Sugar Hit 2011 - Azuma Kushiyaki Bar & Grill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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/