Spanish Terrazas, Sydney CBD

Garden salad

A friend from high school is having her hen's night at this restaurant in the heart of the Spanish Quarter. I have been here about a couple of times or more previously and have raved on how awesome the paella really is. Seriously in my opinion, this place has the best paella in Sydney! However we all got a set menu of tapas so there will be no paella action tonight. I remember trying a couple of these dishes a while before, and they were pretty good as well so hopefully this time, it's still just as good.

Complimentary bread

I am guessing because this was booked in advance, the food was delivered very quickly. In fact, every single tapas dish came out all at once. It was pretty overwhelming trying to decide which dish to have first. We were also given a side of bread roll, green salad and 2 jugs of sangria.

Garlic mushrooms

I really enjoyed the garlicky taste that the mushrooms offer. It did have a slight spicy kick which is not overbearing for the chilli-noob.

Can't remember the name of this dish...maybe Russian salad or potato salad?

First time trying this dish. Was ok to try but nothing significant compared to the other dishes.

Potatoes aioli

This was heavily covered with a special creamy aioli sauce. Several people on my end of the table said that it tasted a bit cheesy too but I could not detect this. The potatoes were fairly crispy to our liking and is one of the stand out dishes.

Fried Calamari

While it looked like your usual fried calimari from the local shops, it was still very crispy and crunchy throughout our meal - even when we were all too full to finish it off. Best eaten with a dose of lemon.

Garlic Prawns

This was possibly the favourite tapas dish of the night. I remember veryone was raving about this all night. It was presented to us sizzling hot in garlic oil and parsley in a terra cotta dish. Made good use of the bread to clean up the plate. Yummm!

BBQ Spanish Chorizo

When there's Spanish tapas, there's gotta be chorizos. Another dish I enjoyed mainly for the chargilled texture and its tangy flavour.

Albondigas (Meatballs)

Again made good use of the bread for the thick sauce. By this point, everyone was stuffed and struggling to try and polish everything off. But OMG, the meat is seriously juicy that I ignored how full I was getting and tried to stomach as much as I can from this dish. It was deliciously good stuff.

The other end of the table also got a platter with olives, artichokes and the like, I did not manage to get the name for this and cannot find a simlarily matched combo plate on the website. But it did look very delicious.

While we were eating, there was a Spanish band playing some nice tunes. Several diners got up and go crazy on the dance floor. Even a couple of staff members joined in for the fun! Meanwhile, we were finishing up our sangria and getting tequila shots for the bride to be. A night of fun, entertainment and so much food. While the prices are more expensive compared to the other Spanish restaurants in the area, some of the food they deliver here are pretty brilliant in quality and taste. I still wish we had the chance to try the paella though as they did a really good job with the crust in the past...even though if it's very pricey compared to other restaurants.

SHOTS EVERYBODY!

Spanish Terrazas
541 Kent Street Sydney NSW 2000
Contact no: (02) 9283 3046
http://www.spanishterrazas.com.au/

Que Huong, Cabramatta

A nice get together with a few friends in the local area on a rainy Saturday afternoon. We arranged to catch up in Cabramatta which is perfect as the dining options are incredible. Eventually my friend mentioned to meet at Que Huong Restaurant which is located in a hidden alleyway - despite the address stating that it's located on John Street. So it may be a bit hard to find if you don't know your way around the area. This is also right across from Cafe Nho which has gotten a bit of recognition in SBS Feasts magazine a few months ago.

The interior design may not look fancy but it is the basic layout that makes you feel like you're at home with your relatives in Vietnam. While many of Cabramatta's restaurants prides themselves on Pho and other noodle-based dishes, Que Huong's signature dish is banh xeo (or Vietnamese pancake). It is interesting that their menu also includes non-Vietnamese dishes like fish and chips and chicken and chips!

While most of us had banh xeo, one of my friends went with banh uot which consists of wide rice noodles, Vietnamese pork sausage, salad and prawn fried in batter . This dish looked very delicious to try especially with the batter that looked like a mini-banh xeo. My friend definitely enjoyed it.

Banh uot

Now for the dish we've all been waiting for. Interestingly, Que Huong Restaurant also serves banh xeo dac biet (special) so some of us ordered this version. However when we got our meals, the normal version and the special version looked very similar and couldn't find any difference. We did find a few chicken pieces in the special banh xeo version but otherwise, it was not a huge difference.

Banh xeo

The batter was very crispy, thin and slightly oily which was fine for us. The fillings were so fresh with the amount of bean sprouts, prawns, onions, pork belly and spirong onions. It is amazing that despite its think and crispy batter and the dense amount of fillings, it still manages not to break apart. We made good use of the complimentary salad by wrapping pieces of banh xeo with a bit of lettuce and mint and dipping it with nuon cham, which is the best way to eat this dish.

Yummm!

Great place to check out some of the more unique and very authentic dishes that stand out on this restaurant's menu that may be overloooked in other Vietnamese restaurants. And a great introduction to banh xeo if you haven't got the chance to try this dish yet!

Anyone for salad?

