis on freshness is not just in the ingredients but also in the preparation.

Taiwan styled Dian Xin* can be different from the Cantonese Dim Sum*, although both expressions in variations of the Chinese language refer to the ritual of partaking in and sampling small tapa-like dishes for variety in flavours and texture.  Historically such get togethers were meant for the early morning, with modern society norms and pressures extending it to a brunch and lunch thing.    Din Tai Fung and Shanghai-inspired outlets around the world have extended the availability of such food for evenings these days, although with a stop for the staff after 3pm and before 530pm each day.

The other noted difference is that such "touch of the heart" cuisine offering restaurants as a general practice do not allow table bookings - customers come as you are and then only we shall seat you, perhaps reflecting the Asian penchant for best facilitating revenue turnover, but also removing the potential conflicts in misunderstood communication, errors in bookings and so forth. Yum cha is another expression referring to drinking tea, which are de rigour in such places, but these days alcohol is also available in licensed places.
* literally "touch of the heart".

Soy sauce marinated chicken.

Din Tai Fung is a most familiar name in this space, modernising the traditional tea house, keeping younger generations interested and ensuring a simple but fresh menu.  Outside the Asia-Pacific, where it operates currently in nine nations, it can also be found in the USA.

The outlet at the southern Sydney Shire of Sutherland has two levels, is part of a well customised shopping centre and makes an Asian foray into an otherwise mainstream Australian demographic.  Here the choices are not restricted to purely Dian Xin items - there are also offering that are usually found at dining time, like those I expect to be accompanied by steamed rice.  Service is efficient, you are given a paper checklist to tick what you want and the literal steam from bamboo baskets add to the theme and ambiance.

A Taipei favourite - bread spicy mix crumbed fried chicken.

Some people do find the food bland and underwhelming, having to dip into sauces instead of enjoying the original flavours of each dish.    Having said this, I do recognise the importance of the sauce quality as well - they often give a swirl of sour, sweet, salty and spicy in the mouth.

I am happy the food does not make me thirsty two hours after I take it, as can be experienced in some other places.  It is an art to retain the subtlety of Dian Xin offerings and this is best evident when using fresh produce.  An example of this is the hand pulled noodles, served with a marinated soy sauce mix or in soups -  this  is a staple of mainland northern Chinese food, akin to breads for European populations.  It is said that if frozen meats, seafood or veg are utilised, this can be easily picked up in steamed dumplings.   Think of the signature dish Xiao Long Bao at DTF -  they are steamed pork  buns with a twist, hot soup inside the steamed dough.  Every ingredient is a subject for flavour, texture and skill.

Interesting enough, this one item - the Xiao Long Bao - is said to be the dish that launched a thousand possibilities for Din Tai Fung.  It gave the business a turning point, changing the original trade in cooking oils.  Talk of change management, business continuity and sheer grit - the founder Yang Bing Yi and his wife never looked back after getting into the Dian Xin line of business.

Steamed dumplings, with usually shrimp and pork inside - a common feature in Cantonese, Shanghai and Beijing cuisines.

So what is so different from this cuisine from the Hong Kong and Guangzhou fare?   Perhaps the availability of mung bean noodles (Xiao Chi), the chicken soup, the Xiao Long Biao and the Taiwan-styled drinks.  Its Silvercord branch in Hong Kong was awarded one Michelin star.  There is a strict monitoring to ensure that every dumpling pastry made has to be weighted between 4.8 and 5.2 grams when prepared.  

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken - Sydney NSW

The waiting and the anticipation at the Eastwood store of Hot Star.

