More cross-cultural questions

[dwyman]

On my last visit down under, I ordered some prawn chops and chips from a pub menu. It was served with tartar(e) sauce. I asked the waitress for more tartar sauce and she looked at me in a rather puzzled fashion. I pointed to the empty container and she said, "oh you mean (blank)". I can't recall what she said. Is there another term for tartar sauce?

We're coming back to Oz in October but this trip I'm bringing the wife. We both love good fresh seafood which is very difficult to get here in the state of Wisconsin which is in the middle of the continent. I've been able to google up some seafood restaurants in the Sydney CBD, but many have mixed reviews and some like Doyles and the Waterfront are quite pricey. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[iceman (Mike)]

hmm i've always known it as tartare sauce.. I don't know what else they'd call it?

I look forward to catching up with you while you're in Sydney! Remind me when it gets closer so we can work out a convenient date/time and i'll give you my mobile number.

We could arrange a viewing night nearby if the weather suits.. it won't be like Coona but still, better than nothing

[dwyman]

After a week in Coona, I don't think my significant other would look kindly upon another night of observing. Could we get together for dinner or lunch some day? I usually don't need much encouragement to sit down to some grub and brew.

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Originally Posted by dwyman

On my last visit down under, I ordered some prawn chops and chips from a pub menu. It was served with tartar(e) sauce. I asked the waitress for more tartar sauce and she looked at me in a rather puzzled fashion. I pointed to the empty container and she said, "oh you mean (blank)". I can't recall what she said. Is there another term for tartar sauce?

We're coming back to Oz in October but this trip I'm bringing the wife. We both love good fresh seafood which is very difficult to get here in the state of Wisconsin which is in the middle of the continent. I've been able to google up some seafood restaurants in the Sydney CBD, but many have mixed reviews and some like Doyles and the Waterfront are quite pricey. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Doyles at Circular Quay and The Waterfront (right next to it) are a couple of the "feature" restaurants on the water in Sydney...both can be slow sometimes but other times fabulous!

It is hard to go wrong with seafood at any restaurant in Sydney...

What kind of budget do you have in mind?

Anything CBD (central business district) will be a pricey period...

A couple of alternatives that readily come to mind if you are looking for "interesting" experiences...

Go for lunch and the Sydney Fish Markets in Glebe (Sydney too)...There is a Doyles for a sit down lunch and also a whole bunch of "take away" food places...all fresh seafood and there are picnic tables with umbrellas along the water...lots of seagulls but an interesting thing to see. Alternatively go to the markets and get some fresh fish and go to a park and grill it yourself. Many parks have coin operated BBQ's.

An alternative Doyles is located at Watson's Bay...you can take a ferry boat from Circular Quay to Watson's Bay and have lunch/dinner looking back at Sydney from the beach...It is pretty spectacular on a nice evening.

Those are two seafood "destination" meals that will offer your non-Astro significant other something to remember too...

Of course there are many more places (high budget and not so high budget)...that will offer good seafood...As a Midwest boy (Indiana born/bred Purdeu graduate) living in Australia for just on 6 years I can tell you with confidence that even "average" seafood here beats Red Lobster almost everytime! Of course we can't get a consistently good "brautwurst" for love or money...go figure.

Like others have mentioned...if you need anything during your trip give a holler...us Big Ten types gotta look out for each other.

I'm sure John B. and everyone else will take good care of you during your trip!

Good Luck and Safe Travels...

[dwyman]

Good suggestions. We'll be buying a Sydney Smartvisa that will get us into most main attractions as well as public transportation. We expect to splurge a bit on our seafood adventure, so about $100 would not be out of line. We'll eat at less expensive locales the rest of the week.

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

AUD$100 total bill or each?

You will be hard pressed (read impossible) to have a "Fine" Dinner (evening meal) of entre (appetizer), Main Course and Dessert in the CBD for two people within that budget (if $100 is the total)...especially if you want a bottle of wine or cocktails with that...

Sydney is an incredibly expensive place to enjoy "Fine Dining"...

Nice "destination" lunches would seem to be the go...

