tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-318357612024-03-14T13:58:46.896+11:00I Eat Therefore I AmA Melbourne Blog Mostly About Food by Thanh Dothanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.comBlogger801125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-28649919979705958182017-12-18T14:22:00.001+11:002017-12-18T14:22:29.172+11:00Pandan Chiffon Cake with Durian Fudge - Fragrantly DeliciousThis is an alternate recipe for the <a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/giveaway-beautiful-bakeware-pandan.html" target="_blank">Pandan Chiffon Cake</a> that I used to make. I always make this recipe now as it's so much easier and the results are just as tasty. Normally I make the cake with a pandan fudge but this time decided to make it with a durian fudge and it was sensational. You can leave the chiffon bare if you prefer it that way, or with the pandan fudge, or this durian fudge. Whichever way, it's so delicious. So I bring to you my easy Pandan Chiffon Cake with Durian Fudge.<br />
<center><a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4682/39120772341_21c11e9a0c_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4682/39120772341_21c11e9a0c_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
<center><a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4641/39120774781_72d6aa196b_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4641/39120774781_72d6aa196b_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
As usual, some tips to help you bake the best cake possible:<br />
<br />
* Using a hand whisky to light beat the eggs is enough.<br />
* When beating the egg whites, make sure you beat it until it is really stiff. The stiffer the better as you will get a fluffy cake so keep on beating.<br />
* Don't be afraid to fold in the whites until it is fully mixed into the yolk mixture.<br />
* Definitely do not fill the cake tin more than 3/4 full as it really rises.<br />
* You must let the cake cool upside down in the tin to enable it to stiffen and stay risen.<br />
* DO NOT OIL OR GREASE THE PAN. The chiffon sticks to the pan enabling it to rise.<br />
* I do use a chiffon mould but have made chiffons successfully in regular cake tins.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4599/39120978381_875f29b144_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4599/39120978381_875f29b144_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
<b>Pandan Chiffon with Durian Fudge</b><br />
Prep Time: 30 minutes<br />
Cook Time: 45 minutes<br />
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes<br />
<br />
<u>INGREDIENTS</u><br />
<br />
<u>For the cake</u><br />
7 eggs, separated (note: if you have large eggs, only use 6)<br />
220g flour<br />
275g caster sugar<br />
3 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
2 teaspoon pandan extract<br />
3/4 cup water<br />
1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 tablespoon white vinegar<br />
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar<br />
<br />
<u>Durian Fudge Icing</u><br />
This quantity is enough to ice one cake<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS <br />
400g coconut cream (99% or 100% cream, look on label)<br />
20g custard powder <br />
4 tbsp durian jam flavouring (2 teaspoon pandan extract and 80g caster sugar for pandan fudge)<br />
Dessicated coconut to decorate <br />
<br />
<u>METHOD</u><br />
Pandan Chiffon<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 160°C and set aside a chiffon ring tin.<br />
<br />
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer to stiff peaks. If you have a stand mixer, leave this going and move onto the egg yolks.<br />
<br />
3. In a different large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.<br />
<br />
4. In a third large bowl, whisk together the pandan extract and water until mixed, then whisk in the egg yolks, oil, and vinegar. It just needs to be combined and not whipped.<br />
<br />
5. Add the wet ingredients to the flour and whisk until well combined.<br />
<br />
6. Using a large spoon or spatula, fold in a spoonful of the egg whites to the cake mixture to lighten it. Add the rest of the egg whites to the cake mixture and fold in with your spoon until just combined.<br />
<br />
7. Pour the batter into your cake tin and bang it on your work surface a couple of times to bring any large air bubbles to the surface. (Note: if there is a lot of batter, don't add it all to the tin. You only want to fill it to 3/4 full. If you have extra, put them into cupcake liners and make small cakes. Small cupcake sized ones need to be baked for 15 minutes only.)<br />
<br />
8. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.<br />
<br />
9. Remove from the oven and immediately invert the entire tin and cake upside down until it's cool - you can do this by resting the middle of the tube over a bottle, or (if your cake isn't too tall) by placing it over a high wire rack that will let air circulate underneath.<br />
<br />
10. To release the cake, run a palette knife around the edge of the cake and the tin. You will want to serve the cake upside down as it's prettier that way.<br />
<br />
Durian Fudge<br />
<br />
11. Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. <br />
<br />
12. Stir till it thickens. Immediately coat cake with the warm fudge.<br />
<br />
13 Decorate with dessicated coconut. thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-51199542947512090432017-06-21T17:20:00.000+10:002017-07-08T10:33:01.301+10:00Truffled Fettucini Carbonara RecipeI was so happy to get sent various produce from <a href="https://www.prahranmarket.com.au/" target="_blank">Prahran Market</a> to cook with this month. I got fresh walnuts, brussel sprouts, some delicious cheese and a whole Winter truffle. I definitely knew what I had to do with the truffle. Simpler is better for me when using truffle as you want it to shine and not get lost among the other flavours. So I decided to make a truffled fettucini carbonara. It's so easy to do and the flavour was simply amazing.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4263/35054052920_32d9be025a_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<b>Truffled Fettucini Carbonara Recipe</b><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
8 slices prosciutto<br />
4 egg yolks<br />
300ml pure (thin) cream<br />
3/4 cup (60g) grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve<br />
400g fresh fettucini<br />
A couple of sprigs of flat-leaf parsley<br />
10g fresh truffle (or truffle oil if unavailable)<br />
<br />
METHOD<br />
1) Heat olive oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add prosciutto and cook for 3-4 minutes until crisp. Cool, then break into shards. <br />
2) Place egg yolks, cream, Parmesan and 5g of grated truffle in a bowl and beat to combine. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.<br />
3) Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup (125ml) cooking water. <br />
4) Add pasta to the pan with the egg mixture and reserved cooking water, tossing to combine until the egg mixture is no longer wet. Stir through the prosciutto.<br />
5) Divide pasta among serving bowls, add parsley, sprinkle with extra Parmesan and shave on remaining 5g of truffle.<br />
thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-61092530839918043042016-08-29T10:00:00.000+10:002018-05-01T11:02:06.222+10:00Pandan Creme Brulee Tart Recipe - Super DeliciousI totally hate Winter. Some people enjoy the cold, but for me, the weather is awful. Given the usual terrible weather outside, one thing that I like to do indoors is to bake. I'm constantly trying to come up with new baking items as I love experimenting. So it was a perfect match when I was challenged by <a href="http://www.csrsugar.com.au/" target="_blank">CSR Sugar</a> to create a baked good for Winter. Given it's Winter, my mind instantly went to rich indulgent things like a creme brulee, which is an absolute favourite of mine. But to give it a twist, I decided to combine it with my favourite flavour, pandan, and to give it another textural (as they always say you need to do in Masterchef) in the form of a tart. I searched online and can you believe no such recipe exists, so I developed my own using the <a href="http://www.csrsugar.com.au/" target="_blank">CSR Sugar</a> products.<br />
<br />
And here I present to you my one of a kind Pandan Creme Brulee Tart in all it's green glory. This tart may make you think of the Hulk, Green Lantern, aliens or even the musical Wicked, but trust me, it tastes so sensational and unlike anything else you'll ever taste. The creme brulee element is so smooth and creamy, with the intoxicating fragrance of the pandan. Then the pastry gives that rich buttery flavour with some crunch, finally topped off by the burnt sugar top which cracks in your mouth and gives this caramelised smokey flavour. With the sugar brulee top, this tart just would not be as good as it is now. <br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8382/28760061072_37c3119071_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8666/28864685185_1efbeb9217_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7502/28580358510_c7ac04bd3d_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8493/28580357860_245456bbb0_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
Some tips and tricks for achieving the perfect pandan creme brulee tart<br />
- Bake the shortcrust pastry until it's really golden to ensure it's leak proof for the filling<br />
- Make sure you strain the creme brulee filling with a fine sieve so you get the smoothest consistency<br />
- Put the baked tart shell in the oven and then pour in the filling because it's very hard to move a full tart shell with the filling sloshing about<br />
- Don't overbake the tart as you want the filling to still wobble and be soft and not curdle<br />
- Don't be afraid to really torch the brulee top as you want a good crisp sugar crack but also to have the burnt bits that really add flavour.<br />
<br />
<u><b>Pandan Creme Brulee Tart Recipe</b></u><br />
<br />
I used two recipes that I adapted for my recipe. The shortcrust pastry was from <a href="http://www.belindajeffery.com.au/home.html" target="_blank">Belinda Jeffery</a> and the creme brulee filling from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/creme-brulee-tart-350238" target="_blank">Epicurious</a>.<br />
<br />
<u>Shortcrust Pastry</u><br />
Makes enough pastry for one 26-28cm tart shell<br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
125g cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks<br />
1/4 cup (60ml) iced water<br />
<br />
1. Combine the flour and salt into a food processor and mix them together. <br />
2. Add the butter and pulse everything until the mixture resembles medium-fine breadcrumbs. <br />
3. With the processor running, pour in the iced water and process only until the dough forms a ball. <br />
4. Tip the dough out onto a board and shape it into a ball. Flatten it into a disc and wrap it tightly in cling film. <br />
5. Chill the dough for about 20-30 minutes or until the pastry is firm, but soft enough to roll. <br />
<br />
<u>Custard Filling</u><br />
<br />
2 teaspoon pandan extract<br />
1 1/4 cups heavy cream<br />
2/3 cup whole milk<br />
4 large egg yolks<br />
1 whole large egg<br />
1/2 cup CSR caster sugar<br />
1/8 teaspoon salt<br />
<br />
1. Add pandan extract to saucepan with cream and milk. Heat over medium heat until hot, then let steep off heat 30 minutes.<br />
2. Whisk together yolks, whole egg, sugar, and salt in a bowl. <br />
3. Add cream mixture into the eggs mixture and whisk until smooth. <br />
4. Strain custard filling through a fine-mesh sieve into measuring cup.<br />
<br />
<u>Bake Pandan Creme Brulee Tart</u><br />
2 tablespoon CSR caster sugar<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 180C. <br />
2. Put tart shell (in tart tin) in a 4-sided tray. <br />
3. Put tray in oven and pour custard into shell. <br />
4. Bake tart until just set but still slightly wobbly in center, 30 to 35 minutes (custard will continue to set as it cools). <br />
5. Remove tart from tray and cool on a rack 30 minutes. Remove tart tin and cool to room temperature for an hour more.<br />
6. Just before serving, sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar evenly over top of tart. Move blowtorch flame evenly back and forth just above top of tart, avoiding crust, until sugar is caramelized and slightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. <br />
<br />
<i>This is a sponsored post.</i>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-40120855125536850202016-08-17T14:52:00.000+10:002016-08-17T14:52:06.061+10:00John West Fiery Tuna Rigatoni with Sun-Dried Tomatoes RecipeCanned tuna is a staple item that I have in my pantry at all times. It is super versatile and easy to prepare to eat. You can literally open the can and just dig in with a fork. Put it in between some bread, on crackers, or in a salad and there's an instant meal. You can also add it into many other dishes to make a fancier meal. Whichever way you use it, it is sure to be tasty. I normally buy the <a href="http://johnwest.com.au/" target="_blank">John West</a> tuna in olive oil and mix in whatever other flavours I want. Well, recently John West have introduced their <a href="http://johnwest.com.au/our-range/tuna/special-edition" target="_blank">Fiery Tuna</a> range of products and I'm so excited. I love love love spicy foods and these fiery flavours are right up my alley. I've tried all four flavours and they're all delicious. I decided to create a recipe with the Inferno as I love a super spicy kick and think it works well with pasta.<br />
<br />
Below is my John West Fiery Tuna Rigatoni with Sun-Dried Tomatoes recipe. The dish was so easy to make and definitely fell into the "anyone can make this" category. It was also really delicious and the spicy kick from the Inferno tuna added so much to this dish. This dish is a perfect quick meal for one, or a massive gathering for ten. If you want it less spicy, just use the jalapeno tuna and it works great as well.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8391/28419996653_00a5d5f440_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8532/28932297112_e407499cb1_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8101/28416775774_6c9ee2ab66_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8471/28961614221_24b56a1064_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></center><br />
<b>Tuna Rigatoni with Sun-Dried Tomatoes</b><br />
Recipe adapted from <a href="http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/2013/01/tuna-rigatoni-with-sun-dried-tomatoes.html" target="_blank">Eat Yourself Skinny</a> website.<br />
Serves: 4 servings<br />
<br />
<u>Ingredients</u><br />
190g (2 x cans) John West Fiery Inferno tuna<br />
250g rigatoni pasta<br />
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided<br />
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and chopped<br />
1/2 chopped fresh parsley, divided<br />
1 Tbsp olive oil<br />
2 Tbsp lemon juice<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
<br />
<u>Instructions</u><br />
<br />
1) Boil pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.<br />
2) Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat; add garlic and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. <br />
3) Stir in tuna, sun-dried tomatoes and lemon juice, cooking for an additional 3 minutes until tomatoes are tender. <br />
4) Add pasta, half of the parsley and half of the cheese to the pan, tossing gently.<br />
5) To serve, divide pasta among plates and sprinkle each with remaining parsley and cheese.<br />
<br />
<i>This is a sponsored post.</i>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-36485375831428637572016-06-03T11:37:00.000+10:002016-06-07T16:15:56.183+10:00Exploring Attractions And Foods of Bendigo From The BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park<p align="justify">I've driven past Bendigo a few times and had a quick look at the town, but haven't ever got a chance to really explore it. My friend used to live in Bendigo and was always saying to come visit but I just never found the chance. Well, I finally visited Bendigo with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/feedmeichi/" target="_blank">Angie</a>, Ron and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brandothepig/" target="_blank">Brandon</a> on a road trip. Having now experienced all the wonderful things that the town and area has to offer, I will definitely be back again to see even more of it. At the time of my visit, the Bendigo Art Gallery had a Marilyn Monroe exhibition one, which explains the huge Marilyn statue that you see in the photo below.<br />
<br />
This post will look at the activities, eats, drinks and stay we had. Parts of it will be written by myself and other parts have been written by my co-contributor Angie, who has written the part for the food fossicking tour, tramcar ride, Marilyn exhibition and the BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park. The post is written in chronological order (except for the wineries at the end which are grouped from across the two days) so you could follow this itinerary exactly if you were planning a weekend trip.</p><br />
<b><a href="http://www.bendigotourism.com/" target="_blank">Bendigo Tourism</a></b><br />
51-67 Pall Mall<br />
Bendigo VIC 3550<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">For everything you need to know about Bendigo, you can go to the <a href="http://www.bendigotourism.com/" target="_blank">Bendigo Tourism website</a>, or if you're already in the area, visit the building.<br />
<br />
Bendigo is a fairly large regional town, but at the same time has that small town feel where everything is relaxed and welcoming. The hustle and bustle of city life doesn't seem to be apparent. The cars drive slower and there's no honking too. The city is a mix of old and new. There are beautiful classical buildings that can house a restaurant or a post office, and then there are the newer building such as the Bendigo Bank Head Offices (the multi-coloured building in the photos below) and funky laneways with an eclectic mix of shops and eateries. <br />
<br />
