Melbourne Trip Part 1 - Hellenic Republic

So "C" and I met up in Melbourne for a couple of days of culinary adventures. The first night, we went to this famous Greek place ran by a celebrity chef apparently.

Bookings are essential if not arriving really EARLY in the evening would be recommended in order to dine at this place.

Interesting bit of history of their restaurant in the menu, however the next few pages were the ones that really interest me.

"C" and I were feeling adventurous so we decided to go with their "ATHENIAN" banquest for two.

 

First up was the "Mezzes" or appetisers, consisting of freshly baked bread, Cod Roe dip, Marinated Octopus, Deep Fried Calamari, a Fig and Goats Cheese Salad. Lastly, Kefalograviera cheese with peppered figs on a hot plate (This dish was really exceptional with the blend of savouriness from the cheese with sweetness from the figs, pure indulgence).

Next was the Seafood "Thalassina" Course which consisted of a grilled scallops, sword fish fillets and prawns. All these were accompanied by a special Cypriot Grain Salad (Kipriaki salata dimitriakon) consisting of a mixture of grains, nuts, pulses and topped off with marinated yoghurt and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.

Naturally after some seafood, one should progress to the consumption of land animals. In this case we were served a combination of Chicken and Lamb straight from their grill. The sides included a cabbage salad, roasted potatoes and Tzatziki (Yoghurt infused with dill, cucumber, garlic and olive oil).

At this point both "C" and I were almost bursting at the seams but hey, I guess no meal is complete without dessert and the Greeks really have a way with them! Dessert consisted of two courses. The first was a Watermelon Salad (Salata Karpouzi - watermelon salad, feta, mint, rosewater, toasted almonds) which kind of served as a palate cleanser and prelude to the next dish. The last dessert was "Risogalo" (Rice pudding, salted caramel, shortbread crumble, pistachio), think creamy goodness mixed with sweet and salty flavours with the aroma of butter from the shortbread and the crunchiness from the pistachios. Ahhhh.....

434 Lygon Street
Burnswick East
Victoria 3057

+61 (3) 9381 1222

 http://www.hellenicrepublic.com.au

Sedap Rasa Indonesian Restaurant, Kingsford

So we decided to give this place a try today craving some good hot coconut curry and rice.

For variety sake, we ordered the 2 meats and 1 veggie combo each. I decided to try their famous cassava leaves in coconut cream, Beef rendang and a Lung/liver curry. Flavours were most excellent and unique however I felt that the liver was a bit too overcooked and hard for my liking.

"L" decided to go with spicy long beans with potatoes, fried fish with green chillies and deep fried chicken giblets. Again all the individual dishes tasted distinct and unique.

 Accompanying our meal was a traditional Indonesian beef soup with chopped up beef brisket, tendon, lung and liver. This was most creamy (or "lemak" in the language) and helped to keep the heat levels down too.

Last of all we decided to try out their "Es Telor" which traditionally is a coconut cream based dessert with chopped up bits of Jackfruit, Avocado and various other fruit. However much to our disappointment, the avocado was too raw and bitter too! And the cream tasted dairy based as opposed to coconut.

On the whole, I would definitely recommend people to come here and give this place a try. As winter in Sydney is approaching, some steaming hot and spicy food is really welcoming. (Then again, Indonesian food is great all round the year too!)

273 Anzac Parade
Kinsford, NSW 2032
(02) 9662 8886

B

Tetsuya's

This place does not need any introduction really. Thanks to "C", "L" and I were given the opportunity to dine at this legendary place.

Eating at Tetsuya's is not just about the food, upon stepping into the restaurant, you are introduced to your personal waitstaff for the night and then led to your table which is strategically facing a Japanese orientated indoor garden away from the hustle and bustle of down town Sydney. Immediately you feel welcomed, relaxed and ready to settle in for the next three hours.

We were tended to by "Adam" that night who was most professional and very generous with the breads and spreads as well.

Given the choice of freshly baked Italian white and wholemeal, the breads were accompanied by a spread that was most delectable. It was a mix of Ricotta, Unsalted butter, Reggiano and truffle. Just as Adam stated, it was super addictive and we had many serves of it throughout the meal!

The meal consisted of three entrees, five main courses and four desserts.

Chilled Pea Soup with Dark Chocolate Mousse. The pea soup had a nice balance between a savoury and vegetal flavour with an added surprise from the bitter sweet chocolate mousse.

Savoury Custard with Avruga caviar. Egg custard with hand made caviar, finely chopped shallots and a touch of cream.

Salad of the Sea. A selection of Sashimi, fresh leaves and root vegetables.

Moreton Bay Bug Tail with Braised Witlof and Caviar Cream. The first warm main of the night.

Confit of Petuna Ocean Trout with Fennel, Unpasteurised Ocean Trout Caviar. THE signature dish from Tetsuya served with a balsamic vinaigrette salad.

