Food – Page 11

Kitchen Inn

August 15, 2014 Posted in Malaysian, MelbourneLeave a comment

Funnily enough, I never even knew Kitchen Inn existed until earlier this year. I’ve probably walked past the shop numerous times on Elizabeth Street and yet never has caught my eye unlike Coconut House which seems very prominent towards the Queen Victoria Market side of Elizabeth St. Kitchen Inn serves Malaysian cuisine but more with a focus on Sarawak dishes as they offer Sarawak Laksa and Kampua which you may not find in other Malaysian restaurants.

Kitchen Inn’s Kampua Special is basically noodles with a light sauce served with crispy roast pork, and char siu (Chinese BBQ pork). I must say, aside from the generous use of oil in their sauce, it’s absolutely delicious. The sauce is subtle in flavour, reminding me of a slightly sweet soy sauce and goes well with the noodles. My only other disappointment is the char siu isn’t particularly appetising with its vibrant colouring, and overall fatty cuts of pork. Still, either the Kampua Special or Kampua is one to try here. Just be warned with the smaller serving sizes here.

The Sarawak Laksa is also something I’ve never come across before as I never have visited East Malaysia when holidaying there. Typically, what differentiates a standard curry laksa with a sarawak laksa is it doesn’t have curry as its base but instead it’s a base of sambal belacan, tamarind, galangal, lemon grass and coconut milk. It’s also an acquired taste, but that may be because I’m so used to the flavours of a Curry Laksa or Assam Laksa. It is certainly interesting taste wise with a strong spice backing, so it may not be for everyone.

Kitchen Inn’s Bak Kuh Teh is also slightly different to the typical Bak Kuh Teh that you can buy the pocket of herbs and spices in many Asian groceries in Melbourne. It has a stronger spice to it, presumably from the star anise and cloves and it definitely tastes more herbal. Their Bak Kuh Teh is also laden with oil, possibly from the fatty pork ribs or just added extra with the soup. It would be very welcoming on a winters’ day.

Impressions
Kitchen Inn overall is pretty good, I haven’t come across Sarawak food before so it may just be me not being used to the style of cooking. However, the standout is their Kampua Special and during certain hours, a few of their dishes are ridiculously cheap. So for something a little bit different to your average Malaysian restaurant, Kitchen Inn is here to serve.

Kitchen Inn
469 Elizabeth St
Melbourne VIC 3000

Movenpick Box Hill

August 8, 2014 Posted in Box Hill, Desserts, European, Food Reviews, Restaurant Reviews, SwissLeave a comment

On Groupon we found an offer for discounted vouchers basically e.g spend $20, receive $30 worth so we thought it was a good incentive to give Movenpick in Box Hill a try. The Movenpick brand of Ice cream I believe originated from Switzerland and I recall the first time coming across a Movenpick store was in Harbour Town, Docklands. However, that store has since been closed and I never did get a chance to try their ice creams, however tempting it was.

Now with the vouchers, we wanted something of a snack and so we ordered the waffles with chocolate flakes and syrup. One of my better experiences having waffles was in Theobroma Chocolate Lounge at Spencer St and those were beautifully crispy but so light and fluffy inside with the sweet, chocolately goodness on top. Unfortunately, the waffles made (?) here are soft and possible frozen and reheated or just not cooked long enough to give it a crunch. It is very soft and almost doughy, and if it didn’t have the amount of syrup and chocolate flakes I don’t think it would have gone down all that well to be honest.

The ice creams were also a little lacklustre, the Espresso Coffee one was actually quite nice with a strong coffee hit but it was extremely sweet. The Maple Walnut scoop on the other hand was just overall very average but I guess the plus was the walnuts as that added crunch however for what seems like a premium Ice creams store, the ice cream flavours that we ordered didn’t really leave a good impression at all and I don’t have that high of expectations for ice cream in general.

The Green Tea Smoothie I found was actually very nice, sweet but the matcha flavour comes through exceptionally well. I quite enjoyed the smoothie but it is rich and very sweet.

