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:

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

Urban Jungle in Rhodes

I always love trying local cafes, especially when they make their food in-house.  There's something exciting about ordering a dish you haven't seen everywhere else.  But I have to admit, sometimes I get a little sceptical because some places put so much effort into making their dishes look pretty, but taste doesn't really live up to the presentation.

Thankfully, that wasn't the case at Urban Jungle in Rhodes.  Their food not only looks pretty, but it actually tastes good too.  The only downside is definitely on the pricier side, with most main dishes sitting around $25-$35.

Truffle fries

My absolute favourite is their truffle fries.  We order them pretty much every time we go.  They're crispy, packed with truffle flavour and honestly just hard to resist.  At $19, they're not exactly cheap for fries, but they're one of those things I keep coming back for.

Urban benny

We also tried their Urban Benny, their version of egg benedict, which comes with sourdough toast, poached eggs, herbed yuzu hollandaise, tempura field mushrooms, hash brown and sauteed spinach.  It was nice overall, especially with the yuzu hollandaise and the tempura mushrooms were very crispy, but I felt the $27.50 price tag was a bit much.  There were only three pieces of tempura mushrooms, so for that price, I expected a little more.

 

This was the first time we tried the fried chicken waffle, and the portion was pretty generous.  Out of all main dishes, this was probably my favourite.  The combination of crispy and juicy chicken and waffle and the creaminess from runny egg yolk just worked really well.  And it was easily the tastiest dish for me.

Udon carbonara

The Udon Carbonara was another standout.  It was super creamy and tasty, topped with crispy bacon, furikake and a little touch of chili oil, then finished with an onsen egg and Parmesan cheese. At $34, again it's definitely not cheap, but the flavour was there. The chili oil added just enough kick to balance out the creaminess.

Overall, I'd say Urban Jungle is one of those cafes where the food actually lives up to the Instagram-worthy presentation.  Everything looks beautiful, but more importantly, the flavours are there too.

Urban Jungle Rhodes

In Rhodes Waterside

43/1 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes

Ph: 0414 524 156

They have other branches: In Rooty Hill, Hurstville and Parramatta

Kaisendon Burwood

We've been seeing so many TikToks about this fresh seafood donburi restaurant in Burwood, so of course we had to go and try it for ourselves.

One Friday night, we got there just before 6pm, and lucky us, we managed to get the last available table.  No waiting for us that night, but apparently the queue here can get really long, especially because the restaurant itself isn't very big.

My husband went straight for his favourite fish, Bluefin tuna toro.  I ordered the salmon uni don, while my son got the assorted seafood don. 

And honestly... the seafood was super, super fresh.  It's definitely on the pricier side, but I can see why.  The quality of the seafood really shows.

The uni in my bowl was especially good.  It tasted like a better grade of uni.  It had a really nice, full texture rather than the type that just melts away in your mouth.  You could actually bite into it, and there was absolutely no fishy taste just sea smell.  The only problem?  There was literally just one piece of uni in my bowl.  Definitely NOT enough for me!  I wanted more!!

The eel was also cooked perfectly, tender, nicely done and full of flavour.

One thing to note: The restaurant is a little hidden in a back alley, so it can be easy to miss if you don't know where to look.  If you're coming from Burwood Road, go into Grace Lane, next to the tea shop and keep walking all the way to the end of the lane.  Then turn left and the restaurant is right there on the corner.

Kaisendon Burwood

Shop 7/180-186 Burwood Road, Burwood

Open: Thursday - Sunday 11am - 10pm

Chongdee Teahouse, BangkokB

Chongdee Teahouse has quickly become one of my favourite cafes! 

They do classic and fusion Thai drinks and snacks.  And it was their gorgeous two-tone drink, soy milk and black sesame, that lured me into the shop.  Of course, we ended leaving with quite a few sweets in hand.

Soy milk and black sesame frappe

Mini toast with condensed milk

We tried their mini toast with condensed milk and the pa thong ko with palm sugar & coconut milk sauce, and both were amazing.  The bread was so soft inside, while the toasted exterior had that delicious buttery aroma.  So simple, but SO Yum!

