[Brisbane] Random home cooking shots

Like I mentioned before, my friends were wondering whether I do any cooking at home. All I ever posted on the blog were eating out experiences. Haha.

Well, er, it's just that I am not the best nor the most creative cook in the world. I only do very very simple dishes at home. Mostly steam and stir fry. Deep frying will only happen on important or auspicious occasions.

Most popular dishes in my household:

Steamed chicken with shiitake and black fungus with ginger and spring onion.

Stuffed beancurd braised in oyster sauce.

Baked spareribs.

The first two dishes were too simple. I am sure most people will cook this better and present them better at home than me.

But the spareribs, my oh my, they are something else. I will share the recipe in, er, due course. Though they are simple and require ZERO technique, they are so good I feel everyone should at least give it a go and taste them.

So, watch this space.......

[Brisbane] Chocolate To Die For

Chocolate to die for
Website: http://chocolatetodiefor.com.au/

Their chocolates are sold by weight. I got the above for AUD7.XX.

All of them very nice, very moreish. Those liquor centred ones are very boozy. Take with caution! XD

Very nice to indulge once in a while.

[Brisbane] Chopstix at Brunswick Central

The visit to Chopstix happened eons ago, like earlier this year in April 2008 :p.

My photos all turned out so bad I hesitated about posting them (very dim lighting inside the resto).

But what the heck, the most important thing is sharing the experience.

Top left: Xiaolong (meat buns)

Top right: Stir fried hand pulled noodles

Bottom left: Lamb chops in chef's special sauce

Bottom right: Red bean paste encased in egg white souffle

The above first three items were all under chef's specialty/recommendations on the menu.

My take:

The xiaolong's skin is too thick but the meat filling is actually tasty.

The hand-pulled noodles is too starchy for my liking and a tad too oily.

Lamb chops were served less than warm almost cold and the chef's special sauce was cold! I prefer the cucumber on the side XD

Deep fried souffle ball was just ok, missing the key mashed banana inside the filling and the egg white batter tasted sour, weird.....

Minced meat and picked vegetables served with pastry

The stir fried minced meat was just ordinary fare. Sesame studded pastries could be found in all Chinese supermarket at AUD4 for 2 pieces. They might have risen in price, orz....

Total bill came up to AUD8X.XX after grand opening 15% discount .

Worthy visit? It's your take....

[Brisbane] Pizza Capers

Awesome Aussie Lamb, regular AUD13.95 (about 8 inches in diameter)

We had a pleasant experience with Pizza Capers' New Orleans one evening. So when I saw the limited time Awesome Aussie Lamb pizza (description: Caper's special pizza sauce, roast lamb, basil peso, fire roasted capsicum, aussie fetta, kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, garlic, herbs, garnished with mint garlic yoghurt sauce and snow pea sprout) I knew I die die must try.

To be honest, the product we received looked a lot better than the picture on the brochure. But diggin in, the tastebud complained and clouds of excitement dispersed into thin air.

I am really sorry for Big King to have to finish the thing by himself. I can only managed half a slice and poor Princess spat out the instant it entered her mouth.

[Brisbane] Hanaichi at Westfield Garden City Foodcourt

So I have been home in Brisbane for the past week. Got really sick the day before I left Brunei and slowly recuperating.


Chicken Nanban/Hanaichi

Funny this is one of the many things I missed since away. Foodcourt food? What's up with this rabbit? She shuns fastfood except KFC fried chicken and foodcourt except Hanaichi.

From the pic above you can only see salad dressed in the yummiest sweet salty sour dressing (very appetizing). Hidden underneath the salad is a layer of seasoned fried chicken pieces (Rabbit's weakness) and then rice underneath.

The portion is rather big and easily feed Princess and me (I couldn't finish the rice sometimes) and all for under AUD8, cheap, by Australian standard.

Chicken curry katsu

Now, this is Princess' favourite. 'Food' in Garden City shopping centre means 'curry' to her. The curry sauce is simply decadent, much much better than any other version I have come across. It really puts me off using those pre-packaged curry cubes. Bad.

Hanaichi foodcourt outlets can be found at Wintergarden on Queen St, Westfield Garden City, Westfield Indooroopilly and Westfield Chermside.

Taking a hiatus

Holidaying in Brunei.

Weather extremely hot here. Felt my skin melting away even just sitting still in the house.

Been to Singapore last week for a short shopping and binge-ing session.

Will be stuffing my face silly with roti and kolomee and Indian food and KFC spicy crunchy fried chicken.

Long live good food!