Impressions

Unfortunately, I found Movenpick to be underwhelming and considering it is a dessert store, the desserts really weren’t that great all things considered and I’d probably even just go to a Wendy’s if I had to choose based on value for money. A bit of a shame.

Movenpick Box Hill

Shop 53A
1 Main St Box Hill, VIC 3128
(Near the Commonwealth Bank Box Hill branch)

Jaidee Thai

July 25, 2014 Posted in Richmond, ThaiLeave a comment

Jaidee Thai is one of the numerous Thai restaurants towards the Hoddle Street end of Victoria Street. Jinda Thai, iSpicy 2 and Ying Thai are also located around these parts of town. Jaidee Thai is the newcomer on the block and what they offer isn’t too different from the rest.

Jaidee Thai’s Pad Thai looks great with its combination of chicken, fresh bean sprouts and chopped peanuts. However taste wise it falls a bit short compared to the likes of Jinda Thai’s Pad Thai and even iSpicy’s. The aroma and flavour of the sauce used isn’t as strong, and if you have ever tried Jinda Thai’s version, you’ll instantly be able to tell the difference. Over there, it’s fragrant as it arrives in front of you, with the nutty smell of the chopped peanuts. Although that is not to say Jaidee Thai’s Pad Thai isn’t good, it has its pros but with so many Thai eateries around, a dish like this needs to stand out.

Jaidee Thai’s Thai Fried Rice (Chicken) served with a slice of lime smells and tastes great actually. The chunky tomato adds depth to the fried rice, along with the greens. The let-down of the dish is that the rice is on the wet side of things, which makes the fried rice feel soggy. I definitely prefer my fried rice to be drier but this might be the Thai style of Fried Rice as I recall dining at Tom Toon Thai Noodle Cafe and it was quite similar.

Impressions
Although I haven’t been left impressed by the dishes I’ve tried, you’ll still end up with a decent meal at Jaidee Thai. I’d probably give it another go sometime in the future, but Jinda Thai is still the one to beat.

Jaidee Thai
112 Victoria Street
Richmond VIC 3121

Japan Komo

July 18, 2014 Posted in Japanese, MitchamLeave a comment

Japan Komo was recommended to me by my colleague and having never really stopped by at Mitcham, even though living quite close by, I thought it was a good incentive to take a look around there. Japan Komo is quite a small restaurant on Whitehorse Road, and seemingly ever so popular.

One thing I love is a good Spicy Tuna Roll, and funnily enough there is a little Japanese Sushi store inside Woolworths Box Hill that makes a pretty darn tasty Spicy Tuna Roll. Japan Komo’s Tuna Roll isn’t as great as I expected, they use the standard store bought Asian chilli sauce as their chilli “spice” instead of their own version version like the Woolies has (Spicy Japanese Mayo). Flavour-wise the tuna tastes fresh, but again the chilli sauce is the let down.

Their Sukiyaki Beef Bento comes with a generous serving of beef, rice, small sushi and croquettes with a side of salad and miso soup. The beef is cooked well, and the seasoning is balanced.

The Teriyaki Salmon Bento is interesting in it’s serving of sliced salmon but flavour-wise it’s nothing too special. The croquettes are nice and crunchy though.

I’ve mentioned the fantastic Japanese curry at Momotaro Rahmen in Richmond, and this Japanese Beef Curry is quite different to the one at Momotaro. The curry here is quite watery, and I haven’t often come across a Japanese curry that isn’t even a bit thick. Flavour is there, but I found it a slightly strange and the beef a tad tough.

Impressions

Japan Komo is run by Japanese (or at least cooked by Japanese) but unfortunately I found my dining experience here a disappointment. Although the food here isn’t bad by any means, there are Japanese restaurants around these parts of town that I’d prefer to go to instead (Irodori House in Box Hill or even the slightly pricey Miku in Doncaster). Maybe their other sushi rolls and sashimi are fantastic, as the reviews here are definitely overwhelmingly positive.

