This is the first post of several that will focus on Japan, which I was lucky enough to travel to during the Christmas holidays that just passed.

My memorable first visit to Henri Charpentier in Ginza lured me to visit it again and I was not disappointed.

Cakes on display

Macarons

C orders the Tarte Pomme Fine (¥1,260), a seasonal selection on the menu, which is themed around apples. The green apple sorbet is refreshingly crisp with sour undertones. The tarte is sweet and the pastry base has a satisfying crunch.

I opt for the Quarte Petites Cremes Brulees (¥1,050), a dessert with a selection of of vanilla, pistachio, orange and chocolate crème brulee. Going from left to right, the vanilla crème brulee is flawless and I find myself savouring the bold flavour. The pistachio is just as good; nubbins of chopped pistachio together with the velvet texture of the brulee. The orange crème brulee is not quite there for me. Finally, the chocolate crème bruelee is wonderfully decandent and is my favourite of the four.

Once again, I leave Henri Charpentier with a spring in my step, whether from the sugar rush or joy, who knows.

Henri Charpentier, Ginza

Address: 2-8-20 Ginza, Chuo-ku

tel: 03-3562-2721

Station: Ginza-Itchome (metro exit 9), Ginza (metro exit A13)

Are you in the mood for luurrrrvveee? If not you will be when you step into Simon Goh‘s new hotspot Chinta Ria Mood for Love. From the instant we stepped in, I was captivated by the atmosphere and how he really set the mood for something of the more intimate nature. Here Comes the Food

Simon Goh greeted us warmly at the door and welcomed us into his new love den which contained many elements to create the best mood for love. It had a very traditional Chinese feel to it as it is based on the 2000 film In the Mood for Love. The dim atmosphere with drapes and a projector screening scenes and quotes onto the cracked wall added very nicely to the mood. Even the menu has been printed and hand edited to resemble a movie script to reinforce the theme, along with the purposely named dishes which entice and seduce.

Starting off with some social lubricant to get into the mood – Love Bite and Touch Lips

Chai Tow Koay as CK ($11)

A combination of soft and plump chunks of pan fried radish cake and crunchy bean sprouts kick started the seduction via food.

Satay Chicken and Satay Beef

I love satay. From the beautifully tender and tasty marinated diced chicken and beef chargrilled to perfection and then dunked into a smooth and delicious peanut sauce. I could seriously demolish a lot of skewers by myself and would just drink the peanut sauce if I could without be judged…

Achar Eh Achar ($10)

A mix of pickled vegetables with a nice chilli bite to it along with a nice contrast of textures. A great side to snack on while sipping on the cocktails mind I add.

Seduction Rolls ($12)

5 spice minced chicken blend wrapped in bean curd skin and then fried to a crispy exterior while the interior stays nice and juicy. This packs a nice flavour but add a little bit more sweet chilli or just chilli and it packs a nice punch.

Otak O Tak as Brainy ($13)

As soon as these bamboo steamers of spanish mackeral mousse was presented we were excited. The flavour of this otak otak was beautifully with a hint of chilli and the airy texture reminded me of a very well made chawanmushi.

Hug Me Honey ($25)

Tender slices of flavoursome beef have been pan fried with pepper chilli sauce and honey to create a very hearty beef dish.

Prawn Curry

We are given a sneak-preview of a up and coming dish of prawn curry. The thick sweet curry had me hooked from the first taste. I liked the combination with the juicy prawns and smothering the curry on lemak rice (aromatic coconut rice) or flavoured rice (chicken flavoured rice) was absolute heaven.

Monk’s Mushrooms ($18)

A beautiful medley of market fresh mushrooms cooked in a ginger sauce and topped with crispy fried goodness to add some crunch to it. A must for all mushroom lovers which should be everyone!

Amah Ginger Chicken ($18)

Amah’s slow cooked ginger wine chicken with shiitake mushrooms is a classic dish which is done very well at this place. Juicy and tender chicken thighs have been slowly cooked to allow the flavours permeate the meat properly.

Quack! Quack! Kiam Chye ($25)

If you couldn’t tell from the name, this is a duck dish that has been brased with preserved vegetables. I sometimes find duck a bit too fatty but this one is just right.