There is also a nice dinner cruise on Sydney HarBour that leaves from Circular Quay...from memory it would fit that kind of budget...

Having said that, once you get away from the waters edge or dispense with a view there are heaps of places that are "fun" and off the beaten track too...Belgian Beer Cafe (http://www.belgian-beer-cafe.com.au) is one such "fun" place in the Rocks area that I've taken people to before...not real romantic but it is a fun atmosphere and the food was top notch...

[Dujon]

Hi, Don,

I wonder, because many restaurants used to use it with prawn cocktails, whether the sauce to which you refer might have been 'Thousand Islands'?

Tartare sauce it isn't. I also think that it might be a proprietary name, but I'm not too sure about that. I don't mind a smidgen of 'Thousand Islands' with prawns but I don't think that I've tried Tartare sauce with them, though I do enjoy a wee bit with other seafood.

Please keep in mind that I'm no gourmand and that meat and three vegies does me fine. Oh, yes: Try not to buy fish on Friday as the prices seem to go through the roof, not unsurprisingly I guess, though (given the normal prices in nosheries) it might not affect the price of a fishy meal to the same extent.

[GrahamL]

Yeah your right john its always been a lighter sauce served with prawns
that I've come across..personally I couldn't imagine a piece of
red emperor or coral trout with tartare anywhere near it ..
its just to good on its own .

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

What you need for your prawns is a good thick lathering of 'Vegemite'.

An Aussie staple!

[Lert]

Vegemite in the USofA, they throw you in the slammer for that.. Not approved by the FDA it seems..

Re. Prawn Chops.. I've lived in OZ for 63 years (NSW and WA) and fair dinkum, I've never heard of them before I read about them on this forum. I apparently cooked some the other night without knowing what they were.

[csb (Craig)]

Re: tartare sauce - What colour was the sauce/dressing. Pink is Thousand Island dressing. White would have to be tartare and I haven't heard it called anything else in Oz.

If you liked it, then try a Prawn Cocktail - VERY delicious. Just an appetizer.

One of the best things about visiting other countries is the food and how it is served.

In Sth Korea, it was great to walk down the streets and buy things from street stalls. So much new stuff and cheap.

[netwolf]

Tarte is usualy white, and Seafood sauce or Thousand Islands is kind of pink.

Regards
Fahim

[dwyman]

I was surprised at the term Prawn Chops as well, but I saw it on several pub menus and one take away menu. They were just battered and deep fried prawns served with chips and tartar sauce. I had them made a couple other ways too, one was cold in a penne pasta salad which was quite good.

One thing that really does surprise me is how expensive seafood is in a city by the sea. I figured it should be cheaper there. I'm not talking anything fancy, just some sea bass, barramundi or snapper baked or grilled with a nice veggie on the side.

I found some decent reviews of a restaurant called Jordan's in Darling Harbour. Menu and prices look reasonable. Any first hand experiences here?

[Tannehill]

Hey Don.

As one Cheddarhead to another, I sympathize with the limitations in seafood in Wisconsin. In Melbourne I've gotten spoiled with the local fishmarket in my suburb, and I gather filets...er, I mean fillets (fill'-ets) 2-3 nights per week as I walk home, and grill them up on my barbie (see, I'm learning..)

Haven't tried kangaroo meat yet. I hear it's unique...but that's what they said about bear and buffalo, too, and I wasn't keen on that.

I think we'll be hard-pressed for abundant seafood in Coona. How about I bring some meat pies shaped like fish? I've become addicted to those, and flat whites.

(I had to warn an Aussie colleague traveling to the states for a meeting this week NOT to walk up to the Starbucks counter in Chicago and ask for either a "white coffee" (coffee with cream) or a "long black" (espresso with hot water). Could be mis-interpreted.....

See you in October in Coona.

Regards,

Scott Tannehill
Sandringham, VIC

[dwyman]

Hey, Scott. Glad to see you joined us here. I had baked grouper at a local restaurant last night and it just wasn't that great. I've had buffalo a number of times and prefer it over beef. Bear was a bit too gamey for me.

I'm afraid I didn't get your coffee comments. I don't drink the stuff.

See you in four months.