Shop 'til you drop

For a girl who loves her factory outlets, Woodbury Common is a scene of plastic fanatastic. Sunday was spent entirely at Woodbury Common, an hour's drive north of New York City, and home to a staggering 220 factory outlet shops.The shops are stand-alone "shacks" in a bizarre ski-village type setting amidst the mountains. There are four giant parking lots and enough reduced tags to send any

The Met and GC Oyster Bar

A day at the Met today, a huge feat for any first-time visitor. The Met is huge. The information booth is manned by twelve staff members for pete's sake.We checked in our bags and coats, only to return a minute later to relaim them again. Since the Met was open until late, we instead started off with a trip to The Cloisters, an hour's bus ride away in Fort Tryon Park, Upper Manhattan, and

The Girls Who Ate Everything

Meeting up with other food bloggers is always fun... you know you will have tooooonnnnnes in common: there'll be restaurant gossip, foodie musings, unashamed dessert pinings and whenever there's food, there'll be a simultaneous reach for the camera.I met Robyn for the first time today, a New York City food blogger whose foodie adventures I've been following for some time. She suggested we meet at

The Lower East Side

New York's Lower East Side is packed with history. It's long been home to thousands of hard-working immigrants, and it's estimated that 80% of New Yorkers can trace their roots back to the LES.We visited the Lower East Side Tenement Museum today, a fascinating look into the heritage-listed buildings on Orchard Street. A tenement simply means a building for lots of people, and in the 1870s they

Chelsea Markets: Better than Disneyland

I wandered around Chelsea today, originally intending to check out the Greenmarket Farmers Market, but alas had neglected to notice that it only runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and not today, Thursday (doh!).Happiness was restored in the form of City Bakery, funny because Robyn had only just mentioned it in an email to me that morning. Suddenly it appeared before me and I had

Pumpkin, pudding and Prada

It was a day in the Lower East Side today, starting off with brunch at Balthazar, a popular semi-classy bistro. Service was extremely efficient, starting off with beautifully fresh slices of artisan breads. I had the New England clam chowder followed by the pumpkin ravioli with walnuts in burnt butter. The ravioli was divine, plump and soft with bright orange pockets of smooth creamy pumpkin. The

Brooklyn

We returned to New York about 9pm to bitter coldness. DC was so mild and temperate that the reacquaintance with a New York winter was doubly harsh. The crush of people, the traffic, the bright city lights, was also a stark reminder that we had indeed returned to the Big Smoke.Today we headed to Brooklyn, checking out the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and stalking every squirrel we could find (no, we

I see D C

Friday morning saw us wake up at 6.30am to a heavy dump of snow. The stairs outside had a thick carpet of white and the bannister railings were iced heavily as well. As we opened the door to head outside, thick fat flakes of snow swirled down lazily from the skies, looking just like a Hollywood Christmas movie.Filled with childish snow-deprived glee, we stomped our way through three inches of

K-nish? It's de-lish!

New York is one big rush. But it also gets hungry and like the vending machine drink havens found all over Japan, satiation is never too far away.As I battled the crowds along 5th Avenue the other day, the stomach rumbled and the eyes lit up at the prospect of visiting a street vendor. The mobile silver carts here serve everything from pretzels to roasted chestnuts, gyros (yeeros) and hot dogs.

South Street Seaport

I'd been urged to visit South Street Seaport with nodding encouragement from well-meaning New York relatives saying "You should go; all the tourists go there".The terrible T word should have been warning enough but I was in the area so I meandered on down.There's not that much to see really. A couple of historic tall ships, old warehouses and yes, preserved (but non-edible!) 18th and 19th century

Murray Hill Diner, New York

I'm always up for a bit of gastronomic experimenting, but when I'm tired and hungry after a hard day's sightseeing, the adage "When in Rome..." is the one I stick to in a new and unfamiliar eatery.Thank goodness.My second diner meal in New York took place in Murray Hill Diner, a fairly large establishment which looked busy (good), affordable (yay) and with a free table available (get in!).One

Like a geeky tourist

A tourist surveys the view from the top of the Empire State BuildingMuch of today was spent shivering on the observation deck of the Empire State Building. It really felt like -20C, standing outside 86 floors up, and we had to rush back into the warm environs of the gift shop to thaw out on more than one occasion!Despite wearing jackets, gloves, hat and scarf, I couldn't feel my fingers after ten

Tom's Restaurant

My first meal in New York City was at Tom's Restaurant, immortalised first in Tom's Diner by Suzanne Vega, but probably more popularly known as the diner hangout for the characters in Seinfeld.I was feeling a little lightheaded as I entered my 26th hour without sleep but I was excited about eating in my first ever diner... from Seinfeld!It was about 6pm as we came in from the freezing cold, a

It's just like the movies!

So after a 20-hour caged torture known as the "long-haul flight", I finally arrived in the Big Apple.My first impressions? It's just like the movies!!! It's so bizarre to step into a city which you feel you know so well after a childhood diet of sitcoms and TV dramas. There are the superwide sidewalks which can fit six pedestrians abreast; the corner shops everywhere with just the word GROCERY or

19 hours as a human pretzel

Being tall has its advantages. You can usually get a good view at concerts, you don't have to take up the hem on your jeans, and you can always reach the top shelf at the supermarket.But when it comes to flying, the vertically challenged have the last laugh (or slumber, lucky things).Checking in for my flight to New York was relatively uneventful. The queues at check-in were a little slow...but

Start spreading the news...

So I'm off. Tomorrow morning I fly out to New York for a month of determined feasting.Who makes the better pizza: John's or Grimaldi's? Is it possible to eat an entire 10-inch high Reuben from Carnegie Deli? Could a Gray's Papaya hotdog really change my life? And exactly how much can I eat before I outgrow my belt?All these questions and more will be answered as your intrepid food reporter goes

Walkley talkie

Foodblogging looks like the latest hot topic doing the media rounds. And too right, for what could be more newsworthy than food?Grab Your Fork scores in a mention in the latest edition of The Walkley Magazine, the media industry mag produced by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance of Australia.The bulk of the article centres on interviews with Anthony from Spiceblog and Sean from Sydney

Selina, Fairfield

"Hallo! You still waiting? You come and sit in the VIP room!"We had been waiting for a table for six be cleared at Selina, a combination Lao and Thai restaurant, when a young man appeared beside us, smiling with enthusiasm.Feeling somewhat pleased at this extension of hospitality, we nodded as we followed him... out the restaurant and to a tiny front room next door."Extra special. For you.

Grab Your Fork in mX

Observant Sydney commuters may have spotted this article on GrabYourFork in today's free afternoon newpaper mX.The article is about the growning phenomenon of blogging, and I was embarrasingly excited when I was contacted last week by mX journalist, Emily Brown.For those regular readers who are particularly interested, email me and I'll send you a scanned copy of the article. There are eight (

High Tea at The Globe Bar, The Observatory Hotel

When five foxxy females seek to celebrate four November birthdays, a High Tea affair offers the perfect combination of sophistication, conversation and self-indulgent deserved gluttony.Our chosen destination was The Observatory Hotel, a member of the Orient-Express family which, although only built in 1993, attempts to look as if it has been there ever since 1893.The olde world charm is apparent

Sugar frenzy: Holiday Cookie Swap

When you find a good cookie recipe, life is good.It gets better when you start playing around with the ingredients. You can vary the flavours but most importantly this recipe doesn't lose its crisp sugary exterior and soft chewy core.You may remember I recently altered Donna Hay's Double Choc Cookies into my own variation of Coffee Hazelnut Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chunks.For the latest

Chicken salad rice paper rolls

The other night we had Thai Beef Salad for dinner, so tasty and deliciously tempting that I ravenously grabbed my fork instead of the camera.The next day the leftover bunches of mint, basil and coriander beckoned from the fridge with their summery clean freshness. Inspiration struck in the form of a Vietnamese-style chicken salad.Cooked chicken thighs were pulled apart roughly and mixed with a

Tomodachi, Broadway

Deep-fried soft-shell crab sushi $3.50The food court crowd is a tough one.Spinach pide boats jostle with lamb madras curries under the watchful eye of slowly twirling yeeros. The shiny happy salad bar and the sandwich counter beckon your conscience before your attention is diverted by the cake display, the gelato cart and the Chinese greasefest of all-you-can-plate.And then your eyes alight upon

Spice I Am, Surry Hills

It's official.The best green papaya salad is here.Spice I Am.Champion It Is.Green papaya salad (som tam) $7.90If you like your som tum pallid, watery and flavourless you won't like this one.Spice I Am makes their green papaya salad zingy, crisp with plenty of heat. There's a healthy dousing of fish sauce, a wink's worth of lime juice and a chilli kick that gets the adrenalin pumping and the

Thai Food Festival

Who knew that one Sunday could hold so many photos?Thankfully the Thai Food Festival was only down the road from the Spanish Quarter Street Festival. I nipped between the two a number of times throughout the day, interspersing Thai treats with Spanish salsa.Thai sweetsThai videosIt was a gloriously hot day and the buzz of families gave Tumbalong Park a happy carnival atmosphere. Thai families are

Cupcakes on Pitt, Sydney

The tailored suits stride along purposefully, starched white shirt, manicured nails, heels clip-clopping along the pavement with busy urgency. Until suddenly they stop, pause and back-track with reluctance and then growing excitement.Hands pressed onto the glass. Fingers pointing. Squeals of discovery. Sighs of lust.The Power of the Cupcake takes its hold.Behold the girly cupcake. Small, cute and

Birthday Blow-out

The best part about having a birthday is the excuse to eat out.So far there's been a delightful Thai lunch and a delicious Japanese dinner this week with family and friends.Coming up:a picnic with fellow foodies feasting on gourmet delights;a girly high tea at The Observatory;and new gastronomic terrain covered in Iraqi and Laotian cuisine.Yes, I take my birthday celebrations very seriously... or

Spanish Quarter Street Festival: Part III

This is the final post of photos from Sydney's Spanish Quarter Street Festival. To start from the beginning click here.So you're wondering where all the food is. Here's a picture of some churros to keep you going whilst you enjoy the last of the photos from the Spanish Quarter Street Festival.Churros. Like finger food donuts. With extra ridges to catch those sweet granules of cinnamon sugar.And

Spanish Quarter Street Festival: Part II

The bonanza of photos from Sunday's Spanish Quarter Street Festival continues. To start from the beginning, click here.I was transfixed by the colour and joy that accompanied the Peruvian dancers from Te Amo Peru. Their energy was infectious and I was envious of their gorgeous national dress.Two dancers from Latin Motion then took the stage. They rhumba'ed and salsa'd with a sexy fluidity few of

Spanish Quarter Street Festival

The Spanish know how to eat.They know how to drink.And they definitely know how to party.I'm sure that's why the Spanish Quarter Street Festival is such a favourite with Sydneysiders. In the relative infancy of its third year, the flocking crowds consistently surpass organisers' wildest dreams. This was particularly evident last year with suffocating bottlenecks at times and gobsmacking food

Newtown Festival

Ok. You know you're getting just a little bit obsessed when, faced with the choice of three festivals on a sunny Sydney Sunday, you choose to attend not one, not two, but all three of them.I started off with the Newtown Festival in the morning, before heading into town for the Spanish Quarter Street Festival and then the Thai Food Fair.Crazy? Yes. But I'm a sucker for festivals. You should know

Banana Walnut Bread

Banana bread is so easy to make it's criminal. Which is why I'm always aghast whenever I see banana loaves for sale at exhorbitant prices.The reason why it's usually pricey is because good banana bread is made with real banana, not flavourings. The spidery flecks guarantee a banana party, but to have your own, all you need is one hand (of bananas - haha).The best banana bread comes from really

Lamrock Cafe, Bondi

In a deja vu repeat of last year's day out at Sculpture by the Sea, we somehow ended up at Lamrock Cafe again for lunch before we made the trek by the sea.The weather was perfect today. Hot but not humid, and not a cloud to be seen in the cerulean skies.In beachside Bondi, boardshorts and bikinis are the uniform for the masses. Outdoor cafes spill over with golden tanned bodies. Oversized dark

