Yummy Seafood and Masthai Seafood - spot the difference in Beverly Hills

Every couple of weeks, I return to the 'home' to visit and have dinner with my family.  I'm fortunate that they live near the 'Eat Street' of the southern suburbs, and that the street has so many good restaurants on it.  I'm talking about King Georges Road, Beverly Hills.

The Chinese restaurants here are not the usual suburban ones, though; you know, the ones that have a fork and spoon beside the chopsticks on the tables.  They are often packed on a Sunday night with families getting stuck into the Cantonese cuisine, prepared in a Hong Kong style.  And you know what they say about Chinese restaurants that are full of Chinese people...

There is a triangle at the top of King Georges Road that has a cluster of good restaurants.  We usually go to the same ones, including Rising Sun and Peking Duck, which I've talked about before.
The past few weeks, we've gone to Yummy Seafood Chinese and Masthai Seafood.

Yummy Chinese Seafood is opposite Rising Sun, and is just as popular.  The atmosphere here is better, in my opinion, being less crowded and cleaner.  They do take bookings though it doesn't make much difference because you'll probably have to wait for your table anyway (frustrating but unavoidable).

Typical interior shots of Yummy Seafood - lots of seafood ('market prices') on the menu, and fish tanks out the front.  It's always crowded with Sunday-night diners.
The food is great, with the standard dishes done well, with good serving sizes.

Complimentary soup always gets points, and Yummy's one tonight was pork-based, with lots of unidentified 'bits' in it - tasty.  My favourite dish here is the Wasabi Beef - chargrilled tender beef pieces with a wasabi mayonnaise.  The heavenly tofu (not sure if that's its actual name) is poached egg white mixed with tofu with seafood (scallops and prawns) and veges (mushroom, carrot and asparagus) on top. 

The whole fish was from the tank and they had a special on it for $25 per fish.  All up, these dishes, plus rice and tea came to under $80 for 4 people.  Note that the lobster was popular here - virtually every second table had a large platter of stir-fried lobster/crayfish brought to it.

Then, 2 weeks later, we had a similar meal at Masthai Seafood Restaurant a few doors down.  Equally delicious and good value for money. 

Masthai is not a Thai restaurant, although there is a Thai-looking wall-hanging on the wall. It's Cantonese, again, with the obligatory fish tanks in attendance.

This time, we had steamed chicken with shallot (tender but bony), seafood and tofu hotpot (full of fish pieces, scallop, char sui pork and tofu), and, yet again, the fish special, which was, surprise, barramundi. 

The method of cooking at Masthai and Yummy is identical to me, so the fish tasted the same at both places, ie. pretty darn good.  Rather than plain boiled rice, we had Fukien fried rice with the meal - this is fried rice with a moistening of sauce, and boy, is it fantastic!  Probably not quite healthy, but I could eat this all the time.

There is no complimentary soup at Masthai (no points from the parent), but they do have fruit and sweet red bean soup at the end of the meal (points are restored!),  The meal, plus tea came to under $80 for 4 people. Ooh, deja vu...

So, even if you are not from the area, it's worth making the trip to try the food in Beverly Hills. There is also a sprinkling of non-Chinese places, including Rhinedorf (hearty German), Taj (Indian), D to D (pleasant cafe), Casa della (pizza) and Lulu's (patisserie).  And lots more Thai and Chinese further down the road.  A proper eat street.

Yummy Seafood Chinese Restaurant is at 503 King Georges Rd, Beverly Hills NSW. Ph: 02 9580 0788

Masthai Seafood Restaurant is at 495 King Georges Rd, Beverly Hills NSW.  Ph: 02 9580 5609 

Huevos a la Flamenca - can't get enough of new dishes

I've found that when you get something new, it's best to use it as much as possible, as soon as possible.  Otherwise, you might forget that you've got it and a) never use it again, or b) go out and buy exactly the same item a couple of weeks later.  Case in point: my stamping and crafting supplies - just how many Colorbox Queues in Primary Elements do I need? Answer: Is three too many?

I haven't yet done this with many cooking utensils (though there was a close call with a sugar thermometer once), but I did want to use my Microstoven dishes again, erky name aside.  I remembered seeing some Huevos a la Flamenca (baked eggs) at Almost Bourdain and thought they'd suit the dishes.  To make the meal more substantial, I added some potato and capsicum, and also some spinach to give it just a *hint* of healthfulness - hey, every little bit counts.

