tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42253375528256626112024-02-19T19:22:54.456+11:00yygall's tableyygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-87016211789205574922013-11-18T15:55:00.001+11:002013-11-19T12:23:42.074+11:00Katsu Sando!It's not every day that one gets stopped on busy Pitt Street to taste something for free. And being the first paying customer of a new eateries certainly makes one feel rather special.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5FZzpc_yTH-nXYvrvd0ggIwOE9CgaZigU4sWC9PYd8Wjfw0r1FMWPB_-5mct2hH-1Tm6PMS-L0cIUKASdTXhfLWCLo0zrqU0cqLLbSkYorPBpZclKu8EdF9hU-t39rUdRDa3MqRFX7g6/s640/blogger-image-532678174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5FZzpc_yTH-nXYvrvd0ggIwOE9CgaZigU4sWC9PYd8Wjfw0r1FMWPB_-5mct2hH-1Tm6PMS-L0cIUKASdTXhfLWCLo0zrqU0cqLLbSkYorPBpZclKu8EdF9hU-t39rUdRDa3MqRFX7g6/s640/blogger-image-532678174.jpg"></a></div><div>Hoppe has just opened literally several hours ago, operating at the door to Echo Point Karaoke next to the Criterion Hotel. A bit of a blink and you'll miss it spot.<br><div><div>Now I do love a good Katsu sando. There are days when one craves tonkatsu, sans the rice and sides. And the sauce just works so well with bread...</div></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBbUMXBVZhg0u5Q5pDWSYK8iR88SzVqbUhnNMtTukZeynSC2KjIe3IESzN4tnoCKbBlJR3MKbSAMMPhVIHOA5tXKm_8mQ0b8-CCN_OULOJrXFk6bUMqmGdSkOwwKt2gEShvVmwNL-jPvG/s640/blogger-image-1766236912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHBbUMXBVZhg0u5Q5pDWSYK8iR88SzVqbUhnNMtTukZeynSC2KjIe3IESzN4tnoCKbBlJR3MKbSAMMPhVIHOA5tXKm_8mQ0b8-CCN_OULOJrXFk6bUMqmGdSkOwwKt2gEShvVmwNL-jPvG/s640/blogger-image-1766236912.jpg"></a></div>The thick, squishy white slices of bread definitely did its job. Past experience with white sandwich bread left sauce sogging through and sloppy eating. The thick, dense slices had enough chew and soaked up the excess sauce wonderfully. The cutlets were not greasy, and retained a good amount of crunch. If only it was warm! And don't be fooled into thinking the side is a small serve of fries: it's actually crouton chips, probably made using the leftover crust, fried, and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Could do with more seasoning, or maybe some sauce.</div><div>For $8.80, it's not bad. And being so close to the office, there's no doubt there will be many more visits in the future. You know, to check that they're improving.</div><div><br></div><div>Hoppe Authentic Japanese Katsu Sando and Sandwiches</div><div>Basement 262 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000</div><div>www.hoppe.com.au</div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-75048700918605579562013-11-16T00:51:00.001+11:002013-11-16T00:51:14.889+11:00Orto Trading Co.I always find it difficult to pick a restaurant to take visitors from out of town. Certain people like certain things; my parents, for example, would rarely be willing to try out a new restaurant here. So when my former boss wanted to meet for dinner, and the only request he had was for something near Central Station, my first thought was Surry Hills. A quick search and Orto Trading Co. was about the only restaurant within reasonable walking distance that took dinner reservations for Friday dinners.<br />
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So Orto Trading it was.<br />
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And how right the choice was!<br />
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I had heard some very positive reviews from various sources about this relatively new kid on the Surry Hills block. What I didn't expect was the warm and friendly service, and the very high quality of the food. We ordered three starters, three mains, and two sides; and for around $60 per person with wine, it was more than enough and left us very, very satisfied.<br />
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The starters are very reasonably priced, from $5 to $16. The scallop and prawn ravioli was very fresh, and tasted greatly of the sea. The white anchovy fish finger was a small revelation: crispy and crunchy on the outside, lovely soft texture inside, and the salty contrast of the anchovy worked exceptionally well. But the standout had to be the scotch egg. Stunningly presented, the runny and perfectly cooked duck egg was a fantastic contrast against the salt cod exterior. The pickled curried vegetables provided a wonderful refreshment for the palate.<br />
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Mains were even better. It was slightly disappointing that the last pork hock went out of the kitchen just as we sat down, but the remaining choices were equally great. My smoked duck breast and confit of duck leg gave a small surprise. The contrast between the salty and slightly gamey confit of duck leg with the rhubarb and strawberries ignited an explosion of taste. The acidity of the strawberry and tartness of the rhubarb cut through the salty gamey-ness of the duck. The smoked duck breast was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and very, very more-ish. The braised ox cheek was meltingly tender and soft, and the spring vegetables refreshingly light.<br />
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[Apologies for the crappy photos. I promise the real deal looks a good 10 times better! Next time I will have a proper camera with me.]<br />
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Even though Orto Trading may still be considered a bit of a new kid on the Surry Hills block, the wonderful seasonality of the menu will certainly be a hit. Kudos to Lou and the crew for making this such a wonderful experience, and for leaving my interstate guests with such a great food memory from Sydney!<br />
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By the way, Orto Trading will be having a food bloggers dinner in early December. I am happy to forward on any queries on that!yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-89975274152742031492013-09-03T23:49:00.001+10:002013-09-03T23:49:37.960+10:00[recipe post] Suzhou style meat mooncakesInsert back story here.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1phBIj3IsbgpDS1bSqhuzVe5Z5ejWISSwt8596id2heHzcYGeTZ0e68MFE82v0gn9GOxsxxgXu_Ye78vJJnqcjk_rf3HmQSBKCO6GEMg0YvzadeBWLZHZyIFXK8MqA36s3IW7gNQmBlj/s640/blogger-image-1383684739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1phBIj3IsbgpDS1bSqhuzVe5Z5ejWISSwt8596id2heHzcYGeTZ0e68MFE82v0gn9GOxsxxgXu_Ye78vJJnqcjk_rf3HmQSBKCO6GEMg0YvzadeBWLZHZyIFXK8MqA36s3IW7gNQmBlj/s640/blogger-image-1383684739.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>This recipe is for my friend K. Just don't freak out when you see how much lard goes in, dear!</div><div><br></div><div>Ingredients</div><div>For the water dough</div><div>200g plain flour</div><div>50g strong bread flour</div><div>35g sugar</div><div>50g lard</div><div>20g honey dissolved in 125ml warm water</div><div><br></div><div>For the lard dough</div><div>200g plain flour</div><div>110g lard</div><div><br></div><div>For the filling</div><div>500g pork mince</div><div>2 tbsp soy sauce</div><div>2 teaspoon salt</div><div>3 tsp sugar</div><div>2 tbsp shaoxing wine</div><div>2 tsp sesame oil</div><div>1 egg</div><div><br></div><div>First, prepare the water dough. Mix the water dough ingredients together in a bowl, knead until it is smooth. Rest for 30 minutes covered with a damp tea towel.</div><div><br></div><div>Prepare the lard dough. Mix and knead the lard and flour together until well combined. Rest the dough, covered, for 20 minutes.</div><div><br></div><div>Mix and knead the filling ingredients together, until the meat feels a little bouncy.</div><div><br></div><div>Divide the doughs into 8 even portions. Roll into balls.</div><div><br></div><div>Roll out the water dough slightly. Wrap the water dough around the lard dough completely. Roll the dough out, fold into three, repeat twice. Roll out into a long strip. Roll this up tightly, and cut into half. Place on a slightly floured board, cut side down, before pressing down and rolling out into a circle approx 10 cm diameter. </div><div><br></div><div>Dollop a generous portion of the filling in the centre. Fold the pastry over, and pinch slightly to seal. </div><div><br></div><div>Repeat for the remainder. Makes 16 in total.</div><div><br></div><div>Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 25 minutes. </div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-23106734576329109652013-06-15T14:09:00.001+10:002013-06-15T14:09:52.609+10:00MadeleinesThe obsession started when I spied some yummy looking shell-shaped cakes at Victoire. Giving in to temptation, I bought a pack of 6 (for $6!) and tucked in. One bite was all it took to make this one of my favourite treats.<br />
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Yet, for some strange reason, I never contemplated making my own. Having had previous disasters with things being stuck on trays or tins, the ridges of the madeleine trays put them in the "too hard" category. That is, until now.<br />
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Inspired by the first episode of The Little Paris Kitchen that aired on SBS a couple of weeks ago, I decided it was time to buy a tray and make my own. The timing was perfect with mid-year sales on right now, and picked up a tray for around $10.<br />
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The tray has certainly been put to good use. Four batches of madeleines in one week - a baking record. The first and second batches I took to work, and were snapped up within minutes. The third and fourth were more attempts to refine a recipe I've adapted based on the Guillame Brahimi version from French Food Safari on the SBS website. Ultra easy, using ingredients that most kitchens will have, I highly encourage you to give it a go.<br />
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<u>Lemon Madeleines</u><br />
<i>Makes 12 large or 24 mini madeleines</i><br />
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40g melted butter<br />
100g flour<br />
75g castor sugar (up to 100g if you prefer it sweeter)<br />
A pinch of good quality sea salt<br />
1 egg<br />
40ml milk<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />
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Zest of half a lemon<br />
2 teaspoons lemon juice<br />
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract<br />
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Extra butter and flour to prepare the tray.<br />
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1. Melt the butter in the microwave (30 seconds is enough). Allow to cool to room temperature.<br />
2. In a bowl, sift in the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest, and combine.<br />
3. Whisk together the milk and egg, and add to the dry mix. Whisk this until just combined.<br />
4. Add the lemon juice and vanilla paste to the batter mix and combine.<br />
5. Gently fold in the butter until combined.<br />
6. Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. The mix can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.<br />
7. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celcius.<br />
8. Grease the madeleine tray with butter and lightly flour (this is especially important if using a traditional madeleine tray; I recommend greasing the tray even if a non-stick tray is used).<br />
9. Spoon or pipe in the batter evenly - it should be just enough for 12 large or 24 mini madeleines. Bake at 170C for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden and tops spring back to touch.<br />
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These little darlings can be enjoyed warm or cold, with a cup of good quality tea.<br />
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<img height="300" src="webkit-fake-url://262AB154-64D6-4E3B-A0DC-EB7F5F4D4C89/image.tiff" width="400" />yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-77224802763393493662013-02-28T19:59:00.001+11:002013-02-28T19:59:28.284+11:00Bean Sauce and Bitter MelonsMy pantry is, almost always, stocked with wonderful and random ingredients from the usual trips to Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and Japan. In the last couple of years, Mum has fallen in love with one particular brand from Taiwan, that specialises in making a small but wonderful range of sauces.<br />
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Apparently, it's like Pepe Saya butter to a lot of chefs in Taiwan. The brand was established in 1972, and I've only seen their products available at a very select few stores in Taipei. All products are handmade, with no additives or preservatives. Their soy-based products are packed with umami, but don't have that harsh salty tartness that can sometimes be found in other commercial products.</div>
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While we haven't gone so far as to bring back bottles of soy sauce, this soy bean sauce has become a staple sauce at home. Last night I used it to whip up a gorgeous dish with bitter melon and five spice dried tofu. Super easy, super good with a massive bowl of rice. The ingredients? Bitter melon, five spice dried tofu, the soy bean sauce, some oil and water. How much simpler can you get?</div>
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1. Wash and seed the bitter melon. Cut lengthways into quarters, then slice diagonally to maximise the cut surface area. To take off some of the bitterness, salt the slices lightly, set aside, then squeeze thoroughly to get rid of some of the water.</div>
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2. Cut the dried tofu into bite sized pieces. I like to slice it diagonally to let the flavours penetrate.</div>
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3. Heat the oil in a wok or pan. Add the tofu, give it a quick saute until the edges are golden, then add the bitter melon.</div>
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4. When the bitter melon has browned slightly around the edge, add about 2 teaspoons of the soy bean sauce, toss, then add about half a cup of water and simmer for about 5 minutes.</div>
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Once the water has reduced to half of the original volume or the sauce has thickened slightly and the bitter melon cooked through, it's ready to be served.</div>
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yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-88221570021499077902013-02-24T11:25:00.000+11:002013-02-24T11:25:14.902+11:00Musical eveningsThis is a food blog. That said, it's my blog and I'll talk about music if I want to!<br />
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... How very dominant that sounds.<br />
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Apart from food, my other great interest is music. Good music transcends language barriers, and will touch the very inner canyons of the soul. Like food, if the music is good, you can tell. I'm no music connoisseur by any means - what follows are merely my thoughts.<br />
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One of the big "investments" for this year is my symphony subscription. Finally being able to afford the tickets is a big feat, and yes, I'm trying to make up for lost time. The brilliant program on offer was also too good to miss, featuring some of my favourite composers (past and living), a few featuring my musical heroes. Vladimir Ashkenazy, the current Principal Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, is one of my musical heroes. He won second prize in the prestigious Chopin Piano Competition in 1955 (my other musical hero, Fu Tsong, came third and won the Mazurka Prize in the same year). Without his recording of Chopin's Nocturnes, I would not have gotten so far in piano, and continue to have so much interest in music. Starting 8th Grade piano was hard enough. With the terrible trauma of the 7th grade exam (examiner gave a bad mark), I was aiming to finish 8th in a year (most of my friends took 18 months) and determined to prove I could do it - and do it well. Steely determination worked for the first 3 months. Then the seeds of doubt from my earliest piano teachers came in - "you'll probably never get past 5th grade", etc etc etc. The turning point came when, by chance, a family friend gave me Ashkenazy's recordings of Chopin's Nocturnes as a gift. It was the guidance I needed. My practice regime changed: I imitated, faithfully, the nocturne for the exam to that recording. It impressed the examiner enough to give me a very high mark. To this day, that Nocturne is still one of my favourite pieces for the piano.<br />
