Lunar New Year Festival (2013)

8 Feb Pai lau cabramatta

No. 28 of my top 100 things I love about Cabra

Lunar New Year is by far the BIGGEST celebration in Cabra. From a local’s point of view, this is our true holiday.  We typically work really hard throughout the year and don’t even stop for public holidays, however Lunar New Year is when we let our hair down.

Think firecrackers, screaming kids, loud drums, lion dancing and lots of FOOD!

This year the Cabramatta festivities will fall on the 16th and 17th February 2013. This weekend was chosen over the true Lunar New Year (10th February) to allow the locals to attend to their families (where we will be eating, playing games, attending temple blessings and gift/money giving).

The local council is well aware of the common belief ,that what you do on Lunar New Year’s Day is a predictor of how you will spend the rest of the year, and so not working is mandatory! (note: avoid visiting cabra on 10th February 2013 as everything will be closed!).

When? Two days, 16/2/13  11am to 3pm & 17/2/13 10:30am to 3pm.

Where? Freedom Plaza (some road closures, avoid John St)

Costs? Free

Highlights? Market stalls, Lion dancing, Children’s amusement ride, Children’s umbrella making workshop & God of Fortune & Lucky Red Envelopes.

Competitions? St George Bank $2000 Flight Centre Gift Card (spend $10), Cabra-Vale Digger’s Children’s Chopstick Challenge, Bun eating &  Prawn peeling & Mekong Panthers Chinese Chess competition (cash prize).

Entertainment Program
(Cultural Stage in Freedom Plaza)

Saturday 16 February

11:00am MC Welcome

11:05am Dong Tam Lion Dancing Association
11:35am Cooking Demo 1 – Allen Lai from Iron Chef Seafood Restaurant 12:00pm Cooking Demo 2 – Tony Inthavong from Holy Basil Restaurant
12:25pm Celebrity Chef Charlie Yan – Fruit Carving Demonstration
12:35pm Johnny and Vanessa Tu
1:05pm Cabra-Vale Diggers Food Competitions – Children’s Chopstick Challenge, Bun Eating and Prawn Peeling
1:40pm Fashion Parade presented by Glamour World Beauty
1:55pm Kookies N Kream
2:25pm TVBA presents Cathy Wong and Mandy Ng
3:00pm Stage Closes

Sunday 17 February

10:30am MC Welcome
10:35am Blessing of Cabramatta, Citizenship Ceremony and Official Opening

1:00pm Mekong Panthers Entertainment

1:50pm Cabra-Vale Diggers Food Competitions – Children’s Chopstick Challenge, Bun Eating and Prawn Peeling
2:25pm Sisca Hunt Indonesian Dancers
3:00pm Stage Closes

lion dancing prepIMG_0939 young lion dancersnake lunar chinese cabramatta

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

My Seamstress

6 Feb

No. 27 of my top 100 things I love about Cabra

I go to see “Therese” (also known as “Hien”) for all my clothes alterations. Her specialty is in formal and wedding gowns, however more than happy to help me out with minor alterations (eg hemming up pants $10- $12)

Her work is fantastic! Just bring in a photo of your desired dress and get her to measure and quote.

She specialises in:

- Made to measure wedding and formal dresses

- Men’s suits

- Bridesmaids and flower girls

-Traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai

Where? Sydney Bridal (half the shop is a Toy shop)

Hong Kong Plaza (connects the multistory car park to John St) Level 1, Shop 20 , 101 John St. Ph: 02 923 3512/M: 0403 779 896

20130521-162802.jpg

20130521-162829.jpg

20130521-162839.jpg

20130521-162858.jpg

20130521-162920.jpg

20130521-162929.jpg

20130521-162951.jpg

Tags: , ,

Gifts, trinkets and buddhism

23 Jan cabramatta

No. 26 of my 100 fav things I love about Cabra.

Every visitor to Cabramatta should pass by this little treasure trove.

