Three Williams exemplifies the quintessential Sydney café: it’s got the art, the ambiance and the dishes that keep you coming back for more. Located in the brunch capital of Redfern, this eatery boasts a spacious interior making it a perfect meeting spot for families, couples and friends.
Three Williams really made a name for itself after photos of the iconic Brioche French Toast popped up over Instagram feeds. The French Toast is incredibly appealing to the eye, with that golden pan-fried exterior dripping with divine golden syrup. Now more sweet brunch options are popping up on the menu — ever since the former head chef of Devon Cafe joined the Three Williams team. Jacqui Ektoros has brought her one-of-a-kind ingenuity to the team and has introduced the “Cookies ‘n’ Cream” to debut her presence on the team! Check out the Instagram post below:
Feeling like trying other items on the seasonal menu — we opted for the following seven items. The Coconut Bowl arrived first at the table and it certainly did not disappoint. It was beautifully adorned with freeze dried lychee, chia jelly, coconut chips and roasted pineapple. The coconut and lime yoghurt was made in-house and had a lovely tropical fragrance and taste. The Cauliflowers Cooked Three Ways was unique in its own right. It had strong Middle Eastern influence — given the inclusion of tumeric tahini and barberries. I thought the presence of citrus in the tahini might have overpowered the dish but it was only by eating it with the Turkish bread where I realised this wasn’t the case. Though it might be a mouthful to eat every element of the dish — it is highly recommended to do so to taste the dish in its entirety.
We also ordered the Freekeh Salad. It is not necessarily a healthy option as the salad comes loaded with fried chickpeas. The chickpeas gave the salad that kick of crunch that balanced well with the soft and light freekeh. Next on the menu was the Crab Omelette. The omelette itself was light and fluffy, having been mixed with crème fraiche. The charred corn gave that it that smoky and sweet flavour. It’s one of the pricier options on the menu — considering the presence of flaky and soft crab meat.
Then came the Narnies! Coined by the owners at Three Williams, the Narnie is a play on the words “naan” and a “sarnie”. For those unaware, a “sarnie” is English slang for sandwich. Though the hard-copy menu only offers two varieties of narnies, there are actually three available. These include: the Pork Narnie, the Mushroom Narnie and the Duck Narnie. The folks at Three Williams are pretty generous with their sandwich fillings, as the flatbread is literally overflowing with goodies.
Overall
If you’re stuck on where to go for brunch or even lunch, Three Williams is an establishment that doesn’t disappoint! It’s everything that is right with Sydney’s brunch scene. It’s got the prime location, the friendliest staff and the unique and tasty food. The café’s menu regularly changes so be sure to keep an eye on the seasonal changes. What is certain is that the French Toast will remain on menu, as will the Narnies! Narnies are a proud Three Williams invention so it’s unlikely that they will drop off. Instead, it’s more likely they will experiment with more unique flavours and fillings.
Located 210 Belmore Road, Riverwood, Sydney, NSW 2210
Halloween is right around the corner and restaurants aplenty are tapping into the spooky theme. Miss America’s Pop Up Diner has blown the competition out of the water with spectacular costumes and Halloween-themed decorations.
Miss America’s Diner is a pop-up diner in that it is only available a few days of the week. Like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, this restaurant is innocent in the day but transforms to take on a more sinister character at night. What is an unassuming café front morphs into a spooky diner in the evening with its ceiling wrapped with spider webs and creepy masks cropping up in scattered locations of the restaurant.
We were greeted by the distinguishable sounds of Monster Mash and a waitress dressed to resemble a wicked purple-skinned witch. Quite ironically, she had a warm and welcoming disposition. Her eyes were mesmerising with white contact lenses and eyelashes that practically went up to the ceiling. Other wacky costumes included angels, zombies and goblins.
We began with the American favourites — Heart Attack and the Skinny Fries. Aptly named the Heart Attack, these french fries are topped with crispy bacon, melted cheese and shallots (similar to Animal Fries from In-and-Out). In true Halloween fashion, the melted cheese was dyed green to resemble slime. Even though the presence of slime green looked a little off-putting , it tasted damn delicious! The Skinny Fries didn’t have all that fan fare but it was still delicious. The fries themselves were super crunchy and the shallots were a nice savoury addition.
After we dug into the starters, the gigantic burgers and hot dogs arrived one by one. The Nevada Get me Wrong arrived first, and boy did it look glorious! The burger included two perfectly grilled beef patties separated by cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion. It was then drenched in the famous Nevada sauce — which tasted both creamy and tangy! I loved that the beef was slightly charred to give it that crunch on the outer edges of the patty.
Believe when I say The Marilyn was monstrous. Three patties were precariously placed on top of each other, each separated by cheddar, bacon, lettuce and tomato. I was surprised that the burger still retained its shape even when it featured so many fillings. If The Marilyn is too much to handle, patrons get the option of downgrading to two patties. Just let the friendly wait staff you want the James Dean-be a Rebel.
The other burger we ordered was the Love me Tender. With pun intended, I absolutely “loved” the “tender” chicken breast. It was so moist and exploded with flavour when combined with the salty bacon and the tangy mayonnaise. The lettuce gave it that refreshing crunch and helped to cut through the grease of the fried chicken. Since the fillings weren’t as excessive as its Marilyn cousin, Miss America’s Diner compensated with the incorporation of a corn dog. This burger would have made Elvis proud!
We also sampled their signature hot dogs, in particular the Hot Diggity Dawg. It was like a hotdog on steroids, with the generous addition of bacon and melted cheese. The bacon was deliciously crispy and the melted cheese gave it that nice bit of creaminess. The hotdog, itself, was nice and juicy probably owing to the fact that it was steamed (as opposed to boiled).
If that wasn’t enough, we ordered the Hot Waangs. The buffalo wings were smothered in a delicious and sticky hot sauce and paired with fresh celery and ranch sauce. Honestly, I didn’t think the ranch sauce was necessary as the marinade already packed a lot of flavour.
As for beverages, we ordered the Grape Spider, Caramel and Chocolate Thick Shakes and a Vanilla Milkshake. The Grape Spider transported me back to my childhood days and I felt like a little kid again when sipping on the crazy straw. The spider was also topped with assorted lollies from sour straps, smarties to chocolate wafer. The thick shakes and milkshakes were also sprinkled with these delightful sweets. Be warned that the thick shakes and milkshakes are given alternative names at Miss America’s Diner. The milkshakes are called “cows” while the thick variations are named “fat cows” — so don’t be offended when the waitress calls these names out!
Having stuffed ourselves silly with these goodies, we couldn’t leave without trying their desserts. We opted for the Apple Pie having seen other patrons order this option. The pie itself tasted home-baked and smelt divine with the generous incorporation of cinnamon. The granny smith apples gave the pie that lovely tart flavour. The combination of piping hot flavour with ice cold soft serve ice cream was a massive home-run in terms of flavour!
Overall:
The experience at Miss America’s Pop Up Diner literally gave me goose bumps. Not because the costume and décor was frightening, but because the food reached unprecedented drool-worthy heights. I particularly loved the Hot Waangs and the Apple Pie so would highly recommend these dishes if you’re ever willing to take the trip down to Riverwood. It’s great to know that such delicious 60’s retro food is available right in the heart of the burbs. It’s just a shame it’s only available on Friday and Sunday nights!
Rating: MindBlown
Service: 5/5
Gourmet Gumbo and LeeLoo dined as guests of Miss America’s Diner.
The masterminds behind the wildly successful Devon Cafe have done it again with Lucky Suzie, a new Malaysian Hawker-street style bar and restaurant. Owners, Derek Puah and head chef Zacharay Tan have drawn from their Malaysian influences and crafted a epic menu complete with killer cocktails.
