Recently in Seafood Category

Good views don't always have to come with a hefty price tag and The Thai at d'Albora Marina in Sydney's Inner West suburb, Cabarita, is probably one of the most overlooked waterfront restaurants. Simple Thai seafood dishes are freshly prepared as the sun sets on a sparkly Parramatta River, making it the perfect spot for romance on a budget (plus it's BYO)!

Waterfront dining at The Thai, Cabarita

Having booked a table, Zen and I walk right in and take a seat by the calm ripples. There are other tables tucked away beneath a tree in a cottage-like garden.

Takeaway menus and cutlery in little trays conveniently make up the table setting. Soon we are brought these adorable little silver drinking cups which looked so new, they must've just arrived from Thailand.

Adorable drinking cups

The menu is your standard Thai fare with entrees such as chicken wings, spring rolls and curry puffs priced from $2.95. On the heartier end are some classic curries (Penang, green, red and massamun, all $15.95), stir-fries straight from the wok ($13.95 - $19.95) and the starchy favourites such as pad thai, and fried rice from $13.95.

The chef's specials features the more creative options which include some enticing entrees such as fish parcels or soft shell crab, and mains such as chilli jam prawns.

Chef's specials menu

I decide to start with the prawn and crab rice net (five for $10.95) which are golden weaves of a glass vermicelli net holding tightly a peppery wholesome mixture of yam, prawn and crab. Each bite was filled with an addictive flaky crunch.

Prawn and crab rice net spring rolls

Also on the chef's special are both our main dishes: seafood salad ($20.95) and coconut fish ($20.95).

The salad is a tangy and refreshing mix of king prawns, mussels, calamari, deep-fried fish pieces, carrot, onion, coriander, chilli, iceberg lettuce. The deep-fried basa fish fillets are also the highlight of our coconut fish dish. I love that the deep-fry has given the fish a well textured bite. It also allowed the fish to soak in more of the creamy coconut gravy which lightly coated some crisp vegetables.

Seafood salad

Coconut fish

It's hard to believe all the cooking takes place in this tiny converted shed!

Alfresco dining - restaurant in a converted shed

The Thai
d'Albora Marina
138 Cabarita Road, Cabarita NSW
Phone: (02) 9739 6833
Opening hours: Closed on Monday, lunch (Fri - Sun only) 11.30am - 3.15pm and dinner 5 - 9.30pm except for Sun, Tues and Wed which closes at 9pm

I wasn't going to blog about this but as soon as I reviewed the photos taken on my point & shoot, I couldn't wait to share the excitement, the sweetness and the fun.

So here are a few snapshots of how these two crazy kids (Suze, The Biscuit Tree baker who doesn't seem to have a limit on the amount of Mother or sugar she consumes, and Noods, my fellow DesCompie who is obsessed with footy) celebrated:

Hehehe... I know that was more than "a few" snapshots, but come on, how can I summarize giant gummi bears, a Wonka themed wedding and a superb Asian seafood banquet into just "a few" pictures?

Sugar high + food coma!

Dearest Suze & Noods, it was such an honour to celebrate this special day with you guys! Congratulations ;)

Jen
xoxo

In celebration of the new year, I thought it would be suitable to look back at all of my best eats in 2009. Here, I've included some of my most frequently visited restaurants as well as a few memorable favourites.

Most Visited Casual Restaurant: Dong Ba Bun Bo Hue, Bankstown, NSW
I think I have honestly dined at Dong Ba at least once every fortnight in 2009 - joining the regular local slurpers of Bun Bo Hue, a Hue-style spicy noodle soup. It is only $7 and the food (they also serve plenty of other traditional Vietnamese eats such as my second most ordered dish here, the Cambodian Rice Noodle Soup) is served at lightening fast speed. Dining at Dong Ba in Bankstown is always a guaranteed fuss-free cheap and cheerful eat. Another bonus is that the menu caters for all possible cravings of anything Vietnamese so is sure to satisfy everyone. But the best part would probably be their drinks menu which includes the iced black coffee and the avocado milkshake.

Dong Ba
296 Chapel Rd South, Bankstown, NSW

Bun bo hue (Hue-style spicy noodle soup) at Dong Ba, Bankstown - My most visited casual restaurant of 2009

Most Expensive: Le Cinq, Paris
In May 2009, I left home for my first eating extravaganza in Europe. Let me just start off by confessing that I have a really bad habit of not checking prices whether it be shopping or food. My boyfriend almost passed out when he browsed through the 'host' menu at Le Cinq, which I had booked many months in advance. Thankfully I had the 'guest' menu which didn't have the prices so he was able to break the shock to me slowly. We soon justified to ourselves that because we had travelled all the way from Sydney to Paris, it would only be right if we allowed this one splurge and promised to be sensible throughout the rest of the trip. Le Cinq sits within Paris' most luxurious hotel - Four Seasons George V, and is the most elegant space I've ever dined in. Something like 440€ (AU$900 at the exchange rate during that time) excluding drinks and service charge and almost six hours later, we left gleefully with a massive dent on my credit card.

Le Cinq
Four Seasons Hotel George V
31, Avenue George V, Paris, France
www.fourseasons.com/paris/dining

Best Surprise: Wiseman Park Wollongong City Bowling Club
My boyfriend was transferred to Wollongong for six months for work, a few years ago. During a visit to some of his old workmates earlier in 2009, we were introduced to Wiseman Park Bowling Club. Tucked within a senior's bowling club bistro is this spectacular down-to-earth yet slightly fancy restaurant. Think traditional Mediterranean and remember to make a reservation if dining on a Friday or Saturday night as the secret is out, and this place is hawt!

Wiseman Park Wollongong City Bowling Club
Gipps Road, Wollongong, NSW

Favourite City Travelled To: Barcelona
My time in Barcelona can easily be summarized with daily visits to the Boqueria Market - the best market I have ever been to. The vivid display of fruits, seafood and jamon was an amazing sight and simply drool-worthy. The friendliness of locals shouting "hola" and the buzz in eating paella after paella, oh, and the shoes made Barcelona my favourite city visited in 2009. Hopefully I'll get a chance to visit it again soon.

Boqueria Market
www.boqueria.info

Fruit drinks display at Boqueria Markets, close up of paella and tapas in Barcelona

Most Visited Seafood Outlet: Ocean Foods, Drummoyne, NSW
Almost every drive on Lyons Road in Drummoyne has resulted in me stopping by at Ocean Foods. Their floor to ceiling glass walls means there's no running away from the grand display of fresh and ready to cook seafood and salads.

Ocean Foods
154 Lyons Rd, Drummoyne, NSW

Most Visited For Dessert: Mamak, Sydney, NSW
Roti and condensed milk are just made for each other. After countless dinners at other restaurants across the city, Sydney food bloggers, myself included, seem to always end up at Mamak for dessert. The roti tisu is a golden cone encrusted with butter and sugar that tastes heavenly with a swirl of condensed milk and sometimes, even ice-cream. If that doesn't have you drooling, the roti pisang will - with freshly sliced banana that caramelizes within a thin buttery roti. Oh, so good.

Mamak
15 Goulburn St, Haymarket, NSW

Favourite Late Night Dining: Wagaya, Haymarket, NSW
With ridiculous trading hours (Wagaya opens until 2am on most nights), private booths and a quirky touch screen ordering system, late night dining at Wagaya is perfect for those night owls (like me) who want a decent feed. I can't get enough of their soft-shell crab hand rolls, lotus root chips or takoyaki gratin. Unfortunately, all this late night dining has contributed greatly to my growing waistline... Hmm... Did someone say New Years Resolution?

Wagaya
Level 1, 78-86 Harbour St, Haymarket, NSW

Dining at Wagaya - Most Visited Late Night Dining Restaurant of 2009

Best Discovery of a Hidden Gem: Uchi Lounge, Surry Hills, NSW
Uchi Lounge is only a street behind the chaotic Oxford Street but upon stepping inside, you're in a whole new world. It is soothing and peaceful, offering a selection of Japanese sake cocktails and some scrumptious food such as their grilled eggplant with miso and a sprinkle of parmesan.

Uchi Lounge
15 Brisbane St, Surry Hills, NSW

Favourite Bar: Water Bar at Blue, Woolloomooloo
I was introduced to Water Bar after my 25th birthday dinner in 2009. It's the fine dining of bars. As well as offering all the traditional cocktail favourites, Water Bar also features a range of new concept drinks that utilises some surprising and experimental techniques. Elderflower martini with a cucumber air, the kaffir lime dacquiri with coconut foam or the spiced fig whisky sour are just a few to name. The only downside here are their trading hours, closing at midnight on most nights and 10pm on Sundays and Mondays.