 

Baby New Zealand Snapper with Soy Butter and Namko Mushrooms. This dish had a particular Chinese feel to it in contrast to the previous fish dish.

Grilled Breast of Partridge with Pearl Barley and Cavolo Nero. An exceptional combination of flavour, the savouriness from the meat and the tartness from the berries. All cushioned on a bed of braised barley and kale.

Lamb Backstrap with Summer Vegetables and Sheep's Yoghurt. The lamb was very tender and tasty. Along with it were rolled up anchovies which gave a rather nice addition to the dish.

Pear Sorbet. The first dessert of the night and also serving as a palette cleanser, this icy concoction was bursting with pear goodness.

Green Apple and Mint Ice Cream with Basil Jelly. Here, you can taste fresh apples with mint along with an added depth of basil.

Chocolate Fondant with Hazelnut and Praline. Chocolate and Hazelnut Marquise with Cognac Ice Cream. As it was a belated birthday treat from "C", I was presented with a mini chocolate fondant along with its very own candle. "L" was served the Marquise with Cognac ice cream.

Petit Four. A selection of after dinner sweets to accompany our tea and coffee. A fantastic finish to our meal.

529 Kent Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
(02)9267 2900
www.tetsuyas.com

B

Classic French tucked away in Potts Point, Mere Catherine

In our early days in Sydney, "L" (Another companion) and me were researching into the best french food we could find. Mere Catherine was highly recommended and we decided to give it a try.

This quaint looking restaurant looks rather unassuming from the outside. In fact its interior only accommodates about 5 tables for each sitting, therefore it is ideal to call and make reservations beforehand.

So after perusing through the menu, L and I decided to go with the following:

A bottle of "Chemin Des Papes 2011" and some garlic bread to start of the meal.

To be honest, I am not really a connoisseur of wine but this bottle of red accompanied the meal perfectly.

The Garlic Bread was rich and buttery and the parsley gave it its signature herbal depth.

For entrees, we went with 2 different soups and a salad (needed the greens to keep it healthy!)

Pottage Lucifer as it's named consisted of a creamy and savoury base with shredded cabbage on top. Oh, it's spicy characteristic most befits its name too.

Age old French Onion Soup. This traditional dish came with a huge cheesy crouton (much to my delight)!

Roquefort Salad. Fresh cabbage tossed through a blue cheese dressing and garnished with spring onions.


For the mains, L and I went for the "Chateubriand, sauce bearnaise" for 2.

The Chateubriand came with a generous side of Creamy Spinach. For that added sizzling effect, you can choose to pour the bearnaise sauce onto the hot plate, however we chose not to just to avoid making a mess of the table.

Although we were totally satisfied at this point, we believed that the french tradition of ending the meal with dessert had to be observed. We proceeded to order the following:

Creme caramel. Homemade with perfection. Without being overpoweringly sweet enhanced by the ever slight bitter touch of the burnt sugar.

Chocolate Mousse. Thick, creamy and chocolaty. Absolutely Decadent.

Overall we were very happy with our first visit to this joint and believe that there will be many more happy times spent there in the future!

166 Victoria Street
Potts Point, NSW 2011
(02) 9358 2000

B

Greetings from Sydney everyone!

Hi there everyone,

I will be covering the gastronomic adventures mostly from down under and in the greater scheme of things in the southern hemisphere.

Whilst D is situated in the west, I am currently residing in Australia and will endeavor to cover as many places as possible.

The following posts will be reviewing various recommended eating spots in Sydney and it's surrounding suburbs.

Sit back, relax and hopefully, enjoy this experience with us.

Thank you!

B

Dancing Blue Seal welcomes its latest contributor "B"

Testing testing testing ! - B

Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q, Houston, Tx

One of those things that Texans take pride in (besides being Texan that is) is their barbecue. A visit to one of the popular barbecue eateries was definitely in order in this trip. You know this place employs a good smoker because you smell that aroma the moment you pull into the parking lot.

Rudy's dining store is almost akin to cafeteria style dining, but if you don't really care about formal dining ware and eating off some greaseproof paper then this may be just right up your alley because the food here was mighty tasty. The moist brisket and spicy sausage in particular was full of smoky flavor.

14620 NW Fwy
Houston, TX 77040
Neighborhood: Fairbanks/Northwest Crossing
(713) 462-3337

rudys.com

D

Lao Sze Chuan, Chicago, Il

Just before heading to the airport, we decided to hit some Chinese food in Chinatown. Lao Sze Chuan seemed to match what we were looking for as we wanted a chili kick. This is a serve of the Chef's spicy dry chili chicken, despite my request to make it as spicy as possible, the chicken didn't really pick up the chili kick unless we ate the dried chilies as well, so that's what we did. Overall the food was very decent and the amount of meat was good for the price.

