So Masterchef has finally started and of course I'm watching. I love food, hence this blog, and I love reality TV (trust me on this, I'll prove it later in the post). So when the two are combined, I'm salivating with my texting fingers poised at my mobile ready to vote.
So far, I have to say that I'm actually quite bored. My opinions are similar to that of Matt from Abstract Gourmet, who went and auditioned even. Here is what I think is wrong with the show so far
1) Like Matt, I found the sob stories all a bit too much. "Oh my mum had cancer and I cooked for her so that's why I like to cook." Somehow, these sob stories seem to be the norm in audition style reality shows now. Look at Australian Idol and So You Think You Can Dance. There were more tears in those shows than at Princess Diana's funeral. While watching Masterchef, I kept yelling (trust me, I really was yelling out loud) at the TV and saying, "what's up with all the sob stories". It was infuriating. Why can't they just show passionate people who like cooking but don't have some dramatic story. I guess that doesn't make good TV. I understand that the show needs some characters, but this was too much.
2) I haven't warmed to the host or the judges. I find Sarah Wilson's deliver to be so laboured. Couldn't they have found someone with a more natural prescence. I don't particularly hate the judges, nor do I like them. I loved George Calombaris when he was on Ready Steady Cook, where he was allowed to be himself and let his personality shine through. Here, he seems to be inhibited. Gary Mehigan, I don't really like or hate, and that's never a good thing in reality TV. It's better to be hated by viewers than have viewers not care. Matt Preston is again not mean, but I find him annoying.
3) Unlike Idol or Dance, we, the viewer can form our own opinions about whether they're good or not. With food, I just have to trust the judges. A dish may look great, but taste awful, how can I tell. I don't have smell-o-vision. Therefore, how do I know if the judges are being harsh or fair.
4) The editing and pace for these early audition rounds is really slow compared to other reality TV shows. For example, why do we need to waste time seeing the judges walk up to the plate, sample some, then walk back. Just edit out the walking and show then there already tasting it. Do we need to see every contestant wheel their trolley from the outside kitchen to the judging room, can't we just cut to them already in the room.
I'm going to keep watching and hope it gets better. I really hope they focus more on the food in coming episodes and the personalities of the people should naturally shine through if they are truly passionate about food and cooking.
To finish with some interesting info. I caught quite a few glimpses of Jackie from Eating With Jack, who I have met a few times. Jackie's accounts of the week up in Sydney are a definite must read. It paints a picture very different to that portrayed on the show. Joel from Global Gobbler was also on the show, and I met him once at the Melbourne Bloggers Meet Up recently.
And finally, to prove what a hardcore reality TV junkie I am. During episode two, with the auditions in Perth, there was an 18 year old guy called Robert who cut his fingers chopping herbs. George then helped him cut it. Robert made the cut (pardon the pun) and when he went outside, two girls hugged him. The girl on the left with brown hair was no other than Courtney from Make Me a Supermodel. See how obscure that show was and I still recognised her from the three short shots they showed of her. I told you I like reality TV. :-)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Trunk - Bar Menu
275 Exhibition Street
Melbourne 3000 Vic
Ph: 9663 7994
Thanh: Where should we go eat?
Dennis: I don't know, you choose.
Thanh: I don't know either, what cuisine do you feel like.
Dennis: Italian.
Thanh: Hmmm, where is a good Italian restaurant?
Dennis: Let's use Urbanspoon and let it decide.
So that's what we did. We shook the Urbanspoon app on my iPhone and let it pick out an Italian restaurant for us. We said that whatever came up first, we would go. So when Trunk came up, we decided to go there. We weren't really going in too blindly as I remember reading Agnes review of Trunk.
But anyway, neither of us had tried it and didn't even know where it was. So following the Urbanspoon links, we found out where it was and off we went.
We were greeted by this garden front restaurant/bar hidden away between office buildings. It was ultra ultra dark inside both the bar and restaurant. I really really dislike ultra dark restaurants. I could understand a bar being dark, but hate it for a restaurant. The Trunk space is rather strangely divided and it didn't feel like a bar or a restaurant. A request for a table came back negative but we were happy to eat from the bar menu.
So we got ourselves drinks and ordered Antipasto, Pizza and Chips to share. The Antipasto was very nice, with a mixture of pickled vegetables, fresh tomatoes with cheese, cured meats and bread. The chips were quite good, but tasted great with the garlic aioli.
The pizza was very good, a crispy based thin pizza with thin strips of prosciutto, cheese and basil. A very well executed pizza.
The meal was very nice and I would definitely go back to eat at the bar. I'd like to try the restaurant part as well next time. I might bring my own flashlight.
Melbourne 3000 Vic
Ph: 9663 7994
Thanh: Where should we go eat?
Dennis: I don't know, you choose.
Thanh: I don't know either, what cuisine do you feel like.
Dennis: Italian.
Thanh: Hmmm, where is a good Italian restaurant?
Dennis: Let's use Urbanspoon and let it decide.
So that's what we did. We shook the Urbanspoon app on my iPhone and let it pick out an Italian restaurant for us. We said that whatever came up first, we would go. So when Trunk came up, we decided to go there. We weren't really going in too blindly as I remember reading Agnes review of Trunk.
But anyway, neither of us had tried it and didn't even know where it was. So following the Urbanspoon links, we found out where it was and off we went.
We were greeted by this garden front restaurant/bar hidden away between office buildings. It was ultra ultra dark inside both the bar and restaurant. I really really dislike ultra dark restaurants. I could understand a bar being dark, but hate it for a restaurant. The Trunk space is rather strangely divided and it didn't feel like a bar or a restaurant. A request for a table came back negative but we were happy to eat from the bar menu.
So we got ourselves drinks and ordered Antipasto, Pizza and Chips to share. The Antipasto was very nice, with a mixture of pickled vegetables, fresh tomatoes with cheese, cured meats and bread. The chips were quite good, but tasted great with the garlic aioli.
The pizza was very good, a crispy based thin pizza with thin strips of prosciutto, cheese and basil. A very well executed pizza.
The meal was very nice and I would definitely go back to eat at the bar. I'd like to try the restaurant part as well next time. I might bring my own flashlight.
Thai Taste
92-94 Johnston Street
Collingwood 3066 Vic
Ph: 9495 6694
Previously, if I wanted great cheap Thai food, the first thought turned to Ying Thai on Victoria Street. However, now there is a serious challenger, Thai Taste on Johnston Street.
Kin recommended Thai Taste as he had been there previously. He kept raving about the pork hock. I was thinking it didn't sound very traditionally Thai and that the food probably won't be so good. How wrong I was to be.
Thai Taste is a rather non-descript restaurant hiding away on the Collingwood end of Johnston Street. It was actually rather hard to find it as they did themselves no favour by having the wrong restaurant name displayed on upper most street signage. Once we did find it, we were greeted by a rather dark and dungy rectangular space separated by a wall into two areas. We saw everyone had a pitcher of Thai milk tea on their table so we got that too while deciding on our orders.
