REVIEW: Taro's Ramen

A pretty temporary looking sign...

Sometimes I surprise myself. Be it by what I say as I have no filter or perhaps it's by my conviction to a cause, usually ice cream. In this case, I surprised myself by never having ramen. Such a common and popular food, especially amongst those who have Instagram accounts. Why has it taken me this long? Well, I don't know. I love Japanese food. And I love soup. And noodles. Look, let's not dwell on the reasons lest we're here all night.

Last time my sister and her husband brought their gorgeous little peanut up to visit, we called in to Taro's Ramen on Edward Street. Taro's frequently appears on the Best Of lists for soup and is a Brisbane ramen institution. The restaurant used to have a more substantial restaurant up at the Koala Building (maybe not the real name but there is a koala statue on top) but the current address is said to be temporary and more of a café than restaurant.

Look at that bowl of yum.

Heeding the advice of my sister who has been to Japan about 354,126,462 times, we got the Tonkotsu Ramen ($14.50) with an extra bowl of noodles ($2.50) to share between two as well as a bowl of Fire Tonkotsu ($15.90). We also ordered some Kimchi ($4.80) and stocked up on the condiments, including a d-load of chilli.

Basically literally ate all that chilli.

Tonkotsu Ramen is made from pork bones, boiled basically forever, which breaks down the collagen, fats and marrow which flavours the creamy coloured soup. Since it was my first time, we went traditional. The serve was very generous and the noodles were delicious. I ended up adding a huge amount of chilli because I am me and I love chilli, so I might as well have ordered the Fire Ramen, and I certainly will next time.

Should have cut out the middle man and just ordered the Fire ramen. Note to self: always get the hottest dish available.

The Fire ramen was a party in the mouth and I was very jealous of my brother-in-law. Although he did struggle to finish the bowl on his own. The egg in the fire flavoured bowl seemed even more unctuous and moreish. Everything about ramen is amazing and what took me so long! I wonder why kimchi is served with a Japanese dish, since kimchi is Korean but why look a delicious preserved cabbage horse in the mouth.

This shot was taken by my drone cam.

Taro's Ramen was great and my experienced ramen eater guests agreed that is was a great introduction. I would love to visit the Ascot restaurant and dive deep into the different varieties. Can't wait to keep this ramen exploration going! 

Food: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Atmosphere: 3/5

REVIEW: Statler & Waldorf

The Statler & Waldorf

Okay. So what's the deal with hipsters, right? With their moustaches and beards and tattoos and bikes and coffee, food trucks, gourmet burgers, pop up everything, craft beers, Ray Bans, skinny jeans, indie bands, pulled pork, artisanal and organic everything...wait...so hipsters are just people into good food, good music and fashion? Yeah, they are. And guess what. You're probably a hipster too. Oh no? You're not? You're really, really not? You just appreciate good beer and are growing a moustache for Movember even though it's March and goodness, who doesn't love pulled pork?

Also Statler & Waldorf

What I'm saying is, there is no such thing as a hipster. We're just using this loose, umbrella term to cast dispersions on anyone who might seem a bit cool or has particular interest. Chill out, relax, you're cool too! We're all hipsters and we're all not hipsters! Put aside that term, stuff labels. Enjoy good food! And here is my segue to my review. You see, in reading about Statler &Waldorf, a newish gastopub on Caxton Street, the word 'hipster' kept popping up. And yes, Statler & Waldorf is rather cool with a working fireplace and extensive seasonal menu, not the mention the craft beers. But it's also very comfortable and casual.

Named after the classic cranky characters from The Muppets, Statler & Waldorf has been open since late 2013. A gastropub is nothing new, they were huge when I lived in London years ago but the term seems to be uncommon in Brisbane. It simply means a pub that has good food! So we choose Statler & Waldorf for lunch on a recent Saturday. The interior of Statler & Waldorf  is great, with a giant portrait of the namesakes hanging over the fireplace, a large bar and plentiful seating both in and out. And in a Brisbane summer, inside is mercifully air conditioned.

Look at that crispy skin! Drool.

