Eating Around Melbourne - The Savoury Edition

For those of you who read my last post thinking "damn she drinks alot of coffee"...well there was savoury (and sweet) food too here and there. Here's another recap of a few places I've popped by during my brief Melbourne weekend trip

CONE HEADS, MELBOURNE CBD

Chips and Gravy (R: $6.50, L: $7.90)

I arrived in Melbourne very late on Friday and the other girls wanted to get an early rest for the following day. Sadly, Huxtaburger CBD was closed and it was too cold to walk around so we stumbled upon a few fast food eateries close to our hotel and eventually settled on Cone Heads (not to be confused with that 90's comedy movie) because it's halal friendly. Sure it may not be the first thing that will pop up into your mind when you are in Melbourne but it actually has a few franchises including one that has just opened in Pakistan! It's the type of food that we can see ourselves eating after an epic night out clubbing. Despite the many layers of thick country style gravy coating the chips, it actually didn't get soggy. Was still quite crispy after we ate more of these chips back at the hotel. If you are a big fan of poutine, this is also available at Cone Heads. Perfect for a dirty, late night feed.

Cone Heads
Shop 6, 2-26 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
http://coneheadschips.com/
Sun-Thurs: 9:00am - 1:00am
Fri-Sat: 9:00am - 3:00am
 


BELLE'S HOT CHICKEN

A few week ago, I've had the pleasure of tasting Belle's Hot Chicken at Harpoon Harry's. Even though the wait a the pop up was agonising, it was worth it in the end. It was actually my second time tasting the Nashville-style hot chicken since I have also made a visit to the Fitzroy restaurant at the recent trip. The restaurant vibe had a similar noisy, pub-like vibe with a Melbourne hipster edge judging from the crowd and the atmosphere of the venue.

Bourbon Iced Tea

There were heaps of choices on the beverage menu - particularly wine. However, I was intrigued by their uniquely combined Bourbon Iced Tea. While there's that alcoholic taste from the bourbon liquor, the sweet ice tea makes it drinkable like a normal ice tea if straight bourbon isn't your strength. This is perfect to wash down after devouring the fried chicken pieces.

Belle's Hot Chicken Tenders with Mixed Pickles ($16.00)

For Belle's famous chicken, you get a choice of tenders, wings or dark meat (drumstick and thigh). At $16.00, the meat menu comes with a choice of 1 side for no extra cost. Feeling a little guilty about the food I've consumed all day, I opted for mixed pickles as my side dish. While it was called "mixed pickles", it was actually a variety of veggies with a sour taste that helps with the fatty flavour from the chicken. You also get to choose the level of spice for your chicken. FYI, I tried the hot level at Harpoon Harry and my tongue was already burning from that level let alone their hottest "Really f@$*in hot" flavour. At medium, I was already getting quick a kick from the spices though I thoroughly enjoyed its crumbled skin and tender chicken meat. Definitely one of my fave eats in Melbourne for this trip.

Belle's Hot Chicken
150 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy VIC 3065
(03) 9077 0788
http://www.belleshotchicken.com/
Mon-Sun: 12:00pm - 10:00pm
 


KOKORO RAMEN

This review was mostly through the perspective of my friends T and AC who were still hungry after our visit to Supernormal. On the other hand, I was too full but went along to check it out with them. I did have a small tasting of each of the bowls and from what I can tell, they were completely satisfied with the ramen at this joint. 

Miso Ramen with Soft Shell Crab ($18.00) with extra Ajitama egg (additional $2.00)

The menu at Kokoro is 12 pages worth of food including many different types of ramen from various regions of Japan. It even gives you a bit of background history behind the origin of the ramen, which is pretty cool. There is even a ramen burger! GG. The miso ramen that T tried was based in the Sapporo region. It has a thick, tonkotsu pork broth with an additional miso paste for that tangy, slow-cooked flavour. This was served with an Ajitama egg (though T wanted more so he ordered an extra one!), bamboo shoot, spring onion, black fungi, sesame seeds and a thin, straight and firm egg noodle. Loved the colourful look of the broth and it seemed to be more flavoursome than some of the other miso ramens I've had in the past from what I've sampled. T gave this two thumbs up. 

Shio Ramen - small ($7.80) with Soft Shell Crab ($8.00)

AC got a smaller bowl of the lighter, salt-based Shio Ramen. This type of ramen was based in the Nagahama region in the southern island of Japan. The broth was clearer and not as flavoursome as the miso ramen but AC seemed to enjoy this as well. Both bowls had that irresistably gooey egg and the guys have also opted for the soft shell version, which was highly recommended at Kokoro ramen. It was crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and seemed to stood out so well in both bowls. The pork that came with the shio ramen was on the thick side and seemed quite tender from what I've tasted. It's a shame that I was quite full to get a proper experience at Kokoro Ramen but it was good to see the mates feeling so satisfied from their time here. 

