After going on my first official food crawl, I have to admit that I’m hooked. There’s just something really exciting – to me anyway – about the prospect of eating a huge variety of dishes with a large group.
Which is why when Jen of I Ate My Way Through organised a dinner at Naruone for foodies, I leapt at the chance, hoping that this innocent dinner would turn into an epic food crawl.
After all, when you have foodies together in a group, who knows what will happen?
Have you seen a sadder burger?
We had taken a long walk to Rhodes and were starving. Ribs and Burgers had been on my list of places to try for a long while, but some how – yes I know I’ve been living under a rock – I completely forgot that it was Good Friday, and that just about everywhere was closed for the holiday.
But we wanted ribs, and we wanted burgers, and WE WANTED IT NOWWWWWW.
Sydney certainly has no lack of dumpling joints. From Din Tai Fung to New Shanghai to Taste of Shanghai, a craving for dumplings need never go unsatisfied.
So when a new dumpling place opens up. it certainly needs something to set itself apart.
Tan Viet has been synonymous with crispy chicken for quite some time, and with good reason! With outlets at Cabramatta and Canley Heights, they provide chicken that is crispy not crispy because of any ‘aids’ like batters or breadcrumbs, but from it’s own…chickenyness.
Naturally, when restaurants in Australia seem to thrive on variety – have you seen Asian restaurants with a menu as long as your arm? – I just had to find out how anyone has managed to specialise in a particular thing to such a degree.
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| Goodness gracious great bowls of noodles! 1.5kg Pho Challenge at Huong Xua |
Three restaurants down, and three to go in the epic food crawl with Thang, Isaac, Amy, Christine, Jeroxie and Kate! At this point, we’re starting to breathe more heavily, and feeling that fullness that comes with a satisfying meal.
But are we done? NEVER!!!
We mosey along two doors down to Huong Xua – which means ‘fragrant home’ – home to the 1.5kg pho challenge.
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| Clockwise from top: Huong Xua signboard, poached chicken served with herbed salt and pepper and lemon, 1.5kg pho challenge, pork in betal leaf, deep fried spring rolls. |
But before we talk about the massive bowl of deliciousness, Huong Xua very nicely brought out other plates of food that were chef’s recommendations. Their cuisine is very much more that of Northern Vietnam, with lighter, more delicate flavours, as opposed to the hard-hitting flavours of the South.
Their deep fried spring rolls uses rice paper instead of egg wrappers, causing it to puff up in a way that reminds me of the most delicate of pork rinds. Carrot and woodear mushrooms add texture to the filling, and the dipping dunking sauce provided was so much lighter and thinner than most Southern Vietnam sauces that I’ve been exposed to, and contained pickled radish and carrots.
The poached chicken reminded me of the Hainanese Chicken that is signature to Singapore, except that it was much leaner and more delicately flavoured. The typical accompaniment to this dish is a wedge of fresh lemon, and a salt, pepper and herb mixture that is deceiving in its simplicity. The salt had a dill aroma to it, bringing out facets of poached chicken I’ve never tasted before. There’s something curiously comforting about it. If you prefer, you can also get a ginger sauce to go with your chicken instead.
But the main attraction has got to be the Pho challenge.
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| Photo courtesy of Thang from Noodlies |
500g of beef is first stir-fried with celery, garlic and onion for flavour, then added to 500g of flat rice noodles, and then topped with hot beef broth. The bowl is larger than the size of my face – and I have a pretty wide face – and I can’t stress how much food it actually contains. For reference, an average Australian portion of food is about 750g. So this bowl could probably feed a small family.
If you think you can down this bowl of Pho – all the ingredients and soup – in 11 minutes, you get to eat for free, and keep the bowl! The current record’s for 6 minutes, so good luck with it!! I believe in you!!!
And just when we felt like we couldn’t eat a single bite more, we headed down to Chi and Co. The concept behind Chi and Co. is that the owners wanted to bring the trendy style of Surry Hills to the west, and offer something that is a bit different to the rest of Canley Heights. They offer a fusion of Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese cuisine, and have built up the restaurant in an old industrial warehouse, keeping the original exposed brick walls and open ceiling. Trés chic!
