Happy New Year

It is only a few more hours to the end of 2016 and we will soon welcome year 2017. Having a few days off between Christmas and New Year has given me time to reflect what a great year 2016 has been.

Looking back, I have managed to be more relaxed about my weekend routine. In fact, I now no longer have a routine on the weekends. There are no 'need to do's' or 'need to be's' on the weekend. It is whatever I want to do, wherever I want to be. I realised I can not do the groceries early in the morning each Saturday and cook in bulk each week to be able to have an enjoyable Sunday and week ahead.

I changed jobs, moved upwards. An opportunity fell on my lap for the move and I took it. Though the job has it's busy periods, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn something new and do something different.

Gaz and I were able to make our second Europe trip this year. We had a really good time touring England, Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. It was so much fun getting to know the culture, do the touristy things and meet friendly locals.

These are just some of the momentous events that occurred in 2016 for me and my wish is that 2017 will bring joy, health and happiness to all.

BBQ Chicken Bun

Sometimes when I give home made food to the relatives, they ask me why I go to all the trouble to make them when I can buy them outside at a small cost. There are many reasons I make my own dishes, such as creating a taste unique to me, or substituting healthier ingredients, not just the cost. But if I were to calculate the cost of these char siew baos (strictly speaking they are BBQ chicken buns), then I would be in front. Each bao costs around $3 in the stores, and the total cost of making them is less than $6. They are easy peasy to make too!

First attempt at char siew bao

My shortcut method to achieving smoky BBQ flavour for the bao filling is to buy a roast chicken from the shops, dice up the breast meat and stir fry it with chopped onions, bottled char siew sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil, add some frozen peas and there you have the filling all ready for use.

The dough takes a little bit more effort:
3 1/4 cups bao flour
2 teaspoon insant yeast
1 cup water
2 tablespoons powdered milk
4 tablespoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons cooking oil

Knead until elastic and proof in greased bowl, in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch down and divide into 12 portions. Put filling in the middle of each portion and pleat close. Steam.

Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn

Holiday times are the best when one loses track of all time. I am happiest when the hours and the days blend into one time zone called 'holiday'. You can dress in pyjamas in the afternoon, eat breakfast food at any time of the day, and be blissfully unaware of which day it is of the week. Unless of course, it is the day before you are meant to go back to work...

The happy memories of holidays is perhaps why I quite like the idea of brunch. When I can wake up late, potter around the house, have brunch and do nothing taxing on the mind or body for the rest of the day until dinner.

On one of these rare relaxing weekend, we went to Mr Hendricks in Balwyn for brunch. As it is every weekend, it was very busy at the cafe. Some of the customers had come from the gym, still in their exercise lycra. Some were having a catch up with their girl friends. Some were single diners, just enjoying their meal while keeping up to date with news. How about us? We were catching too, catching Pokemon. It was the height of the Pokemon craze and we were finding new places to go to so that we can kill two birds with one stone - enjoying a new restaurant and advancing on the Pokemon ladder.

We ordered the salmon, dark rye bread, poached eggs and bearnaise sauce; and pulled pork burger with honey glazed sweet potato.

Overall we enjoyed both dishes but with minor mismatches of taste - the sweet potato was coated with sugar which was unnecessary that made it too sweet for our liking, and the bernaise sauce in the salmon dish inexplicably tasted a little like plastic.

Pulled pork burger

Salmon breakfast

The BBQ Joint, Croydon

It seems like American style burgers and BBQ restaurants are popping up like mushrooms all over town at the moment. The discovery of The BBQ Joint in suburban Croydon was very pleasing, like receiving an ang pow during Chinese New Year even though one is married (married people do not receive red packets during CNY, no matter how young at heart they may be). 

The BBQ Joint is located next to a small reserve and you can purchase your lunch in the restaurant and they will pack it in a picnic basket so that you can enjoy it with Mother Nature. This is a good idea during warm sunny days. The restaurant also offers outdoor seating for those who have missed out (I only saw one picnic basket during my visit).

Although it was warm and sunny when we visited, we sat indoors in the comfort of the air conditioned interior. We decided to order the lunch special and 250g pork belly on our visit. Besides meat dishes, the restaurant also serves their delicious smoky barbequed meats in wraps and in burgers.
 

I enjoyed all items in the lunch special but I loved the corn cakes! It was buttery and crisp on the outside. It was so delicious I almost ate all of it, none for Gaz! Also on the plate was grilled peppers, sauerkrat, smoky American sausage and pulled pork.

We also enjoyed the pork belly. It was not overly fatty which was good, but still had the tenderness of pork belly and a nice smoky flavour.

Another plus for this restaurant is it's long opening hours. It is not easy to find a non-Asian restaurant that is open late for lunch, but the BBQ Joint is open from 11:30am to 9:30pm on Fridays and weekend (to 9pm on Sunday). It is only open for dinner on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Rice Paper Scissors, Liverpool St CBD

In our office, one of the tasks that fall on the Graduate's lap is coming up with ideas on which restaurants to try during the week. The importance of this task cannot be underestimated, because a bad selection is considered a strike against the poor Graduate. Each Graduate in our team have had their moments of quiet desperation as they trawl endlessly on Zomato to research a restaurant that serves food meeting our taste and budget.

On this ocassion, G has recommended Rice Paper Scissors located at Liverpool St in the CBD. This is a small restaurant with a few tables and bar seating but the food that is churned out from the kitchen is big in flavour.

The restaurant offers a deal of 5 dishes for $59 between two persons. We ordered the lamb ribs, fried chicken wings, crispy barramundi salad, pork belly and soft shell crab baguette.

The stand out dish among the five was the lamb ribs. It was so deliciously tender and full of flavour that we wished there was a bottomless plate of it. The portions of each plate is not big, but I would say that it is just enough for two persons (think two lamb ribs per person, 1 baguette per person, 3 chicken wings per person etc). If you were starving, then you would probably have to order another couple of dishes.

So what does G get for making the right recommendation? Nothing, it just adds to the pressure of continuing with the winning streak...

 Lamb Ribs and Fried chicken wings

Soft shell crab baguette

Pork belly

Crispy barramundi salad

Tim Ho Wan, CBD

No introductions needed for Tim Ho Wan, the only Michelin starred Cantonese dim sum restaurant. Ever since it received it's star, I had wanted to try it out. At one point, I had the crazy idea of flying over to Hong Kong just to eat there. Fortunately, Gaz successfully dissuaded me with other holiday plans and restaurants that was a better use of funds.

After years of waiting, Tim Ho Wan has finally opened in Melbourne. Even then, we waited until the hype had died down a little, and the line at the front of the restaurant subsided a little.

My first impression of the restaurant was of a Western fast food joint. Cramped space, uncomfortable chairs, order slips, call button for the staff. I would not have minded it if the price was reflective of the overall environment (the price of each dish is more expensive than the average yum cha restaurant that offers full service).

Unfortunately the food is not reflective of the star it received nor the price charged. Only the BBQ pork bun stood out but even then the filling was little and skimpy.

BBQ Pork Buns

Prawn paste with fish maw

Prawn dumplings

The prawn paste with fish maw and prawn dumplings were both traditional HK yum cha dishes but did not stand out. I would not have guessed that the restaurant won a Michelin star if I had not been told. Of course, it was the original restaurant in Hong Kong that earned the star, not this one in Melbourne. But I had expected the standard to be more or less the same. Maybe I should make the trip to HK after all.

State Rose and Garden Show 2016, Werribee

The 2016 State Rose and Garden Show was held on 19 and 20th November in Werribee. On display was thousands of roses over 5 ha of land. There were so many varieties of roses that there just is not enough time to stop and smell the roses!!

It was a really hot and sunny day, and the long queue of cars leading up to the parking area of the place was the only negative in the whole trip. Once there, we enjoyed walking around the garden to admire the roses in full bloom.

