Mejico - Miranda, NSW

When you've moved out of home, you will occasionally get a little sentimental and home sick. Even if they're only half an hours drive away, life normally gets in the way of you seeing your family. There is a good side to it though...it really highlights how you should cherish the time you have with those that are important to you. Spurned by that thought, the Mrs and I headed down south to Miranda to grab some dinner with my younger sister.

I used to work in Miranda prior to the redevelopment of the shopping mall but since, I haven't actually gone back all that much. We took this opportunity then to introduce the Mrs to the suburb and survey all the new eateries that have opened up. On this occasion, we chose to dine at Mejico which is a popular and well known Mexican eatery. The Mrs and I have always wanted to try the place but we'd never really found an opportune moment. Fortunately as well, since we'd never gone, the responsibility of ordering went to my sister who was a regular at that particular restaurant...woohoo!

We ordered quite a bit to share but we started with their most well known guacamole which is made right at the table and served with plantain chips. All the ingredients are brought fresh to your table where the service staff will personally prepare the guacamole in front of you in a large mortar and pestle. Tangy, creamy and refreshingly light...the guacamole makes for a wonderful dip for the moreish chips.

After the guac, our tacos started to come to the table in quick succession. We ordered the chicken tacos, Salmon Tacos and Pork tacos. I'll elaborate on them a little from the ones I liked the least to the one I liked the most (bear in mind, all of these tacos were amazingly delicious in their own right). Of all three tacos, I personally liked the pork the least which is a little disappointing because I love pork but to me, the tacos had a deep and impressionable impact at first but quickly became overly heavy on the flavours. Texturally and flavour-wise, there wasn't enough to cut through the intensity.

After the pork, I would rank the chicken tacos second best. The chicken is flavoured really well and goes nicely with the chorizo. The cucumber and other spices help to create a layered and complex combination that works together really well.

Finally and most surprisingly, my favorite of the night were the salmon tacos. I normally strongly dislike cooked salmon as it's so easy to overcook it and make it mediocre but the small and well portion salmon pieces worked really, really well in this instance. Cooked to absolute perfection with a delightfully smoky char, made just that much better with a sour element from the cabbage, spice from the jalapenos and the creaminess from the mayo....it just works so wonderfully.

Additional to our tacos, we also got the salmon ceviche which was really good but I'd say something I'd pass on ordering next time. The crunchy radishes and creamy creme fraiche work really nicely with the salmon but I'd have to say that the salmon flesh was chewier than I'm normally used to. On top of that, the tortilla strips came off as a little stale to me.

We'd also ordered the beef short ribs and patatas bravas to share between the three of us but they sort of forgot our order so it took some time before we got to dig in again. No complaints after the first bite however as the beef was so amazingly tender I couldn't have cared how long it took. This dish was all kinds of fatty, beefy goodness with a chipotle chutney that really helps add a tang to the generally heavy and moreish meat. Beef always goes well with carby, starchy potatoes...especially when they have a crunchy, crispy exterior and it's all smothered in a rich, decadent spiced aioli.

It was a great night out catching up with family whilst having amazing food and drinks, I can honestly say that I wouldn't have had our Friday night any other way. Now, I know the Mrs and I have been a little quiet lately but if we haven't mentioned already, a very, very important event is edging dangerously close and we've been flat out trying to keep it all together...which is to say, we haven't forgotten about our readers but we'd like to ask everyone to stick with us a little longer as we have exciting news coming soon!

The Tuckshop + Jack's Newtown - Glenhaven & Newtown, NSW

Compared to my Saturday, my Sunday was far busier than I could have ever anticipated. As with our annual tradition, the Mrs and I headed to Glenhaven to attend the yearly Christmas get together with her girls. This year though, rather than cook ourselves, we simply decided to head to The Tuckshop for a quick breakfast/brunch. It just seems so much more logical since within the last year, four members of our little group became parents (yes, we're old now).

Since our last visit it's been awhile since we last visited Tuckshop and the menu's changed a bit...not complaining since most of the menu items were right up our alley in terms of flavor profiles. I ordered the cold drip for myself and a large skim latte for the Mrs (it was particularly early) while we waiting for everyone to arrive. It was a little scary at first since we got an outside table and I was rather worried the weather wouldn't hold up since I felt a couple of sprinkles but luckily, it didn't rain at all!...it just maintained a steady, sticky humidity.

