Trip to Wollongong for my Mum's 60th

My Mum's 60th birthday was coming up so I booked a trip to Sydney so I could stay with her for four days. I hadn't seen her since December last year and I was looking forward to catching up with her and my sister Renee and nephew Levi.

The first leg was a flight from Brisbane Airport

as usual, there was a delay

Then a train heading to Shellharbour (south of Wollongong)

And I was finally there! My sister Renee picked me up form Oak Flats railway station and took me to my Mum's house. A long journey but well worth it. 

A few days later Mum and I booked into a room at the Novotel North Beach motel, opposite North Beach. 

At 6pm we headed out to the Lagoon Seafood Restaurant in North Wollongong. 

Review: Sweet treats at Thanon Khao San, Haymarket Thai restaurant

( Re-posted from my Illawarra Gluten-Free blog )

After indulging at the Sydney Night Noodle Markets in Hyde Park (part of the Crave Sydney) my husband and I were walking past a Thai restaurant in Pitt Street, Haymarket and spotted this cute Thai taxi and a selection of Thai desserts in a cold bar.

Intrigued, I stepped closer and asked the patient waitress what each dessert was called and what the ingredients were.   Most of the desserts contained coconut cream, pandan or rice and were very tasty.

There were a few that I found a bit difficult to wrap my head around, including one which featured fried onion as a garnish. I will be sure to try it again next time I am feeling bold and daring a new taste sensation.  I am sure that given time I would acquire the taste for a savoury onion dessert.

There was one dessert which I was told is very easy to make and it was the tastiest. Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream and Black Beans. It's a little bit like Rice Cream we ate as kids but more grown up and garnished with Black Beans - a staple in Thai and Vietnamese desserts.  The first time I had tried this I was living on Campus at the University of Wollongong and sharing an apartment unit with a girl from Thailand, Taiwan, Canada and from Sydney. Patra Larpkatipanich (also known as 'Tip') would cook Sweet Sticky Rice for us and it was a great budget dessert for starving students with a sweet tooth :)

Read the recipe here

 

Thanon Khao San

413 Pitt St Map 

Haymarket NSW 2000
(02) 9211 1194

Links:

Thanon Khao San Thai Restaurant 

http://www.thanonkhaosan.com.au/

Tani Kitchen Dessert - Sticky Rice with Coconut Cream
http://tankitchen-dessert.blogspot.com/2009/02/sweet-sticky-rice-with-coconut-cream.html