Gelateria Gondola

Belated happy new year etc etc! The mini-human is now over 3 months old which means a little more predictability and a little more freedom to this new family’s lives. Hey look, I’m even blogging! Granted, dinner outings are still but a glimmer in the distant future (dinners with the extended family have involved him being passed around between family members to keep him pacified) however brunch/lunch and snacks within walking distance of home are much more doable. So I guess that’s what will mostly be appearing here for the time being.

Afternoon tea & canapés

So what has everyone been up to these past couple of weekends? Whilst the weather may not have been that great, please spare a thought to our neighbours up in Queensland who have sadly once again faced with torrential rains and flooding. The overcast and generally miserable Sydney weather does make for ideal conditions for staying indoors and general lazing about however. And, after 3 weeks of both the husband and I being sick with a cold/throat infection/allergies, we are now finally well enough to engage in some social activities. Any longer without social contact and we would’ve started our transformation into hermits!

Cooking is always a labour of love and I do put more effort into cooking for those whom are nearest and dearest. (On the contrary, when I don’t care as much is when I do stupid things like leaving out key ingredients – stodgy, eggs-forgotten choc mudcake, anyone?) Wifey and Mistress are two of the most supportive and important women in my life, and I may just have gone a little overboard when planning our late lunch/afternoon tea menu.

Farewell to Munich

A happy new year to you all!

While I may have just returned from enjoying the company of family in Hong Kong, that doesn’t stop me from wondering whether the year ahead will hold any promises of travel and also has me reminiscing about the final week of our European holiday mid-last year. Of course as with any holiday, local or overseas, there are always must-see sights as well as must-try eats. So how could we make it all the way to Germany without sampling at least some of the following delights?

Augustiner Keller, and more

A trip to Germany is not complete without a visit to an authentic biergarten, and even better when it is a rather large one with its own lagerkeller beneath.

Random Eats

So things have been a little quiet around here – and with good reason – as other parts of my life have been hurtling ahead at full speed. I am now an expert in getting quotes for minor home renovations and dealing with tradespeople, most of whom do turn up at agreed times. My mother has moved from our family home into a more manageable smaller place, and said family home is now listed for sale. *sniffle*

Hong Kong Series: Street eats & snacks

It is simultaneously difficult and easy to explain my strong feelings towards Hong Kong. In one of the most touristy cities in the world, known for its food, shopping and night life... of food and more shopping, I don't actually play the tourist. I have family here and, having lived here between the ages of 10 and 14, trips to Hong Kong always feel more like a return trip home rather than a holiday to explore somewhere. I didn't grow up in Hong Kong, but I grew into myself there. Each trip is laden with nostalgia and memories of people, places and, of course, food.

Trolley street vendor

Terrazza and Ben & Jerry's, Chatswood

Where once a brown rundown local town hall stood attached to council offices and a library, now stands a shiny revamped council complex housing a concert theatre, library and new dining precinct. Amongst the various eateries to recently open up shop is Terrazza, an Italian joint offering woodfired pizza. The owner has trialled offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week, during their opening period but will soon be revising this down to lunch and dinner only on weekdays, with breakfast as well as lunch and dinner being served on weekends. It appears us Sydney folk do take the time to enjoy breakfast out when we have the time, but are otherwise too rushed on workdays.

Port Macquarie Getaway: Rainforest Café & Ricardoes

Port Macquarie is dotted with nature reserves and walks. Sea Acres National Park contains an elevated rainforest boardwalk which provides a flat walking surface and makes it wheelchair and pram friendly. There is a small entry fee for the rainforest walk so the alternative for lazy, food-focussed folk like me, Sea Acres also houses the Rainforest Café which sits nestled amongst the trees. The café has a focus on using organic and local produce where possible, and even makes their own ice-cream – with flavours such as Carambar caramel (the chef-owner is French) and sweet basil spotted on our visit.

Ichimaru

Sydney’s lower north shore is abundant in Japanese eats, which is quite serendipitous for Monsieur Poisson as it means he has easy access to his beloved cuisine on a whim’s notice. Ichimaru opened more than a few months ago now, and was stumbled across accidentally whilst on travels to seek out something else.

