Bites: Dragon Seafood @ Northbridge.

While its younger brother Dragon Palace on Francis Street is known for the posh and glitzy interior, its the older Dragon Seafood that still packs the punch many might have overlooked in search of ambience.  My lunch there earlier this week clearly proved that because if anything at all, Dragon Palace merely recreates the quality of dim sum seen at Dragon Seafood.

The usual suspects included the Siew Mai which pack a burst of juicy pork and delicious prawns under the same skin.  As I have mentioned before, the Siew Mai at Dragon Palace is the best in my opinion and this clearly was not any lesser.

These were deep fried crab cakes which were ok.  Typically, I find most Chinese Restaurant using crab flavored meat than the real deal itself.  This was no different.

Bean curd rolls were one of the more moreish food that lunch.  I enjoyed it delicious filling of meat, vegetables and prawn.  The braising sauce used was flavorsome as expected.

Sister’s favorite were the pot stickers which did not appeal on the outside but on the inside, it was all game on.  Super juicy pork meat with the perfect amount of green onions.  Perfect for dunking in the vinegar or enjoyed just by itself!

These are one of my dim sum favorite but as I have always complained, the chicken feet in Perth are plagued with inconsistency revolving about the tenderness of the dish.  More often than not, the dish has not been given sufficient time in the steamer making it touch to chew.  Unfortunately, this is one of those times :(!

Last but not the least were the egg tarts.  Not only is this a favorite of mine, but dad’s as well.  These were delicious except for the fact that they were serve cold which possibly indicates the lack of demand.

At the end, the food was no 10 out of 10 but neither was it a flop.  For me it is good as the benchmark of dim sum has been met.  But the usual complain is what really stands out to make a dim sum place outstanding.  For me, there isn’t a factor that makes this place perform better than other.  But if you hate the queue and can do with a less dainty setup, Dragon Seafood definitely meets that criteria.  Also, chili sauce and oil is a self service thing here with no extra charge, so if you are sick and tired of flagging one waiter after the other just for sauces, this might just be your cue!  Despite a rush lunch, I was satisfied with the food I had.

WenY

Bites: Dim Sum @ Café Delight

Last week, the lads and I had a little dim sum adventure where we tried a new Yum Cha place called Café Delight nearby my office.  I have to say, the interior looks pretty damn good as it has just recently opened.  But the layout of the entrance obviously showed that the restaurant expected long queues which hmm lets just say that has not turned out quite correct yet.

Its food was not the tastiest and at best, most were mediocre.

The prawn dumplings felt rather typical.  Not that it tasted bad but after having so many, most seem to taste the same.  One point to note was that the dumplings were cooked spot on as the skin did not break when we brought it out.   Prawns were springy not powdery I guess this it a good thing.

Another thing we ordered was the chicken feet which I found was well marinated.  It was sweet, and salty with just the perfect amount of heat which is not too much at all.  I liked the way the skin was puffed and fell right of the bone when I ate it.  This to me is the most important thing for a dish like that.  No bad smell as well, so yay!

We also ordered bean curd skin rolls and congee which were all ok but then again, mind blowing it was not. Too many thing here felt rather typical.

At the end of the meal, we also ordered things like the egg tart, chicken pie, rice flour rolls and chili pepper squid.  All of which were under average compared to its peers with the exception of the chili pepper squid.  Chicken pie felt certain as if they were trying to copy New Moon/Dim Sim Café all of which I believe are related to Hoi’s Kitchen when I try certain dishes.  The fillings of the pie were shadowed by what seemed like an eternity of pastry! Rice flour roll was deceptive with a thin layer of the roll on top ending with 3 layers at the bottom.  My dim sum comment shall always be the same about rice flour rolls in Perth! They suck so bad!!  But what made me happy was the squid which was crispy and really tasty which to some would equate to very salty.

