2012!

Yay Happy 2012!

It feels like I am off to a good start with a blog post on the first day of the new year!! After all the times I have been telling myself to get back into it, and not being able to overcome my laziness, I think this blog post deserves to go off with a bang of some sort. Just like the short endless 20 minutes of $6.5 mils priceless pyrotechnic spectacular last night!

Personally I think I deserve to celebrate the end of 2011, I have done what I was suppose to do and I am super thankful for just being back at home spending saturday afternoons lazing around in the house or baking a cake with my parents (mom and I instruct, dad is the willing/manual 'kitchenaid') and devouring/critising our own sweet creations washed down with a big cup of tea and having a blast at catching up.

I don't think I have ever missed being around my parents so much! Yes I am not young, but as some famous quote says, carpe diem!! I have spent my 17 months being independent, now it is the time where I truly can appreciate and return to being careful (wonderfully) by my parents.

Post all the fireworks and with a little wisdom from siri:-

Yes siri...

Although Siri put forward quite a convincing answer to the age old question, I didn't get chocolate to prove it right. I am not going to give it any satisfaction - if it had any... But I did get the next best thing!!

As a little treat/completing one of my to-dos from 2011, I happen to pay a visit to Adriano Zumbo's 'new' patisserie shop at The Star.

 Excuse the grainy/distorted pictures, iphone still isn't very up to scratch even with their 8mp cameras!

The sushi train-esq din in shop wasn't open as it was a public holiday, however they were still selling their famous macaroons and a few of cakes and look at these babies!!

 

3 dozen colourful sugar loaded zumboron

No it wasn't all for me as one friend asked, although that would have probably given me a sugar high lasting a full week!! Weeee!!

My first 2012 sugar hit

There are some really weird flavours there... I went through 5 halves with my mom and only the lychee one (bottom 3rd from left) was nice and made an impression out of raspberry, watermelon, ?oreo and chili chocolate (woah serious heat). I am not sure whether it was the particular packaging/temperature but some were soggy!! 

I've flown macaroons not from zumbo to Coffs Harbour before and those lasted extremely well!! Zumbo still remains to be the king of macaroons with all the full bodied weird and wacky creations he makes. Some are awesome but I am not really sure these are my favourite go to macaroons now as there are so many patisserie out there.

For the time being, I am glad that I crossed one thing off my list of to-dos from 2011 (better late than never!) and carpe diem!

One busy Saturday back in Sydney Part I

(Exactly) 5 days after I have made my brave move up north to Coffs Harbour, I got myself a 3 day weekend. As soon as I knew that I told my friends that I am back to Sydney for a visit:-

Friend #1: "What? And how long have you been up there?"
Me: "...."

Friend #2: "Huh? its only been 5 days"
Me: "...."

Friend #3: "Gee that was quick"
Me: "..."

With my friends missing me HEAPS, I just HAD to go back....

The Saturday started with breakfast at Newtown's Badde Manors.

I was starving by 7:30am and quickly ordered the biggest breakfast - the Badde Manor Big Breakfast from their extensive menu. Badde Manors specialises in vegetarian and vegan choices - not that we realised when we went in, I was just hungry...

The vegetarian/vegan menu, no trace of meat to be seen!

I had a big day ahead of me, breakfast and a big day of shopping in the city, as I will no be able to go on random shopping sprees in Coffs Harbour! Having breakfast outside is also a luxury for me, I often go out for lunch or dinner but I can count with my both hands the number of times I have been out for breakfast - mostly because I'm just too much of a sleepy head to get up just to have breakfast.

My big breakfast arrive with scrambled eggs, and gee did it look healthy!

Badde Manor Big Breakfast - (scrambled) eggs, with spinach, mushrooms, baked beans, seasoned chat potatoes and grilled tomato served on rye bread $13.50.

The mushrooms were excellent cant have better mushrooms than these for brekkie! And of course a traditional pancake won't go amiss!

Homemade pancakes - served with maple syrup and topped with fresh ricotta and blueberries $10.50.

