Truffled Pink

bali bliss

2012-01-29T20:02:00.000+11:00

Ayana Resort and Spa, Rock Bar, Jimbaran, Monkey Forest, Ubud

here's to 2012

2012-01-02T22:50:00.001+11:00

2012 how happy I am to finally meet you!

Last year was a dog of a year for me. I felt like I was stuck in a rut, going nowhere, and nothing was going right.

This year is going to be different, I can feel it.

To start it off, I'm going to holiday in Bali next week to chill out and freshen up.

Then, when I get back I'll be going back to school! I'll be studying Interior Design and Decoration and I'm looking forward to giving my right brain a bit of a work-out because it's been growing cobwebs for over twenty years.

I stopped making New Years' Resolutions a long time ago. I felt like I was just setting myself up for failure and my resolutions were usually trivial things like 'lose 3 kilos', 'watch less TV'. So I'm going to start defining my goals for the year in a word. Nothing specific, just one general word to focus on and remember during the year.

And I've decided my word for 2012, is GROW. I'm going to grow my creativity, grow my dreams, and finally start growing into my future this year.

Happy New Year everyone!

a break

2011-11-05T12:04:00.001+11:00

via vogue

I thought I'd pop in and say hi.

I'm planning to take a break from blogging for a little while.

My heart is broken and I need to work on picking up the pieces. I'll be back when it's been put back together.

Thanks for reading my little blog.

nibbling now

2011-10-29T15:08:00.000+11:00

My chicken banh mi from Marrickville Pork Roll. Well deserved after the Bay Run!

la bodeguita del medio

2011-10-08T22:57:00.002+11:00

When the boy and I went to dine at La Bodeguita del Medio last week, I had no idea what to expect. After a little research, I discovered it specialised in Cuban cuisine, which instantly piqued my interest as I have little experience in Cuban food, or Caribbean food in general. I think authentic Carribbean cuisine is one of the few that Sydney has yet to master so it's exciting to see one pop up right in the city.

La Bodeguita is a well established restaurant/bar chain in Cuba and other countries including Spain, the UK, and the USA. I'm surprised when I walk in to find that it's a huge space. There are large leather booths on one side, a long bar on the other, and table seating in the middle. The exposed brick, soft lighting, jazz music, and graffiti'd walls instantly take me to another place, somewhere exotic, maybe even back in time. Which I think is what the aim was in decorating the space - a space reminiscent of Havana in its heyday, the '50s and '60s.

Mojitos ($14)

We can't start our night without a Cuban mojito. I'm not a fan of sickly sweet cocktails so this one hits the spot - not too sweet, a decent amount of rum, and a good lime punch. These are only $10 during weeknight happy hours which I think is dangerously good value. If only I worked in the city...

As we wait for our food, I notice a locker room behind me. The waiter tells us this is a rum locker room where customers can hire their own locker and key for storing their rum bottles to return to whenever they visit La Bodeguita.

Sliced Sea Scallops, yellow chilli with prawn dressing ($16)

I'm eager to dig into the scallops as the dish looks so colourful and enticing. The scallops are amazingly tender and the dressing has a spicy jalapeño kick to it which I adore. The scallops are so soft and easy to eat, the dish is finished before I know it.

Peruvian style ceviche ($15)

The ceviche also has a spicy kick but is also more sour which I love. Surprisingly, it reminds me a little of Vietnamese nuoc cham. The boy wanted to drink the dressing from the bowl and I let him only because I really wanted to do the same.

Ranges Valley seared Wagyu, with marigold dressing ($19)

I can see and smell that the wagyu has been charred beautifully. It lies above some okra which gives the dish more of an exotic feel. The meat is again incredibly tender and the boy claims this as his favourite entree.

Taro croquettes served with aji de gallina sauce ($15)

The taro croquettes are so crispy, I have no idea how they did it. I expect the innards to be creamy like the taro cream that you get on Asian taro cakes, but instead the texture is similar to that of crab cakes. I can't taste much taro probably because I slather mine in the spicy jalapeño and coriander sauce. I find the pickled cucumbers on the side too difficult to untangle as the strands are as long as spaghetti so I don't bother with it.

White Sangria ($24/jug)

I know this is quite a girly drink but I convince the boy to get it as I'm in the mood for white wine tonight rather than my usual red. This is a combination of white wine and rum with mint and citrus. It's similar to a mojito but not as sour. It's great value as we easily get four glasses out of the jug.

O'Connor premium pasteurised porterhouse steak ($42)

I order the steak medium-rare and am happy to report it's cooked perfectly. It comes served with rosemary potatoes, topped with salsa, and served with horseradish cream. The potatoes are a little undercooked but the horseradish cream is just divine. It's not too creamy and has a nice, pillowy texture which complements the steak and salsa beautifully. I'm officially changing my regular steak sauce to horseradish!