When I asked the guys what they thing about the food, Mr Cincai said “OK” which he always does,  while Chau said it was OK, but felt really bland at some point.  Win reckon’s Dragon Palace is better.  To me, many things that day felt lucky.  Well cooked chicken feet and good dumpling skin has always been a matter of luck for most diners.  Sometimes if you are lucky it is good, sometimes everything feels overcooked and falls off the dumpling.  Chicken feet always has the issue of being too tough.  Fry it more! Soak it in colder water! or just braise it more!  But when intimidating crowds of 100s queue outside, I guess dim sum business really becomes the hardest!  Would this be a valid excuse for us to pay continue paying $20 per head when the quality fluctuates so much?  I wonder.

WenY

Bites: Superstar Waffles

Hidden unsuspectingly in a quiet lane is a little dessert place called Superstar Waffles.  Without a doubt, the name gives it all away.  However though, the claim of title Superstar makes me go WHATTTTT?  Anyways, having had dinner at Hawkers last Saturday, my homies and I decided to make a trip to Superstar Waffles since it was really nearby.  For those who find it hard to find, Superstar Waffles is located along the Arcade behind KThreeG/Kakulas Bros Shop.

 

STRESSED = DESSERTS?

 

Claim to fame?

 

Entering the premises, we wondered why was not there the usual buttermilk aroma which is typically present in most waffle shops. To be exact, the “Gelare” aroma.  Despite that, we were in no way demotivated to order.  Among ourselves we called 4 waffles to share.  Here is what we ordered and what WenY thinks!

 

First in was the Sweet Milk waffle and this surely was one of the best Superstar combination. Drenched in a condensed milk X butter sauce, there is nothing more Asian than this classic finish.  It was good! The delicious waffles absorbed the sauce giving it a pleasant moisture with a very tantalizing butter aroma.  One thing I liked about the waffle here is that the outer bit is a little crispy with a soft inside.  Whenever I do a trip to Gelare, it always feels crunchy through.  More like a biscuit. For me, this consistency is pretty spot-on!

 

My pick for the night was the peanut butter mousse and Oreo waffle.  I really like what I had there.  The peanut butter mousse was light, airy and not sickening.  For me, it was perhaps a little less rich than I would like it to be.  Furthermore, only half the waffle had peanut butter.  Next time, it will be peanut butter over the whole waffle! hohoho!  And I felt like the Oreo felt more of a textural component but felt somewhat lackluster! Next time, peanut butter ftw!

 

Darling decided to go berrylicious with a waffle paired with berry compote, crispy oats and double dose of vanilla ice cream.  This one might be for those who seek a more balanced flavor. For me, the berry compote felt a little to acidic but when mixed, you get the aromatic waffle to blend in with the sweet vanilla flavor and a good compote to wrap it all together.  Pretty good in that manner.  Oats the little darling did not feed me so I had not idea how it tasted.  But if crispy, it adds that little sugary crunch that would be welcomed!

 

Overall, Superstar Waffles lived up to its hype.  I liked its décor, very nicely done in a way where one feels homely.   Its waffles lacked in the “Gelare Aroma” but never failed to give that delicious texture I look for in my waffles.  But not everything is so green at Superstar Waffles. The downside was picked up by my whipped cream expert who found that the cream was perhaps a little overwhipped.  It was missing the light consistency along with a more milky taste.  We found the cream slightly stickier than usual.  Nonetheless, I who love my peanut butter would not bother with the cream in anyway.  But those who like their waffle with cream and syrup might say otherwise!  Notwithstanding the high and lows of my night, I would definitely welcome this little café to join the ever improving food culture in Perth! :D!

 

WenY

Bites: The Brisbane @ Northbridge

When my boss left last week, it was not all doom and gloom.  The structural group had lunch together to remember what everybody considered a friend, a boss and a teacher.    The venue unsurprisingly, was the Brisbane which is a place the employees  frequent.  I have been here three times this year, once when I started, next was due to a monthly gathering within the group and now this occasion.