Sculpture by the Sea

Sculpture by the Sea is Australia's biggest outdoor exhibition of modern sculpture. Exhibits from around the world are installed along the dramatic clifftop walk from Bondi to Tamarama beaches.The paths tend to get congested by families, kids, tourists and shutterbugs on the weekend, but at the same time it's pretty cool that this event a) exists and b) is so popular. Modern art seems to be less

Recipe: Rhubarb Crumble

I picked up two bunches of gorgeous rhubarb at the Growers Markets on Saturday morning. After lugging them through the Snapper, Spice and Rice festival and then dozing off on the train on the way home, any wistful intentions to make shortcrust pastry for rhubarb pie that evening went straight out the window.I'm a lazy cook at the best of times which is why any rhubarb I purchase inevitably ends

Snapper, Spice and Rice

Red snapper mouselline steamed in banana leaf cupsAustralia is built on a nation of immigrants. From the first colonial invaders to Gold Rush entrepreneurs to the post-war waves of refugees, Australia wouldn't be Australia without its multicultural melting pot (which still hisses and sizzles occasionally).In recognition of the South-East Asian voyages taken to reach our shores, a Snapper, Spice &

Cafe Ottimo, Ultimo

Veal schnitzel with salad $5.00Sometimes you just need a good dose of fried with a smattering of salad. And a $5 outlay helps your meal go down better as well.We headed to cosy Cafe Ottimo again for a quick lunch the other day.Plenty of office workers and students were crowding this modest cafe but we were quick to grab a table and peruse the extensive blackboard menu. The lure of deep-fried

Pyrmont Growers' Market

Young garlic $1.50 per stalkYou'd think that my eighth visit to Pyrmont Growers Market this year would be ho-hum. But nay. Each month there are new foodstuffs revealed, celebrities to spot and plenty of people-watching to indulge in.The young garlic pictured above was the most exciting thing I spotted this month. I used to always watch Jamie Oliver use this in his cooking with envy and

Narita Teppanyaki, Haymarket

EDIT 20/11/07: Narita Teppanyaki is now closedDespite our eyebrow-punctuated trillings about the wonders of teppanyaki, Miss Six was still clamouring for McDonalds across the road."But teppanyaki is fun! You'll get to watch him cook in front of you," we exclaimed."...And he'll throw things in the air like Tom Cruise in... nevermind."Miss Six countered: "But I want chips! And a toy! Do they give

Mother Chu's Taiwanese Gourmet, Haymarket

Chicken fillet with stir-fried noodle $7.50There's something about Mother Chu's that always fascinates me. For a start there are the dumpling dames.A huddle of women in the open kitchen work constantly as tourists and students on Dixon Street pass on by. Hour after hour the women knead their dough; they roll out perfect circles, and then, within a blink of an eye, a dumpling is made and the next

DMBLGiT winners

Head over to Chubby Hubby to check out all the winners of DMBLGiT #10.Wha..? A mouthful of random letters to make the casual reader feel ostracised and alienated?No, it merely stands for Does My Blog Look Good in This, a monthly web gallery of tempting food porn from bloggers around the globe.Check out all the entries for this month here.Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all the

Macchiato, Sydney

Daily specialPorchetta, mushrooms, fetta and capsicumA one-hour lunchtime rendezvous is always a tricky endeavour. Although Sydney isn't as spread out as, say London or New York, finding a convenient classy venue for foodie friends is an onerous task indeed.Inevitably we end up at Macchiato on the corner of Pitt and Liverpool Streets. It's central, snazzy and service is snappy. It's also

Kura, Haymarket

Isn't it funny how for x number of years you can walk past a noodle shop without ever seeing it enter your field of vision. When you do finally notice, you stare at the menu, you peer inside curiously, you make plans to eat there, and finally you head for a table, you have a great meal, and you wonder how you could've ever been so blind.Kura is my case in point. It's located on one of the busiest

Sydney Food & Wine Fair

If there's one thing that Sydney does well at, it's eating outdoors. Good food outdoors.All the necessary factors were in play for the annual Sydney Food & Wine Fair, one of the final events for Good Food Month. The sun was out, the skies were a glorious blue, and the crowds were flocking and ready to eat.Over 70 food stalls and more than 30 wine and drink stalls lined the grassy verges of

Spring on a plate

I'm not a big fan of nachos (too much melted cheese goo everywhere for my liking) but I do appreciate crunchy nibbles topped or dipped with tasty goodness.Feeling peckish the other day I conducted a random search of the kitchen for something, you know, yummy. The last remaining Lebanese bread round was becoming rapidly dry and crusty. An abandoned wedge of goats cheese bleated in the fridge, and

Wagamama, Sydney

I still remember the first time I ever ate at Wagamama. It was in Dublin of all places, and after a relentless fortnight of fish and chips, seafood chowder, pub roasts and haggis around England, Scotland and Ireland we were dying for a re-acquaintance with Asian.Chopsticks were pined after like a long lost lover, invoking dreams of graceful wooden limbs and the delicate transferral of tasty

New York on a Fork

That's right. Yours truly is heading for the Big Apple.I fly into JFK in early December and depart a month later.Here's where you come in.Let me know your tips or favourite haunts in New York. I'm looking for cheap eats, pretzel stands, best bagels, pastry paradises, green markets, delicious delicatessens, gourmet grocers etc etc.The more it epitomises New York the more I want it. But I also want

Golden Century, Haymarket

There is something uniquely comforting about the atmosphere within a Chinese restaurant. The clang of chopsticks echoing inside ceramic bowls, the musical chatter of Chinese mingled with English, the rush rush of waiters with plastic bags holding writhing live fish, and the fussing of Grandmas over children as they impatiently escape, scampering up to fish tanks with pointing fingers and giggles

Billingsgate Fish Bistro, Randwick

EDIT July 2006: Matthew Kemp and Lela Radojkovic have closed Billingsgate Fish Bistro and re-opened the premises as Two Rooms, a European-inspired restaurant.There's little doubt that Matthew Kemp is red hot at the moment. Exploding across our TV screens in the recent SBS doco Heat in the Kitchen, Matthew may be notorious for his fiery temper (threatening to sack his maitre'd if she wasn't his

Faheem Fast Food, Enmore

It's Saturday night. You've got tickets to The Merchants of Bollywood. It's their final Sydney performance. You have to have Indian for dinner.Faheem Fast Food, only a short stroll from the Enmore Theatre, has long been a favourite with theatre patrons for a pre- or post- show eat. It's fast, no-fuss and endearingly cheap. And its late night patronage by Pakistani taxi drivers provides the

Janani, Homebush

Gluttony loves company.

So when Saffron recently initiated me into the joy that is Janani, I instantly knew that I'd be back. With workmates.

At work I organise a foodie group (huh, is that a surprise?) which has expanded to friends, colleagues and ex-workmates. The idea is to explore a new restaurant, cuisine or suburb and share our collective knowledge of Sydney's dining secrets. Janani

Musashi Dining Bar, Sydney

I've always meant to try Musashi. Every time I've walked past its modern clean-lined Japanese interior, it's been consistently packed with lunchtime diners. It's a little off the general ant trail though, so when pondering a potential lunchtime destination, I'd inevitably forget about it--until the next time I happened to walk past and doh! the palm would smack the forehead in frustration.Finally

Oscillate Wildly, Newtown

I've waxed lyrical about Oscillate Wildly before, and on this, my third visit, the palate and eyes were still bedazzled.Oscillate Wildly is phenomenally popular, and with good reason. Where else in the inner-city can you dine on three imaginative breathtakingly delicious courses for a paltry $45? Its popularity is not helped by its tiny dining room which only seats about thirty--if you want to

Bite me

The latest September round-up of Omnivoribus Australis is up! Head over to The Food Palate to check out what Australian and New Zealand foodbloggers have been eating, cooking and getting up to over the past month.And guess who's her second featured foodblogger? None other than... yours truly. Yup, I face the tough questions from Saffron this month.Pack your appetite and head on over...

Ploy Thai, Haymarket

EDIT 9 AUG 2006: Ploy Thai has closed at this site.It's true. Once you discover GPS you wonder how you ever survived without it.No, not global positioning systems (although they are brilliant for navigating ). I mean green papaya salad, which is brilliant for salivating.Green papaya salad $7.50I don't know how it has taken me this long to discover green papaya salad. But I'm making up for lost

Good Food Month: Spring Picnic

As I woke up last Sunday morning, I was mighty relieved to see the sun shining. Perfect weather for the annual Good Food Month Spring Picnic.This was the first time I'd headed to the Spring Picnic, and after walking around most of Centennial Park, Saffron and I finally found the elusive Brazillian Fields (a site which doesn't exist on any of the park's onsite maps, please note, GFM organisers!).

Night Noodle Markets

Last Thursday Saffron and I and a handful of foodies headed to the Night Noodle Markets, one of the more popular events on the Good Food Month calendar.This year the markets moved location to the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park, providing a pleasant piazza-like feel to the cool spring evening. The outdoor Art and About exhibition lining the Central Walkway was an easy pre-dinner bonus.However the

About Grab Your Fork

Grab Your Fork is written by Helen Yee, a born-and-bred Sydneysider who loves to eat. Even when she's eating, she's already planning her next meal.Her belief that food tastes better when it's shared with friends is one of the primary factors that prompted her to start this food blog. Sydney is blessed with not only great weather and fantastic beaches, but an abundance of seafood, a bounty of

Would the real AG please stand up

So it's true, I know. The question "Who exactly is AugustusGloop?" has never really been answered in a neat succinct "About" paragraph.It's not that I've been intentionally secretive--well okay, maybe a little--but then, scorpios tend to be a little private like that.But it's funny how a new hairstyle and wardrobe can instil you with renewed bravado. Besides, I've always felt a twang of guilt

Sydney Farmers Market

Lettuce seedlings for sale at the Sydney Farmers MarketThere is no doubt in my mind that good food is the new black.Goats cheese is the new Gucci; forget Chanel, try chanterelle; and a cluster of rhubarb poking out of your grocery basket is de rigeur baby, celery is like, so ten years ago.So it didn't surprise me that last Thursday's Sydney Farmers Market was so popular. Instead of descending

Pasta Shot, Newtown

Pasta Shot is shiny, bright, tangerine orange cheer. There's a rustic blackboard beckoning at the door with $5 specials...a gleaming new display cabinet servery...and cafe-style wooden chairs with funky artworks adorning the walls...There are salads and pastas in the bain marie...and a chicken and spinach pasta number in addition to the ubiquitous lasagna.Penne with chicken and spinach $7.50, and

EoMEoTE #11: Smoked Trout Salad with Soft-Set Egg

In accordance with this month's theme of 70s lyrics...Can you see the trout Fernando?I remember long ago when trout was smoked as well as thisThere was salad too FernandoAn orb of warming yolk just like a gently rising sunI can see the toast now bareBut soon to bathe in sticky egg of fun.I used the smoked trout I picked up from last week's Pyrmont Growers' Market. The flesh was firm, perfectly

Pyrmont Growers' Market

Pink Lady applesFirst Saturday of the month = Pyrmont Growers Market.The combination of Good Food Month endorsement, as well as the start of a sun-kissed long weekend, saw unprecedented crowds flock to the Markets this month. I've never seen it so busy before!Joanna Savill was on stage chatting to various vendors but we headed straight for the stalls instead.Had to stock up on my monthly

High Tea at the Swissotel, Sydney

High tea smorgasboard at the Swissotel, SydneyWhich girl doesn't get excited at the mere mention of the words, "high tea". It's not the thought of wearing big flowery hats, white gloves and tittering over neighbourhood gossip that gets the pulse racing. It's the mere thought of deciminalised dessert decadence that has every girl nodding excitedly as she clears the diary with unabated

The Reveal

Yes, Grab Your Fork has had a little makeover.After 16 months of blogging 320 posts, a new hair-do and wardrobe has long been overdue.I hope you like the latest tszuj. Far from being a confident website designer, the experience has certainly involved a steep learning curve (and more than a bit of hair-pulling)!Of course appearances are only skin-deep and I hope the content has always been what

Oaty Date Slice

The other week, Kelly was bemoaning an excess of porridge oats at the conclusion of winter. Anzac biscuits immediately come to mind, but then so does this recipe for Oaty Date Slice.

It's quick, it's dead-easy and it's terribly addictive.

