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Showing posts with label Northbridge Eatery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Northbridge Eatery. Show all posts

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Bites: A Chinese Banquet @ Northbridge Chinese Restaurant, Roe St.

Northbridge Chinese Restaurant also known as Lok Fook by the Chinese population in Perth is a popular Chinese restaurant on Roe St.  While it is popular, this place draws a host of criticisms from me in the past for its arrogant lady boss, incompetent service and inconsistent food quality.  Earlier this year, it became known to me that the chefs took ownership of the restaurants and so my family decided to have a family dinner here after a long time of being away.  Under the new management, Northbridge Chinese Restaurant is a fair bit different now that is has a level of service which is more acceptable.

That night we had two tables of 8, one for the youngsters and the other for the oldies :P!  Since it was a special treat for my parents as well as my two aunties who traveled from Singapore and Sydney, it was an all out banquet for the family.

The first dish to reach was an “egg drop" Chinese mushroom soup  The thick gelatinous soup did not quite tickle my fancy but was a decent start to the meal.  It is probably just me, but I have a preference that other than the good old Shark’s Fin soup with crab meat, I prefer Cantonese style soups which are thinner in consistency yet potent in the sweetness of its ingredients like pork ribs, lotus root, peanuts, dates and a host of other herbs.
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Scallops on shell steamed with emperor soy, glass noodles, topped with crispy garlic oil and finely chopped scallions.  Scallops are always a treat when served not the table. This was no different.  The sweet protein of the sea when cooked to perfection is a no brainer.  Here it was  prepared simple, yet delicious but a tad overcooked.  Thinking of the perfect scallops, I feel the need to revisit Marea in NYC.  The scallops at Marea had to be the best I have ever had.  See this post here to get what I mean :P!
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Next up was another dish that involved some intense finger action.  Snow crabs tossed in a salted egg sauce.  It is not hard understand why people go crazy over snow crabs.  Its large chunk of flesh from the claw easily overwhelms that of any other shellfish on earth.  Add a fragrant garlicky salted egg sauce to the equation and boy it was good.
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At this point of the dinner, the chef probably thought that it was a good time to give our palates a rest and cooked up a piping hot serve of garlic Kailan.  A basic dish that never fails to satisfy. Easily cooked at home, but never the same, restaurants tend to use a bigger “burner”  resulting in a drier vegetable dish.  At home, most garlic kailan usually comes out watery!
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Next was up was the boys favourite, the Pai Kuat Wong or the Emperor Ribs.  Crispy deep fried meaty ribs coat in a sticky sweet fruity sauce is a dish that tastes very similar to the Peking Ribs with the exception of the mayonnaise.  
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Next was another deep fried dish @@!  It was a very unhealthy night but hey, once in a blue moon right? haha.  The last one was a fusion between an aubergine and a prawn/chicken paste of some sort.  I have to say, I was not the biggest fan of the dish for the sole reason of it being way too oily.  Aubergine is quite a spongy vegetable.  It absorbs things well.  Oil in particular. So deep fry something like that and oh that oil! Just a couple of days back we had another Chinese meal two doors down and they served their specialty chicken skin and prawn paste dish which was absolutely moreish when compared to this.
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To end were the complementary fruits and sago in coconut milk.  Neither were particularly impressive but who am I to complain when the word complimentary is involved :P!
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The meal at the Northbridge Chinese Restaurant was a very good one.  It is actually the second time I am visiting the place in the last 2 months as I had another big family dinner here when my relatives were here from Canada.  Altogether as a family, we were worried initially when we made the booking due to the poor the place rating it had on Urbanspoon.   Nonetheless, two successful dinners has shown that the new management is not short of skills when it comes to preparing quality Chinese.  This in itself is a good reason to come back.  But for everything else Chinese especially Chinese Roast, I would stray no further than my favourite HK Barbecue or Good Fortune :)!


