Klang Valley Culinary Delights

The sizzle of oil, the puffing up of dough and the appetising aroma in the air.    The stuff of what one expects walking around markets, this one in SS2, a suburb of Petaling Jaya, part of the developed housing and commercial areas outside Kuala Lumpur.   It was morning and the stalls had been set up after a few days of holiday over the Lunar New Year.  Those simple looking and yet tasty Eu Char Kwai, in Cantonese or the Yao Tiao in Mandarin, for oil fried crullers,  at once simmering in the large wok and then soon enough, laid out to rest and settle to crunchy.    These look like breadsticks but have a different flavour.

The gluten has to be well formed and rested over night in the dough making these Chinese styled crullers.

The crullers are good for dunking into coffee and congee, as you please.  The stall holders wear aprons and masks.   The time spent in front of cooking oil can have its disadvantages - and so does standing outdoors, in front of vehicular traffic swirl.  There are so many forms of the fried snacks, some with fruits like Cempadak inside, others with banana slices and some others still with flat cuts of sweet potato.   The Cempadak fruit is sweeter than the standard jack fruit, although but share similar characteristics on the outside.

The fruit is also compared to breadfruit and mainly sourced from south-east Asia and southern India.   How does one know when the sticky yellow fruit inside is ready to eat?  If we think like a monkey, which does devour such delicacies in the wild, use our nose and sense of smell.  Rich in  fibre, Riboflavins,Vitamins C and A plus potassium, this fruit is used in making cakes, ice cream flavours, desserts and eaten as they are, fresh.

Ang Jiu Mee Suah, a niche soup of thin strip longevity hand pulled noodles, swirling around bite sized reddish coloured chicken parts, is a Fuzhou tradition.   The colour comes from the glutinous red wine utilised to marinade the meat.   Ginger and sesame oil are used to lift up the flavours.

I was fortunate to sample this in suburban Petaling Jaya, at the Wing How Coffee Shop in Taman Suria, Sungei Way.   This is not an easy find for me, as I have hardly come across this dish.    Ideally, organic chicken is preferred when preparing this  comfort food.   One can eat with cut chillies in a light soy sauce, as in common practice in most of south-east Asia.  

Kaffir lime fruits look stone-like hardy, are not as inviting as the Kumquats and the related plant is more valued for its aromatic leaves than its fruit.  The contents of this fruit help to sharpen a stir fry, add more zest to a seafood curry and also add fibre.   They are also known as the Makrut Lime or the Papeda in Mauritius.   They are common in tropical regions of Asia, have unique shaped double leaves and can be available in areas of south-east Asian migrants in Western countries.

In Thailand, the leaves are used in making the iconic Tom Yum soup, where the sharp citrus like flavours add a zest to the soup.   The rinds of the fruit are added to make a thicker Thai curry paste.  Away from the kitchen, the juice of this lime is also used as cleansers for clothing and for hair wash.

Bean curd wraps over fish ball rolls are best dipped in chilli sauce, provide finger licking food and yet can be eaten anytime  (the Fu Zhou version pictured below).    The type of specific fish that is grounded or shredded to mix into the balls can affect its ultimate taste.     The wraps are often eaten as snacks by themselves and in Yum Cha sessions.  The Cantonese, Hokkiens, Teochews and Hakkas do include this in their culinary menu.

The original Nasi Lemak, when it was  more of a take away snack on the run, is wrapped with banana leaves, which add to the  flavour.    No meats, no veg!   The approach of this dish is stimulating the palate with a minimum of ingredients, while adopting the maximum impact of a well done Sambal.   The one I had in KL recently had anchovies soaked in the paste, a wholesome half hard boiled egg, peanuts and a well braised squid slice.

Reflecting the best of Thai street food, it is not so much of the ingredients but how they are mixed together and presented.   In addition, it is also the interplay of texture and contrast in flavours - chilli hot, sour, savoury.   This rice based creation has now moved on to upmarket restaurants which seem to want to add curry more than Sambal, meat more than crunchies and size more than yum.  

