Food – Page 12

Tapas Cafe – Torquay

May 23, 2014 Posted in Australian, Food Reviews, Mexican, Restaurant Reviews, TorquayLeave a comment

On my way back from a day trip to The Great Ocean Road and Otways, we wanted to stop by Torquay for lunch. Being later in the arvo, but still with plenty of people about, we came across Tapas Cafe. It’s a small-ish cafe but enticing nonetheless. Their menu is typical of many seaside cafes, but with a hint of Mexican cuisine on their menu.

Pictured above is their Sweet Chilli Fish with fresh salad and chips. Perfectly cooked fried fish with a sweet chilli sauce to match, it’s an interesting choice and it lets the fish flavour come through. The salad underdressed (not dressed at all) and with the fresh capsicum, I found it to be an odd addition as the salad was overall quite dry without any dressing. It may not be the best dish I’ve tasted, but definitely satisfactory.

The Quesadilla with corn and cheese and spicy guacamole and salad was great on the other hand. I loved the quesadilla with the melted cheese and corn, although quite thin it’s richness compensates for a filling meal. The guacamole I found lacked the avocado flavour but that may just be due to the avocados being more subtle in flavour. Tasty dish.

Impressions

Tapas Cafe doesn’t appear to be too well known in Torquay but I think it offers something a bit different to your standard cafes or fish and chip shops which is welcomed warmly in my book.

Tapas Cafe

9 Gilbert St
Torquay VIC 3228

ChangGo

May 9, 2014 Posted in Korean, MelbourneLeave a comment

Melbourne is abuzz for ChangGo, one of the many Korean BBQ restaurants that have appeared in our city in recent years. The waits can be excruciatingly long and the waiting system is basically taking a ticket and writing your name down on the list and you just wait around the venue listening for your name to be called out. I guess you must suffer a bit to be able to enjoy their food.

One of ChangGo’s specialties on their menu is their 8 ways marinated Pork Belly which consist of wine, original, ginseng, garlic, herb, curry, miso paste and hot flavoured Pork Belly. For a group of two to three, the amount of pork on offer here seems to suffice. With the Pork Belly, they provide Kim Chi, an assortment of vegetables, and a spicy Seafood soup.

At night, the place can be packed and the staff are definitely challenged in assisting everyone with their cooking. So basically, it’s DIY BBQ.

The Pork Belly they provide you is on the fattier side of pork that I’ve come across but nonetheless the flavours offered are varied. The Garlic, Herb and Hot marinated Pork Belly’s were probably my favourite ones because they were flavourful but let the pork shine too.

The Spicy Seafood soup here is wonderfully tasty and best on a cold winter’s day. Not too spicy but enough to tingle your tastebuds and the soup base is exceptionally satisfying.

Impressions

ChangGo does Korean barbeque well, apart from the overly fatty Pork Belly that is. Flavours are overall tasty and for $60 (for the 8 Ways Pork Belly), I find it great value for money. Once you dine here you can see why the waits during peak times can exceed 30 mins. I’d definitely recommend dining here if you feel like some charred meats.

ChangGo
70 Little La Trobe St
Melbourne VIC 3000

Momotaro Rahmen

April 25, 2014 Posted in Japanese, RichmondLeave a comment

Momotaro Rahmen on Bridge Road, Richmond is probably one of my favourite Japanese ramen and curry rice places in Victoria. With their generous portions and delicious offerings, I have never been let down by Momotaro after nearly three years of dining there. Some might say that the generous servings are because the prices are higher, and while that is true as their prices are usually $12+, I’m frequently completely full (and then some) by the end of it. It’s not just great tasting Japanese food but also fresh, and a bit health conscious as well as they serve brown rice with their rice dishes.

The Ramen pictured above is their Negi Miso Ramen, which contains leak and pork with hot chilli, and served in a soy bean soup broth. This Ramen is probably one of their more spicier menu items but if you preferred another Ramen such as their Tonkatsu Ramen you can always add chilli flakes (I always do). The Negi Miso Ramen is incredibly tasty, and the soy bean broth adds a subtle flavour to the soup. A winner

While their Ramens’ are top notch, I do frequently order their Beef Curry Rice with Potato Croquette. It’s served with a salad dressed with sesame oil and a few other ingredients. I love a good Japanese Curry and this one hits the spot, the beef is nice and tender (not tough at all), and the potato croquette freshly served is crispy on the outside, yet fluffy inside. Flavour-wise, the curry is one of the best Japanese curries I’ve tried.

