Prague Beer Restaurant, Potts Point

With the discovery of Rekorderlig Swedish cider in my local Liquorland a few weekends ago (the strawberry is to d i e for), my search for European cuisine was reignited when a friend of mine proposed dinner on a Wednesday night.

And so came the discovery of Prague Beer Restaurant, a name simple it all its glory and yet unheard of on the western front (or maybe just in my world).

 

After a trip to Prague at the beginning of this year, I was especially keen to relive the experience and see if Australia’s self-proclaimed multiculturalism could live up to its name. …And after seeing $10 beer jugs and $12.95 pork knuckles on the happy hour menu (Sundays – Thursdays, 5.30pm – 7pm), it didn’t take much convincing.

Gambrinus Pilsner – $10 a jug

There are four types of Czech-imported beers at Prague Beer Restaurant, all brewed in the Czech Republic and not expensive to boot! Was a very sharp, clean taste with excellent head and a strong yeast flavour (so probably not the best choice if you’re not a beer drinker).

Even though it’s not winter anymore, the Prague Winter Special holds true with an early bird two course set dinner available Sundays – Thursdays at $25 per head, if you order between 5.30pm – 7pm.

 

In hopes of trying as much Czech cuisine as possible in one night, we opted for the menu and were given complimentary bread baskets,

Bread basket – Rye and White

..although on second thought, it probably came with the goulash soup.

Goulash Soup – $11.90
Traditional Czech style Goulash soup with potatoes
Tradiční gulášovka s bramborami

As far as I’m aware, goulash is actually Hungarian but I’ve heard it’s quite a popular dish in the Czech Republic as well. The soup itself was deliciously thick and littered with chunks of meat and potato, and seasoned with paprika and what may possibly have been a variety of other spices.

 

Stuffed mushrooms – $11.90
Crunchy fried mushrooms stuffed with blue cheese served with home-made tartar sauce
Do křupava smažené a nivou plněné žampiony podávané s domácí tatarskou omáčkou

I’m generally the kind of person who would steer far away from blue cheese, especially after my first experience of gulping the mould down (and not realising it was mould) ..and then promptly drowning myself with water.
I should probably point out that the blue cheese flavour is not subtle …or in my opinion, anyway.
I’m sure for the cheese lovers among us, some would say that the cheese wasn’t strong enough ! But I could definitely taste the blueness – that’s not to say this entrée wasn’t good, either – I just needed to dip (drown) the balls in tartar sauce to make it edible.

 

Marinated Beef “Svickova” – $22
Grandma’s old secret recipe for beef marinated in creamy root – vegetable sauce served with bread dumplings and cranberry sauce, slice of lemon & whipped cream
Hovězi svíčková na smetaně s houskovým knedlikem servirovaná s citronovo – brusinkovým terčikem a zdobená šlehačkou

In my head, this was the ultimate test of the authenticity of the restaurant. I had a Czech friend who introduced me to this dish in Prague, and informed me that it is a very popular meal in the Republic.
The beef itself was not a stand-out but clearly reminiscent of the same meal I had eaten in Prague. There was also a dollop of cream on a smear of cranberry sauce placed on a lemon – not sure how I was supposed to eat it but I’m not a fan of cream anyway!
And IMHO, the poorly named bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) should just be renamed to “bread slices”, because that’s what they really are!
I’m actually really keen to know the recipe for these dumplings, because I think I probably just don’t have an appreciation for European dumplings ..seeing as these ones tasted identical to the ones in Prague – I’m just not a fan :(

 

 Golden Roasted Young Duck $25.90
Based on the old traditional Czech recipe, served with red cabbage, sauerkraut, bread & potato dumplings and gravy
Po staročesku pečená kachna podávaná s čereným a bílým zelím, houskovým a bramborovým knedlikem a přírodni šťávou

Came with a generous portion of red cabbage and sauerkraut, and enough sides for you to have more than just a taste of traditional Czech. The duck was crispy, greaseless, and had a strong, rich flavour.

Having only five days of Czech eating experience under my belt, I daresay that this restaurant is a hidden slice of Europe in Potts Point. Of course, not being Czech and all, I can’t really vouch for the authenticity (although from my own experience and the Eastern European accents of the waiters, I’d definitely say it is!) – but absolutely worth a trip for the cheap beer and good food.

The Winter early bird two course set menu is a great deal in itself – seeing as it’s $25 per head and some of the mains anyway are already more than $25.

