MMmmm homemade vegetarian minestrone...

I used the McKenzie's Italian Style Soup Mix to make a vegetarian minestrone. It took me 3 hours to make but was definitely worth it! Of course I didn't follow the recipe on the packet and added my own preferred ingredients. The risoni was a nice touch, I think.

Toasted tuna sandwich with tomato, chilli and cheese

John West Tuna Tempters - Chilli - quick easy-to-make snack which fills you up and tastes yummy!

Grilled fish with mash and MasterFoods Béarnaise Finishing Sauce

MasterFoods Béarnaise Finishing Sauce - so convenient to use and tastes yummy!

Gigi's Restaurant & Bar, Wollongong

It's been a while since we've been to Gigi's. It's also been a while since I've blogged. So going through my draft posts, I came across this picture and my tummy started rumbling thinking about the yummy Italian food that this restaurant offers. Hence, over 12 months later, this blog is finally going up!

I like this restaurant for it's simplicity. Although it seems to easily cater for everything from a quick coffee & cake, or pizza & beer, or romantic evening dining, it feels classy and sophisticated and welcoming all at the same time. It can be described as comfortable family friendly atmosphere which is child friendly and affordable, yet casual and unpretentious and perfect for the first date. For my husband and I, the park and beach is a short walking distance away which means that we can go for a stroll and not feel guilty afterwards even after ordering pizza and pasta and our toddler can run free.
    

GIGI'S MEDITERRANEAN PIZZA artichokes, mushrooms, zucchini, tomato & mozzarella cheese (without pancetta)

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (Bún Bò Huế)

I had a very delicious noodle soup at my cousin's tonight. She puts so much effort into preparing this dish, which uses many ingredients. She also puts aside a little broth before adding chilli which is great for the kids. As you can see in this picture, her version of Bún Bò Huế looks deceivingly mild. As a lover of spicy foods, I did add a generous helping of the prepared chilli-sate sauce and also extra herbs, shredded veges and bean sprouts. MMmmmm it was delicious! 

Here is a link to a great blog by Wandering Chopsticks and if I am ever brave enough to attempt it one day, I will definitely be following the recipe on that site. 

Libronz Tapas Spanish Restaurant

It was about six months ago that we dined at this restaurant (a girlfriend and I) and I have been wanting to go back again but haven't quite found the right occasion for it. It's a noisy restaurant (so not really suitable for a romantic evening out with hubby, not on the weekends anyway, maybe on a quieter night perhaps?). Also, another time when I went in a large group with my family, I remember waiting ages for my meal. And it's not cheap either. I think we ended up paying something like $45 each. So, why do I want to go back? Because it's yummy! First of all, it's salty (the worst is eating bland tapas). Yes, I like places that don't skimp on the spices! Just the right amount of herbs and lemon. Although a bit expensive for two, I guess it's like going to yum cha so definitely worth your while if you can share with a couple of friends (possibly a table of 3 or 4 would be ideal). And no young children (unless they aren't eating or can still stay in their prams). They don't have high chairs and the meals are not very toddler friendly. It's the kind of place you want to enjoy with a few friends when you need a night off from the kids. And have a designated driver for the group (preferably not yourself).

Piato Coffee & Fine Food, Wollongong

Piato's has always been a favourite either for breakfast or lunch. Hubby typically orders the chicken burger for lunch, and this time I tried the special of the day. This summer salad was refreshing with the season's best mangos and avocado, it was a healthy alternative to my usual menu choice. 





Chargrilled Chicken Burger 
topped with avocado, roast tomato, cheese,
lettuce and aioli, served with fries









Smoked Salmon
with mango, avocado and cous cous salad





Garden Salad

Garden Salad! The first pick of the mixed lettuce from my little garden. Of course, the olives, cucumber and tomatoes were store bought. In hindsight, I should have taken a photo of the lettuce BEFORE I turned it into a yummy salad.

