Ayam Goreng 99, Kingsford

Happy extremely belated 2016! It's been a while hasn't it? I'm still eating everywhere but work and personal commitments have been taking over my life these days to commit to writing. Thanks to those who have encouraged me to keep on going even if it may not be as regular as it used to. 

Recently, we attended a birthday dinner at Ayam Goreng 99 in Kingsford. Personally, I don't go out that direction as much as I would have liked to so it was an experience checking out the area for the first time. It was located minutes away from UNSW, which would have been perfect had I studied there. Unfortunately, most of us were UTS students...heh. Ayam Goreng 99 was definitely one of those old school restaurants that would have been around for a long time judging from the decor. If the massive crowds waiting outside are anything to go by, the food was certainly worth the wait.

Ayam Bakar - Charcoal Grilled Marinated Chicken ($6.50 per piece)

There was 11 of us, so we ordered all three versions of their signature marinated chicken - thigh and breast! My personal favourite was the charcoal grilled version. It may look charred and rustic on the outside but the chicken itself was juicy, flavoursome and tender. Also had a slight sweet and zesty tang from the marinated soy sauce coating. 

Ayam Goreng - Deep Fried Marinated Chicken ($6.50 per piece)

Didn't get to try this one but the friends enjoyed its crispy texture. Portions were generous but the lack of knife meant it was harder to cut and share bit by bit...at least for us. 

Ayam Goreng Kalasan - Fried Marinated Chicken Javanese Style ($6.50 per piece)

I did get to try the Javanese version which was sweeter than the deep fried variant. Compared to the grilled version, I thought it seemed to be on the dry side but it was still tasty and flavoursome especially with its smoked, crispy skin.

Nasi Goreng ($11.50) 

Consisting of fried rice with chicken, egg, meats and shallots, the nasi goreng was another highlight for me. Digged the colourful layout as well the balanced texture of the rice which made it easier to enjoy with a mix of different ingredients. We also ordered and shared a vegetarian version of the Nasi Goreng, which was equally tasty.

Sate Kambing - Lamb Satay ($10.00)

Most of us like our lamb and we already order too much chicken so we had lamb satay sticks on the side. If lamb ain't your thing, you will be pleased to know that it didn't have that gamey taste mainly thanks to its generous mix of sweet soy sauce and peanut sauce coated over the skewers. Didn't order enough of these so some of us had to share these sticks.

In the end, the bill cost us around $25 per head, which wasn't as bad as we expected (we ordered a couple other dishes but forgot to take a snap). Service was fast paced and we ended up getting full too quickly despite being too hungry waiting for a table. While Kingsford may be out of the way for me to go back regularly, you can definitely see the appeal on why Ayam Goreng remains popular with the locals for all these years. Hope to return again to do a proper taste of the Ayam Goreng or even get my hands again on the succulent Ayam Bakar.

Ayam Goreng

464 Anzac Parade Kingsford

(02) 9697 0030

Wed-Sun: 11:30am - 4:00pm, 6:00pm - 9:00pm 

Mon-Tue: Closed

 

Single O CBD Launch Event, Sydney CBD

If you are a CBD worker and a fan of the coffee from Single Origin Roasters but you don't have the time to check out its original Surry Hills cafe and the Botany branch, you will be very pleased to hear that it has now opened its doors on York Street in Sydney CBD. Unlike the other branches, Single O CBD is take away only, although you can chill out in the standing area on the side of the cafe.

Kombucha on tap - finger lime and ginger infused ($4.50)

Regular tea samples were offered at the counter throughout the evening. Apparently, Single O CBD is the first cafe in Sydney to offer the Japanese inspired Kombucha tea and the Cascara coffee cherry tea. While the Kombucha had a sparkling and slightly sweet flavour, the Cascara was bold, deep and intense. For the Single Origin coffee lovers, the cafe is currently serving their Reservoir blend (great with milk-based coffees), plus selected blends from Columbia, Tanzania and Ethiopia as well as the "filter of the week" for something a bit more random.

Sparkling Cascara on tap - coffee cherry tea ($4.50)

All the guests were treated to samples of delicacies that will be on offer at the cafe. My personal faves include their ham, cheese and pickled veg toastie, the mini bacon and egg rolls, braised beef sliders and the espresso buttered banana bread.

"Mr Croque" - leg ham, cheddar bechamel, pickled veg toastie ($11.00)

Avocado, fetta, cherry tomatoes, rye toast ($12.00)

A variation of the "Breakkie box" - poached eggs, flatbread, coriander salad, hummus ($12.00)

Braised beef cheek, pickles, slaw, brioche bun ($15.00)

Bacon roll, red eye mayo, fried egg, tomato apple ketchup ($12.00)

Banana bread, espresso butter ($6.00)

Thanks to the neighbouring bar "The Barbershop", we were also treated to their salted caramel espresso martini. There's a strong sense of coffee in this cocktail with a hint of sweet stickiness from the salted caramel. Sadly this isn't on the menu but I'm pretty sure The Barbershop will be happy to make it for you if you ask.

