Luyu and Yum Yum, Newtown

When you think of yum cha joints, Newtown wouldn't be the first suburb to come into mind. Interestingly, we somehow get the massive yum cha cravings whenever we are in the Inner West so it was good to hear that Luyu and Yum Yum is now opened in the vicinity. 

Dipping sauces: soy sauce, chilli oil, vinegar

Compared to the usual yum cha joints; the venue is fancier, prices were more expensive and the service was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Plus, the dumplings were like a work of art on your plate. 

Manga Dumpling *Hedgehog* - 3pc ($12.80)

While it was flour dough baked, the texture was similar to generic pan fried dumplings. Consisting of king oyster mushroom, Chinese mushroom, carrot and fungi, these vegetarian hedgehog dumplings were crispy, moreish rather adorable. CC thought they were a tad oily and too crunchy for her liking, but I thought the crisp texture was the best part. 

Snow White rabbit dumplings - 3pc ($12.80)

Another cute batch of dumplings shaped like an animal with an even more adorable name to boot. This contains prawn, asparagus, bamboo shoot and creamy soup in a Chrysanthemum infused potato starch dough.  

Caviar Dumplings - 4pc ($13.80)

We were feeling kinda fancy with these caviar dumplings. Filled with prawn, carrot, coriander and celery in a steamed rice dough pastry, these dumplings were plump, juicy and shaped like a steamed version of the traditional fried moneybags. 

Flying Seafood Dumpling - 4pc ($13.80)

These fish-shaped dumplings were filled with scallop, fish-ball, prawn, asparagus and flying fish roe in a steamed rice dough pastry. Like the other dumplings at Luyu and Yum Yum, they have a nice chewy texture that wasn't too thick or too thin. I've got a soft spot for scallop dumplings so it was no surprise that I wanted more of this.  

Mr Luyu "Starburst" Dumpling - 4pc ($11.80)

These are my fave dumplings of the lot. Not only did I love the xiao-long-bao shape, you can't help but notice its colourful fruit-infused flour dough, thin dumpling skin. While most xiao long bao contains pork, these dumplings consist of chicken in Mr Luyu homemade hot broth.

Kiss Me Dumplings - 4pc ($10.80)

Like the Starburst dumplings, these xiao long bao also consist of chicken instead of pork in addition to ginger and shallot in a hot broth. The texture is very thin and the broth is hot to handle when you try to devour these cheeky-named morsels. 

Before you start thinking that Luyu and Yum Yum is just dumplings, there are loads of non-dumplings dishes to enjoy such as fried rice, steamed fish, roasted duck and 7 flovaoured tofu. CC goes crazy for eggplant so we went with that option. These were crispy on the outside and piping hot on the inside. It was also rather sticky from the chrysanthemum honey plus soy, sesame and dried onion coated onto the fried batter. 

If you love your dumplings with a bit more of art and colour, you will be glad to hear that Luyu and Yum Yum is a lovely addition to the Newtown food scene. It's different from your usual cafes, Thai restaurants, cheap takeaways and dessert joints so it was no surprise that we often had to wait for a table in all of our visits so far (thankfully not very long). While the prices are a bit too expensive for me to return on a regular basis, the flavour, appearance, texture and ingredient combination would be enough for me to make a further visit or two to try more of their dumpling selection or even another serving of the above. And the cocktails look damn fine too. 

Luyu and Yum Yum

Level 1, 196 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

(02) 9519 9888

http://luyu.com.au/

Sun, Tues-Wed: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:30pm - 10:15pm

Thurs-Sat: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:30pm - 11:00pm

Mon: Closed

 

Cuckoo Callay, Newtown

Bacon! Bacon! Bacon! It was no surprise that I jumped for joy when I first heard about Cuckoo Callay holding a Bacon Festival back in February. Was even happier when I realised this will be going on for 12 weeks. Fast forward many weeks and multiple visits later. Well I haven't managed to try the whole menu but for what I did try, I was really satisfied. By now, this post is probably a bit too late since it will be ending pretty soon but hey better late than never? 

Conveniently located right next to Newtown station, there is so much to love about Cuckoo Callay when it comes down to their fun and down to earth approach. Even on the menu with lots of cute names such as "Birdy Nom Nom", "Cinderella's Breakfast", "Georgeous George and #HashTag Browns 3.0 (heh). According to the take-away menu on the front, they give out free hugs but I haven't had the guts to ask. I probably need one though sighs.

