Old Town Hong Kong Cuisine - Sydney Chinatown

Hong Kong is not just Chinese, this great city echoes traditions and influences from far and near due its entrepôt location, dynamic vibes, its residents being so passionate about business and making money.  It is also subtropical, a hub that is a powerful magnet for immigrants and was a British colony. The Fragrant Harbour has effective transport and international links, is short on land and space, thrives on modern trends and is a foodie heaven.

Old Town in the heart of Sydney's Chinatown provides a plethora of menu dishes that are not merely Cantonese, but also reflect the fusion and intermingling of cooking styles from Hong Kong.  Below is only but a small selection of recommended snacks, before and after you partake the main meals.

Deep fried ice cream, classic with a modern twist, served with slices of kiwifruit and strawberries.

Deep fried egg white topped with a  sprinkling of pink coloured  sugar undefiled with small dashes of custard.

Roast pork, not over fatty, yummy plans and definitely a good crackle.



Smooth on the palate - roast duck slices for your Beijing duck wrap, accompanied by shallot garnishing and  Hoi Sin sauce.

Five of us were ushered upstairs to a lovely table at a strategic corner.  Seated below a reproduction of a dragon head motif, I noticed it was a perfect time for a quiet dinner hour though late, between the family dining earlier and the suppers of youngsters later.  There is a rustic feel inside the Old Town. especially with the unwashed faded bricks.   I loved the roast pork slices and find the deep fried ice cream a cut above the rest.  The staff are efficient, friendly and a pleasure to deal with.

This time we did not get to eat the Tau Fu Fa, steamed soya bean curd for dessert.  There are Yum Cha or Dim Sim offerings from both southern and central China - I particularly like the steamed custard buns and the Shanghai dumplings.  Other starters you can consider are wine poached chicken or pig trotters; jelly fish salad cold dish; and the Tom Yum prawn soup (not really China!).

For mains, I recommend the roasted suckling pig if you have a larger number of people in your party.
On rainy wet days as we experienced recently, the ever reliable congee is worth considering, my group had two versions - the Old Town signature congee and the century egg flavoured version.   If you have steamed rice on the table, try the diced beef stir fried with black pepper sauce; the deep fried flounder in spicy salt; the braised eggplant access;pained with minced pork; and the king prawns served in shell with rice vermicelli; or the mud crab in shell  together with XO sauce and rice vermicelli.

Old Town Hong Kong Cuisine is located along the northern end of Dixon Street, away from the mall and towards Darling Harbour's Cantonese Gardens.
10A Dixon Street, Chinatown Sydney.
Walk from Central or Town Hall City Rail stations.
Opens daily from 11am to 2am, with dinner menu kicking in from 4pm.
Telephone 612 9264 3888

Gelateria Giapo, Haute Ice Cream & Gelato - Auckland

The lively engaging and customer focused  staff member  of Giapo we were so fortunate to meet at the Gelateria - and she is from Sicily.  Photo credit - Ms S K Teoh.

Welcoming, wonderful and wow in flavours and presentation!  As someone remarked, "When you have a Giapo ice cream, you just won't know where to start!".

The cones can be bigger than what you normally get at ice cream parlours, but this rather unique place comes alive with a great selection of ice creams and gelato.  Each flavour and combination in Giapo comes with eye catching names.  I had the Christchurch Hazelnut, my fellow gelato cult members chose two with Avocado and another one with an Italian twist.  And that was the more simple name...CH.

All very New Zealand.  And Italian. Giapo also has flavours inspired from the South Pacific neighbours and of course, the iconic Hokey Pokey.  You can have your gelato and ice cream in cups as well but the waffle cones are quality and yummy eaten by themselves.  I can still recall flavours like Yogurt with Goji Berry and the Organic Winter Sangria Sorbet - and they can change every day.

Check out the Aotearoa Garden, hey are they leaves freshly plucked from a  garden on the top?  I just adored my solid chocolate cone placed solidly on my serving - and they even give you a helpful little spoon with your cone.

Giapo delights are not overly rich but full of flavour, with interesting combinations that tease the senses.  Chef and patron of Giapo, Mr. Giapo Grazioli, has a gem of a gelateria.  Giapo is a strong believer and supporter of local produce.  Massey university has a research paper on Gaipo.s business success.