Often served with cucumber slices, to offset the chilli's fiery heat, this dish has a critical component - in how you prepare the coconut milk flavoured steamed rice, often uplifted in aroma by using a tied up leaf of the Pandanus or screw pine plant.   The whole thing comes out as a wholesome and appetising combination.   There are also variations in recipe if you make the Straits Chinese version -  where lemon grass can be an option, and deep fried chicken also offered as an accompaniement.

The Sambal is usually made with tamarind juice, shrimp paste, small prawns, chilli paste, red onion, shallots and garlic.  The proof of such a good condiment is in the taste, texture and balance of ingredients.

   

Shantou Synergy - Markets

A Sunday morning walk seemed the perfect idea, especially when after several days in a foreign land, mostly taking in touristy sights.   The weather was all right, warm above twenty degrees Celsius, although with a cloudy outlook.  We wanted to feel what a weekend can be for the Shantou locals, and not just in trying the food, but in aiming to have a grassroots perspective.    

Shantou, or Santow in Teochew, has its origins from the Song Dynasty  (960 to 1279 AD), and experienced massive devastation during the 1922 typhoon.   Almost a hundred years later, the city has bounced back, in no small part due to the grit, determination and passion of its people.    The Tropic of Cancer passes just north of the city and so the area has a sub-tropical climate.

After a quick snappy breakfast of millet porridge and steamed buns,  we eagerly propelled ourselves to the street markets located only a few roads away.   There we were, savouring in what must be lost in contemporary cities that have moved the provision of food to climate controlled bland buildings.    

Our first impressions were the sheer sight of eager but small businesses laying out their fresh produce on stalls out of a moveable table, or sited in what seems to be a hole in the wall.   More was to follow, like the buzz of commerce in eager eyes and careful buyers.   The colour, chatter and connectivity between producer and consumer.  The energy of butchering, crafting and cooking skills.   The sheer urgency to break even in trade and money before the sun rises up too high over the southern China coast.

Yellow bean curd for cooking, freshly made each day.

I was convinced, that day, I was brought back in time to a few decades earlier.   The streets are retro but were mostly clean, save for some debris discarded from the relentless push to sell and the passing by of market goers.  This was what perhaps Western society calls a wet market - and the stalls ran around a few streets, lanes and side alleys.   

The aisles between stalls could be the road itself or as narrow as a motor bike rider could push through, with wares and all.   We looked ahead at where we were possibly heading whenever we turned into a new path, conscious of the unknown, excited at the possibilities and our senses fully in tune with what greeted us.

If I was to think of one sentence to describe Shantou, it is the adage of "the early bird catches the worm".    And yet I am told that the Teochews love to participate in their midnight suppers.

Yes, I had planned for snacks like freshly steamed Teochew cakes, quick bites of savoury stuff and quaint drinks.  In the end, I ended up not having an actual bite of anything, even as we strolled along a journey of the wonderful, interesting and captivating.    Maybe we were too busily engrossed in discovering the new and the mysterious.  I was fascinated by the craft of the butchers, with their speciality choppers , intense focus and experienced ways.  And yet there are vegetables, fruits and seafood as well.


Whole legs of pig trotters, heads of goats and careful cuts of meat were displayed in a manner that opened my eyes but in another land, may have also made political correctness to display written warnings before one enters these markets.   Some of the sellers recognised the presence of sticky beak visitor-photographers who are intent to record everything on their dangling equipment.     Other let it be and were tolerant.   I was happy to record a lifestyle that is still vibrant in Shantou but have disappeared from many neighbourhood markets long ago.

Shantou oranges are well known, especially in south-east Asia and appreciated during the Lunar New Year.

I had set my eyes and taste buds on these biscuits.

The aroma, the sounds and the overall feel all rolled for a contented me.  This to me illustrated a real holiday, where one does not sit on deck chairs for long hours but gets immersed in the every day life, the practical regime and the soul of the locals.  I wondered what dishes the local women were planning for their kitchens with their fresh purchases of the day.  

This was Guangdong province, where it is a must and tradition to source fresh and to eat fresh.   Many market goers knew their suppliers well.   My group of six engaged to obtain the roast goose - not any goose, but that of the Lion head.  This is a goose species that was larger than usual.   There were already a few stalls that were selling the roasted versions and we had seen the live noisy quacking ones in some farms miles away from here.