Kokoro Ramen
157 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
(03) 9650 1215
http://kokororamen.com/
Mon-Fri: 11:30am - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - 10:30pm
Sat: 11:30am - 10:30pm
Sun: 11:30am - 9:00pm
 

Stay tuned for the final Melbourne recap on The Random Foodie (for now) where I explore lots and lots of sweet stores in Melbourne CBD and South Yarra.

Japanese BBQ Yakiniku GYUZOU, Sydney CBD

Recently, I've been getting into the Japanese culture a lot more than before. Mostly because nearly everyone are going or planning to go to Japan this year. No idea why there's that sudden hype but now I've got the travel bug for this country. While sushi and ramen are probably the first things that pop into your head about Japanese cuisine, what about Japanese BBQ/Yakiniku (aka grilled meat)? This specialty is what the newly opened Gyuzou is known for.

What differs Japanese BBQ from Korean BBQ is that the meat isn't marinated/ and you cook it over a griddle so it has more of a grilled texture once it's cooked. While we were at Gyuzou really early on a Tuesday evening, it remained quiet by the time we left around 8pm. In fact I think we made a bit too much noise at the restaurant.

Like Wagaya and Mizuya, Gyuzou lets you order by touch screen so you can see what you have ordered and how much you have spent.

Lemon Lime Bitter Sake ($6.90)

While this drink tasted more like lemon lime bitter than sake, it was refreshing for me especially after eating all the meats. Wasn't strong at all which should be good if you prefer something more sweeter.

Complimentary Sauces: Chilli Oil, Salt, Yakiniku

Found these dips to be essential for that added taste to the meats after they've been cooked on the grill.

Assorted Wagyu ($25.50)

The food that has gotten me excited about Gyuzou has been the extensive wagyu menu. I can remember how rare it was to find a decent wagyu burger anywhere except for Rockpool Bar and Grill and Plan B by Becasse (RIP) when I just finished my uni studies. Now you can spot it at countless restaurants and bars around Sydney whether they are part of Japanese or Korean BBQ or a juicy burger at a bar or a casual dining joint.

Oyster Blade ($12.50)

Tri-Tip ($12.00)

Inside Skirt ($10.50)

Rib Finger with soy sauce ($8.80)

While the assorted wagyu platter doesn't include the highly rated and more expensive Short-Rib and the Chuck Tail wagyu beefs, I was still keen to try the platter in order to sample a variety of wagyu goodness. While each meaty delicacy was succulent, my faves would have to be Oyster Blade and the Tri-Tip for that rich, tender, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. The marbling also adds to that wow factor. This platter also came with a side of assorted veggies including mushrooms, carrots and cabbage. Will definitely return to try the Short Rib and Chuck Tail after hearing all the raves from other people who have tried it previously.

Pork Belly ($7.00)

While there was so many yummy options on the menu, I just simply cannot resist the pork belly. While on this rare occasion, it may not be the star of the show compared to the wagyu meats but I still thought it was done well with that nice fatty and grilled texture especially after it was cooked. You get a choice of coating your meat with salt or soy sauce. I decided on the soy sauce for that added flavour.

Ox Tongue ($7.80)

The ox tongue is actually another fave of mine whenever I go to a Japanese or Korean restaurant. When its cooked, you forget that you are actually eating tongue since it was thinly sliced. Slightly chewy but well cooked especially with the grilled edges. Out of the non-wagyu red meat options, I would definitely recommend this to try (unless you really don't like the idea of eating tongue...).

Seared Wagyu Nigiri ($3.30)

You can also opt for wagyu sushi nigiri if you prefer sushi or are in the mood for a smaller bite. There's heaps of sushi nigiri options on the menu including scallops, salmon, egg omelette and prawn. The rice was nicely cooked and the wagyu was just as tender. Great to have while you wait for the food that takes longer to cook. 

Assorted Seafood ($14.50)

V had his eyes on the assorted seafood when I was spending a lot of time browsing the menu. It was something slightly different for that extra variety from all the red meats. It was all delicious (especially the mussels and scallops) however it did take a lot longer to cook and it was harder to tell if it was cooked or not at one point. Despite that, we both really enjoyed this platter.

Crumbed Crab ($5.50)

This was a surprise fave of mine from the non-red meat dishes. Loved the crunchy and crumbed coating along with the thinly shredded crab meat filling. 

