Tag: Reviews

Grain Store – Grand Opening

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Grainstore1-1Grainstore2-1-1

There’s many things I love about Melbourne. One of which is how new cafes and restaurants pops up everywhere and there will always be something new to try!  Slightly more than a month back, I was invited (with many food bloggers too!) to the grand opening of the Grain Store. Before I got the invitation, I was wowed by the pictures of their interior decoration. So I was super excited to try their food! hehe I do apologise if my photos are a little yellowish! I’m still learning hehe

photo-9-1

I wasn’t sure how they were going to fit so many of us, as we were allowed to bring up to 3 guests with us! But the place was really spacious and had tables all well spread out. The serving style of the evening was tapas which was perfect, so we got to try alot more things in a much relaxed environment! hehe

couscous and quinoa salad on red witlof

The first thing I had that night was a couscous and quinoa salad on red witlof. The freshness and crunch of the salad went really well with the subtle bitterness of the witlof. I definitely wanted more of this! hehe So so so good!

Black pudding on puff pastry

Next was the black pudding on puff pastry. Although I’m not a big fan, the black pudding went really well with the buttery puff pastry!  I have to admit, when it first arrived, I thought it was on a pikelet! hehe Kinda reminded me of bellini (mini pancakes), right? hehe

Potato fondant

This, my dear friends, was one of my favourite of the night. What could be better than a combination of spuds and cheese? Spuds, cheese and cream! hehe These golden and crispy potatoes are cut into cylinders and hollowed and stuffed with cheese! There were DELISH! Definitely wanted more!

Polenta chips

When the polenta chips arrive, I was grinning! One of the my favourite things ever! I’ve been addicted to it since the mr made them! hehe These were really good! Super crispy on the outside, soft and pillowy on the inside! Definitely wanted more than one!

Prawns on Crustini

These prawns were so sweet and succulent and went perfectly with the crispy crustini.

Small masterclass

In the middle of our nomming session, we were invited to the back of the kitchen, where all the magic happens! hehe Chef Ingo was going to give us a mini masterclass of how to make beef tartare! Straight away, I turned to look at Melissa (my sister-in-law who was my plus one for the night) and her face immediately lit up! She’s a huge fan of beef tartare, so I knew she would be thrilled!

Beef tartare

Chef Ingo used tenderloin, parsley, capers, french shallots, chives, gherkins, light mayo, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, a touch of cognac and seasoned with salt! For a small dish, it sure has lots of ingredients! hehe It’s no wonder it’s so tasty and it just melts in your mouth! Of course, Melissa had 2! hehe Everyone knew she liked it so they allowed her to have another! So nice of them! She was definitely a happy girl that night (:

smoke salmon on potato crisp

The house smoke salmon  was beautiful and went so well with the crisp and the slight bitterness of the witlof. Yummm!

Ginger Beer

As I was the designated driver of the night, I ordered organic ginger beer. I love ginger beer. It’s my choice of a fizzy drink (as well as lemon lime bitters)! So refreshing and just the right amount of ginger kick! hehe

Pork fritters

Just before we left, they came around with some delicious and mouth-watering pork fritters! OMGNESS. These were just to-die-for! They just melt in your mouth and the crumbs were golden brown and crispy! I’m so glad I stayed long enough to try them! YUMMEH!

Just want to thank the Grain Store for inviting me to their grand opening! I had such a good time and it was great seeing familiar faces too! hehe Absolutely loved the food and I can’t wait to try their breakfast & lunch menu! Definitely have to head down soon!

Disclaimer : I was invited and dined with compliments of The Grain Store for their launch party. 

Sunday Brunch : 8 Days Cafe

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8 Days Cafe - Armadale

The phrase ‘8 Days’ have been something that I grew up with in Singapore. If you’re from Singapore, you would know and have read the ‘8 Days magazine’ and also heard (numerous times) their advertisement song. It’s a weekly magazine that include celebrity gossips and reviews of tv shows in Singapore, similar to the Women’s Weekly or New Ideas that we have here (: When I first saw Miss D’s post on the 8 Days Cafe, there was only one tune that came into my mind. Coincidentally, I told the Ho Clan where we were heading to for brunch a few Sundays back, and we all started humming to the tune simultaneously! haha

Our drinks

It was really packed that Sunday morning. Lucky for us the weather was beautiful and quite warm considering that it was the end of Autumn. So we decided to take one of the outdoor tables instead of waiting for a table indoors. The heater was also switched on for the occasional cool breeze, just to keep us warm and toasty! hehe We all ordered our usual hot cuppa of latte (for the Mr), chai soy latte  (for me) and a hot chocolate (for Melissa). But it was not an ordinary cup of hot chocolate. It was a nutella hot chocolate. Yes, you read right. NUTELLA! Every mouthful tasted like you were eating teaspoons full of nutella out of the jar. Super addictive! hehe

We all had a glanced of the menu and knew almost instantly what we wanted. haha Sometimes we are so predictable, I think we could just order for each other anywhere we go. hehe

smoke salmon and leek croquettes

Melissa ordered the smoked salmon and leek croquettes with grilled asparagus and a chilli lime hollandaise. We were all laughing and giggling about the way it was plated, cause at any angle that we snap a shot, it didn’t look right. haha But those croquettes were amazeballs (very appropriate use of words aye? hehe) !

