Mmm-Fest

This wondrously warm weekend just passed saw the 20th Malaysia Festival (or MFest) in Darling Harbour, organised by Malaysian university student from all over NSW. The promise of scrummy food and colourful entertainment was not broken, while the heat and traditional music set quite the realistic atmosphere.

Dancers perform at Malaysia Festival, Darling Harbour, Sydney

I was thoroughly impressed with the number of stalls, all well spaced and most with a proper kitchen set-up behind the stall too. The crowds came out to take advantage of the superb weather on the lush green grass of Tumbalong Park and it was enticing aromas every which way you turned in the busy round park.

The crowds fill Tumbalong Park at Darling Harbour

The queues varied in length and time of wait throughout the day, although the wait was almost never too long. A quick walk-by the stalls showed the prevalence of traditional Malaysian fare: nasi lemak, satay skewers, roti, mee goreng as well as a number of regional delicacies, sweets and drinks.

Satay chicken from Jimmy's Recipe

We start on the nearest and shortest queue we could find at the time, Jimmy’s Recipe. Now I’m not sure how people were managing to eat laksa at an outdoor festival, but we opted for an easier route with satay chicken skewers to start – requested to be drenched in satay sauce.

The sauce is more red and much less lumpy with peanuts than I’ve come across before, but with rich and nutty creaminess offsetting the gentle heat. The chicken was rather lukewarm and our skewers varied wildly in sizes, but it was a satisfactory start.

Otak otak from Jimmy's Recipe

Inside otak otak

I’m not entirely sure what texture or flavour otak-otak is really meant to be, but I’m assured that this variation is not quite on target. Nonetheless, I’m a fan of this light fish paste; almost mousse-like yet firmly so. Wrapped in banana leaf and grilled, the otak-otak is redolent with lemongrass and quite subtle where I was expecting a bigger chilli hit.

Roti making at the Mamak stall

We should be accustomed to queues for Mamak by now, although I wonder what it really is that people are willing to wait 20+ minutes in hot sun. The roti show; the brand; a new level of value-eating? In any case, there were constant long queues here and I suspect there will be at their new soon-to-open Chatswood store too.

Roti canai from Mamak

I line up for the roti. My perennial favourite is the plain old roti canai, and it’s a beauty just like it would be in the store. Perfectly puffed into a ball and served with two curry sauces and a sambal, it’s flakey on the outside and just a little softer than I expected on the inside. As ever, one of the curry sauces is like a little kick in the throat while the other is significantly more subdued; the sambal heavy with belacan (shrimp paste), chilli and oil and perfect for the alternate dip.

Roti telur from Mamak

We also have the roti telur with the same dipping sauces and sambal. Served flat with egg cooked within, it’s a slightly more substantial serve equally soft inside and blistered brown on the outer surface – all best eaten with fingers.

Cans of 100Plus

The summery day meant the $1 cans of 100Plus were very popular. An isotonic drink which, I’m told, is like the national drink of Malaysia and bought by the pallet load. With the heat and consequent perspiration in that hotter climate, it’s no surprise. It helps that it’s not too sweet in its citrussy flavour.

Rojak from Aseana Food Village

Before this, I had only ever tried rojak at Mamak, and looking at the dish presented by purveyors of the curiously named ‘Milo Dinosaur’, Aseana Food Village, it’s apparent that there are many varieties of the mixed fruit and vegetable dish. This mostly fruit offering was doused in a dark, thick, sweet sauce that had unexpected (for me) hits of chilli and belacan, and was topped with a wealth crushed peanuts.

I liked the sauce combination with cucumber, fresh pineapple, pineapple, bean shoots and green apple but not so much with the very sweet pear and the hardened yau ja gwai or yu tiao bits – the Chinese fried long dough sticks commonly eaten with congee.

Muar chee from Aseana Food Village

On sample and frontline production here was muar chee, a glutinous rice cake that starts in a long strip and is quickly chopped and coated in crushed peanuts and sugar – almost like an easier, inside-out version of a Chinese sweet called cha gwo.

