Recently in French Category

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to La Grillade's relaunch party. While I hadn't been to the restaurant before the revamp, I was impressed by its fresh French appearance and subtle rustic charm. La Grillade has been operating in Crows Nest for over 25 years and I must admit this party showed no sign of age.

There was plenty of French wine circulating but unfortunately, not enough food... So it would only make sense that I plotted myself near the kitchen. And because I did, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Here's an example of what to expect on the new menu:

Seared tuna nicoise with caviar

Blackmore's wagyu bresola with roquefort and fig

Seared scallop, celeriac remoulade, pancetta

Duck rillette, sour cherry jelly and pickled pear

Preparation, in the kitchen and wagyu and broiche sandwich, lobster butter and beetroot

Lentil, peas and red wine pithivier

Garlic snails en croute

Mini ratatouille tart with goats curd

Braised lamb shoulder, Paris mash and quail egg

Red carpet entrance, atmosphere and dessert of lemon curd tart with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries

La Grillade
118 Alexander Street, Crows Nest
Phone: (02) 9439 3707
Web: www.aihgroup.com.au/la_grillade

Gazebo Wine Garden's girls' picnics are such a wonderful offering. They're exactly my type of thing -a picnic where all you have to do is round up the girls! The food and wine is catered for, there's no worrying about picking the perfect spot or getting dirt on your pretty sundress. It's a bit like camping really. I enjoy the great outdoors but would never go camping au naturale... In fact, the only time I have ever gone camping was at Booderee National Park in Jervis Bay where we were steps away from electricity, toilets and BBQs. Brilliant I say!

The Girls' Picnic must be booked in advance and are available from noon til 2:30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. For $35 per person, you're greeted with a glass of bubbly and three tiers of delicious goodies.

At lunch with the girls -Maggie, Karen, Emma and moi

Glasses of bubbly

We decide to also share two jugs of Pimms & lemonade which are $25 a pop. The jugs are full of Pimms No1, Gordons gin, Rosso sweet Italian vermouth & strawberries, mint, cucumber topped with lemonade & dry ginger ale. It is refreshing, fruity and sweet.

The quirky furnishings and whimsical decor come complete with cute waiters dressed as lifeguards. Ours happily posed for us :)

Our lifeguard

Pimms and lemonade

Quirky decor

The picnic theme is brought to life with a wicker picnic basket, warm French baguettes and a convenient wooden chopping board and knife. Accompanying the bread are delicious marinated olives, an avocado and pistachio dip and a corn relish.

French baguette and picnic basket

Marinated olives, dips and relish

It was lovely to bask in the sun whilst feasting our eyes on a garden filled with beautiful vines, old Victorian chairs and cushions and enlivened with fresh flowers.

In the garden

Three tiers of delicious goodness

The first tier was salads. They were served room temperature which suited us well as we felt we were beginning to roast in the heat ourselves. There was pumpkin & feta, roasted almond salad, chat potato salad with mustard mayo dressing and green onion, mushrooms with pesto and a simple ratatouille with chunky pieces of cauliflower.

Salads

The second tier were meats and seafood. There was smoked honey ham with fresh iceberg lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes and chunks of cheddar cheese; piping hot deep-fried soft shell crab; cooked prawns, smoked Atlantic salmon, lightly peppered pastami, steamed mussels and pickles and cornichons on a bed of rocket -plentiful to go around.

Meats and seafoods

On the side we also add a rocket, pear, pinenut and parmesan salad which is a combination that can never go wrong.

Rocket salad

Finally, we ate our way up to the top dessert tier which we had been eyeing from the start. Moist chocolate brownies went hand in hand with fresh pieces of rockmelon, strawberries, watermelon and marshmallows.

Dessert

Leave the picnic rug at home and hop on down to Elizabeth Bay...

Gazebo Wine Garden
2 Elizabeth Bay Rd, Elizabeth Bay
Phone: (02) 9357 5333
Web: www.thegazebos.com.au

In celebration of the upcoming release of Julie & Julia, and thanks to Sony Pictures, I have one very exciting competition for JENIUS readers.

If you don't know anything about this movie, here's the synopsis:

Meryl Streep is Julia Child and Amy Adams is writer Julie Powell in the comedy Julie & Julia, the story of how one woman’s journey became another’s inspiration.

Before Julia Child became the world’s first celebrity chef, she was just a woman searching for her calling in life. In 1948 her husband's job has brought them to Paris, and with her indefatigable spirit, she yearned for something to do.  She enrolls in the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and embarks on a journey that will change American home cooking for ever.

Fifty years later, Julie Powell (Amy Adams) was feeling the exact same way.  Pushing 30, living in Queens and working in a cubicle as her friends achieve stunning successes, she seizes on a seemingly insane plan to focus her energies.  Julie decides to spend exactly one year cooking all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and write a blog about her experiences.

Director-writer-producer Nora Ephronseamlessly melds these two remarkable true stories into a comedy that proves that if you have the right combination of passion, obsession, and butter, you can change your life and achieve your dreams.

I'm sure that like me, there are many foodies and food bloggers out there eagerly waiting to see this movie! With part of the movie based on a blog, I can't wait to follow the journey of a women, looking to restore herself by cooking through the marvelous book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, of which I have a copy of (thanks to Sony Pictures).