The menu, a tacky (physically and metaphorically) plastic double side lamented sheet provided a wealth of choice, some items displayed with photos. We actually decided to go with a lot of the house specials that had rather enticing photos that made our mouths water. It's strange that only cheaper Asian restaurants tend to have photos of the food. I wonder why it's not done in fine dining establishments for some items. It would help to ease the disappointment that sometimes comes with just reading a description. Anyway, I digress.
So we started with an amazingly fiery and tangy Green Papaya Salad. Thai food is so great with their salads. A combination of crunchy vegetables melded with even crunchier condiments like peanut and dried shrimp, lavished in the most addictively acidic spicy sauce you can imagine. This had us all gasping and grasping for more water, and then more salad. Thoroughly addictive and enjoyable.
The Soft Shell Crab in Sour Soup was also a house special and seen on almost every table. Beautiful golden pieces of battered soft shell crab was served in a metal pot bubbling over a flame. The sour soup housed an assortment of vegetables such as kang kung, carrots and onion. This dish worked very well with the contrasting flavours and really helped to whet the appetite.
The Fried Barramundi with Apple was again a great display of combining sweet, salty and spicy. The crisp barra skin housed the juicy soft flesh of the fish. The tart green apple combined with the salty spicy sauce to draw out so much flavour from the fish.
Finally, the masterpiece we had been hanging out for. The Fried Pork Hock was a heart attack waiting to happen but boy was it good. The extremely crispy skin was not hard to the point you couldn't chew it, and the gloriously gelatinous and unctuos fat inside the hock was insanely good. There was large amounts of fat with some meat. There was a dipping sauce but it tasted better just as is. Definitely a dish to share and not consume by yourself.
The only dish that wasn't a spectacular highlight like all the others was the Red Curry Chicken. We had wanted the red curry duck but there was no duck left. So instead, we settled on the chicken. It was clear this was the least favourable dish as it was too sweet in flavour and left till last by everyone.
Dessert was just simply durian served with stick rice, a perfect way to end a great meal.
Service, was typical of many cheaper Asian restaurants, serviceable without being good. The waitresses fulfilled our requests and were friendly enough but many things should have been done without asking.
The ambience was a buzz all night. The full restaurant had patrons happily chatting away. I really wished they would turn the lights brighter, but that's my personal pet peeve. There was some live music right at the end of the night playing in the background. The singer was doing very original covers of Western Pop music and was so good we thought it was a cd.
Overall, a fantastic restaurant serving delicious Thai food at a great price.
Overall Rating: 15/20, Food is excellent and great value for money.
Scores: 1-9: Unacceptable, don't bother. 10-11: Just OK,some shortcomings. 12: Fair. 13: Getting there. 14: Recommended. 15: Good. 16: Really good. 17: Truly excellent. 18: An outstanding experience. 19-20:Approaching perfection, Victoria's best.
Collingwood 3066 Vic
Ph: 9495 6694
Previously, if I wanted great cheap Thai food, the first thought turned to Ying Thai on Victoria Street. However, now there is a serious challenger, Thai Taste on Johnston Street.
Kin recommended Thai Taste as he had been there previously. He kept raving about the pork hock. I was thinking it didn't sound very traditionally Thai and that the food probably won't be so good. How wrong I was to be.
Thai Taste is a rather non-descript restaurant hiding away on the Collingwood end of Johnston Street. It was actually rather hard to find it as they did themselves no favour by having the wrong restaurant name displayed on upper most street signage. Once we did find it, we were greeted by a rather dark and dungy rectangular space separated by a wall into two areas. We saw everyone had a pitcher of Thai milk tea on their table so we got that too while deciding on our orders.
The menu, a tacky (physically and metaphorically) plastic double side lamented sheet provided a wealth of choice, some items displayed with photos. We actually decided to go with a lot of the house specials that had rather enticing photos that made our mouths water. It's strange that only cheaper Asian restaurants tend to have photos of the food. I wonder why it's not done in fine dining establishments for some items. It would help to ease the disappointment that sometimes comes with just reading a description. Anyway, I digress.
So we started with an amazingly fiery and tangy Green Papaya Salad. Thai food is so great with their salads. A combination of crunchy vegetables melded with even crunchier condiments like peanut and dried shrimp, lavished in the most addictively acidic spicy sauce you can imagine. This had us all gasping and grasping for more water, and then more salad. Thoroughly addictive and enjoyable.
The Soft Shell Crab in Sour Soup was also a house special and seen on almost every table. Beautiful golden pieces of battered soft shell crab was served in a metal pot bubbling over a flame. The sour soup housed an assortment of vegetables such as kang kung, carrots and onion. This dish worked very well with the contrasting flavours and really helped to whet the appetite.
The Fried Barramundi with Apple was again a great display of combining sweet, salty and spicy. The crisp barra skin housed the juicy soft flesh of the fish. The tart green apple combined with the salty spicy sauce to draw out so much flavour from the fish.
Finally, the masterpiece we had been hanging out for. The Fried Pork Hock was a heart attack waiting to happen but boy was it good. The extremely crispy skin was not hard to the point you couldn't chew it, and the gloriously gelatinous and unctuos fat inside the hock was insanely good. There was large amounts of fat with some meat. There was a dipping sauce but it tasted better just as is. Definitely a dish to share and not consume by yourself.
The only dish that wasn't a spectacular highlight like all the others was the Red Curry Chicken. We had wanted the red curry duck but there was no duck left. So instead, we settled on the chicken. It was clear this was the least favourable dish as it was too sweet in flavour and left till last by everyone.
Dessert was just simply durian served with stick rice, a perfect way to end a great meal.
Service, was typical of many cheaper Asian restaurants, serviceable without being good. The waitresses fulfilled our requests and were friendly enough but many things should have been done without asking.
The ambience was a buzz all night. The full restaurant had patrons happily chatting away. I really wished they would turn the lights brighter, but that's my personal pet peeve. There was some live music right at the end of the night playing in the background. The singer was doing very original covers of Western Pop music and was so good we thought it was a cd.
Overall, a fantastic restaurant serving delicious Thai food at a great price.
Overall Rating: 15/20, Food is excellent and great value for money.
Scores: 1-9: Unacceptable, don't bother. 10-11: Just OK,some shortcomings. 12: Fair. 13: Getting there. 14: Recommended. 15: Good. 16: Really good. 17: Truly excellent. 18: An outstanding experience. 19-20:Approaching perfection, Victoria's best.
Brisbane Trip '09
I got the opportunity to go to Brisbane for 10 days for a business trip. I was working at Queensland University of Technology on particle testing. Whilst I was up there working, I did manage to squeeze in some sight seeing and eating of course.
First for some sights.
Views of Brisbane River.