We jumped straight to mains and first up was a daily special, the Roast Whole Spatchcock with Mushroom Ragu & Truffle Mustard. At $32, it was tied for the most expensive item on the menu but when it came out, I could see why. Actually, I could smell why. It smelt spectacular. With whole mushrooms, crispy skin and a delicious truffle mustard on top, I had serious ordering envy. It was cooked really well and the flavours were divine. I could have easily stolen it.

This photo is focusing on the co-star, not the leading lady but the tart doesn't mind, she confidant enough to pull this off.

For the vegetarians amongst us, the Caramelised Onion, Artichoke & Roast Garlic Tart with Parsley Sauce ($20) was ordered. It was nice to see a vegetarian option that wasn't gnocchi. The tart was nice and complimented by both diners but I didn't see any parsley sauce and the tart seemed a little dry without it.

You're alright, salad but don't try and come to me as a main meal.

Next was the Beets & Apple Salad with Baby Spinach, Goat Cheese & Fregola. It was the least expensive thing on the menu at $16 so that could be why it was a little small but I would have been disappointed if it was my main. But, I also wouldn't have ordered it cos I'm a hungry, hungry hippo. There were a generous amount of beetroot and the goats cheese was lovely, it could have been beefed up with a bit more fregola. For a light option or side dish or a person who isn't always ravenous.

Them some nice sausages. I'm not making any puns, I'm bigger than that...that's what he said! *ba boom tish!*

Back to meaty fare with the Billy's Pork Sausages with Lemon & Olive Oil Mash, Cider & Pink Peppercorn Sauce ($23). The mash was great, lovely and smooth with great flavour from the olive oil. The sausages were huge too, so I think this dish was quite good value. The pink peppercorn sauce looked to be more of a salsa and the pairing was described as unusual but not bad.

This is a pie! ohhh yeah!

The next dish was another one from the specials board, the Pork & Porcini Pie with Crispy Quinoa & Almond Salad ($22). This was another good value meal, the pie was huge. The meat was of a good quality, not fatty as some pie meat can be and the gravy in the pie was delicious, as was the pastry. This was a winner all round!

Bugs are weird looking.

Mr. Cakes ordered the Corned Brisket & Moreton Bay Bug with Horseradish Slaw & Pernod Butter ($32). The brisket was really tender and just fell apart. The slightly saltiness was fantastic. The Moreton bay bug tasted good, but the texture was slightly off, not firm-ish like they usually are. The surprise star of the dish was the coleslaw! The heat of the horseradish was perfect and it balanced well with the meat.

Maybe the sunflowers has some sort of invisible cloaks. Tiny little seed cloaks.

I ordered the Salt Baked Salmon with Watercress, Grapefruit Curd & Sunflower Seeds ($26). The salmon was amazing, flaky and a little pink inside which I love. The grapefruit curd was a little bit citrusy which went so well with both the salmon and watercress. I didn't spot any sunflower seeds though but I didn't miss them either. There was no skin with the salmon, which is what I would have expected with salmon that was salt baked but it did keep the meal lighter.

Maybe I love chips so much as they're just a vehicle for salt...

We also got a number of serves of the Beer Battered Chips with Aioli and Sweet Potato Wedges with Organic Raita, both $10. The sweet potato wedges really delicious. They were in the style I've noticed a lot of sweet potato chips are lately with ridges the length of the chip, is there some sort of sweet potato chip fashion trend?  Not that this is a bad thing! The regular chips were amazing. A good chip, sweet potato or otherwise is a thing of beauty!

The moth attacked from those curtains - dive bombed me! I went to ground and retreated and sent someone else up to get me a drink...you win this one, moth.

The menu at Statler &Waldorf was a great example of gastropub fare, with new takes on old classics, using organic and local produce where they can. I did get attacked by a MASSIVE MOTH, much to the amusement of everyone in the bar but I won't hold that against them. I swear, that moth came straight for me. They know how much I hate them.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
 

REVIEW: Little Saigon Grill

The line can be long but it moves quick!

I wish I could tell you I was letting you in on a well kept secret but Little Saigon Grill goes off every day. Tucked away in a little laneway off Albert street, Little Saigon Grill serves up well priced Vietnamese food. I've been to Little Saigon Grill a few times for workday lunches and usually get a banh mi. The pork belly ban mi is just amazing, but this time I was on the hunt for pho.

