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"Have a beer and a conversation so you don't stuff around with it" says Craig of MuMu Grill, as he gives us advice on how to properly cook beef. The key tip is to look for chargrill marks. Grill it for 2½ minutes, rotate it 90 degrees and grill for another 2½ minutes then flip and do the same. As important as the cooking stage, it is also crucial to rest the meat for half the amount of time it took to cook.

But before I get carried away with my learnings from MuMu's Beef & Beer class, let me first share a little bit about the background of eating beef.

Demonstration of the different cuts of beef

I was pretty shocked to discover that only 20% of a cow is considered the primary cut. This consists of the rump, tenderloin which the eye fillet is cut from, scotch and sirloin. The meat ranges on a scale from tender to tough. On the tougher end of the range are shanks used in osso bucco which require vast hours of cooking time and have the most flavour. Apparently, the scotch fillet has the ideal balance between tenderness and flavour.

The next stage is of course the ageing of the meat. Craig recommends one month wet ageing followed by one week dry ageing. The ideal is a total of 42 - 50 days as he has found no further benefits to the flavour or tenderness if it is aged any longer.

He also highly recommends grass-fed beef in contrast to grain-fed beef. And there are health advantages accompanying this argument. So not only do you get a greater natural beef flavour, but you also get a better Omega-3 ratio. Cattle fed primarily grass enhanced the omega-3 content of beef by 60% and also produces a more favorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Conventional beef contains a 4:1 6:3 ratio while grass-only diets produce a 2:1 6:3 ratio (French et al., 2000; Duckett et al., 1993; Marmer et al, 1984; Wood and Enser, 1997).

Okay, now let's move away from the statistics and get cooking :)

Tasting grass-fed wagyu

The easiest method to bring out the robust natural flavours of beef is to simply coat it with a mixture of oil, sea salt and black pepper. The oil allows the meat to absorb more heat, the salt brings the flavours together and the black pepper is Craig's preference for adding an extra taste. We tested this simple recipe out on a piece of grass-fed wagyu and the result was sublime! The well marbeled texture meant the wagyu was super tender and the mushroomy flavour inside was just irresistable.

The best way to tell if your beef has reached your preferred 'done-ness', is to press on the pad of your palm. For example, touch your thumb to your middle finger and the pad on your palm represents medium-rare. The resistance on the pad is what your beef should feel like. Your index finger to your thumb will represent rare and your pinky to your thumb will represent well-done.

Testing the done-ness of your beef

If you're after something a little bit more special, then the next two variations are perfect for you. I personally can't wait to show these off at my next BBQ!

Szechwan pepper and coffee bean crusted beef

We were also taught how to make a scrumptious 5 ingredient barbecue sauce from scratch (which went really well with the BBQ ribs!) as well as a wicked salad dressing.

BBQ ribs with 5 ingredient barbecue sauce

So we take our food outside to a beautifully set table. As we soak in the warm summer heat and begin this afternoon feast, Dan of Beer Snobs enlightens us on the art of appreciating beer. And as a non-beer drinker, I must admit, I think I've taken a liking to some of these boutique beers!

Outside MuMu Grill, Crows Nest

Dan's first tip was that beer must be poured into a glass - let it breathe and open-up. We then looked at the three C's... Beginning with Colour. Colour ranges from the light yellow to the darker end of the spectrum which can be a deep golden honey or a dark ruby red; then we have Clarity which can be filtered crystal clear or cloudy from wheat proteins and suspended yeast and lastly, Carbonation which is the reaction of the sugar and yeast.

I'm not going to spoil the fun by detailing each of the beers we tried (or the other recipes which Craig shared) because the Beef & Beer class was so enjoyable and educating, I think every man should get hands on and sign up to a weekend class and take his cooking (and beer tasting) to the next level!

