Questions about the Illawarra NSW

 The Illawarra region depends significantly on only the normal surface commute trains for public transport to and from Greater Sydney.

There are no underground Metro trains, no light rail gliders and no ferry services between Circular Quay in Sydney and Port Kembla.

No regular bus services operate between the Illawarra and southern Sydney border.

Many baby boomers from the Illawarra area and NSW south coast use the rail to get to Sydney Airport flights or Circular Quay Sydney Harbour for their cruise ships.  It is an almost two hour trip one way.

There is an over dependence on private cars on the long highway from Sutherland to Wollongong and vice versa.

There is under developed infrastructure in the Illawarra, whose voters have always elected Labor - and which Labor at State, Council and National levels may possibly have taken the region for granted.

I am told that AUKUS submarines paid for by Canberra to the USA, if realised, are going to be stationed at Port Kembla. 

The town's main manufacturer BlueScope faces in 2025 high Usa tariffs for steel production.

The Illawarra has joined some other parts of Greater Sydney in having its economy churned by property sales, barista cafe lifestyle and aging services, but it does not look and is not as dynamic as some key suburbs across Greater Sydney.

Many Sydney property owners have also sold out across Greater Sydney and resettled along the NSW South Coast, if not moving out of the Big Smoke to be on the Central and North Coast of the State.
Property prices along the Illawarra have also risen alongside the mushrooming of high rise blocks.  Youngsters may naturally gyrate towards Sydney side, but the persistent lack of supply of housing there has embedded itself to a horrible situation of spiking rental lease costs, increasing vehicular traffic and crowded suburbs.

The Tasman Sea may be near and scenic to Illawarra residents, but her beaches have lured the demographics of south west Greater Sydney, especially when there are no parking fees, welcoming beach infrastructure of bbq pavilions and less people than in Cronulla, Bondi or Manly.

Wollongong Cbd is showing signs of struggling businesses.   There is a much reduced David Jones, but retail sales may bot be encouraging, especially for the smaller shops and eateries.   Crown Street Mall looks awesome and sea breezes also bless it due to its location near Wollongong Harbour.  The weekly Friday markets have stalls operated by people outside town and things are asked for at Sydney prices.   Maybe Thursday to Friday evenings show the most economic activity but not on other nights.

The Ilawarra may best be described as a residential corridor rather than a bee hive of business, innovation and consumption.
There can be no innovative plans or design to make the Illawarra prosper better for the future. It is seen as a university campus town whose fortunes can depend on foreign markets.  No high tech footprint has arisen in all these years.
Wind farms are planned by the government outside Wollongong Harbour but the energy generated can possibly mostly serve the burgeoning populations of Greater Sydney up north.

The tourism potential of the Illawarra has not risen to what can be.   Even the world class UCI cycling event in 2022 was amazingly not promoted like in Europe or North America. 

#yongkevthoughts

Hibiscus

Illawarra Coast NSW Revisited

What's For Lunch?

 

Deli & Dine Wollongong NSW

Lettuce B. Frank - Wollongong NSW

Setting the tone - side shelves near the entrance.

A cluttered rustic look and creating a homely trendy atmosphere.

Emphasis on fresh produce.



 

  

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.

Ten Differences Between Wollongong and Sydney NSW

Ten Differences Between Wollongong and Sydney

1. Going to the Beach.

On the Illawarra Coast, it does not involve a major pre-planned exercise just to get to the sand to soak in your toes, have a surf and get back home in under 15 minutes.
In Sydney, you over plan your route and time yourself to find vehicle parking. Then you sit on the sand to watch over your belongings, pay top prices for snacks and get stressed just trying to get home.

2. Utilising Public Transport.

No prizes awarded to guessing which place has more regular trains or buses.
You have to know your time table well to make the most taking the Illawarra line of the railway network. You overwork your smart phone or watch at least two down loaded movies while sitting on your bum to get home. Even worse, you may have to stand all the way on trains fron Martin Place or Central in Sydney CBD to Sutherland, Thirroul, North Gong or Wollongong stations.

3. The Intensity of Road Traffic, if you are driving.

The Illawarra Coast is abuzz with over eager and self obsessed drivers only at certain hours of the day. Saturday mornings at Fairy Meadow, rush to work along the Lawrence Hargrave Drive, when school bells ring at the end of the student day along Memorial Drive and when tradies with barista coffee cups compete driving on the highway to southern Sydney before dawn on weekdays.

In greater Sydney, everyone expects traffic congestion.

4. Late Evening Shopping and Eating Out.

We know which region leads in these parameters. Sunday evenings are particularly disquieting for the Wollongong CBD.

One can have a satisfying dinner out in Wollongong and come home in as short as 5 minutes.

One can have an elegant dinner Sydney side and only come home 90 minutes after leaving the restaurant.