Okonomiyaki ($5.50)

In keeping up with discovering more Japanese favourites, I opted for the okonomiyaki. This was coated with okonomiyaki sauce, bonito flakes and swirls of mayonnaise. Obviously by this point with all the other dishes we ordered, we were getting quite full (but still managed to get through most of this!). I'm not too familiar with this dish but I thought it was softer than I expected. Then again I have only tried the one at Ichiban Boshi a few years ago. Did like the outer crispness and the overall soft texture. 

Steamed Rice ($2.50)

Usually at most Asian BBQ restaurants, we ordered rice on the side. Looking back this actually wasn't needed because the meat and seafood held well on its own. Plus the rice was too soft for my personal preference. 

Berry Yogurt Parfait ($7.90)

I was too full by the end so my second stomach didn't make it to dessert but V decided to go for the berry yoghurt parfait. This consisted of ice cream, berry syrup, fresh whipped cream, ad fruit and wafer garnishes. At first I thought it would be too creamy for my liking but from the sample I've tasted, it was actually quite sweet in a good way. It did melt really fast so V had to hurry with finishing it up before it ends up like a puddle. I also enjoyed the wafer stick for the extra crunch.

If you are curious about exploring more about Japanese cuisine besides the usual ramen and sushi joints, Gyuzou offers that option especially if you love wagyu meats. While the prices were a bit more expensive, it is great to share with a larger group so you can try more and split the bill down. Looking forward to making another visit for that juicy short rib wagyu beef!

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of Japanese BBQ Yakiniku Gyuzou, courtesy of SD Marketing. Opinions are however, my own.

Japanese BBQ Yakiniku Gyuzou
Shop 5, 339 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Shop Tel No: (02) 9268 0410
Booking No: 1800 924 292
Sun-Thurs: 5:30pm - 10:00pm
Fri-Sat: 5:30pm - midnight 

Petaling Street Malaysian Hawker Food, Haymarket

Once the location of a Vietnamese restaurant, Petaling Street Malaysian Hawker Food has created a solid following since it opened in 2012. Centrally located in the Haymarket/Chinatown side of George Street, it has a wide range of traditional Malaysian dishes with generous servings and decent prices for the hungry masses. As of 2014, this restaurant has opened three additional branches including Kingsford, Bonnyrigg and a take-away sister restaurant 'Petaling Express' at Strathfield.

Ice Milo Dinosaur ($4.80)

While it looked small from the outside, there's actually two levels to this restaurant with more seating downstairs. The buzz was very social especially during peak hours. Mostly students and anyone looking for a cheap eat. Very casual vibe. We ordered a few drinks to start off. My pick was Petaling's version of the Milo Dinosaur. The taste was a bit more milky than the PappaRich version but it went down well smoothly. Loved how it was served in a good old fashioned milkshake glass.

Roti Canai with Beef Rendang ($11.80)

Although the roti canai with beef rendang was intended to be AC's main dish, we couldn't help getting a sample of the roti pastry. It wasn't as thin and silky like Mamak's but I still liked the crispy, flaky bite that this has. Tasted even better when dipped into the spicy beef curry. 

Quarter of Hainan Chicken ($7.80)

Didn't try much of this but it seemed to be well-cooked, tender and warm from what I could recall. Enjoyed dipping it with the sauces on the side. The other peeps seemed to really enjoy this. 

Petaling Street Claypot Short Rice Noodle ($11.80)

Been looking forward to trying the Petaling Street Claypot Short Rice Noodle after seeing its presence in a few blogs. The noodles were quite chewy and the dish itself was too greasy and oily for my personal liking. However, it was still a delicious dish especially with the amount of minced pork and mushrooms. The serving size was on the heavier end so I didn't manage to finish this but I could see this dish to be suitable to share between two people.

Marmite Pork Spare Ribs with Rice ($11.80)

The dish that we enjoyed the most was the Marmite pork spare ribs. It was crispy and sticky on the outside but so juicy on the inside. Quite sweet with lots of flavour to our liking. Definitely would try this again on a future visit.

Roti Kaya ($6.80) 

Roti Pisang ($6.80)

While the above two sweet roti plates looked very similar, they each have different fillings. We all ordered a Roti Kaya (coconut jam) and a Roti Pisang (banana bread) to share between the four of us. Both of these plates were served with condensed milk on the side. While both fillings were sweet, rich and buttery, my preference was the Roti Pisang because of the banana filling. 

