Chi and Co, Canley Heights

I remember going to Canley Heights for temp work a few years ago when Holy Basil just opened. The restaurant life was mostly your old school Vietnamese eateries and there was barely any other options when you weren't in the mood for Viet food back then (surprising right?). How times have changed! Now there are so many late night restaurants in Canley Heights where you can decide whether you want a bowl of pho, fried ice cream or waffles for dessert, or a degustation of Asian-inspired tapas! With the addition of the modern Asian restaurant 'Chi and Co', it's one step closer to bringing out the "Surry Hills" foodie melting pot into South West Sydney.

I purchased a voucher to try a 6-course meal for two at $39 where I get to have a taste at a selection of dishes from Chi and Co's expansive menu. The dishes were inspired from different Asian cultures (Vietnamese, Thai, Laos, Malaysian) but with a modern kick. Some of the dishes were a bit similar to the ones I've noticed at Chin Chin in Melbourne, which is good if the lines were too much hassle for you. 

Berry Rose Cake ($16.00)

Although the drinks weren't complimentary, we were so thirsty after a long day out. I was instantly attracted to the Berry Rose Cake cocktail, which was described on the menu as a "Black Star Pastry-inspired cocktail". This was no surprise since it contains strawberries, watermelon, vodka, strawberry liquer and finished with a rose foam on top. It was quite sweet but not overwhelmingly. The vodka didn't taste strong either which is good for a chilled and relaxing night. And it really does feel like drinking BSP's signature strawberry and watermelon cake hehehe.

Mocktail ($9.00)

While I couldn't remember the name of this mocktail, it looked very appealing especially with the abundance of strawberries and lychees clouding around inside the drink. 

Chicken Lettuce Delight ($11.00)

The dishes arrived to our table very quickly especially the entrees that arrived at the same time. The first dish I tried was the chicken lettuce delight, which was basically a san choy bao consisting of lup cheong, mushrooms, water chestnuts and crispy glass noodles. The lettuce and the glass noodles delivered a nice crunch to the fillings. While the overall flavour wasn't as flavoursome as I preferred (it was CC's fave dish though), it ended up being a relief since most of the other dishes were quite spicy. 

Pulled Beef Sliders ($9.00)

The pulled beef sliders (pulled beef rib, steamed bun with mint and house pickles) was actually one of my favourite dishes out of the six courses. The steamed bun was soft and fluffy while the pulled beef was very delicious and tender. Did not expect this to come from a beef rib at all but it's very succulent. Pricey though considering the serving size. 

Son in Law Eggs with house XO sauce ($7.90)

The son in law eggs was the dish I was looking forward to trying from Chi and Co the most out of all the other dishes. The yolk and filling was well cooked with the sambal and XO sauce placed on top. CC wasn't a fan because of the spices and the strong flavours but I enjoyed this dish because of the unusual ingredients, the runny egg yolk and the crisp and fried outer casing of the egg.

Smoked Trout on Betal Leaf ($8.40)

This may look like a simple dish but the smoked trout on betal leaf was another flavour kicker from the shredded trout pieces to the roasted chilli and galangal. Especially when you eat the whole dish in one go. While the roasted chilli wasn't spicy, it was still loads of excitement to your taste buds. Again, it is pricey given the size of the dish but I am still keen to try the spanner crab version on my next visit.  

Shaken Beef ($23.80)

Our main dishes arrived starting with the Shaken Beef. Between two people, the serving was a tad smaller than we expected but decent enough for our stomachs with all the other courses we've had. The tender beef scotch fillet cubes were seasoned with aromatic garlic and pepper sauce to give off that caramelised and tangy flavour kick. Reminded us of our own families' version of Bo Luc Lac at home and this version is certainly very delicious.