Skim Mocha ($4.00)

Skim Latte ($3.50)

Cuckoo Callay uses Single Origin Roasters house blend. So far, I've been really impressed by the coffee here. The mocha was slightly sweet but not in an overwhelming way and the coffee art was always a highlight. Been starting to drink lattes as well and the one I've had was smooth and not too bitter.

Drizzle Sticks ($10.00)

Bacon dipped in chocolate may not sound as appealing at first but it got quite addictive after a few bites. Loved biting into the sweet chocolate while getting mesmerised by the meaty bacon strips. Great to have when the weather was warmer.

What a Croque of Bacon ($19.00)

As a lover of croquettes (if it's done right), I couldn't go past this dish. It looked slightly similar to the #HashTag browns 3.0 dish on the regular menu except without the avocado and replacing the bacon steak/salmon/haloumi with long Bourbon bacon strips. The thick-sized vintage cheddar croquettes were chunky and creamy on the inside whilst crispy and crumbly on the outside. Enjoyed mixing the bacon and croquettes with the pea puree and the gooey egg yolk (more on that later). With its reasonable serving size, it was definitely one of my fave dishes that I would order again if I get the chance. Just the colourful appearance of this dish alone will bring a smile to your face.

Bacon All the Rules ($24.00)

If you really LOVE your bacon then get this dish. There's 5 (YES FIVE!) different types of bacon in this one dish alone. This consisted of Black Forest Smokehouse maple bacon, bourbon bacon, bacon steak, bacon sausage and (*gasp*) bacon-crumbed poached eggs served on sourdough toast. Man I'm getting meat sweats just writing that last sentence. Yup this was certainly not one for the faint hearted but I couldn't look away. Just that experiencing so many different forms and textures of bacon was a culinary journey that I was gladly happy to explore whether it was the tiny specks of crumbed bacon or the salty yet juicy bacon sausage or that thick slab of bacon steak.

Oh yeahhh

That yolk porn...

Also the poached eggs NEVER EVER fail to disappoint me. So many gooey times here.

Ya Bacon Me Crazy ($20.00)

While it may be a dish that you would likely to get for dessert after a savoury meal, it was surprisingly filling enough on its own to satisfy your hunger. Thanks to the maple bacon and the waffles, there was still a bit of that warm, savoury and slightly salty flavour as you sink your teeth into this towering plate of cinnamon ice cream and choc-coated bourbon bacon indulgence.

Best. Chips. Ever ($9.00)

While I can't comment on whether these chips were the best ever, they would certainly rank high on my list. So thick and crispy on the outside and incredibly fluffy on the inside. Great to share with a group of friends though it can be very addictive.

While the food may be on the pricier side of the spectrum, the service has been welcoming and accommodating. The portions were quite generous so that made up for the price. Sadly the Bacon Festival is ending very soon after its 12-week run (around early-mid May which is just around the corner!) so if you love your bacon, hurry to Cuckoo Callay before the pigs fly away!

Disclaimer: I paid for every single meal mentioned in this post.

Cuckoo Callay

324a King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

(02) 9557 7006

http://www.cuckoo-callay.com.au/

Mon-Fri: 6:00am - 4:00pm

Sat: 8:00am - 4:00pm

Sun: 8:00am - 3:00pm

The Stinking Bishops, Enmore

Apologies for my lack of action in blogging lately. In the last few weeks, I have been settling back to full time work, getting active at high intensity training, attending bdays and various special events, and watching endless repeats of 'If You Are The One'. Mostly the latter. Got a few good reviews lined up especially for those who love Japanese food. But more on that later. This review is all about the cheese!!!

It may be hard to believe now but I actually despised cheese when I was a kid. In fact I still wasn't too fond of cheese until a few years ago when I visited Hunter Valley for the first time. That's where I tried some of the cheeses that I wouldn't have touched including washed rind and blue cheeses. Going to The Stinking Bishops in Enmore when it opened last year was when I really fell in love with the formaggio. Sounds cheesy (pardon the pun) but it's true. Even though the name of the venue itself may not sound as enticing since it's named after a washed rind cheese renowned for its pungent smell.