The book has provided me with hours of foodie pleasure and what I love most, is Julia Child's painstaking detail of every process. Heck, the dessert tarts recipe plus variations was spread across 15 pages of text! But what appears initially as intimiating turned into comfort and confidence as I realised the detail means the result will be almost fool-proof.

So I'm sharing with you, the steps to make one fine Apple Tart.

---

Mastering the Art of French food blogging Competition

How to win

Simply cook up your very own tart, using the recipe below! Share your tart as a comment on this post, including a short description of your tart plus a link to either your blog post or photos of the final result. Don't forget to comment using a valid email address (this will not be visible to others) so the winner can be contacted for their mailing address.

The prizes

The most creative adaptation, as judged by me & Sony Pictures will win:

1 x Julie & Julia Apron
1 x Oven Mitt
1 x Peeler and Grater
1 x Multi Chopper
1 x Recipe Journal
1x Double Pass

Plus, 5 runners-up will each win 1x Double Pass

Terms and Conditions

1. Entrants must be an Australian resident only.
2. Double Passes are only valid in Australia.
3. Competition closes on Monday, October 12, 2009 at 11:59pm AEST.
4. Winners will be announced on Tuesday, October 13, 2009.

For more information about the movie, or to check out the trailer, visit JulieAndJulia.com.au.

Julie & Julia
Only at the movies October 8
Advanced screenings October 3, 4 & 5

 

---

Note: I have left all the original American measurements in this recipe. Feel free to use this Australian measurements conversion chart.

TARTE AUX POMMES (Apple Tart -warm or cold)

This classic French apple tart consists of a thick, well-flavoured apple sauce spread in a partially cooked pastry shell. Over it thinly sliced apples are placed in an overlapping design of circles. After baking, it is coated with apricot glaze. For 8 people.

 

THE PASTRY

The pastry for dessert tart shells in molded and baked in a flan ring or a flase-bottomed cake pan so that the shell may be unmolded. The small proportion of vegetable shortening included with the butter in each pastry recipe gives a less brittle crust when you are using all-purpose flour. If you have pastry flour or French flour, you may use all butter, increasing the amount indicated for vegetable shortening.

We'll need a 10-inch partically cooked pastry shell set on a baking sheet.

1 1/3 cup flour
A mixing bowl
2 Tb granulated sugar
1/4 Tsp salt
11 Tb fat: 8 Tb chilled butter and 3 Tb chilled vegetable shortening
5 - 6 Tb cold water

Measure the dry ingredients and mix into the bowl. Quarter the chilled butter lengthwise; add to the flour along with the chilled shortening. Flickr the machine on and off 4 or 5 times, then measure out a scant half cup of iced water. Turn the machine on and pout it all in at once; immediately flick the machine on and off several times, and the dough should begin to mass on the blade. If not, dribble in a little more water and repeat, repeating again if necessary. Dough is done when it has begun to mass; do not overmix. Scrape the dough onto your work surface and proceed to the fraisage (final blending).

Fraisage (the final blending)

Place the dough on a lightly floured pastry board. With the heel of one hand, not the palm which is too warm, rapidly press the pastry by two-spoonful bits down on the board and away from you in a firm, quick smear of about 6 inches. This consitutes the final blending of fat and flour.

With a scaper or spatula, gather the dough again into a mass; knead it briefly into a fairly smooth round ball. Sprinkle it lightly with flour and wrap it in waxed paper. Either place the dough in the freezing compartment of the refrigerator for about 1 hour until it is firm but not congealed, or refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Uncooked pastry dough will keep for 2 to 3 days under refrigeration, or may be frozen for several weeks. Always wrap it airtight in waxed paper and a plastic bag.

Rolling out the dough

Because of its high butter content, roll out the dough as quickly as possible, so that it will not soften and become difficult to handle.

Place the dough on a lightly floured board or marble. If the dough is hard, beat it with the rolling pin to soften it. Then knead it briefly into a fairly flat circle. It should be just malleable enough to roll out without cracking.

Lightly flour the top of the dough. Place rolling pin across centre and roll the pin back and forth with firm but gentle pressure to start the dough moving. Then, with a firm, even stroke, and always rolling away from you, start just below the centre of the dough and roll to within an inch of the far edge.

Lift dough and turn it at a sight angle.

Give it another roll. Continue lifting, turning and rolling and as neccessary, sprinkle board and top dough lightly with flour to prevent sticking. Roll it into a circle 1/8 inch thick and about 2 inches larger all around your pie pan or flan ring. If your circle is uneven, cut off a too-large portion, moisten the edge of the too-small portion with water, press the two pieces of pastry together, and smooth them with your rolling pin.

The dough should be used as soon as it has been rolled out, so that it will not soften.

Making a pastry shell

A French tart, quiche, or pie is straight sided and open faced and stands supported only by its pastry shell. In France the shell is molded in a bottomless metal flan ring that has been set on a baking sheet. When the tart is done, the ring is removed and the tart is slide from the baking sheet to a rack or the serving dish. You can achieve the same effect by molding your pastry in a false-bottomed, straight-sided, cake pan 1 or 1 1/2 inches deep. When the shell is ready for unmolding, the pan is set over a jar and the false bottom frees the shell from the sides of the pan. It is then, with the aid of a long-bladed spatula, slid off its false bottom and onto a rack or the serving dish. You can also make pastry shells using two matching pie pans; once in a while, the weight of the filling will force the outward-slanting sides of the shell to collapse, so we are not recommending it.