The source? Try my Yr 7 home economics textbook. Sure it's full of hokey recipes for fruit skewers and celery boats, but the oaty date recipe is definitely a

Sydney Sandwich Social

Seared chorizo and peppery rocketLast Saturday Saffron and I co-hosted the first ever Sydney Sandwich Social.The premise was simple. Everyone brings a sandwich and swaps half of it for another. Creativity was encouraged, but the classics were welcomed as well.Our idea wasn't original, but it sure was fun. Who doesn't reminisce those sandwich swapping days of the schoolyard?I packed two types of

Mmmango

Today I relished every sticky mouthful of my first mango of the season.Mangoes epitomise summer to me. Their cheerful golden colour like sunshine, their irresistable heady perfume, their inevitable stickiness of messy consumption. Summer isn't summer unless you've licked all your sticky fingers and only then noticed the mango stain on your t-shirt.When I lived in London I couldn't understand why

Bourke Street Bakery, Broadway

Olive, rosemary and salt crust flatbreadThere is something to be said for good quality baked bread.Something like ngh mrph nj mmnh *ahhhh*Or perhaps just a simple "More".At the moment I'm in the middle of reading Not On The Label by Felicity Lawrence, and the chapter on commercial breads has me craving the nourishing satisfaction of lovingly proved and nurtured real bread.Thank goodness for

IMBB #19: Strawberry and Raisin Oatmeal Cookies

The latest Is My Blog Burning challenge is to trick someone into eating something vegan.I admit it. The word 'vegan' is usefully enough inducement to emit a Mr Burns-like shudder of envisioned displeasure. Don't get me wrong. I love my vegetables. But when the word vegan is placed in front of something on the menu/blackboard/chocolate bar, it's usually a big fat warning sign to my terrified

Apple Cinnamon Muffins with Walnut Streusel

In addition to the pineapple coconut muffins I made last night, I also decided to make another fruit-themed batch (when baking fever hits, take full advantage!).Of the two, these were probably my favourite. The walnut crunchy streusel definitely makes it addictive.The recipe is almost the same as the pineapple coconut ones. I like the use of oil in this recipe as it means you don't have to worry

Pineapple coconut muffins

I whipped these up tonight for our first-ever Sydney Sandwich Social tomorrow.It was only as they were cooling that I realised these were a perfect entry for the latest Tiki-themed blog party. And with the deadline recently extended by another day, well, here I am... and here's the recipe.Pineapple Coconut Muffins2 cups plain flour1 tablespoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup sugar1/2 cup

Post 23... what do you see?

Saffron tagged me for this latest meme variant.The instructions:1. Delve into your blog archive.2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.5. Tag five people to do the same.My 23rd post was Welcome to Tokyo, as I babbled giddily about my first impressions of Nihon.The fifth sentence

Grab Your Diary, 22-30 Sept

So have you got your killer sandwich idea ready for the weekend? That's right. This Saturday is the first inaugural Sydney Sandwich Social.THURSDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2005Blog Party #2: The Tiki EditionGet your beach party and laua-style nibbles and cocktails over to this month's host Dispensing Happiness.FRIDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2005Does My Blog Look Good in This? #9Send your favourite August food photo to

Pho An Restaurant, Bankstown

I still remember my first time at Pho An.It was about ten years ago. Back then they were in their old premises, and the decor was, well, non-existent. As we sat down at our table, a waiter seemed to materialise from thin air and almost leapt on us with questioning eyes waiting for our order. Brandishing an electronic keypad(which was impressive itself back in those days), he tapped in our orders

Ripper Sipahh

Does anyone remember wax straws? And how there was a fleeting fad of coating the insides with chocolate syrup so it would flavour your milk as you sucked?The chocolate flavour never lasted very long (and I always ended up destroying my straw in the process) but as we all know, retro is in, and technology is rampant!Enter the Sipahh: easily the most exciting product we saw at the Fine Food Show

Fine Food Australia, 2005

Judging at the Official Great Aussie Meat Pie Competition.We headed over to the Fine Food Australia expo last week after receiving invitation tickets in the mail. Restricted to trade-only, this huge tradeshow made up of more than 800 exhibitors was the first ever to take up all six halls at the Sydney Exhibition Centre.Hosted alongside the Fine Food Australia expo was Hotel Australia as well as

Cabramatta Moon Festival

Yup. Another festival.Luck seemed to be shining on AG for when I arrived at Cabramatta in Sydney's west at 11.35am, I heard the sound of beating drums and clashing cymbals. Following the adrenalin-inducing beat, I discovered a huge crowd around lion dancers, who were performing moves sans-costume.The crowd was thick and since I could barely get a look-in, let alone a lens in, I was about to walk

Iron Chef coming to Sydney

Iron Chef French, Hiroyuki Sakai, is coming to Sydney!Sakai will perform a tag-team cook-off with Galileo's Chef Harunobu Inukai in front of a dining audience. As diners sup on seven courses of Japanese-French cuisine with matching wines, Sakai and Inukai will recreate the meals with large screens relaying all the action from the kitchen. (Rumour has it that Tetsuya was devastated that he missed

SHF#12: Coconut pandan baked rice custard

Every month foodbloggers from around the world are invited to participate in simultaneous cook-offs around a theme ingredient. For the 12th edition of Sugar High Friday, Elise revealed the lastest theme as custard.I was a little skeptical at first I'll have to admit. Custard sounded so limiting. Custard tart. Baked custard. Creme caramel.But a little more legwork and, well, more and more recipes

Grab Your Diary, 16-30 Sept

FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2005Sugar High Friday #12: CustardCook up some custard and get your sugary delight to Elise from Simply Recipes.SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2005Gusto Italian Regional FestivalCooking demonstrations by top chefs at Sydney's Fish Markets.Burwood FestivalBurwood Park (cnr Burwood Road and Park Avenue), Burwood10am - 5pmMarrickville FestivalMarrickville Road (between Victoria and

Blogging By Mail: Spokane to Sydney

Everyone likes getting packages in the mail. Expecting one is even more exciting!So when the first inaugural Blogging by Mail event was organised, I was in like Flynn! Foodbloggers from around the world were paired up with a secret recipient, to send a carefully chosen package of homemade treats or local specialties.The wonderful organiser, Nic from bakingsheet, kickstarted the proceedings by

Doma Bohemian Beer Cafe, Potts Point

Pork.
Sauerkraut.
Beer.

Say hello to Czech and Slovak cuisine, taverna-style.



I had made a booking for Doma Bohemian Beer Cafe after hearing someone at work constantly wax lyrical about it. I'd been told that the portions were huge, the food was cheap and the duck was goooooood (cue raised eyebrows and emphatic head-nodding).

My mandatory websurfing background check only cemented it as a

Chinese Moon Festival

In the hustle bustle of Sydney's Chinatown, it's mooncake fever. Towers of metallic red decorative tins are huddled over by mothers and grandmothers as they compare prices, brands and the number of egg yolks.What is mooncake? Why the fuss?Next Sunday, 18 September, is the peak of the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, a time when farmers traditionally celebrated their summer harvest on the day when the

Pyrmont Growers Market

There must be some kinda magic in the meteorological forcefield at Pyrmont Bay Park. It seems that without fail, the whole area is drenched in warming sunshine on the first Saturday of every month. The Vitamin D is drunk in greedily by every Sydneysider and their dog, as they browse the produce and gourmet goodies on offer at the monthly Pyrmont Growers Market.This month I met up again with

Haldon Street Festival: Part II

Shiny urns at an Indian foodstallAfter all the camera-snapping action of the festival parade, my stomach was making loud and angry demands for breakfast.Haldon Street had a number of Lebanese bakeries, I discovered, and after my recent relevatory experience with Lebanese pizza, I was determined to eat some more. After a quick appraisal of all options, Moussa's Bakery & Pizza seemed like the real

Grab Your Diary, 9-30 Sept

There are no excuses for boredom this weekend with a whole raft of things to see and do this Sunday! Unless I'm abducted by aliens, I'll be at the Cabramatta Moon Festival. How can I resist the allure of a moon cake eating competition?FRIDAY 9 SEPTEMBER 2005 Omnivoribus Australis - AugustAussie and Kiwi foodbloggers should send their favourite August post to Saffron to be included in this month's

Haldon Street Festival, Lakemba

It's true. I love a festival.So there was little doubt I'd be making my west to Lakemba for the annual Haldon Street Festival late last month.About half of Lakemba's residents were born overseas resulting in a main street which is dominated by "ethnic" eateries, intriguing grocery shops and yes, good cheap food!The day's festivities started with a parade showcasing the diversity of nationalities

Neil won't kneel

The knives are out.Neil Perry, whose Rockpool restaurant was downgraded from three hats to two in the newly-released SMH Good Food Guide Awards, is not happy.Read more on the SMH story here.Edit 12.50am 8 Sep 05: Read Neil's full response to the awards here.Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

Sydney Sandwich Social

Do you remember swapping your lunch with the kid next to you in the school playground, upgrading your boring ol' cheese and Vegemite sanger to the excitement of a peanut butter one?Are you the type of person who still checks out what everyone else is having for lunch, and enquiring "so what does that taste like?"Do you insist on swapping mains with your dining companion halfway through your meal,

One Hat, Two Hats

The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards were announced last night.For overseas readers, you could perhaps liken these to the restaurant Oscars. Incorporated into the 800-odd entries of the SMH Good Food Guide 2006, the awards highlight those restaurants which display a particular level of flair and culinary expertise, as experienced by the panel of secret reviewers.Like most Sydneysiders

Childhood Food Memories

I was recently tagged by Adam, the other AG (he's the Amateur Gourmet) who had been tagged by Clotilde for this latest meme which seems to be making its way around the blogosphere.I say recently when in fact I mean fourteen days ago. Which may not appear all that long ago, but, in Amateur Gourmet time, that actually means 28 posts ago. And that includes a movie and a podcast in there as well. Eek

EoMEoTE #10: Silverbeet frittata

Silverbeet FrittataThere is no hamThere is no spamBut there is greenInside this panWhat is the cause?It's silverbeet!Except it's greenIt has me beat!Perpetual spinachIt's called you'll find.Swiss Chard? Mangold?Make up your mind!Enough of thatWe must make hasteDeadline is nearNo time to waste!We chop the stemsAnd fry them fastThen add the leavesGive them a blastNow crack some eggsAnd season

Grab Your Diary, 2 - 16 Sept

FRIDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2005Paper Chef #10 startsBurwood Jazz & Noodle MarketWoodstock Community Centre, Church Street, Burwood5.30pm - 9pmEoMEoTE #10: Dr SeussGuess your Dr Seuss-themed eggs-on-toast entry to Jeanne at CookSister!IMBB launch cook-off (with beer!)Come along to the Is My Blog Burning housewarming for its new website design. Bring food. And beer.SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2005Pure Gelato Open

Bankstown Bites: Tantalising Tea

Two months ago, I headed west for the first ever Bankstown Bites festival. Five different themed food tours were run throughout the day and I wasted no time in signing up for three of them.I had been through Little Lebanon, enjoyed some European Eats, and now I was ready to wash it all down with some Tantalising Tea.First stop: Izvor DeliYup, we were back here although this time Gordica was ready

IMBB #18: Vietnamese banh xeo crispy pancakes

This month's IMBB theme is fried. Ahhh fried. How many crunchy promises lie in that introductory hiss and sizzle?Unfortunately Murphy's Law dictates that the tastier each mouthful is, the more likely it will be carcinogenic, cholesterol-clogging or a diabetic's nightmare.Banh xeo, however, is the perfect compromise for the fried food fanatic on a health kick. Crunchy crisp crepe, embedded with

Sydney foodbloggers' yumcha @ East Ocean, Haymarket

To the non-Cantonese, yum cha may as well be the literal description of this family-favourite Sunday ritual.First there is the yum: delicious, tantalising, bite-sized morsels of heart-warming goodness glistening on plates, sizzling on griddles or hiding in the sauna'd comfort of stacked bamboo steamers.Then there is the cha-cha of dimsum trolleys as they weave their way through packed tables,

Grab Your Diary, 26 Aug - 7 Sept

SATURDAY 27 AUGUST 2005Haldon Street FestivalDig in to the multicultural flavours of Lakemba at this annual community event.SUNDAY 28 AUGUST 2005Boulevarde Market - SpicyHead to Sydney Olympic Park to spice up your Sunday with flavours from Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico and Ecuador.9am-2pm, FREEIMBB #18: Summer's Flying, Let's Get FryingGet your stir-fried, pan-fried and deep-fried concoctions to