WenY
Northbridge Chinese Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Bites: My Malaysian Feast @ PappaRich, Northbridge

When I was younger, mom and dad got me most of the thing I wanted as a kid. I had the Donkey Kong on my N64, Sonic to go with the Sega MegaDrive and all the PlayStation games I wanted. In exchange for good results of course which involves hours of text book grinding.  This was what an invitation to PappaRich, Northbridge felt like after being hard at work for a long time, and by long, I mean really long.  Walking into PappaRich, I witnessed familiar sights that quickly got my senses excited.  Finger pulling roti action followed by curry dipping.  Damn it was good.

Both my sister and I have not gone back to Malaysia for over a year now but seeing the many varieties listed on the menu did not send us into a limbo because we already knew what we missed from home. In this instance, I was definitely choosing things I wanted rather than the poor marketing Malaysia does in making the world think we only drink Teh Tarik and eat Roti.
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For our drinks I called the Milo Dinosaur while my sister had the Soy Bean milk with Cincau.  Malaysia makes some of the best Iced Milo and this was no different.  My drink definitely brings back all the adolescent memories where Iced Milo was a staple at the breakfast table or as a beverage before bed.  Needless to say it was delicious.  The Iced Milo was richer than usual which meant calorie alert but who can resist drinking this with the little bits of biteable Milo Chunks!  Sister's drink was also yummy with PappaRich blending the Soy Bean milk with ice giving it a slushy style treatment.

First up were the chicken satay, our first appetizer.
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The lure of this chicken pieces marinated in lemon grass, and Turmeric is easily a global phenomenon.  I doubt  there is any other food on a stick that drives a crowd as crazy as satay in Australia.  The satay at PappaRich was a very close imitation of the product back home.  Perhaps even better then some stalls in Malaysia.  The only criticism was not in its taste but rather, its texture.  In Malaysia, you get layers of lean meat and skin making the whole eating experience juicy and tender with little juicy explosion of  seasoned lard.  PappaRich makes it a lot leaner which, as a healthier alternative was a bloody tasty treat.  While eating satay I usually take turns between cucumber chunks and onion slices before dunking it into the yummy peanut sauce.  Did it the way I do back home.  Yums!

Whatever healthy benefits I got from the former was all lost when I decided to call this cheeky little creation PappaRich had.  Deep fried chicken skin, the second appetizer.
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What is there to say here?  So damn good.  Crispy, and salty with a mild peppery note.  One little warning, it takes two person a lot of skill and capacity to finish one serve!  My sister and I barely finished half.  Also, this is something to be eaten quickly as starts becoming chewy once cold!  So grab a couple more friends to come and this would be an absolute table favourite.

Sister's dinner that night was Pappa's Special Briyani.
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There is a lot to take in when you see the plate arrive.  In the middle, you have the fragrant rice so carefully prepared with cardamon, cloves and other herbs.  Meanwhile, the side sports some perfectly grilled egg plants, delicious chicken and sambal prawns.  Sister was extremely satisfied with the egg plants and grilled chicken which she happily finished.  But when it came to the prawns she asked me to "try".  An evil trick to have me finish things she does not like.  So where did it go wrong?  Closing my eyes and re-winding back to my last awesome Sambal Prawn.  I remember how all the Mak Cik preparing this at the stalls in Malaysia never lacked the essential Malaysian ingredients which enhances the flavour of the prawn.  At PappaRich, perhaps all it needed was more tamarind and maybe more shrimp paste/belachan to give the sambal coating a rich and more flavourful consistency.  Was this a big disappointment to the dish as a whole?  Definitely not.  In fact, most would probably just ignore it altogether.

My main was the Nasi Lemak, a staple food of mine back in Malaysia.
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The most important component of this dish lies in the name itself, "Nasi Lemak".  Rich and fragrant, the rice which is cooked in coconut milk has to be prepared to perfection to pass my test.  The rice test?  Each grain is whole, firm and fluffy. At PappaRich, the rice was prepared with enough respect to be liked.  The sambal was good. It felt more Malay rather than Indian or Chinese.  But then again, every sambal in Malaysia is different up to a level where it is not based on district or region but rather the chef itself.   Curry chicken was yummy but I was hoping for maybe a piece or two of potato with it because curry chicken with potato is yummy!  The half an egg was ok, but I was hoping to get maybe two halves because egg and Nasi Lemak are like two peas in a pod.  An awesome pairing that feels incomplete without each other.

