Posts in Drive-by Eating

Narnie-a: Three Williams, Redfern

Drive-by Eating Review
Review of Three Williams, in Surry Hills

Review of Three Williams, in Surry Hills

As a kid, I’ve never been big on sandwiches. Not even really today. It’s always been too dry, too plain, too…meh. And everytime I keep trying, I always find myself pulling it apart and having just the filling on its own.

Well unless it’s a darn special sarnie. A Narnie, perhaps?

Grain Fed Beef Brisket Narnie, House Made Slaw, Gherkins, Chipotle Mayo, $15

First of all, I absolutely loved the filling to bread ratio. Most times, theres always too much bread, but here, there was a flavour explosion of meat, pickles and sauce, stoically head together by the robust Naan bread, as opposed to the more frail, hole-y white varieties. The meat was a touch drier than I would’ve liked it to be, but I’m just nitpicking, because the sauce more than made up for it.

And don’t even think about trying to take it apart with a fork and knife – owner Glen Bowditch admonished me (with good humour) the moment I even thought to try the ladylike approach.

Fantastic energy and team, and great menu. Definitely worth a revisit.

This meal was independently paid for.
Three Williams
613a Elizabeth St
Redfern, NSW 2016
Phone: 02 9698 1111
Website: http://www.threewilliams.com/

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Sedap Tak? Drive-by Eating: Sedap , Regents Place

Drive-by Eating Review 1 Comment
Chee Cheong Fun

Chee Cheong Fun

When I was a little, I had the good fortune to have my mother’s office located near one of Singapore’s famous hawker centres on Amoy St. She and I would walk, hand in hand, to get breakfast before she dropped me off to childcare/Kinder, and I would invariably want to get Chee Cheong Fun – rolled steamed rice noodles smothered in a thick sweet hoisin-type sauce, sometimes with a bit of chilli on the side. The portly man who owned the stall wore a white wife-beater, and stood, tall and wide amongst the steamers, taking orders and serving up dishes with lightning speed and a seemingly perfect memory.

That stall has long since disappeared from the horizon of fluorescent-lit food stalls, but the memory remains. A simple plate of Chee Cheong Fun still triggers those childhood memories with my mother, and the simpler times when my day started with these comforting noodles and ended with an egg braised in duck masterstock.

At Sedap – which translates to “delicious”. Setting the bar a little high are we? – Chee Cheong Fun is served on an enamel coated tin plate, with the typical sweet sauce and chilli from my childhood. The first bite into the silky noodles brought back all sorts of memories, and really hit home for me. It was a touch on the pricey side considering the raw materials, but it is the city after all, and the friendly staff made up for it.

I haven’t heard too much about the rest of the menu though, but it does seem interesting enough for me to make a return trip to try it out. And if nothing else, there’s always Chee Cheong Fun.

Sedap
Regent Place
501 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000

Sedap on Urbanspoon

Drive-by eating: Snag Stand, Sydney CBD

Drive-by Eating Review
Chilli Cheese Fries from the Snag Stand in Sydney

Chilli Cheese Fries from the Snag Stand in Sydney

When most people visit the Snag Stand, they are probably interested in getting a hotdog. Or you know, a snag. But not me.

What I’m interested in, is Chilli Cheese Fries. Takeaway, of course.

Chilli Cheese Fries from the Snag Stand in Sydney

The Order: Chilli Cheese Fries.

The Taste: It had a fantastic sauce and cheese to fries ratio. As much as I bask in the glory of the amazing potato, I do like it saucy when it comes to an order of loaded fries. Like, to the point of sogginess saucy. This one wasn’t quite at pudding level, but the requirement of a fork made me a happy little spud indeed.

The Service: Given that you order at a counter and wait for the buzzer to set off, it doesn’t give me much to judge in terms of service. They’re polite enough, I guess, but sometimes I get distracted by the number of people just standing by hanging out, even when there’s a lunch crowd going on.

The Convenience: Located inside the crazy busy food court of Westfield Sydney, their buzz-and-collect system actually works out quite well in the middle of a lunch rush. It’s not exactly the fastest order on a 30min lunch break, but then very little is when it’s crowded and made to order.

The Value for Money: At $7.90 (so, $8 essentially) you could get a better meal in the Sydney CBD. But if you have to be in the Westfield food court, it’s really not too bad. I do think it’s worthwhile though, to add the extra $1 to change the chips to onion rings. Because onion rings with cheese, chilli and sauce is BOSS.

This meal was independently paid for.

