Ocean Room, Sydney

01 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central

Tags

B, Dinner, Fine Dining, Japanese, Lunch, Ocean Room, Seafood, Sydney

B: It was an honour to be invited to dine at Ocean Room. As you take your first step into this restaurant, you are greeted with an impressive, towering display of drinks at the bar. The ceiling is probably the next thing you notice with its beautiful, meticulously decorated bamboos that dangle.

We experienced Raita’s Tasting Menu which is a 12 course meal for $120. In all honestly, it was absolutely worth it. All courses that came out had its own unique characteristics that kept the diners excited.

Ringo Collins – A delicious dry Collins with green apple & ginger subtleties. Beefeaters gin, Domaine Canton ginger, pomme verge, ginger syrup, green apple, lemon juice and soda ($18).

Kaki – freshly shucked Sydney rock oyster, Guinness, myoga, Yamazaki silk. The combination of ingredients were beautiful and took an oyster dish to a whole new level.

Ochazuke – cold drip dash & premium gyokuro green tea, Koshihikari rice crust, flame seared latchet, umeboshi sorbet and wasabi dust. This was a intriguing dish to start with but became even more interesting as the waitress came around and poured the green tea on top.

Maguro – yellow fin tuna, Sicilian green olive & buffalo mozzarella drops, crystalised yuzu, soy pearls and tomato chips. This was a nice dish that really accentuated the fresh yellow fin tuna. There were excellent flavours and textures. I was intrigued by the avocado and onions that were cut into minuscule pieces, just amazing.

Shinjo – house-made croquette, tiger prawn & calamari and yuba angel hair. This one seemed little more simple then the others, but nonetheless was a delightful experience.

Onsen – Autumn vegetable collection, yaki-onigiri, black shichimi, house made anchovy & garlic bath. This was one of those dishes that when it arrived, all you could hear was “wow” or “ah”. It was visually gorgeous and not only did the fondue stand out but so did the vibrant and flawless vegetables.

Sashimi – daily recommendation, seasonal sashimi selection. Every sashimi element had its own garnishes and decoration, it was colourful, artistic and fresh.

Shabu² – wagyu beef, grilled tofu, seasonal mixed vegetables, dashi consommé, lime chilli soy. This bowl came out with the lid on, didn’t look too spectacular but the taste was! I remember wishing for more, the flavours were rich and the wagyu beef was irresistibly tender.

Miso Cod – signature grilled miso cod fillet, ginger risotto, orange miso. I understand how this is one of their most famous dishes, it was perfectly cooked and had a caramelised glaze on the outside.

Butabara – simmered pork belly, melting tofu and yuzu chilli ponzu. I don’t think anyone expected a dish like this, it was wrapped up and tided at the top – a very interesting and fun way of presenting food. The waitress came around and cut the top off, that’s when the amazing fragrance hits you. “Butabara” is Japanese for pork belly and this dish did it justice. The pork was just so tender it melts in your mouth and the broth was marvellous.

Sansui – wagyu flat iron steak, tasmanian pepper jus, quinoa crusted king prawn, Americaine cream and agedashi taro potato. This dish has a strong western fusion. The most intriguing thing was the quinoa crusted prawn, it was very crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Edo-Mae sushi – three authentic Tokyo style nigiri sushi, chef’s daily recommendation. At this point of the dining experience, I believe everyone on the table were very full however we couldn’t help but try these nigiri that had been beautifully crafted. I love how they add so many little details and that carrot butterfly really is the cherry on top.

Amaguri – amaguri chestnut mont blanc, green tea angel cake, spiced ice cream, chestnut puree and cognac persimmon. I thought this dish is very deceiving, it looks like a savoury dish but it’s a dessert – a very memorable dessert. The mont blanc and spiced ice cream was so delicate and lovely.

Ground Level, Overseas Passenger Terminal
Circular Quay West, The Rocks Sydney NSW 2000

(02) 9252 9585

Milk Bar by Cafe Ish, Redfern

13 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Inner West

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

B, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Cheap Eats, Coffee, Lunch, Milk bar, Milk Bar by Cafe Ish, Redfern, Sydney

B: Hidden in the suburb of Redfern, stands a little cafe on Regents Street. We walked for a good 10 minutes down the wrong end of the road, to realised it was only a minute walk from the station. With their convenient location and their affordable prices, there is no doubt this place is great for those USYD students after a long day of studying to feed their brains with milkshakes and juicy burgers.

The first thing we ordered was the much-talked-about PBJ Milkshake – salted peanut butter ice-cream, crunchy peanut butter, raspberry and blueberry jelly ($7). I must say this is the milkshake that would turn your world upside down and dilate your pupils, it does not disappoint! The milkshake was poured into a classic milkshake glass and the kind owner Josh gave us the remaining milkshake from the milkshake canister. The milkshake is a interesting balance of sweet and savoury and it was nice to have little bits of peanuts and berry seeds to chew on.

Ais Freaking Awesome Chicken Wings – basket of crisp fried free range chicken wings ($13). This was another highly anticipated dish. When it came out, I think everyone on the table stopped and just stared at it like we were hungry children who hadn’t eaten for weeks. The fried chicken was literally bathed in the sweet oozy sauce and it was just sensational. Great Asian flavours and perfectly cooked crispy chicken.

Cheeseburger – beef patty, cheese, pickles, ketchup and grilled onions ($5). The cheeseburger along with the chicken are the basic burgers served, where you have a choice to add “toppings” to make them a little more interesting.

Chicken Burger – grilled chicken, cheese and wasabi mayo ($6). The wasabi mayo was very subtle but very appropriate, it gave the burger a little lift. Nothing too extravagant about this burger but it would be nice for those days when you just want something simple.

Cheeseburger + Japanese topping – pickled dakion, carrot, cabbage and wasabi mayo ($5 + $3). This topping was one the more popular choices on the menu. It was a nice Asian fusion burger with great texture from the cabbage and the wasabi mayo worked perfectly with this combination.

Double Cheeseburger + Aussie topping – roasted beetroot, free range egg, free range bacon, lettuce and tomato ($9 + $5). This isn’t a burger, it’s the Leaning Tower of Pisa! If you are into your huge “dude-food” burgers, this is for you. You can also bump it up to a triple cheese burger if you like.

Cheeseburger + Hawaiian topping – pineapple, sweet chilli, avocado, no ketchup and no BBQ sauce ($5 + $5). It’s not your regular Hawaiian burger, with the interesting choice of sweet chilli and avocado but it works so well.

We couldn’t pass having the Malteser Pie. The slice was monstrous, with it’s thick, buttery pastry base, irresistibly smooth milk chocolate mousse and a mountain of Maltesers. We shared one slice between 5 people and I think we all left with a sweet tooth.

105 Regent St , Redfern NSW 2016

Sadhana Kitchen, Newtown

24 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Inner West

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Newtown, Sadhana Kitchen, Vegan, Vegetarian

Belle: I have fallen off the vegan bandwagon one too many times. I really enjoy vegan food because it has allowed me to explore more different varieties of foods out there, as well as getting more out of your normal fruit and vegetables and has also encouraged me to look for other meat/dairy alternatives. But being a foodie, veganism sometimes feels too restricted and always cave in and end up eating meat. But on days when I am not eating out, my meals are usually of the vegetarian or vegan sort.

I stumbled upon Sadhana Kitchen after doing some Instagram searching/stalking on raw vegan foodies. And was super excited when I found out about this place hidden behind King Street in Newtown. I knew I was at the right place when I found sets of colourful seats and tables placed along a boring brick wall of parking lot. Sadhana Kitchen is also conveniently located right next to a yoga studio as well.

B and I came here with a really open mind and were really curious on what these meals might taste like. To say we were blown away is an understatement.

First up drinks.

I decided to go with the the SuperFeast Smoothie ($9.5), cacao powder, raspberries, goji berries, almonds, maca, coconut oil and shredded coconuts. On the menu it is said that this drink is meant to nourish the body, mind and spirit. It is an interesting combination with different flavours that I am not used to, but I found it hard to finish. I think I should of ordered drink with more fruits.

They also serve coffee with a good variety of milk alternatives to choose from incluidng soy, rice, oat and almond mylk. B went for her usual Soy Latte ($4).

Everything on the lunch menu intrigued us. I was looking at the menu for quite some time deciding what to order. After much deliberating, I went with the Sadhana Lasagna ($15.5) Layers of zucchini pasta, cultured cashew cheese, basil pesto, walnut mince, wilted spinach and chunky tomato sauce. I was taken away with my first bite. So much flavour in one mouthful. The fresh punch from the pesto worked nicely with the acidity of the tomato sauce and the crunch from the zucchini.

For B, she was drawn to the Tejas Tacos ($15.5) right away. Served in a lettuce cup with walnut mince, salsa, guacamole and house fermented sour cream. One word wow! The walnut mince stole the show, it had a meaty taste that you would not expect.

And we could not leave without trying one of the their raw vegan cakes. Everything looked so good from the red velvet cake to the chocolate orange jaffa cake. We decided to try the caramel cheese cake ($8.5). The cashew based cheesecake was dense, sweet and addictive.

