Review: Braza Brazilian BBQ Pt.II

Review: Korean BBQ - Ashfield

For the people who know me, I have a SERIOUS ADDICTION to KIMCHI!!! I have no idea what it is about it, but for some reason i just absolutely Love it! And so for the past few weeks I have been craving it more and more and more...... and so finally I let my Kimchi addiction get to me. It was time to visit a Korean BBQ restaurant again! :)

Korean BBQ is a great experience for everybody (even for thoes who dont cook). Unlike the western form of BBQing, Koreans have their's in doors and installed in the center of a table, making sure that you can enjoy cooking without the chill of the great outdoors! You get to cook the food you want to eat and cook it to the style you want! Most Korean BBQ restaurants however, will also serve other dishers if you do not want to have BBQ, including soups, stews, rice dishes and other mains and sides.

Ginseng Chicken Soup

Also, the interesting thing about Korean restaurants is that no matter what you order, it will ALWAYS come with a huge array of complimentary side dishes... One of them being my FAV KIMCHIIIII Ahhhhh.... i was in heaven.  

On this occasion, we ordered the mix BBQ set, which included a huge selection of meats, including bulgogi, back strap, ect.

Once you have cooked your meat to how you like it, its time to eat! You dip your meat into the complimenting sauce and then place it inside a lettuce leaf, add some sides and/or rice and close the the lettuce package and nomnomnom...... heaven.

This is the second time we're been to this restaurant. We usually do because although the atmosphere isn't really the best, the ventilation system is fantastic! Compared to other's i've been to the air vent dont usually suck up all the smoke as well as the ones do in this restaurant and you usually end up smelling like meat for the rest of the trip home and even then anything you touch ends up smelling like meat.

So, this restaurant is located on Liverpool Road Ashfield (almost next to Sakura). So head to the Sakura post to find out about the address. Will I go back? Yes I would. And i would also reccoment anyone to go and try out Korean BBQ (even if its not at this restaurant) because you will be pleasantly suprised. So go visit one next time you are out with friends or family.

Enjoy. 

Pho! A tatse of Vietnam

Pho is a very popular Vietnamese dish in Asia and Australia. There are a number of Pho restaurants around Sydney and can be located just about anywhere from the City, Parramatta, Hornsby and many places in between and even further than that.

The dish is consisted of rice noodles, Asian basil, onion and served in a very unique beef soup. Most restaurants that I have been to offer a plate of beansprout and mint leaves that you can place onto your Pho if you want. I like my Pho without them as they do add to the taste. There are also other sauces you can taste while eating the dish. The plate of beansprouts that are brought out when you are seated is a perfect time to taste them out!
First of all there is a very sweat plum sauce. It is usually in a yellow squeeze bottle. Just grab a sauce dish and splash some on it and taste it with the beansprouts. This dish can also be used with spring rolls and just about anything you want.
The bottle in red,(by the way these sauces might not be in the colour bottles i say, each restaurant is different) is the chilli sauce. If you are a big fan of chilli then use it at your will!
My personal favourite is fresh chilli ( sometimes known as " cut chilli " ) with fish sauce. Too some people, the fish sauce has a smell that can be off-putting so it might not be appealing to you. Also if you are not a chilli fan, then this might not also be appealing.

A restaurant in Bankstown called " An Restaurant" serves really good Pho. The service there is very quick as the dishes come out really fast. Nearly everyone in the restaurant is eating Pho with a few exceptions. There are other restaurants such as Pho Sam and Xic Lo that are also very popular and spread around Sydney. If you have the time, experience the Pho at some of these restaurants. However take a peek through the menu and do not hesitate to try new dishes!

Review: Sails on Lavender Bay

Two days ago I celebrated my 22nd birthday with my buddies at Sails on Lavender Bay, a French-style restaurant. This restaurant has taken the top spot on my list of dating venues due to its magnificent view, great food and excellent atmosphere. If you are looking for a classy restaurant with the best views of Sydney Harbour and tasty French cuisine, this is it!

The location and view of this restaurant are simply unmatched by any other. It is located at Lavender Bay on the north shore of Sydney Harbour. The restaurant has glass walls all around so diners can enjoy the beautiful view of Lunar Park and Opera House at night. This is why I name it my No.1 dating spot. Trust me, your special one will be thoroughly impressed and overwhelmed by the atmosphere in the restaurant. At dinner time, the restaurant is dimly lit with candles on every table so that you can get a clear view of the twinkling lights from Lunar Park and Sydney Harbour. It makes you feel like you are dining in the middle of the harbour, with 180-degree view of your surroundings. The whole experience is romantic and surreal.

The service is very top-class. Waiting staff are very friendly, polite and helpful. They will constantly check on you to make sure that everything is okay. The catering expertise of the waiting staff makes you feel like someone important. The restaurant does get very busy for dinner so it is recommended to make bookings before hand. To me, service is a huge part when assessing a restaurant, especially French restaurant since you are paying more money for a better dining experience. I give Sails a 10/10 on service.

Now let's talk about the most important part of a dining experience---food. The food here is top-notch, and as I mentioned in my previous reviews, I've been to my fair share of French restaurants. We ordered blue cheese, oysters and pork, quail and rabbit terrine with foie gras as entree. The blue cheese they had was Australian-made unlike other restaurants which use mainly European cheese. The flavour of the cheese is surprisingly good, very rich in flavour and satisfying. It has more of a dairy aroma comparing to its European counterparts. The oysters are nice and fresh, served with a special chilli sauce that was very refreshing yet not too overpowering that it masks the taste of the oyster. The special terrine was one of the highlights. Most French restaurants simply offers foie gras with bread. The special terrine of Sails is a mixture of pork, quail, rabbit and foie gras and the end result is amazing. It is a cold dish, very rich in flavour and aroma unlike anything I've had before. It goes great with bruschetta or sourdough. If you are going there for the first time, you must try the terrine.

For the main course, I had roasted grimaud duck breast. The meat was very tender and juicy, cooked just right so that it maintained the texture of the duck breast. The mashed pea infused with garlic on the side was also nice. My friends ordered pan-fried barramundi and lamb loin which they also liked. Taste wise, this was one of the best on my list of Western-style restaurant.

If you are a dessert-lover, you have to try the creme brulee. The waiter lights up the top of the caramel crust so it comes in flames. The crust itself is very crispy and not too sweet, which was to my liking since I'm not a big fan of sweet stuff. My other friend ordered dark chocolate torte which was absolutely delicious to a dark chocolate lover like me. I didn't quite like the pudding due to its gingerbread flavour but that's just my personal opinion.

Sails on Lavender offers a dining package so complete that you simply won't find any other substitutes. If you are willing to spend a little extra to have an unforgettable night with your loved one, this is the place. P.S. for the dudes: this place is going to cost you but you will get laid.

Review: George's Cafe

Special Fountain

Relax. Don't get too excited. Don"t expect too much. It has nothing to do with that fat bold man from master chef.but it's still worth going.







George's cafe were definitely not the type of love at the first sight restaurant. It looks small and dark. Featured with old fashioned neon light. So u must be wondering, why u would go to a cafe like this when there are so many choices just a few steps nearby? I was first attracted neither by the the cuisine nor the waitress, but their back lane. Sometimes a mercedes benz E63AMG, sometimes, a lexus is250, much more subtle in comparison. So I told myself that the how can a boss afford such expensive cars, the cafe might be the reason why.

huge omelett

One common feature of George's food is the serving size is huge. I ordered a chicken and mushroom omelet and I could only finish half of it though it tastes really nice. So if two girls go together, I suggest that you share one serve. My girlfriend ordered a seafood spaghetti with napolitian  sauce. It's not like these dodgy place where it's so hard to find a prawn in the plate. There were mussels, squid, prawn, octopus, topped with tomato salsa. The flavor was amazing. Both of us are die hard fan of it.

There are also many choices for dessert. We order a passion fruit gelato. It is made like an apple, with passion fruit icecream wrapped by crispy chocolate skin. Just imagine an apple looking magnum, but 10 times better tasted.

If you are hungry, and your budget is tight, George's is definitely ur choice.

The delicious pasta

+: great location, big serve, value, open late

-: long wait before you get the food



Will I go again?

Yeah, every now and then, for the speghatti and the dessert.

The magic icecream

Review: Passion Flower Kingsford

Dragon Desire (limited edition)

Hi guys, another short dessert blog from me tonight.

This is from the ice cream/dessert kingdom of Passion Flower.

Passion Flower was first introduced to the Aussie market with its flagship store at Capitol Square in the city (near Chinatown) and has now opend its second store in Kingsford last year. Now, i have got to say, i have been to both diners and the dessert quality and taste seem to be better at the Kingsford store rather than the Capitol one. I find that the food is very well better presented and well as they say "we eat with our eyes" so it tastes better as well. Haha. Well no, i actually think regardless of sight, the Kingsford store's desserts taste batter even though they are supposed to be the same recipe... Hmmm.

Gold Digger (Mango sorbet, Shaved Ice, Fresh Mango, Mango Jelly)

Well, anyone who has a sweet tooth has to come to this place. Mainly me and my friends/family order the icecream sundae's which come in a very wide variety (which i will show you in picture form Very , very soon!). They also have a variety of mixed (non-alcoholoic) drinks.

Also, Passionflower has "limited edition" desserts that are available from time to time depending on the occasion, for example, they had a few special desserts lined up for Valentines day and also for Chinese New Year (which was the Year of the Dragon dessert).

When you first enter the restaurant, your eyes are engourged with the endless sight of ice-cream. The seating arrangements of clear "ghost" chairs mixed with purple couches gives it a kind of Willie Wonka feel. This place is a must experience!

Willie Wonka

Price varies from dish to dish, but most sundaes (considering their size) are about $15. Driks from memory are around $8.

Passion Flower Kingsford is located at 438 Anzac Parade, Kingsford. No bookings necessary as its a pretty big restaurants, but you may want to take a look at their website to check their opening times.

With that said, take a look at their full menu at Passionflower. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Brownie

Chocolate pancakes with fresh strawberries and melted chocolate

Sago, black sesame ice-cream with mochi balls