Keith Dallara

Adelaide

Last night Thanh and I flew to Adelaide for a short one day trip. Adelaide is in South Australia, and it's main attribute of interest is proximity to the Barossa Valley. The Barossa Valley is like the Napa Valley of Australia in that it produces the best wines of the country. Mainly Shiraz and Grenache varietals with a little of Thanh's precious Gerwurtztraminer. So, today we'll be off to do some wine tastings and hopefully see beautiful coast of the Great Australian Bight.

One other odd fact about Adelaide is that they have a half hour time change from Sydney. This is possibly one of the dumbest ideas I've encountered in our travels here. Basically, it's as though Pittsburgh had decided they need to offset their clocks by a half hour from New York time. In protest, I'll be pretending the time is still the same as Sydney while we're here.

Back with good wine stories later.

Rain in Sydney

It's not supposed to be rainy in Sydney!

This morning, Thanh had to go to the consulate building downtown to get her Visa renewed. She had an early morning appointment, so I headed downtown to meet her around 10 when it was over. It was a bit cloudy, but seemed to be getting sunnier, so we decided to try the Jetcruiser which is a speed boat tour of Sydney harbor.

After a slow tour with some opportunities to take pictures, the Jetcruiser got down to the serious business of speeding around Sydney harbor as fast as possible. Unfortunately, this coincided with the start of some very strong rain.
Fast, exposed boat + strong rain + flimsy plastic raincoat = not much fun

To be fair, it was nice to see a different view of the harbor. We'd taken the regular ferry ride a few times before. The speed boat part though would have been much better on a bright sunny day than it was yesterday.

You can check out the rest of our rain soaked photos at Flickr

We're also fond of the shot below. It combines my (perfectly reasonable) obsession with orange and Thanhs (potentially dangerous) obsession with information kiosks.

Seeing Old Friends

Thanh and I managed to catch up with some old friends today. First we had lunch with my former Mail.com co-worker Mark Leigh. Mark has been in Australia five years now, and seems pretty comfortable with the life here. We met him at a nice brunch spot called Trio near his home by Bondi Beach.

Later that night, we met up with Alex and Melissa. Melissa was Thanh's friend from college. We had a great dinner of fish and chips at Fish Mongers restaurant. Check out our Flickr photos for more food and Bondi beach shots.

Day 3 Brunch

Temperature: 24C, drizzily and wet for most of the day.

We started the day with Brunch on Bondi Beach with Keith's mate Mark. Keith will have more details on that in his blog post. I'm here to review the important subject of Brunch and Drinkies.

Brunch is and has always been the key to Sydney. Essentially it comes in two flavours:
1. After the morning swim, swimming costume still damp, sand between your toes nearby the beach of choice
2. Inner city style
Personally, I am more partial to the beach brunch option - but it's a question of taste. However, inner-city brunch is great if you've just touched down in Sydney, don't even think about heading to your hotel. Head straight to Bills in Darlinghurst for ricotta pancakes. You can't go wrong.

One thing to note: Sydney has adopted Turkish Bread or "Pide" as its own. Toasted, it is a perfect compliment to eggs or the preserves of choice (including Vegemite - which I abhor, but some find palatable). Ask for it by name. People will know what you are talking about (usually).

One other thing to note: The coffee in Sydney is, almost universally, about as good as it gets. ALL of the places listed below have excellent coffee. If you are served a sub-standard cup - YOU did something wrong. Note that Sydney has some unusual coffee servings including:
(a) the "short black" /or "long black" (an either short or long espresso)
(b) the "flat white" (espresso served with a little steamed milk, essentially a cappuccino sans froth)
(c) the "latte" - basically the same as here - but usually served in a glass

Beach brunch:
1. Brown Sugar (Brighton Blvd, North Bondi)
Personal favourite. OUTSTANDING for brunch, good, but not great for lunch. No view of beach - but makes up for it in good food. Very beach, very local feel. Excellent eggs including the "Blackstone Eggs". Super excellent coffee. Also, you may care to enjoy the highly refreshing "Orange Whip".

2. Aqua Bar (on Campbell Parade, North(ish) Bondi)
A little trendy- very good. Opposite the beach.

3. "The Trat" (Corner of Campbell Parade and , South Bondi)
Well known, it's been there for ever - very strong bruncherie commanding views of beach.

4. Bronte Beach (the strip - this is not it's name, it doesn't really have a name, but people will know what you mean if you ask). Keith and I had brunch at one of the cafes on "the strip" last year with Mark.

There is a row of café/ brunch venues each with something to offer. You can't really go wrong.

Inner-city Bruch:
1. Bills (on Liverpool St, Darlinghurst) (and Bills II on Crown Street)
Bills' scrambled eggs were described in a NY Times article as arguably the best in the world. This is an accurate description. They are about as good as it gets. Fluffy, light and flavoursome, served on slices of thick pliant toast. The eggs, of course were produced by chickens who were free to express themselves.

