Chanoma is a Japanese cafe in Regent Place, also home to Aqua S, Chef's Gallery and Izakaya Yebisu. Its menu consist of a selection of Japanese hot dogs and all things green tea flavoured.
We ordered the special lunch offer available to Washoku Lovers members - it comprised of one Chanoma Dog (a Japanese Hot Dog), chicken nuggets and either a iced matcha/ grapefruit juice. The Japanese Hot Dog came with a Kransky sausage and a curry flavoured cabbage & salsa minced meat sauce. The meat on meat combo somehow works and the curried mince sauce was delicious but a tad salty. The Matcha Latte had a strong green tea flavour without being too overpowering or sweet. It went well with the hot dog and nuggets. I was also keen to try the grapefruit juice, which was served in the fruit itself. I learnt that the fruit is juiced inside its skin using a Cajyutta, a high tech fruit drill. The grapefruit juice was tangy and refreshing, great for a summer's day.
Chanoma Cafe is a great alternative to your standard fast food fare in the city. I'm keen to try out some of their other green tea flavoured desserts.
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Tucked away inside The Star is the acclaimed Japanese restaurant, Sokyo, helmed by Chase Kojima. Unlike many fine dining restaurants, it does not offer a degustation...which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as we get to pick exactly what we would like to try tonight.
Our first course was the Scallop ceviche, topped with crispy potato, micro herbs and a tomato medley. The dish was super light and fresh, a perfect way to start the evening. The thinly sliced scallops went really well with the yuzu dressing, and the crispy potato adds some good texture and flavour to the dish.
Salmon belly is one of my favourite cuts of sashimi and I was not dissappointed. Not only did it look amazing on the plate, it was gloriously fatty and tastes ridiculously good. We could definitely have done with another plate of that!
The Short rib beef skewers grilled on a robata grill just utterly delicious and completely melts in the mouth. I love the eschallots wedged in between the wagyu which gave a dose of crunch and sweetness.
The Kurobuta Pork Belly skewers were just as mouth watering. The combination of the rich and tender pork belly and the juicy daikon is simply divine.
We rounded out the savoury dishes of the night with the Spicy tuna sushi roll. It was very tasty and the quality of the fish is undeniably good, but it didn't have the wow factor of the other dishes.
Onto dessert and Goma street is perfection on a plate. The waitress advised we should smash down the tower, so we can mix in all the textures and flavours together. It was almost too pretty to touch but we did smash it down and I loved all the elements. There were discs of dark chocolate layered with a sesame filling, topped with black sesame crumble. It paired really well with the velvelty smooth black sesame ice cream and caramelised white chocolate crumb. Definitely one of the best desserts I have had.
Our second dessert was the Tofu cheesecake with Thyme sugar and strawberry consomme. It reminded me of the tofu pudding (tofu-fa) you find at yumcha restaurants. The cheesecake was light and fluffy, though I did wish there was a little more strawberry consomme.
Sokyo is now one of my fave restaurants in Sydney, a sophisticated dining space, perfect to celebrate a special occasion. Whilst it is somewhat pricey, we left with very full stomachs, spending less than what you would normally for a degustation at a fine dining restaurant. I would love to go back and maybe nab a seat at the sushi bar to see the chefs in their element.
The Sichuan duck and tofu lo mein wasn't quite what I was expecting. I was anticipating actual slices of duck, rather than the minced variety. The noodles were cooked well and had that bouncy bite. The dish had a big punch of flavour, but the sichuan spice was a little overpowering for me.
Opened as a pop up bar, Merivale's Work in Progress helmed by Patrick Friesen, has been so popular it's now staying open indefinitely. The menu is dominated by Asian favourites, such as Lo Mein, fried chicken and wontons.
First to arrive was the Pork and prawn wonton. In the menu, the description of the dish included 'strange flavour'. I wasn't exactly sure what was so strange about it, but it was definitely tasty - a mixture of soy, peanuts and spices. The wontons were silky and plump with a delicious filling.
Every second restaurants seem to be serving fried chicken these days. I was eager to see how WIP's version measure up. With four varieties to choose from, we opted for the Fried chicken with ginger nuoc cham which comes with a side of pickled diakon, cucumber and kimchi. The batter was crispy and the meat very succulent, another great rendition of fried chicken.