Our friends slowly started arriving and as everyone got settled, we went up and ordered our food. The Mrs and I decided to share a beef brisket burrito and a southern fried chicken burger.

To be honest, after tasting the burrito, I was somewhat disappointed with the beef brisket. The last time we came to Tuckshop, we had a beef brisket roll that was not only fatty but tender and moist. The brisket in this burrito was bland tasting and didn't even compare to the last brisket dish we had here. There wasn't any defining or outstanding features as the salsa was just rather mediocre...the flavours just didn't meld very well. 

In comparison, The Mrs' burger was much better. A well spiced and crunchy southern fried chicken fillet wedged between a pillowy burger bun served with the usual salad options. The fries were also quite delicious as they had a nice crunch to it and were seasoned well. 

Although we didn't get to try anyone else's food (we don't get to share food...sad face), our generous friends still allowed us to take many happy snaps of their various items!

Breakfast Smoothie

Tuckshop Breaky Box

Group shot!

Croque Madame?? I expected it to be more indulgent.

Breakfast Taco

Soft Shell Crab burger

I always look forward to any opportunity we get to see the Mrs' friends. Times change and everyone gets busier and more stressed but year on year, we've continued to form a bond more akin to family than friends. That is something that will never change or fade and with each new addition (whether they be newborns or boyfriends) I'm thankful that we have the opportunity to grow closer and closer.

But that's not the end of my day...For the last week and a half, the Mrs and I have been racking our heads over a particular matter. You see, we recently purchased a rather oversized television...and I drive a Corolla hatchback. Immediately, you can see that equation doesn't really work out. So for fear of my safety and wellbeing, the TV has been sitting in the garage at the Mrs parents place for a while now. Just when we were out of ideas on what to do, the B.R.A.D crew (minus the D this time) offered to help ferry the TV back to the apartment! Happy days! Conveniently, I'd also been task with going to Annandale to pick up our pre-wedding canvas from our photographers...and what's next to Annandale? Newtown! And what's at Newtown? Jack's!...perfectly sensible logic right?

The Mrs needed to stay at home to do work so I extended the invitation to the B.R.A as thanks for driving the TV to the apartment (not gonna lie...I had a vested interest in this trip). Being located right on the corner of Missenden road and Princes Hwy/Kings St, Parking can be little hard to find but I am notoriously lucky when it comes to finding street parking so I got parking right outside the restaurant with no issue.

Fitted out like any hip and trendy diner, they definitely do take a less-is-more approach. The tables are walls aren't overcrowded with random graffiti and everything is clean and crisp looking. This really makes the massive neon burger standout as the defining feature of the room. Word of advice: if you don't like being in a hot, enclosed environment, I'd suggest visiting at nighttime when the temperature cools down. I don't think they have air-conditioning yet and the open kitchen really makes it feel warmer than it needs to be.

The burgers tend to come in waves but when they do arrive, they arrive one after another in quick succession. The boys and I got our food within 7-10 minutes of ordering which in my opinion, is actually really quick. We did go mid afternoon on a Sunday so that might have contributed to the quicker service times but as you can see above, still packed with hungry burger lovers.

At Jack's, they only have two burgers to select from: the cheeseburger (bacon optional) and the vegetarian burger. You can then go on to make small adjustments to your meal like doubling the meat or ordering some (super crunchy and potatoey) crinkle cut fries and/or a soda. We're actually really lucky in that right now, the Sydney burger scene is full of great burger contenders. What this means is that if you've eaten enough burgers (and I have) you can really see the strong and weak points of this burger. For me, Jack's definitely ranks as one of the top burgers in Sydney (4th...1st being Mistergees, 2nd: Mary's 3rd: Five Points)..what's noticeable with this burger is how chewy and doughy the bun is. Soft and pliable yet texturally magnificent, the bread is definitely a highpoint of the burger.