I will be making a mission to try out all the other items on their menu. This place did not disappoint and I want to go back.

76A Wilford Street, Newtown 2042, NSW.

(02) 9516 1334

Operating Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 8.30am to 4.30pm. Monday – CLOSED

Sadhana Kitchen Website

Wooden Spoon Bar & Restaurant, Cremorne

23 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - North

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

B, Bar, Cremorne, Dinner, Fine Dining, Wine Bar, Wooden Spoon

B: We were kindly invited to taste Wooden Spoon Bar & Restaurant’s new menu. Belle and I usually don’t visit the North Sydney area regularly, but this time it gave us a good opportunity to visit and scope the place out for good food. This place is definitely one of them.

We were impressed with the elegant and contemporary interior and was surprised the restaurant stretched out the back to an internal courtyard. The staff were nice and attentive. The atmosphere was very chilled and comfortable.

They provided a sample of the new 5 course degustation. We started off with The Hendrick’s, Hendrick’s Gin and Cointreau orange liqueur muddled with fresh mint and cucumber then shaken with apple and lemon juices. I’m not so much of a gin person, but Belle loved it.

Pan seared scallops, ox tail sausage, pea and lemon puree, apple and pork jus. Wow! This dish was amazing! I loved the combination of flavours and the scallops were perfectly seared.

Zucchini flowers – salt cod and potato brandade, tomato and vanilla fondue, whitebait and lime crisps. The zucchini flower was nice and tender. But the real stand out of this dish was the sauce that bind everything together.

Dumplings – Peking duck and bamboo with ponzu sauce. I eat dumplings all the time and I must say I was impressed with the dumplings. Although the sauces were a little overpowering compared to the duck – so don’t drench your dumplings!

Confit pork belly, butternut squash and toasted cumin puree, pickled leek and apple salad. This dish was absolutely amazing! A nice chunky piece of tender pork belly with beautiful cracking skin.

Mini beef mignon, green lentil and speck ragout, shiraz and mustard emulsion. This dish was as good as the confit pork belly – cooked to perfection with lovely complements. Both the beef and pork dishes are very hearty and would be perfect on a cold winers’ night.

3/362 Military Road, Cremorne NSW 2090

(02) 9904 5687

Operating Hours: Tuesday to Friday 5pm till late, Saturday 12pm till late, Monday and Sunday function bookings only

Temasek, Parramatta

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - West, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Asian, B, Dinner, Lunch, Malaysian, Parramatta, Singaporean, Temasek

B: Temasek has been on my list for quite some time and finally Belle, D-Lam and I got out of our way to try it. I’ve had many friends and family recommend this place. And not to mention, it’s one of Parramatta’s top few restaurants. Tucked away in the tiny Roxy Arcade, lies this Singaporean/Malaysian gem.

We arrived during Friday lunch and boy was this place busy! They eventually squeezed three of us on a table equipped for two. We literally had 10cm from the table next to us. It was hard for us to get the attention of the staff, I remember we were waving our hands around like lunatics. But once we ordered, the food came out fast. Not all together at the same time, but fast.

We started off with the lunch special Beef Rendang and Rice ($11). This dish was flawless. The beef was extremely tender with an amazing flavour and the rice was light and fluffy. I couldn’t wait for the roti to come out so I could dip it in the sauce.

Lunch special Chicken Laksa ($10.8). It was nice that this dish came out very hot. I must say, this is probably one of the best chicken laksa I’ve ever had. It had a perfect balance of spice and coconut and I will definitely come back for this, especially on a cold Winter’s day.

Lunch special Hainanese Chicken and rice ($11). Now this is suppose to be their famous dish, however I was disappointed. It lacked some flavour. I couldn’t get my finger on it, but it seemed like it was missing something.

Roti Canai, traditional Indian bread ($2.2ea, minimum of 2). This came out late and was the last dish out of the mains, but I couldn’t stay mad because these roti were amazing! They had a nice thin crisp on the outside and soft, buttery layers on the inside.

Chendol drink ($5) Chendol (green jelly) mixed with red beans, palm sugar and coconut milk served with crushed ice in a glass. I love finishing off a heavy asian meal with this drink. It just a nice sweet and refreshing touch.

We found it odd that a Singaporean/Malaysian restaurant would serve gelato, so we ordered it because it challenged our perspective. I’ve seen this particular gelato brand being served at other Italian restaurants, but this is definitely the first I’ve seen in an Asian restaurant.

71 George St Parramatta NSW 2150

(02) 9633 9926

Operating hours: Closed on Mondays. Lunch 11.30am – 2.30pm, Dinner 5.30pm – 10pm.

Mad Pizza e Bar, Surry Hills

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bar, Belle, Dinner, Lunch, Pizza, Surry Hills

Belle: There are many reasons why March is always my favourite month of the year. Firstly, Ando and I get to celebrate our birthdays! Secondly it is a welcoming change from the summer as we move into Autumn. Also it means heading back to uni which I always look forward to after a long summer.

And this year, adding to the list is the launch of the Givva Fork campaign by Major Raiser which aims to feed hungry school children in Laos. And all we have to do as diners is pay ‘forkage’ fee or buying one of their orange forks at the end of our meal. Every dollar you donate will provide four school meals to a child in Laos and every orange Givva Fork you purchase will provide a whole month’s worth.

Last Thursday B and I attended the Givva Fork launch night held at Mad Pizza e Bar in Surry Hills (one of the participating restaurants part of this campaign along with Orto Trading Co Surry Hills, Ampersand Surry Hills, Mad Pizza Potts Point, Darlinghurst, Bondi Beach and Newtown, Olio St Leonards, Michelini Crows Nest, Not Bread Alone St Leonards, Ham Cronulla, The Dip at Goodgod and Edmonds and Greer Oatley). It was a good night meeting the organisers, our fellow food bloggers and enjoying good food.

Now, on to the food.

Insalata e zucca – pumpkin salad with feta, chilli, mint, red onion and pine nuts (lunch $12, dinner $16). It was a nice classic salad combination that always works well together.

De mario – roast pumpkin, crumbled feta, chilli, mint leaves, red onion and pine nuts (lunch $10, dinner $19.1). I like the scattered pieces of fetta which helps cut through the sweetness of the pumpkin.

Amalfi – sweet Spencer Gulf tiger prawns, ricotta, garlic, chilli flakes and roma tomato with fresh mint leaves (lunch $10, dinner $19.9). This pizza had simple flavours that worked well together.

Havianna – Double smoked thick sliced ham, chunky pineapple, basil and roma tomatoes (lunch $10, dinner $19.2). This pizza took me back to my childhood when we would use to fight over the last slice of Hawaiian pizza.

Tuscano – Shredded Victorian lamb shanks, spinach, red onion, garden peas and mint with feta, garlic oil and lemon (lunch $10, dinner $19.5). My favourite of the night. The lamb was tender and it was like eating a lamb stew poured onto a pizza base and topped with cheese. Yum.

We encourage our readers to ‘Givva Fork’ this month. You can find more about this campaign on their website.

Shop 3, 241 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

(02) 9380 7186

Cow & The Moon Artisan Gelato, Enmore

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Inner West

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Belle, Dessert, Enmore, Midnight Snack, Newtown

Belle: Whilst heading back from the city on a warm summer’s day, B, D-lam and I decided to make a pitt stop in Enmore to have ice cream at Cow & The Moon Artisan Gelato. We were interested to try it out after finding out that this place has won numerous prizes for their gelato.

Located on the corner of Enmore Rd and London St, this store is not hard to miss. This little corner shop has a good selection of gelatos and sorbets. As well as coffee, iced drinks, smoothies, macarons and a small selection of ice cream cakes.

Being cash stricken (as they only took cash), we decided to go for the large cup with a choice of three flavours ($8.5) to share.

What intrigued us the most was the Balsamic Strawberry gelato. However, I found it hard to taste the balsamic and only got small hints of balsamic essence.

The Lime in the Coconut appealed to me the most because it is one of my favourite combinations. It is an explosion of yummy goodness; coconuts!

And to balance the differing flavours, we chose the Caramalised Fig and Walnut. We didn’t get a lot of fig and walnut pieces but the flavours were there. I found the overall texture of the gelato was smooth and creamy.

With a few small gold coins left over, we decided to grab a Cookie Sandwich ($4.5). It was very disappointing. The cookie was stale and it was overpriced for a small serving.

I will be coming back here to try to more flavours in the near future.

181 Enmore Rd, Enmore NSW 2042

(02) 9557 4255

360 Bar & Dining, Sydney

24 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

B, Dinner, Fine Dining, Lunch, Modern Australian, Sydney

B: It was Valentine’s Day last week, and what better way to celebrate? By dining 250m off ground level. I know this isn’t the number one spot in Sydney for food, but the panoramic view and the experience is beyond spectacular. The venue offers an amazing 360 revolving dining experience that takes 80mins for a complete revolution.

For dinner, there are two options available; a choice of two ($85) or three ($95) courses. We ordered three courses because I can’t leave without dessert and Mr.K doesn’t want to start without an entree.

