The Dining Room, Park Hyatt - Sydney Harbour

With the stereotyped multi-million dollar view, the Dining Room in Sydney Harbour's Park Hyatt could not be placed in a better location - and with cosmopolitan cities these days, this means big money changing hands.  The menu at the restaurant is however medium priced for what you get -  care, creativity and sensitivity.   I love the presentation at the Dining Room, not just of the food, but of the lay out, the light from outside coming in and the view of the Sydney Opera House across the waters.  Staff are smartly dressed, obviously have been trained well and make guests feel good.
Vegetarian and gluten free options are clearly marked and offered.  There are both full and tasting menus, degustation and wholesome meals.   Private rooms are also available for consideration with locking in the Chef's Table for eight diners.

Escargot, carpaccio and gazpacho are words that dot through the entrees for dinner.   The mains are beautifully and yet carefully verbalised and described  -  for example, "petit pois a la Farncaise" with the corn fed chicken;  Rangers Valley Angus beef cheek is decorated with Enoki and Shitake mushrooms, sits on a Kumbu Bouillon and Pomme puree; the red snapper is graced with Kurobuta chirozo, Piment d'espellette ice cream and white and green silver beet;  and organic barley Falcon risotto is served with basil, olives, Heirloom tomatoes and Pepe Saya mascarpone.  Diners get captivated and then lost in fascination as to the detailed ingredients thought  up for each dish.  I reckon they are more than fancy names, for each description uplifts the experience, the delight and the satisfaction.

Always a reliable combination for a summery day - chips and a cocktail - to wind down before a meal.

Wild Clover lamb loin with zucchini flower, spring onion, Labne and garlic blossom.  The yogurt based creamy cheese without salt in the Labne contrasts against the strong meaty taste of the lamb.  I thought I had a perfect choice that day.

There are invariably two entrances to this restaurant, which may make a bit of a confusion as to meet in the lobby side or from the outside through a side entrance.   All of this uncertainty dissipates when Executibe Chef Franck Detrait's and Chef De Cuisine Chris McGrath's offerings transport guests into another culinary world, with hints of French retro, fusion cosmopolitan and Australian comfort.   What you have for lunch makes you want to try for dinner.  The guests are left to relax, attended to at the right moments and one feels like this could be home.  Nestled away in a quiet cove of the harbour, the views are enchanting in the day or night time.

Corn fed chicken  - tender juicy, flavourful and with just the right accompaniments.

The Valhrona Caraibe eclair, with chocolate and virgin olive oil creme patisserie and cacao sorbet.

Strawberry tart, pistachio Chibouste and raspberry Coulis, Bergamot orange and marshmallow.

Kids do soak in the atmosphere at the Dining Room as well - and they can go riot over food selections made for them especially in mind - tomato soup, chocolate brownies, penne pasta, chicken nuggets, toasted ham and cheese sandwiches....what stands out are two fish items, one a grilled fish with steamed veg and the other crisp battered fish fillets with French fries.   On the morning my group of five was lunching there, there was a long table celebrating a baby shower - and one of the guests was a snoozing cute little boy in a pram.  There is plenty of room for children to roam outside, with the Harbour Bridge just looming above like the Beanstalk in Jack's fairy tale.

Red and black berries, chocolate and lemon thyme ganache, mascarpone and strawberry.

The breakfast menu follows this course of a refreshing, seasonality emphasised menu.  French brioche toast is served with wicked chocolate cream placed together with caramelised banana - an exciting harmony of Europe in the South Seas.  Even morning organic egg omelettes are served three ways, with echoes of the old country - Spanish with capsicum, onion, tomato and chorizo;  Provencale, with mozzarella, basil and tomato; and the Complete, with Swiss cheese, smoked ham and mushrooms.

Does the stunning view outside, with all round glass windows on one side of the Dining Room, add to the experience?  It sure does but it also raises expectations.   Service is impeccable, more glowing on a sunny blue sky day outside.  The Dining Room epitomises what the world has come to think of Sydney Harbour - good location, great climate, tasty food and friendly people.  Both Executive Chef Franck Detrait and Chef De Cuisine Chris McGrath have an amazing big job on their hands in creating an ever changing menu that matches the palate of discerning guests and the competitive world of cuisine.

My sugarless dessert, even after chalking up 8000 steps before reaching the Park Hyatt.
Barambah organic yogurt from Queensland, mango & passion fruit.

The Hyatt on the Park is located at 7 Hickson Road at the Rocks in Sydney city.
Telephone: 612 9256 1234
Open for breakfast on weekdays from 630am to 1030am and for weekends from 630am to 11am.
Open for lunch between noon and 230pm on weekdays and form 1230pm to 3pm on weekends.
Open for dinner every evening from 6pm to 10pm.
A smart dress code is present.

