Eat Like Ushi

London has a well known negative reputation for Asian food (ie. Oriental to the locals). In particular all the Europeans who I've met in Melbourne universally agree London Japanese food is expensive, overpriced, poor quality. Even the recent opening of a Japanese restaurant by a well known Kyoto kaiseki Michelin-star chef hasn't been well received for a variety of reasons. I have had a ramen and udon bar on my list for a few months now, so it seemed appropriate now that winter is coming to try one and hope for the best.

Bone Daddies (odd name for a ramen bar?) is the first ramen place I've considered going to here. Maybe because of good advertising and simply the fact that it is new and hip. Reviews have been mixed so far - the main complaints have been about the T22 chicken ramen. I don't think I've ever had a chicken-based ramen in Japan, so I was happy to avoid that anyway.

Peak times supposedly involve lines, so 2pm on a weekday seemed perfect. The setting is made for all sorts - sharing tables, window seats for singles, small tables for privates. The walls are nicely decorated with Japanese posters.

I tried two typical staples - Fried Chicken and Tonkotsu Ramen.

The Fried Chicken (aka tori kara age) is the same as you'd find in Japan - crispy fried, juicy good quality chicken, no added flavours. Simple, effective, authentic. A touch of lemon helps and chilli on standby if you roll that way.

Tonkotsu Ramen (aka pork broth) is as basic as it gets. Like all great Asian noodle soups, the broth is the most important part, and they have done it well. Simple light pork flavour, some murky fat emulsifying through and just done well. Often Japan places to layer this with salt, soy or miso flavour but this was plain and tasty. I had to specifically ask for 7-spice (shichi-mi) and even the wait staff didn't seem to know what it was, which was strange. Within the broth was some typical Japanese char-siu (not the same as the red and 5-spiced Cantonese if that is what you are expecting), bean shoots, garlic chips, bamboo shoots, spring onion and a perfectly soft-boiled egg. My only suggestion would be to have more broth added to the dish as it runs out pretty quickly after a few initial ladles to taste it on its own.

The prices aren't cheap, but expected for a new place in Soho London. I suppose the only real complaint here is a cup of green tea for £3 - extortionate.

Next time I would order the Tonkotsu Ramen for a safe bet. Chicken broth would be an unusual change just to test it (since 6 dishes are chicken broth based and only one pork) of which the Sweet 3 Miso Ramen appeals to me most. The snacks are all supplementary options but none seem necessary - you are here for the ramen.

2013

As my time in London came to a close, Bone Daddies became the restaurant I most frequently ate at and the one I would unhesitating go back to for any meet. I may have attended 6 times in 2013, of which 4 were during my final month of October. The reason was simple - the tonkotsu ramen was still delicious but the addition of the spicy pig bones was a sensation. Soft pork ribs doused in a thick sweet sauce (honey/sugar, mirin, rice wine, soy is all I could determine from it) are incredible. Keep going back.

A lot has been made of the opening of Duck & Waffle a few months ago. London's first 24-hour restaurant; one of London's very few high rise restaurants/venues; serving London's drinkers with a good range of shared plates including the odd combination of duck and waffles. In many ways it has been likened to the spirit of New York City - high up, late night, poultry and waffles.

The reviews have been mixed - the view is universally applauded, the difficulty of reservations frustrating, the service average and the food variable. Hmm. Nonetheless being located close to my area, open after finishing work late and being hyped up for the above, the 3rd attempt to eat here proved successful - only after booking for 10:30pm on a Monday night a month in advance.

Due to timing, luck and winter coming, the seating area was only half full and the wait staff good enough to honour a request to move tables from the middle of the room to what is probably the best corner with a spectacular view of the gherkin and tower bridge. Not many people have seen London from high up at night (the only other way I know being London Eye) but as a city with landmarks it is definitely worth seeing.

There is no cocktail menu (which I found surprising given the bar is a large part of why people go - no reservations required or taken) and at £10.50 each not the cheapest, but adequate to supplement the view and dinner.

Now on the food. Overall great. Unexpectedly great. 

