Google City Experts: Victor Churchill, Woollahra

Clockwise from top left: Google flag, Michael carving up a whole lamb, meat dry ageing in the himalayan salt room, a whole lamb, celebrity chalk scribblings on the shop walls

Victor Churchill, to me, is an absolute wonderland of charcuterie and meats. I've previously written about my work experience there - culminating in meeting Anthony Bourdain! - and how much in awe I am of head chef Romeo Baudouin's food philosophy. He taught me that within running a business - that is, keeping an eye on being profitable - there is space for good food and good practices. There is so much that goes into every product that he puts up into those glass cabinets, I still don't know where he gets all the inspiration.

So when Google City Experts invited me to canapés and drinks at Victor Churchill, I absolutely could not say no!

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Canley Heights Food Crawl, Part 2

Goodness gracious great bowls of noodles! 1.5kg Pho Challenge at Huong Xua

Three restaurants down, and three to go in the epic food crawl with Thang, Isaac, Amy, Christine, Jeroxie and Kate! At this point, we're starting to breathe more heavily, and feeling that fullness that comes with a satisfying meal.

But are we done? NEVER!!!

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Canley Heights Food Crawl, Part 1

I'm always envious when people talk about going on pub crawls, since I'm slightly allergic to alcohol - tasting is okay, drinking is apparently not. I always feel like I keep missing out on all the fun!! So when Thang from Noodlies organised a food crawl in Canley Heights with the Fairfield Council, I jumped at the chance!

6 restaurants in 3 hours, will we SURVIVE THE EATING????!!!! Well Thang, Jeroxie, Amy, Christine, Isaac, Kate and I were going to find out.
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Golden Fields, St Kilda

Kingfish, Avocado, Fresh Wasabi, Konbu, $8 (half portion)

"You'll remember me when the west wind moves/ upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky/ when we walk in fields of gold"
Sumner, G., Bogdanovic, D. (1993) Fields of Gold [Recorded by Sting]. On Ten Summoner's Tales [CD]. EMI Music Publishing

If you are into your food, you can't go to St. Kilda without stopping by Golden Fields. This trendy eatery has been popping up on many an Instagram feed, accompanied by cries of, "Lobster roll! LOBSTER ROLL!"

What? Did you just name a tasty crustacean? Why, of course I would like to eat it!

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Taste of Sydney, 2014

Clockwise from top left: Suckling pig on a spit from 4fourteen, Woodfired lamb from Porteño, Mussels in Apple Cider from 4fourteen, the most bad ass name card holder I've ever seen

Once a year, Sydney's top restaurants gather to offer tasting sizes of their most creative, iconic, popular dishes. Where gourmands and gluttons alike can gather and partake in all the hedonistic delights that culinary giants can offer. This is...

TASTE OF SYDNEY.

Of course, it would have helped if you read the previous paragraph in an epic, movie trailer voice.

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Alan Wong's, Hawaii

If you're into your fine dining, then Alan Wong's would be a must-go stop when you visit Hawaii. Alan Wong is one of the top chefs synonymous with Hawaii fine dining, and his clever use of unique local ingredients with international knowledge and techniques really impressed me when I visited his other restaurant - the Pineapple Room.

So with the amazing experience from the Pineapple Room still flowing through my veins, I arrived at Alan Wong's with anticipation bubbling in my belly.

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Real A Gastropub, Hawaii

Gastropubs are not entirely a new beast of eatery, but it definitely ticks all the boxes for being trendy. It's usually got creative, pub-styled food, and a large selection of gourmet and/or flavoured beers to go with this interesting grub. One such place that was recommended to me by my new found friends during my stay was the Real A Gastropub in Honolulu.

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Pineapple Room, Hawaii

Furikake Crusted New Zealand, All Natural Ora King Salmon on Ochazuke Risotto. 

Located inside Macy's at the Ala Moana Shopping Centre, the Pineapple Room is Alan Wong's casual dining counterpart to his fine dining restaurant on South King Street. Not having dined at either, I was  originally a bit reserved about all the reputation surrounding both restaurants, especially when I read that the Pineapple Room is borne of a chef at Alan Wong's expressing a wish to run his own restaurant.

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Leonard's Bakery, Hawaii

You're walking down Hawaii's eat street - Kapahulu Avenue - after a full dinner. The night life is bustling, and people are spilling onto the street. At the end of the road, a neon sign beckons you, like the neon signs of Vegas calls to gamblers in the wee hours of the night.

"Come," it says, "I have doughnuts."
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Random Notes from Hawaii

Musubi

I went to Hawaii recently! And while I've got a lot of photos to process, and posts to write, I thought that I might start with all the random things that I thought was interesting in Hawaii.

Spam sushi anyone?
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What does it mean to be Singaporean? Singapore Day 2013

I find that it's rare as an adult to look forward to a full weekend. Most people I know have such a packed week that having many plans on the weekend isn't such an attractive thing. I feel for you man, I feel for you.

But what if it was a weekend filled with food?