Japan Komo
497 Whitehorse Road
Mitcham VIC 3132

Third Wave Cafe Prahran by Night

July 4, 2014 Posted in American, Australian, Food Reviews, Prahran, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

I’ve previously dined at Third Wave Cafe in Prahran (just off Commercial Road x Chapel St) and tried their breakfast/lunch menu which you can check out here and I was thoroughly impressed by their dishes. Third Wave Cafe have generously invited my friend and I to try their dinner menu where their specialty is slow cooked, smoked meats and fish American BBQ style. Although their BBQ meats may be the attraction for some, they also have a Paleo menu and even dishes such as burgers and quesadillas to try. So for those that have tried Third Wave’s breakfast and lunch menu, it provides a small window into BBQ dishes but only when dining here in the evening will you find their expanded Slow Smoked BBQ menu.

We ordered the Pork Ribs (450g/Half Rack), which were absolutely delicious. The pork is tender, easy to slice off the bone and cooked to perfection with just the right amount of BBQ flavour. Served with the Pork Ribs, are two different BBQ sauces, the Spicy BBQ sauce and Apple Bourbon sauce, both having their subtle flavours that match the barbecued ribs. I love the spicy BBQ sauce in particular, as it’s smokey yet not overpowering and the spiciness gives the ribs a little kick but even then you could go without any of the sauces as the ribs are seasoned beautifully with the tastes of southern American cuisine.

Third Wave’s Chicken (Medium Plate) was also fantastic and it really isn’t a surprise anymore that the food here is a step above. From their menu’s explanation, it details that the chicken is marinated overnight and smoked using Maple wood for many hours. The chicken is moist, and the aroma of the smoked chicken is salivating. Often Chicken that is barbecued is tough and dry, and I find it very difficult to cook well but here they have done the chicken justice. The chicken here, like the pork ribs above is served with two different BBQ sauces which I believe one was the spicy BBQ sauce.

For sides we ordered the Confit Kipfler Potatoes (Medium Plate) which are Kipfler potatoes confit in duck fat and seasoned with salt and rosemary. The potatoes were crispy and the subtle seasoning of rosemary is all you ever need, but the one downside was the liberal use of salt.

Having a crispy theme going on with the sides, we ordered the Crispy Coleslaw that is a mix of apples, carrots, cabbage and with Third Wave’s own coleslaw dressing. There are hints of richness from the mayonnaise that is cut through by the slight bitterness to the cabbage and a hint of tang. It isn’t something I would order often but it does at least provide some lightness to your overall meal.

Impressions

Third Wave Cafe’s serves delicious dishes throughout the entire day, so it’s no wonder people come back for more and I definitely will keep coming back. One of the highlights in both their dinner and lunch menus is their smoked meats and BBQ dishes. Their Texan Fry Up and the Pork Ribs here are my personal favourites but with an interesting variety on their menu, there is room for some competition. I sincerely do recommend trying their menu at least once, tasty BBQ dishes breakfast, lunch and dinner and with friendly service, I don’t think there is much else you could ask for.

Third Wave Cafe – Prahran (Menu)
30 Cato St
Prahran 3181

Opening Hours (correct as at 4 July 2014)
Monday to Tuesday – 8am to 4pm
Wednesday to Sunday – 8am to 10pm

T: 03 9510 2991
M: 04 1255 0854

The Booth (via Menulog)

June 25, 2014 Posted in Box Hill, Chinese, Desserts, Food Reviews, Restaurant Reviews, TaiwaneseLeave a comment

I’ve always been wanting to try The Booth but have always seemed to pick another restaurant in Box Hill, either by familiarity or just routine. On this occasion though, having been offered by Menulog to try their online ordering services, I thought it’s the perfect opportunity to give it a try. Menulog is currently the number 1 Australian website for online take-away and with over 3,500 restaurants on the website around Australia, it certainly makes a name for itself.