Durian panna cotta ($9.8), Kueh Rolled me Green ($8.8), On me on me all day ($8.8) and Pandan Sago ($8.8)

We are all very stuffed from the savoury dishes but we cannot leave without trying dessert! A delectable platter of the desserts were presented to us to share. I think everybody’s eyes lit up when they saw this too! I am an avid avoider of durian so I did not try any of that but the others approved of the flavour of it. The kueh dadar were packets of coconut palm sugar rolls wrapped in a light pandan crepe which were tantalizing but would had been better if the crepes were warm in my opinion. The ondeh ondeh were made from sweet potato stuffed with delicious palm sugar syrup (could always do with more palm sugar syrup filling) and rolled in shredded coconut which added that extra awesomeness to it. While the pandan sago was my favourite with the delicious and creamy sauce of coconut milk and palm sugar syrup.

Mmmmmm sago balls

I really adore the atmosphere here and I think Simon has done a great job creating the mood for luurrrveeee.

Here Comes the Food dined here as a guest of Chinta Ria Mood for Love

China Ria Mood for Love

Level 6/ Shop 6009

Westfield Sydney

188 Pitt St

Sydney, 2000

Ph: (02) 8072 8888

FFichiban

Lulwut?! It’s already October?! I have been slacking off but since it is time for Good Food Month or Crave SIFF again, there are so many foods to taste and enjoy. I was lucky enough to be able to attend a Sugar Hit prelaunch at Azuma Kushiyaki thanks to Chocolatesuze. I have always enjoyed the food at Azuma Kushiyaki and their Sugar hits in the past years have always been up their in quality and presentation. I had some high expectations this year round and I was not disappointed. Here Comes the Food

I pressume they didn’t want us to be bouncing off the walls from pure sugar highs from eating sugary goodness on an empty stomach they treated us to some of the awesome delicacies from the kitchen. Starting off with some maki sushi and some delectable soft shell crab.

Then moving onto some chicken kushiyaki which were all so tender and juicy. The meat grilled beautifully and brushed some sweet awesome sauce.

The last savoury dish was some marinated lambchops which Azuma intends to add to the menu. These were easily my favourite and I could eat platefuls and platefuls of these tender and succulent chops. They have been marinated in Azumas‘ secret recipe but they have the sweetness of honey soy and in general some really good chops.

Once again the presentation is impeccable and the 2 tier bento box of sugary goodness was presented to us in all its glory. In the top box there is a Sake sample of Nigori sake or Yuzu sake, green tea tiramisu or kinako tiramisu, dark chocolate praline and sake sponge bites. I think the general consensus was that the sweeter with slight citrusy/sour noted Yuzu sake was the tastier one. They are both dessert sake and on the sweet rather than dry side but the Yuzu was refreshing and complimented the desserts better in my opinion. Both of the tiramisus was beautifully creamy and flavoursome and the kinako one even had some chocolatey goodness inside but I personally love green tea so that one was my favourite. The chocolate had hints of popping candy but I had hoped for more. It was still very smooth and good way to finish off the sugar hit (if you save it for last like me). The sake sponge were not as moist as I had hoped but still bite sized morsels of sake goodness.

The bottom tray has a Anmitsu, a combination of assorted fruit, rice moji, red bean and brown sugar syrup, and a scoop of homemade white sesame ice cream. The ice cream was delightfully refreshing and goes in beautiful combination with the anmitsu. I love brown sugar syrup and enjoyed it in the anmitsu although I wouldn’t had minded if it was thick enough to eat with a fork and the rice moji were just chewy, sticky awesomeness.

Kinako tiramisu

Yuzu sake and Nigori sake

Azuma Kushiyaki have been able to impress me with each visit and I believe they will keep impressing me.

Here Comes the Food dined here as a guest of Azuma Kushiyaki

Azuma Kushiyaki

Ground floor, Regent Place

501 George Street

Sydney 2000

FFichiban

You might be asking: ‘Here Comes the Food is a restaurant review website, what’s an Art & About 2011 post doing here?’. Simple answer: I’m a shutterbug. I love taking photos to capture moments and share experiences with others. The Art & About 2011 event appeals to me for two reasons: firstly, the opportunity to view pieces of art on display in streets I know, where the location is part of the canvas; and secondly, photowalking.

