Culture is multi-dimensional. If you are in Australia and you want to experience, say, what it feels like to be in China, munching on Sichuan food won’t be enough. You need to have the entire atmosphere around you. Chinese architecture, Chinese practices, and even the actual Chinese people.

That’s the reason cultural enclaves are awesome. They provide a multi-dimensional, 360-degree feel of a foreign lifestyle. The sights, the sounds, the feel, and even the smell. At the same, they provide foreigners a way to continue their way of life in an alien land.

And since Australia is mostly a patchwork of European and Asian migrants, it boasts of ethnic enclaves that are awe-inspiring and worth the bus tickets. Here are five of them, found in Sydney and Melbourne, in case you miss life back home or you just want to have a culturally charged experience.

 

 

 

Sydney Chinatown

 

 

Where: Haymarket, between Central Station and Darling Harbour

Chinatowns are undoubtedly the most common cultural enclave, as there close to 35 of these little Chinas in many parts of the world. Twelve of these are in Australia alone, the biggest of which is in Sydney, although it is smaller compared to most Chinatowns in other countries. it is smacked between skyscrapers, giving it a post-modern vibe.

The food, however, is an entirely different story. Here you can feast on the traditional Chinese fares such us hotpots, handmade egg noodles, shrimp dumplings, chicken feet (that’s not a typo), pan-fried green onion pancakes, the famous Peking ducks, and many more. The stalls offering street foods would cook the meal right in front of you as you wait and confusingly salivate whether those crab meat dumplings would go well with beer or sugar cane juice. Indulge in them while surrounded by glowing street lanterns, archways, and oriental architectures and you have got the feel of China in less than an hour drive.

 

 

The main event is the weekly Friday Night Market where novelty snacks and funky Asian fashion clothes are being sold by rows upon rows of vendors. Best time and place to test your haggling skills.

 

 

 

 

Melbourne Chinatown

 

 

Where: Melbourne City Centre, eastern end of Little Bourke St.

Sydney’s Chinatown might be the biggest, but it is in Melbourne where it all started. Established in 1854, it played a pivotal role in setting up the history and culture of the ethnic Chinese immigrants in the country. The Melbourne Chinatown is the noted for being the longest continuous Chinese community in the Western World and the one of the oldest of its kind in Southern Hemisphere.

And that physical history did not go forgotten. The Chinese Museum and Chinatown Visitor Centre contains photographs, documents, and sculptures representing the lives of the first Chinese people in the country. The five-floor building showcases Australian-Chinese heritage at its best.

After you satisfied your hunger for history and information, you can also gratify your gastronomical pursuits here. Much like its cousin back in Sydney, Melbourne’s Chinatown is a food haven. Feast on yum cha’s, shark’s fin dumplings, crispy duck, seafood fresh from the tank, roast ducks, wontons, and many more. Whether you are looking for Sichuan, Jiangsu, or Cantonese, they have it.

 

 

And the annual Chinese New Year here is huge party. Big crowds, dancing dragons, street performances, music, and more food. Their New Year beats everybody else’s New Year every time.

 

 

 

Thai Town in Sydney

 

 

Where: Haymarket on Campbell Street, to the east of George Street.

Over the past few years, Thai food is gaining recognition on the international scale, being recognized alongside Filipino, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisine. But here in Campbell Street, it is very much a live for a decade and a half now. Established in 2000, Thai Town has been the epicenter of Thai culture in Australia. And it is only logical, since Sydney has the highest concentration of Thai population in the country.

Though not as expansive and complex as Chinatown up there in west of George Street, this conglomeration of Thai restaurants, food stalls, groceries, and video stores is a lively haven for Thai residents, foodies, and Thai culture enthusiasts. Splurge on the traditional Thai treats such as pad thai (fried noodles), tom yum goong (spicy shrimp soup), gaeng keow wan kai (green chicken curry), and tom kha kai (chicken in coconut soup), and then wash it down with either cha yen (coconut milk tea) or Thai beer.

 

 

A simple tip here: if you somehow get lost with all these choices and do not know where to start, get your cue from the Thais themselves. Go to where the lines are the longest, as they know which foods is worth the bang for your buck.

 

 

 

Little Italy, Lygon Street

 

Where: Lygon Street, Carlton

Not all enclaves in Oz has an Asian vibe. For those looking for something more European, there’s the Little Italy along Lygon Street between Gratton Street and Argyle Place North. In this small strip of the street runs the many ristorantes, trattorias, pizzerias, enotecas, and tavernas, each serving old-school Italian delicacies like pastas, insalatas, pizza, risottos, porchettas, cheeses, pastries, sorbetos, and of course, coffee. It is believed to be the place where Melbourne’s café culture began.

