Random Yummy Bites in Sydney

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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Australia, Bankstown, Food & Drinks, Gelato, Malay, Mamak, Messina, Oceania, Pho, Pho An, Restauran An, Sydney

Looking back on our time in Sydney, I will remember all of the good food fondly. This post is dedicated to some of our more yummy bites in Sydney.

Mamak for Mouthwatering Malay Food

Mr. Selfish and I started queuing up for Mamak (15 Goulburn Street, Haymarke) around 4:55pm. The restaurant opens at 5pm, and the line was already around the block. It was worth the wait though because the food is authentic and delicious.

Mamak is known for its fresh roti and satay. We tried the plain roti canai ($5.50), the murtabak, which is roti filled with spicy chicken or lamb, cabbage, egg, and onions ($11.50), and the beef satay, which is served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce (1/2 dozen for $9.00). Everything was delicious but the standout dish was the plain roti canai. It was freshly made, crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside.

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Having Fun at the Museums in Sydney

13 Saturday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Oceania, Sydney

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Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of NSW, Australia, Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sydney

During our stay in Sydney, Mr. Selfish and I visited two museums – the Art Gallery of New South Wales (NSW) and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. While we enjoyed ourselves at both museums, the reason for our enjoyment differed between the two museums.

The Art Gallery of NSW

The Art Gallery of NSW is located in Sydney’s central business district. The Art Gallery has four different levels with each level having a very eclectic collection. Mr. Selfish and I truly enjoyed viewing all of the different collections here.

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Brew Pub Battle: 4 Pines v. Lord Nelson

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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4 Pines, Australia, Brew Pub, Food & Drinks, Four Pines, Lord Nelson, Manly, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sydney, The Rocks

Mr. Selfish and I are so glad to once again be in a country with a brew pub culture. At first, we were a bit skeptical as to the microbreweries in Sydney but were quickly won over by two brew pubs – 4 Pines and the Lord Nelson Pub.

The 4 Pines in Manly

During our first nine days in Sydney, we stayed at my cousin’s apartment in Manly. In order to get to Manly from Sydney city center, you have to take the Manly ferry, which takes around 30 minutes and costs $5.80 per single trip. Although taking an hour trip and paying $11.60 to go to a brew pub seems a bit much, 4 Pines (29/43-45 E Esplanade, Manly) is worth the trip, especially on a day with a beautiful sunset.

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Chomping Down in Surry Hills

08 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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Australia, Bills, Breakfast, Cafe Sopra, Food & Drinks, Italian, Oceania, Pub, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Surry Hills, Sydney, The Carrington, Waterloo

Mr. Selfish and I suffered serious sticker shock upon our arrival in Sydney. We found the food prices to be quite high. I saw a plain glazed donut in the mall that cost $3. Yeah, one donut. On the bright side, the quality of the food is consistently better than average. Even when we ate at a random establishment (sans any research), we were typically content with the food quality.

Bills for Yummy Breakfast

Although we didn’t spend much time in the Surry Hills area, Mr. Selfish and I did manage to eat at some nice restaurants. First, we found the breakfast at Bills (359 Crown Street) to be rather tasty.

The highlight of the meal was the ricotta hotcakes that came with banana and honeycomb butter ($19.50). The hotcakes melt in your mouth and the honeycomb butter adds a delightful texture. We also enjoyed the scrambled organic eggs ($14.50), which were the creamiest scrambled eggs I’ve ever tasted.

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Sydney’s CBD: Taking Afternoon Tea, the State Theatre, and St. Mary’s Cathedral

07 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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Afternoon Tea, Australia, Before Midnight, CBD, Central Business District, Oceania, Queen Victoria Building, QVB, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, St. Mary's Cathedral, State Theatre, Sydney, Tea Room

Mr. Selfish and I were delighted to return to an English speaking country, particularly a former British colony. We immediately decided that we would go for afternoon tea and reacquaint ourselves with scones and clotted cream. Based on our Aussie friend’s recommendation, we decided to try the Tea Room at the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) in Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD).