Botanical gardens adjoing QUT and Queen Street Mall, the main shopping strip in Brisbane.
Chinatown and The Treasury Casino.
A wharf in South Brisbane looking back at the city and Southbank adjoining the city.
A "fierce" croc at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. If they poked and prodded that croc anymore, it would have been tender enough to throw on the BBQ.
Now to the food. I ate a lot of food during my stay there. Hey, work was paying. Most of it was surprisingly good. Brisbane actually has a great food culture there, nothing at all like the Gold Coast where I struggled to find a good pasta.
First off though, there was some food that was so bad that I just have to post about them.
Worst Three Thing I Ate In Brisbane
* Number 3 Worse Food - Chicken and Pesto Pasta from University Food Hall.
This was your average pasta, not good but still edible. Only a few hours later when I started to have stomach pains and threw up a few times did I regret buying any food from a university food hall. What was I thinking? All my years of training at uni should have taught me that no good ever comes from the university run food hall. When I asked the university staff I was working with, they said none of them ever ate from the food hall. Hahaha, if only I knew earlier. Instead they pointed me to the two university cafes, which did indeed produce very good food and smoothies.
* Number 2 Worse Food - Pizza from local pizza restaurant.
So even though the pasta from number 3 made me throw up, I still thought this pizza was worse. That's saying a lot. This pizza sounded so good on paper, proscuitto, goat's cheese and salami. How could you go wrong with those ingredients? How, just how. I'm still asking that. But the pizza had so much meat piled onto it that it was hard to cut through. The base was soggier than a wet Melbourne day. The salami was completely off and smelling it made me want to vomit. The cheese was more rubbery than chewing gum. And the proscuitto was so salty. Needless to say, I didn't eat any. I couldn't even send it back because it was a delivery from the local "gourmet" pizza shop and the driver had left.
* Number 1 Worse Food - Croc Attack Burger at Australia Zoo.
This burger was wrong on so many counts. The description sounded so good. A hand made pattie grilled, served with egg, bacon, beetroot, salad and chips. Hand made pattie my arse. The pattie was this congealed mess such that you couldn't actually see the meat fibres. The pattie was colder than Tilda Swinton's face. The egg was rubbery. I never knew that was possible. Again, cold egg with black marks all underneath it. And the bacon, not even cooked. The bun was extremely sweet. And the salad, who puts julienned carrots and shredded cheese with huge chunks of lettuce into a burger? And all of it was served with a side of alfafa sprouts and a wedge of orange. A complete WTF burger, it's more messed up than Tara Reid's surgically enhanced breasts. It was at moments like that where I wished there was a McDonalds around as their burgers are ten times better than that monstrosity which was the Australia Zoo burger. Shame on them.
Best Five Things I Had In Brisbane
Ok, after the tragedy of the worse foods, there was indeed so many good food. There were great food at the pubs, uni cafe, local restaurants and fine dining establishments. Here were some standouts.
* Number 5 Best Food - Snails from Belgian Beer Cafe
It's not often that you get to eat snails so when I see it, I order it. These snails were beautifully cooked in a classic garlic butter sauce. A great entree to whet the appetite for the next dish.
* Number 4 Best Food - Oysters from Sono
I'm a sucker for oysters and these beauties were perfection. They were freshly shucked and so full of flavour. Served with a light citrus soy sauce which was thoroughly intoxicating, I had this dish many times during the trip.
* Number 3 Best Food - Chips from Brett's Wharf
The humble chip, who knew it could taste so nice. I actually forgot to take a photo of it, as I was too busy eating it. The steak and lobster I had was amazing, but the chips were the standout of that restaurant. These fat hand cut chips fried and sprinkled with sea salt and served with a garlic aioli. It was so amazingly good as my friend said. He said he went there just to eat the chips sometimes, I would join him.
* Number 2 Best Food - Seared Kingfish Belly Sushi from Sono
I didn't think Sushi could get better than the seared salmon sushi at Shira Nui. I was to be proven wrong. I tried the seared salmon sushi at Sono, it was good but not as good as Shira Nui. But then, the seared kingfish belly sushi, oh my goodness, it was sushi heaven. It was just something intangible where the combination of the seared flavour with the fatty belly, the wasabi, the soy sauce and the vinegared rice that was pure bliss. I thought it might have been an aberration the first time I ate it so ate it three more times, each time equally good.
* Number 1 Best Food - Cherry Blossom Cake with Cherry Mousse and Jelly Served with Liquored Cherries and Cream from Sono
You might start to notice a pattern here, there was a lot of damn fine food at Sono. Despite the Seared Kingfish Belly Sushi being an amazing dish, I can't go past desserts. This cocotion was the special for March and I just happened to be able to sample it on my last day in Brisbane. It was cherry blossom flowers cooked in a sponge cake, with a cherry blossom mousse and a layer of cherry jelly on top. It was served with an assortment of flowers. A side dish of liquored cherries and cream was given. All the flavours just combined so amazingly well. The flavours of the cherry blossoms and flowers kept coming through, mixed with the contrasting textures, it was a party in your mouth. When eaten together with the cherries and cream, it gave another altogether fantastic burst of different flavours. A clear winner for me.
So that was my trip. I completed all my work, and in fact did more than required, while also enjoy some great culinary experiences. I would definitely go back to Brisbane again.
First for some sights.
Views of Brisbane River.
Botanical gardens adjoing QUT and Queen Street Mall, the main shopping strip in Brisbane.
Chinatown and The Treasury Casino.
A wharf in South Brisbane looking back at the city and Southbank adjoining the city.
A "fierce" croc at Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. If they poked and prodded that croc anymore, it would have been tender enough to throw on the BBQ.
Now to the food. I ate a lot of food during my stay there. Hey, work was paying. Most of it was surprisingly good. Brisbane actually has a great food culture there, nothing at all like the Gold Coast where I struggled to find a good pasta.
First off though, there was some food that was so bad that I just have to post about them.
Worst Three Thing I Ate In Brisbane
* Number 3 Worse Food - Chicken and Pesto Pasta from University Food Hall.
This was your average pasta, not good but still edible. Only a few hours later when I started to have stomach pains and threw up a few times did I regret buying any food from a university food hall. What was I thinking? All my years of training at uni should have taught me that no good ever comes from the university run food hall. When I asked the university staff I was working with, they said none of them ever ate from the food hall. Hahaha, if only I knew earlier. Instead they pointed me to the two university cafes, which did indeed produce very good food and smoothies.
* Number 2 Worse Food - Pizza from local pizza restaurant.
So even though the pasta from number 3 made me throw up, I still thought this pizza was worse. That's saying a lot. This pizza sounded so good on paper, proscuitto, goat's cheese and salami. How could you go wrong with those ingredients? How, just how. I'm still asking that. But the pizza had so much meat piled onto it that it was hard to cut through. The base was soggier than a wet Melbourne day. The salami was completely off and smelling it made me want to vomit. The cheese was more rubbery than chewing gum. And the proscuitto was so salty. Needless to say, I didn't eat any. I couldn't even send it back because it was a delivery from the local "gourmet" pizza shop and the driver had left.
