Tag: Review

{Preview Event} Is Fine Dining Finished ?

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Is Fine Dining Finished?

The Good Food Month by The Age is happening now and I was lucky enough to be invited to the preview event of Is Fine Dining Finished at The Point Albert Park. I was very excited as it was my first time dining at The Point and the weather we had that night was just glorious!

The view from The Point Albert Park

I couldn’t help but snap a few panoramic shots when we were invited to have some cocktails at the balcony. It was just breath-taking!

Karpouzi Kup

In the midst of catching up with every one, we were served with the prettiest drink I’ve had in a long time – The Karpouzi Kup by Gazi Restaurant. It was a cocktail of aperol, gin, lemon juice, soda water and fresh mint! I’m a sucker for gin, so give me anything with gin in it and I would be happy girl! And I definitely was smiling, while sipping on those cute candy cane straws!

Karpouzi Kup by Gazi

So refreshing and perfect for the sunny hot day! Soon after, we were led into the wine cellar that had a large communal table where we would be dining for the night. It was beautiful and I couldn’t wait till I get to try the food!

Recently, casual, shared, street food is taking over the food scene, so the purpose of the night was to discuss if fine dining is finished? Hosted by The Age’s Dani Valent, the dinner presented contrasting dishes from two very talented chefs : Justin Wise who is The Point’s Executive Chef, and Luke Croston of Gazi, who has travelled the road from fine dining to street food. The food was matched with wine and cocktails and the table was open to all opinions about the future of dining in Melbourne. All views shared, none judged!

Street food is definitely gaining popularity and the first course of Gazi has proven why. For me, I love casual dining as food could be conveniently consumed, and sometimes we could even eat standing up!! With a more relaxed atmosphere, I feel less concerned about being prim and proper when enjoying my food.

Soft shell crab souvlakakia

The soft shell crab souvlakakia was AMAZEBALLS. My first time having soft shell crab in pita bread. It was delicious with huge pieces of crispy soft shell crab, and the flesh was so fresh and sweet! The sauce had subtle flavours of honey and fish sauce! George Calombaris told us that Greek food use to utilise lots of fish sauce, but it is use less now. Definitely learnt something new that night! hehe The freshly made pita bread was also light and fluffy!

Beef brisket souvlakakia

The beef brisket souvlakakia was also really amazing. Melt-in-your-mouth pieces of beef brisket with chips (yes, chips!), red onion and fresh coriander. This was matched with another glass of Karpouzi Kup! Yum!

Then comes the fine dining courses by Justin Wise.

pan seared foie gras

Pan-seared foie gras with poached pear. This was luxury brought to another level! It’s probably my second having such a huge piece of foie gras, but this is truly the best one I’ve had! Crispy exterior, with a rich and creamy texture. This is definitely a dish that I would come back to dine for.

Foie gras paired with 2007 Max Ferd Richter Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese, Mosel Germany

This was paired with a 2007 Max Ferd Richter Braunerberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Auslese, from Mosel Germany, which was a sweet white wine which cuts the richness of the foie gras. Definitely a great match and I loved the wine, which was no surprise, cause I cannot say no to a glass of sweet wine! hehe

Mackeay Valley rabbit, guanciale, pithier and broad beans

The next dish was the Macleay Valley rabbit, guanciale, pithier and broad beans. How amazing does it look? Plated exquisitely, the rabbit dish was nothing short of perfection and the epitome of what fine dining is about. Beautifully plated, with the finishing touches done at table side.

Pouring the jus

There’s just something about pouring jus, to complete the dish, at table side that excites every foodie. Every component of the fish was cooked to perfection, and matched harmoniously with the 2010 Domaine Geantet Pansiot Bourgogne Rouge, Cote d’Or France.

Decanter in the shape of a snake

The wine was poured using the coolest decanter in a shape of a snake! hehe and yes, I sneaked a shot of George Calombaris cause he was sitting just opposite me!

loukoumades

These loukoumi, loukoumades are golden and crispy greek donuts coated with honey and sprinkled with sunflower seeds. Not overly sweet and soft & fluffy on the inside! The best thing is that they were served hot!

mastic musk sticks

To go with the loukoumades were these mastic musk sticks.

Dessert

petit four

The final touches that a fine dining experience won’t be complete with : a plate of petit four and a cup of tea. Green tea to be exact. Lime jelly, chocolates and shortbread. Just divine.

Green tea

So is fine dining really finished? Not in my books! Though I do love my casual street food, there will always still be a time and place for such enjoyments in my life. The Mr and I love celebrating our special occasions (birthdays & anniversaries in particular) at fine dining restaurants. It’s like a little treat for us, a few times a year.

There are a few things I do love about fine dining :

Freshly baked bread with butter

The freshly baked bread/rolls with some of the best butters I’ve had! hehe Of course, this isn’t the most important reason. To me, dining at a fine dining restaurant is a time for the mr and I to feel just that little bit more special, and being treated like royalty for that hour or two! hehe Just being in our own world and enjoying the great ambience and views the restaurants have to offer.

We do deserve such pampering once in a while, don’t we?

Is fine dining finished?