Colour, shape, how it all looks count here as well as the inherent taste. And then wait for the toppings!  These are generous encrusted top-of-the-cake literally over the top bonuses.  These counter against the higher prices charged but I reckon you get value in return.

Service is fast and I was amazed by the efforts the staff go to decorate the tops of the already delicious offerings.  With a smile, the lovely two female staff (one from Sicily)  take us through their extensive menu.  Children and the elderly would be captivated - anyone is!  They even offer drinking water when customers sit down, watching the goings on along Queen Street.  The bus stops right infant of Giapo, go for this!  I would take ice cream in the Kiwi winter at Giapo's - don't even think of summer.  

Visiting Giapo's is more than an experience, it can be the whole package in engagement, palate satisfaction and enjoyment.  Gelateria are often small but it is  pleasure to reward yourself especially on a cold day outside. Flavours can change daily as well.

Giapo Haute Ice  Cream & Gelato is located at 279 Queen Street, Auckland CBD near the Civic Theatre.  Located in front of a bus stop, teeming numbers of students and tourists.

Opening Hours: Every day after noon, weeknights close 1030pm and weekends 1130pm.

Telephone: 65 9 5503677

 

Wollongong Botanical Gardens - Revisited

Zimzala, Cronulla Beach - Sydney NSW

South Cronulla Beach south of Sydney CBD - and this was taken in July's southern winter.

Zimzala sits right on the beach.  Enough said. The beach is iconic in the greater Sydney area.  A bonus.  In front of the restaurant are paved walkways, the captivating bay and a hum of activity on most days.  Diners have a choice of so called outdoor seating where you get the sea breeze or you may want eating inside a proper room.  The menu utilises the best of local produce, is mindful of beach culture but also both elegance and style to its creations.  You may have to sit up close to other guests but you don't really care.  A place for wedding catering, that special twosome or just a group of your best mates. 

The wine list is compact but focused, mainly with an eye for the primary seafood and meat items dished up.   There is spread across Australia from the Hunter Valley to Margaret River, including Victorian and SA vine yards, but there is also the ever appreciated brews from Marlborough across the Tasman.  Interesting is the sole dessert wine, Mclaren Vale's Dowie Doole Canecut Viognier.

Grilled eye fillet of beef.

A beaut day for winter, with sky blue ocean and welcoming  temperatures.  The place was packed up but we were shown a strategically placed table where we could view the goings on in food and crowd.  We decided on a lunch combo, with choices from the menu, how generous!  For starters, the gnocchi and pork belly crackle stood out in nuance, favour and presentation.

Regarding the mains we selected, I found my duck confit with baby endives and lardons of spec a bit dry but the grilled eye fillet of beef for my mate was good. The integrity of the duck based dish was saved in part by the silky carrot puree and the orange and cranberry marmalade.  The beef was graced by pommes lyonnaise, green beans and peppered jus and sauce Bearnaise.

Friendly staff, fast service and a good refuge at the seaside.  We thought they offered a bargain combo lunch deal!  Also look out for mid-week specials if you can make it there accordingly.

What caught my eye initially was the risotto mains served with lobster and Balmain bugs, a great test of flavours from the ocean and the intimacy of the rice.  This dish was accompanied by the usual garnishing of Parmesan cheese and garden peas.   The other dish that also jumped out of the menu for me to please try was the seafood pie with chips,  perhaps very blokey or rather very seaside!  Next time, baby!

Gnocchi with dolce gorgonzola, pancetta, radicchio, pangratatto and spinach.

Staff we met were quick on their feet and responsive even during a busy hour.  The freshness of ingredients is complimented by the high level of care paid to its preparation, in most cases.  Sauces play a big part in the outcome of the served dish.  Colour, refinement and texture stand out positively, especially with the arrival of Executive Chef Tod Laurence.  And the other consistent X factor - imaginative presentation and care when your order is served in front of you.

The gnocchi my mate had was served with radicchio, pancetta, spinach, pangratatto bread crumbs and mild dolce gorgonzola.  Radicchio is the pretty looking Italian chicory, with the white veins in the otherwise purple coloured leaves making them even more captivating.  The dolce gorgonzola is made form unskimmed cow's milk and is not overly rich though when mild and sprinkled sparingly.

