Katsu 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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

Hoppe Authentic Japanese Katsu Sando and Sandwiches

Basement 262 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000

www.hoppe.com.au

Orto 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.

So Orto Trading it was.

And how right the choice was!

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.

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.

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.


[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.]

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!

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!

[recipe post] Suzhou style meat mooncakes

Insert back story here.

This recipe is for my friend K. Just don't freak out when you see how much lard goes in, dear!

Ingredients

For the water dough

200g plain flour

50g strong bread flour

35g sugar

50g lard

20g honey dissolved in 125ml warm water

For the lard dough

200g plain flour

110g lard

For the filling

500g pork mince

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 teaspoon salt

3 tsp sugar

2 tbsp shaoxing wine

2 tsp sesame oil

1 egg

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.

Prepare the lard dough. Mix and knead the lard and flour together until well combined. Rest the dough, covered, for 20 minutes.

Mix and knead the filling ingredients together, until the meat feels a little bouncy.

Divide the doughs into 8 even portions. Roll into balls.

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. 

Dollop a generous portion of the filling in the centre. Fold the pastry over, and pinch slightly to seal. 

Repeat for the remainder. Makes 16 in total.

Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 25 minutes. 

Madeleines

The 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.

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.

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.

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.

Lemon Madeleines
Makes 12 large or 24 mini madeleines

40g melted butter
100g flour
75g castor sugar (up to 100g if you prefer it sweeter)
A pinch of good quality sea salt
1 egg
40ml milk
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Zest of half a lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract

Extra butter and flour to prepare the tray.

1. Melt the butter in the microwave (30 seconds is enough). Allow to cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, sift in the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest, and combine.
3. Whisk together the milk and egg, and add to the dry mix. Whisk this until just combined.
4. Add the lemon juice and vanilla paste to the batter mix and combine.
5. Gently fold in the butter until combined.
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.
7. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celcius.
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).
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.

These little darlings can be enjoyed warm or cold, with a cup of good quality tea.

Bean Sauce and Bitter Melons

My 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.

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.

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?

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.

2. Cut the dried tofu into bite sized pieces. I like to slice it diagonally to let the flavours penetrate.

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.

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.

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.

Musical evenings

This is a food blog. That said, it's my blog and I'll talk about music if I want to!


... How very dominant that sounds.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!

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...

Responding to requests: Chinese style green beans with pork mince

This will be a quick one. Yes, it's another response to twitter...

It was a recipe call for Chinese-style green beans with pork mince. Well, @MissPiggyEats, here it is...

Ingredients:

300g round green beans, chopped to 2 inch lengths

75g (roughly) pork mince

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or minced

1-2 spring onions, finely chopped

Chili, chopped (optional)

Salt, sugar, soy sauce, oil

Marinade

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1-2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon water

Method

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.

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.

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. 

Serve immediately.

HK 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.

The cheap, and cheap-ish
1. Tim Ho Wan, IFC/Hong Kong MTR Station
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.
Podium Level 1, IFC Mall, Central (above Hong Kong Station).

2. Sang Kee congee, Sheung Wan
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.
7-9 Burd Street, Sheung Wan.

3. Kau Kee beef noodles, Sheung Wan
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!
21 Gough Street, Sheung Wan.

4. Lan Fong Yuen, Central
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.
2 Gage Street, Central.

5. Gai Daan Jai (egg waffles), Fung Kee Tsim Sha Tsui
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.
Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, opposite Tai Ping Koon (I think).

The not so cheap:

1. Tai Ping Koon
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.
http://taipingkoon.com/
Check website for branch addresses.

2. agnes. b le pain grille
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.
15/F Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay. Other LPG cafes addresses available on the website: http://www.agnesb-lepaingrille.com/

3. Pak Lok Chiu Chow, Elements
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.
Shop 1028D, 1/F, Elements, Kowloon Station

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!

The Wish List

The 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...
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!

The Big Guns

KitchenAid Platinum Collection Stand Mixer KSM 156
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...
Wish Rating: 9/10

Thermomix TM31
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!
Wish Rating: 9/10

Espresso machine
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...
Wish Rating: 7/10

The Small-But-Pricey Stuff

Hario "Woodneck" Drip Pot DPW-3 and Buono Kettle VKB-120HSV
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?
Wish Rating: 9/10

Hario Bronze Water Drip Pota PTN-5BZ
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.
Wish Rating: 7/10

Hario Syphon Technica TCA-2
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.
Wish Rating: 7/10

Bone China Tea Service set, with silver tea pots, tea strainers and kettle
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...
Wish Rating: 6/10

Baccarat crystal decanter and wine glasses
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.
Wish Rating: 6/10

For the tastebuds

Mariage Freres teas
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.
Wish Rating: Currently 5/10, but once it runs out... it'll shoot right up to 9/10!