Bankstown Bites: European Eats

Two months ago, I headed west for the first ever Bankstown Bites festival. Five different themed food tours were run throughout the day and I wasted no time in signing up for three of them.After the whirlwind tour of Little Lebanon through the streets of Bankstown, my next bite of this multicultural suburb was Eastern Europe.First stop: Izvor DeliRun by husband-and-wife team Pero and Gordica

Dine & Dish #4: Be Rachael Ray for a Day

As a devoted fan of "cheap and cheerful", this month's Dine & Dish theme seemed right up my alley. Sam issued the Rachael Ray challenge - showcase the cuisine that your city has to offer on a budget of under US$40 in one day.As most international visitors to Australia are gleefully aware, our pathetic exchange rate significantly increases the size of the bulge in your trousers. That means US$40

Maya Masala, Surry Hills

Gulab jamunI love the way the word gulab jamun rolls off the tongue. Like a dramatic Indianised flamenco, there's a pleasingly impressive sense of certainty and flourish in just saying those four syllables.The other pleasure I've only recently had the pleasure of discovering is dosa (or dosai) and needless to say, I'm hooked.There's something about its sheer enormity of size which never fails to

Sydney Fish Market, Pyrmont

Fishmongers in action Claudio's at the Sydney Fish MarketThe Sydney Fish Market have always been a favourite foodie haunt of mine. Often we're here for only a quick dive through the shops; just long enough to secure some fresh salmon or live sea urchin for home-made sushi, or perhaps some tentacled friends for sticky chilli baby octopus.Even better, though, is when we head to the fish market as a

Una's on Broadway, Ultimo

Think Una's and think schnitzel, cabbage roll or perhaps a big hunk of pork knuckle. But guess what--Una's does breakfast as well.We're at the recently-opened Una's on Broadway which is fairly desserted on an early Saturday morning. The wooden chairs, decorated with Alpine-themed floral paintwork, look even more kitsch by the harsh light of day, but the wealth of breakfast options is hungrily

Taste test: taro chips

I'm a huge taro fan. Taro bubble tea, taro-filled dumpling buns and especially ube spongecake--an essential ingredient to any Filipino birthday party.Taro chips, though, are another story. I recall a purchase of a bag of taro chips in Vietnam which, upon tasting, were shoved down the side of a bus seat with an accompanying shudder. Cut like shoe-string chips, they tasted like taro cardboard but

Grab Your Diary, 17 Aug - 24 Sep

FRIDAY 19 AUGUST 2005Blogging By Mail #2Last day to sign up with Sam from The Samantha Files for the second edible package swap!MONDAY 22 AUGUST 2005Dine & Dish #4: Be Rachael Ray for a DayWho is Rachael Ray? --No idea, fellow Antipodeans, but the challenge is simple. Showcase the cuisine your city has to offer on a budget of US$40 for the day. That's AU$53.05 people. How much value can you get

The Flicky's

Voting for The Flicky's is now open.Thanks so much to Tracey for nominating me in the Excellence in Food Photography category. Awww shucks. Better than a gold star on the forehead!Voting closes 1 September 2005.

Bankstown Bites: Little Lebanon

Ok, so this post has been a little late in coming but AG's fingers can barely keep up with the pace of my stomach (slow down the consumption? - Bah! Nein!). And so it was 52 days ago that I had the edible camera-capturing pleasure of the first ever Bankstown Bites festival.9.30am Saturday 25 June, if my memory serves me correctly, saw me clutching an umbrella in Bankstown City Plaza, praying that

Paradoxe Restaurant Francais, Crows Nest

Paradoxe is one of those "locals' secrets" you don't hear of except by word-of-mouth. Sitting on its own some blocks down from the main drag of Crows Nest, it's not a restaurant you would notice as you zoom past in traffic, although its quaint appearance is pretty enough.Luckily for me, foodie fiends R and A put me onto this hidden French gem.R waxed lyrical about the joys of this cosy

Ichi Ban Boshi, Sydney

When I first heard about the tonkotsu ramen at Ichi Ban Boshi, my attention was immediately commandeered."Everyday they have this special noodle soup they make for lunchtime," a fellow foodie confided."They use a whole pot full of pork bones and simmer it for hours and hours and hours. The stock is simmered so long, it becomes rich with collagen, and..."I lean in excitedly."...they only make 15

Snapped: The Hub

The Hub Theatre, King Street, Newtown

SHF #11: Coffee hazelnut cookies with dark chocolate chunks

The smell of freshly ground coffee gets me everytime. That first whiff of roasted coffee beans draws me spellbound into its nutty, sweet embrace. I am under its spell each morning. Resistance is futile.So yes, consider me delighted when coffee was announced as the latest theme for Sugar High Friday. I flicked through the recipe books, I drooled, and I awoke from a caffeine-infused reverie with

Sheraton on the Park Botanica Brasserie, Sydney

There's something distinctly Australian about the enigma that is The Seafood Buffet. We have plenty of seafood in our coastal waters. Why not allow the true blue Aussie eat half their body weight in one sitting in an all-out celebration of pure gluttony? =)I say this as a recovering buffet-aholic. It is true, indeed, that these visits reached their culminative peak in the high school / university

Grab Your Diary, 10-27 August

Check out the continuing wrap-up of all 90-strong IMBB entries for the Taste Tea edition. Clement is doing a stellar job of posting them in bite sized portions. 31 beautifully composed summaries. Only 59 to go. Check out parts One, Two and Three at A La Cuisine!WEDNESDAY 10 AUGUST 2005Wine Blogging Wednesday #12: Drink Local. Real LocalFor the one-year anniversary of this event, Lenn has only one

Pyrmont Growers' Market

It's the first Saturday of the month. Where else would I be but at Pyrmont Growers' Market!This month I synchronised watches with both Saffron (a Pyrmont first-timer!) and Pinkcocoa for triple camera power.Anonymity was not an option as cameras were whipped out at every opportune moment. Zoom lenses extended, samples were zeroed in on, and oh, yes, a certain celebrity chef was somewhat stalked...

Ramen Kan, Haymarket

I've posted on Ramen Kan before, but like any good foodblogger, I find it hard to forgo any photo opportunity.

We step into the discreet doorway with the blase confidence of a local now and ascend the lift to the first floor. We're here for lunch today and, as usual, the place is full of noodle-slurping patrons.



My dining companion orders the yakisoba, a giant platter of soba noodles

Beb Patisserie, Ultimo

EDIT 05/07/07: Beb Patisserie has now closedFrench macarons $1.50 eachYou wouldn't expect to find a fine French patisserie along the smoke-clogged carriageway of Broadway. A patisserie which bakes everything on the premises by a genuine Frenchman. Which has loaves of bread on a shelf behind the counter, pastries in a giant wicker tray on the bench-top and a glass cabinet filled with every type of

EoMEoTE #9:The morning after

Harry couldn't believe how much his head was pounding. Last night had been an absolute blinder. It was only supposed to be a couple of social butterbeers, and then somehow they turned into butterscotches and inevitably everything ended up in a sticky mess from there.Sticky mess. Sticky mess. Dear god. Harry wracked the dark recesses of his memory. He remembered talking, drowning in those gorgeous

Grab Your Diary, 5-27 August

NOTE: You can now find all online and Sydney diary dates in the template on the right hand side panel.It's festival madness (and yes, I had to trawl through all the local government websites in Sydney to track down every single one of them!)FRIDAY 5 AUGUST 2005 Omnivoribus Australis JulyAll Australian foodbloggers are invited to submit their favourite July post to Saffron at The Food Palate.Paper

Sprout the love, baby

I've always loved Brussel sprouts--their miniature cabbage-like appearance, their compactness, their pass-the-parcel like layers. Perhaps not quite as monumental an export from Belgium as their chocolate, but still thoroughly endearing.Those who think otherwise have probably fallen victim to overcooked mush to the point of grey. And no vegetable should ever be forced to overcome a handicap of

Tokyo Mart, Northbridge

As you know, nothing excites AG more than the sight of a hitherto unexplored supermarket.With the memory of the Tokyo Mart crew at the Good Food Show still fresh in the mind, we made a lazy detour to Northbridge after our visit to the Northside Produce Market.Oh doesn't the entrance just scream "Irrashaimase!" (welcome) in a high-pitched female Japanese giggle?Just inside the store, my eye is

Kagaya, Hurstville

Kagaya is one of those places you're tempted to keep to yourself. It's crowded enough. It doesn't need more patronage. How on earth will I get a table on Friday nights now?We are in Hurstville, in Sydney's south-west, and although it is barely 6.30pm on a Friday night, Kagaya is already packed out. Thank goodness we have a booking (of course)!My companions have been here before and recommend the

IMBB#17: Green tea and almond cookies

Tea. n A clump of dead leaves steeped in hot water to create an aromatic drink.Of course not!As this month's host of IMBB, Clement, points out, tea is embedded with ritual. The Japanese are famous for their highly ritualised green tea ceremony. The English elegantly partake in a Devonshire tea of scones with jam and cream (altho' the way I pile on the cream negates any sense of dignity). And in

Flying Fish and Chips, Pyrmont

I've been the pitiful victim of constant overtures on the gastronomic joys of Flying Fish.Friends have waxed lyrical about the Sri Lankan snapper curry, others have raved on about the divine seafood degustation, and head chef Peter Kuruvita seems to be forever popping up in the pages of Good Living.So when we found ourselves heading back to the car after last month's Growers Markets at Pyrmont,

Grab Your Diary, 28 July - 22 August

SATURDAY 30 JULY 2005Organic Expo 2005Browse and sample organic food and wine at the first ever Organic Expo in Sydney. Free seminar presenters include Kylie Kwong and Stephanie Alexander.Where: Bayside Banquet Hall, Sydney Convention Centre, Darling HarbourTickets: $10 (Students $8, kids under 14 years are free)Orange Grove MarketsOrange Grove Public School, Perry Street, Leichhardt8am-1pm,

Chopsticks in Chinatown sweet conclusion: Emperors Garden and Passionflower, Haymarket

There is no such thing as too much dessert.Besides, we needed a little pick-me-up after an entire day of photographing, shopping, snacking and er, eating.After a quick whip-around the Emperor's Garden bakery--tray in one hand, tongs in the other--Saffron is keen to have an Emperor's Puff, a gastronomic urge I am obliged to help satisfy.It's not hard to see why any foodie wouldn't be addicted. A

Chopsticks in Chinatown, Part IV: Thai Kee Supermarket, Haymarket

I love supermarkets.Some people spend their weekends at the art gallery. Others go hiking. Whereas I'm quite happy to browse through the aisles of a supermarket for hoooouuuuurrrrrs.Of course when you're in an 'ethnic' supermarket, there are even more things to examine and scrutinise.Saffron, Pinkcocoa, Shin Chan and I headed to Thai Kee supermarket in Chinatown's Market City after a morning of

It's a Big Ad

It's not like I normally push the joys of amber nectar, but this latest campaign by Carlton Draught is an endearing mix of Iron Chef melodrama with Aussie bloke larrikinism.EDIT 11.30pm 25 JUL 05: Apparently the ad was created by by George Patterson Partners and shot in New Zealand, using 300 actors and more than 20,000 computer-generated men. The director credit to the "Academy Award-winning

Northside Produce Market, July 2005

We sniffed, poked and taste-tested our way around Northside Produce Market last weekend. Once again the sun was shining, wicker baskets and canvas carry bags were in abundance, and it seemed like anyone who was anyone was sporting a pampered pooch as well.L-R: Coriander and chilli pesto; pistachio and green olive pesto; and rocket and almond pesto from Pastabilities.Their chilli jam is dee-lish

Anzac biscuits

Anzac biscuits are as quintessentially Australian as Vegemite and lamingtons. Ensconced in national pride and beheld with reverent affection, Anzac biscuits were originally developed by hardworking mothers and wives, keen to send biscuits to their loved ones at the battlefront of World War I.The word Anzac is an anagram of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, who suffered heavy losses