Que Huong Restaurant

Shop 16, 70 John Street, Cabramatta 2166
Contact no: (02) 9723 9916

Taste of Sydney 2012, Centennial Park

Sorry for the lateness of this review. The last two months have been so busy for me so doing an epic post like this was going to take a while. Plus uploading photos from iPhone can be a bit of a pain...

Anyone for table tennis?

Considering how messed up the weather was lately, it was no surprise that Thursday's session of Taste of Sydney got cancelled due to the epic downpour of rain (and flooding!!!). Thankfully, the weather over the next few days was perfect but the ground was pretty muddy.

After attending Taste of Sydney over the past couple of years, it was no surprise that the restaurants appearing at the festival will deliver an array of amazing dishes and this year was no exception. In fact I thought there were too many dishes to choose from and not enough Crowns (currency used at Taste festivals) or stomach to devour them all. Most menu items are worth 8, 10 or 12 Crowns with exception to Icon dishes which varies between 8 to 20 Crowns and even 32 Crowns for one Icon dish from Flying Fish.

Hope you are full enough to enjoy the next batch of photos featuring a selection of dishes observed and/or tasted that day. (Warning: Avert your eyes if you are a vegetarian or love little piggies...)

Stitch Bar, Sydney CBD

If you are starting to feel overwhelmed on the number of small bars popping up around Sydney, you are not alone. Small bars, wine bars, and hole-in-the-wall bars are popping up at nearly every corner in Sydney that you can be forgiven with for have trouble deciding on the place with all the choices. One bar that got me interested is Stitch Bar -founded by the same guys as Pocket Bar. Not just because of their immense wine and cocktail list with catchy names (Purple Haze and Goosebumps anyone?) but also because of the food they make.

Like most small bars, it is pretty tough in finding the location due to its hole in the wall and underground setting. When you find it, you are greeted with several sewing machines with bits of thread lying around that you will think that you may have entered into a 'Spotlight' store. After walking down the stairs you are greeted with an old Wild West-style bar with dim lighting and a small dining area on the other side.

I can't remember when I first heard about curly fries - possibly in a movie or a tv show. But ever since then, I have been craving to try curly fries anywhere - surprisingly you don't see this as much around Australia. So when I saw this on the menu, I literally jumped for joy! It was spicier than I expected after eating through the fries but it was enjoyable playing around with its curliness.

Curly Fries!

Another moment of jumping for joy is seeing tacos on the menu. I wanted to try all of the fillings (carnitas, drunken skirt and Ancho Chile pulled chicken) but I can pick on flavour for all 3 servings. This time, I opted for the drunken skirt. When it arrived at my table, I noticed that the tortillas have been grilled with the cheese melted with the fillings - like a qaesadilla! In fact I think it probably was a qaesadilla which can be a bit of a bother if you are expecting tacos. Thankfully, it tasted pretty nice altho the beef was somewhat tough to chew on. Next time, I got to try their hot dogs and burgers!

Drunken skirt tacos

When you are in a bar like Stitch, you may as well try the drinks especially with those catchy names. On this occasion, I was so indecisive so the bartender was nice enough to do a custom-made cocktail which isn't available on the menu! I can't really judge on this but it tasted very refreshing.

Next time you and your mates/co-workers are up for a classy night out and you are stuck on which small bar to check out, give Stitch Bar a go especially for their extensive cocktail list. Don't be surprised if you get there and there's a long queue of hungry patrons waiting at the bar for a table if you and your guests are planning to eat. I checked it out once on a Wednesday evening around 6pm, and it was already full. Plus in peak hours, I have heard that the bar gets really packed. It is a small bar after all.

Stitch Bar
61 York Street, Sydney
Contact no: 02 9299 2719
http://www.stitchbar.com/

Ramen Kan, Haymarket

These days. we think of hole in the wall places like the small bars that are literally popping on every corner of Sydney. Long before that, Ramen Kan has located itself in its own hole in the wall space upstairs where customers access this restaurant via an elevator. Hard to find if you had no idea about this.


At the time I went inside, the queue was not that long. Since the waiting area is fairly small, this can get very crowded for the hungry diners. As it is very close to UTS, it is a very popular place for students The menu offers different types of noodle dishes like ramen and udon as well as small side dishes such as chicken karaage, takoyaki, edamame and gyoza.

Tonkotsu Ramen

I headed straight for the ramen as I wasn't too hungry to grab the other dishes. The broth was fairly thick but it maintained the right consistency as I was able to clean up the whole bowl. Also, the noodles has a nice bite which made the dish very satisfying. It was accompanied with a little dish of fried shallots, garlic and chilli sauce to enhance the flavour to your liking.


The overall meal was pretty satisfying. If you are a fan of Japanese cuisine, this place does a really good job at it. Definitely somewhere to go and meet up with friends for a quick dinner or lunch. Plus the service was pretty good. When I left, the restauran was nearly full and there was about 10-20 people waiting in that small area near the lift to get a table. As looks like a walk in restaurant, expect the queues at peak hours.


