2009: A Grab Your Fork digest

Where did the year go? It must be a sign of getting older when the year swoops by faster than a food blogger's camera over your main course.People often say to me "you seem to eat out a lot" to which I always reply "oh no, not really, just a few meals here and there". And yet reviewing a year's worth of posts seems to prove otherwise - so much food. How did I fit it all in?With ease, of course.In

The day I met the Luther Burger

Oh yes. They really are donuts.A meet-up with food bloggers is guaranteed to bring a few interesting dishes. We gathered at Richard's for a post-Christmas catch-up, but perhaps the star of the show was Suze's Luther Burgers.The Luther Burger, a bacon cheeseburgersandwiched with a Krispy Kreme donut by SuzeThe Luther Burger is named after Luther Vandross - some say it was his favourite snack,

Stomach's Eleven: Christmas dinner

Chocolate with olive oil and saltI really am grateful. I'm grateful for a family, friends, good health and a bounty of amazing food. All too often it can be easy to get caught up in the trivial squabbles of life, and whilst there are many things you cannot change, there are many more you wouldn't want to - moments of good fortune you take for granted every day.I like to think that this is what

Eating well?Don't forget to check out the round-up of Christmas pics on the Christmas feasting post. 32 pics of an Australian Christmas - thanks everyone for sharing!

Christmas feasting

EDIT 27/12/09: Latest food pics added at the end of this postRoast turkey or seafood?I love that despite the heat of an Australian summer, so many of us continue to indulge in the traditional English Christmas dinner of roast turkey, gravy, plum pudding and all the trimmings. Our family has always done leg ham and seafood - it's so much easier with minimal preparation, and besides, Mum always

Big Rig Diner, Darlinghurst

EDIT: Big Rig Diner has now closed

I've always had a romanticised affection for diners.

Blame it on a childhood brought up on American sitcoms, movies and teenage fiction, but alongside Twinkies, Kool Aid and Milk Duds, diners have always been that elusive promise of the quintessential American experience. The jingle of the bell as the door opens, the gum-chewing waitress with a pen tucked

Behind-the-scenes: Food photography shoot for Mad Mex

Food photography? It's not so hard is it?I know it is. As a food blogger, personal experience tells me I have much to learn when it comes to droolworthy food photography.Hence when Billy contacted me to get involved with a food photography job for Mad Mex I leapt at the opportunity. Officially I was hired as his lighting assistant. Primarily this meant I was in charge of the softbox lights. It

Bright Star movie winners

Congratulations to the winners of the Bright Star movie ticket giveaway.The winners are: Arradius, nvmeii, Andrea, gillianlisa and the fashionate traveller. Enjoy the film!

Stomachs' Eleven: Shabu shabu with wagyu

Miniature ramen replicasWhy does everything look so much better in miniature?The first thing I did was grab the camera when I spotted these in the display cabinet at the home of Silverlily and Supermario. Collected from toy stores on a recent trip to Japan, they held pride of place in the cabinet. I was enamoured immediately.Tiny bowls of ramen with chopsticks suspended mid-air, steaks of wagyu,

Wuxi pork spareribs

Do you like it saucy?No, no, I'm talking food. Of course I am. Are you the kind of person who gets your spoon into the bottom of the casserole dish to get the last dregs of sauce? Do you sneak a spoon into the bottom of the takeaway container of roast duck to collect the puddle of rich juices for your rice?Me too.My obsession with sauce explains my affection for Wuxi pork ribs. You have meat on

Rowda Ya Habibi, Newtown

Baba ghanouj eggplant dip

It's always funny to watch your friends get pulled up to join the belly dancer, until you realise, with horror, she's coming straight for you.

There's a belly dancer at Rowda Ya Habibi most Friday and Saturday nights. This spot seems to have become my fall-back venue for group functions. It's not hard to see why. The most expensive banquet will only cost you $30 per

Churrasco, Coogee

Stop and Go coastersIt's the coasters that excite me most.For a while now, I've been meaning to get to Churrasco--not just for the promise of all-you-can-eat meat; not because the meat is served to you on swords that are brought to your table; but primarily because you can control the arrival of food to your table by flipping your personal coaster to Red (stop, I'm full) or Green (keep it coming!

Freebie Friday winner: And the love is free

Congratulations to Kate who has won a copy of the cookbook And the love is free... by Jules Clancy. If you missed out, dont forget that Grab Your Fork readers qualify for a 10% discount on all orders placed before Christmas. Simply use the discount code "Christmas" when you order online or call Naomi Clancy on 0407 014 232. Free postage applies anywhere in Australia.Like the idea of seeing a

Elvis Cupcakes and a Sydney Food Bloggers' Christmas Party

How big is Sydney's food blogging community?It numbers at about 112 according to research by Suze and I. We know this because this was the number of invitations we sent out for the first all-inclusive Sydney food bloggers' event, a Christmas picnic in Hyde Park.A gluttony of 50 food bloggers descended on the day, each bearing a plate of sweets or savouries for our afternoon tea. I revelled in the

Freebie Friday: Win tickets to see Bright Star

Are you all set for the silly season?What with the hive of activity in the lead-up to Christmas, it's usually not until Boxing Day that everyone breathes as sigh of relief. Traditionally a big day for movie-goers, why pay when you win yourself free tickets courtesy of this week's Freebie Friday.Movie tickets to Bright Star(five in-season double passes to win)Bright Star is the latest film by

Popcorn cupcakes

Popcorn cupcakesSo yes, I'm starting to get a reputation. Bring a dish? I always end up bringing cupcakes. They're so easy to make, they come in easy individual packaging, and I love the way you can tailor them with different decorations or flavours for every occasion.After variations that included black sesame, Coca Cola and chocolate bacon, I decided to continue my current salty obsession with

Malacca Straits, Broadway

Silence.There's a welcome sense of peace and quiet at Malacca Straits, tucked away in the courtyard of the Quadrant building, off Broadway. You wouldn't know that, less than 100 yards away, six lanes of traffic are steadily weaving their way across the Great Western Highway.A signboard outside is a helpful reminder to passersby. And yet Malacca Straits seems to enjoy a steady stream of customers,

South Restaurant, Neutral Bay

Three time's the charm.After two foiled attempts to visit South Restaurant, it's not until my third attempt that we finally get a table. The difference? Trying to book on a Friday and Saturday night, a week prior. On a Tuesday evening, we ring up on the spur on the moment and get a table with no problem.Once we arrive, it soon becomes apparent why getting a table can be difficult - the restaurant

Chairman Mao Chinese Restaurant, Kensington

The orange red walls of Chairman Mao Chinese Restaurant are an ideal backdrop for the propaganda posters that adorn its walls. The hue might also give an indication of the heat your tongue is about to endure - this is a restaurant that specialises in Hunanese cuisine, its spicy offerings favoured by Chairman Mao.


Celery salad (complimentary)

Most of us love chilli; Suze, not so much. She

Elvis, a wedding and 99 macarons....

Allllllll my friends are getting married...Friends The Department and Wingdingo got hitched recently, but rather than go the route of a church service or a garden wedding, they headed straight to Las Vegas to exhange vows with Elvis at the Graceland Chapel. A few weeks after they returned, friends and family were invited to a casual low-key party to celebrate.Balloon cupcakesThe wedding cake was

Freebie Friday: Win a copy of "And the Love is Free"

What would you do without your mum?When Jules Clancy's mum passed away suddenly in August 2007, she was inspired to create a cookbook of family recipes as a tribute to her mother. After the book was completed, Jules decided to self-publish the book and share her mum's life and recipes with others. The result is "And the Love is Free", a cookbook with 57 classic Australian recipes (each with

Melbourne Food and Wine Festival launch at Omerta, Darlinghurst

Confit baby artichokes and Shaw River buffalo mozzarellawith tomato butter and pangrattatoserved with 2009 Tahblik MarsanneIs there really a bitter rivalry between Sydney-siders and Melbourne-ites about which city is best?It's a question we debate at our table during the [Sydney] media launch for the 2010 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Sydney has its iconic harbour, Opera House, Harbour Bridge

The Counter, Crows Nest

EDIT: The Counter is now closed

I'm not sure whether I'm filling out a census form or taking a test.