* Number 1 Worse Food - Croc Attack Burger at Australia Zoo.
This burger was wrong on so many counts. The description sounded so good. A hand made pattie grilled, served with egg, bacon, beetroot, salad and chips. Hand made pattie my arse. The pattie was this congealed mess such that you couldn't actually see the meat fibres. The pattie was colder than Tilda Swinton's face. The egg was rubbery. I never knew that was possible. Again, cold egg with black marks all underneath it. And the bacon, not even cooked. The bun was extremely sweet. And the salad, who puts julienned carrots and shredded cheese with huge chunks of lettuce into a burger? And all of it was served with a side of alfafa sprouts and a wedge of orange. A complete WTF burger, it's more messed up than Tara Reid's surgically enhanced breasts. It was at moments like that where I wished there was a McDonalds around as their burgers are ten times better than that monstrosity which was the Australia Zoo burger. Shame on them.
Best Five Things I Had In Brisbane
Ok, after the tragedy of the worse foods, there was indeed so many good food. There were great food at the pubs, uni cafe, local restaurants and fine dining establishments. Here were some standouts.
* Number 5 Best Food - Snails from Belgian Beer Cafe
It's not often that you get to eat snails so when I see it, I order it. These snails were beautifully cooked in a classic garlic butter sauce. A great entree to whet the appetite for the next dish.
* Number 4 Best Food - Oysters from Sono
I'm a sucker for oysters and these beauties were perfection. They were freshly shucked and so full of flavour. Served with a light citrus soy sauce which was thoroughly intoxicating, I had this dish many times during the trip.
* Number 3 Best Food - Chips from Brett's Wharf
The humble chip, who knew it could taste so nice. I actually forgot to take a photo of it, as I was too busy eating it. The steak and lobster I had was amazing, but the chips were the standout of that restaurant. These fat hand cut chips fried and sprinkled with sea salt and served with a garlic aioli. It was so amazingly good as my friend said. He said he went there just to eat the chips sometimes, I would join him.
* Number 2 Best Food - Seared Kingfish Belly Sushi from Sono
I didn't think Sushi could get better than the seared salmon sushi at Shira Nui. I was to be proven wrong. I tried the seared salmon sushi at Sono, it was good but not as good as Shira Nui. But then, the seared kingfish belly sushi, oh my goodness, it was sushi heaven. It was just something intangible where the combination of the seared flavour with the fatty belly, the wasabi, the soy sauce and the vinegared rice that was pure bliss. I thought it might have been an aberration the first time I ate it so ate it three more times, each time equally good.
* Number 1 Best Food - Cherry Blossom Cake with Cherry Mousse and Jelly Served with Liquored Cherries and Cream from Sono
You might start to notice a pattern here, there was a lot of damn fine food at Sono. Despite the Seared Kingfish Belly Sushi being an amazing dish, I can't go past desserts. This cocotion was the special for March and I just happened to be able to sample it on my last day in Brisbane. It was cherry blossom flowers cooked in a sponge cake, with a cherry blossom mousse and a layer of cherry jelly on top. It was served with an assortment of flowers. A side dish of liquored cherries and cream was given. All the flavours just combined so amazingly well. The flavours of the cherry blossoms and flowers kept coming through, mixed with the contrasting textures, it was a party in your mouth. When eaten together with the cherries and cream, it gave another altogether fantastic burst of different flavours. A clear winner for me.
So that was my trip. I completed all my work, and in fact did more than required, while also enjoy some great culinary experiences. I would definitely go back to Brisbane again.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Bookings Or No Bookings, That Is The Question
The debate over whether a restaurant takes bookings or not has again resurfaced due to a torrent of new hip restaurants that don't take bookings but yet still managed to creat a lot of buzz amongst diners. I have waxed lyricals previously about restaurant bookings and their pros and cons.
My final verdict at the time was
So after weighing it all up, what's my final verdict. As much as I complain about it, I still want to be able to book at a restaurant. If I want to eat somewhere that night, I want to be guaranteed that I will eat there, unless there is some major disaster. I don't want to turn up and end up being disappointed, especially if it was a special occasion. No reservation restaurants have their place. They work well in crowded areas with lots of other restaurants I think. I wouldn't mind waiting for a particular restaurant with no booking, but if it took too long, I could just go to another restaurant close by that was available.
I still believe what I have written previously, and the latest article in The Age about no reservation restaurants back up what I thought, that no reservations work well for casual dining where there are a cluster of choices.
Some may see these no-reservations restaurants with their mostly youthful crowds as yet another sign of generation Y's inability to commit to anything, not even a restaurant. Yet it does seem that Melbourne's ever-widening embrace of more casual dining - and the fact inner-city restaurants and bars tend to gather in entertainment clusters - lends itself to a less structured night out.
Others have also blogged about the exact same issue, as all diners are faced with the decision of whether to wait for a table at a no reservation restaurant. Jackie wrote a post that linked to another opinion in The Sydney Morning Herald where Jordan Baker basically said that restaurants didn't take reservations because they can. The reply from Neil Perry to Baker's article shed some insight into how a restauranteur feels about the situation and gives another point of view.
It is all very interesting reading and I think at the end of the day, people's wallets speak the loudest. If by not taking reservations, a restaurants business decreases dramatically, I think they will change it. But as long as they are still able to attract patrons who are willing to wait, they can continue to not take bookings. I know that at times a no bookings policy works in my advantage and at other times it doesn't. Therefore, there is certainly room for restaurants without bookings in the Melbourne food scene. Now I just wish I could get into Cumulus Inc.
What are your opinions? Any horror no booking stories or positive experiences to share?
My final verdict at the time was
So after weighing it all up, what's my final verdict. As much as I complain about it, I still want to be able to book at a restaurant. If I want to eat somewhere that night, I want to be guaranteed that I will eat there, unless there is some major disaster. I don't want to turn up and end up being disappointed, especially if it was a special occasion. No reservation restaurants have their place. They work well in crowded areas with lots of other restaurants I think. I wouldn't mind waiting for a particular restaurant with no booking, but if it took too long, I could just go to another restaurant close by that was available.
I still believe what I have written previously, and the latest article in The Age about no reservation restaurants back up what I thought, that no reservations work well for casual dining where there are a cluster of choices.
Some may see these no-reservations restaurants with their mostly youthful crowds as yet another sign of generation Y's inability to commit to anything, not even a restaurant. Yet it does seem that Melbourne's ever-widening embrace of more casual dining - and the fact inner-city restaurants and bars tend to gather in entertainment clusters - lends itself to a less structured night out.