Water Bar
6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo, NSW

Favourite Brunch: Rhodes Phoenix, Rhodes, NSW
Yum-Cha, Dim-Sum, whatever two words you use to call the fine art of eating dumplings and other Chinese delicacies over tea with friends or family, is a weekend hobby of mine. Having discovered the Phoenix group in 2007 - there's four of them: Sky Phoenix, Hilltop Phoenix, Manly Phoenix and Rhodes Phoenix, I quickly became a regular at the Rhodes restaurant which is only a short drive from my place. 2009 saw me dining at Rhodes Phoenix more than ever before. I have such a weakness for their prawn toast!

Rhodes Phoenix
1/5 Rider Blvd, Rhodes, NSW

Last week, I had the pleasure of not only meeting Jason Roberts, but also cooking with him, thanks to IGA, Stellar* Concepts and City Public Relations.

Many of you will remember Jason from his time at Channel Nine's cooking program 'Fresh' which was broadcast to Australia and New Zealand, five days a week for four years! Since then, it appears he has cracked the US market, written a few cookbooks and now has become the brand ambassador to IGA's Food 4 Life program.

At the Sydney Seafood School, a small group of food editors and myself were invited to a demonstration and cook-up, highlighting the key message behind IGA Food 4 Life's program - by pre-planning meals and buying simple and seasonal produce, families can prepare easy and healthy meals, without spending hours in the kitchen and that daily interaction in the kitchen with family is an effective way of bonding with the family.

Jason's personable nature, cheeky smile and dedication to healthy home cooking was truly captivating, particularly as explained the Brain Garden concept. I'm no nutrition-geek but what he said made so much sense! I can go on forever, listing the examples but here are a few which will convince you to eat more vegies:

• A sliced carrot looks like the human eye and greatly enhance the function of the eyes.
• A walnut looks like the brain, with left and right hemispheres, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Its wrinkles and folds even look like the neo-cortex, and scientifically, we know it helps develop neuron-transmitters for brain function.
• Kidney beans do not only look like the human kidney, but they also heal and help maintain kidney function.
• Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb look like bones and they also help with bone strength.
• The tomato's colour and its four chambers looks like the heart. Research has also shown that tomatoes are loaded with lycopine which is pure heart and blood food.

And what did we cook?

Courtesy of Jason Roberts, I am sharing with you these two easy peasy recipes - Salmon in a bag, and a gluten and fat free passionfruit and praline souffle.

Fresh vegetables

Cooking Salmon in a bag

I personally love this recipe, not for the fish, but for the vibrant salad. Who knew that zucchini could be so tasty raw?

SALMON IN A BAG
Serves 2

"This is a delicious way to prepare a single portion of fish with minimal effort and incredible flavor, This method of cooking has been around for a very long time and is definitely a style of cooking that is underused. Once you have mastered this technique there are so many variations to play with." says Jason Roberts

2 x 180gm piece of  Salmon
6 small potatoes steamed and skinned removed, and sliced into 1cm rounds
3 tablespoons chopped green shallots
3Tblspn olive oil
1 lemon, cut 2 slices, the remaining used for its juice
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt
Ground white pepper
1 cup of fresh mint leaves
1 small yellow and green zucchini finely sliced and lightly salted
½ bunch chives, finely sliced

1. Pre heat the oven to 200’C (430’F)
   
2. Make sure the fish is trimmed of fat, pin boned and free of scales
   
3. Take 2 pieces of baking paper about 30cm in length and lay it flat on the bench
   
4. In the center of each piece of paper lay the steamed potato slices along with a sprinkling of the green shallots, season with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and then top with a piece of salmon
   
5. Squeeze over a touch of lemon juice along with a little more of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, top with a slice of lemon and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme and seal the bag. Take the edge of baking paper close to you as well as the opposite edge, bring together above the fish and fold downwards creating a tight pleat, fold the ends to the left and right back under the fish creating a snug little parcels
   
6. Place fish parcel onto a heatproof tray, and then put into the pre-heated oven, for approximately 8 minutes or until cooked to your liking. The best way to test is to pierce with a sharp skewer; you are looking for almost no resistance.
   
7. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the sliced zucchini along with the mint leaves and a scattering of the chives, season with a pepper, a little oil and another squeeze of lemon juice.
   
8. Once fish is cooked remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for a minute or 2 before opening bag
   
9. To serve, tare the bag open, Dividing the zucchini and mint salad evenly, and place on top of each piece of fish, it is not necessary to remove the fish from the paper bag
   
10. Enjoy

Passionfruit and praline souffle, the goodie bag and dining at the revamped Sydney Seafood School

It is hard imagining how a souffle with praline would rise, but this did. Because it is both gluten-free and fat-free, the texture is extremely airy and seriously melts in your mouth. The zing of the passionfruit simply spells out a summer delight.

PASSIONFRUIT AND PRALINE SOUFFLE
Makes 8 x 240 ml soufflé moulds

"This is one of those impressive desserts with wow factor, I love making this because it’s gluten and fat free, well...
Till I add a spoon of freshly whipped cream" says Jason Roberts.

Extra butter to grease the dishes and caster sugar to dust the interiors
 
160 ml (5.4floz) passion fruit pulp
200 mls (6.8floz) orange juice
25 g (0.9oz) corn starch
120 g (4.2oz) caster sugar
300 ml (10.1floz) egg whites, free of any yolk
Pinch cream of tartar
100 g (3.5oz) caster sugar
 
Praline
75 g (2.6oz) blanched almonds
50 g (1.8oz) toasted, skinned hazelnuts
125 g (4.4oz)sugar
2Tblspns water to melt the sugar
 
Icing sugar to dust
Whipped cream at your discretion

1. Pre heat oven to 175C (380F) for 14 minutes
2. Melt the sugar and water over low heat until dissolved thoroughly. Increase the heat and cook to a caramel - 175º C/380’ F on a sugar thermometer. Should be amber in color but not burnt.
   
3. Off the heat, quickly incorporate the nuts using a swirling action rather than a spoon if possible then turn out onto a clean flat baking tray. Spread with a  spatula.
4. Cool to room temperature then finely chop, set aside.
   
5. In a small saucepan place the orange juice along with the 120gm quantity of castor sugar, set over a medium heat
   
6. Mix well the passion fruit and corn starch to make a slurry, add to the orange juice mixture. With a wooden spoon, beat till thickened and then continue to cook for a further 8-10 minutes over a low heat. After this time place into a sieve and pass removing the seed content, return a few seeds back to passion fruit and cornstarch puree, set aside to cool
   
7. Either by hand or electric mixer you need to beat the whites to semi firm peaks, I find the electric mixer very helpful, but whatever you choose to use, make sure equipment is super clean and free from any fat content.
   
8. Place a kitchen mixer onto a medium speed, add in egg whites along with cream of tartar and continue to mix till well-incorporated and fluffy (approximately 1 minute) increase the speed and slowly start to add the 100gm sugar quantity, a little at a time.
   
9. The egg whites should almost triple in volume and hold semi firm peaks.
   Start incorporating the egg white into the passion fruit base; this will need to be done in thirds. The first quantity you can be quite liberal with, mixing well, the second addition of whites needs to be a little gentler, reserving volume
   
10. Before folding in remaining whites, scatter in the praline then the whites and very gently fold till well mixed
    
11. Fill each prepared mould to the top, leveling with a spatula,  tapping gently to remove any air bubbles, Using your thumb, run around the outside of the top of each soufflé to create a clear track for soufflé to rise evenly
12. At this point you can set aside in the refrigerator till ready to bake and serve, no longer than 6 hours in advance though,
    
13. When ready place into pre heated oven and cook till risen by at least a third of the depth of your soufflé mould, approximately 8-10 minutes
    
14. When cooked remove from oven, dust with icing sugar and serve

Cooking our own lunch inside Sydney Seafood School, Jason Robert's cooking demonstration and me with the man himself, after I won the door prize!

For more of Jason Robert's simple cooking ideas, visit the IGA Food 4 Life website.

Rice and pasta are kitchen staples I can't live without. And now, thanks to Blu and the team at Haystac, I can add Pearl Couscous (also known as Israeli couscous) to my list of must-have versatile ingredients.

You can win 1 of 5 packs of Blu Gourmet Pearl Couscous to trial in your very own kitchen. Keep reading to find out how!

Peal couscous takes its name from its unique pearl-like shape and size. They're around 3mm in size and made from hard wheat toasted in an open flame oven, which gives them a rich, nutty flavour and a smooth texture -perfect for absorbing sauces, stocks and spices!

I put these to the test and made both a savoury and a sweet dish.

1 small fennel bulb
1 tablespoon butter
1 small leek, rinsed and finely sliced
3 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 litre fish stock
½ litre water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4x 100g smoked cod fillets
4 tablespoons aioli
10 basil leaves, roughly torn
¾ cup Blu Gourmet Pearl Couscous

Trim the fennel bulb, reserving the feathery tops, then cut the bulb in half and finely slice it.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the leek and cook until soft, then add the tomato, sliced fennel and stock. Bring to the boil, add remaining water then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and fish and cover. Cook for 7 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

Lift out the fish and add the pearl couscous, stir well and simmer for a further 8 minutes.

