We were wondering where to go for a meal and a gathering on this second day of Chinese New Year and called up a few restaurants to find out if they are opened for business. When we got through to Chef Low Organic Kitchen, we were delighted to know that they open from 6pm onwards and immediately made our booking for 4 people.
We arrived at 6.30 and were glad that the place was only half full and was not rowdy with the CNY crowd.
Without delay we quickly placed our orders which include the "Fatt Choy Yee Sang" which I normally will not miss. It is not that I wish to be prosperous after eating this dish but that I like the accompaniment of the different raw salads that goes with the dish. However, this yee sang is not delectable to my taste buds and as such, do not think I would like to recommend it.
The Beancurd Winter Melon ( Dong Bor RO) was special and tasted really good but portion was a little too small. Nyonya fish was good and the Xiao Bai Cai's portion was more than enough for the four of us.
After settling the bill, it was so nice of the boss to present us with a plate of ''wor tip'' on the house. Thank you. This dessert is normally deep fried but we got was baked and I like it very much as it was light and fluffy and the sweetness was just right.
Baia THE ITALIAN, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney, Australia
Sydney used to be more known for its beaches while Melbourne is more known for its food, cafes and culture. However, Sydney is fast catching up and in recent years, more and more restaurants and cafes have sprouted around the city, making it a city that has everything under the sun. Well, nestled somewhere in the heart of the CBD, we visited Baia, THE ITALIAN on Cockle Bay Wharf. Having the impression that nothing could beat the restaurant standards of the famous Lygon Street in Melbourne, we were not expecting a lot when we decided to dine there. However, we were thrilled to be proven wrong. Read on and I bet that you'll be drooling before reaching the end of this post.
Risotto ai funghi - mushroom risotto $25 Pan roasted porcini mushroom risotto with chives, black truffles and cream fraiche This was a real gem. I normally dislike risottos as I normally find them a little overwhelming in terms of the cream that is used in the dish, however, I am pleased to say that this is one of the best risottos I have had so far. Will have to go to Italy to try out the more traditional and authentic ones before I comment any further :D
Pappardelle alla vegeteriana - $25 Homemade pappardelle with pan-roasted cherry tomatoes soft goats feta, baby spinach and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Pappardelles are extra large fettuccine and this is actually our first time trying it. Until today, I think italian pastas only vary in shapes not that much in taste, unlike chinese noodles which is very varied in all color, shape, taste and texture. Apart from the noodles being a little fatter than the usual fettuccine, I did not find this dish to be anything special.
Traditional Tiramisu - $17.50 The famous Italian Tiramisu is really just layers of homemade mascarporne and lady fingers soaked in coffee liquor and served on a lattice of vanilla bean anglaise and dark chocolate. Tiramisus are one of the most easy DIY cakes but I always would like to explore new and different versions to see if there are any rooms for improvements when I next make them. This is a little drier than my tiramisu recipe and is more of a cake than my serve-in-a-dessert-cup-and-eat-with-a-spoon version. So, I guess the art of dining really depends on the individual which version a diner prefers and there isn't really a perfect recipe that would satisfy everyone. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this version of the tiramisu, though I really do prefer like my own version where the cake drowns in coffee liquor as then the aroma of the coffee is so much stronger which then makes it more indulging than the drier version.
Passionfruit Souffle - served with lemon sorbet and fresh passionfruit - $17.50 OMG! This was definitely a dreamy dessert. The souffle arrived at our table feather light and airy. The crispy outer made it almost something to crave for every single day. Served with a dollop of icy lemon sorbet, this dessert is something to die for. Only downside is that I might not want to pay $17.50 for another one in the near future.
Address: Baia THE ITALIAN, 114 Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Harbour, 2000 Sydney, Australia Tel No: 9283 3434
Madeleine's Original Portugese Egg Tart & Puff- Singapore
I had these pictures taken sometime ago when I was in Singapore and we passed by this egg tart shop that does not look impressive at all but was told that they sell really good and tasty egg tarts. So we stopped to buy some to try out. Unfortunately, as it is quite late in the afternoon, only a few tarts are left and we just bought whatever that are left in the trays. We could not wait and once in the car we started eating them immediately and could not agree more with what comments we hear about their tarts. The pastry was so soft and flaky and melt in the mouth as soon as you bite into them and the egg custard was just to the right sweetness.