The Build Your Own Burger concept at The Counter is either a blessing or a curse for hungry customers. On the one hand, the five-step process gives you the opportunity to customise your burger with the exact toppings you like, down to the size of burger patty, the type of cheese and which

Spice I Am Restaurant, Darlinghurst

Miang Goong Gaa Tong KrobThai king prawn salad with lime, garlic, galangal, shallot, gingerwith roasted peanut and chilli served in a crispy shellI like to look at my food.As I'd admired the deep-fried fluted cup on my entree plate, I'd remembered wondering if these delicate cups were bought in to the Spice I Am Restaurant. It's not until a cooking demonstration halfway through our meal that I

Freebie Friday winners

Congratulations to the following winners:Andrea has won a copy of Lyndey Milan: The Best Collection and Raine has won a copy of Great, Grand and Famous Chefs.Missed out this time? Don't forget to submit your entries for the Freebie Friday competitions still open!Win a bottle of Bundaberg Reserve Rum with personalised label (5 to win!)Win a gift box of Achacha fruitWin a copy of MasterChef

Haji Lane, Singapore Chilli Crab and Roti Tisu: Singapore Day Four

Arab Street, SingaporeFor years I foolishly dismissed Singapore as a travel destination because of its reputation for being ultra clean and super strict, where citizens were fined for chewing gum, littering or not flushing the toilet. When I finally visited its humid shores, I could see how wrong I had been.In addition to exploring the hawker stalls and kopitiam cafes that reassuringly dot much

Achacha fruit launch and another Freebie Friday Double

Achacha. Try saying that out loud without shaking your hips.I first encountered achacha at the Eveleigh farmers market earlier this year. A native Amazonian fruit, the first commercial plantation outside of Bolivia commenced in Northern Queensland in 2002.Achacha are a distant relative to the mangosteen and have a similar creamy sweet flesh with a slight sherbet tang. The modest crop late last

Food bloggers, a birthday and a mountain of dumplings

How does a food blogger celebrate her birthday? With food. And lots of it.I was fortunate enough to celebrate my birthday with homemade dumplings on the weekend, a happy huddle of food bloggers industriously pleating packages of pork and veal mince. It's been ages since I'd made wontons or dumplings. I love the ritual of seasoning the mince and then settling down for a few hours to patiently

Poporo, Haymarket

Touch screen menu orderingI feel like I'm back in high school. Or, more accurately, I feel like I'm hanging out after high school.The cheerful red and white colour scheme has something to do with this burst of youthful exuberance. Shiny plastic stools--with a very generous seat--cluster around a table at the front and line the kitchen counter. But most of the dining area is situtated on a raised

Adriano Zumbo, Manu Feildel and Somage Fine Foods afternoon tea at L'etoile

"I didn't realise there would be so many women."I feel a little sorry for the lone male at our table during a tea-gustation at L'etoile. As women in floaty summer dresses and strappy heels stream into the outdoor tiered deck area of L'etoile, the hapless husband maintains he thought he'd be enjoying a champagne tasting.Whilst there is a glass of champagne Loire sparkling at the start, today's

Freebie Friday: Win a bottle of Bundaberg Reserve Rum

It's Freebie Friday!This week we're giving away five bottles of Bundaberg Reserve Rum. Reserve Rum is a premium spirit that has a rich, dark character with hints of oak and caramel.For a limited time, Bundaberg is also offering personalised labels, so the winners will be able to have their own name printed on the bottle - that's one way to stop people raiding your liquor cabinet! You can also

Me. A published writer.

It's official. I'm a published writer.The latest edition in the To Asia With Love guidebook series is To Japan With Love. Within it are two pieces contributed by yours truly -- in the food section of course.The process entailed in compiling and editing a travel guidebook has been eye-opening. I was first contacted to be a contributor in June 2005 after the editor, Celeste Heiter, noticed my blog

The Coachmen Russian Restaurant, Surry Hills

Gargoyles beneath the barYou've probably driven past it countless times. The tall sandstone walls of The Coachmen appear rather ominous, but step through the wrought iron gate, walk up the short stretch of red carpet and then let your gaze rest upon the wonder that is the bar area.Red velvet loungeThere's a wondrous sense of over-the-top spectacle in the Imperial Russian decor. Opulent red velvet

Food Safari Book Launch

Tetsuya WakudaTwo book launches, both alike in dignity. In fair Sydney where we lay our scene.On Tuesday night it was the launch of Food Safari, the companion book to the popular SBS cooking series hosted by Maeve O'Meara, at Spice I Am Restaurant in Darlinghurst.Food Safari by Maeve O'MearaOn Thursday night it was a smaller launch at the Global Gallery in Paddington for fellow Sydney food

Freebie Friday Double: Two Cookbooks to Win

Happy Friday!You wouldn't believe it, but we have another Freebie Friday Double.This week, it's all about cookbooks. Whether you use them as manuals, sources of inspiration, coffee table talk or bedtime stories -- in my case, all of the above -- you can never have enough cookbooks, especially FREE ones!Prize #1:Great, Grand and Famous Chefs and Their Signature DishesDo the names Thomas Keller,

Frogs leg congee, Siang Hee, MOS Burger and a trip to The Clinic

Breakfast. In the sweltering heat and humidity that is everyday Singapore, an iced coffee never looked so good.Breakfast crowds at Tiong Bahru MarketAfter a long day and late night, Suze, the es&t crew and I end up at Tiong Bahru Market the next day for a mid-morning breakfast. The place is packed with locals, a hive of people eating and drinking and chatting in the sticky 75% humidity.I'm

Concordia German Club, Tempe

You don't go to community clubs for the atmosphere. Although perhaps, in a perverse way, you do.The Concordia German Club in Tempe, in Sydney's south, won't win any awards for its design or decor. And yet there's an element of comfort in the dated furniture, the 1980s colour scheme of salmon pink and viridian green, and the quiet unassuming staff who go about their business.The club, in operation

Adriano Zumbo - Macaron Day

Macaron! Macaron! Macaron!It was macaron mania last Friday, a one-off day of nothing but crazy macaron flavours in-store at Adriano Zumbo, Balmain, to celebrate Adriano Zumbo's birthday.Up to sixty flavours had been promised, a bewildering array of creations, ranging from Vegemite sourdough to cheeseburger to avocado and Golden Gaytime.I arrived early on Friday morning with fellow macaron fans to

Freebie Friday Double: Win a Scanpan Classic Roaster and movie tickets to see The Boys Are Back

Thank God It's Friday!Did you back a winner in the Melbourne Cup? If not, never fear, because Freebie Friday is here!Today we have TWO competitions to enter, and there are SEVEN chances to win! You can enter both competitions and submit entries each day. Please note the different closing dates for each competition.Prize #1:Scanpan Classic RoasterLove a Sunday roast but dread the prospect of

Macaron Day at Adriano Zumbo Patisserie, Balmain

Photo credit: Image courtesy of adrianozumbo.com and imagineationBREAKING NEWS: Do you know whose birthday it is tomorrow?It’s Adriano Zumbo’s!How is he celebrating?Adriano Zumbo is having a macaron party.AND YOU’RE INVITED.We’re not talking about 12 different flavours of macarons.We’re talking about a shop full of nothing but crazy macaron flavours!The team at Adriano Zumbo’s kitchens have been

A nose-to-tail dinner party

Do you ever have out-of-body experiences during an amazing meal?I have.Tonight, this is one of them.Fergus Henderon's nose-to-tail barbecue at the Sydney International Food Festival was the catalyst. Nose-to-tail eating is about eating the entire animal and not wasting anything. That means eating heads and hearts and offal and tripe.To me, this philosophy is about making sure we maximise every

A Taste of Peru, a plateful of alpaca

I can't wait to try the alpaca!It's this carnivorous curiosity that has me most excited about A Taste of Peru, a degustation dinner recently staged by Illapu Peru at The Sheraton on the Park for the Sydney International Food Festival.I've yet to visit Peru - all I can think of is Paddington Bear who came from "darkest Peru"! There are no marmalade sandwiches here, but Peruvian chef Alejandro

