A Reunion At Carlingford

A classic serving of the nasi lemak, moving clockwise, first with tamarind flavoured prawns (top foreground); kari kapitan served with deboned chicken; sweet and crunchy Lebanese cucumber slices; crackling roast pork; and half a hard boiled egg.

Stir fried glass noodles (tung hoon) provided in a hot pot with broccoli, mushrooms and more ( image below) and an ever popular snack plate of crunchy and stimulating roast pork bites (image above).

Nasi lemak, a favourite traditional breakfast item in south-east Asia, is steamed with the light filtered milk of fresh coconuts and flavoured with the fragrances of pandanus leaves. Above image, a bowled serving of the aromatic rice,served on banana leaf patch, stands ready to be savoured with a dash of chili hot curry, crunchy anchovy bites, pickled vegetables (acar), roast chicken and /or roasted peanuts.

All images on this entry were taken from the kitchen of Susan and Boo Ann Yap, Sydney.

Asian Food On The Run Too

Crunchy and addictive yeow char kwai, or deep fried flour sticks, (above) are often eaten on their own as a snack or cut into bit sized cubes for soaking with porridge during breakfasts or late night suppers. Below, roast duck slices, with skins on, are a favourite with steamed rice for a quick meal.

In Vietnamese or Cambodian cuisine, dry rice noodles are an ubiquitous ingredient to mix with roasted peanuts, grilled meats and a choice of fresh aromatic herbs in a bowl. The significant choice of this dish is in the blending of tastes and textures on the palate. (below)

I never had a drink based on the unique flavours of the soursop fruit (above) but a welcome

plate of stir-fried rice noodles with your choice of sliced meats, bean sprouts and chives (below) is always reliable. I particularly love the Penang version called char koay teow.

Diggies, North Wollongong NSW

Diggies offers come-as-you-are entry. It is sited literally beside North Wollongong Beach and across the road from the nearby Novotel. You can feel the ocean breezes, the salt in the air and see the texture of grainy sand not far from your table. The menu changes according to winter and summer preferences. The cafe offers a fusion of styles -modern and traditional, Australian and Mediterranean, vegetarian and meat - but with a sense of creativity, passion and presentation. I love the drink concoctions -from Kissed to Little Tanaka - but what I enjoy most is the relaxed holiday ambiance -and looking out at those container ships queueing up to enter Port Kembla Harbour. Above image, grilled trout with a hard boiled organic egg.

As you would expect, fish and chips are a must (above, with the juice of the day, orange with mint and strawberry). Below, illustrations of a range of smoothies, frappies and other thirst quenching offers. You can choose to be seated on the out deck, inside a mirrored section or just be on canteen styled bar tops. There is also a selection of cakes and pastries, beers and wines, or mineral water.

My breakfast choice (below) of croquet with salmon, poached egg and Hollandaise sauce.

After a meal, you can run,cycle or walk down the user-friendly footpaths that lead one way to the Belmore Basin and Wollongong Harbour Lighthouse, or the other way to Stuart Park beaches, barbecue facilities and picnic grounds.

Diggies is at No 1, Cliff Road, North Wollongong, NSW.

Newport Arms Hotel, NSW

Placid waters (above) from an off shoot of the meandering Hawkesbury River provide a pleasant backdrop to the Newport Arms Hotel. My first visit there was on a Sunday afternoon, with many families, twenty somethings and more gathered for a lazy but gregarious chill out. They were all spread out in various break out seating arrangements. The Hotel has been serving this community in Sydney's northern beaches at Kalinya Street since 1880 and borders the marina at Church Point, Scotland Island and Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park. It is an icon of Pittwater living.

There is a sizable beer garden (apparently Australia's biggest) which adjoins bistro dining. I had fettuccine prawns, garnished by juicy cherry tomatoes (image below) and one can easily access the standard serve of chips or wedges. For more discerning occasions and tastes, there is the Pittwater on Terrace Restaurant. This venue is perhaps best to check out on a Saturday night. Then one can check in one of its limited number of rooms with en suites. It can be a base for exploring nearby sights like Whale Beach, Avalon Village and Palm Beach.

Freshwater Beach, NSW - What a Beaut Day

The South Pacific comes to mind, on a clear and sunny day. Freshwater,the first beach north of Manly in NSW, was once a privately owned estate, apparently with reference to a source or stream of such a resource in the early days of European settlement. Its neighbouring precinct of Harbord was also a personal asset. Today in the 21st century, both suburbs offer an unprecedented lifestyle, in both summer and winter, of immersing both visitors and residents alike in another world, only 30minutes north of Sydney's Harbour Bridge.

Pilu Restaurant at Freshwater is located on a site adjacent to the open ocean, or as it likes to state, "on the beach". We were there too early for lunch, so we settled for its adjoining kiosk, where I was taken by the rich chocolaty froth of its served cappuccino (image above) and accompanying pistachio biscotti.

The suckling pig toasted sandwich (image below), stuffed with rocket and more, made an easy snack on a lazy weekend morning. Associate this with beach break waves over a sandy bottom, a characteristic of Freshwater for surfing quality. It may be too popular for its own good, as the parking lots, sandy spots and water space tends to range from crowded to over crowded. The locals are generally okay if you stay within the boundaries and do not drop in too much. Freshwater hosted the first official historical surfing event in Australia, graced by the Duke himself. Visitors are advised to learn at the northern end of the beach and only go to the mid-section once one improves. Do proceed to the "alley"once you are truly confident, the alley being the southern end.