Banh mi station on the left and everything else on the right

Since my visit to Pho An restaurant in Sydney, I've been hankering for that amazing taste of authentic pho. I've had it around here and there and it's just never quite hit the spot. Given the amazing banh mi at Little Saigon Grill, I had high hopes.

As I said, Little Saigon Grill gets very busy during the work week but the line moves fast and they have an efficient system, with a busy banh mi station down one end and the hotbox and al a carte items available from the other. I ordered Pho Bo Vien - beef pho ($11.90) and my dining companion ordered Banh Mi with tofu ($6.90).

Tofu banh mi

The tofu banh mi comes with aioli, pickled cucumber, pickled carrot, shallots with the option of fresh chillies and obviously tofu. The whole lot is placed into a deliciously crispy French-Vietnamese baguette and toasted. The bread at Little Saigon Grill is amazing, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and really puts it on to the next level. As usual, the banh mi was really good and no exception what we've come to expect.

The pho before my customisations.

Now my pho. Sigh. I don't know what I would have thought of this pho before my transcendental experience in Bankstown. Perhaps I would have been quite pleased with this pho. But I can't lie, it didn't come close. It was okay. Maybe I could stretch to it was fair. It definitely wasn't bad but the incredibly complex and depth of flavour simply wasn't there. I added a lot of chilli to add flavour and I did finish it. There was nothing to complain about as such. I think Pho An has simply ruined me for pho. If you know anywhere in Brisbane to get pho and you think it might match Pho An, you simply must tell me, okay? It's not fair to keep that from me.


And after! I love me some srirachia.

We also got a Watermelon juice each for $5. It was very refreshing and the perfect treat on a warm day.


Watermelon juice.

So overall, I enjoyed our visit to Little Saigon Grill and I will definitely be back as they're quick and well priced but I will be sticking to banh mi or try a few other menu items. Not the pho though, it just makes me sad.

Food: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Price: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 3/5

SYDNEY REVIEW: Dunbar House

The charming Dunbar House.

I had two amazing culinary experiences while visiting with my lovely sister in Sydney at An Restaurant and the amazing Rockpool. When I then went to stay with my lovely best friend, she wasn't about to let the food adventure end. We caught an exciting ferry out to the absolutely stunning Watson's Bay and I got my first look at the historic Dunbar House, resting prettily on a undulating rise near the bay.


Such a pretty building, with picture perfect blue skies.

The house was built in the 1830's  for the Colonial Treasurer before becoming various hotels until 1924, when it then became the Vaucluse Council Chambers. Finally, Dunbar House underwent it's final transformation into the charming venue it is today. It's been lovingly restored with a modern take on a period dining room, with embossed wallpaper and impressive fireplace. Since we visited on a sunny early spring day, we decided to sit on the patio and take in the sparkling water views.


The beautiful dining room with modern touches.

The menu at Dunbar House was extensive, with many different options from venison to duck, burgers and pastas. My friend chose the Slow Cooked Berkshire Pork Belly, Celeriac, Apple & Radish with Spiced Crackling ($27) with a glass of 2014 Botolobar Shiraz ($11). I went with one of the many seafood options, the Macadamia Crusted Barramundi Fillet with Fennel, Asparagus & Zucchini, Dill Pesto ($29) and a glass of 2013 Charlotte Sounds Sauvignon Blanc ($11).

The pork belly soon to be in a belly.

The pork looked really tempting when it came out and it was a good size. The salad that went with it cut through the fattiness of the meat and the celeriac, apple and radish were classic accompaniments to the pork. The pork was slightly overdone on the outside and as a result the layer of fat under the top was not very rendered very well. It didn't ruin the meal but it might have benefitted from being cooked longer on a lower heat.


The barramundi soon to be in a mundi? Doesn't work as well as the pork belly one.

My barramundi was very good with a nice crispy skin underneath the macadamia crust. The portion was well-sized and the salad was fresh. There was not a lot of fennel, but for me, this is a good thing as I find it can be very strong and sometimes overpower a dish. The fish was cooked well, still a little fleshy and soft in the centre like it should be. It was a very nice dish, perhaps ever so slightly bland but I do have quite a strong taste for salt.


I see you, Moon! You think you're so clever being out in the day but I see you! Go home, Moon, it's not time for youyet!