Tonight, it was time to let loose with some cocktails. Upon recommendation, I tried the Red Shiso Juice with Bourbon, Dried Vermouth and Chocolate Bitters — a nice refreshing and sweet cocktail. Sherry Lane decided to go for the Sober Suzie list and chose a mocktail — the Hibiscus with apple, lime, mint, peach bitters, P.S. Blackstrap Ginger. Again, equally fruity and delicious. There were definitely some other cool and quirky cocktails to check out such as those with Kopitiam coffee, pandan and jasmine highlighting the Malaysian influences.
In the fashion of Malaysian street street, we started off with a series of street snacks. First, the deliciously crispy and addictive lotus root crisps perfectly seasoned with Malaysian spices. These were so good, we had to order a second bowl. Our next snack was the Bao Wow — Belacan fried chicken with fragrant herbs. These were so delicious! Imagine, Hot-Star fried chicken wrapped in a soft Ippudo bun. Hands down, my favourite dish of the night.
For something fresher, we ordered the Spicy King Prawn Salad which consisted had the zesty flavours of calamansi and green papaya. Mix it up first to get all the elements combined. The prawns were cooked perfectly and together with the salad, when really well with the crispy prawn crackers. Really fun to eat and share with friends.
You can’t have Hawker cuisine without ordering the Char Koay Teow. This tasted like it was straight from Penang with that extra hot wok-taste. We opted for the supreme option which adds scallops and spanner crab to the existing seafood and sweet and savoury lap cheong. You can also customise your spice level.
Now for something a bit more epic, the Pork Hock. Now this was one epic hunk of meat and being twice-cooked, it was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender inside. Wrap this beautiful meat in the lettuce and add some pickles and spicy sauce. Once again, a fun dish to share with friends. Princess Fiona had sprained her hand playing basketball the other day so we thought it would be appropriate for her to carve up the pork hock violently ;)
For some greens, we ordered the Chargrilled broccolini with the familiar Asian flavours of garlic and soy dressing. Another must-try dish of the night would have to be the Malaysian Vegetable Curry with cruciferous vegetables — the potatoes were so soft and full of flavour in this dish. You can never go wrong with potatoes and curry!
Now, for dessert. We went a bit nuts and got all three that night. First, the strawberry lassi was beautiful and so light and fluffy. It consisted of whipped yogurt dusted with macerated strawberries and a sorbet surprise inside. The banana fritter was also good with roasted coconut ice cream and salted caramel. But my favourite, would have to be the spooky looking ABC #2 Pandan noodles with icecream, shaved ice and bubur cha cha. Such a colourful dish and full of texture and flavour all within the cold coconut soup. The #2 alludes to the second in line to their string of colourful icecream desserts, the former being the iconic purple icecream dish. What colour will it be next?
Overall
Lucky Suzie takes a fresh and modern spin on Malaysian cuisine. Head chef Zacharay Tan has done an impressive job with recreating the Penang street-food flavours and textures and not to mention the quirky and killer cocktails on the menu. Highly recommend the Supreme Char Kway Teow and the Bao Wow fried chicken buns! The ABC #2 is my top pick for desserts!
ust a few minutes walk from the towering Star, there lies an oasis of good food and great coffee. Its Social Brew Café, and it’s a café well known to the locals in the area.
Located along Harris street, this eatery is complete with spacious outdoor and intimate indoor seating. We took a seat inside and were greeted by amiable wait staff. We were shown the menu and were pleasantly surprised by the versatile range. The menu was extensive with all day breakfast and lunch options. The drinks menu took up two pages, with a page wholly dedicated to alcoholic beverages. Even the drinks with juice and smoothies could be ordered ‘spiked’ for anybody wishing to enjoy a cocktail-like concoction on a lazy Sunday morning.
The breakfast options looked more tantalising and so we opted for the Eggs Benedict and the Brekkie Board. The eggs benedict was dressed with a lovely hollandaise sauce that had hints of apple cider. Patrons get the option of pairing the dish with either salmon, black forest ham or crispy bacon. To stay true to brekkie traditions, I opted for the black forest ham. I was not disappointed! The whole dish was incredibly flavoursome and the brioche bun was light and buttery — an interesting alternative to the English muffin. I also ordered a side of avocado and thought the combination of hollandaise sauce, poached eggs and avo worked nicely together. Would recommend you try this side with your order of eggs bennie!
The Brekkie Board was similar to the Eggs Bennie — in that patrons get the option of pairing the dish with a protein of their choice (bacon, prosciutto etc.) I thought the presentation of this dish warranted a thumb-up. The elements were all strategically positioned for maximum aesthetic appeal, like the soft boiled Zataar egg precariously balancing off a miniature jar of herb pesto. We loved the crispiness of the bacon and enjoyed how the meat didn’t taste overwhelmingly salty. The egg sprinkled with Zataar added that nice Middle-Eastern touch — yummy!
We couldn’t go past the cafe without trying their delectable desserts. I opted for the Salted Caramel Tart while my friend tried the house-made Poppyseed and Pear muffin. The muffins are baked fresh every morning so there’s practically a new flavour combination every week. The tart had a thin lining of salted caramel so it didn’t taste overly sweet. It was mainly filled with a delicious chocolate mousse that was garnished with a sprinkle of irresistible cocoa powder.
Overall
If you’re looking for a café that delivers great food and friendly wait staff, then look no further than Social Brew Café. The locals have all discovered this hidden gem, so be warned that it might be quite a wait before you get yourself a table. Even if you don’t live in the area, I highly recommend you give this place a try because their apple cider eggs benedict is seriously worth the drive (or ride along the light rail). If you’re feeling a little cheeky, maybe even get a spiked smoothie to accompany this dish. I mean, why not?
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It was a rainy Thursday shopping night and we were looking for a quick dinner fix at Westfield Pitt St. The food court on Level 5 is very ambient and classy which are not usually adjectives you reserve for food courts but nonetheless, reflects the type of shopping centre Westfield Pitt St strives to be.
Reuben & Moore is famus for its deli-style gourmet sandwiches and fresh roast meats. Since we weren't feeling like a sandwich for dinner, we opted for the roast plate option which are all served with a side of duck fat potatoes and market vegies.
Beef rump served with balsamic onions, mushrooms and mustard $18.50
The beef was roasted well and the balsamic mushrooms went splendidly with the beef. The duck fat potatoes were crunchy on the outside and very fluffy inside.
Pork shoulder with crackling and vanilla apple sauce $18.50
The pork shoulder was cooked well with the crispiest and crunchiest crackling on top. There was a bit too much apple sauce for my liking.
Overall
Reuben & Moore is a great option for a casual and quick lunch or dinner in the city. Their roast plates provide a hearty meal with generous portion sizes. The duck fat potatoes are divine and are a must try. I am yet to return for their famous reuben sandwich, perhaps for lunch sometime.
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Burger Fuel originated in Auckland, New Zealand in 1995 as a humble gourmet burger joint and has since grown exponentially with restaurants worldwide from Australia to Egypt and UAE. Although it is a fast food joint, everything is made to order so it's fresh and hot.
As we entered, the first thing that immediately caught my attention was the 'Fush and Chups' meal - a hilarious play on the Kiwi accent. It came with their famous spud fries and the iconic NZ drink, L&P which is basically tastes like Solo with a stronger lime kick to it. The burger bun was quite soft and fluffy and topped with a generous handful of sesame seeds. The lettuce and mayo went beautifully with the nicely battered fish fillet. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice on it for that extra acidity. The spud fries were super crunchy and came with a side of aioli.
BioFuel $11.50
The BioFuel burger had a juicy beef paddy, free range egg and a slice of beetroot. The beef is 100% Pure Grass Fed Beef which is pretty impressive. The coolest thing about Burger Fuel is that they have this ingenious cardboard holder for burgers which keeps all the juices contained so they don't drip all over your table and clothes which admittedly, has happened quite a few times in the past.