Work In Progress is a great, casual place to go after work with friends (and they do a good cocktail too!) Let's hope they stay open a little while yet.
Hidden in a laneway near Town Hall is Danjee, the sister restaurant of the ever popular Madang. A fancier version of some of the Korean joints found in Chinatown/ Koreatown, the setting is very roomy and the BBQ is confined to the kitchen and outside tables, meaning there won't be any smoky-smelling clothes afterwards!
Perusing the menu, I was intrigued to try the seasoned raw skate fish. I was imagining some version of sliced sashimi, but it wasn't that at all! They looked like meatballs and were quite chewy. They were flavoursome but a bit too hot for my liking.
On the other hand, the Sweet potato noodles in a cold beef broth was light and refreshing. I loved the slipperiness of the noodles and the broth was incredibly tasty.
We chose a couple of dishes from the BBQ section. Ox tongue is one of my favourite cuts of meats and it tastes especially good, fresh off the grill. It's rich and fatty, and wonderfully tender.
The Pork jowl (or pork cheeks) had great marbling and were perfectly cooked - so delicious!
One of the reasons I love going to Korean restaurants is the free banchan side dishes. As usual, there were plenty to choose from, including kimchi, pickled daikon and mung bean jelly, just to name a few.
There are many places now vying for the best Korean Fried Chicken and I think the Danjee Chicken has to be right up there. Everything from the golden, crispy skin to the succulent, moist meat were superb.
We also got the hearty Slow cooked beef ribs with chestnut, gingko nuts and dried dates, perfect for Winter. The sweet soy stock was packed full of flavour and the chestnut and gingko nuts added real depths of flavour. The beef ribs were superbly cooked and falling off the bone, soaking in the very aromatic stock.
Danjee is a modern Korean restaurant serving up fantastic food. I loved that you can choose to BBQ your meat or have it done for you, avoiding the smoky hair/ clothes aftermath. I will be back for sure.
Hidden in the basement below The Bridge Room lies Tokonoma, an offshoot of Toko in Surry Hills. The interior showcase elements of the heritage building and has a lovely ambience, perfect for catching up with friends or a romantic date.
Our group of four started with the Nigirizushi omasake which includes a daily selection of seasonal fish. The sashimi glistened under the light, a sure sign it is super fresh.
Next was the Spicy tuna maki with sriracha mayo. The sushi roll had a crispy outside which added a nice textural element. The tuna was again very fresh and the mayo added just the right amount of heat. I just wished there were more pieces!
The Spicy fried tofu came with a dollop of avocado salsa. The texture and presentation were great, but it lacked some punchy flavours.
The Popcorn shrimp with shichimi mayonnaise was delicious. The batter was super crispy and the bite sized prawns went really well with the dipping sauce.
One of my all time favourite dishes is the Miso cod from Nobu, and Tokonoma's version is definitely up there. The Black cod has the most incredible texture and melts in our mouths immediately. The miso glaze has just the right amount of saltiness and sweetness and we savoured every bite.
Just as mouth watering was the Blackmore wagyu brisket with herb salt and wasabi mayo. The brisket was cooked amazingly well, so tender and flavoursome. The accompaniments of the salt and mayo definitely enhanced the dish.
My three dining companions and I initially thought we should order a few different desserts to try, but seeing the decadent chocolate fondant consumed at other tables, we settled for one chocolate fondant each! And it was one of the best chocolate fondant I have ever tasted! The fondant was gooey on the inside and had such intense chocolate flavours. The salted sesame ice cream was delicious and much needed to offset some of the richness of the fondant.
The dishes/ servings could have been a bit bigger given the price tag attached, but the quality of the food is top notch. Good to have another modern Japanese restaurant in the CBD!
For Mother's Day this year, I treated mum to a 7 course degustation at Lumi Bar & Dining, right on the wharf at Pyrmont. I was intrigued to see how they would fuse Italian and Japanese influences together. The first thing I noticed upon walking into the restaurant was the completely open kitchen and the sky of pendant lights hanging from the ceiling. The terraniums on each of the table, each slightly different than the next, were a nice touch.
