The Northern Explorer - Waikato Valley New Zealand

Bostons Espresso - Wollongong CBD

Anna had signalled to me how she and her other half and enjoyed this cafe on a weekend.  Tucked away on the ground floor of a modern building, it is spacious, has a few library shelf books and even alternative forms of seating for guests.   The staff are friendly.  Perhaps the menu and feel is Mediterranean in a modern Australian setting. I see feta, haloumi, yoghurt, aoili, dukkah, fennel, avocado and cheddar.  I see a range of customers, from the young to the elderly, not dominated by a set demographic.   Sited between the office crowds and a light industrial area, the cafe reaps the benefits.

My choice of pulled pork sandwich was rather wholesome and of a generous serve, especially in relation to the pricing.  I am looking forward to try the slow cooked lamb sandwich for AUD9.  There is another sandwich with smashed chat potatoes, cranberry sauce, egg and baby spinach. Down to earth, they also offer soups, salads and sides of grilled chicken or smoked salmon.

The coffee?  I only had a quick drop by and a rushed cuppa. It was good enough to want to come back at another opportune time.

The pulled pork roll for AUD 9 - July 2015.

The Bostons Espresso is located at the southern end of Wollongong CBD at 11-15 Aitchison Street, within walking distance from the main Wollongong Rail Station.
Telephone: 612 4227 5527
Opening hours:  Open every week day from 7am to 4pm and from 8am to 3pm on Saturdays.
Ambiance:  Relaxing, value pricing.

Chatkazz Vegetarian - Harris Park NSW

Pretty and yummy - the Dahi Puri.  Sweet tamarind and spicy green chutneys garnish the popular Maharashtra hard and puffy shells with chickpeas and potatoes, found easily in chaat stalls in Mumbai.
 Photo Credit - Mr. Edwin Chee

When John from Eastwood suggested going to Chatkazz, I was fascinated with the feedback from his family, especially
from his children, one in university and another in high school.  I understand Chatkazz cuisine is one of their family favourites, so the rest of us sat back and observed as the youngsters ordered the dishes for us.   Our table had a balance of grains, yoghurt, crunchy bites, dips, sweet, savoury and various textures.  What a spread for the ten of us!  Plenty of bottled water was provided for us throughout the meal.  We were given a table near what was interestingly marked as "Chilli Storage".  I also noted the breakfast options and a choice of Indo-Sino food dishes.

Chhole Bathura with chickpea curry dip.  Spicy, served with pickles and onions.

The menu is extensive but has a common theme - the principles of Jain, which emphasises on Sattvic, aimed to encompass the achievement of lightness, happiness and goodness.  Translated into table serving terms, we noticed an absence of ingredients that may cause putridness, lethargy and darkness to the body and the human emotions - items I take for granted like garlic and eggplants.   I asked another family waiting at the Chatkazz entrance for a table on an early Saturday evening if the Chatkazz menu is specific to a region of the Indian subcontinent, and the wife said it is eaten everywhere there - Gujarat, Karnataka, Delhi, Rajasthan and more.  So a sub-continent wide menu is made available in the heart of greater Sydney, thanks to the multiculturalism openness of the Australian government.

Dhoklas have mustard seeds sprinkled over them (photo below) together with coriander, curry leaves, and grated coconut - they are often eaten at breakfast time and are made from chickpea flour, yoghurt and baking soda. The resulting batter is seasoned with a pinch of turmeric, green chili paste (wonder of wonders!), lemon juice, sugar, salt, oil and a fruit lime green colouring before steaming.

Not rice cakes but well appreciated , the plate has been increasingly cleaned out -  Dhoklas that had been sliced for easier munching, served with mint sauces and more.

Yoghurt on a bread shell - sweet entree of  a Puri.

The food genre has many common elements with those in Iran, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal.  I can see menu items from Chatkazz that are familiar to anyone with a Chinese Malaysian background - Parathas, Chaats, Samosas, Kulfis, Sambhars, Khormas and Bhajis.  Growing up in what was a mature multi-cultural environment does have its benefits.

I did find the onion Pakhora over whelming, it was over salty but still good as a stand by snack.  I loved the Puris best, in all forms, as they are petite, offers various sensations and you never know what you are going to bite into.  Puris are generally round wheat flour pieces deep fried with both savoury and sweet -  often Sabji potato curry and a strained yoghurt called Shrikhnad. 

My dining group that night did not delve into desserts much, as we were already full.

Saturday evening 7pm - and more to come!

We could have been dancing to so-called Bollywood music piped in between our dishes.  Sari was intently checking out the menu as she reckoned her son William would love trying out this place.  Perhaps our group stood out as being the only non-Indians that evening but each of us were comfortable with this - next time we may ask our Indian mates to come along.  My body's digestive system had a welcome experience that cold evening and I slept like an infant over night.

