JENIUS

A day in the life of me (captured on film with thanks to Mitsubishi ASX)

2012-05-16T00:27:17Z

Before we go any further, particularly with the controversy of celebrity chefs being paid-to-tweet, let me just say that I'm a firm believer in transparency and honesty. In blog posts where I have received sample products or travel, you'll always see a disclosure statement at the bottom of the article where I give credit to the PR agency or representative. Or sometimes I'll use that space to disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect my credibility. E.g. If I'm blogging about a client of mine. With that said, my blog posts are never skewed just because I received something Continue reading "A day in the life of me (captured on film with thanks to Mitsubishi ASX)" »

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Fiji Friday: Tour of Nadi Municipal Market and up close & personal with Fijian Food Safari's Lance Seeto

2012-05-11T13:55:55Z

Welcome back to Fiji Friday! This week, I'm taking you with me on my day out with Fiji-based Australian chef, Lance Seeto. We'll start with a visit to Nadi Municipal Market, followed by a stop over at a local Fijian's edible garden, and we'll finish off with lunch at a roadside curry house! Pssst, if you've missed the previous Fiji Friday posts, you can find them here. Walking through Nadi Market is a very different experience to visiting any other farmers market in the world. There's an unexpected calmness about the place. There's no salespeople yelling, there's no loud haggling and]]> Continue reading "Fiji Friday: Tour of Nadi Municipal Market and up close & personal with Fijian Food Safari's Lance Seeto " »

Flying AirAsia X long haul Sydney to Kuala Lumpur, are the cheap flights worth it?

2012-05-08T13:15:11Z

With airfare as low as $99, many of you have asked me about my recent experience with flying AirAsia X from Sydney to KL. So here I will answer the big question - is AirAsia X the best way to get to Malaysia? In short, the answer is hell yes! Now, this wasn't my first time flying a budget airline long haul. I flew with Jetstar to Osaka in 2010 for around $600 return, and the leg room on this AirAsia X flight was definitely more spacious! I absolutely love budget airlines and am so grateful to be living in Continue reading "Flying AirAsia X long haul Sydney to Kuala Lumpur, are the cheap flights worth it?" »

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Caffe Sicilia, Surry Hills

2012-04-30T08:43:00Z

Date nights have taken Zen and I to all pockets of Sydney. Depending on our moods and cravings, we'll go anywhere from having a cosy night with noodles and dumplings at Ashfield, to driving all the way to Penrith for a game of aqua golf and some piping hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Of course, there are also many other times when a fancy dinner and a movie would suffice.This time, despite being just literally down the road from home, we felt like we were in Italy all over again. Cafe Sicilia is perched along Crown Street near Red Lantern, but Continue reading "Caffe Sicilia, Surry Hills" »

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Fiji Friday: Breakfast buffet at Radisson Blu Resort, Denarau Island

2012-04-27T10:48:22Z

I've mentioned before that I love breakfast buffets... So you'll be pleased to know that the one at Radisson Blu Resort, where I stayed for the duration of the South Pacific Food & Wine Festival, did not disappoint! Blu Restaurant & Bar, and the pool The festival schedule often didn't start until 10am, hence with breakfast at my own leisure, I ended up spending over a healthy hour here every morning! Not only did they have crispy bacon on the BBQ, but they had pikelets and waffles, an abundance of local fruits, a juice bar, all of your usual continental]]> Continue reading "Fiji Friday: Breakfast buffet at Radisson Blu Resort, Denarau Island" »

Yum cha at Kam Fook, Bondi Junction

2012-04-26T07:01:44Z

I can't explain how much I love yum cha. The idea of spending hours with my nearest and dearest, sipping tea and sharing lots of little dishes of dumplings and deep-fried goodies... There's no better way to spend any morning! But as a first generation Australian-born Chinese, this experience always comes with much awkwardness. For example, the ladies pushing the yum cha carts around would take one look at me and start barking all the names of the dishes at a rapid pace in Cantonese! While I have a conversational understanding of Cantonese, I can barely speak it, so I often]]> Continue reading "Yum cha at Kam Fook, Bondi Junction" »

Umi Kaiten-Zushi, Haymarket, Sydney

2012-04-22T13:17:53Z

Weekday lunch specials are a clever thing. Consistency, value and quality is the perfect equation for winning returning lunch customers. I for one, am a sucker for them. My latest find, is at Umi Kaiten-Zushi. I've been here for dinner in the past before (a few years ago); it was good but nothing extraordinary.On this random weekday lunch date with Zen, we decide to re-visit Umi Kaiten-Zushi for the sushi train. Funnily enough, we're seated next to fellow food blogger and bargain appreciator, Amy! What a coincidence! Amy is quick to inform us that they have a pretty good lunch Continue reading "Umi Kaiten-Zushi, Haymarket, Sydney" »

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Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Robert Oliver