We booked dinner at 6pm so we could see the breathtaking sunset that turns Sydney from day to night. The welcoming service was friendly, but I was disappointed with the rest. They lacked attentiveness and didn’t provide a cloak room. They also gave us a dining limit of 2 hours, which made me feel rushed.

After our order, we were served complementary bread, butter and olive oil. We were also given the choice of sparkling or still water ($12) – I would’ve preferred just plain table water to be honest, but still water will do.

Pork. Confit pork belly, black olives, parsnip, celeriac purée and orange vinaigrette. The pork was tender and juicy and had a beautiful crackling. Tuna Tataki. Yellow fin tuna, asparagus, baby coriander, fried courgette and lime dressing. This was a nicely balanced dish with perfectly cooked tuna. Hereford/Angus rib eye on the bone 450g ($20 extra on top of the set price). Pasture fed from Armidale, New South Wales. You also get a choice of three sauces – Bordelaise, Béarnaise and Au Poivre. Mr.K chose the Au Poivre, which is pretty much a pepper sauce. This was a very good steak and mash. It didn’t have enough sauce but the waiter happily gave us more. Duck. Pan roasted duck breast, pumpkin, caramelised eschallots, roasted pears and foie gras. This dish had amazing flavours, although I found the duck skin a little chewy. The foie gras was nice and smooth but lacked that extra richness. Brulée. Vanilla bean créme brulée, strawberry salad and biscotti. It was a nice dish – sweet, smooth with a nice crisp sugar crust. I was pleased to see they included some strawberries. Brulées always needs some sort acidity. Cheese Plate. Selection of local and imported cheeses. This selection varies. Although the cheese slices were as thin as paper, it was a nice variety. I was very pleased to see that each cheese included its own complements, varying from truffle infused honey to a piece of fig. Overall, a pleasant experience with good food and one of Sydney’s best views.

Level 4, Sydney Westfield Centre, Sydney NSW 2000 (02) 8223 3883

Operating hours: Lunch (weekdays) 12pm – 2pm, Dinner 5.30pm – 9pm

Mexico Food and Liquor, Surry Hills

23 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Inner West, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bar, Belle, Cheap Eats, Dinner, Lunch, Mexican, Surry Hills

Belle: I am quite excited about all the new Mexican food places that are popping up around Sydney because Mexican cuisine is all new to me. Growing up, the only ‘Mexican’ food I ever tried was home made nachos made from Dorritos corn chips, salsa and beans, topped with a very generous serve of sour cream and cheese. It was only within the last few years ago that I tried my first burrito, experienced the taste of soft tacos and discovered the holy grail that is Tobasco sauce. And now I am hooked.

Mexico Food and Liquor is what its name suggests; Mexican Food and Mexican Liquor. B, D-Lam and I headed over here for a quick afternoon bite, but skipped the liquor. Upon arrival you are greeted with a large large wall mural at the entrance that represents anything Mexican, from Frida Kahlo to Mexican wrestlers. I particularly liked the painting of the the chihuahua. We arrived here on a late Thursday afternoon and most of the lunch diners were finishing up their meals, so we were able to get a booth next to the windows.

The interior is exactly how I imagined a Mexican bar to look like. It is dark inside with all its dark stained timber and warm lighting. In the middle of the room a row of strikingly green plants. The walls are heavily decorated with more murals and picture frames, ornaments and Mexican food products including a caged wall full of Tequila. The timber shutters on the windows cast a light shadow and I could imagine a Mexican Bar near the beach during sunset.

First thing to arrive on our table was the soft shell taco, pibil rubbed pork with black beans, red cabbage, guajillo, sesame ($6). The pork was melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and seasoned very well. It goes down a treat.

Next was the crispy potatoes tossed in celery lime salt with spicy tomatillo dressing ($6). I was looking forward to this dish, but was disappointed. On the menu next to the description there was an indicator of spiciness with two chilli signs. But the tomatillo dressing was anything but spicy. It was a nice refreshing dressing, but not spicy as I had hoped for.

It was also the same for the ‘Not to be missed’ (as written on their menu) Mexico’s fried chicken ($12). There wasn’t enough spice to the chicken and I ended up eating it with a lot of hot sauce. But the chicken was juicy and tender.

Lastly we ordred the quesadilla Achiote chicken, citrus cured red onion, mint w salsa borracha ($12). This was the favourite on the table. It was a good dish with simple flavours.

I want definitely come back next time and try all the other four tacos and other dishes that they have on their menu.

17 Randle St, Surry Hills, Sydney 2010

(02) 9211 7798

Operating Hours: Open 7 days, Noon til’ Late

Jackman & McRoss Bakeries, Hobart

19 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Hobart

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Tags

B, Bakery, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Coffee, Hobart, Lunch, Tasmania

B: This blog post is very delayed but is the last Tasmanian post from my recent trip there – I just couldn’t let this blog post slide!

Jackman & McRoss Bakeries seems like the place to be, I’ve read food reviews recommending this place, as well as hearing from locals and friends back in Sydney. Mr.K and I arrived there during Sunday brunch and oh how busy it was! After a few minutes we were seated in the right side of the bakery which reminds me of a sunroom. It was a beautiful white, elegant room and had a great atmosphere.

I started off that morning with a soy latte ($3.8 + $0.2 soy). It was a nice coffee, but what I’ve noticed is that all the cafes I’ve been to in Tasmania didn’t serve Bonsoy.

Mr.K had his Mocha ($3.8).

First to arrive was the pork, apple and sage sausage roll ($7.8). All pastries were served with housemade relish and a side salad. This is the biggest sausage roll I’ve ever seen – it was massive! It looked amazing, although I was disappointed with the taste. It was dry and lacked flavour. The tomato relish was also too acidic and watery.

Chorizo, gruyere and caramelised onion wrapped in pastry ($7.8). I liked this pastry, it was simple with great bold flavours.

Lamb and rosemary pie ($7.8). The lamb was tender, cooked perfectly and had a great hearty aroma.

We were about to leave, but we couldn’t resist trying a sweet pastry so we ordered a small peach with white chocolate tart ($4). This was the cherry on top. It was sweet, smooth and had a beautiful sweet pastry base.

57-59 Hampden Road, Battery Point TAS 7004

(03) 6223 3186

Operating Hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am – 6pm, Weekends 7.30am – 5pm

Cowbell 808, Surry Hills

16 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Belle, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Coffee, Cowbell 808, Lunch, Surry Hills, Sydney

Belle: For those who know me well, they will know that brunch is my all time favourite meal. And why is that you would ask? It is because it is a good excuse to have have either a sweet or savory meal with a good cup of coffee. So you can imagine my excitement when I learnt you can have all this sweet, savory and bitter all in one dish? When I heard about Cowbell 808 and their Fat Stacked Ricotta Hotcakes, I immediately knew I had to check this place out.

On my first visit here with B and D-lam, they ran out of the ingredients to make their hotcakes because of the busy Australia Day long weekend, so we just ordered Soy Lattes on the go.

B, D-lam and I headed back to Cowbell 808 the first free day we had. And we made sure we got there early to avoid disappointment.

B and D-lam ordered their Soy Lattes ($3.5 + $0.5 soy).

But I skipped the Soy Latte this time and went for the Affogato with Coconut Ice-cream ($4.5). The coconut was a refreshing taste in contrast to the espresso and was perfect for the warm summer morning. There was also a generous amount of ice-cream left over which I was happy with.

Continuing on with the coconut theme, I knew I had to try out the Bananacolada ($9), house-made coconut yoghurt with roast bananas. At first bite it tasted strange and the yoghurt overly sour, but a few bites into it you begin to appreciate the combination of the tangy youghurt with the sweet caramelised bananas. It really did taste well together.

And now… the dish that I waited all morning for. The Fat Stacked Ricotta Hotcakes ($16), two fat stacked ricotta hotcakes, mascarpone, bacon ice-cream, espresso syrup. This dish is truly the ultimate all-in-one brunch meal. The bacon flavour was subtle enough to not be over powering the ice cream and you get these little bits of bacon to chew on. The ricotta cakes were light, fluffy and soaks up a decent amount of the espresso syrup. It was a yummy combination. But I must warn you that it is best to be shared with one or two people. It gets overly rich and heavy and the serving size is quite generous.

The last dish we ordered was the Cowbell 808 Burger ($18), ground chuck pattie, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions & Cowbell’s sesame seed bun. Served with spiced onion rings. This dish is another generous serving, the pattie was lightly seasoned and the cheese gave the burger a nice punch of flavour.

We were full and satisfied from our brunch at Cowbell 808. And I am still craving that bacon ice-cream as I write this post.

616 Bourke Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

(02) 9698 5044

Opening Hours: Open 7 days 7am – 4.30pm

Ippudo, Sydney

06 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Asian, Belle, Dinner, Ippudo, Japanese, Lunch, Ramen, Sydney

Belle: I’ve been back in Sydney for about 6 weeks after my trip to Japan and have been searching for a ramen place that would cater for my cravings. I needed to find ramen that could take me back to Dotonbori, Osaka. Ippudo seemed like the place to go. And it did not disappoint.

