Norsiah's Kitchen, Carlton by Bureaucrat

Lately, a few of us at Eat and Be Merry Crew have been feeling like "one of those days" has turned into a never-ending series of "one of those days".  When every day feels the same and you yearn for times gone past when things were fun and carefree.  In an attempt to mix things up a bit from our dreary work days and feeling the need to eat something comforting, I rambled along with Big Fil, heading towards Melbourne Uni.

He promised there was going to be good food at Norsiah's Kitchen, which is a cheap eats place that dishes out a range of Indo-Malay cuisine.  It's popular among the uni students that study and live nearby and also office workers.  There's a range of traditional style, home-cooked dishes all ready in the bain maries, which is dished out by presumably members of Norsiah's family.  I forget exactly what the prices are but they are cheap.  Even with extra serves of meat, you're still looking at a meal that's less than $10.  By memory, a plate of rice with two types of dishes is $7.50.  If you want three types of dishes, it goes up to about $8.50.

I think Big Fil got beef curry and the chicken curry.  I got to the a little bit of the beef curry which was melt-in-your-mouth tender and had a deliciously deep gravy that had lovely aromatics from the lime leaves.

As some of the dishes looked too spicy for me, I also chose the chicken curry, fish balls and a side of ikan bilis (fried salted anchovies) and toasted peanuts.  The food is simple but tasty.  The serves are reasonable given that you're paying $7-8 dollars.  The thing I liked most about the food was that it was all home cooked.

Big Fil got a frothy glass of teh tarik and I went for a custard apple soda.

Verdict: we liked it a lot

Overall
A really nice cheap and cheerful place.  It's not too far from the edge of the CBD.  Given that service is quick (and friendly), it is possible to walk there for lunch and get back within the hour. Also have a gander at Big Fil's review back in 2010 when he tried some of the a la carte dishes for dinner.

Kopitiam at Vivo City, Singapore by Obelix

No wonder Singapore is often touted as the foodie's destination.  I was so impressed with their definition of shopping mall food court.  No, not  McDonalds or KFCs but individual shops selling noodles, rice, BBQ meats, all serving customers very quickly and very cheaply.  Tucked away in the basement of  Vivo City which apparently is Singapore's largest retail and lifestyle complex is an unbelievably well priced kopitiam.

I could not resist ordering a bowl of "Lia Mian" which are noodles pulled in front of your very eyes and served with your selection of broth and meats.    In my case, I ordered the braised mince pork which came with bok choy and bean sprouts.  This bowl of lusciousness cost $4.80!  Yes, $4.80 Singaporean dollars which roughly equates the the same in Australian currency.  My God, my lunch cost less than $5! McDonalds cost more than this and I know what I would much rather eat.  At that price, I was tempted to order two bowls!  The braised meat was savoury with a touch of sweetness - very much like a Jia Jeung Mian which is like a Chinese style bolognese.

Whilst in Singapore, Kiddo has been clocking an average of two bowls of laksa per day.  So just to vary it up a bit, we ordered her Yeung Tofu which is different types of stuffed beancurd in a laksa soup base with rice noodles.  The Yeung Tofu shops in Singapore are frequently 'help yourself' type set ups. You take an empty bowl and select whatever types of beancurd and veggies you like from their display and present this to the cook who heats it all up in your chosen broth.  This was the most expensive dish of the day at $5.80. 

We also got another tofu/beancurd dish.  It was Japansese styled silken tofu stir fried with chicken and mushrooms atop of a whole heap of rice.  This also set us back less than $6.

Verdict:  We loved it

Overall

The Kopitiam at Vivo City is definitely worth a visit whilst you are in Singapore.  A head's up - it does get crazy busy on the weekends.  I went once on a weekday and once on a Sunday.  It was swarming with people on a Sunday.  Just to paint the picture - we spent 45 mins queuing to pay at Toys R Us....I would recommend visiting on a weekday for sanity's sake.

Address
1 Harbourfront Walk
VivoCity
Singapore 098585

Treasury Deli and Cafe, East Melbourne CBD by Obelix

I'll keep this text lite and let the amazing salads at Treasury Deli & Cafe do all the talking.  Treasury Cafe is situated within the Department of Treasury and Finance.  It is open to the public and has a spacious al fresco area over looking city greenery.  Their salads are officially, da bombe.

A big salad

This salad was deceptively filling and satisfying.  It was a mix of two salads - one was a meatballs, Israeli couscous and pumpkin.  It had Middle Eastern spices throughout.  The other salad was a chicken breast, kale, string beans with a lemony dressing.

My friend ordered the crumbed John Dory with the same chicken salad as above ($15). She was delighted with the fresh fish.

On a separate occasion, I ordered a beef salad.  The beef was cooked just right - not too overdone and not mooing.  It had a deliciously charred outer.  I mixed this up with a bit of chicken and kale salad.

The salads are seasonal.  Here is a pic of the their salad bar.

There is also the usual suspects in the hot food selection, eg a pasta, a casserole. There is also a range of sandwiches and foccacias on offer.

and sweets....a pretty awesome selection to go with a coffee.

