Mike's Grill, Sylvania, NSW - Greek Night

What can I expect on a themed evening, and one that is attractively Greek? I have watched enough Hollywood made movies with the hype of breaking plates and all that at such functions.  Realistically, I knew it was going to be a meat night.  The air was still nippy and my group could not literally find parking  along the busy stretch of Princes Highway leading north and just before Tom Ugly's Bridge, a key landmark that separates Sutherland Shire ( 'the Shire") from the rest of greater Sydney.  And then we found a better spot for the car towards the water, that of the King Georges River, the main arterial waterway in Sydney's south.  We followed the rules and had to cross the overhead pedestrian bridge over the Highway.

Once we survived all that, plus the increasingly nippy air for the first week of September in the southern hemisphere, we were welcomed with already grilled bite sized lamb pieces from an experienced barbecue looking guy manning the front grill. Oh yes, the expected lamb on a spit.  It was already getting relaxed noisy inside Mike's Grill & Bar, with easy to read menus on the large wall and with more women diners than guys. We figured out there could be more than just one birthday party. There were easily a hundred diners in the restaurant.  The last time we were there we did not feel the sense of being in Mykonos or Santorini - tonight we were transported there, although I also thought we must have been in Slyvania.  The staff were quick to organise things, get us seated, commence the train of snacks and kindly allowed us the reds that we thought was okay to bring in. There was a mobile DJ, a small dance floor and tightly packed tables so close beside each other that you could easily start a conversation with strangers.

I enjoyed the fresh salads most of all.  The breads, whether in Turkish, olive-flavoured or unleavened pita traditions, got us going - but hey, we were already having our lamb first!  I did find the calamari fritti rather on the damp side, but they were more than made up by the slow roasted chicken pieces in a gravy of spices, red wine and tomato.  Tasted more Italian, I reckoned. Of course, black and green olives were everywhere.  The spanakopita, a baked pastry with spinach fillings and fetta cheese inside, were easy to cuddle up to.  I did not warm up to the baked pastitsio, a baked pasta dish utilising ground beef and bechamel sauce.    Grilled hulloumi cheese with a slice of lemon was the iconic Greek that evening in the sumptous course.  Hulloumi has origins in Cyprus and is unripened but brined cheese similar to the mozarella, utilising both the milk of goats and sheep.

This was the kind of meal  that one sits with family, mates and the special one, but mind you, they are all there at the same table.   And the souvlaki with tzatziki (cucumber and  yogurt dips) had to make an appearance, at the end, when I was getting full and Franco had to get some clear hard liquor. 
Souvlaki hails from the days of the philosopher Aristotle, offering bite-sized cuts instead of steak portions.

Next it got more merry and groggy. The Greek necked bowl lute, the bouzouki, made an appearance and  started some very cultural tunes and it finally led to a parade of fifty or more ladies dancing happily not just in the restaurant, but out along the streets of Slyvania. What a sight, passing motorists should be lucky to see all this and not endure the eleven hour air flight to Athens. I then further realised dining in a Greek setting was more than eating, it was a communal get together, letting go of one's hair and re-affirming the bonds of friendships and relationships.  The diners at Mike's Grill that evening clapped easily, spontaneously and with a musical flair.

Mike's runs three separate restaurants, at the Royal Hotel in Sutherland, NSW; this joint I went to; and across the Princes Highway, all with their own unique menus.  If it was not Greek night, the north bound outlet just before Tom Ugly's offers a variety of seafood, Italian pastas and wood fired pizzas.  Think of the pork set of ribs, five spiced king prawns and Portuguese styled chicken skewers as stand outs.  Greek Night is held on the first Friday evening of each month at the north bound restaurant.

Would I return?  A definite yes. Thanks , Andy, for driving us back that night, you were our Plan B, so in Australian Motor Registry speak.  We each felt like waking up on some beach the next day, like Wollongong, to recover from an eye opening experience.  Maybe it is more necessary to cycle or have a run, for the women have had their dance at Mike's Grill, whilst most of the men just sat around. Good to catch up with Tez, good to discover an innovative eating and social experience.  It was better than Greek yumcha!

