Stress Relief: The Grace Hotel Seafood Buffet

Hello out there!  Sorry for the lack of updates- I’m still alive!!  The past few weeks have been quite hectic to say the least – second year uni has begun and my brain/body was/is still clinging on to the summer holidays for dear life! Full of lab hours and afternoon lectures, blogging time and foodie trips have been limited but I thought I would post a quick review as a break from all the scientific mumbo jumbo on nerves which have been sending me into a head spin.

The first weekend after resuming study had the family booked into ‘The Grace Hotel’s new ‘Seafood Buffet’ as a stress reliever.  What could be better than seafood to take my mind off the troubles of uni haha?! I was ‘slightly’ excited when I heard that the Brasserie would be providing my seafood loving tastebuds with an array of Sydney’s finest produce! After my fun and delicious experiences at The Grace Hotel for their ‘Flavours of…’ food festivals I felt reassured that my stomach would be in good hands!

As per usual the ‘salad station’ did not fail to impress, with a rather wide selection of cold salads, perfect for the awkward ‘it’s autumn but it feels like summer’ weather. My picks would have been the cabbage coleslaw, which was full of crunch and freshness, without being drowned out by a heavy dressing. If you’re looking for something slightly more ‘solid’ for your salads then the ‘Cous Cous with Pumpkin’ would be the way to go!
Oh and you surely won’t walk past this section of the lineage of food without picking up some mighty fine ‘King Prawns’ from a large bucket of ‘heaven’ (well in the eyes of any seafood lover). Combine the simple yet wonderfully fresh prawns with ‘Thousand Island’ sauce and I would have been quite content, but I didn’t want to miss out on the Mussels or Smoked Salmon which were both testament to Sydney’s fantastic seafood and the kitchen’s ability to bring out the best …from the best!

A tasty segue between salads and mains came in the form of a tomato seafood soup which was full of flavour and had me ready to tackle the next course!

When it came to the main course there were numerous options, even for those who want to opt for a non-seafood dish (…..no comment…….are you crazy?? Haha).
Lil’ Bro went for the ‘Roast Lamb’(which was unsurprising) and by his return for a second serving, I can safely say that he thoroughly enjoyed it!

My picks for the mains would be the ‘Steamed Ginger Barramundi with Chilli’ and ‘Pasta’ dish.
Normally, one would expect a steamed fish to be on the ‘no-go-zone’ of the buffet but having tried quite a few fish dishes at the Grace before, I knew that this was a must-try dish. The combination of ginger and chilli created a light yet flavoursome and appetising dish, that held no trace of ‘fishiness’; only the fresh taste of a well cooked, tender fish! Combining my two loves of chilli and fish, I was a happy seafood diner to say the least!

The Pasta is a fantastic option as a ‘break’ from seafood if need be. A few buffet experiences have led me to fear overcooked and lack lustre buffet pasta, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with this dish. The creamy pesto and sundried tomato combination made for a simple yet effective ‘carb’ dish – I may have scraped the plate clean…shhh!

I had already spied the vast array of mouth watering desserts as I lined up for the salads! I loved how the desserts were ‘mini’ cakes and thus easy to serve with no messy cutting up involved!! It may have also aided in the process of trying a majority of the options.
In terms of ‘top picks’ for the desserts, I have to say that competition was steep! Each miniature serving of goodness was not too heavy (perfect if you want to sample a few options) but definitely not boring for the tastebuds! In the end I would recommend just choosing your dessert based on your favourite flavours, but my picks would have been the ‘Cheesecake’ and anything ‘Berry’!

Oh and if that’s not enough to satisfy your stomach, the cocktail menu is being developed and updated! I can’t quite remember the names of these creations but the fruitier watermelon option was perfectly refreshing, while the banana and chocolate flavoured option was definitely my kind of cocktail…..mmmm…such a great flavour combination!!

All in all, for $45 pp, The Grace Hotel’s Seafood Buffet is definitely value for money! The food is fresh and the kitchen has brought out the best from Sydney’s fine produce. Yeah yeah, I know there weren’t any oysters (a little heartbreaking) BUT for the price paid, I was perfectly content with my prawns and barramundi! For seafood lovers looking to kick their craving in a comfortable and welcoming environment, make a trip to The Grace Hotel before this introductory promotion ends!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter!!