My locality is in Blackburn so the restaurants offering pick up or delivery will vary. However, if you’re in the Blackburn area, you can check out the link to check out other restaurants using Menulog for convenient online ordering (Blackburn Take-away Restaurants). I find it’s a great away to find some restaurants that you may not have come across before, you visit Menulog and type in your suburb to check out the restaurants using Menulog in your area.

Menulog is convenient and very straight forward to use, and for those tied to their smartphones (like myself), there is an app you can use too for iOS and Android (Link). But of course, the website and even their mobile website work well and easy enough to just pick what you want and order.

As you can see from the screenshots, delivery isn’t too much for the sake of convenience but restaurants also do offer pick up too. Once you’ve chosen and paid for, you can schedule it for a preferred delivery time (or pick up) or “now”. Then all you need to do wait for the SMS confirmation and either pick it up at the scheduled time or await delivery. Real simple.

The Booth

The food arrived on time and we were even provided with complimentary drinks, which is a definite winner in terms of service I must say. The food overall was still hot and no microwaving necessary.

The Pan-Fried Pork dumplings were still hot and even a little crispy still, even with the steam softening some of it up as it would in a take-away container. The dumplings are probably one of the better ones I’ve tried in Box Hill, it has just enough filling and the pork, ginger flavour comes through well.

The Black Pepper Beef Noodles is fantastic too, the meal comes in two with the noodles in one container and the black pepper beef and sauce in another, all you need to do is mix it together. If you love pepper and beef, this dish is for you. The black pepper here is so flavourful, and the amount of pepper gives it a very nice spicy pepper kick. Pleasantly surprised.

The Spicy and Sour Noodle Soup may not be for everyone, it is an acquired taste but since I have some familiarity with the sour and spicy soup, I quite enjoyed it. It’s a bit difficult to describe but if you have tasted Chinese Hot/Spicy and Sour soup before you’ll instantly know this, and I believe the sourness comes from Chinese vinegar that they add. Tasty dish but I could do without the abundance of mushrooms.

The Booth’s Sweet Soya Bean Curd with Mango, Sago & Coconut Milk is really wonderful. I would have preferred if it were a cold dessert as it was only slightly cold/room temperature but I guess I could always add ice to it or chill it for a few hours. The dessert is quite similar to a Tofu Fah/Dau Fu Fa in texture but with the Soy Bean curd isn’t as smooth as tofu is but alas with the coconut milk and mango, sago makes for a really tasty dessert. The creaminess of the coconut milk and the sweetness of the mango gives it life. Would definitely order this again.

Impressions

I’m very glad to have ordered from The Booth, from it’s great service and tasty food I think you can definitely rely on them for a great take-away night. Overall, I couldn’t really fault the dishes other than its generous use of oil. I recommend giving it a try in-restaurant or ordering from Menulog as if you’re local it’s only $5 to Blackburn which I found to be very reasonable, and the food at The Booth certainly won’t break the bank either.

The Booth (Order via Menulog)
612 Station St
Box Hill VIC 3128

Salad King – Toronto Series

June 20, 2014 Posted in Thai, TorontoLeave a comment

Toronto has exceptional Thai food. I’m not sure why as seemingly they are a fair distance away from Thailand and seemingly there isn’t a significant community of sorts but alas somehow Thai cuisine thrives here. Salad King is situated not far from the Ryerson University, which results in the restaurant filling up quickly during peak times.

What is also interesting, that I’ve never seen in any restaurant before (other than a Nando’s) is a Spicy Scale as shown below. My sister having dined here before, recommended 3-5 Chilis, and even those were quite spicy so I’m not entirely sure how 20 Chilis tasted like. Maybe like a fireball in your mouth and stomach?

Salad King’s Phud Thai (or Pad Thai) is light and fresh in flavour, fragrant and overall a very delicious dish with the spiciness adding a nice touch. It’s not the best Pad Thai I’ve ever eaten but definitely above average.

