An Afternoon out on the Peninsula (April 21)

The last of a trio of food reviews for the day. We're currently in the twilight period of the day. I've stretched my legs, had a shower and started dinner. Must say it's been a rather productive day today. Hope I can continue in this vein tomorrow.
So on Tuesday (April 21) I had a couple of things to do in the area. The first was to collect some mail from my PO Box in Umina Beach. The second was to get my Flu Vax jab at the surgery I semi-regularly attend in Woy Woy. Once the latter was done, grocery shopping was required. I had decided that I wasn't just going to go to Deep Water Plaza in the afternoon after collecting the mail, might as well make a day of it. The laptop gets packed as well so I can do something in the three hours I'll be hanging around. Of course, I'll need lunch. Today I desired a burger, one of the chicken variety. The choices were BFF outside Deep Water Plaza, Lush 1659 inside the plaza, or stroll to either KFC or McDonalds. Lush won seeing the weather wasn't too great. Sure enough, not long after entering the shopping centre it starts raining again.
Last time I dined at Lush was in 2024 when I had lunch with a friend of mine. BFF was in 2025. Either way I was going to be updating my dining experience at one of these places. Though they were a little busy on Tuesday (it was around midday when I ordered there) I still got my chicken schnitzel burger in about ten minutes. Same sized plate as last time, pretty much the same amount of fries and the burger was practically the same as well.

First bite though and the schnitzel was quite hot. Was it just taken out of a microwave? I had to let it cool for a bit before biting back into it. This time round, there was no problem with finishing the meal off. I even took my time seeing I was going through my e-mails.
I checked my bank account before finishing this post to find a $28 debit from the cafe. That included a can of drink and a surcharge for a bank card transaction. I felt that considering the size of the meal, $28 wasn't worth it. However, that seems to be the average price charged these days for a burger meal. The meal itself wasn't that bad though I'm now thinking that for better value I'd be better off buying a takeaway from the noodle place outside or wait until I got for my monthly trivia night at the Gosford Hotel. I may pay $30 there for a chicken parma with salad and chips but it's worth it.

Link correct at time of posting.

Picture taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Exploring Singapore Noodle Options 4 (April 2)

The second of my meal reviews for the day. Since I finished the first post (A Burger in-between Rounds), the weather has changed for the better. The temperature has dropped a point, the sun is out and one member of the local wildlife is wandering around my lawn picking at what's on it. In this case, it's a hungry kookaburra that has been quite successful and is now perched on the fence no doubt feeling rather satisfied.

I was a little busy at the start of April, with my mental health support groups on the 2nd and the 7th. This month being one of the rare occasions where I attended the Thursday group in Woy Woy before co-facilitating the Tuesday anxiety group in Wyoming. I also had to stick around at home on the Thursday, just in case technicians upgrading the electricity meter at the front property needed access to my place. They didn't and by midday I was walking down the laneway to catch the bus into Woy Woy and join the group at our usual location for the meetings on the foreshore during February to April. There was also a Mariners double-header at the stadium on Saturday (April 4th), the last one for the current season.
My choice of meals that lunchtime depended on which stand my bus pulls up at at the station. If it's towards the front, then it's the Noodle House on Blackwall Road. If it's at the rear, it's Woy Woy Asian Noodle and Chinese on the outside of Deepwater Plaza. Either one of them, I had decided, was going to be sampled yet again and this time added to my noodle posts. The bus stopped at Stand A, so it was Noodle House.
However, upon walking down Blackwall Road, I noticed that the casual cafe was unfortunately closed that lunchtime. This made things a little awkward. I had my heart set on a noodle dish and I really wasn't going to change my mind. Tempted as I was to try a nearby Thai place I hadn't dined at before, I decided to wander back towards the plaza, which meant crossing the main road back and forth before progressing towards the waterfront.
One bonus of getting lunch at Asian Noodle is that they have a lunch deal. If you order one item from 1-35 on the menu, you can add a can of soft drink for a $1, bringing the grand total to $13.90. Singapore Noodle is selection number 13. It is little more than a stove and a fridge but there is room for a couple of tables indoor and another pair out the front. The place is also quite popular for various menu delivery services.

