So you got a train to the Chatswood Interchange? Here are some tips on places to stop at as you're browsing.
Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart: at 3 pm on a weekday, the area around here is inundated with school kids lining up for tarts. Business is not exactly slow any other time of day. These cultish savoury sweet tarts might be up your alley too.
The pastry shell is just right, and while
the classic cheese filling is a favourite, try toppings of salted egg, caramel and strawberry to name a few.....
Pafu: Apple turnovers taking the best elements of classic french pastry and adding Japanese cuteness and skill. Pafu seems to originate from Melbourne, despite being a French and Japanese marriage of concepts and flavours....
Gram Cafe and Pancakes: Perhaps not technically a bakery but batter is involved...these giant pancakes are an amusing sight, in fact they look like a pile of pneumatic English muffins but there's where the likeness ends. Up close, these thick pillows are airy and uber soft, and arrive in a trembling tower, with a mound of butter and thick maple syrup oozing down the sides. You can have them in a variety of ways, even with eggs....
Lots of hot and cold drinks on offer: Lorrie was adventurous and ordered a sparkling watermelon drink, while I thoroughly enjoyed the black sesame latte: delicious, earthy and nutty flavours.
Pork floss covered red bean mochi balls are only available in cute take out boxes; if you like the idea of mixing savoury and sweet, together with an amazing combination of textures this is a treat not to be missed.
Cruising the aisles of Joymart will surely bring you joy. Pick up unusual snacks like charcoal covered peanuts, (Lorrie thought these would make a very nice hostess gift....) crunchy dried tripe, all varieties of spam, little pots of instant vegan noodles, and brightly coloured packets of crisps: prawn, fish, chicken and kimchi. Snack heaven, in fact.
Toastie Smith: Korean egg drop sandwiches, these eggy, brioche style sandos come squeezed snug in boxes with a cute egg graphic. Fillings are far from the usual, and these combinations are sure to wake your appetite: breakfast toasties have a fluffy scrambled egg base and then pile on the spam, ham, caramelized onion, fish roe, etc. For a more lunchy type version there's wagyu beef, or spiced chicken, roasted pineapple, smashed avocado, barramundi or garlic prawns.
In the food halls upstairs, I don't envy anyone the decisions to be made at lunchtime or for dinner. Apart from Amah by Ho Jiak which is a must, there are a multitude of places in the smart, upmarket spaces offering tasty meals.
There is Ippudo, which is a popular chain all over Japan, and now served at various outposts like this one.
Spicy noodle places abound: Spicy Joint, Chang'An, China Chilli for starters. A classic wantan mee at Amah's.
Malaysian favourites, BBQ at Granny Wolf, Korean Myung Jang and Malatang: a spicy Chinese hotpot.
Head to Lorrie's blog today too, where you'll enjoy a visual feast of all we saw and experienced.
Images a combination of my own and drawn from social media.