Sweet corn ice cream, Tiong Bahru Market, crab and oatmeal prawns

Iced coffee SG$1.20 (in a Ribena cup!)Playing the tourist is thirsty work.Our Singapore day tour, hosted by Nuffnang, boasted a jam-packed itinerary. By 1.30pm, we'd already visited the MINT toy museum and the Chinatown Heritage Museum, whilst squeezing in a second breakfast and a heart-shaped barbecued pork snack before lunch at the amazing Maxwell Food Centre hawker market.The touristing

Kaya toast, the MINT toy museum and Maxwell Food Centre joy

Coffee with condensed milk SG$0.80 and kaya toast SG$0.60Mmm... why can't all takeaway breakfasts look so good.Suze and I had promised each other we'd have kaya toast for breakfast and so, despite the bleary eyes and early start, we traipsed our way from the Link Hotel to Hong Kong Jin Tian Roast Meat for kopi and kaya, Singapore-style.The novelty of buying a hot drink in a plastic bag was not

Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2009

Congee simpang (mixed) SG$3.00Welcome to Singapore.We step off our Singapore Airlines jumbo from Sydney to Singapore only to be hit by a wall of tropical 30C heat and 75% humidity.Suze and I waste no time in looking for food once we check into our hotel. We explore the surrounding streets and end up at a corner cafe/eating house which will become our regular haunt over the coming days.Hong Kong

Sugar Hits at The Grace Hotel, Glass and Azuma Kushiyaki

I'm baaaack.Singapore was an absolute blast - a blast of heat and humidity but much fun nonetheless. Food? Photos? Of course there was plenty of both, but because time is of the essence, I'm uploading a backlog of SIFF posts whilst it's still October.Remember this? Last year, Billy hosted a sponsored Stickier and Sweeter Sydney Tour - a quest to consume as many Sugar Hits in one night. We managed

Interview: Ten Questions with Luke Nguyen (and another Freebie Friday!)

Luke NguyenThe night before Luke Nguyen's Cabramatta Tour, I read Secrets of the Red Lantern, written by Luke's sister, Pauline.As Pauline unravelled the threads of her family story, there was one anecdote that immediately leapt off the pages, making me smile. It was her description of her younger brother Luke as a kid...It came as no surprise to any of us when Luke told of his plans for Red

Canh Chua tamarind broth with silver perch and elephant ear stem

Elephant ear stems must be up there as one of the most exotic-sounding and evocative vegetable names in English.The Fairfield City Council guide to South-East Asian Greens explains that Elephant Ear Stem (Khoai So)"...gets its name from its wide elephant-like ear leaf (not shown). The stem and stalk are used for cooking and yield mild grassy flavoured spongy flesh. Khoai So is a good source of

How to make your own mozzarella and camembert

"I'm just crackers about cheese!"- Wallace, The Curse of the Were-RabbitWe were all crackers about cheese, a group of 18 cheese lovers assembled for the Cheese Making Workshop by McIntosh and Bowman as part of the Sydney International Food Festival.Much like making one's own bread, creating your own cheese can seem a little intimidating for the uninitiated. It all seems so complex and

Gorkha Palace Restaurant, North Strathfield

The forks. They are tiny.I've never been known for any semblance of graceful movement, but at Gorkha, the tiny forks that accompany our dishes have tines the width of a pea. It's a struggle to manouevre any more than one cube of food at a time. Perhaps this is a deliberate dietary hint from above I need to take heed.In other ways, the tiny forks match the petite servings. At first glance the

Cooking Modern Mexican at VictorsFood

Victor Pisapia with an ancho chilliMention Mexican food to an Australian, and most of us will immediately think of corn chips, sour cream and cheese.It's no wonder that Mexican cuisine tends to get a bad rap. In fact, much of what is labelled here as "Mexican", is more Tex-Mex - an American interpretation of Mexican cuisine that spread from Texas and other states in the southwest. Nachos and

Recipe: Vietnamese caramelised pork belly (thit kho)

After a fascinating tour of Cabramatta with Sydney chef Luke Nguyen, we stumbled upon an outdoor kichen set-up in the local mall. Only then were we told that we would be shopping and cooking dishes to share with everyone for lunch.I was instantly drawn to the caramelised pork belly, a favourite dish of mine, and one I was keen to learn how to recreate at home.Cooking in public on portable gas

Cabramatta Food Tour with Luke Nguyen

Luke Nguyen rips open his coat with a flourish.

Beneath his assuming attire is a fitted black t-shirt that proclaims "I love pho". It generates a round of laughter amongst the assembled crowd as he stands there, chest puffed and proud like a Vietnamese superman.

Luke's family story is not dissimilar to thousands of other Vietnamese refugees who fled to Australia following the fall of Saigon.

World Chef Showcase, Sydney International Food Festival 2009

International acts, tatts and one big nosh pit. The weekend's World Chef Showcase was the gastronomic equivalent of the Big Day Out, with renowned chefs from all over the world descending on Sydney for the headline event of the Sydney International Food Festival. Sebastien Bras, Sergi Arola, David Thompson, Alexandre Bourdas, Peter Gordon, Pichet Ong and more... their arrival has created a

Interview with Poh Ling Yeow - before and after Masterchef

Image from thesecretrecipe.com.auWhen I was very little I used to shred my graph paper and pretend I was a hawker stall vendor selling noodles instead of paying attention in maths class. - Poh Ling YeowWith Celebrity Masterchef currently on our television screens, it's hard not to reminisice about the Masterchef contestants from the original season. Runner-up Poh Ling Yeow was perhaps one of the

Chocolate bacon cupcakes

I blame Matt. I also blame Fergus.In a week involving non-stop salami and the hypnotic display of roasting pigs on a spit, I had pork on the brain.I'm a pig that way.I'd like to think this is why I could not stop thinking about bacon last weekend, and why, when brainstorming a dessert--my favourite pasttime--to bring to Simon's luncheon, I'm thinking cupcakes. With chocolate. And bacon. Mother

Azuma Kushiyaki, Sydney - Sugar Hit 2009

East Meets West Dessert Tasting Plate $20Sydney International Food Festival Sugar Hit - Azuma KushiyakiWe are suitably excited. Our first Sugar Hit for 2009.You would not think that we had just eaten a dinner of dumplings, of pan-fried buns, of crab in salted egg yolk and crisp and golden shallot pancake.And yet a short car-ride from Ashfield to the City followed by a mad dash through the driving

New Shanghai Chinese Restaurant, Ashfield

Dumpling kitchenOn a wet and wild evening, New Shanghai is a welcome shelter of warmth and cosiness. The tables are already mostly full when our group of five arrive, but our focus goes straight to the back of the room featuring a modern glass-walled view into the dumpling-making station.Stuffing the pastry with pork minceDressed in crisp white uniforms and red-and-white checked aprons, the two

Eveleigh Farmers' Market

CeleriacThe best thing about getting up early on a Saturday morning is being rewarded with so much extra time to play with.This is how, after a morning spent at the SIFF Good Living Growers' Market with Fergus Henderson, a pig on a spit and 12 Sydney chefs serving up nose-to-tail inspired dishes, Minh and I still have time to stop by the Eveleigh Farmers' Market on our way home.The huge

Fergus Henderson and a nose-to-tail barbecue - Sydney International Food Festival

Pigs. On. Spits.Three words guaranteed to get me out of bed early on a Saturday morning.The Sydney Morning Herald Growers' Marketcelebrating Barbecue Madness for the Sydney International Food FestivalThe October Good Living Growers' Market was one of the first big events on the calendar for the inaugural Sydney International Food Festival. It promised to be a event like no other, featuring

Yum Cha at The Dynasty, Belmore

Fung jao phoenix claws (chicken feet)I'm looking forward to the long weekend.More often than not, we find ourselves at yum cha. For some people, the chaos of yum cha sends them into a frazzle from sensory overload. I revel in it.There's something comforting about the ritual of yum cha. The inevitable queue out the front, the hustle towards your table - still being cleared by efficient but surly

Masterchef's Matt Preston, a fleischmeister and a feast of salami

"You're a bad bad fleischmeister!"Now that is the kind of dirty talk guaranteed to get a gourmand's pulse racing.When those words are uttered by Matt Preston himself, well, let's just say I was glad I was sitting down at the time...The deli envelope containing the Don media lunchI have to confess that Matt Preston was the main drawcard to my attendance at the Don Smallgoods media lunch, although

