tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52737562236250937502024-03-18T21:08:01.153-07:00Suburban Culinary AdventuresA discussion of food, restaurant reviews, cooking and general ramblings on life from an everyday cook!LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-53575266590336415382013-06-06T19:45:00.000-07:002013-06-06T19:45:25.046-07:00Gazi, CBDI know I keep saying this, but its been a long time between posts. During my recent shuffle of my life, priorities and aspirations (see <a href="http://www.surburbanculinaryadventures.blogspot.com.au/2012_12_01_archive.html">'Looking towards 2013'</a>) for some reason I have lost a little bit of my motivation for blogging, cooking and eating out. But I am slowly getting my groove back, and have spent the last few months discovering some of the budget gems Melbourne has to offer while I save for my European adventure that I leave for in 3 weeks time. <br />
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But, anyway onto topic- a new little slice of Europe in the Melbourne CBD... in the former premises of the Press Club, George Colambaris's new restaurant Gazi. Now this was not technically 'budget' food, but compared to its predecessor, this new Greek 'street food' restaurant was surpisingly easy on the pocket. My foodie cousin and I were able to eat a huge amount of food (seriously, I couldn't eat for 16 hours) for $60 a head with drinks. It seems Colambaris and co have realized that Melbourne's trend at the moment has drifted from fine dining into more 'hip and interesting share food', and thats definitely what Gazi had to offer. I love George's Hellenic Republic restaurant, but I was glad to see that Gazi offered up some really interesting and different alternatives to the more traditional Greek style that HR offers. <br />
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Aesthetically, the restaurant is beautiful. It is simple enough that a family could dine there quite happily, but ambient enough for a first date and funky enough for Saturday night drinks. The obvious feature is the roof, lined with hundreds of terracotta pots for a very different and cool looking showpiece. <br />
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We started with the option of three dips, and it was so difficult to decide which ones to try. We were extremely happy with our selections. The cauliflower skordalia was jazzed up with smoked almonds and some crispy pork mince and was very creamy and delicious. The hommus was given something extra with some fried chick peas that offered an extra element of crunch. But the dip we both couldn't get enough of was the smoked sweetcorn with crispy chicken skin- simply amazing. <br />
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At the waitress's very helpful suggestion, we shared only one of the mini souvlaki's rather than one each- that would have been a potential disaster. These would be the perfect size for lunch with a handful of chips, and great as a pseudo kids meal. We had the chicken version with chips, parsley and mustard. My cousin was very excited to see chips as an addition, something she had loved when eating souvlaki in Greece. The spit roasted chicken was just gorgeous. <br />
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For main, we went for the dish neither of us can ever say no to- pork belly. This pork belly serving was huge, more than enough for the two of us (but of course, we let none go to waste!) Two large servings of rich pork belly with crispy crackling, served with white beans and apple skordalia. Amazing. <br />
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We felt our salad choice to accompany the pork was perfect with a brussel sprout and quinoa salad. I am only just starting to discover the versatility of the humble old brussel sprout and this salad was a perfect example of how much this vegetable can shine. <br />
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Overall, we were very impressed with our first experience at Gazi. These big restaurants can sometimes be a let-down, especially during the hustle and bustle of opening week, but these guys are doing very well and I would happily recommend this to my fussiest, budget strapped friends. Simple but interested Greek street share food, done very well. The only thing missing was a sighting of Mr Colambaris himself!<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1717899/restaurant/CBD/Gazi-Melbourne"><img alt="Gazi on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1717899/biglink.gif" style="border:none;padding:0px;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-77973568598784390662013-01-21T21:17:00.001-08:002013-01-21T21:17:40.271-08:00Taste of TasmaniaOver the school holidays, I went to visit a girlfriend who lives in Hobart, and amidst the smoky bushfire haze we ate and drank our way through Hobart... just my kind of holiday. I had originally planned to visit later in the holidays, but my friend (who knows me too well) insisted that I had to make sure my travel dates included the 'Taste of Tasmania' festival, more affectionately referred to by Hobartians as 'Taste'. <br />
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I am so glad that I did make it in time for the second last day of the 6 day food and wine festival, because it was a great way to taste what Tasmania has to offer. <br />
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Unlike Melbourne's food festivals, which mostly attract the resident 'foodies', the Taste is a huge drawcard for both tourists and locals in Hobart, and the fact that it can run for six days and stay busy, bustling and atmospheric really demonstrates the popularity of it and the way Tasmanian's are able to celebrate their food and produce on a daily basis for a whole week.
I am a huge fan of Tasmanian wine, and managed to work my way through quite a few bottles. This was of course accompanied by some very yummy food! <br />
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One of the restaurants I was very keen to visit whilst on my trip was 'Smolt', so I was stoked to see they had a huge tasting platter available that showcased some of their yummiest dishes. The platter included a selection of savoury dishes- Ceviche of Tasmanian salmon, grilled Tasmanian salmon with white bean pur<b class="separator" div="div" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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ee & capponata, slow cooked lamb with salsa verde and smoky eggplant, Patatas Bravas with romesco & aioli, and also some churros with dipping sauce. The savory dishes were gorgeous- from the gorgeous summery cured salmon, to the heartier lamb and beautiful quinoa salad, to the rich potatoes. It was a great way to start the festival and to accompany our first bottle of Tasmanian wine. And who doesn't like churros? I am yet to meet someone! <br />
For $40 and shared between two, I thought this was really reasonable. <br />
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Full for a while after that platter, later in the afternoon we pecked at some local sourdough with beetroot relish, gorgeous Tasmanian goat cheese and heirloom tomatoes. I love simple food like this that lets the local produce shine! </div>
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As the day went on and the empty bottles of wine stacked up, it became very clear that we needed something a little heartier for dinner if we were going to get through the evening. What better for that than a pulled pork roll, with pork fat potatoes? The whole dish just screams, 'alcohol soaker up-er'! Well, it did to me on the night anyway. Perhaps not as gourmet as I usually claim to be, but amazing nonetheless! </div>
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Unfortunately we drank too much wine to have dessert, but what a merry and yummy way to spend the day in Hobart. I cannot urge anyone thinking of going there (and who wouldn't, it is a charming little town!) to arrange their trip in time for the Taste Festival. It will definitely be on my list for the NY period from now on. A great place to take some friends, with your eating hats and your drinking shoes, and nibble the day away. </div>
LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-81940592513425948062013-01-19T19:21:00.006-08:002013-01-21T01:59:07.377-08:00RumiThis is a delayed post, but at the end of 2012 Mum and I went and had a beautiful meal at the infamous Rumi in Lygon St. The reviews for Rumi are outstanding, and from the minute we walked in it is clear why. The service was impeccable, our waitress so friendly and attentive without being overbearing, and the food just lovely. Another restaurant that prides itself on share plates, the options are endless so we just chose a few dishes that caught our eye to share! <br />
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The Lebanese Zucchini, chickpea, garlic yoghurt, crispy crumbs, paprika butter was a lovely rich but balanced vegetarian dish. <br />
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The Fried Cauliflower, caramelised onions, currants, pine nuts was probably my least favorite dish we tried. An interesting combination, but the cauliflower was a little bit too fried for my liking and had taken on a bit of a charcoal, burnt flavour that I wasn't such a fan of.<br />
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The za'atar lamb ribs were definitely the stand out dish. Sticky, yummy, tender- these lamb ribs were just how lamb ribs should be... where you literally will eat like a barbarian to make sure there is no meat left on the bone. The za'atar crust was gorgeous.<br />
