Lees Malaysian - Sydney CBD

In the heart of bustling Sydney's city centre lies the HSBC Centre, off George Street, and the street entry food court has a range of office lunch time food providers. The one special to my heart is nearest the main entry, a branch of Lees Malaysian, offering an equal mix of Chinese Australian dishes and Malaysian staples like curry laksa, satay skewers and the classic har mee (prawn sufficed stock soup accompanied by vermicelli or Hokkien noodles). In all these years, my penchant for their version of the har mee has not abated.  I recall with fondness even now, how I would ensure having this dish for dinner before going home to the Sydney suburbs. The bus stop I used was only a stone's throw away along Druitt Street and I would gingerly time myself for enough indulging in this dish before catching the public transport home. This outlet of Lees Malaysian also opens late to almost 7pm each weekday evening, so it was great to visit after work or gym.  Above image - the Mongolian lamb, a staple of Chinese food in almost every Australian town and city.

Satay, oh satay as it should be.   Juicy, tender and moist, exuding of the best parts of chicken or beef cuts (above), flavoured just right with a combination of spices and whiff of  lemon grass in the south-east Asian style.   The peanut and chili based sauce is most critical, adding to the sensation of well prepared and marinaded meat cubes melting in our mouths.  Below, an illustrative representation of what is referred to as dim sims Down Under, always deep fried, wrapped in batter or skins - picture below depicts the spring rolls and snack bites, always good with beer or tea.

Above , the dish that I clamour for, a sort of soul or comfort food from my childhood - the har mee.
Garnished with a variety of equatorial spinach (kangkong), graced by thin juicy slices of prawn and pork cuts and topped up by a sprinkling of crunchy deep fried shallots, the dish's ultimate taste and outcome is also influenced by the amount of chili paste condiment you prefer and adopt (on spoon in picture above). The soup is first served clear before you add your choice of how much of such a chili paste condiment you then stir in.  There is always a half boiled egg as well for this street food special is traditionally consumed at breakfast time.  Yummy yum, I am salivating as I write this piece.

There is a method to making the noodle soup, as evident by the display above at Lees Malaysian.

The ingredients are prepared in various ways - chopped, sliced  or julienned - before any cooking is done.  They may involve carrots, corn, green veg, cabbage, lettuce, mushrooms, cooked meats and more, and the image above reminds me of a Subway fast food outlet as well.

My overall impressions of the Lees Malaysian outlet, located at the HSBC Centre in downtown Sydney, are:

Atmosphere:  Office and student crowd.

Location:  City centre.

Taste: Good value.

People Engagement:  Food court.

Service: Quick and responsive

Best Time to Visit: 2pm to 7pm on weekdays

Fav Dish Experienced: Har Mee

Would I Return?: Always

Crown Palace, Forest Hill/ South Vermont, Melbourne

The Yeaps brought me to this suburban yumcha place when  I stayed with them. Crown
may look like the typical Chinese restaurant which could be anywhere in the middle of USA or in Australia. There is adequate vehicle parking outside and the Burwood Highway has passing traffic. 
Once you step inside, the staff are generally friendly, the service is mostly quick and the food
comes with a purposeful pace.  You can then be in Chinatown of a capital city, and the tasty
servings do suggest that.  There is however much less noise and chatter when compared to downtown precincts.  Apart from yumcha, they also serve other aspects of Cantonese cuisine.

Business starts early and the place gets going by 11am.  You have the choice of round tables for ten persons to be seated, or smaller tables for two. The restaurant may have decor that may hark back to an earlier, but the trolleys and trays bearing bites of food do testify to the authenticity and experience of the cooks. There is no new fangled fusion food, but true-to-the heart steamed and deepfried variations that would be original to Guangdong and Hong Kong. I particularly like the braised chicken legs, whether marinaded with light vinegar or soy sauce, and the classic siew mai, those dainty dumplings with fillings of meshed prawn, pork and carrot.  Another staple I look forward to are steamed kai lan vegetable leaves and stalks, tender, light and juicy, dressed with oyster sauce.

Chinese food in Australia has moved significantly away from the dimsims, Mongolian lamb and fried rice to the diversity that we see today in capital cities and their suburbs - for example,  hand made cold noodles, dumplings with hot soup inside and the elegance of quality Beijing duck cuts today.  We also get more choices than southern Chinese offerings to encompass various styles from north-east China, Central Asia and Taiwan.  The Crown was previously named the Han and has survived various industry trends, changing demographics and competition from other cuisines from around the world.

My impressions of the Crown Palace, located at where Forest Hill meets Vermont South in the greater Melbourne region, are:

Atmosphere:  Not too noisy

Location:  Suburban

Taste: Authentic

People Engagement:  Friendly with a smile

Service:  Quick and responsive

Best Time to Visit:  Weekday lunch

Fav Dish Experienced:  Braised Chicken Legs, with crunchy skin and cartilege!

Would I Return?:  Always

Balgownie Fish Shop, NSW

Latest Developments , December 2014 - It is confirmed that the location of the Balgownie Fish Shop
is earmarked for construction of a residential building.

