Here are some of my test photos.
Saturday, 6 March 2010
New Camera!!
Woohoo! Finally got myself a new camera (a Fujifilm Finepix F70 EXR) so my photos should be much better now.
Here are some of my test photos.
Here are some of my test photos.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Burger Fuel, King Street, Newtown
Disclaimer: I apologise for the quality of the photos, I am currently camera-less so I've had to use a video camera and take snapshots of the film.
I'd been craving a good, meaty burger for a fair few days now and I wasn't really keen on going to Hungry Jack's. Having heard mixed reviews I thought I'd give Burger Fuel a go but I was sorely disappointed.
I arrived at 12.30 to find a typical burger bar, complete with requisite sticky tables, slightly too-loud music and extreme sports on the TVs. I ordered (according to the menu) a 1/3 lb Wagyu beef burger with Melted Swiss Cheese, Caramelised Onion, Sour Cream, Relish and Aioli ($14.90), Small Spud Fries ($3), Fresh Natural Aioli ($0.50), and a Diet Coke. In total it came to nearly $22 for a burger and chips. Hardly cheap.
The chips, served in an "award-winning eco-friendly carton", were pretty bad. On the plus side, they were hot when they arrived but they were neither crispy on the outside nor fluffy in the middle, in fact they were very dry and floury inside.
The Burger was also very poor. The bun was a low-quality and dry; the caramelised onion was not caramelised onion. It was chopped onion, mixed with a sweet, preservative-laden sauce. Seriously bad. The meat was terrible quality, especially considering it was labeled as Wagyu on the menu. It was cheap, processed meat, with little flavour or texture and it was served lukewarm, topped with cold cheese and sauces. The cheese was thick sliced and also processed, although the tomato relish was fairly good, a nice balance of sweet and sharp. I'd ordered Aioli on the side, and while the flavour was OK, it was too thick for my taste, and judging by everything else I'd assume it was bought-in and pre-packed, despite it being so easy to make great, simple aioli. The highlight, I think, was the Diet Coke. To be fair, it did come in a glass bottle.
Burger Fuel
172 King St, Newtown,
Sydney 2042
(02) 9519 4700
I'd been craving a good, meaty burger for a fair few days now and I wasn't really keen on going to Hungry Jack's. Having heard mixed reviews I thought I'd give Burger Fuel a go but I was sorely disappointed.
I arrived at 12.30 to find a typical burger bar, complete with requisite sticky tables, slightly too-loud music and extreme sports on the TVs. I ordered (according to the menu) a 1/3 lb Wagyu beef burger with Melted Swiss Cheese, Caramelised Onion, Sour Cream, Relish and Aioli ($14.90), Small Spud Fries ($3), Fresh Natural Aioli ($0.50), and a Diet Coke. In total it came to nearly $22 for a burger and chips. Hardly cheap.
The chips, served in an "award-winning eco-friendly carton", were pretty bad. On the plus side, they were hot when they arrived but they were neither crispy on the outside nor fluffy in the middle, in fact they were very dry and floury inside.
The Burger was also very poor. The bun was a low-quality and dry; the caramelised onion was not caramelised onion. It was chopped onion, mixed with a sweet, preservative-laden sauce. Seriously bad. The meat was terrible quality, especially considering it was labeled as Wagyu on the menu. It was cheap, processed meat, with little flavour or texture and it was served lukewarm, topped with cold cheese and sauces. The cheese was thick sliced and also processed, although the tomato relish was fairly good, a nice balance of sweet and sharp. I'd ordered Aioli on the side, and while the flavour was OK, it was too thick for my taste, and judging by everything else I'd assume it was bought-in and pre-packed, despite it being so easy to make great, simple aioli. The highlight, I think, was the Diet Coke. To be fair, it did come in a glass bottle.
Burger Fuel
172 King St, Newtown,
Sydney 2042
(02) 9519 4700
Gelatomassi, King Street, Newtown
Following my disastrous visit to Burger Fuel on King Street, I stopped into Gelatomassi, one of the best Gelato places in Sydney and winner of the Best Ice Cream and Gelato in SMH's Foodies' Guide to Sydney 2007.
This time I tried the Pannacotta flavour, labelled as Gelatomassi's signature flavour. It was stunning; a beautiful balance of sweet and creamy, and so magnificently smooth, since it had been freshly made. It was drizzled with a great sticky butterscotch sauce which complemented the flavour perfectly, although I must admit I felt a little sick by the end of my one scoop ($4.50). However, I reckon that's more to do with my lactose intolerance rather than the gelato!