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| Clockwise from top: sign that greets you as you enter the front door, Seared Scallops, Chi Chi’s Tapioca Shot, Pulled Beef Slider, Spanner Crab on Betal Leaf |
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| Clockwise from left: Lemon and Thai Basil Cocktail, Mocktails, Lychee-tini, Liquid Pavlova |
One step into this trendy bar and you’re instantly transported to Surry Hills. It was like teleportation travel it was so cool. We were first welcomed with a variety of drinks, fruity and nicely balanced. Well, from what I can tell from my little sip of each. The most interesting of the drinks to me had to be the Lychee-tini. A sweet lychee liquor fills the bottom of the glass, topped with a fragrant foam on the top. And you know me, I love a good foam.
And because there were some of us who couldn’t drink – *ahem* me included – they also very generously presented us with a selection of cocktails as well.
I had the Coco loco, which had fresh coconut, lychees and strawberries. Even though I don’t like coconut flavoured things, I absolutely LOVE fresh coconut and coconut juice. And this was absolutely my kind of Mocktail. Refreshing and not too sweet, this was actually quite thirst-quenching, which helped immensely all the food that we’ve eaten so far.
There were also the bite sized cuteness on plates! The Spanner Crab on Betal Leaf had a rich toasty coconut sauce over the top that slightly masked the natural sweetness of the crab, but was still quite morish. The Grilled Scallops nicely showcased fresh juicy scallops, and the Pulled Beef Sliders used tender wagyu beef sandwiched between soft, fluffy sweet mantou buns to create an interesting fusion of cultures and flavours. The Tapioca Shots were creamy, and the palm sugar syrup over the top made it rich and sticky sweet. Perfect to finish a meal if you have a sweet tooth.
At this point, we were rolling along, clutching our full bellies. But there was one more stop to go, and being full will not stop us!
Holy Basil was our 6th and final stop, and out came a massively large serving of their signature Fried Ice Cream. A wedge of vanilla ice cream is coated in a thin crispy crust, sitting atop a dark syrup, and garnished with toasted coconut and a sprinkle of icing sugar. And just when we were prepping ourselves to share the portion, out came five more.
Yes. We had one of these babies each. Bowled over by the generosity and the sheer amount of food, I don’t think we actually finished the whole thing. Well, except Isaac, who powered through it all. Much more appropriate to the mood – I felt – was the strawberry smoothie, with its fresh fruit flavours adding a much needed finishing note to a full lunch on a hot day.
Above the absolute feast that we had that day, what really struck me was the friendliness and hospitality of everyone. They were all so proud of the cuisine and the food, and really welcomed us like family. It’s definitely opened my eyes to certain dishes that I wouldn’t otherwise know to order, that are so much more special than the usual fare.
Hidden foodies gem? I think so! Definitely would love to go back some time soon.
Note: Tammi of Insatiable Munchies and the other bloggers mentioned in this post dined as guests of Fairfield council and the restaurants listed.
I’m always envious when people talk about going on pub crawls, since I’m slightly allergic to alcohol – tasting is okay, drinking is apparently not. I always feel like I keep missing out on all the fun!! So when Thang from Noodlies organised a food crawl in Canley Heights with the Fairfield Council, I jumped at the chance!
6 restaurants in 3 hours, will we SURVIVE THE EATING????!!!! Well Thang, Jeroxie, Amy, Christine, Isaac, Kate and I were going to find out.
First stop was at VyVy Garden Cafe, to start the morning off with some Vietnamese drip coffee.
Coffee is different in Southeast Asia. From the roast to the grind to the brew to the sweeteners, there’s a certain richness and aroma to the coffee that I’ve yet to find from local baristas around Sydney.
The mere mention of Vietnamese coffee instantly conjures up images of the drip filter, passed down from the French colonial times. Coarsely ground dark roasted coffee is added to the top of the filter, which is placed on top of a glass that contains your condensed milk. Hot water is poured over the ground coffee, and the resulting brew drips through onto the condensed milk below. The drip filter process is long – there isn’t anything more than gravity to hurry it along – but the resulting coffee is thick and rich, and the condensed milk add a creamy sweetness to it.