Biggest mooncake in Australia

I did a double-take when I walked past this the other day at the Sussex Centre in Chinatown.According to the plaque alongside it, this mooncake weighs 65kg and is equivalent to 700 normal sized mooncakes, which apparently makes it the biggest mooncake in Australia. The mooncake measures 67cm across and is 12cm high.Made by Saint Honore Cake Shop on 14 September, 2009, the giant-sized mooncake

Malaysia Festival 2009, Darling Habour

Curry Chee Cheong Fun $8.50Sunday seemed to be a day of festivals. Before the trek out to Cabramatta for the Moon Festival and mooncake eating competition, Minh, Simon, Suze and I started the day at the Malaysia Festival in Darling Harbour.We arrived well before the crowds. A 10am start meant most stalls were still unpacking, but it did give us time to inspect the offerings at leisure, and we

Moon festival, Cabramatta

It was a weekend filled with food.My weekend started with a Friday night gluttony of two-hour all-you-can-eat yakiniku at Suminoya. It wasn't the first time I'd eaten myself into oblivion amidst a haze of charcoal, but I'd never before eaten with people who still had room for more - not just a snack, but chicken satay, roti tisu and roti kaya at Mamak immediately afterwards.The theme of excessive

Fix St James, Sydney

Artichoke and broad bean crostini $10We walk past it at first. The signage on Fix St James is so subdued we have to double back when we realise we must have walked straight past it.At first glance, Fix St James could almost pass itself off as an upmarket cafe, the entrance dominated by a espresso machine at the counter. The banquette seating, raised dining platform at the back, and a huge wine

Chat Thai, Sydney (and an interview on the Times Online)

The open kitchen at the front of Chat Thai is always a hive of activity.At least it means that the inevitable wait for a table at this busy restaurant is always entertaining. The narrow galley kitchen fits more chefs than you could think possible, industriously making desserts, checking on bubbling pots and searing skewers of chicken and pork on the grill.After a dinner of make-your-own tofu,

Less than two days to enter the Wellington prize pack giveaway

Entries have now closed for the o-mochi mooncake giveaway but don't forget there are still two more competitions you can enter!A prize hamper worth NZ$135 could be on its way from Wellington and straight to you in the Wellington prize pack competition. Hurry, entries close this Friday 5pm AEST. Enter now.And you could be enjoying a day of talks with chefs and all-day catering at the SIFF World

North Bondi Italian Food, Sydney

"Eating at North Bondi Italian Food is like eating with an Italian grandma," Pig Flyin muses thoughtfully, after dinner.I nod and counter "Except this nonna happens to have a beachfront apartment with a huge circle of friends who are hip, cool, young and pretty."Pig Flyin laughs. "Agreed."Postcard mural decorated by dining patronsTucked away at the northern end of Bondi Beach, North Bondi Italian

Kasumi Izakaya, Sydney

OMIGOD it's a water slide!I am beside myself with excitement. A water slide! With noodles! It's like the kids' bathttime water slide I never had but always coveted.It's not the only surprise dish we find at Kasumi Izakaya, the Japanese tavern on the northern offshootof Dixon Street mall, not far from the new Mandarin Club. Whilst we wait for the rest of our group to arrive, I'm easily entertained

Interview: Ten questions with Chubby Hubby, and your chance to win a ticket to the SIFF World Chef Showcase worth $285

Can you feel the excitement in the air? That's the anticipation of the first ever Sydney International Food Festival, due to launch on 1 October, less than two weeks away!The gustatory celebration once known as Good Food Month has been expanded and rebranded as the Sydney International Food Festival, with more events than ever before. Popular events like Let's do Lunch, Hats Off dinners and Sugar

Phu Quoc, Cabramatta, Sydney

It's a struggle to make it to lunch in Cabramatta without first ruining your appetite.The journey on foot down John Street is a chaotic din of sights, sounds and colour. Bright plastic stools, racks of tops for under $10, curls of incense smoke that tickle your nose, and shop upon shop crammed with bolts of fabric, leaning against each other in a mosh pit of polyester, lace and flannel.But it's

Cabramatta Food Tour

Durian stand

Who needs a passport when you live in Sydney?

The woman selling durian on a street stall shields herself from the sun's blistering rays with a market umbrella. "It's just like Malaysia!" says Shez.

A passerby picks up a ripe durian and inhales deeply. She carefully checks the weight and then slowly inspects the other spiky fruits in the pile. The smell of durian, the heat, the

Sahara Restaurant, Parramatta, Sydney

Famous Turkish apple tea $3Six food bloggers in a restaurant can never be missed.I often wonder what we must look like to the casual passerby, a table of diners intent on photographing each dish with such seriousness, their faces obscured by a camera lens.Tonight I'm dining with fellow food bloggers Lex, Minh, Richard, Simon and Suze. It takes some time for six people to get the shot they're

Bodega Tapas Bar, Surry Hills, Sydney

It was a rhetorical question.

Did you want to eat at Bodega or somewhere else? I didn't hear the rest of the question.

For a tiny tapas bar, the menu is extensive - 22 different dishes and all of them so tempting.


"Fish fingers" $16
Sashimi kingfish on garlic toast with cuttlefish ceviche and mojama

The sashimi kingfish "fish fingers" is one of Bodega's signature dishes, and with good

Mid-Autumn Festival: O-Mochi Mooncake Giveaway

Have you noticed the brightly coloured tins appearing in Asian grocery stores?The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival falls on October 3 this year, a time for families to come together and eat mooncakes and pomelos, beneath the bright and full mid-autumn moon.The packaging and flavours of mooncakes continues to evolve each year. These fancy mooncake gift boxes are probably the most impressive I've seen -

Observatory Hotel Globe Bar, Sydney

It's hard to believe that the Observatory Hotel was only opened in 1993.Georgian-style architecture is complemented by a old-worlde charm from a bygone era. At the entrance to the hotel bar is a celestial globe from which it takes its name. Crafted in 1799, the globe features a handpainted face of the world's star configurations.Inside the bar, a thick carpeted room with heavy drapery and solid

Caffe L'affare, Wellington, New Zealand - and a competition giveaway for Grab Your Fork readers

[Read on for details on a new Grab Your Fork giveaway!]

I may have skipped breakfast on Sunday, but there was no way I was skipping lunch.

It's true that in my whirlwind weekend of Wellington, I ate until I was fit to burst. I had limited time in the Windy City and I was determined to eat and see as much of it as I possibly could. Instead of being suddenly hit with hunger pangs, I was

Moore Wilson, Wellington, New Zealand

Things that make you go awww........Just as this photogenic pug made me melt into a smile, so did the picture perfect food that awaited me at Moore Wilson.It was my final day in Wellington and after joining a tour of the Harbourside Market, I'd zipped over to the fancy new City Market. There was not a moment to waste as I kept an eye on my watch and walked the couple of blocks up to Moore Wilson

City Market, Wellington, New Zealand

Schneckenudel from BrezelmaniaThe City Market is a new addition to the markets scene in Wellington, established by local award-winning chef Martin Bosley (his restarant Martin Bosley's was the Supreme Winner in the 2007 Cuisine Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards).Housed under the shelter of the Chaffers Dock Function Centre, the City Market is a gourmande's paradise of artisan breads, cheeses

Harbourside Market, Wellington, New Zealand

I was blessed with good weather during my weekend in Wellington.On Sunday morning the sun was shining, and though the air was brisk at about 9C, it was a gorgeous day to be out and about and taking in the local markets.When I'd first visited Wellington two years ago, I'd delighted in the Waitangi Park markets. Today the markets have expanded both in size and offering, including gourmet artisans

Becasse, Sydney - Spring Dinner with Champagne

It's a green carpet entrance.