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The Persian Meatballs, tomato and saffron sauce, labne were also flavoursome, packed with those signature Middle Eastern flavours. The tomato sauce was lovely also, and almost needed some crusty bread to soak it all up!<br />
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We only really had a small taste of what Rumi has to offer, and would love to go back and try the proper tasting menu. A really beautiful restaurant that offers dining worthy of a special occasion at everyday, affordable prices. The reviews don't lie! The sister restaurant 'Moor's Head' in Thornbury is currently also pretty high on my 'to try' list also. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761651/restaurant/Melbourne/Brunswick/Rumi-Brunswick-East"><img alt="Rumi on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761651/biglink.gif" style="border:none;padding:0px;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-70946517081190738182012-12-26T23:08:00.001-08:002012-12-26T23:45:07.007-08:00Looking towards 2013... Its been a long time between posts! <br />
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Unfortunately I had a few challenges that I needed to overcome towards the end of the year, and when it comes to matters of the heart, sometimes we find it difficult to do the things we love and be the same person we used to be. So, whilst I dealt with those issues, I seemingly (time flew by) took a long hiatus from Suburban Culinary Adventures. <br />
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But... I am back. And 2013 will be a new year for me, and for my blog. I have a week in Hobart coming up, and a Europe trip booked for June, and I just can't wait to share all my cooking/eating/dining adventures with you all. <br />
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I'm sure you can all only imagine that comfort food was my solace during this time in my life, so I thought as my 'getting back to it' post, I would share with you some of the yumminess I have consumed in the last few months (and I apologize for not giving full posts on each place!) An alternate name for this post could be, "How to cure a broken heart... with food!" Haha. <br />
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Enjoy, and have a very Happy New Year. <br />
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<em>Homemade berry cheesecake at my Aunty's house</em><br />
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<em>Introduced my QLD-er cousin to Vegie Bar goodness</em><br />
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<em>Yummiest vegan cupcakes ever- Mister Nice Guys bakery in Ascot Vale. I swear to god, these are a cure to a broken heart in themselves. Red Velvet, Cappucino and Pink Lemonade. Cannot wait to go back here!</em><br />
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<em>Hangover breakfast at Kofi Bean in Croydon- Eggs Benedict with Bacon and Avocado on Corn Bread. Yum! Great coffee too. </em><br />
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<em>The ultimate comfort food- Burch and Purchase salted caramel with crushed maltesers on Connoisseur vanilla ice-cream. Yep. I went there. Several times. Amaaaaaaaaazing. </em></div>
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<em>Home-made pizza's and wine with my bestie...</em> <em>Tandoori Prawn and Moroccan Vegetable.</em><br />
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<em>Whittlesea got a noodle shop! Finally, a yummy lunch option at work! Loved this Chicken Pad Thai!</em> <br />
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<em>Halloween cheese ball fun!</em><br />
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<em>Pumpkin pizza and Berry Panna Cotta at Pizza Meine Liebe in Northcote. Very cool place, super yummy pizzas and great vibe. Definitely planning to go back there this holidays!</em> <br />
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<em>Non-alcoholic cocktail and Chinese Noodle Soup at Chopstix in Sorrento. I highly recommend this as an eating option in Sorrento, awesome place and very cool vibe!</em><br />
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<em>Cupcake decorating at Cupcake Central at Melbourne Central. Very fun way to celebrate a friends birthday, and learnt so much! Have dabbled in a bit of cupcake decorating since. Seriously, cupcakes DO make the world a happier place!</em> <br />
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<em>Mushroom Risotto I made using an awesome risotto base from the Taste of Melbourne festival. So easy, it is an Italian brand in a vacuum sealed bag with a blue logo!</em><br />
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<em>Pulled pork sliders at Geebung Polo Club.</em> </div>
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So as you can see, whilst I may have stopped blogging, I didn't stop eating and cooking! Lots more to catch up on in the coming week. I hope you are all still enjoying Christmas leftovers and were thoroughly spoilt, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the New Year! </div>
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L x</div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1714902/restaurant/Melbourne/Mister-Nice-Guys-Bakeshop-Ascot-Vale"><img alt="Mister Nice Guy's Bakeshop on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1714902/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/346/1707823/restaurant/Victoria/Chopstix-Asian-Noodle-Bar-Sorrento"><img alt="Chopstix Asian Noodle Bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1707823/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>
LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-26628012202465686522012-10-28T02:22:00.002-07:002012-10-29T15:13:28.939-07:00Palomino, NorthcoteBefore heading to the Preston Market to stock up on some goodies last weekend, we headed to Palomino in Northcote for breakfast. What a gorgeous little cafe! It reminded me of being invited into someones home, especially when we ate in the little backroom on mismatched stools. The menu is a little of the same- homely, eclectic, Mexican inspired and very different. It was so difficult to decide what to eat. I love unique breakfasts, and this certainly catered to my drive to find new and exciting ways to experience breakfast foods. <br />
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I loved my baked eggs with spinach and fetta with sourdough. The creamy baked eggs with the salty feta and buttery spinach was so enjoyable, and it had just the right amount of bread. <br />
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Craig's pancetta wrapped egg with spicy baked beans was very Mexican inspired, tasty and gorgeously presented. </div>
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Coffee was also fabulous. A successful find in the cafe district of Northcote, definitely one I would return to and try more of their interesting and unique menu! Breakfast doesn't have to be boring people, and Palomino knows this! <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761452/restaurant/Melbourne/Palomino-Northcote"><img alt="Palomino on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761452/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-57731397091374835762012-10-28T02:12:00.002-07:002012-10-28T02:12:31.621-07:00Mamak, CBDLast weekend, Craig and I headed out to the CBD to see what all the fuss is about at the new Malaysian hotspot, Mamak. Known for its popularity in Sydney, Mamak has quickly become talk of the town. Luckily, we got there early enough that we only lined up for ten minutes and I quite enjoyed the wait watching the open kitchen through the front window as they made roti canai, one of my favourite foods! <br />
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We were seated quickly but it took them ages to come and get our order... like half an hour or so. It seems that the staff haven't yet worked out how to cope with the popularity. We chose a few popular dishes off the small menu, but unfortunately, Mamak didn't really impress. <br />
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Reknowned for its roti, Mamak ticks the box on that one. The roti was soft, buttery and beautiful. I loved the simple roti canai with spicy curry sauce and would recommend staying with the simple version as the red onion one had a little too much going on for me.<br />
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The mains unfortunately were pretty uninspiring. The Nasi Goreng was a little bland, all spice and nothing else. The were about four tiny prawns in the serving, and not much else other than chilli and rice. <br />
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The satay sticks were also fairly unimpressive. Quite small for the price, and the dipping sauce was texturally good but didn't have the richness I love in satay sauces. However, this happened quite a bit during our travels to Malaysia as the satay there is more chilli than peanut based. </div>
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The fried chicken (not my friend at the best times of times) was not my cup of tea. Covered with a dry, crunchy, spicy coating... it was just, chicken... spicy and fried. Now I am not an expert in the fried chicken area, but Craig is quite fond of it and he commented that the chicken at Gami Chicken and Beer is much more enjoyable. <br />