croquettes

The croquettes were soft and pillowy in the middle, and filled with smoked salmon, and really crispy on the outside! Went so well with the chilli lime hollandaise. Gave a tangy kick to the dish. Perfect match!

chicken & sage chipolatas

Of course, when the menu has bubble & squeak, you know for sure that the Mr would order it! hehe His came with homemade chicken and sage chipolatas and a spicy tomato relish that was so rich in flavour you wanted more! The bubble & squeak had a similar crispy exterior and  a soft and rich potato middle. Delish! (:

side : truffled mushrooms

He also couldn’t resist ordering a side of truffled mushrooms which were so delicious. Not an overpowering taste of truffle oil, and every mushroom were so plump and juicy. It was dangerous though, cause they were all so small, you just want to keep popping them into your mouth! hehe So so good!

smashed avocado with persian feta

Of course, I couldn’t go past the smashed avocado with persian feta. I honestly think these two ingredients are a match-made in heaven. The creaminess of the avocado with the richness of the feta. Can’t get enough! hehe And you would think, how can it get any better? It sure can!

smashed avocado with feta and poached egg

A perfectly poached egg with a molten golden middle! Creating a sauce for the dish. I could really have this everyday! With the occasional bacon. We do need to strike a balance of naughty and nice yes? hehe

our brunch

Our table was filled to all 4 corners and we definitely left with happy and full bellies! (: We will sure be returning back soon especially to get more of that nutella hot chocolate! hehe Do you always order the same things when you head to different cafes? hehe Would love to know your ordering habits! hehe

Hope you all had a beautiful long weekend! We are so blessed to have the sun shinning brightly. Here’s to a short & good week ahead! Remember to always cook and bake with love!  

8 Days Cafe on Urbanspoon

Brunch Date : Axil Coffee Roasters

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Axil Coffee Roasters

I adore weekends. I am sure you all do too! But weekends just mean one thing for me : A brunch date with the mr! (: It has become a tradition for us to meet each other, after our work on Saturdays, at a new place to have brunch. Just him and I, a little quality time to ourselves doing what we love best – eating! hehe

My date (:

My date (: I’m very blessed to have him in my life!

Latte

We are really quite predictable when it comes to the drinks we order. hehe The Mr always ordered a latte and me? A chai soy latte of course! (:

chai soy latte

Unfortunately, the chai soy latte didn’t taste like it was brewed from the leaves and spices. It tasted like it was made from the syrup. Which was a pity. But I only have myself to blame, as I should have ordered a cup of coffee at a place that roasts their own beans! The Mr absolutely adored his latte. It was smooth and really robust in flavour. He was close to ordering a second cup but was too full after finishing his food. hehe So I urge you to try their coffee when you’re there!

Our food

As it was really packed that afternoon, it took our food a little longer than usual to arrive. But when it did, it looks so good we couldn’t wait to tuck in! Just love the vibrant colours on the plate. No prizes for guessing what I ordered! hehe

Sweet Corn and Haloumi fritters

To be honest, there were many things I wanted to order when I schemed through the menu, but I just couldn’t resist ordering the sweet corn and haloumi fritters! The thing about corn fritters is it never tastes the same anywhere I go! Some places have them really crispy on the outside, and some places have it a little more like a pancake. This was more like a pancake, and just filled with juicy corn kernels and cubes of cheese! With slightly wilted spinach and rich, buttery avocado and a perfectly poached egg! Everything worked amazingly together, but would be even better with a slight pinch of salt. hehe But still really yum!

ham hock terrine

The Mr couldn’t go past the ham hock terrine, especially since it comes with roasted field mushrooms and two poached eggs! As you can tell, protein is VERY important for the mr. hehe He also added a crispy, golden potato hash to go with his dish! hehe It was so crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside! He was so glad he ordered it! hehe The terrine was moist and just really well seasoned, every mouth was just a burst of flavour, with a kick of spice from the chilli relish! Mmmmm (:

Our drinks

Axil Shop

Love that they roast their coffee beans on site and sell it on site! Just look at the different notes of coffee beans they have! Wish we are able to grind the beans and put them into the capsules so that we could use it in our Nespresso machine! THAT would be dope! hehe We’re definitely heading back to try the other things on the menu and  a nice cup of cappuccino would be my choice of drink!

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend! Can’t quite believe it’s winter in Melbourne already and we received it in true Melbournian style of a long thunderstorm and endless rain. Stay safe and warm for the coming week everyone! Definitely looking forward to my next weekend! Till then. xx

Remember to always cook and bake with love!

Axil Coffee Roasters on Urbanspoon

Bosch Masterclass with Chef Ian Curley

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Bosch Masterclass with Ian Curley

Good evening dear readers, hope you had a great weekend and you’re all pumped up for the new week! Time really flies, and it’s already mid-week! Before you know it, it’s the weekend again! How good is that? hehe A few weeks back, I was fortunate enough to be invited by PHD media agency and Bosch Home Appliances to have a Bosch Masterclass led by top chef, Ian Curley! If you’re thinking that Ian Curley looks familiar, that’s because he’s appeared on numerous TV shows – Masterchef and Conviction Kitchen (just to name a few). I was so so excited when I read that he was going to run the Masterclass, especially cause he’s the Executive chef of The European, a place I’ve been meaning to try! So glad I get to have a first-hand taste of some of the dishes they serve in the restaurant! Up close and personal! (:

