Bites: Fuku @ Mosman Park

Yesterday, was a Monday which was far exciting than I expected.  Coming home from work, I quickly dressed myself before pacing myself through a horrible jam to the suburb of Mosman Park.  3 weeks ago, I was invited to the opening of something different.  Owner of Tsunami, Brett and his capable crew has establish a new exclusive eatery called Fuku.  Believe it or not, the venue only sits 16 at any one time despite having enough sake to fill the bellies of a entire ship crew. 

 

Seeing is believing:

Diners are spoilt with a whole wall arranged with premium sakes all hand picked by the chef!

 

The menu at Fuku is a degustation which comes in three trims.  A entry level Omakase @ $110, a mid level one @ $160 and the extravagant one at $280.   These prices include unlimited bottle water as well as green tea for diners. For the night, the little darling and I had the mid level degustation @ $160 per person.  These degustation featured many Japanese food which at first might seem a little typical, but in reality is prepared to provide a heightened sense of satisfaction.

Upon being seated, the chef quickly trimmed the finest slices of sashimi I have had in an extremely long time.  To begin with, I hate sashimi and to convince me to eat it, it has to be pretty good!  The salmon was perfect but what caught my attention was the swordfish sashimi which was spot on.  Definitely a textural kick.  Felt like the smoothest slice on the plate! Spot on.  Finishing the raw slices, we tucked into the blow torched Nigiris which I always like due to the buttery richness of the fish when torched.

 

The next course was another serve of spoon size food which featured the wagyu, a lobster on a spoon and a shell fish.  Is this surf and turf at its finest?   Maybe so!  My favourite of the lot would be the Tsubugai and Octopus served on a small bed of cucumber strips.  That one has just perfect balance of freshness and that slight hint of acidity made it a real pleaser.  Beef was nice with a miso concoction and some salsa.  Really nice!  If anything was missing, perhaps a touch of salt on the lobster would have been nice!

 

After this course, we served a quail course. No picture on this one but the quail was cooked for 12 hours before being smoked on a charcoal grill.  These quails are from Hunter Valley which boasts to have some of the largest quails in the planet.  Over all, the sauce was good and the quail was finished with a note of smokiness which was a nice touch!  We were also served scallops with prawns which is one of the other sure hit combination besides pork belly and scallops.  For me, the large scallops were cooked spot on.  Really sweet and tasty with no loss of juiciness like one would expect from a plump scallop!

Kajiki steak with Daikon radish and preserved ginger.  Each individual element was very well prepared.   The Kajiki or swordfish was spot on and to people like me who has not had such fish before, its texture is really quite different.  Some might mistake the texture to an overcooked fish which in fact is not overcooked.  Daikon radish were soft through with just enough resistance when being cut.  Overpowering ginger performed really well when small bits were eaten with the fish and radish!   This was one of the dishes I liked best!  

 

One of the two chefs entertaining the diners.  This chef is cheeky and is very crafty with his hands.  He easily juggles the eggs with his Teppanyaki spatula!  Sitting around the kitchen is not only a Teppanyaki experience, but rather an entertaining one!

 

Wagyu sirloin steak Mayura Station grade 7.  While this was not the highest grade, it was certainly enough for a decent melt in your mouth sensation when prepared at medium.  And for me, that was good enough.  The steak was served together with a classic Japanese Garlic fried rice.  A state where fried rice and simplicity is at its best.  What turned out to be a let down for me was that the fried rice lacked salt.  A great amount of salt.  Luckily enough, a quick soy fix made it right!

 

At the end of the night, I was filled.  Fish, seafood, bird and beef.. it felt complete.  Freshly slices sashimi, perfectly cooked scallops and beef.  It was all pretty good but the boss was not going to let the night end without a sweet note.

 

For dessert: Genmaicha Pannacotta, Japanese Baumkuchen and Mountain Peach with Kinako!

The Baumkuchen felt a little dense as it was a layered cake.  It had a nice crust of lightly torched sugar.  On the inside, its texture felt a little more like a semolina cake rather than a layered sponge.  What felt really nice is that the mountain peach feels connected to the Baumkuchen in a way that having one of the other helped cut through the sweetness a little.  As for the Pannacotta, I can only insist that such fine things should come in larger serves.  I gave half mine to the little darling as I knew she loved her Pannacotta a lot!  It was silky smooth with a hint of tea taste that felt very subtle.  Perhaps a little subtle for green tea fans.  A very delicious Pannacotta!

