Chi and Co, Canley Heights

I remember going to Canley Heights for temp work a few years ago when Holy Basil just opened. The restaurant life was mostly your old school Vietnamese eateries and there was barely any other options when you weren't in the mood for Viet food back then (surprising right?). How times have changed! Now there are so many late night restaurants in Canley Heights where you can decide whether you want a bowl of pho, fried ice cream or waffles for dessert, or a degustation of Asian-inspired tapas! With the addition of the modern Asian restaurant 'Chi and Co', it's one step closer to bringing out the "Surry Hills" foodie melting pot into South West Sydney.

I purchased a voucher to try a 6-course meal for two at $39 where I get to have a taste at a selection of dishes from Chi and Co's expansive menu. The dishes were inspired from different Asian cultures (Vietnamese, Thai, Laos, Malaysian) but with a modern kick. Some of the dishes were a bit similar to the ones I've noticed at Chin Chin in Melbourne, which is good if the lines were too much hassle for you. 

Berry Rose Cake ($16.00)

Although the drinks weren't complimentary, we were so thirsty after a long day out. I was instantly attracted to the Berry Rose Cake cocktail, which was described on the menu as a "Black Star Pastry-inspired cocktail". This was no surprise since it contains strawberries, watermelon, vodka, strawberry liquer and finished with a rose foam on top. It was quite sweet but not overwhelmingly. The vodka didn't taste strong either which is good for a chilled and relaxing night. And it really does feel like drinking BSP's signature strawberry and watermelon cake hehehe.

Mocktail ($9.00)

While I couldn't remember the name of this mocktail, it looked very appealing especially with the abundance of strawberries and lychees clouding around inside the drink. 

Chicken Lettuce Delight ($11.00)

The dishes arrived to our table very quickly especially the entrees that arrived at the same time. The first dish I tried was the chicken lettuce delight, which was basically a san choy bao consisting of lup cheong, mushrooms, water chestnuts and crispy glass noodles. The lettuce and the glass noodles delivered a nice crunch to the fillings. While the overall flavour wasn't as flavoursome as I preferred (it was CC's fave dish though), it ended up being a relief since most of the other dishes were quite spicy. 

Pulled Beef Sliders ($9.00)

The pulled beef sliders (pulled beef rib, steamed bun with mint and house pickles) was actually one of my favourite dishes out of the six courses. The steamed bun was soft and fluffy while the pulled beef was very delicious and tender. Did not expect this to come from a beef rib at all but it's very succulent. Pricey though considering the serving size. 

Son in Law Eggs with house XO sauce ($7.90)

The son in law eggs was the dish I was looking forward to trying from Chi and Co the most out of all the other dishes. The yolk and filling was well cooked with the sambal and XO sauce placed on top. CC wasn't a fan because of the spices and the strong flavours but I enjoyed this dish because of the unusual ingredients, the runny egg yolk and the crisp and fried outer casing of the egg.

Smoked Trout on Betal Leaf ($8.40)

This may look like a simple dish but the smoked trout on betal leaf was another flavour kicker from the shredded trout pieces to the roasted chilli and galangal. Especially when you eat the whole dish in one go. While the roasted chilli wasn't spicy, it was still loads of excitement to your taste buds. Again, it is pricey given the size of the dish but I am still keen to try the spanner crab version on my next visit.  

Shaken Beef ($23.80)

Our main dishes arrived starting with the Shaken Beef. Between two people, the serving was a tad smaller than we expected but decent enough for our stomachs with all the other courses we've had. The tender beef scotch fillet cubes were seasoned with aromatic garlic and pepper sauce to give off that caramelised and tangy flavour kick. Reminded us of our own families' version of Bo Luc Lac at home and this version is certainly very delicious.

Fried Salmon Salad ($20.80)

We also got the fried salmon salad for our main dishes, which was equally delicious. This consists of chunks of fried salmon fillet with green papaya, Vietnamese mint and garlic. The papaya salad was made Vietnamese style so it's milder than the Thai version. The salmon fillets were well cooked and juicy with a crisp exterior but the biggest hit of this dish has gotta be the crispy salmon skin. It was so crunchy that it was harder for us to share this between two people. Goes really well with the fresh, sour and tangy papaya salad too.