As I approach the doorway to Bécasse, I hesitate, for in my way is a shallow bed of grassy turf. It's cut to a doormat-size, but positioned sideways so it runs like a small hall-runner. A little voice inside me shouts "KEEP OFF THE GRASS" but there's no other way around and that's when I realise we're meant to walk on the grass, a tongue-in-cheek start to

New World Supermarket, Wellington, New Zealand

Am I the only person who considers an overseas supermarket a valid tourist destination?Having eaten myself into oblivion at Hippopotamus, I know I need to walk off some off my dinner. Where better to head than the fluroscent-lit aisles of New World supermarket, an insight into Wellington's grocery habits?Fruit displayHaving spent much of my high school and university life working in supermarkets,

Steel Bar & Grill, Sydney

It quickly becomes obvious why Damien Head's latest retaurant is called Steel. It's everywhere.The open kitchen dominates the room, the chefs penned in by a floor-to-ceiling steel framework. There's a futuristic feel to the decor, with a molten mercury-look light fitting hanging over several tables. An illuminated all-glass elevator behind our table slowly and ominously descends back and forth

Hippopotamus Restaurant at the Museum Hotel, Wellington, New Zealand

Have you ever dined alone at dinner?It always feels a little disarming dining without company, and often the biggest barrier is the self-conscious worry about what other people will think about you, the Nigel No Mates in the corner.Presumably this is why room service exists, so business travellers (and yes, cooped-in couples) can order food to be eaten in bed in front of a flickering television.

Schoc Chocolates at Ciocco Chocolaterie, Wellington, New Zealand

"I'm going to Wellington!" I told Divemummy."So you're going to Schoc?" she'd replied at once.The last time I'd visited Wellington, my Schoc Chocolate tablet souvenirs had been a huge hit. It's not just the pleasant bitter cocoa of the dark chocolate, or the smooth sweetness of the milk, but the fact that the tablets comes in 60 different flavour varieties sends the mind boggling and excites the

The Weta Cave and Cafe Polo, Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand

Precioussss...... my precioussss

It's hard to think about New Zealand without remembering the dramatic scenery from The Lord of the Rings. And whilst downtown Wellington is perfectly compact and flat for the tourist on foot, you will need wheels to take in the more dramatic ocean views and ascend the steep hills around the city.


The Plate-mobile

Enter the Plate-mobile. After completing the

Floriditas, Wellington, New Zealand

Rolling out chocolate pastry

"See, it's really easy."

Emily Keshav, head baker at Floriditas Bakery, is rolling out chocolate pastry with the casual confidence of a kid with play-doh.

"The trick is to make sure you always work with it when its cold," she says, folding over her perfect circle onto the rolling pin and transferring it to the waiting fluted tin.

We cluster around the stainless

Dixon St Deli, Wellington, New Zealand

You had me at bacon.

Because my trip to Wellington was organised so quickly, I didn't have much time to do research. Yes, food research. I usually like to spend days or weeks looking online for recommendations, checking out restaurant websites, food blogs and reviews for the best eats in the area.

As I'd walked past Dixon St Deli on my first afternoon in Wellington, I doubled back once I

The Ambeli, Wellington, New Zealand

Pan-fried haloumi $17.00
with roasted choggia beet salad and mint dressing

Do you have anything on the menu that's local?

It's a question I often ask when travelling overseas, a chance to sample fresh fare from the area in which it was caught or grown.

Co-owner and maitre'd of The Ambeli, Shaebodine Moleta, can only smile. He then launches into a detailed description of almost every item on

Wellington on a Plate food festival 2009

Have stomach. Will travel.

This is the descriptor on my current blogger profile. Those two sentences could not have been apt for my weekend adventure.

How so? I was hosted over the weekend for the first ever Wellington on a Plate food festival.



That's right. Positively Wellington Tourism flew me across the ditch to eat my around their beautiful city. Oh yes, even my jaw dropped a little at

Adora Handmade Chocolates, Earlwood

Gia truffles - soft hazelnut centre with a milk waferIt's the last place you'd look for a chocolate shop.Sitting on the side of the road, a lone retailer in a sprawl of suburbia, Adora Handmade Chocolates looks like a fish out of water.And water isn't too far away. The sloping hill leads down to the Illawarra Road bridge over Cooks River, with Mahony Memorial Reserve on one side of the bridge,

Becasse, Sydney - Winter Producers Forum with fresh Black Perigord truffles

"The dogs. They went crazy."Duncan Garvey, of Perigord Truffles is on my right, talking about yesterday's truffle hunt in the Southern Highlands with Justin North and his kitchen team from Becasse.On my left is Jill Dupleix. Then Terry Durack. Truffle farmers Bill and Pat make up our table of five. One by one we pass around a glass jar that barely manages to contain a hefty Black Perigord

Room 27, Sydney

EDIT: Room 27, Sydney has now closedHave you walked past this door and never noticed?Sandwiched between the cheerful yellow splash of Barby's bakery and a clothing store on the other side, is a black doorway simply labelled with Room 27.Although there's a menu board of Taiwanese dishes at the front, it's hard not to be a little intimidated by the black walls and entrance, made all the more

Series launch of My Family Feast with Sean Connolly at Sean's Kitchen, Pyrmont, Sydney

Jamon Iberico in the jamon roomFood. And family.For many of us, food and family are naturally intertwined. A family gathering is a good excuse for a feast, and a feast just isn't the same unless it's shared with loved ones.As an Australia-born Chinese, the importance of food has always played a part in my upbringing. We use it to celebrate, to commemorate, to commiserate, and my mother always

Parramatta Park Cafe, Parramatta, Sydney

Is there anything as interesting to read about than food? Apparently so. People also love to read about cats, weddings, and reality tv...Saturday morning saw ten female bloggers meet for the first ever lunch by Blog Chicks, an online networking forum for Australian female bloggers. The forum is hosted by Leigh, who also puts together the list of Top 100 Australian Female Bloggers, updated every

Da Wan Lai, Eastwood, Sydney

I hope that you like garlic.A day of errands happened to bring us to the Eastwood area and when lunchtime came, we strolled our way past Chinese, Korean and Japanese options, investigating each one keenly. Compared to the Oriental opulence of the Golden Jade Seafood Restaurant across the mall, Da Wan Lai is quiet and understated, a few fish tanks at the front and an entry marked with a multitude

10 tips on how to market your restaurant (and what restaurants really think of food blogs)

We all dine in restaurants but what's it like to run one? Attending Restaurant 09 provided some insight into the challenges that restauranteurs face, particularly the topics covered in the Business Talk sessions.I sat in on two sessions: "Marketing 101 - Ideas for surviving the down times"; and "Gen Y dining - Meeting their demands". The panellists raised a number of interesting points which

Restaurant 09, Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park

Kurrajong grubsNow in its fourth year, Restaurant 09 is an trade-only industry event designed for restaurants, hotels and cafe and their suppliers, producers and manufacturers. Apart from the chance to see new products, look out for emerging trends and indulge in a bit of dishwasher and cookware porn, it's an insightful look into the food industry on the other side of the coin.Camel mettwurstNot

Spice I Am, Surry Hills, Sydney

It's always reassuring when things stay the same.Consistency of quality was mentioned at Restaurant09 as one of the key drivers behind restaurant selection by customers. With a two-year gap between visits to Spice I Am, I'm always surprised to see the food is always just as good as I remembered.Bael fruit drink $4.00 and Thai iced coffee $4.00In fact the only thing that's changed is the signage.

How to earn money on your blog and get free stuff from Nuffnang

Do you have a blog? Are you interested in getting paid ads on your website?Nuffnang is an Asia Pacific blog advertising platform looking to add to its 800-strong Australia blogging network. As of July 2009, they have 80,000 bloggers in Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines using Nuffnang ads.Interested? You can read more about Nuffnang, their history and what's in it for you. As as special

Cafe Sopra and Fratelli Fresh, Waterloo, Sydney

ArtichokesShopping for fruit and veggies should always be this fun.There's a great sense of adventure when exploring the market-style setup at Fratelli Fresh in Waterloo. Admittedly it's more fun if you don't look at the price tags, but quality comes at a price, and this price buys you luscious, heavy, vivid and gargantuan specimens of deliciousness, all artfully arranged in rustic wooden

Best Friend Chung Jin Dong Korean Restaurant, Sydney (and the pleasures of eating silkworm pupae)

EDIT: Best Friend Chung Jin Dong has now closed

Silkworm pupae.

Who said dinner out had to be boring?

