Eat Like Ushi

I've always grown up taught that high-end Cantonese food is a waste of money considering you can get much cheaper and basically as good. I suppose the major difference tends to be the setting, the service and otherwise the quality ingredients. I haven't been to Flower Drum despite the accolades, even since it had the dip and was reinstated recently again near the top by AGFG.

My dining experiences in London showed me that high-end Chinese may be worth it. I never made it to Hakkasan (as noone I knew would do the £120 per head banquets with me) but the exceptional two meals at HKK (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/hkk-london-04-2013) made me understand a potential difference between standard and fine.

Hobart seemed to have a surprisingly low number of highly recommended restaurants. Me Wah has a large number of accolades - multiple top Chinese or Asian restaurant and wine list in Hobart and Australia over the years. My airbnb happened to coincidentally be down the road and after 4 days in the bush and not being able to fork out $685 for the Tasmania Seafood Seduction cruise meant I wanted to look forward to the best of Tasmania's seafood.

I limited myself to Tasmanian seafood. The option was for either lobster or the scallops and squid. What would I do...

- Jellyfish and seafood salad

I can't see the cold dish on the menu, so perhaps it was on the specials list. Unless the usual crunchy cold dish salads I'm used to, this jellyfish was so soft my teeth slid through it. I didn't understand why this was - I'm sure what I like better but I'm definitely used to the crunch texture. The scallops, prawns and vegetables came together very nicely in a mildly acidic dressing.

- South Cape Tasmanian Crayfish 2.1kg at $25/100grams 

Do the maths. Yes it was ridiculously expensive for 2 people. I wanted a 600-800gram lobster (always taught those are the sweetest flavour from Japanese restaurants) but this was their smallest. After some deliberation, I said yes. YOLO... They sold it as not being too much by splitting into 2 courses (at an extra $25 expense which they didn't tell me about). Most of the time restaurants will show you (and maybe weigh) the live beast before taking it away to the kitchen.

1st course  was sashimi with soy sauce and wasabi. Unlike previous places (eg. Shoya in Melbourne) the lobster wasn't moving on the table. The soy accentuated the lovely sweet flesh which was a little less crunchy and firm and more soft than I've had previously.

2nd course was sauteed with ginger & spring onion, Shao Xing rice wine and two serves of e-fu noodles. This was the typical Cantonese style and the flavour was standard and perhaps a touch dilute, but the difference was the huge chunks of meat in the tail and claws. The e-fu noodles were a change from the standard egg noodles (both good in their own right).

- Double Braised Tasmanian Greenlip Abalone (served whole with braised flower mushroom, steamed seasonal vegetables, ormer reduction) $95

Beautiful abalone (which looked a tiny bit small in the shell) with a soft sliding texture that was lovely. My previous abalone experiences tend to be chewier or crunchier but this was remarkably soft. The flavour accented the mushrooms to form a nice juice.

We couldn't finish the lobster so took away the de-shelled remainder with noodles. Microwaved for breakfast at least the cost was split over 2 meals. Dare I say the flavour was better and more intense the next day?

The service was nice and sometimes a little over-attentive. There's only so many times a few mls of tea need to be refilled. But I suppose that happens when two people order a $525 lobster...

Next time I would order the local seafood but not the abalone or lobster (as I can't help partially agreeing with a review I read about Tasmanian seafood restaurants - the quality of produce is so excellent that the quality of cooking doesn't need to be standout). The XO sea scallops and spicy salt Bass Strait squid would be a must. I'd possibly finish it with local fish or meat (lamb, chicken, pork, beef) or a vegetarian main (such as tofu or eggplant).

I had to write one final post for Pho Phu Quoc. After eating Vietnamese food for the past 15 years (two Vietnamese girlfriends, their parents, going to Vietnam, living off Victoria Street, eating in Springvale, watching Luke Nguyen and owning all his cookbooks...), the homestyle excellent cooking of Pho Phu Quoc always made me happy.

Since my first visit there in the old premises (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/pho-phu-quoc-canberra-09-2014) to watching the mayhem of customers in the bigger and slightly more upmarket new location, I've found my staples in an excellent 3 colour drink (usually about 5-6 colours, although I'd prefer the ice to be more finely shaved), the exceptional fish hot pot and the delicious mussels. There are many other dishes I have enjoyed (such as big juicy prawns, tofu, green papaya salad, fried rice paper rolls) there but those are my favourites.

I tried the banh xeo once (difficult for me as only served at lunch but quite good) and the pho twice (nice and warming but I prefer the soup flavour from Fyshwick market and Bistro Nguyen) and can still recommend them.