As a foodie, and as a chef, it can really suck being lactose intolerant, but there are some sacrifices I have to make - I'm not going to avoid so many of my favourite foods just because I feel sick afterwards!
I've been to Gelatomassi several times, and I'm certain I'll be back again and again - I've never found a fault with the food or the service. I love every flavour I've tried, the staff are so friendly and attentive, yet it's so laid back. Today Mr. Gelatomassi himself was there, despite being in his mid-70s, and hearing the rapid Italian banter flowing behind the counter brought a real feel of authenticity to the experience, as if I was suddenly in Sicily.
Gelatomassi
262 King Street,
Newtown
Sydney 2042
(02) 9516 0655
This time I tried the Pannacotta flavour, labelled as Gelatomassi's signature flavour. It was stunning; a beautiful balance of sweet and creamy, and so magnificently smooth, since it had been freshly made. It was drizzled with a great sticky butterscotch sauce which complemented the flavour perfectly, although I must admit I felt a little sick by the end of my one scoop ($4.50). However, I reckon that's more to do with my lactose intolerance rather than the gelato!
As a foodie, and as a chef, it can really suck being lactose intolerant, but there are some sacrifices I have to make - I'm not going to avoid so many of my favourite foods just because I feel sick afterwards!
I've been to Gelatomassi several times, and I'm certain I'll be back again and again - I've never found a fault with the food or the service. I love every flavour I've tried, the staff are so friendly and attentive, yet it's so laid back. Today Mr. Gelatomassi himself was there, despite being in his mid-70s, and hearing the rapid Italian banter flowing behind the counter brought a real feel of authenticity to the experience, as if I was suddenly in Sicily.
Top Right; Pannacotta with Butterscotch Sauce
Gelatomassi
262 King Street,
Newtown
Sydney 2042
(02) 9516 0655
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Yee King, Sussex Street
A beautiful day in the city today, so naturally I decided to go to spend a couple of hours indoors, at the cinema. However, Essex wasn't really in the mood for any of the films on offer so we had a bit of a wander and ended up in The Civic, on Pitt Street. The TimeOut Bar Guide recommends it as the "prettiest" pub in the city... It was OK, hardly viewing pleasure though really. Just a pub. Still, good selection of beers on tap (I had Coopers, $5.50), and Essex had no complaints about her Vodka, Lime & Soda ($7.50). Unfortunately, the lounge bar upstairs was shut on Sunday afternoon. I might go back if I'm in the area but I probably won't make an effort to seek it out again.
As Essex and I wandered down to Chinatown, following my cravings, we realised the Chinese New Year parade was going through the city today. Unfortunately, that meant that every restaurant in the area was absolutely packed.
We were on the verge of giving up when we spotted Yee King Noodles, one of the few restaurants without a queue outside... Not a good sign, I thought. Nevertheless, in we went and were seated promptly by the friendly, if very busy, staff, and we brought colourful menus with pictures of many of the dishes, as well as a pot of delicious (complimentary) jasmine tea. Before long, to my relief, a queue quickly built up at the door - we'd pretty much nabbed the last table. We were just lucky I suppose!
As Essex and I wandered down to Chinatown, following my cravings, we realised the Chinese New Year parade was going through the city today. Unfortunately, that meant that every restaurant in the area was absolutely packed.
We were on the verge of giving up when we spotted Yee King Noodles, one of the few restaurants without a queue outside... Not a good sign, I thought. Nevertheless, in we went and were seated promptly by the friendly, if very busy, staff, and we brought colourful menus with pictures of many of the dishes, as well as a pot of delicious (complimentary) jasmine tea. Before long, to my relief, a queue quickly built up at the door - we'd pretty much nabbed the last table. We were just lucky I suppose!
Essex, being indecisive as ever, told me to choose what to order, as we had decided to get a few small plates to share. Despite how busy it was, our food was brought to our table quickly enough, no more the 15 minutes after ordering.
Boiled Chive Pork Dumplings, 12 for $8.80
First to arrive were these pork dumplings, which were OK. I wouldn't be surprised if they were frozen since the stuffing was packed into such a perfect little ball, but I can't really say for certain. The flavour was relatively generic. It's a pork dumpling, much the same as you'd get from any number of Chinese restaurants in the area. It wasn't bad, and they were cheap.