MotoBites 8 for $6.90
Crumbed pumpkin, carrot, chickpea & ginger bites with lemon aioliThese gloriously deep fried balls of starch were super tasty. You probably can't really eat too much in one sitting as it is rather starchy and fills you up quite quickly. The lemon aioli on the side is divine. Interestingly, these flavours remind me of the taste of an Indian curry puff!
Strawberry Thickshake $5.50
This was not definitely not thick enough to be deemed a thickshake - it was more like the consistency of a milkshake.
Overall
Burger Fuel is a great lunch option if you're in Newtown. The burgers are top notch and made to order so their fresh and hot. They have invented this ingenious cardboard holder for burgers which allows you to easily grip your burger but also ensure that all the scrumptious juices are retained. Their MotoBites are pretty tasty as are their spud fries. Their thickshakes, however, need to have a thicker consistency.
For more photos, please visit our website at http://www.droolworthyworld.com/#!YAYOI-Galeries-Sydney-CBD/c1h7x/5691d4280cf2f5ee60f73ba3
Yayoi Gardens newly opened in The Galeries just above Town Hall station, replacing the previous occupant Wagamama. Of course, Yayoi already has a reputation: its better known branch is located in Circular Quay, and is a popular destination to dine. It boasts an authentic modern Japanese dining experience in a seemingly casual setting, similar to the likes of Masuya. However, how does the branch at The Galeries perform? Having not been to the Circular Quay branch because it’s quite a bit more removed from where we are normally based, we leapt at the opportunity to try this one instead.
Its interior décor is interesting: it has a number of different seating options with benches, long tables and smaller private cubicles, resembling the Japanese style. The interior is a bit cramped, to be honest, due to the sheer number of seats, hence not permitting the use of traditional bamboo screens or more fancy-looking dividers. However, the wooden furniture was clean and sturdy, and did exude a sense of class.
Interestingly, some of the tables were fitted with iPad screens as well, which were a means by which you could order your food. It’s a neat idea, but there are a few reasons why I’m not convinced about it. First, it doesn’t particularly add to the experience; in fact, it may actually detract from having a waiter/waitress take your order because you’d need to ask them to come over to talk about the menu anyway. Second, such a device should reduce cost, theoretically, because it reduces the need for more people on hand to take orders. The problem is that by adding it, it may contribute to inflating the overall cost of food as well. Third, if implemented better it could probably enhance the experience, including features such as more detailed explanations of food, different pictures or angles – all of which can be incorporated in a space-saving, paper-less form; however, none of those were used at all.
After that, we put in our order for food (digitally!).
As a note here, the green tea was an extra $2.00 per cup – a bit of an exuberant cost, to be honest. The green tea was pretty good, but hard to justify how much it cost.
We had an unagi rice set. It was very well presented: many different components to the overall dish, and an interesting incorporation of a steel insulated jug to hold miso soup which could be served with the unagi. Each of the components tasted very good. The egg was something different: a cold runny kind of consistency that we’re not quite used to but eventually grew on us. It was unflavoured, kind of like a palette cleanser. Perhaps it would have been good to use in between the different combinations of unagi plus other component that the dish was advertised to do. I say “would have been good” for a reason: the portion of unagi was, honestly, tiny. It was hardly a mouthful. I’ve been to takeaway shops giving double the portion for half the price (equal quality unagi for sure, as well). It was a very sad portion size to see and I immediately felt ripped off. However, the broth, in particular, deserves some commendation, as its flavour was beautiful and fresh.
The other set we ordered was the chicken and egg namban. It was really good. In comparison, it looked positively massive. It was cooked to perfection, with an excellent blend of egg and meat, served sizzling hot. It too was served with a couple of accompanying components: miso soup and rice. The rice was advertised to be of a top grade Japanese extraction. I didn’t taste it that much though (it reminds me of the rice that Miso Japanese Restaurant uses). It is a bit more flavoursome and fragrant in comparison to typical restaurant rice, but probably not as good as Thai rice. I would also say that it’s not quite as good as the rice used by Masuya.
I was a bit reluctant to get dessert because of the portion sizes of the other dishes, but we ended up getting it anyway. It was again an elegantly presented dish but of paltry portion (probably not a rip off, though, unlike the eel meal). Each bite was delicious and heavenly, complemented by the syrup sauce. It didn’t stick to the teeth; it had a perfect consistency. Top quality work with this dish.
Overall, I felt that Yayoi served up some pretty good food. Was it worth the price tag? ($50 for 2 for a simple Japanese meal) I’m not sure that it is, based on portion size alone. I can see the thought and intricacies in each dish, but to be honest, some of the components, whilst good in presentation and individual merit, combined together to form a dish that’s difficult to appreciate with so little. Part of how high end restaurants get away with it includes a combination of intense flavour and complexity within a mouthful, spaced over a number of different courses. However, here we have a single dish presented with an apparently large platter, but with very little overall inside. The flavours are undeniably good, but it is not difficult enough to make an unagi don to justify over $20 for the dish. This restaurant may be recommended for a first date or if there was someone that you’d like to impressive with a moderately expensive place to dine, but would not be good to have every day due to its cost.
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Coffee Trad3rs is a nice and atmospheric café located in Top Ryde Shopping Centre. It is somewhat ambiguous, as it’s also so close to the street level, similar to the arrangement of many of the ground floor restaurants at Westfield Parramatta. As such, Coffee Trad3rs is reasonably close to where the bus stops are that take public commuters to Top Ryde City.
The décor has changed significantly since Coffee Traders was taken over by the new owner. It’s really interesting, with arrays of polaroids and other quirky features that add a rather cutesy vibe. The seating arrangements were also variable: long tables to share, small tables for groups, and couches for leisure. The long tables in particular feature small pot plants and cool homely magazines – more personal touches.
As the name implies, Coffee Trad3rs deals quite significantly with coffee, but one of the other interesting changes under the new management is the expansion of the food range: not only limited to pastries and small cakes, but now a fascinating breakfast and lunch menu with many different combinations. We decided to try a couple of things that sounded a bit more unusual and unlike things that we normally eat.
Date, oat and honey scone served with fresh cream & seasonal berries $7.90The humble scone is, to me, an unremarkable item. I remember the days when you could get a delicious scone for merely 40c. But now, it’s becoming rarer to have scones on such a menu because it’s difficult to make it much better than the bland bun that it is. Coffee Traders’s rendition of this is interesting: the addition of not only cream to make its texture more palatable, but also fresh berries which pop out with sweetness. It was pleasant and interestingly refreshing. We would recommend having this with a light tea as well, due to the natural texture of scone.
On this note, we had the house lemon and honey tea. It was really delicious and a great way to start the day, since it was actually uncharacteristically chilly on the day. As mentioned above, it’s a good pairing with scone because of the addition of flavours that stand out significantly. We also had a jasmine tea, which is a bit sweeter without the sourness, to complement the rest of the dishes.
For the first main lunch dish we ordered the Deluxe Bacon and Egg roll. It really was deluxe – no false advertising here! It was massive, and the serving of bacon was on the border of excessive because there was so much of it! It was really representative of money’s worth, with plenty of contents between the delicious and fluffy bun. Curiously, the BBQ sauce was kept on the side: add to taste as the motto here. In hindsight, it was a pretty good delicious as it kept the contents relatively dry and not soggy, with the addition of sauce with each bite making far more sense, especially given the portion size.
We ordered a salmon omelette, which, I felt was a winner. It was a rather different combination of egg and savoury – I normally see this paired with bacon, ham or some other swine meat, but never with salmon. It seems like such a logical choice though: salmon is great when raw, semi-cooked or cooked, and is an excellent and healthy breakfast meat. The resultant texture of the egg omelette and semi-cooked salmon was divine and perfectly executed. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of capers: whatever floats your boat as I’m sure other people will appreciate this more. I like the greens with it, but felt that it would have been stellar even without the garnishes. I also felt that the crisps were interesting and extraneous. Perhaps, I should have taken bites of both at the same time to mix it up, but the omelette was just so good that I couldn’t stop!
