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Wax on, wax off: Lotus, Sydney CBD

Crispy tofu with salt and wildfire dukkah, $17: Lotus, Sydney. Sydney Food Blog Review

Sometimes you don’t know what you’re missing, until you’re missing it. And I never knew just how hard it was to get vegan options until I actually went to lunch with a vegan.

And I mean real options. Not like “yeah you can order the side salad” options.

So when the menu at Lotus offered up plenty of delicious sounding tofu and mushroom dishes, I thought, “Maybe there’s hope after all!”

The Order:

Steamed shiitake mushroom dumplings, $12

Crispy tofu with salt and wildfire dukkah, $17

Steamed seasonal vegetable with sesame oil and soy, $16

The Food:

The food was quite lovely, with a Mr Wong-esque slant to it.

Steamed shiitake mushroom dumplings, $12: Lotus, Sydney. Sydney Food Blog ReviewSteamed shiitake mushroom dumplings, $12

We started off with the Steamed Shiitake Mushroom Dumplings, $12, filled with a mushroom and chopped greens mixture (asparagus, I think?) and encased in a translucent potato starch skin that’s notoriously hard to handle. It was a light bite, and the flavour of the mushrooms really came through, almost for a lack of flavour from anything else. The chilli that came with it really helped, though – there was a tomatoey sweetness that prevented it from being too spicy (not that it’s ever really a problem for me) and overpower the dumplings.

Crispy tofu with salt and wildfire dukkah, $17: Lotus, Sydney. Sydney Food Blog ReviewCrispy tofu with salt and wildfire dukkah, $17: Lotus, Sydney. Sydney Food Blog Review

My favourite, though? The Crispy tofu with salt and wildfire dukkah, $17. Soft, fluffy tofu is dusted with a tangy, peppery mixture, and served alongside a thick, sesame and black vinegar pouring dipping sauce. The tofu actually carried a light crunch on the outside, that soaked up all the sauce without turning into mush, and then crumbled satisfyingly into my rice.

The Steamed Seasonal Vegetable with sesame oil and soy, $16, was, well, Bak Choy with soy. Not groundbreaking, but we didn’t order it expecting the wheel to be reinvented. So…*shrugs* eh.

The Service:

The service at Lotus was a bit of a mixed bag for me. They were efficient and polite enough most of the time, but they didnt go out of their way to make me feel like I was in safe hands. For example, beyond what was written in the menu, I didn’t get much more information about the dishes set down in front of me. There was no forthcoming explanation, for example, about the sauce that went with the tofu, and I had to ask them twice before I got an answer.

Also, towards the end (you know when they set down a dessert menu purposefully in front of you?), I had the distinct feeling of being rushed off. I mean, I totally understand that restaurants have to turn tables over in order to make money, but it’s usually a little bit more subtle. We had taken a pause to Instagram (talk about #FirstWorldProblems, huh), and the waitress came back to enquire about our choices for dessert, even though it hadn’t been enough time for me to finish typing my Instagram caption.

Not a good look.

Value for money:

I know I have to take into account the CBD location, and the fancy interior and all that, but the only thing that justified the price was the dumplings. Everything felt just that little bit overpriced, and there is no parallel universe where $16 for steamed Bok Choy tossed in soy sauce and sesame oil is justifiable. Well, maybe if there was gold leaf.

BUT STILL. My Asian ancestors would disown me if they found out I paid that much.

The Vibe:

It was classy, in a “non-Asians were drinking wine with their Asian lunch” sorta say. (Where is the damned tea, people?!) The decor screamed pan-Asian chic, and it was fairly busy for a weekday lunch. Otherwise it felt pretty sterile, which is good or bad depending on how you look at it: I completely understand if dilapidated Asian restaurant with a single old man in the kitchen is not always your thing.

And finally,

As far as the vegan options go, Lotus performed pretty well. They gave us more options than your average eatery in the CBD, even if that came at a price. If you’re not with a vegan crowd, however, Lotus might not be your first choice: there are just that many more authentic and delicious options in the city that are easier on the wallet to drop by for lunch.

Unless, you know, you really want that wine with your meal. In that case, go for it, you lush. I won’t judge. 😉

This meal was independently paid for.

What’s your number one burning pizza question?

Do you love pizza?

*Spoiler alert: if you hate it, we might not be able to be friends.*

03

Well what’s the one burning question you’ve always wanted to know about pizza?

Nomad's hot chorizo, red pepper and rosemary ($19.50), and the Garlic Pizza ($8.50). Vessel Italian and Bar, Sydney: Sydney Food Blog Review

Well I will be answering your must-know pizza questions tonight, at 6pm EST, while I shovel pizza into MAH FACE. Okay, well maybe not exactly like that, but there will be pizza, and I WILL be eating it! Simply join the conversation on Periscope, and subscribe so you get the notification when I go live!

A very important date: The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar

The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar, Redfern. Sydney Food Blog Review

Even when I was too young to fully understand it, Alice in Wonderland has been one of my favourite Disney classics. And yes, I know that it’s…uncouth of me to talk about the movie and not the book, but I’ve always been partial to a happy song. You know that. 😉

So when The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar popped up on my “to eat” radar, I just knew I had to make it down there quickly, as if the white rabbit was tapping on his pocket watch impatiently. Cause the only thing I love better than a good schtick, is a theme that is expertly and sophisticatedly carried out.


