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

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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

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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

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The Red Snail, King’s Cross

The quest for the perfect French restaurant has been a long withstanding goal of mine for the past year or so, and so you can imagine my glee when I heard of The Red Snail, the newest French restaurant to hit the suburbs of Sydney.

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The problem with finding hidden gems is just that – they’re hidden, and so after hitching a ride to a train station, catching a train to King’s Cross, and walking in a circle around Darlinghurst Rd & Roslyn St rather than walking 500m straight down Bayswater Rd, one would hope that the trek was well worth it ! :)
…Especially considering their $35 for 3 courses special for dinner !

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Despite being situated in King’s Cross, one should abandon all sleazy, dodgy preconceptions when visiting. A glowing red atmosphere was awaiting us (as well as their $10 cocktail happy hour from 6pm – 7pm !!), with the opportunity to dine al fresco or to eat inside and be catered by the waiters and waitresses donned in matching uniforms of red and black.

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Fruit Bellini (mango) – $13, or $10 during happy hour
mango, mixed berry, strawberry, passionfruit
Fruit pulp of your choice mixed with vanilla, peach schnapps & champagne with a fruit garnish

Despite my initial excitement over their cocktail happy hour, whoever mixed my drink put in waaaay too much alcohol. The bellini tasted like an overdose of champagne with the aftertaste of schnapps, and the occasional hint of mango pulp. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like my cocktails tasting like shots – not to mention the cocktail itself wasn’t served on ice so wasn’t cold or anything – and I felt like I was having a heart attack with every sip.

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Honey Roasted Vegetable Gateau with ricotta, pinenuts & balsamic $14

It’s been awhile since I’ve ordered vegetables alone, but the idea of a honey roasted veggie gateau was too tempting to refuse. There was a strong waft of honey at first (which I must admit I’m not very fond of), but the vegetables were roasted to the point they weren’t crispy nor soggy. The ricotta was rather plain, but if you’re not a fan of overpowering cheese, it’s perfect :)
The entree itself was a sizeable portion, and I can hardly remember the last time vegetables made me feel so full.

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Duck confit and orecchiette salad – $14

This was one of the specials of the day. I don’t know about you, but whenever meat is in a salad I think it always tastes better as a cold cut – and this was just it ! The duck was cool, tender, and super tasty :)

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Mussels Provençal, rich tomato, garlic & fresh herbs – $14

This would have been my second choice had I not ordered the vegetable gateau. The mussels were soft and fleshy, and there was no strong seafood flavour that you usually get when ordering oysters/mussels and the like. Also loved the tomato :)

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Duck breast fillet, double cooked with sweet & sour cherry glaze – $31

When eating this I was trying to figure out the perfect way to describe the glaze ….and it really was sour ..and sweet. I’m beginning to really appreciate fruit flavours with meat, and I must say the sauce was really delicious =9.
The duck was a little chewy, which I would expect from being double cooked, and as much as the mussels didn’t have that seafood flavour, did the duck have that ..duck flavour (I’m really very coherent with my descriptions today, hey?)

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Whole trout roasted with lemon & parsley sauce – $25

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Kangaroo fillet, served rare, with native plum sauce – $25

The first time I remember trying kangaroo fillet, it was so soft and tender. Perhaps it was a one-off, because the second time I went back to the same place to eat it again it was nowhere near as nice.
Those who might condemn those who eat our fluffy native Australian fauna – well, I could say the same to you for eating ….the native American fauna …… (yes, the cow.. haha, unless you’re vegetarian!). Nevertheless, the outside of the fillet was really nice, and plum sauce again made the meat just that more juicy.
It was a little chewy this time, and despite requests to cook the fillet medium rare, the taste of blood was permeating.

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Mixed vegetables (side)

Steamed vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, beans, and cucumber. Apparently all the mains come with a free side of vegetables, which does appear on the menu as an additional $7 if you order it. A nice surprise, considering the ice cream with my sticky date pudding came at an extra $2 – a hidden cost no one bothered to tell me about :(

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Sticky date pudding – $11, plus ice cream – $2

This was amazing :D I don’t remember ever liking sticky date pudding but FATE was calling me out to order this tonight ….and I didn’t regret it at all !
I don’t know if it was exactly pudding-like, but it was so soft and moist and delicious, and with the sauce … mmmmm foodie heaven.
Would go back here again just for it (and yes, for the range of flavours, the vanilla ice cream was well worth the additional $2) !

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Poached pear with cardamon anglaise – $11
I’m not exactly sure what cardamon is, but the dish had a distinctly alcoholic taste. The pears tasted a bit like canned pears soaked in cinnamon and alcohol ..which was alright, but I probably wouldn’t order it myself.

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Crème Brûlée – $11

If you’re looking for a non-sweet dessert, this is probably the closest you can get, short of ordering the cheese and crackers.
It was a little too creamy, and the glaze on top was a bit stiff as well.

I unfortunately did not get a photo of the garlic bread, which was a m a z i n g ! Definitely recommend it (but only when it’s hot).

As for the French authenticity of these dishes, I cannot vouch for them, but at $35 a pop it’s value to be sure !
If you go on Sunday for lunch or dinner, I hear the prices are reduced to $25 for three courses, so definitely worth a visit.

And if the meals sound reminiscent of Pyrmont’s The Little Snail ? Well, apparently the owners are the same, but the prices are cheaper and some believe the quality of the food is better :)

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The Red Snail (visited 17/07/10)
Cnr Kings Cross & Ward Ave
Darlinghurst 2010
Ph: (02) 9357 4919
http://www.redsnail.com.au

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