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It's why I couldn't pass on the last chance of seeing Maestro, in action, live, at the Opera House. It started with Tchaikovsky last year, a wonderful performance of the Piano Concerto No. 2 (original version) with renowned pianist Garrick Ohlsson followed by Symphony No. 4. The no-nonsense approach he took with the symphony was just as I imagined, and exceeded expectations. Listening to a recording is vastly different to seeing it live. With a recording, there is only the audio - one listens for technique and expression, shown through the changes in volume, the clarity of notes and brilliancy of mordents and trills. With a live performance, the visual is just as expressive - it's an opportunity to see (and for me, to verify) the artist's attitude. (Clearly my ears are just not enough to gauge and understand an interpretation of a piece.) Some are technically excellent, almost flawless, but their showy performance style can sometimes distract and dominate. It's like a reading of Wilfred Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est in either a happy cheery voice, or an over the top melodramatic hysterical tone - might be their understanding and interpretation, not my cup of tea. Ashkenazy's interpretation felt passionate, but controlled - it was his understanding, and convinced through reason, rather than "because I say so". The music spoke for itself, under the maestro's baton. And it spoke well.<br />
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This was reinforced in the 2013 season opening performance of Legends by the Sea. It was a first for me - having never listened to any Sibelius or Faure, nor anything Debussy had written for the symphony. It may have been the influence of the pre-concert talk: the performance was wonderfully evocative, almost sensuous. This was particularly the case with Debussy's La Mer, where the three symphonic sketches were, really, musical sketches of the sea in different light, and different conditions. From pristine stillness, shimmering light, roaring waves and howling winds, everything was captured in musical form. It was like Monet or Turner for the ears.<br />
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Last night was also a wonderful treat, with Tan Dun's Martial Arts Trilogy. His Oscar winning musical scores completed and elevated so many films, most notably The Last Emperor, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and Hero - films I enjoy watching every now and then. The Martial Arts Trilogy draws music from three films - Hero (2002, directed by Zhang Yimou and Oscar nominated for Best Foreign Film), Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000, directed by Ang Lee, won 4 Oscars), and The Banquet (2006, directed by Feng Xiaogang). It's the first time the Trilogy has been performed in this structure, and an extra treat with the composer as the conductor. With a giant screen set up behind the orchestra in the choir gallery, the visual-audio experience was sensational. Unlike the movies, where the music accentuates the actions or cinematography, the visuals emphasised the music in the trilogy performance. It was very much about the music - Tan Dun's music - in the same way that the performance was about the man himself, and not just his film scores.<br />
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The standout was certainly the Crouching Tiger concerto for Erhu, a Chinese two-stringed bowed fiddle, featuring soloist Tan Wei. The original score featured the brilliant Yo-yo Ma, yielding magic on his cello. Tan Wei brought a different touch - a very feminine touch - to the concerto, which felt fitting and appropriate, given the prominence of female characters that drove the story itself. It was as though the longing, the pain, the bitterness, joys, sorrows, yearnings, were all being spoken through the erhu.<br />
In complete honesty, the other soloists (Ryu Goto on violin and Xiaoxiao Zhao on Guqin/Chinese zither for the Hero concerto, Yingdi Sun on piano for The Banquet concerto), while technically fantastic, just fell short of making Tan's music complete. It may be that they're all very young still - Goto and Sun were very showy, and wanting to prove their worth and make their mark. Sun's performance reminded me too much of Lang Lang - exaggerated facial expressions, whole body movements, and distracting arm waves during performances. Zhao just could not match that wonderful solo on the guqin that was originally featured in the soundtrack - the notes didn't have the same brilliancy, decisiveness, determination and ferocity.<br />
What was surprising - and stunning - was the prominence of the percussion in all three concerti. It ranged from timpanis to Japanese Kodo drums, Bodhran (might be wrong here, it could have been a tambourine without jingles) and pebbles (yes, PEBBLES!), all used to great effect. Towards the end of the Silk Road: Encounters during the Crouching Tiger Concerto, the percussion soloist moved from the back of the orchestra, to take pride of place next to Tan Wei at the front of the stage, while Tan walked over to the back of the viola and cello section to watch the two brilliant artists do their thing. To have that trust in the orchestra, the soloists, and his own music to do that was sensational.<br />
There is no doubt that Tan is a brilliant composer, and a wonderfully passionate and spirited conductor. His compositions play with traditionally Oriental and European sounds to give wonderfully visual, and in some cases, almost spiritual effect, exploring themes of love, pride, cause and purpose.<br />
What surprised me was how much the film scores, in this arrangement, transcends the films, even though they were originally written to accentuate the film experience. In some ways this is just a cinematic equivalent of operas, and the symphonic experience featuring selections from operas - one is more focussed on the acting and singing, the other more about the pieces itself and the harmony between the singer and the score.<br />
Equally, there is certainly that harmony between the films and the scores, just as the same harmony could be felt between the traditions of Chinese and European music. There were almost no tensions between the two traditions, with the wonderful interplay of solos akin to a constructive dialogue and friendly discussion. Neither dominated, and neither were forced into the background - it was not an attempt to prove one was superior to the other, nor did it relent one being inferior to the other either. If only the same attitude could be brought into everyday life!<br />
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Three down, eight more performances to go - and so far this investment has not disappointed. I'm looking forward to hearing what Reinhard Goebel, founder of the Musica Antiqua Kohn and Baroque "specialist" has to offer with Handel's Water Music, the Maestro conducting Beethoven and his Favourites, Chopin's Second Piano Concerto with Richard Gill, a piano recital by the virtuoso Murray Perahia and then one of the final SSO performances with Ashkenazy playing Mahler. And maybe, just maybe, one of the evenings I will splurge some more and start the evening with some fine food for the tastebuds before plunging into the brilliancy of exceptional music for my ears...<br />
<br />yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-12814147958110192632012-11-01T17:52:00.000+11:002012-11-01T17:52:17.825+11:00Responding to requests: Chinese style green beans with pork minceThis will be a quick one. Yes, it's another response to twitter...<div>
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It was a recipe call for Chinese-style green beans with pork mince. Well, @MissPiggyEats, here it is...</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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300g round green beans, chopped to 2 inch lengths</div>
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75g (roughly) pork mince</div>
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2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced</div>
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1-2 spring onions, finely chopped</div>
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Chili, chopped (optional)</div>
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Salt, sugar, soy sauce, oil</div>
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Marinade</div>
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2 teaspoons soy sauce</div>
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1-2 teaspoons sugar</div>
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1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine</div>
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1 teaspoon sesame oil</div>
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1 tablespoon water</div>
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Method</div>
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1. Marinade the pork mince with, you guessed it, the marinade ingredients. Combine well, then give it another 5 stirs for good measure. Let it rest for 10 minutes or so.</div>
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2. Heat up a wok on high heat, add about 1 tablespoon of oil, turn it down to medium-high heat. Add garlic, chili and spring onions (save about a tablespoon for later) and saute until fragrant. Add the pork mince, break it up quickly into small pieces and saute til golden brown. Remove from wok and reserve.</div>
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3. Add another tablespoon of oil and heat up the wok again. Toss in and blister the green beans until about 1/3 to half cooked. Add the pork with its juices, and a little bit of extra water (2 tablespoons or so), and allow to reduce for a minute. Season with salt, soy sauce, sugar to taste, and allow to cook, uncovered, for another minute. </div>
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Serve immediately.</div>
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yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-13574178890696604752012-10-23T21:40:00.001+11:002012-10-23T21:40:27.301+11:00HK cheap eats. And the not so cheap but good eats.This one is for @lili_pie on twitter: the promised list of food to try in HK.<br />
<br />
The cheap, and cheap-ish<br />
1. Tim Ho Wan, IFC/Hong Kong MTR Station<br />
So it's not the original hole-in-the-wall 1 Michelin star. So what? This one is cleaner, on the Island line, and there's always shopping or window shopping at IFC afterwards. Most dim sums are around the 15HKD (that's less than 2 AUD each) mark, so with a small group you can easily get every item on the menu.<br />
<i>Podium Level 1, IFC Mall, Central (above Hong Kong Station).</i><br />
<br />
2. Sang Kee congee, Sheung Wan<br />
If you don't mind a bit of dirt and aren't claustrophobic, this is the place to try out some of the best congee in the world. If you don't mind eating fish with bone, then try the fish bone and beef congee (Gwut ngau, abbreviated). The congee is cooked down so much it's more of a rice soup; flavoursome, wholesome, nothing can compare. Their clear broth items are also very, very good. Try the turnip and beef brisket, no noodles necessary.<br />
<i>7-9 Burd Street, Sheung Wan.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
3. Kau Kee beef noodles, Sheung Wan<br />
So famous the place even has its own Wikipedia page, in English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kau_Kee_Restaurant ! Definitely go for the noodles, especially the thick kind. If you have company, get something different so you can all share and try. This place gets some huge lines, so beware!<br />
<i>21 Gough Street, Sheung Wan.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
4. Lan Fong Yuen, Central<br />
For an authentic cha-chaan tang (HK Style westernised tea shop) experience you really can't go past this place. An institution and an innovator, their HK style milk tea is truly one of the best. If you want something stronger than your usual coffee, try the Yuen Yeung - the HK original blend of milk tea and milk coffee. French toast and their dry "yiding" instant noodles are also must tries.<br />
<i>2 Gage Street, Central.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
5. Gai Daan Jai (egg waffles), Fung Kee Tsim Sha Tsui<br />
Sadly, I missed out on this during my last HK trip. Their egg waffles are some of the best in HK - eggy, soft and fluffy inside, crispy outside. At $12 a pop they're double the price of their main competition across the road, but well worth it, I think. Catching them during a break in the queue might also get you better quality, too.<br />
<i>Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, opposite Tai Ping Koon (I think).</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The not so cheap:<br />
<br />
1. Tai Ping Koon<br />
One of the oldest "fusion" restaurants in Hong Kong, they do "soy sauce" Western food - and they do it well. Service and quality at Tsim Sha Tsui and Central can be a bit inconsistent at times - last time things were better at Central than at Tsim Sha Tsui (TST), but TST used to be the better one... hard to tell. Their stir fried beef noodles (dry, not the Swiss sauce type), Swiss sauce chicken wings, smoked pomfret and roast pigeon are musts. If there are more than 3 of you, definitely get a souffle too - they are unique.<br />
http://taipingkoon.com/<br />
<i>Check website for branch addresses.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
2. agnes. b le pain grille<br />
Don't cringe, and don't judge please. I've had some great food and great service there! Sure, it's not cheap, at about 300HKD or more per person for lunch, but it's still better than most 50pp restaurants in Sydney. Their minute steaks are great, and their desserts are always top notch. The agnes. b LPG cafes are around everywhere, if you're just after desserts.<br />
<i>15/F Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay. Other LPG cafes addresses available on the website: http://www.agnesb-lepaingrille.com/</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
3. Pak Lok Chiu Chow, Elements<br />
Yum Cha is a definite must in Hong Kong. I know there is a post on this blog previously about cuisine cuisine, but Pak Lok does it so much better. Cheaper, too. At around 30 AUD per person, you sit in comfort, enjoying your tea and dim sum off fine bone china. Book in advance for weekend yum cha if you can, or get in early, which is around 10am. The classics like har gow, siu mai and char siu buns are done fantastically, and the chiu chow dumplings are some of the best in the city. Believe me, I've been to plenty of other places, including the renowned Fook Lam Moon, and they're not as good. Try the abalone noodles as well, really interesting textures and balance of flavours.<br />
<i>Shop 1028D, 1/F, Elements, Kowloon Station</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Sadly, I don't have a recommendation for other HK classics like fish ball rice noodle soup, wonton noodle soup and so on. I am still on the quest for decent ones, because nothing I've tried lately can compare to some of the stuff that I grew up eating as a kid. Hope you have a great time in HK, lili_pie!yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-41768008678012926832012-10-07T21:45:00.003+11:002012-10-07T21:52:31.427+11:00The Wish ListThe other day, there was an email in the work inbox on the Christmas period. Stand downs, taking leave, leave entitlements... Christmas might still be a bit more than two months away, but time does seem to fly away these days. And you know, Christmas=presents...<br />