Vegetable Spring Rolls, 6 for $4.80
The spring rolls were a little disappointing. I didn't think there was enough filling, and the sweet chilli sauce accompaniment tasted very cheap - far too sweet with no spice at all, undoubtedly not made on the premises. But then, I'm not sure I'd expect it to be.
Pan-Fried Dumplings, 12 for $8.80
The second plate of dumplings were much like the first. Not bad, not great. Just OK. Good Value, again. I think it was probably beef in the dumpling, with diced onion and a little chilli. I much prefered these to the Pork Dumplings however, with a better depth of flavour - whereas the Chive Pork Dumpling was just that - the chive, the pork... then the soy & black vinegar coming through.
Overall, Yee King isn't too bad but it doesn't stand out amongst the dozens of other Chinese restaurants in the area. Considering we paid less than $15/head including a soft drink each, I was satisfied with the food, and the service was surprisingly good considering how busy they were - as soon as we wanted attention, we got it, and not before. However, I doubt I'll go back considering amongst the wide range of similar restaurants I have yet to try, I'm sure I'll find a standout leader - hopefully, Yee King isn't it.
After standing to watch the CNY parade outside the restaurant, we got bored of waiting and wandered up to Darling Harbour, hoping to find a nice Gelato place somewhere along the way. We first came to Gelatissimo, but skipped it in favour of an independent. Next up was Cold Rock - I've heard good things about this place, but Essex and I continued in search of a local Gelato place to support. I'd like to say we came all the way back to Newtown to go to Gelatomassi, but I'd be lying. We got to Darling Harbour and went into a branch of Gelatissimo. How dissapointing, having tasted the delights of Gelatomassi half a dozen times before. I chose Blood Orange and Passion Fruit, while Essex opted for White Chocolate and Strawberry.
The Blood Orange wasn't too bad, but the Passionfruit was very dissappointing, and Essex' were both quite fake-tasting... none of the four flavours were anywhere close to as good as Gelatomassi. I definitely won't be returning to any Gelatissimo store soon; I will be back at Gelatomassi next time I'm on King Street.
Civic Hotel
388 Pitt Street (Cnr Goulburn)
Sydney 2000
(02) 8080 7000
Yee King Noodles
408 Sussex Street
Sydney 2000
(02) 9211 1138
408 Sussex Street
Sydney 2000
(02) 9211 1138
Mussels in Santiago
My final South American food post, and just a quickie.
In Santiago, Scoops and I went to the fish market in the Mercado Central. It's a beautiful old building, and the market is great to look around, with a plethora of fresh fruit and vegetables and, of course, an overwhelming array of fish.
There are dozens of small restaurants crammed in next to the market, and after perusing the selection, Scoops decided which we should eat at. (Naturally, it was the first one we'd seen)
We both ordered Mussels - different on the menu but as it turned out, they were in the same sauce only that Scoops' mussels were larger. Or something. It was all in Spanish.
Anyway. Great Mussels, absolutely enormous (by European standards, they're very similar here in Oz), and the simple white wine sauce was excellent.
In Santiago, Scoops and I went to the fish market in the Mercado Central. It's a beautiful old building, and the market is great to look around, with a plethora of fresh fruit and vegetables and, of course, an overwhelming array of fish.
There are dozens of small restaurants crammed in next to the market, and after perusing the selection, Scoops decided which we should eat at. (Naturally, it was the first one we'd seen)
We both ordered Mussels - different on the menu but as it turned out, they were in the same sauce only that Scoops' mussels were larger. Or something. It was all in Spanish.
Anyway. Great Mussels, absolutely enormous (by European standards, they're very similar here in Oz), and the simple white wine sauce was excellent.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Argentina = Steak!
I don't think I've ever had such brilliant steak as I did in Argentina. My first long-awaited sample was in Salta, where I chose Bife de Chorizo (taken from the fattest part of the Bife Angosto - nothing to do with the spicy Spanish sausage!), which was covered with sweet semi-dried tomatoes and melted mozzarella, as well as sharing a fantastic bottle of local Malbec. Or three. Absolutely divine, served with perfect chips - crispy on the outside and soft like mash on the inside.
Later in Argentina, specifically Mendoza, I toured the vineyards by bicycle, rented from the slightly eccentric but absolutely legendary Mr Hugo. Mendoza is the home of the Malbec grape, and the free tastings at the dozens of cellar doors here were excellent; I think to this day Malbec is probably my favourite red wine. Our first stop was probably the best, at the Bodega Familia di Tommaso, where we had a tour of the buildings courtesy of a stunning Argentinian, followed by fabulous tastings and while I didn't eat there, the food is supposed to be incredible too.