Others have also blogged about the exact same issue, as all diners are faced with the decision of whether to wait for a table at a no reservation restaurant. Jackie wrote a post that linked to another opinion in The Sydney Morning Herald where Jordan Baker basically said that restaurants didn't take reservations because they can. The reply from Neil Perry to Baker's article shed some insight into how a restauranteur feels about the situation and gives another point of view.
It is all very interesting reading and I think at the end of the day, people's wallets speak the loudest. If by not taking reservations, a restaurants business decreases dramatically, I think they will change it. But as long as they are still able to attract patrons who are willing to wait, they can continue to not take bookings. I know that at times a no bookings policy works in my advantage and at other times it doesn't. Therefore, there is certainly room for restaurants without bookings in the Melbourne food scene. Now I just wish I could get into Cumulus Inc.
What are your opinions? Any horror no booking stories or positive experiences to share?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Old Kingdom
197 Smith St
Fitzroy 3065 VIC
Phone: (03) 9417 2438
After our last Peking Duck sojourn at Quan Jude, the thirst for more duck was still high. So it was decided to try another Peking Duck house, Old Kingdom.
Old Kingdom is strangely located in Fitzroy. When you walk in, you are greeted by this cramped ridiculously dark room. It's like they have Earth Hour all year round. I really hate dark restaurants. There's a difference between mood lighting and not being able to see. Therefore I never felt truly comfortable all night.
We had ordered 4 whole ducks for the 7 of us. It was just going to be duck, duck and more duck. I had arrived late and by the time I got there, one whole duck had been consumed already. I was worried I wouldn't get my fill of duck, but I need not have worried. By duck three, we were really struggling.
The waiter came and carved each duck at the table. His skills wasn't quite as refined as the waiter at Quan Jude. The Quan Jude waiter wielded this beautiful long knife and cut each piece into a uniform rectangle with a piece of crispy skin on each piece of flesh. This waiter sort of hacked away at the duck and pulled it apart.
The pancakes, which I always thought was just the medium to hold the duck together, I have a new view of. Quan Jude's pancakes were so good and enhanced the whole parcel so much. These pancakes were more your stock standard pancakes, a bit oily and flour-y in flavour.
The Peking Duck was good, but nowhere near that of Quan Jude. The duck was a lot drier and the marinate wasn't as good flavour wise. The accompanying vegetables were cut in crude huge chunks, without the refined julienned slices that is required so that you can add just the right amount to your desire. The hoi sin sauce was stock standard and nowhere near the exquisite complex blend that Quan Jude make themselves.
After we eat the Peking Duck parcels, the rest of the meat is made into two other dishes and a soup. We are completely full by course 1 and obligingly eat a few bites of the other dishes, which are quite good.
I just didn't like the way the restaurant was lit so the ambience was all wrong for me. I just could not relax. The waiter tried his best to make jokes and it did lighten the mood but the fact that I could hardly see my friends across the table meant that it was hard to hold a conversation.
The Peking Duck was still tasty, but only marginally better than what I can do at home. It was very good value as each duck is $55 and the whole meal worked out to $35 for each of us. However, if I want a Peking Duck fix, I would definitely go back to Quan Jude, even if their ducks costs $90. The difference in quality level justifies the price in my mind. Peking Duck is something special and as I've found, over-indulging in it ruins the experience slightly. It's better to have one really good duck that many average ducks.
Overall Rating: 12/20, The Peking Duck is quite nice and good value for money. However, the restaurant ambience is uncomfortable and I would go elsewhere for truly spectacular Peking Duck.
Scores: 1-9: Unacceptable, don't bother. 10-11: Just OK,some shortcomings. 12: Fair. 13: Getting there. 14: Recommended. 15: Good. 16: Really good. 17: Truly excellent. 18: An outstanding experience. 19-20:Approaching perfection, Victoria's best.
Fitzroy 3065 VIC
Phone: (03) 9417 2438
After our last Peking Duck sojourn at Quan Jude, the thirst for more duck was still high. So it was decided to try another Peking Duck house, Old Kingdom.
Old Kingdom is strangely located in Fitzroy. When you walk in, you are greeted by this cramped ridiculously dark room. It's like they have Earth Hour all year round. I really hate dark restaurants. There's a difference between mood lighting and not being able to see. Therefore I never felt truly comfortable all night.
We had ordered 4 whole ducks for the 7 of us. It was just going to be duck, duck and more duck. I had arrived late and by the time I got there, one whole duck had been consumed already. I was worried I wouldn't get my fill of duck, but I need not have worried. By duck three, we were really struggling.
The waiter came and carved each duck at the table. His skills wasn't quite as refined as the waiter at Quan Jude. The Quan Jude waiter wielded this beautiful long knife and cut each piece into a uniform rectangle with a piece of crispy skin on each piece of flesh. This waiter sort of hacked away at the duck and pulled it apart.
The pancakes, which I always thought was just the medium to hold the duck together, I have a new view of. Quan Jude's pancakes were so good and enhanced the whole parcel so much. These pancakes were more your stock standard pancakes, a bit oily and flour-y in flavour.
The Peking Duck was good, but nowhere near that of Quan Jude. The duck was a lot drier and the marinate wasn't as good flavour wise. The accompanying vegetables were cut in crude huge chunks, without the refined julienned slices that is required so that you can add just the right amount to your desire. The hoi sin sauce was stock standard and nowhere near the exquisite complex blend that Quan Jude make themselves.
After we eat the Peking Duck parcels, the rest of the meat is made into two other dishes and a soup. We are completely full by course 1 and obligingly eat a few bites of the other dishes, which are quite good.
I just didn't like the way the restaurant was lit so the ambience was all wrong for me. I just could not relax. The waiter tried his best to make jokes and it did lighten the mood but the fact that I could hardly see my friends across the table meant that it was hard to hold a conversation.
The Peking Duck was still tasty, but only marginally better than what I can do at home. It was very good value as each duck is $55 and the whole meal worked out to $35 for each of us. However, if I want a Peking Duck fix, I would definitely go back to Quan Jude, even if their ducks costs $90. The difference in quality level justifies the price in my mind. Peking Duck is something special and as I've found, over-indulging in it ruins the experience slightly. It's better to have one really good duck that many average ducks.
Overall Rating: 12/20, The Peking Duck is quite nice and good value for money. However, the restaurant ambience is uncomfortable and I would go elsewhere for truly spectacular Peking Duck.
Scores: 1-9: Unacceptable, don't bother. 10-11: Just OK,some shortcomings. 12: Fair. 13: Getting there. 14: Recommended. 15: Good. 16: Really good. 17: Truly excellent. 18: An outstanding experience. 19-20:Approaching perfection, Victoria's best.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Matteo's Express Lunch and Thai Festival
I had organised a lunch at Matteo's to capitalise on the great value offered by the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival express lunches. John, Esther, Ami, Kim Anh, Mai and myself all arrived at Matteo's only 5 minutes late, which wasn't bad. We knew we had to vacate the restaurant at 1pm so everyone made sure they go there on time.