The 'tank' of Malacca cendol from Sydney Kopitiam Restaurant

Malacca cendol from Sydney Kopitiam Restaurant

After the semi dessert of the rojak, dessert proper followed with an all-round favourite of cendol – pandan flavoured noodle worms swimming in a gigantic tank of coconut milk, ice and liberal additions of palm sugar syrup. The latter rendered the drink/dessert extremely sweet, but not quite to the point of toothaches; more to the point of wanting another serve.

Cassava cake from Sydney Kopitiam Restaurant

We also picked up a couple of pieces of cassava cake – a not entirely attractive, slightly gelatinous cake made with cassava starch, palm sugar and desiccated coconut. After these slices, there was no more heading back into the fray for more food despite after-lunch specials – the sugar had finished the job.

Other stalls at the Malaysia Festival were Abang Sam (a great, casual place in Kensington) and Café Katsuri – both with halal offerings; Chinta Ria; Hometown Recipe, Jackie M Malaysian Cuisine, Kaki Lima, Penang Hawker, Sydney Kopitiam Restaurant and Wan’s Ayam Percik. Shame my stomach wasn't big enough to fit in something from every stall.

Satay at Abang Sam

Nasi lemak at Jimmy's Recipe

Traditional karipap (curry puffs)

Gorgeous, perfect buns from Papparoti

As the afternoon sun continued to beat down, the afternoon's entertainment was a good way to wind down the festival. The colourful traditional dresses and smiling dancers were a sight to see - and they all looked like they were enjoying themselves - especially the guys.

Dancers performing in the afternoon

Such vibrant outfits

Congrats to the organisers on such a great event - I think we'll all be looking forward to next year's with eager stomachs. Click here for the festival website.

Ties that bind

It’s intriguing and uplifting to know that people can get along with all walks of life, despite the differences between them. Whether it’s a shared childhood, work environment, travel experience or passion in life, or indeed if there really are complete opposites, there always seems to be some tie or linkage to allow human nature to be beautifully open and accepting. Otherwise we may never learn or know things, or change preconceptions like, hotel restaurants aren't any good.

I probably don’t venture into local five-star hotels to dine all that much, although Sydney’s Hilton probably started a real change in attitude. Kable’s Restaurant on the first floor of the Four Seasons overlooking the lobby feels like a hotel restaurant: plush but vivid carpets, relative dimness, big padded chairs, elevator music, and the quiet murmur of politely dining hotel guests or the chatter of business deals and networking over dinner.

Olive bread from Kable’s Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel, George Street, Sydney

With several loitering and unattended groups waiting to be seated on our arrival, I wonder if the maitre de wasn’t prepared for a near-full seating for the night. Nonetheless, bread arrived shortly after wine and menu decisions were made: a choice of two or three courses, or the choice of two degustation menus, one vegetarian.

From the bread basket, the house-made olive scroll was to die for, fashioned like a cinnamon scroll but filled with a tapenade-like mix of olives. The bread itself was soft and almost buttery, so I’d rather not know the nutritional information and just have another scroll, please.

Cape seed roll and sourdough bread

The miniature baguette was covered with a random load of seeds and was definitely the tastiest seeded bread I’ve had, with almost a little spice coming from one of the toasted seed variants. The locally-sourced artisan sourdough was filled with fluffy, chewy holes of full-of-flavour bread, simply scrumptious slathered with butter.

Amuse bouche - zucchini soup with parmesan foam

The amuse bouche for the night was a warm zucchini soup with tiny pieces of the vegetable itself, slightly bitter in a creamy base, beneath a cloud of parmesan foam which was strong in flavour whilst light on texture. I’ll admit to mopping up the foam from the tiny cup with bits of sourdough bread.

Assiette of pork - braised pork cheek, crisp pig ear, pig's tail tortellini

There was quite the exciting choice of entrees on offer, somewhat prolonging the initial decision-making process. For the game, pork three ways – and not just any parts of the pig. The pork cheek seemed to be the star of the show; a small block braised while retaining the fatty structure of the cut beneath a thin layer of skin. The overriding flavour was the utterly unctious fattiness of the pork, helped by the quenelle of green apple sorbet peering out from the jungle of cress salad.

I was a little dubious of the pig’s ear (this was no beer) as I’ve generally steered away from the bits and bobs of animals. The ear was crisply and golden crumbed, and I probably shouldn’t have looked at the cross section of the ear before eating it. Layers, several of them, multicoloured, lay between the crumbed outer. The ear was probably best paired with the beetroot on the plate as the sweetness of the latter could cut through the unexpectedly gelatinous texture of the ear.

