Hyde Park Barracks Cafe, Sydney CBD

Remniscient of a manor in countryside Britain, this preserved building now houses a delightful venue to meet up for meals in Sydney's own colonial quarter.

Times were not exactly as hoped for. The natives did not pose a strong threat to colonial interests as in the nearby South Pacific and the climate was more benign than Mother England.  Still, there were concerns about sustaining a viable fresh food and water supply, the hinterland was mostly unknown and the Euro adventure powers were fighting amongst themselves on the sea routes leading to this land.  The motley make up of the settlers ranged from teenagers convicted for stealing a loaf of bread in London to the well heeled males of ambition and power representing the government of the harbour settlement.  This was yet another new frontier, after the American colonies were lost and the next stage of possibilities away from the sultry climes of the Equatorial spice islands.  Here was a huge basin, with a river that ran inland and with a landscape of hills, bays and creeks - the home of the Eora. And so began the story of the British settlement of Sydney.  Three main clans of indigenous tribe already were there before the advent of Governor Macquarie - the Cammeraygal, the Wanegal and the Cadigal.  The well known Bennelong, remembered today near the Sydney Opera House,belonged to the Wanegals.

Beautiful fresh produce are critical to a memorable breakfast.

Today, the grounds of modern day Hyde Park Barracks are free to explore for any visitor.  Located at the north-eastern corner of Sydney CBD, they are located on high ground, with the obvious advantage to ward off military attacks.  Sandstone was and is prevalent - lending stability and solidity to the constructions of a new colony around 225 years ago.   Hyde Park lay in the realm of the Cadigal peoples.  The Barracks were constructed to house convict men and boys - and the architect Francis Greenway himself was one of them.  Surrounded by Queens Square and Macquarie Street, the brick buildings were later utilised to accommodate destitute women. The occasion of the 50th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria was an opportunity to refurbish this area - which was renamed the Chancery Square.  What were once working courts, offices and corridors has now been assigned as a living museum in the 21st century.

Hidden delights of heritage architecture can amaze visitors to the Cafe.

One specific  building houses the Hyde Park Barracks Cafe, open for breakfast, high tea and lunch.  The site suggests a theme of heritage for weddings, gatherings and dress up.  The menu however has touches of the Mediterranean instead of just only scones and English tea - you can have your panini,  yogurt Pannacotta and afagato, in addition to Eggs Benedict, cheesecakes and poached salmon.  there are also modern Australian variations like twice cooked pork belly omelette, pan fried duck breast and crispy skin barramundi fillet - hmmn, stirring memories of Salamanca Place in Hobart, Tasmania.  All day available dessert items include sorbets, gelatos, apple date and almond cigars, gananche tarts, flourless cake and mango parfait.  The cuisine suggests of country side air and ambiance, but you could be in David Jones department store, Pitt Street mall and Chinatown within half an hour's walking distance.

Only Italian design can complement so well with Australian sand stone.

Attestation to the influences of immigration, the surroundings not only echo colonial history, but Italian charm, Irish famine, modern chic and architecture of government.  The green lung of Sydney CBD, Hyde Park itself, literally is across the road, with its War Memorial, giant chess set and evening summer Noodles Market.  The park is the oldest public parkland in Australia. Notable  icons to visit in this area are the Australian Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral, the Obelisk, the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the Sydney Grammar School.  Londoners have no uncertainty as to the origin of the name of the Park - and this same penchant for naming streets and places in the Antipodes after places in Britain itself is replicated in almost every corner of modern day Australia.

Turbulent times in old Ireland are respectfully remembered near the Cafe.

The regulars do get their cuppa in the early morning.

Cafe staff Trudy was chatty and friendly even at breakfast time. By sheer coincidence, she used to reside in the Wollongong area but now dwells in inner city Sydney.  In the cafe, you can observe the outside world through colonial fashioned glass windows but there are not many passers-by here, adding to a quaint sense of remoteness even when you are in Australia's largest conurbation. could this cafe do more to attract regulars, perhaps by holding themed nights, special tours for kids and tourists, or by holding dear its heritage advantage than just naming a breakfast as convict?  The question is whether guests come here to find a refuge or to have a party.

