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Friday, June 25, 2010

Date Night Bites: Oliver’s @ Northbridge

After the exams on Friday, I had a small celebration at the Mexican Villa with my sister and mates but that was just a little fire starter I promise.  Next Thursday I’d be running down Swanston in Melbourne like a mad man.  Probably ransacking every single nook and cranny for food.  From the largest restaurants to the little hidden lots in Central. My god I can’t wait for Melbourne.  The trip I booked for, months ago is now just a stone’s throw away.  Its all so awesome!  But meanwhile, as I let time catch up with me, I’ve been out and about eating the quantity I have missed during the mugging period. 
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On Monday was a fine night out with a special person at a certain restaurant I’ve not visited in ages.  I suggested Oliver’s for a good night out ;-)!  We started off with a little starter in which its size had us startled.
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8 slices like any pizza.  The sweet onion Bianca was quite a delicious eat :D!  She didn’t like it too sweet and this was OK for her.  But I think it was not ahah.  But in the end she ate just as much me hoho!  Not quite true :P She ate half a slice lesser than me.  I think she would have preferred the Bianca @ Sphagi in South Perth better.

Soon after the appetizer arrived, we ordered our mains.  Not sure what's with her and people but oh they liked her so.  The waitress was like “What would you like darling?” and that was just the beginning of the many “darlings” she had that night.  I ordered a fillet steak that night.  The description sounded fantastic.  “Pan Seared Fillet Steak with Wood Roasted Capsicum, Tomato and Basil Salsa on a Buttered Rocket Mash”.  And I must insist, the meal sounds and taste as good as it is meant to be.  Liked the way the garnishing has never changed for the past 4 years.  The beef was cooked to order and BAM the mash was good.  The buttered rockets was well done.  It did not exhibit even the slightest hint of bitterness. Kudos to the chef!  I have never liked rockets in my salads.  And that is if I were to even eat salad.
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Lovely steak!

His:
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Hers:
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And for the her, she had the Mt. Barker Chicken.   Funny name really, sounds like the free range chicken you’d buy buy the butcher :P!  Regardless of its name, the chicken tasted fantastic.  Liked the way the chef did the stuffing.  The chicken was stuffed with Chorizos, Feta & Sun Blushed Tomatoes.

For all the reasons I have to hate breast meat, this one has none.  No soft bone out of no where, no sad & dry tastelessness, no over charred parts.  I think this was a better pick compared to the beef!

After having our mains and the appetizer, we were filled to the brim.  The cold that has us like hungry ghost remained but the hunger was gone! Yipee! ahah.  But since we’ve already come so far, I thought we might as well have dessert.  She is after all a dessert person!  We had problems deciding.  We liked two desserts but had other ones that we favoured too.  We almost decided to try the Oliver’s Dessert Platter, the waitress managed to tell us its assortment and luckily she did,because what we liked were not on.

Subsequently,..

..my choice was Oliver’s Crème Brulee:
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and hers was the Wild Berry and Apple Crumble:
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This time my dessert definitely oust hers ahaha!  The size, the sweetness, the complexity.  The Crème Brulee for the win!  This is like the first time I’m eating a proper non-packed one. Pretty saddening considering this is one of my favourite desserts of all time.

Good night, good place.  The first time I came here was when I started studying.  The price gave me a seizure but its all normal now.  Phewh!  Would definitely come back here if I am filling generous.

P.s.: Sorry for the weird lighting!  The restaurant was dim and we were seated not too far away from the street lamppost.

WenY


Oliver's on James Street on Urbanspoon

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Bites: Pancho’s Mexican Villa @ Victoria Park

The exam week is gone and I have never felt this good for the year.  At least not yet :D!  After an early Saturday with my relative for dim sum, I headed home for a good lazy evening rolling all over my bed.  Oh god, that was such a good activity I must insist.  It’s been a long time since I had a chance to do so!  Mmm the feeling of rolling rolling rolling =D!  That is totally awesome!  Dinner time soon came and hohohoho! I told the guys we should have something different.  Not Chinese, not Indian, not Malay, not Korean, not Italian, not Western, and definitely no Japanese.  I guess you get what I’m trying to say.  So we decided to try anything that catches our eye on Vic Park!  It did not take us long to decide really. We ended up eating in a Mexican restaurant within the first few clicks of the Cannington entrance to Victoria Park.
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Upon entrance to the restaurant we were greeted by a lady only to be told  “oh god, you’re here without a booking?”  That definitely caught us by surprise as we did not expect the place to be full.  Luckily enough the manager managed to squeeze us in before a customer booking was to be satisfied.  We had the whole hour to ourselves and that is quite sufficient :)!
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Oh yeah people.  Vote for Pedro!  They say this place has been running for 20years +!  That is wicked!

