tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78259661455368930252024-03-13T15:38:55.757+11:00The Quest for NomsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-18579121273117624852014-10-29T09:38:00.003+11:002015-03-14T12:10:43.635+11:00Amici TrattoriaHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Amici Trattoria is a candlelit cozy restaurant serving Italian fare. We went there for dinner on a Saturday night and it made for a great evening out - the staff were friendly, meal came quickly and food did not disappoint. <br />
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As an appetizer we ordered an antipasto plate to share and a few loaves of garlic bread. The antipasto plate had an assortment of nibblies: salami, olives, preserved veggies and pickles, a few solid wedges of parmesan and meatball. The garlic bread, or rather rustic bread with garlic butter was a nice accompaniment to the antipasto. <b><a href="http://eatandbemerryfortomorrowwediet.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/amici-trattoria-camberwell-by-obelix.html" target="_blank">Continue reading...</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/760067/restaurant/Melbourne/Camberwell/Amici-Trattoria-Hawthorn%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Amici%20Trattoria%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/760067/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/760067/restaurant/Melbourne/Camberwell/Amici-Trattoria-Hawthorn"><img alt="Amici Trattoria on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/760067/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-91219494759269336352014-10-22T10:03:00.001+11:002015-03-01T20:02:46.176+11:00Malaysian KitchenHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I was introduced to Malaysian Kitchen by a friend who recommended it on the basis it cooked up consistent Hawker stall food at very reasonable prices. On this occasion, I tried their special lunch menu which had several of their popular noodle and rice dishes to select from in addition to free drink for $12.50. <br />
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I was very happy with my choice of Chef Pan Mee. I have never had this noodle dish before and was surprised by the thick cut noodles that came with it. <b><a href="http://eatandbemerryfortomorrowwediet.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/malaysian-kitchen-doncaster-east-by.html" target="_blank">Continue reading...</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1518346/restaurant/Melbourne/Malaysian-Kitchen-Doncaster-East"><img alt="Malaysian Kitchen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1518346/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-59682017051476297912014-10-15T10:47:00.002+11:002014-10-15T10:47:49.843+11:00Matteo's (Revisit)Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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To celebrate a milestone birthday recently, I made a booking at Matteo's for their Lazy Sunday Lunch. Having been <a href="http://thequestfornoms.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/matteos.html" target="_blank">previously wowed at Matteo's </a>, I knew it was a pretty safe bet to host my birthday lunch there. It did not disappoint. The service was attentive, the menu creative and even the kid's menu showed care and attention - in fact we begged scraps off Kiddo's meal, it looked so enticing.<br />
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The Lazy Lunch Menu is $79 per head, $109 per head with a glass of wine matched with each course. As we were not big drinkers, we opted for the $79 option and ordered wines and drinks separately. It was indeed a lazy lunch as we were very well fed and rolled on home for a nanna nap. <br />
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The entree consisted of four tastes to share:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gafD0rO3yD4/VD2wRemU2KI/AAAAAAAAG8g/8D4tpWseTmQ/s1600/DSCN1868%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gafD0rO3yD4/VD2wRemU2KI/AAAAAAAAG8g/8D4tpWseTmQ/s1600/DSCN1868%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peking duck rillettes wrapped in a spring onion crepe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HdRkESA5hWw/VD2wLGmfGGI/AAAAAAAAG8Q/3wgxEZ6z8-4/s1600/DSCN1866%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HdRkESA5hWw/VD2wLGmfGGI/AAAAAAAAG8Q/3wgxEZ6z8-4/s1600/DSCN1866%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panko crumbed goat's cheese</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67dnnDQH_6M/VD2wFpAb_4I/AAAAAAAAG8I/8bpB6e6u0LQ/s1600/DSCN1865%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67dnnDQH_6M/VD2wFpAb_4I/AAAAAAAAG8I/8bpB6e6u0LQ/s1600/DSCN1865%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scorched Mooloolaba cobia sashimi, shisho-ponzo dressing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ENyBfRkRZI/VD2wUNs7hkI/AAAAAAAAG8o/_EVhjnY9vJc/s1600/DSCN1869%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ENyBfRkRZI/VD2wUNs7hkI/AAAAAAAAG8o/_EVhjnY9vJc/s1600/DSCN1869%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spicy veal, wombok and salted beef bresaola rolls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
These little morsels looked so beautiful, particularly the Peking duck rillettes with the sliver of lotus roots on top. The cobia sashimi was a stand out. So light and delicate but smokey at the same time. <br />
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Course two, we had a choice of the following:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zYiecqHv4Iw/VD2wXW5v2fI/AAAAAAAAG84/LFrA-7fbRwQ/s1600/DSCN1871%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zYiecqHv4Iw/VD2wXW5v2fI/AAAAAAAAG84/LFrA-7fbRwQ/s1600/DSCN1871%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spanner crab wonton ravioli, Asian coleslaw with bean shoots and choko, tom kha galangal sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUSeuiIxfS0/VD2wVWwKwjI/AAAAAAAAG8w/-cG9qKGB2qM/s1600/DSCN1870%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UUSeuiIxfS0/VD2wVWwKwjI/AAAAAAAAG8w/-cG9qKGB2qM/s1600/DSCN1870%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saikyo-yaki miso baked black cod fillet, broad beans, heirloom carrots, taramasalata</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had the baked cod which was juicily cooked and flavoursome. <br />
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Course three were meat mains and we had a choice of the two below. I ordered the pork hock below. It was melt in the mouth glory. The surrounds were pretty yum too, eg the cabbage and cauliflower. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2BDKb9WN8Y/VD2we9-wB7I/AAAAAAAAG9Q/2SgptJvEMyg/s1600/DSCN1873%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2BDKb9WN8Y/VD2we9-wB7I/AAAAAAAAG9Q/2SgptJvEMyg/s1600/DSCN1873%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Golden Plains pork hock roulade, cider braised cabbage, macerated prunes, cauliflower, garlic cream, ginger wine glaze</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iltVhbCVaBE/VD2wdjbg9tI/AAAAAAAAG9I/cGOfQpM-xo8/s1600/DSCN1874%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iltVhbCVaBE/VD2wdjbg9tI/AAAAAAAAG9I/cGOfQpM-xo8/s1600/DSCN1874%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pan seared spatchcock chicken, grilled baby corn, pumpkin, sugar snap peas, Balinese yellow curry sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Desserts was a feast in itself as well. We each had a tasting plate with three wee desserts. For those of us on a low sugar lifestyle (me), Matteo's kindly accommodated by swapping the sweet desserts for a sumptuous cheese platter. My cheese platter was quite the envy of the sugar fiends. The Gods must have been smiling down on us as we were also very lucky to have an extra sticky date pudding thrown in! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gxbwh4PI1LQ/VD20M9uApdI/AAAAAAAAG98/mA0PhwpSCk0/s1600/DSCN1879%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gxbwh4PI1LQ/VD20M9uApdI/AAAAAAAAG98/mA0PhwpSCk0/s1600/DSCN1879%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate pudding, run and raising ice cream, passionfruit trifle with red velvet cake and pineapple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Allyl_ukNr0/VD2wlacrwdI/AAAAAAAAG9g/EUnITDFvXLw/s1600/DSCN1877%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Allyl_ukNr0/VD2wlacrwdI/AAAAAAAAG9g/EUnITDFvXLw/s1600/DSCN1877%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheese platter with all the trimmings - the walnut bread was delightfully warm!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QHTte9yIck0/VD2wnC-REiI/AAAAAAAAG9o/HbXkw88TTLE/s1600/DSCN1880%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QHTte9yIck0/VD2wnC-REiI/AAAAAAAAG9o/HbXkw88TTLE/s1600/DSCN1880%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's my lucky day - on the house warm sticky date puddings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixO2kn4EnrI/VD2wn6Qg0II/AAAAAAAAG9s/y8TXItDjBHU/s1600/DSCN1881%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixO2kn4EnrI/VD2wn6Qg0II/AAAAAAAAG9s/y8TXItDjBHU/s1600/DSCN1881%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cuppa to wash it all down with</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The kid's menu was no less spectacular. Kiddo chose the following from the Gen Dine menu. As mentioned earlier, all the adults begged for a little taste of each. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T2bapHvlNyc/VD2wO9MxUHI/AAAAAAAAG8Y/Y5A0OhVL7BE/s1600/DSCN1867%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T2bapHvlNyc/VD2wO9MxUHI/AAAAAAAAG8Y/Y5A0OhVL7BE/s1600/DSCN1867%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calamari</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4uPzCEMWTQ/VD2wYzndwTI/AAAAAAAAG9A/YvkUH__XfEQ/s1600/DSCN1872%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V4uPzCEMWTQ/VD2wYzndwTI/AAAAAAAAG9A/YvkUH__XfEQ/s1600/DSCN1872%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steak with onion rings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8UCdLGotcCI/VD2whQoV-NI/AAAAAAAAG9Y/HzD4K_Toces/s1600/DSCN1876%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8UCdLGotcCI/VD2whQoV-NI/AAAAAAAAG9Y/HzD4K_Toces/s1600/DSCN1876%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate pudding and icecream</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So there you go! It was a feast in the literal sense of the word. It was a very memorable birthday lunch for me and my guests. <br />
