Away

Taking a hiatus.

Away on holiday.

Gong Xi Fa cai!

[Home] Potato Salad on Bagel

Potato salad

Diced cooked potatoes (I like to use kipfler)
Diced ham
Diced carrots
Diced avocados
Sour cream
Mayonnaise
Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Chilled before serving.

Served on Glicks bagel (bought frozen from Pennisi Cuisine Distributors).

Down with freshly brewed Campos coffee.

[Home] Xiao Long Bao, Kolo Mee and Asparagus

Oi sis-s, how I like to make you both hungry and ENVY.

Wohahahahaha *evil laugh*

Kolo mee, steamed xiao long bao (bought frozen from Ho Chia in Sunnybank Plaza) and stir-fried asparagus with scallops.

[Home] Grilled chicken, ragu and sweetcorn soup

Sis seems very interested in knowing what I cook at home.

I only know a few dishes and cooked them repeatedly. Its all been blogged before.

But here's a few photos.


Spiced grilled chicken

Grill them on medium high. No oil on foil. Turning twice. The oil from the skin will keep the meat moist.

Linguini ragu with shaved parmesan

I like my ragu on the dry side. None of the watery/oily garbage.

I like to use mince/finely diced ham, carrot, onion and diced mushroom.

Sweet corn, carrot and spareribs soup

[Brisbane] Vietnam Corner at Sunnybank Plaza

Writing the previous post was making my blood boil.

So I need some good food to calm the pressure.

Vietnam Corner is a pretty new restaurant on the scene, opened only late last year.

It has since become my favourite roast meat shop.

Double combo rice (roast duck and roast meat)


Wanton and roast meat noodle soup

The wanton was done the traditional way with hand diced pork and WHOLE prawn. God, little morsels of heaven.

The noodle soup taste similar to the now defunct 7-up's version (in Brunei).

Its been so long *sob*. You cannot imagine the emotion that rushed through when we tasted it for the first time. What joy, lost and found.

Princess favourite fried springroll


This cool Harley was parked outside the restaurant.

This will never see the light of day if it were in UK's Manchester XD (grey and drizzly).

[Mooloolaba] Bella Venezia

Some chicken pizza AUD2x (medium size)


Kid's Hawaiian pizza AUD7.90


Bugs and spaghetti AUD35 @@

We also had chocolate and almond crepes for dessert. I forgot to take a pic or you could say I can't be bothered.

Address? Its right on beachfront, you could not miss it.

I should have just gone back to Fisheries on the Spit and have my fill of calamari, oysters and lobster. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr..........

Can you forgive an award-winning pizza with thick and soggy base?

Geram really.

[Brisbane] Loving Chops

This post is to irk BB XD.

Enjoy ya sis. No can find in UK.

Nananananananana........


Not so economy, economy rice from Ho Chia, Sunnybank

1 meat, 3 veg for AUD8.50

It may sound expensive for economy rice but the portion is HUGE!

I can only manage about half of it.

The food in the above pics are my favourite food!

Stir-fried cabbage, braised beancurd, braised egg, fried vermicelli and CHICKEN CHOP!

I love chops, chicken, pork, lamb, I love it all!

After trying all the economy rice shops/stalls in Sunnybank, this is my absolute favourite. The cooking taste like my mama *sob*.

Oh lordy, I suddenly miss home very much :-(

[Travel] Mooloolaba - Fisheries on the Spit

Fisheries on the Spit
21-23 Parkyn Parade
Mooloolaba QLD4557

The plan was to visit Underwater World last friday 02/01/2009.

There was supposed to be this smoking hot Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle show. Bleh, smokin' indeed.

Since Mooloolaba is a seaside town, fish & chips is a must eat.

It was a good call we decided to visit Fisheries on the Spit as soon as we arrived at around 11.45. Within 10 minutes, the place was super busy.

The staff was friendly and cheerful and efficient, a far cry from our experience at Cleveland Point (well, that is another post altogether, I am still er...pondering)

You place your order at the till and will receive a docket number. Cooked food is collected at the window to the right of the entrance (pic above).

Fisherman's basket AUD10.90

The highlight here is the calamari, oh so perfectly cooked, so soft.

It brings tears to one's eyes. Ok, exaggerating here XD. If you know how hard it is to come by a perfectly executed calamari, you will *sob*heave* understand.

Fish fillet was cooked to perfection too, all juicy n flaky.

This is fish & chip heaven.

I couldn't stop thinking bout the calamari for the rest of the day.

This is such good value, if I live nearby, I will be the staff's best buddy within a week :P.

Grilled bream AUD7.00

The fish was fresh but over grilled. I was supposed to be on diet so this was my order but as soon as I saw oyster mornay on the menu and the moment I stole a tiny bite on the calamari there was no going back. Diet plan all thrown out the window. Poof, gone.

Oyster mornay (half dozen Pacific or dozen Sydney rock) AUD12.90

OMIGOD. These are 6 pieces of HEAVEN....Nuff said.

Beautiful beach, excellent fish & chips, variety of shops on beachfront. Forget the er, Underwater World, oh, go, if you must.

I can't wait to go back!! There is still Mooloolaba fish market to try out!

What a great start to 2009!

[Shopping] Post Christmas 2008 Sales Loot

So, Rabbit had been MIA aka lazy and busy with wrestling on sales floors.

It was sheer madness at the shops on Boxing day. But I have to say last year was worse, you can barely move after 11am. At least there's still room for some 'action' or even dancing (well, Princess did XD) this year.

Sister B had been complaining about this site being barren XD. Sorry sis and has been dying to see my loot.

Ah well, its not much compared to yours!!

From left:

Black, Cooper St 'Virtuous Blouson' frock AUD69

Black, Lucette 'Walk to remember me' dress AUD169

Red and pink, Lacoste tee AUD59.40 each

Yellow and blue, RL Polo tee AUD69.30 each

Cotton On, Grey tee AUD10

Cotton On, sparkly tank top AUD10

Just Add Sugar, white tee AUD5 & 9.95 each

Giallo, gold sandal AUD69

Sportsgirl gold ribbon belt AUD9.95

And a secret necklace, shhhhhh, secret you know.

Brisbane is so HOT right now. Rabbit so wish she were a fish XD.

[Gold Coast] Carrara Market

Handicraft stall


Home furnishings stall


More handicrafts


Kitchenware stall


More crafts *~*


Self-torture ride

Not my kind of market. I prefer food market.

My mood grumpy after being denied the pleasure of having iced coffee at the market (certain cow said no :( ).

The mood worsen after finishing dim sum at Top One, Australia Fair Shopping Centre. Seriously, can kena renal failure one.

Dim sum at Top One @Australia Fair Shopping Centre

Gave up snapping shots after I tasted the chee cheong fun (rice rolls doused in soy sauce). Eeyer......

Been wanting to visit Gold Coast's high street. But there was no parking after doing zillions of round, darn it. Ended up at Go Go Mart (Japanese supermarket) shopping up a storm.

[Brisbane] Yum Yum Peking Duck

Yum Yum Peking Duck
Shop 5/146 Scotts Rd
Darra
Ph: 3217 0188

A reader of this blog had recommended Yum Yum to me earlier this year. I know. It's end of the year now @@!

I jot it down under my very own 'yum yum' journal and then forgot about it. Bad.

Interest was rekindled when the place was simultaneouly featured in Courier Mail and Gourmet Traveller's magazine.

So it's die die must try.

Nondescript storefront.

Drive too fast, you would definitely miss it.

Far cry from the temple design, red lacqured, red painted walls, Chinese restaurant we passed by at Cleveland Point last Sunday.

Me eyes popped and me jaw dropped when I saw the 'loud' restaurant.

Ordered peking duck - 2 courses AUD49.80.

For the first course, we had sliced duck skin with a little meat served on pancakes with hoisin sauce and cucumber and spring onions.

We had ten of those pancakes. Pre-laid out in a small serving plate for us. Imagine our little table covered with ten little plates of pancakes hoho~~

The duck was then sent back to the kitchen to be stripped of its meat which was diced finely and stir fry with diced vegetables. To be eaten wrapped in lettuce leaves. San choy bao is what they call it, for second course.

This time we got a plate of 4 wraps each. Suffice to say we coudn't finish all and took away 4 wraps.

Hong Kong style fried noodles with chicken slices AUD10.80.

Princess does not eat duck so this plate of noodles should keep her happy. She had a big bowl and we polished off the rest. The noodles was very good full of wok hei.

We woudn't mind coming back to try out other dishes in the menu.

The place is accessible by train. Just hop off at Darra Station and walk across.

There was also another Vietnamese restaurant named Cam Ranh few shops away. It seemed to be doing roaring business and I supposed it's signature dish has to do with crabs as the door or is it the window was adorned with crab drawings.

[Brisbane] Belle Époque Boulangerie and Patisserie

Emporium
1000 Ann Street
Fortitude Valley
Tel: 07 3852 1500
Fax: 07 3852 1522


Sunday afternoon at about 2pm, hardly any patrons.

Not surprising to find the display cabinets virtually empty. Brought home one of two left of millefuille and an almond croissant.

Cooked Campos' Dark City blend (AUD10.50 per 250g) to go with the rich millefuille.

The coffee was alright but I must say I prefer Merlo's signature blend after also trying Campos' Superior Gold Blend (AUD10.00 per 250g). It is a personal taste preference.

Back to millefuille. Love the custard cream, I like it better than Chouquette's version but the pastry was disappointingly hard and bitter in taste. Most probably overbaked.

Almond croissant (not pictured) was good, very light, airy and crispy pastry with a sweet salty almond cream filling.

The lack of variety and empty cabinets had stopped me from going back for the moment. I hope they improve soon.

[Brunei 2008] Charcoal Grill

Hooray *fireworks*

Last post on Brunei 2008 trip.

If you ask me if I miss working life, I will answer without thinking.

Sure I do but I wouldn't trade my time spending with Princess for the world.

But the only good thing which came out of my Brunei working life was my ex-colleagues. They probably don't know but they are the reason I stayed behind in that rat hole.

Dear Rch had the grilled ribs. She didn't even finish half of it!


Dear L had lamb with pasta. It looked and smell fantastic.

Dear LSG had pasta with sauteed mushroom. Portion was humongous but the stick thin LSG polished off the whole thing! Speak about being ravenous!

I was nursing a sore throat so I settled for caesar salad with smoked salmon. Smoked salmon was weirdly tough.

Dear LF ordered the sides to eat as mains! Haha. I'd say that was a wise choice.

The following day, I flew back to Brisvegas. Back to my dear Big King.

I ordered children's meal for Princess but they didn't prepared hers.

Just as well, as I saw other kids eating cold sandwiches and hard muffin and down all that with a packet of processed milk flavoured drink.

Princess is better off with juices and chicken rice and warm croissants and oreo cookies. She loved them all!

[Brunei 2008] Villa Mauri

Sorry for the long silence. Been having problem with the internet connection.

18.8.2008

Villa Mauri must be written to death by now by Brunei bloggers.

It is perhaps the closest 'proper' restaurant to my house.

I am not big on Italian food when going out to eat with the exception of Spaghettini but heck that's a bit far. So I settled for Villa Mauri for a family outing.


Menu

Complimentary bread and dip

The tomato-ey dip was very tasty. Princess keep dipping.

Drinks (sis die die must snap -_-```)


Seafood pizza

Topping was nice nice but crust was limp.


Pasta 'pat-chi-so-wai'

The very polite bro said,'oh, you can't find this taste anywhere else.' Hehe, kakaka.


Lasagna

This was the highlight of the whole meal.


Braised lamb shank

The shank could do with a longer bath in the pot. The taste is somewhat lacking and could do with a little more seasoning. The lack of red wine in braising liquid really mark this dish down.

My sis told the bemused waiter, 'we would like the lamb medium please.' HAHAHAHA


Sundae

Mediocre, supermarket quality ice-cream.


Tiramisu

Cheese mixture was light and flavourful. A very good execution. Shame about the absence of madeira though.


Chocolate fondant

Well, it's named after the owner's wife in the menu. Sis quite like this. What's not to like. Hot pudding with oozing chocolate centre topped with vanilla ice-cream.