e'cco
When in search of a great restaurant in an unknown territory, I'd often flip through the Gourmet Traveller restaurant guide. In no time, I was deciding between Restaurant Two (two out of three stars, ranked 49th in Australia and 3rd in Brisbane) and E'cco (two stars, ranked 37th in Australia and 1st in Brisbane).
The choice was easy... and E'cco did not disappoint.
Once seated, I felt an immediate warmth and ease. The staff were adorably dressed in blue and white stripped butcher aprons and buzzed in and out of the open kitchen. The restaurant's bare timber tables and clean cut glass panels were reminiscent of the former tea warehouse... glowing and lively. Soon, we were offered to choose a slice of bread from a rather huge basket. There was sourdough of all sorts... including this gorgeous olive blend, pictured below.
Zen opted for the seared prawns as an entree which were juicy and plump and were served with a fool-proof combination of potatoes and avocado. There was an unique twist with fennel, watercress and saffron.
My entree left me speechless. The grilled quail was so tender and flavoursome... the blue cheese souffle was aromatically delicate and the salad of pear, hazelnut and truffle honey was amazing. The three elements together formed one of the tastiest entrees ever! I might have even preferred double the servings as a main!
For main course, Zen had the wagyu which looked ever so hearty and delicious. I naturally selected the pork belly which was unusually sliced -although thankfully, the crackling still remained crisp on each piece. I loved the addition of pomegranate seeds which I believe is an ingredient not used often enough. It proved to be an impressive adaptation of the pub pork roast with apple sauce.
I also couldn't go without a side order of these golden crunchy chips and aioli...
Lastly... dessert. There was a generous shot of Frangelico in the affogato and I learnt that lavender was edible and a fabulous mix with white chocolate... although the pastry was thin and unlike those at Bourke Street Bakery, of which I am addicted to. But overall, I thought E'cco was great! A quality, genuine, no-bullshit type of bistro.
E'cco
100 Boundary Street (Corner of Adelaide Street) Brisbane
www.eccobistro.com
November 29, 2007
brunch at Bello's
Recently, I've noticed that Zen and I are ordering the wrong foods. He asks for the salad or iced coffee and they're always served to me. Excuse me, because I enjoy big hearty meals and may occasionally order as a man would.
On this extremely late Sunday afternoon, we decided to brunch at Bello. I've been here a couple of times before and have loved their generous servings and location. It's a fabulous excuse to impulse shop, although you might not be in the mood after paying almost $10 for a bowl of wedges with sweet chilli sauce and sour cream. So here is Zen's iced coffee with lots of ice cream (which was initially served to me). And below is my frothy hazelnut latte.
Our orders take a while to arrive... I'm suspecting it was the cafe's near full capacity... and hopefully, they were preparing our dishes, fresh. The risotto does not disappoint. It's a rich mountain of creamy flavour.
However, I was more impressed with my stack of corn and zucchini fritters.
There was a $3 surcharge for the bacon but considering there were 3 - 5 strips, browned perfectly with most of the fat trimmed, I was happy. The tomato and avocado salsa was lovely too; it had cut through the pan-fried fritters and bacon so elegantly.
Cafe Bello
Level Ground, Shop 172, Burwood Westfield (100 Burwood Rd)
Phone (02) 9745 1545
September 19, 2007
Caliniere
Here's our second team lunch, to make up for the first unsuccessful attempt... and ofcourse to welcome a new member to the team!
I've walked past Caliniere plenty of times... but have never really noticed it as one cannot help by stare at the bull's balls along World Square's Hordern Arcade. Calinere's sophistication is evident upon a glance. The light bulb installation is a modern day chandelier. And the floral wallpaper completes the glamour of such a small restaurant.
I love French and Modern Australian food. It combines the best of both worlds; fresh produce which is served in a rich but not pretentious manner.
Complimenary bread is often a prequisite in European restaurants. Here, it wasn't offered... nor was it on the menu. But when requested, a basket of lovely hot baguette was served with a dazzling mix of balsamic and olive oil.
For some odd reason, N ordered an entree only. One plump ravioli sat in a creamy light sauce. Small and delicious.
I had the scotch fillet which was cooked to a perfect medium. In contrast, the steak was a little cool but the accompaniments were piping hot. Check out my Jenga fries!
M and D both ordered the silver dory... E had the pork belly which looked and smelt scrumptious.
You've probably noticed this... I have a weakness for brulee. I've tried quite a few variations now and this aniseed flavour is on top. I'm used to aniseed being used in savoury dishes such as in the stock of Pho (Viet beef noodle soup). But I have to admit... the spice was such an exquisite twist to the classic creme brulee. I loved it!
There's a promotion running at the moment: purchase 2 main meals and get a free dessert to share! Offer ends 31st October 2007.
