Disclaimer: Here Comes the Food Boozeday Toozeday posts are intended for responsible adults of the legal drinking age. If you are under the legal drinking age please cover your eyes and scroll down until all the ‘bad stuff’ has gone from your screen. We DO NOT smile upon underage drinking, drinking and driving and alcohol abuse unlike our mascot (but he smiles at anything -__-). Please drink in moderation and with caution and most importantly, enjoy ^^!

Hello… my name is Richard and… and… I am not an alcoholic but I do love my beers. I have decided to start a series of Boozeday Toozeday where I will review a new drink (yeah.. I know, foodblogging is such a hard hobby ) and hopefully spread the word about interesting and tasty beers. My passion for beers was revived by the Beef & Beer Masterclass where I was introduced to many exciting beers which I had not tried before. I also had a unofficial first post with Hoegaarden but this shall be the first official post of the series As with the Hoegaarden post, I shall try and include a recipe as food matches so beautifully with beer hee hee. If you have any recommendations please let me know, thanks! Without further adieu Here Comes the Booze!

Helga from American Gladiators (http://www.teleport-city.com/jst/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/hellga.jpg)

If someone mentioned to me ‘Big Helga’ a few days ago, I would immediately imagine a big and strong German lady like Helga from American Gladiators. But now, thanks to Ben Barren, I now think of a smooth and refreshing beer by Matilda Bay.

Check out her 6-pack O_O

Big Helga by Matilda Bay

I was quite interested to try this as Matilda Bay had brought us Beez Neez (which I really like) and Fat Yak (which is also pretty decent), and now they have introduced this Munich style lager into the Aussie beerflow. Big Helga made her debut across some of the Aussie bars last year in October and now she is making a comeback in bottle-form as of Feburary.

Liquid gold… get your mind out of the gutter

This beer was actually quite the opposite of what I expected. I expected the big and strong Helga of American Gladiators to tackle me with each sip and pack a big oomph but it was quite the contrary. However we should do this properly starting with the colour. It is a pleasant golden brown, like a deep amber and with a nice white head she is definitely pretty. It is a clear beer due to the filtration and has a moderate carbonation. It gives off an grainy aroma so probably not the best fragrance of the lot but not unpleasant.  The taste and feel of this beer is pretty smooth and goes down very easy. There is a noticeable malt flavour and a very very subtle bitter aftertaste from the hops. Overall the beer is clean and slightly bland which makes it one of the easier ones to drink but will get boring quite quickly.

I do not fully judge a beer just from a bottle and would like to try it on tap but from my observations so far I would prefer the other Matilda Bay beers over Big Helga but she was definitely worth trying.

Here Comes the Food

Nothing like caramelizing bacon mmmmmmm

This recipe is adapted from Candied Bacon Green Salad (Serves 4) of Jamie’s America because in my normal fashion, I wing it as I go replacing ingredients with this and that and not using measuring equipment haha. I still kept with the salad (:P), candied bacon, croutons but instead of pomegranate I added a soft boiled egg.

For the creamy French Dressing

6 tbsp good quality extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp white wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)

1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard

1 heaped tbsp natural yogurt

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients into a large serving bowl, whisk together and season to taste. You want it slightly too acidic, so add another splash of vinegar if you need to.

For the salad

12 rasher of smoked streaky bacon, the best quality you can afford

1 clove garlic, peeled

3 slices of fresh white bread

olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

2 heaped teaspoons of demerara sugar (I used honey)

3 clementines (I used oranges)

5 large handfuls of mixed salad leaves, washed and spun dry

1 pomegranate (I replaced with soft boiled egg)

a small bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked

To create you candied bacon (mmmmmm… bacon) heat large frying pan to medium heat, add bacon and cook until lightly brown (but not really crispy). Remove bacon to plate. Squash garlic and add to pan, turn up heat and tear up bread into medium-sized chunks. Let the bread suck up all the flavours (aka bacon fat) and become crispy. If the bacon did not release enough flavour add some lugs of olive oil. Add a pinch of black pepper and shake the bread around until it is crispy and golden.

Wipe clean the pan with kitchen paper. Put bacon back on with sugar or honey and the juice of 1 clementine. Concentrate on what you are doing as you don’t want it to burn also do NOT taste anything as it will just burn you at this point. When the bacon is syrupy and caramelized, remove to an oiled plate with tongs to cool down. It will set in whatever shape you let it to cool down in so you can make some funky-shaped bacon rashers if you wish. Peel and slice the remaining clementines into rounds.

Dress the salad with the dressing along with the fresh mint. Halve the pomegranate and use spoon to knock the seeds onto the leaves or be like me and soft boil an egg instead. Add the croutons, clementines and bacon rashers. Pop open the egg to ooze the yolk out and hooray, enjoy!

PS. Candied bacon is sooooo awesome

FFichiban

As you work routinely through the day at your computer reading foodblogs and restaurant reviews, a small box suddenly pops up in the bottom right, “You Got Message”. You check your email with glee to find one from Chocolatesuze. She has sent you a mission, do you choose to accept it, to check out and recon the newly opened Fat Noodle at Star City. The mission is simple, to survey the food at the launch and make contact with the consulting chef Luke Nguyen. If you choose to accept go to A, if you think you are unable to handle the task click here.

A – Making your way to Star City is not an easy task, as there have been traps set up to catch you out. The first one was when you walk past Harbourside and the wafting aroma of sweet and sticky ribs of Hurricanes enter your nostrils. Your step slows… almost to a complete stop, until you suddenly snap back and remember your initial mission, however +30 Hunger. The main entrance opens up to reveal an escalator and a big sign. You follow the advice of the lovely ladies and go up to the red carpet but reach at the end reach a T-junction. Go to B if you go left, go to C if you decide to turn right.

B – You have made the wrong turn and ended up at the main dining area in the middle of the gambling floor. But you do manage to sneak some glances into the kitchen. +5 Hunger and backtrack to C.