Patially baked pastry shells are used for quiches and for tarts whose filling cooks in the shell. Fully baked shells are for tarts filled with cooked ingredients that need only a brief reheating, or for fresh fruit tarts that are served cold.

Butter the inside of the mold. If you are using a flan mold, butter the baking sheet also.

Either reverse the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the mold; or fold the dough in half, in half again, then lay it in the mold and unfold it.

Press the dough lightly into the bottom of the cake pan, or onto the baking sheet if you are using a flan ring. Then lift the edges of the dough and work it gently down the inside edges of mold with your fingers, taking in about 3/8 inches of dough all around the circumference. This will make the sides of the pastry shell a little thicker and sturdier. Trim off excess dough by rolling the pin over the top of the mold.

Then with your thumbs, push the dough 1/8 inches above the edge of the mold, to make an even, rounded rim of dough all around the inside circumference of the mold.

Press a decorative edge around the rim of the pastry with the dull edge of a knife.

Prick bottom of pastry with a fork at 1/2 inch intervals.

To keep the inside of the pastry shell from collapsing and the bottom from puffing up, either butter the bottom of another mold, weigh it with a handful of dry beans, and place it inside the pastry; or line the pastry with buttered, lightweight foil, or buttered brown paper. Press it well against the sides of the pastry, and fill it with dried beans. The weight of the beans will hold the pastry against the mold during the baking. Refrigerate if not baked immediately.

We'll need a partially cooked shell: bake at the middle level of a preheated 400-degree oven for 8 to 9 minutes until pastry is set. Remove mold or foil and beans, prick bottom of pastry with a fork to keep it from rising. Return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes more. When the shell is starting to colour and just beginning to shrink from the sides of the mold, remove it from the oven. If it seems to you that the sides of the shell are fragile, or are liable to crack or leak with the weight of the filling to come, do not unmold until your tart is filled and finally baked

Otherwise, unmold and slip it onto a rack. Circulation of air around it while it cools will prevent it from getting soggy.

 

PREPARING THE APPLES

4 Ibs, firm cooking apples (Golden Delicious)
1 Tsp lemon juice
2 Tb granulated sugar
A 2-quart mixing bowl

Quarter, core and peel the apples. Cut enough to make 3 cups into even 1/8-inch lengthwise slices and toss them into a bowl with the lemon juice and sugar. Reserve them for the top of the tart.

THE APPLE SAUCE

A 10-inch heavy-bottomed pan: enamled saucepan, skillet or casserole
A wooden spoon
1/3 cup apricot preserves, forced through a sieve
1/4 cup Cavados (apple brandy), rum or cognac; or 1 Tb vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 Tb sugar
Optional: 1/2 Tsp cinnamon, and/or the grated rind of 1 lemon or orange

Cut the rest of the apples into rough slices. You should have about 8 cups. Place in the pan and cook, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occassionally, until tender. Then beat in the above ingredients. Raise heat and boil, stirring, until apple sauce is thick enough to hold in a mass in the spoon.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spread the apple sauce in the pastry shell. Cover with a neat, closely overlapping layer of chilled apples arranged in a spiral, concentric circules, or as illustrated below.

 

APRICOT GLAZE

1/2 cup apricot preserves forced throiugh a sieve
1 Tb granulated sugar
A small saucepan
A wooden spatula or spoon
Optional: a candy thermometer

Stir the strained apricot preserves with the sugar over moderately high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until thick enough to coat the spoon with a light film, and the last drops are sticky as they fall from the spoon (225 to 228 degrees on a candy thermometer). Do not boil beyond this point or the glaze will become brittle when it cools. Apply the glaze while it is still warm. Unused glaze will keep indefinitely in a screw-topped jar; reheat again before using.

 

THE FINAL TOUCH

A cake rack or serving dish
1/2 cup apricot glaze
2 cups heavy cream to creme fraiche

Bake in upper third of preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the sliced apples have browned lightly and are tender. Slide tart onto the rack or serving dish and spoon or paint over it a light coating of apricot glaze. Serve warm or cold, and pass with it, if you wish, a bowl of cream.

---

This competition has now closed.

Stay tuned for more giveaways on JENIUS :)

After a series of strange coincidences involving the random discovery of connections between friends, clients and the chefs at Marque, I just knew it was where I had to take Zen on his birthday.

Thankfully Mark Best and Pasi Petanen are both savvy Twitterers, so I managed to book a table for two via a quick tweet!

We arrived prompty for our 7pm reservation and were greeted by Mark himself -who two nights ago was awarded (a very well deserved win of) Chef Of The Year.

We started with Marque's signature beetroot macaron with foie gras. The meringue was light and airy and literally melted in my mouth the instant it touched my tongue. I love the beautiful decadent flavours of the foie gras left lingering behind. It was a dish Mark has thoughtfully shared with Centennial Parklands Dining, where I first fell in love with this dish and Brett Graham of The Ledbury, where I had a second encounter.