Chopsticks in Chinatown Part III: Lucky Thai Sweets, Haymarket

Lucky Thai Sweets and Video.Remember that name.For it promises a hidden plethora of sweet nothings, exquisite in shape and size, bountiful in type, and lovingly infused or immersed with a tropical sarong of coconut.Saffron, Pinkcocoa, Shin Chan and I were in the midst of our Chinatown Gastro-Journey. We'd breakfasted on yumcha, we'd done some dim sum (the take-home kind) and now it was time to

Grab Your Diary, 21 July - 22 August

THURSDAY 21 JULY 2005Does My Blog Look Good In This #7By my calcuations, you have about 15 hours to submit your favourite June photo to this month's host, Lynette from Lex Culinaria to be included in the peer-judged gallery of food porn.SATURDAY 23 JULY 2005Ashfield Gourmet Food and Wine MarketSt. Johns Anglican Church Grounds (Bland and Alt Streets), Ashfield11.00am - 4.00pm, 2nd and 4th

Bastille Day @ La Peniche, Stanmore

What better way to celebrate a gaol break than in the company of friends, with plenty of good food, wine and a restaurant all to ourselves?We headed to La Peniche in Stanmore for a special Bastille week themed dinner. We've been here before, and the allure of a private venue, a French host and nil corkage was *hic*, just too good to resist.We entered the tiny (but festively decorated) dining area

Chopsticks in Chinatown, Part II: Dim sum fun

Sticky rice bun from Lai Shing Dim SumIf you can't make it to yumcha, or even if you have just have, take-home dimsum enables dumpling goodness either at home or via the office microwave.Despite the efforts of our yum cha extravaganza still making its way through our digestive tract, Pinkcocoa, Shin Chan, Saffron and I head across Chinatown for more dim sum... the portable kind.First we head to

Chopsticks in Chinatown, Part I: Dragon Star, Haymarket

EDIT January 18, 2009: Dragon Star has closed and re-opened as China Grand.After relishing every minute of our action-packed spice tour hosted by Saffron, it seemed only fair that Pinkcocoa and I reciprocate the exchange of foodie fun with our very own shop-fest around Sydney's Chinatown.Of course a responsible foodblogger should never photograph on an empty stomach, so we headed straight for

Hot, blonde and full of kisses

Nic from bakingsheet has recently organised Blogging by Mail, an international baking spectacular involving twenty-two participants baking goodies for their fellow food bloggers.So when I received a package on Thursday I was amazed at the speed at which my bakee had dispatched their package (names and addresses were only distributed 10 days before). That is until I realised that my sweet parcel

New comments feature

Thanks to the tireless efforts by Ebenezer Orthodoxy from Blogger Hacks, you can now check out the five most recent comments and their authors by merely scrolling down the right-hand side panel.So if you comment, not only will I feel validated and abashed with joy (yes, it really does make my day), but you, too, will bask in fleeting fame.Who could ask for more?So grab your mouse and make a

SHF #10: Honey snaps

I love honey drizzled on toasted crumpets, dolloped onto hot buttered toast, spooned into peppermint tea and used to add a sweet caramelised glaze to everything from roast pumpkin to honey soy chicken wings.So the theme of honey for this month's Sugar High Friday seemed easy-peasy. Until, as usual, I panicked as I rifled through recipe books, consulted the Internet and put on my thinking cap

Good Food Show, 3 July 2005

We look forward to the Good Food Show (or the Good Food and Wine Show, as it's more accurately called) every year. Foodstuffs, samples, celebrity chefs, samples, cooking demonstrations, new products--and did I mention the samples? =)As always, the place was packed to the rafters on Sunday, the final day. At 10am, when the doors opened, a crowd of 300 had already gathered at the entrance and by

Grab Your Diary, 14 July - 10 August

FRIDAY 15 JULY 2005Sugar High Friday #10: HoneyGet your sweet treat to Nic from Baking Sheet for this month's Sugar High Friday.SATURDAY 16 JULY 2005Northside Produce MarketMiller Street, North Sydney (between Ridge and McLaren Streets)8.00am - 12.00pm, 3rd Saturday of every monthTHURSDAY 21 JULY 2005Does My Blog Look Good In This #7Submit your favourite June photo to this month's host, Lynette

Snapped: Winter sunshine

View from Pyrmont Bay Park looking out towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 2 July 2005.A quick snap as we headed back to the car after our monthly trek to the Pyrmont Growers Market. The skies were a heartwarming blue and the palm trees amongst grass reminded me of those touch footy scenes from The Secret Life of Us.We soaked up our bonus winter dose of Vitamin D before we stuffed the boot with

Cafe Kasturi, Haymarket

We'd been curious about Cafe Kasturi ever since it opened on George Street three months ago. Boarded up for months and months, suddenly there was glass frontage, modern signage and more Ikea-style furniture than you could poke an Allen key at.

So it seemed like the perfect candidate for Sarah's latest instalment of Dine & Dish #3: The Freshman, where bloggers were urged to post on a restaurant

Spice Up Your Life Part III: Janani Sweets, Homebush

We'd stuffed our bags with spices, we'd stuffed our stomachs with lunch and now it was time to stuff the emergency stomach with dessert.The tiny takeaway section of Janani seemed to have a constant queue of locals. We patiently waited our turn before squeezing our way in, oohing at the various goodies, and emerging with far too much sugar for our own good.Gulab jamunMilk toffeesMilk toffeesLaden

London terror attack

More than twenty-four hours have passed since the bombings in London but I am still in shock and deep sadness.Having spent 2.5 wonderful years based in London, it has been chilling to recognise the streets, landmarks and tube stations which were once an everyday part of my life. Watching the images of aftermath has been surreal. I cannot imagine how Londoners must feel.Thankfully, my dear friends

Grab Your Diary, 7-24 July

SATURDAY 9 JULY 2005Ashfield Gourmet Food and Wine MarketSt. Johns Anglican Church Grounds (Bland and Alt Streets), Ashfield11.00am - 4.00pm, 2nd and 4th Saturday of every monthMONDAY 11 JULY 2005Dine & Dish #3: The FreshmanThis month Sarah urges us to get out there and welcome a new restaurant on the block.Paper Chef #8 entries dueSubmit your culinary masterpiece featuring the theme ingredients

EoMEoTE #8: Something fishy

"Here's a story........ of a lovely lady,Who was bringing up three very lovely giiiiirrrrrrllllls.All of them had hair of gooooold--""Can you stop singing that song Jan? It's driving me crazy." Marcia sighed. "And besides, you better get this blindfold off me cos Chip is picking me up in half an hour, and you know I have cheerleading practice this afternoon... and all the girls voted me to be at

Spice Up Your Life Part II: Janani, Homebush

"I have this place in mind for lunch; it's a little plain and dodgy-looking so I hope you're not too disappointed."

We'd spent Sunday morning on an Indian and Sri Lankan spice tour led by fellow foodblogger Saffron. Pinkcocoa and I had discovered gulab jamun, idli and stringhoppers in the aisles of various grocery shops and, after three hours of relentless pavement pounding and compulsive

Spice Up Your Life: Saffron's Spice Tour

One of the best things about having a food blog is meeting other food bloggers. People who are similarly passionate about what they consume, who showcase amazing feats of culinary creativity, and who share it all so willingly and with such dedication for the visual hedonistic enjoyment of passing strangers.I love that I can tap into a network of homecooks, dining critics and chocaholics. I love

Pyrmont Growers' Market

Olive oils from Pukara EstateAfter a week of heavy rain (which yes, we did need), it was nice to see the sun again today. With clear blue skies as far as the eye could see, Sydney foodies made their monthly pilgrimage to the ever-popular Pyrmont Growers' Markets, soaking up the sun with a lizard-like affection.And each time we're at Pyrmont, I will--without fail--bump into someone I know. Hardly

Aniseed it, and you don't...

Mango and green apple liquorice from Darrell LeaDarrell Lea's soft-eating liquorice is always a firm favourite. Forget the Dutch-style salty liquorice, the gaudy liquorice all-sort, the tarted-up liquorice bullet. Darrell Lea liquorice straight from the packet is manna from heaven; soft, pliable and sweet with aniseed.So we were intrigued and excited when Darrell Lea released two new flavours:

Grab Your Diary

THURSDAY 30 JUNE 2005End of Month Eggs on Toast Extravaganza #7Cook a goog and send it to Jeanne. And it looks like this month's theme is "short dramatic works", or as Jeanne suggests, "One flew over the chicken's nest. Layer Cake. Cluck back in anger."Does My Blog Look Good in This #7The foodporniest winners are announced by Meg today at I Heart BaconFRIDAY 1 JULY 2005Omnivoribus Australia NEW!

Snapped: Water boy

Snapped at the Primo Italiano Festival, 5 June 2005A poignant appreciation for nature's most precious resource, especially given Australia's current drought crisis and Sydney's precariously low dam levels.

Orange Grove Markets safe for now

After a tense week of uncertainty, it appears that the organic food stalls at the popular Orange Grove Markets are safe to continue trading. Reports in the Sunday papers of 19 June 2005 indicated that the booming 100-stall market contravened the original Development Application for 60 stalls only, and that the food stalls (whose leases expire at the end of June) would be forced to relocate to

Primo Italiano, Stanley Street Festival

In an barely concealed jibe at Sydney's "other" Little Italy, Leichhardt, the recent Primo Italiano festival attempted to adamantly reinforce the reputation of East Sydney's Stanley Street as Sydney's "first" Little Italy. It was in Stanley Street where Italian immigrants first began to cluster socially, gradually building more and more delicatessens, restaurants, bars and cardhouses until the

IMBB #16: Tortilla Espanola

Tortilla Espanola. You may as well substitute the word tapas, just as yum cha = the ubiquitous har gow.Soft cooked potato flavoured sweetly with onions and set by a soothing blanket of egg. How can you not be transported to a lazy afternoon in sun-drenched Seville with every mouthful?So when eggs were set as the key ingredient for Is My Blog Burning #16, the flamenco had already begun.Tortilla

Upcoming events

FRIDAY 24 JUNE 2005Is My Blog Burning #15: EggsGet your eggs-quisite works of art to Seattle Bon Vivant anytime from Friday 24 June to Sunday 26 June.SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2005Bankstown Bites Food FestivalBankstown City Plaza (near Bankstown train station)10.00am-4.00pmFree one-hour food tours on noodles, tea and Asian, Lebanese and European delights will be conducted on the hour. Book in on the

Nhat Tan, Marrickville

Former home to a strong Greek community, these days Marrickville is home to a melting pot of Greeks, Lebanese, Vietnamese, Chinese and Africans.On Illawarra Road--one of the main shopping streets--Asian groceries, Greek bakeries, bubble tea cafes and Vietnamese restaurants jostle one other for over five blocks.We only had eyes for one thing though: Good pho. We were hungry. And we needed it

Haigh's, Sydney

So it seems my information sources were wrong and Haigh's actually opened today!We ducked up at lunchtime and were impressed by the efficient but friendly staff in crisp white uniforms, the goodie filled windows and, of course, the chocolate heaven inside.I didn't realise that Haigh's are the only chocolatiers in Australia who start with raw (imported) cacao beans: roasting, grinding and then

Five Favorite (Cook) Books Meme

Reid tagged me for this meme over a week ago and I've only just gotten around the answering this now. Guilty of procrastination as charged! It's certainly been enlightening reading everyone else's cookbook/cooking memes currently going around at the moment. We know what people are eating, and we know what people are photographing, but memes give an added dimension to my fellow floggers' lives and

SHF #9: Jamaican choko tarts

After making my banana caramel macadamia tarts, I was still itchy to do some more baking. And besides, aren't tarts all about wanton excess?I got the idea for these after flicking through my glittery copy of The Cook's Companion by Stephanie Alexander, the foodie bible for every Australian homecook. Stephanie says her choko tart recipe was sourced from an old collection of Caribbean recipes, and

Banoffee pie

Yes, this month's Sugar High Friday entry is not for the faint-hearted.This diabetic nightmare takes inspiration from my beloved memories of the English banoffee pie--the English may be guilty of soggy chips, but their supermarket bakeries had me loitering every time.What is a banoffee pie? Think biscuit base, with a thick blanket of caramel, layered with slices of fresh banana and smothered in

Pier 26, Darling Harbour

I know, I know. I'm a little obsessed with this place, but can you blame me, when the food looks like this?Add them up and what do you get?Pan-fried pork chop with sage and lemon risotto with spinach jus and crackling $16.00Macadamia crusted salmon with spiced peaches, rocket and kipfler potatoes $20.00I had the salmon which was magnifique! The salmon was perhaps a tad over-cooked for my liking,

Upcoming events

I'm most excited about next week's opening of Haigh's at The Strand. I first discovered Haigh's hand-made delights on my last trip to Melbourne and, like, yum! The 100sqm outlet will be Haigh's biggest store (apart from the Adelaide Visitors' Centre) and is the first in Sydney (there are six stores in Adelaide and five in Melbourne). About time we got one!The other drool-worthy news for

Steve Eats It, so we don't have to

Woohoo. Steve has finally posted volume 8 of his ever-popular Steve, Don't Eat It series.This time Steve brews and consumes prison wine to an authentic recipe, an episode filled with the usual moments of slack-jawed disbelief alternating with hysteric laughter.For those who aren't familiar with the pioneering Steve, I urge you to check out all the episodes now. If the contents of the post don't

Autumn in Sydney

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn." ~Elizabeth LawrenceExplosion of red in a suburban Sydney streetTrees turning in Sydney City's Hyde Park.Even though we technically moved into winter as of June 1st, the trees are still a slow-motion sunset of russet reds, burnt oranges and mustard yellows.I do like autumn. The last final bursts of vibrant colours are definitely how I

Greek Islands Taverna, Earlwood

Earlwood, a sleepy suburb in Sydney's inner west, has always had strong Greek connections. The general public probably best know Earlwood for not only giving us Alex Dimitriades, but John Howard as well.Greek Islands Taverna, on the other hand, has no such high profile aspirations. Its entrance is via a tiny alley off Homer Street, with sweeping views of a council carpark; the windows are

Caffeine AND calcium

Pinkcocoa has a lot to answer for!And yes, it was good.