C – A welcome lotus candle sets the whole Asian mood along with the projections on the curtains above your head and the slow strings of violin melodies. Do you wish to explore more of the area, D, or start hitting up the food, F?

D – You come across to a wall of fire… which was really more of a row of pretty candles. But it does deter you from venturing forwards so with +5 Hunger you continue round to the other side to E.

E – Spotted one times Chocolatesuze! As well as fellow bloggers Grab Your Fork, Eat Show & Tell and Tasted by Two. They had already begun with the drinks, so without delay you swiftly pick up a bypassing cocktail. Drink on to F.

F – Lychee Martini Cocktail. A icy and refreshing blend which goes down smooth and dangerously easy with a sweet and fruity tone. The sour apple accompaniment contrasts nicely against the sweetness of the drink. +1 Intoxication and +3 Hunger, but you are still in the search for more. Do you want to head towards the bar for more drinks, G, or chase down the waiters who are beginning to bring the food out, J?

G – Before stands a small and silent man who works his magic so quickly that he appears as a blur. I am not one to judge a book by its’ cover but this time you could tell immediately he is a master of the arts… martial arts that is, so all you do is watch silently in awe not wanting to disturb his chakra flow. Ooh and Aah onto H.

H – He charges up and summons the chakra into his hands…

And unleashes it all in a blaze of fury as he casts Firaga. Adding an invaluable entertainment factor to the cocktail preparation.

Tamarind, maple and cinnamon martini infused with orange peel flame. The cinnamon sugar lining along the rim of the glass pleases you to no end and each sip fills you will a warm and sugary feeling. +1 Intoxication and +3 Hunger. Each step brings you closer to inebriation but if you do love your cocktails and fancy some more head back to F or G. Otherwise Here Comes the Food… at J.

J – Roast duck, perilla and enoki mushroom and King prawn and pork Vietnamese rice paper rolls. You start off with some light rice paper rolls which taste fresh with a great combination of herbs. The Hoisin sauce with peanuts matches beautifully with the rolls. As you much happily other staff members begin bringing out the food and you smile with glee. But do you smile to the waiter on the left, K, or to the waitress on the right, L?

K – Grilled organic Byron Bay pork neck skewers. The first bite causes a wonderful sweet and salty flavour burst in the mouth and leaves you nodding and smiling. The pork neck is tender and juicy and you know that this is only the first of many (-1 Hunger per skewer). Still munching happily on the pork neck you now turn to the waitress, L, if not already done so or head onto M.

L – Byron Bay pork crispy parcels. A very enthusiastic and cheery waitress introduces these as crispy parcels, which are pretty much spring rolls. They do give a musical crisp with each bite and a filling of pork, glass noodles and wood ear mushroom creates a harmony of flavours (-1 Hunger per crispy parcel). Crunch your way to K if not done so already or head to M.

M – A quick glance around the room between bites of your finger food allows you to spot Mikey Robins… but you quickly turn your attention back to the food. Once again you face the task of choosing the left plate, N, or right plate, O.

N – Salt and Pepper silken tofu. You watch Chocolatesuze have difficulty picking up the tofu with the little toothpick-like tool and laugh but then you find yourself facing the same problem and feel quite the silly. The tofu is delicate and soft under a crisp batter layer. It would have been quite bland if not for the spices added to it (-1 Hunger per 2 tofu). The other waiter has gone so with a longing look you look towards the kitchen, go to P.

O – Fat pho noodles. A mini tub of Chef Luke’s signature pho welcomes you with a warming aroma. You sip at the rich flavoursome broth of oxtail and nibble at the slice Angus sirloin and strand of rice noodle. The broth is simply amazing and you finish it all quickly just in time to steal the last portion (-1 Hunger per portion). As you drink happily, your eyes wander over to the kitchen, go to P.

P – The man himself serendipitously is looking your direction as he sips his wine. If you become locked and infatuated by his seductive gaze go to Q. If you quickly giggle, blush and turn away go to R.

Q – Chef Luke Nguyen. He approaches you suavely and asks how the night and food is going. He is of kind and friendly nature and greets everyone and poses for photos. He reminds you that there is more food to come and then is gone as swiftly as he arrived. With one objective complete you keep moving forward to chase down another waiter at S.

R – A platter of pork neck was positioned perfectly and you are able to snatch up a few more (-1 Hunger per skewer) but then out of the corner of your eye you see someone coming towards you, go to Q.

S – Slow braised wagyu beef brisket and tendon with a rich beef broth. The hearty aromatic broth and beautiful chunk of tender beef was easily the best dish of the night. The beef simply fell apart in the mouth and the flavours filled every part of the mouth (-2 Hunger per portion). If you decide that this one is simply not enough you can repeat S again, otherwise you can follow Grab Your Fork for a little meander at U or stop the waiter walking past at T.

T – Prawn and Pork wontons. With a lighter soup the wonton has a nice skin and packed full of prawn and pork. However it is a little bland and probably the least tasty of what you have tried today (-1 Hunger per wonton). You have to catch up to GYF at V.

U – It was well worth following GYF as you spot Matt Preston, his hand actions and vigour as he describes food is inspirational. You then continue to *eh hm*stalk*eh hm* him as he meets and greets Luke Nguyen at V.

V – The sight of these two together has your heart aflutter but then another pair catches your eye, get distracted to W.

W – Roast Duck & Large Eastern Australian prawns with X.O. glass noodles. This pair of plates has you jumping up and down as the staff serves them in smaller plates. The roast duck is soft and silky, especially the skin but I found that it could have done with a bit more sauce. While the glass noodles were smooth and had a good bite from the X.O. sauce (-1 Hunger per serving). The night seems to be coming to an end with not many new dishes bringing brought around. Head on to X.

