William Chong

I have a minor love affair with haloumi at the moment. (So does C, incidentally.)

It’s a Levantine cheese popular in many a Mediterranean restaurant (including that beautiful meal at Ima and Ibn). You can read more about its backstory at Wikipedia, but in my opinion the best thing about it is that you can fry it, like a steak.

We bought a block of it a couple of weeks back and thought it would be fun to try cooking it for ourselves. To ensure they fry properly and not melt, you need to cut them into reasonably-thick slices (about a 1-2 cm, or the thickness of your index finger), and use a high heat to get the beautiful seared look. Also, haloumi does not end well when microwaved (lunch leftovers the next day proved this).

For this dinner, we added radish slices, boiled potatoes, tomatoes, red onion (all from our trusty Foodbox) and served it with rice.

Yum!

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As an aside, we dropped by Barracuda in Bucklands Beach for our most recent date night. We didn’t eat too much to warrant a proper review, but I felt compelled to say a few things anyways:

• They had the worst antipasto platter I’ve come across in a restaurant setting. To be fair, it’s not a popular order, but C and I were given a hodge-podge of stuff that had seemed to have come from sitting in the fridge for weeks – vinegared cauliflower, olives, cold bread, some feta and cold sausage. My stomach definitely disagreed.
• They did serve us some tasty green-lipped mussels, drenched in a rich tomato pasta-style sauce. Which was tasty.

I’m sure others will have had more pleasant dining experiences – anyone else been before?

Ph: 082 232 211 (hotel); Lot 3631, Lorong 2, Rock Road, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia; drinks from RM1.00; food from RM2.50

Rating: None given

Sometimes you just have to smile at God’s humorous sense of timing. I previously expressed a yearning for some Malaysian food in my recent writeup of Kaya + Toast – and here I am in Kuching, Malaysia, only weeks later and fortunate enough to reacquaint myself with some of the unique tastes from my childhood. My dad and I stopped by Fullyin Café for a welcome taste of unadorned, Chinese canteen cuisine. Fullyin Café is on the ground floor of what’s primarily a budget hotel, and attracts mostly local customers and perhaps visitors to the nearby Timberland medical centre.

The place is homely, in a tattered and weathered way, when we step in. Last month’s Chinese New Year decorations are still up, and there’s mellow Mando-pop wafting amongst the smell of spring onion and fried shallots. White half-wiped tables and gaudy red chairs are tessellated amongst simple cooking stalls serving Kuching favourites such as kolo mee, won ton soups, tomato kueh tiaw, various congees (each stall is subleased to different chefs and cooks). A drinks station in the back corner of the café serves up an assortment of hot and cold beverages. This is the quintessential food court setup that is replicated, in varying styles, in cities and suburbs all across Malaysia.

I ordered a tomato kueh tiaw to start off with – it’s long flat noodle strips buried in a less Watties, more watery sauce. I got a couple of baby prawns, spinach and squid in mine – but overall was sorely disappointed with the underwhelming portion size.

To remedy my unappeased appetite, I moved on to a bowl of wontons (called “kiaw” in the local dialect). They’re petite and inviting in the bowl, yet without the shallots, spring onion and chilli there’s not much else in terms of flavour. I ate it all but somehow it wasn’t completely satisfying, as if I was eating something bootlegged.

All in all it was an acceptable meal – whether I’d willingly go back again however is a different story. With the low cost of eating out in Malaysia it’s easy to shrug off mediocre food as value for money. I’m sure, however, that there’s plenty of other food outlets that would serve it tastier, and for the same price.

Website: http://www.skycitymetro.com/detail.asp?id=144; Ph: 09 309 3388; SkyCity Metro Food Court, 291-297 Queen St, Auckland Central; Email: kontak78@hotmail.com; drinks $3-5; mains from $8.