 

The company has a zero alcohol tolerance so I guess a glass of bitters is good enough! Not like I would drink alcohol anyways :P

Long live the RBs!  Almost thought I had lost them when I went laser tag the last time! Amazingly it was found and returned!  Perhaps my boss too, would return after his holiday :)!  Then again, 70 years old and working sounds really cruel!

 

 

For my meal last week, I ordered the lamb shank @ $32.50. The lamb shank was well-cooked when you consider the tender meat falling of the bone. Vegetables were well caramelized with the exception of the baby carrots which could have benefited from being caramelized a tad longer. The mash also was spot on with me finishing every bit of it.  With so many components done well, it really felt as if this was the perfect dish. And just when you thought so, there comes the typical brown sauce all classic yet one dimensional in a dish like this.  The lamb itself is not a very tasty piece of meat.  I was hoping for a little acidity or perhaps sweetness which might have been enough with the carrots if the piece of meat was not so huge.  So perhaps a tomato based sauce or some chutney on the side or anything!  This seems to have plagued most of the shanks that I have been having lately! EMO!

 

Brisbane as a corporate lunch place or perhaps a place for drinks after work is good with a decent interior and a really lovely court yard.  Taking about a foodie meeting, and it is a place one would definitely write off.  It is not all that bad.  Of the three occasions that I have been there, the most memorable one would have to be the time when I had the steak sandwich.  It was seriously good.  Probably one of the better ones out there! But with a price tag of $2X, that better be one heck of a sandwich!

 

WenY

Bites: What the Pho @ Northbridge

Slurping hot noodles and a good winter’s afternoon is pretty much what a mundane Monday needs.  The fix at one of the newer Vietnamese Restaurants in the city, has a catchy signboard with a matching name.  Pho or Vietnamese noodles are often pronounced “poh”  which my friend says is wrong.  Instead, the correct pronunciation is something like “fur”.  Putting petty issues aside, What the Pho has a really nice interior which sets itself apart from its counterparts who seems to have a more traditional “less is more”  sort of styling.   But it was the food that really mattered.  Does the younger restaurant have what it takes to beat its more experienced siblings?

For me, I called a dry noodles with fried chicken for $11 + $1 for extra noodles.

The toppings were decent with bean sprouts, chives and spring onions.  But what matters the most for me is the sauce used.  For me, Vietnamese is all about having the elements well balanced.  This means having a salty base with proper amounts of sweetness and heat.  Unfortunately, the version of dry noodles at WTP was decent when it comes to salt but sweetness was non-existent.  I reckon the people at Phi Yen or Tra Vinh, make better sauce for their dry noodles.

However, what I did like was their fried chicken! It was chopped up, well-plated and serve with a small dish of sweet sauce.  And if you’ve guessed it, this gave the noodles good help!  Add it together with the chili sauce, and the whole noodles actually taste pretty yums!

As for my friends, they ordered the raw beef and beef ball hofan.  I tried their soup and found it pretty good.  But what matters most I guess it the opinion of my friend who happens to be a Vietnamese.  Quoting his exact words “It looks interesting from the outside, but tastes bland”! Honestly, I thought it was pretty tasty haha.  But then again, I typically mix my soup with the chili sauce and the other sweet brown sauce.  This creates a concoction where the original taste has disappeared! 

Finishing my meal, I felt satisfied.  I guess others felt relatively good as well.  I liked what I ordered despite it being slightly bland which did not really matter.  This was because  the various sauces on the table allows everyone to do a little bit of mix and match to suit.  Lunch at What the Pho was alright in pricing as well.  I guess this warrants a second visit although one might find it hard to deviate his meals from his usual restaurants especially when one does not offer anything more than the other.  In fact, the choices at What the Pho seems slightly lesser with the usual suspects such as Braised Beef Noodles, and  Diced Steak with Fried Rice all missing.  Hmmmm?