Fried Salmon Salad ($20.80)

We also got the fried salmon salad for our main dishes, which was equally delicious. This consists of chunks of fried salmon fillet with green papaya, Vietnamese mint and garlic. The papaya salad was made Vietnamese style so it's milder than the Thai version. The salmon fillets were well cooked and juicy with a crisp exterior but the biggest hit of this dish has gotta be the crispy salmon skin. It was so crunchy that it was harder for us to share this between two people. Goes really well with the fresh, sour and tangy papaya salad too.

Stir-fried greens ($8.00)

We also received a plate of stir-fried greens and steamed rice along with the main plates. The stir fried greens consists of broccoli, snow peas and bok choy. It was a nice change from the other flavour-intensive dishes though it again it felt very similar to the one that mum cooks up at home. Still liked the flavour and texture of this classic dish.

Steamed rice ($4.50)

I haven't eaten steamed white rice as much these days but I enjoyed Chi and Co's version especially with its fluffy yet firm texture. Great to have with the Shaken Beef.

Kaffir Lime Brulee with Coconut Sorbet ($11.90)

The Kaffir lime brulee caught my eye immediately since I haven't had creme brulee for a long time. The brulee topping was a bit too thick so it was initially harder (but hey at least it wasn't too thin :p) to crack but it was nonetheless a lovely dish especially with the smooth custard the overall light flavour. I would say that this brulee is good to have on its own. Was getting full by this point so I didn't have much of the coconut sorbet - though it did felt heavy and dense when I had a few bites. It was also cold that evening so I could imagine this would be lovely to have on a warm day.

Panna Cotta with Mixed Berry Compote and Honeycomb ($11.90)

The panna cotta was creamy but the mixed berries were too sour for CC's liking. Surprisingly, the honeycomb ended up balancing the overall taste of this dish. 

Since we only need to pay $39 for a 6 course meal for two people, this was actually a bargain compared to paying the full prices from the A La Carte menu. Considering the serving size, the prices are expensive especially with all the cheaper options in the area that will get you full instantly. However, I was pleased with the dishes they offered as well as the friendly service. And it's good to see a slice of Surry Hills in Canley Heights with its chic and funky layout, atmosphere, and the modern approach to classic Asian dishes. While it isn't a restaurant I would return to very often, it is a good local place for a special occasion with a group of friends especially with the attentive service and atmosphere.

Chi and Co
Shop 3, 264 Canley Vale Road (entrance on Derby Street)
Canley Heights NSW 2166
(02) 9727 2068
http://www.chiandco.com.au/
Tue-Thurs: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Fri-Sat: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - 10:00pm

Bau Truong, Canley Heights

I have been baffled by the influx of restaurants opening in Canley Heights recently. In my opinion, I reckon it's becoming the Surry Hills of South West Sydney rivaling to the culinary eats of Cabramatta. The main difference is that Canley Heights is where you can go for a late night dinner while most of the restaurants in Cabramatta close at around 6pm or 7pm. One thing that annoys me about the Heights is the parking. While there were times when I was very lucky to get a spot, it's generally just a nightmare. 

While there are countless restaurants and cafes with different cuisines popping up lately (Holy Basil, V Lounge, WTF desserts, Chi Chi, Fat Panda...to name a few); it's the older Vietnamese restaurants that sticks out for the older generation like my parents. When they are not in the mood for home-made cooking, they always head out to Canley Heights for a nice bowl of pho and other authentic Vietnamese food at the long-running Vietnamese establishments, which was why mum wanted to go to Bau Truong on the night before she went to North America to visit our relatives.

The service at Bau Truong is quick and prompt which is just how we liked it. While the folks were set on what they want to get, I was generally indecisive because of the immense options that they offer. Many of the items on the menu were quite cheap but there were a few that were also quite expensive (and not just to Cabramatta/Canley standards!). The menu itself reminded me of being at Chat Thai due to some of the more unusual choices that were unavailable at many standard Vietnamese restaurants. However, my parents' main intention for coming here was to try out our favourite Vietnamese feast - the Beef with Lemongrass Hot Plate DIY style (Bo nuong vi).

Free tea!