Ramen Kan
90 Hay Street, Haymarket, 2000
Contact no: 02 9211 6677

Moochi & Noggi, Strathfield [BOTH CLOSED]

We all go crazy for sweets. Macarons, creme brulee, ice cream sandwiches and now frozen yogurt! Especially in Strathfield (and Chatswood - but that's for another review). Lately, it has been the ultimate hip hangout place for the young and the young at heart. After seeing practically everyone checking in at these places on Facebook and Foursquare on a daily basis - predominantly late nights, I thought it was time to do some exploring. And before anyone starts to go into a froyo war frenzy based on the following review, I should tell you this: I originally was not a fan of yogurt. In fact my own folks will probably be surprised when I tell them that I have now become addicted to this stuff. And to this day I still get froyo cravings.

That night I met up with CC (who is absolutely obsessed with Moochi and Noggi!) for dinner earlier on. I cannot remember why we have chosen to go to Noggi first - I am guessing it was because she loves the biscotti flavour. After a couple of walks around the block, we ended up at Moochi to try out their churros...and the froyo of course!

ATMOSPHERE

Noggi:
At the time I went, most of the people there looked like they are from high school. They also have a special deal for high school kids. Noggi has a bright light green and blue background and design plus they have a spare room at the back which has more seats to chill out.


Moochi:
Pink and White. Enough said. It conjurs images of Wendy's and Donut King with the amount of pink in the design. There was not much room though which may have contributed to the excessive crowds at later hours. The crowd here is generally older than at Noggi but there were a few school kids too. They also show a film on their own TV screen


Both places are pumping with the music you would hear at rnb/hip hop clubs which will explain the epic lines at 10 or 11pm as it does feel like a nightclub. Except with no cover charge and alcohol.

FLAVOURS AND TOPPINGS

Noggi:
Their froyo flavours comprise of Original (Vanilla), Green Tea, Biscotti and Wildberry. In recent visits they seem to have Pomegranate instead of Wildberry though. The toppings here appear to be limited compared to Moochi but they seem to have more fruit toppings than candy. In addition, the maximum number of toppings to choose for your froyo is up to three.

Moochi
Froyo flavours comprise of Original, Green Tea, Pomegranate and Watermelon. They appear to have a larger variety of toppings compared to Noggi with both fruit and sweet candy flavours. Additionally they allow unlimited toppings - at a price.



PRICE

Noggi
Here they have a fixed number of 3 toppings with a fixed price depending on the size. For example, a regular size with 3 toppings is $5.70. A regular size without toppings is $4.20.

Moochi
Moochi did not list the maximum number of toppings but they do have an additional price of 50c. Interestingly on the price board, they listed their sizes in measurements of ounces! This is probably the first time I have seen it used in Australia. Their regular size without toppings is listed as $3.90. With 3 toppings added, this comes down to $5.40. With or without toppings, Moochi's yogurt is shown to be 30c less than Noggi's which is not really a huge difference.

But it all comes down to the taste! (excuse the cooking reality show pun).

TASTE

Noggi
I picked the biscotti flavour with tim tams, oreos and gummi bears as toppings. The yogurt tasted light yet not too creamy like a gelato or sorbet. The biscotti flavour tasted absolutely amazing as you get the creamy taste at first but then the flavour you would expect from a biscotti arrives in the end. To be honest, I wish that Moochi has biscotti as well. I also tried the wildberry flavour which was equally good and was a bit more sweeter than the biscotti.


Moochi
I went chocolate overload by ordering a watermelon yogurt with tim tams, oreos and Flake! The yogurt tasted very creamy similar to an ice cream and the watermelon flavour was very fruity and sweet. It literally melts in your mouth faster than the frozen yogurt at Noggi. If you prefer your yogurt to have a creamier texture then I would suggest this place.


EXTRA EXTRAS!

Noggi
They have waffles and smoothies - known at Noggi as 'Smoogies'. They also have coffee and tea if you are there earlier and need something to keep you up. Did not get the chance to try their waffles but they look really tasty from seeing other customers ordering it. This is served with frozen yogurt, 2 fruits and Hershey's chocolate (oh yummm!)


Moochi
Otherwise check out Moochi for their Moochi churros and chocolate. My friend bought these to share and they looked pretty epic for just four long servings. The melted chocolate dip made it taste even better. They also have coffee and tea plus cold drinks like iced tea and iced chocolate. And they also have smoothies...called 'Smoochies'!


It is sweet that this craze is going around Sydney as it does claim to be healthy compared to lots of dessert options...unless you are a chocolate and candy freak like myself. In the end both Moochi and Noggi have their own advantages regarding the quality of their frozen yogurt not to mention efficient and friendly service (plus cute eye candy!). It is no wonder that frozen yogurt shops are popping up everywhere across Sydney and around the world. Did I mention how addictive it can be? It is best that you discover the hype yourself if you haven't yet. Don't say that I didn't warn you.


Moochi
1/7-9 Churchill Ave, Strathfield NSW 2135
http://www.iheartmoochi.com.au/


Noggi
2/2 Albert Rd, Strathfield NSW 2135
http://www.noggi.com.au/