When warm, the aromas hit you as you raise the glass to your lips, providing an instant wake-up call. When poured over ice, the coffee provides a refreshing pick-me-up, a great cure for the monday-itis!
Takeaway coffee cups in hand, we move on to our next stop – Bau Truong.
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| Clockwise from top left: Bun Bo Hue and Cha La, Bo Lui, Ngheu Cuon, the spread that greeted us, fresh vegetables to accompany our noodles, Pork parcels in banana leaves, Bun Suong |
The original Bau Truong started in Cabramatta when times were violent. The owner used to have drug addicts come into her restaurant, eat, shoot up at the table, and then leave without paying. There were even people passed out on the street in broad daylight.
But a belief in her food has held her through those dark days, and today, her daughter and son have joined her in opening up two other branches in Canley Heights and Marrickville.
Beautiful vietnamese tiles adorned the walls in this recently-renovated restaurant, and a gorgeous graphic design stretched out across the ceiling.
But I had to tear my eyes away from the gorgeous decor because there was an epic spread laid out especially for us! It instantly reminded me of family and home – the spread was the homely feast my friends’ mothers would put out when we visited for a meal, but on a whole other level!
We were greeted by Michael, the son, who painstakingly explained every dish that we were about to eat. We started with Ngheu Cuon, which were fresh rice paper rolls filled with water chestnuts and pipis. Michael explained that in Vietnam, snail meat is often used instead of pipis, but they’ve changed it slightly for the Australian palate.
Bo Lui followed, which consisted of curried spiced beef cooked on skewers, and today we were having it with slices of unripe plum, enveloped in lettuce leaves and dipped in a sweet-salty chilli sauce. Apparently in Vietnam it sometimes is served with starfruit or raw banana instead, for a slight astringency to balance out to flavourful beef.
Of the three noodle dishes we got to try, I highly recommend the Bun Suong, vermicelli and prawn cakes are served in a sweet pork knuckle soup base that is heightened by fermented bean paste and chopped peanuts, and is oh-so-addictive. The slices of pork are tender, and the prawn cakes are bouncy and light, like an extremely premium fish ball. Michael informs us that the prawn cakes were made fresh the night before, and I could definitely taste the labour of love. With the addition of shredded fresh water spinach and thinly sliced banana flower, this bowl of noodle soup was almost reminiscent of a salad, and I wouldn’t have any qualms ordering this in the hottest of summers. Let’s put it this way: I knew we were going to be eating lots and had to pace myself, but I finished the bowl of soup anyway. It was that good.
No sooner did I have the last slurp of my noodles, we were off again, this time to Diem Hen, down the road.
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| From left: Sweet and Sour soup, Caramelised fish in clay pot |
Diem Hen, which means “meeting point” in Vietnamese, is an extremely traditional family-run restaurant serving meals found typically in Vietnamese homes.
Thang recounted how his mother would often serve similar dishes while he was growing up – she would buy a whole fresh fish, and use it to cook two dishes: a hot pot of sweet and sour soup filled with fresh vegetables and chunks of firm white fleshed fish, and a caramelised fish cooked in a clay pot, with its dark salty-sweet sauce that serve as an aromatic partner to soft white rice.
The Sweet and Sour soup came in a unique looking pot that had a wide, flat rim around the top. The bottom held hot soup, and the rim was to hold the raw ingredients, to prevent the crisp vegetables from getting soggy and overcooked while the soup came to the boil. The stock had a great depth of flavour, while the wide range of vegetables on the top added a freshness to the dish. Amongst these was something called the elephant ear stalk. When sliced, it resembled large celery stalks, except for its spongy interior, perfect for soaking up all the intense soup.
The accompanying caramelised fish was deep and dark in its flavour, which was a perfect use of the fatty belly of the fish. Apparently the flavour could get deeper and darker still, when the fish is braised for a longer period of time. The use of the clay pot is customary, and Thang recounted times when he’s had this fish dish at home with clay pot-cooked rice, with a brown rice crust at the bottom to add another dimension to the meal.