Beetroot meringue with foie gras

It was clear to Zen and I that we would be opting for the degustation tasting menu (eight course for $145 plus $75 for matching wines). Unlike other three-hatted restaurants, Marque does not bring out the degustation menu at the start. We were asked to list foods we were allergic to or didn't like to eat and as simple as that, the party in our mouths begun.

For those wondering, you do receive a detailed personalised dated copy of every course and wine you ate and drank at the end of the meal. I think the anticipation it builds course after course is a rather ingenious touch.

First up was the classic molecular gastronomy example which Marque attributes to Alain Passard. It was a marvelous play on hot and cold as well as textures and taste. Each time we dug in the crisp grissini, a new flavour evolved. The playful mix of vinegar and apple cider left me buzzing for more.

Chaud-froid free range egg

I didn't take a photo of the bread on this night as I was sure the eight courses would be enough food porn for one post. We were offered a white or my personal favourite (I had at least 2 slices of these), the rye and caraway seed bread. The soft chewy texture and the dark taste was accompanied with a lovely soft butter.

Then next Mark surprised us with a sea urchin custard with mandarin and green tea powder. The custard was light and fluffy. The subtle sprinkle of green tea powder was refreshing with the delicate sea urchin flavours. It was really a dish you had to close your eyes for to savour each and every taste.

Sea urchin custard with mandarin and green tea powder

The first course took on a whimsical approach to textures. There was a coarse powder (popcorn dust), slippery softness (almond jelly), foam (almond gazpacho, sweet corn) and something that pops (avruga), all which accentuated the natural sweetness of the hand picked blue swimmer crab.

Almond jelly with blue swimmer crab, almond gazpacho, sweet corn and avruga

When the second course was brought out, I was rather regretful I had failed to mention goats cheese in my list of foods I don't enjoy. Regardless, I popped the bocconcini which let out a small burst of goats curd. The strong aroma quickly mixed with the slithers of mint, red onion and globe artichoke. The taste was clean and refreshing.

Fine salad of globe artichoke 'cru' with goat curd bocconcini

The presentation of the third course was visually intriguing. The button mushrooms were treated and sliced in such a way that they were unrecognisable. However, when tasted, the complete earthiness reveals the mushroom's identity fairly instantly. The bitter vibrant red cubes of Campari were strong and mighty, adding oomph to each mouthful of the gorgeously steamed scampi.

Steamed scampi with fish floss, scampi anglaise, campari and turnip

After the third course, we received another treat from the kitchen. This crab custard with foie gras was one of the most spectacular things I've had to date. Perhaps because it's appearance is understated. The saw dust texture on top was frozen foie gras. The rich creamyness and cold taste was strangely very well matched with the warm crab custard. It was so divine, words cannot describe.

Crab custard with foie gras

Forth course was cured duck ham with jelly-like parmesan gnocchi, fresh and braised endive and duck liver. Although I absolutely adore seafood, at this stage, I was quite excited to be moving onto the meats! Overall, the different flavours made a delightful dish with the duck ham being the standout.

Duck ham with braised and fresh endive and parmesan

OMGosh. I didn't realise it was possible to pair all of my favourite things into one. The pork jowl was slow cooked into a beautiful tender piece which had just the right amount of fat. The bed of spinach which hid the plump juicy oyster was an Asian inspired winner and the matchstick bundle of shaved truffle was even more flavoursome. I loved this course to bits!

Slow cooked pork jowl with spinach and pacific oyster

Sixth course. Just look at how juicy the Angus sirloin is -it was seared to perfection. And served with onion three ways. There was the miniature croquettes, sliced with chive vinaigrette and pureed with a beautiful smokiness. Inbetween were also two dollops of blood sausage mousse.

Angus sirloin with boudin noir, onion croqeuettes and smoked onion puree

I must have been so busy with eyeing the seventh course of Sauternes custard that I forgot to take a photo! The burnt caramel topping was delectably paired with the sweetness of the Sauternes custard.

And last but not least, roast pineapple in Szechuan pepper, orange and butter, served with chocolate soil and Manjimup truffle ice cream. The pineapple had a lovely malted texture with a hint of spice. I am undecided about the truffle ice cream, I may prefer keeping truffle within savoury dishes only. But the texture of the chocolate soil was both fun to look at and taste!

Caramelised pineapple with Manjimup truffle ice cream

We had our tea and coffee, some awesome salted caramel chocolates and bitter bon bons! The sugar coated bon bons burst to reveal an assortment of bitter liquers. I didn't fancy the bitterness but the pinch of salt within the caramel chocolates were fantastic.

Me

Zen, the birthday boy

A dinner at Marque is definitely a memorable fun filled adventure which tickles your taste buds and excites your imagination. Our wines were served by the sommelier assistant, Zoltan, who described like poetry where each wine came from and why it was paired. The service was just enough and the food was nothing short of spectacular. It was the perfect place to celebrate with a special someone.

Happy birthday Zen!