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The deets:<br />
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Matteo's<br />
533 Brunswick St,<br />
NTH FITZROY VIC 3068<br />
ph: 9481 1177Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-76712916088555657082014-10-08T14:14:00.002+11:002014-10-08T14:14:25.924+11:00The Wharf HotelHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Spring has sprung! It's the perfect time of the year to enjoy the best of waterfront and al fresco dining Melbourne has to offer. I was very fortunate to be invited by Clemence Harvey to dine at one of the World Trade Centre (WTC) Wharf's waterside restaurants as part of their launch of their new Spring Express Lunch menus. Out of the participating restaurants (Man Mo, Kobe Jones, Byblos and Wharf Hotel), I opted for the express lunch at the Wharf Hotel as I have never been there before. The express lunch menu are designed for the quickie weekday lunch but in a much nicer setting that your average office break out area. And in my case, a much better tasting lunch than what I usually pack in my lunch box!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--L40sgTvQYQ/VDSnb1agOfI/AAAAAAAAG5Y/HRybTsp-G1I/s1600/DSCN1907%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--L40sgTvQYQ/VDSnb1agOfI/AAAAAAAAG5Y/HRybTsp-G1I/s1600/DSCN1907%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wharf side view</td></tr>
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The staff were very friendly and the food came promptly as promised. I was in and out in less than an hour. The Wharf Hotel offer a choice of five items on the express lunch menu which come with a drink. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZiR1E3tpurU/VDSn6TnBDBI/AAAAAAAAG5g/2BYLPHFjBiE/s1600/DSCN1909%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZiR1E3tpurU/VDSn6TnBDBI/AAAAAAAAG5g/2BYLPHFjBiE/s1600/DSCN1909%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The waitress advised that their pizzas are a popular item, so whilst I generally don't order pizza when dining out (as I like to think I make a pretty mean wood fire oven pizza myself), I decided to give their's a go. I ordered the salmon, tomato and chilli pizza. It was a very generous size serve and I could not finish it. It came with some serious cheese on top. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ke5fQ60b910/VDSokA8MM9I/AAAAAAAAG54/UdqJ6Bwfqvw/s1600/DSCN1913%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ke5fQ60b910/VDSokA8MM9I/AAAAAAAAG54/UdqJ6Bwfqvw/s1600/DSCN1913%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salmon, tomato and chilli pizza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B1sL5cBAGtE/VDSpIWh9qPI/AAAAAAAAG6A/k24RXOpyt1g/s1600/DSCN1914%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B1sL5cBAGtE/VDSpIWh9qPI/AAAAAAAAG6A/k24RXOpyt1g/s1600/DSCN1914%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously cheesy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cd0_-5gcz1I/VDSoeVGSELI/AAAAAAAAG5w/DsQz10eGbYI/s1600/DSCN1912%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cd0_-5gcz1I/VDSoeVGSELI/AAAAAAAAG5w/DsQz10eGbYI/s1600/DSCN1912%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The crust was very light and crispy and not at all greasy. For a salmon pizza the taste wasn't overwhelmingly fishy, which was a good thing. As I'm a bit of a fussy pizza critic, this pizza more than past muster. <br />
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I washed it down with a cup of tea which I ordered in lieu of the glass of wine or soft drink which came with the express lunch. <br />
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I was also provided with the dessert menu. But as I could not even finish my pizza, there was no way I could fit in the dessert. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hnG3AYBXvPU/VDSpXW933qI/AAAAAAAAG6I/IkHwP2z7uBQ/s1600/DSCN1916%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hnG3AYBXvPU/VDSpXW933qI/AAAAAAAAG6I/IkHwP2z7uBQ/s1600/DSCN1916%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'll leave you with a few pics of the surrounds. As I said, a way better ambience than the average office break out area. Indeed there were quite a few office folks grabbing a bite. <br />
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The WTC Wharfside restaurants are definitely a good lunch option for those working in the city - beats sitting down in a food court for sure. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1543723/restaurant/CBD/The-Wharf-Hotel-Melbourne%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22The%20Wharf%20Hotel%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1543723/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1543723/restaurant/CBD/The-Wharf-Hotel-Melbourne"><img alt="The Wharf Hotel on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1543723/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></a><br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-20161067356209681952014-10-01T14:10:00.000+10:002014-10-01T14:10:33.689+10:00Nieuw AmsterdamHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I had a very civilised mid-week lunch with my sister and kiddo at Nieuw Amsterdam. To cut to the chase, the BBQ meat plate was nothing short of glorious. It was $24 and came with a meat of choice (we chose the pork chop), coleslaw, pickle, bread and potato salad. The pork chop was moist and ever so tender, it was reminiscent of a slow cooked piece of meat. It was drizzled with a slightly sweet BBQ sauce. The okra in the pickles were also an unexpected but nice touch. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yKKm4d_coVg/VCt8_THde4I/AAAAAAAAG2M/6DlvDu4wif4/s1600/DSCN1885%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yKKm4d_coVg/VCt8_THde4I/AAAAAAAAG2M/6DlvDu4wif4/s1600/DSCN1885%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The BBQ Meat plate</td></tr>
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To supplement the meat plate we also ordered the eggplant sandwich ($17). This sounded a bit bland on paper but in life, it was a sizeable sandwich and delicious too. Stacked with mozzarella, fresh tomato and served with steakhouse chips and Srirachi mayo. Kiddo was particularly taken to the rocket salad. It was the first greens I have seen her voluntarily eat for weeks. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymNKVYaFFUw/VCt9ETeW6jI/AAAAAAAAG2U/A-DmY6UuXSs/s1600/DSCN1887%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymNKVYaFFUw/VCt9ETeW6jI/AAAAAAAAG2U/A-DmY6UuXSs/s1600/DSCN1887%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge eggplant sandwich - split 3 ways</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close up</td></tr>
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All in all, Nieuw Amsterdam does not disappoint on the food front. It also had lovely bar-like ambience. I can understand why it is such a popular haunt. <div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1800274/restaurant/CBD/Nieuw-Amsterdam-Melbourne%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Nieuw%20Amsterdam%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1800274/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1800274/restaurant/CBD/Nieuw-Amsterdam-Melbourne"><img alt="Nieuw Amsterdam on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1800274/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></a><br />
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Until next time...</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-36072724090145014812014-09-26T18:54:00.000+10:002014-09-26T18:59:11.829+10:00Cafe ParadisoHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I was at Cafe Paradiso with a couple of parents from Kiddo's school. It's opposite the Rivoli Theatre at Camberwell Junction so in all respects a popular eating joint in prime locale. <br />
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I was a bit disappointed with the service. Being a week night, it wasn't all that busy but we waited an eternity for the drinks to be poured. One of the parents ended up walking to the counter and asking what the specials were before coming back to the table to recite it back to us as our waitress had gone AWOL. <br />
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My disappointment with the service was eclipsed by my disappointment with the food. I ordered a wagyu burger. Sounded good in theory. However it was strangely gritty with each bite. Try as I may, I could not identify the source of the grit. I hoped to God it was sand on the lettuce but deep down, part of me was afraid that the grit is from the burger meat itself. I was operating in denial and ate the burger on auto-pilot. The fries themselves were extremely salty and for once in my life, I did not finish my beloved pomme frites. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A suspiciously gritty wagyu burger</td></tr>