Laneway Art is one of the main features of Art & About 2011, whereby artists transformer alleys and paths off the beaten track into interactive pieces of art.

Founder of the knit graffiti movement, Magda Sayeg, employs a handmade aesthetic to Sussex Lane, infusing a warmth and humanity to a landscape of concrete and steel. Yarnbombing, guerrilla knitting, or yarnstorming – call it what you will.

The lines and arrangement stood out even more after I isolated the colours.

A large inflated PVC form takes the shape of a donut floating high above our heads. As we walk underneath the silhouette is a familiar every-day shape. But scale and context suggests this is nothing like a regular donut, transformed instead into a striking black and white matrix of Wiradjuri design. The shape references ancient European and Indigenous depictions of time travel and healing, and the popular contemporary notion of a ‘pie in the sky’.

Pie in the sky! I enjoyed taking snaps of this display. The alleyway provided such a seemingly perfect background for the colours used. The narrow proximity of the walls set off the focal point nicely.

Street art is by nature political – enabling a sense of personal existence and ownership of a space that can otherwise seem cold and austere. Barry McGee has created an evocative work that teeters between the free spirit of graffiti, the random energy of the urbane and the pure intent of controlled artistry.

Put a subject in-front of graffiti and there’s not much more you can ask for in terms of a satisfying picture.

Acts of Kindness investigates the meaning of kindness in today’s fast-paced world, focusing on the simple everyday gestures of compassion and generosity that occur throughout the city streets and often go unnoticed. Stories of kindness have been collected from people across Sydney to form the basis for Landy’s ambitious new artwork. Visit lower Martin Placeto see Landy’s 13-metre installation, mapping the Sydney CBD and indicating where the 200 stories of kindness have been placed throughout the city street

So there are 200 stories of kindness throughout the CBD, I’ve found one so far.

Isidro Blasco

‘Deconstructing Ways’ creates a parallel world for your imagination to step into.

At the intersection of Mullins Street and Market Row another option to the usual route appears – distorted but strangely more real than the street you are standing on. For a second or two you will be surprised that your own image is not actually reflected in that new street – or is it?

This was a hard shot to frame and edit. Initially the unedited picture was a composition of  the real world with the imaginative, but after a crop, I think it turned out to be even more trippy.

Heidi Axelsen, Hugo Moline and Adriano Pupilli

Rogue ductwork is grafted onto the air-con shafts and drainpipes of Skittle Lane to become peri(pheral)scopes: giant optical devices looking out to Sydney’s western edge. The views presented are glimpses of places as only locals know them.

Couldn’t help but to think of the lyrics “we all live in a submarine” as I cast my eyes through the scope and saw unexpected videos: parks, railway stations, blue screen of death and a sunny day (which was quite the contrast to the rainy day that I took the photos on)

Hoped you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed editing and taking them.

We now return to normal broading casting ….. food

D

Hey guyyss! Sorry for the tardiness in posting but I have been frantic panicking over interviews and so neglected posting. Oh, also Pupu and I went to Hunter Valley a little while ago so we came back bearing a couple of tasty wines. However, the most memorable part of the trip for me was actually Cafe Enzo. I had heard many stories about their scones so I had to try them for myself but I didn’t expect their food to be so much awesome as well! Here Comes the Food

150gm cape grim scotch fillet on turkish bread with ice berg lettuce, house pickled beetroot and house pickled cucumber, fresh tomato and onion jam ($26.50)

I was in the mood for a nice steaky injection and this steak sandwich hit the spot perfectly. The marriage of the sweet onion jam and the crispy turkish bread and tender steak was a match made in heaven. The steak was grilled with experience and done to a nice medium rare. Although it was a bit messy to eat, the juicy steak and the crisp, fresh vegetables made me very full and content. The portions here are very generous I must say.

homemade linguini with tiger prawns, fresh chilli, baby tomatoes and Spanish sausage finished with shaved parmesan ($29.50)

Pupu went with the linguini (minus the chilli) and was slightly shocked at the size of the portion that was presented in front of her. But just look at that awesome covering of shaved parmesan and juicy tiger prawns and slices of Spanish sausage. All tossed together with a beautiful creamy sauce and perfectly cooked linguini.

crispy new potatoes with parmesan cheese and sour cream ($14.00)

We also decided to share the crispy new potato sides and thank God we did! These are some of the best if not THE best fried potatoes I have had. The potatoes were all scored to give it extra surface area for crispy bits of awesomeness to form when they were being deep fried. So fluffy and light on the inside but each bite resulted in a devilish crunch of  goodness. As if these were the most perfectly fried potatoes already, they sprinkled cheese on top and matched with a nice dose of sour cream.