Doughnut like dessert.

To the initiated, many dishes are street food back in the Motherland but I was fascinated with each and every one of them.  Chaat refers to savoury food snacks served at street side food stalls all over India.

Throughout,  to me, it was how normally bland ingredients are harmonised with the use of selected spices, cheeses and herbs to lift the dish up all together - and also the level of attention paid in preparation and presentation to result in various textures on the palate.   Many of the dishes have to be eaten fast after being served, whilst others remain good and content having them cold.   The careful choice of spicy, plain or aromatic dips and gravies also play their part.  Servings are often easy bite sized.  Fluffed up snacks do lose their size if ignored for too long and the yoghurt can only taste as good as they have just been prepared.   There are so many plates spread across a family table I wonder how cleaning up is best done!

Photo credit - Mr. Edwin Chee

The presence of ingredients like potatoes and chickpeas can make for a more than wholesome meal, and each of the ten of us at our table felt more than adequate after the dinner.  I had usually such access to vegetarian food only on weekends day time (for example the Hindu temple canteen at Helensburgh just south of Sydney) - so it is a pleasure to have found this place.  Servings are also rather on the generous side.  My preferred dishes that evening tend toward aromatic, fluffy grains like the Pulav or Briyani and light crepes like the Masala Dosa.

The more familiar Masala Dosa, with a light and easy crepe skin and potato filling inside.
Photo Credit - Mr. Edwin Chee

It is important to bear in mind the Jain philosophy and practice behind such cuisine of lacto-vegetarianism - this is to minimise adding to the supply chain elements of violence (Himsa), so there are assured no eggs, milk, seafood and meats.  Such intent is to break the cycle of reincarnation for human beings, as Ahimsa or non-violence is an indispensable condition of achieving this spiritual liberation.  Buddhist precepts closely echo this mindset.   Purer forms of practice even avoid the consumption of rooted vegetables like potatoes, onions, brinjals, garlic and tubers.

Mango Lhassi in a milk bottle.  Photo Credit - Mr. Edwin Chee

Ambiance:  Buzzing with activity and diners, it gets really crowded the later on a weekend evening.
Families, with piped in music and a close sense of community.  It makes me forget I am even in Australia.
Staff engagement: Friendly and responsive.
Table bookings not provided for on weekends.
Would I return? A definite yes.  I am eyeing the Mumbai Roadside Special,  the Pani Puris, the Chai Ya coffee, Frankies, the veg pizzas and their version of fried ice cream.
I especially like the idea of "eating with a purpose" with this cuisine.


Chatkazz is located at Shop 4
14-20 Station Road East, Harris Park near the buzzing hub of Parramatta CBD.
Telephone 02 86770033 and 0433 688 501
Opening hours: Weekends from 9am to 10pm, Tuesdays to Fridays 10am to 10pm and Mondays 5pm to 10pm.
Harris Park can get real busy at certain times which may prove to be a challenge for easy vehicle parking but there is a rail station.  Chatkazz has its own vehicle parking compound but it can get not so easy to navigate out later in the evenings.



 

L'assiette Cafe & Bistro, Auckland CBD

I am amazed that the pastries are flown in frozen from the French Republic to this delightful gathering place ( a bistro, cafe and bakery all in one) located in Brittomart beside Auckland Harbour.  Ah, the wonders and marvels of air travel - and regular flight connections.  "Bonjour" - my niece and I were greeted when we sat down for a quick pick me up at the L'assiette before 8am.  The dining room is not big but reminds me of an Euro rustic setting with a modern Pacific twist.  Perhaps it is the design of the chairs.  This is not Tahiti nor Paris but the closest Kiwiland gets to such settings.

Once I bit into the crust of my pastry, I felt the crunchiness, light buttery and aroma on my palate. There is an extra feeling of specialness. Coupled with the nippy air outside, it is a moment to relish.  It is not just the ingredients, it must be the baking and the ambiance too.  French speaking staff walk around.  Our coffee orders come so fast, good for the morning rush hour and they set a high level of blended bean quality. And then there is a Hersheys kiss anointing each cup.  All very good when it is cold but fresh outside on an early Auckland winter's morning!

Highly talked about are the Gallettes Bretton available at this lovely hideaway and yet accessible to business world professionals, families, couples and tourists alike.   I understand these are its signature offerings  - the round shaped buckwheat savoury crepes are served here with options like sausage, bacon, salmon Gravlax, mushroom or ham.  And of course they are garnished with egg, Gruyere, Creme Fraiche, mustard or Tartiflette.  Tartiflette, interesting enough, originated from ski stations in France and is a gratin made with lardons, Reblochon cheese, onions and of course, potatoes.