Lotus flower roots, ingredients for soups and stir fries.

The buildings surrounding the markets can be quaint and could have seen better times, but truly on closer inspection, there are pockets of renovation, columns of wear and tear and echoes of previous prosperity.   Would I have preferred gleaming marbled walls, smooth and seamless floors and a uniformity of what seems to be modern business architecture?   Absolutely not!


In my mind and attitude, the character is enhanced of the place with all this sincere heritage look.  Times may not have been good when you see cheap tiles, cracked walls and rusty facades, but they all tell a story of frugality, weather worn effects and previous building periods.   Shantou is truly an old city harking back to hundreds of years, but the people are determined, passionate and hard working.   There is a certain rare charm about Shantou that one misses in so called modern hubs....is it the accumulated work of various generations, or is it the hope that bounces out of every child we meet, dotted upon by loving grandparents?   Is it in the way each trader conducts himself or herself in trade?  I find there is, underlying all things, a desire to improve one's lot.

Can someone please educate me on what this is?   Could they be the pork jelly, or Ter Ka Dang in Teochew?

In the West, we yearn for the slow movement,  in trying to shorten the journey of food and produce from source to our dining table.   Here in Shantou, I see this happening, even in the second decade of the 21st century.  The cynic in us may also raise doubts as to the integrity of the food, as to whether excess pesticides are used, as to whether farm animals have been humanely kept and whether there are any artificialities like plastic used in producing rice and milk.    


To me, the answer is simple - we use our own judgement in the taste of the food we choose to eat  - and we ensure that we are moderate in consuming any thing.    Richness is in variety - and from what we saw in the Shantou markets,  this was a place of what it means to be truly living.  There are grains and nuts,  shelled fish and swimming seafood; there are meats and other parts of grazing animals; there are the vegetables the goodness of edible flora;  there are home made creations of desserts, biscuits and cakes; and there are snacks and drinks.

The much desired roast Lion Heads.

I admired the detailed dedication of this young butcher in attending to his art and  livelihood.

Steamed, baked, poached, braised or stir fried ?   I pass by the oyster omelettes and duck in soups enhanced in taste by preserved vegetables.  Dumplings can be filled with a combination of dried shrimps, chives, ground pork, peanuts, mushrooms and radish.  The fish are best steamed, the duck is often braised and the chicken poached.  Congee is served thinner when compared to their cousins in Guangzhou.


I noted that there are not many diary based products here, being away from the temperate zone.  Shantou cuisine emphasises on using garlic, ginger, bean curds, soy based seasonings, dried and fresh seafood, rice based mixtures and vegetables.

Known in Singapore as Png Kueh, these pink lovelies stand out amongst the crowd.

Eggs are preserved by coatings on the outside of the shell and the result is a pickled snack that can be used when required.

Every corner and space is utilised to create a tight neighbourhood.

Some may question the standards of cleanliness of such outdoor markets, but as long as one consumes food and drink that is made in front of you, or well cooked, you do not have to worry.   I am more interested in the harmonious combination of textures and flavours that Teochew cuisine can offer.  Some dishes are bland but have accompanying sauces that uplift the taste.   There is no extensive use of chillies as in Sichuan culinary traditions, nor the variety of grills as in the north of China.  What then does Teochew food stress upon?

In the Guangdong practice and preference, freshness is important.   In Teochew cuisine, subtlety is also appreciated, like in the proper making of broths and stock soup.  At the same time, the preferred tea blend is an Oolong called the Tei Guan Yin, named in honour of the Goddess of Mercy, prepared and offered as Gong Fu tea.    To my understanding, this all smacks of a common theme - that of attention to details, whether in the precise cut of a meat, the fine texture of vegetables so they can absorb flavours and condiments or in the lifting up of seafood to its fresh best.

The flurry of activity at these Shantou markets make me forget that this is part of a country ruled by the Communist Party.   The desire to be self-sustaining at the individual and family level underlying this model in China is an alternative to a government having to provide extensive social security benefits, like in Western nations.  

