After trolling through the Harbour Side Shopping Centre and checking out what's on at the Sydney Exhibition Centre, we decided that it was time to make our way to the Sydney Fish Market
We had originally intended to walk from Darling Harbour to the market, with the thought that we would have well and truly digested our breakfast by the time we reach the market and we can commence Round 2 of our Gastronomous Trip. But we couldn't quite work out how to get from Darling Harbour to the traffic light under that funny bridge (forgive the ignorance. I have been told once before the name of the bridge, but can't for the life of me think of the name as I write this). In the end, we decided to take the light rail instead, deciding that it would be safer and (at least) guaranteed that we'd get there instead of ending up lost in Sydney.
I think we arrived at the market just before 12 and we were quite surprised at the large crowd that was already at there. It was a thin large crowd, if that made any sense?? It was busy as there were no seating available outside but it was still bearable inside the market complex. We thought for certain that if we got there early we'd be able to score a table fairly quickly, but I guess we didn't know the extent of the fish market's popularity. So we stood around for a little while, trying vainly to spot a table.. in the end we asked if we could share tables with two ladies who were sitting by the entrance to where all the boats were anchored. So Alv parked himself there whilst Samps and I went off to pick up a few things for lunch. After we sat down, Alv recalled (ironically) that when we first visited SFM last year, we sat at the same table too!
Round 1 at the Fish Market
We had originally intended to walk from Darling Harbour to the market, with the thought that we would have well and truly digested our breakfast by the time we reach the market and we can commence Round 2 of our Gastronomous Trip. But we couldn't quite work out how to get from Darling Harbour to the traffic light under that funny bridge (forgive the ignorance. I have been told once before the name of the bridge, but can't for the life of me think of the name as I write this). In the end, we decided to take the light rail instead, deciding that it would be safer and (at least) guaranteed that we'd get there instead of ending up lost in Sydney.
I think we arrived at the market just before 12 and we were quite surprised at the large crowd that was already at there. It was a thin large crowd, if that made any sense?? It was busy as there were no seating available outside but it was still bearable inside the market complex. We thought for certain that if we got there early we'd be able to score a table fairly quickly, but I guess we didn't know the extent of the fish market's popularity. So we stood around for a little while, trying vainly to spot a table.. in the end we asked if we could share tables with two ladies who were sitting by the entrance to where all the boats were anchored. So Alv parked himself there whilst Samps and I went off to pick up a few things for lunch. After we sat down, Alv recalled (ironically) that when we first visited SFM last year, we sat at the same table too!
Round 1 at the Fish Market
From Top to bottom: Grilled Garlic Scallops, Deep Fried Whitebait, Stir Fried Blackbean Pipis/Clams, Oysters Kilpatrick and Grilled Garlic Prawn Skewers.
After the average breakfast, we were really looking forward to a good lunch at the Fish Market. In hindsight, maybe we were expecting too much from the Fish Market because we were delivered, yet again, another disappointingly average lunch.
The garlic scallops was nicely done, the texture was firm and not too chewy which is how I like my scallops done, unfortunately it was also a bit cold? Considering the large crowds at the market, I would've thought that they would've been fresh out of the grill?
The whitebait was fresh, crunchy and cold. :( We actually didn't eat much of it because the guys didn't like it. They were too used to having the whitebaits at Yum cha where the batter is much lighter and the dish is tossed with sauteed spring onion, garlic, onion and capsicum. I was a bit surprise at the serving portion for $7.50, I thought it was great value.. until I tasted it.
The pipis was over cooked and chewy. :( I love pipis, but there is nothing worse than chewing rubber coated with gravy. It was too late, we bought it, someone had to eat it... and it had to be me.
Suffice to say, the bad food continued.. The oysters were disgusting. Topped with bad quality bacon, they were umm luke warm? The garlic prawns was tasteless and again..say it with me people.. C.O.L.D = COLD! Sigh.
I was starting to wonder whether I should ever return to SFM. Maybe.. I need to go with Sydney siders? People who go to the fish market all the time. They would know which is the best shops to go to and those to avoid??
Round 2: Salmon Sashimi
The garlic scallops was nicely done, the texture was firm and not too chewy which is how I like my scallops done, unfortunately it was also a bit cold? Considering the large crowds at the market, I would've thought that they would've been fresh out of the grill?