- Raw Scallop (with Apple, Black Truffle, Lime) - nice and simple, although couldn't taste truffle;
- Raw Yellowfin Tuna (with Watermelon, Balsamic, Basil) - very creative combination of raw tuna, cube of sweet watermelon with tart vinegar and basil;
- Thinly Sliced Pig's Head (with Olive Oil, Amalfi Lemon) - odd slices of a little bit of meat and a lot of cartilage. Strange;
- Herdwick Mutton Slider (with Harissa, Lime Creme Fraiche) - average mini-burger, nothing special;
- Seasonal Vegetable Salad (with Toasted Nuts & Seeds, Ricotta Salata) - the healthy option which used parmesan (not ricotta on this day), pine nuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, sesame seeds and balsamic over greens and tomato. Very nice complement to the meal;
- Roasted Octopus (with Chorizo, Lemon, Caper) - deliciously succulent and flavoursome octopus tentacles. Chorizo was a nice additional flavour but not required;
- Foie Gras 'All Day Breakfast' - calories-on-a-plate combo of toasted brioche, covered with nutella, bacon, pan-seared delicious foie gras, fried black pudding balls and topped with a quail's egg. Simply unhealthily grand.
- Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut (with Apricot Jam) - a fried ball encasing some not-so impressive ox cheek;
- Duck & Waffle (Crispy Leg Confit, Fried Duck Egg, Mustard Maple Syrup) - juicy soft duck meat housed in crispy skin, lying sandwhiched between a waffle and a runny yolk duck egg (one was a bit too overcooked). So good we ordered 2. And then a 3rd.

Desserts were also impressive. Given this is a 24-hour venue, I should not have been so surprised.

- Warm Chocolate Brownie (with Peanut Butter Ice-cream, Crunchy Caramel) - the heavy sweet dessert of all the elements you'd expect from the name;
- Cinnamon Pear Cappuccino (with Toast Gingerbread, Pear Caramel) - the dessert dark horse was a special combination of sorbet, pear, gingerbread and a delicious "cappuccino" of pear milk froth in the basin. Fantastic.

I came here for a lovely view, good company and hopeful expectations for food and ended up with a gem of an experience. Not all food hit high notes, but enough dishes to easily warrant coming back and having a more informed selection.

Next time I would order a Duck & Waffle for every 2-3 people, Foie Gras 'All Day Breakfast', Roasted Octopus and Cinnamon Pear Cappuccino. These were all undoubtedly going to be repeat offenders in my stomach. From the November menu, the Roast Beetroot Salad and Whole Roasted Sussex Chicken looks like a good way to supplement the rest. The Crispy Pig's Ears were sold out and something I've liked from other places before.

06-2013

It came as no surprise that at 7am on my birthday after a Ministry of Sound night, the logical decision was to go for food at the 24-hour D&W. Duck & Waffle as a dish is probably a little heavy for that time of the morning with an alcoholic stomach, as was the Smoked Salmon, Poached Eggs and Hash Brown. They still tasted good. I managed to try the Crispy Pig's Ears too which were an unusual snack of heavily smoked thin twigs of super crispness. I'm not sure whether I liked these or not, but they are a snack that complements drinks well.

09-2013

Another two visits for some views and cocktails. The bar staff are excellent at making fruity cocktails tailored to your preference. Became one of the *it* places for me to take guests to enjoy a new quintessential London experience.

The French chain arrived in London a little while ago and has started franchising. Given one of the current food trends for minimal menus/choice is observed here, it is no surprise this has generated some interest. I finally had a chance to visit the Canary Wharf branch before watching Looper. (If you haven't read it before, Canary Wharf is great for afterhours and weekends. The crowds are gone, the cinemas aren't overly busy, and neither are the good selection of restaurants.)

The concept is simple - you pay £21 and get a steak, fried and salad. You only need to tell them how you like your steak cooked.

On this occasion, the menu was "Entrecote Steak Porte Maillot with its famous sauce, French Fries and Green salad with walnuts." As usual I asked for rare. Salad comes out first, almost like a teaser as every patron is there for meat. The salad wasn't of great quality, but hey, it's a steak joint. The lettuce was soggy in dressing and the walnuts at least gave some texture.

The steak then comes out in its first portion, pre-sliced, smothered in sauce with a beautiful collection of golden skinny fries. Firstly the important part - the steak. The inside is perfectly cooked to order. No complaints there. The local British beef is pretty good quality with nice texture, although I felt the taste was a bit lacking overall. There wasn't the hearty crust of meat/salt flavour (which I expect in any steak, especially from any steakhouse) and I didn't particularly like the Porte Maillot sauce (it is rumoured to be made of chicken liver, thyme, cream & butter) and much preferred a little salt, pepper and mustard. However my fellow diners seemed to enjoy it more - each to their own.

The fries were decent - skinny, crispy, soft. Needing a good sprinkle of salt (and pepper in my case) to bring out the flavour. Maybe it's just me, but I'm used to restaurants serving thick chips. More classy? Perhaps I just associate skinny fries with McDonald's.

Partially through the meal, they top up your plate with some extra meat and a very generous serve of hot fries. Well planned.

We ended with standard desserts of Creme Brulee and Lemon Tarts. Simple sweets and nothing particular about them.