Diesel @ the Campsie Food Festival

Diesel rocked on last weekend at the Campsie Food Festival. A slightly incongruous sight (Diesel? In Campsie?!?), Diesel entertained an appreciative throng of inner west foodies as he promoted his latest album Singled Out.Of course I hung out "backstage" afterwards, and Mark (can I call you Mark?) obliged with a photo. Awww...

Upcoming events

Yay! It's the long weekend! Alas there doesn't seem to much going on food festival-wise this long weekend, although you might already be busy catching the Sydney Film Festival (10-25 June) or the Darling Harbour Jazz Festival (11-13 June).FRIDAY 10 JUNE - MONDAY 13 JUNE 2005If you are desperately after a convivial foodie atmosphere, you could of course make your way over to the small but slowly

WBW #10: White Pinot

The theme for the tenth edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday is white Pinot, including Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.What to choose? I headed to wine-lover's heaven, Amato's in Leichhardt for a browse...Amato's almost feels like a wine department store. Wines are sorted by country; Australian wines are sorted by state. There's an enormous walk-in fridge of beer slabs, a whole wall of

Campsie Food Festival

Often affectionately known as Sydney's "Little Korea", Campsie offers more than just kimchee, incorporating a gastronomic melting pot of Indian, Lebanese, Fijian, Samoan, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese shops and restaurants.This year's Campsie Festival was bigger than last year's, appearing more organised and better planned. Food stalls were moved from Anzac Mall and out along Beamish Street,

Iron Chef

In my over-excited watercooler chats, I've noticed that people are either huge Iron Chef fans, or they just don't get it. But what's not to get? Over-excited Japanese gameshow, slow motion wok tossing, extreme competitiveness under a guise of humble modesty... not to mention pagodas carved out of carrots and the hilarious voiceovers! Oh, when oh when, are they going to bring this series out on

Italian National Day, Wharf 8

As posted, I did spend much of last weekend at the Sydney Writers' Festival. In-between literary illumination and bookish ebullience, we did manage to nip down the road to Wharf 8 to check out the Italian National Day celebrations. Unfortunately it was a case of shoot and run as time ticked on. We were disappointed that most of the food seemed to be sausage sizzles and spaghetti napoletana,

Upcoming events

FRIDAY 3 JUNE 2005Paper Chef #7An online "Iron Chef"-style challenge, this round's theme ingredients could include star anise, chestnut paste, egg, brown sugar, red wine, cream, cheddar cheese, buttermilk, quinoa, mejdool dates or honey! Bang a gong, we are on!Feast - 7.30pm-8.00pm on SBSSATURDAY 4 JUNE 2005Manly Food Festival: A Taste of Manly (thanks Tian!)Ocean beachfront (5min walk along The

Cyril's, Haymarket

Merely approaching Cyril's and catching sight of the goodie-laden baskets outside, is enough to quicken my step and tantalise my tastebuds whenever I'm in the area.This quaint and traditional European deli has been on Hay Street since 1956. Its owner, Cyril Vincenc, is a permanent fixture behind the counter, offering advice to customers in English, Russian, Polish and Czech. Back in the 1970s,

Sydney Writers' Festival

So I spent much of last weekend at the Sydney Writers' Festival. The weather was that perfect mix of crisp autumn--cold enough to require jackets, but with enough sunshine to warm the face and toes.I only ended up going to a handful of events in which I was particularly interested. Augusten Burroughs was much less neurotic than I imagined (considering his childhood of bible dips, toilet

EoMEoTE #7: bill's corn fritters

there once was an egghead called billhis eggs mixed with cream gave me thrillshis corn dipped in batterwas good but what mattersis he must learn to use CAPITALS!I'd been meaning to make this for ages ever since I spotted pinkcocoa's efforts here in October 2004. So in an apt non-planned reciprocal arrangement, this entry for the 7th End-of-Month-Eggs-on-Toast-Extravaganza is for you

Dine & Dish #2: Queen of Cuisine

When Sarah announced that the second theme for Dine & Dish was Queen of Cuisine, I applauded. About time we heralded and celebrated the culinary paid efforts of females in the hospitality industry.Until I stopped to think about how many restaurants I knew of--off the top of my head--that were fronted by females. Um... Kylie Kwong and her Billy Kwong restaurant. And... errr... ahhh...A little more

Upcoming events

It's been lamented by many a foodblogger that we really do require more event reminders.So here's a quick snapshot of upcoming events both online, on The Box and out and about in Sydney's autumnal sunshine...FRIDAY 27 MAY 2005Feast - 7.30pm-8.00pm on SBS"This eight-part series is a lush and colourful glimpse into Indian culture, food and customs, presented by English-born chef, Barry Vera. Vera

Crystal Seafood, Strathfield

Out for a family and friends meal, we found ourselves at Crystal Seafood in Strathfield. With a strong multicultural mix of locals (almost half its population was born overseas), Strathfield is overflowing with Chinese, Korean and Sri Lankan eateries and shops.I've been to Crystal Seafood twice before for yum cha. Both times I was rather unimpressed with both quality and service. But we thought

Park your stubbie

I've set up an Australian Food Bloggers ring.Get on board!And for those non-Antipodeans playing at home, why not stake your location on my Guestmap ?

IMBB#15: Marshmallows rolled in toasted coconut

This fifteenth edition of Is My Blog Burning is being hosted by Elise from Simply Recipes, who set the theme as gelatin, pectin or agar.As Elise mentions, gelatin immediately brings to mind the glorious 1970s --yes, we're always a bit behind Down Under--when a fish memorial made of aspic brought gasps of delight from assembled dinner party guests.Dodgy cheap cheesecakes aside, gelatin still

Ben Lee @ The Metro, 18 May

He may have been the unfortunate cuckold of her, but Ben Lee is as placid as ever, imploring the sell-out crowd at The Metro that We're All in This Together.With a set largely off his latest album Awake is the New Sleep, Ben did relent with an audience-loving Cigarettes Will Kill You. Without doubt the highlight of the evening was his rendition of Kylie's Confide in Me.Check out the SMH gig

Lemon sour cream cake recipe

I would have missed this 8th Sugar High Friday event had I not been browsing The Delicious Life late on Thursday afternoon. What? An SHF event is due in 24hrs? *yelp* *panic*This month's host, Alice, chose citrus for this edition's theme... lemon, limes, oranges etc. Hmmm.. what to make, what to make. Until --inspiration! I'd only just been commenting on Niki's blog about her sour cream chocolate

What's cookin', good lookin'

Ok so this is a very overdue post, but the results for the Does My Blog Look Good in This #5 were posted by Ronald on Monday last week.With a completely new format (five judges) and new criteria (Aesthetics, Eatability and Originality), the standards for this foodie photo comp has definitely been lifted a notch or two.Congrats to all the winners:Esurientes - co-winner Aesthetics (go the Aussies!)

China Noodle King

China Noodle King is a relatively new addition to the dumpling dragstrip of Sydney's Chinatown. Jammed in amongst nameless travel agents and internet cafes on the Railway Square end of George Street, it's only the picture menu taped to the wall which attacts your passing attention.Does it pass the Step Over the Threshold Test though...No nonsense food photos --checkThree-word menu descriptions --

Cafe Joy, Haymarket

Cafe Joy sits on the corner of Quay and Thomas streets. Students are constantly sitting at the window counters digging into their meals, and most impressively--I would note as I walked past--they had a bottle of my favourite sambal asli chilli sauce on every table (Cap Ibu Jari Jempol).So I really really wanted to like this place. It was cheap. It was relatively unknown. It was filled with

Saint Honore Cake Shop, Haymarket

If there's a favourite Chinese bakery item I have, it's definitely the humble but gloriously tasty cocktail bun.The cocktail bun, or gai mee baau, is a long sweet bun always marked with two pale stripes and usually scattered with a handful of sesame seeds. More importantly, they're filled with an addictive coconut mixture, the ingredients of which I've never quite been able to ascertain. But

Paddington Inn, Paddington

We had a quick bite to eat at Paddington Inn late one Monday evening. Inside it's rather hip with a modern chocolate brown colour scheme, bar stools, tables and predictably elusive plush booths.The bistro area out the back features an open kitchen, enabling a bit of head chef plate-up action. We were so hungry though, that all this enabled was exaggerated drooling as we watched in

Daniang, Haymarket

EDIT SEPT 2010: Daniang has closed and has now been replaced by Meet Fresh Taiwanese Dessert House.The modern and buzzy facade of Daniang Dumpling (or Da Niang Dumpling) is a far cry from the dark and desserted tourist giftshop it replaced about six months ago. Looking much like a Chinese version of McDumpling, it's all white bench seating and is heavily patronaged by Asian students, families and

Apple cinnamon porridge with toasted hazelnuts

Soak oats overnight.Cook on stove/in microwave according to water/milk/sugar/consistency preference.Meanwhile, peel and roughly dice a Granny Smith apple.Microwave on high until soft (about 2-4 min). Brown sugar optional.(Traditionalists can use the stove)Dust cooked apple lightly with cinnamon.Ladle porridge into a bowl.Serve topped with stewed apple and freshly toasted hazelnuts.Drizzle with

Sydney Fish Market, Pyrmont

Having done some moderate globetrotting and endured the cod-opoly of England's fruits de la mer, I can declare with conviction that Australia truly is blessed when it comes to variety, quality and affordability of beautiful seafood.So whenever overseas visitors look for Sydney siteseeing tips, I always lead them by hand to Sydney's bountiful Fish Market. Aisles and aisles of gleaming fresh fish;

Soup Plus, Sydney

EDIT JULY 2006: Soup Plus has now closed.If jazz is chocolate for the soul then Soup Plus is the Lindt box of Connossieurs.We checked out its new premises on Margaret Street which is a little more light and airy than its previous incarnation, with a glassed wall facing onto the street. Tables are placed at 90 degree angles to the tiny stage, with smaller round tables upstairs on the balcony.Music

Longrain, Surry Hills

Despite filling our bellies with Guinness and Irish pub grub, we needed (yes, as in biologically needed!) something decadently sweet to round off our meal.We headed down the road and around the corner (quite literally) to Longrain, long one of Sydney's hippest Thai eateries. Led by much-lauded head chef Martin Boetz (ex- Darley St Thai and Sailor's Thai), Longrain has earnt and held onto two SMH

The Porterhouse, Surry Hills

I've had lunch at The Porterhouse before but this time a group of ten foodies descended upon it, in search of homestyle Irish comfort food washed down with a pint of Guinness or two.I always get good vibes about The Porterhouse. Inside it's spacious and airy, rustic without being musty, and devoid of any nosewrinkling ghosts of stale cigarettes or beer.It's also one of the few Irish pubs I know

