The Kopi Shop, Campsie NSW

Penang fashioned curry puffs with potatoes and chicken.

More legal migrants from Malaysia have arrived on the shores of Australia in the past three years. Perhaps this echoes the growing dissatisfaction over the quality of socio-economic and political life back in their home country.  What is Malaysia's loss is the gain for Australia, especially immediately in the perspectives of cuisine!  Although more Malaysians, ex and current, settle in Melbourne than Sydney, there has been an increasing number of so-called Malaysian food outlets around the greater Sydney area, some of varying quality.  So I was happy to check out a recent one at Campsie in Sydney city's outer south-west.

The label of Malaysian cuisine may be a misnomer, really there are sub-categories like Indian, Malay-Indonesian, colonial, Chinese, Straits Chinese, Eurasian and some that arise from regional hubs.  The Kopi Shop specialises in Penang cooking, with the owner-operator Alan, hailing from the suburb of Air Hitam.  Many a visitor to Penang island's George Town, currently hailed as one of the top foodie places in the world, would be smilingly familiar with the menu at the Kopi Shop.

The classic Char Koay Teow.  Photo Credit - Mr W H Tang

My first choices sampled here are the durian shake as a quick drink and the curry puffs for a snack.  It was an unexpected quick drop by with some colleagues.  The pastry for the Penang styled curry puffs can be different from samosas and related puffs from southern Asia.  You can notice that the pastry is more flaky. Here the recipe utilised is by preparing two separate types of dough.  The buttery dough consists of self-raising flour and butter; the other dough's plain flour, caster sugar, a dash of salt, soft butter, self-raising flour and water to mix.  The stuffing inside is first cooked as a chicken curry with small cubes of potato.  I gave the Kopi Shop version of the Penang curry puffs a thumb of approval!


If you have a gathering with relatives, mates and others, you may want to have a banquet.

What goes well with steamed rice are stir fry prawns with the chili and shrimp paste based Sambal; beef Rendang, a signature dry curry from Malaysia and well known in the the Australian mainstream community; and the Straits Chinese fish yellow curry brewed in a  claypot, laden with okra (also known as ladies fingers in Penang), eggplant slices and tomatoes.  (No fish heads though in the Kopi Shop)

Ask Alan for the type of fish available that day, he is accommodating and can even tailor make dishes on your request when he can.  This is an intriguing option not available in most restaurants.

The Kopi Shop also offers ethnic Malay dishes  of tomato flavoured rice served with the Ayam Percik.  Pickled slices of hard veg (Acar), Sambal condiment, sliced hard boiled eggs and southern Indian crispy bites (Papadums) are accompaniments - Penang street food has many sides that enhance and uplift the taste in their dishes.    Straits Chinese and Malay Acar are finely cut vegetables like carrots and cucumbers  sprinkled with sesame seeds plus ground peanuts and infused with a sourish-chili hot sensation on the tongue.

I am a fan of Mamak lamb curry, swirling with different spices and texture, and best eaten with steaming white rice!  The lamb is cooked tender and easy on the palate.

Belacan Kangkung is only available according to season.  This popular stir fry in Malaysia uses the water spinach and the dried shrimp paste plus chili concoction called the Sambal.   It can be appetising, stirring and tasty.  This is also a standard fare of many places labelling themselves as Malaysian restaurants.

Otak Otak is the Malaysian version of the Thai Homok, as popularised by Spice I Am in Sydney city centre, consisting of steamed fish pieces in a spicy custard mix.  You can consume this by itself but I reckon it is best served with some steamed rice.  The flavours can be subtle or sharp, depending on which part of the Otak Otak you have - I like the aroma when it is freshly prepared , steamed and served. The creamy stuff often sits on banana leaves or the Daun Gaduh.  I am aiming to try this at the Kopi Shop next!

Wall display at the Kopi Shop.

If you are after street food, here are my suggestions available at the Kopi Shop.

Hawker dishes well known on the streets of Georgetown on Penang Island include the Char Koay Kak, sautéed radish cubes accompanied with chives, bean sprouts, shredded egg omelette, shrimps and pickled vegetables.  It can look like full of carbohydrate but has a unique taste not the same as the classic Char Koay Teow, perhaps Penang's iconic dish.  My cousin Susan makes a really yummy version of this CKK!