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Overall, not all that impressed. I would return for the roti but not for much else. Mamak is good value, thats for sure, and judging by the Malaysian cohort eating there it is obviously fairly authentic. But for me, it just didn't rock my world. Cheap... yes. Spicy, yes. Tasty... not really? I think I may have missed the hype? I have eaten better Malaysian food at more local places, and I would head there before heading back to Mamak. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1702789/restaurant/CBD/Mamak-Melbourne"><img alt="Mamak on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1702789/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-11811140142742118212012-10-21T01:57:00.002-07:002012-10-21T15:50:19.107-07:00Huxtaburger, CollingwoodOn Sunday, Craig and I headed into the Europe Expo to book our Europe holiday for next year. How exciting! By combining a 22 day Top Deck as well as some of our own travel, we should see 15 countries in 40 days. As exciting as it is though, handing over that kind of cash (especially when some of it you, uh, don't have yet...) is a very daunting and terrifying thing! So after three hours at the expo, and handing over some serious money, and committing to a hugely exciting holiday, we really needed some comfort food. Craig was about to chew his arm off and refused to wait until we got home so I suggested to him that we stop in Huxtaburger in Smith St (sister restaurant of Huxtable across the road, which is high on my wish-list) and finally try what some tout as the best burgers in town. <br />
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And... they were! As much as I love <a href="http://surburbanculinaryadventures.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/burger-lounge-eltham.html">Burger Lounge</a>, and the huge variety they have availabke, there was something about Huxtaburger that was so much more simple. They do simple burgers, and they do them bloody well. Out of the four burgers on offer, we both chose the very basic Huxtaburger, with beef, mustard, mayo, tomato sauce, tomato, cheese, lettuce and pickles on a gorgeous soft brioche bun. The soft, sweet bun really makes it, and holds it all together, and the condiments compliment each other perfectly. We also shared some of the chipotle fries, which were just spicy crinkle cut chips. Not mind-blowing, but then again, I was very much focused on the burger! I can see why there are lines out the door to have one of these burgers... the perfect way to celebrate our excitement for Europe... and comfort ourselves after spending our life savings ;) <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgqXNY4v64OJX1CA57T9j_qAvekMRC29JrLCs3yNpm7pTJvECbUo9h_rRXa4uXr4sV-PT2ZznP5pr39UNp0ANnnmzGliuGoNG5mj4UurYd_b5KoBkejtp-36KnrQ94fw9bBbE4fGuHg/s1600/197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgqXNY4v64OJX1CA57T9j_qAvekMRC29JrLCs3yNpm7pTJvECbUo9h_rRXa4uXr4sV-PT2ZznP5pr39UNp0ANnnmzGliuGoNG5mj4UurYd_b5KoBkejtp-36KnrQ94fw9bBbE4fGuHg/s320/197.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1642008/restaurant/Melbourne/Huxtaburger-Collingwood"><img alt="Huxtaburger on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1642008/biglink.gif" style="border:none;padding:0px;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-24762551387298059272012-10-21T00:53:00.001-07:002012-10-21T00:53:45.556-07:00New houses, European adventures and food! Things are finally up and running at our new house, and I have finally found time to sit down and blog. Because of the move, I have to say I haven't eaten out as much as I usually do. However, this is going to become the norm since Craig and I have just booked our Euro-trip 2013! We are now officially in hibernation as we save, save, save but won't it be worth it when we visit 15 countries in 40 days next year and revel in a European summer whilst Australia is having a cold winter! So that is very exciting and I am jumping out of my skin... but, first things first... our new house!<br />
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We are loving our gorgeous little new home. For a rental, we really lucked out. Compared to our last place, which was a 70's style brick unit complete with the spew green carpets and pink walls, this feels like a holiday home! A little grey weatherboard with light-filled rooms, a big backyard for Ollie to play in and polished floorboards. Because we have been too busy to eat out, I have been doing lots of cooking in our gorgeous little kitchen... <br />
<br />Heres a rundown of what I have been eating lately!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first meal in our new place. We managed to put together one flat pack coffee table and sat on folding chairs whilst Craig enjoyed a burger and onion rings from Burger Lounge and I stayed healthy and feasted on some sushi and seaweed salad.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My gorgeous new kitchen! There wasn't a lot of bench space so we bought a floating bench top on wheels from IKEA. It was only $89 and I love it! Have screwed some little hooks into it so I hang stuff off it also :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first breakfast in our new house :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moroccan chicken salad (recipe coming!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flathead tails with steamed veggies and sweet potato chips</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parmesan chicken schnitzel with a cauliflower and mint couscous (recipe coming!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuffed sweet potato with guacamole (recipe coming!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bun Bo- Vietnamese noodle salad with stir-fried pork (recipe coming!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVMdubC8tDoqV1wcL4FYwLit8aoWhoqhe2kjbl412jWGmFcDqbrC3WG7TldAgWCErK9RptDRKAjlv1waDckCKbGtPC514k0OmNrm5dWrXt3pURuxw6UNvLhOxYc8_gpLlV_sMHGaZMA/s1600/116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVMdubC8tDoqV1wcL4FYwLit8aoWhoqhe2kjbl412jWGmFcDqbrC3WG7TldAgWCErK9RptDRKAjlv1waDckCKbGtPC514k0OmNrm5dWrXt3pURuxw6UNvLhOxYc8_gpLlV_sMHGaZMA/s320/116.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family BBQ on a gorgeous sunny afternoon </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdZaJ8Jrn3zswnC5MEx0ZXfnDB1TtzLEB843MQI4p4tLWViIFU5RwshW1Kkk5HSvMsEyiv4Rz3tUkdPcZEsTCsHV3T-lbicjjZyxHQf6wmbhXsH-e1whUWfKr-Uh5gcq7qxiLWpzjeg/s1600/096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdZaJ8Jrn3zswnC5MEx0ZXfnDB1TtzLEB843MQI4p4tLWViIFU5RwshW1Kkk5HSvMsEyiv4Rz3tUkdPcZEsTCsHV3T-lbicjjZyxHQf6wmbhXsH-e1whUWfKr-Uh5gcq7qxiLWpzjeg/s320/096.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner party with our new table and chairs :) Roast Pumpkin parpadelle (<a href="http://www.surburbanculinaryadventures.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/roast-pumpkin-parpadelle.html">recipe here</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz0BewA5-9nwTHbdu8S1-H23KE0LeNzQyudKMI4qWx8XPfvB40e_SPeLNCiYG0Elag5FTfHmnWNzBE6bBwu4iCHLiBMjJCfOWVK1heLMl20hJorGb6bc3_FYTzoO_kOn8uNbwbKGHyw/s1600/075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQz0BewA5-9nwTHbdu8S1-H23KE0LeNzQyudKMI4qWx8XPfvB40e_SPeLNCiYG0Elag5FTfHmnWNzBE6bBwu4iCHLiBMjJCfOWVK1heLMl20hJorGb6bc3_FYTzoO_kOn8uNbwbKGHyw/s320/075.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And my little mate Ollie, waiting at the door for Mummy :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I promise to get back into the blog-o-sphere this week, so stay tuned for a few reviews and recipes! LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-78056012882569207102012-10-07T21:58:00.002-07:002012-10-07T21:58:38.157-07:00Moving house and internet issues... Hello hello!<br />
<br />
Just letting you all know that I have not dropped off the face off the earth, but have been moving house and my internet is yet to be reconnected. Make sure you keep checking in as I am hoping to do lots and lots of cooking in my fabulous new kitchen. <br />
<br />
Until then, I am still able to upload via mobile on Instagram, so for yummy photos add Suburban Culinary Adventures on there! <br />
Until then, <br />
L xLaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-29426176140424184842012-10-02T02:02:00.000-07:002012-10-02T02:02:27.920-07:00Gluten-free Lemon Yogurt CakeSince I have been on my 'clean' eating journey this year I have discovered so many different ways of baking. And lets face it, I have never been all that good at baking anyway, so being able to cook sugar free and gluten free baked goods and not stuff them up is quite an achievement for me! Who knew that you could bake cakes and cookies without sugar, butter or flour!? Well you can, and the result is very enjoyable.<br />
<br />
I have tried a few different versions of gluten free lemon cake this year, and this is by far the most moist and yummy! It is a super easy recipe that can be very quickly whipped up with the addition of a few new 'clean' items to your pantry. I guarantee it is worth investing in some of these pantry essentials as you WILL make this cake more than once! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Lemon Yogurt Cake</strong></div>
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<strong></strong> </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
1 cup coconut flour<br />
1/4 cup dessicated coconut<br />
1 cup almond meal<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />1/4 cup of Natvia (natural sweetener)<br />
large pinch of salt<br />