Salted Caramel Espresso Martini (not available at Single O CBD)

It's quite easy to miss Single O CBD due to its tiny space, but that's what makes hole in the wall cafes special. While the menu is limited, the cafe does all day breakfast, which is a major bonus if you don't have time to stop for a quick breakkie in the morning. My only qualm at this stage is that they do not have skim milk in case that's how you prefer your milk (which rules out nearly everyone at my office). Hopefully it will show up once the cafe settles in its new location. Despite that, it's a great way to discover or rediscover the excellent 3-cup awarded coffee that Single Origin Roasters has to offer in this side of the city.

Disclaimer 1: The Random Foodie attended the Single O CBD Launch Night as a guest. 
Disclaimer 2: The sample serving size of the food in this post does not reflect the actual size of the food served at the cafe. Prices reflect on the full size of the above menu items offered at the cafe.

Single O CBD
89 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9279 2677
Mon-Fri: 6:30am - 4:00pm
 

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.

Mary's City, Sydney CBD

Damn Sydney you are so obsessed about burgers right now! It's seriously hurting my weight loss these days but it's so hard to avoid especially if they look so damn good. With all the burger joints opening left, right and centre in Sydney, it was no wonder that Mary's has taken advantage of the situation and opened its second branch for the hungry people in the CBD. It's just takeaway with no seating and a limited menu with burgers only. Although there's no fried chicken or mash on the permanent menu, Mary's CBD offers up a one-off special menu item popping up every now and then, which you can find out through their social media pages or through other foodies in the know.

Mary's Burger ($10.00) 

In my Mary's Newtown review, I initially thought that the burgers were similar to Maccas but pricier. Of course, that didn't stop me from going back again...and again. Sure they are the pricier Maccas but the bun was soft and glossy, burger is bigger and the beef patty was juicy. I prefer the Mary's burger over the cheeseburger that I had on my first visit because of the addition of the lettuce and the tomato. So greasy but hey when are damn good burgers not? If one patty is still too small for you, I would suggest getting a double (or triple!!!) beef patty with trash-can bacon. Went to Mary's CBD for my birthday last year and got so full on the double patty burger.

Fried Chicken Burger ($12.00)

While the fried chicken may not be available (unless it pops up as a special...more on that later), you can still find it in the form of a fried chicken burger. So messy to handle but the crispness coated with Mary's tangy sauce and sloppy tasty cheese was worth getting your hands dirty.

Fried Chicken and Waffles - Easter Special item ($15.00)

As I have mentioned earlier, special one off items pop up for a very limited time only at the CBD store. This can be available for one week or even one day only (usually from 3pm on the day with a super quick announcement on their Instagram page). So it's no surprise when you literally blink and miss out on them like myself countless times. One thing that I didn't miss out was their recent Easter special menu item. Thankfully it was available for a whole week since I only found out on the first day on my way home and you know how much I love my fried chicken! While you don't end up getting any cutlery (unless you ask), the fried chicken was crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Combined with the sweet and crispy waffle and the crispier bacon (omg bacon!!!), this dish was a total guilty pleasure. Hope to see it making a comeback in the near future.

While there's no seats and the food will definitely not help you lose any weight, it has its charms that wooed most of the mates who have tried it with me in the past. The burgers at the CBD store are also cheaper than the original Newtown restaurant. If you aren't keen on waiting in the weekday lunchtime queues, dinner service and weekends have been less busy from what I've noticed. Whether you like or hate Mary's you can't deny that it has played a role in kick starting the intense burger craze that is happening in Sydney right now.

Mary's City
154 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000
https://instagram.com/marysnewtown/
Mon-Sun: 10:00am - 10:00pm

Hong Ha, Mascot

A famous pork roll joint in Mascot. Who would have thought? I didn't even know it existed until 2011 when my date at the time mentioned that this joint was much better than all the pork roll shops in Cabramatta. Say it isn't so! Not long after, I found a few articles about the same pork roll shop in various food and lifestyle mags, websites and food blog reviews. Since then, it has been on my wishlist for a freaking long time. There has to be something special about those pork rolls that gets every pork roll lover lining up even before opening time at 6am! (Many thanks to my colleague for sharing that story btw :)).

After countless times getting asked to check Hong Ha from V, I finally found the time to visit this part of Sydney after getting the massive cravings. Not surprisingly there was that inevitable queue when I arrived in front of this tiny but incredibly busy shop. If you are impatient like myself, never fear! The queues actually went by pretty fast that I was still somewhat indecisive when it was my turn to order.

While the sign itself has been updated compared to how it appeared in past reviews, the fitout has that old school appeal that was most likely the same when it opened more than 20 years ago. Pretty much your typical pork roll shop with all the condiments laid out at the frot (the cheese was interesting though). While the service can be abrupt and blunt, they were all super quick so you can get your pork roll fast after waiting in that infamous queue. 