It's not the best steak in town, but scratches an itch. We got lucky in discovering at the end that the Canary Wharf branch has 50% off meals on weekends until January. Steak and fries for £10.50? Bargain.

Next time I would order... well, there isn't really much choice. Perhaps I'd try blue just to see...

It was a much anticipated reunion with my favourite restaurant in Melbourne. All I knew is that the Crispy Fried Pork Hock was waiting for me.

We opted for the tasting menu just for ease. My friends had raved about a Whole Crispy Fried Fish that had been removed from the menu. Due to fate or otherwise, it was an optional add-on for the tasting menu.

- Caramelised Prawn, Eschalots, Chicken, Pork & Sour Pineapple - very strong sweetness with the palm sugar & peanuts glueing the ingredients together was a bit thick & heavy;
- Oyster (with Red Chilli, Lime Juice, Crispy Eschallots) - warm tasty steamed oyster in a salty soy broth, much like those from Cantonese restaurants;
- Eggnet, Pork, Prawn, Bean Sprouts, Cucumber Relish - delicious combination of vegetable textures (perhaps a little too heavy on the beanshoots) with a nice sweet & chilli fish sauce dressing;
- Green Curry Grass-Fed Beef - beef slices seemed a little confused; I assumed they were slices of fillet but cooked too much to be soft. I think a slow cooked tender cut would have been better;
- Caramelised Pork Hock, Five Spice, Chilli Vinegar - the perfect combination of soft juicy pork, gorgeous crunchy exterior and smothered in thick sweet palm sugar sauce. My favourite comfort & luxury dish in Melbourne;
- Whole Crispy Fish, Chilli, Lime, Roasted Rice - soft fleshed flounder with crispy skin topped with Asian herbs & a light sweet sauce;
- Steamed Chinese Broccoli, Oyster Sauce;
- Black Rice, Vanilla Tapioca, Custard Apple Cream - sweet combination of textures with rice grains, soft sago & smooth icecream.

Longrain still remains my long staple favourite. I miss it already.

It is also one of the reputed cocktail bars in Melbourne which serves to lessen the boredom in accepting their no reservations policy (you can book only for 6+ people). This is the only reason I would hesitate to recommend it to travellers - the wait can be unpredictable. Under those circumstances get a cocktail or two and you can order small items from the bar menu (Betef Leaf recommended).

Next time I would order my favourites from the a la carte menu - Betel Leaf with Pomelo and the Caramelised Pork Hock (the smaller bar menu option is enough for two and better value) in particular. If getting the tasting menu option, I'd choose the Sour Orange Fish Curry rather than the Green Curry Beef.

The reason I rate Ezard as my choice for a fine-dining restaurant in Melbourne (reflected by the standing as Tripadvisor #2) is a lovely combination of reasonably easy to get bookings in the last week, location in the middle of a quiet restaurant area of the city, lovely romantic dimlit setting, and most importantly the food is a superb modern take on South-East Asian cuisine.

I've been here twice before, once for the tasting menu and once for a la carte. I think in the end I preferred the a la carte as the many choices all beg to be tried. 

- Parmesan-Infused Olive Oil with Three Dips (ground chilli & palm sugar, ground Szechuan pepper, nori & sesame seed salt) - gorgeous fluffy bread with lovely crust to soak the parmesan flavours & whichever combination of sweet, chilli or salty you fancy;
- Japanese-Inspired Oyster Shooters - amazing sweet mirin liquor with a slight wasabi kick before the oyster ocean trickles through. One of the greatest things you'll ever eat. This is served with a little soba nori roll which has a lovely chewiness and strong seaweed flavour;
- Char-Siu Quail (with Mandarin Pancake, Lime Cucumber Salad & Roasted Rice) - tasty alternative to Peking duck with a lighter and more tangy touch;
- Steamed Blue Swimmer Crab Dumplings (Yarra Valley Salmon Roe, Celery Cress & Tom Kha) - soft ravioli pasta filled with crab meat surrounded by a thin form of the classic Thai lemongrass & coconut broth and little gifts of salmon roe;
- Red-Roasted Barossa Chicken (with Zucchini & Mint Fritters, Chiang Kiang Caramel, Garlic Jam & Fried Sambal) - perfectly cooked chicken, an indistinguishing fritter, a sweet & salty sauce;
- Masterstock Fried Pork Hock (with Chilli Caramel & Spicy Thai Beanshoot Salad) - thin-crispy skin surrounded an oblong piece of succulent pork with delicately soft fat. Caramelised slices of chilli provide sweetness and a final surprise of heat. The salad is fresh and sits on top of a light sweet sauce;
- Green Beans, Korean Chilli & Roasted Peanuts