We also had a coffee: as the name implies, it was good, served nice and hot. Special shout out to the latte artist who made the cool pattern.
Overall
Coffee traders is a great little place to have breakfast, brunch or lunch. Though its name implies mostly coffee, it actually offers much more than that. It was pleasantly surprising to see many different creative renditions of classic dishes. A joy to see and eat! The flavours tasted incredibly healthy for the most part – of course, bacon is still that guilty pleasure that is unbearably tempting! However, the portion sizes are also highly commendable, and we both left feeling incredibly satiated. Definitely worth a visit. Keep in mind that they have live bands on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the evenings – so many those would be good times to drop by and have a relaxing time.
Tommy H and LeeLoo dined as guests of Coffee Trad3rs.
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Icecream Scrolls are the latest dessert trend in Sydney. Originally from Thailand, this cold-plate icecreamy idea has exploded internationally, becoming a huge hit in cities such as NYC, Melbourne and now, Sydney. The scrolls are made using milk and cream and is then poured onto a -20 degree cold plate mixed with your choice of fillings from strawberries to M&M's. The mixture is then chopped up, flattened into a pancake and rolled into four scrolls.
LeeLoo, Tommy H, Princess Fiona and Sherry Lane visited this trending place yesterday. A large cup of icecream scrolls is only $8.00. We decided on chocolate icecream with chocolate biscuits and fresh strawberries topped with a drizzle of strawberry sauce.
It's so much fun watching the icecream chef in action!
You will have to find a spot to eat it because there are no tables available. The best spot is probably somewhere in World Square on the side benches.
Overall
Icecream scrolls are the new biggest thing in Sydney and I highly recommend you check it out quick before the lines get too long. It's so much fun to watch the scrolls being made and the best thing is that you can customise your fillings - there's everything imaginable from brownies to jelly so let your creativity run wild!
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Bombay Street Kitchen is located conveniently opposite Victoria Park along Broadway, and is also near to a number of other notable places, including the University of Sydney and Broadway Shopping Centre. It may be a bit unfamiliar to some people frequenting the area, as it used to be a pub (a very contrasting place). Now, it has been changed to a rather homely Indian restaurant, presented in the fashion that one would expect from a family-run institute.
The décor is reasonably simple, but one particular feature that makes it stand out from the rest of the stores around it is the adornment of fairy lights all around the outdoor dining area, which gives it a pretty cool starry night feeling in the evening – very much akin to the kind of atmosphere of outdoor street level dining. They are reportedly working on increasing some of the Indian imagery in and about the restaurant, so very much a “watch this space” impression so far.
As we don’t often have Indian food, we asked for some recommendations in terms of food and drink. We were also keen on trying some new, unique and different food items – those that can’t necessarily be readily found at other restaurants. We ended up having a lot of interesting dishes to eat…
We started with the Pani Poori, an interesting “pocket” entrée stuffed with an array of ingredients that gave it bags of flag. The potatoes and chickpeas gave it some body, giving the spices and chutney a bit more body. This was served with a mint chutney and tamarind water, which can be scooped into a small opening in the pocket to taste. We ended up putting a lot of it in, which really lifted the flavour, and gave it a wonderful pop. We couldn’t manage to pop it whole into our mouth; instead, we savoured it over numerous bites – but beware, it can break in your hands because the pocket pastry is very delicate!
Our second entrée was the Koliwada Prawns (popcorn prawns). This was definitely something that we were aiming to try: a dish was is unique and interesting. The prawns themselves were small and delicate, but they were equally fried into a crispy with the most delicate batter that I’ve ever seen. It was done with finesse; the batter was very light, but had just that sharp bit of spice. By way of contrast, it was also served with a side of lemon scented yoghurt, which was also fantastic. They complemented each other perfectly, and again the lemon scented yoghurt was not something that I had tried before. I couldn’t get enough of it!
For our mains, we ordered two curries to be served with lemon rice and garlic naan. We also got a small bowl of Basmati rice at their recommendation in order to try and contrast it with the lemon rice.
Firstly, the Lasni Kolambi – the prawn curry – was a very different prawn dish to that served in the entrée. The garlic flavour packed a punch, and fortunately, this was given a substantial amount of consideration as the curry sauce itself wasn’t particularly spicy. Coriander and tomato balanced the spice out. The prawns served here were much bigger than that of the entrée, as befitting a main. The main difference, I think, with prawn curry and something like beef or pork is that its meat can’t easily be pulled apart, which makes it more important to have a curry of slightly thicker consistency, as it can’t really seep in between strands or layers. This fit the bill perfectly, and we lathered the curry sauce atop the prawns generously, which we highly recommend.
The other curry we had was a vegetable one. Eggplant is one of our favourite vegetables. Served in curry, it really absorbed the flavours really well. The texture of eggplant serves a curry well; in this case, the consistency of the curry was slightly lighter than that of the prawn, but stronger in flavour. Personally, I preferred this curry to be served with the Basmati, whilst the prawn curry seemed better suited for the lemon rice.
We also got a side of Poriyal of green beans, which was served with coconut, capsicum and mustard seeds. It was good to have something non-curry to balance out the table. The coconut and mustard seed flavours were quite subtle, which was good. Adding curry onto this and rice helped to dilute the flavour of the curry, which could potentially otherwise be overwhelming if consumed too excessively. A good suggestion to have this as an accompaniment.
Out of all naans, our favourite has always been garlic, because the garlic flavour lends itself very well in a bread: by chewing on the bread, more and more of the garlic flavour gets released, reaching critical mass in your mouth. This garlic bread was done excellently: a fluffy bread of good thickness without an overwhelming garlicky scent. Another suggestion would be to dip this into any remnant curry that hasn’t already gone into the rice!
Lemon rice was pretty cool: the lemon flavour was rather subtle, but managed to permeate its way through each mouthful. As mentioned above, this was better suited to have the subtler curry, than the stronger one, because it might not be a good idea to have the unique lemony flavour of the dish to be washed out by the strength of the curry. Notably, this is served in a pretty massive bowl – so advice would be to share this, if possible!
To go with these foods, we also ordered an Indian fizzy drink called Limca to try it out. It was fascinating: essentially like an Indian 7-up or Mountain Dew, but somewhat different as well, as it had a really sharp lime taste as well. Quite unique, and good to have with servings of spicy foods!
Though we were very full already from all of those foods, we knew we just had to order an Indian dessert. We eventually decided on the Mango Kulfi, which is a homemade mango icecream with almonds and cardamom crumble. Mango is in season right now, so what better way to celebrate than by having a dessert with it. It was very obviously handmade: its texture was very different to store-bought products. Its consistency as slightly less creamy compared to Western ice-cream, but less icy compared to south-east Asian ice-cream: a unique texture somewhere in the middle, kind of like a softer ice-block. This was important, as it allowed the cardamom to be retained on the surface, but also not be too firm as to ruin its flavour. The cardamom spice, at first, confused our palate: was this supposed to be a savoury dish? After we got used to it, we appreciated its flavour even more: a smooth, well-executed dish that melted slowly in our mouth, bringing with it a very different, sharp flavour that lingered for ages afterwards.
Overall
Bombay Street Kitchen is a really cool, new restaurant to try. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to try a lot of its dishes, but all of the ones that we had tried come highly recommended. We also suggest getting one of the different rice bowls, instead of just the Basmati rice – however, if you order a really strong curry, it might be a good idea to pair it with such a plain rice, or one of the subtle naan breads. Entrees, mains and desserts are all designed to be shared, which gives it an even more compelling reason to go in a big group. Its location is reasonably close to the University of Sydney, so students there are also urged to give it a go. Otherwise, it’s also not too far from Broadway Shopping Centre, which would be an alternative parking spot. Can’t wait to go back and try some of their other dishes!