One plant, but different coloured roses

November and December is the best times to visit this garden, and you do not have to wait until the Rose and Garden Show to visit. The garden is free every day of the week.

The additions this weekend was food trucks, live music, and stalls selling plants, and so on. We even bought a rose plant for our garden. It is a creeper, and has a nice large pink bloom that smells wonderful.

Aren't I lovely!

Hancock's Daffodil Farm, Menzies Creek

We visited Hancock's Daffodil Farm on the weekend to admire the work of spring. We thought the daffodil farm would look a little like it's famous bulb cousin, that holds a festival in Silvan each year (but it was not as densely planted - it is a working farm after all).

Hancock's do not charge an entrance fee to view their daffodils on the farm or in the large shed on site. Entrance is completely free although parking may be a little challenging when there are large crowds. We parked by the side of the road in the mud.

On the garden beds in the paddock, there grew many varieties of daffodils with exotic names such as Moneymaker, Velvet Souffle and so on. There were daffodil plants with small flowers, big flowers, individual flowers, ones that grew in a bunch, daffodils with different hues of yellow, pink (yes, pink!) and white. This visit really opened my eyes to the many different varieties of daffodils that were available.

Daffodil bed

Inside the shed, there were cuttings of different daffodils that grew on the farm on display. There were also flower cuttings and daffodil plants in pots for sale. While daffodil plants can be grown in pots, they grow best in the ground. The friendly owner gave us tips on how and where to replant the daffodils.

Some varieties of Daffodils available

Hancock's also offer a thick, coloured catalogue of daffodils varieties and provides mail order service to their customers. We saw a few customers who came in to have a browse from the catalogue to order for planting season next year.

We took a long time selecting a daffodil plant, about 10 minutes of initial selection, 2 minutes to mull it over, and another 10 minutes of changing our minds. Yes... plant selection in our household is a big decision because neither of us has a green thumb nor a prolonged dedication to growing a garden. Therefore any plant we purchase will have to be like Bear Grylls, it must be able to fend for itself and survive in the wilderness we call our garden.

Gaz has since replanted the bulbs in the ground, and hopefully next year will be able to see the first sprouts of our very own Royal Applause Daffodil!

Din Tai Fung, CBD

I had tried Din Tai Fung in Sydney long before it opened in Melbourne and found the food slightly above average but not worth the prices it charged. Luckily, someone had an Entertainment book voucher and we visited Din Tai Fung Melbourne knowing that the meal will be easier on our wallets/purses.

We ordered fried chilli chicken, xiao long bao, and pork chop fried rice. All of the dishes were very delicious and tasty. It is difficult to say which impressed the most because I enjoyed all the dishes, but the colours and paper thin skin of the xiao long bao's were just beautiful!

Tipo 00, CBD

My only complaint with this dish is that there is not more of it! Tipo 00 came highly recommended and it did not disappoint (only in serving sizes).

My potato gnocchi was light and fluffy. It was almost like ice cream, melting in the mouth. The sauce was rich and tasty.

Gnocchi with braised duck, porcini and pecorino

For $28, the serving was akin to an entree size. As someone on the table said, it leaves just enough room for dessert!

Open House Melbourne 2016

After a very disappointing Open House Melbourne 2015 where we did not manage to view any of the buildings we had on our list due to sell out crowds, we were well prepared for OHM 2016. This year was fruitful, we managed to tour 3 places.

We started early to queue up for the Port of Melbourne cruise. The cruise took us to the Swanson Dock, Appleton Dock, and Victoria Dock. There was a Port of Melbourne employee on the cruise who gave us information on the history and stats of the dock.

Besides seeing container cranes which lifted containers onto vessels for transportation, we also saw some silos near the waterfront - grains are transported unpackaged, from these silos directly into the vessels to save time.

The great sunny weather made the trip even more enjoyable. Soon we began to forget the 30 minute wait in line for the cruise and immersed ourselves in the scenery.