Marque Restaurant
Medina Apartment Building
4/5 355 Crown Street, Surry Hills NSW Phone: (02) 9332 2225
Web: marquerestaurant.com.au

France to me, can be defined by a few things:

1. Long days. Similar to the rest of Europe, Spring and Summer means that shops operate until late and it is generally still bright and warm at 9pm!
2. People watching. I love that cafes arrange their tables and chairs like a cinema.
3. Baguettes. Fresh, fluffy and crisp... baguettes make awesome sandwiches.
4. Coffee. I am addicted to the French cafe noisette! Three a day, please. Cafe noisette are espressos with a dash of frothy milk/cream. This has been commonly served with a tiny block of 70% dark chocolate or chocolate coated coffee bean. The aroma... yum!
5. Patisseries are everywhere -yippee, but the good ones seem to be on opposite ends of the city. So I quickly familiarised myself with the metro system and went hunting.
6. Bins. Picture a plastic tube-like bag hung onto poles like a basketball net. You might be able to see goo et al in the bins, but hey, at least there are bins at train stations! Take the hint Cityrail.

Day One in Paris saw us lining up in the cold, outside Rose Bakery for about 40 minutes. Let me tell you, it was totally worth it. Brunch was soupe haricot verts and tomatoes (soup of French green beans and tomatoes) , scones au toast, confiture et beurre (scones with jam and butter) and pancakes et syrupe d'erable (pancakes with maple syrup). It was a small reminder of Britain and a warm welcome to France.

Bench with cakes, fruits and scones at Rose Bakery, Paris

Vegetable soup at Rose Bakery, Paris

Day Two, I had a long awaited reservation at Le Cinq -73rd (formerly 24th) on the World's Best 100 Restaurants list. 8 courses for 230€ ! I hadn't done detailed research into cost, assuming it would at maximum cost slightly more than Tetsuya's $180 (AUD) but soon enough, we realise that at that cost, we would only be able to afford a starter! So we took the plunge, just so there would never be a "what if", and ordered the tasting menu. To be continued... (blog post to come shortly; the tasting menu is below for those imaginative ones)

Red tuna belly in a tartar with green apple and wasabi jelly

Green asparagas from the Luberon region, blanched with poultry jus and served with lemon flavoured gnocchi and Jabugo ham

Abalone from the Brittany Sea with seaweed butter, fondant watercress, hen broth flavoured with lemongrass

Net-fished blue lobster cooked on aromatic salt, lobster jus claws in vegetable fritters with pink radish

Saddle of lamb from the Aveyron region served with smoked red pepper, fried lamb sweetbreads with small borad beans and bayaldi of vegetables (I swapped mine for the Guinea Fowl from the Dombes region, breast fillet browned with chateau Chalon wine, watercress macaroni, "gras de cuisse" and mousseron mushrooms with cream).

Selection of cheeses (I absolutely adored a hard cheese from Franche-Comté).

Red fruit vacherin with tangy lemon meringue

Madagascar chocolate soufflee pie with semi-candied raspberries

Tasting menu at Le Cinq, Paris

Having a picnic beneath the Eiffel Tower and wandering around the Louvre Museum were some of the things I had daydreamed about. Why wait five years to fulfil your goal when you can do it now?

Eiffel Tower by night, Paris, France

Below is me, during my hunt for the best pastries.

Me eating a croissant from La Flute Gana on the streets of Paris

La Tartelette feuilletee aux pommes from La Flute Gana

Palmier from Regis Colin

Mille-feuille from Regis Colin

Pierre Herme's macaron display

Meals I have had include some tasty terrines and tartares but I mainly filled up with late brunches and sweets... hehe :)

Terrine de betterave au chevre from Le Trumilou

Me sipping on a cafe noisette while people watching

Fresh baguette in Paris

And in the South of France, I felt like we were on the start of a second holiday. Each day was filled with a heavenly combination of sun and seafood. Private beaches were luxurious with carpet (to protect your feet from the hot stones), shade, lounges and drink / food service. We ate plentiful seafood platters and bouillabaisse (fish stew).

Seafood platter from Restaurant Astoux & Brun

Bouillabaisse from Restaurant Astoux

Roaming the small streets of Vieux Nice (old town), we stumbled across some lovely family-run restaurants. Of course a visit to Nice wouldn't be complete without a casual lunch of socca (chickpea crepe), beignets d'aubergines (eggplant fritters) and the renouned Nicoise salad.

Street food in Nice -socca, nicois salad, aubergine fritters

A private beach in Nice

So, this week I'm in Italy - Bologne, Venice and Rome, then off to Santorini and Dubai and back home!

Le Petit Puchet
Place de Clichy
Paris 18eme
Phone: 01 45 22 36 76

Regis Colin
53, rue Montmartre
Paris 2eme
Phone: 01 42 36 02 80

Rose Bakery
46, rue des Martyrs
Paris 9eme

La Flute Gana
226, rue des Pyrenees
Paris 20eme

Pierre Herme
185, rue de Vanigirard
Paris
Web: http://www.pierreherme.com

Le Cinq
Four Seasons Hotel
31, avenue George V
Paris
Web: http://www.fourseasons.com/paris/dining/le_cinq.html

Le Trumilou
84, Quaide
L'Hotel de Ville, Paris

Lou Pilha Leva
10 rue du Collet (Corner of Place Centrale)
Vieux Nice

Restaurant Astoux & Brun
27 avenue Felix Faure
Cannes

In the perspective of the boyfriend, this whole Europe trip has been leading up to our grandstand seats in the Monaco F1 Grand Prix qualifying race. The day finally came yesterday.