Sydney Chinatown Night Markets

Sydney Chinatown markets are held every Friday evening currently from 4pm at Dixon Street Mall in Haymarket at the southern end of Sydney city centre.   Not only are wares, souvenirs, craft and street food offered from China, you can see influences from Japan, Korea, Vietnam and more.   Most of the stalls are located in the section of Dixon Street from Goulburn Street junction south to Market City and Paddy's Markets.

Jarern Chai Boon Thai Cafe - Sydney

Khao Dtom Sen, with fresh rice noodles and pork short ribs in a clear pork based broth  (menu item 24 on the Rice and Noodles list.

"Watch the world  go by, be Happy."  These words are hidden somewhere in the small font, tightly filled up brown paper menu.   Welcome to the Jarern Chai Boon Cafe.

You are encouraged to not be shy about eating with your hands.   Brined, pickled and fermented creations are offered with still fresh herbs.   Lots of mince, crab meat, various salad or grill options and choices in condiments or garnishes.  Variations with condensed milk, brown rice bowls, sourdough, eggs, noodles and teas.

Coffee is by Single Origin roasters, Paradox Blends for shots and the Killerbee variety for milked coffee.  The former has bitter sweet chocolate, spice and forest berry undertones on the tongue.  The latter has notes of tropical fruit, toffee and dark honey.   Oh yes, there is also the traditional Thai coffee or red teas, in iced and hot servings.

Providing Sarni cuisine by day and Isaan fare by night, the Boon Cafe is a refreshing change from southern and central Thai food normally available in Western cities and in south-east Asia.   This north eastern Thai region of Isaan shares many similar cultural and cooking styles with Laos, Cambodia and Burma, but its base in Thailand is the Korat Plateau.

Signature drinks are the Tisanes - whether hibiscus, Pandan, sweet pickled plum, blue butterfly pea, lotus root, tamarind or bael  ( a kind of Bengali quince).  Not exactly the fillers in your suburban fridge.

I suggest commence with a reliable item like the crisp fried chicken wings (the Peak Gai Tod) or the air dried and fried marinated pork loin (the Mhu Daad Diew, menu item 14 on the Grilled and Fried list) with drinks whilst waiting for your mates to turn up. No alcohol is currently served at the Boon Cafe.   Then for mains, go for the spicy chicken clear curry with apple eggplants in Dill, lemongrass and chilli broth  (the Gaeng Ohm Gai, menu item 19 on the Soup and Curries list).  After this, see where your heart and palate take you further.

For breakfast, consider the smoked fish sausage with sliced pork, chicken mince and pieces of pork sausage loaf - the Kai Gatah  (menu item 1 under the Breakfast list ) or the Nahm Prik Nuum (menu item 11 under the Breakfast list) with soft boiled egg,  soft herb and pickled cabbage salad, spicy pork herb sausage, green chilli relish .

If you are aiming for something light for brunch or lunch, the congees are always a winner, with a crab version available as well.  For a quickie, there is always a sourdough or croissant with dried shredded pork and house smoked chilli relish ala Asian or if you prefer, with organic pasture raised ham and Provolone cheese.   The one item that jumps up to my attention under the Boon Cafe's snacks list is the Ice Bread, the Kanom Pung Yen, with choices in Japanese matcha,  Thai red tea,  Milo or just plain red syrup.   The crab and prawn cake is always a winner ( menu item 15 under the Breakfast list), garnished with mayo, smoked chilli relish and s soft herb and pickled cabbage salad unique to this cuisine.

For a  twist on standard dishes, try:
the Boon Omelette with a runny egg served with rice and the Jalepeno Siracha sauce
( menu item 8 on the Breakfast list ); or
a sourdough laden with stir fried minced chicken, holy basil, squid, chilli and fried egg  (menu item 19 on the Sandwiches list, only from 11am to 4pm); or
the fried rice with house fermented pork and egg ( the Khao Padt Naam, menu item 58 on the Rice and Noodles list); or
the chicken liver on skewers (the Tub Gai Yaang, menu item 3 under Grilled and Fried); or
the salads with salted duck egg, whether with corn or papaya  (menu items 44 and 45 on the Som Dtum list)

Several offerings are offered only at specific different times of the day or night.  The steamed bread with a Pandan flavoured custard ( Kanom Pung Nung); a concoction of fried red ant eggs, toasted ground rice, eschalots and soft herbs (the Larpb Kai Modt Daeng, menu item 29 on the warm salads list);  and the hot smoked Tilapia betel leaves, garnished with ginger, eschalots, lime, chilli and hot relish ( the Mieng Bpla Phao, menu item 38  on the warm salads list), are only provided from 4pm.