Weeks later, in Buenos Aires, I twice visited La Cabrera, an amazing Argentinian Parilla (Steak House) in the Palermo Viejo district. The steak is simply the best I have ever had. And they're insanely huge. Perfectly cooked. Comes with a heap of small side dishes, included in the very reasonable price. If you're ever in Buenos Aires, you'd be a fool not to pay La Cabrera a visit. Unless you're vegetarian. Then probably just don't go to Argentina.
Later in Argentina, specifically Mendoza, I toured the vineyards by bicycle, rented from the slightly eccentric but absolutely legendary Mr Hugo. Mendoza is the home of the Malbec grape, and the free tastings at the dozens of cellar doors here were excellent; I think to this day Malbec is probably my favourite red wine. Our first stop was probably the best, at the Bodega Familia di Tommaso, where we had a tour of the buildings courtesy of a stunning Argentinian, followed by fabulous tastings and while I didn't eat there, the food is supposed to be incredible too.
Stunning views across the vineyard to the Andes
Weeks later, in Buenos Aires, I twice visited La Cabrera, an amazing Argentinian Parilla (Steak House) in the Palermo Viejo district. The steak is simply the best I have ever had. And they're insanely huge. Perfectly cooked. Comes with a heap of small side dishes, included in the very reasonable price. If you're ever in Buenos Aires, you'd be a fool not to pay La Cabrera a visit. Unless you're vegetarian. Then probably just don't go to Argentina.
These two photos, courtesy of La Cabrera - More tasty photos here!
Some seriously good steak.
Yes, I ate this all to myself.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Minuteman Pizza
I know it's only pizza, but this is the best Pizza in Bolivia, if not the whole of South America.
Run by an American guy and his Bolivian wife, Minuteman is a welcome sight to almost every tourist that passes through the small, dusty town of Uyuni on the edge of the Bolivian desert. If you happen to be in Uyuni, I beg you not to miss out on Minuteman.
There is a huge range of pizzas available, from the classic Margherita to any number of combinations of cheeses, meats and veggies. The restaurant is laid back and friendly. Order at the kitchen window, where you are then given a playing card. I got the 8 Diamonds. Ten minutes later and the friendly American owner comes over to our long table and yells out my someone else's card. I'm distraught. I'm so hungry I can barely see any more! Finally he arrives with the 8 Diamonds and I'm greeted by a huge steaming plate of glistening mozzarella cheese, spicy chorizo sausage, beautifully sweet caramelised onion, rosemary, sweet-yet-sharp homemade tomato sauce, and that perfectly crisp base. Whoever said pizza is just pizza has never had a good pizza like this. Simply epic.
Minuteman also serve up a fantastic selection of South American wines, as well as a few local beers including Chala, a white ale brewed in Sucre. Plus, while I didn't get to experience it firsthand, I understand Minuteman also offers an excellent breakfast menu including American Pancakes or Eggs Benedict, ideal for those craving more than the complimentary hotel breakfast of mueseli and toast.
Run by an American guy and his Bolivian wife, Minuteman is a welcome sight to almost every tourist that passes through the small, dusty town of Uyuni on the edge of the Bolivian desert. If you happen to be in Uyuni, I beg you not to miss out on Minuteman.
Inside the legendary restaurant
Image Courtesy of Matthew Shaw
There is a huge range of pizzas available, from the classic Margherita to any number of combinations of cheeses, meats and veggies. The restaurant is laid back and friendly. Order at the kitchen window, where you are then given a playing card. I got the 8 Diamonds. Ten minutes later and the friendly American owner comes over to our long table and yells out my someone else's card. I'm distraught. I'm so hungry I can barely see any more! Finally he arrives with the 8 Diamonds and I'm greeted by a huge steaming plate of glistening mozzarella cheese, spicy chorizo sausage, beautifully sweet caramelised onion, rosemary, sweet-yet-sharp homemade tomato sauce, and that perfectly crisp base. Whoever said pizza is just pizza has never had a good pizza like this. Simply epic.
Minuteman also serve up a fantastic selection of South American wines, as well as a few local beers including Chala, a white ale brewed in Sucre. Plus, while I didn't get to experience it firsthand, I understand Minuteman also offers an excellent breakfast menu including American Pancakes or Eggs Benedict, ideal for those craving more than the complimentary hotel breakfast of mueseli and toast.
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