The temporary Marilyn statue dominates the area near Alexandra Fountain, Rosalind Park, Bendigo Art Gallery and the first Myer ever. A large statue is definitely a magnet for people and everyone just walked over to take a look and take photos. The surrounding Rosalind Park is so lush and beautiful and there was picturesque views all around. The little green house in the park was also an oasis of calm and beauty.<br />
<br />
There were lots of shops and eateries all around and we took a wander around various places. There was lots of interesting things to see and try and we saw a lot of it during the Food Fossicking Tour so I'd highly recommend doing that (more details below). Climbing the oil tower behind the art gallery also gave a great 360 degree vantage of the whole town, along with some great photo opportunities.</p><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7398/27087784420_0ce29c14fc_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7746/26756704053_31d661af84_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7331/26755811534_a418906179_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7241/27150453890_75fc605272_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7412/27392657626_5af6d69d12_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7513/26755808794_42e50f3376_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7442/26756701543_c9eec872cb_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7620/27292699671_73a8ff11ce_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /></center><br />
<b><a href="https://www.big4.com.au/caravan-parks/vic/goldfields/big4-bendigo-marong-holiday-park" target="_blank">BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park</a></b><br />
1449 Calder Hwy<br />
Marong VIC 3515<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">The BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park is located in Marong, a small town that is a convenient 15 minute drive from Bendigo city centre. It's location means you get to experience the sounds of the bush and appreciate the native flora and fauna. When I entered the cabin, the first thing I thought was how different it was to the accommodation I used to experience at caravan parks as a child. The cabin was spacious with a small kitchen and dining table as well as a master bedroom and a second bedroom with bunk beds. The interior was clean, modern and comfortable with all the basic amenities provided. After a long day exploring Bendigo, it was a great place to return to and get a quiet night's rest. In the morning, a walk around the park showed how family friendly it was with a giant chess set, jumping pillow and peddle go karts which would easily entertain children (and adults!)<br />
<br />
We had a chance to speak to the owner, Brett, who informed us that they had bought the park in 2013 and had set about updating the cabins and upgrading the holiday park facilities. They are obviously very involved in how the caravan park runs and I always appreciate a family owned business, where the owners are obviously proud of what they've achieved. The caravan park is easy to find, just on the Calder Highway and would be a great home base when exploring Bendigo and the surrounding regions.</p><br />
<center>.<br />
<img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7755/27265611772_98071a1129_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7665/27292705411_5acb25e3a2_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<b><a href="http://www.bendigotourism.com/tours/bendigo-cbd/food-fossicking-tours-bendigo" target="_blank">Food Fossicking Tours Bendigo</a></b><br />
51-67 Pall Mall<br />
Bendigo VIC 3550<br />
<br />
The stops on the Food Fossicking Tour are:<br />
<a href="https://bendigowholefoods.com.au/" target="_blank">Bendigo Wholefoods</a><br />
<a href="https://bendigowholefoods.com.au/" target="_blank">The Epicurean Deli</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thegoodloaf.com.au/" target="_blank">The Good Loaf Sourdough Bakery and Cafe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.indulgechocolates.com.au/" target="_blank">Indulge Fine Belgian Chocolates</a><br />
<a href="http://www.masonsofbendigo.com.au/" target="_blank">Mason's of Bendigo</a><br />
<br />
<p align="justify">The Food Fossickers tour runs every Saturday morning, departing from the Bendigo Visitor Centre promptly at 10am. In an intimate group of 8, you're taken around the city centre for approximately 2.5 hours to get a taste of the food culture in Bendigo. Our tour guide that morning was Sharyn, who as a local was very passionate about the quality of produce and food in the region. Sharyn was great at sharing facts about the history of food in Bendigo as well pointing out significant buildings in the city centre. <br />
<br />
Our first stop was at Bendigo Wholefoods where we were treated to a great sample of breads, pickles, relishes and cheeses - the store has a cafe on one side and a nursery on the other. The second stop was for a hot drink at The Epicurean Delicatessen where we nibbled on freshly made zeppoles, which are an Italian styled doughnut. We next made our way to The Good Loaf where we were taken behind the counter into the actual bakery and given a short talk about the basics of sour dough and were able to try a variety of the breads. Our fourth stop was at Indulge Fine Belgian Chocolates where Hayley walked us through the retail shop to get a whiff of the chocolates before making our way to the workshop where the chocolates are handmade. In the workshop we were able to satisfy our sweet tooths and admire the constant running streams of chocolate. The final stop was at Masons of Bendigo, a restaurant run by a husband and wife team, who focus on highlighting the ingredients which are sourced from the local area. We were treated to a drink and a light lunch which featured two items from the menu. <br />
<br />
The tour was a great introduction to the Bendigo city centre and you're provided with goodies to take away from each stop. You'll come away with a new appreciation for the quality of food in Bendigo and an enthusiasm for eating local - I really enjoyed listening to each of the owners speak about their businesses and the connections they have with the community and the region. </p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7418/27292711671_0c6596a126_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7211/26756706093_c7301a7778_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7319/26755818044_1158123b69_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7376/27088129160_5a3949604b_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.masonsofbendigo.com.au/" target="_blank">Masons of Bendigo</a></b><br />
25 Queen St<br />
Bendigo VIC 3550<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">Masons of Bendigo is probably the most popular restaurant in Bendigo as from everyone we asked, they all named this as their go to place. I can see why as the food was absolutely sensation. Husband and wife team Sonia and Nick Anthony definitely know what they are doing in terms of food and service. Having both worked overseas at Michelin restaurants and Nick having worked a long time at the super amazing Ezard, their food and service exudes class whilst still keeping it casual. That's a hard mix to carry off, but they succeed in doing it. <br />
<br />
The restaurant has a nice fitout with touches of industrial elements. There is a good vibe in the restaurant without it getting so loud that you can't hear your dining companions, which is a pet peeve of mine. The service was excellent and all the waiters, and especially the sommelier, were really knowledgeable, friendly and efficient.<br />
<br />
The food was simply sensational, one of the best meals I've eaten this year. There were so many highlights, from a carpaccio that was so flavoursome, to two pork dishes where there was fatty pork belly grilled on a skewer and pork knuckle shredded and reshaped and given the most addictive sweet/sour sauce. A stuffed zucchini flower was so smooth and fragrant. Mains dishes of pheasant terrine, an assortment of lamb, and an assortment of pork creatively cooked and paired with different items is some of the best food you can hope to try in Melbourne, let alone a regional town. Every dish was also beautifully presented and like works of art. The dessert plate was also really beautiful and while still being very tasty, did not reach the heights that the savoury dishes had, which elicited so many sounds from all of us of pure joy. If you stop by Bendigo, you must visit Masons of Bendigo or risk missing out in some of the most delicious food in Melbourne.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7680/26756713033_b6915da25f_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7419/27329885696_46b7964033_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7591/27329886556_b13c6b13cc_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7065/27265604872_ed6d0437c0_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /></center><br />
<b><a href="http://www.stupa.org.au/" target="_blank">The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion</a></b><br />
25 Sandhurst Town Rd<br />
Myers Flat VIC 3556<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is a sacred Buddhist monument being constructed right near Bendigo. It will be the largest Buddhist monument in the Western world, sitting at 50 metres high and wide. The external view of the Stupa is already really impressive, as it sits on land owned by Ian and Judy Green. Once you stop inside, it is a vast space, with teaching rooms, temple, library and soon to be many shrine rooms. The walls are still being built on those shrine rooms.<br />
<br />
It's a nice place to visit and when completed will allow for meditation and other activities. For now, it's a great look at something really big, and who doesn't like looking at big objects right? Australia is full of giant somethings, from bananas to pineapples. Now we also have a big Stupa for purifying the mind.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7591/26756714173_4a32d3b364_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<b><a href="http://www.bendigotramways.com/" target="_blank">Bendigo Tramways</a></b><br />
Alexander Fountain, View St Exit<br />
Bendigo VIC 3550<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">When we arrived at the Charing Cross tram stop for the Sentimental Journey tram ride we were greeted by a fully uniformed driver at the door. The interior of the tram was designed with a quirky vintage feel and the atmosphere was set by the many guests on the tram ride who were dressed up for the occasion. Once we were seated, a waitress came up to take our orders for a welcome drink and it wasn't long before the tram ride started. A brief introduction to Ella Fitzgerald and her friendship with Marilyn Monroe was played before the tram was filled with the smooth sounds of Ella Fitzgerald's music. In the centre of the tram, there was a table filled with platters of finger food, cheese and antipasto, which everybody could help themselves too. The ride lasted for one hour as we rode along the streets of Bendigo and experienced the city at night. It's a great way to start a night out with friends or your partner as once you return to the the tram stop there are many restaurants within walking distance.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7181/26755831884_9f17dce205_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7480/26756714603_1897206698_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<b><a href="http://www.marongfamilyhotel.com.au/" target="_blank">Marong Family Hotel</a></b><br />
26 High St<br />
Marong VIC 3515<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">Dinner was eaten at the Marong Family Hotel, a pub and restaurant. At the hotel, they serve simple homely meals, but don't let that fool you. Food can be simple but still delicious. They farm their own lambs so specialise in lamb dishes. And the lamb dishes did not disappoint. A lamb shank with mash and lamb salad were so delicious. The seared lamb was perfect, with so much flavour. A chicken parma was beautifully crumbed and a round of simple desserts rounded out the meal. The butterscotch lattice basket with ice cream was really good.<br />
<br />
The ambiance in the hotel is really jovial and relaxed. Great for a drink or a more substantial sit down meal. The owner told us that prior to them buying the place, it was really run down. But now it looks very nice and very welcoming.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7289/26755834504_5f29dff520_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7330/27265614642_39aa9e01ff_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bendigocornerstorecafe/timeline?ref=page_internal" target="_blank">Bendigo Corner Store Cafe</a></b><br />
305 View St<br />
Bendigo VIC 3550<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">Breakfast on the second day was at the Bendigo Corner Store Cafe. We got there at 9:30am and it was still pretty quiet. But within 30 minutes, all the tables were filled. I can see why as the fitout is really nice and the food was excellent. A big breakfast and smoked trout dish both delivered on flavour and were good. But the crumpets dish with ice cream and the tomato and quinoa fritters were the highlight. The crumpets had peaches, Persian fairy floss, a delicious ice cream and really soft fluffy crumpets. The tomato and quinoa fritters with the pickled onions and haloumi was such a wonderful dish. The fritters were super crispy on the outside and the pickled onions really offset the flavours well. The coffee was also really good and it felt so relaxing sitting outside in the sun on a Sunday.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7527/27363235895_44887cb9f6_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7373/26756722803_9be0832f0d_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7707/27265627672_10e5522f13_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7698/27363236665_62616fcc17_b.jpg" width="244" border="0" /></center><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.bendigoartgallery.com.au/Home" target="_blank">Bendigo Art Gallery</a></b><br />
42 View St<br />
Bendigo VIC 3550<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">Before visiting the Marilyn Monroe exhibition, we were already introduced to her in the form of the large "Forever Marilyn" statue in prime position at Charing Cross. I don't think anybody can visit Bendigo and walk away without a photo of the super sized Marilyn. The exhibition itself is held at the Bendigo Art Gallery and is curated in a way that whether you're a fan or a novice when it comes to Marilyn, you'll leave with a little more insight into her life. On display is a wide range of film costumes, personal clothing and artefacts as well many photographs that highlighted her star quality as well as gave a glimpse into her private identity. A variety of her films are played throughout the exhibition and it's quite easy to become engrossed in them - we saw many people seated in the darkened rooms, oblivious to the buzz from the rest of the exhibit. I enjoyed looking at cover pages of the gossip magazines which showed that regardless of what Marilyn did, she made a good headline. You leave the exhibit with a general knowledge of Marilyn's life but like all celebrities who die at a young age, there's a certain mystery that prevails. The Marilyn Monroe exhibition runs till 10th July 2016.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7152/27265628552_37ac129165_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<a href="http://heathcoteharvest.com.au/" target="_blank">Heathcote Harvest</a><br />
32 Tuscan Court<br />
Heathcote VIC 3523<br />
<br />
<p align="justify">Last food stop of the weekend was at Heathcote Harvest, run by Lyndal and Steve. They wanted a "sea change", away from the sea where they used to live to in-land regional countryside. Going from their previous professional jobs, they started a self sustaining farm for themselves, but were finding friends were enjoying their produce so much that they thought they could turn it into their work as well. And they've done just that, selling lots of delicious items such as eggs, jams, chutneys etc from the restaurant/store, as well as serving some simple foods from items made from their produce. <br />
<br />
We tried the terrine board, the charcuterie board, a schnitzel and sausages. The cured meats were so good, made from their animals by a local producer. The sausages again were so full of flavour with a real chilli kick. The schnitzel was a massive hit, with a crumb so crunchy you could hear it crunching away in someone else mouth. Turns out Steve has some German heritage and hence the amazing schnitzel. It was a great lunch in a very relaxed environment, as you look out onto the farm and can even go look at the piggies and chickens.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7662/27265634062_fefa854432_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7329/27265635582_7625c02944_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<br />
<b>Wineries</b><br />
<br />
<p align="justify">There are actually a lot of wineries in the Bendigo/Marong/Heathcote area. We visited the four below, each with it's signature wine. There are a lot of Italian varieties, as well as some unique blends only made in the region. My favourite was Sandhurst Winery, where Paul (pictured below) explained to us all about the wine types, how they're made and took us on a tour of the winery. I would highly recommend visiting some wineries when you're in the area as they produce really good wines.</p><br />
<a href="http://www.flynnswines.com/" target="_blank">Flynn Wines</a><br />
29 Lewis Road<br />
Heathcote VIC 3523, Australia<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.downingestate.com.au/" target="_blank">Downing Estate</a><br />
19 Drummonds Ln<br />
Heathcote VIC 3523<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.sandhurstridge.com.au/" target="_blank">Sandhurst Ridge Winery</a><br />
Forest Dr<br />
Marong VIC 3515<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.balgownieestate.com.au/" target="_blank">Balgownie Estate</a><br />
46 Hermitage Rd<br />
Maiden Gully VIC 3551<br />