Location
Address: University Hall Building, Corner of Glebe Point Road and, Parramatta Rd, Sydney NSW
Phone: (02) 9660 3726Webste:
http://www.bombaystreetkitchen.com.au/
Tommy H and LeeLoo dined as guests of Bombay Street Kitchen
For more photos please visit: http://www.droolworthyworld.com/#!Square-Peg-Cafe-Coogee/c1h7x/5688a2670cf236d403965095
Following a beautiful coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee, LeeLoo and her friends ended up at Square Peg Cafe, a quaint and homely cafe not far from Coogee Beach. Square Peg Cafe is a favourite among locals for their good food, good coffee and all-round good vibes. The staff are incredibly friendly and accommodating.
It's a rather cosy cafe with just a few seats inside along a high table and scattered tables for outdoor seating. Although it was quite busy when we arrived, we managed to find space for all 6 of us to sit comfortably.
It's a rather cosy cafe with just a few seats inside along a high table and scattered tables for outdoor seating. Although it was quite busy when we arrived, we managed to find space for all 6 of us to sit comfortably.
Good Morning Coogee Juice $8.00
A fresh blend of my favourite fruits including watermelon! Perfect following our walk from Bondi to Coogee.
Iced Mocha and Double Espresso Milkshakes
The iced coffee milkshakes came in retro aluminium milkshake containers giving off a rather hipster vibe.
Something Fishy $12.00
The beer battered fish burger was so delicious. The fish was not heavily battered which made for a much healthier lunch. The chilli lime mayo dressing was absolutely divine and the acidity complimented the fish beautifully.
Porky Peg $16.00
This classic BLT cheeseburger was incredible! The Angus beef patty was cooked perfectly and went very nicely with the double smoked bacon and house made aioli.
Grilled tofu burger $14.00
The tofu patty was infused iwth honey soy and seasame flavours. The beetroot relish, smashed avo and humus created a very exotic mix of flavours and textures. A very healthy and delicious vegetarian lunch option.
Portobello mushroom burger $14.00
The portobello mushroom burger was yet another delicious vegetarian burger option. It came with grilled eggplant and zucchini as well as haloumi although the flavour of the haloumi was not quite so prominent and got lost in all the other elements of the burger.
The coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee is definitely a must for anyone looking for a nice way to spend your weekend with friends or family this Summer. Absolutely stunning views!
Overall:
Square Peg Cafe is a local favourite amongst Coogee dwellers with great coffee, delicious food and excellent service. They have a wide range of burger options for lunch including two healthy and delicious vegetarian options - tofu and mushroom. Their fruit juices blends are incredibly refreshing as are their iced coffees. Truly a beautiful and relaxing way to enjoy the weekend!
For more photos, check out the website at http://www.droolworthyworld.com/#!Max-Brenner-Sydney-CBD/c1h7x/566e285c0cf23910687a0762
In my mind, Max Brenner has always been the restaurant chain that popularised the concept of ‘dessert cafes’. The bald man has been with me since childhood and I have always been obsessed over its delicious and addictive dessert treats. The cafe has even followed me through to university, with a Max Brenner cafe conveniently located within my university. I regularly visit this cafe, catching up on my readings over a smooth and silky cup of hot chocolate.
i was truly excited to hear that Max Brenner was offering a special Christmas menu, and that the staff wanted to me to sample the treats on offer! I was blown away by their creativity of their creations with the dessert aficionados creating three specialties to celebrate this festive season.
The first treat on the table was the “Hammer Time”. As the name suggests, the dessert came complete with an adorable little hammer to accompany the giant hemisphere of chocolatey goodness. It was rather difficult to smash, as the chocolate coating seemed to be refrigerated for some time. After this slight struggle, we successfully smashed our way through the chocolate. It revealed fluffy honey meringue with rice crispie base.
Eggnog is a quintessentially Christmas treat, so it was very appropriate to have this dish on the Christmas menu. Max Brenner did a slight variation of the traditional egg nog by incorporating a rich chocolate ganache. The cinnamon spices were strong in this drink, which helped to enhance the overall flavour.
The final drink was the Candy Crush Cane Milkshake. My friends and I thought this dish had a very inventive name, playing homage to the popular game and alluding to the ingredients (most likely crushed candy canes). It really tasted like candy cane, just in a liquified form! It was a very sweet and condensed drink, so best share this dessert with a couple of friends as there’s simply no way one single person can drink the entire thing!
Overall
This limited options truly epitomise the Christmas spirit! They are sweet, decadent and best shared amongst friends and family. The Hammer Time is a fun and entertaining treat, with the miniature hammer a truly unique addition to dessert. The crazy milkshakes were packed full of flavour, and I particularly liked the eggnog milkshake. I would highly recommend any of these treats, for the taste but also for the novelty! Hurry because this Christmas menu ends on the 31 December 2015. You don’t want to miss out.
>> Little Saigon Plaza 462 Chapel Rd, Bankstown NSW 2200
>> Verdict: Yummy in My Tummy 😄
>> Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
>> Diners: LeeLoo, Kannibal
For more photos, visit our website at http://www.droolworthyworld.com/#!Kanzi-Fashion-Cafe-Bankstown/c1h7x/567f56810cf2c2b779926cc8
Kanzi Fashion Cafe, as the name suggests, is both a cafe and a clothing fashion store. It's a unique combination but it works with numerous stores popping up all over Sydney. We've previously been to another branch in Chinatown reviewed here. It's the best spot for dessert after dinner with a huge selection of cakes, pastries, drinks and icecreams.
The decor is very modern with an edgy industrial style design complete with ambiant drop lighting. There's even an outdoor area but it was rather chilly that evening so we opted for indoors. We gravitated towards the cushy and colourful sofa at the entrance.
You order and pay at the counter to receive a table number. Sadly, there were a lot of desserts on the menu which were not available that night. The cafe is newly opened so they still have some creases to iron out.
Green Tea Mousse Cake
The green tea mousse cake came adorned with an adorable mini-matcha flavoured macaron on top! This was nice and light with a fluffy sponge base.
Chocolate mousse cake
The chocolate mousse cake was very rich with a dense chocolate mousse inside. It was adorned with a cute mini chocolate waffle roll on top.
Overall
Kanzi Fashion Cafe is a nice place to relax and enjoy some tasty desserts after dinner. There are plenty of spots to visit inside Little Saigon Plaza for dinner including Chefs Gallery and Lakai Noodle Restaurant and it's a fantastic idea to follow up with some cakes and drinks from Kanzi. You can even do some shopping for clothes along the way! They even do savoury items such as burgers, toasted sandwiches and ham & cheese croissants. I defintely want to return for the honeydew bingsu!
For more photos, check out our website at http://www.droolworthyworld.com/#!Niigata-Japanese-Restaurant-Sydney-CBD/c1h7x/567f69040cf2c2b779927634
Niigata is a quaint Japanese restaurant located busy Sussex St and is aptly named after a coastal city in Japan. The serve the classic Japanese favourites from takoyaki to teriyaki chicken. The decor is simplistic and neat decorated with Japanese style furnishings.
The best thing about Niigata is that it is Japanese owned and run which means you are guaranteed an authentic experience. In true Japanese fashion, you are greeted by the Japanese staff as you enter this humble restaurant.
Agedashi Tofu $6.50
Fried tofuThis was a delectable dish and one of LeeLoo's all-time favourites.The contrasting textures of the fluffy tofu interior to the dried fish flakes creates a unique and mouth-watering experience.
Takoyaki $6.50
Seafood puff
Takoyaki is again always a winner but when you've experienced the Friday Night Noodle Market Takoyaki balls in Chinatown, it's really hard to find a restaurant that lives up to these standards. Still a decent effort on taste and texture.