Beautiful table setting

We were chauffeured to the venue of the Masterclass and they transformed their showroom into a beautiful dining area! I was mesmerised by all the kitchen appliances that was around me! The state-of-th-art cooking tops, range hoods and the built in … (wait for it)… coffee machine that grinds the coffee beans and makes the froth for you all in a press of a button! Of course, I couldn’t go past the different types of ovens they had to offer! I wanted all of them! hehe

Before I share the amazing night I had, be warned that there are heaps of photos to come and mostly would make you very hungry! hehe Might need to eat after you finish reading this post! hehe But hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I did that night! Here we go! (:

Filleting a John Dory

We got into the kitchen (at the back of the show room) and was introduced to Chef Ian Curley! I have to say, he looks so fierce but he’s actually really nice and funny! Insisting we take nice photos of him and make him look skinny! hehe Straight after a short introduction, Chef Ian got straight down to business! He decided to cook us a pre-dinner meal of John Dory with cauliflower puree and braised witlof!

Joh dory with cauliflower puree and braised witlof

Of course, in true chefy fashion, Chef Ian filleted the Joh Dory infront of us, in the matter of minutes might I add! Just amazing!

filleting the John Dory

ingredients used

Lucky for us, everything was prepped so we don’t have to do the chopping, but just the cooking, plating and of course, eating! hehe The best part of all!

Seasoning the fish

The fish was seasoned just before it’s being cooked in a hot pan!

Plating the dish up

While the fish was pan-frying, Chef Ian started to plate the dish up : the cauliflower puree with cauliflower florets, pine nuts, muscatels and capers. I love how it could do that with his eyes closed and it still turned out looking like an art piece!

work of art

How amazing does that look? and that’s just the beginning!

the favourite ingredient of the night : bottarga

To add extra oomph to the dish, bottarga was grated onto the dish! It’s Chef Ian’s current favourite ingredient at the moment! hehe I could definitely understand why! When I saw the bottarga, the only person that I thought of was the Mr, cause he LOVES fish roe! hehe

We were then split into groups to cook different dishes and lucky me was grouped with Miss D (Never Too Sweet) and Agnes (Off The Spork) to make some amazing Beef Wellingtons! By no means was this dish quick and easy, but all the components of the dish just made this dish TO-DIE-FOR! We girls definitely did a great job! hehe Although most of the hard work was already done for us. haha

ingredients for beef wellington

We were introduced to the ingredients needed for the beef welly and look at how beautiful those eye fillets were! The rest of the ingrdients are : dijon mustard, proscuitto, salt, mushroom duxelles.

sealing the eye fillets

sealing the eye fillet (both sides)

The eye fillets had to be seasoned with salt and coated with olive oil before putting into the hot pan to get sealed on both sides! It was important to oil the meat instead of the pan so that it doesn’t smoke out the kitchen! hehe A very good tip when you cook your steaks at home too! (:

Eye fillet sealed

Once the eye fillets are sealed (nicely golden brown too!), allow them to rest on a tray and then smear a thick layer of dijon mustard and a whole heap of mushroom duxelles!

eye fillets smothered with dijon mustard and topped with mushroom duxelles

wrapped with proscuitto

It’s then wrapped with a beautiful piece of proscuitto and then instead of the usual puff pastry, the European uses brioche instead as it gives a lovely soft texture! The brioche was then brushed with egg yolk to give it a nice colour!

Wrapped with brioche and egg washed

Beef wellingtons about to go into the convection and steam oven!

The beef wellingtons were then placed in the convection and steam oven! How awesome does that sound?? The oven has a steaming function that would bake the brioche as the usual oven function bakes/steam the beef so that it will be juicy and tender! I definitely want one!

Baking in the combi steam oven

The combi steam oven doing it’s magic for 12 minutes! While it’s baking, we went over to the other groups to have a sticky beak! hehe Boy was I glad we did, cause the smell that was filling the kitchen was making my tummy grumble!

crab linguini

One of the groups made crab linguini and we were just in time to taste the dish! One of the tips that were given to us was to only add the basil leaves just before serving the pasta just so it is able to have the added freshness!

Chef Ian plating the crab linguini

Topped with bread crumbs and shaved bottarga

Before serving, they crab linguini was topped with breadcrumbs and shaved bottarga! Love the addition of the bread crumbs. It added an element of crunch to the dish! (: So so tasty! My belly was definitely happy after I finished a whole plate!

Crab linguini

After being satisfied by the bowl of deliciousness, my greedy belly led me to the next group. They were cooking saffron seafood paella!

Rice absorbing all the goodness

The short grain rice are absorbing the goodness of the stock, capsicum, saffron and chorizo. hehe I couldn’t wait to dig in to this dish!

All the seafood going in!

Especially after I saw the amount of seafood that is going into the dish! I’m sure you would want some of this too! Just at this time, the beef wellingtons were ready to come out of the oven and be plated!

Beef wellingtons done!

While they were resting, we made the button mushroom garnish.

mushroom garnish

It was a delicious mix if button mushrooms, fresh peas, pearl onions, lettuce, brussel sprouts leaves and bacon! YUMMERS!

Slicing the beef wellington

Within a circle of pea puree lay the button mushroom garnish, a teaspoon or two of mushroom broth and some mushroom froth. Then the beef wellingtons were sliced into half and served!

