Adriano Zumbo's Patissier, The Star Sydney

Macarons are referred to as Zumbarons. The sushi train concept has been transfromed into a dessert conveyor belt instead, where customers can sit and watch, making into reality sugar and pastry dreams of childhood past. The latest outlet of Adriano Zumbo's at the revamped food street from the Star Casino in Sydney shines like a lit up Ferris wheel, cleverly tucked away at one corner, suggesting of an elegant uniqueness and yet with a welcoming air. The displays, inside or outside the shop, are what attracted me in the very first place, with key products delicately placed to capture our attention and captivate our hearts.

There are always new flavours to complement past favourites for Zumbarons. I especially like the salted butter caramel and the fingerbun versions. One bite into such macarons - and I realise how much thought and creativity has gone into formulating the taste, texture and sensation of the outcome. Zumbo knows we cannot take too much of such rich delights, but every savoured result on our palate is worth the choice. I also sampled the lychee, hot cross bun, passion/tonka and the watermelon plus orange varieties.

Zumbo's creative pursuits and results are also reflected in the careful and yet fun choice of

names for the gateaux - like Man Goes Peanuts, Grandma's Soap and Tastes Like Doris.

I love the plain croissants best, although Zumbo has almond and chocolate versions available.

He has carried on the practice of transparency in his baking labs, with clear glass windows emphasising on safety, skills and superbness. Also on offer are cakes, quiche, danish and various concoctions of breads like chorizo, multigrains, ciabatta, olive and rosemary plus wholemeal.

You can also drop by Zumbo's other outlets in Manly, Rozelle and Balmain in the outer Sydney suburbs. My overall impressions at Zumbo's at the Star in Sydney's Darling Harbour are:

Atmosphere: Fun like in a Fair

Location: Good for non-Gamblers but can be Touristy

Taste: Allows You Choice

People Engagement: With a Smile

Service: Quick and Focused

Best Time to Visit: Afternoon Tea

My Fav Dish Experienced: Salted Butter Caramel Zumbaron

Would I Return?: Definitely.

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.

Kazbah at Darling Harbourside, Sydney CBD

Think of tangine, hummus and tabouli. I was first introduced to Middle Eastern food by a mate Fred in Canberra – Fred has a rich French and Lebanese background, and so was the perfect person to do me the favour of opening my eyes to such cuisine.

I am now conscious of the variety of ingredients utilised in such fare, ranging from nuts, cereals, fruits, meats to grains – and how they are combined - to present such outcomes as saffron poached pear, tzatziki dips, harissa marinated and grilled octopus or lamb kafta – never ceases to amaze me. At times, I still get so confused with some familiar Greek dishes in the menu, but I reckon I should view all such dishes as cousins, inter related perhaps by geography and commerce. In the Wollongong area, the name Samaras stand out for such similar cuisine, located along Corrimal Street in the CBD area.

I had heard about Kazbah’s breakfasts and recently I had an opportunity to check this out at Sydney’s Darling Harbour (above pictures). The view by itself was inviting, the pace was easy on a lazy weekend morning and the décor interesting. I was taken aback by the choices just in the breakfast menu – sweet couscous, lamb mince, warm rice pudding, omelettes, pancakes and more.

Eventually I knew I had to try the combination that offered pork belly shish kebab, chickpea fritters, crème fraiche, baby spinach, roast tomato slices and poached egg – all topped up by
a capsicum sauce. (image below is the result of my half way going through this particular dish!)

Kazbah also operates restaurants at 379 Darling Street, Balmain and inside the Top Ryde Shopping Centre north-west of Sydney. This restaurant
emphasises on a n Moroccan theme.

My overall impressions of the Kazbah at the promenade in Darling Harbour’s Harbourside are:

Atmosphere: Relaxed and helpful

Location: Good views but a bit touristy for me

Taste: Exotic for me but Delicious!

People Engagement: I am happy

Service: With a smile

Best Time to Visit: Breakfast or Brunch

My Fav Dish Experienced: Chickpea Fritters with belly pork shish kebab and Poached Egg

Would I Return? : Yes