I saw the delicate  and colourful macaroons waiting in their display - oh yes, it is too early for such more sugary delights. Always something for high tea rather than breakfast.  There is a rush of customers enjoying the offerings of the place when we sat down, but later in mid-morning, when I happened to walk past the place, they did have a quiet moment, after office business has settled in for the day in the nearby buildings.

Adelyn and I had chose the apple crumble and croissant pastries, one with gratifying chocolate filling.  They are not over the top rich and provided more taste than sweet.  Our coffee orders came a bientot - despite the crowd.  L'assiette  - plate, the course of a meal, roughly translated.  In this L'assiette in Auckland, the experience means more - a warm serving, a place like home, the course of an enjoyable experience.  I understand that breakfast is more Kiwi and lunch or dinner is more classic French.

Baguettes accompany two loved iconic dishes at lunch or dinner time - the Pot-au-Feu and the Beef Bourguignon, both beef based creations.   If you are having dinner there, check out the Asian pork belly served with potato puree.

My current breakfast weakness, Eggs Benedict, is made here with either Akaroa Salmon or bacon or for the vegetarians, mushrooms.  The lovely outpost of Akaroa, just outside Christchurch, is a time capsule with roads referred to as Rue and the hint of maritime adventure round the next corner as you walk its rustic seaside lanes.  True to its French inspiration, there is no problem in having the Croque Madame or the Croque Monsieur!  This Croque - grilled ham and cheese sandwiches - come with an option for Béchamel sauce and are labelled Madame once you add a poached egg or omelette on top.

What I hope to try though the next time there is the Le Grand breakfast, with Provencal tomato, sausage, bacon, Pommes Dauphines, mushroom, eggs and sourdough.

L'assiette Cafe & Bistro is located at the Atrium on Takutal at No. 9 Britomart Place, Auckland Harbour with the nearest cross road being Scene Lane.
Telephone: 659 3090961
Opening hours: 7am till late every day.

Green Peppercorn Civic Hotel - Sydney CBD

The captivating Miang Kum bouquet as entree.

Caution  - the chilies are hotter here than in most other restaurants in Australia, but let us proceed.

The Miang Kum or betel nut leaf wraps, with finely prepared fresh ingredients, so easy and light on the appetite, came out like miniature flower bouquets.  Oh yes, there was much generosity in providing so much to wrap the dark green leaves in.  We could detect peanuts, crab meat, fried shrimps, crunchy rice, small tomato cubes, chilli, ginger and lime as we bit into the wraps.   Healthy, exotic and stimulating!

Petite, colourful and healthy, this dish was like eating from garden produce.   However, we were in down town Sydney, with the World Square sign clamouring for attention through our early 20th century bay window, looking down at a busy Goulburn Street leading to Chinatown and Darling Harbour.  We were fortunate to have been allocated a side round dining table, to me it was both at the same time grand and cosy.  After climbing two flights of stairs to the first level, from a side entrance to the Civic Hotel along Pitt Street, we entered another world, Indo-Chinese, with a Buddhist presence, where fresh aromatics and the art of marinating meats reign supreme.  Spicy food with alcohol on a Friday evening to de-stress and recover from the corporate world?  This is the place.

Pork knuckle braised in Asian flavours for around AUD30.

Pork knuckles to me have always brought fond memories of Oom Pah Pahs and German boutique beers.  The pig is a significant economic animal on the plains of northern Thailand and Laos, so in a way I am not surprised there was this attractive looking roast pork knuckle soaked in the most pleasant of gravy on our table.   Both John and I love our crackle and pork knuckle - and the meat underneath was moist tender, yet with the roast effect.  It was like Christmas lunches all come together in July! The knuckle was firm on the bone.  This variation of the Khao Kaa Moo was an eye opener to me, no more shall I associate knuckle with just Chinese and German recipes.  This Thai/Laotian knuckle has to be cooked smokey, five spice powder is rubbed in, coriander roots and palm sugar are important for taste and the skin has to be cleaned of any pig hairs - not necessarily in that order.


Duck red curry ( Kaeng Pad Pett Yang) laden with lychees and pineapple, bathed in a coconut milk, is now standard fare in many Thai restaurants across Australia, in small towns and large.  Some are over laden with creamy coconut milk; here the flavour is more subtle and the roast duck not oily at all, with firm lean portions.  This is a curry best eaten with steamed Jasmine rice - we had three enamel coated containers of the carbohydrate, truly reminiscent of what you have in south-east Asia.  The curry had aromas and flavours of fresh kaffir lime leaves, basil and fish sauce.  What caught my eye is the practice of placing long whole red chilies in the dish - and the presence of two variations of the eggplant - apple and pea.

Chip doing the honours for us, carving up the pork knuckle.  Edwin, Bob and John watch on, with Jacob stretching his white shirted arm.

