I know diamonds.. but diamond-cut chips? Gaz and I dined at our nearest Schnitz yesterday night, the first time since they opened some 6 months ago. According to their website, Schnitz is famous of their handmade, pan fried schnitzel and diamond-cut chips with special seasoning.
We ordered a schnitzel with chips and coleslaw, and an OMG burger which had bacon, egg, beetroot, schnitzel and lettuce.
I was really looking forward to a crispy, tender schnitzel, and Schnitz did not disappoint. The schnitzel was thin, crisp, and tender. The unique hexagon cut of the chips produced 6 tips which was fried to crispy perfection, the mouth feel was great. How can I revert to normal cube cut chips after this! However, Tom's seasoning turned out to be chicken salt, mixed with lots of sugar. I soon got sick of the MSG laden taste of the chips after a couple of bites.
I am glad we had tried Schnitz out, and sampled their diamond-cut chips, but next time I think I might ask for a serve of chips without seasoning!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Christmas 2012
Christmas has come and gone again! Christmas is undoubtedly one of the most exciting times in the year, not because of the presents but because it is a time where the whole family (usually) comes over to our place for a home cooked dinner by moi. I get to try new recipes on voluntary guinea pigs!
These are the recipes I tried this year:
Whole snapper baked in salt dough. The salt dough becomes easier to handle after being refrigerated. Encased in the dough is a whole snapper, stuffed with lemon slices, dill and thyme. I made the mistake of scaling the fish therefore the salt in the dough (1:1 ratio) seeped into the flesh making it incredibly salty.
However, the best thing about this way of cooking (besides the presentation) is that it keeps the fish warm for more than an hour post cooking. This enabled me to cook other dishes in the oven and still have warm food on the table all at the same time.
Seared scallops on bed of seaweed salad topped with mayo & wasabi peanut crumble.
Prawns with capsicum in XO sauce.
Roast chicken. The cavity is seasoned with five spice, preserved kumquat, chinese wine. The resulting gravy was delicious! The skin was bathed twice with a honey and vinegar solution to achieve a crispy skin which Gaz mistakenly ruined by pouring its juices over the skin after it finished roasting!!
And now... the piece de resistance...! Heston Blumenthal's popping chocolate gateau! I used a 21cm cake pan so the mousse was a little thin. I improvised with the leftover ingredients and created a second layer of mousse on top. The three layers of biscuit base, dark choc and milk choc mousse can be seen in the pic below.
I was a little worried that the pop rocks would be out of fizz when the cake is finally served because it popped during the mixing, and pouring of the mousse onto the base. I could hear it popping away and quickly stuffed it into the freezer and crossed my fingers. However, it still popped, and wonderfully too! I loved it for the little twist it served to my guests!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Rustic Food
Recently, while flipping through one of the many food magazines that grace the newstand every week, I noticed that most of the pictures of food have been arranged by the food stylists to reflect a rustic feel. This look is characterised by discoloured enamel serving dishes, dull looking metal utensils upon worn napkins or old, dirty chopping blocks. All these are laid on railway sleepers lookalike, which are covered with one or two ingredients from the food photographed.
I wonder if this is a cost cutting intiative... Getting props from neighbourhood hard rubbish collection days should be cheaper than buying new props for the photo shoot.
When I look at these pictures, I am not thinking, 'Hmmm.. What a pretty looking Balmain Bug Risotto with Pumpkin Seeds, I must make that for dinner tonight!'. Instead, I am thinking, 'What a nasty looking rusty spoon! And for goodness sakes, someone wipe those pumpkin seeds from the table, how untidy!'
Chipped dishes and oxidised utensils are not the most hygienic, I am sure one would agree. I much prefer delicious food served in clean and unbroken vessels!
I wonder if this is a cost cutting intiative... Getting props from neighbourhood hard rubbish collection days should be cheaper than buying new props for the photo shoot.
When I look at these pictures, I am not thinking, 'Hmmm.. What a pretty looking Balmain Bug Risotto with Pumpkin Seeds, I must make that for dinner tonight!'. Instead, I am thinking, 'What a nasty looking rusty spoon! And for goodness sakes, someone wipe those pumpkin seeds from the table, how untidy!'
Chipped dishes and oxidised utensils are not the most hygienic, I am sure one would agree. I much prefer delicious food served in clean and unbroken vessels!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Think A Circle
My head hurts... Speaking in the language of the materials I have been learning the whole day today, my PPE turnover has hit the max, and requires a reinvestment to achieve a higher output rate... In other words, I've absorbed too much information today, I need more space in my brain to absorb the rest of the info tomorrow!
What an intensive day it was today, but I have also learnt heaps... Look beyond the numbers. Some people say numbers do not lie... But they do... If you do not know what measure you are looking at. Always ask the what if questions. Think a circle, be different and add value.
What an intensive day it was today, but I have also learnt heaps... Look beyond the numbers. Some people say numbers do not lie... But they do... If you do not know what measure you are looking at. Always ask the what if questions. Think a circle, be different and add value.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuk Tuk Station, Box Hill
Box Hill has changed so very much from the last time we were there that I could hardly keep my jaws closed while walking through the main street. New restaurants and cafes have popped up overnight like mushrooms on a wet bark.
We saw Food Republik, for which we firstly mistook for a nightclub as there was a line of people outside waiting for entry into the place. I almost made a detour there but decided to stick to our original plan of dining at Tuk Tuk Station.
Tuk Tuk Station is also a new restaurant in Box Hill. It serves Thai food, and from all accounts are cooked authentically. It must specialise in take aways during busy lunch hour because there was a large bain marie right near the entrance which took up almost half the restaurant. Inside, the seating were a little akward but service was good.
We ordered a beef curry. The beef was a little tough but there were no other complaints.
My favourite dish of the night was the chinese broccoli with crispy pork. It looked like normal stir fried kailan with oyster sauce but the oyster sauce was infused with red chillies! Gosh, it was spicy! It added a nice little kick to what would otherwise be a bland vege dish.
We also ordered one serve of coconut rice and one serve of steamed rice, when only one serve would do just fine for the both of us.
There seem to be a few of these local thai restaurants popping up in the suburbs. Nothing fancy, just good value eateries serving good Thai food. And this is exactly the kind of restaurants I like to go to!
We saw Food Republik, for which we firstly mistook for a nightclub as there was a line of people outside waiting for entry into the place. I almost made a detour there but decided to stick to our original plan of dining at Tuk Tuk Station.
Tuk Tuk Station is also a new restaurant in Box Hill. It serves Thai food, and from all accounts are cooked authentically. It must specialise in take aways during busy lunch hour because there was a large bain marie right near the entrance which took up almost half the restaurant. Inside, the seating were a little akward but service was good.
We ordered a beef curry. The beef was a little tough but there were no other complaints.
We also ordered one serve of coconut rice and one serve of steamed rice, when only one serve would do just fine for the both of us.
There seem to be a few of these local thai restaurants popping up in the suburbs. Nothing fancy, just good value eateries serving good Thai food. And this is exactly the kind of restaurants I like to go to!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Sydney Trip
Recently we went for a short trip to NSW. We booked a serviced apartment in The Quest, World Square in the CBD. Despite some negative reviews on the Net, we were very happy with the location and quality of the accomodation and thankfully, no charges for unused minibar items!
For lunch, we went to Din Tai Fung in World Square to taste their famous xiao long bao. We also ordered their crab dumplings and drunken chicken. The skin on both dumplings were so delicate and they taste delicious.
I wanted to try every restaurant but of course, we had limited stomach space. We did try Gumshara Ramen, which was recommended as authentic Japanese ramen. The pork bone broth has been boiled for a long period of time till it becomes thick and milky. It was delicious, but towards the end of the meal it became quite salty. I still think that the best ramen we ever had was our first meal in Japan.... I wish we had seconds, but that time we did not have enough ramen eating experience to compare.
We did the obligatory visit to Sydney Opera House where I had booked two seats in a classical music concert. Just so we can experience the inside of the Opera House as well as the outside... Gaz took the opportunity to get some sleep during the concert...! We also wandered into the Contemporary Art Museum. I did not think it will be my cuppa tea but surprisingly, I liked most of the art displayed. There was a large Lego 'canvas' where pieces of Lego were assembled to look like a piece of abstract oil painting which I really liked.
The next day, we took the train to Katoomba. We bought a $50 Trolley Bus discovery tour. The ticket entitled us to hop on and of the bus at any one of the tourist points, and a one way ride on all the Scenic World rides in the Blue Mountains.
Scenic World is a private enterprise run by a family who has been in the Blue Mountains since the end of the mining days (coal used to be mined in the area). They turned the mine trolley into a passenger train ride, and added a cable car ride with views of the Jamison Valley, Wentworth Falls, and Three Sisters. There is also a skyway ride and a walkway.
