Bach Dang Canley Vale NSV

Roast quail  - I loved this but it was pricey.

Sunday evening and the restaurant was well patronised, many tables with birthday celebration gatherings.  The several young staff were quick on their feet, spoke a variety of languages including Vietnamese and English and were well dressed.    In a two shop space, the interior was modern and you could see the street outside through windows.   There is easy ground level access from the street.


Welcome to Bach Dang, understandably an institution amongst the Indo-Chinese Australian community and which has been serving food for many years.  Even those outside this community have ventured here and generally provide a positive experience of this restaurant.    I could hear Teochew being spoken, this is a language of southern China, especially amongst Bach Dang's diners.  


Most tables had steamboat going.   It was a boisterous atmosphere, with smiling grandparents doting over their exuberant grand kids, with bearded brown haired hipsters seated beside their doe eyed black haired angels.   Even on one wall were letterings announcing a birthday for some captain !   We looked out for the cakes - one was outstanding traditional, nothing like what we expected.  It was round shaped but did not have sponge or cream, perhaps jelly like layers but I do not really know. 


The steamboat had a most satisfying flavour, not too plain and not over spiced or chillied out.   It is the integrity of the stock in the soup and it had a bit of a twist with a light sourish feel, like as if tamarind was used.   The fish slices are tender, juicy and fresh.   Steamboat is communal eating - and Bach Dang echoes this best.   There is an emphasised family atmosphere but I did not feel crowded in in the spacing of tables.   There are option in varying cost levels of set menus.


For entrees, we had quail, one of my favourites and Bach Dang more than delivered.  Crunchy, with the right notes of meat marinated just right.   Service is friendly.  Two of my mates who used to be in Wollongong grew up here - and they still have fond memories of Bach Dang.  I observed steamboat is popular in the Teochew heartland along the south China coast ( Shantou, not far from Hong Kong)  and Bach Dang does justice to this tradition.    The Teochews migrated to Vietnam before the latest phase settling in Australia.

Seafood steamboat.

Vegetarian, meat and seafood  - Bach Dang has these three pillars in its menu.




Bach Dang  is located at  46 Canley Vale Road, Canley Vale, NSW, near the Rail Station.
Contact +61 2  9727 9931
Opening hours are open from 10am to 10pm every day.

An independent review by Kevin Yong

My dish recommendations at Bach Dang, Canley Vale are as follows:

Catfish bathed in caramel sauces in a clay pot.

Chao Gio Do Bien  - deep fried spring rolls stuffed with seafood and they taste as well as they look!

Crabs with vermicelli in a hot pot.

Chao Tam - those battered prawns served on petite sugar cane sticks.

Steamed oysters for starters.

Roast quail or pigeon.

Steamed fish with ginger and shallots.

Chicken wings stuffed with pork.

Pipis stir fried with XO sauce.

Braised Chinese Broccoli with oyster sauce.

Avocado, Jackfruit or custard apple smoothies.

 

Element 6 West Ryde NSW

South West Ryder Big Breakky.

Within walking distance from West Ryde rail station and the Ryde Eastwood RSL, is  a gem of a cafe.  It is laid out in a contemporary style at street level, stereotyped small at the front  -  and I like the further option of more seating tucked away behind, over looking bush and providing some kind of a  private hideaway.   The Element 6 is located in suburbia, but has an ambiance like in a more hipster corner of Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong.   I understand that it has been running for around four years - and is the talk amongst my mates living in that north west corner of greater Sydney.


I quickly thought about Kin By US near Macquarie Centre and Big Tree House Cafe  at Calder Avenue in Rydalmere.   Perhaps I am comparing apples with oranges.  The menu offered at each of these three brunch and breakfast places are different, each offers a separate atmosphere but all do revolve around more than just coffee - it is the inter-weaving of ideas and ingredients, it is the philosophy of the owners and the diverse inspiration behind the food.   