Pork Roll ($5.00)

Ordered a pork roll and a chicken roll because I had no idea when I will be there next. The bread roll was crispier and crustier compared to the ones I've had another pork roll joints but it was also quite soft on the inside. This worked out well since it was still not soggy after leaving it for a while when I finished it up later that day. Some of the rolls I've had at Cabra had way too much bread and not enough fillings so it was good to see that Hong Ha ensures that the fillings were balanced out. Along with the thin slices of pork meat and the generous amount of fillings (including pickled carrot, onion, coriander, cucumber and soy sauce), there was a decent serving of mayo an pâté which was definitely the highlight for me. Plus the soy sauce did not overpower the flavour which can be the case for many pork rolls I've tried in the past. I also asked for the optional chilli but it ended up being too spicy for me after multiple bites.

Chicken Roll ($5.00)

Sorry about the photo. Was so hungry when I got my hands on this roll that I forgot to take a proper pic. The chicken roll that I tried later was also good as well especially after hearing the hype from other foodies (apart from V who wasn't a fan). The combined use of shredded boiled and cooked chicken packed into the bread roll stood out from the other chicken rolls that I've tried elsewhere. While I personally prefer the pork roll in terms of taste and flavour, the chicken roll at Hong Ha is certainly a winner so far. 

Is Hong Ha the best Vietnamese pork/chicken roll shop in Sydney? Well it really depends on what you prefer. Personally I think Hong Ha is as good as Marrickville Pork Roll but (gasp) I also found it to be better than most of the ones I've had in Cabramatta - mainly for the generous fillings and that freshly baked and crusty bread (though Vinata and KK Bakery remain as my local faves). On the other hand, it was also slightly pricier than the local Cabra pork roll shop (some of my friends are still reminiscing the days when those rolls only cost $2). If I live closer to Mascot, I can definitely see myself as a regular here whenever I get my pork roll cravings. And Hong Ha sells spring rolls too if they floats your boat.

Hong Ha

1151 Botany Road, Mascot NSW 2020
(02) 9667 2069
Mon-Sun: 6:00am - 4:30pm

Ramen O-San, Haymarket

It was bound to happen eventually. A ramen joint at Dixon House Food Court! With Ramen O-San opening in early February, there is now a ramen joint at every food court in the Haymarket area (Gumshara at Eating World, Ramen Ikkyu at Sussex Centre and Hakata Maru at Market City). Plenty of choices for your Japanese noodle needs especially when winter is coming...soon. While the location did bring a slight uncertainty about its future given this food court's history with closing many of their shops pre-maturely (For Lease signs can still be spotted at many of their stalls), the international award-winning Ramen O-San might be a different story altogether.

O-San Ramen is owned by Chef Kazuteru, who also opened five ramen shops in Japan and one in Cambodia. Ramen O-San specialises in Kyushu-style Tonkotsu ramen, which has won the 'Top 3 Ramen' award in Kyushu, Japan. The Sydney shop is actually the first that you would most likely to spot when you walk down the stairs from the main entrance into Dixon House Food Court. Since it's located inside a food court, don't expect any fancy setting especially when you find yourself accidentally sitting on a tray left on the chair. In terms of service, the staff seemed quite friendly and it didn't take long for the food to get ready after we made our order. 

Similar to Gumshara, the pork bone broth in the tonkotsu ramen is MSG-free. Although our ramen came with pork cha-siu, spring onions and mushroom (depending what ramen you order), we had to order egg and nori separately at $1.50 extra. We both learnt it the hard way when I forgot my nori while KT forgot the egg. Oops...

Tonkotsu Ramen ($9.80) with Nori Seaweed ($1.50)

The original Tonkotsu (pork base) soup had a slightly similar texture to Gumshara's ramen broth. The pork bones were simmered for more than 10 hours so it was no surprise that there was that thick, creamy, collagen-like richness as you dig into the broth. However, it didn't have the same intense richness as Gumshara's so it was easier to finish in comparison. Plus the noodles were relatively thinner. While I didn't try much of it, KT commented that it was one of the more delicious ramens he has tried in Sydney so far. 

Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen ($10.80) with Marinated Boiled Egg ($1.50)

The above could also be said for my black garlic Tonkotsu ramen. Was a bit bummed at my lack of nori so I got a piece from KT's bowl (seriously it's just not the same without the nori!). The broth was flavoursome though the garlic was not very strong compared to the Sumo Ramen that is also on the menu (yet to try at time of writing this review). Loved the thin and springy noodles and the thick slices of pork cha-siu in my bowl which worked well with the ramen broth. Gotta love that gooeyness from the egg yolk too.

There were many other dishes that we haven't tried at this joint including the intensely garlicky Sumo Ramen, Spicy Ramen, Chicken Soy Ramen and Seafood Tsuke-men so will certainly be making more visits in the near future. Compared to a few of the other ramen shops in the city, the prices were actually on the cheaper end even when you order the extra egg and nori. However if you can only handle light-broth ramen similar to Ippudo, this might not be the ideal place for you. Hopefully this joint will stay as long as possible to bring that much needed spark and even a bit of cheeky ramen competition back into Dixon House Food Court along with its old school charm.

DISCLAIMER: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of Ramen O-San, courtesy of SD Marketing and Washoku Lovers. Opinions are however, my own.

Ramen O-San
Shop B01, Dixon House Food Court
Cnr Dixon Street and Little Hay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
Wed-Mon: 11:00am - 8:30pm
http://www.o-san.com/index.html