Category: Sydney

All About Food Blog is currently based in Sydney, Australia. It is obviously THE place to be if you want to find food from all over the world.

Max Brenner

Rating:

7.5 / 10

Taste: 8/10

Price Range: $5 – $15

Place: 7/10

Review:

It’s the dessert week and I am writing about One of the best dessert / chocolate place in Sydney! They also open quite late into the night. Max Brenner is THE number one destination for quality desserts, great place, and affordable price. Since it’s all about dessert, I’m going to give you my top 5 favourites from Max Brenner:

1. Belgian Waffle

The thing I love the most about this Waffle is its customisability (Yaay! That’s actually a word). Whether you choose the all-in Tutti-Frutti Waffle – that’s 1 or 2 Waffles with 3 bowls of Strawberries, banana, and Vanilla Ice Cream – or just a single Belgian Waffle covered in warm milk chocolate. This waffle is the answer to all of your pains and sorrows. Dramas aside, the waffle is actually really crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, creating a perfect combination with the chocolate.

2. Chocolate Fondue for Two

The ultimate self-indulgence dessert- if you decided to eat it yourself. The fondue has everything that you could ask for: two pots of heated dark and milk chocolate served with bowls of fresh strawberries, bananas, marshmallows and banana bread on top of a wooden tray with two dip sticks. Make sure you bring an extra tummy to share this with you, otherwise you might as well skip your whole meal tomorrow.

3. Chocolate Dip

Okay, seriously the top three dishes can be ordered according to the degree of enjoyment you want with the chocolate. This one was all about light and refreshing dessert. 6 luscious strawberries arranged beautifully around a small pot of milk chocolate. These are not just ordinary strawberries! They were massive, juicy and taste very sweet.

4. Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

Originated from Poland or thereabouts, Babka is a very nice and soft spongy cake with cinnamon and chocolate fillings. The cake is also served with a small pot of milk chocolate. This cake is perfect as a lunchtime menu because of its muffin-size.

5. Choc-Banana Pizza

Last, but definitely not the least, is the no ordinary pizza. It’s a very unique pizza covered in milk chocolate then baked with all the yummi-ness on top of it.

There are countless of drinks that you can enjoy, from hot to cold, and I’ve tried some of them and they’re all equally nice. However, my all time favourites are still the very basic Milk Hot Chocolate and Café Latte. Served in a hug mug, the Chocolate gives us an extra kick to the already chocolate-y night. And if you need extra caffeine, then the Latte will do the job for you.

Did you know?

There was no Max Brenner in real life. The shop was opened by guys name Max and Brenner.

Max Brenner always open their shops in premium spots in Sydney, from the CBD to the posh Bondi Junction. I personally like to go to the Bondi Junction one for the whole going out experience, from dinner to movie to dessert; it’s all available in Bondi Junction.

If you need to find something after midnight, you might as well go to Pancakes on The Rocks because that place open 24/7.

Location:

All over Sydney – Fave place: Level 6 Westfield Bondi Junction

http://www.maxbrenner.com.au/

Jul 13, 2010
Poong Charcoal Korean BBQ

Rating:

7 / 10

Taste: 7/10

Price Range: $11-$15 per dish

Place: 7/10

Review:

Poong charcoal korean bbq restaurant is pretty unique in a way that it presents us with a traditional-styled restaurant. The decors were excessively ‘ordinary’ and everything was painted in green. There was no adequate exhaust fan for the smoke generated from the pot so I would advise you NOT to wear fancy outfit. Despite all these drawbacks, the restaurant caught my attention because of the hominess feeling and of course it is pretty cheap as you go with more people.

Normally we go into the restaurant from the back entrance through an alley. There will be no a la carte menu in this restaurant and You will be cooking your own food on a burning-hot charcoal mesh. It is important to cook your food fast as it will be burnt pretty quickly if you are not aware.

There’s not much variety of food they offer and their menu is presented in Korean with a loosely translated English (e.g. Beef triple, Beef Skirt Slice). They do serve Korean Soju (rice wine) or Beer that you can try.

One must-order dish that I would recommend is Marinated BBQ Spare Ribs. You will get two layered, boned-in spare ribs that you can cut to your bite size. The meat is very juicy and a little bit BBQ-sweet. No matter how you cook it (from medium raw to well done), it will still be soft and tender. Once you’re done with the meat, I would also recommend you to cook the leftover bone for its tasty tendon.

As a side dish, you will be given complimentary kimchi and a plate of assorted raw vegetables. You will also be given sesame oil and homemade sauce – tastes a little bit hot and sour, like kimchi. The drink is served in an aluminium container/cup and there’s an additional charge for rice.