X – A glance at the menu, presented by the glamorous Chocolatesuze (you know she is hiding a really big CHEESEY smile ), reveals that all the food you tried is on the menu for people to order which is a good indication of all the great Asian cuisines of the rest of the menu. As you congratulate on a mission success you thank Chef Nguyen and the staff for a wonderful and tasty evening. As you leave they present you with a goodie bag which was a surprising bonus ^^! You walk out patting your stomach, if you are full and want to call it a night (Hunger level is negative) head on to Y, however if you are still able to squeeze in some more food (Hunger level 0 or positive) go on to Z.

Y – What are you thinking?!?! You are a foodblogger! It is not important if your hungry or not, you will still end up eating so get your ass onto Z

Z – The Songs of Sapa by Luke Nguyen. You check out your goodie bag and pleasantly surprised to receive a copy of Luke’s latest recipe book. You browse through the fascinating photos and recipes while munching on your supper of Deep Fried Ice Cream, while others dig into banana fritter, PB toast with condensed milk (with extra condensed milk), Kaya toast (with extra Kaya), French toast with PB and various drinks. However, you continue reading the book long after your supper is gone so +20 Hunger for the trip home…

Fat Noodle

Star City Casino, gambling floor

80 Pyrmont St

Pyrmont, 2009

Ph: 1800 700 700

Consulting Chef: Luke Nguyen

FFichiban

As the day grows shorter and the weather gets colder there are fewer and fewer opportunities to just chill with a beer in one hand, snacks in the other and pumping some chillax in the background. I say we will not enter the Autumn/Winter without a last hurruh! (even though I love winter and drink beer all year round hee hee)

A browse through my latest addition (I heart Jamie ^^!) to my modest little cookbook collection, always ends up with me dreaming about one recipe in particular… the Amazing Pork Cracklings. Just the mere name causes shivers of anticipation through my body and my mouth to salivate uncontrollably.

A befitting beer for any occasion. The smoothness of Hoegaarden Witbier has me wrapped around its cool and seductive bottle. There is a fruity aroma and flavour from the addition of coriander and orange peels which leaves a sweet tone upon the lips. The fact that it is a wheat beer means that it has a full and intense taste even though it is quite light in colour but cloudy from a second fermentation and the fact that it is not filtered. A decent carbonation is detected within each bottle.

A very light and refreshing beer… pure bliss ^^!

I probably should had got some American beers to go with the theme but I just can’t go past this Belgium beauty. All this beer talk is making me thirsty so Here Comes the Food.

Amazing Pork Crackling (Serves 10 for nibbles) from Jamie’s America

800g good-quality pig skin, preferably organic, the best quality you can afford

olive oil

sea salt

1/2 tspn cayenne pepper

ground cinnamon

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

2 tbspn runny honey

As with most of my recipes I tend to wing it as I go. So when I found out the butcher did not sell pork skin by itself I got 1kg of pork belly instead hoping to create something similar. I was slightly disappointed as I knew that there wont be much skin to create the beautiful crackling that is desired.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/400 degrees F and chop pig skin into nice bite-sized pieces (with a very sharp knife or a pair of scissors). Lug some olive oil on a frying pan over low to medium heat, fry the pork pieces in small batches stirring every few minutes until they crackle and turn a light golden brown.Using tongs, pop them into a roasting tray and roast for 20-30 minutes or until puffed up and deep golden.

Naturally mine did not puff up as there was more meat than skin -__- but it still turned a beautiful golden brown and smelt gorgeous

Remove tray from oven and drain away fat (can keep fat to make potatoes etc later on). Sprinkle over a couple pinches of sea salt, cayenne pepper (I replaced this with smoked paprika), pinch of cinnamon and sliced garlic. Pour over honey and mix it up to coat them all in the spice/honey goodness. Put back into oven for 5-7 minutes BUT keep an eye on it and don’t let them burn. Serve and enjoy!

My Amazing Pork Cracklings Belly Bites

A low ratio of pig skin to meat meant it turned out into pork belly bites instead but boy were they good. They were still crispy and the small slivers of skin crackled nicely with each bite. The honey created a golden stickiness and sweetness and with the paprika and cinnamon you got some spice to it. This is a perfect snack for just chilling out with a cold one and some good friends… or by yourself hee hee. I will definitely make these moreish little bites again and hopefully with just pig skin to create crackling instead!

FFichiban

*Editors Note: I may or may not have been doing the funky chicken dance during the writeup of this post*

A wise man once said “I am waiting for chicken to approach me to do a commercial… and I’ll do it for free chicken!” and like this guy I love my chicken; especially when it is fresh off the charcoal grill and smells just absolutely tantalizing. How much do I love my chicken? According to Google maps a simple 30km trip is nothing for some crispy and smokey chicken. This chicken craving brought about by posts and tweets of El Jannah chicken and garlic sauce meant a spontaneous trip for Santa, Timofei and myself.

I had not realized how many chicken shops I have been missing out on South St as we made our way to the restaurant but then as soon as we entered the premises, we realized that this was the place to try. We were too hungry to take the food home before digging in so Here Comes the Food.

Whole Charcoal Chicken ($21) comes with garlic sauce, pickles and bread; I think the guy was giving me a greasy :S

The prices were quite a increase from take away to eat in but considering it comes with garlic sauce, pickles and bread it was probably worth it. The bread came nicely packaged in plastic and were slightly warm when we dug into them. The delicious smokey aroma of the chicken, along with the tender fall-off-the-bone meat justified why this place is a popular one. The other tables filled up quickly behind us but I did not notice until we had finished our meal. I was lucky enough to score the thigh piece where the meat is at its’ best and when wrapped up in the bread with the sauces it was absolute heaven.

Hommos ($5.50)

I am a big fan of hommos so I was smearing it in big dollops all over the bread and eating it as is or with juicy shreds of chicken. I found the green pickles went nicely in the wraps or as is but the pink ones were a bit too salty for my liking.