The gyoza are nothing to write home about, being of the deep-fried variety which I wish would be advertised explicitly on menus so that I could avoid ordering them as I’m a pan-fried purist. However the soft-shell crab salad proves to be excellent value – for $14 you are rewarded with two crabs which are a little on the heavily-battered side, but thankfully aren’t greasy. A mound of mixed greens and tomato wedges underneath help to make the dish a meal in its own right but the carrot threads, also seen later, are a little unnecessary.

Sushi Bar Rashai

A dinner date with Toyboy leads us to Sushi Bar Rashai which came recommended to us by Mistress who has frequented it over the years. Situated on a non-descript section of Parramatta Road more known for its nearby bridal wear stores, Sushi Bar Rashai looks like it’s been around for some years judging from the décor.

Although there’s nothing standout about their sushi, with the rice being a little dry and compacted when we visit, nor their beef tataki, and an order of ‘Kingfish Carpaccio’ from their specials menu is a little light on punch with its dressing, their chicken karaage is juicy and not at all oily. I was tempted to order the ‘Ninja balls’ (hello Ninja!), which is a deep-fried dish of some sort, purely for the novel name factor but we appeared to be over-ordering as it was.

The hot rice dishes are much more to our liking, with the ‘Katsu curry don’ being simultaneously crunchy and comforting with its crispy, panko crumb-coated chicken fillets swathed in a thick curry sauce on rice. The ‘Beef teriyaki don’ is redolent with sweet soy flavours and both rice dishes are generous in their serving size. A pleasant surprise is found in munching on the Japanese pickles on the side – being neither too tart nor too sweet and offer palate-cleansing relief.

Dessert time sees Monsieur Poisson ordering the ‘Tempura Banana’, partly because bananas are one of his favourite fruits and partly because bananas are currently still pricey that ordering something with it feels that tiny bit indulgent.

The bananas arrive encased in a smooth batter with nothing distinctly tempura about it. Toyboy and I, however, have gone with the distinct option of wasabi ice-cream – and two scoops of it each! In hindsight it would probably have been a better idea to order a scoop of wasabi ice-cream flanked by another flavour, but we were going the whole hog here. The ice-cream looks innocent enough when it arrives, with the scoops only having the palest pastel green about them, and the flavour is quite mild...to begin with until you hit what taste like little pockets of packet wasabi! It’s sweet and hot at the same time, but not like the combination of chocolate and chilli where the chilli offers an after note of warmth.

Neither of us finished each of our two scoops. We were well and truly defeated.

Challenge?

Sushi Bar Rashai

241-243 Parramatta Rd (near cnr Macquarie St), Annandale NSW

Tel: (02) 9560 3007

Opening Hours:  Mon  CLOSED

Tues-Sun  5:30pm-10:30pm (dinner only)

happy eating!

Hunter Escape: Firestick Café

When Monsieur Poisson and I have holidayed at the Hunter Valley, we don’t go out at night. Partly because we tend to visit early- to mid-week when there’s nothing open at night time, and partly because it’s incredibly dark at night and driving on both sealed and unsealed roads can be rather hazardous. Hence us never having visited Rock Restaurant, the region’s only hatted restaurant and a 2-hat status for three years running at that.

So discovering that Rock Restaurant morphed into the more relaxed Firestick Café during the day meant that we were still able to sample the kitchen’s food. Unfortunately both Rock and Firestick have since closed at the end of May 2011, although the Pooles Rock winery continues to operate, so we will not be able to drop in again on subsequent visits. The quality of the food was great and, seriously, how many cafés serve you an amuse bouche?

The little appetite-teaser of ‘Beetroot Lyonnaise with labne on sourdough’ was definitely an unexpected touch. As we were saving room for scones later in the afternoon, Monsieur Poisson and I ordered a small (most dishes were offered in two sizes) portion of ‘Grilled sirloin with wilted spinach, red wine jus, café de Paris butter and hand cut chips’ to share along with a ‘Pizza of confit pork belly, braised red cabbage and pear relish’.