First up was a series of snacks to whet our appetite. The Black sesame Brisee had a lovely crumbly texture and together with the mascarpone and caviar made for quite a decadent snack. The Nori chips with tomato powder had the texture of prawn crackers and I could easily have eaten a few more. The Onion and Chicken Liver Macaron was one of the sandout dishes of the night - I loved the contrast of the sweetness of the macaron against the saltiness of the onion and chicken liver pate. The Chawanmashi was done Italian style, with a hint of Parmesan, and was silky smooth.
Next came the spanner crab with a Bechamel emulsion, which was draped over with yuba, aka bean curd skin. The yuba was delicate and went beautifully with the crab.
I loved the look of the Braised daikon with gruyere cheese when it hit the table. Hidden under a blanket of gruyere was the softest and sweetest piece of daikon you could imagine. The burnt shallot oil was very aromatic and despite not really able to taste the dried venison liver, I was very impressed by the dish.
We then tried the Agnolotti with an eel dashi. The agnolotti reminded me of a ravioli, with a creamy mascarpone filling. The dashi, even though there was only a small quantity, was jam-packed with flavour.
Continuing with the pasta theme, we had the Spaghetti alla chitarra with Truffle Pecorino, and sweet red prawns. The spaghetti was perfectly cooked al dente and you could tell pasta is one of this restaurant's forte. All the elements of the dish worked well together and it was damn delicious!
Moving away from the cheese and pasta combo, we had the Beef cheek with the pickled castelfranco radicchio. The pickled castelfranco radicchio was a little bitter, not sure if that was the intent. Hiding under the radicchio was the braised beef cheek was was no doubt the star of the dish - it was so soft, breaking apart at the slightest touch with the fork.
Time for dessert! The Yuzu icecream with Limoncello Granita, capers and Wakame powder looked spectacular on the plate, and tasted just as good as it looked. The Yuzu ice cream was wonderfully refreshing, and there was a dolop of lemon jam on the bottom to give it an extra tang. The seaweed cracker had an incredible melt-in-the-mouth texture. It was a great palate cleanser dessert.
To finish off the meal, we had the young ginger icecream with passionfruit powder, lime zest and white chocolate foam. Sitting atop the icecream was a yoghurt crumble, which added more creaminess to the dish. The ginger flavour provided a good hit of spice, but was not overpowering at all. A great way to finish off a fantastic meal.
The overall standard of the food was excellent and I admired how they intertwined the Japanese and Italian ingredients and flavours together. At $95, it is one of the better value degustations in Sydney!
It seems so many Greek restaurants start with the letter A. Athenian, (the) Apollo and Alpha restaurant, anointed one hat in this year's Good Food Guide awards. I visited Alpha with a group of friends for my birthday. To make ordering easy, we chose the banquet menu known as Yia Yia's table for $55 per person. The interiors looked modern and clean, with high ceilings and fishing net inspired lights.
We started with the Pita bread with a trio of dip (smoked eggplant dip, a white cod's roe dip and hommus). The dips were moreish and quickly devoured by our table. The white cod dip was especially creamy and flavoursome.
I had heard rave reviews about the Haloumi Saganaki with ouzo, lemon and oregano and it did not disappoint. The haloumi is rich and chewy, coated in the ouzo and lemon marinade.
Two whole Spanakopitas fresh out of the oven soon appeared on our table. I loved the flaky buttery pastry with generous filling of spinach, leeks, fetta and dill. The pastry to filling ratio was just right.
Greek spiced slow roasted lamb shoulder, roast potatoes and tzatziki smells amazing and incredibly tasty. The lamb was perfectly cooked, the meat just falls off the bone at the slightest touch and is well seasoned with the Greek spices. Crispy roasted potatoes and tzatziki were the perfect accompaniment.
Horiatiki salad. I don't usually find greek salad all that exciting, but this Horiatiki salad was definitely the best greek salad I have eaten. It was clear Alpha has used the freshest tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, topped with a chunky piece of fetta cheese.
