The Famous Berry Donut Van - Berry - South Coast, Australia.

A trip to Berry is not complete without a visit to The Famous Berry Donut Van. The name says it all.

After lunch at the Sourdough Cafe, we took a stroll along the main strip of Berry to explore the little specialty shops. Once we walked a bit, it was off to the van to get the much raved about cinnamon donuts. The smell of these fried goodies could be smelt from a distance away. Made fresh on the spot, these donuts are cooked to order and freshness is guaranteed.

I missed it the last time I was in Berry and have wanted to try it ever since. Give me a piping hot cinnamon donut over those gourmet ones any day.

We ordered the '6 Donuts ($9.00)' to share. These hot donuts are deep fried giving it a crispy outer crust and fluffy inside. Coated with the right amount of cinnamon sugar, they were scrumptious. Oh so good!

What makes these donuts different to those sold by the franchises? It's cooked by hand and not by a machine. They aren't perfectly round and might be irregular sized but they sure do taste great. Though they are larger than the standard sized cinnamon donuts. Yay, more for us.

A must stop when driving to the South Coast.

Where?
73 Queen St
Berry NSW 2535

Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Friday - Saturday
9:00am - 9:30pm
Sunday
9:00am - 6:00pm

Website
Visit their Facebook Page

Berry Sourdough Cafe - Berry - South Coast, Australia

The weather today was perfect for a day trip to the small town of Berry, located in the South Coast of NSW, an hour and a half drive from Sutherland. My best friends and I have wanted to go for some time now but have had to cancel due to the wet weather previously. I went on a family trip many years ago and really enjoyed the time there. It's nice going out of Sydney once in a while to just relax and unwind.

There a number of cafes and restaurants in Berry with good reviews to choose from. Our cafe of choice was the Berry Sourdough Cafe. We actually planned to have brunch there after perusing their menu online, only to have missed it by 20 minutes, leaving us a bit disappointed. Shy 10 minutes of 12pm, we waited for lunch service to start.

A lovely and cosy standalone cafe with a bakery in house, they pride themselves on using local produce and that's definitely something I highly regard. Support local business!

The pastries and breads on display looked delicious. If only we had more stomach space we would have had desserts too. We were saving ourselves for the cinnamon doughnuts from the famous Berry Doughnut van for later.

I guess it was a calling. Initially, I was going to order the chicken dish below, but changed my mind last minute. The 'Rigatoni ($20.00)' with Spanish pork sausage, roast fennel and sofrito was all sorts of amazing. On initial bite of the al dente pasta, the tomato based sauce was exploding with flavour from the aromatic ingredients used. I ate every last bit on the plate. Superb! It comes with dollops of mascarpone but I asked for it to be excluded.

From their specials board, The 'Roasted Chicken Maryland ($24.00)' is a simple and hearty home-style dish. The chicken was well seasoned and the chicken meat was moist. The side of kipfler potatoes, and the apple and cabbage is a refreshing accompaniment.

'Matcha Latte ($4.00)' is a surprising item on the menu. We didn't expect to see it in Berry. It had a decent amount of matcha powder in it and I really enjoyed the frothiness. Unfortunately the cinnamon powder on the top gave it a strange taste, more like a chai latte.

The 'Cappucino ($4.00)' here is a good cup of coffee. The beans are strong and punchy without giving the bitter aftertaste.

Service was great, the staff were really friendly and attentive. Most importantly, the food was excellent and the freshness of the ingredients used showed in their dishes . What more could one ask for?

*Credits to my best friend Anny for her sign photo. Do visit her blog at http://anythingandsomethings.blogspot.com.au/. It's an interesting read on her life and previous work secondments to Amsterdam and San Francisco.

Where?
23 Prince Alfred St
Berry NSW 2535
Australia

Phone no: 02 4464 1617

Opening Hours
Breakfast
Wednesday to Sunday: 8:00am - 11:30am
Lunch
Wednesday to Sunday: 12:00pm - 3:00pm

Website
www.berrysourdoughcafe.com.au

Gerrale Street Kitchen - Cronulla - Sydney, Australia

I'm taking a short break from my holiday posts as its been a while since I last posted about a local restaurant. I think it's about time I do and what better way to get back into it by blogging about a cafe in the Shire. The place I call home.

