Do the noodle dance

Not exactly sure what the noodle dance would look like (perhaps a sperm-like wriggling, coupled with jumping?), but a number of people (myself included) did a spontaneous jig when getting close enough to the Night Noodle Markets in Hyde Park to smell the noodly-goodness.

The Night Noodle Markets are an institution at the Sydney International Food Festival (previously known as Good Food Month). Of all that is on offer, this is one of the most affordable and accessible ways to take part in the food festivities. For two weeks in October, Hyde Park is transformed into a series of upmarket hawker stalls. Free entertainment abounds, elegantly costumed women dance on a central stage set amidst lanterns and light shows and parades of Chinese drums and Lion dancers snake expertly through the tightly packed tables, chairs and crowds.

We arrived at 7.30pm to find the park heaving with people. Queues looked revoltingly long, but once we made up our minds about which stall to eat from (East Ocean Restaurant for yum cha style food) it was an easy 5 - 10 minutes to the front of the line. We ordered one of the many meal deals on offer - salt and pepper squid with a 10 piece dim sum for $25 - and it was handed over steaming hot and fragrant within seconds. Despite the crowds, we quickly scored a table and chairs for 9 people, and this seemed to be the case for most.

The offering from East Ocean was good value, comfortably feeding two hungry people. The dim sum included a selection of the the less expensive items - deep fried spring rolls and pork buns - as well as a couple of nicer pieces like steamed prawn dumplings. It is possible to purchase the dim sum items individually for $2 each if you only want your favourites. The salt and pepper squid was the winner though; the batter was light and crisp, the balance of salt and pepper was just right and the squid was tender, with no stringiness to speak of.

Healthier options are also available at the markets if you are so inclined, my flatmate ordered a gently spiced, lemon-laced, seafood and salad plate from Seafood and Eat It. If Asian cuisine is not for you, there is a token gozleme stand amongst the hawker food. Toby's Estate and the delightful Serendipity ice cream also have stalls, and there are a couple of bars - including a Coopers beer garden - onsite too. The only critique would be that although the festival had advertised that they were taking a green approach this year some vendors were still serving food in plastic containers, rather than using the recyclable plates.

The loveliest aspect of the festival, and this alone is worth going along for, is being able to experience a beautiful part of Sydney made into a functional and vibrant social space for people to come together - and on a weeknight, no less. My only regret is not leaving space for noodles.

The 2009 Night Noodle Markets are on Oct 12-16 and 19-23 from 5.00pm-9.30pm in Hyde Park. Head to the official site for more information about what is happening during the Sydney International Food Festival.

New Zealand: more than just a place that accepts Americans

For the general embarrassment of the the New Zealand media and public, PM John Key recently appeared on the David Letterman show to present the top ten reasons to visit the Land of the Long White Cloud. Note: contrary to his televised offer, John Key will not collect you from the airport. Particularly if you arrive at 4.00am after your plane has been delayed due to a freak red dust storm. More celebrity-grabbing publicity stunt than tourism campaign, Key didn't exactly sell the place. Should you find yourself in Auckland, for example, there is more to do than visit the new Cinnabon at the airport. This isn't a top ten, because (to the surprise of most) there are more than ten things to be done in Auckland. And none of them involve sheep.

We'll start with breakfast.

1. Altar
465 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden. Open daily from 7am - 10pm for breakfast, lunch and tapas.

Licensed cafe set up in a pretty white villa set back from the road containing a 300 year old Spanish altar, for which the cafe is named. The altar is usually strewn with homemade goodies of the sweet variety, which go down nicely with the Allpress coffee.

I've read some bad reviews, but in my experience this place is a lovely brunch option, offering the classics with a little something extra - try the roast mushrooms with creamy goats cheese puree on sourdough, or the poached free range eggs with corned beef hashbrowns and hollandaise. The relishes and chutneys that came with the savoury dishes add a hint of spice and a punch of colour. If you're lucky enough to get a sunny day, try to nab a courtyard seat to escape the noise inside.

2. Chapel
147 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby (or Ponsnobby, depending on how you feel about the place).

If you're inclined to continue in the religious theme, stop at Chapel for drinks, decent bar food and its well decorated interior - a tasteful rather than gimmicky themed bar. It touts itself as attracting a 'discerning yet fun' clientele, so keep yourself entertained by trying to spot the socialites and other trendy types tottering around Ponsonby. More details on their site.

3. Sichuan in Remuera Restaurant
333 Remuera Rd, Remuera. Open 7 days, Yum Cha from 11.00am - 2.30pm.

If you've overdone it the night before, Yum Cha is perfectly timed for a hangover cure. You'll need to know what you want, because the trolley staff are fast, and it's best not to ask too many questions about the ingredients. Try the homestyle eggplant, spicy fried flat noodles, and steamed dumplings - both the scallop and prawn are particularly good. The egg custard tart is a nice sweet finish. They are also licensed, if you're ready for hair of the dog.