The steak was cooked well and the red wine jus glossy and rich which we mopped up with the chips. The pizza had a light, crisp base with thin pork belly slices whose fat was perfectly cut by the red cabbage. Monsieur Poisson couldn’t resist ordering the ‘Apple and blueberry crumble’ when he spotted it on the menu (big apple crumble fan here), whilst I defaulted to my usual coffee/dessert combination of an affogato.

Firestick Café had decent prices although I’ve heard Rock was much more upmarket. Regardless of the reasons for which they closed, it will be interesting to see if there is a new venture down the line.

Firestick Café – CLOSED

Pooles Rock Winery, 576 Debeyers Rd (near corner McDonalds Rd), Pokolbin NSW

happy eating!

Hunter Escape: Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop

What’s in a name?

The Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop, situated on the grounds of the Tempus Two Winery, definitely has a distinct and whimsical name to boast about. It has a vast array of cheeses yet is so much more than a specialist cheese shop. They’re well-stocked with gourmet cooking ingredients and, apart from their cheese and deli meats display, are also in possession of a cheese room, a cured meats room, as well as a gelato bar.

Taste-testing of their cheeses is welcome and we settle on a wedge each of King Island smoked cheddar (which we later discover is available pre-packaged at our local supermarket) and the in-house Smelly Cheese Shop single brie alongside some sopressa salami and crackers for dinner. But before we leave we must, of course, sample their gelato.

Now that, my friends, is not a miniature cone sitting beneath standard scoops of ice-cream. Rather, it is a normal-sized cone being completely dwarfed by two huge/humungous/ginormous/mutant-sized scoops of gelato as large as Monsieur Poisson’s fist for the bargain price of $6.50. For the purposes of research and variety, we decide to try two flavours but never expected quite such generous scoops! Two separate groups of people walking past us said, “Look at the size of that ice-cream!” Yes, looky indeed.

Now, quantity is nothing if there isn’t equivalent quality to back it up. I’m happy to say that the coffee crunch and pistachio flavours were both exceptional. Neither possessed lurid colouring and both were delicately smooth. And, although this may sound stupid, the pistachio gelato had plenty of nutty pistachio flavour instead of that sometimes almond essence/marzipan taste. Needless to say we struggled to get through the gelato but did triumph in the end following a slow and extended battle. Following that a dinner of savoury cheeses and salami was most welcome.

Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop

Tempus Two Winery, Hall 1, 2144 Broke Rd (corner McDonalds Rd), Pokolbin NSW

Tel: (02) 4998 6713

Opening Hours:  Mon-Fri  10am-5pm

Sat & Sun  10am-6pm

happy eating!

Don’t forget to enter the Le Chasseur product giveaway courtesy of Kitchenware Direct!

Leave a comment at the end of the post and remember to send an email to mademoiselledelicieuse@gmail.com as well, with the subject line of “Le Chasseur” and include your full name as well as a copy of your comment in the body of the email. (Some entries so far have yet to send me an email – I need this so I can contact you to let you know you’ve won!) Entries close Friday 15 July 2011.

Food bloggers’ dinner at Garfish Manly, 14 March 2011

The weather had taken a cool turn during the day and the wind was picking up. The sky was greying and I started to suspect this was some cruel conspiracy of nature, as my last visit to Garfish Manly had been met with similar weather conditions. All we needed now was some rain.

photo supplied by The Digital Marketing Agency

Luckily the rain held out and the skies stayed clear enough for us to admire the relaxing ocean views from Garfish Manly’s private dining room, where a group of Sydney food bloggers are gathered for a tasting of Garfish’s autumn menu. Glasses of ‘Geppetto’ brut help to warm us up as well as break the ice for those who don’t know each other.