The herd and I headed to Ippudo on a Tuesday right before noon to try and beat the lunch crowds. But since we were in a group of five, our genius idea of getting there early backfired because they were letting couples through first. In the end we had to wait for around 20 minutes.

Alternatively, you can skip the queue and get a cheaper deal by purchasing from the take away counter

At the front of the store there is the bar were you can sit and order from their drinks menu. Unfortunately you can’t also skip the queue by heading the to bar and ordering ramen.

Everyone who heads into the restaurant is greeted with loud “irasshaimase” by the workers behind the kitchen. I felt like a rock star.

One side of the wall is decorated with clay tiles that you find on traditional Japanese architecture. And the ceiling somewhat resembles a giant bamboo mat for rolling sushi.

The service here was excellent and the staff were well informed.

We were given the menu while we waited in line so once we were seated we were ready to order right away.

We started off with the Gyoza ($6 for 5) which were surprisingly small compared to the image on the menu. It was nothing spectacular and I honestly don’t remember too much of it because it was consumed in one mouthful.

At Ippudo, they have two steam buns on offer. The first one I tried is the is the Ippudo Pork Bun ($4) which was a steamed bun with braised pork and Ippudo orginal sauce. The piece of pork was juicy and tender and went down well.

However the Ippudo Shrimp Bun ($4) which is a steamed bun with deep fried shrimp and Ippudo original sauce was disappointing because it lacked some sort of seasoning. The sweet steam buns, deep fried shrimp and sauce was too much sweetness overload and needed something to cut through it.

Aside from the A La Carte menu, we were here for one thing at Ippudo. Their ramen.

At Ippudo you can choose from three types of noodles; soft, hard or harder. I prefer the hard noodles. And on their ramen menu, there are three variety of ramen on offer – all three uses their famous tonkotsu soup (pork bone soup) as their base.

I decided to go with the basic Shiromaru Tomago which consistsed of the Ippudo original tonkotsu broth served with thin noodles, pork loin, cabbage, black mushroom, shallots and a shiromaru flavoured egg. That first sip brought me back to Japan and I was in heaven. The soup was a perfect balance of saltiness with a bit of sweetness. The hard noodles had a nice bite to it as well. I think the next time I go, I would like to try out the harder noodles.

Ando and B both went for the Akamaru Shinaji ramen which is the Ippudo orginal tonkotsu broth enhanced with special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil. Served with thin noodles, pork belly, black mushroom and shallots. As well as the added flavoured egg. The miso and garlic really enhances the flavour of the soup. It was a definite favourite among the group and looking around the room it also seems like the more popular dish. The strong garlic reminds me of my mum’s cooking and I will be getting this the next time I eat here.

Ewok went for the other ramen on offer, the Ippudo Karakamen Chasu ($21). This soup consists of the Ippudo original tonkotsu broth with special spicy miso and ground pork with simmered pork belly. This broth reminds me of instant ramen but yummier.

D-lam decided to try one of their other non-ramen dishes on the menu and ordered the Hot Stone Unagi Rice ($10). It was a good tasting and satisfying dish but not spectacular. The ramen at Ippudo really steals the show.

188 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

(02) 90878 7020

Smolt, Hobart

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Hobart

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B, Dinner, Fine Dining, Hobart, Lunch, Modern Australian, Smolt

B: For our last night in Hobart, Mr.K and I wanted to dine somewhere nice and luckily got a table almost instantly when we arrived. They have a very warm and clean decor, definitely a nice classy place for romantic dinners or close friends and family gatherings. The staff here were extremely helpful and got out of their way to answer some of our questions.

smolt1

We started off with leek and three cheese arancini ($3.9 each). These were a little burnt and were overly hot when arrived, however it had a very rich and beautiful sauce that accompanied the aranici.

Grilled Tassal salmon, faro and du puy lentil braise, chimichurri, cotecino and herb salad ($32.9). The salmon was irresistibly tender and just melts in your mouth however, I was surprised at how small it was! Tasmania is known for their amazing salmon, but to plate up two small cigar-shaped salmon is disappointing.

Grilled Tasmanian venison, crab apple puree, quinoa, spiced cauliflower and almond salad withcreamed garlic ($36.5). Beautifully cooked venison with interesting choice of flavours and textures that worked well together.

Fragrant creme catalana, chocolate truffles ($15.5). The waiter recommended this dish and the chocolate marquis. We couldn’t decided on one so we got both! This dessert was very smooth and sweet but could’ve done with a bit of acidity because it was overly rich.

Chocolate marquis, coconut sorbet, mixed berries and fig ($15.9). A perfect dessert to finish the night. The chocolate marquis was rich but the coconut sorbet really lifted the dish.

2 Salamanca Sq, Hobart TAS 7004

(03) 6224 2554

The Wicked Cheese Co., Hobart

30 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Hobart

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B, Cheese, Dessert, Hobart, Lunch, Snack, The Wicked Cheese Co.

B: Ever since my friend claimed The Wicked Cheese Co. has the best Camembert, I knew I couldn’t leave Tasmania without visiting this place. They have won many awards for their cheeses, which displays proudly around the shop.

Cheese tasting is available and free. The staff are very attentive and friendly.

You can also order some cheese or food on the menu like us, and sit outside with a drink or two. We ordered the Wicked Platter – Tasmania Cold Smoked Salmon, ham, Wicked Cheddar, Wicked Brie, Sea Eagle Fish Pate, Mediterranean terrine, olives with Lesley Black’s Bush Pepper Relish served with salad and crusty bread (for one $23, for two $45). This is a big call, but this was the best cheese platter I have ever had. There was such a huge variety, and the Sea Eagle Fish Pate is really something to die for. There wasn’t anything on the platter that I didn’t like.

And if you still haven’t had enough, you can also purchase cheese, drinks, and a variety of local produce. Mr.K and I left with a cooler box with more than $150 worth of cheese. Till this day, I still regret not buying more.

1238 Richmond Road, Richmond TAS 7025

(03) 6260 2341

Operating Hours: Daily 10am – 4.30pm.

Ball & Chain Grill, Hobart

29 Tuesday Jan 2013

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B, Ball & Chain Grill, Dinner, Lunch, Steak, Steakhouse

ball&chain1

B: According to the Hobartians that we talked to, Ball & Chain Grill is the best place to get steak. Without even discussing it, Mr.K and I were there in a heartbeat. Ball Ball & Chain Grill is situated on Salamanca Place in a beautiful 1930s building and it was easy to find.

We thought we arrived there early for dinner at six, but we still had to wait a while at the bar till we were seated. The place was busy and packed. But the staff were very helpful and friendly which made the wait comfortable.

Every meal includes access to the all-you-can-eat salad bar. I’m not sure if you can tell by the picture, but the salad bar was wearing boots!

Wallaby Sausage ($16.9 entree, $26.5 main)- fresh Tasmanian wallaby combined with pork fat, mace, a touch of garlic and served with a forestierre sauce. I’ve never tried wallaby meat before so I was pretty excited when I read it on the menu. It was a little on the dry side, but the seasoning really worked well with the wallaby and gave it a hearty flavour.

After the Wallaby Sausage, it took nearly an hour until the mains came out. I ordered the small Eye Fillet ($25.5 small, $38.5 medium, $52.5 large) with Forestierre Sauce. The steak was juicy and had a great smokey aroma. But was it worth the long wait? probably not.

Mr.K had the medium Porterhouse (small $20.5, medium $30.5, large $38.90) with Ball & Chain Bar-b-que. The Ball & Chain Bar-b-que is a tomato based smokey sauce with a dash of chilli and garlic. Again, a great piece of steak with an interesting but enjoyable sauce.

87 Salamanca Place, Hobart 7000

(03) 6223 2655

The Taste Festival, Hobart

28 Monday Jan 2013

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Annual, B, Hobart, New Years, Taste Festival

B: The Taste Festival is Tasmania’s largest food and wine festival which is held on Hobart’s spectacular waterfront. It’s an annual event that goes on for one week, where local farmers showcase their fresh produce. This is a great opportunity to try a huge range of wine, beers, seafood, local and international dishes in one day.

Right on the edge of the waterfront, we found a stand where you can purchase a plastic wine glass for $7. This allows you to go around to your chosen stall and sample their beverage before you purchase it. Although most stall give you free samples, this idea really reduces the waste load and by the end of the night you have a little souvenir to take home.

Sharp Shooter ($10) by GetShucked. Mr.K ordered this because I am not a big fan of raw oysters. It includes two oysters in a shot of Bloody Mary.

Lamb cutlets – char grilled marinated lamb cutlets served with salad and rice ($8 taste, $15 meal) by The Turkish Kitchen. We bought the taste-size, it was a nice little snack with tenderly lamb cutlets.

Steak sandwich – premium aged Angus scotch fillet, light rye vienna bread, fresh tomato and rocket, mild horseradish cream, home-styled tomato and red pepper chutney ($12.5) by Angus Gourmet Steak Sandwiches. Mr.K and I were craving a little bit of steak and this fulfilled our craving with their succulent Angus fillet.