Lastly, the single tortellini (I don’t expect a great deal of filling from a tail) was probably the safest looking item on the assiette; a rich and pure filling of pork pulled off the tail in a pasta wrapper – quite moreish in fact.

Eight treasures quail with black vinegar

I chose the quail for the promise of eight treasures although I'm still not quite sure what the eight were. It seems to be a Chinese cuisine concept – I do recall shitake mushroom amid the glutinous rice within the just pink, rolled quail. The quail’s flavours were a little muted such that the sweet black vinegar sauce was the main flavour profile when I think it probably should have been secondary. It was also quite a substantial dish that could almost pass for a main.

Pan seared scallops, watercress, apple, raisin puree

Three scallops come out tanned very brown all round, with an adorable cylinder cut out of cooked green apple. The scallops are overcooked for my liking and the raisin puree just a little too sweet, but the puree and fried sliced cross-sections of cauliflower are a match made in heaven for the scallops. The watercress and green apple juliennes add a refreshing touch to the entree.

Veal sweetbread, salsify, quail egg, hollandaise

The veal sweetbread arrives as a pretty array of ingredients encircling a quail egg. Golden nuggets of the richly-flavoured sweetbread are topped with a cheesy looking hollandaise sauce, with a leafy salad hiding the salsify (of which I missed out on a taste). The quail egg reveals a runny yolk that is mopped up with sweetbreads, as too the dabs of an unknown brown sauce.

Beef tenderloin, dauphine potato, Bordelaise sauce

On to mains, red meat proved a popular choice. The beef tenderloin was close to well done or medium-well, but still incredibly tender, as the name might suggest. The menu listing didn't mention bone marrow, so the quivering, jiggling blob was a nice surprise. The stalk of the King Brown mushroom was beautifully braised and flavoured, but just outshone by the dauphine potato - a fluffy football croquette of potato that I'm sure was more complex to make than it looked.

John Dory fillet with crab and parsley risotto, scampi beignet

There was a slight tussle over who was going to get the John Dory dish, with each of us sold on the scampi beignet. In hindsight, I prefer scampi raw, sashimi style rather than like a cooked prawn in it’s coat of batter - so conceding this dish wasn’t all too bad after all.

The fillet of John Dory was pan fried to a golden outer plus crisp skin, but still moist inside, and sat atop a risotto that was much like a golf green. While I’m not sure I tasted any crab, the green-ness of the parsley certainly came through taste-wise in the risotto.

Roasted vela cutlet with gratin potato, carrot and celery plus veal jus

My roasted veal cutlet was one of the best pieces of beef I’ve had in memory. Expectedly tender, the cutlet ticked all the right boxes for juiciness, envy creation and flavour – although it’s noticeably less flavoured than a regular, older cut of cow.

This rather large cutlet was paired with the best carrot side I’ve ever had – though you wouldn’t pick it from the menu description. Almost like minced carrot (not puree but not a dice either), combined with a touch of creaminess and chopped herbs, this is one sure way to get non-vegie lovers to eat their carrots. The gratin was somewhat under-seasoned, topped with a celery stalk which appeared to be broiled then roasted, maintaining its distinctive taste.

Lamb three ways, fondant potato, garlic puree

The lamb dish was yet another winner - with two cutlets, two leg pieces I think, and a confit wrapped into a ball with a lettuce of sorts. The leg was done medium but couldn't compete with the cutlets for tenderness. However, my favourite would have been the confit, lightly spiced with cumin and mustard seeds.

The dish came with two purees - one light coloured but strong in garlic, and the other a caramelised possibly garlic again or onion - as well as fresh artichoke and a decadently buttery fondant potato cylinder; although my favourite would had to have been the fresh, braised shitake (I think) mushrooms hiding beneath the cutlet stack, firm with a bit a chew and an unexpected star of the dish really.

Petit fours

After my quite large entrée and simply gigantic main - not to mention a couple of olive scrolls - there wasn’t a crevice of space left for dessert – not even a soufflé could tempt me. There was consolation in petit fours: an apricot jelly with a slight sour note and a caramel reminiscent of a soft Werther’s Original or Pascall Columbines. There really is some kind of psychology behind ending on a sweet note, which is what we do.