4. Rialto Cinemas, Newmarket
167-169 Broadway, Newmarket. Open the usual cinema hours.

NZ is generally supportive of your right to drink, and this place is no exception. In a country where you can buy your alcohol with your milk and bread in the supermarket, it should be no surprise that the primarily arthouse cinema allows you to take a glass of wine in to the screening. I can't vouch for all of the Rialto's, but the Newmarket cinema has damn comfortable chairs for you to curl up in while you get your flick fix. Good place to while away one of Auckland's rather numerous rainy days.

5. Urban Cafe
Corner Carlton Gore Rd & Kingdon St, Newmarket. Open 7 days.

Should you wish to berate John Key's for his Letterman appearance, apparently he and his entourage get their caffeine fix here occasionally. Urban uses the amazing Harney & Sons tea and offers both express and cooked to order items. More information, including the full menu and a revolving view of their clean industrial style interior are available on their site.

6. Rangitoto Island
Hauraki Gulf

If you're fit, or can rope someone into dragging you up the last incline, trekking up Rangitoto is a worthwhile venture. If you are into exercise it is a lovely achievement I'm sure, but for the rest of us the 360 degree views of, well, everything, are breathtaking (just like the climb). If nothing else, I can promise that you will feel grateful when you stop and sit down at the top. Rangitoto is also the site of some interesting social history - you can even see a 'bach', of John Key's top ten. More information on the island and how to get there here.

7. Flying fox at Little Rangitoto Park
Upland Rd, Remuera.


A far less extreme version of Rangitoto, with the added benefit of a flying fox. Sure, it's intended for kids, but if you bend your knees and lift your legs so they don't drag along the track there is still a significant amount of fun to be had here. The park itself is really pretty and best of all, it's free.

8. Chalin Tea House
340 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden. Open 7 days, from early afternoon to late.

Snack time. The stand out feature of this tea house is its overwhelming yellowness and the quaint request printed on all of the packaging: 'Please drink carefully to avoid choking on the toppings'. After that, there is also near-overwhelming choice on the menu and a large collection of manga comics and trashy magazines for you to browse if that's your thing. The caramel pearl tea is always a good choice, but if you're not up for tea try one of the puddings. If you like a little more kitsch with your bubble tea, head to Hulu Cat.

9. Salvage

If vintage textiles make you weak at the knees, you have to stop here. The shelves are stacked with fabrics, baskets overflow with trims of all kinds and there are entire drawers dedicated to buttons. Flick through the pattern box for inspiration, or have a chat to the lovely lady who owns the place. If you want to take in some pretty without spending any of your dollars, there is a great rambling garden that you can look down on to the left of the shop.

10. Eden Gardens
24 Omana Avenue (off Mountain Rd), Epsom. Open daily, 9am - 4pm (and a little later in Summer).

If the glimpse of the private garden on Mt Eden Rd isn't enough for you, head to the Eden Garden for 5 full acres of greenery and flowering goodness. Maintained by a team of volunteers, this garden started as an abandoned quarry on one of Auckland's volcanic cones. There are some sweet winding paths and little turn offs for you to stroll about, and a nice view from the top.


A silly piece of trivia for you: the pretty pink foliage of the Chinese Toon, above, is onion-flavoured and edible. Coming out of Spring the leaves turn from pink to cream to green.

11. The Fridge
507 New North Rd, Kingsland. Open every day, from about 8am - 4pm.

A deli-style cafe offering fresh and delicious food taking you from breakfast through to late lunch. An excellent choice if you're in a hurry, because they have an oven full of to-die-for, meal on the run pies.

12. Piha

If it's warm, join the rest of Auckland in a day trip to the coast. Piha is also worth a non-swimming visit in the cooler months just to walk across the glittering black sand and climb Lion Rock, or wander one of the other tracks from the beach. Goat Island Marine Reserve is also a good day trip, only a one hour drive from Auckland, and offers snorkling if you want to gander at the pretty fish. Just don't forget to be liberal with the sunscreen and seek out some shade. New Zealand might have a lot to offer but an intact ozone layer is not one of those things. You will crisp, I promise.

13. The Fishmonger
363 Parnell Rd, Parnell. Open 7 days, 10.30am - 9.00pm.

The only choice for food after a day at the beach is fish and chips, and The Fishmonger is one of Auckland's best. For a quick stop, head to Parnell and grab a stool at the bench for people-watching. Kumera chips with salt and pepper squid, a couple of scallops and a bottle of any of the Phoenix organic soft drinks will have you sorted.