Mama's Buoi - Surry Hills

As winter comes into full swing, we find ourselves at the end of another school term. What this normally entails is a fun filled celebration with the Mrs and her education posse. Last week was no exception as we all got into our 'end-of-term' best and headed out to the Sydney foodie's mecca, Surry Hills. One of the Mrs workmates had suggested we check out Mama's Buoi (which was a very welcome suggestion, always up for some Vietnamese food).

What I neglected to remember was that it was Friday....at one of the most popular restaurants in Surry Hills. As soon as I had parked my car, I headed over early to the already packed out destination and tried my luck. My request for a 6 person table was answered with a playful laugh from the maitre d' which pretty much answered my question, but our story didn't end here as the same party member who made the suggestion had recently enjoyed a lovely 40 pax function there (and she says that's what got us the table)...score!

After being seated at one of the open air tables in the back which really wasn't that cold at all despite what we were warned about. We were promptly served by a delightful service staff member (who we later learned ran the place!). She even offered to get our orders out quicker which was a lovely gesture. I can honestly say I haven't had service nearly as good as at Mama's Buoi. Our drinks came first and then not long after, our food. Our night was off to a spectacular start.

For drinks, the Mrs and I decided to be fancy and order cocktails. I chose to have the Lychee and Watermelon Martini and the I chose the 'A Day in Ha Long Bay' for the Mrs. The Martini was refreshingly sweet yet didn't smother the taste of the alcohol but instead made it a much easier drink to sip and enjoy. I have to admit that on this occasion, I chose the better drink for the Mrs (...as I had intended). The Ha Long Bay had ample tartness from the green mango and lime which was complemented rather well by the green apple liqueur and from memory, a slight fizz that drew out the drink. The Mrs and I were thoroughly impressed with our drinks.

Our friend had ordered Thit Ko which was a pot/bowl of caramelised pork belly and eggs braised in a coconut juice. I unfortunately couldn't bring myself to ask if I could try any (the Mrs and I ordered a lot of food) but couldn't stop myself from staring at it as he ate it. The layered and fatty cubes of pork belly sat in a gravy-like sauce which I could only assume would have been heavenly what with it's abundant amount of aromatics floating around.

The Mrs ordered a Mixed Skewer platter which came with three skewers of beef, pork and chicken. This was also served with lettuce cups, pickles and a dark, savoury sauce called Nuoc Mam. The beef wasn't my personal favorite and judging by which skewers were left till the end, it wasn't the Mrs favourite either. It was tender but lacking in a bit of fat which meant it wasn't really that charred and didn't have a potent flavour of beef. The pork was better though with it's fatty bits of soft meat and delicious lemongrass marinade. The best was definitely the chicken which was grilled to a perfect char on the outside. The meat was delicately sweet and juicy which accentuated the whole dish. I was a really big fan of the sauce (big flavour hit of liver pate in it) but as the Mrs doesn't like liver, she opted to avoid the sauce.

I ordered the Pho (as I typically would...noodles anytime, anyday) and I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the Pho but the broth was really aromatic which was a delightful surprise! The Mrs also enjoyed the thickness and the snap of the rice noodles. I would have preferred to have the broth hotter in temperature but overall, it was a decent package. For the price they charge and relative to the size of the bowl, a regular Pho connoisseur might be a little disappointed but take it as an interpretation of the Vietnamese classic and you'll be able to take it for what it is...a great bowl of noodles.

As a side, the Mrs and I also ordered the pork spring rolls which I have to say, were absolutely delicious. The wrapper/skin almost had a dumpling-like consistency with it's springy and chewy texture. This is probably due to the conscious choice of using rice paper is the spring rolls wrapper. This really helped in contrasting the crunch from the fried exterior and also helped to bring out the savouriness of the pork and fillings. 

I won't really go into the details of the rest of the night because frankly, it was just a great night out. But it wouldn't nearly have been as good if we didn't start it off with the delicious culinary delights we were able to have at Mama's Buoi. Absolutely brilliant service paired with amazing food and home-style Vietnamese food done really well makes Mama's Buoi a MUST return destination.

Jamie's Italian Trattoria - Parramatta

Normal people adore musicians and celebrities right? I don't, I fanboy over chefs. I follow people like Dave Chang, Chase Kojima, Dan Hong, Nic Wong and Anthony Bourdain more closely than I do the Kardashians. That's mostly because I practically learned to cook before I learned to run and it's the chefs I saw on TV and in the cookbooks that fostered my intense love of the culinary (special thanks to my dad as well). That's why when I found out (about a month or so ago) that one of my all-time idols; Jamie Oliver was opening a restaurant in Parramatta...I made it my life mission to go. This was rather convenient as the Mrs and I also had a monthsary to celebrate so we booked a table as soon we had a chance. We didn't choose to dine on a busy day so it wasn't immensely packed and upon being seated, we had our orders taken relatively swiftly and so, the date night started out spectacularly.