It was also a very generous bowl so we ended up taking what we couldn’t finish home!

Enzo scones ($15)

I was a bit disappointed when I couldn’t spy the scones on the menu but when I asked the waitress, they replied they did have scones. So I guess they on some sort of secret menu? The moment of truth and I have to admit these scones are up there. They were nice and warm, fluffy and soft on the inside but with a bit more body and firmness on the more baked exterior which gave it a nice textural contrast. The cream was gorgeous and the jam was tantalizing sweet and made these scones the perfect way to finish a wonderful meal.

I was really really impressed by Cafe Enzo and although it was on the pricier side it was well definitely worth the visits (We came here for breakfast the next day before we left and got their eggs benedict which were AWESOME! Perfectly cooked eggs and the beautiful creamy Hollandaise sauce mmm). I can still taste those crispy new potatoes and highly recommend to anyone visiting the Hunter valley!

Mmmmm deep fried potato goodness…

Cafe Enzo @ Peppers Creek

Cnr Broke & Ekerts Rd

Pokolbin, 2320

Ph: (02) 4998 7233

FFichiban

I was fortunate enough to join some other fine foodbloggers to the launch of Sake’s Umami Cocktail & Canapes which is the awesome love child of Head Sushi chef Shimpei Hatanake and Bar Manager Wayne Shennen. They have combined their powers in food and drink together to create 2 pairings of flavour combinations. Food that goes perfectly with a bit of alcohol? Yes, please! (drink responsibly!) Here Comes the Food

Executive Chef Shaun Presland totally approves of this merge in food and drink to enhance the umami taste

Head Sushi chef Shimpei Hatanake is a magician with sushi but is no stranger to the drink

Bar Manager Wayne Shennen has the smile you get when you work with alcohol all day, everyday heh

The Nightingale Song Cocktail – umeshu, pear vodka, white wine, bianco vermouth and fresh lemon juice ($25)

This cocktail had a beautiful balance of clean and simple flavours even though it may sound complicated. This was my choice of the two cocktails as it was sweet but had a nice sour tinge from the umeboshi to finish each sip off.

Scallop Ume Spoon (scallop sashimi dressed in grape-seed oil, white soy and fresh lime, with pickled-plum paste and finely cut shiso leaf on a thin cucumber slice) & Yuzu Snapper Spoon (snowpea sprouts wrapped in snapper sashimi with olive oil and yuzu juice seasoned with shio-kombu and flying fish roe)

The canapes that matched the cocktail all had that slight sourness to compliment the drink perfectly. More umeboshi in the scallop spoon and some yuzu from the snapper spoon to tantalize the palette and mixed witht he smooth silky texture of the scallop and snapper it work wonders.

The Honey Dragon Cocktail – honey, single-malt Scottish whiskey, cinnamon, lemon zest and a hint of chilli ($25)

Yet another beautifully presented plate of cocktail and canapes. I think we were all excited to read about the seared salmon belly but firstly the cocktail had a nice burn to it that really brought a dragon to mind. I love the addition of honey and cinnamon to give it some sugary and spicey goodness.

Seared Salmon Belly pieces – 3 pieces topped with chopped chives and served with yuzu soy

Gorgeous salmon belly that has the most perfect of flavours and texture. I am a salmon belly addict and would sometimes eat just salmon belly in different styles for a meal. These cuts were fresh and very high in quality and with the yuzu soy, the flavours were enhanced and not overpowered.

Char-grilled Octopus Sunomono – with kiwi zu, snake cucumber and wakame

I think everyone was fooled by the appearance of the octopus as they tried it pick it up with the chopsticks but since they were cut in half they would collapse and create a tasty mess. The soft and chewy texture of the octopus worked well with the kiwi zu and the cool slippery wakame.