To end the night we ordered a dessert which was something totally random which we just hmmm felt like it?  Banana fritters with ice cream.   The fritters were a little unripe for my sister's liking but I thought that it was OK.  As the Vanilla Ice Cream was out of stock, we opted for the premium chocolate for an extra dollar.  I have to say, it was every bit worth that extra dollar especially when you see hints of gooey chocolate fudge sitting between the creamy ice cream.
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My cravings for proper Asian Malaysian food has been satisfied.  PappaRich is a quality addition to Northbridge replacing an EXTREMELY hideous Vietnamese place called Saigon.  Its quality was pretty damn close to home and I really hope it stays the same because everything we ordered was really quite nice.  Is this home?  Perhaps not, but considering I am thousand of miles away from home, I cannot complain for sure. Visit any day to see a snaking queue goes on to say a lot about PappaRich in Northbridge.  Expectations is one, and the other is the number of people who love Malaysian food.   Compared to PappaRich in Malaysia, the fit out in PappaRich Northbridge is a class above the rest and the ambience was really good although the noise is deplorable.  Definitely a new hangout place should they decide to open till late on Fridays and Saturdays! I would be there for supper at 1am :)!
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Also, if it is true, a little bird has told me that another branch will be opening in Carousel Mall in Cannington.  True or False?   Only time will tell.  Thanks for the invite PappaRich Northbridge.

WenY
Papparich Northbridge on Urbanspoon

Friday, August 8, 2014

Bites: Francoforte Spaghetti Bar @ William St. Arcade, Northbridge

Before jetting off to Melbourne last Tuesday, I enjoyed a  meal of pasta with my sister at the Francoforte  Spaghetti Bar located just a doorstep across from Super Star Waffles in the arcade on 189 William St, Northbridge.  7PM always seem like a bad idea but thankfully on a weekday, the congestion in this little pasta place clears quickly and it took them no more than 10 minutes to get us seated.
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After being seated, we placed our orders and were given a complimentary serve of bread, with olive oil and balsamic.
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Kale Pesto
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Kale and lemon pesto, pecorino, caciatorre sausage, spaghetti

Porco Rosso
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Sugo, pork sausages, spaghetti

Guanciale Carbonara
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Cured pigs cheek, parmesan, pecorino, penne

Having picked at various pastas around the table, I could not fault with the pasta served at Francoforte.   If was cooked right, served right and the taste was pretty decent.  Do not expect lashings of creamy and American style trickery to hide the pasta.  

Whilst I was not expecting the flavours to overpower the pasta, I was not exactly bowled over by the flavour combination and wanted more bang for my buck.  For example, the Carbonara had great saltiness from the generous slices of crisp pigs cheek which was a nice touch, but the over all finish to the dish was lacking.  It did not have the silkiness or an even salt distribution.  Without a slice of pig’s cheek, it was bland.  Similar comments would apply to both the Kale and Porco Rosso pastas.  The kale pesto one had a homemade feel that enveloped the strand of spaghetti very well but still did not bring me to that level of nirvana a normal basil pesto one does.  

Was Francoforte Spaghetti a bad eat?  Definitely not.  In fact, if I went to Italy, I would be looking for the homemade feel which I get from Francoforte.  Reading the comments of other, I quickly found the error.  If in Italy, the flavour of the sauce are meant to compliment the homemade pasta.  But in the case of using pre-made pasta, does it still work?  I have absolutely no idea whether the spaghetti was homemade or not.  One thing for sure though is that it did not have the same silkiness of the one I had at Marea or Rockpool.  Then again, the two restaurants I mentioned are heavily accredited by the folks at the Michelin Guide or Australia Good Food Guide.  
  
Francoforte despite being hard to fault, the pastas here were more of an OK than a “wow”.   In saying that, I would not feel obligated to even bother queuing on a busy day.  But on any other day, it could be an automatic walk-in meal.