Tonkatsu Tamagotoji $11.60
Deep fried pork cutlet with egg
This is a Chefs recommended dish. This dish came out steaming hot so be careful with your first bite not to burn your tongue. The crumbed pork cutlet was crunchy but softened nicely in the hot broth. There was lovely gooey egg intermixed in the sauce adding a nice texture. A classic and favourite!
Chicken Katsu Curry $13.50
Deep fried chicken cutlet with rice and minced beef curry
Crumbed chicken cutlet is another favourite of mine. The curry had an intense flavour from the minced beef and the pickles on the side added a nice tang.
Overall
Niigata is a great choice for casual lunch or dinner in the city. Their Japanese food is authentic and delicious with a wide selection of classic dishes. Highly recommend the Tonkatsu Tamagotoji and Agedashi Tofu. The decor is simplistic and tidy, only issue was that the tables were rather small as we struggled to fit everything on our table for two. Partly due to their very generous plates and servings so shouldn't complain.
>> LocationAddress: 5/19-21 Grosvenor St Neutral Bay
>> Italian Street Food
>> Website
>> Dined as guests
For more photos, visit http://www.droolworthyworld.com/#!Italian-Street-Kitchen/c1h7x/564071430cf2708e0011ac07
Italian Street Kitchen recently opened in Neutral Bay, brought to you by the Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, the same minds behind Ribs & Burgers and The Meat & Wine Co - places known for their authenticity and very thematic restaurants. Italian Street Kitchens is marketed as an authentic Italian experience of eating and sharing. Not really being Italian ourselves and having never been to Italy, it was different for us to gauge whether or not this was the case: but we brought along our imagination to this tasting session, keeping in mind what it would probably be like in the streets of Italy.
The set up is reasonably compact, with tables situated reasonably close to each other, likely due to the floor plan of the restaurant, which requires the kitchen and food prep area to take up much of the space. But there were two good points about that kind of floor plan: first, closer tables means that it resembles that of a "street" dining type of atmosphere; and second, it allows us to view the kitchen with impugnity. What we saw in the kitchen was quite pleasing: lots of scrumptious dishes being freshly prepared for us. A lot of the meats were hung on racks, very similar to a marketplace, and hence in this way, it was a good embodiment of street food culture.
As per the goal of the restaurant, we were given plates to share the food with. The cutlery and table ware was very clean; we were also given fresh knives and forks after each course, which was good to avoid mixing the flavours together. The table themselves were reasonably big, but so were the plates. As you may have experienced before, many Italian dishes a big, such as tasting platters, pasta dishes and pizza plates. A bigger table is almost essentially for this type of cuisine, so luckily the courses were presented separately with clean up in between.
The rosé that was served with the entreés was a pleasant, fruity and aromatic drink. Served optionally with a green olive and slice of orange, it was a great palate cleanser and a great way to start the night.
Salami Board
Prosciutto, Salami Casalingo, Mortadella, Bresaola served with Parmesan, olives and cherry tomato & rosemary focacciaThe antipasto began with the salami board. The meats were very flavoursome and slice perfectly thinly. In particular, the prosciutto is a classic and highly characteristic Italian flavour that oozes with flavour. The salami was a bit of a "harder" taste, and much tougher, even sliced so thinly: not really for everyone but quite good to follow the softer meats. The olives were another highly, due to their interesting marinade that had chilli, garlic and a herbaceous fennel taste. Very addictive.
Arancini
Roasted pumpkin, smoked Provolone, Parmesan, thyme and panko crumbThen, we were served the fried items: the arancini, fried cheese and calamari. The arancini is another very typical Italian dish. It was served boiling hot, which was great: upon opening it up, stringy cheese oozing out, but still bound together with roasted pumpkin. It was very nice: thick, sticky and fulsome.
Fried Cheese
Fior Di Latte, Parmesan, Champagne ham, basil and panko crumb
The fried cheese ball, on the other hand, was less favourable in our opinion. It had a very strong flavour, and even more cheese - were that even possible! - compared to the aracini. Perhaps it's better if it was one or the other, rather than both, because it was simply so heavy. The addition of basil and ham was an intelligent idea: we would have preferred more of that though because it really brought a lot more balance, but perhaps still not enough to overcome the cheesiness of the dish. It was advertised correctly - maybe too much so, and probably most suited to the most ardent cheese lover.
Calamari
Flour dusted and fried, served with fresh lemon and aioli
Calamari was the last antipasto to be served. It was much lighted than the fried cheese, which was a good change after the fried cheese. The use of aioli was good - what can we say? It was smooth and pleasant.
After that, we were served the mains. At this point, the rosé was taken away and replaced by a red and a white wine for the mains.
Buffalo Margherita
Buffalo mozzarella, Parmesan and basil
The mains were served together. Firstly, a buffalo margherita pizza. To me, this was my favourite dish of the night. It really embodies the best of Italian food: fresh and simple ingredients combined together to form a cohesive unit in every single mouthful. The crust was nice and thin, and hence, didn't feel very heavy. There was a perfect blend of mozzarella, parmesan and basil - sweet and bitter in one. Although it was a vegetarian dish, it really didn't feel like one. Beautifully made.
Rigatoni Amatriciana
Pork cheek, pecorino cheese, cherry tomato in Napoli sauce
The rigatoni amatriciana is an example of a dish that I would not be able to make at home, and have rarely tried outside. It combines a number of different components that are not really the main types of cuts or types that I normally have, but by virtue of its uniqueness, it was a very interesting and oddly pleasant dish to share as well. The reason why I say to share is best is because its Napoli sauce is reasonably strong in flavour: say, in contrast to a more subtle pizza - yes, in this case the pizza had a subtler flavour - it was quite powerful and would make it prone to overpowering the flavours from other dishes. Due to the shape of the pasta, the sauce was everywhere: on top and within, making each mouthful of pasta presenting with an equal amount of sauce, augmented by its extra internal surface area.
Oven Baked Gnocchi
Home-made semolina gnocchi baked in bechamel and Napoli sauce with Parmesan, buffalo mozzarella and basilWe were told that the gnocchi was uniquely made: its size and shape were a testament to that. It had a very soft texture, but also slightly grainy, by virtue of the sauce and other components. Interestingly, it contained the same main flavours as both of the above dishes: the sauce, and the cheese and basil. However, it was a bit confusing in that respect. I think I would have preferred one or the other; hence, it was not quite as memorable as the awesome pizza that came before it.
After that, we had our second main course. But we were just so full already - quite a feast so far.
Wood-Fired Oven PorkTraditional wood-fire roasted Roman pork belly
The wood-fired oven pork was a centrepiece dish; guests had already eyed it lustfully at the beginning. The pork belly was very nicely cooked - great effort there. There were some subtle herbs padded at the base which added an interesting razor sharp flavour near that area. There was a very nice smoky flavour - maybe not for everyone, but I quite liked that. The slice was also perfect for that purpose: not too thick and not too thin - just right.
Radicchio, fetta cheese, fennel, Kalamata olive and lemon oil dressing
The fresh salads were a welcome change from the dishes that preceded it which had mainly consisted of fried or baked foods. I think I preferred the rocket salad. It had a subtler flavour, which was, again, a welcome change from the sauce heavy primi dishes. I think maybe if this had been served with the primi it would have enhanced the dishes and made a great complementary serving.
Tiramisu
Traditional layered espresso dipped savoiardi biscuits, Marsala and mascarpone cream
Cremafritta
Italian custard creme, fried and dusted with icing sugar. Served with chocolate gelato
Desserts were served to wrap up the night. Both of them were fantastic, but I think I preferred the tiramisu. It was to die for: the layers were all excellently defined and textures were beautiful. The expresso flavour really shone through as it should: a very well-thought out dessert. The cremafritta was another deep fried item: unfortunately, I had had quite enough of that up until that point. But fortunately it was served with a chocolate fondue, which presented a nice balance overall, to finish up the night.