Caliniere Restaurant
Web: www.caliniere.com
August 21, 2007
Equilibrium
At work, the production team had our first afternoon-out last week. What was planned as a long lunch at Wildfire turned into a quick bite at Equilibrium. Ah, the things you have to sacrifice...
We had the salt & pepper squid to share. The squid was lightly dusted in spice and peppercorns... it was tender and crispy and for $12 it was even served with a side of salad and chips.
Two of my fellow colleagues had the fish & chips...
The associate producer ordered the lamb cutlets which were cooked to a golden brown. They looked so hearty and scrumptious.
And the executive producer had the steak which he finished in record time.
I had the seafood basket which was huge! Crunchy chips, a fresh crisp salad (i was addicted to the purple cabbage), the vinaigrette octopus was plump and juicy... the calamari and prawns were great... but the fish was too fishy for my liking. Even the thick batter didn't hide the odour.
Oh well, a cheap pub meal is all you need sometimes.
Equilibrium
World Square, cnr George & Goulburn Street Sydney
Web: www.equilibriumhotel.com.au
Piato Grand, Wollongong
During my recent trips down south, I've discovered that the majority of restaurants here are always at full capacity! I've isolated this discovery down to two facts:
1) Wollongong is full of visiting tourists who don't like to cook
2) Locals at Wollongong don't have anything else better to do than to dine out & drink up
So, to suceed in Wollongong (if you happen to be thinking about launching a restaurant there), you must:
1) Not open a Japanese restaurant (the local sushi train looked deserted at all times)
2) Open another Thai or Vietnamese eatery with BYO
Piato Grand sits within a shiney new apartment block and has only been operating for a couple of months. It's sister restaurant, which i've heard operates under the same name (Piato coffee & fine foods) at the mall, has been running for over 3 years. This uber contemporary restaurant has all the ingredients that make it a place you would visit time after time. The specials menu was definately popular, as the rosemary quail with baba ganoush and the seafood risotto was sold out early in the night.
I ended up ordering the herb crusted veal with fetta mash and rocket salad. The veal was so flavoursome and was piping hot beneath the crumbled surface. The rocket salad had a generous splash of balsamic and the semi-dried tomatoes were really light and sweet.
Zen ordered the crunchy squid and the both of us were surprised when it turned up tossed in a salad! Nonetheless, it was spiced with cumin and was deliciously crunchy.
The best thing about the Gong is the close proximity of everything. It's so small and cosy... we walked up a block... back home with a full tummy.
Piato Grand
47/22 Market St, Wollongong NSW 2500
Phone: 02 4225 0442
Fax: 02 4225 0446
Email: info@piatogrand.com.au
Web: www.piatogrand.com.au
August 19, 2007
Cino Caffe, Wollongong
I was down at Wollongong this weekend for a race day at Kembla Grange. So, watch this space for a few more Wollongong posts :)
Saturday morning was cold... and that's the best excuse for a big greasy breakfast. Zen and I strolled down the street to the Mall. Cino Cafe has plentiful seats outside which was already starting to fill up at just 10.30am. We decided to step inside, away from the breeze, and placed ourselves in round leather booth chairs. The tables were slighly high... but this could have been the result of my slouching posture. On my left was a glass cabinent full of delicious treats. There were portugese custard tarts, cakes of all sorts, pasteries and more. Mmmm...
I controlled my temptations and ordered a hazelnut latte. This did not disappoint. It was served in a tall glass with a piece of almond biscotti.
Zen ordered the iced coffee and again we were impressed with the generous serving size.
The breakfast menu was expansive too. Cino's have pancakes, croissants, french toast, full or half breakfasts, omelettes, sourdough and jams... you name it. I opted for the full breakfast with my eggs sunny side up. They were cooked perfectly... with the yolk still runny, I lathered it all up on the buttered toast. There was also a plentiful array of mushrooms, bacon, sausages and hash browns.
Naturally, Zen preferred his eggs scrambled... light and fluffy.
Now that I was all nourished and warm... it was time to battle the wind & bets at Kembla Grange!
Cino Caffe
161 Crown Street, Wollongong Mall
Ph: 4226 1699
May 31, 2007
Kingsley Steakhouse
There isn't a worst feeling than being cheated... and I would least expect it from a place as renouned as Kingsley Steakhouse. It started off well, as with all relationships. Kingsley appeared popular and I was intrigued. It's menu boasted lavish prices... so I set my expectations right up high.
And then starters arrived...
...followed by mains, where the serving sizes and lack of oomph broke my heart.
There's always a bitter sweet ending. The brulee looked delectable. The glazed shell looked as though it had been burnt the right way... through my mind, I fantasized about the nutty walnut flavours which would be entangled within the luscious cream... How wrong I was. The brulee was average. The caramelised sugar was borderlining soft. It had clearly been standing out alone for too long...
