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Niew Amsterdam

28/2/2014

Friday night post work dinner and we decided to try Niew Amsterdam. It was busy and buzzy when we arrived but the welcome was friendly and service throughout prompt and efficient.

We shared two entrees:

PORK TROTTER AND HAM HOCK NUGGETS, burnt onion jam
BLACK KINGFISH CEVICHE, daikon, dashi dressing, crunchy quinoa, finger limes

Expections were exceeded. The kingfish sashimi was light and fresh and a very clever combination as well as being generous in size. Speaking of generous the ham hock nuggets were also large in portion. Sweet onion jam and soft ham hock covered in breadcrumbs.

We followed it up with:

JERK CHICKEN, pineapple salad, crispy rice, black bean puree
SPICED LAMB LEG, cauliflower, pomegranate, herb dressing

The chicken was soft and gently poached which wasn't quite what I was expecting. I thought it would be chargrilled and heavily spiced but this was more elegant and much gentler. Enjoyable but not what I thought so I still felt I missed out on some Caribbean gusto.

The spiced lamb leg was again tasty but gentler on the spicing than anticipated.

The dishes at Niew Amsterdam are quite interesting in that there are some heavy, homely, comforting dishes such as the ham hock nuggets and our side order of mash and gravy but then there are light elegant touches such as the sashimi and jerk chicken.

Somewhat unpredictable but pretty good fun probably sums this up. And it was good value for money.

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Scorched

23/2/2014

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Lunch with a view; always a winner and after a very smiley welcome we were shown a window side tables.

Menus, drinks, order taken happened very quickly and efficiently which I love. I make decisions quickly and I like prompt service. There's a balance between prompt and rushed and being left to rot. I think prompt and rushed is differentiated by a smile and a genuinely hospitable manner and then being left to rot...well when that happens, as a customer you know it. And there was none of that on this sunny Sunday.

Our waitress really helped us decide on the amount to order and what was good and her help was invaluable.

Zeally Bay Sourdough sticks, dukkah spices and "Camilo" extra virgin olive oil came out first. Soft breadsticks, still warm with a golden yellow olive oil that was unusually buttery and almost creamy. A very welcome start!
Fried school prawns, chilli salt and lemon arrived next and these little morsels were a delight. Popping with spice and then salt and then sharp tang of lemon with a crunch and then briny prawny flavours these were so moreish. And they whetted our appetites for more delights.

We cannot resist halloumi, saganaki or other fried, melted cheese and so we pounced on the vine leaf baked haloumi, lemon and za'artar. I didn't know what za'artar was but we ate it and enjoyed it! I now know it's a Middle Eastern spice mix and tasty it was. The sweet raisiny, pine nutty topping with the salty, gooey, milky cheese was just so yummy.

As well as being weak for halloumi, we also cannot resist quail so we had to have the roast quail wrapped in vine leaves, grapes, pine nuts and sumac. Tasty, tender meat dripping juiciness and then sweet grape and salty cheesy yoghurty creaminess from the dollop of white dairyness on the plate (not sure what it was but sure tasty).

Little duck pies and the Middle Eastern coleslaw came next. The little duck pie was a delicate triangle of filo type pastry dusted in icing sugar and cinammon and then an almost sweet curry duck filling inside. The sweetness was enriched with the sultanas in the Middle Eastern coleslaw which was delicious and light and saved everything being overly sweet with a spiking tang of dressing.

Spiced chicken, smoked almonds and chargrilled sweetcorn was our final savoury dish. Fragrant with spice but not so it overwhelms the true flavour of the chicken or affect the texture as sometimes dry rubs can this was just delicious. No other words.

Chocolate torte, orange, figs and baklava crumbs
Middle Eastern mess, berries, meringue, rose

Our dessert choices were so different. I loved the mess - it was creamy and luscious but not overly so as there was the sour tang of yoghurt and the freshness of the strawberries sweetened by the fairy floss, Turkish delight and strawberry jelly then kissed by rose petals.

The chocolate torte was also good but I preferred the freshness of the mess. The chocolate torte was a rich smooth ganache like mousse cut through by the orange and finished off with seasonal figs. Accompanied by tea for two this was a beautiful way to end a wonderful lunch.