Overall
We had a good night at Italian Street Kitchen. Based on the dishes of the night, we can see their vision of designing authentic Italian street food designed to be shared. Indeed, we believe that their dishes are optimal when shared in a group of at least 4. Many of their flavours are very strong, and some of them are even niche, which isn't a bad thing, but, as mentioned, best to share in a large group in case there's someone who, say, can't have too much cheese, or too mcuh smoky flavour, or whatnot. What flavours it advertises, it does very, very well. I imagine, in particular, those who enjoy cheesy and saucy flavours will have an especially good time. The highlights to me were actually the deceptively simple dishes: the salami board, pizza and tiramisu. Although overtly they were simple, the thought that went behind them was incredible. As another suggestion for other diners, we would recommend ordering dissimilar dishes; for example, the arancini and fried cheese balls were very similar, and having one means that the other becomes less special.
ONE Tea Lounge has a rather unassuming exterior, being located along York Street in the busy Sydney CBD. With a narrow entrance and general floor plan, it resembles a more typical Izakaya bar or something similar, rather than a larger grill or restaurant like Kobe Jones or Masuya.
Even as we walked in, the ambience was mixed: a dimly lit setting with a variety of tables, lounges and bar seats (hence the name) with a - honestly, FANTASTIC - classic mix of 70s, 80s and 90s music playing in the background. We loved the atmosphere, as it brought back fond memories of our childhood. Indeed, it would make sense to target an audience of this age group: the consumers who probably represent a large proportion of the typical city worker demographic. And it showed, as the rest of the diners on the night were around the 20s and 30s age group. But that's not to say that it's not appropriate for older age groups - for that, we'll let the food speak for itself.
The tables were broad and spacious, and chairs comfortable. We were seated in the back section, which was really quite close to the kitchen. We could see a bit into the kitchen and food prep area and saw that it was pleasantly very clean and well-organised: both good signs of a good and reputable institution.
After we were seated, we were given the dinner menus (note: the dinner and lunch menus are very different. In particular, there are no full-on burgers on offer for dinner, but instead, sliders are presented in groups of 3). We were told that sharing would be the way to go, and to try and order different, complementary flavours. Prior to that, we had actually already searched online, and found that ONE Tea Lounge & Grill offers a wide range of incredibly theatrical dishes, all of which we wanted to try (but sadly couldn't because we just couldn't fit it all!). So, we settled on one slider each, a few tasters to share, two mains and some drinks and dessert. How did we fare with those?
The ONE Tea Experience
Many people recommended this to us, and so we just had to try this out: essentially a cocktail that has been infused with a number of traditional Japanese flavours including green tea, and a very pleasant floral fragance (rose). It was very calming. In addition to that, we got the Matcha Wheel, which kicked off the theatrics for the night: a ferris wheel with 8 nests that each held a cup of the cocktail, spinning around abed a lake of dry ice. LeeLoo, for someone who doesn't really like alcohol, found the ONE Tea Experience a great one, in part because it was just so integrated with a variety of sweeter flavours and fragances which made it far more palatable.
Time to grab a shot!
Sliders
The sliders were one of my favourites of the night, if for no other reason but the fact that you could mix and match your flavours. They offered three different "buns" and four fillings. We couldn't go past their famous ramen burgers, and of course their specialised Matcha baogers. For fillings, we ordered one of each, which allowed each of us to sample a flavour. We couldn't, unfortunately, try all of them - simply because there was too much else to each (so that leaves some room for our next visit!).
I had the Ramen Burger and Wagyu Beef, and the Ramen Burger and Braised Pork Rib. Both of them were excellent and top quality. I've never really been that convinced of Ramen Burgers for a few reasons: firstly, it needs to be a bit sticky in consistency to maintain its shape; secondly because of the slightly chewy texture that I'm not fond of in "bread"; and thirdly, it can taste a bit oily. These slides, fortunately, were none of those things. I think because of their small size, they were mouthfuls of flavour, rather than a long drawn-out bad movie that's oily and seemingly neverending. In particular, the sliders was flavoursome, as its juices were able to fully saturate the Ramen "Burger". The meat patty was just big enough to not be cumbersome.
I think I preferred the Wagyu, though the Pork was equally delicious. The reason why I prefer the Wagyu is because its consistency felt nicer to me in combination with the Ramen Burger; I think the Pork would be better suited for the Matcha Baoger. However, in terms of flavour, all of the combinations that we tried were spot on.
Gyokuro smoked octopus avocado
This was served in a very theatrical fashion, with a transparent cloche over the top which concealed the contents in a thick and mysterious white fog. Upon opening, it slowly dissipated, leaving behind a residual smoky flavour which permeated the dish. It was a diced octopus and avocado mix, with a pleasant hint of smokiness that was not too overpowering. The combination of textures was fantastic: the slight chewiness of the octopus contrasted well with the softness of the avocado. The tea flavour was quite subtle, but did remind us of tea-smoked duck, which is a traditional Asian cuisine. Very nice, since we don't like the overpowering flavours that much.
Matta Lattes
Super adorable matcha lattes with teddy bears and hearts. These were infused with a subtle matcha flavour and were warm with a creamy texture.
Salmon tartare
At my insistence, we went for the Salmon Tartare. The reason why I asked for it is because I often use raw salmon as a surrogate measurement for freshness of ingredients at restaurants - and at ONE Tea Lounge, it was impeccable. It was extremely fresh, on par with the likes of other highly reputable restaurants like Masuya. Just like the dish above, it was essentially diced, mixed in with avocado, cucumber and tobiko, served in actually a glass that resembled that of a parfait. To keep it old, the glass was set upon a bed of ice as well. This was a very smart decision as it kept it chilly and fresh, rather than letting it settle down to room temperature where salmon often obtains a stickier consistency. A very fresh and pleasant dish.
Popcorn curry chicken
The popcorn here refers to the far that it's still on the bone, but bared at the bottom to let you hold it like a lollipop. The chicken was well cooked, and the curry flavour wasn't too strong - good for people who often don't eat curry. The type of curry used was more like the Japanese type of curry, rather than Indian, which meant that it was slightly sweeter, rather than spicy. It was contrasted with the addition of green tea lime mayo sauce, which provided a nice sweet balance. Again, the green tea flavour was quite subtle.
One "takocini"
A creative fusion of takoyaki (octopus balls) and arancini balls, this was a match made in heaven, a perfect combination of flavours and textures. Takoyaki was arguably the more flavoursome of the two components, but the arancini provided a slight starchy texture and consistency that bound them better together, as takoyaki can sometimes separate. The bonito flakes hearkened its Japanese roots, and added a bit of fishy flavour to it. It was served with a very nice sweet green tea mayonnaise. The green tea flavour here was slightly stronger than that of the popcorn curry chicken, but it was because the takoyaki needed a strong complement, otherwise it would have almost no effect. A fantastic dish.
Matcha fries
The obligatory order of matcha fries! Here we had the option of a number of different seasonings; in keeping with the theme, we asked for green tea salt, which, as above, had a much stronger flavour, which was quite necessary. Shoestring fries are quite a staple in this kind of environment, and these lived up to expectation for sure.
Edamame
Another classical opening dish in a Japanese bar (and again why I said initially that it reminded me of an Izakaya). There was a choice of dressing, and this time we opted for something different: Sambal miso. It was actually reasonably spicy - no surprises there with Sambal! The idea behind edamane is to put it in your mouth and sort of squeeze down to pop the peas in; the seasoning or dressing on the skin of the pea is there to provide an extra bit of flavour. The Sambal miso was very nice, and a great choice, I reckon, since we didn't have many other spicy dishes in the nice. Great value for money, with a creative sauce.