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A few quick pics of what the others had ordered:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EUEHrdodC7E/VCUo7P60tvI/AAAAAAAAG0Q/2kwW4fZ3GkI/s1600/DSCN1811%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EUEHrdodC7E/VCUo7P60tvI/AAAAAAAAG0Q/2kwW4fZ3GkI/s1600/DSCN1811%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haloumi salad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Risotto</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K978yg1JgHc/VCUpDPIfw5I/AAAAAAAAG0w/gwRW0yqeM6I/s1600/DSCN1814%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K978yg1JgHc/VCUpDPIfw5I/AAAAAAAAG0w/gwRW0yqeM6I/s1600/DSCN1814%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soup of the day</td></tr>
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In short, Cafe Paradiso - I will not be going back. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1779833/restaurant/Melbourne/Camberwell/Cafe-Paradiso-Hawthorn-East%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Cafe%20Paradiso%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1779833/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1779833/restaurant/Melbourne/Camberwell/Cafe-Paradiso-Hawthorn-East"><img alt="Cafe Paradiso on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1779833/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></a><br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-45631229898335291912014-09-20T15:38:00.000+10:002014-09-22T16:28:01.776+10:00Kenji (Revisit)Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I love the Japanese food at Kenji and go there regularly for a fix. See <a href="http://thequestfornoms.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/kenji.html" target="_blank">previous Kenji post here</a>. Since I have been clocking up the Kenji miles lately, a little update is in order. <br />
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Unagi bento is one of my favourites out there. For $17 you get a generously stuffed bento with big slabs of melt in your mouth unagi (eel). Accompanying the bento is a cup of miso soup, side salad with a sesame dressing, edaname beans, chicken karage (fried chicken), gyoza, tempura prawn, fried squid on a stick and a corn and potato croquette. Phew! That's a lot of eating. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miso soup</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dBi-BY39ezw/VB0QvvRHCkI/AAAAAAAAGug/_R5fBIN55sU/s1600/DSCN1748%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dBi-BY39ezw/VB0QvvRHCkI/AAAAAAAAGug/_R5fBIN55sU/s1600/DSCN1748%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried squid on a stick</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W8pU1Jdo8EQ/VB0QvO5CsaI/AAAAAAAAGuc/WXsL6LYF4dg/s1600/DSCN1749%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W8pU1Jdo8EQ/VB0QvO5CsaI/AAAAAAAAGuc/WXsL6LYF4dg/s1600/DSCN1749%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gyoza!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VfRhvenkOnI/VB0QxAWPN3I/AAAAAAAAGus/3p6M1dOqpSk/s1600/DSCN1751%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VfRhvenkOnI/VB0QxAWPN3I/AAAAAAAAGus/3p6M1dOqpSk/s1600/DSCN1751%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corn and potato croquette</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Zoc5qizn4s/VB0QzSAZ3MI/AAAAAAAAGu0/awZbMtM3D5E/s1600/DSCN1752%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Zoc5qizn4s/VB0QzSAZ3MI/AAAAAAAAGu0/awZbMtM3D5E/s1600/DSCN1752%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tempura prawn</td></tr>
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On a separate occasion, I stopped by for a sushi snack ($6.80) and a couple of hand rolls as a take away. My favourites are the spicy chicken and the avocado hand rolls ($2.80 each)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RDylwPS7Ueo/VB0R6peYdfI/AAAAAAAAGu8/ui9zU-OKcHM/s1600/DSCN1833%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RDylwPS7Ueo/VB0R6peYdfI/AAAAAAAAGu8/ui9zU-OKcHM/s1600/DSCN1833%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spicy chicken and avocado handrolls</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sushi pack</td></tr>
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All the ingredients were very fresh. I would recommend the sushi here over any food court sushi any day. If you haven't been to Kenji's yet, it is definitely worth a look-in. Go here for <a href="https://plus.google.com/112340201225997763711/about?gl=au&hl=en" target="_blank">Kenji's contact details.</a> <br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-85418240630069219452014-09-17T14:12:00.001+10:002015-04-27T16:19:16.267+10:00Treasury Deli & CafeHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I'll keep this text lite and let the amazing salads at Treasury Deli & Cafe do all the talking. Treasury Cafe is situated within the Department of Treasury and Finance. It is open to the public and has a spacious al fresco area over looking city greenery. Their salads are officially, <i>da bombe</i>. <b><a href="http://eatandbemerryfortomorrowwediet.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/treasury-deli-and-cafe-east-melbourne.html" target="_blank">Continue reading...</a></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1607715/restaurant/CBD/Treasury-Deli-and-Cafe-Melbourne%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Treasury%20Deli%20and%20Cafe%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1607715/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1607715/restaurant/CBD/Treasury-Deli-and-Cafe-Melbourne"><img alt="Treasury Deli and Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1607715/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-65988714778348601492014-09-10T13:16:00.002+10:002014-09-10T13:16:30.505+10:00Taro Ice Cream<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pf83nG0HSaM/VA_AIK4-5gI/AAAAAAAAGoA/f3WcQ0h2Zac/s1600/DSCN1798%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pf83nG0HSaM/VA_AIK4-5gI/AAAAAAAAGoA/f3WcQ0h2Zac/s1600/DSCN1798%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taro ice cream </td></tr>
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Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
<br />
I have been Googling recipes for taro ice cream ever since my Aunt was reminiscing about eating a taro flavoured ice cream bought from a street vendor over 40 years ago. She was waxing lyrical about how absolutely delicious it was. Whilst I have never come across taro in ice cream form, I surmised it would taste awesome. Taro itself once cooked down takes on a creamy consistency and it has a mild macedemia nutty taste to it. With the addition of coconut, it was a tropical South East Asia holiday in a bowl. <br />
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I discovered this wonderful site, called <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/09/taro-ice-cream-recipe.html" target="_blank">Serious Eats</a> which had an easy to follow and easy to make taro ice cream recipe. I was sold on the idea. What's particularly great about the recipe (apart from it's fool proofiness), was that it used real taro versus the alarmingly coloured purple taro powder commonly found in bubble teas. <br />
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Here are a few pics of my taro icecream making experience. For recipe details from Serious Eats, go <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/09/taro-ice-cream-recipe.html" target="_blank">here. </a><br />
I followed their recipe to the letter with the exception of straining the mixture as I rather liked having little niblets of taro speckled in my ice cream. I replaced sugar with stevia in a 1:1 ratio - I rationalised I cam eat more ice cream as it's sugar free! Another wonderful thing about this recipe is that it is egg-free so for anyone with egg allergies, eat away with abandon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shredding the taro - a good arm workout</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking down the egg-free mixture</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The churn-inator</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bowlful of yum</td></tr>
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I also recently made Matcha (green tea) ice cream. Recipe <a href="http://thequestfornoms.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/green-tea-matcha-icecream.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Matcha ice cream is a lot cleaner in flavour than the taro. But I think I prefer the taro because it's like a frozen tong shui. Yum. <br />
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Until next time...<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-56826074101158468482014-09-06T14:32:00.000+10:002014-09-06T14:41:26.010+10:00Miss Frank - RevisitHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Miss Frank is a short stroll from home and it's a handy place to have around the corner for catch up with friends as it does decent coffee and filling brunches/lunches. Please see <a href="http://thequestfornoms.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/miss-frank.html" target="_blank">here</a> for previous Miss Frank's post. <br />
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For brunch today I ordered the Schnitz Panini and it did not disappoint. The lemony crumbed chicken breast came with a refreshing fennel slaw. It was pleasingly jaw dislocatingly huge ($17.50)<br />
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And the thick cut chips that came with were seasoned with sea salt and yummy aioli. <br />
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My friend M and her little D, shared the Big Breakfast ($19). It too came in a generous serve with the eggs separate (due to D's egg allergy). It was a heaping helping of spinach, thick cut bacon, Italian sausage, toast and two sunny side ups. <br />
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The above was washed down with coffees and a freshly squeezed OJ for little D. <br />