Stir-fried greens ($8.00)

We also received a plate of stir-fried greens and steamed rice along with the main plates. The stir fried greens consists of broccoli, snow peas and bok choy. It was a nice change from the other flavour-intensive dishes though it again it felt very similar to the one that mum cooks up at home. Still liked the flavour and texture of this classic dish.

Steamed rice ($4.50)

I haven't eaten steamed white rice as much these days but I enjoyed Chi and Co's version especially with its fluffy yet firm texture. Great to have with the Shaken Beef.

Kaffir Lime Brulee with Coconut Sorbet ($11.90)

The Kaffir lime brulee caught my eye immediately since I haven't had creme brulee for a long time. The brulee topping was a bit too thick so it was initially harder (but hey at least it wasn't too thin :p) to crack but it was nonetheless a lovely dish especially with the smooth custard the overall light flavour. I would say that this brulee is good to have on its own. Was getting full by this point so I didn't have much of the coconut sorbet - though it did felt heavy and dense when I had a few bites. It was also cold that evening so I could imagine this would be lovely to have on a warm day.

Panna Cotta with Mixed Berry Compote and Honeycomb ($11.90)

The panna cotta was creamy but the mixed berries were too sour for CC's liking. Surprisingly, the honeycomb ended up balancing the overall taste of this dish. 

Since we only need to pay $39 for a 6 course meal for two people, this was actually a bargain compared to paying the full prices from the A La Carte menu. Considering the serving size, the prices are expensive especially with all the cheaper options in the area that will get you full instantly. However, I was pleased with the dishes they offered as well as the friendly service. And it's good to see a slice of Surry Hills in Canley Heights with its chic and funky layout, atmosphere, and the modern approach to classic Asian dishes. While it isn't a restaurant I would return to very often, it is a good local place for a special occasion with a group of friends especially with the attentive service and atmosphere.

Chi and Co
Shop 3, 264 Canley Vale Road (entrance on Derby Street)
Canley Heights NSW 2166
(02) 9727 2068
http://www.chiandco.com.au/
Tue-Thurs: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Fri-Sat: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - 11:00pm
Sun: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:00pm - 10:00pm

Night Noodle Markets, Hyde Park, Sydney CBD

It was that time of the year where more than 200 000 hungry foodies check out the annual Night Noodle Markets. In 2013, Night Noodle Markets (NNM) ran from 9th October to 26th October on weeknights and also Saturday nights for the first time ever. Sadly at the time of posting, it was already over for another year but hey you gotta cherish the memories. One of the memorable aspects this year that was popping up everywhere on social media has been the many lanterns hanging about near the entrance close to St James Station. It actually feels like the bright and pretty lanterns are stealing the spotlight from the food. Almost.

Although the Night Noodle Markets is actually only 5 mins from my workplace, none of my colleagues were keen at all about checking it out this year. As crazy as it sounds, it is also believable that some may avoid it. This includes the crazy lines for many stalls, prices (e.g. "I can eat that same dish for cheaper in my local area!") and of course the limited seating. Some of the most notorious queues I've sighted were for Mamak (nothing new lol) and surprisingly, On Ramen's Ramen Burger. Despite the queues, the hawker-style atmosphere and entertainment made up for it and kept us relatively calm as our food is getting prepared.

While the seating is still limited, there were more options this year than previous years including the Citibank VIP area, the Channel 7 seating area (which is open for everyone), Brown Brothers seating area and the seating area near the Rekorderlig bar. Speaking of bars, there was a generous array of bar areas to choose from with specific joints serving more products under that brand...

Passionfruit Rekorderlig Cider - can never ever get sick of it!

Even spotted a celebrity or two including Gary from Masterchef.

More lanterns!

Colour-changing lighting on the trees...kinda like a mini-Vivid Sydney

What's a Night Noodle Market without Dragon dancers? Spotted a few of them parading around the festival with loud banging instruments in the background.

But what about the food?! Hold your horses it's coming right now! With about 40 stalls at NNM this year, there is so much to choose from especially if you can only attend this event only once this year with cuiines ranging from Thai to Chinese to Vietnamese. 

First is the now infamous ramen burger that has garnered some notoriety overseas when we first heard about it. For NNM, a little known ramen shop, On Ramen, decided to create their ramen burger for the hungry masses. The moment that the media heard about the 'First ramen burger in Sydney at NNM was when the crowds flocked to this stand, eager to check out the hype. It was better to go there earlier because the food preparation takes a very long time not to mention the growing queues as the night went on. I waited about 20 mins when I ordered it at 5:30pm on a Saturday while my friends, who arrived late, had to wait for more than an hour for their burgers at about 6:30pm.