So what do you think? Is fine dining finished? Book yourself in for the event and share your thoughts!

Venue : The Point Albert Park

Date & Time : 26th November, Tuesday, at 6.30pm

Cost : $145 per person for a four course menu matched with cocktails and wine. Tickets can be purchased here.

For more reads and discussions, please head to :

Never Too Sweet For Me

Iron Chef Shellie

I Eat Therefore I Am

Disclaimer : I dined at The Point Albert Park as a guest of TinkPR and The Point. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!

Silks Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet

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Just a couple of weeks back, I was invited to a Mid-Autumn Festival banquet at Silks Crown by Chef Tsang, and it brought back lots of fun memories! Being away from home, I rarely get to celebrate mid-autumn festival anymore. But it was a yearly event in my family when I was much younger. We used to have lots of food, endless mooncakes and after all the feasting is done, we would light up a paper lantern and walk around the neighbourhood! Just thinking about it brings a smile to my face! hehe

8 course dinner banquet

I love love love when I get my own personal place card. hehe I know it’s a small thing, but just makes me feel important haha Just for the night (: The banquet menu included 8 delicious courses and I couldn’t wait for it to begin!

steamed scallop and vermicelli with garlic

The first dish was the perfectly steamed, plump and juicy scallops with vermicelli and garlic. This was so so good and one of my favourites of the night! There’s just something about chinese cooking where it looks simple, but the balance of the sauce is what’s critical to the dish. This was a perfect balance of sauces and was delicate enough to go with the scallops. Amazing!

Double boiled chicken consomme with dried scallops and mushroom

The second dish for most chinese banquets is soup. No ordinary soup, it’s soup that has been simmered for a long period of time to extract every single flavour from the ingredients. Every sip was just so flavoursome and I could just have a huge bowl of this for the night and I would be a happy camper!

Giant coral trout enrobed in minced shrimp

This third dish definitely wowed my sense of smell, sight and taste! I was definitely intrigued and super excited when it was placed in front of me. A crispy prawn head and tail, and in the middle is a piece of coral trout enrobed in minced shrimp! How amazing is that?? I was sitting next to the amazing Zeboy & Ms I-Hua and we were saying how difficult that must be to do!

inside the enrobed coral trout

See how the layers were so distinct? The best part was the crispy skin of the fish! I seriously wanted more and wished the Mr was there with me, so the prawn head didn’t go to waste! Any prawn head lovers out there? This was fried till every bit of it was crispy, but I still couldn’t bring myself to eating the shell! haha

Sauteed lobster with black bean sauce and pine nuts

This brought smiles on many faces! The lobster pieces were all cooked perfectly – still tender and juicy and went so well with the black bean sauce. It’s not usual that pine nuts are used in chinese cooking, usually it’s cashews or peanuts. But pine nuts worked equally as well, and it’s good for u too! hehe There’s always a huge packet (from Costco) in my pantry cause I love to add them in my sautéed vegetables (cauliflower, Jerusalem artichokes) ! hehe

diced beef tenderloin with mixed mushroom in gravy sauce

The fifth dish was melt-in-your-mouth beef tenderloin with mixed mushrooms in a terriyaki sauce. A little sweet for my liking, but I absolutely loved the texture of the beef. Not sure how Chef Tsang did it, but the beef was juicy and really tender!

chicken fried rice with XO sauce

The last savoury dish was chicken fried rice in XO sauce. Every rice was coated with egg and you could see the glorious yellow grains in the bowl! It had a chilli kick to it as well, from the XO sauce. I could never fry rice like this, never turn out to be this delicious. Think I need to invest in a wok! hehe

Sweetened walnut soup with glutinous rice ball

After 6 savoury dishes, I was so stuffed. But there’s always room for dessert, yes? Absolutely! When I saw what we were going to have for dessert, I was a little apprehensive, cause I never had walnut soup before. Plus the only other nut-soup I tried (and didn’t like it much) was almond soup. So I was a little worried about how it would taste. But I was so wrong. This was so smooth and delicate and absolutely divine. For a cold night, it was really comforting as well! Perfect winter warmer! I would head back just for another bowl of walnut soup. hehe

black sesame glutinous rice ball

Within the soup was a hidden treasure – a glutinous rice ball with black sesame. Absolute love! How sexy is the black sesame oozing out from the middle after a bite? hehe Rich but not overly so. Did I say it’s perfect? Cause it was!

Wing Wah white lotus seed mooncakes with double yolk

To end our banquet on a even sweeter note and what is seen as a symbol of mid-autumn festival – Mooncakes! This one is the famous Wing Wah mooncake from Hong Kong! The white lotus seed paste was smooth and not overly sweet and had two salted egg yolk! While I grew up opting for the no-yolk mooncakes, I have to say the combination is starting to grow on me. But I still like mine without yolk hehe

After the amazing banquet, Chef Tsang came out of the kitchen to say hi to us and answer some of our questions. It’s no wonder his food was absolutely delish cause he was from the two Michelin stars, Ming Court in Hong Kong! He’s been in Melbourne and Silks for 6 months now and is still working on a in-house recipe for mooncakes. hehe

So if you’re want to take part in some Mid-Autumn festivities, Crown is holding one from 9th to the 22nd of September, and there is something for everyone! Do check out their website for details of the events as they will be converting the Atrium into something spectacular!