Now, I'd heard rumors about the long wait times for food at Jamie's Italian in the city so I was rather worried at first but surprisingly, the food came rather quickly! First to come were the porcini mushroom arancini and crispy squid & zucchini. The arancini was fried to a nice crisp on the outside but unfortunately, the rice was a little undercooked in my opinion. It also lacked a bit of the deep mushroom flavour I was expecting from the porcini but the sauce made up for it with it's intense depth and richness.

The squid was perfectly crispy and spicy, almost reminiscent of an italian version of salt & pepper squid. The zucchinis were slices super thinly and the squid was cooked to a perfect tenderness. The chillies gave it a decent amount of heat which really complemented the way the dish worked with the zesty lemon juice and aioli. Honestly, the dish was a wonderfully crunchy and appetising way to start dinner.

The meatballs came shortly after and it looked visually amazing. The piping hot sauce covered the bottom of the dish with five plump little meatballs sitting in the middle. The odd numbered balls made it slightly harder to share but it worked out fine in the end cause the Mrs was more interested in the other dishes to care.

After our plates were collected and a short intercession, our much anticipated mains arrived at our table. The Mrs stayed safe and ordered a prawn linguine which was good but according to the Mrs, lacked a bit of heat. The bowl it was served in also retained heat so well that the pasta continued to cook in the indirect heat. Still, she was satisfied with her dish and that's what matters right? Portioning was large too despite the small looking dish. 

My dish was heaven in a bowl (to me). I ordered the truffle tagliatelle and honestly, I wouldn't have wanted anything else. To meat? No veges? No problem...it was just you, the carbs and the sensory overload of truffle. Despite the intense aroma wafting into the air, the dish was surprisingly light in flavour which made I really appreciated. We had also ordered the rosemary scented skinny fries which I had the absolutely brilliant idea to throw into the truffle sauce thereby creating truffle fries. Waste not want not right?

Overall, I was rather impressed with Jamie's Trattoria. To me, it tasted exactly how I'd imagined Jamie's food to taste (rustic and homely). Definitely a big plus that there were minimal wait times for food and ample seating. Parramatta now has another great foodie destination.

Samgugji - Campsie

I do love Tuesdays, mainly because that's the day that my dad gets a day off from toiling away in the kitchen. Despite that, most Tuesdays, you can still find him in the kitchen cooking a feast for us and our family friends. And that's why on the rare occasions we decide to go out for dinner, I'm especially happy because I get to see him sit down and relax for once. Our family only ever goes to a few regular places and this Tuesday, we decided to visit our Korean BBQ favorite.

Upon arriving, we were shocked to discover that the Korean restaurant we've been frequenting had been replaced! Samgugji (formerly Se Jong...the non-buffet one) still looked rather promising so we decided to go in anyway. Luckily, our uncertainty was put to rest as despite the name change, we could still identify the same familiar faces we've seen for years. The staff sure did remember us as without a hitch, we got to ordering all our usual dishes.

Not that the food was bad before (quite the contrary, it's always been really good) but I have to say, it's really gotten better since the change, The Ban Chan (side dishes) were the usual dishes but were of a discernibly higher standard. First to come was our BBQ platter and the first thing on the hot plate was my personal favoured cut, Chaedol Baegi (sliced beef brisket). Only needing a slight singe on the hot plate, the stuff is amazing when had with a steaming bowl of korean rice and bountiful Ssam Jang (Soybean paste).

Next came the seafood pancake which offered a nice, carby side to our meat. The Mrs absolutely loved this place as much as my family does and there's a reason why: they do really good pancakes and dumplings. Unfortunately, I was so absorbed in eating that I didn't take a photo of the dumplings but I did get a good snap of the pancake! Notice that despite it's thickness, the pancake still had the nice and crispy bumps that gave each bite a satisfying crunch.

We also ordered the beef soup (yukke jang) and I got my own bowl of Jya Jyang Myung (black bean noodles). The beef soup is perfect for this cold weather, the spice giving it a good kick to flavour the beef, spring onions and chewy potato noodles.

 I was apprehensive when ordering my noodles as the signs clearly said 'Lunch Only' but decided to give it a shot anyway. The boss lady (who was taking our order) had gave me a look when I asked but then smiled and let me have it anyway! I felt so special that I demolished it all (almost) without sharing.