Beef Wellington

Fresh horseradish was grated onto the finished beef wellingtons just before being served! hehe How pretty does that look? So many components and trust me, everything works magically together! The eye fillets were cooked perfectly  medium as well. hehe I have to say though, I do prefer the flakey puff pastry but the soft brioche was a delightful difference! hehe Just like my buttery puff! hehe

Saffron Seafood Pealla

Next up, saffron seafood paella! (: Don’t you just want to dive into this pan of deliciousness?? When it was placed on our table, everyone just went “WAH” simultaneously! There was so much seafood, the rice wasn’t even visible at first look! hehe Our kind of paella. haha

close up shot of the seafood paella

We quickly snapped some shots and dugs our (clean) spoons in it! The flavours just burst in our mouths! It was so good and the seafood were all cooked really well! Plump and juicy! (: individual portions

I was already stuffed by the time I finished my wellington. So I only had a small portion! Had to leave some space for dessert! hehe For a moment, I sound like Miss D! haha

Pinot Gris Cold Pressed - Yering Station

After having the paella, we were invited back into the kitchen to have some dessert! Of course, there was a sweet dessert wine to go with it – Yering Station’s Pinot Gris Cold Press! SO SO GOOD! Really need to head to the vineyard to buy some of these to stock up! I personally love sweet wine that’s why Moscato or Reisling is usually my choice of wines. hehe I took the smallest sips so that it could last longer! hehe

plating the desserts

While we were busy enjoying our meal, the chefs were busy plating the dessert : olive oil polenta & ricotta trifle! To go with was a stick of puff pastry (YAY!) and some candied walnuts (I wanted to sneak the whole packet home haha). It was my first time having a polenta cake and I loved it! Wasn’t too sweet and added a bite to the dessert. I’ve been a huge fan of olive oil cakes of late, so this was definitely making my belly happy! hehe

Olive oil polenta ricotta trifle

I just kept digging and digging into the glass and it felt like it was never ending! At this point, I knew I was filled to the brim and definitely a happy camper!

Chef Ian making pasta

Before the night came to a close, Chef Ian wanted to show us how easy it was to make pasta from scratch and also how quick and simple a spaghetti marina could be! He whipped out the Bosch MUM86 Professional with a pasta maker attachment and started rolling out the pasta dough that he’s made prior.

Cooking spag marina

In a matter of minutes, he was able to fire up and plate an amazing bowl of spaghetti marinara! Too bad we were all really stuffed, or else I would have loved to have a taste!

spaghetti marinara

I definitely had so much fun during this masterclass! All the different techniques learnt and the delicious food we got to try and attempt cooking. Definitely a night to remember! (: Thank you so much Bosch and PHD agency for this amazing opportunity! Would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to Chef Ian Curley and his team for holding such a fun masterclass! I enjoyed every minute of it!

take-home goodies

To make the night end on a even sweeter note, Bosch has generously given each of us a goodie bag filled with amazing gifts! One which I have been eyeing for the longest time : the stick blender! WOOOHOO! (: Now I can make soups, mayo and sauces in a whizz! Thank you so so much Bosch Home Appliances for everything and for the beautiful night! Couldn’t ask for more!

Hope you enjoyed the post! Sorry about the photo bomb hehe I’ve got the recipes of all the dishes that we tasted that night, so if you would like any of them, please feel free to drop me a comment with your email and I will send them through to you asap! (: Have a wonderful night ahead and I hope that your Thursday would be a happy one!

Always remember to cook and bake with love!

Disclaimer : I was invited to this Bosch Masterclass with Chef Ian Curley as a guest of  PHD agency and Bosch Home Appliances.

The Little Ox

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The Little Ox

Ever since moving to this side of town, we’ve been trying to look for good brunch places to dine at on weekends. A month back, while looking for places to celebrate my birthday, I found some gems and visited Merchants Guild with Peggy and her cutie pie, Paige! hehe But there were a few more than caught my eye and we took the opportunity to head to one during the Anzac Day holiday – The Little Ox!

The Litte Ox - Interior

A beautiful interior, at a corner of New Street sits The Little Ox. Its situated in the middle of the estate and definitely a place that many people come by for both a food stop and a coffee stop! When we got there, there was a long line, and I thought that we probably had to wait for a long time for a table. I found out when I walked closer that the people were queueing for take-away coffees! Thankfully we grabbed the last table available outside before the real queue set in!

Our drinks

We ordered our drinks before deciding on what to have for brunch. We all had our usuals! Chai soy latte for me, Melissa had her hot chocolate fix and the mr had a latte. As it was Anzac Day, our drinks came with a small Anzac cookie and it was so good! Not too sweet, and had a touch of rosemary! So interesting! Definitely gonna try that the next time I whip up some Anzac cookies. hehe Unfortunately, they forgot to put on for the mr. haha I shared half of mine! (:

Corn fritters

If you know me well, I will never be able to go past corn fritters as long as it’s on the menu! My favourite by far, are the ones from Replete Providore. This one has definitely come on par! It was crispy and every bite was filled with juicy corn kernels! This was topped with bacon and smashed avocado which I adore! The tomato relish was tangy and cuts the richness of the dish as a whole which was perfect.  Are you salivating while reading this? haha Cause I am! hehe There was also the option of having a poached egg and of cos I wanted one on mine. Cause who wouldn’t right?