Wing Wah moocake

We were so lucky to receive a box of mooncakes from Wing Wah to bring home! The Mr and Melissa couldn’t be happier when I took it out of the bag! hehe And yes, they finished one whole mooncake that very night! heh

Thank you so much Silks Crown, Chef Tsang and Media Moguls for organising this scrumptious banquet! Great food and was so good to meet and catch up with everyone! So do head to Crown and check it out and try some mooncakes if you haven’t had any yet!

Lianne @ Food Made With Love attended the Mid-Autumn festival banquet as a guest of Silks Crown and Media Moguls. Thank you so much for this yummy opportunity! 

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Brunch Treat : Three Bags Full

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Three Bags Full

Good evening dear readers! I hope you had a good weekend! I sure did and I always wish it would last longer! Weekends are always really precious to me, especially when there are special events to attend. A couple of weeks back, I was lucky enough to win an instagram (follow me on @lianneelow) competition by Three Bags Full (@threebagsfullmelb) and won a free brunch for me and 3 friends! WHOOPEEDOO! I couldn’t quite believe it, in fact I didn’t know it until Ling P (@sixinchheel) texted me and told me I was one of the lucky winners!

Winning brunch at Three Bags FullI called up and booked a table for the approaching weekend and I knew who I would ask along. The Mr, without saying, and the Hum family! (: I had to see my munchkin at least once a week. haha I am obviously obsessed with that girl!

Paige and I

When we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by all the staff and Sam, the manager, told us to go crazy! haha The interior was really warm and welcoming and I absolutely loved the decor.

where the coffee / drinks magic happens

We couldn’t stop smiling and just wanted to have everything on the menu, cause everything looked and sounded delicious! While deciding, we ordered our drinks!

chai soy latte

I couldn’t go pass having my chai soy latte, as I was really craving for some warmth and comfort.

The boys, who loves their coffee, were recommended to have the hot aeropress coffee (kenya blend) and while waiting for it to be ready, they made some cold drip coffee (same kenya blend) for us to try!

cold drip coffee

How pretty is the bottle that the cold drip was served in?? I wanted to steal it home! Don’t worry, I was good and I didn’t, my left hand smacked my right. haha

Cold drip

Served on a cube of ice, we could taste notes of rhubarb and blackcurrant. I actually really liked it! I was a little hesitant at first cause I didn’t know if it would be too sharp, tart or bitter for me. But it was actually really fruity on the palette. I wanted more! hehe

aeropress & cold drip coffee

The aeropress was a little more acidic cause it was hot and the fruity notes weren’t as prominent! But it was still good and a great recommendation!

The specials board

The Mr and I decided to order the specials of the day as they sounded absolutely mouth-watering! Plus I also had a sneak peek of how they looked that morning on instagram! haha So my mind was set even before I arrived!

braised white beans with porcini mushrooms

I was sold on the braised white beans with porcini mushrooms, grilled chorizo and poached eggs! Ever since I had braised white beans in Barcelona, I can’t get enough of them! These were mashed with porcini mushrooms and the flavours were just amazing! Everything went so well together, I just couldn’t stop eating and cleaned up the whole plate!

close up shot

The mr chose the other breakfast special : grilled barramundi with quinoa salad, sauce soubise, spinach puree and pickled chilli salsa! The salad was so refreshing and had so much bite to it! I was so inspired by the dish I actually went home to make my own version of it! The barramundi was grilled to golden brown, so fresh!

grilled barramundi and quinoa salad

The mr couldn’t help but order a side of istra bacon. The boy definitely needs his protein! hehe

Big breakfast

Paul & Peggy both ordered the big breakie that was like a breakfast platter of everything delicious! They love their hollandaise sauce so they decided to order a side of it. It was thick and luscious and one of the best hollandaise they’ve tasted! Ooh -la-la!

sweets corner

After the savouries, Sam was so generous to allow us to order some sweets as well! There were so many to choose from, but our eyes were set on the cupcakes : carrot cake and chocolate & salted caramel! How can it go wrong?

Carrot cake

Paul and Peggy are huge fans of carrot cake. This one was to-die-for! The cake was so moist and had just the right amount of spices, and the cream cheese frosting was rich and delish! After every fork-ful, Peggy and I just looked at each other and kept saying “Wow! So good!” haha

Chocolate & salted caramel

This, however, was AMAZEBALLS! Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! And there was a surprise in the middle. Could you guess what?

liquid salted caramel middle

A liquidy salted caramel middle!! The moment you slide your fork through, you have liquid gold flowing out! So rich, so darn good! Definitely made me think of Miss D! The desserts were so good that we both bought each cupcake home to have again for dinner that night!

Thank you Three Bags Full!

Thank you Three Bags Full for the generous prize and the awesome hospitality! The food was delicious and we will definitely be back again for more!