But the draw of this strip of Italian joins isn't limited to food alone, as it captures what it’s like to grab a meal in Rome’s Via Margutta (without the overly narrow roadway of course). The lines of tents, the crowd mumbling their orders, greetings, and conversations, and the trees providing warmth in otherwise chilly nights.

 

 

If you are done satisfying your palate, you may also shop along the 28 specialty stores found here including Country Road, Forza Italia Melbourne, Alberto Piazza Shoes, Silk Lane Boutique, and yes, they have Woolworths here, too. Or if consuming art films, indie movies, documentaries, and foreign flicks are your thing, Cinema Nova has all of those for you.

 

 

Melbourne's Greek Precinct

 

Where: Eastern end of Lonsdale Street, Melbourne city centre.

No. Greek Precinct isn’t a place in Melbourne where uproarious Greeks go to be confined. Rather, this lively little town smacked in the city centre is where Greeks and other people alike go to enjoy Greece’s best treats and offerings.

Melbourne, known to cradle people of diverse cultural background, is also home to the largest Greek population of any city in the world outside Greece. So it only make sense that they establish a piece of their country here. You can find here restaurants, book stores, record shops, bars, jewelry stores, and shoe shops all offering Greek products. The towering Greek Centre is the centerpiece of all these with its functions, exhibitions, performances, and educational events all showcasing Greek culture.

 

 

And after have indulged in these displays, you may satisfy your tummies next in the many estiatorios, psistarias, ouzeries, and tavernas lining the street. Here, you can sample Greek and Mediterranean foods like eliopsomo (bread with olives), garides saganak (shrimp in spicy tomato sauce), fakes (lentil soup), bamies (okra with tomato sauce), chtapodi sti schara (grilled octopus in vinegar), moussaka (eggplant-based dish), tzatziki (greek sauce served with grilled meats) and many more. You may wash them down with beer, ouzo (an alcoholic drink), ouzito (the Greeks' answer to mojito) or good old Greek wine.

We already gave you a glimpse of how amazing, bizarre, and challenging Australia’s day to day foods are. But not all of Aussie cuisine is as quirky as those. Some are ranked among the world’s finest, sought by foodies, chefs, and tourists from around the globe.

Also, they cost three months’ worth of rent and/or a lifetime of savings.

Here are seven of Australia’s world class and highly regarded fares that challenge not only your inner food critic but also your ability to explain to your bank why you maxed out your credit card in single night.

 

 

 

Bennelong’s Cheese Toast - $22

 

 

 

For the same amount you can get: Four bottles of imported beer

Cost of the regular variety: $2.00 (homemade)

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You have fasted for six to eight hours already and your body is aching for fuel. You definitely can’t miss it. Unless of course you are stuck inside the Sydney Opera House then you will be forced to think with your wallet and doubt the scientific validity of that claim.

This is because Bennelong’s Five Cheese Truffle Toastie might be your only option, and it costs $22.00. Considered to be the most expensive of its kind, the budget-busting toast you could make at home in under five minutes for less than two bucks consists of five kinds of cheese from different parts of Australia. These are C2 cheddar, Heidi Gruyère, ricotta, mozzarella, and l'Artisan Mountain Man. That last one reportedly smells awful (or you know, like a mountain man), but they still think the price is justifiable. And they also threw in black truffles for good measure. And the best part, you can guzzle it inside the prestigious Opera House. You are actually paying for the ambiance, too.

 

 

 

Adelaide’s Coffin Bay King Oysters - $100 per piece

 

 

 

For the same amount you can get: A pair of business leather shoes

Cost of the regular variety: $20.00 a dozen

These oysters were not called king for nothing. The Coffin King Oysters are being sold for a hundred bucks per piece due to their massive size and incredible flavor. While the regular sort only has 12 grams of meat max, the Coffin Bay variety has 100 grams of luscious seafood flesh.

Also, the factor of time comes into play, as they need to wait for six years before these shellfish can grow to Incredible Hulk proportion versus the 18 months for the common breed, making them the cognac of oysters.

Like most pricey ingredients, these oysters are targeted by high-end restaurants because of the size and quality of meat. Given with these establishments’ reputation to amplify meal prices by adding a few more exotic ingredients, you can only imagine how much the final product will cost.

 

 

 

Dry-Aged Mishima Sirloin - $190 per 350 grams

 

 

For the same amount you can get: A month of electricity, heating, water, and Internet service.