Golden lava goodness

I was so glad I did, cause the egg was poached to perfection and the yolk acted as a sauce for the dish! Now, I’m sure you are salivating! Look at the molten egg yolk! hehe Absolutely YUMMOLICIOUS!

beetroot smoked salmon gravadlax

When Melissa and I saw the menu while the Mr was looking for a park, we knew what he was going to order. The Mr LOVES his rosti or hash and this has his favourite beet root as well! A clear winner! (: I love how the salmon has the slightest shade of pink! When the plate arrived, it looked like an art piece with pretty colours none-the-less! The salmon was cured beautifully and had the right amount of saltiness. It went so well with the capers and pickles, and the earthiness of the beets. The potato roesti was crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. Just the way the mr loves it! If you look close enough, you would see some housemade chicken, thyme and pine nut sausage! It was so juicy and tender, and tasted delicious!

Soft omelette with mushrooms, feta and basil

Melissa decided to have the soft omelette with sauteed mushroom, feta and basil. I think out of all the dishes we had, this didn’t have as much wow factor as the rest! But it was still delicious and flavoursome! Maybe if she added the leg ham, it might have added a oomph to it. hehe

Definitely a place we will be heading back especially since it’s quite near to home! (: Especially for more corn fitters!

The Little Ox   on Urbanspoon

Hope you all had a great weekend! and to all Mothers out there, hope you all had a fabulous Mother’s Day!

Quote

I got lots to be thankful for. Without my mum, I won’t be who I am today. (: Love you Mummy!

Turning 27 (Part 3) : Merchants Guild

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Brunch at Merchants Guild

Yes, my birthday celebration continues! (: This time with my favourite mother and daughter team : Peggy & Paige! hehe While researching for where to dine at, we decided to head to somewhere close to both our homes, so I went through my list and decided on Merchants Guild! The weather was beautiful, so we took a nice stroll there to have brunch.

Merchants Guild

Address : 680 Centre Road, Bentleigh East

Website : http://themerchantsguild.com/

my lunch date

If you follow me on instagram (@lianneelow) you would see alot of photos of Paige just cause she is so gorgeous! (: Doesn’t she just melt your heart? I was so so lucky to be able to have brunch with her and her beautiful mum on my actual day. As the Mr had work that day, Peggy was so sweet to spend the day with me. Thank you again!

Chai latte

We started our brunch with chai lattes. I love it when cafes serve their chai lattes in a pot! It was richly spiced and something just so comforting about it. I’m not sure how many times I’ve said it, but I do love my chai lattes! hehe Especially if there it is served with a side of honey. Mmmm (: I could drink it all day I reckon!

Eggs benedict

There were many attractive things on the menu, but I decided to stick to the all-time favourite of mine – eggs benedict! At Merchants Guild, they actually change the flavour of their hollandaise and that day, it was a herb hollandaise that was thick and delicious, but not overly rich.

Roasted potato bubble & squeak

Peggy ordered the roast potato bubble & squeak with smoked trout with a side of horseradish cream, cornichons and poached eggs. It was so delicious and when I tried it, I knew that the Mr would definitely love this! He’s a huge bubble & squeak fan, so much so that he requested I made it for him for brunch. The smoked trout pieces were mixed into the bubble & squeak and the horseradish cream had a subtle spiciness! Yummilicious!

Buckwheat pancakes

Both of us were drawn to the buckwheat pancakes on the menu, so we had to order a serve to share. They were so good! Thin pancakes topped with grilled pears that were so soft. The chocolate fudge was so rich and decadent, tasted like nutella! So so good! It was drizzled with a whiskey maple sauce that really had a kick to it. We couldn’t stop saying “so good!” haha The roasted hazelnuts added a crunch that gave the dish more textures. Absolutely loved this!

Cutie pie

Thank you again for the company and for the treat (: Definitely had a great time and you both made my day! Great food, awesome company, happy bellies and endless smiles! 27 is gonna be a great year I’m sure! hehe Definitely gonna bring the mr here to try the food, and no prizes on guessing what he will have! hehe

Remember to always cook and bake with love! (:

Merchants Guild on Urbanspoon

Turning 27 (Part 2) : Little Hunter

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Little Hunter

When I was planning where to head for dinner with the Ho Clan for my birthday a few weeks back, I happened to read a post by Miss D’s post on Little Hunter and I knew instantly where I wanted to go! (: I have to say, Melbourne is full of surprises! Ever so often, you would hear about a gorgeous new cafe or restaurant and thus my ever growing list of places to try! hehe Little Hunter was no doubt one of them! Especially when Gavin Baker (was a sous chef at Fat Duck, London) and Pete Evans are the talents behind this grill house. I definitely couldn’t wait! (:

Little Hunter

Because we were celebrating, the Mr ordered a bottle of Goaty Hill Riesling 2012. Riesling has always been one of my choices of wines when dining out, as it has sweet fruity tones and this had flavours of citrus and green apple. Really smooth and crisp! hehe How cute is the print on their wine glass? I couldn’t stop snapping photos of it. haha There were a few communal tables and also booth seats! I wish I knew, cause I would have definitely requested for one. hehe I’m not sure about you, but our table is always a tad bit small for the amount of food we order. haha Oops! That’s definitely not a bad thing though hehe

Garlic pull apart bread with chicken skin butter

Our meal begun with a complimentary serve of pull apart bread and chicken skin butter. Yes, dear readers, you’re not seeing things! I did say chicken skin butter! This is a delicious little pot of gold! I know it sounds like something that might be heavy and overly rich, but it tasted nothing like that! It was smooth with little bits of golden crispy chicken skin pieces and just melts the moment you spread on the warm bread. It was some tasty, tasty (and did I say tasty?) butter! We definitely wanted more! The bread was soft and just full of flavour. Just a great way to start the night!