It was a random lunch time wander that sparked my interest in silkworm of the edible kind. Browsing grocery stores can easily provide me with hours of fun, and a tin of silkworm pupae not only caught my eye, but had to be photographed and tweeted.

Although the tin didn't cost that much, I

LNC Dessert House, Sydney

I've decided. The Sydney CBD needs more late night dessert houses.I cannot count the number of times I've left the cinemas on George Street, or stepped out of a restaurant, and gone in search of dessert - because the night is still young and the sweet tooth has yet to be satiated.Invariably we end up at Passionflower on George, Passionflower at the Capitol or--more recently--a celebration of roti

How to cook pork crackling (and maple syrup choko fries)

I don't understand people who don't like crackling. What's not to love? The earth-trembling shatter as you take that first bite, the footsteps-on-gravel-crunch as it turns into smithereens, the smatterings of salt you have to lick from the corners of your lips... oh yeah, baby.And yet, when faced with cooking a roast pork yourself, the pressure to make the perfect sheet of crackling is

Kaizen BBQ, North Ryde, Sydney

All. You. Can. Eat. with wagyu.Ahhh.... now I have your attention.All-you-can-eat BBQ $29.90With a protein free-for-all on offer, Kaizen draws us in like moths to a flame. The boys have been looking forward to this all day. I guess it's the same type of excitement sweet tooths get before a high tea buffet.The decor is modern and uncluttered, an emphasis on clean lines with plenty of timber in the

Bird Cow Fish, Surry Hills, Sydney

"When you wake up in the morning Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?""What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?""I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.I love this quote by Winnie The Pooh from The House at Pooh Corner by AA Milne. Bird Cow Fish co-owner and

Mecca Bah, Manuka, Canberra

Self-portrait at the National Portrait Gallery

It's true what they say. If you keep your head down, you miss out on all the fun stuff.

On our recent day trip to the Truffle Festival in Canberra, we stopped by the National Portrait Gallery after our lunch at Senso. Along one of the corridors is a long bench table with information touch screens. It's not unless you're paying particular attention

Kana Express Food, Sydney

"I'm sorry. Everything is deep-fried."Sorry? Those two beautiful words are music to my ears. The enquiring passerby steps away, shocked and a little aghast. In the meantime, I'm dancing a little jig of unrestrained joy.Korean deep-fried snacksAlmost everything here is served on skewers and a celebration of all that is deep-fried - it's like being at the Easter Show without having to deal with

Lemon cheesecake, and a pressure cooker comparison (which pressure cooker should you buy?)

Dinner party jitters? Let the only pressure be in your pressure cooker, I say.With three pressure cookers at my testing disposal courtesy of KitchenwareDirect, I decided to use one for each course at a recent dinner party. For entrees, it was a sweetcorn and basil soup in the electric Cuisinart pressure cooker, mains was a beef and Guinness stew in the Fagor Duo pressure cooker. For dessert? How

Faheem Fast Food, Enmore, Sydney

Mixed katta kat $12.00Beef liver and kidney cooked with exotic spicesand traditional Pakistani hot curryI have a theory...Offal is the fat kid in school.All the pretty things - lobster, salmon, scallops, rib eye and rack of lamb - get the instant double-take and the whistle of appreciation. They're the cool kids. Like the tall, blonde and beautiful, they could be wearing a paper bag and still

Mamak, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

Usually it's just me.After a dinner out with friends, as we file out the door, I'll casually say "soooooo... does anyone feel like dessert?"I'm already thinking of options and looking forward to sweet closure when someone, the self-nominated Voice Of Reason will say "Omigod, you're joking aren't you? I'm sooooooo full. I totally couldn't eat another thing."To which I will smile and laugh, "Oh of

Teppanyaki, The Ivy, Sydney - Merivale Winter Feast

The diner looks around, confused. "Oh when you said we were going to Teppanyaki, I was expecting a chef doing tricks at our table".I overhear this comment from our dining neighbour. We're all seated at the huge wooden communal table which runs the length of this dim and moody Asian-themed eatery in the Ivy complex. I can only smile wryly at the confusion.Whilst we can see the chefs at work in the

Bankstown Bites Food Festival 2009: Discovery Food Tours

The Bankstown Bites Festival is always a calendar highlight. This year the Festival was set-up further down South Terrace, enabling better traffic flow and crowd management. "Fast Ed" Ed Halmagyi was the feature chef this year and stalls sold a range of foods from Korean to Peruvian, and German to Lebanese.Traditional Korean drummingChicken skewersChurrosMy favourite aspect of the festival is, of

Gumshara Ramen, Eating World, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

Sometimes you find gems in the most unlikely of places.

Tucked down one end of the Eating World food court in Chinatown, is a small stall decorated only with a hanging red curtain and a menu printed on a huge cardboard sign. Gumshara serves traditional Japanese ramen, and in the short time since opening, has gathered a legion of devoted followers.


Traditional Japanese ramen

One of its

Footy franks (and my first night at the footy)

I grew up in a family that never really valued sport as a worthy pursuit. The closest I got to appreciating rugby league in primary school was collecting and swapping footy cards by playing "tips", "tops" and "faar-ies".Hence it's with some bemusement I confess I attended my first ever rugby league match recently. As a spectator with little emotional involvement with either team playing, I found

Nepenthe wine celebrations at Aria Restaurant, Sydney

I admit it. The main reason I was excited about celebrating Nepenthe's recent wins in the Decanter World Wine Awards 2009, was the fact they were celebrating it at Aria.The undoubted star of the evening was the Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc 2008, winner of the Best Australian Sauvignon Blanc under £10 Trophy. The Decanter World Wine Awards, which were launched in 2003, attracted more entries in 2009

The pressure test: Beef and Guinness Stew

I'll never be a MasterChef.I know this because not only am I quite positive I would draw a complete and utter mind blank when faced with a mystery box or invention test (in front of cameras, and the threat of a national TV audience no less!), but I also know I am terrible at plating. And food styling.When I cook for guests, I'm usually more worried about whether the room is too hot or cold, if

Fondue at JPB Restaurant, Swissotel, Sydney

Fondue. Give them food on a stick. And let them dip.A last-minute dinner suggestion by Billy sees a flurry of emails, a hungry surf of the web and finally a booking at JPB Restaurant at the Swissôtel for a night of fondue.Simon and Yas are also grabbing their fondue fork, and Mr and Mrs Pig Flyin--who happen to be in town idling for dinner--also join our fooding crew. I'm bemused when, as I make

Sydney food blog list (includes regional NSW)

Can you imagine a world without food blogs? Oh what a cruel cruel world it would be.

If I'm missing your blog, or I have your commencement date incorrectly labelled, leave a comment and let me know. All blogs listed should be active, ie have posted in the past six months.

And if you're thinking of starting a food blog of your own, what are you waiting for? Come join us now!


Sydney and

High tea at The Loft, King Street Wharf, Sydney

Is high tea just for the gals?This thought crossed my mind as seven female food bloggers assembled at The Loft on King Street Wharf for their Christmas in July high tea. Whilst a sweet tooth seems to strike more women than men, I've known more than a few blokes who secretly wanted to join a baby shower or hen's day just so they could partake in high tea and indulge.On Saturday it was women only,

The pressure test: Sweet Corn and Basil Soup

It's only in winter that I hanker for the warming qualities of a piping hot bowl of thick, nourishing belly-satisfying soup.Ever since Minh posted her adapted recipe for the Sweet Corn and Basil Veloute by Justin North, I'd bookmarked it for future reference. It sounded rich and sweet and I loved the idea of making a soup using a stock simply by boiling corn cobs.Following an off-hand remark

MasterChef Finale: Who Will Win?