The most enjoyable part of the Scenic World for us was the boardwalk. The boardwalk meanders through the floor of the forest, pointing to disused mining equipment still stranded on the forest floor at parts of the walk. We saw a lyre bird (this bird can mimic noises it hears from its surroundings, even camera sounds!), various species of trees and this particular magpie... I was so hungry from all the walking that I was eating a bacon roll we'd brought along with us. This clever magpie followed us during our walk, hoping to get a bite!
After the rides, we went for a two hour bush walk where we saw beautiful, expansive views of The Three Sisters (above) and the Jamison Valley. The walk was not easy and we were the only ones on the trail, which made me a little nervous... especially since the trolley bus driver told us that certain parts of the walk has been closed off due to falling rock danger.
The walk eventually led us to Leura Falls (below) where we cooled ourselves and boarded the last trolley bus back to the town centre and took the train home.
I was very grateful that we had the time to go for a short trip to refresh ourselves and opened our eyes to beautiful Mother Nature. I thoroughly enjoyed our trip.
For lunch, we went to Din Tai Fung in World Square to taste their famous xiao long bao. We also ordered their crab dumplings and drunken chicken. The skin on both dumplings were so delicate and they taste delicious.
I wanted to try every restaurant but of course, we had limited stomach space. We did try Gumshara Ramen, which was recommended as authentic Japanese ramen. The pork bone broth has been boiled for a long period of time till it becomes thick and milky. It was delicious, but towards the end of the meal it became quite salty. I still think that the best ramen we ever had was our first meal in Japan.... I wish we had seconds, but that time we did not have enough ramen eating experience to compare.
We did the obligatory visit to Sydney Opera House where I had booked two seats in a classical music concert. Just so we can experience the inside of the Opera House as well as the outside... Gaz took the opportunity to get some sleep during the concert...! We also wandered into the Contemporary Art Museum. I did not think it will be my cuppa tea but surprisingly, I liked most of the art displayed. There was a large Lego 'canvas' where pieces of Lego were assembled to look like a piece of abstract oil painting which I really liked.
The next day, we took the train to Katoomba. We bought a $50 Trolley Bus discovery tour. The ticket entitled us to hop on and of the bus at any one of the tourist points, and a one way ride on all the Scenic World rides in the Blue Mountains.
Scenic World is a private enterprise run by a family who has been in the Blue Mountains since the end of the mining days (coal used to be mined in the area). They turned the mine trolley into a passenger train ride, and added a cable car ride with views of the Jamison Valley, Wentworth Falls, and Three Sisters. There is also a skyway ride and a walkway.
The most enjoyable part of the Scenic World for us was the boardwalk. The boardwalk meanders through the floor of the forest, pointing to disused mining equipment still stranded on the forest floor at parts of the walk. We saw a lyre bird (this bird can mimic noises it hears from its surroundings, even camera sounds!), various species of trees and this particular magpie... I was so hungry from all the walking that I was eating a bacon roll we'd brought along with us. This clever magpie followed us during our walk, hoping to get a bite!
The walk eventually led us to Leura Falls (below) where we cooled ourselves and boarded the last trolley bus back to the town centre and took the train home.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Gold Leaf BBQ Docklands
I love smorgasbords. I have the urge to go to All You Can Eat's regularly. I try to suppress them, but every now and then I give in (more importantly, I persuade my friends and Gaz to go with me) and without fail, I roll out of the restaurant with regret. Regret because yet again I have submitted to the sin of gluttony... and I did not make full use of the event to gorge myself even more!!
Today my friend and I went to Gold Leaf BBQ Docklands for an all you can eat steamboat feast. For $23.80 per person (lunch, no matter weekdays or weekends), we each get a mini abalone, two oysters and countless steamboat type dishes such as sliced beef, sliced lamb, home made prawn balls, fish balls, fish fillets, veges, noodles, etc.
We ordered more scallops and prawns than for our own good (could feel my cholestorol level creeping up) so we balanced it up with some healthy options like fish fillets, fish noodles, fish balls and veges.
My friend ordered the spicy supreme stock which came with dried chillies and pepper flotsam while I had the much milder pork bone stock. We both had our own individual single pots of soup.
Service was superb as the waitpersons carefully explained to us how to order, and our teapot was always filled without us asking.
Towards the end of our meal, the soup became very salty because of the food we'd put into the stock. I also became very thirsty, however it's to be expected as processed food such as the dumplings and fish balls etc would have a little 621 to them.
As we rolled out the door, I swore to my friend I would not enter another smorgasbord ever again to subject myself to such torturous eating. She just smiled (or was that a smirk?) knowingly...
Today my friend and I went to Gold Leaf BBQ Docklands for an all you can eat steamboat feast. For $23.80 per person (lunch, no matter weekdays or weekends), we each get a mini abalone, two oysters and countless steamboat type dishes such as sliced beef, sliced lamb, home made prawn balls, fish balls, fish fillets, veges, noodles, etc.
We ordered more scallops and prawns than for our own good (could feel my cholestorol level creeping up) so we balanced it up with some healthy options like fish fillets, fish noodles, fish balls and veges.
My friend ordered the spicy supreme stock which came with dried chillies and pepper flotsam while I had the much milder pork bone stock. We both had our own individual single pots of soup.
Service was superb as the waitpersons carefully explained to us how to order, and our teapot was always filled without us asking.
Towards the end of our meal, the soup became very salty because of the food we'd put into the stock. I also became very thirsty, however it's to be expected as processed food such as the dumplings and fish balls etc would have a little 621 to them.
As we rolled out the door, I swore to my friend I would not enter another smorgasbord ever again to subject myself to such torturous eating. She just smiled (or was that a smirk?) knowingly...
Friday, October 19, 2012
Seabuzz, Caulfield
This restaurant is not close by the sea but there certainly is a buzz to it! Gaz and I visited this Caulfield restaurant with a 9 course dinner voucher. Parking on a shared car & tram road such as Glenhuntly Road is always a nightmare but luckily we got a spot right opposite the restaurant.
From the outside, you wouldn't give it a second look but once you entered the restaurant it felt like you're in a whimsical world of fantasy. The wall and ceiling of the first part of the restaurant is carpeted with artificial grass and vines. We were shown to the second part of the restaurant where a red glass chandelier hangs in a rustic looking brick room. There were many plaques on the brick walls with witty captions which entertained Gaz no end.
Our 9 course meal started with these prawn spring rolls and crumbed avocado with chilli jam. I liked the chilli jam, it was not spicy at all and I felt like eating mint jelly. It did not suit either the avocado or the spring rolls which were good on their own (probably needed some sauce to offset the dryness of the two course).
The third and fourth dish were five spiced chicken wings and tandoori chicken (with a dollop of mayo). The chicken wings were ordinary... while the chicken patty was... At first I could not make out what it was and had to look at the menu. It reminded me of Thai fish cakes, but fish cakes would taste better. Not my favourite two dishes of the night.
The fifth dish was half a soft shell crab each, served with apple coleslaw underneath the crab. One plus is that the crab was meaty and did not have the frozen smell or taste like some does. The apple slaw was a little too acidic for my liking but some acid at that point was sorely needed to remove the oil of the five fried dishes we've had so far!
Now comes my favourite 3 dishes of the night... a bowl of butter rice served with almond crisp (a few flakes of fried almonds), salad leaves with sesame dressing (both not pictured) and slow braised beef atop mash. The beef was tender, and nicely seasoned with salt, and the mash was creamy and heavenly. We hardly talked to each other while eating these three courses which came at the same time, it was so good.
The last dish was dessert - a trio of panacotta. The first one is topped with sesame and salt, the second pistachio and the third berry compote. They all tasted equally good, with me biased towards the berry compote.
The voucher also entitled us to a glass of wine or soft drink. Sure, the first five dishes were a selection of fried foods (not complaining, hey it's fried food!) but we reasoned that for a restaurant to be participating in a daily deals scheme for a reasonable price ($59 for two) they must find a way to make some profit while offering reasonable, easy to cook/assemble food to patrons. The service was excellent, the waiter topped up our water glasses even without being asked. The beef really was the star of the night and if the rest of their menu are as good as that then there is a good chance we will be back.
From the outside, you wouldn't give it a second look but once you entered the restaurant it felt like you're in a whimsical world of fantasy. The wall and ceiling of the first part of the restaurant is carpeted with artificial grass and vines. We were shown to the second part of the restaurant where a red glass chandelier hangs in a rustic looking brick room. There were many plaques on the brick walls with witty captions which entertained Gaz no end.
Our 9 course meal started with these prawn spring rolls and crumbed avocado with chilli jam. I liked the chilli jam, it was not spicy at all and I felt like eating mint jelly. It did not suit either the avocado or the spring rolls which were good on their own (probably needed some sauce to offset the dryness of the two course).
The fifth dish was half a soft shell crab each, served with apple coleslaw underneath the crab. One plus is that the crab was meaty and did not have the frozen smell or taste like some does. The apple slaw was a little too acidic for my liking but some acid at that point was sorely needed to remove the oil of the five fried dishes we've had so far!
