[Broadbeach] Mme. Grenouille

In case you are wondering........I am still alive.

Sorry for the lack of posts.

As you know I am back in Brunei for good. It's so hot here goodness :-(

Still waiting and waiting and waiting........to move into our new home.

Friends and colleagues,'it's considered fast [liao] you know.'

Goodness sake we've been back since August 2010. Ah well, this is Brunei's efficiency, just so you know and still waiting......but the accommodation is confirmed though.

I must continue the Brisvegas food story before I leave this blog for good. I still have not decided. To close this blog and start a new one or just rename the blog as it will be Brunei and beyond foodie stories from now on. Well, after my backlog on Brisbane and Oz's foodie posts, of course. If you have any thoughts just let me know.

Ah Mme. Grenouille, a wannabe french patisserie run by the Sushi Train gorup. I must say they are doing a good job. I still prefer Chouquette but they do a mean macaron and marshmallow especially anything with passionfruit. Wow, the flavours packed a punch and will have you crying out for more.



The coffee was so so but iced chocolate is da bomb. I think they are famous for their mango mousse cake. Macaron may look rough and lumpy but actually tasted quite good, soft and chewy shells with well flavoured ganache, do try the passionfruit & malibu.

After tea-ing, we were all set for the beach then the pool and the spa. We had mee goreng and takeaway pizza for dinner. Then just lazed around in the Meriton apartment.

Wonderful day.

[Brisbane] Yummylicious chocolate high tea at Monty's Chocolate, Paddington

Monty's Chocolate
155 Latrobe Terrce
Paddington, 4064

Tel: (07) 3369 3135

Enter Monty's and you arrive at Chocolate heaven!! And possibly beyond hehe.

Below is chocolate high tea set with two coffee or tea for AUD$15!!!! Yes F-I-F-T-E-E-N!!


As soon as this offer appeared on 'Jump-on-it', I straight away click 'buy' without giving it even 0.000001 second of thought. Hehe, what a bargain it turned out to be!

Most most terrific way to spend a lazy afternoon sitting al-fresco, enjoying the best of chocolate. Ahhhh, such is the life, for a chocoholic that is.

You get an assortment of the legendary Pralus single origin chocolate square and a Coppenneur vanilla/cocoa nibs milk chocolate; salted caramel chocolate balls; candy covered chocolates; two hand-made chocolates; two chocolate pots and two coffee or tea.



Pralus chocolates, needless to say are exceptional and our unanimous favourite is surprisingly Tanzanie because it has an end berry note to it (very subtle) which is what we detested before with acidic chocolate.

What blew me away is surprisingly the Coppeneur Menavava because it is milk chocolate and I only eat dark chocolate. But Menavava is perhaps the BEST chocolate I have tasted so far. In terms of texture and flavour, it wins hands down and I hate vanilla.....the cocoa nibs lend a different texture while toning down the sweetness, very clever.

Chocolate balls with liquid salted caramel and dusted with unsweetened cocoa is seductive and luxurious. A ball of this after dinner will send you to cloud nine regardless of what you ate for dinner (like junky pizza from chain pizza shops).

Those hand-made chocolates are very good. We got the raspberry butter in dark chocolate (square) and berries puree in dark chocolate (ball). Both are delicious with an intense flavour. The owner explained that they only use seasonal fruits to cook the 'butter' or puree filling and really cooked them down, no preservative added.

As for candied chocolate balls, we are not a fan. the candy coating was sweet. Well, they are sugar after all, duh... hehehe.

Lots of people comes through Monty's door for the chocolate pot. It is simply melted chocolate you eat rather than drink and just slightly sweet with a hint of salt. Personally I am not a fan. Other than pure chocolate, I am not a fan of it in any other form, like chocolate cake, ice-cream, biccies, mousse, ewwww, get them away from me please.



Hmmm, luscious thick melty chocolate, are you hooked yet? Get yourself to Monty's Chocolate.

And you are welcome, hehehe......

[Brisbane] Caffe e gelato Milany

Caffe e Gelato Milany
53 Racecourse Road, Hamilton, QLD 4007
p: 3268 2082
website: http://www.gelato-milany.com.au/

Browsing through bargains sites like Jump-on-it, Spreets, Cudo etc has been my daily ritual. You can totally expect massive savings on most deals offered.

As soon as I saw Milany's offer of paying just $9 for $19 worth of spending in store, I can't click to buy quick enough. Only one voucher is allowed per person and I bought another one under husband's name :P.


Decor is a bit ........ What's with the drape across the ceilings? Is it a new trend I don't know about? Well, what do I know, I ain't no interior designer.

Lots of flavours on offer, the most interesting being 'pink bubblegum'. I didn't try it though but I might.

Apart from ice-creams, there are some dessert options in the chiller for non ice-cream eater. Really, they exist?? Get-outtahere. The cakes and pies looked good though. Just, nobody seems to be interested.........

Cute 'Pinocchio' for the kids. Princess ALWAYS want lemon and I chose watermelon cos you're allowed to choose two flavours.

Mini banana split (I chose pistachio and 'Milany' which is butterscotch. YUM)

I hadn't had banana split for, um, too long. Nostalgic much. It was the in thing to order when I was maybe five. Back then I never get to order because I hate bananas (slimy, sticky, ewwww, hated it as a kid) and also ice-cream was considered luxury item in the house let alone paying hiked-up restaurant/ice-cream parlours prices. No chance.

Tacky decor aside, the gelati is great! Princess declared Milany as her favourite gelati shop in town. Nuff said.

*********

Yesterday, Samantha Perkins said... in my Melbourne post in 2008(!!!)really(?), people still interested???! Seriously, I am honoured :-)))):-

I notice you pixelate people's faces in most/all your street photos.....why?
Umm, lets see, I have not gotten their permission to publish their faces, some specifically requested me to do so and I don't want getting no lawyer's letter saying I have invaded these people's privacy and asked me to compensate them with $2 million or even $200!.

You do realise it's okay to take shots of people in public places?
Yes, its one thing to take photos in public and another to publish it. Really, it's ok to publish without these subjects permission/knowledge?? I don't know.....I am not familiar with privacy law and am not taking any chances.....

Sorry no offense, it's the first time I've seen anyone do it. It makes me think those people are wanted criminals or perverts :P
None taken. I did it when I saw other bloggers do it. And if these people are crim/perv, all the more to show their faces rather than hide it!!!

[Baking] Chocolate mudcake

Nobody can resist a rich moist chocolate cake.


Adapted from SHOP fashion cookbook; Rachel Ruddick's Italian mudcake.

400g dark chocolate
250g butter
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup brandy
6 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
2 cups almond meal
250g dark chocolate, extra
1 cup thickened cream

1. Pregeat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 23cm square cake tin.
2. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a large bowl over a pan of hot water, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat and add the water and brandy, stir until mooth, then allow to cool slightly.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg wolks and sugar until thick and pale. Fold through the chocolate mixture with the almond meal.
4. Whip the egg whites in medium bowl until soft peak forms. Gently fold the whites through the chocolate mixture.
5. Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for one to one and a quarter hours until cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.
6. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Melt the extra chocolate with the cream in a bowl over a pan of hot water, and stir until smooth. Refrigerate until thickened slightly and pour over cooled cake.

This is a sinfully rich cake (read: fattening), indulge with caution ;-)

[Eumundi] Chocolate overdose at Cocoa Chocolat

Cocoa Chocolat Pty Ltd
Etheridge Street
Eumundi
Queensland 4562
Australia
T: +61 7 5442 7841

Open Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 2pm

Website: http://www.cocoachocolat.com.au/index.html





The shop was empty when I entered. But a succession of customers suddenly started to stream in and the spacious shop was suddely full with hardly any moving space after five minutes.

Lucky I was there first and got served immediately after quickly scanning the selection and making my choices.

Quite a number of customers looked and left without buying. I reckon it's the biggest loss of their day!!


The shop was so busy, the owner herself came out and helped to serve.


There was a good selection and I brought home quite a few to try.

They were all very good. My favourite chocolate shop so far in Australia.

I recommend the passion fruit chocolate in either white, milk or dark chocolate. Princess liked the strawberry cream. The flavour was intense and quality of chocolate was superb. Big King liked the boozy ones.

[Brisbane] Banneton Bakery, Woolloongabba

Banneton Bakery
25 Balaclava St
Woolloongabba
Website: http://www.banneton.com.au/


There is also another shop at Ashgrove.

If you have been to Pennisi Cuisine, the Woolloongabba bakery is just two doors away.

If you haven't been to Pennisi, get there NOW!! It's a foodie treasure cove! There are products from all over the world including a chiller cabinet of wonderful cheese, smallgoods and pickled olives, Sugo Mi pizza base, pastizzis, Dutch caramel stroopwaffle (YUM!), nuts and pulses and a whole hoardes of other continental goodies.

Wall of fantastic wood-fired sourdough bread behind the cashier/counter.

My faourite is definitely the New York deli rye. Also available are turkish bread, foccacia, kaiser rolls, baguettes and various sourdough loaves.

They do simple breakfasts on weekends, the menu will be posted at the counter.

Bostok

Weird as the name may sound, this is actually a delicious combination of brioche bread topped with raspberry conserve and frangipane. Brioche is light and cake-like. Princess' favourite.

Blueberry friand

As easy as friand's recipe may look, it is actually quite a skill to get it right. Banneton's version is absolutely spot on. It may look and feel dense and undercooked when you cut into it but once you popped in your mouth, it straightaway crumble and melt away, extremely light on the palate. Now that's a well-made friand.

However..........there are bad friand days at the bakery........oh yes, do not buy if the top hasn't risen to a golden hue. I once bought a sticky undermixed friand with floppy sunken top, big mistake..........my bad, I should have known better.......

Apple nougatine

This is ordinary, I found the apple too cooked, mushed to nothingness almost like puree. Perhaps its the way it should be. just not my cup of tea. But the topping of nougatine is delicious. The pastry a bit wet and gluey, I prefer a light and crumbly tart case.

Nuts and grains sourdough loaf

The star of the bakery is definitely its range of bread. Like I mentioned before, I heart their New York deli rye. The smell was incredible and when I cut into it I realised it's the onions, delicious!

[Sydney June 2010] Bacco Pasticceria

Bacco Pasticceria
Chifley Plaza
2 Chifley Square
Sydney


After lunch at Chat Thai, we walked around Haymarket.

The rain kept going and when it get really heavy, we hopped on the free green city loop bus and hopped off near Chifley Square. The rain was so heavy, we couldn't see past the window so we decided to get some sweets and head back to the hotel.

It was lunch time and the place was super busy.

Oh, everything looks good behind the glass. After consulting with Princess almighty we got the pear and caramel and chocolate mousse on a bed of chocolate crispy balls and a pistachio macaron.

The cake was very good but the chocolate balls were chewy. Pear and caramel were a great pairing! The mousse was smooth and flavorful. The poached pear was delicious, flavorful and hold its shape, not mushy! Macaron was disapointing though, the shell was dry and chewy and I can taste strong almond essence, ewwww. It's just almond essence is my 'enemy', I don't like it and it doesn't like me. I felt pukey and light-headed when I taste it, eww, eww, ewww.

I thought the gateau was fantastic and made a mental note to return and try the other offerings but the thought was completely forgotten when I met Justin North's exquisite creations and Adriano Zumbo's legendary creations. Watch this space.

Maxim's Frozen Snowskin Mooncakes 2009

Black one is sesame flavour with some kind of nut, our family favourite.

The chocolate skin is mango with chocolate rice crispies.

The green coloured one is most probably plain with just mung beans.

This year's version (2009) was tastier than last year's (2008). I suppose it's an improved recipe.

Looking forward to this year's mooncakes. I hope Big Gun makes a custard baked skin version (fingers crossed).

Speaking of Big Gun, it is currently my favourite place for yum cha!! They make the most kick-arse custard bun ever!

[Brunei 2009 CNY] English High Tea @ The Empire Hotel & Country Club

Obligatory place to bring visitors.

My cousins from Singapore and Sydney and one of my besties from Taiwan is in town for Chinese New Year 2009.

There's no better way to spend a leisurely afternoon having elegant high tea with stunning view at The Empire.


Three tiered Devonshire high tea B$19.95pp + 10% service

Top: assorted cakes

Middle: Freshly bakes plain (2) and raisin scones (2) served with cream and strawberry jam

Bottom: Assorted sandwiches

Princess wanted a BIG piece of chocolate cake so off she went to select from the cake counter.

She came back with a piece of Opera.

Bleh, why am I not surprised. Like father like daugther :D

They didn't/forgot to charge us for the Opera. I only realised when I got home when I took a glance at the receipt before chucking it away.

The following day's visit at fifth aunt's (my maternal side) 'palace'.

More cakes.

Princess chose the round one on the left. Oh god, very weird taste.

I enquire fifth aunt the origin of these 'cakes' and made a mental note to avoid the place XD

Life is too short to waste precious calories.

[Sweets] Monty's Chocolate

Monty's Chocolate
155 Latrobe Tce
Paddington

Big King got some stash of Monty's chocolates from his very generous colleagues in Oct 2008.

I got to taste most of them hehehehe and am quite impressed with the liquer ones. They were very very boozy.

We decided to call into the shop when we finished shoping in city one Jan afternoon.

Second time round, I noticed the chocolates had shrunk in size. It could be just my imagination.......

I love the strawberry filled ones the most. And Princess loved her little car.

If you love chocolates, I would suggest you give Mayfield Chocolates a try.

[Sweets] Mango Roll @ Chouquette

A Christmas special from Chouquette.

Mango mousse and mango puree centre sitting on a meringue base and garnished with mango and macarons.

This was available about 2-3 weeks before Christmas for customers to try.

They made it on request for a whole roll for Christmas.

Umm, I am sure they have a lovely name for it......

[Sweets] Torrone Rinaldi

The most wonderful torrone I have come across.

Delicately flavoured with honey. The flavour is intense while light on the palette. The texture chewy but does not stick to the teeth.

A very well-made torrone and quite addictive too.

Available at good delis. I got mine from Plenty Continental Deli at Eight Miles Plain.