Paige enjoying the food

Even little Paige enjoyed the food and had a great time! (:

Have a good rest of the week everyone! Can’t quite believe it’s September already, but so glad it’s Spring! Till the next post, remember to always bake and cook with love! xx

Three Bags Full on Urbanspoon

Turning 27 (Part 1) : Brunch at Code Black Coffee

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Turning 27

“Everyday is a birthday; every moment of it is new to us; we are born again, renewed for fresh work and endeavor”
~Issac watts

Good evening dear readers! (: I hope you’ve had a good weekend and your Monday is going smoothly! Cause I had an absolutely beautiful weekend celebrating my hatchday! hehe (: And it couldn’t have been any better! It started with a birthday brunch with my favourite girls (Daisy, Julie, Peachie & Melissa) at Code Black Coffee in Brunswick!

Code Black Coffee

Code Black Coffee

Add : 15-17 Weston Street, Brunswick Vic 3056

Website : http://www.codeblackcoffee.com.au

Code Black Coffee is located just behind Barkly Square in Brunswick and it’s a nicely converted warehouse. The interior design is beautiful and gives a really warm feeling! Unfortunately, they didn’t have a table big enough for the 5 of us at the time we arrived, so we had to sit outside. Thank goodness the weather was bright and and sunny that morning and there were no bees around! hehe (:

our drinks

We started our day with hot cuppas! I was craving for some coffee so decided to go for a cappuccino instead of my usual chai. The coffee was nice and strong, and definitely perked me up! hehe Melissa had her usual hot chocolate, Peachie ordered her new love – chai latte, Daisy had her skinny mocha and dearest Julie (fellow April baby) had a soy mocha! I love how no two cups are the same! hehe Barristers honestly have my upmost respect with the amazing skills they have!

My cappuccino

Had to post another picture of my cappuccino. Love the contrast between my coffee, the cup and the table! (:

Smoked ham hock coquettes with cauliflower puree, baby spinach and a poached egg

When browsing the menu, there were so many things I wanted to try! But one thing that called out to me was the smoked ham hock coquettes! My hats off to the chef, as all our food were so beautifully plated and you just didn’t wanna destroy it! It was a work of art! hehe My coquettes were laid on the creamiest and smoothest cauliflower puree with sautéed baby spinach and pine nuts. In the middle was the perfectly poached egg that burst with the slightest touch of the knife!

Runny yolk

The coquettes were crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy in the middle! And the cauliflower puree, omgness. It was the best bit ever! I could eat it all day! So creamy but light at the same time! Seriously amazing! Needless to say, my plate was close to being licked clean! haha (: I am totally addicted to cauliflower puree. Who isn’t? heh

Open bacon steak sandwich

Melissa had the open bacon steak sandwich and it came with like a whipped avocado. It was delicious and so so smooth! With the tangy-ness of lemon, just cut through the saltiness and richness of the bacon steak! hehe Melissa loved the dish and couldn’t get enough of the bacon steak! hehe She mentioned that it’s even better than ham steaks which we usually have at home on Sundays! hehe Guess I have to hunt for some bacon steaks soon! hehe

Baked Eggs

Miss Peach knew instantly what she wanted – baked eggs. It had a smooth leek puree (I have to say they do amazing purees here!), baby spinach and goats cheese! A pity that the baked eggs were a little over done but she said the flavours were lovely! The best thing on the plate for her is definitely the polenta fingers! hehe Nice and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. She loved it! hehe Of course, she couldn’t resist ordering a side of mushrooms! hehe

Huon smoked salmon

Julie ordered the Huon smoked salmon served with a smooth and rich potato aioli with fried capers. The dish looked so so pretty with the heirloom tomatoes placed so artistically! heh But sadly, the smoked salmon was a tad bit too salty! But I would definitely be able to finish a huge bowl of the potato aioli! (:

Australia's best toasted sandwich 2012

Miss Daisy surprising didn’t order anything sweet, but that’s because she (the awesome baker that she is) baked us April babies a beautiful birthday cake! hehe So she was reserving her sugar for later. (: She decided to order the Australia’s best toasted sandwich 2012 because she got drawn in by the polenta cake! I can’t blame her, it was one of the dishes I was close to ordering too! The dish was yum but Miss D said that it could be better if the polenta was a little more seasoned. Once again, her dish looked so so pretty! hehe Love it!

Birthday cake baked by Miss Daisy

The sweet queen baked us a beautiful Jamie Oliver’s pear and pistachio cake with a lemon & honey drizzle!  The cafe was really kind to allow us to cut and enjoy the cake in their premises! We were so thankful, cause there was no where else we could possibly cut the cake at! hehe Everyone that walked pass just kept staring at the cake, cause it looked like we bought the whole cake! haha Neither did they know it was homebaked by our dearest Daisy! hehe (: How beautiful does that look? Definitely worthy to be sold anywhere! hehe But please note this is not from the cafe itself.

Birthday cake by Daisy

The cake was slightly dense (and I love dense cakes haha) but was still crumbly! Love love love pistachios, so I was enjoying every single mouthful of it! hehe The lemon and honey drizzle added an extra tang to the cake which was so good! Thank you so much for your effort and time spent on baking us a delicious cake dearie! (: You’re the best! hehe I was greedy and took half of the cake home! haha Oops *hides*

Presents from the girls!