The pancake was light and fluffy, I just wished that the bottom 2 pancakes weren't so thoroughly soaked in the syrup!

We left the cafe with our stomachs protruding (how embarrassing) and slowly made our way to Broadway where I started my shopping. By the time we got to Paramatta 2 hours later we were craving something, something that we haven't yet had in that day......MEAT!

That just shows how important a breakfast rich in protein is. (*ahem* even though there were eggs, baked beans +/- bread and potatoes, we did share this between 2 peeps so there is NO way that's enough protein!). So we trekked to the food court to get us some KFC which we devoured in a matter of minutes! Disgusting - I know - but Oh so satisfying!!

Fix St James + Azuma Patisserie

Me: Weeee entertainment book!!!
Y: let's go Fix St James!

Just like that it was decided. Even being a midweek dinner, this little restaurant was already packed with only 2 tables left - one being ours. We take in the atmosphere, tables lit with candles and an impressive wall of wines complete the look. A cheery and upbeat staff comes and distribute the menu and after a short explanation of the frequent menu changes he points out the tasting menu to share, where we would be able to taste the best dishes, picked by the chef. Having NO idea of what to choose at all, we nod and agree to having the Quick Fix at $39pp.

By this time the last table in this restaurant was filled and I observed (lame math terms coming up) the positive linear relationship between the number of bottles of wines opened to the increasing loudness of the restaurant.

We happily munch on the complimentary warm sourdough dipped in olive oil while we wait for our dishes to come, we don't know what we are getting yet

Stuffed Zucchini flowers 

First course, stuffed zucchini flowers, it is delicious, juicy, firm and not over cooked. The for those who didn't know it was stuffed zucchini flower (eyeing K) he had a little surprise when he was savagely destroying (being the hungry person he is) the flower when the gooey cheese started oozing and popping out of the flower!

Tomato, anchovy and buffalo mozzarella salad

Our second course doesn't seem to appear on the menu nonetheless the salad was tangy balanced by the sweetness of the red capsicum(?), saltiness of the anchovies and the smoothness of the lovely buffalo mozzarella. I have to say though, it was a tad bit oily (look how shiny the salad leaves are in low light!) but sharing it among 4 peeps was just right.

Chicken liver pate with caramalised onions and crustless toast

While we were still finishing off the salad, a funky looking plate of food appears and the cheery wait staff explained (to only 1 person of the table as noise level at this point was... beyond -  lets say interesting - for my throat). I did a little 'woot' in my mind as I loved pate (excuse the missing dash above the 'e') since the first time I tried it at Caliniere. However I was puzzled at the choice of I guess, 'bread' but sandwich toast!? really?! The caramelised onions were tangy and it helped to cut through the creamy, fatty liver. I wish there was more bread - although we didn't ask any - or maybe another type of bread?

Next was a dish that I forgot to take a photo for... sardines with caviar and couscous. The pan fried sardines were slightly crispy. I was a bit annoyed at this point as the serving sizes were SMALL! and this was already the 4th dish!

Pine mushroom risotto with parmesan cheese

The final dish had me happily scrapping my plate and wishing for more. The huge pine mushrooms were so aromatic, juicy and plump! The risotto was cooked perfectly, the rice was slightly chewy and not soggy and heavy on the cream + cheese! Just the way I like it!

I think we all some how damaged our vocal cords that night trying to yell over the 'background' noise, the portion sizes were a bit disappointing, but as we had the entertainment card, I wasn't too upset.

With our entrees and main meals done, we were searching for our last course - dessert - to properly finish and fill our stomachs! We arrive at the new Azuma Patisserie, next to the famous Azuma Kushiyaki Japanese Restaurant at Regent Place for Japanese tea and cake!

They were not cheap cake + tea deal is $9.80. Love the teas though =]


Fix St James
111 Elizabeth Street
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9232 2767

Azuma Patisserie 
Ground Floor Regent Place Shopping
501 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000