Papparich, Ultimo

With over 70 restaurants open across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and China, PappaRich first graced its presence with a restaurant in Chatswood. However, the north shore is quite a trek for me so I was happy to see the opening of a restaurant right next to my university campus. Malaysian food is probably one of the Asian cuisines that I am less familiar with but a flaky, crispy roti is something that is always welcome.

Menu

There is quite a line happening outside the restaurant upon arrival at 6:30 but the rate at which it moves is very fast. Signs that service inside is efficient. Gingerbreadmanne and I were seated quickly and menus were produced. Ordering here is different from what you would receive at normal restaurants. Provided on the table are pencils and a pad with you fill in the dishes that you want. The dishes are numbered on the menu so you simply just jot it down and the waitress takes it away to process it once all is decided. It took a while to pick and choose though - the menu is very extensive.

Coconut delight

Gingerbreadmanne and I couldn't resist ordering the coconut delight to share despite the cold weather outside. What's not to love about this concoction of ice blended young coconut juice, a dash of coconut milk and a sprinkle of coconut flesh on top? Refreshingly sweet.

Biryani rice (2 dishes) with beef rendang & sambal prawns

This was the first dish to arrive and was quite a spectacle with the circular papadum on top and it's large serving. The bright yellow colour that is a signature of the tumeric rice would have benefited from soaking up the sauce of the beef rendang and sambal prawns as it was quite dry by itself. But there was much too large a portion and much too little sauce from the small size of side dishes and end up leaving majority of the rice untouched. I can imagine how the cucumber would have provided a nice cooling effect if the prawns and beef had been spicy enough.

Curry laksa (chicken)

I'm not sure how this would fare compared to a good laksa as it was my first time having laksa. There was a beautiful rich coconut fragrance to the broth which I would normally equate to desserts such as coconut sago. It came with a generous amount of toppings - chicken, bean sprouts, tofu puffs, bean curd skin, eggplant pieces and sliced fish cakes.

Roti

The roti was a saviour though. We were expecting to be able to mop up the sauces with a extra side of roti however there wasn't much for us to do so. No matter - even eaten by itself, the roti was very moreish. Buttery and flaky with a crispy outer, there was a slight sweetness that would've easily tipped it over to becoming a dessert with just a slight sprinkle of sugar more.

Egg sago pudding

And you all know me with my weakness for everything coconut. I know coconut sago is easy enough to make at home, but how could I not order it? This one had a cute egg pudding snuggled in the centre of the tapioca pearls and coconut milk mix which had a texture very reminiscent of the firm, jelly-like ones you can buy in plastic tubs at your local Asian supermarket.

Overall, we left PappaRich a bit underwhelmed with the whole experience. Half our order had been cancelled without any mention of it to us by the waitstaff and it was only when we asked that we were informed they didn't have any of the ingredients left in the kitchen to make it. A shame because I was very looking forward to the deep fried chicken skin. However, everything else is what you would expect from a chain restaurant - service is efficient, food is served one dish after the other at a quick succession and is of decent standard. Good for a quick bite to eat during uni classes throughout the day.

PappaRich
Shop 5 / 185-211 Broadway  
Ultimo, NSW, 2000

Opening Hours
Sunday - Wednesday: 11:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday - Saturday: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Eats lately via iPhone #3

Hello fellow readers! Sorry for the lack of posts as of late - this last semester of my bachelor's degree is proving to be very hard with a lot of work :( But I haven't forgotten about this little blog nor have I disappeared and as proof, here's a little round up of all the things I've eaten recently! Whee, lots of food incoming.

Banh mi, $3.95

Pork rolls always hit the spot for me. There's something so comforting about the combination of pickled carrots (they must be pickled!!), cucumber, onions, coriander and pork. This one is from my favourite store in Ashfield. It's a chain of the original which started in Marrickville!

Ashfield Vietnamese Rolls
224 Liverpool Rd
Ashfield, NSW, 2131

Banh mi ga xa (lemongrass chicken), $6.95

Whilst I do love pork rolls, this lemongrass chicken roll stole my attention and I was feeling like something different. This store is just down the road from my work place so it's perfect if I want to grab a quick lunch. What's great about this place is they offer a variety of different breads (I chose multigrain) and offer to toast it for you which makes it so much more awesome. This roll was very tasty and especially refreshing from the addition of mint leaves. Their pork rolls are also cheap at $3.95 - a great price for lunch in the heart of the city!

Bank Mi K
G2/730-742 George Street 
Haymarket, NSW , 2000

Broadway roll - part of a set

The sushi definitely satisfied my sushi cravings at the time. Loved the spicy sauce that came with it. We got this as part of the meal set which also came with noodle so it was very cheap at $10.

Takoyaki

Because it's a standard order when eating Japanese, yay!

Maki Maki
169 Broadway Sydney
Ultimo, Sydney, 2008 

Special beef noodle soup, $12.50

I walked past a new Vietnamese in Burwood and made a mental note to visit soon. And that was exactly what I did and ordered a big bowl of steaming pho. Because pho is so comforting. The waitress came with the bowl of pho and I was wowed by the sheer size of it. The soup was flavoursome and clean tasting. I felt like I barely made a dent in the noodles! Definitely will try the rest of their menu. Business seems to be going well for them - it's always packed during lunch times!