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Warra Warra

19/2/2014

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My colleague Bianca who enjoys Asian spicy food suggested I join her for lunch as she'd "discovered" somewhere new so I took up the offer and we meandered the CBD streets and lineways going behind Swanston where a whole new world opened!
We arrived at exactly midday which meant we were the first of the lunchtime crowds and in the 45 minutes or so we were there, the place just filled up with hungry CBD diners mostly the office worker crowd.

There are soup noodles that come under $10 otherwise everything is just over so for many it's probably not an every day lunch. There are lots of choices - the traditional tofu stew caught my eye. I've not had that since 1998 in a Korean restaurant in New Jersey and oh the memories but I refrained for fear it wouldn't live up to that. Sharpened pencils and a tiny order pad make for easy ordering and helps the memory when going up to the cash register but the print is very fine so some squinting necessary.

I was happy to pay the $12 or so for the stewed short ribs that came in a tin pot bubbling with savoury, spicy sauce, huge chunks of potato and pumpkin, tender braised meat and steamed rice. Oh it was soul warming and so delicious.

Bianca had the beef bulgogi which came with rice and a choice of side dishes and she went for the pickles. I sometimes find Korean cuisine just too sweet but my taster of her beef bulgogi convinced me that this was a genuine, authentic sweetness and not the cloying sugaryness that sometimes happens.

The restaurant is light and airy - modern decor and appealingly clean.Service was with a smil and efficient. I think I've found my new favourite lunch spot! Thanks Bianca.

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Paco y Lola

14/2/2014

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Ceviche Alcapulco: Fresh fish, marinated in lemon, tossed with orange and lime zest, nectarines, capers, olives, and fresh green chilli

BBQ Elotes: Chargrilled corn rubbed with Lime and jalapeno sour cream, rolled over Monterey Jack cheese, sprinkled with our gremolata and Tajin

Tostados: Crispy tortillas, served with refried black beans, salsa fresca and twice cooked duck breast in Tinga sauce

Quesadilla Frijoles: Red beans, corn kernels, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, coriander and a mild blend of Central American spices

Chili Con Carne: Slow cooked beef with black eye peas, red beans and a blend of Guajillo and ancho chilies, served with a light sour cream and hominy rice

We enjoyed a wonderful Mexican feast seated outdoors. The food was good enough and well priced. We did think that the courses would come out individually so felt that we were waiting a while but then everything came out together so I guess that was why it took longer. We weren't averse to having a smorgasbord laid out in front of us and we enjoyed being able to gorge and taste all the different flavours.

The elotes were yummy - almost as good as Mamasita but not quite there and quite small for the $6 per half cob. Having said that the tostados were much more generous. We really enjoyed the zinginess of the ceviche and the melty cheesey beaniness of the yummy quesadilla that was soft, gooey and oozey.

Slow cooked chili con carne was special too and with a depth of smoky flavour that went so well with the nutty buttery hominy rice,

Service wasn't effusively friendly but it was pleasant enough and we were in and out in just over an hour which is what we wanted.

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Claypots Evening Star

14/2/2014

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Let me start by saying, we loved Claypots at South Melbourne market and were loyal weekend lunch visitors frequenting at least once a month. We loved the food and enjoyed the attention of the staff on those days. We ordered lots; they knew our drinks preferences and what we enjoyed. I took family and friends and it was up there in our list of favourite restaurants. You'll see that through previous reviews and if you follow my Instagram, I used to post pics of our wonderful seafood lunches.

Sadly on Saturday, we didn't enjoy the usual wonderful experience I was made to feel like I had muscled my way to a table that was reserved when in fact, one of the waiters had seated us there after we had perched on stools at the bar area for a while waiting for service. As that table emptied and the waiter cleared away the dishes, I asked him if the table was free and he allowed us to sit there.

We then had to wait a while for menus so my husband Steve went to the cash register to pick up the menus and was advised that as we were at a table, it was table service so we continued to wait. But then the lady in charge that evening swanned past, started to take our order but then said that we shouldn't be seated there as it was reserved and demanded I point out which waiter said we could sit there and in the rush I couldn't remember nor did I want to accuse and cause someone trouble so I just shrugged and she scolded us some more and said that she'd told us all tables were reserved so we shouldn't have taken the table and should sit at the bar. I tried to explain we were there originally and moved over with the permission of a waiter but you know when someone refuses to believe you and she just kept demanding who; it was just too much so I stood up and it was easier to leave. And when I said, we'd just leave, she was happy to see us go so that eradicates any feeling of being a valued customer.