Beef on toast

We decided on three entrees and one of them were ‘beef on toast‘. It was a layer of beef carpaccio, over a layer of smooth and rich chicken liver parfait and when you reach the bottom, there was a crispy layer of crusty crouton. The dish is dressed with a mixture of gherkins and chives and the acidic mixture cuts through the richness of the dish. It was so good and I just wanted more!

Pork crackling

The mr would never miss the chance of ordering a serve of pork crackling if it’s on the menu! This was so crispy and crunchy and addictive! We just kept popping them into our mouths! They were beautifully seasoned with paprika and cheddar, and served with a smooth apple sauce. I just love the combination of pork and apple sauce, a match-made in heaven (:

Cured kingfish

Our last entree was the cured kingfish.The fish was so fresh and had a subtle sweetness. Every mouthful had the popping of fish roe and a slight spiciness of the roast peppers. Not only was the flavours beautiful, the plating was impeccable. Like art on a plate! Edible art of course. hehe

Ribeye steak with bone marrow

As Little Hunter was a grill house, we had to try the steaks on the menu. Each of us ordered a different cut of steak and I have to say, they cooked every cut to perfection! The Mr ordered the Robbin’s Island waygu ribeye with bone marrow (he loves marrow!) and beef fat butter. The meat was melt in your mouth and just full of flavour! And how sexy are the grill marks? Just love the criss-crosses that gives a nice char flavour to the steak as well! NOMS!

Blackmore waygu flank

Melissa ordered the Blackmore wagyu flank with cajun flavours and avocado. I would never have thought that avocado goes well with steak, but it did! The flank, though not the usual cut you would order, was cooked to medium rare and bursting with flavour! Definitely a happy belly there (:

Cape grim fillet mignon

I couldn’t go pass the Cape Grim fillet mignon! This melt in your mouth cut was coffee and wood smoked and really didn’t need anything at all. Every mouthful just melted in my mouth. I was definitely the happiest girl that night!

Our sides for the night

With all the meat we were having, we had to order some sides to balance it out. We had the Little Hunter fries which was chunky and crispy. And grilled cabbage! This was no ordinary grilled cabbage, it was one that packed a punch! The sweetness of the cabbage was counter balance by the saltiness of the anchovies and blue cheese and the tanginess of the hazelnut vinegar. I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese, but this was YUMMILICIOUS! Love the crunch of the toasted hazelnuts too! This is one side you don’t want to miss!

Short Mach

After indulging on all the delicious and rich food, the Mr needed a digestive ; a short macchiato. It’s a new ritual of his after being introduced to him by his Italian weightlifting buddy! hehe and He’s loving it (:

Frangipane

Of course, desserts are a must to have a complete meal. haha Well, at least it is for us it won’t be complete without something sweet! hehe I knew exactly what I wanted, and I took charge of ordering the desserts to share. haha As we were already quite full, we ordered two for the three of us! First up : the Frangipane ! I loved how it looked! Just looks like a fried egg on the plate! hehe Instead, it’s meringue with a delicious and tangy passionfruit curd and a refreshing peach sorbet! So so good! The frangipane cake was slightly dense (though still light) but I personally love dense cakes so I was one happy girl!

Double chocolate mousse

The double chocolate mousse was one so rich and decadent! Absolutely loved it! It has an airy layer of white chocolate at the bottom and dark chocolate on top. The coffee cream went so well with the chocolate (almost similar to a tiramisu, but richer), with the bite of the cocoa nib brittle! Loved every single bite!

Ho Clan

So that concludes our beautiful meal! (: Just want to thank the Ho Clan with all my heart for making the night a fab one – filled with good food, good wine and lots of laughter! (: Love you both!

The mr and I

Happy weekend everyone! (:

Remember to always cook and bake with love! 

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Lord Of The Fries Feast

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LOTF Feast

A couple of weeks back I was invited by Kathryn of Keep Left PR and Lord Of The Fries to try their limited edition Eco City burger and the other things on their menu, and I could never turn down burger and chips, if you ask me! Thanks to Kathryn I was able to bring the mr and the sister-in-law along and we were so excited! hehe I’ve always loved the chips at LOTF and their endless choices of sauces to go with! What I love most about LOTF is that it is 100% vegetarian!!! How brilliant is that? From their burgers, hotdogs, chips to their sides! Plus they have vegan options and gluten free options too! It’s really nice to have an option for vegetarians and I know for sure that my cousins, who are vegetarians living in New Zealand, absolutely love this place!

LOTF Chadstone

There are currently 7 stores around Melbourne and most of them are around the city. Fortunately, there is one near us at Chadstone and we were greeted by the friendly manager, Gary. He explained to us the concept of the menu and told us the specials they had on as well. After discussing with the Ho clan, and taking Kat’s recommendation of mini burgers, we decided to try one of every flavour on the menu! hehe I know, we are such gluttons! But we couldn’t really decide on what not to order.