Ming xx

The End of Chinese New Year to The Beginning of Craziness

My how the fifteen days of Chinese New Year flew by this year.  I don’t think it was because we were particularly busy celebrating everyday as a family, but perhaps because individually our lives have begun to really restructure and return to reality, leaving our holiday mindset behind.  Though I admit this is more applicable to everyone in the family but me (I’m still on summer break), with Mumma’s work schedule showing no mercy and Lil’ Bro sitting his first set of HSC assessments, our celebration of this annual event revolved around the significant days, which luckily for us fell on weekends.  Working towards each date, the 7^th day, the people’s birthday and of course the 15^th and final day, punctuating Chinese New Year within hectic schedules really did make it pass with all the more haste.  Nevertheless, it was of course filled with good food planned by Mumma and I.

The last weekend of Chinese New Year was a rainy and cold one.  I took this as a sign to warm the soul with the goodness of oatmeal.  I had just bought an adorably sized pot from Peter’s of Kensington and was slightly overexcited at the thought of using it.  Thus came both Saturday and Sunday breakfasts of oatmeal.

Banana whipped vanilla and cinnamon oats topped with almond butter, coconut, a drizzle of honey and sliced banana.

Banana whipped vanilla and cinnamon oats topped with vanilla bean yoghurt, sliced banana, melted peanut butter, a sprinkle of wholewheat crumble, toasted coconut and a drizzle of honey.

Simple, healthy, delicious and comforting on cold weekend mornings.

Saturday night was the eve of the final day of Chinese New Year and this had really only just occurred to us that morning.  We had not booked a restaurant, Lil’ Bro was studying in his own world and Mumma was overworked from a long week.  Once again, Golden Century takeaway came to the rescue, providing a gourmet feast in the comfort of our own home.  Our stomachs were indeed satisfied and any stress on Lil’ Bro’s part was minimised as he refuelled for more study!

On the menu for the night was my favourite Fried Fish, the taste and texture of which I think no other restaurant can replicate – wonderfully crispy while retaining the flavour and tenderness of the fish, not to mention the flavoursome and appetising sauce and spring onions which complement the dish perfectly.

Not even the hyped Roast Duck at Mr Wong’s can replace that of Golden Century.  Although it was takeaway, the duck was absolutely perfect!  As I usually claim ‘ownership’ of the Fried Fish, Lil’ Bro was taken by the duck – in fact the whole family was, so I sneakily went to forgo some of the fish in a trade.  The skin was perfectly roasted with the fat rendered off, leaving a crisp layer encasing an extremely tender and flavoured meat, which had no hint of dryness!

After trying this dish on the first day of Chinese New Year, Mumma and I knew that the Soya Sauce Chicken had to be ordered again to finish the celebration.  It amazed me as to how tender and smooth the chicken meat was, with the sauce not dominating the star of this dish.  It was quite heavenly!

We even created our own ‘Kiong Yong’ – Ginger and Chilli Condiments to add to these dishes. Being the chilli fanatic that I am, I was quite the happy eater.

Sundays in my family are usually quite laid back and what I have begun to see as the day of cooking, appropriate for the final day of Chinese New Year.

Mumma boiled her wonderful Chicken Broth with Corn, Carrots, Vermicelli Noodles and Fish Lip.  In my mind, boiling soup is a sign of comfort, home and love.  Nothing can compare to such a nutritious and organic bowl of love to chase away the prospect of the weekend ending!

Mumma proceeded to state that we could now treat ourselves after such a healthy ‘entrée’, so we created an absolutely delicious ‘Toastie’ of Sharp Cheddar and Ham with Dijon Mustard.  I can never find a toastie comparable to one made at home.  Most of the time we attempt to do so, Mumma, Lil’ Bro and I (The Toastie Musketeers) are left rather disappointed.  Such a dissapointment occurred on my Saturday lunch with Mumma, while Lil’ Bro and Papa were at their boy’s basketball!

Although the ingredients at the new Pattinsons’ Pattiserie at Westfield Bondi Junction were indeed fresh and quality, it lacked the flavour and ended up rather dry.  However, our creation was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

wasn’t already enough food, my Auntie E who just returned from Kuala Lumpur brought with her an abundance of Chinese New Year ‘snacks’.  Who could pass up the authenticity and deliciousness of these wonderful munchables?!  For once I forgot the amount of calories and sinfulness in these yummies and gave in to the inevitable.

