Museum Excursion


Day of Travel: Sunday, 3rd December, 2017

The Station

Museum is one of my favourite stations. I love that it's small, and old fashioned, and looks like it's come right out of an old English children's book. it's currently undergoing a refurbishment at the moment, and I hold out hope they don't eliminate all it's charm.




The Guide

No guiding words from the Guide this time. I flicked through the guide twice trying to locate it's entry... then felt foolish when I realised it was published before in 1886, pre-dating the station's opening in 1926. Instead, I leave you with this amazing photo of Museum station, courtesy of the Royal Australian Historical Society. It was undated as far as I could see - but all the same you can see how little has actually changed within the station itself.



The Excursion

Given the lovely historical shot above, I wish I could tell you that I went into the city to visit something equally impressive... but no. I went to eat food. I had a plan, then talked to Alex (who added to the plan) and, basically, made a pig of myself on a day of gluttony. It was rather enjoyable.

I started off the day by walking from Museum up to Starbucks, because it's December and December means Gingerbread lattes - my mass consumption of which I will not apologise for. I first discovered them when travelling in the UK a few years back - this also coincided with my first experience of Starbucks being on (nearly) every street corner, and as such I drank too many of them. Whenever I have one in hand, I remember standing in front of St. Paul's Cathedral, jet-lag-early, and loving the chill and the quiet and wanting to be nowhere else in the world.

Drinking them in Sydney's summer is quite different, but I'll suffer through it for the memory jolt.




It seemed like everyone else had the same idea, so I took my drink on the road and had a pleasant morning wander and read in Hyde Park. Quite lovely, and I think I'll have to spend a little more time here in future.



The main destination for Museum today was Cloud Thief, a bao restaurant recently (as in the day before) opened in World Square, Sydney. I first encountered the company at the Sydney Noodle Markets a year ago, and have been following them on Instagram and eagerly awaiting their new restaurant. I had to circle World Square a few times before I found them tucked away in the corner, but it was definitely worth the hunt.




I firmly believe that bao should replace bread. It's soft. Fluffy. Adorable. Cloud like. I was completely sold from the first time I tried it, so knowing that this restaurant was going to open quite close to places I frequent was both a blessing and a bad sign of things to come.



Crackling Roast Pork - Roast pork belly with crackling, Asian slaw, fresh coriander, hoisin sauce, and kewpie mayo.

Spicy Fried Chicken - Taiwanese spicy fried chicken; Asian slaw, spring onion, bullhorn chilli and a spicy siracha mayo. 


Visiting this restaurant ticked off another box on the Global Gastronomy project - thank you Taiwanese food!

Now you may remember that I had signed up for a day of gluttony and so I had another lunch spot planned for the day. At this point I was starting to think twice - but I had already announced 'double lunch' and was in the area and so off I went down Oxford Street.















I checked out a few book and handicraft stores on the way, considered buying a semi-lewd cushion for Alex (I didn't, sorry!), and then hit up Mr. Crackles, a pork place Alex had recommended and visited just the night before. Truthfully, I think he just wanted me to order the other menu item he had considered.

 

Just look at all that crackle. All. The Crackle.

Truthfully, this was a waste for me. I'm not up to the marathon-level foodie-ing Alex is, and double lunch is just not in my skill set. It way way too much and, to be honest, I didn't like it anywhere near as much as I thought I would.

But as far as a gluttony day out goes, it wasn't too shabby.



1 comment:

  1. Crackling uuuugh. I'm going to amend any previous statement that said I don't get food cravings because YES PLEASE.

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