Ho Mei Review

My first dinner at Surry Hills, a night full of wonderfully attentive staff (the pleasant type and not overbearing), good food and wonderful friends- what more can you ask for? (nothing)

Whilst I was looking for places in Surry Hills I came across a few places that had specials listed with the food website 'Eatability', I used to visit it in the past but then I found Urbanspoon to be more up my alley and an appropriate site to visit to get a rough idea of the food but now I'm glad to say that I have an even better reason to go to Eatability again. They have really good specials, like really good, there are fine dining restaurants offering 50% their food menu, provided that you book online before a certain date and on the days and time that they are offering the special. So if you can fit that into your schedule then I definitely recommend that you give it a shot, click here to browse through the list- a guess some of the places aren't all that great but it is really subjective so your taste may be different to mine but be sure to keep an eye out on it to see if something is suitable for you. I think also when I want to dine out next without a specific place in mind, I'll definitely go here as my first point of reference. (NB Link that I've provided is for Sydney Restaurants, if you live in a different city just change the location to your city)

So the special that I went for was the 30% off food at Ho Mei- which translates to great flavour or taste in Cantonese. First time going to a full tapas menu, usually at bit hesitant because tapas means small snacks not as small as a canape but as the snack meaning may throw some people off who are looking for value for money. Although, word of advice if you ever decide on a tapas menu, ask the wait staff for a suggestion on the appropriate number of dishes to order. Ho Mei tapas were actually quite substantial, they're a great option for those looking to share and try different options on the menu and of course there are mains available for a more hearty feed.

P.S all prices below are full price not discounted price but bear in mind that what we actually paid was 70% of it (using a 30% discount)

The Meal:

Seared Scallop with homemade XO sauce in golden pocket (4) $18

Scallops, XO sauce? Yes Please! The scallops were really plump, sweet and juicy and seafood and XO sauce just go hand-in-hand so what's not to love. In opinion, I though the golden pocket made the scallops look really appealing but i wish there'd be greater consistency in terms of how they turned out and it is also quite awkward to eat the two together- you find yourself digging into the scallop and then moving onto the golden pocket separately. 

Steamed Dumplings Plate- Vegetarian (4) $13

Some of the best dumplings pastry I've had in a long long time.
Perfect pastry is fairly thick- at least so that it doesn't fall apart when stuffed nor cooked, and ridiculously smooth. I want the recipe for this an also the technique for how to wrap this. All in all, really worthwhile dumplings that should be replicated at yum cha joints.

Steamed Dumplings Plate- Scallops and Prawn (4) $13
Equivalent to your yum cha 'Ha Gow or Xiā jiǎo', I thought these were also quite good and I hope that the next time I go yum cha I won't be disappointed in their Ha Gow because these ones were pretty good so they'll be my point of comparison.

Salt & Pepper Tofu $14
I absolutely love my tofu in almost every form imaginable, I particularly adore in deep fried because you get the fried coating encasing the silky soft tofu on the inside. Unfortunately it was far too salty for my liking and I found it hard to taste any pepper in it which is why I glad that there were scallions used as garnish which that cut through the saltiness of the tofu.

Ho Mei Curry with Chicken $18

Plain Steamed Rice $5

YUM, super tender chicken just the way I like it i.e. cooked for those on a Chinese palette, it's one of the reason why I tend to avoid chicken when I eat out. The curry had good flavour, and I'm glad that they used a variety of vegetables and if I were to comment on the rice it was plump and soft just the way I like my rice.

Meat Platter for Two (BBQ Pork/ Roast Pork Belly/ Crispy Chicken/ Roast Duck) with two sauces one plum the other a soy sauce based one (from memory not sure about the later sauce) $36

I definitely think it's generous for two we shared it between 4 and we still couldn't finish it but if you're looking for value for money this is the option to go for. In a snap shot, the pork belly was quite nice, tender well-seasoned as was the chicken and BBQ pork, I did however find the duck to be a tad tough but that said, the great service made up for the minor faults in the meal.