However magnificent the eggs are....oh - and they are... they are not even Bills signature dish. The key to the whole operation is the Ricotta Hotcakes.
The Corn Fritters are also worth an honourable mention.

The coffee is superior.

We were at Bills II for dinner last night. An interesting deviation from Brunch but still a passable experience.

2. Latteria (Victoria St, Darlinghurst)
Newish - great coffee and snacks. Not full-blown brunch. Very local. Sit outside on milk crates.

3. Tropicana
Pretty much next door to Latteria. Similar deal although you can sit down at formica tables. Classy.

4. Coluzzi (Victoria St, Darlinghurst)
Also next door to Latteria. Gold standard Sydney coffee shop and snackerie.
Many Sydney-siders would mock me for not putting this at number 1.

5. Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral Beach (Mossman)
This is actually on the Lower North Shore (ie not Eastern Suburbs), but is a worthy exception.

6. The Pelican (Balmain). Great Turkish bread.

Drinks
There are a bunch of pubs worth a mention including:
1. The Australian (The Rocks) (good local brews)
2. The Beach Road (Bondi) - sometimes has good live music, although getting a bit young, or I'm getting old...
3. The Bondi Hotel (obvious)
4. The Clock (Surrey Hills)
5. The Hopetown (Surrey Hills) - used to have good live music
6. The Watson's Bay (known as the "Watto Bay") - great view up the harbour.
Perfect for afternoon beer and fish and chips... watching the sun set up the harbour behind the Sydney Harbour Bridge...

Keith and I where here last night for fish and chips. It was kinda dead so we went back to Bondi to a place called Fish Mongers. It was pretty spech.

7. North Bondi RSL (take proof of ID and address ie, UK)

The two bars with THE VIEW:
1. ECQ (East Circular Quay)
2. The Bar at the Bennalong (Restaurant in the Opera House)... kind defeats the point because you don't have a view of the Opera House.
3. Various bars at Cockle Bay have a nice view of the harbour, but not "the view".
4. Wild Fire at the Rocks
5. Customs House has the Sydney Cafe. It's good for drinks but avoid the overpriced dinner.

Coolish bars:
1. New bar at the Bondi Ice Bergs. V cool, v international.
2. Establishment (on George St in the City)... can be v good but a meat market.
3. Bar at Jacquis in Bondi (some may strongly disagree with this)
4. Bar at Salt Restaurant (assuming still there)
5. Bars at Long Grain and Jimmy Likks respectively
6. Grand Pacific Blue Room (On Oxford St)(if still open, may have changed...)
7. My personal favourite is the Tank Stream Bar where they serve mini-meat pies and sausage rolls. Oh and the cocktails are pretty good too. Friendly female bar staff.

Day 2 Dinner

Temperature: 24C

I've been completely unsuccessful in finding a reservation at the last minute for a top restaurant in Sydney. Even the most seasoned amongst you should not even attempt this. Tonight we are going to Billy Kwongs (asian fusion) and maybe try to get in at Cochin. Both are in Surry Hills.

The following is an outline of essential Sydney dining and drinking options. There are really only three things you need to know: Asian restaurants, brunch venues and bars. There are other things but you will read about them in The Good Food Guide, Cheap Eats and restaurant reviews in the Sydney Morning Herald. It is worth noting that in the Spring and Summer time there are lots of interesting tropical fruits to try: e.g. fresh lycees, logan and rambutan.

Please note that my suggestions are not up-to-the-minute, although they are probably pretty current.

Asian
1. Prasit's on Crown Street (Surry Hills for takeaway and North Sydney to sit down, Sydney)
Best Thai Food in the entire world ever (including Thailand). True story: friend of mine proposed marriage to one of the cooks, so blown away was he by the food. Sadly, friend was turned down... the cook said that this happens all the time.

Key dishes include:
(a) The perfect balance of flavours in the aptly named Heaven Beef
(b) The searing chilli laden experience that is the Prasits Stir Fry
(c) the uncious pleasure of the Banana Leaf Salad

2. Longrain (Also in Surry Hills, Commonwealth Street)
Great food, medium-hip bar. You cannot book, but bar is an excellent hang. Bar generally serves superior mojitos.

3. Jimmy Likks (Victoria Rd, Potts Point). Keith and I went here last year with our friends Melissa, Alex, Tanya and Dina.
South East Asian, with flavours of Vietnam. Same owners as Long Grain. I think the place is a little cooler than Long Grain, but views differ. Outstanding food, cool bar.

Key dishes include:
(a) Subtle, tender flavours of the cuttlefish
(b) Desert featuring young coconut jelly and lycee sorbet

4. Billy Kwong (Crown St, Surry Hills - opposite The Dolphin, pub)
Excellent Chinese/ Asian fusion - hipish. You may have to wait for a while to get a table (you can’t book). It's worth it. Billy Kwong was comprehensively ripped off by Will when he opened E&O in Notting Hill. However, the original is best.