Ramen Burger by On Ramen

Was it worth the hype and the queues? It wasn't bad but it wasn't that amazing either. As you can see, the crispy noodles were battered and fried and then a meat patty was stuck between the battered noodles. Eventually, the noodles were falling apart so I had to rely on the toothpicks to keep it together. It was also too oily but the salad and the watermelon on the side helped in balancing those flavours. While I don't mind trying it again as I did enjoy the crispy noodles and the juicy meat, I wouldn't be keen to wait more than 60 minutes for this.

 On my first few attendances, I've noticed that the price of the rolls at Poklol were about $7 however when I decided to order it on the first Saturday of NNM, the prices have already increased to $10! Despite that, the meat cuts (marinated pork belly in this case zomg...) were decent in terms of quality. While the bread was tougher in texture, I really enjoyed biting into the fillings for this pork roll. Plus the kimchi slaw gave the traditional pork roll an exciting kick in your taste buds with a bit of Korean fusion. Still can't stop thinking about the Cabra pork rolls but for a pork roll shop in the city, it's not bad actually.

Pork Belly Roll with Kim chi Slaw by Poklol

I've been disappointed by various restaurants serving banh xeo (Vietnamese pancakes) in the past mainly because it was way too oily for my liking. Also, mum's version is generally the best. However, this version by Rolls Vietnam (containing pork and prawn in pancake batter made from tumeric, crispy rice flour and coconut milk) was actually much lighter and not as oily. The batter wasn't too crunchy though still quite crispy to enjoy with fresh greens, mint and lettuce wrapped around it

Banh Xeo by Rolls Vietnam

By the way, just a side note: was it me or were there heaps of Vietnamese food stalls at NNM this year? Anyway there was Bar Pho, a Vietnamese street food stall, which was unfortunately not getting a crowd (thanks to being next door to the Mamak stall). Due to the limited seating, it is actually harder trying to eat a bowl of hot beef noodle soup on the grass. Thankfully it was earlier on so I grabbed a nearby available table. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this pho. Sure it's not the best compared to the Cabra/Canley/Bankstown/Marrickville/Flemington ones but the essential flavours, ingredients and textures were there especially the fragrant broth, the silky slippery noodles and the tender beef. R tried the pork roll at this branch and gave it the thumbs up even though there was no queues compared to other stalls.
I saw this stall again when Chinatown was doing their own street food festival a week ago and there was a much bigger crowd of people waiting in front of it so I reckon the less queues at NNM was because of Mamak next door. 

Beef Pho by Bar Pho

It may not look like much but peking duck pancakes were tasty to have for a snack in-between larger dishes. They were popping up throughout the markets but the version below were from The Eight Modern Chinese Restaurant in Haymarket. Loved the crispy duck skin and the accompanied greens. I particularly liked the thin floury pancake that made me want for more after I finish my share.

Peking Duck Pancake by The Eight

I have already mentioned in previous posts on how amazing the pork buns from Ippudo Sydney really were (yes they were there too!). It was no surprise how much CC loved them when she finally got to try them for the first time. Especially the juicy pork belly and the slightly spicy secret sauce.

Ippudo Pork Bun by Ippudo Sydney

One type of food that I've been having many times throughout NNM were dumplings. So addicted to them! There were delicious dumplings as well as a few disappointing ones.

The pan fried pork and chive dumplings from the Taste of Shanghai/Shanghai Stories 1938 team were crispy to my liking but also too doughy and thicker than I expected. Was surprised about the crispy prawn crackers on the side but they were quite tasty.

Pan-seared Pork and Chive Dumplings by Taste of Shanghai/Shanghai Stories 1938

Was more satisfied with New Shanghai's dumpling offerings. The pan fried pork buns were not too thick and doughy and they had that essential crispy and golden base with a bit of hot soup inside the buns that squirt out...watch out! While 4 of these pork buns may sound small, they are actually very filling and moreish thanks to the thick batter. The xiao long bao were nicely formed with the right amount of meat and juices inside the thin casing. Might need to get better packaging because the soy sauce and vinegar were seeping through the edges. Most likely my fault because I was pouring too much of it.

