Eat Like Ushi

The Las Vegas buffet is one of the great food customs while visiting the city of sin. There is much debate regarding the best buffet in town. The best (and most expensive) is Sterling Brunch at Bally's which is known for oysters, lobster, champagne. Unfortunately it is Sunday brunch only, meaning you have to time it well.

Of the rest, the Bellagio and Wynn are widely regarded to be the pick of the lot. We chose the Bellagio mainly because we stayed there (as the rooms are much cheaper) meaning express entry into the restaurant. And on a Saturday night, this easily saved us more than 30min of queuing time.

The food selection is very broad, so ensures the ability to cater for whatever whims you and your group have both in life and specifically that evening. The quality itself however is average.

The best of the lot is the seafood - good sushi and sashimi, prawns, mussels, crab legs. The less good news is the meat - excellent selection and all cooked to a nice medium rare, but the quality was lacking meaning it was all quite tough to chew through.

Next time I would only eat here if I was staying at the hotel with a group of people each wanting something different to eat. Otherwise I would eat at any of the many quality Vegas restaurants for the same amount of money, some of which are on this blog!

With great anticipation and planning, I managed to book the fried chicken dinner at the only normal-sounding dining time of 6pm. They offer only one space per timeslot, the others being 530pm and 10pm (although I've since noticed there are a few extra ones added).

We had a nice camp of 7 hungry people. After perusing the salivating menu, we made a (potentially foolish) decision to get a few bowls of ramen to try, a pork bun each and a few other snippets. Two whole fried chickens is a lot of food and sadly we struggled to finish it all, but I am happy to have tried so many of their dishes.

From the starters, the Pork Buns (hoisin, scallion, cucumber) are deservedly world famous. They comprise of a lovely white soft flour shell, delicate pork belly and the typical complementary flavours usually in Peking duck. It is fantastic.

We also tried the Charred Octopus (pearl onion, mole, zucchini flower) and a daily special of Pig Tails, both of which were good albeit not particularly memorable.

The Fried Chicken appeared to us like a dream. A crispy buttermilk triple-fried Southern style and also a slightly spicy Korean version. The Southern style is a rich and tasty bird, as expected given the known fried chicken quality in the USA. I can't say this is the best version I've had, but it is certainly nice especially with some lovely vegetables and sauces in a perfect wrap. I honestly prefered the sweet spicy Korean fried chicken, which in my opinion had that additional flavour to make it particularly special and unique. 

Given the place is originally reputed as a ramen-ya, we were all excited to try the famous Momofuku versions. Between us we tried two staples: Momofuku Ramen (pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg), Ginger Scallion Noodles (pickled shiitakes, cucumber, cabbage) which my companions liked. Personally I felt the broth was much too heavy on smoked ham hock flavour (like a typical ham & pea soup), which although tasty seemed a bit too unusual for a ramen base to me (given my ramen favourites have all been in Japan). A daily special of Lamb Ramen (piquillo, soy egg, shiso) was a different variation but seemingly more standard as the broth was more lamb meat flavour rather than smoked.

Nonetheless I highly recommend this place. If nothing else besides reputation, it is a place of taste experience and good social ability, and that is what food is all about.

Next time I would order the fried chicken dinner again. The pork buns are a must. Everything else (including the ramen) is optional. Just make sure to go with at least 6 very hungry individuals.

I've owned Ottolenghi's much reputed vegetarian cookbook Plenty for a while. Admittedly although I've read the recipes and salivated over the pictures of healthiness, I've never had the audacity to try to cook them. I suppose after I visit the restaurant itself, I may be more inspired to try. It is on to-eat list for London, but just haven't got around to it just yet.

For those who don't know, Ottolenghi in London is meant to be a haven for vegetarians. Given the price of quality meat and seafood around here, I'm not surprised there are a lot of vegetarians to be catered for. I thought they would likely cater for other particular eaters and so when a friend from Melbourne with gluten-free preferences came, I discovered Ottolenghi's spinoff restaurant Nopi was very well reputed for the gluten-free mob.

We ate in the downstairs communal table section, which I highly recommend. It is a much more social space great for casual encounters, and allows vision of the open kitchen. Upstairs looks much more formal-restaurant/date-night which is fine if that is what you want.