Weny
Francoforte Spaghetti Bar on Urbanspoon

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Bites: Yum Cha @ Fortune Five Dim Sum, Northbridge

A sudden Yum Cha craving hit my sister over the weekends and when Monday struck, YH and I was at her office doorstep to get her a quick fix.  As per usual we went to our usual spot on James Street.  But if you have not noticed, Dragon Seafood has now become Fortune Five Dim Sum.  Thankfully, the dim sum here is now better than ever whilst the prices have stayed stagnant.   11.50pm and a full house filled with the Asian oldies and their counterparts was a clear testament to my statement.

First up were vegetables stuffed with fish paste and covered in a sticky black bean sauce.  Simply yummy!  The waitress claims it is a dish from HK but whilst in Malaysia, my mom does it with her eyes closed.  Confusion ~.~!
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In the background is the bean curd roll and the prawn with coriander dumpling.  Not sure whether island life has made me desperate for Chinese food but the dim sum here tasted really good that day.

Another staple I ordered was the Siu Mai which was a little porky to YH, but for me it was a meaty little bugger.  I like my Siu Mai to be a little porky but not smelly if you get what I mean.  This hits my sweet spot.  Naturally, I had half the steamer as my sister does not really enjoy Siu Mai too.
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YH’s ordered Salt Pepper Squid Legs which is his usual order.  I found the seasoning a little under but where Fortune Five does well is in ensuring that every piece of tentacle is coated nicely and cooked to perfection.  One too many times have I dined at Dragon Palace, Golden Century, Dim Sum Cafe, and other places that served me half-assed tentacles which were either only partially battered, or came out disgustingly oily.   
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Last but not least were the egg tarts.  Who can walk away from a dim sum meal without a serve of these lovely tarts.  My dad would certainly have to give that person a lecture.  The tarts in Fortune Five comes in a serve of 3.  Crispy on the first bite, the custard was to my liking.  Firm enough with the right sweetness.  It could be eggier though.  I love my egg tarts after all :)!
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Me bringing out the camera today was a little bit of a mistake.  For some odd reason I thought we were going to a new pasta place.  Thankfully it was of great use.   Fortune Five now has an appearance on this little blog of mine ;)!  Food at this new Yum Cha place has really got me wanting to come back.  The quality is there and the price is right.  I have not had the whole menu but from the food we ordered that day, Fortune Five Dim Sum really did well.  This is probably the best Yum Cha place in the Perth CBD area.  However, as I have mentioned in my previous Yum Cha posts, the quality of dim sum in Perth can be inconsistent, so if Fortune Five keeps up their good work, queues will definitely be out of the door!

WenY


Fortune Five on Urbanspoon

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Bites: Greek Meze @ Brika, Northbridge.

