Saigon Bay in Anse Vata, Noumea

Previously:

P&P Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Anse Vata, Noumea

Sometimes, even when we're travelling in Western countries, we still find ourselves craving Asian food. 

We came across this Vietnamese-style BBQ that we've never tried before, and it looked so interesting that we had to give it a go.  There was a choice of beef, pork or duck, and of course, we went for the mixed one so we could try a bit of everything.

The meat was already pre-marinated, so it was really flavourful on its own.  It came with some vegetables and onions that we could grill together with the meat, plus pickled cabbage and carrots on the side.  I really liked having the pickles with the BBQ because they added that fresh, tangy flavour to balance out all the richness of the meat.

My favourite was definitely the duck meat.  I'm pretty sure the duck pieces were a little fattier, and you know what they say, good BBQ needs a bit of fat!! And when the fat edges got slightly burnt and crispy from the grill, ohhhh, that was the best part.  So delicious!!!

 

We also ordered a wonton noodle soup.  It was okay, but the soup was a little too sweet and peppery for my taste.  The BBQ was definitely the star of the meal.

Saigon Bay

119 Promenade Roger Laroque, Anse Vata, Noumea

Open: Daily 11am - 2pm, 6:30pm - 10pm

Stay tuned for the next blog still in New Caledonia:

P&P Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Anse Vata, Noumea

Previously:

New Caledonia

As soon as we landed, the first thing we did was hunt for food.  We didn't go too far from the hotel and ended up at this pizza and pasta restaurant called P&P. 

The kids were happily entertained with their colouring activities while we waited for the food to arrive, which was honestly a win after travelling.

We ordered two large pizzas and a burger just between the four of us - and let me tell you, we left feeling extremely full.  The pizzas were HUGE and absolutely delicious.  They also gave us this spicy oil to go with the pizza, which I'd never really had before.  It was like olive oil infused with chili and spices, and it was so, so yummy and went well with pizza.  Definitely added an extra kick to the pizza.

The pizzas were around AUD 45-50 each, they were more than enough to share.  The burger was delicious too, and by the end of the meal, all four of us were happily stuffed.

P&P Restaurant

Complexe La Promenade in Anse Vata

107 Promenade Roger Laroque, Noumea

Open: Daily from 11:30am - 9:30pm  (until 10pm on Friday and Saturday)

Stay tuned for the next blog still in New Caledonia:

Saigon Bay in Anse Vata, Noumea

New Caledonia

To be honest, New Caledonia probably isn't on the top of everyone's travel bucket list.  I have to admit, before this trip, I didn't know a whole lot about it either!

But when you live in Australia, being far apart from the rest of the world but need some escapes to an island every now and then.  Of course, there are plenty of options around the Pacific, and we had already done Fiji before.  So this time, we thought, why not try something different.

And that's how we ended up choosing New Caledonia.

So, where exactly is New Caledonia?

New Caledonia is a group of islands in the South Pacific, located east of Australia.  The main island is called Grande Terre, where you'll find the capital city, Noumea.

One interesting thing about New Caledonia is that it is French territory.  It's not an independent country like Fiji.  It has a unique political status as a French overseas territory, so you'll notice plenty of French influence - from the language and food to the culture.

And yes, French is widely spoken, so don't be surprised if your holiday suddenly feels a little bit like French in the middle of the Pacific!

I was impressed by how easy it is to get there from Australia.  We flew with Qantas, and the flight was direct and took less than three hours.  That's pretty amazing when you think about it.  You can leave Australia in the morning and be sitting by a beautiful tropical beach not long afterwards.

No super long-haul flight, no exhausting travel day.  Just a relatively quick trip to an island paradise.

The first thing that really amazed me was we can start to see lagoons from the plane when we about to land.  Then their beaches.  The water was tranquil, and the waves were so calm.  It gave the whole place a very peaceful and relaxing feeling.

The weather was another highlight.  It was sunny and warm, but there was a lovely cooler breeze, which made being outside much more comfortable.  You get that tropical holiday feeling without feeling like you're melting the whole time.

Noumea itself also felt quite relaxed.  It wasn't overly crowded or packed with tourists when we were there, and the people we met were friendly.  There was something really nice about walking around without feeling like you were constantly surrounded by huge crowds.

If I had one thing to mention, it would be the price.  I found New Caledonia a little bit expensive compared with some other Pacific island destinations.  So if you're travelling on a budget, it's definitely something to keep in mind.