The perfection of the Peanut Cookies almost had us in tears.  They were melt in your mouth yet crisp, peanut butter tasting, yet slightly salty and sweet.  I was speechless.

Yes, we still managed to fit in dinner.  How could we not end the celebrations with a hearty home cooked meal?!  Our stomachs were satisfied with a simple Fried Lettuce dish, the standard and much loved Wagyu Beef and Grilled Salmon Belly and a new edition of Soya Sauce Chilli Prawns.

Grilled Salmon Belly, has become a usual suspect in our meals, with its super crispy and golden skin and melt in your mouth meat.  I think we have perfected the technique for this one!

Live Prawns from Central are a must try for any seafood lover in Sydney.  Somehow, they taste above and beyond the usual fishmarket variety and when cooked with soya sauce, chilli and a hint of garlic, something magical occurs.  I may or may not have ended up wiping the sauce up with a scoop of rice….

I must say that we ended Chinese New Year quite well this year, even though we were without our extended family.  Making an effort to cook and buy delicious meals, ensuring that we took the time to appreciate the tradition truly made this year’s ‘celebration’ more meaningful and left me very content.

On another note this is my last post before SECOND YEAR university begins tomorrow!  A decision to transfer to Medical Science has resulted in a rather hectic timetable and I didn’t think that was possible after my first year!  Please excuse me if there is a short hiatus/minimal posting.  I’ll hopefully still be instagramming (a hard habit to stop!), but bare with me as I find my feet and maintain balance and health as the craziness begins.  My goal is a find a way to keep everything in complete balance and find a way to integrate blogging into daily life.    Until next time!

Ming xx

Restarting and Rebuilding: Mero Mero, Kensington Peking and more

This week I was rather heartbroken.  No, there is no tragic love story to share.  In my mind it is something worse!  The recovery process of my external hard drive did not fair too well in the end and I ended up losing ALL and I mean ALL my photos, which I have taken over the last four years.  Yes, it’s seems obscenely petty to be whining and dwelling on this when there are so many bigger things in life, but in a way I feel like the memories of my graduation, 18^th birthday, family holidays and so forth have partially been lost.

Funnily enough when I think about it, this would not have happened say around 10 years ago.  I would have developed my photos and have had hard copies of them.  Oh how the convenience of technology has backfired on me.

Perhaps, I should take this as a sign??

It may be time for me to honestly start afresh and create new memories.  Maybe, it is a metaphorical disaster that is urging me to pursue something completely different this year.  Yes, it is rather sad that HSC English analytical techniques will forever run in my veins.  In all seriousness however, it is quite possible.  Perhaps I need to re-evaluate my goals?  Much pondering must be done now – quite appropriate really as this has coincided with a conversation I had with Mumma last night about what other options there were for me to pursue in my studies.

No matter, I hope 2013 will be a year, which I look back upon fondly and this whole shenanigans and (momentary) heartbreak will only be a miniscule fraction of the painting.

Moral of the story: NEVER EVER trust an external hard drive!!

Note to self: develop my favourite/most important photographs!

I don’t think I could have ended without a quick foodie-graph section!  I may as well start sharing some of these new memories with you all.  Here are a few of my eats of the week.
(Excuse some of the photo quality – I took a fair few of these on the go with my iPhone.)

Trips back to Sussex Street’s “Yummy Thai” for their delicious Fried Fish Set have become a weekly event!  Mumma and I went slightly crazy and ordered three different variations – Sweet Chilli, Lemongrass and Chilli and Chilli Basil.  We may have eaten all three between the two of us but it was hard to resist when fish is fried to perfection and it was in fact not overly filling!  I assume that the frying process renders off a lot of the fats etc, making the fish super crispy and light!  Our favourite still remains the Lemongrass and Chilli variant but the abundance of vegetables with the Sweet Chilli makes me quite the happy eater!

After hearing the sad fate of my photographs, I pulled myself together and headed to the city on Friday to run some errands for Mumma.  It was indeed a productive day and I treated myself to one of my favourite salads from Mero Mero located in Westfield’s Food on Five and my undisputedly favourite Soy Vanilla Latte from a hole in the wall Vietnamese joint on Clarence Street.  “Why is this Ming’s favourite salad?” you may ask.  Well, it’s “make your own salad” at Mero Mero and their ingredients are always fresh and full of flavour.  My usual combination consists of Baby Spinach, Avocado, Feta, Chilli, Pumpkin, Mushroom, Cucumber and Sundried Tomatoes topped with a Chilli Mayo Dressing.  It also helps when they provide a piece of soy and linseed on the side !