Fresh Raspberries – Derwent Valley raspberries and Valhalla vanilla ice-cream ($8.50 taste, $16 meal) by Smallest Pancakes in Town. I couldn’t help but stop by at this bright pink stand and buy ones of these. We just ordered the taste-size but they were very generous with the raspberries. The raspberries were sweet and very fresh, the ice-cream was nice and smooth, however I thought the pancakes were lacking in a bit of sweetness.

All stalls at the festival uses BioCups and/or paper plates, this along with your scraps goes into one bin to be easily decomposed. There’s generally a recycle bin and a general waste bin, it just shows how environmentally friendly Tasmanians are. If you happen to in Tasmania around New Years, I would recommend getting out of your way for this event. It’s just a great to see what Tasmania can offer.

Stillwater, Launceston

26 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Launceston

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B, Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Dinner, Launceston, Lunch, Modern Australian, Tasmania, Waterfront, Wine Bar

B: While looking for a few good food places to eat in Tasmania, Stillwater seemed to pop up frequently. This seemed like a good pit stop on our way from Sheffield to Hobart. We booked a table for breakfast, but unfortunately we were late and arrived when lunch started. It did not matter because when we arrived the sun was high, the sky was blue, the ducks were out, and we were at one of Launceston’s best restaurants. The perfect equation for a great dining experience.

Stillwater is located in the historic Ritchie’s Mill which was established in the 1830s, and is one of the buildings from the first settlement. Also located within this historic building is The Mill providore and art gallery; which was perfect for a little wandering and exploring after lunch.

When we arrived, they led us through to a little table at the end of the dinning room. And it is here at the side of the restaurant where Stillwater really showcases their spectacular view. The interior and decorations inside the restaurant are also another feature I liked about Stillwater, it created a beach-like, rustic, but modern vibe.

There is nothing like starting the day with a freshly ground cup of coffee. Mr.K ordered a latte while I had a soy latte. And just a small note for the coffee obsessed, Stillwater uses Vittoria Nero Blend coffee beans.

Mr.K ordered a dish from the lunch specials. Cinnamon and star anise crispy skin pork belly served with fondant potatoes and a pickled apple, hazelnut and rocket salad ($29). The pork belly was utterly tender and the skin had a nice crackle. The sides were a great complement, but the winner was that jus that really completed the dish.

This was my first meal of the day and luckily for me, they had one of their breakfast dish on the lunch menu. I had the Middle Eastern baked eggs, chorizo ratatouille, Greek yoghurt, house made dukkah and ciabatta soldiers ($22.5). To be honest, this was slightly disappointing. The portion was a quite small and the eggs were ridiculously under cooked which made the pot a complete gooey concoction. However the flavours were there.

Would I revisit? I probably would next time I’m at Launceston, but I do hope their customer service on the phone improves as I would want to try their dinner menu with a glass of wine.

2 Bridge Road, Launceston, TAS 7250

(03) 6331 4153

Operating Hours: Breakfast 8.30am – 12pm; Lunch 12pm – 3pm; Dinner Tuesday to Saturday 6pm – late; Wine bar Tuesday to Saturday 3pm – late.

Machine Laundry Cafe, Hobart

20 Sunday Jan 2013

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B, Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Hobart, Lunch, Machine Laundry Cafe, Modern Australian, Salamanca

B: Mr.K and I happened to arrive here on the hottest day recorded in Hobart. The only available seats were inside and to make matters worst, there was no air-con! Nonetheless, I was determine to eat here!

Located within Salamanca Square, it’s a little cafe in the corner with a not-so-little crowd. Just as the name suggest, this cafe included a laundromat on one side and a cafe on the other. The dark teal walls with the orange and yellow counter and vinyl seatings gave this cafe a real retro feel. It felt as if I was in a 1950′s diner.

I had the usual soy latte ($3.5 + soy $0.3).

Mr.K had a regular latte ($3.5) which came quite late after my soy latte.

Eggs Royale – poached eggs, smoked salmon, spinach, caramalised onion and hollandaise on toasted sourdough ($18). It was a nice combination of flavours, the sweetness of the onions gave it that extra lift and the egg yolks were nice and oozy.

The Old New Egg Dish – eggs scrambled with a fetta on garlic sourdough with beetroot relish and wild rocket ($14) add crispy pancetta or chorizo ($3.5). I ordered the extra chorizo and I’m glad I did, because the dish would have been very plain and disappointing with the overly stale and chewy sourdough.

We finished off with a coffee milkshake ($6) to cool us down.

I wanted to dine here again but unfortunately we didn’t have enough time. It would have been nice to try the other dishes on the menu.

Shop 12 Salamanca Square, Hobart 7004

(03) 6224 9922

Opening Hours: Daily 7am – 5pm

Chi Chi, Canley Heights

12 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - West

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Asian, Belle, Canley Heights, Chi Chi, Chinese, Dinner, Fusion, Laos, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Wine Bar

Belle: Chi Chi in Canley Heights is like the new kid on the block that everyone wants to know about and be friends with. Chi Chi stands out because it is definitely different in the Canley Vale scene. Chi Chi is an Asian Fusion with hints of Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Chinese and Laos influences. Their interior is something you would expect to find in the inner city suburbs of Sydney and not in Western Sydney. But we were more than excited to welcome this new addition to the West. According to Ando and B Chi Chi had a lot of similarities to Chin Chin in Melbourne.

The entry to Chi Chi is on Derby street located off Canley Vale Rd. I still remember parking right outside Chi Chi when they were still under construction and being very curious on what new store was going to be there. And when I found out it was Chi Chi I was even more eager to check this place out.

Standing outside the store, it was hard to guess the size and layout of the interior. But once you walk through the low height entry doors, you are welcomed with a neon sign that displayed “double rainbow all the way across the sky” and a very open plan dining space and high ceilings with exposed beams. Four hanging pink perforated metal iron sheets are used to subtly separate the dining space from the bar and kitchen.

The first thing you will notice when you walk inside is the large black and white mural of pandas on their feature wall. It was nice to sit facing the wall and look at all the cute pandas.

Opposite the feature wall is the main bar with the high tiled wall to cover the kitchen. After we left we saw in through the window that also behind the bar is a round table infront of the kitchen for a private dining experience.

The Herd and I went here on a Wednesday night and was rather surprised with the absence of diners. Chi Chi has only been open for a few weeks and hasn’t really picked up yet.

The menus are placed under each plate and I found this to be convenient because every one on the table gets their own menu and we didn’t need to keep asking for the menu throughout the night.

We started off with the betel leaf varieties that they had on off. The first on was the Smoked trout, galangal, roasted chilli & fried shallots betel leaf ($3.9 each) which is a nice balance of salt with hints of chilli and crunch from the peanuts. It is a big punch of flavour to the mouth. Yum.

The other betal leaf variety they had on offer is the Spanner crab, pomelo, caramalised coconut, galangal & peanuts betel leaf ($4.9 each) which is more mild than the smoked trout betal leaf. You get the sweetness and juiciness of the spanner crab and hints of the caramalised coconuts afterwards which reminds me of a satay sauce. This is also full of flavour but more mild than the first one.

Chichi’s char-grilled seasoned pork mince served with lettcuce, mints, coriander & house special sauce ($12.8) is basically nam noung (a vietnamese bbq pork) which reminds me of my mums cooking.

Ando who is a fan of anything soft shell crab made sure that we had to order the House specialty salt & pepper soft shell crab ($15.8) which was drizzled with lemon juice to balance out the saltiness of the crab. The fried outer layer of the crab had a nice crunch to it and the crab was nice and juicy inside. You can never go wrong with soft shell crab.

Malay style sate chicken on skewer with house sate sauce (6 for $9 or 12 for $16) was a little disappointing. The serves were rather small and we had an inconsistency with the sizes of the skewers.

The Chilli sambal coconut prawns with okra ($23.9) dish caught my eyes. I loved prawns, chilli and coconut and was curious to try okra cooked in another method that did not make it too slimy. And it wasn’t too bad. The bite sized okra eliminated the sliminess and the sambal sauce with hints of coconuts accompanied the prawns very well. It was just a little too much on the salty side and not enough spice.

Braised duck with orange & tamarind sauce ($23.2). The duck was slightly overcooked but still enjoyable. The sweet sauce of orange, tamarind and start anise enhanced the flavour of the duck and the serving of duck was generous.

Massaman curry of beef and potatoes with peanuts & fried shallots ($19.8). The beef was perfectly cooked, soft and it melts in your mouth. This was more on the salty side than chilli but I really enjoyed it.

Fried crisp skin salmon & green papaya salad with Vietnamese mints and fried garlic ($21.6). The fried skin gave an added texture to this salad.

Roti flat bread ($3 each)

Rice bowl ($2.80 per person)

With our stomachs stuffed from the meal, I still couldn’t say no to some desserts. We ended choosing three dessert dishes. The first one is the Panna cotta with mixed berry compote & honeycomb ($10.2). The panna cotta was smooth and creamy, and the berries went well with it. The honeycomb was consistent, airy and melts in your mouth. Both elements were nice on their own but did not go well together.