A selection labelled the Convict, but with modern Australian produce.

This precinct does offer a feel and time different from the more crowded parts of Sydney city centre. As a collective experience, institutions, businesses and public places here have to do more than rely on heritage and food. Yes, there are annual events like Light Up Sydney which magically transforms this area on early winter nights. The area benefits from events held at Sydney Harbour like the massive fireworks on New Year's Eve and the recent Naval Review.  The big question is how to draw individuals back and not just to come to the place once or only revisit after a long period of time.

Bricked fireplaces open to the inspection of visitors after a meal at the Cafe.

Sushi Tei, Chiefly Square - Sydney CBD

Crunchy on the bite - deep fried lotus roots, very East Asian but goes well with any beer

Fusion offerings like the Salmon Wafuu Carpaccio or the Aburi Salmon rolls (made with both normal crab meat and soft shell crab variety) caught my eye as we studied the menu at Sushi Tei.  Twilight was evolving outside but we were cocooned in a corner, dabbling in small talk and enjoying a reunion of sorts.  There was a certain elegance of this place, for it was no street side noodle joint nor having the feel of eat and go, but more of a place with time on hand to enjoy the pace and discover hidden delights.

What stood out was the sauce to accompany the salad.

We commenced with a simple but uplifting salad mix, enhanced by an extraordinary sauce.  We did not choose seaweed nor avocado, but simple greens like an Aussie serving.  We skipped over king fish, oysters, beef, tofu or octopus. We longed for sea urchin ( the Nama Uni) but it was no longer available that evening.  Service was satisfactory although the place was rather busy for a work day evening.  Cuts were petite, presentation was with care and the ingredients used were full of flavours.  I reckoned what won us was the attention to detail and a sense of uniqueness.

Spring specials - and I like the Bonito dishes.

Spring menus were advertised in this late October visit.  Boutique wines like Verdelho vintages and organic chardonnays grace your choices.   There are loyalty cards to spur return visits but I figured the quality and variety of the menu at Sushi Tei were sufficient to entice me back.  The restaurant is open every night and also has a sister operation at Liverpool Street in Sydney CBD.

Sushi Tei is located at the corner of Hunter and Elizabeth Streets in Sydney CBD North and shares a ground floor site with an ANZ Bank branch.

Salmon roe or the Ikura,  tuna and seaweed creations.

Apart from the expected items of tuna sushi and tender flavourful cuts of salmon sashimi, I particularly enjoyed the Salmon head Oroshini, readily inviting bites of addictive snacks that exude taste and crunchiness.  Another seafood item of interest is the Hotate miso mayo, or golden looking scallops on the shell grilled with a marinade of miso and mayonnaise.   Unagi avocado temaki rolls are also one of my weaknesses, for my introduction to eel has been happily made through Nippon cuisine.  The      uninitiated may find peculiar the availability of fish floss, as opposed to meat floss, and Sushi Tei combines such floss with fried prawns in a Maki.

A classic Cawan Mushi, with subtlety of steamed egg custard and ingredients such as mushroom bites.

A twist on a soup is the salmon belly Misoshiru, a rather rich ingredient to grace the otherwise plain miso soup.  For beer lovers, there is nothing better to accompany your drink than with the Hanasaki Ika tempura, or simply squid battered stuff.  Soft shell crab is a favourite ingredient in Asian cuisine, especially for those blessed with long coast lines, whether they be Thailand or Vietnam.  In Japan, the art is to attain the aromas of the shell crab with the crunchy bite of texture. Japanese cuisine is also fond of croquettes, although they are not strictly traditional and have been influenced by the Westernisation period in history.  Sushi Tei in this respect offers the Hokkaido Kani Cream Croquette, looking pretty and wholesome.

A dollop of ice cream flavoured by black sesame - the Kurogoma Aisukurimu.  They also serve Matcha (green tea ) and the Azuki (red bean) varieties.