I am proud to say I returned home from the city with a brand new Phillips Juicer as well – a health kick for the family!  We’ve been on the juice wagon for the last month and it really does wonders when one is feeling a bit under the weather or stressed (and Lil’ Bro is certainly feeling that with the HSC ahead!)

After picking Lil’ Bro up from his very long English tutoring session after his first week of HSC assessments, a quick, simple, enjoyable and fulfilling Friday night dinner was in order!

Drunken Chicken

Crispy Duck

Shanghainese Nian Gao

Four Season Beans

Siew Mai

Kensington Peking is a deceptively great restaurant, which the family head to when in search of comforting Chinese fair, without having to face the chaos of Chinatown.  Must tries are their Drunken Chicken, which is so tender and wonderfully marinated, and their Crispy Duck, which can only be described as perfectly ‘crispy’ haha.  For the vegetable lovers, the Four Season Beans are what I think to be one of the best.  So don’t let the exterior of this restaurant fool you!

Stay tuned with my next post with photos from the last weekend of Chinese New Year!

P.S. I hope the new approach I’ve tried in this and the previous post of combining a few eats/events into one is being enjoyed.  Hopefully, I’ll be able to develop a style that doesn’t make everything seem too disjointed.

Ming xx

Friendship + Food: Bills and Mad Spuds

During high school, we undoubtedly form a close group of friends.  In my case, it was a group of friends that literally had every single class together – thank you 4 unit Maths!  I might add that our nightmarishly three hour long (not to mention afternoon) lessons were often hijacked by gourmet brownies, feta and sourdough – you name it, we had it to quell our stresses and overloaded brain capacities. When university started, we all headed our ways without a second thought, thinking that we would still see each other every other day considering some of us would be going to the same ‘big pond’ in which we were the ‘little fish’ again!  So with a few scattered across the state and the unexpectedly frantic new journey it was hard to really sit down and enjoy our once common breakfast/brunch dates.

This is where I begin to be so thankful for ‘Summer Holidays’.  Not only do I have time to really relax and unwind and take care of myself, but I have been able to set aside some much needed ‘catch-up’ and talk about everything and anything time.  More importantly, this time is actually enjoyed without the constant inkling that you have an assignment due or three quizzes next week – this is how my stress head works 99.9999% of the time!

P and I have always had a soft spot for anything Bills, so when our long overdue catch up came around we took a stroll down Queen Street to meet the delights of the famous Corn Fritters.  In the same course and university, we expected to see each other all the time, but timetables and subject choices decided otherwise and the most we saw of each other during semester was a wave across campus!

You can judge how enjoyed and required a catch up is when you’re still chatting, *cough* savouring their coffee *cough*, the café has cleared out and the kitchen staff are beginning to stand around aimlessly.  The best part however, was the absence of the staff attempting to push us out the door, allowing us to enjoy our close to three hour lunch!  The deco of Bills Woollahra is simply inviting and homelike, as if one was sitting around their own dining area which looks into a sun drenched courtyard – perfect for a relaxing meal.

How could I not take some foodie-graphs though? (Thanks for tolerating this P!)

The Papaya Series

The idea of ‘papaya’ has always had two connotations for me:

1. Singapore – super sweet and super cheap
2. Sydney – not fantastic and super expensive

Upon my return from Singapore the tables were turned….

Showered with an abundance of rock fruit upon my return from Singapore, such as my favourite Queen Peach I almost strolled past the papaya stand without a second glimpse.  Luckily for me I was shopping with Mumma who spied some ripe looking slices of papaya, so we took some home for a test run.  One word – heaven.  Ok, maybe a few more – “let’s go buy some more”.

I returned home with 2 of the juiciest, sweetest papayas that just tasted like summer!  With Mumma’s busy work schedule and the fruit aversion of Lil’ Bro and Pappa, I was ‘forced’ to tackle most of these babies by myself – such a hard task!

Part of my aim to establish a more healthy routine was breakfast.  During semester there is hardly enough time to really sit down and enjoy this meal, so I made a pact to cook up some delicious breakfasts in the time that I have now.  Papaya incorporated breakfasts?!  I was one happy, healthy girl!