All good things must come to an end, and this Sunday it's the MasterChef Australia finale.What better way to send off this television hit--one that has struck a chord throughout Australian living rooms, kitchens and soon-to-be-growing pantries--than your very own MasterChef party?Need some help? Read on!How to host your own MasterChef finale partyAll guests must wear dress in costume, either by

Food festivals and markets: What's on this weekend

Saturday July 18, 2009Markets:Eveleigh Farmers' Market, 8am-1pm, 243 Wilson Street DarlingtonNorthside Produce Market - 8am-12pm, Miller Street North Sydney~~~Sunday July 19, 2009The Rocks Aroma FestivalGet your caffeine fix at the biggest coffee festival in Australia. There'll also be plenty of tea, hot chocolate and sweets as well. Check out my pics from the Aroma Festival in 2007.10am-5pmFrom

Mamak, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

The boys are back in town.After three long and painful weeks of renovations, Mamak is open again for business.I don't often head to Mamak these days, turned off by the huge queues every evening (is Mamak the new old Spice I Am?) but it's funny how a little bit of reverse psychology works its magic. Closed and unavailable? I want it now.We headed to Mamak last Friday, its third day of business

MUMU Grill, Crows Nest, Sydney

In our fast-paced lives in the rushrushrush of the City, sometimes it's nice to sit back and Take It Slow.Taking things slow is one of the key philosophies behind the Slow Food movement, one that embraces food that is good, clean and fair, and urges us to no longer be "enslaved by speed". Keen to share and spread the philosphies of this movement is Craig Macindoe, chef and owner of MUMU Grill in

Super Meal Chinese Restaurant, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

Looking for a late night dinner in Sydney? Most of the time we end up heading toward Chinatown.

I'm not quite sure when Super Bowl on Goulburn turned into a Super Meal. The frontage and signage is exactly the same, the only difference is the blue cursive neon lighting switched from Bowl to Meal. And again, inside, everything remains pretty much as I remembered.


Rice bowls waiting for goodies

Russell James Pop-Up Gallery, Customs House Forecourt, Sydney

Photography? I'd always considered it one of the easiest creative arts to master - a case of frame your shot and hit the shutter button. It doesn't take long to realise that amazing photography is harder than it looks - an understanding of composition, of design, of seeing the beauty in the everyday that most of us miss, and combining this with the technical expertise to produce an image that is

Good Food & Wine Show Sydney 2009

Oh Manu... oh yes I do!Yes, I do love good food which is why I can never resist attending the Good Food & Wine Show every year it hits town (I've missed it once in the past 6 years and only because I was overseas at the time).Even more exciting this year was the receipt of one media pass from Johanna at Stellar*, which not only got me into the Show for free, but also included access to the media

Grill'd - Grilled Healthy Burgers, Crows Nest, Sydney

When did burgers get so popular?Suddenly, it seems, Sydney can't get enough of them. These aren't the greasy takeaway shop kind, with pre-made patties cooked on the grill by a sad and resigned owner who sighs with each order.I remember those hamburgers of youth with fondness, a behemoth of beauty piled high with the greasy fried egg, rasher of bacon, juilenne of wilted lettuce, discs of soggy

La Disfida Pizzeria, Haberfield, Sydney

There's only one thing you come to La Disfida for, and that's the pizza.We're talking thin crust pizzas dressed with only a smattering of topping, and baked in a traditional wood-fired oven.A firm favourite with locals, La Disfida is the family-run pizzeria well-suited for families as well as BYO wine-toting couples. Timber floorboards and bare wooden tables cluster around the open-style kitchen,

Ripples at Sydney Wharf, Pyrmont, Sydney - Chef's Table

"Look! Look! There's fairy floss above our heads!"This is just one moment of glee in a food-filled evening at Ripples Sydney Wharf.We struggle at first to find the restaurant, looking for wharves nine and ten, before realising it's only a mere stroll from the grass of Pyrmont Bay Park, home of the Good Living Growers' Markets. There's a casual al fresco feel to the restaurant, the dining area set

Truffle Festival lunch at Senso Restaurant, Canberra

Head chef and owner, Jan Gundlach, breathes in deeply

EDIT: Senso Restaurant has closed.

Truffles. Is there are food more veiled with gastronomic intrigue and romantic mystique?

We headed to Canberra's first Truffle Festival to find out first-hand the allure of the truffle, a road trip that detoured via Berrima for scones, before arriving at Senso. for a four-course truffle lunch.


Pumpkin

Truffled scrambled eggs, scones in Berrima and the Capital Country Truffle Festival, Canberra

Black winter truffles from Manjimup, Western AustraliaOld socks and sex.That, according to some, is the most accurate description of the smell of fresh truffles.I'd never tried fresh truffles before which was why the first ever Capital Country Truffle Festival had me snuffling about the web like a truffle-hunting, errr... pig.Truffles have been cultivated around Australia for several years now,

Sydney Winter Festival, Cook and Phillip Park, Sydney

Sydney. Snow.The two words seem at odds with each other, but for four days last week, locals had the chance to experience a winter wonderland at the inaugural Sydney Winter Festival.For the first time in almost fifty years, an outdoor ice skating rink was erected in Sydney's CBD, set up on the forecourt of St Mary's Cathedral. Ice skating session tickets were offered online prior to the event and

Merivale Winter Feasts Launch Party, The Establishment, Sydney

Forget any jokes about swine flu. The pig outside the Establishment last Tuesday was more like a call to arms. Or a call to stomachs, as the case may be.We joined the hungry hoardes at the Merivale Winter Feasts launch party, a follow-up to the successful March Into Merivale campaign. Over the three months of winter, Merivale restaurants will be offering $35 lunches and dinners of one, two and

Simon Johnson sale, Alexandria

I like to spend my Saturday mornings in bed. Under the covers. Blissfully warm and preferably asleep until midday. I call it my weekly banking, a catch-up on all those late nights spent eating. And blogging.Few things will get me out of bed early on a Saturday. Food is one of them. Sales are another.A food sale? Ahhh.... now we're talking.After hearing Pig Flyin wax lyrical about the annual sale

Wagaya, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

Food bloggers ahoy!Pic above just added - thank you Karen for your wide angle lens and the tripod donater (can't remember who?). We took this shot towards the end of the evening when alas, a few people had already gone home.How many food bloggers can you fit into a 25-seater room? We managed to squeeze in 30, a feat achieved when Chocolatesuze celebrated her birthday at Wagaya. Just when we

Freebie Friday winners: Good Food & Wine Show

The winners of the Grab Your Fork Freebie Friday competition have been decided and confirmed*.Avik has won the major prize with their question: "What was the first dish you taught your children to cook?"Avik has won 1 x double pass to the Good Food & Wine Show Sydney including tickets to the Gordon Ramsay session at 12.30pm on Saturday July 4 2009, worth $95 in total.The Random Sequence Generator

Upside-down pear and macadamia cake

This one's a winner.Every time I've made this upside-down pear and macadamia cake, everybody wants seconds. The cinnamon-spiced pears are a perfect match for the chill that is winter, and the inclusion of almond meal gives the cake a lovely moist friand-style crumb.What I love most about this cake, is it can be made in advance and then reheated to serve. Once up-turned on a plate, I like to place

The Smokehouse, Surry Hills, Sydney

EDIT: The Smokehouse has now closed

I do love a good bathroom.

Just as they say you can judge the quality of a coat by its buttons, so too is the mandatory bathroom inspection a good indicator of a restaurant's attention to detail.

It's a little dim when you first enter the bathroom at The Smokehouse, your hands flailing in the milky shadows searching for the light switch, until you realise,

Lowenbrau Keller, The Rocks, Sydney

It's true. I do derive an inordinate amount of pleasure whenever I say the word schlachtplatte.Partly it's because I relish putting on a very bad German accent, trying to generate as much noise as possible on the schlaaaaacht (I did say it was a bad accent). But perhaps the most exciting part about saying schlachtplatte to the waitress is the promise of the meat to come. A feast of meat. A

The Light Brigade Bistro, Woollahra

"Hi Helen...I’ve been looking at your fabulous blog ‘Grab Your Fork’ and I wanted to extend an invitation for you and a guest you to experience the award-winning cuisine of Chef James Privett at the Light Brigade’s Bistro..."And that email--by Lisa from the Trish Nicol Agency--is how Suze and I find ourselves at the Light Brigade for her early celebratory birthday dinner.Light fitting in the

Yuletide dinner at Restaurant Atelier, Glebe with Australian Pork

Sometimes you need to hit "pause" just to appreciate all the good things in life. You would think the end is nigh, what with economic woes and flu outbreaks, yet if you stop just a minute and breathe, you'll find there are plenty of things to smile about and be grateful.Even the official onset of weather means good things. I'm thinking rich hearty comfort food and cuddly doonas, big steaming mugs