2012-04-20T01:58:04Z

One of the most hyped dinners at the South Pacific Food & Wine Festival were the degustations by Robert Oliver. As mentioned in my April newsletter, Robert Oliver's cookbook, Me'a Kai features the cuisine of six South Pacific island nations, Tonga, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Cook Islands and was the winner of the Best Cookbook Of The Year at the 2010 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. The cookbook, and this festival, is a game-changer for the South Pacific. Not only does it celebrate their native cuisine for the first time ever to a worldwide audience, but it has also offered]]> Continue reading "Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Robert Oliver" »

Kensington Peking

2012-04-18T10:10:26Z

Every now and then, I'll get a restaurant recommendation from a reader, family, friend or even from a friend of a friend, that I simply can't resist! Kensington Peking is one of them... The promise of superb Peking Duck is enough bait to lure me to any corner of Sydney! Thankfully, Kensington Peking isn't far at all, so Zen and I make an impromptu visit on a lazy Sunday. The restaurant is quite unassuming - it's like one of those ordinary run-down suburban Chinese restaurants you'd normally just dodge. Step inside, and things are slightly better. There are English speaking Continue reading "Kensington Peking" »

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Fiji Friday: Peter Kuruvita and Flying Fish Restaurant at Sheraton

2012-04-13T11:48:12Z

Flying Fish in Fiji has always been one of those dream destinations I'd drift off fantasizing about. I'd close my eyes and would wander into the sparkling sea; I'd imagine myself eating the most luxurious seafood feast... and sometimes, I'd even secretly picture my wedding there. Coincidentally, with me recently attending the South Pacific Food and Wine Festival, it meant I was able to finally dine at Flying Fish in Fiji. Like, for real. The best part about this experience is how the reality of eating there actually surpassed my expectations. Chairs and tables are casually but meticulously arranged on Continue reading "Fiji Friday: Peter Kuruvita and Flying Fish Restaurant at Sheraton" »

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Petaling Street: Malaysian Hawker Food, Haymarket, Sydney

2012-04-08T13:53:48Z

Because I'm in Malaysia this Easter break (taking advantage of AirAsia X's cheap $99 airfares), I thought it'd be nice to share my latest fave Malaysian eat back home in Sydney...New-ish to George Street, is Petaling Street: Malaysian Hawker Food. It is the 4th of it's kind, with the other restaurants stemming from Melbourne.I've had the opportunity of dining here many times since its opening as my office is just down the road. The menu is a bit of a hit and miss but the 'hits' are bloody brilliant. So here are my recommended dishes if you feel like a Continue reading "Petaling Street: Malaysian Hawker Food, Haymarket, Sydney" »

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Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Ben O'Donoghue

2012-04-05T20:38:52Z

The glamour of Fiji's restaurant scene is located within its hotels and resorts. Because of the enormous difference between local wages and the prices that these hotels and resorts charge, it's something that most locals would never dream about experiencing. It's not in a bitter way that they do this, but they're so humble and content that it doesn't even fall into their mindset. That's all I could think about, while we were indulging in Ben O'Donoghue's creations. The opportunity to dine at a restaurant like this, with the meal being specially prepared by a chef of Ben's calibre; thats something to]]> Continue reading "Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Ben O'Donoghue" »

Product review: Philips Saeco Exprelia coffee machine

2012-04-02T05:11:18Z

How many coffees do you have a day? For me, a latte in the morning is just part of routine. A reminder of that rich aroma is what gets me to work... And sometimes, a macchiato after dinner is the only way to top off a sumptuous meal. Until recently, with the exception of the occasional Vietnamese drip coffee with condensed milk, I rarely made coffee at home. It just seemed like too much hassle, especially since the art of preparing a good coffee isn't something I've ever learned or mastered. As technology continues to wow us, and as convenience Continue reading "Product review: Philips Saeco Exprelia coffee machine" »

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Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Manu Feildel

2012-04-01T02:48:10Z

There's no escaping the Manu Feildel madness even if you're as far away as Fiji. Food lovers, women and kids everywhere have fallen for this charming chef. I was lucky enough to have him (almost) all to myself for a good thirty minutes while at the South Pacific Food & Wine Festival recently. Of course, once one person noticed it was Manu that I was talking to, a queue to take photos with him quickly formed! From our chat, I learned a few things - While I sometimes struggle to understand him on TV, it is much different in person]]> Continue reading "Fiji Friday: South Pacific Food & Wine Festival Dinner with Manu Feildel" »

Photo diary: Salamanca Market (Hobart, Tasmania) in Spring

2012-03-29T08:52:23Z

I've always been very fond of markets - flea markets where one man's trash is another man's treasure, farmers markets where one can meet the most passionate producers and growers, and of course, who doesn't love a good craft market! A market which I always make sure I visit every time I'm in Tassie, is Salamanca Market. I absolutely adore the vibrancy of the fresh produce grown by the Hmong community, and the abundance of all things Tassie-made! My haul from Salamanca Market back in October (I'm working through my blog backlog!) included jams, chutneys, honeys, native stone jewellery, Huon Continue reading "Photo diary: Salamanca Market (Hobart, Tasmania) in Spring" »

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