There’s something for everyone…

Kids love the multitudes of anime paraphernalia:  stickers, stationary, plush toys etc. A quick survey tells me that the current trend is Dragon Ball Z , Pokemon, Hello kitty and Ben 10.

Buddhists come here for statues, joss (incense) sticks and prayer beads.

Chinese families will undoubtedly do a mandatory shop prior to wedding tea ceremonies and Chinese New Year celebrations. The very superstitious will even purchase funeral joss paper to ensure a prosperous afterlife for loved ones.

The older ladies come here to purchase good luck charms, one for every possible occasion you can think of: the knitted rope charms for cars, turtles for longevity , waving cats for business, a big bok choy for fortune and a buddha statue for fertility . If ever in doubt, just ask the shop owner, a talkative lady who is happy to give you a quick lesson on the do’s and dont’s of gift buying.

However, most come simply for the cute souvenirs (I absolutely love the little miniature food key rings!).

Buddhist statuesCabramattacabramatta heartcabramatta

cabramatta

Mini bowls of noodles on key rings

cabramatta

Owner of the shop serving customers

cabramatta

Many styles of tea cups

IMG_0243

collecting cards

collecting cards

anime stickers

Who? Good World Gift Shop

Where? Midway down the left hand side small alleyway at 105-107 John Street (look out for Viet Hoa Bakery which is famous for it’s tireless contribution to the community by providing  24hour service of pork roll…some of the best pork rolls in the Cabra! Flaky light croissant like crusty bread…..I digress!).

Entrance to the 105-107 alleyway. Viet Hoa on your left and sugarcane on your right.

Entrance to the 105-107 alleyway. Viet Hoa on your left and sugarcane on your right.

Tags: , , , , ,

Fresh rice pastry (Banh Uot)

27 Oct cabramatta heart

No. 25 of my top 100 things I love in Cabramatta.

This has to be one of my favourite dishes for summer. It’s a comfort food. Some will argue that Pho is the ultimate Vietnamese comfort food, but I know people who actually don’t like pho!

Fresh rice pastry is quite bland on its own (but so is pasta). The rice pastry is the same used to make thick rice noodles….just uncut and steamed. Its very much like choosing to have a dish of lasagne sheets as opposed to fettuccine. There is something luxurious about eating sheets of pastry.
I love the this dish from Phu Quoc and Bau Truong. The plate is so plentiful and varied. No boring bits… guaranteed! Plus you’ll feel great afterwards as its sooo healthy.
Let’s have a closer look….

Rice pastry is ALWAYS fresh – thin sheets (about 2mm thick) shouldn’t break when lifted and has a translucency. Sheets can be peeled away easily and is moist and soft in texture (if you love prawn rice rolls in yum cha then you’ll LOVE this).
Twice cooked Mung bean cakes or “Banh Cong” – they have sliced a whole muffin into 1 cm thick slices THEN fried for a maximum crust. Phu Quoc does it so well, it isn’t oily at all!  Few restaurants will go to all the trouble of taking this extra step. Others (including at home) will only cut the muffin up which subsequently exposes the soft dough to fish sauce and results in a lump of pulp.

Vietnamese ham slices (Cha Lua) -  There is enough given here to completely cover the mound of rice pastry….like a little yurt.

A thick slice of cold cured pork (Nem Chua) – that’s the pink slice with transparent bits (shredded pig skin). An acquired taste but delicious and addictive!

Salad – All thinly sliced, cucumber, thai basil, bean sprout (steamed from the rice pastry on top), iceberg lettuce and Vietnamese perilla leaves.