By now CC and I have probably visited The Stinking Bishops at least 10 times over the last year. We are both diehard fans of this cheese and wine bar since our first visit. Everything we've tried here has been incredible. The dishes mentioned in this post is just a sample of what we have tried during our many visits. Mainly because most of our visits were at night where the lighting wasn't as awesome. There's not much seating at the venue and it fills up quickly at night so there's often a waiting list for dinner.

Three Cheese Board - Clockwise from Top: Bert 3 Latte, Quickes Oak Smoked Cheddar, Epoisses ($29.00) 

Three Cheese Board - Clockwise from Top: Isle of Mull Cheddar, Cashel Blue, Bruny Island Oen 

The Stinking Bishops has a wide selection of different cheeses to choose from whether it's a hard/semi-hard, washed rind, white mould/surface ripened or a blue mould cheese. Despite the numerous visits, it is still very hard to narrow it down to a four cheese board (let alone three or two) especially with that many options. You can get a two cheese board for $20, three cheeses for $29 or four cheeses for $36. This was served with a basket of sourdough bread and crackers, muscatel grapes (had fresh and dried ones on separate occasions), quince paste and a slice of fig and walnut log. 

While I would suggest to try most of them, my recommendations so far have been the smooth and creamy Bert 3 Latte (with cow's, goat's and sheep's milk); the runny washed-rind Epoisses, the soft Bruny Island Oen wrapped in vine leaves, the hard, crumbled and smoked Quickes Old Smoked Cheddar, the semi-soft, milder Irish Cashel Blue. Others faves not pictured would be the bitey French Comte and the smooth and nutty Holy Goat Brigid's Wall. 

'Mr Crispy' Sandwich - Smoked Wagyu Beef, Le Gruyere, house made pickles and horseradish mayo ($12.00) 

Besides the platters, another fave of mine at The Stinking Bishops has been the 'Mr Crispy' toasties. I actually only started liking toasties recently thanks to this dish. The cheese was slightly stringy (the best part!!!), the beef was tender and smoked while the rest of the contents balanced the fillings to make this one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Sadly it's only available for lunch but give it a go if you work around the area or pass by for lunch during the weekends.

Mac n' Cheese n' Onion ($21.00)

Personally I thought the cheese taste and smell in the Mac n Cheese was slightly too strong for my liking especially after digging into all the of the other cheeses. It was certainly a carb feast just going through the bowl. It's great dish to have as a comfort meal during the colder winter seasons. 

Pinot Grigio ($12.00/glass)

Pinot Noir ($11.00/glass)

Of course there was a bit of wine action when cheese is involved. Can't think of anything else more suited to each other than this. 

Other dishes I would recommend would  be the cured meat platters. If only I could do a combination of meat and cheese platter. Hopefully one day. The only qualms were that you had to get there early to get a table if you are there for dinner. It can also be quite noisy at times. Plus the prices aren't cheap which was to be expected for a boutique cheese bar.  If you love your cheese, The Stinking Bishops is a must visit. The staff are super friendly and they REALLY know their cheese! If you aren't a huge cheese fan, this may actually convert you. It certainly has for me. Looking forward to making 1000 more visits for 2015 and beyond hehe. 

The Stinking Bishops
Shop 5, 63-71 Enmore Road, Enmore NSW
(02) 9007 7754
http://www.thestinkingbishops.com/

Smash Sausage Kitchen, Newtown

At this time, I probably should be doing a recap but 2014 has been a pretty average year for me to be honest. In terms of food blogging, it has been really awesome on the other hand especially with meeting more cool foodies and exploring new restaurants. So let's end the year with hearty comfort food...like sausages! 

Recently a friend invited me to check out one of her fave joints located on the quieter end of King Street, Newtown. While you don't hear this as much in social media, it has a solid following in the local community especially from the circle of friends who were with me that night. The decor may not be the fanciest (lots of really cool pop art though) but it definitely has the heart and soul when it comes to serving their good ol' fashioned snags. 

Bulmers Apple Cider ($7.50)

There was so many of us so it was hard to cover what everyone got. So this post will mainly focus on what I sampled on this visit. Went with the Bulmers Apple Cider, which was very sweet and rich but also a great way to cool down on a hot day with hot food.

Willie The Boatman Foo Brew Long Necks ($14.00)

Since it was a sausage joint, we couldn't help but laugh when we saw a drink called "Willie". While it looked dark and rich, the flavour was actually lighter than I expected. Quite easy to drink compared to the cider. Would order this drink if it wasn't that pricey. 