Rolled oats with banana, sliced papaya topped with a dollop of Chobani Greek Yoghurt, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.

Papaya and cream cheese on toast – inspired by the Asian Papaya Milk smoothies!

(Complimented by Peanut Butter and Banana with Honey + Nutella )

Letting the papaya shine one its own, topped with Chobani Greek Yoghurt, Honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  This combination really brought out the best in the flavours of the papaya, especially with a drizzle of lemon juice.  The acidity really kicked the sweet and sour to a fresh, vibrant taste!

A return trip to the shops the next week was a sad one – the papaya season was short lived!  Until next year!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Hey all!  A BIG Happy Chinese New Year from me !  I had a wonderful weekend with my family and some close friends calling in “The Year of the Snake”.  What would be a celebration without the production of hearty meals that bring everyone together around the table.  Although we weren’t able to celebrate this important event with our family in Singapore , I think Mumma and I did a pretty good job in replicating the traditional reunion dinner and New Years Day meals.

Before, I present you all with the deliciousness of Chinese New Year I wish to present you with a “Hello It’s Ming” update since a new year calls for new ideas and goals.

Old and New Worlds: L’etoile Cafe + Tiong Bahru Bakery, Singapore

Forget the dichotomous phrase “do you want to hear the good news or bad news?” as today, good news has presented itself twice.

1. The fate of my holiday snapshots and the rest of my photo collection i.e. life is looking quite promising.  ‘Computer Doctor’ is doing his best and the drive is currently recovering, so I have my fingers crossed that I will soon be able to share a piece of Singaporean culture with you all through my ‘foodography’.
2. While I don’t have a large proportion of my holiday photos, I found the remaining snapshots on my camera memory card

While waiting for the final recovery of my photographs, I thought I would make full use of the photographs that I have now!  Funnily enough, the photos I found were of a number of my favourite and more interesting experiences in Singapore.

From the age of diapers through to awkward braces, I have never known Singapore for its ‘Western’ cuisine or its Café/Coffee scene.  Over the last two years or so I have started to pay more attention to the development and change in this wonderful city and its food scene has undoubtedly ‘reshaped’ itself.  Gone are the days of hawker meal followed by hawker meal and the inherently local cuisine!  Older suburbs of cultural heritage, which were once forgotten or taken for granted have been regentrified and thus we see the rise of modernity infused with traditional undertones.

A trip past my Ah Ma’s previous home, which holds many childhood memories for my brother and I was the perfect example of the arising change in the ‘Rangoon Rd’ vicinity – the old and worn walk up flat had been replaced with a modern condominium.  One can see these spurts of development surrounded by old shop houses that have also been given a ‘face-lift’ with repainted facades and new interiors.

The wonderful and informative dimension of Instagram, led me to remember a photograph I had scrolled past of ‘Letoile Café’ when we drove past Owens Rd, discussing and laughing about the ‘big change’ that we had missed over the last year away from Singapore.

“Letoile!” I exclaimed and pointed.
“You want coffee?” Pappa translated.

No response was required as I think the family knew that in my mind I was already sitting by the window sipping on a coffee!

The beautiful white façade of the shop-house converted into a café was a wonderful reminder of the past while the interior welcomed us into a new aspect of Singaporean culture.  Divided into two levels, the café had an old-school charm with mismatched furniture that echoed a different history and story for each piece.  I felt like the eclectic historical cultures of Singapore had been united in this humble shop house.

Mumma and I were immediately drawn to the hand-written and drawn menu, which was very sweet, adding personality to what could have been the standard café menu.

Being a family of coffee-drinkers, we were interested to see how the coffee would fair.  Pappa ordered his usual Latte, while Mumma and I decided to share an Iced Latte to cool down in the heat of the afternoon.  With the votes in, the verdict was very positive.  Pappa seemed to enjoy his Latte, which I did not bother trying as I was completely taken by the Ice Latte.  The coffee itself was extremely smooth with just enough kick that it struck a perfect balance with the milk.  Mumma commented that it wasn’t overly sweet, which we both appreciated as customers had the option to adjust sweetness to their preferred level, however we enjoyed the taste of the coffee so much that it was perfect without any additions!