Update: This restaurant is permanently closed.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Noir, Richmond
Recently I have acquired a taste for French food. So, Gaz chose Noir in Swan St, Richmond for us to visit one night.
The interior is dark, as is befitting the name of the restaurant. The waiter who ushered us to our seat was very professional. He pointed out the degustation menu - 5 courses for $85 per person, wine pairing for an extra $60.
We decided to order a la carte off the menu. These were what we ordered:
Crispy pork belly with prawns, peas and mash. The pork belly meat was tender but the skin was not crispy and sticks to the teeth. One of the prawns (pictured) was a little dirty - it still had the digestive tract in the prawn. The mash was beautiful though... must have been made with lots of butttterrr!
Prawn in lobster bisque. The prawn was delicious... bouncy, juicy and retains a strong prawn taste. The bisque was poured separately into the bowl at the table. The bisque was absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Had a very nice lobster taste and nicely seasoned. We were given an extra piece of bread roll to sop up the bisque if we wanted to but I find that licking the plate does the job nicely :) .... no, I did not really do that!
We also ordered a side dish of lettuce, peas and bacon ($9). It was a little greasy but the vegetables were fresh and provided a good crunch to our dish.
This is Gaz's main - eye fillet done medium rare with braised beef rib and a potato tartin topped with fried eschallots. Gaz totally loved the beef rib. It was sticky, sweet and melts in the mouth. No deconstruction needed, the bone has already been removed. We find that eating here is so easy, no bones, no skin, nothing that need fancy utensil maneuvering. I liked the steak better... look how well cooked it is, medium rare but no blood seeping out of the meat.
We also ordered a chocolate pot for dessert but no pictures of that as Gaz hijacked it before we thought to take a picture. It was a little pot of chocolate mousse, salted caramel and a 'surprise' ingredient of pop rocks. Very Blumenthal, I like!
I totally enjoyed our visit here. Although the food was in little portions, we had quite a lot to eat (in addition to 2 1/2 pieces of warm bread roll with the awesomest butter) and were full after the meal. I really enjoyed the quality of food, and the service. I have to thank Gaz for his good taste and skill in picking this restaurant for us to try!
The interior is dark, as is befitting the name of the restaurant. The waiter who ushered us to our seat was very professional. He pointed out the degustation menu - 5 courses for $85 per person, wine pairing for an extra $60.
We decided to order a la carte off the menu. These were what we ordered:
This is the main I ordered - Moreton Bay Bug tortellini, confit of salmon belly and seared salmon atop pea puree. The tortellini on the left was absolutely delicious. I kept nodding to Gaz like a waving cat statue, murmuring 'delicious, this is so delicious, very good, delicious'. It had tons of flavour, was juicy and nicely seasoned. The confit of salmon belly was equally as good. It was not the oily belly of salmon that I thought it would be. The texture was a little like smoked salmon but it retained all the freshness of salmon. It is topped with a crust of crushed macadamia nuts. Oil of the nuts and the belly... smart. The seared fillet of salmon atop asparagus was ordinary. I much preferred the other two. Even the pea puree smeared on the dish like an afterthought was better. The puree had the unadulterated taste of peas... very delicious.
We also ordered a chocolate pot for dessert but no pictures of that as Gaz hijacked it before we thought to take a picture. It was a little pot of chocolate mousse, salted caramel and a 'surprise' ingredient of pop rocks. Very Blumenthal, I like!
I totally enjoyed our visit here. Although the food was in little portions, we had quite a lot to eat (in addition to 2 1/2 pieces of warm bread roll with the awesomest butter) and were full after the meal. I really enjoyed the quality of food, and the service. I have to thank Gaz for his good taste and skill in picking this restaurant for us to try!
Update: This restaurant is permanently closed as at 28/3/24
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Tofu Dinner
On my visit to Enlightened Cuisine, I noticed that the restaurant also sells frozen mock meats such as fish, duck and beef. Since the quality of the mock meats I had tasted in their dishes that night was good, I wanted to buy some. Some mock meats are too sweet, or the texture not right. The ones at Enlightened Cuisine were just nice.
Gaz spotted a 'cod fish' fillet which he thought we should buy. Since the real cod fish is $42 a kilo nowadays, and the 500g 'cod' was about $10, I decided to buy a pack to try it out.
This is how it looks like, on the night I steamed them with some ginger. It would be better if I had a thickened sauce base to pour over it after steaming, but it tasted just as good without. Texture wise, it does not have the slippery buttery texture of a cod. Perhaps it should be more aptly named 'Mackerel fish' but taste wise, it was just as I expected of mock fish.
In keeping up with the soy theme of the dinner, I made chicken nuggets. Yes, but where's the soy, you ask? I mixed firm tofu with minced chicken breast to form these nuggets! Ingenious... as the tofu blended really well with the coarser chicken breast and made it juicy and soft. Just 1:2 tofu:chicken breast, mixed with some flour, salt & pepper then crumbed with panko and shallow fried to golden perfection!!! Gaz gave these his thumbs up!
This is how it looks like, on the night I steamed them with some ginger. It would be better if I had a thickened sauce base to pour over it after steaming, but it tasted just as good without. Texture wise, it does not have the slippery buttery texture of a cod. Perhaps it should be more aptly named 'Mackerel fish' but taste wise, it was just as I expected of mock fish.
In keeping up with the soy theme of the dinner, I made chicken nuggets. Yes, but where's the soy, you ask? I mixed firm tofu with minced chicken breast to form these nuggets! Ingenious... as the tofu blended really well with the coarser chicken breast and made it juicy and soft. Just 1:2 tofu:chicken breast, mixed with some flour, salt & pepper then crumbed with panko and shallow fried to golden perfection!!! Gaz gave these his thumbs up!
Enlightened Cuisine, Southbank
It is not easy to find a good Chinese vegetarian restaurant in Melbourne. Nowadays, it is easy to find a few dishes on the menu in any Chinese restaurant that caters to the vegetarian taste, but I have been trying to find a restaurant that serves only Chinese/Cantonese vegetarian fare. This includes mock meats, tasty meat substitutes made from mushrooms, gluten and soy.
There are a couple of restaurants nearby our place that I have tried, only to find the food too greasy (somehow vegetarian restaurants always seem to try to compensate for meat with oil!) or not reasonably priced.
So when we happened to be around the Crown Casino area, I did not think twice about dining in Enlightened Cuisine. I have had my eye on this place for quite some time. In fact, the restaurant has been opened for a long time, but since the timing has not been right we have not been able to visit this restaurant at least one year since I knew about it's existence.
The interior of the restaurant is bright, clean and neat. Big plus sign!! We ordered two dishes:
Duck with Mushrooms - Pieces of mock duck in a claypot with three types of mushrooms (enoki, straw and shitake). It was really delicious. There was a good balance of 'meat' and mushrooms. The mushies were fresh and really tasty. I really liked this dish.
Stir fried fish - We expected a whole 'fish' fillet but these 'fish' tofu were quite good. The tofu was not laden with msg, and it retained some tofu flavour which was fresh on the palate. Again, we really enjoyed the balance between the mock meat and the vegetables.
The prices were very reasonable, however we were informed (on the menu) that there is a 5% surcharge during dinner time. In a way, this is a 'tip' for the efficient waiters and waitresses who served us during the night.
I really like this place and would return in a heartbeat. However, as the Driver does not want to travel too far away for dinner, I am at his mercy!!!
There are a couple of restaurants nearby our place that I have tried, only to find the food too greasy (somehow vegetarian restaurants always seem to try to compensate for meat with oil!) or not reasonably priced.
So when we happened to be around the Crown Casino area, I did not think twice about dining in Enlightened Cuisine. I have had my eye on this place for quite some time. In fact, the restaurant has been opened for a long time, but since the timing has not been right we have not been able to visit this restaurant at least one year since I knew about it's existence.
The interior of the restaurant is bright, clean and neat. Big plus sign!! We ordered two dishes:
The prices were very reasonable, however we were informed (on the menu) that there is a 5% surcharge during dinner time. In a way, this is a 'tip' for the efficient waiters and waitresses who served us during the night.
I really like this place and would return in a heartbeat. However, as the Driver does not want to travel too far away for dinner, I am at his mercy!!!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Grand Designs Melbourne 2012
I saw Kevin McCloud up close and personal today at the Grand Designs Live in Melbourne 2012 today! Two years ago I would not have known about him at all but an accidental switching of the channel to ABC brought me to Grand Designs and I have been in admiration of his style of presenting, his knowledge of the subject and his passion for sustainable building ever since. Yet, Grand Designs is now in it's twelth year and still going strong as is evident from his many fans in the convention today.