Rise, Darlinghurst

So I've posted on Rise twice before, but on this, my fourth visit to this hidden Darlinghurst gem (and inexplicably, my second in two weeks!), we finally managed to sit at the coveted bench area.This is where all the action is. Sitting right at the preparation bench area. Front row seating at the Rise kitchen arena. We felt like little kids at a magic show.And sous chef Massa Yano and his

EoMEoTE #6: Warm and sunny

In the fried egg world you're either a runny-yolk person, or you're a... Neanderthal.Why anyone would deny themselves the bliss of piercing the golden sun of a barely cooked egg yolk is beyond me. Rich, thick and eggy it oozes languidly into your toast providing nourishment and comfort.So for this month's End of Month Eggs on Toast Extravanga #6 it was back to basics. Fried egg on toast. Extra

Bar Fly: Pier 26, Darling Harbour

So I've posted on the Pier 26 bar before, but for Sarah's first dining-out online flogger event: Bar Fly: eat at the bar (great idea!), I couldn't resist heading back here again.In the dying throes of a gorgeous Sydney summer (technically it's the end of autumn but don't tell the sun that), Pier 26 is one of our favourite places to sit back with a glass of wine and watch the world go

IMBB#14: Orange You Hungry

Foodgooat's theme for the 14th version of Is My Blog Burning was Orange You Hungry (say it in an American twang-- "Aaaaaah", sigh the Antipodeans).Orange as in orange-coloured foods or spices, or products even.What to cook? I thought of Aussie favourites like pumpkin soup and pumpkin scones. Then I thought about orange poppyseed cake and sweet potato chips.But then I thought, why make things

IMBB#14: Tarka dhal

I've been craving dhal for some time now. There's something deliciously comforting about a spoonful of steaming hot, spicy dhal with rice.I've never made it before though, and IMBB#14: Orange You Hungry seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so.A couple of clicks later on the Internet and I found what looked like an authentic recipe from someone who had visited a friend's mother in New Dehli.

IMBB#14: Moroccan carrot dip

With left-over carrot mash from my tarka dhal on-hand, I decided to turn this into a Moroccan carrot dip for my second submission for IMBB#14: Orange You Hungry.Moroccan Carrot Dip1 cup cooked carrot2 tsp cumin1 tsp paprika1/4 tsp ground ginger1/2 tsp ground cinammon1 garlic clove, mincedsalt and pepper to tastePuree or mash the cooked carrot and combine with remaining ingredients.The end.This

IMBB#14: German carrots cooked in beer

When I stumbled upon this recipe, there was noooooo way I could resist this one. Carrots and ale? Oh boy, do I know a few people who would love this one! You know who you are...German Carrots In Beer(4 servings)4 large carrots1/4 ts salt1 tbp butter1 tsp sugar1 pint dark beerMethod:Peel and slice carrots into long, thin slices.Melt butter in medium-size frying panAdd beer and carrots.Cook slowly

SHF#7: Dense gingerbread

My first-ever Sugar High Friday entry! Woohoo!When I found out Derrick's chosen key ingredient was molasses, my first thoughts--like Niki--were of literary memories of childhood. I can remember poring over English and American stories, trying to imagine the treacle tarts, pulled taffy and treacle toffee so lovingly described. I had no idea what these things were, but boy, they sounded good!I've

The World's 50 Best Restaurants

Britain's Restaurant magazine recently published its annual list of 50 best restaurants in the world. Not surprisingly London, Paris and New York feature prominently:1. The Fat Duck, England 2. El Bulli, Spain3. The French Laundry, California 4. Tetsuya's, Sydney5. Gordon Ramsay, London6. Pierre Gagnaire, Paris7. Per Se, New York8. Tom Aikens, London9. Jean Georges, New York10. St John, London 11

Snapped: The Bridge by Night

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Killing Heidi, Tumbalong Park

After checking out the Northside Produce Market, we headed back over the Bridge to check out the Killing Heidi gig at Darling Harbour's Tumbalong Park. Not only did we get a free concert, but we also (apparently) got into the Book of Alternative Records for the world's biggest air guitar gathering.Current New South Wales Air Guitar Champion, Darrin "Jimmy Dangles" SmithA tough act to follow, but

Northside Produce Market

I think I'm becoming addicted to markets like muso's get addicted to gigs. There's something intoxifyingly adrenalin-pumping about talking to the people behind the product, getting all the insider info, and sharing the experience with like-minded foodies.We got up with the birds and made it all the way over the Bridge. (Note to non-Sydneysiders: The Harbour Bridge divides Sydney much like the

bills2, Surry Hills

Some might call it greed. I call it thoroughness.And so in a selfless gesture to ensure Quality Assurance for you, dear reader, we found ourselves at bills2--just to double-check that Bill Granger's scrambled eggs are as equally good here as they were at bills in Darlinghurst.It's 8.00am Thursday morning and the place is already 30% full with businessmen, couriers and a handful of Japanese

Saigon Village, Haymarket

Somewhat spurred on by previous proof that you can't always judge a book by its cover (or a restaurant by its doorway), we decided to have lunch at Saigon Village--despite (or in this case, because of) its funny little windowless entrance on Sydney's Little Hay Street.Apart from a protuding neon sign and a beckoning red lantern proclaiming "$6 lunch", there is little to attract the passing

WBW#8: Vini Siciliani Rossi.... er... Bianco

WBW? It means Wine Blogging Wednesday and just like other similarly acronymed events, involves a simultaneous collaboration of posts around a specific theme.Sounds hard-core. Or so it did when I first heard about IMBBs, SHFs and the snappy EoMEoTE. But like most of the finer things in life, once you're acquired a taste for them, they become strangely addictive. And so having already attempted two

Seaside snacks, Terrigal

There must be some kind of psychosomatic link between feeling the refreshing tingle of salt spray on the skin, and an irrepressible urge to get salt under the skin. Fish and chips aside (and yes, even those artery-clogging deep-fried Mars bars), nothing screams Aussie seaside satiation like the beloved potato scallop and the pineapple fritter.The potato scallop is but the transportable clutchable

Tetsuya's, Sydney

At $175 a head, Tetsuya's is perhaps seens as the gastronomic Mecca for Australian foodies. "One day I'll go", is the repeated mantra. "It's just so expensive..."For non-foodies, their look of bewilderment is genuine. "$175 for a meal?" they bleat. "And it costs $75 on top of that for matching wines?" Their pupils dilate in disbelief.But they don't understand. This is not just "a meal". This is

Pyrmont Growers Market

I arrived uncharacteristically early at the Growers Market this month. 6.30am to be exact. For those who know me--I know, I know! This doesn't happen often!In the bleary tranquility of early morning, the stallholders were still unpacking and setting up for the busy morning ahead...Stallholders chalk up their signboards.Trays of fresh figs are bathed in early morning sunlight.By 8.26am the crowds

Comment corner

Unfortunately Blogger doesn't support the "Recent comments" capability available to Typepad users, so I thought I'd manually highlight a recent topic thread in my post on Sweet Belem here.Hi there,I'm new to your site and it has been nice reading about your food adventures.I went to Sweet Belem after reading your post and I must say the Portugese tart was lighter and more refined than other tarts

Zest tell me the truth!

Which pie are you?With thanks to Saffron for unearthing this one

EoMEoTE #5: Eggymite--Scrambled eggs with Vegemite

Hot buttered toast with Vegemite?Or hot buttered toast with scrambled eggs?Why not do both?!?When inspiration for this month's End of Month Eggs on Toast Extravaganza struck me, I had visions of soft fluffy egg pillows decorated with beautiful dark brown swirls of salty goodness.I whisked the eggs with milk and then added half-a-teaspoon of Vegemite. Trying to swirl the solid lump of brewers

Una's on Broadway, Ultimo

A gaggle of foodies descended upon Una's on Broadway last night, Easter Monday, to see if this latest outpost of Una's could stand up to the original.In all there must've been about fifteen of us: some new faces in the crowd as well as some familiar ones, including Casey, Aaron, R and VerucaSalt.The restaurant was surprisingly empty, although true, this area doesn't have the luxury of constant

La Peniche, Stanmore

You've probably driven past La Peniche a million times on your travels up and down Parramatta Road but never realised it. Disguised amongst the bland windowed shop fronts, it is here at La Peniche where you can dine on a three-course meal plus glass of wine for a mere $30.$30! Tell me more!La Peniche is actually the "application" for students from the Paris International Cooking School, something

Out of Africa, Manly

Sipping hot sweet mint tea brings you back to a carpet-selling souq in Fes, where your t-shirt and shorts instantly label you as a bumbling foreigner, your brain is addled by the stifling heat, and a small but determined Moroccan is trying to convince you that the carpet that lays between you, really is an unbelievable bargain.We're not quite in Fes, but rather in wet and miserable Manly, having

Bairro Portugues - Petersham Food and Wine Fair

After checking out the St Patrick's Day parade in the city a few Sundays ago, we then high-tailed it to Sydney's Little Portugal for the annual Petersham Food and Wine Festival.It was a dazzlingly warm and sunny day and Audley Street was closed off to traffic and jam packed with stalls and wandering foodies.Hey we recognise this stall...Street mural by Portuguese-born Australian artist Luis

Berry bombs

When I saw kiwiberries in this week's Good Living, I didn't really think I'd see them at the local Woollies.But there they were. $3.99 for a punnet. Oh go on... why not. Gastronomic research you know?... :-)According to the Good Living blurb, kiwiberries are hand-picked, "vary in shape from round to elongated, weigh between 5 and 20 grams, and are loaded with Vitamin C".Once home and having

Pink Salt, Manly

EDIT: This restaurant has closed at this site. Bella and Evan have re-opened Pink Salt in Double Bay with a new kitchen team.For those of you who aren't Australian reality-TV addicts, Pink Salt is the New South Wales restaurant in the Channel 7 series My Restaurant Rules.Basically the concept goes that five couples at the start of the series are given the opportunity to develop and manage their

St Pat's pics

I'm a little behind in uploading my photos from the past week, but here are some pics from Sydney's St Patrick's Day parade.

Granola nuts

Today's Good Living mentions that Australian businesses have been sent letters by lawyers representing Sanitarium for mis-use of the word "granola". Short Black reports that apparently granola was trademarked by Sanitarium in 1921, and that the letter indicated that "businesses had 14 days to remove granola-labelled products from shelves".Reminiscent of the community horror at the ugg boot

IMBB13: Lime, white chocolate and coconut muffins

Wow. I can't believe I finally got my act together and made it to an IMBB finishing line. And before deadline too. Woohoo.What is IMBB? It stands for Is My Blog Burning and is basically an online simultaneous theme-based cook-off. This month's IMBB theme was My Little Cupcake (or muffin). Yay, I recall was my response. Not too intimidating for this lazy chef.A couple of days were spent recipe

Una's, Broadway

Una's at Broadway is now re-furbed and open for business. I walked past here on Monday and couldn't resist a couple of furtive shots of the interior through the window. The large snake-like communal table looks a little boarding-school like, but it seems a practical and economic way to deal with the irregular party sizes of students who are sure to frequent here.They've maintained the kitsch

St Patrick's Day Parade, Sydney 2005

Everybody loves a parade and after my frenzied coverage of the Chinese New Year festivities, I thought it only fair I cover Sydney's Celtic roots as well.However reflecting Australia's relentless multiculturalism, it was heartwarming to see Irish-Chinese families on the sideline and a couple of Chinese kids within the parade itself. Not to mention the Chinese dragon which was somehow included in

Farmers Market, Fox Studio

Saturday. Markets. Food. Eating.I'm starting to get used to this...Fresh cornPlumsBunya nutsTraditional carriers at the Ethiopian food stallHand-decorated cupcakes $5.50 eachfrom Carissa Lake at the Cupcake Princess stall.Barbie's on at the Mojo Picon stallGarlic prawns barbecued with Mojo Picon sauceChorizo roll with Mojo Picon and Mojo VerdeFarmers Market, Fox StudioWednesdays and Saturdays

La Disfida, Haberfield

Whilst Napoli in Bocca is famous for its soft-cooked thicker crust pizzas, La Disfida serves up its polar opposite--pizzas with bases rolled out so thinly that crispiness and delicateness go hand-in-hand.It's a Friday night and although it's still fairly early at 7pm, La Disfida is already starting to fill up with hungry patrons. There's a modern warm wood-and-brick feel to the place, with none

Look Mum...