With three eateries down and three to go, we were starting to feel the effects of food coma starting to fog our brains. What will become of us by the time we reach the end? Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Canley Heights Food Crawl!
Note: Tammi of Insatiable Munchies and other bloggers mentioned in this post dined as guests of Fairfield Council and the restaurants listed.
Kingfish, Avocado, Fresh Wasabi, Konbu, $8 (half portion)
If you are into your food, you can’t go to St. Kilda without stopping by Golden Fields. This trendy eatery has been popping up on many an Instagram feed, accompanied by cries of, “Lobster roll! LOBSTER ROLL!”
What? Did you just name a tasty crustacean? Why, of course I would like to eat it!
Needless to say, when a restaurant is making such waves, there is bound to be more than one interesting thing on the menu. We are informed by the lovely waitress that the menu is designed to share – my favourite kind of menu! – and that some dishes even come in half portions.
First on the table was a half portion of Kingfish, Avocado, Fresh Wasabi and Konbu, $8. Fresh slices of kingfish was paired with delicate greens and creamy avocado puree, and while thoroughly enjoyable and balanced in its simplicity, didn’t hit any particular high notes for me.
Grilled Octopus, Kimchi Bean Sprouts, $12
Next on the table was the Grilled Octopus with Kimchi Bean Sprouts, $12. Being a huge fan of both kimchi and octopus, this dish of tender octopus tentacles, shaved cucumber and tangy, crunchy bean sprouts was a dish I could see eating as a main for a light lunch. I loved how the bean sprouts were just lightly pickled and had a much subtle flavour than cabbage kimchi – the traditional kimchi recipe calls for a period of fermentation for the cabbage, bringing forth a much stronger sour flavour that can be an acquired taste.
Rolled Pork Belly, White Kimchi, Yuxiang Sauce, $15
My aunt had actually visited Golden Fields ahead of me, and the Rolled Pork Belly with White Kimchi and Yuxiang Sauce, $15 came highly recommended. White kimchi is basically cabbage kimchi that has been picked without the kochukaru, or red pepper flakes, which contribute to its red appearance. It still retains all of its sour fermented glory, minus the spice. Yuxiang sauce (鱼香) is literally translated to “fragrant fish” sauce, and doesn’t actually contain fish! Instead, this salty, sour and peppery sauce with Sichuan origins is commonly used to flavour eggplant and pork. You know the eggplant dish in Chinese restaurants labelled as “fish flavoured eggplant”? Well this would be the sauce that they’re talking about.
The sauce, combined with the tangy kimchi and delicate slices of pork belly creates a mouthful that I truly enjoyed. I love how the different flavours – salty, spicy, sour – balance each other out, and yet maintain a certain sense of identity.
New England Lobster Roll, Hot Buttered Bun, Cold Poached Crayfish, Watercress & Kewpie, $15
Ahh and so we meet. When we order a portion of the New England Lobster Roll, $15 the waitress politely asks us if we’d like to have our roll cut in half, because the portion is just that: one roll. We decline, and she thoughtfully brings us out a knife with our order in case we’d like to split it anyway. This roll is somewhat smaller than I expected: the whole bun is about the size of my palm. A rich buttered roll sandwiches chunks of cold, poached crayfish that is lightly dressed is Kewpie mayonnaise and adorned with delicate sprigs of watercress. Tasty? Sure. But worth the hype and the $15 price tag? Well let’s just say that I would have been much more satisfied ordering another portion of the pork rolls (above).
Grilled Beef Intercoastal, Korean Chilli, Fried Shallot, $16
Cuts of beef that require long cooking times have become my absolute favourite – when a muscle works hard, thicker muscle fibres and more flavour is created. And you know what I say, bring on the beefiness! For the flavour, you’re paying the price in tenderness, so these cuts require a longer cooking time in order to break down connective tissue (collagen) into gelatine, which then coats the strands and provide you with a juicy mouthful.
Golden Fields’ Grilled Beef Intercoastal with Korean Chilli and Fried Shallot, $16, has brilliantly upped the ante on this cut’s natural beefy flavour – the salty spiciness of the chilli and light crunch of the shallots combine with the mildly charred pieces of meat to transform into a flavour-packed diet-busting mouthful. Total beer food.