There is often a limited range in Japanese dessert, so we reverted to relying on good old ice cream.  The spectrum of jellies, sweet dumplings, chocolate creations, sweet buns, Nagasaki sponge cake castellas and deep fried doughs like the Sata Andagi is not fully available in a single outlet in Australia.

Chiefly Tower and shopping centre beckons from across the road.

Squid and smelt roe, grilled mackerel, edible wild plants, these are some of the captivating items on the Sushi Tei menu.  Try to get seats beside the windows, for you can also watch and stare at the street life that passes by.  Whether for an evening gathering (as for seven of us) or savouring the food and drink at a business lunch, it may be worth checking out items other than standard fare like katsu - and suss out their unique small snacks, including the black caviar sushi (Gunkan).

The Kebaya Restaurant at the Seven Terraces - Georgetown, Penang

The Nyonyas and Babas were affectionately accepted by Queen Victoria as the 'King's Chinese".  The Kebaya reflects on such sentiments by offering the fish mousse (the otak-otak) to be eaten with miniature chicken pies.

Christopher  Ong and partner Karl Steinberg have done an excellent job in restoring several formerly decrepit Victorian styled terrace houses into a  swanky and yet historically beautiful abode for visitors in the Seven Terraces.  Their most noted restoration before Georgetown's Old Quarter was the Galle Fort Hotel in Sri Lanka.

Tads too sweet that evening when we were there - the Tub Tim Krob, a Thai dessert to illustrate pomegranate fruit floating in a sea of milky white.

Cream Brulee with a twist  - with lemon grass, spice and everything nice -  a Thai layer over the French idea. The two main chefs at the Kebaya are Penang born but French trained.

The Kebaya's dining room is straddled along the fronts of the restored Seven Terraces, located behind the iconic Goddess of Mercy Temple in old Georgetown.  Kebaya refers to the esteemed traditional and elegant dress worn by Nyonyas for special occasions - the cut is such that women need a lithe and slim figure to bring out the best in the look of a kebaya.  There is  teak panelled art deco bar on one side of the restaurant.

Dishes, on first glance,  that would have been an everyday menu for the Straits Chinese family in the 19th and 20th centuries in the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and Singapore.  However, sitting down at the table and sampling the food, I realised that this was a new genre of cuisine, although based on historical conventions but all given a fresh attitude and approach.  This may set the menu at the Kebaya apart from its fellow practitioners in commercial Straits Chinese cuisine.

A snack of pai tee - vital are fresh ingredients, textured cuts to enhance the bite and a crunchy though petite holder.  The name for this unusual creation comes from a southern Chinese dialect pronunciation of the English word "party".

A place to read, a corner to hide away and a seat to soak in a Penang island moment.  The adjoining hotel has only 14 guest rooms with reproduction wedding beds and furnished liberally with antique porcelain.

The buffet holding side dishes, water jugs and drinking glasses.

A stringent and tasty stir fry, perfect for vegetarians, with broad beans  and corn slices in a mish-mesh with cashew nuts and capsicum - an idea for a working day's dinner at home as well.

Fujian sweet dumplings (mua chee) or Japanese mochis adapted to a tropical clime - served in sweet coconut milk although still sprinkled by sesame seeds.

A classic Vietnamese favourite - sugarcane sticks skewering deep fried prawns, combining the best of land and sea.

Fish fillet in a wet curry sauce, echoing Thai styles and flavours.

A porcelain egg tray cleverly holds sauces and condiments, essential to the taste buds when delving in the various forms of south east and east Asian food.

I am so glad that Kar Wai, Sue Chee, Henry Quah and Fai Keong took me to the Seven Terraces and dinner at its Kebaya Restaurant - it was an eye opener and excellent illustration of how UNESCO heritage status can help renew and reconnect Penang's rich historical background to a viable present and hopeful future, giving each island resident a vital appreciation, glimpse and reality of Georgetown's multi-cultural past.  Committed funding, a spunky determination and an innovative vision lay behind the developers of such recent architectural and socio-cultural dimensions.  Our group was also introduced to Chris Ong, whom I found affable and with a friendly countenance - and at that moment I realised that history of growth is often made relentlessly not only by politicians, but relentlessly by individuals in the background, quietly making their mark as leaders.