Guess what happened at school today!!!Thanks to all the judges (fine fine taste people), J for supplying the photographic (and edible) material, and of course, the tirelessly working Ron from IMBB.Congratulations also to joint-trophy-teamster Who Wants Seconds, the other place-getters, and all the entrants in DMBLGiT. A fine selection of both photos and photographers!Now lens eat!

Snapped: Pitt Street Mall

Free hugs at Sydney's Pitt Street Mall.

Yutaka, Sydney

I first discovered Yutaka courtesy of Pinkcocoa here. I'm becoming more and more sceptical when it comes to buffets, but Pinkcocoa's pics and write-up convinced me to give this one a go.Yutaka offers a la carte sushi and teriyaki but most of the punters are here for the hedonistic excesses of the all-you-can-eat buffet. In a quaintly open pragmatic approach, the lunchtime offer is a bargain $12--

Pyrmont Growers Market

It's that time again. Pyrmont Growers Market.Yum.And who did I bump into, but pinkcocoa and shinchan!Loaves from La TartineFruit loaf from La Tartine: my new must-have staple!Liquid refreshment from Parker's Organic JuicesWe had the blood orange juice which was very tasty.Myoga from Kei's KitchenEDIT 1/2/06: Bolivian Rainbow Chillis(Thanks chillisrus!)Good Living Growers' Market7.00am - 11.00am

bills, Darlinghurst

If there's one place in Sydney that is Mecca for breakfast afficianados, it's bills. The phenomenally successful Bill Granger springboarded his career via a plate of humble but unbelievable scrambled eggs and the rest, as they say, is history.Today Grainger is restaurant owner (bills in Darlinghurst opened 1993 and bills2 opened in Surry Hills in 1996); best-selling cookbook author (bills food,

Una's, Darlinghurst

Ok, so it'd only been 15 days since we last visited Una's, but the allure of an $18 schnitzel frenzy proved too great to resist...We arrived at 7pm tonight and ended up waiting about 20 minutes in the bar upstairs. We're sure they make the room extra stuffy just to make sure the beers get knocked back more quickly!Downstairs, Una's was packed as usual. We scanned the menu blackboards quickly

AG's sticky chilli baby octopus

I'm a bit of a baby octopus fan and thought it was about time I tried my hand at home. Bit of sweet chilli sauce, plenty of searing heat and lots of toe-curling caramelisation! You can't go wrong with a DIY marinade.I never understood why people turned their nose up at baby octopus. Tentacles? So what. Chewy? Only if the chef has ruined them.However as I squelched marinade into the quivering blob

Napoli in Bocca, Haberfield

It's 6.15pm on a Saturday and like most restaurants around Sydney at this time, Napoli in Bocca is fairly desserted. "Perfect", we think as we approach the maitre'd.

"Do you have a booking?" we're asked.

"Err... no."

"One moment please" he says as he scans his reservations book. "Hmmm... I can give you one-and-a-half hour only. Is that ok?" he proposes.

Holy mackerel. (Or should that be

Tropfest 2005

From its famed humble beginnings in Darlinghurst's Tropicana Caffe 13 years ago, Tropfest is now trumpeted as the world's biggest short film festival. Way back in 1992, John Polson asked the permission of the local Tropicana cafe owner to screen his first short film Surry Hills, 902 Spring Roll.And as they say, the rest is history. Australians love the idea of egalitarianism and any Joe Bloggs on

IRL: Sydney bloggers' yumcha

With regular photographic :P knowledge of each others' lives, it seemed about time that Sydney bloggers put names to handles, and faces to blogsites.We had a Sydney bloggers yumcha today, forcibly drawing back the curtains from the anonymous stage of cyberspace.In attendance was pinkcocoa, ShinChan, BHR, R, R's sibling, Casey, and of course yours truly. The rollcall was modest, but the appetites-

EoMEoTE #4: Chorizo and rocket

I've been meaning to join in an EoMEoTE (End of Month Eggs on Toast Extravaganza) ever since I saw the first version way back in December last year. Eggs, toast... is this not the international brunch of choice? With limitless opportunities for culinary entrepreneurship? Brilliant, brilliant idea Anthony and Jeanne!As usual though, time crept up on me so when I saw Julia's punctual post on her

Toxteth Hotel, Glebe

We had a quick dinner at the Toxteth, a low-key but recently refurb'ed pub in Sydney's inner west.The food here definitely fulfilled the "value" part of the pub grub equation, with enormous servings to satiate the ravenous.Calamari with chips $13.00Grilled marinated chicken breast with chips and salad $18.00Smoked chicken salad with Roquefort dressing $13.00Baby octopus salad $18.00The chicken

Snapped: Bill Bryson at the Valhalla, Sydney

Bill Bryson at a Gleebooks author talk at the Valhalla in Sydney.Generally known as the witty author of numerous travel books, Bryson is currently touring to promote his latest book, A Brief History of Nearly Everything--a layman's guide to the Big Bang and the start of the Universe.Looking remarkably cool in a velvet jacket despite the Sydney humidity, Bill read us chapters from various works,

CNY: Dragon boat races

The final event on Sydney's Chinese New Year festivity calendar... dragon boat races on Sydney's Darling Harbour.Vendor making hand-made eggrolls. First time I've seen this--very impressive!Official dragon boat race opening ceremonyRelated GrabYourFork posts:Links for all Chinese New Year 2005 pics

Govinda's, Darlinghurst

Govinda's has been around since 1979 and provides one of the cheapest dinner and movie deals around.A vegetarian all-you-can-eat buffet is $15.90.Add a movie for only $4.00.Or watch the movie without dinner for $10.90.The movie room is upstairs and its biggest drawcard is the fact that patrons get to lie on lounges for the screening.Pic from www.govindas.com.auWhat's the catch? Well, it is run by

Una's, Darlinghurst

Una's reputation precedes itself for Darlinghurst locals in-the-know. Having served giant-sized schnitzels for over thirty years, the patrons here are devout fans and inevitably ravenous.The specialty here is the Jaeger schnitzel, two enormous veal or chicken schnitzels served with a kilo of potato rosti and half-a-cabbage worth of sauerkraut (or so it would appear). The menu is predomoniately

CNY: Sze Yup Temple tour, Glebe

I've always had vague recollections of there being a temple in Glebe, but had never visited. So when I heard the City of Sydney were hosting tours of the temple as part of Chinese New Year I jumped at the chance (and wheedled an extra long lunch too).The tour was fairly interesting but I ended up uncovering most of the following information from the Net...The Sze Yup temple was built by early

East Ocean, Haymarket

I've posted on East Ocean's yum cha before, but it's been aaages since I've eaten dinner here--until tonight.The restaurant was healthily busy for a Tuesday night and festooned with Chinese New Year lanterns and firecrackers.This was a ten-person gathering so there were plenty of dishes to photograph. It was a bit of an event so we ordered fish and crab live from the tank (presented to us in

CNY: Parade Part II

The remainder of my pics from Sydney's Chinese New Year parade down George Street.This is my favourite pic of the day!You can't tell in the pic but this female lion kept batting its right eyelash very cheekily!This poor little kid was dripping with sweat after performing in the parade but proud parents and rello's kept asking him to pose for photos. "Smile!" they insisted as he tiredly lifted the

CNY: Parade Part I

The Chinese New Year Parade is probably one of my favourite events to look forward to on the CNY festivity calendar. Colourful costumes, cute kids and the adrenalin-inducing lion dance!This year's mascot for the Year of the Rooster.--Where do giant inflatable animals like these end up?The 15-metre-long dragon took off down the street at such a bolt that this is my only shot of it... obscured by

Inspired--Tetsuya's salmon sushi

Inspired by the easy peasy look of Tetsuya's salmon sushi demonstration at David Jones yesterday, I couldn't resist having a go myself.AugustusGloop's take on Tetsuya's salmon sushi- Blend 1/2 a large avocado with 200ml of full-cream milk (vary to your creaminess preference).- Add a pinch of salt and plenty of white pepper to taste.- Make a small quantity of sushi rice by adding seasoned rice

Tetsuya demonstration: David Jones

When I read about the legendary Tetsuya Wakuda doing a demonstration at DJs Food Hall, I was suitably excited at the prospect. However apart from reading a blurb in City Weekly and (of course) posting the details here on GrabYourFork (I look after you don't I?), there didn't seem to be much other publicity (unlike Pinkcocoa's experience during Good Food Month here).So it was probably totally

CNY: Chinatown History Tour

We joined the free Chinatown History Tour today, conducted by the City of Sydney council as part of Chinese New Year celebrations.The tour was led by 1988 Order of Australia recipient Mr King Fong, who revealed much of Sydney's Chinese history through facts as well as stories.Mr Fong, a small but spritely man probably in his 60s, arrived in Australia as an 8-year-old, and his enthusiasm for

James Squire Brewhouse, King St Wharf

I'm not a huge beer drinker, but having recently been enlightened on the joys of real ale, James Squire is usually my pick of the bar.The James Squire Brewhouse down at trendy King Street Wharf offers an extensive range of ales along with a modern Australia, steak and seafood menu.After our bargain $5 steak dinner earlier, we couldn't resist dessert. I shared a frozen chocolate mousse cake with

Slip Inn, Sydney

The Slip Inn has always been one of the more popular after-work bars for City suits. Today it is probably best well-known amongst Sydneysiders (females in particular) for being the magical wonderland where Tasmanian girl-next-door Mary Donaldson met Danish Crown Prince Frederik at an afterparty for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games opening ceremony.Now our Mary is the Crown Princess of Denmark, and

House of Flying Daggers

We went to a preview screening of House the Flying Daggers tonight.Directed by Yimou Zhang (Hero and Raise the Red Lantern), there were definitely elements of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon albeit with significantly more girl power. There were also a lot more nature scenes (as opposed to usual palacial opulence) and the cinematography and sound were very impressive.Probably not as good as

Rise, Darlinghurst

I've been to Rise before but we were keen to head there again to take advantage of their wonderful omakase menu at an incredible half-price. Previously available three nights a week, the half-price offer is now only valid on Sunday evenings (6.00pm or 8.30pm sitting) and books out in advance.The Rise restaurant barely stands out amongst the terraces along this road.Inside it's rather cosy with a

My Restaurant Rules blog

The ever-resourceful BHR and myself (the chronically verbose one) have set up a My Restaurant Rules blog as a forum for MRR-related news, gossip and general self-assured-criticism :P

For those outside of Australia (or with the strength of character to resist reality TV), My Restaurant Rules involves five couples around the country setting up their own restaurant under the glare of cameras and

CNY: Children's Fair and Entertainment

Children's Fair at Belmore Park, Haymarket and various entertainment throughout Chinatown's Dixon Street.Related GrabYourFork posts:Links for all Chinese New Year 2005 pics

Pyrmont Growers Market, Pyrmont

It was a glorious summer's day for the first Pyrmont Growers Market of 2005. Wicker baskets, pampered pooches and prams were all out in force to stock up on organic, gourmet and exotic produce.One of the three rows of stallholders at the markets. The building in the background is Sydney's Star City casino .We breakfasted on samples of olives, trout pate, macadamias, gelato, tofu in goma sauce,

Chinese New Year: Chinatown Markets

Dixon Street, the pedestrian mall in Sydney's Haymarket area, is usually the nucleus of Chinese community celebrations.Our Chinese New Year festivity calendar has been marked and today we checked out the first day of the Chinatown Markets on Dixon Street.Oh, and having been enlightened on the joys of Spam omelette, Spam with pancakes and Spam katsu curry this pic's for Reid ;-PAnd yes, I managed

Music in my Kitchen

Eek! I've seen this pass-it-on music survey do the blog rounds but didn't suspect that eventually my pedestrian music tastes would be forcibly revealed to the cybersphere.

Why oh why did I comment on Reid's kitchen music? :P

Ok. Here goes...

What is the total amount of music files on your computer?

Embarassing confession #1: I'm mp3-less. I missed the mp3 revolution by about six months when I