Pan Fried Pork Buns and Xiao Long Bao by New Shanghai

The New Shanghai stall also featured a special of truffled pork xiao long bao dumplings which caught my eye instantly. Seriously my eyes go wide open everytime I see the word 'truffles'. Not too pricey either though more expensive than most other dumpling dishes that New Shanghai were offering at NNM. I was expecting to see some pieces of truffle scattered with the pork but instead all I saw was pork. I wasn't sure if I got the right dumplings even though I paid for the special but there was a slight hint of truffle eventually. My guess was that it's just truffle oil but was again disappeared because of my excessive use of soy sauce and vinegar...again.

Truffle Xiao Long Bao by New Shanghai

Working hard and making dumplings at East Ocean

At East Ocean Restaurant, they offered a few decadent combo deals including the Dim Sum Box where you get 8 pieces for $15. Better than just $2 per piece because you get to try all of their dim sum dumplings and morsels. I even opted for another peking duck pancake on the side. It was enjoyable trying out the 4 different variants of siu mai dumplings including pork, chicken, beef, and even seafood and corn. Enjoyed the plump prawn har gow dumpling even if the skin was slightly thick. Was really surprised at how much I liked the texture of the vegetarian dumplings as well as the BBQ pork bun. Wished the pork bun has more filling though. 

Dim Sum Dumpling Box and Peking Duck Pancake by East Ocean Restaurant

Been eating way too much Din Tai Fung especially the xiao long bao dumplings lately thanks to the Westfield branch located less than 5 mins walk from work. Compared to the other dumpling joints, Din Tai Fung is renowned for their silky and incredibly thin dumpling skin especially in their xiao long baos. This time, I decided to go for the Jiao Ze dumplings instead. The thin, smooth and silky skin applies to this type of dumpling. So good when you poke through the skin and then the meaty juices oozes out. Can never ever get sick of Din Tai Fung dumplings.

Shrimp and Pork Jiao Ze Dumplings by Din Tai Fung

Haven't tried the below dish at any Din Tai Fung restaurants before so this got me curious. Unlike the other dumplings dishes, this one uses tangy dip (I think it's mayo) on the side instead of soy sauce and vinegar. This was a great match in combining the crunchy dumpling with the zesty smooth mayo dip. 

Fried Shrimp and Pork Won Ton with Tangy Dip by Din Tai Fung

One of my fave stalls at NNM this year was from Jackie M Malaysian Cuisine. Not only do they make amazing food with heavenly aroma that drives you to the sand, they even have the owner herself, Jackie, working tirelessly every single event. Plus I wanted to try everything on the menu but the servings are incredibly generous so I ended up ordering takeaway each time. The fried radish cakes immediately reminded me of my trip to Singapore so I opted for this instantly. These were absolutely delicious from the piping hot radish cakes to the stir fried egg, bean sprouts and chives. Loads of carbs but such a guilty pleasure. 

Stir fried Radish Cakes (Chai Tow Kway) by Jackie M Malaysian Cuisine

I returned back to the Jackie M stall in one of my last visits where I got to try the Char Kway Teow that I've seen the staff cooking near the front of the stall last time. I've heard from a fellow blogger that this is one of Jackie's signature dishes which aroused my curiosity especially after seeing different types of noodles tossed and wok-fried with passion. The noodles were well-cooked and worked well with the other ingredients (bean sprouts, chives, egg and chicken) to make it a delicious dish full of flavour. Hope to try many of Jackie M's dishes again when I go to the restaurant which I believe has moved from Concord to Darlinghurst recently according to the website.

Char Kway Teow by Jackie M Malaysian Cuisine

Last but not least (zomggg) was from Longrain Sydney. I wanted to try the curry dish but the weather was incredibly hot throughout the duration of the NNM so eventually I went with their Hot and Sour Salad of pork, glass noodles, peanuts, mint and coriander. This ended up being on of my favourites for this festival because of the many flavours, colours and textures balanced together in this dish. After eating so much oily and carb-tastic foods, it was nice to have something refreshing like this. Despite its name, it's not even spicy but they do have chilli on the side if you want a bit of spice. Will definitely make the trip to Longrain one day to try their dishes.