Garlic Sauce; Tabbouli ($5.50); Falafel ($1.50)

I had high expectations of the garlic sauce after hearing and reading about it but also from my previous trip to Jasmin. I was not disappointed at all, in fact I was in absolute bliss with each bite. I did not care that I would end up offending anyone I talked to later on because the sauce was THAT good, smooth and creamy with a palatable garlickyness without stinging. It matches the chicken perfectly but was also good enough when just dipping bread into it. The tabbouli had a refreshing tinge of sourness which went perfectly in a wrap with the chicken and sauces. The falafels were fried to a beautiful crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They were nice and flavoursome but I had hoped they would be a bit more garlicky which was easily solved by dipping into the garlic sauce.

This is how Santa rolls…. his wrap

To be honest I think Jasmin was just a touch better than El Jannah but this place is still very reasonable and I will definitely swing by for more.

El Jannah

4-6 South St

Granville

Ph: (02) 9637 0977

FFichiban

There are just some partnerships that are undeniably perfect for each other. For me, beef and beer are just one of those partnerships (to all the wine drinkers I say beer > wine ) and so when Craig of Mumu Grill teamed up with Dan the beer snob of Beer Snobs I knew something magical was going to happen. Two people, one with a deep passion for cooking organic and sustainable meats to perfection and other with a deep passion for drinking only perfection come together to teach us average Joes how to enjoy what we put in our mouths on a different level.

The difference between a cut of wagyu sirloin and normal sirloin, not only is the marbling quite noticeably different but so are the price tags…

We started off with the cooking part of the class where Craig began with the basics of the meat. It is important to know where and how these meat came around as important as what we feed ourselves it is also vital to know what these cows were fed. Grass-fed beef is a more time consuming and less efficient way of raising the cows for beef but there are many health advantages with a higher Omega 3 content over the grain-fed and of course the natural flavours of the grass-fed beef is more intense and of greater quality.

He then educates us that the cut of meat and which part of the cow it comes from also determines its flavour. I was surprised to find out that only 20% of the cow is used for primary cuts which includes the rump, rib eye fillet, sirloin and tenderloin. Such a low percentage of the cow consists of primal cuts that these should be treated with respect and cooked to maximize their flavours otherwise the cow would have died in vain!

After obtaining the meat, the next step is to age it. This is the process of allowing the natural enzymes in the meat to act on and break down the muscle fibres to result in a softer and more tender meat. There are two processes of aging and that is the wet aging and the dry aging. Aging (especially dry aging) requires very specific conditions so that the meat does not go bad and does result in some weight-loss, therefore it is a costly and timely process and props to Craig for doing it properly. The meat is usually at its prime at 4-6 weeks of aging.

Next came the important steps of oiling up the meat (not the pan) and giving it a good coat of seasoning. Different chefs have their own special blend to apply to their steaks but basically it is oil, sea salt to bring the intrinsic flavours of the meat out and pepper to add that extra spice into the steak. You can also make a dry rub for the meat as we did for the cut of prime rib. Now comes the cooking of the meat which means Here Comes the Food.

The students of the class then took turns in helping with the cooking!

A T-bone steak and wagyu sirloin was grilled to a beautiful rare state and then allowed to cooked through to a medium-rare in the open fire oven. I am a bit disappointed I did not get any photos of the final product as I was helping out in the kitchen but the taste of the T-bone Tagliatta and the wagyu sirloin were just divine. They were both so tender and juicy and even though the marbling of the wagyu caused it to be melt-in-your-mouth goodness, the T-bone was also equally delicious with an aromatic garlic and rosemary sauce.

Once all the dishes were completed we moved to the outdoor seating to enjoy the sunshine and the beer section of the class

Of course, we had to do our thang!

The eye fillet wrapped in proscuitto and sage (check out my pro wrapping skills on one of them…) worked together to create a harmony of flavours with each bite. The saltiness of the proscuitto worked very well with the sage and the tender cut of meat.

BBQ Ribs; BBQ Szechwan and coffee crusted Prime rib with BBQ pear salad and horseradish

These BBQ ribs were probably my favourite dish of the day, followed closely by the T-bone. The meat simply fell off the bone and each bite resulted in a luscious tender chunk of meat. The BBQ sauce also matched the quality of the meat with its sweet and sticky goodness. If I could have had it my way, I would have taken both plates of ribs and cleaned them. The prime rib with the szechwan and coffee crust also worked out to be a treat. The subtle pepper matched the subtlety of the coffee to not only give the meat a beautiful flavour but aroma as well. Once again the meat was cooked to a juicy medium-rare, as it should be, matched with the salad off BBQ vegetables and pear.

Dan the Beer Snob and his brilliant shirt

Dan starts off by explaining how he wants to make the world a better place by getting boutique beers into every possible place and I totally applaud his passion for beer, for I too love the boutique beers ^^! He then educates us that a good beer should be allowed to breathe by pouring into a glass (I prefer a chilled glass) then examine the beer with the three Cs; Colour, Clarity and Carbonation. The colour of the beer would of course be determined by the type of beer it is and can vary from a dark chocolate to a light wheat yellow. The clarity of the beer can vary from a cloudy mist due to suspended yeast to a clear filtered beer. Lastly the carbonation of the beer as it give it a good swirl. Then you give the beer three big whiffs to get all the scents of all the different flavours.

The beers we tried at the class were;

Wicked Elf Witbier – My favourite beer of the day as it was incredibly smooth and reminded me a lot of Hoegarden (my favourite beer of all time heh). Wheat beer does have a more intense flavour and it really is like drinking liquid bread, which is probably why I love them so much. It gives off a tropically aroma which also adds to the slight fruitiness of the beer.

Murrays Pilsner – This beer gives a sweet aroma of honey which reminds me of Beez Neez but ends with a bitterness which is a bit of an acquired taste. It does have a crisp and clean flavour that I can see many people appreciating.

Pigs Fly Pale Ale – Another crisp and fresh beer with a golden colour also with a slight fruity tinge to it.Not as bitter as the Murrays but does have a slight lingering bitterness but overall very easy to drink.