Huevos a la Flamenca (with potato)
serves 2

Ingredients
1 tblsp olive oil
1 chorizo sausage, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 tsp crushed garlic
pinch of dried chilli flakes
200g diced tomatoes (about 1/2 a can)
1 roasted capsicum, seeds removed and chopped
50g baby spinach
2 eggs

Method
1.  Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add potato and onion to the pan with a few tablespoons of water.  Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potato starts to brown and crisp.
2.  Add chorizo and cook for 3-4 minutes, until chorizo is browned.
3.  Add garlic and chilli.  Cook for 30 seconds.
4.  Stir in tomato and 1/3 cup of water.  Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and mix in until it wilts.
5.  Transfer the mixture to 2 ramekins or small casserole dishes.  Make an indentation in the mixture and gently crack an egg into each indentation.
6.  Bake for 15-20 minutes in a 200 deg C (400 deg F) preheated oven until the egg whites are set.
7.  Serve with crusty bread and lemon wedges

What you'll need - pretty much anything you like!

Cook the potato and onion, then add chorizo;
stir in chopped tomatoes and water

Add some spinach leaves (for the green colour, really);

transfer to a small dish and crack in an egg

Bake and enjoy with bread, and lemon for squeezing over

I ate my way through Jenius's book launch

It’s always inspiring (and still quite unusual) for someone to change careers and embark on a path of re-invention and discovery. So it has been for blogger Jennifer Lam of Jenius.com.au. She left her job to pursue her varied interests photography, publishing, digital marketing, and, of course, food, and the result is her first publishing effort, ‘I Ate My Way Through Singapore and Vietnam’.

Jen was kind enough to extend an invitation to her fellow bloggers to the book’s launch at Global Gallery in Paddington, NSW. Combined with a photographic exhibition of images from the book, the launch was a happy, crowded affair.

Photographic exhibition on the walls of the Gallery.

Jennifer Lam of ‘I Ate My Way Through Singapore and Vietnam’

She is popular!

Book signing and book sales were a feature of the launch night

In her speech, Jen talked about the influence of food in her life, and the influence of her family who were in attendance. Ten percent of proceeds from the book sales will be donated to KOTO International, a not-for-profit restaurant training program that assists street and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.

Jen speaks, with little bro Bryan looking on; Lorette from KOTO talks about the work they’ve done; hospitality students, who gave really professional service throughout the night. And they didn’t mind stopping for photos to be taken of the food, etc. – always a sign of good waiting!

Suitably, the food was wonderful. Provided by Saigon Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant in Glebe, the canapés included goi cuon (summer rolls), deep-fried spring rolls (really hot and fresh) and crispy prawn wontons. Perfect finger food. I’m looking forward to dining there because I also won a lucky door prize of a voucher for Saigon Saigon (thanks, all!).

As with most events, positioning is key – you need to stand close to where the food is coming out from, otherwise you could miss out. We were in a good spot.

Wines were supplied by Aja, and consisted of a Moscato-style Blush and a blended White (meant to be drunk with Asian food). They are light and refreshing, and even though I’m normally a non-drinker, I actually enjoyed both wines.

It was great to see Jen’s entrepreneurial spirit in action. The book launch was so enjoyable and well-organised, and the book itself is a riot of colourful images and useful information that evoke the essence of travel to Singapore and Vietnam. The photographic exhibit is on until 15th November.

Global Gallery is at 5 Comber St, Paddington. Ph: 02 9360 5728

Lunch at Aria, Circular Quay - let's do it!

This isn’t so much a post about the food at Aria restaurant, as it is about my experience in dining there. This is because I visited Aria during the Sydney International Food Festival’s ‘Let’s do lunch’ promotion which is now finished for another year.   The restaurant is back to its usual menu, though.

So, my friend wanted to visit a 5-star establishment for our lunch (ie. somewhere we normally wouldn’t visit because of the... erm, ... prices), and we settled on Aria.  A last minute change of plan by us meant that we had to give up our original booking (made 3 weeks in advance) and rebook. Luckily, Aria were able to accommodate us at short notice (though they said we had to be out by 1.30pm for a 12pm booking).