Over the weekends,  my friends and I decided to meet up over dinner with Brika capturing our mind instantly.  Set in the fringes of Northbridge, Brika has a lovely eating space that can get quite cozy for two if quiet.  But considering the intent of festivity most people have in mind with alcohol, it is almost never.  The eating style is communal and for our chirpy group of 7 this was a perfect spot.  Fans might even liken it to Duende, Cantina 663, and Old Crow.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe way we started was very typical of the cuisine in the region.  We skipped the cured meats and olives but feasted on dips like the Tatziki, $7 (cucumber, garlic & yoghurt) and the Taramasalata, $8 (mullet roe dip).  Both of which were rather good with the warmed Pita slices, $4 for a serve of 6.  The way the dips were prepared were rather unconventional with the dips having more bulk than having a runny consistency.  This almost made the Pita and dips a meal of its own.  If only the Taramasalata was not so salty.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Next up was the Spanakopita ($14).  Prepared in an unconventional way, this felt like the Greek’s rendition of the Asian Spring Rolls except for its filling which consisted of spinach, leek and a variety of cheeses.  Each bite into these little pastries were greeted with a crunch followed by layers of flavors derived from the mixture of spinach and cheese.  The leak though, was less obvious and almost felt non-existent at time.  This was pretty yums but everyone one found this a little salty. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The next deep one were the Kolokithakia or Zucchini Fritters ($8), another house favourite according to the waitress.  Comparing this to the Spanakopita, I preferred this one more.  Who knew that Zucchini could ever taste so good!?  Flavors were well balanced, and felt fresh despite being deep fried.  After having this, I would rather put a Zucchini in the hands of a  Brika chef rather than any other chef.  These were just yummy! OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Next up was the Saganaki ($12) which was a serve of pan fried cheese.  Perceived as a Haloumi on first sight, it turned out to be another type of cheese called the Kefalograviera.  It had a beautiful crust but a much saltier consistency.  The many serves of Pita which I ordered definitely played a crucial role in us finishing the two serves of cheese which I mistook to be something else.  To be honest, my vocabulary was ridiculed as I scanned the small plate dishes on the menu that I simply ordered two serves of almost everything haha.  Slightly chewy with a hit of saltiness in each bite followed by a mild acidity from the lemon.  A man once said that if you prepare something simple, it had to be spot on.  I am not sure how spot on pan-fried cheese can be.  Perhaps this is too simple?  Maybe a herb spice blend to top it all?OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Whilst the shared plates were a mixed bag ranging from yummy to OK, I was really chuffed with my choice of meat for the night. I chose the lamb which was absolutely moorish.  The seasoning used kept the dish very basic. Salt, pepper and to finish, a sprinkling of herbs. Essentially, it was all about celebrating the piece of quality  meat on the plate.  Slow cooked to perfection, it fell off the bone effortlessly.  Every tiny scrape with the fork is guaranteed to tear the tender flesh apart.  Such joy!OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This was the other dish of octopus we ordered.  At first sight, it felt like the perfect way to celebrate the protein.  Sitting on the plate, it looked plump and well-charred on its edges.  To put it simply, it looked sensational all around.  However, it was only halfway there for me.  Yes the octopus was very tender and juicy, but there beautiful smoky flavors to complement the charred edges was missing.  I expected a stronger hint of smokiness and a mild crunch, the same one I get from Kanta every time I go there.  I do not know is whether a modern grill or a charcoal grill was used to prepare this dish but one thing I know for sure is that a conventional charcoal grill is hard to beat when it comes to flavors.   To sum it all, it was rather pedestrian.  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhilst we had many others that night, I was lazy to snap a photo of everything.  The fish was pretty decent and so were the sausages.  As for the prawn dish, it came in a rich tomato braise that was moreish with the Pita!  The quantity of the prawns though, were rather questionable. All in all, the meal at Brika was satisfying although it does not quite reach my Nirvana just yet.  I see great potential in Brika and with its already large fan base, I have no doubt that the quality Brika brings will be more than enough for most. 

As for the price, it cost us just $250 for a group of 7 without drinks.  This includes 3 pitas, 3 dips, 6 shared plate and 7 serves of meat.  Bloody hell this was by all means great value for Perth.  Very very good in fact!  One more thing to love is the ease of parking.  Unlike the stupid central Northbridge/Perth, the parking at Brika is easy and boy that is a massive plus point.  Ask yourself this question, how many times have you been 20 minutes early to a dinner only to be 10 minutes late thanks to the horrendous parking? 

To end, I want to say that creativity like happiness can be something viral. The rise of food entrepreneurs in Perth is in full force over the last two years.  This has paved the way for many food vans, festivals and eateries. Such is the story of Brika, the result of people who dare bring paper concepts to reality.  And boy I am thankful.

 

WenY

Brika on Urbanspoon

Monday, December 2, 2013

Bites: Big El's Latin American @ Northbridge

Obscure little gems and half price discount restaurants have been my foodie’s go-to this week.  But rather than jumble all of them into a one-liner post, I have decided to do it one by one like I always do.  With the much lamented Sake Bar done and dusted from Francis Street in Northbridge, Big El has volunteered itself to be the new kid on the block.  It promises Mexican tapas and I will be honest.; I love Mexican.  The spices and its almost South-East-Asian approach in taste combination (the sweet, salty, sour and spicy) has never failed to tingle my appetite.  So did Big El manage to get me all excited for me to return with my friends next week?

First of all, it pays to know your chili at Big ElsOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABut bugger that! With me finishing a fair bit of Novembars Chili burger or drinking the blisteringly spicy Tom Yams in Bangkok, I have little fears for chili. Although you-know-where is going to hurt the next day :P!