Snag Stand
Lv5, Westfield Sydney
188 Pitt St Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9221 9600
Website: http://www.snagstand.com.au/

Snag Stand on Urbanspoon

Drive by eating: Sabbaba, Sydney

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Falafel from Sabbaba in Westfield Sydney

Falafel from Sabbaba in Westfield Sydney

Falafels are tricky business, and when you add the words franchise or chain in to the mix, you’re really taking a gamble. Now add a picky middle-eastern man, and you’re really skating on thin ice.

Sam speaks constantly about this mysterious falafel man and his cart just down the street where he grew up in Iran, and how he made falafels that were crazy crispy on the outside, and melt-in-your-mouth moist on the inside. Falafels we’ve had in Sydney have since not been up to scratch to him, either ending up soggy, or wayyyyyyy too dry on the inside.

But what about Sabbaba?

Baklava

The Order: half a dozen mini falafels, and a baklava.

The Taste: the falafels are fried to order, so you’re ensured a hot, tasty bite. The small size gives you a good amount of surface area to ensure maximum crispiness, without compromising on moistness inside, and it just makes all-round deliciousness. The baklava, on the other hand, was just a touch stale, and a bit of a nothing, I’m afraid. I’ve definitely had much better elsewhere.

The Service: It’s a food court store, so no table service to judge here. But they are efficient and polite, and you’re not left standing there staring into the kitchen, hoping to make eye contact with a staff member.

The Convenience: Located in the upstairs food court of Westfield Sydney, they’re pretty easy to get to, especially if you’re already in the CBD. Getting out, however, is a bit of a nightmare since the centre requires you to navigate through the maze of escalators in order to exit the building, so make sure that you allow for the time if you’re on a lunch break.

On the food front, they have a nice mix of ready-made and made-to-order food, so you’re never kept waiting too long for your order. It’s not the fastest though – in order for the freshness of fried-to-order falafels, you’re trading off a little in time.

The Value for Money:They’re not the cheapest option in the CBD – and I’m including Chinatown as part of the CBD – but they are one of the more affordable options in the Westfield food court. And I must say that they’re pretty reliable as a chain, which is invaluable if you’re a time-poor person in the CBD with only 5 minutes to make your decision for lunch. That being said, I’ve never tried their main options, but the snacky type foods receive a big thumbs up from me.

Sabbaba
86-100 Market Street, Level 5
Westfield Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9223 3315
Website: http://www.sabbaba.com.au/

Sabbaba on Urbanspoon

Drive-by Eating: Marrickville Pork Roll

Drive-by Eating Review
Pork roll from Marrickville Pork Roll

I was first brought to Marrickville by the promise of banh beo – Vietnamese rice cakes with shrimp, much like chwee kueh, the Singaporean version that’s my absolute favourite.

But instead, I found Banh Mi, and with a queue as long as Marrickville Pork Roll had, you don’t just walk past it.
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Drive-by Eating: Bing Boy, Chadstone

Drive-by Eating Melbourne Review Travel
Bing Boy Crepe being made

As much as foodies like to pretend that we eat fantastic food ALL the time, the truth of the matter is that sometimes we are driven to settle for the average; to see food as fuel/something to prevent us from embarking on a murderous rampage sparked by irritation borne of hunger.

And once in awhile, those food court solutions turn up something surprising, that make us feel a lot more foodie, and a lot less food victim.
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Drive By Eating: Le Bistro Dorine, Eastwood

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Never in my life have I been surrounded with so many cafés, so many options, so many shops fighting to put a warm caffeinated beverage in my hands and send me off to work. In the mere 10 minutes walk to the Eastwood train station, I can think of over 5 cafés, each located within meters of each other, competing for my attention. Cherry Beans Cafe, Pishon Cafe and Sweet Pumpkin Soup Cafe are three that immediately come to mind. Some, intoxicating you with the awakening aroma of their coffee, while the rest repel you with the smell of burned coffee and their lack of appreciation for these magical beans.

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Drive-by Eating: Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks

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XXL fried chicken, medium spicy, cut into pieces and piled into a paper bag with two skewers

Fried chicken. Just saying the words conjure up images juicy chicken meat encased in a fragile shell of batter or crumb; every bite threatening to shatter like glass with every bite.

And how better to pass a dreary winter day than to pick up a massive piece of fried chicken, served in a paper bag like a boss!

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Drive-by Eating: The Mandoo, Eastwood

Drive-by Eating 3 Comments
Bibim Naeng Myeong: Chewy korean noodles served cold, with a chilli sauce and radish pickles.

Dumplings and noodles – two of the foods that we can never get enough of in my house. To me, they are deeply comforting, and have the ability to take away all the tension from the day.

So when you open a dumpling and noodle shop right outside Aldi (my usual hangout), it’s like the heavens have opened and smiled down upon me, enabling me to get my noodle fix, anytime.

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