The meal got off to a bit of a shaky start. As I had booked the table, I went up to the maitre d' and had the following conversation with him.
Thanh: Hi, I had a booking for the express lunch for Thanh for 7.
Maitre d': Yes, please come this way.
Thanh: Actually, we only have 6 today so you can move us to a smaller table if you want.
Maitre d': You should have rung to tell us.
Thanh: I'm sorry but I only found out this morning that my friend had food poisoning and couldn't make it.
Maitre d': You still should have rung us, even if it was 5 minutes before the reservation. I could have sat 8 at your table.
Thanh: I'm really sorry, but I only found out this morning and I didn't think it would make a difference if I rang.
Maitre d': We don't want excuses, we just want to know.
Gee, that was a great start. He could have handled it better by just saying in future if someone pulls out, we should let them know even if it's only 5 minutes beforehand. Instead he decided to make us all feel guilty. For the record, the restaurant wasn't even full during the first lunch session so it wouldn't have made any difference in this case.
I'm happy to report that the rest of the lunch went very smoothly after that and the service was very good.
Esther and Kim Anh both giving me the stare off, eyeing my delicious desserts.
There were a couple of entree options. The Carpaccio of Semi-Cured Hiramasa Kingfish was served with a prawn remoulade sauce with kaffir lime and lemongrass, "shiso" Japanese basil pesto. Wow, that was a mouthful, in name more and flavours.
The Air-Dried Wagyu Bresaola was served with spring onion and coconut pancake. I loved the beautitful oily richness of the wagyu.
The mains of Slow Braised Beef Cheek with wasabi flavoured mash and Thai style coleslaw didn't really work. The cheek was beautifully soft, but did not combine well with the other flavours at all.
The Seared Ocean Trout was served on a fritter and Japanese style salad from memory. Kim Anh said it was quite good, but again the accompanying flavours didn't work perfectly with the main dish.
Although the previous dishes were a tad disappointing, dessert more than made up for it. Each person was served three almost full sized desserts. There was a Nougat Parfait with Candied Fruit and Pistachi Praline, a Chocolate and Coconut Milk Panna Cotta and a Berry Tartlet with Framboise Scented Mascarpone. The parfait was very smooth and I loved the chunks of fruit, however, when I was chowing down on the second one (Ami didn't want her desserts so I had them, oh I'm such a glut), it was getting a bit sweet. The Panna Cotta had just the right amount of sweetness and a great texture. The Persian floss was a nice touch. My favourite was definitely the berry tartlet. Fresh berries on a wonderfully fragrant mascarpone with the Framboise giving it the most delightful scent that just hung on the tongue a bit.
Overall, the meal was good value. But the savoury dishes didn't really work for me. It was all a mish-mash of too many competing flavours that sounded better on paper than on the plate.
So despite being really full, we still couldn't help ourselves and walked to the Thai Festival at Fed Square. We passed the Greek Festival on Russell Street and I was so tempted by the loukamades, but was so full that I just couldn't.
When we got to the Thai Festival, we watched some kickboxing and a beauty pageant. Then it was off to get more food. My stomach had eased a tad so I tucked into some Mangosteen ice cream. Boy was it good. Esther had some tropical ice cream while John had the coconut ice cream. The coconut ice cream was good, but was no match for the coconut ice cream we had at Wicked Sunday from Gundowring. That coconut ice cream was amazing, and they stock it at Chadstone. Go get yourself some.
After eating some more Thai snacks, we called it a day and went home. I couldn't helpt but pose with the glass. I should have sucked in my stomach though.
The meal got off to a bit of a shaky start. As I had booked the table, I went up to the maitre d' and had the following conversation with him.
Thanh: Hi, I had a booking for the express lunch for Thanh for 7.
Maitre d': Yes, please come this way.
Thanh: Actually, we only have 6 today so you can move us to a smaller table if you want.
Maitre d': You should have rung to tell us.
Thanh: I'm sorry but I only found out this morning that my friend had food poisoning and couldn't make it.
Maitre d': You still should have rung us, even if it was 5 minutes before the reservation. I could have sat 8 at your table.
Thanh: I'm really sorry, but I only found out this morning and I didn't think it would make a difference if I rang.
Maitre d': We don't want excuses, we just want to know.
Gee, that was a great start. He could have handled it better by just saying in future if someone pulls out, we should let them know even if it's only 5 minutes beforehand. Instead he decided to make us all feel guilty. For the record, the restaurant wasn't even full during the first lunch session so it wouldn't have made any difference in this case.
I'm happy to report that the rest of the lunch went very smoothly after that and the service was very good.
Esther and Kim Anh both giving me the stare off, eyeing my delicious desserts.
There were a couple of entree options. The Carpaccio of Semi-Cured Hiramasa Kingfish was served with a prawn remoulade sauce with kaffir lime and lemongrass, "shiso" Japanese basil pesto. Wow, that was a mouthful, in name more and flavours.
The Air-Dried Wagyu Bresaola was served with spring onion and coconut pancake. I loved the beautitful oily richness of the wagyu.
The mains of Slow Braised Beef Cheek with wasabi flavoured mash and Thai style coleslaw didn't really work. The cheek was beautifully soft, but did not combine well with the other flavours at all.
The Seared Ocean Trout was served on a fritter and Japanese style salad from memory. Kim Anh said it was quite good, but again the accompanying flavours didn't work perfectly with the main dish.
Although the previous dishes were a tad disappointing, dessert more than made up for it. Each person was served three almost full sized desserts. There was a Nougat Parfait with Candied Fruit and Pistachi Praline, a Chocolate and Coconut Milk Panna Cotta and a Berry Tartlet with Framboise Scented Mascarpone. The parfait was very smooth and I loved the chunks of fruit, however, when I was chowing down on the second one (Ami didn't want her desserts so I had them, oh I'm such a glut), it was getting a bit sweet. The Panna Cotta had just the right amount of sweetness and a great texture. The Persian floss was a nice touch. My favourite was definitely the berry tartlet. Fresh berries on a wonderfully fragrant mascarpone with the Framboise giving it the most delightful scent that just hung on the tongue a bit.
Overall, the meal was good value. But the savoury dishes didn't really work for me. It was all a mish-mash of too many competing flavours that sounded better on paper than on the plate.
So despite being really full, we still couldn't help ourselves and walked to the Thai Festival at Fed Square. We passed the Greek Festival on Russell Street and I was so tempted by the loukamades, but was so full that I just couldn't.
When we got to the Thai Festival, we watched some kickboxing and a beauty pageant. Then it was off to get more food. My stomach had eased a tad so I tucked into some Mangosteen ice cream. Boy was it good. Esther had some tropical ice cream while John had the coconut ice cream. The coconut ice cream was good, but was no match for the coconut ice cream we had at Wicked Sunday from Gundowring. That coconut ice cream was amazing, and they stock it at Chadstone. Go get yourself some.