Mint Vietnamese Pho and Cuisine
226 Burwood Rd  
Burwood, NSW , 2134

Smoked salmon and fennel salad, $16.00

Perfect combination of smoked salmon, fennel and spinach. There were currants to add sweetness and capers that burst in the mouth. The creamy dressing really tied everything together.

Le Monde
83 Foveaux St 
Surry Hills, NSW , 2010

Cocktails, $15.00

Caught up with one of my girlfriends at Fratelli Fresh over excellent truffle risotto. We also ordered cocktails because we're girly like that. Mine was a wonderful concoction of grapefruit and cucumber while my friend chose the peach and champagne combination.

Cafe Sopra at Fratelli Fresh
11 Bridge Street 
Sydney, NSW, 2000
Underground

Peanut butter milkshake, $8.00

Jazz City Diner was still closed, so we ended up again at the Milk Bar to which I proceeded to order this amazing peanut butter milkshake. I took one sip and felt giddy with happiness because it was THAT good. The peanut butter flavour is different from the peanut butter we have in Australia. It has a distinct American peanut butter flavour that I love - especially in Reese's peanut butter cups!

Coconut cream pie, $8.00

Soft, fluffy cloud of meringue on top of a smooth custard and flaky pastry. I think I went to pie heaven. It wasn't too sweet so I felt like I could continue eating it with no problem at all! Don't worry all you coconut haters out there - the dominant flavour is not coconut! It's just a sprinkling of flakes on top of the pie :)

Jazz City Milk Bar
Republic 2 Courtyard Palmer St  
Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010

Chocolate & churros tapas

A tasting plate of mini churros, chocolate, deep fried chocolate truffles, choc brownie and strawberries. Love the churros at San Churros - perfect for dipping in melted chocolate!

San Churros
47 Glebe Point Rd 
Sydney, NSW, 2037
 

Malacca Straits, Broadway

Malacca Straits isn't the easiest of restaurants to find. Tucked away in a residential block, there is only a subtle sign out on the main road telling you of the existence of the restaurant. However, you cannot miss it once you turn in!

The boy and I were quickly seated and the waiter (a happy chap he was) gave us the menus and water and left us to ponder over what we wanted. The food came out alarmingly fast after we ordered!

Hainanese chicken rice, $9.50

The bowl of soup came to the table first, and it really was warming and exactly what I needed.This is just like my parents make it at home. Though we normally boil the chicken and then dunk the pieces in a separate bowl of sauce. The chicken was wonderfully tender and juicy, pairing wonderfully with the deliciously fragrant rice. And there is chilli for those who like a bit of an extra hit of heat!

Murtabak, $10.50

I've had a fantastic murtabak at Mamak that was packed full of flavour so I had high expectations for this. But I found the beef slightly dry and the roti was not as flaky as Mamak's unfortunately. The curry sauce really was needed to give the beef some extra moisture and flavour.

Kuih ketayap, $5.00

I am a sucker for all things pandan, coconut and palm sugar so this was a dessert that I definitely could not forgo despite already being full! And for five bucks, why the hell not?

Coconut and palm sugar innards

Inside the fluro green pandan crepe was a filling of toasted coconut, palm sugar, and I swear I could also taste a hint of ginger though the boy just looked at me and said, "What ginger?" The palm sugar syrup and coconut cream gave this already very sweet dessert that extra bit of richness because it just wasn't needed before ;)

Though it was supposed to cost $25 all up, they only charged us $24.50 for some reason. Isn't that nice? (:

Malacca Straits
66 Mountain St
Broadway, NSW, 2007
8021 7069

Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday: Lunch and Dinner

http://www.malaccastraitsbroadway.com.au

Poached eggs and sumo salad

I know sweet and savoury may not sit well with a lot of you, but growing up in an Asian family, there was always an abundance of foods with this combination! Though when I first heard of bacon and ham with maple syrup, I was very reluctant to try it. Really? Meat with maple syrup? Maple syrup if for eating with fluffy pancakes! But then one groggy morning, I was at Pancakes on the Rocks with my friends and I really felt like eating poached eggs. But the only poached egg they had on their menu came with hollandaise sauce and behold - ham and maple syrup. Hungry, I had thought, why not? The food had arrived swiftly and that's when I discovered this miracle combination. The oozing yolk combined with the ham and maple syrup was to die for - I was hooked. So the other morning, I was craving this and made my own version at home with a crumpet!

The yolk was perfectly gooey! Though I think I need to find a way to perfect the whites of the eggs when cooking... And yes, I am aware of the dodgy plate haha. I will buy perfectly beautiful chinaware and matching cutlery and plate sets when I move out!

On another happy note, I finished my last exam today so I have freedom for a month! I came out of my exam ravished and was craving Vietnamese rolls. But alas, Vietnamese rolls were not in the cards and were sold out when I went to the sushi store. So I settled for the next best thing. Well, what healthy choices do I have when I am roaming around in a food court?

Pumpkin and cous cous salad, $6.50 for a small

Damn you Sumo Salad, jacked up the prices!! Last time I went, prices were at $5.95 which I already thought of as dear. So this was incredibly expensive for such a small portion. But oh well, it filled me up enough so I wasn't hungry anymore. And it was delicious! So I can't complain... Must attempt to make this at home - I have some cous cous sitting around in my cupboard.

Now I can go back to doing all the things I was doing before my exam - without the guilt!