I wasn't originally supposed to get bacon with my burger but having accidentally taken someone else's burger, we decided to stick with it anyway. The bacon really adds some depth to the flavor of the burger as it gives it a really nice smoky, porcine richness that you'd miss out on with the standard offering. Now, where Jack's can improve....I have a preference of having my patty pink in the middle...which mine wasn't but that wasn't too major an issue. You still get a grisly, beefy mouthful when you bite into it so no harm done. The outside of the patty though could benefit from a little bit more maillard reaction. I found myself looking for more little pockets of crispy exterior only to be left mildly unsatisfied. Finally, the sauce was delicious but at times, reminded me of big mac sauce...no idea if that was intentional or not but, if it could exceed the level of deliciousness and decadence that is big mac sauce...that'd make a heavenly burger.

A's burger...drowned in sauce...with extra sauce.

Although a spectacularly busy day, I don't regret any part of it since I got to hang out with group after group of lovely, fun people doing the thing I love most....eating. Things will steadily become busier and busier over the next month so please stay tuned! I'll try and blog as much as I can!

Me enjoying my Matcha Softcream from Zuzuzu while the B.R.A walk ahead.

Dae Ga Korean BBQ Restaurant - Parramatta, NSW

Have I mentioned how much I love my new adopted home of North Parramatta? No? Well, I absolutely love it here. This is my first experience of living in a CBD and it's equal parts exhilarating and overwhelming. The sheer amount of choice you have at your doorstep is staggering. I can literally satisfy almost any craving I have within a short 5 minute walk...KFC, Sun Ming, Japanese food...you name it, I have access to it. On the topic of cravings, I find it absolutely fascinating how one's cravings can sometimes be contagious...such was the case when I had sudden urge to eat Korean Barbeque. Our whole church group picked up on the same notion and that's how the Mrs and I found ourselves heading to Dae Ga Korean BBQ Restaurant.

The Mrs and I had noticed this restaurant a couple of months ago...It'd taken over the old spot where Chef's Taste had previously occupied and looking from the outside, we were rather intrigued about how good it would be. It was then the perfect opportunity to try this restaurant by bringing our rather large and hungry group of friends and family. The moment we saw the menu, we (I) was sold...everything I love about Korean food all in one restaurant. The offerings on the menu range from various hotpots and standard Korean dishes to Barbeque (duh) and even...Korean fried chicken. The Mrs and I (having eaten the most Korean food out of everyone) took it upon us to order for everyone on our table. On top of the variety, the staff at Dae Ga are all rather nice and friendly. Despite the large group we came in, they happily (if not slightly stressfully) accommodated us and I definitely appreciated the honesty in their service when assisting the Mrs and I with our ordering.

As with every Korean restaurant, the first to come were the various banchan (side dishes) that come complimentary with your meal. I can't say that the ones served here were particularly outstanding but definitely good for curbing your growing hunger in anticipation for your main meals. Additionally, bear in mind that it is rather hard to find a Korean restaurant which offers side dishes that are out of the ordinary...if you know of any restaurants where that's the case, please do let us know in the comments.

After the banchan came the second most anticipated dish: Soft tofu hotpot. Now, you might ask: why would you order a bubbling hot soup on humid nights like we've had recently? Because it's so good you don't care. Despite the heat and humidity, this soup is like a warm, spicy hug no matter where and what time you order it. This is one of those dishes that you can never go wrong with. Dae Ga does this dish moderately well...it's less spicy than I'm used to but that just goes to highlight the mild yet richly savoury flavour of the seafood stock.

In retrospect, we should probably have order more soup...but luckily, the combination platters we ordered came shortly after which helped supplement the soup we'd already been having. We decided to order two combination As as they contained the most variety of meats and was the type that's generally accepted by those new to Korean cuisine (bulgogi, Pork ribs, Samgyeopsal...or Korean bacon). This is where one of Dae Ga's shortcomings comes in play...they use gas stoves instead of Charcoal. Additional to that, our tables were provided the ingenious Korean griddle pans which drip excess oil into another bowl....for health reasons. Although slightly healthier, this definitely does take away from the experience as the pan takes longer to get hot and doesn't get the smoky char that you look for when barbecuing meat....still, it's still great that I'm able to get Korean BBQ so close to me.