Location:Stewart Lane
Georgetown, Penang Island

Gowings Bar & Grill, QT Hotel, Sydney CBD

The bar and grill is not obvious from the street but it was only breakfast time. Located on the second floor of the QT hotel and next door to the iconic State Theatre, it can be impressive that Gowings B & G opens its doors as early as 630am, considering that people do party at the same venue rather late the evening before. There is always a smiling young woman or man at the street level entrance to the QT itself - and this person often is a traveller from Canada or Europe with a friendly countenance.  The rooms at the QT are on the high side of pricing, already for a city that asks for much in hotel accommodation. Once you come out of the lift, you are settled into the rather cosy and cocooned world of the Gowings.  This name once referred to a department store but memories of that Australian business is carried on through association in the very building which once housed sales of clothes and accessories.

Breakfast can be a sophisticated affair, suggesting of early morning money deals or lingering a whiff of a torrid evening before.   At first glance, I thought it may look like an elderly gentlemens' club but no, there is the odd Asian tourist, the gathering of women out in town and the business team in suits.  Wooden panels, old fashioned lighting and well mannered staff can add to an environment where we willingly pay lunch meal prices for early morning works of art like the free range egg white omelette cooked in flax seed oil - with Swiss chard, kale and shitake mushrooms (how very Sydney!), it is priced at AUD21.  I chose for myself the Eggs Rockefeller, feeling a longing for the USA that day, and I was more than a happy puppy with farmed black caviar, warm brioche, steamed Warrugal greens and Tarragon all bathed in Hollandaise sauce (photo above).

The devil is in the detail, some say, but I reckon it is also how they make you feel.  Chocolate milk there is stated as from Jersey cows, but that was not as significant as how each staff member approaches you and your group.  This place is highly recommended to allow leisurely time and act as if you have an unplanned day ahead.  The conversations around you can be low toned for there is ample space between your company of diners and those of another.  The bar and kitchen have been stylishly designed, there are high ceilings and the outside world in whatever shape or weather is so far away. The person behind this establishment is Robert Marchetti who values unique cooking techniques using fired rotisseries.  And the bar closes at midnight.  In the meantime, the well dressed, those who want to be seen and watch as well, gather throughout the day.  It is not burlesque, neither cabaret like but more Euro elegant, maybe indulgent and obviously enjoyable.

There are underlying influences of Mexican, Australian and Asian in the varied menu.  Imagine custard duck egg tarts, eleven seeded hand made bread loaves, a simple Cantonese congee and smoked ham baked in hay.  They also could not resist offering the Big Breakfast, naturally labelled Gowings, with air dried cured bacon, goats cheese and garlic buttered mushrooms in its description.  Would I return? A definite yes, but next for the dinners and the wines.  They have a Paul Bara Brut from a French vineyard, a Philip Shaw No. 19 from Orange in central New South Wales and a Von Buhl dry Riesling from Germany.  For both lunchtime and evenings, there is the beer steamed prawn cocktail; partly boned whole roasted quails; hand dived wild scallops; rib eye of the Angus hereford from Tasmania's Cape Grim; and creme brulee made with double baked dark chocolate.

Chinese Cuisine in South East Asia - Iconic Ingredients

Fresh king prawns, often required for festive meals and family gatherings.

The ubiquitous tofu squares from Southern China.

Kumquats freshly plucked form the garden.

Contrasting flavours - the subtle soy bean based foochok, used mostly in soups and stir fries (background) sits next to the vinegar and chili based condiment for Hainan chicken rice (background).

A ginger heady concoction to highlight flavours of otherwise bland dishes.

Cantonese styled roast pork with crackle, utilised to be eaten with soy sauced egg noodles, steamed rice or just for themselves.

Lebanese cucumbers - a vital and useful ingredient used in Fujian poh pniah wraps and Beijing duck servings, whilst accompanying grilled satay skewers and Indonesian nasi lemak sets.

Hainan Chicken Rice - national dish of Singapore