Lord of The Fries

Add : Chadstone Shopping Centre, near cinema complex

Chadstone 3148

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

Our full table

As the dishes arrive, we realised how much we actually ordered! Though we were really thankful that the burgers were mini! hehe How cute do they look? Love them! Their buns were soft and everything was fresh! This was a full table, but we had more burgers coming our way! hehe

LOTF mini burgers

My favourite of the lot was the parma burger with the LOTF chick’n patty, bacon rashers, napoli sauce, cheese and onion. It was delicious and honestly tasted close to a real burger! The Mr loved it so much he ordered a big one for that and was totally stuffed after! haha

Parma big and mini

Big Mark was really good too! It had the LOTF beef patty, cheese, pickles, onion, lettuce and the Lord’s sauce! So good! NOMS!

Big Mark

We were so giggly about this cause Lester’s dad is called Mark. haha So we were saying to each other “Have you tried pa yet?” haha Oops! Such fun we have hehe

Eco City burger

Of course, I had to order the Eco City burger. That’s the whole reason why we were there in the first place! hehe It had a LOTF potato patty, beetroot dip, crunchy lettuce, pickles, aioli and mozzarella cheese! I’m not a big fan of beetroot, but this dip was delish! I do prefer the “meat” patties as compared to the potato patties, as it’s a little too soft for a burger. But it was fried till crispy and soft in the middle so was still delicious! hehe A pity it was only till the end of March, so it’s no longer available. But do try the parma or the Big Mark!

sides and chips

This ladies and gentlemen, is a table filled with the chips and sides we ordered! The past few times I had their chips, the only sauce I would order is the french canadian and is the one and only sauce I recommend to my friends when they try LOTF! But I decided to venture out and try the other sauces they had to offer. We had a new favourite! The parisan – aioli garlic mayo. OH-EM-GEE!!! It was SO GOOD! hehe And a hot favourite with other customers as well!

Tuscan - Sauce of the month

The sauce of the month was Tuscan, and we decided to give that a go too! It was a yummy combination of sundried tomatoes and basil!

Gary making the Egyptian

Gary even offered to make one that wasn’t on the menu – the Egyptian! It was his own creation and boy was it good! He said that is was something he came up with when customers was asking him for something not too spicy but still had a kick! It was delish! The jalapenos definitely gave the sauce a kick and it was one of our favourite sauce of the afternoon! hehe I even told him that he should include that in the menu!

Our favourite side was the nuggets! hehe Melissa couldn’t tell it wasn’t real chicken to be honest! hehe We couldn’t stop popping the nuggets into our mouths even though we were all super duper full! hehe The onion rings were crunchy and was made with real onion, none of the mushy stuff you get elsewhere. YUMM!

LOTF

So do head down to LOTF and try their burgers, chips and sides! They have hotdogs too, though we didn’t get to try them I am pretty sure they are yummy! hehe Coincidentally, the sauce of the month of April is Singapore : Sweet chilli and sour cream ! So head down and try it soon! hehe

100% Aussie Owned

100% Aussie Potatoes

100% Vegetarian

100% Hala + Kosher

100% DELICIOUS!

Just want to thank Kathryn of Keep Left PR for organising our visit to Lord of the Fries (Chadstone)! We had an amazing and yummy time! (:

PS : I was invited by Keep Left PR as a guest to visit Lord of The Fries. Thank you once again for this opportunity!

{SG} Kilo Kitchen

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Kilo Kitchen

We were introduced to Kilo Kitchen by one of our closest friends, Jacky and Linda, located at along the Kallang River. It’s just above Loysel’s Toy and this area brought back lots of good memories for us! Just a year ago, Jacky shot our pre-wedding video here and we had so much fun during the shoot! 

We didn’t know that in that same building was a beautiful quaint little restaurant that served comfort food inspired by Japanese and Italian cuisines. It took up the whole level, and there was plenty of space between each table. I was so excited the moment I stepped out of the lift and couldn’t wait to try the food they had to offer! (:

Kilo Kitchen

Address : 66 Kampong Bugis, Level 2

Telephone : +65 6467 3987

Email : reservations@kilokitchen.com 

Opening times : Monday – Saturday 6pm – 12am (Reservations highly recommended!)

We asked Linda and Jacky to order as they knew what was good and WOW! Just WOW was all I had in my mind when I tried the food. They were scrumptious and soulful. You could tell how much love and effort they put into making their food. That’s what I really love about places like these.

slow-cooked beef shortribs with salt and pepper

First up : slow-cooked beef shortribs with just salt and pepper. These were slices of heaven! Every single bite just melts in your mouth and you just want more! We were close to ordering a second serve but was saving out tummies for the other dishes we ordered. hehe It’s amazing how just salt and pepper would make a dish so delish!

Seafood ceviche

Initially, we wanted the figs with danish blue cheese, walnut and bacon (cause everyone knows I am totally addicted to figs!) but they ran out! AHHHHH! So we had to choose something else, and we decided on the seafood ceviche. They were all seasoned with a tangy vinaigrette and also a side of avocado salsa. I think it’s just me, but I am not a huge fan of raw tuna. But the tangy sauce makes it delicious! hehe Everything on the plate was fresh and I couldn’t stop myself!