Not only did Peach and Daisy buy us birthday girls brunch, I was also lucky enough to receive presents from them! I was definitely pampered that day! hehe Ms Peach even baked us sugar cookies which were so yum! hehe Thank you all so much! Loved everything! Can’t wait to cook from the Nigella Lawson cookbook too! hehe

I really loved dining at Code Black Coffee and will definitely be back with the mr soon! (: Stay-tuned for the continuation of my birthday celebration! hehe Have a great week ahead everyone!

Remember to always cook and bake with love! (:

Code Black Coffee on Urbanspoon

{SG} One Year On

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One year anniversary dinner

Time really flies, especially when you’re enjoying every second of every day. It’s already been 1 year since I married the love of my life! I can still remember the moment I said I do, and how he passed all the games set by my bridesmaids and opened my room door. I could still remember the smile on his face the moment he lifted my veil. Beautiful memories that I would always remember, and be thankful for. (: To mark our first year of marriage, the mr planned a romantic dinner at Salt Grill & Sky Bar. It’s located at the top of Ion (one of the newest shopping malls in Singapore) and has an amazing view! We went through a secret walkway to a pair of private lifts that lead us to the 55th level! The moment we exited the lifts till we were walked to our tables, I couldn’t stop saying wow in my head! haha

View from Salt

Just breath-taking! Couldn’t get enough of the skyline. Thankfully we had a window-seat, so I could take in the whole view, all night long (: Salt Grill & Sky Bar is opened by Luke Mangan, and not surprisingly, the mr chose a place that serves Modern Australian cuisine. We’ve never been to restaurants by Luke Mangan before (his first Salt is in Sydney), so we thought, why not? hehe I have to say, the mr was spot on with his choice! We were served by a very warm and personal staff, who looked after our every needs through the night. He made it a point to make sure we were enjoying our food and also made sure it was a night for us to remember.

pan seared scallops

One look at the menu, and I knew exactly what I wanted. I have a habit (a good one I would like to think) to order scallops as my entree whenever I’m at a fine-dining restaurant. For some reason, the scallop dish is always one of the stand outs of the night. And this was no different! The scallops were cooked to perfection, so so tender and mildly sweet. It was a perfect match with the chorizo sausages too! I slowly savoured each one, but I wanted more. hehe

tempura quail breast

The mr ordered the tempura quail breast with roasted legs. When it arrived, you could immediately tell it had some japanese influence to it. The quail was cooked to perfection and was very tender and succulent. The good thing was it was cooked different ways and the tempura version added a good crunch to the dish. YUM!

Veal with foie gras and mustard crust

Then came the main. I had the veal that is seared and poached to a perfect medium-rare that had a yummy foie gras and mustard crust, served with a pumpkin custard and red wine sauce. I don’t usually have veal, but this was really good! Though it was a little rare for my liking, the flavours were sensational! The foie gras just melted in my mouth and the sweetness of the pumpkin custard balances the dish out.

Crispy skin salmon

Though I liked my dish, I loved the mr’s dish more! hehe Doesn’t that always happen? You tend to love the dish your partner orders, and secretly hope he would give you more. That was me that night! The salmon was cooked to perfection! Super crispy skin, and still pink in the middle. Definitely a very good choice made by the mr. Amazing! Definitely recommend this if you’re a fan of seafood.

our sides

And as if we didn’t have enough food on our table, we decided to order some sides to share : roast mushrooms in garlic butter and truffle oil & parmesan fries. We loved the mushrooms; they were just little explosion of flavours in our mouth! So so good (: The truffle fries were alright, didn’t have the wow factor, but having a side of fries just worked with what we had.

pear tarte tatin

Of course, we couldn’t not order sweets! A little digestive for the night. hehe One dessert that I cannot go pass is a tarte tatin. It would always be one of my first choice of desserts. The first one I had was at Mr Hive’s Kitchen & Bar and that blew my mind! This one was a little smaller, and was also really delicious! Puff pastry and soft poached pears all caramelised and topped with some creme anglaise and double cream. HEAVEN!

Creme brulee

As I ordered something I love, it’s only fair the mr did too. Without a doubt, he chose the creme brulee. Plus, they were serving it with his favourite salted caramel ice cream! So I knew he was gonna pick this! The pastry chef was so sweet to write Happy Anniversary on the edge of the bowl! Was a super touching surprise. hehe Love personal touches like that! (: Just makes the night even better than it already was.

My love

Just want to say Happy Anniversary to my dearest mr once again! (: This post is late, but just want to tell you that I had an awesome night, and I am so blessed and thankful to have you in my life. I love you! Thank you for being you.

Happy Mid Week everyone! (: Remember to always cook and bake with love!