Moo Brew Dark Ale – This beer was mind-blasting in the way that it would be considered a dessert beer. There were obvious tones and hints of chocolate and cheeries and as soon as Dan said ‘blackforest cake’ everybody was nodding their head in agreement. I also found that there was a linger of coffee in the aftertaste. Definitely an interesting beer and I would like to try some with some blackforest cake heh.

A very education and interesting class with delicious food, fascinating drinks and awesome teachers! It was great fun being in the kitchen and testing out our skills with Craig and then learning and discussing all things beer with Dan. After all this I think it is time for a beer and a steak

Here Comes the Food attended this class courtesy of Mumu Grill

Mumu Grill

70 Alexander St

Crows Nest

Ph: (02) 94606877

Head Chef: Craig MacIndoe

FFichiban

Kyoto is one of most culturally rich cities in the world with over 1600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. But there is more to it than this: head down to Gion and you will find geishas appearing and disappearing into alleys; or you can spend the whole day exploring around Kyoto station which is a hub of department stores, endless eateries and a transport network that will lose even the most prepared travelers (such as myself). What immediately caught my attention when researching places to eat in Kyoto was a converging opinion amongst forums and blogs that a must visit place is Kyoto Ramen Alley above Kyoto station.

This place can be reached by going to 10^th floor of Isetan then heading to the connecting passage which is at the side of the floor. The alley itself is composed of seven ramen shops: Hakata Ikkousha, Ginza Shouriki, Kyoto Takaraya, Osaka Kamigata Zanmaiya, Sumire, Kakiokaya and Yokohama Ichihachiya. With the intention of trying a bowl at each place for dinner, I was disappointed in myself that after the second ramen shop I was at my limit, in hindsight I should have ordered the small serving.

The first place we hit up was Takaraya, which specialises in light flavoured shoyu base, the broth is chicken-based soup with pork and what stood out for me is how their eggs are prepared: the chicken is fed fish bones in their feed with a mixture of bran, corn and soybeans such that no chemical fertilizers are used.

Toro-niki Chashumen (800 yen)

I’m easily lured into going for a dish that is “limited” for reasons unknown to me, thus explaining my choice of this. The delicate slices of toro meat, which I believe means a more marbled part of pork was a new experience: a moist piece of meat that had the oily marbled texture in the mouth but was flavorsome of pork at the same time. The description on Takaraya’s website of the sensation when eating toro-niki is that one should be able to compare it with eating toro tuna, which I found to be very accurate. The noodles used at Takaraya are thin and have a firm and chewy texture, which went perfectly with the broth, the best I’ve ever had.

Tamago Chashumen (780 yen)

The same broth is used in this bowl of ramen as the previously mentioned, what it differs in is ingredients: half an egg, scallions and roast pork. The pork is not as tasty as the toro-niki but still just as enjoyable. The addition of the scallions add a sharp and sweet taste to the dish and heightens the overall flavor. Personally I would recommend ordering the toro-niki for maximum pleasure.

Noodles!

Next up is Sumire, which specialises in a Sapporo style ramen that comes with a heavy miso flavour.

We order two bowls of their house specialty: one normal and one small miso ramen.

The normal sized portion.

The small portion (which was the same size as the normal portion imo)

The broth is thick and rich with collagen, a heavy layer of oil floats on top. The flavour of the broth is very intense, a bit too much for my palate as I find it hard to enjoy. The noodles are cooked to my liking and the addition of bamboo shoots and green onions helps cut through the flavour. My partner struggles to finish her small portion, leaving me with the task of finishing off both bowls.

A bit light-headed with ramen and a noticeably together waist-line, with 5 other ramen shops that I didn’t try, I headed down to the food level of Isetan to peruse the treats being offered.

Like a bee to honey, I spotted the snaking line forming at one particular shop and decided to join the queue, not knowing what exactly I was lining up for.

A few moments later, and some hundred or so yen poorer, I opened up the packaging to reveal…

A mini dorayaki, freshly made with the sweetness of the castella pancakes and red bean filling.

JR Kyoto Station 10F

[connecting passage from Isetan 10F] Open 11am-9:30pm (LO) daily.

Website with all the Ramen Shops:  http://www.kyoto-station-building.co.jp/search/search.cgi?mode=search&f=zone&key=ramen

Bonus pictures from this day:

Our room had a little arrow pointing to the entrance of Nijo Castle

Bed of leaves

When I first heard about the Blue Angel I had casually kept it at the back of my mind because all I heard was about the lobsters that they serve. Little did I know that this restaurant would be one to source some of the finest Wagyu beef in Australia. A smiling cupid poised with his arrow welcomed us as we descended into the deep blue…

The ambiance was the first thing to strike me as the luminescent lighting from the lobster tanks contrasted with the dim warm lighting to give off the feeling of an underwater grotto. The next thing to hit me was the list of Wagyu beef selections on the menu (naturally) and the desserts! I was then not so surprised by the many tables of Japanese patrons that surrounded us.

Spider-lobster?

A little meander around the underwater ‘cave of wonders’ lead me to a even larger lobster tank, which I found out from their website holds more than 200kg, just behind the bar which was pretty impressive until I came was the fridge…

I think my heart skipped a few beats when my eyes fell upon these slabs of awesomeness

I had a quick chat with the owner, Marcello Marcobello, as he works the front of house cooking up a storm with lobsters, steaks or some desserts. I learnt that the Blackmore Wagyu Beef, which have an incredible marbling score 9+, are from South Australia and they actually get exported into Japan! Also found out that a table of 8 people or so next to us ordered 3kg of the sirloin (above picture: L side)! Sitting back into my seat in a state of awe, Here Comes the Food

Garlic Bread and hee hee don’t see chopsticks at an Italian restaurant much

I had hoped that the garlic bread would be mind-blasting but it just lacked that pizzazz that would make it that extra bit better. It was still very tasty with a good crunchy crust with a soft, fluffy interior and aromatic buttery and garlic flavour.