From Grand Designs, there have been a few spin off programs such as Kevin's Grand Design where he undertakes a public housing project with a focus on sustainability and community networks, and Kevin's Grand Tour of Europe. He has even written a couple of books and launched simlar conventions in the UK.
We got to the show half past the opening time at ten a.m. The line to get into the venue was long but luckily it was fast moving. The first impression I got was 'wow'.. The layout of the booths was orderly and the decoration of real blossoming fruit trees - cherry, plum, apple caught my eyes. I think they looked beautiful.
Although we already had breakfast, I couldn't resist a taco at the Grand Cafe. We had a spicy slow braised pork taco with Asian slaw topping. The sauces were at another booth where we could take what we wanted. I loved the chipotle mayo, and guacamole but Gaz also had lemon and chilli mayo on his side of the taco. Hmmm.. With our tummies filled, we made our way to the Grand Theatre (not so grand because there weren't enough seating for us who had to stand) to hear Kevin talk. We could neither see nor hear anything so we wandered to the booths instead.
We sat in on the House of the Future presentation where the latest gadgets where shown. They include a mirror which turns into a tv, a tv which moves from its position to suit the angle you want which is good for tight spaces, an escape pod which is a meditation and relaxation hideout, a clear shower stall glass which clouds when you wish it to for privacy, a Dyson hot and cool fan (we have this, so I guess we're one step closer to the future!) and an elevator oven (pretty cool, it is hidden in the kitchen bench and elevates up when you need to use it).
Despite the crowd, we did manage to hear Kevin talk later in the day. We also saw many more gleaming kitchen appliances, pretty pictures of homes, beautiful bidets which is one of Gaz's faves since our trip to Japan, and unique home accessories (one booth showed a revolving shoe rack... Now that's something I like!).
However, one of the events I would have liked to have gone for is the Miele Kitchen demonstrations where guest chefs such as Matt Stone and Maggie Beer cooked for the audience. We did not manage to get a seat or a good standing space (only the people on seats were provided samples of the food cooked) so we had to leave both times we were there.
We left at closing time, at 6 pm and this officially makes it the longest time I have ever spent at an expo!
From Grand Designs, there have been a few spin off programs such as Kevin's Grand Design where he undertakes a public housing project with a focus on sustainability and community networks, and Kevin's Grand Tour of Europe. He has even written a couple of books and launched simlar conventions in the UK.
We got to the show half past the opening time at ten a.m. The line to get into the venue was long but luckily it was fast moving. The first impression I got was 'wow'.. The layout of the booths was orderly and the decoration of real blossoming fruit trees - cherry, plum, apple caught my eyes. I think they looked beautiful.
Although we already had breakfast, I couldn't resist a taco at the Grand Cafe. We had a spicy slow braised pork taco with Asian slaw topping. The sauces were at another booth where we could take what we wanted. I loved the chipotle mayo, and guacamole but Gaz also had lemon and chilli mayo on his side of the taco. Hmmm.. With our tummies filled, we made our way to the Grand Theatre (not so grand because there weren't enough seating for us who had to stand) to hear Kevin talk. We could neither see nor hear anything so we wandered to the booths instead.
We sat in on the House of the Future presentation where the latest gadgets where shown. They include a mirror which turns into a tv, a tv which moves from its position to suit the angle you want which is good for tight spaces, an escape pod which is a meditation and relaxation hideout, a clear shower stall glass which clouds when you wish it to for privacy, a Dyson hot and cool fan (we have this, so I guess we're one step closer to the future!) and an elevator oven (pretty cool, it is hidden in the kitchen bench and elevates up when you need to use it).
Despite the crowd, we did manage to hear Kevin talk later in the day. We also saw many more gleaming kitchen appliances, pretty pictures of homes, beautiful bidets which is one of Gaz's faves since our trip to Japan, and unique home accessories (one booth showed a revolving shoe rack... Now that's something I like!).
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| 'Hands up those who would like to have dinner with me!' |
However, one of the events I would have liked to have gone for is the Miele Kitchen demonstrations where guest chefs such as Matt Stone and Maggie Beer cooked for the audience. We did not manage to get a seat or a good standing space (only the people on seats were provided samples of the food cooked) so we had to leave both times we were there.
We left at closing time, at 6 pm and this officially makes it the longest time I have ever spent at an expo!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Biting the Hand that Feeds
I was trying to help someone today when that person betrayed me the moment I had my back turned. It was a terrible feeling...
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Hellenic Republic, Brunswick
Gaz and I went for an early dinner at Hellenic Republic last week, at 5:30pm!! When I booked, the lady asked if I would prefer 5:30 or 9:15pm! It's better to be early than late so I chose the earlier version but if it hadn't been a recommended restaurant I would not have proceeded with the booking. Really, do anyone even eat so early as five or as late as nine if they can help it?
Anyway, we arrived at six and was told that we have the table only until 7:30. Luckily we can eat quite fast! Gaz chose the saganaki with peppered figs, beetroot salad and skewer of pork belly with fennel salad while I chose potatoes fried with olive oil and rosemary, and whole flathead from the grill.
The saganaki came first, on a hot plate. We both loved the fried cheese. The sweetness of the figs offsets the saltiness of the cheese with a tint of peppery taste. Nice combo.
The other dishes came a while later, during which I perved at the tall and muscular waiters. The waiters all seem to be so tall! And they wear tight short sleeve shirts and trousers which shows their muscles so well..
After about fifteen minutes, our dishes arrived at the same time. The pork belly skewers were four two inch cubes. They were tasty but the cuts we were given had a lot of fat.
The flathead was more work that we thought it would be. The first few bites were filled with little bones which immediately brought back memories of eating fish congee as a child. No, choking on fish congee would describe the memory better... The fish was grilled nicely and I enjoyed the walnut dressing scattered on the top of the fish.
I did not enjoy the beetroot salad though. It was me, not the beetroot though I did not think the sesame labna anything special. The last dish being fried potatoes was nothing I thought it would be... I had imagined small cubes of potatoes fried with oregano but it really was just hand cut fries. I thought the ones by Grill'd were better.
The food was good quality (with exception of the fatty pork, too fatty!) and well cooked but nothing we ate that night was so special to attract us to return.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
A Day at Domaine Chandon
It was the only sunny day of the week and thankfully I did not have to spend it indoors. Instead, we visited the Domaine Chandon vineyard in Coldstream.
We joined the free guided tour of the place which are held every 11am, 1 and 3pm. We were given a brief history of the place a guided tour from the time the grapes are delivered to the winery to the cellar where they are matured.
I thought the tour to the cellar (called the Riddling Hall because it was used to rid the bottles of the murky yeasty sediment used to ferment the grape juice) was the most interesting part because the cellar was dark, cool, and full with dark bottles... very mysterious. Later, I found out that the winery even hosts operas in the cellar... I wonder if they have to ensure the opera pieces do not have high notes?
After the tour, we went for wine tasting. Gaz paid $5 for a taste of a selection of white and red wines. I sipped a little from his glass but I turned lobster red so quickly that I stopped at wine no. 5. Gaz however continued, and he became a little tipsy because he was drinking too quickly.
To let the alcohol work its course, we went outdoors and walked around the place where we stumbled upon a little two room brick cottage. The first room upon entry has a large in-built stove where Gaz dreamt of a large pot of soup on a cold wintry night in the cottage, and did star jumps in the compound. Gaz becomes very silly after a couple of drinks! We then walked to the historic homestead which now houses the administration office. The delicate lattice and simple cream walls made it look younger than its 100 year old history. Amazing what makeup can do!
Later, we went for lunch at their on-site restaurant, the Greenpoint Brasserie. I ordered the slow cooked served with celeriac mash, broccolini and quince jus ($33) while Gaz ordered the braised lamb shoulder ($26) and tempura eggplant chips ($8) to share. We had amazing (and I mean ammmmaaaazing!) eggplant chips at Movida previously and I just couldn't wait to sink my teeth into crispy batter on the outside and creamy goodness in the inside of the eggplant chips. Unfortunately, some of the eggplant batons were uncooked on the inside, and they were definitely not as creamy as the Movida ones.
My duck still had a little 'stubble' on the skin but the puree was creamy and nice. Gaz enjoyed his braised lamb which was tender albeit a little fatty. His only complaint was that the pearl barley was not well cooked. We weren't sure if the chef meant for the texture of the pearl barley to be hard, but we felt like we were eating uncooked pearl barley... which wasn't pleasant.
Compared to Yering Station's onsite restaurant, and Matt's Bar (also at Yering Station), I think that the food at Greenpoint falls short. Although, a point to note is that the prices at Yering Station's restaurant are about $5 more expensive. I also prefer the view from the Yering Station's restaurant better.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed the drive to and our day at Domaine Chandon, and laughing at Gaz's antics when he gets a little tipsy is a lot of fun!
We joined the free guided tour of the place which are held every 11am, 1 and 3pm. We were given a brief history of the place a guided tour from the time the grapes are delivered to the winery to the cellar where they are matured.