I'm just so disappointed now. I've reviewed this place, recommended it, Instagrammed our weekend seafood lunches, brought friends and family and now I'm just so "meh" about it. I can't get excited after that experience.

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The Rickshaw

11/2/2014

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Steve and I were kindly invited to try out The Rickshaw on Gertrude Street along with other bloggers and we were treated to a set sit down meal on a warm evening last week. The invite advised 6pm and I was there then and Steve arrived a touch later. There was a lot of general mingling and we were treated to canape style servings of two dishes:

Penang Bowl - Our twist on the traditional satay with ground chicken but made without peanuts served in a bowl served with a butter fried naan bread

Chicken 65 - Fried chicken with curry leaves, slit green chillies and spicy yoghurt sauce

Both were delicious. I loved the sweet creaminess of the satay - almost like a sweet Thai red curry with the soft naan bread. The Chicken 65 came with an explosive kick that hit the tastebuds in a fiery but delightful way.

The restaurant isn't huge - maybe 30 seats and it has some stiff neighbouring competition with Anada next door and Cutler and Co not far away. However there probably isn't an Asian offering. The concept is unified Asia so dishes that are from specific parts such as the Thai satay and the Southern Indian Chicken 65. There are Japanese dishes, Chinese dishes...Speaking to the owners, there is a lot of passion for what they want to do and achieve and they really do enjoy the dishes they have put on the menu. They are true advocates of what they have done.

There was quite a bit of mingling before we were invited to be seated and then another wait for the food. Once it got going though, things moved quicker. We enjoyed the following dishes:

Duck Salad - Shredded duck leg, cucumber, green papaya, lychee, red chilli and papaya dressing

Pui’s 3 Fungi Rolls - Cabbage rolls, each filled with a mix of enoki, oyster and shitake mushrooms, served with garlic konbu sauce

Pani Puri - Mini puff pastries stuffed with potato, chickpeas, pomegranate, tamarind sauce and served with spicy water

Black Cod - Black cod fillets marinated in Saikyo miso, served with grilled asparagus and baby carrots

Achari Rack of Lamb - Braised and slow cooked rack of lamb in mustard oil, flavored with Fenugreek, fennel, cumin seeds & cloves,

Drunken Noodles - Stir-fried flat rice noodles, chicken, green peppercorns, wild ginger and Yamazaki whiskey

Lemongrass Crème Brulée

Thai Tea Panna Cotta with Honey Syrup

Coconut Sago Pudding - Young coconut meat, roast coconut flakes, corn and micro herbs

I'm just going to discuss some highlights and lowlights and although Steve and I were invited to this meal as guests, what I write comes from my heart and mind. The duck salad was fresh and zingy - on the spicy side but a good duck salad. The black cod had a hint of the Nobu signature dish but was actually very white with none of the black cod skin. It was flavoursome enough and a decent interpretation. The lamb cutlet was tender and tasty of Indian spice again with a good chili explosion.

The pani puri felt a little copy cat to Tonka's version and not quite as refined. I wasn't that impressed at Tonka and the same applies here. The cabbage rolls weren't my bag either as I felt they were a bit too bland.

The three desserts were surprisingly good and I'm not really an Asian dessert fan. The creme brulee had a lovely creamy and silky consistency that was rich and just with a hint of lemongrass. The panna cotta had a beautifully sexy wobble to eat and I enjoyed the sweet tea flavour. The coconut sago pudding was probably the least favourite as it was quite solid in texture and didn't really have much flavour but I suspect it was overpowered by the sweetness in the panna cotta and the creme brulee.

I hope The Rickshaw does well. There is passion there but I'm not sure it can manage to draw in the crowds it needs to every day especially earlier in the week. It would be good to see it succeed.

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Kazuki's

1/2/2014

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We spent the Saturday night in Daylesford and Steve made a reservation at Kazuki's. The dining room offered cool respite during a very warm day and I loved the restaurant from the moment we stepped in. I loved the cool and airy decor, the mural on the wall, the pretty lampshades...

