Bites: Hawkerfare @ Old Lane Street Eats, Northbridge.

Old Lane Street Eats in Northbridge currently sits in the spot of the old Hawker’s Cuisine.  The faces behind this new diner are familiar, but the menu? Not so much.  Rather than a typical round table Malaysian meal, Old Lane Street Eat specialises in a mix of classic Hawkerfare paired with some modern bites.

To start one of the common Malaysian street food, Charcoal Roasted Wings.

Its probably one of the things I have been craving for.  Its flavours were really good and unlike what I’d normally get in Malaysia, the wings at Old Lane Street Eats were not dry at all.  The flavour was prominent of oyster and soy mixture with mild sweetness suggesting that either sugar or honey was present.  And did I say how smokey these wings were?  I reckon I could pair these wings with some Hainanese Chicken Rice for a decent meal.

Crispy Pork Belly Bao

Before I ordered, I made sure to ask whether the Crispy Pork Belly would be tender and not tough!  The lady promised, and Old Lane Street Eats delivered.  The Crispy Pork wrapped between a fluffy bao was definitely yums.  Crunchy pickled vegetables brought a sense of freshness to the whole dish but I would have preferred little less “Tim Cheong” or Sweet sauce, to enjoy the whole meal of bao and crispy belly a little better. 

Wanton in Spicy Sauce was a random craving I had, as I was just thinking of Melbourne’s Hutong a little earlier before I stepped in to Old Lane Street Eats that night.

These Wantons were OK.  Wanton’s were perfectly cooked and was still juicy on the inside. But there is something about the chilli oil which was a bit of a fail fire in my opinion.  I think they could have added a touch of personality to make the chilli oil different.  Maybe some black beans and garlic?  Then again, you will get haters out there who would criticise the new rendition.  I guess I am just being too picky here.

Done with the snack, came the mains of Fried Kuey Teow and Nasi Lemak to share.

While their Wanton Noodles scored well with my sister, neither the Fried Kuey Teow or Nasi Lemak sweet the hit spot for me.  The Fried Kuey Teow had the right texture and was well-fried. However, the lack of egg and chives to wrap the deal along with a good “sambal” to flavour brought it back down to earth.  Good attempt with the Chinese Sausages though!  Its something  you do not get often even back home in Malaysia.

This Nasi Lemak had everything going right for it except for something.  It is something big too!  That is the Sambal!!  Flavour wise it was ok.  But there was not enough the finish the fragrant and fluffy coconut rice.  Another personal preference was that they could have sautéed it a bit more as the chilli was fully cooked but compared to what I am used to, it could have been cooked through a bit more :P!

Old Lane Street Eats sit in a spot that’s memorable to pretty much every university student my age.  Late night Fridays or Pre-Exam Suppers go a long way to curing homesick back then. This time around, I have grown up.  Or so I hope lol?  And the flavours of Old Lane Street Eats are every bit appealing and I believe they are on the right track.  A few touch up and finesse to the end product is sure to make this a late night hot spot.  Their opening hours are right on that track too.  Price wise, the appetisers are priced very closely to their mains so it can either be a very expensive meal or a very affordable meal.  Till next time, enjoy!

WenY

Bites: Sensational Corned Beef & Hash @ Frisch and Barc

Instagram has been hit by a plethora of pictures featuring some tantalising brunch from co. at Frisch and Barc.  Naturally, I was keen to visit and ignoring my previous lesson learnt from a mediocre opening at Nic & Kolo, I decided to go anyways.

Frisch and Barc has no visible signboard from Canning Highway, so be on the lookout for a modern looking building a few meters after the Como Hotel heading towards Applecross.  Sitting is limited so be prepared to wait a little or brace yourselves and sit outside in the winter chill.  The interior is fresh and modern but it was really the service that made the day pleasant as they were courteous enough to move us in  However, being a foodie it was the food that makes or break my day.

