Once upon a time (1770 to be exact), Australia was an island that was claimed by Britain and used as a far-away place to send their convicted criminals to serve out their sentences in a penal colony. Today, it has evolved into a self-governing Commonwealth realm. In contrast with the Anglo-Saxon criminals it was once settled by in the late 18th century, it is now a country with pockets of diverse ethnic populations, especially in the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne. Because of this diversity, the cuisine has taken a decidedly delicious turn. In my down under experiences, I realized that Australia not only has beautiful scenery, a wealth of culture, but also a diversity of cuisine that will really surprise the traveler’s palette.
After a 14 hour flight from SFO, I was anxious to get out and see the attractions: the Harbour Bridge and Opera House alone are juggernauts of sight-seeing! They are magnificent structures that help bring countless tourists to its shores. Along Darling Harbour – where the Opera House sits – there are several high end seafood restaurants on the pier. My Aussie hosts and I decided to pursue a potentially “touristy” path and sit outside and enjoy some of the fruits of the sea with a glass of champagne. Needless to say, when the platter came out, I was in absolute heaven. Crabs, oysters, and these curious creatures called “bay bugs” were laid out for us to enjoy. Bay bugs are a type of flathead lobster similar to the Pacific spiny lobster. The meat has the consistency of lobster but is not as sweet. And the oysters were absolutely gigantic! They were very tasty: creamy in texture with a wonderful hint of the salty ocean. I, personally, prefer smaller oysters like the Kumamoto, but the flavor of the Sydney Rock oyster is fantastic. As is typical for raw bars, the bill was quite hefty (the champagne didn’t help!) This is a splurge moment, not for a frugal traveler. These types of places command their premium for location and food quality, but sometimes it is worth the price.
As I explored more of Sydney, I stumbled into Chinatown, located near the harbour on Haymarket. This is Australia’s largest Chinatown. This bustling neighborhood offers a huge mix of grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, food stands, and clothing & jewelry stores. Chinatown is always buzzing with activity… people walking through, visiting, or conducting business and, of course, eating. Common in Chinatowns, there are food courts with different kinds of Asian cuisines. It’s a cheap and fun way to explore the the local ethnic foods, and Sydney is no exception. Amongst the Thai soups, Vietnamese noodles, Chinese Dim Sum, and Mongolian BBQ, there was a Malaysian Roti stand. I ordered one roti canai, which is a type of flatbread served with a coconut milk curry. The roti was perfect, soft in the center but crispy on the outer edges. It went very well with the coconut milk curry, slightly sweet and pretty spicy. Although my roti was a savory snack, it can also be accompanied with condensed milk for a sweet treat. My wallet was also happy since the roti canai cost me $3.50 AUD ($3.29 USD).
Now, a travel food article about Australia cannot be complete without a mention of the unofficial Australian “national dish”: the meat pie. A meat pie is an individual sized pastry containing diced or minced meat and gravy. There are various interpretations of the dish, some have been refined for fine dining but most meat pies are often eaten as a convenient to-go snack. They are even sold in most local convenience stores, mostly minced meat and gravy types served with tomato sauce (ketchup). My first meat pie in Australia was at the famous and aptly called “Australian Hotel” near the historic “Rocks” area of Sydney harbor. I ordered a beef and bock pie made with Australian beef braised in a bock style beer. It was definitely a little more upscale with puff pastry and a price tag of $18.90 AUD ($17.75 USD). Nevertheless, the beer infused gravy – slightly bitter and rich – was a nice complement to the succulent beef and the flaky puff pastry crust. I also sampled a beef and tomato pie at a Brumby’s, an Australian chain bakery. This pie tasted more like a sloppy joe, salty and slightly sweet, making it a satisfying snack. I can understand why Aussies are so crazy for these bite size pies!
Australia was an amazing place! My three weeks went by so quickly, but my experiences culinary, and otherwise will always remain deeply in my heart.
[Pictures courtesy of Karen, ifood, ICCTA, and gamespot]
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