Posts tagged Australia

Would you like fries with that? Burger Project, World Square

Review
Spicy Roast Pork Burger with Salted Caramel Milkshake

Spicy Roast Pork Burger with Salted Caramel Milkshake

Hype does strange things to restaurants. Some of them ride it well, like a fictional college girl on a mechanical bull like you see in the movies, and some of them, well, let’s say that the only thing worse than disappointment is disappointment after all the hype.

So when Neil Perry’s Burger Project opened up in World Square to snaking queues that threatened the sanctity of your 30 minute lunch break, you knew that this could only go 2 ways: fantastic, or very VERY disastrous.

Spicy Roast Pork Burger with Salted Caramel MilkshakeSpicy Roast Pork Burger with Salted Caramel Milkshake

Well, for that first week I fought the Singaporean urge in me to queue for the possibility of good food. Stories came back like soldiers after the war, largely disillusioned and incredibly dissatisfied. The general feeling was that the burgers themselves were not up to scratch. and it didn’t even have the saving grace of being cheap or quick.

And just when I was about to cross it off my Eat List, rumours whispered through the eating scene, spread like the way I spread my Nutella on toast in the morning: with much judgement and self-loathing because I’d sworn off something that I keep going back to. The Burger Project had, apparently, fixed their burgers. It was “much better now”, and it made me wonder what “much better” meant, relative to how bad people were saying it was before.

So, time to give it a try for myself. I got the Spicy Roast Pork Burger – Happy Chinese New Year everybardy! – with a salted caramel milkshake. The sambal oelek was a nice touch (I always give points for chilli) and the pork belly had some good crackling going on there. So that was nice. On the bun side, it wasn’t as rich or buttery as I’ve come to expect burger buns to be, and actually tasted just a bit stale to me. It was lacking the decadence you expect from a burger – no ooze, no drip, no flavour that hit your mouth and made you widen your eyes and go “YES”. The burger and shake took a good 10 minutes from order to table, which is cool and all, except that for that amount of time, my sacred 30 minute lunch break could be spent doing something else more satisfying.

Maybe next time, then.

This meal was independently paid for.
Burger Project
World Square Shopping Centre
644 George St Sydney, NSW 2000
Website: http://burgerproject.com/
Opening hours: 11am-9pm daily

Burger Project on Urbanspoon

Lobster with your eggs? Rustic Pearl, Surry Hills

Review
Bosphorus Benedict, from Rustic Pearl in Surry Hills, Sydney

rose-infused watermelon salad with watercress, mozzarella and capers.

I think it’s fair to say that Sydney has a cafe on every corner, and then some. Whether it’s a coffee obsession or a casual-dining obsession, we seem to express it in a myriad of coffee and food options.

But I haven’t yet had lobster to go with my eggs. Until now.

Turkish Apple and Rose Iced TeaTurkish Apple and Rose Iced Tea, with Lemon and Mint

We started off first with a couple of refreshing drinks.

Avocado Smoothie with honey and pistachioAvocado Smoothie, with honey and pistachio

The Turkish Apple Iced Tea with Rose Lemon and Mint was lovely and what you’d expect an iced tea to be, but the Avocado Smoothie was the one that really caught my attention. Notes of honey and pistachio were laced through the creamy smoothie, and it was a really nice departure from the crazy sweet Avocado smoothies I’m used to having from Vietnamese restaurants.

bosphorus benedict from rustic pearl in surry hillsBosphorus Benedict

And the main event. The Bosphorus Benedict involves two toasted buns topped with smashed avocado, poached eggs, housemade hollandaise and bay lobster, finished with coriander and chilli.

Oozing egg yolk from the bosphorus benedict

I can’t even begin to explain how ridiculously luxurious this breakfast is. Besides the fact that there was a perfectly cooked lobster sitting on your breakfast plate – and trust me, because I detest overcooked shellfish with the fire of a thousand suns – there is the texture of a creamy buttery hollandaise, mixed in with the oozing yolk, mixed in with that smashed ripe avocado. Besides the fact that the bread was toasted so well it was just slightly hard to cut and eat, this plate was utter perfection for me.

rose-infused watermelon salad with watercress, mozzarella and capers.Rose infused Watermelon Salad with Watercress, Mozarella and Capers

And they’re not a one-hit wonder either. We also ordered the Rose infused Watermelon Salad with Watercress, Mozarella and Capers to freshen things up. It comes with an option of grilled scallops on the side, but it doesn’t need it. The cubes of watermelon was lightly scented with rose like a fruity Turkish delight that Mother Nature ought to have made, and the mozzarella and capers brought a great contrast in flavour and textures to keep things interesting. The watercress, I could’ve done without, but it really needed something else crisp and fresh on the plate, so fair enough.