<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7393/26755860244_dc5da46d96_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7324/27087794640_51fcabfd43_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<p align="justify">And that, sums up the jam packed weekend in Bendigo and staying at the BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park. It was so much fun and I can highly recommend staying at the holiday park as the launch pad for visiting Bendigo and the surrounding areas. There's so much to see, do and most importantly for me, eat and drink. Thanks to my traveling companions, Angie, Ron and Brandon for making it such a fun trip and to all the staff/suppliers/producers/restaurateurs and owners we met along the way for being so generous with their time. So what are you waiting for, get researching and book a trip to Bendigo.</p><br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7338/26755857114_00b55b1415_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<p align="justify"><i>Disclaimer: I attended this trip courtesy of <a href="http://www.bendigotourism.com/" target="_blank">Bendigo Tourism</a> and <a href="https://www.big4.com.au/caravan-parks/vic/goldfields/big4-bendigo-marong-holiday-park" target="_blank">BIG4 Bendigo Marong Holiday Park</a>.</i></p>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-382605492879316182016-05-30T17:25:00.000+10:002016-05-31T10:43:37.777+10:00Wangaratta & King Valley 2016 - High Country Harvest, Food, Wine, Fun, Sun, Laughs<i>Disclaimer: I attend both trips courtesy of the <a href="http://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank">Rural City of Wangaratta</a>.</i><br />
<br />
Recently, I got to experience even more than the Rural City of Wangaratta and King Valley has to offer. I'm forever amazed by how good the food and wine in the region is, how beautiful the scenery is, how wonderful the people are, and just the variety of things you can do. I actually went on two different trips but I'll splice them together and group them into some semi cohesive post. As I've mentioned in the past, the region is about a 3 hour drive from Melbourne so may be pushed for a day trip. But you can most definitely do a weekend trip up there (as I did on both occasions) and get to sample a bit that the region has to offer.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7286/26654257903_c6614858ca_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><i>Beautiful view from the <a href="http://www.chrismont.com.au/" target="_blank">Chrismont Winery</a> outdoor balcony dining area.</i><br />
<br />
First off, go check out the Visit Wangaratta, Visit King Valley and Visit Glenrowan sites for any info, activities and to gawk at the beautiful things on offer.<br />
<a href="https://www.visitwangaratta.com.au/" target="_blank">Visit Wangaratta Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/visitwangaratta" target="_blank">Visit Wangaratta Facebook Account</a><br />
<a href="https://instagram.com/VisitWangaratta" target="_blank">Visit Wangaratta Instagram Account</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/VisitWangaratta" target="_blank">Visit Wangaratta Twitter Account</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.visitkingvalley.com.au/" target="_blank">Visit King Valley Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.visitglenrowan.com.au/" target="_blank">Visit Glenrowan Website</a><br />
<br />
Next up, you can also check out my previous posts on the region, which provide even more ideas for what you can do up there.<br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/wangaratta-super-awesome-packing.html" target="_blank">Packing Prosecco and Good Food</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2014/03/king-valley-have-awesome-time-cow.html" target="_blank">Cow Mustering, Fly Fishing</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-1-brown-brothers.html" target="_blank">Brown Brothers Winery</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-2-pizzini-wines.html" target="_blank">Pizzini Winery</a> <br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-3-politini-wines.html" target="_blank">Politini Winery</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-4-lindenwarrah.html" target="_blank">Lindenwarrah Hotel</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/north-east-victoria-worlds-longest.html" target="_blank">North East Victoria Wineries and Food</a><br />
<br />
<b>Accommodation</b><br />
Let me start with accommodation, a word I commonly misspell (I also misspell "misspell" as mispell all the time) using only one m and not two. Thank goodness for spell check right? So when I go somewhere, I normally start by seeing what accommodation options are available, booking that and working my way from there. On the last two trips, I stayed at the <a href="http://www.wangarattagateway.com.au/" target="_blank">Quality Hotel Gateway Wangaratta</a> and <a href="http://www.casaluna.com.au/" target="_blank">Casa Luna Gourmet Accommodation</a>. Both places were stunning and I would highly recommend both.<br />
<br />
<u><a href="http://www.wangarattagateway.com.au/" target="_blank">Quality Hotel Gateway Wangaratta</a></u><br />
29‐37 Ryley St<br />
Wangaratta VIC 3677<br />
<br />
At the Quality Hotel Gateway Wangaratta, I actually stayed in the townhouses, which were so beautifully decked out and incredibly comfortable. There was everything you need, including a fully fitted kitchen, comfortable furniture, central heating/cooling and a nice little backyard area to chill. We even blasted music over the iphone speaker and busted out some tunes.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7062/26984609800_34ff71c87b_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<u><a href="http://www.casaluna.com.au/" target="_blank">Casa Luna Gourmet Accommodation</a></u><br />
Gwenda Canty and David Byles<br />
1569 Boggy Creek Road<br />
Myrrhee VIC 3732<br />
<br />
At Casa Luna, the accommodations may be a bit smaller, but you get the most amazing view, and the use of the dining/lounge area, outdoor area and I think there may even be a spa for warmer days. Don't quote me on that part. You also get greeted, and get to talk to if you want, Gwenda and David, who have immense knowledge of food and travel. The only thing you may struggle with is wifi, which is patchy and slow, but that may be a good thing for a digital detox. You definitely will struggle with the food...choosing which amazing things you want to eat. You can choose to dine at Casa Luna for dinner and breakfast. I highly recommend you do as Gwenda's cooking is sensational. I've not eaten so well at any B&B before.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7701/27226441496_c8fa45ab3e_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7008/26984592700_1730f27282_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7490/26653421724_f6c13ae482_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></center><br />
<b>Activities</b><br />
So once you've got your accommodation sorted, next you will want to know what to do. Check out some of my other posts above for a tonne of activities, from fly fishing, to cow mustering, to a prosecco horse ride. On this trip I did yet another new thing, meat butchering, followed by sausage making.<br />
<br />
<u><a href="http://gamzesmokehouse.com.au/" target="_blank">Gamze Smokehouse</a></u><br />
Felix Gamze<br />
147 Vincent Rd,<br />
Wangaratta 3677 VIC<br />
<br />
At Gamze Smokehouse, experienced butcher Felix Gamze makes butchering a whole pig look like child's play. I can tell you it's not as easy as he makes it look. He carved around the shoulder bone of the pig without looking. I hacked away at the meat of the animal. Luckily the parts we ruined were used for sausages, and Felix and his team took care of the prime cuts to ensure they stayed hole. From the ground meat, we got to mix up whatever sausage flavours we wanted (you can bring your own spices) and then had so much fun and laughs making sausages. I can tell you that using the hydraulic machine can be scary as exploding sausages carry some force. People came from far and wide to take the class. Some wanting to learn for themselves, while some were butchers who wanted to improve. Whatever the reason, everyone had fun and bonded over sausage making. Lunch was also a delicious spread of some of the many products that Gamze Smokehouse smoke. A highly recommended fun activity.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7362/27162678562_b8dbdc060a_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<u><a href="http://www.walkaboutapiaries.com.au/" target="_blank">Walkabout Apiaries</a></u><br />
Greg Whitehead<br />
1531 Snow Road<br />
Milawa VIC 3678<br />
<br />
Walkabout Apiaries is your go to place for all things honey. There's lots of different honeys to try and buy, honey mead (honey wine basically) to sip, honey candles to smell and a lot of knowledge to be learned about the art of making honey and the different varieties. Our guide, Greg Whitehead, is helping to take over his father's business and is full of knowledge about how the bees gather the honey and the different processes used to treat the honey. You have to try the raw honey, so full of flavour. <br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7175/26654337093_fe0de2ecd0_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Moyhu-Hotel-496197750422825/" target="_blank">Moyhu Hotel</a></u><br />
Melissa and Glen Merkel<br />
18/16 Byrne St<br />
Moyhu VIC 3732<br />
<br />
The Moyhu Hotel is the go to place to catch the locals and have a drink or three. We were there for the Village Bonfire event that invited people to gather around a bonfire and try lots of different foods and drinks. It's so beautiful there and I kept thinking it felt like Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. I'm sure some of you watch Gilmore Girls right? Anyway.....it's a good place to mix with the locals for some drinks.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7734/26653435624_d0da661baf_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<b>Food and Drinks</b><br />
<br />
<u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Cafe-The-Pre-Vue-246397362086496/" target="_blank">Cafe The Prevue</a></u><br />
Ali Alexander<br />
66‐68 Faithfull Street<br />
Wangaratta VIC 3677<br />
<br />
Cafe the Prevue is the hip and happening place to go for all your breakfast and lunch needs. Perfectly situation along the river, it has a great fitout and excellent food. The owner and host Ali Alexander is also a bundle of fun and laughs (she calls me a funny guy so that already gets her in my good books). Enjoyed various regular dishes off the menu or go for the Scrambled Chilli Eggs like I did, which was so good. The shredded potato fritters though are the bomb, so get onto that.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7383/26653455024_ccd9f47856_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/buyintime2013/" target="_blank">Buyin Time</a></u><br />
Kelly Adamo<br />
21 Muntz St<br />
Wangaratta VIC 3677<br />
<br />
Buyin Time is a casual eats place with a super eclectic fitout and menu. You can find all types of things on the menu such as burgers, pizzas, ribs, gravy fries, burritos etc. The decor out in the back courtyard is equally random, but the mood is great out there, with a strong communal vibe.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7284/26653416784_fbaf7b467e_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<u><a href="http://www.sammiranda.com.au/" target="_blank">Sam Miranda</a></u><br />
Sam Miranda and Michael White (head chef) <br />
1019 Snow Rd<br />
Oxley VIC 3678<br />
<br />
Sam Miranda is a stunning winery that serves up lots of their wines as well as some stunning food with chef Michael White now at the helm. We sat in the courtyard area and the trees swaying with the filtered sunlight gave the most amazing atmosphere. We sampled lots of yummy food such as cured salmon, scallops, oricchetti with duck porcini ragu and smoked trout. For me, the scotch fillet steak with salsa verde and the chocolate tart dessert were the standout. The steak was so juicy and flavoursome and the salted caramel ice cream served with the tart blew my mind, my favourite salted caramel ice cream I've tasted. You can easily spend a whole day here in the relaxing atmosphere so make sure you schedule in enough time. <br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7367/27162769262_69c0c3ca1b_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7417/26653448054_4f85a33794_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7618/26653448624_f7b150bf41_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></center><br />
<u><a href="http://www.chrismont.com.au/" target="_blank">Chrismont Winery</a></u><br />
Arnie and Jo Pizzini<br />
251 Upper King River Road<br />
Cheshunt Victoria 3678<br />
<br />
Chrismont Winery is the bees knees of winery. I'd rank it up there with some of my favourites in Melbourne. The fitout is stunning, the staff and owners Arnie and Jo are knowledgeable and friendly (shoutout to my new friend Johnny), the view is sensational and oh my goodness, the food, wow wow wow. Classic recipes are improved upon, with the kitchen headed by my other new friend, Andy Pye. Simple things like roasted and pickled chilli are so delightful, with garlic prawns being so good, terrine, oxtail and my favourite, sardines. Previously I had the sardines grilled and that was fantastic. This time, the sardines were made into little balls, fried and slathered in the most wonderful sauce. That was my highlight savoury dish. Dessert once again was so great, with a amaretto custard, an apple cake and my favourite, the marsala baked cheesecake that Andy refuses to give me the recipe too. Guess I'll just need to go there to eat this.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7181/27162742732_10f814f6a1_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7287/27260114985_0f3edc5b05_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7385/27226459286_1ca67aae0d_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7507/26654322003_abcf6ac5c6_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></center><br />
A big cheers to my fellow travelers <a href="http://msihua.com/" target="_blank">I-Hua and Aaron</a>, <a href="https://sweetcherriepie.com/" target="_blank">Cherrie</a>, <a href="http://myfoodtrail.com/" target="_blank">Brandon</a> and <a href="http://bigpicturestuff.com/" target="_blank">Val</a> who made the last trip so much fun. Here they all are enjoying themselves at Chrismont.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7151/26731181714_abfd376780_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<u><a href="http://www.brownbrothers.com.au/" target="_blank">Brown Brothers</a></u><br />
Ross Brown and Caroline Brown<br />
239 Milawa Bobinawarrah Road<br />
Milawa VIC 3678<br />
<br />
Last up, but by no means least, is the indomitable Brown Brothers. It's the biggest and shiniest jewel in the area, and for good reasons. Brown Brothers know how to delight. From their Epicurean Centre where you can eat some delicious food, to the gardens around the area where you can relax on their famous bean bags, to their barn that housed the perfect High Country Harvest dinner. The barn was decked out so beautifully and felt like I was in a movie. Unfortunately my photos of the food on the night was shocking (I blame all the wines I drank at Chrismont during lunch) so you'll have to read that the food created by head chef Douglas Elder was so full of flavour and delicious. Using local sourced ingredients, there were so many highlights. From teh friend chicken wings with walnut and apple agrodolce, to the chestnut and pumpkin seed macarons, to the stunning pulled goat, which was my favourite of the night. Then we got to eat lots of tasty cakes such as a persimmon cake which I've never had before. It tastes so good. <a href="http://www.milawacheese.com.au/" target="_blank">Milawa Cheeses</a> rounded out a great event, with Brown Brothers wines making sure we were lubricated all night. Then as a special treat, our hosts Ross Brown and his daughter Caroline Brown took us into their private cellar, to drink some of their family cellared wines and look at the treasure trove of wines they had down there. What an experience and privilege. You have to make a stop at Brown Brothers when you're in the area. You won't be disappointed.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7436/26984627050_5e2847ca12_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7367/27226476976_61cfcd3cdd_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
So as you can see, there are great places to stay in Wangaratta and King Valley, loads of activities to keep you occupied and so much good food and wine that you'll never want to leave. There's always different festivals and events happening all year round so make sure to check out the <a href="https://www.visitwangaratta.com.au/" target="_blank">Visit Wangaratta Website</a> to keep up with all the news. A huge thanks to the amazing Emma and Kylee who helped organise the trips as well as being the best drinking hosts and made the trips so much fun. Now go forth and explore the region.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7672/27267835401_f71437bccc_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-90465723573125214552016-04-17T11:55:00.000+10:002016-04-17T11:55:01.633+10:00House of Crabs Melbourne - Get Ready To Get DirtyI absolutely love crabs. When I eat crabs, I pick out every last little bit of meat and sit in the restaurant for ages. My hands are all dirty and I'm enjoying every bit of it. I've become quite a good crab meat picker and know all the tricks to getting every last part. So when I was invited to <a href="http://houseofcrabs.com.au/st-kilda/" target="_blank">House of Crabs Melbourne</a>, I was so excited. I had walked past the Sydney store when I was going to Porteno in Sydney and had vowed to go back one day. So it was so exciting they are now open in Melbourne.<br />
<br />
House of Crabs in Melbourne is actually situated under the <a href="http://newmarketstkilda.com.au/#dining" target="_blank">Newmarket Hotel</a>. You walk down two flights of stairs to be greeted by this loud assortment of things. It's typical of the crab houses that I've been to in America and I think the decor is fun and cool.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1485/26355004401_3c4da8dc16_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