12-hour pork belly with purple mash and crackling

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better. The mains of the night arrived. Fatty pork is a favourite of the mr, so when I saw this, I requested for it to be ordered. Linda tried it before and said YES! WHEEE! It was melt-in-your-mouth-yummy-li-cious!!!! The soft pork belly, creamy purple potato mash, sour cream and bacon with the crispy pork crackling. What more can I say? MORE PLEASE! hehe We ate it exceptionally slowly., just so we could savour it just that little bit longer. hehe

Squid ink rice with prawns and squid

This was my favourite dish of the night! So much so that each couple ordered one each! hehe Squid ink rice with an egg yolk and grilled prawns and squid! The richness of the squid ink just went so well with the egg yolk and was just MAGIC! Pure magic. You could tell from the look of our faces how much we really love this dish! I might be biased though, cause I love everything squid ink! hehe Something intriguing about the rich black ink that makes me want to dive my spoon in!

Are you drooling yet? hehe So if you’re in Singapore, do head to Kilo Kitchen and give everything a try! I can’t wait to head back when we are back in December! (: Have a great Thursday ahead dearest readers! Not too long before the weekend so hang in there!

Remember to always cook and bake with love! (:

Thai Feast : Middle Fish

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Thai feast at Middle Fish

I absolutely love thai food! I don’t know about you, dear readers, but I just love how thai food always packs a punch with their flavours! Somehow, they get to squeeze in the salty, sweet, sour and spicy all in a dish and equally in a mouthful, and leave you wanting more! It is definitely one of the cuisines I enjoy the most and would never turn down a thai meal. hehe

Middle Fish

I was introduced to Middle Fish by my dearest Miss D, and when I saw the pictures she was posting on Instagram of the food she was having, I knew we needed to head there, ASAP! Last weekend, the mr ended early at work so I headed down to Carlton to meet him and Melissa for some deliciousness! The sky had the most beautiful shade of blue and excited couldn’t really describe how I was feeling when I got there!

Middle Fish - Entrance

I love love love the entrance to the warehouse converted restaurant, so welcoming! (: The colours of the signage and furniture just pops out and everyone there were so friendly. The moment I stepped in, I was greeted by the owner, Pla, who has the most infectious smile and oh-so bubbly. You just feel so comfortable and just an amazing atmosphere!

Middle Fish - Inside

One side of the restaurant had booth seats and the other was a mix-match of tables and chairs which made the place so vibrant. I was so ready to order and feed our hungry tummies the moment I sat down! Truth is, I was salivating just looking through what the had to offer!

Our drinks

While deciding on what to order, we ordered our drinks first. I have always been a huge fan of thai ice milk tea and I remember Daisy highly recommending it, so I had to try it! Boy was it good! Plus, how cute is the metal bowl that it’s served in? I kept going “WAH WAH WAH!” when it arrived at our table! hehe The Mr and Melissa ordered their usual drinks of latte and hot chocolate respectively, and they were good too! (:

thai ice milk tea

Had to snap another shot of my thai ice milk tea, just cause I love the metal bowl so much! And it was quite a big bowl as well, I almost couldn’t finish it after scoffing down all the food we ordered. hehe But I did, every single drop of it!

Crying Tiger

We covered almost all the different kinds of protein that afternoon. First of : Crying Tiger. The name just cracks me up! But when you had a bite of it, you would understand why they had the “crying” part. The chilli in this salad dish added a good kick and there was a really good balance of flavours. The angus rump slices were so flavourful and tender, and the herbs added a freshness as well. DELISH! I could have this for lunch any day. hehe

Kao gapi

 Our next dish had pork : Kao Gapi. It was presented almost like a bibimbap! hehe So we called this a thai version of bibimbap. The shrimp paste rice was pungent and flavoursome, although the caramelised pork neck could have been a little more tender. Mixing in the green apple, red onion, bean shoots and carrot gave a crunch to the dish. Like I’ve said many times before, I love dishes with different textures so that was definitely a plus! The omelette tasted like it was made using salted eggs, and I just love having egg with rice. Somehow it’s a perfect combination to me. hehe

Crispy chicken ribs

We ordered a street food dish as well : Gai Tod which is crispy chicken ribs with a sweet and spicy sauce which was SO GOOD! We just wanted more of those ribs. So crispy and so juicy on the inside. Couldn’t get enough! hehe But this was meant to be a snack, so the portion was smaller than the others, but perfect for the 3 of us. (:

Middle Fish famous crunchy mussels omelette

This, my lovely readers, was our favourite dish of the day : Middle Fish’s famous Crunchy Mussels Omelette. Before Pla placed this dish on the table, she did a short dance and almost sang the name of the dish and told us it’s their best dish at the restaurant in her opinion, but we TOTALLY agreed! The outside layer is so crispy and there is a “crunch” with every bite/chew! The middle had the texture of fried carrot cake and there was a generous number of juicy mussels! With a similar sauce to the crispy chicken ribs, it was a match-made in heaven and we couldn’t stop singing praises about it!

It was a pity that we were too full to try the desserts they had to offer. But I’m sure we will be back again and the next time, we will! (: If you love thai food as much as I do, do visit Middle Fish and let me know what you think! Do note that they are only open 8-5pm (Monday-Friday) and 10-4pm (Saturday & Sunday), and they have breakfast too!

Happy mid week everyone, and remember to always cook and bake with love! (:

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