Rating: A

Prior to catching a movie at the Queen St cinemas, we looked around the Skycity Metro Food Court for something to eat. It’s not often we trailblaze into the city, and so we wanted to try something new. Just as we were about to look elsewhere, I spotted the boldly lit sign of Kaya + Toast. I instantly recognised the name as a feature of Malaysian cuisine; we had to check it out.

Once down a short flight of stairs, we looked around. The place combined a modern decor of bold reds, blacks and whites with visual displays of cultural paraphenalia uniquely Malaysian culture. Black-and-white photos of quaint Peninsular storefronts, hanging on the red-tiled walls. Comic books drawn by Malaysian cartoonist Lat, neatly stacked on a white formica bar counter. Jet-black tables with DIY hardwood benches. This place reminded me of childhood pilgrimages to the local kopitiam (coffee house).

While empty when we arrived, the 4-5 tables at Kaya + Toast quickly filled up, filling the air with familiar accents and exuberant talk in Manglish. It’s clear that Kaya + Toast is a hub for these expatriates, like myself, to hang out and remind themselves of food from their childhood, delicacies from their motherland.

Kaya + Toast’s menu throws together all the favourites from the traditional Malaysian coffeehouse. Food options include thick-cut toast and kaya spreads, chicken laksa dishes, and home-made fish curries. The beverages range from the popular Malaysian coffees and iced lemon teas, to drinks with names such as ‘I am diet’ (a mix of malty Horlicks and Nestum, a cereal drink) and ‘Charm’ (coffee and tea in the same cup). There’s an eerie familiarity to the menu, and in my opinion the coffeehouse cuisine here is as natural to the Malaysian psyche as fish and chips are to the Kiwi experience.

For my meal I tried the ubiquitous ‘nasi lemak’, a pseudo-platter of fragrant rice, anchovies, cucumber slices, peanuts and a hard-boiled egg. In Malaysia it’s normally eaten for breakfast, and mine came with an extra chicken drumstick. C stuck to a more modest bread and curry, which was well-flavoured and generously spiced.

While the food tasted great, I was a bit disappointed with the small portions and not-small pricing. It’s a far cry from Malaysian roadside stalls that offer more generous portions, and perhaps underscored the cost of importing an authentic Malaysian taste to Central Auckland. Nevertheless, with neigbouring BurgerKing pricing their calorie-laden combos at recessionary prices, Kaya + Toast could similarly do with a slight market correction.

Owner Vincent Chan opened this cafe in late 2008 and seems to have crafted a midcity hangout for homesick Malaysian students, and others well-acquanted with the eclectic kopitiam cuisine. Time will tell whether this place will draw in the uninitiated mainstream crowd and become a permanent fixture at the Skycity Metro food court.

Website: http://www.jesters-pies.co.nz; Ph: 09 533 8160; 20 locations around New Zealand; pies from $3.70, combos from $5.

Rating: A

(A=return customer, AA=worth going weekly, AAA=so awesome so awesome so awesome)

We took a bit of a breather from formal sit-down occasions for this date night, and dropped into Jester’s Pies in Howick for a relaxed dinner. Yes, they sell pies, as well as the associated drinks, wedges, and other tidbits hungry people add to their meals.

The main point of difference that these guys have are would be… well… their pies. They’re baked using proprietary equipment (they’re called “Jaffle pies”), with thin and puffed pastry that don’t seem to retain oil like the standard bakery pies do.

My favourite pie was the ‘Spud Deluxe’, which had a mix of beef mince, bacon and a cheesy potato mash filling. The pastry is definitely light and beautifully sweet. C enjoyed her baked butter-chicken varietal: the ‘Maharaja’ almost works like a mega-samosa (shaped like a pie, of course). The ingredients taste fresh and pleasantly savoury sans the greasiness.

