Bites: Typika Artisan Roasters @ Claremont

Typika Artisan Roasters have been around for awhile now.  Being the talk of the town, I was keener than ever to give this newcomer a go. Coming in, the crowd was decent but the dining area was just simply superb.  Right from the door step, it was airy with heaps of seat making finding one a bliss.  Comparatively other smaller venues like Tuckshop and Harvest Espresso still pack heaps of quality and in some ways still give a nice indie feel.

Small vertical garden by the dining area

 

The food that we had this morning was pretty good.  For myself, I called the spiced beef benedict @ $18.50.The poached eggs were perfect.  As for the harissa hollandaise, absolutely sensational.  Its flavors hit all the right notes.  It was salty, sour and sweet all with a hint of spice.  For most parts I loved this dish that Typika served me.   However though, I found that the amount of pulled beef were rather miniscule.  It was spread so thin, it felt as if there was something they wanted to hide.  But in actuality the beef was moist and tender.  This for me was a bummer.  A big one too.

 

The Huevos Rancheros @ $16 was my sister’s pick.  It look gorgeous the moment it hit the table.  Micro herbs on the perfectly runny 62 degree egg looked absolutely stunning.  I was sold.  But does it deliver?  In terms of flavor, the spiced tomato mix had the ripeness and at the same time, the acidity to give my palate a kick .  Mixing the egg in, my sis and I found that it did not really turn out the way its description suggests it should.  The egg in no way thickened the dish.  Instead, it became runnier.  Not bad nevertheless.  But if you come in hungry, I think you might go out hungry too.  For my sis whom is a small eater, she found the dish to be lacking in bulk.  Perhaps some beans or another egg should be present.  As is, it just was not enough.

 

 

If you had something light before your meal and needed to meet someone for  a meal, Typika Artisan Roasters top my list of places to continue brunch.  A list I have just made up.  In fact, I was once told by a girl that she felt hungry after having lunch too.  In the end, the food on the plate just did not feel quite substantial.  The taste though, was far from disastrous.  It was beautiful and in terms of flavors, it delivered.  More important than not, the food here was not typical at all.  It was pretty good.  Perhaps a heap more pulled beef?  Or perhaps some beans would have made our meal complete.  Ok, I have probably ranted enough.  But am I right?  You go there and tell me :)!

 

WenY

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South Korea: (just a little..) Street Food Culture!

South Korea is definitely a place that will always be in the good part of my memories.  It could be the good planning which the we had or perhaps because of how everything felt so foreign it actually became an adventure.  Food for sure is one of the many things that highlighted our visit to South Korea.  No doubt Kimchee is a staple around town, but so are many other types of food.  Street food is especially popular and admittedly, I had a feast whenever I was on my feet.  That explains all the long walks but still, a net gain of 5kgs which I have since lost.  So what is the Seoul Street food scene like?

 

ManduEssentially Korean dumplings which can be served fried or in a soup.  Filled with rice noodles, meat and vegetables, these bite size snacks make perfect accompaniment in the sub-zero weather!

 

TteokbokkiUnlike the skinny ones found in Australia, the ones on the streets of Seoul were plump and with a mild chewiness.  South Korea’s signature sauce which is a little spicy and sweet was just super yums.  Recommended with the dumplings shown above!

 

Pork buns!Not really a common snack, but in a particular market in Seoul called Namdaemun, hungry crowds often pack these home by the dozens! Hot, and more-ish with a textural wonder thanks to the vegetables in there.  (also available with red bean)

 

The dragon beard candyDespite looking so simple, these little delights are skillfully woven by an often charismatic chap.  Sticky honey with peanuts. Imagine the salty-sweet goodness these pack!  Could do with some now!  Often woven on the spot, ask for fresh ones and enjoy the show!

 

Assorted fried foodsAnything here can be fried.  Sausages, fish cakes and even the infamous rice called called the tteokbokki!  Grab one and be on the run ;)!

 

Jap JaeJust because you are in the markets does not mean you have to be on your feet. Kick back, call a Jap Jae and enjoy warm tea or if you prefer, some Korean wine; Soju.  The Jap Jae comes with a variety of ingredients.  Make your pick, be it vegetarian or meat.  If meat is preferred I would suggest the pork.  For an extra kick, ask for spicy.  Beats any ordinary pork stir fry your mom makes.