Kingsley Steakhouse
www.kingsletsteak.com.au
April 29, 2007
Rocket
Rocket Restaurant is one of those places you always talk about revisiting. They've got a sophisticated menu and a relaxing yet stylish interior. However, there's nothing really much beyond that. The service seems to suit chatty regulars... and to my surprise, the amazing dukkah and olive oil has now been replaced with room temperature bread and butter.
Zen and I decide to share the antipasto plate. There were fresh figs, goats cheese, prosciutto, grissini, a rich roast capsicum with sun-dried tomato, bocconcini and pesto tart, and more. It was a cold rainy day, and the entree was clearly not enough to share between two. Yet we were asked if we wanted a break before our mains were served?
Shortly after hinting that we were ready for our mains, Zen's seafood risotto, which was an impressive combination of prawns, swordfish, trout, mussels and vongole, arrived.
And I had the Wagyu. The gnocchi was in large chopped chunks but it so fluffy and warm. The wagyu was flakey, tender and hearty...
Because we failed to decide on one single dessert, we opted for the selection of desserts for two. Out came a colourful array tiny delicacies.
I really want to like Rocket. But it somehow doesn't seem as good as the first time. It would have also been nice if the petit fours weren't only rushed out after we had asked for the bill...
Rocket Restaurant
Cnr Help & Railway Streets Chatswood
Phone: (02) 9411 8233
Web: www.rocketrestaurant.com.au
March 25, 2007
Fifteen Melbourne Restaurant
Fifteen Melbourne. It's the restaurant from TV. It's Jamie Oliver’s. There’s definitely a novelty factor to dining at Fifteen –which explains the set-up of a reservation line and the long waiting list! Two months ago, when Zen and I were planning our next trip down to Melbourne, I persuaded him to make a booking for dinner. And so here we are. It wasn’t dinner… but we felt pretty lucky to have scored a table for six for lunch (considering that the weekend coincided with the F1 Grand Prix and the FINA World Championship). Melbourne was busy.
The interior of the restaurant was funky. Glass pots of herbs hung from the ceiling... there were graffiti feature walls, giant mirrors with elegant detailed frames, and the garden-inspired bathrooms even provided Aesop hand wash and cream. I was impressed.
The olive oil was gorgeous... I have such a weakness for good olive oil and sea salt... yummo!
The rump was served on a timber chopping board... classic Jamie Oliver style. This was probably the best main anyone on our table had ordered. Obviously, I had to do a bit of taste testing! It was divine :-)
My main dish was the quail. And unfortunately, was slightly disappointing. The red grape was an interesting incorporation but overall, nothing spectacular.
The mint ice-cream was refreshing and totally complemented the peach which was bathed in wine. The frosted almonds led me to reminisce of the kind you would normally get from the corner milk bar; except this was twice as good.
In the end, the food was pretty good but our table paid $50 for 5 bottles of sparkling water. Yes... pricey indeed.
And in case you weren't sure what Fifteen was all about? Here's something I took away with me:
Fifteen facts about Fifteen
So just to be clear...
This is about more than just cooking. 'Fifteen' is about giving troubled young people the chance to get out of the rut they're in and break the cycles that are holding them back, and to show the world how amazing they can be!
OK, I'm drawn in. Dining here again will be my charitable thing for the year.
Fifteen Melbourne Restaurant
Reservations:
Australian Callers: 1300 799 415
International Callers: 0061 3 8648 6000
Enquiries:
enquiry@fifteenmelbourne.com.au
Location:
Basement, 115 – 117 Collins Street
(Enter through Georges Parade)
Melbourne, Victoria
Web:
http://www.fifteenmelbourne.com.au/index.html
February 26, 2007
a blast from the past... Valentine's Day 2007 @ Astral
I'm slowly churning through my list of February eats. So here's a blast from the past.... Feb 14.
What better place to celebrate Valentine's Day than at the top? Astral is a one-hatter from this year's SMH Good Food Guide. This was something we had booked months in advance. From within a glass elevator, we were greeted with 270 degree views of Sydney Harbour. Oooo... ahhh... the interior is also rather stunning. The furnishings were plush and sophisticated, the chandeliers were rich... and around us, couples in love admired the gleaming city skyscrapers.
Thanks for a 5 star night, Zen. Love you lots!
Astral Restaurant
Level 17, 80 Pyrmont Street (Star City)
Web: astralrestaurant.com.au
January 03, 2007
The Fitz @ Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
What else could have brought me to Brunswick Street but the Alannah Hill factory outlet! Brunswick Street is probably the King Street (of Newtown) or the Oxford Street in Sydney. So we snagged a seat in the open terrace and watched the Brunswick Street crowds walk on by.
I was actually sick... so you'll have to excuse the absence of my taste buds! I do remember the occasional taste of sweetness from the creamy honey mustard though...