{SG} Wild Honey Brunch

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Wild Honey

Happy mid week everyone! (: Hope your week is going well and you’ve been eating yummy food and your tummies have been happy! I know I have! Especially for the past six weeks back in Singapore and I’m here to share with you some of the places I’ve dined at and really really enjoyed! So I hope all of you would enjoy my posts to come and of course, I would sneak in recipe posts and Melbourne food posts in between, so don’t you worry! (:

It’s amazing how much changes there is in the span of one year! We went back and just felt like tourists. haha. One awesome thing we realised is that the brunch scene has grown heaps in Singapore and there are so many more brunch places available now! We couldn’t be happier! So for our Christmas brunch, we decided to head to Wild Honey at Scotts Square.

Wild Honey

Address : 6 Scotts Road, Level 3

Tel : 6636 1816

Website : http://www.wildhoney.com.sg/

Our drinks

Of course being Christmas morning, the place was really packed. But we were lucky enough to get seats at the communal table. And not long after, we placed our orders and our hot drinks were served. They all looked so festive with the chocolate powdered christmas trees! hehe Just put a smile on my face when they placed it on the table.

New England

Due to the festive season, they had a couple of specials and the mr ordered one of them : New England. How beautiful is the plating? On top of their signature brioche is two fresh jumbo crab cakes with red pepper, fresh corn. Topped with perfectly poached eggs, citrus hollandaise sauce and black Avruga caviar. This was one explosive dish! Everything just went so well with each other. We loved it and just couldn’t get enough and savoured every bite!

Perfectly poached egg

And here’s the money shot! (: Just perfect with the huge chunks of crab meat. Noms! hehe

English

My mum-in-law and sister-in-law ordered the English. One of the signature brunch dishes that’s on their menu. Scrambled eggs, back bacon, Cumberland pork sausage, sauteed mushrooms, baked beans, potatoes and grilled vine potatoes with their signature brioche. The brioche is seriously something I could eat all day! So soft with a hint of sweet with every bite.

Tunisian

My father-in-law ordered another signature : Tunisian. It’s similar to baked eggs, with spicy shakshouka (don’t you love saying it? haha), chorizo sausage, the brioche and a side of Israeli salad. I didn’t get to try it, but he really enjoyed it (:

Boulevard St Michel

I ordered the one thing that caught my eye from the moment I browsed the menu : Boulevard St Michel ! It consisted of a savoury french toast with double baked cheese & spinach souffle, parmesan crumbed poached egg, slow roasted vine tomatoes, grilled bacon and spicy tomato chutney. This was SO YUM! I made sure I took small bites so that it would last for a longer time! hehe The cheese souffle was light and you know what’s better?

Crumbed poached egg with runny yolk

Poached eggs that were crumbed and still had a perfectly runny yolk – liquid gold ! It always amazes me how a poached egg crumbed and fried and still have a liquid-y centre. Definitely something I would love to try at home one day. haha.

So if you’re around Orchard Road in Singapore and you’re thinking of having some brunch, head to Wild Honey and give it a go! We were all filled to the brim as the portions were quite huge and definitely walked out with happy bellies! (:

Daylesford Adventures

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This being our first time at Daylesford, we definitely had to explore and do some touristy things! But before we set off for our adventure, we had the most amazing breakfast at Shizuka Ryokan.

Our package included breakfast every morning and we could choose between the japanese breakfast set or the usual eggs, toasts and bacon. We decided to try the japanese breakfast and boy were we glad we did! It looked more like lunch/dinner to be honest. But it was absolutely delicious and healthy! Definitely a win-win in our books. (:

After our very satisfying breakfast, we set off on our roadtrip! Our first stop was actually the Information Centre in Daylesford to grab all the brochures and maps! Then we sat down and started planning our route. The first place we decided to visit was the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens and Lookout Tower.

There was a driving path for cars to actually drive around the beautiful greenery. On each side of the road were rows of trees which kind of reminded me of my dream drive way. hehe And yes, I did remind the hubs about it. hehe But actually, to think about it. I do have a long driveway now. Just that it’s shared with my neighbour. But baby step, yes? hehe

Sitting on top of the hill was the Wombat Hill House cafe, garden and store. Unfortunately, we were still stuffed from our brekkie so we didn’t get to dine there. Definitely will be on our to-go list the next time we make our trip up! hehe Do note that they are closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays!

Our next stop was the Lavandula Swiss Italian Farm. Although it wasn’t the right time to see the blooming lavender flowers, it was still worth our visit there especially since it coincided with the Swiss & Italian Festival! In fact it was the La Primavera, which was the celebration of Spring! They had BBQs and stalls offering a range of delicious food! When we got there, it was so packed and there was just people sitting on their picnic mates, enjoying the sun, food and company!

The Mr and I spotted these beautiful willow trees and the first thing he said to me was, they look like my hair when I was younger! hehe How funny is he? So we decided to snap a shot with it! Please excuse my tired eyes! The weather was absolutely glorious!

It was a pity that it wasn’t the best time to visit the farm. But I could just imagine how beautiful it will be when they are all blooming! It would be a sea of purple, just thinking about it makes me smile! Not forgetting how amazing the whole place would smell!

There was a house on display that showed us a typical house of an italian family. It was really interesting! You could totally tell that the kitchen was the place that brings people together! Definitely my kind of house. hehe

As we walked out of the house, we bumped into a couple of boys doing the mime!