On this occasion, I was satisfied with my meal when I finally got to the covered picnic benches where we've been dining for years. Both places that I've mentioned are currently running two and three behind Yi Yi in the Imperial Shopping Centre. The one I ate this time is worthy of being second with just enough curry powder to give it a kick, which is how I usually like it. Like the current leader it is consistently good and even with my fussy diet I find myself emptying the bowl completely, although when I grabbed another takeaway on the 10th, after doing some grocery shopping, one of the pork pieces felt like it had some bone in it and I had to remove it. That's been the only time that's happened since I've ordered food from there

Picture taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Links correct at the time of posting.

A Burger in-between Rounds (March 21)

A very autumn day here today. Overcast, sun is struggling to pierce the clouds but according to the weather app it's 20°. Sure doesn't feel like it. Regardless of what it's like outside it's a good day to to stay indoors and catch up on my blog posts, of which there are several to get through.
The food blog has three and this is the first of them. I had almost forgotten this one after the repeated trips to Parramatta for the Women's AFC. It's a crossover post for the gaming blog seeing this is related to an event I participated in on March 21.
For four years now at the Ourimbah RSL, which is on the main road pretty much in the centre in the township, there has been one day Blood Bowl tournament held, which, for some like myself, is usually the first one they play in every year. I've been running, or co-running gaming events on the coast since 2006, though these events didn't become official until 2010 with the first running of the Gosford Gauntlet. As a specialist gamer, I'm glad to see these events on the coast, which have grown in size since Covid, attracting players from Sydney and beyond.
The venue is very easy to get to. Being on the main road, it is a short 5 minute walk from the local train station albeit that you have to cross the road, then cross back over again to get to there. Being one of the smaller stations though it's only serviced once an hour. You can get a bus to the location (from either direction the #36 passes through there) or you can drive if you live locally. Some of the Sydney-siders do it seeing there's an M1 freeway intersection about a minute north of the venue.
Result wise, it wasn't that great for me, with just one draw to show for it out of the three games. (If you want to read the match notes you can find them here when I've posted them. Just one of the few posts I need to create.) The first game was terribly frustrating and I was quite relieved to get downstairs for a drink and a bite to eat around 12.30pm.
Last year I opted for the loaded fries. This year I went for a burger, which range in price from $25 to $32 if you're not a member. On their dining room menu you have a choice of four. Having had their beef burger before, I decided on the fried chicken option this time, which is served with cheese, slaw and sriracha aioli with a small serving of chips, which is standard for all burger meals.

The burger wasn't too bad, though I found the slaw quite annoying seeing it escaped the burger with every bite. Not to worry, you can eat it up with the chips. It was the right option in-between rounds and it was just the thing I needed before returning to the games room upstairs, after washing it all down with an alcoholic ginger beer.
There are plenty of other food options for a quick bite on a games day. The entrees have a varied selection, including the stock standard potato wedges, spring rolls and garlic bread. There are salad options as well though if you want something quicker and cheaper you can grab a sandwich or a sausage roll from the coffee bar.
Ourimbah RSL is a nice venue. Staff are genuinely friendly and you can stick around for a drink or two outside if time allows, stay for another meal, watch the live sport on multiple TV sets or listen to the evening entertainment. It is a very convenient option for yours truly seeing he has a mate that lives a couple of minutes down the road. Even if he isn't going, one can catch the #36 practically right outside his front door and can get dropped off at the school across the road.

Links correct at the time of posting.

Picture by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Exploring Singapore Noodle Options 3 (March 3 & 6)

This is the third post for the day for me on what is a rare day at home. After all, one doesn't get to go to football tournaments that often and it's an added bonus to spend some time with friends and wander around some different streets.

Parramatta CBD has gone through some changes in recent years. It now has a light rail option, the Metro is currently being extended through the city and the football stadium has been thoroughly overhauled in the last five years as well. Some of the more familiar landmarks are still there though, like Peter Wynn's Score, the St John's Memorial Gate (pictured), Town Hall, Centenary Square, the Woolpack Hotel (which I mentioned in a previous post), the law courts, the Tudor Gatehouse and a rather languid Parramatta River.

Westfields Parramatta is still there as well and that's where I opted to go on both days I was in Parramatta. Of all the places on the T1 rail line I'm familiar with this area is second on the list after the Sydney CBD. When playing soccer in Sydney between 2011 and 2019 I often passed through there, or was dropped off from matches or picked up. I also had relatives living in the area as well and it was a good meeting spot to see them. Yes, I've also gamed there a few times as well, playing league matches and tournaments.

