A Mouthful of Fabs

Katsu Yachiyo

2012-02-15T20:11:00.007+11:00

Katsu Yachiyo is one of the newbies on the scene. From the owners of Sushi Yachiyo in Darlinghurst (near the coke sign), Katsu Yachiyo is as the name suggests i.e. a katsu specialist!

It is tucked away on Devonshire St, Surry Hills and if you walk any faster you will miss it as they dont have a big flashy sign outfront. Instead they humbly wrote the restaurant name on the glass panel:

They only opened in December 2011 and its a shame its not packed on a friday night. They do not waste effort on the decor but ajourn the walls with blackboards that lists the specials and the array of imported sake on offer.

My sister being the japanese foodie that she is, ordered the Umeshu Shouchu without hesitation and of course i happily followed suit =) They only had 2 remaining so we shared it amongst 3 people. It is a very sweet plum shochu (japanese distilled spirit) which does not kill you on impact like sake does. Also ordered a fuji sparkling apple juice for my dearest.

Umeshu $9.50, apple sparking

There were some interesting dishes on the menu which i really wanted to try out. One of them was the prawn avocado with walnut and miso reduction. The walnut pieces were piled in the middle of the dish surrounded by sushi pieces so i had to scoop some every time I ate a sushi. As the avocado and prawn are quite textureless by themselves, the walnut brought the dish alive. Similarly with the miso reduction and mayo, omg i love the miso reduction! It was rich and sweet and oh so yummy. If only there was more sauce!

Prawn miso walnut roll $14.60

On a side note, they somehow have this amazing dipping soy sauce. I cannot describe it, but the soy sauce is thick and very tasty. So tasty i dipped everything that night in soy =)

I have a loving relationship with eggplant. The spongy eggplant soaked up the generous amounts of red and white miso reduction sauce and was divine, but definitely not enough to share around if you are an eggplant lover like me.

Nasudengaku $13.30

We also ordered two tuna shiso cigars where creamy tuna is wrapped in shiso herb served with miso and chipotle sauce. One bite wonders, the herb was crisp and the tuna chunky.

Tuna shiso cigars $3.50 each

The wagyu beef cheek which had been soy braised for 24hrs before being deep fried in fresh bread crumbs came out in balls that resembled deep fried takoyaki balls. A light super crunchy outershell encassed the delicate beef cheeks which melted in the mouth.

Wagyu cheek $16.50

Another interesting find was the edamame risotto croquette which also looked like deep friend takoyaki! haha. These were fried risotto rice balls with edamame beans and corn pieces. To compensate for the blandness it was unfortunately over peppered.

Edamame risotto croquette $14.50

Grilled salmon with soy caramelised vegetables with yuzu sauce was quite a refreshing dish. After all that katsu it was good to eat some chunky vegetables and also little cubed pieces of carrots and potatoes soaked in yuzu sauce. The salmon was lovely and the yuzu sauce simply irresistable. Can't go wrong with yuzu!

Salmon yuzu gomoku $20.50

What was funny was the table next to us. The guy ordered a plate of karaage chicken to eat by himself and when it arrived, there was a shocked expression on his face...what the? the dish is HUMUNGOUS!! Hence we ordered one ourselves hahhaha

The batter was light and the pieces were not oil at all. AND they used only chicken thigh fillet!! yummmm, no rough breast meat =) There were 8 very big pieces of chicken marinated in homemade soy miso sauce, so if you love your chicken karaage this is the ultimate indulgence.

Yachiyo chicken karaage $17.80

This place seriously knows their Katsu!

Katsu Yachiyo
208 Devonshire St
Surry Hills
Tel- 02 9690 2424
http://www.yachiyo.com.au/katsu/

One Dim Sum - Hong Kong

2012-01-30T22:20:00.005+11:00

One Dim Sum is a one Michelin star restaurant in Hong Kong, one of the cheapest ones out there! Having been to the so-called cheapest Michelin star restaurant i.e. Tim Ho Wan, i was eager to try One Dim Sum as my hong kong friends have reassured me One Dim Sum is comparable in price and the one that hong kongers prefer.

We traversed through the busy hong kong streets following my trusty google map directions, walked past the flower market and finally found the big red sign!! It is quite misleading as the entrance is not on the street per its address. If in doubt, give them a call =)

A line of chairs were positioined outside for patrons to sit down whilst they wait, but i was too eager to suss out the dim sum board!

Grab an order sheet and mark away! nom nom nom...

Once we got inside, i was surprised that they had such a good air conditioning system! It was a vast contrast to the mucky outside temperature and not the usual sweaty cafes i was used to in hong kong.

Prices were very reasonable, approx $10-20 HKD ($1.25 - $2.5 AUD) for a dim sum.

We ordered the typical dim sum items to see if they were up to scratch. The beef balls were a bit too soft and not as textured as i would have preferred.

The BBQ pork rice noodle rolls were super silky! But yes, i know it is silky because of the copious amount of oil that goes into it haha. It slid into my mouth with ease, coupled with the sweet soy sauce. However I would have liked the rice noodle sheets to be thinner and more transparent.

Was a bit disappointed with my favourite dish i.e. the fried dough wrapped in rice noodle, "Ja Leung". The fried dough was so soft and soggy!! Not happy =(

I dont usually order this steamed chicken dish "Gai Zat" but it was surprisingly flavoursome. The chicken was very tender with the shiitake mushroom and fish maw. YUM.

The BBQ pork bun is another of my favourite all time dim sum because i love the sweet bun and honeyed bbq pork centres. This one didn't disappoint either! It had enough juicy filling that wasn't dry with a hot, cotton soft sweet bun. At $12 HDK ($1.5AUD) for 2 BBQ pork buns, you cant ask for much more at a one Michelin star restaurant.

One Dim Sum
15 Playing Field Road
Mongkok, Kowloon Hong Kong
tel - +852 2789 2280

Cafe Mint

2012-01-30T20:49:00.003+11:00

Walking from Town Hall to Cafe Mint on Crown Street Surry Hills sounded like a great idea as i needed to burn off a few calories before some indulgence! But i forgot about the weird humid weather and arrived after 30 (very sweaty) minutes. It is a very cosy cafe with wooden fitouts that could easily have been missed if i walked too fast but i think it was well worth my sweatiness.

Cafe Mint serves modern middle eastern cuisine and in my mind similar to Kazbah if you want to compare. This cafe is a fantastic sunday brunch hangout but only if you have a small group as it is tiny!

The breakfast menu is refreshing and not overloaded with a list of egg dishes made twenty ways. They have sweet breakfast couscous, a turkish style breakfast plate, breakfast hummus wiht spiced chickpeas just to name a few.

I read somewhere that the sweet mint tea is superb so i ordered one in anticipation.

Sweet moroccan fresh mint tea $4.50

The mint tea is definitely sweet as the name suggests! It is quite minty but the sweetness is overpowering, like drinking concentrated honey. I didn't mind it as much as i have a sweet tooth, but you have been warned! =)

Spicy merguez lamb sausages and lamb kefta, baked in chackchouka with peas & mint served with za'tar bread $21.50

Cous cous salad with fresh and roasted vegetables and grilled haloumi $15.50

Turkish breakfast, with spice roast tomato, spinach, boiled egg, olives, haloumi and za’tar toast $16.90

I ordered the turkish breakfast which came with big pieces of haloumi which i had a craving for =) It came with 4 triangle slices of za'tar toast, which is basically toast that is smothered with za'tar spice mixture, sesame seeds, salt and then toasted. It is a much healthier option compared to the normal butter oozing toast! The soft boiled egg was goey and wobbly which tells me they know exactly how to make their eggs! The spice roasted tomatoes were sweet and the mix of different olives complimented the dish well.

Cafe Mint
579 Crown St
Surry Hills
Tel - 02 9319 0848
www.cafemint.com.au

I'm BACK

2011-12-15T21:50:00.003+11:00

My 2 week holiday turned into a 2 month hiatus from blogging!! im so sorry, i've been super busy after my overseas and interstate trips =P

But the main reason why i've been so busy is because I GOT ENGAGED!!! yippppeeee.....Hence i have been spending most of my waking momenst planning and thinking about the big day.

I promise to start blogging again during the upcoming Christmas holidays. I'm super excited, theres a lot of cool blog posts coming up, so stick around!!

Fabia

notice board =D

2011-10-27T23:09:00.002+11:00

hey friends, i'll be away on holidays for 2 weeks so i wont be posting any updates until im back. see u soon!

Jamie's Italian Sydney

2011-10-25T21:21:00.013+11:00

Jamie Oliver's restaurant, Jamie's Italian has finally FINALLY made its debut in Sydney Australia!! I have anticipated its opening for months (ever since they announced it around August this year) and could not be more ecstatic when it opened yesterday that i rushed there tonight.

It must have been a low key soft opening with not a lot of fanfare as there was no media hype around the whole thing. Maybe it was Jamie's idea?

Jamie's philosophy has always been to serve up quality food at reasonable prices so that it is affordable for everyone. His Sydney restaurant has done exactly that. When i looked at the exciting menu on offer, i could not believe the price tags attached to them. Dessert for $9?? Impossible!!

It is hard when you have high expectations for a restaurant to come out the other end with your expectations met. Not only did it exceed my expectations, i was jumping up and down with joy!

At the front of the restaurant you can see through the glass at the pasta coming out of the pasta machine (which looks more like a mincing machine =P)

They do not take bookings except for 6 or more people. I was so eager to get a seat i was outside their door at 5.45pm but the restaurant seats 200, so there was no real rush as there were plenty of tables available over 2 levels.

We had excellent service throughout the night, 10/10. They were passionate about the food, kept refilling water and we were asked quite a few times if we enjoyed the dishes. Maybe because it is only their 2nd day of work but i hope this enthusiam continues because it was fantastic.

Amongst the 3 of us we ordered 4 entree dishes to share, 3 mains and 3 desserts. All up $50pp. I cant stop smiling!!

A wall of wines lined up in wired cupboards decorated the wall on one side of the ground level seating area.

The vegetarian plate was only $10 per head and comprised of sliced vegetables chargrilled & marinated, buffalo mozzarella & pecorino with chilli jam, aubergine caponata, curly green chillies, olives & caper berries and a crunchy salad of shaved root veg with chilli, lemon & mint. Even though it was a one person serve, it was massive and perfect for those greedy eaters like me who like to eat a bit of everything.

Planks - Vegetables $10 per head

The chargrilled vegetables were huge and chunky covered in glossy oil and sweet vinegar. I learned that aubergine is another name for the humble eggplant and caponata is a salad comprising of eggplants, veges and capers in a sweet n sour sauce with sweet vinegar. No wonder it was vinegar tangy!

The platter is balanced on top of tomato cans! An absolutely brilliant idea =)

The mozzarella was reminescent of fresh milk - creamy and light but oozy in the centre.

The crunchy salad was indeed crunchy, with the vegetables finely julienned.

A piece of hard cheese, pecorino, is sliced into a triangle with a dollop of chilli jam on top so that it resembled a sunny side up egg.

I took so many pics of this dish because i got overly excited haha.

We ordered the small size of the cuttlefish paccheri. Short tubes of pasta with slowbraised cuttlefish, parsley, white wine, capers and tomatoes. It was a really small serving but perfect as an entree size. The flavours were all there, very seafoody but the pasta tubes were a bit too firm.

Cuttlefish paccheri $13.50

Yum yum polenta chips!! It was more like potenta chunks, as the polenta came in chunky cubes lightly deep fried with rosemary salt topped with parmesan. Heaven in a cube! Thinly crispy on the outside, not too oily with the inside still soft and spongy. $8 for a bowl of indulgence.

Crispy polenta chips $8

We also picked the mushroom fritto. The mushrooms are grown in-house, sliced and deep fried until crispy. Served with irresistable garlicky mayo.

Mushroom fritto $9

The only deceiving part is that the bottom half of the container is empty, filled with brown paper haha. If only the whole thing was filled with mushroom!!!

Cross section of the mushroom slice:

Tip for when you come here: you need to physically ask for the bread (on the house, free). It was listed on the menu but none of the tables around us got any, so, being greedy me i asked for it =)

There is a selection of different breads: homemade rosemary focaccia Artisan sourdough, ciabatta and tortano from their bakery Crispy carta di musica. Served with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic. They are only small pieces, but great for nibbling in between dishes.

One of our mains was the grilled chicken. Half a free range bird marinated and chargrilled with a warm tomato, olive, chilli and caper sauce. My sister said the chicken was too dry and the sauce super overpowering. When i tried the sauce i was knocked over. It was also a smaller portion size compared to my Lamb and our friend's fish.

My sister was told to rip the meat off the bone, mix it with the sauce with a squeeze of lemon.

Grilled chicken $29

I had the Best of Aussie Lamb Spiedini - marinated and grilled leg, shoulder and liver with smashed new potatoes and a minty chilli and yoghurt dressing.

Not only were the potatoes smashed, but i was smashed after eating the dish, it was that big!! The meat and liver came skewered on a metal rod and sat on top of a thick bed of potatoes.

Best of Aussie Lamb Spiedini $25

The lamb was perfectly pink in the centre and super tender. Lamb liver is not something that people would normally like, but as a Chinese who eats all sorts of innards, i loved the liver. And all that on a plate for $25?! Must be dreaming.

The fish chosen was the Fritto Misto - mixed crispy fried fish of the day served with zesty Italian tartare sauce and fresh lemon.

The fish was hidden beneath a blanket of deep fried angel hair pasta with 3 slices of lemon on top haha. The angel hair is tied artistically around a prawn. The deep fried angel hair is addictive like chips! But after a few more mouthfuls you definitely have a very oily lingering around the back of the throat.

There was an obviously big dish of tartare sauce which was not hidden! It was very zingy and as it was a generous serving of sauce it lets you to fully dunk your fish in it.

The piece of fish i had was nicely battered and fried but my sister's piece was apparently a bit salty. But does it really matter when you can drown it in tangy sauce =)

Fritto Misto $26

No matter what, leave room for dessert because you will regret regret regret if you dont. There, i've warned you.

We ordered the brownie, tiramisu and panna cotta to share.

The panna cotta was my favourite as it was creamy, delicate and not overly sweet. Coupled with intense berry puree it was pure bliss.

Creamy Panna Cotta $8.50

The warm brownie was richly chocolately with extra chocolate sauce on top.It was a chocolate, raspberry and amaretto brownie served with vanilla ice cream.

Ultimate Brownie $8.50

Last but not least, the tiramisu! If you love jaffas, then this is the winning dessert. Coffee-flavoured trifle with orange mascarpone and chocolate.

Our Special Tiramisu $9

And as you can tell, we scraped every plate and licked every spoon. Doesn't it speak louder than words =P

Well done Jamie!

Jamie's Italian
107 Pitt Street
Sydney
Tel - 02 8240 9000
http://www.jamieoliver.com/au/italian/

Hard Rock Cafe Sydney - Darling Harbour

2011-10-20T19:38:00.001+11:00

Hell yea!! Hard Rock cafe!! Hard Rock cafe has finally reopened its Sydney doors after closing down in 2007. Now the hardcore Hard Rock fans can finally add Sydney collectibles to their collection once again =)

We came here for a very late night dessert feast. As expected it was loud and crazy with the music pumping so hard you can barely hear yourself talk.

The ceiling was adjourned with pictures of rock n roll stars with a scattering of memorabilias displayed in the cafe.

We found the dessert section and my friend told me the chocolate brownie is a must try. It did not let me down - it was amazzinngg!!

Two massive scoops of vanilla ice cream doused with fudge with a mountain of whipped cream piled in the middle. You ask, where is the brownie? Lo and behold it was buried beneath all that cream and fudge =)

This was a heart attack waiting to happen but truly irresistable! The brownie was so scrumptiously gooey with the outside still crunchy. It was super rich and made me make 'mmhmm' noises as I ate.

A massive serving and for only $13.50? High fives all round =)

Hard Rock Cafe Sydney
Level 2, Harbourside Centre
Darling Harbour
Sydney
Tel - 02 9280 0077
http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes3/cafe.aspx?LocationID=548&MIBEnumID=3

Baia Restaurant - Darling Harbour

2011-10-19T21:14:00.001+11:00

Baia is situated on the famously busy strip of Cockle Bay Wharf amongst numerous other restaurants and bars. It was chosen by my friend who came to visit from Malaysia as it was close to Lindt Cafe and easy for everyone to meet up.

As it was a friday night Baia was extremely packed to the brim. It draws in the after work crowd and convenient for that quick bite before heading to drinks. There were not many tourists, to my surprise. It has a great vibe and allows you to admire the wharf and observe passer bys.

We had a group of 10 and had to wait for everyone's arrival. The waiter was extremely attentive and promptly offered water to each of the late comers that staggered in one by one. The menu offered an range of pizza, pasta and main options with an extensive wine and drinks list.

I ordered the guava squeeze mocktail which came in a large glass decorated with sliced strawberries and lime peel. It was deliciously sweet and clean with hints of lime.

Guava Squeeze $12

Apple Martini $19

We ordered garlic and cheese pizza bread and the classic bruschetta for the table to share and also an antipasto for me and my mate.

The garlic pizza was as it should be - exploding garlic flavours on a thin pizza base with stringy cheesy bits.

Garlic and cheese pizza $13

Classic bruscetta $13

The antipasto arrived on a stone slab with a myriad of little mounds including pork belly, duck proscuitto, chicken liver pate and Qld seared scallops. There were heaps of thin crisp lavoche for us to share albeit overly salty. The salt didn't go down well with the other equally salty elements from the duck proscuitto and pork belly. However the scallop was fresh and nicely seared.

Antipasto Baia $29

Our mains were all beautifully presented on big white dishes. What was unfortunate was the service. Maybe because it was a busy friday night, all nine of our mains arrived at the same time except for mine. None of the waiters realised the blunder until 5-10mins afterwards when she came back, apologised and rushed in to get my dish. It may have been a mistake from the kitchen but to have all our mains sitting out cold for that time whilst we waited for mine to arrive is a terrible mistake.

Artic crab risotto $26

Traditional Lasagne $26

Squid Ink Linguine $27

Gnocchi with pesto $23

My ravioloni was made with a prawn and scallop filling served with shellfish cream. The cream was magnificent as it wasn't too sickening nor did it drown the ravioloni. There were however only four ravioloni in total. Four? I was so hungry i could have eaten three of those plates. I was quite disappointed at the small portion size especially when the ravioloni was so scrumptious but could not satisfy my hunger.

Ravioloni $28

On the contrary, the table next to us had big pizza servings which they delved into like there was no tomorrow. If i was to come again, i would definitely love to try their pizzas and test out their desserts.

Baia Restaurant
Shop 114
Cockle Bay Wharf
Sydney
Tel - 02 9283 3434
www.baiatheitalian.com.au

Aria Restaurant

2011-10-17T23:27:00.004+11:00

Ever since Matt Moran featured on Masterchef and gave contestants generous servings of harsh comments, ive been reluctant to go to Aria. Knowing it is 2 hatted didn't sway me either - yes i can be quite stubborn! =P. But my friend chose Aria for her farewell dinner and i could not refuse. We came on a saturday night for pre-theatre session.

When we stepped inside the restaurant it was a lot grander than i expected. There were plush chairs, dim lighting, soft music and heaps of waitstaff greeting you as you made your way to the table. Quite impressive and made me feel somewhat special, and when you have the harbour bridge as your background you really can't complain too much.

Pre Theatre Prices:
One Course - $44
Two Course - $72
3 Course - $89

Yes, photo of the bread haha. The crust was super tough which was such a shame. I love bread and butter but when the crust is so tough and chewy, it made me look very unlady like as i wrestled it with my teeth and hand.

Amuse bouche was tomato gazpacho with a spoonful of pineapple cream. Gazpacho is a liquid vegetable soup with a prominent tomato flavour. It was very light and appetising, not too intense as it prepares you for the upcoming meal.

Out of all the entrees we ordered, the tuna definitely deserved the best-looking-entree award! The thin, bright red tuna was so beautifully and identically sliced. Such a colourful, well presented dish.

SALMON - cured New Zealand salmon with kombu and Earl Grey tea, yuzu tapioca and avocado purée

SCALLOPS - spiced and roasted with glazed witlof, pistachios and dried apricots

As i adore duck no matter what form it comes in , i ordered the duck consomme which comprised of duck dumpling, abalone slices and shitake mushroom. Funnily enough i've never ordered consomme before. It is a clear thin soup based dish where the soup is supposed to be quite rich.

It was a big bowl of consomme!! The soup base was extremely dark in colour with floating shitake slices blanketing the whole surface. It was too intense in flavour for my liking and too liquidy in consistency, i suppose what a consomme should be. Abalone pieces were soft and delicious but the amount of abalone was regretfully scarce.

CONSOMME - Peking duck consommé with duck dumplings, shaved abalone and mushrooms

Our mains arrived in a heartbeat. We were getting closer and closer to 8pm which was when they needed the table back and we could tell from the anxious waitstaff.

It was a decent chunk of barramundi, pan seared to a golden nutty brown colour. Despite the generous serving it was slightly dry.

BARRAMUNDI -crisp skinned fillet with grilled cuttlefish, apple, green olives and a horseradish sauce

The lamb was served medium as requested. It was gorgeously juicy with the right balance of fat vs meat. I particularly liked the cheesy ricotta gnocchi coupled with the sweetness of pumpkin puree. The crispness came from the asparagus and overall a marvelous dish.

LAMB - roasted rump with ricotta gnocchi, pumpkin and mustard fruit purée and a sage and balsamic sauce

As we drew closer to the finishing line we had to start planning ahead and ordered the souffle which required 20mins to make. The souffle was a passionfruit souffle and frankly, i've had a lot better ones elsewhere. The passionfruit was immensely sour even when you have a mouthful of the utterly sweet white chocolate ice cream with it. It is the first time i've surrendered midway through a dessert as my palate couldn't cope.

SOUFFLE - passionfruit soufflé with white chocolate ripple ice cream

The apple dessert was a fairy tale story on a plate. It was decorated with beautiful berries with Prince Macaron positioned next to Princess Sorbet at the centre of the plate with a castle in the background =)

The sorbet hit the right spot - it was like drinking ginger beer itself. A definite winner.

APPLE - caramel poached apple with a ginger bread and cherry macaron and ginger beer sorbet

Petit Fours - berry jelly cube, chocolate truffle, coconut biscuit

There were some missteps during my Aria experience, some stand outs and some duds. Being awarded two hats consistently throughout the years, i would expect a higher calibre of food and incorporating some creativity here and there to remind patrons why Aria deserved to be two hatted. But Aria has instead preferred to play somewhat safe.

Aria Restaurant
1 Macquarie Street
Sydney
Tel - 02 9252 2555
http://www.ariarestaurant.com/

Etch Restaurant

2011-10-13T23:42:00.000+11:00

I haven't been to Justin North's Etch for a few years now and what striked me last time was their amazing caramel date tart with earl grey tea syrup. Knowing that i was going to Etch again after we bought the TravelZoo voucher, i had to make sure they still had their signature dessert on their menu, which it was =)

The travelzoo voucher was $85 for 2 people - 3 course dinner with coffee/tea and petit four. What a bargain!!

There were only two mocktails (both $12 each) on their drinks list so we ordered them both. My mint, kiwi and apple juice was refreshing with copious amounts of mint and kiwi chunks at the bottom for me to scoop out.

The ginger beer, apple and lime was nice but the ginger beer overpowered the others so i could only taste the ginger beer. After the mocktail was drunk, i was happy eating the ginger beer flavoured apples left over.

For entree we ordered the ocean trout and pork belly. When my friend's ocean trout arrived, i had entree envy. It was extraordinarily pretty with the delicate microherbs and flowers on top of the beautifully arranged fish.

Confit petuna ocean trout, smoked scallop,radios, wasabi

My pork belly was delish! Although my pork crackling fell off the pork (oopsy) it was so crunchy. Unlike the pork belly at other places it was definitely freshly made and no chewy crackling. The pork was succulent and marbled with fat. The crispy prawns were textural and flavour balanced with apple and cider vinaigrette.

Caramelised pork belly, crispy prawn, pickled granny smith, cider vinaigrette

My baked snapper main was served with foam. Been a while since i've had foam but it worked well as it added some airy creaminess. The fish was fresh and worked well with the cauliflower bhaji (i.e. fritter), battered squid and scallops.

Baked snapper, scallop and squid, cauliflower bhaji, curry emulsion

The veal rump was made to perfection, tender and juicy. It came with my favourite side - potato! The sauce was quite strong and robust which goes well with the meat but the dish is a bit heavy if you're not hungry.

Chargrilled veal rump, sarladaise potato,malt vinegar jus

Finally the moment i've been waiting for - the caramel date tart!! It was super light and creamy, evident as soon as my spoon sliced the tart. The tart is not overly sweet with the date and caramel. The hero of the dessert is undoubtedly the earl grey tea syrup! It tastes exactly like rich earl grey tea but in syrup form. I would lick the plate clean if i was allowed to!

Caramel date tart, earl grey tea syrup, burnt butter ice cream

The cheesecake was a deconstruction with thick biscuit crumbs, oblong pieces of brillat savarin cheese (a soft cow's milk cheese), champagne jelly cubes, mandarin jelly and mandarin sorbet. The cheese disappates in your mouth and is not overly rich. Presented beautifully it was a great combination of textures and a fabulous dessert to finish off the meal.

Brillat savarin cheesecake, champagne jelly, mandarin sorbet

We were served coffee/tea and petit fours. The petit fours were nut brittles and chocolate aero bars. I was so full by this stage that i could not stuff an extra mouthful into me and could only tear a corner of each to try. The aero bar melts instantly in my mouth and the brittle, in comparison is rock hard.

It is a shame Etch lost its one hat because it is such a wonderful restaurant with attentive service. Hope they make an appearance on the list next year as they truly deserve it!

Etch Restaurant
62 Bridge Street
Sydney
Tel - 02 9247 4777
http://www.etchdining.com/

Sugar Hit 2011 - Azuma Kushiyaki Bar & Grill

2011-10-11T21:13:00.005+11:00

It was a bit hard finding Azuma on the sugar hit 2011 list as it is listed under Kushiyaki Bar and Grill. Knowing it will be one of the popular ones, we booked in advance and chose a monday night which indeed was quieter.

On the website it merely says:
"East meets West dessert tasting plate: a selection of Eastern and Western-influenced desserts and sweets, created daily"

So we arrived with no expectation until we saw the menu. The whole sugar hit consisted of:

1.Anmitsu - assorted seasonal fruits, tapioka pearls, shiratama rice dumplings covered in kinako powder served with Japanese brown sugar syrup

2.Home made white sesame ice cream

3.Sake sample

4.Japanese green tea tiramisu - shochu soaked sponge fingers layered with mascarpone, fresh cream and matcha powder

5.Handcrafted chocolate - dark & milk chocolate praline with caramel ganache, enrobed in dark chocolate with an explosive finish; and

6.Sake spone bites - bite sized morsels of butter cake soaked in fine Japanese sake

I opted for the brown brothers orange muscat rather than the hot green tea as its been a while since i tasted the orange muscat.

My companion jumped in excitement knowing she will be served her favourite anmitsu. Anmitsu is a traditional jap dessert with fruit, red bean (anko, which is the 'an' of anmitsu) and syrup (mitsu). It is basically a syrupy fruit dessert. Our one was also served with tiny tapioca balls and soft delicate mochi covered in kinako powder (soy bean powder).

The white sesame ice cream had a subtle sesame flavour. I personally would prefer black sesame ice cream but the robust flavours would not compliment the anmitsu.

The sake was one of the sweeter varieties, served in a petit glass. The green tea tiramisu was definitely a winner in my eyes! It was creamy and luscious, perfectly balanced with rich matcha powder. I literally scraped the whole cup clean, getting into every nook and cranny.

The handmade chocolate praline was extremely rich and chocolatey. Amazingly there is no explosion until the end when you are savouring the last bits. The promised explosive finish isn't that explosive, depending on who's chocolate you ate. My companion's didn't explode at all whereas mine exploded like crazy. Guess it comes down to luck with the amount of pop rock you get.

The bite sized sake soaked sponges were skewed with a decorative toothpick. Nothing too exciting but it was nice. After drinking the wine and sake i couldn't really taste the sake in the sponges, but i was sure it wasn't soaked enough or the sake is too weak because the sponge wasn't soft and moist.

Kushiyaki - Bar & Grill
Regent Place,
501 George Street
Sydney
Tel - 02 9267 7775
www.azuma.com.au

Cafe Ish - Crave Sydney 2011 Let's Do Brunch

2011-10-08T22:07:00.003+11:00

As part of Crave Sydney (SIFF) 2011, numerous cafes and bistros are offering Brunch for $25. We arrived at Cafe Ish for a normal breakfast but then realised they are offering the Crave Sydney Brunch as well, awesome!

On the website it says:

"Bush Brekkie
A bush-inspired choice of the famous crab omelet or scrambled eggs with emu prosciutto, breakfast trifle and a signature wattle macca-cino"

Their menu is Japanese and native Australian inspired, reflecting the cultures of the chef and his wife. It is only a small establishment but don't be fooled - they serve up some hearty meals with a creative menu.

Their signature wattle maccacino was scrumptious. It was a richer kind of coffee than i prefer but I could definitely taste the sweetness of the wattleseed and macadamia. It also comes with a small biscuit on the side which was a nice touch.

The breakfast trifle was a 'lush' yogurt with native berry compote and home made muesli. It only filled up a third of the glass which made you crave for more. The berry is concentrated and sharp in taste which was paired well with light muesli and creamy yogurt.

My companions ordered the soft shell crab omelette which was so humongous neither of them could finish the plate.

Crispy crab, avocado, shallot, garlic, chilli, soy, ginger dressing and lime
native berry compote and toasted house made muesli.

I opted for the emu eggs which consists of 2 emu eggs scrambled with proscuitto which was piled on top of a thick piece of sourdough toast served with tomato relish.

The emu eggs must have been huge as the generous scrambled egg portions covered the whole toast and even had some height. It was very eggy but not overly creamy. Unfortunately my piece of toast was so thick and tough that it was near impossible to cut through and so i had to resort to ripping the soggy toast it with my hands.

Emu eggs, which consisted of 2 scrambled eggs, emu prosciutto, tomato relish and toast

Cafe Ish
82 Campbell Street
Surry Hills
Tel - 02 9281 1688
http://www.cafeish.com.au/

Sugar Hit 2011 - Tomislav

2011-10-05T22:26:00.009+11:00

Tomislav was no. 1 on my list of go-to sugar hits this year as Tomislav is famed for its molecular gastronomic approach. My guess was that their dessert will most likely be a whimsical deconstruction of some sort.

We booked well in advance in case it will be packed, but unexpectedly we were one of only three tables for sugar hit.

Tomislav's normal menu came out and we realised that the sugar hit choices came straight from the dessert list. From the menu there were:

Apple crumble with caramel ice cream and macadamia sponge
Vanilla cheescake with strawberry jam and lemon ice cream
Milk chocolate cream cake with toasted hazelnuts and smoked banana ice cream
Warm rice pudding with spiced caramel broth and rhubarb sorbet

Served with brown brother muscato

We opted for the chocolate cream cake and apple crumble. The table next to us ordered the vanilla cheescake and although it didn't look as appealing (seems to be a hemisphere of cream with white cubed pieces of cheese or white chocolate stuck into it), they claimed it was amazing.

The ordinary looking apple crumble, as expected was deceiving. Pop rock/ exploding candy was disguised as crumble which crackles and explodes constantly in your mouth like fireworks. The apple was firm and complimented well with the smooth caramel ice cream and crunchy honeycomb pieces scattered on the plate.

The chocolate cream cake was devine! Shaped like an irregular prism, the chocolate cream is coated with a thin layer of salted cocoa powder which has a slight hint of bitter aftertaste. At the base is a layer of light but crunchy hazelnut sponge. Hidden at the centre of the cake is thick glossy meringue. The smoked banana ice cream tastes perfect and sits on a bed of smashed chocolate ice and crumbed honey hazelnuts.

The cream is not too sickening and the sweetness is just right when combined with all the elements. It is the perfect marriage of textures and flavours from the crunchiness of hazelnuts, saltiness from the cocoa powder, creaminess of the chocolate and meringue and smokiness from the ice cream.

After having this sugar hit, I am thoroughly convinced this will be the best of the bunch. So good that I am contemplating on making a reservation for their 'Just Dessert' degustation =)

Tomislav
Level 2
13 Kirketon Road
Darlinghurst
Tel - 02 9356 4535
www.tomislav.com.au

Sugar Hit 2011 - Sydney Harbour Marriott

2011-10-03T22:31:00.003+11:00

Sugar Hits is on for 2011! It is the best time of the year as every foodie gets to satisfy their sweet tooth cravings. The list of sugar hit places change every year and as always some places are already fully booked out.

A list of all the sugar hit places for 2011 can be found at http://www.cravesydney.com/events.php?intcategoryid=127&linkid=583 . Dessert and a glass of brown brothers wine will set you back at $20.