After we went to a bar across the way in Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel called The Beach Club where we had a few drinks then had a hilariously difficult ferry ride home but that's another story.


Ahh what a beautiful day!

In summary, lunch at Dunbar house was lovely with one of the best views I've ever had the pleasure of eating in front of. It was so peaceful and relaxing to look at the bay. The menu is not particularly inventive but there's nothing wrong with sticking to the classics.

Food: 3.5/5
Service: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5

SYDNEY REVIEW: An Restaurant (Pho An)

Pho AND wordplay! Can it get any better?

YAY! Sydney review time! If you follow my Facebook or my Instagram you would know that I went to Sydney recently. If you don't follow my  Facebook or my Instagram, why don't you? I would love it! Plus you'd know I went to Sydney! It's a win win.

Enter on the left, exit on the right!

I haven't told you yet but I am obsessed with Vietnamese. It seems to be having a moment here in Brisbane and I was pleased to hear that my sister was taking me to one of Sydney's best pho restaurants. If you're not yet fluent in the world of pho-y delights, let me tell you all about it. Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup, made out of flat rice noodles with thinly sliced raw beef and some herbs on top. Then a piping hot, amazingly tasty broth is poured on top. This cooks the beef and all the goodness stays in the soup. I've looked into making it at home, and may well do one day but it's an incredibly long process with the broth cooked from 3 to 9 hours! Ain't nobody got time for that! Well, not right now anyway.

So much concentration on pho.

So my sister told me she was taking me to get pho from An Restaurant (aka as Pho An in various places) and that it was good. I was sceptical that there would be pho that beat my local Vietnamese shop but being mad for pho, I was excited at the prospect. We drove to Bankstown and soon were walking up to a pretty unassuming restaurant. Straight away, I could tell that An Restaurant was not messing around with a separate entry and exit door. In one way and out the other!

Look at all those bean sprouts and chilli. You could practically make a meal out of the condiments alone.

Once we got inside, I could see that speediness was a theme here, this wasn't the venue for a long, lingering lunch. This is a eat it and beat it kinda place. The tables and chairs are basic with no cushions or tablecloths, so the waiters can wipe things down and seat the next party straight after you. It felt reminiscent of an Asian hawker market. You're definitely coming here for the ambience. We sat down and straight away the waiter was there. Since it's only pho available in either pho bo (beef) or pho ga (chicken), there really isn't that much deliberating. My sister choose a medium Pho Topped with Chicken ($13) and I was feeling really brave so I went for a medium Pho Topped with Beef Combination ($13.50). Beef combination is rare beef, cooked beef, been tendon and tripe. I asked for no tripe and half a serve of noodles, my sister asked for no coriander. I sensed that the waiter was a little irritated by the two picky girls making changes to the menu but what can you do. Bishes have needs, yo.

My pho before I customised it...you can see the tripe floating there. FYI, I totally ate the tendon and tried the tripe. Culinary adventurer.

The pho came out super quickly. I could see tripe floating around my bowl but with one sip, I couldn't possibly hold that against them. I was in pho heaven. The pho from my local Vietnamese shop suddenly seemed like week old dish water. I swore. My eyes rolled around in my head. I basically shovelled this delicious ambrosia into my face hole as fast as I could bring the spoon to my mouth. Then suddenly a great sadness overcame me. The best pho I'd ever eaten was a 929 kilometre drive from my house. And An Restaurant does do takeaway, but I just don't think I'll get it home in time. What a double edged sword this turned out to be.

And after I customised it! Look at it in all it's glory!

My sister lost the ordering game, her pho was a sight more bland than mine however this could be in part due to her dislike of coriander as she is a crazy person. It was good but my beef pho was just on another level. She did have more noodles than me, so half of my request was delivered. She was happy with her order and had been curious as to see what the chicken pho was but we both agreed that there was no point in getting anything except the beef pho.

Wow, no offence Chicken Pho, but your sister Beef Pho is way hotter than you.

 

Wow, no offence Chicken Pho, but your sister Beef Pho is way hotter than you.