Sausages (2), Creamy Potato, Bacon and Leek Mash and Mushroom Gravy ($18.50)

The signature concept of Smash Sausage Kitchen is that you get to build your own sausage, mash and sauce to whatever way you like. First you choose your sausage/s then you choose your mash (or chips, garden salad or veggies if you don't like mash) then sauce, gravy or chutney to have on the side. For $2 extra, you also get the choice to add toppings to your snags whether it's grated cheddar or crispy bacon Parmesan crisps. My mash pick was the creamy potato, bacon and leek which was very tasty and not lumpy at all. The mushroom gravy has a smooth but not too creamy texture which made it ideal for pouring it over the sausages or the mash...or even something you could dip your sausage into...ahem.

Old English Pork sausage

There's a generous range of sausages to choose from including Smokey Bacon, Pork and Maple; Vegetarian sausage; and Lamb Mint and Rosemary to name a few. I decided on two flavours which were the Old English Pork and the Smokey Beef Texan. Both sausages were juicy, flavoursome, firm but not too hard nor was it too soft. While they were both delicious, I personally preferred the Smokey Beef Texan because of it's mild spices that gives it a good flavour boost. Bonus points for all sausages being gluten free! Extra bonus points for the size of those...erm yeah.

Smokey Beef Texan

Sausages, gravy and mash topped with cheese

Honey roasted carrots ($8.00)

We also got a bowl of honey roasted carrots to share between everyone on the table. Loved the not-too-sweet flavour as well as the stickiness that adds to the firm texture of the carrots. 

Lime creme brulee (special menu)

Initially I was planning to get one of the puddings but I was so keen to try the creme brulee when I spotted it on the special menu. Unfortunately this ended up being a let down because the custard way too soft and liquid-like when I tried it out. The saving grace was that the brulee topping was hard, which was how I preferred. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake with gooey chocolate sauce and cream ($9.50)

Only took a bite of this but I could sense the decadence and richness from the chocolate in this dessert. The cream will certainly be a good match to complement the intense flavour from the chocolate. Since I love chocolate, will definitely order this on a future visit

Sticky Date Pudding with salted macademias, hot butterscotch sauce and ice cream ($9.50)

Only had a sample of this as well but I really enjoyed this dessert. Warm, sticky and sweet; this dish was certainly my idea of comfort food on those cooler days. If it didn't belong to someone else, I would have certainly grabbed much more than a sample. 

Apart from the dessert I've had, I was pleased with the food I've tried at Smash Sausage Kitchen. There's so many different types of sausages to choose from plus the sausages were generous servings so you get full without worrying about spending too much on your budget. Will definitely return to try more different juicy and hearty sausages, mashes especially during the cooler weather .

So here we are at the end of 2014. I've had lots of awesome foodie adventures this year whether it's at a foodie catch up outing, the occasional travel or discovering new restaurants, bars and food-related products. Thank you to everyone who has checked out The Random Foodie this year. Cheers to even more foodie memories in 2015!

Smash Sausage Kitchen
512 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042
(02) 9516 5424
http://smashsausagekitchen.com.au/
Mon-Thurs: 5:30pm - 9:30pm
Fri-Sat: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Sun: 5:00pm - 9:30pm

Brewtown Newtown, Newtown

After the closure of Berkelouw Books Newtown, we eagerly await to see what would replace this much loved book store. Will it be yet another froyo or Thai food joint? Thankfully (or not if you aren't into cafes), a new complex featuring a Surry Hill-esque cafe with a snazzy merchant shop upstairs taking over this space while still keeping the old Berkelouw Books spirit alive within its walls with the interior decor. Headed by Simon Triggs from Gnome Espresso and Charles Cameron from Single Origin Roasters, you know that this has to be pretty darn awesome especially with its affordable and appetising menu.

Brewtown's mocha was balanced in terms of sweetness from the chocolate, slight creaminess from the milk and bitterness from the coffee. Usually when it comes to weekend cafe visits, I always get a small size but on this occasion I regretted not getting a large one since it was done so well. Felt like I wanted more after I finished this up. Good job!

Mocha - Small ($4.00)

CC went for her usual order of chai latte which had a lovely set up. Personally, I'm not too familiar with chai so I thought this presentation was unique. Judging by CC's reaction, the chai was wonderful and quite flavoursome at Brewtown.