I was told by a few people to try their delicious lavender ice cream and of course I couldn’t leave the place without giving it a try! It was perfect since it was rather warm that afternoon. hehe It seems like everyone was craving for some ice cream cause of the weather.

We order a lavender ice cream waffle cone and a cup of lavender lemonade. The lavender ice cream was really smooth and had a very subtle lavender flavour which we really enjoyed. But the lavender lemonade was nothing special, it tasted like sparkling water with not much of a lavender flavour. Though it did help quench our thirst! I would definitely recommend heading up to the Lavandula Farm especially during their festivals! The next one scheduled is the Lavender Harvest on the 6th of January, so don’t miss it! (:

After spending some time at the Lavandular Swiss Italian Farm, we made our way to Trentham for lunch and to see the beautiful waterfall. On our way there, I just couldn’t not snap a shot of the trees that had blackened trunks, which kinda reminded me of when there was the forest fires a few years back at the Grampians, and the tree trunks look the same. I wonder what the story behind these trees were. Definitely a time for reflection. (:

Our first stop was to feel our tummies! Of course, when you go to Trentham, the place you have to visit is Red Beard Historic Bakery! Sourdough bread! That’s all I could think of, but I was wrong. It was much more than just fresh delicious bread. The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and cakes for tea too! Hidden at the back of a small lane, this was definitely a gem we found!

The first thing that greets you when you enter the cafe are two shelves filled with freshly baked sourdough bread that are all baked in their 140 year old scotch oven! All individually and neatly packed and presented on the shelf. They had a whole range : rye, multigrain, sesame seed crusted, fruit loaf and the special of the day was walnut! I wish I could just buy all of them and try every single loaf! All their flours were stone ground and they even had a wheat free loaf that included a mixture of light and dark rye flour. So there is a loaf for everyone!

They sold jams and other condiments too! Just love the rawness of the cafe and thankfully we found seats as it was the peak lunch time! Lucky us! (:

As the Mr had been driving the whole day, he was craving for some hot coffee – latte was his choice that afternoon. I decided to stick to water to hydrate cause of the hot weather having. Not that I would complain! I would prefer hot to cold weather any day!

We had one of the specials that were available that afternoon : frittata with red onions, chorizo and potatoes. It was SO GOOD. It was really light and definitely the fluffiest frittata I’ve had! We both loved it. Each meal came with a side of mixed greens with a mustard vinaigrette. Refreshing with a little spicy kick to it, YUM!

The other thing we had was a chicken and leek pie which was absolutely delicious! The creamy chicken and leek mixture was enveloped in their own freshly made puff pastry which was buttery, crispy and flaky. Every mouthful was a delight! I wanted more after we finished it. hehe The portions were not huge, but we were leaving our tummies for more yummies later in the day, so it was a serving size.

What I love about this place is that they use seasonal produce so their menu would change quite often. Plus, they are doing their part to protect the environment, what could you not love about that? (:

After filling our tummies, we decided to head to Trentham Falls for a short walk. I don’t know about you, but there is just something magical about waterfalls. They make me happy and at that moment, when you’re infront of the falls, nothing else mattered. Just me, the mr and the waters. One day, just one day, I would definitely visit the Niagara falls. I think I would be in awe! *wanderlust*

Calling all Chocoholics! This is one place you don’t wanna miss! Just 7kms away from Daylesford sits a place that would make alot of people happy : The Chocolate Mill. The first person I thought of was of course Miss D. I knew this would be a place she would not miss if she comes to Daylesford. hehe I was really excited about this place! hehe

There were free demos everyday at 11am and 2pm. We were lucky to reach there just in time! We saw how their chocolates were perfectly made each time and it was a really patient process. Would definitely love to give it a try at home. haha We shall see, too many things I would love to try. The cool thing about this place is that we were standing in a building made out of straw bale! 900 straw bales to be exact! Isn’t that amazing? You know what is more amazing?

This.

and this.

and a close up of those perfectly shiny handmade belgian chocolates! YUM! My eyes were drawn instantly to the hazelnut praline, so I of course had to buy a couple for our drive back to Daylesford after. hehe

Love their packaging! I am definitely a proud chocoholic! hehe

We then adjourned to the chocolate cafe for a cup of highly recommended hot chocolate! I was really looking forward to this cup of hot chocolate, cause it was said to be one of the best ones in Melbourne!

I opted for the dark hot chocolate which was so smooth and thick. DELISH! There was a thick layer of melted chocolate at the bottom served with steaming hot milk. We had to stir it well to make sure we weren’t left with a heap of chocolate at the bottom, although that wouldn’t be a bad thing either! hehe

The Mr chose the chilli hot chocolate which had the same smooth and thick consistency but the amazing this was that the more you stir, the spicier it gets! Although it wasn’t the kind of spicy that takes over your taste buds. It was just enough to leave your throat warm and tingly. hehe We definitely left the place with smiles on our faces and bellies very very happy! (:

Not sure if you realise that the mr has loads of Threadless t-shirts which are really cute! hehe He decided to pose the same way as Mr T is on his t-shirt. hehe Love his spontaneity! (:

So what happens when you crave for more hot chocolate after you leave this chocolate filled place? You could always buy a packet of their hot chocolate and all you need to do is add hot milk and viola! (: Cravings satisfied! We bought a couple for the mr’s sister, as she loves her hot chocolate! hehe You have three options : white, milk and dark!