While it’s true that the pies carry the National Heart Foundation endorsements, on examining their nutritional makeup their health benefits seem to be a bit of a commercial gimmick – I suspect they’re given because Jester’s a healthier choice of pie, rather than a healthier food choice in general. But having Heart ticks across your food paper bag is definitely the more interesting way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

All in all, it was a, well, rounded meal. I had to talk C out of buying takeaway packs for the freezer, but we may just have to next time our appetites warrant it!

Website: http://ima-ibn.co.nz; Email: info@ima-ibn.co.nz; Ph: 09 300 7252; 57 Fort St, Central Auckland; breakfast $5-18, lunch $12-22, dinner mains $24-32.

Rating: AA+

(A=return customer, AA=worth going weekly, AAA=so awesome so awesome so awesome)

We like trying out Mediterranean food. This is because, in general, it’s far removed from our own ethnic cuisine experiences (i.e. chips and chopsticks, pies and chow mein). So after our last exciting experience with Mediterranean cuisine, I discovered Ima and Ibn, a gem of a restaurant tucked within the increasingly gentrified Fort St, oddly juxtaposed between convenience stores, parking buildings and worldly attractions of the red-light district type.

Co-owned by Israeli Yael Shochat and Palestinian Khaled Masroujeh, we were intrigued by their story (“Ima and Ibn” translates to “Mother and son” in Hebrew and Arabic respectively), as well as their dishes listed on their online menu: traditional, apolitical, and epitomising what Shochat terms the “cuisine of the sun”. It sounded fascinating; we decided to drop by for dinner.

The first thing you notice in this place is the warm, coppery glow, which comes, you discover, from patterned light panels in the ceiling. A painting of ‘Ima’, surrounded by a bevy of foodstuffs sits prominently on a backdrop of sienna and red-ochre walls. Dozens of recipe and cookbooks perched on wooden shelves hint at a lifelong passion, and it feels as if you’ve entered a space oddly familiar, and as homely as your own mother’s kitchen.

Their dinner menu was geared towards quality over quantity, with five entre̩s and five mains to choose from Рfor those well-acquainted with Mediterranean cuisine it might not have been too much to choose from. For us, however, we mulled excitedly over a veritable Med-spread collection: from North African brik (almost like a poached egg within a tuna-filled wonton) to Jewish-style chicken liver pat̩, from lamb kubeh on hummus to market fish and Israeli couscous. Our waiter Robin was affable and knowledgeable about the finer details of each dish.

For mains, C went for the Mezze platter. It looks modest in the photo, but the antipasto-style plate was huge. We loved experiencing the variety of flavours and tastes on offer. C’s favourite were the feta and spinach pockets, while I was quite partial to the chickpea balls and the Turkish hummus.

For my main, I ordered a Middle Eastern plate: an assortment of salads, Lebanese-style rice (fragrantly spiced and moistened with olive oil), and haloumi cheese on top. I’m always fascinated by haloumi (it’s the only cheese you can fry or grill because of its high melting point), and order it whenever I can.

We stuffed ourselves with all of the above, which unfortunately meant not giving desserts a try this time. But on another day I’m sure it’d be great to give the Middle Eastern dessert platter, or the Knafeh (a Palestinian sweet pastry thing), or even some homemade ice-creams and sorbets that they had on offer a good go.

All in all, Ima and Ibn seemed to have a genuine sense of a warmth, and a professional touch to their traditional meals. I have to admit it wasn’t easy on the wallet, but for such authenticity, freshness and an amazing variety of Mediterranean cuisine, C and I both agreed it was worth every cent.

Ph: 5328161; 9 Cook St, Howick 2014; mains $15-27.

Rating: A

(A=return customer, AA=worth going weekly, AAA=so awesome so awesome so awesome)

During the middle of 2008, the owners of Café Hasan Baba in Howick had the bright idea of setting fire to their own restaurant. It’s not as if their food was bad, and they did feature a belly dancer on Friday nights (perhaps that’s why it was burnt down…). Fiery demise aside, the good news is that the phoenix rising from the ashes is undoubtedly Fig and Olive, Howick’s latest Mediterranean-style restaurant.