 

At the end of the meal, there always is a question to be answered.   Was the experience a good one?  Well, I cannot help but feel indebted to be invited to something so special in Perth.  Food is prepared to my expectations and as I have learned from my sitting at Fuku, the small group of 16 at any one time also felt part of a social experience as everyone can talk to one another despite being strangers.  Not sure how much would other couples like this but it was definitely lovely to be able to chat with other people without any awkward feeling because the restaurant felt intimate in many ways.  At the end, some might question the price tag but everyone would have different a opinion. In my opinion, everyone needs to try and get their own :)!

 

WenY

Bites:Myoung Ga @ Perth

With two siblings working in the city, there are those occasional sibling lunches which happens once awhile.  Unfortunately for me, I am located in Northbridge while sis has the luxury of working in the city where the food places are :(!  Fortunately though, she makes good friends and has one in the heart of the city at Myoung Ga.  For lunch two weeks ago, we had Korean Bibimbap at Myoung Ga, a family owned restaurant in the heart of the city!  Service here is impeccable with the shop being fronted by the an uncle who is the owner himself!  As we entered we were greeted by a cheerful uncle who seems to know my sister well!  We were seated and served within a very short time.

For my lunch, I had the beef Bibimbap1.5 serve! I was starving and yes they do larger serves! The combination felt simple but in many ways, flawless.  This was definitely one of those moments where simple is actually more! The mushroom, bean sprouts, carrots and some other condiments did not seems to hard to do at home, but wow! The flavors here worked its magic in my mouth!   The mixing sauce was generously provided as well! So no dry rice but something really nice!  For those who crave delicious Bibimbap, do not overlook this humble eatery near Croissant Express!  Sometimes, I really wonder why do people even queue for Croissant Express!! @@!

 

WenY

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Bites:Hoi Bo @ Bedford

Ask what constitutes a good chicken rice and you will get different answers from different Malaysians.  Some say it’s the rice, maybe the chicken, or the chili sauce and some might even say the beansprouts.  Despite it being a weekly affair for most back in Malaysia, there are few which I would eat frequently.  What more when I am a few thousand miles away from home now where quality Asian food is scarce.  Luckily enough, my cousin’s husband introduced me to Hoi Bo in Bedford.  Few have blogged or mentioned about it possibly due to its location, but this felt truly like a hidden gem for those living outside the vicinity.Buddha statue at the counter! Nom nom nom!

 

Preserved vegetable soup is complementary!I think this is easily one of the better tasting complimentary soups around town!

 

The Hainanese steamed chicken!Words are best kept simple when having such delicately cooked dish.  No-overcooking, smooth chicken meat and a tasty soy based sauce to  bring it all together!  My only complain would be that I hate steamed chicken skin because it has absolutely not taste.  I still my love KFC and roast chicken skin more:P!  However, most would beg to differ citing the smooth texture of the skin is a good enough reason to eat it! 

 

The other chicken we ordered was the Soy Chicken which tasted quite special.  The chicken has the same taste like the steamed one but packed a darker color and a much thicker soy sauce. Perhaps not exactly the same because the dark soy flavor/smell was definitely more apparent.  For me, I would definitely prefer the steamed one!

 

As for the rice, the one at Hoi Bo is pretty damn good.  Smells great, taste great and it even eats great.  Really hard to fault with the rice.  To me,  it even outshines some of the more popular chicken rice places back in Malaysia.   As for the chili sauce, it was the best I have ever tasted in Perth!  It was sweet, and salty with a hint of sourness all in the right proportions!  Noms!!

 

Finishing of the meal with beancurd pudding was the way we decided to go that afternoon!Sorry for the mess in the background haha. The beancurd came with a sweet syrup with a hint of ginger flavor.  Would not call it the best because it definitely lacked the textural smoothness.  Layers were cut too thick but it was OK! Definitely had worse ones in town before where the instant powder grittiness was still present when served!  Definitely wanna KO the restaurant owners who dare serve those!! *pukes*!

 

Overall, it is obvious enough that Hoi Bo is easily one of the places I would go to more often in the future.  With many other Malaysian delicacies on the menu, there is definitely more that could tempt us back to this humble eatery in the Bedford suburb in the future.  However, if I had to list my top  three chicken rice places, Hoi Bo definitely does not hold the crown alone!