Non-alcoholic drinks were priced decently in Big Els.  Most drinks were $4 max.  But if you want to go Mexicana, there were a few Mexican beers to get you started before getting into hardcore stuff.  The drawings on the wall were definitely not the most juvenile at Big Els.  But with so much liquor on offer, I least expected the pictures of Sesame Street in Sombreros to grace the wall .

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The dining style in Big Els is a tapas inspired diner.   For that we called a few things to share among the table, but we ended up with way too many.  But lets be merry shall we?  To get the appetite rolling, we called a few starters like Piquin chips(fries), stuffed jalapenos and tortillas with dips.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOf the lot, I have to say that my favourite was the deep fried stuffed Jalapenos. Be warned.  As keen as you may be, your weak tongue might suggest otherwise.    Deep fried Jalapeno popper has always been a crowd pleaser.  Store bought or homemade.  The version at Big El did not fail to deliver. I loved it. But I question the stuffing which consist of “various Mexican cheese”.  That bit failed to take off in my mouth.    I would recommend you to have these little beauties whole.  Dipped in its accompanying sauce, it was heaven.  Spicy as it may be, it was a kickass bite.

Then came the tortilla chips.  Its colors were nice and reminded me of a type of corn which had two colors but definitely not tri-color as the menus suggested.  But what I felt was not so impressive was that the chips felt less crisp than the ones I’d get from a packet of Dorito. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
There were two sauces that night. A creamy Chili con Queso which was yummy and tasted very buttery.  No idea what this was but it was unique and pretty good.  Never have I tasted this in Perth before.  Then comes the Mexican staple, the Guacamole.  Here, you can pound it yourself or let Big El’s wait staff do it the Big El way.  Needless to say, I wanted to taste what the restaurant thinks is an ideal Guacamole should be.  My first bite in and I was filled with dissatisfaction.  It needed more seasoning and acidity for sure.  If it had enough seasoning, it lacked resting time.  I like to let me sauces like Guacamole, Salsas, Pickles, and Raita sit for awhile before serving.  Ideally two hours.  That brings out the best flavors which appears true for most parts.

After having a few starters to share around the table, our shared dishes started arriving at the table.  But none looked more gimmicky than the Mexican Hot Dog.  A simple hot dog bun, toast before being having a hot dogs stuffed in the middle topped with spicy chipotle and Jalapeno slices.  Served on the side was a large serve of Chili con Carne.  But was it gimmicky good?… or bad?OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIn all honesty, there is little rave about a little $1 hot dog you could get from Ikea.  Plus, I remember looking forward to lunchtime in school when these were packed in my lunch boxes.  Sincerely, there was very little to hate about such simplified pleasures.  It was minimalistic and all the condiments were in its rightful place.  Too add on, it came with a large bowl of chili con carne.  The chili con carne was nice and definitely something I would have over and over again.

To share amongst the table, we also ordered the soft shell tacos that arrived with an army of sauces and salsa.  I got pretty damn confused to be honest.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFortunately, there were some standouts which would really suit the chili wusses.  My friends around the table found the roasted tomato and garlic salsa along with the mango jalapeno salsa one to be the most palatable.

But when it comes to the meat, I found the pulled beef to the best.  It had flavor and the spices were spot on.  If only I had one complain, I think it was a little over-salted/spiced.  When something tastes so strong, my tongue almost instinctively expects it to be a little gritty.  But it was not.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADefinitely try the pulled beef.  I found the ginger torched salmon to be a little dry to my liking and with the chicken, it was far from its description of crispy.  It was just grilled chicken!

Also on the table was the Cascabel Chicken Wings.  Tasty little things there were, but they did not quite blow me off my socks. It was OK.  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADeep fried chicken wings seasoned with rattle chilies and served with a side of chipotle mayonnaise.

Last but not least for the night were the Elotes Callejeros or Mexican street corn dusted with Big El’s special spice mix.PB280736On each plate stood 3 beautiful corns and needless to say, I loved it.  Its flavors were just right and there was so many things happening at the same time.  The sweet and juicy corn, the yummy cheese and the spices.  Looking around the table, most seemed to enjoy it especially the cheesy bits.  But my sister whose eating experience was broader than mine, her experience at Melbourne’s MamaSita produced a more significant corn compared to the one here.  Nevertheless, if you are in Perth this would suffice :)!