Yes I've been guilty of regifting. Many times. In fact, all the time. It's the "waste not, want not" thing. I hate doing it. Yes, I'm very picky. And being so picky I know how hard it is to find the perfect gift for someone else too. Come birthdays, engagements, weddings, Christmas, housewarmings... I never know what to buy, and at times like that I can't help but want to see that person's wish list. I know I have, in my head, wish lists for various things, like fashion items, watches, jewelry, things to do, things to see... Recently, there has been a mini-explosion of things I want for the kitchen. Since it is somewhat related to "the table", I might as well share it here. This is what I wish for, but hey, it could spell some gift ideas! Meanwhile, I will sit here and hope that someone will be kind enough to, perhaps, consider getting me things from this list for some special occasion. No pressure of course!<br />
<br />
<b>The Big Guns</b><br />
<br />
<u>KitchenAid Platinum Collection Stand Mixer KSM 156</u><br />
Since I've been away the baking habit has died down significantly, but this beautiful thing has been on my mind for at least a good 8 years. I've never been able to justify buying one. With a small family and friends in all parts of the world, I have been able to make do with a hand mixer and sticking to relatively simple recipes. Indeed, the most difficult baking challenge to date has been macarons, and even that somehow was managed on a hand mixer alone...<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 9/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Thermomix TM31</u><br />
Oh, who wouldn't want one? It weighs, mixes, grinds, heats, cooks, beats, emulsifies... all-round miracle worker in the kitchen! It even cleans itself!<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 9/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Espresso machine</u><br />
No, I'm not talking about one of those Breville/Sunbeam semi-auto machines you can get from any DJ or Myers... I'm talking ones that belong in cafes, hand assembled in Italy that perform much more consistently. Ones that can make the espresso AND have the steam wand going at the same time, at the very least. Then again, a good coffee needs a good barista, it will probably be a while before mine are any good...<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 7/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>The Small-But-Pricey Stuff</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<u>Hario "Woodneck" Drip Pot DPW-3 and Buono Kettle VKB-120HSV</u><br />
Yes I know the fascination with coffee in Australia revolves mainly around Italian style espresso based stuff, but drip coffee can be good too! Admittedly my fascination with drip style coffee has been mostly inspired by Japanese dramas such as "Yasashii Jikan", and not to do with the actual taste... What's wrong with that? Cupcakes wouldn't have become a huge trend without SATC, right?<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 9/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Hario Bronze Water Drip Pota PTN-5BZ</u><br />
Cold drip is something I love for the taste. The apparatus looking oh-so-cool in a science-y geeky kind of way helps, too.<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 7/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Hario Syphon Technica TCA-2</u><br />
Hario again, I know. They are the "Kings of Glass" in Japan, though. And despite what people might think, coffee in Japan can be dated to as far back as the 1800s. Everyone knows, the Japanese take things seriously all the time... coffee is no exception. Besides, syphon coffee tastes great too.<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 7/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Bone China Tea Service set, with silver tea pots, tea strainers and kettle</u><br />
I love afternoon tea, way back before its boom in Australia around 2007. Having experienced some of the most raved about afternoon tea institutions in Hong Kong and Sydney then left bitterly disappointed, having a tea service at home means I will be able to take matters into my own hands. I love Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Ginori... as long as the designs are simple, classic and timeless. You'll be well rewarded for getting me this gift - think fresh scones, thick cream, homemade jams, Laduree macarons...<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 6/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Baccarat crystal decanter and wine glasses</u><br />
Elegant stemware is a beautiful thing. Crystal stemware... now we're talking. Baccarat has some of my favourite designs, particularly their coloured glass - unconventional, I know, but who can resist? Right now my eyes are set on the Harcourt Darkside Glass set: black as onyx, the geometric designs are forever edgy yet timeless.<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 6/10</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>For the tastebuds</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<u>Mariage Freres teas</u><br />
My first experience of Mariage Freres teas was at the agnes. b LPGs around Hong Kong. It was 38HKD for a tea bag, essentially, but money well spent - my eyes were opened to an entirely new world. My favourites by far are their Breakfast Earl Grey and their own Marco Polo blend. Some of the best black teas around. There's still some left in the canisters, thankfully... but at this rate they're going fast. Loose leaf 100g cans are the best.<br />
<i>Wish Rating: Currently 5/10, but once it runs out... it'll shoot right up to 9/10!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<u>Laduree macarons</u><br />
Those who know me personally will no doubt wonder why Laduree is on this list, since I've never been the biggest fan of macarons around the blogosphere. I wasn't, and probably still not, the biggest fan of macarons. There is just something different about Laduree macarons, though; the way the shell has just the right amount of thickness and crispness, the way it is chewy and melt-in-the-mouth with its filling... that level of finesse a Zumbaron (let's not go there) or a La Renaissance just doesn't quite hit. I am starting to understand the fascination now.<br />
<i>Wish Rating: 4/10</i><br />
<br />yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-64606944489891899952012-08-07T00:33:00.004+10:002012-08-07T00:33:56.035+10:00Furano Furano Furano!Most Aussies visit Hokkaido during ski season, but the northernmost island of Japan is equally lovely in summer.<br />
<br />
Right now, I'm at Furano Hotel, and just enjoyed a lovely French degustation. So good, I couldn't wait until after the trip to do the write-up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aperitif: Champagne</td></tr>
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Champagne to start, on the house. The elegant stemware and silverware were good indicators of the standard of food to follow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt5I7cyQqWFlcrCuA8EmEylPG2dBlZgLCcQOr2QkjXuxtKHdqsuP459wT9SVAv_fSPXn0ABCmwsRMR-7GiDdAkEAlJwwM9eALZ29P1CqOA81Gy8lJy8j1FP73b6c0ixexYEQcpRU10cWr/s1600/DSC_0848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglt5I7cyQqWFlcrCuA8EmEylPG2dBlZgLCcQOr2QkjXuxtKHdqsuP459wT9SVAv_fSPXn0ABCmwsRMR-7GiDdAkEAlJwwM9eALZ29P1CqOA81Gy8lJy8j1FP73b6c0ixexYEQcpRU10cWr/s320/DSC_0848.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amuse bouche: trio of potato chip sandwiches, with broccoli, pork rillette, caviar cream, on mashed Hokkaido potato</td></tr>
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<div>
Potatoes is one of the many agricultural produce that Hokkaido is famous for. Sandwiched between two potato chips, this was a great starter for the meal. The pork rillette was flavoursome, slightly smoky, and melt in the mouth. The mash had probably the most intense potato flavour I had ever tasted.</div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL5h-WlyaU7CFcJd8Y2wfNWpBqasnfkCkbjovVb8oPPdn7FV8RKUdshInowN8WpMgEI6n24NGme_B-ZAhQGpch3ckcEdS2YxgkFFb2n0k7I9kxD4HDSB3jRQtdIegptjlmv0X_77JZg0f/s1600/DSC_0849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL5h-WlyaU7CFcJd8Y2wfNWpBqasnfkCkbjovVb8oPPdn7FV8RKUdshInowN8WpMgEI6n24NGme_B-ZAhQGpch3ckcEdS2YxgkFFb2n0k7I9kxD4HDSB3jRQtdIegptjlmv0X_77JZg0f/s320/DSC_0849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terrine of vegetables, Rillette of Hidaka "Tokishirazu" salmon, salad</td></tr>
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<div>
Fresh, crunchy vegetables... really could do no wrong. The salmon rillette provided just the right flavour and seasoned the terrine well.</div>
<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVVhcZjZoyvBr_2fAh1ouhxEzjF5MaxxNuNOl6p2eNtYZP6mUiowgcGWvzhwupAjgowDR6X5LIv3vUr-3OnAwt7_BmdedxTAO7M2xr6aM2e6m309yyhX0GGDdLjmaciewjC6nlJdahTxU/s1600/DSC_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVVhcZjZoyvBr_2fAh1ouhxEzjF5MaxxNuNOl6p2eNtYZP6mUiowgcGWvzhwupAjgowDR6X5LIv3vUr-3OnAwt7_BmdedxTAO7M2xr6aM2e6m309yyhX0GGDdLjmaciewjC6nlJdahTxU/s320/DSC_0853.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Takigawa "Snow White Cherry Barei" duck and Tokachi mushroom fricadelle, Ashiya vegetables ratatouille, house-made Italian parsley oil </td></tr>
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<div>
Tender, soft, melt in the mouth, the duck was sweet and packed with umami, and just the slightest gamey taste. Along with the earthiness of mushrooms, the acidity of the ratatouille balanced the entire dish perfectly.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashiya zucchini potage</td></tr>
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<div>
Refreshing, creamy, with a hint of curry spices, this was a lovely soup to have in the warmth of the Hokkaido summer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shakotan "Hirame" Fluke fillet with vegetables, Akkeshi "Asari" clams and Hidaka Konbu Bouillon</td></tr>
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Tender and moist, the fillet of Fluke was again, cooked to perfection. The Hidaka Konbu lent a pleasant slight smokiness to the bouillon. However, the vegetables were slightly tough to chew, and the zucchini on the wrong side of crunchy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main: Fillet of choice beef with Furano "Tsubaigerutorebe" red wine sauce</td></tr>
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So soft and tender was the beef fillet, it could probably be cut with a butter knife. Cooked to medium rare, it was the right level of juiciness, with the right amount of smokiness from the grill. The red wine sauce was absolutely spot on, with the right amount of seasoning and acidity. So, so perfect.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert: Yamabe Yamazaki Melon Farm "King Melty" Melon soup, Coconut blancmange</td></tr>
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Slightly sweet, cool and refreshing, the coconut blancmange was creamy and smooth, and went down like velvet. Despite the craze for Hokkaido melons, personally I don't think they're that great. The fragrance of Chinese Xinjiang melons far surpass that of Hokkaido melons, and sweeter too. Still, a very nice dessert.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRM-B2Pfe7GsWI7txD5mPPeklLtNjPMeFTzkgXcj4-yVS2KHQxAO8BQAbPmfwVRWqqJrh_4zitnmoa_T2g5AXKjjw406jC9YfM_ccBNtGECyZrAB42bLatD-PySSNmhpdqnO6CiKF8bvHv/s1600/DSC_0867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRM-B2Pfe7GsWI7txD5mPPeklLtNjPMeFTzkgXcj4-yVS2KHQxAO8BQAbPmfwVRWqqJrh_4zitnmoa_T2g5AXKjjw406jC9YfM_ccBNtGECyZrAB42bLatD-PySSNmhpdqnO6CiKF8bvHv/s320/DSC_0867.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petit fours: hazelnut panna cotta, chocolate fondant, strawberry fruit pate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Honestly, I thought the hazelnut panna cotta was far better than the melon and coconut dessert. Nutty and creamy, it went down a treat and everyone at the table relished every last bit.<br />
<br />
After dinner, it was drinks at the bar. For some accommodation packages, a large portion of the bar menu is free. As in, have as many as you want, at no extra cost.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9lMvZCey3Jv7cMdvW0-1pX_2bCrd2RB9xTW9xism4EvoTngfyX3lVOEBZeLYDaE-rDsa7tLIfeXd4WZRG1gLFd3VXz3wVAaIkTXwzV3jRk35GcNurzy-UTUocI1LPTjX-fBEuC-jsWcO/s1600/DSC_0882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9lMvZCey3Jv7cMdvW0-1pX_2bCrd2RB9xTW9xism4EvoTngfyX3lVOEBZeLYDaE-rDsa7tLIfeXd4WZRG1gLFd3VXz3wVAaIkTXwzV3jRk35GcNurzy-UTUocI1LPTjX-fBEuC-jsWcO/s320/DSC_0882.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daiquiri</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj173NfXYbAsHLEXE5wYPpiLyqa7APpI4Ne8w05CJ__2A3DuFPVxhSEBYcJmQd4aFT_fLj0UB_Qu0rh53D7FD7NgFQFgYye67HPvxUvRMk4c197npXs8UJDs_BVz4n9U6Q-G9XR98p1JRW8/s1600/DSC_0886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj173NfXYbAsHLEXE5wYPpiLyqa7APpI4Ne8w05CJ__2A3DuFPVxhSEBYcJmQd4aFT_fLj0UB_Qu0rh53D7FD7NgFQFgYye67HPvxUvRMk4c197npXs8UJDs_BVz4n9U6Q-G9XR98p1JRW8/s320/DSC_0886.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furano Hotel original: Lavender Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11rKXEc6IhnrZ0jVlcNKh2HiliCr4uKNPfwJninmU6mi_KV30DXn-aUBT8SA3qp8nSqjDYKL_WyhY-N1TbCzG9A5AQrzDtMxefjf7im-r_31H-jUJTv9e9tF-mRKwIsfi6A0RB3vZkw8d/s1600/DSC_0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11rKXEc6IhnrZ0jVlcNKh2HiliCr4uKNPfwJninmU6mi_KV30DXn-aUBT8SA3qp8nSqjDYKL_WyhY-N1TbCzG9A5AQrzDtMxefjf7im-r_31H-jUJTv9e9tF-mRKwIsfi6A0RB3vZkw8d/s320/DSC_0887.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Furano Hotel original: Asayake no Kumo (Clouds of sunrise)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When we got back to our rooms, a mystery box was set at the mini bar...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FUpZLyTmduY1i5d4XKrBRh4aW6YnluuQLJlTMtLv0u-MyHgNtgyMeYljZtpllL5F2VN7fhaeZpnn-cqQiFkFh1WpXCtbCx3vj84qIepzkrlS4oCGA0Try3uvHrdrCwHHM4VyqZxzr_hG/s1600/DSC_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FUpZLyTmduY1i5d4XKrBRh4aW6YnluuQLJlTMtLv0u-MyHgNtgyMeYljZtpllL5F2VN7fhaeZpnn-cqQiFkFh1WpXCtbCx3vj84qIepzkrlS4oCGA0Try3uvHrdrCwHHM4VyqZxzr_hG/s320/DSC_0890.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F4zEWUDD2fOkoraifXMIh4XCTJO00jF5s-1Dg1ZkfGWex6Fr_kzLI0Yt0R6OCuqZGIUkPeIwwml_Fe_VK47tzqTmv6GS7IW1AXjr-b3aZluL-GCZzGP5sk3JKKOJ9QpaYZHKrI_LaCU-/s1600/DSC_0895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F4zEWUDD2fOkoraifXMIh4XCTJO00jF5s-1Dg1ZkfGWex6Fr_kzLI0Yt0R6OCuqZGIUkPeIwwml_Fe_VK47tzqTmv6GS7IW1AXjr-b3aZluL-GCZzGP5sk3JKKOJ9QpaYZHKrI_LaCU-/s320/DSC_0895.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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That's right, a supper of crab sushi with Japanese pickles. Don't know how I fitted this in after such a big dinner and drinks!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFRih1m7ShlVVaPe427Uk-qBy16kSbe8MTjt3LG_I6N8VSXat-hFWQv9qeJzq7posp0gEF13xGn9ku-CXRLyorNPcdbW5ZHivgZljgPbmXaXktxvF2fW-ICEpqrRWSLBahPdu7lWIgSGv/s1600/DSC_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFRih1m7ShlVVaPe427Uk-qBy16kSbe8MTjt3LG_I6N8VSXat-hFWQv9qeJzq7posp0gEF13xGn9ku-CXRLyorNPcdbW5ZHivgZljgPbmXaXktxvF2fW-ICEpqrRWSLBahPdu7lWIgSGv/s320/DSC_0870.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg065wBytPb6KEXeaHublGoLcQk7KIzaXGJ2W7-Auvb8A8St5xaDlwQvIeji54ud8bRBucJv7f4RPICNcCdMAGkUWQom4SsMfInpl2PqXaiWuJMnRl9YaO85wb8HWsJRRLA7O81oOe_eNSZ/s1600/DSC_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg065wBytPb6KEXeaHublGoLcQk7KIzaXGJ2W7-Auvb8A8St5xaDlwQvIeji54ud8bRBucJv7f4RPICNcCdMAGkUWQom4SsMfInpl2PqXaiWuJMnRl9YaO85wb8HWsJRRLA7O81oOe_eNSZ/s320/DSC_0876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Furano Hotel<br />