 

My top 3:

1/2 Hoi Bo(Bedford) , Old Cathay (Vic Park)

3 Tak Chee (Northbridge)

 

In Hoi Bo, definitely the steamed chicken, at Old Cathay the roast chicken and at Tak Chee, the roast chicken.   Some merits of Old Cathay Chicken Rice is definitely its delicious rice, chicken and a really well-presented dish.  Parking there is really easy too!  But beware!!! It can be oily at times!  As for Tak Chee, this is the cheapest place for chicken rice when eating with friends.  For 8 bucks a head, this places packs enough bang per buck to make it to my top 3!

 

Regards,

WenY

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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: Red Herring @ Fremantle

Two weeks ago, I attended a wedding of a friend who was fortunate to have found  a suitable person to share his life with.  To celebrate this once in a life time occasion I was told that no expenses were spared and boy I think the groom was right.  The venue was a beautiful riverside restaurant called the Red Herring in Fremantle.  Although this seems rather cliché with heaps of other places like Mosmans, Matilda Bay, and Zafferano’s around, I am still impressed :)!

 

After the formal ceremony where the couple exchanged their vows, we were treated to a 3-course meal.

Our appetizer was shredded duck in egg parcels which was pretty damn yums! The fillings felt somewhat inspired by a typical Sang Choi Bow but a little bit more refined.   The greens were complemented the overall dish well too.

 

For my main I had the seared lamb fillet with fluffy mash, and root vegetables.

I could not be happier with what was served to me.  Despite the inconsistency in the lamb around the table, mine was spot on.  The pink in the middle was very good.  Perhaps a little more resting time would have been great but a good piece of tender lamb.  Seeing the beetroots had me feeling nostalgic reminding me of my 2nd anniversary at Amuse where the little darling and I were served lamb with beetroot.  I never liked beetroot but that earth taste of the vegetable really complements the lamb well when served in correct proportions.   This dish was definitely a highlight for me! Full points :)! Not sure how other would feel because as mentioned earlier, some lamb fillets were served well-done despite being asked to serve medium.

 

A cheesecake dessert was the sweet ending for the day.  Unfortunately though, it shot wide.  Presentation was one of its weakest points.  The cheesecake served to me felt like it was falling apart.  The sides were very messily cut.  I guess no amount of hot water can keep the knife warm in such events.  Luckily, the flavors were really good except for those black espresso jelly which was so bitter it was beyond belief.  But for coffee lovers , this might nice because the bitterness do tend to cut through the sweetness of the cake.

Overall, it was a pleasant meal that I had that afternoon.  Other than the gloom from the overcast, the ceremony turned out beautifully.  The Red Herring provided the guests with a solid meal that was both delicious and special.  For myself, I was impressed for most parts of it, except the dessert.  Definitely have room for improvement and perhaps with smaller volumes, heightened finesse in the presentation.  At the end of it all, my wishes are for the bridge and groom, live happily ever after and love each other.  Last but not the least, they say a man without a woman is nothing.  So is human without food! nom nom nom nom!

 

WenY

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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: Mad Mex @ Subiaco

Two days ago, my sister and I decided to go for some simple dinner not Japanese, or Chinese.  Having Italian on Monday did not help either, so Mexican it is.  For those who live near the city, Mad Mex might look like a Zambrero copy cat. But to those who know, Mad Mex is already a household name for fast, fresh and tasty Mexican food when it established its first outlet in Hillarys.  A workmate of mine has mentioned this a few times now, but with Hillarys being the only option before, I am glad we now have one in Subiaco.

To share my sister and I called a Quesadillas and a Grande Melt to share.

The quesadillas was a monster and it is definitely good to for sharing.  Four large triangles filled with melted cheese and meat was good but so rich.  For this one, I called the beef which was tasty but perhaps slightly overcooked but not to extent where it is dry and stringy.  Cheese was good but the overload made it salty! But fear not, guacamole, sour cream and the salsa made this all very easy to eat. 

 

As for the Grande melt, I had it with the chicken.  And to be honest, the chicken was more succulent and the marinade just tasted really good.  Sister did not quite like the black beans in the Grande wrap but I found it ok.  A little dusty sort of textural component which is OK.   No dislike or significant like!  As its name suggest, there was heaps of cheese again here.  But luckily enough, not as much as the Quesadillas!