The restaurant is divided into two dining sections – the one with the Harbour Bridge view, and the one with the Opera House view. We scored a window table with a Bridge view. I must say, for a weekday lunch, the place was packed. This may have been due to the SIFF promo being on, but I got the impression that Aria is a regular spot for business lunches (men in dark suits) as well as for ‘ladies who lunch’ (ladies in pastel suits).

I’ve found that the service in posh places like Aria can often border on the snooty, but our waitstaff were surprisingly agreeable, friendly without being too familiar. It certainly made for an enjoyable hour or so. Again, maybe it was because it was a lunch service, but it was pleasant, nonetheless. The waiter, in particular, was helpful in suggesting that we order a dessert to share because it was a reasonable size, and just right if ‘you just want something sweet to finish with’.


The Let’s Do Lunch offer consisted of a fish main, with a glass of wine (glass of 2008 Brown Brothers' Vermentino) or San Pellegrino water, and tea or coffee. All for $35. You also got bread and an amuse bouche, which is a pretty good deal all round.

Amuse bouche was soup - leek, I think.  It was very, very good.

The main dish was barramundi:

Roasted fillet of barramundi with fennel and calamari risotto. 
I have to say, this was sublime - the fish was perfectly cooked with a crispy skin.  The risotto was creamy, tasty and well-seasoned, with tender calamari pieces through it.  The size was right for lunch.

On our waiter’s suggestion, we decided to share a dessert from the Let’s Do Lunch dessert menu (different to the regular menu). It was split into ‘tastes’, with dishes incorporating a key ingredient, such as chocolate, mango, banana, coffee and strawberry. I chose Mango, and it came on a platter with 3 delightful mini desserts.

Mango: Cheesecake with ginger crumble, lime jelly, roasted pineapple sorbet ($20).
The lime jelly was topped with foam, and was tingly on the tongue.  The sorbet was my favourite, mainly because of the way it looked, like an egg on a nest of sand. 

Like my incredible dinner at Quay restaurant, our visit to Aria enabled us to have just a tiny taste of multi-hatted dining.  It's definitely worth a revisit, for a special occasion, when someone else is paying, or when I join a neighbourhood group of ladies who lunch (if you need a new member, ladies, please contact me).

On the way back to my day job, I walked through Angel Place, the laneway that connects Pitt Street to George Street.  There was an installation of birdcages over the lane, complete with birdsong. It was kind of surreal to look up at the empty cages swinging in the breeze, while being serenaded by chirps and tweets.  I floated back to work...

Aria is at:
1 Macquarie St
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: 02 9252 2555

Tapas-style Garlic Prawns with Chorizo in new dishes

Believe it or not, this recipe came about because of a couple of stoneware serving dishes.
Take a look at these dishes and tell me if you don't think that they are the very, very  good-looking...(said in a Zoolander voice)...

They have the unfortunate name of 'Microstoven' because they can be used in the microwave, on the stove and in the oven.  But best of all, they are non-stick!  I saw the square baking dish first of all, then got the smaller round dishes when they went on sale (the dishes are by Maxwell and Williams, available from Myer and David Jones, etc).

I wasn't sure what to do with the round dishes, but they are the perfect size for tapas for two.  Here is a recipe for garlicky prawns and chorizo that does them justice. 

Garlic Prawns with Chorizo
serves 2

Ingredients
1 large chorizo sausage, sliced thinly
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
400g large green (uncooked) prawns, peeled with tails intact
2 tblsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tblsp dry sherry
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method
1.  Heat a large non-stick frypan over high heat.  Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden and crisp.  Transfer the chorizo to a plate lined with paper towel.
2.  Reduce frypan heat to low.  Add oil and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute.  Add the prawns and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes or until the prawns curl and change colour.
3.  Add the chorizo, parsley and sherry to the pan and stir to combine.
4.  Divide the prawn and chorizo into serving dishes.
5.  Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Sliced chorizo sausage, ready for cooking

Garlic prawns with chorizo.  And yes, those are potato gems in the other dish.

Adriano Zumbo Patissier's 60 Flavours of Macaron

It's the day we've all been waiting for, the birthday of Adriano Zumbo, Patissier!  And in celebration, Zumbo himself has created 60 flavours of Macaron, available for this day only.