Blue Angel Antipasto (for 2)

We decided to give the Blue Angel antipasto platter a go and it was surprisingly big! Even I was impressed by the amount of cold cuts and goodies they had on it. There was a generous combination of proscuittos, salamis, cheeses, olives, mortadella, octopus and crispy bread to keep us happy. I was happily tucking into each different item and trying out many weird and wonderful combinations. This platter is a good idea if you have a very healthy apppetite and do not mind the slight saltiness of the meats.

Blue Angel – Marcello Marcobello’s cooking station

Blue Angel – Porcini Risotto

A rich and creamy risotto which packed a lot of flavour with every bite. The risotto to sauce ratio was very well done, not too dry and not too gluggy and with shaves of parmasen cheese melting slowly on top. Overall this dish was very tasty and had great rich flavours infused into each grain of rice but if there was one thing I had to point out, it is the rice was slightly undercooked so had a bit more bite than al dente.

Steak Diane (Blue Angel Specialty)

I decided to go with the house specialty of steak diane. A bonus with this dish is that they cook it right next to your table but since our table was a bit packed in, the trolley couldn’t reach all the way to our table. The steak arrived to our table with an amazing aroma of butter and garlic and of course the meat. The meat was very tender and soft so it practically melted in your mouth. It was a delicious cut of meat but to be honest I kind of regret not getting any of the beautiful sirloin from the fridge. The aftermath of the steak did leave a bit of a sight unwanted haha. At this point we were too full even though we were really set on getting the crepes suzette (also cooked by your table) we shall have to wait until next time.

With a history of nearly 50years, this restaurant sure does know how to provide very high quality ingredients. The staff are professional although not as attentative as I had experienced from other places and I would had preferred them to be a bit more friendly but Marcello was a very interesting and pleasant to talk to. This place is not easy on the wallet but I do want to come back and try either their lobsters or sirloin and most definitely their desserts!

Blue Angel

223 Palmer St

East Sydney, 2010

Ph: (02) 9380 5941

FFichiban

A visit to Miyajima Island should ideally be done alongside, before or after your stay in Hiroshima as it a very short distance away; for our trip, we decided to spend two nights at a ryokan on the island, which we thoroughly enjoyed – the hospitality of a family run inn, amenities such as traditional dinners and sleeping on a futon in a tatami-matted room was a heart-felt experience. The most rewarding feature of staying overnight for me was having the opportunity to admire the magnificence of the torii gate with all the tourists gone and the feeling of being enveloped by the ethereal atmosphere at night.

During the day, the ometesando (main street) of the town has crowds of tourists exploring the plethora of shops selling their wares and ushers advertising their seasonal dishes of oyster to passersby. When I read that deer free roam the streets online, I soon found this was an understatement; the deer are everywhere and will be in the most inconspicuous locations (such as inside the actual stores themselves).

Hayashi is one of the many places to eat, we literally walked up and down the main street 3 times before we decided on this place (we were lured by the eye candy of fresh kaki being grilled outside).

Here Comes The Food

Anago-musubi (600 yen): Barbecued sea eel rice balls. The eel is slathered with a rich and thick sauce that mars the delicate flavour. Compared to unagi, the flavour of anago in my opinion is much more light and subtle. A nearby table spots our rice balls and with no-doubt salivating palates order a couple to kick off the meal as well. The texture of the eel is soft and easily falls apart in the mouth. Oishii desu.

Kaki-udon (800 yen): Udon is served with boiled oysters and seasoned with green onions and seaweed. The broth has been infused with the oyster aroma and has a warms us up.

Kakidon (1200 yen): Our partner and I had a routine we adopted during this trip, once we had finished half of our order, we would swap. This was one of the rare cases that I managed to sneak away with more than two-thirds of the dish finished before she noticed and promptly swapped. The kakidon was perfect in my books. The egg yolk still runny and being cooked by the warmth of the rice and kaki – when runny egg yolk is involved in a dish, I’m automatically won over as it is one of my favourite things to eat. The simple flavour of the overall dish:  kaki, together with the rice, onions and egg yolk put a smile of my face.

Hayashi

Located near and one the same street as the world’s biggest rice paddle.

Bonus shots from our stay on Miyajima Island:

Itsukushima shrine

Wait till all the tourists are gone, then you will have the whole shrine to yourself.

World’s biggest rice paddle; If that’s the rice paddle, whose the person that uses it?

On top of Mt. Misen

Travelers beware – Deer will eat your paper!

5 Storey Pagonda.

Each statute has a different face.

Dai-Shoin Temple

Hope you enjoyed the review and pictures!

Sepia in sepia… had to be done

Happy Chinese New Year to all ^^! Gong Xi Fa Cai! But not only that, Happy Valentines day to you all too ^^! Whether you be enjoying this joyous event with your family or with your special loved one, I hope you are all celebrating it the universal way of good food! As for Pupu and I, we sneaked in the V-day feasting earlier as so we can spend some family time as well as avoid the madness of the dining out scene on such an event.

Me like rainy sign

Sepia is one of those places that has been on top of my wish-list for a long time but there has been no occasion worthy of it until now. I was very excited because as you guys all know from here and here there are some pretty famous chefs working there and of course Lemonpi ^^! Her beautiful enticing pastries and desserts always leave me drooling at my screen and now I finally get to try them!

Sneaking a peek into the kitchen

Even before I stepped into the restaurant I was awe-inspired by the whole atmosphere and feel of the place. The dim lighting, wooden features and cushioned benches gave the place a real comfortable and cozy feel to it but still with high class and style. I absolutely adored the wall of mirrors near the back corner and the chill/lounge music suited the ambiance beautifully (hooray for Cafe del Mar). I have a feeling I got the same table as Billy hee hee. The service here was impeccable with friendly, helpful and very professional staff. I was very impressed at how attentive they were and how they really made the experience that much better.

When I was presented with the menu pretty much flipped straight to the desserts. I had a plan in my head already Although the degustation menu did look very enticing and seemed like great value for money we decided to go a la carte because of my plan.