2172 S Archer Ave
(between Wentworth Ave & 21st St)
Chicago, IL 60616
Neighborhood: Chinatown

(312) 326-5040

www.TonyGourmetGroup.com

D

The Purple Pig, Chicago, Il

Wow this had to be one of the best, if not the best meal we had in Chicago. Fearing that The Purple Pig might be another hyped up Chicago joint, we braved some foul weather to get here. The wait at about twenty minutes was nothing to us (after all we're pretty used to waiting much longer at a decent place in Manhattan). Small plate dining prevails here and a nice group allowed us to sample most of their fare. The roasted bone marrow was spot on, another mention should go to the veal shoulder slow roasted in milk and served on some of the creamiest and smoothest mash potato I have ever tasted. If you're in Chicago, you have to drop by The Purple Pig.

500 N Michigan Ave
(between Illinois St & Grand Ave)
Chicago, IL 60611
Neighborhood: Near North Side

(312) 464-1744

thepurplepigchicago.com/

D

XOCO, Chicago, Il

I guess no trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to one of Rick Bayless' restaurants. We weren't that hungry or keen on waiting two hours for a table at Frontera so we hopped into the more casual XOCO next door and had some salsa, chips, churros and hot chocolate. With an extensive selection of hot chocolates here to pair with your churros, this place will definitely indulge the hot chocolate fan. The churros were light and airy and amount of sugar was just enough to complement the semi-bitter Mexican hot chocolate that I ordered.

449 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60654
Neighborhood: Near North Side

(312) 334-3688

www.rickbayless.com

D

Girl & the Goat, Chicago, Il

One of the trendier and more popular restaurants in Chicago, Girl & the Goat serves New American fare, which I always felt to be a synonym for some sort of fusion type category. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against fusion but when executed poorly, it just becomes a mix of nonsensical flavors. Fortunately, Girl & the Goat had more hits than misses, the only real bummer being the calamari which was too salty. More interesting dishes include the roasted pork face, goat carpaccio and the hanger steak with Vietnamese style fish sauce. By all means I think it's worth a visit, not sure if it's worth the two month waiting period to get a table on the weekend though.

809 W Randolph St

(between Halsted St & Green St)
Chicago, IL 60607
Neighborhoods: Near West Side, West Loop

(312) 492-6262

www.girlandthegoat.com

D

Grill 21, Manhattan, USA

Grill 21 is my go-to venue for Filipino food, well for their crispy pata to be exact which is a whole deep fried pig leg. Sure they have other dishes that are very tasty in their own right such as the pork adobo and tocino but those turn into mere distractions when compared with the crisp and crunchy skin of the deep fried pig leg giving way to moist and juicy meat. The best way to enjoy this is to do without the cutlery and get into it with your bare hands caveman style.

346 E 21st St
(between 2nd Ave & 1st Ave)
New York, NY 10010
Neighborhood: Gramercy

(212) 473-5950

www.thegrill21.com/


D

Pio Pio, Manhattan, USA

Pio Pio is one of those places with a small menu but what they do, they do pretty darn well. Specialising in Peruvian style roasted chicken, the chicken here is well marinated and juicy throughout. Even the white meat portions were juicily tasty. The slightly spicy and creamy green sauce that accompanies the chicken elevates a very good chicken to a great chicken. For non-chicken lovers, the jalea fried seafood platter and avocado salad are pretty good too.

210 E 34th St
New York, NY 10079
Neighborhoods: Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Midtown East

(212) 481-0034

www.piopionyc.com

D

Taverna Kyclades, Astoria, NYC

This is possibly the best Greek food I've had in New York so far. A stranger to no one familiar with the plethora of Greek restaurants in Astoria; Kyclades never fails to deliver. The food is fresh and bountiful and the prices are very reasonable.

Seafood is the key here, the grilled octopus, calamari and broiled scallops are done simply with a quick heat and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice allowing the freshness to speak for itself. That being said, the non-seafood items here are pretty darn tasty in their own right too.

3307 Ditmars Blvd
Astoria, NY 11105
Neighborhood: Astoria

(718) 545-8666

www.tavernakyclades.com

D

Posto Pizza, Manhattan, NYC

So New York and pizza are pretty much synonymous by now but the pizza wars are eternal and everyone sides with their own school. Chicago with their deep dish, the New York slice, Californian style pizza, it's a face-off that goes on forever. Being the pacifist that I am, I personally don't believe in categorizing slices by their origin or style, as far as I'm concerned, there's only a good slice and a bad slice. Fortunately Posto makes a pretty damn good slice, this is a half and half of meat lovers and the shroomtown and despite being quite the carnivore, the mushroom slice with the medley of portobello, shitake, button and white truffle oil definitely was the winner this afternoon. The crust here is of the super thin and crisp variety, which made it "lighter" and perfect for a lunch before heading back to work.

310 2nd Ave
(between 18th St & 19th St)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: Gramercy

(212) 716-1200

www.postothincrust.com/

D