The dark soy sauce stir egg noodles with soy sauce ( Kon Loh Mee) is my childhood favourite, a comfort food.  Here at the Kopi Shop, it can be requested to be served with curry chicken, Hainan steamed chicken or Cantonese styled barbecue pork slices with red edges (the Char Siew) or pork stuffed wanton dumplings.   These diverse options are usually not available at other related places in Australia.

The Kopi Shop provides thicker and more substantial curry to go with the Roti Canai, in contrast to Mamak's in Melbourne, Chatswood and Sydney, which give more diluted curry.  Although Dhal curry can be the traditional accompaniment, here you can ask for either the chicken curry of beef Rendang to go with your fluffy Canai.

Roti Canai served with chicken curry and Sambal condiment. Photo Credit - Ms. Zoe Yu

Familiar and not so familiar.....

Oh yes there is also the ubiqutious curry laksa from Kuala Lumpur, offered in prawn, vegetarian, chicken, various seafood and combo versions.  Nowadays across Australian capital cities these are as common as Lebanese kebabs, Italian pasta, Vietnamese Pho and Aussie styled meatballs.  In Sydney, Malay-Chinese Takeway, currently at Hunter Street, consistently comes up with perhaps the most popular curry laksa.

Clay pot Bah Kut Teh are pork ribs simmering in a herbal tasting soup that also include meat balls, sliced mushrooms, pork belly slices and bean curd squares.   This may have medicinal nutrition benefits but always assure a warm feeling inside especially on a winter's evening.   The BKT was formulated by Chinese immigrants in Malaya and Singapore, talk of innovation, localisation and transformation in cuisine!  The regional city of Klang holds the record for producing the best BKT in Malaysia though.

Tamarind juice infused Laksa (Assam Laksa), I often believe, is one of the best dietary street food items around, with lots of herbs, fish stock, a stimulating soup base and slippery rice noodles.  It can be an acquired taste but do try this once in your life.  An original concoction from Penang, it reeks of influences from Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia itself.  I have yet to test this version from the Kopi Shop and see if it fares better than the version from the Hawker restaurant in Sydney CBD.

Penang styled Lobak.  Photo credit - Ms. Zoe Yu.

Another acquired taste dish is the use of salted fish in a fried rice version garnished by chicken strips and a stir fry marinade.  Most southern Chinese and south-east Asians have no problems with this dish - and it is good to recall that the Norwegians and Portuguese also have an impartiality towards salted cod.  Maybe the European colonials introduced the greater use of salted fish in cooking to parts of Asia, an ingredient which can cause an affront to the noses of unassuming neighbours in increasingly higher density blocks in Australian capital cities.

I noticed the southern Indian Mee Rebus, one of my weaknesses, simmering with a rich and flavourful potato based gravy, laden with yellow Hokkien noodles, garnished with lime juice, shallots or spring onions and soaked with deep fried cubes of bean curd, sprinkling of bean sprouts and hard boiled egg slices.  I am going to try this definitely and compare with that dished up by Temasek Singaporean restaurant in Parramatta.

The durian shake, yummy and fulfiling.  Perhaps this is another acquired taste?

For starters,  Lor Bak contain pork cubes (with a bit of fat) seasoned with Chinese five spice powder and stuffed into bean curd sheets with chopped up ground onions and leek.  These tightly packed rolls of around six inches long are then deep fried in woks  and served with tasting condiments consisting of  sesame chili sauce and pickled ginger.  Ex-Malaysian Chinese across Australian capital cities are comparing the relative taste of such Lor Bak from different emerging outlets.  In the greater Sydney area, one can think of those from Sambal in North Ryde;  Hawker in Sydney city centre; Peranakan Place in Auburn (where they do a related version called the Ngor Heang);  and Albee's in both Kingsford and Campsie itself.

My curry puff starters.

The young female staff attending on my first visit was enthusiastic, communicative and helpful.  Diners may also get a free dessert of Gula Melaka if you click like on Facebook.   GM is essentially steamed pearl sago pudding drizzled with coconut milk and brown palm sugar.