Verdict:  We loved it.

Overall
Fresh ingredients, great service.

Delish @ Hamilton, Mount Waverley by Bureaucrat

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across a very well-stocked Continental delicatessen in the main Mt Waverley shopping area. There had always been a deli in that area but I had never paid much attention to it because it seemed rather ho hum and unmemorable.  I'm not sure how long Delish @ Hamilton has been around, but it is certainly a much smarter and gourmet deli when compared to what was previously there.

The first few times I went there I was mainly there to stock up and try some deli products.  They have quite a range of yummy gourmet things - you'd expect this sort of deli in more upmarket areas and less so in modest Mt Wav.  Clearly, times are changing and I'm liking this change.  They do have limited seating inside and outside for coffee, cakes and toasted sangers. But because Delish is quite popular among the locals we didn't get a chance to score a table until our third visit.

One of the big plusses about Delish is that they have Grandmother's ham.  Beaker's friend loves this stuff as it's apparently ham that's made the proper way - i.e., just pork and salt.  There's no nasty nitrates or water added to the ham.  I got some and olive loaf to take home for a quick lunch. It was simply delicious with a generous schmear of whole-egg mayo.  The olive loaf was also yum with extra virgin olive oil and sweet, unctuous balsamic that I had bought from there.

I loved the cute packaging for the Grandmother's ham.

On our second visit, we still didn't get a table so we got some cakes to takeaway.  The vanilla slice was gorgeously custardy and generous, and the pastry was crisp and flaky.

While the lemon meringue was impressive to behold and delightfully sour. However, the meringue was a tad too sweet for my liking.

Finally, on our third visit, we managed to get there early enough on the weekend to have breakfast there.  A cheese and ham toastie that was simple and good.

And some tea and coffee to go with it, along with the morning paper.  The English breakfast tea was fine (sadly, they only offer powdered/syrup chai tea) while the coffee was lacking some real oomph.

Verdict: we liked it alot

Overall

A great deli to stock up on a range of delicious things.  Delish has a real nice community vibe to the place.  Service is friendly and warm. Seating is limited so you'll have to either get there early for a table or be opportunistic.  Prices for the dine-in food and the deli products are very well priced.  For me, I'm definitely a fan of their deli and bakery stuff; it's so convenient now to nip down there to grab some delectable cakes and proper bread. I would love the place more if they had proper chai tea and stronger coffee on offer.  

Koji Sushi Don, Malvern by Obelix

A little while back we were suffering from a severe case of the *Hangries* and nothing around us was open on a Public Holiday.  P offered, or rather was ordered to drive with no other purpose in mind than to procure food for Kiddo and I.  Sure there was produce in the fridge to knock up a meal but we had chewed off our hands in hunger so could not prepare it [read: too lazy].  P eventually struck El Dorado, or rather Koji Sushi Don within the Stockland complex at Tooronga.

Fearing our squawking back home, like baby birds demanding a feed, he brought home more than plenty to feed us whiny womenfolk.

The bento would be the star of the show.  It had teriyaki beef, yakitori chicken, katsu, a few slices of sashimi and a few wee spring rolls with rice.  This would be an ideal option for those who cannot make up their minds on their order for it had a sampling of everything. 

My next favourite was the gyoza in udon noodle soup.  The gyoza were generously sized by gyoza standards, it was sized more like its cousin, the Chinese dumpling.  The udon noodle soup was comforting and there’s nothing like a heart warming squidgy flick of an udon noodle sucked through pursed lips. 

P had the curry katsu with rice.  I’m not a big fan of the Japanese style curry sauce.  I think it lacks depth compared to it’s other Asian counterparts.  So this wasn’t my fave.  But on the plus side, I love a crispy schnitzel.  Erm, so if you like katsu, I guess there is nothing wrong with the ones Koji serves up. 

The flop of the lot was the unagi with rice.  I normally am a big eel fan.  Particularly love how the Japanese does it – flayed and grilled with a slightly sweet and sticky glaze.  But this unagi was horrifying.  I could not stomach more than a nibble.  It was so overwhelmingly fishy but in a rancid fishy way.  The skin was so gummy and tough, no knife or gnashing of incisors could wrench off a proper bite.  I’m not sure whether this was a reflection of the actually cooking/prep of the eel or rather a reflection of the age/quality of the eel?  Is the gummy skin indicative of an old eel?  I’m not sure but it has certainly put me off unagi for a while.

Verdict:  We liked it. 

Overall
Koji Sushi Don is a solid takeaway contender.

Chocoholic Tours (by invitation) by Bureaucrat

Newsflash! As part of the new Winter Warmer Chocoholic Tour, there is a special offer. Receive 10% off your first tour.  Just quote BLOG2015 when booking.  

Chocolate coma (definition) is the state of being in a torpor induced by too much chocolate. Thanks to Chocoholic Tours, the Lawyer and I (plus our fellow chocoholics) are still recovering from a delicious and oh-so-decadent chocolate tour.  While I love handcrafted chocolate, it'll be a while before I eat any more as, it turns out, you can have too much of a very, very good thing.