 

Rambutan, Darlinghurst

Last night I caught up with some girlfriends (who are also food enthusiasts like myself) and we had a wonderful time at a surprising little restaurant called Rambutan. We had to order their signature dishes, highly recommended by both my friend and the waitress. I was delighted with the explosion of tastes. These were my favourites of the evening.

betel leaf with tea-smoked trout and chilli eggplant relish

Amazing and addictive, this dish definitely had to have kapi (กะปิ) in it. I would be very surprised if it didn't. I absolutely loved it for the saltiness, and pungent aroma. Personally, I would add shredded fresh pineapple as well (although my friend disagrees). 

fried soft shell crab in coconut served with a spicy dipping sauce

OMG! How do I recreate this dipping sauce? The soft shell crab was crispy, moist and light. Although the coconut batter made me think of it more as a sweet dish rather than savoury, I absolutely loved the dipping sauce which I was happy to have on it's own. Just give me a bowl of steamed rice with this sauce any day. That would be a meal right there. 

crispy duck w sweet rambutan, eschallot, garlic and tamarind sauce

I was expecting the crispy duck to come out differently. I would have preferred duck breast or thigh rather than drumsticks. There was very little meat however the sauce was very different and balanced our meal well. The sauce had a smokey flavour which meshed well with the tangy tamarind and sweet rambutan. There was another flavour that I couldn't quite make out, something reminiscent of Chinese 5-spice powder, possibly star anise or cloves. I'd like to try this dish at home with pork belly. 

El Gusto's Ristorante, Campbelltown

  I just had to upload these pictures from our Xmas lunch. So yummy!



Penne Primavera
Penne with cream sauce, spring vegetables and pesto

 





Lamb Shanks
With vegetables, mash & homemade gravy





American Ribs

Full rack of succulent tender pork ribs in a BBQ glaze
served with steamed veges instead of fries



The Lobby Bar, Novotel North Beach, Wollongong



Having a good catch up session, over a coffee & dessert, after an awesome night out!

Yes, that is chocolate mousse hiding behind my soy latte!

George's on Queen, Campbelltown



Caesar Salad (no chicken)



Grilled Barramundi & Prawns with Bernaise Sauce, Mash & Veges

 

Definitely a treat, I think this is great meeting place when time restraints call for a "working lunch". My colleagues and I like to make an effort to eat at least once a month at this restaurant. Guess which dish is mine?



Gemelle Ristorante Italiano, Liverpool

Our team's christmas luncheon was recently held at this award winning Italian restaurant. I wish I remembered to take more photos. The food was delicious although a bit salty. I really liked the presentation of the dishes, the colours, the smells. I will definitely be coming back again.

To my dear colleague who swapped her creme brulee with me: THANK YOU! I will never forget your sacrifice.


VITELLO AI FUNGHI
Veal scallopini with mixed mushrooms and jus



RUCOLA CON PERA
A salad of rocket, pear, toasted walnuts and gorgonzola dressed with a white balsamic dressing
ITALIAN BREAD WITH BALSAMIC AND OIL
ANTIPASTO PLATERS

SALT AND PEPPER CALAMARI
Served on mixed leaf with home made tartare sauce
SPAGHETTI ITALIANO (V)
W. mushrooms, spinach, semi sun dried tomatoes, olives and Napoletana sauce

POLLO CON ASPARAGGI
Chicken breast fillet supreme topped with fresh asparagus served on pumpkin mash served with a creamy mustard sauce
VITELLO AI FUNGHI
Veal scallopini with mixed mushrooms and jus

ITALIAN GELATO
VANILLA CRÈME BRULEE

Jacaranda Figtree Cafe

Soy latte, extra shot

Perfectly situated near Kids Playworld, I treat myself to a strong cup of coffee whilst keeping an eye on my son as he makes some new friends.

Japanese Feast for Three and a Half

Chicken Teriyaki with Cabbage & Japayo, Edaname, Flying Fish Roe Sushi, Seaweed Sushi, Cooked Tuna Sushi, Inari, Crab with Avocado and Cucumber Salad, Salmon & Tuna Sashimi, California Rolls, Fresh Oysters

I really enjoy making homemade sushi. Of course, my eyes are bigger than my stomach and I don't end up using half the ingredients that I buy. This time I found some frozen flying fish roe from Wan Long Oriental Supermarket. Hooray! So of course I made California Rolls and the Crab, Avocado and Cucumber Salad for the first time. Hubby's favourite's always makes an appearance as, unfortunately for him, he is not a fan of raw seafood. So, he gets to eat plenty of Chicken Teriyaki, Cooked Tuna Rolls and Inari. 