Away from the more exotic, there are:
crab meat pasta (menu item 21 under Rice and Noodles);
duck and rice with pickled ginger, greens and duck flavoured gravy (menu item 31 under Rice and Noodles );
 shredded and grilled chicken served with roasted capsicium, smoked chilli jam and roasted cashew butter (menu item 17 under the Sandwiches or Brown Rice bowls list );
fresh chicken with papaya salad (the Som Dtum Gai Todt, menu item 16 under the Sandwiches or Brown Rice Bowls list ); and
the familiar Yum Woon Sen  (menu item 36 under the Warm Salads list), spicy glass noodles  offered by the Boon Cafe with mussels, prawns, calamari, minced chicken and soft herbs.


My overall impressions:

Food:   The menu list is extensive, varied and offers an exciting discovery for many palates with a wide spectrum of dishes that can range from an unusual curry called the Gaeng Kanuhn, a literal cauldron consisting of pork short ribs, young jackfruit, Luffa gourd, lemongrass, smoked red onions, Acacia fronds, lemon basil and Tiliacora leaves (menu item 22 on the soups and curries list), to  the Padt Ma-ma. with chicken, cabbage, chilli and Mama egg noodles stir fried on a wok (menu item 56 on the Rice and Noodles list )   Many ingredients utilised are marinated, braised, smoked and  garnished, with offerings of daily specials on the menu and sourcing of several local ingredients.

Customer Engagement:   Young staff are quick on the step, beam smiles when when busy and make you feel welcome.

Ambiance:   Crowded, with little space between small wooden tables in a confined eating area, but reminiscent of street conditions back in the Old Country.   There are always people walking about, food ordered comes fast and one reflects at how much Sydney city centre has changed in the past twenty years.


X Factor:  With 63 food items, in addition to drinks, the Boon Cafe is already an eye catcher.  Prices asked for are reasonable, servings are moderate sized and so customers can try samples of several dishes.  The Boon Cafe is open very day the whole day long from 8am.  After a meal, you can do your grocery and fresh produce shopping of Thai related items, including kitchen utensils, many varieties of rice from Thailand and traditional cakes and pastries.


"Sometimes  a little pork crackling goes a long way for the soul."  So says the Boon Cafe motto. On my next visit to the cafe, a Thai mate already asked me to look forward to the DtumMa-Muang, a spicy green mango salad with pickled field crabs and fermented fish.  An acquired taste ? Maybe not, many backpackers already know this dish before they arrive in Sydney from south-east Asia.



The Boon Cafe is located at  425 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW towards the junction with Campbell Street and the Capitol Theatre.
Telephone:  612 9281 2114
Opening Hours: Everyday for breakfast from 8am to 11am, lunch from 11am to 4pm and dinner from 4pm to midnight.

Marrickville NSW

Fresh almonds at the market.

The Cooks River is nearby and this suburb of Sydney is named after a village in North Yorkshire in England.  Before the influx of young artists, musicians and professionals starting around ten years back,  Marrickville seemed destined for gentrification.  Its location relatively near to the city centre in sprawling greater Sydney, plus good transport links, helped nurture its current transformation.

Now there is an annual Marrickville Festival, a local arts tour since 2011 and live music venues, most notably at the Factory Theatre. Australian singer Shannon Noll famously shot one of his music videos, for the track Lift, in Marrickville.  The impression Marrickville gives to me is first, one of an essentially residential corridor, but currently diversifying from its light industrial zones to artisan produce corners, new style cafes and maintaining its music gig scene plus multi-cultural cuisine options.

The stuff of the coffee culture.

The Corinthian Rotisserie at 283 Marrickville Road is a focus of Greek delights, whether they be pickled octopus, Baklava, chicken rubbed with Oregano, grilled lamb with garlic, Retsina wine, Halloumi, tomatoes braised with peas and Kalamata olives.   The restaurant is homely, traditional and comforting, with huge servings for customers and plastic covered red and white checked table cloths decked against wall murals of Mother country scenes.

My cuppa at Pablo & Rusty's in Marrickville.

The barista and coffee scene is vibrant in Marrickville.  Some examples of outlets include the following.
Wicks Park Cafe at 199 Victoria Road continues to provide the former Double Roasters menu item of the B and E roll ( with poached eggs on top of Black Forest Smokehouse bacon) and the roast pork Sambo.