Duck breast, sweet potato, spinach croquets & chocolate sauce ($36)

The duck is a generous serving of a whole duck leg as well as sliced duck breast. Although I've always wanted to, I've never actually tried a chocolate sauce on meat before, so I was excited about this. The chocolate sauce is not as sweet as I expect and combined with the creamy sweet potato puree, makes a gorgeous accompaniment to the duck.

La Lechera ($14) - condensed milk and dulche de leche semifreddo, chocolate, milk bubbles

I'm ecstatic as soon as I try a bite of the semi-freddo - it's dense, almost chewy texture is refreshingly different. Combined with the airy bubbles and rich chocolate, this is an exotic take on simple chocolate and vanilla.

Cafe y caramelo - Mocha dome with candied peanuts & salted caramel ice cream ($14)

I've deliberately saved this for last as I can see it's going to be incredibly rich. The mocha dome has a thick, mousse-like texture with the distinct taste of coffee cutting through the sweetness. The tower of peanut crumble tastes just like peanut butter and the crunchy praline peanuts take the dessert to another heavenly level. Not many people would be able to resist this dessert (except those unfortunate enough to have a peanut allergy).

15year old rum

We're given a sample of 15 year old rum to finish off our meal. La Bodeguita have an extensive rum selection on their menu with rum coming from the best rum producing countries in the world such as Cuba, Jamaica, and Barbados to name a few. Some also vary in age from 5yo to 21 yo rum, so you can choose the intensity of rum that you want. Not being a rum connoisseur, I have to admit I can't tell the difference between this and brandy!

After our meal, we pop into the humidor, one of only two in Australia, the other being in Cairns. We walk into a walk-in-wardrobe sized room and are surrounded by cigars and cigarettes of varying lengths and thicknesses. The humidity in here is kept constantly between 68-72% to maintain the integrity of the cigars and prevent them from drying out.

I had no idea there were so many different types of cigars. But I sniff a few and can tell they all vary in scent and intensity. Like a fine cheese with wine, the restaurant will match a cigar to one of their rums which you can smoke on their cigar balcony. I love the sound of this and although I've never smoked a cigarette in my life, I'm so damn tempted to try this!

But being a non-smoker all my life, I'll just stick to my vices of wine and cheese for now...

The boy just has to hold one (always hold by the label) but I'm enamoured more by the gorgeous vintage packaging.

The cigar balcony

Complete with rattan chairs and fans, the outdoor cigar lounge is reminiscent of a balcony in Havana.

The basement bar

If, like me, smoking's not your thing, you can always make your way down to the basement bar and dance area where they play live Cuban jazz every night! The atmosphere is great, lively and totally unpretentious, hard to find in the city these days.

La Bodeguita is a fantastic place for a night out. The atmosphere, food, service, and location make it especially good for groups. I'm already planning to take my girlfriends there soon for a girls night out!

La Bodeguita del Medio
125 York St
Sydney
NSW 2000
(02) 9264 4224

Truffled Pink dined c/o La Bodeguita.

i like this more than the original

2011-10-05T21:32:00.000+11:00

leura garage, josophans

2011-10-02T17:24:00.001+11:00

Over the weekend, we made a day trip to Leura. Being only an hour and a half hours drive from Sydney, it's a place we visit often when the need to get away arises.

This time we discovered a charming new cafe in the area and were pleasantly surprised with a delicious lunch. Converted from a previous mechanic's garage, I was impressed by the interior design which incorporates elements of the history of the building into the design. Lots of concrete and steel suspended from high ceilings, car tyres as plant pots, even the car-raising thingy that mechanics use has been converted into wine storage. Very cool. The boy was content to be surrounded by car-related paraphernalia too.

Tagliatelle - smoked trout, snowpeas, capers, creme fraiche ($23)

I decided to have the tagliatelle as it sounded like a delightful combination of ingredients, all of which I love. It was just what I felt like - not too creamy, generous amount of trout, caramelised onions for a touch of sweetness to balance out the salty capers. It was so pretty too and my pinot gris matched it perfectly.

Stew of the day - beef and red wine ($16)

The boy had the beginning of man-flu so insisted on the stew which I wasn't happy about, I wanted him to order the capellini with garlic king prawns and crispy pancetta. It was actually the right weather for a stew though - cold and foggy. It was rich and had plenty of beef and vegetables in it and actually reminded me of my bolognese sauce. With the chunk of sourdough bread, it makes a filling meal, although the option to have the bread toasted would have been a nice touch.

Meringue and sweet chestnut vermicelli cream ($11)

I didn't realise it when I saw it on the menu, but when the dessert came out, I realised it was essentially a Mont Blanc. It looked messy though and I wasn't sure about it. But after one bite, I wanted it all to myself. The contrast of the nutty chestnut cream with the crunchy meringue was beautiful. And the cream had just the right amount of sweetness to bring it all together without being overly sweet. If only the chestnut cream had been swirled on top of the meringue instead of squirted out in a blob, this would be faultless.