We then finished our meal with more and more meat (as you do). We ordered the pork belly as an additional order and honestly, no regrets there. The thinly sliced bits of porcine goodness go really well with the sesame oil/salt mix they provide. If you don't have enough, you can always make more with the condiments available to you on the table.

The steak was amazingly tender but nothing compared to the beef ribs we had. They were cooked to a perfect medium and coated with a charred and sweet marinade. The fatty bits nearest to the bone were the best...especially when you don't have to share cause no one else would want it but you. As we always do, we finish with Bulgogi which I have to say has improved a lot. I think it may be my personal preference talking but it was spectacularly juicy and tender.

I'm so happy to see the restaurant still serving amazing food after all these years and although they might be experiencing a bit of a transitional period from the name change, I'm confident they'll come back to and exceed their former popularity if they keep serving food as good as I had this Tuesday night.

Canton Noodle House - Hurstville

Firstly, before I go on my usual spiel, I'd like to say a few things first. I know it's been a while since my last post, the Mrs and I have been extremely busy organising various things, we haven't even had the time to sit down and breathe! Luckily, a nice, mellow season is coming so I can continue to try and keep the content coming. Secondly, I'd like to announce that we've hit 1000 total pageviews! We'd like to honestly thank each and every reader that's ever come by our blog. In comparison to more well known bloggers, this seems like an insignificant number but to us it means the world. It's a massively humbling and gratifying feeling to know that so many people have read our page. A very big thankyou to everyone!

Now, I'm a St. George boy through-and-through (believe me, my inevitable move to the west scares me...the things you'd do for love) so it absolutely baffles me how long it's taken me to write a blog about this place! It's a Hurstville staple and in my humble opinion, the best cantonese noodle joint in Sydney. It may be the fondness from my high school days speaking but this place is the regular for the Mrs and I. She absolutely loves the won-tons they serve here. 

In the past seven days, I've had the opportunity to visit twice in the same week. On my first visit, I went with the Mrs for a nice Friday night dinner. Whenever we come here, the Mrs will always order (make me order) the same thing: Wonton noodles w/ 'Laam Tsup' or beef flank sauce. Canton does a killer beef flank but if you're not feeling like demolishing a large bowl of noodles AND plenty of beef, you can actually order a plain wonton noodle soup with a ladle of the reduced sauce they make the beef flank with. The noodles are cooked to a perfect al-dente and the large, plump wontons are simply.The perfect combination of prawns,pork and crunchy wood ear makes for a delightful accompaniment to the beefy broth and the abundant noodles. 

I on the other hand felt like something dry so I opted to order the combination chow mien. Now, this might seem like an awfully western thing to order but trust me, When the standard of food is so high, even something so ordinary becomes spectacular. Crispy noodles surround the outside which give the whole dish a crunch factor but if you dig into the middle, you'll find the glossy noodles coated in the immensely flavoursome chinese gravy. Made from the restaurants own superior soup and other sauces. Each item on the dish is coated in the stuff which not only keeps it at a perfect temperature for longer but also accentuates the flavour profile ten-fold. I could have a just a bowl of rice and that stuff and I'd be perfectly happy.

Above all else though, if you ever visit this place you must (and I mean MUST) order the Hong Kong Milk Tea. I can vouch for this place...it is as legit as it comes. One-for-one like the streets of Kowloon and Hong kong. Just like you'd get each an every morning at your local Tea lounge. No place in Sydney does milk tea quite like Canton does. As odd and embarrassing as it is, the Mrs will request (make me) go in and just order takeaway milk tea...and she actually has. I personally have a preference to have it cold but if you want the OG Hong Kong experience...have it hot. They'll even give you the classic stainless steel sugar tin. 

For those who don't live in the south, fret not as there is a secondary branch in Burwood but in my personal opinion, Hurstville is the place to go.

Belly Bao - Sydney CBD

If I had to give this week a theme, it'd definitely be fried chicken....so.much.fried.chicken. I'm not complaining (I love any deep fried poultry) just that we've probably had more fried chicken in a week than we normally do in a year. Tonight's blog will be about our visit to Belly Bao. Now, I'd tried to visit two weeks prior (mainly because I wanted their famous baoger so badly) but we couldn't find a table and there was a sign that said it'd take 90 minutes. This week, I was smart enough to make a booking ahead of time so I was guaranteed a spot.

We start our night off with a bit of dessert-before-dinner at Aqua S. They'd just introduced their new flavours: Milo and Fruit Punch. Not being a huge fan of fruity items, I'd opted for the sea salt and milo. Oh what a wonderful choice it was...If as a child, you weren't able to indulge in your love of milo, this will literally blow your mind. The creamy and wonderful texture of the ice cream paired with that intense chocolate and malt flavour just made for a spectacular start to the night. I urge any fan of milo to just get a cone and indulge, don't worry about the other flavours...the milo is all you need.