Auburn, NSW - A Touch of Turkey and Lebanon

There is an Anatolian feel in the outer western suburb of Auburn in greater Sydney. There are both Muslim and Christian symbols and institutions in this area, which also intermingles East Asian demographics with families having roots in the Middle East. Then there is the food, best surveyed by walking the main street of Auburn Road. NRL football fans will know Auburn as the birth place of Brad Fittler.  Political enthusiasts associate the place with Warren Mundine, the first indigenous President of the Australian Labour Party.  The oldest Hindu temple in Australia, the Sri Mandir, provides religious focus , together with the Gallipoli Mosque, done in classical Ottoman style and design.  Oliver Goldsmith's poem "The Deserted Village"  provided the source for the name of Auburn.  Above picture, young Mamet helps out on a Saturday morning at his family bakery.

Makanek, or beef with chicken sausages made in the Lebanese tradition, and sujuk, Turkish styled treats, are sold fresh in an Auburn butchery, which cuts meats according to halal requirements.  They are fermented and cured semi-dry sausages.  Pine nuts, cumin, vinegar, coriander, pepper, nutmeg and cloves are used in the seasoning process.

 

 

 

 

 

Australians are familiar with the baklava, intense sweet desserts consisting of pistachio or other nutty delights smothered with honey syrup in baked filo pastry (image above)  and the ever popular so-called Turkish wheat flour breads of pide (last photograph in this article).  Baklava has  been known to Europeans for around four hundred years, with the contemporary version in Australia based on the recipe used by the imperial kitchens at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.  An interesting note is that Adam is the Patron Saint of Bakers and he got into breadmaking after he was expelled from the Garden Of  Eden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auburn is  a bustling place of commerce during the day, with many families going about their daily regime. Fresh produce are a necessity especially in the cooking requirements of ancient cultures, so many fruit, meat and vegetable outlets thrive in business as such.  The working class nature of Auburn continues, even if new immigarnt groups have settled in. Not far away along the main strip of Parramatta Road are the so-called modern  complexes as exemplified by Costco from the USA and locally bred Reading Cinemas.  Auburn Road provides variety in cafes, sweets, salads, breads and cultural icons. Parking can be challenging with very limited time parking for most of the day hours.

It can be worthwhile to park further away, take the walk and soak in the very different world that Auburn can offer, in sights, smells and attractions.

Homebush, Sydney - Street Food

 

 

The aroma coming from fresh ingredients cooking on a well seasoned wok is not comparable. It conjures the sensations of a welcome respite, when arriving at a street side hawker's stall in Manila. or in a traditional coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City or Georgetown on Penang Island.  Respite from coping with the tropical sun and figuring out the several temptations on the nostril.  Prawns and calamari, tender bits of cut meat, the green feel of chives and slices of well made omelette can make good company with cleverly stir fried rice noodles. This was what greeted us at a weekend lunch in  a small and modest cafe in Homebush, an outer west suburb of Sydney.  It was well patronised.  A lot of the Cantonese dialect was spoken, amongst the customers and staff.   This was the kind of outlet where common tea blends were slapped on the table, where we shared a dining area and where everyone seemed to relish the hot piping food.   Chili based condiments are provided at no extra charge (picture below).

 

 

 

 

 

We thoroughly enjoyed the hot plate of sizzling prawns, garnished with sweet onion slices, a good dash of chili and shallot rings and all in a generous portion. It was obviously this needed to be accompanied by steamed rice and they gave a rather larger portion of that than we expected.  I understood why several people waited patiently outside  for their turn to get a table.  This place was opposite an Asian grocery that already  stocked mooncake boxes early before the October 1 festival this year.  This cafe fronted a small pedestrian mall-like open air lane way.