The highlight for me was being so close to Mark Webber's pit stop as well as seeing Richard Branson -my billionaire idol, wave at me. The French hot dog which I snacked on after the race was the best hot dog I've ever tasted... anyway, here are some pics.

View of Monaco from the train station

View of the track from Grandstand L

Sebastien Bourdais for Torro Rosso

Boats and grandstand M to O

The race track in between Grandstands L and M to O and the harbour

Mark Webber walking out of the toilet

Richard Branson waving at me

Marshals picking up and running with Felipe Massa's nose cone

Timo Glock's spin

Outside the Red Bull pit stop with Mark Webber upstairs

French hot dog with crisp but fluffy baguette and lots of mustard and ketchup

Zen and I

To view more photos from the Monaco F1 Grand Prix 2009 qualifying race, go to my flickr set.

(Pssst, I'll be doing a summary post on food eaten in London, Barcelona, Paris, Nice and Cannes tonight!)

You know you're in Melbourne once you've eaten breakfast or brunch out, more than dinner.

Madame Sousou is a Parisian cafe/restaurant on busy Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. They have an amazing breakfast menu which stretches from housemade toasted fruit and nut museli to baked eggs with basque style tomato sauce, chorizo and fresh mints. I adored the alfresco street seating and gorgeous French decor indoors.

Street seating

Interior Parisian decor

Cappuccino

My English breakfast tea was served on a pretty vintage tea tray. And good tea, it was.

English breakfast tea

Zen's big breakfast was a gourmet adventure. We appreciated the artfully cooked double smoked bacon which had crispy edges but was not overdone and the scrumptious array of organic sausages, housemade hashbrown, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and ciabatta toast. I was green with envy until my zucchini and sweet corn fritters arrived. Topped with Tasmanian smoked salmon, avocado salsa and chive creme fraiche and served with a side of rocket, the flavours were so well refined and simply delicious.

The Sousou big breakfast

Zucchini and sweet corn fritters

I'm eating

On the street

Madame Sousou
231 Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Victoria
Phone: +61 3 9417 0400

Restaurant 373 is a relatively new restaurant that works. Local fresh produce, warm furnishings, great casual service, funky appetisers and a fabulous 8 course degustation.

We started off with olives, garlic popcorn and chilli grissini...

And then slapped on lots of this delish fish and white bean paste onto crusty bits of poppyseed and almond bread.

I think we had the best seat in the house, at the front of this heritage building, facing the busy night life of Elizabeth Street:

Next up was the roasted butternut pumpkin soup. Mmm, the saffron yoghurt turned good old pumpkin soup into something more.

The menu boasted that the oysters were delivered by the oyster farmer from Bruny Island... you don't get that every day! These were served in 5 ways, although none of them really stood out. We had ours grilled with mushroom relish, natural with white balsamic pickled cucumber, gratinated with braised leek compote, drizzled with limoncello and kilpatrick hollandiase. I thought some of the flavours were too overpowering for juicy fresh oysters.

"Dust" is such a fancy word for powder. The Spring Bay scallop mousse, crispy skin confit chicken wing and scallop roe was served with lime "dust". Although being seated in a top notch restaurant in North Hobart, I somehow expected a real chicken wing.... as in, the type with bones. Nonetheless, this didn't disappoint ... it was uber crispy and there were no sticky fingers to lick up.

Oh boy, did I love the ham hock consomme. The Campania pork belly was tasty, as was the stick of crackling and the hearty aroma of the creamy fennel puree. All the flavours intertwined well into a savoury heaven.

Restaurant 373 is generous with their serving size. In fact, so generous that I was pretty much full before the Flinders Island wallaby shank was served, so Zen helped me finish off half of it. I was a little puzzled at why they served consomme after consomme but the meat fell off the bone. It was tender, juicy and... big!

The Flinders Island lamb stew was gorgeous (yes, with the wallaby and lamb both from Flinders Island, i did feel like I was eating up Flinders Island!). It was modern European at it's best... served with tiny roasted vegies and rosemary mash, I thought it made the perfect Winter feast.

This lemon sorbet was a light palatte cleanser...

... so that we could enjoy these desserts twice as much!

White chocolate and poppyseed fondant, dark chocolate and sultana anglaise

Lavosh, honey roasted walnuts and two cheeses (Lewis: made from Bruny Island goats milk & Carles Roquefort: made from Ewe's milk in France)

Overall? Restaurant 373 is new and they show it with their amateur looking business card and fresh innovative twist on European food... you've gotta love it.

View Larger Map

Restaurant 373
373 Elizabeth Street, North Hobart, Tasmania
Web: www.restaurant373.com.au

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.

bread with olive oil , balsamic & sea salt flakes

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.

salmon and crab ravioli with prawn veloute

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!

scotch fillet, melange of bably vegies, pommes bateille and sauce bearnaise

Pan-seared silver dory, fennel puree, squid ink noodles with mussel, tomato and saffron sauce

M and D both ordered the silver dory... E had the pork belly which looked and smelt scrumptious.

Grilled pork belly served with choucroute, roast garlic mash and mustard sauce

wild mushroom and baby spinach pithvier wrapped with puff pastry served with seasonal vegies and sauce vierge

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!

anise creme brulee with red wine poached pear

rhubarb crumble and sorbet

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

I've been waiting for the perfect excuse to spend $185 a head (plus drinks) on Tetsuya's 10 course degustation. And here it was... the first birthday of jenius.com.au, which also coincided with my very own birthday!