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Whilst the muffins and sweets looked ever so tempting, I had absolutely no tummy real estate left after that ginormous panini. So for next time...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-89117588640498418232014-09-01T12:48:00.001+10:002014-09-01T12:52:43.307+10:00Grain Express<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!</div>
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Grain Express is situated in the Centro Box Hill's food court and it straddles the divide between yum cha in a restaurant (sit down meal with waiters, trolleys and all) to food court (grab and go). It is the busiest shop front in the Centro food court complex and I'm guessing it's popular because a) you get fairly decent yum cha offerings and made to order noodles without having to wait too long b) being very informal dining, it attracts the large groups which otherwise would be be split to fit onto standard tables in a restaurant. Often you would see large gatherings of pensioners or families with young children rearranging the tables and seats in the food court dining area to suit. </div>
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As mentioned there is the usual yum cha fare already steamed and ready to go eg: assorted dumplings, fried entrees, buns. They also do a made to order noodles and rice dishes. Here is an idea of what they have which we ordered over several occasions both as a take away and also to have there: </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zLgryL0QkYU/U6fIqMZr3bI/AAAAAAAAFc0/bNDr5JIqwOY/s1600/DSCN1039%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zLgryL0QkYU/U6fIqMZr3bI/AAAAAAAAFc0/bNDr5JIqwOY/s1600/DSCN1039%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried Kway Teow</td></tr>
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This didn't really taste like an authentic fried kway teow one would get at a hawker stall - it's more of an Hong Kong style stir fried rice noodles but it tasted ok. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NvnsoKxAXd0/U6fIsVE12KI/AAAAAAAAFc8/HgXH3-gYmR0/s1600/DSCN1038%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NvnsoKxAXd0/U6fIsVE12KI/AAAAAAAAFc8/HgXH3-gYmR0/s1600/DSCN1038%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curry Laksa</td></tr>
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Like the Fried Kway Teow, this did not really taste like an authentic laksa but as a noodle dish, it had plenty of chicken and vegetables and tasted ok. I wouldn't order this if you are after an original laksa experience. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nChgtYNoM2I/U6fIuveLG9I/AAAAAAAAFdE/ugY3E_e4SYA/s1600/DSCN1040%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nChgtYNoM2I/U6fIuveLG9I/AAAAAAAAFdE/ugY3E_e4SYA/s1600/DSCN1040%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Century old egg and pork congee with Chinese donut</td></tr>
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This they do well. The congee is a creamy texture with a fair amount of century old egg. And who does not like a fried savoury donut to dunk in? <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBQ pork puff and custard egg tart</td></tr>
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Their custard egg tarts are just as good as a restaurants. Which is a dangerous thing because it is all too easy to order a plate or two, or three...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1n8l1Poxlv0/VAPdBEtr0OI/AAAAAAAAGhU/Gzc-jK3LFis/s1600/photo%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1n8l1Poxlv0/VAPdBEtr0OI/AAAAAAAAGhU/Gzc-jK3LFis/s1600/photo%2B1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried calamari </td></tr>
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The fried calamari are a bit of hit and miss. Whilst anything deep fried is delicious in my book and calamari at that, the tentacles can sometimes be a bit chewy. On the up side, you get a good jaw workout. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSj_l-asmbE/VAPc_efA5GI/AAAAAAAAGhM/71PnqVV1mxA/s1600/photo%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSj_l-asmbE/VAPc_efA5GI/AAAAAAAAGhM/71PnqVV1mxA/s1600/photo%2B2.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried prawn wantons</td></tr>
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These fried prawn wantons along with the custard egg tarts are my pick of bunch. The wantons are chock full of prawn mince and being deep fried, makes it even more moreish. <br />
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Grain Express - yes it's in a food court but if you can get over that fact, it does fairly good yum cha offerings for those in a rush or wanting very very informal dining. I would not recommend their take on traditional hawker stall food eg laksas, fried kway teow, etc as there are plenty of other places which can do it better. However Grain Express' congee, dumplings and custard egg tarts are pretty decent. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1657758/restaurant/Melbourne/Grain-Express-Box-Hill%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Grain%20Express%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1657758/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1657758/restaurant/Melbourne/Grain-Express-Box-Hill"><img alt="Grain Express on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1657758/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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Until next time...<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-60990834207319020492014-08-29T19:43:00.001+10:002014-08-29T19:57:05.839+10:00Slow Roasted Ham & Pea SoupHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I have discovered pre made slow roasted hickory flavoured ham at my deli and it's a life changer. It made knocking up a comforting pot of ham and pea soup a cinch and it taste waaaay better than any canned version. <br />
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To make enough for eight bowls, you will need:<br />
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<li>500g of slow roasted ham. I bought the Tilbaldi brand and according to their label, it's been slow roasted for 10 hours. That's good enough for me. </li>
<li>11 cups of stock</li>
<li>1.5 cup of dried peas and/or beans</li>
<li>mixed herbs - I used fresh tarragon</li>
<li>1 carrot</li>
<li>2 sticks of celery</li>
<li>1 onion</li>
<li>tablespoon of olive oil</li>
<li>tablespoon of chia seeds (optional)</li>
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Method:</div>
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<li>I soaked the peas and bean mix overnight then rinse and drain</li>
<li>Chop carrot, onion and celery then fry in pot with the oil</li>
<li>Once veggies and tarragon are soft, add the peas/bean mix and the liquid</li>
<li>Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer for 45 mins</li>
<li>At this stage I roughly blitzed the soup with a stick blender</li>
<li>Roughly shred, chop the ham and add to the soup</li>
<li>Throw in the chia seeds if using. Stir to distribute</li>
<li>Serve with a big chunk of bread and butter!</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the chia seeds thrown in<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-42229638560631398832014-08-27T13:09:00.000+10:002014-08-27T13:09:04.284+10:00Shizuku RamenHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I was the lucky plus one guest for lunch at Shizuku which is a modern take on a traditional ramen restaurant. By modern take I mean, they had many creative spins on typical noodle house fare. For instance, we ordered a cha su souvlaki which was all that you would expect of a Greek souvlaki (wrap, lettuce, salad elements like leek and cucumber) but with the Japanese roast pork interior and with an Asiatic bent of chilli mayo and sichimi sauce. It was absolutely delicious and as an entree, a great starter to share. It tasted very similar to a Peking duck pancake eg roasted meat, slightly sweet sauce, egg pancake....mmm....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n_y_dPjuIGw/U_1IGpJ8WTI/AAAAAAAAGaM/Vid64VFVSrk/s1600/DSCN1733%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n_y_dPjuIGw/U_1IGpJ8WTI/AAAAAAAAGaM/Vid64VFVSrk/s1600/DSCN1733%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cha Su Souvlaki</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To further demonstrate their creativity, the green tea came with a little nibble on the side. These were savoury popcorn. It tasted like they have been lightly sprayed with soy sauce or similar. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0ponqJieNnc/U_1IQuEhAHI/AAAAAAAAGao/QmILp1GrzOg/s1600/DSCN1731%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0ponqJieNnc/U_1IQuEhAHI/AAAAAAAAGao/QmILp1GrzOg/s1600/DSCN1731%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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For mains we both ordered the ramen...for how could we not as this was their specialty? There were many creative versions of ramen. Of note was the ramen burger. But being a ramen traditionalist, I decided to try their kimchi ramen. I loved the juicy slices of pork with just the right amount of fatty to lean meat ratio. The egg was wonderfully boiled, just setting on being gooey. The kimchi itself wasn't the fiery hot type so very enjoyable to eat. The soup was hearty and comforting. Apparently the broth has been boiled for at least 10 hours to get the concentrated flavours. The noodles had a nice bite to them which was in a whole different league to 2 min noodles.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-giHvB140-c0/U_1IP_wazTI/AAAAAAAAGak/KYy2Sxmymo8/s1600/DSCN1735%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-giHvB140-c0/U_1IP_wazTI/AAAAAAAAGak/KYy2Sxmymo8/s1600/DSCN1735%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kimchi ramen</td></tr>