Maybe we are all caught up too much with economic and political labels.   In Shantou, I witnessed sheer human drive, a smart way of doing things and a strong sense of community and family.   These factors are important to any culture and nation.I urge anyone to come visit China to see the reality and to realise the difference from the buzz that can permeate Western media.

The versatility that Shantou displays can be illustrated in its variety of working and living languages - Teochew, Hokkien, Hakka, Cantonese and Mandarin.    It is like at the crossroads of culture and trade locally and regionally.  The people you meet at the markets just want to complete a deal and move on.

There is this traditional utilisation of red coloured focus lamps at roast meat stalls.  Shown here are the Lion Head Goose.

These may not be for the faint hearted, but emphasises a good practice to use every part of the bird or animal.

Lion Head goose are special to the culinary heritage of Shantou and its heartland - there are stewed and roast versions, of which I prefer the latter.  Spices, sauces and wine are used to marinade the goose in both versions.    The goose is more gangly than duck, more earthy than chicken and the roast from Shantou has a deeper bite.

The unique Teochew sauce is the Sha Cha Jiang (in Mandarin) made from several ingredients of Brill fish, soybean oil, garlic, shallots, dried shrimp and chillies.  A mate suggested that this is not to be confused with the Sriracha sauce made in California  but originating from Thailand  - and making waves in fusion food and ethnic suburbs  around Western countries.

Snacks and biscuits, including several that use sesame seed.

This guy is not selling food, but demonstrating the various uses of his cooking utensils.

I could sense the natural entrepreneurship of the market stall holders and shopkeepers in this bustling Chinese port.  Shantou lies not far from the Special Administrative region of Hong Kong, but somehow has not blossomed in trade and commercial activity as much as its southern competitor.   The city's location beside both a river, the Han, and the South China Sea has blessed it with seafood produce.   Its hinterland of south Guangdong, a region brimming with manufacturing and trade, provides another blessing to Shantou as it does to Hong Kong.   Further north along the coast are the two powerhouses of Fujian province - Xiamen and Fuzhou. 


The nearby inland cities of Chaozhou and Jieyang, together with coastal Shantou, form a troika of conurbations shaping the Teochew heartland.  The Teochews themselves have made a significant economic impact in south-east Asia, where much migration took place in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, present day Malaysia and Singapore.   Even the Shire of Fairfield in contemporary Sydney is a crucible of descendants of Teochews.

High Speed Trains - China

My recent experience in south China was only riding on High Speed Trains or the HSR for segments between Chaoshan station near Shantou and Wuyi Shan station a thousand km north west.

The HSR station did slow down to stop at certain major cities along the way like Fuzhou. The trains had commenced from Shenzen first thing in the day and was heading to reach Beijing in the evening.   The benefits of such an infrastructure were already obvious to me, especially in a populous nation like China, with numerous conurbations, industries and economic activity.   A thousand years ago, the Grand Canal from central to northern China had already illustrated the significant benefits of a transport path that transformed the economy and politics of a growing nation.


At the most, my group experienced a maximum train speed of around 285 km per hour.  I understand the Shanghai to Beijing express normally exceeds that speed. The record speed achieved for a Non-Maglev train was in 2011 when a speed of 487.3 km per hour was recorded on a Beijing to Shanghai test run.   The Shanghai Maglev train can chalk up to speeds of 431 km per hour.


There are different companies in China allocated to operate the various HSR lines across this vast nation.  So apparently operational service quality can vary.  My group was happy with the high standards shown in customer service to my group of six seated with first class cabin tickets.   The rolling stock however is centrally owned by the China Railway Corporation.

Photo credit -  Ms. Gan Siok San

The HSR stations are huge with sizeable waiting halls.  There are various snack shops and restaurants to while the time away, for it is always good to be early than late when catching the HSR.


Boarding and disembarkation is orderly and tickets are issued with lots of security measures.  Electrical points, clothes hooks and snacks are liberally provided.  The aisle between seats in our specific coach is wider than on aircraft  business class.


I observed on-board toilets on HSR trains in China are cleaned regularly per hour.    Staff are smartly dressed.  The take off on these HDR trains is so smooth and stable to passengers, I did not even feel it!   The technology was initially implemented through agreements with Siemens, Alstom, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Bombardier, but later developed further with Chinese input.    China has the longest mileage of high speed train networks in the world, befitting a nation with many long distance points to connect.