Add fish back in and simmer for a few minutes. Divide among four warmed pasta bowls. Ladle the broth over the fish and top with a spoonful of aioli. Garnish with the fennel tops and basil.

Serves 4.

Smoked cod and fennel soup with pearl couscous

I love the simple flavours in this soup. It is almost a bouillabaisse but not as rich. The broth tastes delicate and light and the best thing about this recipe is that the pearl couscous makes it a meal!

I also wanted to play around with spices so poached a cup of pearl couscous in a divine syrup of fruit juices, lemon rind, cinnamon sticks, star anise, vanilla bean and honey, and then once chilled, I mixed it with some fresh strawberries and blueberries. The result was a sublime fruity dessert.

Sweet pearl couscous with berries, French vanilla bean ice-cream and pineapple jerky

Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 4 apples
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon butter
2 - 4 teaspoons honey, to taste
1 cup of Blu Gourmet Pearl Couscous
2 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split
water, as required
Handful berries, according to personal taste
4 scoops vanilla bean icecream

Combine the juices, zest, honey, butter, star anise, cinnamon and vanilla bean in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir every few minutes until honey has dissolved.

Bring to the boil, then add the pearl couscous. Simmer for 6 minutes and add water if necessary.

Remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid. Allow the couscous to remain covered until cool; fluff with a fork occassionally.

Remove spices and mix through berries (I've used quartered strawberries and whole blueberries). Serve chilled with a scoop of ice-cream.

Serves 4.

I've served these with a slice of pineapple jerky as well, as I've been slightly obsessed with my fruit dehydrator lately... more to come on that shortly!

Blu Gourmet Pearl Couscous

Win 1 of 5 packs of Blu Gourmet Pearl Couscous
To enter, simply leave a comment below in 25 words or less and tell me what you would use pearl couscous for?

Sorry, for Australian residents only. Competition entry closes on 8/12/09 11:59pm; winners will be announced on 9/12/09. Please use a valid email address so you can be contacted for your mailing address, shall you win.

Good luck and happy eating! x

For more information on pearl couscous, visit Blu's official website.

THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED.

I'm a big fan of Time Out. I would never visit a city without first consulting the local Time Out guide.

Time Out Sydney's Food Awards 09 winners were announced this week, so let's see who made the cut:

People's Choice
Winner: Glebe Point Diner, Glebe
Runners-up: Bodega, Surry Hills; Quay, The Rocks; Marque, Surry Hills; Longrain, Surry Hills

I'm a bit ashamed that I haven't yet dined at Glebe Point Diner. There are all round positive reviews from other food bloggers, namely, The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry, Double Cooked, Lemonade Land and Steph's Food Journey and along with mountain loads of press and editorial reviews, Glebe Point Diner is an obvious people's choice.

Best New Restaurant
Winner: Rockpool Bar and Grill, Sydney
Runners-up: Sepia, Sydney; Spice Temple, Sydney; Etch, Sydney; The Beresford, Darlinghurst

Rockpool Bar & Grill in Melbourne is an absolute favourite. While I haven't been to its Sydney sister, can anyone tell me if it's any different?

Etch is simply full of pretty spaces and their macaroni is to-die-for. The revamped Beresford trattoria is also a clear winner (runner-up in this case) with the locals.

Best Cafe
Winner: Cafe Sopra, Waterloo
Runners-up: Deus ex Machina, Camperdown; Wall, Surry Hills; Ruby's Diner, Waverley; Kazbah, Balmain

Anyone who has been to Kazbah's breakfast banquet will be an advocate. Hmmm, why isn't Dank Street Depot a runner-up?

Best Desserts
Winner: Universal, Darlinghurst
Runners-up: Pier, Rosebay; Quay, The Rocks; Longrain, Surry Hills; Rockpool, The Rocks

I haven't been to Universal, nor Pier or Longrain. But if Quay is any benchmark for the winner, I have to get myself to Universal. I adore Quay's eight texture chocolate cake and their pear creme caramel, sauterne jelly, pear icecream and caramel cream!

Best Steak
Winner: Fix St James, Sydney
Runners-up: Bistro Moncur, Woolahra; Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney; Tabou, Surry Hills; Mad Cow, Sydney

Wow, I haven't been to any of these places. What about Prime? Chophouse?

Best Fixed Price Menu
Winner: Bentley Restaurant and Bar, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Assiette, Surry Hills, Atelier, Glebe; Vini, Surry Hills; Marque, Surry Hills

Best Seafood
Winner: Sepia, Sydney
Runners-up: Tetsuya's, Sydney; Manta, Woolloomooloo; Fish Face, Darlinghurst; Pier, Rose Bay

Am I the only one who hearts Flying Fish, Masuya and Ocean Room?

Best Burgers
Winner: Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney
Runners-Up: Plan B by Becasse, Sydney; Ruby's Diner, Waverley; The Burger Joint, Darlinghurst; Paul's Burgers, Sylvania

You will have no doubt seen my recent list of where to find the best burgers in Sydney. I still stand by it -although from reading the comments, I need to get myself to Rockpool Bar & Grill and Counter Burger!

Best Cheap Eat
Winner: Black Star Pastry, Newtown
Runners-up: Din Tai Fung, Haymarket; Guzman y Gomez, Newtown; Mamak, Haymarket; Gumshara Ramen, Haymarket

Seriously, how can anything beat Mamak? OK, maybe #chronic ramen is close, but a pastry shop? It must be bloody good, and I have yet to try. But the bigger issue here, is how 6 xiao long bao (soup dumplings) for $8.80 can be considered a cheap eat!

Best Sandwiches
Winner: Malibu, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Pilu Kiosk, 'On the Beach', Freshwater; Big Bite, Sydney; Hong Ha, Hurstville; Plan B by Becasse, Sydney

Best Patisseries
Winner: Adriano Zumbo, Balmain
Runners-up: Croissant D'Or, Potts Point; Yellow, Potts Point; Bourke Street Bakery, Surry Hills; Sweet Belem, Petersham

Ah, Zumbo. Post-Masterchef, Zumbo appears to be the real winner with endless queues and requests for his macarons, croquembouche and the chocolate mousse cake.

Best Noodles
Winner: Gumshara, Haymarket
Runners-up: Pho An, Bankstown; Twisted Noodle Bar, Sydney; Menya Noodle Bar, Sydney, Tan Viet, Cabramatta

I think ramen should be in its own category. But regardless, you'll still find me every fortnight slurping up $7 noodles at Dong Ba in Bankstown.

Best Thai
Winner: Spice I Am, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Longrain, Surry Hills; Sailor's Thai, The Rocks; Chat Thai, Sydney; Crocodile Senior, Sydney

Best Yum Cha
Winner: Fisherman's Wharf, Pyrmont
Runners-up: Marigold, Sydney, Sunny Harbour Seafood Restaurant, Hurstville; Sky Phoenix, Sydney; Golden Unicorn, Maroubra

Best Tapas
Winner: Bodega, Surry Hills
Runners-up: Ash St Cellar, Sydney; Delicado, McMahons Point; Sean's Kitchen, Pyrmont, Catalonia, Kirribilli

Bodega, can anything beat it? I think Spanish Terrazas, Velero and Cantina may be close contenders for runners-up.

Best Pizza
Winner: Lucio Pizzeria, Darlinghurst
Runners-up: Pompei's, Bondi Beach; Rosso Pomodoro, Balmain; La Disfida, Haberfield; Pizza Mario, Surry Hills

Errr, Pizza e Birra anyone?

So what do you think? Are these the winners or losers?

Santorini was like a flawless movie set. The sunsets glowed immaculately day after day and the white washed buildings were ever so impeccable. A panoramic view from any angle was breathtaking. I was sold as soon as I saw a travel brochure of this Greek island, but to see it in person was something different altogether.

So, to the start of it.

We hopped onto this tiny Olympic Airways plane where my fear of heights and sensitivity to G-force had me gripping onto the arm rest.

Zen in front of the teeny Olympic Airways plane we were about to board

Here I am beside the astonishingly compact Smart car. The norm would have been to rent a quad-bike or scooter but we didn't want to be one of those annoying tourists! Besides, we had way too much luggage and wanted to explore the whole island from Oia to Akrotiri to Perissa. We soon learnt that the bonus of forking out a little more for a car was the shade it provided from the scorching heat and the strength it had to pull us up and around mountains.

Me next to the rental Smart car

We stayed at the Aressana Spa Hotel and Suites which was tucked away behind the busy streets of Fira but still in walkable distance to the shops, restaurants and views -I thought it was well deserved luxury. We read beneath the outdoor four-poster day beds, sun-baked on Milano wicker pool chairs, dipped in the pool and ate up big. The buffet breakfast was grandeur, featuring traditional Greek items, homemade Santorinian jams and treats, fresh fruits, juices, breads and so much more. The serviced poolside bar was so convenient, the service was top-notch and the food did not disappoint. Eating by the pool with a background of jazz music in a spectacular retreat like this is an unforgettable experience.