As the countdown begun, I eagerly read up and drooled over every review online. The week before, I started fantasizing about Tetsuya's signature dish. How it intrigued me... the texture and taste of what lay beneath the crusty konbu (kelp).

The service at Tetsuya's really impressed me. From the moment we drove in via the sensored gates, it seems like everyone was notified of our arrival. The valet parking attendent briskly drove Zen's car away as we were ushered indoors. I suppose it made sense that the seating arrangements and table numbers were set already, seeing that most people would have made bookings at least a few months in advance.

Soon after being seated, a wait staff brought out a basket of freshly baked and still warm sourdough and white Italian bread rolls. The black truffle and parmesan salsa butter was nothing like I had imagined. Its aroma was magnificent. I lathered each mouthful of bread up with a thick spread of the butter. Just for the record, I managed to finish off 2/3 of the pot, along with 2 sourdough rolls. I am in desperate need of a jar of this at home!

black truffle and parmesan salsa butter

Starters was the pea soup with bitter chocolate sorbet. The pea soup was served in a fancy glass... it was robust and full bodied, but the bitter chocolate sorbet didn't really do it for me.

1st course: pea soup with bitter chocolate sorbet

The next was an extra course (add $18)... four plump oysters were served with Tetsuya's famous oyster dressing -grapeseed oil, rice vinegar, soy and ginger. They were absolutely divine!

oysters with grapeseed oil, rice vinegar, soy and ginger

There are specific ways to ensure you make the most of each dish. Take for example, the second course; we were instructed to break open the scallop mousse so that each fork full contained a bit of everything. This dish was so elegant... creamy and scrumptious!

2nd course: smoked ocean trout & avruga caviar

The leek and crab custard was such a delicacy. The custard was silky soft... the savoury essence of the leek and egg simply complimented the flakes of crab.

2nd course: leek and crab custard

The third part of the 2nd course consisted of raw scallops [all-time favourite :-) of mine]... which leads me to say that this dish was the highlight of the night! All the contrasting textures and flavours were married together so well. There were these tiny citrus things which exploded with flavour... the cubed and what appeared to be buttered and toasted coutons deliciously highlighted the light and creamy textures of the scallop. I want more!

2nd course: scallop carpaccio with red wine vinaigrette

It must have been at least 2 hours into the night already because I had started to feel the effects of consuming the 2 bread rolls. Nonetheless, the ocean trout was lovely... as I had fantasized. The salty crusted konbu enhanced every tender bit of ocean trout.

3rd course: confit of petuna tasmanian ocean trout with konbu, daikon and fennel

Another favourite course was the next. Truely simple ingredients of basil, tomato and balsamic, served in the most delectable manner.

4th course: ravioli of Queensland spanner crab with tomato and basil vinaigrette

Abalone? This dish took me by surprise, as there hadn't been any mention of it before. It was such a delightful surprise... the abalone was carefully crafted into artful pieces. The braised ox tail and orange flavours were so flavoursome. It was mouth-watering goodness.

5th course: tasmanian baby abalone with braised ox tail and orange and pepper

[Edit 1/08/07: Some of you have queried why I didn't write anything about the spatchcock... it was pure laziness! So if you were wondering, the spatchcock was moist & tender. The olives and capers were a flavoursome blend which didn't overpower the natural juices at all. Overall, very rich & succulent... although more greens would have also been nice! ]

6th course: twice cooked de-boned spatchcock with olive and caper jus

The last of the savoury courses was fantastic. Imagine thinly sliced wagyu beef rolled up with a leaf of shiso and cooked medium rare. The earthy quality of the mushroom and the oomph of the lemon, sea salt flakes and wasabi brought me to total amazement. Each of the individual flavours brought out the best in each other... ah, that's what I call team work!

7th course: grilled wagyu beef with lime and wasabi

We were advised to eat this in one go. And so we did... it was sweet... and that's about all I can recall :-P

comte with lentils

The palate cleansers were so, so, so good! The beetroot and blood orange sorbet was vibrant and uber refreshing. Tetsuya's strawberry shortcake was great too... we were instructed to mix the layers together. I cheekily tried them apart. The bottom was nutty and fragrant... inbetween the cream and strawberry syrup were bits of berries... nothing too special when eaten apart, but absolutely spectacular when consumed together!

8th course: beetroot and blood orange sorbet with strawberry shortcake

What can I say? The next one up was another favourite! I love dates and white beans. The chewy texture and the sweet caramel flavours worked wonders with the shot of espresso.

9th course: vanilla bean ice cream with white bean, dates and espresso

Zen and I :-)

I asked a wait staff to take this photo of us... and somewhere in the conversation, she asked what we were celebrating... hooray, birthday cake!

my 10th course

Zen's 10th course: chocolate terrine with mascarpone and cognac anglaise

petit fours

I didn't like the cocoa dusted sweet potato balls. It was floury and bitter! But the dates and cookie centred coconut balls were yummy! They looked so simple to make... I might just give them a go in the kitchen!

and more petit fours

Overall, I loved Tetsuya's to bits! And yes, the 4 hour dining experience was totally worth every dollar! Thanks for finally making this happen, Zen!

Next on the list... El Bulli!!