Beer tasting with Dan of Beer Snobs

Beef & Beer Masterclass
Where: MuMu Grill, 70-76 Alexander St, Crows Nest NSW
When: Every 2nd and 3rd Saturday of each month, from 10am
Cost: $85 each
Bookings: Call (02) 9460 6877
More information: http://mumuland.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/beef-and-beer-masterclass-85/

Jennifer and her partner attended the Beef & Beer class as guests of MuMu Grill.

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

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

(Note: the photos are a little crappy this time 'coz they were taken with my iPhone. I didn't have my camera with me and lunch here was too good not to share!)

We all love hidden gems. I'm sure many of us pretend to have discovered them.

Taruhachi is one of those restaurants I wish I had discovered.

But I don't work in North Sydney... and besides, the person who took me here can list the names of all the people who had been introduced to this place and then passed it down. It's corporate word-of-mouth that has led me here on this occasion.

Once you step past the classic Noren curtains and cochin lanterns you're teleported into the back streets of Japan. It is hard not to forget you're in still in the financial district. The daily specials, written on strips of paper in Japanese Kanji, are stuck all over the wall. It is a good sign that the restaurant is popular amongst the Japanese speaking crowd.

Behind us is a group of suited businessmen, joyfully demolishing their bento boxes. Infront of us, a Japanese pair, getting a good dosage of fresh sashimi.

The small room, complete with a corner of traditional floor cushions, quickly fills up as we drool over the photographic menu. There are some fantastic nibbles such as kaki furai which are deep-fried crumbed oysters as well an array of lunch combinations we all know and love: katsu-don, oyako-don, karaage-udon, tonkatsu, yakiniku.

A young Japanese girl soon pours us some green tea and brings out a bowl of pickled vegetables which have a delightfully salted aroma. The cabbage, ginger and cucumber mixture was addictive to pick at.

From memory, my tempura and sushi combination was $14.90 which was one of the pricier items on the menu. For example, the teriyaki chicken and sashimi bento was only $12.90! Bargain! The assorted tempura of prawn, zucchini, pumpkin and salmon were light and crisp. My sushi was a beautifully crafted arrangement which went hand in hand with the cute ceramic side dishes of noodles, miso soup, fresh fruit and garden salad. The tiny dish of noodles were flavoured aromatically with sesame oil, leaving you wanting more, but the sushi does fill you up.

I would love nothing more than to sit here all day one day, through breakfast, lunch and dinner and then finish it off with some sake and more bar snacks.

If you work in the North Sydney area, lunch at Taruhachi is a must.

Taruhachi
Level Ground, Shop 5, 83 Mount Street, North Sydney
North Sydney NSW 2060
Phone: (02) 9954 6441

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?

Burgers are made across Sydney every day -in homes, at the corner milk bar, in fast food joints and pubs. Over the last few years, we have seen more gourmet burger restaurants pop up to glamorize the bun and patty formula. Some of them focus on our health concerns by offering gluten free or leaner options and others attempt to lure us with a sexy brand personality and fancy must-have sides.

So where are Sydney's best burgers?

Plan B
204 Clarence Street, Sydney
Plan B is of course Justin North's (of Bécasse) cafe which feeds many with affordable take away lunch choices. Mention Plan B to any foodie and you'll hear about the 600-day grain fed wagyu burgers. It is understandable why there's such a big following. Priced at only $10, the combination of a glossy brioche, a generous sized melt-in-your-mouth wagyu patty topped with melted aged cheddar cheese, pickled beetroot and caramelised onion is just impossible to resist.

Grill'd
57 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest, and all over Victoria and Queensland
Thanks to the team at Undertow Media, who brought Grill'd to my attention, I was able to trial the first Sydney store with a $20 voucher -and let me just say, I'll be back. I simply love the cheeky burger names (some to name are The Zen Hen, Hot Mama and Baa Baa Burger), the rosemary sprinkled thick cut chips, the retro store layout and the fun culture within the staff. With bun choices of panini, traditional, gluten free or bunless they've got everyone covered. These burgers are packed to the max and will have your jaws aching. Price ranges from $8.90 to $11.90.