WenY

Bites: Aisuru Sushi @ Northbridge

Aisuru Sushi along William Street is fast becoming a popular eatery with long queues on the weekends for inside seating.  With its large glass windows, Aisuru looks and feels very polished, signs of a restaurant that is both hip and modern.  Last Friday, my workmates and I decided to try it out as it has been very well mentioned on both the internet and by word of mouth.  Stepping in to the restaurant, we were presented with a choice of waiting for 20 minutes for an inside seat, or an immediate sitting outside.  What strike immediately  me was the missing feel which I would normally get in an authentic Japanese restaurant.  But what does it matter? Nowadays, chefs with culinary skills of a different culture is becoming increasingly common.

 

Seated outside, we were soon told that we had to go in and place our order before paying on the spot. It was not the best type of service but we kindly oblige. Also, the waitress seems stingy on the menu, giving us only 2 to share among the four of us. I really did not know paper was that hard to print. Nonetheless, after looking through the menu, we ordered a few dishes to share.

 

The first dish to reach the table was the Caterpillar Roll

The Caterpillar is essentially an Unagi roll with flying fish roe, avocadoes with a dash of soy and a mayonnaise.  The rice was good on this one, but when one calls Unagi, he expect to taste it.  Unfortunately, the Unagi was minimal in this sushi leaving the taste job to the soy and mayonnaise which is naturally an already good condiment?  My take? I wouldn’t have paid $10 for 4 pieces.  RIP OFF.

 

Next came my workmate’s choice for us to share, the torched scallop roll

In this roll, it was hard to fault the scallops and the rice, but what disappointed was the avocados which could have been more ripe as it left my palate with a hint of rawness.  Nonetheless, the sweetness of the torched scallop mellowed well with the rest of the element for a tasty bite.   Perhaps more attention to detail the next time!  For $11 bucks.. I shall not comment.

 

What we had next was the winner for the night.  One which truly satisfies.

The black velvet for me was a nice reinterpretation of luxury rolls.  With tuna, Tamago, caviar and a tempura prawn running through the rice, it was spot on.  Spicy mayonnaise was decadent and avocado good.  All in all, this tiny morsel of food was so yummy we regretted not ordering a full serve.  $12 for 4 pieces.

 

The next roll was the  Dynamite Roll.  The roll had teriyaki chicken, tamago and avocado with hot sauce.  The chicken while not being as moist and well cooked as Kanta, was helped by the sauce which left my tongue wondering what in the world was this sauce made of.  It did not feel like your usual spicy sauce.  In fact, it did not taste Japanese unless it was one that has skipped my taste buds.  Over all, this was pretty OK! 

 

The next roll was one that I chose, the Plum Flower Roll which is $9 for 4 pieces.

Let me ask all of you, what is wrong with the food in this picture?  Holy jesus.  Please do not open a Sushi Shop when you intend to serve me something like that.  While the sushi on the left was ACCEPTABLE, what the HELL are those three on the Right?  It’s like a scene so obscene where anyone can call themselves a chef because money is too easy to earn in this city of iron.  Sticky, gluggly, overcooked, broken. This was crap beyond belief.  Any sushi chef who rolled this would have known that he had messed it up.  To serve it? I shall rest my case now.

 

What astounded the table the most was the pricy appetizers that came at a very inappropriate timing.

 

For our appetizers which came after 4 serves of sushi, the tempura popcorn @ $9.50

This is definitely one of the highlights of the night without a doubt, it felt buttery and within each bite is that lovely burst of corn flavour.  This one of the better things that night.

 

Next was the spicy shrimp @ $15 for 5 pieces.

Yes these are prawns and typically, the Australian “King Prawn” size which are about the 1/3 the size of the king prawns in Malaysia.  Nonetheless, 5 prawns for $15 is such a slaughter.   It’s battered, it’s fried and yes it’s been drizzled with decent sauce, but seriously?  Just last week I had a meal at Tsunami, Mosman Park where 10 prawns and 1 soft shell crab all deep fried with a drizzle of spicy mayonnaise had only costed us something like $19 bucks.  This I am not lying! In an atmosphere that was almost romantic only to be destroyed by our youthful bunch, Tsunami @ Mosman Park puts Aisuru to shame.  This is no lie, just check this link out to Tsunami’s Menu.