The Kaffir lime brulee with coconut sorbet ($10.9) intrigued me that most when reading the menu. I love foods with Kaffir lime and I knew I had to try this. The flavour was more subtle than I had anticipated, but it was a lovely creme brulee nonetheless. The sorbet was a bit icy and I would have preferred a coconut ice cream instead of the sorbet.

For me the Fried banana sesame roll with house caramel sauce & salted nut ice cream ($9.2) was a bit disappointing. The flavours did not blend that well together and needed a hint of acidity to break sweetness of the banana and the caramel sauce.

Coming to Chi Chi was a lovely experience and a definite change from the usual food eateries in the Canley and Cabramatta area. It is more pricey but the food and the atmosphere adds up for it. I reckon that this place will be picking up in the next few months, so now is a good time to try this place out.

Shop 3, 264 Canley Vale Road (entrance via Derby Street), Canley Heights, NSW 2166

(02) 9727 2068

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 5pm till late

Burger Got Soul, Launceston

11 Friday Jan 2013

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B, Burger Got Soul, Burgers, Dinner, Launceston, Lunch

B: Lonely Planet led me to this burger joint and whilst we were at Launceston I thought we should give it a go. As you can tell from the name, this place specialises in burgers and lots of it with a huge menu that filled up one wall.

Coffee soul shake with caramel ($6). This place uses real coffee instead of flavoured syrup and it tasted amazing!

Thick cut seasoned chips with soul mayo ($4.5). These chips were cooked well and that mayo was just divine.

Funk Soul Brother – double beef burger, bacon, tasty cheese, egg, smokey bbq mayo and caramelised onion relish ($14.9). Of course Mr.K would ordered the biggest burger he could see on the menu. Absolutely delicious dude-food.

I wanted to try their lamb so I got the Shepard’s Delight – lean lamb, avocado, tasty cheese, salad, relish and soul mayo ($12.9). This was a nice simple burger.

Lonely Planet claims that Burger Got Soul makes the best burgers in Launceston. In Launceston, yes, but you won’t be missing out on much if you fail to visit.

243 Charles Street Launceston, TAS 7250

(03) 6334 5204

Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm.

Manmaruya, Campsie

11 Friday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Inner West

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Ando, Campsie, Dinner, Japanese, Lunch, Manmaruya

Ando: I wasn’t up for the journey to the city for quality Japanese food so Ewok suggested that we travel to Campsie. We have always wanted to visit Manmaruya but have been deterred by the large crowds right outside their store and we’re not fans of making reservations. A bus stop fronted the store and sometimes made it hard to distinguish the difference between diners and commuters. Popular for their ramens, we thought that our summer visit would mean smaller crowds. We weren’t off the mark and managed to grab one out of two remaining two seater tables. The other table was taken within minutes of us arriving.

We found that the place was very family friendly, business friendly, date friendly… friendly overall! The waiters served us with smiles and made our first experience at Manmaruya memorable.

To start us off, it was obvious for the both of us that we ordered Takoyaki ($5.8 for 6 pieces). The crispy outside layer along with the chewy texture of the octopus made it one of the best takoyaki we have had so far in Sydney.

Ewok ordered a Ton Toro Shoga Taki Bento ($15.8) which included salmon sashimi, gyoza, pickled seaweed, salad, miso soup and rice. Ewok liked the large portion of pork cheek meat covered in ginger sauce that came with the bento. I ordered the Chicken Namban Bento ($15.8) which is fried chicken with vinegar and tartare sauce. I’m a fan of all things fried and creamy so i enjoyed this dish. Since we were here, there was a choice of adding a Mini Ramen Set for an additional $5 which we went with. Pork soup was chosen between that or chicken. The size of the ramen was enormous as we were expecting ‘mini’ servings. Ewok could finish his bento and ramen but I could not. I could only managed to finish half the bowl. The white milky texture and lovely aromatics made this pork broth quite delightful. Combined with the springiness of the noodles and you’ve got a great tasting bowl of ramen.

By now we were extremely full and forgot that we also ordered a Soft Shell Crab Roll ($9.8) which came with 4 pieces of crispy soft shell crab, cucumber, Japanese mayo and flying fish roe. We both agreed how the rice was too starchy and overpowered the crunchiness of the soft shell crab. The mayo was savourless and therefore required countless dips of soy sauce.

Yesterday’s temperature in Sydney was 42 degrees celcius which is not a great weather to be slurping ramen but I hope I get a chance to come back and slurp when the temperature starts to drop!

193 Beamish Street, Campsie, NSW 2194

(02) 9789 5759

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday Lunch 11.30am – 3pm, Dinner 5.30pm – 9.30pm

Highlander Restaurant, Sheffield

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sheffield, Tasmania

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B, Cafe, Coffee, Highlander Restaurant, Scones, Sheffield, Tasmania

B: Walking around Sheffield, this little restaurant tucked away at the end of the street really caught my attention with their cottage-like exterior. This look continued inside and for a moment it felt as I was at nana’s place. They had cute mix-and-match couches, doilies, teapot cozies and best of all, they specialise in scones!

highlander restaurant 8

A serve consists of 2 scones of your choice, with jam and cream for $6. When we visited they had six flavours available: plain, date, pumpkin, savoury, treacle and sultana.

Plain and sultana scones. These scones were absolutely delicious – it was warm, soft and fluffy.

Savoury and treacle scones. The savoury scone had an unusual taste with chewy bits but was in harmony with the butter. This was the first time I came across a treacle scone. It had a unique taste and was a sweet finish to the selection.

Mr.K couldn’t wait so he drank his coffee before I could take a photo. He ordered a large mocha and with an extra 50c you could add Red Cow milk which he said was very creamy ($4.5).

I ordered the usual, a soy latte ($4.5).

If you ever drive by Sheffield or in my case, having also stayed here, I do recommend popping in for some scones.

62 Main Street, Sheffield, TAS 7306

(03) 6491 1077

Holy Basil, Canley Heights

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - West

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Asian, Belle, Canley Heights, Dinner, Holy Basil, Laos, Lunch, Thai

Belle: According to my Foursquare account, I haven’t been back to Holy Basil since June 2011. I used to frequent Holy Basil and at one point I was even the mayor (on Foursquare), but over the years it’s popularity and long lines have really deterred me from going. It is a shame because I do enjoy their food. Ando, B, D-lam, Ewok and I decided to drop by recently because we were in the area and we had a huge craving for Thai food. Chicken Pad Thai to be exact.

Holy Basil boasts one of the best Thai and Laos cuisine in the area and has changed the eatery scene of Canley Heights.

We decided not to be adventurous and decided to order our usual dishes.

We started off with Curry Puffs ($8.9 for 4 pieces). D-Lam and I were too hungry to wait for the puffs to cool and decided to munch into these little puffs of flaky pastry the second it arrived on our table. Bad decision. Our tongues were scalded by the piping hot curry and vegetable filling. It was delicious nonetheless. Furthermore, the coriander worked well with the sweet chili sauce making it a perfect accompaniment to the Curry Puffs.

We can never go to Holy Basil without ordering the Chicken Pad Thai ($12.9). It is my Thai food staple where ever I go eat Thai. Their Pad Thai never disappoints. The sauce is a perfect balance of sweet and sour. I did notice that their serving size did decrease, or maybe it was just the fact that we were all too hungry.

Their Roast Duck Red Curry ($17.9) is also another favourite of mine. They give a generous amount of duck meat, but more vegetables would have been nice.

I usually love their Laos Tiger Beef Salad ($14.9), but this time it was disappointing. It is another dish that I have realised the decreasing portion size. It was lot different than to what I remember. The dish was overly salty and lacking in chili, the beef was also dry and there was a lot more beef in proportion to salad.

The last meal we ordered was the Laos BBQ Charcoal Chicken ($13.9) which was served with a small side of papaya salad. The chicken was lovely and tender with a nice charcoal flavour. But the dipping sauce that came with it did not make a nice combination. The strong charcoal flavour from the chicken clashed with the fish sauce.

And to wash it all down, you can never go wrong with an icy cold fruit shake. We ordered the Avocado and Durian Shake ($6 each) which were both delicious and refreshing.

And finally, you cannot leave Holy Basil without having some of their famous Fried Ice Cream ($13.9). The deep fried filo pastry wrapped around the triangle shaped vanilla ice cream is always perfectly crispy. The caramel sauce has a nice burnt flavour and the fried coconuts with sultanas give a nice texture to the dish. It is a pricey dessert, but worth every cent!

It was nice to be back to Holy Basil after all these years and it reminded me why I loved Thai food.