Canapé-sized versions of entrée dishes are served to showcase greater variety alongside the Three Ponds semillon, a variety of wine for which I’m gaining an increased interest in recent years. Cubes of ‘Treacle cured yellowfin tuna’ are a deep maroon hue and are dusted on either side with bonito powder, negating any slippery textures when placed in the mouth. Mistress, my date for the evening, hits the nail on the head when she describes its complex flavours being akin to Chinese master stock. The ‘Atlantic salmon tartare’ contrasts the tuna with its bright shades of orange and coral. Delicate diced salmon is served on ceramic soup spoons, concealing Persian fetta which offers creaminess, with fennel confit, citrus dressing, an orange segment and salmon roe providing refreshing crunch. ‘Crisp fried zucchini flowers’, served with a sumac dipping sauce, hold centres of smoked hiramasa kingfish which are pleasantly meaty and a change from the usual soft, mousse-y fillings. I do miss the crunch of the mini-zucchini stems which are normally attached to the flowers however.

Conversation halts when our entrées of ‘Seared Hervey Bay scallops with fennel remoulade, orange reduction and bacon crumbs’ are presented and paired with ‘The Zeppelin’, a fruity Riesling from South Australia. We are told the fennel remoulade is dressed with lemon juice which seems to temper its aniseed undertones. Its crunchiness contrasts well with the plump and smooth scallops.

Wafts of shellfish aroma fill the dining room and we are completely silent as we tuck into ‘Prawn and scallop cannelloni with white beans, grilled cherry tomatoes, Avruga caviar and shellfish bisque’. The prawn and lobster bisque is fragrant and light, unlike most which are thicker and creamier, lending itself well to the steamed – not braised, nor baked – cannelloni with housemade pasta. This is also where the sourdough on our table becomes a handy tool for mopping up the beautiful bisque.

Our assiette of desserts consist of a slow-baked hazelnut pavlova which is wonderfully chewy in the centre, a smooth nougat and honey semifreddo with passionfruit coulis, and a baby version of Garfish’s signature Belgian waffles served with caramelised banana and rum & raisin ice-cream. Paired with the not-too-sticky dessert wine, Cookoothama botrytis semillon, it is a sweet end to an enjoyable evening.

Earth Hour 2011

This Saturday, apart from the New South Wales state election (don’t forget to vote!), it is also Earth Hour. As per last year, all Garfish restaurants will be participating by offering a dine-by-candlelight experience which adds a romantic touch to the underlying environmental cause.

Mademoiselle Délicieuse and Mistress dined as guests of Garfish Manly and The Digital Marketing Agency. Thank you to the lovely waitstaff and to executive chef Stewart Wallace for taking the time to introduce each of the dishes to us.

Garfish Manly

1/39 East Esplanade (cnr Wentworth St), Manly NSW

Tel: (02) 9977 0707

Opening Hours:  Mon-Sat  12pm-3pm (lunch)

  5:30pm-10pm (dinner)

                        Sun  12pm-3pm (lunch)

                                5:30pm-9pm (dinner)

happy eating!

Exceeding expectations at Sakana-Ya

Crows Nest is littered with eateries, especially Japanese ones, and you’ll find Sakana-Ya just down the road from Ju-Rin. With its unassuming and slightly dated entrance, it is hard to gauge what style of Japanese food Sakana-Ya serves within and what type of market they’re catering for. But venture through the blue curtains and the sliding glass door, and I can guarantee you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

The décor within matches the doorway and is somewhat non-descript with wood panelling halfway up the walls and dark brown café-style furniture. Apart from the paper lantern light fixtures and the odd fishing rod and paper fan affixed to the walls, it could just as easily be an eatery which serves neither Japanese nor seafood but rather a different cuisine altogether. However the aromas upon stepping in are unmistakably Japanese – being those of pickled ginger and sweet sukiyaki sauce.

We are seated and served small complimentary dishes of edamame, each containing several pods. Whilst perusing the menu, we notice how “fishy” the place is – the aforementioned fishing rods on the wall, the fish painted on our sauce dishes and the two little guys printed on the paper placemats hiding underneath the serviette and chopstick setting. There is a serious amount of seafood offer and Monsieur Poisson politely complies by ordering, first up, one of his favourite things: sea urchin.