 

Another thing we ordered was the soft shell crab salad.

Unlike what I had at Bonzai, this is something anyone could easily do.  Fry the crab, pull out a bag of salad and magic.  That is $19 saved.  This was nowhere near what I expected as I have always been impressed at how the Japanese make me eat my vegetables.  At Bonzai, there was innovation and that concoction of mayonnaise, and that other sauce they used really created a chemistry that I appreciate.  The wanton skins itself in the Crispy Chicken Salad at Bonzai also brings the salad to a whole new level.  This salad at Aisuru in contrast is just depressing.  $19.

 

At the end of the meal I had 6 pieces of sushi, 1 prawn, a few popcorn tempura and some salad with 1/4 soft shell crab.  My bill for the night was $28.  Feeling hungry, I left to Koko Black for some dessert before meeting up with some lads at the Imp for more drinks.  How would you feel?  Seriously, is this a sign of how things are about to unfold for the food scene in Perth?  Sometimes, eating in these mediocre restaurants make fine dining feel cheap.  To be honest, I did not feel that way when I was there before.  Perhaps it was the friends that made it a whole lot enjoyable.  However, reflecting on my meal there last week, I should have been a whole lot unhappier. I rarely dish out negative reviews but this is really a  put off.  Mediocre food, poor service and an expensive price tag.  Sick.  Perhaps now I better understand the look on my colleagues face when she ask me whether I would return.

 

WenY

Bites: Sake Bar @ Northbridge.

The entertainment book has done it once again.  Instead of relying on my list of safe to go restaurants, I have tried so many new restaurants in these few occasions where I have decided to dine out.  For a while now Sake Bar has been having a fair bit of buzz over the internet media like Facebook and Urbanspoon.  While some people love it, there is definitely others who would fault it.  Stepping in, there are so many reasons to be wow-ed.  From a modern lounge for drinks before walking in to a heavily wooden accented dining area, this place screams Japan.  The waitresses, not all Japanese but does it even bother me much? Definitely no.  Sliding my finger around the menu, is was clear that there is a little bit of inspiration of everything from everywhere.  But for me tonight, I am going all out on fish.

 

California Roll.  This one costed us $10 for 5 pieces.  It looks fair but for the price you would hope a little more.  In this version of California Roll, the prawns have been substituted for crab sticks =X.    The rice was cooked to perfection but hmm it felt lacklustre.  Might have to get back to this one later one.

 

Next up was the fried sushi which caught our eyes as the waitress served it to another customer.  This sort of thing definitely catches my eyes.  Crispy on the outside with a generous serve of tuna mixed with spicy mayonnaise, magic?  At close to $4.50 a pop,  There was much anticipation from our hungry tummies.  Did it deliver would be the main question.  Tuna was smashing but something like that for $19? I’m out of here!!  This tasted rather alright but the shards of crispy rice stuck between your gums is something else.

 

Aburi Nigiri was another dish that I ordered that night.  Hand-torched seafood really brings out the sweetness of seafood which, when raw just does not taste as spectacular.  For $19 at Sake Bar,you get a selection of Kingfish, Salmon and Scallops, which was a nice amount of fish.  Out of the lot, the scallop was king.  The quality of the scallops were good and that smoothness of the scallop flesh was immense.  Salmon unfortunately lies low in the rank.  The best would probably be from Shiro Izakaya, second from Bonzai and thirdly, here.  Just not as melt in your mouth as what I have had before!  Kingfish was ok, but does not seem to benefit as much as the scallops and salmon.

 

Next was the Kingfish Carpaccio.