Did you know?

For the daredevils, you are welcomed to try Poong’s authentic Korean cold noodle, called Arrowroot & Cold Noodle Soup. My not-so-much-of-a-fan illustration of this noodle would be: it’s grey noodle chucked into crushed ice with Kimchi sauce and some vegeteables.

I’m pretty sure they like it a lot but it’s not suited to my tastebud.

Parking space is available in nearby Canterbury RSL.

Location:

Corner Canterbury Rd and Griffiths St, Canterbury, NSW, Australia

Feb 25, 2010
Churrasco Brazilian Style BBQ

Rating:

7 / 10

9/10 for its Cheese Bread

Taste: 7/10

Price Range: $35

Place: 7.5/10

Review:

The first thing you need to know about Churrasco Brazilian style BBQ: All You Can Eat Steak. So, please empty your stomach before you heads out to Churrasco. Also, as with every other famous restaurant: book in advance to avoid disappointment.

They have a unique style of serving your meal. Waiters will walk up and down the restaurant offering you the meat they have on the plate or skewers. They give you a two-sided, coloured badge that is used to indicate whether you want to eat or rest. Normally, I just put mine on Green all the way. Sim, Por Favor ^_^

If I may categorise, their churrascaria is divided into two: the common lot and the uncommon dishes.Throughout the night, they will give out the common beef cuts like Sirloin, Rump, Eye Fillet, Scotch Fillet and BBQ Chicken. But, you must keep an eye on the uncommon ones that only passes once every 15 minutes or so. Sausages, lamb, ham, and pork are among the uncommon dishes.

There is one particular dish that I love the most: the Cheese Bread. It is the tastiest bread I’ve ever eaten! This dish rarely comes out, only once every half hour. It’s basically cheese that is baked and plumped like bread, but it still retains the rubbery and tasty feel of a cheese.

To accompany the meal, you will be given three sauces (chimichurri, farofa, vinagrete) and three side dishes (Rice, Red Beans, and Potatoes).I will give you an explanation of what the sauces are since most of you have never heard about it before. As you can see from the pic, Chimichurri is the orange sauce, farofa is the one that look like bread crumb, and vinagrete is the tomato vinegar. I suggest you to mix the chimichurri with farofa to start of with and add vinagrete towards the end of your meal.

For the drink, if you don’t drink Caipirinha or Palma Louca (Brazil’s most famous beer), I would suggest you to drink Guaraná Antarctica. This drink is fantastic and only available in Churrasco (couldn’t find anywhere else in Sydney).

Did you know?

For those of you who are vegetarians: Bad Luck, because this restaurant is not meant to be for you ^_^ The only green that you’ll see in the menu is Zucchini. They serve salad for an extra $10.50 a bowl, which I suggest not to try.

Location:

240 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee, NSW, Australia

http://www.churrasco.com.au/

02 9665 6535

Feb 18, 2010
Four Seasons Wedding Banquet

Four Seasons Wedding Banquet Experience

This week, I’m not gonna make a verdict on a particular restaurant, but I’m gonna tell you my experience of eating at my friend’s fantastic wedding Banquet (Congratulations Caro and Joel ^_^) that was held in Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney on the 23^rd January 2010.

As you can see from the menu above, the dinner was a three-course dinner with cakes and coffees at the end. There is also a choice of red, white, and sparkling wines to choose from. The courses are alternated between guests.

My first course of the night was Antipasto plate. Basically, it’s a plate full of veggies with prosciutto, bocconcini cheese and “carpet slipper” (Italian translation) bread. I couldn’t comment on the prosciutto because I gave it away to Jerry, but the cheese was fabulous. It was perfect bite-size, soft and yummy… Just what I need to build my appetite!

At the other side of the table, they had Prawn & Green Pea Risotto as the entrée menu. I couldn’t really comment on that besides it looked green and prawny.

After a few speeches from everyone plus the MC trying to dance or something, the main course was served. This time, I got the Beef Tenderloin in Red Wine Sauce. It was served on top of garlic potates and spinach (I guess). And lucky enough, I had the most perfectly grilled beef of the night (after talking with other friends on the table). The beef was cooked medium-rare, just to my liking, so that it still leaves the juicy and tender taste.

Again, at the other side of the table, they had Paper Bark Smoked Lamb Rump, which I could only take the picture of.

After the dance and a lot more picture-taking sessions, comes the dessert for the night: a White Chocolate Cheesecake with Berry Compote & Almond Tulip. The cake was a combination of the sweet and fruity.

Alternate dessert was Sticky Date Pudding in Butterscotch sauce that they said was really, really sweet.