There was a great selection of condiments which really makes pho for me, with lashings of chilli and lots of crunchy bean sprouts. My sister also got a fresh young coconut juice which confirmed to me that I do not like fresh coconut juice. There were nice big chunks of coconut down the bottom though so if you're partial, you'd probably like it.



Looks like water, but isn't.



As soon as we had finished, the waiters were nearby to get the bill and we were out the door! By the specific exit, of course. My sister couldn't help but laugh at my mixed of delight and despair. It was honestly the best pho I've ever had. I can't help but wonder how much better it could get? What are they serving up in Vietnam? Could it be better? Perhaps my pho journey is just beginning...

Food: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Price: 3/5
Atmosphere: 1/5

REVIEW: Vintaged Bar & Grill

Wine, a way to open the wine and a cow! What more could a person want?

I have a miniseries of Sydney restaurant reviews that I am so looking forward to sharing with you but I must not cheat. I have one more Brisbane review before we get to that but what a pleasant restaurant it is. My lovely lady friend and I decided to catch up before my Sydney break and chose to have a classy little catch up at Vintaged Bar & Grill.

Vintaged is located in the Hilton on Elizabeth street. I'm always a little hesitant to eat at hotel restaurants. They can seem a little naff and stuffy. And dated. And uninspired. But when I checked out Vintaged menu online, the menu offered a lot of fresh takes of classic dishes. Plus they had a lunch deal for a main and a glass of wine for $25. A meal AND wine? Sign me up.


This is the cool bar area in the lobby area of the restaurant.

Once we arrived at the Hilton and made our way up to level 6, we stepped into a spacious atrium with a funky bar area. The ceilings extended high into the building, which kinda gave me vertigo when I looked up. In an awesome way. The restaurant itself sat on the other side of the lobby where the ceiling came much lower, the lighting was dark, intimate and warm.


The warm space inside Vintaged.

We were seated and since I was on my lunch break, we ordered straight away. We both went with the $25 lunch special as who could pass that up and the selection available was really varied! My fair dining companion chose the Bavette Steak with Creamed Potato and Young Carrots and I went with the Barbecued Ocean Trout with Tahini and Cous Cous Tabbouleh. We had a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc from the Bay of Shoals Winery...which were delicious! I drink wine cos I'll drink anything but I very rarely can tell the difference between a $20 bottle and a $100 bottle but this wine made me actually ask after the label. So that's good.


Salty capsicumy spread and char grilled bread. Yummers!

Soon after we ordered, we were bought some complimentary sour dough with a capsicum and anchovy spread. I'm so easily impressed, bring me free food and watch me smile. The bread was lovely and crispy with a chargrilled taste. The capsicum and anchovy spread had a pleasant salty taste, obviously from the anchovy. Salty is always a good idea.


Action shot like a pro.

The mains came out shortly after our delightful free bread and they looked appealing! We had both wondered what a bavette steak was, and my guess was it was a word for petite but apparently not as the steak was a nice size with a good dollop of creamy, smooth mash. The side of mushroom sauce was also generous. For your information, a bavette steak is another word for a cut from the flank. I've read it was the flap cut. I don't think flap steak sounds very nice, hence why they call it bavette. Clever.

I find that Ocean Trout is the best type of trout. Wait...are there other types of trout? River trout? I reserve my decision til I've had both!

My ocean trout was also really nice. It was cooked really well with a nice flakiness and slightly pink inside. The cous cous was delightful and the schmear of mayonnaise was pretty and tasty! Is there any better combination to be? The trout had a nice crispy skin but for some reason it was placed so the skin was on the bottom. It's probably over-pedantic, but it might have been cripsier had it not been placed on the moisture of cous cous. After I had finished the fish, I felt satisfied but not heavy and I didn't feel weighed down for my return to walk. The wine certainly hit the spot too.

Could totally get white girl wasted on all that wine...

As we paid, I asked if I could take some photos of the kitchen and the helpful hostess suggested I take a photo in the wine room. It was very impressive with glass walls and up to 1,000 bottles inside! Vintaged offers wine tasting and pride themselves on their extensive Australian boutique collection.

The open kitchen...also, they're not guarding that bread. I could have totally fit that into my purse.

I really enjoyed my workday lunch at Vintaged and was impressed that we were in and out within 45 minutes. The meal was great value and I returned to work with a happy tummy.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5