Name: Madeleine's Original Portugese Egg Tart & Puff Address: 198 Tanjong Katong Road, Singapore 436997 Tel: +65 6247 9363
No visit to Sydney is complete without dining at the famous Pancakes on the Rocks
No visit to Sydney is complete without savoring the famous pancakes at Pancakes on the Rocks. Conveniently located at the famous "Rocks" of Sydney, about 10 minutes walk from Circular Quay, and open for 24 hours a day, you have no excuse for not being able to make time for the sinful pancakes, but be sure to make a reservation especially if you are planning to dine on a Friday night.
For all the chocoholics out there, this chocolate pancake is definitely a must-try. Two thick pancakes are topped with generous amount of walnuts and drizzled with a sinful amount of chocolate sauce and chocolate ice-cream. This will most certainly complete a chocoholic's visit to Sydney. For those that do not have a sweet tooth for dessert pancakes, fear not, Pancake on the Rocks also serves savory pancakes and I must say this Fresh Mushroom Crepe has got to be one of the best savory pancakes I have ever tasted. The crepes are packed full of fresh mushrooms and goes tremendously well with the fresh cream and spinach sauce. If you are ordering the savory pancakes, make sure you ask for some wedges too. However, you should be aware that having sour cream and sweet chilli on the sides cost an extra $1 each.
White and Red wine that goes perfectly with the pancakes :)
Address: 4 Hickson Rd, The Rocks, Sydney Trading Hours: 24 HOURS, 7 DAYS A WEEK Phone: 02 9247 6371 | Fax: 02 9252 2900 Email: therocks@pancakesontherocks.com.au Website: http://pancakesontherocks.com.au/home
I have developed an immense love for France. The culture, the food, the breathtaking sights, the people, and the list goes on.
And of course, the french dessert that tops my favorite list is the French Macaroon. They now come in a variety of flavors, pistachio, chocolate, vanilla, blueberry, etc. I opted for the traditional flavor, chocolate. Macaroons are all about their texture. The crispy outer and soft inside instantly combined and melted in my mouth and coated my tongue with a layer of delicious chocolate liquid. This macaroon is not overly sweet, unlike many of the macaroons I have tried back home and makes one craving for another almost instantly. Unfortunately, I was still full from lunch and can only make room for one macaroon this time.
Look at how big it is!
The perfect macaroon
Look at all the delicious French Pastries! I wonder how the French can stay so slim!
Address: 85 Rue Saint Domnique 75007 Paris, France Telephone: 01 45 51 88 77
Deliciously sinful chocolate French Crepes at Au Petit Creux,
Paris - the land of delicious but sinful desserts. If you choose to visit Paris, forget about your dieting plans, it can wait.
The French are so known for their desserts that many actually flock to Paris just to savor all the well known desserts at their native land.
Located at Sacre Coeur, is a little cafe that serves the famous French Crepes. You can choose from a variety of crepes, from crepes that are oozing with melted chocolate to crepes that are packed full of fresh fruits to savory crepes. All crepes are available for takeaway so that you can continue your tourist adventure while savoring the delicious crepes in the busy tourist streets of Montmartre. :D
Look at the chocolate oozing out at the bottom!
This is the famous and breathtakingly beautiful Sacre Coeur and the streets of Montmartre- a free attraction, but make sure you go early to avoid large crowds
Green gourmet St. Leonards Vegetarian Restaurant- Sydney, Australia
Came across this eatery when I was googling for vegetarian food on the Internet, and I must say that it is an awesome find and is a must visit for fellow vegetarians in Sydney. It is actually a vegan Chinese restaurant and offers plenty of healthy and wholesome Chinese food.