Caramelised apple, walnuts, cress and parsnip puree further lift up a tasty pork belly crackle.

The pork belly served was not over oily and the crackle firm and crispy.  The accompanying parsnip puree lifted the dish further, together with the delicate walnuts and cress with the caramelised apple.  This is an entree that gave detailed sensations to the palate!

I would love to return to Zimzala for breakfast, high tea or dinner.   The restaurant likes to party and hosts special events like Christmas in July, French in August and also one off event evenings.  The high tea package provides petite wagyu and cheese burgers, macaroons plus creme fraiche and salmon roe sandwiches amongst its several gems on offer.  If I recall right, creme fraiche is less sour than American served fresh cream but it has more butterfat.

Seafood platters are complemented with tropical fruit and chips, but the centerpiece revolves around Balmain bugs, blue swimmer crabs, smoked salmon, fresh oysters, scallops and prawns (fresh lobsters are an option to add).  For breakky, I have earmarked two items, the Thai styled scrambled eggs with a toasted Vienna, and the zucchini fritters with poached egg, basil pesto, haloumi cheese and a roasted tomato,

On this visit, alas, there was no room for dessert!

Duck confit with marmalade of cranberry and orange, supported by a bed of silky carrot puree.

Zimzala is located at:

No 7, The Esplanade, South Cronulla Beach
behind the Cronulla RSL
Telephone 612 9527 2011
Opening hours:
Every day for breakfast and lunch.
Wednesdays to Sundays for dinner
Corkage $5 per person charged for BYO wine.
10 percent surcharge applies on weekends and public holidays.
Catering packages are also available.
Zimzala's catch cry - "A person whop finds solace with sand between their toes and the big blue lapping at their feet."

Tim Ho Wan Chatswood - City Lunch Australia 28 June 2015

A collage by Ms Zoe Yu.

We missed Angie in Castlehill and Michael in Nagambie.  We did continue our series of City Lunch Australia commercial outlet gatherings outside the Sydney CBD this year after gathering at Kin by US and the Kopi Shop.  The aim was to utilise the private dining room facility (PDR) at the first Tim Ho Wan outlet in Australia.  There were rules, every one had to be present at the same time before we were seated by THW, there was the usual minimum spend and we only had two hours utilisation of the room, which did not have a door.  However it was lovely not to have to queue for a change as we were shown into our booked room not long after we all arrived.

Sari, Jacob, Edwin and the one with full concentration facilitating order - Chip.

THW has an optimally sized menu, printed with colour and also used as a serving mat in Asian style.  Like Papa Rich, you tick against the menu dish codes and that forms the basis of a  no-fuss invoice.  In yum cha and Japanese fashion, there are miniature photos of each dish, ranging in price from AUD 5.80 to 8.80.  It was unanimous that we left out the steamed egg cake slices (Kai Tan Ko in Cantonese), which is one of the so-called "four Heavenly Kings" of THW offerings.  We almost ordered a sample of each of the THW menu items, without also selecting the poached  seasonal vegetables,  the three rice variations, spring rolls with egg whites, two vermicelli roll creations and the two dessert choices.

The queue lines on Sunday afternoon.

The winning preference for the group was of course the baked marinated pork buns, with the tender to the bite full flavoured Char Siew fillings inside.  Over all, we ordered eight serves of this, with three buns in one serve.   Maybe the congee with bits of century preserved egg,  lean pork slices, julienned ginger and salted egg was the last preferred by this group.

Siew Mai pretty!

Focus group.

Dee found the vermicelli rolls with sesame seed sauce (Chee Ma Cheong Fun)outstanding - this can be a difficult dish to prepare as the overall effect on the palate depends on the quality of the rolls and sauce - and nothing else!  Sally pointed out the Worcestershire sauce sitting in the sauce tray waiting to be used with the shrimp filled beancurd skin wrapped deep fried rolls.  Chip then reminded us about the Hainan cuisine available on Penang Island.  Raymond liked the Siew Mai and Har Gou for their quality.  I say the pork ribs in black bean sauce were pretty standard this afternoon.

The large Lazy Susan, with call button attached.