The greed within us was satisfied by the Dessert Tasting Plate comprising of smaller forms of each of the individual desserts:
- Espresso Chocolate Marquise, Soft Meringue (middle) - extremely strong coffee flavour;
- Fromage Frais Pannacotta, Poached Rhubarb, Strawberry Water, Saffron Fairy Floss (bottom) - really tasty and sweet fruit;
- Honeycrunch Icecream, Toasted Gingerbread & Sugar Swirl (bottom right) - nice icecream with gingerbread so strong to the point of being bitter;
- Pistachio Frangipane, Caramelised Strawberry, Tonka Bean Icecream (top right) - combination of bean-flavoured creamy icecream, squishy pistachio and sweet fruit;
- Sable of Apple & Pear, Earl Grey Tea Creme Brulee (top) - don't remember much of it;
- Salted Caramel Parfait, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch (left) - heavy sweetness with more saltiness than I'd normally expect.

My favourite desserts were obviously the Pannacotta and Pistachio Frangipane but I'm quite biased towards ones with fruit and a soft textured core. Meanwhile partner liked the Espresso and Salted Caramel best. Each taste bud to their own.

Next time I would order a larger number of Oyster Shooters. It is the signature flavour from Ezard that you will remember above anything else. The Blue Swimmer Crab Dumpling is also very highly recommended and features in the degustation such is its popularity. I liked the Pork Hock but the heavy flavour of the Longrain version still remains my favourite. All the other dishes are great but much more optional. It still remains the most consistent restaurant for a memorable one-night meal in Melbourne.

The Vodnikov trg market square of Ljubljana has recently acquired a collection of food vans, with the two or three most fragrant specialising in fried seafood. As tempting as these were, Valentin caught my attention first for a few reasons - their outdoor seating overlooking the market square on a sunny blue-skied day, the wafting smells from other people's plates and the fresh seafood displayed from their fishmonger front.

I wanted variety. The 400g of Deep-Fried Mixed Seafood €10 (squid, sardines, hake, whitebait, whiting, octopus) seemed the right choice, even if they did suggest it would be for two.

The seafood is good quality, fresh and cooked to perfection with great flavour. The best by far was the whiting, the largest fish on the plate with juicy flesh and crispy salty fried coating. Whole octopus tentacles had been lightly pan-fried to a tasty red skin and a great smooth chew. Tiny deep-fried squid presented chewy mouthfuls each. Calamari rings and smaller fish were also to a good standard but paled in comparison to the rest.

Next time I would order the same Deep-Fried Mixed Seafood plate. Even though the whiting and octopus were best on the plate, the variety is welcome and much better value. Follow it up with some nice fruit from the market to wash down the salt. On a colder day, the inside restaurant provides more formal dish options in a protected environment.

I actually wanted to eat at Pomf (especially the deer & wild boar goulash) but for some reason they didn't have any stews that day (for lunch or dinner). I found that quite odd given it wasn't all that warm - perhaps the game were all in hibernation and couldn't be found. Nonetheless I swallowed my incredulity and continued to enjoy the amazing sunset sky while looking for somewhere else.

Located along a major walkway in Ljubljana and listed in multiple guidebooks means I wouldn't normally eat at a place like Sokol, but the reputation for quality goulash and a traditional house setting meant a last minute meal before a late train.

Divjacinski Gol €9.9 (Venison Goulash with Bread Dumplings, Pear & Cranberry) was thick, meaty, flavoursome. Bread dumpling was an odd dense slab of carbohydrate, but useful to soak up the goulash. Sweet cranberries and pear made this version particularly different and memorable to the previous ones I've tried. My stomach was happily warm.

Mesana solata (seasonal salad) €3.5 was a surprisingly nice collection of lettuce, cabbage and beans with a slightly tart vinegar dressing. It was a good break from the heavy stew flavour.

Next time I would order the Venison Goulash again for something reliable and warming. Other house specialties such as Deer Mediallions or Stag Steak sounds like fantastic alternatives.

 

On my final evening in Bled, I wandered around the entire town looking for dinner. Given Restaurant Vila had closed down (TA #1) and the other restaurant with a great name (Ostaria Peglez'n) seemed to have an all pasta menu, I ended up reading menus to find something that interested me.

There were two options - the first was Mlino (menu looks decent, but later reading reviews aren't that favourable) and I would go back to try, and would have on this night if I wouldn't have had to backtrack away from town to go there.