I also made sure to stock up on the Wasabi, Japanese Mayo and Soy Sauce, which we agree are the key ingredients to making our dinner a success! If our dinner guest wasn't driving, I would have warmed some sake as well. Maybe next time?

Phở Real Vietnamese Noodle House, Campbelltown

Phở đặc biệt - Beef Special Rice Noodle Soup

I am quite picky when it comes to Phở as nothing beats mum's cooking. Except, as a loyal customer of An Restaurant in Bankstown, where the service is super-fast, I doubted that I would find another restaurant that would be on par. 

Phở Real claimed to serve the best Phở in Campbelltown. And rightly so! I have tried others places in the area and am pleased to say this one is my favourite. As far as I'm concerned, they passed all the checkpoints when it comes to great food service. 

1. Their beef soup is delicious. 
2. The staff are friendly, attentive and keen to please. 
3. The restaurant is clean.
4. Good value for money as their soups are large sizes. 

I know, it's not really much to ask, however you would be surprised how many restaurants don't meet all four of my checkpoints. Furthermore, the cook seems to take great pride in creating authentic, healthy, Vietnamese dishes. One day, the owner actually came up and asked for my opinion on his menu. This restaurant strives for excellence and yes, they can have my vote!

I am so glad I finally found a yummy and affordable place for lunch. Hmm, now I just need to find a lunch buddy!

Hilltop Phoenix Chinese Restaurant, Yum Cha, Castle Towers

Yummy, authentic and very expensive. I don't mind paying the price for quality food however the service was extremely poor except for the one waitress who was nice enough though not very bright. With a two year old in tow, I had to ask for a high chair, a bowl and a spoon (three separate occasions). I was expecting a little common sense. It wasn't busy (being a Tuesday) and there were plenty of staff milling around however we found it frustrating trying to get anyone's attention. They brought our bill quick enough though. My friend and I were disappointed. Unless I am in a superbly good mood or happy to spend $50 again for lunch, I doubt I will be going back. 

Steamed chives dumplings, 韭菜餜, Gu Chai Gue

Garlic Chives

My mum makes the best garlic chives dumplings. It's a traditional recipe that has been passed down the generations but unfortunately it will probably stop with me. I am great at eating it. I can roll the dough. I know roughly the ingredients she uses (minced pork, dried shrimp, garlic chives). Shamefully, I fail when it comes to actually putting it all together. 

Steamed Chive Dumplings "Gu Chai Gue": Here is an awesome clip I found on youtube (thank goodness for youtube) because I can't begin to describe the skill (and art) involved in sculpting these dumplings.

Tea for Two Sisters Blog: This blogspot describes it perfectly for me. I remember when I visited my cousins overseas, making Gu Chai Gue would be something all the women in the village would do together. Of course, in the village, they milled their own flour. But that's another story.

Gloria Jean's Campbelltown

1. Breakfast: scone with jam and cream.
2. Coffee: Regular creme brulee (hot), extra shot, on soy.

One of the highlights of my working day has to be my morning coffee at GJ's. aka Gloria Jean's. I usually stop by on my way up to the office, I almost always get a regular sized creme brulee hot coffee, always with an extra shot, always on soy milk. Sometimes I get a bit fancy alternating between a caramel latte or vanilla latte however being a regular customer, most staff know me by name and remember my usual unusual order. I give them top marks for customer service. The morning staff are so friendly and buzzing with energy (they probably had their coffee fix already). Although I don't really mind paying $6.55 each day, I guess I am lucky I work part time.

Purple Carrots with Udon Noodles

Stir fried udon noodles with purple carrots and other veges

I was very excited when I found purple carrots at Coles the other day. I wasn't sure how to use them and they've been in my fridge for over a week. Today I was game enough to give it a go and decided to make hubby stir fried noodles for lunch.

So here is my concoction. Hubby normally dreads concoctions because he never knows what he's going to get. Luckily I passed the test and he really enjoyed it. Next time I will add plenty of pepper and fresh chilli as well.

Recipe Notes:

• Prepare vegetables into julienne strips.
• Stir fry 1 purple carrot and 1 small orange carrot in 1 tbsp oil for about 2 minutes.
• Add 1/4 red capsicum, 1 cup cabbage, shallots, 1 packet udon noodles, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, a splash of sesame oil, 2 tbsp water and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Serves 1 hungry hubby.