The Order:

Ginger Snap Latte $5.50
Ginger, cinnamon and honeybush.

Turkish delight, $5
Rose and cacao combo

Tea marbled egg (topped toast) with kimchi, kale and black sesame, $16

Rainbow trout salad with potatoes, leaves, radish, beetroot and salsa verde, $18

Ginger and chocolate cake, $8


The Food:

Okay, full disclosure here: I was actually expecting the food to be fairly crap. I mean, generally, finding a cafe that hits up a fun theme, serves up well executed and presented food, with good service? It’s like discovering a damn unicorn.

It’s THAT rare.

Tea marbled egg (topped toast) with kimchi, kale and black sesame, $16: The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar, Redfern. Sydney Food Blog ReviewTea marbled egg (topped toast) with kimchi, kale and black sesame, $16

So you can just imagine my excitement when I found out that the food, was actually pretty awesome. I loved the subtle inclusion of tea in certain dishes, like the Tea Marbled Egg with Kimchi, Kale and Black Sesame, $16. Tea marbled egg isn’t a new thing, by any means – the Chinese have had a similar idea for aaaggeeesss – but I felt like I found a kindred spirit here. Especially when I found out that the egg was marinated in the smoky Lapsang Suchong tea, like how I love to do them at home!

What kept it from being perfect, though, was the subtleness of the tea getting overpowered by the riot of spice and tang from the kimchi, and the grey ring of death that indicates an overcooked yoke.

Small thing, I know, but it’s a really basic quality that I’ve come to expect from otherwise good cafes like this one, and it really ruins the impeccable illusion.

Rainbow trout salad with potatoes, leaves, radish, beetroot and salsa verde, $18: The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar, Redfern. Sydney Food Blog ReviewRainbow trout salad with potatoes, leaves, radish, beetroot and salsa verde, $18

The Rainbow Trout Salad, $18, was also a delight, with oily, luxurious flakes of hot smoked tuna generously flaked through halves of boiled chat potato, fresh slices of radish and sweet beetroot, and green salad leaves. Okay, so they’re not pulling Devon-level creativity with this one, but for something that was executed with finesse AND satisfying?

I REGRET NOTHING.

Ginger and chocolate cake, $8: The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar, Redfern. Sydney Food Blog ReviewGinger and chocolate cake, $8

But my favourite part of the whole meal, was the Ginger and Chocolate Cake, $8. A gargantuan slice of chocolate and ganache layered cake is topped with freeze dried berries, edible flowers and glace ginger gives you a mouthful so rich it’ll turn your teeth black. And I’ve never been so happy to look like I’ve got the oral hygiene of Captain Jack Sparrow. The cake itself toed the precarious line of being rich without being doughy, and the ganache was buttery, without leaving an oily film in your mouth. The ginger pieces just gave it a necessary zing to balance it all out, and float you slowly up to cake heaven. SAH GOOD.

Did I mention that they bake all of the sweet treats in-house? Impressed, I am.

On the tea front, the Ginger Snap Latte was my favourite: the aroma of cinnamon and Christmas surrounding me as soon as it hit the table. Also not as sweet as I thought it would be, so I felt like I was a real adult drinking it. The Turkish Delight wasn’t quite, well, conventional as I was expecting it to be – the cacao nibs provided a strange savoury note, and the rose petals didn’t come across as strongly as you would expect from a Turkish Delight. A bit of a shame: it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t the Turkish Delight that I wanted.

Food: 1/1


The Service:

The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar doesn’t really provide table service. You take note of your table number, and then pop up to the counter to order and pay. The food does get served to you, but this pared-back system means that it leaves weak spots in the experience. For example, the table that we were at took so long to be cleared that we ended up moving the dirty plates and cups to a recently-vacated table ourselves. When it came to the food, we were missing the cake (I thought that they were just taking a while to bring it out) until I went up to the counter to ask about it. Not the best on a quiet afternoon.

However, they were otherwise extremely pleasant to speak to, and showed an intimate knowledge of the food when I wanted to know more about the menu. The mixup with the cake was gracefully sorted – a quick apology and the slice came swiftly out, complete with two forks (they remembered that we were sharing!).

Service: 0.5/1


Value for money:

At first glance, it would be easy to label The Rabbit Hole as ‘overpriced’ – $16 for a hard boiled egg with pickles and toast? Amirite? – BUT when you consider the classy surroundings, inner-west location, passionate staff, and thoughtful menu…I’d say it’s well within reason for what they’re asking.

Value for money: 0.5/1


The Vibe:

GUYS. IT’S AN ALICE IN WONDERLAND THEMED CAFE.

…seriously, though. It’s executed with such sophistication that I felt both like a child AND an adult coming here! From the rabbit tail coffee cups, to the tarnished gold cutlery, to the playing cards that double as table numbers, this is a place that knows its identity, and expresses it with more class and anointed with a hint of whimsy.

