Kitchen supplies in Sydney and Canberra

[annachan]

So, we are finally moving to Australia in January. Will be in Sydney the first month (where dogs will be in quarantine) and then move to Canberra. I have some kitchen supplies that I have to replace. I have to decide if I should purchase them in the US and ship them or just get them there. We are paying the shipping cost out of pocket so I have to be mindful what I bring.

In San Francisco, we have a lot of Chinese kitchen supply stores where we can get woks, strainers/colanders, bowls, plates, gadgets, etc. for cheap. By cheap I mean that woks are about $10-$15, bowls and gadgets for $1-$2, etc. Are there stores like that in Sydney or Canberra?

Also, where are good places for kitchen electrics? I'll need an electric kettle, maybe a rice cooker, a slow cooker, a toaster oven and such.

I'm so hoping that Costco will be open soon and I can pick up some stuff there.

[Snadra]

How exciting!

Do you know where in Sydney you will be staying for your first month? While Haymarket is the obvious destination for asian shops, there are plenty of other places around the Sydney region where you can get these things, without so much of a parking headache as driving into the city can give you. Burwood/Ashfield, Chatswood, Cabramatta, Eastwood, Blacktown, Hurstville, etc all come to mind. You can definately get the sorts of things you are after in Sydney.

As far as electrical goods go, the shops I mentioned in your other thread (Harvey Norman, Retravision, Bing Lee & Good Guys) have outlets all around greater Sydney, and in the Canberra region as well. Buy in January if you can. The post-Christmas sales will be on everywhere, and you will find some bargains for sure!

Costco doesn't appear to have put a date on its Granville site opening yet. We drove past the site a couple of days ago, and it looked like they have started laying foundations for the store. I can't quite see it being open in time for January, especially as they don't seem to have started recruiting heavily for it yet. On the other hand, it looks like they're planning a Canberra store as well, so you might be in luck (eventually)...

[annachan]

Thanks for the tips, Snadra.

Not sure where we'll stay in Sydney yet as we're still looking into short term rentals. We want to be close Eastern Creek for the dogs as well as close by the freeway to get to Canberra. Then again, we also want to be close to a city center where we can get things done. Like applying for medicare, appointments at the bank, getting a car and household items, etc. And, we need to be able to find a rental (prefer service apartment type) that is reasonably priced. Maybe $500-$700 per week for studio/1 bedroom.

I guess we'll be there in time for the sales! I hope we will be able to find some deals.

[nickrey]

In Sydney, you can also try Cabramatta for Asian kitchen equipment. It is mainly Vietnamese but has all the other gizmos as well.

When you are in Canberra as a foodie, Fyshwick markets will be your best friend. Check it out, it will have most of your cooking needs. Kingston has Essential Ingredient and other food stores (their butchery is excellent and much cheaper for quality than we can get in Sydney [not cheapest for those who will point to areas on the fringes of Sydney]). Mawson has some good Chinese ingredients shops as well. Not too sure about the North (Canberra is small but divided along geographic lines) and I always tended to live South when I was there.

Make sure you go to Peters of Kensington when you are in Sydney. They are probably the most consistent discounters of quality merchandise. They also have a good Internet based ordering system.

[annachan]

Thanks for the info, nickrey. Sounds like Cabramatta will be a good place to look for a wok.

[debbster]

Try to get Asian kitchen supplies in Sydney, they are usually more expensive here in Canberra.

In addition to the places nickrey mentioned, the Farmers Market at EPIC in Mitchell is also worth a visit. Open on Saturdays only, there are organic, grain-fed meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc) fruit, vegies straight from the producers.

There are numerous Asian groceries peppered around the city. In the city centre, there are a couple of Korean groceries, a few good all-around Asian ones in the Belconnen area (one inside the mall). One in Phillip that I've not been to, but have heard that the prices are low but variety a bit limited. There are also a few in Dickson, more Chinese than the others. Most of these shops sell fresh Asian vegies. If you go on delivery days, they're quite fresh.