Marinated Eggplant, Silken Tofu, Coriander, Chilli Vinegar, $14
I have a love-hate relationship with eggplant. This vegetable can take on so many different textures and flavours depending on how you prepare it, that you never quite know what you’re going to get. It also has the easy ability to become hideously oily, which means that you can end up with a mouthful of oil with not much flavour if you’re not careful.
This Marinated Eggplant with Silken Tofu, Coriander and Chilli Vinegar, $14 was no slack in the flavour department, that’s for sure, but the silken tofu was actually what stole the spotlight for me. While the eggplant was pleasant, and provided a certain heft to the overall dish, the tofu provided a delicate pillow of lightness which, when combined with the acidity and spice of the chilli vinegar, completely lifted the dish to a whole other level.
Pan Roasted Flathead, Clams, Spinach, Seaweed Butter, $36
In order to sample a dish from every section of their menu, we ordered the Pan Roasted flathead, with clams, Spinach and Seaweed Butter, $36. While there was nothing to fault – the fish wasn’t overcooked, and the clams were fresh and juicy – the dish was a touch lacklustre for me, especially when compared to the other items that they had on offer. I love the umami flavour of seaweed, but the butter component seemed to have provided no richness to the dish, so everything fell just on the bland side of things. I think I would have much rather ordered a few more small plates.
Buttermilk Sorbet, Yuzu Curd, Tapioca, Soft Meringue, $13
Sometimes, having a good dessert can be vital to ensuring that all the hard work a restaurant has put in to making a good impression, isn’t ruined in the last run. And this Buttermilk Sorbet, Yuzu Curd, Tapioca and Soft Meringue, $13, really hit it out of the park for me. There seemed to be varying degrees of tanginess – from the sharp freeze-dried raspberries to the soft tartness of the buttermilk sorbet – juxtaposed with comforting textures – silky yuzu curd and chewy tapioca pearls – to create a fantastic note to end the meal with. Light and somewhat palette-cleansing, this dessert convinced my already-full stomach that maybe we could do with more food.
And we can always do with more food.
On other notes, the service was attentive and the decor was trendy, but nothing spectacular to remark about. I really liked how we had our plates changed between the waves of food that were brought out, and how the waitress provided helpful bits of information about the food when we were ordering. That being said, we went on a weekday lunch where it seemed like it was just us and three other groups, so I can’t accurately comment on what the service would be like during a rush.
Go to Golden Fields if you feel like grazing – it’s small tasty bites aren’t built for people looking for serious comfort food – it would be great for Friday gatherings after work.
We ate at:
Golden Fields
03 9525 4488
2/157 Fitzroy Street
St Kilda, VIC
Clockwise from top left: Suckling pig on a spit from 4fourteen, Woodfired lamb from Porteño, Mussels in Apple Cider from 4fourteen, the most bad ass name card holder I’ve ever seen
Zzzzzzzzzz….
Maybe it’s because I’m a glutton for the weird and wonderful, or maybe it’s because I have strange preferences, either way, when I heard that 4Fourteen offered an offal set menu, it became the next big place on my eat list.
Because I naturally have food associated ADHD – also known as the ‘Piggy Eyes’ – and cannot just order single items, I went through the menu and had a field day. I had considered ordering the 4 course menu for $75/person, but with two diners, that meant that we could have 8 different dishes, instead of 4!
The menu consists of smallish items that are meant to be shared and enjoyed amongst friends. The I don’t know whether the courses come as they are ready, or whether it came in a particular order to create an arc to the dinner, but whatever it is, everything struck me as deliberate and well thought out, contributing to the overall dining experience.
Fennel and Yoghurt Ice Pop, King Alaskan Crab, $10
The Fennel and Yoghurt Ice Pop with King Alaskan Crab was light and almost fruity in its flavour. The ice pop brought a light tanginess, with the fennel proving accents of liquorice. It was an enjoyable salad in itself, but in my opinion, the ice pop was just a touch too large, making in mildly difficult to eat – especially when I’m the kind of person who likes to have a little bit of everything in every mouthful.
