NAY: Colonel Tan's

After a long day exploring Melbourne, we headed off to Prahran for dinner. Located on the very fashionable Chapel Street, the restaurant may be difficult for some to locate. It is located in Revolver Upstairs, which can be accessed by a narrow set of stairs from Chapel St.

Bangkok Bolognese

 The restaurant had very cool interiors, with the exposed brick and the mismatch of colours giving it a very authentic and pleasant feel. To start we had the Pork Sausages. They were absolutely delicious, perhaps the best I've had. Things started to go downhill from there. Having heard so much praise for the Bangkok Bolognese, we decided to give it a go. The first bite was amazing. It was extremely reminiscent of spaghetti bolognese, but with a Thai twist. However, every bite after became increasingly difficult, given the amount of chilli present. The waiter did, however, warn us previously that this was a spicy dish, telling us that we would receive a milder version. If the mild version of the dish was that spicy, the normal version must be spicy to death. The Tumeric Chicken Stir Fry was average, perhaps because my palate was washed away by the spiciness of the Bolognese!

Pork Sausages

Tumeric Chicken

To be fair though, this was simply a matter of personal preference. Individuals who can deal with a very high level of heat would definitely love the Bangkok Bolognese. However, personally, the wonderful flavours of the dish were masked by the extreme level of heat, which I thought was unnecessary. In the end, had we chosen other dishes, our experience would have been completely different, as I knew just how good this place actually was. The service was great.







Food: 6/10
Service: 8/10
Ambience: 8/10
Details:

YAY: Kuki Tanuki

Buta Pork Ribs

Eggplant

Tanuki!!

As a tradition, we would go out to eat after completing examinations. Usually, the car trip to and from the venue has been more memorable than the actual dining experience. Kuki Tanuki is a Japanese sake and tapas bar which stands proud in the very cool Erskineville village.

To start, we had the Nasu Dengaku which was deep fried eggplant with a miso paste. It was very delicious, with crispy outsides and
a lovely flavour. The Market Fresh Sashimi was next. This was fairly good, comparable to your standard sashimi. This was followed by the Agedashi Tofu, one of my favourite Japanese dishes. The broth had a very nice taste, where the saltiness was on point. There were no bonito flakes like a normal agedashi tofu, but that didn't compromise on taste. Our next dish was the Tasmanian Roll, which was flame grilled salmon with avocado, cucumber, mayo and a sweet soy reduction. This was by far my favourite dish of the evening. The crispy topping, the melt in your mouth salmon and the sweet soy reduction created a very memorable taste. The Pork Gyoza Dumplings were as a good as they could be. There were perhaps better options to choose from than these but it was nonetheless tasty. The Wakame Salad was tasty. Kev complimented the dressing while I found the silken tofu to be the hero of the dish. The Caterpillar Roll was a vegetarian sushi which had tempura pumpkin and avocado. I was surprised when I took my first bite into the crunchy tempura pumpkin, and overall, the dish was fairly yummy. We then had the Chicken Nanban bites, one of my favourite dishes of the night. Biting into them, you are hit with a saltiness which is replaced with sweetness and finally, sourness. It was karage chicken taken to a whole new level! Finally, we had the Tender Buta Pork Ribs. This was a taste familiar to all of us. The pork was very tender and worked well with the sweetness and saltiness of the teriyaki sauce.

Tasmanian Roll

Chicken Nanban

In all, a very pleasant experience. The interiors were cool and the service was generally good. There was a short delay for our ribs, but verall, staff were attentive and pleasant. Oh, and the drinks aren't too bad either :)
More pictures below!

Food: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Ambience: 8/10
Details: 

Wakame Salad

Caterpillar Roll

Pork Gyoza

Agedashi Tofu

Sashimi

YAY: Brewtown Newtown

Elvis Burger

Cappuccino

Upon finishing our final exams, Fi and I were dying to try this place out. They are known for their cronuts (croissant and doughnut), or as they call them, the "brewnut". Brewtown is located on O'Connell St, hidden away from the bustling King St.

Glazed Cronut

The interiors were very cool, had a very Newtown-y feel. Service was very attentive and excellent. I got a cappuccino, and it tasted great. But the main attraction was the Elvis Burger, a beef patty, Canadian bacon, mayo and gruyere cheese, sandwiched in a cronut, and served with a relish and chips. It was incredible - that pleasant croissant taste accompanied every bite I took. We ordered another glazed cronut on the side, and it was very pleasant.

In all, a very good experience. I guess the feeling of completing examinations coupled with awesome food in the trendy Brewtown created a great day.

Food: 8/10 

Service: 8/10

Ambience: 9/10

Details:

YAY: Holy Basil Sydney CBD

Home Made Spring Rolls

Satay Chicken Skewers

In February, we celebrated our friend's birthday at Holy Basil at the Shark Hotel, a Laos- Thai restaurant in the Sydney CBD. I had previously eaten at the main branch at Canley Vale and was eager to see how the newer addition stacked up against it. This time round, I had a panel of expert critics (or silly schoolboys and schoolgirls who think they know about good food) who helped me critique each and every dish and helped me come up with a score for each dish out of ten!