I thought the tour to the cellar (called the Riddling Hall because it was used to rid the bottles of the murky yeasty sediment used to ferment the grape juice) was the most interesting part because the cellar was dark, cool, and full with dark bottles... very mysterious. Later, I found out that the winery even hosts operas in the cellar... I wonder if they have to ensure the opera pieces do not have high notes?
After the tour, we went for wine tasting. Gaz paid $5 for a taste of a selection of white and red wines. I sipped a little from his glass but I turned lobster red so quickly that I stopped at wine no. 5. Gaz however continued, and he became a little tipsy because he was drinking too quickly.
To let the alcohol work its course, we went outdoors and walked around the place where we stumbled upon a little two room brick cottage. The first room upon entry has a large in-built stove where Gaz dreamt of a large pot of soup on a cold wintry night in the cottage, and did star jumps in the compound. Gaz becomes very silly after a couple of drinks! We then walked to the historic homestead which now houses the administration office. The delicate lattice and simple cream walls made it look younger than its 100 year old history. Amazing what makeup can do!
Later, we went for lunch at their on-site restaurant, the Greenpoint Brasserie. I ordered the slow cooked served with celeriac mash, broccolini and quince jus ($33) while Gaz ordered the braised lamb shoulder ($26) and tempura eggplant chips ($8) to share. We had amazing (and I mean ammmmaaaazing!) eggplant chips at Movida previously and I just couldn't wait to sink my teeth into crispy batter on the outside and creamy goodness in the inside of the eggplant chips. Unfortunately, some of the eggplant batons were uncooked on the inside, and they were definitely not as creamy as the Movida ones.
My duck still had a little 'stubble' on the skin but the puree was creamy and nice. Gaz enjoyed his braised lamb which was tender albeit a little fatty. His only complaint was that the pearl barley was not well cooked. We weren't sure if the chef meant for the texture of the pearl barley to be hard, but we felt like we were eating uncooked pearl barley... which wasn't pleasant.
Compared to Yering Station's onsite restaurant, and Matt's Bar (also at Yering Station), I think that the food at Greenpoint falls short. Although, a point to note is that the prices at Yering Station's restaurant are about $5 more expensive. I also prefer the view from the Yering Station's restaurant better.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed the drive to and our day at Domaine Chandon, and laughing at Gaz's antics when he gets a little tipsy is a lot of fun!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Get Back in the Queue!
Generally when one spots an elderly person on public transport, the general etiquette is to offer one's seat to them. I have had an elderly person offer HER seat to me on a tram once because I was coughing my lungs out after a strenous run to catch the tram, but that's another story.
So what is the etiquette for waiting in line?
On the weekend, Gaz and I went to Open House Melbourne 2012 in the city. Yes, we braved the wind, rain and the cold to visit two venues - the Hive Apartment and Victoria Trades Hall.
When we got to the Hive Apartment, there were about 30 people waiting in line to the entrance of the apartment. So we got in line and soon after, two elderly ladies (about 55 to 60 years old) arrived behind us. They chatted cheerily to the volunteer stationed at the apartment whose job was to ensure that only about 20 people are in the apartment at all times (to avoid overcrowding) and to present some trivia on the said property.
We waited for about 15 minutes before we were finally the second couple in line to enter the property. The volunteer then told us to take our shoes off and place them by the back wall, which was a couple of steps away from where we were standing. So about 10 of us next in line did what we were told and got back to our places in the line.
Whaddya know.......!! The two elderly ladies who were BEHIND us had stationed themselves in FRONT of us in the line after we all returned from putting our shoes by the wall. They had the gall to pretend that nothing happened. It's not like it was difficult to recognise us since we were the only Asians around!!! Surely they knew that jumping queue is the WRONG thing to do.
But no..... they looked at us, we looked at them. They pretended like they were in the right and inched closer to the entrance. No one said anything. Gaz and I were both fuming but because they're old we agreed to let it slip. Oh yes, we had to wait for another minute after the ladies went into the apartment for viewing.
IF they had asked us nicely if they could go first because their feet was aching, not feeling well, old, then I have no reservations about letting them go first. But what happened was just unbelievable... Gaz said they pretending to be nice and all made him sick.
All too often the older generation generalises the younger generation as rude and disrespectful. But look at the pot calling the kettle black now!!!
So what is the etiquette for waiting in line?
On the weekend, Gaz and I went to Open House Melbourne 2012 in the city. Yes, we braved the wind, rain and the cold to visit two venues - the Hive Apartment and Victoria Trades Hall.
When we got to the Hive Apartment, there were about 30 people waiting in line to the entrance of the apartment. So we got in line and soon after, two elderly ladies (about 55 to 60 years old) arrived behind us. They chatted cheerily to the volunteer stationed at the apartment whose job was to ensure that only about 20 people are in the apartment at all times (to avoid overcrowding) and to present some trivia on the said property.
We waited for about 15 minutes before we were finally the second couple in line to enter the property. The volunteer then told us to take our shoes off and place them by the back wall, which was a couple of steps away from where we were standing. So about 10 of us next in line did what we were told and got back to our places in the line.
Whaddya know.......!! The two elderly ladies who were BEHIND us had stationed themselves in FRONT of us in the line after we all returned from putting our shoes by the wall. They had the gall to pretend that nothing happened. It's not like it was difficult to recognise us since we were the only Asians around!!! Surely they knew that jumping queue is the WRONG thing to do.
But no..... they looked at us, we looked at them. They pretended like they were in the right and inched closer to the entrance. No one said anything. Gaz and I were both fuming but because they're old we agreed to let it slip. Oh yes, we had to wait for another minute after the ladies went into the apartment for viewing.
IF they had asked us nicely if they could go first because their feet was aching, not feeling well, old, then I have no reservations about letting them go first. But what happened was just unbelievable... Gaz said they pretending to be nice and all made him sick.
All too often the older generation generalises the younger generation as rude and disrespectful. But look at the pot calling the kettle black now!!!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
The Bug
It has been a very cold start to the winter. As expected, there have been people coughing, sneezing and blowing their noses in the office. Lots of bugs going around. I caught one myself too. Luckily I caught the cooking bug, which is quite a nice, healthy variety (except when it compels you to buy expensive gadgets and exotic ingredients which will remain idle once the bug has gone).
Last week, I felt like I had fulfilled all my cravings to last a year. These were some of the dishes I made:
When we have noodles with crab at the restaurant here, what I really look forward to is not the crab, but the noodles. The noodles would have soaked up the sauce and the fragrance of the holy trinity - spring onion, garlic and ginger lingers with every bite of the noodles. I substituted the crab with prawns and fish fillet. The dish turned out better than I expected... it was restaurant-class!
There is a Char Tow Kway stall in the market near my house in Malaysia. Each time I walked past the stall there would be a long line of people waiting for the husband and wife team to cook up their order. They cooked the tow kway in a large girdle greased with lots and lots of oil and the secret ingredient... lard.
I made the tow kway with rice flour and shreded white radish then steamed for half an hour. It was rather sticky when it came out, and in no hurry to eat it, I put it in the fridge. The next day, the texture was much firmer and manageable. I cut it into cubes and fried it with chai poh, lap cheong, garlic and egg. I wished I had some lard though. It would have made the difference, I believe.
Siu Mai is one of my favourite food when I was a child. Later, when I came to Australia and discovered the bursty big prawns in each har gao, I neglected the humble pork only filling of the siu mai. Last week I decided I must have them again. I was scratching my head to how to wrap these little fellas, luckily the trusty www advised to cut the four corners of the wonton skins off and hey presto!
I mixed 2:1 portions of minced pork to minced prawns, then mixed in some spring onions, salt, sugar and egg to bind. The result was really yummy siu mai! I topped each one with corn, pea and carrot. Sound familiar? Yeah... straight from the bag of mixed veges I keep in the freezer...
Last week, I felt like I had fulfilled all my cravings to last a year. These were some of the dishes I made:
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| Crab Noodles without the Crab |
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| Char Tow Kway |
There is a Char Tow Kway stall in the market near my house in Malaysia. Each time I walked past the stall there would be a long line of people waiting for the husband and wife team to cook up their order. They cooked the tow kway in a large girdle greased with lots and lots of oil and the secret ingredient... lard.
I made the tow kway with rice flour and shreded white radish then steamed for half an hour. It was rather sticky when it came out, and in no hurry to eat it, I put it in the fridge. The next day, the texture was much firmer and manageable. I cut it into cubes and fried it with chai poh, lap cheong, garlic and egg. I wished I had some lard though. It would have made the difference, I believe.
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| Siu Mai |
I mixed 2:1 portions of minced pork to minced prawns, then mixed in some spring onions, salt, sugar and egg to bind. The result was really yummy siu mai! I topped each one with corn, pea and carrot. Sound familiar? Yeah... straight from the bag of mixed veges I keep in the freezer...