If Alice was the cafe type, I’m sure she’d come here too.

Vibe: 1/1


And finally,

The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar definitely runs on the strength of its ensemble, rather than one particular schtick. The food didn’t hit the same creative concept as, say, Edition Coffee Roasters, and the surroundings didn’t transport you in the same way as the Alice in Wonderland high tea that I went to at The Waiting Room, but it does present a sanctuary from everyday life, albeit one with a foot still firmly in reality.

Definitely somewhere I’d pop by again if I were in the area, but I wouldn’t make a special trip out otherwise.

Bonus points: 1/1

This meal was independently paid for.
The Rabbit Hold Organic Tea Bar
146 Abercrombie St
Redfern NSW 2016
Phone: +61 2 9310 2207
Website: https://www.therabbithole.com.au

The Rabbit Hole Organic Tea Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Deep Fried Chicken Skin is the new Crack

Fried Chicken Skin, PappaRich: Sydney Food Blog Review

Guys, we need to talk about chicken skin.

Ever since moving to Australia, it seems that chicken skin has been relegated to the “unhealthy” territory, so much so that to get chicken meat with the skin on requires you to buy the whole chicken or make special requests!

Well there’s one place(s) in Sydney that’s rebelling in the most delicious way: serving up a whole plate of crispy, piping hot, deep fried chicken skin for your eating pleasure. PappaRich.

A photo posted by Tammi Kwok (@teafortammi) on

This is something that brings back memories of my humid, SouthEast Asian childhood, where comfort eating gets elevated to an art form. An art form that has most doctors in a tizzy, sure, but a scrumptious, luxurious beautiful thing nonetheless.

Crispy Chicken Skin: PappaRich Bankstown. Sydney Food Blog Review

Of course, that’s not the only thing that you can order (the Assam Laksa, Roti and Satay is pretty legit)

PappaRich Assam Laksa

Roti Telur Bawang with Curry Chicken: PappaRich Bankstown. Sydney Food Blog Review

Satay Chicken and Beef: PappaRich Bankstown. Sydney Food Blog Review

And of course, the Hainan chicken with rice noodles is also worth getting.

Dry Kway Teow with Steamed Chicken

But really, with chicken skin on the menu, why would you look at anything else?

Fried Chicken Skins

BRB, got chicken skin to eat!

Wondering where else you can get your chicken skin fix? Well, you can read more about our other PappaRich adventures at Parramatta, Macquarie and in Melbourne!

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of PappaRich Bankstown.
PappaRich Bankstown
Little Saigon Plaza, G13-G14/462 Chapel Rd
Bankstown NSW 2200, Australia
Phone: +61 2 9709 4147
Website: http://www.papparich.net.au/location/papparich-bankstown/

PappaRich Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

How to make dumplings!

Okay, I know I’m late to the party but CAN YOU BELIEVE LUCIANO AND MARTINO WENT HOME ON MKR????? *heartbroken*. Damn these reality TV shows and their sudden death rounds! They were hilariously loveable, AND they could cook, too. 🙁 🙁

But it DID get me thinking – if I were in the sudden death round, what would I make? It would definitely have to be something close to home, and all I could think about was the memory of my mother teaching me how to make dumplings when I was 4. I’ve been making them ever since, and I thought it was time to share it. =)

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11 food pairings you have to try!

Some of the best things in life come in pairs – whether it’s you and your best friend cooking on MKR (well, you’d hope that they’re your best friend XD) or amazing flavours of food that come together! That’s why I’ve put together this list of my favourite food pairings that you absolutely have to try.

Go on, I’m sure you’ll like it! 😉

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Fish En Papillote Recipe with Persian Flavours!

So I’m getting caught up on MKR, and can I say that Jessica just drives me UP THE WALL. I think I’ve heard the word ‘healthy’ being used like, 10,000 times in 40 min, and her condescending tone just makes everything so painful to watch.

I haven’t even gotten up to her cooking yet, but I’ve heard so much about how she served up “Spaghetti in a bag”. Sounds awful, right? Well it’s all about marketing, people! I mean, if you called it “Fish En Papillote”, it sounds more fancy and french, right?

*Edit* So apparently Spaghetti in a Bag came from Lauren and Carmine, but why do I keep hearing it connected to Jessica’s name?! WHAT IS GOING ON WORLD?! *End of edit*

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Weeknight Duck Salad with Beetroot and Carrots Recipe

It’s unbearably hot, isn’t it? I can’t believe that I’ve just come back from sub-zero temperatures, to THIS: humid 30+C sun, glancing off asphalt and concrete to bring you waves of pure heat torture. I had meant to make this delicious sounding Duck with Baby Beets and Rhubarb Chutney recipe, but really, who can be stuffed turning the oven on in this weather?

The answer? We make it a weeknight duck salad instead!
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How to Pack a Bento!

The Japanese know how to do a packed lunch. Bento begins from childhood, where mothers all around Japan make adorable boxes of food for their children to bring as a school lunch. But for the rest of us who aren’t as lucky, packing a visually appealing bento can be difficult. After all, where do you start?

Well I’ve got just the guide for you: this is what I’ve learnt about how to pack a bento!

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