The Mrs and I had also ordered other items such as Seafood Pancake and Korean Fried Chicken but by the time the dishes came, we were so consumed by our appetites that we'd neglected to take photos...but take my word for it, the pancake and chicken was actually unexpectedly decent. In my opinion, Dae Ga is a good option for those living locally who want a quick fix for their Korean cravings. If you're not bothered to drive to Eastwood or Strathfield, do give this nice local restaurant a try.

Sydney Food Bloggers Christmas Party 2015 - Sydney, NSW

Comparatively,  the Mrs and I really haven't been blogging for long. Prior to starting this food blog, I regarded the food bloggers I followed as heroes and celebrities. Whenever I'd see Chocolatesuze, Ramenraff or maybe i-Fat around, I'd always freak out like a little fangirl but always be too shy to strike up a conversation with any of them. I admired and respected them so much for their courage to speak their minds and share their love and fascination for the wonderful food scene of Sydney. We started our blog as a joint side project with the intention of expressing our mutual love for food and sharing our many food related adventures and each day, I'm thankful for the encouragement we got to take the step that we did. This year, when we got our invitation to come along to this year's Sydney Food Bloggers Christmas Party 2015...you would not believe how happy and excited we were!

I'd spent the whole night and the morning after preparing my dish. I wasn't gonna let this one opportunity pass me by as I felt I just had to make something super impressive. What made things even more stressful was the fact that after the move, the kitchen in the apartment was rather poorly stocked with very limited resources and even less room. What I ended up with was slider sized Chinese steam buns (inspired by Little Bao in Hong Kong) which sandwiched thick slices of beef rib that's been marinated in Saikyo miso overnight and cooked sous-vide for 1.5hrs at 72 degrees. I then chose to serve this with a bit of wild roquette and aioli. If I had prepared better and had given myself more time, I would have liked to cook the beef at a lower temp for slightly longer and it would have been better if the beef was glazed more but for the time and effort put in...I think I managed to pull off something decent.

The venue this year was Studio Neon in the middle of Redfern/Waterloo which was a fantastic place to hold the event. The chic and cooky furniture, abundant neon lighting and graffiti really helped highlight how special this event was. When we arrived, the table was already packed with delicious looking food! Along with the overwhelming amount of food were many familiar and unfamiliar faces all happily snapping away at the items on the table...at that moment, it was clear to us that we were amongst people who understood us. Once everyone had just about gotten their pictures and started mingling, ChocolateSuze smashed the smash cake and that was our signal to start digging in!

Oh hai David! The ever dapper Frosticle

Here are some of the pictures I managed to snap before all the food got demolished. In all seriousness, I actually felt really out of depth with the photography as almost everyone had a DSLR to take their pictures with and all I had was my Galaxy S6 Edge....I should really get into the practice of bringing along my DSLR again.

Part 1 of the platter set up by Angela/The Walking Advertisement.

Part 2

Part 3

Food! So much food!

Food overload: Macarons by Ramenraff, Smash cake, Rice paper rolls by Foodisourreligion and Green Tea Madeleines by Eat Your Teacup.

I'm usually not a big fan of Sagot...this though, was absolutely knockout delicious.

Spinach & Cheese Puffs by the Brunch Bandits.

El Jannah...always good in any circumstance.

Smoked Salmon Blinis

Baked Ricotta by Alanabread

Summer Berry Tiramisu in a cute jam jar by the Newlyfeds! Kindred spirits!

Brookies...half brownie/half cookies brought by Simon Food Favourites

The most delicious Lemper made by Irene's getting fat! 

And that wasn't even all the food...as some people came sometime later, there was food added to the table after (mash and mushroom sauce by whatemdid...was the first to smash that). We also played a nice game of kris kringle where the Mrs and I nabbed a great dish set for the new apartment! The Mrs and I honestly had so much fun talking and mingling with all the Sydney based foodies and bloggers. We managed to meet and make so many new friends and I managed to meet my heroes. Overall, I'd say that was a weekend well spent. Special thanks to grabyourfork and chocolatesuze for organising! the Mrs and I are definitely looking forward to attending again next year!

Shoutouts to the wonderful people we met and mingled with:

foodisourreligion, adobodownunder, whatemdid, thewalkingadvertisement, Rachfongxx, newlyfeds, maddielovesfood, Frosticle, chewyourchow, msjayemm, twohappybellies, khismosa

Lets keep in touch!