Night Noodle Markets 2015 - Sydney, NSW

A couple posts ago, I did say mention that I liked avoiding the crowds...I may have lied. Can you really blame me though? When one of the biggest foodie events comes around, you don't really say no. I really didn't think I'd be attending the Night Noodle Markets this year but miraculously, the Mrs made the suggestion when her friends all decided to go. So, soon as the both of us finished work, we met up in the city and proceeded to Hyde park before the crowds formed. Being that it was the final week, the amount of people visiting has already decreased but I'm still really glad we decided to head into the markets before everyone else. This way, the Mrs and I could sample all the delicious offerings with minimal wait times before everyone came.

The Mrs and I started our night off with a couple of skewers from Daniel San, which I assume is a new addition to the line up since I didn't notice them last year. We bought one pork and one chicken skewer so that we could sample both. I personally liked the chicken better (I love chicken yakitori) but the Mrs thought the pork was better. I do agree that the pork did take on the marinade and glaze better but I'll always like chicken better...there's just something about smokey, grilled chicken meat on a stick which makes life amazing.

Seeing that the traffic had started to slowly trickle in, the Mrs and I thought it'd be a good idea to grab a table. We quickly found a large enough table and sat down in preparation for the arrival of our friends, which I took as an opportune time to scope out the other goods. By now, it's no secret that the Mrs loves Malaysian food so I quickly ran up to Mamak and ordered two servings of Roti Canai (one for me, one for her). Mamak's roti is always amazing...super doughy, fluffy and crispy, this combination is best served when dipped straight into that vibrant and fragrant orange curry....tear apart, dip, devour and repeat for maximum enjoyment.

I noticed that next to Mamak, Harajuku Gyoza had set up stall and being the mad gyoza fanatic that I am, I just couldn't help but order some for myself. For me, this was the biggest surprise of the night as I didn't really expect much from the gyoza...but it was absolutely, positively delicious. Gyoza is one of those commodities which is so readily available that it's hard to differentiate one from the other but this one...leagues above the competition. The crisp, crunchy bottom covers the juicy dumpling's filling which explodes with flavour as you bite into it. My experience was something straight out of a certain food-related manga...the nuanced and delicate flavours of this particular dish brought me to heaven and back...this is the one dish I legitimately wanted to go back for seconds for.

As our friends arrived, we were able to leave the table behind and go explore. The Mrs and I settled on Bao Stop as our next stall (the Mrs was interested in the fried chicken whilst I was more interested in the Peking Duck fries). I didn't actually order the fries in the end but I did order a trifecta and the chicken which was just as good. As we were in the line, the rain slowly but surely started to pour which was really not pleasant but for the sake of food, we (I) stood resilient as we waited. After we received our orders, I quickly dashed back to the group, making sure to shield the food with my body on the way. Unfortunately, it took us all a while to get to a comfortable spot and the sad thing about baos is that they tend to stick to the cardboard if you leave them there for too long. This made the whole eating experience rather messy but that was in no way detrimental to the food. The baos tasted great but I have to say the chicken stole the show...I'd say, rather ingenious the way they turned the distinct taste of XO sauce into a sweet and tangy glaze.

Didn't mention these...Korean style tacos

Apologies for the shaky focus...hard to hold still trying to dodge the rain.

Our friends saw our food and decided to venture off to the same location for their share. I was fortunate enough to be able to still try the Peking duck fries which they brought back. In retrospect, kind of glad I didn't order them because whilst I do love deep fried shoestring fries, the taste of gamey duck and hoisin only reminded me of the real deal therefore making me want that more.

Again, sorry...the rain really doesn't contribute to high aperture photos

At that point, the rain had started to clear up which signalled the continuation of the festivities. The group decided it'd then be a good idea to go and grab some ramen burgers from ONE tea lounge's stall. I abstained from this venture because I was very full at that point but nonetheless, we headed over and surprisingly quickly, ordered and recieved our food. I have to say, I am slightly disappointed in the ramen burger this year. We had the full ramen burger last year and that was absolutely delicious but as per their restaurant's menu, this year's offering was made in slider form. I think my preference is still for the mess that is the full sized burger though.

Additional to the sliders, one of our group members also purchased the fried ice cream baos. They came in various asiatic flavours (green tea, red bean and black sesame). I managed to get a taste of the green tea and I'll be honest, I wasn't really a fan. The deep fried bao just seemed a bit too bland for me and whilst they did pair it with ice cream and other sweet treats, the matcha flavour really wasn't as intense as I would have liked meaning the whole package just came across as mildly lacking.

At the end of the day, as much as I don't appreciate crowds...I'm still really glad that I got to go enjoy the Night Noodle Markets. The stalls only come around once a year and with the abundant selection of delicious samplings, you really can't go wrong if you spend a night out with great, fun people at the markets.