Steamed Prawn Dumplings – Chinese-inspired Shumai with spicy ponzu

These moreish bite sized dumplings are full of flavour but it was the spicy ponzu sauce that made them that much more awesome in my opinion. I can understand why these are so popular and good thing I eat relatively quickly or they might had been stolen by a certain someone…

Teriyaki Burger Balls – light and tender skewered beef burger balls, grilled and finish with sweet teriyaki glaze

However nice those dumplings were, these balls were the ones I would easily take other people out for. If it weren’t for the selfishness of others, I would totally eat the whole plate of ballllssss. Sweet and sticky teriyaki glazed shiny balls of tasty tasty meat!

Oh, there were greens as well! See we are healthy XP

Crispy Chicken – kar-age fried chicken pieces with sauce

I remember eating these fried pieces of chicken on my previous visits and they are just as awesome. I really love the selection of sauces as well but I do indulge heavily on the spicy mayo. I am also very grateful to Sake for introducing me to this…

Hitachino Nest Beer

BEERR! Food pairings at its’ best. Beer + deep fried meat. I had not heard of this beer before but I am definitely going to find this and get some more as it reminds me my favourite beer, Hoegaarden. Light fruity flavours and very easy to drink. Finishes clean and has a beautiful aroma and flavour. After this surprise, they somehow managed to still save the best for last.

Mmmmm bowlful of wasabi eaten with a spoon!

It was time for DIY handrolls! Chef Shimpei demonstrated how to roll the perfect handroll with step by step instructions but I still managed to make mine ugly hehe. It is fun attempting to make your own handrolls and making your own combinations of flavours and hoping for the best. I guess I am really greedy and stuff too many ingredients into my roll.

eggy, tempura crunch and sesame

rice, mayo and spicy mayo

salmon, tuna, avocado, cucumber and seaweed

My first attempt… ugly but tastes OH SO GOOD! I seem to always stuff mine full of egg, avocado, salmon, spicy mayo and lots of tempura crunch hehe.

Buttermilk panna cotta – with raspberry coulis and toasted coconut

The perfect end to a very filling meal was this panna cotta with the toasted coconut which completed this dish for me. I loved that slight crunch of the coconut along with the silky smooth panna cotta. I was surprised at how I managed to down 2 of these babies as I was very stuffed with hand rolls hehe.

Chef Shimpei is also a graffiti-artist and signed our masus

Delicious food from some entertaining and awesome hosts! Definitely come back for some good food and drink!

Here Comes the Food dined here as a guest of Sake Restaurant

Sake Restaurant & Bar

12 Argyle Street

The Rocks, 2000

FFichiban

Look at these two noobs…

If memory serves me correctly, these two (Monkeyjaja and Skinnypanda… yes, all my friends are animals) were looking for something dodgy. However, they were awesome enough to meet me for some tasty lunching at Yakiniku Kashiwa. I first heard about this place from Yas and I vowed to try it since it was pretty much just down the road from me but due to bad planning and laziness I had not gotten round to it until recently. After trying it I am kicking myself for not coming here sooner as they have a very good lunch special which is total win! Here Comes the Food

For yakiniku we need nice hot charcoal to grill the meat to perfection

You still don’t make friends with salads…

The lunch special consists of either 3 selections of meat ($16.80) or 4 selections ($19.80) and comes with rice, miso soup and a small salad. Our trio all decide to go with the 4 selections and grab the same meats so it is easier to distribute evenly (boys will actually kill over meat).

The meat plate in all its’ glory

OX Tongue

Thin slivers of delicate ox tongue which you need to keep an eye on so they don’t over cook. They have quite a unique texture and high in oil content which means it boasts a lot of flavour and is definitely one of my favourites cuts for Japanese BBQ. We could tell that the meat quality is very good here from the very first piece.

Marbled Wagyu Beef Rib

I am a self-proclaimed rib fanatic and love all things rib-related. They did not joke around when they said marbled as you can see there is nice ribbons of fat flowing through the slices of meat on this plate. If I could have one cut for the rest of my life it would easily be the rib area. I could easily eat platefuls of this cut as it oozes flavour with each bite.

Wagyu Beef Skirt

A healthier cut to go with as it has a lower fat content compared to others but still quite a tasty one. It still comes with a nice tender texture and very delicious (but it is pretty hard to go wrong with bbqed meat heh)

Pork Neck

To add some variety, I ordered the pork neck and I love how it is marinated with miso sauce. The flavour and aroma from the miso sauce just added that extra oomph to the already delicate and tasty pork neck. The miso also adds a nice sweetness to the meat which I love as I am quite a bit miso sauce fan.