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The Magnificent Beach Infrastructure in Sydney

05 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Oceania, Sydney

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Australia, Beach Infrastructure, Bondi, Bondi Beach, Bronte, Bronte Beach, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sydney

Mr. Selfish and I were particularly surprised at the serious amounts of beach infrastructure in Sydney. Not only is a sizeable chunk of the population into water sports, but Sydney has the infrastructure to support it. As far as I could tell, each beach has its own “Surf Life Saving Club,” a salt water pool, and tons of paved walkways for scenic beach strolls.

We enjoyed the walk from Bondi beach to Bronte beach. We took this stroll during our first day in Sydney. Although we were quite jetlagged, we couldn’t fail to appreciate how beautiful it was.

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Enjoying the Views of the Opera House in Sydney

04 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Oceania, Sydney

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Australia, Harbour Bridge, Lady Macquarie's Chair, Oceania, Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sydney

During our first day in Sydney, Mr. Selfish and I enjoyed perfect weather and were delighted to see the infamous Opera House. I found the Opera House to be quite lovely and feel that the numerous photos and film footage I’ve seen of it did not it justice. It is something else to see it with your own eyes and experience how the light dances off of the “shells.”

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Hiking in Mount Takao Outside of Tokyo

30 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Tokyo

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Asia, Day Trip, Japan, Mount Takao, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Takaosan, Tokyo, Yakuoin Temple

The gym that Mr. Selfish and I found in Tokyo was closed on Mondays, so we decided to take a day trip to Mount Takao on a Monday for some easy hiking. It takes about 50 minutes and 370 yen to reach Mount Takao (aka Takaosan) from Shinjuku. On a clear day, you can see Tokyo, Mount Fuji, and Yokohama from the top.

Mount Takao has seven clearly marked trails. Mr. Selfish and I decided to hike up the Biwa Waterfall trail and down trail #1, which passes the monkey forest and the Yakuoin temple.

The Biwa Waterfall trail takes you along the limpid waters of the Biwataki Stream through a forest of low cedars. We saw the Biwa Waterfall from a distance but weren’t too compelled to come closer since it seemed quite small.

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Searching for the Best Ramen in Tokyo

29 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Searching for the Best . . ., Tokyo

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Ichiran, Japan, Kyushu Jangara, Menya Musashi, Ramen, Rokkakuya, Tokyo

Mr. Selfish and I knew that as soon as arrived in Tokyo, we would start our search for the best ramen there. We went to three new ramen shops, as well as an Ichiran, which we loved in Fukuoka.

Kyushu Jangara

First, we went to Kyushu Jangara, which is located in Harajuku (located at Shanzeru Harajuku II 1-2F, 1-13-21 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo). They serve tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen with a boiled egg, pork chashu, and thick slices of pork belly.

Verdict: The ramen was quite tasty, especially with the two different types of pork. The broth was porky and flavorful but the noodles were just standard.

Score: 8.0.

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Visiting the Other Park: Tokyo Disneyland

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Disney, Japan, Tokyo

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Asia, Disney, Disneyland, Japan, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tokyo, Tokyo Disneyland

Mr. Selfish and I were looking most forward to visiting Tokyo DisneySea but when we looked at the ticket prices, we figured we would also go to Tokyo Disneyland.

A 1-day pass to either park costs 6,200 yen. However, there is no park hopper option for a 1-day pass. Nevertheless, you can buy an after-6pm pass for the second park, which costs 3,300 yen. Together, a 1-day pass and an after-6pm pass costs 9,500 yen, whereas a 2-day pass costs 10,700 yen. Since it wasn’t much of a price difference, we decided to purchase a 2-day pass.

Tokyo Disneyland is very similar to California’s Disneyland and Florida’s Magic Kingdom. It was built in 1983 and is the third most visited park after its stateside counterparts. The park has seven areas: the World Bazaar, Fantasyland, Adventureland, Mickey’s Toontown, Tomorrowland, Critter Country, and Westernland.

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Sailing the Seven Seas of Tokyo DisneySea

24 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Disney, Japan, Tokyo

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Asia, Disney, Disney Sea, DisneySea, Japan, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tokyo, Tokyo Disney Sea, Tokyo DisneySea

Mr. Selfish and I were quite psyched to visit Tokyo DisneySea since we had heard so many wonderful things about it. We had very high expectations for this park, and amazingly, it did not disappoint.