Dessert was Loukoumades (Greek style doughnuts) with a spiced honey syrup and candied walnut ice cream. The loukoumades were a bit too sweet for my liking but had a lovely fluffy texture. I did enjoy the candied walnut icecream though.
Overall, the banquet menu is excellent value and Alpha is a great place to have a long lunch in the city.
Tasting the famed pork buns for the first time at Momofuku ssam bar in New York is one of my favorite food memories. When my friend M (who I shared the said pork buns with) told me they were recreating their 2007 Ssam Bar menu at Momofuku Seiobo as part of Good Food Month's Hats Off Dinner, I thought this was one opportunity not to be missed. The event was on for one week only, from October 13 to October 18. Having heard about the massive queues through the week, M, my bf and I arrived just before 5, on a Saturday afternoon, and were happy to find ourselves near the front of the queue. Luckily, there was a Gelato Messina nearby to help us kill time (any excuse for Messina!). Time in the queue also gave us plenty of time to ponder what to order from their a la carte menu. We started with the Tasmania sea urchin and whipped tofu. The light texture of the whipped tofu was a wonderful contrast to the rich intense flavour of the sea urchin. At the base of the dish were some tapioca balls, more commonly found in pearl milk tea, which was a hidden surprise in the dish. It was an appropriate first dish as it whetted our appetites for more. The famous steamed pork buns quickly arrived. The buns were as soft and pillowy as I remembered and the pork belly just melts in your mouth. It's such a simple dish when you think about it - pork belly, hoisin sauce, cucumber and bun. But there are few places that do it as well as Momofuku, especially in Sydney. Deep fried Brussels sprouts was a surprising highlight of the evening. The fish sauce vinaigrette had the classic Thai combination of sweet, salty and tang, and the puffy rice just added the right amount of pop to the dish. Who knew fish sauce and brussel sprouts could be such a great combination! Charred just the right amount, this side dish was highly addictive and I could not stop eating it. The Apple, lychee and bacon salad with chilli sauce was very refreshing. The peanut added just the right amount of crunch. There was even lychee jelly to add another textural element to the dish. Will definitely try to make this at home some time! I am a big fan of Chiwan mashi - Japanese egg custard. Momofuku's version comes with snails and truffle. The aroma of the black truffle is simply divine and the snails had a real meatiness to them. David Chang is known for his out of the box food combinations, and this was no exception. The Marinated hanger steak Ssam was on every table and is fun to eat. We took the lettuce cups and packed them with the beef, the shallots and ginger scallion mixture and kimchi. The ginger scallion sauce is something I normally have with white cut chicken in Cantonese restaurants, but worked just as well on the steak. The beef was juicy and tender, and packed an incredible amount of flavour. The finale to the meal was the Spicy honeycomb tripe. M and I had a tripe salad dish at Ssam bar in NY, so it is clearly a much loved ingredient at Ssam. This was a very different variation. The tripe was quite tender and the curry sauce as very flavoursome. The soft boiled egg added more richness to the dish. I would have loved a bowl of rice to soak all up the sauce. My extremely high expectations of this meal was met and exceeded. I could easily eat all those dishes again and again. The service was fast and furious. Not your typical three hat restaurant standard as it turned into Ssam bar for the week, but it definitely did not detract from the overall food experience.
On my search of unusual cuisines to eat, I came across Queenie's, a Caribbean restaurant in Surry Hills. The place was lively on a Saturday night with music beating along in the background.
We started with the Spiced lamb with green chilli yoghurt bammies - a Jamaican type of flatbread, reminded me of a tostada. Although the serving was small, it packed a tonne of flavour and was absolutely delicious.
For mains, we went with the Jerk Chicken with jungle slaw. The serving was very generous. The spice coating was tasty and the meat very juicy. The red cabbage slaw had a tangy dressing which complemented the chicken well. One of the chicken wings was slightly undercooked which was a bit of a downer.
We also ordered the special of the night, which was a jerk beef curry with dirty rice and naan. Flavours were good without being spectacular. I was interested to know what dirty rice was - turns out it is just normal rice cooked with some chicken livers and peppers to give it that 'dirty' colour. Again, the serving was ginormous so there was no way we could fit in dessert.
Great atmosphere and a good introduction to Caribbean cuisine.
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