 

OdengGo up North, down South or simply into any 7 Eleven.  Odeng or fishcake is a Korea staple at home or in the stores.  Walk into any convenience store and a pot of Odeng cooked in turnip broth awaits.  If the –25 degrees weather does not kill you, the awesomeness of South Korea will.  Keep calm, have an Odeng.

 

Hott-teokIn Malaysia, they serve flakey and airy Roti.  In South Korea, they called it Hott-teok.  Served piping hot with a syrupy cinnamon sugar.  Prepare for food coma.  Because it hits faster than diabetes when its that awesome. Also, if you think your fancy shirt is rare, this pan cake beats that.  Only available during winter, make sure you enjoy one if you are lucky enough. 

 

Meat skewersSticky, tasty and tender with a hint of smokiness, these skewered meat basted with a sweet soy glaze was another simple food made great.  Best eaten with one hand.

 

Kelam Pan - Egg in bunNo idea what this is called but it is another food commonly found on the streets of Seoul.  A really nice cake with an egg cracked in the middle and left till cooked.  While I love the cake, the same cannot be said with the egg. 

 

KebabsKebabs!  Funny to find them so far away.  But do not underestimate the Koreans.  Freshly chopped cabbage, spicy bugolgi chicken and a generous amount of mayo makes a formidable team. I was sold.  Behold the roll!

 

These are some of the few food which kept one hand busy which I explored South Korea.  It was an awesome place with so much to offer.  The misconception that a trip to South Korea is an all out Kimchee expedition is clearly wrong.  In fact, the pictures I have taken is probably not even half of the street food I ate.  Definitely worth re-visiting!  South Korea 2013? Nawwwww… maybe 2014!

 

WenY

Bites: Shiro Izakaya @ Perth, CBD

My first time at Shiro Izakaya was back during my student days and I was totally wowed.  The food was decent, but so was the price.  When I saw it go on half-price a few weeks back, I knew I had to revisit this place and try their new menu which I was informed was done to give diners more options.  Truly so, I was very satisfied!

 

Some of the many things we ordered was the beef tataki. A very lovely salad with a well-seared steak that went perfectly with the yuzu soy! In fact, it was their yuzu soy that was absolutely delicious.  I pretty much finished everything on there except the lemon!Yummy!!

 

Another dish we ordered was the yellow fin Carpaccio.The slices of fish here was so smooth it just meddled with my palate in the most sublime manner.  The texture of the yuzu jelly, and crunchy vegetables added to the over all satisfaction.  It was a modern take on the conventional.  In my opinion, it was yummy though we joked earlier that we had ordered an empty plate haha. 

 

Other dish we ordered included the Teriyaki Chicken which was OK only.  The Salmon-GTR is always a highlight and even more so now that the Aburi Salmon Nigiri have been removed to my dismay.  I really enjoyed the Aburi the first time I went.  In fact, several staples like the catchy Rolls Royce were also absent from the menu.  See my previous post here!

 

Shiro Izakaya @ Perth City

 

Since then, things have definitely changed.  While they were missing a few of my favourite dishes, I still very much enjoyed the meal that night.  In fact, Shiro Izakaya is a place I would return to, nonetheless they still face stiff competition from my favorite places like Kanta, Ha-Lu, and Bonsai. Might be a case of eeny, meeny, miny, moe!

WenY

Bites: Mary St. Bakery @ Highgate

Following the lead of several bloggers such as the Queen of Bad Timing and Nini Foodielicious, my sister and I decided to go have our next sibling meet up here.  Coming in around 10.30am, it was relatively quiet and the quirky crew were prompt to have us seated.  I love hospitality like that.  No overcrowding or queues!  One thing for sure though, an empty restaurant can also be a bad signal.  Nonetheless, I was not discouraged to try out a few of their offerings. 

We started with a hot chocolate for me and a coffee for my sister.If you had your first great drink, and it was the best, then it will be a sensational drink you can brag about.  But when you had one too many, it becomes a norm.  And trust me, in Australia most places serve very decent coffee and this was one of it.   Definitely noteworthy.

 

As we had already eaten our breakfast, we only ordered a few pastries.  There were plenty on offer but I decided to start with a filled doughnut for both my sis and I.