In summary, dropping by the Kopi Shop is like visiting a food court back in George Town.  Seating is amply provided in a modern setting in this restaurant.  Vehicle parking can be a challenge in the suburb of Campsie unless you re willing to walk or take City Rail.  Campsie itself is a colourful place to visit, with Australian multiculturalism flowering at its best.  At the other end of the same Beamish Street is the well known Albee's Malaysian, owned by a family from Sarawak on the island of Borneo, but which is still part of the Malaysian Federation.  In between these two ends are a multitude of variety on retail commercialism, ranging across discount wares, fruit and veg markets, computer accessory outlets and cuisines across the Asian sub-continent.   The food scene can be lively going in to the evening hours - and Sydney Airport is not far away.







The Kopi Shop is located at 108 Beamish Street, Campsie opposite some Canterbury Council buildings and on the far end away from Earlwood.
Telephone: 02 9718 2988
Open every day except Mondays from 11am to 10pm.

Seascape Cafe - Port Kembla NSW

The call of surf and sky, the sounds that lull into a sense of inner comfort, these are all ever green captivating us when we connect with the outdoors and Nature.   To have breakfast or lunch looking out at rather empty ocean and a beautiful horizon is a wish come true.  And you may have this at the Seascape Cafe, located at the end of a quiet Foreshore Road in Port Kembla NSW.  You walk up the stairs of the Maritime Police Centre.  It looks like a family run cafe but the owner and staff are as apple hearted as can be.  The menu does not echo of fancy or unusual, but is assured you to remind you of reliability and wholesomeness that city folks often miss and yearn for.

I went back to Seascape earlier this month and loved the ever reliable scenery.  The cafe is located on a vantage point within the Maritime Police Centre.  The ocean winds were refreshing and there was a wholesome crowd at lunch time.  I just loved the veg laden burger, not entirely healthy as it was deep fried but really yummy and of  such  large serving!  The Seascape can be a good choice for a meal if you are visiting the nearby Nan Tien Temple in Berkeley.

I am not a fan usually of lasagna but this cafe has one that made me notice their version.  It just has the right richness, taste and overall attractiveness.  On my very first visit, on the recommendation of Katie and Scott, and accompanied by Janie and Jen, I had the Seascape version of the Big Breakfast - this was like home made, generous and with all the works.  Eating on an outside table under the ocean breezes can prove challenging if the winds step up and the seagulls are watching you and your grub.

The Seascape may have started life as the cafe for the Maritime Police Centre, but its appeal I reckon goes beyond this.  


The Seascape Cafe is located at 91 Foreshore Road, Port Kembla NSW.
Park your vehicle below the Maritime Police Centre.
Opening hours are from breakfast to lunch time every day.
Book for good weather days.

 

Bergie's Fish Cafe - Thirroul NSW

If one has a single focused passion, the world is there to conquer.

A rather easy snack, with all the stuff that reminds one of growing up, with no pretensions - and it has its veg and wedges too.

The waves beckon just out there, and here we are taking in our sustenance and joy, whilst we gaze at the big blue.

The Bergies is located at 216 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Thirroul NSW
Nearest cross road  - Cochrane Road
Opened from Thursday to Sunday only, from 11am to 830pm.
Friendly staff like people we know down the road, in a place that is mostly forever summer and young.
Come up from the beach, or park by the side roads, if you cannot pull up right in front of the cafe itself.
Chat up and you may find yourself on an exciting fishing trip.

 

Kinn Thai Wollongong NSW

Look up at the ceiling as well.

Keen on Thai.  I loved the grilled southern styled chicken thigh fillets. They are not over oily but full of flavour!  Tables were filled up even on a week night.  The lemon grass squash I chose was a bit under and I then reckoned I should have had a beer like Michael.

Curries were restricted to green, red and Massaman, the troika of best known Thai curries to Aussies.  Entrees had variety of choice from curry puffs to chic wings but not the desserts.  Staff members were quick on the go and friendly.  Next I may try the Pad Thai.  On the most recent visit, with the Campbell family,  I sampled the grilled pork ribs, a must have I say.

I reckon bookings are essential.  There are both indoor and outdoor seats, but for the latter, you can be right in the face with possibly busy vehicular traffic on Keira Street, depending on the time of day or evening.  The restaurant is located as part of the revamped GPT shopping centre, sited in the midst of different restaurants and cafes.  In the middle of Wollongong city centre, Kim Thai is easily accessible after some shopping.  Every time I am there, the kitchen staff (mainly male) are often as busy as the (mainly female) wait staff.  There is a prominently placed bar counter for the cocktails and grog to accompany our palate with all these spicy stuff - it is easy to recall memories of Phuket or Bangkok.