http://www.jyozankei-daiichi.co.jp/furano/top.html<br />
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Reservations can be made on Jalan net.</div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-428246125202803902012-07-23T20:11:00.002+10:002012-07-23T20:11:33.715+10:00Majors Lane"We're running out of wine."<br />
<br />
That's all it took to start organising a half-impromptu Hunter Valley weekend. Low supplies of the bottled stuff at home.<br />
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And why not make it an overnight trip so we can fit more tastings in? Won't say no to that.<br />
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The only problem: where to eat dinner? Having had a mediocre experience at Redsalt, we weren't inclined to dine there again. Twitter friends replied with suggestions, but the masters of purse turned each and every proposal down, on the grounds of expense and disinclination to sit for three or more hours eating eight courses. One kept asking if the restaurants I proposed had steak.<br />
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Reasonably priced, a la carte, not too far from the hotel, has steak (or something along those lines). Major's Lane Restaurant fit the bill perfectly.<br />
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Forgive the fuzzy photos, it was dark and the photographer in question had a full afternoon of wine tasting beforehand.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZFAbfd191mfTlD2YS_n7z0f64iKWD_-CVHca0brE2mxE2NEwP8Mn9xn8eZK_pG1TVDnGIu0wZKxC1bLidz_MHs5zANIa4iEBa2fI1jsEATRSPL0roYmEwQgK16cFHHQdKwaWWBQU8aPQ/s1600/DSC_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZFAbfd191mfTlD2YS_n7z0f64iKWD_-CVHca0brE2mxE2NEwP8Mn9xn8eZK_pG1TVDnGIu0wZKxC1bLidz_MHs5zANIa4iEBa2fI1jsEATRSPL0roYmEwQgK16cFHHQdKwaWWBQU8aPQ/s320/DSC_0457.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bread and butter</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTf_kXlr5eg2Y_71xDk9yP1OKLzwtwhcYvG24CwVbY30DPVLHyC97wOEmO4x4t7vb6LCuM3tbqP9bCqJhbLI5s4phauj2U2WSE0tER27qGPQxMJcZupMQH-uzkVc42OCivmTuIXPhxlzv/s1600/DSC_0459.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTf_kXlr5eg2Y_71xDk9yP1OKLzwtwhcYvG24CwVbY30DPVLHyC97wOEmO4x4t7vb6LCuM3tbqP9bCqJhbLI5s4phauj2U2WSE0tER27qGPQxMJcZupMQH-uzkVc42OCivmTuIXPhxlzv/s320/DSC_0459.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass fed fillet of beef wrapped in Lovedale Smokehouse bacon, bubble and squeak parcel, sauteed mushrooms and Majors Lane Shiraz jus, $36</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO1lVTPlWJljQYrJjh2y0exAokUF9ERe6vD4OX0pXF0_jlj8oqrjoskzgAvMb5bcgYnkoPuWNFrtzkzRfRjWOexNda6LnhXtWiZkQNpJ1dIOTNyII1nAj-GrJQ1biDR6dJXwYrJHfaAr_/s1600/DSC_0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO1lVTPlWJljQYrJjh2y0exAokUF9ERe6vD4OX0pXF0_jlj8oqrjoskzgAvMb5bcgYnkoPuWNFrtzkzRfRjWOexNda6LnhXtWiZkQNpJ1dIOTNyII1nAj-GrJQ1biDR6dJXwYrJHfaAr_/s320/DSC_0466.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brussels sprouts with Lovedale Smokehouse bacon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OF1ykCPHBYSKFIHPhJq9hoi5kLSy_0J31V8AxgoBaf-NdjhG5MIUzpYaBSmo9_nU9M6bL_4a27m-Q3sQRh2sUNrNDJSDYl15rmNv-fI1E7GNFofSRgR5WJ8uATYDtKUJYdTjXTtSa1Fc/s1600/DSC_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0OF1ykCPHBYSKFIHPhJq9hoi5kLSy_0J31V8AxgoBaf-NdjhG5MIUzpYaBSmo9_nU9M6bL_4a27m-Q3sQRh2sUNrNDJSDYl15rmNv-fI1E7GNFofSRgR5WJ8uATYDtKUJYdTjXTtSa1Fc/s320/DSC_0468.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slow braised lamb shanks, warm quinoa salad with hand dried pepitas and tomatoes, $34</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMCXPoprqZjgSlmOZ2tSHYyfKaaZ0_Y3LHOsosiaP2dUOYgGJC0nehG3tIjOY7_IJqOjv4ywscVv3rmZvIyNXY-nZU708YzAe4IBY6yampCZcf_k1HtNB9y543bclarNrauy1dTCgJSYr/s1600/DSC_0470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMCXPoprqZjgSlmOZ2tSHYyfKaaZ0_Y3LHOsosiaP2dUOYgGJC0nehG3tIjOY7_IJqOjv4ywscVv3rmZvIyNXY-nZU708YzAe4IBY6yampCZcf_k1HtNB9y543bclarNrauy1dTCgJSYr/s320/DSC_0470.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Confit of Hunter Valley duck leg, cassoulet of cannellini beans, tomato and chorizo with an orange and tamarind jus, snow pea shoots, $34</td></tr>
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The confit of duck leg was fall off the bone tender, the tanginess of the jus cutting through the richness of the duck nicely. Gamey, but not overly so. The slow braised lamb shanks, I was told, was delicious too. But the star of the evening had to be the fillet of beef, cooked to absolute perfection. The bacon perfected the dish with just the right amount of saltiness and smokiness.<br />
Portions were very, very generous. Our original plan of mains and dessert had to be scrapped as our bellies took in the mains.<br />
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The next day, we found ourselves back at Majors Lane. By day, the restaurant becomes the Lovedale Smokehouse Cafe, where you can create your own antipasti share plate for the table.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARd1-5YcICMjHJI6-MqbzOj7BLbuUeZesOAYFZAzURALSMOEUONxvPJTiniePJqrMbtj_IRC2f8xyEXbvewURyqGmcjeS_dJQN3lFs92IUp-M7s19HtrlCmrOrMsvm8s1LB2UiIyfW_7D/s1600/DSC_0479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhARd1-5YcICMjHJI6-MqbzOj7BLbuUeZesOAYFZAzURALSMOEUONxvPJTiniePJqrMbtj_IRC2f8xyEXbvewURyqGmcjeS_dJQN3lFs92IUp-M7s19HtrlCmrOrMsvm8s1LB2UiIyfW_7D/s320/DSC_0479.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garlic bread</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8UbdzW1-j3vX7m2kst82oThRsvnz0uZpNjeTJ5vWDZSs5AOWloBsmH6RUPIVK2oGDmOgcDp1ebFk6lgMv_GJzqMYjwwumaDu8IPUh7EMNaD1AzBxgLQKohx985aDvvIiYCVuZA5oA5y5/s1600/DSC_0476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8UbdzW1-j3vX7m2kst82oThRsvnz0uZpNjeTJ5vWDZSs5AOWloBsmH6RUPIVK2oGDmOgcDp1ebFk6lgMv_GJzqMYjwwumaDu8IPUh7EMNaD1AzBxgLQKohx985aDvvIiYCVuZA5oA5y5/s320/DSC_0476.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The antipasti lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaAXLj81OjvhxqLvjHcHP9RaeS_KwtaTDU-iua_1n-dktFQisu7TQ0tjz2hMLUE1VgBHsJ_oPXYifhFtYViyS4yQDjyZEBbIzgz_IA2jvfuF9CDOX3X2_B6IMwxB3TzAbwABqdq1DuqIx/s1600/DSC_0478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAaAXLj81OjvhxqLvjHcHP9RaeS_KwtaTDU-iua_1n-dktFQisu7TQ0tjz2hMLUE1VgBHsJ_oPXYifhFtYViyS4yQDjyZEBbIzgz_IA2jvfuF9CDOX3X2_B6IMwxB3TzAbwABqdq1DuqIx/s320/DSC_0478.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwise from bottom left: prosciutto, pork chipolatas, beef and chorizo sausage</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpLm0iAzxoszumkRvqtFTtBbjh4dwAdEy23S1jBMS87-C_70nSeFijFhj01ouLVpnZprogOSqKVnLN_NX-pbnWerMvsa_6N7C4wXrFUyQmp__bdjH5rP_aw4GlBn-EaJcPodcoWEBD_Jp/s1600/DSC_0477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpLm0iAzxoszumkRvqtFTtBbjh4dwAdEy23S1jBMS87-C_70nSeFijFhj01ouLVpnZprogOSqKVnLN_NX-pbnWerMvsa_6N7C4wXrFUyQmp__bdjH5rP_aw4GlBn-EaJcPodcoWEBD_Jp/s320/DSC_0477.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwise from top left: beef and pork chorizo sausage, chicken terrine, beef and jalapeno chipolatas, smoked duck breast, pork and cheese kransky, chicken macadamia sausage, Swiss-German style air dried wagyu</td></tr>
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Everything was lovely. The standouts, though, had to be the chicken sausage, pork and cheese kransky, and the smoked duck breast. Everything was helped with a bite of the freshly baked ciabatta rolls and crusty garlic bread.<br />
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For six, the table of food came to $129 in total. Not bad, for the quality that was presented.<br />
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And yes, we did replenish the cellar, with a good dozen Hunter wines.<br />
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Majors Lane Restaurant/Lovedale Smokehouse Cafe<br />
<a href="http://www.majorslane.com/">www.majorslane.com</a><br />
<br />yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-51198269826434472722012-07-19T20:24:00.002+10:002012-07-19T20:27:42.673+10:00Quay29th in the world, best in Australia. Three hats and three stars. Peter Gilmore.<br />
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It could only be one place: Quay.<br />
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The rest of this post is probably going to be a bit of a jumble of words, because dining at Quay has been a something of a dream. Something to be reserved for a special occasion.<br />
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In short: it did not fail to impress.<br />
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My memory has been looping the flavours and textures of every single bite of my 4-course lunch, and it will probably remain that way until my next meal at Quay. And honestly, words are starting to fail me at this point as I was that impressed by the whole experience. Everything was immaculate. Amazing.<br />
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<i>Perfect.</i><br />
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Friends of friends had been trying to make a reservation for a while, but to no avail. So when I made the reservation request for lunch, I had every expectation that the reply would be that they were fully booked. The first surprise was the reply I received on the same day, saying that they could book us in for lunch the next week. I, er, dropped my iPad as a result. That night, my lunch date and I had clothes and shoes and bags all picked out.<br />
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Excited would be an understatement.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from seat</td></tr>
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Two graduations, one new job, and one farewell: we had rolled four reasons into one to justify splurging at Quay. Not that anyone needs a reason to visit Quay other than for one of the best dining experiences available in the country, of course. We relaxed into our seats and took our time looking through the menus.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amuse bouche: sashimi of native marron, pomelo, roasted almond slivers, bergamot marmalade</td></tr>
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Being impressed by the first bite happens a lot. Being continued to be impressed by subsequent bites doesn't happen often. Languishing every bite doesn't happen often. Frozen in liquid nitrogen, the pomelo presented the most interesting texture, with its hardish exterior and somewhat chewy yet soft-ish interior, somewhat changing and almost disguising the taste of pomelo. The marron was soft, tender, slightly salty, and the bergamot enhanced each bite with its fresh, citrusy bursts.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sashimi of Corner Inlet flathead, hiramasa kingfish, salt cured oyster cream, black lipped abalone, raw sea cabbage, nasturtiums, warrigals, periwinkles.</td></tr>
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Lightest of light in terms of treatment, the flavours of each ingredient shone through. The contrast between the soft kingfish, slightly elastic flathead and chewy abalone was rounded off perfectly by the oyster cream. The vegetables enhanced the freshness of the fish, with the sea cabbage highlighting the natural saltiness of the ocean. The portion was more generous than it seemed, which was a big plus.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jasmine and cassia scented poached chicken, shaved hand dived scallops, ginger curd, white eggplant cream, smoked eel pearl</td></tr>
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The taste was as clean as the presentation. Delicate, immaculate, beautiful, nothing was left on my lunch date's plate.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NSF71Wvx7Uiaz1dIniXS4Vdza-n30QSmTmXiqGQog_ZznCBTV3rhRAnXqKhIZWbxjs8I3XY_w4WK-oDlijbQAJsmqfDPkTttjPWmcJCoGoDqP9yOe7DB70OTwlhzISTE8BlJIaKbpN5Z/s1600/DSC_0369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NSF71Wvx7Uiaz1dIniXS4Vdza-n30QSmTmXiqGQog_ZznCBTV3rhRAnXqKhIZWbxjs8I3XY_w4WK-oDlijbQAJsmqfDPkTttjPWmcJCoGoDqP9yOe7DB70OTwlhzISTE8BlJIaKbpN5Z/s400/DSC_0369.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted quail breast, steamed truffle brioche, confit egg yolk, new season white walnuts, fumet of Vin Jaune</td></tr>
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Finally, a generous enough serve of truffle to satisfy my curiosity. Earthy, mushroomy and pungent, the truffle brought out the gamey umami-ness of the quail. The texture of the brioche was somewhere between bread and cake, it was very moist, very truffle-y and very, very soft.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smoked and confit pig's cheek, shaved scallops, Jerusalem artichoke leaves, juniper, bay</td></tr>
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So good it was, lunch date was rendered speechless - and that doesn't happen very often. The crispy Jerusalem artichoke leaves were paper thin and not at all greasy. Despite having next to no sauce there was enough moisture in the tender scallops and pig's cheek to carry through the flavour.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkXmp3Uhh8NCsNkLCAqjrm-jYtoq2usaETTW-njVjYKY-_Lw8ifv8MrBpjCssE7ONcoCgY5WuVN8CEC32GjkVxYUePJ2YbEbu8rwj9dzhJD-wfpJ2GYkAadwi0xjrsP8oriAbXRZ7LdcL/s1600/DSC_0372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkXmp3Uhh8NCsNkLCAqjrm-jYtoq2usaETTW-njVjYKY-_Lw8ifv8MrBpjCssE7ONcoCgY5WuVN8CEC32GjkVxYUePJ2YbEbu8rwj9dzhJD-wfpJ2GYkAadwi0xjrsP8oriAbXRZ7LdcL/s400/DSC_0372.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted pink snapper, ginger scented milk curd, kabu turnips, young leeks, shaved abalone, fennel, radish, oyster and seaweed consomee</td></tr>
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The lingering slight smokiness of the oyster and seaweed consomee permeated the dish with its umami taste. Perfectly balanced, perfectly seasoned, the only complaint was that the snapper was slightly overcooked and just a touch dry.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poached wagyu beef, oxtail, morel, black chocolate pudding, farro, buckwheat, hazelnut, ezekiel</td></tr>
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In one word: it was impressive. Rich, tender, juicy, the beef was perfectly cooked. The crust and pudding formed an interesting textural contrast, and it worked. Every bite was relished with delight, though it did get slightly salty towards the end.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eight-textured chocolate cake<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></td></tr>
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Dessert was simply amazing. It was beyond our every expectation. The visual theatrics of the eight-textured chocolate cake, with the hot chocolate ganache melting the centre of the cake was surpassed by the delight of every bite. The crisp chocolate disc, the creamy mousses... every component was a delight in itself, and formed a harmony of chocolate eaten together. No other chocolate cake will ever come close.</div>
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Yet another visual delight, and an absolute masterpiece. Cracking the snow-dusted toffee exterior, there was first a white layer of meringue before reaching the guava yolk custard centre. The contrast between the softness of meringue, cold refreshment of the guava granita was offset by the bottommost layer of cream. Nothing short of perfection.<br />
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The final surprise: petit fours. One of the waitstaff had found out that we were celebrating not one, but three special occasions, and brought this lovely plate out to congratulate us. One was a cocoa dusted, dark chocolate truffle covered in chocolate covered puffed rice, and the other was a caramel truffle with a roast hazelnut centre. These were the most delightful truffles I had tasted all year. So immaculate and beautiful the writing was, we had to be prompted by the waitstaff to smear it with our fingers.</div>