Our Pan fried Duck Eggs with Ham Hock, Black Pudding and Red Pepper came next, and was impressively set down with frypan in tow at the table. The pale yellow yolk of the egg trembled and wobbled with every shift of the pan, and oozed lusciously when it met with the prongs of my fork. The black pudding was gnarly and dark in its texture and flavour, and provided a hearty richness to the dish. Hits of capsicum relish provided the lighter notes, and the chunks of ham hock provided a great texture and bite. It was absolutely a delight to eat, and every rich bite was savoured with delight.
The Glazed Lamb Ribs were simple and tasty, but in the light of the more imaginative dishes on the menu, fell a little more towards the average side of things.
Chargrilled Lamb’s Tongue, Sweet Cucumber, Cos, Mint, $19
I’ve only had lamb’s tongue on a few occasions, and have always been fairly ambivalent towards it. But given the reputation 4fourteen has with offal, I was looking forward to the Chargrilled Lamb’s Tongue with Sweet Cucumber, Cos Lettuce and Mint Jelly. This beautiful, light salad was a fresh way to serve dainty pieces of what could be a chewy piece of meat in an extremely delightful salad. The mint jelly was an absolute surprise – I’m not the biggest fan of mint sauce at the best of times – and there was a moorish quality to it.
Bone marrow is one of those foods that may seem like an odd idea to some, but is actually the most unctuous, luxurious treats when you get to try it. I think it started as an absolutely brilliant effort to eating every last bit of the animal, and is now starting to reach cult status. The Persians have it in stews, the Southeast Asians make a strong soup fragrant with spices. Here at 4fourteen, it’s served simply – topped with woodsy herbs and browned to release a sweet, oily flavour that coats the tongue and the roof of the mouth, giving me the most primitive sort of high.
Smoked Beef Brisket, Roast Potatoes, Onion Rings, $36
At this point in the meal, we were actually quite satisfied and full, but there was just one more dish to go – damn those piggy eyes! – and the Smoked Beef Brisket arrived, humble and unassuming, topped with monster roast potatoes that were crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The brisket was hearty and dark, with the smoky flavour carrying through to the sauce it sat in. Nice as it was, the bone marrow simply topped the meal for me, and half the dish ended up in a doggy bag for my lunch the next day.
The whole experience at 4Fourteen was thoroughly enjoyable – the service staff were just attentive enough, which meant that I got to ask all the questions I wanted to ask, but at the same time got the opportunity to enjoy our dinner in peace. The food was delicious and comforting, like sitting under a thick quilt on the coldest winter day, and each dish was deliberate and balanced – something I was immensely impressed by. I also felt that the food was absolutely value for money, especially for the quality that we enjoyed.
Definitely something to go back to, even if it’s just to try the rest of the menu!!
We ate at:
4Fourteen
Surry Hills
414 Bourke St
Sydney, NSW 2010
When the days are hot and stifling in its humidity, I always crave a cold sweet drink to quench my thirst. Which is why I was really excited when Nuffnang offered me the opportunity – as part of Product Talk by Nuffnang, to try the new Pepsi Next.
I only ever crave sodas in very specific situations – like the aforementioned hot sticky days, and warm summer barbecues with friends and family- and Pepsi Next brings me a different sort of sweetness. It’s sweetened with Stevia, which is extracted from a plant. Stevia has zero calories – which is useful for you if you’re watching that sort of thing – and the human tongue perceives Stevia as many times sweeter than sugar in the same concentration.
Stevia is not completely understood yet, and studies are still being conducted about the effects of Stevia on the body. There have been studies that suggest that sugar alternates are not effective for diets since it doesn’t actually satisfies the body’s sugar craving, but really, who drinks soda for health reasons? No. You drink soda because you enjoy it and it’s tasty! At least, I do.
It does have a great flavour, and gives me that little sigh of satisfaction when I have that soda craving. So that’s enough for me.
If you’d like to try Pepsi Next for yourself, just head on over to their Facebook page for the chance to go for a taste test!
Have you tried it? What do you think?