I met Sue (the lovely owner) and her mum back at my workplace in early 2014 and she always remembers me and welcomes me back. I'll come again sometime...

I've now moved onto my next Vietnamese-ville in Footscray and I hope I can find somewhere as good.

I haven't actually eaten at Thanh Nga Nine before. Even after living in Abbotsford on & off for 4 years I've walked past countless times but never inside.

Other than Vietnam, before Pho Phu Quoc in Canberra (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/pho-phu-quoc-canberra-09-2014) I hadn't actually had a meal of shared dishes in a Vietnamese restaurant. But they changed this and I started to think about somewhere to go for this in Melbourne.

Recently Victoria Street had their annual lunar new year street festival and amongst the typical fare of bo la lot and the rice square dish with fried eggs was a little gem - spit-roasted pork with salad served on a roti. This was exceptional from the juicy flavoursome pork, the crunchy contrast of vegetable textures, the tart and salty sauce and the warm chewy roti.

I don't think they'll serve this on their restaurant menu but I'm going to have to try their shared dishes now and hope for the best.

It's been a long time since I've been to Vegie Bar. I remember a brief romance with their Mee Goreng starting back in 2000 under the influence of a girl who took me there. I never thought vegetarian could taste so good back in those days.

Fast forward 15 years later and the institution still stands, although much less niche and more standard. Because it was 330pm this day, a full meal was unnecessary, but a few snacks were ordered to tide things over before dinner later.

- Raw Malaysian Curry (daikon, carrot capsicum & vegies tossed in lemongrass & coconut raw curry sauce, served with bloomed wild rice & currants, snowpea shoots, coriander & lime) $17.5 - essentially raw vegetables with satay sauce. I suppose I underestimated what "raw" meant in this dish but I know this is not the type of "curry" I like to eat;
- Samosa (filled with mild vegetable curry, served with tzatziki & fresh chilli sauce) $5 - nice, hot and crispy;
- Rice Balls (blend of brown rice & finely chopped mixed vegies, topped with peanut satay sauce) $7.5 - excellent firm outsides and delicious chewy textures centres.

I wasn't hungry enough to experience all Vegie Bar has to offer so will have to leave it for another time to test my memory of mee goreng.

01-2016

After moving house and not having a fridge or cooking facilities for a while, eating out becomes a little tedious and a bit of a chore. As vegetables tend to be the least value for money or (in many places) the least exciting dishes, one becomes quite devoid of vegetable nutrition. Enter us back into the dinner realms of Brunswick Street.

- Mee Goreng (hokkien noodles wok-tossed with vegies, tofu, sauteed potato in a lightly spiced peanut sauce) $17 - as excellent as I remember with thick noodles and sauce and solid ingredients;
- Moroccan Stew (rich tomato & chickpea stew with roasted eggplant, currant & almond couscous, mint yoghurt, marinated cucumber, hazelnut dukkah & fresh parsley, served with warm pita bread) $16 - the dish mainly tasted of tomato to me with hints of other middle Eastern elements;
- Vegan Nachos (oven baked corn chips topped with vegan cheese, Mexican black beans, tomato salsa, spring onion, guacamole, jalapenos & vegan cashew sour cream) $16.5 - a nice snack but not overly exciting to me especially given the price. I suppose the vegan part makes it more expensive and unique (and difficult to make);
- Crispy Green Salad (blanched snow peas & green beans, toasted hazelnuts, pomegranate seeds & snap-dried mandarine with an umaboshi, tahini & orange dressing) $12 - great combination of textures and flavours.

These 4 with a serve of rice balls were too much for a hungry 3. Interestingly Vegie Bar do not allow you to take away leftovers (however they seem to allow takeaway orders - not sure how that works...)

They've stood the test of time and even though not many other dishes appeal to me, I'll happily go back for the rice balls and mee goreng. I've been meaning to try Yong Green Food nearby but each time they've been closed.

Finding a relatively nice place for a birthday dinner around Footscray was actually quite difficult. There seems to be a couple of token Italian and Singaporean restaurants, some nicer looking Vietnamese places and a smokehouse I recently saw, but the choice is not nearly as much as what I'm used to around Abbotsford.

Thonglor Thai is a relatively expensive but nice looking Thai restaurant at Edgewater, which unusually divides its menu into different Thai regions. It actually makes ordering decisions a little difficult, but I suppose if you wanted to theme your dinner to one Thai region then it would help.

- Eggplant Salad (grilled eggplant, pork mince, prawns, boiled egg) $27;
- Deep fried whole barramundi (mixed herb sauce) $37 - excellent quality fish cooked well and topped with herbs;
- Larb Duck $27 - shredded duck with herbs and the occasional hit of chilli;
- Dessert of delicious coconut icecream, sweet potato and tapioca balls with a warm coconut milk syrup.