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Quay is truly worthy of all its accolades. I have never encountered lovelier staff, better service, amazing food and greater attention to detail. It is a dining experience that will remain as one of my fondest food memories, I am sure.</div>
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<i>Perfect.</i></div>
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Quay Restaurant</div>
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<a href="http://www.quay.com.au/">www.quay.com.au</a></div>
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<br /></div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-12061635916653486262012-07-19T18:42:00.000+10:002012-07-19T18:42:11.281+10:00The GroundsAlexandria. Not somewhere I venture into very often. The last time I stopped there would have been over ten years ago, to look at real estate.<div>
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A lot can happen in ten years.</div>
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It has transformed into a vibrant, fresh neighbourhood with convenient access to the nearby business precinct. But lacking in parking, as we found out dropping by to try out the Grounds of Alexandria.</div>
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I've heard much about how crowded this place can be, particularly weekends. We arrived just before the end of breakfast, and luckily were seated immediately. Being a lovely sunny day we were happy to be outside, beneath the warmth of the sun. With five minutes to go, we managed to order before the end of breakfast service.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXZGqPSVPxsmQ41VqyG6Yea2zNHJkQJMQ9QDc7Uj1CrrbJtQJh5FNd1DbrY60oxiTv3L26NoSPKFQxZRhVDi8BZYXqaoxEgq6wNKe7V40OxEt6NESiVinRAksD_TUuLZFr1V4RHTrhijA/s1600/DSC_0804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXZGqPSVPxsmQ41VqyG6Yea2zNHJkQJMQ9QDc7Uj1CrrbJtQJh5FNd1DbrY60oxiTv3L26NoSPKFQxZRhVDi8BZYXqaoxEgq6wNKe7V40OxEt6NESiVinRAksD_TUuLZFr1V4RHTrhijA/s400/DSC_0804.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the refurbished former Four'n Twenty pie factory, the Grounds is a cafe/restaurant, with a garden, veggie patch, chicken house and, according to the signpost, a dog house too. Unfortunately for us the garden was closed for maintenance that day. </div>
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Drinks came first. The hot chocolate came on a board, with spiced chocolate ganache and a small bottle of steamed milk. Fun to pour, not so fun to drink - it had a pretty heavy cinnamon kick, and I'm not the biggest cinnamon lover.</div>
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Coffee took a while. Smelled great, and went down silky smooth, but didn't have enough of a coffee kick for me. I've had worse, but I've also had better.<br />
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The house-cured ocean trout with fennel and herb salad and scrambled eggs on sourdough was more generous than expected. The eggs were lovely and rich, contrasted nicely by the freshness and tanginess fennel and herb salad. The trout was silky, and perfectly seasoned. Even with a half portion it was substantial enough for one.</div>
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The bacon and egg roll was very, very generous with the crispy bacon. Loved the rustic look of the bread roll and its crunchy crustiness. Only complaints: bacon was too crispy. And too generous. </div>
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Service was quick and brisk. We were greeted by smiles, but that seemed to fade away as time passed. Maybe that had something to do with too much sun outside... and the growing queue of people waiting to get in for lunch. </div>
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Was it worth the trip? Perhaps, and if I'm in the area again I may consider stopping by again, considering my soft spot for refurbished industrial decor. But will I head out especially for the food or coffee? Not sure. There are plenty of other places in my own neighbourhood that can rival that standard. </div>
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The Grounds of Alexandria</div>
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<a href="http://groundsroasters.com/">http://groundsroasters.com/</a></div>
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<br /></div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-21527044110682252052012-06-16T12:01:00.001+10:002012-06-16T12:01:35.130+10:00Pick Me Up: Cheat's TiramisuFunny how life plateaus, peaks, then drops just as suddenly, rather like a roller coaster.<br />
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After some personal issues came up yesterday, I needed a pick me up. Something to take my mind off things. Rather than waiting for Monday to come (my cousin and housemate has her final assessment for her postgrad studies that day), I needed it last night.<br />
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Pick me up. Tiramisu. Nothing like a bit of cream whipping to get the mind off things.<br />
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Out came the Savoiardi fingers, the mascarpone, and pouring cream. This is definitely not an authentic Italian recipe: it's one of my own creation since some in the family had issues with eating zabaglione.<br />
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<u>Cheat's Tiramisu</u><br />
<i>Makes about 1 2L box, with extra (cook's treat)</i><br />
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250g Mascarpone<br />
500mL pouring/pure cream<br />
3 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)<br />
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200g Savioradi fingers<br />
1 large cup strong espresso (about 250mL), cooled to room temperature<br />
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1. Mix mascarpone and sugar together. Add cream in small amounts, ensuring that the mix remains smooth. Whip until soft peaks form.<br />
2. Line the box or container with savoiardi fingers. Spoon over espresso, allowing about 1-2teaspoon per biscuit. Press down slightly with the back of a spoon to break up the biscuits slightly. Don't worry if the biscuits aren't soaked through - it will draw more moisture from the cream and the top layer of sponge fingers.<br />
3. Spread one third to half of the mascarpone cream over the soaked savoiardi fingers evenly.<br />
4. Line with another layer of savoiardi fingers, and spoon over espresso again. Allow 2-3teaspoons of coffee per biscuit this time - "runoff" will flow to the bottom and soak the lower layer of biscuits.<br />
5. Spread over another layer of mascarpone cream, ensuring that the biscuit layer is evenly and completely covered. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.<br />
6. Slice or spoon and serve dusted with cocoa powder or grated chocolate.<br />
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I had cream and biscuits left over, so this ended up being the cook's treat.<br />
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<span id="goog_1419826395"></span><span id="goog_1419826396"></span>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-28700956305492582102012-06-14T15:21:00.001+10:002012-06-14T15:21:10.404+10:00Rose, Rose, I Love You - Shanghai Chronicles, Part 1The Thirties and Forties. An era of glamour, intrigue, coloured with tales of spies and conspiracies. Shanghai appeared to be ruled by the KMT Government, but was controlled by the mafia. Tight fitting qipao, tailored suits, rickshaws, and dancing at the Bailemen. The era of the Peace Hotel, concession zones, and lace doilies. The age of Eileen Chang, of the Mesdames Song, the 8 year-long war sparked by the invasion of the Japanese.<br />
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An era I have always been fascinated with.<br />
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With the Chinese economy booming, there are more restaurants than ever, with a marked increase in fine dining. Some degustations cost upwards of 2000 Chinese Yuan per person (approx 335 AUD), with promises of imperial cuisine featuring abalone, swallow's nest, shark fin, sea urchin, and fish maw, dishes requiring days of preparation. There are also themed restaurants, like one which recreates a factory canteen during the days of the Cultural Revolution, with its enamel crockery and wooden chopsticks, and food served in aluminium lunch boxes.<br />
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Fu 1088 and Fu 1039 were more up my alley: set in restored houses built in the Golden Age of Shanghai, the restaurants serve traditional Shanghai fare (上海本帮菜) in mainly private dining rooms. None of the usual rowdiness and noisiness attached to Chinese restaurants here.<br />
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Let's start with Fu 1039. The name is derived from the house being No. 1039 on Yuyuan Road. "Fu" (福) means good fortune in Chinese. Along with Fu 1088 and Fu 1015, all located on Yuyuan Road, the restaurants are discrete settings in restored upper-middle class houses in the Changning district of Shanghai, with antique furniture and fittings.<br />
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Entrees: chilled drunken chicken, smoked freshwater fish Shanghai-style, jellyfish salad, sugar lotus stuffed with sticky rice.<br />
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Mains: Crystal freshwater prawns (no photo), braised pork belly, steamed Tenualosa with Jinhua ham and Jiuniang, braised black sea urchin with prawn roe, hairy crab 3 ways, yellow croaker soup.<br />
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Dessert: Fruit platter (no photo).<br />
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All in all, it wasn't too bad. Certainly it wasn't cheap for dinner in Shanghai, at around 300CNY per person (approx 50AUD), it wasn't too expensive either.<br />
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The drunken chicken was very chilled, served with Shaoxing granita on top, the chicken having sucked up the fragrance and flavour of Chinese rice wine. The smoked freshwater fish, Shanghai-style isn't actually smoked - the fish pieces are first marinaded, then deep fried, and finally dipped in a sweet soy-based sauce, served at room temperature. The version at Fu 1039 wasn't too bad, but leaned towards the dry side. Jellyfish salad, was refreshing and crunchy, a kind of crunch that does need some getting used to. Sugar lotus with sticky rice, though, is my personal favourite; and yes, as sweet as it is, the dish isn't actually a dessert, but a starter. The contrast between the slight bite of lotus root and the soft glutinous rice coated in osmanthus sugar syrup was lovely.<br />
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A few special mentions: the crystal freshwater prawns (I was too engrossed with eating and forgot to take a photo) were fantastic. The right balance between crunch, subtle umami and tenderness, that can only be achieved with wild caught freshwater prawns. I have lost count of the number of times I have tasted prawns from the sea passed of as its freshwater cousins.<br />
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Pork belly was unctuous. The Tenualosa bony but full of flavour, albeit slightly overcooked and a tad dry. The hairy crab 3 ways came in the form of stir-fried crab meat, fried sesame ball with crab roe and meat filling, and baked crab shell. All delicious, but a bit rich towards the end of a meal.<br />
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The yellow croaker fish was a let down. What was supposed to be a milky white soup with specks of dark green from the Ningbo-style salted preserved vegetables came to our table as a slightly murky green milky soup. One taste was enough to conclude that the fish had not been properly slaughtered - the fish gall had been pierced and contaminated the meat. Needless to say we informed the waitress, who immediately turned and walked out of the room without saying a word. We called her back, and requested, more firmly, that we wanted to speak with the manager. That took a good ten minutes. The manager then insisted that the soup was fine, and the peculiar bitterness must come from the "special" style of the salted vegetables and not an issue with the soup - something my grandmother, born and raised in Ningbo, simply did not buy. The manager initially resisted our invitation to taste the soup, but later gave in, tasted it, and took it back to the kitchen. While she may have not charged us for the soup, it did leave somewhat of a bitter taste in our mouths, literally and otherwise. While it may sound bad enough on paper, I must admit that service has improved overall in China: ten years ago, a comment like that would have been the fuse for a fight.<br />
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A beautiful setting, with distinctly Chinese service. Still worth a try.<br />
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Fu 1039 福1039<br />
1039 Yuyuan Road, Changning District, Shanghai<br />
+86 21 52371878<br />
Bookings required. Minimum spend per person may be applicable.<br />
Expect some Chinglish on the menu.yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-67050641745036584302012-06-13T19:31:00.003+10:002012-06-13T19:31:39.495+10:00Osaka, and Looking for RamenIt's no secret there's a noodle fanatic in my family. He loves noodles, from the wanton egg noodle soups of Hong Kong to the hand-stretched noodles in yellow croaker soup. In fact, I convinced him to visit Japan by promising authentic Japanese ramen, then ended up eating more ramen than I ever bargained for. Mainly because the Ramen-lover also held the pursestrings.<br />
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We found ourselves in Osaka again, 3 years after our first Kansai visit, drawn by ramen and onsen. Kyushu Ki-Ou Ramen was a place we "found" on our first visit to Osaka: the ramen so good, we ended up eating there three times in the span of two days. No surprise that this time, Ramen-lover wanted to head there almost immediately after we stepped off the plane.<br />
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After getting absolutely lost in the giant maze that is the Osaka-Umeda station underground metropolis, we finally found the right direction, then walked past the place half a dozen times and resorted to asking someone (working for a seafood nabe place, no less!) where that hole-in-the-wall ramen place was. Luckily, we were in Osaka, and people in Osaka are really, really friendly. The waitress called out to the owner, who then led us in person to that elusive Ki-Ou. I silently promised myself to visit their seafood nabe restaurant next time I'm in town.<br />
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The place is absolutely tiny, with a total of about 12 seats. But, good things do come in small packages. Ki-Ou is one of them. The menu isn't too big, with about 10 or so different ramens to choose from, and some sides (the requisite gyoza, simple donburi, so on). Beer is also available.<br />
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Four things make Ki-Ou special. They use ramen with different thicknesses for different ramen on their menu. You can also choose how soft or hard you want your noodles. The soups range from the very light shoyu type, to the rich tonkotsu, and even thicker for tsukemen (where soup and noodles are served separately). You can also ask for a less salty soup and they're happy to accommodate. If one serve of noodles ain't enough, don't finish your soup and they can serve up an extra half- or full-portion of noodles. Their toro-tama (boiled eggs) are made using free-range eggs, with a self-saucing yolk.<br />