View it as an effective business model, or a yummy chicken recipe, and that is Hot Star.  Already based in South-east Asia, it purports to have a Taiwanese crumbed recipe for mainly schnitzel-styled chicken on the go, although you can also order variations in snacks with curly fries, mushrooms and sweet potato.   It has been operating in Australia for around a year.  Its star performer on the menu literally is the rather chunky size of fried chicken slice, selling currently for AUD8.50 in the outlets in Brisbane Sunnybank, Adelaide Grote Street, Melbourne and Sydney areas.  I have been curious about its sensational start for Aussie sites and also with mainly Asian background youth gathering around its Liverpool Street branch in downtown Sydney.  I recently had an opportunity to try the chicken at its Eastwood store north-west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The menu is indeed limited - chicken bites or the large piece meal versions.  That day I chose the large piece of chicken breast, available in original and crispy.  The young chap then asked for my preference of spiciness, low, medium or high.  Having done that, he gave me a new plastic bag like a ration handout and then we customers waited.  At Eastwood that day, it could have been hilarious - both sides, staff and customers, were just looking at each other whilst some frying and cooking were done behind sight. I quickly reckoned the plastic bag was an ingenious idea - apart from being used to hold the hot stuff, people could discern between those persons who had already ordered and those who had not, still not making up their minds.

The menu was laid out simply and visually in front of the counter.  The staff did not converse much but went about their tasks for most of the time.  You collect when your number is called.  The first thing I loved about the Hot Star chicken breast was its crumbed texture, yummy taste and flavourful chicken meat underneath.  There was only bone at the end.  There were no messy sauces, the product spoke for itself thus.   It looks like a dream snack for international students and tourists on the go. I may have missed something - did they sell drinks?

Eastwood I understand was the only latest outlet in the greater Sydney region to join fellow branches in Cabramatta, Hurstville, Burwood and Liverpool Street Sydney CBD.   Swanson and Elizabeth Streets in Melbourne CBD already have their own Hot Star stores.  The model can be temptingly effective - sell only a few key items, all using mostly the same crumbed ingredients, with a cooking method that can be learnt up fast by employees and site the sales outlets in busy thoroughfare streets, especially those that are still lively at night.  Hot Star has cleverly identified their key market and zoom down to them.  Hot Star is sparing on spending too much on retail space.

The magic lies in its rather special seasoning for the crumbed stuff - salty, spicy and a bit sweet all at the same time.   This who have visited the Shi Lin markets on Taipei evenings may recognise the Hot Star formula.  The chicken pieces are marinated in a mix of caster sugar, five spice powder, soy sauce, chili powder, pepper and rice vinegar.  The delightful pieces must then be coated with another mixture containing lightly beaten eggs, normal flour and sweet potato flour.  One limitation of Hot Star chicken creations is like for any fast or street food - it must be consumed hot and fresh from the deep fryer.

So where will Hot Star expand next in its range of products?  Most probably not any more, it has enjoyed the benefits of this minimalist menu, consistency in taste amongst its various outlets and an effective pay and collect arrangement.

Din Tai Fung, World Square Sydney CBD

I had been to one of the several outlets of Din Tai Fung in Singapore, but always perceived the first branch in Sydney was a larger version than most of its peers around the world. Feedback I received had been varying, depending on when the visit was made and what was served, but one constant factor was the always fully occupied tables in the midst of meal time. The business was started by a Taiwanese, but the cuisine harks back to the Chinese mainland, with a combination of central and southern Chinese inspired dian xin (or literally, "touches of the heart").   How does Din Tai Fung differ from the stereotyped Cantonese restaurant offering almost similar fare? Maybe it is the siew loong pau, that dainty dumpling which hides a soupy inside, or is it the dan dan hand made noodles, taken in a swirling mix of chili oil laden gravy?  In such equivalents of China's traditional fast food business models, service was relatively fast once you have ticked off your preferences on paper soon after arrival.  As for yum cha, there are no bookings taken ahead and customers come as they are and get seated. They also allow for take aways at the end of the meal.  Even if we came early at 11am, by 1230pm, the place was packed and buzzing.

The day twelve of us had lunch there, the heavens had persistently produced windy and torrential rain, which we could view through the large glass partitions of Din Tai Fung.  Ceilings seem to be higher than in typical Chinatown joints and Mandarin is the preferred lingua franca. There are the old favourites like piping hot steamed buns, with choices like minced pork coated with greens. There seems to be less oiliness in such food when compared with Hong Kong styled lunches. I particularly liked the condiments you can mix yourself on small side plates, with an emphasis on julienned ginger slices and Sichuan chili oil. Like Cantonese food, however, they continue the emphasis on fresh ingredients but the food is overall more light on the palate.  I reckon such degustation of small and varied dishes is a safe bet for recovery after a late and long night the evening before - provided you make sure you order tea and not be pressed by the offer of alcoholic drinks.