Gerrale Street Kitchen is a new kid on the block, located on you guessed it Gerrale Street in Cronulla. One street away from the sandy shores of the beach, it's follows the open kitchen concept and associates itself with LA dining trends. That is, the inspiration comes from the casual fine diners in LA.

The design and layout is simple, open and airy. There is plenty of natural light going around and definitely Instagram worthy. Best of all there is lots of seating (200 to be exact) and you don't have to queue on a weekend for breakfast most of the time. I'm too use to waiting over half an hour for a table at popular cafes in Sydney and sometimes leaving disappointed with the quality of the food.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their all day menu is not very extensive but there is a variety to choose from.

Having consumed a Vietnamese pork roll for breakfast, I decided a lighter lunch option would be preferable. The 'Warm Belgium Waffles ($15.00)' were delightfully presented. You may be thinking dessert for lunch? It does work and I really enjoyed the flavour combinations. Not just prettiness on a plate.

Wonderfully crispy waffles topped with whipped cinnamon ricotta, yuzu curd and raspberries. The fluffy ricotta balanced out the sweetness of the waffles and the yuzu curd gave it a zesty hit. Yummy!

The 'Fresh Canadian Stack ($15.90)' is made using brioche bread and then topped with smoked bacon, banana, maple, pecan crumble and mascarpone. The addition of bacon gives it a savoury component.

While it was nice and had good flavours, there was no wow factor unfortunately.

My friends and I particularly liked the 'Fresh House Blended Juices($7.00)'. The first one is a mix of watermelon, apple and mint. The second is a mix of orange, pineapple, mint and lemon. Both were refreshing.

How could one leave without having coffee? Not as strong as one would like but a decent cuppa.

If you live close by or don't mind the drive down, do give this place a try and see it for yourself. A bit too chilly for a swim at the beach but perfect for walks on warm and sunny days. The casual setting and nice ambience of the cafe is a plus. That woodfired pizza is calling me...to be back for dinner one day.

Where?
19-21 Gerrale St
Cronulla NSW 2230

Phone no: 02 9523 4111

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00am - 12:00pm
Saturday - Sunday
7:00am - 12:00pm

Website
www.gerralestkitchen.com.au

Mui Kee Congee 妹記生滾粥品 - Mongkok - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Hong Kong isn't all about modern and flashy restaurants. There's more to it. Search and you'll find hidden treasures.

We didn't expect a hawker type of food court in the city of Hong Kong. I was surprised.

Mui Kee Congee is located at the top level of Fa Yen St Market. It's a family owned business and has been open for decades. They've been mentioned in a number of guides and have been on numerous TV programs so they do get a lot of tourists. There is a menu in Chinese, English and Japanese.

The surrounding environment may look unclean and unhygienic but don't be intimidated by the interior.

We ordered the 'Fish Congee (HKD 30.00)' which is made from a fish broth . A hot and steamy bowl of delicious congee came out less than five minutes after ordering.

The texture of the congee is superb. It's consistently smooth and velvety from hours of slow cooking. The ginger and shallot garnish gives it a nice balance.

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The fresh fish slices were tender and juicy but be careful of the tiny bones.

The elderly man who was manning the shop told us we had to add pepper to make it more flavoursome. I love pepper so yes to pepper!

A hearty and wholesome dish away from home. It's real affordable, portions are generous and a rare find in the bustling city of Hong Kong.

Where?
Shop 11-12, 4F,
156 Fa Yuen St
Mongkok
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 2789 0198

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
6:30am - 3:00pm

Website
N/A

Kam Wah Cafe 金華冰廳 - Mongkok - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Vouched by many as having the best polo bun in Hong Kong, Kam Wah Cafe has got a massive following for a reason. Also known as a 'bo lo bao' or 'pineapple bun', it doesn't contain any pineapple but resembles a pineapple epicarp.

Kam Wah Cafe are famous for their egg tarts and polo buns. Most customers takeaway but we opted to dine in.

