If you’ve been reading my tweets on twitter, you’ll know of my ongoing saga with our house renovations. We were originally told that the bathroom would take 12 days. It had been 6 weeks exactly since that fateful day and we’ve endured complaints from neighbours about hammering at 2am and yawning stretches of them disappearing for 2 weeks. So my Mother got serious and asked her friend Janice who works in construction to have a word to them. She did and he snapped into action and before we knew it, our bathroom was done. Of course one way to thank her for her help was with lunch and we asked her where she would like to go. Kaki Lima (which means 5 foot way or sidewalk in Malaysian) was the best choice. If anything is going to intrigue me, it’s a name. Kaki Lima caught my eye many months ago as I was always interested by the name “Malaysian Breakfast Favourites”. I love breakfast food (but at much later in the day).
It’s a small space, not quite 5 feet long but perhaps 5 metres long. On the right there’s a display of the food and kueh (sweets). A list of drinks sounds good and we pick 4 different kinds – cold drinks are $3.20 and hot drinks are $3. As for breakfast food, I need to confirm this with Janice – is this really what Malaysians eat for breakfast. “Sure!” she replies. Okaaay…
Bandung on left $3.20 and Tea Tarik on right $3
The Bandung is more an Indonesian drink with condensed milk and rosewater tinged a lurid candy pink. Whilst it has ice cubes floating in it, the drink is warm and sweet and reminds me of a Strawberry Quik from my childhood with a rose flavour. Tea Tarik or pulled tea is usually served foamy due to the pulling of the tea (pouring it from one glass to another).
Kopi $3
The copi isn’t as sweet as I like it and of course it’s Nescafe so a coffee connoisseur would probably give this a miss.
Barley water $3
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November 1, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
I seem to be a spree. A reader recommendation spree in fact. I treasure each and every reader I have and when they take the time out to recommend a place to eat to me I take it seriously. When I was recommended the Himalayan Char Grill from reader Audrey after posting about a particularly good Lamb Shank at Fort Denison, I put it in the moleskine. My trusty, reliable little black book not full of phone numbers of the opposite sex but phone numbers and addresses of restaurants I want to visit.
It’s housed inside a small, brightly lit shopping centre and on this Sunday night we take our seat and peruse the menu with M and the boys. We know the Lamb Shanks are a no brainer – on the menu there are two lots of Lamb Shanks: a single shank with potatoes (Aloo Shank) for $15.90 and a double serve of Lamb Shanks without potatoes for $23.90. Goat curry is also a must have as others haven’t tried it. We also try the Wagyu beef and some chicken wings and order some roti along with rice to help soak up all of that meaty goodness.
Mango Lassi $4
Starting off with mango lassis, they’re thick but not particularly mangoey. They pour these from premade lassi bottles in the fridge into a glass packed with ice.
Entree: Chargrilled Wagyu beef and cumin potatoes (serves 2) $19.90
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June 17, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
Being invited to the Opening of the Nepalese Food and Cultural Festival is an exciting thing indeed, especially where are people with Ambassador titles also in attendance. This evening, Mr NQN and I are excited to be in attendance of the launch of the Nepalese Food and Cultural festival at the Grove restaurant in the Sydney Stamford Airport.
Nepalese dancers
Why at this hotel? Well apparently there are quite a few Nepalese staff members including a chef working here – in fact there are about 40,000-50,000 Nepalese in Australia. Flawed or unflawed, I usually measure how big a community is based on the number of restaurants there are and I only know of two in Sydney. This rule is promptly thrown out as I realise that it doesn’t apply here. The Nepalese community has their own newspaper and this day is the start of 2066 according to their calender.
After the speeches from the H.E Ambassador of Nepal, Mr Yogendra Dhakal and the Hon. Minster Verginia Judge MP and other dignitaries we’re led downstairs to the Grove restaurant. The Nepalese chef Sher shows us the dishes along with the spices used in traditional Nepalese cuisine. Typical spices used are cumin seed, coriander seed, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, mustard seeds and tamarind paste.
Steamed Momos with spicy sauce
He shows us the Steamed Momo’s which are Nepalese dumplings made with chicken and traditional Nepalese spices with a black sesame sauce. These are said to be the first things that visitors are served. The sauce is deceptively fiery and tingly with the tongue and lips quivering for some time afterward which I have to admit is a new sensation for me as I’ve never experienced it when eating.
Kashiko Masu or Male goat meat curry braised with onions, cumin, coriander, chillies and flavoured with Himalayan spices
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April 18, 2009
by Not Quite Nigella
We’ve been waiting for months to go to La Mesa in Dee Why. Philippine cuisine is one of those cuisines that you don’t often see a lot of although we’ve heard it’s absolutely delicious so when we discover that there is a restaurant within 15 minute’s drive, dishing up authentic Philippino favourites we thought that our intrepid Hooter’s pals Queen Viv and Miss America would be more than up to the visit so we venture to La Mesa one howling, rainy Saturday night.
The small room is full with customers and warm lighting and numerous paintings and artifacts adorn the walls and counters. We’re shown to our table and I’m glad we booked, to be sent outside again into the howling wind is not something I’d relish.
Calamansi juice $3
We’ve started off with drinks, Calamansi juice ($3) to be exact as I’ve only heard of the name, never tried the drink and of course the well loved young coconut juice. The citrus Calamansi juice is like a cross between pineapple and other tropical juices. It’s light and sweet and unusual.
Young Coconut juice $3.50
The young coconut juice is mildly sweet but not overpowering so, and filled with slices of young coconut, Queen Viv’s favourite which she happily scoops up.
Mixed entree $7.80
Miss America, my husband and I order the mixed entree ($7.80) to share as Queen Viv is detoxing. There is a spring roll, pork/chicken skewer, prawn cake, fried quail egg and beef tapa with a vinegary dipping sauce and a sweeter chili dipping sauce. The spring roll is fresh and crispy; the pork/chicken skewer is tender and smokily flavoured from the grill; the fried quail egg is nice if not wowing as it’s a boiled quail’s egg with a bit of batter; the beef tapa is delicious and richly flavoured. The star is the shrimp cake, made of prawns, sweet potato and pumpkin it is deliciously squeaky and tasty. Next time I’ll order 4 of these and be quite happy.
Chicken Adobo $12.90
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April 21, 2008
by Not Quite Nigella
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