The whitebait was fresh, crunchy and cold. :( We actually didn't eat much of it because the guys didn't like it. They were too used to having the whitebaits at Yum cha where the batter is much lighter and the dish is tossed with sauteed spring onion, garlic, onion and capsicum. I was a bit surprise at the serving portion for $7.50, I thought it was great value.. until I tasted it.
The pipis was over cooked and chewy. :( I love pipis, but there is nothing worse than chewing rubber coated with gravy. It was too late, we bought it, someone had to eat it... and it had to be me.
Suffice to say, the bad food continued.. The oysters were disgusting. Topped with bad quality bacon, they were umm luke warm? The garlic prawns was tasteless and again..say it with me people.. C.O.L.D = COLD! Sigh.
I was starting to wonder whether I should ever return to SFM. Maybe.. I need to go with Sydney siders? People who go to the fish market all the time. They would know which is the best shops to go to and those to avoid??
Round 2: Salmon Sashimi
Alv wanted salmon sashimi. That was all he wanted, he said.. So since we didn't come back with any sashimi in Round 1, he decided that he would go and buy some sashimi as he wasn't going to come all the way to the fish market and leave without having any sashimi. So off he went, and this was what he came back with.
I have to say, this was probably the highlight of our meal at the market. So he probably didn't get a good cut of salmon. He's a guy*, he doesn't know anything about food apart from "it goes in one way.. ..", I think you get the picture. Knowing him, he probably went in to the first place he saw that sold any form of sashimi, ordered some and when asked which piece/cut of meat he would like, he would've answered "err anything!".
*To all guy foodies out there, please do not be offended. I'm not generalising. He is my guy, and he's a bit ignorant when it comes to good food*
Anyway, we enjoyed the scenery for a bit after we finished eating and I saw this Gondola anchored right near our table. How cool is that?! I can't remember seeing it the last time I was there, but what a great idea for couples who wanted something romantic after their seafood feast. :) Oh, I should mention that we saw Andrew G of Australian Idol fame. Ok, maybe not we, but Alv saw him when we were getting the food inside. I tried to take a photo of him, got a bad one. Don't know why I bothered, not that I'm a big fan or anything. Oh well.. just being a tourist. LOL
*To all guy foodies out there, please do not be offended. I'm not generalising. He is my guy, and he's a bit ignorant when it comes to good food*
Anyway, we enjoyed the scenery for a bit after we finished eating and I saw this Gondola anchored right near our table. How cool is that?! I can't remember seeing it the last time I was there, but what a great idea for couples who wanted something romantic after their seafood feast. :) Oh, I should mention that we saw Andrew G of Australian Idol fame. Ok, maybe not we, but Alv saw him when we were getting the food inside. I tried to take a photo of him, got a bad one. Don't know why I bothered, not that I'm a big fan or anything. Oh well.. just being a tourist. LOL
I took a photo of the bridge.. the one that I don't know the name of as we say good bye to the Sydney Fish Market. I think it's a great place if you were after fresh seafood and if you were going to cook it yourself. (I certainly wish we had one in Melbourne!) But I think the quality of the cooked food is a bit of a hit and miss. I don't remember it being that bad when we were there last year. In fact it was quite the opposite which was why we wanted to go again. This time round it felt like the food was mass produced. (Perhaps we should've gone for the shops outside instead of inside the complex?)
The other that was really disappointing was the money we spent on the bad lunch. All up we probably spent about the same for lunch as we did for breakfast. Samps paid the most when he forked out $25 for the cold prawns and yucky oysters. My scallops, pipis and whitebait was $20 and Alv's sashimi was about $10 plus drinks it was probably $60.
I think we all agreed that we probably won't make the trek out there again the next time we're in Sydney. Unless we're guided by someone in the know. :|
The other that was really disappointing was the money we spent on the bad lunch. All up we probably spent about the same for lunch as we did for breakfast. Samps paid the most when he forked out $25 for the cold prawns and yucky oysters. My scallops, pipis and whitebait was $20 and Alv's sashimi was about $10 plus drinks it was probably $60.
I think we all agreed that we probably won't make the trek out there again the next time we're in Sydney. Unless we're guided by someone in the know. :|
Sydney Fish Market
Bank Street, Pyrmont
<-- Some extra snaps if you're interested.
2 comments:
Yeh, you need me around! ;) hahaha...
BTW, that gondola is always there. Last time we had a work excursion to Fish Markets and LC & I were speaking to the owner and he said lots of proposals happens there.. and then hinted for LC to hire it too..hahaa.. but he tried to push me into the water instead. Geez.
That would be the Anzac Bridge. :)
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