Shinara grill at Pitt street Sydney

My second visit to Shinara was somewhat more pleasant. Gone are the stuffy interiors and dodgy dim lights that glimmer over the buffet spread.

I am greeted by a new signboard, a beautiful alfresco area and the buffet area upstairs. Everything looked much more organised and clean.

We were given an awesome sitting area, no smoke and much better ventilation. The first grill has sauce at the sides the "acts" as a soup base. Very flavoursome. Presenting our beef entree. You can slo choose the pork version if so you like.

Our gorgeous view from above of the bar area. You can order alcohol and ala carte food items below from I surveyed from the top.

We came on a Friday, but at 5.15pm, which hasn't really reached peak hour yet hence the full availability of seats. Look great doesn't it? Price wise it has gone up from $21 to $29 per person.

After the entree, my immediate first stash, cold prawns, mushroom, Korean pancakes (yum) & luncheon meet (??)

This is the raw meat section where you can choose an array of beef, pork or chicken. Some tasty flavours in there and really a value for your buck!!!

There's even sushi above the salad and mushroom section. Way to go!!

Haha! Petite serving of sushi for me!!

There is a also a cooked for section. Korean style wings and drums, fried prawn balls and chicken, steamed fish, octopus and the likes. There's also rice, soup, fried rice, bulgogi chicken and the likes in another section which I didn't take photos. Kimchi and rice cakes are also available. Plain water is self service.

Only seafood that you can cook raw is the octopus. Slurps!!!

Finally a desert to cap it off. It's not a

Creamy ice cream. But definitely cold, sweet and somewhat tastes like a gelato & sorbet mix. Interesting! 

Definitely worth a visit.

Price: 4/5

Service: 4/5 (much much improved & better than many other Korean restaurants, I just went for an Arisun feast with my boss that day. Food was great but service was mediocre- too bad was a business trip so no pictures)

Ambience: 3.5/5

Food: 3.8/5

Haymarket hot pot - Sydney

Walking along Harris street, ultimo, you will be able to identify a non-assuming chinese restaurant with a red sign board. It's speciality is definitely hotspot.

The ala-carte buffet price range from $28 for non seafood to $32 for a seafood buffet. You also pay extra for the sauces and soup bases.

We chose a spicy mala one and a fish soup base which is way milder.

There's some chinese beers available for you, for instance, if you like the chinese renown Tsingtao beer, they have it prepared for you.🍻 干杯

i really love the king prawns they offer as they are succulent and juicy. The crab stick tastes rather fake and rubbery after cooking and I didn't quite enjoy it. Meatballs were tasty on the other hand. Mussels are pretty normal as well.

There were many other choices that were stacked on a push tray like vegetables, lean meats, tang hoon, pork belly, chilli beef, xiao longbao (better than ding tai fung), and other yummy treats which I

Didn't manage to picture unfortunately. 

Overall, I felt that I have been to better steamboat hotspot buffet before. Moreover, the service sucks. The waitresses were slow and inattentive. They were a tad rude and always forgetting requests. We need to

Prompt them constantly. Thumbs up for the only guy that was wayyyyyy better.

Also, the area was dirty. Our table

was being cleaned for us while

we were made to stand. The whole

Table was moist and damp.

We had to use tissue to wipe it clean before we dared to use it. The floor

Area and surroundings was also dirty. Further, my friend had a dirty cup with stains and it needed to be changed. Though there were some nice dishes but I'll give it a miss if I had to go again.

Food: 3.5/5

Service: 2/5

Price:3.5/5

Ambience: 2/5

Kiama Trip Part 2

After the blowhole trip, we adjourned down the coastline to the harbour, where a seafood shop, fish and chips shop and a cafe are located. Waterfront splendour.

 

Harbour

Rock pool by the ocean in Australia on the walk down.

Birds hungrily waiting for people to feed them food.

Real "big" competition 

 

What the birds are after, our food @.@

The journey starts further down the sunny promenade, after the light drizzle was over. Birds aplenty.

Coastline view

 

Footpath by the ocean

Panorama 

What a beauty, a pool, free of charge right next the ocean below a cliff.

Time for a little soaking. Chilly!!!

Exploring the low tides

 

At risk of being washed out into the ocean hehe. But, pictures first, click click!

Love this, dancer's pointed feet right near the ocean

 

What lies down under

And, we head back to town exploring an old cathedral

Some shops with lovely smelling Aussie made soaps

Teas or souvenir anyone?

Last but not least a nice ice cream to cap

Off the trip, before it showers & the two hour return train ride begins

Kiama - highly recommended. Two hours train or drive from Sydney. Scenic route and lovely views. 

Kiama Trip part 1

Leaving Sydney for an almost two hour train ride for kiama at the central station. I thoroughly enjoyed the view

Train ride was just as enjoyable and I can't wait upon reaching this town further south of cronulla.

From the station, it takes about 5 minutes to walk to town. It's a little one stretch road to town.

In the town, I particularly liked the westpac building. It's has this quirky old charm.

Another historically charmed building.

Even the post office doesn't seem to move past time!

Crossing the road, we reach rotary park which serves as the entrance to the coastline walk and finally the much anticipated Kiama blowhole, which probably is the main attraction is Kiama.

The sign says so. Blowhole point ahead.

Beautiful waves breaking on the coastal shoreline

The infamous lighthouse beams as dark clouds overshadows it

The kiama blowhole in its full majestic glory

Pictures of water bursting through the hole is really spectacular. I guess I'm rather lucky to see water blowing through the hole due to the wind in action. Some days, I heard no water comes out if there's no wind. On good days, sometimes water may go as high as 50m.

To be continued ....