Asia in Your Backyard

Steve Wroe

As a younger man, I spent quite a few years in Asia. Eating roadside curries in the sultry light of India, admiring the calming aesthetic of Japan, being transfixed by the redolent scents of Southeast Asian markets, and trying to interpret the complex histories of the region, are experiences that still make me smile.

Now, as a Dad, I stay closer to home but love raising my girls in regional Victoria. Fortunately, I can still reminisce about my time in Asia and dip into some memorable

Asian experiences right here in the Daylesford and

Macedon Ranges region.

‘The food’ is why many people are lured to Asia. Thoughts of fragrant Southeast Asian food, rich Indian curries and salty-spicy-sweet-sour flavours in East Asia are making my mouth water as I type this. Nowhere in the world transports me back to Mumbai quite like Dhaba in Kyneton. The below-ground, decades-old space, where Bollywood films are projected onto a bluestone wall, has the most authentic Indian curries you’ll get outside the Subcontinent. Just down the road on Piper St, is Fook Shing, a pan-Asian restaurant named after a Chinese Detective posted to the goldfields during the gold rush. Fittingly operating out of what was once an 1850s temperance hotel, they’re serving up incredible pork belly and melt-in-the-mouth Massaman curry.

Anyone who has been to Japan will appreciate the simplicity and great favours of Izakaya style dining, and Kuzu Izakaya, in nearby Woodend, absolutely nails the concept. Dumpling aficionados should check out The Flying Pigeon in Gisborne... the wine list is brilliant, and the dumplings are straight out of Beijing. Betel Boy, brought to you by the team who run the famous Larder in Daylesford, is a favourite of ours (it’s a few minutes’ walk away from my house which helps). The Southeast Asian vibe is strong… as is their Lemongrass Tom Collins which my wife loves.

If you want a deep immersion into Asian culture, I really, really recommend Shizuka Ryokan. A beautiful space in a beautiful setting, it’s the sort of place where you feel relaxed as soon as you walk in. Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns, and Shizuka has great accommodation, excellent Japanese food, and wellness experiences. It’s the ideal place to disconnect. If your wellness vibe is more down the South Asian path, Maiaveda in Kyneton offers Ayurvedic treatments as part of a wide range of options to boost your wellbeing.

So… why is our region so rich in terms of Asian treasures? It might be the history. As alluded to in my aforementioned reference to Fook Shing, there was a huge influx of Chinese people during the gold rush. Regardless, you’ll find evidence of their impact all over the region. One of the best examples is the Chinese cemetery in Vaughan Springs. Dating back to 1852, it’s a tribute to the hardworking Chinese immigrants and features some fascinating headstones and an interactive art exhibition.

So, while my days of bumming around Asia for months on end have come to an end (for now), at least my girls have acquired my love of Asian food… even if it’s limited to dumplings, springs rolls, butter chicken and fried rice. In fact, I might go and get them…after writing this, I’m starving.

Dhaba at the Mill dhaba.com.au Fook Shing fookshing.com.au Kuzu Izakaya kuzu.com.au The Flying Pigeon flyingpigeon.com.au Betel Boy betelboy.com.au Shizuka Ryokan shizuka.com.au Maiaveda maiaveda.com.au Chinese Cemetery Vaughan Springs goldfieldsguide.com.au Photos: (opposite page L-R): Fook Shing, Kyneton Photography by Simon Griffiths The Flying Pigeon, Gisborne Photography by Andrew Trofimov Kuzu Izakaya, Woodend. DID YOU KNOW? Renowned colonial author Marcus Clarke said, in 1868, “we need no magic carpet to take us to China… our friend Fook Shing, once a Mandarin, now a distinguished member of the detective force, will point out to us the manner and customs of his countrymen”. Fook Shing, who early in his career was involved in the hunt for Ned Kelly, quickly established a reputation as an exceptional detective; one who could penetrate the Chinese criminal community easily. This was a task well beyond Anglo Saxon detectives who were mystified by Chinese culture and had difficulty identifying one Chinese criminal from another. His immersion into the Chinese community involved a great deal of time spent in gambling tents and opium dens… addictions that would ultimately shorten his life. In his twenty years as a detective, he became a household name, and his crimesolving records exceeded that of most of his colleagues. Despite this, he never rose in rank within the police force. While highly regarded and effective, racism was deeply embedded in the new colony.