Coffee to start:

Family was really happy with their coffee.  I do not drink coffee, but as dad stirred in his sugar I could see the micro foam looking real good.  If only they had Match Latte which was more on my level!

YH had his with extra marshmallow after he curiously asked the waitress how much does it cost and she gave him one for free. (PS: It comes with the hot choc!)

The Singaporean Chilli Crab Omelette $24.50

I reckon people get quite pissy over paying $24.50 for an Omelette.  But when I had it in my mouth I really did not mind. The robust and tangy flavours of the Chilli Crab sauce was an instant hit to the palate.  Folded into the Omelette, the rich tomato flavours with a mild chilli hint of the Singaporean Chilli Crab was immediately enjoyable.  The crab meat in the omelette was definitely adequate but I did not get the plump juiciness one gets when eating fresh crab.  Also note that the crab sauce is not as spicy as you’d expect to maintain its appeal to the general public.

Black Angus Corned Beef Hash $23.50

This was the dish that got me to Frisch and Barc in the first place.  Safe to say I was not disappointed.  Its presentation was impeccable and the hash was cooked sensationally with its crisp outer complementing its softer centre.  Even better were the tender slices of corned beef.  It was definitely not your typical dry and overly salted corned beef.  Instead this has a subtle saltiness that gave the dish a great flavour and texture from its tenderness.  Its sauce was a tad peppery at some point, and I did not know what it made of.  Felt like something based on a soy reduction.  I could be wrong but it was definitely a much welcomed addition to the plate as the dish would have been really dry otherwise.

Not pictured individually was the pulled pork sandwich which dad ordered.  I do not think he was impressed by how dry it was, especially when sandwiched between a thicker than usual toast. 

I definitely enjoyed Frisch and Barc more than I expected to.  For a spot that’s just opened for a few weeks, I am impressed.  The brunch here was a lot more inspiring that the norm these days with the Frisch and Barc kitchen bring strong and interesting flavours to the morning table. They stock the usual goods too if you would rather a sandwich or bacon & eggs. Sitting space is limited but I believe they have the capacity to open the space upstairs if it is available for use (and is ready).  

WenY

Bites: Filling the void @ Sparrow's Nest, Victoria Park.

The Sparrow’s Nest, where the little bird comes to seek their refuge. That was how I felt on the drizzly weekend.  Cold, wet and damp!  A little comfort was what I needed.  Unfortunately the sitting in the Sparrow’s Nest is a little cramp like the rest of the brunch places on the Albany Cafe strip are.   But as the wind died down, the outdoor sitting became a viable option!  In fact, it was a better sitting choice because it was cool and much more pleasant.

Omelette w/ Chorizo

Presentable, definitely very presentable and I had high hopes for it. However, the first cut through and it was immediately obvious that the pan might have been a little too hot and the egg a tad over-beaten.  I did not get that multilayer creaminess in each cut but rather a rather a cooked omelette with little craters in the middle.  I reckon a slightly lower fire and a good amount of butter to finish the omelette with a shine would have made it perfect so that the bubbles would have just slowly diminish.  Chorizo bits were mixed into the egg which was a nice, but I would have preferred large chunks of sautéed chorizo!

Pancake with Maple Syrup, Berry Coulis and Vanilla Ice-Cream

Another dish that is simply presented.  No fancy pants candied bacon, salted caramel or whatsoever, but rather a fluffy pancake evenly browned on both sides with a served of fruity berry coulis and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.   Drizzle more syrup for a perfectly moist and sticky sweet pancake.  So much better when no one tries to mess with the original pancake recipe. Note: You could have the bacon but I did not think I needed it this time.

The brunch at Sparrow Nest was a good family catch up.  Over all, the food was decent and it was cooked-well with the exception of the omelette.  Even then, there was nothing seriously wrong with it.  There was nothing fancy about the Sparrow’s Nest and its a brunch spot you do not go to expecting to be wow-ed.  Instead it is a place you go to be enjoyed being served a home-style breakfast that you could have made at home.  Simply because you can.

WenY