On the spur of the moment we randomly chose Sydney Harbour Marriott for sugar hits tonight and surprisingly we were able to make an instant reservation. On the website the Marriott offered:

"milk chocolate and hazelnut tower, white chocolate mousse and rich mud cake"

The dessert doesn't sound overly exciting and somewhat over-the-top chocolatey but nonetheless we gave it a go.

Service was attentive as there were only a few occupied tables at 9pm (we were the only table ordering Sugar Hit). We were offered a choice of the brown brothers moscato or coffee/tea.

When the plate arrived, it looked like a dessert tasting plate with pieces orderly placed - maybe a bit too orderly? A caramel lattice is suspended between the two chocolate 'towers' with rasberry coulis zigzagged between the items.

The milk chocolate and hazelnut tower is not a tower at all, merely dense chocolate mousse on a layer of chocolate cake. I can only describe it as uneventful except for the dollop of chocolate rice puff resting on top which gave it the much needed crunch. The chocolate cake is then replicated as the mud cake which was rich but a bit dry and overly sticky. The white chocolate mousse is piped into a chocolate laced basket topped with a slice of mandarin. The white chocolate could easily have be mistaken as cream - it was light and fluffy but lacked taste.

Overall a disappointing experience and disheartening start to sugar hit 2011.

Sydney Harbour Marriott
30 Pitt Street
Sydney
NSW 2000
tel - 02 9259 7279

Bossam - Korean cooking class @ KCO

2011-09-29T22:35:00.003+10:00

It is near impossible to find a decent cooking class in Sydney CBD, let alone a korean one. What better way to learn Korean cooking then through the newly opened Korean Cultural Office on Elizabeth St, Sydney.

Word has spread like wildfire about this cooking class taught by Heather Jeong. It has attracted food writers including those from SMH, timeout out sydney and request from Crave Sydney to open a 4 week course in October. Heather Jeong has approx 20 yrs of cooking experience, food caterer and also works with SBS food safari.

KCO's cooking class started back in April 2011 and since then have successfully held 2 terms of fully booked courses. I was lucky to secure a spot at one of the classes.

At the particular class i attended, we learnt how to make traditional Korean Bossam and a David Chang inspired Bossam that he serves at his Momofuku Ssam Bar Restaurant in New York.

Ssam means to wrap, and Bossam is basically steamed pork (belly or shoulder) wrapped with anything from lettuce, sesame leaf, seaweed to thin slices of radish. Along with the pork you also put in fresh oysters, moo kimchee (korean radish kimchee) and salted shrimp paste, served with ssam jang (soybean chilli paste).

It was a very interactive class where there was a nice balance between hands on, demonstration and eating~! Heather is extremely generous and prepares extra dishes for the class to eat so you leave the room with a full tummy. Heather made some korean pasta soup, tempura vegetables, numerous korean side dishes and almond meal strawberry cake for dessert.

We learnt how to make moo kimchee which is essentially chilli radish which can be eaten straight off or fermented for the extra sourness. A tip with making chilli paste: buy packet chilli from korean groceries and mix a small handful with rice paste. A little chilli powder will then go a long way.

chilli powder with rice paste

salted shrimp paste with added chilli and sesame oil

moo kimchee with oysters!

Pork is basically boiled and retains its natural flavours with succulent layers of fat and meat intertwined. The pork accompanied by crunchy & chilli radish kinchee with goes well with the creaminess of the oyster and juicy cabbage.

As you can see i enjoyed savouring the wraps one after another...and another!

The traditional Bossam was then compared to a David Chang inspired Bossam. David Chang, the infamous American/Korean celebrity chef who has amazed the American restaurant scene with his pork bun and bossam, shot to fame with his fusion of different cultures' cuisine and creating explosions on plates.

In his Bossam, David Chang does not boil, he brines the pork. He also uses chinese shallot/ginger and rice in his wraps but retains the traditional bossam's use of oysters and ssam jang sauce.

What is brining?
Brining is a cooking technique used to produce juicy and tender meat, essentially cooking it in salt water and some sugar.

How does brining make the pork juicier you ask?
We learnt in biology back in high school about osmosis. As the salt concentration is higher in the water than inside the meat, the salt water moves into the meat. The heat in the pot then seals the salt water inside the meat rendering it juicier and more seasoned than its original state.

David Chang also uses chinese inspired shallot and ginger sauce to compliment and wrap his pork in butter lettuce rather than the traditional wraps.

Shallot and ginger

Unlike the chinese shallot and ginger sauce, this one adds a dash of vinegar.

freshly shucked oysters

The brined meat is rubbed with a layer of sugar and salt at the final stage in the oven so a crust is formed on the outside. Once it is ready, the meat is "pulled" into strands. Personally i prefer boiled pork in the bossam as it was juicier and full bodied compared to stringy pork meat in David Chang's version.

David's version is also served wrapped with rice but by this stage i was so full i could barely breathe and could not take in the carbs!

side dishes homemade by Heather

a ready made packet of korean pasta soup that can be purchased from Korean groceries

freshly made korean pasta soup

After devouring a mountain of food, i could not resist the irrestible: Dessert! Heather made the moistest almond meal cake i have tasted and so i helped myself to 3 big pieces =)

I will be posting up a series of korean recipes from my 4 week course in October, so stay tuned!

Korean Cultural Office
255 Elizabeth Steet
Sydney
Tel - 02 8267 3467
http://koreanculture.org.au

Healthy Chef Cafe

2011-09-20T22:48:00.001+10:00

When my colleague first boasted about this place, i was a bit hesitant mainly because of the seemingly mundane name for a cafe and the fact that it is located in far away Avalon (near Palm Beach). But as i googled and read about Teresa Cutter the owner of the cafe (who has written 4 cookbooks) and the cafe's philosophy of creating a place where people "come and nourish their bodies with delicious food" where their passion is in promoting healthy eating, i was inspired.

Situated on the corner, it was easily spotted as our car zoomed by. It is only a petite cafe where patrons can chose to sit inside on cushioned sofas/wooden benches or outside to enjoy the sun.

They not only serve breakfast and lunch but a healthy selection of cakes and cookies and campos coffee.

The cafe is to be commended (unlike the majority of eateries in sydney) as it caters for the increasing number of people with dietary requirements e.g. wheat free, low carb, gluten free, organic, vegan, raw and detoxing.

All the items on the menu are low in saturated fat, sugar, salt and refined ingredients as they strive to serve ingredients as close to its natural state as possible to maxiumise nutrients.

So you can eat as much as you want and not feel guilty!!

The menu offered an array of healthy and tantalising options scribbled on the blackboard. I was tempted by the detoxing juice, stressbuster smoothie, bean & sweet corn nachos and the detox energy salad, which set me back at $51 for 2 people. Not particularly the cheapest lunch, but reasonable considering it is cafe styled food using high quality ingredients.

Detox juice - apple, organic spirilina, lemon, parsley and ginger

Stress buster smoothie - Blueberry, banana, soy milk and honey

I am the biggest nachos fan and shamefully admit I eat it at least once a fortnight. Hence I had high expectations of how nachos can be transformed into something healthy yet still yummilious.

The corn chips are organic with a generous portion of seeds on each one. The evil sour cream has been replaced by natural yogurt but retains the tangy creamy sour cream elements so you dont feel ripped off. Guacamole is thrown out the window and substituted with half an avocado. The beans are apparently slowly simmered with tomato, carrot, celery, smoked paprika and sweet corn. The beans maintained its bite and did not feel like mushy baby food. What is even better is that the dish is wheat free, gluten free, packed with protein and low GI, yet still tastes like the real thing.

Nachos

The detox salad was a generous mix of salad leaves, baby spinach, broccolini, avocado chunks and goji berry with handfuls of roasted walnuts, pumpkin seed and ground flax seed. Apple balsamic vinegar and olive oil is separately provided so you can add as much or as little as you want.

The broccolini looked so enticing lying on top of the salad covered in seeds. The broccolini was crunchy and super fresh. The avocado chunks added some creaminess to the otherwise plain spinach and salad leaves whilst the acidic apple balsamic vinegar makes you salivate and lure you in for more. The walnuts and seeds are also a much welcomed addition to add that extra crunch. Even better, this salad is full of omega 3, protein and antioxidants, is wheat free, gluten free, low carbs and low GI.

Detox salad

We specially ventured to Avalon to try it out and we were not disappointed. After a nourishing meal we strolled along Avalon beach enjoying the sun, what more could you ask for?

Healthy Chef Cafe
17 Avalon Parade
Avalon beach
Tel -02 9973 3233
http://www.teresacutter.com/healthy-chef-cafe/
(open 7 days for breakfast and lunch)

ZenQ Dessert - Chatswood

2011-09-13T22:38:00.001+10:00

It was by chance that my friend knew this place was opened and by luck that it was still open when we found it at 10pm. ZenQ is the newest dessert addition to the chatswood scene! (they are open from 12pm-12am)

Comparable to Meet Fresh in Sydney's Chinatown, it is a dessert place that features traditional taiwanese desserts serving an array of hot and cold desserts (including shaved ice) and drinks. They also serve thick (and i mean thick) cut toast, both savoury and sweet.

ZenQ (which is from the same company as Chatime) made its debut in Australia with this Chatswood shop which opened on 2 September 2011.

The shop is packed on a saturday night, no doubt filled with curious first timers. What i instantly liked was the menu which had a much wider selection than Meet Fresh. Sorry, this post may end up being a ZenQ vs Meet Fresh post!!

You are able to create your own dessert. First choose your base (grass jelly, red bean soup, black glutinous rice soup or pudding) for $4-$5.60 and then you add your favourite toppings ($0.60-$1 per topping):

Must admit, the price is a bit dearer than Meet Fresh, but the flexibility of being able to mix and match different base/toppings may justify the price differential.

Create your own: grass jelly base with pudding, milk and sweet potato $6.20

Signature dessert no. 1 - Grass jelly with ZenQ signature Q balls with pearls $6.20

We were about to order the hot grass jelly but fortunately we were warned that hot grass jelly comes out in a liquid consistency. That was when i remembered the terrible experience i had at Meet Fresh where the dessert looked like hot gooey black jelly. Thanks ZenQ for the heads up! I'm glad they care about their customers satisfaction =)

Create your own: pudding (green tea, chocolate and milk flavours) with taro mash, red bean and caramel sauce $6.40

What is disappointing is the dessert bowl serving size as it is a bit smaller than Meet Fresh's.

I had the create your own dessert with the 3 puddings. I liked the chocolate and green tea puddings as they werent overly sweet, but some may consider it bland. The chocolate pudding is chocolatey when it hits the palate but then the flavour disappears, but i didn't mind as it allows the sweetness from the red bean and taro mash to shine through.

ZenQ Dessert
Shop 223, Chatswood Westfield (entrance via Victoria Ave)
Chatswood Sydney
Tel - 02 9411 6882
http://izenq.com.au/

Zen Oasis - vegetarian buffet

2011-09-06T20:47:00.002+10:00

I had a major craving for vegetarian food and reminisced the last time i visited Zen Oasis (especially their milk green teas). So it was decided we would venture to Berrima to endulge in some Zen on a saturday morning, and booked a table in advance on their website.

It was a nice drive south, about 1.5hrs from sydney. We turned off at Berrima and found Zen Oasis' sign at the start of a very long driveway. Lined with beautiful pinetrees on either side of the driveway we finally sighted the tiny wooden cottage which is the restaurant. I loved the serenity of the place - a massive manmade pond with a beautifully well groomed japanese style garden outside.

We knew it was going to be quite packed as it is only opened on saturday and sunday for 11.30-1.30 session only (unless you have a private function in the afternoon). For $31 per adult, it is an all you can eat buffet but a $10 surchage applies if there is excess food on your plate. But why would you not finish it all when it is so finger licking good =)

Without a doubt there is a lot of culinary skills and thought behind the creation of each dish. I love how it isn't the traditional chinese vegetarian food you would expect with flavoured gluten and steamed tofu, but food that appeals to your senses and surprises you with their flavour. The dishes are replicas of actual meat dishes minus the meat, but with the same appearance and textural satisfaction.

There is a wide selection from fried sweet seaweed strips and vege curry puffs to dim sums, tempura 'prawns' (which taste like real prawn with the same bouncy firm texture), cream and mushroom 'chicken' and sweet n sour 'pork' with lychee. Not to mention the myriad of drinks and desserts on offer!!

My favourite is indisputably the sweet seaweed strips!! Deep fried with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, it was a crunchy sensation that is so addictive i literally couldn't stop.

I also liked the sweet and sour pork with lychee. The 'pork' is skewered with a stick of sugar cane and is absolutely delish when accompanied with the juicy lychees.

At the dessert stand, little pieces of goodies are lined up waiting to be tasted. Fruit, puddings, cakes, mochi, chocolate cake, cookies and plum jellies, the choices are limitless.

My favourite was the plum jelly. There was more gelatine than the normal wobbly jellies which made it texturely tougher but the flavours were so authentic. It was a solidified version of the chinese sour plum juice with a dried prune suspended in the middle. Irresistably good.

Zen Oasis
2 Medway Rd
Berrima
Tel - 02 4877 1285
www.zen-oasis.com

Bills - Surry Hills

2011-08-31T22:33:00.007+10:00

Everyone knows of Bill Granger - he is renowned for his scrambled eggs which Nicole Kidman flocks to whenever she is in Sydney. New York Times once said Bill is "the egg master of Sydney" and i guess you can only have that acclamation for one reason.

I walk past bills all the time when i visit surry hills and each time i tell whoever would listen, that i need to try it one day. That day came when my sister's friend watched a Japanese show featuring Bill Granger. Bill is well known in Japan as he has several restaurants in and around Tokyo and as such he was showing how his eggs were made on the tv show. She suggested a trip to nearby surry hills for breakfast at bills to try out the real thing and off we went on a busy saturday morning.

You would've thought that because bills in surry hills has been opened since 1996 that people would be sick of it already but no, we were squashed amongst an eager crowd of anxious breakfast goers waiting for a table. These eggs must be good!

My sister ordered the sunrise drink which was a concoction of orange juice, banana, yoghurt and berries. Nothing beats a refreshing kick start to the morning.

sunrise drink $5

I opted for the hot chocolate which did not disappoint! It was served with melted callebaut choc chips adhered to the side of the cup. It was fun having to scrape off the chocolates and making sure i got every little bit off the side. As it was extremely rich i probably shouldn't have ordered it to accompany my very full-bodied eggs.

bills hot chocolate made with callebaut $4.50

scrambled eggs with sourdough toast $13.50, extra: cured ocean trout $5.70

The eggs arrived at the table. My initial thoughts were that the eggs seemed very whipped and paler in appearance, not the usual scrambled eggs. Per Bill Granger's recipe it says the secret is not to over stir and treating it as folded eggs rather than scrambled.

The fluffy light and luscious eggs seem to glide in your mouth. It was definitely not overdone as it was still a little runny. A few arteries must've been blocked as the overpowering taste of butter and cream becomes too much after half a plate but happiness swept over me as i devoured the dish.

Sometimes its the simple things which are deceivingly good.

full aussie breakfast, scrambled eggs, sourdough toast, bacon, roast tomato, chipolatas and mushrooms $24.50

Bills
359 Crown Street
Surry Hills
Tel - 02 9360 4762
www.bills.com.au

Danks St Depot

2011-08-22T20:26:00.001+10:00

I've been meaning to go to Danks St Depot ever since i had my birthday dinner last year at Jared Ingersoll's other restaurant, Cotton Duck. Dank St Depot has such a following and after 9 years of operation it is still thriving.

We purchased the spreets voucher $29 for a breakfast for two and shocked (but not surprised) that so many people also brought this voucher. I booked the morning straight after the release of the deal and managed to secure a saturday morning breakfast reservation.

Dank St Depot is situated across the road from The French House (which i promised myself i will visit one day!) in Waterloo in an unflattering grey warehouse. As soon as you enter however, it is anything but dull. Light streaming from outside illuminated a rectangular room lined with wooden furniture bustling with patrons. With the kitchen at one end and the bar at the other, we were seated near the front door to witness all the breakfast goers pour in.

The $29 deal included coffee/tea, entree of roasted pears and any two egg dishes from the menu.

$29 breakfast for 2 including coffee or tea

The pears arrived and looked more like roasted potatoes with fetta, but was in fact roasted pears with labneh (a soft cheese made form yoghurt) drizzled with honey and sprinkled with walnuts. The pears were amazingly soft and sweet with honey. The labneh was much needed to cut through the sweetness and married beautifully with crunchy walnuts to finish it off.

