My Wine List for the Holidays

Thank You For The Music

The start of the Millennium is but a distant memory. The commencement of 2009 is more recent, but as we approach the second decade of the 21st century, here are some of the individuals who have energised me in such positive ways on my life’s journey this past year, mentioned in no particular order:


Mum – Madam Foo Gaik Hwa

Mr Dylan Smith

Uncle Jimmy Foo and Aunty Winnie

First Cousins Mu Lan and Susan Chan

Second Cousin Roy Lim

The Campbell Family of Woonoona, NSW

Mdm Roma and Mr Peter Karak

Niece Adelyn Yong

Aunty Foo Gaik Keow

Ms Lim Bee Keok

Mr Yap Boo Ann

Ms Lillian Ong

Mrs Janice Tinham

Mrs Charmaine Wan and her daughters Ashleigh and Caitlin

Mr Lim Yew Ting and family

Mrs Rosanne Humble

Ms Tan Mui Na

Mr Pete Cusack

Uncle Hong Beng and family

Mr Richard Bennison

Mr Robert Sim

Ms Joyce Cheam

Mr David Mason

Mr Dane and Mr Nathan

Mrs Nicky Bishop

Mr Andrew Mulligan

and more

Easy Sydney Sunday - 20 December 2009

Start with brunch at Spice I Am, a modest Thai cafe providing food with a kick at the corner of Wentworth Avenue and Elizabeth Street in Sydney CBD.

Here is a lime flavoured twist with grounded peanuts over the Hong Kong egg noodles served with char siew pork cuts and garnished with fresh herbs.  It may be best complimented by a cool iced longan-flavoured drink.

Chill out and hot up at Swiss Bakerz in Darlinghurst - brioche and latte, with posters of Swiss inspiration and a friendly face at the front.

Eel (unagi) dinner serving at On Ramen in Sydney's Chinatown, a narrowly spaced ramen bar with but with flexible combinations in meal choices

Slurping hot Japanese noodles to wind up or start the last Sunday evening before Christmas.

Home On The Range: Prawn Soup Noodles in Balgownie

Allow tender pork neck cuts to rest before slicing them into thins or bite-sized pieces.

The prawn stock and chilli paste simmer with the pork bites.

Boiled thin rice vermicelli with garnishings like hard boiled eggs. According to preference and taste, crunchy stuff like fishcake slices and light fresh vegetables like bean sprouts can also be added.

The finished product, bon apettit

Return to Wollongong

The Beach House Restaurant is located at a scenic corner of North Beach in Wollongong.  Its first storey venue offers panaromic views of the surf and the ever present container ships on the far horizon of the Tasman Sea. The service that we had was efficient friendly, despite it being the last Thursday before Christmas Eve.  As we sat down, our attention were captivated by the sight of the green and tall Norfolk pines trees that line up on the beach only across the road. I thought of both Cronulla and Manly Beaches not too far up north.

For entrees, we both had pig cheeks with scallops.  Pig cheeks, you may wonder.  They turned out to be more tender and well done when served.  I could not help thinking of fish cheeks, a delicacy treasured in Chinese cuisine and proffered to the most honoured guest at a dining table. A good start to lunch, especially with the consistent stunning views of white caps of the ocean surf forming dramatically and increasing under emerging ocean winds.  Summer!

For the mains, I had the paella - Spanish-styled rice with seafood, but not as hard as those cooked in the Spanish quarter along Liverpool Street in Sydney CBD. What I was served, delightfully this time, was more rissotto like and definitely more to my preference. The mussel shells were carefully stuck out of the rice llike on the beach. The colour of the rice was off-white instead of the expected yellow, but the blend of flavours melted in my mouth and I forgot about the importance of colour.

Another  main dish that cuaght my eye was grilled barramundi, interestingly served with hard boiled eggs, opened in halves.

The lunch conversation was great - it struck me of how important family is, what sacrifices had been made by the parents and of how there was a gleam in the eye when grown up children were talked about. The years pass by quick, for now I can appreciate better the effect children can still have on the parents in a close knit family, even if they have already left home. It can be so meaningful when a father verbally appreciates the positive impact of a daughter-in-law on a son and of how a daughter has achieved a successful career in Canberra.

This enjoyable meal culminated for me with a dessert of panna cotta with water melon infused gelato.  We thoroughly enjoyed the accompanying wine from New Zealand, a white called the Heart of Stone.  The experience at the Beach House had been unique - like the speical yam soup cooked by Aunty Girly the following night.  This dish is rarely made these modern days and to have it home cooked made it even more tasty!

The Harbour Front Restaurant at Wollongong Harbour specialises in seafood.  The four of us naturally gyrated to fish in our meal choices, whether they be battered fish and chips or grilled salmon with spiced prawns on the side.The glass panes surrounding the ground floor venue did mitigate my doubts about being not able to be seated upstairs.  The marina-like ambience put us on eye level with yachts and fishing boats, the water was not too choppy and we couild even see the hill escarpment behind the Wollongong area. Despite another busy day in the restaurant, service was provided with a smile.   The two of us having entree chose the scallops with proscuitto, after our initial prefrence had run out and were not available, even for a noon start.  The light rain outside did not dampen our spirits and chatter - and maybe the Premium Hahn Dry helped.