Nothing is prettier than sizzling marbled meat /tear

BBQ brings people together

Kashiwa is great value and their meat quality is really up there. Since it is highly recommended by a Japanese foodblogger *cough*even though he hasn’t posted in a long while*cough* says it all. I am definitely coming back here more often for a quick and tasty bbq fix!

Yakiniku Kashiwa

7A Falcon St

Crows Nest, 2065

Ph: (02) 9906 7393

FFichiban

Whenever I hear of Pinot Noir, I always think of Jack, that’s like sniffing a woman’s butt before you have sex with her – Miles from Sideways (regarding sniffing the cork of a wine before trying the wine). This quote has stuck with me as well as the fact that the movie based on the book (which lacked that quote boo) boosted Pinot Noir sales up by 41% after hitting the big screen. So when I received an invitation to a Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir & Duck dinner from Angela of Red Urban, I chuckled to myself and replied a hearty “yes please!” Here Comes the Food

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2009

The special guest of the night that the chef had designed a duck dish to match. This pinot noir has a clean taste and finishes off very nicely. Therefore it is easy to drink and matches the dishes of the night beautifully. I was immediately attracted to the cosy atmosphere of The Devonshire as soon as I stepped into it. I also adored the wall of assorted mirrors which adds to the wonderful decor and makes the place feel a bit fancier. The staff is attentive and rarely let our water glasses (and wine glasses) go empty.

Amuse bouche - Salt fish brandade with parsley and preserved lemon

Starting off the night is a crispy ball of salt fish which had a beautiful contrast of textures from the crunchy exterior to smooth paste-like filling. I really liked the parsley and preserved lemon sauce which complimented the salty fish nicely. This set the standard of the rest of the meal and we could tell that the meal ahead was going to be a glorious one.

Bread

I had mentioned I was a breadophile before but the bread here was utter perfection. The soft and fluffy bread, still warm from the oven was presented with housemade honey butter and Lescure French butter. The honey butter had the whole table buzzing about how delicious and delicate it was while being fluffy and light and tantalizingly sweet. Although the Lescure butter was also gorgeous, the housemade honey butter was where the party’s at. I would had been totally content if the rest of the meal consisted of courses of this bread and butter, it was that good.

Macleay valley rabbit raviolo, king brown mushroom, tarragon and spinach

For the entrees, there were 2 choices and I went with the rabbit raviolo. Beautifully presented with liver mousse and topped with crispy bits of awesome. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the rabbit meat inside was tender and juicy. The whole combination was thought out carefully and therefore it worked so wonderfully together.

Scallops, squid, celeriac, pomegranate and golden raisins

I managed to steal some of other entree for research purposes and glad that I did! The scallop was cooked to perfection and the small fried calamari on top added some crunch and different textures. The celeriac puree was impressively black due tot he addition of the squid ink which and was smooth and sexy.

Roast breast and sausage roll of duck, salsify, hazelnuts and parsley

The main of the night was duck served in two ways. The duck breast was presented in all its glory with the pink meat resting on a bed of ‘shrooms and salsify. The duck meat was tender and silky with that strip of fat and skin to boost the flavour and matched the vegetables and ‘shrooms very nicely. The sausage roll rested on strips of hazelnut paste which I found a bit dry and could had used a wetter sauce. However the sausage roll had a beautiful flakey pastry and tasty duck innards.

Devonshire tea crème brulee, scone ice-cream, cherry jam and whipped cream

I think the whole table was looking forward to dessert after filling up on the tasty savoury foods (there is a second stomach for desserts yo!). The scone ice cream was definitely something I was looking forward to as I love scones and getting to try it in scone-form would be very interesting. The scone ice cream was silky smooth and tasted of butter so it did remind us of scones especially with the crumbs to give it another dimension of textures. Mixing up some jam and cream topped it off beautifully.

The creme brulee had the most beautifully cracking of sugar on top that I had seen in a very long time. It was very impressive and I will definitely be back to get this again. The tea flavour was rich and strong but not overpowering. The meal here at The Devonshire was very impressive and I will definitely be back to try other dishes from the menu. The balance of flavours between duck and Pinot Noir has also opened a whole new world of dining for me. More wine I say!