While the Night Noodle Markets in Sydney is sadly over for another year, I hear that Melbourne is doing one right about now so this should give you an idea what to expect, my fellow Melb readers :). There were lots of delicious food stalls to discover and surprisingly not enough time to eat everything. Lines are still annoying though but since most stalls were from restaurants, it gave me an idea on which ones to check out post-NNM. Looking forward to Good Food Month again next October. Hurry up already!

Sydney Night Noodle Markets
Hyde Park North, Sydney 
October 9-12, 14-19, 21-26
Mon-Tue 5-9pm, Wed 5-10pm, Thu-Fri 5-11pm, Sat 4-10pm
http://sydney.goodfoodmonth.com/nightnoodlemarkets

Galeries Victoria Food Adventures, Sydney CBD

You may think 'Galeries Victoria food court has decent food?' Well the selection is not bad actually. For about a month, Galeries Victoria had a deal where you visit 4 of their restaurants, take away joints or cafes and you get a free meal from a selection of their renowned restaurants. All you need was to download the Galeries Victoria app on your smart phone and use it to scan the barcode when you purchase a meal of more than $8? Sounds too good to be true? For me, it kind of was but what matters most was the journey of trying out as many eating joints as possible before the deal finished on Friday 10th May.

It was a surprisingly tough adventure because my work place was closer to Martin Place so the closest food courts for me were the Westfield Food Court and MLC and some of the many hidden food courts around the Martin Place area catering to the office workers. But with a deal like this, the opportunity was just too good to miss.

CHAT THAI

This much smaller version of the Chat Thai restaurant empire is catered for those who want a quick lunch rather than waiting to get a seat in the restaurant like the other branches. It was around before the remodelling of the Galeries Victoria Food Court (back when it looked a lot less fancy then it does now) and has kept up with the glossier decor. What makes this different to other Chat Thai branches is that it really emphasises on delivering food fast. I accidentally stepped in line without knowing what to get and before I know it, I was at the front of the line with many hungry people waiting behind me gaaaah.

As it was a really warm day for Autumn, I decided to go with Som Dtum Sua, one of their many green papaya salads (looking at menu at other branches, I think this salad is only offered at the Galeries Victoria branch). According to the menu, it is the Laotian version of the green papaya salad consisting of rice noodles, pickled crab and fermented fish. While I applaud it for its fresh flavours, it was way too spicy for me especially with chilli flakes ever-present throughout the salad. I could only down half of the salad before the heat got to me. What the hell happened? So weeaaaak!

Som Dtum Sua ($13.90)

I'm a huge fan of satay chicken skewers ever since the regular uni lunch and dinner trips to Satan Thai. Can never get sick of them. Chat Thai's version is no exception. Aside from the tender chicken, the satay sauce has that chunky texture that I love especially with chopped peanuts. I also dig the cucumber chilli salad on the side which after that ordeal is thankfully not too intense on the palate.  

Chicken satay skewers ($3.00 each)

Might need to stay away from the spicy salads for a while. Will still come back to try the many other dishes that Chat Thai offers especially the noodles now that the weather is colder. As it was my first time using the app, I was having trouble figuring out how it works and the staff were quite patient and attentive to my requests. You can also find Chat Thai branches in Haymarket, Westfield CBD, Manly and Randwick.

Chat Thai
Shop 1, Lower Ground
500 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9283 5789
http://www.chatthai.com.au/



MADAME NHU

I wanted to head to this restaurant more often to try the pho since my last visit in early 2012 but it often escaped my mind every time I head to the city. Possibly because I wasn't sure how good the pho would be especially after many disappointments around the CBD area in the past. Better late than never! 

At Madame Nhu, they seem to offer a wide range of pho dishes. While there was the usual beef pho (pho nam, pho tai, pho dac biet), there was also chicken pho, prawn pho and vegetarian pho! I don't usually order the pho dac biet but when I do, I expect it to be brilliant. Thankfully I found that Madame Nhu's version is one of the better pho dishes that I've had in the CBD area. While they didn't offer the usual pho dac biet ingredients like tripe and tendon; the three styles of beef consisting of the thick-cut Tasmanian beef brisket, medium-well sliced rump steak and the beef in the form of meat balls were enough to satisfy my taste buds. What makes this better was the fragrant and flavoursome broth in addition to the well cooked rice noodles. My only issue was the bits of fat sticking onto the beef brisket and the broth filling up right to the top so it was splashing everywhere on my tray. Nothing major though. Will definitely head here more often whenever I am craving for pho at lunch.