The Bangkok Stir Fry is unfamiliar to be but I loved the peanuts added on top with the rice vermicelli (clear noodles) which are property my favourite styled stir fried noodles if done right. Tasty dish.

The Rainbow Chicken is another interesting Thai dish, with eggplant, capsicums and the combination of basil, lemon grass and chilli sauce makes quite a great dish with some white rice. Cheap and tasty.

The Green Mango Salad with mango strips, tomato, lettuce and dressed with chopped peanuts and a Thai dressing (made from fish sauce, lime juice, peanuts and sugar) is refreshing but not particularly my favourite kind of salad.

Salad King’s Tom Yum is another winner, with the perfect combination of sweet and sour and of course spice and really just want you need on a cold day (which was nearly everyday in Toronto).

Impressions

Cheap and tasty Thai food is what I’d describe Salad King in a few words. If I were to compare Salad King to Khao San Road, tastewise Khao San Road comes out on top, the dishes there just blew me away. Although in terms of price, you may prefer Salad King over Khao San Road but flavour cannot be denied in my humble opinion. However, both are probably for different occasions and settings so in someways aren’t very comparable. Salad King definitely earns its title as Toronto’s favourite Thai.

Salad King
340 Yonge St
Toronto ON M5G1H1

Tan Tan

June 13, 2014 Posted in Box Hill, VietnameseLeave a comment

In the Box Hill hub, there are quite a few Vietnamese restaurants on Carrington Street. Indochine is probably the largest and most popular one,. I’ve tried Indochine, and couldn’t understand the appeal, so off to the next one on the street. Tan Tan is just a few doors down from Indochine and now being so far away from Springvale, I’ve still yet to find a great Crispy Chicken with Tomato Rice dish, so for every new Vietnamese restaurant I try, I always seek out this dish which has yet to be topped.

Tan Tan’s Crispy Chicken with Tomato Rice lacks the highs of a great dish, the tomato rice is devoid of tomato flavour, and seems overly soft. I prefer a bit of bite to my rice when it is fried, and a great Tomato rice in my eyes also adds egg. The chicken also lacks flavour, just salt and unfortunately, too dry. The sweet and sour sauce is much needed to bring flavour to this dish that is dry and lacking in taste. A real shame

The Lemongrass Chicken and Stir Fry with Rice, is an especially fragrant dish with the lemongrass but again, nothing really stood out. The chicken cooked well, and the capsicum adds depth of flavour, apart from that it could be a little forgettable.

Beef and Chicken Combination Pho is a staple at every Vietnamese restaurant, however the soup here isn’t too flash. Lacking in flavour as compared with the popular and local favourite Pho places such as I Love Pho 264 in Richmond, and Pho Hung Vuong in Springvale. The soup is the star of a Pho dish so it’s disappointing that it is very average here.

Impressions

I can’t say that I found Tan Tan to be memorable for its dishes which I really did hope it would be. One of the pluses was that the staff were very friendly, and the dishes weren’t too expensive but I’m not too sure that would be enough to get me to go back there again for sometime.

Tan Tan
9 Carrington Rd
Box Hill VIC 3128

Woo Ga Korean BBQ Restaurant

June 6, 2014 Posted in Korean, Melbourne, North MelbourneLeave a comment

Woo Ga Korean BBQ Restaurant is situated on Victoria St, North Melbourne, quite close by to the Queen Victoria Market and along a stretch of a few Korean restaurants. Korean BBQ restaurants are aplenty in Melbourne and I’ve mentioned ChangGo previously which is probably one of the most popular Korean eateries in the CBD.

We ordered the Combo B which is for 3-4 people/serves ($68) which comes with the pickled onions, bean sprouts and kimchi as starters. The sweet onions are really nice and flavourful, I’m not sure what they use to marinate it but it’s very refreshing. Combo B is beef heavy, and it comes with Premium Wagyu Chuck Eye Roll, “Top Grade” Beef Rib, marinated Beef Flank, Beef seasoned with salt and pepper and lastly Kimchi & Pork Spicy Soup.