We tried a variety of dishes from the dedicated gluten-free menu (which works out to be about 75% of the starters and nearly all the mains), selecting 6 share plates in a Middle-Eastern-inspired tapas meal:

- Roasted Aubergine, Feta, Pomegranate (really excellent mix of flavours and textures - smoked aubergine, salty creamy feta, sweet pomegranate and crunchy pine nuts)
- Purple Beetroot, Raw Golden Beetroot, Candy Beetroot, Labneh (sweet selection of beetroot, simply prepared)
- Organic Prawns, Kohlrabi, Bacon Sauerkraut, Jalapeno (great quality prawns with nice herbs, the sauerkraut was pretty ordinary)
- Roasted Hake, Chickpea Puree, Mussels (fish texture was good, flavours didn't stand out)
- Twice-cooked Baby Chicken, Lemon Myrtle Salt, Chilli Sauce (very SE Asian inspired combination of flavours, delicious)
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Peanut Mango Acar, Picked Pomelo (medium-rare pork had marvellous texture, the rest sounds nice but didn't have much impact)

Overall the meal was very tasty and outlined the skillful cooking working within a particular gourmet box, in this case gluten-free but also would well cater for vegetarians. A little pricey for the serving size, but quality ingredients cooked well always come with cost.

Next time I would order any of the vegetable starters as they all sound sensational. Sweet Potato, Figs & Goat's Cheese and Valdeon Cheesecake, Pickled Beetroot, Truffle Honey and Roasted Green, Purple, White Cauliflower, Ricotta, Golden Raisins are just some of the others I didn't get to try. Supplement these with some seafood or meat starters that take your fancy, eat downstairs in the communal area and wash it down with a Lychee & Grapefruit Spritzer like I did.

My bus from Whitechapel into town always gives me a lovely view of St. Paul's - day or night, sunshine or rain, it's always different and special. A few times I got off just to marvel at it from the outside (as I haven't managed to swallow the huge admittance fee nor turn up during mass just to look around) and wander the area.

Nearby is Bea's which I'd read does an excellent banana bread (true) but I discovered also does the only chai latte in town that remotely resembles the type I like in Melbourne.

On my visit, it tended to be older people enjoying cakes and tea but whatever the preference it is a great daytime break.

Living in London has meant that it isn't too difficult for me to find fish and chipperies giving off their sweet fried scent to fill the streets. When I read about some of the best fish and chips around in Oslo, it was worth a big map mark and a circle to ensure I didn't forget it.

Set in a nice plaza that fills with lovely sunshine on a lucky weather day, Fiskeriet doubles as a fishmonger and a lunch venue (officially closes at 6pm, although I did see it open well beyond on a warm evening).

What impressed me once I sat down and looked at the menu was how *normal* the prices seemed. 6 oysters for 110NOK (approx. AUD18) and takeaway fish and chips for 89NOK (approx. AUD15) are prices I'd be content with anywhere else in the world. I did feel the need to sit and enjoy the bar seating which meant I paid 149NOK for my fish and chips - seemed like a slightly excessive surcharge, but still reasonably cheap for any sitdown meal in Oslo.

The fish this day was halibut, crispy fried in a lovely seasoned batter and topped with salt flakes and coriander. Wonderful. The chips were standard, nothing particularly special to say about them. I also had 6 strong oysters from France (fin de clair, as I found out Norway has no local oysters at all) which made it a very satisfying meal altogether.

Next time I would order fish and chips to takeaway and sit in the plaza to absorb some atmosphere.

This small collection of bakeries is well reputed. On a short city break in Oslo, it makes good sense to stop through one of these. Sure, bread isn't a particularly Norwegian specialty but Scandanavia seems to do it particularly well as I've tasted in each of the restaurants that serves it as a complimentary. Additionally you can use this place as somewhere nice to stop and have a coffee, calorie hit and breather, as well as get some goodies to take away to eat in the park overlooking the Palace and city nearby. Lastly, it is more affordable than any cafe/restaurant for lunch you might otherwise be considering.

I had a croque monsieur which was standard but satisfying. It wasn't the best quality ham nor the cheese as strong as I'd like, but my stomach still appreciated it. I also had a croissant for late which was decent (not as buttery as the best I've had) and a muesli/seeded roll that was a great afternoon (and breakfast the next morning) snack.

Next time I would order the cinnamon buns. I didn't realise this was a particular special of these bakeries, so would have to try it if I was back again. Otherwise I'm sure it won't be too difficult to find something you like.

As with most places lucky enough to be build upon water, Scandinavia is well known for quality seafood. What seems to be unique is the local ways the seafood is prepared and presented.

Scandinavian seafood dishes seem to make use of tiny little prawns, generally served boiled and chilled, occasionally chopped. Something unique seems to be toast skagen - these little creatures made into a seafood salad and eaten with toast.

Lisa Elmqvist is a known place within a market that combines skills as a fishmonger, a takeaway of chilled seafood, a nice casual bar seated area, and more formal sitting area which allow a few daily hot food options. Being Scandanavia, sometimes looking at the menu makes the price a bit difficult to swallow - but that's what it takes to eat well and known if the reputation is deserved.

I tried the reknowned Toast Skagen SEK135 (mixed shrimps, dill & mayonnaise served on toast, garnished with trout roe) and an additional dish to make a more educated opinion on the place - Avocado Alexandra SEK142 (mix of smoked salmon, shrimps, honey, dijon mustard, sour cream, mayonnaise & basil on avocado).