I was impressed that the HSR could operate on a high mountain region like Wuyi Shan.   This UNESCO world heritage site has elevations from 200 to 2000 metres above sea level.  Back in Australia, the powers that be gave an opinion that it was not possible to build a fast train network through hilly terrain - so when I was sitting in the HSR, with my window views hurtling through topography and scenery that was more rugged than in Wollongong, I realised that I had been hoodwinked.


The importance of having sufficient funding to build and realise the HSR is critical - many nations just do not have the funds tucked under their belt.


HSR maximum speeds in China were moderated after an incident near Wenzhou several years ago in central China.      The HSR runs on specially built platforms that carry only the dedicated rail track, so it is inevitable that these tracks are built far away from already developed sections of the landscape.  To travel to a HSR station is a treat itself, for by road one gets to view the surrounding city streets and country side before arriving.


There is therefore a transport business opportunity for the locals in picking up and dropping off HSR passengers.  I am happy that public and personal security is tightly enforced at such stations.  Bags are scanned through machines and tickets are issued only when personal identity documents are matched with on line booking details.   Passengers are only allowed on to boarding platforms around ten to fifteen minutes before the specific HSR arrives.


Over the side seat racks are relatively narrow to hold luggage, so do avoid bringing bags that are too large - medium size would be the practical maximum to put them on such racks.   Travel is made with not much stress on these HSR.   

100 Espressos - Wollongong NSW

One late morning, Craig and I were having an early lunch when he decided on a fun experiment of doing a list.


A list?  Craig asked me how many cafes I reckoned are operating on the Illawarra coast from Coledale in the northern villages to the southern city limits of Wollongong itself. Wollongong, south of Sydney and separated by the Royal National Park, has an indicative population of 292,388 in 2016 reports.    It is the 11th largest urban conurbation in Australia by latest count, behind the Sunshine Coast in south-east Queensland but ahead of Hobart, Tasmania; Darwin, capital city of the Northern Territory; and Cairns in northern Queensland.

The Scratch Coffee Co. at 173 Wentworth Street in Port Kembla NSW.

For a regional hub, I previously thought it would be around 60 cafes for Wollongong.  Craig and I went to work, writing on napkins whilst enjoying the modern Aussie breakfast dishes creatively made to accompany the more than 200 blends of coffee available on this continental island, with a current national population of 24 million.


The results after half an hour of Craig and I listing on napkins turned out to be more than 100.   The results are provided at the end of this blog write up.*   I only know of one cafe that closed in Thirroul in recent years, but again I am no expert, only a consumer and visitor to cafes.   My burning hot questions are then these:


1. What does each operating cafe do utmost to attract and retain their customers?

At All & Sundry off 383 Princes Highway, Woonona NSW.

2. How does each cafe owner differentiate his or her business from the others, especially in an increasingly competitive environment?   Can it be having a unique and attractive coffee blend, keeping the target customer demographic engaged or providing secondary requirements like unique food?


3.  What key factor does each cafe owner/operator attribute to bringing success?  Is it business location, coffee blends, keeping costs to a minimum,  regular patronage, interior decor and projected ambiance, changing regularly to sustain interest or the very model of the business itself?

Buck Hamblin is located at 260 Lawrence Hargrave Drive in Thirroul NSW.

4.  Viable cafes do achieve a baseline of revenues, product turnover and minimal expenditures.    What do cafe owners view as the most risky threats to their business?


5.  What is the next big thing each cafe owner plans for the future?


I invite interested parties to send me much appreciated feedback by making comments in response to this blog.  Please let me know if I have missed listing your business or favourite cafe.

The Broken Drum Cafe is near Woolworths in Fairy Meadow NSW.

The cafe business can be like living in a small village, where a network of baristas, cafe owners and coffee suppliers can interact and know each other well.   There are people who have come from the capital cities, there are innovators who know their market and customers and there is the supply of staff in a pool from a university town like Wollongong.   Several cafes are especially active on social media.  Many provide cakes, others savoury dishes from a kitchen and several have both.