Opening in 2001, Tokyo DisneySea is the most expensive theme park ever built costing over $4 billion USD. It is currently the fourth busiest theme park in the world – just after Disneyland in California, Magic Kingdom in Florida, and Disneyland in Tokyo. However, the park was so well-planned that it actually did not feel that busy.

Mr. Selfish and I found Tokyo DisneySea to be distinctly Japanese. First of all, the vast majority of the attendees (probably 95%) were Japanese. Second, most of the attendees were adults. Third, attendees were very cutsey and adored the Disney Bear – Duffy. Our first introduction to Duffy was back in Epcot in 2011 back when Mr. Selfish and I were still taking vicious photos for our annual Christmas card.

Oh no Duffy

While Duffy isn’t that big in the States, he is HUGE in Japan. Even the men were sporting Duffy merchandise. We ran into couples that had over thirty Duffy bears.

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Izakaya Showdown in Tokyo: The 35 Steps v. Gonpachi

23 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Tokyo

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35 Steps, Asia, Food & Drinks, Gonpachi, Izakaya, Japan, Kill Bill, The 35 Steps, The Thirty-Five Steps, Thirty-Fivew Steps, Tokyo

Mr. Selfish and I certainly enjoyed dining at izakayas while in Japan. The casual atmosphere and the abundance of drinks and food undoubtedly lead to a good time. We visited two well-known izakayas in Tokyo to see which one was better.

The 35 Steps

First, we went to the 35 Steps (B1 Shibuya City Hotel, 1-1 Shibuya), which is located near the love hotel district in Shibuya. As you may have guessed, the 35 Steps is in the basement, and you have to walk down thirty-five steps to get to there. But it’s certainly worth the trek. The 35 Steps is known as one of the friendliest izakayas around, and it didn’t disappoint. The service at the 35 Steps was impeccable, and it was clear that the staff enjoyed their jobs.

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Touring the Main Sights in Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, and Imperial Palace

22 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Tokyo

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Asakusa, Asia, Imperial Palace, Japan, Meiji Jingu, Meiji Shrine, Nakamise, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sensoji, Tokyo

Mr. Selfish and I had visited Tokyo in 2009, so this time, we decided to take it easy during our 2-week stay. Nevertheless, we still had to visit some of the main attractions.

Meiji Shrine

First, we visited the Meiji Shrine, which is near Harajuku. The Meiji Shrine is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his consort, the Empress Shoken. We had already been here in 2009 so we just casually wandered around. Soon after walking through the large wooden torii gates, Mr. Selfish and I happened upon a wedding.

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Visiting the Diverse Sights in Kanazawa

20 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Japan, Kanazawa

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21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Asia, Japan, Kanazawa, Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en Garden, Oyama Shrine, Selfish Years, The Selfish Years

Mr. Selfish and I spent three lovely days in Kanazawa. While I initially thought that three days would be too long, it proved to be just the right amount of time in Kanazawa, which had quite a few sights to visit.

The most notable sight in Kanazawa is Kenroku-en Garden, which is considered to be one of the three best gardens in Japan. Admission was only 300 yen a person, and you can definitely spend at least half a day strolling around.

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Slurping Udon, Soba, and Ramen in Kyoto

17 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kakutani, Kissyoumaru, Kyoto, Marugame Udon, Noodles, Ramen, Soba, Udon

Mr. Selfish and I certainly enjoyed our fair share of noodles while in Kyoto. We loved the variety of udon (thick wheat flour noodle), soba (thin buckwheat noodle), and ramen (thin wheat noodle) shops all around the city. In particular, we enjoyed the following three noodle shops.

First, we loved the customizable udon at Marugame Udon (located at Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Kawaramachi-dori, Sanjo-sagaru, Daikoku-cho 54-1). The first step is to choose the type of udon you want from ten different types. Mr. Selfish and I tried three types: (1) udon with a raw egg and a dipping sauce, (2) udon with a curry broth, and (3) udon with broth. They were all delicious and made fresh on the premises.

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