December was honestly such a whirlwind of a month that I really can't believe we are three days into January already. The things I got up to include:

There's so many times when I miss working in Campsie. Not the job of course, but the people, the suburb and the amazing variety of food. The thing about Campsie is that is has such a nice 'village' feel. All the shops from restaurants, grocers, fashion, variety, healthcare, banks are situated along the main Beamish Street and it makes the community feel very close knit. At least that's what I recall a patient telling me and I definitely could not agree more.

It was around a few months in that I discovered Penang Hawker while doing a morning coffee run and decided I had to try it. Since then I introduced it to colleagues, friends and my dad who all love it just as much as I do.

For Fathers Day in the weekend that has just passed, my dad insisted we have dinner at this place just so that he could introduce my mum and sister to it. I think it's his new favourite and local Malaysian restaurant.




It was super busy on this particular night but as we arrived a little later, we were lucky to get a nice table in the back! The above picture is from the last time I went here with my dad though, which was for an early dinner around 5pm.

As you can see, the inside is very cosy and humble with few scattered decorations and a wall full of pictures and artwork reminiscent of life in Malaysia. According to Broadsheet the story of how Penang Hawker came to be is a simple and uncomplicated one. Owner, Jenny Tan couldn't find a Malaysian restaurant in Sydney that she liked so she opened one. The menu is an assortment of her favourite foods as well as a fare of classic Chinese-Malaysian dishes you may find at any Penang hawker market. The style is entirely traditional with "no Aussie style" and I really like that.



We are handed our menu by the friendly server, who I believe is also manager. The staff are in high spirits and before we can even finish discussing what we should order they are back with lots of suggestions for us. It feels a tad pushy especially for someone as indecisive as me but as the server starts discussing Malaysian culture and Vietnamese culture with my parents, we all find ourselves warming up to the service.

Usually when I used to go here during lunch times, the service is not this upfront - it is more laid back. But on this special night, I find myself appreciating all the effort they put in to make our dining experience more fun and comfortable.

We start off with some drinks.















So there we have it. My extensive review of Penang Hawker. A big question I have received lately is how does this compare to the other Malaysian restaurants in Campsie.. or mainly, Albee's Kitchen - one of Sydney's most beloved Malaysian restaurants which is literally only two doors down. Well, I can't say I've been there but my workmates and family strongly insist this 110% is much better. A second review coming your way as well as that for the 'other Malaysian restaurants' mentioned above!

All I can say to end this post is that I really love Penang Hawker because I feel like they serve amazing food at affordable prices. The location is great for me as well but for anyone wishing to go here, it is only less than a 5 minute walk from the station. It is also worth mentioning that they open at 5am - 7am most days for an early breakfast crowd!








TL;DR:
Price: Affordable
Quality: Fresh and great food
Service: Friendly
Ambience: Cosy, humble, can get busy at times

When my dad invited me to eat lunch, I had no idea that he would take us all the way to Newtown and into this little hole-in-the-wall style shop. Blossoming Lotus is a Thai Vegetarian/Vegan eatery that has been a well-loved staple in Newtown's food scene.

Despite having made many lunch time trips to Newtown over the past years during uni, I never gave this restaurant a second thought. But with the growing trend in finding healthy and sustainable ways to eat, I'm all open to trying new things!

We almost miss this place until my dad looks into the shop and decides, yes this is the place he wanted to bring us to. At the front of the shop there is a little hot food bar where you can choose some vegetarian and vegan dishes to accompany rice or noodles. Sorry I didn't get any photos of that but you can perhaps see it at an angle below!


Right behind it is cool display cabinet filled with some sweets for dessert!

The wooden tables and metal chairs at Blossoming Lotus are worn down from many years of use and in a way it feels quite humbling. There really is nothing special about the decor except the back wall which exudes a spiritual presence from the Buddhist shrine.



My dad and I opt for the cheap lunch time deal. Where you can pick 2 choices with rice or noodles for under $10! What a bargain! Of course as all the dishes are out display in the hot food bar, you instantly receive your food and can sit down. There is also the option of a la carte for those interested.














Overall it was very fun to try something new for lunch. The vegan and vegetarian food at Blossoming Lotus is very delicious and filling. But I do find it a bit oily for my tastes. I've heard that the mock duck is a must-try here so if I'm ever in the area I'll definitely be keen to try it! At this low price point, I highly recommend everyone discover this place.








TL;DR:
Price: Nearly everything is under $15, very affordable
Quality: Tasty foods, unsure if fresh
Service: Nice and thoughtful
Ambience: Hole-in-the-wall style eatery, not one to loiter or hang at after eating