Tetsuya's
www.tetsuyas.com

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.

High back chairs, timber floorboards and dim lighting

Complimentary starter... cauliflower soup with creme fraiche

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?

antipasto plate

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.

Risotto Di Mere

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.

Petit fours

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

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.

A sweet melody of Cafferel chocolates and sugar coated almonds were scattered on the candle-lit tables.

Moët & Chandon

truffled cauliflower veloute with its own beignet

freshly baked bread... crisp and warm on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. It was served with room temperature butter and sea salt flakes.

blue swimmer crab salad with cucumber gazpacho and avocado; this was so refreshing!

certified angus beef tenderloin served pink with pomme bataille

berry compote

chocolate and orange tart with 24ct gold leaf and isigny creme fraiche

Zen & me at the table... (I wish the cute embroidered flowers at the bottom of my dress were visible)

Sydney Harbour views

Thanks for a 5 star night, Zen. Love you lots!

Astral Restaurant
Level 17, 80 Pyrmont Street (Star City)
Web: astralrestaurant.com.au

Happy birthday Tim!

On Tuesday night, we were here to celebrate Tim's 22nd birthday... well... I was more or less there to flex my photography skills. LOL. And surprise, surprise... Zen and I ended up indulging ourselves with a scrumptious 3 course meal.

J'adore restaurant is all about intimacy. There's the fireplace, the slinky booths and the candlelit tables... However, with the Tuesday specials (2 for 1 mains), I was surprised to find that at 8pm, it was still relatively empty.

For entrees, Zen decided to go for what I would normally have ordered -the pork belly. He assured me that it was perfectly cooked and so satisfying to devour.

Crispy skinned pork belly & seared Japanese scallops with roasted quince puree & radish escabèche

I had the giant quail with ginger syrup glaze. Driven by both curiousity and greed, my temptations overpowered me. How big could a giant quail really be? The quail was ever so tender. Its outside was glossy and tanned with sweetness. It was no longer a question of size. The bigger, the better.

Pan fried giant quail with ginger syrup glaze, spicy sweet corn salsa and baby Swiss chard

Next, Zen opted for the chicken. It was too buttery for my liking... but he seemed to enjoy it.

Roast ballontine of chicken with herb butter

Pandan steamed red snapper, Moreton bay bug & seared scallop with a rich Pernod bouillabaisse, smoked tomato petals and a spicy rouille

And I went for the bouillabaisse which was rich in flavour. Its distinctive aroma was so delicate... although a little overwhelming without slices of the trusty bread. The potatoes on the other hand were the ideal wedge. Crispy and flavoursome all around with a soft hearty centre.

Kipfler potatoes with spicy citrus and herb salt

At this stage, Zen was already prepared to skip desserts... but I had come prepared with my eyes on the brulee with sago and fresh lychees. MmM... It didn't disappoint. The brulee was a creamy mixture of starchy sago and Malibu. Its caramelised crust proportion was perfect.

Pandan infused Malibu crème brûlée with sago & fresh lychees

Zen, me and the birthday boy

Generous servings and with some intriguing dishes.

J'adore Lounge Bar & Restaurant
1A Burton Street Darlinghurst

Operating hours:
Tuesday to Friday - midday till 2.30pm & 6pm till midnight
Saturday: 6pm - midnight
Sunday & Monday: closed or open for special reservations/function

Bookings and enquiries: 0405 395 248 or email anya@jadore.com.au
Website: www.jadore.com.au

It is always such a challenge to capture a great shot indoor, especially when it is dark. So I set my exposure... ISO at 400... turn off the flash, and on the macro, and thought I was ready. The photos turned out quite disappointing, but the food was too good not to post. So here they are... nothing a little bit of Photoshop can't fix right?

This is the interior of Eat City... there's a lovely French antique ambience...

The French Yum-Cha is priced per person. For 3 items to share it is $27, 4 items $36 and 5 items $45. Trying quite hard not to over-order, we opted for the 3 items to share. To start off, we had the soft shelled crab... chilli salt crust, fennel, ginger and oyster mushrooms. The fennel salad was a refreshing balance with the crusty crab. However, you really need the wood-fired bread to offset the amount of salt on the crabs.

Soft-Shelled Crab

Next was the risotto stuffed squid, which was perfect... the squid encased a creamy tomato-based seafood risotto.

Risotto stuffed squid

The Wagyu is one of Eat City's signature dishes. It is wood roasted rare and served with potato gratin and red wine jus. Absolutely delicious!

Wagyu Rump

Once we had finished the 3 yum-cha dishes, a mouth-watering dessert trolley was wheeled our way... priced at $8.50 each, I thought it was great that we were able to look (and drool) at all the desserts before committing to one.

Cherry and Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Tart

Pear and Ginger tart. This wasn't as sweet as it could have been... but I still loved it. It was served warm with ice-cream.

I love Eat City! Amazing food, gorgeous interior, a fab array of dishes on the French Yum-Cha menu and it was really a great way to share supurb food with a small group of friends.

Eat City
Level 1 - City Hotel, 349 Kent Street Sydney
Tel: 9262 5900
Opening hours: Lunch - Monday to Friday, 12 noon til 4pm & Dinner - Wednesday to Friday, 6 - 10pm.
Web: www.eatcity.com.au