Asian Gourmet - Adelaide, South Australia

New love: a classic eating spot in the Adelaide Central Market called Asian Gourmet. This place has been a family run, Adelaide institution for over 35 years. We were a bit late to the party, but now we're hooked.



You can find Asian Gourmet inside the markets directly across from Camera House. They're open 6 days (closed Sundays) opening at 9:30 or 10:30am each day. Closing times vary from 3-5pm depending on the day and they stay open on Friday nights until 9pm. Seating is available both inside and outside the shop.



The signature dish at Asian Gourmet is the Singapore Laksa ($9.50). The lime green bowl looks quite small, but it comes packed full of goodness - prawns, fried tofu, shredded chicken, bean sprouts, coconut cream, egg noodles and more. It's bigger than it looks and sure to satisfy. I haven't found a better laksa anywhere else in Adelaide. Beware though that the standard amount of chili is on the hot side so some may wish to ask for mild.



It's hard to go past the Singapore Laksa but everything else I've tried so far has been excellent as well. The Fried Seafood Hokkien Mee ($9.50) is full of seafood, in a slightly sweet sauce with a lemon wedge. Delicious!



Another one of my favourites is Fried Mee Hoon ($9.90). This comes with sliced pork, prawns, fried egg, bean sprouts and thin rice noodles. Again, the default amount of chili is on the hot side so keep this in mind when ordering.



We're very fortunate to have the Lo family cooking great value Malaysian favourites for us in the Adelaide Central Markets. We've become regular customers at Asian Gourmet and have even fallen in love with laksa for breakfast!

Note: Cash Only.

Nanna Hot Bake - Adelaide, South Australia

No visit to the Adelaide Central Market is complete without a stop at Nanna Hot Bake. This is a family run business that has been serving up delicious, warm buns since 1989 (23 years and counting!). They're located at the Chinatown end of the markets near the souvenir shops. The signage has a classic 90s look and I hope they never change it.



Steamy buns, fresh out of the oven. So inviting!



The most popular item seems to be the Nanna Hot Dog ($1.80). Over the years I've witnessed several large orders being picked up involving white cake boxes filled with Nanna Hot Dogs. This is a beautiful sight indeed. If you need more than about 10, it's probably best to pre-order.



The Coconut Swirl is sweet, buttery and moist with plenty of coconut inside. Protip: Unravel the layers as you eat.



The Butter Sugar Bun ($1.80) is a light fluffy bun with a sinful pocket of melted butter and sugar in the middle.



Darren's favourite is the Custard Polo ($1.80). This bun has a dense yellow custard inside and a slightly crunchy top.



There are plenty more sweet and savory items on the menu such as the Coconut Tart or Sweet Egg Tart ($1.60), BBQ Pork Bun ($1.80), Chicken Hotpot Bun ($1.80), and the list goes on. The buns are best served warm. If yours have cooled, just ask them to warm them up for you in the microwave.



Nanna's is an Adelaide small business that serves up buns with a homemade look, taste, and feel that warm your heart as well as your belly. Next time you're at the Adelaide Central Markets, grab a Nanna's or two for some perfect on-the-go shopping fuel.

Seng Kee Yum Cha - Adelaide Central Market, South Australia

You've probably heard of yum cha which means "drink tea" in Cantonese and refers to the experience of drinking Chinese tea and eating dim sum dishes. (Note: Yum cha is often referred to as dim sum in the US.) The yum cha experience involves trays covered in steamers containing three or four small items each being rolled around the restaurant and offered to patrons. When items are accepted by the table, numbers are stamped or crossed off on a card which becomes the bill when it's time to pay. Because the portions are small and groups usually share food, you can try lots of different dishes. In Chinese culture, yum cha has become a common weekend family experience and many restaurants only serve yum cha on weekends and only until about 3pm. We're quite spoiled in Adelaide because we have some awesome (as good as any restaurant I've tried) and cheap yum cha available at the Adelaide Central Market food court 6 days a week (only closed Mondays). Plus, Chinese tea is free. If you're in Adelaide and you haven't tried Seng Kee Yum Cha, you are missing out!

Dishes pictured (clockwise from top left): siu mai, prawn ha kao, bean curd, and pork spare ribs. *mouth waters*



more Seng Kee Yum Cha photos here