When Cafe Pellegrini came to Wollongong from Melbourne, it was a landmark event, but that was so many years ago.    In the past ten years, the sector in Wollongong, and really around Australia, has transformed significantly, got attention from the world and now set the benchmarks in many aspects of the art and trade.

Hevan Espresso is at 181 Princes Highway in Corrimal NSW.

Are most cafes in Wollongong making money?  Are they making enough to project their individual businesses to the next stage?  Are the mostly twenty something year olds working in such cafes only putting a temporary stint to earn side money while they make other plans for their career?   Most cafes in the Wollongong area close by 2pm.   Some have licensed liquor bars, many make big breakfasts and smoothies seem to be always available with the coffee.


The demographics of customers can change with each hour of the cafe being open.   There can be a parade of train commuters, dawn cyclists, tradies, pensioners, young mothers, grandparents, kids after school, hipsters, gender-based groups and coffee devotees.   They have made the cafes an integral part of their routine, to accompany their other activities around town or the suburb.   

White Rabbit Cafe is at 2/50 Grey Street in Keiraville NSW.

Cooler temperatures in winter can make them yearn for properly made hot cuppas, while the iced lattes feature more during days of sweltering summer heat.   Many cafes in Wollongong close on weekends and yet some are beginning to lure customers seven days a week.   Some cafes are small, others have two shop fronts and yet others are not visible from the main strip.  Many cafes commenced business with an emphasis on coffee, yet there are some now that are adjuncts to existing restaurant operations.


Several cafes make extra effort to create an experience for the customer, whether it is in the quaint accessories, the thoughtfulness in creating the walls or in the lay out for flow of spaces, private or for groups.  Do the baristas engage in meaningful conversation that makes people want to return?    Is there easy access through private vehicle parking or by good public transport?   Are opening hours suitable for customers?

Earth Walker & Co General Store is sited at 749 Lawrence Hargrave Drive in Coledale NSW.

The One Hundred and More Cafes in Wollongong area, NSW - February 2017*

This list is in no particular order of ranking and does not include franchise chains.

Northern Villages

1.    Earth Walker, Coledale
2.    Austi Beach Cafe, Austinmer
3.    Fireworks, Austinmer
4.    Bread, Espresso &, Thirroul
5.    Fin Box Board Store Cafe, Thirroul

6.    Honest Don's, Thirroul
7.    Seafoam Cafe, NSW Rail Station, Thirroul  
8.    Cucina, Thirroul
9.    Buck Hamblin, Thirroul
10.  Gidgets Cafe & Bar, Thirroul

11.  Beanstalk Cafe, NSW Rail Station, Thirroul
12.  Tin Shed Cafe, Thirroul
13.  Jose Jones, Thirroul
14.  Stokes Lane, Bulli
15.  The Point Milk Bar, Bulli

16.  One on Park Cafe Kiosk, Bulli Beach
17.  Ruby's Bulli Beach Cafe
18.  Gelato Emporium, Lookout Point, along Motorway, Bulli


Northern Suburbs

1.     Four Little Beans, Woonona
2.     Cafeli House, Woonona
3.     All & Sundry, Woonona
4.     Flat White For One, Corrimal
5.     Franks'N' Beans, Corrimal East

6.     Hevan Espresso, Corrimal
7.     Manjit's Cafe, Corrimal
8.     Coast Cafe, Corrimal
9.     Coffee Guru, Stockland Shopping Centre, Corrimal 
10.   Cafe Angeli, Corrimal 

11.   Drift Lounge, Corrimal
12.   Luna Espresso, Corrimal
13.   Green Bean Play Cafe, Corrimal
14.   Dusk Cafe, Tarrawanna
15.   Yarnsy's, Tarrawarna

16.   Bill & James, Balgownie Village
17.   Urban Grind, Balgownie Village
18.   Nourished at Bally, Balgownie Village 
19    Broken Drum Espresso, Fairy Meadow
20.   Two Doors Up, Fairy Meadow

21.   Patiscceria Massimo Papa, Fairy Meadow 
22.   Reay's Place, Fairy Meadow
23.   Triangle Cafe, Fairy Meadow
24.   Staggletooth, Fairy Meadow