A platter of roasted corella pears, labneh, roasted walnuts and local honey

I was a bit disappointed with the coffee though. My mocha was overly bitter even with chocolate, so i'd hate to have ordered a latte.

Mocha

We had a choice of any egg dishes on the menu. All the eggs are made with Cornucopia Farm’s biodynamic eggs from the Hunter Valley hence i was eager to quickly order and dig my fork into some gooey egg.

What caught my eye was the creamed eggs with truffle. Thinking about the bottle of truffle olive oil i purchased from Hunter Valley last time, i had to try it out and see if it was any good (so i can replicate it at home!).

The eggs were creamy and slightly runny which i didnt mind. Probably due to the copious amounts of cream and butter in it! The gigantic mushroom was nicely roasted -dry around the edges but with juicy centres. The sourdough was good albeit a little tough, maybe a bit more butter required?! haha.

Creamed eggs with truffle oil - two eggs cooked with cream and butter, served soft with chopped chives, truffle oil, roasted field mushrooms, herbed tomato and sourdough toast

Poached eggs with hash - two eggs, served with herbed tomato, sourdough toast and your choice of bacon hash or silver beet hash

Dank St Depot
2 Danks St
Waterloo Sydney
Tel - 02 9698 2201
www.danksstreetdepot.com.au

Kazbah @ Darling Harbour

2011-08-20T21:48:00.002+10:00

My friend was able to get a 50% discount voucher for Kazbah which was valid for 4 days only. We've been to Kazbah in the past to have their infamous breakfast tangines (which were to die for!!) at Kazbah in Balmain but we've never tried their dinners. Hence without hesitation we booked ourselves into the Kazbah at Darling Harbour to savour the flavours influenced by middle east and northern africa.

We all opted for the 3 course with wine for $55pp. 2 course with wine is also available at $45pp. For the 3 course that day we were told we will be served a selection of dips and bread followed by a Mezzes plate and then we chose our own main from the tangines, shish kebabs and specialties list on the menu.

The cool water jug with mint leaves

We requested the babaghanouj (eggplant dip) to replace the carrot. The generous serving of dips meant that we didnt have enough crispy bread to dip with. It was a lovely blend of flavours, not too spiced and texturely pleasing.

Babaghanouj, Hummus and Tzatziki dips

Crispy lebanese bread

The Mezze plate came with a selection of goodies - soft shell crab, prawns, chicken wing and grilled halloumi cheese. Even though i would prefer the japanese style soft shell crab instead, the other elements were scrumptious especially the sweet marinated chicken wings and grilled halloumi.

Mixed Mezze plate - cumin battered soft shell crab, chilli prawns, chicken wings, grilled halloumi cheese and beans

As a duck lover i couldnt go past a duck dish. The massive portion of duck was tender with the sweetness of quince, crunchy sweet potatoes providing a winning combination of textures.

Roast duck, falafel, honey baked quince, sweet potao chips

Tangine - beef cheeks, sweet potatoes, camramelised onions, almonds

I was extremely full by this stage but as a chai lover i couldn't resist ordering thier chahi served in a dainty glass cup.

Chahi "yemeny sweet milky tea"

Next we had the Kazbah Bomb! It made its appearance looking like a bomb alaska until the waiter poured kurrant vodka all over the bomb to set it alight. It is worth ordering just to witness this!

Kazbah bomb for two, turkish delight ice cream, blueberries, flamed with kurrant vodka

The kazbah bomb was a turkish delight flavoured ice cream encased in a film of fluffly meringue served with blueberries. It was a dessert for two but actually satisfied all three of us with some left over.

The tiramisu on the other hand can be given a miss. I literally took a scoop of it and then pushed it to one side. The waiter actually said he was going to warn me not to order the tiramisu when he saw i only took one spoonful, but obviously he didnt. It was definitely a poor choice!

So we walked out feeling like overblown balloons but very very merry. Paying $30 each for such a feast is unforgettable!

Kazbah
The Promenade,
Harbourside Shopping Centre Darling Harbour
Sydney
Tel - 02 9555 7067
www.kazbah.com.au

St Malo Bakery

2011-08-15T20:11:00.007+10:00

When someone from work brought in tarts for a birthday, we were all mesmerised by them and everyone copied down the name and address. Ever since then i've been meaning to come to St Malo for some more indulgence.

Then by chance my friend said he will take me somewhere nice for breakfast. Lo and behold it was St Malo Bakery!! This place is a hidden gem that is obviously loved by the locals. It is an absolute heaven for the freshly baked bread lovers, tart cravers and cafe addicts alike.

St Malo bakes their own bread and make everything daily and as/when required so you know you are only eating the freshest. They have a great selection of pastries, croissants, tarts, cakes and bread so your only problem would be deciding what to sacrifice for next time.

Breakfast was a crazy affair as the tiny bakery cafe is packed with breakfast goers. We ordered at the counter, grabbed a number and sat at the back of the cafe to avoid the traffic. Simple classy decor with an adorable glass elevated seating area at the back, it is a very inviting space to be in.

I couldn't resist but order the "Breakfast of the Kings" and i definitely felt a sense of superiority ordering it =P

It was a generous serving of scrambled eggs with irrestibly sweet roasted tomatoes, mushroom and chorizo served with yummy sourdough.

I was like a little kid at a candy store, jumping up and down at the sight of the rows of tarts. Even though i was incredibly satisfied already i couldnt resist but buy some to takeaway.

The weekend after i found myself back at Crows Nest and back at St Malo. Ordered the blueberry custard slice and yet again fell in love.

St Malo Bakery
83 Willoughby Road
Crows Nest
Tel - 02 9906 6256
http://stmalobakery.com

Number One Wine Bar

2011-08-06T09:24:00.011+10:00

Number One is Tony Bilson's bar and bistro spin off to Bilson's Restaurant. Tucked away next to Starbucks at Circular Quay, we were welcomed by a wave of beautiful piano playing and singing by the live pianist.

We opted for the outside tables to make the most of the recent warm weather. The restaurant was serviced by three waitstaff only even though it was a friday night however we could not fault any of them as they were extremely friendly and professional.

The menu is exceptionally well priced for a bistro with such elegance and warmth. The menu is typically Bilson with its french influences but also interwined with flavours of spain.

We decided on one entree to share and opted for the scallops. It was impeccably presented, the calibre you would expect from Bilson's Restaurant. It was lightly seared, topped with juicy-explode-in-your-mouth ocean trout roe served with a magical beurre blanc sauce. It was the perfect combination having the freshness of scallops, light buttery (but not overpowering) sauce and popping roe. A definite highlight of the meal.

Gratin of Scallops with Spinach, Hollandaise & Ocean Trout Roe $18

The pork belly main was totally scrumptious. I'm not a big fan of the fat, but if there was ever a perfect pork belly then this was it. The skin was thin and super crunchy, followed by clear layers of fat and meat. It was such a generous serving of three that i could not finish it. The only downfall was the pungent mustard that was buried under the pork belly.

Confit Pork Belly, Choucroute, Potatoes & Dutch Carrots $28

The casserole of sausage, duck and braised pork was a different story altogether. It was a terrible choice as it tested the extremities of the palate in the wrong way. Extremely salty duck, bland tasteless pork and super dry sausages served with an overload of beans. Such a disappointment.

Cassoulet of Toulouse Sausage,Duck Confit & Braised Pork $28

After ploughing through the casserole we were thankfully rewarded with amazing dessert. They redeemed themselves with a souffle that sent me to cloud 9.

I ordered the Number One Souffle which was a rasberry souffle with tiny specs of rasberry jelly throughout, served with blood red orange sorbet. It was a massive serving but i could have easily devoured another one, it was that good. My spoon passed through a thin crispy top layer into a light and fluffy souffle. Rich in rasberry flavour it was heavenly.

Number One Souffle $18

The white chocolate fondant sent us back to hell. The supposed hero of the dessert is the fondant but there absolutely was no melting centre as the fondant was overcooked. The passionfruit sorbet was grainy and of a slurpee consistency however it was flavoursome. The pesto mousse did not compliment the dish but the candied lemon was done well.

Special dessert - white chocolate fondant with pesto mousse, passionfruit sorbet and candied lemon $18

Who would have thought the quality of a meal could vary so substantially. From extreme wonders to disasters, the bistro still has room for improvement. I would love to come back just to eat two souffles by myself, but i would definitely give some dishes a miss.

Number One
1 Alfred Street
Sydney
tel - 02 8252 9296
www.numberonewinebar.com.au

Alio Restaurant - Pasta Making Masterclass

2011-08-02T21:26:00.000+10:00

Pasta making is something that i've never attempted mainly because i dont own a pasta machine and partly because of the time involved. We purchased the Scoopon voucher to attend a pasta masterclass at Alio Restaurant Surry Hills, where hopefully i will be assured that pasta making isnt that labour intensive and daunting after all.

After signing the registration form, we were offered coffee before being ushered to the kitchen tucked behind.

Ashley has a great personality who cracked jokes and made everyone felt at ease. It was kept quite intimate and informal which was fabulous. It was also evident that Ashley and Tracey his sister had a fantastic relationship from the constant bantering and laughing.

Compared to my impression of a commercial kitchen where there's constant yelling and frantic running, Alio's kitchen was surprisingly harmonious. Ashley spoke so softly to his staff that i wonder what it would take to tick him off.

We were shown how to make a versatile bread dough for focaccia and pizza base.

I learnt that there are 600 odd types of pastas. A slightly different width/length of pasta were given a different name, and even then there may be name variations for the same type. Ashley demonstrated step by step how to make pasta dough and passed on some tips and tricks. We were shown how to make a selection of pastas from the simple linguine, fettucine and farfalle (bow ties) to ravioli and other stuffed pasta.

Key take home pointers:
- use strong flour in the pasta dough
- when rolling out the pasta with the machine, keep folding in half after each time and turn it so you get straight edges
- when making pasta with stuffing, ensure any air is squeezed out

Rotolo with spinach and fetta was on the menu for lunch and hence Ashley walked us through how to make the filling, rolling it and eventually serving it.

We all gathered outside in the restaurant for a glass of red, the rotolo and focaccia.

Rotolo with spinach, porcini and fetta

Rosemary and thyme focaccia

Dessert tiramisu

Alio Restaurant
5 Baptist Street
Redfern NSW
Tel- 02 8394 9368
www.alio.com.au

Lemon Meringue Tart

2011-07-28T22:48:00.002+10:00

My first recipe post!

To be frank i don't cook well and the only desserts i make are usually packet mix. I've made (in my mind) perfect creme brulee and chocolate fondants from scratch a while ago but i haven't expanded my repetoire since then.

I love eating lemon meringue tarts and for that reason i am attempting to make one. As it is my first tart, i decided to use pre-made shortcrust pastry.

I came across the recipe for a lemon curd from David Lebovitz's website, which i find to be awesome! Unlike other recipes, this did not require cream. I modified it a bit by adding cornflour to thicken the curd, took off the egg whites, doubled the lemon juice to make it super tangy and reduced the butter.

http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/05/tart-au-citron-french-lemon-tart/

For the meringue i just found any o' recipe to get the water to sugar ratio right, but then again i didn't stick by it and used half the sugar. I used 3 egg whites instead of 4 so i did not have enough meringue but nonetheless it tasted alright =)

Lemon Meringue Tart

Pastry:
pre-made shortcrust pastry

Lemon curd:
1/2 cup lemon juice (or more if desired)
zest of one lemon
1/2 cup sugar
50g butter
4 egg yolks
1 tsp cornflour

Meringue:
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar

-------

1. Thaw pastry sheet and mould into tart tin, making sure to press into the edges. Using a fork, poke holes into the base. Cover and put into the fridge to rest for 30 mins.

2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Blind bake by lining the tart with baking paper and placing weights on it to avoid the pastry bubbling up. I used ceramic weights but rice, beans etc will do the job.

3. Bake 15mins, remove weights and baking paper and bake for another 10 mins at 160 degrees until the base is golden. Remove tart and cool.

4. For the curd, combine juice, zest, sugar and butter. Stir constantly on low heat. Take some of the mixture and mix into the eggs. Pour eggs into mixture and continue stirring. Slowly add in cornflour until mixture just thickens and custard like.

5. Strain immediately in a mesh strainer onto the tart base, smooth the top and bake for 5-10 mins to set the curd.

6. Using a whisk/electric beater, beat egg whites until soft peaks start to form. Slowly one tablespoon at a time add sugar whilst whisking. Continue until all sugar combined and soft peaks form. The meringue should be glossy and smooth.

7. Smother over tart and using the spatula, create little peaks usiing the back of the spatula to make it pretty. Bake for 5 mins so the meringue is nicely browned.

Alira Restaurant

2011-07-14T21:42:00.012+10:00

We purchased the $49 for 2 people deal from Spreets which included four course with beer or wine. Boasting an ex Bentley, ex Universal head chef, it was an extremely enticing invitation considering both restaurants produce innovative creations.

It was quite a journey walking to Alira from Town Hall on a freezing winters night but we were greeted by an exotic cosy hideaway. Unfortunately we couldn't admire the wharf views at night.

Our waiter was attentive (and quite attractive!) who carefully explained our meal. Influenced by the flavours of Spain, Middle East and North Africa, the utilisation of spices is Alira's signature.

I adored the beer and wine menu which features beer and wine i have never heard of! The amazing list consisted of a selection from Spain, Italy, Portugal and Austria as well as cocktails and the usual pleasers.

The meal comprised of tapas, starting off with a chef's selection of four share tasting plates served with lebanese bread. The highlight was definitely the sweet tender baby Mococcan carrots which were lightly spiced and fragrant.

Next came the coca escalivada with Persian feta which is a Catalan-style thin base pizza with roast onion puree, roast peppers and eggplant. The portion was miniscule and could be devoured in one mouthful. A bit disappointing it was such a small plate to share amongst two people.

What came next was even more disappointing in terms of portion size. One plate with four pan seared pork belly cubes served with salsa mojo rojo and with shaved brussel sprout and almond salad. The pork belly skin was extremely crunchy that you can hear your neighbour's crunch. It was beautifully seared and well balanced with a lighter almond salad. However it is not possible for 2 people to have one plate of that size to share as a main.

The meal ended on a good note when the Moroccan doughnuts with spiced custard and barberry jam made an appearance. The doughnuts were guey on the inside but crunchy on the outside which were perfectly complimented with creamy custard and a distinctly sharp acidic barberry jam for some oomph.

It was a scrumptious meal but not satisfying if using the spreets voucher. To do Alira justice you will need to visit and order a lot more tapas to share to truly enjoy the experience.

Alira Restaurant
Shop 120
26-32 Pirrama Road
Pyrmont
Tel - 02 95184884
www.alira.com.au

Wasabi Bar and Bistro

2011-07-07T21:32:00.010+10:00

Stardeals - 7-Course Japanese Banquet for 2 People

Im a sucker for those cheap food deals that bombard my email everyday =) The stardeal for Wasabi Bar & Bistro offered a 7 course Japanese banquet for $49 for 2 people?! Surely not.

So we purchased the voucher and hiked from Wynyard to Kings Cross on a weeknight to avoid the crowd, which was a great decision (the weeknight booking i mean, not the hike~ haha). It was quiet and a little eerie around 6.30pm but the numbers quickly multiplied by 7pm.

We were offered a laminated copy of the banquet menu, featuring:

Choice of red/wine wine or warm sake (110ml pp)
1. Agedashi tofu
2. Fried or steamed gyoza
3. Choice of spicy sashi salad, tofu wake salad, salmon avocado salad or green seaweed salad
4. Tempura prawns
5. Assorted sushi 6 pieces
6. Choice of main - teriyaki chicken, chicken katsu, chilli chicken or pork, teriyaki salmon or grilled salmon
7. Choice of dessert - green tea ice cream, black sesame ice cream, vanilla ice cream or sweet potato soup.

Warm Sake for one

I've now learnt that sake (and warm for that matter) is not my thing. A bit too pungent, despite its innocent appearance. My companion adored the sake and kindly drunk my share to avoid it going to waste =)

Agedashi Tofu

Very generous servings of light agedashi tofu was served. The batter was kept crisp and thin and slight chewy for the ones soaked in sauce. The tofu itself was silky and smoothilicious.

Steamed gyoza

Fried gyoza

Tofu wake salad

The chef was a bit heavy handed with the ponzu sauce for the tofu wake salad. The slightly weak peanut dressing was not very well balanced either. It would have been nice to have some sesame sprinkled on top for more crunch or drizzle the salad with a more robust peanut dressing.

Tempura prawns

In comparison, the ginormous tempura prawns were absolutely divine! Big chunky prawns covered in light tempura batter served with tentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce).