Here Comes the Food dined here as a guest of The Devonshire

The Devonshire

204 Devonshire Street

Surry Hills, 2010

Ph: (02) 9698 9427

FFichiban

Meet my sexy friend, Big B of BStrong. And yes, he is very strong (deadlift 200+kg yo!). I don’t call him Big B for any other reason… or do I ? Him and I are beer buddies so when a coupon for The Beer Factory visit popped up we just had to snatch it up. We love to drink it, talk it and breathe it and to boost our education in this area is always welcomed. Before we hit up the beer we need to fill up on some tasty foods! Here Comes the Food

Epic photobomb by this guy who gave me the weirdest look as I took this photo

Big B knew of this place close by and recalled their vindaloo was of hot proportions that rendered him sweaty, teary and quite helpless for a little while. When I heard it I just had to give that a go heh! Indo Lankan Food Bar appears to be just a takeaway place when you first step into it but a sliding door reveals a restaurant off to the side. They also do a lunch buffet on certain days and you know how I feel about buffets XD!

Sides for the curries

Butter chicken ($11.50)

Probably the most untraditional curry dish ever but it is easily one of my favourites. The creamy and buttery goodness matched with a hint of sweetness from tomatoes forms a beautiful curry to carry the tender chunks of chicken. The rich and warming curry is perfect for the colder weather we have been getting and since it is not spicy, it is a family-friendly favourite. The portions look deceptively small and could be a smidgen bigger but it still fed us very nicely.

Vindaloo beef ($11.50)

Next came the vindaloo and I was mentally prepping myself for intense heat. To our surprise it was not that bad and only induced a light showering of sweat. There was a tinge of sourness at the end of each bite and it could had done with a bit more heat but it was a doable curry.

Rice and pappadum

I love pappadums crisp and good carrier for curry. We also ordered a cheese naan and a garlic naan but I must had been overly excited about the naans and forgot to photo them! Forgiveness purease.

Once we filled our bellies we waddle over to The Beer Factory to learn about one of the oldest beverages in existence.

I gotta get me one of these for my home!

So many flavours I want to try!

The Beer Factory is not like any beer factory. It is where one can go to brew their own beer just the way they like! They have recommendations so you can choose one that is similar to one of the brands that you know and love but you are involved in the brewing.

The best part of this is that each batch is 50L of beer. 50 Litres!! That is like a few weeks worth of beer (haha jk drink responsibly!). Also you get to customize your beer bottles.

Stuart Boag (aka Beer Guru)

Since we came for a beer appreciation class we were taught by this fountain of knowledge. Starting off with the history of beer and how it has been around 8000-10000 years. We learnt many many different aspects about appreciating beer from the different types of beers to their production and then how to taste them as well as the importance of their vehicle of glass/can/bottle. The Australian beer industry is still behind other countries in the sense that boutique beers are a tiny tiny fraction of the beer market and how people view beer as a pleb drink.

If you do not understand ‘purple monkey dishwasher’, hang you head in shame then head over here

I highly recommend attending this appreciating class if you are interested in beer or what to find out more. It is very educational and it is all very interesting to learn so much about such a loved but under-appreciated drink. It is the 3rd most drunk beverage after water and tea but a too many people drink it without tasting it.

Other customized labels

MMmmmm fermenting beer

When we accessed the fridges we could really smell the pang of malt and hops from all these fermenting kegs.

We also got a case each as part of the coupon deal which is the cherry on top

There is seriously so many aspects of beer that I learnt at this class which has changed my view of beer and I like to think that I appreciate it more now. Hooray for beer!

P.S. hire Brendan

Indo Lankan Foodbar

59-61 Boomerang Place

Seven Hills, 2145

The Beer Factory

2/2 Tollis Place (Cnr. Station Road)

Seven Hills, 2145

Ph: (02) 9624 5207

FFichiban

*BING* I got message! A random message around dinner time a while ago had me drooling behind my control. My friend Monkeyjaja (aka Goofy Tom) had sent me a picture of a sample meat platter from a relatively new restaurant called Nishiki. The vibrant marbling on those shimmering slices of meat brings back flashback of bbq in Japan. Then he notifies me that it is near my hood at Crows Nest and I probably scared everybody in my vicinity with shouts of glee. It was not long before I found an excuse to dine here and so Here Comes the Food

Watch out Rengaya, there is competition about…

Before I knew of this place, Rengaya was my place to satiate my fatty meat desires. Now that there is competition, it will be difficult to decide between the two without a taste comparison.