The two of us tried iconic test dishes - a Big Breakky called South-west Ryder and a pulled pork presentation, garnished with tumeric potatoes, pickled carrot and apple fennel slaw.   I was impressed with both, in the careful and devoted manner in which Element 6 delivered contrasting and yet harmonious in texture, colours and utilisation of ingredients.  Pulled pork can be tricky though, it takes hours to prepare but can come out a bit saturated on the palate at times.    The servings of either dish eaten were generous. Some friends said it was even better when they first opened.   The menu is not overly extensive but I reckon we do not need too many listings.  There is a wooden adornment feel around the place but the cafe does stand out amongst its retail neighbours.

Toby greeted us that Sunday lunchtime and had a pleasant demeanour with him.  There were many lunching the afternoon we were there, but Toby carried on his work with a natural pleasant and fast manner.   Haha, there was perhaps more customer engagement from Toby than from the barista outside, who seemed over whelmed with his orders.


Element 6 also opens early each day, perhaps to catch the train commuter and fitness crowd.  At certain times, there can be a wait for tables, so be forewarned.   Still I understand that there is a regular crowd.   There are tables on the pavement but also a stream of takeaway orders.  The Stateside Iced Coffee is just nice for summery weather - and for tea lovers, do try the Sticky Iced Tea with Bon Soy.

Pulled Pork.

The Element 6 Cafe  is located at  65 Ryedale Street, West Ryde, NSW, near the Rail Station.
Contact +61 2 8021 2838
Opening hours are from 630am to 3pm every day.

An independent review by Kevin Yong

My dish recommendations at the Element6, West Ryde are as follows:

Element 6 Chicken Burger, with fresh herbs, Pepperonata, Element 6 Aioli and tumeric potatoes surrounding a marinated breast fillet.

French Toast with blackened vanilla bean creme, praline and seasonal fruit, with options for additions in ice cream and bacon.

Honeybee Smoothie, with cinnamon, banana, yoghurt, honey and ice cream.

Chubby Bacon and Sunny Egg Roll with Element 6 Aioli, House pumpkin chutney and onion jam.

Tawandang Chatswood NSW

Vermicelli and prawns in a claypot cook off.

When I was told that Tawandang, with its first base in Sydney along George Street in Haymarket, had opened another restaurant in Chatswood, on upper Victoria Avenue, just off the train platforms, I was thrilled.


My first thoughts were on the Thai styled pork knuckle, well done with a strong eye on German inspired beer, and on the charcoal grilled shoulder pork slices.   For these two dishes, the Chatswood joint carries on the tradition, reputation and taste on the day of my visit.  Some other diners have mentioned to me that the knuckle can be inconsistent at times and some have found it served dry.


That evening ,more than twenty of friends were attending a birthday dinner upstairs at this Chatswood restaurant.  I was impressed with the lay out and spaciousness of this level, with good views of the nearby high rises and shops near the station.   There is even a balcony and the inside is tastefully decorations and ornamentation on the walls.   It is relatively large for a Thai restaurant in Australia, but then Tawandang's roots in Bangkok have much larger venues.

The minced pork and century aged egg combination.

The Tawandang Chatswood is located at 426-428 Victoria Avenue, near the eastern side of Chatswood Rail Station, New South Wales.
Contact +61 2 9419 5144
Opening hours are from 8am to 10pm every day.
Artisan beers from Bangkok available.

The egg omelette lacked ingredients and did not live up to a zesty bite.

The claypot deserves a mention, I loved it.  You can have a similar dish for dinner at Cantonese restaurants but they charge more than a bit for this, so at twenty Aussie dollars a quip for a smaller offering, I thought it is a good way to sample this delight.   The vermicelli has an al dente bite to it at Tawandang  Chatswood.    It was not spicy but had more taste than some of the southern Chinese versions I have seen in Australia.

The stir fried Kangkong (south-east Asian spinach or Morning Glory in Vietnam) lacked oomph, did not have the required chilli paste bite and therefore flattened out.

Prawns simmering in a spicy soup.