When we arrived at 6, we were offered an outside table by the helpful and attentive waitress. The restaurant was otherwise fully-booked – not bad for a normal Friday night. A couple of nice paintings, clear roadside signage and the warm sienna/tan-coloured interior must all play their part in pulling in the crowds.

We began with some garlic breads to whet our appetites and take in the view. Looking across the bustling road to the graveyard at All Saints’ Church brought a touch of evening tranquility to the occasion, as we reflected on how “life is but a breath“.

For our mains, C played it safe and ordered a mushroom fettucine, while I opted for the mussaka with rice and salad. The food arrived quick – definitely prepped beforehand, but the portions were very generous. Both our dishes were packed with flavour: a hint of aubergine among the seasoned mince and potato made it just right for me. The mussaka’s dressing – a mix of yoghurt and chili – was particularly nice, though the bottom was a bit burnt. A creamy tomato sauce gave an interesting twist to C’s fettuccine, while the mushrooms were cut in an array of interesting shapes (much to her delight). I have to say though that her carb-source turned out better than my rice, which was a bit dry and Uncle Ben’s-like.

We closed off the meal with a vanilla ice cream sundae with rose water flavouring. The turkish delight taste was great, and it’s probably a dessert flavour worth replicating at home in future. Their other dessert offerings included creme caramel and baklava, which would have tempted us on another day.

Service was appropriately attentive and not pushy, and the staff seemed to cover all the tables reasonably well that evening. Fig and Olive is definitely a keeper, and we’ll look forward to trying more on their menu.

Oh dear. I think I’m going to be dipping into savings money this month. It’s not that I’ve been splurging (well at least I hope I’m not), just some unexpected expenses that have popped up:

• A new monitor so I don’t grow a lump over crouching my back like a crazy trying to follow the words on my computer screen
• $132 for a General Manager’s renewal fee
• $156 for a mandatory student loan payment… thanks Gov’t
• PETROL. I wish I could ice skate to work or something to save on costs, seriously.
• I haven’t bought clothes in about a year (especially ones suitable for work), so perhaps that will be even more costs. In no particular order I’m in need of new business shirts, dress pants, a jacket

I’m sitting in office doing a little paperwork to start off the week. Here’s a picture:

I couldn’t find a 50cent stamp, so have plastered an envelope in front of me with ten 5-cent stamps to make up the sums. It lends a somewhat comical look to a fairly important letter: apparently we owe a roofing company $280 that never got paid (this is from March). Anyways, I digress:

Saturday
Was able to get back to teaching kids (was under the weather the week before), some which have practised more than others. After Academy rehearsal, drove over to VernAl’s house to pick up our big family photo block, and ended up staying for dinner. As some of you may know, I am a sucker for polentas (I used to get the chefs at NYNY to just cook me deep-fried polentas for dinner – totally delicious!). For Saturday’s dinner I got to try the Zimbawean staple called sadza, which tastes similar to polentas. I should learn this recipe as an emergency food source or something – it seems so practical and better than potatoes that go mouldy, or apples that rot.

Watched the Hurricanes get whomped by the Crusaders with the Zim crew before heading back home.

Sunday
As eager beavers go you can’t beat me. I was up for an 8.30 church service by 7, and Cheryl, Kim and I (CKI) had a great time going grocery shopping afterwards. I was able to cook a Sunday lunch with the extra time available, and Tommy came over. Proceeded to shoot terrorists and criminals all afternoon. In between all that I also received a “come join us” email from HBC which was very nice and thoughtful.

Also had a pretty good paperclip (even though turnout was low), got the lowdown on Dennis’s 48 hours adventure. We chatted excitedly about end of Lost season 4: will definitely have to get together the coming weekend to watch that through. Fong mei is still the cheapest of the cheap in filling our stomachs, seriously: $6.30 a head is great great great.

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Hope everyone has a good week!