The pa thong ko was freshly fried and still piping hot when it arrived.  Crispy on the outside, fluffy inside and best of all, none of that strong ammonia smell you sometimes get with fried dough.

pa thong ko with palm sugar & coconut milk dipping sauce

We also ordered a chocolate drink that came with two complimentary sticks of khao mao.  I didn't actually get to try them because my kids chucked them straight into their mouth while I was busy taking photos.  They gave their official approval though.  Apparently, they were very yummy.

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They are plenty other drinks to try too, including non-milky options like chrysanthemum and kumquat, as well as Thai-style bingsu.

They have a few branches around, mostly inside shopping malls, so definitely worth keeping an eye out for one.  I'm already looking forward to going back and trying more.

Chongdee Teahouse

Level 1, One Bangkok Boulevard Lumphini, Pathum Wan Bangkok

There are other branches such as: Central World, Central Pinklao, Central Ladprao, Paragon, Circle Ratchapreuk and more

Talat Phlu, Bangkok for Foodies

If you're a foodie exploring Bangkok, Talat Phlu is definitely an area worth checking out.  It's basically a little paradise for street food lovers, with so many local eats packed into one area.  One of the unique things about Talat Phlu is that some of the food stalls and shops are right alongside the railway tracks.  So yes, you can literally enjoy your food while watching the train pass by!

Out first stop was Tia Yentafo, a yentafo noodle shop that has been around for decades.  It sits right next to the railway, which makes the experience even more fun.  Slurping noodles while watching a train pass just a few steps away is definitely one of those experiences that seems to attract a lot of foreign visitors.

I have to admit, I'm not usually a huge fan of yentafo.  For those who haven't tried it, yentafo is a Thai noodle dish served with a pinkish-red fermented tofu sauce.  The sauce gives the soup its distinctive colour and a slightly sweet, tangy and savoury flavour.  Some places make it very pink, and honestly, it can sometimes look a little artificial.

Thankfully, the yentafo here wasn't overly pink, which I liked.  It looked much more natural, and the flavour was pretty good too.  The soup was slightly sour, and adding a bit of chili made it even better.  I also liked that there were plenty of fish balls and toppings - actually, there seemed to be more toppings than noodles, which is exactly how I like it.

Next, we moved on to a popular ice cream served with fresh egg yolk.  The ice cream itself was pretty average, but that egg yolk really changed things.  It added extra creaminess and richness, making the whole combination more interesting.

Would I come back just for the ice cream?  Probably not.  But is it something worth trying at least once? Definitely!

Ice cream with fresh egg yolk

Kanom wan Talat Phlu - Thai dessert

Right opposite the ice cream shop, there's a Thai dessert and sweet shop that is so popular you actually need to take a queue ticket.  They sell all kind of traditional Thai sweets, mostly in bite-sized portions.  You simply ask for whatever you like and choose how many pieces you want.  And the best part?  It's incredibly cheap!

Kanom chan

Talat Phlu is also known for its gui chai, or Thai chive dumplings.  Unfortunately, the famous one we wanted to try was closed that day, so we grabbed some from another vendor instead.  They were good, but personally, I much preferred the deep-fried version.  Crispy on the outside just makes everything better!

Before leaving, I couldn't resist getting a few more kanom Tokyo.  Think of it as a Thai-style mini crepe, usually filled with either sweet or savoury fillings.  The classic version is normally quite small, but here they make them bigger, generously filled and seriously satisfying.

And if you're travelling with kids, there's an extra reason to make a day of it.  Jurassic World is only around 15-minute drive away, making it easy to combine your Talat Phlu food adventure with a family-friendly outing.

If you're planning to visit, I'd recommend going on a weekday, as the prices can be quite different compared with the weekend.  They've really done this place well.

You get to walk through immersive Jurassic environments, see impressive life-sized dinosaurs up close, and enjoy interactive experiences that make it feel like you've stepped into the movie.  There are plenty of photo spots, fun activities for kids and adults and even a Jurassic restaurant, making it an easy place to spend a few hours and enjoy the whole experience.

Tia Yentafo

Therdthai Road, Talat Phlu, Bangkok

Open: Daily 8am - 2pm

Kanom Wan Talat Phlu

1129 Soi Thoet Thai 25 (Near Talat Phlu Railway Station)

Open: 11am - 8pm

Jurassic World: The Experience Bangkok

Asiatique, Charoenkrung Road, Bangkok