 

 

 

 

The staff were quick in service  and friendly. We had Vietnamese styled iced coffee, which blended well with the spicy dish pictured above.  We would definitely return, for tasty dishes that were reasonably priced and freshly cooked.  There is a variety of both southern Chinese and Vietnamese dishes in the menu.

Gardens Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

Pillows that offer some fluffiness but not too soft, firm for support for the neck but not hard and with a huggable feel. A mattress that provides a comfy feeling of stability but not inflexible. You have the daily newspaper, the IPad and the flat monitor remote. Time to settle in, time to relax and let go of things.  Immerse into the media without any thoughts and let the subconscious just absorb.

A round face wash basin and surrounding panel that is clean. Beside you is the see through shower equipped with an over hanging typhoon rain washer, the water coming down like sky juice and without a need to hold anything. The toilet bowl is discreetly kept from view behind well placed glass doors. There is a dressing table and huge double mirrors envelope your wardrobe activity.

Complimentary from the Gardens are bathrobes, a security safe tucked away discreetly behind a drawer, shoe polishing basket and accesories plus the inevitable ironing board, even if this is not a serviced apartment. (Picture above) As you walk towards the exit door, bottles of drinking water await, together with the usual coffee, sugar and tea sachets.  (Picture below) Once you get out of your guest room, a myraid number and variety of shops wait for your attention - and wallet.

Oscar's Grill - Towradgi Beach Hotel, NSW

It is where children can romp freely, mothers can group up to relax, fathers can have a beer - and a family can all come together in one vehicle. In the evenings, dating men and women can be seen over various parts of the spacious lay out - or they are hidden in clusters with their mates. A varied children's play area suggests as a McDonald's, but it offers better than fast food, although the popular wedges emphasise casualness and informality.  It opens till late, is licensed, provides a variety of reasonably prized steaks and seafood from its grill and yet has a pub like atmosphere.  There are pool tables, high chairs, several large screens mostly showing Fox Sports and outdoor seating. The staff are friendly, the floor is level flat and there is easy parking on its outer grounds. Welcome to Oscar's Grill in Towradgi, a suburb three kilometres north of Wollongong CBD.

If only it was beside the ocean!  In reality, Oscar's is located in front of an inland road, part of a complex of buildings that variously function as a motel, liquor outlet and more. Some low level apartment blocks have sprung up behind.  Guests cannot see any beach.  What they do feel, enjoy and view are relaxed gatherings, neighbourhood people and catching up with friends and acquaintances.  At lunchtime, dinner or after that, they are all spread out, in the out deck, indoors, hanging around the bar, seated in the back courtyard and settled elsewhere.

The kitchen is transparent.  You help yourself to your own napkins, cutlery and sauces. The menu can be standard, but there is always the blackboard specials. My favourites have been the pork ribs, with its messy barbecue sauces and the fettucine gambari, fresh large prawns looking pink and standing as they nestle in the al dente pasta.  Today I had a light salad with seared scallops.  A little boy was playing with his Mum's Galaxy S3 smart mobile phone and waved to the three of us having lunch outside the glass partition. Steaks are well served and salads are thoughtfully made. Then there are the burgers, deep fried calamari and coffee.

On Friday nights, there are the battles of the bands. Weekends in the warm season there can be bike and car displays, food festivals, blues gigs and expositions for kids. I witnessed a mini Masterchef for kids one winter's afternoon.  I have enjoyed outings there with colleagues, close mates, neighbours and visitors. Practical priced breakfasts are offered till 1030am.  Fish burgers, lamb rumps and pizzas indicate the diversity of what Oscar's can offer. Modern Australian, with touches of Italian and an icon of the Wollongong area, Oscar's can be viewed by some parts of society here as working class, middle income and university student crowd.  Whatever the label thrown at it, it has withstood the test of time in bringing in the customers to have a fine time there. Just like Nathaniel Willemse belting out the lyrics of his song on X Factor Australia: "Gotta feeling that tonight's going to be a good night" when anyone walks into Oscar's.