Coffee Alchemy at 24 Addison Road has espresso and filtered coffees made from on-site roasted beans.  Sydneysiders may know about the Coffee Alchemy related Gumption Cafe at the Strand Arcade in the city centre's Pitt Street Mall.

Two Chaps at 122 Chapel Street  offers Blind Man Coffee whilst the
West Juliett Cafe at 30 llwwellyn Street has signature salad creations and popular large sized chocolate chip cookies.

Cornersmith at 314 Illawarra Road is a shining example of organic, free range, home produced and health conscious  clean ingredients.

http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/cornersmith-marrickville-nsw.html

Paddington terraces in the outer west of Sydney city.   There is a predominance of 19th century terraced or detached Victorian styled houses and early 20th century Federation residences, attesting to the rich architectural heritage in this part of greater Sydney.




Movie productions that also selected Marrickville as a backdrop include Paradise Road, the Tv series Home & Away, Underbelly: The Golden Mile and the hit 1992 movie Strictly Ballroom.   More well known to baby boomers is the Winged Victory memorial outside the Marrickville Town Hall  - this is the largest known bronzed casting in Australia.  Another feature to visit by walking tourists in Marrickville is Stead House, a manor constructed in both Italian and Victorian traditions and which once belonged to Samuel Cook, the General Manager of the Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney's flagship news publication for many years.   Unfortunately this important historical building has been turned into apartments around four years ago.

The old Post Office, now a cafe cum restaurant.

Reputedly providing Vietnamese styled pork rolls for many  years - the Marrickville Pork Roll outlet, a small place with  tasty offerings.

Marrickville is only seven kilometres south-west of Sydney city centre, connected by buses and train lines, and home to the expanding populations wanting to reside near to the Big Smoke that is Sydney.   The area shares boundaries with Petersham, Newtown, St. Peters, Sydenham, Enmore, Stanmore -  previously primary working class districts that are now undergoing urban renewal and resided increasingly by trendy and twenty something hipsters to add to the families and professionals.  The current mix is one of commerical, residential and light industry, with a penchant for a variety of cafes and restaurants, many Indo-Chinese, Greek, Lebanese and modern Australian, but including Nepalese, Portuguese and Japanese.

Always an attractive thirst quencher,  along the main road.

Marrickville personalities have contributed much to Sydney and Australian society.  Test cricketer Ron Saggers and Australian cricket Captain Bob Simpson hailed form this place.  Maybanke Susannah Anderson was a significant reformer  in women's suffrage and the realisation of the Australian Federation.  Jeff Fenech won the world boxing titles three times in his career.  Several well known artistes like singer and actress Trisha Noble;  fashion designer Akira Isogawa;  dancer and choreographer Ross Coleman;  singer Trish Young of the Aussie band The Clouds; singer and songwriter Mark Williams, vocalist for Dragon; actor David Wenham; Tv actor Lisa McCune, Gold Logie winner; and TV actor Virginia Gay, all have called Marrickville home.   So have Major General George Wootten, Commander of the Australian Ninth Division; Arthur Vincent Meehan, orthopaedic surgeon; Damien Leith, winner of the fourth season of TV's Australian Idol; Annette Kellerman, film star, writer and professional swimmer; and Jake Hay, an award winning youth community worker for the Kimberley Region in Western Australia.

The city lifestyle is not lost here.

 The Hellenic Bakery at 371 Illawarra Road is a gem, is located near Marrickville Rail Station and is an interesting trove of Greek heritage pastries, biscuits and baked delights.  I was fascinated by the Poura, a filo pastry roll holding chopped almonds and bathed by a light syrup; Kouroubiethes, a shortbread and almond biscuit dusted wickedly by icing sugar; the vanilla slice called the Milfai; pistachio Torts; the Tiramisu Boat. with chocolate coco spread over Tiramisu al Creme; and the Melamakarona, a vegetable oil and orange juice pastry with fillings of walnuts, cinnamon and clove spices dipped in a light honey syrup, with crushed walnuts covering it.

TIM Products at 407 Enmore Road also specialises in Greek baking, with orange and honey biscuits well known, even amongst some of Wollongong mates.   They offer three sizes of the popular Galaktoboureko, two types of cheese based pastries (one with spinach and the other with Ricotta) and nut rolls.

Kids would love to drop by the Serendipity ice cream factory shop at 333 Enmore Road and adults relish an opportunity to partake the good stuff at the Bourke Street Bakery at 2 Mitchell Street.

Passing by a gelato shop along the main strip of  Marrickville Road.

Colour and variety describes what Marrickville offers.