Lunch of fried meatballs with housemade French fries, bread with tsatsiki and grilled chicken with basmati rice and mastic white sauce at Aressana Spa Hotel and Suites

On another day, we ate at Ouzerie which serves up traditional Greek dishes. The moussaka (lasagna with eggplant and potato), Greek salad and chicken souvlaki were scrumptious! It was a hearty and satisfying lunch.

Homemade style Greek food of salad, moussaka and chicken souvlaki from Ouzerie Greek Mezedes

I couldn't resist getting a massage at the beach. The black pebbled sand wasn't very exciting to rest on but I did love the widely available chaise lounges. This is me getting a foot and leg massage ;)

Getting a foot and leg massage on Kamari Beach in Santorini

Santorini is truly a honeymooner's playground. I witnessed several weddings and lovebirds flourished the streets, adding more demand to the stunning sunset views. Many restaurants had amazing terraces on the cliff, offering gorgeous caldera views. One of them was Spinx Restaurant...

Dinner over sunset at Spinx Restaurant in Santorini, Greece

Fine dining in Santorini was interesting. Koukoumavlos Restaurant was experimentally creative with introducing Asian flavours to traditional Greek cuisine. I started with the Santorinian fava which is a delectable local bean, served with smoked trout and salmon tartar in mandarin sauce and roasted almonds. And for mains, I had the fresh papardelle with scampi and shrimp sauteed in ouzo and anise with fresh tomato and light cream flavoured with orange zest. The view of course was beautiful but once the sun has set, you're left in a nice but average restaurant with pitch black views of the sea.

Santorinian fava from Koukoumavlos Restaurant

I think I much preferred the cheap and cheeful, such as this grilled seafood platter of freshly caught calamari, gilt-head bream, octopus, shrimps, mussels, fried potatoes, rice and salad from Argo.

Seafood platter from Argo

Me at the south of Santorini with volcanic caldera view

Shores of Santorini near Fira

Now, where do I start with traditional Santorinian delicacies? Well... there were the fried tomato balls which taste exactly as it sounds and are totally addictive; zucchini fritters, fried salted cod served with skordalia (dip made of garlic, potato, vinegar and nuts), grilled squid or calamari or bream, gyros (the kebabs we're all used to eating at 2am after a night out) and keftedes, which are meatballs with parsley. Creme caramels, baklava, kataefi and panna cotta were also popular desserts across Santorinian menus.

Tomatokeftedes (Santorini tomato balls)

Zucchini fritters / fried baby marrows

Creme caramel from Atlantis Island Restaurant

Dinner of meatballs and fresh bream at Naoussa Restaurant

Seafood marinara spaghetti at Thalami Restaurant, Oia

Deep fried salted cod from Thalami Restaurant in Oia

Oia in Santorini

Overall? Santorini definitely sits within the top 2 of my favourite places visited during this trip to Europe. I was lucky to see its real deal, right before it would be flooded with summer tourists.

You can read about my trip to Monaco, London and Barcelona, France and Italy here; or stay tuned for the next post on Dubai (the last leg of the trip).

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)

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

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

I'm half way through this 4.5 week eating extravaganza and I've finally gotten around to doing this blog post.

Where have I been and what have I done?

Well, I've taken almost 3000 photos, I have fine dined at some of the most stunning restaurants including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and Le Cinq and I have discovered some local favourites. In between all of that, I have caught up with a few friends including, fellow food blogger, Helen, who runs World Foodie Guide. We had some superb dumplings and noodle soups at Ba Shan which seemed outrageously priced in comparison to that available in Sydney's Chinatown, but once you stop converting everything back to Aussie dollars, you realise that the food was indeed delicious and executed with fine detail. I will be doing a blog post on Ba Shan later on.

This week, I've started craving home cooking and have found it almost impossible to find a quality Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant around France. Paris Hanoi was pretty good but missed the little things such as sate sauce or hoisin sauce for the Pho soupe de boeuf (beef noodle soup) or variety of mints for my Tom Bun Nem, vermicelles de riz, crudites avec crevettes sautees et nems (vermicelli with sauteed prawns and spring rolls).

Back to the beginning, one of the first restaurants I dined at was 1 Michelin starred, The Ledbury. The chef is Brett Graham, an Aussie who has been trained by the very best at The Square. With so many deletable flavours in the a la carte menu, Zen and I opted for the tasting menu so we can devour a bit of everything. It was 9 courses for £70 and £108 with wine. We started with a beetroot meringue with foie gras and gingerbread crumb -a combination which melts in your mouth. It was strangely similar to something I've had at Centennial Parklands Dining which was offered at the Taste Of Sydney launch party. Who copied who, I wonder.

We were then offered a choice of the bacon and onion broiche which was flavoursome and fluffy or white sourdough, a favourite stable. Below was the first course, a softly poached pheasant egg with jerusalem artichoke veloute. Standout dish was the celeriac which was baked in ash with hazelnuts and wood sorrel for 45 minutes and served with a kromeski of wild boar -tender and fragrant with aniseed and crisply fried with breadcrumbs on the outside. The gorgeous aromas of the celeraic were exposed when the waitor sliced open the crust before taking it back to the kitchen for its final touches.

Other courses included a generous serve of roast foie gras with glazed endive, blood orange and toasted grains, flame grilled mackerel with cured mackerel, avocado and shiso, shoulder of Pyrenean milk fed lamb cooked for twenty four hours with truffle creamed potato and buttered celery, roast monkfish with peas, morels and marjoram, warm minature churros, creme brulee, pressed gariguette strawberries with hisbiscus and petit fours of macaroons, chocolates and marshmallow.

Softly poached pheasant egg with jerusalem artichoke veloute at The Ledbury

When asked if we needed a cab after dinner, I didn't hesitate to say yes. Afterall, we had eaten for over 4 hours and I was so full, I had to waddle my way out. But one does not expect the restaurant to order a chauffeur with a glitzy Mercedes Benz S320 -although now having seen more of Notting Hill, a fashionable suburb where every second car is a Porsche, I can understand why. It was definitely a luxurious and memorable ride back to the serviced apartment. The chauffeur told tales of his two wives as I fell in and out of a snooze. No celebrities spotted in Notting Hill unfortunately.

I also checked out the food halls at Harrods and Selfridges. As I wandered from department display to another display, I remember telling Zen that I was in Heaven time after time. Of course, I had said the same thing when shoe shopping or patisserie hunting. Europe has so far proven to be a girl's playground... the more money you have, the more fun it is!

Patisserie display of fruit tarts at Harrods

New fruits and vegetables which I have discovered include beef tomatoes and physalis.

Grocery display of beef tomatoes

The next fine dining experience was at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay -a place where I had made a reservation 2 months in advance for 9:30pm. Howver, still adjusting to jet lag, we slept in, called to apologise for our delay and arrived at 10:30pm. If only Gordon Ramsay was there himself, I am sure he would have turned us away furiously!

But our 3 course for £90 meal was marvelous. I loved the inbetween surprises, such as the sherbet and pop rocks in the mango soup with coconut cream which was served before dessert and tasted like a Weis bar, only better.

Below is my scrumptious starter, ravioli of lobster, langoustine, and salmon poached in a light bisque with lemongrass and chervil veloute.

I am puzzled as to why Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, formerly 13th, has crashed out of the Top 50 Restaurants list this year, as the service was perfect and the food, divine -it has sure impressed me.

Lobster ravioli at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay

Mango soup with coconut cream with surprise of space rocks (sherbet and pop rocks) at the bottom

I couldn't leave London without having done high tea -afternoon tea as they call it. Thank goodness for my obsession with planning because Claridge's turned out to be extremely busy and we probably wouldn't have gotten a table without a booking.

Zen almost fell off his chair when he saw that it was £33 for a selection of sandwiches including Scottish Oak smoked salmon on rye sourdough, Dorrington Gammon ham on milk bread, organic egg mayonnaise on brown bread and organic cucumber and rocket on onion bread, freshly baked raison and apple scones with Devonshire clotted cream and Marco Polo jelly, a selection of French pastries and tea.

Afternoon tea at Claridge's was such an enjoyable experience. There was live music performed by a pianist and violinist, massive glistening chandeliers and comfy royal armchairs in a room which was dressed as one of those posh ballrooms. There was even a butler in the ladies' room which was gorgeous enough to be a bedroom. But before you get the wrong impression, it was not at all pretentious.

One thing I haven't yet mentioned is the discretionary 12.5% service charge which restaurants add to the final bill. This has slightly hiked up my budget so be warned!