But at the same time, this trip wasn't really about ticking off a long list of attractions.  It was about slowing down, enjoying the beach, eating good food and simply relaxing.  And for that, New Caledonia was exactly what we needed.

Sometimes you don't need a packed itinerary.  Sometimes you just need beautiful water, sunshine, a gentle breeze and somewhere peaceful to switch off.  This trip definitely gave us that feeling.

I'll be sharing more about what we ate, the activities we did, and the hotel we stayed at in my next posts, so stay tuned and keep reading.  Octie Appetie everyone....

Stay tuned for the next blog still in Noumea:

P&P Pizza & Pasta Restaurant in Anse Vata, Noumea

Zaap by Chang Thai Lao Restaurant, Cabramatta

I've been wanting to try Zaap Lao Thai restaurant in Cabramatta for the longest time.  Every time we walked past, their menu board would catch our attention.  It is so tempting, and honestly, pretty hard to resist!  But somehow, every single time, we'd already eaten somewhere else and would tell ourselves, "Next time!"

Well... "next time" finally happened.

I think one reason we kept missing it is that the restaurant is slightly tucked away inside an alley on the second floor.  The sign is clearly visible from the main road, but the actual restaurant is a little hidden, so it's easy to walk past without realising there's spacious restaurant upstairs.

Once we finally made our way in, we were actually surprised by how spacious the place was.  And of course, seeing the menu in person made choosing what to eat even harder because there were so many things we wanted to try!

After much discussion (and probably too much menu staring), we settled on our top four.

First up was the deep-fried tofu and taro, served with a sweet and salty dipping sauce and crushed peanuts.  These were SO good.  They were fried to that perfect golden colour - crispy on the outside while still deliciously soft inside.  The dipping sauce with the crushed peanuts was the perfect little extra touch.

Then came the Luang Prabang-style papaya salad platter, which was basically a feast on its own.  It came with fried chicken wings, moo yor (Northeastern Thai pork sausage), pork crackling and fresh rice noodle alongside the papaya salad.

The papaya salad was spot on for us.  It had a good level of heat without completely overpowering everything else and the sourness was nicely balanced.  Combined with the crispy pork crackling and all the other sides, there was so much going on in one plate.

We also ordered the grilled chicken, which was charred beautifully on the outside, full of flavour and still juicy inside.  Definitely one of those dishes where you just keep reaching for another piece.

And lastly, we had the Thai-style grilled beef steak.  Honestly, this one surprised us in the best way.  The beef was surprisingly tender and really tasty and those roasted garlic on the side!  That made me very happy.

Overall, we had such a great meal at Zaap Lao Thai Restaurant.  It was one of the places we kept saying we'd try "next time" - and now I'm wondering why we waited so long.  There are still so many things on the menu we didn't get to try, so we'll definitely be back to work our way through more of it.

Zaap by Chang Thai Lao Restaurant

Shop 6, Level 1, 50 Park Rd, Cabramatta

Ph: +61 2 8786 2829

Open: Daily from 11am - 9pm

Cafe Nho in Cabramatta

Tucked away in a little alley in Cabramatta, Cafe Nho is one of those places you might easily walk past if you don't know it's there.  But once you find it, you'll understand why people keep coming back.

This little Vietnamese cafe serves up drinks, ice creams and traditional Vietnamese desserts.  And honestly, it never seems to stop.  Customers are constantly coming and going, some grabbing takeaway, others trying to find a spot to sit in and enjoy their treats.  It can be pretty hard to get a seat sometimes, which probably says a lot about how popular this place is!

I have two favourites on the menu: the avocado and black sesame smoothie and their caramel flan.

I've always had a soft spot for avocado drinks, but blending avocado with black sesame takes it to another level.  It's creamy, rich and has that lovely nutty flavour from the black sesame.  It's definitely not your everyday smoothie, and that's exactly what makes it so good.  Very clever menu.

Then there's the flan.  The texture isn't quite as smooth and silky as some flans I've had, but the flavour combination makes up for it.  Served cold with ice and ruby gems, there's a slight bitterness that cuts through the sweetness beautifully.  It's such a refreshing dessert, especially on a warm day.

Cafe Nho is definitely worth a visit if you're in Cabramatta area.  If you love Vietnamese desserts and drinks, give this little hidden gem a try.

Cafe Nho

13 & 15 Belvedere Arcade, Cabramatta

Ph: 0434 273 323