This felt somewhat Nobu inspired with all the famed pictures of Kingfish and Jalapeno lying around the internet but this was different.  The very thinly sliced fish was really smooth. Mango and spring onions mixture for this just did not excite.  Having the fried condiments on there, I could not tell the intention because that has instantly taken away the very subtle freshness of the fish.   I mean after all Carpaccio means to serve raw is it not?

 

The next one was the Aburi Salmon with Wasabi Mayo and Salmon Roe.

This one, albeit being a little more delicate on the palate still did not pack that melting sensation I seek.  But the flavour were great despite my fellow guest found it a little pungent from the wasabi mayo.  It looked really beautiful on the table.  It tasted promising but still has rooms for improvement.

 

At the end of the night, I did not leave feeling satisfied. I walked in created my little cloud of expectation for a classic Japanese Izakaya from all the wooden accented interior, the flowing water, and when you open the menu, you get a fair amount of classics with another huge selection or modern dishes which is good.  But when it came to the table it was not all that spectacular.  Misses were more than hits and yeah.  It did not taste like crap but neither did it justify its price tag. 

 

With all the other restaurants in the vicinity like Bonzai or Shiro across the train station you would at least want to price yourself strategically if not decently.  All restaurants mentioned packed great modern interior.  Bonzai of the lot feels value for money with an urban feel.  The menu is fresh, exciting and clearly distinctive from the rest where it packs a very Western feel to it without losing the Japanese touch.  Shiro on the other hand places itself in the heart of the city where rental is prime.  Its menu is upmarket but food quality, generous.  The only thing not justified at Shiro would be its green tea which is $4 a small pot.  

 

WenY

Bites: Tuck Shop @ Northbridge.

It is finally good to not have Asian food for lunch at work anymore.  After a good 3 months at work, I have finally managed to visit the Tuck Shop which is no more than 5 minutes walk from my office.  Well known for its pies and other brekkie foods, this little establishment along Newcastle Street has already set a name for itself.  It is clear that Tuck Shop is a popular choice for both food and coffee considering the constant crowd it attracts as well as the mentions it gets from my office mates.

The interior of Tuck Shop is simple, neat with a touch of country I’d have  to say.

 

The Menu:

Approximately 15 choices for brunch ranging from simple toast to fancy ones with meatballs, oven roasted chorizos and such with the eggs of your choice! For lunch though, its a small selection of gourmet pies and dishes.

As the pies were all the rave at Tuck Shop, I did not bother looking further!  My choice for the afternoon was a Beef & Stilton Pie while my mates Andrew and Win had the Chicken, Vegetables and Tarragon Pie.

My choice of Beef & Stilton could not have gotten any better.  Rich, melt in your mouth beef enclosed in aN outstanding puff pastry was absolutely smashing.  Stilton as Andrew mentioned to me is a variety of strong pungent cheese like the Blue Cheese.  While the cheese taste was milder than expected, it did add some flavour which had me wondering what it was before.  Nonetheless, the pungent taste one normally gets from blue cheese is not all that obvious.  For me, the beef is really delicious as I have mentioned before, melt in your mouth!    For $12.50 this is no ordinary pie pricing.  Nonetheless, it was a good.  Unfortunately though, both Andrew and Win felt that their chicken pie lack in salt which I agree too!

 

Hand Cut Chips with Homemade Aioli to share.

Hand cut chips always seemed to get the better of these gourmet cafes promoting healthier eating habits.  For me though, the chips at the Tuck Shop were ahead of its peers but it is still, a healthy eat. For me, I have always been a fan of classic shoe string chips.  In this taste test then, this was OK only.    It’s aioli on the other hand was full of flavour which is a quality I usually look for in a dip.  Saltu, full of garlic flavour with that light pungent twist of mustard made it every bit desirable!