4. BBQ King (I think it's on Golbourn St in the City)
Famous Sydney Chinese eatery. Not as inexpensive as it used to be - but still good. These people know that a duck's natural habitat is on a pancake with a little sauce. Chilli salt squid is still good, although they have changed the recipe. Golden Century's is arguably better. If you are fortunate you may be assigned the discretionary "lucky table"

I am disappointed with the King these days. It's gone upmarket and just isn't the same experience at 2am.

5. Golden Century (in the China Town – Sussex St cnr Goulburn St)
Very good large scale Chinese restaurant. Of course the duck is the goods, although you should also try the barramundi (a deservedly famous Australian fish) steamed whole with ginger. Don't be too put off if they introduce you to the still live fish before steaming it.

6. Watermark
Try the Balmain bugs at this very nice waterfront restaurant on Balmoral Beach. The wine list is outstanding.

7. Laksa (Chifley Tower on the second floor, Castlereigh Street and King Street go down to the basement, Woolworths food court basement, Colonial State Building – again, try the basement)
Famous Malaysian curry noddle dish.

8. Minh Restaurant (Marrickville) – it’s by far the best Vietnamese restaurant in Sydney – even my mother says so. You get more than just Pho served here. Pho served in Australia comes with fresh rice noodles. In any case, if you go to Minh, don’t order the Pho unless you want to try the Pho Ga (chicken Pho), try some other Vietnamese dishes.

9. Fancy restaurants include:
• Aria (in Keith's precious Toaster building near the Opera House)
• 41 (of Chifley tower – is excellent and the views are spectacular)
• Aqua Lunar (East Circular Quay) (view)
• Bilsons (pitt street)
• Azuma (Chifley tower – almost as good as what you’ll find in Tokyo)
• Manta Ray (Wooloomooloo near the W Hotel)

Day 2 Things to do

There is the list of things that one should attempt while in Sydney. Keith and I are making slow progress so far. We've only managed to do 9, 10 and 11 today.

1. Catch the Manly Ferry
2. Go to the Zoo on a sunny day
3. Walk from Bondi beach to Bronte beach along the cliff-face walk (also on a sunny day)
4. Go to Tetsuyas (incredible Japanese restaurant) with a good friend or two and have one of the all time great meals
5. Catch a ferry to Balmain, walk up Darling Street to the London Hotel (a very good pub)
6. Go skinny dipping with friend(s) of choice on balmy night in swimming location of choice (Neilson Park, Harbour Beach is recommended.... be sure to avoid the park rangers...)
7. Drive up to Palm Beach for the day
8. Go to any beach whenever possible
9. Wear lots of sun block
10. Wear a hat
11. Invest in good shades (known as “sunnies” here)

ZZzzzzzzz...

This entry it going to be a mess because I can barely stay awake right now. Thanh and I arrived in Sydney around 10AM Sydney time (that's 4PM Thursday east coast time). In our efforts to beat the jet lag, we're trying not to sleep until evening tonight. So despite the fact that we're both exhausted, we've tried to fill our day with activity just to stay awake.

Getting here was definitely not half the fun. Under the best of circumstances, flying from New York to Sydney is not easy. When the trip starts out with your plane sitting on a runway in Newark, not taking off for almost two hours, you know it's going to be trouble. Since I only had two hours in LA until my Sydney flight left, the chances of making my next flight were almost gone. Luckily for me, Thanh was waiting in LA and (being the genius she is) she noticed how late my flight was and moved us both onto a flight two hours later than our original LA to Sydney flight. We made that one with little trouble, and 28 hours after leaving New York, we’d arrived at Thanh’s Mother’s house in Sydney.

After grabbing a delicious lunch courtesy of Thanh's Mother, we headed to downtown Sydney and walked around to some of the big sites (Circular Quay, Opera House, our precious “Toaster”). Of course, someone who only a few hours earlier had seemed to be a genius, forgot the camera, so no site seeing pics today. We ran a few more errands, stopped by one of Thanh’s old favorite happy hour bars for a drink, and now are only a short while from sweet, uninterrupted sleep. I'll be dreaming of Koalas and Kookaburras.

Cleaning Up This Space

I'm reviving this space to use as a trip blog. Thanh and I will be leaving for Australia on February 21st, and we'll try to post regular updates of what we're doing here.

The general plan is to spend a week in Sydney where we'll be staying with Thanh's family. Then the second week, my parents will be finishing a cruise of New Zealand and Australia and will join us in Sydney. We're then going to head to Queensland for about four days. Queensland is in North Australia and from there we'll be checking out the Great Barrier Reef. After that we'll spend a couple more days in Sydney and then head home.

So, watch this space for more details and pics from our trip.

Photos from Australia 2006

Here are some quick pics to remind everyone of what fun we had last year: