The Adventures of Miss Piggy

Estabar, Newcastle

2012-02-23T12:46:00.001+11:00

After a few hours bobbing around like a cork at the lovely Newcastle Ocean Baths it was time to head back to our hotel, clean up and check out. This left me with a few hours to kill whilst The Boy finished up his water polo "stuff" over at the local pool.

I decided to wander around East Newcastle and check out more of the lovely houses that have me dreaming of packing up life in Sydney and becoming a Novacastrian.

After this I caught the bus over to Darby Street, a very hip young area bursting with cafes and cute boutiques like High Tea with Mrs Woo and Blackbird Corner. I actually saw a Chat Thai on Darby Street with NO QUEUE at all and I thought I'd head there myself and have lunch for one. The Boy thwarted those plans though and rung to say he'd meet me for lunch back at the hotel.

Determine NOT to eat at Elemental Cafe Deli for a fourth time, even though we loved it there, I suggested we check out Estabar cafe just opposite the beach. I really liked the "vibe" of this cafe, a bit less mainstream than other cafes I'd see about and it also offered a host of healthy (but tasty) options.

We kick things off with drinks - no Chunky Monkey here so The Boy goes for the next best thing - a Gelato Milkshake ($6.50) with banana and local honey. I can't seem to go past a Frappe ($6.50) when I see it on the menu and the mixture of Strawberry Apple and Mint was so refreshing.

I had my eye on a Quinoa Salad, but alas they had run out, so it was a Carrot and Chickpea Salad ($14.00) for me which was SO filling that I couldn't finish it (must be a first for me). The salad was packed with lettuce, house made hummus, carrots, chickpeas, Tamari seeds. I enjoyed this so much I made it for my lunch during the week and of course it was so GROSS! Fail.

The Boy enjoyed a light lunch of English Cheddar Cheese with locally smoked Ham ($14.00). The cheese had a fantastic flavour, and I'm told the ham was top notch. The cheese and ham was served with a lovely Morpeth Sourdough and a little pot of Tomato Jam.

And with that we sadly say good-bye to Newcastle (via Elemental Cafe for a takeaway Chunky Monkey)!

Estabar is at 61 Shortland Esplanade, Newcastle. You can phone them on (02) 4927 1222

Gone eatin'

2012-02-10T19:30:00.000+11:00

Please excusez-moi as we duck over to Singapore and Thailand for two weeks of much needed relaxing and eating (well, we don't really need to eat, but we really WANT to).

Hurry up with my luggage Bell Hop!

I do hope our economy seats on Singapore airline are a bit more comfortable that traveling seemed to be for this other Miss Piggy....deary me.

Image source

Elements Cafe Deli, Newcastle

2012-02-08T19:31:00.001+11:00

To be honest I’m a little surprised at how much I enjoyed our beach side stay in Newcastle last weekend. Whilst wandering around the area near our hotel (The Sebel) on my way to the beach I was struck by what a lovely area this is – beautiful weatherboard cottages are interspersed with terraces that wouldn’t look out of place in Paddington. These jut up against a huddle of new apartment blocks and cafes all vying for a prime view of the glorious coast line. The area feels a little like a beach side suburb of Melbourne, or Balmain by the sea...I like it.

We were in Newcastle as The Boy had a weekend of refereeing water polo. I thought I’d tag along for the ride and maybe work on my tan, relax, read a book and see what this city has to offer.

Before The Boy dashed off to be sporty for the weekend we grabbed a quick lunch near our hotel . Not knowing anything about the area we settled on the cafe that was the most busy and right near our hotel – Elements Cafe Deli – which had ocean glimpses. If we’d walked another 50 meters and turned the corner we would’ve found a cafe with a full-frontal ocean view. Oh well, next time.

We started things off will a cool drink - we were visiting Newcastle on one of the first sunny weekends all summer. My inner-child couldn't resist the Raspberry Slushie ($4.00) and The Boy fell in love with the wickedly naughty (but oh so tasty) Chunky Monkey ($6.50) - a divine concoction of Banana, Coffee, Chocolate Syrup and Choc Chips. The Chunky Monkey has got to be the best thing on offer at this cafe - trust me, I had enough "little sips" to know.

The Boy choose the BLAT Sandwich ($14.50) for his lunch - toasted brioche sandwiching bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado with a side of Beer Battered Fries. Judging from the silence at his end of the table whilst eating this I'd guess it was pretty good.

Because I really wanted Beer Battered Fries myself I ordered the Falafel Burger ($15.50) which comes with a healthy (or hefty depending on which way you look at it) serving of these awesomely fluffy-on-the-inside-yet-crunch-on-the-outside fries.

After lunch The Boy headed off to the local pool to do his thing and I wandered down to the Ocean Baths to bob around in the water for a few hours. I can say without a doubt that this was one of the most blissfully relaxing afternoons I've had in a long while which was much needed after we started the morning with a beyond HORRIBLE nasty Body Corporate meeting. The sky was blue and cloudless, and the water clear and heartstoppingly refreshing. The pool wasn't very crowded, just filled with people happy to bob around and enjoy themselves too.

Initially I was going to order a room-service dinner in my room as I just find eating dinner alone in a restaurant a really....lonely experience. I'll happily chow down a bowl of noodles at Mappen by myself or visit a Sushi Train as I don't feel so conspicuous being alone, but put me in a restaurant by myself and I feel like I want to cry. When I was walking by Elements on my way back from the beach they were fairly quiet so I grabbed a table outside and embarked on a solo dinner.

Their dinner menu is quite small, just a few entrees and mains. I wasn't feeling like a heavy meal so I ordered the Smoked Salmon Stack with Wontons ($12.00) from the entree menu and a side of Garlic Bread ($6.50). When I asked was was "in" the wontons the chef came out to have a chat to me and assure me no pork, just the wonton skin on its lonesome. I thought it was nice to see the chef come out of the kitchen and answer a customers questions. The salad was great, a zesty mix of capers and Spanish onion really complimented the smoked salmon.

The next morning I was ready to explore a new cafe...one with a beach side view perhaps however The Boy had his little heart set on having another Chunky Monkey - he's become an addict as he got one to take away for the drive home later that same day. I decided on an Iced Coffee without the ice-cream and just a wee dollop of cream on top - it was a great cup of coffee, really got the heart started for the day. I also enjoyed drinking most of The Boy's Chunky Monkey.

The Boy had eaten his own weight in room service the night before so kept things simple with Scrambled Eggs on Toast ($10.50). For breakfast I chose the Breakfast Bruschetta ($11.00) which was a really enjoyable meal - loved it. The grilled bread was topped with a creamy feta, tomatoes, avocado, rocket and a balsamic reduction. Really really nice way to start the day.

After breakfast it was back to the local pool for The Boy and back to the Ocean Baths for me for more...bobbing and relaxing.

Elements Cafe Deli is at 3 King Street Newcastle. Phone them on (02) 4929 1588.

Settlers Arm Inn, St Albans

2012-02-06T10:07:00.000+11:00

About 20kms from Wisemans Ferry is the historic little pub, Settlers Arm Inn in the tiny township of St Albans. The drive is quite fun as you have to cross the Hawkesbury River by car-ferry, a bit of a novelty for these two city slickers.

The Inn was built in 1836 and is built from convict hewn sandstone. Initially the inn was a stopover for Cobb and Co coaches travelling between Sydney and Newcastle. Amazing to think that what is now a 3 hour drive required an overnight back in 1836.

The food served at the Settlers Arms is basic pub-fare. Nothing gourmet and nothing that you'd class as fine dining or Gastro-Pub food. It's simple Aussie pub food, and to be honest you're in St Albans more to soak up a bit of history, enjoy a country drive, have a beer and take in the surrounds. The food hits the spot in an location that is as removed from 2012 (the year, and the postcode) as you can get.

The Boy and I both order to the T-Bone Steak ($27.00). They are ENORMOUS.

And...commence rant: I'd convinced myself that I was craving red meat and that eating a steak was OK as Mr Cow was probably grass-fed and thus lived a happy happy life in a paddock and met his maker whilst be stroked and sung lullaby's by caring abattoir workers. This is basically a crock of shit I told myself to justify eating it as I had no idea about the provenance of the meat. In short I didn't enjoy it - eating it made me feel really sad and gross...so my experiment with eating meat is over unless I buy it from a farmer's market or ethical butcher and know 100% that is free-range. I want to support the free-range meat industry as I believe in what they do...just not horrible factory farming. The boy really loved his steak though . End rant.

As with all good Aussie Pubs, this one is home to a fine pooch or two who will happily camp by your table hoping a chip or a stray piece of steak falls their way.

Settlers Arms Inn is at 1 Wharf Street, St Albans. Phone them on 4568 2111. You can reach the pub by taking either of the two Ferry's out of Wiseman's Ferry. Enjoy the drive!

Oh, and when you get back to Wiseman's Ferry you can duck back to the shopping arcade for more Kitty spotting. This is Rosie, daughter of Reg and Rita. She doesn't like people and this is her best "get the hell away from me" look.

Riverbend Restaurant, Wisemans Ferry

2012-02-03T09:58:00.002+11:00

The Boy and I took an extra-long weekend over Australia Day this year and headed up to Wisemans Ferry for some R and R. You won’t be surprised to hear that I’d nabbed a very good Scoopon voucher for two nights at the Australis Retreat, one of a handful of motels in the area.

Wisemans Ferry is an extraordinarily beautiful area located just an hour from our home. The little village sits on the banks of the wide, muddy looking Hawkesbury River and is surrounded by high rocky cliffs. It’s a busy weekend destination for water-skiers, boating enthusiasts and motorcycle riders looking for a winding road to unleash on as well as day-trippers from Sydney looking for a meal at the local pub and a ride across the river on the Ferry.

There are a few eating options at Wiseman’s Ferry – a lovely old sandstone pub, a bowling club with a bistro, a cafe, a little takeaway as well as the restaurant at our motel. But this isn’t just any old motel restaurant – it’s a little gem that sources and cooks beautiful food from locally sourced produce. The menu changes seasonally as the local produce available comes and goes. The food is lovely and the service very friendly.

We start the meal with a small bowl of freshly marinated local grown olives ($9.00) which were lovely - firm and tasty.

For my main I ordered the Wild Mushroom Risotto ($16.00 for an entree size - I needed to save room for dessert). The risotto was cooked with oregano and thyme and then finished with parmesan and truffle oil. The vegies pictured below are part of The Boys main...the main that I wanted to order! Hurmph.

The Boy tricked me out of ordering the Chef's Seafood Tasting Plate ($28.50) and ordered it himself...sneaky sneaky Boy. He made it sound like it would be too teeny for a main. Hmmm. To say I had food envy would be the understatment of the century, but as we're married sharing is mandatory (when it suits me that is).

The platter is mouthwatering to look at - a selection of hot and cold seafood that taste like heaven on earth. Really! The majority of the seafood is from local waters; oysters from Mooney Mooney, Hawkesbury River squid and local prawns, as well as Tasmanian Atlantic and smoked salmon, Coffin Bay scallops and Sydney caught flathead. It's worth the drive to Wisemans Ferry just for this - what amazing value for such fresh seafood!

After being forced to share his main The Boy thought he'd get to fly solo by ordering the Individual Pavlova ($11.00) for dessert. Nice try buddy. It was beautiful, and I can tell you that from a first hand taste-test. The Pavlova is topped with fresh berries and Chantilly cream. Being a sorbet fan I choose the Lemon Sorbet ($11.00) served in brandy snap basket with fresh berries.

After dinner we wandered over to say hello (or goodnight) to Reg and Rita, two lovely cats that we had met earlier in the day. Reg and Rita were dumped at the local shopping centre a while back and promptly produced two litters of kittens.

Karlene from the antique store in the arcade began raising money to have ALL of the cats desexed (which involved trapping a few who were too scared of people to be captured any another way) so no more kittens would be born. She then found homes for all but five of them (so far). The store-owners chip in money to keep the remaining cats fed which is noble as many strays are left to fend for themselves. But it also means that Reg and Rita (and the others) depend on the kindness of the store owners for their daily bread. We made a hefty donation to the "Reg and Rita Dinner Fund" in Karlene's store and collected a lot of pats in return. I would love to have taken our two new kitty friends home but I think they would go bonkers in our little flat.

Reg and Rita have their own Facebook page, check them out here.

The handsome Reg and lovely, shy Rita.

The Riverbend Resturant is located at Australis Retreat at Wisemans Ferry, 5564 Old Northern Road Wisemans Ferry. Bookings at the restaurant are essential. Phone them on (02) 4566 4422.

You'll find Reg and Rita chilling out at Wiseman's Ferry Vintage & Collectables in the shopping arcade.

est., Sydney

2012-01-31T14:06:00.000+11:00

est. is one of four three-hated restaurants in Sydney – the top notch of Sydney eateries. The “hats” are awarded annually by The Sydney Morning Herald and those restaurants serve up some of the finest food in our fair city.

To be honest est. has never been somewhere that has been on my radar – too fancy and way out my budget. But when I found out they were having a dinner special for the month of January it quicly became dead centre in my food radar - $50 for two courses PLUS a cockital! Hello est.

You've gotta love complimentary bread - carbs are MY friend I tell you...lovely lovely carbs. In fact I asked for an extra roll half way through the dinner just to make sure I'm well and truly full by the end of the meal.

Our meal begins with a refreshing Sunset cocktail - a mix of Vodka, cranberry, elderflower liqueur and apple with a Kaffir lime leaf getting drunk in the concoction and adding a nice flavour to the drink.

As part of the deal we get to choose from two entrees and two mains. For photographic purposes we order everything on the menu...and because we want to try everything. The BFF choose the Italian Buffalo Mozzarella with fresh peach, Serrano jamon and Belgian endive and I opted for the Oysters with Ponzu Dressing. Both were lovely, light dishes - perfect for a summer night.

For mains I choose the Pan roasted Palmers Island Mulloway fillet, tahini yoghurt, broccolini, green peas, dukkah. Back in "the day" my parents used to own a small house on Palmers Island and I would spend some of my school holidays there - so I guess there was a little bit of nostalgia involved in this dish for me. It didn't hurt that the fish was marvelous, with a lovely crunchy skin. The BFF ordered the Pan roasted black angus beef fillet (grain-fed so I decided not to try any) with wasabi miso and shallot butter, pak choy which he said was FANTASTIC!

The BFFs sweet-tooth couldn't be quelled so dessert was ordered - Morello cherry souffle with pinot noir rosé sorbet ($29.00). I helped myself to a spoonful of three and can tell you this was BEYOND delicious. The souffle was sweet and sugary and there was no taste of egg what-so-ever. Very very VERY nice.

Postscript: Holy mother of food blogging batman, I published this post without mentioning the Petit Fours tray. Too much sugar has obviously addled my feeble little mind. I promise it won't happen again (and good news was I was allowed to eat ALL the petit fours at The BFF was too full from his HUGE souffle).

est. is at Level 1 Establishment, 252 George Street, Sydney. Phone them on 9240 3010.

Bavarian Bier Cafe, Parramatta

2012-01-28T21:06:00.000+11:00

Bavarian Bier Cafe in Parramatta has been on The Boy's wish list ever since we moved here back in 2010. My thoughts on this ranged from "meh" to..."meh" as I just wasn't convinced it would be anywhere near as delicious as the Schnitzel mecca Una's in Darlinghurst. I'm pleased to say I was more than pleasantly surprised.

Bavarian Beir Cafe is located in the old St Andrews Church building in Parramatta - a very impressive and beautiful setting indeed. The main dining room is enormous and retains just enough of a touch of its former church-i-ness that it doesn't feel too sacrilegious downing the great vats of beer/bier on offer.

The "small" 350ml Bier glasses here hold about 10 times what I would normally drink...but when in a faux German Bier Hall I like to go with the flow. The Boy choose a Stiegl Goldbräu ($11 for 500ml) and I went for the Franziskaner Lemon Weissbier ($7.50 for 350ml), a type of wheat beer with a splash of Limonata. YUM, German shandy!

Because I was still getting over the epic degustation from Restaurant Arras the previous night I convinced The Boy to share the Münchner Brauhaus Platter ($37.70) with me - though there has got to be no way one person could eat all of this meat...or is there?

The platter contains generous serves of Crackling Roast Pork Belly (best crackling - so salty and crunchy), Char-Grilled Kassler (aka Ham Steak), Sausages, Chicken Schnitzel, Sauerkraut, Red Cabbage and Sebago Mash. Up until this point I have despised Sauerkraut and Red Cabbage Sauerkraut beyond all reason - but I have to say these guys have changed my mind. YUM!

For the price I think this is an excellent option when sharing with someone else. And good news is that most of the meat here is Organic and Free Range which I think is impressive for chain of restaurants used to churning out big numbers of meals.

I order a token Side Salad ($6.00) just so my arteries know I care about them...sort of.

After our meal we waddled down to Prince Alfred Park to catch a show in the fabulous Spiegletent that is was visiting Parramatta as part of Sydney Festival. I really hope that Parramatta has such a great line of events at next years' festival as it's been wonderful to have so many events right on our doorstep.

And our show - we saw the fabulous Ed Kuepper, an oldie but a goodie who I haven't seen in concert for about 15 years (yes I'm THAT old)!

Bavarian Bier Cafe is at 2-8 Phillip Street, Parramatta. Phone them on 8836 1400.

Restaurant Arras, Sydney

2012-01-25T18:47:00.000+11:00

The upside of saving so much money via my meal-deal buying obsession (spending money to save money some might say, but I prefer to put a positive spin on things) is that I can splurge out on a truly fine-dining experience every now again.

Miss M, Miss Chicken and I decide it’s time to check out the newly relocated Restaurant Arras which shut up shop in Walsh Bay mid-2011 and reopened in Clarence Street at the end of last year. To say we’re excited is a bit of an understatement. I’m literally jumping up and down outside the restaurant as I see the others arrive.

Now some advice. If you are going to Restaurant Arras for dinner you need to plan ahead. A light breakfast and an even lighter lunch are in order if you’re to get through the 9 course degustation unharmed. Or you could be like me and eat a mega-sized muffin for breakfast, pasta for lunch, a few snacks along the way and leave the restaurant looking like you’re about to give birth to a food baby. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

The restaurant is lovely – an airy light space that feels “special” but not intimidating and the wait staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. A large bar/table situated in the middle of the dining room and a few larger than life lamps make me think of an Alice In Wonderland type landscape.

And we’re off. The meal begins with complimentary canapés; a quenelle of mackerel rillette and a cheese something or other that I can’t quite remember. I was beside myself with excitement at the onslaught of food about to hit us so I didn’t quite have my wits about me in regards to remembering what the waitress was telling us.

A little wooden tray approaches with a selection of house made breads. We’re advised to take as many of the petit loaves as we like – probably ill advice given we scoffed the lot quickly and sacrificed precious “degustation stomach room” (except for Miss Chicken ‘cos she did have her wits about her).

The degustation proper kicks of with a very generous sized Amuse Bouche – a pretty garden of dehydrated olives, shaved cucumber, potted prawns, soy and chorizo. All of the courses at Arras are on the generous size, there is no need to worry that you'll leave the restaurant hungry. In fact the serves could be quite a bit smaller and you certainly would feel well satisfied by the end of the night.

After three plates of food (bread included of course) the meal proper starts with a delightfully fresh entree - spiced and dressed crab in a lettuce with soy beans. This is such a simple looking dish - so fresh and vibrant - and is filled with clean, fresh flavours.

Next is another light and simply flavoured dish that the waitress refers to as "In the Garden" - pickled marinated vegetables, slow cooked onions and bitter leaves. I really appreciated the slightly acidic flavour of the pickled vegetables, a great way to put our taste buds on full alert for what is to come.

The final entree is a pearler - cooked tuna, smoked eggs, green beans and potato. The crumbled smoked eggs looked like gravel dotted over the plate and was a delicious addition to the dish and a nice contrast to the fresh tuna. I really enjoyed the different textures and flavours in this dish and would happily have eaten another serve if one was on offer. I'd probably even seek out smoked egg in my future foodie endeavours.

The first main served was the milk-cooked Pork belly, whey puree and cracklings with crackling cooked THREE ways. Heaven. The pork was incredibly tender and the squiggle of crackling sitting atop the pork was crispy perfection.

Next is the black and white squid with sweetbreads, Jerusalem artichoke crisps and scallops that sat in a puddle of lovely rich chicken gravy. The presentation of the squid in this dish was very interesting - presented as a mousse and pipped onto the plate, yet it retained all of its squiddy flavour despite some molecular trickery from the kitchen.

A tip to the punters, it’s worth saving some of your bread (if you can) to sop up the moreish chicken gravy. Of course I didn’t do that having scoffed my bread 47 courses ago, but our waitress thinks it one of the best parts of the dish.

The final main served to us is the lamb rump ‘bruised shoulders’, pease pudding and curd. The pease pudding is great - a little solid mountain of peas that tastes reminscnet of pea soup. The lamb is tender and cooked to a perfect pink. There is another sphere of lamb wrapped in black pudding. Before starting my blog I NEVER EVER IN A PINK FIT would've tried black pudding EVER EVER EVER, despite my English father professing it's the best food on earth. I've tried it two or three times now and have to admit...it's not too bad.

Ah, time for dessert - Cinematic Soufflé “the sequel” (the name no doubt a nod to the restaurants new digs at Clarence Street). The feather-light popcorn flavoured Soufflé was a sight to behold with so many tempting elements on the one plate. The Soufflé, which came served in a little copper pot, is served with popcorn ice cream, popped corn and a jug of sticky sweet caramel sauce that we pour all over our plate. Definitely one for the sweet toothes although the Soufflé did have a very eggy flavour to it...my experience to Soufflé is now limited to twice and I'm not sure if that is how it is supposed to taste??

Just when we thought the meal was over a second dessert arrives at the table. Now we know what the colourful banquettes along the front wall of the restaurant are for – lay down and stretch out your poor full stomach. The Branylus vinegar ice-cream, black salt fougasse (the crisp bread under the ice-cream), vegetable and fruit crisps was fantastic. I LOVED this dessert. It was the perfect juxtaposition of savoury and sweet with both flavours playing off each other nicely.

It would be a great dis-service to the incredible meal we just had to say they saved the best til last. In fact I had been hoping Restaurant Arras’ famous petit fours tray would come out before the meal...as I knew I’d be too full by the end of the meal to fully enjoy it (I gave it a red-hot go though). We tried a few things amongst us - mainly taking a bite and passing it along so that we could try everything that took our fancy. What a fun and whimsical way to end the night.

Our degustation cost $140 (Arras automatically add an 8% gratuity that you can asked to be removed if you like) and took a little over 4 hours. This is one of the more pricey meals I've had (EVER) but I think it was all about the experience for me so totally worth it. And whilst I loved it I'm going to limit my future degustations as there is just way too much food and piggy is getting porky - it really is a true (over)indulgence.

204 Clarence Street, Sydney. Phone them on 9252 6285.

The Artisan’s Apprentice, Parramatta

2012-01-23T17:41:00.000+11:00

One of Parramatta’s true food gems can be found hidden in one this suburbs many arcades. Hiding in the middle of The Connection Arcade is Parramatta's very own sourdough bakery! It's not as big as Brasserie Bread or Bourke Street Bakery (the Marrickville branch that is) and doesn't have a cafe, but man it is GOOD!

Sourdough dominates in this artisan bakery with owner and baker Chris Chamberlain making bread in the ways of yesteryear with some recipes dating back to the 13th Century. Breads are dense, heavy and a meal in themselves (but goes with soup or salad if you're a piggy like moi). Chris' wife Chris (wo)mans the shop most days and hands over the loaves to the waiting bread-o-philes like myself.

Offerings range from a ye olde worlde 13th Century Fruit Loaf packed with dried fruits and spice, to 100% rye bread, sweet potato and onion bread, and the more adventurous Roast Beetroot Bread. And yes I've tried most of them. The best-selling Olive and Rosemary is probably my favourite.

Rosemary and Olive Bread - giggyup good!

Roast Beetroot Bread

Sweet tooths are not forgotten, with a selection of delectable pastries and sweet pies also on offer. You can also grab yourself a coffee or cold drink and make a day of it. And, I like that Baker Chis has a sense of humour. For Easter last year he made Hot Cross Easter Circles as the trauma of making thousands upon thousands of Hot Cross Buns at a previous job still haunt him.

Hot Cross Easter...Circle?

Something for the sweet tooth.

The Artisan's Apprenticecan be found in The Connection ArcadeShop 9, 162-172 Church Street, Parramatta.

The Devonshire, Surry Hills

2012-01-20T15:36:00.000+11:00

The BFF had tried a few times in December to book a table at The Devonshire but it wasn’t to be as they were fully booked each time I rang. Never one to give up (which The Boy calls nagging, but I call persistence) we tried again in January and lady luck was on our side!

The Devonshire is located on busy Devonshire Street in Surry Hills...which I guess is kind of obvious given the name, but I thought I should make that clear just in case there was any confusion. There is a constant parade of human traffic past the restaurant and it’s a great place for a bit of people watching – some of the people are more “colourful” than others.

The restaurant is empty when we arrive and this gives us a chance to have a chat to chef and owner, Jeremy Bentley (who owns the restaurant with business partner Matt Kemp from Montpellier Public House). Jeremy is a super friendly and down-to-earth guy and makes us feel so welcome in his restaurant and I think it’s this warmth that really makes the night for me. Restaurant Manager, Matt, is another friendly guy and he really takes the time to chat with us and carefully explains each dish (most of which I’ve promptly forgotten to my gold-fish memory – opps)!

The BFF and I decided to go for the $45 per person pre-theatre menu which includes two courses (you need to let them know at the time of booking that this is what you’d like). We decide to go for Entrees and Mains...and maybe order a dessert later on if we’re feeling “in the mood”. The pre-theatre deal is EXCELLENT value considering an entree and main will normally set you back about $60.

Dinner kicks off with an amuse bouche of Salt Fish Brandade with a Dill and Caper Sauce – which is basically (in my most non-chefy translation EVER) a little deep-fried fish and potato croquette type thing, and it was so delicious. I really loved the dusting of salt on the Brandade, and the fish and salmon filling was so light.

We also receive a complimentary bread roll that is served warm and with two types of butter - a salted butter and a lovely sweet butter infused with honey which is made in-house.

For entréeswe stick with a nautical theme and order the Cured Hiramasa Kingfish, Blood Orange, Spring Onion and Potato Crispsand the Seared Scallops with a Curried Cauliflower Puree and Onion Bahji.

Both dishes are fantastic, though I have to say that anything served with potato crisps is a winner in my books. The cured kingfish is also served with a kingfish rilette which has a texture similar to salmon mousse and it is perfectly light and flavoursome (especially when scooped up on a salty crisp). The BFF loves the perfectly cooked Seared Scallop dish - and I am particularly taken with the onion bahji (yes, I'm addicted to fried foods)!

For mains the BFF is swayed by the Bangalow Pork Belly with Sage Beignet and an Apple and Fennel Salad. Snaps to The BFF for not getting cross at me for taking 1,000 photos of his dinner - brown food, why are you so damn difficult to photograph in focus? Hmmm? Anyway, back to the pork - I'm told it was exquisite, melt-in-the-mouth tender. Bangalow Pork is bred to be a bit fatty, and when cooked with the fat left on is incredibly flavoursome and succulent (though I'm not 100% sure if it's free-range or not so I abstained on this occasion).

I kept on with my seafood theme and choose the Confit King Salmon, Buckwheat Risotto, Prawns, Kohlrabi, Ginger and Dill Dessert with FOAM! Sadly the foam here is a little...deflated due to the excessive pork-photo-taking that happened earlier on. No matter, it still tasted wonderful. The salmon was so tender having been "confit" with olive oil and cooked in a water-bath for about 6 minutes (that's the only information I retained from our waiter). The prawns were so plump and the buckwheat risotto was really interesting (in a good way) texture wise.

Of course we couldn't resist dessert, not when I'd heard so much about the Devonshire Tea Creme Brulee, Scone Ice-Cream, Cherry Jam and Whipped Cream ($15.00). The presentation is uber-cute (I wonder how many of these little tea cups go walk-a-bout at the end of the meal? I'd kind of like a few for home myself). The brulee is made with a mix of T2 Teas (Girly Grey, Blue Mountain and another berry tea whose name eludes me). The result is a lovely brulee with a mild Earl Gray flavour and a sweet after note of berry teas. LOVE! The scone ice-cream is subtle in flavour but utterly delicious. A must order!

Our experience at The Devonshire was lovely - in part due to the fantastic food and in part due to the wonderful service. We were really made to feel welcome and I can't wait to come back. And for those of you who like a Degustation - you can grab one here for $80. Bargain.

The Devonshire is at 204 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. Telephone them on 9698 9427.

The Montpellier Public House, Randwick

2012-01-17T15:53:00.000+11:00

If you've ever had any doubts about whether or not the meal deal vouchers that seem to be so prevalent these days are any good, then I think this TravelZoo voucher that we bought for dinner Montpellier Public House should put your doubts to rest.

I'd been keen to try Montpellier Public House ever since fine dining restaurant Balzac shut its doors and owner Matt Kemp reopened Montpellier in the same beautiful sandstone building in Randwick. Whilst Balzac was all about beautiful food and fine dining, Montpellier is still about good food but at more accessible prices. Montpellier basically serves English pub grub, in a more modern and more refined incarnation. And, it's damn tasty!

You can still get your (more) fancy meal upstairs in Montpellier, however the TravelZoo voucher sees us dining downstairs in the front room of the more informal, yet still beautifully designed, Public Bar. The voucher includes a bottle (yes a WHOLE bottle, just for us) of The Dutchess sparkling wine - a lovely drop.

The meal begins with Warm Olives with Bread that looks suspiciously like Brasserie Bread's soya and quinoa loaf. The olives are divine - plump and meaty, and the dense bread is perfect for sopping up the warm olive oil in the bottom of the bowl.

Our jaws near hit the floor when the waitress brings the tasting platter to our table. What a feast! We try to pace ourselves, but we make quick work of every morsel in front of us. The platter contained a selection of Montpelliers tastiest treats: Potted River Trout with Pickled Cucumbers and Dill; Terrine of Ham; Salad of Pickled Beets, Goats Curd, Orange and Walnuts; Baked Beans with Pork Belly; Dressed Salad Leaves and last but not least Duck Sausage Roll. Phew.

Every element on the platter was bursting with flavour but I think my favourite would have to be the Duck Sausage Roll and also the Potted River Trout - both different dishes in terms of texture and flavour but both really stood out to me.

I guess the Pork Belly was pretty good too as I quickly scrambled to grab a fallen piece of crackling from the (what looked like a clean) floor where it flew as I tried to cut it in half. 30 second rule! Don't judge - you'd do the same for crackling, I know you would!

Dinner's not over yet though - we still have our main meals to get through. The Boy ordered the 8 Hour Braised Shoulder of Lamb with Roast Truss Tomatoes which was lovely. The lamb was so tender - it just fell off the bone, and the mint pesto type stuff on top added a really fresh element to the dish. My Roast Sea Mullet, Fennel and White Beans was a really light dish. The skin on the fish was perfectly crisp and I loved the slightly licorice flavour the fennel added to my meal.

Are you full yet? Yes? Well, loosen your belts as there's still a Dessert Platter to go. We take a deep breath and embark on polishing off the Trifle with chocolate and sour cherries; Buttermilk Pudding with Blueberries; Warm Treacle Tart with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and a Bitter Chocolate Petit Pot.

It's really hard to pick a favourite when it comes to dessert, especially when each dish is so good. The treacle tart was incredible - sweet, but not too sweet and delectable once the ice cream had melted into the tart. The buttermilk pudding was another favourite - a bit like panacotta in texture, but more light.

So there you have it. We've not gone wrong yet with a meal deal voucher. Choose wisely, choose restaurants you've heard of and you won't go wrong either.

Montpellier is at 141 Belmore Road Randwick NSW 2031.Telephone 02 9399 9660.

Courtney's Brasserie, Parramatta

2012-01-15T17:00:00.001+11:00

Courtney’s Brassiere is Parramatta’s very own fine-dining restaurant and as part of this year’s Sydney Festival they were offering Fast Food Feasts. In short, a fabulous and quick meal for $30 designed to get in you in, fed and out to see the sights at the Festival...toot sweet.

Never one to pass up a good deal I jumped on this and made a booking for Parramatta’s Festival opening night. It also seemed like a great opportunity to try one of Sydney’s most sustainable restaurants.

Courtney’s sources fresh ingredients direct for farms that are within a 200km radius of Parramatta which leads to super-fresh produce and a menu that can change daily depending on what is in season. They also source meat and eggs from animals that are raised outdoors in a natural environment. Blackboards around the restaurant tell diners what's in season, which farms the meal has come from, where the wine is sourced from. Sounds good to me!

The grown-ups (myself and Niecy Poo) start things of with a glass of 2005 McGuigan ‘The ShortList’ King Valley Riesling which is much more crisp and less sweet than I was expecting. The Boy chooses a bottle of sparkling Tasmanian Rainwater - trying to relive his Hobart holiday I think. At first we all had a bit of a WTF giggle about the Tasmanian Rainwater, but it's not any different to drinking Perrier with your meal so why not I say. At least it's made in Australia and it tastes...fresh.

A nice little surprise not included in the deal is an amuse bouche. Our amuse bouche is a savoury style "doughnut" sitting atop a dainty dollop of pesto. The doughnut quite dense in texture and tastes a little like felafel. Oh, and a bread roll served with butter, balsamic and olive oil.

We had a choice of two mains, Barramundi or Pork Belly. It's little surprise to me that we all choose the Eco Farmed Pork Belly with Potato Pave, Wilted Summer Greens, Caramelised Apple and Crackling. I mean Barramundi is nice...really nice, but unless it comes with Pork Crackling I can't see anyone at this table favouring it over Pork Belly. The pork was so tender, and I really loved the Potato Pave (a fancy Potato slice to you and me). The apple was lovely - slightly tart and still retaining its crispness.

Another nice, and generous surprise not included in the deal is dessert - Mango Soufflé served with a little pot of custard and another pot of bitter chocolate. I'm wracking my feeble little brain trying to remember if I've tried Soufflé before and I don't think I have. This was certainly a good specimen to pop my Soufflé cherry with - look how high it is, and it was so light and fluffy. I want more. Now!

Courtney's has a degusation menu that I'm very keen to come back and try - $79, what a bargain! On occasion they also have dinners where the local farmers attend - a great chance to talk to the suppliers first hand.

Courtney's Brasserie is at 70 Phillip Street, Parramatta. Phone them on 9635-3288.

Red Lantern, Surry Hills

2012-01-13T14:21:00.000+11:00

It wouldn't be too long ago that I would've thought meeting a group of strangers from the Internet for dinner to be a bit...weird. But that was before Twitter, and it's this Twitter meet-up (or tweet-up as the cool kids say) that I have to thank for the chance to experience the awesome food at Red Lantern in Surry Hills.

Red Lantern has been on my radar for awhile as owners Luke Nguyen, Pauline Nguyen and Mark Jensen are big advocates for ethical and sustainable produce. Where possible all of the produce in the restaurant is free-range as well as being ethically and sustainably sourced. They even have a kitchen garden out the back of this converted terrace where some produce is grown.

The reason for the tweet-up is to welcome Canberra food blogger Lizzy, and her partner Peter, to the big smoke. Lizzy had been tweeting about a visit to Sydney to visit some of our wonderful food suppliers like the Orange Grove Markets, Fish Markets, Urban Food Market, Bourke Street Bakery...and the list goes on. Fellow twit, I mean tweeter, Karen offered to show Lizzy and Peter around and when Lizzy mentioned she wanted to go to Red Lantern a group of us quickly invited ourselves to dinner. As you do.

There we are...our big group of blurry Twits (Ester, Karen, Moi, Dave, Catherine, Lizzy, Peter and Joy)

As our group is quite large we have to go with the tasting menu ($65 per person plus $10 per person if you choose to have dessert - which we did). I actually think having a set menu with a large group is often the best option, as it leaves more time for chatting and less time trying to figure out what to order.

Dinner kicks off with Goi Cha Cuon Soft - rice paper rolled with pork and duck terrine, vermicelli, cabbage and pickled carrot. A really nice, fresh flavoured beginning to the meal and a great indication of the quality of the food to come.

Sorry for the fuzzy photo folks, but as we know green or brown food along with dark lighting is my arch nemesis *shakes fist*. That said there was nothing fuzzy about the flavours in this Bo La Lot - pasture fed Wagyu beef with lemongrass and shallot wrapped in betal leaf and chargrilled. The betal leaves are slightly peppery and match really well with the fresh flavour of the lemongrass. Needless to say the Grass-Fed Wagyu is tender beyond belief and just goes to show that Wagyu can be top notch and NOT be grain-fed. Just saying.

I really love the slightly tart flavour of green papaya salad so was excited to try the Goi Du Du - twice cooked pork belly, tiger prawns, green papaya, perilla and mint. The salad was studded with little pieces of pork belly which has got to make it a 10 out of 10 in anyone's books...very flavourful.

It was the Muc Rang Muo - lightly battered chilli salted squid served with a fresh lemon and white pepper dipping sauce - that really had The Boy and I going back for more...and more...and more. The squid was so tender and the dipping sauce was a great, zesty counterbalance to the deep-fried batter. Lucky for us that Lizzie and Catherine were engrossed in conversation as it meant The Boy and I got to polish most of this dish off. I would definitely order this on my next visit to Red Lantern.

The first main served was Cha Ca - pan fried Mulloway fillets marinated in turmeric, dill and shrimp paste. Served with a green mango salad. This dish was a real hit with both Lizze and Catherine who declared with every mouthful "oh my, this is delicious". That about says it all really.

The verdict on the Xuong Suon Voi - free range pork ribs braised with soy, chilli and garlic with broad beans and artichoke leaves - was unanimous, it was delicious. The charred pork was smoky and amazingly tender and definitely the star ingredient on the plate.

Another blurry photo folks, but again I blame the light...really not my fault! Really. Ga Chien Don - crisp skin Burrawong pasture raised chicken poached in master stock with ginger and oyster sauce - is amazingly tender and succulent. The masterstock is wonderfully flavoursome and salty. This dish is a must order (along with the pork, salt and pepper squid...well, everything really).

Karen tells us that the mushrooms in the Cai Xanh Xao - mixed organic Asian greens wok tossed in preserved bean curd sauce - are supplied by The Mushroom Depot stall she helps (wo)man at the weekly Orange Grove Markets and this makes the dish all the more special. The mushrooms are GREAT by the way, meaty, firm and packed with flavour.

I really enjoyed the Bo Kho - pasture fed beef braised in tomato with cinnamon, cassia bark and star anise. Once again the meat is incredibly tender and flavoursome, and I really think this says a lot about the quality of the produce, and the life that produce has led.

I really am failing at my New Years resolution not to eat desserts and the dessert platter really is my undoing. The tasting menu platter has a tasting of three of Red Lanterns desserts: Com Nep La Chuoi (red sticky rice in banana leaf and chargrilled with fresh mango, and coconut ice cream = YUMMO); Kem Flan (Coconut Crème Caramel); and, Banh Cam Mang Cau (sesame and rice flour dumplings filled with Sour Sop and served with black sesame ice cream).

I don't know why I waited so long to go to Red Lantern, but I know I won't leave it as long before my next visit.

545 Crown Street Surry Hills NSW 2010Phone them on 02 9698 4355.

Graze, Pyrmont

2012-01-12T08:24:00.001+11:00

I was thinking my resolution for 2012 could be to buy less meal deal vouchers seeing as I bought so many in 2011. But then I came to my senses and realised what a ridiculous idea that is as it would mean missing out on the likes of the amazingly good deal we scored for Graze in Pyrmont.

This voucher cost us $79 for two people and I'm about to show you what a fabulous bargain that way. Loosen your belts as here we go...

We kick things off with a beverage. As it is one of the only hot days Sydney had experienced so far this summer we decide to try a refreshing Cider. We order both the Pear and the Apple Cider so we can have a taste of both. My favourite was the Pear...just a little less acidic than the apple and perhaps a fraction sweeter.

Lunch starts with Chicken parfait and grilled sourdough (normally $12.00). The parfait was delicious - so smooth and creamy. Despite piling our bread high with the delicious spread we still had ample parfait left over and Graze happily topped up our sourdough supply so we could finish our little pot of gold.

Next up is another incredible flavoursome dish - Five Spice Soft Shell Crab with a Citrus Mayo (normally $12.00). I've heard the words "molecular gastronomy" and "Graze" used in the same sentence before and I can see where that comes into play with this dish. The top of the crab has been cooked in such a way that it has become like clear cellophane and almost has that salty flavour of pork crackling. Bloody good is all I can say.

Another fun dish is the Cauliflower Milkshake with Jamón and Taleggio Toasty (normally $12.00). Jamon is "fancy ham" from Spain in case you're wondering. The Boy and I were chuffed that we each got our own little toasty and perspex carton containing the frothy, warm cauliflower milkshake as neither of us wanted to share this dish (him especially as he kept asking if I liked the milkshake as he'd happily relieve me of it if I didn't. Nice try buddy).

I'm a huge fan of crispy polenta after recent visits to Jamie's Italian and Bloodwood. I squeal like a little girl (rather than the big gal I am) when our plate of Crispy polenta, chilli jam and lemon is placed in front of us ($12.00). Things are not always what they seem in molecular gastronomy and the lemon is presented in a gel form dotted on the plate rather than the pieces of actual lemon I was expecting. The polenta is perfect - crispy on the outside yet pillowy soft in the middle.

After tasting the Chorizo slow cooked in Red Wine, Tomato, Basil and White Beans (normally $12) The Boy kept reminding me I wasn't supposed to be eating meat (another ploy to dupe me out of my lunch). I quickly reminded him that the food here is all sourced from local growers and suppliers (etc) so I'm willing to break the rules for this lunch.

The last savoury dish is a plate of Cape Grim Beef Rump, Caramelised Shallots, Puy Lentils and Pickled Mushrooms (normally $20.00). Cape Grim is a Tasmanian beef farm operation and ALL of their beef is 100% Grass Fed. This means no nasty concrete floored feed lots where cows go to get nice and (artificially) fat (and unhappy) before we eat them. Cows were made to eat grass, not grain, and to me grass fed is the way to go. It's kinder and it's taster. This dish was so tender and melt-in-the-mouth. Beautiful.

And dessert. By this stage I'm feeling quite full but decline The Boy's offer to eat my half of dessert. The Iced Mandarin Parfait with Warm Chocolate and Cointreau Mousse ($14.00) was wonderful, and definitely one for the sweet tooth's. The iced mandarin was buried at the bottom of the cup and was a nice, fresh counterbalance to the sweet, fluffy chocolate mousse.

But wait, there's more. We finish off lunch with a cheeseboard of English Cheddar Cheese served with Crisp Bread, Toasted Fruit Loaf and a smear of Date Chutney. Despite being near bursting point I diligently ate my share of this - I'm willing to risk my burst stomach for cheese!

Graze Pyrmont is at 182 Harris Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009, Australia (02) 9518 5025.

Urban Pantry and Gelatissimo, Canberra

2012-01-10T09:41:00.000+11:00

The Boy and I made a whirlwind trip down to Canberra during the Christmas Break. The purpose of our trip was to check out the Renaissance exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia - along with half of Canberra I think (the exhibition of old Renaissance artwork visiting from Italy was beyond crowded).

Normally when in Canberra we stay in the city and just stick to eateries within walking distance from our hotel. This trip we stayed over near Parliament House (or the National round-a-bout as my step-brother calls it {visit the road around Parliament House and you'll see what he means}) which gave us a chance to check out some new neighbourhoods.

After driving through Kingston and Manuka we decided on choosing somewhere for dinner in Manuka - most of the restaurants in Kingston were still shut for the Christmas break. Urban Panty, a trendy looking bistro with dark floors, pressed metal bar and tiled walls, caught our eye.

We started off with an entree that combines two (of my many) great food loves - olives and blue cheese. Combine the two, crumb them and deep fry them and viola, perfection! Crumbed blue cheese filled green olives could be my new happy place ($9.00). A tip though, pop the whole olive in your mouth in one go. I tried to bite through the olive so I could take a photo of the innards and ended up with blue cheese all over me - whoops!

For my main I hijacked The Boys first choice and ordered the AMAZING Linguini with prawns, crab meat, cherry tomatoes, rocket and chilli ($28.00). The linguini was heaving with big fat juicy prawns and delicious pieces of sweet crab meat that popped when you bit into it. This was a damn good pasta and the crab was just amazing.

The Boy seemed pretty happy with his second choice dinner of lamb rump on caramelised pumpkin, chickpeas and feta with blood plum vinaigrette ($34.00). The lamb was very tender and he really liked the chickpea medley underneath.

We decided to head down the road to Gelatissimo for something small for dessert. The short walk down the road gave our dinner a chance to move down towards our legs and leave some room for the sweet stuff to come.

I decided to go for a light and refreshing Raspberry Sorbet which was really nicely flavoured and had pieces of real raspberries throughout. The Boy opted for a very festive Christmas Pudding Gelato which tasted exactly like pudding, complete with pieces of glazed cherry and sultantas.

Urban Pantry is at 5 Bougainville Street, Manuka, ACT. Phone them on (02) 6162 3556.

Gelatissimo is at Shop T5 & T6A, 18 Flinders Way, ACT.

MONA, Hobart

2012-01-08T20:11:00.000+11:00

If you only do one thing in Hobart I highly suggest a visit to the beyond fabulous MONA museum and one of its delicious eating establishments (that's after you visit Salamanca Markets, North Hobart and Cascade Brewery for Stout Ice-cream that is).

When I say MONA is fabulous I mean that it is like no other museum I've ever visited. It's vast, it's eclectic, it's confronting, it's joyful, it's humourous, it's awe-inspiring and just simply AMAZING!

The museum is buried in a huge underground cavern that has been dug out from sandstone and is located on (or in) a vast plot of land that houses a brewery, vineyard, accommodation, a winebar and very fancy restaurant called The Source.

The entire place is a magical labyrinth and believe it or not privately owned by Tasmanian, David Walsh. A very very very rich Tasmanian I'm guessing. From reading his bio on the MONA website he seems quirky, irreverent and doesn't take himself to seriously. His fellow Taswegians are granted free entry to the gallery, and they don't even need to show the scar where their second head used to be (or so the brochure tells us). Love it.

It's this humourous and not-to-serious approach to art and the museum that really appeals to me. This is a place for everyone to come, enjoy, wonder and wander (and take photos...of the art! Virtually unheard of these days). And that we do...building up quite the appetite as we wander around.

After a few hours of discovering not even half of what MONA has to offer we decide to go and seek some lunch. As we're on a time crunch (our last day in Hobart and we have a plane to catch back to "the mainland") we decide to grab a quick bite at the cafe. We start with two glasses of tap water...cos we cheap, and broke after living the high life in Tassie for nearly a week.

We take a seat inside, though the bean bags on the lawn overlooking the Derwent River do look enticing. I'd probably end up with my lunch all over me if I took the beanbag option though.

The boy ordered a Beef Pie, the pastry looks so buttery and flaky that I briefly have lunch envy. The homemade tomato sauce that accompanies the pie is deliciously tart and he seems pretty satisfied with his lunch. My Salmon and Potato Pattie is ENORMOUS and filled with chunks of fresh salmon. The patty is topped with a fat dollop of homemade tartare sauce that is bursting with zesty flavour and tart capers. I might even attempt to replicate this dish at home...maybe!

Because we polished off every morsel on our plates we get to have dessert. Two little macarons do the trick in satisfying our craving for something sweet.

Museum of Old and New Art is at 655 Main Road Berriedale, Hobart. Contact them on (03) 6277 9900 or info@mona.net.au

Tomislav, Darlinghurst

2012-01-06T10:34:00.000+11:00

The BFF and I decide to hit up Tomislav for our last dinner of 2011 and see the year out with style. I've always wanted to try Tomislav as I'm intrigued by head chef and owner Tomislav Martinovic's take on molecular gastronomy. Tomislav worked with Heston Blumenthal so I think it's safe to assume he knows his stuff.

I LOVE foams, dirts, soils, crumbs and weird sorbets made from herbs and anything else that the creative chefs at Tomislav care to dish up. I think it's really exciting when chefs can take a simple ingredient and make it something really special and unexpected - like a basil sorbet for example. When I cook at home it's always something really simple, where the pumpkin looks like pumpkin, so a trip to Tomislav's is a real culinary adventure.

We kick things off with Rice Crackers with Sea Salt and Vinegar ($10.00). The sea salt and vinegar comes in a nifty little atomiser and a few quick sprays gives the cracker a zingy flavour. Of course we also get the spray all over our hands - you can't take us anywhere! This is a really simple little starter, but it's so creative and a really fan start to our dinner.

Next up is a complementary serve of Sourdough Bread with Butter. Of course this is not ordinary butter. The BFF and I are pretty chuffed with ourselves when we identified a hint of espresso in the butter gave the bread a nice sweet after taste. Very clever!

I have to say I got a tad excited when the Scampi Carpaccio with Wasabi, Sour Cream and clear Pumpkin Juice ($24.00) came out as the pumpkin juice was being served in a test tube! Just look at how vibrant the colours are in this dish! Lovely.

For my main meal I chose the Roast Striped Trumpeter Fillet with Tomato, Salt Caramel and Grilled Baby Leeks ($40.00). The fish came topped with rounds of bone marrow which I passed over to a very happy BFF as I'm not eating meat (other than seafood or meat I know is free-range blah blah blah) at the moment. He said it was delicious, melt in the mouth. Now back to me. The trumpeter was fantastic, and I loved how a little bit of salt caramel in each mouthful gave the fish a sweet taste.

The BFF chose a lamb dish for his main (so he didn't have to share with me I'm sure). The Roast Suffolk Lamb Rump and Lamb Rib with a mint sauce and roast purple onions ($39.00) looked as pretty as a picture and the lamb was melt in the mouth tender I was told.

We ordered a couple of side dishes to go with our mains, though I was feeling a tad full by this stage so maybe one side dish would've done the trick. I'm sure the crunchy Triple Cooked Crinkle Cut Fries ($11.00) were a nod to Heston. The little salad of Lettuce with Macadamias and Cranberries ($10.00 was a real treat - I love the sweet note the Cranberries added and the creamy dressing and Macadamias made this more than just a bowl of lettuce.

I really was quite full by this stage but the BFF had his little heart set on ordering dessert. I relented and agreed to have a spoonful or two just to help him out. Half a plate later though I can attest that the
Milk Chocolate Cream Cake with Caramelised Walnuts and Smoked Banana Ice Cream ($18.00) was the perfect note to end the meal on.

I think the BFF must've been feeling jipped that I ate half of "his" dessert as he quickly ordered another dessert before I could protest. The Vanilla Cheesecake with Grilled Strawberries, Basil Ice and Rhubarb Sorbet ($18.00) really was the perfect way to end the meal on. The deconstructed cheesecake was so light and the grilled strawberries and basil ice were fantastic elements that really added to the texture and taste of the dish.

Tomislav was the perfect place our last meal together of 2011. The food was fun, creative and just amazing. I'd happily return in a heartbeat. The dishes were all really exciting, with quirky little twists and elements that raised the meal to something really special. If this is molecular gastronomy then I'm in LOVE!

Tomislav can be found at 2/13 Kirketon Road,Darlinghurst. Phone them on 9356 4535.

Pastizzi Cafe Newtown and Urban Food Market Marrickville

2012-01-03T21:34:00.001+11:00

On Christmas Eve Eve Eve I was heading over to Marrickville to collect our free range Christmas Ham from ethical meat wholesaler, Urban Food Market.

I think Urban Food Market are a GREAT business, offering us an option beyond the factory farmed meat that we seemed trapped into buying at so many supermarkets and other meat retailers. Did you know that in Australia the majority of our meat is raised in cages (poultry or pork) or in concrete floored feed lots (grain-fed sheep and cattle) - because it's "cheap" despite being inhumane. And let's not even get into the whole caged egg business - just thinking about it makes me want to cry. Free-range meat and eggs may cost more, but at least we know we are eating meat that has lead a happy free-range life as nature intended, and has not been cooped up in tiny cages or in sheds with horrible concrete floors. We paid $70 for a boned half-leg of Ham and to me it was worth every penny and tasted better than anything we've ever eaten from a supermarket. Just a little "food for thought" and something I hope we can all start thinking about a little more when deciding what to eat.

Rant over...

Anyway, as I was kind of in Neicy-Poo's neighbourhood, we decided we'd catch up for a quick lunch.

I'd ear-marked Petty Cash Cafe near Enmore Park to try, but alas they were already closed for the holidays. We then headed for our second choice, Belljar, in Newtown. Alas they had literally just served their last coffee for the day and were shutting up shop for the holidays. Man, can't a gal get a break here.

In the end we decided to head up to King Street and seek sustenance at Pastizzi, a little cafe serving Maltese food. Pastizzi has been a mainstay Newtown restaurant for longer than I care to remember and I was hoping like crazy that they would be open as I was getting more than a little...starving.

Lady luck was shining on us as not only were they open but they had row upon row of delicious looking Pastizzi for us to devour. But first we start with a refreshing drink.

Pastizzi, a popular Maltese dish, are a little diamond shaped pastry (either filo or puff pastry) filled with either a savoury filling, like Ricotta, or something sweet like cherry. And boy, are they gooooood!!!

We decide to stick with the savoury and I limit myself to just three seeing as they are not exactly a health food with all that flaky pastry. After drooling at the counter for about 5 minutes I ended up choosing Spinach and Ricotta, Pea, and Salmon Dill and Ricotta. My favourite would have to be the subtle flavour of the Spinach and Ricotta - a classic combination in my books.

I was really hoping Niecy-Poo would suggest a few sweet Pastizzi to finish the meal, but we end up with a salad. A pretty nice Caprese Salad though, so I'm not too unhappy. The salad is a fresh and simple mix of fresh basil, tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella - so simple that even I could make this one at home.

I have a confession to make though. After lunch I went to collect the ham and the wholesaler just happens to be right across the road from Bourke Street Bakery. I think it would be remiss of me to be so close and not indulge in a little something sweet...for the road.

Pastizzi Cafe can be found down the south end of King Street (the "nice end" as I like to think of it) at 523 King Street, Newtown.

Urban Food Market is at Unit 1, 68 Victoria Road, Marrickville. They are a wholesaler, but are open to the public on Saturdays between 9am - 1pm - at which time they also have various product tastings on offer. If Saturday's don't work for you then call them up and arrange another time to collect your product, like I did. And they are across the road from Bourke Street Bakery - what more incentive do you need to visit?

Ristorante Da Angelo, Hobart

2012-01-02T09:37:00.000+11:00

I think Hobart's Battery Point has got be one of Australia's most lovely suburbs - not that I've visited all of Australia's suburbs but what's a sweeping, unfounded statement between friends? Every house is cuter, sweeter and more historic than its neighbour and has me dreaming of living a life in Hobart.

Nestled in amongst this historic architectural dreamland is another of Hobart's dining gems, Ristorante Da Angelo, a popular family run Italian restaurant. Once again I have fellow blogger Bizzy Lizzy to thank for this recommendation - she was spot on once again.

We arrive at the restaurant at around 7pm and they are already fully booked. We're offered a seat at the bench that looks out over the street which is the perfect spot as far as I'm concerned. We get a birds eye view of the comings and goings in the historic little neighbourhood, and it's such a peaceful view I think I'd actually prefer this seat over the ones in the back of the restaurant.

We decide to kick things off with a Garlic Pizza Bread ($10.00 for a medium which is what we greedily ordered rather the the small). I would say undoubtedly that this is one of the best Garlic Pizza Breads I've ever eaten. The thin (but not too thin) pizza base is topped with garlic, cheese and herbs. The topping is crispy with just a few moreish charred pieces to get the mouth really watering.

We both decide to order pasta for our mains. The Boy choose gold with his Con Scampi – king prawns, bacon, onion and mushrooms in a delicious cream sauce ($28.00 for a large). I have pasta envy!

I ordered the Spaghetti Marinara ($23.50 for a small serve). My Marinara was heaving with luscious king prawns, fish, scallops in a tomato sauce and the tomato sauce was thick and rich. Once again I have to say how fantastic the seafood in Tasmania is.

I can't seem to eat at an Italian restaurant without ordering a garden salad – I find the lightness of the salad offsets the guilt of eating an entire bowl full of tasty tasty carbs. This salad comes with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, capsicum, cucumber doused with a zesty Italian dressing ($9.50 small).

Mezethes Greek Taverna, Hobart

2011-12-31T10:48:00.002+11:00

I have to thank fellow blogger Bizzy Lizzy for recommending nearly every restaurant we ate at in Hobart. Mezethes Greek Taverna (and Da Anegelos at Battery Point - but we'll get to that later) is one of her best recommendations - a fantastic Greek Taverna in our favourite part of town, Salamanca Place.

The restaurant is located in one of the old sandstone buildings in Salamanca Place but the interior has a definite Greek vibe. From the white washed stone walls and pictures of Greece it's pretty easy to imagine we're having dinner on a sunny Greek island and not in chilly Hobart.

We start dinner with drinks - a diet coke for The Boy and I decide to splash out with a glass of Greek wine which is delicious, dry and crisp. I'm not normally a wine drinker but this was really a lovely drop.

We start dinner with some Orektika (that's Greek for appetisers). The marinated olives ($6.00 per bowl) are delicious, super plump and served warm with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Warm olives seem so simple yet really make a flavourful punch. We devoured these in seconds.

Tasmania has a plethora of amazing fresh seafood on offer. Every restaurant has a mind-boggling choice of seafood and Mezethes has a great selection of seafood on its menu. I choose the Oktapodi Sti Skara ($18.50) - tender succulent Octopus that is BBQ'd over a bed of white hot charcoal and served with potatoes and a crisp green salad.

The Boy chooses the Garides ($26.50) which was my second choice! His plate is heaving with fresh grilled prawns seasoned with a dash of garlic and lemon. His meal is also served with a green salad and chunky roast potatoes as well as his choice of dip. I have to admit I have a bit of food envy - especially at his choice of skordalia dip - pureed potatoes with garlic, olive oil and vinegar.

Our meal at Mezethes was FANTASTIC! I'd go back here for a meal in a heartbeat...if only it wasn't a two hour flight away *sad face*.

Brasserie Bread, Banksmeadow

2011-12-29T10:00:00.000+11:00

The Boy and I decided to brave the 70 minute drive from our 'hood over to Banksmeadow (traffic!) to suss our the cafe at the legendary sourdough bakery Brasserie Bread. After we figured out exactly where Banksmeadow is (it's a REALLY long way from Parramatta, that's where it is).

The huge warehouse located on Botany Road houses a bakery (best bread EVER), a cooking school (filled with little kids making a mess/cookies on the day we visited) as well as a very very popular cafe.

At the recent food blogger conference I attended I received two vouchers for some free bread, so whilst we waited in the queue for a table at the cafe we loaded up with bread - a sour cherry loaf (our favourite), a sourdough loaf and a caramalised garlic fancy type bread.

It doesn't take too long to get a table and as The Boy and I have been studying the online menu for weeks we already know what we'll be having. The Boy, being the true gentleman that he is, sends me up to to the counter to place our order.

In true brunch style we start off with coffee...mmm, coffee. The Boy goes for a cappuccino and I opt for an soy iced coffee sans cream and ice-cream which is the way they serve iced coffee in NYC and I really prefer it without the dairy overload.

The Boy ordered the crispy bacon with poached egg, avocado and tomato on wholemeal toast...Brasserie Bread toast of course ($12.00). He was pretty happy with his brunch however was a bit disappointed that the egg wasn't soft and runny. I went for the Quinoa and Soya Bread with avocado, tomato and goat curd ($11.00). This was a really simple breakfast and a perfect example of how to whip up the perfect brunch at home (I've got three loaves of Brasserie Bread to experiment with after all).

And despite being an hour from our house The Boy and I are back at Brasserie Bread the following weekend to stock up on bread for our Christmas Day lunch...and then we sit down for brunch. You didn't think we'd drive all that way with sitting down to eat did you?

Like last week The Boy orders the crispy bacon with poached egg, avocado and tomato on wholemeal toast, but goes for a side of Hollandaise Sauce this time. He's beyond chuffed that the poached egg is super runny this week - second time lucky. I decide I'm in the mood for something sweet and the Sourdough Pancakes with stewed berries and honeycomb cream and beyond perfection. I love that the pancakes that look more like a crumpet than a pancake yet are still super fluffy and not at all dense. The berries still retain their shape despite being stewed and are only just slightly tart. And honeycomb cream...enough said really. YUM!

Brasserie Bread is at 1737 Botany Rd, Banksmeadow. Phone them on 1300 966 845.

Penelope, New York

2011-12-26T11:01:00.000+11:00

I have Richard Elliot to thank for introducing me to the delights of Penelope via a twitter plea from me asking for good places to eat in New York.

Turns out that Penelope was just a short stroll from our hotel so Miss M and I ended up there for dinner on our last night in NYC (too dark to take photos) and again for our last breakfast in New York.

Penelope is a cute as button little cafe that is a hugely popular brunch spot for locals in the Murray Hill area where we were staying. The cafe serves "homestyle" cooking in a setting that is a little bit country, a little bit farmhouse, a little bit rustic and totally cute!

Weekend brunch is a BIG deal in New York. From what I can gather brunch is only served on weekends (though breakfast is served all of the time). Brunch seems to be a bit unique as it comes with coffee/tea and your choice of a cocktail (yes alcohol before noon on a weekend in New York is de rigueur). Because the wait for tables is SO long and we are on a deadline to be at LaGuardia to fly home we nab two spots at the bar as soon as we walk in.

The Night before Miss M had ordered Ellie’s Spinach Pie, and it was delicious. I'm thrilled to see it making an appearance on the brunch menu as it's lush cheesy centre is hard to go past. The cheeses are rich, flavoursome and moreish and the flaky filo dough is perfection. The green salad is surprisingly huge and dotted with bits of granny-smith apple which is tart counterbalance to the rich spinach pie.

Miss M goes for something a little more traditionally more brunch-like and orders the Salmon Wrapped Poached Eggs - two farm fresh eggs wrapped in smoked salmon on toasted black bread with green goddess dressing.

All in all Penelopes was the perfect New York way to end our last super in the Big Apple. Totally cute, totally yummy and totally American.

Bye bye New York...til next time.

Cascade Brewery, Hobart

2011-12-23T09:09:00.000+11:00

Even if you don't like beer visiting Hobart's Cascade Brewery is worth it just for its spectacular location. Nestled into the hillside the old brewery building is a stunning sight - it just feels old and looks beautiful. On the day The Boy, Ms Irish and I visit the brewery there is mist hanging low on the hills behind the brewery - breathtaking.

Whilst I'm gobsmacked by the stunning location The Boy is more excited about brewery tour we're about to embark on. He also goes a bit mad in the gift shop after the tour - leaving with a Cascade hoodie and about 7 different types of beer as X-mas pressies.

The tour goes for about 90 minutes and costs $22 per person which I think is pretty good value. We start with a talk from our guide on how beer is made and the history of Cascade.

After the introductory talk we then get onto the good part of the tour - visiting the actual brewery. We get to see the fermentation tanks as well as the bottling plant. It's all pretty noisy so a bit hard to hear what the guide was saying...oh well.

After the tour we head back to the bar to sample some of the fine brews that Cascade has on offer. The tour price includes three free tastings and The Boy goes wild trying different types of beer. I'm not much of a beer fan so sample some ginger beer, apple cider and raspberry cordial - all brewed by Cascade and all delicious.

After the tour we had planned to have lunch at the restaurant however we'd spent too much time beer tasting and missed out on the lunch menu. Lucky for us there was a snack menu on offer as we were both starving by this stage.

We shared a Damper with Dukkah as well as a Beer Battered Fish and Chips. The fish and chips were fantastic - the beer flavour in the batter really stood out, but not in a overpowering way. I wasn't such a fan of the damper with dukkah though - mainly as the damper had chilli in it which I didn't think married too well with the spices in the Dukkah...The Boy however loved it.

And as we always say it's not a proper meal without dessert. The Boy ordered a small tasting serve of Stout Ice-cream ($3.50). Bloody hell, this was FANTASTIC! The Stout gave the ice-cream a really unique flavour, definitely a hint of beer but more of a rich caramel flavour really. The ice-cream was very creamy, and quite "chewy"...in short it was FANTASTIC!

Cascade Brewery is at 140 Cascade Road, South Hobart, Tasmania. Phone them on (03) 6224 1117. Even if you don't go for the tour it's worth a visit just for the Stout Ice-cream...trust me!

Bar Kodama Sushi, New York

2011-12-21T17:55:00.000+11:00

Bar Kodama Sushi was a bit of a random find but it was a real highlight of our trip. Miss M and I were off to see a Broadway Show (that was technically a bit "off Broadway" being somewhat west of Broadway) and needed a bite to eat beforehand. We thought we'd head over to the theatre and see what was in the area. I was craving Sushi but didn't fancy my chances.

Oh ye of little faith! Right across the road from the theater was a great little Japanese restaurant that satisfied my craving and made sure I had a full belly for the show.

The sushi counter was staffed by three Latino looking chaps who churned out some fantastic tasting sushi. If I was a local I'd be pretty happy to have this place in my neighbourhood.

We start off with a seaweed salad (US$4.75) which was fresh and zingy. I really love seaweed salad but it's one of those foods you need to make sure isn't stuck in your teeth after you eat it...not a good look!

Next up is one of my all time favouirtes - Edamame (US$4.00). Served warm and with a smattering of rock salt it was another great dish. This was just as good as anything we'd get a great Japanese restaurant in Sydney.

Next up is Nasu Miso (US $6.00) - eggplant cooked with miso paste. This was a great dish. The eggplant was really "meaty" and quite toothsome. The miso gives the dish a slightly salty taste but this wasn't an overpowering flavour which can sometimes be a bit of a risk when too much Miso paste is used.

And last but by no means least were our two sushi rolls - Salmon-Avo Roll (US$5.00) and a Manhattan Roll aka Tempura Prawn Roll ($6.50). I'd be craving sushi and this was perfect. The rolls were freshly made and the seafood plump and fresh and really reasonably priced thanks to the great exchange rate, and once again comparable to our great sushi back in Sydney.

And the Broadway show? We saw How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Mr Harry Potter himself and it was FANTASTIC! It helped that we knew nothing about the show (other than it had Daniel Radcliffe in it) so we had no expectations. The show was funny, fast paced and the script was superb. If it comes to Sydney anytime soon I'd love to see it again...and you should too!

Bloodwood, Newtown

2011-12-19T11:28:00.000+11:00

Niecy Poo and I first attempted to go to Bloodwood in Newtown for her birthday about 18 months ago. As they don't take bookings we put our name down at the door and went and had a drink. By the time they called us two hours later our stomachs had gotten the better of us and we've found sustenance else where.

This time around Niecy Poo, Mr Scotland and I agree to meet up for a Saturday lunch. I arrive bang on the dot of noon - before Bloodwood is even properly open. There is no way I'm missing out this time, no way! Mr Scotland suggests perhaps we go for a wander and let them open up properly. Ah, no way mister. I'm convinced the moment I turn my back a queue will rapidly form with me at the end of it. Plus I'm starving...I'm not going anywhere til I've eaten.

Of course we are the first people in the restaurant and there are still a few empty tables when we leave an hour or so later. Maybe I need to learn how to relax...but that could mean missing out on a table somewhere so it's never going to happen. Ever!

We start things off with a Bloodwood Mocktail ($8.00) and let the barman concoct his favourite mocktail for us. We end up with a refreshing blend of apple and lime juice, fresh limes and a splash of ginger beer.

After falling in love with the Polenta Chips at Jamie's Italian I could not go past Bloodwood's offering - Polenta Chips with Gorgonzola Sauce ($9.00). Pretty darn good - the chips have a super crunchy outer shell with soft fluffy innards. The Gorgonzola sauce is wickedly rich...a moment on the lips and all that business.

Next up is a beautifully fresh and flavoursome Kingfish and Ocean Trout Ceviche ($16.00) which is definitely the highlight of the brunch for me. The plump Kingfish and Ocean Trout pieces were molded together in a perfectly delicious oval of Ceviche. The dish was served with a side of crunchy crackers and a smooth avacado dip, both of which added a textural element to the soft Ceviche.

And last but not least Spanner Crab with Green Asparagus ($21.00). On first viewing the Spanner Crab looks like scrambled eggs, but one mouthful sets that misconception straight.

I could've easily eaten one (or two) more dishes but the others had committed the fatal error of eating breakfast before brunch - d'oh (though so had I but I've had more practice in competitive eating/food blogging outings so I was in for the long haul).

Bloodwood is at 416 King Street, Newtown. Phone them on (02) 9557 7699.

Machine Laundry Cafe and Doctor Coffee, Hobart

2011-12-17T09:16:00.000+11:00

Our brunch at the groovy Machine Laundry Cafe was our only brunch/breakfast during our entire stay in Hobart. For the rest of the time we dined on English Muffins from Coles and hotel coffee in our room in an attempt to save some money...and some inches off our waistlines (I failed at both I'm said to say).

And with only one brunch to our names I think we picked a winner with Machine Laundry Cafe. The cafe shares its space with a Laundromat, though I wonder how many people sip their coffee whilst watching their smalls do a few laps in the dryer?

The cafe is really popular so it's a short wait before we can nab ourselves a table. We start things off with coffee - a soy cappuccino for me which was perfect.

The cafes interior is quite quirky - a mix of retro decor (laminate tables, vinyl chairs and the like) and industrial chic - hard concrete floors in keeping with its second job as a Laundromat.

The Boy opts for an Eggs Benedict ($15.00) - his other great breakfast love when a Big Breakfast isn't what he's hankering after. We're both pretty impressed by the ooziness of the eggs - perfection.

I'm swayed by the Thom's Thing ($14.00) breakfast and the promise of grilled haloumi cheese! As far as vegetarian breakfast offerings go this is great - garlic sourdough toast, squeaky haloumi cheese, tomato, basil, chic peas, baby spinach and an avocado salsa. This was a really filling breakfast that kept me going until mid-afternoon.

Later that afternoon - after a visit to the Farmgate Markets and wandering about Hobart - we find ourselves back at Salamanca Place and feeling a bit peckish.

We decide to rest our weary feet at the cute Doctor Coffee which is located in one of the many arcades at Salamanca Place. The Boy orders a coffee and I go for a Charlie's Blood Orange Juice - a great thirst quencher.

The Boy opts for a HUGE Tuna Sandwich. I was keen for one of these too but The Boy nabbed the last Tuna Sambo of the day - d'oh!

In the end I choose a savoury muffin - cheese and herbs. It's pretty tasty and fills the spot nicely. The food at Doctor Coffee is fairly simple, but tasty - great flavours.

We finish off with a delectable meringue that is topped with a berry coulis and cream. The Boy is a huge meringue fan, me not so much - but the addition of cream and coulis is fantastic. The coulis has a slightly tart taste that helps cut through the sweetness of the crispy meringue.

These are just two of the many cute cafes that Hobart has on offer. If you ever get to Hobart I'd highly recommend both of these places...but also make sure you visit North Hobart - we didn't eat there, but there are SO many great cafes and restaurants in this quirky, slightly alternative suburb.

Salamanca and Farmgate Markets, Hobart

2011-12-15T09:47:00.003+11:00

Last week I was lucky enough to go to Hobart for a conference. I dragged The Boy along with me so I'd have someone to hang out with in my spare time (plus he needed a holiday).

We arrived in Hobart just on noon on Saturday morning, raced to the hotel along with my work colleague Ms Irish, dumped our bags and raced back to Salamanca Place to ensure we didn't miss out on Hobart's legendary Salamanca Markets that are only on til 3pm each Saturday.

The markets are located on the street in front of historic Salamanca Place (which I believe once served as the hub of Hobart's whaling operations). Traffic is diverted and the street is given over to 100s of fantastic market stalls selling everything from antiques, bric-a-brac, organic fruit and vege, souvenirs, homemade jams and sweets, crafty stuff, socks, clothes, doughnuts...the list goes on and on.

Within five minutes of hitting the markets I blew all my cash at the first stall we saw - an amazing stall selling antiques and bric-a-brac. I bought the cute little birdcage clock (in the picture below) and bargained with them to throw in a small plate for free as I was blowing all my dosh on the clock but REALLY wanted the plate as well. Don't be afraid to bargain at the bric-a-brac stalls.

Given that I had no cash left and about 2 hours of wandering to embark on I joined the lengthy ATM queue to replenish my wallet. TIP: bring lots of cash if you plan on spending (and even if you don't as you're sure to find something that simply must have).

Don't fear food lovers, there are plenty of stalls selling food and snacks to replenish your grumbling tummy. Whilst it was too cold for snow-cones The Boy enjoyed a Bratwurst sambo - a fancy version of the Sausage Sandwich.

I've cut read meat, chicken and pork out of my diet so hunted down a stall selling something Miss Piggy friendly. I ended up with a delicious, but super messy to eat, Eggplant Roll from a Persian food vendor.

And of course lunch isn't complete without something sweet to finish. The Boy seems to have a homing radar for Doughnuts and quickly sniffed out this Doughnut stand. These were hot off the press and perfect for warming us up as the weather was getting cool.

The very last stall we visited in the markets was without a doubt my favourite. A lovely Hobart lass, Holly, has created a series of stuffed toys, t-shirts, brooches, necklaces and pins around a fantasy army called The Hiiragi with which she hopes to take over the world (insert *evil laugh* here). It sounds kooky, but the toys are uber-cute and her enthusiasm for her creations is infectious. I walked away with two brooches and two tie-pins, and somehow convinced The Boy that I must have a stuffed toy for X-mas! Just looking at the pictures below puts a smile on my face - I wish I had an imagination and creative talent half as amazing as Holly's.

The next day, Sunday, we decide to visit the Farmgate Markets, a local farmers market showcasing some amazing Tassie produce. There is everything from fresh fruit and vege, free range pork, goat meat, cheese, bread, jams, nuts and a cafe selling coffee and snacks. If I lived in Hobart this would definitely be a weekly pilgrimage for me.

We didn't walk away with much from these markets - mainly as we were full from our breakfast and also a lot of the food was perishable and we were staying in a hotel without a kitchen.

So there you have it - two amazing Hobart markets that rival anything we have in Sydney.

Salamanca Markets are on each Saturday, 9am - 3pm and can be found at Salamanca Place.

The Farmgate Markets can be found at the Melville Street car park (corner of Elizabeth and Melville Streets) every Sunday 9am – 1pm.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, New York

2011-12-13T10:40:00.000+11:00

I know what you're thinking. Really, I do. Why would we fly all the way to New York just to eat at Bubba Gump Shirmp Co. when there are literally a million great places to eat in The Big Apple. Why descend on a rather pricey chain restaurant?

Well, when you've been touring the city on The Big Red Bus like we had for four hours and you're dumped off at Times Square, crazed with hunger and being bumped around by the crowds your eyes just fix on the first thing they see. And for us that was Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

To be honest the place is kind of fun, especially if you're a fan of the movie Forrest Gump. There's a lot of paraphernalia about reminding us of the restaurants founder "Forrest Gump". There's no mention however of who really owns this joint. Curiouser and curiouser.

Miss M and I both start with a bowl of New England Clam Chowder ($5.99) which the menu helpfully (or regretfully) tells me has 320 calories - I have no idea if that's good or bad? The soup is great and hits the spot after the windy, cold weather we encountered on the top deck of our Big Red Bus. I really LOVE New England Clam Chowder - I bought four cans of the Campbells offering to bring home with me but they were sadly left in my bag in the back of a taxi *sobs*.

After the soup we decide to share a Dumb Luck Coconut Shrimp ($19.29) that is served with an uber sweet Cajun marmalade and french fries. This deep fried extravaganza hit us up for 1000 calories, but we're sharing so it's only 500 calories each *phew*. The menu tells us that this is a favourite meal of Forrest.

Our lunch at Bubba Gump was quite enjoyable - most of all for the amazing view we had over Times Square. If you can get a window seat it's well worth it.

Pepe Saya, Booza and Pat and Stick, Tempe

2011-12-11T17:01:00.002+11:00

There's a guy in my office (let's call him Mr Smooth) who has a "supplier" for just about everything. Ask him where he got his snazzy umbrella and he'll tell you about a deal from "his supplier" in Mascot - 10 golf umbrellas for $10, that sort of thing. For ages there were jokes about his "suppliers" and things falling off the back of trucks.

For the last few months we've been hearing him wax lyrical about his "butter supplier" in Tempe. Yeah yeah - who the heck makes butter in Tempe I ask you...pfft. And then I started to really listen (something I not really that good at truth be told) and it turns out his butter supplier is Pepe Saya - the artisan butter makers who supply a raft of Sydney's top restaurants with luscious, unctuous cultured butter.

And then Mr Smooth started making rumblings about a lunch time expedition to the Pepe Saya factory in Tempe...would I perhaps be interested? Would I ever! What really twisted my rubber arm is the fact that Pepe Saya also shares its factory space with Pat and Stick (makers of homemade ice-cream sandwiches that will literally blow your socks off) and Booza (an Arabic style mastic {aka tree gum} ice-cream).

Not only was Mr Smooth chauffeuring myself and two butter-lovin' colleagues to Tempe to see what the factory outlet had on offer he'd also arranged a tour of the butter making factory with Pepe Saya owners Pierre and Melissa.

The butter at Pepe Saya is cultured butter which doesn't mean it likes Opera or Shakespeare, it means that "lactic culture is added to encourage ripening and to add flavor to the cream. Because it is ripened, cultured butter contains an extra dose of microorganisms making it a probiotic food" (sourced from pepesaya.com.au). Basically this is butter that is good for you. Sounds good to me.

When we first enter the factory area the first thing I notice is the lush, creamy smell (probably helped along a bit by the Pat and Stick ice-cream maker in the corner) and the GIANT mound of butter sitting on the bench being hand moulded by the Pepe Saya staff.

A mountain of butter just waiting to be packaged

Hand rolling the butter for restaurant deliveries

Look at all that butter - oh my!

For sale - the butter at the factory is a bargain! I went home with three of these pads, plus some other stuff...oops.

Pat and Stick doing some ice-cream making.

Ice-cream and butter unite - Pat (from Pat and Stick) and Pierre (from Pepesaya).

After our tour of the factory it's now time for the good stuff...a tasting. Let's just say that Pierre is not at all stingy with letting us sample the butter - he layers it on like cheese and jokes that if you can't see your bite mark in the butter than it's not spread thick enough.

Pepe Saya make two types of butter - a salted and an unsalted and Pierre dishes up a sample of both for us to try. The salted butter is divine with an obvious hint of salt with every mouthful. The butter is also so creamy having less moisture content then the butter you'd buy in the supermarket. I also really enjoyed the unsalted butter as flavour of the cream really stood out - it had a very different flavour to the salted offering.

Sonoma rye bread; salted butter (top) and unsalted butter (below - which is sliced as it's fresh from the fridge thus hard).

As well as butter Pepe Saya also had a raft of other products on offer (both under the Pepe Saya label and their other brand Homemade Fine Foods). Let's just say I went home with more than just three little pads of butter - garlic sauce, custard, rice pudding other desserts... just to name a few. Let's just say their rice pudding, custard and Bread and Butter pudding are TO DIE FOR!

Deliciousness everywhere you look.


More samples - best lunch break I've ever had!

Of course, lunch isn't complete without dessert. This is my first Pat and Stick experience and I can assure you it won't be the last. I bought a Vanilla Lace and Ben from Pat and Stick insisted we also try the Espresso Lace. OMG! The ice-cream is amazing and the oat and almond lace cookie sort of caramelize during the cooking process so they have the texture of toffee.

I didn't try the Booza this visit, but I have tried it before and it's very different to the Streets ice-cream we grew up eating. The flavour of mastic is quite strong - definitely an unusual flavour.

You can visit the factory warehouse at Unit 4, 3 Wood Street, Tempe (first left after the new IKEA - I sure know where I'd rather be)!

They are there most days, Saturdays and Sundays included. I'd call ahead before visiting to ensure there is someone there (9519 2793). The prices at the factory are at least a third cheaper than other retails outlets or the farmers markets - bargain central!

Umi Kaiten-Zushi, Haymarket

2011-12-08T10:02:00.000+11:00

As the BFF and I sat stuffing are faces full of sushi at the sushi train at Umi Kaiten-Zushi I couldn’t help but wonder (she says channeling her inner Carrie Bradshaw) isn’t a little...mean to have a big fish tank in the middle of the sushi train where the fish can watch us eating their relatives?

Occasionally we’d look up from our fishy feast and spot the fish in the tank staring right at us. I felt a bit guilty, but not guilty enough to stop eating. In fact between us we polished off FOURTEEN plates of sushi. Sorry fish, but you were really tasty.

Whenever I’ve walked past Umi Kaiten-Zushi there has been a line out the door, but this was our lucky night as it seems people are less likely to queue for food when it’s bucketing down outside. I hope this theory rings true as I’m attempting to visit Jamie’s Italian tonight where I’ve heard tales of someone waiting TWO HOURS to get a table.

The billboard outside Umi's entrance boats over 100 different types of sushi. With an offer like that how could we resist?

Let the feasting begin...

Fresh salmon topped with Seaweed Salad - a nice way to kick things off.

Fresh salmon topped with fish roe - fancy

Cooked Tuna Ship - my favourite (cos I have boring Aussie tastes perhaps)?

Money Bag type things stuffed with plump, juicy prawns

Drumroll - ROAST PORK BELLY roll. A sushi revelation I tell you.

No idea what this is...but it was tasty.

Salmon Nigiri - that has had the blowtorch treatment.

Tuna Nigiri with sesame seeds

This is what happens when you can't use chopsticks...wah, my sushi! I ate it anyway though.

Eel Nigiri - don't knock it til you've tried it as it's damn tasty.

Edamame - nice.

Some soft of blow-torched fish - mystery fish sushi.

Soft Shell Crab handroll - really really good, espeicaly as it was freshly made to order.

Crab Claw - another favourite.

Some sort of flan type dessert - couldn't quite pick out the flavour, not caramel though (boo).

We had a discount voucher for 25% off our meal (or $20 - whichever was the smaller amount) so our meal ended up costing $40 which is fairly good for two people considering the amount of food we ate. Without the voucher it would've been $60 - still not bad really, especially as we ate quite a bit of fresh salmon and other not so cheap plates.

Glass Brassiere, Sydney

2011-12-03T09:56:00.000+11:00

For weeks I’ve been wondering what those pesky pink dots adorning our footpaths have been about. What the hell are they for? As I got off the bus at the QVB, where I was meeting up with The BFF, there they were again...dot dot dot dot as far as the eye could see leading right past the Hilton’s Glass Brassiere.

Maybe that’s what they are saying – “go and eat at Glass Brassiere, you won’t regret it”.

Being a modern gal I’d made our reservation at Glass via Twitter – directly with Executive Chef Joey Pavlovich, who came over to say HI when we arrived at the restaurant. The BFF and I both thought this was really nice, especially for a chef who oversees a kitchen as busy as the one at Glass.

Adding to our excitement is the fact that the dining room at Glass is just stunning! A thirteen meter high window runs the length of the restaurant giving the most stunning views of the QVB. This has to be one of the most captivating views in the city - the QVB is just so close it feels like you could just reach out and touch it. I love seeing this beautiful old building from another vantage point - spectacular.

I also have to give massive props to our lovely waiter who endured are inability to make a decision about what to order. Should we have the degustation? No, too much food. What about steak? Hmmm...no. What about fish. Nah. He then runs as through his favourites...nope again. In the end we ordered a whole bunch of Tapas dishes - everything on the Tapas menu in fact (minus the Samosas as I just wasn't in a Samosa kind of mood). We thought this would give us a small meal - a taste of lots of different small dishes. How wrong we were - I was literally bursting by the time we got through everything.

Deciding what to order is thirsty work so we start off with some drinks - a cranberry juice for The BFF and a soda water for moi - it is a school night after all. A basket of bread quickly arrives too which we foolishly demolish - there goes the stomach room.

Because we're now "friends with the chef" thanks to the marvel of twitter, Joey sends out an Amuse Bouche to start us off - a spoonful of avocado salad. It's delicious and bodes well for the rest of the meal.

Next four of our tapas dishes arrive: prawn toast with coriander, corn and topped with a chipotle sauce ($8 pp); Spanish Ortiz Ondarroa anchovies from the tin with garlic toast ($24 00); Spring Bay scallop with XO sauce, tofu, pork scratchings ($8 pp); and last (for now) but not least tempura zucchini flower with ricotta and anchovy ($7 pp).

We shared just one piece of the zucchini flower, the scallop and the prawn toast and it was so sweet when our waiter came along and cut these in half for us...neatly down the middle so we were all even Stevens. I gotta tell you, cutting a zucchini flower in half looks like hard work, but I reckon he did a pretty stellar job.

Each dish was really lovely - very flavoursome, and they all looked so vibrant and fresh. I especially loved the crispy prawn toast with its spicy hit from the chipotle. The anchovies with garlic toast were also a hit with me - the garlic toast was a great offset to the saltiness of the anchovies, and the dish felt very rustic being served on a wooden board with the anchovies still in the tin and sitting atop its very retro looking packaging.

Maybe Joey read my post about my Yum Cha adventure at The Eight where I lamented at only having one Peking Duck Pancake as he sent out a basket of Duck Pancakes. A whole basket just for us - we each had four or five pancakes. Oh happy days.

By this stage I'm starting to feel quite full. Having gorged ourselves on bread and duck pancakes both The BFF and I are groaning as our tummies expand. Luckily there is a bit of a breather before the next course arrives: chicken liver parfait with a pear jelly, chutney and toasted brioche ($15.00) and a charcuterie board with onion relish and grilled bread ($22.00).

The parfait, oh the parfait! It was silky smooth and utterly moreish. The BFF ordered a second basket of bread and wouldn't let the waiter take the pot of parfait from him until every last morsel was removed - it was THAT good! The charcuterie board was absolutely stellar - the cured meats cut so paper thin they practically melted on the tongue.

By this stage I really need to lay down and let my poor stomach digest some food. No time for that as our last three dishes arrive at the table: chilli whole crispy school prawns with Szechuan salt and an aioli dipping sauce ($15.00); tempura soft shell crab with nam jim ($10.00); and slow cooked octopus with kimchi and apple ($15.00).

I am in a serious food coma by this stage and forgot to adjust the white balance on my camera to account for the fact that the sun had set - so apologies for the slightly "yellow" hue on this photos.

Crispy school prawns and soft shell crab are two of my favourite dishes (amongst all my other favourite dishes that is) so I am in heaven at the first taste of each dish. The prawns were fantastic - a pinch of Szechuan salt gave them a fiery hit and a squeeze of lime took the edge of the burn. The octopus was also great - tender with just the right about of bite, and I love green apple in a salad - just that little bit of acidity is perfect to offset the heat of the kimchi.

Now that the meal is over I go off to "powder my nose" only to return and find that The BFF has ordered dessert!!! He admits he is in totally tummy agony from our epic feast but he couldn't go past the mango and coconut bombe Alaska with lychee salad ($18.00). Furthermore he insists that I help him eat dessert. Oh, alright then. My favourite part of this dish was the dehydrated lychee - it was sweet, crunchy and tasted a bit like a solid form of fairy floss.

Glass Brasserie is on Level 2 of the Hilton Hotel - 488 George Street, Sydney. Phone them on 9265-6068.

Sahra, Parramatta

2011-12-01T13:24:00.000+11:00

Normally when dining at Sahra by the River on a Friday or Saturday night you must order their banquet menu - with such a large restaurant I suppose this is how they keep service fast and hungry customers happy.

However on this particular Friday night, when I've dragged The Boy off the couch and out for a feast to satisfy my carving for Lebanese food, the restaurant is not very busy so we can order off the al-a-carte menu. Which is lucky for me as I have a wicked craving for Hummus with Mince Meat that must be seen to.

Sahra is situated right on Parramatta River and the view is really lovely - calm and relaxing. On a lazy Friday night it's just the perfect spot to sit and watch the world go by. This is one of those moments when I'm really very happy to be living just up the road from here (not so much the next day though when it was 38 degrees in Parramatta - ouch).

The Boy decides to kick things off with a Fresh Homemade Lemonade ($5.60). Because I'm trying to watch my spending (just bought a new car) I decide to stick with water, but end up drinking most of The Boy's Lemonade anyway. The combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh mint and rosewater is totally divine. The sweet aftertaste of the rose water has me going back for sip after sip.

Although the Lemonade is stellar it really is the HOMOUS with SPICED LAMB MINCE ($17.00) that I'm here for. Before we headed out to dinner I googled the menus of all the Lebanese restaurants in our area until I found one that served this delicious nutty Houmous that is topped with sautéed lamb mince dotted with onion and roasted pine-nuts. If you're a Houmous lover then this just takes it to the next level - the meat is savoury and totally moreish.

The dip comes with a basket of fresh Lebanese Bread and also a few slices of crisp Lebanese Bread topped with a Za'atar mix (a Lebanese spice mix of sesame seeds and other herbs such as thyme, oregano or sumac which is very addictive).

I've always wanted to FATTOUSH SALAD ($14.00) and this seemed like as good a time as any to give this traditional Lebanese salad a whirl. The serving at Sahra is generous, a huge bowl heaving with a tumble of herbs, onion and tomato with fried bread and pomegranate dressing. This was a fresh and lush salad. I'd happily go back for more.

At this point the waiter notices my obsessive photo taking of the food and comes over to offer to take a picture of The Boy and I. The Boy readily agrees, but I have to say that my photo of the SAHRA MIX GRILL ($33.00) is far better than his photo of us - much more tasty!

The mix grill platter comes with delicious smokey tasting BBQ Quail, 3 skewers - lamb fillet, chicken fillet and a kafta (spiced lamb mince) as well as a few grilled vegetables, garlic aioli and special Sahra bread that sits under the meat soaking up all the juices.

Our meal at Sahra was lovely and the setting is fantastic. I'm already plotting a revisit - perhaps with a bigger group for a birthday or family dinner.

Sahra by the River is at 2 / 76 Phillip street, Parramatta. Phone them on 9635 6615.

Jamie's Italian, City

2011-11-29T10:17:00.000+11:00

There's probably not a person in Sydney who hasn't made a visit to the newly opened Jamie's Italian, or at least doesn't have a visit planned sometime in the not to distant future.

It seems that everything Jamie Oliver touches turns to gold and his latest Jamie's Italian in the heart of Sydney's CBD is no exception. I've heard of people queuing for two hours to get a table, or turning up for dinner at 4.00pm to try and beat the crowds. The restaurant serves up to 600 people each night...and that's on a slow night!

I wasn't going to queue for 2 hours for dinner, but I was happy to turn up at 5.00pm to meet Miss M for an early dinner. I took a seat at the bar for 30 minutes and sipped on my Strawberry and Elderflower Cordial ($4.10) and waited for Miss M to finish work. By 5.15pm the place was getting full, and by 5.30pm there was hardly a spare seat in the house - I was getting worried! Miss M texted at 5.40pm that she was just fixing her make-up before heading down to meet me. Make-up? What? Don't waste time on make-up (the restaurant is dark anyway) - we need to get a seat NOW or risk ending up the end of the ever-growing queue that was rapidly forming outside. Miss M and I were seated by 5.45pm at the second last table for two in the entire place. Phew!

We start with the Italian Bread Selection. The bread is "on the house", however you have to order it - it's not automatically brought to the table, which is good to know for new players like us.

For entree we choose two small dishes. The Crispy Polenta Chips ($8.00) are a must order in my piggy opinion - they are totally delicious! The poletna cubes are fried to a crispy perfection, yet remain soft and fluffy inside. The seasoning of rosemary, parmesean and salt has me polishing off a good portion of the bowl. The Fat Green Olives on Ice ($6.00) are another stellar entree and a nice fresh counterbalance to the fried polenta chips. The olives are firm, plump and nicely cold thanks to the bed of ice the are served on.

Miss M decides to forgo a pasta main and orders the Best of Aussie Lamb Spiedini ($25.00). The lamb skewer is HUGE with at least four or five pieces of plump marinated lamb which sits attop of smashed potato salad in a mint and yoghurt dressing.

To me Italian food is all about pasta, pasta, pasta and more pasta. The pasta at Jamie's Italian is made fresh every day on premises - you can watch the pasta being made in the front window, which is good entertainment I suppose if you're stuck waiting outside for two hours. For once my eyes are not bigger than my stomach and I stick with an entree sized Monachelle Puttanesca ($12.00 for an entree size, or $17.50 for a main size if you are so inclined). The shell pasta is topped with a rich tomota sauce, capers, anchovies, parsley, sliced black olives and a spoonful of herby breadcrumbs that you mix through the pasta to give it a bit of a textural crunch. Very nice - I was really happy with my choice.

We both had a great dinner at Jamie's Italian (in fact this Miss M's second visit). The staff are all very friendly, if a bit rushed off their feet - therefore if you're wanting fast service be assertive and grab the waiters attention like we did. Our waiter was a hoot - we couldn't quite figure out if his Italian accent was real, but his recommendation were authentic - avoid the salad on the specials board he said as the pasta is better value for money. As he doused my pasta in Parmesan cheese we both agreed that everything tastes better with Parmesan. It sure does!

Jamie's Italian is at 107 Pitt Street, Sydney. Phone them on 8240 9000. They only take bookings for groups of 6 or more, so get there early or be prepared to wait.

Tokonoma, Surry Hills

2011-11-26T14:33:00.000+11:00

Walking into Tokonoma in Surry Hills is like entering a warm, dark cocoon - a welcome respite from bustling Crown Street where the restaurant is located.

The dining room is beautiful and artful with walls encased in sweeping, round timber panels, and curved booths which feel private and cozy. I feel like I'm sitting inside a wooden wave. Even the light feature at Tokonoma is a work of art - made from 500,000 resin-coated lentils (yes, really)! This is the perfect place for The Baking Lady and I to relax after a day at work.

All good Spreets deals seem to begin with a bottle of wine. I tell myself I'm not much of a wine drinker, but I polished my half of this bottle with no problem at all.

The meal kicks off with a moreish bowl of my favourite Japanese snack, Edamame (soy beans sprinkled with sea salt). I've thought of making this dish at home and think "why bother", after all it's much more fun going out for dinner.

Next to arrive at the table is a beautiful looking plate of Sliced Kingfish with green chillis and yuzu ponzu dressing. This was a lovely and refreshing dish, the zesty dressing was tangy but not overly so and a nice accompaniment to the fresh fish.

Another beautiful dish is the Beef carpaccio served with yuzukoshu chive. For someone who loves their steak nearly burnt to a crisp I seem to have no problem eating raw marinated-beef dishes such as steak tartare or carpaccio - I think the thinness of the beef, and the refreshing marinade, makes the raw beef quite palatable, and tasty too.

I'm happy to see that Agedashi tofu with spicy nasu miso is included on this Spreets deal as it's one of my favourite Japanese entrees - not only as it's deep fried, but I love the texture of soft tofu encased by a firm, crunchy crust. I also really love the slightly salty bento broth the tofu sits in.

Next up is a chef’s selection of Toko-style nigiri sushi and chirashi maki. The nigiri is lovely with super fresh seafood topping the little balls of rice - really good quality sushi that has me wanting more than just the two pieces we were each allotted.

Oh, look - another all time favourite! Seriously though who doesn't just love crispy soft-shelled crab? I sure know I do. The crab at Tokonoma comes with a delicious with wasabi mayonnaise, the wasabi providing a gentle bit of heat and a slight wasabi aftertaste. Beautiful.

The grilled zucchini with wafu sauce and sesame looks like a savoury lollipop. Wouldn't this be a great way to serve vegetables to children (& fussy eaters)? The presentation makes a humble vegetable look so appealing and fun to eat.

At the recent EatDrinkBlog conference I remember asking Good Living food photographer Quentin Jones how he photographed brown and green food. My photos of these pesky coloured food groups just never seem to be in focus for some reason (too much of the same colour I guess so the camera has no contrast of colours to focus on).

His deadpan reply was to simply not photography them. Quentin (who is a bit of a larakin I suspect) told me that brown and green foods are troublesome and kinda boring so forget about them! But how can I forgot about this amazingly tender Scotch fillet with smoked gemiso? This steak was melt-in-the-mouth tender - seriously good.

All too soon our last savoury dish arrives - a simple but pleasing bowl of soba broth with shallots. This is the type of dish I'd like to be able to create at home (as well as the entire meal really, but let's not kid ourselves). Although the broth seemed to be quite simple I sadly have no idea what it is, or how to go about recreating it).

When I saw two Tokonoma dessert platters headed for our table I was chuffed. Sadly the second platter was for another table and I was going to have to share dessert with The Baking Lady. It's often really hard to share dessert, especially something as delicious and pretty as this. The peach ice-cream was democratically halved and I carefully only ate my half of the apricot brulee - though I could've happily scoffed the lot.

Tokonoma is at 490 Crown Street, Surry Hills. Phone them on 9357-6100. Tokonoma is situated right next door to its sister restaurant, the more casual Toko.

Balthazar, New York

2011-11-22T17:03:00.001+11:00

Balthazar is a classic New York restaurant - an institution I suppose. It's trendy, it's busy, it's hard to get into and if you look hard enough you may spot a celebrity or two chowing down.

I hadn't actually this put legendary NY French Bistro on my wishlist (an entire A4 page of placs to eat) although it had been on my "mental wishlist" for years. I guess I thought there was no way two daggy gals from Sydney would get a table here (I was wearing Crocs {yes I know what you're thinking but they are comfortable for walking in}, jeans from Target and a top from god knows where) so why bother. Miss M and I literally stumbled across the restaurant whilst out strolling around SoHo one morning. As it was a weekday the place was busy, but not as packed as it would be for weekend brunch so we managed to get a table in the corner of this vast and beautifully shabby dining room.

The dining room of Balthaza is HUGE - a vast gold painted room that is a bit shabby and a bit "distressed". There is loads of dark wood, an old style bar at one end and tables for as far as the eye can see. Downstairs in the lady's loo there is a bathroom attendant who hands you a handtowel, offers you some handcream (or whatever else you'd like - some perfume perhaps or dental floss). To return the favour you put a dollar or two in her tip jar. I've never been to a "real" French bistro in France, but I imagine this is what it would be like. I'm in LOVE!

As this is our second breakfast for the morning we keep things light. I'm really here just to experience the place and Miss M has her eyes peeled for any celebrites that might be hiding (there were none). The food we ordered was really pretty straight forward and simple, afterall we weren't hear to eat our own body weight in French food.

I start off with a glass of Pink Grapefruit Juice. It's a pretty standard glass of juice, but it's juice that I'm drinking in Balthazar in NEW YORK BABY so that automatically makes it the best juice I've ever had. EVER!

I'm quite smitten with the idea that this established New York restaruant serves a humble Soft Boiled (Organic) Egg with Toast Soilders ($4.00) so I decide this is the breakfast dish for me.

Miss M's eyes had lit up at the sight of the large cabinet overflowing with freshly baked bread so she opts for a basket of bread (un-toasted please) with jam.

We finished things up with a simple bowl of fruit salad, which was acutally really nice considering all the junk food, fried food, fatty food, sweet food, too much food I'd been eating thus far.

I really enjoyed our simple breakfast at Balthazar. It felt "so New York" eating there - watching the regulars catch up over coffee and a newspaper was one of the (eating) highlights of my trip.

The Eight, Haymarket

2011-11-21T08:49:00.000+11:00

A surefire way to gather my family together is to suggest Yum Cha. Everyone seems happy to travel to the ends of the earth for a weekend Yum Cha brunch - even Niecy Poo's new beau who is fresh of the plane from Scotland (for his first EVER Yum Cha EVER)!

I'm really intrigued to see Mr Scotland's reaction to a) a grilling by our family b) his first EVER Yum Cha and c) his ability to eat Chicken Feet with my brother who is always looking for a partner in Chicken Feet crime. He seemed to have survived everything quite well.

As is customary we gather at the Yum Cha in Market City, above the ever tacky Paddy's Market. The restaurant has recently undergone a name change and a change in decor too (lots of red going on). Truth be told I actually don't know what The Eight was called before its recent change in ownership, we've always referred to it as "the place above Paddy's Markets", as you do.

Within seconds of being shown to our seats the onslaught of bamboo wielding Trolley Dolly's hits us, and not a moment to soon as we're all starving! All of our favourites came around and within minutes are table is groaning under the weight of multiple baskets.

Seafood Dumpling

Prawn Dumpling

Spinach Dumplings

Peking Duck Pancake - this was delicious! We all agreed one pancake each is not enough.

Green beans with pork mince - an all time personal favourite

Chicken feet - eep

Eggplant with prawn somewhere in there - tastes a thousand times better than it looks. Really!

Salt and Pepper Calamari - my all time favourite Yum Cha dish

We all left Yum Cha with full bellies and agreed the food was better than it was in our previous visits here - in The Eight's previous life. There was a never ending parade of Yum Cha trolleys going past our table and a good variety of dishes on offer - good enough to keep a table of Aussie (and Scottish) Yum Cha lovers happy.

The Eight Modern Chinese Restaurant is at Level 3 Market City 9 Hay St, Haymarket.

The Pickle Guys, New York

2011-11-18T08:53:00.000+11:00

Whilst traipsing around The Lower East Side we tried to experience some of the Jewish foodie culture by visiting Russ and Daughters. Miss M really really really had her heart set on a Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagel from this famous deli. Alas it was not to be as the place was SO crowded (the day before a major Jewish holiday might have something to do with the crush) that there was no way we were getting served anytime soon.

Katz Deli was literally just down the road so we hot-footed it there only to find the prices seriously ridiculous ($12.00 for a bagel - puhLEASE - we don't even pay that much in Australia)! Miss M and I also both agreed that the place was a bit...grimy...and our $12.00 would be better spent elsewhere.

And what better way to spend $12.00 and try something from a store that is a little different than visit The Pickle Guys.

The name of this store pretty much sums up what's on offer - pickles. Anything that they can hold down long enough to go into the pickle vat gets the pickling treatment. The store is tiny, very quite narrow and nearly every available inch of floorspace is taken up with huge vats of pickled goods. Heaven!

The owner of the store was impressed that I was able to identify the below vat as Pickled Turnips (all those trips to El Jannah's weren't for nothing). In fact he said I was the only person EVER not to think it was a vat full of beetroot. Way to go Miss Piggy!

We ended up leaving with a few sour pickles each and a tub of mixed pickled vegies. The food was really delicious and I loved the novelty factor of a store that sells nothing but pickled goods.

The pickles we bought we super sour and super tart...made my face go a bit "winky".

Izakaya Aragato, Chatswood

2011-11-16T10:19:00.001+11:00

I recently attended a conference on food blogging – EatDrinkBlog 2011 – where a few of the seminars were focused on the ethics of blogging, and what our obligations are under the law in terms of the content of our blogs. Debate went back and forth about what to do if you have a less than positive experience at a restaurant. Do you pretend like it never happened and just focus on the good aspects of the meal, do you let the restaurant have it and tell them exactly how woeful you think they are...or do you tread somewhere in the middle? Is it dishonest not to tell your readers about both the good and bad elements of a dining experience?

Personally I try to tread somewhere in the middle, erring on the side of kindness as I’m mindful that I’m writing about someone’s business and someone’s livelihood – it’s not my place to tear them apart no matter how crap my evening was. That said, if I have had a really bad experience I don’t want to pretend like it never happened. I'm often more forgiving towards less than perfect food, but bad service really gets me going. What a quandary.

So keeping all of that in mind I’m a bit stumped about what to say about Izakaya Aragato, though I will start off by saying it is not an Izakaya, but a simple Japanese restaurant located on Chatswood’s Eat Street. From what I’ve told by those “in the know” a true Izakaya is a snack bar serving simple, small dishes of Japanese treats that you consume with a cold beer (or three) after a hard day at the office.

The food at Izakaya Aragato was all very lovely, and as we were dining on a Spreets voucher there was A LOT of food – two entrees, sushi plate, two mains and two desserts. A really good value for money meal.

When there is so much food being offered you don’t really want it to arrive at your table all at the same time. All of our dishes (bar the dessert) arrived in quick succession, like rapid gunfire, which left us to gobble food really quickly simply to make table space for everything that was bestowed upon us. It certainly wasn’t a relaxing meal, especially when the waitress was literally shoving my bowl out from under me as I was eating my entree so she could find room for my bento box. A death stare was given by me and duly ignored – nicely played waitress. Maybe they just try to get their Spreets customers in and out as quickly as possible, but as we were only one of three tables there surely I don’t quite get the need to rush us.

So onto the food which was really quite nice. Everything was fresh, flavoursome and presented beautifully. If this restaurant was in my local area I'd probably turn a blind eye to the service as the food is well worth a revisit.

The meal started with a tea pot filled with warm Sake. I actually thought this was Green Tea so filled both our cups to the brim until I realised what was inside the tea pot. Whoops!

Our first entree was a simple bowl of Agedashi Tofu (normally $6.80) which was great. The tofu was firm, fat and so squiggly I had to resort to eating it with a fork. The broth was perfectly flavoured and a great start to the food.

Next to arrive was a Miso Soup - which was meant to accompany the Bento Box I'd ordered for my main meal. The Boy drank this straight away however so there was no worry about it going cold before we got around to eating mains.

Our second entree was a beautiful Soft Shell Crab Salad (normally $12.80). I find it hard to go past Soft Shell Crab when I see it on a menu and this did not disappoint. The salad was generous in size and had all the right flavours that go into a making a great Japanese salad.

The Spreets deal also included a plate of either Sashimi or Sushi. The Boy took a liking to the Rock n Roll plate (normally $13.80) which was a good choice as it had a little bit of everything - including my favourite Cooked Tuna Salad Roll.

I love Bento Boxes ($13.80) so it was a no brainer that I was ordering this for my main meal. I choose my Bento Box with a serve of succulent and flavoursome Chicken Teriyaki which was accompanied by Rice, Seaweed Salad, Gyoza, Takoyaki (Octopus Ball) and a zesty green salad.

The Boy is a true Aussie at heart and can't go past a good schnitzel when it is on offer. Chicken Katsu ($12.90) is the Japanese version of a chicken schnitzel- crumbed, fried and topped with Japanese Mayonnaise and a sweet tasting sauce that I've had on Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) before. The whole lot is served with a rich, creamy Japanese Coleslaw. Judging by the fact that there was not a crumb left on his plate I think The Boy enjoyed his meal.

The table is cleared and we wait for our desserts to arrive. We both ordered the Japanese Ice-Cream Sundae ($6.80) and it certainly put a smile on our faces when it arrived. The Sundae was a colourful concoction of Green Tea, Sesame and Vanilla Ice-Cream drizzled with Strawberry Topping, Cornflakes (??) and a pink wafer biscuit. My favourite ice-cream flavour was definitely the nutty tasting Sesame. The Green Tea was "interesting" as it had big leafs of green tea dotted throughout giving it bitter note. The Cornflakes added an intersting textural element and is certainly not something The Boy or I had ever encournterd in our dessert before.

Izakaya Arigato is at Shop P7, 5 Railway Street, Chatswood. Phone them on 9411 6596.

Tacombi, New York

2011-11-13T10:52:00.000+11:00

I hadn't planned to visit Tacombi whilst in New York, but like so many good things on this trip we stumbled across it whilst out strolling around NoLiTa one morning.

There are so many great things about this Mexican street food joint from the two guys cooking up a storm of tacos and tamales in a converted Kombi Van to the old mechanics garage the cafe is located within. Tacombi has a rustic "south of the border" feel, yet also a hard urban edge that is simply too cool for school. This place is very cool...very New York.

Despite the quirky decor and interior it goes without saying thought that the absolute best thing about Tacombi is the food. Miss M and I decide to keep our ordering to a minimum as we had a plan to head down the road to Russ and Daughters and pig out on cream cheese with salmon bagels...but that never happened as the deli was so crowded we could hardly get our foot inside the door.

I keep my ordering under control and order just two tacos. The AL PASTOR (marinated pork and roast pineapple) takes my fancy as does the CRISPY FISH (beer battered fish, chipotle mayo and cabbage slaw).

Al Pastor - $3.67

OMG - these tacos were AMAZING! The crispy fish taco blew my mind so much so that I'm going to attempt making this taco at home (using frozen fish from the supermarket though - let's not go too crazy with this whole cooking shingdig). I've already made a pineapple salsa a few times ala the AL PASTOR and it's been a big hit.

Crispy Fish Taco - $3.67

Miss Piggy cannot live on Tacos alone (sadly) so we bought a drink each. I go for the AGUA DE SANDÍAAGUA (Freshly squeezed lime and watermelon juice) and Miss M goes tropical and opts for a big tall glass of DE JAMAICA (tart, unsweetened tea brewed from hibiscus flower).

Agua De Sandia (on the left) and Agua De Jamaica on the right - $2.67 each

So needless to say I have big regrets in not having eaten my own body weight in delicious tacos and will be hitting up El Loco soon for something a bit more authentic than I can muster up at home.

Thanon Khaosan, Haymarket

2011-11-10T14:19:00.000+11:00

It’s a little sad to admit that one of the major drawcards of dining at Thanon Khaosan for me was the cute little Tuk Tuk that is installed in the front of this Thai restaurant. Now I took a Tuk Tuk (that’s a lot of tooks/Tuks in one sentence) in Bangkok just for the heck of it and it was loud and dirty as you breathed in the fumes of all the traffic around you...and you couldn’t really see out the sides all that well unless you ducked your head at an odd angle. Tuk Tuks are better for looking at then riding in I’d say.

Despite the novelty Tuk Tuk at Thanon Khaosan this Thai eatery deep in the bowels of Sydney’s Thainatown (I always feel like I’m lisping when I say Thainatown), also serves up some pretty decent Thai food. There are quite a few items on the menu that I’ve not seen any of the other Thai places around – such as Tap Kai Yang (BBQ Chicken Liver with tamarind sauce).

On this visit The BFF and I are dining on another spreets voucher. This one was a real bargain, two entrees, two mains, two desserts and two glasses of wine all for $39. What a steal!

Apologies for the terrible, fuzzy, dark photos. I swear that as soon as we sat down and they saw my camera the lights were dimmed to near darkness! It was nearly too much for the Canon G11 to handle.

We start things off with an order of Moo Ping (BBQ Pork with tamarind sauce – normally $5.00 for 3 pieces). This was a sensationally delicious entree. The pork was tender and moist, yet charred on the outside.

Next is an entree I’ve not seen on a Thai menu anywhere before. I’m not sure if it is an authentic dish or something that has been added to the menu for the Aussie palate. Either way I was chuffed with the Kiew Kai Tod (Fried Wonton Filled with Quail Egg - $5.00 for 2 pieces). Each skewer held three crispy wontons wrapped around a plump little quail egg - certainly an interesting dish. The yolk was quite firm which was a shame as I love the pop biting in a quail egg and hitting rich, oozey yolk. I’m not sure how you would get a runny yolk with deep-frying the whole thing?

For mains we shared a Som Tum Poo (Thai papaya salad with raw pickled crabs - $8.90). This dish was really interesting and probably one of those that I need instructions for. The papaya salad was the standard sort you would get pretty much anywhere, but the pickled crab was what we both found really interesting.

Two tiny little crabs sat hidden under the mess of papaya salad – shells still intact. They would’ve been no bigger than a 50 cent piece. The BFF and I debated over whether or not we should eat them, or if they were just there for seasoning or just decoration. Mid debate The BFF pops one into his mouth and crunches away declaring it is OK, kind of salty. I decide to try a leg off the second crab. Oh my god – it was SO salty, like drinking a glass of sea water. So I guess, now that the research has been done, you don’t eat the crab (or do you)?

The Ped Nam Buoy (roasted duck served with stir fried shitake mushroom - $24.90) was far less challenging for us. There was no question that you dug in and ate as much of this lush, fatty duck meat as you could.

Dessert was a slice of pandan jelly topped with a white coconut jelly of sorts, and a slab of peanut “something something”. Both were really nice, not to sweet and the peanut thingy-ma-jig reminded me a bit of Indian Barfi.

Display of sweeties on the cart at the front of the store.

Thanon Khaosan is at 413 Pitt Street, Haymarket. Phone 9211 1194

Pho Pasteur, Emperor's Puff and Sweeties Delight, Haymarket

2011-11-07T11:18:00.000+11:00

I think Pho Pasteur was the first place the BFF and I ever went to for a meal together - back in the 90s so I'm talking like a million years ago. Back then I was living on the North Shore "darling" and the BFF was worried that my North Shore sensibilities couldn't handle this grungy little Vietnamese diner. To be fare I was squatting in my sisters sunroom as I couldn't afford to live anywhere else - a cheap and cheerful meal was exactly what I was after.

Fast forward quite a few years and I swear to the food Gods above that Pho Pasteur has not changed one little bit - the same worn tiled floor, batteried laminate tables and vinyl covered chairs. And the menu looks unchanged as well - which is fine. Why mess with simple perfection I say?

A meal here always starts with the obligatory silver pot of free tea. Not a bad drop and tastes just as good hot as it does cold - which inevitably happens when you're gossiping away over a meal with friends.

First up we order a serve of Seafood Spring Rolls ($10.00 for six). Before anything else arrives on the table a plate arrives bearing a tumble of lettuce leaves, mint and bean sprouts (that's it in the background of this shot). Moments later the super crispy spring rolls arrive - yum!

Step 1: various bits and bobs arrive at the table

Step 2: a plate of irresistibly crispy spring rolls arrive shortly after

Step 3: wrap your spring roll in the lettuce leaf (and other bits and pieces), dip in the sauce provided and ENJOY!

Because the weather has been a bit all over the place lately, and Sydney is in a "cold spell" on the night of this dinner (plus I was feeling a bit "under the weather") I decide a bowl of steaming hot Pho with Grilled Beef ($10.50 for a small bowl) is in order.

Now my Aussie friends I have it on good authority that a) Pho will cure anything that ails you and b) it's pronounced more like the word "Fur" not "Foe". Pho/Fur can also come with thinly sliced Raw Beef that cooks quickly in the hot broth, but I've decided that I prefer the Grilled Beef much more. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to dunk the grilled beef into the Pho, or just eat it as a side dish...so I do both (best of both worlds approach). The second plate of goodies that arrived at our table early on is for the Pho...a squeeze of lemon, some bean sprouts and Vietnamese Basil all go into the soup before you begin slurping away.

The BFF goes for a very healthy and refreshing bowl of Grilled Beef with Vermicelli ($10.00). Whilst the Grilled Beef that is wrapped around grilled onion is delicious, it is the hidden nubbins of deep fried pork fat that really put a smile on my face. Pork Fat! Deep Fried! What could be better? So really, this dish is not that healthy after all. Whatever!

Seeing as our so called "healthy dinner" descended into a pork fat love fest we decide it's only fitting to go in search of something sweet to end our night on. I've always been intrigued by the little hole-in-the-wall on Dixon Street selling "Emperor's Puff". Normally there is a long queue stretching back from this tiny window, but this night the joint was deserted (or desserted) so we buy four of these delectable little custard puffs to see all the fuss is about. At $1.00 for 4 this must be the cheapest sugar hit in Sydney.

Caution: the custard filling is SERIOUSLY hot, I swear I lost a layer of skin off the roof of my mouth. Ouch!

Now whilst the Emperor's Puff were good, the BFF's sweet tooth still wasn't satisfied so we went in search of more sugar. We were headed for Meet Fresh when we spotted the "same same but different" Sweetie's Paradise on Dixon Street.

The BFF decides to order something hot (given that his dinner was a cold salad) and order a bowl of Almond Soup and Black Glutinous Rice ($4.70). I'm not normally a fan of rice pudding type dishes, but this was actually really tasty (but way too filling). I quite liked my foray into Herbal Jelly at Meet Fresh to go for the Mango Grass Jelly ($4.99). The Grass Jelly is really quite flavourless, but weirdly refreshing at the same time.

Pho Pasteur is at 709 George Street, Haymarket.

You can buy Emperor's Puff from the hole-in-the-wall window at Emperor's Garden Cake and Bakery in Chinatown (96-100 Hay Street {though the bakery is actually on Dixton Street}, Haymarket).

Sweetie's Paradise is at 45 Dixon Street.

Momofuku Ssam Bar and Milk Bar, New York

2011-11-04T10:20:00.000+11:00

Any food lover worth their weight in pork buns is sure to make a pit stop at Momofuku in New York. The only question is which one? Ssam, The Noodle Bar, Ko or Ma Peche. Of course it goes without saying that whichever Momofuku you choose to dine at you have to complete the meal with dessert from the Momofuku Milk Bar.

David Chang is the brainchild behind the Momofuku restaurants, focusing on a fusion of Korean/American cuisine. His legendary pork buns are the stuff of foodie dreams - and they are as good as all the hype makes them out to be.

We didn't visit Momofuku until quite late in our trip and my stomach was suffering from serious food fatigue. We decided to hit up Momofuku Ssam for a few smaller tapas style dishes, rather than the Noodle Bar as it just wasn't Ramen weather - being a hot and sunny day.

We start with a steamed pork bun each (these are too good to consider sharing no matter how full you are from 10 solid days of eating). I love the soft, doughy buns that look like Pacman gobbling up a sweet, fatty piece of pork. Pacman also has a good does of flavoursome hoisin, cucumbers and scallions in his gob. I really wish we could get pork buns like this in Sydney. Sigh.

Unbeknownst to me Ssam also do a pulled duck bun (*happy dance*). Despite being slathered with just a bit too much smoked mayo, the shredded duck was AMAZING and resplendent with a crispy, salty tile of duck skin on top. There's also a bit of sauerkraut in there somewhere.

We thought we were being healthy by ordering a broccoli salad with a smoked bluefish vinaigrette. This salad was DELICIOUS, and the waitress tells us anything cooked in rendered duck fat and topped with crispy flecks of duck crackling ought to taste mind blowing. Well, it blew our feeble little minds that's for sure.

After our few healthy (*cough cough*) small plates we decide to upsize things and order a lunch plate of
rotisserie duck over rice with “all the fixings”, or as the waitress said “one tricked out duck over rice”. The scaled down version of the lunch plate comes with just duck, scallion, ssam sauce and crispy shallot. We added lettuce and chive pancakes so we could make delicious, ducky, tasty wraps.

Our plan after lunch was head directly across the road to the Momofuku Milkbar so I could inhale a piece or three of their famous Crack Pie, but we were so full we had to go for a walk to let lunch settle down into our hollow legs.

So a little stroll around the streets of the Lower East Side bring us back to the Milkbar with slightly emptied stomachs.

I was pretty sure I knew what I wanted to buy but was very nearly sidetracked by the tempting display of cookies, cakes and slices on the counter. Corn Cookie? Sounds tempting, but I needed to stay focused.

I order a slice of my long dreamed about Crack Pie which is so sweet I'm sure I got cavities in my teeth at the very first bite. The pie is called Crack Pie as it is purported to be as addictive as Crack. Not that I've had Crack, but the pie is pretty nice, however I don't feel like I'm addicted to it (which is good as it's long way back to the visit the Milkbar from Sydney, and I can't bake one myself as...I can't bake). The pie is a super sweet mix of butter, cream, brown sugar, regular sugar, and a corn flour and the taste and texture reminds me a litlte of the caramel in our caramel slice. Plenty of people have blogged about baking this pie and it's pretty easy to find a recipe online if you feel the ned to test your addiction levels.

I also grab a Compost Cookie for the road. Another quirky name for a cookie that contains just about everything you'd throw into a compost bin - though it tastes (and smells) better than I imagine any compost bin would. The cookie contains everything from potato chips, pretzels, coffee grounds (yes coffee grounds), chocolate chips and butterscotch chips (plus what I suspect is a whole tonne of butter) resulting in a moist, chewy, tasty cookie.

The Cereal Milk Soft Serve grabs Miss M's eye. The ice-cream tastes just like the left over milk in the bottom of your cornflakes bowl. Not my cup of tea, but I think cereal lovers would be pretty chuffed.

David Chang has recently opened a Momofuku at the casino in Sydney - a bit more fancy schmancy (and pricey) than Ssam, but I hear that the pork buns are on the menu.

Shake Shack, New York

2011-11-01T19:24:00.000+11:00

I've been deciding if I should write any more posts about my eating adventure in NYC - after all we ate SO much it's a bit overwhelming to decide what to write about and where to even begin. I'm also trying to cut down on my blogging as I've having some "issues" with my arms and typing/computer work is a real pain (literally).

But then I started looking through my photos of my trip to NYC and the photos of our meal/s at Shake Shack had my reliving the "best burger of my life" moment. So I'll begin my NYC posts with the best thing I ate...a simple, mind-blowing cheeseburger.

The first Shake Shack we visited was in Madison Square Park - an outdoor kiosk where you sit under ferry lights and eat your mind-blowing burgers whilst already plotting the next time you can get back to Shake Shack for your next burger hit. As it was pretty dark my photos didn't turn out all that well (it was also raining which made eating outdoors a bit of a challenge) - so I knew a daylight revisit was going to be in order.

Luckily for me there is another Shake Shack further uptown near Times Square where we happened to be one lunchtime.

Up in lights at the Theatre District branch.

There it is - the best cheeseburger of my life! Why is it the best cheeseburger I hear you ask?

Well (I'll try and keep this brief) for starters the the Shake Shack patty's are 100% ground beef and are ground fresh every day - no frozen yukky patty's here. This means the patty's are moist, totally delicious and flavoursome. Simply it tastes amazing. And the bun - oh the bun! The buns at Shake Shack are super soft and squishy and toasted to perfection. Oh, and look at that oozy, melty cheese...and the thick slice of pickle. Man oh man what I wouldn't give to be back in NYC right now biting into one of these babies.

Cheeseburger - $4.00 for a single patty

My travel buddy Miss M prefers her burger with a bit of greenery so opts for the Shakeburger. Personally I don't want any pesky salad getting in the way of my Cheeseburger experience, but Miss M seems pretty happy.

Shakeburger - $4.50 for a single patty

Of course you can't have a burger without a side of fries. I like the novelty factor of the crinkly fries here - though the fires aren't a patch on their world changing burgers.

Fries - $2.65, crinkles included

Refreshments - the tall and the short.

I order a Root Beer Float just for the pure novelty factor. Root Beer tastes like Sarsaparilla which I know a lot of people don't like as it has a bit of a medicinal taste, but I LOVE it. Add in a scoop of ice-cream and you have a frothy, fluffy "float".

Root Beer Float - $4.75

Miss M orders a Concrete - which is a bit like a McFlurry from McDonalds. A "concrete" is a super dense frozen custard blended which is mixed with a bunch of toppings and other bits and pieces like chocolate, honeycomb and god knows what else we choose to go into the mix.

Concrete - $6.00

If you're on your way to The Big Apple I would highly recommend grabbing yourself a Cheeseburger from Shake Shack. Perhaps you can bring one home for me?

Ooo look, a yellow cab. How New York is that?