Assorted sushi

By this stage we were already quite full but we couldnt resist the visually appealing sushi assortment that came to our table. The sushi comprised of a small handful of rice with a sizeable piece of fish/squid. I've had better sushi elsewhere but this was quite acceptable.

Miso soup

Teriyaki Salmon

Chicken Katsu

Funnily enough, considering the size of the entrees, the mains were much smaller servings than expected. Chicken Katsu was a thin slice of fillet deep fried and smothered with tonkatsu sauce and mayo. It lacked meatiness and the overpowering sauce blanketed the remnants of chicken.

The teriyaki salmon on the other hand, was scrumptious. Chunky pieces of salmon in teriyaki sauce with an assortment of onions, carrots and capsicum to compliment. The serving was small, but i guess i was full anyway!

Black Sesame ice cream

Have to say, the black sesame ice cream was the biggest let down. It seemed to be more of a vanilla ice cream with sesame pieces, rather than black sesame flavoured ice cream.

Overall it was a great deal to pay $49 for a dinner for 2 but without a voucher, i doubt i would make the trek again. However, i have to admit it would be a great eat out after a big night out at the Cross =)

Wasabi Bistro and Bar
Shop 1,1-3 Kings Cross Road
Darlinghurst 2010
tel - 02 9360 6220
www.wasabibistro.com.au/

Restaurant Balzac

2011-07-05T23:06:00.002+10:00

I havent been back to Randwick since the good old uni days when we walked to Randwick KFC for lunch =). Even though i would have loved to stop by KFC, our aim tonight was to walk to the very end of the busy Belmore Street to Restaurant Balzac.

Past all the busy shops is Balzac, situated in a stylish sandstone establishment. It is a great place to dine on a weekend - not your usual hush hush fine dine restaurant, the place was brightly light with simple decor and the patrons were all laughing and chatting, having an enjoyable night out with family and friends.

Complimentary bread was massive and came with a generous tub of irresistably creamy butter. If you loved the bread and wanted seconds, dont forget you will be charged $1 for additional bread!

Spoonfuls of fennel creaminess with tasty spanner crab meat resting at the base was perfect for a warming amuse bouche. Not only did i scoop clean the base, i think i licked the spoon?

Amuse bouche - fennel, spanner crab, spanish onions

Entrees were a bit pricier than expected, but it came in good quality generous portions.

Roast Scallops, Chicken Oysters, Sweetcorn, Salsa Verde and Jus Gras $29

My thin slices of house cured wagyu beef encased juliennes of celeriac. It worked wonders having the softness (and slightly bland) beef contrasted with crunchy onion rings and full bodied earthy flavours from calves offals (internal organs- not for the faint hearted).

Houses Cured Wagyu Beef with Celeriac Remoulade, Onion Rings and Calves Offal Kebab $25

Thrice Cooked Hand Cut Chips with Béarnaise $10

My main of rabbit was a surprisingly filling dish. Wrapped in pancetta, the rabbit was a bit overdone unfortunately. What was nice was the sweetness of the pumpkin and chestnuts to balance out the saltiness and to lighten the dish.

Macleay Valley Rabbit with Pancetta, Butternut Pumpkin, Sage and Chestnut $39

Berkshire Pork Belly, Black Pudding. Pomme Boulangere and Jus Charcuterie $38

Palmers Island Mulloway with Saffron Noodles, Calamari, Clams, Mussels and Fennel $36

Predessert was a definite winner! Juicy roasted pineapple cubes with hints of chilliness were wonderfully complimented with light coconut foam.

Pre dessert - roasted chilli pineapple with coconut foam

Chocoholics beware - chocolate fondant to die for, is here! A luscious serving of chocolate fondant oozing with sauce is the perfect finish to a wonderful meal.

Warm Chocolate Fondant with James Squire Porter Ice Cream $18

Restaurant Balzac
141 Belmore Street
Randwick
Tel - 02 9399 9660

Longrain Sydney

2011-06-22T21:20:00.014+10:00

Ever since masterchef series 1, ive been meaning to pay Longrain a visit. Going to a high end Thai restaurant isnt really part of my DNA as you can get quality thai food for cheap, but being a one hatted restaurant must have its reasons.

We were greeted by a long row of communal tables which reminded me of the dining hall scenes from Harry Potter. As it was a weeknight, only a third of the seats were taken, much to our relief as this restaurant does not take bookings (except for groups of 6 or more). Dim lighting reflected off the brown wooden tables. Its simplicity and spaciousness is quite welcoming, especially where there is a friendly buzz from the happily socialising patrons.

Service was impeccable (except when we had to ask for the dessert menu three times) and very attentive. My companion has food allergies and our waitstaff put in more than the usual effort to ask the chef and cater to our needs.

We ordered two cocktails - Virgin Ping Pong and Virgin Chew. I'd order these purely based on their names! haha. Virgin Ping Pong was a lovely concoction of lychees juice, passionfruit and lime with lychee chunks swimming at the base. Virgin Chew which appeared bright red was a blend of lychees, raspberries, rose syrup and pink grapefruit.

Virgin ping pong $9.50

Virgin chew $9.50

Having been told the betal leaf entrees were miniscule, we ordered one each. It was indeed finger food size where you wrapped the ingredients with the betal leaf and ate the whole thing.

One word of warning - beware of the oozing sauce! Texturely these betal leaves were sensational - great thai flavours with fresh herbs and the right amount of chilli.

Betal leaf topped with prawn, peanuts, roasted coconut and ginger $6

Betal leaf topped with trout, chilli, garlic, galangal and trout roe $6

Of course, I had to order the infamous eggnet. It sent a shockwave of 'wows' across the communal table when the dish arrived. There was a very very generous serving of the stuffing which comprised of pork, prawns, peanuts and bean sprouts. It could easily have fed two people with rice!! The coconut caramel sauce was a tad too sweet, but all the flavours were unmistakably good. Crunchy peanuts and bean sprout with tiny pork minced pieces and prawns wrapped in a delicate lacey eggnet was tossed in corriander, mint and kaffir lime leaves.

Eggnet with pork, prawn, peanuts, bean sprouts and sweet vinegar with cucumber relish $31

Our grilled octopus, pork belly with watermelon would have been a fabulous dish if only the chef wasn't so generous with the copious amounts of coriander. A thin slice of pork belly with a crunchy rimmed edge, tender octopus with sweet juicy watermelon were a match from heaven.

Grilled octopus and crisp pork belly with watermelon, roasted chilli and black vinegar $36.50

The dessert menu had the typical coconut, tapioca and sticky rice combinations. Seeing durian on the menu, i was quietly nodding in approval, but We ended up trying the taro and coconut pudding with roasted peanut ice cream. A bit disappointing in many aspects. I did not expect the pudding to be room temperature for one. The ice cream also did not have the intense roasted peanut flavour we expected but was rather bland. What was great was the roasted coconut slithers sitting on top of the ice cream - thin and crispy and lovingly toasted.

Taro and coconut pudding with roasted peanut ice cream $16

Longrain
85 Commonwealth Street
Surry Hills
tel - 02 92802888
http://www.longrain.com.au/

Bodega

2011-06-13T20:01:00.009+10:00

Theres a price to pay when you want to eat good food. To even contemplate getting a seat at this Spanish, South American inspired eatery you need to queue up before their 6pm opening and even then you may not get a seat. We were lucky enough to grab the last 4 seater table and squashed ourselves inside the cosy home of Bodega.

Serving tapas to the crowd, it comes in both small and larger servings. Some interesting dishes on the menu such as quail egg muffin with dukkah and oregano, to the more familiar mushroom and garlic.

There were some highlights and some not-so impressive dishes. The classic mushroom and garlic was done to perfection, similarly with the perfectly sealed scallops with morcilla (black sausage). The bland looking pork belly was scrumptious with the grilled onions and sweet apple sauce. However the roasted beetroot with goat gorgonzola (blue cheese) stuggled to get the right balance of flavors.

jamon and mahon cheese croquettes

mushrooms and garlic

Seared scallop with morcilla (black sausage), braised cabbage and pickled cauliflower

roasted beetroot, goats gorgonzola, walnut and mache

steamed pork belly with grilled cabbage and apple sauce

Affogato

The absolute show stopping dish was definitely the banana split deconstruction. I've heard raving reviews about this dessert and it did not disappoint. Fluffy banana mashmallows served with cream flan, dulce de leche ice cream, ginger biscuit and banana puree. The salty nuts, creamy flan, sweet caramel dulce de leche ice cream, flavoursome banana puree with mashmallows were a match from heaven.

Banana split

fennel ice cream with almond sponge, nectarine and puffed rice

Bodega
216 Commonwealth St
Surry Hills
Tel - o2 9212 7766

Bistro Lilly

2011-05-10T20:42:00.002+10:00

One of the daily specials on the OurDeal website was $49 for a 6 course degustation with bottle of wine at Bistro Lilly. A deal like that cannot be missed.

Snuggled under observatory tower, Bistro Lilly is well hidden on Kent street. As we dined on a weeknight there were only two other tables occupied. Our waiter was very friendly and made us feel at ease.

Opting for a bottle of chadonnay, we also ordered the pan seared scallops with corella pear and pork belly for an additional $12 and sides of kipfler potatoes.

If only I was a wine connoisseur....one day i would take up the offer of tasting the wine and giving my nod of approval before the wine is served. But as it stands, chadonnay tastes like chadonnay to me =)

We were served our amuse bouche of curry lentil yogurt. The curry is nicely thickened by the yogurt and lentil and quite mild to avoid shocking the tastebuds in our first dish.

Curry lentil yogurt

On came the bread. Both sourdough portions were small but what i liked was it being served with roasted garlic. They were sweet and not too rich to give you bad garlic breath.

Sourdough bread with whole roasted garlic and truffle butter

Our optional dish of scallops arrived and i must say, this was probably the highlight of the night. Scallops were beautifully seared and sat neatly on top of corella pear puree to highten the scallop's sweetness. A small slice of pork belly was the hero - evenly fatty meat, crisp on the outside.

Pan seared canadian scallops with corella pear, pork belly $12

Cannelloni of king crab and tomato relish arrived, swimming in lobster cream. The lobster cream was to die for, with nice chunks of crab and tomato relish filling the cannelloni.

king crab and brandade cannelloni, tomato relish and lobster cream

When the dish of liver pate made an appearance, i started to worry if I'd get a heart attack if i cleaned off this plate. An extremely generous (and disproportional) serving of duck liver pate served with brioche screams a blocked artery for all those who consume.

Truffled duck liver pate, spiced beetroot, port jelly and brioche

Our main of beef fillet was definitely a melt in your mouth experience. Texturely similar to stewed beef rather than a steak, it was served with rich wine jus and a chunky ravioli. Shamefully i didn't finish my dish as my belly was already quite content at this stage.

120 day aged grain fed beef fillet with foie gras ravioli, fondant carrot, sauteed spinach, bordelaise

side of crisp kipfler potato with shredded parmesan and truffle oil

Dessert of chocolate pudding was served warm with vanilla bean ice cream decorated with a latice of toffee and caramel syrup. A lovely end to a satisfying meal.

Bistro Lilly
168 Kent Street
Sydney 2000
Tel - 02 9252 1116

Est. Restaurant - March into Merivale

2011-04-09T11:47:00.005+10:00

March into Merivale is happening until mid April and is offering some great deals across the Merivale group, including restaurants such as Est., Ash St Cellar, Bistrode CBD, Sushi e and Lotus. Being advertised as $33 for lunch or dinner, we ventured to Est Restaurant, a restaurant which has been awarded 3 hats since 2003.

$33 for 1 course, $50 for 2 courses or $65 for 3 courses.

I ordered the grilled scallop, green peas, sorrel, quinoa - lemon vinagrette as entree. The scallops were lightly seared with the centres slightly raw to ensure it is still soft and smooth texturely. First time trying quinoa, which is the pale grain like seed amongst the peas. Apparently very nutritious, it wasn't very flavoursome. The dressing was a little heavy handed and made the dish quite oily. Beautifully presented with attention to detail.

Last time i went to Est was back in 2009 and i vividly rememeber how awesome their chicken breast was - it was the BEST chick breast i have ever had. Hence when i saw chick on the menu, i ordered it without a moments hesitation.

When my chicken breast arrived, it was flawless. Just as i remembered, the breast was slightly tinged pink and so succulent, it could not be recognisable as chicken breast. Tender chicken with a thin crispy skin, served with a generous serving of caramelised mushrooms and spinach. Not a very creative dish but execution was impeccable.

crisp skin breast of corn fed chicken, lentils, spinach, portobello mushrooms, pan jus

crisp skin palmer island mulloway, grilled belgian endive agro dolce

For dessert i ordered the vanilla bavois with strawberry crumble and spiced syrup. The bavois was creamy and sweet but not over-the-top indulgent. I quite enjoyed the stawberry crumbs as it added a dry sour touch to an otherwise creamy dish.

Est Restaurant
252 George Street Sydney 2000

Bo Innovation

2011-03-16T19:34:00.018+11:00

As part of my Hong Kong food safari, Bo Innovation was on top of my list of go-to's. Not only is Alvin Leung the creator of the infamous molecular gastronomical "xiao long bao", but he is labelled the Demon Chef and fuses molecular gastronomy with chinese cuisine which is a rarity in itself. oooo. With a name like this, his claim of "Xtreme Chinese Cuisine" and a One Michelin Star behind his belt, you know you are in for a treat.

This restaurant is hidden in Wan Chai in a narrow street on the 2nd floor. Alvin's tattooed arm greets you even before you enter the door. Dont be afraid to witness the tattoo artist at work =D

I ordered the set menu. for $228 (+ 10% surcharge) you chose 2 Dim Sims or Bo dishes, plus a main course, starch (rice) and dessert du jour.

Unfortunately the set lunch did not include the "xiao long bao" and so i ordered this separately.

For a tiny little ball for HKD$80, this is what it looks like:

Arriving on a spoon, this sphere of flavour bursted on impact - a lava of "xiao long bao" flavours (think pork, shallots, ginger) runs out of the thin membrane. The thin strip of pickled ginger gives it that final touch. It is literally a "xiao long bao" in liquid form without the flour dough. Clever and amazingly executed, it may be one of the best molecular gastronmy creation i have tasted. Do i think its worth $80? maybe not, but i would rather pay than regret never having ordered it.

For my first small dish, i chose the Black truffle 'cheung fun', which is a modification of the traditional chinese rice noodles. This 'cheung fun' has been coated in soy sauce and generously wrapped truffle pieces, then pan fried. It was not only extremely fragrant with truffles but the texture was smooth, delicate and not overly oily. A great suggestion by the attending staff.

My next small dish was the "har gao" black truffle XO. Yes, more truffle!

It had the traditional makings of a prawn dumpling layered on top with black truffle, dried japanese ebi (prawn) shavings and finely diced shallots. The truffle was not as prominent in this dish as the ebi flavour was quite strong and slightly marred by the chunky prawn from the dumpling. A wonderfully executed dish though lacks some wow factor.

The main chosen was the french qual "begger style" with chinese lentil and wolfberry chutney. I adored this dish!

The quail was juicy soft and moist, sitting on a bed of slightly grainy lentil mash. What i loved about this dish was the puree. I have never tried wolfberry puree accompanying a main meal as it is quite a traditional chinese ingredient. It worked perfectly to provide that concentrated sweetness. There were also swirls of chinese vegetable juice which i could not really taste. When i asked the waiting staff what these were, she kindly showed me the dried vegetable in a bag (although i don't know the english name for it). 10/10 for service!

To provide some sustenance to the lunch, a bowl of rice came and sat quietly at my table. When you look at the grains with copious amounts of tiny caviar clinging to it, you can just imagine how this would be on the palate. The caviar popped as you ate the rice, to the very last grain. It goes to show how much thought has been placed on each dish to make sure not only that the right balance in textures and flavours are achieved, but it is immaculately presented.

Onto dessert! A plate with coconut sorbet on a bed of red bean was accompanied by a rather chinese dessert of coconut pudding with red bean pieces. The sorbet was refreshing and oozed in coconut flavour, whilst the pudding was not overly sweet and was more bland to give the dish its contrast.

Bo Innovation has definitely impressed and earned its one Michelin star- They think outside the box and redefines chinese cuisine. In my opinion, this restaurant matched (if not exceed) those of the top Sydney hatted restaurants in terms of innovation, quality and perfection.