Signature dac biet ($10.50)

Madame Nhu
Shop 5, Lower Ground
500 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 92833355
http://www.madamenhu.com.au/ 



ICHI BAN BOSHI EXPRESS

Everyone who is into Japanese food will know about Ichi-Ban Boshi on Level 2 of Galeries Victoria where there are constant queues of hungry diners waiting outside the restaurant. Since the food court renovation, they have opened another branch at the lower ground food court where you can get the same food from that restaurant with lower prices, fast service and without the need to wait for a table. At Ichi Ban Boshi Express, the main menu is limited compared to the restaurant version but they do offer some of their ramen dishes as special items including the Tokyo Ramen, Karaage Ramen and Tofu Ramen. You can also add variety to your ramen by ordering extra toppings (like for $1-$3 extra.

Was surprised that their Tokyo ramen was not in the regular menu as it was declared by Ichi-Ban as their 'most popular style of ramen' but it can be spotted on the separate special menu at the front of the counter. As the Tokyo ramen is a soy-based ramen, I found the broth to be slightly salty though it was also dark, clear and not heavy at all compared to Gumshara's tonkotsu ramen though it was very filling (NB: tonkotsu ramen is unavailable at Ichi-Ban Boshi Express. There is also only 15 servings available per day if you try your luck at Ichi-Ban Boshi on Level 2). I also really enjoyed the thick slices of pork, the halved, soft-boiled oozy egg for some good protein boost, the crispy nori (seaweed) sheet and the ramen noodles, which has a nice bitey texture that we all want when we eat a bowl of ramen. It was a plain looking broth but it was perfect for a cold winter day. 

Tokyo Ramen ($9.00) 

Very keen to try the miso ramen, won ton ramen and the karaage ramen when I head to Ichi-Ban Boshi next time. If you are not a fan of ramen, there was also udon and soba noodles dishes as well as non-noodle plates like the rice bowls or a side dish of edamame. Will definitely head to Ichi-Ban Boshi at level 2 to try out their generous selection of dishes...if only I can bear with the queues. 

Ichi Ban Boshi Express
Shop 8, Lower Ground
500 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9264 7780
http://www.ichibanboshi.com.au/shop/syd/cbd2/index.html


Ichi Ban Boshi
Level 2, The Galeries,
500 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
02 9262 7677
http://www.ichibanboshi.com.au/


MERO MERO

One thing that I've spotted at lunch times here from my visits were the huge crowds waiting to order at the Mero Mero counter. This one serves salads, sandwiches, paninis and wraps, which will appeal to the health conscious and vegetarian market...although they do also serve macarons! It even lets you make your own salad using the choices on a card. Knowing the epic queues at lunchtime and because work was too hectic that day for me to head down to Galeries Victoria, I decided to check it out much later since it was a Thursday evening. 

On this occasion, I was keen to try the Spicy Italian sandwich but the bread was sold out. They did offer the same fillings as a wrap so I went along with that. Was surprised at how long the wrap was. Really really long. I was so hungry that I ended up having a bite before taking a photo. Sorry guys.

 

Spicy Italian Wrap ($11.00)

The service was ok but not too welcoming however the food was satisfying enough. Really enjoyed the crispy coating on the chicken as well as the spicy mayo and the fresh tomatoes. Having said that, the Spicy Italian Chicken really wasn't spicy at all so it's good if you can't stand extremely spicy food. Ended up getting very messy from the sauce and the really massive wrap itself. In fact I got full very fast after eating more than half of the wrap. Might try one of the salads or sandwiches next time I'm here or at its Westfield store.

Mero Mero
Shop 8, Lower Ground
500 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000



SUSHI HOTARU

I wasn't sure if I fulfilled my four meals at four different restaurants in order to get a free 5th meal especially after my epic confusion at Chat Thai when I was using the app for the first time. So I decided to go for a backup and try one more restaurant in case it didn't go through. I was also keen for sushi. Unbelievably, I have only been to Sushi Hotaru once when they've first opened a couple of years ago. I know I should go here more often especially since all of their plates (except sashimi and side plates) are priced at $3. 

Unfortunately as it was a Friday lunch (and the last day of the promotion), there was a massive line of people waiting to get a table. Inside you can see the diners sitting at the long sushi train as well as some other diners sitting at tables where they order using the ipad similarly to Mizuya and Wagaya. Was going to give up and head back down until I've noticed the sign outside the restaurant, which listed the lunch bento box special.