Vegetable flowers are adorable, the one on the right is actually a chilli and not a capsicum like what I though initially

Champagne L (Lychee Liqueur/Lychee Juice/Sparkling Wine) 16 

Happy Hour 6-7pm $10

All in all, the bill was $20 pp I thought that the staff were very friendly and they delivered Ho Mei's vision- that is, a warm dining experience filled with good friend and great hospitality. I definitely recommend the dumplings, being Chinese myself I couldn't help but be jealous of the chef's talent in churning out dumplings.

Macaron vs. Macaroon

Because some people still do not know the difference, I thought I'd spread the word!

Paramount Coffee Project Review

What happens when the owner of the insanely popular Reuben Hills in Sydney and Melbourne's Seven Seed come together? Well apparently that meeting eventuated in another cafe in Surry Hills and this it is not located in a spot where you have to walk uphill a lot from Central Station, although you may find yourself walking right past it, as did I. When I first heard about this collaboration, I instantly penciled it in to my eat list which turned into a physical appearance on my Eat List on my 'Notes' app on my Mac. 

It's unfortunate that there are popular places that don't have a menu on their website or for that matter a website to browse. I know that it may take the surprise factor out of the meal but on the other hand I think it also helps a person to decide on where to eat especially for those who have dietary requirements. So when I finally saw the all-day menu (I like places who do all-day) I guess I was a bit disappointed, it might have been due to all the hype surrounding this place and therefore chalking up my expectations to the point that I expected Reuben Hills quality menu only to get an average cafe menu. Maybe it was because there was no wow-factor for me or something that demands to be eaten at a cafe over my own creations or interpretations of cafe food at home.

Crab Po Boy: Soft Shell Crab, House Slaw, milk bun $19

I guess what led me to ordering this was the fact that I've never had soft shell crab in a burger or recently for that matter. The milk bun was really nice- soft and slightly buttered, I was perhaps expecting a bit more in terms of ingredients but the House Slaw cut through the oil of the crab well.

  

Jaffa: Choc-orange ice-cream, chocolate waffle, citrus syrup $15

If you've heard about Paramount Coffee Project before then surely you must have heard this is supposedly the go-to signature dish. As an owner of a waffle maker, I rarely eat waffles outside unless it is extraordinarily good. I found the waffle to be flavoured choc-orange and the ice-cream to be just chocolate rather than what the menu led you to believe, the ice-cream did melt quite quickly so I'm going to assume that they made it themselves. I think that overall it was quite nice but I don't think that I will be back because nothing really caught my eye or made me excited to be eating.

Cappuccino Milkshake $8 

Tastes just like an ice coffee just more milky because it is after all a milkshake. It was unfortunate though that half the jar is froth

First experience of Filter Coffee!

Kochere: by Seven Seeds Melbourne. Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia/ Heirloom/ washed/ peach, floral, jasmine tea $5

Not sure about the all the 'backwards slash' but they were on the menu so I just merely copied them onto this post. Considering that coffee is in the name of this cafe, I guess it is only appropriate and practically a must to order some form of coffee. I can't take espresso shots but I quite enjoyed filtered coffee- it pretty much tastes like a combination of coffee and tea (which it is), to me it smelt like coffee with a touch of floral and fruity.

And just like its parent, Paramount Coffee Project has strange branches in glass vases

IN FOCUS: MARY KATRANTZOU

In the digital age it's only right that technology gifts us with amazing digital prints and that's what Mary does and outright owns!

One my favourite designers at this moment is Mary Katrantzou, she's a Greek designer most notably known for her floral digital prints that are just stunning and impeccably beautiful. They also come with a four figure price tag but they are well worth if you are willing make this investment, just scroll down below to see why.

Don't laugh,  but I see these clothes as a work of art because you can just loose yourself when staring at the, they prints rather than being etched on fabric, canvas or paper should be the more appropriate medium as if someone has painted such scenery after witnessing it first hand.

 If I happen to walk down the street and see someone wearing her collection, watch out because I might approach you and gush about how I adore your style and budget. Let's be friends, shall we?

 Imagine wearing this and then walking against the backdrop of such scenery whether that be the blooming cherry blossom or the cascading, auburn maple leaves. 