Food Trucks
A year ago when Gaz mentioned to me the phenomena of food trucks, he received a very lacklustre response from me. More tsk tsk pooh pah than wow and ahhs. Since then, the food truck phenomena has caught on in Australia and has made appearances in recent food festivals in Melbourne. These food trucks can be elusive, and advertises their whereabouts through Facebook etc.
The new food truck concept is quite refreshing because traditionally food trucks were viewed as junk food on wheels. Think of the ice cream truck and the hot dog stand. These days, they serve good quality food, fusion food at reasonable prices. In America, at least. Think Kogi - fusion Korean and Mexican, wowee!
So, it was on that premise that I ended up in a parking lot of an inner city shopping centre on a cold wintry day. We had read about Barkly Square's food trucks on the www and decided to pay a visit. Each week, there were a number of food trucks which would be stationed there namely Dhaba Truck, Gumbo Kitchen (only on Sundays the last time we checked), Big Moose, Cornutopia and Grill'd (the famous burger chain - their truck is pretty sleek).
When we were there on a Saturday, there were Dhaba Truck, Big Moose and Grill'd. Our mouths were already watering with the promise of hot, tasty and delicious food in the cold weather. We took a seat on the cold metal chairs and took a snazzy looking leaflet of the redevelopment of Barkly Square from the dirty plastic table in front of us. If only the surroundings were as snazzy as the crisp leaflet. We were in a cordoned off area of a parking lot, which for some reason makes me want to don colourful but mismatched beanie and scarf and set a hollow oil drum on fire.
Gaz the hunter went in search of food while I stayed on the cold metal chair to keep our places. These were what he got:
The butter chicken looked delicious, and showed a lot of promise. But sadly, it was a little bland. I remember a better butter chicken dish cooked by an Indian friend and my mouth watered just then. But not for the one dished by Dhaba Truck.
The hot dog from Big Moose was tasty. It was not as delicious as the ones by Lockton Farm Sausages (see previous posts) but the taste was good, and the meat was firm. The sausage was topped by finely grated cheese which Gaz said was blow torched just prior to serving to melt it. Wow!! Now... if only the bun was toasted, it would have been really nice. I think I would have preferred the bread toasted rather than the cheese melted with a blow torch. It was rather like going to a wan tan mee stall and having a plate of cold, limp noodles but hey, each plate is garnished with a flake of gold leaf!
Overall, we were both quite disappointed. Perhaps our expectations were too high, or perhaps we chose our dishes poorly. Whatever it is, we will not be chasing food trucks all over the state in the near future.
The new food truck concept is quite refreshing because traditionally food trucks were viewed as junk food on wheels. Think of the ice cream truck and the hot dog stand. These days, they serve good quality food, fusion food at reasonable prices. In America, at least. Think Kogi - fusion Korean and Mexican, wowee!
So, it was on that premise that I ended up in a parking lot of an inner city shopping centre on a cold wintry day. We had read about Barkly Square's food trucks on the www and decided to pay a visit. Each week, there were a number of food trucks which would be stationed there namely Dhaba Truck, Gumbo Kitchen (only on Sundays the last time we checked), Big Moose, Cornutopia and Grill'd (the famous burger chain - their truck is pretty sleek).
When we were there on a Saturday, there were Dhaba Truck, Big Moose and Grill'd. Our mouths were already watering with the promise of hot, tasty and delicious food in the cold weather. We took a seat on the cold metal chairs and took a snazzy looking leaflet of the redevelopment of Barkly Square from the dirty plastic table in front of us. If only the surroundings were as snazzy as the crisp leaflet. We were in a cordoned off area of a parking lot, which for some reason makes me want to don colourful but mismatched beanie and scarf and set a hollow oil drum on fire.
Gaz the hunter went in search of food while I stayed on the cold metal chair to keep our places. These were what he got:
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| Butter Chicken on Rice - Dhaba Truck |
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| Hot Dog - Big Moose |
The butter chicken looked delicious, and showed a lot of promise. But sadly, it was a little bland. I remember a better butter chicken dish cooked by an Indian friend and my mouth watered just then. But not for the one dished by Dhaba Truck.
The hot dog from Big Moose was tasty. It was not as delicious as the ones by Lockton Farm Sausages (see previous posts) but the taste was good, and the meat was firm. The sausage was topped by finely grated cheese which Gaz said was blow torched just prior to serving to melt it. Wow!! Now... if only the bun was toasted, it would have been really nice. I think I would have preferred the bread toasted rather than the cheese melted with a blow torch. It was rather like going to a wan tan mee stall and having a plate of cold, limp noodles but hey, each plate is garnished with a flake of gold leaf!
Overall, we were both quite disappointed. Perhaps our expectations were too high, or perhaps we chose our dishes poorly. Whatever it is, we will not be chasing food trucks all over the state in the near future.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Klunk No More
I took my car for a minor service today and ended up with a $900 bill and two new (who knows? I certainly don't know if they are!) car parts. There was a new technician at the dealership who served me this time, and he was very thorough.
There were some noises which had been around for some time, even at the last major service which was not picked up. But this guy, he was good. He spotted it right away and informed me that the left bearing wheel nut whatever thing is noisy and needed to be changed to stop the noise.
My car is no spring chicken in car years, but I think for all the crazy driving I do in it, it deserves to be well maintained.
Klunk no more!
There were some noises which had been around for some time, even at the last major service which was not picked up. But this guy, he was good. He spotted it right away and informed me that the left bearing wheel nut whatever thing is noisy and needed to be changed to stop the noise.
My car is no spring chicken in car years, but I think for all the crazy driving I do in it, it deserves to be well maintained.
Klunk no more!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Scotch Eggs
I wonder who came up with the name Scotch Eggs for these little balls of deliciousness. I don't see no tartan, nor bagpipes, only delicious eggs wrapped in salty and spicy meat!
I made these little Scotch Eggs last week using quails eggs and minced turkey meat spiced with a dash of allspice. It was painstaking peeling the gazillions of little fresh quails eggs (canned ones are not quite the same!) but the thought of sinking my teeth into one of them made it all worthwhile.
When I was a kid, my fave food was hard boiled quails eggs. I ate so many of them my cholestorol levels are still inflated from when I was two. Due to its size, I thought it to be an exclusively children food, and was very proprietary about it.
I also made Thai Basil Chicken, another of my fave dishes. I put 3 tablespoons of fish sauce to fry this dish, and it didn't even need any sugar because of the natural sweetness of basil, capsicum and carrots.
Scotch Eggs and Thai Basil Chicken may sound like a strange combination for dinner, but they're just a collection of what I like to eat!
I made these little Scotch Eggs last week using quails eggs and minced turkey meat spiced with a dash of allspice. It was painstaking peeling the gazillions of little fresh quails eggs (canned ones are not quite the same!) but the thought of sinking my teeth into one of them made it all worthwhile.
When I was a kid, my fave food was hard boiled quails eggs. I ate so many of them my cholestorol levels are still inflated from when I was two. Due to its size, I thought it to be an exclusively children food, and was very proprietary about it.
I also made Thai Basil Chicken, another of my fave dishes. I put 3 tablespoons of fish sauce to fry this dish, and it didn't even need any sugar because of the natural sweetness of basil, capsicum and carrots.
Scotch Eggs and Thai Basil Chicken may sound like a strange combination for dinner, but they're just a collection of what I like to eat!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Butterfly Cupcakes
For Mother's Day, we bought a card with a cutout butterfly that pops up once the card is opened. I was really taken with the card so much so that I drew inspiration from it to make the accompanying gift - butterfly cupcakes packaged in a home made box.
I made different types of cupcakes starting with a basic vanilla cupcake base. From left: sultanas, plain vanilla, assorted nuts, and mandarin. To make the 'butterflies', I cut a circle from the top of the cupcakes, then cut the circle into half, pipe cream to fill the cut out part and stick the semi circles back on to make it look like butterfly wings. For the mandarin flavoured ones, I place two segments of mandarin onto the cream instead. I think they look fairly decorative, without use of artificial colouring.
Six cupcakes in a box... I think I spent more time making the box than on the cupcakes!! Once I have an idea in my head, I feel I must persevere with it till it gets done. I spent 3 hours on a Friday night hunching over the concept, drawings, measurements and execution. One would think I was designing something as big and grand as a house!!
But eventually the box did come together.... I was quite proud of my handiwork and learnt quite a number of things on the way. What to do the next time I decide to make a box... IF I made another box...
For the lid, I put in a clear plastic window. If not for the window to display the cupcakes, I would have just bought a box in a shop for the same price as the materials I needed for the box, and a lot less effort.
The cupcakes in the box did not seem like much, but don't they say it's the thought that counts?