Besides the food, the service was also commendable. We were put on the waitlist when we first arrived, and were still seated relatively quickly. They were attentive without hovering, and managed the crowded, packed restaurant with apparent grace and calm.

Well done Rustic Pearl, well done. /slow clap.

This meal was independently paid for.

Rustic Pearl
415 Crown St
Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Phone: 0406 930 083
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rustic-pearl/299165660201187

Rustic Pearl on Urbanspoon

Ramen O-San, Haymarket

Review 2 Comments
Tonkotsu Ramen from Ramen O-San

Tonkotsu Ramen from Ramen O-San

Sydney is truly in the grips of pork fever – and I mean the good kind. From crackling, to rolls, to bacon, we are truly all about that pig, bout that pig, no treble.

And right smack in the middle of all the swine craze is the tonkotsu ramen. Believed to have started in the Hakata/Fukuoka region in Japan, this ramen begins with a thick, rich soup made with pork bones simmered for hours, and creamy with emulsified pork fat and gelatin. The thickness and richness of the soup may vary from store to store, but there’s no doubt that the tonkotsu is a signature of the Fukuoka prefecture.

Which is why the first recommendation off the menu at Ramen O-San – the 7th store internationally by Chef Kazuteru Oh after gaining much recognition in Japan – is the Tonkotsu, followed closely by the Sumo Ramen, which is a pork and chicken mixed broth base.

Sumo Ramen from Ramen O-SanSumo Ramen, $12.80

Now this bowl of Sumo Ramen was HUGE. Like this bowl could double up as a sailboat for fictional children’s shows characters. I guess that’s why they call it..sumo.

Never mind, I’m a bit slow on the uptake.

Sumo Ramen Noodles from Ramen O-San

A mixture of pork and chicken broth (vegetarian and Jewish friends, look away) is ladled over thick straight noodles and topped with a heaping mound of bean sprouts and cabbage, and 2 rectangular pieces of kakuni pork – pork belly stewed in a soy based sauce till lip smackingly savoury and fall apart tender.

Like Asian bacon almost, except not fried.

The kakuni pork was a delight for me – salt is my kryptonite, or so says my doctor – and the soup was very manageable, since the chicken broth thinned out the pork broth considerably. I wasn’t, however, as big a fan of the amount of cabbage and bean sprouts in the bowl. I know I know, 5-a-day and all, but it got to the point where there was a bitterness from the veg that overwhelmed the whole bowl like a crew in the midst of mutiny.

Tonkotsu Ramen from Ramen O-SanTonkotsu Ramen, $9.80

I guess I’m a bit more of a simple girl who likes a simple bowl, and the Tonkotsu Ramen in all its porky glory really brought me to a happy place.

Not to mention the slightly more practical size.

Tammi holding a bowl of Tonkotsu Ramen

See? Much more manageable.

Tonkotsu Ramen Noodles from Ramen O-San

The ramen for the Tonkotsu was also much thinner. All the better to slurp up that soup with my dear. says the wolf. The noodles here are slightly softer than I’m used to – it could be the photo taking but I take photos everywhere – but the broth came swinging with the flavours. It was a pure, unadulterated pork flavour, complete with the luxurious finish of pork fat. Texturally not as thick as say, Gumshara, but as I’m informed by more than one Japanese friend, NO ONE makes it as thick as Gumshara. And the thin slices of pork belly on top had just the right amount of tenderness to fat, making this my favourite for the day.

And what does Sam think?

Sam slurping up ramen soup

He says while finishing the rest of the soup in the bowl.

Well, there’s a reason why he’s not a food blogger.

I’d be very interested in trying the other menu items on my next visit – I think I can hear a tsukemen – dry noodles dipped in a thick seafood sauce – calling my name.

Insatiable Munchies dined as guests of Ramen O-San.

Ramen O-San
Shop B01, Dixon House Food Court
Cnr Dixon & Little Hay St
Haymarket, NSW 2000
Website: http://www.facebook.com/osanramensydney

O-San Ramen on Urbanspoon

Godzirra Sushizilla!

Review 6 Comments
Prawn Roll from Suzhizilla

Prawn Roll from Suzhizilla

There’s just something about sushi trains that are just so fascinating for me: the lights, the colours, and the endless varieties of small bites smothered in mayo and teriyaki sauce.

Yeah, I think it’s the mayo that’s got me.

But sucking mayo straight from a Kewpie bottle aside, there’s so much more to a Japanese restaurant than just a sushi train, and Sushizilla in Central Park has become a new favourite in my household not only because of their $2.90 sushi train happy hour (5-9pm every day), but also because of their standout a la carte menu.