The staff are really fun and introduce you to how things work and also get the ball rolling with drinks. We started with their signature Lagerita, which is a lager mixed with a margarita. It's actually really good despite the strange sounding combination. We also get to play a game of snap with the waitress in which she lets us win a free shot of tequila, which you have with a torched marshmallow. Again, strange but actually quite nice. As the night wears on though, the service isn't quite as efficient or fun as it started. Energies start to flag and faces start to become more wooden. It's a shame given how much fun it started off with and the mood that generates.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1667/26328833212_bff36120ee_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1618/26328833092_9bbebd4f1d_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1538/26421171485_8667a3278a_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></center><br />
Onto the food. We had starters of fresh oysters and the highly recommended lobster donut. The oysters were nice enough, without being the freshest I've tasted. The lobster donut had good flavour but to be honest, it couldn't been just potatoes in the middle and it wouldn't had the same taste. The lobster flavour is lost completely and all you get is mayonnaise.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1480/26355004461_1eac4f7a24_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
With the crab, we got the Alaskan King Crab and the Spanner Crab. We also shared a side dish of Grilled Balmain Bugs. All the crab comes in bags which the wait staff then pour onto the table, sauce and all. It's a great way to eat crab as you have lots of space to make a mess and pick out all the meat. The Alaskan King Crab was much easier to peel and you get large chunks of meat. Served in the lemon pepper sauce, it was really good. The spanner crab took more work but the flesh was so sweet and in the cajun sauce, it took was so good. So the main dishes of the crabs were really yum. The Balmain bugs came out undercooked in my opinion the first time. The exterior basically had a quick blowtorch it seemed with the meat still raw inside. I like raw seafood but in this occasion, I wanted grilled seafood. So I asked for it to be cooked more, to which I was informed the chef said it was cooked the right way. I insisted that the bugs be "overcooked" then. The dish came back and it was delicious. <br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1544/25818388763_8125ac6a49_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1599/25818388773_07954a43ab_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
Overall I had an enjoyable and delicious experience. I will say that this meal would be on the pricey side for dining out. I understand that crabs are experience so you have to factor that into your consideration when choosing to come here. Unless you're going to eat lots of other items besides the crab, the meal costs will start to add up. And why would you come here if not to experience the hero ingredient of the crab. I'd come here occasionally to have a great night out and slowly enjoy lots of different types of crabs.<br />
<br />
<i>My guest and I dined courtesy of the restaurant.</i><br />
thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-16890338665478986952016-03-09T22:40:00.002+11:002016-03-09T22:40:45.741+11:00Ozone Kitchen at Westfield KnoxI've been to <a href="https://www.westfield.com.au/knox" target="_blank">Westfield Knox</a> a lot of times in the past. I used to go to the buffet place across the road for food before heading into <a href="https://www.westfield.com.au/knox" target="_blank">Westfield Knox</a> for some shopping or a movie. There wasn't much eating options inside the shopping centre itself many years ago. But then slowly but surely the Knox Ozone area popped up. The Knox Ozone was a whole area of newer, more exciting eateries. Well, now Westfield Knox have added yet another element to the Knox Ozone, called the Ozone Kitchen.<br />
<br />
I attended the launch of Ozone Kitchen, which aims to serve the best Melbourne food for the shopping centre customers. The kitchen provides a space for chefs to experiment new recipes and trends, starting with Matteo Bruno from Meatball and Wine Bar, who's serving up pork and veal meatballs and waygu sliders from March 10-13. After Matteo, a host of other chefs will serve up their dishes in the permanent Ozone Kitchen. <br />
<br />
The Ozone Kitchen is basically a shipping container and other recycled material that has been transformed into this little cool area with food and drinks. I love the fake grass as it gives it such a nice feel. The row of lights dangling above also give it a great feel. It has a nice indoor/outdoor setup as the semi open area allows you to see the foot traffic go past. The little kitchen area is big enough for 3-4 chefs to work their magic while the bar area on the other side (great idea so everyone doesn't just crowd in the one area trying to buy food or drinks) has 1-2 bartenders to serve a variety of drinks. <br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1481/25520925672_3d63332c1d_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
I got the chance to speak to Matteo about his involvement with Ozone Kitchen. He said that he wanted to showcase his food in the Eastern Suburbs, which thus far he doesn't have one of his Meatballs and Wine Bar in yet. I found out that he used to work in film and television, with shows that sometimes involved food. He gravitated towards food and eventually chose that as a career. His Italian background meant that he chose to do something with meat, finally settling on meatballs. And given he lived in Flinders Lane, he thought that was the perfect spot to open his first restaurant, so conveniently located near his house.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1532/25520925942_e6f00ffe7d_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
The meatballs I got to try at the Ozone Kitchen were all good. The pork and veal meatball was good, but for me the wagyu meatball was super delicious and the highlight with a good mix of flavours. The pulled beef sliders were also really nice. Throw in some nice cocktails and wines and beers and it was a fun relaxing event. The DJ spinning some tunes in the corner played some cool songs too to keep a good atmosphere in that area. So when you're next at Westfield Knox, pop into the Ozone Kitchen and see what foods and drinks they're serving up. It will be a good pre-movie stop or just a casual spot to catch up with friends.<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1617/25272031759_f05e005723_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1622/25012884693_2e7d3cb4fd_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1641/25272031039_c23be4b30c_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<i>This is a sponsored post.</i><br />
<br />
thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-2224388546792530592016-02-15T09:34:00.000+11:002016-02-15T09:34:26.524+11:00400 Gradi Essendon - Great Place Out WestThe ever increasing suburban sprawl means that there is a demand for good restaurants further and further out away from the city. Out South East, North, and now West is being serviced by proprietors who can see the increasing demand and are willing to take a risk and believe in the quality of their goods to attract an audience. This is the case with <a href="http://gradiessendon.com.au/" target="_blank">400 Gradi Essendon</a>. 400 Gradi already has a strong name thanks to Johnny Di Francesco winning the world's best pizza for his Margherita pizza, but it's still a risk to open up in a further out location. But the customers near Essendon clearly appreciate the simple, high quality food. <br />
<br />
I love the fitout at Essendon, with the modern look feeling really relaxed. The men running the show there, Amando at front of house and Kosta (Johnny's brother in law and co-owner) really do a great job working the room, ensuring everyone is looked after and always smiling and having some fun with customers. That's what I like to see at restaurants. <br />
<br />
Food wise, everything we tried was really good. A cured meats and cheese platter was huge and we struggled to finish all the beautiful items. We had to save room for all the other foods you know, such as the meatballs, which were seriously good. Perfect texture and a great sauce.<br />
<br />
For the main part of the meal, we went for the three Ps, pizza, pasta and potatoes. Obviously the margherita pizza was really good. The crab spaghettini had good flavours and the pasta a good texture. I'd probably like my pasta just the tiniest bit softer, but that's just my own preference. The potatoes were excellent and so crunchy outside whilst being so soft inside.<br />
<br />
Lastly for dessert, it was a super decadent chocolate fondant and some Zero Gradi gelato. The perfectly cooked fondant was so good in it's simplicity, and the gelato were all really nice. The margherita gelato (which initially I thought was going to be savoury sweet) is actually very good and just contains elements with colours that replicate the margherita pizza. A good fun gelato.<br />
<br />
Overall I had a great time and loved the food. Parking was really easy along the side street and the service and ambiance were all very good. I highly recommend you go along if you live out West.<br />
<br />
<center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1455/24937115721_791cdc2403_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1502/24399793624_025b96ff5c_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1689/25004061346_3b42d5a7de_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1455/24734868780_604e061304_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><center><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1696/24399798074_770b0eb6c2_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></center><br />
<i>My guest and I dined courtesy of the restaurant.</i><br />
<br />
thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-79358675615030675772015-11-19T20:15:00.001+11:002015-11-19T20:15:43.717+11:00Tassal Salmon Rashers - Perfect For Breakfast<p align="justify">I was asked whether I wanted to try the new range of <a href="http://www.tassal.com.au/" target="_blank">Tassal</a> salmon and cook up some recipe ideas. I love salmon, so was really excited to try the <a href="https://www.tassal.com.au/salmon-that-sizzles-tassal-launches-new-salmon-rashers-as-a-healthy-breakfast-option/" target="_blank">Tassal Salmon Rashers</a>. Tassal Salmon Rashers are a thicker cut smoked salmon that you can eat for breakfast in a variety of ways. The salmon is smoked in Beechwood from Tasmanian grown Atlantic Salmon. You can eat the rashers as is, with just the smoking, or cooked quickly. As you know, salmon is a great source of Omega-3 and protein so definitely worth eating more of it. <br />
<br />
When I opened the packet of Tassal Salmon Rashers, I got the smell of the smoking and could see how beautifully coloured the salmon was. I decided to try the salmon rashers in two ways, smoked as is and also cooking it. <br />
<center><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5622/23098172551_ffc51c0d57_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="500" /></center><center><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5736/23098159651_0614fd1943_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="240" /><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/711/22668600407_4f9d8795e0_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="240" /></center><br />
For my first dish, I had to eat the Tassal Salmon Rashers with my favourite soft boiled eggs. I toasted some bread, put on the salmon and put on my soft boiled egg. Some cooked tomatoes and a few wedges of salmon finished off the dish. It was so easy to prepare this dish and took only a few minutes. It was absolutely delicious. The salmon has a great texture with the thicker cut, with a good bite. The smoking is perfect and I like the peppercorns rubbed on it. Smoked salmon goes perfectly with eggs so this is a great dish.<br />
<br />
The second dish I made was to cook the Tassal Salmon Rashers quickly in a pan, only about 2 minutes so that it stays moist. Then I added some quickly boiled fresh asparagus and sprinkled over some feta and there is a fast and delicious breakfast. When cooked, the Tassal Salmon Rashers takes on a very different flavour. The smokiness is still there and almost more intense. Both ways of eating the salmon rashers are delicious and I'd definitely recommend you try them. So easy to use and so tasty.<br />
<center><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/765/23086980125_b46be312c9_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="500" /></center><center><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5835/23073317832_d519afdf33_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="240" /><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5670/23073310382_3619bf34d1_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="240" /></center><br />
<i>This is a sponsored post</i><br />
</p>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-14914318304625868002015-11-19T18:24:00.000+11:002015-11-19T18:25:26.836+11:00Son In Law<p align="justify">I went along to <a href="http://www.soninlaw.com.au/" target="_blank">Son In Law</a> in Collingwood for dinner recently with a friend. The restaurant is a small place, neatly tucked on Johnston street among a number of other eateries. The fitout is really nice and fun, with bright pops of colour being used to accent various features. The room is divided into a few different sections with some seating street level, seating a few steps up the stairs and some seat out in the courtyard. The room had a really good feeling and even when it got loud, I still felt like I was eavesdropping on my neighbours conversation at my table.<br />
<center><a href="" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5661/22610058399_26135ae82c_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="500" /></a> </center><br />
We shared a number of dishes, which included<br />
* Son in law eggs<br />
* Grilled chicken skewers<br />
* Fried barramundi fillets<br />
* Crispy soft shell crab and tiger prawn curry<br />
* Twice cooked crispy pork belly<br />
* Papaya salad<br />
* Steamed coconut pandan pudding<br />
<br />
The food was all really delicious but for me the clear star of the show are the son in law eggs. I guess that's where the restaurant name comes from. The eggs were perfectly cooked and the flavours added to it were super delicious. I'd recommend ordering two serves of it. The grilled chicken had a good smokey flavour and the barramundi fillets good crunch. The other dish I especially loved, and at $16 I think is a bargain, was the soft shell crab and prawn curry. Wonderfully crispy and flavoursome soft shell crab with a great curry. You can never go wrong with crispy pork belly and these were so good with a great sauce. The papaya salad wasn't the best one I've ever had and could have used more intensity in the dressing. Finally, I had to try the puddings and they were sweet and tasty.<br />
<br />
The staff are very efficiently and polite. They were helpful in explaining the food and also telling me some recommendations they had. Overall, I had a really good time and ate some very tasty food. I'd definitely come back for more.<br />
<center><a href="" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/731/22381080933_895cbc1a6b_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="500" /></a> </center><br />
<center><a href="" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5683/22583955898_9f2b0939b9_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="500" /></a> </center><br />
<center><a href="" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5772/22976241556_0308ec3269_b.jpg" style="cursor: hand;" width="500" /></a> </center><br />
<i>My guest and I dined courtesy of the restaurant</i></p>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-60624524630054897322015-11-15T23:12:00.001+11:002015-11-15T23:12:33.696+11:00Syracuse<p align="justify">There are lots of modern restaurant fitouts with exposed brick walls, metallic drain pipes and industrial lighting which are all very beautiful. There aren't many grand classical fitouts anymore but <a href="http://www.syracuserestaurant.com.au/html/s01_home/home.asp" target="_blank">Syracuse</a> is one of those places. The room is absolutely beautiful with the ornate details and super high ceiling. It has an air of grace and grandeur.<br />
<center><a href="" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5795/22985099792_d3171a8571_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
I haven't been back to Syracuse in a while (there's always something new and exciting to try right) so it was interesting to see how it was. Upon looking at the classical menu, we decided to try the following dishes:<br />
<br />
David Blackmore pastrami and bresaola<br />
Grilled octopus, aioli, chorizo oil and brioche crumbs <br />
Duck liver brûlée and grilled sourdough<br />
Dobson's potato gnocchi, porcini mushroom, sorrel sauce and truffled pecorino<br />
Lamb shoulder and cracked wheat salad, broad beans and freeze dried yogurt<br />
Vanilla crème brûlée with PX macerated prunes<br />
Milk chocolate parfait, salted caramel, hazelnut and popcorn crumble<br />
<br />
The David Blackmore cured meats were really good and a great way to start the meal. I was looking forward to the grilled octopus as not many restaurants serve it and it's one of my favourite dishes. However, this grilled octopus was a bit mushy in texture and not very distinct in flavour. Far better was the duck liver brulee, with a smooth pate and a nice crispy top.<br />
<br />
Onto the mains, neither of us much enjoyed the gnocchi. We found it a bit stodgy and I found it extremely sour, although my dining companion didn't think it too sour. The lamb shoulder salad was much nicer and we both enjoyed the flavours. However, I wish it was made clearer on the menu that it was a cold salad. I was expecting nice hot lamb with a warm salad so felt a bit disappointed.<br />
<br />