Fish sauce (add as required)

Topped with spring onion oil, coriander and crispy fried onion.

cabramatta heart

Its a huge serving. Almost as high as it is wide.

cabramatta heart

Second one on the list “Banh Uot Dac Biet”. Special fresh rice pastry (with the lot) $10.50. You may choose to only have one of the toppings (see first on the list), but for roughly the same price, get the special!

cabramatta heart

Fried mung bean and prawn cakes (Banh Cong). Crispy on the outside and chewy soft dough on the inside.

cabramatta heart

Covered with generous slices of thin pork cake which is similar to ham (Chua Lua)

cabramatta heart

A slice of pink cured pork

cabramatta heart

Soft slippery rice pastry

cabramatta heart

Fresh rice pastry is moist, tranlucent in colour and flexible (wont break easily).

cabramatta heart

cabramatta heart

Underneath is a huge mound of bean sprouts, lettuce, thin cucumber slithers, thai basil and assorted herbs. So much texture in this one dish….and healthy!

Where? Phu Quoc, Shop 11, 117 Corner John St and Hill St, (02) 9724 2188. One of the few restaurants that serve dinner in Cabramatta (open til 9pm).

How much? $10.50
Phu Quoc on Urbanspoon

Tags: ,

Avocado Shakes

17 Oct i heart cabramatta

No.24 of my fav 100 things in Cabra

Avocado shakes are probably my MOST favourite fruit shake flavour. I’m still so surprised that with all the hype about fruit frappes, crushies and gym junkie smoothies that no commercial entity has cottoned on to the most unprocessed, super avocado drink!

I have to admit, one of my cheap thrills is watching newb visitors take their first sip of  avocado shake. hehehe…I could make a montage…..yes I could…

cabramatta yummi sweets

First cautious sip

cabramatta yummi sweets

uh oh…..not what he expected

cabramatta yummi sweets

..??…

yummi shakes cabramatta

Awkward.

cabramatta yummi shakes

Going in for another taste….

cabramatta yummi shakes

what the hell ‘thumbs up’!!

Err…not the reaction I was expecting. Despite my uncooperative, yet brutally honest friend here, remember: Have an avocado shake next time you visit!

I’ll be honest, I’m not normally a fan of avocados (as I veer more towards stronger flavours), however the combination of ingredients just amplifies the natural flavour of the avocado tenfold! Nothing.comes.close.

So what’s in it?

One whole avocado (in a small and 1 1/2 used in a large), ice, fresh whole milk and syrup – strictly no water (you don’t want to dilute that super thick ice blended creaminess!) This is the Laos/Thai version.

I’ve also seen it made with condensed milk instead of fresh milk and syrup. I do admit that the condensed milk version is extra yum. This is the Vietnamese version.

It’s very filling, so have this as a meal or share it with others (yeah right!)

Creamy and thick

How much? $4.50 for regular and $5 for large.

Where? Almost anywhere……

  • Fruit shake stores and cafes

- eg Yummi Sweets, By far the most popular fruit shake chain stores in Cabra. So far, there are 4 scattered about in a 400metre radius! (Laos version),

- Most well known fruit shake store Kaysone Sweets (Laos version) Shop 4/59-61 Park Road (Freedom Plaza).

- Giai Khat (Vietnamese version) juice bar, Shop 18/101-103 John St (Hong Kong Shopping Plaza).

  • Most restaurants ( though I’d resist having it with a meal as it takes up too much stomach space!).
cabramatta

Can’t miss the hot pink signage

yummiyummi

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Sea Snail Soup

11 Oct

No. 23 of my 100 fav things in Cabra

Sea snail soup with vermicelli (this is a noodle dish) or Bun Oc , pronounced “boon ook” is definitely a local specialty. So much so, that only one restaurant serves it.

Most restaurants in Cabra serve South Vietnamese dishes and very few restaurants serve Northern Vietnamese cuisine. Like the differences found in the two dialects, clothing, culture etc, there are also subtle differences in the food. Most often you’ll find that they are merely variations of the same dish (eg pho or spring rolls), but a few dishes are native to only North Vietnam.