The seafood quality is excellent. The smoked salmon had an unexpected creamy texture that I haven't come across before, and a lighter smokiness than some of the usual heavily flavoured versions. Both the salmon and shrimp versions of the seafood salad were good too and everyone likes a little caviar to give the dishes extra flavour and texture.

The price is the only consideration you'll need as food in Scandanvia is expensive, and Lisa Elmqvist is probably at the higher end of those places additionally. At least you know the seafood is fresh and quality.

Next time I would order quite happily either of the same dishes. Of both dishes, I probably preferred the Avocado Alexandra, but the Skagen is certainly something you'll struggle to find in other regions of the world. Gravlax is also a specialty of the region I would consider for next time.

I can't say that I recall having specifically Swedish meatballs previously. Even though every Ikea in the world probably serves them, the name never appealed to me. Don't get me wrong; I've always enjoyed the "typical" Italian meatballs usually drenched in delicious pasta sauce and so wondered how different a Swedish version could be.

Given that Scandinavia is extraordinarily expensive especially on food matters, picking only one well respected meatball place in Stockholm was a necessary decision. Fortunately (or unfortunately) there isn't much information out there comparing many nor stating one as the clear city leader. Bakfickan did receive a few very favourable reviews from a travel magazine, tripadvisor and another random internet source and so my decision was made.

Let me start off by simply saying the Kottbullar meatballs SEK165 at Bakfickan are remarkably good. Each bite left me awestruck as to my underestimation of this simple Swedish treat. The difference lies in the taste and particularly the texture - the ridiculously soft and creamy smooth meat gave rise to a light flavour but not the heavy beef I expected from meatballs. I can only imagine the meat mince is ground incredibly finely until it is transformed into a ball of meatball paste.

Bakfickan served it with lingonberry jam (adding sweetness), pickled cucumber (adding tanginess) and mashed potato (adding weight and starch) to bring out a balanced flavoured mouthfull each time.

The complimentary bread was also great and added another texture to the mix, as well as a nice snack in anticipation.

What else can I say? I'm sold on the meatballs.

Next time I would order meatballs, meatballs, meatballs. If stomach space persists, I'd suggest trying the other prevalent local dishes such as roe or crayfish toast or the prawn salad and hope Bakfickan have a nice take on them.

Many internet views of Vienna list Trzesniewski as a must-visit. It is a simple place off the main plaza specialising in snacks of eggs on bread. It really isn't any more complicated than that.

There is a lot of variety to pick from - all kinds of spices and vegetables which have been layered between slabs of essentially chilled scrambled egg. On this occasion I chose picantes (peppers), mushrooms and paprika.

The bread isn't anything special worth particular mention - it is untoasted and quite plain. A nice sourdough would be a better option. The topping is as expected if you read the above description - chills scrambled egg with a particular flavour injected. It really isn't any mindblowing experience that others seem to gain from eating them.

Next time I would order whatever topping you want. It is certainly fine for a daytime snack while wandering through the lovely central streets of Vienna, but I wouldn't go out of my way to find it.

San Francisco has a wonderful food scene and likely my favourite of all the cities I visited in the USA. Given the coastal location, it isn't surprising that many of the local specialties involve seafood - Dungeness crab, seafood chowder, oysters etc.

With respect to the latter, Hog Island is a well respected company known for its sustainable farmed oysters.

The Hog Island Oyster Co restaurant at the Ferry Building along the harbourside is the place in San Francisco to eat them. They also branch out and import a variety from around the USA and even a few from overseas. Although we had a short wait in line outside, you are standing along the harbour and enjoying the world pass by, the sights in the distance, and the oysters being served up to the lucky guests earlier than you.

On our particular visit they had their usual Hog Island Sweetwater oysters and the other prevalent local Kumamoto oysters, as well as the respected Kusshi oysters from BC, and some I hadn't heard of before - Hama Hama and Blue Pool (Washington), Island Creek (Massachusetts) and even one from New Zealand!

If you feel inclined, there are hot options for oysters, of which we tried Casino (butter, Spanish paprika, bacon, shallots, thyme) and Lobster Butter (House preserved lemon, cilantro, lobster, butter). There are also a few serving sized dishes to pick from with clams or oysters.

All the oysters were fantastic and fresh, ranging from a light sweet flavour all the way to a strong ocean intensity. The cooked oysters were tasty also, although I always prefer fresh. We also tried the Clam Steamers (Manila clams with Corona beans and Mexican-style chorizo) which was a delicious heavily-flavoured clam soup.

Next time I would order whatever types of oysters you prefer - ask your server to suit them to your taste. The hot dishes are definitely worth a try if in the mood. The food quality and outdoor setting is worth a warm evening out.