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My Chocolate Shoppe, Kiama

I think high tea has somehow fallen out of popularity. I wonder why, because I've had fond memories of high tea from when I was a kid. My parents would bring me to high tea at a hotel, where everything was shiny and dainty and...mini! As a kid, I thought that high tea was about kids, because everything seemed to be kid sized - itty bitty cucumber sandwiches anyone? - but now I know better.

High tea - in my opinion - isn't so much about the food, it's about the experience. It's about the dainty. It's about the sipping tea and lunching with your friends.

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Good Food and Wine Show, 2013

My stash: (Clockwise from left) Scarmoza Blanca from La Latteria, Colgate tea flavoured mouthwash, Kumquat spread from St Dalfour, Truffle Tapenade from Wine and Truffle Co., Flavoured salts from Smoke and Roast, Smoked garlic from Smoke and Roast, Porcini salt from Salt Meats Cheese.

FREE FOOD. Need I say more?

The Good Food and Wine Show is one of the bigger food expos that I attend every year. Beyond the aforementioned free food, I love the opportunity that I get to have a chat with small producers whom I might not otherwise get a chance to talk to, or might have to travel far to meet.


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Marmalade Pantry, Singapore

I've long had a love affair with crustaceans of all types. And carbs, I love carbs too. So when they come together in something called Crabmeat Linguini, I am just about as close to heaven as I can get.


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Ritzy Gritz Stone Grill, Kiama

Stone grill, coal grill...I think we can pretty much agree that meat + intense heat = AWESOME POWER OF DELICIOUSNESS! It's a formula that has worked since caveman days, and it's not about to stop working now.
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Kiama, Part 1

I haven't forgotten you, I promise! How has your long weekend been? It's been a great Easter for me, and it all kicked off with a short holiday to Kiama.


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Lindt, Martin Place

One of the ingredients to a great girls night out is definitely oodles of chocolate, and the Lindt cafe has been a favourite meeting spot for many a girls night out for me. So imagine my excitement when I got an invite to the reopening of a completely revamped Lindt Cafe at Martin Place!
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Stories From My Childhood, Part 1

View from the Sky Park at Marina Bay Sands

Happy Lunar New Year y'all!!! (And happy Valentine's Day if you celebrate it!) Chinese New Year has always been a tasty and food-filled tradition for me and this year hasn't been any different. Most of my childhood memories are closely associated with food, and growing up in a food obsessed culture, it's not hard to see why.
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Konichiwa!

Super cute lemon squeezer from Daiso!

We are turning Japanese as we crack the perfect soft set egg, go for a train ride and find our inner zen garden. We learn about Onsen Eggs, Sushi trains and watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi.



Download the audio file here (6.2MB, 12:28), or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes

here!

From the Frypan - We've cracked it! (00:21)

This week it's more about the water urn than the frypan. I finally get the Japanese Onsen eggs right! It's been awhile, but the rewards are so tasty.

Waka Waka - Planes, Buses and Trains (04:09)

In Waka Waka this week we take a ride on three different sushi trains in the city. Which is your favourite?

From the Ice Box - I dreamed a dream... (07:33)

We watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi and get inspired, and are loving this lemon tap (pictured above) from Japanese chain Daiso!

And don't forget to tune in to our Trivia of the Week. Full of essential nutrients and vitamins.

Toast Food, Cockatoo Island

Late last year, Sean and I bought a $99 picnic hamper for two off Cudo. I've always said that I was a "simulated outdoors" kind of person - I like the idea of the outdoors, like dining al fresco, but I don't actually like being outdoors.

So this was perfect for us! With the ability to pick where we choose to picnic - the simulated outdoors of course - and getting "gourmet" choices, it's a win-win situation!

Sean very nicely organized all the transport for the day. I have an idea of where I'd like the day to go, and Sean gets me there! Great partnership model.



A drive and a ferry ride later, Sean's very considerately checking out the map so that we hit all the interesting bits and don't get lost.

Meanwhile, I collect our very cute looking picnic basket from Toast Food!





Although I was chomping at the bit to get at the food, Sean insisted that we take the audio tour (also included with the package) before we settle down for lunch. The outdoor bit of my simulated outdoors I guess!

I'm really glad that we did go, though. As a person who likes crafty things, I couldn't resist taking a photo of this:



A sort-of mural made out of coloured cups!!! So cute. I feel like it's a great take on the different kind of murals that you can create.

There was also a lot of history learning that day, but since you're reading a food blog, I know you'd much prefer to hear about the food!











The picnic basket didn't have anything particularly unusual, but was definitely an integral part of the whole experience. Somehow, cold sandwiches and bottles of water just doesn't seem to fit in with the whole landscape and atmosphere. Was it yummy? Definitely. Sean really went at the cheese platter and the prosciutto was greatly (and sincerely) complimented by the soft, fragrant bread.

But the big question is: Was it worth the $99? Well, considering that the whole package included the audio tour and the food, it was a relatively good deal. It isn't quite like some of the other vouchers in terms of its "SCORE factor" - the feeling of "Score! Win!" - but it was still a great day out.

We ate at:

The Canteen
Cockatoo Island
Port Jackson NSW 2090


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