With both a menu and dessert cabinet, I was given the difficult task of choosing something for us all to share.  Every option looked too good to resist, but the friendly lady behind the counter suggested something a little different – different is good!!  The Matcha Chiffon with Azuki Cream Cheese Icing was indescribable!  It still amazes me as to how the typical Asian dessert flavours can be incorporated into cake, a generally Western dessert.  This dessert is the definition of the cafe, with its Western (French) name L’etoile and Asian location –pure genius!  A perfect balance was struck between the flavours of Matcha and Azuki, which coexisted harmoniously.  Both Mumma and Pappa gave me the big thumbs up on my choice as we savoured each light and airy mouthful of chiffon coupled with the smooth texture of a subtle Azuki icing.  One word to describe this dessert??  ‘Bliss.’

Having a more ‘Western’ palate, Lil’ Bro opted for ‘Nutella Crepes’.  Since I can remember, his ‘go to’ breakfast has been “Nutella Bread”, so it was no surprise that this dessert was the lucky one!  I managed to convince Lil’ Bro to give us a sample and I could see why he grudgingly did so.  The crepes were wonderfully thin and light without the overpowering sweetness that is sometimes characteristic of this dessert.  The comforting taste of Nutella coupled with Banana only added to our enjoyment of this sporadic coffee break!

While it is not as hyped as other cafes around the island of Singapore, Letoile possesses understated beauty.  Its location in an area quite sentimental to my family and retained traditional and original façade parallels the continuous development of Singapore into its contemporary identity, which will always be underscored by its unique old-time charm.

Right now, all the focus is on “Tiong Bahru Bakery” by Gontran Cherrier -  a gourmet patisserie located in one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore.  It is surrounded by a cluster of lowrise homes and shop houses and the famous Tiong Bahru Food Market.  With more of these modern cafes popping up, Tiong Bahru, with the likes of the Rangoon Rd vicinity is undergoing rapid regentrification.  After hearing so much about this ‘hotspot’ this place was on my ‘must-go’ list.

Upon entering, the young professionals crowd was making full use of their weekend and a strong aroma of coffee infused with buttered pastry was in the air.  The canteen-like style of ordering resulted in rash decisions being made on which munchables we would order.  We decided upon the Almond Croissant, Vanilla Puff and a Chocolate Tart.  While the pastries were enjoyable, with nice flaky exteriors and unique flavours, I just wasn’t blown away – perhaps maybe because it had been overly hyped?  I much preferred the calmer ambience at Letoile, but nevertheless, it was a must-try this trip – I just had to see what all the fuss was about!!

Wow – Singapore has undergone quite a facelift, especially in its café scene.  The most remarkable part of this change is how the cafes still manage to maintain the local charm and tradition, which I have grown to love!

Melting Pot of Comfort and Joy: Sussex Street Food Centre

After spending a wonderful afternoon in the city catching up with ‘Wifey’, one of my closest friends, followed by the comedic interruption of Lil’ Bro who came to join in on our ‘chit chat’, it was time to meet Mumma and Pappa for dinner.  Lil’ Bro was abandoning us for dinner to meet up with some friends in the city, so as the remaining three; we went on the hunt for a simple yet tantalising meal.

Sydney’s food scene has really begun to grace the stomachs of its dwellers with an eclectic range of cultural delights.  With the ever growing hype surrounding ‘higher end’ dining and the café scene, it is comforting to know that there are still ‘foodie havens’ which can more than satisfy our cravings for comfort food while providing a myriad of authentic cultural choice

After following one of my favourite blog’s “Street Food”, I began to patronise ‘Sussex Street Food Centre’, which is definitely a melting pot for all things Asian.  All credit goes to this blog for pointing me in the direction of cheap and cheerful meals that are rather successful in picking me up from my ‘I miss hawker food’ and ‘uni stress’ moments. From Thai Boat Noodles to Vietnamese Pho, this South-East Asian food map is almost reminiscent of the typical food centre in Singapore or Malaysia.

It had been on my agenda to try ‘Yummy Thai’s’ Fried Fish, so I quickly directed all my attention to the wafting smells of lemon-grass and ginger as Mumma and Pappa began to survey the premises.  The number of Thai patrons ordering from this stall had me a little excited at the prospect of its authenticity.