The uni sashimi is presented attractively in an open abalone shell surrounded by sides of colour, and is the largest we’ve ever seen. Monsieur Poisson attests to their sweet freshness, whilst a particular food blogger may or may not have been seen dangling a piece between her lips to resemble a tongue. (All photographic evidence of which has been destroyed. Ahem.)

This is followed by ‘Tuna Tar-tar’ which we feel required more lubrication. Whilst the ingredients and especially the tuna are fresh, the raw egg yolk when mixed through doesn’t provide quite the amount of creaminess of which we had hoped. Perhaps mayonnaise might have been a welcome addition?

Their tempura and sashimi platter doesn’t disappoint with its fresh, cold and bouncy fish slices and light, crunchy tempura. I do wish we’d been afforded the other half of that soft-shell crab though!

The ox tongue is thinly sliced and well seasoned, and we order a bowl of green tea soba in hot soup simply because there aren’t enough places which serve flavoured soba. The noodles are slippery with a slight bite but don’t top those made in-house at Ju Ge Mu & Shimbashi.

And because we greedily wanted to try too many things, we are already quite full by the time our bara-sushi is brought out to us. Lifting the lid off the lacquerware box reveals masses of shredded egg omelette shielding the seafood and rice underneath, apart from the cooked prawns and strategically placed salmon roe on top. Digging in, we discover a delightfully high topping to rice ratio but can only make our way through half of it and take the remainder home. The rolled egg omelette branded with Sakana-Ya’s name in Japanese is a cute touch, as are the serving plates again emblazoned with fish – one of which is of a fugu.

But there is somehow always room for dessert! The ‘An-mitsu and green tea float set’ proves much better value than ordering the two separately, and we are rewarded with a bowl of green tea and vanilla ice-cream sitting on a base of chewy discs of mochi and springy cubes of agar jelly alongside a generous scoop of azuki paste. All this is washed down with a slightly unattractive, aloe vera-tinged green tea drink which becomes enjoyably creamy when the large scoop of ice-cream bobbing about is allowed to meld into it.

Admittedly Sakana-Ya is on the pricey side, but in exchange you do receive quality, freshness and simplicity which respects the true flavours of the food. The service is polite and it has been around for years, which serves someway of attesting to its enduring standards.

Sakana-Ya

336 Pacific Hwy, Crows Nest NSW

Tel: (02) 9438 1468

*Bookings are highly recommended, especially on weekends.*

Opening Hours:  Mon-Fri  12pm-2:30pm (lunch)

  6pm-10:30pm (dinner)

                        Sun & Sat  6pm-10:30pm (dinner only)

happy eating!

The beginnings: Garfish Kirribilli

The afternoons are sunny, the evenings are balmy and the shadows are long. You don’t feel like cooking and a great way of celebrating the Australian summer is by enjoying a meal of well-cooked seafood. Of course, it’s even better when you can eschew the cooking process and have the food presented to you, quite literally, on a platter.

Some months ago when the weather was similarly warm, we enjoyed dinner with Weirdo and Ms Sourdough at Garfish Kirribilli. They had heard good things about it from a friend, while Monsieur Poisson and I had already had a pleasant experience at Garfish Crows Nest. Garfish Kirribilli is where the trio of restaurants started and, with Ms Sourdough in tow, how could we not but start the meal with her namesake.

Served with extra virgin olive oil and za'atar for dipping, the bread is chewy and crusty and great to share whilst chatting. Monsieur Poisson and I are rather full from a late lunch that day and choose to share an entrée and main dish between us for the evening. We start with ‘Scallops with spinach, lime butter and matchstick potatoes’. Plump and golden seared scallops lay alongside wilted spinach in a pool of creamy lime butter adorned with crunchy straws of potato which remind me of pre-packaged foil packs of French fries.

This is followed by ‘Crumbed red spot whiting with chips and tartare’ which Weirdo has also ordered. I’ve always preferred fish being crumbed over battered as it always seems less greasy (or perhaps I could just be fooling myself here) and reminds me of childhood frozen fish fingers. With whiting fillets being quite small and narrow in shape, this is a dish of fish fingers of a more refined kind served with a tangy tartare.