And if that isn’t enough to win you over ….who can say no to the half-price $12.95 pork knuckle (RRP $25.90) on Wednesdays ? – I got massive diner’s envy staring at another patron’s order, which was a huge, juicy, tender, succulent pork knuckle …..

Anyone free on Wednesdays? ;)

 

Prague Beer Restaurant – visited 14/09/2011
42 Kellett Street
Potts Point NSW 2011
(02) 9368 0898

Victoria’s Cakes, Sutherland

What’s better than a gorgeous piece of artwork and an mindblowingly delicious piece of food ?

A combination of the two ?

Did I hear anyone say fondant cake ?

Despite its orgasmic appearance, I would be the first one to admit that fondant cakes are not exactly to my taste. Sugar icing that’s thick and not so sweet is something that, perhaps if given the chance, I would steer clear of !

Having said that, browsing for cakes for my birthday this year, I found the most amazing fondant cake bakery online in the form of Victoria’s Cakes.

 

Hazelnut cake base with strawberries & a chocolate mud cake – $160 + $10 (for a layer of fresh fruit) + $40 delivery (pick up available)

May I just say that this bakery absolutely put my world upside down in changing my opinion on fondant cakes – and it is such a pity that it is operates solely online!

Victoria was absolutely amazing in terms of catering to my request, and was lovely enough to bake a spare green fondant mud cake (no photos, unfortunately!) at no extra charge, as she was worried the main cake would not be enough to serve all the guests (70 – 80 pax, and believe me, the main cake would have been more than enough!)

Not only was the cake sweet on the eye, but it was tantalising on the palate – fresh, moist, and a true star for any event !

Cake flavours ranged from chocolate to vanilla, lemon to honey, and coconut to hazelnut – and considering fondant cakes of this calibre would usually cost from $300 – $700, the price-quality rapport is definitely up there !

And as for the theme of my party ?

…I can leave you to guess that ;)

Victoria’s Cakes
Sutherland Shire
http://www.victoriascakes.com.au

Tudari BBQ Korean Restaurant, Eastwood

As always, it’s been a pathetically long time since I last updated, and I must apologise for the quality of my mobile photos – next pics will be prettier, I promise !

So if you’ve ever been to Eastwood, you’ll know it’s a melting pot of Asian cultures – and by melting pot, I actually mean hot pot – and by hotpot, I mean that there’s approximately 2 sides to Eastwood: the Korean side and the Chinese side.

It was a Monday night and a craving for Japanese food quickly translated to Korean, thanks to reminiscing over a recent trip to Madang – hence the choice of Tudari BBQ Korean Restaurant.

Although I’ve been to this side of Eastwood (the Chinese side – or to be more politically correct, the library side) a gazillion times, I’d never actually ventured into Tudari BBQ – despite a window display plastered with pictures of food and a rather enticing display of the complimentary Korean side dishes on offer.

And let me just say …I have never been to a Korean restaurant that offers as many complimentary side dishes as this one:

Spinach, sweet & sour pork, creamed corn, pumpkin soup, apples & carrots, sardines, mushrooms, potato noodles, vegetable omelette, kimchi, radish, honey fried potato & potato

I must admit that there were second thoughts after every side dish under the sun had been whipped onto our table for two approximately 5 seconds after ordering our 3 mains …but food is food, and who can ever say no ? :)

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Sizzling Stone Pot Bibimbap – $13

Within a few minutes, this steaming pot was placed in front of us. The rice was crunchy and warm and was decorated with beansprouts, mushrooms, spinach, egg and –wait, no meat ?

When we asked the Korean waiter where the meat was, he told us we couldn’t see the meat because it was in such small pieces — before he realised there actually wasn’t any meat…

…Only to return five minutes later, despite the kitchen already being closed, with a small, steaming dish of beef, and a bowing, profusely apologetic owner.

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 Set menu with Bulgogi on a Hot Iron Plate – $12

The beef bulgogi came nestled on a bed of lettuce and, despite being a bit soggy, was deliciously sweet. There was a subtle sesame flavour but it wasn’t drowned in soy sauce, the way some bulgogi recipes can be (like my own failed attempt ..hahah).

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 Steamed Dumplings – $12

I’m sure I’ve tried Korean-style dumplings (mandu) before, but this was a pleasant surprise because it was definitely not what I was expecting! Small pockets of dumpling skin stuffed with vegetables, pork, and what might have been a variant of thin rice noodle – and a soy sauce dipping sauce.