233 Canley Vale Road, Canley Heights, NSW 2166

(02) 9727 7585

Operating Hours: Lunch 12pm – 3pm; Dinner Sunday to Wednesday 5pm – 10pm, Thursday to Saturday 5pm – 11pm

Mado Cafe, Auburn

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - West

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Auburn, Belle, Dessert, Dinner, Lunch, Mado, Turkish

Belle: One thing I love about living in Western Sydney is that you are surrounded by a range of ethnic clusters offering a range of food from around the world right at your front door. Auburn is a suburb famous for it’s Turkish and Middle Eastern Food. I’ve always wanted to check out Mado Cafe after doing a little ‘exploring’ on Foursquare for dessert places nearby. I was reading about their sticky ice cream which caught my attention.

The Lamstock herd decided to go here on a Friday night after dinner for a late night dessert feast.

Mado Cafe is situated along one of the main streets of Auburn. There is an ice cream counter at the front of the store that offers takeaway ice cream for their customers.

Walking into Mado Cafe was like walking into someone’s living room. The cafe is furnished with heavy dark stained timber dining tables and chairs. The walls are decorated with traditional Turkish ornaments and clothing. There is a warm ambiance in the store and the busy Friday night crowd added to this atmosphere.

When it came to deciding what to eat, we were all like kids in a candy store and wanted to try everything on the menu. It was fun wanting to try everything new to us. We ended up trying four drinks and three dessert dishes.

First up the Turkish Coffee ($3). In this tiny cup is one powerful hit of coffee. The coffee is thick with hints of coffee grind and is very bitter. Too bitter for my liking but Ando enjoyed it.

The Apple Tea ($3.5) is more up my alley. It was light and refreshing. I could of went for another cup. Delicious.

We were drawn to trying out Salep ($4) after reading about it on their menu. This drink is made with the tuber roots of the orchid flower and is supposed to have an aphrodisiac affect. The drink is white, thick and creamy and also very sweet. It has a unique taste to it but I could only have it in small portions.

In the spirit of trying everything new we also ordered Ayran ($3), a drink we usually see in the fridges of kebab stores but have never tried. Ayran is a cold yogurt drink which is slightly salty. I am not a fan of it and I believe it is more of an acquired taste.

Moving onto the main dessert, the one thing to try is their famous Kesme Maras ($7.5) and on the menu it states that it is “the only ice cream in the world eaten with a knife and fork”. This dessert was originally made by the people of Maras by mixing the snow layers accumulated from the caves and pits on the outskirts of the legendary Ahir Mountain. The Kesme Maras is combination of honey, milk and salep. And the menu doesn’t lie you can use a knife and fork. It is a totally new experience of eating ice cream. It is nice and sweet with interesting flavours from the salep. I would definitely come back here for this dessert.

Their skicky Mado Ice Cream is another must try. We ordred their Mixed Sweet Scoop plate ($16) which you get a choice of four sweets and three scoops of ice cream. We chose the sour cherry, black mulberry and caramel flavour. Their ice cream has a nice smooth and almost chewy texture. It was very enjoyable and I would want to go back to try their other flavours. And lastly you can not go wrong with ordering the classic sweets. Yum. These sweets are addictive!

And lastly we tried Kazandibi ($5.50), a charred pudding. This stretchy sweet rice texture was interesting. But I could only have a few mouthful of this dessert.

I am glad we found this little cafe so close to home. It is definitely a place I will be coming back to.

63 Auburn Road, Auburn, NSW 2144

(02) 9643 5299

Three Blue Ducks, Bronte

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - East

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Ando, Breakfast, Bronte, Cafe, Dinner, Lunch, Modern Australian, Three Blue Ducks

Ando: After coming across a restaurant review of Three Blue Ducks on TV, I knew I wanted to visit this place. We had breakfast earlier that day at Bondi so we thought of making a short trip to Bronte to share some plates for a second breakfast. Regrettably this has to be one of the worst experiences I have ever had. As we approached the entrance, waiters who saw us simply ignored us. Finally when we got acknowledged, we were ushered to a table and were given menus. The menu was simple and had some great choices.

It took a while for us to grab the attention of waiters to make our order. As research, I took notes and tried to take pictures of the menu on my phone. One of the waiters saw me and told me that this was not allowed. If only their service was as fast as their willingness to stop people from taking pictures of their menu! Anyways if you are interested, their menus are available online. Pretentious and impolite service continued throughout our stay.

The first dish we ordered was poached eggs, spinach, sauce hollandaise and ocean trout ($19). Nothing major stood out but it was an enjoyable dish.

The second dish was scrambled eggs with black sausage, dill cucumber yoghurt salad and red currant jam ($19). I loved the saltiness of the black sausage and the sweetness of the red currant jam was quite palatable. If only their service matched the effort of the chefs!

It was clearly visible that we were sharing dishes yet the waiters who kept walking past us didn’t offer any additional plates or cutlery. Trying to hunt down a waiter again took effort and time.

After we finished our dishes we ordered coffee. Single Origin Roasters supply the beans to Three Blue Ducks and are organic, fair trade and forrest friendly. There was a point where we were waiting for one coffee and after consulting a waiter, they advised us that they forgot about it. Nice.

After one failed attempt at asking for table water, we decided to let that one slip. When time came to finally say goodbye to Three Blue Ducks and pay our bill, there was one final blow to our visit… no amex!

143 Macpherson Street, Bronte, NSW 2024

(02) 9389 0010

Runcible Spoon, Camperdown

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central

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Tags

Ando, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Camperdown, Coffee, Lunch, Runcible Spoon

Ando: If you’re driving towards the city on Parramatta Road you might miss the quick turn onto Barr Street if you don’t keep your eyes on the road. Parking wasn’t hard for us on this particular day. Along with the cloudy weather and street paintings pinned up against warehouse walls, I felt as though I was in Melbourne.

runcible spoon1

With numerous pots adorning the entrance to the once Weston biscuit factory and homely furnishings scattered neatly both inside and outside of this café, this would be a treat on a lazy Sunday. It was delightful to see an original fixture from the Weston biscuit roller within the cafe.

What I realised after from looking at their menu in store was that they haven’t updated their website menu prices. I do like how they have an all-day breakfast menu which makes it great for late rises such as myself. Stainless steel bench tops, vintage looking tiles, wooden bookshelves, recipe books, jars of spices and quirky paintings all added to a homely atmosphere.

For coffee, Runcible Spoon uses Golden Cobra beans. I ordered a Piccolo Latte ($3.5 + $0.5 soy). The coffee wasn’t bad but the soy milk that they used was too watery and made the whole drink unpleasant.

B ordered a Coffee Bowl ($4.5 + $0.5 soy) and found it hard to consume it in its entirety as it tasted predominately of milk.

I’ve never tried a Thai Styled Fried Eggs with jasmine rice, tomato, coriander and nam jim ($15) before so this was my choice. I wanted to add Pork Belly ($4.5) to this dish but unfortunately they ran out of it. The hot, sour and tangy dressing of nam jim was a lovely accompaniment but I loved the oily film left in my mouth from the fried egg. The dish was a tad expensive for my liking and it was a shame that my dish came out with dirty marks.

B ordered the Crisp Potato Roesti with slow roast tomatoes, poached eggs and bacon ($16.50). It was an unsatisfying dish due to it’s blandness and was too pricy for such a small portion.

D-Lam ordered the Grass Fed Beef Burger with tomato, lettuce, mustard pickles and beetroot relish and aioli ($15). She was content with the juiciness of the beef patty and the freshness of the bread.

It was a bit disturbing that throughout our meals we had uncollected dishes lying on tables around us and had flies hovering around us. I would consider going back for their chilled ambience but not anytime soon due their food.

27 Barr Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050

(02) 9517 2727

Operating Hours: Monday to Friday 6.30am – 4pm; Saturday and Sunday 7am – 3pm

Bread & Circus, Alexandria

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - South

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Alexandria, Belle, Bread & Circus, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Lunch

Belle: After my three week adventure in Japan filled with copious amounts of food, (most of which were fried or mainly carbohydrate based) I was longing for some fresh greens, clean foods and a good cup of coffee. And Bread & Circus seemed like a good choice. Bread & Circus is a wholefoods canteen located in the industrial suburb of Alexandria. It is neatly hidden behind the Don Campos store which fronts two stories of factory-converted offices.

The eatery’s interior is flooded with natural light and have a number of pot plants, fruit and crockery scattered around to create a homely feeling. The seatings are arranged in a communal setting.

Unfortunately my flight back to Sydney was delayed that morning, leaving me stranded at Gold Coast Airport and having to have my lunch at the airport. By the time I arrived in Sydney it was mid afternoon and my hunger had ceased. So Ando and B decided we will pop by for light meal and some much needed coffee.

B decided to go for a glass of Organic Lemongrass + Ginger Soy Chai when we saw a large glass drink dispenser sitting on the counter. Unfortunately the flavour didn’t live up to our expectations. You do get the sense of the lemongrass and ginger but only slight hints. I would have preferred it a lot more if the flavours were intensified.

For the food, I chose a side size of the Fresh Shredded Cabbage & Kale in Yuzu-Pomegranate Vinaigrette ($10). The specks of sea salt really enhanced the sweetness of the cabbage and the vinaigrette. Without the sea salt, the salad would be a bit lacking in flavour. This dish satisfied my craving for a fresh crunch salad.