With the generous serving sizes, cheap prices and quick service; I was satisfied by my experience trying more Malaysian hawker dishes. There was a wide range of dishes to pick here that I wouldn't spot at many other Malaysian restaurants. Will definitely make a further visit to try a few more of their specialty dishes including the Hawker style dry egg noodle with roast chicken or one of their laksa bowls. Would recommend this place to go with friends or even family looking for a cheap and cheerful joint without the fuss.   

Petaling Street Malaysian Hawker Food
760 George Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
(02) 9280 1006
Mon-Sun: 11am - late

Frankie's Pizza, Sydney CBD

These days, I enjoy sipping a drink or two at a good bar whether it's in the CBD or somewhere in Surry Hills, Darlinghurst or Newtown. Frankie's Pizza has that charm where it operates as both a dive bar (with live music!) and a New-York-esque pizza lounge. And a cheap and decent one too. With the same management team who also run The Baxter Inn and Shady Pines Saloon, you know you are onto a very good thing here.

You can order a whole pizza which allows you to pick any flavours from the menu. If you want to order by the slice, you can only get a choice of four flavours (which changes regularly) which is listed on the board above the pizza oven in the diner room. On the first night we went, there was a special Halloween event so the pizzas had different horror-themed names that night such as 'Blood and Bone' (Margherita) Green Meanie (Spinach), Acid Tongue (Salami) and Sea Beast (Napoletana). While each slice was $5 on my first visit, the prices had increased to $6 when I returned a few weeks ago.

Sidra Del Verano Apple and Pear Cider ($13.00)

Usually I've found that ciders can be too sweet and rich to the point that it can be a struggle to finish up. This cider was the opposite for us. It was refreshing, light, not too sweet and very easy to finish. We were bummed when we did finish off this cider so quickly.

Salami: salami, onion, chilli, olives. tomato, cheese (Slice: $6.00, Whole: $21.00)

Since we opted for different toppings of pizza by the slice, we observed the staff putting the pizza in the oven. In less than 2 minutes, it was already out of the oven for us to eat immediately. The pizza slices were similar to a New York pizza in terms of look, taste and texture. 

The crust was super thin, crispy and light while the slices were so massive that you need to fold them up so that the toppings won't fall onto the plate. I really enjoyed the Salami pizza with the thin, juicy and slightly spicy salami slices as well as the thinly sliced onion. While the menu said there was olives, there wasn't much on the pizza and was particularly hidden on the above shot.

Margherita: tomato, cheese, basil (Slice: $6.00, Whole: $18.00)

I always enjoy a simple Margherita if it's done right. This was one of the better versions of this classic pizza. The cheese did not overload the pizza slice and it balanced well with the tomato, which was how I usually prefer when it comes to this.

Spinach: spinach, ricotto, tomato, cheese (Slice: $6.00, Whole: $19.00)

I didn't get the chance to try the Spinach pizza but CC said that she really enjoyed the toppings on this slice. Toppings were also quite balanced here. Good choice for the vegetarians.

Napoletana: anchovies, capers, oregano, tomato, cheese (S: $6.00, W: $18.00)

Because the slices were light and thin, I was still keen for another slice. While I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the anchovies because of too many negative pop culture references (heh), I was surprised that it tasted nice with this pizza. While it was salty and bursting with lots of flavour, I could imagine how good this would have tasted after a heavy drinking session.

Chorizo: chorizo sausages, mozzarella, mushrooms, jalapeno (S: $6.00, W: $21.00)

I returned again after having cravings for a quick slice of pizza after work. The order by the slice menu was similar to what I've tried on the previous visit except with the choice of a chorizo pizza slice. The Chorizo was another slice that I enjoyed from this joint. It was a tad spicy due to the jalapenos but not to the point where you need that glass of milk. There was a good share of toppings on this slice including the juicy sausages and the chopped mushrooms.

While it was understandably quiet when we got there at the grandma hour of 6pm (it's a bar after all), both rooms filled up very quickly not long afterwards. The service experience was a mixed bag since the person serving me was friendly but a different one serving my friend was a bit more abrupt. Despite that, the pizzas were delicious and addictive to make me want more. While this isn't the pizza that you would get from renowned pizza restaurants such as Pizza Mario, Gigi's, and Via Napoli, it's an accessible and affordable option in the heart of the CBD especially if you are keen for a cheap eat and drinks with your colleagues or friends after work. Bonus points that Frankie's is open till 4am which is much much later compared to most Sydney CBD bars that close at midnight or 11pm.

Frankie's Pizza
50 Hunter Street, Sydney NSW 2000
http://frankiespizzabytheslice.com/
https://www.facebook.com/stcfrankiespizza/
Sat-Thurs: 4:00pm - 3:00am
Fri: 12:00pm - 3:00am