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My favourite has got to be the Kuroniku Ippon-men. A bowl of this will set you back about 860 yen, and with one of their toro-tama, about an extra 130 yen. This is not your normal chashu - this is a slab of rib, cooked to nearly falling apart, roasted, and will just melt in your mouth. The soup is rich and hearty, packed with collagen, and very moreish. I like to taste the soup first, take a bite of the meat, a slurp of noodles, then start adding condiments like pickled garlic, chili oil, and a dash of vinegar towards the end to refresh the palate. This was why I had to go back to Osaka. Why we had to go back to Osaka.<br />
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The rest of the menu are equally good. A side of gyoza never goes wrong, with its crispy bottom and juicy innards. And a glass of icy Kirin Ichiban First-Press beer washes everything down nicely.<br />
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Ramen-lover was happy. And that's all that matters.<br />
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Kyushu Ki-Ou Ramen 九州亀王ラーメン<br />
http://www.kiou.co.jp/<br />
2-7-12 Sonezaki, Kita Ward, Osaka<br />
(Near Umeda OS Hotel)yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-28060223350878628562012-06-12T00:43:00.002+10:002012-06-12T00:43:41.376+10:00Japan 2012 - Kobe MouriyaI will be back.<br />
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It's what I say almost every time I visit a new city, but never have I lived up to that promise so soon.</div>
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Kobe was on our itinerary for the second-last day of the Japan holiday. Being all guided by the stomach, we went for the beef, and pretty much only the beef. There are many, many other merits to the city, such as its architecture, but I must apologise - our sole purpose in going to Kobe was for the beef.</div>
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And have I mentioned the beef?</div>
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Having missed out on eating Kobe beef my first visit to Kobe (long story, still can't believe it happened), I learned my lesson and did my homework this time. And by homework I mean watching way too many Japanese variety shows and DVDs in every single spare moment for the sole purpose of finding restaurants to try out. In this case, the blood, sweat and tears was worth it. (There is no way you will get an admission that all the videos I watched was actually for fangirling and not travel purposes. Oh, did I just say that out loud?)</div>
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Surprisingly (or not), our first stop in Kobe was actually the Ikuda Shrine, about 2 blocks from Sannomiya Station, because we felt it necessary to include a Shinto shrine on this trip. It was quite nice, we happened to be there as a corporation (we think...could've been yakuza for all we know!) were there for their hatsunode, the first prayer for the year. It was interesting to watch the ceremony from the side, with the theatrics of bowing, presenting leaves, and chanting...<br />
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As interesting as the ceremony and the Shrine was, we really were in Kobe for the beef... so it was off to Mouriya, literally on the doorstep of the Shrine.</div>
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Mouriya, established in 1885, serves top grade Kobe and their own selection of wagyu beef from selected bloodlines, all descended from the Tajima bloodline. Their cattle is carefully selected and bred, to minimise inbreeding, and the meat served at all three Mouriya restaurants are usually A4 or A5 grade, with the fat hybridisation (BMS) value of 6 or above. In basic terms: it's bloody good beef.</div>
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With a group of 7 and no reservation, getting there early meant we got top seats on the third floor - the best option if your party members all have strong knees. Counter seats are also the way to go - full view of the chef, the cooking, and a chance to have a little chat too. The lunch menu ranges from 4900-9800 yen, with Kobe beef and other Wagyu of all grades. They have half the menu dedicated to Kobe beef, and the other half for Tajima beef - the Tajima breed being the ancestors of the modern Kobe beef variety. The menu also explains the grading system: beef at Mouriya not only have the usual A1-5 grading, next to each there is also a BMS number. The higher the BMS value, the more evenly distributed the marbling. Mouriya serves mainly beef with a grade of A4 or above, with BMS No. 6 or above. In other words, top quality stuff.<br />
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On our first visit, we had both Tajima and Kobe varieties, just to compare. We had one Shigekanenami sirloin (茂金波, Kobe beef A5BMSNo.8-10, 9500 yen), one Yasumidoi sirloin (安美土井, Tajima beef A5BMS No. 10-12, 9800 yen), and two Kikuyasudoi fillets (菊安土井, Tajima A4 BMS No. 6-7, 6500 yen). One of the advantages of going to Mouriya in a group is that because the steaks are cut to order, if you have 2 (or more) of the same they will give you a thicker piece of meat. And you can also opt to share the different steaks in a group. For carbs, there's a choice of rice or bread rolls.<br />
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After your order is taken, for counter seats you are presented with a plate, and the chef then starts distributing the condiments: salt, pepper, wasabi, fried garlic and two types of dipping sauces - miso and a tangy yuzu shoyu. Pumpkin soup is then served. Thick, creamy, and yellow, it went down like velvet, and really warmed the body. A great start.<br />
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Soup was followed by a light salad: refreshing leaves with a wafu (Japanese-style) vinaigrette. Something I managed to not take a photo of on both visits.<br />
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Then comes the meat. Slabs of beautiful Wagyu beef, presented on wooden geta. This is the opportunity for the obligatory shot by the waiter, of you holding up your prized meat before it ends up in your belly.<br />
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<i>Top right: Kikuyasudoi double serve (Tajima, A4 BMS No. 6-7), middle: Shigekanenami (Kobe, A5 BMS No. 8-10), front: Yasumidoi (Tajima, A5 BMS No. 10-12)</i><br />
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The chef will then ask how well you want your steak done. I went with whatever he recommended, which was rare. And yes, the system is the same in Japanese as it is in English - rare, medium rare, medium, well-done. They will actually understand you if you speak English at this point.<br />
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Then the theatrics begin. The chef decides which piece of meat you have first. I believe our order was the Yasumidoi, then the Shigekanenami, then finally the Kikuyasudoi. Starting with the "best" piece of meat actually meant that by the end, your palate actually feels "cleansed" by the less fatty piece of steak. Personally, I found the Kikuyasudoi - the cheapest one - was my favourite. It was meaty, juicy, but not too oily and overpowering. The yuzu shoyu and wasabi cut through the greasiness surprisingly well.<br />
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As the meat course comes to a close, the chef will roast some vegetables (pumpkin, eggplant, capsicum) and use the offcuts to render fat, then toss bean sprouts. All of that goes really rather well with the steaming bowl of rice, and the miso dipping sauce really shines through with the vegetables...though the pickles might be more of an acquired taste.<br />
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To close, as the chef cleans up the hot plate, a steaming cup of Japanese green tea, followed by coffee or black tea. The conversation between the group then turned into something like this:<br />
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A: That was so good, but I want to try the other Kobe and Tajima cuts.<br />
B (who holds the wallet): We have enough money to come again tomorrow if you want.<br />
C: Hey that's a great idea! (To me) Ask them if they take reservations!<br />
Me: Hahahaha I'm sure they do... oh wait you're serious about coming again tomorrow?<br />
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...And yes, we did end up at Mouriya for lunch again. The next day. Before our evening flight.<br />
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What really surprised me on the second visit was the consistency of service and the level of quality. We were offered some cuts that weren't on the menu by the maitre d', an offer we gladly took up. Amazingly, the steaks were even more delicious than the first time, something none of the group had expected at all.<br />
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As I was paying the bill, the reason for this became clear. The maitre d' had arranged for the Head Chef, Mr Yamamura, to come in especially for our group. Something none of us had expected, and true sign of excellent hospitality and service. Apart from that, he had also noticed one of our group had some trouble climbing the flights of stairs on the previous day, and arranged for ground floor seating. Honestly, it was attention to detail to a point beyond expectation.<br />
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Which is why I would wholeheartedly recommend Mouriya for great Wagyu steaks, and wonderful service too.<br />
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Mouriya モーリや<br />
<a href="http://www.mouriya.co.jp/indexp.html">http://www.mouriya.co.jp/indexp.html</a><br />
Head Restaurant: Yamanote To-ri 2 Cho-me 1-17, Kobe City, Kyubei Prefecture<br />
(Outside Ikuta Jingu, near Sannomiya Station)</div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-32624379367630434312012-06-11T23:43:00.002+10:002012-06-11T23:43:23.996+10:00Things to try in Japan<br />
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Yes, yes, I've been neglecting this blog considerably. Nothing like a twitter conversation to bring me back though. This is not only for the benefit of @Lauren_Mmm, it's probably also a good record for myself because the below are things I would definitely eat again and again in Japan.</div>
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Before plunging any further into this post, I would like to point out that the following list is very, very subjective. They're merely things that I don't think a lot of people will recommend. Most certainly, it is not at all geared towards fine dining at all. In fact, it's very budget in some ways...</div>
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1. Yasuda Drink Yoghurt ヤスダドリンクヨーグルト</div>
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I know, the name is yet another example of the Japglish... Look past that, and you will find one of the smoothest, creamiest yoghurt drinks available anywhere. It is rather low in acidity compared with a lot of other yoghurts. Most department stores will stock this in their supermarket sections. Look for the distinctive navy blue packaging with a silver cow. 150mL will set you back around 160 yen.</div>
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2. Yomogi Daifuku, or Kusa Daifuku (草大福)</div>
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One of my favourite treats since childhood are daifukus, Japanese mochi with red bean paste fillings. My personal favourite are the Yomogi type, also known as Kusa Daifuku. Best eaten fresh, most department stores will also have at least 2-3 different Wagashi makers who will stock some kind of Yomogi Daifuku. Prices range from about 150-350 yen.</div>
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*Note: some daifuku are actually savoury, so be sure to ask first. "Kore wa amai desu ka?" (Is this sweet) is the easiest way.</div>
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3. Milk</div>
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After the milk scares of China in recent years, my family in Hong Kong has bought nothing but Japanese milk. Hokkaido 3.6 is a favourite, but I've come to appreciate milk from Kyushu too. Actually, I love Japanese milk so much, I've found it difficult to find substitutes in Australia - though few of the smaller organic brands are coming close now.</div>
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Meiji milk can be found everywhere, but think of it as something not that different to Dairy Farmers, Pura, and Paul's. If the label has a location, usually it's a good sign. Alternatively, if it says a number greater than 3.6 on the label, it's probably a good sign of a rich, creamy, full-bodied milk.</div>
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4. Omoide Yokocho (思いで横町), or Piss Alley, Shinjuku</div>
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It's a quirky little place, the famous Piss Alley, with overhanging pipes and more Yakitori stalls you can poke a stick at. The place is somewhat special to me, though. I had my first meal in Tokyo there. A little soba place called Kameya (かめや), manned by ojisan and ojiisan, open til the wee hours of the morning. Possibly even open 24 hours. I can't remember.</div>
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A steaming bowl of tentama soba really, really hit the spot, especially on a cold, wintry night, armed with nothing but a guidebook and basic Japanese I hadn't used in front of a real Japanese person for years. A perfectly cooked onsen tamago, with a round piece of tempura shredded vegetables, topped with finely chopped spring onions, in a bowl of steaming hot soba noodles. Just make sure you're hungry. I did have it on a full stomach once - the tempura got a bit heavy towards the end.</div>
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A bowl of tentama soba (天玉そば) will set you back around 380 yen.</div>
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4. Parfaits</div>
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I. Love. Parfaits. What is there not to love about fresh fruit, ice cream and sponge cake, all topped with whipped cream? Admittedly, not all places do the same fantastic parfait, but one can judge from the look of a store. I was lucky enough to be in town during strawberry season, which meant that strawberry parfaits were on the menu. The one in the photo below was from Takano Fruit Parlor West Shinjuku (タカノフルーツパーラー地下鉄ビル店). </div>
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<i>Above: Strawberry Parfait; Below: Strawberry Trifle, Takano West Shinjuku</i></div>
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Prices will vary and menus may change seasonally. Expect anywhere from 500-2000 yen. Takano will cost at least 1000 yen. Summer heralds peaches, musk melons and cherries.</div>
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5. Fruit</div>
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Japan has some of the best tasting fruit. Yes, I know, department store supermarkets stock them at huge markups, but the price is well worth it...most of the time. I have always visited Japan in winter, which means mandarins, persimmons and strawberries galore. For the top end stuff, head to the supermarket section of any major department store (Daimaru, Takashimaya, Isetan, Mitsukoshi, etc). Don't be afraid to head in; some department stores have 2 or more sections for fruit - one that is intended as gifts (v v v expensive! Think individually wrapped, gift boxed, then ribboned up) and another for more "everyday" consumption. Tsukiji Markets also have a great variety of fruit stalls around, outside the main seafood market.</div>
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6. Yo-shoku</div>
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Yes, I am talking about omuraisu, hayashi rice, curry rice, and so on and so forth. Feel free to blame that on my obsession with Japanese dramas, especially ones about food (I'm talking Lunch no Joou and Ryuusei no Kizuna here). There are restaurants a-plenty everywhere, particularly on the top couple of floors of department store buildings. These restaurants have usually been scouted by management, so quality usually is not an issue. You will also find an array of Chinese and Japanese food there, but don't expect it to be too budget. That said, they usually won't be too expensive either.</div>