Definitely a whole day of beautiful scenery and yummy food! I don’t think a roadtrip could get any better! Have a great weekend everyone! There will be one more post to come about the last few things we did in Daylesford, so do stay tuned! But for now, TGIF, be kind to one another and remember to always cook and bake with love! (:

{NZ} My Kitchen Part 2

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Remember my post on My Kitchen that had all the vegetarian Taiwanese food? This amazing place is also known for their meat-y delicacies and they are also equally mouth-watering! I’m sure if you’ve been to Taiwan, you know will know that they are well known for starters (小吃).

Pig’s ear! It’s stewed till the outside is really tender and the middle is really crunchy! It’s the fav of my parents and my hubs! It’s something you either like it or hate it I suppose. But in my family, we love it! hehe Mum said my grandma use to cook this but she doesn’t anymore. That explains why my dad loves it so much! hehe

Pan fried dumplings! I do love my dumplings. With lots and lots of vinegar! (: This came after our main for some reason and we were SO STUFFED. but still finished them all. haha

I ordered minced pork rice (卤肉饭)! I absolutely loved it! Worth every penny too! Just $4.95 for this small but mighty bowl of yumminess!

The hubs ordered the deep dried chicken cutlet. It was really crispy and was really well seasoned. It brought us back to Taiwan when we had the deep fried xxx-large chicken cutlet at the road side. This definitely came pretty close!

Mummy ordered braised pig trotters! Just looking at the photo makes me miss my grandma’s pig trotters even more! But these were really good too. Not too salty and the trotters were really tender, and the gravy. I could just have the gravy and rice to be honest. Think I might make some soon. haha

Dad had the dry noodles with mince. This sound and look ordinary but with the addition of the mince (similar to the rice) it was delicious. Could do more of the sauce though, cause it turned out a bit dry. The crunch of the zucchini was genious though. Added a bit of freshness with every mouthful! (:

The portions are really huge and we obviously didn’t learn from our first visit here and share our mains. haha Got too excited and just wanted to try everything on the menu! hehe Definitely a place you should try when you’re around the area!

A Review Post Gone Korean Crazy

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We are addicted. Addicted to everything Korean. But more specifically, Running Man! We were introduced to this awesome tv game show by the Mr’s sister, Melissa, and we have been crazy about it ever since! If you haven’t had a chance to watch any episodes, I urge you to watch them! I have to warn you though, you would laugh so hard, you would get cramps or even fall off your chair!

So the last few episodes that we watched, they went around the different cities of Korea buying the famous korean food and snacks at their night markets. That made us drool and made our stomachs growl. We usually watch an episode before going to bed, and boy was that a bad idea. We were so hungry by the time the episode was over. haha

Needless to say, we were both craving for Korean food! If you follow me on Instagram, you would have realised that for my dinners, I’ve been making my own versions of korean dishes just to satisfy those cravings. But after the weightlifting competition the mr took part in last night, we couldn’t resist but to head to Han Guuk Guan at Carlton for dinner since it on our way home.

Han Guuk Guan

Address : 13 Victoria Street, Melbourne Vic 3000

Telephone : (03) 96391747

This family-run Korean restaurant is gem hidden behind taller buildings along Victoria Street. We use to dine there really often when we were living in Carlton a few years ago. But haven’t been there for ages! They serve both chinese and korean dishes and trust me, both cuisines are yummy (Do take note that they only serve korean on Mondays, in case you would like to try their chinese dishes).

The staff were very friendly and the whole restaurant was filled with the delicious smell of BBQ meat. We couldn’t wait to get seated and have our food!

We ordered the seafood pancake as a starter. It was really crispy on the outside and was made with a mixture of vegetables and seafood. It came with a tangy sauce which made it even more delicious!

Though the starter appeared to be small, the mains were huge! The Yu Seul Jaa Jung Meon (Black Bean Noodles with Seafood) was DELICIOUS! There is something about me and black noodles. I can’t have enough of them.  As unappealing as it looks, trust me. When you take your first bite, you will be in love! However, the combination of hunger and delicious food was horrible though, I ate two bowls so quickly, I was stuffed even before the other dish arrived! haha

The Mr was really happy with how delicious the food was! (: And he sure had a big appetite after his weightlifting competition and he finished everything!

of course, we couldn’t resist ourselves from ordering our favourite dish: Soondubu Jjigae (Spicy Seafood Toufu Stew) ! Especially on a cold and rainy night, this was perfect! The soup was really tasty and breaking the raw egg yolk just made the soup/stew thicker.

We definitely left the restaurant full and happy! The price was really reasonable too for the portion size! And what made us even happier was that the Mr did really well at the competition! 3 Personal Best lifts yo! (: Congrats baby!

So the next time you are around Carlton or even the city and you crave Korean, you know where to go! (: