It took me more than 2 months to finish all my Australia related blogposts and so now I come to the end of it. My last decent dinner in Melbourne.

Coming home from work at 5:30, I decided to go out and treat myself to a fancy dinner. I would usually buy something to go and eat dinner in my hotel room. My boss urged me to go have dinner in Southgate, Yarra. I know there are lots of nice restaurants there overlooking the Yarra River so I rushed to ride the tram to Southgate.

Southgate Mall

The tram was filled with people (it was rush hour), I guess they’re headed home or they’re going to have some night caps. The sun was still up at 6 pm so it’s still safe to wander around the city streets.

There were plenty of restaurants to choose from. I had a hard time to decide. I wanted to have the view of the Yarra river while I’m dining and didn’t want to just eat inside the food court of Southgate Mall. Then I stumbled upon this restaurant which was at the mid level of the mall with a perfect view of the river. It’s called Blue Train Cafe.

Seared Salmon Fillet @ AUD 18.90 (around Php 855 +)

The restaurant was filled with people. The waiter led me to a table with a nice view. He probably thought that I am a tourist (well, yes I was). There were so many dishes to choose from so I asked for some help on their best seller. He suggested for me to try the Seared Salmon Fillet. The salmon was served with soba noodles and soy dressing. This was the best meal I had in Melbourne! The salmon was so tender and juicy. It was cooked just right! I loved the soy dressing.

Strawberry Beret @ AUD 8.00 (around Php 430+)

It was so hot during that day (up until now ) so I first ordered their lemon iced tea but I already finished that before the salmon came so  ordered another drink. I love strawberries so I decided to order the Strawberry Beret. It’s made of fresh strawberries, raspberries, fresh lime and lemonade. This was the best mocktail I have ever tasted! The berries were abundant and it’s served in a big glass.

Bridge going to Flinders Street Station from Southgate (over the Yarra River)

After dinner, I decided to stroll around Southgate and watched the sunset. Just sitting in a bench staring at the people pass by was truly a wonderful experience. I was wishing that I could’ve stayed longer and just savor the view and the dining experience in Melbourne. I would love to go back to this beautiful place and probably bring Karla with me to share the beautiful city.

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La Cusina Del Caffe is just opposite the building where I worked in Melbourne. This is where I always get my lunch (usually a pita sandwich or quiche) because I don’t need to go very far. I know there are other cafes to choose from but I’d prefer to buy here.

This is just a very small cafe in Stead Street South Melbourne. They are only open during the weekdays (like most of the cafes around the area) and closes at 3 or 4 pm. They serve sandwiches, pasta, quiche and many more. As you all know, Australians don’t really eat heavy during lunch time. A sandwich for them is already enough.

What I liked in this cafe is that they’re really cheap. You can already be full with only AUD 4.00-8.00 in your pocket. They also have a very friendly staff so I didn’t have a hard time to understand them. Well actually, most people I’ve met in Australia were really warm and friendly. People who work in restaurants and cafes show you a smile and they’re not hesitant to help you if you’re having a problem choosing from the menu.

Now this was the last lunch I ate hours before I left Melbourne. A slice of lasagna and a bottle of Pomegranate and Green Tea drink. This only costed me around AUD 10.00 – 12.00.

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In my personal belief, pasta dishes have already absorbed the Filipino palette. Most restaurants (and also fast food chains) have pastas in their menu; from the basic spaghetti with tomato sauce up to the most complicated ones. From my observation, it has become a substitute to cooked rice. Pastas are easy to eat and can already be considered a meal on its own.

At this day and age, people are always on the go. The catch is that, most of the time, fast foods are not healthy. Usually burgers, fried or processed foods come to mind when we think of fast foods. Pastas were considered to be unhealthy foods but actually, it can be healthy and not be all about carbohydrates. Goodles, located in Robinsons Galleria, wanted to create healthy pasta dishes that can be cooked and eaten immediately. Franny of frannywanny.com invited us and other bloggers to experience Goodles, the newest pasta-to-go place in town.

Garlic Shrimp and Chorizo @ Php 170

Their selections were simple but they have added a little twist to make it interesting. Their pastas are contained in paper cups which you can bring anywhere. You can even eat it inside the cinema but, I think I wouldn’t do that because I tend to become messy sometimes. Whether you dine in the kiosk or prefer it to go, they’ll serve it in a paper cup. I believe you can request them to put your pasta in a plate if you’ll be dining in.