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<br />My friend ordered the Shoyu ramen. The broth for this one was mind blowing. It was tasted very complex. I suspect a variety of meats were used to create the broth. The broth of the Shoyu tasted like a labour of love. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mfcjXCQmAf0/U_1IHk_ofII/AAAAAAAAGaQ/Bb3OHBX8i58/s1600/DSCN1734%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mfcjXCQmAf0/U_1IHk_ofII/AAAAAAAAGaQ/Bb3OHBX8i58/s1600/DSCN1734%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoyu ramen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The interior of Shizuku was all about glossy black walls and statement lighting. It had great ambience. It is situated on the same strip of Victoria St as the pho shops and offers an alternative to the usual noodle shops. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R3oWoJbRZvE/U_1IM6EoudI/AAAAAAAAGac/cXV8EL_hxfA/s1600/DSCN1728%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R3oWoJbRZvE/U_1IM6EoudI/AAAAAAAAGac/cXV8EL_hxfA/s1600/DSCN1728%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1757711/restaurant/Melbourne/Richmond/Shizuku-Ramen-Abbotsford%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Shizuku%20Ramen%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1757711/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1757711/restaurant/Melbourne/Richmond/Shizuku-Ramen-Abbotsford"><img alt="Shizuku Ramen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1757711/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></a><br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-76741191112412198992014-08-19T20:57:00.001+10:002014-08-19T20:57:38.367+10:00Lucy's Divine CafeHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
<br />
P has introduced me to Lucy's Divine Cafe for a fix of Mauritian cuisine. The cafe part of Lucy's is an off shoot from their already well established bakery. We would typically buy a selection of home style foods as a take away for Sunday lunch and have enough for leftovers at night. Here is an idea of what they serve:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5XNvMTEk9g/U_FjqPtINcI/AAAAAAAAGXg/aTsZ19SWfg4/s1600/DSCN1739%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B5XNvMTEk9g/U_FjqPtINcI/AAAAAAAAGXg/aTsZ19SWfg4/s1600/DSCN1739%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gateau arouille and gateau piment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljyRKhV7jcw/U_FjxULbMmI/AAAAAAAAGXw/Znl1JLlgVJY/s1600/DSCN1742%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljyRKhV7jcw/U_FjxULbMmI/AAAAAAAAGXw/Znl1JLlgVJY/s1600/DSCN1742%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of gateau arouille (taro fritter)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--8AulTa_TEU/U_Fj3PqR0LI/AAAAAAAAGYI/MLABaumTOSg/s1600/DSCN1744%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--8AulTa_TEU/U_Fj3PqR0LI/AAAAAAAAGYI/MLABaumTOSg/s1600/DSCN1744%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior of gateau piment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I love their gateau arouille which are taro root fritters. They are super crunchy with a hint of ginger and sweetness. Kiddo loves their gateau piment which are spicy chickpea fritters. <br />
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For mains, we order the usual suspects: beef briyani which came with boiled eggs (love this way of serving), fried rice with chicken and a curry. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ZmSuWiCKbs/U_Fj9ZDxxhI/AAAAAAAAGYQ/QpRU5MykA-s/s1600/DSCN1737%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ZmSuWiCKbs/U_Fj9ZDxxhI/AAAAAAAAGYQ/QpRU5MykA-s/s1600/DSCN1737%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Briyani</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1h1zm-rMdCw/U_Fj_Dj2EzI/AAAAAAAAGYY/17SEeknUVZ4/s1600/DSCN1738%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1h1zm-rMdCw/U_Fj_Dj2EzI/AAAAAAAAGYY/17SEeknUVZ4/s1600/DSCN1738%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried rice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRI5yWed7Ik/U_Fj1jrAoXI/AAAAAAAAGYA/Voo2UjTmRp8/s1600/DSCN1743%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRI5yWed7Ik/U_Fj1jrAoXI/AAAAAAAAGYA/Voo2UjTmRp8/s1600/DSCN1743%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef curry and roti</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To accompany the mains, we got mango and mixed vegetable achar which was more than plenty to keep for the remainder of the week. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Betdcm3T8E/U_Fjx78jR2I/AAAAAAAAGX0/Bg3TdqlkgYU/s1600/DSCN1740%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Betdcm3T8E/U_Fjx78jR2I/AAAAAAAAGX0/Bg3TdqlkgYU/s1600/DSCN1740%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango achar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UMOgmp7c8E4/U_FjvB4_y6I/AAAAAAAAGXo/Kb17m5U6xgs/s1600/DSCN1741%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UMOgmp7c8E4/U_FjvB4_y6I/AAAAAAAAGXo/Kb17m5U6xgs/s1600/DSCN1741%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixed vegetable achar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Most of the mains are less than $15 and the serving sizes are generous. The briyani and the gateau arouille are definitely a drawcard. If you are curious about Mauritian food, this is a good place to try. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1880305/restaurant/Melbourne/Narre-Warren/Lucys-Divine-Cafe-Hampton-Park%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Lucy's%20Divine%20Cafe%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1880305/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1880305/restaurant/Melbourne/Narre-Warren/Lucys-Divine-Cafe-Hampton-Park"><img alt="Lucy's Divine Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1880305/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></a><br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-22871576355438365212014-08-12T21:49:00.000+10:002014-08-12T21:49:02.854+10:00Food Travelogue - Malaysia, The Chicken Rice Shop Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Not long ago we accompanied Kiddo on her pilgrimage to Legoland in Johor, Malaysia. Our driver recommended we avoid the usual theme park food and opt for one of the restaurants in the Medina Complex next to Legoland. He actually recommended The Chicken Rice Shop as it had a reputation of being a family restaurant and reasonably priced. If I had to compare The Chicken Rice Shop to something familiar in Australia, I would say it is a chicken rice equivalent of the Grill'd burger joints. <br />
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We ordered two of their meal 'pax 'and an additional noodle for Kiddo. <br />
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I had the Healthy Meal (RM 16.50 which roughly translated to $5-ish AUD, it was a bargain!). Here's what I got, including a cup of tea (not pictured):<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X8BK6-Jxi0Y/U-n65GxRF3I/AAAAAAAAGU0/arJfJIkJ4yM/s1600/DSCN1644%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X8BK6-Jxi0Y/U-n65GxRF3I/AAAAAAAAGU0/arJfJIkJ4yM/s1600/DSCN1644%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamed chicken breast with all the trimmings (dipping sauces and rice)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQKcE7nfJzo/U-n67NpruKI/AAAAAAAAGU8/vhAMhtA632M/s1600/DSCN1645%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQKcE7nfJzo/U-n67NpruKI/AAAAAAAAGU8/vhAMhtA632M/s1600/DSCN1645%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken soup, soya egg and braised tofu</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FS_irlrADJQ/U-n7olK_4QI/AAAAAAAAGVc/-NrjTEKPsVY/s1600/DSCN1648%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FS_irlrADJQ/U-n7olK_4QI/AAAAAAAAGVc/-NrjTEKPsVY/s1600/DSCN1648%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pak choy</td></tr>
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I very much enjoyed my Healthy Meal. The chicken was silken and well cooked. The veggies were steamed nicely and not over done. Loved the soya egg and tofu and could have easily eaten more. I didn't drink the soup as I feared it looked a bit greasy. For under $6 AUD, it was a very decent meal and way better than fast food option. <br />
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P ordered the Hainanese Chicken Rice Meal (RM 15.50). The following is what came with the pax (tea not pictured). I just realised upon uploading the pictures, they forgot to give us the Ipoh bean sprouts which supposedly came with the pax. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CJgnz89jk6M/U-n6-ImA1eI/AAAAAAAAGVE/KMiw59ahyDo/s1600/DSCN1646%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CJgnz89jk6M/U-n6-ImA1eI/AAAAAAAAGVE/KMiw59ahyDo/s1600/DSCN1646%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Hainanese curry chicken, rice, soup and the sweets</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oXfwtiY1snU/U-n7GRLvDRI/AAAAAAAAGVU/xgsXga2XV8c/s1600/DSCN1649%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oXfwtiY1snU/U-n7GRLvDRI/AAAAAAAAGVU/xgsXga2XV8c/s1600/DSCN1649%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nyonya Pai Tee</td></tr>
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P reported he really enjoyed the curried chicken. We didn't eat the Pai tee or the sweets as it looked really sugary. Too bad we only realised the bean sprouts were MIA after we left the country. But once again, for approximately $5 AUD, it was great value. <br />