Grill'd: Hot Mama burger: Grilled 100% lean beef, roasted peppers, dill pickle, tasty cheese, tzatziki, salad and harissa paste

Grill'd: The Zen Hen burger: Grilled chicken breasts with all the fat trimmed, tangy satay sauce, coriander, shredded carrot, salad and herbed mayo

Burgerlicious
130 Liverpool Street Sydney (also in Darlinghust, Newtown and Bondi)
When I used to work near World Square, Burgerlicious was a favourite lunch destination. All burgers can be served as wraps or as a salad and they also do a mean nacho. I loved the Zorbar, an ingenious combination of beef, grilled onions, fetta, roasted eggplant, lettuce, tomato, olive tapenade, semi-dried tomatoes, tzatziki and tomato relish. The burgers are slightly cheaper here, leaning towards the $8 mark, making it a real meal deal.

Cafe Giulia
92 Abercrombie Street, Chippendale
Cafe Giulia is the only reason I would ever wake up early on a week day. They have an amazing breakfast menu and by lunch, a to die for offering of some brilliant burgers -including the grilled fish with lettuce and homemade tartare, or the classic hamburger with grilled beef, tomato, lettuce, marinated beetroot, bacon and egg! Cafe Giulia also serve classic European pastas (I can't get enough of the spicy chorizo, tomato and chilli penne), stews, salads and bagels (I absolutely adore the grilled prawns with watercress, roast tomatoes and tahini). The burgers are priced from $6.90.

Fox Studios Backlot Cafe
Frank Hurley Grandstand, via the Professional Entrance, Fox Studios, Moore Park
Now, you can only get to this cafe if you enter via the professional entrance, which means restricted access from the public; hence why I try to schedule any client meetings I have with Fox, just before lunch time. I haven't tried anything else other than the delicious chicken and avocado sandwich on Turkish bread toasted, or this scrumptious chicken burger, complete with guacamole. If only all workplaces had a cafe like this downstairs!

Fox Studios Backlot Cafe: chicken burger

Fox Studios Backlot Cafe: Chicken and avocado on Turkish bread

Where do you think the best burgers in Sydney are?

Slow food was "founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people's dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. To do that, Slow Food brings together pleasure and responsibility, and makes them inseparable." SlowFood.com

The total cooking time for MuMu Grill's Take It Slow dinner was approximately 12,976 hours.

That breakdown consists of 18 months Jamon, Acadia Saltbrush Lamb which had been roasted for 13 hours, duck that was double roasted in its own juices for 2½ hours and brown sugar pavlova which took 40 minutes.

But Slow Food isn't just all about taking the time to cook. It is also about understanding where food came from and how it was produced. Craig Macindoe, restauranteur of MuMu Grill in Crows Nest took the time to share his kitchen and knowledge of extracting maximum flavour from sustainable produce.

I personally think the more you learn, the more you care.

Thank you to Craig (also known as Chef Mumu -he micro-blogs about farm fresh ingredents he has picked up) for the splendid night and to Lorraine for extending this invitation to the Take It Slow dinner and wine event to Howard, Simon, Lisa, Shez, Trina, Arwen, Anna, Steph and myself.

Interior of restaurant

A behind the scenes tour of the kitchen and cold room taught me that meat is hung and aged for a more tender result. This needs to be done carefully, with the cold room frequently undergoing bacteria tests.

Craig Macindoe holds one of the Arcadia Saltbush lambs

Craig showing how lamb is hung

Then we proceeded into the kitchen where he showed us the process of double roasting duck; and witnessed preparation of our starters. Spanish olives and 18 month Jamon on Catalan bread that was lightly smothered with a tasty tomato oil. Jamon is my new obsession.