Sumptuously prepared crab and prawn rolls.

The Kinn Thai outlet in Wollongong is one of a chain, with other restaurants in NSW (Kotara and Castle Towers), Queensland (Westfields in Upper Mount Gravatt and North Lake) and the Canberra Centre.

The menu is comparable to Thai restaurants in the Big Smoke (aka Sydney) and there is the familiar Tom Yum soup, grilled meat satay sticks, salt and pepper squid, Massaman beef curry, stir fried Pad Thai noodles, red duck curry, basil flavoured chicken and the popular soft shell crab with papaya salad.  Michael tells me he likes the stir fried spicy noodles and I can understand why, it is yummy, though different from the Pad Thai.

There are also suggested set menus to ease the selection process but I prefer ordering ala carte.  Less spicy variations include the crispy pork belly, duck pancake and seared scallops (all more Chinese I must say). On the other end of the scale is the Crying Tiger Salad.  Vegetarians are recommended to try the pumpkin for mild preferences or for more spicy, the stir fry with green peppercorns.

Generous serves of grilled pork ribs.

There are hidden gems offered though like the Miang Kam, a kind of entree salad, consisting of betel leaf holding some crunchy and flavourful bits like nuts, dried shrimps and more.  As can be expected, the drinks have fascinating names like  Rambutan Mule, One Night in Patong Beach and Sugar Daddy.

Birthday celebrations seem to be the forte at this Wollongong outlet and the staff know how to churn up a celebratory mood with sparklers and music, often  with diners at other tables joining in to cheer the birthday person.


Kinn Thai Wollongong is located along the Keira Street frontage of the GPT shopping centre in Wollongong City Centre, with neighbours like Coco Cubano and Grill'ed.  Access can also be made from Coles supermarket down one floor in the centre.  Kinn Thai is a stone's throw from the start of upper Crown Street Mall.

Address:  200 Crown Street, Wollongong - this reflects more of the address of the GPT Shopping Centre, of which Kinn Thai is part.
Telephone: 02 4229 3407 and 02 4229 4417

All hands on deck!

Austi Beach Cafe - Austinmer NSW

The cafe is synonymous with summer time gelato and sorbets.

The staff member who sat us down was friendly and proactive.  I took up on her offer of the PH Balance drink, it was helpful for my budding cold. She could rattle off useful updates on dishes and items available.  I have perceived that this Austi Beach Cafe is the place to go to for summer time gelato in the Illawarra Coast, apart from the one at Panorama House, Cold Rock  and Patisccerie Massimo Papa.  However on our most recent visit,  it was imprudent to go for the cold stuff on a rather classic winter's day on the coast south of Sydney.

Austi does have an interesting food menu though. I have seen so many pulled pork offerings around the Wollongong, Melbourne and Sydney areas - so I gave the pulled lamb on toast sandwich a definite go.  I loved it, with the taste, texture and overall flavours pleasing my palate.  The ocean waves were crashing outside just across the road and fellow lunchers were huddled near the over head heater.  The drinks menu are pretty much what you expect from a beach side suburb - crushes, milk shakes, fresh juices, coffee, milkshakes and teas. 

As it is also a Gelateria, the choices in this respect are more colourful and varied.  I noticed there was an Affogato a Cafe, comprising of a shot of espresso over two scoops of the gelato flavours and topped by a wafer.  A dessert to also try is the Mandarin flavoured pudding, drizzled with honey and full of chocolate as well.

Open for dinner time on weekends, recommendations are to try the Toulouse Sausage and the king prawn Linguini, after entrees of crab and corn Croquettes or the Boston Bay mussels with fried bread.  The Cafe is normally open for breakfast, brunch and lunch. It can be a favourite stop for visitors from outside the Wollongong area on holidays and weekends.  The lunch menu is available only from noon.  Austin also caters for packaged menus.

Austin Beach Cafe is located at 104 Lawrence Hargrave Drive opposite the beach in Austinmer NSW.  It is a leisurely fifteen minute drive north from Wollongong city centre, or around 30 minutes south from Waterfall, a southern suburb of greater Sydney.Telephone 02 4268 5680The owners also operate the Point Cafe in Bulli NSW which bakes the sweet stuff for the Austi Beach.

Vehicle parking is best aimed for the Council provided parking beside the beach.

I adored this pulled pork over sourdough with veg.