Cost of the regular variety: $15.00 (Outback Steakhouse sirloin and shrimp)

Aside from ultra-modern gadgets and the love of anime, Japan is well-known for its succulent and extravagant cattle meat such as Kobe and Wagyu beef. In this tradition comes the Mishima beef. Also a breed of Wagyu, Mishima is highly sought because it is pure bred i.e. never cross-bred with western cattle unlike Kobe.

But those who delight Mishima meat need not to travel to the Land of the Rising Sun anymore, as Aussie farmer David Blackmore already brought the cattle here and raised them in what could be the only Mishima farm outside Japan.

Rockpool Bar and Grill then took it to the next level by having them dry-aged, bringing out the flavor and taste of the beef further. Such process is quite expensive as well, thus incrementing the final price to $190 for 350 grams of meat.

 

 

 

Boon Chocolates’ Harana Chocolate Bag - $299

 

 

For the same amount you can get: A Samsung Galaxy Tab 4

Cost of the regular variety: $8.00 (regular bag)

Climate change is bringing a lot of bad things: rising sea levels, drought, and meteorological disasters, among many. But ironically, what alarmed the world the most is the impending extinction of chocolate. We don’t know if this dire forecast is Boon Chocolates’ reason to jack up their prices to stratospheric levels, but one thing is for sure, it sells.

Popular during the Valentine’s seasons, the Harana bag lets you take home some of their succulent products encased in a bag entirely made of chocolate, all for $299. The name comes from the Filipino-style of serenading sweethearts, because apparently a chocolate bag containing more chocolates inside can now be equated to undying passion and commitment.

You can’t just enter the shop and grab one, however. You need to call and pre-order two weeks prior, because these things don’t grow on trees. They take time to fashion and develop.  You know, like love.

 

 

 

Gourmet Life Beluga Caviar - $9,900 per kilogram

 

 

For the same amount you can get: A seven-day European tour by boat

Cost of the regular variety: $1,000 per kilo (Sturgeon Black Caviar)

Caviar is one of those foods that are pretty much relegated to the fancy, people who brew coffee beans from the far end of the world and probably drive luxury cars. So it is no mystery that its value can reach a thousand dollars or two only so you can have something black and salty on your otherwise pale blinis.

But for a price that will get you half a year of rent on downtown Sydney, it becomes ridiculous. Introducing,  Gourmet Life’s Beluga Caviar, a delicate and buttery roe obtained from beluga sturgeon. But these aren’t any beluga sturgeon, they have to be at least 25 years old before they can be considered ripe enough to give ten-grand roe. As with any food, the factor of time heavily compounds the caviar prices.

It is so exquisite, you should never eat it with a metal spoon. As the metallic taste it leaves on ruins the flavor of the roe. The best utensil to use? A spoon made from mother of pearl.

 

 

 

The Lord Dudley Hotel's Posh Pie - $12,000

 

 

For the same amount you can get: A 2013 Chevrolet Spark

Cost of the regular variety: $22.00 (Beef Pot Pie at The Glenmore)

Pies are the Swiss knives of the gastronomical world. You can just put whatever inside them and still look edible and enjoyable: meat, fish, seafood, veggies, fruits, and nuts, name it. The guys at The Lord Dudley Hotel in Paddington, Sydney thought of this (probably) and said, “Let’s make a pie with all of our priciest stuff inside. They won’t complain.”

And so they did.

Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive pie, the Posh Pie contains two cuts of wagyu beef, two whole West Australian rock lobsters, rare Winter Black truffles, two bottles of Penfolds Grange Reserve, and German gold leaf, because all expensive foods need to come with a golf leaf somewhere. The finished product has a price tag of a measly $12,000.

And if you think you can share the pie and therefore split the gargantuan bill, we’re sorry to tell you that each pie is good for one person only. Yes. Get ready to spiral down into debt.

 

 

 

2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon - $168,000

 

 

For the same amount you can get: A Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline for you and five of your friends.

Cost of the regular variety: $14.00 (Penfolds Koonunga Hill Cabernet Sauvignon)

You could expect the most expensive nourishment out there to be a lavish meal fit to feed two to four person and will fill you with satisfaction and satiety. But no, the most excessively costly food in this list is well, a bottle of liquid.

The 2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon, comes only in a limited edition of 12 bottles. The red wine is made by Penfolds, one of Australia’s very few established wine makers (they make the wine for our Posh Pie up there). It is so rare, it has to come with its own cabinet, as they realized you have already blown too much money for the wine itself for you to build a decent casing. The sauvignon is sealed in an airtight hand-blown glass ampoule fashioned into a shape of a plumb bob, an ancient device used by builders to determine a vertical line. The vial is then suspended inside the timber cabinet.

All in all, four expert master artisans collaborated to create the entire casing. The wine is described to have “an ethereal dimension,” and “extraordinarily perfumed with layer upon layer of flavor.” In 2005, a U.S. wine critic gave it 100 points out of 100.

