St George-Illawarra Leagues Club

First opened in 1952, the St-George Leagues Club was first located at the corner of Rocky Point Road and the Princes Highway in southern Sydney. It was the second such club to obtain a liquor serving license in New South Wales. The expansion of the club name to include Illawarra, to reflect the combined NRL teams, marked a significant point in the history of the Dragons. Some mates and I recently on a late Friday night had the opportunity to visit this iconic base of NRL, especially for those from the Wollongong area and South Coast NSW.

Above, Dragons Great Billy Smith. Billy had a reputation for being tough in a challenging game, relying on his exceptional kicking and organising skills on the field and having a noted capability of challenging an opponent head-on. Smith had the honour of leading Australia and being named Man of the Match in a tournament match against Great Britain at Headingley in October 1970. Billy was also the winner of the Harry Sunderland Medal in 1967.

The walls are adorned with the memories and poses of those who have given much to the team and club, recent and long ago. Most interesting to me are the signed autographs on clothing memorabilia.

The Grange (above) is only one several function rooms,which also include the Mahogany and the Riveria.

The Bistro, the Crown Dragon and the Coffee Shop complement the pokies areas and lobby in providing facilities and service to both members and visitors alike. The logo of a knight charging on a steadfast horse uniquely catches the eye of the beholder.

A Chairman of the NRL, Bill Buckley, said that Reg Gasnier (autographed shirt above) - Puff The Magic Dragon - was the "greatest rugby league player he had ever seen,with an amazing change of pace and anticipation". Gasnier "was also particularly unselfish". He showed outstanding skills in pace, swerve and handling. Reg was only 28 years old when he had to retire permanently from the game in Avignon, France, after he felt an obligation to take pressure off his team mates and unfortunately suffered a significant leg injury.

St.George-Illawarra Leagues Club is located at 124 Princes Highway, Kogarah, NSW.

Duck With Vermicelli Soup

Dong Ba, at 296 Chapel Road South in the suburb of Bankstown in the greater Sydney region, is an unassuming, down to earth cafe that reminds one of the hustle and bustle of old Saigon, but easily accessible when you are in the so-called Indo-Chinese quarter of Australia's largest metropolitan area. From Wollongong, it is a leisurely 45 minute drive and signals the start of what I refer to as the Asian foodie arc, that extends past Campsie, Marrickville and Eastwood.

The place is popular with on-the-run diners with thoughts on grocery shopping, but needing relief with a bowl of hot piping food, especially noodles in soup or served mixed dry. I had to try their duck breast cuts (above), which are served separately with garnishings of finely cut lettuce, onions, roasted peanuts and garlic oil relish - and you have the option of pouring them all on to the rich broth (below) or not. The broth hides delicately cooked fine white mung bean vermicelli, the texture of which goes well with the duck on the skin.

I had all the available servings swirlings on to the broth (above) and then contemplated adding the sauces below - left to right, freshly prepared Viet styled chili paste and Chinese hoi sin sauce. Downed with complimentary standard jasmine, we were charged at ten dollars per person. I found the meal refreshing, not heavy for lunch time and savouring the herbal aromas of the garnishings on top of a rather satisfying stock for the soup. The duck provided was not fatty but just right.

Click on the following link for more fascinating duck themed culinary experiences, including those at

PM 24, 24 Russell Street, Melbourne; Miss Chu's, both at 150 Bourke St Darlinghurst, Sydney and 297 Exhibition St, Melbourne; Harvest, 1 Harvest Road, North Fremantle, WA; and The Flower Drum, 17 Market Lane, Melbourne.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/executive-lifestyle/gallery-e6frg8jo-1226036088489?page=1

Another Breakfast at Balgownie

On weekend mornings, maybe we need a change from muesli, toast and the poached eggs. When the pace is more leisurely, mates can come over and get involved with a tropical themed meal that reminds me of memories of seaside bungalows, teenage camps and family outings. For the mains, the ingredients are simple - fresh prawns from South Australia, yellow Hokkien noodles, cherry tomatoes and sliced chicken breast.

Have a dash of salt on the chicken bites. Get the wok going hot with some cooking oil, throw in some blended garlic and throw in the chicken first. When the wok gets going with aromatic sizzle, add the noodles and flavour them with some oyster flavoured sauce. The de-shelled prawns only need a quick stir to cook, so add them last. Tomatoes are garnishings when served. Add freshly ground pepper to taste before consuming.

Get your mates to prepare the stir-fried egg parcels - they are optional. (below)

What is mandatory, however, is the condiment of chili paste or sambal (below). When smeared with the hot piping noodles, the chili mix brings out the stir fry and arouses the palate's senses better than a cup of coffee.