5. Choice of Cinema Complexes and Shopping Centres.

Everything that greater Sydney has, Wollongong may not have.
Everything that Wollongong has, greater Sydney has more.

6. Income Levels and Purchasing Power.

The ultimate dream for a Wollongong based family is to earn in Sydney, spend in the Illawarra Coast and view the moonlight over the beach on a week night. (Refer to No.1) 

7. Pockets of Fresh Air and Privacy.

Nothing beats the experience of having the ocean breeze over whelm you and your body at a look out point. Refer again to No. 1.

8. Diversity in Culinary Adventures.

The Illawarra coast stands out in barista made coffee, Italian restaurants and Aussie seafood.
Greater Sydney offers you so much variety in foodie journeys. Melbourne may not agree......

9. Liberating physical opportunities for health, exercise and fitness.

Wollongong is a university town, with a fair proportion of demographics in the twenty something age group, lots of coastal trails for cycling, a penchant for the performing arts and has escarpment hiking trails.

Greater Sydney has a larger population, where distance and traffic can discourage a greater appreciation of the outdoors. The down side of a higher density of residential living is offset by the benefits of a better transport network. Greater Sydney provides activity opportunities beside a few major rivers, has more reserves and charges for parking at its beaches or bays.

10. Access to fly away.

The lllawarra coast is around 50 to 65 km to Kingsford-Smith Airport, but getting there mainly involves transversing a highway or taking the public train.

Most residents of western and northern greater Sydney face more challenges in time and traffic to reach Kingsford-Smith.

Both regions have secondary airports but the Illawarra Airport at Albion Park is under utilised.

#yongkevthoughts

The Anchorage Restaurant, Wollongong Harbour NSW - Recent Visits

Bull & Bear Cafe & Restaurant - September 2017

Chicken Croquettes with Alioli.

It was an occasion for a blokes' lunch  - one of our party had sung praises about the Tapas like creations and we could hardly wait!   There are sort of two levels at the B & B, one at street ground level and then a quick step up on the side to the right to an inner chamber, where groups gather, with all female hang outs, families and singles.   There is a licensed bar, the place has a rustic feel and one feels as if a hang out party is about to begin at one corner of the place.

There is a Iberian or Mediterranean feel about the menu and place.  I instinctively think of Siesta after our meal.  However, it was not warm the day of our dropping by the B & B, the winter had not fully blown its oceanic winds in this seaside region.   So my palate was ready for something grilled, and there they were.   The chicken on skewers is always a winner with me, here accompanied with cool cucumber and dips.   I am a sucker for croquettes - what we got was exquisite, with a rather crispy exterior and a comfy warm inside of fillings.

Naturally we winded up our meal with Churros, served with a rich dipping chocolate sauce.
This dessert echoed an authenticity about itself.  I can say that the food is prepared and cooked with obvious touches of love.    Owner David Juarez Vidal recalls with fondness her GrandMa's culinary passion and strong sense of family togetherness.

Pork and veal meatballs with a rich tomato sauce.

The Bull & Bear was visited at lunch time.   This place was attempted to be booked fby a mate of a mate for dinner recently one Friday evening, but some hurdles were placed for this chap to get a table for around ten persons, including family members under 18 years  of age.   I am not sure of the reasons but there were a lot of No's said on the phone to this prospective customer.  Apparently only Tapas are served on the evenings the place is open for diners.


The "Special Plates" menu appears on the black board and can change weekly.   You can expect sightings of Chorizo, Paella,  Jamon, grilled octopus, olives, meatballs and spices.    There is the aroma of slow cooked beef cheeks,  crispy chicken drumettes, twice cooked lamb shoulder and braised pork belly.

On a next visit, I am aiming for these following dishes that caught my eye on the menu:*

The Pulled Pork Baguette

La Espanola:  A sourdough toast filled up with smashed avocado (how Aussie!), fried egg, Tumaca and grilled Jamon Serrano.    The practice of spreading ripe tomatoes on bread had given rise to the term Tumaca.

and the Valencina Ensaladas: Spanish onion, black olives, Frisee  ( a curly bitter leaved endive), orange, croutons and crispy Jamon Serrano go into this delightful light salad mix.  

Serrano ham always brings out the best in uplifting a dish when applied with care.


My impressions of the Bull & Bear on this visit in Wollongong NSW are:


Ambiance: 3.5 out of 5
Staff Engagement:  4 out of 5
Culinary Captivation: 4 out of 5
X Factor:  3.5 out of 5
Overall:  3 out of 4





The Bull & Bear Cafe & Restaurant is located at 2 A Voctoria Street, Wollongong city centre, NSW.
Contact  +61 2 423 143 15
Opening hours are from 8am every day until late, except for the three days of Sundays to Tuesdays, when it closes at 4pm.
A ten percent surcharge applies to bills on public holidays.

The Bull CALL US ONMy impre