Isabella's at Rochford Winery, Coldstream (by invitation) by Obelix

Picture a crisp Autumn day, sun peeking through the ominous clouds threatening rain.  You can feel Winter flexing its muscles ready to assault creation with its cold blast.  It’s the ideal atmospheric conditions to enjoy the indulgent comforting Autumn menu at Isabella’s at Rochford Winery.  And I was very lucky to be invited back to sample the best of seasonal local produce at Isabella’s. 

M and I were in for a treat.  Being gluttons we opted for the full three courses (starting at $63, wine pairing additional).  Of course we could have gone the two courses (starting at $55, wine pairing additional) but with a magnificent window view to the vineyards and a roaring open fire nearby, we wanted to prolong the experience as much as possible. 

I started with the Panzanella Salad.  The heirloom tomatoes were divine.  I’m so accustomed to the bland tomatoes at the supermarket, I have forgotten how wonderful a real tomato can taste.  Chef Ciaran Butler advised that they have their own veggie patch at Rochford which is predominately where the salad ingredients came from.  The ricotta on the Panzanella was house made and it was so light and fluffy, I could have quite happily fallen asleep on a big pile of it.

M went for Ciaran's recommendations, the crab toasts.  It certainly did not disappoint with long filaments of crab abed brioche-type bread with capers for piquancy.  

We had a glass of Rochford's wine and...

slice or two of artisan bread to go with our starters.

I am slightly embarrassed at how greedy we were with the mains.  It was so difficult to decide between the choices of the mains and of the sides.  So we went for a side each along with our mains.  This was our table groaning under the weight of our sumptuous feast.

I was so glad I ordered this magnificent Beef Wellington.  It was by far one of the best BW's I have ever had. The pastry was crispy!  The beef was wagyu.  It was heaven on a plate.  Chef Ciaran advised he actually wraps the wagyu with a crepe before wrapping it in pastry.  This ensured crispiness.  Apparently a trick he picked up working with Gordon.  You know, as in Ramsay.  

M went for a lighter option of medallions of monkfish.  I may have pinched a medallion or two to try.  Monkfish being quite a firm fish was cooked to perfection without being too dry.  The crispy bacon was glorious as was the calamari nestled within the wild rice.

The sides for me were just as amazing as the mains.  I could have been quite content with just this bowl of colcannon and nothing else.  It was the creamiest mash mixed with savoy cabbage, spring onion and some other greenery I couldn't quite put my finger on but it summed up for me what ultimate comfort food was all about.

We couldn't go pass the beer battered onion rings.  They were moreishly good.  They were made with White Rabbit beer, another local hero.

Our ever friendly and helpful waitress recommended the chocolate brownie and espresso cup for desserts.  To say they were just 'chocolate brownie' and an 'espresso cup' was an understatement of what they really were.  The espresso cup turned out to be a very luxe version of a tiramisu.  Imagine a traditional tiramisu but add additional layers of sponge cake, custardy layers and surprise sediments of chocolate.  It was a delightful archaeological dig.  

M had the chocolate brownie which was served warm and deconstructed with sorbet, macaroons and sprinkling of pistachio and berries.

Isabella's have floor to ceiling windows.  Perfect for gazing onto the vineyards by an open fire with a cuppa after a splendid meal.

Verdict:  We loved it.

Overall
Chef Ciaran and staff at Isabella's do their utmost in making sure that you leave feeling replete and happy.  The service was attentive and helpful.  The Autumn menu was everything an Autumn menu should be - comfort food, seasonal produce and sourced locally.  My favourites were the Beef Welly, colcannon and onion rings.  As well as serving a seasonal menu, Isabella's also has theme nights where the chefs can really showcase their creativity so it's worthwhile checking out their website for upcoming events.

Cafe Paradiso, Camberwell by Obelix

I was at Cafe Paradiso with a couple of parents from Kiddo's school.  It's opposite the Rivoli Theatre at Camberwell Junction so in all respects a popular eating joint in prime locale.

I was a bit disappointed with the service.  Being a week night, it wasn't all that busy but we waited an eternity for the drinks to be poured.  One of the parents ended up walking to the counter and asking what the specials were before coming back to the table to recite it back to us as our waitress had gone AWOL.


My disappointment with the service was eclipsed by my disappointment with the food.  I ordered a wagyu burger.  Sounded good in theory.  However it was strangely gritty with each bite.  Try as I may, I could not identify the source of the grit.  I hoped to God it was sand on the lettuce but deep down, part of me was afraid that the grit is from the burger meat itself.  I was operating in denial and ate the burger on auto-pilot. The fries themselves were extremely salty and for once in my life, I did not finish my beloved pomme frites.

 A few quick pics of what the others had ordered:

...Haloumi salad

...Chorizo risotto

...Soup of the day.

Verdict: we wouldn't return.

Overall
Cafe Pardiso, whilst in a convenient locale did not meet expectation on service and food quality.