Even if working in Sydney CBD, I had never stepped into the Green Peppercorn restaurant on level one of the Civic Hotel.  So we seized the occasion to have a lunch with Chip before he relocates to Adelaide, sister city to my hometown of George Town on Penang Island.  Farewells are never easy, breaking the stupor and pace of things we somehow can take for granted - it also brings to the fore, change management, the importance of enjoying the present and appreciating what each of us have, especially in non-monetary things like good amiable friendship and interaction.

I was cheeky enough to ask Chip what he missed about Sydney and what are his fond memories, at this juncture, of living in this Big Aussie Smoke.   Chip gave fair comment, he observed that Sydney can be a cold city and like all big metropolitan areas around the world, it can be every man for himself and his interests.  Chip did add that everyone he has got to know in the City Lunch Australia group has definitely made Sydney a much warmer and hospitable place for him in his experience.   That includes those who could not make it to the Green Peppercorn that day - Dee and Zoe were overseas,  Michael lives interstate (he phoned in during the meal), Sari was not feeling well, with Sally, Angie  and Raymond working outside Sydney CBD.

Chip related how he had to ship over to his Adelaide family what was then a rather hot item from Sydney in some of the years he was based here - Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  We can all relate to that - the hype, the rush, the excitement and the tastiness that was the American stuff.

Chip summarised by observing that it has been a fantastic ten years Sydney side.  So in turn, Chip,  each of us wishes you well in an Irish way - "May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back.   May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields.  And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his Hand."

Tony did drop by with his daughter to say hello, and that was when I first caught up with Tony after so many years!  The Green Peppercorn meet up was at once both to say a temporary farewell to one and reunite with another, a bitter sweet experience.  The Buddha is often quoted as saying "The only constant thing in life is change".

Marinated and charcoal grilled ox tongue offered with "Mum's special home made sauce" - memories of a different culture.

Ox tongue! Now my Latino mates would love this, although in Argentina and Mexico, these are served in large pieces. What we got from the Green Peppercorn were sliced in bite size, but the taste was unique, together with the serving sauce, the Jaew Som.  Hey, believe it or not, shredded papaya is utilised here to flavour and tenderise the ox tongue when preparing this dish.  The marinade for the ox tongue also has both black and white pepper, the must have south-east Asian fish sauce, Chinese inspired soy and oyster sauces, minced garlic cloves, diced onions and a sprinkling of sugar and salt for taste.   The Jaew Som is based primarily (again) on fish sauce, garlic cloves and lime juice, but includes the aromas from finely chopped bunch of coriander (roots and all), red bird eye chilies and shallots.  The Green Peppercorn version is rewarding, wholesome and addictive.

Som Tam, the papaya salad that travellers get to love on a Thai beach or fancy hotel, is a treat for the palate. Out of the five sensations, this iconic dish assures you spicy, sort and salty!  We opted for the Laotian version at the Green Peppercorn as you do not find this easily in Australia.  The cherry tomatoes, chili bits, sour lime and fish sauce were all there to accompany the thinly julienned papaya, so what was different?  Maybe the mortar pounded crab paste, more likely good mortar and pestle techniques to get the juices, texture and flavours of all the various ingredients going. I am told that if you do not have papaya, use cucumber instead and never mangoes for this particular salad, as the texture of cucumbers and papaya are more alike.  Never utilise the blender for such preparation as the outcome can be so different and too liquid.  Salads are to nurture the appetite for meats and seafood.  My Thai friends say the Laotian version of Som Tam does not taste sweet like in the Thai version.  I did find the Laotian version of papaya salad not so sharp.

Papaya salad ala Laos.

Would I return?  Admittedly yes.  I am eyeing Som Moo (cured pork),  the charcoal grilled satay skewers, chicken feet salad and the Yum Womsen, the heady mix of vermicelli salad with bits of meat or seafood and aromatic herbs.
What is the mood there? Casual, busy and adventurous.
How is the ambiance?  Office gatherings, families, Gen Y energy and pub hotel.
Seating:  Retro.

Business model:  Practical pricing, cocktails with food, city buzz.

Dress code:  Aussie informal.
Compulsory for males:  The pork knuckle cooked in northern Thai style.
Compulsory for females: Cocktails and the Som Tam salad.
Rush hour: Fridays, weekends.
What is the X factor here?   Back packing and family cooking memories.



The Green Peppercorn at the Civic Hotel is located upstairs at 388 Pitt Street, Sydney CBD, near the
corner with Goulburn Street, just behind World Square.
Telephone: 612 8080 7043.
Opening hours are from noon to 3pm for lunch every day and for dinner, from 530pm every evening, they have a fixed time for last dish orders.


Green Peppercorn is also at the Fairfield Hotel at No.1 Hamilton Road, Fairfield, south-west of
Sydney CBD.

Kindly Yours visited this Fairfield restaurant in November 2014.
http://kindlyyours.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/green-peppercorn-fairfield-hotel-sydney.html?view=timeslide