Desserts were pretty good in flavour but both extremely sweet. The brulee top was a bit thick and the custard a bit curdled so the textures weren't spot on. The parfait was nice but very sweet so if you have a super sweet tooth, this is for you.<br />
<br />
I really liked the space and more refined ambiance of the room. The service was friendly and efficient. I think this is a great place to have a meal where you can enjoy the conversation with your dining companion.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5732/22375784194_ac0bf8a862_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/678/22972514006_cce4680eb4_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5707/22972523896_9211200c76_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
<i>My guest and I dine courtesy of the restaurant.</i><br />
</p>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-49234629224511523572015-06-27T16:20:00.000+10:002015-06-29T10:15:53.769+10:00Eat Now Online Food Ordering<i>This is a sponsored post.</i><br />
<br />
<p align="justify">You're frantically searching every corner of the fridge. Nope, there's no leftovers. You don't have anything in the house to cook dinner, not even your trusty Indo Mee packets. You could go out to eat, but you're all comfortable in your tracky pants and you have five episodes of House of Cards to watch on Netflix waiting for you. You have two choices, eat chocolate for dinner, or order takeaway. In the old days, you would go to look at all the takeaway menus magnetised to the fridge and make a decision on whether you wanted pizza or Chinese. That process has been modernised with the introduction of online food ordering. <a href="https://www.eatnow.com.au/" target="_blank">Eat Now</a> is Australia's Number One Online Ordering site and allows you to decide between pizza or Chinese food when you want to eat a restaurant meal at home.<br />
<br />
I trialled the Eat Now online ordering system one Friday night when I just wanted to go home and relax on my couch. I signed up for an account, which was really straight forward. The obligatory name, address, email and phone number got me an account immediately. That took about three minutes to do. From there, I got onto the main page, which is really simple and allows you to start your search by entering the location you want to search around.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oAaHANIiaLE/VYzusaILd_I/AAAAAAAAAy4/wZTJtQns1_I/s1600/EatNow%2BFront%2BPage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oAaHANIiaLE/VYzusaILd_I/AAAAAAAAAy4/wZTJtQns1_I/s640/EatNow%2BFront%2BPage.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<p align="justify">A search for my suburb of Keysborough threw up a number of options. There was a variety of choices but obviously not as plentiful as in the city, where the <a href="https://www.eatnow.com.au/melbourne/melbourne/takeaway.html" target="_blank">Melbourne CBD food delivery</a> options are huge. I decided on Thai and clicked into the restaurant to selection my meals.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tU5n7fawFFw/VYzurQfrp8I/AAAAAAAAAys/LhJEM-N5NQk/s1600/EatNow%2BKeysborough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tU5n7fawFFw/VYzurQfrp8I/AAAAAAAAAys/LhJEM-N5NQk/s640/EatNow%2BKeysborough.jpg" width="500"/></a></div><br />
<p align="justify">There was so many choices and it took me a while to finally decide on what I wanted, adding things to the order and removing them a number of times. I finally chose a variety of options and then proceeded to decide on whether I wanted to pickup or get delivery. As the restaurant is on my way home from work, I decided to save myself the delivery fee and pick it up. I submitted my order and got a confirmation screen, email, and eventually an sms. With this particular restaurant, there was only one payment option of cash, but for other restaurants you can use card and Paypal as well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" ><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_S2zoat3WhE/VYzusLJ8NQI/AAAAAAAAAyw/kOO-8fq_5lY/s1600/EatNow%2BOrder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_S2zoat3WhE/VYzusLJ8NQI/AAAAAAAAAyw/kOO-8fq_5lY/s640/EatNow%2BOrder.jpg" width="500"/></a></div><br />
<p align="justify">I turned up at the restaurant at the time I selected and my order was waiting for me. I paid and took the food home. The whole process was really seamless. I transferred the food onto plates and bowls and made myself comfortable in front of the TV and enjoyed my meal.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zs5qANCymJE/VY49LJ1aeaI/AAAAAAAAAzU/XrIYqXfwVX8/s1600/Takeaway%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zs5qANCymJE/VY49LJ1aeaI/AAAAAAAAAzU/XrIYqXfwVX8/s640/Takeaway%2B1.jpg" width="500"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hcwa-OjctaM/VY49Kbhm6HI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/thFOAB3-j2E/s1600/Takeaway%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hcwa-OjctaM/VY49Kbhm6HI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/thFOAB3-j2E/s640/Takeaway%2B2.jpg" width="500"/></a></div><br />
<p align="justify">The advantage of the Eat Now online ordering system is that it is a centralised location for all your food ordering. I also found it easier to take my time and tick whatever items I wanted and then process my order. Being able to see the costs in real time as I added each item is also one of the advantages I like as it's hard to get a running total over the phone talking to a restaurant. Placing orders over the phone can also result in some mistakes from time to time due to hearing the wrong thing. <br />
<br />
An improvement that can be made to the system is to have photos of each item. This would give it an even bigger advantage over ordering on the phone as sometimes it's hard to visualise what a dish is like, or the amount of food, by just looking at the menu text if it's a new restaurant you have not tried. Otherwise, the system worked well and I didn't encounter any issues. The ability to leave a review about the restaurant and experience will also help to improve the system. I would recommend using Eat Now as it is the same cost as ordering directly but has made it easier as you can pre-order any time of the day, not have to wait on the phone, and you can oscillate in your selection when tempted by too many items and the phone operator won't get annoyed.</p>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-62720515077357393972015-03-27T08:00:00.000+11:002015-03-27T08:00:04.077+11:00Smoky BBQ Food Using Heat Beads Chimney Booster<p align="justify"><i>This is a sponsored post</i><br />
<br />
I love BBQ food. I currently own a gas BBQ, which I use a lot to cook chicken wings, sausages, lamb cutlets and beef skewers. It's a good BBQ but definitely not as tasty as when the meat is cooked over coals. I used to have this tiny coal BBQ which did great satay sticks with a beautiful smoky flavour, but the pain in trying to get the coals lit meant I only used it at most twice a year. I made a big fuss when I would use it as it would take all day and was just a pain that the benefits of the flavour was not enough to make me use it often. Hence I'm am over the moon with what <a href="http://www.heatbeads.com.au/" target="_blank">Heat Beads</a> have come up with. Their new Heat Beads BBQ Chimney is such a simple design but a massive game changer in my mind. As an engineer, I'm totally in love with the design and the funcationality that I'm surprised no one has done it sooner. Gone are the days where I'm lighting a newspaper and some twigs to put under the coals and then fanning it constantly to get the coals lit. Now, it's so easy to get the BBQ fuel lit. All you do is place four Heat Beads Firelighter onto the Heat Beads BBQ Chimney Booster, light the Firelighters, place the Heat Beads BBQ Chimney with BBQ Briquettes over the top, turn on the booster (it uses 4 x AA batteries) and voila, in 12 minutes, all the BBQ Briquettes are completely lit. You then just pour the Briquettes into your BBQ (a Weber Kettle BBQ in this case) and start cooking. <br />
<br />
Just watching this short video and you will see how easy it is. You can see teh full range of Heat Beads products <a href="http://www.heatbeads.com.au/bbq-products/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/npez2RUjOAs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Being the engineer that I am, I actually timed how long it took to lig the BBQ Briquettes and it was 12 minutes plus minus 10 seconds. Obviously if conditions are different (more wind for example) it may be faster or slower give or take a minute. You know when the top Briquettes turn grey, it's all ready to go. From that point, the fun starts. You now can cook a million different things on the BBQ. Depending on what the items are, you can cook over direct heat or indirect heat. I tried a mixture of both.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16934248721/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8744/16934248721_36f064cb5e_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16934249311/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7621/16934249311_15ea9e4763_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16747789600/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8694/16747789600_14dd08d43e_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
My first test was to start with my favourite thing, chicken wings. There is no better thin in the my mind than smoky chicken wings. All I did was take the raw chicken wings and put it into the BBQ over indirect heat. Closed the lid of the BBQ and 30 minutes later they were all done. I brushed the wings with some Louisianna Hot Sauce mixture and put them over the direct heat for a minute or so just to help the sauce become stickier. The chicken wings were simply amazing and so tender. My mum couldn't believe it as normally we cook the wings until they're a bit burnt and dry on the gas BBQ. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16747563578/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7642/16747563578_0b715f08f1_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Next up, I tried some pork ribs. Again I cooked it over the indirect heat for about an hour before coating it in a layer of BBQ sauce and cooking over direct heat for a minute. A second layer of BBQ sauce and some more cooking resulted in really beautiful ribs. The ribs are more like a pork chop texture if you cook for an hour. If you want the meat falling off the bone, another hour to hour and a half would do the trick.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16312835034/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/16312835034_49309108d5_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The next week, I was so enthused that I threw everything at the BBQ. Again I got the Heat Beads BBQ Chimney Booster out, loaded it with the Firelighters and lit them, loaded up the BBQ Chimney with BBQ Briquettes and turned on the chimney. Second attempt, again about 12 minutes. On this week's menu was more seafood orientated. So there was prawns (5-10 minutes on direct heat), blue swimmer crabs (I lost track of time on this one but around 30 minutes I feel on indirect heat), Chinese lup cheong (just a few minutes on direct heat), corn (forgot to time) and Vietnamese pork skewers (15-20 minutes on indirect heat and finished off for a minute or so on direct heat for a bit of charring).<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16934255471/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7287/16934255471_4d63e5f155_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a></center><br />
The food was all so good. I'm not a big fan of prawns but these BBQ ones were smoky goodness and really juicy still. The crabs were excellent. Normally I boil the crabs and they're a bit waterlogged but these weren't at all. My favourite by far were the chicken wings, pork ribs and Vietnamese pork skewers. These really benefit from the indirect heat as they didn't dry out at all and stayed super juicy and tender. The smoky flavour also really shines through in these items and I love it so much.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16934257871/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8715/16934257871_a89681af81_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16747794520/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7620/16747794520_6c21cebfcc_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16747687808/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7596/16747687808_db9f7d7a07_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16727904577/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8738/16727904577_a76c44ac20_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16315189813/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7590/16315189813_4a3fd43994_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Once all the cooking is well and truly done, I used the cleaning brush to scrub the BBQ metal plate while there is still heat. All the black bits come right off so easily. Then when the Briquettes have all burnt out, you can just pour them into the bin, making sure they're completely cold as you don't want to start a fire in your bin. </p>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-21853753455892894892015-03-24T08:00:00.000+11:002015-03-24T08:00:05.242+11:00Sake Restaurant at Hamer Hall - Delicious Food With a View<p align="justify"><a href="http://www.sakerestaurant.com.au/find-us/hamer-hall/" target="_blank">Sake Restaurant</a> has been somewhere I've wanted to go after reading <a href="http://myfoodtrail.com/2014/06/sake-restaurant-bar-melbourne.html" target="_blank">April's blog post</a> about it. You know the story, so many new places in Melbourne that you tend to never get round to visiting the older places. So when I got an invite to try it, I was really excited to go. Sake is located in Hamer Hall of the Arts Centre and somewhere lots of people go for pre-show meals. It's also great for a lingering meal as the setting is so beautiful. Right next to the Yarra River, the restaurant gives you stunning views as there are floor to ceiling windows to maximise that view.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16904683005/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7619/16904683005_f2970c9fb9_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><i>Photo courtesy of Thrive PR.</i><br />
<br />
The style of food served at Sake is what you would say is modern Japanese. Use of classic Japanese flavours and techniques to create both traditional dishes and some newer dishes. My friend and I sampled a few different items from the different sections of the menu to get a feel for the overall food style.<br />
<br />
We had the following food:<br />
Sushi set <br />
Kingfish jalapeño with yuzu soy <br />
Pacific oysters served 3 ways<br />
Chicken karaage with spicy mayo <br />
Miso-cream scallops with baby corn and asparagus<br />
12 hour braised pork belly with 64°C egg and truffle oil scallions <br />
Seaweed salad <br />
Momo umeshu - poached peach, blood peach fool, candy shards, shaved granita<br />
Goma - caramelized white chocolate, chocolate mousse, sesame praline, sesame ice cream<br />
<br />
Everything was of a really high standard and I liked it. Starting with the entrees, the sushi was very fresh and clean. The kingfish with jalapeno was a nice take on a fish dish, with great flavours. I absolutely loved the oysters served three ways, each very different and delicious. Lastly, the chicken karaage was beautifully crispy.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16717030288/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8719/16717030288_2340a87905_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16284683883/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8713/16284683883_b3028924f9_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16282321364/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8735/16282321364_24e158e9e0_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
For the mains, the scallops were the real highlight. Plump, perfectly cooked scallops was served in this really silky cream. We both loved this dish. As for the braised pork belly, I rather liked it as it had a very distinctive flavour, but my friend wasn't as keen on it. To go with the mains, we had a seaweed salad, which was like none I've had before. Five styles of really different seaweed was presented, four of the five I liked. Really interesting to taste them back to back and see how different they were and the different flavours you can taste.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16697362597/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8710/16697362597_d21959f229_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
For desserts, they were both really different but both good. I think I got the better dessert of the peach with refreshing granita but my friend hates poached fruit so definitely thought she got the better dessert with the chocolate mousse and sesame ice cream. We were both happy thinking we got the better dish, so no food envy.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16697361337/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8731/16697361337_68f68426b2_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16284684853/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8686/16284684853_fdf8b70c1d_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Service wise, our waitress was lovely and funny too. She made some jokes at the right time while helping us to navigate the menu and provide suggestions, such as the delicious sake I had. I love staff who can do this as they help to make the dining experience even better. <br />
<br />
The ambiance in the restaurant is good, although as they always says, some seats are better than others. We were right in the corner that felt as if it was slightly disjointed from the rest of the room. There were three lonely tables there and I was envious of the people near the window. But you know, someone has to have the less than optimal tables at a restaurant so that's ok. Our seats meant we could be really loud and laugh and no one would notice.<br />
<br />
All in all, I had a really great dining experience there and would recommend it for a special occasion, a casual meet up or a pre-show meal. Somehow the setup of the space lends itself to all these things, which is a real plus.<br />