While service was mostly fabulous after a splotchy beginning, I couldn’t quite shake the hotel tie-up with the restaurant – which was particularly depressing when leaving and realising that I wouldn’t be retiring to a five-star suite. But with the quality of food from the kitchen of quite newly-appointed head chef Jeffrey de Rome, perhaps I wouldn't mind at all being bound to a hotel in this case.

Now, now children

Kids, especially siblings, will fight over anything. I'm not sure whether it's greed, a sense of power and ownership, or just fun to be mean. I think mediation and compromise are also the best ways about a conflict - or perhaps that's not applicable to under 10s. A little give, a little take - and sometimes, you might both get what you want.

Mr. B's is the current venue where the old Mandarin Club used to be (not the new one that went bust on Dixon Street - the old one). I have young memories of that iteration being a dowdy dive that I was a bit scared to walk by, although I think it is reputed with a more colourful past.

It's now a bar, restaurant and club in one that's the best of many worlds: the bars are for the alcoholically inclined, with a very decent bar menu too; the restaurant, iima, has both a Japanese and a Thai section of the menu; and if you're still up for a boogie after the food and boozing, you're catered to on Friday and Saturday nights too. Everyone wins (pokies not included).

Soft shell crab roll from iima, corner of Goulburn and Pitt Streets, Haymarket

So we're at iima one Friday night after being unable to decide between Japanese and Thai - I love a neat solution. From the Japanese section, we order some sushi varieties including the irresistable inside out roll. It's virtually bursting with crunchily battered and fried soft shell crab legs, and even the other non-end bits have plump pieces of crab flesh, blanketed within a leafy green and some mayonnaise, and rolled within just enough rice. I adore the random plopping of flying fish roe over the top too.

Aburi ocean trout nigiri

The gorgeous long plated aburi sushi is made with ocean trout rather than the more common salmon version, but with the same exciting bronzed look. Drizzled with a dark, sweet sauce and a touch of mayonnaise, these delightful morsels don't last long at all - I recommend at least a couple of plates between five diners.

Som Dtum - green papaya salad

The green papaya salad is light relief for everyone, as it's a requested chilli-free version. The towering, nest-like sald of shredded green papaya, mixed leaves, chewy green beans, squashed cherry tomatoes, peanuts in a zesty dressing of lime and dried shrimpiness. I could pick on green papaya all day long.

Ohr Suuan - Oyster omelette

On to the Thai part of the menu, the curious sounding oyster dish was definitely unlike anything I've seen on a menu. Part pancake, part omelette and simply jammed full of big, juicy oysters. The flavouring was subtle enough to let the oysters shine through, and enhanced with a bowl of sweet chilli sauce. It was pleasingly different with a soft touch to combat some of the spicier dishes.

Gaeng Dang Gai - Red curry chicken with winter melon gourd

I choose a chicken curry for the chilly night and the chilli feeling. This red curry has a bearably slow burn; that is, it's quite mild at first, with the coconut cream flavour coming through. A few mouthfuls in, the heat turns on and by the end of the bowl, you're perspiring but just can't stop because the flavours are so fresh and well rounded.

The vegetable addition of winter melon is ingenious as its sponge-like texture makes it perfect for soothing the tongue while also soaking up the flavoursome curry sauce for more heat. Steamed rice is obviously a must - and try, like I did, not to make away with the adorable wooden ladle spoon.

We lingered a while in the restaurant section post meal with a bottle of wine and the football playing on the flat screens on the wall beside us. Sometimes trying to give everyone what they want turns out to giving nobody what they really want but iima manages it fairly well - now that gives you nothing to fight about.

Explosively good

With the plethora of options in Newtown near and around the cinemas, take it as my devotion to the hallowed pastizzi that I would walk about 15 minutes away from the cinema in order to have them for dinner. Before seeing the explosively funny and banging good Four Lions at the Dendy in Newtown, I trekked south to Pastizzi Café for a relatively early and quick dinner; the latter of which can be pretty much guaranteed.