Chai - loose leaf spiced chai ($4.00)

There have been a few dining joints in the past where I did not like or cannot eat anything on the menu. On the other hand, Brewtown Newtown's menu is one of those places where I wanted to eat everything off the menu and more! As usual we were stuck with so many choices but agreed to try something different and share. CC went with the duck ravioli thanks to the suggestion of one of the waiters. Although it looked light with its two plump pillows of ravioli pasta, it was actually deliciously decadent with its shredded duck meat filling and the pasta itself. While the cheese is usually found inside the ravioli, at Brewtown Newtown the parmesan cheese is scattered on top for a richer texture. Combined with the earthy flavours of porcini and wild mushrooms, this dish delivers a terrific aroma to your senses. Double thumbs up from CC who has been craving for this dish since this visit.

Duck Ravioli with Porcini and Wild Mushroom ($16.50)

I'm hopeless at waking up early so the chances of me going to a cafe before 11:00am or 11:30am is pretty slim. What I really loved about this cafe is the all-day and everyday breakfast menu so you don't have to get up early to enjoy a satisfying brunch. The Grilled Black Sausage, Home made Hash Browns, Canadian Bacon and House Relish with Boiled Eggs executes the idea of an all-day breakfast dish perfectly. Well it's not everyday that you eat black sausage in the morning. The sausage was well cooked with a slightly charred texture so you would think that you are eating a chorizo instead of the softer black sausage. I enjoyed digging into the less well-seasoned boiled egg but my personal favourite ingredient was biting into the crunchy shredded hash browns. And of course everything tastes better with bacon right? ;). 

Grilled Black Sausage, Home made Hash Browns, Canadian Bacon and House Relish with Boiled Eggs ($16.50)

If you are vegetarian but you are finding yourself drooling over the above dishes, then fear not! The Baked Polenta with Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Poached Eggs and Parmesan is equally as indulgent as every single other dish on this yummy menu. When it arrived to my table, you can immediately smell that earthy, truffle-like scent thanks to the plump mushrooms (I think there was truffle oil in this dish actually...). The baked polenta wedge reminded me of the polenta chips at Bloodwood only larger and denser just as crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. This worked well when you mix it with the asparagus and the firm and sharp-flavoured Parmesan cheese shavings and then dipping it all with the poached egg yolk. Any runny yolk action from these poached eggs? Oooh yessss there was. Hard to imagine that this is a vegetarian dish but if you want some meat like Canadian Bacon or shaved leg ham, you can add extra sides to any meal if you want (I think sides cost at an additional $4.50. Don't quote me on this).

Baked Polenta with Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, Poached Eggs and Parmesan ($15.00)

To be honest, I actually thought that the cronut hype has actually slowed down based on recent food articles. The less than 10 minutes it took for a freshly made batch of cronuts to sell out has proved me wrong. These moreish treats were freshly baked on site upstairs. You can see people ordering it for a quick take-away or for desserts if you are dining at the tables since Brewtown Newtown does not have a dessert menu. You can pick from the following flavours depending on availability: cinnamon, glazed, chocolate custard and strawberry jam. It had a crispy and fairly light texture with many flaky layers as you chew into it. It was also softer than I initially expected - kinda like a normal doughnut. Will definitely be ordering them again though I would recommend coming early to try more of the available flavours.

Cronut - Cinnamon ($4.00)

With all dishes priced at less than $20 (the most expensive dish costs $17.00), the serving size of each plate is generous to fill you up and remain satisfied until dinner. Even though it was opened for less than 2 months, there have been queues of people waiting to get a table. The service staff are incredibly friendly but the vibe can get rushed and crazy when dealing with a very busy restaurant. So far, I've been very happy with my experience at Brewtown Newtown. Every dish I've eaten has been a winner. The same goes for CC who has made numerous recent visits and has recommended the meatball baguette and the pached chicken saladt. If there is any cafe that will be heavily reviewed and raved in the blogging and foodie community (see Devon, The Grounds, Three Williams, Reuben Hills etc.), I reckon Brewtown Newtown will get a fair amount of well-deserved hype this year thanks to the cronuts and the mouth watering and well-priced brunch dishes. 

Brewtown Newtown
6-8 O'Connell Street, Newtown NSW 2042
(02) 9519 2920
https://www.facebook.com/brewtownnewtown
Mon-Sun: 8:00am - 4:00pm (kitchen closes at 3:00pm)