<br />
<i>My friend and I dined courtesy of the restaurant.</i></p><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1698016/restaurant/Southbank/Sake-Restaurant-Bar-Melbourne"><img alt="Sake Restaurant & Bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1698016/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-64901481917620164152015-03-05T20:30:00.000+11:002015-03-05T20:30:00.112+11:00Taste of Prahran Market - Great Event<p align="justify"><i>I attend this event as a guest of Prahran Market.</i><br />
<br />
This year, as part of the <a href="http://www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au/" target="_blank">Melbourne Food and Wine Festival</a>, I was invited to attend the Prahran Market 'Taste of Prahran Market' event. I've been to previous year's events at Prahran Market and they've been wonderful. You can check out <a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/melbourne-food-and-wine-festival-2013.html" target="_blank">Prahran Market Event 2013</a> and <a href="
http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/melbourne-food-and-wine-festival-2014.html" target="_blank">Prahran Market Event 2014</a>. The idea of this year's event was that you had a book of vouchers, which you use to go collect items from all over the market. Armed with the book and a paddle board to hold the drinks and food, <a href="http://msihua.com/" target="_blank">I-Hua, Aaron</a>, <a href="http://www.offthespork.com/" target="_blank">Agnes</a> and I started to plot out our strategy to #eatallthethings at the market. <br />
<br />
Our strategy was to start with all the deli and seafood items first as they're lighter. So off we went to collect all the deli items. We didn't think that each item would actually consist of so much food, so we had to find a table to first eat the deli items. As we devoured the really delicious cured meats, pickled vegetables and cheeses, each of us would take turns to go grab more food while the others held the table. The oysters were super fresh and so good with the sriracha and lemon. Equally good were the skewers of grilled scallops and prawns, again so fresh. As we were near the pop-up restaurant area, we also go the empanadas. They were good but a bit salty.<br />
<br />
Cleo's Deli - mini chacuterie plate<br />
Chaso's Deli - mini antipasto plate<br />
Cheese Shop Deli - mini cheese board<br />
Theo and Sons - 2 freshly shucked oysters with lemon<br />
Prahran Seafoods - 2 cooked scallops with tartare sauce<br />
El Alamo - Empanada with chimichurri sauce (beef or spinach and mushroom)<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16091395664/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8616/16091395664_0dfb120b42_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16506433607/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8646/16506433607_5450a23802_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16093761283/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8675/16093761283_ec7a1236f1_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16712655832/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8593/16712655832_159da9bd77_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Next up, we ventured back into the Blanco demo kitchen area to eat all the meats. We sampled everything and I absolutely loved the beef shaslik and the lamb kofta. The meats were so flavoursome. While eating our meats, we sampled more Punt Road wines and Nepoleon cider. The apple cider I had was so refreshing and I really enjoyed the Pinot Noir too. <br />
<br />
Gary's Quality Meats - free range Berksire ham with onion jam on a slice of Noisette baguette<br />
Neil's Meats - pulled pork with a Kook's Kitchen salad<br />
Ian's Quality Meats - lamb kofta with tzatziki<br />
J & L Quality Meats - beef shaslik<br />
Napoleon apple and pear cider<br />
Punt Road wines<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16712427691/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8612/16712427691_ca38e3d8c1_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Lastly, it was time for dessert. By this stage we were all struggling badly. There was just way too much food. But we pushed on and had some refreshing gelato, before taking home the baklawa and chocolate. I had those at home and loved them. <br />
<br />
Fritz Gelato - raspberry rumble gelato cup<br />
Abla's Patisserie - traditional Lebanese baklawa<br />
Cioccolato Lombardo - handmade artisan chocolate<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16712659192/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8660/16712659192_29fbe1d5f4_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Sadly we missed out on the pistachio ball and dolmade as we were just way too full to even more.<br />
<br />
Naheda's Choice - Naheda's hand made date and pistachio ball served with Brie<br />
Sweet Greek - Dolmade and Keftethe with tzatziki<br />
<br />
The event was such a great idea as it made you explore the market and learn about all the vendors. Everything was absolutely delicious and the event was well run. There weren't any real hiccups and people were clearly enjoying themselves. I highly recommend attending future events the market holds and coming to the market to pick up really high quality produce and food.</p>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-73673797101751290502015-02-12T16:40:00.002+11:002017-03-22T10:34:18.980+11:00Pandan Kaya Lamingtons - A Delicious Twist On A ClassicWhen Australia Day was approaching, I wanted to attempt making a lamington as I had never made one before. But I didn't just want to do the typical one, so thought up an idea to combine both my Asian heritage and my Australian heritage. One night in my dreams (for real), I came up with the idea to make a pandan kaya lamington. It seems so obvious now as those two flavours work wonderfully together, and also the yellow kaya and green pandan would further signify the Aussie part as they're like the green and gold colours people use to support our sporting teams. I've tried two sponge recipes now. The first sponge recipe was too coarse. This second recipe gives a brilliant sponge but it's so fragile that it is harder to ice, but worth it I think. I've included the better tasting sponge recipe even if it is harder to work with.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15850321833/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/15850321833_4567d323ae_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Flavour and texture wise, this pandan kaya lamington creation is amazing if I say so myself. Everyone who I gave it to loved it so much I've re-made this a few times already. It's a very moreish cake and I find myself continually eating it.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16470397785/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7445/16470397785_bafc56a61f_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
You can eat the cake by itself or serve it with some simple vanilla ice cream, which makes it even more amazing.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16470397495/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7329/16470397495_7dbda7f2f2_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16284503747/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7388/16284503747_4db83c8204_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
TIPS<br />
* Beat the eggs for the sponge for as long as you can before you get tired of waiting (about 15 minutes I found). It will really help to stabilise the sponge if the egg mixture is thick and fluffy.<br />
* The sponge is very fragile so take care cutting it. Make sure you line the tin really well or it won't come out and will break apart. <br />
* Stir the pandan fudge mixture until the custard powder is dissolved before heating it on the stove. Else you will get big lumps.<br />
* When working with the pandan fudge, it's easier to work with it whilst it is hot but you may burn your fingers so be careful. <br />
* Use a small butter knife to carefully spread the pandan fudge onto the lamgintons.<br />
<br />
<b>PANDA KAYA LAMINGTON</b><br />
<br />
SPONGE CAKE<br />
I used the <a href="
http://www.abc.net.au/local/recipes/2005/08/01/1427345.htm" target="_blank">CWA recipe</a>.<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
125g butter<br />
3/4 cup castor sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 3/4 cup self raising Flour<br />
2/3 cup milk<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
<br />
METHOD<br />
1) Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla, add eggs one at a time. Add flour alternatively with milk.<br />
2) Pour mix into a greased lamington slab tin, 24cm by 30cm, and bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes. I found about 180C in my fan forced oven worked well.<br />
3) After it's thoroughly cooled cut into 6cm square pieces. Wrap cake in foil and put in the fridge while you make the fudge.<br />
<br />
PANDAN FUDGE ICING<br />
I used my usual <a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com.au/2008/07/pandan-chiffon-cake-childhood-memories.html" target="_blank">pandan fudge icing</a><br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
600g coconut cream (99% or 100% stuff, look on label) <br />
80g caster sugar<br />
20g custard powder<br />
1/2 tsp pandan paste or more to taste<br />
Dessicated coconut to decorate<br />
<br />
METHOD<br />
1) Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat.<br />
2) Stir till it thickens. <br />
<br />
ASSEMBLY<br />
1 jar of kaya jam<br />
1 bag of dessicated coconut<br />
20 pieces of 6cm square sponge<br />
1 serve of pandan fudge icing<br />
<br />
1) Pour the whole bag of dessicated coconut into a big tray read to be used.<br />
2) Take a piece of sponge cake and spread it thickly with a kaya jam. I just use a store bought one but you can make it yourself if you wish. Put another piece on top of the first sponge, creating a sandwich of sponge with the kaya in between.<br />
3) Using a small butter knife, spread the pandan fudge all over the sponge sandwich.<br />
4) Place the pandan iced sponge into the tray of dessicated coconut and cover liberally with coconut.<br />
5) Place the finished lamington onto some baking paper to let it cool before serving. thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-62059798859687936302015-01-21T09:56:00.000+11:002015-03-23T12:13:44.832+11:00Highline Restaurant at The Railway Hotel Windsor - Fantastic Meal<i>My friend and I dined courtesy of the Highline Restaurant.</i><br />
<br />
Expectations can sometimes dictate how good you perceived a meal to be. If you go in with super high expectations, more likely that not you will get disappointed. It's not to say that you shouldn't anticipate how good a place will be, just that it can taint your final judgement. I'll admit that when I got invited to go to <a href="https://www.therailway.com.au/" target="_blank">The Railway Hotel</a> in Windsor, my expectations weren't too high. This is nothing against The Railway Hotel, as I've never heard anything previously about them, but just my perception of most hotel food in general. Well, I am super happy to have my expectations blown out of the water as the meal at The Highline, the restaurant component of the The Railway Hotel, was amazing and in my Top 5 places for 2014. <br />
<br />
The kitchen at The Highline is headed up by Simon Tarlington, of Quay experience and one of the finalists of the 2014 Young Chef of The Year awards. The food is definitely not your typical pub fare. It would easily sit amongst the top restaurants in Melbourne. The small space in The Highline restaurant is very cosy and each table feels nice in terms of where it is placed. My friend and I got the table near the window so it gave a nice view of Chapel street.<br />
<br />
We didn't have to order as the chef was preparing a selection of dishes for us, starting with a little taster paddle consisting of numerous items. There was duck liver parfait, dehydrated oyster with a homemade bbq sauce, crispy chicken skin with pickles and some bresaola. Everything was so good, especially the oyster and chicken skin. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16076304097/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8599/16076304097_20d67b15f5_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
We moved from the tasters to a few different entrees. The first entree was some bread crumb crusted prawns with a prawn reduction and various vegetables. I absolutely loved this dish and I'm not even a fan of prawns. The various textures worked so well and the sauce with the prawns tasted so fresh, occasionally being complimented by crisp garlic plant stems I think. Whatever vegetables they were they worked a treat.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16262170555/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7535/16262170555_d5b91c0e2c_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The next dish we had was my favourite of the night. It was Asparagus with Burnt Butter. Sounds so simple but the beautiful complexity in this dish was magic. I liken it to the Texture of Carrot dish I had to Cutler and Co. There was so many elements that made the dish sing in my mouth. There was sweet grilled asparagus with raw slivers of asparagus. A light burnt butter sauce covered some of the asparagus. There was a red jelly that gave sweetness. Then there was different textures of almond, raw and roasted. Then there was also something sour in the dish I think. Everything together just worked magically and one of my highlight dishes of this year.<br />
<br />
The next entree was a plate of Wallaby "cooked" Two Ways. There was a wallaby loin I think, really well cooked. Then there were some tartare as well, with various different other flavours that brought it all together. Again another wonderful dish.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16260349311/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8630/16260349311_75a42c3b4c_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16074636808/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7471/16074636808_621e90e3f0_b.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a></center><br />
Fourth up for the entrees was a Pig Terrine, using all different cuts to create different textures, including a black pudding in the middle layer. It was served with a nice broth and crispy crackling. Despite my utter hatred of celery, the finely diced celery actually enhanced the dish and it didn't really taste like celery, if that makes any sense. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16236253556/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7560/16236253556_1c172cedfc_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
By this stage we were become pretty full but when the Beef Rump Cap came out, we were straight into it. The beef was served with another texture of beef and an amazingly smooth and buttery potato mash in a leek and a delicious jus. Another great dish I would happily eat again.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16074638068/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8583/16074638068_b371792dc0_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
To finish the meal, we were presented with a Chocolate Dessert. Chocolate and desserts don't usually work for me, but this one was great. Chocolate mousse, chocolate sheets, crunchy elements and super fresh berries all created a wonderful dessert.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/16074803490/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8607/16074803490_dec0b5c6b1_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The whole meal totally was just absolutely stunning. I loved every dish and it's not too often I say that about a restaurant experience. I've already made plans to go back next year with a friend. Whilst this meal won't change my mind about all hotel restaurants, it has definitely changed my mind about this particular hotel restaurant and I can't recommend it enough. The paddock to plate philosophy adopted by the restaurant definitely shows as the produce tastes so good. Service wise, our waiter was really knowledgeable and personable. I also liked the ambiance as it was fun and casual despite the high end style food. Price wise, I think the food is great value as you would easily pay far more for such quality food elsewhere. A wonderful meal that I would recommend you go and try.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1493388/restaurant/Melbourne/Prahran/Highline-Windsor"><img alt="Highline on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1493388/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-70837265035225343432014-11-11T10:45:00.000+11:002014-11-11T23:54:18.059+11:00The Fat Duck Melbourne - I Got A Booking And I'm Excited<p align="justify">So yesterday the biggest buzz in Melbourne, at least among people with a culinary/dining interest, was the release of <a href="http://www.thefatduckmelbourne.com/" target="_blank">The Fat Duck</a> reservation emails. If you're not familiar with the back story, basically Heston Blumenthal is bring his whole Fat Duck team to Melbourne to open a pop-up for 6 mmonths in Crown Entertainment Complex. From that point onwards, The Fat Duck will turn into Dinner, his other highly acclaimed restaurant. This means there is an extremely limited time to get a table at The Fat Duck.<br />
<br />
I'm a huge fan of Heston's, which I'm sure many other people are too. I have an engineering and science background and combined with my love of food, he is my ultimate chef. One who creates amazing dishes using science. I'm a firm believer that all cooking is just science that is executed perfectly, and Heston proves that. I've watched all his shows and read his books and the science parts fascinates me no end. Back in 2010 when I went on a holiday through Europe, I had the option of dining at The Fat Duck but decided not to. I was thinking of the money as I didn't want to blow my holiday budget. So I picked to go to only one 3 Michelin star restaurant, Pierre Gagnaire in Paris. Whilst that meal was great, I really regretted not going to The Fat Duck as I think I would love the theatre and experimentation of Heston far more, even if the food wasn't all super delicious. The fact that he uses such different scientific techniques to create almost magical dishes is mind blowing enough.<br />