For entree, we had the Spring Rolls, which was not your standard sort of spring role; it was stuffed with vermicelli, which we found to be quite pleasant (7/10). The Fish Cake, by itself, would have been rather bland and unpleasant to eat, but the lemon and sweet chili dressing saved it (6/10). The Satay Chicken was dressed with coconut sauce which was nice, but not superb (7/10).

Fish Cakes

Pad See Ew (Veges)

For mains, we started with the Pad See Ew, which was absolutely delicious. The vegetables and the noodles worked together harmoniously, but we found an eyelash in the dish...(9/10). The Roast Duck Curry (Red) had an amazing flavour for sure. However, personally, I found the texture of the duck to be fairly unpleasant (my opinion dragged this one down to a 5/10). Now, this was the dish I was looking forward to as I was blown away by it at Canley Vale. The Laos Charcoal Chicken did not disappoint. It was absolutely devine. The charcoal/smokey flavour in combination with the yummy dipping sauce left a taste never to be forgotten. It could have easily rivaled the one I had at Canely Vale (10/10). Last, and DEFINITELY LEAST, was the BBQ Beef. It was tough, dry and bland (T,D&B), and I have nothing nice to say about it (3/10). We also tried some of the other guys dishes, such as the Pad Thai (Chicken), which tasted like a typical pad thai and the Ox tongue which was actually pretty good (7/10).

Laos Charcoal Chicken

Now dessert was something I was really looking forward too. Holy Basil is famous for their deep friend ice cream, which is vanilla ice cream wrapped in filo pastry which does not have the disgusting doughy taste of the ones at your Chinese takeaway. The presentation was amazing, and it looked stunning like the one at Canley Vale. Digging in and taking the first bite was phenomenal, however, it went downhill from there. The ice cream melted rapidly and failed to hold its shape, unlike the one at Canley Vale which didn't melt even though it took me 60 years to finish its yummy goodness.

Marinated BBQ Beef Cuts

In all, Holy Basil @ the Shark Hotel in the City definitely does not match with its mother branch at Canley Vale. For authentic food, there is no better place than at ethnic enclaves in metropolitan Sydney. Canley Vale is Sydney's little Laos, and holds the crown for best Laotian food in Sydney! But nonetheless, the CBD branch did not disappoint, and I am confident I will be returning soon! Also, I have to admit that the service was superb. It is not easy to meet the demands of rowdy school kids, and their patience and hospitality was a big positive.

HolyBasil Fried Ice Cream

Food: 7/10
Service: 9/10
Ambiance: 8/10
About:

NAY: Bavarian Bier Cafe Parramatta

Converted church... Brilliant!

Deli Platter

I am currently doing a national study on Germany in Modern History, which prompted me to try the German cuisine! The first thought which came into my head was: beer; and lots of it. This expectation was met, as jugs of beer lined the table. As I was underage, I was required to wear a wristband, which I found to be rather absurd as I could have easily taken it off. Anyway, the Parramatta branch of the Bavarian Bier Cafe is located in a converted church, which I found to be simply exquisite.



We quickly ordered our meals, only to be faced with an unreasonably long wait. Granted that it was packed to the brink, but nonetheless, time management could definitely have been better. For entree we ordered the Bavarian Delikatessen Platter, which comprised of various cured meats, pickles, pork belly, house baked bread and pate as well as Haus-Made Bavarian Pretzel. They forgot to bring us our bread, which required a subtle reminder from us, but this did not annoy us just as yet. I can confidently proclaim that everything on that platter was delicious. The hams were great, the pate was yummy and the pickles were quite pleasant. However, it must be acknowledged that the platter was simply various cured meats thrown onto a plate, but regardless, was delicious. The pretzel was also among one of the best pretzels i've had.

Bavarian Tasting Platter

The wait for main ensued, and we became disgruntled customers. The orange juice that we ordered sixty years ago never arrived, once again, needing a subtle nudge to the waitress. For mains, we ordered the Bavarian Tasting Platter, the Roasted Pork Belly and a Swiss Schnitzel. I only tried my Swiss Schnitzel, which I ordered with a side of potato salad, and I can honestly say, that this was mediocre at best. The local pub does better schnitzel, the potato salad was not even a salad and a huge piece of lettuce just lay they whispering "don't even bother eating me". My other diners rather enjoyed their meals, especially my cousin who had the Tasting Platter, which allowed her to taste everything from schnitzel to pork belly. Also, the side of onion rings was delish!

Swiss Schnitzel

Roasted Pork Belly

We then decided to eat dessert elsewhere. In all, I was initially fairly pleased with the restaurant, but after a few moments of reflection, I have to say, I was rather disappointed. I guess I had high expectations, and they just weren't met. I will be going to another German restaurant in the near future, and hopefully, it restores my faith in the German cuisine.

Food: 6/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 9/10

About:

Address: 2-8 Phillip St, Parramatta NSW 2150

Phone:(02) 8836 1400

YAY: Jasmin Indian Restaurant

I just embarked on my very first trip to South Australia. I spent most of my time in Adelaide, and one day at Kangaroo Island, both of which were exemplary! I may make a blog post about my trip, so look out!
Jasmin is located on Hindmarsh Square, smack bang in the heart of the City. The main dining area is located underground, with the alternative of dining alfresco (not recommended in the hot Adelaide summer). The restaurant had a fairly good atmosphere, with the decor sophisticated yet refined. Service was excellent, with staff promptly addressing our demands. I found it slightly peculiar that there was a lack of Indian staff or the distinct aromas of Indian food, but nonetheless, that didn't really compromise on the restaurant's authenticity.

Vegetable Pakoras

For entree, we ordered the Vegetable Pakoras. It is described to be "Bite size pieces of in-season vegetables crisp fried in a light batter". I was actually expecting actual vegetables to be coated in a tempura-like batter and fried. However, it ended up being a ball-like shape, with no whole vegetables but finely shredded vegetables incorporated with the batter. Despite the differences in the perceived description and the actuality, it was absolutely delicious. It was served with a spicy sauce which brilliantly complimented the dish. The pakoras were almost reminiscent of the Indian South African dish of chilli bites, fried droplets which are made from chickpeas, spices and selected vegetables.

Chicken Masala

For mains, I opted for the Chicken Masala, a boneless mild chicken curry. Hands down, this is probably the best Indian dish I have ever eaten. But then again, my experiences with Indian food have mostly been restricted to the food courts of suburban Sydney (Westfield Burwood does amazing mango chicken). Anyway, the chicken was absolutely tender and the choice of spices truly did create an impeccable flavour. The dish (as with all mains), was served with a portion of basmati rice (which was not like your standard serving of rice at your Indian takeaway). We also ordered a side of Garlic Naan which was the best naan I have ever eaten, and Kachumber, a cucumber, tomato and onion salad served in a lemon dressing which was absolutely divine.

Rice

Kachumber Salad

Overall, my dining experience was nothing short of spectacular, and I can safely say that Jasmin is by far, my favourite Indian restaurant (sorry Indian @ Westfield Burwood). If I ever return to Adelaide, I will make sure to book a table there. I will also have to try their Gulab Jamun, which I couldn't try because I was so full :(






Food: 9.5/10
Service: 9.5/10
Ambiance: 8/10
About: 
31 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide SA 5000
Ph: (08) 8223 7837

YAY: Mosaic

Mosaic is located in The Westin Hotel Sydney. Hotel restaurants are generally terrible and I always try to avoid them. However, The Westin as a very special place, since my sister is holding her wedding there! So my family and her fiancee's family went on a combined dinner at the restaurant in early July.

Caesar Salad Chicken

Arriving at the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by polite waiters who took our coats and offered us drinks. We were served bread and butter, which I shouldn't really judge on! For entree, I chose to have the Caesar Salad Chicken with Croutons, Three Year Aged Parmesan and Pancetta Chips. I know, highly unimaginative, but I found the salad to be quite pleasant. The Pancetta Chips and Crouton were both in an elongated shape, which was quite unconventional and which I found to be quite pleasing. The chicken was tender and delicious, and the aged Parmesan was a nice addition. Dressing was pretty standard. I did, however, find the hidden anchovies to be quite displeasing!

Beef Tenderloin

For main course, I had the Beef Tenderloin with Tobinambour Croquette, Small Vegetables and Watercress. It also had a foamy sauce of which I could not identify but regardless, was delicious. The beef , which I ordered as medium,was cooked to perfection and the small vegetables were balanced and complimented the protein very well. I was slightly disappointed that I was given only one tobinambour croquette because it was absolutely divine :(. Overall, a cohesive and well planned dish which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

So far, my meal was rather enjoyable, but dessert told a different story. Greedy and desperate to try as many desserts as possible, I ordered the Mosaic Dessert Trilogy, consisting of a Mango Gratin, Chocolate Pudding and Blackcurrant Ice Cream. I knew from the beginning that the dish would not be cohesive but would allow me to try a variety of desserts. This expectation was met, as I did not enjoy any of the desserts. The mango gratin was terrible as it was extremely sour. The chocolate pudding and blackcurrant ice cream were mediocre at best. 

Overall, I really enjoyed my meal at Mosaic. Entree was good, main was superb but dessert was disappointing. But I look forward to eating there again, particularly when they presumably cater for my sister's wedding!

                                 

Mosaic Trilogy

Food: 7/10

Service: 9/10 

Ambience: 6/10 

Value: 6/10  

About: 

The Westin

1 Martin Place

Sydney

(02) 8223 1110