Home Thai

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

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

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

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

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

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