Sourdough roll

The pre-dinner roll came just the way I love it, warmed with a crusty exterior and soft, fluffy interior. It is their attention to the small details, like the warmed bread, that really puts this place up there in my opinion. A smear of butter which melts accordingly and a light sprinkle of sea salt crystals prepares us for the amazing meal ahead.

Amuse Bouche – Ox tail consomme with prawns

The liquid inside the glass was not only rich in colour but also rich in taste. The ox tail gave the consomme a nice body of flavour and with the saltiness of soy sauce and slight tinge of sweetness, this amuse bouche was well balanced. The prawns were like two little treasures at the bottom of the pot.

Entree – Roasted Squab Salad, Pickled Beetroot, Beetroot and Strawberry Puree, Hazelnut Vinaigrette ($27)

The roasted squab salad was very well presented with an array of colours, aromas and textures to feast the eyes, nose and the mouth. The meat of the squab, which we found out was a bird with a medium gamy taste, was very tender and delicate. The gamy flavour was present but not overpowering and balanced beautifully with the sweet puree and other components of the dish. The leg of the squab ended up being the most tasty and fun to eat. It was a mini drumstick and bursting with flavour in each bite.

Entree – Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare, Avocado Cream, Soy and Wasabi Jelly ($26)

I was instantly drawn in by the tuna, avocado and wasabi combination especially since the wasabi was in jelly form! When the maitre’d brought this over and the word “otoro” was enunciated, my eyes must had widened with glee. The layers of this dish should be combined and eaten as a whole to achieve the maximum in flavour. The creamy avocado and even creamier otoro was beautiful and with only a slight hint of wasabi, this dish had me craving for a whole bathtub full so I could swim in its glory.

Entree – Queensland Spanner Crab and Buckwheat Risotto, Mustard Butter, Shellfish Essence ($27)

I was very intrigued at the concept of buckwheat risotto and we were fortunate to be given to chance to taste this (Thanks Y!). The fresh aroma of the ocean was the first thing that you notice about this dish apart from its bubbly foam layer. There were generous chunks of spanner crab in this dish as well as a nice pool of mustard butter in the middle which you mix into the risotto. The buckwheat risotto worked magically and it also gave the me the feeling of eating something very healthy and refreshing.

Pupu – Look at my mushroom forest ^^! It really is the attention to little details that make the best restaurants!

Main – Loin of Gippsland Lamb, Roasted Fillet and Crispy Belly, Mint, Miso and Cauliflower Florets ($43)

After the sensational entrees we were really excited when the mains arrived. Once again the foam created a visual impact on the presentation but so did the sliver of crispy crispy belly that was the deciding factor for my choosing this dish. Starting with the cauliflower floret I did not really get much of a miso flavour but the soft and creamy floret accompanied the lamb very well. The tender and succulent cuts of lamb were so very good. The lamb was incredibly juicy as they were cooked to a perfect medium rare and when matched with the crispy crunch of the belly, it was like an explosion of flavour.

Main – Grilled Wagyu Rump, Spinach Puree, Braised Baby King Brown Mushrooms, Yuzu and Tarragon Butter ($45)

Beautifully pink and luscious chunks of wagyu rump was presented before us and we knew straight away this was going to be good. The standing king brown mushrooms were not only aesthetically pleasing but the meatiness of the king brown matched the rump like a match made in heaven. The creamy spinach puree was also another highlight in this dish while the little roll of daikon provided a nice contrast in flavour and texture. I did find the meat ever-so-slightly underseasoned but with this kind of meat you don’t want to ruin it with too much salt.

Side – Creamed Corn with Lime Butter ($10)

Our waiter recommended this side of creamed corn and boy am I glad he did. Each kernel of corn burst out with juicy flavour and the lime butter just coated its goodness around each kernel.

The main reason why we didn’t go for degustation was because of my plan… which was to order one of each of the desserts hee hee ^^! And this we did, I was surprised the waiter didn’t have a bigger reaction but we ended up getting all of the desserts except the cheese platter. (To be honest I now regret not getting the cheese platter hahaha)

Pre-dessert – Vanilla pannacotta with a pickled plum puree

A refreshing mix of sweet and sour really puts you in the mood for dessert. The plum puree balanced well with the light and wobbly pannacotta and this made me set a very high level to expect from the desserts

Starting off with the lighter/fruiter ones…

Dessert – “Summer Pudding” Vanilla Sponge, Buttermilk Sherbet, Chilled Berry Soup ($19)

With the pouring summer rain outside we dived into the summer pudding which was a mind blasting sweet and sour combination. The mix of summer berries burst with each bite but the star of this dish was the vanilla sponge and berry soup combination. The sponge was like the lightest bread, I wish I could buy it in loaves at a bread shop while the soup ended up being drunk by the spoonful after all the berries and sherbet was gone.

Dessert – White Peach, Lemon Curd, Green Tea, Yoghurt and Peach Sorbet ($18)

Keeping with the summer and fruity theme was this medley of peaches, lemon curd, sorbets and a green tea soil. The peaches were the main star of this dessert as they were fizzy! Each bite of peach caused a lively fizzy sensation upon the tongue which made us both grin. The lemon curd was refreshingly sour and matched beautifully with the peaches and the sorbets. The green tea did not have much flavour but gave a nice texture to the mix.

Dessert – Mango, Vanilla and Macadamia “Weiss” Pineapple, Lemon Sherbet, Nasturtium Flowers ($19)

This truly was a Weiss bar in fancy dessert form. The frozen pineapple and lemon sherbet was the highlights of this dish. The smooth mango, vanilla and macadamia combination along with the pretty foam was yet another refreshingly taste. The line of sherbet did look a little suss but the fizzy flavour made me want to snort it.