Me at afternoon tea at Claridge's

Scones at Claridges afternoon tea in London

On another night, I had dinner with some ex-colleagues. What is more exciting than seeing familiar faces on the other side of the world? I chose Le Cafe Anglais at the recommendation of Helen. I started with amazing oyster fritters which were served with a herb vinaigrette and their renouned parmesan custard and anchovy toast. Below is my sublime fish soup served with shredded Gruyere cheese and spicy aioli which prepared me for the wonderful world of France, to which i travelled to a week later.

Fish soup at Le Cafe Anglais

Because we didn't have time to eat at any gastropubs, I had to squeeze in this local favourite. My deep-fried cod with chips was the best there is. Our accompanying Greek Salad was scrumptious too, but what I really loved was the clean, crisp batter and the beautiful flaky fish.

Fish and chips at The Golden Hind

Then stepping out as tourists, we went to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guards. If you don't mind getting your feet trampled on, then this is for you.

Guards at Buckingham Palace

I had 3 days in Barcelona and all I really did was eat. Barceloneta was great for that: fantastic seafood and well priced desserts. I ate my fair share of razor clams which are meatier and tastier than the typical clam, drank up on sangria and fresh juices from Boqueria Markets, and ate plentiful paellas, pintxos (toothpicked tapas on bread) and tapas -pan tomaca con Jamón (tomato bread with Serrano ham), Patatas a la Brava (fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli) and Croquetas de Bacalao (cod fish croquettes) are some to name.

Sangria at La Gavina

Creme Brulee at La Gavina

Me at a Boqueria Markets fruit stall

Freshly squeezed juices at Barcelona's Boqueria Markets

Pintxos at Sagardi bar

Fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aoili

Jamon

Razor clams at Taller de Tapas

Seafood paella at Taller de Tapas

The Ledbury
127 Ledbury Road
Notting Hill, London, W11 2AQ
UK
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7792 9090
Web: http://www.theledbury.com

Taller de Tapas
Plaza Sant Josep Oriol, 9
Web: http://www.tallerdetapas.com

Stay tuned for the next post on Paris, Cannes and Nice! In the meantime, happy eating :)

This is it. This is my favourite fish and chip takeaway shop.

And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Ocean Foods recently won the prestigious Best Fish And Chips In Sydney award (Seafood Excellence Awards).

Battered fish and chips are one of those meals that are better bought than homemade, that is, unless you have one of those commercial type fryers at home. I've learnt that for best results, a double fry is recommended. This is something Ocean Foods has perfected. Their batter is consistently crisp and clean. I've become a fan of their battered mussels, fish and pineapple fritters. The chips are pretty average here (the usual thick frozen type) but the homemade potato scallops are solid gold.

Selection of fresh seafood

Also on offer are gourmet, in terms of price and flavour, salads and a huge display of ready to cook seafood. Barramundi in a myriad of flavours, kebab skewers, salt and pepper calamari, lobster mornay, BBQ seafoods, sushi, sashimi... and the list goes on.

Salads

Fresh ready to cook seafood

More seafood

The counter and part of the extensive wall menu

Honey, chilli and garlic barramundi

Seafood kebab stick with king prawns, barramundi, calamari, scallop

Homemade potato scallops and battered mussels

Cold seafood prawn platter with Sydney rock oysters, smoked salmon, king prawns, seafood salad and octopus vinaigrette

I'm a regular here and have been for several years. While the prices have slowly risen, the quality remains top notch. When you visit, keep in mind they don't take card transactions. So come early to avoid the chaos and grab a seat at their newly built seating area or take it to the park down the street. Just be prepared to wait if you're late :)

Ocean Foods
154 Lyons Road, Drummoyne
Phone: (02) 9181 4336

While many are drawn to the Crown Complex at Melbourne for its gaming floor, I kept coming back for the food.

It was New Years Eve 2008 and amidst the loud crowd building up outside, Sho Noodle Bar was busy serving up plates of traditional Chinese cuisine and refilling pot after pot of really good tea.

There was a queue for proper tables so we took up the opportunity to sit at the bar which allowed me to witness the efficiency behind its open kitchen.

I was a little unsure of their four page tea menu, so the waiter talked me into trying the $6 pot of Qi Xian Nv Jasmine bloom tea which was as delicious as it was fascinating to watch. It was infused with soothing aromas of green tea and the perfect accompaniment to such a big meal! Yes, as usual, we over-ordered and over-ate, but the tea supported me well.

Jasmine blossoming tea, $6

Chinese condiments

Open kitchen

We shared a variety of Sho's specialty dishes including a spicy Assam fish curry with okra, tomatoes, onion and mint. We also had a selection of braised fungus and mushrooms which were cooked in a fragrant wine and garlic sauce. The earthy flavours were simply delectable. We followed with a staple plate of Singaporean stir-fried beehoon noodles which helped balance the rich dishes. Then I noticed the crayfish getting flash fried and tossed with honey, chilli and spring onions.As we shifted the dishes and teapots around to make room, the glistening dish arrived and we were hypnotized like munching machines.

Assam fish curry with okra, tomatoes, onion and mint, $16.80

Selection of braised fungus and mushrooms, $15.80

Singapore style noodles, $17.80

Wok-fried crayfish with honey, chilli and spring onion, $39.50

New Years Eve crowd at Melbourne

Come here for the extensive tea list and the well executed Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean dishes.

Sho Noodle Bar
Main gaming floor, Crown Entertainment Complex
8 Whiteman Street Southbank VIC
Phone: (03) 9292 6885

From first appearances, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was just an average senior's bowling club bistro. Oh, how wrong I was!

Zen's workmate DC has been a local at the club for decades and even celebrated his 50th birthday at this family-run restaurant on its opening day some time last year. When we agreed to stroll down the street to Wiseman Park Wollongong City Bowling Club for brunch, I went sans-camera, not expecting anything photo-worthy. (Pictures below taken with my brand spanking new iPhone)

Imagine is more of a bistaurant (bistro & restaurant). Its menu is down-to-earth yet slightly fancy but sticks to a traditional Mediterranean fare. The prices are higher than a $10 pub steak but its food has many talking. On a Friday or Saturday night, expect to find the place booked out, with regulars even taking the food out to a different seating area.

Zen and I share the seafood paella which was about $56.90 from memory. We're advised that it will take about 25 minutes to be cooked so we start off with some garlic bread.

The Turkish bread was piping hot and buttery and could have had a little more garlic. However, it was delicious to the boyfriend, the non-garlic eater who eats garlic occasionally.

Our meals were thoughtfully brought out at the same time.

DC has the lamb casserole which is served with a side of steamed seasonal vegetables. He compares it to his mother's cooking which is a good sign, although stating that it's missing a crucial ingredient which he can't pinpoint. I think anything substantially close to one's mother's cooking is bloody good.

The seafood paella smelt scrumptious and included a generous spread of mussels, moreton bay bugs, king prawns and baby octopus. The rice was of the perfect consistency and I simply loved the tomato and saffron colours which stained Zen's fingers, hehe :)

Garlic bread

Lamb casserole

Seafood Paella before waiter served it

My plate of seafood paella

Make a booking and be surprised.

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Imagine Restaurant
Wiseman Park Wollongong City Bowling Club
Foleys Rd, Gwynneville, NSW
Phone: +61 (2) 4229 4132‎

Despite having dined at Rockpool Bar & Grill at Melbourne more than 2 months ago, I can still recall much of the very memorable meal. The service was immaculate and staff whom were well educated on the menu were keen to help the indecisive with their knowledge of preparation techniques and ingredients.

Rockpool Bar and Grill Melbourne's menu - part I

The menu was dated on the top right corner which gave it a very fresh feel. The website menu is updated daily too I think! Today's one is up-to-date anyway. I am impressed with Neil Perry's attention to detail and care factor, which not only shows on his blog but the entrance to his restaurants. Its core values are on display as you walk past an array of dry aged beef. They boast that there's up to 5 tonnes of beef aging at any one time.

Rockpool Bar and Grill Melbourne's menu - part II

Grass fed and wagyu beef aged in fridge

Bread and butter

Zen started with the Four Raw Tastes of the Sea which consisted of double sharp cuts of ocean trout, yellow fin tuna, flathead and Hiramasa kingish. Served with fresh horseradish for a kick and organic soy dressing, it was premium sashimi served well.

Four raw tastes of the sea

I on the other hand tossed between some drool-worthy hot starters and ended up with the divine Duck Ragu with Pappardelle Noodles. The lusciously wide pasta strands were satisfyingly rich and the duck was as tender as it can be.

Duck ragu with pappardelle noodles

The menu emphasized on a thoughtful combination of really good produce with uncomplicated cooking techniques.

The perfectly cooked 400g rump of Greenham's grass fed yearling beef had been dry aged for 48 days. It was served with a 2 generous pots of horseradish cream and bearnaise sauce.

Greenham's dry aged grass fed yearling beef, 400g rump, aged for 48 days

My spicy mussel and saffron stew with wood fire grilled seafood, ciabatta and aioli was magnificent for all the right reasons. The broth was a perfect saltiness, the grilled seafood added an extra dimension of flavour and there was just enough bread to soak up the goodness. Could this have been my most favourite main meal ever?