Impressions
Momotaro Rahmen is frequented by many and you can tell why. Tasty dishes at a good price will keep customers coming back for more. I’d definitely recommend Momotaro Rahmen for those looking for delicious Japanese cuisine.

Momotaro Rahmen
392 Bridge Rd
Richmond VIC 3121

Gourmet Girl

April 18, 2014 Posted in Australian, Blackburn, Food, Food Reviews, Restaurant ReviewsLeave a comment

Gourmet Girl in Blackburn is a tiny little restaurant in Laburnum/Blackburn, situated close to Laburnum Train Station. Frequented by many of the locals, and it certainly piques my interest. Gourmet Girl by day serves your typical breakfast, brunch/lunch affair. Toasted sandwiches and Focaccias, salads, wraps, pies and pastries as well as a wide selection for breakfast such as pancakes, eggs, muffins, toast and of course your big breakfast. Variety is there and it’s certainly its strong suit and of course they serve your typical hot and cold beverages as well. By night they have a tapas menu with wine for an enjoyable evening out.

We ordered the Smoked Salmon topped with red onions, and served with scrambled egg with toast and a side of greens and tomatoes. It certainly looked inviting, the smoked salmon had a nice smokey flavour to the fish, but not over powering. The scrambled eggs however were on the bland side, and lacked any sort of pepper or salt seasoning. However, I guess the saltiness from the salmon is supposed to carry the dish so you are not overloaded with salt, but unfortunately the eggs did not have any richness to it, nor did it taste like eggs. It was honestly disappointing. The bread was also leaning on over toasted as well (the edges are slightly dark brown) and almost had a burnt taste to it. Care and attention to detail is key and it’s what made this a real letdown.

The “Canadian” Focaccia that we ordered was also a Smoked Salmon dish with cream cheese, capers, red onions, avocado spread and mayonnaise served with a lightly dressed garden salad. Again you can see it was burnt on several parts of the bread, definitely over toasted. The bottom of the Focaccia was also visibly dark brown unfortunately. Flavour wise (apart from the burnt-ness), was decent. Although, on this occasion too salty. The capers and smoked salmon add the saltiness but there is nothing there to really balance it as you also have the richness of the mayonnaise and cream cheese. The avocado attempts to provide a milder flavour to the dish but the avocados here also lack fragrance. The garden salad was basically a small pile of rocket and sliced cucumber with a huge chunk of grated carrot, with a generous drizzling of dressing. Presentation is not their strong suit. Again, I was not impressed with how this was served, lacking in any consideration and served blackened that definitely should not have gone out in any decent cafe.

Impressions

Gourmet Girl, leaves a bad taste both literally and metaphorically in my mouth. The customer service at Gourmet Girl was one of the bad experiences I’ve had to sit through. They forgot one of our orders (which was served to another table that came after us), which I admit can happen when its busy and I do understand. When we finally received our order after more than half an hour of waiting, what we received was above, a charred sandwich (as mentioned above). The kicker, no apologies made when they informed us of their mistake nor when actually providing the dish to us. They even asked if we would like to order drinks (to pay for) while we are forced to wait! Absolutely amazing.

I know this sounds like a rant, but good or even mediocre service can go a long way in providing a satisfactory dining experience. One poor (or many in this case) experience can ultimately damage any good will the place as brought with its dishes. Which unfortunately, in this situation it did not generate any.

To top everything off in our visit to Gourmet Girl, they misplaced our entire order when paying. So having to repeat ourselves of what we ordered, we were questioned on our one coffee. In which, the staff leaned over the counter to check the number of cups on our table. You know, that coffee we ordered while having to wait. That one. Served by three staff during our time there, none was positive and that’s not a good sign. Gourmet Girl certainly is a popular place but I’m unsure if its as a result of desperation for a decent coffee around these parts or if my situation was out of the ordinary.

Overall, I cannot overlook the poor service over the sub-standard food served. It would be dishonest of me to recommend this place to someone, but I do hope that if you do dine here that your experience is wonderful and pleasant and unlike mine. I do although prefer Red Cup Cafe which is minutes away by car over Gourmet Girl (both in service and quality of food).

Gourmet Girl
21 Salisbury Ave
Blackburn VIC 3130

Gelato Messina – Fitzroy

April 11, 2014 Posted in Desserts, Fitzroy, ItalianLeave a comment

Gelato Messina in Fitzroy is another popular Ice Cream and Gelato shop in Melbourne. Originally from Sydney, they have opened their doors down in Melbourne in outer rim of Melbourne’s CBD. What attracts people here is of course their interesting selection of ice creams but having a great depth of flavour as well.

