Yummy Breakfast!

Hey all!

So, its been a while since i have gone out for breakfast and actually been happy with the food i have ordered. This visit was to Thyme Square cafe in Hornsby and it was delicious to say the least. I couldn't decide what i wanted and to be honest everything on the menu sounded Divine, so i played it safe and went with the Farmers breakfast. This would be equivalent to what is usually referred to as the big breakfast. for $18.50 i got 2 scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms, grilled tomato, sour dough toast ( the best sour dough i have ever tasted), sausage, and the most satisfying hash brown ever!

I had intended on taking a photo before eating, but it looked so good. so i took a photo of my food half demolished so you could at least see some of it ;-P



The only thing i had a problem with was my freshly squeezed orange and carrot juice. Even though i watched them make it fresh right before my very eyes, the ingredients may not have been super fresh as i could barely taste the carrot. The coffee was Delicious though and really pretty!!!



All in all ... i will DEFINITELY be returning for my breakfast outings. I cant pass this place. I rate it 4/5.

Kristen

Chatime - Chatswood

I thought this time instead of reviewing food, I would review a drink place! Especially since I loveee Chatime.

Easyway was getting a bit monotonous for me since the drinks are overly sweet with only slight hints of tea flavour, especially the fruit teas. This is why you got to try out this new drink bar, ChaTime. Chatime is amazing! Made from real tea, instead of powder.

ChaTime is another Tawainese drink bar started in 2005 in Taipei. In a mere 4 years, it has got over 200 franchised stores in 7 different cities in the world.

Unlike Easyway Teas, ChaTime employs a large team of seven just to work in one store, pretty impressive. BUT, the most impressive aspect about their drinks is the way they make them. They actually use real tea and shake it together, like Cha for Tea drinks.

There is always a big line of people waiting to order their drinks. I love it how the server speaks in fluent Cantonese and understands English very well. Another great thing about the servers are they always ask you the ice level. You can choose from a variety of ice and sweetness levels giving you a drink that you favour.

Large Matcha Tea Latte with half ice, $4.7. If you love green tea and looking for something smooth and refreshing this is the drink. There are prominent hints of matcha and slight hints of milk making it very smooth. Should of added some red bean because it would of tasted amazing.

 Large Mango Green Tea with half ice, $4.7. This was definitely a lot better than Easyway's Mango Green Tea. I love it how you can definitely taste the green tea and the mango isn't overpowering the tea. It's neither too sweet nor bitter. Great refershing drink for a hot day.

Large Milk Tea with Pearl $5.20-$5.50. This is basically what every single milk tea looks like. They have a beautiful creamy tea taste with the special blend of different flavours. So far i've tried: Tokachi Red Bean, Jasmine Green, Roasted and Hazlenut Milk tea. For me, the best would have to be hazlenut because its got quite a unique sweetness which tasted amazing.

Overall, ChaTime is slightly more expensive than Easyway Tea but definitely less sweet and fabulous fast service. The servers are extremely polite asking you every detail and for the drinks, to me they're amazing. I would love to see them have a membership card like Easyway because i'll sure be back.

ChaTime is located in the food court of Chatswood Chase just outside KFC and New Shanghai

                                                                                                    Hyung-Geun Bark - Drinking away.

Sushiya - Chatswood

More Japanese food because nothing beats the mouth-watering flavours of japanese food. So everybody had been to Sushiya but they never get sick of the bright atmosphere, quick service and most importantly the super great Japanese food for a very reasonable price.

 

I have always been a big big fan of soft shell crab. I remember when i was small i was first exposed to this delicacy through the same sushi at the same place. That is right, several years ago, this sushi was my number one favourite. The crispy outer shell has soft flesh inside, along with sweet chilli and mayonaise, this sushi is lovely.

 

 

Our entre started with a zesty seaweed salad consists of leafy greens, juicy tomatos and the super delicious seaweed at the top. This was super fabulous to go with the tofu and other main courses that had quite bold flavours. Full flavoured miso soup never gets old, making this soup very tasty especially for our growling stomachs.

 

In the whole restaurant Teryaki chicken is definitely my favourite dish. The bold teriyaki flavours compliment the smooth potato mash and the tangy colesaw salad. The chicken is always super soft and juicy. The potato mash had too much pepper but nevertheless it is an exceptional dish displaying the authentic Japanese flavours that i love. We decided to get two plates of teriyaki chicken that were cleared in a few bites.

 

Chicken Katsu Udon is a must for every occasion because it suits everybody. Katsu is the Japanese version of you Austrian schnitzel which all Australians just love. Tender pieces of chicken and chewy strands of udon provide a filling and very delectable meal. So if you are on a budget, udon is the way to go.

Overall, this super appetising meal came to around $100 for four people. Considering that we love ordering food and it was super filling, Sushiya is definitely a place i would reccomend for sensational Japanese food. There may be places that are cheaper but no one does the teriyaki chicken like Sushiya does.... Going back tonight for another meal and remember, always make a reservation if you want a seat at dinner.

                                                                                    Hyung-Geun Bark -Japanese food fanatic

Easter Long Weekend Food Fest pt.2

So continuing on from my last post, the dinner came to an end with a super duper cream cake made by me:P

Before i go on about my desert, i did have a good time with the mains of the meal. I realised that not a great deal of people like organic chicken here, including myself. But according to my fellow Chinese friends and family members 99% of chicken in China is organic.

I tried some organic chicken that nig

ht and unlike normal chicken we have here, it didn't just 'break down' after a few chews. I guess 'bouncy' is the best word for describing the sort of meat i was chewing on. It was like the meat not wanting to give up and kept refusing to break. It was not tough though.. If you've had pearls like as in pearl milk tea before, you'll know what i mean by bouncy.

And also, its really hard to describe the taste of chicken! Like when a lot of Chinese people say "oh dear, this beef has such strong beef flavours".!? WHAT exactly are the beef flavours??

I finally realised what they were trying to say, the organic chicken really did have stronger chicken flavours. Like when you eat chicken you know not only because you got it from KFC, you actually know because you're familiar with the "chicken taste". Except the organic chicken had a lot more of that chicken taste.

So----back on track lets take a look at the cream cake i made for the night!

This was the mixed berry cream cake i made for the family! Very simple but very delicious! Fresh not frozen berries and fresh cream and cognac:)

I could have rolled it up and made it into a roll cake but cutting it the way it is now was waaay more exciting and fun to eat!

Jessica

Cupcakes on Pitt

I was walking around looking for something sweet when i spotted Cupcakes On Pitt. Now if you know me, i would usually be the type to walk straight past that store without adverting my gaze, but that day was slightly different. I was amazed to see a new range of cupcakes.

There are so many flavours!!. The rocky road and the chocolate brownie flavours really seem amazing.

But dont judge a book by its cover!

 

Since Adriano Zumbo has made his several appearances on reality tv show, Masterchef, the rest of Australia has been exposed to these beauties. I am a fan of macaroons because they are chewy, sweet with wacky flavours that create heaven in your mouth.  Cupcakes On Pitt released their macaroon range at a tiny price of $2 and they are massive.

 

My conclusion and bias opinions about Cupcakes On Pitt still remain the same. I have yet to be super impressed by this dessert chain; hopefully, in the near future, I will start to see a change. What i do love though is that, every single time i walk past Cupcakes On Pitt, the cupcakes leave you gazing, too bad taste buds dont agree.

 

Hyung-Geun Bark - Looking for sweetss

Melody Markets- Chatswood

If only i lived in Chatswood, i would spend all every single Thursday afternoon there snaking on the biggest variety of food that i have ever found. . Melody Markets is a market for food that is hold every single Thursday of the week. Best thing about it is that there are so many cultures that unite at one common place.

