Bites: Balinese Breakfast @ Gooseberries Cafe, Kensington

After about 4 brunches in a week, I thought it was time to up the game and to have something different.  Instagram is an awesome platform for discoveries though pictures are typically deceiving and from there, I found the Gooseberries Cafe in Kensington which is a short 5 minute drive from my place.  Viola~! 

The cafe is situated near the school making weekday parking a breeze.  The converted home has several dining areas but I took a sit in the dining area which felt very nice and airy.  To start, a citrusy lemon curd tart.  

Pint in size but packs a zesty punch.  The curd was a little stiff but nothing unexpected considering it came right out of the fridge.  In saying that, the flavours were spot on.

My choice of brunch today was the Balinese breakfast. Tender grilled chicken skewer, and a fried egg on a bowl of fried rice.  On the side were condiments to pair consisting of some kecap manis, pickled chilli and the obligatory sambal.  

But did it really meet the mark?  In terms of putting the staple rice in a bowl with chicken and rice I think it did pretty well.  A little too much carrot for my liking but the rice was fried well.  

The same cannot be said about the condiments.  On the outside they are the different but with they did not meet my requirements.  The kicap manis out of the bottle was fine by all means but the pickled chilli lacked acidity.  But most disappointing was the sambal.  It lacked the ripeness from the long sautéing which usually results in a robust chilli puree with the hints of tamarind, and prawn paste. It was a little sweet too which means all three condiments was on the sweet side. 

In a nut shell, I did not walk out of Gooseberry Cafe as pumped as when I walked in.  Nonetheless, it served a solid breakfast and I was satisfied.  A few tweaks here and there will probably allow the dish to reach higher marks but it is definitely a very good try.  

WenY

Bites: Quality Japanese @ Kiri, Shenton Park

Kiri has been on my wish list for awhile now.  From the pictures of luscious tempura aubergine topped with miso to their Teriyaki splendours, I was sold very early on but was held back by a time constraint.  Eventually I would pay a visit and that finally happened last week.   In the day, Kiri serves a delicious take away from the cafe side and at night it serves customers fine Japanese cuisine from both the restaurant and cafe side.  

To start, we ordered the Creamy Prawn Croquettes.

These golden brown lovelies were beyond the normal croquettes. For me, the creamy prawns encapsulated in a thin and crisp potato case were a highlight from usual croquettes filled with nothing but carbs!  Little lashings of chilli mayonnaise completed the course.

The mountain of Kara-age.

A honest and humble favourite is preserved in its classic form. Deep fried to perfection, it came out burning hot before being served on a smear of tonkatsu sauce with a wedge of lemon and ponzu.

Crispy squid salad.

A surprise favourite and a definite crowd pleaser.  The tempura battered squid were light and crisp. But it was the amazing pairing with a refreshing salad dressed in sesame sauce that made this dish a hit. 

Dengaku Miso or Aubergine topped with miso.

One advice.  Do not bite straight into these little morsels the moment it hits the table!  Its 100 degree centre is likely to burn your palate and that dollop of Miso with a salty hit is not going to help either.  The famous Kiri dish is a little over-hyped IMHO.  Bland by itself but overly salty with the Miso, I did not really like it.  I think there ought to be better balance and refinement in the miso.  Also, I’m thinking of grilled aubergines instead of fried.  Might just be me though :P!

To share among the table we called a serve of Teriyaki Salmon and Teriyaki Chicken with two rice to share.

Teriyaki Salmon

Teriyaki Chicken

The Teriyaki dishes at Kiri are one of the best in town.  The sweetness is balanced well with the saltiness of the soy and you can tell that the chefs in the kitchen did not come out of YouTube academy like some other places in town.  The chicken was tossed in the sauce well and its crisp edges tell the story of a good frying, but perhaps a tad more reduction in the sauce would allow for a better coat.  All in all, a faultless Teriyaki.  But then comes the price tag.  At $25 for Chicken Teriyaki, the serving size was OK but it did not come with rice which was another $3.50.  The Salmon on the other hand was another well-cooked dish but my pocket felt a little reluctant for $32 without rice again. 

Seated in the cafe side (by will) due to the low availability of seat in the main dining room also means being shrouded in cooking fumes at no less a dining cost.  One tip, having the door open is a quick fix!  The food here was really quite nice but the bill, not so much.  Its delicious Teriyaki is comparable to my favourite one in Kanta but at a much higher price tag.  A Chicken Teriyaki is $14 w/ rice in Kanta whilst in Kiri it was $30.  But considering the demographics of high income earners in the leafy suburb of Shenton Park, it is no surprise that the food in Kiri is priced that way.  However, for the same price one will definitely be tempted to go for the Omakase in Bonsai or Halu/Satsuki and maybe even for a 3 course at Nine Fine Food.  In saying that if prices are not of the essence, you will find yourself pleased with the basic yet necessary offerings that Kiri serves up with decent quality and great authenticity!

WenY

Bites: Brunch-ing @ Hylin, Leederville

Hylin is a suburban cafe situated on the corner of Rail Way Parade and Abbotsford Street in West Leederville.  Hylin caught my attention with its unconventional take on the daily breakfast, all of it documented on TakeMeToFoodieHeaven's blog.  In my week off, I visited Hylin and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their offerings.  

Obligatory drinks to start was a pot of green tea for myself and for my sister, a skinny latte.  Whilst the latte was good, the same cannot be said for the green tea.  It tasted weird as.  Neither was it grassy, or sweet, just painfully bitter for some odd reason!

But that did not dampen my spirits because once I saw my breakfast of chorizo, asparagus and creamed corn ($16.50) hit the table, I was sold.

Despite looking a little withered, the asparagus were cooked well with the fibrous layers removed and it was cooked to the middle just right.  The salty and moderately spicy chorizo paired with the creamed corn sensationally.  Putting a bit of everything in your mouth, you get that bitey chorizo giving you a salty-spiced hit that is complemented by the super smooth sweetcorn puree!  It was yums!

My sister’s choice of breakfasts was the field mushrooms on thick cut bacon served with guacamole and crumbled ricotta on toast ($16.50). Another yummy meal that was high in protein and low on carbs.  Its as thought we were doing some sort of paleo morning diet that morning haha.

The smoky bacon felt as though it were thinner slices of salted minute steak cooked on a grill.  Add cuts of it to the juicy mushrooms and slightly tangy ricotta, damn it was a joy to eat.  The bacon by itself though, is a little salty as one would expect.

Hylin is a good breakfast spot close not far from where I leave and it did not disappoint me in anyway(besides that terrible pot of tea of course!).  The venue is airy so the ever present morning crowd was not a bother thanks to it large open windows.  Add that Hylin's decent prices and you will find yourself very satisfied with a trip here.  However, the bread serve of one which bucks the trend of the usual two slices might leave some walking away hungry.  But as I was only keen for the good stuff rather than stacking up on the boring bread, it was just right!

WenY