One of my highlights was their Lychee and Coconut gelato. The Lychee flavour is fruity, flavourful and not artificial like you’re eating Lychee essence. The dessicated coconut that weaves through the ice cream, gives it added texture and complements the Lychee well. Tastes fresh, rich and yet not overwhelming with sweetness as some ice creams would be.

Their Hazelnut ice cream is similar to most other gelato stores such as Il Dolce. I would have preferred a bit more nuttiness with chopped hazelnuts, but the flavour of it was quite good.

The interesting other flavour was their Yoghurt & Berry which I’ve never had previously, with poached raspberry and blueberry coulee. The actual ice cream is more milder in flavour but with the berries which bring the sweetness and a tad of tartness, it does make for a great combination.

Their signature flavours (from the website) are listed below:
(G) Contains Gluten, (N) Contains Nuts, (E) Contains Egg, (A) Contains Alcohol

Gelato
Apple Pie (G)(E) – real apple gelato with our own house made apple pie throughout
Banana Split (N) – caramel and banana gelato with chopped peanuts and whipped cream
Bounty – coconut milk gelato with desiccated coconut and choc chip
Caramelised White Chocolate
Choc Mint – real fresh mint gelato with chocolate chip
Milk Chocolate with Choc Peanut Fudge (N)
Chocolate Fondant (N) – a rich decadent dark chocolate (contains traces of nuts)
Chocolate Chip – light cocoa gelato with chocolate chips
Coconut & Lychee – coconut milk gelato with lychee fruit
Coffee – made with real espresso coffee (seriously)
Dulce De Leche – an Argentinean caramel made by reducing milk until it becomes a sweet jam.
Gianduia Bianca (N) – white chocolate & hazelnut gelato with hazelnut praline
Gianduia (N) – chocolate & hazelnut
Hazelnut (N) – made with fresh roasted hazelnuts from Cortemilia in Italy
Italian Nougat (N)(E) (A-traces) – honey based gelato with roasted nuts, egg whites and Italian nougat
Pear & Rhubarb – fresh pear gelato with our own poached spiced rhubarb
Pistachio (N) – made with freshly ground roasted pistachios from Bronte in Italy
Poached Figs in Marsala (A)(E) – baby figs poached in Marsala (a fortified Italian cooking wine)
Salted Caramel and White Chocolate – salted caramel gelato with white chocolate chip (our biggest seller!)
Tiramisu (G)(A)(E) – egg, marsala and mascarpone gelato with lady finger biscuits soaked in espresso coffee.
Vanilla (E) – made from fresh Jersey Milk
Pannacotta with Fig Jam and Amaretti Biscuit (G)(N)(E)(A-traces) – pannacotta gelato base.
Yoghurt & Berry – yoghurt gelato with poached raspberry and blueberry coulee
Yoghurt & Caramel – yoghurt gelato with dulce de leche

Sorbets (all dairy free)
Salted Coconut and Mango Salsa
Blood Orange
Chocolate Sorbet
Lemon
Lychee Martini
Mango
Pandan & Coconut – Pandan is a green asian leaf used in asian cooking.
Passionfruit
Raspberry
Strawberry

Impressions
They have a plenitude of flavours to choose from, and in addition to their specials that change regularly. I’d definitely recommend giving it a try when you’re out about in Melbourne, or in Sydney for that matter.

Once you do give it a try, you can see why it remains popular to this day. With queues even during the evening.

Gelato Messina
237 Smith St
Fitzroy VIC 3065

Opening Hours
Sunday to Thursday: 12pm to 11.00pm
Friday and Saturday: 12pm to 11.30pm

Spanish Baked Eggs (Ms I-Hua Recipe)

April 4, 2014 Posted in Cooking, European, Recipes, SpanishLeave a comment

Having wanting to make Spanish Baked Eggs after being exposed to it here and here. It really does seem like a simple, yet delicious breakfast, brunch or even lunch dish that you can whip up yourself in minimal time. I found this recipe from Ms I-Hua which looked so inviting that I definitely had to give it a try. After making some tacos, I had left over corn and capsicum which I just added in and came out quite well might I add.

Spanish Baked Eggs & Chorizo (Recipe by Ms I-Hua)

Ingredients:
4 mid-large Eggs (room temperature)
1 mid-sized SpicyChorizo (sliced diagonally)
1 can (400g) of Diced Tomatoes
1 can (400g) of Cannellini Beans or Butter Beans (washed and drained) – I used mixed beans
1/2 can (200g) of Sweet Corn Kernels
1/2 Red Capsicum (diced)
1 French Shallot (diced)
2 Garlic Cloves (diced)
1/2 tsp of Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp of Ground Cumin
1/4 tsp of Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp of Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp of Ketchup
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
Handful of Mozarella or Cheddar cheese shredded

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (degrees Celsius).

