Lotus Dumpling Bar, Walsh Bay

Happy Monday everyone! Just thought I’d rub it in and post on my day off work. And where else to start than back to where it all began… The funky dumpling bar along the restaurants at Walsh Bay.

Violet Argyle Dumpling – fresh beetroot juice, argyle beef, spring onion & baby bok choy ($13.80)

Pan fried pork buns ($10.80 for 4)

Lotus duck salad ($16.00)

“Kung Pao chicken” ($25.00)

Messina – Chocolate and Mango sorbet

The Food Zoo experience: I have to say, I still love the pan fried pork buns the best. And on special occasions to celebrate not winning $500 million dollars we would come here and order loads and loads of pork buns! And then to finish it off with Messina icecream – Ah, the satisfaction!

Lotus Dumpling Bar

Shop 3 16 Hickson Rd
Walsh Bay, NSW

The Foodie House, North Ryde

New section at Macquarie Centre means new food adventures! There’s a whole new fresh market that just opened up about a week ago, and the sight is something akin to Asia. Swarming with people, lines everywhere and invasion of personal space. At night time the bustle seems to die down a little to give some breathing space. We wondered around and settled on The Foodie House! It is a mix of Malaysian and Vietnamese cuisines.

Pork Heaven, $13.90

Marinated minced pork and prawn with soy sauce, pepper, garlic, then deep fried until golden brown and served with vermicelli noodle. I assumed that because of the pricing that this was a main sized meal, so when the dish came out, I was terribly disappointed. I guess even the Gods know that I am supposed to be cutting down on portion sizes. The little balls were very flavoursome and they were delightfully crunchy. They were like little pork and prawn doughnuts, and because of the hole in the middle I was able to stuff if full of pickled veggies and vermicelli. :)

Roast Duck Noodles, $13.90

The soup was thick and full of flavour and the meat freshly sliced off the duck when the order has been placed. A sprinkle of fresh chilli into the broth and this makes for a fitting meal on a cold winters night.

There were many other awesome drinks and dishes that are definitely on the to-eat list for our next visit when the crowds die down a bit.

 

The Foodie House
level 3, Shop 3347, Macquarie Centre
Cnr Herring and Waterloo Road
North Ryde, 2113

Chat Thai Westfield, Sydney

Fresh coconut juice ($5.00)

Lod Shong Singapore – coconut milk with silky pandan dumplings ($4.50)

Kana Mhu Grob – Kale and pork ($15.00)

Red curry duck ($20.00)

Padt Char – “Fish Dumplings” ($18.00)

Khao nieaw kloy – Sweet thin wafers filled with meringue and threads of candied egg yolk ($4.00)

Khao nieaw sangkaya – Sticky rice with coconut custard ($8.00)

The Food Zoo experience: There always seems to be a huge queue at Chat Thai and this night was no exception. Except, I didn’t really understand why there was always such a long queue. I can understand Mamak where you wait 45 mins for a table but the food is cheap and delicious. Clearly not the case at Chat Thai. The meal was expensive for the food we ordered: the Padt Char – basically stir fried fish balls which was still cold in the centre even though it was the last dish to arrive – along with the dessert. The only thing I would go back for would be the dessert – finished the entire sticky rice dish by myself!

Chat Thai

Level 6, Westfield Sydney
188 Pitt St Mall
Sydney, NSW 2000

MAZE, Southbank (Melbourne)

And so begins a series of posts of my Melbourne food safari. Be prepared to be wowed! We’ll start with a blast from Maze – or more famously known as Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant. And wait for it… Lunch menu, three sets for only $42.o0! The best advice I’ve had going to Melbourne is that if you want to enjoy all the fine dining restaurants, eat your heart out during the weekdays as the lunch sets are the best value!

Complimentary butter with seaweed butter

One of the best complimentary breads ever! So soft with the perfect amount of salt seasoning and interesting butter as well.

Yellow fin tuna tartar white radish, yuzu, black garlic

Loved this dish – a wonderful combination of little delicate ingredients with a variety of textures especially those teeny enoki mushrooms.

Foie gras and chicken liver parfait Madeira, mulberries, toasted sourdough

Foie gras (French for “fat liver”) was so nice and smooth it spread like thick gooey peanut butter! Another one of my Maze favourites…Yum!

Charred leek salad truffle mayonnaise, pickled mushrooms

I’ve never been a huge fan of leek but I found this dish quite pleasant. The leek was soft and thoroughly cooked and the chopped shallots added a nice crunchy taste with the rest of the dish.

“ Tête de cochon” watermelon, kohlrabi, crispy pigs ear

I don’t recall ever having pigs ear before but I didn’t really prefer this dish in particular. But once again, I absolutely absolutely love how Maze plates their dishes so elegantly. The dishes are petite but not to the point where you would feel completely ripped off from the usual fine dining meals.

Crispy roast pork belly calvalo nero, soybeans, dashi

This dish was sooo nice! The pork was super crispy even when the lovely and light dashi (Japanese cooking stock) was poured over the dish when served.

Gisbourne duck leg Sweet corn, cracked wheat, fig jam

Wasn’t too ken on the cracked wheat but regardless, juicy tender duck meat with some sweet corn puree – need I say more?

And to top it all off, some random Melbourne graffitti… Everything in Melbourne is awesome!

Maze Melbourne
8 Whiteman St Crown Metropol Level 1
Melbourne. 3006
T: (03) 9292 8300