I've had very good memories with Goodgod small club as the previous food providers, The Dip run by Andrew Levins was my legit FAVORITE place to grab a burger. Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive about trying the new guys as I didn't want my memories tarnished by a disappointing meal. Well, disappoint they surely did not! First to come were the sweet potato fries which we crispy on the outside and sweet and fluffy on the inside, exactly what you want it to be. The chilli mayo drizzled on top really gives it a good kick of heat which just pushes the whole package to a new level.

Next came the main reason the Mrs and I were so stoked to try this place: the much loved bao-ger. Though a little disappointing when you first set your sights on it (looks tiny to someone with a massive appetite), this thing is dense. Not dense in a bad way but dense as in it's a immense flavour and texture hit for something so small. I loved the interplay between that perfectly cooked burger patty, melty american cheese, pickled radishes (think sushi ginger), big mac-esque sauce and the soft, pillowy yet crispy steamed/grilled bun. I would have had another if I wasn't aware of what was to come next...

Realised that flash was better than no flash.

oooze shot.

The Belly Bao Fried Chicken...yep, a whole chicken between 3 people (I forgot to mention, the brother-in-law was also with us). Unexpectedly, they do fried chicken really well here too! I was initially expecting something more asian influences (like korean style fried chicken) but found the batter to be closer to the OG Kentucky Fried Chicken experience. The crispy batter was spicy and peppery which when doused with the chilli sauce (pretty much straight gochujang) made for a mouth numbing dining delight.

BB fried chicken with chilli sauce 

To be honest, I do still miss Levins and his amazing hot dogs and watermelon burgers but I have to say, Belly Bao is a mighty fine replacement. I'm so glad they now have a dedicated spot to sling steamed buns and I can say for sure I'll definitely return for more bao-gers (possibly with a much larger group next time).

@ the corner - Peakhurst

It's been a bit of a dry week for the Mrs and I (mainly cause I'm limited by how much money I have left to spend until pay day) but also because the Mrs and I haven't been all too free. The next week is gonna be a good time (stay tuned) but for this week, bear with us a little. As you all know, the Mrs loves brunch and with the expansion of options in my area, I decided to take her to a new local place that came at the recommendation of a fellow insta-foodie, @ the corner.

Being that it's legitimately less than 3 minutes drive from my residence, it's a super convenient place to check out for a quick brunch. The Mrs and I also decided to bring along the mothership...you know, the more the merrier! They have plenty of parking on the street and the cafe was rather large so it looked like it could seat a number of people so that was good. Seating came immediately so that's another plus in my books. The menu is brief but not limited (which is the way it's supposed to be) with some seasonal specials on the blackboard. Sadly, I had missed the soft shell crab burger's run but I'm hoping that it makes a return for my next intended visit. The pastry selection is also rather wonderful with three flavours of cronuts on offer.

The mothership ordered coffee and the salmon sandwich which was a good choice as it was quite delicious. A soft boiled egg, flaky bits of smoked salmon and rocket encased in two slices of some of the best bread I've had. I'm always glad to eat with my mother because she rarely ever finishes her own food, which means more for me at the end of the day.

Would you like some??

Look at that egg!

The Mrs blew out and ordered scrambled eggs and toast with mushrooms, bacon, and avocado. According to the Mrs, the dish as a whole wasn't amazing (bear in mind this comes from an experienced brunch snob) but it was decently filling and satisfying. Appropriately sized for the price we paid for it. In all honesty though, I would have been glad to have her dish when compared to mine...

I'd have to say the biggest disappointment to me was my dish: the cheeseburger. I mean, Sydney's new wave of hipster burger purveyors are both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, we have amazing, greasy burgers that rivals the states...but on the other hand, an otherwise standard cafe burger is detrimented in comparison. Make no mistake, it was a decent burger but for me, the patty was too "industry" and lacked the charred, beefy, grisly flavour and texture I desired. The lack of melty american cheese, sauce and pickles didn't exactly help either. The typical lettuce, tomato and slices of tasty cheese just doesn't do it for me anymore...the fries (more like wedges) were good though, fluffy on the inside and lightly seasoned.

Looks a little small cause of the angle, but it was decently sized.

Inside shot

Did I mention I also had a nutella thickshake?

@ the corner is a great place for what it is, local and accessible. It provides the proposition that you don't have to go all the way out to the inner city suburbs for good brunch. Ignore your previous experiences with other places, take @ the corner for what it is and you'll be able to appreciate this cafe for it's simplicity. It really is wonderful to see the local scene develop and grow.