4 eggs<br />
1/4 honey<br />
1 cup Greek yogurt <br />
1/8 cup lemon juice<br />
1 tbsp lemon zest<br />
1/4 cup of soy milk<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. <br />
<br />
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly mixed. <br />
<br />
In another bowl, beat the eggs and add the rest of the wet ingredients, including the lemon zest, and mix to combine. <br />
<br />
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until a thick batter. Note that compared to baking with normal flour, the texture is quite different and thick. <br />
<br />
Pour into a greased round cake tin and bake for 30 mins or prick with a skewer and make sure skewer comes out dry. The middle of my cake felt a bit wobbly but firmed up on cooling. <br />
<br />
Dust with some icing sugar or vanilla dust to serve if you like, or keep it completely sugar free! LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-11481829533832564532012-09-30T03:11:00.000-07:002012-09-30T21:11:44.156-07:00Moroccan Lamb with Chickpea BakeEvery since my visit to <a href="http://surburbanculinaryadventures.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/moroccan-soup-bar-fitzroy.html">Moroccan Soup Bar</a> a few weeks ago, I have been craving the gorgeous chickpea and yogurt bake which I have since discovered is called 'fetteh'. To my delight, a fellow blogger has come up with a similar recipe which I made and tweaked a little the other night. It was a really easy and satisfying recipe to make, and a perfect accompaniment to the beautiful young lamb that I slow cooked in Moroccan spices for a do it yourself Moroccan dinner at home. <br />
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<br />
For the chickpea bake (fetteh) I followed <a href="http://soupurb.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/fetteh-moroccan-soup-bars-chickpea-bake-2/">this recipe</a>. However, I substituted the olive oil for butter as when talking to the waitress at the Soup Bar when commenting how much I loved the dish she had replied, "Its the butter that makes it!". I also added a tablespoon of honey as per the comments at the bottom of the recipe which added a nice sweetness. The crunch of the slivered almonds and toasted pita adds a gorgeous crunch to the soft, yogurty chickpeas!<br />
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<br />
I served this with some slow cooked Moroccan lamb that I cooked in my tagine. This worked well with the chickpeas, but would also be beautiful with pilaf or couscous. I used the leftover lamb on homemade pita pizzas the next day which were beautiful. The beauty of leftovers ;)<br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Moroccan Lamb (serves 4 with leftovers)</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
1 kg of diced lean baby lamb<br />
1 sweet potato chopped into 1-2 cm pieces<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
1 garlic clove, crushed<br />
1 teaspoon cumin<br />
1 teaspoon paprika <br />
1 teaspoon ground coriander<br />
1 cup of beef stock<br />
1 tablespoon honey<br />Large handful parsley chopped<br />
Olive oil<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 140 degrees C. <br />
<br />
In an oven safe frypan or tagine, over the stove heat a little oil and add lamb. Cook until lightly browned all over, then remove and set aside. Add to same pan onion and garlic. Saute until soft, then add all spices. Saute until coated. Add beef stock and honey, then re-add lamb and transfer to oven, covered, for 2 hours. <br />
<br />After 2 hours, add sweet potato and parsley, and place back in oven for 45 minutes. <br />
<br />
I had to replace mine on the stove for 15 minutes to reduce the liquid. <br />
<br />
Serve with chickpea bake as above, or pilaf, or couscous. <br /><br />Enjoy! <br /><br />Maybe even use your leftovers for a beautiful pizza like I did ;)<br />
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LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-17522594894510746812012-09-30T02:36:00.001-07:002012-10-02T02:01:51.607-07:00Egg and lots of other yummies in a Bread NestThis breakfast occurred to make the most of some rolls we had leftover from Grand Final Day festivities. We don't often eat white bread in this house, but it needed to used up, so I thought why not fill the rolls with lots of healthy yummies... After a bit of creativity, we enjoyed crunchy bread nests filled with lots of breakfast yummies. You could add ANYTHING to this recipe, whatever you had in the cupboard!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Eggs in a Bread Nest (serves 2)</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> </div>
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<br />
2 bread roll<br />
1/2 onion, sliced<br />
1 large mushroom, chopped<br />
1 tomato, chopped<br />
Small handful of spinach, shredded<br />
1/4 cup grated cheese<br />
2 eggs<br />
Butter<br />
Olive oil<br />
Mixed herbs<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. <br />
<br />
Remove the top of the rolls and scoop out as much inside bread as you can whilst still leaving thick 'nest' walls. Brush the inside of the rolls with a little melted butter. <br />
<br />
In a small saucepan, heat a tiny bit of olive oil or butter and saute onion and mushroom until soft. Divide mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, spinach and cheese evenly between the two bread nests. It should fill the rolls up to about 3/4 of the hole. Gently crack an egg into each bread nest. Sprinkle with some mixed herbs and salt and pepper to taste. <br />
<br />
Place in an oven for 15-20 minutes or until egg is cooked to your desired consistency. If you want your yolk soft, keep an eye on it! Mine ended up half soft, half cooked but that was okay as it meant the whites were perfectly cooked. Wait until you see all the yummy insides ooze out once you cut into the roll. <br />
<br />
A yummy treat for brunch! <br />
<br />
<br />
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</div>
LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-86283061729554379992012-09-30T02:23:00.001-07:002012-09-30T02:36:56.894-07:00Mexican Chicken, Bean and Quinoa BakeI just had to make this yummy bake after my friend bought it into work and filled our staffroom with the delicious Mexican aroma at lunchtime! I was surprised by how easy this was to make, and it tasted delicious and the recipe made HEAPS so great for the budget conscious and families. The use of quinoa makes it a gluten-free alternative, and also generally healthier alternative than pasta or rice due to its higher protein, fibre, mineral and amino-acid levels. It is also such an easy way to hide stacks of vegetables in a dish. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Mexican Chicken, Bean and Quinoa Bake</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong> Serves 6-8 or 4 with leftovers</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 14pt; margin-top: 14pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
1 cup cooked quinoa (I used black and white combined, cook per packet directions)<br />
2
chicken breasts - pre-cooked in oven then shredded<br />
1 cans of beans (your choice,
I used 5 bean mix)<br />
1 large sweet potatoes, grated<br />
1 large zucchini, grated<br />
1 large carrot, grated <br />
1 cup shredded low-fat
cheddar cheese<br />
1 tbsp ground cumin<br />
1/4 tbsp chilli powder (optional)<br />
Liberal pinches salt and pepper<br />
2
eggs<br />
1 tub of salsa<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Directions</b></span><br />
<br />
<div>
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Prepare casserole dish with nonstick cooking
spray.</div>
<div>
In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, chicken, beans, sweet
potato, zucchini, carrot 1⁄2 of the cheese, and the cumin, chilli, salt, and pepper. </div>
<div>
In a small
bowl, mix together the eggs and the salsa. Pour the<br />
salsa mixture over the
mix, combine and then pour everything into the prepared casserole dish.</div>
<div>
Sprinkle the
remaining cheese over the top and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.</div>
<br />
Enjoy! :)<br />
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LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-76072378292290682392012-09-25T01:17:00.000-07:002012-09-25T01:17:11.693-07:00Red Spice Road, CBDRed Spice Road caters to the 'it' style of eating in Melbourne at the moment- fancy Asian fusion served sharing style. Apparently Red Spice Road has been kicking some goals in this area long before some of its newer competitors opened up, but I couldn't help comparing RSR to Chin Chin and some of the other tapas style sharing menu's I have tried. <br />
<br />
The restaurant is aethestically pleasing- long communal tables with a very tasteful Asian theme, beautiful lighting and a massive gorgeous red lantern (biggest in the world apparently!) hanging from the roof. I couldn't complain about the service. We had a lovely bubbly waitress who was helpful and cheery and efficient. <br />
<br />
But somewhere in our $65 banquet, something missed the mark. There was something lacking in the food at RSR. Quality Asian food should punch you in the mouth with flavour- sweet, sour, salty, spicy. Unfortunately, many of the dishes at RSR were just too bland and Western for my particular taste. There were some dishes that were absolutely beautiful, real ripper dishes, but I missed something zesty and spicy with loads of flavour, and felt instead swamped by heavy Westernised dishes. <br />
<br />