The DIY plate was such a feast that it took up the entire table - and there were only 3 of us! This consisted of salad, bean sprouts, fresh vermicelli noodles, raw beef to cook on the hot plates, onions, chilli and rice paper sheets to make your own rolls however you like it. Personally, I thought that the rice paper rolls were quite small and even stickier than how I'm used to at home. Then again, I always overload my rolls so it ends up being a messy experience for me. Still, it was enjoyable cooking the meat on the hot plate and making your own rolls with its many fresh and delicious ingredients with the likes of pickled carrots and radishes, cucumbers, herbs, bean sprouts and lots of lettuce.

Beef with lemongrass hot plate - DIY ($38.00)

Raw beef and onions made to cook on the hot plate - yup that's butter...

I was planning to order something smaller but I couldn't help but notice the Pipis in XO sauce dish that was available at Bau Truong (is this even Vietnamese? Meh don't care *shrugs*). I hastily order this knowing that he serving will be generous in addition to the DIY hot plate feast that we have already ordered.The pipis were plump and juicy which complemented well with the crispy vermicelli noodles and the thick and savoury XO sauce. It was also a bit too oily which was what the folks noticed but damn it's still very tasty.

Pipis in XO Sauce ($20.00)

After our feast, we were treated with a complimentary serving of mandarins. They may not look pretty but once peeled, the taste was still fresh and juicy.

On the menu, there were some of the dishes were on the cheap side with some of the entrees and starter dishes at less than $10 and most of the main sized dishes such as pho and rice dishes listed between $11-$15. There were also dishes that were expensive especially on this side of town with the seafood dishes and feast-sized plates like the DIY Hot Plates being as high as $38.00 (or even more with crab dishes listed as 'Market Price'). Despite that, the food was delicious and enjoyable. I look forward to making more visits at Bau Truong at the Canley Vale, Cabramatta and even the Marrickville branches to try more of their unique Vietnamese dishes in the near future.

Bau Truong Canley Heights
250 Canley Vale Road, Canley Heights
(02) 9755 7099
http://www.bautruong.com.au/

Santos, Canley Heights

Firstly I would like to say, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Thanks to everyone who has supported my blog so far especially to my old coworkers who have spread the word around the office. Already this year is looking pretty awesome with a couple of trips happening this year for me. This week, I will be heading to Lake Macquarie aaaaannnddd *drumroll* Hunter Valley! I will try to recount my dining experiences in these locations in the near future unless the copius amounts of wine makes me forget everything.

NOW onto food!

Our original plan was to go to Holy Basil, a local favourite. But it was too packed and we were already very hungry so we went across the street to the very quiet but interesting Santos. The menu looked good as well ranging from steaks to pastas and pizzas to Kilpatrick oysters!


I had the spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil) which was covered with chopped chilli pieces and shaved parmesan cheese. I was a bit surprised about the parmesan cheese as it was not mentioned in the menu (a no-no for the dairy intolerant) but it added a decent bite to the dish. The chilli was a major kick to my tastebuds but it did not overpower the dish which I enjoyed.


My friend (the same one who had bad luck with the schnitzel in the previous blog entry) got a massive steak in front of him. This we asked the waiter who cheerfully said that they did it on purpose to please them - especially the guys. Thankfully it was not as bad as he managed to eat it up without any trouble. I got a few pieces and wanted to dig into the steak as well! Despite my friend ordering well-done (gasp!), it was actually very tender to chew. It was served with chips and salad which I helped to eat as well. The chips were well cooked and the salad was a good match against the meatiness and starch.


The waiter serving us was very friendly and hilarious so it has bonus points for customer service. It is interesting to note that Canley Heights is now becoming the ideal late night culinary destination in Western Sydney due to the traditional Vietnamese restaurants, the success of Holy Basil and Fat Panda and recent openings of numerous cafes such as V Lounge. With that, Santos is a great alternative to all of that hype when you are in need of a European feed or you are not feeling up for Asian food. Give it a go!

Santos
231 Canley Vale Rd, Canley Heights
Contact no: (02)9727 0580