The dumplings itself were a tad dry but that might just have been because it took us so long to eat it !

All in all, the food was on par with typical Korean cuisine, not to mention the continuous humming of Korean music, which lent to the authenticity of the restaurant, despite being deceptively placed on the Eastwood Chinese side.

And as Monday nights go, the restaurant was quiet with few customers – which just means faster service & a real hidden gem ! – and the food in Eastwood is usually decent so I’ll definitely be coming back for more.

Not to mention – despite coming in at around 8.30pm (when the restaurant closes at 9pm – 9.30pm), the owner was extremely hospitable and sat at another table learning English, while we s l o w l y finished our meal (unlike other restaurants that give you the bill and try and kick you out).

The incredibly cheap bill – given at the very end upon polite request of the patron :)

Think one of the marks of a great restaurant is the service & the service here was definitely 5 star :)

Tudari BBQ Korean Restaurant (visited 08/08/11)
8 Hillview Rd
Eastwood NSW 2122

Oliver Brown Chocolate Café, Top Ryde

It’s been a nasty 10 months, and I hang my head in shame for neglecting my beloved food blog for so long. Spent the last six and a half months in Paris & travelling Europe, dining on good bread, fine wine, and ….reindeer !

More about that later, though …
Because the call of food photography and dessert has coaxed me out of my lazy shell to blog about what may possibly be the best thing since sliced bread – Oliver Brown !!

In my humble opinion, dessert ice cream is quite possibly the greatest invention known to mankind. So you can only imagine my excitement when my darling friend told me about a cheaper Max Brenner-esque place, with delicious waffles and tasty ice cream!

Hot Chocolate (dark) – $ ? 

As an avid non-drinker of hot chocolate, steering clear of dark chocolate as well, it is a testament to how delicious a dark hot chocolate is if ….I can stand drinking it. Either that, or it’s very sweet.
And I have a sweet tooth … sooooooo..:)

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Belgian Waffles for 2 – $14
Waffles, banana slices, strawberries & whipped cream with melted chocolate 

After visiting Belgium and feasting on Belgian waffles for three days’ straight, you can imagine my reluctance to try Australian-Belgian waffles again…

Unfortunately, Belgian waffles are renowned for a reason, and despite this café’s claim to be a Belgian chocolate café, one does well to remember that chocolate ≠ waffles.

But that’s okay !! Crusty, crunchy warm waffle (a bit on the dry side) drizzled with delicious hot chocolate, fresh bananas and strawberries …with a side of whipped cream (eek)!

Nevertheless, it was still good enough to seduce me into coming back just under 2 weeks later, and boy am I glad I did !

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On my second visit, the first beauty we saw was this :

A friend’s dessert – $ ?? (to be updated)
Vanilla, strawberry and mint ice cream, with Oreos, fruit loops & a wafer stick 

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And although this dessert is a sight for sore eyes (and I can only imagine how delicious), the real kicker is below ..:

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Ice cream fondue for 2 – $18
Strawberry, vanilla and mint ice cream; marshmallows; bananas; strawberries; and two dipping pots of dark and milk chocolate

Orgasmic! The very first time I saw ice cream fondue was at Häagen-Dazs on the Champs-Elysées ..and from that point in time, I vowed I’d find somewhere in Australia to try it. And whaddya know !!
I don’t know about you, but all the other fondues I’ve had just aren’t as …amazing as this one. The fondue stays warm with a small candle burning merrily away underneath, but I must say I do prefer the milk. :)
You use one of those long-stemmed utensils with a spoon on one end and a fork on the other (anyone know the name ??) to dip your ice cream in the chocolate fondue ….which hardens within seconds Ice-Magic-style :).

And of course, this was so delicious, I just had to go back less than a week later.   

Ice cream fondue for 2 – $18
Vanilla, chocolate, and mint ice cream with strawberries and bananas (no marshmallows!!); with milk & dark chocolate fondue

Helpful hint: don’t leave the ice cream next to the burning candle if you’re going to eat another dessert first. …unless you like ice cream soup.

 

Belgian waffle for One & ice cream – $9.50

And of course, who can resist another waffle if there’s a side of ice cream ? :)

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Oliver Brown Chocolate Café (visited 20/04/11, 01/05/11, 06/05/11)
Top Ryde City Shopping Centre
Level Street, Shop F1, Cnr Devlin St & Blaxland Rd
Ryde NSW 2112
Ph: (02) 9809 7007