Then, the best attraction of the night came in after dessert, the wedding cake. This was not just an ordinary cake; it was The Infamous Croquembouche. Croquembouche, as the French said, means ‘Crunch in the Mouth’. You can literally crunch it then had it melt away in your mouth at the same time. Croquembouche is made of a cone of profiteroles threaded together in caramel with sugar coating and fruits. On the second picture, you will be able to see the glassy golden texture of the caramel on the profiterole.

The night was closed by an assortment of chocolates and coffee of your choice (or more Wines if you could still walk)…

Additional Information:

Four Seasons has a fantastic lounge that serves daily Crème Brulee. You get a different kind of crème brulee each day (or so they say). It’s really good and also a good place to just chill out after a day’s work.

Location and Time of Visit:

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

199 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

Feb 4, 2010
Hurricanes Steakhouse

Rating:

8 / 10

Taste: 8/10

Price Range: $26 – $50

Place: 8.5/10

Hurricanes Steakhouse review

Before we talk about Hurricanes steakhouse, make sure you pick up your phone and call in advance before you head out to the restaurant. If you don’t do it, prepare to wait for 1 – 1.5 hours to get a table.

Now the million-dollar question is: why would people want to wait for 1.5 hours just to eat in a restaurant?

It is simply the ribs! Whether you choose to have pork or lamb, they’re equally exquisite. You can literally rip the ribs off the bone! I would recommend you to share a full rack of lamb (or pork) for two due to its massive size.

Optionally, you can choose to have a half rack and chicken. Their Portuguese-style chicken is better than Oporto’s and apparently their head chef was from Portugal.

To complement my ribs, I normally ordered Onion Rings and/or Garlic Mushrooms to share with others.They’re a nice addition to it because the ribs plate only has fries. They also give us complimentary brown bread.

For a complete dinner experience, I would suggest you to order Rocket & Parmigiano (in Balsamic Vinaigrette). If rocket is not your favourite, they also have a whole range of salad.

Did you know?

If full rack of lamb is not enough for you, Hurricane’s has the answer you need, a 1 kg Rump or T-bone steak. This ‘monster’ or its ‘Goliath’ cousin will surely test your tummy to its limit. Not surprisingly, it is also the Best value for money ^_^

Hurricane’s is located at the heart of Sydney’s most famous beach, Bondi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bondi_Beach,_New_South_Wales).In the summer time, it is always packed with people trying to get sunburnt ^_^ Just around corner, there’s the self-titled ‘world-famous’ deep-fried Mars Bar.

Details:

130 Roscoe Street, Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia

http://hurricanesgrill.com.au/

02 9130 7101

Jan 28, 2010
Pancakes On The Rocks

Rating:

7.5 / 10

9.5/10 for The Ultimate !!

Taste: 7.5/10

Price Range: $11 – $25

Place: 8/10

Review:

One of the best features of Pancakes On The Rocks is that it opens 24 hours, 7 days a week!! In Sydney, where everything closes after 5 (or 11 for pubs), it is a very good place to go if you can’t sleep at night ^_^ However, if you go there on weekends, be prepared to queue up for around 30 – 45 minutes.

In terms of the food, they provide the best range and tasting for restaurant that open 24-hour, from pancakes to beef ribs. As their most-commonly ordered food, you can choose between buttermilk or chocolate pancakes. Normally, you would be presented with 2 stacks of pancake with flavour of your choice. As a personal favourite, I usually choose Bananarama if I want to eat the pancake. However, most people that I know choose Blueberry Heaven. I would suggest you to share the pancake with your mate because they are huge!

If you go to pancake to have dinner, I would suggest you to order their Beef Ribs. The ribs are so tender and juicy. You can easily cut through the meat as if slicing a sausage. The ribs are served in tangy barbecue sauce with a side dish of potato wedges and salad. I’d suggest you to add sour cream and sweet chilli sauce for the wedges.

There is one particular menu that stands out above the rest, The Ultimate. They are not called The Ultimate for nothing, it is the best crepes (I know the irony being in pancake store) that I have ever tasted! You are presented with two perfect-sized crepes filled with crème cheese with a hint of sultanas. They are served with raspberry coulis topped with vanilla ice cream and a strawberry.

Additional Information:

Pancakes on The Rocks is located at the heart of Sydney’s most famous suburb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rocks,_New_South_Wales). All of their restaurants are finely decorated with wooden floors and southern feel.

Other range of food you can order there are Savoury crepes and pancakes, gourmet pizza, salads, and breakfast pancakes. They also provide kids menu for your children.

Location:

4 Hickson Rd, The Rocks, Sydney

http://www.pancakesontherocks.com.au/

02 9247 6371

Jan 21, 2010