<br />
So along with every other man and his dog, when The Fat Duck was announced to open in Melbourne, I was screaming with delight. The problem was, how do you fit more people into a restaurant than you can possibly hold. The answer, you hold a ballot. There was a two week expression of interest period, to which about 90,000 people entered their names for tables of 2, 4 and 6. As I read that the tables of 4 were the most available, I put in my entry for a table of 4, happy to dine at lunch or dinner, and to be on the wait list for last minute cancellations. I didn't care what I had to do, I wanted to go. And I'm so happy that I will be going, AUUUUUHHHHHHHH. I was jumping for joy yesterday and told everyone (in real life and on social media) when I got my acceptance email. Remember, this is just to say I can make a booking and have the privilege to pay a whopping amount of money for one single meal. Crazy right? <br />
<br />
If you're not a big food lover, finding 3 other people to go to a super expensive meal with you would be hard. But as I associate with so many other food lovers, that's not a problem. I have the inverse problem of having now to reject many people who had assumed they were coming along to a minimum $525 meal. Yes, that's the cost without drinks or a tip. It's hefty that's for sure. And yes, I've heard many other people say that with that money they could eat loads of hamburgers, or dine at 3 fancy restaurants etc. Logically that all makes sense to me and I do agree with them. But at the same time I am still willing to spend that money and dine out at Heston's restaurant because no matter how many photos or stories I hear about The Fat Duck, experiencing it myself is a whole other matter. It may turn out to disappoint, or hopefully it will amaze. Regardless, I'll be happy that I tried. My view is that it is super expensive, but I can save for it and it's within my means. Hence I am willing to spend this money to gain an experience. If I applied logic to every decision I made, I wouldn't ever go on a holiday as it makes more sense to put that money into my mortgage and reduce the interest I pay dramatically. But that's not how humans work. We need to see some reward for our efforts or we give up. This to me, is a reward that I'm more than happy to pay for. Comparing the cost here to the cost in London (approximately $400 AUD) doesn't really make sense to me as I won't be going to London (or Bray more accurately) any time soon. The Fat Duck has come to my doorstep and I'm so happy I got a table. The email screenshot below confirms my ballot success, with a final payment confirmation and payment to come very soon. So I better hop on my bike and sort out who is coming with me and get money from them haha. <br />
<br />
Are you lucky enough to also get a booking at The Fat Duck?<br />
Would you have gone if you did get the booking?</p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJfCHhPTj6I/VGFIAvdjIXI/AAAAAAAAAwA/4gWL605bcrM/s1600/Fat%2BDuck%2BEmail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RJfCHhPTj6I/VGFIAvdjIXI/AAAAAAAAAwA/4gWL605bcrM/s640/Fat%2BDuck%2BEmail.jpg" /></a></div>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-41739525501101636292014-10-31T14:16:00.000+11:002015-03-23T12:15:46.734+11:00The Atlantic - Beautiful Seafood Dishes<i>Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of the restaurant.</i><br />
<br />
I started this post ages ago and for whatever reasons I never got round to finishing it. Rather than just delete it, I thought I may as well post it and give you a feel for what <a href="http://theatlantic.com.au/the-atlantic" target="_blank">The Atlantic Restaurant</a> is like. The restaurant is located in the Crown Entertainment Complex along many other fine dining establishments. Whilst some people have an aversion to going to the Crown casino complex, for me, I'm happy to go there for good food. The Atlantic is owned and run by Donovan Cooke, the man behind many a fine establishment in the past. This restaurant has a focus on sustainable seafood, so the menu has a good selection of seafood.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14642348095/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5559/14642348095_cf40c8601f_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
I was lucky enough to be seated with <a href="http://www.sarahcooks.com.au/" target="_blank">Sarah</a>, <a href="http://msihua.com/" target="_blank">I-Hua</a>, Aaron and my friend Eliott, who were willing to share their dishes. Hence I got a taste of every dish that we ordered.<br />
<br />
The entrees were all really good, and I'm sure you'll find one dish to your liking. I think the standouts for me were the super fresh oysters and the crab mousse dish.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14359408450/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3913/14359408450_1bb669172c_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14566168553/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5522/14566168553_fe55aed6d1_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14359591837/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/14359591837_2c450df77f_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Despite the restaurant being more a seafood place, it does also serve steaks, and really good steaks at that. Of course, it's hard to go past the fish dishes, with the signature confit salmon dish being a highlight, along with hapuka, barramundi and whatever is fresh at the time and sustainably caught.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14545118642/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5556/14545118642_4597e00284_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14359451529/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/14359451529_633d79a7cc_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14544525704/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2925/14544525704_75093a919b_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14359470538/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3858/14359470538_73cf364210_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14522963186/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2921/14522963186_194b93d388_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Deserts were all really good, with my favourite being the pistachio cassonade dessert which were a remainder of the time Philippa Sibley was the dessert chef. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14545119292/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2902/14545119292_2389057939_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14544533944/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3848/14544533944_10243407aa_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
We got to have a chat with Donovan and from the short conversation with him, I can see that he is still passionate about cooking, as well as his pursuit of quality, both in the ingredients and execution. Whilst he seems a hard man, he did tell us some funny stories and laughed really hard with us, which made me see the man behind the chef. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14641921892/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5544/14641921892_6c2d446871_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Overall, I thought the food was good and the restaurant would make a great location for any occasion. The decor is really beautiful and the view outside of the glass windows onto the Yarra is pretty spectacular. Obviously, the meal is priced towards the high end and expect to pay $150 or so if you have three courses with drinks. It's not for everyday but as an occasional visit, it's worth it, especially if you love seafood.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1582997/restaurant/Melbourne/The-Atlantic-Southbank"><img alt="The Atlantic on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1582997/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-4584648533425451342014-09-12T10:34:00.000+10:002014-09-12T10:34:37.423+10:00Cake Wines - Matched at Charlie Dumpling<i>Disclaimer: I dined courtesy of Cake Wine.</i><br />
<br />
I like cake, and I like wines. So when company director Glen from <a href="http://www.cakewines.com/" target="_blank">Cake Wines</a> contacted me, I was listening. I thought that they would make wines which were inspired by cakes (I know you're all laughing but I'd try those wines). As it turns out, Cake Wines is a boutique wine company making wines from the Adelaide Hills. You can find out more about them via this really cool <a href="http://vimeo.com/90851464" target="_blank">video</a>. <br />
<br />
Glen told me about a program they have running called <a href="http://www.cakewines.com/pages/matched" target="_blank">MATCHED</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>MATCHED is an idea that’s about exploring “kitchens that don’t live in the limelight”, sharing stories from the chefs that run them, and giving some much needed love, and exposure, to the restaurants, cafes, tapas/wine bars and gastro pubs that sometimes get drowned out in our celebrity driven food world. Throughout July-Aug-Sept 2014 we're launching a campaign to promote these unsung heroes by asking them to match their favourite dishes to our wines, served up for you to enjoy!</i><br />
<br />
I was asked whether I wanted to try out this MATCHED experience, which I accepted. I chose to go to <a href="http://charliedumpling.com.au/" target="_blank">Charlie Dumpling</a>. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15187988732/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3906/15187988732_97e83d23c3_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
So the MATCHED dish at Charlie Dumpling was their Thai Spiced Salmon dumplings in yellow curry with the Cake Wines Pinot Gris. Firstly, the Pinot Gris was really good. So refreshing with a bit of sweetness and really clean in flavour. It did actually match well with the salmon dumplings. According to my amateur wine tastebuds, I felt like the wine brought out the lemongrass flavour of the dish. The wine also really worked well with the Kingfish Sashimi with fennel and apple. We also had the Peking Duck dumplings, which I liked but my friend felt the sauce was a bit strange.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15001787748/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/15001787748_0d530499a9_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15001589439/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5589/15001589439_dd1dca53f0_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15001802547/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5567/15001802547_4c7d921f61_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
What we did agree on was the addictive Charlie's Fried Chicken Ribs with five spice, honey and kewpie. The batter was so good and the flavours were great. The meat was still tender. A dish I would definitely recommend you try. Not as successful was the Thai Papaya Salad, where the flavours were not very good so I would avoid that.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15001792618/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3849/15001792618_83e221fe74_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The dessert menu consists of more dumplings, but sweet ones. We tried the Milk Chocolate Dumplings with raspberry chili sorbet and the Peanut Butter Mochi with honeycomb and salted chocolate. The milk dumplings were great, but neither of us were fans of the raspberry chili sorbet. The peanut butter mochi sounded better on paper as the flavours didn't really shine through.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15001803447/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3894/15001803447_ddd97d508f_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15188362095/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3853/15188362095_9e6a4b09e5_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
All up, it was a good meal. Our waitress was wonderful and really nice, helpful and funny. We had some nice food matched with the tasty Cake Wines wine. You can check out the Cake Wines website to see what <a href="http://www.cakewines.com/pages/matched" target="_blank">MATCHED</a> dishes they are doing around town and go check it out.thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-52016865368125345212014-08-26T20:47:00.000+10:002014-08-26T20:47:58.527+10:00Cuttlefish Paella Recipe<i>Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post.</i><br />
<br />
A classic Spanish dish is paella. There are many varieties, including mixed seafood, octopus, chicken and cuttlefish. This beautiful cuttlefish paella with squid ink made using <a href="http://www.tasteourlifestyle.com/#!/Home" target="_blank">Olive Oils from Spain</a> is so delicious. Served in a large pan for communal dining, it is the perfect dish to share with family and friends. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14850863659/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3882/14850863659_99a0fdf665_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14850995198/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3921/14850995198_9faf503447_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The key to any good paella is high quality fresh ingredients. The flavours of the ingredients will each shine through and blend together to create a fragrant dish.<br />
<br />
Start with some <a href="http://www.tasteourlifestyle.com/#!/Home" target="_blank">Olive Oils from Spain</a>, rich and deep in flavour. The extra virgin Olive Oil really showcases the fresh olive flavour and will help to form the base flavour of the dish. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14850947780/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5593/14850947780_ccd56178c0_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The next ingredient is the rice for the paella. Make sure you use Bomba rice as the grains will be soft but maintain some bite and not be soft and gluggy.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/15034537801/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5579/15034537801_60a5ecd66f_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The next ingredient is the rice for the paella. Make sure you use Bomba rice as the grains will be soft but maintain some bite and not be soft and gluggy.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14850947000/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3890/14850947000_4e50184070_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
The squid ink paella is not hard to make at all and you’ll have a meal that can easily feed 6 people. Start your meal with some crunchy bread dipped in Olive Oils from Spain before moving onto the paella served with some wine. Your guests will be so impressed with your cooking skills.<br />
<br />
<b>For more information, or to follow Olive Oils from Spain:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.tasteourlifestyle.com/#!/Home" target="_blank">www.tasteourlifestyle.com.au</a> <br />
<a href="http://blog.tasteourlifestyle.com.au/" target="_blank">blog.tasteourlifestyle.com.au</a> <br />
<br />
<b>Facebook</b> - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/oliveoilsspain" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/oliveoilsspain</a><br />
<b>Twitter</b> - <a href="https://twitter.com/OliveOils_es_AU" target="_blank">@OliveOils_es_AU</a> <br />
<b>Instagram</b> - <a href="http://www.instagram.com/oliveoilsspain" target="_blank">@oliveoilsspain</a> <br />
<b>Pinterst</b> - <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/oliveoilsspain" target="_blank">www.pinterest.com/oliveoilsspain</a> <br />
<br />
<u><b>Cuttlefish Paella with Squid Ink</b></u><br />
<br />
Serves 6 to 8<br />
Recipe adapted from the Movida book recipe<br />
<br />
125 ml Olive Oil from Spain<br />
500 g calamari, cleaned and cut into 2.5 cm squares<br />
12 large prawns, peeled and de-veined<br />
1 onion, finely diced<br />
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br />
1 heaped tablespoon squid ink<br />
5 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced<br />
200 ml dry white wine<br />
400 g bomba rice<br />
1.2 litres hot fish stock<br />
<br />
1. Blanch the tomatoes in a saucepan of boiling water until the skin starts to blister, around 30 seconds, then place in a bowl of iced water to refresh. Peel and dice the tomatoes, then set aside.<br />
2. Heat 60 ml of the Olive Oil in a 30-34 cm paella or wide pan over high heat. Add the calamari and the prawns and cook for about a minute on each side, making sure to season. Remove and set aside, covering with foil.<br />
3. Add the rest of the Olive Oil along with the onion and the garlic. Cook over low heat until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add the squid ink and mix well.<br />
4. Add the tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes over low heat to soften lightly. Then add the white wine and continue to cook for another 15 minutes until the mixture thickens to a paste.<br />
5. Increase the heat to medium and add the rice. Cook the rice for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously until the rice starts to become translucent. <br />
6. Pour in the hot stock and mix well. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium immediately and add the calamari on top of the rice. <br />
7. Cook the rice for 10 minutes. The rice should have now expanded a little so reduce the heat back to low if the flame doesn’t cover the base of the pan. Move the pan around during cooking to allow the paella to cook evenly for 10 minutes.<br />
8. Before removing from the stove, add the prawns and cook on high for about 1 minute to help form a crust on the bottom of the pan. <br />
9. Remove from the heat and cover with foil for 10 minutes. Serve warm.<br />
thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-66350267868398318432014-08-10T21:46:00.000+10:002016-05-26T18:14:27.067+10:00Wangaratta - Super Awesome Packing Prosecco Event and Lots of Good Food<i>Disclaimer: I went on this trip courtesy of the <a href="http://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank">Rural City of Wangaratta</a>.</i><br />
<br />
