Random photos of foood

Just some of the places I have been to, been really slack in taking pictures mainly due to me being such a hermit and going through a rough phase. Will try and get back into it, one step at a time! 

 Tokonoma scallops ($7 each)

 Lindt macaroons ($2.80 each)

 Lindt blueberry chocolate mousse

 

3 x hazelnut hot chocolate + our feast

Chicken Katsu Don

Having a urge to start learning to cook Japanese at home!

First up Chicken Katsu Don.

Don't have any pictures to load up just yet - will take some next time, was too impatient

Serves 2
Chicken Katsu:

• ~ 100g Chicken fillet x 2 (I used thigh)
• Bread crumbs (enough to cover the chicken)
• Clove of garlic (chopped roughly)
• Soy sauce
• White wine or even better shaoxin wine
• Cooking oil (I use canola oil)

Don:

• 1 Onion (peeled and sliced roughly into strips)
• Cooked rice (enough for 2)
  
• 2 eggs
• Mirin
• Handful snow peas topped and tailed and 1 carrot sliced into circular disks (optional)

1. In a bowl marinade the chicken with roughly chopped garlic, equal parts of soy sauce and white wine. Measurements? Well lets see, just enough to wet the chicken for the crumbs to stick!

2. Toss it around for a few minutes and make sure you stab the garlic while doing so.

3. Heat up a non stick frying pan on high heat with enough oil to nearly cover the bottom - but not enough.

3. In a new plate/bowl pour out some bread crumbs to cover the bottom, lift out a piece of chicken from its salty marinade and coat with bread crumbs. Do this for the other piece.

4.  When the chicken has a even cover of bread crumbs place in the pan, there should only be a mild sizzle, not spitting!

5. I'd give it 2 minutes on each side until it become golden brown - make sure it is cooked through though! I usually fillet my meat quite thin ~ 1cm. Lift it out and if you like place it on a paper towel lined plate to soak up excess oil.

Now for the Don, don't turn off the heat

1. In the same pan throw in the chopped onions

2. Let it wilt a little (~ 3 minutes) and add in the optional vegetables.

3. Turn heat to medium, gather the vegetables in the pan and place the chicken piece on top (can do this in 2 lots if your pan is too small)

4. Crack an egg onto the chicken piece and using wooden spoon/what ever you cook with (chopsticks for me), try to contain the egg to within the area of the onion.

5. Pour in a splash of mirin (~20mls) and equal parts of soy sauce in to the pan and a little water to dilute. You would want some sauce left for your rice.

6. Cover your pan and let the egg steam for about 2 minutes.

7. Pour everything - hopefully in one huge coherent slab - on to your rice and voila!

Backlog #2 Galileo

During one of my visits back to Sydney, I was fortunate enough to be involved - some what - in a couple's (or should I say one person's act of) commitment to the next stage of their relationship.

The day started with purchasing a BIG bunch of flowers - which unfortunately I didn't get a picture of as we were too busy scheming/thinking/hoping that our plan would work - Roses to be exact.

Next, to hide it without crushing it, destroying it or ruin the beautiful arrangement for the next 3 hours where it will safely and (un)happily reside in the boot of the car. Thinking back, it was good that we were in the middle of winter, and not a scorching hot day in summer - don't think flowers agrees with saunas...

Then we happily made our way to our dinner destination:

Galileo at The Observatory Hotel - 89-113 Kent St, Sydney, 9256 2222

I first went to Galileo in 2007 during the much lesser known SMH Good Food Festival (now better and more widely known as Sydney International Food Festival) where we had fantastic soft, juicy and perfectly seasoned pork belly on top of mash and bok choy drizzled with plate licking worthy asian style sauce. That meal was simply too good to forget, I still reminisce that $35 let's do lunch - have not found one that matches the pork belly!

 Selected pictures taken 2007

I simply adore The observatory Hotel. Decorated in the old 1920s (correct me if I am wrong) glamour. The whole place is decorated to make you feel like home, inviting, welcoming and the furniture actually says 'sit on me, be comfortable and a butler will serve you tea shortly'

Entree of Crab Mille Feuille layered with (perfectly) sliced avocado & tomato coulis

We opted for the al carte menu and even though I never liked avocado, but with crab I'll eat anything and I was willing to try this. I am glad that I did, not because it tastes good (did not go beyond 2 bites) but because I realised why I did not like avocado in the first place - allergies! As soon as I swallowed the first bite, my throat slowly swelled up and I began coughing quietly, took a sip of water and swapped my entree with K.

Entree of pork belly.... *item no longer on menu hence the descriptiveness*

 The pork belly was rather dry and despite the pretty presentation which I promptly went "Ooo" for, it was huge disappointment!