Bo Innovation
60 Johnston Road
Wan Chai
Hong Kong
Tel - 852 2850 8371

Marque Restaurant

2010-12-25T16:17:00.002+11:00

Unfortunately, laziness and forgetfulness are amongst my flaws. This post is a quite few months late, but better late than never! Especially when the restaurant was as amazing as Marque, and no other restaurant deserves a mention more than this 3 hatter.

There is a reason why Marque is a 3 hatted restaurant - it takes the tastebud on a journey through creativity and innovation. Molecular gastronomy is something Mark Best does well and the plates served up are truly inspiring.

Marque is situated right next to Billy Kwong in Surry Hills. It has a very understated exterior, and extremely dimly lit with dark tonal decor.

We decided to order a la carte rather than the degustation this time. Unfortunately i cannot describe to you taste by taste of each dish, but i will endeavour to share the highlights.

I ordered this extraordinarily crafted masterpiece of an....egg....yes, a simple egg but an artist has evidently sliced the egg shell and filled it with poached the egg along with a myriad of complex flavours. What i remember most was the warm smoothness of the egg and the unexpected yolk sleeping at the bottom. Perfectly accompanied with salty grissini.

Chaud-Froid Free Range Egg

On came the entree. The volcano of almond jelly with crumbs rolling down the side captures your attention. The presentation is impeccable and you cannot go wrong if you serve up creativity with fresh ingredient. The crab was amazingly flavoursome with fluffy light almond flavours dispersed throughout but unfortunately it was spoilt when i found a small piece of crab shell. Such a shame.

Something i did learn though - avruga (which looks like black fish roe) is actually not cavier but made from herring fish and squid ink!

Almond Jelly with Blue Swimmer Crab, Almond Gazpacho, sweet corn and avruga

I ordered the venison with beetroot, unaware of the dominance of beetroot upon presentation. Beetroot slices weeved and folded itself on the plate and camoflaged the beautifully cooked venison. Not a fan of beetroot, so the beetroot puree and thick slices of beetroot were a bit much for me.

Venison with beetroot, radicchio and bitter cocoa

Our pre dessert came next. The pre dessert of Sauternes creme caramel was petite and only half filled the cup. Not to be deceived!! it was magnificently creamy and rich in Sauternes flavour, a french style dessert wine. The strong wine infused flavours really slaps you across the face, hence a bigger serving would have been too heavy.

Sauternes Creme Caramel

Our waiter recommended (with total enthusiasm) that we order the Lemon Tart. I could not stop my "wooo's and ahhh's" as i admired the dish. I love how a 'lemon tart' can be given such a twist. Nestled in a sea of chocolate crumbs sits a perfect frozen lemon ball.

"Lemon Tart"

Petit Fours

Marque Restaurant
Shop 4/5
355 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW
Tel - 02 9332 2225
http://www.marquerestaurant.com.au/

Universal Restaurant

2010-12-21T22:01:00.015+11:00

If you're into the hatted restaurants but not a fan of uptight ambiences, then Universal is worth a visit. This trendy bistro style restaurant is situated in Darlinghurst in an inconspicuous courtyard amongst three other eateries. Being half outdoors and half indoors, the venue is fabulous on a summers night.

We came here for a special occasion (my birthday!) and anticipated a great night of food. Christine Manfield is very hands on in her restaurant and as expected, she was there doing the dirty work - carrying boxes to the kitchen and also chatting to patrons.

Service was attentive and non intrusive. We were seated in front of the orange coloured lit backwall - not the desired lighting for photos but our table had an elevated view of the outdoor seating area and courtyard.

Fuji Mama Mocktai $9, Ruby Baby Mocktail $9

The mocktails were to die for. Although they only had 2 mocktails on offer, both were outstanding in its own right. The Ruby Baby mocktail was rich and refreshing, whilst the Fuji Mama was simply devine! The mocktail was relatively thick, like slurping down mashed apples but the peruvian spice syrup with honey gave it a really distinct flavour i've never tried before in a mocktail.

Our waiter explained the menu which is structured so the lighter meals are listed top left and as the heavier dishes towards the bottom right of the menu. It is recommended each person chose 3 dishes, however we decided to share 5 between the two of us and order dessert afterwards.

Our 3 light dishes arrived together.

The quail dish was clearly thai influenced. The fresh mint, citrusy dressing and spiced quail coupled well with sweet pomelo. The quails were quite satisfying and the mint made it a quite refereshing entree.

Spiced quail, roast rice, pomelo and mint $26

This pancake was highly anticipated. I commend the bravery of introducing salted egg to this dish as it it does not always sit well with western palates. But the salted egg was not overpowering at all - it added the necessary distinct saltiness with the tiny diced salted egg pieces. What i liked about this one was the agedashi styled tofu wrapped inside the pancake and the crunchiness of the peanuts really brought this dish to a next level.

Chilli coconut tofu and salted duck egg pancake, roasted peanuts and chilli jam $25

Generous portions of salmon and oysters came with the next dish. On par with the other two, the apple salad was definitely needed to balance the flavours.

Tea smoked aoraki salmon and pacific oysters, morcilla and green apple salad $28

Our 2 heavier dishes came next. We ordered the wagyu and the pork belly. At first glance i was quite disappointed with my pork belly. Where is the pork belly? is this nibble sized croquette and pork belly all there is? Even though the croquette was crunchy not oily and pork belly nicely cooked, it was just not heavy enough to be classified as a 'heavier' dish

Sweet and sour pork belly, trotter croquette, roasted parsnip and green peas $29

Similarly with the Wagyu, portion size was not nearly big enough. The mushroom tempura were to die for and the pastry light and fluffy. The wagyu was a bit wasted, as it was married with bone marrow which softened the whole texture - overly melt in your mouth with no bite. Wondered - was i eating slow cooked pork rather than beef?

On came dessert time!! Universal was awarded best dessert restaurant 2010. This should not disappoint and it didn't!

Ordered the bananarama - made with banana mashmallow, salted peanut caramel, passionfruit cream and passionfruit banana sorbet. I adored the thin layer of sugar crisp that cracked on impact. The banana mashmallow base was creamy and firm rather than mousse-like which i liked. The passionfruit flavour in the cream and sorbet somehow overpowered the bananas, but this was totally forgotten when the peanuts made its appearance. I loved the salted peanut caramel!! Great texturely, and the much needed salt in the dessert ensured i was not 'ahhh'-ing from sugar overload.

Bananarama $18

The highlight of the entire night must be the infamous Gaytime goes nuts!! And i definitely went nuts as i fought with my companion to devour the dessert (bearing in mind my companion is not usually a dessert lover!). The gaytime inspired dessert was remarkable - rich honeycomb ice cream with choc covered biscuit balls hidden inside, was topped with salted hazelnut caramel and caramel parfait, wrapped in a chocolate crunch shell. The photo does not do it justice! A must try for gaytime and dessert lovers.

Gaytime goes nuts $19

Universal
Republic 2 Courtyard
Palmer Street
Darlinghurst
Tel - 02 9331 0709
www.universalrestaurant.com

Astral Restaurant

2010-12-01T22:10:00.003+11:00

First and foremost, apologies for the picture quality =P

Astral, situated on level 17 of Star City hotel overlooks the magnificent Sydney harbour. The perfect spot for dining - unfortunately due to the Star City renovations and restructuring Astral is in its final 2 weeks of operation.

We came with high expectations and truly was not disappointed. The views can do no wrong and when it is coupled with attentive service, big soft comfy chairs and quality food, it really is a shame Astral will give way to a high rollers lounge. Too bad we had a rowdy (and drunk) group nearby plus a busy night making it quite loud.

Ordering the degustation was a smart decision as we wanted to taste all the dishes on offer for the last time. Using the entertainment card ended up costing $100 a head - great value for a 4 hour dinner!

Amuse bouche was an apple jelly base with spanner crab and lychee foam. Magnificent when you can have a mouthful of everything together but terrible when eaten separately. The lychee foam was delicate but savoury and balanced the sweetness of the apple jelly. The crab was fresh and gave it some substance.

Next was the Heirloom Tomato which was basically a feast of tomatoes. My least favourite of the night as it was just that - different tomatoes cut different ways. Cant really comment much as i dislike tomatoes overall and the way it was made just did not entrall me.

For some theatrics, our next dish came hidden under a dome of chamomile smoke. When the lid was lifted, the smoke drifted away revealing marinated king smoked salmon, isigny creme fraiche with chamomile pearls. It is an interesting touch to have smoke but personally it reminded me of temple incense. haha. The salmon was beautifully smoked, cut through with the creme fraiche to balance it back down. Small serving but satisfying.

Scallop! yay! Scallop served with celeriac puree, asparagus, apples and saffron. Even though it was anothe foam dish, the flavours were quite intense but did not take centre stage over the scallop. The textural balance was evident with the tender scallop and crunchy asparagus with apples.

Following was the quail, one of my favourite of the night. Served with spinach puree and accompanied by foie gras resting on top of silken tofu, the dish was dressed with shiso vinegarette. The quail was amazingly succulent and juicy. I want more!

By now i was quite full already as the pace in which the dishes came out was a little too slow for my liking (it was approx 10pm at this time and we were still eating!).

The angus beef was totally worth the wait!! Sweet bread, white polenta, mushrooms and confit potatoes complimented the angus. The meat was surprisingly not bloody despite it appearing so red. It was chewy but not to the point of disgust. Flawlessly executed.

Our pre-dessert were mini peach (and raspberry?) sorbet. Loved the waffle cone and the white peach cream at the bottom of the cone. Yummyyyy

Dessert was an ordinary affair. Ganache, white chocolate ice cream, layered marzipan cake with crumble and rasberry weren't the most creative despite the beautiful plating. The layered marzipan cake tasted exactly like the 7eleven cake i got in Japan. The ganache logs was bitter and rich but overall it was not that exciting.

What was more exciting was the sugar sticks that accompanied the coffee and tea!! Such creativity and i dont know how they made this. The sugar crystals on the stick slowly melts in your tea/coffee.

The macaron petit fours arrived with the coffee/tea.

Astral Restaurant
Level 17
Star City
80 Pyrmont Street
Pyrmont
Tel - 1800 700 700
(website shut down)

Rise Restaurant

2010-11-24T23:44:00.002+11:00

Unfortunately Rise is closing its doors on 28 November after more than 10 years of operation. As such, they have made it an occasion and offered a 6 course "Sayonara" degustation for $48 until the 28 November to thank their loyal customers.

As expected, Rise has drawn massive crowds on the night we visited, everyone having heard of the news and wanting to have the last bite.

I ordered the lychee caipiroska - a bit too strong in vodka but the lychee chunks was refreshing and prominent in the cocktail.

Lychee Caipiroska $12

The degustation menu comprised of:

1)Steamed pork belly, cauliflower, sugar snap, rocket salad with "chuka" vinaigrette

Not a big fan of the cauliflower but i was still able to finsih off the dish surprisingly! Thinly sliced cold pork belly sat on a bed of fresh salad served with sweet chuka dressing.

2)Potato soup with tofu & scallop tempura

The soup was incredibly creamy and thick - somehow tasted like it had a dashi base? Very rich in potatoes and flavours, which i consumed with delight. My tempura unfortunately wasnt as crunchy as expected. But nonetheless, accompanied by the tempura tofu it provided some texture to the dish making it overal quite pleasant.

3)Assorted today's market sashimi

Today's sashimi consisted of thai style oysters, mustard vinegarette king fish with a pinch of roe to garnish and ocean trout with ginger soy.

I loved the mustard vinegarette as it went really well with the kingfish to accentuate the flavours but did not overpower the kingfish.

4) Soy milk flan with "shiitake" sauce, Rice paper rolls of cured salmon, omelette & gochujang mayo, Fish cake and green papaya

The milk flan was flawlessly executed. No scrambled eggs, just smooth yumminess topped with savoury shiitake pieces.

5)Soba salad with chunyang chilli prawn

This dish was a bit spicier than i expected as never really associated chilli with soba in my mind. The prawn was so lightly battered i barely noticed. It would have been a more inviting dish if the prawn was crunchier to contrast it in texture to the silken soba base.

6) Chicken confit, bamboo shoot, button mushroom and "zahsai " sauce

Honestly by now i was full! Must be all the gradual digesting in between courses~ haha.

The chicken was succulent and a very generous serving. We were told that this chicken had been cooking for days! There were so many steps involved, it was mind boggling (and a hint of cooking OCD maybe?). The skin is crispy from being pan fried in its final stage whilst the meat remained tender and juicy.

Finale~ Dessert of the day - Almond Panna Cotta with milk granita and pomegranate.

Beautiful end to the meal. Luscious panna cotta made to perfection.

Hats off to Chef Hideki Okazaki! Hopefully we will get to see and taste some his creations again in the near future.

Rise Restaurant
23 Craigend Street
Darlinghurst 2010
Tel - 02 9357 1755
www.riserestaurant.com.au

Home Thai

2010-11-15T20:51:00.005+11:00

For a girlie night out we decided to eat at home…"Home" as in the thai restaurant on sussex street! The first time I walked past my eyes were drawn towards their basket of mangos at the front. haha.

Similar to Chat Thai, their shop front is fully glass so you can peer right through to the front kitchen and the stack of desserts/snacks on display that makes your mouth water.

We were seated on the top level where the speakers were unfortunately going Doof Doof Doof right behind us. The place looks pretty cool with wooden furniture, dark lighting and blasting music.

Waiters were running up and down with their ordering iPads carried in an LV bag! Talk about classy =)

We loved the menu with photos and had to order some of the ones in the pics. Prices were very reasonable. 4 people ended up being only $17 each (including drinks and dessert)! what a bargain for a pig out.

The entree of homemade thai grilled sausages looked amazing – shiny grilled red skinned sausages and cut into little chunks. It was a little bit dry and overgrilled however its always good to try something new =)

Sai Groog Isan $10.90

The Pat Siew's thick chunky cut rice noodles tossed in soy sauce made a wonderful dish. Bright green veges were fresh and crisp amongst the noodles. I might even start enjoying Pat Siew more than Pad Thai!

Pat C Ew $10.50

We ordered the green curry with coconut milk, cherry eggplant, basil, lime leaf and chilli. We wanted a milder curry but the curry hit us with a bang. It definitely had heat and gave out a fantastic aroma.

Gang Kew $12.90

Seafood Pad Thai $14.50

Yay! dessert time!

This dessert reminded me of the canto deep fried dough, but dipped in sweet pandan custard dip. Could i please finish off the pandan? (and leave the too oily deep fried dough...)

Time to lick your forks on this one. Super yummy mango and sticky rice. Mango was oh-so-fresh served with coconut saauce and sticky rice.

Home Thai
299 Sussex Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel- (02)9261 5058
www.homethai.com.au/

Cafe Ish

2010-11-11T21:08:00.010+11:00

We headed to café ish for their final all-you-can-eat-ribs for $35 for the season (but we were told they may make this permanent and offer it once a month due to its popularity - call to check!). Having read about their meat-fall-off-the-bone ribs, I was very excited.

We were expecting to wait for a table as we were early for our reservation but were ushered straight in. This place is the spot for regulars, as we soon found out none of our surrounding tables were first timers.

I was forewarned how the owner doesnt like phototaking and hence i was cautious and asked for permission. But owner Josh was actually very friendly, extremely passionate but cheeky as he pretended not to be the owner =) Josh was great and came over several times to chat.

Owner Josh is Aussie but his wife Ai is Japanese hence all his food has japanese/asian influences in terms of ingredients and flavours.

We ordered the Edamame with murray river salt, lightly tossed in soy and ginger. Edamame can't possibly be this tasty and addictive!

Edamame $6 Fries $6

Shoestring fries with wasabi mayo were also ordered. The fries were crisp and crunchy but not overly oily, served with the best wasabi mayo.

Servings of blue gum smoked pork or beef ribs comes in a bowl. The ribs were marinated in ginger, soy, mirin (japanese wine), vinegar and sake with sprinkles of shallot, chilli and sesame. It was absolute heaven!

Beef Ribs Pork Ribs

Meat did fall off the bone, except for the ribs at the bottom of the bowl which were a bit tough. The flavours were devine! The flavours were blended togehter in perfect harmony. Ribs were succulent and tender, especially with my favourite (slightly fatty) pork ribs.

For dessert we each ordered the lemon delicious. And man, was it delicious! Zingy and zesty, freshly baked served with ice cream. Mmmhmm.

Lemon delicious $8

Cafe ish's signature coffee - wattleseed maccacino, did not live up to its standard as Josh's wife was not there that night to make it. Oh wells. Next time =)

Cafe Ish
82 Campbell St

Surry Hills

New South Wales 2010

Tel - 02 9281 1688

(no website available)

Menya Mappen Noodle Bar

2010-11-10T22:42:00.007+11:00

A new japanese eatery has popped up! Hiding in the arcade next to 85 degrees cake on George Street, this humble little joint is Sydney's first self serve udon/ramen/soba bar. The decor and dark wooden seating is inviting and the smell of soy simply mouthwatering. There is a great buzz to the place as people line up at the bar waiting to chose their noodles.