 

Fancy some delicious dessert which are on the go? No problem, visit Hontou Box for the most amazing pancakes with a variety of fillings. These go for about 3 for $5 which is not too bad considering that all snack foods are expensive. 

They have special trays filled with pancakes which are in the progress of transforming into orgasmic snacks. The most popular flavours there are red bean and green tea.

 

My personal stash of hontou pancakes. There are like soft, warm pancakes with sweet filling of either green tea, red bean, custard or chocolate.

 

Green Tea Hontou Pancake has a very soft and custard like filling. The green tea flavour is very subtle, which i dislike but the texture makes up for it. 

 

The red bean filling is definitely a favourite. The red bean has a relatively smooth texture whilst having chunks of red bean still there. The flavour is not too sweet nor too subtle, hence creating a harmony of flavours with the hontou pancakes. 

 

If you have ever been to the Melody Markets then you must have seen the ColoTako store which is usually the one with the longest line of hungry people waiting for their fresh Takoyaki. 

 

There are various fillings that you can choose from, you can even choose half and half flavours. This is great because consumers love having the ability of trying out different flavours for a similar low price.

 

All the staff are busy turning takoyaki balls before they burn. The atmosphere of this store is so warm and welcoming. No wonder, they always have such a long line.

 

Takoyaki balls are jam packed with mayonnaise, bonito flakes and other sauces, creating the most delicious snack on the go. What a god send that Japanese street food can be found in the North Shore. 

 

                           Hyung-Geun Bark- From the Markets

________________________________________________________

Easter Long Weekend Food Fest pt.1

Five-Day straight Easter long weekend can't only be about alcohol and parties! I had a great dinner at home, dad did what he usually does in his restaurant and cooked us a Chinese Easter meal:D

Here it is a real Chinese wok, not something you find in Myer or Big W because its the traditional ones that chefs use to train with back then. The ones dad use in the restaurant are nearly double the size though...

Steamed oysters with ginger and shallot soy sauce were the highlight of the night! Mainly because i love oysters and the special soy sauce! I have to point out that its not soy sauce you buy from the supermarkets, those ones will be waaay to salty. This type of soy sauce many use for steamed fish or boiled prawns too.

This super duper close up s

hot of the soy sauce says it all! There were heaps of chilli, ginger, shallot and parsley, it was sooo good!

You're not supposed to steam the oysters in the sauce because -

1. the sauce loses its strong taste from all the steam (water) diluting it

2. the greens all go brown und

er the strong heat

3. the oysters become too salty after being soaked in soy for several minutes.

So after steaming the oyster with

some ginger

(to get rid of any fish

y taste:P) we spooned some sauce into the oyster. Oh yeh! we added some chilli dried scallop for more flavour!

And yes this is the complete picture of what I mean by steamed oysters with ginger and shallot chilli soy sauce:)

A Late but Hearty Welcome!

Better late then never I've always said!

so without further ado... H, Jesss and I (Kristen) welcome you to our blog! I'm sure you have guessed by now that our focus will be on something most of us have a passion for! thats right you figured it out...Food glorious food!

Not only will we discuss food in general but we promise to deliver you with regular updates of recipe and restaurant reviews for you to enjoy and comment on! feel free to let us know of experiences you have had in relation to any of our blogs! we are always interested to hear of others experiences weather they be possitive or negative!

Signing off and Eating up,

Kristen :-)

Mamak!!!

I am a big believer in cheap and tasty food. The idea of spending $60 on a main dish is just ludicrous because there are restaurants that serve the most amazing dishes for $6. Mamak is one of those cheap places where food is delivered to you at lightening speed, literally!

Mamak's relaxed and warm atmosphere is a delight to be in. From the menus to the cutlery, its service is delivered in a snap.

In order to keep up with the waves of people flooding through the door, Mamak has several wait staff and several making fresh roti.

Not only is the food unique, but they have several drinks that are a sweet blend of tea and condensed milk.