No photo:

- Khua Kling Nuer (stirfried beef mince with homemade chilli paste, lime & lemongrass) $23.90 - I thought it was a little bland and found out that they intentionally reduced the amount of chilli paste (so as to not make it too hot, even though we asked for it to be made at normal strength) and therefore the flavour was reduced;
- Beef Massaman Curry (with coconut milk, potatoes & peanuts) $19.9 - mild creamy curry;
- Roti with peanut sauce $8 - standard;
- Coconut rice $3.9 per person - a bit expensive to pay $20 for rice but it was good quality at least.

The food is good, the flavours are nice, and my only criticism (other than the high cost) is that the first three dishes all had very very similar dressings - fish sauce, sugar, lime. I didn't get the chance to order my standard setters of tom kha or red curry duck, but I'll be sure to try those next time and see.

It's been a long time since I went to Samurai on Glenferrie Road, possibly the last would have been around 2006 or 2007. My first time there was probably around 2003 (I don't even know when they first opened) and one of the places I particularly started enjoying salmon sashimi. Back then the Samurai noodle soup for around $6 was a delicious meal of noodles packed with chicken on top and in a dense thick soup.

Fast forward to a time in 2016 looking for delicious affordable Japanese food. They apparently renovated last year and the decoration is now whiter, flashier and more modern. There is a back area or upstairs (I think) and the clientele remains the attractive private school students (albeit more trendy fashion these days) with some smatterings of others. I am proud to say I was there before (almost) everyone there.

The menu has expanded quite a bit too.

Firstly the green tea milkshake is exceptional. Very nice strong green tea flavour seemingly from a combination of icecream and milk. Probably the best version I've tasted.

- Takoyaki - not overly crisp but quite nice and with visible pieces of octopus;
- Tempura Soba $9.5 - nice chewy soba in tasty broth. Tempura served separately is a nice touch (as it should be to preserve the crisp batter) but the one prawn and odd vegetable medley were a bit average;
- Samurai Egg Noodles (fried chicken, egg noodles in miso base) $9 - the bowl has increased in size quite a lot since 10 years ago. The chicken is ridiculously tender and the noodles are perfectly cooked with some residual bounce. The broth is more watery and less rich than I remember.

The food isn't as exciting as I remember, but it's still very good. For the price and location (with relative ease of parking) it still can't be beaten for cheap Japanese food. Ocha-To-Go is another nearby one but my last visit 5 years ago was quite pricey and not as enjoyable.

I'm starting to explore my new neighbourhood and discovered the suburb of Seddon. A. Bongiovanni & Son was a nice local organic grocer that I'm sure I'll spend more time in. But the first cafe visited (and there certainly seem to be a few) was Seddon Deadly Sins complete with devil-looking images throughout. Funnily enough the menus are handed out in children's books and the dishes named after sins. The breakfast menu looked more interesting than lunch even though I went in at 3pm.

Coffee was reportedly decent and strong. Chai tea with milk was served in a pot with a squeezer of honey. The chai was nice but only very mildly spiced.

- Beer Battered Haloumi (with onion, fig & chilli jam, on baby spinach with bacon & two poached eggs) $17.5 - beer battered haloumi?? I can't say I've seen it before, but the haloumi is deepfried in advance, refrigerated, then re-fried for 3-4mins on order. The result is a very tasty crisp batter and soft cheese inside. The outside reminded me of the Chinese fried mantou bread (which is delicious). The rest of the dish fills space but the haloumi is the star;
- Sloth (housemade flourless chilli corn loaf with crispy bacon, guacamole & spicy baked beans) $16.5 - a local rendition of Irish cornbread with a hint of chilli and not dry like I've had elsewhere was excellent and I hoped there would be more. The guacamole is served cold and the baked beans could have used a little more seasoning but complete the dish.

Bacon overall was crisp and flavoursome, but I still have (Australia's best) Pialligo Estate bacon fresh in mind.

I was impressed with what I had and the Wrath (Spanish eggs), sweet potato latkes (whatever they are) and Envy (green eggs) will certainly be eaten at some point.

I had Mocan & Green Grout on my eat list for a while. I can't quite remember where I read about it, most likely a Canberra recommended food list or best breakfasts or something along those lines. New Acton wasn't the most convenient area for me to get to any morning, so this was likely the main reason it took nearly 2 years to get there.

It's a small cosy place where opportune seating means you can watch the cooking action unfolding in front of you in what I would've thought was an impossibly small area to feed the hungry waiting for gourmet breakfasts and coffees. The menu is also quite small (which probably helps given the limited space) and makes decisions easier.