Kitchen and menu

Spanish olives

18 month Jamon and Catalan bread

Mr Riggs Yacca Paddock Tempranillo wine 2007

Old Man Saltbrush has a deep roots system which allows the plant to grow even in drough times -perfect for Australian soil. This enables farmers to focus on the future of drough proofing grazing areas. Graham Strong, producer of Arcadia Saltbush Lamb also spoke about how farmers were moving away from having a monologue with animals to having a two-way conversation; listening to where animals are moving to on the pasture and responding.

The flavour is clean and distinct, the result of the variety of minerals the animals eat through the salt bush. Blood-like beetroot jus, minted eggplant and white bean paste and fresh green beans and a glass of Mr. Riggs The Gaffer Shiraz 2007 were the perfect accompaniment.

Whole Arcadia salt brush lamb roasted for 13 hours, served with minted eggplant and white bean paste and green beans with beetroot jus

The hearty aroma of the double roasted duck was so seductive, particularly when served with a sweet poached pear. I love fruit in a savoury context. The flesh fell off the bone and because it had been slow cooked in its own juices, the fat was less significant. The generous serving size was perfect for my love of this dish's rich taste.

Double roasted duck, roasted for 2½ hours, served with bok choy and poached pear

At this stage, I wasn't sure how anything could top the earlier courses, but the brown sugar pavlova and Mr. Riggs Sticky End Viognier did. The dessert wine was divine -sweet minus the botrytis after-taste. And for the pavlova, the usage of brown sugar has boosted a simple pavlova recipe into a much more delicate dish. The presentation of seasonal fruits with fresh pinapple slices and cream was gorgeous too. I could have easily demolished another two of these!

Brown sugar pavlova served with seasonal fruits and Mr Riggs Sticky End Viognier 2008

MuMu Grill
70 Alexander Street, Crows Nest
Phone: (02) 9460 6877
Web: www.mumugrill.com.au

A little mishap led me to be finally endowed with a chance to eat at Ryo's Noodles. Random location, tiny restaurant, queues which stretch onto the street and signature postings by Japanese celebrities! There were more than enough signals to their authenticity and of course, a good meal ahead.

One of the first things I noticed was the menu item of additional ramen for $3. Perfect for those big eaters or for people like me who just want to mop up the rest of the soup.

While Wynn and I chatted over industry gossip, love, boys and dressmaking, strangely enough, our ramen arrived before our entree of roast pork rice balls. We were hungry so dug straight in. My soy-based ramen was a tiny bit too salty but it was a bliss. The huge square of nori kicked ass in comparison to the tiny shredded sheets served at most other ramen places in Sydney. I also appreciated the egg's perfection (the yolk was still a tad runny) and the slight fat left on the tender roast pork. So good, and so filling -I didn't end up ordering the extra ramen.

Tokyo style soy-based chicken stock ramen with roast pork, nori, egg and bamboo shoots

Wynn had her repeat order of tonkotsu ramen which she assured me was at its usual best. Rich, hearty and flavoursome.

Tonkotsu ramen with egg, nori, shallots and roast pork

Apart from ramen accompaniments like corn, roast pork, garlic and pickles, there were also the common side dish contenders of gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), karagee (deep-fried chicken), kimchi (picked vegies) and more. We shared the pickled bamboo shoots and had a roast pork rice ball each. The rice ball was so moist and delicious. I adored the generous chunks of roast pork and sesame seeds which were wrapped within a delectable piece of nori.

Roast pork rice balls

Side dish of pickled bamboo shoots

Inside

Still needing to satisfy our sweet tooth we caught up with Sham and shared (but unfortunately, did not finish off) this massive stack of vanilla icecream with stewed pears, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and nuts.

Ice-cream from French Riviera

Ryo's Noodles
125 Falcon St Crows Nest, NSW
Phone: 9955 0225
Opens Thursday -Tuesday, noon - 2.30pm, 5pm - 9.30pm

French Riviera
Corner of Liverpool and Sussex Street
Phone: 9264 2932
Opens 7 days a week, 10am - 2am

When I heard that Waqu was introducing their Summer menu (available 02/12/08 - 01/03/09), I made an immediate reservation. While being one of the first people to experience this new five course degustation was cool, I must confess my failure to timely blog about it. If it weren't for my new addiction to the gym and Gossip Girl, this post would have been done five days ago... well, here you finally have it!