The regular roti canai, $5, comes with two curry dipping sauces. Both are fragrant and contain bold notes but they go perfect with the soft, tissue like roti. Roti is so warm and just falls right apart when you eat it.

Nasi lemak with fried chicken, $10.50. Whether you enjoy a nice crunch or even when you're on a budget, this is the best meal to have. You should of seen the size of that plate. I mean seriously, $10.50 for fragrant coconut infused rice, crunchy anchovies, salty peanuts, your choice of meal, cooling cucumbers and spicy sambal sauce; isn't this more than a great deal. By the way, the sambal sauce at Mamak is just amazing, especially if you love chilli. The sambal is full of flavour and great with rice or just as a dip alone.

Kari Kambing, $15. A lamb curry that looks fiery hot but is mild and tasty on the pallete. It features herbs and spices that will definitely excite your tastebuds. The best part is that the lamb pieces are so damn tender. However, even though there were lots of herbs and spices, it was a bit bland for my liking. 

The BEST dish of the whole entire restaurant is the Satay Skewers. I have these in beef satay, $14 for a dozen. The beef itself is marinated but nothing too special that makes it pop. It's served on a white plate with cucumbers and red onion on the side to give you a special crunch. The satay sauce, however, is mind smashing. No joke, the sauce is just tasty. I find some satay sauces can be chocking to the throat because they use too many spices. Mamak's satay sauce is sweet yet mildly hot and features semi crushed nuts to give you some texture. Definitely a must have on my list.

As for dessert, roti kaya, $7.50, is the way to go. Roti kaya has several layers of roti with a sweet pandan filling and served with a cooling scoop of vanilla ice cream. It may look bland and sound rather boring, but this is fabulous. Oh how i love roti.

Ais Kacang $5. Who doesn't love shaved ice with sweet rose syrup and brown sugar and drizzled in condensed milk. To make it more remarkable, there is a dallop of creamed corn on top to intensify the flavours. Soothing and very cheap.

So guys, definitely go check out Mamak when you have time. It's right next to three beans at Chatswood Station. It's affordable and you will be out the door within 30 minutes. Or, you can be like me, just sit back and enjoy the chatty atmosphere.

                                                                               Finding the best food in town- Hyung Geun                H

More Asian food

Most people should be familiar with Asian hot pot dining. Those who hang around the city in particular must have tried or atleast seen others cook their raw beef in some kind of boiling pot.

Most people in Sydney are familiar with Chinese hotpot restaurants that serve the chicken broth and SPICY chilli soup. But during my last stay in Japan i got to try something else~
These ones were completely different - the white side was a creamy broth made of soy milk and the clear side was, according to the waitress, a collagen enhancing (wow) seaweed soup.

Omg It was so delicious!! I've always been wondering why the many standard Japanese sushi/ramen/a la carte restaurants when clearly someone could differentiate with this kind of dining.

Besides the flavours in the soup, there were other sauces and dips to have the food with, like sesame garlic oil and wasabi mayo. After cooking the meat, seafood and vegies we had some of the soup. Omg it was the best, again!

I would've had the left over soup in take away containers if it didn't make me look stupid:)

Tokyo Ramen Restaurant Review.

Foodies!

This weeks restaurant visit was to Tokyo Ramen restaurant in westfield shopping town Hornsby. This restaurant was recommended to me from a friend who shares a passion for ramen with me. I had the Negimiso ramen, a miso based soup with noddles and roast pork. It was delicious!!!

I'm a big fan of good service and its safe to say that if the service is poor i would certainly not be returning. In this case service was quick but very basic. The staff don't check on you again after you have received your meal and you are requested to pay for your meal up front... something i found to be a little strange, but non the less i didn't have to wait around for the bill to show up (something we all know is irritating when all you want to do is leave!)

All in all i give this restaurant a score of 3.5/5 and its safe to say i will be returning again!

Posted by Kristen