On our first visit we had item #38 on the menu, the Lion King claypot comes with heaps of veggies and "fish cakes", not exactly sure what the restaurant calls them, but it tastes like vegetarian fish cakes to me, so don't quote me when you order this dish at the restaurant. We particularly enjoyed this dish a lot and will definitely order this again.
Item 38 on the menu: Lion King Pot - AUD 15.80
The second dish is the Golden Fish which comes in a sweet and spicy sauce. We find it quite tentalizing as this is not the usual type of vegetarian fish we get in Malaysia. It is coated with a layer of yam, which makes it rather special and unique.
Item 40 on the menu: Golden Fish - AUD 15.80
The third dish is recommended by the staff as we requested for a very spicy dish on the menu and he told us that they can make anything in the menu into a spicy dish. So we agreed to order the Spicy Sichuan Eggplant thinking that it would be just eggplant cooked in some Sichuan spicy sauce but regretfully we the dish arrived we were very disappointed as the eggplants were coated with a thick layer of flour and deep fried .... a method which we always disliked. It is our mistake for not enquiring how the dish was to be prepared. We did not like this dish as there was really only a tiny piece of eggplant in the very thickly coated flour. We would rather the chef just cook the plain eggplants in the spicy sauce.
Item 47 on the menu: Spicy Sichuan Eggplant - AUD 15.80
Green Gourmet St. Leonards Address: 538 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, NSW, Australia Tel: 02-9439 6533 Buses that travels on the pacific highway, like M20 will get you to the doorstep of the restaurant :)
Vietnamese Vegetarian @ Vina Vegetarian Restaurant, Newtown, Sydney, Australia
We were simply thrilled to be able to locate a Vietnamese eatery, no, not just a vegetarian-friendly one, but a 100% vegetarian (vegan in fact) one! Located just minutes from the busy Sydney CBD in the bustling and filled with interesting little shops, is a town called 'Newtown', which I can't help but find it very similar to Brunswick in Melbourne. Newtown is a little gem known for all the awesome restaurants, cafes, take-aways, and it is also home to another 100% thai vegan restaurant. I did not get to try the Thai restaurant (Green Palace - 182 King St, Newtown, NSW) on this occasion and will most definitely find time to try it out!
Vina is a family-run business and has the most awesome waitress ever. She was highly efficient in showing us to our table, bringing us a bottle of water without us having to ask and also recommended us the best Vietnamese noodles we have ever had!
I highly recommend that you try this: Vina Pho Bo (Mock Beef Noodle Soup) $12 The soup has a cinnamon kick to the "beef broth". It is not spicy but I would say it's somewhat sweet to the palette - something I have never tasted back home in Malaysia. 5 stars!
Spicy Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup $12 This somehow tastes like the Malaysian "prawn noodle", and is not exactly spicy (well, not to a Malaysian that is used to extremely spicy food). So, naturally, I wouldn't have enjoyed this dish as much as I was told that it is "really spicy". I'd prefer to have the beef noodle anytime.
Fresh Rice Paper Rolls (3 for $6) These rice paper rolls are filled with rice noodles, mock ham, tofu, lettuce and mint. I felt that it wasn't worth the money, but we liked the sauce a lot. The mock ham added a flavor that you will not get elsewhere, so that must be a plus point for this eatery, though too much of mock stuff is not really healthy.
All in all a very enjoyable visit. I'd definitely go for the Beef Noodle again during my next visit. :D
Contact: 02-9557 0456 Address: 395 King St Newtown, NSW, Australia Train: Newtown (restaurant is within walking distance :D )
Has anyone ever had flowers blooming on their curry leaves plant? Well, I was pleasantly surprised when buds started to show on my plant and slowly but surely flowers started to bloom when the buds were ripe. I plucked a few flowers and mashed them up and the aroma of curry was even more intense than the leaves themselves. Do share with me if there is any special use for the flowers.
Ranked #563 out of 4957 restaurants in Paris, Le Grenier de Notre-Dame offers exquisite vegetarian dining just 5-minutes walk away from the world famous Notre-Dame cathedral.