Unspoken Tradition: Signorelli Gastronomia

Hello Sydney!  I am now back on the Sydney foodie scene and blogosphere; however I come baring sad news for the blog.  My hard drive containing all my foodie photographs has succumbed to a horrible fate and is no longer working.  I have sent it off to the ‘doctors’ to see if anything can be recovered but that means a large proportion of my holiday snapshots are ‘lost in transit’.  I was hoping to share with you some of my favourite eats of all time, festive feasting and much loved memories from my trip, but I am not sure if such an event will occur.  Fingers crossed that the photos can be saved!!

In the interim, while I anxiously await the news of my hard drive’s fate, I thought I would share my first Friday night family dinner in Sydney for 2013.  Every Friday, my family picks up a tired and hungry Mumma from work and either head straight to our favourite/staple restaurant Golden Century or to a new destination, which I have scouted out according to everyone’s food craving.  It is a time which we end our busy week (and maybe celebrate ‘FRIDAY’) as a family with the company and sharing of good food – an unspoken tradition.

The first 2013 Friday in Sydney, led us towards Pyrmont in search of Italian cuisine, which Lil’ Bro had his heart set on.  A bowl of hearty pasta and a cheesy wood-fire oven pizza had been overlooked on our stay in Singapore, as 99% of the time we opted to filled our bellies with the local cuisine – no regrets!  We headed down Harris St, planning to dine at The Stars @ Pyrmont; a quaint Italian joint, however the sweltering heat had us make a double take when we stepped into its non-air conditioned premises.  The 45degree heat was too much to handle and we just needed somewhere cool and comfortable.

Mumma had recently attended a function at Signorelli Gastronomia, which was just a stone-throw away and after hearing rave reviews about it over the blogosphere I made a beeline for the car and gave instructions to Pappa to take us to the air-conditioned bliss!

We arrived around 6.30pm to find the restaurant rather quiet for a Friday night, although we were a little early.  The restaurant has seating within its own premises, which spills out into the bright and airy lobby of the office building in which it is situated.  We were seated at a comfortable bunker in the lobby and immediately began our search through the menu.

The hunger silencers of bread were brought to the table and I could not resist the crunchy crusts accompanied by the airy and soft innards.  I have serious regret for not snapping a photo of these delights!  Ah the simple things in life!  Sometimes their enjoyment is emphasised by the company of loved ones and cherished routine.

Our hunger drew our eyes straight to the main courses – we wanted a hearty meal and we wanted it straight away!  Being our first time dining at the restaurant, there were too many wonderful pastas to single out just one; from ‘Hand Made Ravioli’ to ‘Squid Ink Linguine with Alaskan Crab Meat’ and the mysterious ‘Risotto of the Day’.  “The result of this wide selection?” you may ask.  Mumma, Pappa and I decided upon three pasta dishes to share, ‘Potato Gnocchi’, ‘Risotto of the Day’ and ‘Spaghetti Chitarra’.

The ‘Potato Gnocchi’ was wonderfully flavoured!  It was definitely one of the best gnocchi’s I’ve had in a long while – retaining its chewiness, which was in perfect balance with the generic description of ‘fluffy goodness’.  It did not fall apart and crumble, nor did it melt into a gooey blob when popped into my mouth.  Instead, the perfectly cook pillow was texturally smooth and was surprisingly sweet, hinting at the pure freshness of the ingredients.  Ok, enough about the gnocchi itself.  The other stars of the dish were Calamari, Zucchini Flower and Buffalo Mozzerella.  My seafood yearning stomach was absolutely satisfied by the juicy, seared calamari.  The texture of the calamari was complemented wonderfully by the slight crunch of the zucchini flower and soft, subtle mozzerlla.  Mumma was in love with this dish!

My pick was the ‘Risotto of the Day’, a combination of Smoked Scamorza, Fresh Horseradish and Asparagus.  I was completely blown away by this dish and may have even preferred it to the “Potato Gnocchi” as the flavour had a real ‘kick’ to it.  ‘Scamorza’ is a type of Italian Cow Cheese and its smoked flavour was what I found to bring the components together, with the more subtly flavoured asparagus.  It wasn’t a texturally complicated cheese, thus providing the flavour and letting the texture of asparagus and horseradish shine, ringing true to the meaning of “Gastronomia”  – “the art and science of good eating”.  The beauty of sharing is the ability for each diner to experience the delight of the dish as well and who better to spread the foodie love with than the family at the end of the week?