 Even one of my favourite Chinese actresses, Liu Shi Shi is regularly seen in Mary Katrantzou dresses on the red carpet and at public appearances

Mary also has tribal prints in her collection but because I'm a big fan of her oriental floral prints, I wanted this post to be exclusively about that. I hope you enjoyed admiring these pictures as much as I did, be sure to come back where I share my thoughts about other designers or trends.

Introducing 'Salt Meat Cheese'

If you haven't noticed by now then I should just tell you straight off- Alexandria is going through a process of gentrification which can be described as a process resulting in areas once ill considered are not prime real estate with lots of development. Examples include Redfern and Surry Hills in Sydney. Alexandria is a bit of a black hole for transport and residential housing alike with plenty of industrial warehouses but nowadays we're seeing an emerging Surry Hills propelled by the success and popularity of The Grounds of Alexandria. Joining the wagon is Salt Meat Cheese (though I do believe they were there first) and Bread & Circus.

 Huge Variety

It's practically a IKEA for people who love their food

 Testers

 Outright Coolest Chocolates ever, try and guess who they are?

I have an idea of the far left guy but I'm not entirely sure other than that I can recognise them all, surprisingly

And of course lots of meat and the best thing of all is that I'll be back next week to visit The Grounds and this time with a car because my health conscious mum and I are out to buy loads of Himalayan Pink Salt, Quinoa and Buckwheat from Honest to Goodness- Organic and Natural Foods

The Grounds of Alexandria Review

It's been on Urbanspoon's Talk of the Town for quite some time now and I can finally say that I have officially made the trek to The Grounds of Alexandria! I was quite surprised that the walk wasn't that bad, or at least I was chatting happily with friends so the walk went by quite quickly. 

How I got there: train to St Peters Station then a 20 minute walk to The Grounds of Alexandria

P.S if you're taking the same path as I did, when you get to the Huntley St, DO NOT CROSS THE ROAD because you'll live to regret it, by that I mean that The Grounds is on the same side that you're walking on so if you cross the road then you have to cross back and there is lots of traffic both ways so don't make the mistake that I did.

So pretty!!! Well worth the trip and you really can spend several hours here

Food Cart, lots of berries included baked treats like tarts, the smell was just sensational. I would've bought some home if it weren't for the fact that I had to public transport it home and it was very warm that day.

I WANT THEM ALL

Welcoming the return of Kevin Bacon to his humble abode

So smart of The Grounds of Alexandria team to introduce these pagers, so that you can tour around the area whilst waiting for a table to become available. We arrived there at 12:30 for lunch and were told it was a told it'd be a 20 minute wait, I think that in actuality it would be around that as well. Would you believe that when I got the pager out to take a photo of it it started to buzz.

THE FOOD!!!!

The Grounds Bread for Two $8

Served with organic olive oil, sea salt & za'atar

I think bread is one of the perfect starters to a good meal whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner, all in all bread, olive oil with a touch of sea salt. The selection of bread 'for two' should be more appropriately named 'for four' because it is so filling making you wonder if you have over ordered before you even begin on the mains. I particularly liked the setting, chopping boards are a plating staple for me now and they bring a rustic image making it more homey. The bread on the bottom right hand corner was sat in the cutest saucepan ever, the bread fits in exactly and is so dense and full of grains with some dried fruits, all in all, lovely, lovely bread.

 The bread arrived first then coffee and mains should after, I would rather have a bit of a wait between the starter bread and the mains because the table becomes rather crowded quite quickly and by the time you start on the mains they have already gone a bit cold.  That said, there was hardly a wait so that was really nice but ironic.

The Grounds signature colour for their coffee which bears striking resemblance to the Tiffany & Co blue. I don't think I'm a coffee nut but I can tell good coffee from bad and this coffee was sensational, so rich and strong.

Flat White $3.80

Latte $3.80

I have truly fallen head over heels in love with aerial shots

Handmade Saffron Linguine $19- heirloom cherry tomatoes and Queensland prawns with fresh herbs from the garden, chilli and lemon
This would be perhaps my favourite main, such simple flavours that tastes that work so well together to produce spectacular food. I love how the linguine and prawns just absorbed all those flavours- the mix of herbs with the heirloom cherry tomatoes was just sensational to the point that every last bit was devoured. You should really order this from the menu.