The cold weather was the perfect excuse to indulge in some chocolates from Josophan's Fine Chocolates, just around the corner from Leura Garage. They have a great selection of hand-made chocolates with some interesting flavours like basil and lime and pineapple. But my all-time favourites would have to be the peanut butter and the chilli - divine! They also make a great variety of chocolate gifts and is always worth a visit.

Leura Garage

84 Railway Pde

Leura

NSW 2780

(02) 4784 3391

Josophan's Fine Chocolates

132 Leura Mall

Leura

NSW 2780

(02) 3873 3913

xanthi

2011-09-25T20:48:00.001+10:00

Sob, sob...

I can't lie, when our local closed down, it felt like a death in the family.

But we didn't have long to grieve as soon after, Perama was reincarnated as Xanthi at the new Westfield Sydney.

I've been on an extremely long lazy-blogger streak so my photos are actually a mixture from the opening night of Xanthi over a month ago and when we visited again last week.

Dips - Tarama and Tzatziki, fried bread ($7)

These zingy flavours always get the appetite going. Love the rustic stone bowls and the way they're combined with opulent elements such as the silk curtains and mosaic tiling.

Tomatosalata

A mix of tomato, croutons, onions and white anchovies makes this one of my favourite salads ever! Probably because it's so good it doesn't feel like you're eating a salad at all.

Fried veal sweetbreads ($10.50)

These have a fried chicken quality. Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside. In fact, we actually told one of our dining companions that it was chicken just to get him to try it. Then he loved it.

Rabbit Stifatho rolls ($16)

Ok, I hate liars but at Perama we told the same dining companion that this was chicken too. He refused to try rabbit but loved this when he tried it thinking it was chicken. The cinnamon and clove spices make this a warming winter dish.

Prawn and scallop parcel ($18)

Xanthi make all their pastry in-house now so these have the same flavour as the original parcels from Perama but the pastry now plays a more substantial role as it is thicker and has more bite than store-bought pastry.

Zucchini fritters ($8)

The zucchini fritters sit atop a bed of chickpea mash. Soft and full of herby dill, mint and parsley flavour, they're so easy to eat.

Lamb from the spit, 250g ($38)

I couldn't wait to try the lamb straight from the spit. The lamb is incredibly tender and juicy, a simple specialty you can't get anywhere.

Horiatiko pork brisola ($30)

This dish is fun to eat as the egg is pierced to let the yolk ooze out, over the chips and the pork chops. It almost feels like a guilty pleasure to eat.

Xanthi only serve Greek wine, which I'm a huge fan of. Kir-Yianni wines have never let me down. Don't worry if you're unsure of what to order as the staff will recommend a similar wine to what you usually like to drink. I've never been disappointed with a wine at Perama or Xanthi.

Rabbit Stifatho and Fried school prawns, Masticha cocktail

If wine doesn't do it for you, there are plenty of different spirits available too, including a traditional ouzo cart with a variety of different ouzo. The Masticha cocktail makes a great aperitif. I'm not a huge mastic lover but I didn't find this too 'gummy' at all, probably because it's tempered down with ice.

From the ouzo trolley - Raki and Honey Tsipouro

My preference is the Raki, a liquorice flavoured spirit mixed with water and ice. The honey tsipouro is too sweet for my taste but I can imagine people enjoying it as a digestive after a meal.

Pork Belly Baklava ($18)

One of David's most famous dishes. As I've said before, a dish that every Sydney foodie needs to try. After a few re-incarnations, this version's flavours are true to the original from Perama, the only difference being the pastry which is now hand-made, giving it a more rustic quality, what I imagine I'd eat if I were actually in Greece.

Kerkya fish curry ($32)

I was surprised to see a curry on the menu as it's not something I traditionally associate with Greek food so I was intrigued to try it. Apparently it originates from a Greek island which was colonised by the English, who brought with them curry and cricket. I love curry so I was impressed by this dish. The curry flavours are subtle and the soft potatoes and fish so comforting, with the Greek elements introduced by a touch of lemon and mastic.

Goat from the Spit, 250g ($39.00)

I've never had goat other than in a curry so this was exciting to try. I was surprised to find it was not as gamey as I expected. Especially with the sprinkle of lemon and dab of tzatziki, I could have confused it for lamb!

Sokolata Castania ($14)

Chocolate mousse with a chestnut anglaise, sesame crisp, Pashmak and sour cherry sorbet. Sweet, sour, soft and hard. Every texture and taste is catered for in this dessert and they work so well together to create a truly exotic dessert.

Strawberry and Sumac Parfait Baklava ($14.50)

This dessert is on the 'from the wooden board' page, but can be ordered for dessert, as with all the other sweet bougatsas. It's pretty and delicate and an interesting take on traditional baklava. Instead of being headache-inducingly sweet as some baklava can be, this is light and refreshing.

Kataifi Kolokithopita ($14.50)

Aka Autumn on a plate. A party of pumpkin mousse, kataifi, black tea ice-cream and candied pumpkin, walnuts and prunes. This desert had a beautiful earthy quality. Nothing on the plate is overly sweet, so perfect for those with an under-developed sweet tooth.

Garden of Aphrodite ($15)

One of the prettiest restaurant desserts I've ever seen. Milk pudding on raspberry and beetroot gel with a scattering of crystallised rose petals, mandarin and edible flowers. There is a beautiful innocence about this dish and the name describes it perfectly. If you have issues with floral tasting food like I do, don't worry, with the exception of lavender, the edible flowers aren't too scented. The main flavours come from the silky milk pudding, tangy gel, and chocolate coated pistachios.

Salted caramel peanut and banana bougatsa ($14)

This is a generous bougatsa filled with a custard-like filling of peanuts and banana, drizzled with salted caramel and served with caramel ice-cream. It's decadent but because of the peanut and banana combination, I can imagine eating this for breakfast too.

Coffee from the pit

I can't drink coffee after noon, I'm a bit of a nanna like that, so I haven't tried the traditional sand-pit Greek coffee here yet. But I love the copper pots they come in. I'll have to come in for breakfast soon so I can try the coffee with a breakfast bougatsa.

There's no place like Xanthi in Sydney and I'm excited I can now get Greek food for breakfast!

Xanthi

Westfield Sydney

Level 6 Dining Precinct

Cnr Pitt St and Market St

Sydney

NSW 2000

(02) 9232 8535

chanel nails

2011-09-14T22:43:00.001+10:00

I rarely let my nails go naked.
I like to change up my nails about twice a week because I love colour and looking down at a beautiful colour on my hands makes me happy.
So I find this video so adorable because Chanel nail colours are my absolute favourite.

I was surprised that Paradoxal didn't play a leading role though. It's an amazingly mysterious shade, and along with Particuliere, has to be up there in my favourites.

nibbling now

2011-09-02T22:16:00.001+10:00

Fried ice cream at Holy Basil. The only fried ice-cream I ever eat. So good.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

in case you were wondering

2011-08-14T23:40:00.000+10:00

I'm still alive!
I've just been busy finishing projects for school.

This is what my days look like these days.

I hadn't touched a coloured pencil since primary school. But it's been fun getting familiar with them again.

And I've managed to fit in some crazy in between.

Like $5 tacos and jalapeno cocktails at El Loco. Crazy good.

Crazy feel-good musical, Hairspray.

Eating truffles to my heart's content at Becasse.

And crazy shenanigans at Perama's last night ever.

toko

2011-07-28T00:37:00.001+10:00

A while ago now, I met up with a girlfriend, V, at Toko for a girly catch-up. I was really looking forward to the cocktails as I'd heard good things about them. We decided to get the ten course tasting menu which is $78 per person.

My cocktail wasn't actually on the menu but V ordered it for me as she'd had it before and loved it. All I really remember is that it was very easy to drink, tasted like apple, and was so pretty and fun to drink with its crown of Persian fairy floss!

sake no miso tarutaru - salmon tartare, wasabi miso dressing

The salmon comes with light, crispy crackers speckled with sesame seeds. The chopped salmon has a distinct wasabi flavour which makes it a great palate opener.

seared beef, pickled onions, mizuna, garlic chips

The beef is lightly seared and delicious wrapped gently around the pickled onions and garlic chips which adorn them.

crispy tempura squid, soy chilli broth

The squid is really crispy and I like that the batter is speckled with flecks of chilli. We dump the huge garnish of onion into the soy broth to infuse, before dipping our squid into it.

toko signature nigiri - chef’s selection of nigiri

Our nigiri is a mix of cucumber wrapped chopped scallop and beef tataki. Both beautifully presented and tasty.

daily selection of sashimi

The sashimi is a selection of salmon and tuna. The pieces are cut thick and juicy.

robata grilled scallop, sweet pickled apple, jalapeno garlic

I love the flavour combination of this tiny morsel. It's perfection.

zucchini, wafu sauce, sesame

The zucchini has a sweet, toasted flavour while still having bite to them.

marinated lamb cutlets, chilli miso, pickled eggplant

The lamb is beautifully tender and the chilli miso sauce is so irresistible that I can't help grabbing my cutlet and gnawing away at it, dipping it into the sauce repeatedly. The small cubes of pickled eggplant are not so good. I love eggplant but these are too crunchy and sour for my liking. It's served with a small bowl of miso soup which complements the lamb perfectly.

chef’s selection of desserts - chocolate fondant, chocolate ice cream, raspberry sorbet, fruit

When I see the dessert, I'm so disappointed. There is only one chocolate fondant on the plate of what is meant to be a chef's selection of dessert. It tasted fine but if I pay for a set menu, I would at least expect one chocolate fondant per person. I found it really stingy, especially after the tiny servings in the other courses. If there were three of us, what would we get? One and a half fondants?!
Also, when I got around to writing this post, I realised we hadn't gotten a whole course, the beef skewers! The combination of cocktails and girly gossip distracted us so try to pay attention and make sure you get all courses if you decide to get the tasting menu here.

Would I go back? Definitely. Everything I ate and drank was so damn tasty. The only taste I didn't enjoy was the bitter one left in my mouth from the poor value of the tasting menu. Next time, I'm only ever ordering a la carte.

Toko

490 Crown St

Surry Hills

NSW 2010

(02) 9357 6100

nibbling now

2011-07-19T19:57:00.000+10:00

Tartufo pizza - buffalo mozzarella, pancetta, truffled egg, Tasmanian black truffle ($40)

At Rosso Pomodoro. I think I died and went to heaven five times while eating this.
The blackboard special available for the next few weeks during truffle season.
I die.

cafe sopra

2011-07-17T00:43:00.000+10:00

After reading a post on Cafe Sopra by Dumpling Girl and Cheesecake Boy, I had a craving for Banoffee pie so we decided to head there today for a late lunch.
We stopped by Coffee Alchemy on the way and grabbed a coffee to go.

The parking around the Waterloo Sopra is a pain so we decided to try out the Walsh Bay branch. It was fantastic weather to be near the water and the bridge.

Zucchini flowers stuffed with 5 Italian cheeses ($4.95ea)

Filled with a mix of gorgonzola, ricotta, parmesan, reggiano and mozarella, these are the creamiest, most indulgent zucchini flowers we've ever had. They match beautifully with our wine too which is on the slightly drier side of a typical Sauv Blanc.

2009 Brianello Sauvignon Blanc ($9)

Bollito misto impanato, mostarda and salsa verde ($29)

The special is a mix of beef cheek, smoked ham, and chicken wrapped and fried in a crunchy bread crumb coating. It's absolutely delicious and all the meat inside is beautifully soft and tender. I think the horseradish cream is what makes it really special though. The salsa verde is good too but I find the sweet candied fruit a little weird to eat with meat.

Spaghettini w lemon, chili, pangrattato ($18)

Who can resist a generous, golden topping of pangrattato like that? That toasty crunch is all I need with the chilli, lemon, parsley, and liberal coating of olive oil.

Banoffee pie ($14.50)

The last time I had this pie was about three years ago but I still remember every bite of it. Every spoonful is the most glorious combination of banana, toffee, cream, and biscuit-like pastry.

Dark chocolate and honeycomb semi-freddo ($14.50)

We got food-envy when we saw the table next to us enjoying the semi-freddo so we ordered it too. The semi-freddo has little bits of chocolate through it but the main flavour is honeycomb with the chocolate flavour coming more from the shavings on top.

Dark chocolate torte w poached pear and passionfruit ($14.50)

This was recommended to us by the waiter and it was a hit, especially with my niece whose sweet tooth is insatiable sometimes. We thought the rich dark chocolate and the dense texture may be too adult for her taste but we shouldn't have underestimated her. She ate most of it and the cream, leaving us the perfectly poached pear which she wasn't interested in at all.

Leah burnt off some of the sugar at a playground in Surry Hills after we hit Orson and Blake. Until we saw a huge rat (one of us may have called it a possum) brazenly make a mad dash right in front of us and we half-ran, half-tiptoed out of there ASAP.

Cafe Sopra
Shop 8
16 Hickson Rd
Walsh Bay
NSW 2000
(02) 8243 2700

jonathan adler

2011-07-13T23:38:00.000+10:00

For school, we had to research and present on the interior designer who most inspires us.

There are so many designers I get inspiration from but I chose Jonathan Adler.

I don't adore all of his rooms. But every room he designs just captivates me. He has a unique knack of creating chic rooms which are also playful, applying his philosophy of 'happy chic' rooms. He believes in rooms being 95% chic and 5% playful which he achieves by adding quirky, fun elements to a classy base. Usually it's by adding bursts of colour, geometric patterns, and unexpected elements such as animal motifs and other oddities. His rooms remind me not to be too serious about design and to be fearless about combining colours and patterns.

The above room is one of the first of his I fell in love with. I love the unexpected combination of colours, especially the turquoise, and the large chevron rug.

A classy, balanced room but a golden palm tree and a dog on a piano?! Love it!

The dining room in Adler's own home. He began life as a potter and the quirky ceramic vases are his own designs.

The lady on the coffee table lifts the whole room.

A retro mix of colours and patterns with a touch of glam from the gold coffee tables.

A four-poster bed ingeniously made with curtains and curtain rods.

I'd love to swing in that chair with a cocktail in one hand and a good book in the other.

Adler's own bedroom. A mish-mash of colours and patterns but the room still has unity.

I feel like a shag rug would work in here but look at those awesome hand chairs!

nibbling now

2011-07-07T14:45:00.001+10:00

Egg salad, capers, tomato chutney sandwich

Sparkling cranberry and lime juice

At Sonoma Bakery, Alexandria

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Ralph St,Sydney,Australia

avalon and the cook's larder

2011-07-04T19:16:00.001+10:00

What wonderful winter weather we had on the weekend.
On Sunday, the boy and I headed to Avalon, a suburb in Sydney I like to visit when I have no plans at all. It's a nice drive (after passing horrendous Military Rd) and I love the quaint village vibe and the abundance of homewares and fashion shops and cafes.
We decided to hit The Cook's Larder first as we were starving after the long drive up from the inner west. It's a quirky little cafe with lots of vintage touches. It also incorporates a deli at the back and an open kitchen complete with ceiling mirror so you can watch the action in the kitchen.

Grilled pastrami on rye - NY style pastrami with provolone cheese, artichoke, pesto mayo and rocket ($19)

We pay homage to New York first with a pastrami sandwich which is wonderfully generous in pastrami and branded all over with perfect, dark grill marks. It looks like a lot of meat but the sour artichokes and the pesto mayo really cut through it and I easily eat my half, although I'm not usually a big meat eater. It's not something I would normally order but I'm in one of those moods and I'm so glad I ordered it. It's delicious and we're both in heaven.

Thick cut rosemary garlic fries with aioli ($8)

These are some of the best fries ever. They look a little pale in the photo but in reality, the shell is really crispy and cases the fluffy insides beautifully. They have loads of garlic and rosemary flavour too which takes them to another level.

Home-made pork terrine with onion marmalade and sourdough ($19)

Next we're off to Paris as we savour the terrine. It's dense and glossy with just a mild gamey flavour which pairs perfectly with the onion marmalade.

After lunch, we browse the shops and soak in the sun and the village atmosphere.

Village living is a cook's delight with everything you need for cooking and entertaining.

Rust stocks a great range of industrial furniture and vintage homewares. There's no room left in my tiny apartment for furniture but I always love having a sticky-beak in here.

The Cook's Larder

Shop 1

21-23 Old Barrenjoey Rd

Avalon

NSW 2107

(02) 9973 4370

Rust

39 Old Barrenjoey Rd

Avalon

NSW 2107

(02) 9973 4268

koi

2011-07-03T01:04:00.000+10:00

Warm sake ($24)

It's a throat-tinglingly freezing night when the boy, the bro, the SIL and I come to Koi. So the warm sake is ordered pretty much as soon as we sit down to help us thaw out. We then proceed to order nearly everything on the menu ;).

Kingfish and salmon carpaccio, garlic, white miso ($23)

The carpaccio is as pretty as a picture and really opens up the appetite with its fresh, zingy flavours.

Bangalow Pork Belly - 18 hr pork belly, green beans, dashi, karashi, sweet potato puree, crackling ($22)

Although the pork is tender and the crackling is super crunchy, my favourite part of this dish is the sweet potato puree that accompanies it. It's silky smooth and sweet, a beautiful complement to the pork.

Tempura Moriawase - Seasonal Tempura, Tentsuyu Broth, Shiso Salt ($17)

A good Japanese restaurant has to have a good tempura behind its name. Here the batter is nice and thin and has a good crunch. Thankfully there's no sign of that wet uncooked batter hiding underneath a crunchy exterior.

Nasu Dengaku - baked eggplant, toasted hazelnuts, local flora ($18)

I always order the Nasu Dengku when I see it on a menu. This is the first time I've seen it with hazelnuts though and I enjoy it although the eggplant is good enough on its own.

Bangalow Pork Cheek - 18 hr Pork cheek, 64 Degree Hens egg, crumbed pigs tail, roast onion sauce, toasted rice, house made Umeboshi ($42)

A dramatic dish where the egg is split open at the table and the dish is anointed all over with yolk and then a small amount of rice is mixed in. Its my favourite dish of the night. The pork cheek melts in the mouth, the egg adds a lovely velvety texture, and the toasted rice adds an earthiness to the overall flavour.

Gindara Misoyaki - grilled black cod, grilled fennel, wood sorrel, Dulse Prawn and ginger boudin, crispy skin ($37)

I've been obsessed with cod since trying Nobu's miso cod in New York. It was amazing and I always try to order it when I find it on a Japanese menu. This is a very similar version as the caramelised cod has a beautiful sweetness to it. The prawn and ginger boudins have an interesting soft, somewhat spongy texture.

Inside out California roll - Crab meat, scallop, avocado, cucumber, tobiko, mayonnaise ($16)

We order the sushi for my 2-and-a-half-year old niece but she's not interested so we end up eating it all. Nothing spectacular but I like that the layer of rice is not too thick.

Wagyu Amiyaki - Cabassi & Rae pure blood Wagyu 'Chuck Tail Flap' 9+, roast sesame emulsion, ash rolled carrots, Wasabi mash, shiso ponzu ($49)

We were all looking forward to the wagyu as it sounded so good and it looked like it was cooked beautifully but unfortunately we all found it chewy. It was disappointing but the wasabi mash on the other hand was heavenly. My niece eats a spoonful and tries to take the whole bowl so we order another bowl of it just for her ($6). It is just beautiful. I'm not a fan of the ash rolled carrots as I find the ash taste too overwhelming. Maybe smokers would enjoy it though?

Kinoko Tobanyaki - King brown, Oyster, & Shitake mushrooms, baby bok choy ($29.50)

I love anything from the funghi family so of course I enjoy this. It comes out piping hot and has a subtle sweetness to it.

Pre dessert - green tea jelly, roasted persimmon, 'rice cream'

This is gorgeous and so good. Any fan of matcha will enjoy this combination of flavours.

"Strawberries & Cream" - Vanilla tofu, Strawberry jelly, macerated strawberries, rosemary meringue, vanilla & gingerbread ice cream ($16)

We start off with a fairly healthy dessert. It even has tofu in it! I really love the gingerbread ice-cream and the meringues but I'm not enamoured with the tofu which I find bland.

Dark Chocolate 'Terrine' - cherry jam, Matcha Foam, rose petal ice cream ($17)

The chocolate is really rich and smooth and I enjoy it with the matcha, although I avoid the rose ice-cream as I can't stand food that tastes like soap.

Black & White Sesame Chiboust - Sesame nougatine, sesame oil sponge, banana tuile, blood plum sorbet ($16)

The presentation of this dish is gorgeous but I find it lacks sweetness. I expect the chiboust to be soft and spongy but it is actually quite dense.

Dark and milk chocolate kois

These are a beautiful way to end the meal, the chocolate is presented on a chilled plate and are smooth and sweet.

We've had great service all night and the ambience helps to make us feel calm and relaxed. I'd recommend Koi for genuine, elegant Japanese but if you have a sweet tooth, you might find the desserts don't entirely satisfy it.

Koi
102 Woolwich Rd
Woolwich
NSW 2110
(02) 9817 6030

ipad 2

2011-06-21T23:32:00.000+10:00

Dear ipad,
I'm sorry I made fun of you when you first came out. I teased you about your name and called you a glorified iphone that can't even make calls. I'm sorry. You're actually awesome. You make Words with Friends even more addictive than it already is, and I love that you've got me reading more, even with the lights off.
I love you. See you tonight...in bed. ;)

For my birthday this year, the boy got me an ipad2 and I just love it! He always knows what I need, even before I know it myself. It's so much better than I expected it to be.

The first thing I wanted to do was get a sexy case to protect it in.
But the range of ipad cases available was really depressing. There was nothing out there that appealed to me. I wanted something that was functional without looking like a mini briefcase. I also wanted a sleeve so I could take my ipad out to use it in its naked glory. Above all, it had to be stylish. But unfortunately there don't seem to be many cases out there aimed towards women. Someone needs to get on that asap.

Ideally, I'd love this:

But it's way too much to spend on an ipad case imo. So I got what I thought was the next best thing for a reasonable price and it finally arrived in the mail! I love it!

I love the white stitching contrasting with the tan leather. And the juxtaposition of the vintage with the modern.

Got it from this Etsy shop.

nibbling now

2011-06-18T15:04:00.001+10:00

At Le Pain Quotidien

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

a coconut cupcake

2011-06-16T21:25:00.002+10:00

Have you seen Bridesmaids? It's hilarious. Kind of like the female version of The Hangover. But wittier and smarter because the cast and writers are female ;). Kristen Wiig is so fantastic.
Being an unmarried thirty-something, it struck a chord with me. If you're a single/unmarried thirty-something, watch it, it'll make you feel better (or possibly a little worse depending on your disposition). Anyway, it gave me a much needed belly laugh.

There's one scene in the movie where Annie bakes a single cupcake and I've had a cupcake baking-and-eating craving ever since watching it, something I haven't had in a long time. But I'm way too pragmatic to bake just one single cupcake (all that prep and washing up for one cupcake!). So I made a dozen.

But I did guzzle one down standing over the kitchen sink like she did. And it felt great too.

Coconut cupcakes
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa
makes 12

170g unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temp
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
100g dessicated coconut
100g shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 160C (150C fan).
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in the dessicated coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely before frosting with the cream cheese icing and sprinkling with the shredded coconut.

Cream cheese Icing

250g cream cheese, at room temp
160g unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
300g icing sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, blend together the cream cheese, butter, and extracts. Add the icing sugar and mix until smooth.

home-work

2011-06-07T21:30:00.000+10:00

I've always had a passion for interior design but it really started to bloom about six years ago. I was bored and disillusioned by optometry, just returned from a year overseas teaching English to kids, and really didn't want to go back to the job I'd left here. But I felt like I had no choice.
I remember going to a TAFE open day of student works and feeling so discouraged. The standard of work was so high, I thought 'I could never do that'. The requirements for getting into the course were a portfolio, an interview and the confidence to enrol, which I just didn't have. Also, I had other less ambitious but just as important plans too, like getting married, having lots of kids, and becoming a housewife. I assumed I'd do these things in the next few years so I made the decision to swallow my appetite for design and concentrate on making that happen.
Well...six years later, that still hasn't happened which just goes to show we should never assume or try to predict the future. I've finally learnt my lesson and last week I took the plunge and started an interior design course at Coco Republic Design School.

I'm incredibly glad I finally decided to do it. I'd been umming and ahhing about whether to do it for so long, beginning to feel like it was too late, and again doubting my abilities. But it was the most fun I've had in ages. I've never enjoyed studying so much!
I just want to say, if there's something you want to do, DO IT NOW and live a life of no regrets because I regret not following my dreams sooner.

This is the home-work I did for my first class. We had to interpret our personal style into a mood-board using magazine clippings.

I chose to concentrate on the two most important rooms of the home for me - the kitchen and the studio/craft room.

I'd love a big yet simple, white kitchen with stainless steel touches to give it an industrial edge.

My weakness for quilts stems from my love of colour and pattern. I dream of one day having a craft room which would be my haven, a place I can quilt, crochet, store my ever-growing fabric stash, restore furniture, and generally get crafty.

I think this is a pretty accurate portrayal of my style. For now anyway. I'm sure my style will evolve and change with time. Not that I'm trying to predict the future or anything.

la casa

2011-06-01T22:47:00.001+10:00

For me, I know a restaurant is good when I immediately start thinking of people I want to bring back. This is exactly how I felt when I went to La Casa. I think I could bring anyone here and they would like it...the fussy Italian friend, the ones who need a baby-friendly restaurant, the ones who appreciate attentive service...anyone who appreciates good food!

Polpette della Mamma - Mamma's original style meatballs served with wood fired bread ($14)

Best meat balls ever. The sauce is full of flavour and the meatballs are juicy and full of herby flavour. They definitely have that generous home-made flavour.

Calamari and chunky fries ($18)

The calamari is from the kids menu but I sneak in a few and find it's also perfectly suited to adult tastes. The batter is the light and crumbly variety which I prefer so much more to the thick and soggy kind. I nibble on quite a few and don't come across a single tough calamari either.

Napoletana pizza - tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, olives, oregano ($18)

Salsiccia pizza - tomato, mozzarella, italian sausage and hot salami ($20)

The pizzas are beautifully thin with that crispy-puffy-burnt crust that I covet. Of course any pizza with anchovies I love but I'm also impressed by the salsiccia with its touch of chilli.

250g Black Angus Eye fillet ($39)

I didn't try the steak but I could see that it was cooked flawlessly medium-rare and reported as being tender by the steak-loving-eight-year-old devouring it. The knife really did appear to slide through it like butter. I'm coming back for this one!

Fresh pappardelle with pancetta, swiss brown mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce ($21)

This was my favourite dish of the night. The creaminess of the sauce, silkiness of the fresh pappardelle, and earthy mushroom aroma hit me right in the gut and was the exact definition of carnal satisfaction for me. Next time I'm ordering one of these all to myself...

Fresh linguine squid ink pasta with king crab meat, baby leek and tarragon ($23)

Squid ink pasta is something I always feel compelled to order when I see it on a menu. It's the combination of it's deep black colour and subtle, salty flavour that I find so enticing. There is plenty of crab meat in this pasta, mixed with chopped tomato, leek, and the distinct taste of tarragon. It's a flavour combination that I've never had before and it's delightful. So fresh and unique.

Full rack pork ribs in La Casa's sauce served with chunky fries ($36)

I haven't had ribs in a while and these hit the spot. The sauce is tangy and sweet and perfectly balanced.

The chunky fries are excellent - crispy on the outside and yet still beautifully fluffy inside.

Orange and fennel salad ($8)

The salad is fresh and zingy and acts as a great accompaniment to the sweet ribs.

Frangipane and marmalade tart with vanilla gelato ($12)

Not being a fan of marmalade and bordering on food coma, I plan not to eat any of this tart. But one little bite and I'm hooked. The marmalade isn't the artificial, overly sweet type found in jars from the supermarket. The frangipane hides a bed of real orange rind slices which lies on a super-crispy crust.

Tiramisu ($10.50)

The tiramisu is silky smooth and has tons of coffee flavour. I'm too full to eat much of this so this is another thing I have to come back for. How am I going to fit in all this food again next time? Lucky I already have a long list of people I want to come back with.

La Casa Ristorante

271 Lyons Rd

Russell Lea

NSW

(02) 9712 3882

nibbling now

2011-05-29T16:51:00.000+10:00

Darrell Lea Caramel Fudge and Peanut Brittle Rocklea Road

charlotte olympia

2011-05-25T22:33:00.000+10:00

I think these have officially surpassed Louboutins on my dream shoes wish list.

Charlotte Olympia