There can be various sources of similar food all over the inner western and north-western suburbs of greater Sydney.  The choices at Din Tai Fung may appear more standard and less exotic, but welcomed by mainstream demographics of Australian society. The elderly and the kids are safe with this cuisine, especially when they are steamed and come with stunningly green cuts.  South-east Asians can find these possibly bland, but then there is always the chili oil on standby. Apart from World Square, there are smaller outlets at the Star Cafe Court in the casino complex at Darling Harbour and on level 5 Food Court of the Westfield at Pitt Street Mall.  My top choice items to must have at Din Tai Fung are the steamed pork dumplings; mango pudding dessert; stir fried long beans; churros styled Chinese sesame seed paste snacks; and silken tofu with a garnish of dried pork floss.

Lunar New Year of the Water Snake - Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong NSW

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Located about 80km south of the Sydney Harbour Bridge lies the Buddhist temple complex of Nan Tien (or Southern Heaven), which on most days is  a haven and refuge for mediation, prayer and devotion. On festive days, the place transforms to a buzz, with visitors coming from all over and the hill slope site plays host to families, backpackers, locals and tourists.  Such an occasion was the first day of the current Lunar New Year.  I reside a mere fifteen minutes drive down the main highway and on a Sunday morning, we took the opportunity to check out a Taiwanese version of the Spring Festival.  Above, artificial trees with glitter and giant sized puppet children greet visitors as they step on to the plaza at the upper levels of the complex leading tot he Five Buddhas shrine hall.

Good omens , lucky directions and auspicious sayings are emphasised to commence the day -and therefore year - right.  There were miniature dance lions on display, cooling herbal teas served and vegetarian food stalls offering a variety of dishes from steamed to deep fried.  Below, glutinous rice dumplings, packed with beans and ingredients which are non-meat, are neatly wrapped and held by tightly secured raffia strings. These dumplings are usually associated with the Dragon Boat Festival in mid-June but were seen sold at one of the food stalls lined up along the undercover passage corridors of the temple.

Sea cucumber, mushrooms and other vegetarian delights ('su" in Mandarin) are being stirred and kept warm by a volunteer on the most celebrated of Chinese cultural festive days. (photo above)  The sky was Aussie shiny blue and the crowds were streaming in, first in vehicles and then later, mostly by foot. There were lion dance performances by members of martial arts schools and many lanterns adorned the ceilings of buildings, creating a merry sight of red, round and delight.

The main banner message focused on going for "unwavering advancement, despite life's twists and turns -  this can lead to the attainment of happiness and wisdom."

Sweetness is the key - this was represented by dessert on skewers, pickled fruits with a sugary coat. (photo below).  Deep fried pastry (above picture) was articulated in various shapes and flavours, but all vegetarian based.  In Taiwan, as many ten percent of the population practice vegetarianism as part of  their regular food intake and this has resulted in a mature and strict food labeling system for such cuisine in the island.

The Nan Tien Temple is surrounded by the escarpment of the Illawarra area, is located in a suburb called Berkeley and is in close proximity to the coastal waters of the Tasman Sea near to Shellharbour and Port Kembla in New South Wales.  It is one of the several branches of the Fokuangshan  group around the world.  Taiwanese vegetarianism forgo the eating of garlic, leeks and onions, as such foods are believed to unnecessarily arouse extreme human emotions.  There are landscaped gardens, a lodge and a small museum on the grounds - and across the main highway, is a gradually developing university campus offering both religious and non-religious courses and degrees under the banner of the Nan Tien Institute.