Anyway, the food court at the shopping centre hasn't really changed that much in twenty years and my meal preferences haven't either. It's also conveniently connected to the train station with additional food and drink options along the underground corridor as well as mini-supermarkets. Wok Delight is still there and seeing I'm examining Singapore Noodle options I'd thought I'd add a Sydney location to my list. For $15 I got my preferred half and half large plate of noodle and rice, forgoing a meat option, and getting a drink as well.

Unfortunately though on both occasions it felt a bit bland and the vegetable chunks appeared just a little on the large size. Still, it was filling but seeing that I have two more games to go to on separate days next week I should take an opportunity to vary the meals a bit.

Links correct at time of posting.

Pictures taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Exploring Singapore Noodle Options 2 (March 4)

So, after the first excursion to Parramatta was successful, I stayed an extra day with my Ourimbah football mate in order to view an upcoming Mariners match that night (March 4). Of course, we weren't going to stay at home all day so we went for a drive to have a bite to eat and do a little shopping.
Westfields Tuggerah is a very convenient location not far from Tuggerah train station and well serviced by several bus routes. With me currently in Woy Woy it is a bit of a hike to get there. One can take a train to there then either walk to the shopping centre or hop on a passing bus, which would take most of hour from my end of the coast. For me, I could also take a #55 bus to Gosford then a #36 or #37 bus from Gosford station which will take me straight there. However, that's a 70-80 minute trip if your connections are good. From my mate's place in Ourimbah, it's a 15 minute drive or the #37 bus for a slightly longer trip.
Transport options aside, there are plenty of food options inside the two levels of the main building and outside as well. Me, well, I generally prefer the food court, unless we're going to make an occasion of it and eat somewhere a little more up-priced.

There are plenty of options in the court. Usually, my first option is Master Noodle, which has been there since I first started visiting the shopping centre two decades ago. I find the food usually lacks in quality consistency. However, on this particular day I found my meal rather nice, though the carrot cubes were a little harder than I expected. The rest of the vegies were fine and bite-sized. I don't mind the yellow noodle and added curry powder gave it a little kick which I appreciated. I generally go for a large plate, half noodle and half rice, with a can of drink. Total cost is about $16.

I've been a bit lazy with some of the more recent posts and not added a water shot. I plugged in a back-up drive and found some old ones I took around 2014 of a small lake in the suburb of Mardi, just off McPherson Road. I don't think it even has a name. There was plenty of feathery critters there on the day that I visited, with an interesting assortment of common and uncommon birds. On foot it's a fair hike from the shopping centre but you only need to go straight up Gavenlock Road then turn left into McPherson. It's behind a housing estate.

Links correct at time of posting.

Pictures taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Sampling some of the fare at the AFC Women's Asian Cup (March 3) (Updated)

It has been somewhat of a holiday over the last week. On Monday (March 2) I wandered off to a mate's place in Ourimbah so that we could travel together for our first pair of matches at the Asian Cup. When ticket packages became available last year I quickly opted for a pair of affordable seats (in the same spot) for all six matches at Parramatta Stadium which consisted of five Group B matches and one from Group C.
On the first day of attendance, our two games were Uzbekistan vs North Korea and China vs Bangladesh. Strangely enough, at the men's AFC back in 2015, one of just two games I attended was Uzbekistan vs North Korea. I felt it was a rather unique double to achieve. We were joined by a couple of English gents, one whom I met at a Mariners match played at Wollongong in August 2023 (during the Women's World Cup), and proceeded to watch a rather one sided contest, won comfortably by North Korea. In-between matches we met up for a few drinks at a local pub – the Woolpack Hotel. The hotel has a special significance for this pair of coasties. We had quite a few drinks there before and after the June 2023 A-League Grand Final which was won quite handsomely by the Mariners.
Second match, just as one-sided and won by China. Before the game, we decided to grab a bite to eat at the stadium. A helpful staff member informed us that there was a limit of the number of food and beverage options open seeing only a crowd of 8,000 was expected. (In end it was just over 6,000.) After a short exploratory walk, we settled on burgers.

It was quite simple. You walked in, you grabbed a burger at the back, with sides and a drink, then proceeded to the check-out. If your burger of choice wasn't there you really didn't have to wait that long. We both chose a Chicken Parmi, which wasn't that bad. A schnitzel, a slice of cheese, a spicy red paste to give it that Parmi taste and some green leaves on a bun. With a 600ml drink and a standard cup of hot chips I wound up paying $26. It was a lot better than some of the fare I've sampled at the Central Coast Stadium but roughly the same price for a burger meal.