Panoroma refers to the ideal location overlooking Lake Bled. During lunch or a warm evening this would be perfect. On this evening it was quite chilly and so sitting outside wasn't a reasonable option. It is a shame that none of the indoor seating really allows you to enjoy the location, especially so in the dark of the night.

Given the touristy location and name, I was pleasantly surprised the food (or at least the main) exceeded that expectation.

Mushroom Soup in a Bread Bowl €4.5 seems to be a dish the majority of Slovenian restaurants have on the menu. I'm unsure what the historical link of this is. The soup had decent mushroom flavour in a thin broth. The bread bowl was more bowl than bread - solidly baked and crunchy until inedible. I wonder if the waitress was surprised I tried.

I requested a fish main from that caught locally in Lake Bled. I ended up with Trout Fillet with Corn Crust, Potatoes & Roast Almonds €11.5. This dish surprised me with its quality. The trout was perfectly cooked, none of the dry fish flesh that makes me so fearful to order a fish fillet main in any restaurant. The corn crust was fried in butter, a rich delicious flavour. Simple boiled potatoes and crunchy almond flakes added nice balance and texture variety. Fantastic.

The quality of the trout tempted me into dessert. I tried another specialty layered cake Gibanica €3.9, this time with pastry, apple, chocolate and a very mild cheese. I've never been one for cheese in desserts and this didn't change that preference.

Next time I would order the Trout Fillet with Corn Crust. One of the best cooked and simply flavoured fish dishes I've ever received. I'd try the Goulash Soup just in the hope it was good. There are other seafood mains (not from Lake Bled) that also sound promising. Otherwise try Ostaria Peglez'n - it has all the markings of a place that would be good (if you are in the mood for pasta).

I'm still unsure as to the actual name of this restaurant. The hotel it is attached to is called Penzion Riznik. The higher grade hotel it is related to down the road is Hotel Malovec. Tripadvisor lists this place as Gostilna s prenocisci Malovec. So be it.

Divaca is a tiny town in Slovenia for which the only reason to visit is enroute to the Skocjan caves. Scenic walking requires sustenance so it was pleasing to note that in this town containing only one gostilna, it was a very good one.

A specialty of Slovenia I was yet to try was horse steak. I have eaten small pieces of horse meat before in Japan and Australia but this was an opportunity to try an entire slab. All Slovenian restaurants seem to also offer Beef Soup with Noodles. I'm not sure what makes this such a local dish but thought my final meal in the country should cover all these missed bases.

The Beef Soup with Noodles €2.5 was quite simply as described, a relatively weak beef flavoured clear broth with essentially instant noodles. I wouldn't get it again.

Horse Beefsteak €15 was a medium-rare cut of eye fillet. An great quality piece of meat with the soft tenderness of the leanest beef equivalent. A little marbling may have made it even better but neither fillets nor horses are known for fat. If you haven't tried it before, horse has quite possibly the strongest game flavour of any meat I've tried. Be prepared to dampen it with mustard.

Finally to finish off I succumbed to an Apple Strudel €2.5. I am a fan of any apple dessert and have tried them all over the world; this was clearly the best I've ever had in the world. Crisp flaky pastry topped with icing sugar housed the greatest apple filling of slightly crunchy fruit strips with a moist core. Beautiful texture and flavour. I was so happy.

Next time I would order the Apple Strudel. I could have eaten a buffet for hours and would still have space for this. If "game" enough, Horse Steak will be memorable. If you ethically object, Squid dishes ordered by other people looked and smelt delicious and large enough to make you happy.

 

The central lake of Bled means that areas away from this are more frequented by locals. Smon is just up the road from the main city bus stop making it great for food or takeaway snacks while walking to or from the gorge or waiting for a bus. It is a combination of a bakery and sweet shop specialising in the local Slovenian cake (most specialised in Bled) called Kremna Rezina. I was lucky enough to sample many delicacies from here, eating them in the shop, on the bus and out enjoying the scenery.

Pizza Cetrtinka €2 (ham, cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano) had a thick tasty crust, topped with rich ingredients. Burek Sirov €2.5 (dough, salty cottage cheese) was an enormous roll of soft pasty wrapping a dry crumbly cheese. Too much for one, but another good option on the move.

Kremna Rezina is a layered sweet of vanilla cream, fresh cream and puff pastry. Under the flaky top lies an unexpected textures of light whipped cream, an airy layer of sugary vanilla custard mousse with a taste of meringue base. Not particularly my taste but definitely something for dessert fans.

To complete my cravings, I had a takeaway Cherry Slice that was decliously sour and enjoyed watching the waterfall at the Vintgar Gorge.

Next time I would order burek or pizza for lunch on the run and any number of sweets for a late goodnight.