I also loved the story behind Kazuki's and its logo:

Mountain - Mt Fuji – Mt Franklin
Fish – Koi (Japanese carp) – Trout (Tuki rainbow trout)
Mist, cloud or water – connecting two countries
Water drops – The Southern Cross
Oak leaves – Kazuki’s family crést
Plum blossoms – Saori’s family crést
Bottom branch - Family (Kazuki, Saori & two children)
A man fishing at the top of Mt. F – Kazuki

Kazuki arrived in Daylesford a few years ago and he and his wife Saori set up Kazuki's which in its short life span has achieved its one hat award.

The food opened up with a tofu shot with dashi and a bread roll with black seaweed butter.

I loved the softness of the bread roll and the saltiness of the butter, reminiscent of Vegemite when spread on the bread.

I was offered another roll and I accepted but it never arrived. I was offered a roll three times by the three different wait staff and I accepted three times but said bread roll never materialised...but my plate was always there. They must have thought I ate a lot of rolls!

On a Saturday evening it's a fixed degustation menu with options to add some special courses. We decided to both go for an extra course of oysters and share the special luxury course of crab and shaved Spanish truffle.

Oysters four ways – abalone, shiso, tempura, gravadlax with oyster cream was beautifully presented and just delicious. We loved the different flavours and the stand out favourites were the tempura oyster which was salty and crunchy as well as the gravadlax with oyster cream which was a thick slice of delicious salmon, a creamy emulsion and then intensified by the actual oyster.

Beef tataki, anchovy, radish, potato, yuzu was our next course. The flavours were very clean and pure with the crunch of the fried potato strands. I think the anchovy was meant to season the beef but I didn't get much saltiness so a little more wouldn't have gone amiss.

The scallop ceviche, jalapeno, quinoa, coriander was breathtakingly delicious. The crunchy toastiness of the quinoa and the soft, sweet silkiness of the scallop, flavoured with a spike of jalapeno and the fragrance of coriander was just tongue tinglingly brilliant. Reminiscent of the wonder yellowtail sashimi with yuzu soy, coriander and jalapeno at Nobu, this little variation had an added textural dimension and more in depth sweetness from the scallop.

I was really looking forward to the Moreton Bay bug dumplings, sake emulsion, ponzu jelly, rainbow chard. The ponzu jelly melted into the emulsion darkening it and flavouring it. The dumpling filling was sweet and dense with a good bouncy texture and the wrappers were thin and pasta like not unlike the wonderful tortellini we had the night before at Grossi Florentino Upstairs.

The ultimate special dish we decided to share followed - Spanner crab omelette, sauce american, avruga, shaved Spanish black truffle. Whilst this was good, it didn't overwhelm me with deliciousness like previous courses. The sauce american was a bit thousand island dressing like so too rich to eat by itself so a puddle of it was left.

We continued on with the fish dishes and moved to snapper, brandade, scampi, confit pepper, caper berries. This was a move away from the Japanese inspired dishes and was almost Mediterranean. Bright flavours and fish that was cooked perfectly - it was delicious and we enjoyed the sweet and sunny flavours of the confit capsicum whi.ch was a backdrop to the delicate white fish flavour.

For the last of our savoury courses, we ended on such a high - pork belly, Asian vegetables, wombok and mint salad served with a BBQ pork bun each which we were advised to dip into the broth. Less Japanese and more Chinese - who cares as it was so good. The pork belly was like char siu and the pork buns were sweet and soft and so pillowy and delicious.

The richness and heaviness of the previous meat course was kissed away by a kanmi translated as bitesize sweetness which was a delicious sorbet served in a cute glass container. It was icy and sweet and just what was needed to cleanse the palate and prepare it for dessert.

Lemon verbena crème brûlée, cardamom, genji was dessert and I forgot to take a picture. I remember the creme brulee was good but I wasn't keen on the cardamom ice cream mainly because I'm not a fan of cardamom so it was never going to be a winner with me.

Dinner at Kazuki's was refreshing and we loved the clean flavours that came through each dish. It thoroughly deserves the acclaim it is receiving and I would definitely recommend people to try it.

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Niew Amsterdam

Scorched

Warra Warra

Paco y Lola

Claypots Evening Star

The Rickshaw

Kazuki's

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