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Kiddo had a bowl of laksa (RM 11.90). It looked very fresh and plenty of veggies within. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fctRd5CQwTs/U-n7DFjKb7I/AAAAAAAAGVM/Z--dA3zBnnU/s1600/DSCN1647%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fctRd5CQwTs/U-n7DFjKb7I/AAAAAAAAGVM/Z--dA3zBnnU/s1600/DSCN1647%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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For more details on The Chicken Shop(s) peppered throughout Asian, click <a href="http://www.thechickenriceshop.com/index2.html#" target="_blank">here</a>. When travelling through Malaysia and Singapore, I would definitely pick The Chicken Rice Shop over say, McDonalds or other fast food outlets purely because it offers fairly healthy fare at reasonable prices. <br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-39920962851822780462014-08-07T20:47:00.000+10:002015-05-17T17:43:48.353+10:00Food Travelogue - Singapore Part 5 - Imperial Treasure Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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We had time to kill whilst waiting for our flight back home at Changi Airport and decided to check ourselves in at the Crowne Plaza Hotel next to Changi for a lie-down and a freshen up. That was when we stumbled upon Imperial Treasure which was located within Crowne Plaza Hotel. Even though it was neither lunch nor dinner time, we decided anytime was yum cha time. <br />
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The yum cha was an 'order off the menu' affair rather than a 'pick off the trolley' type. This was perhaps because we were eating around 3pm. The service was very attentive and we were offered a plate of honeyed cashews upon arrival. Thinking it was a <i>gratis amuse bouche,</i> we quickly scoffed down said unsolicited nuts but got a bit irked when the billed came and we discovered we were charged for them. It was only $3.70 or thereabouts but it was more the principle of the matter. <br />
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But having said that, the yum cha itself was a delight. We ordered the cholesterol laden fried octopus coated with salted duck egg yolk. OMG, anything coated in duck egg yolk is a winner, never mind the angioplasty I require later. <b><a href="http://eatandbemerryfortomorrowwediet.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/imperial-treasure-singapore-by-obelix.html" target="_blank">Continue reading...</a></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-58170165491190233682014-08-05T18:14:00.001+10:002014-08-05T18:16:25.759+10:00Matteo'sHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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My dear friends V & A were joined in holy matrimony a few weekends ago. The ceremony was touching and humorously reflected their personalities and the food at the reception was <i>ah-may-zing</i>! I count myself blessed to have friends who love their food because it guarantees good eating in their company. <br />
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The reception dinner was held at Matteo's in North Fitzroy which dabbles in a bit of Italian-Asian fusion. I am generally wary of fusion cuisines but the folks at Matteo's somehow marry these diametrically opposite food cultures up and create exquisite plates to remember. <br />
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To prove my point, here is what we had:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FM0sRCj00os/U-CMTgjiucI/AAAAAAAAGN8/eIqv9lmcdm8/s1600/DSCN1719%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FM0sRCj00os/U-CMTgjiucI/AAAAAAAAGN8/eIqv9lmcdm8/s1600/DSCN1719%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft boiled duck egg coated with yuzu curd, organic quinoa salad with avocado, hazelnuts, Myrtleford ricotta and preserved lemon</td></tr>
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We got to pick out our own entree and main from a selection. For entree I could not resist the duck egg. In general, I love a good boiled egg - it's simple but perfect at the same time. The accompanying quinoa was complex and interesting with crunchy nuts and creamy avocado and the zing of the preserved lemon. Yum!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fi2WGuQDRxk/U-CMRkki7lI/AAAAAAAAGN0/TKBdqwUbemg/s1600/DSCN1710%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fi2WGuQDRxk/U-CMRkki7lI/AAAAAAAAGN0/TKBdqwUbemg/s1600/DSCN1710%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese seafood plate</td></tr>
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P ordered the Japanese seafood plate which looked like works of art. My photography does not do this justice (the room was romantically lit = dim, which did made it difficult for a hack like me to take a decent shot). The trio consisted of: Hiramasa kingfish sashimi, shrimp remoulade with kaffir lime and lemongrass; tempura Balmain bug tail, wakame seaweed salad and teriyaki glazed smoked eel, coddled egg and potato salad with kewpie mayo. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IBzyeB3tMdk/U-CM7o1pF_I/AAAAAAAAGOk/sROo0ubf98U/s1600/DSCN1723%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IBzyeB3tMdk/U-CM7o1pF_I/AAAAAAAAGOk/sROo0ubf98U/s1600/DSCN1723%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crisp skin Cone Bay barramundi, jasmine rice congee with scallop & freekah, finger fennel & mustard green</td></tr>
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Being Asian, I am partial to a bit of congee so this was my selection of mains. The congee tasted of the sea. with chunks of scallops throughout. I would go so far to say that the congee rivalled my mum's. The barramundi was nicely cooked ie the flesh still held together. Sometimes when barras are badly cooked (eg when I cook it) the flesh tends to fall apart. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LzuOqzA-9eo/U-CQRdx27zI/AAAAAAAAGPY/r8w4NYIFURw/s1600/DSCN1722%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LzuOqzA-9eo/U-CQRdx27zI/AAAAAAAAGPY/r8w4NYIFURw/s1600/DSCN1722%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seared wagyu beef skirt steak, tamarind beef sauce, panko-crumbed tomato-sambal eggplant, braised snake beans, bell pepper piperade</td></tr>
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This was P's mains choice. He was still reminiscing about the wagyu a week later. The mains came with sides. If veggies tasted this good all the time, I would happily be a vegetarian. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6IzaV20yCs/U-CQFS0poGI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/IvS0njSDg1g/s1600/DSCN1720%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6IzaV20yCs/U-CQFS0poGI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/IvS0njSDg1g/s1600/DSCN1720%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tatsoi salad with nashi pear and daikon, dried wasabi peas, wasabi mayonnaise</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried royal blue potatoes, sesame and furikake salt</td></tr>
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The dessert was our own tasting plate with three small tastes: <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bJOFXa1jM44/U-CM-1_yMJI/AAAAAAAAGOs/KQpVhpDXWac/s1600/DSCN1725%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bJOFXa1jM44/U-CM-1_yMJI/AAAAAAAAGOs/KQpVhpDXWac/s1600/DSCN1725%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five spiced quince & pistachio frangipane tartlet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRvZY6qdFo0/U-CM_ERvdaI/AAAAAAAAGO0/qqV-229qno0/s1600/DSCN1726%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LRvZY6qdFo0/U-CM_ERvdaI/AAAAAAAAGO0/qqV-229qno0/s1600/DSCN1726%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coconut milk panna-cotta with plum wine jelly</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KueK4QSnslk/U-CNDo-B4MI/AAAAAAAAGO8/S3Gum24AGN8/s1600/DSCN1727%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KueK4QSnslk/U-CNDo-B4MI/AAAAAAAAGO8/S3Gum24AGN8/s1600/DSCN1727%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warm, dark chocolate fondant pudding</td></tr>
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It was a beautiful evening celebrating a beautiful couple *sniff*<br />
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After such a lovely experience, I have decided to have my birthday dinner at Matteo's! So hopefully more pics to come later on this year. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761232/restaurant/Melbourne/Matteos-Restaurant-Fitzroy-North%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Matteo's%20Restaurant%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761232/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761232/restaurant/Melbourne/Matteos-Restaurant-Fitzroy-North"><img alt="Matteo's Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761232/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-32123715771217940132014-07-30T19:03:00.001+10:002014-08-03T15:00:57.181+10:00Gyros Party At HomeHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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It was my niece's 10th birthday a few months back (<i>Happy birthday M!</i>) and I was so impressed with the house party her parents threw for her. They managed to feed a crowd the size of a small army (I estimated at least 50 people) and managed to do this without seeming too flustered or resentful (as I tend to get in a similar situation). <br />
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The clever parents decided to serve gyros which they cooked over coals in the backyard. The meat itself (chicken, lamb, beef, pork - all domesticated animals were well represented) were purchased pre-skewered at the Greek shop, salads and accompaniments were easily pulled together from the supermarket. The tzatziki was bought - and voila! - a fun meal where everyone can assembled their own gyros to their liking. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQjC_ZlTP5A/U9ixp4zyQQI/AAAAAAAAGJg/UUNKJWd8NME/s1600/DSCN1517%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQjC_ZlTP5A/U9ixp4zyQQI/AAAAAAAAGJg/UUNKJWd8NME/s1600/DSCN1517%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Is there anything better than the smell of chargrilled meats? </i>Wait, yes there is <i>- chargrilled cuttlefish! </i>Cuttlefish on the open flame is the ultimate in smell-unami. <i> </i>It is reminiscent of holidays in South East Asia, strolling pass street vendors selling their wares on a balmy night. Put a few cuttlefish on the barbie and it would blow your mind. My brother in law, two of his friends and I quickly snaffled up the coveted crispy cuttlefish between us before anyone else gets their paws onto it. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An incredibly meat-ccentric gyros assembled by Kiddo. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A more balanced gyros</td></tr>