Boon Cafe at Jarern Chai Asian Grocer - Central, NSW

Lately, the Mrs and I have been getting busier as we come up to the end of the year. If I haven't mentioned already, we're trying to plan and organise a relatively large event so our weeknights/ends have been taken up by planning, meetings and generally being super-exhausted. I'd like to apologise to the Mrs here and admit that in the midst of being stressed and generally feeling useless/not helpful, I've kinda neglected to acknowledge how wonderful she is and how much I love her. Luckily, the Mrs and I still managed to find the time to squeeze in a quick date night at a place she's been wanting to try for a while: Boon Cafe.

The most recent venture by the guys at Chat Thai: during the day, the menu is more cafe/brunch like but at night, the items change to more of what you'd find in the streets of Bangkok. The Mrs and I thought it'd be a nice idea to try it on a whim and we were lucky enough to grab one of the limited tables so I let the Mrs take charge and order away. We'd originally ordered the dessert to come later but maybe due to some minor miscommunications with the staff, the Pandan toast became the first to come...not a bad way to start a meal though. The toast was nice and fluffy but I'd have to say, the spread was mildly disappointing in that there wasn't a deep enough pandan flavor nor was it noticeably sweet...in my opinion, could have definitely have definitely benefitted from more sweetness/flavour.

Additionally, the Mrs had originally intended to order the Thai milk tea that she was accustomed to but had somehow ended up ordering Thai red tea which is essentially the same thing without the condensed milk. Due to that fact, the Mrs didn't enjoy it too much initially but I definitely did, the spiciness of the drink helped cool me down after a long day and regardless of what she had originally expected, the Mrs still grew to like the drink after a couple of sips. 

Soon after, our first hot dish came and boy, were we excited to dig in. The Mrs ordered a half order of the Gai Yang which is Thai style grilled chicken. The chicken here is marinaded really well and rather flavoursome which is good though the Mrs did say it was less juicy than another restaurant we frequent. I think it was an issue with the pieces she picked because each piece I picked was juicy and tender. It could have been a bit more charred but overall, very enjoyable. 

Next came the grilled sausages which was personally, my favorite. I love sausages from all cultures and cuisines and this one was very representative of the flavour profiles you'd find in Thailand. Intense and mouth-numbingly spicy, we identified some elements of chilli, ginger and potentially lemongrass mixed in with the meat. If you'd ordered this, be warned: have a glass of milky, sweet beverage ready as this dish is as authentic as it comes. It's so addictively spicy that the Mrs had to stop part-way and recuperate before she could continued eating it.

Shortly after our grilled sausage arrived, the beef salad also arrived at our table. At this point of the dinner, our mouths were burning from the sausages so it was a welcome and refreshing change of pace. The salad was still packed it's own punch but not nearly as intensely as the sausage did. The green leaves, onions and sweet dressing really helped calm our palates allowing us to enjoy the tender pieces of beef strewn throughout the salad.

Our meal was rounded off by the carbs that came last. At $5 a bowl, the Mrs thought it appropriate to order to separate bowls of noodles (one for me and one for her). I got the spicier Thai styles noodles which was great because I was used to eating similar noodles from Do Dee Pai Dang noodle cafe. Cheap and satisfying, you didn't get to choose the level of spice but for that price, you really wouldn't mind. I have to say, I really enjoyed the rice noodles they used a little more than the glass noodles I normally have at Do Dee and the soup I think was more sour and appetising than I was used to which was great.

The Mrs got the bowl of Thai style egg noodles which she seemed to relish because the sweet and savoury broth offered a much needed reprieve from the flames burning in her mouth. I didn't get to eat much of it but I assumed since the Mrs demolished most of it that it was delicious. From the small amount that I did get to have, the flavor reminded me most of the tiny microwavable bowls of wonton noodles you can get from Costco. 

Reminiscent of our current lives and schedules, the dinner was a bit of a mess at the beginning but regardless, what mattered most to me was that I was able to sit down and have a nice, enjoyable meal with my beloved. Super sappy of me to say but I truly believe that no matter what life throws at me, as long as the Mrs and I have each other, we'll be fine and happy no matter what life throws at us. 

From the bottom of my heart: Thank you for everything that you've done for me and for us. We wouldn't come as far as we have and I definitely wouldn't be who I am today without your constant support, patience and guidance. I'm so excited for the future we share together and for the many meals and laughs we'll have in the future.

Love you always, turtle.