2. In a pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and add in diced garlic and French shallots. Cook until fragrant but careful not to burn them.

3. Add diced tomatoes, cannellini/butter beans, chorizo slices, capsicum, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and ketchup. Cook for about 6-8 minutes till it reduces slightly. Add in the chorizo slices (Ms I-Hua’s recipe suggests you can add them in now or just before placing the dishes in the oven)

4. Turn heat off and add in parsley flakes with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Transfer into individual cazuelas (terracotta dish) or baking dishes.

6. Make a well in the middle and break an egg into each dish. You can add some cheese on top as well before placing in the oven.

7. Place each dish into the oven and cook for 8-12 minutes depending on how you want the yolk (oozy or solid). It will take longer to cook if the eggs are straight from the fridge.
(Ms I-Hua Note: It’s best to keep an eye out on the yolk as different ovens and baking dishes/cazuelas (flat or tall) may vary in cooking time)

8. Once the baked eggs are done, take them out of the oven carefully (it’s hot!) and sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh chervil or parsley and some cheese if preferred. Serve with a slice of sour dough bread

Impressions
I loved this recipe. It’s especially fragrant and the right amount of spices. I kinda used this recipe to use up all my other leftover ingredients which suited the recipe here actually. The cheese gave it an added richness but you can always do without it.

I must admit I over cooked the eggs, but it still came out pretty well in the end. I’d also prefer more diced tomatoes in the mix, to give it a bit more sauce though. Would definitely recommend this recipe to others, you’d be amazed at how the simplest spices of paprika, cayenne pepper and cumin (in such small quantities) can really burst out in flavour and create a genuine crowd pleaser.

Khao San Road – Toronto Series

March 28, 2014 Posted in Food Reviews, Restaurant Reviews, Thai, TorontoLeave a comment

Khao San Road at 326 Adelaide St, Toronto was one of the highlights when visiting Toronto. I never knew Thai food could be done so well outside of Thailand and especially in a place like Toronto where the climate seems so disparate. Nonetheless, Khao San Road is extremely popular with the locals and even on weeknights you can see people waiting around for a table and after dining here you can certainly see why.

Pictured above, we have the Khao Soi which is a egg noodles curry with coconut milk, crispy noodles, scallions, coriander, and lime. You can also choose from chicken, beef and tofu or shrimp for extra. It was this wonderful creaminess to it, but not overwhelming or too rich. The subtle spices just alight your tastebuds and create a warming aroma.

My favourite dish of the night was the Massaman curry, I absolutely adored this spicy dish. It’s just the right amount of creamy, and the peanuts and potatoes add a crunchiness and softness to the dish. The spices are fragrant and welcoming. I really cannot fault this dish.

Khao San Road’s Green Curry with the lovely bamboo shoots, green capsicums, kaffir lime, basil and made creamy with coconut milk is another winner but not to the same extent as their Massaman curry.

The Pad Thai was also quite good, but probably not the best Pad Thai I’ve eaten. The tamarind flavour comes through well and it tastes fresh and light.

Impressions

Although Khao San Road leans on the expensive side of things, I can say that you will find it hard to be disappointed with the quality of food here. Again, I must mention the lovely Massaman curry because it was the standout dish even though all the other dishes were excellent too.

Khao San Road
326 Adelaide St W
Toronto ON M5V1R3

T’relek

March 21, 2014 Posted in Food Reviews, Restaurant Reviews, Richmond, Vietnamese2 Comments

T’relek is another great Vietnamese restaurant in Richmond. T’relek offers a great variety of dishes and delicious nonetheless. What makes T’relek different from the many other Vietnamese restaurants around these parts is cleanliness and service. I find service here to be a step above, friendly and attentive.

The dish pictured above is their Crispy Noodles Seafood Combination. The noodles are indeed crispy and crunchy, and with the generous offering of vegetables, seafood, chicken and beef it all works well together. The sauce is similar to an egg gravy you may find in a Malaysian Char Hor Fun, and whilst not as flavourful it still has a pleasant aroma and flavour to it. Not too salty, and enough sauce to go round.

T’relek’s Grilled Pork Chop and Egg is another decent dish, with well cooked pork and a runny sunny side up egg, freshly cut vegetables as garnish and shredded pork.. It’s basically a Broken Rice dish but without the commonly added pâté. What this dish needs is a dressing sauce, sweet chilli sauce does complement this dish well actually.