Mission to Seafarers Church was next on our list. The church still operates today, and has seen many sailors from other countries visiting the church to pray for a safe sea journey or simply just as a sightseeing trip. The church reminds me of a Matzu temple near the coast I visited while in Taiwan. Nature is a most powerful force and people no matter which religion recognises this.

We also visited Substation J at the corner of Spencer and Lonsdale Streets. This substation used to distribute power to a part of the Melbourne CBD but now acts like a time capsule to provide the public with an insight into place when it was still operating. We can see newspaper of the time, notepads etc lay undisturbed on desks in the office when we were there, as though employees could walk in any time and start work (they will be told off for infringing the clean desk policy, for sure!).

Next on the list was the City of Melbourne Art and Heritage exhibition. We were taken on a guided tour around the place, which is where artworks reside when they are not on display. We saw many items which had been gifted to the City by other cities, and also items that had been purchased by the City of Melbourne.

We thoroughly enjoyed Open House Melbourne 2016 and wishes its longevity for many years to come.

BBQ Code, Glen Waverley

Gaz went out for a simple dinner with me but came home with a lighter than expected wallet tonight. What had happened was a typical scenario when the guy asks the girl what she would like to eat. The girl says, 'Whatever you like', only what it really means is 'Whatever strikes her fancy within the next 5 seconds'.

BBQ Code on Springvale Road, Glen Waverley is a new Korean restaurant in the area (which was why it caught my eye). Initially we went into the restaurant with the intention of ordering the usual Korean main dishes such as soondobu, and bulgogi with rice but found their main dish menu to be quite limited at the time. Instead, we ordered their pork BBQ set.

The set came with four types of marinated pork belly, most of which were indistinct from one another, and an unmarinated serve of pork belly for grilling. There were also side dishes, salad and a stew.

The restaurant's plus point is that it was fairly well ventilated so we did not smell too much after the BBQ session, and the staff was very attentive which meant that they helped us cook the meat rather than leaving us to overcook or undercook our food. Interestingly, all the staff on the floor that night were young Korean men.

We enjoyed our dining experience in this restaurant but the marinated pork belly each needs to have more distinct, punchy flavours. The taste of most of them were mild, and indistinguishable from one marinade to another.

What I liked was the balanced amount of meat and vegetables on the table. Unlike other barbeques where the ratio of the meat usually far outweighs the vegetable, Korean barbeque provides vegetable side dishes, vegetable for bbq and salad. Traditionally, lettuce would also be provided on the table for wrapping the cooked meat (not provided here).

Overall, BBQ Code provides a new Korean BBQ choice in the Glen Waverley restaurant scene.

Piggery Cafe, Sherbrooke

The Piggery Cafe is the latest venture by Vue de Monde's Shannon Bennett. It is part of a grand plan to convert the large 22 ha site into a luxury hotel, spa, restaurants, and private accomodation.

There is also an existing dwelling attached to the site called 'Burnham Beeches' which was first designed and built for Sir Alfred Nicholas, owner of Aspro brand. When we visit the Alfred Nichols garden, we can see the building from the gardens. It is run down, but the art deco lines are still beautiful and evokes memories of a time long gone. It is also part of the plan to restore the mansion.

The cafe is located in a renovated old shed. It now resembles a canteen with communal tables and benches, uncovered concrete floor, exposed beams. In short, a very rustic and minimalist furnishing which blends with the surrounding area.

There is a lawn outside the cafe where customers can play boulles, a giant chess set, and other games. There is also a pig pen, but unfortunately the star has decided not to grace us with its presence when we visited..

Pork belly bun with salad

Wagyu beef with fries

We ordered the pork belly burger and wagyu beef burger with fries. Unfortunately on this ocassion, what stood out for me was the chipped plates and plastic cups which has seen more scratches than a scratchy ticket. I understand the concept of rustic furnishings but how does it translate to hygiene when it extends to plates and cups?

What is the deal with chipped plates!

And scratched plastic cups?