Filled doughnuts.  What comes to mind is a fluffy, light, and sweet pastry.  When warm, an even more delectable treat.  The fillings here were nice but the doughnut itself leaves much to be desired.  It was not extremely horrible, but for something as bite size as this and for 3 bucks each, I expected a little more finesse.  Especially when it comes to the pastry! I wanted something light and fluffy instead of dense.

 

Chocolate ganache tartOnly two things to get right here, the ganache and the crust. Some things are not best when short but in this case, it was lovely.  The crust was short and crumbly despite appearing very dense at first.  The ganache was rich and really tasty.  However, my sis and I found that there was a slight cherry taste in the ganache which we did not really like. Or perhaps it was a strong cocoa flavor which one gets from a very good quality dark chocolate.  However, it was not stated dark chocolate ganache so? ? ?!  Not bad but not the best.  Bourke St. Bakery @ Surry Hills still wins hands down! In Perth, I go to Harvest Espresso in Victoria Park.  Their tarts are always a sell out!

 

Last but not the least was Mary Street Bakery’s Peanut Butter Cup.   For my sister and I, this was the sole reason we came here for coffee today.  In comparison with the original Reese peanut butter cups, this one was at least 3 times larger!But what is form without substance?  Fortunately, this was pretty damn yummy.  The top bit was a milk chocolate disk which was sweet followed by a peanut butter mousse filling.  The saltiness of the creamy peanut butter brought the best out of the chocolate.  To finish, a bitter base to ensure a complete experience that is not as cloying as what it could have been.  Over all, a yummy bite but I was not blown! In fact, it is the first time that I am eating a peanut butter cup in a non-Reese form. Happy :)!

 

Mary Street Bakery has been a very good host for my morning tea with sis.  The service was pretty good and we enjoyed a long chat for over an hour.  The pastries on offer is a bit of a hit and a miss depending on what you order, but none is too bad.  However, if expectations are high, you might be disappointed.  In my opinion, Mary St. Bakery is definitely a place worth visiting!  Would like to come back for their sandwiches next time.  The couple next to me ordered a sandwich each which made me salivate @@! Nom nom nom!

WenY

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Day Trip: A Foodie Tour to Malacca.

Malacca was the beginning of Malaysia’s history.  But for me, it is the last destination before I go back home to Perth.  When you have friends who live to eat, coming to a foodie town such as Malacca can be an amazing day trip.  Putting my concerns of where to eat or which blogs to follow aside, I left itinerary in capable hands.   So what did we eat in Malacca?  Well, these were the places recommended in Malacca for a foodie!  A little short of the clichés but these places are well worth paying a visit!

 

Sun May Hiong Satay House

After a 2 hour drive, we finally reached our destination with our stomachs rumbling!  Our first stop, is satay!  The yummy Sun May Hiong Satay House serving authentic satay with a Malaccan touch. Why Satay you might ask?  I was personally wondering why too.  Until I had it :)!

 

Sun May Hiong Satay House

50A, Jalan Kota Laksamana 1/1, Taman Kota Laksamana,

75200 Melaka

 

Here there are two types of satay, one chicken and the other is pork. Basic side dishes like ketupat and a fresh salad of cucumber and red onion is available too.Firstly, the satay here is delicious.  Unlike places where the fatty part of meat is used, here the fat and meat are meticulously arranged to create a sensational bite. For most, it was just good old satay but it was more than that.  It was PORK satay too.   Good flavor in the meat along with an appetizing smokiness made it great.  But what differentiates the satay here was not the meat.  But the sauce.

 A rather poor photo here.  Anyways, the sauce is not your typical 100% peanut sauce.  It was more of a Peranakan/Malaccan style that you get.  The sauce was rich with a hint of fruitiness as well as generous bits of pineapples.  Superbly more-ish with the satay and it was so yummy to the extent where I was literally drinking the sauce at one point!  Definitely a spot to go to.

 

Jonker 88

After finishing up a relatively small meal of 10 satay sticks, my friends brought me to the much celebrated Jonker 88 which is famed for it laksa and chendols. Located on the vibrant Jonker Street, no address is needed I believe.  If anything, visit their WEBSITE @ www.jonker88.com  In Asia, queuing is a norm.  Needless to say, any famed eateries such as this requires a lot of waiting!

