There are certain cultures where hospitality is an art and Thai culture is one of them particularly as far as Arun Thai is concerned. I’m meeting my fabulous travelling companion Alison with whom I recently travelled to Austria with and we’re having lunch at Arun Thai. The location is no coincidence. She and her photographer husband have just completed a cookbook called “Kham’s Sai Mae Nam” with Kham, the effusive and generous owner of Arun Thai. I have always enjoyed dining here as one of my oldest friends lives literally doors away and we have many happy memories of meals here but it has been a while between visits. This is not cheap, casual Thai food. It is a little more at the upper end but the room reflects it.
Young Coconut drink
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January 24, 2010
by Not Quite Nigella
My little black book is full. Not full of numbers from various men that I’ve met – I’m married after all, but full with restaurants and shops that I want to visit and notes that I take from visiting these places. There was one place that I was determined to visit and that had stayed asterisked for a while. I saw it on the lovely Ja’s blog Beansprouts cafe and her photos sealed the deal so to speak and that was why I had positioned an asterisk next to it.
I walk past and there’s a man at an outside table with an adorable dog and they’re bringing it a container of water. I walk in to meet Myriam who I’m hoping will love it as it’s said to be decorated in a French apartment Louis XIVth style (although I should have probably forethought that she might be able to spot the difference between the real thing and just an emulation of the style). It’s very dark inside, even though it’s day time and my first thought is “Oh the photos!”. Service is very friendly and they don’t mind that we’re taking ages to order, after all, we have some catching up to do.
No. 9 Decadent Eggs Benedict $15.50
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January 20, 2010
by Not Quite Nigella
When M, her boys and I took a walk after our little stint at Bondi FM Cafe we walked all the way up to Notts Avenue at Bondi Beach. For some this is where you go upstairs to Icebergs, the bar and restaurant or those eager for a swim can go downstairs to the Bondi Icebergs Swimming Pool. Someone had once told me that membership here cost a mint and so being a very incompetent swimmer, I never thought much more about it. Until that day when we go downstairs and have a stickybeak. For just a few dollars you can bathe and play in the famous Icebergs pool along with other Bondi bodies. We make a plan to go back that coming weekend now that we finally have some clement weather.
Somehow we manage upon a miracle park – one on Nott Avenue just outside the entrance and we walk in and pay for entry to the pool ($13 for a family 2 adults and up to 3 kids, $5 adults, $3 seniors and children). There’s so much to see here, from the two pools, one for laps and one for frolicking and then there’s the human scenery. Bronzed gods and goddesses with some refreshingly normal looking people all in a colourful variety of bikinis (and make no mistake, it’s all about the bikini here, no matter what end of the size scale you may sit on). There is a gymnasium, sauna and massage section which appears to be busy.
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January 18, 2010
by Not Quite Nigella
I do love a good burger oh yes I do. What is it about a burger that gets people so excited? Is it the juicy bite when you sink your teeth into it? Is it nostalgia as you remember your first burger be it from a chain or a local takeaway? Is it the fact that you’re eating it with your hands or is it the ease of eating a complete meal within a bite? Or is it just the perfect juiciness to starch ratio that good burgers inherently have? When I strolled past Moo Burgers a few days ago I looked up and vowed to come back as soon as possible. This evening when The Second Wife, Gravy Beard, Mr NQN and I were seeking a place to have a quick catchup as the Second Wife was jet-lagged after an African safari, I knew this was the place.
One takes a seat and then orders and pays at the counter. We snag an outside table and watch the view. It’s a little hard to decide as there are burgers all over that are calling our names but we decide on a range of them. Of course we must have chips with the burgers and since we’re going with the whole burger and fries theme we also order some shakes. The shakes feature chocolate bars such as Moo Kat (Kit Kats), Milo Moo (Milo bar), Mad Cow (Oreo), Tammy Moo (Tim Tam) and Moo Teaser (Malteaser).
Berry Ripe Shake $6.50
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January 12, 2010
by Not Quite Nigella
Getting over your holiday is probably the worst thing about being on holidays. I’m never quite ready to let them go. This week was one where I idled between being back at work and still being on holidays as Mr NQN had to go back to work but I wasn’t quite ready to give up the holiday lifestyle. Instead, I sought out my friends to play with. M and her boys love the beach and when I’d heard of Bondi FM’s cafe and radio station just off Bondi Beach’s busy promenade, we knew it would be perfect for a sunny Summer’s day – something of a rarity these past few sodden weeks.
We happen upon a miracle park just outside it on Curlewis Street which is surprisingly not charged at an extortionate rate (rare for Sydney). We follow the yellow and white thongs to the entrance and make our way past a room with a fabulous chandelier and an animal hide rug and past the radio booth where the DJ is playing music.
The man behind the counter looks at us surprised as if he doesn’t expect anyone to walk in and we walk through to the main cafe area. There are comfy worn lounges, what looks to be an outdoor picnic area where a group are frolicking, an astroturfed area and seating in many styles from share benches to tables. Radio Bondi 88.0 FM has been broadcasting since 1996 and it uses an open-narrowcast license which allows them to use less than 1 watt of power. This is why only Bondi and nearby suburbs can receive it but it has online listeners from over 120 countries.
A man smiles and lets us know he’ll be with us in a minute. Many minutes pass without event so we send the boys to get our menus. They are still serving breakfast at 12pm which I am grateful for as I have a hankering for French Toast and M feels like a salad. The boys are hot and tired and say that they don’t want to eat anything but she orders them the chocolate fondue which comes with fruit salad, marshmallows and popcorn.
Mango and Berry Smoothie $5 each
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January 8, 2010
by Not Quite Nigella
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