The hype was built up through the shop, twitter and word of mouth, and so an orderly queue was to be expected at the Patisserie.  Some macaron diehards were the first in line at 7.30am!  Most people had already visited the Zumbo website and worked out which macarons they wanted, but some (like me) were happy to take their chances with the colourful surprises.

Charlie from Zumbo was kept busy with constand deliveries of macarons from the Zumbo kitchens, with box after box being unloaded into the shop.

Yes, that's Adriano Zumbo getting a good deal on a couple of boxes. Heck, they even had his name on them.

The shop window was decorated somewhat with what I assume are macaron rejects, though they look alright to me.

Inside the shop, the senses are overwhelmed by the choice of macarons on the counter and on the shelves.  The whole store was macaron heaven. The macarons were $2 each, except for the black truffle one.

...Macaron heaven, or macaron on a stick...the blue macaron is chup-a-chup flavour, and chocolatesuze is a happy consumer.  And the black truffle macaron ($10 each) would have attracted any truffle-sniffing pigs in the vicinity.

The Zumbo counterstaff were kept busy with filling bags and boxes with macarons.  I have to say that, when I was there, it was done efficiently and with good humour.  It helps when there are so many amazing flavours to choose from and admire.

I actually lost track of which macaron was which, but if you want, do me a favour and try and match the flavours with the pictures below.  Thanks to Charles from the shop for helping with the selection...

Among these macarons are: mastic/yoghurt/cucumber/mint, Vegemite sourdough, burnt toast and butter, Golden Gaytime, Turkish delight, Tanzanian salted chocolate, chocolate and salted caramel, lamington, chup-a-chup, and toasted marshmallow.

I would have gotten more, but I have my lovely figure (ha!) to consider.  So, Happy Birthday, Zumbo, you're a star. 

Sydney Food and Wine Fair 2009 - Fun in the Sun

Q: What do you get when you cross a perfect Spring day with a city that is in the midst of an International Food Festival? 

A: A perfect Sydney Food and Wine Fair, that's what!

Believe it or not, this is the first Food and Wine Fair that I've attended, because in previous years, I've been away on holidays or the weather has been rainy and windy (not too good for outdoor events).  This year, the event was calling out to me, so I made a last-minute effort.  It was held on Saturday, October 31.

Before we get there, here are some pictures taken while waiting for the bus.  Spring has definitely sprung, and it's good to know that my council rates are going towards the upkeep of the local floral displays.  Aren't they gorgeous, especially the jacaranda trees in the church where Balmain markets are held.

I finally arrived at north Hyde Park, where the Fair was on, and it seemed that many others had the same idea as me - to see what food and drink was on.  The Fair was like a more civilised version of the Night Noodle Markets in that the queues at the food stalls were fairly short, maybe because I arrived at 1.30pm, and the food was supposed to be on from 12-2pm. 

They use the coupon system for paying for the food, with each coupon worth $3 though they come in sheets of five.  So, armed with my 5 coupons, I toured the stalls looking for something tasty.

The stalls are quite spread out, from the Macquarie Street end of the park down to past the fountain.  You can sit on the grass or on provided seating, though on a great day like Saturday, the grassed areas were popular.  Also popular was the Ben and Jerry's ice cream van, because they were giving out free ice creams - the queue for it was the longest of them all!

There were even tables set up around the Archibald Fountain, though you may have gotten sprayed by water when the breeze swung around.

Some of the stalls had run out of food when I got there, though some were still serving after 2pm.  Restaurants like Quay, Longrain, Ocean Room and Jonah's were represented, serving mini-dishes that cost 3 to 4 coupons each.

I scored a delicious sausage sandwich from Brasserie Bread (2 coupons).  The bread was lovely, as was the salad which included red slaw and walnuts.

Some stalls served desserts (2 coupons), though I didn't have enough coupons to get anything... I had spent another 2 of my coupons on a Vogue Entertaining showbag which, it eventuated, contained a back issue of the magazine that I already had.... things that make you go 'hmmmm...'.

By this time, I'd finished my sandwich and walked around the park a couple of times.  I had one coupon left, enough for a piece of Rocky Road from Bondi's Brown Sugar.  It was a sweet way to end my quick tour of duty at the Food and Wine Fair.  

This was also the final event of the Sydney International Food Festival, and by most accounts, a successful month all round.