I'm not sure how else to describe Waqu than to compare it to Rise. They both offer ingenious fusion Japanese cuisine through affordable degustation menus.

Waqu's new location at Pacific Highway... the interior is like a dimly-lit modern cafe

Course 1 was a trio of spicy soft shell crab taco, asparagus flan with prosciutto creme and sliced wagyu rolls. The taco was an absolute delicacy... we were instructed to eat it with our hands and surprisingly meant it was mess-free! The wagyu was over-cooked for my liking but it was still tender and the soy-infused marinate made its way into the zucchini and carrot. The asparagus flan with prosciutto creme on the other hand was bland.

Starter of spicy soft shell crab taco, asparagus flan with prosciutto creme and sliced wagyu beef rolls

Next was a refreshing carpaccio dish of ocean trout and kingfish. The tangy lemon mustard sauce and plum wine jelly were mouth-watering accompaniments, bringing out the gorgeous raw textures and natural sweetness of the fish.

Sashimi dish of ocean trout and kingfish carpaccio with lemon mustard soy sauce and ume-shu plum and wine jelly

The third course was a choice of three. I had the scallop galett which was a lightly fried steamed scallop cake with a condensed sponge-like texture. Zen had the roasted duck udon with sweet soy sauce which he finished off with no excitement or complaint - a mediocre dish lacking oomph.

Entree of scallop galett, lightly fried steamed scallop cake, sauteed prawns and shimeji mushroom, edamame bean sauce

Entree of roasted duck udon, roasted duck, ina-niwa udon noodles, steamed seasonal vegetables and sweet soy sauce

I've been dreaming about Yoshii's black cod marinated with blue cheese flavoured miso, and Waqu's baked sweet miso cod fillet was a not bad substitute. The cod was rich, buttery and flavoursome... sublime when eaten with the cute colourful pickled vegetables - capsicum, miniature daikon, red radish and zucchini. I was so delighted with my main dish that I didn't take much notice of Zen's spatchcock.

Main course of miso cod, baked sweet miso marinated cod fillet with Japanese pickled vegetables

Main dish of spatchcock, cooked two ways; grilled and confit, yukari mashed potato, daikon and mizuno salad, barley-miso vinaigrette

Dessert was a generous scoop of mango sorbet, azuki creme mille-feuille which resembled a red-bean baklava dusted with green tea powder and a slice of rich chocolate mud cake with plum sauce. It wasn't as original as Rise's funky panna cotta variants but it was a satisfying ending.

Dessert of chocolate cake, azuki creme mille-feuille with dusted green tea and mango ice-cream

And lastly, a quick note: the service was a hit and miss. The waitress couldn't open our bottle of sparkling water properly and ended up tipping part of it around the glass and on the floor, while other waiters inconsistently described the food.

Nevermind that though, come to Waqu for their $55 five course menu... not the service

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Waqu
308 Pacific Highway, Crows Nest NSW
Tel: 02 9906 7736
Web: www.waqu.com.au

I've heard many positive rants about Iwa. So, during last week's APEC chaos in the city, I decided to head north with my family to celebrate some new opportunities. Oh... and let me just say, I absolutely love Wagyu.

Iwa sits along Victoria Avenue in a sleek black building. The entrance is narrow but the interior is chic. Shiny copper exhaust fans hung above each table and looked striking against the dark wooden panels.

For starters, we were presented with tiny pots of pumpkin soup. It was creamy and rich with petite cubes of the vegetable.

And then I ordered the wagyu beef tataki salad. The serving size was small; however each slice of wagyu was identically perfect. The outside was grilled to a charcoal brown and the inside was succulently rare. Ooo, the tangy sauce complimented it so well.