At Huong Xua you will be able to find all the famous northern dishes. Locals just love it here, almost everyday you will see a line of patrons waiting! This is only one of the two most popular dishes here. I will reveal the second on in a few weeks!

cabramatta bun oc huong xua

Zebra crossing out front to ensure that no traffic obstructs you as you beeline for Huong Xua!

This sea snail soup uses tomato in the soup base, similar to the Bun Rieu (also on the menu also but not the same) soup dish. This dish is slightly more sour and has a spicy kick. The restaurant makes it own fish cakes and fresh sea snails are individually cleaned and prepared. I chose to have the one with minced steamed crab (number 42).

cabramatta bun oc huong xua

Number 42

The dish is served with a side sauce of extra shrimp paste and sate (fried chilli oil). Those who love anchovy will appreciate the extra self-administration of potency. Others will ask for it to be removed from the table.

What does sea snail taste like? its chewy and tastes like seafood (like an extra chewy calamari cross with extra chewy abalone).

Its another one of those dishes that you would take a hard-to-impress foodie to. Probably not something I’d introduce to those with a  limited food range LOL….just have a look at the pictures below! You got to have an adventurous palate. Once you’ve accepted the notion of consuming marine molluscs then you’ll thoroughly enjoy the flavour.

Will this dish save us from the world’s over fishing dilemma?…probably not, but it would be nice to think that we could eat smaller and uglier seafood than tuna and salmon (yes i did recently watch the documentary “End of the Line”).

cabramatta bun oc huong xua

Extra shrimp paste is given

cabramatta bun oc huong xua

Sea snail vermicelli soup (Bun Oc) $12. Yep with lots of chewy little snails.

cabramatta bun oc huong xua

cabramatta bun oc huong xua

Add bean sprouts for crunch

huong xua cabramatta

Steamed crab mince

cabramatta huong xua

Sliced fish cakes

Where? Huong Xua, 180 Cabramatta Rd (south of/behind Rise Cafe) 02 9755 0388

How much? $12 (number 42 on the menu)


Huong Xua on Urbanspoon

Tags: , , ,

Mini Vietnamese pancakes (Banh Khot)

21 Sep

No. 22 of my top 100 fav things in Cabra.

How do you impress a know-it-all foodie? You take them to Cabramatta and give them bun cocks. (“bun what!?!?! ….Banh Khot, prounounced “bun cock”).

This is my trump card. Even locals are impressed when I take them for a meal of banh khot. I get praises like….

“Oh these are just like the ones I use to have in Vietnam!”

“I never knew you could get these in Australia!”

“These aren’t pancakes!” – Aiden 7 years old

As you can see from the pictures below, these are yellow little crispy cakes. Calling them ‘pancakes’ can be quite misleading, as they don’t contain wheat flour (yes gluten free!) eggs or sugar.

These are typically adorned with crispy school prawns and fried shallots. These savoury little parcels are coloured with turmeric and subtly flavoured with coconut. I have seen these served at one other shop but Que Huong is famous for it. They honestly do it well. The skin is so crisp without any oiliness (fried) and centers are magically soft and moist.

Generous servings of lettuce and herbs are given to wrap them and dip into the fish sauce. I must say, this fish sauce is very very good. It’s unlike any one I’ve tasted. A Vietnamese friend of mine was so obsessed with it that she bought a tub home….seriously.

I absolutely love their “special fried chilli”….more seeds than flesh (how chilli SHOULD BE!). Just ask for extra chilli.

Many people compare it to banh xeo, because it uses the same batter however banh khot doesn’t contain mung bean, pork or bean sprouts. Nice and simple.

I find kids go nuts for these!

vietnamese pancake

Eat me, eat me

banh kot

Extra chilli please!

banh kot

Soft centers

A bit of lettuce, herbs and a banh khot. Wah-la!

Where? Que Huong, Belvedere Arcade (look for Subway) Shop 16/70 John St, Cabramatta Ph: 9723 9916

How much? $11
Que Huong on Urbanspoon

Tags: , , ,

← Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 38 other followers