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A safe bet is Restaurant Park, on levels 12-14 of Takashimaya Shinjuku. [Special mention: the kimono section of most department stores are absolutely stunning. Especially in places like Takashimaya Shinjuku.]</div>
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7. Soft-serve ice cream</div>
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Only natural that ice cream would come up after mentioning milk and yoghurt drinks, right? Yup. I love Nissei soft serve ice creams. They range from the ultra creamy Hokkaido to the sorbet-like fruit flavours. Look out for seasonal flavours, too. The Sofore (ソフォレ) and Hokkaido soft cream (北海道ソフトクリーム) are personal favourites. Or be like me and attempt to try every flavour available over 2 days.</div>
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I know, I haven't talked about ramen, or katsudon, or sushi... Given my past trips to Japan and being rather restricted in what I could do, there really just hasn't been that many opportunities to try every single thing. Rest assured, I intend to visit Japan again and again (and again), so expect more lists like this in the future.</div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-51079255091237059432012-04-04T10:49:00.001+10:002012-04-04T11:40:44.548+10:00Quick treatsUber quick post with recipe.<br />
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Having bought too much pumpkin for 2 a couple of days earlier, I turned the surplus pumpkin puree into pumpkin ice cream. It was good, but there's room for improvement (a tad icy due to the high water content, methinks). Then ended up with 4 surplus egg whites. There was a quick twitter convo with Gastronomous Anonymous about what to do with them (macarons were mentioned, but given my 50/50 track record I wasn't ready to tackle them again... yet); conclusion somehow came to steamed milk custard, Hong Kong style.<br />
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What the heck. Super easy, kinda quick. As long as the steaming time is right it's pretty much fail safe.<br />
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Here goes.<br />
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For 1 egg white: 2 1/2 slightly heaped teaspoons sugar (I used raw castor, but you can use white), 150ml milk.<br />
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Beat the eggs with the sugar until all the sugar has dissolved and the mix is frothy, but not stiff. Beat in the milk until combined well. Sieve to remove the froth.<br />
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Pour into desired bowl, cover (with foil, baking paper, or an upside down plate) and steam on a medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until just set - the centre should have a nice panna cotta like wobble.<br />
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Serve piping hot or chilled from the fridge. Up to you.<br />
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Obviously for a firmer custard, use less milk. For a more decadent one, add more milk or substitute part of the milk for pouring cream - make sure the cream hasn't got any gums or thickeners though. And adjust the sugar to taste.<br />
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Post done, just as my last custard is ready from the steamer. Told you it'd be quick!yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-53520287998269819542012-02-27T22:53:00.000+11:002012-02-27T22:53:15.775+11:00Clipper Lounge @ The Mandarin Oriental(Don't worry, I haven't abandoned the Japan posts. Just interrupting that broadcast for a moment).<br />
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I'm not going to fluff around with the history and tradition of afternoon tea in Hong Kong - there are enough posts on the web and in printed media about that. And most of them would have mentioned tea at the Mandarin Oriental's Clipper Lounge as a Hong Kong institution (the other being The Peninsula).<br />
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Year after year I promised myself that I will go to the MO for afternoon tea. One year I came close - then chose to grab a cake set from the MO's cake shop instead. It was foolish, yes - but I was only 17 and relatively penniless.<br />
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So, driven by the fear of missing out yet again on going to the MO for another year, I went ahead and made a booking.<br />
Then changed it.<br />
Three times.<br />
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My MO afternoon tea experience somehow ended up starting 2 weeks before actually tasting anything. It was a good start. Unfortunately it didn't last.<br />
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Service was brisk, but only attentive at times. We were shown our seats and given menus; but no water. When it did come after 2 requests, the glasses were, to put it bluntly, filthy; marred by water stains, and sticky patches of what I hope was detergent and not something else. Being a cold day they did thoughtfully provide warm water rather than cold - something which deserves a little credit.<br />
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For our table of three we were recommended the Mandarin Afternoon Tea set for two (which comes with 2 drinks - tea, coffee or hot chocolate), and order an additional drink; that an additional tea set for one could always be ordered should the set for two be insufficient. It was good advice to heed - sharing the set for two amongst three was quite enough.<br />
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<i>Tier 1: Sandwiches (L to R)</i><br />
<i>Smoked Chicken, Waldorf; smoked salmon, sour cream, chive; egg salad, chive; York ham, mustard; cucumber, cream cheese, herb.</i><br />
The sandwiches were dainty and looked promising, until one of the party picked up the smoked chicken, waldorf only to discover a long piece of hair attached to the bottom. Despite the offending sandwich being taken away and replaced, it left the rest of us slightly concerned about the hygiene of the remaining sandwiches...<br />
Taste-wise, it was as dainty and delicate as it looks. Nothing much can go wrong with quality ingredients and fresh bread.<br />
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<i>Tier 2: Warm (L to R)</i><br />
<i>Bacon, onion quiche; spinach, feta puff; sausage roll; madeline.</i><br />
Having only tasted the spinach, feta puff and the sausage roll I can only comment on half of what was on that plate. The sausage was nice, but nothing too amazing; unfortunately I found the puff pastry a bit damp and therefore not the crisp and buttery and flaky sort with which I'm accustomed. Maybe that was intentional; I don't know. The spinach and feta puff was better; pastry had more crispness, but again lackluster. Nothing wrong with the taste, but it wasn't anything that made one's eyes bright up. Actually, I'd be much happier with a Shanghai radish puff (蘿蔔絲酥餅)...<br />
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<i>Tier 3: Pastries (L to R)</i><br />
<i>Opera cake; cupcake; blueberry tart; mandarin cheesecake</i><br />
The pastries, like pretty much everything else presented on plates, were so dainty (read: small) they were pretty much impossible to divide and share. I ended up tasting the cheesecake and the cupcake. The cupcake was moist, but slightly sticky - it may have been the ultra humid weather (over 95% relative humidity) at play. Nothing too amazing though, I've produced similar tasting cupcakes from my own kitchen. The cheesecake was much better, and closer to the standard I had anticipated. Creamy, flavoursome, rich but not overly heavy, I savoured every bite. I'm told the blueberry tart was quite good too, nice tart pastry, fresh cream and fresher blueberries. The opera cake apparently was a bit heavy on the rum and branded "WTH" by the taster.<br />
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<i>Scones: classic and raisin. Served with clotted cream and MO's house rose petal jam.</i><br />
To be honest, none of the party are big fans of rose-flavoured food. We weren't asked anything about the jam when we ordered, and it was only later that we found out that a blueberry option was available. It left another blot on the experience.<br />
But the scones were good. Understatedly buttery, they were light and perfectly crumbly. Whether they're the city's best, I'm not sure. What I do know is that I will return just for the scones. And the tea.<br />
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It wasn't the perfect afternoon tea I had hoped for, but one can only have so much.<br />
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Afternoon tea service starts Monday to Saturday at 3pm (3:30pm on Sundays) and is available at the Clipper Lounge and Cafe Causette. The Mandarin Afternoon Tea set for two is $448 including 2 drinks. A 10% service charge is applicable.<br />
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The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong<br />
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong/yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-33234055012863586642012-02-22T18:15:00.000+11:002012-02-22T18:15:02.490+11:002012 New Year in Japan Part 1: KyotoI don't deny it: I love going to Japan.<br />
Really, it's hard not to like the place. Great food, awesome service, beautiful scenery, reliable transport system. Ticks all my boxes as a perfect travel destination. Needless to say, spending a week in the Kansai region with onsen chucked in it was hard to resist. Even if it meant completely altering my original plans (solo, Osaka only) and not seeing my favourite Japanese boy band in live concert action. Was it worth the sacrifice? Well...<br />
But on with the trip.<br />
Kyoto. Once the capital of Japan, home of the Gion geishas, loaded with temples. I won't go into the rich history and culture - plenty of experts out there on that. It's also one of the few places where I'm happy to do all the touristy things. Like going to Kinkakuji (aka The Golden Pavillion) as soon as we're off the train from Osaka.<br />
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We really couldn't have picked a worse (or better?) time to visit Kyoto. It was 3rd January, and Kinkakuji was packed compared with our last trip 3 years ago. Despite the crowds, it was still unbelievably orderly. Typical Japan.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63mtYjlwAP416P9YmEkK1vlUzajxBqbJYFTdY-h1wiuEbvc3r6UCrkjNH-J1rL1MWDJ4ZtKibMflcR-yStVnWf5LVFwuoYDpm6mWYRD1ULLOV3KDFHeJ1X6oqXEfJCu0QkQJioEzvv5-H/s1600/DSC_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63mtYjlwAP416P9YmEkK1vlUzajxBqbJYFTdY-h1wiuEbvc3r6UCrkjNH-J1rL1MWDJ4ZtKibMflcR-yStVnWf5LVFwuoYDpm6mWYRD1ULLOV3KDFHeJ1X6oqXEfJCu0QkQJioEzvv5-H/s320/DSC_0016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzM0pfsEIKTokYDJjDxpjDRcZgV_vSfqTRVTysGnQr38YBvC8tU8mDBoUNIa96UYIrhl9fmhJycTeTdn9kXqtmRMG3FDNw3OhemPoZxB5fXhqMOH-iAZUELP8EOxi7_k_EuyNu-TQEecqO/s1600/DSC_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzM0pfsEIKTokYDJjDxpjDRcZgV_vSfqTRVTysGnQr38YBvC8tU8mDBoUNIa96UYIrhl9fmhJycTeTdn9kXqtmRMG3FDNw3OhemPoZxB5fXhqMOH-iAZUELP8EOxi7_k_EuyNu-TQEecqO/s320/DSC_0018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Still managed some photos <i>sans</i> crowds.<br />
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By the time we got out of Kinkakuji it was just before lunch time, and the group was hungry. We walked into the first restaurant within sight, Itadaki, and thankfully they had room for all 7 of us. Unfortunately for the people who arrived right after us, they had to wait a good 20 minutes for a table.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvNOBSRh97HIJmxTJs3U2mjmYaF6__MVVjcHqUcefC9ivCLD9j5J_GSyT0aWrv_hSdJXMy7jT_ADsetQ8Npz5Nbn7fkCf4DJjdanS2Ra8R6luzHr8qAdK0M28MarvAanIGroll8iwaDAq/s1600/DSC_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvNOBSRh97HIJmxTJs3U2mjmYaF6__MVVjcHqUcefC9ivCLD9j5J_GSyT0aWrv_hSdJXMy7jT_ADsetQ8Npz5Nbn7fkCf4DJjdanS2Ra8R6luzHr8qAdK0M28MarvAanIGroll8iwaDAq/s320/DSC_0061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork Ginger set, 1470 yen</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTuSPEuuG03ctnQsAATkhzt4Fi2z7WJAycaejB8279-ldyq2QimJeUNMMcBrfchxYiwDfJKOtueGVci9TcvI2O0PX8gN6JePIBZpC3-MMgytq-4IPTB0pMuEeLyzo6fFfVzMX-FRUJzMN/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaTuSPEuuG03ctnQsAATkhzt4Fi2z7WJAycaejB8279-ldyq2QimJeUNMMcBrfchxYiwDfJKOtueGVci9TcvI2O0PX8gN6JePIBZpC3-MMgytq-4IPTB0pMuEeLyzo6fFfVzMX-FRUJzMN/s320/DSC_0062.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daily Special: Kobe beef steak donburi set, 1050 yen</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9We_Wc_O3Ir4hfccQZUVzvyScz4IbZ-3bGx90Ek5CvpmadbK3yAkFfGxLQM07zbMJAN22uJSrZ9LIFbYpJrnZ50zl-zoH2y-IUS9z7z4iOcJKhbifjxIuDCwoMMBfHTHcDP2RQZZSCWx/s1600/DSC_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH9We_Wc_O3Ir4hfccQZUVzvyScz4IbZ-3bGx90Ek5CvpmadbK3yAkFfGxLQM07zbMJAN22uJSrZ9LIFbYpJrnZ50zl-zoH2y-IUS9z7z4iOcJKhbifjxIuDCwoMMBfHTHcDP2RQZZSCWx/s320/DSC_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">House specialty hamburger with demiglace sauce set, 1260 yen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Previous trips were somewhat marred by the steep prices for, well, everything. 1000 yen for ramen had, in my mind, become the norm. So when I saw the prices for a teishoku set lunch at Itadaki, it came as a nice surprise. My pork ginger came as a juicy cutlet of pork pan-fried with onions and ginger sauce, almost gravy-like in consistency, balanced by mizuna on top. I'm told the beef steak donburi was just as good, and great value too. Unfortunately the hamburger turned out to be a slight disappointment, lacking sweetness and slightly overdone.<br />
<br />
Second stop: Gion. We went intending to do a bit of geisha-spotting, but the place was packed with not the slightest trace of geishas or maiko in sight. Still, great spot for a bit of traditional architecture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIFvrH5jHmnd-CQob6y2UNnqpCi-_n0xoQc2gFKdfe_hr5wz-ZWbxpg4kasknC0O2f2LhygCL7pLnRsQPa9T70HMBiM-bYSGo9t_lg9da9cFxbvJpnY3INcfU7pWQ5RdWo_wgiVwdJoJa/s1600/DSC_0085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIIFvrH5jHmnd-CQob6y2UNnqpCi-_n0xoQc2gFKdfe_hr5wz-ZWbxpg4kasknC0O2f2LhygCL7pLnRsQPa9T70HMBiM-bYSGo9t_lg9da9cFxbvJpnY3INcfU7pWQ5RdWo_wgiVwdJoJa/s320/DSC_0085.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UwGF4J9ebQS2SvLzwrpeS0HrApns5fXwsD2xxP4gfg9vsqWEDkhYP3sIi3Kf04V5FZ1pNeN6P5WA1wxmO20G7Z2Zr8wJXgDDAyiQrxEiDG0lyjPIwLelhk9g6C7mFaTwR9e-NNvaL0c7/s1600/DSC_0087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UwGF4J9ebQS2SvLzwrpeS0HrApns5fXwsD2xxP4gfg9vsqWEDkhYP3sIi3Kf04V5FZ1pNeN6P5WA1wxmO20G7Z2Zr8wJXgDDAyiQrxEiDG0lyjPIwLelhk9g6C7mFaTwR9e-NNvaL0c7/s320/DSC_0087.JPG" width="212" /></a></div>Last stop was Kiyomizutera, which turned out to be a mistake. The place was packed! We got in around 4pm, and couldn't get out until well past 5, despite taking the shortest route possible. Okay, we did make a detour and had a snack of yudofu (blanched tofu), udon and zenzai...<br />
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The yudofu (湯豆腐) was well worth it. Vegan, flavoured by konbu tsuyu, blanched in konbu dashi, it's vegan, without sacrificing taste. It lives up to all expectations of Kyoto tofu, renowned for its silky but firm texture and slight nutty flavour.<br />
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Next stop: Arima Onsen.<br />
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Itadaki<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">京都府京都市北区衣笠馬場町30−5</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-29315844979586557792012-02-17T18:14:00.000+11:002012-02-17T18:14:50.655+11:00So much for sticking to promisesClearly, when it comes to meeting my own expectations, I fail. A million times over.<br />