Spider rolls have always been another favourite of mine. The tempura fried soft-shell crab was warm and was held closely together with avocado and nori. This was totally delicious when eaten alongside a large piping-hot plate of tempura. There was pumpkin, eggplant, carrot, zucchini and ofcourse prawns. So light, fluffy and crisp!

Unlike the spider roll, the California roll was slightly disappointing. Although it was generous with fish roe, the crab stick was overly moist with mayonnaise...

Iwa is unquestionably a modern piece of art. The exhaust fan when unused hung classily retracted and when the Yakiniku grill was taken out, it was conveniently pulled down to about 20cm above the mesh so that we didn't leave smelling like a BBQ.

When ordering mains, I was assured the wagyu tasting plate would be enough for at least 3; as you can see above, the portion size is somewhat doubtable. Luckily I had also called for king prawns (1 serve includes 2 large prawns, sliced and sprinkled with black pepper), a vegetable platter (a gorgeous monument of freshly sliced pumpkin, eggplant, onion, potatoes, sweet potato, carrot and mushrooms), scallops and logically, more wagyu.

Christina opted out of the yakiniku in favour of minimising the pain caused by her new braces... I snuck a small taste of her crusted sea bass and this too was tasty!

The dessert menu was limited to about 3 options. Ice-creams and another... but what stood out to me was the chocolate volcano. The chocolate cake was served with warm chocolate sauce exploding out of the tip... it was rich and satisfying, and was balanced well with the circular mould of cognac infused oranges and walnuts.

While Iwa is a classy and no a doubt lip-smacking Yakiniku restaurant, it's rather pricey for a hungry family of six.

Iwa, Japanese Yakiniku Dining Room
380 Victoria Ave Chatswood
Tel: 9419 7009

Open 7 days 11am - 3pm & 5pm - 10pm

Rocket Restaurant is one of those places you always talk about revisiting. They've got a sophisticated menu and a relaxing yet stylish interior. However, there's nothing really much beyond that. The service seems to suit chatty regulars... and to my surprise, the amazing dukkah and olive oil has now been replaced with room temperature bread and butter.

Zen and I decide to share the antipasto plate. There were fresh figs, goats cheese, prosciutto, grissini, a rich roast capsicum with sun-dried tomato, bocconcini and pesto tart, and more. It was a cold rainy day, and the entree was clearly not enough to share between two. Yet we were asked if we wanted a break before our mains were served?

Shortly after hinting that we were ready for our mains, Zen's seafood risotto, which was an impressive combination of prawns, swordfish, trout, mussels and vongole, arrived.

And I had the Wagyu. The gnocchi was in large chopped chunks but it so fluffy and warm. The wagyu was flakey, tender and hearty...

Because we failed to decide on one single dessert, we opted for the selection of desserts for two. Out came a colourful array tiny delicacies.

I really want to like Rocket. But it somehow doesn't seem as good as the first time. It would have also been nice if the petit fours weren't only rushed out after we had asked for the bill...

Rocket Restaurant
Cnr Help & Railway Streets Chatswood
Phone: (02) 9411 8233
Web: www.rocketrestaurant.com.au

Back in the beginning of June, I took Zen here to celebrate him getting the Business Graduate position at RTA. It was recommended by my brother, as his teacher's (for Hospitality Management at TAFE) husband and brother run the restaurant. The first thing I did was hunt down the website, where by I was delighed with an array of pictures as well as the detail of the menu. Not to mention the simple price structure. On arrival, we're served complimentary Pea Soup, which had a lovely hint of Saffron. All entree's are $18 (we tried the Tasting Selection, which was $36), main's are all $29.50 and desserts are all $14.

The brulee is the best I have ever tasted! This is now definately one of my favourite restaurants. It is great value for money, and I can't wait to try almost everything on the menu. I know I'll be back sometime soon.

Rocket Restaurant
Cnr Help & Railway Streets. Chatswood 2067

Tel: 9411 8233
Email: enquiries@rocketrestaurant.com.au
Website: http://www.rocketrestaurant.com.au