Laduree macarons
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.
Wish Rating: 4/10

Furano Furano Furano!

Most Aussies visit Hokkaido during ski season, but the northernmost island of Japan is equally lovely in summer.

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.

Aperitif: Champagne

Champagne to start, on the house. The elegant stemware and silverware were good indicators of the standard of food to follow.

Amuse bouche: trio of potato chip sandwiches, with broccoli, pork rillette,  caviar cream, on mashed Hokkaido potato

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.

Terrine of vegetables, Rillette of Hidaka "Tokishirazu" salmon, salad

Fresh, crunchy vegetables... really could do no wrong. The salmon rillette provided just the right flavour and seasoned the terrine well.

Takigawa "Snow White Cherry Barei" duck and Tokachi mushroom fricadelle, Ashiya vegetables ratatouille, house-made Italian parsley oil 

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.

Ashiya zucchini potage

Refreshing, creamy, with a hint of curry spices, this was a lovely soup to have in the warmth of the Hokkaido summer.

Shakotan "Hirame" Fluke fillet with vegetables, Akkeshi "Asari" clams and Hidaka Konbu Bouillon

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.

Main: Fillet of choice beef with Furano "Tsubaigerutorebe" red wine sauce

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.

Dessert: Yamabe Yamazaki Melon Farm "King Melty" Melon soup, Coconut blancmange

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.

Petit fours: hazelnut panna cotta, chocolate fondant, strawberry fruit pate

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.

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.

Daiquiri

Furano Hotel original: Lavender Hill

Furano Hotel original: Asayake no Kumo (Clouds of sunrise)

When we got back to our rooms, a mystery box was set at the mini bar...

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!

Furano Hotel
http://www.jyozankei-daiichi.co.jp/furano/top.html

Reservations can be made on Jalan net.

Majors Lane

"We're running out of wine."

That's all it took to start organising a half-impromptu Hunter Valley weekend. Low supplies of the bottled stuff at home.

And why not make it an overnight trip so we can fit more tastings in? Won't say no to that.

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.

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.

Forgive the fuzzy photos, it was dark and the photographer in question had a full afternoon of wine tasting beforehand.

Bread and butter

Grass fed fillet of beef wrapped in Lovedale Smokehouse bacon, bubble and squeak parcel, sauteed mushrooms and Majors Lane Shiraz jus, $36

Brussels sprouts with Lovedale Smokehouse bacon

Slow braised lamb shanks, warm quinoa salad with hand dried pepitas and tomatoes, $34

Confit of Hunter Valley duck leg, cassoulet of cannellini beans, tomato and chorizo with an orange and tamarind jus, snow pea shoots, $34

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.
Portions were very, very generous. Our original plan of mains and dessert had to be scrapped as our bellies took in the mains.

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.

Garlic bread

The antipasti lunch

Clockwise from bottom left: prosciutto, pork chipolatas, beef and chorizo sausage

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

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.

For six, the table of food came to $129 in total. Not bad, for the quality that was presented.

And yes, we did replenish the cellar, with a good dozen Hunter wines.

Majors Lane Restaurant/Lovedale Smokehouse Cafe
www.majorslane.com

Quay

29th in the world, best in Australia. Three hats and three stars. Peter Gilmore.

It could only be one place: Quay.

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.

In short: it did not fail to impress.

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.

Perfect.

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.

Excited would be an understatement.

View from seat

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.

Amuse bouche: sashimi of native marron, pomelo, roasted almond slivers, bergamot marmalade

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.

Sashimi of Corner Inlet flathead, hiramasa kingfish, salt cured oyster cream, black lipped abalone, raw sea cabbage, nasturtiums, warrigals, periwinkles.

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.

Jasmine and cassia scented poached chicken,  shaved hand dived scallops, ginger curd, white eggplant cream, smoked eel pearl

The taste was as clean as the presentation. Delicate, immaculate, beautiful, nothing was left on my lunch date's plate.

Roasted quail breast, steamed truffle brioche, confit egg yolk, new season white walnuts, fumet of Vin Jaune

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.

Smoked and confit pig's cheek, shaved scallops, Jerusalem artichoke leaves, juniper, bay

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.

Roasted pink snapper, ginger scented milk curd, kabu turnips, young leeks, shaved abalone, fennel, radish, oyster and seaweed consomee

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.

Poached wagyu beef, oxtail, morel, black chocolate pudding, farro, buckwheat, hazelnut, ezekiel

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.

Eight-textured chocolate cake 

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.

Guava snow egg

 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.

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.

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.

Perfect.

Quay Restaurant

www.quay.com.au

The Grounds

Alexandria. 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.

A lot can happen in ten years.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

 

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. 

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. 

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. 

The Grounds of Alexandria

http://groundsroasters.com/