After eating some more Thai snacks, we called it a day and went home. I couldn't helpt but pose with the glass. I should have sucked in my stomach though.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirsty
When the sprightly Herr Doktor Duncan invited Sarah, Sandra and myself to make Pretzels, or as Sandra and Duncan call it "Brezels", there was an instant reply of yes from all of us.
Sarah has already blogged about it much more thoroughly than I could, with better photos too.
I just have a few points to make.
I did in fact arrive a tad (give or take 60 minutes) late. It's definitely not my style to be late. I'm always on time or early even. However, a series of incidents (some late Friday work to do since we got a report back, changing to my new iPhone and not transferring Sarah or Duncan's phone numbers, getting lost) conspired to mean that I was destined not to help make the pretzels, but just eat them, awwww, what a shame. :-)
The pretzels turned out magnificent. We kept Sandra far away from the caustic soda used to coat the pretzels in case she had the urge to splash it into her eyes again. I must say that the pretzels with just salt was good, but a bit salty (yes yes, I know it has salt). However, once it was combined with the Lurpak butter that Sarah brought, it made the pretzels amazing. The only way it could have been better was if we used Lescure butter, which is insanely good. Otherwise, we could have doused the pretzels in chocolate, but Germanphiles (is that a word?) Sandra and Duncan would not allow it. :-( The penalty for dousing chocolate on pretzels was a caustic soda shower.
While Sarah and Duncan discussed cookbooks, Sandra and I compared notes on Wicked, yes I'm a fan while Sandra's obssessed about it. Idinia Menzel is both our favourite Elphaba.
We discovered that Duncan is a great cook, not just a baker. His Pork Paprika Stew was hearty and hit the exact right spot. The Peach Crumble was quite good. I have to be honest, I think we overdid it with the caramel (*gasps of horror, how can you have too much sugar*), but the home made ice cream was so good, I would have eaten it even if it was three weeks old, let alone one.
Finally, I never got tired of uttering "These pretzels are making me thirsty" all night.
I had a really great time, thanks to Duncan, Sarah and Sandra. So what are we making next Duncan?
Sarah has already blogged about it much more thoroughly than I could, with better photos too.
I just have a few points to make.
I did in fact arrive a tad (give or take 60 minutes) late. It's definitely not my style to be late. I'm always on time or early even. However, a series of incidents (some late Friday work to do since we got a report back, changing to my new iPhone and not transferring Sarah or Duncan's phone numbers, getting lost) conspired to mean that I was destined not to help make the pretzels, but just eat them, awwww, what a shame. :-)
The pretzels turned out magnificent. We kept Sandra far away from the caustic soda used to coat the pretzels in case she had the urge to splash it into her eyes again. I must say that the pretzels with just salt was good, but a bit salty (yes yes, I know it has salt). However, once it was combined with the Lurpak butter that Sarah brought, it made the pretzels amazing. The only way it could have been better was if we used Lescure butter, which is insanely good. Otherwise, we could have doused the pretzels in chocolate, but Germanphiles (is that a word?) Sandra and Duncan would not allow it. :-( The penalty for dousing chocolate on pretzels was a caustic soda shower.
While Sarah and Duncan discussed cookbooks, Sandra and I compared notes on Wicked, yes I'm a fan while Sandra's obssessed about it. Idinia Menzel is both our favourite Elphaba.
We discovered that Duncan is a great cook, not just a baker. His Pork Paprika Stew was hearty and hit the exact right spot. The Peach Crumble was quite good. I have to be honest, I think we overdid it with the caramel (*gasps of horror, how can you have too much sugar*), but the home made ice cream was so good, I would have eaten it even if it was three weeks old, let alone one.
Finally, I never got tired of uttering "These pretzels are making me thirsty" all night.
I had a really great time, thanks to Duncan, Sarah and Sandra. So what are we making next Duncan?
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Wicked Sunday 2009
The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival has rolled around once again. Wicked Sunday was on again, and being a massive fan of all things sweet, how could I not attend.
So Esther, Minh, John and myself met up for lunch first at HuTong Dumpling. I had warned them all that everytime I've been there, it was so crowded so we should get there early. When we arrived, we found that people must like not like eating dumplings on Sunday, because it was nearly empty. That's even better as we got to talk without shouting and faster service.
Minh and Esther smiling at the sight of the Shanghai Fried Noodle. I think fellow blogger Karen summed it up best when she said the noodles were "al dente". Esther and I were both commenting that's exactly what we thought, as the noodles were still firm and not soggy. The dish was very good and we ate it in quick time.
You can't go to HuTong Dumpling Bar and not have the Xiao Long Baos. They were again really good. John had read the instructions on how to eat the baos, slurping the soup out after biting a small hole. However, his chopstick skills aren't honed enough yet, and he broke the dumplings lifting them into his bowl.
The Pan Fried Pork Dumplings with the spectacular pan stickers. These dumplings must also be the best in town, as they aren't excessively oily, have a nice thin skin, the pork tastes like real pork and has texture and doesn't stink.
Finally, the Crispy Duck was crispy on the outside without being dry inside, very good.
After lunch, and ten minutes circling the city for a park spot because we (read Esther) refused to pay for parking, we were at Wicked Sunday. First off, we each armed ourselves with a coffee to keep us going. Then it was a meticulous stroll down the path of temptation.
We started with the Proffertjes. They were very good paired with fresh strawberries. However, I have to *tsk *tsk them for the use of canned cream.
Next we were drawn by the beautiful cake displays of Lollipop Cakes.
We bought two Double Chocolate Cupcakes to share. I'm usually not a fan of chocolate cupcakes as the icing is way too heavy and sickeningly sweet. When John offered me half, I cautiously took it. I watched him eat it first and the sounds of "mmmmm" exuding from him was enough to make me take a bite. Soon Esther, Minh and I were all going "mmmmm" as well. The cupcake was moist and light and the icing was really smooth, fragrant and had that ooomph factor that made it really good. The cupcakes were good value too at $2.50 each. We vowed to come back and buy more to take home, which we did, only to find they had sold out. Moral of the story is to buy it when you can and carry it all day.
Next up, we had some Gundowring Ice Cream. Many shops all claim their ice creams are hand made the finest. Gundowring had the same claim, but their ice cream was truly luscious and we couldn't get enough. The Coconut was all our favourite, and the scoops we were taking were getting bigger and bigger. The Toasted Honey and Walnut was still really good, but compared to the coconut, just seemed like a poor cousin.
When I saw Crabapple Cupcakes, I couldn't help but be curious. I had seen their book and having never tried one, was determined to see what their cupcakes were like. A wave of sudden rain did not stop us from queueing. Their cupcakes certainly looked good.