The stereotyped dish in Thai cuisine is Tom Yum with seafood.   Our dining group had a more spicy - but also flavourful - related version but with fresh prawns and egg omelette, something akin to what you can  have at the Bangkok Restaurant in the Capitol Arcade, Haymarket (which has a more authentic bite to this dish).

Minced pork with so called century old eggs has a  southern Chinese origin and constitutes comfort food of childhood for many south-east Asians as well.  As you may know, these eggs are preserved for around a hundred days at the most and give a cured flavour.   Tawandang's version is about right, not over the top and not under flavoured, with just the optimal texture.

The knuckle served to us at dinner time was already thoughtfully carved out into bite sized pieces.  The knuckle can be served in the whole and that would have made a pretty picture, but then someone would have to cut it out.   We had to ask for serving ladles, something which many Asian restaurants have not quite got there as yet.    The staff were hard working and looked lively busy, but we sensed a bit of confusion over how many dishes went to the two tables at our dinner party that night.   I just thought it may have been teething issues for a restaurant that has only recently opened in Chatswood.   The kitchen is not visible to diners as in some contemporary places.

The Kor Moo or charcoal grilled shoulder pork slices.

Such is my enthusiastic view of Tawandang from its city based restaurant that I admit having visited and checking out Tawandang Chatswood twice on the same day.  My lunch group had eaten downstairs, a more packed lay out with tables mostly for couples.   If possible, ask for the upstairs seating and have at least four persons in your group to do justice to the food.   In the day time, we had a coconut milk laden soup that had mushrooms, chicken breast meat slices and chillies -  I found it appetising.   We also had stir fried noodles and a claypot of vermicelli with prawns.

A banquet feast one Wednesday evening in Chatswood's Tawandang, including the Choo Chee prawns (left of photo).

An independent review by Kevin Yong

My dish recommendations at the Tawandang Chatswood are as follows:

For entree, the Kor Moo or charcoal grilled shoulder pork slices; and

the claypot with prawns and vermicelli.

For mains, the pork knuckle spiced and marinated with unique Thai delights and one to accompany with the crafted beer.

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Check out my review on Tawandang Haymarket Sydney:


https://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/tawandang-restaurant-haymarket-sydney.html

Sitting Still and For Too Long

In contemporary society, many individuals commute for long hours each day, to find themselves immobile in front of computers in businesses and offices. Then they come home to mostly sit in front of smart phones, smart tvs and tablets.   Even tradies need to complete and email a customer payment or transaction using a laptop.

Unless a person consciously incorporates into his or her daily regimen purposeful walking or other activity, modern life continues to be sedentary. House cleaning, walking the dog, gardening and grocery shopping are outsourced by those who can afford it and say they have no sufficient time to do those chores.  These same individuals may be the ones who sweat it out though at boutique gymnasiums, stop two blocks away from their transport and walk to their destinations and have a fitness trainer for boot camps on weekends.

Money is made by playing the speculative markets in shares, options and property. People can get rich by sitting around instead of actually performing physical activity. Over consumption of food is synchronised with a so called higher standard of living. 

And when people take holidays, perhaps they can walk more but many just sit on beach chairs in resorts. The human body is made for purposeful physical exertion rather than continuing sitting on our bums.

Are we having standing work meetings, social catch ups and dates running through parks? Only the few and the health conscious. Most of us find ourselves sitting in pubs or fancy bars, lounging in hotel set ups and home outdecks or driving the kids around. We prefer to take escalators or elevators instead of using the stairs, even when we are able. 

Entertainment in this so called modern age are littered with over long movies, confined seats watching live performances (unless you are in the mosh pit) and relaxing in home cinemas. We look for seats in public transport and many these days do not give up their seats on buses and trains for more deserving fellow passengers.   have you tested yourself by standing on a moving train for 90 minutes, improving your posture at the same time?

Yet there are those amongst us who undertake hiking pilgrimages, perform ball room moves, charity runs and dawn bike riding exercises. Healthy past times can on the other hand be achieved when sitting down, like meditations, yoga and indulging in meaningful conversations.    The Fit Bits and smart phones can measure your active and sedentary statistics if you allow them to.