Spicy mussel and saffron stew with wood fire grilled seafood and aioli

The wintery aroma of the potato and cabbage gratin was almost more splendid. The crisp lid of parmesan and breadcrumbs were golden and so flavoursome. It was the ultimate side dish.

Side dish of potato and cabbage gratin

As simple as salads can be, Rockpool's palm sugar vinaigrette brought deliciousness to a basic salad mix of raddicchio, cos and endive.

Side salad of radicchio, cos, endive with palm sugar vinaigrette

Cappuccino with toffee rice puffs

Dessert menu

Such an idealic meal would not have been complete without dessert. Reflective of fruits in season at the time (now they're all-things figs, yum!), the desserts menu included a beautiful selection of stone fruits, berries and mango. I had a playful mix of summer fruits which was glazed with warm custard and served with tangy red currants.

Summer fruits glazed with a warm custard

Zen & I

Lit up with The Yarra River's fire displays on Southbank Promenade

Oh, and there were caramelised puffed rice grains to finish with too which tasted like a naughtier twist of cereal and popcorn.

Rockpool Bar and Grill, Melbourne
Web: www.rockpool.com.au/melbourne/rockpool-bar-and-grill.html
Call: (03) 8648 1900
Visit: Crown Complex, Southbank, Victoria

Welcome back! I hope ya'll had many delicious moments during the break.

To kick off a new year of blogging, I thought it would only make sense to firstly conclude 2008 with my family Christmas dinner.

It was a little chaotic at the start, with me doing too many things at once; whipping up the meringue, cutting and peeling vegetables, wrapping the last minute presents and more. But once the vegetables were sliced, fruits were cut up and meringues were baking, everything started to fall into place. Phew!

We started with some dips and crackers, then a giant seafood platter. I tried really hard not to over-cook this year. The following fed 7 adults and 1 kid... we had a few prawns leftover, as well as half the mashed potato and half the salad. I think I did fairly well!

Seafood platter with smoked salmon, shaved Spanish onion, dill and capers, prawns with 3 dipping sauces, fresh oysters with lime, lobsters and spicy wedges

Meringues baking in oven

Berries for the pavlova -strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi fruit and passionfrut

I forgot to photograph the wagyu which we bought from Vic's Meat, but it's marbling was delectable! We chargrilled these eggplants, sweet potatoes and asparagus on the side. These were simply prepared with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cracked pepper.

Vegetables for chargrilling

Mixed green salad with dill, cucumber, haloumi cheese, anchovy stuffed olives, cherry tomatoes and balsamic dressing

The baby carrots were caramelised with a combination of butter, brown sugar and parsley.

Caramelised carrots

Rosemary mashed potato

Charcoal and flame

Meringues are simple to bake and require minimal ingredients. This is the recipe I used:

8 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups of caster sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon cornflower
2 teaspoon white vinegar
Fruit and double cream to serve

1. Preheat oven to 120°C, whip up the egg whites and until stiff peaks form.
2. Slowly (spoon by spoon) add sugar while continuously beating the egg whites.
3. Once sugar has dissolved, all remaining ingredients and combine well.
4. Spoon onto baking paper into required sizes / shapes and bake for 90 minutes or until crisp.
5. Leave them in the oven with the door ajar to allow cooling.
6. Serve with fruit (I used strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, passionfruit and kiwifruit) and double cream.

Pavlova

Happy New Year!

What's better than dining at an ocean front restaurant?

Not much, especially with a view like this. I was blown away by the surreal twilight landscape, the massive oceanic gentleness and the post-rain glittering rainbow! Yes, and the whales were seen migrating that afternoon as well. Gorgeous ain't it?

Twilight and rainbow over ocean

The restaurant was small but each table was arranged to take optimal advantage of the 180 degree views. Facing the ocean (versus harbour) also meant the views weren't as stunning once dark so if any of you readers out there are thinking of dining here, I'd suggest you arrive early before sunset as I did.

Table with pink sea salt flakes on oyster shell and sparkling water

Me and Zen

Entree of black lip abalone and pork san choy bow ($22)

Zen started off with an entree of san choy bow with slices of black lip abalone which was on the specials menu. It was aromatic with flavours of garlic, ginger, shallots and chilli. Reminiscing Peter Gilmore's sea pearls at Quay, I had to order the sea treasures; a tantalising quadruplet of wasabi tobikko oyster, sand crab and prawn salad, steamed bug with pastry and vanilla sauce and silky sweet scallop sashimi with brown trout pearls.

Entree of sea treasures ($22)

Keeping within the specials menu, Zen had the main course of crisp king salmon fillet with Moreton Bay bugs. Although not as tasty as the crusted flathead with prawn consomme I'd recently had at Flying Fish, this was bloody good.

Main course of crisp king salmon fillet with Moreton Bay bugs in tomato and saffron broth ($39)

With a wide selection of seafood utensils laid out, I was well prepared to attack the cold seafood platter. Soon enough, an impressive arrangement of scampi, clams, prawns, mussels, crab, oysters, kiwi fruit, oranges and grapes were brought out on a bed of rocket and watercress leaves. It was divine!

My set of cutlery

Main course of small crustacean, shellfish and seafood cold plate ($32 small & $58 large)

Complimentary side dish of mashed potato

These homemade chips were incredible as well... they were piping hot, crunchy on the outside and soft and starchy on the inside. I love my carbs!

Side dish of homemade chips and sea salt ($8.50)

Cocktail - Thai Foon, crushed limes, sugar, kaffir lime leaves ($12.50)

Mocktail - Dynamite, pineapple, cranberry, orange, grenadine and bitters ($7.50)

Palette cleanser of aloe vera granita

A bonus here was the service - genuine, casual, attentive and professional, exactly what you'd expect at the Central Coast but not so much at a fine dining restaurant. Our lovely waitress surprised us with these complimentary glasses of port to wash down our dessert. Then to top off the night, we had two rather remarkable desserts.

Complimentary shot of port

Not being able to decide between two items, I convinced Zen to get the goats cheese icecream which was served with a fruity and sweet rhubarb and strawberry consomme and hazelnut tuille. The different textures and flavours were simply sublime when eaten together. And as a huge ginger fan, I had the gingerbread parfait which was creamy and perfect... it was crusted with caramelised bits of toffee and crushed gingerbread. I also loved the bitter sweet combination of black cherries with kitsch and liquorice sauce. As you can see below, the blended colours were seductive and truly marvelous.

Dessert of goats cheese icecream and quince sherbet served with rhubarb and strawberry consomme and hazelnut tuille ($16)

Dessert of gingerbread parfait with black cherries, kitsch and liquorice sauce ($16)

With food and a view this good (and for a fraction of the usual cost), i can understand why the masses are making the move from Sydney to Central Coast. This is one restaurant I'll be coming back to every time i'm in the neighbourhood.

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Ocean Restaurant
102 Ocean Parade, Blue Bay, The Entrance, NSW
Web: www.oceanrestaurant.com.au

One of the perks of working in the service industry is free food (and booze, but I like to focus more on the food). Last night, we took one of our clients out to The Malaya.... I had pre-booked the Set Menu 2 which was $52 per person. It was scrumptious and fiery hot but did not include dessert! Doh!

We started off with some drinks... I had these 2 mocktails which were both refreshing and amazingly delicious. The apple mojito had a lovely taste of palm sugar which was intertwined with crushed limes and mint leaves. The Adam & Steve drink acquired a more mature taste, with hints of ginger ale, ginger beer, fresh cut apples and mints.

Apple mojito

Adam and Steve

Soon enough, a plate of miniature salmon rolls and king prawns arrived. They sat on a bed of cute micro green salad (including my favourite shiso aka perilla) leaves. The chilli lime sauce was reminiscent of ordinary sweet chilli sauce and overpowered the what otherwise would have been delicate flavours of salmon sashimi, dill and English spinach, but it was somehow still enjoyable. The prawns on the other hand were served chilled and drowned with delectable creamy flavour.

Steamed king prawns, shelled and served with a chilli tartar sauce, sashimi salmon rolls and micro green salad

The remaining starters continued to arrive shortly after. They were all reflective of their traditional Asian roots, using plentiful chilli and pungent spices. There were scallops steamed with fresh ginger, shallots, chilli and soy which were a little bland and BBQ Singaporean satay beef skewers with an amazing hypnotic sauce made from fresh ground peanuts and chilli.

Scallops in the shell steamed with fresh ginger, shallots, chilli and soy sauce

Singaporean style BBQ beef skewers with satay sauce

The journey through Asia continued into the main course with flavours from Indonesia, China and Malaysia. My favourite was the Szechuan chicken which was a dry stir-fry with uber hot chillies, shallots and cashew nuts. It was everything I wanted to be... rich and powerful. Ha! The king prawns surprised me as well, I loved that they were battered before being coated with a Penang style curry sauce. The lamb curry must have been every game-eater's heaven as I only dipped my roti into a bit of the sauce and already, the stench was too strong for my liking. The greens were executed well with a classic oriental toss in chilli, soy and garlic.