Sharlene Tan, the general manager and one of the owners of Goodles, gave us the chance to choose the pasta of our choice. I first chose Garlic Shrimp and Chorizo to taste because I like garlic in my pasta. My pasta was ok, though I thought that the taste seems thin.

Morrocan Beef @ Php 135

Karla, on the other hand, chose Morrocan Beef, because she was craving for something Mediterranean (this was the result of our disappointment with the closing of Cafe Mediterranean in Robinsons Galleria ;( ). I tasted Karla’s pasta and I actually liked it. I can taste the “persian” flavors here.

Grape Carbonara @ Php 165

Then eventually, Sharlene served us with the other pasta dishes that they have so that we can taste more dishes. The Grape Carbonara seemed weird at first because I am not used to seeing grapes in my pasta and also. The taste was ok, but I think the grape didn’t matter because the pasta (with the meat) can stand alone. Adding the grapes became an ornament which didn’t really add to the overall taste of the dish.

Salsa Rossa Shrimp @ Php 170

Salsa Rossa Shrimp is one of my favorites. This dish tastes better when you sprinkle a hint of dried chili.

Seven Layer Lasagna @ Php 140

Their lasagna is also one of the must tries in Goodles. It’s meaty and not just noodles and bechamel sauce.

Chicken Vodka @ Php 140

The Chicken Vodka tasted good (although I didn’t really taste the vodka ). It looked cute because they used ribbon pasta. You must also try this.

Mediterranean Tuna @ Php135

I got a bit of disappointed with Mediterranean Tuna because I easily distinguished that it came from the can. I know that this is much cheaper but the taste of “canned tuna” can be lessened by cooking the tuna until it’s dry or probably can they can add a hint of lemon to remove the “canned tuna” taste. But if I will not take into consideration about that “canned tuna” thing, the overall taste is good. FYI, this is a little bit spicy but for me, it’s tolerable.

Their price range is from 125 to 170 pesos only which I believe is the common benchmark for pasta in Manila. Their pastas can be good for 2 people and comes with 1 garlic bread per pasta dish. What I liked about their concept is that this is just all about pasta and it’s made only when you have ordered. According to Sharlene, they make their sauces from scratch and does not make sauces beforehand. For me, this can be one of the places where pasta lovers can actually hang out.

Goodles

4th Level, Robinsons Galleria Ortigas Center, Pasig

Near Robinsons Galleria Cinema

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1. Marinate 1/4 kilo thinly sliced rib eye (Sukiyaki cut) in 3 tbsps soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 head crushed garlic, 1 tbsp sesame oild, 1 stalk leeks finely chopped, 1 tsp toasted and ground sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare vegetables: 1 whole carrot, julienned; 4 leaves Baguio Pechay, shredded; 1 small cucumber sliced thinly into rings; 2 stalks leeks, shredded into 2 inch long strips; 1 tbsp sesame oil.
3. Beat 2 eggs slightly then cook in a wok as you would an omelette, then slitce into 1/2 inch wide strips for garnishing.
4. Boil glass noodles (can use Shiratake, Ma Mon Luk Peking Noodles or the original one which is the Korean Glass noodles) according to the package instructions. The recipe is good for 225 grams of noodles. The glass noodles can be found in major groceries, in the international section and also in Korean or Japanese groceries.
5. To cook: In 1/2 cup oil in a wok, stir fry beef, then add vegetables and season with 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the marinade of the beef too. Cook the beef very well then add the cooked glass noodles. Garnish with sliced eggs.

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I am not really a peanut butter loving person but because it’s satay, it has to have something nutty on it. You can have a satay sauce on the side or eat it as it is. The chicken meat was marinated long enough anyway. Again, this recipe is from the Yummy book “Meals in 30 Minutes” which can be purchased at P100 only.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup bottled satay sauce
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce (Available in groceries. It’s bottled and I used Lee Kum Kee)
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 kilo skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into cubes
oil for frying

For the cucumber salad:

2 cucumbers, diced (make sure to scrub it first with rock salt then rinse with water)
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced red onion

Procedure:

1. Prepare the marinade by combining garlic, soy sauce, peanut butter, satay sauce, chili garlic sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix the marinade well.
2. Add the chicken and marinate for more than 15 minutes. If you want the flavors to really seep through, marinate it for more than an hour.
3. Combine all the ingredients for the salad. If you feel that it’s too sour, you can add sugar and more sesame oil. Adjust it according to your preference.
4. Skew the chicken in barbeque sticks then grill them. Grill it for a short period of time so that the juices will still remain. You can also fry them but it looks better if it’s grilled.
   

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Mojito is my most favorite cocktail ever. It is a popular Cuban drink usually made of white rum, sugar cane, sparkling water and mint. What I like with Mojito is the combination of sweetness and citrus taste with a little kick of rum. It is very refreshing and a great way to enjoy it with your family and friends. I found a simple Mojito recipe in the Yummy Magazine December issue and decided to have this as our cocktail drink for our New Year’s celebration.

What you will be needing are fresh basil leaves, white rhum and white cola.

Then mash the fresh basil leaves so that the flavors will really come out. You can use a spoon to mash the leaves. Place it in a glass then pour in 45 mL of white rum and a splash of white cola. I used Bacardi and Sprite (it’s much sweeter). You can also squeeze a lemon wedge for more flavor.

This can serve only one person so if you will be drinking with a group, just multiply the amount of white rum and adjust the white cola and basil according to your preferred taste.

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Yummy Magazine has ventured into making simple cookbooks so I decided to try some of the recipes there. The recipe can be found in “Meals in Minutes”. In the book, they used Tilapia but since my mom and I weren’t able to get Tilapia from the nearby groceries, we just used filleted Asohos as an alternative. Asohos (Silago in English) is perfect when it’s fried and crispy. This fish is commonly cooked as Tempura. This recipe is also perfect for pulutan and very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

400 grams Asohos fillets
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2-3 cups oil

For the vinaigrette:

finely chopped garlic
finely chopped onions
soy sauce
vinegar
siling labuyo (bird’s eye chili)

Procedure:

1. Slice fish fillets in strips. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Coat with cornstarch
3. Fry in hot oil until crisp and golden brown.
4. Combine ingredients for the vinaigrette. Estimate the amount of ingredients to mix. It really depends on  your preference. You can have equal parts of soy sauce and vinegar.
   

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Here’s the second dish we prepared for Christmas eve, Chicken Kebabs with Seasoned Yogurt. Again, I got this recipe from Yummy Magazine, September 2009 issue and I deviated a bit from the original recipe. I marinated the chicken for about 2 hours and added the lemongrass onto the marinade instead of skewing the chicken on the lemongrass stalks. We skewed them on the usual barbeque sticks. I thought that it would be much tastier if the chicken was marinated first before grilling.

Ingredients:

Lemongrass stalks
300 grams chicken breast, deboned and skinned, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 each red, green, yellow bell peppers, cut into 1 inch cubes

For the marinade:

2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup extra virgin oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
salt and peper to taste

For the seasoned yogurt:

1 cup plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

(If this yogurt sauce seems too sour for you, you may add a pinch of sugar. I didn’t really follow the measurements above and I added some more garlic powder and some sugar.)

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and chicken. Mix well. Set aside.
2. Prepare seasoned yogurt by mixing all ingredients together. Set aside.
3. Grill skewers on a preheated cast-iron pan or grill and serve with seasoned yogurt.

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Christmas dinner with my mom is done and now I have the time to blog about the simple dishes I cooked for tonight. Since it’s just the 3 of us at home, we decided to cook only 2 simple recipes for us to enjoy. It’s been a tradition that my mom and I cook during the holidays because these are some of the special times that we’re together.

The first dish we cooked is Creamed Tuna and Mushroom Pasta. I got this recipe from Yummy Magazine, September 2009 issue. What I like about the recipes featured in Yummy Magazine is that they have a wide range of recipes to choose from. From the simplest recipe to the hardest one. So here goes…

Ingredients:

oil for sauteing
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup canned button mushrooms
1 can spicy tuna in oil, drained
vetsin
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups all-purpose cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
400 grams linguine, cooked
grated Parmesan cheese for topping
lemon wedge for garnish

Procedure:

1. Heat oil and butter in pan. Saute onion and garlic. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, and tuna. Season to taste.
2. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer. On low heat, add the cream.
3. Add the lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Plate noodles and top with the sauce. Sprinkle cheese and garnish with lemon wedges.

The pasta tastes better if you squeeze the lemon juice on top of it.   ;)

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