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Anything goes...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GLa1aJtgMIQ/U9ix50PRoBI/AAAAAAAAGKI/sjf6giUUhjk/s1600/DSCN1522%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GLa1aJtgMIQ/U9ix50PRoBI/AAAAAAAAGKI/sjf6giUUhjk/s1600/DSCN1522%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have been informed that the spit is purchased from Bunnings for $80 or thereabouts. I found YouTube clip of the spit in action by Vinygee if you would like further details. <br />
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<a href="http://%3Ciframe%20width%3D%22560%22%20height%3D%22315%22%20src%3D%22//www.youtube.com/embed/RCfr77sj7bo%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20allowfullscreen%3E%3C/iframe%3E" target="_blank"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RCfr77sj7bo" width="560"></iframe></a><br />
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In summary - a great idea for feeding a crowd. <br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-8097732020064641592014-07-30T16:39:00.002+10:002014-08-03T13:43:23.197+10:00Grand Noodle Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Grand Noodle is a good solid takeaway staple for those nights where you just can't be faffed. They do a more Westernised take on the standard hawker store noodles and rice dishes. The serving sizes are decent and the service is quick - no mucking about. <br />
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Our standard order (for we are predictable people) include:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gxR3Dah1dRE/U9iRhq0FfZI/AAAAAAAAGH8/kf7VXLjqRe0/s1600/DSCN1623%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gxR3Dah1dRE/U9iRhq0FfZI/AAAAAAAAGH8/kf7VXLjqRe0/s1600/DSCN1623%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curry Laksa</td></tr>
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Their curry laksa had loads more veggies than the more traditional curry laksa, which is actually a positive. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfdMyz6qDGU/U9iRlLaBsfI/AAAAAAAAGIE/xqwrW81G934/s1600/DSCN1625%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfdMyz6qDGU/U9iRlLaBsfI/AAAAAAAAGIE/xqwrW81G934/s1600/DSCN1625%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasi Goreng</td></tr>
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Their Nasi Goreng had plenty of BBQ within and not too spicy which made it family friendly. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yQlXP9wDqNI/U9iRprWlFJI/AAAAAAAAGIM/OSvW33Nz1rU/s1600/DSCN1626%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yQlXP9wDqNI/U9iRprWlFJI/AAAAAAAAGIM/OSvW33Nz1rU/s1600/DSCN1626%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Char Kwai Teow</td></tr>
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So this may not be the most authentic tasting Char Kwai Teow I have ever tasted but as stir fried noodles go, it tasted more than fine. Better than what I am capable of. <br />
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In summary - Grand Noodle, a handy go-to takeaway place. It might not be authentic hawker stall fare but it tastes more than fine, service is quick and serves are substantial. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1698984/restaurant/Melbourne/Grand-Noodle-Camberwell%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Grand%20Noodle%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1698984/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1698984/restaurant/Melbourne/Grand-Noodle-Camberwell"><img alt="Grand Noodle on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1698984/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-45396790714232323842014-07-28T13:36:00.000+10:002015-05-09T19:16:18.014+10:00Food Travelogue, Singapore Part 4 - Rasapura MastersHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Whilst we were in Singapore we ate at Rasapura Masters practically daily. Firstly it was conveniently located in the Marina Bay Sands complex where we were staying but mainly because it served the most delicious tasting Hainanese Chicken I have ever ever tasted (no exaggeration, I used to hate Hainanese Chicken but now I'm a convert). It was only after I got home that I Googled <a href="http://www.rasapura.com.sg/" target="_blank">Rasapura Masters website</a> and realised Rasapura means "City of Taste". The whole concept of Raspura Masters was to offer all the multi-cultural experiences of Singaporean street food all in one place. <b><a href="http://eatandbemerryfortomorrowwediet.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/rasapura-masters-singapore-by-obelix.html" target="_blank">Continue reading...</a></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-12254449988775782892014-07-25T09:55:00.003+10:002014-08-03T13:43:40.828+10:00Dandenong Market - What's To Eat There?Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Over the years, various friends and acquaintances have been mentioning the food stalls in<a href="http://www.dandenongmarket.com.au/" target="_blank"> Dandenong Market </a>as a place to go for cheap, authentic ethnic foods. I ventured out there for the first time a few Sundays ago and was not disappointed. Being a Sunday, I found out that some of the food stalls were closed but enough were open to give me an idea of what it is all about and to sample a few. <br />
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I was most impressed with the dumpling caravan named Sansan. They had a special on - six dumplings with various fillings (seafood, chicken, pork, etc) served with a large piece of chicken breast schnitzel, prawn crackers and a drink for $9. The dumplings were exquisite - the wrappers were very silken in texture and one of the thinnest I have ever tasted. Apparently the dumplings are hand made. The fillings were juicy and flavourful even though I couldn't really tell the difference between the various fillings. The chicken schnitzel, well, hey, it's a schnitzel and all schnitzels are universally loved by me. On the whole, very good value for a delicious lunch. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sansan - the pick of the eats at Dandenong Market</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big pile of yum - dumplings, schnitzel and prawn crackers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check out how thin the wrappers of the dumplings were</td></tr>
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I also sampled the Doughworks caravan which served Turkish style bread and kebabs. The place was really busy and I thought - <i>surely that is a sign of good eating to be had?</i> A lady was rolling out dough for the bread and it was quite an impressive show. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit of live dough rolling action</td></tr>
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The customer service unfortunately at Doughworks was a little lacking. I placed my order and after dutifully waiting for 5 - 10 minutes realised they had forgotten my order. So I queued up and gave my order again to another lady. Other lady promptly forgets my order and asked me a few minutes later whether I would like to order anything. Grr... By that stage I was beyond waiting and wanted to give up but since I have already paid, persisted in waiting and waiting. The guy assembling the kebabs added insult to injury by declaring that my order is coming but it is in the back of the queue as all these other people (and he sweeps his arms out) orders were ahead of mine. After waiting an interminable period of time for my chicken kebab, chips and drink ($11), I was disappointed that the kebab was rather ordinary. The chips were tasty but then again, it was crop dusted with chicken salt and flavour enhancers,. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kebab - not worth the wait or aggravation</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wgxM8wUyBFI/U9GZAfwOIWI/AAAAAAAAGCY/huGfqDEw5WM/s1600/DSCN1695%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wgxM8wUyBFI/U9GZAfwOIWI/AAAAAAAAGCY/huGfqDEw5WM/s1600/DSCN1695%255B1%255D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Kiddo sampled a spring roll from one of the Asian stalls and declared it delicious. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pssu0hm4UWc/U9GbghDXhDI/AAAAAAAAGCo/32U5ZIxpDeQ/s1600/DSCN1686%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pssu0hm4UWc/U9GbghDXhDI/AAAAAAAAGCo/32U5ZIxpDeQ/s1600/DSCN1686%5B1%5D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring rolls purchased from here</td></tr>
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I'll finish off with a few random photos of the food related surroundings:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDvBj0_geh4/U9GcMkow_XI/AAAAAAAAGDU/nX03WwDIqbQ/s1600/DSCN1689%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TDvBj0_geh4/U9GcMkow_XI/AAAAAAAAGDU/nX03WwDIqbQ/s1600/DSCN1689%255B1%255D.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking demo at The Kitchen</td></tr>
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Dandenong Market - worth exploring. I would just go for the Sansan dumplings alone. </div>
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Official Dandenong Market website - go<a href="http://www.dandenongmarket.com.au/" target="_blank"> here</a> for opening hours and stall details. </div>