North Wollongong

1.    Delano Specialty Coffee, Montague Street
2.    Rush iC Cafe, Innovation Campus
3.    The Matchbox, Innovation Campus
4.    Diggies Cafe, Cliff Road
5.    My Pantry, Cliff Road

6.    The Northbeach Pavilion, Cliff Road
7.    Cafe at the Lagoon
8.    Mud Cat Cafe, Novotel North Beach
9.    Connie's Cliff Road Cafe
10.  Aqua Cafe, Cliff Road

11.  Bluorange Cafe, Cliff Road



West of Wollongong City Centre

1.    Rush, UOW Main Campus
2.    Rush 2, UOW Main Campus
3.    The Yard, Building 7, UOW Main Campus 
4.    Panizzi Cafe, Library, UOW Main Campus 
5.    Urban Grind, URAC, UOW Main Campus

6.    White Rabbit Cafe, Keiraville
7.    Zanders Cafe & Dessert Bar, Keiraville
8.    Giddy Goat, Keiraville
9.    BarLissimo, Gipps Road
10.  Espresso Warriors, Keiraville



Wollongong Harbour

1.    Bombara Seafood, Endeavour Drive
2.    Levendi's, Cliff Road 
3.    The Green Room City Beach Cafe, Marine Drive

  

WOLLONGONG CITY CENTRE

CROWN STREET

1.    Lee & Me, Lower Crown Street 
2.    Lower East, Lower Crown Street
3.    Sopranos on the Mall, Crown Street
4.    Patiscceria Massimo Papa, near Crown and Corrimal Streets
5.    Beast & Bread, GPT Shopping Centre, Keira Street

6.    Sugar Cube, Lower Crown Street 
7.    Mr Crown, Crown Street
8.    Quay Canteen, above the Square Cafe Restaurant Bar
9.    Square Cafe Restaurant Bar, midway along Crown Street Mall
10.  Quotes.Cafe

11.  Yum Yum Cafe & Bakery
12.  Swell Coffee
13.  Glass Alley Coffee
14.  Town House Chamber
15.  His Boy Elroy

16.   Kurtosh House No.5, Globe Lane
17.   TLC Cafe, behind Lee & Me

BURELLI STREET

1.   Terra Mia
2.   The Social, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC)
3.   Kafe on Burelli, Wollongong City Council
4.   Santana Coffee
5.   Crafted Espresso


CORRIMAL STREET

1.   Litani's Mediterranean
2.   Marco
3.   Il Mondo Del Cafe
4.   Gigi's, corner of Market and Corrimal Streets
5.   Deli &  Dine, on Market Street next to Gigi's
6.   Lili-J Cafe, Corrimal Street south, opposite the Wollongong Golf Club


KEIRA STREET

1.    Cafe Pellegrini, Hotel Illawarra, Keira Street
2.    Happy Barista Espresso Bar, Keira Street 
3.    Bull & Bear Cafe, Keira and Victoria Streets
4.    Opus Coffee Brewers, Keira Street
5.    The Living Room

6.     Keira Street Cafe 
7.     Cafe Adore


WOLLONGONG RAIL STATION/HOSPITAL

1.     Lettuce B. Frank, Crown Street near NSW Rail Station
2.     Sandy Goodwich, Crown Street near NSW Rail Station
3.     Meni  Cafe at Picadilly Centre, Crown Street
4.     Crown Cafe & Catering, Wollongong Hospital



OTHERS

1.    Little Stompers, Kenny Street
2.    Emporium on Swan, Swan Street
3.    Zac's Cafe & Bistro, Church Street
4.    Panizzi Cafe, Princes Highway
5.    Prufock Espresso Bar, Atchison Street

6.    Bostons Espresso, Atchison Street
7,    City West Cafe, Market Street
8.    Ground Cafe, Kembla Street


South of Wollongong City Centre

1.   Portobello Espresso Bar, Mangerton 
2.   Lechappe Cycle Cafe, Keira Street
3.   Scratch Coffee Co. at Wentworth Street, Port Kembla
4.   The Foundery  at Wentworth Street, Port Kembla
5.   Seascape Cafe, NSW Marine Police Centre, Port Kembla


(Latest count here = 118 cafes)