I made different types of cupcakes starting with a basic vanilla cupcake base. From left: sultanas, plain vanilla, assorted nuts, and mandarin. To make the 'butterflies', I cut a circle from the top of the cupcakes, then cut the circle into half, pipe cream to fill the cut out part and stick the semi circles back on to make it look like butterfly wings. For the mandarin flavoured ones, I place two segments of mandarin onto the cream instead. I think they look fairly decorative, without use of artificial colouring.
Six cupcakes in a box... I think I spent more time making the box than on the cupcakes!! Once I have an idea in my head, I feel I must persevere with it till it gets done. I spent 3 hours on a Friday night hunching over the concept, drawings, measurements and execution. One would think I was designing something as big and grand as a house!!
But eventually the box did come together.... I was quite proud of my handiwork and learnt quite a number of things on the way. What to do the next time I decide to make a box... IF I made another box...
For the lid, I put in a clear plastic window. If not for the window to display the cupcakes, I would have just bought a box in a shop for the same price as the materials I needed for the box, and a lot less effort.
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| The finished product |
The cupcakes in the box did not seem like much, but don't they say it's the thought that counts?
Thursday, May 10, 2012
A Wanda Inn, Healesville
A Wanda Inn is an inconspicous restaurant located along the main street in Healesville town. It looked like an ordinary cafe/restaurant with basic chairs and little pots of daisies on the tables. The restaurant is run by a Japanese couple, and the menu consists of Japanese influenced western food.
Gaz ordered nori wrapped prawn tempura served with hand cut chips & mayo (with white truffle oil) and salad. The hand cut chips were rustic and crispy. The prawns were crispy and goes well with the mayo. However the salad was too salty.
I ordered a dish off the specials board - house smoked salmon with feta croquette. The dish came prettily presented on a flat square platter with 4 pieces of smoked salmon arranged atop lightly pickled cauliflower, celery and carrots in a zig zag fashion. There were also two pieces of feta croquette.
The feta croquette was delicious - it was light and fluffly, melted cheese oozed out when I bit into the croquette.
I also loved the smoked salmon. The quality of the fish was excellent. The colour was bright and the smell of smoke was not too strong. It went really well with the salad underneth the fish.
We were both very impressed by the dishes we had ordered. I felt that my dish could easily make an appearance in a fine dining restaurant both in presentation and taste yet the price we paid for both the dishes ($36 all up) was perhaps the price of an entree in a starred restaurant.
A Wanda Inn is probably one of our most unexpected finds ever. Wanda ful!
Gaz ordered nori wrapped prawn tempura served with hand cut chips & mayo (with white truffle oil) and salad. The hand cut chips were rustic and crispy. The prawns were crispy and goes well with the mayo. However the salad was too salty.
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| Prawn, Chips and Salad |
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| House Smoked Salmon |
I also loved the smoked salmon. The quality of the fish was excellent. The colour was bright and the smell of smoke was not too strong. It went really well with the salad underneth the fish.
We were both very impressed by the dishes we had ordered. I felt that my dish could easily make an appearance in a fine dining restaurant both in presentation and taste yet the price we paid for both the dishes ($36 all up) was perhaps the price of an entree in a starred restaurant.
A Wanda Inn is probably one of our most unexpected finds ever. Wanda ful!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Dreaming in Healesville
It was going to be another wet and cold weekend. I could feel my happiness index fall lower on the scale.
To make the best of the weekend, Gaz and I took a drive to Healesville last Saturday. Healesville is about three quarters of an hour away in the scenic Yarra Valley. We visited the TarraWarra Museum of Art first. As we drove past the iron wrought gate onto the long driveway leading to the museum, the view took my breath away. A minimalist warm coloured building with beautiful curves against a gorgeous backdrop of sky, vineyards and grass.
Finding our way into the gallery felt like being Alice in Wonderland. Once we found the hidden entrance, we saw a large 'doorway' which framed a picturesque view of the area.
It felt really magical to walk through the doorway and see the rolling clouds in the sky blending with the wide expanse of emerald coloured grass and autumn coloured vineyards.
The sights in the museum did not disappoint. I was especially taken by the beautiful and clever pieces of furniture from Khai Liew, one of three artists on special exhibition in the gallery during our visit. Khai Liew migrated from Malaysia to Australia at 19, and is a renowed furniture maker.
After lunch in town, we went to Maroondah Reservoir Park. The park's main feature is the Maroondah Dam and its Rose Stairway. We climbed up the stairway, which is a flight of stairs flanked by a row of roses on either side to the top of the dam. Although it was autumn, there were some roses in bloom. I could only imagine how beautiful the stairway would look in spring.
The view from the top of the dam was very tranquil. It was the perfect place to let thoughts wander and dream. We spent some time doing just that.
Because it was cold and tipped to rain, there were not many people around in the park. We had the whole place mostly to ourselves to explore and discover. Thankfully it only started to rain when we were ready to leave the place. We really enjoyed dreamy Healesville!
To make the best of the weekend, Gaz and I took a drive to Healesville last Saturday. Healesville is about three quarters of an hour away in the scenic Yarra Valley. We visited the TarraWarra Museum of Art first. As we drove past the iron wrought gate onto the long driveway leading to the museum, the view took my breath away. A minimalist warm coloured building with beautiful curves against a gorgeous backdrop of sky, vineyards and grass.
Finding our way into the gallery felt like being Alice in Wonderland. Once we found the hidden entrance, we saw a large 'doorway' which framed a picturesque view of the area.
It felt really magical to walk through the doorway and see the rolling clouds in the sky blending with the wide expanse of emerald coloured grass and autumn coloured vineyards.
The sights in the museum did not disappoint. I was especially taken by the beautiful and clever pieces of furniture from Khai Liew, one of three artists on special exhibition in the gallery during our visit. Khai Liew migrated from Malaysia to Australia at 19, and is a renowed furniture maker.
After lunch in town, we went to Maroondah Reservoir Park. The park's main feature is the Maroondah Dam and its Rose Stairway. We climbed up the stairway, which is a flight of stairs flanked by a row of roses on either side to the top of the dam. Although it was autumn, there were some roses in bloom. I could only imagine how beautiful the stairway would look in spring.
The view from the top of the dam was very tranquil. It was the perfect place to let thoughts wander and dream. We spent some time doing just that.
Because it was cold and tipped to rain, there were not many people around in the park. We had the whole place mostly to ourselves to explore and discover. Thankfully it only started to rain when we were ready to leave the place. We really enjoyed dreamy Healesville!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Chilli and Basil Thai Restaurant
This week has been quite depressing for me. The bigger than expected rate cut announced by the RBA early this week indicating a weaker than thought economy, the 1000 workers left out in the cold by the collapse of freight company 1st fleet, 700 jobs to be cut from a restructure by Optus and some nasty office politics going around has been crushing the body and the soul.
So when we drove to Chilli and Basil Thai restaurant in Bayswater, I was not feeling too lively at all. We received a leaflet in our box on the restaurant and we thought we will give it a try. I had passed by the street it is located and had not noticed a Thai restaurant there so I was intrigued.
The restaurant turned out to be right opposite the train station nestled in between shops that usually closes past 5pm. No wonder I had not noticed it before. The paintings in orange, red and gold, and dark floorboards made the interior of the restaurant warm and welcoming. We were ushered to our seat by a waitperson dressed in traditional sarong and top.
We ordered a Sizzling Seafood Plate from the specials board and Beef Green Curry. When the food came shortly after, we knew we had made the right choice. The servings were of a good size, and the flavours were very good. The seafood plate had pieces of fish, mussels, prawns, calamari and bamboo shoots, celery, carrots and baby corn in a peppery oyster sauce. The seafood was fresh and the sauce was delicious on the steamed rice we had also ordered.
We also enjoyed the green curry, which had thin slices of tender beef, bamboo shoots, baby corn, carrots, capsicum. Thankfully the restaurant had gotten the beef right because I get really annoyed with chewy and rough textured beef that has not been cut properly. The curry was not too spicy so it was perfect for me.
Overall, we really enjoyed the food and the speedy service provided. Price wise, it is on par with other Thai restaurants nearby. We did note that the take away prices is lower by up to $4 on some dishes compared to the dine in menu. Having a fulfilled stomach gave me strength to live and hope for another day..
So when we drove to Chilli and Basil Thai restaurant in Bayswater, I was not feeling too lively at all. We received a leaflet in our box on the restaurant and we thought we will give it a try. I had passed by the street it is located and had not noticed a Thai restaurant there so I was intrigued.
The restaurant turned out to be right opposite the train station nestled in between shops that usually closes past 5pm. No wonder I had not noticed it before. The paintings in orange, red and gold, and dark floorboards made the interior of the restaurant warm and welcoming. We were ushered to our seat by a waitperson dressed in traditional sarong and top.
We ordered a Sizzling Seafood Plate from the specials board and Beef Green Curry. When the food came shortly after, we knew we had made the right choice. The servings were of a good size, and the flavours were very good. The seafood plate had pieces of fish, mussels, prawns, calamari and bamboo shoots, celery, carrots and baby corn in a peppery oyster sauce. The seafood was fresh and the sauce was delicious on the steamed rice we had also ordered.