Pastizzis from Pastizzi Cafe, King Street, Newtown

While waiting for the other movie-goer to turn up to dinner, I ordered a couple of pastizzis in anticipation. I certainly don’t have a favourite filling and find it pleasing that I can go in any mood and find a filling that I’ll enjoy. This night it’s the chicken & mushroom for me and the chilli con carne for my dining partner. In the first mouthful, the messy crunch of the pastry gives way to a slightly chewy pastry, in a good way, to reveal a crumbly filling of pale chicken and finely diced mushroom. The pastry is an absolute star and a key reason as to why many a body try to cram themselves into the tight inside seating on any given night.

After polishing off my pastizzi in an explosion of pastry crumbs, I waited a couple of minutes before deciding that the other one was getting cold. Its filling of mostly kidney beans, beef and a chilli hit were equally as flavoursome as the chicken, although tending a little on the starchy side given the beans. No amount of brushing crumbs off the table could conceal the evidence of my lonesome pastizzi joy.

Chicken & mushroom ravioli with Pastizzi Cafe's pink sauce

Pasta options are arguably the supporting star of the show – a huge range of sauces and to a slightly lesser extent pasta types, and seriously generous servings. Having already scoffed a couple of pastizzi, I opted for an entrée size of Pastizzi Café’s excellent ravioli which itself comes in a range of fillings. I again got chicken & mushroom with the waitress’ recommended and house specialty pink sauce which is their napolitana sauce with a dash of cream to render it pink (or orange, I thought).

The ravioli filling is similar to the pastizzi filling and gratifying in that you can see the constituents of the filling as opposed to the pulverised mush that you can sometimes find in some ravioli. But this occasion, it’s the pink sauce that makes the dish despite its soupy appearance. It’s appropriately thick to sit nicely on the pasta and flavour-packed with just a hint of added creamy richness.

Fettuccine prawns

The other pasta dish to land on our table is the generously sized fettuccine with prawns, and quite a few of them too, in a tomato based sauce. Spinach leaves are scattered about and it’s again, packed with flavour with the table condiment addition of chilli flakes just the thing. The firm prawns are delightfully bounteous and reinforces the great value dining to be had.

Almost better yet, desserts (especially the cannoli, which we skipped in favour of the trek back to the cinema) and the uncooked and frozen pastizzi and ravioli for your at-home consumption. The best thing is that the pastizzi are just as good as what you get in the shop but extra piping hot when straight out of the oven. If you’re not heading to a movie after eating, I’d highly recommend grabbing a bag or two of pastizzi. And a dessert – why not go out with a bang?

Return trip: SYD to WLG

I’ve never been to New Zealand, but now I feel like I’ve had a taste of it. The WLG pop-up restaurant is temporarily residing in the Kings Cross space where Bayswater Brasserie used to be; an initiative of Positively Wellington Tourism.

Produce on display at the WLG pop-up restaurant,
Bayswater Road, Kings Cross - for two weeks only

We dined on fare from Jacob Brown of The Larder in Wellington on this very first night of the pop-up concept, which will be followed by another three Wellington chefs over the next two weeks.

More Kiwi produce

The night was aptly cloudy, then rainy and thuderstorm-y for the Wellingtonian evening, with the Bayswater Road venue already warm and convivial at our 6.45pm arrival. I think the tables are set for groups; otherwise smaller duos, trios and quartets even, share a place at communal tables at the back of the restaurant.

Table setting

The restaurant fills quickly after we arrive and soon enough, our conversation competes with our table counterparts as well as booming thunder. This evening we're offered a shared tasting plate to start, followed by a choice of three mains, and then a single dessert, with wine and post meal cheese being the add-ons.

Our communal table

We opt for whites this evening: Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 and the quirky sounding (my choice; a little on the sugary side) The Doctor's Riesling Marlborough 2009. The Tastes of Wellington shared tasting plate finds its way hastily to us not long after the wine, unsurprisingly as everyone's having the very same plate.

Tastes of Wellington shared tasting plate

The large square platter lands with five tastes to share per duo. Starting from the left clockwise, I start on the Lot Eight spiced olives which are up there with the best flavoured olives I've tasted; the spicing not too heavy and not too light but just right. The venison rillettes are a revelation, with pate-like fuzzy, smoothness and fantastic flavour; delightful teamed with the lightly stewed, spiced pear and micro watercress.