Ms Sourdough has the ‘Barramundi with beurre fondue, kipfler potatoes, iceberg lettuce, lardons and chives’. The mention of beurre fondue and lardons has me completely sold but the lettuce is the surprising star, along with the crispy skinned fish of course, being only slightly wilted while still retaining plenty of crunch.

Dessert sees the ordering of several Belgian waffles, a permanent fixture on Garfish’s menu – with hokey pokey ice-cream, caramel and almonds; a special with strawberries and white chocolate ice-cream; and with chocolate ice-cream, mocha sauce and peanut brittle. Monsieur Poisson, however, has the ‘Pear tarte tartin [sic] with cinnamon ice-cream’ which is not quite as flaky as we’d like.

The waffles are thick and doughy and generously sprinkled with various toppings for textural interest, with the peanut brittle being particularly good. They make for an aptly sweet ending to a meal which, perhaps due to being seafood, leaves us full and satisfied but not clutching our bellies in discomfort.

Garfish Kirribilli

2/21 Broughton St (entrance around corner on Burton St), Kirribilli NSW

Tel: (02) 9922 4322

Opening Hours:  Mon-Sat  7:30am-11am (breakfast)

  12pm-3pm (lunch)

  6pm-9:30pm (dinner)

                        Sun  9am-11am (breakfast)

                                12pm-3pm (lunch)

                                6pm-8:30pm (dinner)

happy eating!

Kingsleys Steak & Crabhouse, 9 Nov 2010

Another work year has started and I am grateful that, amongst the tasks which will be thrown my way, organising a year-end Christmas party will not be one of them. For many workplaces, preparations for the following year’s Christmas party start almost before the last reveller from the current year’s event has even left the venue. Mistress has been lumped with this task for her workplace and I am most definitely not envious.

As my shiny red heels click-clack along the boards of Woolloomooloo’s finger wharf, there are large groups of men in business suits and ladies in cocktail dresses enjoying pre-dinner drinks in the evening sun outside several of the restaurants located along there. They appear to be the beginnings of year-end work celebrations and the lovely Sarah Ashmore, Functions & Marketing Coordinator of the Pacific Restaurant Group, confirms that Kingsleys is a popular choice for these shindigs and reservations are taken well in advance. All of which is understandable given the location and its view of the city skyline and relaxing surrounds.

But the view and location are all for naught if the food doesn’t stand up to the test of customers and, on this fine evening, twelve eager and camera-wielding food bloggers with appetites at the ready. Cocktails “with a modern twist” are offered all round but I’m afraid I’m not particular au fait in this area and can only remember two things about mine: 1) it was blueberry flavoured and possibly made with sparkling wine, and 2) it was girly and easy to drink.

The sourdough I do remember, with its distinct chewy crust and dense but soft interior enjoyed with real butter. However the show is stolen by the clean flavours of the ‘Burrata mozzarella salad with heirloom tomato and basil’, as well as the ceremony by which the hand-tied ball of cream-filled cheese is hoisted precariously via tweezers from a glass and rested on a bed of awaiting colourful tomato segments and where the remaining balsamic vinegar contents are drizzled over the salad itself.

The ‘Baby octopus with chilli, salt and pepper’ are tender, tasty and not at all greasy. The ‘Steak tartare with truffle aioli and sourdough crostini’ is anointed with a cute little quail egg replete with oozy yolk, and the tartare can be requested unmixed along with an array of condiments for a do-it-yourself experience.

I thought the show had been stolen by the burrata, but that was before the Alaskan king crab legs made their entrance thus completely upstaging everything before it. With pre-cracked shells for eating convenience, the flesh is sweet, springy and briney all in one bite and the triumph is in extricating a piece of meat from a segment of shell intact in its entirety.