Fong Lye Taiwanese at Gardens Mall - Kuala Lumpur

Come meal time, people congregate at Fong Lye, on the third floor of the Gardens Mall in Kuala Lumpur.  What makes the restaurant tick, and what makes people, old and young, patiently queue outside its entrance for lunch, dinner and between? The Taiwanese concept of a set meal on a tray, borrowed from the Japanese bento concept, offers a main dish, usually steamed, grilled, braised, stewed or deep fried concoctions, accompanied by a small bowl of soup, pickled and stir-fried fresh vegetables and a bowl of steamed rice.  Popular mains include fish fillets, deep fried chicken and stewed pork.

The variety of side dishes, though small morsels and portions they may be, are worth checking out.

Try their wu kok (Cantonese), or battered yam with savoury pork inside as fillings.

Apart from traditional smoked teas, there are those milk-laden teas with tapioca flour made bubble balls and accompanied with your choice of fruity falvours. This cuisine model has been a hallmark of Fong Lye, although they do offer other dishes like coconut milk toast; barbeque chicken drumsticks;  meat balls (rou yuan in Mandarin); fried squid and pepper; and fresh tomato garnished fried egg with fish.

I loved my smoked tea duck slices (photograph above) - they were juicy moist, full of flavour and yet with a subtleness from fine cuisine, with the skin not overly fatty and still crispy. This mains of mine was complemented by a clear soup with bites of colourful and crunchy vegetables inside.

The setting at Gardens is spacious with striking ceiling lights, although tables can be arranged to the max. (image above). 

The smoked duck came with mung bean glass noodles and bean sprouts in a tasty stock soup (picture above).  I enjoyed the Fong Lye version of the ice kacang (image below), with a generous dollop of ice cream, red beans, corn, jelly beans and more all clinging on to rather fine shaven ice. It has a different twist from the Malaysian or Indonesian versions.  I have been recommended to try the "peanut snow mountain" should I return to Fong Lye.

There are related outlets at Sunway Pyramid; 94 Jalan Imbi; and at Plaza Prisma Ville, Desa Sri Hartamas in KL. My impressions of Fong Lye at the Gardens Mall are:

Atmosphere:  A sense of good table turnover.

Location:  City side, shopping mall.

Service: Quick. The staff even asked if dessert is to be served after the mains, or what would be preferred?

People Engagement: Satisfactory.

Fav Dish Experienced: Tea smoked duck.

Best Time to Visit:  Try to beat the anticipated - and real - crowds.

Would I Return?: A definite yes!

 

Mother Chu's Taiwanese Gourmet - Haymarket, Sydney

This is one of the places I often pass by on weekends, but never get a seat and is bustling with customers, day or night. So I strategised to drop by early in the morning to get a seat. The tables are small and placed near to each other, but there must be an attraction in the food served – was it the pricing, the variety, or the taste? I reckon it was all three factors, applicable to
the three dishes chosen on this visit.

Tofu originated in China during the Western Han Dynasty and these days is served in several ways, from entree creations to stir fry mains and cold desserts.

On my visit this instance to Mother Chu’s, my stomach was recovering from a heavy eat the evening before, so I chose this light dish of steamed tofu in ginger-laced syrup. (below image)
Traditional Chinese mothers, whether back in China or in Western countries, but especially in Hong Kong, often relate the virtues of such smooth-surfaced tofu to their daughters.

Char siew pau, or Cantonese for steamed roast pork pastries, are a favourite of mine for evening supper, brunch or breakfast. (image below)

The picture below depicts my bowl of congee simmered with pork-related slices and bits of the so-called “century old eggs.” The following recipe is reproduced from Allrecipes.com.
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked short-grain white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 cups water
1 cube pork bouillon cube
2 cups char siu (Chinese roast pork), diced
6 green onions, chopped

2 cups water
2 preserved duck eggs (century eggs), peeled and diced
Directions
1. Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water. Drain completely in a mesh strainer and place into a large pot. Stir the vegetable oil into the rice and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Stir 6 cups of water, the bouillon cube, char siu, and green onion into the rice. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Stir frequently as the rice cooks to help break the rice grains apart and keep it from burning on the bottom.
3. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of water and the century egg. Continue cooking another 1 1/2 hours, stirring frequently until the congee reaches your desired consistency. The congee is ready when the individual grains of rice are no longer discernible and have thickened the soup.