Be warned there will be a queue!

You can either order udon, soba or ramen, chose either hot or cold and then select your own accompaniments at the self serve counter, or order dishes e.g. curry chicken rice upfront. I reckon the fun part is mix n matching your own tempura and other battered veges at the self serve counter - the sense of accomplishment at the end!

As you get ur noodles, scoop a spoonful of finely sliced shallots and tempura crumbs before shifting to the right and be greeted by an array of tempura!

i ordered the udon with onsen egg. the udon was authentically chewy served in a dashi base soup however the udon is the frozen prepackaged type. I quite enjoyed it as it was freshly boiled, hence the long queues.

My tempura vegetable was massive and tasted like the ones in japan - super crunchy and battery. The onsen egg was just devine! poached eggs at its max

This is a great place for a quick 5 minute eat-and-run meal and also great for your wallet. A udon (small) with onsen egg sets you back at $4.90, the tempura tofu only $0.90 and tempura veges $2.80.

Dont forget to pick up your tempura sauce!

Menya Mappen Noodle Bar
Shop 11, 537-551 George St
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel - 02 9283 5525
www.menya.com.au/mappen/index.html

Sugar Hits 2010

2010-11-10T22:34:00.003+11:00

Sugar Hits 2010

With the end of October marks the end of SIFF2010…. as with every other year, I ventured around Sydney to savour the creations of this year’s sugar hit restaurants and hotels.

Grace Hotel

The rave this year was all around Grace Hotel. Word spread that Grace has triumphed over and hence this was a must try. Even though the staff had no idea what was being served and were unattentive, they were forgiven as soon as the fondant was served.

The self saucing chocolate fandant was perfectly self saucing as you cut it open ~ success!! It was rich and runny on the inside like it should but would have enjoyed it more if it was served warm rather than room temperature.

My macaron was slightly too chewy but the chocolate fairy floss was fun and added an exciting touch. Fairy floss always gets my vote. Kahlua ice cream got me cheering also! Could not get enough of the creaminess and its perfect Kahlua companion.

Chocolate fondant with self-saucing chocolate centre, Kahlua ice cream, chocolate macaroon and chocolate fairy floss. Orange Muscat Brown Brothers

Grace Cafe
Corner King and York Streets
Sydney
NSW 2000
0292726636
http://www.gracehotel.com.au/

Shangri-La

Although the dessert description did not entice me, the appearance made me pay a visit to Shangri-la. It wasn’t as busy as prior years and was promptly seated for our 9.30pm booking. The dessert itself looked amazing! Served in a martini glass, tempered chocolate strips sprung out off the top of a laced tempered chocolate casing.

This dessert had way too much tempered chocolate for my liking as I found most of my time eating only chocolate. The alcohol soaked raspberry snuggled up inside the casing were too overpowering and had to balance it off with copious amounts of chocolate mousse. Although I really enjoyed the panna cotta hidden at the bottom of the glass. It was impossible to have all the flavours in one mouthful as the tempered chocolate was too unforgiving. I have to admit it was quite a disappointment this year compared to prior ones. Hopefully future sugar hits will improve!

Black Forest Cocktail: vanilla panacotta, cherries in kirsch, chocolate bonbon, cocoa sponge, chocolate cream. Cienna Brown Brothers

Shangri-la
Lobby Lounge, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney
176 Cumberland Street
The Rocks, Sydney
NSW 2000
0292506123
http://www.36levelsabove.com.au/

Monkey Magic

Monkey Magic’s black sesame crème caramel caught my eye in the list of sugar hit offerings…..and it did not disappoint! Situated in surry hills, we walked from Central and did our fare share of exercise before arriving at its doors.

We all chose to have the Umeshu wine, which is a Japanese plum wine. It was wonderfully sweet with accents of plum and highly praised by my companions who are Japanese fanatics. Our desserts took a while to arrive but when it did, it was worth the wait. A crusty flaky puff pastry twist balanced on the black sesame crème caramel served with red wine poached pears and coconut ice cream. What a wonderful combination of flavours.

The crème caramel was rich in black sesame flavour, tasting similar to the chinese black sesame soup dessert…it was extra smooth but became overly sweet as each bite progressed. The puff pastry was light and had toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on them for extra taste. I loved the coconut ice cream as it was creamy and full of flavour.

Black sesame creme caramel with red wine-poached pear : a creamy, nutty, sesame flavour with a sweet toffee syrup and tart fruit. Umeshu wine

Monkey Magic
3&4 - 410 Crown Street
Surry Hills
NSW 2010
0293584444
http://www.monkeymagic.com.au/

Radisson Hotel

This was my first sugar hit experience at Radisson. It was a quiet night and only one other table was there. The waitstaff were fabulous and served our desserts once everyone arrived.

The chocolate mousse was rich and scrumptious but the toffee must have been made for quite some time as it was super chewy. The white chocolate panna cotta doesnt wobble as it should and once the spoon cuts into it, it was obvious how firm the texture was. It could definitely be smoother and lighter but the white chocolate flavour was a winner.

Chocolate truffle delight accompanied with white chocolate panna cotta, laced with mixed berries.

Radisson Hotel & Suites Sydney
0282688888
72 Liverpool St
Sydney
NSW 2000
www.radisson.com/sydneyau

Adriano Zumbo Patissier

2010-07-26T19:53:00.006+10:00

Im glad i came here before this year's masterchef rush! Adriano Zumbo created quite a stir last year with his croquembouche & choc mousse cake and this year he created the V8 vanilla cake....this pastry chef is quite inspirational and hence it was only a matter of time before i'd pay this patisserie a visit.

Greeted with a queue outside his shop, it is hard to miss despite being only a petite little shop. The website said this place closes at 4pm but it was still open when we lined up at 5pm, but no doubt, most of the cakes and pastries were already gone. Adriano Zumbo also sells savoury pastries like quiches and also sourdough and baguettes.

We selected the tarte aux fruits de la passion, which is essentially a passionfruit creme tart. It was beautifully presented with the glossy top layer, dual coloured creme and passionfruit seeds decorating the top.

If you think it looks great, it tastes even better! The creme was so light that it slides like liquid in your mouth. The tart was thin, sugary and cracks when you bite into it. Only problem is it was definitely too small!! Seriously could have ate 3 in one go.

We also ordered the Pavnutchestrasp - a chestnut and olive oil cake with rasberry pavlova and chestnut pieces. We couldn't resist the pavlova and was instantly savage with our fingers. The pavlova had a fabulously crunchy exterior with a mashmallowy centre rich in berry flavour. The macaroons speak for itself - crumbles on impact but chewy and moist in the middle but not too sweet that you feel sick. The cake was quite dense with chestnut chunks throughout.

Expect long queues outside the shop, especially after the hype with the V8 cake. I suggest going early (they open at 8am) as i have been told they have sold out by 3pm.

Adriano Zumbo Patissier

296 Darling St

Balmain NSW 2041

Tel (02) 9810 7318

Alio Restaurant

2010-07-05T22:55:00.005+10:00

Alio held a 'Greatest Hits Dinner' celebrating 10 years of business, fittingly with a 10 course degustation with a dish from every year of business. It is $80 for 10 course however if you mention you are an eatability member, you only pay $68.

We booked for the final night of the June celebration and was told a live jazz band would be performing (the degustation has now been extended to July). This may have been the biggest mistake ever, as the music was so overpowering that me and my companion were screaming to each other to be heard.

This place emanates a high class cafe vibe rather than a fine dine establishment, but that may well be the aim - to be unpretentious.

We were promptly served our first course. From 2000 year, hand made focaccia and grissini with 36 month old Reggiano Parmesan and warm marinated olives. The focaccia was wonderfully soft with a crunchy crust and beautifully complimented with warm olives. I have only recently become an olive fans, and the olives did not disappoint.

Next came a dish from 2001 year - Stracciatella - Roman chicken broth with cheese ravioli. The issue with this was that there wasn't enough!! i love broth that is quite gingery as it delivers a punch when it slides down the throat and delivers a delightful warming sensation. However not everyone will appreciate the taste. The cheese in the ravioli were rich and creamy.

I have never tried air dried beef so this was something new to me. 2002 year's Bresaola - air dried beef fillet with truffled baby green peaches and parmesan. I quite liked the thinly sliced raw beef as it was chewy but the rawness does not disgust. Something like a beef proscuitto. For those who would not appreciate raw beef, you can request this course to be substituted with bruschetta.

2004 year dished up Char grilled eggplant baked with buffalo mozzarella and dressed with 25 year old balsamic vinegar. I am not a vinegar expert but the 25 balsamic vinegar was awesome - very tangy and bold. The tomato salsa on top was fresh and the eggplant quite soft however the eggplant skin was a little tough which let this dish down.

Next came the 2003 dish of Hawkesbury river calamari with fresh chilli and lemon. As soon as this dish was placed on the table, i gasped. But when i sniffed the dish, i frowned. It smelt quite fishy. The texture is also not the nicest as it was slimy and hard to chew. The chilli tried to cover the fishiness but unsuccessful. Cant deny it is photogenic though!

I found the next course quite disturbing, to say the least. 2005's Red wine, pancetta and radicchio risotto looked like a plate of ...well....animal biproducts. Sorry, but it was very unappealing and should not be plated this way. If only it was served in a pasta bowl, it would have been more pleasant for the eyes. The risotto itself was thick in consistency, rich in red wine flavour and was firm to the bite.

Our 7th course was Barramundi baked in a bag with black mussels, thyme and vermouth on cavalo nero from 2006. This course was lovely. The barramundi was moist and flavoursome from being baked with the juice of the mussels. If only there were more broth it would have been perfect, as the broth was already soaked up towards the end of the dish. It could have also done with a bit more seasoning.

The final savoury was 2009's lightly beaten char grilled fillet of black angus beef with fresh baby peas and potato al forno. This beef was absolutely AMAZING, one of the best (if not the best) black angus i have had in a restaurant. It was so tender that you cannot believe it actually is beef. If you like ur eye fillet more well done, the beef is equally as tender. The bed of potatoes is creamy but light. The main criticism of the dish was that the peas were freezing cold when it was served.

Our palate cleanser came from 2007 - blood orange sorbet. If you enjoy your sorbet super smooth and velvety, this is the one! It was so flavoursome that you will be left begging for more. A definite winner.

Panna cotta with fruit salad and mint marked the end of the degustation, from 2008. I loved the berries and how the pomegranate seeds pop in your mouth, offering a contrasting texture to the creamy panna cotta. The layer of passionfruit is very appealing - simple but effective.

Alio Restaurant

5 Baptist Street

Surry Hills

Tel (02) 8394 9368

The Apprentice

2010-06-09T18:20:00.014+10:00

Not bad for amateurs. And for $27 for 3 courses, what more can you ask for?

The Apprentice is the restaurant run by the hospitality students in Tafe, Ultimo. Value for money? tick. Nervous waiters? tick tick.

First obstacle was finding the actual building - a bit stressful when you know they have restrictive seating hours hence need to be there on time. But successfully arrived and wasgreeted by nervous student waiters. How cute.

This place is not the place for a fine dine experience, but more of a 'lets see what the students can cook up' experience, as each night a different student prepares the menu and serves set courses to its guinea pigs (i.e. you).

We were welcomed by a mini blue sky cocktail concoction of Malibu, Curacao, Pineapple Monin and Milk with a sugar rim on the glass. Quite sweet and somehow resembled the antibiotics that i used to take. haha.

That night we had a choice of appetizers - Camramelised Onion Tart or Seared Tuna Salad. Must admit i quite liked the seared tuna as the tuna's silky texture complimented well with the bed of beans and beetroot. Simple but nice.

Entrees were the Prawn Bisque, Warm Thai Chicken Salad or Fried Wonton with dipping sauce. The prawn bisque was spot on. Rich, smooth and full of flavour in a very invitingly big soup bowl. The chicken in the thai salad was a bit too dry but came in generous portions and crispy fresh greens.

Next came the main. Choice of: Cajun Flat Head Fillet with cucumber, asparagus and fragrant rice; Lamb Loin Baked in Filo Pastry with couscous; Pork Medallions with calvados sauce and mashed potatoes; Slow Cooked Duck Legs with braised lentils du puy; or Lentil Patties with asian noodles.

My duck leg was nice and juicy with crunchy potatoes garnished on top. Presentation was not the best - brown on brown just doesnt look nice.

The pork was definitly too dry and tasted like the home style pork cutlets that we make. The caramelised apples were great though.

Dessert comprised of Coffee and Vanilla Bavarois with chocolate macadamia wafer, Tiramisu or Sticky Date and Peacan Pudding with caramel sauce.

The sticky date pudding was light with gutsy flavours however came out lopsided on the place. A bit disappointed =(

The bavarois was creamy on the palette with a nice wafer accompliment to break through the cream.

Think the highlight was our super nervous waiter who was always too scared to interupt our conversations and end up standing behind us until someone spots him. You do feel bad
for them as they are so nervous and flustered, so any mistake is quickly forgiven.

The Apprentice Restaurant
Level 7, Building E

TAFE, Ultimo College

Harris Street, Ultimo

www.sit.nsw.edu.au/theapprentice

Iiza, Newtown

2010-05-25T20:24:00.012+10:00

Now. Newtown isnt the usual place i hover for food until recently. Came across a very trendy jap restuarant -Iiza. Iiza is a bustling trendy little restaurant that has newly emerged onto the Newtown scene, branded as an "izakaya" - a drinking establishment which serves food to accompany the drinks.

Personally, i reckon Iiza's food deserves more of the spotlight than that!! and maybe the waitresses running around in their kimono deserves a part of that spotlight - super cute.

Word of warning, this place is quite small and cosy and hence is usually fully booked out. Must book in advance.

Nothing beats fresh genmaicha green tea, and u can really taste the difference! There are so many Jap eateries nowadays that substitute real stuff with tea bag varieties, its just not authentic enough. Iiza's green tea hits the bullseye.

We ordered a myriad of dishes to share. The pictures in the menu and the variety of dishes on offer makes you want to order everything! Not only do they have the usuals, they also have some unique dishes that must be tried.

Wagyu Beef Tataki $9.80

Yummo! The beef were sliced generously and in copious amounts. It was tender, juicy and complemented wonderfully with the citrus ponzu sauce and fragrant sesame seed garnish.

Agedashi Tofu $7.50

The tofu was freshly deep fried with the batter light and crispy served in dashi sauce. The tofu is full of soy bean flavour with super smooth texture that melts into your mouth.

Bread crumbed asparagus $7.80

We absolutely loved it - crumbed asparagus wrapped in savoury pork belly deep fried. Even our companion who is not an asparagus fan found this a nice dish. The textures were wonderful, crunchy skin with a slight salty layer pork belly hugging asparagus spears. the tartare sauce fits well, however the sea salt gave it too much punch than needed, so dip sparingly.

Chef Selection Sushi Platter 12 pcs $29

This was a massive plate of fresh sushi with a wide selection to chose from. When it arrived, we were in awe as it was so beautifully presented. A must for sushi lovers.

Renkon Hasami Age $14

Lotus root chips sandwiched chicken mince served with green tea soba noodles. Interesting combination! All the elements complimented each other and very flavoursome. The crunchy lotus roots coupled with seasoned chicken mince works well with smooth slippery soba.

Assorted Yakitori skewers

Size does matter!

Iiza

184 King Street

Newtown

(02) 8095 9260

http://www.iiza.com.au/

Bilson's Restaurant

2010-05-24T10:01:00.020+10:00

Tony Bilson is nicknamed the godfather of modern Australian cuisine. Having such a title really does say a lot about the calibre of this restaurant. Bilsons is a three hatted restaurant serving up french cuisine, nicely tucked inside Radisson hotel on O'Connell Street.

We came here a few months ago and it seems the menu has now changed. Quite refreshing to know that the chef is constantly on his feet, conjuring up ideas to entice his audience.

The decor is simple which is apt, as it does not distract you from the food which is the star of the show. We ordered the 6 course degustation with coffee/tea to prevent us staying up all night, however we did leave at 11.30pm. The service was friendly and not pretentious.

I think Bilson's has definitely tried its hand at molecular gastronomy in its utilisation of foam in many of its dishes.

Amuse bouche

The crab and prawns were delicate and fresh with a burst of sweet vinegar from the black grape. Very well balanced in flavours using top notch ingredients.