We decided on a Double Chocolate Cupcake and a Passionfruit Cupcake. We wanted to compare their chocolate cupcake to Lollipops'. Let's start with the Passionfruit cupcake though. It was a vanilla base, which was fairly light but a tad dry. The passionfruit icing had a good heavy passionfruit taste. The Double Chocolate Cupcake was a dense mud cake base, with an even denser frosting. The base was ok, but nowhere near Lollipops version. The frosting wasn't very good, tasting a lot of icing sugar. And Crabapple's cupcakes were $4 each. I know which one I'll be buying in future.
Following the cupcake was the cheese pavillion. We sampled lots of goats cheeses and all ended up buying some fabulous goats cheese from Meredith Dairy. I got the Chevre and the Marinated Goats Cheese in Olive Oil. The flavours and textures were really good, and you get to sample first too.
We were getting really full now, but our eyes weren't full yet. We got Hot Chocolates and Ensaimadas from San Churro. The hot chocolate was so rich that I was starting to feel a bit sick by the end. It was a case of sugar overdose. The ensaimadas were really soft and tasted great with the dark chocolate. But again, I was overdosing on sugar.
We watched some Dessert Demos and marvelled at how many ingredients go into a fine dining restaurant dessert. The Chocolate Pavlova dessert contained a chocolate pavlova, chocolate ash, orange caramel, burnt anglaise and chocolate sauce. I can't imagine making that ever. Guess that's why I go out to restaurants to eat that.
Finally, it was off to the Chocolate area where we once agained sampled even more chocolate despite our sugar rushes. The chocolates looked amazing and John bought some.
Overall, it was a truly "wicked" Sunday where we all ate way too much food and consumed enough sugar, which when converted to energy, could power a small car. I've discovered a couple of great places in Lollipop Cakes and Gundowring Ice Cream which I will be visiting again soon.
Note: Quick question, in the first chocolate photo, it shows a sign saying "These chocolates are best eaten not photographed!!!". What do you think it means? We were debating whether it meant we couldn't take photos. I didn't think so and so snapped a photo. Were they being cheeky, presumptuous, arrogant? What was the purpose of the sign, complete with three exclamation marks?
So Esther, Minh, John and myself met up for lunch first at HuTong Dumpling. I had warned them all that everytime I've been there, it was so crowded so we should get there early. When we arrived, we found that people must like not like eating dumplings on Sunday, because it was nearly empty. That's even better as we got to talk without shouting and faster service.
Minh and Esther smiling at the sight of the Shanghai Fried Noodle. I think fellow blogger Karen summed it up best when she said the noodles were "al dente". Esther and I were both commenting that's exactly what we thought, as the noodles were still firm and not soggy. The dish was very good and we ate it in quick time.
You can't go to HuTong Dumpling Bar and not have the Xiao Long Baos. They were again really good. John had read the instructions on how to eat the baos, slurping the soup out after biting a small hole. However, his chopstick skills aren't honed enough yet, and he broke the dumplings lifting them into his bowl.
The Pan Fried Pork Dumplings with the spectacular pan stickers. These dumplings must also be the best in town, as they aren't excessively oily, have a nice thin skin, the pork tastes like real pork and has texture and doesn't stink.
Finally, the Crispy Duck was crispy on the outside without being dry inside, very good.
After lunch, and ten minutes circling the city for a park spot because we (read Esther) refused to pay for parking, we were at Wicked Sunday. First off, we each armed ourselves with a coffee to keep us going. Then it was a meticulous stroll down the path of temptation.
We started with the Proffertjes. They were very good paired with fresh strawberries. However, I have to *tsk *tsk them for the use of canned cream.
Next we were drawn by the beautiful cake displays of Lollipop Cakes.
We bought two Double Chocolate Cupcakes to share. I'm usually not a fan of chocolate cupcakes as the icing is way too heavy and sickeningly sweet. When John offered me half, I cautiously took it. I watched him eat it first and the sounds of "mmmmm" exuding from him was enough to make me take a bite. Soon Esther, Minh and I were all going "mmmmm" as well. The cupcake was moist and light and the icing was really smooth, fragrant and had that ooomph factor that made it really good. The cupcakes were good value too at $2.50 each. We vowed to come back and buy more to take home, which we did, only to find they had sold out. Moral of the story is to buy it when you can and carry it all day.
Next up, we had some Gundowring Ice Cream. Many shops all claim their ice creams are hand made the finest. Gundowring had the same claim, but their ice cream was truly luscious and we couldn't get enough. The Coconut was all our favourite, and the scoops we were taking were getting bigger and bigger. The Toasted Honey and Walnut was still really good, but compared to the coconut, just seemed like a poor cousin.
When I saw Crabapple Cupcakes, I couldn't help but be curious. I had seen their book and having never tried one, was determined to see what their cupcakes were like. A wave of sudden rain did not stop us from queueing. Their cupcakes certainly looked good.
We decided on a Double Chocolate Cupcake and a Passionfruit Cupcake. We wanted to compare their chocolate cupcake to Lollipops'. Let's start with the Passionfruit cupcake though. It was a vanilla base, which was fairly light but a tad dry. The passionfruit icing had a good heavy passionfruit taste. The Double Chocolate Cupcake was a dense mud cake base, with an even denser frosting. The base was ok, but nowhere near Lollipops version. The frosting wasn't very good, tasting a lot of icing sugar. And Crabapple's cupcakes were $4 each. I know which one I'll be buying in future.
Following the cupcake was the cheese pavillion. We sampled lots of goats cheeses and all ended up buying some fabulous goats cheese from Meredith Dairy. I got the Chevre and the Marinated Goats Cheese in Olive Oil. The flavours and textures were really good, and you get to sample first too.
We were getting really full now, but our eyes weren't full yet. We got Hot Chocolates and Ensaimadas from San Churro. The hot chocolate was so rich that I was starting to feel a bit sick by the end. It was a case of sugar overdose. The ensaimadas were really soft and tasted great with the dark chocolate. But again, I was overdosing on sugar.
We watched some Dessert Demos and marvelled at how many ingredients go into a fine dining restaurant dessert. The Chocolate Pavlova dessert contained a chocolate pavlova, chocolate ash, orange caramel, burnt anglaise and chocolate sauce. I can't imagine making that ever. Guess that's why I go out to restaurants to eat that.
Finally, it was off to the Chocolate area where we once agained sampled even more chocolate despite our sugar rushes. The chocolates looked amazing and John bought some.
Overall, it was a truly "wicked" Sunday where we all ate way too much food and consumed enough sugar, which when converted to energy, could power a small car. I've discovered a couple of great places in Lollipop Cakes and Gundowring Ice Cream which I will be visiting again soon.
Note: Quick question, in the first chocolate photo, it shows a sign saying "These chocolates are best eaten not photographed!!!". What do you think it means? We were debating whether it meant we couldn't take photos. I didn't think so and so snapped a photo. Were they being cheeky, presumptuous, arrogant? What was the purpose of the sign, complete with three exclamation marks?
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