Clockwise from top left: Grilled oysters, Chawanmushi, Chippendale Roll, Eel Hamburg, Prawn RollClockwise from top left: Grilled oysters, Chawanmushi, Chippendale Roll, Eel Hamburg, Prawn Roll

I was a bit disappointed that on the day that I go back with my camera there wasn’t any black cod available, but I still maintain that their Miso Black Cod ($13.50) is rocking. Rice essential though, because unless you’d like salty miso flavour that makes your face screw (in which case, high five!), then you might need to temper the miso a little with some steamed rice.

The Prawn Roll was also a standout for me – panko-crumbed prawn is rolled into an inside-out maki roll, and topped with mayo and blowtorched. Mmmmm mayo. The Chawanmushi is also a regular order for me: silky savoury egg custard is studded with edamame, crabmeat, chicken and salmon roe.

Sushi train order

They sushi train, while not as stellar as their a la carte, also feature fresh ingredients and satisfying bites. And at $2.90 per plate during happy hour, this place is packed with students from around the area at dinnertime. 

Go for the cheap sushi, stay for the a la carte! And with extra incentive this time, since Sushizilla is offering 20% off all a la carte menu orders till the end of February 2015!

And you know we love a good discount around here. =)

Sushizilla
Central Park
Shop 204 28 Broadway
Chippendale, NSW 2008
Phone: 0438 689 119
Website: http://www.sushizilla.com.au/
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 9:00am-9:30pm

Sushizilla on Urbanspoon

Stark Raving…Mad Fo’ Chicks, Eastwood

Review
Spring Onion Korean Fried Chicken

IMG_5105

I’m glad I live in a world where Korean Fried Chicken joints pop up like daisies in the summer. It means variety, choice, and a horizon filled with battered and fried juicy morsels.

And it saddens me when I see what I thought was a busy restaurant all boarded up and closed.
Read More

Battambang, Cabramatta

Review 1 Comment
Phnom Penh noodles from Battambang in Cabramatta

Phnom Penh noodles from Battambang in Cabramatta

Cambodian food has always been a bit like Filipino food to me: familiar, but not familiar enough. It wasn’t as commonplace as Thai food growing up, but most of the flavours just seem so familiar when I taste it.

And it tastes utterly delicious.

Off the recommendations on Thang’s blog, I decided to drop by for some Phnom Penh noodles on the afternoon that I found myself in Cabramatta.

A full bowl of Phnom Penh noodles from Battambang in Cabramatta

They come in soup or dry versions, and are basically rice noodles, topped with various bits of offal – pork liver, intestine and blood – as well as pork meat. A savoury brown sauce is then ladled over the top, and a bowl of soup served on the side.

Rice noodles getting lifted out of the bowl after being tossed in sauce and chilli

Jars of chilli sauce and pickled chillies are available at every table, meaning I get to make things get nuclear, and relive some childhood comforts.

It’s amazing how something that burns so much can be comforting in times of heat.

The noodles were slick and springy, and the offal was well, clean. Many places in Sydney don’t thoroughly clean their offal, leaving a bad aftertaste. Here it was just porky, as pork should be, and the mixture of brown sauce and chilli just made me never want to stop eating.

If you do decide to make the trip, it’s located inside a shopping arcade and not visible from the street, so keep that GPS handy, and look for the banner hanging off the ceiling that points you in the right direction.

Battambang Restaurant
15/73-79 John St
Cabramatta, NSW 2166
Phone: 02 9754 2120

Battambang Restaurant on Urbanspoon

You pho, Me Pho!

Review
A fork digging into a bowl of pho amongst a table of food that includes grilled chicken

There’s been major changes down Eastwood’s Rowe St recently – shops vacate and restaurants move in (Bao Dao and Tounoya, to name a few), which can only mean good things for a glutton like me.

And it seems that just because a restaurant is popular doesn’t mean it’ll stay: Pho Gia Hoi was always pumping, but seems to have been replaced by Me Pho, a small, quiet Vietnamese restaurant, serving up more varieties than your average pho menu.
Read More

Drive-by Eating: Bing Boy, Chadstone

Drive-by Eating Melbourne Review Travel
Bing Boy Crepe being made

As much as foodies like to pretend that we eat fantastic food ALL the time, the truth of the matter is that sometimes we are driven to settle for the average; to see food as fuel/something to prevent us from embarking on a murderous rampage sparked by irritation borne of hunger.

And once in awhile, those food court solutions turn up something surprising, that make us feel a lot more foodie, and a lot less food victim.
Read More