The bottom line I reckon is the proportion, regularity and balance between sitting down and not, between moderation and excess and between a natural cycle and forced patterns.

Lining Up

Kiddies, parents and teens lining up not just for their Mackers but the toy and movie momento packs that go along with purchases.  This can be an epitome of marketing and revenue generation, with customers not just going for the primary product of the business but trivial sidelines that create real passion and excitement for the market, but are really things forgotten in a few years.   Who really cares about the health implications of burgers and fries, there is more than a reason to visit a Mackers store  -  it is the experience.

Rich property buyers hiring people to stand in for them in lining up for apartment purchases off the plan.   Proxy buyers and representatives employed to place deposits for a speculative and hot market.   The idea is to get a place, a booking to make even more money.  Property real estate agents are masters and wizards in churning up need, interest and action....they are experts in auctioneering, hyping up and making one feel the want.   So potential buyers do feel the pressure and heat of being there, or being square.

Queues at the first Australian Krispy Kream outlet in Liverpool NSW all excited over the doughnuts, spurred on by the wafting aromas and complimentary sampling while waiting in line.  Read about Mackers above, but here KK does not even provide other than their main products - doughnuts.  Is there a problem with this....well, KK has closed many stores in Australia.

Pensioners all stressed up waiting to withdraw their money from bank branches as the Greek economy goes into crisis due to inability to repay loans as required by the European Union.   Ordinary folk lining up again at bank branches as the Indian and Venezuelan governments  declare some high denomination currency notes as being phased out and no longer accepted as legal tender.   These people lining up have an urgency to salvage their money's worth, are disheartened and angry.   Most have worked hard to make meagre savings the only mistake they made is not to have them placed in the bank.  

Shoppers with passion sleeping the night before in front of David Jones and Myers stores in Australian capital cities, on the cusp of the Boxing Day sales.   Amazingly, despite on line shopping and early discounts throughout the year in retail, there are still people carrying out what seems to be a retro and irrelevant shopping tradition.. Maybe this is an excuse to have a gathering with friends and have a party atmosphere in the warm summer weather Down Under.

Thousands walking persistently, despite fatigue and pain, across South-eastern Europe, in their hunger for freedom, escape from war and a better life.  Their home countries have been deteriorating in civility and bearable conditions, or some may be seeking a better economic opportunity overseas.    Whatever the reasons are, they are scenes of the human condition that both chill and churn our hearts.  They take risks in drowning, facing aggressive opponents and in physical fatigue.   Still doing this is better than remaining in their home villages and towns.  The silver lining is that they also discover acts of kindness, understanding and help from strangers they have not met before.

Thousands of citizens and residents patiently waiting under the Equatorial sun and rain in respect and sincere humility to farewell a political leader and founding Father of a small island nation which is now the world's richest city.   No political leader is perfect, but that is not the point.   True leadership is echoed by the positive impact in the lives and hearts of the masses.  Some approaches and methods employed by such leaders cannot be palatable, but in the end, it is the outcome, the sentiment and the achievement.  Human beings have a mind of their individual own, but when the many have tears in their eyes - and more importantly the pride and respect in their late leader - it is a rare moment in history.

Thousands of volunteers willingly being herded to provide service to and engage with the paying public attending Olympic Games.   The ideals of the Olympic Games lie in the heart and soul of Western civilisation, ideals and values.   Are the modern games organised with the same spirit, intent and philosophy?    Volunteers are galvanised to work for long hours with crowds and given much inspiration and indoctrination, the critics may say.   The volunteers themselves seem happy to do all this.

Persistent liners up in front of major city stores eagerly anticipating to buy the Samsung and Apple products released every two years.    Same as for the observations on Mackers above, except that the products last longer, but not by much and there are no freebies.  It is always fascinating to observe the delight and pride of the first buyer in the line in each city.

This is the March of the Human Pysche.