I had passed by this main strip in Balgownie Village several times and observed the queue of customers waiting patiently outside this modest and unassuming shop on sleepy Sunday afternoons.
The Balgownie Fish Shop offers mainly hamburgers and fish & chip combinations. Gen Y Craig from up the street at my place had told me recently that in his view, this was the best fish and chips in this region of the Illawarra.  Wow, I had to try this, I thought, and when I did, it is indeed one of the best fish and chips I have tasted. Even if they are nearer the escarpment rather than by ocean side, one bite into the battered fish brings back memories of tender grills, newspaper wrappings and the aroma of the ocean.  Yes, my fish and chips were served on paper, a detail which is very important. Yes, it is open every day, including Sundays till 7pm.  The chips are rather better seen as wedges, thick, crispy, flavourful and a mouthful.

The inside of the shop is simple, harking back to the fifties, reminiscent of small towns, with a decor that is rather straight lined, with no seating or tables (except for a retro iron bench) and the compulsory drinks fridge. The customers feel relaxed and are casually dressed.  Even the main door has a netted lattice that keeps flies and insects out and reminds me of doors to a food cupboard rather than for an entrance to a shop.  The menu is neatly written in front of the counter.  I am so glad to know that such a gem exists in my neighbourhood. A friendly elderly couple run the operations, and despite being busy, smile when having a conversation and otherwise concentrate on their work. Do allow some time when visiting this shop and the reward of the meal shall be yours. Apparently they have run this shop for umpteen years, obviously having seen children grow up to be adults, taking in the parade of residents and visitors. The best way to locate this place at 166 Balgownie Road is that it is across the road from the Bally Hotel (or Balgownie Hotel), and past the newsagent as you walk up slope.  You can also phone in your orders, which are very reasonably priced.

My serving below - I consumed this after a passing heavy shower and when the sun unexpectedly broke through. Kids may note the bubble gum and lolly dispensers (above).  After collecting your orders, head towards a park to eat.

My impressions of the Balgownie Fish Shop, ten minutes north of Wollongong CBD ( or five minutes down the Mount Ousley slopes on the highway from Sydney), are:

Atmosphere: Quiet.
Location: Village.
Taste:  Melts in the mouth.  Best with beer, soft drinks or just water.
People Engagement:  Friendly elderly couple, with a throwback to 1964.
Service: Please wait for this experience, it is worthwhile.
Best Time to Visit: Early mid afternoon. Go in board shorts and thongs.
Fav Dish Experienced: Fish and chips.  No sauces required.
Would I Return?: Oh ya.

How Not to Do Business

Traditional business or incorporated private limiteds versus so-called on-line versions. Trade based proprietorships against a team of partners. Family or a group of mates?  However we shape the models, the main aim of having a business is to generate cash flows, and then being able to utilise such inflows for further positive outcomes.  We can call them partner profits, share dividends or co-operative returns.  Underlying such aspirations, to succeed, I believe, are the stringency of some key factors.  They are that the product or service must be viable; there are sufficient synergistic team or personal  drivers; motivating tensions between challenge and reward to overcome roadblocks; and a shared positive purpose amongst the players.  Over two weekends, I had the opportunity to come across a variety of business models and reflect on how not to do business.

Showing a rude face to customers:  The interface between customer and the business can be facial, on-site or through cyberspace. The nature of payment collection points, delivery of goods and services and handling of feedback and complaints echo the soul and personality of the business.  Outsourcing such critical points can be a mistake if not handled well.  Your products or service may not articulated or represented at its optimal best.  In a fast moving world of greater choices, in any industry or geographical area, mobility and change can destroy much built up goodwill and reputation at a much faster pace than anticipated.

Not jumping to engage further with any customer, potential or actual: I am surprised that some businesses never make more use of the opportunity with customers at the door, who may be hesitant to come in, or just arriving when the doors are closing. Instead of communicating with such individuals, they close the door right on their face. For example, even if the food kitchen is closed, offer them a coffee.  Even if the coffee machines have been cleaned out, give them a trigger card or offer for them to come back another time.  Of course, on-line websites are never closed.

Focusing just on fast turnover:  This is the bane of the ethnic restaurant, fruit or grocery market trade in most so-called big cities. The food and produce may be great, but there is clarity that the business wants diners to eat as fast as possible and shoppers to  move on as quick as they can -  to open up space for the next wave of customers.  And it is not even a fast food joint.  Add this with lack of conversation from staff, crowded seating or shopping aisles and too much noise.

No need to earn funding and not hungry to do business: These are places which passer-bys suspect are just facades, fronts or used to while the time away. A child can figure out that they do not even earn enough even to pay the utilities, and yet they survive over the years.  Most telling, the decor is at least twenty years behind.  You may want to suggest to such business owners that they can earn better returns by converting their cash to property.

Not having succession planning:  Especially vulnerable are businesses owned by a sparkling or dominating personality.  Buddhist thought reminds us emphatically that the only constant is change, and if we do not heed this fact, we suffer from such a consequence. Chinese street wisdom observes that wealth usually does not last for more than three generations - the first builds it, the second consolidates it and the third can enjoy and fritter it away.  It is not seeing the current business as only part of a larger plan and process.

