Tag: fish curry

Categories
Malaysian

Nanyang Malaya Cafe – Marrickville NSW Restaurant Review

Opening up a restaurant in close proximity to other restaurants of a similar theme can be a bit of a double-edge sword. While you may very well attract patrons of your neighbouring restaurants for their next meal in the area, you will also invariably invite comparisons between you and the three other modern-ish Asian diners with whom you are lined up with in a row. This is a comparison that Nanyang Malaya Cafe handles well.

We started with the chicken wings (6 for $10). I thought that I had gotten my photo in before my partner could steal one, but this photo is clearly evidence to the contrary. These were pretty good, marinated in a spicy curry-like marinade and coated in a crispy light starch batter (which contrasts with the breading used in most Western styles of fried chicken). The meat beneath the batter was suitably moist, though probably not at the 99th percentile of moistness as far as fried chickens go. The Terasi chilli sauce was a bit shrimpy but still enjoyed by my partner, which is a success in and of itself. The pickled vegetables were welcome but would not have been missed were they not present.

The Hainanese chicken ($21) was a pretty reasonable amount of food for the price, presented in a keto-friendly arrangement of just the good proteinaceous and vegetable bits without any chicken rice or soup (it is available also as a set for those who like the classics). The chicken had quite a mild flavour but was helped along by the solid ginger and chilli sauces, and I felt this was overall quite a good option.

The curry puffs (2 for $9) are a bit smaller than at Albee’s, less elaborate in their filling, but in no way worse overall. They came with a simple filling of potato, chicken, and curry, but with good flavour with an unexpected hint of star anise. The puff pastry was light and flaky, and this was ultimately quite a pleasurable puff.

The curry fish fillet ($26) came as a large pot of ling fillet cooked with vegetables (ocra – to my partner’s dismay, beans ,onions, and tomato) in a yellow curry. The use of ling as the protein was commendable as I’m sure they would’ve gotten away with a cheaper fish like basa, though the ling did exhibit a stronger (and welcome) texture which you wouldn’t otherwise get. The flavour of the curry was thoroughly enjoyable, if not really soaked up by the fish, and I think this dish would have been even better with some rice.

OVERALL THOUGHTS
I enjoyed everything I ate at Nanyang Malaya Cafe, and had a much better time overall than when I ate at its neighbouring modern-Asian restaurant. I can recommend a visit.

Nanyang Malaya Cafe
Marrickville Metro G001, 20 Smidmore St, Marrickville NSW 2204
0422 598 037

Categories
Japanese Korean

By Sang – Rosebery NSW Restaurant Review

We had a weekday dinner at By Sang, a relatively new Japanese restaurant with some Korean influence sitting on the old Sanpo site in Rosebery, opting for the $70 per person 6 course degustation and the addition of the futomaki. Though not everything lived up to expectations, certain elements of our meal were actually quite good.

We started with the WA Scallop Tataki with salmon roe, and finger lime. The scallops used in this dish were plump and sweet, and matched well with the tangy flavours of the yuzu dressing and finger lime. I wasn’t sure if the greenery was meant to be eaten, and ultimately it remained untouched as we consumed the seafood. I thought this entree was definitely not bad, though my partner wasn’t a huge fan. I think this dish usually comes with some creme fraiche, but ours did not.

The sashimi dish consisted of slices of atlantic salmon, Ora king salmon, red emperor, cuttlefish, kingfish, and tuna (akami). The choice of using both regular salmon and king salmon (also known as chinook salmon) was an interesting one that I would not have made, though I guess perhaps it was a way to introduce novice salmon eaters to the higher quality of king salmon by way of direct comparison. The sashimi course was as fine as most sashimi generally is, though I did feel that the kingfish tasted a bit unusual.

The futomaki (?$35 supplement) of akami, toro, tamago, takuan, scallop, uni, and ikura was an unfortunate weak point. Though enticed by the inclusion of premium elements like uni and toro in this roll, we found that the mish mash of multiple seafoods and flavours per bite-sized piece made it exceedingly difficult to appreciate any individual element. While the overall flavour was good and certainly not bad, we just found ourselves disappointed that this is where we were steered towards when we asked our very enthusiastic waiter about the toro nigiri special. We probably should’ve ordered that instead.