It was a long day. We were on a 9.45am train from Ourimbah and returned to that station at 11.30pm. Yesterday (March 6) I made the journey down by myself seeing I was meeting up with a Sydney mate near the station, then stayed at his place in Kellyville that night. On both trips we had lunch in the food court at Westfields in Parramatta (covered in a separate post) before walking to the stadium. It's a pretty easy walk which leads across the Parramatta River and at a casual pace you can get there in 10-15 minutes. Even better that you can amend the stroll via a certain pub for a pre or post match beverage.

P.S: Almost had a little disaster on the second day when the battery was running out on the tablet. With only electronic tickets accepted, we almost didn't get in for the second game on March 6 seeing the power bar was in the red. Thankfully it lasted long enough for us to get through the gate. There was a solution. Not far from the Gate A entrance/exit were a rack of portable power-banks which you could rent by the hour. I also took the further precaution of buying one, charging it up at the first opportunity to make sure that this didn't happen again.

P.P.S: Also sampled a basic cheeseburger at a couple of the games as well. It was decent enough. Oddly enough, it felt like I was eating a cheeseburger at Central Coast Stadium...

Links correct at time of posting.

Pictures taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Exploring Singapore Noodle Options 1 (Feb 25)

So I started my more formal assessment of my favourite oriental dish whilst in Gosford last week to do some more gaming. Wednesday night is games night at the Central Coast Leagues Club and I had plenty of time to kill before going there. So I ventured to the food court in the Imperial Shopping Centre to the one place on the Central Coast where I have been eating (regularly) longer than anywhere else.

Yi Yi Asian Cuisine pretty much looks like many other food court outlets. On 28 October 1999 I was wandering through the shopping centre on my way through to the train station, roughly a month after having moved to the Woy Woy peninsula, fully intending to go straight home after attending an appointment in town. As I headed for the Mann Street entrance/exit I passed a group of people in front of a games store with some very familiar gaming boards set up. A quick enquiry revealed that there was a Blood Bowl league playing there every Thursday night. So I made a quick trip back to my home in Umina Beach to fetch my miniatures, with enough money left for the return trip and something to eat. The rest is history.
The menu for the takeaway has improved in quality over the years, with set menu options added to what was available on display in the bain-marie. I can still recall derogatory remarks about what was on on offer by my new gaming companions when I first bought food from there. There was one thing though that I had found quite different from other places I dined at – the fried rice, the current manager once assured me, was steamed rather than fried. In recent years I was appreciating that more and more and had ordered it so often that when she sees me coming she only has to point and I only have to nod. It's generally white and fluffy, with little chunks of ham, peas and scrambled egg.
However, last Wednesday, I decided to do something different, keeping her on her toes as it were, ordering the Singapore Fried Noodle from the set menu and choosing to dine in for a change. If you add a drink to the cost it's little more than $20. I had enough time to go get one from the nearby Reject Shop, returning in time to see them bring the meal to the counter.

One of the things I appreciate in this noodle dish is the colour. There is a lot of it and the added ingredients are rather appreciative bite-sized pieces. It's a mild dish, hardly any curry powder in this offering and I took my time in devouring it, leaving nothing but some grease on the plate and a used wooden fork. For a proper meal, one can combine this with either the cheaper rice option or splurge and get the special fried rice. Either will set you back around $30 but it's two good meals there. I should also add, they have moved with the times after Covid and you'll find that they have food delivery options through the popular purveyors.
It's still pretty good after all these years which is one thing I really appreciate about the place – it is consistently good. Well worth paying a few dollars more. Like my preference for a good chicken schnitty, this is the place that I'll compare all Singapore noodle dishes to. It is the benchmark for my examination of other takeaways.
I practically lived in Gosford from the 20th to the 28th. Feb 20 to 22 I went to four football matches at the stadium, with two NRL trial games on the 21st and a Mariners matches either side of it. On the 24th was our pub trivia night at Hotel Gosford, which we didn't do so well at but had a good time anyway, then there was the games night at the club and finally one more Mariners' match on the 28th. It was yet another instalment of the F3 Derby and a rather tense and hard fought fixture. To come over the next two weeks, Asian Women's AFC Cup matches in Sydney.

P.S: Due to my particular eating disorder I actually find this meal quite palatable, using a little psychology on myself to get some vegetables and other meat into the system. I surprised my father once when we were dining out in Bathurst, before he passed away in 2004. The waitress asked for our order and I quite happily responded 'Singapore Noodle please!' The look on his face was priceless.  

Pictures taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Links correct at time of posting.