Dressed Crab, Verjus Gelee, Pink Radish and Black Grape

After devouring the amuse bouche and crab first dish with much satisfaction, the upcoming risotto was a definite low point of the night. Im not a fan of barley - the risotto base was extremely salty and heavy, coupled with hard grains of rice. It was a miracle i finished my plate, but with much dislike. When we were asked about our dish, i was quite honest with our waiter, but the waiter's response, "personally i love this dish and the entire degustation". Fine. So much for asking opinion.

A Risotto of Organic Pearl Barley with Roquefort and Southern Highland Mushrooms

More foam with the ocean trout! however thetrout was fresh and cooked beautifully with a lovely tomato salad on the side.

Aromatic Confit of Ocean Trout, Haricot Blanc Cream, Iberico Ham and White Tomato Emulsion

Its interesting how many fine dining restaurants serve up sucking pig or pork belly nowadays!
Our suckling pig had a nice crispy skin with juicy well cooked meat. the beans gave the dish some crunch. the jus did not overpower the succulent flavours of the animal, and overal a lovely dish.

Suckling Pig with Black Pudding, Pig's Trotter and Bean Ragout

Time for dessert. this was quite a treat

The basil ice cream was an absolute delight. Not your typcial idea of an ice cream flavour but worked wonderfully. the ice cream sat on a bed of crumbles which gave it the crunch needed to compliment the silky ice cream in your mouth. i think i fell in love with basil ice cream =)

Pettit Sucre - Basil ice cream

Autour Du Chocolat

Pots of tea

Petits Fours

Bilson's Restaurant
27 O'Connell Street
Sydney
Tel - 02 8214 0496
http://www.bilsons.com.au/

Bentley Restaurant and Bar

2010-01-26T17:05:00.004+11:00

Whilst i was choosing a place for an anniversary dinner last yr, i stumbled across this 2 hatted restaurant in surry hills. Seemingly one of the cheaper 2 hatted restaurants with an amazing website - have a look at their photo gallery!!! If youre looking for a place which stretches the boundaries, you should definitely try this one.

As you can prolly see, it was heaps difficult taking pics with a normal camera as the lighting was super super dim...a bit unfortunate as you cannot properly see and appreciate the creations on the plates.

We ordered thier signature cocktail - hemmingway popcorn. OMG. If anyone has tried the japanese ice cream (dippin' dots), it has exactly the same texture! This cocktail looks like a witch's cauldron as it arrives 'steaming' from the dried ice....you scoop the cocktail with the spoon to eat it and instantly you're hooked.

Hemmingway popcorn

The food was flavoursome, full of contrasts in texture and surprisingly innovative for modern australian cuisine.

Complimentary bread

Bentley's tapas menu is very exciting as it is inspired by both western and eastern cuisines. From smoked eel parfait with seaweed salad and soft shell crab with szechuan pepper to crisp potato and chorizo with harissa - be inspired!

White anchovy sticks with pistachio praline $4/stick

Cod and potato crostini $8

Our kingfish entree was topnotch. Fish was smooth on the palate and fresh, balanced with a coconut reduction and mixed fruit to add texture to the dish and a hint of sweetness. The scallop was beatifully seared. It is rare that i get to taste a coconut reduction in a dish, so i was devouring this one like crazy.

Kingfish marinated in squid ink with perfumed fruit and coconut

Up to mains......I am definitely a duck lover and i reckon nothing beats a good beijing style peking duck. Not to be subjective but i think western style of duck dishes just doesnt cut it, as it never seems to be able to bring out the full flavour of the bird. But i adored this main - the roasted duck breast. I love a beautifully textured dish - crunchy pistachio, soft pumpkin, chewy tender duck which did the duck justice by bringing out the full flavour....it was also very exciting looking at cubed pumpkin and logged rhubarb.

Roasted duck breast with lentil puree, pumpkin and rhubarb $35

Lamb rump with jerusaleum artichoke $33

Chickpea chips

Dessert time!! haha...... When my dessert came out, the first thing that came to mind was, how odd....this doesnt look anything like a dessert.....but when u start eating, u realise that it is chocolate parfait cubed in disguise. It is artfully interwined by cubed custard chunks and stabbed by pieces of film-like toffee sheets, sitting on a bed of lychee puree. Such a humble looking dish but worth a standing ovation. What a creation!!!!

Toasted custard with lychee puree and chocolate parfait $16

I was going to visit this place again this friday, only to be disappointed as they are undergoing renovations until 11Feb 2010.... i can boldly admit that Bentley is one of the few fine dines that i will DEFINITELY go again.

Bentley Restaurant & Bar
320 Crown Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Tel- 02 9332 2344
http://www.thebentley.com.au/

Miso

2010-01-21T21:01:00.003+11:00

Tucked away in the World Square complex in Sydney, Miso is another restuarant in the Masuya Group. I visited this cosy restuarant when it first opened and have seen it undergo changes to its menu and witnessed the queue of people getting longer and longer.

Came here for a small group gathering - this is not the ideal place to sit and linger as the place is quite small, and the waiters eager to maximise the turnover. Veering on the pricier side for jap food of the same calibre, the quality of the food makes up for it somewhat. This joint is great for some tummy filling japanese food as it comes in big servings. Be prepared to wait in the queue though!

Ordered the soya milk with honey dew shake - yummy, just as i remembered it.

honey dew shake

Green tea

I ordered the Nigata Don, which is teriyaki sauced deep fried pork cutlets. The meat was tender, the coating crunchy, served with a generous amount of rice.

Nigata Don $15.80

Unagi (eel) Bento - with eel, sushi roll, egg, tofu, salmon sashimi and eggplants $18.80

Katsu Don - deep fried pork cutlets. $15.80

Miso
Shop 20, World Square
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel- 02 9283-9686
http://www.masuya.com.au/restaurants/miso.html

Question of the day:

2010-01-19T23:15:00.004+11:00

Fruits have seeds which you plant to produce more fruit trees. Then do banana's have seeds???

Restaurant Arras

2010-01-18T23:45:00.004+11:00

Possibly one of the best one hat fine dining establishments in Sydney and unquestionably deserves another hat. Its one of the few restaurants that i want to pay more for the food, not less!

We came on a Friday night for my birthday and it was quite busy. On arrival, there were a variety of pre dinner lavosh to nibble on including honey flavoured and curry flavoured ones. The menu needs deciphering, however, the waiters were knowledgeable and patient whilst explaining the dishes in great detail.

Complimentary lavosh

There were also 5 different types of freshly baked bread rolls to chose from, we were in awe!! I love eating bread so this was a treat =) I could not resist and went back for second and thirds to try out the other flavours. Dont ask me, i dont remember what the different types were! haha

bread #1

bread #2

bread #3

bred #4

bread #5 !!

Complimentary amuse bouche was fish with a sweet and sour reduction.

Amuse bouche

We ordered 2 entrees, ‘tails from land and sea’ and ‘the raw and the cooked’. The raw and the cooked which comprised of 30+ different types of vegetables was so artistically presented that we contemplated not eating it. It was delicately compiled and very tasty.

Tails from land and sea $26

The raw and the cooked $25.50

We shared 2 mains – ‘Orange Squash’ a vegetarian dish and ‘A plate of duck – beak to tail feather’ which were both impressive, however, not entirely filling.

A plate of duck – beak to tail feather $43.50

...ummm...was expecting a whole duck..maybe?! ....

Orange Squash $30

~ the orange slices were actually pumpkin mash~ ooOOooo

We were provided with complimentary pre-dessert of rhubarb mousse and crumble which was delicious and light, as it should be.

Pre dessert - Rhubarb mousse with crumble

For dessert we ordered the cinematic soufflé and coffee/tea with petit fours.

The waiter came out with a tray of petit fours, at least 10 different types to choose from. I felt like a child at a candy store, definitely a highlight of the meal!!

Petit Fours and coffee/tea $10

The soufflé was served with popcorn flavoured ice cream and a small bag of popcorn to fit the cinematic theme.

Cinematic Souffle $17.50

Spending approx $80pp, it was well worth it. However, the servings were quite small - if it wasnt for my bread craving, i may not have walked out with a full belly.

We will definitely come back again to try the other dishes on the menu.

http://www.restaurant-arras.com.au/pdfs/ALaCarte.pdf
Current A La Carte Menu

Restaurant Arras
24 Hickson Road
Millers Point NSW 2000
Tel - 02 9252 6285
http://www.restaurant-arras.com.au/

Sam's Cafe

2010-01-18T20:44:00.026+11:00

May i be damned if i do not introduce you to Sams Cafe - a hong kong style cafe in Epping and one of the best kept secrets in Sydney.

If chicken fillet with watermelon sauce, coke flavoured chicken wings, stuffed squid, tea flavoured ribs or souffle crabs tickle your tastebuds - congratulations, you have come to the right place. This is one of the best find throughout the many years of my gastronomic adventure.
As you enter this tiny hideout (seats around 10 tables) your eyes wander: the bright coloured walls, mismatched chairs, handwritten menuboards, colourful hanging lights and a wall plastered with pictures of various dishes you can try - makes you feel like you have just arrived at Happy Land.

This homestyle husband and wife team are not afraid to push the boundaries with their food creations. It has obviously proven a success as this place is usually packed and requires a booking in advance for special dates/occasions.

Having been here for many years, i usually start off with a seafood soup with puff pastry. The chef (husband) decorates the pastry with little heart cutouts served in a large mug.

Seafood soup with puff pastry

Lobster soup with bread and cheese

Stuffed chinese doughsticks

For mains you may be curious of the myriad of dishes on offer, hence why not take a look at the pictures ajourned on the wall?

My favourite has to be the stuffed mushroom with cream sauce and rice. The ginormous mushroom has been stuffed with chicken and the whole thing deep fried. It rests on a bed of rice blanketed with cream sauce.

Stuffed mushroom

Souffle crabs

Ox tail spagetti with cream sauce

Stuffed squid

Stuffed chicken wings

You can also venture here for your typical chinese noodles and rice dishes, however may be a bit dear price wise.

This place is dessert heaven *big smile*. Not only does it have souffle (durian, mango flavours), but also bombe alaskas, "heart-too soft" and chinese style dessert soups you cannot find elsewhere, and it has absolutely the best hotplate ice cream!!!

The hot plate icecream as the name suggests, is served on a hot plate. As soon as it arrives on the table, hot lava like caramel is poured on top which instantly bubbles. After you mesmorise over the bubbling and smoking of the caramel, you fight with your neighbour for the closest utensil. The creamy caramel is not too sweet that you can easily drink a whole bowl of it. The hot caramel sauce wraps itself around icy cold vanilla ice cream in your mouth, giving you the instantaneous burst of hot and cold. When the whole dessert has been devoured, you will be screaming for more whilst u lick off the remnants of caramel sauce.

Hot plate ice cream

Durian and mango souffle

Chinese style dessert soup

Creme Brulee

Heart too soft

Sam's Cafe
Shop 3274-76 Rawson St
Epping NSW 2121
0424 046 377

(no website available)

Sean's Kitchen

2010-01-14T22:16:00.031+11:00

Situated inside Star City casino, this place was quite hard to find! Especially with the renovations currently taking place. My friend recommended this place as it has the same head chef as Astral but I was a bit sceptical re the quality of the food and service after reading other reviews of this restaurant. Nonetheless, we ventured out to star city for a friend's birthday celebration.

We were promptly served and our waiter was friendly but maybe a bit too eager to take our orders.

Complimentary bread for the table

The entrees were better than expected - the steak tartare wasn't overspiced and the chicken liver parfait with brioche was rich but can easily get too oily after a few mouthfuls.

Steak Tartare

Chicken Liver Parfait with Brioche

The mains however, were a mixed bag quality wise.

Suzuki Jewfish

If I was matt preston in masterchef and a contestant gave me this dish, i can bet you they would be eliminated!! First bite into the suzuki jewfish revealed bones and towards the end of the dish, realised the remaining fish was raw. The waiter apologised and gave us complimentary coffee/tea, which was a nice touch.

Rabbit pie

The rabbit pie pastry was brick solid rather than light and fluffy. My companion ended up just eating the filling. A tad disappointing.

The specials for the night was chicken with braised leek and carrots for two:

The whole chicken was wheeled out on a trolley and the waiter sliced up the chicken at our table. At least it proves they're serving the whole chickena and isn't ripping me off! haha.

We were pleasantly surprised by the juicy and tenderness of the chicken with leek and carrots. However, as i attempted to eat a meal for two by myself, i had chicken overload after my third piece of chicken =)

The sides were quite commendable actually. The roasted mushroom had a very rich garlic butter flavour but did not overpower the freshness of mushroom. The duck fat chips were very crunchy and came in a generous serving.

and finally, dessert time!

As a dessert lover, I was eagerly anticipating the duck egg catalan that i heard was to die for. However, it was definitely not the best dessert I have tasted. It lacked dimension and tasted like normal egg custard made with a lot of cream. I agree that it was smooth and creamy, however, the overly sweet syrup on top of the custard overpowered all other possible flavours.

Duck egg creme catalan

The churros were light and crunchy, dipped in chocolate sauce. A classic.

Churros with warm chocolate sauce

English breakfast tea

It was overal a lovely experience as the service was prompt and friendly. The ambience was lovely and not too loud, despite being quite crowded that night . As we used the entertainment book, it ended up being quite reasonably priced, however if we did not have the entertainment card, it would have killed my weekly budget.

There is room for improvement re the quality of the food. As this restaurant shares the same head chef as the one hatted restaurant Astral, i would love to try that one out next time. Hopefully it would be better than this one.

Sean's Kitchen
Level 2 Star City
80 Pyrmont Street,
Sydney City NSW 2000
Tel - 02 9777 9000
http://www.seanskitchen.com.au/

Assiette

2010-01-14T21:58:00.025+11:00

Assiette is one of the few restaurants which was on my must-go-to list for 2010! Being so eagerly anticipated, even the slightly steep walk up Albion St was worth it. Assiette is situated on an intersection clearly visible from across the road.

It was obvious this restaurant is popular with small group gatherings or those appreciative of food art as nearly every table was equipped with a camera.

The ambience was nice and intimate even though the restaurant was quite packed for a Thursday night. Service was excellent and not intrusive. We were told that the window tables were booked out a few weeks in advance, so if you are after a table with views of the streets outside, book early =P

Sourdough

Starting off with the sourdough which was nicely baked, we were promptly served amuse bouche after we ordered our entrees.

Amuse bouche~ pumpkin with basil oil

The pumpkin soup came in an expresso cup and was pleasant to the eyes - the contrasting basil oil droplets on top of the yellow pumkin soup. The pumpkin was hot and creamy but could not taste the basil oil on the palette. Was craving for more!

We chose the seared tuna and the prawn tortellini - and also some oysters.

Oysters

The oysters were lovely and fresh with Vietnamese influences nicely complimented with a slightly chilli dressing balanced with crunchy onion pieces.

Seared Tuna

The seared tuna had a nice smooth texture cut in a decent sized serving however the smoked eel tasted very weird - was it REALLY eel?! Possessing a very gooey texture and tasted nothing like eel. This dish was very lovely presented.

Prawn Tortellini

The prawn in the tortellini reminded me of the prawns inside the prawn dumplings you get at yumcha - bursting with flavour. Somehow my prawns kept falling out of the totellini and forced me to eat the tortellini separately which was unfortunate as the tortellini was absolutely tasteless. The tortellini rested on a bed of lobster jelly which were not to my liking as it was quite salty.

For mains we ordered the snapper fillet in ginger congee with spanner crab and the swordfish fillet.

Snapper fillet with ginger congee and spanner crab

Unlike other restaurants, Assiette debone their fish perfectly! The snapper was nicely cooked and tasty but I do question the complimenting watery ginger congee. The texture was more like bland baby food with lots of onions - fortunately the crab meat in the congee was beautiful.

The first thing that caught my eye with the swordfish dish was the amazingly cute looking tomato - the skin was peeled and flipped upwards making it look like the tomato just came out of a hair salon~ It was roasted to perfection, super sweet and juicey. The swordfish steak was a bit dry but fortunately balanced with the roasted potatoes and olive salad which gave the dish the extra punch in flavour needed for the dish.

Side of mash potato

We were slightly disappointed with the dessert menu - as a dessert lover, I always order dessert but in this instance, there was nothing enticing on the list. We were served complimentary passion fruit jelly cubes which instantly melts in your mouth.

Assiette is very reasonably priced for a 2 hatted restaurant.

Next time i visit, i will definitely try the degustation.

Assiette
48 Albion Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
(02) 9212 7979
http://www.restaurantassiette.com.au/