Parramatta Lanes - Parramatta, NSW

October is generally like Christmas for foodies, mainly because October is Good Food Month. During this month long event, various food related festivities are held all across the country and during this time, we get to discover and savour the many delectable offerings each wonderful city has to offer. For Sydney-siders, that would normally involve attending a few lunches and visiting the ever popular Night Noodle Markets. Now while I do enjoy a visit to the night noodle markets, I also find it incredibly congested and as such, I much prefer sticking to low-key events closer to home...such as Parramatta lanes.This once-a-year event gives the wider Sydney audience a chance to see the more creative and vibrant side of Western Sydney with art installations and food stalls. I fondly remember how the event started so humbly with only a few locations in Parramatta CBD and much less grandeur. The event has now become a runaway success and this year, it's come back with a quite a lot more on offer.

The Mrs and I started off our night by meeting up with a friend outside the stalls set up at the Cathedral. It was there that I ate the most delicious pizza that I'd possibly ever had. The mixed mushroom pizza from Happy as Larry Sydney was amazing beyond description...a wood fired pizza crust topped with a variety of mushrooms and drizzled with truffle oil. The crust was perfectly doughy and smokey and with each bite filled your tastebuds with the sensation of mushrooms all finished with a rich, velvet-like sensation of the truffle...this pizza is well worth every dollar. In fact, it was so good I almost doubled it at the end of the night (if not for the slightly longer than desired wait times).

Aside from the pizza, we also had a small snack in the form of a cup of Fritto Misto I purchased. This one came as a surprise because I had just bought it on a whim...neither the Mrs nor I expected it to be so delicious. The prawns were so crispy you could pop them straight into your mouth and have them like chips and the calamari was cooked perfectly so that it was still soft and tender. All of this was made even more delicious with a squeeze of lemon and a bit of the abundant creamy aioli.

We then quickly made our way over to Batman Walk where the famous bearded bakers had set up shop. The Mrs and I were both incredibly excited for this food stall because neither one of us had tried the famous Knafeh before (we had previously eaten the dish but never the one made by the famous bearded bakers). Part of the allure is the bakers themselves...they are incredibly entertaining to watch. Each baker is super efficient at their station and the amount of pride and joy they have for their craft is evident in their every movement. They sing and dance and interact with their guests in a way that brings a smile to each and every person's face. I was so entertained that I didn't even feel the time whilst I was waiting.

We received our order shortly after ordering and huddled off to the side of the crate to enjoy our piping hot knafeh and honestly, the dish is well worth the hype. It's usually the simplest things that turn out the best and this is a prime example: that rich and creamy cheese is complimented so well by the crunchy crumbs and it's sweet, but not sickly sweet.

After enjoying our knafeh, we decided to continue on our tour of the laneways and we headed through the adjacent carpark which lead us through to our next location. In the middle of the carpark, we saw various entries for the "Shoot the Chef" competition where I spotted one of my favorite chef, Chase Kojima's entry.

As you exit the carpark, you then reach "Seoul Town" which is the festival's Asian/Oriental themed section. There, the Mrs decided she wanted Asian food and so she bought a chicken roll from Jimmy Liks which was surprisingly refreshing and delicious. The fresh ingredients and juicy grilled chicken really made the sandwich a delightful meal. I also grabbed a "Daniel San" from the guys at Grasshopper bar which was amazing. The guys at Grasshopper are no strangers to Parramatta Lanes and they do their cocktails in disposable jam jars which is another highlight.

Whilst walking along the street, we also got to experience a walking jazz band which made the night all the more special as the music livened up the whole street. This led us through to the garden of love through to Erby place and then back around to the UNE future campus location where Piccolo Me had set up stall. Their fried maltella balls had been blowing up on instagram the day Parramatta Lanes started and so I made it my mission to try one. It was good however, in my opinion..the batter caked around the nutella ice cream might have been a bit too thick leading to more cake and less ice cream. The Mrs tried the Nutella Iced Coffee which was also pretty good but probably a bit lacking in the coffee hit she was seeking at the time.

I absolutely love it when October comes around, the city of Parramatta livens up as the whole of Sydney gets to see what a vibrant and wonderful place this suburb truly is. All the amazing food and beautiful artworks just makes these few short days the highlight of the year. I'm gonna be so glad when we move to Parramatta as it'll make it so much easier to enjoy this event each and every year.

Chef's Palette - Strathfield, NSW

We've had quite a scorcher of a long weekend right? For some odd reason, these last couple days have been unbearably hot for spring but that's just Sydney weather for you I guess. As the warmer weather heralds the coming of Summer, most people would be heading to the beach to enjoy the surf and sand but the Mrs and I decided to go to brunch instead (obviously to avoid the crowds). We decided today to try a place that we hadn't yet had the opportunity to try: Chef's Palette.

Situated where My Sweet Memory "used" to be (more on that later), the cafe's quant looking but quite a bit more spacious than it used to be...mostly a result of doing away with the stationary section and replacing that with a kitchen. It wasn't as busy as we'd expected it to be which was great since we could have a pick of any table we wanted. The Mrs and I quickly seated ourselves and once we'd decided what to order, I got up and ordered our food and drinks at the counter.