The Fitz Cafe
347 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy Victoria 2065
Phone: (03) 94175794
January 01, 2007
Royce Hotel, Melbourne
For the last four days, Zen and I have been hiding out in Melbourne -another of our spontaneous holidays. I love the internet age... we were able to plan and book everything from airfare, accomodation to restaurants, all just a day before flying!
Royce Hotel provides stunning five-star accomodation in a super convenient location. It was just a short tram ride into the CBD, which meant Zen and I were able to familiarise ourselves with the tram ticketing system and routes. Our room also had a balcony with panoramic views to St Kilda Road, and the grounds of Melbourne Grammar School.
This holiday couldn't have come at a better time. As you can see, I was able to experiment with my new wide angle lens -the Canon UltraSonic EFS 10-22 F/3.5-4.5 USM.
Time for a big breakfast! Here we are at the Dish restaurant, which as the website says, is not your ordinary hotel restaurant. It offers a sophisticated ambience and award winning cuisine. And we are in luck! It's a buffet breaky...
Watch out for the next post on The Great Ocean Road!
Royce Hotel
379 St Kilda Road Melbourne Victoria 3004
Phone: 1800 820 090 or +61 3 9677 9900
Website: www. roycehotels.com.au
December 26, 2006
Christmas dinner @ home
Merry Christmas! Last night, I was put in charge of our family's Christmas dinner. So instead of last year's roast, fresh prawns and lobster mornay, I decided to stock up on some oysters, scallops and green king prawns. I also did the gingerbread baking a day in advance!
Nothing beats fresh oysters with a few drops of Tabasco and a squeeze of lemon juice.
I adpated the Cashew-Crusted Prawns with Honey-Lemon Sauce recipe from the Coles Christmas Magazine. And instead of using cooked Australian Black Tiger Prawns, I opted for the uncooked Green King Prawns... The prawns were shelled and deveined , but I left the head and tail on (to look fancy).
1/2 cup plain flour
2 eggs
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
100g cashew nuts, chopped finely
18 king prawns, shelled and deveined
1/4 cup peanut oil
HONEY-LEMON SAUCE
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
50g butter
1. Place flour onto a plate. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and cashew nuts in a separate large bowl.
2. Dip each prawn in flour first, shaking off excess, then dip in egg wash and finally roll in breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to secure. Place on a tray sprinkled with breadcrumbs and put in fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes till slightly thickened.
4. Heat oil in non-stick pan over medium heat. Cook prawns in batches for 2 - 4 minutes each side til golden. Drain on paper towel. Serve with honey-lemon sauce.
For our mains, I turned to Al Dente La Collezione (published by Hardie Grant Books, for Barilla Australia) - a compilation of pasta dishes by chefs around Australia.
120ml olive oil
1 leek, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 red chillies, finely chopped
4 tablespoons of sundried tomatoes, chopped
120g napoletana sauce
100ml cream
2 tablespoons of chives, chopped
24 large scallops
2 tablespoons of cajun spice
500g fettuccine or tagliatelle
CORIANDER PESTO
1 bunch coriander leaves, washed and dried
3 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 tablespoon of toasted pine nuts
salt and ground black pepper to taste
60ml olive oil
1. To make the coriander pesto, blend all the ingredients in a food processor. With the motor running, drizzle the oil down the feed tube until all are combined.
2. Heat 60mls of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add leek, garlic and chilli and cook, stirring often, until the leek is transparent. Add the sundried tomatoes and Napoletana sauce and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to reduce.
3. Pour in the cream and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the chives and season to taste.
4. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, pat the scallops dry with a clean tea-towel. Dust the scallops with Cajun spice.
5. Heat the remaining olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan until very hot. Cook the scallops in batches for 30 seconds on each side.
6. Drain the pasta and return to the saucepan. Add the sauce, and toss over a low heat until combined.
7. Arrange the pasta onto serving plats, and top with scallops and a dollop of pesto. Serve immediately.
And last but not least, for the gingerbread, I drew inspiration from Helen (GrabYourFork)'s post.
125g butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarb
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup
ICING
1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar
1 egg white
4 drops lemon juice
food colouring
1. Cream the butter and sugar
2. Add egg yolk and mix in remaining gingerbread ingredients.
3. Combine and keed until dought forms. Roll out dough and cut out shapes using cookie cutters or knife. Continue to remove excess dough for re-use.
4. Bake for 10 minutes in a moderate oven (180C).
5. Remove immediately and place on a cooling tray.
6. Whisk the egg white, then gradually add the icing sugar. Ensure that there are no lumps, then add lemon juice and food colouring.
7. Decorate as you like.
Corn Exchange Restaurant @ Four Points by Sheraton
On Friday night, Dianne, Florence and I celebrated an early Christmas at the Corn Exchange Restaurant for a $70 seafood and dessert extravaganza. As you can see, the variety was endless! *drools*