Interesting enough, one of Marrickville's twinned cities is Bethehelm in Palestine, the others being Funchal on Maderai Island in Portugal and Lanarca in Cyprus.    Its strong cultural linkages to the Middle East precede the concurrent contemporary connections with Vietnam.   Today's emphasis in Marrickville with its younger demographics are facets and amplifications of the slow food movement, a rebellion against the highly commercialised production and supply of food and produce.

The Marrickville Organic Food Markets operate on Sundays at 142 Addison Road.

Cornersmith Picklery at 441 Illawarra Road is a sister joint of the Cornersmith Cafe - it supplies fresh produce from local backyards, runs workshops on pickling plus cheese making  and stocks Marrickville made Feather & Bone meat products. Do not forget to try its signature mustard!

Jiuliano at Unit 22, 10-14 Lillian Fowler Place, opens every week day from 8am to 4pm with fresh pasta products, including its iconic fresh potato based Gnocchi.  Major supermarket chains like Thomas Dux, Coles, Woolworths and Harris Farm stock the Jiuliano products in the greater Sydney region.

The Black Forest Smokehouse at 148 Victoria Road makes small goods all with Aussie meats only, a definite gem.   It offers air dried salami, pates, terrines, Chipolata, smoked bacon, smoked sausages and leg ham.   Run by the Deignan family for four generations, this providore business hails from Queensland with German- Irish roots.

The Paesanella Food Emporium at 150-152 Marrickville Road shines in cheese related products.  This Somma family business that started in 1962 has roots in Naples, Italy.   It runs a deli and the Mozzarella Cafe Bar , offering menu options for breakfast and lunch, with items like the Fresco Breakfast; hot pancakes with Ricotta and blueberry; tasting boards; and a salad with fennel, blue cheese and pear.

Three types of Ricotta are made in the Marrickville base - dry, buffalo and fresh milk.   They also have a buffalo farm in Cairns Queensland and stock at least 3000 inventory items in their retail produce offerings, including the Mascaporne, the Buratta and the Bocconcini.

The Saint Brigid's Catholic Church, at the corner of Livingstone and Marrickville Roads.

Vietnamese food can be found in outlets like Yen for Viet, at 296 Illawarra Road, with folded pancakes filled with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, pork and prawn ( or the Bahn Xeo);
Hanoi Quan at 346b Illawarra Road, has Bun Ca Ca, laden with fish cakes in a peppery soup; and
Marrickville Pork Roll at 236a Illawarra Road has been a long time institution in take away snack baguette rolls that hail from the streets of Vietnam.   Marrickville these days can be seen as when the Mediterranean meets IndoChine, against a landscape and background set by British colonialism and Aussie flavours.  

The Bau Truong chain of restaurants from Cabramatta NSW has a modern outlet in Marrickville.

http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/bau-truong-marrickville-nsw.html

Always a hub for new migrant cultures, Marrickville enjoys diversity in food, beliefs and produce.

The traditional pub hotel gets a facelift!

Licensed alcohol hubs to relax in include Lazybones at 294 Marrickville Road;  Gasoline Pony, with a retro piano sing along on Thursday evenings; and the Batch Brewery Company at 44 Sydenham Road, with unusual brews.

It is not all drink and eat in Marrickville.  The Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre was opened on Australia Day in 2011, providing a much appreciated facility in this inner city suburb.  Along ht banks of the Cooks River is the Marrickville Golf Course.   The Newtown Jets Rugby League team  is a feeder for players to the Sydney Roosters and play at Henson Park just off Sydenham Road in Marrickville.   Fraser Park is home to the Fraser Park Football Club and the Randwick Petersham Cricket club utilises the Marrickville Oval.

Sydney Harbour Revisited - Summer begins

It is more than just the Opera House - it is the sky, the water, the colours and the mood.

Classic, iconic and breath taking - but this is just commuting from office back home on a  summery evening.

Yachting - training, idling or just soaking in the surroundings.

Commercial, commuter or convenience  -  perhaps the best way to see Sydney from the ocean.

Youth on the cusp of possibilities.

On a fair twilight with a light breeze, you reflect on what humankind has wrought.  Icons of maritime trading, refined architecture and adventurous imagination, perhaps burying the realities of harsh colonialism,  human persistence and a splendid past isolation.  Our hearts and senses relax in such magical moments when the sun has set, when past is past, the future is not seen and we are with the present moment.

Bennelong Point, named after the first recorded Indigenous Australian to visit Britain.   

Gateway to making or spending money, Circular Quay beams with more than just glitter, for it resonates with a million personal stories of ambition, drudgery and striving.

Whether of solid sandstone, placid waters or shimmering lights, Sydney welcomes you from near and far, with a gentle embrace into the night.