Mamak, Chatswood

2011-10-28T09:01:00.000+11:00

Over the bridge and far away is another Mamak, tucked away near the Chatswood Railway Station. The Boy and I decide to jump ship on the last night of the Night Noodle Markets in Hyde Park as the crowds were just unbearable, and the jacked-up prices of the food not much better (though I have to say we were enjoying the nice outside dining experience).

We figured that as all of Sydney were at the Night Noodle Markets there'd be no line ups at Mamak...and boy were we right. We arrived at around 7.30pm and walked straight in and got a table with no waiting - talk about a good strategy.

Although we'd manage to get a bit of food in our bellies at the Night Noodle Market before the crowds descended we decided to order a few savoury items at Mamak and then dessert. I find it hard to go past Roti Canai ($5.50), a basic but delicious dish of Roti, crispy on the outside, but soft and buttery on the inside that is served with two curry dips and spicy sambal sauce.

Because I'd heard so many people rave about the satay skewers at Mamak we order half a dozen Chicken Satay Sticks ($9.00) to see what all the fuss is about. The skewers are great - charred on the outside from being grilled over flaming charcoal, a served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce - this is a different style of satay sauce than The Boy and I are used to and we LOVE it. LOVE! It's less like liquified Peanut Butter and more sweet - even the colour is different, a deeper red.

We're really here for something sweet though and The Boy is as happy as a clam when his Roti Pisang ($7.50) arrives in front of him. The roti is served flat with pieces of camarlised banana snuggled in between the sheets of buttery, crisp roti. A scoop of ice-cream really completes this dish. I suspect there is some sweetened condensed milk lurking in this dessert too, but can't be sure.

I seem to have a slight addiction to the sweet and deliciously moreish Cendol ($6.00) - a refreshing dessert made with gula-melaka syrup, coconut milk and shaved ice. The wriggly green noodles are made from fresh pandan leaves which gives them their vibrant green colour. When I tweeted a picture of this during the meal someone asked why I was eating Pea and Ham Soup for dessert. Oh dear!

Of course dinner and dessert isn't complete without something to wash it all down with. Being the bogans that we are we bypass the exotic (and delicious) Malaysian teas and go for a good old Diet Coke! How adventurous of us.

The next night we're back in Chatswood hoping to get our Crazy Wings fix at the restaurant next door however they have a function on and weren't offering their al-a-carte menu. After a quick conference on the doorstep of Mamak The Boy and I decide there's nothing wrong with going to Mamak two nights in a row (says they girl who went to Mappen four times in one week recently - don't judge).

From top left: Fried Chicken, Ice Lime Drink (Limau Ais), Chicken Murtabak and my Nasi Lemak.

I didn't have my camera on this second visit, but my trusty Samsung phone snapped a few pictures for posterity's sake. I decided to have the Nasi Lemak ($8.50) with a side of Fried Chicken ($3.00). I've heard people call Nasi Lemak Malaysia's "national dish" and I can see why. It's a simple dish, but totally addictive. Coconut rice is served with a medley of sambal, peanuts, crispy anchovies, cucumber and hard-boiled egg. The Boy opts for the Chicken Murtabak ($11.50) - a chuncky Roti filled with spicy chicken, cabbage, eggs and onions.

Mamak Chatwood is at Shop P9, 1-5 Railway St, Chatswood. Phone them on (02) 9411 4411. And GREAT news is that Mamak has a catering menu.

Kammadhenu, Newtown

2011-10-21T10:03:00.004+11:00

It's lucky for me that this isn't a video blog as I seriously have NO idea how to pronounce the name of this restaurant. For years I've just put a capital "K" in front of a string of random letters and hoped someone knew which Newtown restaurant I was talking about...you know "let's go to Kamendakendanularoolaroo - that Indian Place on King Street".

I'm lucky again then that Miss Chicken and I were strolling past Kamendakendanularoolaroo-blah-blah one lunch time and all I had to say was "let's eat here". Done!

The "Restaurant beginning with K" offers a myriad of cuisines from Malaysia, South Indian, Indo-Chinese and also Sri Lankin, but it's hard to go past the $8.00 lunchtime Thali Plate special.

Thali is a WONDERFUL dish as you get to try a little bit of a lot of things - dahl, pickles, curry (I choose lamb and Miss Chicken goes for...the chicken), rice, poppadums and something sweet to finish with. Often I look at the little serves before me on a Thali plate and think "I won't be full after that", but it sneaks up on you and before you know it you're clutching your tummy.

Lamb Curry

Heart shaped rice - awww.

Kammadhenu (yes that is its real name) also has a variety of Hoppers on offer - something I have always wanted to try. On this occasion I begin at the beginning and try a Plain Hopper ($4.00 for two) which tastes just like a fluffy pancake in the thickest part of the hopper, and like crispy-cooked pancake batter on its thinner parts. Because plain hoppers taste quite...plain, they are usually served with a curry type accompaniment to spice things up a bit. I can't wait to come back and try the other hoppers on offer...egg, string, milk - the list goes on.

We also try a Lamb Roll ($1.50) which in essence is a little potato and lamb croquette. Delicious.

When you go to pay your bill at the register there is a colourful bowl of Mukhwas awaiting you. Mukhwas is an Indian after-dinner snack that serves as a bit of a breath freshener and digestive aid. I just love the flavour in Mukhaws - the are usually a mix of fennel and anise seeds - some are sugar coated and so pretty! The aroma and flavour is fantastic - a perfectly exotic end to an Indian feast.

Scoop a serve into your hand and "bottoms up".

Kammadhenu is at 171 King Street, Newtown.

Cotton Duck, Surry Hills

2011-10-19T12:19:00.001+11:00

The second stage of my multi-pronged attack on the post-holiday blues was booking dinner at Cotton Duck for my first weekend back in Sydney. All the while in New York I knew in the back of my mind that The Boy and I had this great dinner to look forward to and I didn’t mind coming home quite so much.

One of the things that appeals to me so much about Cotton Duck is the owner and chef’s philosophy towards food – everything placed before you has been created with integrity and respect for the ingredients. I find this especially heart-warming when it comes to eating meat – I want to know the meat I’m eating has led a happy and healthy life. The Boy and I always try to eat free-range meat wherever we can as I just “feel better” in my mind when I do so.

We’re dining at Cotton Duck on another of our magical Spreets vouchers! Yay for Spreets – without it I’d not be able to afford to go out and try so many great new places...so often.

Our first course starts with a selection of little canapés – as well as either a glass of Borambola Premium Sparkling wine (which I get) or a bottle of Borambola Lager from Wagga Wagga NSW (which The Boy gets).

The canapes of Yam Crisp with Babaganoush and a little Scallop adorned with a pretty little edible flower were an enticing preivew of what was to come. Bring it on!

We also start the meal with a totally amazing Brassiere Bread Sourdough that comes with a little pad of creamy, lush Pepe Saya Cultured Butter. I’ve heard A LOT about this butter on the Twitterverse (and from a guy at work who RAVES about it) and it’s as good as everyone says it is. The bread is pretty amazing too – so soft and fluffy, and topped with a selection of seeds including Caraway, my all time favourite as I LOVE the slight aniseed flavour it has.

For both the entrees and the mains we are offered a choice of two dishes, which means The Boy and I get to try everything on the menu. As is de rigueur when dinning in such circumstances we each eat half of our dish and then hand it over to the other person. Sharing is caring after all.

I start the entrees with the Pickled Tiger Prawns with Tahini Mousse and cucumber, tempuring, curry oil and black salt whilst The Boy tucks into the Pressed Pork with Caviar Lentils and a root vegetable confit with a fresh bay leaf sauce. I have no idea what “tempuring” is, but man, is it good. The rillette of pressed pork in the second entree I tried was lovely – moist and tender, encased in a crispy shell. In typical fashion I love the prawn dish whilst The Boy’s favourite is by far the pressed pork.

It’s the same case with mains – I’m head over heels for the Pan Roasted King Salmon with peas and pea puree, potato crisp and tartare sauce whilst The Boy is smitten with the Lamb Shoulder, Buttons and King browns, Sprouts, Lardon and Jus. The tartare sauce with the salmon dish is to die for with quite a zingy and slightly tart flavour, and who doesn’t love crisps as part of their main meal? The Boy is seriously in love with the lamb dish and I have to admit the lamb is pretty good – it simply falls off the bone with a touch of our forks.

Of course dinner wouldn’t be dinner without a side of the creamiest mashed potato (8.00). This wasn’t part of the Spreets deal, but we just couldn’t resist.

Dessert wasn’t part of the Spreets deal either, but when The Boy spotted Chocolate Fondant ($15.00) on the menu served with blood orange and caramel he couldn’t say no. The fondant is incredible and when we break through the layer of outer sponge chocolate oozes forth like a blissfully yummy river. This was a first fondant experience for both of us and we're pretty happy.

I was quickly convinced by The Boy that I should order the Fragomammella ($15.00) a summery Goats Cheese pannacotta with strawberry cream, meringue and baby mint. As Cotton Duck has an open kitchen it was quite hilarious to watch the chefs wrestle with my pannacotta and try to make it stand upright. No matter how many times the wobbly pannacotta was stood up it just flopped right back over and laid down on the plate – I guess it had been a hard night for the lazy pannacotta and he needed a nap. Whether upright or lazing seductively on his fat wobbly side, this pannacotta was AMAZING – the strawberry flavour was incredible and I was so tempted to order a second, but that would just be being piggy, wouldn’t it?

Cotton Duck is at 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills. Phone them on 02 8399 0250.

Rice Paper, Newtown

2011-10-17T10:00:00.001+11:00

I find the only way to cope with the inevitable post-holiday return to work is to plan a whole lot of other great things to look forward to. So besides our (already booked) upcoming holiday to Thailand/Singapore I made plans to catch up with Miss Chicken and Mr Shawn on my second day back at work.

We ventured down King Street in Newtown and ended up at Rice Paper, a newly opened Vietnamese restaurant. It's good to finally have a Vietnamese eatery on the north end of King Street that's opened for lunch, snuggled in amongst the myriad of Thai lunchtime spots.

Lunch started with drinks, a Homemade Lemon Squash ($4.50) for me and a Vietnamese Coffee for Mr Shawn. I really liked my drink...it was must less sweet than I was expecting which was nice and there was a perfect tartness to the lemon.

Both Miss Chicken and I opt for the Vermicelli Noodles (or Bun as the Vietnamese say - though I think my pronunciation is more than a little off). Mine comes with delicious tender Beef and Miss Chicken's with Lemongrass Pork. Both dishes are served with a small dish of Nuoc Cham Sauce (a mix of Fish Sauce, Sugar, Chilli and Lime Juice...I think) which you pour over the noodles. I love Vermicelli Noodle dishes and it's normally what I order when I'm having Vietnamese for lunch - it's just such a simple and healthy dish. This version had the addition of some purple basil (and possibly some mint too) which is something I've not encountered in this dish before.

Bun Bo Xao - aka Vermicelli Noodles with Lemongrass Pork

Bun Thit Nunong - aka Vermicelli Noodles with Beef

I got to tell ya, I had more than a little food envy when Mr Shawn's lunch arrived at the table. I mean LOOK at all that delicious fried pork chop. Temptation got the better of me and I nabbed a tasty little morsel of pork and it was delicious.

Rice Paper is at 131 King Street, Newtown. Phone (02) 8065 7271.

New York has other things besides food. HUH?

2011-10-13T19:00:00.002+11:00

You'd be forgiven for thinking that my New York holiday was all about the food...and mostly you'd be right. But in between all the chowing down we did a bit of sightseeing, you know to work up an appetite.

I thought I'd do a short, non-food related blog post (shock horror) in case any of my 12 readers are interested in what else NYC has to offer.

One the first two days of our trip we boarded the embarrassingly touristy, but seriously great for lazy people like moi, big red bus and toured the sights of The Big Apple from the comfort of our seat on the top of the double-decker bus. I really love these Hop-On Hop-Off buses as you get to see an entire city in a short space of time. It let's you get your bearings and for me always highlights areas I want to go back and explore further (or really it helps me identify the areas where good eats are)!

Top deck is best - just don't stand up or you'll loose your head on a traffic light. Ouch

Because I LOVE bus tours and because I LOVE food the Slice of Brooklyn Tour was right up my alley. I mean how could anyone pass up a tour of Brooklyn stopping at some famous Pizza restaurants (oh and you see some areas of Brooklyn that have featured in famous movies - but seriously who cares, where's my pizza)? We also had a quick stopover at Coney Island - wish I hadn't had so much pizza as I would've jumped on the roller-coaster. Weeeee.

Hello Brooklyn, how you doin'?

Best part of this tour, jumping the LONG queue at Grimaldi's

Grimaldi's - packed to the rafters after being open for 5 minutes

That's no normal ferris wheel folks - look closely and you'll see the carriages "drop". Eep

I don't know about you but the thought of lining up for over 4 hours to hop on a boat to go and see the Statue of Liberty is my idea of hell! Pure Hell! Especially when you can jump on the FREE Staten Island Ferry which goes right past this green goddess...and at the ferry terminal on Staten Island is a newsagent with a Starbucks outlet that has a damn fine Red Velvet Cupcake.

All aboard...

Ta da...there she is!

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge is something that I REALLY wanted to do on my last trip but just didn't get around to it. I made sure we had time on this visit and I'm so glad we did this as it is an AMAZING thing to do (and it's free too). The views from the bridge are spectacular and the walk is quite short so it didn't interfere to much with my hectic eating schedule.

Look I think it's pretty obvious that I have a slight addiction to tours. In my defense though the 3 hour Circle Line cruise around Manhattan is a MUST do! There is nothing quite like seeing the island from the water - the buildings look massive, and the perspective you get of the skyline is really something else. The tour of the island also takes you right up to the tippy top of Manhattan - somewhere most tourists really don't venture.

On my last visit to NYC I spotted this weird little residential island in the East River called Roosevelt Island. So what I hear you say. Well, you can access the island by cable car - all for the measly sum of $2.25 of your MetCard. I'm SO there! Roosevelt Island used to house a Small Pox Hospital, Mental Asylum, various other hospitals and so on, but nowadays it seems like a nice little place to live. I seriously fell in love with this place. And if you're not into a cable car commute to work there is a subway station on the island AND a bridge connecting it to Queens. When can I move in?

View of Roosevelt Island from my beloved cable car

Something else that is REALLY worth doing is visiting the Highline Park in the Meatpacking District. This park sits atop an old elevated railway track and you catch some magnificent views of the area as you meander along (with the crowds). We bought some goodies along with us (from Magnolia Bakery and the market at Grand Central Station) and found a spot to have a picnic and watch the world go by.

View for The Highland - you can see the tippy top of the Empire State Building

Join the crowds and shuffle along The Highland - excellent fun!

Of course a trip to New York isn't complete without a visit to that other famous park - Central Park. I think you could spend days wandering along the meandering paths in this huge green expanse, but we whizzed through in about 2 hours - making sure we saw The Boathouse where Carrie and Mr Big fell into The Pond. Central Park is beautiful and if I was ever lucky enough to live in New York I'd want an apartment right near the park (after I win the lottery that is)...or on Roosevelt Island - I can't decide.

The Boathouse - no Big or Carrie today, just loads of dudes making their ladies row the boat...WTF?

Probably my favourite area in Manhattan was NoLiTa (aka North of Little Italy). To me the area felt a bit like Surry Hills - leafy streets, great little boutiques and cafes...and best of all it was the home of the great Tacombi cafe we went to. This is the area that really captured the essence of New York to me, quirky, arty, up & coming...each area is different ofcourse - Chinatown, Lower East Side, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Upper East and West Sides all have a different vibe, but NoLiTa really did it for me. Love!

When I wasn't being chauffeured around by private bus or boat I joined the throngs of locals and hopped on the Subway - it's probably the quickest way to get from Point A to Point B in NYC, though the buses aren't too bad really (at least the drivers stop and let you in unlike our lovely Sydney bus-drivers). We just bought a MetCard for the public transport and you can top it up at any ticket machine when you're getting low.

Mind the gap peeps.

Of course a trip to New York wouldn't be complete without seeing a Broadway Show. We bought our tickets online prior to leaving Australia as I couldn't be bothered wasting precious hours lining up at the cheap tickets booth in Times Square just to see what cheap theater tickets we could get. We ended up seeing a really GREAT show "How to succeed in business without really trying" staring Mr Harry Potter himself. And of course dinner and a show wouldn't be complete without the dinner part. We lucked upon a GREAT little Japanese joint called Kodama Sushi right opposite our theater (I knew I'd not be able to write an entire post without sneaking into something about food - I tried, I really did).

It's Harry Potter...with an American accent.

Let the show begin (we're in the 2nd back row - fancy).

And last by but no means least we visited the site of the World Trade Center. I lost two friends in the Bali bombings years ago, so being at a place where over 3000 people lost their lives to terrorism also is very moving. The area is still a huge building site, but very moving none-the-less. American flags don the half-built Freedom Tower and throngs of builders buzz around the site protected by machine gun wielding military people and police. The whole area is sombre, yet a hive of activity at the same time. Although the reflection pool memorials are now finished you cannot go into the WTC site to see them unless you've made a booking - you need to pay a fee to see the pools and I believe it is booked out about 4 months in advance. We did head up to the second floor of the Winter Garden where we could peak at the pools, and also to the church that served as a base for workers and families during the months after the attacks is worth a visit.

Looking over the memorial pools from The Winter Garden.

Photos of lost loved ones at the church - heart wrenching to see, but these people aren't forgotten which is nice

And for anyone heading to NYC and wondering what area to stay in, we bedded down in an area called Murray Hill - just south of East Midtown. It was a GREAT area, quite residential, so loads of cafes, restaurants, little clothes shops, street food vendors...and it's right near The Empire State Building and Grand Central Station. What more could you want, besides a Shake Shack Cheeseburger and a Compost Cookie?

Grand Central Station...it has a food court you know!

So there you have it - a post not really about food. Now, what's for dinner.