 

This seems like a perfect start to a long holiday drought for me.  I guess unless Australia wins the Olympics, there will not be a holiday until the 1st of October which is a good four month from now.  Tuck Shop definitely makes a name for itself in the Northbridge suburb putting out good food at fair prices.  While I know my review has come in later than other bloggers, it is always better late than never.

 

WenY

Bites: HwaRo @ Northbridge!

Nestled in Aberdeen street which is well-known for its bustling nightlife is a new Korean BBQ establishment.  With  budding reputation and worthy mentions from Koreans and Aussies alike, it was definitely a place I had to try.

Hwa Ro!

 

My first trip here was with a group of workmates after work.  Based on what we ordered the first time, it seemed that Hwa Ro has little to offer that differs itself from an already saturated concept.  However, it was in my second trip that we discovered more of what this Korean eatery had to offer.

 

To start, we had the Bulgogi Stew which was in my opinion yums!

With heaps of mushrooms, this was definitely a female pleaser.  The girls found this dish yummy albeit being on the sweet side.  What surprised me was the thick and rich sauce ones all the mushrooms had released all its water.  Initially, there was almost no water besides the stock.  But when the mushrooms were cooked, the pot was almost full! Quite a dish this one is.  The beef was decently tender but that was expected as we might have overcooked it!

 

Another stew that we ordered was the herbal beef stew!

Unlike its bulgogi counterpart, this one carried a more subtle taste which had a sweetness of a different kind.  It was more fragrant with the sweetness of the herbs.  Not mind blowing but decently tasty! Moreover, having different kinds of beef meat in there made is richer and nutritious.  In fact, mom says that all different parts is actually quite heaty and can result in fever or bleeding nose if one does not drink enough water.  For me, unfortunately, the whole barbecue experience was not that good as my stomach felt too ‘hot’ as the Chinese would say.  I had diarrhoea and tummy ache the following two days. Then again, its just me being me!

 

For me, the main thing that differentiates Hwa Ro from its competitors is its unique skewered BBQ meat which gives diners a different experience.  The chicken skewer as you shall see below is fitted into a little socket which automatically rotates the meat around! It was pretty unique I would have to insist!

But be wary though! Being mesmerised by the ever so slowly rotating skewers is nothing more than trickery as foolishness shall leave on with stringy overcooked chicken.  And that happen to all our 8 skewers! Talk about not learning from mistakes huh!? Funny but true! Nevertheless, more love could have resulted in better results!

 

From memory, diners are spoilt for choice.  From short ribs to pork belly or even the simple scotch fillet, there are heaps which we can choose from.  For the skewers, there is a good list of about 5-8 skewered meat.  I wanted to try the duck skewers which were recommended by a friend.  Unfortunately it was sold out when I tried to order it.  It would be a priority the next time around. At the end of the meal, I cannot tell whether I was fully satisfied with what I have eaten.  Over the course of 2 months, I have eaten more barbecue meals than I would have normally eaten in a year.  However, that is not a fair reason to drag what could have been a good meal and make it bad!  My experience at Hwa Ro was a good one.  With a dashing red interior, this fiery establishment would have me back for more.  Whether its the skewers or the stew, it was certain that it was just a matter of time.  But I must say though, the Kimchee pancake here did not impress. For a moment there I felt as if I could have done better hahaha!  Oh and the price here is pretty decent.  The first time, it costed me 15 bucks while my second trip here was 21 bucks per person.  Pretty OK in my opinion!

 

Regards,

WenY

Bites: Izakaya Sakura @ Northbridge

Standing where a previous Izakaya restaurant once stood, Izakaya Sakura is the successor to Ayami which despite is decent quality food and excellent service,  did not stay for long.  Stepping inside with the little darling, I find that little has change since my visit last year.  The decor, the sitting layout, and even the bar still sits on the same spot as it was during Ayami.  Putting that aside, upon our arrival, the prompt service by the waitress was welcoming as she reviewed our booking and brought us to our sits. 

Izakaya Sakura

 

After spending just moment on our seat, the waitress presented us with 3 miniature bowls filled with cold appetizers.  Each were $3 and so we decided to take 2 out of the lot.

