Cheap Eats: Harry's Cafe de Wheels

Harry's de Wheels is legendary. Even I know that and I have only been in the country for about a month.

On my first night in Sydney, my colleagues took me all across town to some kind of Wharf, insisting that this was THE place to go for a late night snack. I admit, I looked rather doubtful at the pie cart, but the large queue outside indicated that there must be some truth to it.

That night, we got distracted by more drinks and other things - as you do - and we didn't actually buy a pie. But yesterday, by chance, I came across another one of Harry's pie carts in Haymarket.

For some reason, I had always considered pies, and gravy and mushy peas as ultimately British and I find it funny that the dish so popular here halfway around the planet. Must be some kind of heritage thing. However, there were lots of other options too: Hot Dogs, Pasties, Bacon and Egg Rolls - no deep fried sausages, fortunately.

I settled for a beef pie which came with a generous scoop of mashed potatoes on top. The traditional way to eat it, I've been told, is to build a tower of pie, mash, mushy peas and gravy. But even my slimmed down version of it was wonderfully comforting. There was Worcester Sauce, Chilli Sauce and HP Sauce to go with the food and while I was sitting on my plastic chair, munching my pie, I felt the spirit of good old England in the air.

I should probably also mention that it was cheap: 5.80 for a Pie & Mash.

Harry's Cafe de Wheels
730/742 George St
Haymarket NSW

Cheap Eats: Lüneburger Bakery

Despite the relative proximity to Germany, there are no German bakeries in London. There are a few "artisan" bakeries and some specialist food stalls on Borough market, but if you're looking for a bog-standard bakery which sells rye bread, seedy rolls and pretzels you will be disappointed.

Over the years I have learned to live without bread, or substitute it with international versions like Ciabatta and Naan.

But really, there's nothing like a good sandwich made out of thick and heavy slices of whole-grain bread with butter and cold meat.

You can imagine my excitement when I came across the Lüneburger Bakery in the basement of the QVB. It was all there: Koernerbroetchen, Vollkornbrot, Laugenstangen - heaven. I couldn't believe my eyes.

I bought a Laugenbretzel and had to choke at the price at first - 3 AUD per piece. But then I learned that all the goods are actually imported frozen from Germany and rebaked in Australia. One must imagine the hassle to get the dough past Australian customs.

Funnily enough, the bakery doesn't originate from Lüneburg at all. The owner is Turkish, but he figured that "Yaltirakli's Bakery" wouldn't sound as good :-)

Lüneburger German Bakery
Queen Victoria Building
455 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Riding the Roller Coaster

If you're anything like me, you will have nostalgic childhood memories of fun fairs: that blissful time in summer, when all the kids come together for fun, frivolity and a turn on the Ferris wheel.

The smell of candy floss, the rattling sound of the merry-go-round, the thrill of the ride... Nothing bad can every happen in fun fair land.

In my mind, I see these pictures in sepia - as from another era, and I sometimes wonder whether those magic days are gone forever.

As we grow older, do we all turn into the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, too busy to notice what's going on around us and forever late to the next important meeting? Or even worse, do we become little Scrooges, cynical and bitter - shouting "Bah, humbug." at everything and everyone?

I personally hope that all is not lost and that every now and then at least, we allow ourselves to be 12 again, to marvel at the world and to enjoy the simple, the silly things in life.

Cheap Eats: Madame Nhu

Right guys, it's time for another restaurant review.

I haven't posted anything in a while - firstly because I was travelling, and secondly because I've become strangely addicted to Menya Mappen. I must have eaten there at least 10 times now - considering that I've only been in the country for about a month, it's quite telling.

Anyway, today I decided to give myself a break from the usual Soba Kake and to try something new. My research led me to Madame Nhu, a Vietnamese eatery in the basement of the Galleries.

Here in Sydney (and also in Singapore I noticed), many Vietnamese restaurants draw heavily upon Vietnam's postcolonial street food heritage. The design often reminds of a French villa with dark wooden furniture and red lanterns. A slice of the "old Saigon" of the 1950s and 1960s, as they like to describe it.

The menu was not untypical for an inner-city Vietnamese restaurant: Pho, Summer Rolls and Vermicelli Bowls. I was really tempted by the Salt and Pepper Squid Vermicelli Bowl, but at 10.50 AUD, it was slightly above my price limit of 10 AUD. I know it's only 50 cents, but a principle is a principle.

I settled for the Spicy Pho Chua Chicken. Apparently it's a regional speciality (I've never had it before) and it comes with chilli sauce, pickles, peanuts and fried shallots. The broth was really flavoursome and not too spicy and the noodles where cooked just right. There was a slight sweet aftertaste to the soup, which I wasn't too keen on, but most Pho's are actually cooked like that. I think it's the Asian way to put sugar in everything.

All in all a very pleasant lunch. Many think it's the best noodle place in town.

The Pho was 9.50 AUD. Summer Rolls are 8.50 AUD for three.

Madame Nhu
The Galleries
500 George Street
Sydney, 2000