I used to work with a really happy guy, who came from Wangaratta. How did I know he was from Wangaratta? Well he would say so at every opportunity. He was really proud of his town and how he used to live there. I always told him I would visit Wangaratta one day. Unfortunately he has since left the company, but I did get a chance to visit Wangaratta courtesy of the wonderful Emma from the Wangaratta council. I was invited to join a trip to see the town and area. I had the best time on the trip and highly recommend you visit yourself.<br />
<br />
You can learn more about Wangaratta and all the attractions and food via<br />
<a href="http://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank">City of Wangaratta website</a><br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/VisitWangaratta" target="_blank">Wangaratta Twitter Account</a><br />
<a href="https://instagram.com/VisitWangaratta" target="_blank">Wangaratta Instagram Account</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/seehighcountry" target="_blank">See High Country Facebook Account</a><br />
<br />
If you're in the area, you must also visit the King Valley for some more great things to do. You can read my previous posts below.<br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2014/03/king-valley-have-awesome-time-cow.html" target="_blank">Cow Mustering, Fly Fishing</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-1-brown-brothers.html" target="_blank">Brown Brothers Winery</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-2-pizzini-wines.html" target="_blank">Pizzini Winery</a> <br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-3-politini-wines.html" target="_blank">Politini Winery</a><br />
<a href="http://ieatthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2013/11/king-valley-love-part-4-lindenwarrah.html" target="_blank">Lindenwarrah Hotel</a><br />
<br />
Now onto this Packing Prosecco trip. I "drove" to Wangaratta with <a href="http://ironchefshellie.com/" target="_blank">Michele</a> (who actually did the driving) and <a href="http://www.thehospitalitywidow.com/" target="_blank">Veda</a>. <a href="http://msihua.com/" target="_blank">I-Hua and Aaron</a> and <a href="http://www.offthespork.com/" target="_blank">Agnes and Alastair</a> went in the other car. It's about a 3.5 hour drive from Melbourne to Wangaratta depending on how many pit stops you need to make. The other car made no stops, but Veda and I have bladders appropriately sized for mice and had to make two stops along the way. My weak bladder is my Achilles heel.<br />
<br />
When we did finally arrive in Wangaratta, the sun greeted us as we entered <b><a href="http://www.cafederailleur.com.au/" target="_blank">Cafe Derailleur</a></b>. It's a beautiful little cafe just on the outskirts of Wangaratta. I found out that Derailleur is the gears on a bike, hence all the bike decorations. We could already hear the others in the courtyard laughing loudly. Once seated, I got a refreshing freshly squeezed juice and we ordered lunch. I got the roast pork sandwich but immediately got food envy (which doesn't happen as I'm usually very happy with my order) when I saw Michele's French Toast and Emma's Bagel with Jam and BACON. All the meals were good and I sampled the gnocchi and big breakfast too.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14618583042/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2907/14618583042_f9c67890e5_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432503568/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3908/14432503568_811f7d9c73_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14619112975/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3849/14619112975_d8110076e0_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14619111795/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2895/14619111795_1b557c4f76_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
After lunch in which we all rolled out of the cafe, it was onto the <b><a href="http://www.forgesfarm.com/" target="_blank">Forges Farm</a></b> for our <a href="http://www.forgesfarm.com/calendar.html" target="_blank">Packing Prosecco</a> event. The farm is so beautiful, as are the the horses. The wonderful Forge family of Graham, Anne-Marie, Ellen and Tuppy help us set up our horses and do practise rides in the holding area. As I'm an expert, having amassed so much experience in my four previous horse rides, I showed everyone else the way to not fall off, hold on tightly. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432525749/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3859/14432525749_c54d5eaa18_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14617026984/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5153/14617026984_ccac209892_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Here I am whispering sweet words to my horse to not throw me off and that we can both drink Prosecco afterwards. It worked as I stayed on the horse.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ironchefshellie/14274749414/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5575/14274749414_ae958f01a2_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><i>Photo courtesy of Michele</i><br />
<br />
Once we were all saddled up, off we rode into the beautiful farm land. The ride was super peaceful (externally and inside my mind) and I was loving it. I can see why people love to ride horses. You can feel their moods translate through their body into yours as you're riding. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ironchefshellie/14274344882/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5492/14274344882_0d11bfa79c_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><i>Photo courtesy of Michele</i><br />
<br />
Once we reached our final destination, I thought I had stepped into a movie set. It was so beautifully decorated by Tuppy and was so welcoming. The Prosecco flowed freely as Graham kept topping up our glasses and we got to snack on awesome cheese and bread while enjoying the surroundings and having some great chats. The girls were super loud and I'm sure the people in central Wangaratta could hear them haha. I learned from Ellen how hard working on the land can be, but also the great enjoyment you can get from it. After eating more cheese than anyone should in one day, it was back on our horses to ride back to the farm. Overall the whole event went for about 3 hours and it one of the most fun things I've done in the last few years. I highly highly highly recommend you do this if you're anywhere in the area. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432717427/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3911/14432717427_0a9fa1f2bb_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432526309/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3846/14432526309_4fcfd873c2_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
We then went on to check into our accommodation. I was staying at <b><a href="http://www.stayz.com.au/accommodation/vic/wine-high-country/wangaratta/152635" target="_blank">Rees & Rees Accommodation</a></b>. I got the back unit all to myself. It felt like a super luxurious designer home. Once we found out that the owner Dean also owned the town's luxury merchant shop that sold house fittings and items, it all made sense. I took a long, warm bath (I've provided feedback that the bath plug should be changed to one WITHOUT a nob) and put on my vanilla jasmine body cream. Hey, if it's there, you must try it right. I did smell wonderful and was so refreshed.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432449550/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3901/14432449550_4510a18e92_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14596099316/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/14596099316_38bc2ee30c_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Dinner was a two part affair, starting at <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/precinctbarrestaurant" target="_blank">Precinct Bar & Restaurant</a></b> for some pre-dinner drinks and pizzas. The pizzas here were so good. We all tried to restrain ourselves as we knew we still had dinner to come but probably all ate a slice or two too many.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432518109/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5536/14432518109_9b6feb2793_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
For dinner itself, we walked to the next door restaurant in <b><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/346/1622034/restaurant/Victoria/Watermarc-Wangaratta" target="_blank">Watermarc</a></b>. The food served at Watermarc was what I would describe as gastropub food. It was on the whole good food, with some dishes maybe a bit too busy. I preferred the simpler dishes such as the pasta and braised meats. The desserts were a highlight and worthy of any good restaurants. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14617024614/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5510/14617024614_19b7fe5eb7_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14617023924/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5567/14617023924_11aac0fc1e_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432716467/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3879/14432716467_312c5b75c6_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Dinner concluded a most wonderful day in Wangaratta where we ate far too much food but also had so much fun. The sunset on the ride to dinner was pretty magical too.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14617021744/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3884/14617021744_20847d816f_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
On day 2, we started the day at <b><a href="http://www.cafetheprevue.com.au/" target="_blank">Cafe the PreVue</a></b> for some breakfast. The cafe is one of many new restaurants set along the Ovens river, which is being developed as the next go-to spot in Wangaratta. I can see why. It's so beautiful along the river and makes for a great walk and place to relax. We all ordered various breakfasts and coffees. I decided to go for croissants, with BACON haha. The croissants were beautiful, and the bacon added to the goodness. I-Hua also shared some her big breakfast with me, which was also really good.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432501368/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3838/14432501368_4e483d6ea6_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432528199/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3880/14432528199_3883ecb99f_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432721567/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/14432721567_1f3ddc6681_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
After breakfast, we explored the town (while singing Disney tunes) and went into some nice shops, including Rees & Rees which had so many beautiful things that I couldn't afford. Then as we sang our final Disney tune, it was back into the car and time to say goodbye to Wangaratta. <br />
<br />
We made our way to <b><a href="http://www.baileysofglenrowan.com.au/index.cfm?method=homepage.showpage" target="_blank">Baileys of Glenrowan</a></b> for lunch. The beautiful winery makes some of the regions best fortified wines. The winery serves pizzas for lunch so we sampled some. The pizzas were all good, with nice crisp bases.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14432505348/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3893/14432505348_483e7d1054_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14619114805/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/14619114805_119590662f_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Lastly, the final stop on this super fun trip was <b><a href="http://blackdogbrewery.com.au/" target="_blank">Black Dog Brewery</a></b>. The picturesque vineyard made wines, but also beers. The eponymous black dog greeted us and followed us around. He was super cute and so playful. We sampled a selection of beers and they were all really good. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14615906351/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/14615906351_e34cfc1449_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
That ended a really fun weekend to Wangaratta. I can now tell my ex-work mate that I've been there and gone to some of the places he talked about. Like most regional towns, it has such a relaxing feel. There's lots to see and do there. The food was also good and the people very friendly. I can't recommend the Packing Prosecco event enough. It was so much fun and I look forward to going back and doing that again. Super huge thanks to Emma for inviting me and to Michele for driving. <br />
thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-73862264894346123322014-07-08T11:57:00.000+10:002014-07-08T11:57:43.418+10:00I Eat Blog Magazine MonthlyAll my dear readers, I'm so excited to announce the launch of my new magazine, I Eat Blog Monthly. For only a low price of $6.50 an issue, you can learn so many things about food. In this month's issue, we have all the secrets to tasty chocolate salty balls. Once you try them, you'll never want any other balls. We also interview celebrity singer Britney Spears, and find out why she's such a tart...fan. She tells us when she first started being a tart...fan and gives the secrets on an easy tart. Which leads us to this month's reader competition, to find Australia's easiest tart. The winner will get to tour Australia for free and help spread the tart message. Lastly, as strawberries are in season, we find 57 ways to tart up your life with them. In some of the ways, you even get to cook them into a dessert. <br />
<br />
So subscribe today and receive a year's subscription of I Eat Blog Monthly (11 copies per year as I'm on holidays during Christmas) for only $78. That's a special price for my wonderful readers today. You can pay all at once or in two easy installments of $40. You can pay with bank transfer, Paypal or credit card. Note that there is a fee on all payment options of 5%. <br />
<br />
So without further ado, here is the cover of this month's I Eat Blog magazine. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/14600452702/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2915/14600452702_890d31f527_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center>My chief designer <a href="http://ironchefshellie.com/" target="_blank">Iron Chef Shellie</a> designed this cover with a photo that was taken by yours truly, editor, photographer, writer and stylist, Thanh Do.<br />
<br />
I hope you will enjoy the magazine.<br />
<br />
Sincerely, <br />
Thanh Do - Editorthanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31835761.post-37223907037059769582014-07-08T09:15:00.000+10:002014-07-08T09:15:09.836+10:00Mamasita - You Already Know It's GoodI think I'm definitely the last person in Melbourne to visit <a href="http://www.mamasita.com.au/" target="_blank">Mamasita</a>. At first it was the queues that put me off going. A few other times I had to cancel and you know how the usual stories go, there's some place new and shiny to visit. However, a chance event near the restaurant meant I could drop in without queuing and try the food. I had sampled a number of the Mamasita dishes at various food festivals before so I already knew it would be good. The meal was just to try a few more items. <br />
<br />
The famous Mamasita corn is indeed very good. Yes it's only corn, yes it's expensive for corn, but if that's how you feel, make it yourself and don't order it. I'm happy to order this dish again as I'll eat good food any day. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/13558222093/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2835/13558222093_d9878e7f71_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Other items that were pretty good but not amazing were the ceviche and the quesadillas. They were the two weaker dishes of an otherwise excellent meal. <br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/13558226073/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7419/13558226073_b0332f37e3_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/13558204703/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7409/13558204703_2a13954076_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Another item Mamasita is famous for is their tacos. And they did live up to expectations and were great. The tostaditas and potatoes were also really good. The pancita de cerdo recommended by the waiter was excellent.<br />
<center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/13558492424/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7066/13558492424_89daacef78_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/13558145905/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3704/13558145905_904bc059b5_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/13558502334/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/13558502334_aa31345fb1_b.jpg" width="242" border="0" /></a> </center><center><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/thanh7580/13558509574/" target="_blank"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/13558509574_51e48cc363_b.jpg" width="500" border="0" /></a> </center><br />
Overall, the food was really good and I would go back. The service was both good and not so good. The staff were friendly enough but it was so hard to get their attention when we wanted to order, to ask for water or even to pay the bill. <br />
<br />
The atmosphere in the restaurant is good but I actually don't really like the layout of the restaurant. Obviously space is at a premium in the city so seating is close, which I don't mind. We were at a high table and like many places, I hated the bar stool type chairs as you can't lean back and after a 2 hour meal it gets quite uncomfortable. Overall a very good meal and I would definitely recommend it if you're the only other person in Melbourne who hasn't gone yet. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1507775/restaurant/CBD/Mamasita-Melbourne"><img alt="Mamasita on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1507775/biglink.gif" style="border:none;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>thanh7580http://www.blogger.com/profile/12101572834580539226noreply@blogger.com4