The potato salad was nice, clean and refreshing unlike its western counterpart while the pickled vegetables were just as good.  Slightly sweet with a hint of sourness due to the sweet vinegar used in it.  Overall, it was a good appetizer which helped enhanced our appetite that night.  To be honest I was already starving and having sour foods did not help at all @@!

 

Izakaya is equivalent to Tapas where diners call small serves of food to share.  In Australia, this is becoming an increasingly common offering.  In my dictionary of Izakaya restaurants, diners are spoilt with choices such as the over-mentioned Ha Lu, Kanta, Satsuki, and a whole lot more.  Tonight the little darling and I picked an assortment of dishes.  Some old, some new.  Our first dish for the night was the Mentai Mochi Cheese.

Set upon a bed of shredded cabbage was 5 mochi topped with spicy cod roe before having cheese melted on it.  The end product while far from outstanding was a different experience.  Something so chewy as mochi when heated further created a very very chewy thing which I have to say, I chewed until I got tired.  Spicy cod roe felt a little wasted here unfortunately as the taste did not quite complement nor stood out in this dish. Nevertheless, don’t try, won’t know! A good experience but next time I might shy away from it.

 

Next was the Buta no Kakuni or Japanese braised pork belly.

I’m not going to hide the fact that good pork belly pleases me ALL the time.  This version made by Izakaya Sakura was every bit satisfying.  Melt in your mouth bits of pork doused with sake-fragranced sauce was lip smacking.  Also, do not be put off by the liquid-y sauce as the perfect balance of sweet and saltiness is good!  A bowl of rice complimented this dish perfectly.  Also, do not leave out the poor mustard as it has a good chemistry with the pork belly.

 

Next was the Agedashi Tofu which is one of the little darling’s favourite.

While some places tend to deviate from the traditional way of serving this bean curd dish, Izakaya Sakura served it in its most common form which almost never fails to deliver.  This might not be outstanding when compared to all the other restaurants, but as a bean curd lover, keeping up with the standard was all I needed.

 

Next was the Karaage with a Citrus Ponzu sauce.

While KFC has been keeping their special recipe a secret for many years now, they did not realise that the Japanese does not even need it.  One of the worst kept Japanese secrets has got to be the Kaarage which despites its simplicity, never fails to deliver to this unhealthy appetite of mine.  Crispy yet tender and with a marinade that is tonnes more appetizing than a KFC, this was yums!  If there was anything there which I could fault with, it has got to be the rate the citrus sauce made the chicken soft.  Otherwise, this was good :)!   Other than these dishes, we also called a sashimi which to me was terrifying.  But darling nevertheless help devour those 1/2 inch thick salmon slices which is so ewww!

 

We finished the night with a simple dessert called Taiyaki which simply means Japanese pancake filled with red bean paste with green tea ice-cream!

Darling’s a dessert lover and I can tell that she enjoyed this.  While we were expecting the pancake to have a crispy wafer shell, it was none of that and turned out soggy instead.  But fret we shall not as the green tea – red bean combination never fails to deliver.  The ice cream by itself was just spot on.  Green tea was refreshing and did not leave any powdery  sensation on my palette.  Creamy in each scoop. WoW! The weather is scorching today and damn I would like a serve of Taiyaki!

 

If anyone were to ask me whether I’d recommend Izakaya Sakura, I would.   Despite ordering quite a fair bit of food, the total bill was somewhere around $70 for the two of us which was fairly priced.  A similar meal at Satsuki was something like $80 and Ha Lu about $90?  Furthermore, the service was really really attentive.  I felt like my every dining needs were attended to promptly.  Food albeit ordinary, was cooked perfectly.  In fact, calling the food ordinary is not really quite appropriate considering it was darling and I that chose to order what we ate.  In the end, it was a pleasant evening.  I would definitely return one day!

WenY