The entrees were both hit and miss. <br />
<br />
The betel leaves with chicken, coconut, crab, chilli and kaffir lime was not spicy enough. A bite size leave needs to pack a punch in my opinion, and these didn't, although still tasted nice. <br />
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<br />
The scallop with sweet pork sausage, cucumber and green onion also needed some heat, although beautifully presented. <br />
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The twice cooked lamb ribs with tamarind and coconut relish was the absolute winner of the entrees. Beautiful, tender spiced lamb fell off the bone and made you want to suck the juices off the bone. The relish was a perfect accompaniment and had me scooping more and more onto my lamb. A gorgeous, balanced dish that allowed the lamb to be the star. <br />
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The chicken, lemongrass, chilli, tomato, shallot and lime juice salad was one of the disappointing dishes. The banquet really needed a salad to cut through all the heavy foods, especially in the mains. Something spicy and zesty with loads of Asian herbs. This was not that salad. It was bland, lacked texture and had a real balance issue with way too much chicken mince and not enough greens or chilli. <br />
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The corn fritters were also quite disappointing. I was expecting something similar to Chin Chin's crispy corn fritters that pack a spicy punch but these were doughy and lacking spice, also didn't seem to have much corn in them at all! <br />
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The pork belly with apple slaw, chilli caramel and black vinegar was the star of the banquet, and one of RSR's signature dishes. Crispy on the outside, melt in your mouth on the inside, and topped with a gorgeous apple slaw and sauce, we made sure this was evenly distributed between the four of us! This was RSR's saving grace for me, a real winner! <br />
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The barramundi curry with potato and roasted carrot was also not my kind of food. It was too heavy, not spicy in the slightest and the rockling was overdone and somewhat chewy. <br />
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The beef cheek with mushrooms, crunchy bean shoot salad and spicy broth was an enjoyable main. The beef cheeks were fall apart tender, and super tasty. I am a sucker for bean shoots so loved that addition, and the broth was delicious however not at all spicy. I am not even a huge fan of chilli, but I do love that punch that good Asian food carries, where the chilli kick is noticable but not overpowering, and this food just didn't give that to me. <br />
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Dessert was another saving grace. I am a huge fan of Asian desserts and the Pandan cream with puffed wild rice, peanut praline and coconut was one of those classic inventive and memorable desserts that use beautiful Asian flavours. Absolutely loved every mouthful of this creamy, crunchy treat, even though I was pretty chock full by this point in the banquet! <br />
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So, would I say that Red Spice Road is one of the 'must try' Melbourne Asian fusion restaurants? Probably not. I would definitely direct anyone that asked to Chin Chin and Longrain before I would suggest Red Spice Road. A pleasant dining experience, yes, and nice food, yes... but not mind-blowing. I would honestly rather smaller servings of quality food than the generous servings of so-so heavy dishes we had for the price. Except that pork... next time, give me a serve of ribs, two serves of pork and dessert, and I would be a happy little camper! <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761595/restaurant/CBD/Red-Spice-Road-Melbourne"><img alt="Red Spice Road on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761595/biglink.gif" style="border:none;padding:0px;width:200px;height:146px" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-7650783111305404172012-09-16T02:33:00.001-07:002012-09-17T00:56:50.914-07:00Guhng Korean BBQ, CBDI love trying new cuisines and I had such a fabulous time at Guhng's this previous Friday. We were invited to the hip Korean BBQ restaurant to celebrate a good mates birthday, and it was a huge novelty for me having his Korean girlfriend order us all of this amazing food in Korean. <br />
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I am usually a huge control freak when it comes to menu's, but this particular instance it was really nice to sit back and have someone who knows the food really well order for you. It was a good surprise to see the food come to your table, where most of the food is cooked on a central charcoal BBQ that you eat the food directly off. <br />
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The restaurant itself is modern and very aesthetically appealing- funky booths, winding staircases, cast iron trimmings and gorgeous lighting. <br />
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Having never eaten Korean before I was amazed by the amount of bottomless sides you are served. Little bowls of caramalised type onion, pickled cabbage and 'kimchi', spicy pickled cabbage along with three different types of dipping sauces were scattered across the table. Our friend had us in hysterics as he went through bowl after bowl of kimchi on its own, loving the spicy cabbage salad. <br />
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We started with a rare beef salad. The meat was soft and tender, the salad crisp and the dressing sweet and zesty. <br />
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We also had some Korean dumplings. These were very different from Chinese or Japanese dumplings, with a really crispy pastry around it with a subtle mince stuffing. <br />
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Then came the BBQ-ing. I wasn't really sure what to expect when the plates of huge marinated pieces of pork belly and beef spare-ribs arrived at the table. But sure enough, the little charcoal BBQ was fired up and between our Korean friend at the table and the waitresses many courses of yummy, tender, beautifully marinated meat was cooked which we enjoyed with black rice and crispy lettuce leaves, along with all the accompanied sauces and toppings. I enjoyed mine the traditional way, by wrapping the meat in the lettuce leaves and adding the desired sauce and toppings. It was delicious, simple and healthy. A true caveman style feast! I loved the smoky smell wafting through the air.<br />
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Somehow I managed to have enough room after all that carnivorous action for dessert. The blackberry panna cotta was a beautiful, simple dessert. The panna cotta was of perfect consistency with just a subtle blackberry hint, topped with gorgeous berries in syrup and a chocolate curl.<br />
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Korean BBQ is a great, interactive way to share a social dinner with friends. I was so surprised by the bill as well, as between 5 of us we had two entrees, 2 large pieces of pork belly, 6 beef spare ribs, rice, 2 bottles of soju (like sake), two glasses of wine and about 4 beers plus my dessert and it only came to $42 a head. Such good value for high quality food served in a novelty setting. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1542090/restaurant/CBD/Guhng-The-Palace-Melbourne"><img alt="Guhng (The Palace) on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1542090/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-19921238670208324532012-09-16T00:55:00.000-07:002012-09-16T00:56:34.046-07:00Healthy Breakfast StackYou have probably realized by now that I am a breakfast snob. Bacon and eggs? Pfft. Only if I am hungover and need something to soak up too many drinks. Most Saturday mornings, I cook myself and Craig a healthy, wholesome breakfast and love experimenting with new gourmet ways of fancy-ing up eggs. This was one of those successful experiments. <br />
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<strong>Healthy Breakfast Stack (serves 2)</strong></div>
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<br />
Two large handfuls of fresh rocket<br />
4 eggs, scrambled with a little milk<br />
1 avocado, mashed with a little lemon juice and sea salt<br />
100 grams of smoked salmon<br />
2 tablespoons of basil pesto<br />
<br />
Cook scrambled eggs (this assumes you know how to make scrambled eggs, if not, google it!)<br />
On a plate, layer first a large handful of fresh washed rocket, arranging it into somewhat of a circle. Layer on top of this, half onto each plate, the mashed avocado. <br />
On top of this, carefully arrange the scrambled eggs, taking care that it sits atop the mound. <br />
Gently place half the smoked salmon onto each plate atop of the stack. <br />
Drizzle the basil pesto around the stack decoratively (and it tastes super yummy with the stack once you mix it all together). <br />
<br />A really easy, healthy 'fancy' looking breakfast dish that seriously takes no time at all to throw together! <br />
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LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-19492763747205555912012-09-16T00:44:00.000-07:002012-09-17T17:39:07.314-07:00Healthy Stuffed Chicken BreastI have to admit, I am usually a dud at making chicken. It is usually too dry, and for that reason I usually steer clear of cooking whole fillets of chicken. But this particular night, I actually kicked butt at chicken cooking. My 'what do I have in the fridge, lets make it up' style recipe was an absolute winner and the chicken was cooked perfectly. <br />
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A simple, easy and healthy chicken recipe that requires very few ingredients! I served mine with some baked sweet potato chips and steamed greens. <br />
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<strong>Healthy Stuffed Chicken Breast (serves 2)</strong></div>
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2 large chicken fillets, skin removed<br />
10 semi-dried tomatoes<br />
100grams of goats feta<br />
2 tablespoons of basil pesto<br />
Dash of oil<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. <br />
<br />
Slice the chicken fillets almost all the way through, making a 'pocket'. Spread the pesto inside the pocket, then stuff in crumbled feta and sundried tomaroes. Use toothpicks to close the pocket. <br />
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In a fry pan, heat a little oil and seal the chikken until browned on each side (2-3 mins on each side). Move onto a tray and place in the oven for 25 minutes. <br />
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Serve with desired sides. The goats feta and pesto should melt together to form a beautiful sauce that tastes amazing as it oozes out of the chicken fillet. <br />
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Enjoy!LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-56667128932010972162012-09-16T00:31:00.000-07:002012-09-16T00:31:05.457-07:00Moroccan Soup Bar, FitzroyThere are some restaurants in Melbourne who's popularity just speaks for themselves. Moroccan Soup Bar is one of those places. It was difficult to go there expecting anything less than amazing, wholesome, good value food considering the masses that flock there every evening to the point where at 8.30 on a weeknight it can be a one hour wait for a table. Yes, another one of Melbourne's finest 'no booking' policy restaurants! <br />
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Luckily, on this particular Tuesday evening, my good old friend from high school and I managed to score a table as soon as we walked in at 6.45. It was definitely a bit of a fluke though, as many others after us got told a mega wait! We sat there for a while chatting and sipping on some Moroccan mint tea before we started to wonder where the menu was. When we enquired with the friendly waitress, she informed us it was actually a verbal menu! Instead of having her list every item, we just decided to go straight off with the $20 a head banquet and try a bit of everything. <br />
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The dip platter with warm pieces of heated pita bread had HEAPS of variety and everything tasted fresh, flavorsome and home-made. We didn't get given an actual rundown of the dips, but my palate suggested that it was some kind of spicy capsicum, a hummus, a garlic yogurt, a broccoli dip and a cauliflower dip along with some pickled carrots, potatoes and olives. Heaps of variety compared to your standard trio of dips and plenty of bread. I particularly enjoyed the broccoli and cauliflower ones as they had a lovely texture and were very different. <br />
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The mains included a big plate of sides with a lentil type curry, two different types of rice and a big pile of yummy yogurt. It was very generous servings and we definitely did not get through it! Once again, it was nice to have so much variety and to try so many different things. <br />
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One of the mains was a big bowl of what seemed to be Moroccan roasted vegetables on couscous. I'm not sure how needed the couscous was considering how many sides we already had? But it was a yummy dish regardless and it was nice and comforting to just have a pile of roast vegies where the vegetables themselves were really the stars of the dish! Simple, wholesome style food. <br />
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The highlight of the whole meal was the big bowl of some kind of chickpea bake. This absolutely rocked- I would go back just to order this one dish. I am not sure exactly what it was, but it incorporated beautifully textured chickpeas, crunchy pieces of pita and almonds in a yogurty-creamy sauce with lots of herbs and spices! I never knew something so simple could taste so good and I could not stop eating this. Definitely the kind of dish that could impress even your biggest carnivore. <br />
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We left some of our mains and then managed to somehow squeeze in half of a turkish delight donut and half a piece of baklava into our swollen stomachs, chased down with some more of the beautiful Moroccan mint tea. The desserts were probably the only part of the meal I wasn't hugely impressed with, as they seemed a little stale like they had been sitting there for a while. Definitely not as fresh as the rest of the meal anyway. We were so full that we barely noticed anyway!<br />
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There is so much to love about Moroccan Soup Bar. It is one of those places where the vibe and atmosphere speaks for itself, and add to that wholesome, healthy, amazing value food and friendly staff and you know you are onto an absolute winner. Only problem? Getting a table at the actual restaurant so you can experience all of the above. Hopefully you will be as lucky as I was- or alternatively, take some Tupperware containers and they will fill it up for you as takeaway. I plan on trekking out there this school holidays and asking them to fill me up a container of yummy chickpeas! A great place for either a vegetarian or a carnivore having a healthy vegie night to go. You definitely come out feeling nourished! <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761312/restaurant/Melbourne/Moroccan-Soup-Bar-Fitzroy-North"><img alt="Moroccan Soup Bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761312/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-74389090008855049282012-09-03T05:10:00.000-07:002012-09-05T19:15:41.196-07:00Big Mussels! x 2 ways... I told my Dad for Fathers Day I would cook anything his heart desired and I was stoked when he asked for a big steaming bowl of mussels with some crusty bread. If there is any seafood I think is under-rated, mussels has to be it. They are cheap, plentiful, easy to cook and fun to eat. Ripping them out of their shells, slurping them, dipping bread into the slightly sea-salty tasting sauces left behind. <br />
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In fact, one of my favourite memories involves me and my cousin, at ages 23 and 28 spending hours excitedly stealing mussels from a particular Peninsula pier, filling up bags and bags and animatedly discussing what we would cook with them. Later that evening, with cuts all over our hands from pulling mussels all day, we cooked them up in a chilli tomato sauce and had a huge feast with all of our families. It was a great day. <br />
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This particular Fathers Day though, we acquired our mussels the legal way from my local fish shop... 2 kgs for about $14. I decided to do mussels two ways- one, my Dad's favourite in an Italian, tomato chilli sauce and another in a Thai red curry. So simple and easy (despite a bit of prep beforehand) and much enjoyed with a loaf of crusty bread and a nice bottle of red wine. A simple and interactive family meal. <br />
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<strong>Spicy Italian Mussels</strong><br />
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1 kg mussels, bearded and scrubbed (I don't worry too much about scubbing them- I find it adds a taste of the ocean to the sauce)<br />
2 cans of tomatoes<br />
1 clove of garlic, chopped<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
Large dash of white wine<br />
Large handful of basil, chopped<br />
Large handful of parsley, chopped<br />
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder<br />
<br />
In a large saucepan, heat a little olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Saute until soft. Add wine, tomatoes, basil and parsley and chilli powder. Simmer for five minutes. Add mussels and cover with lid. Leave for 5 minutes so mussels can steam, stirring occasionally so the yummy sauce can coat the mussels. Serve with crusty bread. <strong>Hint-</strong> if a mussel is open before cooking, throw it out. If it doesn't open when cooked, throw it out. <br />
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<strong>Red Curry Mussels</strong><br />
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2 tablespoons of red curry paste<br />
1 kg mussels, bearded and scrubbed<br />
1 tin of coconut milk<br />
Spring onion, chopped<br />
Handful of coriander, chopped<br />
1 carrot, sliced into toothpicks<br />
1/2 red capsicum, sliced into toothpicks<br />
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In a large frypan or tagine, heat a little oil and add red curry paste. Saute until fragrant. Add coconut milk, spring onion, coriander, carrot and capsicum and stir to combine. Add mussels and cover if you can, cooking for about 5 minutes stirring occasonally. Serve with crusty bread or roti. <br />
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Enjoy! We did... ;)<br />
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LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-62049256431635428522012-09-03T04:49:00.000-07:002012-09-06T16:12:17.618-07:00Fathers Day @ Montmorency RSLWith Craig's parents currently away in Europe, we decided to break his Pa out of his retirement home and take him to our local RSL for a Father's Day lunch. At $38 a head for two courses of RSL food, it was a bit steep but it was a nice day out and nice environment to have lunch in. Some of the food looked quite impressive, other dishes were not amazing. I guess there's not much more you can ask of an RSL than value for money and a quiet atmosphere. <br />
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I was quite impressed with my nephews meal, where his nuggets were shaped like dinosaurs. How cool is that!? I had a lot of fun teaching him how to play with his food and make his little dinosaur nuggets say "Grrrrr!". <br />
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The spicy calamari dish was quite nice, although the calamari tasted a little like the frozen kind and it could have done with maybe another two minutes cooking time to crisp up the outsides a bit. <br />
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The satay chicken entree looked very nice also, although I was not lucky enough to get a taste!<br />
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I couldn't believe the size of the gnocchi entree, which was definitely the best value size wise... but didn't leave much room for main! <br />
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My main meal sounded so good in theory- pistachio crusted barramundi with chips and salad. But in reality, it was pretty horrible and reminded me why I don't eat at many pubs/RSL's. The fish was so overcooked that it was rubbery, the pistachio crumb tasted processed and gross and I wasn't quite sure why they felt the need to fry herbs and sprinkle them on top? I have never been so grateful for a pile of chips as I was when I pushed this fish to the side. I may sound like a massive toff, but if you are going to offer pistachio crumbed fish on a menu, at least cook the fish properly!<br />
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I have major food envy to those who got the Beef Wellington. These looked awesome, kind of like a wellington 'stack'. Pretty impressive for a pub meal. <br />
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Despite being a little disappointed in a few of the meals at the RSL this particular day (quite a busy day, if that makes a difference to the quality of the food) it is a great little local RSL and I would particularly like to go back in summer and drink beers on the rooftop and give the meals another go! <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1601766/restaurant/Melbourne/Montmorency-Rsl-Montmorency"><img alt="Montmorency Rsl on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1601766/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-17284144696429250272012-09-03T04:29:00.002-07:002012-09-03T15:36:01.995-07:00Ricotta 'gnudi' with pumpkin burnt butter sauceOne of the benefits in working in a semi-rural area is sometimes you drive past gorgeous farms that offer local produce. One such farm is Provelones in Donnybrook, where I recently bought some beautiful homemade ricotta cheese. I decided to use it to make some ricotta gnudi, basically gnocchi but not with potato, but ricotta instead. <br /><br />This recipe was a bit fiddly, but I am proud to report it was very impressive and successful. The hardest part was definitely making the gnudi itself, but it was a fun experiment. <br />
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<strong>For the gnudi:</strong> <br />
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500 grams of ricotta cheese<br />
1 and a half cups of plain flour (I used gluten free) <br />
1 egg<br />
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Combine all ingredients along with some salt and pepper in a bowl. Thoroughly combine until a sticky dough forms. Bring a saucepan full of water to the boil. With wet hands, gently roll tablespoon sized balls of dough and drop them into the saucepan. I went for 'rustic', not really caring if the balls were on a uniform shape. I cooked about five at a time, then placed them on baking paper on a plate to cool. <br />
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<strong>For the sauce:</strong><br />
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2 cups of pumpkin, chopped and roasted for 20 minutes<br />
1 red onion, sliced<br />
Large handful of baby spinach<br />
1/4 cup of pine nuts<br />
1/4 cup of butter<br />
sage leaves<br />
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In a fry-pan, heat and melt the butter.Add onion. Bring the temperature to high so the butter begins to go a slight brown colour and onion is browned. Add the pine-nuts, spinach, pumpkin and sage. Allow spinach and herbs to wilt. Add gnudi, and toss to combine and heat the gnudi through, <br />
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Serve with parmesan cheese. <br />
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LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-3796830661039418782012-09-03T04:16:00.001-07:002012-09-03T04:16:12.839-07:00The Exchange Hotel, Port MelbourneWe headed out to the Exhange Hotel in Port Melbourne for a girlfriends birthday last weekend. I wasn't sure what to expect as I had read mixed reviews, but the menu sounded really appealing and my girlfriend regularly eats there. <br />
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I was pleasantly surprised to find a lovely, sophisticated dining room with friendly staff and an interesting menu with a lot more to offer than your regular pub. I loved the miscallaneous cool antique looking chairs around the table. <br />
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To start, Craig and I shared these amazing crumbed prawn croquettes. They were filled with this almost Mexican style prawn mixture with guacamole. Along with these, the hotel featured a lot of really interesting and unique style tapas dishes that I would love to work my way through. <br />
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I ordered something I NEVER ordered for dinner- I am not sure why I finally broke my risotto ban. After years of being disappointed by watery, gluggy risotto I decided to try again with the king prawn and mascarpone risotto with fresh herbs and Moreton Bay Bugs. Yum! What a great time to break my ban. The texture was perfect, slightly creamy from the cheese, flavoured with beautiful dill and topped with gorgeous plump Moreton Bay bugs and littered with a generous amount of prawns.<br />
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Craig had the twice cooked pork belly with parsnip puree, lentils and a roasted apple sauce. It looked divine and I had total food envy, but Craig commented that for twice cooked, the crackling wasn't crunchy at all. I did have a taste though, and the flavour combinations were wonderful. <br />
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Some of the girls had the roasted chicken with chasseur sauce, mash and sauteed spinach. This looked like a gorgeous homely, French inspired meal and they seemed to enjoy it. <br />
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Another friend had the meal that I was umming and aahing over ordering... gnocchi with braised duck and winter vegetables. This looked like a gorgeous, homely dish and I think I would have been pretty content with it. Maybe I will have to go back to give it a try... <br />
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The (tiny) birthday girl managed to chow down on this massive, gorgeous looking burger served with a stack of house cut wedges. <br />
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We managed to squeeze in dessert also (I think this decision was influenced by several glasses of wne over dinner) and my girlfriend and I couldn't go past the Baileys Bombe Alaska... and how glad are we that we didn't?! What a treat. Beautiful Bailey's ice-cream smothered in sweet, sticky meringue. I just loved this dessert!<br />
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The sticky-date looked very good too, and generous serving!<br />
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Despite reading some bad reviews, I do think the Exchange Hotel is worth trying for yourself. Despite it being a busy Saturday night, we had a lovely evening with good service, lovely food and a cool atmosphere. I imagine it would also be an enjoyable atmosphere on a gorgeous summer day. Good 'pub' food in Port Melbourne. <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/760662/restaurant/Melbourne/Exchange-Hotel-Port-Melbourne"><img alt="Exchange Hotel on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/760662/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-37814663710302702492012-08-29T03:08:00.004-07:002012-08-29T03:10:07.591-07:00Suwan Thai, Lower PlentySuwan Thai has been my local Thai for many years now. In fact, when it used to be across the road and was more a humble little establishment, I used to work at the Mexican restaurant that was in its current site and I used to always get Pad Thai from Suwan and eat it before work (once I got sick of nachos and tacos!) And then my beloved Mexicali Casa closed down and Suwan Thai relocated to the bigger premises and probably hasn't looked back since, as it is always packed to the brim. <br />
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The food is always good. The flavours are fresh, flavoursome and balanced. The food is value for money. The service is pretty good. Its just somewhere you can count on to always present the same quality. <br />
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Last week I visited with my good friend whom I met whilst waitressing at Mexicali (oh, all those nacho's we ate together!) so we decided to go back to where it all began for our fortnightly dinner.<br />
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We started off by sharing some spring rolls and curry puffs. The curry puffs here in particular are super yummy, served with a gorgeous sweet chilli cucumber sauce. Stuffed with a delicious <br />
mince and coated in crunchy pastry, these are my go to entree for sure. <br />
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The yellow curry was sweet and creamy with just the right amount of heat. The chicken is not those gristly bits you sometimes find in Thai curries, but instead gorgeous lean bits of breast chicken. Its really enjoyable and served in a lovely tealight candle heated bowl. <br />
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My favourite dish is the Nuer-Aroy, stir-fried beef with cashew nuts, vegetables, a 'special sauce' and sesame seeds. The sesame seeds really make the dish different from your typical Thai stirfries, and combined with the balanced yummy sauce its a definite must try. My parents ALWAYS order this one when they go also. <br />
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And what Thai feast would be complete without some roti bread with amazing satay dipping sauce? <br />
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We helped digest our food with a big pot of peppermint tea, and it was served in this gorgeous elephant tea pot which I thought was so cute. <br />
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Although I love gallavanting around to new restaurants in the city, I feel pretty lucky to have such a well-rated and consistent local Thai in the area (its a definite factor in my love for Montmorency/Lower Plenty and my desire to stay living here ;) ) as where are you without good quality Thai take-away? Lost... and hungry!<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/1491721/restaurant/Melbourne/Suwan-Thai-Restaurant-Lower-Plenty"><img alt="Suwan Thai Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1491721/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-76060456808027684532012-08-27T04:01:00.001-07:002012-08-27T04:01:45.208-07:00Rump steak with spinach puree and sweet potatoI got the inspiration for this recipe from a dish Craig had at Henry and the Fox recently. There was something so simple about the pairing of gorgeous bright green spinach puree, rare and tender beef and in Henry's case, onion rings. I swapped the onion rings for roast sweet potato with some pine-nuts and goats cheese, and the result was a gorgeous restaurant quality, healthy meal at home. <br />
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1 large piece of good quality rump steak (I used organic, grass fed beef) sliced into four long but thick pieces (remove rind/fat)<br />
200 grams of baby spinach leaves<br />
1 clove of garlic, crushed<br />
1/2 a sweet potato, in large cubes <br />
Large handful of pine-nuts, lightly roasted in a pan with some olive oil<br />
Small handful of goats cheese, crumbled<br />
Olive oil<br />
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<em>For the puree:</em> <br />
In a frying pan, saute the garlic and spinach in a little olive oil until spinach is wilted. Transfer into a food processor and whiz until pureed. <br />
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<em>For the sweet potato:</em> <br />
Spray with a little oil in a tray and sprinkle with some cumin and sea salt, then roast for 20-25 minutes, turning occasionally. <br />
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<em>For the rump:</em><br />
Season rump with salt and pepper. In a fry-pan, heat a little oil and cook on each side for about 5 minutes. I like mine quite rare so increase to 7 minutes on each side if you prefer it more well done. Wrap in foil and rest for ten minutes. <br />
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<em>To serve:</em> <br />
Using a spoon, create a layer of spinach puree on one side of the plate. Slice the rump into pieces and gently place on puree. On the other side of the plate, place sweet potato cubes and scatter with pinenuts and goats cheese. <br />
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<em>Enjoy!</em> <br />
LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5273756223625093750.post-75663649812660794352012-08-27T03:45:00.001-07:002012-08-27T03:45:26.925-07:00Maedaya, RichmondWhen Craig and I were in Malaysia our hotel was within walking distance of this huge franchise Japanese restaurant called Sushi Tei, and the first night we ate there would definitely fit into the category of one of the 'best meals of my life'. We shared a bottle of sake accompanied by some beers, and ate some of the most interesting and unique Japanese food I have ever eaten like salmon carpaccio, tempura sushi rolls and tempura prawn stuffed mushrooms (more about that <a href="http://www.surburbanculinaryadventures.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/sushi-tei.html">here</a>...)<br />
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Maedaya is the closest thing I have found in Melbourne that gives off the same vibe, value and food as Sushi Tei, and I have a feeling I will become a regular at this Bridge Rd institution. The second rated Japanese restaurant in Melbourne (only second to Izakaya Den, which I am yet to try), Maedaya like many other popular restaurants has a no booking policy. However, we arrived asking for a table for 3 at 7.30pm and were seated by 8pm which was fine with me! <br />
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The restaurant aesthetically is very sleek and sophisticated, dark and modern. The minute we walked through the door we were hit by the smell of the yakitori grill, a meaty, smokiness that I loved. I got a laugh out of Craig and his best mate when after a few sakes I sighed and said, "God I hope my clothes smell like this when we leave." Yep, the smell was that good. <br />
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We started with some sake which I quite like to drink. Its like sipping on a spirit without the burning in your throat, and it goes well with the food. <br />
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We nibbled on some complimentary lotus root chips whilst perusing the colourful menu. I have never had lotus root chips before and they were really great- I would love to know how to make them or where I could buy them. <br />
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We decided to share a variety of dishes between the 3 of us. <br />
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The Kawari Tuna Sashimi was beautiful- plump pieces of tuna quickly seared and smothered in a wasabi mayonnaise that had just the right amount of kick to it. For $13.80 it was extremely good value with 8 large and thick pieces of tuna. <br />
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The tempura prawn was exceptionally good. Our friend is a bit of a Japanese nut and has travelled to Japan and eaten at most of the best little Japanese restaurants in Melbourne, and he claimed it was one of the best he has had. Beautiful plump prawns coated in the lightest and crispiest tempura batter I have tasted, with a gorgeous fish roe dipping sauce- the boys ordered a second serve because they loved it so much! At $13 a serve for 6 good sized prawns, these were good value also. </div>
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The fried chicken was a real decadent treat. Tender, melt in your mouth chicken pieces covered in a crispy batter with a creamy mayonnaise. This was the kind of food you should feel guilty about eating but can't because it is just so good! </div>
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The gyoza were enjoyable but nothing overly mind-blowing, stuffed with a flavoursome pork mince and grilled nicely so they had a nice char-grilled crisp about them. <br />
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The Sukiyaki Grill plate was a great way to try some of the beautiful grilled meats from the yakitori grill. We each tried a little of the pork belly, bean curd, beef and yakitori chicken. The chicken was so amazing that I ordered an extra skewer while the boys munched on their extra tempura prawns. It was so tender and beautifully smoky that I could have easily eaten a whole plate! </div>
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With all this food and the bottle of sake, we only ended up paying $40 a head which is extremely good for the quality of the food and sophisticated environment. A far cry from the $40 we paid in Malaysia at Sushi Tei, but who's complaining- how fabulous to find such a great Japanese place in Melbourne to have my 'unique' Japanese fix. A must try in Melbourne for Japanese food lovers! </div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/71/761187/restaurant/Melbourne/Maedaya-Richmond"><img alt="Maedaya on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/761187/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>LaurenKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17306013438806125880noreply@blogger.com0