Now onto the chocolate mmmmmmmm

Dessert – White Chocolate Sponge, Toasted Buckwheat Ice Cream, Strawberry Jelly, Passionfruit Custard ($18)

This dessert seemed so delicate when it first arrived but came with a powerful punch of flavour with each bite. Once again the buckwheat made for a very pleasant surprise and for me the ice cream was the star of the show. The white chocolate sponge had a very light chocolate taste while the strawberry jelly and passionfruit custard were the main players in this dessert with another sweet and sour combination. The strings of toasted buckwheat were also very fun to eat while dipping in the ice cream.

Dessert – Elements of Chocolate, Prune, Cocoa Bubbles ($20)

THIS is it. The one that I had drooled most over, the ultimate in chocolate experiences. Each layer was like a whole new experience from a creamy, gooey layer to flaky, crisp to spongey, soft and finally to airy, bubbly this dessert had it all. The bottom soft sponge layer also had the prune flavour (we thought it was dark cherries) but a sweetness to this dessert which is normally a rich and dark chocolate. The cocoa bubbles were very entertaining as they popped and the crack of the chocolate was music to my ears. I have to say if you only get one dessert at Sepia (yeah right ) you HAVE to try this one. From the first bite I had the biggest grin which I could not get rid of until all of this was gone.

Dessert – Chocolate ganache, caramelized peanuts, beer ice cream and “Aero” bar

Another gorgeous dessert which I just absolutely adored. The combination of caramelized salty peanuts and the soft chocolate mousse and a scoop of beer ice cream was too much to hold in. I was very surprised how strong the beer ice cream was without that alcoholic aftertaste so it was just light and sweet flavour. I think I have a weakness for chocolate and desserts and this palce is one of the best places to satiate those cravings.

Petit Fours – Hazelnut financiers and passionfruit marshmallows

The marshmallows were pleasantly passionfruity and so soft and tasty that I think they were (dare I say it) better than SWEETNESS marshmallows. While the financiers were like mini donuts with a smooth hazelnutty flavour and crunchy cinnamon coating.

Sepia has been the best dining experience for me in a  long time now and I crave to go again and again. Everything from the amazing service, atmosphere to the mind blasting desserts worked together to create such an experience. Considering we were both comfortable full and for a reasonable price for what we got I would definitely be coming back for more XD!

Happy Chinese New Year and V-day again guys and hope everyone has a good year of eating to come ^^!

Sepia Restaurant and Wine Bar

Darling Park

201 Sussex St

Sydney, 2000

Ph: (02) 9283 1990

Head Chef: Martin Benn

FFichiban

Waiting in the queue for a restaurant is a test on your stomach and irritating on the nerves for patrons that are unfortunately seated at the closest table to the door as you have people eye-balling you to hasten your meal. You would rarely have to wait every meal as almost every restaurant allows for bookings, but if you visit places such Chat Thai, Musashi and Ayam Goreng 99 during the times when bookings can’t be made, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

It was suggested to me that if Chat Thai is full, as it normally is, head across the street into Capitol Square to an authentic Thai restaurant called @Bangkok. This restaurant at first sight had a cozy atmosphere: tv screens on the walls that were playing karaoke, a performance stage where shows are held on Saturdays, specials on a blackboard, stool-cushioned seating on the centre of the room and chair seating on the tables against the wall.

Here Comes The Food

Thai Milk Tea: Armed with my refreshing milk tea I’m ready for the spices ahead.

Som Tum Thai ($12.90): This is a papaya salad with spicy, sweet and sour taste served with tomato, cashew and dried shrimp. One morsel of the salad was enough to cause me to lunge for my milk tea. In a word – explosive. As soon as it hits you tongue there is a slight tickle on the tastebuds, within seconds the spicy had me sucking in cool air as the flavours startle my expectations. I momentarily escape from my situation by looking across the table at my dining partner, and I thought I had it bad, beads of perspiration were forming on her forehead and she was uncontrollably wiping her nose, I can’t but help to find relief at the cost of someone else experiencing the same strangely satisfying suffering that I am going through. Reading other people’s experiences, it seems they didn’t react to the spiciness of this dish as I did, some even expressing wanting more spice: perhaps the spice levels varies depending on the mood of the chef?

Green Curry ($13.90): Thai green curry cooked with roast duck, thai eggplant, vegetables and basil. The creaminess of the curry cools off our tongues and brings us back down from spice heaven to warming flavours. The roast duck pieces are generous and meaty with the flavour of the curry immersed inside the pieces. The serving is pretty big and is packed with a variety of vegetables: carrots, baby bok choy, green beans, capsicum et al. Although not as spicy as red curry, the green curry I would rank as border-lining medium from mild.

Khai Yeaw Ma Kra Prow Grob ($15.90): 1000 years-preserved eggs topped with stir-fried minced chicken, chilli and garlic. At the recommendation of my cousin who also recommended me this restaurant I order this. The dish actually is served with minced pork, however we substituted it for minced chicken and it worked out well. The minced chicken was a bit too salty for me but was a good accompaniment with rice. The preserved eggs were crispy on the outside and had a silky texture on the inside, they preserved egg taste that you would normally expect wasn’t as obvious as it would normally be, but nevertheless hints of the delicate texture were there.

Sticky Rice Durian ($7.5): Sticky rice cooked in durian and coconut milk. Am I the only person that reads the dessert menu first? As soon as I saw this I know what I wanted it. I’m a hard person to impress when it comes to dessert and the simplicity of this dish and its resulting flavours met that mark. The pungent flavour of the durian that either makes your deliriously giddy or wrinkle your nose in disgust worked well with the sticky rice and coconut milk. Every spoonful was infused with rich aromas and equally delectable combinations of durian flesh and toothsome clumps of sticky rice.

@Bangkok in my opinion is a contender that could easily substitute Chat Thai with the variety of dishes offered on its menu and the fact that you can book it. The pricing is pretty reasonable for the sizing of the portions you get. The attentiveness of service is more than acceptable and I would happily go back again.

@Bangkok Thai Cuisine Restaurant

Capitol Square Building
Shop G11, 730-742 George Street
Haymarket NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9211 5232

posted by D