The cabbage and carrots salad is super crunchy, and it has a light dressing that adds some flavour to it too.

Combo B is all beef so those that may not be so fond of everything beef, you may opt for some pork as extra. The beef is very tender and can cook very quickly once it’s on the heat, so be aware to move it away or turn it over so the beef isn’t overcooked. It’s like your very own cooking class.

This cut of beef is marinated with some onions and I actually quite like this cut/seasoning. Thin pieces of beef

Beef Flank was probably my least favourite cut, as it can be a bit tough when cook (and if overcooked)

Most of the cooking is DIY and the staff do switch the hot plates for different cuts of meat but I found it took longer for the meat to cook as it had to keep heating up the room temperature plates.

The Spicy Kimchi and Pork soup was again delicious with fresh mushrooms, spring onions, mushrooms and soft tofu.

The Korean seafood pancake was delicious, albeit a bit oily and very filling. The sweet and salty sauce they add on top along with the crispy outside makes for a great dish on a cold day (Not included in Combo B)

Impressions

Woo Ga does Korean food well but on a busy night, service may be a bit lacking as we had to request some things twice or it took quite a while for them to get back to us which does leave you a bit disappointed even if the food is great. I found ChangGo to be the better one of the two, better tasting soup and meat (although I am comparing beef to pork) and similar chaotic service.

Woo Ga Korean Restaurant

270 Victoria St
North Melbourne VIC

Eggspectation – Montreal Series

May 30, 2014 Posted in Canadian, French, MontrealLeave a comment

From our hotel on a mission to find somewhere good to eat, we somehow ended up in front of Eggspectation. As their name suggests, eggs are their specialty and they have quite a diverse selection of dishes to choose from even beyond just eggs of course. Such as sandwiches, salads and burgers for breakfast and lunch. Somehow when we decided on our breakfast meals, we all ended up ordering almost the same dishes with slight variations.

The Veggie Omelette looked great, and has wonderful flavour from the mushrooms, spinach and onion. It’s served with Lyonnaise style potatoes which is a French originated dish with pan fried thinly sliced potatoes. I found the potatoes to be warm but not hot that seemed to possibly have been left on the plate waiting for omelettes to be cooked.

I love how most North American restaurants allow you to choose how the eggs are cooked. I find it quite scarce in Melbourne to find a place like that as it’s usually just offered as scrambled. The Eggspectation’s The Classic comes with two (any-style) eggs with the Lyonnaise potatoes and a choice of bacon, sausages or ham and served with baked beans and toast. As pictured, we ordered the sausages and they are quite stock standard sausages. Scrambled eggs were moist but needed a bit of salt and pepper to give it life. Otherwise, I’d say it was a decent meal.

Being in Montreal, you have to try their famous Montreal Smoked Meat, so we ordered the Montrealer which comes with your choice of two (any-style) eggs, the famous smoked meat, pickles, toast and fruit and of course potatoes which were noted as french fries but they came out similar to the Lyonnaise potatoes served in the other two dishes (*shrugs*). I found the smoked meat to be fantastic, along with the oozy poached eggs that just need a sprinkling of black pepper. Again the potatoes were a bit cold, but other than that it was a great meal.

Impressions

Eggspectations’ Second floor is wonderful in its atmosphere, with a industrial like feel but modernised. However, I found their service though is a bit sparse. Food-wise, the dishes were about average which was a slight disappointment for one of our few breakfasts’ in Montreal but you never know until you try.

Eggspectation
1313 Boulevard De Maisonneuve West
Montreal QC H3G

ohdenny

Category: Food

Kitchen Inn

Movenpick Box Hill

Jaidee Thai

Japan Komo

Third Wave Cafe Prahran by Night

The Booth (via Menulog)

Salad King – Toronto Series

Tan Tan

Woo Ga Korean BBQ Restaurant

Eggspectation – Montreal Series