Lava stone grill - Seafood Selection
Since we didn't opt for the lava Wagyu, we got the seafood selection instead. This was essentially a really hot stone, upon which you place your seafood, which comprised of fresh salmon, tiger prawns and scallops. I see why they would pick tiger prawns; king prawns would simply not fit on the stone grill! It was more than sufficient though, and all of these were clearly very fresh produce. The nice thing about a stone grill is that it's a relative slow but direct heat, which made for very good even cooking, necessary to get the salmon and scallops right. It was served with three dipping sauces. Yakiniku is a more traditional flavour that's served at Japanese bars and grills. I think that the green tea hollandaise was the most interesting because it was different to the other types of sauces that I've had at other grills. That's because the seafood itself doesn't often have its own characteristic flavour (except the prawns - they were exuding flavour!), and hence something stronger like a hollandaise is a nice complement.
Flaming Wagyu Volcano - 9+ Wagyu Beef 180gm
The piece de resistance! A theatrical display of a volcano erupting from the middle of the stone plate! It was smartly trickled down a "funnel" of onion rings, which then made the flames shoot upwards, before dissipating to cook the beef beneath. The quality of Wagyu beef couldn't be disputed: it was fantastic as well. One of the strengths of presenting Wagyu like this is that it's in bite-sized pieces, which really brings out the softness of the beef. It didn't have a "wild" taste, which makes it more palatable for people who aren't fond of that flavour. The wasabi sauce as a complement is a tried-and-true combination, and here it paired excellently. And of course, enoki is always a good nice for fungi with this type of beef: small and stringy to not overpower the texture of beef. Worth it - for the flavours and for the show.
After all of that food, we ordered some more drinks and dessert... But was it a smart choice?
Matcha Test Tubes
Again, this came highly recommended for both flavour and show. As we weren't the keenest of drinkers, we ordered them non-alcoholic, and they were substituted appropriately with an interesting blend of matcha and popping candy. Again, the dry ice was used liberally to create another air of mystery. The tubes were initially hard to drink because of the nature of the lip, but once you get going, just like the popping candy, it just doesn't stop!
Tofu white chocolate cheesecake
This was a very pretty log, and a bit more peaceful compared to the other desserts and dishes of the nice. It had a lot of fresh berry and natural sweetness to it. Again, not too sweet, which was nice.
Ice cream Baoger
Much harder to eat than it looks! Essentially it's just the same Baoger but this time with an disc of ice cream within. We ordered black sesame and matcha flavours, both of which were very good, but again as a personal preference, I preferred the black sesame, which tasted very authentic and rich (a good thing for black sesame as it can often taste quite subtle). We found that a good way to eat it is just to use a fork to slowly break it down so that you get a bite of both Baoger and ice cream. If you eat it like a burger, you can risk dropping it and having nothing at all! The ice cream discs were actually very solid as well, so didn't really seep into the Baoger too much, creating a very distinctive separation of the two flavours, which was nice.
Matcha lava bomb
The theatrics continued with this dish: a white chocolate lava cake that was ceremoniously lit up in flames at the top. Again, there was an assortment of fresh fruit, sweet caramel and small waffle flakes on the side. It had a great texture and a melt-in-your-mouth core.
Matcha temple of heaven
It was only appropriate that this was the last dish to be served on the night. Regrettably, we were all pretty full by this stage, and hence weren't able to fully appreciate its glory. It also had some theatrical components to it: firstly, another dry ice show with a test tube thrust through the centre of the "temple" like a pillar; and secondly, the fairy floss around it that dissolved with the injections of sauce. The waffles were also infused with a matcha flavour, in keeping with the theme of the restaurant, and hence went pleasantly well with the ice cream, floss and strawberry at the bottom. By the end of the night, we were merely futilely poking away at the floss...
Check out the layers
Overall:
Admittedly, I had some doubts about Matcha infusion, because I'm not really someone who likes overpowering, extreme tea, alcoholic, caffeinated or sugary flavours. However, as described in all of the dishes above, the flavours were all very subtle. Matcha was instead used as a means to connect the dishes together into a cohesive theme, to bring out the natural flavours of the dish's components, or only very rarely to steal the limelight. ONE Tea Lounge & Grill presents excellent food, with a really great atmosphere (in particular for people who appreciate this kind of awesome music - and who doesn't?), and theatrics that are incredibly memorable. We could not fault the dishes tonight - only that we had ordered too much! The mains are really called that because of their components; really, I think that a couple would be appropriate to share amongst a large group while the rest of the dishes (around 2/3 maybe) should consist of the smaller dishes, just to get a variety of flavours. While each individual dish might appear small, by the time you've tried it all, you would undoubtedly be full.
ONE Tea Lounge & Grill is a great modern Japanese restaurant. It's great if you're in the city, and worth making the trek for, if you're after an atmospheric and memorable place for dinner. We will try to go there for lunch next time, and dinner again to try out some of their other dishes.
First opening its doors in Brisbane, Passiontree has truly taken Australia by storm. Given the enormous success of Passiontree Velvet in Macquarie Centre, this popular joint has opened another store in Sydney this time at the futuristic Chatswood Interchange. Droolworthyworld was invited to the exclusive grand opening to try out of their dessert specialties.
Exterior of Passiontree
Interior of Passiontree
Entering the store, they were greeted by interesting installation art. The most noteworthy piece was the half dozen white chairs that precariously dangled from the ceiling. The look of the place was simple, yet inviting. For a dessert spot, it was surprisingly large with lounges and chairs scattered everywhere.
Gourmet Gumbo and her two friends decided to grab macarons and tea to start. For $3 a pop, the macarons were well worth the price tag. Akin to the macarons served at the most exquisite patisseries in Paris, these sweets had the right balance of crunch and creamy filling. In true French fashion, they accompanied the macarons with “Paris tea” ($4.50). It was a great combination, as the Paris had a fruity aftertaste that complemented the sweets well.
Macarons $3 each
Next, they grabbed a Korean classic – Patbingsoo. There were three varieties of Patbingsoo on offer: berry, red-bean and green tea. Gourmet Gumbo and company decided to grab the Green Tea variation to maintain the Asian inspiration. The Patbingsoo was refreshing, with the shaved ice cooling the tastebuds with each bite. Atop the green-tea soaked shaved ice, the chefs incorporated almond flakes, green tea ice cream, red bean and cornflakes as toppings. It had fewer toppings than other Patbingsoo Gourmet Gumbo has eaten, which actually turned out to taste better. With fewer toppings, all the ingredients were able to shine so there wasn’t any compromise of flavour or taste.
Green Tea Patbingsoo $14.90
Finally to top of their dessert feast, they ordered the Chocolate Fondue as per the waiter’s recommendation. He was Belgium, so he obviously knew what he was talking about! The fondue came out in a gigantic platter filled to the brim with goodies. Instead of providing only one variation of chocolate like other cafes, the platter came with both dark and milk chocolate. They finished the dessert with smeared hands and chocolate-covered mouths but it was well worth the mess. For $24.95, patrons get sizeable portions with plenty of chocolate left over to tip their other treats into.
Chocolate Fondue $24.95
Overall:
Having just opened in Chatswood, Passiontree Australia is the newest hub for desserts. There are two main reasons why Droolworthyworld predicts Passiontree is going to be a crowd favourite amongst Sydneysiders. After eating dinner, everyone is always eager to find a spot to sit and chat while enjoying delicious dessert. Passiontree offers just that! It’s spacious enough to have an uninterrupted conversation, with a bright white look that’s at variance with a lot of other cafes. Chocolate cafes generally adopt a dimly lit ambiance that practically puts you to sleep, but Passiontree has youthful and vibrant décor that brightens you up! Moreover, Passiontree offers a versatile range of desserts that’s just perfect for any palette. Instead of simply serving one single variety of dessert, this joint has the entire spectrum of desserts from cakes to macarons to Korean dessert favourites. Patrons are bound to find something they love! :)
