Nobal Glomad

With our population’s ancestry hailing from the remotest Alaskan igloo to the Ozzie Antarctic outpost, Sydney has a blowout of destination focused markets and eateries. A chunk of this diversity specialises in South-East Asian everything, with a sizeable suburban smattering of Pig ear-filled local grocer joints and fresh rice noodle serveries servicing a market well versed in regular eat out dining. Market City is Sydney’s epicentre of Asia-centric seven days a week foodie experience, serving fresh ready to eats, take out or haul homes for the diverse cook up demographic.

Returning (for now) from European travels I’ve committed myself to throwing something off the usual itinerary into my daily 9 to 5. The idea of returning to 9 to 5 hasn’t hit home yet… this morning strolling through the city I felt like Neo in ‘The Matrix’ waiting for the glitch of 2 passing black cats.

As usual – I digress and break all the rules of engaging tale writing leaving my readers lost for focus, wondering what the hell I am going on about and most likely having already unsubscribed… back to it.

My something different for the day landed me in Market City, Haymarket. Thai Kee IGA Supermarket in the middle of the multi-levelled mall is exactly what I want from an hour long trolley romp. It’s a world apart from the over polish of Australia’s super chainstores Woolworths and Coles… a world apart from the conventional IGA. It’s an endless isle to isle long boat of food, utility and utensil covering Beijing to Bali. The offering isn’t limited to just Asian borders. There’s tortillas, passatas, kangaroo streaks and frozen hamburgers… all still in use-by date, dusted, stacked and a to z’d. I recommend selecting your cuisine of choice prior departure, avoiding a dinner menu of Pad Thai Sushi with Edamami Goreng in a sesame seed bun.

I was after Ooling Tea. Why? Well the internet oracle of bullet pointed benefits tells me it helps reduce cholesterol, burn fat, prevent heart ailments, promote longevity, promote healthier and stronger bones, and fight against tooth decay. Enough said. There were 50+ brands to choose from, all packaged in languages I’d rarely needed at Primary School. I chose the one with the solo identifier ‘Organic’.

Next… Shitakis. Before me stood a stacked wall of vacuum packed woody fungus. I asked the store assistant if she had a favourite. She stared blankly and pointed saying “Shitaki”. I smiled, told her that yes baby blue was definitely her colour, took the closest red packet of wrinkled leather-rooms and continued on to kitchen central, via the tofu section for a packet of that can’t find anywhere else five spice smoked tofu… seriously good.

Woks, pots, stainless steel scoopers, chopsticks, mallets, rice cookers, pegs, buckets, brooms braising pots and baskets. I couldn’t leave without an oversized utensil in hand. I clearly needed an unnecessary addition to my bamboo steamer collection. There’s also some fruit and vegetables and token seafood but save these for outside.

Post check-out I popped into Haymarket Seafood. There’s freaky tubs of bubbling water stacked with harnessed crabs, crates full of ice overloaded with tuna, trout, prawns, octopus and fish of all shapes, aroma and colour. Walk out the back to experience record breaking master filleters slicing through their daily quota of the days catch. A slab of salmon and a kilo of scurry in hand, I jumped in the lift to the ground floor to get amongst it.

Paddy’s Markets is a schizophrenic mix of tacky and cheaper than anywhere else by the kilo fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood. The quality fits the brief, the turnover’s high and there’s no mucking about. Throw your integrity out the window (no one has time to care) and buy a grannie hold-all trolley. Mine’s usually squashed to the max in 5 minutes flat, full of in season traditionals as well as super plump chinese broccoli, chillis, pink ginger and garlic shallots.

Overspend accomplished it was a quick sidestep to Pho Pasteur for a plate of dodgy pork bits spring rolls and clear chicken noodle Pho. Simple peasant Vietnamese in a lower than no frills environment with matching don’t give a crap service. I think it’s the charming fluorescent lighting, or perhaps the sticky tablecloths that keep me coming back for more. If you ask for no MSG they’ll show you the door. There’s nothing I enjoy more than an old falling apart favourite with endless ‘It was disgusting’ or ‘Why hasn’t this place been closed down’ online user reviews.

I’ve just spent an hour trawling the online rental market considering 6 months of Haymarket habitation… taking myself out of the bubble of life that was the inner east, getting my teeth more into the fabulous diversity on offer in Sydney. It could be 5.9 months of regret. It could also be a wonderful ex-pat diversifying experience in my own city. See you in Market City for a wonton soup bowl or dim sum Sunday sometime soon.

Market City
Monday – Friday 9am – 5.30pm | Saturday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
9-13 Hay Street, Haymarket NSW

Paddy’s Markets
Monday – Sunday 9am – 5pm
9-13 Hay Street, Haymarket NSW