Pappa thought the ‘Spaghetti Chitarra’ sounded interesting, however I think we were all a little disappointed with this dish as it paled in comparison to the wonderful flavours of the previous two.  Nevertheless, it is still worthy of praise – if I had not tried the other two dishes I would have been quite happy with this dish.  The spaghetti was cooked Al Dente and had a very different texture as it was handmade!  You could almost taste the effort that had been poured into creating such a simple base ingredient.  The ‘Chitarra’ was described as ‘pork cheek’ by the waiter and was scattered throughout the spaghetti, however I didn’t feel like it provided much flavour as the tomato base seemed to dominate.

Lil’ Bro was the odd one out as he chose to order ‘Stone Fired Oven Pizza’ with Italian Sausage, Mushrooms and Olive.  Taking ‘ownership’ over a majority of the pizza, we decided upon a trade – some pasta for some pizza.  Mumma had been raving about their pizza after her function and it definitely lived up to expectation.  We were in delight with wonderfully thin base and oozing cheese, which subtly complemented the stronger flavours of the sausage and olive.  Pizzas always remind me of relaxing nights in front of the television with the family, so it definitely brought something comforting and sentimental to the table.

As an accompanying snack, we couldn’t resist the bowl of fries, which were well cooked – not too oily and sprinkled with an interesting black salt.

After the clearing of his plate, Lil’ Bro looked at us with wide eyes and asked, “Dessert?”  The good thing about Friday dinners, is our stomachs’ default to ‘Indulgent Mode’.

I spied the words “Salted Caramel” on the menu and that was basically the end of it.  We ordered two “Salted Caramel Crème Brulee” as there would not be much sharing from the boys end of the table!  It was a well done dessert with the flavour of caramel taking on a perfect level of decadence, however I was quite disappointed with the missing ‘salty’ kick that I was holding out for.  I would have enjoyed the glaze to be slightly more ‘burnt’ as well, but the caramel flavour and crust had me quite happy.

Mumma suggested the “Baked Strawberry Cheesecake” and how glad I was that she did!  I found it to be even better than the “Crème Brulee”, with the subtle and light cheese playing well with the more acidic and sweet flavours of the strawberry.

Overall it was a casual and simple but delicious experience; however try to be seated within the restaurant itself as diners in the lobby are sometimes forgotten!  So if you’re in Pyrmont looking for a good eat, keep Signorelli Gastronomia in mind.

This is definitely a Friday dinner destination from now on, calling for visits to try their famous ‘Antipasti’ and other pasta dishes.  It is this unspoken tradition that has led to my experience of many different cuisines and the strong bond of the family – we are able to enjoy each others’ company within our busy schedules and uplift any negative tiredness or stressfulness with conversation and food!

A View from Above: JAAN, Singapore

I hope all of you had a fantastic and Merry Christmas surrounded by loved ones!  I can’t believe this year has gone by so quickly.  It’s amazing to know that I have already made it through my first year of university.  All in all it has been an exciting albeit busy year.  I am currently in Singapore, having a wonderful time with my family and thought I would update the blog with one of my many meals in this land of food i.e. there are more to come in the New Year .

Each year, I look forward to my family trip to Singapore.  Both my parents were born in this wonderful city and although I’m ‘Aussie-born’, Singapore has always had a special place in my heart, holding many childhood memories, my ever-growing extended family and a melting pot of foods from across Asia.

As the ‘meal-planner’ I decided that the family deserved a culinary treat after a year of hard work.  After much research across the Singaporean blogosphere, I eagerly made a reservation at JAAN at the beginning of November.  I had heard many great things about the restaurant and was itching to experience this sky high dining experience.

After facing much rain in the first week of our stay in Singapore, we were blessed with clear skies and sun on the day of our meal.  Located in the ‘Equinox Complex’ of Swissotel in the heart of Singapore’s Raffles Place, we soared up to the 70^th level to meet our awaiting meal.  I admit there was a bit of impatience on my part throughout the elevator ride.

We were greeted by very polite staff and a beautiful setting; comprising of a horizontal, free form chandelier spanning across the ceiling and a panoramic view of the city.  It was quite spectacular to see how the Singaporean sky-line has changed over the years, with the addition of the iconic Marina Bay Sands (also known as ‘the ship building’ to many of my friends back in Sydney) and Gardens by the Bay.