 

Overall, Mad Mex is a really good bite that feels wholesome and is prepared well under 10 minutes of waiting time.  The concept was simple and more importantly, clear.  Taste wise, this definitely beats Subway hands down.   I like the cheese, and chicken,.  In fact, the guacamole was pretty nice despite lacking in acidity and missing the pungent taste of diced onions.  So next time if you’re catching the footy or simply wondering about Subiaco, do not forget that there is a little something there that does not make a hole in your pocket :)!

 

WenY

Bites: Himalayan Restaurant @ Victoria Park.

Tasting new food has always been a special occasion.  Whether it was the different textures or unusual flavours, nothing better explains a country than its food.  From a total fiascos to rare gems, there is no way of telling the outcome without tasting.    After hopping from one place to another, I am finally taking a break from the usual Japanese/Italian/Chinese/Modern Australian dining.  This time around, Himalayan food.  After so many failed attempts to land a indoor booking due to indecisiveness and hesitation, we finally braved the cold and took a sit outside. 

 

After nibbling on spiced nuts our starters arrived.  The first appetizer for the night was the lollipop chicken!

This chicken is the Chinese version of boxing chicken.  With the meat of the drummet pushed to the top to give a wholesome feel in one bite.  The marinade were good but to me, it did not feel as tasty as it can be.  But the pungent onion ring did have a good taste to it and when  you dip it in the mint yoghurt, wow! The flavours were pretty good!  Not intense but OK!

 

Next up was Momo! The Himalayan answer to the Chinese Shanghai Pork Dumplings.  These were decadent despite its skin being too thick.  However though, this would really be a matter of personal preference.  For example. I did not quite like it at first because the spices in the jus just seems to have overpowered the flavour of the meat which one would get in a typical dumpling.  But then again, this is not your typical dumpling! This is Momo! The Himalayan Dumpling.  The accompanying sauce was a welcoming addition.  It was slightly sweet with a good hint of tomato.  Not bad!  Overall, this was an interesting eat!

 

Looking at the menu, it was clear that the mains have a strong Indian influence.  The curries and such were really quite close but not really the same.  Personally, I did not find the spices as strong as the one in a typical Indian curry except for one particular dish.  But it is this subtleness which carried a special feeling about this.  To go with curries we had a variety of the carbs from naans to saffron rice.  All very typically Indian.

The cheese naan! Pretty yums!

 

Chara ko Sekuwa  a Napalese’s reinterpretation of the tandoori.  Tender pieces of chicken thigh marinated in special Nepalese spices with yoghurt, cooked in a Tandoori oven.  I really cannot complain at all. I really enjoyed it.  In fact I enjoyed this more than I would normally enjoy Chicken Tikka or Tandoori!  The spices were spot on, the dip was refreshing, and most importantly, the chicken was cooked to perfection.  This one, I like!  Even this got fishman’s seal of approval!

Tender chicken :)!

Himalayan Hot Chicken  had boneless pieces of chicken cooked in authentic Nepalese style very hot curry, finished with fresh coriander. 

This was my sister’s favourite that night.  The spicy sauce went really well with the rice. Like I have mentioned before, the subtleness in spices made the chicken feel really light on the palate yet tasty. 

 

Last pic for the night was the goat curry.  This dish was the superb delish albeit being on the salty side.  Goat meat of the bone is one of the best curries for me.  Indian, Mamak or whatever really.  This has always tasted divine in the hands of the right chef!  For me this was another thing I liked.

Goat Curry

 

Other than the curries above, we also ordered a fish curry which to me was OMG so smelly.  Then again I am fussy with my fish @@!  At the end of the meal, I was filled to the bream.  More importantly, satisfied.  I guess there really is a good reason why  the restaurant has always been fully booked on the weekends if one is late.    As for my Himalayan experience, I guess it went pretty well with a below 10 degree weather although when compared, it would pale in comparison with the Everest.  With tasty curries and delicious dumplings, it was hard to complain! Good eat! And oh, their service is pretty slow and they did stuff up our order, but what matter is their apologies and they made it up to us with a free basket of naan :)! haha good service in my opinion!

 

WenY