 

The price list!  Superb value for the AUD though in Malaysia it was still relatively well priced!

 

I hate waiting though my desperation often overwhelms my impatience.  But why not be quick if I can right? Well, one tip is to TAKEAWAY and SKIP the queue.  Bring it to the heritage park next door and maybe enjoy the chendol with some passing breeze.   Bloody awesome.Embracing the Malaysian food scene at its finest.  I ordered the Chendol topped with Durian, the king of fruits.  For starters, the chendol here is no lame over-rated crap.  The use of the purest and most authentic Gula Malacca or Palm Sugar makes all sweet foods a treat.  Most people assume that IT IS ALL THE SAME. Definitely a big NONO.  Authentic palm sugar has a beautiful caramel flavor and a hint of sour after taste.  Here at Jonker 88, they were so generous with Gula Malacca which made it the perfect drink in the sweltering heat.  The durian flavor was quite subtle to my dismay.  I was expecting a better kick!  Towards the end, the drink became a little too sweet but still every bit delectable.  But be careful though, fussy eaters might find the shaved ice a little rough!

 

Later in the night, we returned to Jonker 88 for their laksa.   It was OK, the toppings of fish ball, bean curd roll and fish was a nice touch, but where a good laksa is concerned, quality of the soup is paramount.  Here it was very ordinary.  But for die hard fans, I shall not comment further :P!  Definitely had better ones before!

 

One Bite Durian Puff

To complement our Chendol, we took away more durian stuff! Here was the durian puff Yobi picked up from a few doors down called One Bite Durian Puff.  Another bloody good snack.  Nonetheless, it could be heaps better.  The durian flavors were again way too subtle.  I guess despite its origins from Malaysia, the king of fruits is not exactly what anyone would call cheap!Fluffy little morsels filled with a durian custard.  An acquired taste naturally instilled in Malaysians.  I loved it although it could have more flavor!    Nevertheless, it is something I would happily hold in my hand while walking around town, consuming these one by one.

 

Chung Wah Chicken Rice Ball

As if that the durian puffs were not fattening enough, we soon found ourselves queuing for what was arguably the most popular food in Malacca. The famous Chicken Rice Ball.  While most of us were not convinced that the hype was worth it on our first try, we decided to give it another go.  Here, we tried the first shop that served this original delicacy. Kedai Kopi Chung Wah or Chung Wah Coffee Shop Chicken Rice Balls!  This is located at the roundabout on Jonker walk.  Another shop which is impossible to miss!Who is not surprised that we are queuing again?  Asians and queuing are inseparable.  We are definitely people who live to eat rather than eat to live!

 

Chicken rice ball. The praises: Chicken was fairly tasty and well cooked.  Not overcooked for sure.  Rice balls were unique and the flavor was decent.  But for a top notch establishment in town, I was expecting the food to be a little more refined.  As my friends mentioned, it felt as if the chicken was chopped without consideration.  Putting that aside, I found the dressing of the chicken a overpowered with sesame oil.  I would have preferred a less overwhelming sauce.  More importantly, I am more accustomed to beautiful rice that is both fluffy and fragrant.  Putting it in the shape of a ball gives it a unique look, but in terms of consistency, it was mushy!  Definitely a love it or hate it experience!

 

After pigging out, it was time we headed out of Jonker Street.A timeless classic.  A VW Camper van.  Some say leave a classic be, yet I cannot wait to see a VW remake in the near future.  Concepts as of late has been rather impressive.

The famous building often seen in postcards!

 

Klebang Coconut Shake

Originating from a roadside stall, this place has grown tremendously and is easily on of Malacca’s most famous chill out spots.  As for fans, rejoice!  They now have a proper sitting  area at the back for dine-in with savory bites such as pre-packed noodles, nasi lemak and a large variety of kuihs!  As for takeaways, the stall along the road side is still in service.  Clearly, even though famous, they have never forgotten their roots.  Also, I was previously told that they only open from 12.30pm onwards! Take note!!While the Nasi Lemak was not bad, it was the coconut that made my day.  Klebang’s coconut shake was generous in coconut flesh and tasted superb.  It had a slight crunchy texture to it that made this drink pleasant.  Compared to the one I had in Penang, this was leap and bounds better.  Very original with good amounts of coconut as mentioned.  In contrast, the one in Penang tasted fine, but the mix of soda more than coconut juice means very little coconut taste.  Hence, my preference for the Klebang Coconut Shake!    See my Penang post here.