Kapitan King Prawn, Penang style curry sauce made with fresh chilli and coconut milk served with lightly battered king prawns

Szechuan Chicken, marinated pieces of chicken thigh fillet stir-fried dry style with shallots, cashew nuts and dry chillies

Lamb Bali - Indonesian style red curry lamb cooked with a tomato base

Roti Canai

Fresh seasonal Asian greens stir-fried with garlic, soy sauce and fresh chilli

After this yummy banquet, we went bowling. There were automated cameras which took pics of us all in awkward poses in mid-action... hehe... lots of fun!

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The Malaya
39 Lime Street, King Street Wharf, Sydney
Web: www.themalaya.com.au

There was no better place to meet a close girlfriend's baby girl than at one chef's hat Flying Fish. It was her first fine-dining experience and I am proud to say that she was very well behaved. At only 5 months old, it makes me wonder what other delicious things will be waiting for her.

And this was our magnificent Sydney Harbour Bridge view...

We started with a choice of white bread or soy & linseed... each of us mopped up lots of the creamy room temperature butter and sea salt flakes.

Bek started with the seafood tapas. The steamed squid with cauliflower cream and parmesan tuile looked like an interesting play on texture. I can't remember the others, but an obvious one was the inclusion of scampi tail.

Jonno had three huge caramelised white scallops which looked enormously delectable.

Zen's starter had all of us in envy. Generous slices of seared yellow fin tuna were stacked on top of pieces of pink ruby grapefruit and roast pork. The pork crackling was oh, so sweet. I would have happily enjoyed this as a main course.

My king crab tortellini was divine. The champagne emulsion and oysters were inviting... it went hand in hand with the naturally seductive flavours of fresh king crab.

For my main course, Bek and I both had the Souchong (a type of black tea) crusted flathead. It was served with the most amazing prawn consomme I've ever had. It was borderline over-powering but stunningly scrumptious. The essence in the consomme only brought out the best in the poached scampi and white radish.

Zen's mushroom infused wagyu was tasty but he questioned the heaviness of the accompanying braised beef shoulder. Pity I was too busy with my consomme to try the risotto. The bone marrow must've enriched each morsel of rice.

Jonathan decided to splurge a little bit and triumphantly ordered and finished off 1kg of spicy mud crab.

Flying Fish's famous hand-cut chips were served as mash today with the truffle butter making up for the absence of crunch.

Silly me, I forgot about the complimentary green leafy salad which was dressed in something lovely and sweet, and ordered this additional side dish of red witlof, frisse salad with Persian feta cheese and pistachios.

Our table was double booked so we took our desserts outside. The spring breeze and harbour views were almost as gorgeous as our dessert tasting plate. My favourite was the caramelised banana tart with coffee crumble and brown sugar ice cream. Next fave was probably the Valrhona Manjari chocolate mousse with uber-addictive concentrated passionfruit jelly and coconut sorbet.

Because of a system error which resulted in a long wait for our dessert, we were also offered free tea and coffee! Hot chocolate, English breakfast, green tea and cappuccino. Guess who had what?

Another portrait of the young Chinwah family

Flying Fish still remains as one of my thumbs-up restaurants. While their state of the art (sensors trigger the clear glass walls to frost up) bathroom is worth a mention, I found that the service this time was a little let-down. Their food on the other hand is still top-notch seafood / modern Australian.

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Welcome to the world, Nat... and thanks for being lovely dining companions, Bek, Jonno & Zen.
xoxo

Flying Fish restaurant
Jones Bay Wharf, Lower Deck
19 - 21 Pirrama Road Pyrmont
Tel: 9518 6677
W: www.flyingfish.com.au

I didn't do any Sugar Hits this year (previous ones back in 2006 are here, here and here) nor did I attend any Hats Off dinners... what I did do during this year's Good Food Month, was grab a quick bite on the last day of the Night Noodle Markets.

It was packed!

Squidlicious were offering mixed seafood plates for $16 which included 2 sticky and sweet prawn skewers, 2 crisp tempura prawns, some not-too-bad salt and pepper squid and crumbled scallops on a bed of undressed gourmet green salad leaves.

The nasi lemak ($10) from Sam Satay had all the key elements, coconut rice, egg, anchovies, sambal, cucumber, peanuts and chicken curry... it was tasty but lacked oomph.

Sam Satay were also offering roti canai with dahl (lentil curry). The roti was a little soggy, overwhelmingly buttery and the dahl lacked flavour and spice.

No time for dessert, because we were running late to a 25th surprise birthday party!

Good Food Month
http://gfm.smh.com.au

I secretly love to indulge in golden fried foods. I simply adore the crunchy texture and the pleasant satisfaction it provides. Nothing can really beat a good and cheap fish & chip shop, particularly one that's also a floating fish monger.

Along Constitution Dock in Hobart, were several of these floating fish mongers / seafood takeaway shops. Mako Seafood were a tad cheaper than the others, they offered dine-in and I seemed to prefer their menu which offered little extras such as homemade chilli and coriander mayonnaise and gourmet salad greens.

We enjoyed 1/2 dozen of Bruny Island oysters for $6.90...

The service was quick and friendly, the oysters were juicy and fresh and the scallops, with roe intact were perfectly coated in light breadcrumbs. They were pipping hot when served and lovely with the homemade sauce. Likewise, the trevalla was meaty and filling... need not to say, I was back the next day!

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Mako Seafood
Constitution Dock, Hobart, Tasmania
Phone: (03) 6234 9884

When in Hobart, do as the Hobartians do.

Mures Fish Centre was packed day and night. Couples, families and friends could be found at the Lower Deck restaurant, Upper Deck restaurant and Sushi Bar. Mmm... fresh seafood, waterfront views and a special "Prawn Fest". How could I resist?

The "Prawn Fest" was available as a 2 course for $29.50 or as a 3 course for $33.50. Naturally, I went for the 3 course and started with an entree of Mures' signature smokey chowder. It was fragrant and creamy with sauteed smoked trevally and bacon.

Zen opted for the seafood platter ($49.50) which included a drool-worthy array of pacific oysters, natural and nam jhim; terrine of smoked salmon mousse, mascarpone and nori; Crystal Bay banana prawns with herb aioli; blue eye and scallops in a citrus and star anise ceviche; smoked trout pate with croutons; and crumbed fish, scallops and squid served with tartare sauce and lemon. It was literally, a mouth full!

Options for the Prawn Fest main course were tempura prawns, whole cooked prawns or scallop basillica. I chose the cooked Queensland banana prawns which were served with herb aioli, chilli, lime and shallot salt and salad greens. The prawns were huge, uber fresh and simply delicious.

While Mures do fruit strudels, creme brulee and panna cotta, the Prawn Fest only had one option for dessert.

The ever-changing menu signifies a strong focus on fresh seafood... and that's exactly what I've enjoyed about Mures Upper Deck. It was fresh produce served a little bit fancy.

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Mures Upper Deck
Mures Fish Centre, Victoria Dock, Hobart, TAS
Web: www.muresupperdeck.com.au

I have found it.

Fresh and cheap seafood that doesn't compromise on taste! Okay, so the service can be a hit and miss at times, but the food is casual Chinese at its best.

On a good service day, you'll be greeted with these salted peanuts as an appetiser. On a bad service day, expect to walk into the kitchen yourself to grab additional utensils or even to refill your own bucket of rice.

Live mud crab can be cooked to your desire for $45 per kilo. From my experience, this is completely below the market price of most decent Chinese restaurants in Sydney! Tantalize your taste buds with a fierce XO sauce or go for the traditional ginger, shallots and garlic.

The best thing about this restaurant is probably the genuineness. You get what you pay for. There's no worrying about the chef cheating you by keeping a crab leg to himself, or by cooking a smaller crab than the one you were showed.

During my recent two visits (funnily enough, they were 3 days apart), the crab was 0.850kg and 0.630kg... this was perfect for 2 people, keeping in mind the e-fu noodles were a must to soak up all the gorgeous live crab flavours. I haven't stopped raving about it since. A seafood dinner for two, for less than $50 in total!

The crab was delectable. The flesh was sweet, definitely fresh (we were shown the live crawling creature and weight) and simply divine. Chunks of shallots, ginger and garlic were braised through a thickened stock sauce.

It doesn't stop there. They have live tanks of barramundi, huge lobsters, king crabs, pipis and oysters... don't let the murky tanks, crowded tables or colourful foreign posters fool you. To be honest, I don't speak or read Chinese either... but have recently been most impressed with the waitress' and restaurant owner's improvement in English.

My other favourite dishes at Auburn Chinese Restaurant include the pork ribs in spicy salt, combination hotpot with tofu (below) and steamed oysters with soy, coriander and shallots.