Grenier de Notre Dame is a tight little restaurant, but it is supplemented by the attentive and friendly service by the waiters. We were shown to our table on the ground level almost immediately and we were very glad that they had a table for us, despite not making a booking beforehand. However, we did arrive early (6-ish), so you should not follow suit by not making a booking prior to your visit!
Complimentary nut platter as an appetizer. We both ordered Red Wine and a Champagne that was infused with raspberries to give it an extra berry kick (Kir Vin Blanc-Euro 4, Kir Royal- Euro 5.50)
The french and their plats (english translations: dishes)
This dish, is by far the most tasty, wholesome and natural vegetarian dish I have ever had in my life! No offence to Asian vegetarian eateries, but I always find the veggie restaurants offering more mock-meat than vegetables in their natural form. I also have never imagined myself saying, "This tofu served in a French restaurant actually tastes much better than the tofu served in any Asian restaurant!", but this is a FACT. The lightly grilled tofu was so tasty that I did not need any sauce to go with it and found it mouthwatering-ly indulging to the palette.
Assiette Gourmande - Euro 17.95
Baked apples stuffed with tasty fillings to go with a piping hot casserole. Highly recommended!!!
Assiette Berbere - Euro 16.95
Address: 18 Rue de la Bûcherie 75005 Paris, France Phone: 01 43 29 98 29 Reservations: Recommended
Was extremely delighted to find a new vegetarian stall in Pavilion KL's Food Republic. Was expecting near to taste-less / unsatisfying food but I was proven to be so WRONG. Not only is it very tasty, the portion was so huge that we struggled to finish our food despite being famished from a whole day's worth of walking around Sungai Wang, Low Yat and Pavilion! Prices were very good value given the extremely huge portion and delicious taste! :) Head over to lot 1.44.00, you should be able to see it when you get to Madam Kwan's.
Chap Fan
Chap Fan (Bitter gourd and tofu with minced "meat") "Fish" head noodles @ RM7.90++ Highly recommended! A must try for noodle lovers!!! Malaysian buffet
I read that asparagus has many health benefits so I have decided to add it as a part of my healthy diet.
Here are some of the benefits of asparagus. It can detoxify our system, has anti-aging functions, can protect against cancer, reduces pain and inflammation, can prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, can help prevent birth defects, is considered an aphrodisiac and especially as heart disease is very common now asparagus can help to reduce the risk of heart disease as it has a good source of folate which helps to regulate the amino acid homocysteine, which in high levels can be a strong risk factor in heart disease.
I find that by using THERMOMIX to stir fry my asparagus, it helps to retain the nutrients as the machine does not heat up to more than 110 degree and still stays green and fresh when it is ready to be served.
I would like to share here a very simple and easy to cook asparagus.
Ingredients:
300 gm asparagus
50 gm Japanese mushrooms
Small pc of ginger
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp of miso to taste
Method:
1. Place a small pc of ginger into TM bowl and use TURBO speed for 1 sec to chop it up
2. Add in 2 tsp of olive oil and set temperature to 100, time to 5 mins, speed at stir fry and remember to use reverse mode to avoid vege being chopped up
3. After 1 minute, remove measuring cup to add in asparagus without removing the cover.
Replace MC when all asparagus have been added.
4. After 4 minutes remove MC again and add in the mushrooms.
5. At last 30 sec add in a tsp of miso
6. Remove immediately from TM bowl and serve immediately. Notice that vege is still fresh
green in color.
ANYONE INTERESTED TO HAVE A DEMO ON THIS WONDERFUL MACHINE MAY EMAIL TO:
thermomixhealthyliving@gmail.com
Notice that asparagus still stay freshly green
after frying
Two avid vegetarians are here to share some insights to the world of vegetarianism.
Hopefully, through this site, the lives of some animals can be spared. Always remember, animals have feelings too, they are our friends not our meal.
Name: Madeleine's Original Portugese Egg Tart & Puff
Vegetarian Party
Pot Luck Party