We were not totally obsessed on food, as there was a lively and informative conversation on the latest Apple watch, which Edwin was wearing and kindly showed us.  There was the banter about Bob's hair style, of which Bob was sporting about.  Chip's relocation to Adelaide in the coming weeks touched upon the choice of removalists.  We reconfirmed about gathering at Sari and Jacob's newly built house by this coming weekend.   Zoe and Raymond has celebrated 25 years of wedded bliss two days before.  Above the table were three mirror reflective lamp shades, which gave a bit of festivity to this end of financial year party.  City Lunch Australia commenced as informal gatherings for lunch on working days.

The women of City Lunch Australia.

Chatswood can be  a vehicle parking nightmare.  Five of us took public transport and the rest used private vehicles, with two fortunately finding a good spot on nearby Railway Street.  Some of  us took a walk around the evolving development of District Dining, lamenting the still to be opened Ipuudo restaurant there.  John and I were fascinated with the nearby Pishon Korean style cafe, offering unusual drinks like sweet potato latte.

Settling into the table.

Wasabi laced salad shrimp dumplings.

The THW food, once it first came out, rolled on consistently, amidst the various cluttered chop sticks (some used as serving utensils),  emptying plates and stacked bamboo baskets.  Surprisingly, we hardly dipped into any sauces, for the THW items were mostly delicately made and had fresh ingredients upper most in their preparation.  John mentioned that it was better to get to savour the original taste of the dishes sans the sauces.   The PDR table was not overly large and it did facilitate group conversation.

Beef balls wrapped with bean curd skin -   山竹牛肉球 water chestnuts, coriander, dried mandarin peel and Shaoxing wine bring up the taste.

Servings can be  relatively small - some expressed the opinion that except for a few outstanding dishes, the rest seemed pretty ordinary, with Sally indicating preference for the yum cha outlet in the Rhodes Shopping Centre.   Kevin reaffirmed his liking for the vermicelli rolled with pig's liver, the  steamed spinach and shrimp packed dumplings and the fish maw braised in a prawn stock paste.  Chip summed it up by observing the elegance and delicacy of most of the THW food in front of us.

Bob, Sally and Raymond  (left to right)

The tea provided at AUD2.50 per person was pretty ordinary although refillings were offered.    The THW staff pretty much responded only when you require and call them, without anyone checking on how the food so far served was going, as is practised in most Western styled restaurants.  We had to request the staff to provide a food scissors to help cut up some items for sharing.

They did pack up take away orders in neat containers and placed them in practical paper bags.  Billing was relatively efficient and painless with no administrative errors.  The staff did take the effort to say good bye.

Baked Char Siew buns, the signature dish of THW.

I found the pan fried turnip cake uplifting, light and not bogged down in an oily setting.  We had three servings of such variations like the goji berry anointed Siew Mai, wasabi topped salad prawn dumplings  and pork ribs with black bean sauce.   It was a good strategy to go slow with doubtful items, order surely tasty items early and leave out obvious no-nos.

Raymond, John, Dee and Zoe (left to right)

Each of us had a fun exercise in rating our individual impressions of the THW lunch, giving scores out of ten, ten being the best.  Service by the staff was generally more engaged with us as PDR guests when compared to sitting outside in the general dining area, with guest tables packed so close to each other.  Scores between 6.5 to eight were voiced.

Those who gave higher scores pointed out the efforts made by THW on presentation of the food, the attention on fresh ingredients used and the  choice of a  few outstanding items.  Lower scores were provided on account of the lack of variety of items, several items not tasting that much better than in other Dim Sum places around Australia and the small servings made.

Chicken feet, or lovingly known as golden phoenix claws, braised in abalone sauce.  Under the subdued lighting, the marinade seemed under whelming and it actually was in taste.

Dee did notice there was a difference in taste and texture  for an item or two between the Hong Kong and Chatswood outlets of THW.

Chip very usefully mentioned to me it is how THW continued to manage customer expectations, especially with the all the hype in the beginning.  Where to from here, Tim?

Outside the private dining room.

Tim Ho Wan Chatswood is located on an upper floor of District Dining, near the rail station on north shore Sydney.
Opening hours are daily from 10am to 9pm.  All day yum cha!
Photo credits in this blog post to Ms Zoe Yu, Mr Edwin Chee, Mr Bob Tang and Mr Kevin Yong.