Sake to kick off the night of tasty meatttttttt

Seafood salad ($16.80)

A fresh and crisp green salad with scattered assorted seafood on top. Slivers of cool and slippery salmon and prawns boosts this from a plain old green salad to something a bit fancier and tastier. Although you still don’t make friends with salads….

Spinach and bacon salad ($12.80)

Unless it has bacon in it! I absolutely adore this salad as it had crispy bits and salty shards of bacon and cheeessseeeee! Also spinach is one of my more favoured greens so this combination is pure win. The textureal crunches and the flavour balances works out perfectly.

Ox tongue with natural salt and shallot – super premium ($30.80)

Ox tongue is definitely a Japanese BBQ staple. A good way to fire up the meating as they are cut thin with a good oil content so they cook very fast (make sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!).

Slivers of delicious ox tongue that melt in the mouth. The edges get a nice crisp texture while the middle stays a nice and tender state. The shallots come on a separate dish and I usually add them onto the slices of meat a bit before they finish cooking or can just add some after for a bit of flavour.

Assorted mushrooms ($10.80)

A great combination of ‘shrooms with button, shiitake and king brown. I like the king brown the most as they have a beautiful meaty characteristic and accompany the fatty meat very nicely. They could do with a knob of butter but that may be a bit of overkill haha.

Wagyu rib finger premium ($16.80)

My favourite cut of meat is easily the rib finger as it had been for other Japanese BBQ places as well. You can easily see for yourself that the marbling is insane and that it melts and oozes awesomeness with each bite. I could easily eat platefuls of this by myself but sharing is caring. I am a bit surprised I have not suffered a heart attack yet though heh.

Wagyu oyster blade premium ($24.80)

Another beautiful cut of meat which has delicate marbling which also packs much flavour. The drizzle of bbq sauce also gives the meat a slight sweetness which, I think, enhances the natural flavours of the beef. I think these meats have enough natural flavours that the sauces they provide are a bit unnecessary.

Bimbimba

Just like at Rengaya, we love to order the stone pot bimbimba which comes with all sorts of goodies from the soft boiled egg to the sweet chilli sauce that I highly recommend mixing it all into. Although the bimbimba here is very good with good balance of flavours and tasty ingredients I still prefer the stone pot from Rengaya as I think it is hotter and gives the rice that nice bit of charring that makes it crispy and crunchy.

Something we had to try was this Tsubozuke Yakiniku ($24.80)

Marinated in miso and spices in a cute little pot. It is also wagyu short rib cut which means very awesome meat! I really enjoyed the rich miso flavour and recommend this dish to anyone visiting here. I do like that sweet and creamy miso flavour and mixed with fatty meat it is a perfect combination. There is also a bunch of assorted vegetables at the bottom of the pot which we cooked as well (personally would had preferred the whole pot to be stuffed to the brim with meaty meat though haha)

Selection of assorted cooking meats mmmmmmmmm the aroma and sight brings a tear to my eye

Wagyu steak

We were still a bit peckish so some more meat was ordered. This cut easily matched the others in marbling and tastiness and was devoured very quickly.

Beef intestine

I was also in the mood for some intestine. I enjoy the chewiness and the fattiness which may not be for everybody. Make sure to cook this thoroughly compared to the other meats as it is offal and even though it appears that they clean it very well it is best to be sure. Very chewy but bursts with flavour with each bite, a very enjoyable part of the cow that you should give a try if not already.

Cooking around the edges so it doesn’t burn

A relatively new restaurant (been open maybe 4-5months now) but they seem to be doing very well. Especially since it is a bit away from the hustle and bustle of the main fooding areas of Crows Nest. They obviously get very good quality wagyu beef and provide very tough competition for Rengaya for the North Shore. I think I will need to visit both places many more times before I can decide which place is better heh

Nishiki Wagyu Yakiniku

270 Pacific Highway

Crows Nest NSW 2065

Ph: (02) 80216688

FFichiban