Mosman, Sydney - The Thai Paragon

A leisurely Saturday evening catch up with university classmates turned up as well to be

my latest adventure with Thai cuisine offered in Sydney. On a relatively warm autumn night, I had the opportunity - with mostly Caucasian diners at the Thai Paragon Restaurant - to reacquaint myself with some favourite dishes and tastes. Above, a fitting dessert of sticky rice pudding, accompanied by vanilla ice cream and bathed by raspberry sauce (foreground) and a selection of quintessential Thai fruits (jackfruit, pomegranate and the like) soaked in a light coconut milk mixture.

My recommendation for the evening (above) - the classic padthai, or stir-fried thin rice noodles

with garnishings of fresh bean sprouts, small pieces of soya bean cakes, chicken bites and a flurry of sauces (sugary, savoury and salty) - all ready with an option of a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The Paragon version had an appetising wetness to this dish - not too dry and not too moist as well.

Between the soft shell crab (above) and the green curry (below), I was fascinated by the lightness of the latter and was a tad disappointed by the saltiness of the former. The green curry attracted me because it was not over creamy and brought out the bite of the prawns.

Entrance to the Mosman version of the Paragon above, with an entree of spring rolls below.

The chicken salad (below) stood out in being unassuming in looks, but was rather satisfying to the palate.

The Thai Paragon Restaurant visited above is located at 143a Raglan Street, Mosman, on Sydney's lower North Shore.

Melbourne, Victoria

Melbourne, where there is retail therapy and choice of food relief after hours, especially on the much appreciated week night. Melbourne, named after a formal lordship, but where the streets are so easy to navigate. A city that has unassuming charm and delights in hidden corners. A place where you can dress up, or dress down. A conurbation where anyone can have a choice of gig, performing stage, bar or simple evening. Where rowers, runners, cyclists and walkers all seem to have been inspired by a thought or two - health and fun. Or adventure. Even simple city public perambulation and commuting offers a day long ticket, and then a further choice of tram, bus, train, river boats, bike or just strolling through enclaves, each with distinctive characteristics, which but when combined, make up the city as what it is.

Fine dining - with opportunities like Jacques Reymond in Prahran, Ezard along Flinders Lane and Vue De Monde along Little Collins Street - shines like gems in a hidden forest. Even ready to eat outlets for the office crowds and back packers stand shoulder to shoulder with the best of what Australian capital cities can offer. Or you can go to the markets, delis or specialised groceries to plan, dream, gather, create and serve up at home.

Melbourne, where Euro inspiration meets the South Pacific and indigenous Australia. A city with once a Lord Mayor who owns a Chinese restaurant chain - the Dragon Boat - and where old school ties still thrive.
The city has several bridges across its iconic river and one could at times think it could may be Amsterdam or Paris. The sandstone-like Australian Immigration Museum stands unabashedly proud despite its neighbour down the road, the all-over-the-place design of Federation Square. Performing arts mingle with the routine of life. Maybe the sky scrapers do not quite touch the sky, except for the Rialto - but who cares, the city grabs your heart deep in the soul, with the layers of things that can be done and the stylish way in which you can do it. When you cross a street, at times it seems like crossing three roadways all at once. When you enter a shop, it is elegance personified, as best as the operator can do it. The negativities of wind chill are reversed with wardrobe possibilities and fun; the searing summer heat means time to get a viable tan.

A confluence of people from all over Australia and the world. All the taxi cabs I got into on a recent visit seem to have one common cultural background. Oh yes, the Yarra can look murky if you stare down its waters, and the nearest beach is, ahem, rather far away. But then the tram beckons, with its distinctive cring of a bell and thud of a stop-and-start sound. Clusters of unique exclusivity - be they be called Toorak, Chapel Street or Lygon Road - beckon visitors past through solid architectural passages and buildings. The sloping wide avenues attract rather than distract, despite all the underlying currents of underbelly gangs, ethnic deals and student groupies. The sun may take its time to wake up for three of its climate seasons, but once it gets going, the lights of evening have a special glow. And when certain evenings come, it's time for Aussie Rules footy - and you get ingrained into , indoctrinated by and understand the nuances of tribal membership, often decided by your parents, some times by choice, often just by the sheer passion for the sport and the one you truly love.

The meanderings of the river are the veins through which inspiration, sophistication and purpose imbue the city's residents. Walking along the Yarra means better understanding what makes the city tick, from work places and fashionable hang-outs to cultural outbursts . Clear cut highways, with clever automated vehicular control at ramp exits and striking unexplained design structures, take one out of and in to the central business district.

The suburbs lead to unique experiences like Bells Beach, the Mornington Peninsular, Ballarat and Bendigo towns and the Great Ocean Road, but those places are left for another day, another time.