It's busy and noisy in the early morning. We take a seat at a booth table right at the back as there are no more tables. The other option is sharing.

The 'Polo Bun (HKD 10.00)' is freshly baked and served straight from the oven with a thick slab of butter sandwiched between the bun. It was still warm when it arrived at the table, allowing the butter to melt slowly. The bread is soft, light and fluffy on the inside. This is nice contrast to the golden crust on the top which is wonderfully crispy without being too sweet. My favourite part!

The 'Coffee (HKD 17.00)' was nothing to rave about. It was rather bland and lacked that coffee hit .The old school cups suits the atmosphere of the cha chaan teng .

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My love for the 'Iced Lemon Tea (HKD 19.00)' started from this moment. It was like no iced lemon tea I've ever tasted. It wasn't overly sweet like those ones you find in the bottles and it actually had the taste of real lemons. So good.

Do give the polo bun a try and you won't be disappointed.

Where?
G/F, 47 Bute St
Prince Edward
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 2392 6830

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
6:30am - 12:00am

Website

N/A

Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

A few minute walk up Wellington Street and you'll find Tai Cheong Bakery.

Tai Cheong Bakery is a traditional Hong Kong bakery famous for their freshly baked egg tarts. We actually stumbled upon it by mistake, only stopping to see what was inside after seeing a group of tourists standing at the front of the store.

We were only eyeing one item, the tarts. Look at that yellow hue.

The 'Egg Tarts (HKD 8.00)' are served hot, straight from the oven. Perfectly round with a shortbread type crust. It's buttery and crumbles after each bite like a cookie. The egg custard was firm at the top with a silky smooth and creamy inside. Delicious!

Affordable and worth a try if you're in the area.

Where?
G/F, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace,
Central
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 8300 8301

Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 7:30am - 9:00pm
Sunday: 8:30am - 9:00pm

Website
www.taoheung.com.hk

Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Wonton noodles are a iconic Hong Kong dish and there are so many variations available on this island. Mak's Noodles is a famous wonton noodle restaurant that has been established since the 1960's and a must-go to place if you're in Hong Kong. And yes it is also Michelin Starred. Its original outlet is located in Wellington Street, Central.

They have decades of experience under their belt and the food here is known to be legendary. So good that it has a reputation as having the best wonton noodles in Hong Kong. Now that's a big call. Look at all those articles! They have recently expanded and a number of locations have sprouted across Hong Kong and Singapore.

Once again we expected a queue during the lunch time rush but there was no queue. We walked straight in and didn't have to share a table. Sharing a table in Hong Kong is the norm when a restaurant gets busy.

It has got an old school noodle shop feel to it making it feel homely. The staff don't speak much English but a combined English and Chinese menu is available on all tables. Service was prompt and efficient and we didn't encounter any rude staff.

The piping hot bowl of 'Wonton Noodle Soup (HKD 39.00) is their specialty item and arrives no later than 5 minutes after ordering. It's served in a Chinese mini bowl that is usually used for rice and reminds me of the bowls mum use to have in her kitchen.

The wontons are hidden beneath the noodles. Plump pieces of wonton are filled with juicy shrimps.

The thin noodles are firm, with a springy and bouncy texture giving it a nice bite. The clear broth is fragrant and full of flavor, having a hint of sweetness. However, it's pricey. At close to AUD 7.00 a bowl, the serving size is really small and you'll probably need a minimum of two bowls to fill you up.

Seasoning and sauces are available.

Overall, a delicious bowl of wonton noodle soup. Truth to be told, I actually find that the wontons at my local favourite Chinese restaurant in Hurstville tastier.

Surprisingly, the restaurant opposite the road called Tsim Chai Kee Noodles was packed to the brim with customers. It's much cheaper compared to Mak's at HKD 28.00 a bowl. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to try it out. I did do some research online and the reviews say the taste is pretty much on par with Mak's, if not better according to some.

After finishing your meal, do check out Central. There is plenty to see and walking up and down those hills will give you a free workout.

Can't believe it's nearly the end of Sunday. Have a good week all!

Where?
G/F, 77 Wellington St,
Central,
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 2854 3810

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
11:00am - 10:00pm

Website
N/A