More silly names in Sydney: Ali Barber, Thai tanic, Thai Foon.

Went to lots of different places in the weekend, despite the rain. Gerald and his registered-partner Karen were kind enough to take me out and about, despite the rain. We changed the temperature by trying our luck with the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney: very, very foggy. I think one of the Three Sisters was visible for about five minutes while we were there. Also had a look at the Sydney Olympic Park, Darling Harbour on a Saturday night (think Auckland Viaduct, except much bigger and a wider selection of Floats, Loaded Hogs and Provedors). Had dinner at a place called Mamak, which served Malaysian food that I have craved for a long time. Price difference aside, if I lived in Sydney this would be a local haunt, nestled snugly in Sydney’s Chinatown area.

You know when I mentioned there were mentally uneasy people around the city? One of them, a short squat man with a backpack and a pair of DJ ‘phones, approached me whilst I was on my lunch break yesterday. The conversation was mostly one-way and made no sense. He was in essence responding to triggers in our discourse and detailing fabricated side-stories as we went along.

“Here, I’m giving you this. It’s a travel magazine, I flew there yesterday. See? That’s a bargain, $400 for 5 nights. Would you dare to that in the picture? I don’t need to jump, I can fly. You have to be careful. Where you from? Vietnam? I went there last week. Working for the Secret Jewish Police, keep it hush. You have to be careful. I tried to tell him he dropped his wallet, and got it for him. Wouldn’t listen to me, they’re all watching you, you see? Look that those two. I’d love to **** it into them, but I bet those black**** are on it, gotta watch out. Where do you work? Yeah, I work round here too. I’m the President of the company there. Those guys work for me. OK, I’m gonna see.”

I’m glad I left my wallet in the office that day, heh.

I’ve just found out our church’s missionary pastor is leaving for the US for 9 months. This is big news in a congregation of say, 10-15 people.

Might meet up with a few Aucklanders here in the next few days. Going indoor climbing with a few colleagues after work today, not long left in this city. Wonder what happens next in Prison Break.

Some random musings from the streets of Sydney:

There’s more mentally ill people on the streets than in Auckland. I think one reason could be that Sydney is so busy and stressed (compared to NZ) that perhaps people that can’t take it fall by the wayside. You have the regular homeless/bum-types that sleep on the sidewalk against the wall, or huddle in the corner with a hat out in search of pity cash. This is hard to come by since people here usually don’t care. I also happened to watch an irate power-professional female at an intersection enduring some very inadequate window washing (the dude sprayed more soap than he scraped, no chance of any money) and then screech into the distance, leaving the man with a half-furious, half-bemused expression. Sad to see.

Queues are long. Not sure why, they just are. Trains have people, people, people. I’m quite aware that my limited worldview means that I’ll probably think Sydney relaxed when I hit the streets of Manhattan, for example. More people in the same space. Actually it means more food choices – as long as you have the money, you can’t go hungry in Sydney.

There’s an Easyway! *dances* How crazy is it that Easyway can franchise all over the word from Taiwan? In Sydney it’s very Westernised: you can order pearl milk tea as “Top Seller #1″, or as part of a drink and movie deal, or even little snacks. Definitely not a one-man stall in an echoey Meadowlands set-up…

Even in a small company, to do any discussion with more than one person you have to have a meeting. Meetings are held in boardrooms. Very businessy, very new to me.

Transit lanes. I saw them in Brisbane last time I was there as well, but it’s a pretty good idea – a lane on the far left is reserved only for those who carpool. If the road has a T2 lane, then any car driving along it has to have 2 or more people. I also saw T3 lanes, which is totally funky. What a great idea to reduce road congestion (though it invariably clogs up the other two lanes. Bring a friend in to work with you).

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Getting ready for a bear market. Sold a chunk of shares yesterday. Lost money, but would lose more holding on to it all the way through the downturn. Sea of red arrows striking fear into investors’ hearts.

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