As expected, the drinks came first: the Mrs' iced coffee and my iced monkey. The iced coffee was pretty standard...nutty coffee mellowed out by creamy ice cream and then chilled to a refreshing coolness which really helped fight off the heat. Definitely not the worst we've had but nothing all too spectacular either. My drink (the iced monkey) was like a blended chocolate frappe with banana powder in it which meant  it tasted like korean banana milk with a hint of chocolate...definitely something different and worth a try.

The food came after a short wait which was great because by this point, the Mrs and I were starving. The Mrs blew out and ordered a house made ricotta cheese dish with extra spinach, bacon, grilled tomato and eggs (she didn't know it came with one egg but the more the better right?). The house made ricotta was really nice and creamy which really worked well with that doughy sonoma toast and overall it was a delicious dish but my one criticism was that they were a bit light-handed with the truffle. As it was, we really couldn't taste any truffle (though we did choose to have the dish not as it was intended so that could be a factor). 

My dish was certainly a highlight: pull pork eggs benedict with a really well made hollandaise sauce and saucy pulled pork that made it a really satisfying dish. You get that moreishness from the eggs and that beautiful hollandaise sauce which gets cut through by that tart tomato based pulled pork. The abundant meatiness made the each bite more enjoyable. I can't say I was a big fan of the slaw though (mainly because the Mrs and I don't like apple) and I found it a bit too sour which really numbed my palette quite a bit. 

I normally really like to see and emphasise the good points of each restaurant I visit but for my experience at Chef's Palette, I unfortunately had to admit that it wasn't all too impressive. Don't get me wrong, the food was definitely not bad or anything but it definitely wasn't substantially different or impressionable either. The items were lacking in the refinement and ingenuity we normally see when we dine out and I was also a little shocked to see My Sweet Memory show up on my banking app after. I'm not too sure if this was a transitional thing or if Chef's Palette is really just a rebranding of MSM...regardless, if they really want to be competitive (especially with such a great little cafe just a little further down the road) they really need to get a few things that help them stand out.

Pho Song Huong - Riverwood, NSW

Pho, the magically delicious beef noodle soup is found in almost every regional area of Sydney and is considered a staple of this multicultural city much like kebabs, charcoal chicken and yum-cha. Although abundantly available, it can be rather difficult to find a bowl that's immensely good. I used to frequent this place in Hurstville called Dixon which to me, was the epitome of great pho...sure, it had it's critics but I still loved it regardless. During the later years after Dixon closed it's doors (sadface), I moved on to try other places such as Pho An, PHD, Great Aunty Three...and now my latest favorite has become Pho Song Huong, located just a 5 min drive from the parent's place.

As they have a relatively large menu, it's a little difficult to speak about everything they offer in one post, that's why I've since eaten there multiple times and compiled my photos and experiences into one post. There's a couple reasons I love this place so much (aside from the distance) and that's mostly to do with the value-for-money and the serving size relative to the price you pay. When they first opened, each bowl of Pho was about $9-$12...and this was within the last two to three years. If you've eaten some Pho before, you'll know that this is exceptionally good (my most recent visit to Pho An led to the slightly shocking discovery that their large bowl now costs $16.50). They since raised their prices but only by a dollar...yes, if you walk in there today, you can get a standard sized bowl of rare beef pho for $10....that's really good.

They only really have one size (which may be a detriment to people with smaller appetites who also maybe don't want to waste food) but for those of us with a large stomach capacity, you will not be disappointed with their almost too generous serving sizes. Legit, I am admittedly a big eater and most times, I find myself pushing the waistline...and this is without even touching the Mrs. portion. The soup is served piping hot and is sweet and fragrant like a good bowl of pho should be. The beef slices are tender and meaty but not too thinly sliced meaning a great texture. The noodles can be a little oily and slippery but that doesn't mean it's any less enjoyable.

Usually when I go, I stick to what I know but over the many times I've been, there have been times where I've eaten dishes other than pho. For example, the last time I went (tonight), I chose to have the black pepper beef with tomato rice....very saucy and complimented the rice really well. We also chose to have a DIY rice paper roll dish with lemongrass pork and spring rolls...probably the most fun you can have wrapping your own food. The selection of drinks they have available is also pretty impressive, anything from avocado or durian shakes to even Thai milk tea.

If you live in the area and you're looking for a great bowl of local beef noodles, or if you're a lover of all things Pho, I'd strongly recommend giving this place a try. It's amazing value-for-money, generous serving sizes and deliciously well made Pho is what draws all the locals to it. Be warned, they do get packed rather quickly though turn over is really quick so you should be able to get in after brief period on the plastic stools.