Beef Wellingtons, encasing 400 grams of eye fillet to serve two and which require pre-ordering, are cut in half to reveal their blushing pink centres before us and plated by Group Executive Chef, Lars Svensson. Even with the vegetable relief provided by ‘Charred asparagus with parmesan’, ‘Iceberg salad with radish and blue cheese’ (very subtle in blue cheese for those who aren’t fans of it like me!), and ‘Zucchini with peas, mint & Persian fetta’, I fail to finish the meat but make a serious dent into the puff pastry outer and mushroom duxelle. Heh, I am never one to let pastry go to waste.

Dessert time proves that the ‘Chocolate brownie & banana sundae’ is a popular, classic choice, whilst I go for the ‘Toffee cheesecake with praline ice-cream’ in all its silken, toffee-swirled wobbliness. I am also told that the ‘Crème brûlée with sticky blueberry compote’ is crack-a-licious.

Dinner ends with tea, coffee, chocolate-coated coffee beans and happily satisfied bellies while I sit back under the twinkling stars and city lights wondering which lucky people will get to enjoy their Christmas parties there.

Mademoiselle Délicieuse dined as a guest of Kingsleys Steak & Crabhouse, Sydney, and the Pacific Restaurant Group courtesy of Sarah Ashmore.

Kingsleys Steak & Crabhouse, Sydney

Restaurant 10, 6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo NSW

Tel: 1300 546 745

happy eating!

Mamak Chatswood, 10 Oct 2010

It’s finally open!

Mamak, rumoured to be opening a second outlet for many months in locations “somewhere up north” such as Manly and Neutral Bay, recently opened in the revamped complex adjacent to the Chatswood train station. More than a year in the planning, the opening of a sister outlet has been highly anticipated for this Malaysian eatery which began life as a stall at the Friday night Chinatown markets followed by a move into a narrow shop space on Goulburn Street before acquiring the space next door. All this, and the place still has people queuing before it opens for dinner each evening following a brief closure in the afternoon.

I’m a sucker for teh ais, the cold version of teh tarik – that pulled tea made with condensed milk which has a frothy top. We are here on opening night with Gingerbreadman, Dr King, Kiki and friend. With multiple people, of course we are going to sample a selection of Mamak’s famed freshly-made roti. I think I end up with half the fluffy roti canai to myself as everyone else’s focus is distracted by the more hearty murtabak (parcelled up with lamb, cabbage, egg and onion) and the egg-filled roti telur.

Rotis aside, we have a nasi lemak to share with its coconut rice, cuttlefish, hard-boiled egg, peanuts, sambal, ikan bilis and that thing which neither Dr King nor Monsieur Poisson enjoy eating – cucumber. No one has any issues with the dozen smoky chicken satay sticks and their spicy sweet peanut sauce however.

We have a few dishes to share as well with rice. Kangkung belacan is something which I’ve only grown to like in adult years, previously being a purist for water spinach to be stir-fried with fermented bean curd, even though both offer salty chilli flavours against the crunchy vegetable. Kari ayam (curry chicken) is ordered because Mamak has run out of ayam goreng (fried chicken) from the previous day’s soft opening for friends and family. I discover that Dr King doesn’t eat chicken skin unless it’s fried and crispy, which may or may not have led to someone scouring the bottom of the bowl for rejected pieces. Mee goreng (stir-fried noodles) has good ‘breath of wok’ and is not oily while sambal udang has prawns with plenty of heat but are addictively good with spoonfuls of rice.

And we end with what we start with – a roti. But it is the paper-thin roti tisu crisp and sprinkled with sugar, best eaten pulled apart with fingers, with a scoop of ice-cream on the side for dessert.

There are no queues forming at Chatswood. Yet. The food is identically as good as that of the original city store so make sure you visit soon, as word is spreading quickly!

PS. Mamak is now also offering a catering service. Amongst other things, there are 10 litre drinks kegs with taps! Give them a call to find out more.

Mamak Chatswood

Shop P9, 1-5 Railway St, Chatswood NSW

Tel: (02) 9411 4411

Opening Hours:  7 days  11:30am-2:30pm (lunch)

                                    6:00pm-9:30pm (dinner)

happy eating!