 

Tengkera Putu Piring

Last place for the day, is Putu Piring located along Jalan Tengkera.  Opening at 6pm onwards, be sure to get in early as late comers go home unsatisfied.  Among us, I think we ordered close to 20 of these delicious kuih.While I can choose to say very little and let the picture be a tease, I shall not.  In fact, I am somewhat apologetic for dissing Yobi’s suggestion earlier on before the trip.  I was like “meh, sounds so normal”.  Proven otherwise on the first bite, these were heavenly.  Again we see lightly fluffy textures where the infamous Gula Malacca (palm sugar) very smartly put in these thin disc-shaped delicacy.  When steamed, the  Gula Malacca melts into a syrup like consistency making it so damn addictive.  It was sweet and at the same time slightly savory thanks to the natural attributes of a quality Gula Malacca which is salty and sour.  While I thought I ordered 5, only 2 came and to avoid being called fat, I decided to keep quiet lol.  GODDAMNIT.

Putu Piring Jalan Tengkera

252 Jalan Tengkera

75200 Melaka

 

Ok folks, that sums up my trip to Malacca.  Great food for sure.  More importantly, a very over due trip with some very good friends in Malaysia!  I really appreciate their effort in chauffeuring me around and cannot help but feel somewhat indebted! You know who you are ;)! This is a very rush post which I will come back to fine tune later! Had to get this up as my laptop is always left behind in Malaysia when I travel back to Perth!

WenY

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Penang Trip: Nasi Kandar Line Clear

It was our last day in Penang.  With one meal left, I had little space for errors and once again sought the help of the internet.  One enviable food that was closely associated to Penang is the Nasi Kandar.  But the question is, where about do I start?  My favourite Nasi Kandar has always been Kayu Nasi Kandar but most people had recommended Nasi Kandar Line Clear located near the intersection between Campbell Street and Penang Road. 

Bad signs seem to lurk near the areas recommended and it seems that I take little effort in learning them.  With my tummy that hungry, I could barely blame myself.  Walking in, the restaurant was quiet with my parents and I being their only customer.  I hungrily pointed at the basics such as a great mix of curries and as well as a large piece of fried chicken.

 

 

 

 

Nasi Kandar with Fried Chicken and Kuah Campur Biting into the chicken here was pure joy.  I love how large this Nasi Kandar stall’s chickens are. Bloody meaty and crunchy with a KFC beating marinade and batter.  Crispy skin tend to be the best parts of a Nasi Kandar meal!  The way I would eat my rice is to mix it all together as the flavours tend to be absorbed by the rice.  This was where I started feeling disappointed.  At Line Clear, the sauces are way too watery and the rice as well, felt a little wet.  Definitely a big bummer.  A favourite Nasi Kandar topping of mine which was the Kerisik, a grated coconut condiment bursting with flavours was not there.  Lady’s fingers were OK but a little old.

 

All in all, coming in here for a great last meal did not quite turn out as I expected.  Knowing how the island folks here rave about their famous Penang Nasi Kandar, I knew that I was at the wrong place.  I guess my research was not done in depth as there are many others such as Nasi Kandar Kampung Melayu as well as Nasi Kandar Beratur.  Both of which has both so many good and  bad press such that I was thrown into a dilemma (yes I get stressed when I eat). But little matters more than the fact that I found the food here to be EDIBLE, but great Nasi Kandar?  Definitely a claim too FARFETCHED.

 

Still, I had no regrets as the earlier days of the trip were filled with some of the best meals ever.  Check out the links below to see what I ate on my 4 day trip to Penang :)!

Penang Trip: Another Local Favourite @ Sin Keng Aun

Penang Trip: Ah Leng’s Char Kuey Teow @ Penang

Penang Trip: 2 Sister’s Char Kuey Teow, Yam Cake Hokkien Noodles @ Day 3

Penang Trip: A Heritage Experience @ 1881 Zhong Tian Lou

Penang Trip: Hameed Pata @ Fort Cornwallis @ Day 2

Penang Trip: Toh Soon Cafe @ Day 2

Penang Trip: Sin Guat Keong Hawker, Kimberley Road @ Day 1

 

WenY