Not recognising the weakest point and acting to mitigate this:  It can be over stocking, borrowing too much or not realising why some customers interact with the business only once.  It can be just relying on only one advantage, the classic "putting all the eggs in one basket".  Such a  business may be heading to the same fate as the Titanic on her maiden voyage, just because the key people in charge are in denial or ignorance about the quality of the holding plates used to build an otherwise great liner.

Not taking advantage of the disadvantages:  Every market jurisdiction has its own peculiarities, both beneficial and not so advantageous. At times,  businesses succeed because it operates only in areas without hovering clouds.  However, equally important and significant is how a business can differentiate itself and grow precisely because of the threatening clouds.  Clouds in this context can pose problems and discourage, but realising this perspective, your business can offer relevant solutions for a growing market.

Making use of your greatest assets when required - and dumping them otherwise:
Some businesses pay lip service that people are their greatest assets.  When the economy is bright, money is thrown at people to attract them to work for the business, and just as fast, these very same employees are shown the door at the very hint that ever increasing profits can be threatened.  Would customers be impressed, as the very same customers can be actual or potential staff.

Not acting on a niche need in the market, and keeping your business exciting:  Market conditions change, economies go on a roller coaster ride and competitive parameters vary. A business, whilst having a reliable core, must also be nimble to make use of new opportunities, especially in unserved corners and new products and services. Haighs in South Australia used to deal primarily in farm equipment and not hand made chocolates.  The business did not rest on its laurels, but was willing to transform itself to a new dimension.

First Taste - Box Hill, Melbourne

Claypot cooking is a tradition arising out of cool evenings and the intent for capturing all the goodness and flavours of carefully chosen ingredients to be combined in a one serve dish. The outcome of such dishes, whether as double-boiled herbal soups, rice-based vegetable cuts and meat slices or as noodle creations, is often aromatic. At First Taste, one gets personalised servings, the feel of home cooking and the chatter of an informal community all gathered to enjoy such a common penchant for this style of cuisine. Originating from China, the dishes are as safe and reliable for young kids and elderly nannas. As with Oriental dishes, there are lots of cutting, assembling of the ingredients and consideration for the balance of sensations (sour, sweet, savoury and salty) for each dish created. Shallots, garlic, ginger and bits of red-black Cantonese sausage are often used for garnishing, together with various sauces, ranging from XO to oyster.

Suan and Elaine had accompanied me to Box Hill in the greater Melbourne area one afternoon for a drop by at the First Taste outlet. The chain has other branches in Footscray and Springvale in Victoria, and I had recalled how I had been also introduced to the Hurstville outlet in southern Sydney by Tom and Nae. The Box Hill entrance is unassuming, but promised and delivered much variety and choice in different kinds of claypot combinations. Visualise black skinned chickens (silkies), black fungus, smooth tofu sheets, quail, scallops and prawns. Whether you view such things as acquired tastes, or as an adventure not far from home, is up to you.

The cooked white rice at the bottom of each claypot can be burnt. The other caution is to be ready for really hot servings placed in front of you. Do we consume the little bits of meat found hidden amongst the rice pile or floating in the soup? Use discretion, depending on the type of meat and whether you reckon the taste from such meats has already been transferred to the soup or rice. It can be fun, digging through your order, to find delights, mysteries and that item you have seen Mum cooked before.

My Caucasian friends vouch for black pepper diced beef sitting on claypot rice, especially during the rainy weather that we have been having. Whatever they choose, do not steer them to the durian flavoured soup as it is definitely an acquired taste! Then there is the risk of chicken feet herbal soup, complete with skin intact but supposedly providing some nutrition benefits for those already convinced of the beneficial effects of this dish. My weakness is stewed pork claypot, on the fatty side but tasty and irresistible! I enjoyed the food choices in front of me and was so engrossed in conversation with both Suan and Elaine that I totally forgot to take pictures.

I could be mistaken, but I reckon there is another First Taste outlet at Campsie in NSW. I recommend you try their fare on a cool night and you do not have to spend much to transport yourself to an authentic Chinese experience. Claypots can also be obtained for your home at most Asian groceries, usually at the back shelves. Clay is a porous material and such cooking is not confined to Asia, but also practised in different styles in Morroco, Spain and Italy.
My impressions of First Taste at Box Hill in the Melbourne region are:

Atmosphere: Crowded and noisy

Location: Near to suburban rail station, always something interesting outside as well

Taste: Varying and wide choice, flavours depends on what you actually have and experienced before.

People Engagement: As a matter of fact, I reckon the staff are asked to churn customer turnover.

Service: Quick and no time for conversation with customers. Best to point to menu pictures even if you speak Mandarin or Cantonese.

Best Time to Visit: Avoid lunch and dinner time slots.

Fav Dish Experienced: Wolfberry double boiled with other herbs, good for eyesight!

Would I Return?: Yes, for what I see as comfort food.