Principaux of Duck and fois gras pie with mesclun salad and sauce aigrie doux

Forget about all the fancy stuff after the 'duck and fois gras pie...' THIS is a pie, this is a HUGE and expensive pie! The extensive description reads:-

"The duck pie is a long process which requires a level of experience to integrate the marriage of flavours with optimum ingredients. The duck and fois gras has been marinaded in Hennessey XO and truffle jus for 3 days, which is then encased in a traditional hand made French style 'puff' pastry"

X-section of the pie with visible chunks of fois gras and duck meat

With the first bite I was blown away, literally with the powerful and intense flavours that was hitting my taste buds like...(how do I put this)....whip. Don't get me wrong! It is very nice, and I can understand how it would take a very experienced chef to be able to integrate, work with and make all the different flavours of each individual ingredients really complement each other.

With each mouthful, I come to appreciate the skills of the chef in presenting these bold and aromatic flavours. I polish off 1/2 of the pie and swap with K. This pie is definitely not for cowards and this would definitely appeal to a particular crowd of diners with a very matured palate. Much like preference of red and white wines!

Principaux of fillet of grilled wagyu marble score 9+ 150g tenderloin fillet cut with baby vegetables and pomme paillasson

What can go wrong with steak, as a matter of fact Good steak. Have to say though after 5 months, I cannot remember much about this steak meaning it was good, but not memorable!

Petit fours which came with coffee/tea

We were so full to the brim - me especially with my tastes buds trained up for this meal - we have to battle on with dessert! Not before a cup of coffee to aid digestion! These petit fours were "complementary" (not quite when tea/coffee cost $10.50) but we still needed to try the dessert!

Dessert persimmon tart?

Excuse my unbelievable memory. We picked a dessert to share and as I have seldom seen persimmon used in desserts I picked this. In hind sight, it was probably not the best choice! It was nice, but still not memorable. 

I came out of Galileo thinking when is bed time when I realised 'Hey! There's still a flower dying in the trunk!' We ventured over to circular quay where Vivid Sydney was transforming the opera house into a huge canvas.

Finally, after a tiny mishap, the guy drops down on one knee and pops the question with an enviable ring in his two hands. Just as the back drop of the opera house projects 'LOVE' the girl screams hysterically excitedly and graciously consent to building what will be the next stage of their long and happy relationship/marriage.

Ahh love stories with happy endings!!!

Backlog #1 Sushi Tei

Was just uploading my backlog of pictures from my camera and realised, wow I have so many good material (food porn) in there - what have I been doing?

Well mostly procrastinating on my days off, being a major hermit/homebody. It is really bad! Need to be pro-active - do things that I want to do, when I say I will do them, and not putting it off again and again.

This will be the nth time I have said that to my self - it doesn't hurt to try again right?

First up Sushi Tei - Chiefly Square, Ground floor, Cnr Elizabeth and Hunter Street 9232 7288

Came here for a good friend's 'farewell' dinner. It is funny how I came to know her; you know you will be good friends with someone when they make the same mistake as you do. Meaning you think alike - even if it means in a stupid way!

Anyhoo short story short, we went to the wrong location at the same time for a class we were all quite late for and since then we've became good friends.

 

Pretty flame 

I love restaurants that has pictures with their menus, even if it means the menus are big enough for you to knock hands with the person next to you. The good thing about the picture is that you get to 'taste' - with your eyes that is - and decide whether the food appeal to your eyes. After all, the 'look' is what really attracts your attention, regardless of what the Japanese letters beside it means!

I know it sounds awfully superficial, ordering food based on 'looks' - or partially based on looks. But it is true in reality isn't it? Whether it appeals to you with its smell, aesthetics, texture or its description.

Enoki mushroom wrapped in wagyu beef slices

We ordered a few starters, first up these bite sized, juicy and flavoursome parcels. The melt in your mouth beef bursts open to reveal delicate enoki strands soaked in the salty marinade of the beef.

Grilled salmon cheeks with mayonnaise

Next up, we ordered salmon cheeks. When my dad was young, he lived very close to fish farms, when ever we had whole fish at home, he would always pick out the 2 fish's cheeks and place it in front of me and he would say, the fish's cheeks are the best part of the fish and I am giving it to you because ... (something along the lines of how you should get the best etc etc). Corny! I know but now I think about it, he is a pretty awesome dad - at times.

Somehow the surface of the mayonnaise formed a skin from the grill and it is interesting, when you bite into it, it feels like you are biting into a fish roe but instead of a burst of brininess, you get smooth creamy salmon goodness!!

Mornay scallops

Nothing more can be said about this dish, the simple classic mornay scallops. Fat juicy scallops covered in a rich creamy sauce topped with cheese and baked to golden brown.

Wagyu Sukiyaki

After the 3 starters, we had to fill our stomach with a filling staple and we opted for the wagyu beef sukiyaki. It was good, hearty and decent sukiyaki - I am always surprised with so many Japanese restaurants not being able to do a good sukiyaki!

The share for all this was on the costly side, but after having the excellent starters and a good sukiyaki, I would say I really like the food here and would come back again despite slow service. It didn't seem too bad as we had a huge group of people.

*Salivating for decent Japanese food now! the down side of living in Coffs Harbour!*

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