We first started with a Supreme Nachos @$18.00 to share!  Asked for spicy and we sure got we wanted.  Not a killer to be honest.   But it came quite expectedly because most Caucasians simply cannot eat really spicy food!  (Sorry for the lack of pictures! I only have one good picture of my main :D!)
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This is my err beef taco with chicken and cheese enchiladas @ $22!  Kelvin had something similar to mine while my sister and yh had the Grande!  A wholesome Mexican coverage with 4-5 dishes!

Overall this place is OK.  But I personally felt like dying due to the cheese overload.  Cannot imagine how my sister and yh felt considering they are not big cheese fan ahaha.  I guess Mexican fare really is not our kind of food :)!  But I have to say, the mains were quite yummy! I particularly love the crispy skin beef taco!  Nothing that I cant make though =X!

Oh but on a side note, the Nachos were not at its best that night.  It was soggy and felt like biting into a biscuit that has lost its crispiness.  Quite disgusting :(!

Nonetheless, it was good that I had something different to eat.  Not the common Asian or Western fare which we do so well at home yet we opt to pay tens of dollars having it outside!

WenY! 


Panchos Villa Mexican on Urbanspoon

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Kelvin’s Birthday: Ciao Italia!!

It’s been almost three years since I first met Kelvin and oh boy time does pass real quickly.  It’s the 2nd I’m celebrating his birthday, the first being a middle of the night bang into his room to give him his present, an event in which he could barely comprehend with his sleepy face.  But the character however is not much of a mover, other than a few peculiar periods he is still pretty much the same guy.  We celebrated his birthday on the study week before we hit full throttle for the period.  After a few short moments of thinking I was thought, hey why not go to Ciao Italia since we have not been there for ages.
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The chef putting his full attention to detail for a soon to be served Mussel in Pesto sauce.

It seems like the place has become a whole lot bigger with the addition of the new dining area on the left.  With weird Italian granddads taking orders coming together with really good food, this place really is a nice place to eat. Minus the waiting time and queue that is.  There are several favourites among the crowd and that would me the Fettuccini Ciao Italia and the Calzone.  God the Calzone is massive taste.  But the my winner of the night was not something served on regular basis.  It was a special.
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The Mussels cook in a basil pesto sauce.  Loved it to bits.  Would have coated fresh pasta with its delicious sauce if it was provided.  Massive stuff.  Unfortunately Ciao Italia does not serve this on a regular basis.

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Fresh tomato salad was heavenly with its zesty flavour.  The filling of the calzone is a hidden weapon.

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The Fettuccini Ciao Italia was a tale of two standards.  My table had an overcooked cream feel while Kelvin’s was perfectly cooked! Damn! Nonetheless, two serves had them tummies filled bottoms up!

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Penne Vodka was nothing much to shout about.  I did not really get the taste.  Maybe I was too busy indulging in the other dishes. =X can’t blame me considering the already plenty number of delicious food on the table.

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The Sweet Chilli King Prawn pizza was Yvonne’s favourite and I can see why with Ciao Italia’s generous portions of toppings :D!

After having our main, we had Ciao Italia’s crew do a birthday quickie for Kelvin!
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Shy with the S was his reaction.  But obviously granddad is having one hell of a time. ahaha

Dessert followed soon after.  No one should give the Tiramisu a miss regardless of how full you are.  A bit drenched in alcohol on that day but its taste still held the word divine in its place.
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Xin Ling one the other hand tried something creative with strawberries overkill.
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You decide the overkill.  But truth be said, the overkill lies in the inside where too much custard killed the dessert.  But I guess I’m just not used to it!!

Ciao Italia is awesome.  No doubt!  Looking forward to a NEXT time.  And truth be said.  With a timely group of people, waits are not all that bad :P!

Exams are over so chow outside *****!

WenY