- Chai tea - I'm slowly turning from chai lattes to chai tea with milk (courtesy of Local Press). This version was ok but I'd probably get a smoothie instead next time;
- Smashed Eggs with Smoked Trout, Nettle, Sorrel, Parmesan $18 - I can't say I've ever seen smashed eggs before and it does look a bit like a mess. It seemed a bit of an odd way to present the dish with the expensive ingredient of smoked trout hidden underneath (and only a small amount of it);
- Baked Eggs, Charred Eggplant, Harissa, Meredith Chevre $17 - baked eggs

What I can say is the bread from A. Baker is phenomenal. I went to follow up by buying my own loaf from there but they were out of loaves that appealed to me. I'm happy I finally tried this place, but I do personally prefer the food and drink at others - Local Press, Cupping Room and ONA would be the main ones. 

If I was in the area I'd probably try the breakfast at A. Baker considering their excellent bread and also the outstanding dinner from 2014 (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/a-baker-canberra-11-2014). Slow cooked local eggs, crispy smoked salmon, sauteed silver beet, ginger, charred bread and a takeaway of 100% dark rye or dark ale sourdough sounds like an excellent morning.

After the exceptional meal of 2015, I couldn't leave Canberra without one final booking. This restaurant thoroughly deserved the one chef hat accolade in their first year and I was excited to come back especially after re-reading my previous review (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/lilotang-canberra-06-2015).

I couldn't resist re-ordering my favourites from the last visit. I held off on the pork belly skewers (for no particular reason) but otherwise obeyed my "next time I would order" reminder. The complimentary grilled edamame was flavoursome as I remember and started the stomach juices flowing. Quail kara-age (still succulent, tender and delicious), black cod saikyo miso (still incredibly flavoursome, delicately textured and well cooked) and the Wagyu sirloin (seemed a little more cooked and chewy and slightly less melting than last time). The kaki-age tempura rice was much less moist than last time and therefore much better. One dessert was also a repeat with mochi tofu and green tea ice cream better than I remember and now presented in a glass.

New dishes tried were:

- Chargrilled Baby Octopus, Mizuna, Pinenuts, Mustard Miso $15 - I had to look carefully to see if this was raw. The texture is so soft that it almost feels that way but didn't have any chewy or stringy parts. It's cured in sake and mirin overnight and tenderised to the point that it doesn't require extensive cooking; 
- Chicken Meat Ball, Creamy Egg $13 - nice smooth minced chicken swathed in a liquid egg yolk. The egg isn't the easiest thing to eat with the meat balls but brings a different flavour and texture;
- Sardine Namban, Spicy Tartar $15 - a beautifully presented and exceptional dish of chewy (essentially) de-boned fish that was an absolute pleasure;
- Shitake, Enokitake, King Brown Mushrooms, Selected Special Soy $12 - strong flavours enhanced by a touch heavy of salt on the shitake;
- Roast Fuji Apple, Yuzu Ice Cream, Walnuts, Honey-Infused Umeshu $15 - a warming dessert of slightly tart yuzu icecream that held well without melting too quickly on roasted apples cooked to retain a small amount of internal crunch and walnuts. Excellent. Last time I had the persimmon version which was also great.

Having eaten here twice, the quality is not fluke. The food and flavours are strong, bold and excellent (if you like strong flavour). 

The cumulative dishes I've tried means that my favourites list for next time (which I'm sure there will be some day) are: edamame, quail, pork belly skewers, sardines, black cod, possibly Wagyu, roast apple for hot dessert and mochi tofu for cold dessert. And this is all before I've managed to try the chicken thigh skewers, lamb backstrap with eggplant, pork spareribs, duck sukiyaki or tea pudding with sweet potato. Hmm.

I was really excited to read about Fillos coming to The Hamlet. I'd long yearned for a souvlaki and as good as Yarralumla Pide House is, the flavour is just different to souvlaki (as it should be since they serve doner).

Unfortunately despite it being on my list, it seemed I'd never get there. I'd even removed it from my list given the realms of possibility. But after the hasty last night minute arranging of farewell drinks at Hopscotch, I knew it could be done.

After a few drinks (which is often the best time for souvlaki from a van), I ordered a lamb souvlaki. Overall it didn't live up to my expectations. The meat was from a kebab rather than a yiros and it seemed tough (where my standard is now Jimmy Grants (http://eatlikeushi.posthaven.com/jimmy-grants-melbourne-01-2014) and didn't have the characteristic Greek-charcoal-oregano-lemon flavour (where my standard is the over-the-top flavour at Stalactites).

I'm looking forward to getting back to my favourites in Melbourne.