Over all, I had a pretty decent meal at Big Els.  Taking into account that I only paid half price, it was probably a bargain.  We had a feast for the price of a Mexican takeaway.  But I somehow feel let down by the fact that the restaurant does not bring anything exciting to the existing Mexican market.  It is already in a prime location to start something new.  Perhaps throw some meat on the grill you know, some Mexican spit roast to fend off the Greek/Spanish/Brazillian ones?  While this was in no way a bad start, it left me longing for more of something.  Good potential to be part of something bigger although as is, it is probably just going to live on as an ok eatery.

WenY
Big Els Latin American Fusion on Urbanspoon

Monday, November 25, 2013

Bites: Contemporary Japanese at Bonsai Restaurant, Northbridge

Establishing itself as one of the pioneers of Contemporary Japanese food,  Bonsai has always gotten my fancy for a place that keeps your buds interested without punching a hole in the wallet.  True enough, the banquet which saw us have 10 appetizers and a main each only cost $49 bucks and with the Entertainment Book, you can get a further 25% discount.  Hospitality never strays too far their practice as the supervisor, a cool looking bald-headed guy ensured that our no-prawn and no-crab dietary requirements were met.  Water was always brought to the table and the waitresses despite serving a massive crowd of people never failed to put up a smile.

The night started with our favourite Chicken Salad topped with crisp wanton skins.  Delicious chicken and as mentioned before, can salad even be that tasty?  Mind boggling.  We also had a substantial Beef Tataki well drenched in the citrus ponzu that suited the palate before moving on to a refreshing Salmon Sashimi Bites.  A delicious salmon tartare dressed with aioli on a mildly bitter-ish witloaf.  Good balance of flavors and textures with a refreshing bite.  Then comes the lovely Salmon Aburi Nigiri.  Another table favourite.  I have always loved my oily fish on a charcoal grill or blowtorched a little bit.   The oils when heated gives out that delicious smoky smell and the protein becomes buttery.   Topped with a in-house miso, booms!Bonsai 1Pic (clockwise): Boys be Boys, Crispy Chicken Salad with Wanton Skins,  Tempura Baby Squid, Salmon Aburi Nigiri, Salmon Sashimi Bites

For most parts, our crabs and prawn dishes were swapped into a squid dish.  Deep-fried in a spicy batter or a tempura one, they were exceptionally moorish.  Even XL who tends to stray from squid had a bite and found that they were actually really tasty! 

Pick (clockwise):  Teri-Steak, Pork Belly Kakuni, 2-Style Fried Chicken, Teriyaki Toothfish,  Yv and the Boys, Spicy Cuttlefish, and Jimmy with the girls (middle)Bonsai 2The mains made no less of a good impression than the appetizers.  If anything felt lackluster at all, it was probably the chicken Katsu/Kaarage combo which felt a little underwhelming after having all the deep fried goodies during the appetizer!  However, for one down, we had three joys.  For instance, the beef teriyaki is a classic favourite still resisting the change of time.  Since my first visit to Bonsai a few years back, this yummy steak in a garlicky butter teriyaki sauce have impressed.  It still does really as Jim who repetitively mentioned throughout the night “This sauce is so good.  I wonder how they make it”.  Then we have the toothfish which was cooked to perfection.  Another stunner with the skin still mildly crisp when it first reach the table.   Lastly, the pork belly kakuni!  A delightful soy sauce pork that when accompanied by rice, felt like a match in heaven.  While it could do with more time in the cooker, nobody was complaining.

The meal at Bonsai was no less satisfying than the meal we had there last year or earlier this year.  Its flavors, presentation, and service did not fail us that night.  Seems like an exaggeration but when you realize how little $50 buys you in Perth, you tend to be more than satisfied.  If there was any regrets at all that night, it was probably the missing chocolate cake that Yv, Nee, XL and I love so much.  Perhaps better luck next time? :)

WenY

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