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Ah well, better late than never.<br />
<br />
So, holidays. After over a year of no flying (can you believe that?!) it was nice to be back at the airport again. Even nicer is getting into lounges despite having my membership downgraded just a month earlier (thanks anyway, Cathay!). Until it dawned on me that these visits to airports will become a near weekly event...<br />
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Enough complaints about airports and air travel. On with the main event.<br />
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It's funny how a solo trip can turn into a group tour almost overnight. Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe had been on my itinerary for years (mainly non-food related reasons, actually). Not complaining, because traveling with this particular group meant that my wallet would bleed a lot less than doing it solo. Not to mention, added bonus of going to Arima Onsen for a very relaxing 2 nights...<br />
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I'm still living in the memories. There are photos everywhere, and sorting them out on the Mac is proving to be more of a nightmare than first thought.<br />
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So here's a photo preview of the Kyoto post, which will be Part 1 of Series Japan, 2012.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNPdSwpd1eXek2mMbuCRmNGd-lUhuPO3mwOxYaEmcaMS_xo_LoQ3u9ryMC1xajvpHXBXn1_LxB7c7Ziy6fUWo0KOeXGXEyswVUBabUGBtjZ20jLOp9N7hvd1beCNQ_e79VQ7hCdxfMbpf/s1600/DSC_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNPdSwpd1eXek2mMbuCRmNGd-lUhuPO3mwOxYaEmcaMS_xo_LoQ3u9ryMC1xajvpHXBXn1_LxB7c7Ziy6fUWo0KOeXGXEyswVUBabUGBtjZ20jLOp9N7hvd1beCNQ_e79VQ7hCdxfMbpf/s320/DSC_0003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-51280732404037427302011-12-05T23:10:00.000+11:002011-12-05T23:10:46.266+11:00Melbourne 2011The long overdue Melbourne visit - this trip somehow managed to be delayed and rescheduled three times, and blew out to double my original budget. Ah well, first true solo trip - momentous occasion and a minor triumph.<div><br />
</div><div>The trip started with lunch at Southgate, a new shopping and entertainment complex across the river from Flinders Street Station. It felt rather like venturing into Harbourside, but newer. With touchscreen tables for information stands. Fun.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pM3UrPNnXDez9qoDW5YYQknVjvJWs4yD4rSuBBgNXZ4IHOvsg5aapYYUsRh2tgjoW8-TL9YFLv-rH_RRODOS1Ryh415UDLekT31d6Go4hCroZAmJW7X4sLmJNiq8s00j_lL9aut3M0P_/s1600/DSC_0217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pM3UrPNnXDez9qoDW5YYQknVjvJWs4yD4rSuBBgNXZ4IHOvsg5aapYYUsRh2tgjoW8-TL9YFLv-rH_RRODOS1Ryh415UDLekT31d6Go4hCroZAmJW7X4sLmJNiq8s00j_lL9aut3M0P_/s320/DSC_0217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><i>Soup of the day at Blue Train Cafe - $12.80</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>Carbs. And fat. Just the sustenance I needed for an afternoon of walking around the city. Not that it ended up being that way - decided that the free City Circle trams would be a better idea.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Day 2 started wonderfully with breakfast at Cumulus Inc. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsVoRVDbh2z5-J0dTJcjvtrRq4z_reuQaihk4C6vJ3tlyB4tAMdyimteoQfGmRj89NBJAy1a2P9CU5J0bD6YXVnOQxWurKnr-MGhgiWVYlWBpdSh9AFNqMGd0sqW-BtpkwyAXB43ppM0F/s1600/DSC_0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsVoRVDbh2z5-J0dTJcjvtrRq4z_reuQaihk4C6vJ3tlyB4tAMdyimteoQfGmRj89NBJAy1a2P9CU5J0bD6YXVnOQxWurKnr-MGhgiWVYlWBpdSh9AFNqMGd0sqW-BtpkwyAXB43ppM0F/s320/DSC_0233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><i>Menu</i></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38MgTtA-9NoGu99DlZd-JpUnAp-EwyjVYqyN_9RZl16e4FaxrpbrQT9BafALMM4VN9kFNEetHvXd48V4bghc1d1QL775bIdH3TC9mbBlSrFFnH9QDQIHxZ1dRIn0BtvPRin09BtPli20T/s1600/DSC_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38MgTtA-9NoGu99DlZd-JpUnAp-EwyjVYqyN_9RZl16e4FaxrpbrQT9BafALMM4VN9kFNEetHvXd48V4bghc1d1QL775bIdH3TC9mbBlSrFFnH9QDQIHxZ1dRIn0BtvPRin09BtPli20T/s320/DSC_0236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><i>Lyonnaise sausage, pork hock, beans and sourdough toast, with 65/65 egg</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>Best breakfast of 2011, undoubtedly. After 5 years of Canberra quality, the price was a pleasant surprise. I'm just sorry for not trying the lemon curd madelines - it felt weird to order only one, when other tables were getting at least 3. Something for next time.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Next stop: the Sensory Lab at David Jones. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwgFN1UaFgGjeBETn_43fk8nn_ISYGAyGASV-hw6hzjs7EK2HxrK0-Fj2jARqdxJD2rbN8QLWtHDQl3meRxQrfIUvdai1AQnBeUem5Umz7CGiTj07GtDFzjClK5ATYK6tTdjUKqDdifY0/s1600/DSC_0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwgFN1UaFgGjeBETn_43fk8nn_ISYGAyGASV-hw6hzjs7EK2HxrK0-Fj2jARqdxJD2rbN8QLWtHDQl3meRxQrfIUvdai1AQnBeUem5Umz7CGiTj07GtDFzjClK5ATYK6tTdjUKqDdifY0/s320/DSC_0242.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div><i>Hario siphon coffee.</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>Loved the single cubicles, didn't enjoy the coffee as much. It was good - don't get me wrong - but at $8 a pop it was a bit steep. Then again, I have been treated to the best coffee in Canberra almost every day for the past 2 years (3-cup for $5, a bargain compared to SL); and I'm much too used to their richer, less fruity blends and so the high acidity was something to get used to.</div><div><br />
</div><div>After coffee, it was time for cake. Having read about Lux Bites, a trip down to Toorak Road was in order. Any excuse for a tram ride. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPU-r4WwIEC9gTsHY92zFKtYzrE_1oxwGH51rZou8hXpcBLmZepimWcb6Kh-nruibQgOWdLjlyWxMge3Nsgn8qpDNp2SlIq71wXhcHxS5Uu0qnGG4-F_-PqzY9HsiM4tk418AKp3KwbZI6/s1600/DSC_0248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPU-r4WwIEC9gTsHY92zFKtYzrE_1oxwGH51rZou8hXpcBLmZepimWcb6Kh-nruibQgOWdLjlyWxMge3Nsgn8qpDNp2SlIq71wXhcHxS5Uu0qnGG4-F_-PqzY9HsiM4tk418AKp3KwbZI6/s320/DSC_0248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>And it didn't disappoint. Perfect salted caramel macaron atop a caramel chocolate slice. Delish. Service was warm, friendly and spot on, too. Delightful.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The best decision was to go with daily metcards. $7 for Zone 1 only (Monday - Saturday) and $3.20 for the Sunday Saver (Zones 1-2) saved so much unnecessary walking around. Also saved me from becoming drenched - it started pouring halfway through breakfast at Cumulus Inc and didn't really stop until I stepped out of Lux Bites.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Dinner was with a good friend at Shoya, a teppanyaki-ryotei-sushi restaurant opposite Hutong on Little Bourke Street. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuFOiiK0UJvdVMjyCpxasFu_cJMjfGb6DfeaEvUF6TFFV6QFhJUl6nUmo4eN5l5O4yhNj6-TrTBEzscYDFjCkVi5p4_zJO2NifJ9Tid_kaldKN9w0oodh03Q4d9vlQ-GRfJy6zcNisrQI/s1600/DSC_0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuFOiiK0UJvdVMjyCpxasFu_cJMjfGb6DfeaEvUF6TFFV6QFhJUl6nUmo4eN5l5O4yhNj6-TrTBEzscYDFjCkVi5p4_zJO2NifJ9Tid_kaldKN9w0oodh03Q4d9vlQ-GRfJy6zcNisrQI/s320/DSC_0259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnmASY3azy8KjwIzbQnsKz79iqdD5m63phGqP338GlKA6gtMgWETFcfQb8s1SkzMZzD3GKJxj0rprqWYJJyY9Y72MPxUCC9i9DQQmglqcFVFkmAkXd3WarpHPTZjTOW6Bt28rxOhanY-W/s1600/DSC_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYnmASY3azy8KjwIzbQnsKz79iqdD5m63phGqP338GlKA6gtMgWETFcfQb8s1SkzMZzD3GKJxj0rprqWYJJyY9Y72MPxUCC9i9DQQmglqcFVFkmAkXd3WarpHPTZjTOW6Bt28rxOhanY-W/s320/DSC_0274.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>It was delightful - the sashimi in ice bowls was definitely the stand out. Ultra fresh, with fantastic knife work, it comes a close second to Japan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMTME-uLgx0ha0WAfQVScyO4BzTCnh1s6_rWJt0yTytxgjtHxyZh_l2nqbuHuncEYFfIb3zlqoTvROz_90CKy3ESZVr9n-AHFr8mbmZlq2UVL2Vq0gvJbFMAU1_nTtR3HJaJxAmDPFtNG/s1600/DSC_0278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMTME-uLgx0ha0WAfQVScyO4BzTCnh1s6_rWJt0yTytxgjtHxyZh_l2nqbuHuncEYFfIb3zlqoTvROz_90CKy3ESZVr9n-AHFr8mbmZlq2UVL2Vq0gvJbFMAU1_nTtR3HJaJxAmDPFtNG/s320/DSC_0278.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Saikyo miso cod - silky, sweet, packed with umami, perfectly balanced. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eYPPinW9d-0ScWK32PelQ15LyXgGfYd24wlL2i3XyhKmnPV3FuFbUs2XVYD_5oFin1aK3CDK6mBXQTi6NjfQg4UG-RqNeKsIrH130E2MrLJ5CHAE8sJx3o2o1rtE5N8GkSgnBWGsbH2c/s1600/DSC_0277.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eYPPinW9d-0ScWK32PelQ15LyXgGfYd24wlL2i3XyhKmnPV3FuFbUs2XVYD_5oFin1aK3CDK6mBXQTi6NjfQg4UG-RqNeKsIrH130E2MrLJ5CHAE8sJx3o2o1rtE5N8GkSgnBWGsbH2c/s320/DSC_0277.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>Sake was wonderful too - it was a try before you order affair (something I will get used to!). The glasses were also beautiful - I'm told they're traditional Satsuma kiriko cut glass from Japan. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw33MxI7UWd4DW8EgvCC25wLVPXqAJ4rU7pAFFdVJptUUveswAoHxjDHQ7iLRBETSVzTNLa52SP0ZJIyc9dPdZDNP39izjzee0of-2YkWE8QWz5nCISAehA5o5A5PHQrfAuuiMXVvXr7Xl/s1600/DSC_0288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw33MxI7UWd4DW8EgvCC25wLVPXqAJ4rU7pAFFdVJptUUveswAoHxjDHQ7iLRBETSVzTNLa52SP0ZJIyc9dPdZDNP39izjzee0of-2YkWE8QWz5nCISAehA5o5A5PHQrfAuuiMXVvXr7Xl/s320/DSC_0288.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>Dessert - uni (sea urchin) cheesecake. Yes I did order it because it was "out there". It didn't look or taste of uni at all, just a pleasant egginess and creaminess which was pleasant with the slight savoury taste from the cheese.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Day 3 started at Auction Rooms. Quirky, bare brick walls, sugar in old soup tins, coffee was a joy and breakfast delightful. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQAuuYx2uKFrxCOtfmux40iaoE4hqFjQBYcHJXF71xy13bhK6Il1Y9eP22UDxbnAI2ZMQak_iWV5r7uQ5QAxXT8RHue9HQIe2US2K4z39ijCuQIR8sfryTPoco5RkpYUUj_deS2iXVBV7/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQAuuYx2uKFrxCOtfmux40iaoE4hqFjQBYcHJXF71xy13bhK6Il1Y9eP22UDxbnAI2ZMQak_iWV5r7uQ5QAxXT8RHue9HQIe2US2K4z39ijCuQIR8sfryTPoco5RkpYUUj_deS2iXVBV7/s320/DSC_0301.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwf8eZeAfVE5SK_rB7-c-yVR5pFHIta3V14ZIQsRMG_PCbUo9J9SshQHYFDH_4rqLDUe9zDpzDtE3pOAiaN2wwFwWapU5SCBZpaX-aJo_823aTCQGLnHTTCg10r54vYxT1SO08GECWtyh/s1600/DSC_0298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwf8eZeAfVE5SK_rB7-c-yVR5pFHIta3V14ZIQsRMG_PCbUo9J9SshQHYFDH_4rqLDUe9zDpzDtE3pOAiaN2wwFwWapU5SCBZpaX-aJo_823aTCQGLnHTTCg10r54vYxT1SO08GECWtyh/s320/DSC_0298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>French toast with vanilla custard and poached pears</div><div><br />
</div><div>Second stop was Queen Victoria Markets, which unfortunately didn't get as many photos because we were in a rush and well, I was lazy. Second coffee of the day from Market Lane - wonderful.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Third stop - early lunch at St Ali. Yes, J, I did make it! Thanks for the recommendation. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-npyloQoMO3nRGtZkefLe3XrsTJFXZ3kvhxGKBI1ZcS2eX7LaKL_0zwdSycULZ6yFUHM-G6lr2TTzO8ffjuqquJEkAo2_05aTj61mQWl9Riv49O-S-E1mRk22qEoCc5c5zXazSVbk73cf/s1600/DSC_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-npyloQoMO3nRGtZkefLe3XrsTJFXZ3kvhxGKBI1ZcS2eX7LaKL_0zwdSycULZ6yFUHM-G6lr2TTzO8ffjuqquJEkAo2_05aTj61mQWl9Riv49O-S-E1mRk22qEoCc5c5zXazSVbk73cf/s320/DSC_0313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRC1w8JprfMjp1n0BlC_gsmAOnMC2u0ol3F1zQP6ygtRMC8kLe4EGrFX7SJ3EvUQTTV7CdVXRQGQct2ZJv91sdzBygkYs4KJOdHSVeTZth-6PHbHW7X2toluCl2TnDiXuRP-LBUF4foB2/s1600/DSC_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRC1w8JprfMjp1n0BlC_gsmAOnMC2u0ol3F1zQP6ygtRMC8kLe4EGrFX7SJ3EvUQTTV7CdVXRQGQct2ZJv91sdzBygkYs4KJOdHSVeTZth-6PHbHW7X2toluCl2TnDiXuRP-LBUF4foB2/s320/DSC_0315.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>There was a small crowd outside the place, which didn't diminish at all while I was there. Eccentricity seemed to rule, the menu was filled with hilarious names. The salmon on quinoa salad was tangy, zingy and refreshing - really needed the greens after 2 days of fiberless meals.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks-jB2yZ_myHfNkiTD2Yj3YVlpRRV5ArhT0cY2AeD9s7DinQU3Kdv_k-VWF23e6ZI49PP3hXQe5uJptiiJEOc3x4hY5s7nimALlJ1pQ15U_S-Aik4940bnr9zdFudbSSNkigVF3AC9TwQ/s1600/DSC_0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks-jB2yZ_myHfNkiTD2Yj3YVlpRRV5ArhT0cY2AeD9s7DinQU3Kdv_k-VWF23e6ZI49PP3hXQe5uJptiiJEOc3x4hY5s7nimALlJ1pQ15U_S-Aik4940bnr9zdFudbSSNkigVF3AC9TwQ/s320/DSC_0324.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div>Breakfast on day 4 was my last meal in Melbourne. Discovering Cafe Vue was about 5 blocks away from my hotel, there was really no excuse to not go and try it out. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMrcRBl7t8gdA-FQGSkcWrCgUiUYbC9zklElzTlcUNIWL0b2GeTqlMcmbnwjRJgUqkAx2eDA5xagI1OFQ3L_MN7I5W2hmaSWquX46vWomkIA7g4fm1SoAJDHXRZUXxCYRzlnjF3674-2W/s1600/DSC_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMrcRBl7t8gdA-FQGSkcWrCgUiUYbC9zklElzTlcUNIWL0b2GeTqlMcmbnwjRJgUqkAx2eDA5xagI1OFQ3L_MN7I5W2hmaSWquX46vWomkIA7g4fm1SoAJDHXRZUXxCYRzlnjF3674-2W/s320/DSC_0327.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Croque Monsieur came piping hot, it was crunchy, with the right amount of seeded mustard, melted cheese, and the best ham I had ever tasted for a long while.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvV8wu98AVGvpZw6B9Mj2RrPYqxESyTLqzvrDwJfFV6CfIYF0hoL34h5NjvOKXuYmy3xnXX561JtzcI9rVx5W0Zpc5l-knb5YLgKAHBzbBuM0WW6i-W4h2RvmUqu1MA6L4lsB1tGXYr4c/s1600/DSC_0334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvV8wu98AVGvpZw6B9Mj2RrPYqxESyTLqzvrDwJfFV6CfIYF0hoL34h5NjvOKXuYmy3xnXX561JtzcI9rVx5W0Zpc5l-knb5YLgKAHBzbBuM0WW6i-W4h2RvmUqu1MA6L4lsB1tGXYr4c/s320/DSC_0334.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>4 days, 3 nights, definitely not enough time to try everything I wanted. Until next time, Melbourne!</div>yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-61388717030179576742011-12-05T21:36:00.000+11:002011-12-05T21:36:16.759+11:00I am back!After a year of blogging hiatus, I'm back!<br />
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It's been a long and hard year, juggling a demanding job and even more demanding year of classes. But now it's all over, just waiting for the final notice, one more trip back to pack the rest of my stuff and it will be goodbye, Canberra, and hello, holidays.<br />
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The next three months will be hectic but interesting. Hopefully it won't be too rushed or people packed. So far my solo plans have all fallen through, and now there are parties of people following my escapades. Not all unwelcome, but there are a few which are rather... annoying. (And J, if you're reading, you are definitely NOT on the annoying list!)<br />
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In any case, expect more regular posts, lots of complaints about becoming fat, and heaps of crappy photos of food that appears on my table. I have returned!yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4225337552825662611.post-85234510550727062992011-12-02T12:54:00.000+11:002011-12-02T12:54:02.035+11:00Hiatus no moreSchool's out, work's over, I really have no excuse to not blog now.<br />
Will soon be embarking on a long overdue holiday, and special foodie project with a good friend.<br />
Not to mention the Melbourne weekend... expect a post in the next week.<br />
In the meanwhile, check out my twitter: /yygall<br />
See you soon!yygallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319851396944159809noreply@blogger.com1