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Until next time..</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-16402870396615333762014-07-23T13:42:00.003+10:002014-08-03T15:01:17.288+10:00Shanghai Garden DumplingHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Purely in the name of investigative reportage and not for gluttonous reasons, I have tried many a dumpling places of late. I present to you the first in a series to come of dumpling reviews. Shanghai Garden Dumpling apparently makes their own buns and dumplings from scratch daily. <br />
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I very much enjoyed their Pan Fried Chive Pancake ($6.80). It was filled with chives (obviously) but also with glass noodles and dried shrimp. The pancake had a warm toasted/char taste and it was not soggy at all given the moist interior. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pan fried chive pancakes</td></tr>
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We also ordered the Pan Fried Pork Soup Buns ($7.90). P declared these to taste just as good as the ones he lined up on the streets for in Shanghai. But I found these very greasy with a overwhelming porky aftertaste. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pan fried pork soup buns</td></tr>
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They redeemed themselves with the Pan Fried Pork Dumplings ($7.00). The wrapper were thin and slippery which made the dumplings themselves very light. They were deliciously crisp underneath and the filling inside wasn't too greasy. I would highly recommend these dumplings!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pan fried dumplings</td></tr>
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I would definitely return for the dumplings and the chive pancakes and perhaps also try some of their Shanghainese noodle and rice dishes. <br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1815528/restaurant/Melbourne/Box-Hill/Shanghai-Garden-Dumpling-Box-Hill-South%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Shanghai%20Garden%20Dumpling%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1815528/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1815528/restaurant/Melbourne/Box-Hill/Shanghai-Garden-Dumpling-Box-Hill-South"><img alt="Shanghai Garden Dumpling on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1815528/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-28922455622876500262014-07-21T14:51:00.000+10:002014-08-03T13:33:28.851+10:00Qantas First Class Lounge Melbourne & Qantas Lounge SingaporeHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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I was very lucky to be able to have brekkie at Qantas' First Class Lounge in Melbourne airport before flying out to Singapore. It sure beats grabbing a bacon McMuffin at the old airport Maccas! The breakfast items are all cooked to order. The waiter was very cognizant of time contraints and requested our flight details in order to time our food service accordingly. The customer service was impeccable, as one would expect from a first class lounge. <br />
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Kiddo ordered herself a brioche roll filled with bacon, relish and fried egg with a side of hash brown. <br />
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I had an assortment of sauteed spinach, bacon, mushrooms, poached eggs, hash brown with sourdough. It was a big breakfast compared with what I normally would eat but it kept me going until I got on the plane...and ate even more breakfast!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chefs at work, Qantas Lounge Melbourne</td></tr>
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On the way back home from Singapore, we checked out the newly done up Qantas Lounge in Changi airport. At Changi, they had a self service buffet with an array of salads, sweets and hot foods. An example of the hot foods is the plate below filled with pilaf, chicken cacciatore, sauteed veggies. <br />
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The kitchen also served a selection cooked to order dishes. Pictured below is the stir fried beef served with rice. The dishes were hearty and well executed. It was lovely to just fill up the tum before a night flight. I was definitely ready for a nap after that.<br />
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Here is the salad selection. They also had a cocktail bar in full service. I'm kicking myself in retrospect for not trying out a few drinks the bar tender was mixing for everyone. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salad selection from salad bar</td></tr>
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In summary, love the food in the Qantas Lounges both in Melbourne and Changi airports. It is sometimes hard to eat well when travelling but the lounges never fails to provide healthy hearty meals for the hungry and peckish traveller. Please see<a href="http://thequestfornoms.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/neil-perry-experience-qantas-first.html" target="_blank"> here </a>for our post on the Qantas First Class Lounge in Sydney. <br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-45610209494050674732014-07-20T15:06:00.001+10:002014-08-03T13:34:01.071+10:00Madelines at Jells ParkHello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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Madelines is a cafe situated within the picturesque Jells Park. Because of it's location it makes it a convenient place for an <i>apres sportif </i>coffee / lunch / brunch. There is a indoor cafe area as well as an alfresco dining and a even more casual kiosk opening for coffee orders. Being a cafe in a park, it naturally is bike and scooter friendly. <br />
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After a brisk walk in the bracing wind around the lake, we headed to Madelines for coffees and a wee snack. The staff were very friendly and Kiddo received an activity sheet to keep her occupied. The wood fire was roaring which was a much needed comfort on a wintery day. <br />
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The food service came rather promptly however there was a bit of a wait for the beverages (10 - 15 mins). <br />
We ordered a latte; hot chocolate for Kiddo; green tea and their "Meat Platter" ($17) which is more or less an antipasto plate to share. The Meat Platter came with salami, proscuitto, bococini; semi sun dried tomatoes, marinated eggplant, fetta, rocket salad, grilled capsicums, grisini and lavosh. It was surprisingly filling with the coffees as a snack between four people. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qe15D6G7_Cs/U8Ncme3niII/AAAAAAAAFzM/2nYKun6PD6Y/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qe15D6G7_Cs/U8Ncme3niII/AAAAAAAAFzM/2nYKun6PD6Y/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Latte</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hP6in8nyxW0/U8NcnTnOqzI/AAAAAAAAFzc/9eJYHJD0gJY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hP6in8nyxW0/U8NcnTnOqzI/AAAAAAAAFzc/9eJYHJD0gJY/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot chocolate</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u8cERKSjv7w/U8Ncn_paBnI/AAAAAAAAFzs/b7NQbOWf5Bw/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u8cERKSjv7w/U8Ncn_paBnI/AAAAAAAAFzs/b7NQbOWf5Bw/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green tea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ZLreywQz0Y/U8NcmiIq58I/AAAAAAAAFzg/IiSHTaAypsw/s1600/jell4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9ZLreywQz0Y/U8NcmiIq58I/AAAAAAAAFzg/IiSHTaAypsw/s1600/jell4.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meat platter</td></tr>
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I wouldn't go so far as to say it was the best antipasto plate ever to be constructed or the best coffees/teas brewed. But the view is magnificent, it's convenient for park goers and it's child friendly which makes Madelines worth visiting. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOsByPVSfDs/U8NcoZQ6SdI/AAAAAAAAFzw/se8IPFMHxC4/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOsByPVSfDs/U8NcoZQ6SdI/AAAAAAAAFzw/se8IPFMHxC4/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761184/restaurant/Melbourne/Glen-Waverley/Madelines-at-Jells-Wheelers-Hill%22%3E%3Cimg%20alt=%22Madeline's%20at%20Jells%20on%20Urbanspoon%22%20src=%22http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761184/biglink.gif%22%20style=%22border:none;width:200px;height:146px%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761184/restaurant/Melbourne/Glen-Waverley/Madelines-at-Jells-Wheelers-Hill"><img alt="Madeline's at Jells on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761184/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
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Until next time...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7825966145536893025.post-49143872160485638442014-07-18T13:40:00.001+10:002015-05-05T20:07:08.349+10:00Food Travelogue - Singapore pt 3 - Kopitiam at Vivo City Hello Fellow Nom Seekers!<br />
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No wonder Singapore is often touted as the foodie's destination. I was so impressed with their definition of shopping mall food court. No, not McDonalds or KFCs but individual shops selling noodles, rice, BBQ meats, all serving customers very quickly and very cheaply. Tucked away in the basement of <a href="http://www.vivocity.com.sg/" target="_blank">Vivo City</a> which apparently is Singapore's largest retail and lifestyle complex is an unbelievably well priced kopitiam. <b><a href="http://eatandbemerryfortomorrowwediet.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/kopitiam-at-vivo-city-singapore-by.html" target="_blank">Continue reading...</a></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03162971821645145265noreply@blogger.com0