Malay Chinese Takeaway + Cafe Cre Asion + J's Kitchen Steak house - Sydney, NSW

I got in BIG trouble with the Mrs over the weekend. Story was that the Mrs was rather preoccupied with organising our major upcoming event and I just so happened to have a free parking pass in the city (donated by my generous younger sister). logically then, what better time for me to go and eat all the things I want in the city, right? Wrong. So very wrong. But more on that later. I didn't initially have a plan on how my Saturday was going to work out but I just thought I'd go park my car and see what was available. After a bit of walking around, I happened upon my favorite Malaysian Laksa restaurant, Malay Chinese Takeaway. Furthermore, they were open...on a weekend? Sold.



Despite not having their usual office worker lunch queue, the place was still packed out with a crowd of hungry diners. Obviously then, this place must be legitimately good (not that I didn't know that already). I briskly waltzed up to the counter and ordered my usual: skinless chicken laksa. Not even a couple minutes after I stepped aside, my order arrived at the collection counter...that layer of ominous yet enticing chilli oil that hides the creamy, golden broth of assorted aromatics, spices and coconut milk. Now, listen to my instructions very carefully: add a spoon or so of the communal sambal (at your discretion) and proceed to quietly and reverently take your bowl to an empty spot. Slurp, sip, repeat, wipe away sweat....then smile like a dork (it really is that good). I guarantee you, if you consider yourself a laksa connoisseur, you will not be disappointed with this place...I personally rank it one of Sydney's finest bowls of Laksa.

Being all hot and flustered from consuming the laksa, I decided to explore the CBD and find a suitable place to calm down and "zen" out. Logically then, was there a more appropriate location than Cafe Cre Asion? With my mind made up, I decided to make the long trek over to Alberta Street. This is where I made my mistake: the Mrs had wanted to visit Cafe Cre Asion for the longest time but hadn't found the opportunity amongst the ever-growing list of things she had to prepare. I had then, committed a big taboo for foodie couples...I'd visited a new venue without the company of the other. I got reprimanded really badly later than night. But at that moment in time, I couldn't think of anything better than to sit down and enjoy a nice green tea (matcha) latte.

It did take me a while to find my way into Alberta street but once I laid eyes on this small little cafe, I was smitten. Look at the chic and modern designs...the aesthetically gorgeous furniture, how could you not want to sit down and chill out? So then, I ordered a delicious looking matcha swiss roll and the house matcha latte, sat outside on one of the temple looking chairs and enjoyed the wonderful afternoon tea. Everything at Cre Asion is distinctly "zen" focused, from the bitter yet sweet drinks and cake to decor, tables and location. You're separated from the hustle and bustle yet, close enough to watch the cars zoom by like a keen yet detached observer. In that moment in time, I had achieved what I sought in that afternoon: peace.

The Mrs and I had dinner with family that night so we met up later that night at Cabramatta for J's Kitchen Steak House. When I initially told the Mrs I had visited Cafe Cre Asion without her, she was furious with me (and rightly so) but being the patient, loving and forgiving saint that she is, she saw past my transgressions and forgave me...for now. In the meantime, we focused on enjoying the company we had and the delicious (and cheap) food we were provided. I must say, I am deeply impressed. Where else can you spend $11 and still get a massive plate of chips, salad (doused in dressing) and a thin but tender piece of steak..all covered in a generous mushroom sauce? Not only that, for an additional $4, you can go to the drinks bar and get 4 fruits of your choice blended into a refreshing, delicious fruit shake. If I lived any closer to Cabramatta...I'd be here all the time.

Overall, my weekend can be summed up as absolutely satisfying.  I got all the food that I wanted all on the same day. I do have to apologise to the Mrs though...I feel horrid for visiting Cre Asion without her. Since I suffered minimal repercussions formy screw up, I can certainly say that I've learnt my lesson and that I'll make sure that next time: I'll try to help her out a bit more so she has more time to venture out and explore with me.

*Sorry lovely, I'll take you to Cre Asion next time*

Badmanner Thymes Espresso - Parramatta, NSW

Another weekend, another opportunity for the Mrs to drag me to brunch...well, not so much drag anymore. I'll admit, I secretly do look forward to the opportunities I get to go and enjoy a quiet and quaint meal with the love of my life. She's been able to convince me that additional to the delicious food, I get the time to just slow down and just enjoy moments of tranquility between us. That, I believe, is the most precious part of brunching.

The Mrs decided to take me to a local favorite of hers (one which I've yet to come to). Located right opposite of another popular brunch destination, Paper Planes Cafe...Badmanner Thymes is the perfect place to come when you're looking for an alternative to their ever popular neighbour. I really don't see why this place isn't as packed (or more so) than Paper Planes as there's a huge and spacious dining area with ample seating and the food comes out so quickly....people are missing out.

We ordered some beverages to start off with: the usual coffee for the Mrs and a green tea latte for myself. The coffee was very good however, the green tea latte was a bit stronger in the matcha flavour than I'm usually accustomed to...still, I enjoyed it thoroughly as it made me really slow down and sip at it which meant that over time, I got to liking the drink a lot more.

Despite the other really delicious sounding items on the menu, I opted for the safe option of eggs benedict as I was feeling particularly breakfast-y that day. This was a great choice as the eggs were on point...perfectly poached eggs sitting on top of some smoked salmon, avocado (additional to the order) with some shallots and wilted spinach to accompany it all. They didn't cover the thing in hollandaise which meant you really got a well balanced breakfast.

As usual, the Mrs picked the better brunch dish as she had ordered the black forest with additional chorizo. If (more like when) I do go back for brunch, I will 100% order this next time...it is actually divine. The combination of ricotta cheese and mushrooms along with the eggs done sunny-side up (my favorite way) just made the whole package undeniably delicious. The addition of chorizo meant that if meat was important to you, you didn't miss out on it. The salty, spicy pork sausage just made you crave the other components more.

The more I visit Parramatta, the more excited I get about the prospect of becoming a permanent member of this community. I can say with confidence that one of the only things that matters to me (the abundance of food) is well and truly catered to here. The level of quality this establishment provides and the service we received made the whole experience unforgettable.