A perfectly-tasting wine encased in masterly-crafted cabinet worth a hundred grand, it definitely is the most valuable thing of its size you will ever have in your collection, until you stumble upon the Ark of the Covenant, of which will probably only slightly outprice the red wine.

 

 

 

Like these foods, Australian visa can be overly expensive if handled by the inexperienced. Save money by getting professional help. Throw us a message in the enquiry section below or call us at 1300 619 977 and we will help you get here!

Australia is a great surprise on all aspects. Great sights. Fascinating people. Awesome holidays. And the food? Unforgettable. Most are wonderfully Instagram-worthy. Some belong to the dark recesses of our memories.

Here are the delicacies that only the Australians would come out with.

 

 

Vegemite

 

 

Nothing speaks Australia more than this sandwich spread that tastes either like the sweet, sweet welcome of the morning or the tears from your crushed dreams, depends on who you ask. It is concocted from yeast extract with vegetables and spice additives thrown in to give it the distinct bittersweet, salty and malty taste.

The chocolate-looking and deceivingly-tasting paste is a stale on crackers, bread, crumpets, and even pastries. It is best paired with butter or cream cheese to town down the strong flavor. Many agreed that enjoying this delicacy is a matter of acquired taste.

 

 

Burger with “The Lot”

 

 

The Aussies might not have invented the hamburger, but they sure took it to insane levels. The burger with “the lot” is the proof of that. Not contented with just a patty, cheese, and a few greens, they also threw in a smorgasbord of other relishes.

A typical burger with the lot consists of a pair of sweet buns, charred beef patty, cheddar cheese, fried sunny side-up egg, tomatoes, bacon, pineapple, onions, lettuce, barbecue sauce, and beetroot. That last item wasn’t a typo. It’s basically a normal burger with mom’s garden salad threw in the middle.

Obviously, you can’t eat this on humongous meal the run. For that, they have the…

 

 

Burger Rings

 

 

The Blokes want to have their burger on the way to work. And no. It’s not the one that’s dripping as they race along the walkway. They want it bit sized, wrapped in aluminum foil, and heavily processed.

Wait, what?

To hell with onion rings. Burger Rings have been a hit among the Aussies since its inception in 1974. The ingredients include rice, corn, vegetable oil, salt, sugar, and five other chemicals that’s just too much to pronounce. Burger flavor is thrown in the end.

 

 

ANZAC Biscuits

 

 

 

No. ANZAC isn’t some gigantic bread-manufacturing company, it refers to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, the soldiers who fought during World War I at Gallipoli against the Ottoman Empire.

ANZAC Biscuits are made using rolled oats, sugar, flour, butter, baking soda, golden syrup, boiling water, and desiccated coconut. This sweet delicacy doesn’t just taste enjoyable, but it has a brilliant history as well.

Unconfirmed claims have it that these biscuits were first sent to ANZAC soldiers by their wives abroad. The ingredients were chosen because they do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation.

The name stuck, and these days it’s just one of the finest Aussie treats out there.

 

 

Kangaroo Meat

 

Of course this is Australia. There will be kangaroo meat.

A staple source of protein for indigenous Australians, human consumption of Kangaroo meat was legalized in in South Australia in 1980, while all other states followed suit in 1993. It is mostly served as a steak, but could also take the form of burger patties, barbecues, pizza topping, and salad ingredient.

But some people isn’t happy about other people consuming kangaroo meat. This leads to the rise of Kangatarianism, people who abstain from eating kangaroo meat.

 

 

Beefsteak Mushroom

 

 

Just because it looks like a beefsteak, and mushrooms are generally tasty, doesn’t mean the beefsteak mushroom is the apex cuisine of vegan fine dining.

It reportedly tastes slightly sour, has an unyielding texture, and needs slow cooking to soften. Usual cooking preparations include marinating it in white wine, cloves, and parsley. Then coating it with beaten egg, herbs, and breadcrumbs. And usually served on a bed of salad.

 

 

Quandong

 

 

Another indigenous aborigine staple food is the quandong. They are small, bright red, and shaped like apricots. The taste can be a bit tart, not unlike the blend of apricot and peaches.  The Aussies have been pretty much creative in utilizing the fruit in various recipes, like ice creams, cakes, cockles, jams, relishes, and even beer.

You can’t just roam around in the wilds though and randomly pick quandong fruits, as they are protected by law. Only the commercialized can be consumed.

 

Interested with Australia but don’t have a migration professional yet? Throw us a message in the enquiry section below or call us at 1300 619 977 and we will help you get here!