We also enjoyed the green curry, which had thin slices of tender beef, bamboo shoots, baby corn, carrots, capsicum. Thankfully the restaurant had gotten the beef right because I get really annoyed with chewy and rough textured beef that has not been cut properly. The curry was not too spicy so it was perfect for me.
Overall, we really enjoyed the food and the speedy service provided. Price wise, it is on par with other Thai restaurants nearby. We did note that the take away prices is lower by up to $4 on some dishes compared to the dine in menu. Having a fulfilled stomach gave me strength to live and hope for another day..
Friday, April 27, 2012
PAVE at Emerald
It seemed like last weekend was one of the last warm days of the season. It was lucky then that we spent it outdoors enjoying the sunshine and warm weather because it has been raining, overcast and cold ever since!
We took the opportunity to attend the Performing and Visual Arts in Emerald event obviously held in Emerald, a town in the Dandenong Ranges. PAVE is held over 4 or 5 days each year since 2005, and events include art exhibitions, open gardens, musical events, story telling, live comedy and street stalls on the town's main street.
We joined the historic tour of Emerald, conducted by a very knowledgeable gentleman accompanied by a first aid man, in case we tripped and fell on the way around the small town. The town's beginnings went back as far as the 1900's. Oddly, there are two townships in the town, one at each end of the town. He talked about the Puffing Billy (why it was named Billy I'm not too sure. Why not Puffing James?) and the railway. In the old days, Puffing Billy would take livestock in its cars and they will be unloaded at Emerald and rested in one of the nearby farms before being shooed onto the main street to begin their journey to their final farms. Can you imagine the clip clop of their hooves down the dirt path of what would have been the main street?
After the tour, we went to the Lake. There were two parking spots - one closer to Puffing Billy and the other closer to the Lake. We opted for the one closer to the Lake, and paid $2 for an hour's parking to walk the park.
We were greeted by loud band music when we entered the park. The Cardinia Civic Band was playing popular songs, and judging by the crowd that seated themselves on rugs on the slope facing the band, they were very successful in picking their songs! The band is part of the PAVE fest.
We stopped for a while enjoying the music before doing a loop of the park and the lake. There were many paddleboats on the lake competing with the ducks to see who can paddle faster. Most times the ducks laugh at the folly of the humans in their brightly coloured contraptions who lost the race once again.
The festival was not as busy as I thought it would be, perhaps I just wasn't at the right place at the right time. However, it is more enjoyable not being stuck in a crowded place. With the views on offer, it was just marvelous to have a little space, some music and lots of sunshine to pass the day in Emerald.
We took the opportunity to attend the Performing and Visual Arts in Emerald event obviously held in Emerald, a town in the Dandenong Ranges. PAVE is held over 4 or 5 days each year since 2005, and events include art exhibitions, open gardens, musical events, story telling, live comedy and street stalls on the town's main street.
We joined the historic tour of Emerald, conducted by a very knowledgeable gentleman accompanied by a first aid man, in case we tripped and fell on the way around the small town. The town's beginnings went back as far as the 1900's. Oddly, there are two townships in the town, one at each end of the town. He talked about the Puffing Billy (why it was named Billy I'm not too sure. Why not Puffing James?) and the railway. In the old days, Puffing Billy would take livestock in its cars and they will be unloaded at Emerald and rested in one of the nearby farms before being shooed onto the main street to begin their journey to their final farms. Can you imagine the clip clop of their hooves down the dirt path of what would have been the main street?
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| This building is more than 100 years old! |
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| Puffing Billy |
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| Emerald Lake Park |
We stopped for a while enjoying the music before doing a loop of the park and the lake. There were many paddleboats on the lake competing with the ducks to see who can paddle faster. Most times the ducks laugh at the folly of the humans in their brightly coloured contraptions who lost the race once again.
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| View of the Ranges |
Friday, April 20, 2012
Viva Mexico Croydon
We haven't had Mexican food for some time now so we decided to try out Viva Mexico in Main Street, Croydon yesterday. The first thing that caught my attention was the tiled floor. Somehow the floor and the metal frame chairs made the place look sparse and cold. But enough of that, we were there to try out the food.
I ordered an enchilada suprema, which had chunks of beef, frijoles (refried beans), cheese in an enchilada topped with tomato salsa, guacamole and sour cream. It was served with a side of rice.
The beef was real nice... they were chunks of beef which was tender and melted in the mouth. The beans were also cooked beautifully to melt in the mouth. I have absolutely no complaints about this dish. I loved the guacamole which tasted like it was freshly made on the premises.
Gaz ordered a burrito with beef. He had all the same ingredients as I did, sans guacamole. I did not try his dish since it looked the same, except with burritos. But he did try mine and said that my beef sauce was a little better than his. I was too full with my dish to ask him what he meant. There really was a lot of food on the plate!
I really liked the food and service at Viva Mexico. The waitpersons were very efficient and informative. If we get a hankering for some Mexican food, this will be the place to go back to!
I ordered an enchilada suprema, which had chunks of beef, frijoles (refried beans), cheese in an enchilada topped with tomato salsa, guacamole and sour cream. It was served with a side of rice.
The beef was real nice... they were chunks of beef which was tender and melted in the mouth. The beans were also cooked beautifully to melt in the mouth. I have absolutely no complaints about this dish. I loved the guacamole which tasted like it was freshly made on the premises.
Gaz ordered a burrito with beef. He had all the same ingredients as I did, sans guacamole. I did not try his dish since it looked the same, except with burritos. But he did try mine and said that my beef sauce was a little better than his. I was too full with my dish to ask him what he meant. There really was a lot of food on the plate!
I really liked the food and service at Viva Mexico. The waitpersons were very efficient and informative. If we get a hankering for some Mexican food, this will be the place to go back to!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Fishtank, Brighton
Some people's weak spots are for chocolates, while me... my weak spot is deep fried foods. If I am good, I can go two weeks fighting my cravings for a KFC original recipe chicken drumstick, or a plateful of crisply fried potato chips from Giorgios without touching them.
Sometimes however, I waver and succumb to my cravings. Like last Sunday when I passed by my favourite chicken store in Box Hill and bought 5 deep fried spiced chicken wings. I had full intention of leaving 3 wings for Gaz, then the number shrunk to 2 for Gaz, and then none at all. We'll just have to keep this a secret between us, shall we? Or Gaz will be annoyed I ate something and did not leave him any.
It is not surprising then that I was looking for a decent fish and chips store on our trip to the beach two weekends before. And I did find one.
Fishtank Brighton on the main street sells fresh seafood, in addition to cooked seafood. There are grilled, fried or crumbed scallops, prawns, fish, calamari and chips, potato cakes, dimsims.
Evidently the shop is a favourite among the locals because it was full when we got there. We placed our order for a Seafood Delight $15.50 which consisted of two fishbites, king prawns, calamari, scallops and chips; and a piece of fish (Catch of the Day was Blue Grenadier) $5.90 and took a seat in the restaurant observing the buzz in the shop.
The food finally arrived about 15 minutes later but we were well rewarded by the crunchy batter on the seafood, fresh seafood and crispy chips. The quality of the seafood was very good. The batter remained crispy throughout the meal.
I really enjoyed our lunch at the Fishtank. Gaz who is not a deep fried food fanatic like me thought it was all a little too much for him towards the end of the meal but I happily gobbled down the chips he left on the plate for me.
Sometimes however, I waver and succumb to my cravings. Like last Sunday when I passed by my favourite chicken store in Box Hill and bought 5 deep fried spiced chicken wings. I had full intention of leaving 3 wings for Gaz, then the number shrunk to 2 for Gaz, and then none at all. We'll just have to keep this a secret between us, shall we? Or Gaz will be annoyed I ate something and did not leave him any.
It is not surprising then that I was looking for a decent fish and chips store on our trip to the beach two weekends before. And I did find one.
Fishtank Brighton on the main street sells fresh seafood, in addition to cooked seafood. There are grilled, fried or crumbed scallops, prawns, fish, calamari and chips, potato cakes, dimsims.
Evidently the shop is a favourite among the locals because it was full when we got there. We placed our order for a Seafood Delight $15.50 which consisted of two fishbites, king prawns, calamari, scallops and chips; and a piece of fish (Catch of the Day was Blue Grenadier) $5.90 and took a seat in the restaurant observing the buzz in the shop.
The food finally arrived about 15 minutes later but we were well rewarded by the crunchy batter on the seafood, fresh seafood and crispy chips. The quality of the seafood was very good. The batter remained crispy throughout the meal.
I really enjoyed our lunch at the Fishtank. Gaz who is not a deep fried food fanatic like me thought it was all a little too much for him towards the end of the meal but I happily gobbled down the chips he left on the plate for me.
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