The NSW wagyu tartare with ssamjang, garlic ponzu, wasabi aioli, parsley, and potato crisps was up next. This menu item should’ve been a slam dunk given our recent fondness for steak tartare and my partner’s general love of all things potato, but was again unfortunately a bit of a let down. My main criticisms here would be that the meat itself had a bit of an unfortunate chewiness to the texture, whilst the flavouring was too heavy of sesame oil and salt to my liking. op/;.This really was a Korean fusion take on the classic French dish, and whilst I love my Asian fusion cuisine in general, not all attempts at innovating on a classic are going to be successful. In comparison, the Korean fusion beef tartare at Soul Dining in Surry Hills is a master-stroke, and should be considered first port of call before the one at By Sang.

The NSW sand whiting tempura with papaya salad and white ponzu was a turning point in the meal. While I couldn’t identify any papaya, the moistness of the fish deep fried in a light tempura batter as well as the grated salad and citrus dressing were all very pleasant.

The second consecutive cooked fish dish of the night, the NT Humpty Doo barramundi with grilled wombok and Japanese butter curry was also very good. The fish was grilled to perfection, with a nice crispy skin and moist flesh. The butter curry sauce was particularly good, with a light flavour that tasted a level or two more complex than your average grocery store Japanese curry.

Our first choice of dessert was the Hitachino beer ice-cream, which came impaled by a bit of crispy biscuit and resting on a bed of crumbs. The ice cream was really special, with a pleasant sweetness intermingled with a distinct but unoffensive beer taste. Though our waiter told us that they don’t make their ice cream in house, I can’t actually find anywhere else online to buy this – and believe me I tried.

Our second choice of dessert was the Peanut Brittle Miso Caramel Sando, which while looking like a giant macaron was more of an ice cream sandwich. Also quite good.

THOUGHTS
There were a few hits and a few misses at our first visit to By Sang, though our experience got markedly better once the cooked food and desserts started rolling out. If I could do it all again I would skip the tasting menu, skip the futomaki and tartare, and go straight to the a la carte menu. I also expect that as the restaurant matures some of their kinks will be worked out and menu optimised. I do hope they keep on their current staff though, who were very attentive but not to the point of being overbearing. Whatever they do, I really hope they keep the beer ice cream on the menu.

By Sang
304/1-9 Rothschild Ave, Rosebery NSW 2018
(02) 7251 9251

Categories
Asian Fusion

Wild Catch on Danks – Waterloo NSW Restaurant Review

Tucked away in the entrance to Coles Waterloo is Wild Catch on Danks, perhaps Waterloo’s best and most difficult to find fish-based restaurant. I say fish-based restaurant because not only does Wild Catch do fish and chips, but they also offer a wide menu of Asian inspired curries, salads, burgers, and laksas.

We had the Miso salmon, stir fried ginger and Asian greens and jasmine rice ($22) from Wild Catch’s dinner specials board. Provided were two pieces of perfectly cooked grilled salmon – medium rare on the inside – as well as some bok choy, choy sum, and peas. We really loved the quality of the fish both in its freshness and preparation style. It was delicious even without the miso sauce, which my partner didn’t realise was part of the meal until she was well into it. The miso sauce, when poured over the salmon, was light tasting and just enough to deliver a bit of sweet and salty umami. Overall a very good dish.

Wild Catch’s Dry red curry of barramundi ($23) with beans, corn, eggplant, chilli & rice was very nice. There was a generous serving of fish, cut into chunks that I think must have been braised before cooking in the curry. The curry was less dry than anticipated, and I would in fact describe this as a thick wet curry instead. The flavours were strong, and the serving of rice (not pictured) was definitely crucial to the meal. In fact we had some rice left over from the miso salmon, and that left over rice was also very helpful in tempering the strong (but delicious) flavours. I love coriander.

The BBQ octopus with Asian slaw salad & black vinegar dressing ($13) was probably an unneeded addition to what was already a very filling and reasonably priced meal. The slaw was actually surprisingly very good and refreshing. The BBQ octopus were a bit overcooked for my liking but apart from that no complaints. I think that this dish was the weakest of the three we ordered, though still a very suitable meal for a potentially healthy low-carb lunch.

VERDICT
While I haven’t had any of Wild Catch on Danks’ traditional deep fried fish and chips, their Asian fusion menu of curries and miso salmon is certified good.

Can recommend.

Wild Catch On Danks
12/1 Crystal St, Waterloo NSW 2017
(02) 9698 2131