Ando had The Daily Plate which was a Slow Cooked Marino Parmesan Black Truffle Polenta w/ an even slower cooked Tomato & Fennel Ragu ($20). This dish was honestly hard to finish. It was lacking in flavour and was very bland. It really needed a bit more saltiness to the dish.

I was slightly disappointed by the food at Bread & Circus. It did not live to the reviews that I have read about it. Perhaps it was just a case of the food not matching to my salty palette.

We decided to finish off the meal with some Campos coffee from Don Campos.

Although both stores are located in the same floor, it was a shame that you could not order eat-in for both stores. We had to order our coffee in take away cups, but I did not mind as my jet lagged body was setting in and all I wanted do do was go home and relax.

21 Fountain Street, Alexandria, NSW 2015

(02) 9698 2939

Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday 8am – 4pm

Tetsuya’s, Sydney

08 Tuesday Jan 2013

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

B, Dinner, Fine Dining, French, Japanese, Sydney, Tetsuya's

B: Tetsuya’s has been on my list for far too long. Mr.K has kindly booked this restaurant more than 6 months in advance for my birthday. Unfortunately I didn’t bring my bulky camera into the restaurant and the only camera I had was my iPhone, so please excuse the low-res photos.

Located in the middle of Townhall, in a heritage listed site, it’s definitely unique amongst other fine dining venues. We were warmly greeted and were led to a table that faced a beautiful outdoor Japanese garden. We had the 12 course degustation.

Black truffle butter with ricotta and pecorino. This was served with fresh, warm bread. Just absolutely divine, I can’t describe how amazing the butter was.

Chilled pea soup with dark chocolate mousse. Interesting combination but worked so well.

Savoury custard with Avruga. Creamy, rich custard and the wooden spoon gave it that extra touch.

Salad of the sea. This was a very light salad, well balanced and a great variety of textures.

New Zealand scampi with chicken liver parfait and walnut vinaigrette. The scampi was irresistibly tender and the parfait, buttery and sweet. A match made in heaven.

Confit of Petuna ocean trout with fennel and unpasteurised ocean trout caviar. Tetsuya’s signature dish. This is a soft ocean trout derived from the ocean trout grown in Tasmania. Tetsuya assists in the breeding program to ensure the end product is exactly as required. This world-known dish just melts in your mouth.

Veal tenderloin with shiitake mushrooms and veal jus. Tetsuya has created a good contrast of Asian and French flavours in this dish.

Grilled breast of partridge with spiced cherries and cauliflower. A well-balanced dish. The partridge was juicy on the inside and had a thin crispy skin on the outside.

Seared fillet of grass-fed cape grim beef with wasabi and braised mustard seeds.

Pear sorbet. Very smooth sorbet, sweet and refreshing palette cleanser.

Green apple and mint ice-cream with basil jelly. This combination worked brilliantly, with the creamy mint ice-cream and the light green apple.

Floating island with praline and creme anglaise. Mr. K had this dish while I had another. I wished we had another one of these, they were delectable.

Chocolate fondant with hazelnut and praline. This was my birthday dessert instead of the floating island. I was really surprised they served this only knowing it was my birthday when we arrived. Tetsuya really caters for his customers.

Petit four. We finished off with the petit fours and some coffee. Lovely way to finish dinner. I really enjoyed the desserts as they were all light and you don’t leave the venue feeling heavy.

529 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

(02) 9267 2900

Sede, Annandale

30 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Inner West

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Ando, Annandale, Dinner, Italian, Pizzeria, Sede, Wine Bar

Ando: Bold and dynamic! Annandale’s favourite Italian eatery has just recently reinvented itself highlighting a new generation of eateries in the inner city. Originally bought as a going concern around 14 months ago, the three local owners Richie Ragel, Michael Cleary and Nathan Lusted has transformed “Vicini” what is now known as “Sede” pronounced Said-ay (meaning “venue” in Italian). B and I were fortunate to be invited to their gala relaunch party where we got the opportunity to see first-hand the full body makeover encompassing a pizzeria and Annandale’s first wine bar. We also had the chance to sample new Head Chef Dean Worthy’s much anticipated menu. A menu zinging with the freshest tastes and textures of Italy, all with his trademark “modern twist”.

Stepping through the main entrance, striking black and white décor with flashes of orange surrounded this space and was even highlighted in the uniforms of floor staff and chefs. B and I admired the funky casual dining experience on the ground floor and couldn’t wait for what upstairs had to offer.

An intimate restaurant experience awaited us upstairs and once we arrived, the elegant dining room had a lovely ambience and had sweeping views of the city both from the balcony and inside. I loved the awe-inspiring contemporary painted artworks that hung on the walls but what I liked the most was the Artichoke lighting fixture. It was fascinating to hear from a local that this fixture was originally downstairs but had now been moved upstairs.

The owners recommend making bookings for the upstairs restaurant which sits around 60. It was lightly raining on this particular day but the views were still spectacular. One local was kind enough to point out to me the best table in the restaurant. Located upstairs on the corner of the far left-hand side of the balcony. Best views indeed!

One of first dishes that we tried that evening were oysters. Fresh and simple.

Rockmelon, Prociutto and Basil Sticks ($7.5). Displayed on Sede’s small plates menu, this was a delightful treat. I enjoyed the hidden refreshing crunch of the rockmelon that accompanied the saltiness of the prociutto.

Pickled White Anchovies, Herbed Ricotta on Toasted Sourdough ($10). It was a heavenly combination between the creaminess of the ricotta and the salty punch from the anchovy.

Polenta & Thyme Hand-Cut Chips served with Gorgonzola Sauce ($8). Too eager to get stuck into this, I almost burnt my tongue! I enjoyed the slightly strong hint of parmesan in the chips and the sauce added another creamy dimension to the experience.

Char-grilled Dry Aged Chorizo with Housemade Tomato Chutney ($9). The smoky flavour of the chorizo was quite overpowering for me but was something that B enjoyed.

After tasting this pizza, we were slightly confused to what kind of pizza this was. It had hints of anchovies but had basil leaves so we were’t sure if it was the “Marina” with White Anchovy, Sliced Roma Tomato, Garlic and Oregano ($18) or the “Margherita” with Tomato, Fior Di Latte, Buffalo Cheese and Basil ($18). Or perhaps we could be totally off the mark. The crust was a highlight!

Salt Cod Stuffed Zucchini Flowers, Smoked Caponata, Olive Tapenade and Olive Oil ($16.5). Displayed as an entrée on the dinner menu, I found this dish light, simple and delicious.

Pan Seared Potato & Spinach Gnocchi, Tokkay Steeped Sultanas, Pin Nuts, Crispy Sage, Burnt Butter and Truffle Pecorino ($27). This would be unquestionably my choice as a main the next time I am in. The gnocci was light and fluffy and the truffle pecorino had a mild but strong flavour.

Yoghurt Pannacotta, Honey Toasted Muesli and Red Wine Poached Pears ($13). Gorgeously looking, the creamy texture was a standout.
I assume that this was a pavlova but could not find this on the menu. Please correct me if i’m wrong! Nice treat to end a delightful event.

With a 2pm open time on the weekends, Sede enables diners the chance to jump in for an afternoon cocktail or two before heading out.

Aside from creating a truly remarkable dining experience, other plans are also on the way for Sede including a rooftop vegetable garden and a rooftop bar.

This is one dining destination to look out for!

37 Booth Street, Annandale, NSW 2038

(02) 9660 6600

Taste Baguette, Sydney

29 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by thelamstock in Sydney - Central

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

B, Baguette, Bakery, Breakfast, Brunch, Cafe, Coffee, Lunch, Sandwich, Sydney, Taste Baguette

B: Belle was telling me to check out this place because she knows my love for Campos Coffee. I went here with Mr.K for a late brunch on Sunday and was pleased to see this place located right next to the Myer entrance. Why didn’t I noticed this place before bewilders me!

I had a Soy Latte ($3 + $0.5) and Mr.K had a Mocha ($3).

Poached Egg with Bacon, Spinach and Hollandaise Sauce Baguette ($8.5). Just like a classic eggs Benedict but in a baguette – perfect! The baguette was fresh and had a beautiful crisp crust on the outside.

Pork and Fennel Chipolatas with Caramelised Onion Baguette ($8.5). The pork and fennel chipolatas was amazing and well seasoned however, I would’ve liked more moisture from the onions as it seemed a little dry.

We were suppose to leave after the previous baguette, but Mr.K begged to try another one. So we ordered Mozzarella with Balsamic Tomatoes, Basil and Prosciutto Baguette ($8.5). This one had a little less filling compared to the other two, but had amazing Italian-inpired flavours.

There are many locations for Taste Baguette so remember to check out their website for more details.

1a/68 Market Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

(02) 923 37778

The Lamstock – Food Blog

~ Just a herd of Lams.

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Three Blue Ducks, Bronte

Runcible Spoon, Camperdown

Bread & Circus, Alexandria

Tetsuya’s, Sydney

Sede, Annandale

Taste Baguette, Sydney

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