My overall impressions for Mother Chu’s at Haymarket, in the arcade linking Sussex Street and Dixon Street Mall, are:

Atmosphere: With a buzz and in an arcade.

Location: Touristy and Ethnic.

Taste: Light and Unusual.

People Engagement: Helpful and with a smile.

Service: Quick but wants prepayment.

Best Time to Visit: Breakfast Time.

My Fav Dish Experienced: Silken Tofu Dessert (Dou Hua in Mandarin) with soft peanuts

Would I Return? : Yes.

Cho Express, Hurstville

In the Sydney suburbs, I had never expected to find several retail outlets around a train station, but I did at Hurstville, south of Sydney CBD. There were supermarkets, bakeries, noodle outlets, herbal medicine shops and more. What caught my attention was the constant queue at a small take away cookery, a branch of Cho Express. The service was methodical but fast. Staff mostly spoke in Mandarin, but they had big display photos to make it easy to order. Most dishes available were under Aud10 each, and what was also interesting were the various combinations of salads, some pickled, mostly cut in thin slices, one with mayonnaise, some with tofu and many with chilis. (picture above) Marta and I ordered savoury dishes to take back to Wollongong - I could not resist the stewed pork and prawns with onions, whilst Marta had seaweed salad and sweet potato balls. I also noted that the staff mentioned to us how long it took, in minutes, to deliver our food orders.

Taiwanese food is a blend of Fujian, Hakka, other mainland Chinese provincial, Japanese, Dutch and indigenous inspirations. Dumplings, mushrooms, milk fish, pork balls, Taichung sun cakes with a molasses filling in side, thin noodles like mi-suah, oyster omelettes and hard boiled eggs stewed in soy sauce are some of the well known dishes from this island.

The wave of popular desserts from Taiwan - with themes of milk, glutinous rice dough balls and various types of teas and fruits - was also found in a back lane of Hurstville near the rail station. Called the Espresso Lane Cafe, it uniquely also offered Australian mainstream cafe dishes like big breakfasts, burgers and toasts. We ordered the tofu pudding in syrup and the beans (red and green) boiled in milk (image below). Servings were huge, and I noticed the mainly Taiwanese crowd enjoying the savoury dishes.

Unplanned and unanticipated, it had been almost 24 hours immersing in Taiwanese things and stuff. The evening before I had viewed the 2010 movie, Au Revoir Taipei, a delightful piece from director Arvin Chen,that reminds us that, at times, the true and important things in life have been right in front of us all along, whilst we had dreamed of hopes overseas and far away. Jack Yao puts up a convincing appearance as the main character Kai, who is lovesick and wants to be reunited with his girl in Paris, but somehow finds himself involved with street gangsters, noodles and a book shop girl named Peach.

My Kitchen - Mount Eden, Auckland

My Kitchen, along Dominion Road just outside Auckland CBD, makes you feel as if you are in Taipei. They serve meals at both dinner and lunch times in Japanese-styled bento boxes, are quick in taking food orders and delivering them to the tables of customers and have a rather fast turnover of both takeaway and dine-in clients through the two occasions I was there one week in November. Mandarin language television is broadcast on their flat monitors attached to the wall. Auckland residents of Taiwan origin are seen as patrons of this restaurant located upstairs, but the business also has a takeaway counter on street level, next to a branch of Love A Duck. Bento above, with chicken, and below, with unagi eel.

The bentos have a formula - three side servings to accompany the main meal of your choice, miso soup, a small bowl of steamed rice and cuts of different fruits each day. My favourite main dishes from My Kitchen are the belly pork ( final picture in this write-up) marinated in a rather satisfying sauce, plus the lightly steamed fish (image below). I also was impressed with the bubble milk tea creations they made here - not too sweet, lovely New Zealand milk and rather generous with the size of the mugs they serve such drinks in.

The ambiance is pop twenty something, with anime like hairstyles and perhaps a student cohort, mixed with families and regulars. The first evening I went to My Kitchen I was delighted that they provided bananas, which are still relatively expensive across the Tasman, due to Queensland flooding earlier this year and restrictions on such fruit imports into Australia.