There are a few choices for Sushi Hotaru's lunch box including the Mix Box A which has mostly nigiri sushi and a couple of sushi rolls, the salmon box with 5 pieces of salmon nigiri sushi and six salmon sushi rolls. I ended up choosing the Mix Box B that consists of 6 different varieties of nigiri sushi (8 pieces in total). You also get a complimentary miso soup with the lunch box.

Lunch Box - Mix Box B ($12.00): Clockwise from Top Left: Grilled Salmon x 2, Grilled Scallop x 2, Kingfish, Tuna, Scallop, Salmon

Both the grilled salmon and the scallop nigiri sushi were winners for me as they were made to order. I really loved the charred texture that you can immediately taste as you pop it into your mouth.

Grilled scallop nigiri - well cooked. love the texture!
 

Grilled salmon nigiri - Slightly pinkish on the side but still has the smoky texture which makes it very tasty

I also found the raw nigiri sushi to be very delicious though quite cheeky. As I bite into the sushi, I notice a little bit of wasabi creeping between the seafood and the rice. Love it! My fave ones to recommend would be the salmon and the kingfish but to be honest I really like them all!

Salmon nigiri - it's amazing how thick the salmon was cut!
 

Scallop nigiri - very juicy

Tuna nigiri - flavours were interesting. The colour looks quite funky

Kingfish nigiri - don't eat enough kingfish these days. Very yummy and refreshing

Thought that the miso soup was useful to cleanse the palate after too much sushi. Great to have on a cold winter day.

Miso soup

Possibly one of the best sushi places I've ever had. Everything was freshly made and tasty. If I ate at the restaurant, I could easily down a few plates. At least 8 of them. Really wishing that my work place was much closer to this gem.

Sushi Hotaru
Shop RP1, 500 George Street
Sydney NSW 2000


JIMMY'S RECIPE

About a week later, I finally got confirmation that I got the free meal. Yay!!! Around this point, I've been having epic cravings for Malaysian food thanks to the onslaught of winter weather lately so I finally head my way back to Galeries Victoria for one of their free meal options at Jimmy's Recipe , which specialises in Malaysian cuisine including classics like har mee, Nasi Lemak, char kway teow, murtabek and, of course, laksa. 

While there were heaps of people waiting to order their food, the line moves very quickly. Also, no matter how packed it gets you can still find somewhere to sit either inside or at the tables outside in front of the restaurant. About less than 1 minute later, I was already at the front of the line. Now when I ask the person at the counter about the free meal, she said that the free meal promotion is over. While checking into 4 different restaurants using the Galeries Victoria app has finished on 10th May, the free meal deal is still valid until 31st May. It got rectified pretty quickly and I got my meal within a flash. Literally within one minute of ordering or much less. I barely had time to breath before the laksa was already on the tray.

Chicken laksa ($8.20) 

It was interesting spotting and tasting two different types of noodles in my laksa which were vermicelli and hokkein noodles. The serving was so huge and generous that my stomach felt like it needed pumping as I was stumbling back to work. The broth was fairly creamy and smooth, while the chicken was tender and easy to pull apart. Everything from the broth to the noodles and the chicken were so flavoursome that your tastebuds are partying really hard in your mouth and you just wanna have more and more. Unfortunately, your stomach is saying otherwise as it was rich and thick...and it does have coconut milk which will scream gym time for your weight. While you can sense the spicy flavours, it was not too hot that it burns your tongue. I have heard how amazing the laksa really is at Malay Chinese Takeaway so will definitely try it soon. 

To be honest, I haven't eaten much laksa in my whole life. About two times to be exact. So I can't say on this occasion on whether it's the best laksa I've ever had in Sydney (or so they claim on their menu) since I haven't tried it at other restaurants yet. For what I've had, I really enjoyed it and will say that it's a winner for me. There were so many dishes that I need to try at Jimmy's Recipe especially the Har Mee, Haianese Chicken Rice and Char Kway Teow so I'll need to make a few more visits. While there was a minor mishap and a bit of language barrier, it was extremely quick service, really cheap prices and delicious food with massive servings. Now excuse me while I hit the treadmill...

Jimmy's Recipe
Shop RG16, Galeries Victoria
500 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9267 2288