A burger after some tests (July 30)

I haven't been in the best of health lately (see the regular blog for further details) and so I've been out having assorted tests and doctors appointments over the last couple of weeks. On this particular day it was a trip into Gosford to see a specialist. I arrived at 9.30am but didn't get out until after midday.

As a reward for getting through all the examinations I was treated to a burger at a little takeaway at the Umina end of Ocean Beach Road, which also offered a little dining area out the back. Though on a main thoroughfare (on the side of the road heading back into Woy Woy), there is limited parking available. The Sizzling Chip is not the first takeaway located at 405 OB Road but appears to be doing rather well. My host said that the place was crowded on weekends every time that they've been there.
There are a wide variety of burgers on offer, as well as loaded chips, value packs, family deals and deep fried goodies. They also provide gluten free and vegan options. We were there for the burgers though, with the majority of them being beef. However, there is fish, chicken, pork, steak and vegan burgers. You can even get a good old bacon and egg roll.

My host had the traditional classic burger (patty, lettuce, tomato with an option of cheese, onion or beetroot) whilst I opted for the Sizzling Chip burger, which consisted of a patty with the hot chips inside the burger coated in a three cheese sauce, bacon bits and spring onion. The classic cost $13 whilst my chip heavy burger was $15.50. I should add, all burgers are available as a meal combo, where a can of drink and chips can be added for additional $5.50.
Even though I hadn't eaten all day, I still struggled to finish off the burger, but finish it I did. I'm thinking that considering the medical tests I had recently that I should have taken an option with more vegetables on it. I'll keep that in mind for the next visit there.

All links correct at time of posting.

Pictures taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

Birthday lunch at the Everglades (April 30)

It's a rather damp day outside so I'd thought I'd rattle off a blog post whilst I had the chance. It's (mostly) a quiet day at home this week, though on Friday I'll be heading south to Sutherland for ShireCon for a day of gaming. Actually I haven't really done much since May 7, which was a mental health support group meeting in Gosford. I took an opportunity to do some grocery shopping, including a rare visit to the Abcoe Retail Store at Niagara Park shopping centre (formerly the Sara Lee factory outlet store) just up the road from the Niagara Park train station on Washington Avenue, then topped groceries up again on Tuesday (May 12) seeing, well, when one is at home and the weather isn't that great, one eats, one writes and one plays computer games for four days...

But a couple of weeks ago I decided to venture up the road to the Everglades Club and treat myself to a birthday lunch. I had originally intended to go out to Erina Fair for a bit, then felt I might even stay at home instead. In the end a walk up the boulevard became the plan. Not the first time I've done a birthday stroll up there for lunch (I did the same thing back in 2023 before I had even started this blog) yet it had been quite a while since I had actually visited the club. The last occasion was in 2024 on November 10 for Regurgitator, forgoing a Mariners home match against Auckland on the day. Like I've said before, the Everglades may be just up the road but I still visit the leagues club in Gosford more. In fact I'll be going there for a Blood Bowl league match next Wednesday (May 20).

I also took the opportunity to renew my membership, although it turned out to be a bad day to do it. For starters, when I walked in around 11.40am there was nobody on the front desk. I eventually found somebody, then was told that the financial year ended today and that I should come back tomorrow (May 1) to get the full benefit of my membership. I honestly felt like saying I may not be back again this year, for I might just forget about do it at all, so I just renewed it. It was $25 for three years. I'm certain I didn't pay that much way back in 2022 when I first joined the club. Obviously they needed the extra cash to pay for the recent renovations.

The Nine Restaurant and Bar hadn't been altered at all and for the most part the menu hasn't changed either. I discovered that if my birthday had fallen on a Tuesday I could've taken advantage of their weekly specials, seeing Tuesday is schnitzel day. On that day, a chicken parmigiana is $25. Because my birthday fell on a Thursday this year, it'll cost $29 with a members discount. Then there's a glass of alcoholic ginger beer on top of that as well so it'll be around $40 all up.
The meal, served with my choice of salad and chips (one day I'll find out what vegetables are being served with it and take the mash option) arrived at my table quickly enough seeing there wasn't that many many people present. It was good but not brilliant. I found it was a little too wet in places, with one knobbly end spitting at me like an oyster when I bit into it. Juicy I don't mind but that was just a bit too much. For me, the Gosford Hotel does a more consistent parmi and you're only paying one dollar more for it than a discounted meal at the Everglades. The pub trivia is also cheaper there too. At Everglades they run theirs on a Tuesday, with a cost of $25 but with better prizes. In Gosford you do have a choice of the GH or the leagues club on a Tuesday. We've stuck with GH because we like the atmosphere, the host is pretty good and the food is fine. It's also more convenient to get to for all of us.
And that's the thing. You have to sum it all up when you're going out these days. I look back at my previous post to see I paid $28 for a schnitzel burger at a cafe in Woy Woy. At the leagues club in Gosford I can get a chicken schnitzel for $26 and turn it into a parmi for an extra $3. For a chicken meal these days, that appears to be the standard prices you're paying. The last time I had the Caeser's Palace burger at Grill'd (back in March) with a choice of fries and a drink it was roughly the same. The thing is, they are still consistently good. However, with these prices, someone like myself on a fixed income isn't going to be eating out every week. In the last week of April, it was a birthday and a trivia night within four days. Add bus fare to the tally and that's $90 for two meals. I can buy that much in groceries in two shops yet I'll be eating for most of the fortnight at home.

Links correct at the time of posting.

Pictures taken by Geoff G Turner (c) 2026.

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.