You know what? You might even find me back there tonight...

Auburn Chinese Restaurant
138 South Parade, Auburn
(Opposite Auburn Station)
Closed on Tuesdays

Read about my previous entry on Auburn Chinese Restaurant.

With my new Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens, I hit the live tanks at the Sydney Fish Markets:

Sydney Fish Markets, Pyrmont
Open 7am - 4pm daily
Web: www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au

This is the view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from my seat. Fabulous aye?

Flying Fish is located in a warehouse along Pyrmont's Jones Bay Wharf, just off Pirrama Road. The story hasn't changed much since Zen and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary at Aria Restaurant. Monday morning, I had asked Zen to make a reservation at Ocean Room... Friday morning comes and he finally makes the call, only to be informed that they were booked out for a private function. Flying Fish was second on my list, so off we went to a double booked table.

We arrive early and eager at 6:00pm with a 6:15pm reservation. We're reminded that they must clear the table at exactly 7:45pm for the next table and the waitress also recommends we go for a 2 course, of either entree and mains or mains and dessert. If the weather permits, we can even take our dessert and tea or coffee to the outside deck.

So, it's 6:00pm and the restaurant isn't ready yet. We sit outside on the bar as the lounges have been taken by business suits. I order the cheeky cheeky mocktail which consists of crushed mandarin, caramelised something and ginger beer. Zen has the Peroni... one after another.

It is now 6:30pm and a few new arrivers have been taken in. We signal that we're ready and are swift away, upstairs to the best seat in the house. It's a private table for 2... facing the cloudy harbour. This is my view of the kitchen (raw bar)... I loved the huge timber walls and light features.

The service is kind and efficient. We're brought out warm linseed or white bread rolls, warm butter and sea salt flakes as the waitress introduces the daily specials and live tank.

We order the Seafood Tapas to share as an entree and it arrives in no time. The scampi sushi was fresh and so tasty, it was my favourite of the four. The other tapas included a kingfish sashimi and an eel dish.

My main course was the Humpty Doo barramundi. It was cooked to perfection with soft flaky flesh. The figs were sweet and ripe, and the pear and herb salad was crisp and simply delicious.

Zen had never seen white asparagus before but was delighted with the taste. The Wagyu was char-grilled to a tender medium and was much bigger than it looked.

Now, look at these huge hand cut chips with chilli salt. They were thick, golden, crunchy and so flavoursome.

At precisely 7:40pm, not rushed at all, we asked for the bill and left our gorgeous table view. There were a few seats outside and the rain had cleared... but we were too full for dessert.

Flying Fish is now one of my favourite restaurants. The ambience was stunning, the food was fabulous and the service was sweet.

Happy 5 year anniversary, Zen.

Flying Fish restaurant
Jones Bay Wharf, Lower Deck
19 - 21 Pirrama Road Pyrmont
T: 9518 6677
W: www.flyingfish.com.au

When you get cravings for fresh seafood... where do you go? The Sydney Fish Markets ofcourse! Working in the CBD means I only get such an opportunity on a public holiday or the weekend. So having made up my mind on Friday night... despite rain, hail, storm or shine, I was going to go.

Sunday was gloomy, dull and wet. There were pelicans, seagulls and lots of tourists! I'm a regular at Christie's Seafood. They have the biggest and most tastiest lobster mornay... the prawn cutlets are always battered and fried to perfection... and the same old man is there every day of the week, carefully shucking fresh juicy oysters.

For some strange reason, Christie's Seafood don't do small cold platters with prawns and oysters. So I got mine next door. The spicy seafood cocktail sauce was an appetising accompaniment to the large prawns -tangy with a tiny hint of chilli. I had left my Tabasco at home, otherwise would have enjoyed my oysters twice as much. Nonetheless, they were delicious!

I heart Christie's seafood basket because it fills me up. There are prawn cutlets, pieces of fish, crab stick, calamari and loads of crispy hot chips.

And last but not least... the lobster mornay with generous servings of salad and chips...

I had really wanted to get some tuna, kingfish and salmon sashimi... but was unfortunately too full at this stage. Haha... it'll have to wait for another weekend!

By the way... Christie's Seafood also do fabulous cooked-to-order abalone and crab :-)

Sydney Fish Markets
Web: www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au

Ah... the digital age... where my photos are time-stamped.

Think back a couple of weeks. Or even a month. Remember what you spent that Friday night doing? What did you have for dinner?

Well, I've retained all of that info to share with you (now that i'm back in action)... So... many weeks ago, Zen and I feasted on a giant seafood and meat platter at La Vigna Cafe in the Italian Forum. This is my second visit, and I found that the service was just as impressive. Hmm... which reminds me... I haven't read the Waiter's Rant in a while!

Within 10 minutes of ordering, an enormous plate of baby lamb cutlets, barbequed quails, souvlaki, spicy meatballs, Italian sausages, prawns, octopus, calamari, mussels, salad and chips were brought out...

For just $65, we stuffed ourselves silly. Thankfully, all the calories were burnt off by the end of our 7 hour Poker game.

See my previous visit.

Or check out their website.

Cafe La Vigna
Italian Forum
Shop 34, 23 Norton Street Leichhardt
Phone: (02) 9572 8599

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.

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*

Corn Exchange Restaurant
Four Points by Sheraton
161 Sussex Street, Darling Harbour
Tel : 02 9290 4816

Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant is meant to be a part of the new breed. Along side it's sister restaurant, Zilver, they clearly stand out from the traditional Chinese restaurants, in terms of menu range, ambience and furnishing.

Next up was the Morwong, also known as the Deep Sea Bream, or Rubber Lips; and its lips truely lived up to it's name. Its soft flesh was steamed with shallots, coriander and soy. This dish was actually prepared wrong, but my lovely parents decided to not make a fuss and accepted it anyway. What sane-minded person would order such a large fish steamed? I don't know what the chefs were thinking? There was an apology -but no discount.. hehe...

Furthermore, this is how unthoughful the restaurant was... THEY DIDN'T SERVE THE CRAB FIRST! Being served in between dishes meant that we weren't able to fully savor this $180 dish. Snow Crabs are a little less meaty than other crabs, but it is meant to be sweeter in flavour. Ours was somewhat dull and tasteless. Doh!

Another of my absolute favourite dishes would have to be this crispy taro duck... deboned duck, deep-fried with creamy taro paste on the inside... and served with a thick shitake mushroom sauce.

Then we had the Wasabi Beef which hardly tasted of the unbearably hot kick I can desired for.

Beauty is obviously skin-deep. Beneath the classy makeover, were waiters whom spoke while chewing gum and food which took over an hour to be prepared and served...

Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant
84 Broomfield St Cabramatta
Phone (02) 9723 6228

Eat In @ Piccadilly is my new lunch destination. It is much smaller than the food courts in Mid City, Imperial Arcade, or Sydney Central Plaza... but there are plentiful seats, so there's no longer a war to fight for tables, and whilst we were limited to about 7 outlets, the quality and freshness of this place was a great change from the usual chaos.

I will definately be returning to Eat In @ Piccadilly. I couldn't help but notice how plastic take-away containers weren't being used... it felt so peaceful tucking into food which was stacked neatly on a white ceramic squared plate.

Eat In @ Piccadilly
Piccadilly Centre, Pitt Street, Sydney
Web: http://www.piccadillycentre.com.au/eatinpiccadilly.amx

On a breezy spring evening, Zen and I strolled along King Street Wharf seeking a warm dinner to satisfy our grumbling stomachs. Casa Di Nico looked so warm inside, and the idea of hearty pasta and seafood locked in our choice.

Casa Di Nico
The Promenade - King Street Wharf, Sydney
Tel : (02) 9279 4115
Web: http://www.nicks-seafood.com.au/casa_di_nico.htm

With special thanks to my brother & Accor, Zen and I enjoyed a free scrumptious seafood buffet at the Baygarden restaurant. On a Saturday night dinner, this was worth $62 per person! Novotel Brighton Beach offers panaromic views of the airport and seaside. The restaurant captures this stunning environment with outdoor seating and a tropical interior design.

Desserts included mini fruit flans, a very luxurious sticky date pudding, mini orange and chocolate cakes, tiramisu, carrot cake, fruit salad, bread & butter pudding and lots of other tiny delicate things.

The hot food was slighly disappointing. It was made up of farfelle pasta with blue cheese sauce, grilled chicken thigh with red wine sauce, roast potatoes which were cold and dry, roast pork, char-grilled vegetables and others.

However, who can complain of a free meal? The salad offering and endless flow of fresh seafood was overwhelming... luckily I had come prepared with a larger-fit shirt which hid the extra bulge :-)

Thanks again Roland... and happy birthday Zen.

Baygarden Restaurant
Level 3, Novotel Brighton Beach
Cnr of The Grand Parade & Princess Street
Brighton Le Sands
Tel: 9556.5111