Lot Eight spiced olives (left), venison rillettes (back) and cured Regal King Salmon
with wasabi pannacotta (front right)

The two crumbed and fried goat's cheese balls have a full goat-y kick in their molten innards, contrasting ever so pleasantly with the Manuka honey and kiwi chutney. The fried West Coast New Zealand whitebait was definitely one of the tiniest varieties I've come across; mine unfortunately a little cool and not crispy, although their freshness was apparent alongside grilled asparagus and chopped egg & caper mayo.

Citrus cured Regal King Salmon gravlax with New Zealand
wasabi pannacotta (venison rillettes in the back)

And finally, in the middle a provocative little pile of citrus cured Regal King Salmon gravlax with - wait for it - New Zealand wasabi pannacotta. As if the luminous orange salmon wasn't enough of an attraction, the molded pannacotta flavoured with New Zealand wasabi sealed the deal. The former was lightly sweet, but the latter was bitey in a restrained fashion and elegent enough not to go up the nose.

Snapper fillet with Cloudy Bay diamond clams, baby peas,
fennel, crayfish butter and chervil

To mains after an ample wait where the restaurant was absolutely heaving (coffee over there, desserts there, seating here, wines there), the fish option was a clean, spring looking dish. The grilled snapper fillet came perched on several clams in their shells and a gorgeous array of baby peas, fennel, balls of potato and fresh chervil. Certainly enticing, the fish was delicately textured and had bold, savoury company in the soupy butter sauce.

Venison wellington - venison short loin in puff pastry with portobello
mushrooms, smoked bacon, sage and peppercorn sauce

I chose the venison wellington for the lure of rare cooked deer rather than the pun, but was a touch disappointed with the medium as well as the thick, overlapping doughy parts of the pastry (I must have been unlucky because I spotted bright pink versions latter in the night).

Seasoning was a little light, so more of the sauce would have been appreciated, but the portobello mushrooms wrapped in the pastry atop the venison were the day-savers with their deep, earthy flavour. The wilted spinach beneath the wellington was plain but adding to my daily protein intake, I suppose.

Whittaker's Chocolate and Mojo Coffee praline bombe Alaska
with raspberry consomme

All was forgiven at dessert - a spectacular and all-round pleasing bombe Alaska in a cordial-red raspberry consomme. This prickly but soft specimen was the highlight of my night, and impressive in its combination of Kiwi products and ability to satisfy most diners.

Inner workings of the bombe Alaska

Softly torched white Italian meringue reveals its soft chocolatey centre, which in turn reveals a creamy liquid coffee middle with crushed coffee beans. The bombe Alaska sits on a round biscuit base which soaks up the saccharine consomme and becomes an appetising aspect in its own right. I'm stuffed but I can't stop spooning the fluffy meringue and rich chocolate filling, both for which the ripe but also tart raspberries play a simple but effective contrast.

I have with my dessert Shott lemon, honey and ginger tea which is less like tea and more like warmed cordial. Whether I had too much of the Shott flavouring or it's just way too sweet for my tastes, I'm not sure, but used in greater moderation I think the distinct flavours of each ingredient would make for a splendid beverage.

Wellington in the WLG kitchen

With other bloggers also about the restaurant, some of us snuck into the very busy kitchen for a few sneaky snaps. The preparation area for the desserts was just outside the kitchen; the elaborate steps being undertaken by two chefs.

Prepping the bombe Alaska desserts

One of the vegetarian mains was making its way out from the pass looking pretty darn tasty, while the main kitchen looked completely calm and collected, with time even to chat with camera wielding intruders.

Portobello mushrooms and swiss chard baked in filo with braised fennel, olives, goat's curd and green lentils

The WLG pop-up restaurant runs until 26 September for dinner, with set menus from Rex Morgan from Boulcott Street Bistro, Shaun Clouston from Logan Brown and Tom Hutchison from Capitol in addition to Jacob Brown from The Larder for the maiden two days.

Jacob Brown in the WLG kitchen

It’s completely booked out for the two weeks although there are walk-in spots available every night. On the weekends, WLG will become a wine bar from 3pm, featuring wines from Wairarapa and Marlborough. My tip: get there bro.

WLG pop-up restaurant, 32 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross