tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42577167052552362702024-03-17T02:53:08.562+08:00Ministry of GluttonyAlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-55651324984583496862016-04-06T17:34:00.001+08:002016-04-07T18:06:19.112+08:00Post, Perth, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With a busy Summer doing everything from performing at PIAF, starting a new hiking blog called <a href="http://thelongwaysbetter.blogspot.com.au/">The Long Way's Better</a> and being a bit frugal as we save for our trip to Tasmania at the end of the year, the celebration of Alissa's birthday served as an excellent impetus for us to head out and tick another restaurant off our State Buildings dining list - Post. <br />
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Located in the main hall across the way from Petition Wine Bar and Merchant, Post is located in what used to be the franking room of Perth's original General Post Office. A modern bistro, Post is one of two restaurants that are an official part of Como the Treasury (the other being the fine dining Wildflower, located upstairs). <br />
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The restaurant's main dining room features a simple but effective layout that is casual but still stylish. While it may not be fine dining, it is definitely pitched at a higher, slightly more expensive price point than the share plate oriented <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/petition-kitchen-perth-western.html">Petition Kitchen</a> and the very casual and fun atmosphere of <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/long-chim-perth-western-australia.html">Long Chim</a> downstairs. <br />
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As with many of Perth's new wave of restaurants, Post features an excellent wine list with offerings at many different price points. Given the French inspired nature of the food, the wine list has a lot of Old World wines, with some excellent but very expensive Pinots on offer. We settled for a reasonably priced Gamay from Bergundy, with its savoury quality proving highly suitable for our chosen dishes. <br />
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To start, the obligatory complimentary serve of Bread was brought out. Multigrain and seeded, the Bread was excellent, with a nice and crusty exterior without being hard, and a pillowy softness on this inside. The restaurant was very generous with the bread, and we accepted a second serve to help us sop up some of the sauces in our main courses. <br />
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Post's menu works as a standard three course meal of Entree/Mains/Dessert. Although its not my favourite meat, the Beef Tartare, Quail Yolk, Shoe String Fries, Mustard seemed the most enticing entree option. The Tartare was superb, with lovely creaminess, texture and seasoning that was absolutely spot on. The mustard gave the dish a slight heat, with its mildly spicy and salty flavour working very well with the Tartare. Nasturtiums didn't play a major role other than presentation, but contributed a bit of pepperiness nonetheless. The Quail Yolk brought a lovely richness to the dish, while caramelised Onion brought sweetness and savouriness in equal measure. Shoe String Fries, cooked to a level of ultimate crispiness, rounded the dish out with some lovely texture.<br />
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When ordering, a number of daily specials were presented, and Alissa went with the special of Seared Scallops, Creamed Sweet Corn Puree, Garlic Butter as her entree. The Scallops were cooked perfectly, with a nice sear on one side, while the rest of the meat was not overcooked. The seasoning was again spot on, with the smooth and buttery Creamed Sweet Corn Puree providing a lovely, sweet bed for the Scallops while a crumbly, bacony crunch on top provided a textural component that would have been otherwise missed. <br />
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For mains I chose the Arkady Lamb, Eggplant, Cavolo Nero, Piperade Jus. The Lamb itself was prepared faultlessly, with the fat on the outside perfectly rendered out for a crispy crust, while the middle was pink and tender. The seasoning again was absolutely spot on. The fried Cavolo Nero may have been a bit oily, but its crunch more than made up for it. The Piperade Jus was nice and spicy with a slightly acidic mustard hit, and I enjoyed the little pieces of Egglant and Peppers. This was a superb dish, and I was particularly pleased to have a piece of bread to sop up the jus at the end.<br />
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Alissa's main of Rangers Valley Beef, Broccolini, Pearl Onions, Cafe de Paris Butter was equally well prepared. Having a choice between Skirt and Fillet, Alissa chose the Skirt. While tastier than Fillet, Skirt is less reliably tender, however the kitchen delivered steak that was perfectly medium rare and not tough at all. Again, seasoning was on point, with an explosion of flavour from a Parsley Puree, Cafe de Paris Butter and a deliciously rich Jus. With buttery Broccolini and caramelised Pearl Onions to round it off, this was a great steak dish - it may have been the most expensive main, but it was totally worth it. <br />
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Knowing that our reservation was for Alissa's birthday, her dessert of Vanilla Creme Brulee, Macerated Plums, Peanut Nougatine, Yoghurt Lemon Sorbet was brought out with a birthday message and a candle. The Vanilla Creme Brulee was soft and creamy, with a good, cracking bruleed top. The Sorbet was Alissa'a favourite component, with its tangy creaminess reminding her of Cheesecake, especially with the Peanut Nougatine suggesting a biscuit base. Macerated Plums provided a lovely, juicy sourness that balanced out the sweetness of the more sugary components like the Nougatine and Creme Brulee. <br />
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We both agreed however that my dessert of Coconut Sago, Passion Fruit Mousse, Roast Macadamia, Banana Lime Sorbet was superior, and one that I would happily come back for. I love tangy berry and/or passion fruit desserts, and this dessert had my name written all over it. The dessert was almost like a Pavlova, with a delicious fluffiness combined with toasted Meringue on top for crunch. Bits of fresh Passionfruit on top provided lovely hits of sourness, as did the cool and tart Banana Lime Sorbet buried deep within. Sago provided a nice chewy textural component that worked really well with the coconut and passion fruit to create a particularly tropical flavour combination. <br />
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As a final nice surprise, Salted Caramel Petit Fours were brought out to finish the meal. Sweet, salty and well made, these capped off an already excellent meal. <br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Alissa and I left Post very satisfied with our meals. The very much French bistro cooking was impeccable, with all 6 dishes executed with aplomb. We were particularly impressed by how faultless the seasoning was, and how the Lamb and the particularly difficult-to-cook Skirt Steak were served juicy and tender. Front of house did not let the kitchen down, and we were well taken care of. At $220 for the two of us (inclusive of three courses and a moderately priced bottle of wine), this was hardly a cheap meal, but we felt it was nevertheless reasonable for the quality of the food. While I do have a preference for highly modern food, I do enjoy more classical cooking when it is this well executed. Post have the goods - yet another excellent restaurant in my favourite dining precinct in Perth. <br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/post-perth-cbd" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Post, Perth CBD and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="Post Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18156151/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-60368098694390229052016-01-24T12:25:00.002+08:002016-01-24T12:25:51.656+08:00Miki's Open Kitchen, Margaret River, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With the weather warming up over the Summer months in Perth, the cooler climes of the South West beckon - even more than they usually do. Alissa and I had already spent Christmas and New Year's in the Great Southern, and a weekend away with friends in Margaret River was another chance to escape January's run of high 30°C days. While we were down for a belated edition of our annual Christmas Cookoff competition, Alissa and I took the opportunity to tick another Margaret River restaurant off our list of places to try - Miki's Open Kitchen, a Japanese restaurant that came highly recommended. <br />
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Located on Bussell Hwy along Margaret River's main strip, Miki's Open Kitchen is located in an unassuming row of shops, however stepping through the restaurant doors reveals an elegant and stylish restaurant with most seats at a counter surrounding the restaurant's eponymous open kitchen. While the restaurant does offer an a la carte menu, most diners choose the ever-changing Trust Menu and we did too. An Omakase degustation of 7 courses, the $60 asking price is very good value - akin to Perth's highly affordable <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/marumo-nedlands-western-australia.html">Marumo</a>. The wine list is spot on too and very competitively priced. For instance Frankland Estate's Isolation Ridge Riesling, a highly apposite wine for the cuisine, was available at a very small mark up over retail. <br />
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The first course consisted of Port Hedland Cuttlefish and Aonori Crust Cream Cheese. Placed in a glass of Dashi, the Cuttlefish Tempura had a soft mushiness that I would usually find a bit off-putting due to its lack of crunch, however the Tempura batter had absorbed the Dashi's intensely umami flavour and ended up being very tasty. The Aonori Crust Cream Cheese was even better. Supremely well fried without a trace of oiliness, the crunchy exterior of Aonori featured a lovely seaweedy bitterness and umami that worked really nicely with the warm Cream Cheese within.<br />
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While Tempura and fried items are an obvious strength, Miki's do light and fresh very well too. The beautifully presented Windy Harbour Hapuka Zuke was definitely very fresh, with a perfect level of firmness without being hard or overly soft. The Soy marinade gave the dish a nice saltiness, while the Avocado provided creaminess. Being Wasabi fiends, Alissa and I felt that more Wasabi would have been nice, but opting to Trust the Chef does mean giving up some agency in this department. Wasabi quantities aside, this was a very nice sashimi course that showcased Miki's dedication to sourcing high quality seafood from throughout Western Australia.<br />
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Our third course consisted of a Tempura Trio of Shark Bay Whiting, Summer Courgette, Jalapeno Waygu Aboro. The batter was thin and crunchy - the hallmark of good Tempura. Courgettes, very much in season at the moment, were deliciously fresh. Served in what could be described as medium rare, these were delicious and well cooked. Whiting can be a fairly dry when overcooked, but these were nice and moist. They were also nicely wrapped in a sheet of Nori, providing another dose of seaweedy umami. The Jalapeno stuffed with Waygu Oboro was the most interesting and unusual of the three. Basically a stuffed Chilli fried as a Tempura, these were really amazing. The Wagyu filling and the heat from the Jalapeno made us think of Mexican or Korean food with a Japanese slant. We'd never had anything quite like it - a really clever and inventive fusion. <br />
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One of the best things about a degustation is the way the narrative of the meal can increase the overall enjoyment of certain courses. Take for example the way the Tempura Trio was followed up by Wakame, Fennel Salad, Tobiko Caviar. The Tempura was great and not oily at all, but a refreshing and palate cleansing salad was exactly what we needed next. The salad was bright, acidic and aniseedy with a nice ginger kick, the Tobiko Caviar brought a nice pop of salty, fishy flavour to the proceedings. It was fairly simple but effective - a nice linking dish between two the Tempura and the Main.<br />
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Alissa had thought the Main was not included in the Trust Menu, and misinterpreted the waitstaffs' offers for an upsize of the Main to mean adding it as a course. As a result we accidentally ordered the large upsize of the Geraldton Red Emperor, Ume, Wasabi Ankake, Rice. This large serve was unnecessary but was fine given the quality of the dish. The Red Emperor was well cooked, being juicy, succulent and flaky - even better than the Whiting. The crunchy exterior was superb, featuring a similar breading to that used at Hot Star Chicken. The sauce poured on top worked really well too - being sweet, citric and sour, it reminded us of a very thick dashi with the addition of what we thought might have been Yuzu. The rice had a sprinkling of Ume Powder on top of the well cooked rice that gave a nice, fruity and slightly sour flavour that was again very pleasing. Overall, a good and filling main. <br />
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Crayfish Miso was a nice, simple dish. This was a definite step up from the usual Miso, which was intensely umami thanks to the Crayfish. Additionally, there was some kind of citrus rind in it that gave the dish a greater complexity due to the mild, pleasing bitterness. <br />
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Finally, our dessert of Wasabi Cream Cheese Mousse was awesome. To begin with, it was a really well made set Cheesecake that was well balanced, light and not overly sweet. The Wasabi hit sat in the background humming along, giving a slight zing without ever overwhelming. Too much Wasabi would have been a bit gross while not enough would have seemed pointless, and they got the balance absolutely spot on. After the oversized main, it was great to have a light dish like this to end the meal. <br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
In a wine region filled with many degustation-oriented restaurants, Miki's Open Kitchen stands out as one of the best value multi-course meals in the area, and an excellent Japanese restaurant in its own right. The $60 Trust Menu is filled with skillfully cooked dishes made from well sourced seafood from around Australia, with their Tempura being particularly impressive and inventive. The Open Kitchen layout also provided us with an interesting insight into the working process of the restaurant, with three chefs working all the stations in synchronised perfection and aided by high quality front of house staff. With its central location, Miki's is an essential dining experience while staying in Margaret River, and joins Italian restaurant <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/la-scarpetta-margaret-river-western.html">La Scarpetta</a> as one of our favourites on the main strip. <br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/margaret-river-wa/mikis-open-kitchen-margaret-river" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Miki's Open Kitchen, Margaret River and other Restaurants in Margaret River"><img alt="Miki's Open Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16609363/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-67072701135485143722016-01-12T22:21:00.005+08:002016-01-12T22:52:07.849+08:00Long Chim, Perth, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Of all the restaurant openings in the recently refurbished State Buildings, none has been as highly anticipated and hyped as Long Chim. And with good reason - it has been 20 years since Australian born Chef David Thompson last had a restaurant in Australia. During those 2 decades, Thompson has gone from strength to strength - his Nahm in London became the first Thai restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star. Although the London branch is now closed, Nahm in Bangkok was ranked the #1 restaurant in Asia on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants List in 2014, and continues to be highly placed. Additionally, Thompson's uncompromising authenticity and encyclopedic knowledge of Thai cuisine has made him an international authority on Thai cooking; his book <i>Thai Food</i> is the <i>Larousse Gastronomique</i> of this most complex of Asian cuisines. Throw in his much loved SBS food series <i>Thai Street Food</i> and its beautiful companion book, and its easy to understand why the fact Thompson chose Perth for the location of his next restaurant is such a big deal. Having dined at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/nahm-bangkok-thailand-alissa-and-don.html">Nahm</a> late last year and being massive fans of his cookbooks, Alissa and I invited my parents Alan and Maya to join us for dinner to see if Long Chim lived up to our lofty expectations.<br />
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Unlike <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/nahm-bangkok-thailand-alissa-and-don.html">Nahm's</a> fine dining menu, Long Chim specialises in Thai Street Food. Thompson has repeatedly said there will never be another Nahm due to the locavore nature of much of Thailand's high cuisine - many of Nahm's dishes would be very difficult to replicate well outside of the country due to the specificity of the ingredients. With much of Thai Street Food being much more easily reproducible 'Siamised' Chinese food, the Long Chim model then is one that can work in cities outside of Thailand, hence the opening of Long Chims in Singapore and Perth. Not that Thompson is prepared to compromise of course - Coconut Cream is made in-house, with hard to find ingredients still brought in from Thailand in spite of what must be considerable customs headaches.<br />
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Located in the basement of the State Buildings, Long Chim is a beautifully designed and on-trend eatery with a much more casual feel than Nahm. The pseudo-open kitchen is filled with jars of pickles with counter seating allowing patrons to watch on.<br />
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The main dining spaces feature striking street art commissioned by Thai artists...<br />
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... with the the Long Chim courtyard's mural featuring a light show animating the painting visible from Petition Wine Bar and the corridor that connects it to <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/petition-beer-corner-perth-western.html">Petition Beer Corner</a>.<br />
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To begin I ordered a cocktail. Usually, I would probably prefer a nice Riesling or a Gewürztraminer with Thai food, however Long Chim's cocktail menu is particularly special. Run by award winning Perth bartender James Connolly and featuring a menu created by the famous 28 Hong Kong Street in Singapore, this is a real coup for Perth. My first drink however did not do a lot for me. Consisting of Coriander Leaf, Cocchi Americano and Gin, the 555 (Ha Ha Ha) was okay, having a nice enough flavour but it tasted too much like a fairly regular gin-based libation with little to distinguish it as a truly great cocktail recipe. I really wanted the Coriander to shine more strongly to give it more of an Asian kick, but sadly the herb didn't make that much an impact in the drinks flavour profile.<br />
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The Golden Leg on the other hand was exactly what I was looking for. Made from a Kaffir Lime Leaf, Lemongrass, Pineapple, Cognac and Chartreuse, it was a pretty amazing cocktail. With its tropical flavours it had a slight tiki-esque charm, and the herbaceousness of the Chartreuse mixed with the Kaffir Lime and Lemongrass was a perfect combination. The drink was sweet without being cloying and balanced by nice acidity from the Pineapple juice and herbs, while the Cognac gave the drink a great richness of flavour. This drink is definitely worth an order.<br />
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Being chilli fiends, being warned that the Chiang Mai Larp of Chicken was going to be hot did little to dissuade us from trying it. Having ordered the Larp of Guinea Fowl at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/nahm-bangkok-thailand-alissa-and-don.html">Nahm</a>, Alissa and I knew what to expect. It was hot alright, but if anything it was not quite as intense as the Nahm version, and a perfectly balanced example of this dish.<br />
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The heat came from the pan roasted dried Birds Eye Chillis, however there was a lot more going on in the dish that just burning. The pungency of the Garlic really shone through without being overwhelming, backed up by Shallot served both fried and raw. While definitely milder in flavour than Guinea Fowl, I found the dish to be very umami, although Alissa and my Mum both felt it was not particularly chickeny. With the Cabbage providing freshness and crunch, this was perfect start to the meal, and a Larp that was just as good as what we had eaten in Bangkok.<br />
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The mains were brought out all at once and served family style as is the Thai custom.<br />
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While Thai Green Curry is undoubtedly the most popular Thai dish in the west, my family all agree that Red Curry is the superior dish. For this reason, we had to order the Red Curry of Roast Duck. The curry itself was absolutely perfect, having a nice chilli heat to it to balance out the creaminess. What's more, the use of freshly made Coconut Cream made all the difference, allowing for the cracked Coconut Cream to be used to fry off the curry paste. The result was a flavour more aromatic, richer and more complex than what could be achieved from canned Coconut Cream. This was an absolute revelation, and was a better Red Curry than what we had in Bangkok! The only criticism that could be made was that the amount of Duck served was rather meagre compared to the generous amount of curry. Those used to western size serves of meat will probably be disappointed, but it is in keeping with the serving sizes of street food in Thailand. It reminded Alissa and I of the Chicken Green Curry we had at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/err-rustic-thai-bangkok-thailand-alissa.html">Err Rustic Thai</a> in Bangkok - a restaurant with a similarly street aesthetic that used all sorts of odd cuts of Chicken in their curry and jokingly referred to it as 'the best bits'.<br />
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Growing up, Sala Thai in Fremantle was a regular haunt for birthday occasions, and Deep Fried Fish with Three Flavoured Sauce was my all-time favourite Thai dish. Long Chim's version was the best version any of us had tried - again, even compared to what we had in Thailand. As with the curry, the serve was relatively small, but everything was done perfectly. Often Three Flavoured Sauce can be a bit gluggy and seemingly cornflour thickened in lesser restaurants, but here it seemed reduced instead and resulted in a richer and thicker sauce. The Tamarind flavour was a highlight, with its sourness supported by Lemongrass. Though not a particularly meaty piece of fish, it was exceptionally well fried and perfectly crispy. The serving size said street, but it was executed so perfectly that it was of a very high restaurant standard.<br />
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Our final main of Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam) was unfortunately the weakest of the three. It did its job of balancing out the richness of the other two dishes, but all four of us agreed that we had eaten better Som Tam elsewhere. Alissa and I both felt it was surprisingly mild considering it had a chilli heat warning, especially compared to the excellent but insanely hot versions we had at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/som-tum-nua-siam-centre-bangkok.html">Som Tam Nua</a> in Bangkok that actually made my eyes water. This was still a decent enough dish, it just didn't hold up compared to the best in class level of the two other dishes, and other Papaya Salads we have tried.<br />
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At this point, we realised that the smaller serving sizes meant we probably could have gone for one more main - perhaps a soup to break up the meal in a traditional Thai style. The good thing was this meant we definitely had a lot of room to sample three of the desserts.<br />
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The Palm Sugar Pudding reminded my Father of the Nyonya dessert Pulu Tatal due to its creamy and salty-sweet caramel flavour. The pudding itself was also very similar to the Dodol my parents ate growing up in Singapore, but so much better than most Dodol you can get today. Being made fresh, it was beautifully fine, smooth and soft when compared to the gummy, chewy commercial versions. Again, the use of Coconut Cream made from scratch served the dish well, with the strands of Coconut on top adding freshness and additional sweetness.<br />
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The Coconut Cake was equally delicious, and tasted like a cross between Carrot Cake and the Nyonya cake Kueh Bengka which is made from Tapioca. I'm not a cake person as I find most baked cakes dry. Being steamed, this was beautifully moist, yet still had a nice crunchy texture thanks to the Coconut within, and the fresh strands grated on top. Served on a fresh Banana Leaf, I wouldn't be surprised if it was steamed on Banana Leaves as well.<br />
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Still, as excellent as the two other desserts were, the Banana Roti was easily the most exceptional of the three dishes - and quite possibly the highlight of the entire night. Made with Bananas of the perfectly ripeness (neither overly ripe or under), these had the perfect sweetness to starchiness ratio. The flakiness of the roti pastry was just incredible - a very thin layer of roti encased the banana and was fried in a pan with caramelised sugar. The pastry was so light, flaky and crispy, you'd be hard pressed to find a version of this dish as refined as this anywhere else. My Mum - who has a non-Coeliac allergy to gluten and fructose, and inevitably was sick the next day - said it was totally worth getting sick for, and would definitely eat it again even knowing the consequences. Yep, it is that good.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Exceptional</b><br />
It is early days at Long Chim Perth, with the shorter opening menu about to expand to match the size of the Long Chim in Singapore. Even still, Long Chim already impressed us, and has jumped to the front of the pack as the best Thai restaurant in Perth. For those expecting Nahm in Perth, Long Chim is decidedly more casual than Nahm or many of the more high end Thai restaurants in town, but the kitchen is commendably putting out food to the same exacting standard we experienced at Thompson's flagship restaurant in Bangkok (albeit at a less fine dining level). It is that authenticity and perfectionism that made the Red Curry, Deep Fried Fish with Three Flavoured Sauce and Banana Roti benchmark-setting dishes. The smaller serves might put some people off, but I see this as an opportunity to try more dishes as a result, with the prices being very competitive and affordable. With excellent, friendly service to sweeten the deal, we were all thoroughly impressed and are already making plans to make a return visit. <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/nahm-bangkok-thailand-alissa-and-don.html">Nahm</a> is still the best Thai meal Alissa and I have had the pleasure of eating, but we are incredibly lucky to have Long Chim in our home town as the next best thing. I cannot recommend this restaurant more highly.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/long-chim-perth-cbd" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Long Chim, Perth CBD and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="Long Chim Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18157273/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-7763539375849495432016-01-06T19:27:00.002+08:002016-01-06T19:27:44.649+08:00Petition Kitchen, Perth, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A few years ago Alissa assisted friends as a set designer for an immersive theatre piece called Pollyanna. Staged in the Treasury Building during 2012's Fringe World Festival, it was great to see these long empty spaces reactivated for use. As we watched the works to restore the building to its former glory take place in the ensuing years, Alissa and I often wondered how the spaces would look once the restoration was complete. With the multi-concept bar and restaurant Petition taking up most of the space used for Pollyanna, we were particularly interested to dine at Petition Kitchen - especially after hearing that chef Jesse Blake was an acolyte of Andrew McConnell (of Cumulus Inc. and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/cutler-co-fitzroy-victoria-alissa-and.html">Cutler & Co</a> fame). Excited by the promise of a new restaurant and keen to see how it stacked up after our meal at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/petition-beer-corner-perth-western.html">Petition Beer Corner</a> just days earlier, we booked a table for four as a catch up with our friends Justin and Sarah.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Having seen the space in its unrestored state, Petition Kitchen had kept a lot of the rough post-industrial look, with a bit of polish making the space scrub up really nicely. The design's use of a lot of wood, exposed floor boards and unpainted walls is decidedly on-trend, and a very sympathetic dressing up of the space.<br />
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To begin, we started with a bottle of wine to go with our meal. Being linked to Petition Wine Bar, Petition Kitchen's list is decidedly boutique and eclectic, and while short compared to fine dining restaurants like <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/print-hall-dining-room-perth-western.html">Print Hall</a>, its much longer that most restaurants in a similar middle-upper bracket. We decided to go with a bottle of the Yé-Yé Rouge, an unusual blend of Pinot Noir and Shiraz. A fairly avant-garde combo by the very new wave winery La Violetta, the wine was very interesting, quaffable and highly suitable as an accompaniment to a meal, with Pinot's fruity earthiness being giving a bit more grunt and pepper spice from the Shiraz.<br />
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Upon reviewing the menu, the four of us were probably thinking of ordering a small dish and a large dish each. In hindsight, this would have been significant over-ordering, and we were lucky to have our highly attentive waiter Maurizio advise us that 4 small plates and a main designed to be shared by two would be about right. The first small plate to arrive was Raw Kingfish, Beetroot, Ginger Vinaigrette, Horseradish. The Kingfish was nicely prepared, with the cure tempering the fishiness and resulting in a texture that Justin described as being as soft and buttery as an avocado. The dehydrated slices of Beetroot provided crunchy texture along with an intensification of the root vegetable's natural sweetness. The Ginger Vinaigrette and the grating of Horseradish on top gave the dish a bit of spicy heat. Being a small plate, it was over very quickly, but it left a lasting impression as the best of the four small plates we ordered.<br />
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Octopus cooked well is one of those dishes that seems simple, but is all the more impressive if you've cooked Octopus and and know just how challenging it is to transmogrify it into something that is not rubbery. Fremantle Octopus, Pernod Aioli was one such dish, with the perfectly cooked Octopus meat being firm without being chewy or rubbery. The Pernod Aioli provided creaminess and a nice anise hit. As good as the dish was, it was somewhat overshadowed by the better and more pleasing Kingfish dish that preceded it and that dish that would follow.<br />
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Alissa and I are always suckers for Duck Liver Parfait, so ordering the Duck Liver Parfait, Pickled Rhubarb, Grilled Bread was an inevitability. Really nice and light, the Liver Parfait had all the elements one would look for in a liver parfait - light airiness, that mild, irony liver flavour and a rich, moreish creaminess. Alissa felt that she wanted a bit more sweetness to cut the richness of the dish, as the Pickled Rhubarb was a bit sour. The grilled bread was nice and crispy, and made for what was probably the most decadent of our smaller plates. Or at least I thought so - Justin and Alissa felt a softer bread would have been more to their liking, so your mileage may vary. What we all agreed on was that there really should have been more bread provided, but I guess under-supplying bread would be a clever way of convincing customers to pay the extra $3 per person for another serve.<br />
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Roasted mushrooms, Salted ricotta, Warrigal greens, Potato was the last of our small plates. The dish conjured up mental images of breakfast, with the fried grated Potato on top providing a hash-brown like crispiness alongside a mix of mushrooms created a melange of flavours, shapes and textures. Salted Ricotta was sprinkled as a welcome seasoning on top, and the Warrigal Greens provided a spinach-like vegetable element that again made me think of breakfast. This was a Good vegetarian dish with a lot of textural interest, however for Justin it was a bit lost compared to the Kingfish and the Duck Liver Parfait. While Alissa and I liked it more, we all agreed that a shaving of black truffle on top of this dish in Truffle Season would take it to that next level of awesomeness. Here's hoping for something along those lines next truffle season!<br />
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The absolute star of the show was the Margaret River Beef Shin to Share, Romesco Sauce, Lemon. And my goodness did it make a theatrical entrance - the dish was brought out with the Romesco Sauce piped into shin bone itself, and then the perfectly braised meat was shredded at the table by our waiter with the Romesco spread on top. The meat was incredibly flavoursome and melt in your mouth tender - I think that even a person without teeth could have eaten this dish! The Romesco Sauce was nutty, spicy and deliciously smoky, with it heat helping lift the dish.<br />
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The Shin came with its own side of Celeriac Salad providing some acidity and vegetable crunch, with its slight tanginess making us think of Sauerkraut. Altogether the complete Shin dish would be reason alone for visiting (and revisiting) Petition Kitchen - it really is a cracking dish.<br />
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Our other side of Roast Potatoes, Salt Bush, Confit Garlic (ordered separately) was good but not amazing - I've had better crispy potatoes that were nicer (<a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/cape-lodge-yallingup-western-australia.html">Cape Lodge</a> in Yallingup being the gold standard). The seasoning was however absolutely spot on - perfectly salty (and backed up by crispy Salt Bush for good measure), and pleasingly garlicy. Whole cloves of garlic were present that could be squeezed for a paste of even more garlic awesomeness. Better crispiness would have made this a must-order, however the flavours were definitely there even if the texture was not.<br />
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Maurizio's sage advice to order less than we had intended meant we had room for dessert, with each of us ordering a separate dish. Being a fan of fruity desserts, I had to try the Burnt Meringue, Sour Plum, Cherry, Sheep's Milk Yoghurt. This was a superb dessert that was right up my alley, with the overall sweetness balanced out by the sourness of the Cherry, Sour Plum and Sheep's Milk Yoghurt Components and the toastiness of the Burnt Meringue. The flavours were so well integrated each component built on the other, and was for me a perfect conclusion to the meal after the unctuousness of the Shin.<br />
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Apple, pastries and custard are some Alissa's favourite flavours, making Broken Oatmeal Cannoli, Apple, Brown Butter Custard, Sorrel an obvious choice. This was an equally fresh and fruity dessert, with the Apple Sorbet being tangy and sweet, and the Sorrel leaves backing up the sourness. The surprising inclusion of Cucumber was probably the most left-field addition on the plate but somehow worked its cooling magic in a highly synergistic way. The nutty flavour of the Brown Butter gave extra interest to the excellent, creamy Brown Butter Custard piped into the nice and crispy Cannoli. This was well thought out and complete dessert.<br />
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Sarah really loved her choice of Soft Chocolate, Peppermint, Wattleseed Shortbread, Cocao Nib. She particularly liked the nutty crunch that the Cocao Nibs provided, as well as Wattleseed of the buttery, crumbly Shortbread placed on top of the dish. The Peppermint flavour and the airiness of the Soft Chocolate recalled the lightness and flavour of an Aero bar, making this a nostalgic dish that would be sure to please chocolate lovers.<br />
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Justin went all out and ordered 3 Cheeses - Le Pico (French Soft Goats Cheese), Gorgonzola Dolce (Italian Blue Cheese) and L'auffiné au Chablis (French Washed Rind Cheese). Also available at Petition Wine Bar, the selection of cheeses was fantastic - not quite <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/1907-truffle-degustation-perth-western.html">1907</a>, <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/vue-de-monde-melbourne-victoria-alissa.html">Vue de Monde</a> or <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-3-part-3.html">Caprice </a>level, but far better than one could expect from a more casual restaurant like Petition. The L'auffiné au Chablis and the Le Pico particularly shined, with the oozy deliciousness looking like they were pieces of yellow Gak thrown lovingly onto the plate. With bits of dried fruit to provide some sweetness, This is exactly the kind of cheese plate that makes a good argument for skipping a fully sweet ending and keeping the umami party going for a bit longer.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent</b><br />
Being impressed by the beer but a bit disappointed by the food at Petition Beer Corner, Alissa and I were glad to find Petition Kitchen well and truly committed to making excellent food, matching it with an eclectic drinks list and providing superb service to complete the experience. Like his mentor Andrew McConnell, Jesse Blake's food is skilfully prepared without being overly complicated or artsy. Dishes like the hearty Beef Shin are the kind of food highly conducive to conversation and a very convivial gathering rather than the kind of show-stopping, artistic experience of somewhere like <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/restaurant-amuse-east-perth-western.html#more">Restaurant Amusé</a> and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/attica-ripponlea-victoria-alissa-and.html">Attica</a>. Petition Kitchen is a restaurant that knows its genre, and does it very, very well.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/petition-kitchen-perth-cbd" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Petition Kitchen, Perth CBD and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="Petition Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18156128/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-87663500625898680532015-12-20T22:09:00.000+08:002015-12-21T18:57:16.929+08:00Petition Beer Corner, Perth, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The redevelopment of the the Treasury/State Buildings at the Corner of Barrack St and St George's Terrace has been one of the most anticipated I can remember since the opening of Brookfield Place gave us a plethora of good dining options in the CBD. Although all eyes are on Long Chim, and the COMO the Treasury restaurants like Wildflower and Post look to be aiming at a more fine dining market, Petition is arguably the most ambitious multi-concept restaurant and bar in the precinct. A restaurant, wine bar and beer hall across three large separate rooms, Petition dominates the Barrack St side of the building with three distinct experiences. Although we had a reservation for dinner at Petition Kitchen later in the week, we decided that a catch up with some friends was a perfect excuse to check out Petition Beer Corner.<br />
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The Beer Corner features an impressive 18 beers on tap, with an eclectic, rotating list of options. The range is definitely aimed at the adventurous beer drinker looking to sample interesting and unusual brews from largely craft brewers from Australia and the around the world. If you're beer drinking interests don't extend far beyond XXXX Gold or Victoria Bitter, this might not be to your liking, however Alissa and I appreciated the Bridgeport IPA and Artisan Dubbel we ordered before our meal, with the malty, citrussy IPA being rather refreshing, and the Dubbel's banana and caramel notes made for a beer of great flavour and complexity. We also really liked that the beer could be ordered in 150 ml, 300 ml and 450 ml serves as it allows for a lot more variety.<br />
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After ordering or beers, we placed and order for our dinner. At $22, the Organic Beef Cheeseburger, Smoked Cheddar, Onion Rings was an expensive burger, putting it firmly in the same price bracket as such luxe Perth luminaries as <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/the-merrywell-burswood-western.html">The Merrywell</a> and Rockpool's Burger Bar menu. I have to admit I did not really dig it. Firstly, instead of a nice pillowy bun, the bread used here seemed a bit dry, lacking the soft airiness of a truly great burger bun. The patty was cooked through instead of the more desirable medium rare, and had a firmness of texture and lack of juiciness that only added to the dryness of the bun. There were some good elements however, with the Smoked Cheddar and the Onion Rings being quite tasty and the house pickled Cucumber in particularly being the best component on the plate. Even these components however would not give me reason to order this dish again, and I couldn't help but compare it to <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/short-order-burger-co-fremantle-western.html">Short Order Burger</a> which is streets ahead at almost half the price. This would have been a disappointing burger at $12, but it was all the more disappointing at $22.<br />
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Their other main of Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Cabbage Salad, Pickles fared better. The Chicken was well fried and not overly oily, with a nice, crunchy exterior encasing juicy meat within. This was good fried chicken, with the Kimchi-like salad on the side providing some nice sourness to cut through any fat that was there. As good as it was, it wasn't so exceptional as to warrant a $22 asking price, which seemed very steep considering the small amount of chicken that was actually served.<br />
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The BBQ Fries, Aioli were again a bit disappointing. While very flavoursome with a spicy seasoning, the fries lacked the all important crunch of good chips. I don't mind paying $7 for a relatively small serve of fries if their amazing. These sadly were not.<br />
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After the disappointing food, Alissa and I went for another round of beers and settled on the Rodenbach Original. This was a delicious, refreshing and highly unusual beer, that had a pleasing sour cherry-like flavour profile unlike any beer Alissa and I had ever tried before. For fans of cider not particularly keen on beer, this could serve as a gateway beer as it lacked any bitter hoppiness. This ended our evening on a good note, once again reminding us of the excellent selection of beers that are the Beer Corner's eponymous focus.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Very Good</b><br />
We at the Ministry of Gluttony are mostly concerned with whether or not a venue is a good place to eat, and by that measure Petition Beer Corner would not necessarily be a place we would want to eat at again. Every dish seemed very expensive for the kind of food we were being served, with the lacklustre burger in particular not worth its $22 asking price. I would score the food as merely good, and a far cry from the much better food served at Petition Kitchen. That said, Alissa and I would definitely come back to the Beer Corner for its excellent selection of beer, and its fun and casual vibe. This ultimately is Petition Beer Corner's real strength - the well curated list and its rotating nature means there will always be something interesting and surprising on offer. As a fan of European-style beers, this is exactly the kind of beer bar I'd love to frequent. Split the difference between Excellent drinks and Good food and you've got a Very Good level verdict. My advice - have your dinner before or after, but definitely come in and have a drink or two at Petition Beer Corner. It's well worth it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/petition-beer-corner-perth-cbd" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Petition Beer Corner, Perth CBD and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="Petition Beer Corner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/18156149/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a>
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-86568988534251240472015-12-19T15:39:00.001+08:002015-12-19T15:40:54.946+08:00Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, Perth, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In spite of being fairly frequent visitors to the Asian continent, Alissa and I have never tried Hot Star's famous Large Fried Chicken. There are branches of this famous Taiwanese chain in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok, however limited time or the call of something else exciting has always meant that while we've been aware of Hot Star as a dining option, the stars have never aligned for us to visit one of their establishments overseas - or even over east for that matter. Given Perth's booming dining scene, we should have known it was only a matter of time before Hot Star would come to us. Opening in June this year, a lot of holidays and a busy work schedule delayed our visit to this fried chicken mecca, however a catch up with our friends Jason and Verity served as perfect excuse to finally dine at the Barrack St branch of this famous chain.<br />
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Having opened in June, the largely takeaway outlet must have put up with a lot of noise in the ensuing months thanks to the roadworks on Barrack St and the renovation of the State Buildings, however it had definitely paid off by the time of our visit in December - the street looked significantly revitalised, and while the State Buildings definitely cater for a more upmarket crowd, the flow on effect of the redevelopment can definitely be felt along Barrack St, with Hot Star filling a niche in this resurgent street.<br />
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Hot Star's Menu and setup is simple - a few variations on chicken and a few variations on chips, all cooked with a deep fryer, with a dusting of chilli spice and some sauces for variation.<br />
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Alissa, Verity and I all ordered the Original Large Fried Chicken. They are not kidding about the size - these things are huge, so large that it seemed like they either butchered two breasts in a way to create a massive plane of meat, or that the chickens used must be particularly massive. The outer crust was super crunchy, with beads of what seemed like puffed rice working well to ensure maximum audibility. The flavour was slightly sweet, with the spiciness preventing the sweetness from being overpowering. I liked the chilli spice and being able to customise the level to suit individual palates, however I would probably order the Extra Spicy next time given that the Spicy was itself fairly mild for my tastes. Finally, the breast meat within was juicy and succulent, adding up to a deliciously savoury serve of fried chicken that was thankfully not overly oily either. This was incredible filling, and is a substantial meal on it own.<br />
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Jason ordered the Fried Chicken Wings instead. Rather than the breaded crust of the Large Fried Chicken, the Wings had a more batter-like exterior that seemed flavoured with a different spice mix combo. The exterior was nevertheless very crispy, with the meat within similarly succulent and juicy. The smaller serve was less filling than the Large Fried Chicken, but is probably a more sensible quantity to eat with one of their sides.<br />
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My favourite of the two sides we tried were the Curly Fries. These were well fried to crunchy perfection, and they stay that way all the way to the last one - a big plus in my book. The only issue we had was the way they served the Spicy Mayo Sauce as it was squirted into the bag on top of the Fries. The result was the top layer was all well sauced while those buried within were not. This messy process could be improved with a bit of sauce on the side to dip into. Additionally, we all felt the Spicy Mayo could have been spicier, and it made us wonder if the overall spice levels were made milder for a western audience.<br />
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Alissa loves Sweet Potato Chips, and just had to try Hot Star's take. As is to be expected, the Sweet Potato Chips were nice and sweet, however its not always a given that they will be crispy. Thankfully these chips featured a crispy batter on the outside to give it some much needed crunch. Jason had also ordered the Sweet Potato Chips, and he and Alissa agreed that they could have used a bit more salt to counterbalanced the sweetness, with Alissa suggesting a sauce might also have taken it to the next level.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Very Good</b><br />
Alissa and I were glad to have finally tried Hot Star's Large Fried Chicken. It certainly lived up to its name, being a very filling serve of Fried Chicken that was delicious and reasonably priced. Their Chicken Wings and sides were also very tasty, with all well deep fried for crispy perfection. Although the Large Fried Chicken may not be the absolute best Fried Chicken I've ever eaten (I prefer Korean Fried Chicken for instance), we could still see why Hot Star is a successful international brand. Definitely a recommended cheap eat.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/hot-star-large-fried-chicken-perth-cbd" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, Perth CBD and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="Hot Star Large Fried Chicken Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16541775/ibiglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-54195884239066928812015-12-08T20:51:00.002+08:002015-12-08T21:03:22.766+08:00No Mafia, Northbridge, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As much as Alissa and I love degustation dining, such meals are often the most draining of all when it comes to writing about them - and its all the worse when there are multiple back to back. Such was the case in August this year; with the month spent writing about epic degustations in Sydney at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/cafe-paci-darlinghurst-new-south-wales.html">Cafe Paci</a> and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/sepia-sydney-new-south-wales-alissa-and.html">Sepia </a>as well as <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/nomad-surry-hills-new-south-wales.html">Nomad's</a> Shared 9-course menu, I just had no energy left in me to write about any of the meals we'd had in Perth over that month, and when September came around I mainly just wanted to write about, well, <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/short-order-burger-co-fremantle-western.html">burgers</a>. A Sauma post is still on the back-burner from then, and an incredible Il Capo meal at Lalla Rookh accompanied by a marvellous bottle of Barolo will sadly go undocumented as we were so busy over the month that we forgot to take down notes!<br />
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One place we visited during that time was No Mafia in Northbridge, and for that meal we had made extensive enough notes to be able to come back to months afterwards. A spur of the moment decision driven by the better than expected tax return we would be getting, Alissa and I drove into the city to finally dine at this pasta-free Southern Italian restaurant we'd been wanting to try for months.<br />
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Located in the same building that houses Arcade 189 on William St, No Mafia has been called one of the narrowest restaurants in Perth. It is narrow alright, but I think it illustrative that nobody commented about this when the space was home to a Jus Burgers not that long ago. The surprise comes more from the serious if casual sit-down nature of the food and the fact that someone has found a way to make a space so wholly not fit for the purpose somehow work. Its a bit cosy but it never felt crowded in, and there is something very charming and effective about this open kitchen and bar.<br />
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As is common in many restaurants of Perth's new guard, the wine list was highly apposite, consisting of a characterful mix of Italian Wines with a good description of their flavours for those unfamiliar with the varietals, as well as a solid selection of Australian options. Everything selection was available by the glass, and with prices between $6-$14 we thought the list to be very fair and reasonable. We really liked the Cabernet Sauvignon-Carignan-Syrah blend pictured above, and also had a particularly funky Sicilian wine that we were told is open fermented in Wheelbarrows! As well as wine, No Mafia are definitely bringing back <i>Aperitivi</i> and <i>Digestivi</i>, with an excellent selection of Amari available straight or in cocktails.<br />
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To start, we ordered Proscuitto and Sardines with Bread in Common Bread. As I've noted before, these kind of dishes are hard to judge as they are basically a sourcing job, however everything served was quality. Having dined at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/bread-in-common-fremantle-western.html">Bread in Common</a> a few times, Alissa and I knew what to expect, and were greeted with nice crusty bread with a soft, pillowy interior. The Proscuitto was nice, soft and flavoursome, and the Young Pickled Anchovies were particularly impressive, having a softer texture that most Anchovies and milder, more refined flavour.<br />
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A serve of Potato Croquettes followed. Being of Dutch descent and having grown up with them, Alissa is something of a Croquette connoisseur and she absolutely loved these. The Croquettes were of a good size and thickness, with a perfectly crunchy exterior, and a really smooth and creamy interior. It didn't taste overly oily and was not sloppy on the inside, instead having a good firmness that kept its shape very well. Having the Croquettes served atop a deliciously garlic-heavy Pesto Sauce alongside daubs of Aioli really made this a complete and very tasty dish. Overall, Alissa and I felt the Baccala and Potato Croquettes at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/la-sosta-fremantle-western-australia.html">La Sosta</a> were possibly tastier, but that the craftsmanship on display here was more impressive.<br />
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Squid Tubes with Risotto, Capsicum-Chilli Paste was an absolutely spot on dish. The Squid were charred for that smoky and slightly bitter flavour, with the Tubes themselves being particularly succulent. The Risotto filling was quite creamy, and the Capsicum Sauce struck a perfect balance between sweetness and saltiness, with a slight heat and a roasty savouriness. With peas on top to add colour and additional flavour, this was a cracker dish I would definitely order again.<br />
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Out other main dish was Pork Loin, Pistachio Paste, Pink Peppercorns. Although the picture does betray the fact the Pork was probably not rested enough, it was well cooked, especially considering how definitely non-Modernist the grill/stove/fryer/over setup of the kitchen is, and the fact one guy was doing all the cooking. The exterior had a nice char while still having a slightly pink interior. The only issue? It could really have done with a low level brining, as the saltiness on the outside didn't seem to permeate the meat as thoroughly as one would have hoped. Finishing it off, the Pistachio Paste was incredibly buttery and decadent, while the citric pop of the Red Peppercorns provided a nice lift. Had it been brined, this could have possibly been the best dish, but as it stands it was still very good.<br />
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With Tiramisu all sold out, Alissa and I decided to go for a Cannoli each. The way they prepared the Cannoli was ingenius - tubes seemed to have been par-baked, and then finished off in the deep fryer just before service, resulting in a nice, crispy pastry with a nice crack to it when hit with a spoon. Piped with Orange Mascarpone and served with Pistachio Crumb and a sweet Caramel Sauce, this was a wonderfully cheffy take on Cannoli that was a cut above the often soggy, pre-made varieties available at even good bakeries.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent</b><br />
There is so much to like about No Mafia - it's a place that is at once very fun and disarmingly casual, and yet there is a seriousness and attention to detail on display that shows they are serious contenders in the increasingly busy New Northbridge scene. We enjoyed all the dishes we ordered, and the small but well considered wine list shows even casual restaurants can make an interesting and highly suitable list if they put in the effort. For me, its probably a bit of a step below our Italian favourites like <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/la-sosta-fremantle-western-australia.html">La Sosta</a> and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/la-scarpetta-margaret-river-western.html">La Scarpetta</a>, but they do what they do with great aplomb. With excellent service and a cool open kitchen that makes you feel like your over for dinner at a very cheffy friend's home, No Mafia is definitely worth checking out.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/no-mafia-northbridge" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about No Mafia, Northbridge and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="No Mafia Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16601847/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-64537384279943355112015-11-30T17:32:00.001+08:002015-12-04T08:36:39.725+08:00Shadow Wine Bar, Northbridge, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With Alissa and I having travelled a lot in the last 6 months, it seems like a long time since the Ministry of Gluttony has had a chance to really focus on our continued coverage of developments in Perth's food scene. With a glut of posts from our Sydney trip spilling over into a glut of posts from Bangkok and Hong Kong, its nice to finally be out from the over east/overseas backlog and be able to shift our focus back to our hometown. The timing is particularly momentous as this month marks two years since our first post as the Ministry of Gluttony, as well as our second wedding anniversary and four years since our first date. To mark the occasion, Alissa and I decided to make a booking at restaurant we've had our eye on for some time - Shadow Wine Bar in Northbridge.<br />
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Back in the early days of Perth shaking off its Dullsville tag, the empty space that now houses Shadow Wine Bar was a popular pop-up location for exhibitions and one-off events, and I remember it being an excellent source of free bottom shelf wine at gallery openings and one-off events. The vintage, 1960s façade has been lovingly restored and accompanied by a simple but elegant monochromatic interior that oozes style. Keeping with modern trends away from quiet and inconsequential background muzak, the restaurant's playlist featured a mix of soul and funk influenced grooves played at a volume loud enough to give the room vibe, while artfully avoiding the trend of obnoxiously obtrusive and conversation killing blaring all too common in restaurants with more hipster-oriented aspirations.<br />
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Alissa and I are quite fond of the recent revival of the Aperitif's fortunes in Australia, and started our meal with a refreshing Sbagliato and a Siciliano respectively. Basically a Negroni with Prosecco instead of Gin, the Sbagliato was a refreshing take on the Italian classic, with the lower alcohol level and the bubbles from the wine giving the drink a lighter edge. While not necessarily boozy, the Siciliano was a much stronger tasting drink, with the bitterness of Amaro Averna nicely paired with coffee for a different but equally delicious start to the evening.<br />
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Although their menu does feature a small number of traditional entree-size dishes, Shadow Wine Bar's menu focuses on tapas-like single bites called Cicchetti. The first two Cicchetti arrived together, consisting of Potato Crisp, Crab, Lemon Aioli and Sticky Pork Cheek & Radicchio Crostini. The Crab was delicious, with the delicate, sweet Crab Meat being nicely paired with a Potato Crisp that certainly lived up the crisp part of its name. We both really liked the oily fattiness of the Crisp too, which was balanced out nicely by the acidity from the creamy Lemon Aioli. The Sticky Pork Cheek & Radicchio Crostini were even better, with the bitterness of the Radicchio and the sweet, vinegary glaze on the Pork providing a wealth of flavour on a thin, perfectly crunchy crostini.<br />
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Cheese Puff, Honey followed. This was a dish Alissa was particularly interested in trying, especially since it sounded a bit like the Amuse Bouche we were served during our Honeymoon at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-3-part-3.html">Caprice</a> in Hong Kong. Sure enough - these were similar savoury profiteroles, with a distinctive parmesan flavour. These were arguably even better, as they seemed to be filled with yet another cheese before being topped with Goats Cheese and drizzled with Honey. Crispy, light and airy, these would be highly recommended for the cheese lovers out there.<br />
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Feeling like trying one more Cicchetti, we decided to order the Pickled Sardine, Toast. Served on really thin pieces of bread that appeared fried, the pickled flavour of the Sardines and the Carrots on top seemed a little one note compared to the previous three items. This was not necessarily a fault on the part of the restaurant so much as the inherent, dominating flavour of the Pickled Sardines at work, however I felt it could have been better balanced out to create a dish of greater complexity. Nice enough, but in hindsight I would have preferred trying something else instead.<br />
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With the Cicchetti and our Aperitifs finished, we were ready to shift gears towards our mains. Being a wine bar, Shadow have a predictably solid wine list, however what impressed us most was the fact they had a good selection of wines by the carafe! I had said that carafes were probably more fitting for quaffable if not entirely serious wines when we visited <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/swings-taphouse-kitchen-margaret-river.html">Swing Taphouse</a> in Margaret River earlier this year, however I had to admit I was wrong - Shadow have definitely proved its a format that really should be more widespread. Being able to order Barbaresco (Nebbiolo) by the carafe and have it served in varietal specific Riedel glassware is a rare treat indeed, and one can only hope that Shadow are at the vanguard of a more widespread trend.<br />
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Although a few other dishes piqued my interest, I was particularly drawn to the Pan Fried Gnocchi, Asparagus, Zucchini, Goats Feta. Gnocchi is one of those dishes that can be terrible when done wrong. Not the case for Shadow; the pillows of potato served here were excellent, having a texture so smooth that there was almost no lumpy trace of their potato origin and finished of with a good pan fried sear. I liked how the Zucchini (or more properly, baby courgettes) and the Asparagus were cut into similarly small slices, and how you couldn't quite tell where the Asparagus began and the Courgettes started when you had both on the fork. The Goats Feta finished it off beautifully, with a nice salty, sour pop of flavour.<br />
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Alissa went with the Confit Duck Leg, Sugar Snap Pea and Kale Salad, Pear Vinaigrette. Alissa and I were both particularly impressed with the <i>Quatre Epices</i> spice flavour that permeated the Duck Leg as well as the glaze on its exterior. Although not necessarily the most fall apart piece of Confit Duck that we have eaten, this was nevertheless an nice meaty and unctuous piece that was not overly boney as Duck can sometimes be. Beneath the duck was either a Parsnip or sweet tasting Potato Puree which provided a lovely creaminess that went well with the spiciness of the Duck Meat. The Sugar Snap Peas were fresh and sweet, while the Kale had been cooked in a way that took away some the edge of the vegetables inherent bitterness, while adding a pleasing crispness. Finally, the Pear Vinaigrette provided sweet fruitiness and acidity to complete a well balanced and enjoyable dish.<br />
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As a side, Alissa and I shared a bowl of Crispy Potatoes, Salsa Verde. The was a good side dish that went particularly well with Alissa's main. The Potatoes were nice and crispy on the outside, however their crusts were not quite on the level of the benchmark setting version we tried at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/cape-lodge-yallingup-western-australia.html">Cape Lodge</a> in Yallingup. We did however appreciate having the parsley hit of the Salsa Verde to provide herbaceousness and flavour to the proceedings.<br />
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Although fairly full, we were keen to try the restaurant's desserts. Being a berry fan, the Mascarpone Cheesecake, Raspberry Meringue, Berries was an easy dish to like, with the light and airy Mascarpone Cheesecake served as an ice cream-like quenelle. I liked the thin, wafer-like Meringue with its mild berry flavour bolstered by a pleasingly tart Berry Sauce, as well as the fresh Blueberries and Macerated Strawberries. This was all very good, however I felt it was missing a Granola or Crumble that would have filled the role of the Biscuit Base of a traditional Cheesecake. To me, the base is one of the best parts, and Crumble on the side here would have taken this to the next level of awesomeness.<br />
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After eating her dessert of Pear Tarte Tatin, Tonka Bean Ice Cream, Alissa boldly stated that it was "the best dessert ever in the history of the world of desserts". This statement was only partly hyperbolic, as it seriously was one of the best examples of a Tarte Tatin Alissa and I have had the pleasure of eating. The Tarte was superbly made, with the pastry being buttery and crisp, while the nicely layered slices pear were sweet and juicy. The Caramel Sauce had been taken right to the perfectly dark edge before being burnt, giving the dish great complexity of caramelised flavour. Clearly made to order, Alissa appreciated the single serving portion versus a slice, as it meant more of the delicious edges (the best part). I have to admit dish envy, and would definitely order this for myself next time we were at Shadow.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Shadow Wine Bar definitely lived up to expectations, and was a worthy choice for our anniversary dinner. The food was almost uniformly excellent, from the wonderfully flavoursome Cicchetti, mains that were classical while still very much on-trend, and a truly superlative Tarte Tatin. The wine list and Aperitifs were just as strong, with the ability to buy a wide variety of wines by the carafe a particularly impressive element that we hope to see become a much copied trend. Accompanied by a great soundtrack, stylish surrounds and service that was both friendly and professional, Shadow Wine Bar is a worthy and distinctive addition to Perth's every growing restaurant scene. <br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/shadow-wine-bar-northbridge" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Hotel Alex, Shadow Wine Bar, Northbridge and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="Hotel Alex, Shadow Wine Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17841723/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-50768702632319005272015-11-24T20:24:00.001+08:002015-11-24T20:24:31.755+08:00Mott 32, Central, Hong Kong (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the lead up to our 2015 trip to Hong Kong, I happened to be walking through the local supermarket when I noticed the latest issue of <i>Gourmet Traveller</i> fortuitously featured an article about new restaurants in Hong Kong. The informative article featured a number of restaurants we had heard of and were considering booking tables for, with one in particular catching our eye. Named Mott 32 after the location of New York's first Chinese convenience store, the restaurant's eye popping interior design and the promise of unusual and luxe Dim Sum was enough to convince us to reserve a table for our visit, and it served as our last meal in Hong Kong before catching our flight back home to Australia.<br />
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Walking into this subterranean restaurant buried within the basement of the Standard Chartered Bank Building in Central, one is struck by how magnificently beautiful Mott 32 is. There are many restaurants throughout the world that have attempted this highly contemporary mix of retro Asian iconography with a Post-Modern Industrial edge, but I can't think of any restaurant that Alissa have visited that has achieved what Mott 32's design team have done here. Look at the detail of the above private dining room with Murals stencilled onto the walls, Chinese porcelain on shelves next to intentionally faded Chinese characters painted onto the exposed concrete walls and - my favourite touch - the giant Abacus hanging from the ceiling. This is a restaurant that has put a lot of effort and money into its design concept and has seen it through with a near unheard of dedication. If only we could have taken photos of the bathrooms, easily up there with <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/vue-de-monde-melbourne-victoria-alissa.html">Vue de Monde</a> as one of the most impressive we have seen!<br />
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After passing by the bar and many private dining spaces, Alissa and I were sat at a table in the main space (see first photo above). After being wowed by the restaurant's beauty, service started inauspiciously. The wait-staff seemed young and inexperienced, and highly unfamiliar with the etiquette of hospitality. A few hovered awkwardly behind us as we chose our dishes, with a few continuing to do so afterwards. Worse was still to come. Having ordered Supreme Phoenix Tea - a not entirely cheap Oolong we had tried at a tea tasting just the day before - we were appalled to have our leaves burnt by staff who clearly didn't know how to pour tea correctly, with one staff member later in the meal topping up Alissa's cup, leaving half of the water in the steeping cup and then coming back later to top up Alissa's cup with an utterly bitter brew. With Mott 32's menu prices coming close to the 3 Michelin Starred <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/lung-king-heen-weekday-dim-sum-lunch.html">Lung King Heen</a>, Alissa and I could not help but compare the utterly professional service of the latter against the former, and we wished they'd perhaps spent it a bit more money on great staff as well as the design budget.<br />
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After the hovering service and the over-steeped Tea, Alissa and I were slightly concerned the food itself would follow suit. Thankfully this was not the case, with the Dim Sum service starting with the very strong Kurobuta Pork, Soft Quail Egg, Black Truffle Siu Mai. To begin with, the use of Kurobuta Pork resulted in a Siu Mai of great texture and flavour that would have been a strong performer in its own right, however it became the best Siu Mai I've eaten to date thanks to the use of the Quail Egg and Black Truffle. The Quail Eggs gave the dish a delicious, custard-like creaminess that was a perfect vehicle for the dab of Black Truffle Puree on top to work its flavour magic. Truly superb.<br />
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Given the slight absurdity of Australians eating South Australian Lobster in Hong Kong, Alissa and I decided to go with the more conventional King Prawn Har Gao. Conventional as they are, Har Gao are a benchmark Dim Sum dish and Mott 32's version was very impressive, with a perfectly made semi-translucent skin and a filling of perfectly cooked prawns that resulted in a dumpling of exquisite juiciness. This was better than <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-4-part-1.html">Tim Ho Wan's</a> already exceptional take.<br />
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The same could not be said of Mott 32's take on the Signature Crispy Sugar Coated BBQ Spanish Teruel Pork Bun. Alissa and I have eaten this style of Pork Bun in no less than three <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Tim%20Ho%20Wan">Tim Ho Wan's</a> in three countries as well as Lung King Heen's more deluxe take, and we agreed that this was the least impressive version we've tried. To begin with, the Buns were considerably smaller, and were noticeably less sweet than Tim Ho Wan or <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/lung-king-heen-weekday-dim-sum-lunch.html">Lung King Heen</a>. To me, the great genius of this style of Bao is the fact that it took the crispy top from a dessert Pineapple Bun and then filled it with Pork, and the lack of sweetness here seemed to lose some of the 'meat in dessert' charm that the dish usually has. Additionally, the size difference resulted in a ratio of filling to bun that didn't seem quite right. These were fine enough, but the use of more expensive Spanish Pork and a higher asking price compared to Tim Ho Wan didn't seem particularly worthwhile.<br />
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Next, we tried the Kurobuta Pork, Crab & Caviar, Shanghainese Soup Dumplings. These Xiao Long Bao were well made, with the Pork and Crab filling within having a good texture about on par with Din Tai Fung's standard offering, but below the amazing quality of the Xiao Long Bao at Lung King Heen. The addition of Caviar however was a very clever and worthy addition, providing a nice, salty and fishy pop to the proceedings. Definitely worth an order if not exactly essential.<br />
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The Assorted Seafood, Kau Choy (Chinese Chives) Dumplings were probably the weakest dish of the meal. When ordering them, we were expecting something a bit more like a Jiaozi, and while the idea was similar, we felt it weighed a bit too heavily towards the vegetables over the seafood. These were nice enough, with a well made skin that was given a nice golden toasting, but we would have preferred to have ordered a different dish in hindsight.<br />
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Our final Dim Sum order was the Honey Glazed BBQ Spanish
Teruel Pork Cheung Fun. The Cheung Fun itself was well made, with that signature soft, slippery texture, and the BBQ Pork filling was also very nice. We did think however that the splash of oil and sauce on top was a bit stingier than we would have liked, and a more serious drenching would have made an already excellent serve of Cheung Fun even better.<br />
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Careful not to over-order so we could leave room for dessert, Alissa and I inevitably caved in to the lure of the Barbecue Prime Iberico Pork with Yellow Mountain Honey after seeing it ordered by a nearby table. Although the Siu Mai and the Har Gao were definitely strong performers, this incredibly deluxe dish was the star - and unquestionably the best Char Siu we've had. The Iberico Pork was cooked to soft, melt in your mouth perfection that was suggestive of Sous-vide, while still maintaining a a nice barbecued exterior, complete with the most delicious glaze of Yellow Mountain Honey. Salty, sweet and umami, this was a true pleasure to eat - a truly essential dish.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Beyond being a particularly beautiful restaurant, there were some serious highlights to our meal at Mott 32. The Siu Mai, Har Gao and the Char Siu were all benchmark-setting dishes of outstanding quality that were better than Tim Ho Wan and every bit the equal of Lung King Heen. These dishes made Mott 32 entirely worthwhile visiting. While some of the dishes were not quite as impressive as that triumvirate, there were no bad dishes per se. It is a shame then that the restaurant was so thoroughly let down by the seemingly inexperienced and poorly managed front of house, as it definitely put us in a bad mood to have staff hovering over us for much of the start of our meal; having our tea burnt only added to the lack of professionalism and negated the value of the restaurant having such a prestigious tea list. With a look that is utterly on-trend and a kitchen putting out really delicious food, Mott 32 has a lot of potential to be a great restarant. Once they get service staff worthy of the food and surrounds, they will really be a force to reckon with. Until then, I say just grin and bear it - that Char Siu is so good, it's worth the irritation of burnt tea leaves.</div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-69876065642780141342015-11-17T19:49:00.001+08:002015-11-17T19:51:15.634+08:00Butao Ramen, Central, Hong Kong (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When making our initial plans for our 2015 Hong Kong trip, our dining options were significantly more fanciful and upmarket, including an ambitious plan to dine at no less than three separate restaurants with 3 Michelin Stars. The serious decline of the Australian dollar over the year really put a damper on those plans, and we realigned our meals to better reflect the changed economic situation. Thankfully, Hong Kong has many excellent restaurants at the more affordable end of the spectrum and we refocused our energies on trying many of the city's best bowls of Tonkotsu Ramen. Having tried <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-1-part-3.html">Ichiran</a> in 2013 (and revisited it as part of this trip) as well as the equally excellent <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/kamitora-ramen-wan-chai-hong-kong.html">Kamitora Ramen</a>, Alissa and I decided to visit Butao - the noodle shop often credited as having started Hong Kong's Ramen Craze.<br />
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Back in its early days, Butao's shop in Central was like the original <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-4-part-1.html">Tim Ho Wan</a> - a simple hole in the wall that would lead to long Ichiran-style queues snaking down the street. Since then, Butao has expanded its operations to include 3 additional branches, and the original Central shop has moved to a larger premises befitting the restaurant's popularity.<br />
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The interior features a similarly typical Ramen Shop look to Kamitora, complete with stools surrounding the open kitchen and obligatory wood panelled walls. The restaurant is considerably larger than Kamitora, and featured a large table at the front of the restaurant that we were seated at.<br />
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Like Ichiran and Kamitora, Butao are specialists in Hakata-style Tonkotsu Ramen. Although they offer some fairly intriguing variations on the theme (including a Parmesan and Basil version!), we decided to keep it simple so we could make more direct comparisons between Butao and the other two stores. Alissa ordered their signature Butao Ramen, which features their Tonkotsu broth without any additional flavours. The broth was noticeably thicker than Ichiran and even Kamitora, and we agreed that it was heading towards the almost gravy-like thickness of <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/gumshara-ramen-haymarket-new-south.html">Gumshara</a> in Sydney. Accompanying the thickness of the broth was a serious depth of porky umami flavour that unsurprisingly split the difference between Ichiran's refined style and the intensity of Gumshara. This could definitely not be called a weak broth, and is the strongest Tonkotsu we've had in Hong Kong. The noodles were similar to both Ichiran and Kamitora and were not noticeable better or worse than either. The Chashu on the other hand was definitely superior at Butao, being exceptionally melt in your mouth slices of porky unctuousness. Finally, the marinaded Eggs were very good, even if they were just a touch behind the perfection of Kamitora.<br />
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Being a chilli fiend, I decided to order Red King, which is the Butao signature broth with the addition of a Chilli Bomb, Shimichi Togarachi and (presumably) Chilli Oil. The Resulting bowl was similar to their Standard bowl in all respects, expect for the spiciness level obviously being turned up. I always find the richness of a good bowl of Ramen can really take a considerable amount of heat without interfering with the broth's flavour, and the Red King was no exception. It wasn't the hottest bowl of Ramen I've had, but the heat levels were at the right level to give the dish and extra kick without being overwhelmingly hot.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Butao Ramen proved to us yet again just how serious Hong Kong's Ramen Scene is compared to most stalls Australia; this was the third Ramen in Hong Kong we've given an Excellent + rating, and only the fourth overall. Butao make a mean bowl of Ramen, with a rich, porky and collagen thick broth that was thicker than the competition at Ichiran and Kamitora, and some of the most impressive Chashu we have been served. Choosing between the three stalls would be hard however; I find Ichiran's broth more refined (but at the cost of a long queue), Kamitora to have a great all round bowl with the best Eggs we've had and Butao to have the second thickest Tonkotsu broth we've tried after Gumshara in Sydney. For those who like their broths as <i>kotteri</i> as possible, Butao would be your best bet. For everyone else, Butao's central location in Central still makes it an essential food pilgrimage stop for any Ramen fanatic visiting Hong Kong. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-85325915393124717792015-11-14T13:58:00.000+08:002015-11-14T13:58:28.132+08:00Lung King Heen (Weekday Dim Sum Lunch), IFC, Hong Kong (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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During our honeymoon, Alissa and I had the great pleasure of dining at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-3-part-3.html">Caprice</a>, the then 3 Michelin Starred restaurant located in the Four Season Hotel in Hong Kong. Almost two years on, our dinner at Caprice remains one of the best meals of our lives, with the excellent standard of cooking equalled by some of the finest service we have ever experienced in a fine dining restaurant. With such fond memories of our meal at the Four Seasons, Alissa and I had often wondered about Lung King Heen - the hotel's 3 Michelin Starred Chinese restaurant - especially since it was the place where Mak Kwai Pui worked as a Dim Sum Chef before going on to open <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-4-part-1.html">Tim Ho Wan</a>. Particularly keen to try the restaurant's Dim Sum selection, Alissa and I made a lunch reservation at the first Cantonese restaurant to ever be awarded the top star rating.<br />
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Like Caprice, Lung King Heen is gifted with a spectacular view of the Kowloon Peninsula and like Caprice, the standard of service that we experience was absolutely world class from start to finish. Take for example the tea service - the restaurant's very premium tea selection may seem pretty expensive, but its basically a limitless cup prepared the proper way with water at the right temperature and leaves not steeped for too long. We went with the prestigious Wuyi oolong tea Da Hong Pao, a superb tea we were served at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/vue-de-monde-melbourne-victoria-alissa.html">Vue de Monde</a> in Melbourne, and every pour was perfectly prepared by all of the staff who served us. Unlike our later meal at Mott 32, the staff never hovered overbearingly, and yet almost telepathically knew when to top up our tea - the very epitome of perfect service.<br />
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After placing our order, assorted condiments were brought out to go with our meal, including Chilli Sauce, a Mushroom and Tofu version of an XO Sauce and Soy Sauce with Cut Chilli. The Soy Sauce and Chilli was fairly standard, however both the Chilli Sauce and the Mushroom and Tofu XO Sauce were very artisanal takes on Dim Sum condiments.<br />
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While most Dim Sum restaurants serve relatively faithful versions of the classics, Lung King Heen's Dim Sum menu is filled with an array of dumpling that take seemingly familiar classics in new and interesting directions. The Steamed Goose Dumpling with Water Chestnuts and Preserved Vegetables were the first items we tried. These were really flavoursome, with large pieces of what tasted like Roasted Goose accompanied by the juiciness of Water Chestnuts and the funkiness of the Preserved Vegetables. It reminded us of a very luxe version of Teo Chew Dumplings, made all the better by the addition of Goose.<br />
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Next we sampled one of the restaurant's signature dishes - Steamed Lobster and Scallop Dumpling. Just as the previous dish was a very luxe take on the Teo Chew Dumpling, this seemed to us like an upmarket Har Gao. Although topped with a Prawn, the use of the Lobster and Scallop meat within made the dumplings meatier that a standard Har Gao as well as having a richer seafood flavour. I love seafood dishes so really enjoyed what the Lobster and Scallop brought to the dish, although Alissa was a bit more reserved in her praise and appreciation - your mileage may vary. Finally, the very thin skin that surrounded the dumpling was so incredibly thin and soft that it was a veritable showcase for the skill of the Dim Sum chef in creating little parcels of delicacy.<br />
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The Baked Abalone Puff with Diced Chicken is another of the restaurant's signature dishes, and is basically another refined take on a Dim Sum classic - this time being the humble Chicken Pie. The last time we were served Abalone was at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/sepia-sydney-new-south-wales-alissa-and.html">Sepia</a> in Sydney and it was a bit tasteless in comparison to the Abalone served at Lung King Heen; it tasted like something between a Scallop and and Oyster, and was made all the more delicious by a sweet, sticky glaze on top. The flaky pasty had a nice crumbly crunch, and was really buttery like the best short crust pastry should be. The Chicken filling was very similar (but more refined) that the average Chicken Pie, and all added up to a dish of superb quality and flavour.<br />
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Steamed Shanghainese Pork Dumplings with Scallops were the most straightforward dish, being faithful interpretations of Xiao Long Bao. These were amazing - the skin was thinner even that Din Tai Fung, and the filling more refined than their standard Xiao Long Bao. Although tasty in their own right, Din Tai Fung's filling was more of a chewy mass inside, while the fillings of these dumpling were softer. The net effect enhanced the melt-in-your-mouth soup dumpling experience. The sauce that was provided with them was also noteworthy, being even better than the soy and vinegar combo at Din Tai Fung. These were probably the best Xiao Long Bao we've ever eaten (although the Black Truffle version of the Xiao Long Bao at Din Tai Fung would be a close second).<br />
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People less familiar with Dim Sum may not be aware that the sugary crust idea comes from the dessert Pineapple Bun or Bo Lo Bao being applied to a nominally savoury dish. Lung King Heen's Crispy Pork Dumplings with Dried Shrimp and Peanuts were a similar riff on that concept, with the usual Red Bean filling of the sweet Sesame Seed Balls replaced with a meat-oriented filling. This was a very clever and original idea, with the combination of savoury filling and the crunchy but glutinous texture of the exterior working very well together. The Peanuts within were a particularly good touch, give the dish some additional crunch as well as a certain flavour and perfume of roasted nuts.<br />
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Speaking of Tim Ho Wan Buns, Lung King Heen made their own version of Baked Barbecue Pork Buns with Pine Nuts.<br />
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The Tim Ho Wan bun is something of a modern classic, but few places do it better than the Tim Ho Wan branches in Hong Kong. Mott 32's version was inferior, and even <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/tim-ho-wan-chatswood-new-south-wales.html">Tim Ho Wan branches outside of Hong Kong</a> fail to deliver. The <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-4-part-1.html">Sham Shui Po branch</a> does this dish amazingly, however Lung King Heen's take was even better; the filling was perhaps a bit sweeter, however it was also meatier than Tim Ho Wan, and the Pine Nuts brought a wonderfully butter decadence to the proceedings. The sugar crust was nice and crunchy, with rest of the bun beautifully soft.<br />
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The sweetness of the Baked Barbecue Pork Bun was the perfect bridge to dessert. I have many fond memories of eating Mango Pudding at Dim Sum as a child, and the Chilled Mango and Sago Cream with Pomelo was without a doubt the best Mango Pudding I've had to date. Most Mango Puddings have a bit of an artificial flavour accompanied by tinned mango, however the use of real Mango here made it streets ahead of the competition. The dish was also wonderfully textural, with the fresh Mango Pieces, Creamy Mango Sauce, Pomelo, Mango Pudding and Sago all working together to create a very interesting whole, and a dish that was fruity, sweet and acidic. Given Hong Kong's humidity at that time of the year, the fact that the dish was served at a really cold temperature made it all the more refreshing. This was a swoon-worthy dessert, and one I'd definitely order again.<br />
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Being a bit of a fan of all things pastry, Alissa decided to order the Baked Walnut Puffs as her dessert. The presentation impressed us straight away, as the pastry actually looked like a walnut shell. The pastry was a nice buttery biscuit base - something between a nutty shortbread or a Peanut leh chey Biscuits. The filling was deliciously sweet and nutty, and reminded us a bit of marzipan. Having been baked with a nice brown crust, the dish had a roastiness that went very well with the coffee Alissa ordered to go with it. Needless to say, the coffee was also well made - something that is not a given in Hong Kong.<br />
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Finally, we were served a plate of Petit Fours. We heard the waiter refer to one of them as being made from Eggs (perhaps similar to the Egg Nets served at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/nahm-bangkok-thailand-alissa-and-don.html">Nahm</a> in Bangkok), however we thought it tasted more like the Rice Bubble-based LCM Bar. With their good coconut flavour, these were nice enough but paled in comparison to the Osmanthus Jelly they were served with. These were awesome; while way more floral than Tim Ho Wan's version they wereotherwise very similar, and were well made jelly desserts with a good wobble to them.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Ultimate</b><br />
Lung King Heen's Dim Sum Lunch definitely impressed; Alissa and I left the restaurant very satisfied with a meal that was undoubtedly the best and most creative Dim Sum meal we've had to date. A lot is made of Tim Ho Wan's status as the cheapest Michelin Starred restaurant in the world, and while Lung King Heen is definitely in a considerably more upmarket Dim Sum bracket we felt that it was very good value for money considering the quality and luxury ingredients used. As with Caprice, the service standards we experienced were faultless; staff were professional and attentive while being friendly, with the actions never feeling stilted or excessively formal and snooty. While we cannot speak for their somewhat different nighttime service, this was definitely Ultimate level Dim Sum, and one of the most enjoyable meals of our 2015 Hong Kong trip. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-49199244587269737342015-11-10T18:16:00.002+08:002015-11-10T18:16:34.033+08:00Chicken Hof & Soju (AKA Lee Family Chicken), Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Who doesn't love Fried Chicken? It's such a simple dish in a lot of ways, but there is something immensely satisfying about well breaded and fried poultry, with a crispy exterior encasing perfectly juicy meat inside. For many people growing up in most places with a strong American influence on their fast food, the Colonel's Southern-style secret recipe would have been their first taste of Fried Chicken but in the hipster-driven shift away from fast food conglomerates, smaller restaurants serving more idiosyncratic takes on Fried Chicken have come to the fore. Although the ascendency of independent American-style food establishments has seen many a 'craft' take on the Southern Fried style, it is Korean Fried Chicken that I find particularly interesting given the Asian influences on the Fried Chicken format. Having tried versions of Korean Fried Chicken in Australia, Alissa and I were keen to visit a specialist while in Hong Kong, and we decided to check out Chicken Hof & Soju (AKA Lee Family Chicken), a restaurant credited as having started Hong Kong's love for this other KFC.<br />
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Located in Tsim Sha Tsui a short walk from the Hong Kong Museum of History, Chicken Hof and Soju primarily open for dinner, however due to their popularity now open at 2pm in the afternoon. Preferring to dine at the original branch rather than the nearby takeaway only outlet or the branch in Wan Chai, but not wanting a long queue at night, we decided to head to the restaurant for a late lunch at opening. The dimly lit interior is pretty ramshackle, with boxes piled up in corners and a certain messiness about the setup. It's a look that might put some people off while screaming 'authenticity' to hipsters who might appreciate its '<a href="http://nl.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=NASFWG">NASFWG</a>' attitude.<br />
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Other than Fried Chicken, one of the other attractions of Korean Fried Chicken is Soju - a traditionally rice-based spirit that is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the world. We ordered a pitcher of the Grape Soju, which proved to be a mix of Soju and either Grape Soda or some kind of Grape Syrup. The result was deliciously sweet, with a great fake grape flavour that made the drink taste a lot less alcoholic that it really was. For those who have fond memories of grape bubblegum or sodas, the nostalgia trip that this drink offers is very much recommended.<br />
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Korean Fried Chicken restaurants often sell a number of different chicken variations, and Chicken Hof and Soju were no different. Although the Spicy Fried Chicken was very tempting, we decided to go with the slightly more unusual Spring Onion Fried Chicken which consisted of a whole jointed chicken topped with a salad of Spring Onions. The Fried Chicken itself was excellent. The breading was similarly crunchy and well seasoned as the Colonel's Extra Crispy, while being milder in heat than the Hot & Spicy version popular in Australia. What distinguished it from Kentucky Fried was the the fact it was considerably less oily tasting, and the meat within was uniformly juicy and tender. As a final touch, the salad of Spring Onion that topped that plate gave the dish a really delicious fresh onion heat that distinguished this as great Fried Chicken - some of the best we've had the great pleasure of eating.<br />
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Accompanying the Chicken was a rudimentary Cabbage Salad topped with 1000 Island Dressing and cubes of Pickled Daikon. These were decent enough sides that served their purpose of providing some vegetal crunch, as well as cutting whatever oiliness the chicken did display.<br />
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In hindsight,the plate of Chicken was probably more than enough food, however we also ordered the Cheese, Hot Sauce, Chicken and Rice Cakes and didn't regret it. This very spicy dish was awesome; I've eaten versions of this dish in Melbourne (sadly pre-blog days) and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/momofuku-seiobo-bar-menu-pyrmont-new.html">Momofuku Seiobo</a> serve a milder Rice Cake dish at their bar, but this was better than either versions. The crispy and chewy Rice Cakes were lovely with the very spicy Hot Sauce, with the richness of the cheese and <i>even more chicken</i> making this a very decadent dish.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent</b><br />
In spite of the rather shabby appearance, Chicken Hof and Soju proved to be a really enjoyable experience. Their Spring Onion Fried Chicken may have been rendered unusual due to the Spring Onion Salad piled on top of the Chicken, however they got the fundamentals of a good Fried Chicken right as well, preventing it from just being an on-trend gimmick. The Rice Cakes too were excellent, being a better example of this dish than I've had elsewhere, and extremely decadent due to the nicely melted cheese on top. Given that the Rice Cakes and the Fried Chicken together are arguably more food than two people can comfortably eat, it'd be a hard decision picking between the two dishes, so we'd advise that its best to bring two friends along or make two visits so you can try both. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-4922104943757594492015-11-04T20:00:00.001+08:002015-11-04T20:00:33.602+08:00Oddies Foodies, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Along with <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-4-part-1.html">Dim Sum</a>, <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-5-part-2.html">Wanton Noodles</a> and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-4-part-1_9.html">Roast Goose</a>, the Egg Waffle must rank amongst Hong Kong's most iconic must-try dishes. Shaped as rounded bubbles rather than the gridded waffle shape more common in the west, Alissa and I ran out of time to try them during our last Hong Kong trip in 2013, and as such Alissa wanted to ensure a dessert of Egg Waffles was added to our dining itinerary this time around. Scouring blogs and Instagram feeds, Alissa came upon Oddies Foodies, a Wan Chai hole in the wall serving a particularly food porny take on the Egg Waffle. Little more than 500m away from our ramen dinner at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/kamitora-ramen-wan-chai-hong-kong.html">Kamitora</a>, we decided to pop into Oddies afterwards for dessert.<br />
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Egg Waffles are traditionally served plain, however can be found topped with things like fruit, chocolate sauce or ice cream. The attraction of Oddies is that they take the dish further and create a complete, multi-component dessert around the Egg Waffle. The result is total hipster bait - folded over Egg Waffles sitting in a cup of soft serve ice cream sundae. Its basically screaming for Instagram attention, and a cynical part of me wondered how practical this dish would be to eat - especially given they are takeaway only.<br />
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Oddies seem to have a rotation of different Waffle and Ice Cream combos on offer, and we tried two of their signatures. I went with the Night Wolf - Italian low fat Twist Gelato, Butter Crumbs, Caramelised Banana Ice Cream, Passionfruit Panna Cotta, Brownie and Choc Chip Eggettes, Sprinkled with Crunch Flakes. The Gelato was smooth and sweet, with the Chocolate Sauce rich but not overpoweringly so. The Waffles were really well made with a nice golden crunch exterior, while the Chocolate Brownie and Choc Chip filling each of the Eggettes were nice and oozey and gooey. Having the Waffle sticking out of the cup was actually very practical - you could take a scoop of Gelato and then a bite of Waffle, a system that was ideal given the takeaway nature of their business. Digging deeper, the Caramelised Banana provided a nice fruity change of pace while also conjuring up flavours of Banana split, and the tangy acidity of the Passionfruit Panna Cotta cut through for some freshness against the richness of the chocolate.<br />
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Alissa's order was entitled The Mob - Black Sesame Mochi Eggettes, Italian low fat Milk Gelato, Apple Yuzu Jelly, Homemade Matcha Ice Cream, Citrus Crunchy Flakes and Drizzled with rich Matcha Sauce. Alissa really liked the nuttiness and fudgy texture of the Black Sesame in Eggettes, which were every bit the equal of the Waffles in the Night Wolf in terms of crunch. The Gelato seemed to be identical to that used in the Night Wolf, however its nice sweetness was contrasted and cut by the bitterness of the Matcha Sauce. As Alissa got deeper into the cup, the the combination of components made us both think of The Mob as a very complex Ice Cream Trifle. She particularly liked the effect of the Yuzu Jelly, with its tanginess providing contrast against the creaminess of the Gelato.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent</b><br />
I have to admit being a bit skeptical of Oddies Foodies - the whole Instagram-ready appearance seemed like the kind of thing that looks great in a photo but is actually impractical to eat. Thankfully, I was proven wrong - the waffle-and-sundae-in-a-cup format was actually a great idea, and one that made for an enjoyable eating experience. What's more, each of our choices proved to be well thought out, complex and complete multi-component desserts, with a lot of attention to detail and quality on display. Oddies popularity then is well deserved; these were excellent waffles, and we look forward to a return visit next time we are in Hong Kong. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-86388275604090740612015-11-02T19:52:00.001+08:002015-11-03T22:54:33.744+08:00Kamitora Ramen, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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During our last trip to Hong Kong in 2013, Alissa and I had the great pleasure of dining at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-1-part-3.html">Ichiran Ramen</a>. A branch of a well regarded Japanese chain, their Tonkotsu Ramen was the most refined we had ever tried, and it remains our benchmark for the Hakata-style. The only problem with Ichiran is that a bowl of porky goodness comes at a price - you have to earn your bowl by queuing up outside the restaurant for quite a significant amount of time, only to then have to wait in <i>another line</i> inside the building! During our 2013 trip, the wait was made acceptable due to the mild December weather, however we were greeted with uncomfortable humidity during our recent return visit, making the wait not very fun at all. Given Hong Kong's well known addiction to Ramen, Alissa and I were keen to try a few of the city's other Ramen joints of repute to see if we could find a bowl as good as Ichiran without the queues. We decided to check out two places - Butao Ramen (the shop often credited as started Hong Kong's Ramen Craze) and the lesser known Kamitora Ramen in Wan Chai.<br />
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Located in a back alley a short walk from the Wan Chai MTR Station, Kamitora is a fairly recent addition to Hong Kong's Ramen scene. Like Ichiran, Kamitora is a branch of a Japanese chain and their signature broth is also Tonkotsu-based. Unlike Ichiran, Kamitora's layout is a lot less elaborate, with bench seating surrounding the open kitchen and a small amount of seats along the wall as opposed to Ichiran's individual booths. We arrived for opening and found it easy to get in, however the place was full 30 minutes later. Be warned - while wait times are no where near as bad as Ichiran if you plan it right, Kamitora sell a finite amount of bowls a day and it is best to get down early to avoid disappointment.<br />
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Although all based around the same broth, Kamitora offer a few variations: White Tora (original recipe), Black Tora (with Black Garlic Oil) and Red Tora (with a Chilli Bomb). Alissa went with the White Tora and a side order of Egg, while I ordered the Kamitora Special which was basically a White Tora with all toppings. The <i>kotteri</i> broth was really porky and flavoursome; it was not quite as thick and heart attack inducing as <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/gumshara-ramen-haymarket-new-south.html">Gumshara</a>, but it definitely had a nice level of unctuous richness. It was on the saltier end of the acceptable levels of seasoning, but it was in keeping with the very high umami levels. This was an excellent broth. The noodles came in an option of thin or medium gauge. We tried both and felt that they were very well made, having good bite to them. A Japanese businessman waiting out the front gave his nod of approval for the noodles too, saying they were the most similar to what he eats back home in Japan. <br />
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Special mention must go to the marinaded Eggs. With the perfectly custard-like yolks, these were superb - quite possibly the best we've had. The other tippings were also impressive - the Chashu was nice and meat with a good amount of fat to it, the Menma was well made and we liked how the Wood Ear Mushrooms were cut into noodle-like strips. It all added up to an excellent and highly satisfying bowl.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Alissa and I left Kamitora very satisifed; this was a superb bowl of Ramen, complete with a flavoursome, umami-rich broth and perfect noodles finished off with truly impressive toppings (my god... that Egg!). I always say that Ramen is 40% broth, 40% noodles and 20% topping, and the Kamitora Special would score very highly in all three categories - a true rarity. Alissa and I agreed that Kamitora was just as good as <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-1-part-3.html">Ichiran</a>, and if you arrive for open, you can avoid that latter's queues. That make this the saner recommendation, especially if you're time poor, and we would definitely visit again next time we are in town.<br />
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-26948268261038861172015-11-01T15:26:00.000+08:002015-11-01T15:39:46.317+08:00Little Bao, Central, Hong Kong (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Although a long time favourite order at Dim Sum restaurants and as a snack throughout Asia, the humble steamed bun or Bao has reached even greater heights of ubiquity in the post-Momofuku culinary world. The <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/momofuku-seiobo-bar-menu-pyrmont-new.html">Momofuku Pork Bun</a> must be one of the most heavily copied and replicated dishes of modern times, with entire restaurants and menus almost obsessively based around variations on the steamed bun theme, such as <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/wonderbao-melbourne-victoria-alissa-and.html">Wonderbao</a> in Melbourne. Given its almost viral spread and continuing influence over a decade since the opening of Noodle Bar, it begs the question - have we reached Peak Bao? Not yet, if Little Bao in Hong Kong is anything to go by.<br />
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Located on Staunton St in the very vibrant SoHo District, Little Bao is the brainchild of chef May Chow. Befitting the Little Bao's very on-trend Asian fusion menu, the small restaurant's open kitchen oozes hipster cool and great branding throughout.<br />
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Being named Little Bao, its fairly obvious that steamed buns are the restaurant's focus, however they serve a number of share plates as well. The first we sampled was their take on "Mac and Cheese" - steamed rice rolls with Mentaiko Cheese Sauce. This was an immensely clever dish, with the Korean-style Rice Rolls perfectly filling the roll of the Macaroni in the original, while bringing its own unique texture to the table. Brilliant. The Cheese Sauce was superb too, being as creamy and cheesy as you'd want from a good Mac and Cheese with a nice and highly suitable chilli kick. Definitely worth an order, and something I want to try making at home.<br />
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Although we nearly ordered the Truffle Fries because of our noted love for all things Truffles, we decided to try their Short-Rib Pan-Fried Dumpling instead. The Fry-Steamed dumplings were similar to Gyoza, with the well made dumpling skins displaying a pleasing crispiness. The Slow-braised Organic OBE Beef Short Rib encased within reminded Alissa of a really excellent Croquette due to the softness of the braised and flavoursome rib meat. The Celeriac Coleslaw's mild celery taste combined with the dressing to provided creaminess and freshness that went surprisingly well with the Dumplings. Alissa and I found this dish particularly delicious with a squirt of the restaurant's house Sriracha, here dubbed 'Hawt Sauce'.<br />
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Alissa and I agreed that the Szechuan Fried Chicken Bao with Chinese Black Vinegar Glaze, Szechuan Mayo and Coleslaw was the best of the two savoury Baos we ordered. Firstly, the burger-shaped bun was pillowy soft, while having been toasted on the inside. The fillings were even more impressive. The Fried Chicken was as crispy as a KFC finger lickin' offering, except way better due to the distinctive pepper and citric note from the Szechuan, bolstered by the Szechuan Mayo. The vinegary flavour of the Black Vinegar Glaze was a brilliant Barbecue Sauce analogue, with the freshness and crunch of the Coleslaw finishing it off beautifully. This was a dish that was as delicious as it was clever. The only complaint I would make was that it was perhaps a bit slopping to eat, but when a dish is this tasty, a bit of a mess can be overlooked.<br />
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The other savoury Bao we ordered was the Pork Belly Bao - Slow-braised Pork Belly, Leek & Shiso Red Onion Salad, Sesame Dressing, Hoisin Ketchup. Being Pork Belly, this was closer to the Momofuku Pork Bun, but was a successful take on this modern classic due to the unique Burger Bun-style format. The Bun was the same excellent bun as the Szechuan Fried Chicken Bao, with the juicy and unctuous Pork Belly within clearly braised or roasted ahead of time and then given a final sear on the grill while being brushed with a tasty glaze. The pickles gave the dish a nice vinegary kick, while the use of Leek and Red Onion in the salad gave the dish a nice oniony bite.<br />
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Having had cocktails before the meal at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-2-part-3-g.html">G&T Bar</a>, I had no room for dessert, however I tried a bit of Alissa's LB Green Tea Ice Cream Bao. I have to admit being a bit skeptical of dessert Baos however this was absolutely amazing, with the Bao Buns fried like a Doughnut and served warm. The filling of Matcha Ice Cream had a nice bitterness balanced out by the sweetness of the Condensed Milk drizzled on top. The result was one of the best ice cream sandwiches I've ever sampled, and I would recommend anyone going to Little Bao to save a little room for one of these delectable morsels.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Given the amazing popularity of the Bao and the amount of restaurants dedicated to the steamed bun that are really just minor variations on the Momofuku theme, it was great to try a Bao-oriented restaurant that brought a fresh and interesting perspective to this increasingly ubiquitous dish. Beyond the cosmetic difference of using a burger bun-style shape over the folded over semi-circle, the Bao fillings were excellent and inventive, and we were particularly impressed with the cleverness of the "Mac & Cheese" dish. Although the current AUD to HKD exchange rate made Little Bao a bit pricey, I would thoroughly recommended adding Little Bao to a Hong Kong dining itinerary - had the exchange rate been better, we would had dined here twice in the week. Highly recommended. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-10437502672801718932015-10-29T18:34:00.002+08:002015-11-02T07:25:53.352+08:00Nahm, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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To say that Alissa and I are fans of David Thompson would be an understatement. Earlier this year, Alissa, my parents and I cooked a Banquet Menu from Thompson's <i>Thai Food</i> Cookbook (as well as Grilled Pork Skewers and Mango Sticky Rice from <i>Thai Street Food</i>) and it was one of the best Thai meals we've had the pleasure of eating. I thoroughly recommend both books as essential reading for Thai Food enthusiasts; Thompson's encyclopedic knowledge of Thai cuisine results in recipes that are at once familiar and yet unusual as they revive recipes and versions of recipes from centuries ago.<br />
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It should be no surprise then that David Thompson's Nahm in Bangkok has been high on our culinary bucket list, even before it topped the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants List in 2014. Originally opening Nahm in London and becoming the first Thai restaurant to gain a Michelin Star, Thompson eventually closed the London branch due to increasing frustration with the quality of the ingredients available in Europe and the frustrations of having many others seized by customs. Nahm Bangkok in the Metropolitan by COMO then is Thompson unencumbered, and while far from a Modernist, his uncompromisingly Locavore approach has proven in keeping with contemporary trends and the rise of the 'you can only eat this food <i>here</i>' destination restaurant. When we decided to change our planned Japanese holiday to a Bangkok sojourn, Nahm was one of the primary reasons for the switch, with our table booked as soon as the October booking window was made available.<br />
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Although Nahm do offer their menu a la carte, the best way to experience Nahm is to order the Set Menu as it includes an Amuse Bouche, all 4 of the restaurant's Canapes, a choice of 1 Main from each section of their menu plus dessert and Petit Fours - all scaled to suit the number of diners. The meal began with an Amuse Bouche of Ma Hor - a classic Thai hors d'oeuvre of minced and spiced meat and palm sugar sitting on top of slices of pineapple. This dish is Thai cooking in a single bite - sweet, nutty, salty and slightly funky due to the fish sauce and prawn flavours, but all perfectly in balance to create a delicious whole. The sweet acidity of the pineapple worked as a perfect palate cleanser, getting us ready for the meal to come.<br />
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Our next course followed shortly after, featuring the restaurant's current range of canapes - Egg Nets with Prawns, Wild Almonds and Kaffir Lime; Blue Swimmer Crabs, Peanuts and Pickled Garlic on Rice Cakes; Pork and Lobster with Shredded Ginger and Thai Citron; and Chaing Mai Larp of Guinea Fowl.<br />
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The fine intricacy of the Egg Nets were an impressive feat in themselves, and they had a nice if unusual chewy texture. Within lay an explosion of flavour, with almonds giving the dish crunch, kaffir lime providing a nice perfume and green peppercorns bringing some heat.<br />
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The Rice Cakes of the Blue Swimmer Crab canape were actually served as crackers, and gave the dish some nice crunch. This dish was fresh and punchy, with the flavour of Lime really cutting through, while the Pickled Garlic gave the dish some funk. Thankfully, neither of these overpowered the delicacy of the soft, tender and sweet Blue Swimmer Crab Meat. Being a single bite it was over so fast, however it was so delicious we could definitely have eaten a few more.<br />
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Wrapped in Betel Leaves, Pork and Lobster with Shredded Ginger and Thai Citron served as a classic example of how well porcine flesh and seafood go together, supplemented by nice piece of Tofu thrown in for good measure. The pepperiness of the Betel Leaf was backed up by the heat of chilli as well as ginger, giving spicy character to a flavour profile that would have otherwise leaned very heavily towards salty-sour.<br />
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The chilli heat of the previous dish was however fairly mild in comparison to the Larp of Guinea Fowl. Thankfully, the big chilli kick was backed up by nice saltiness and the zinging hit of lemongrass and herbs. We had eaten a Duck Larb the night before at Soul Food Mahanakorn, and Alissa and I agreed that we liked this more usual version more. Though not altogether dissimilar, the Guinea Fowl was slightly gamier than the duck. Overall, it was just more finessed than Soul Food's version, and was again a dish we could have eaten more than one of. <br />
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After a short break, our mains were brought out all at once. Often called 'Family Style' in Western countries - or more formally '<i>service à la française</i>' - this is the style of service in which Thai dinner banquets have traditionally been served. I'll admit that I prefer to eat food in courses so I can focus on individual dishes served at their optimum temperature, however given the fact Thai food is always about a balance of flavours, I can see the logic behind sampling a bit of this and that from the entire selection of dishes.<br />
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Alissa and I were able to choose our own individual bowls of soup, and we decided to order two different dishes to compare and contrast. Mine was the Clear Soup of Roast Duck with Thai Basil and Young Coconut. This sweet soup was light in body but packed with flavour, with light soy, Duck, mushroom and the Young Coconut adding up to a delicious whole. I mainly ordered this dish because of the Roasted Duck, and Nahm did not let me down - the pieces were well roasted and very tasty. The real surprise however was the young coconut; it was so juicy and tender I thought it was squid at first and I really enjoyed the sweet meatiness that the provided. We were advised that the soups should be eaten in between the more spicier dishes, and the mild sweetness of the dish was perfect to that end.<br />
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Coconut and Chicken Soup with Deep Fried Garlic, Green Mango and Chilli was Alissa's choice, and was very much to her liking. The Soup was creamy and sweet, with the crunchiness of the crispy pieces of Deep Fried Garlic really making the dish pop. The flavour profile reminded Alissa and I of the similarly creamy and sweet Yabbies Simmered in Coconut Cream dish from Thompson's Thai Food book - one of the highlights from the banquet menu we cooked.<br />
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Alissa and I had wanted to try Nahm's Red Curry to benchmark the restaurant against other Red Curries we have eaten, however when it was pointed out to us that the Duck Curry with Banana Peppers and Shallots was a Nahm signature, we decided to give it a go. With its whole Banana Pepper and its dark reddish colour, the dish looked rather treacherous; indeed, we could literally smell the chilli wafting off the plate! Although the dish did display a strong dry heat undercurrent, it was very well balanced; it was sweeter than we expected, with a cinnamon and/or cardamom flavour that was quite unusual but nevertheless delicious. The peanuts gave the dish a nice nuttiness and crunch, and the Duck Meat was also nicely cooked, rounding out a very memorable curry well worth the detour away from the more well known Red, Green, Yellow, Jungle and Massaman Curries more well known to the West.<br />
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One of the great things about the Indochina region is the freshness of the salads, and Cured Scallop with Lemongrass, Mint and Ginger was an outstanding example. Bright and citrussy due to the Lemongrass, the finely cut Kaffir Lime Leaves and the Lime Cure, the dish packed a lot of heat and lead Alissa to come up with the adage that 'where there is brightness [in Thai cooking], there must be heat!'. The Ginger provided its own warm spice, while the mint served to cool our burning tongues. The well cured Scallop meat was however the rightful star, with a wonderfully soft texture and freshness of flavour.<br />
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Soft Shell Crab in Australia often has a pretty bad texture due to being badly frozen and defrosted, so we were keen to try Nahm's Soft Shell Crab Stir-Fried with Chillies, Holy Basil and Green Peppercorns. As expected, the Soft Shell Crab in this dish had a wonderfully texture that was nice and crunchy, and with the meat within of the crab not damaged and freezer burnt as can be the case in lesser restaurants. The salty-sour flavour of the dish was given complexity by the herbaceousness of the Holy Basil and the citric heat of the Green Pepper Corns. Overall, this was probably the least memorable of the mains we sampled, and even this was an exceptional dish.<br />
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Our final main was an interesting trilogy of Kaffir Lime and Smoked Fish Relish...<br />
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...Sweet Pork...<br />
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... Salted Fish Dumplings, Coconut Poached Bamboo and Vegetables. The Relish tasted like it was made with Mango, with Fish providing smokiness and savouriness, and the Kaffir Lime bringing it uniquely perfumed zestiness. It was quite sour by itself, but eaten in context with other components it really worked. The Bamboo, Vegetables and the Fish Dumplings provided a lot of textural interest and crunch, while the Sweet Pork helped balance it all out. The Sweet Pork was our favourite component; its sticky, sweet flavour and umami-filled unctuousness made it very, very addictive and Alissa save a spoonful as her last bite.<br />
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With our mains completed, our waiter brought us a Palate cleanser of Fresh Green Mango with Salt and Sugar. This is a classic Thai street dessert, and it was a perfect dish to reset our palates by overloading our taste buds with a flavour explosion. It was sour, hot, salty and sweet, reminding us of Sherbert or Chinese-style preserved Prunes.<br />
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I chose Pandanus Noodles with Black Sticky Rice, Water Chestnuts, Tapioca and Coconut Cream as my dessert. This was basically a dish I've always known as Chendol - a traditional and very popular dessert that is common across South East Asia. This is a dish best served cold, and Nahm's version was very well chilled, with ice cubes throughout maintain the temperature. The Black Rice gave the dish a nice nuttiness, while the Pandanus Noodles were very perfumed. With the supersweet flavour of the Mangosteen thrown in and the extra textural contrast of the Tapioca, this was one of the best Chendols I've had.<br />
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Rice Custard with Banana Fritters was Alissa's choice. The Rice Custard was very sweet, but balanced out by a surprising sourness. It was quite fruity, with the crunch of the sweet corn particularly well suited to this dish. Given the sweetness of the Rice Custard, Alissa was expecting the Banana Fritters to be just another sweet component too many, however they were surprisingly savoury and herbaceous rather than super sweet dessert Bananas. This balanced out the sweetness of the Custard, while introducing another source of creaminess.<br />
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To finish the meal, we were presented with a plate of Thai Petit Fours. We started with the flour-dusted Young Coconut Biscuits. These delicious pillows of Young Coconut Cream just melted in our mouths, and were a revelation in spite of being so simple. The Sweet Egg Yolks contained Mung Bean and what we thought might have been Almond, and had a flavour that was somewhere between Kaya and a Mooncake. The Pandan and Grated Coconut Balls tasted like a Macaroon (not to be confused with a Macaron), being sweet and Coconutty with a strong and welcome Pandan flavour. Finally, the Sweet Puffed Wheat Balls on Banana Slices were nice and nutty, and made us both think of breakfast food due to the use of Puffs and Banana.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Ultimate</b><br />
Given the restaurant's and David Thompson's international reputation amongst the World's Best, there's always a slight fear that the reality would not live up to expectations. Thankfully, the food at Nahm did not disappoint us in the slightest, and would easily rank as the best Thai meal we've ever eaten. The refined balance of flavours within dishes and in relation to other dishes was right on point, and the adherence to a traditional Thai <i>service à la française</i> format really helped to emphasise this. The outstanding quality of the food here would not be quite as easily achievable outside of Thailand, and I think Thompson's decision to keep the Nahm format as a Bangkok-only venture is a sound one, making this a truly worthy destination restaurant. Alissa and I can look forward to the opening of Thompson's more street food oriented Long Chim in our hometown of Perth, however we will definitely be back for another meal at Nahm next time we are in Bangkok. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-7396039276355809792015-10-17T14:54:00.002+08:002015-11-02T17:31:01.703+08:00Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>"Oh shit... Gaggan is #1!"</i></div>
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Such began my panic in March for a meal that was at that stage 6 months into the future. Having originally planned for a holiday to Japan with stopovers in Bangkok and Hong Kong, only to have our Bangkok time extended (and Japan leg cancelled) on the strength of Nahm and Gaggan's ascendency to the upper echelons of the restaurant world, a table at Gaggan was one of the highest priorities of our trip. I'm pretty organised when it comes to reservations, and had already planned a rough schedule for our holiday when the news broke that Gaggan - the Progressive Indian restaurant in Bangkok of all places - had beaten such luminaries as last year's winner Nahm and perennial favourite Narisawa to be voted Asia's Best Restaurant (later coming in at #10 on the World list). Having had some experience with how tough this kind of reservation can be once a restaurant gets this level of good press - booking a table at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/attica-ripponlea-victoria-alissa-and.html">Attica</a> when it came #21 in the world was hard enough - I immediately got onto Gaggan's website reservation system and made a booking. Thankfully, it was a fairly painless process and Alissa and I managed to secure a table for our visit in September.<br />
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Housed in a beautiful colonial-style building located in a laneway off Langsuan Rd close to the bustling shopping centres of Siam, its a beautiful location for a world class restaurant, and somehow fitting for an Indian restaurant given India's own colonial history.<br />
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The interior continues the colonial style of the exterior. Alissa and I seated in a semi-private balcony space on the second floor overlooking the laneway below.<br />
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Given that eponymous chef Gaggan Anand is a noted Modernist and Ferran Adria disciple - Anand was the first Indian chef to stage at El Bulli's Research Lab - we knew to expect some serious Molecular Gastronomy moves which began right away with our pre-dinner cocktails. Alissa's choice of the Coconut Lassi was the flashier of the two, arriving at the table with a Dry Ice-powered cloud filling the table with the smell of coconut. Presented in a coconut shell, the drink itself was a superb cocktail, with the flavours of Coconut and Rum combined with the tanginess you would expect from a Lassi.<br />
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The only problem? The foam on top meant we got the drink all over our faces whenever we had a sip, but it seemed fitting that a fun cocktail like this would be a fun drinking experience too.<br />
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My cocktail was a gin and basil number called the Witch's Potion. It too originally bubbled away in its cool whisky sipper glass, but dissipated sooner than Alissa's. Nice, bright and herbaceous, the Witch's Potion was an excellent pre-dinner drink.<br />
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With the cocktails out of the way, we decided to go with a bottle of Gewurtztraminer to accompany the meal given what we assumed would be fairly spicy food. The waiter agreed that our choice; with its elderflower/lychee notes and a hint of orange rind it was perfect for the cuisine, and I would thoroughly recommend a bottle of this German varietal with the food at Gaggan.<br />
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Gaggan offer two degustation menus - the shorter Taste of Gaggan and the extended 23-course Best of Gaggan. Since Gaggan was one of the main reasons for our trip to Bangkok, we decided to go all out and ordered the latter - especially given the THB 4000++ asking price seemed fair and in line with the price of the best Australian degustation restaurants like <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/vue-de-monde-melbourne-victoria-alissa.html">Vue de Monde</a>, <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/sepia-sydney-new-south-wales-alissa-and.html">Sepia</a> and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/attica-ripponlea-victoria-alissa-and.html">Attica</a> (even if its admittedly very expensive by Thai standards). The Best of Gaggan began with a series of 12 Snacks, beginning with Rose - Shikanji (Indian Lemonade). Consisting of Lemonade, spheres of Rose and what tasted like chopped Basil, this served as a palate cleansing beginning, with the floral note of the Rose and the herbaceousness of the Basil giving the Lemonade a lot of interesting character.<br />
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Yoghurt Explosion was also something of a palate cleanser. The Sphere was well made, having a perfectly thin membrane surrounding the cooling, sour Yoghurt inside. The use of Black Salt and spice emphasised the more savoury qualities of Yoghurt in a way that was typically Indian.<br />
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Edible Plastic Spiced Nuts put a smile on my face, as I immediately recognised the flavours encased within the edible 'plastic' packaging (actually translucent rice paper); this was basically an upmarket take on the Murukku and Nut blend often served as a snack in India, right down to that distinctive dried pea flavour I've often associated with this snack. Edible packaging is something that is very much associated with Heston Blumenthal and the Fat Duck, but I liked that Gaggan utilised it in a dish that was not a Heston rehash, and instead asserted the chef's own identity.<br />
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We next sampled Chocolate Chilly Bomb - a sphere of While Chocolate encasing a liquid centre of Masala Spices. This was a surprising and awesome single bite - the sweet, creamy White Chocolate shell gave way to the savoury filling, and while definitely very odd, it worked as real explosion of flavours.<br />
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The next trio of dishes were brought out, consisting of Birds Nest (bottom right), Bengali Mustard and Noori Pakoda (top right), and Papadam & Tomato Chutney (left). Being in an Asian country, Birds Nest can actually be made from real birds' nests, however this was thankfully thin ribbons of potato shaped into a nest and fried as a crunchy base, similar to a dish we ate at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/sepia-sydney-new-south-wales-alissa-and.html">Sepia</a> in Sydney. Topped with Sweet Potato Puree and Chutney, this was a fairly straightforward but tasty snack that appealed to my love of Hash Browns.<br />
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The Mushroom and Noori Pakoda was probably the most opaque of Chef Anand's Modernist transmutations, as the usual fried fritters has become small biscuit-like pucks with a texture similar to the Peanut <i>leh chey</i> Biscuits my father often buys from Asian gourmet specialty shops. The flavour was intense against the soft, crumbly texture, and made us think of Wasabi Peas due to the Mustard. Very interesting and tasty, but very far away from that I would usually consider a Pakoda.<br />
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Finally, we ate the Papadam & Tomato Chutney. These were certainly crunchy, having quite a loud audible crunch. The usual thin Papadams had been replaced with something closer to a rice cracker or a prawn cracker but with Indian flavours. The spice on top was very tasty, as was the Tomato Chutney which provided acidity and sweetness. Similar to the Birds Nest this was relatively straightforward, but nevertheless effective.<br />
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The Keema (Lamb) Samosa was the first dish that could have just as easily been found in a more classical Indian restaurant but distinguished itself nevertheless. This was an excellent Samosa, complete with a crunchy exterior encasing the well seasoned and unctuous lamb meat within. Alissa and I both appreciated the lovely flavour of cardamom that really shone through and could easily have eaten more than one of these.<br />
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Dhokla - the traditional fermented and steamed batter Gujarati dish - was fairly faithful to the original and had a cake-like softness. Topped with curry leaves and coconut, the modernist touch came in the form of a Coriander Foam, which proved to be a perfect carrier of the herb's flavour in a light and refined way.<br />
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Brain Damage was one of our favourites in the snack section of the meal. The Brains of the dish's title were Lamb's Brains made into a mousse mixed with what tasted like Cardamom and Pistachio. Lamb's brains might sound off-putting but it was actually really delicious, having an almost foie gras-like flavour. The biscuit-like buns the mousse was sandwiched between were softer than expected, having something of a texture between a meringue and a macaron. The Dehydrated Tomato on top was one of the things that made the dish for us, as it provided a nice zing of flavour that made us both exclaim "Pizza Shapes!" (<i>for non-Australians, Pizza Shapes are a flavour of popular savoury crackers) </i><br />
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Our penultimate snack - Fukuoka Surprise - sadly has the distinction of being the only dish I didn't really dig. Consisting of White Asparagus Mousse, Salmon Roe, Green Melon Jelly and herbs, the dish was firstly a bit slippery on the plate and a bit difficult to cut open as a result. The Asparagus filling was sweet and creamy, with the Roe providing a pleasingly salt, fishy pop of flavour. These components were fine, however the dish was let down by the consistency of the thicker than ideal layer of Green Melon Jelly which seemed to be made from either Gellan, Agar-Agar or an over the top amount of Gelatine. The result was a Jelly texture that was a bit too hard for my liking, and I wasn't overly convinced by the combination of Green Melon and White Asparagus.<br />
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Thankfully, the final snack of Crab and Flowers recovered from the weaknesses of the previous course. Although referred to by the waiter as a Tempura Crab, the batter seemed a bit thicker than a good Tempura batter usually is, and I would say it more resembled a spicy, flavoursome Pakoda filled with Crab Meat and Banana Flowers. By that measure, this dish was awesome, with the sweet, flaky Crab Meat backed up by a nice Tamarind hit of sourness and a bit of spicy heat.<br />
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The first of our more substantial courses was the beautifully presented Magic Mushroom, and consisted of Truffle Mousse, Truffle Powder, Green Chilli Powder and a cylindrical Truffle Crisp. The Mushroom and Truffle flavours with the crunch of the Crisp against the smoothness of the Mousse was heaven for Alissa and I as self-confessed Truffle Fiends, however it was the Green Chilli Powder that was the real surprise and master-stroke. The received wisdom regarding Truffles is to served them in a dish and form that allows the flavour to speak for itself, and not incorporate any flavours that could overpower it. Chilli's heat seemed like something that very well might, however it instead seemed to operated in another register that didn't take away from the Truffle flavour and actually enhanced the overall experience.<br />
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Charcoal is such a key component of Indian cooking that it was no surprise to find a course named after it. The dish arrived at our table covered in a smoked filled cloche, filling the area with a pleasingly smoky aroma as it was lifted off. The waiter refused to tell us what the dish made from was until after we had finished.<br />
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Serving things that looked charred to a cinder is very contemporary, and the dish did look legitimately like a piece of charcoal complete with white ash. Although the colour came from burning vegetables, the dish didn't taste overly bitter, and proved to be made from Sea Bass and Potato mixed with 10 Indian Spices. The texture was super smooth and juicy - so smooth that I discounted it being fish as it seemed to good to be true. Alissa and I enjoyed the guessing game component of this dish, with Alissa particularly pleased that she guessed correctly.<br />
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Chennai Kings may have been named after the IPL cricket team and a play on the use of King Scallops, but the 'Sukka Style' of the dish's spicy Roast Pepper Masala is actually a Mangalorean dish from the west coast. I've had more classical versions of this dish before in India, and its usually a fairly dry, textural and concentrated curry due to the coarseness of the ingredients that the meat or seafood is cooked in and the lack of a very wet curry. A crumble to the side seemed like a nod to this, while the foam served as an elegant was of tempering the intensity of the flavours with a lightness of body. We liked the acidity and heat of the foam, however it was the perfectly cooked Scallop that really sealed the deal, as it had a lovely golden crust on the outside without being overcooked. This was an outstanding dish, and one that I hope is in a future Gaggan cookbook so we can cook up a large batch of it to devour again.<br />
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Pork dishes are always crowd pleasers, and Pig and Pickle - 72 Hours Prepared Iberian Pork Loin in sweet and sour Punjabi Pickled Mix - was not exception. The Pork Loin was cooked sous-vide and then given a light sear to finish it off, resulting in a predictably juicy and tender piece of meat that was a pleasure to eat. The sweet and sour sauce was said to be a Vindaloo, here sieved to be super smooth, and with a good mix of vinegar, sweetness and spice that helped cut the fattiness of the Pork. The Pickled Onions played a similar role, and were much like the onions we are often served in India as an accompaniment to the meal. In India we are often too afraid to eat these for hygiene reasons, so it was good to actually eat them with a dish this time! Finally, the bed of Pommes Puree was nice and creamy, with a perfectly smooth texture. Again, this was a dish so good we could have eaten several serves.<br />
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With previous courses tackling Pork Vindaloo and Scallops Sukka, Chef Gaggan's next creation was a modernisation of Daab Chingri - a Coconut Prawns dish from his home town of Kolkata. The large Prawns served here were cooked perfectly - I'm usually a bit hesitant when it comes to large prawns as they can end up being overcooked, but they were plump and juicy thanks to the use of sous-vide and had well absorbed the flavour of the marinade. The slivers of young coconut underneath had a lovely soft texture - so soft in fact that Alissa initially thought it might be squid. The ring of Coconut Foam provided even more coconut flavour, with the zest of Kaffir Lime and the Mustard Flowers providing acidity and spice.<br />
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Who Killed the Goat? is one of Gaggan Anand's signature dishes, and was also one of the best dishes of the entire evening. The Free Range Lamb Chops were cooked Sous-vide then grilled and finished with Almond Saffron Oil for a lovely frangrance and flavour. This was easily the best Lamb Chop I've ever eaten; the low and slow cook on the meat was unbelievably tender, not overly fatty, and finished with a good sear. The splat of Beetroot Puree on the plate gave the impression of blood but also provided some sweetness, as did a dollop of Apple Sauce concealed beneath the Chop. As with previous courses, in less formal circumstances a whole plate of these chop would made a very, very satisfying meal.<br />
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Critics of Molecular Gastronomy often argue that its playing with food unnecessarily and that its just a crutch for lesser cooks to hide their weaknesses. As if to answer such critics, the main course - I Want My Curry!!! - was a straight up curry, with a choice of Chicken Tikka, Mom's homestyle Mutton Bhunna or a South Indian Fish Curry accompanied by Naan. Although we did share the dishes, my choice of main was the Chicken Tikka. This was a superb Chicken Tikka - easily the best curry I've eaten since the decidedly regal curries of <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-18-part-2.html">Dum Pukht </a>in Mumbai, with a rice tomato flavour and perfect balance of spice.<br />
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Alissa's main of Mom's Home Style Mutton Bhunna was equally impressive. The flavoursome Mutton was cooked to tender perfection, with the distinctively dry spiciness of lamb/mutton curries really shining through. If you went to a curry house in India and they served two curries of this quality, you'd be very satisfied indeed.<br />
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Available in plain and Kaffir Lime flavour - the Naan was decent, but I've had better in India; these were a bit too crispy and dry for my liking, and were a few notches below my all-time favourite Butter Garlic Naan served at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-days-7-19.html">Trishna</a> in Mumbai. Still, crispy is better than the undercooked dough sometimes passed off as Naan in lesser restaurants.<br />
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Our Pre-Dessert arrived with the return of a dry ice cloud that permeated the room with the smell of Cardamom. The dish was Gajar Halwa - Black Carrot Ice Cream, Crispy Carrot Flower, Cardamom Oil. The Black Carrot Ice Cream was well made, with a pleasingly sweet earthiness that was complemented by the crispy cornet. The flavour of Cardamom really made the dish for us, as its distinctively Indian touch reminded us of desserts we ate during our honeymoon.<br />
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In Season was the title of our main dessert. As someone who loves fruity desserts, the dish's combination of Mahachanok Mangoes and Coconut LN2 Semi-Sphere was right up my alley. The Liquid Nitrogen set Coconut Semi-Sphere had a saltiness that made us immediately think of Mango Sticky Rice, with the sweet, fruity flavour of the Mango Mousse and Sauce within only heightening the resemblance. Whether this was the intention, it did taste like a clever Modernist take on a Thai classic, while also harkening back to Indian desserts like Mango Kulfi. Visually, the white dome with an orange filling (as picture at the top of this post), also reminded us of the similarly contemporary Carrot, Yoghurt, Liquorice we ate at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/cafe-paci-darlinghurst-new-south-wales.html">Cafe Paci</a> in Sydney earlier this year.<br />
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Magnum served as a third dessert, and was a fairly straightforward if rather bespoke take on this classic ice cream. Alissa and I liked the nutty crunch of the outer layer, especially with the sizzling crackle of Popping Candy thrown in there, and the result was somewhere between a classic Magnum and a Ferrero Rocher. Simple as it was, it was still effective and tasty.<br />
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To finish the meal, we were served Candies as Petit Fours. The Rose Jelly hearts had a rose flavour and tasted like Turkish Delight.<br />
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Opening the lid, the Mouth Freshener tasted like Mukhwas - the candied spice seeds usually given at the end of a meal, and while we did enjoy the fruity Yuzu Tamarind Jelly, we felt the Mouth Freshener should have really been the last bite. <br />
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<b>The Verdict: Ultimate</b><br />
In the lead up to our time in Bangkok I'd read some mixed reports about Gaggan, with some diners seemingly bewildered by Gaggan Anand's style and disappointed by the dining experience. Thankfully, Alissa and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Gaggan; unique, innovative and artistically satisfying, Gaggan Anand's personal approach to Indian food exemplified why the best Modernist cooking comes from chefs who have a deep love and respect for tradition while still being able to see a way to the future. Being quite familiar with Indian food, it was a real delight to taste flavours from the subcontinent so successfully given the Modernist treatment, and the sense of whimsical fun made this one of most fun degustations Alissa and I have had the pleasure of partaking in. Sure, some dishes were less inspired than others and I didn't like the Fukuoka Surprise, but the fact Gaggan was able to sustain his ideas for such a lengthy meal with so few dips in quality was definitely an achievement. While I can't comment on whether Gaggan is really the best restaurant in Asia or the tenth best in the world, it would definitely have a high position in the top 10 degustations we've enjoyed in the nearly two years since we started the Ministry of Gluttony, and worthy of our highest verdict. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-58424365445621657002015-10-08T20:58:00.003+08:002015-10-12T17:51:01.899+08:00Err Rustic Thai, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When planning for our trip to Bangkok and Hong Kong, Bo.Lan was one of the restaurants high on our list of places to check out. Unfortunately, the poor Aussie Dollar vs Hong Kong's pegged currency meant our time in Hong Kong was set to be much more expensive than we had initially planned, so cuts had to be made to our initially more extravagant plans for both countries. Bo.Lan was one of the restaurants that was unfortunately cut, however we were alerted to the existence of Err - a new 'urban rustic' Thai restaurant from chefs Bo and Dylan of Bo.Lan. Excited by the chance of trying their food (albeit in a more casual setting), Alissa an I quickly added it as a last minute addition to our itinerary.<br />
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Located in a quiet laneway a short walk from either Wat Pho or the Flower Market, Err looks like the kind of old school eatery once common to South East Asia, but once inside the restaurant, Alissa and I were greeted by a kaleidoscopic vision of Postmodern Asian kitsch, complete with cushions printed with Pad Thai and slices of Roast Pork juxtaposed against the fairly traditional tables and seats. This place is really cool and visually striking, and immediately defines itself as a restaurant that does not take itself too seriously.<br />
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Having come to the restaurant for lunch, we were apparently not able to be served alcohol at the time. Thankfully, the restaurant had a mocktail list, humourously referring to it as a nostalgic throwback to an earlier police rule era. Alissa and I went with the Triple Splash and Where's the Alcohol (or something similar) respectively. Both were good, bright and refreshing, with the Triple Splash in particular having a nice kick due to the use of chilli.<br />
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Perhaps due to the somewhat strong accent of the waitress serving us, we did not quite understand what was happening when a gum ball machine was brought to our table for us to try our luck with. After putting a 1 Baht coin in the slot, and opening the plastic gum ball that came out, we read a piece of paper cryptically reading 'Flower Market Garden No. 1'. Our waitress said something we didn't quite get, and walked away.<br />
'I don't know what just happened', I said to Alissa.<br />
'Yeah, I'm not sure either.'<br />
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As it turns out Flower Market Garden No. 1 is a cocktail, and was our prize for playing the game of chance. Given that they couldn't serve alcohol at the time, the drink was made as a mocktail, and was nice and refreshing due to its Pink Guava and Mint flavour.<br />
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Our first dish to arrive was Nang Kai Tort - Chicken 'Movie' with home-made See-ra-cha Sauce. This was basically a nice, crispy and salty basket of Chicken Skin - and was as delicious as that sounds. The house made See-ra-cha was not quite as smokey and as thick as the classic Sriracha, but had a really good, fresh punch to it. This made for a good start to the meal, being a great bar snack or amuse bouche style dish that whetted our appetite.<br />
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We next sampled the Sai Krok Issan - Issan Style Pork Sausage cured with organic gaba rice. This was really delicious, having a great, funky sourness and nice course texture that was superior to the version we tried earlier in the week at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/som-tum-nua-siam-centre-bangkok.html">Som Tum Nua</a>. The Err version had what tasted like a more complex mix of herbs and spices than what we had at Som Tum Nua, and was nice with the fresh crunch of the Cabbage.<br />
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Our waitress recommended the Pad Pak Bung - Stir-fried Morning Glory with Shrimp Paste, and was a very good recommendation on her part. Better known to me as Kangkong, the Morning Glory was really delicious, with its nice spinach-like flavour stir-fried with good, stinky fermented shrimp paste giving it a massive punch of umami, with dried shrimps on top adding even more stinky deliciousness. Often this kind of stir-fried vegetable dish can be a bit one note and lean to heavily on saltiness when its cooked with just Oyster Sauce, however this was very well balanced - and just as 'meaty' a dish as the actual meat dishes we selected. <br />
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After reading the description 'Braised southern style Pork Belly and Ribs with Pepper & Toddy Palm Sugar', Alissa and I knew we had to order the Moo Hong. Both cuts of pork were nicely braised for a lovely melt in your mouth texture, with the braising liquid tasting like a Masterstock with pepper and a mild vinegariness accompanied by the sweetness of the Toddy Palm Sugar. The fried Shallots on top were nice and crispy and added pungency and texture. This dish was so good that Alissa decided to make a piece of the pork her last bite before dessert.<br />
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Alissa had been dying to try a Green Curry while we were in Thailand so we just had to order the Geng Kiew Wan Gai Bann - Green Curry of chicken on the bone with all the best bits. The best bits of chicken were not what most people would probably consider the best bits, with a lot of odd secondary (and some might even say tertiary) cuts, including chicken feet and giblets. We actually really liked this charmingly street creative decision, particularly enjoying getting pieces of liver and the gelatinous goodness of the feet, along with pea eggplants cooked while still have a slight vegetable crunch. The Green Curry itself was very delicious and complex, with whole leaves of Kaffir Lime and chunks of Chilli throughout this rustic but very fine curry.<br />
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Thai Toffees were served as an after dinner treat. These toffees that had a slightly unusual flavour we could not quite put our fingers on, but were enjoyable nevertheless.<br />
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Wanting to try a dessert beyond a candy, we decided to order the Coconut Ice Cream. The ice cream was really well made, with a smooth texture and nice coconut flavour. Peanuts and candied and/or dried Fruits flecked throughout gave its even more texture and interest. This was a very tasty if somewhat simple end to the meal that was executed very well.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Exceptional</b><br />
As Alissa and I left Err, we both agreed that it was the best and most fun Thai meal we had had in Bangkok to that point, and was it only eclipsed by our dinner at Nahm that same evening. We loved the quality of the food - the pedigree of chefs Bo and Dylan can definitely be felt, even if its distinctly street, rustic and casual. The fact it was so fun - with random touches like the Gum Ball Machine and the irreverent references throughout their website to everything from paying off cops and other lighthearted jokes - made it very appealing, and was a great way to differentiate the restaurant from the more fine dining level Thai restaurants such a Bo.Lan. Being fairly new, the restaurant was not particularly busy during our visit, but I can imagine this really being one of the places to be once people work out what this place is about. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-46933902437168187832015-10-06T21:27:00.000+08:002015-11-24T07:43:51.927+08:00Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Although long highly regarded for its national cuisine, its only been in the last few years that Bangkok's fine dining scene has come into its own in terms of international recognition. With both Nahm and Gaggan having topped Asia's 50 Best Restaurants lists in 2014 and 2015 respectively and reservations made at both, Alissa and I were interested to try one of the more up and coming restaurants as well. Having seen Chef Ton in David Thompson's <i>Thai Street Food</i> series and receiving some solid recommendations for his restaurant, we decided to try Le Du, a restaurant serving thoroughly modern food that builds on ideas and flavours from Thailand's rich culinary tradition.<br />
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After losing our way without a clear map and confusion about Bangkok's street numbering conventions, Alissa and I found ourselves at Le Du's back street location. The restaurant is a bit off the beaten track, but the restaurant's stylish interior definitely has a look befitting a modern fine diner. The restaurant offers both a la carte and multi-course menus, and Alissa and I decided to go with the choose your own 4-course option given its 990+ THB price (plus add-ons for some of the more luxe dishes) seemed very reasonable for this kind of cooking.<br />
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Having check out the menu for the restaurant online, I had initially wanted to order a dish titled Ant Larvae since it sounded suitably unusual, however by the time of our visit it had been discontinued. I decided to go with the new Watermelon, Fish and Shallot dish instead. The Fish of the dish came in the form of a Fish Ice Cream, which was not overly fishy in flavour while still having a decent dose of umami. The Watermelon gave the dish a nice freshness, and I liked how the Shallot Snow provided a nice oniony heat in a cooling form. The basil leaves provided some nice herbaceousness while the peanuts provided some crunch, while I found the green yoghurt gel a little too mild to provide much in the way of discernible flavour. Overall, this was a successful Modernist dish, however I felt that the dish was perhaps a bit too mild and could have pushed the limits a bit more while still being successful.<br />
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Alissa went with Raw Thai Tuna as her first course, and it was her favourite course of the evening. The Tuna was cut into small pieces and put together a mound in the middle of the bowl. The Tuna had a spicy flavour and mild taste of dill. The cold Chive Soup that was poured into the bowl tableside had a nice creaminess of texture coupled with some welcome acidity that we thought may have come from lemongrass. The toasted Puffed Black Rice added texture, as did the Tuile Crisp. With Sunflower Shoots providing freshness and vegetable crunch, this was an exceptional soup course and a satisfying start to the meal.<br />
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For my second course, I went with the intriguingly titled Refugee Congee. This humble rice porridge is something I grew up eating, and this was definitely the best and most refined version of the dish that I have eaten. I loved the fact the rice had been broken down into a super smooth puree, with Salted Chicken and Dehydrated Pork Powder working as a delicious seasoning. A Betel Leaf Gel worked as an excellent source of peppery herbaceousness with the sous-vide egg gave the dish a great custard-like texture. The fine dusting of pepper on top was a touch I particularly appreciated, as I brought back memories of my father's penchant for always sprinkling pepper on Congee. Modernist dishes are so rarely such a total improvement on the original as this was.<br />
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Thai Wild Mushrooms was Alissa's second course. Alissa loved the way the mushrooms were delicious and meaty. The herbal fish broth was umami-loaded and spicy, and with the mushrooms was so inherently meaty in flavour that Alissa said the dish could have easily past for chicken in terms of flavour. The brushed on Pumpkin gave the dish some sweetness with the Herbs providing some nice freshness. This was a successful vegetable-oriented course that showed how umami flavours can help elevate vegetables to meatier heights.<br />
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Free Range Pork Collar was my favourite course of the night; a thoroughly successful and memorable dish that would be my main reason for recommending Le Du. The Pork Collar and piece of Pig Spleen tasted like they had been marinaded in fairly traditional Thai spices, but the incredibly soft and tender texture of the Pork Collar suggested that they had been cooked sous-vide. I liked the use of Spleen too as it provided nice springy textural interest, and its one of those offal cuts that has not yet reached the level of trendiness as, say, sweetbreads or tongue. The bean sprouts and spring onions gave the dish some vegetable freshness, however it was the <i>Blood Jus</i> that really made the dish. Fans of Anthony Bourdain have probably seen the <i>Parts Unknown</i> episode where he is served a blood soup. The idea certainly made me feel a bit squeamish and I never thought I would eat a version of it, but upon tasting it I certainly see the appeal. Sweet but well balanced in seasoning, with a strong flavour and thickness, this was absolutely delicious.<br />
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Although Alissa would have also liked the Pork Collar dish, she decided to go with the Local 30 Days Dry Aged Beef Tenderloin. The Beef was expertly cooked, putting the 'tender' in Tenderloin. The Beef was accompanied by two sauces - Kale Salted Fish Puree and Garlic Jus. The Kale Salted Fish Puree was amazingly flavoursome, packing a mighty punch of umami flavour. The sweet saltiness of the Garlic Jus provided additional enhancement to the flavour of the meat. In spite of being called a Garlic Jus and there being pieces of crunchy Fried Garlic, Alissa felt like she wanted even more of a garlic hit; the dish was absolutely winning in terms of salty-sweet, but would have reached even greater heights with the bite of more garlic.<br />
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Lemongrass Ice Cream, Raspberry and Chocolate Tuile was my final course. I felt that the Lemongrass Ice Cream was well made but that the Lemongrass flavour could have been more intense for my liking. The use of Chocolate with Lemongrass seemed like an odd pairing on paper, but somehow worked in a way that didn't weigh too heavily towards the chocolate as I had feared it might. The Raspberry Sauce gave the dish some welcome sweetness and bolstered the acidity of the Lemongrass. With the crumble beneath the ice cream giving the dish some crunch and some pieces of fruit providing freshness, this was a good and very pretty dessert but one that I felt needed a bit of something extra to really make it soar.<br />
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Alissa's dessert of Black Sesame Pudding was the better of the two desserts, and was basically a really smooth, silky Panna Cotta with a nice if slightly mild Black Sesame flavour. The Waffle Crumble had a nice flavour that tasted like a very good quality ice cream cone, and the drop of what Alissa thought was Raspberry Sauce gave the dish some nice acidic bite. The Ginger Ice Cream was definitely the star component however, with its spicy heat really making this an excellent dessert.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Alissa and I really enjoyed our dinner at Le Du, and felt that the restaurant deserved to be a lot busier than it was given the quality of the cooking on display and the very fair asking price for their four course menu. We did feel however that Le Du is an up and coming restaurant rather than one that has arrived at its full potential; The Free Range Pork Collar was a very memorable and masterful dish for example, however not all dishes were quite as perfectly realised. We felt that at time the process of refinement made a couple of dishes milder than we would have liked, and that there could have been a bit more risk in this area. Still, we are talking about degrees of excellence and nothing we ate could be called a bad dish. Given Chef Ton's obvious love and pride in Thailand's culinary tradition and his credentials as a high achieving graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and having worked at such notable establishments as Eleven Madison Park and Jean Georges, I have every faith that the best is yet to come from this young chef. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-27392041546342608292015-10-04T16:59:00.000+08:002015-10-08T21:06:52.651+08:00Krua Apsorn, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In researching places to eat in Bangkok, Krua Apsorn was a restaurant repeatedly recommended, including multiple shout outs by David Thompson himself. Something of a Bangkok institution frequented by foodies in the know, Krua Apsorn have a few branches in the city, however the original branch on Samsen Road near Samsen Soi 9 is considered the branch to visit. Although the restaurant does apparently take reservations, their website is in Thai and I wasn't sure if sending them an email in English would be understood, so we decided to chance it and get to the restaurant for their opening. Just as well we did - almost every table was already booked, and waiting outside in the hot weather would not have been very fun at all.<br />
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When visiting Krua Apsorn, it is basically mandatory to order the Stir-fried Crab in Curry Powder. The restaurant's famous signature dish, the Crab meat was cooked perfectly, being sweet and incredibly succulent. The Curry Powder mix that the Crab is stir-fried in was complex and flavoursome, but was decidedly mild in terms of chilli heat. After a few fairly hot meals, Alissa and I were happy to be eating this milder dish however those looking for something a bit hotter, a Yellow Chilli variant is also available. Regardless of heat level, this is definitely a must order dish that is well deserving of its cult status.<br />
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It might seem odd to order two Crab dishes, but the Omelet with Crab is another of Krua Apsorn's famous signatures.<br />
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The dish is pretty impressive - I'm not sure how they make an omelette so fluffy while being this thick, but they evidently have found a way. The omelette was perfectly seasoned and light, with delicious, sweet flakes of Crab meat throughout. Simple but well executed, this is another definite must order.<br />
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I had heard that the Stir-fried Green Mussels with Basil Leaves was another must order dish, however as Alissa does not particularly like Mussels we decided to go with the Yellow Curry with Prawns and Lotus Shoot. This was not the yellow curry we were looking for. Little did we know at the time that their are actually <i>two</i> Thai Yellow Curries, and this sour and thin curry was nothing like the thick, luxurious Yellow Curry style we knew. We didn't really dig the overwhelmingly sour flavour, but concede that it was probably a case of cognitive dissonance given the dish did not taste at all like we were expecting. The biggest disappointment however were the Prawns - the measly three prawns in the bowl were tough and overcooked, making for a roundly disappointing dish. Alissa didn't want to eat much of it, and in hindsight she would have probably liked the Green Mussels more in spite of usual preferences. Oh well, live and learn.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Very Good</b><br />
This was a tough one to judge; if Krua Apsorn had been an ostensibly one dish restaurant like Thip Samai, then the Stir-fried Crab and the Omelet with Crab would have to score fairly highly, given both dish were executed skillfully and were definitely worthy of the slightly inconvenient trip to Samsen Road. The Yellow Curry on the other hand really let Krua Apsorn down, especially given the stingy three prawn serve was also overcooked and rubbery. Given the Stir-fried Crab was an Excellent + level dish, the Omelet with Crab an Excellent and the Yellow Curry an Okay, the Krua Apsorn would average out to a very strong Very Good. That said, if you were to stay away from the Yellow Curry, Krua Apsorn would be a significantly more enjoyable experience - well worth visiting for the quality of their Crab dishes. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-73744187995218946642015-10-03T16:46:00.000+08:002015-10-03T16:46:40.817+08:00Mango Tango @ Siam Square Soi 3, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After our meal at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.hk/2015/09/thip-samai-bangkok-thailand-alissa-and.html">Thip Samai</a>, Alissa and I wandered down the street in search of one of her all-time favourite desserts - Mango Sticky Rice. Eating this classic Thai dessert at a street food stall was a fun experience, and it was a well made example of the dish. While doing research on Bangkok's best Mango Sticky Rice stalls and stops, I stumbled upon a post by friend of the blog <a href="http://wenywonderswhy.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/eatbangkok-sweet-cravings-petite-audrey.html">WenY</a>, recommending a very deluxe take featuring Mango Ice Cream and Mango Pudding from a small chain called Mango Tango. Given the heat and humidity of Bangkok's climate the ice cream sounded like a winning addition, and with a Mango Tango outlet just across the road from Siam Centre, it was very conveniently located for a cooling afternoon snack.<br />
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Walking down Soi 3, it looks like Mango Tango used to be located on the left side of the street in a self-contained glass box, but it has recently moved into a larger facility on the right. The shop features a very modern warehouse aesthetic with polished concrete walls and giant mango mobiles hanging from the ceiling.<br />
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Alissa and I ordered the Mango Tango Set, featuring Fresh Mango, Sticky Rice, Mango Ice Cream and Mango Pudding. First up, the Mango was fantastic, being ripe, sweet and flavoursome. Whoever their supplier is has done a great job sourcing such excellent produce. The Stick Rice was really well seasoned, not overly sweet, having a nice salty note in the background and the toasted Mung Beans on top giving the dish some nice crunch. We liked the Sticky Rice so much that our only complaint was there was not enough of it in ratio with the Mango and the Ice Cream, and although we had thought we'd ordered the Extra Rice version it must have been lost in translation. The Mango Ice Cream was really good in terms of mango flavour without being overly sweet, however I felt the texture was a bit icey and not as smooth as the best Mango Ice Cream I've had - its probably one of the difficulties of making ice cream when the climate is always hot. Finally, the Mango Pudding was excellent, having a smooth and soft jelly texture with nice pieces of mango set inside. This was definitely up there with some of the best Mango Puddings I've had at Dim Sum restaurants.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent</b><br />Mango Tango was definitely a great recommendation; it was the most deluxe Mango Sticky Rice we had during our trip with the addition of the Mango Ice Cream and Pudding. At its core, it got the fundamentals of the dessert right, with the fresh Mangoes being nice and sweet and the Sticky Rice featuring that pleasingly salty note as well as having the crunch of the toasted Mung Beans. Had the Ice Cream been perfectly smooth and the Sticky Rice in a larger quantity, this would have been just about perfect. As it stands, this was still our favourite of Mango Sticky Rice of the trip and a definitely must try if you're in the Siam Square area.</div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-19619854671271274862015-10-01T19:01:00.000+08:002015-11-06T10:52:01.433+08:00Som Tum Nua @ Siam Centre, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In Australia, we tend to think of food courts as being greatly inferior to 'real' restaurants. This is not an unfair point of view given that every shopping centre food court seems to feature the same selection of generic brands selling the same unexciting chain store products, there is a certain low quality homogeneity to Australian shopping centre food. This presumption does not follow in many Asian countries, with the food courts in Bangkok's shopping malls featuring a plethora of genuinely excellent places to eat. Having decided to ease our way into Bangkok with a stroll through the main shopping malls of Siam Square and Siam Centre, Alissa and I popped into Som Tum Nua for lunch after hearing good things about the quality of their namesake dish - Som Tum, better known in the English speaking world as Papaya Salad.<br />
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Som Tum Nua's interior design is very modern and hip, with a focus on nostalgia-inducing children's drawings presented in an artful manner. This is undoubtedly a gentrified sign of the times, and very much on-trend with somewhat hipster design concepts seen in major cities the world over.<br />
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The first dish to arrive was a plate of Fried Chicken. Fried Chicken seems to be wildly popular in Bangkok, and these were an excellent example of the dish. The seasoning had a good level of saltiness and spice without having much in the way of chilli heat, which was good given what else was to come. The exterior was nice and crispy, with the meat encased within cooked to succulent, juicy perfection. Simple but effective, this would definitely be a recommended order.<br />
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Being something of a chilli fiend who likes when Som Tum's freshness is backed up by fiery chilli heat, I decided to go with the hot version of their signature Som Tum with Pork Crackling. The dish had a good balance of saltiness, umami and freshness, with really great crunch from the slivers of Papaya and the Pork Rinds contrasting nicely against the softness of the slices of Tofu. As much as I have a high chilli tolerance, the extreme chilli burn of this dish really tested me to my limits. Its not unusual for heat to clear my sinuses, but this was so hot my eyes were tearing up, and afterwards taking a bite of the previously mild Fried Chicken tasted like it was the hottest Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken I've ever eaten. Asking for another glass of Iced Lemon Tea only made it worse. As much pain as it caused me to eat, I have to say I was impressed that they didn't hold back on the heat, and it was overall one of the best Papaya Salads I've eaten.<br />
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Alissa ordered the milder version of the same dish I ordered. Even this mild version still had a chilli kick, giving Alissa what she referred to as a feeling of 'Angelina Jolie lips' without the tears and cleared sinuses I had experienced. This was probably the more sane choice unless your chilli tolerance is significantly better than mine.<br />
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Finally, we ordered a plate of the North Eastern Style Sausage. This was really delicious, having a nice courseness and soft texture combined with a slighty funky fermented flavour that reminded us of something between Cotechino and Lap Cheong, but with a spicy flavour profile that is uniquely Thai (and better than both those other sausages in our honest opinion). I've had these before in Australia and they've never been this good, and it had us still thinking about how tasty they were the next day.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent</b><br />
Som Tum Nua's reputation as one of the better Som Tum specialists in Bangkok seems to be well deserved; Alissa and I thoroughly enjoyed the Som Tums we had ordered, even if the extreme heat of my plate literally brought tears to my eyes. The side dishes of Fried Chicken and North Eastern Style Sausage were both just as essential and delicious orders. To my mind, it did feel like there are still probably even better Som Tum restaurants in Bangkok, however its better than just about anything you're likely to find in Australia outside of the most expensive and/or authentic restaurants. We would highly recommend Som Tum Nua as an affordable lunch option while walking through Siam Centre.</div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-67843612589913594182015-09-30T18:23:00.001+08:002015-09-30T18:23:45.394+08:00Thip Samai, Bangkok, Thailand (Alissa and Don Eat Asia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a wonderful five week honeymoon eating our way through Asia in 2013, Alissa and I were excited to head off for the continuing adventures of Alissa and Don Eat Asia in 2015. What started as a Japan trip with stopovers in Bangkok and Hong Kong ended up focusing on our stopovers to the point that we decided to drop Japan altogether - especially with the considerable rise of Bangkok restaurants like Nahm and Gaggan making a convincing case for Thailand as a truly great candidate for destination dining. With the risk of flight delays and missing our reservations meaning Gaggan and Nahm would have to wait until later in the week, Alissa and I headed out for our first meal in Bangkok at Thip Samai - a restaurant said by many to serve the best Pad Thai in Bangkok.<br />
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Although they are a sit down restaurant within an actual building rather than a stall, Thip Samai is basically street food at a mass production scale - multiple cooks fry up batches of Pad Thai at wok stations set up outside on the street. Knowing that this is the dish the large crowds of locals and tourists alike are queuing up for - their menu is considerably streamlined - their seems to be a constant stream of Pad Thai being cooked up and a happy customer ready to receive their dish.<br />
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Standing in the orderly and fast moving queue allows one to view Thip Samai's signature 'wrapping' station - A thin omelette is cooked up on the very hot wok, with the Pad Thai encased within.<br />
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The result is a very deluxe Pad Thai that is true to its street food soul with also being beautifully presented.<br />
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Accompanying the main plates are various topping and condiments to customise each Pad Thai to the diner's preference, including lime and fresh herbs...<br />
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... alongside two different types of chilli, pepper and sugar.<br />
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Of course beautiful presentation can only get you so far; the dish has to also be delicious. Thankfully, the Pad Thai encased within was one of the best Pad Thais Alissa and I have eaten. The noodles were perfectly seasoned and flavoursome, being neither too wet or dry or overcooked. Mixed in with nice pieces of Tofu and succulent, well cooked Prawns, the base product was excellent with the Omelette wrap's fluffy thinness meaning the ratio of egg to noodles was correctly balanced. Being able to customise it to taste only allowed it move even closer to perfection; we loved the extra crunch of the peanuts and the zesty acidity from a squeeze of lime, and both types of chilli (dried and pickled) added to the complexity of the dish.<br />
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To acompany the Pad Thai, Alissa and I ordered a Coconut Slushie drink. With its sweet coconut flavour and slight saltiness, this was a very refreshing respite from Bangkok's stifling heat and humidity.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Thip Samai's Pad Thai deserves its reputation as one of Bangkok's finest; it was definitely one of the best Alissa and I have ever eaten, with perfectly cooked noodles and prawns, excellent seasoning and the incredibly light omelette wrapper being both visually striking and in a perfect ratio for the amount of noodles. With an excellent base product, the topping customisation means Thip Samai's Pad Thai could almost be the perfect Pad Thai for just about anyone. Highly recommended. </div>
AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-9951169462507119902015-09-19T17:22:00.000+08:002015-09-19T17:22:49.165+08:00Sarawak Hawker Cuisine, Willetton, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As much as we love trying new restaurants and visiting unexplored areas in unassuming suburbs, Alissa and I also keep a selection of local restaurants on rotation as regulars for the nights we can't be bothered to cook or drive any great distance away from home. <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/kai-japanese-bull-creek-western.html">Kai</a> has always been our most visited go-to, however our restaurant of choice for the Singapore/Malaysian Hawker niche has been in a state of flux over the two years. Initially, we used to go to Bull Creek Hawker until we discovered <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/kitchen-inn-kardinya-western-australia.html">Kitchen Inn</a>, however we felt that the standard of food and service dropped significantly after Kitchen Inn moved to a bigger premises. Thankfully, a tip off lead us to <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/ah-mei-cafe-canning-vale-western.html">Ah Mei Cafe</a>, which became a fortnightly favourite for their handmade Bakmie Special noodles. Unfortunately, we found that Ah Mei was recently sold and the new owners no longer offer the handmade noodles we used to know and love. Having recently picked up the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide, I read about a recently opened Hawker restaurant in Willetton that specialised in Kolo Mee and Chicken Rice. Both amongst our personal favourite dishes, Alissa and I decided we had to given this new restaurant a try. What started as a single visit has ended up being more than a few occasions, even bringing my parents along to get their opinion last weekend.<br />
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Sarawak Hawker Cuisine is located in the Southland Shopping Centre complex in Willetton near <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/silver-sushi-willetton-western.html">Silver Sushi</a> and our local <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/mcdonalds-create-your-taste-menu.html">McDonald's</a>. Given that the Willetton Macca's is our usual early morning stopover when we're heading out for a bushwalk in the Perth Hills, we'd driven past the restaurant on a few occasions while it has been closed. During opening hours the place is positively bustling, with all the tables inside and the benches outside occupied, and a crowd of hungry diners waiting for their names to be called for tables or takeaway orders. Like <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/kai-japanese-bull-creek-western.html">Kai</a>, this place is seriously popular with the locals; dining here at peak hour definitely requires some patience in dealing with what can be significant wait times.<br />
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Any inordinately long wait becomes worth it if the food lives up to the hype, and the Chicken Rice alone would make Sarawak Hawker Cuisine a place worth visiting and, yes, queuing for. Chicken Rice's fairly monochromatic combination of slowly poached chicken on rice may make it a seemingly simple and homely dish, however every component must be packed with flavour and made with thought and precision to create a satisfying whole. Sarawak Hawker get it absolutely right - the very flavoursome rice may not be served piping hot, but in doing so they dish out rice that is right on point in terms of texture; this is definitely preferable. The Chicken - your choice of drumstick or breast - is poached perfectly, with even the breast meat still nice and juicy. The Chicken Rice Chilli available at the self service condiments station would be right up there with the very best I've had, having a great garlic and ginger kick and an excellent freshness of flavour. If this was Chicken Rice being served at in a hawker centre in Singapore, you'd be very happy to queue for it. Having grown up in Singapore, my parents agreed, saying it reminded them of how Chicken Rice used to be when they were kids and that few places in Singapore taste this impressively authentic anymore.<br />
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One of the minor weaknesses of Sarawak Hawker is that they sometimes forget to serve a side bowl of broth with their dishes during peak times, and we're sometimes not sure which dish should receive it as a side. This is a shame, as their broth is impressive due to the obvious lack of powdered MSG being used in its making and its great depth of chicken flavour that goes very nicely with the Chicken Rice.<br />
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With the Kolo Mee and Kampua Special at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/kitchen-inn-kardinya-western-australia.html">Kitchen Inn</a> disappointing us the last time we were there and the Bakmie Special of <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/11/ah-mei-cafe-canning-vale-western.html">Ah Mei</a> no longer available, Alissa and I have been in need of a new handmade noodle specialist in our area, so trying Sarawak Hawker Cuisine's Kolo Mee Special was a top priority. Sarawak Hawker's Kolo Mee Special does indeed live up to the 'Special' superlative, with the restaurant's handmade noodles served with pork, pork and more pork (slices of Char Siu, Siu Yuk and mince pork) alongside Fish Balls and some Asian Greens. All the Pork components are of a very high standard, however I have to single out the Siu Yuk as being particularly excellent - these juicy pieces of Pork Belly were well seasoned and the crackling nice and crunchy.<br />
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But of course a bowl of Kolo Mee is made or broken by the quality of the noodles, and the noodles served here are very, very good. They have the slightly springy texture and toothsome bite that is a prerequisite of the style, and the sauces used to flavour the noodles are well balanced. The result is seriously delicious, and if you're as particularly greedy a noodle fan as I am, you can order extra noodles for no additional cost! The noodles at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/noodle-forum-perth-western-australia.html#more">Noodle Forum</a> are still probably a little bit better than these, however when combined with the deluxe combo of toppings served at Sarawak Hawker, the two great noodle dishes would be neck and neck.<br />
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If you're ordering extra noodles, you really don't need to be ordering any sides with your meal, and we've even been full just eating the Chicken Rice. That said, if you do have some space for a side dish, do order the Fried Chicken Wings. The outer coating is nice and crispy, well seasoned and well fried, with the meat within deliciously juicy. Served with some Sweet Chilli Sauce, this is a noteworthy example of Asian-style Fried Chicken that is finger-licking good.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Excellent +</b><br />
Since first dining at Sarawak Hawker Cuisine about a month ago, the restaurant has become a firm favourite due to the fact their Chicken Rice and Kolo Mee dishes are so excellent that they have warranted repeat visits. Given the restaurant is already incredibly busy and I enjoy waiting in queues at the best of times its the kind of place I'm almost hesitant to share, but when the food is this good it has to be acknowledged. The Chicken Rice and Kolo Mee here are near benchmark dishes - I would compare them favourably against well known options such as Tak Chee and <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/noodle-forum-perth-western-australia.html#more">Noodle Forum </a>respectively, and my parents praised both dishes as being of a quality level that reminded them of how these dishes used to taste during their childhoods in Singapore. Having since tried their Nasi Lemak and Sarawak Laksa, we can definitely say their attention to authenticity and details applies to many other dishes on their menu. The fact that both the Kolo Mee Special and the Chicken Rice are the $10 mark makes this great value too. Very highly recommended.<br />
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<a href="https://www.zomato.com/perth/sarawak-hawker-cuisine-canning" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Sarawak Hawker Cuisine, Canning and other Restaurants in Perth"><img alt="Sarawak Hawker Cuisine Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16601858/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a>
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4257716705255236270.post-19970186541931840502015-09-15T19:08:00.003+08:002015-09-15T19:08:49.681+08:00Chimek, Fremantle, Western Australia (Alissa and Don Eat Australia)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Some dishes seemed destined to be stars of Instragram Food Pornography. From strikingly beautiful desserts like <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/sepia-sydney-new-south-wales-alissa-and.html">Sepia's Chocolate Forest</a> or something idiosycratic like a Cronut or <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/alissa-and-don-eat-asia-day-4-part-1.html">Tim Ho Wan's</a> crispy take on the Char Siu Bao, these dishes can be found at restaurants at every level from street food to fine dining, but all share one common characteristic - they can be eaten with your eyes. As the prevalence of Food Porn has increased, restaurants seem increasingly driven to make their food interesting looking. The benefit of this is that presentation is given a lot more attention than it used to be, however the down side is that sometimes the visuals are more impressive than the actual taste of the dish itself - and at worst are really just an exercise in viral marketing.<br />
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A restaurant that has recently been featured on many a Perth foodie's Instagram feed is Chimek, a stall located in the Fremantle Markets known for their 'famous' black coloured burger buns and Matcha Cheesecake. The Food Porn move definitely worked; Alissa and I were definitely intrigued, and had to find out for ourselves whether Chimek's food was as good as the visuals suggested.<br />
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For an establishment that has been making a name for itself with a burger and dessert, Alissa and I were surprised to find Chimek advertising themselves with the subtitle 'Chicken and Beer'. Looking at their menu, Chicken does seem to be their main focus with no less than 6 different styles of fried chicken served with Chips! Alissa and I decided to sample the Korean Gochujang after the staff recommended it. These pieces of chicken were awesome, having a sweet and spicy glaze that tasted a lot like the Dragon Sauce served with the Rice Cakes at the bar at <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/momofuku-seiobo-bar-menu-pyrmont-new.html">Momofuku Seiobo</a>. This comparison was only emphasised by the crispiness of the chicken's outer layer, which mirrored the Rice Cakes' crispiness. It tasted as if the chicken had been marinaded in the sauce, fried for a caramelised exterior and then basted in even more glaze. What's more, the chicken meat within was cooked perfectly, with excellent juiciness within. The accompanying Chips were also well fried, with every single chip being nice and crunchy, right down to the last. Finally, the cubes of Pickled Daikon were nice and fresh, cutting the fat as a Pickled Gherkin would at an American Barbecue establishment.<br />
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Given its Instagram infamy, Alissa and I decided to also share the Famous Charcoal Beef Burger. Seeing the Black Bun in person, we had to admit it did look very impressive and thoroughly modern. I can see why it has been in high rotation on Instagram, and getting a closer look at the finer details - such as black poppy seeds and the used of squid ink mayo within - really goes to show that a lot of thought has gone into getting the overall look right.<br />
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Tastewise, the burger was tasty but ultimately nothing to write home about, being a fairly standard cheeseburger in format with mushrooms and caramelised onions as a flavoursome point of difference. As much as the bun was nice and soft and I loved the mushrooms and the American-style cheese, the patty was simply not on the level of somewhere like either the <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/the-merrywell-burswood-western.html">Merrywell</a> or <a href="http://ministryofgluttony.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/short-order-burger-co-fremantle-western.html">Short Order</a> - and not a massive leap from a standard McDonald's or Hungry Jack's burger. <br />
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For dessert, we shared Chimek's famous Matcha Cheesecake. This was really good, having a really nice fudgy texture while still being nice, smooth and creamy; this was far more worthy of its place of an Instagram darling than the black burger was. The Matcha flavour was not overpowering and provided a great depth of interest while taking a bit of the edge off the sweetness. The serve was very generous and given that it was decidely rich and decadent, we were glad that we were sharing.<br />
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<b>The Verdict: Very Good</b><br />
Given the hype surrounding two of Chimek's dishes, it was inevitable that at least one of them would not live up to its image, with the Famous Charcoal Beef Burger being visually striking while being fairly ordinary in terms of flavour. Thankfully, the Matcha Cheesecake did live up to expectations, being a really well made and decadent cheesecake with a great depth of flavour. If anything however, it was the Korean Gochujang Chicken that really stole the show for us, being seriously great chicken that would be the main reason we would return to Chimek for a second round. The other reason would be the price - the entire meal came in at $27 with the Chicken and Burger being $10 respectively and the Cheesecake going for $7. At this price, Chimek is a great value for money cheap eat, and yet another sign of the growing vibrancy of the Fremantle food scene.<br />
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AlissaandDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04332663491474140162noreply@blogger.com4