Dim sum is a type of Chinese dish that involves small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate. Dim Sum is usually linked with the older tradition of Yum Cha or drinking tea.

In the bustling City of Blacktown, most people are busy and barely have time for lunch. Raymond Li knew this and he thought of providing a venue where busy people can have a quick meal without having to wait for their orders to be taken. And of course, in most other places, there is usually another waiting period for food to be served.

There is no waiting time at Crystal Seafood Restaurant. Freshly-cooked food is brought from table to table in trolleys. The busy shopper has a wide variety of Dim Sums to choose from – from fried spring rolls to dumplings, plus the irresistible sesame prawns and many more.

Many have tried the Specialty of the House – Peking Duck, served 3 ways. The skin is carved and served with tender Chinese pancakes, slivered onions and sauce. The carcass is chopped and served as soup while the meat is served as the 3rd dish. It is truly a gastronomic experience par excellence!

Owner Raymond Li is no stranger to the restaurant business. He hails from mainland China and was manager of the world famous 5-Star Garden Hotel in Guangzhou. Only 5 years ago, he decided to bring to the people of Blacktown the restaurant that he used to operate and manage in Strathfield, NSW.

For birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and other events, call 9831 8338. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week.

There is in fact a newly-opened Asian Store conveniently located at Stanhope Shopping Village. It is in the same commercial complex where you find Coles Supermarket. Sari-Sari Asian Store is just across the road and facing Stanhope Sports & Leisure Centre.

Aptly named “Sari-Sari” (the Filipino word for anything and everything), products available are not restricted to Filipino groceries. On the shelves are Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai and Singaporean products. (more…)

by Dino Crescini

It was a lazy Friday evening and nobody in the house wanted to cook or prepare dinner. So my wife and I were invited by my daughter and her husband to dine out. After a 40-minute drive via M2 and Cross City Tunnel, we found ourselves in the heart of Sydney – in Haymarket, very close to Paddy’s Market. We were to eat at Wagaya Sydney Restaurant, a Japanese Restaurant in Chinatown.

Walking from the car park, I found the place teeming with Asians, mostly Chinese and Japanese teenagers. From the street up to the first floor reception, we were told that there was a 45 minute wait.

It actually took only 20 minutes for us to be given a private room, Japanese style. As I expected, we had to take off our shoes and rest our feet on what felt like a tatami mat.

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by David Barboza, International Herald Tribune

SHANGHAI. Chinese regulators are widening their investigation into contaminated food amid growing signs that the toxic industrial chemical melamine has leached into the nation’s animal feed supplies, posing health risk to consumers.

The announcement came after food safety tests earlier this week found that eggs produced in three different provinces in China were contaminated with melamine, which is blamed for causing kidney stones and renal failure in infants. The tests have led to recalls of eggs and consumer warnings.

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Australians are busy people. New migrant arrivals from the Philippines discover that domestic helpers are scarce and not affordable. Only the super wealthy can afford to hire them and pay wages in accordance with Australian standards.

After a stressful day at the office, we rush home to cook, then wash the dishes, do a bit of other necessary housework before watching television and going to bed.

But there are other options available. Somehow, children never get tired of eating pizza, KFC or McDonald’s and other junk food items that contribute to obesity. Wise parents would rather dine out and do away with washing the dishes.

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