The Tomato Rice with Diced Beef and Stir Fried Vegetables is another generous dish, with plentiful capsicum, onions and beef. Unfortunately, the stir fry here is a tad over salted. I find the tomato rice needs egg mixed through and a tad more tomato flavour but it’s tasty but not exceptional.

Impressions

Although T’relek’s dishes aren’t the tastiest Vietnamese in Richmond, it does provide a fulfilling meal and with friendly service, you’d be hard to be displeased.

T’relek
116 Victoria St
Richmond VIC 3121

Plaza Bonita Tusayan – Arizona USA

March 14, 2014 Posted in Food Reviews, Mexican, Restaurant Reviews, Tusayan, USALeave a comment

Plaza Bonita Tusayan near the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the few restaurants in the area catered for those tourists wanting a bite before they head to the park and see the Arizona landmark. Plaza Bonita is a Mexican restaurant that has a family friendly feel, especially inside with the warm colours.

The food here is generous and can almost be fit for two. Their menu is diverse, and it offers your typical Mexican cuisine such as Enchiladas, Burritos, Fajitas and Meats/Seafood and Rice or Beans dishes, and of course Tacos.

The image above is the dish called Arroz Con Pollo, which basically consisted of chicken breast, fresh mushrooms, onions and green peppers. Served on a bed of rice with melted Monterrey Jack. The sauce is their special mild sauce that is garnished with avocados and tomatoes. The cheese and rice combination isn’t something I have come across before, and it certainly has its cheesy appeal but it definitely needed to be a tad more flavourful or spicy to add some depth to the dish.

This Mexican Stir Fry is another rice dish with sautéed chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and topped with melted Monterrey. I found the cheese to be a tad overwhelming, and too rich. Again, the ingredients lacked much flavour and overall it felt a bit bland with just cheese as the focal point of the dish.

I believe this was a Chicken Carnitas aka marinated chicken, with grilled with fresh green peppers, onions, and spices, rice, guacamole. The marinated chicken here actually had some flavour, although a sweetness to it but it came out decently.

From memory this was the Camarones a la Diabla, which is prawns sautéed with garlic, butter, mushrooms, covered with “special” Mojo de Ajo sauce and served with rice and beans.

Chicken Mexican Style was a skinless chicken breast in a stew of onions, tomatoes, garlic and spices. With the red dried peppers (chillies) it was surprisingly flavourful, but the watery sauce didn’t seem to complement the slightly wet rice.

Impressions

Plaza Bonita provide generous servings of Mexican cuisine, but the food itself doesn’t stray too far away from average unfortunately. Which is a shame, but on the plus side, the endless supply of guacamole and tortilla chips is a great starter.

Plaza Bonita Tusayan

352 State Road 64
Tusayan, AZ USA 86023

Cafe Crepe – Toronto Series

March 8, 2014 Posted in Food Reviews, French, Restaurant Reviews, TorontoLeave a comment

Cafe Crepe on Queen St, Toronto was highly recommended to me by my sister and it appears very popular amongst the locals. I love crepes because you can eat them with something sweet or savoury but also because they are like pancakes but ultra thin and light but with a hint of sweetness and buttery flavour.

Other than their specialty crepes, they also serve Breakfast Baguettes which are basically baguettes with egg, tomato, lettuce, basil and bacon with tomato sauce as a side. It’s quite lovely, with the lightness of the egg and overall feels fresh for breakfast that doesn’t bog you down.

The Europa Ham and Egg crepes are on the salty side but light and delightful. I love the thinness of the crepes, just a bit crisp and although the filling isn’t as generous as I would like, I still found it satisfactory.

I love spinach and feta so I had to order the Spinach and Feta cheese crepe, again the crepes are just perfection. Not too floury or buttery and thin enough. The saltiness of the melting feta balances against the fresh spinach. Again, it’s not a heavy breakfast but it does fill you up.

Impressions

Cafe Crepe isn’t the most generous with their dishes but they are incredibly tasty and that’s why people keep coming back. If you want fantastic crepes, of the savoury or sweet kind, this is the place because they have so many varieties to choose from.

Cafe Crepe
246 Queen St W
Toronto ON M5V2Z5

ohdenny

Category: Food

Tapas Cafe – Torquay

ChangGo

Momotaro Rahmen

Gourmet Girl

Gelato Messina – Fitzroy

Spanish Baked Eggs (Ms I-Hua Recipe)

Khao San Road – Toronto Series

T’relek

Plaza Bonita Tusayan – Arizona USA

Cafe Crepe – Toronto Series