Buffalo Mozzarella Pizzetta (a new addition to the menu) $17- Buffalo mozzarella with prosciutto, figs and basil.
I love my figs, one the many reason why I picked this, I suppose the menu was slightly misleading as I was interpreted in a figs on the pizzetta and not as part of the salad. That said, figs taste amazing on their own, I've long known that so that's that. The pizzetta was rather hard mostly likely because it rested for a while, the buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto worked well and was nice but I think that other options were better.  

The Grounds Schnitty $18- Herb crumbed, free-range chicken breast served with a fennel, cabbage, currant and walnut salad, garlic aioli and lemon

The salad was quite refreshing, fennel is so rarely used in salad but it really should be added more often, I guess if anything it's a break away from all the leaves. The addition currants provided bursts of sugar, it worked well with the slight tartness of the salad dressing. The Schnitzel was surprising not overly oily either, not much of a crunch but that was alright because after going through so much food I wanted it to be 'light' and thankfully it was. I found the chicken to be a bit dry (going with my Asian chicken palette) but I guess that's what the aioli on the side is for.

Ginger Beer with fresh garden mint $5

Pear, Apple & Mint Juice $7.50

So refreshing, it is very pear-y but you do get the aftertaste of apple.

Strawberry Tart $6.60
I liked how the tart was coated with chocolate on the inside and even together with the cream, and strawberries it was still a tolerable level of sweetness. I'm really curious what type of cream they put because it had a custard like thickness to it, doesn't matter I'll be back and when I do, I'll be sure to ask.

Some of my wonderful friends

Devon Cafe Review

It's no secret that Surry Hills and Newtown are your go to joints if you're in dire need of great food and superb coffee and if you classify yourself as bit of a 'hipster' then count yourself in. Away from the hustle and bustle of Central Station, on Devonshire street lies Devon cafe, a quick walk from the station especially if you use the Devonshire street exit which is a no brainer for those who want to minimise the time spent walking, that said if you're terrible at navigating Central exits other than the more popular ones, Elizabeth St exit is fairly straight forward.

Sometimes simplistic table decorations are the best, of course salt and pepper are a must but some flowers on the side brighten up any environment.

I think it's amazing that Devon cafe is open 7 days though on Sundays (and by extension most likely Saturdays as well) they only serve the breakfast menu. You'll find that their menu is under construction so there is no exact way of determining their menu until you step foot inside. Drinks are a staple but they tend to have a core ingredient that is used throughout their menu. When I went it was salmon, not that I'm complaining.

Breakfast with Sakuma's- miso grilled king salmon, smoke eel croquette, 63' (degree) egg, radish petit salad & kewpi mayonnaise $24.50

When the food arrived my first thought was W O W with my eyes instantly admiring the 63 degree egg for those not familiar with the term, Jill Dupleix (writing for GoodFood) sums it up pretty well: "It's an egg cooked slowly at a very precise temperature (from 60C to 65C) to achieve a high-impact result: a shimmering, silky orb of creamy egg white surrounding a rich, softly liquid egg yolk. Forget your three-minute egg; this can take anything up to 2 hours." If you want the recipe plus more information click here.

First bite was of the salmon; it was so smooth, retaining all those fatty oils that I love, the croquette was had a risotto rice filling which was unexpected but nice for my first time trying a rice based croquette. There was lots of crunch in it and when it when it cam time to trying the egg, I first had a lot of difficulty in think of how to eat it because it's so delicate and as soon as you start on it all the yolk will ooze out. That's where I thought the rice filling for the croquette was quite smart which the rice can absorb the yolk so that it isn't wasted- I tend to be quite stingy when it comes to egg yolk because I regard it as like golden liquid so I just can't bear it going to waste. Kewpi mayo is a Japanese brand which really went well with the salmon, considering how salmon is fully of those fatty oils the mayo really helped it go down without making you sick of the salmon because it is after the main element of the dish and in keeping with the Japanese influences in this dish some seasoning was sprinkled over the salmon and egg- the taste of which reminds me of the ones that I used to use when making onigiri. 

Citrus Cured Salmon- split dill cream, apple, celery, cucumber, fennel, soft boiled egg, brioche $18.50

Customary Aerial Shot