Freebie Friday: Win tickets to see Gordon Ramsay at the Good Food & Wine Show, Sydney

It's a Happy Friday to you because Grab Your Fork has another competition giveaway!Thanks to Johanna from Stellar* Concepts, Grab Your Fork has a swag of prizes for the upcoming Good Food & Wine Show in Sydney. This ever-popular event runs over three glorious days, enticing visitors to eat, drink, taste and purchase a huge range of food, drink, wine, cooking and entertainment products.Good Food &

Eat, Drink, Live Italian food festa, Martin Place

Eat, Drink and Live Italian.This is the theme of the two-day food festival currently on at Martin Place as part of the Sydney Italian Festival. Unfortunately an open-air trattoria doesn't have quite the same appeal when it's cold and drizzling although that didn't stop curious city workers stopping in for a look and a quick feed.Orecchiette on the stoveMass platingThe tented mobile kitchen is a

RockSalt Restaurant, Menai

Before Kids. And After Kids.These are the milestones by which many of my friends now define their social lives.I remember the days I could buzz people and within an hour we'd be doing the car pool and on our way to an impromptu dinner. These days it's a minefield of nap-times, bed-times, fevers and sniffles to negotiate.And it's not until you have kids, or hang out with kids, that you notice the

Adriano Zumbo, Balmain

There was a definite spring in my step this morning. After a week of wind and rain, Sydney woke to a surprise burst of morning sunshine. Today was the launch of the latest collection of seasonal desserts by Adriano Zumbo, an event that appeared to give even Mother Nature something to smile about.A newly revamped website details Zumbo's recent return from a two-month stay in France where he

Stomach's Eleven: A French feast

Savoy cabbageLet me set the scene.Only forty minutes before, I'd been eating six different desserts at the conclusion of chocolatesuze's flavour tripping party. Before that we'd been sucking on lemons, eating citric acid and drinking vinegar. Because we could. And prior to that, we'd gorged on a late lunch of roti canai, sticky glazed ribs, fried seafood dumplings, mushrooms, pumpkin salad,

Etch Dining, Sydney

Lolly tray. It's these two words that make my heart skip a beat, as we make arrangements for lunch at Justin and Georgia North's latest restaurant, Etch.CockerelHoused in the InterContintental Hotel, on the former site of Mint Bar & Dining, we enter to find a dining room that is large and airy, a sea of dark wooden tables bathed in natural light. Overhead are several enormous drum lightshades

Moroccan lamb pizza

Pizza. The simplest and quickest way to turn dough into a meal.I love its appeal from kids through to teens through to hungry adults. It's more than just party food, or home delivery for a night in front of the telly. Once you get in the kitchen and start making your own version, good pizza knows no bounds.Homemade pizza is the perfect menu for a casual weekend meal with friends. Prep the

Super Bowl, Chinatown Haymarket, Sydney

Yes. We did just have a roast dinner.Yes. My stomach does have a very short memory.Which is why, after some aimless and protracted meandering of the streets after dinner, Chocolatesuze and I inexplicably find ourselves heading towards Chinatown.In search of roti."Rotiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii" trills Suze, with a crazed look in her eye.Except we arrive at Mamak to find the floor being swept and the

Chophouse, Sydney

Don't you just love a novelty plate too?


Dining table

Tonight we're at the Chophouse, sister restaurant to Kingsleys Steakhouse, and one that continues the theme of protein within testosterone-friendly environs.

A modern version of the typical New York steahouse, there's a manly sense of charm about the place. The tables are all dark wood colours, surrounded by maroon leather banquettes,

Miracle fruit, flavour tripping and a wig party

Miracle fruit. It's the latest craze to hit foodlovers' tables, if recent media coverage is anything to go by.The reason for this interest? The berry, originally found in West Africa, contains miraculin, a molecule that disables the tastebuds that detect sourness. This alters the brain into thinking that sour or tart foods taste much sweeter. Lemons will apparently taste like lemonade and

Freebie Friday: 50 free $10 delivery vouchers

Thank God it's Friday. Has your week felt as long as mine?Well perk on up because it's Freebie Friday, a new feature at Grab Your Fork that will appear sporadically on, you guessed it, Fridays!Menulog is offering Grab Your Fork readers around Australia a free $10 voucher for home deliveries in May. This offer is available to the first 50 redemptions so make sure you get in quick!How to receive

Coca-Cola cupcakes

The idea of a coca-cola cupcake seems to send everyone I tell into flabbergasted fits of wonder."Coca-Cola? In a cupcake?" It's as though the concept is both horrifying and too-good-to-be-true.But when you consider the ingredients in cola: sugar, caramel colour and acid, its addition to baking and general cooking starts to make more sense. Nigella Lawson is probably one of its more well-known

A Taste of Sweden, IKEA Restaurant and Sweden Shop, Rhodes

Care for a meatball?Has anyone ever managed to leave IKEA a) in under an hour, and b) without buying anything?Huh, me neither.The great big escalator at the entrance takes you up to IKEA Land, straight into the oh-so-organised, 'wouldn't this look great, honey?' modern-looking demonstration rooms. Oh the efficient functionality. Oh the cleanness of design. Oh the quirky cheerfulness of 1970s

Good Living Growers' Market, Pyrmont

SteakaliciousAs if on cue, Mother Nature turned on a dazzling day of sunshine for shoppers at the Good Living Growers' Markets on Saturday. Despite the luxury of the weekly Farmers' Market at Eveleigh, Sydneysiders still flock to the markets at Pyrmont, held on the first Saturday of every month.It's hard to believe it's been over six months since I last visited. Oh the lure of the Saturday

No-knead easy crusty bread

Homemade bread. Just looking at this picture makes my mouth water.I love how a simple party involving yeast, flour and a sprinkle of salt can result in something so beautiful. I'm still learning my way around the potential of yeast so pulling this gorgeous loaf out of the oven did make my heart flutter just a little.This recipe has been doing the rounds all over the internet. It's not hard to see

Stomach's Eleven and a whole suckling pig

Crisping the crackling on the suckling pigI know. The irony of a post on suckling pig in the midst of a swine flu outbreak is not lost on me.But this pig. It was consumed last week in a world where pork still made people happy. It made us very happy. Oh happy indeed.Ru zhu quang tiBarbecue whole pigletPerhaps not so happy for the piglet. He in his silver-lined red cardboard box, skull flayed in

Grotta Capri, Kensington, Sydney

EDIT: Grotta Capri has now closed.

If you've been watching the second series of Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities, you cannot have missed noticing the scenes featuring Robert "Aussie Bob" Trimbole in his favourite restaurant Grotta Capri.

I'd first noticed this restaurant when we'd dined at Sushi Tengoku, only a few doors up the road, but for many older Sydneysiders, it's one filled with

A Table for Nine

My camera parking spotGiven that we were in his 'hood, Billy was recently kind enough to invite us to an Easter barbecue lunch. It was not his usual Table For Two, but rather a table for nine, and a great chance to catch up with mutual friends over good food and tasty sangria.Snapper stuffed with lemon slicesIf there's one thing I admire in any home chef, it's the presence of calm. Billy has

Markets, Mingara and mementoes at The Entrance

The Entrance Lions Club MarketsMarkets. We'd barely left our holiday apartment at The Entrance when we pulled over to the side of the road upon spotting the local markets. I love scouring second-hand stalls - an irresistible combination of shopping and bargain hunting, not to mention a chance to mosey at other people's eclectic wares and ponder their history.Local ocean honey $4and Trinidad

Surf Spot Cafe, The Entrance

Jackie's Bowls ShopA week without internet? It's enough to make any twitterer clutch their chest with panic.But you know what? It is possible. Truly.I spent my Easter break up at The Entrance with family and it's amazing how much free time you have if you're forcibly disconnected from online distractions. I made good use of the pool and the sauna after dinner, or found myself curled up on the

Sydney Royal Easter Show 2009: The Racing and Diving Pigs

Mogul Miss Fontenot 12thBrahman cattle femaleAfter covering the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome and the cake decorating at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, it was time to move onto the animals and the food.But first we needed sustenance.Cheese on a stick with fresh lemonadeChocolatesuze likes her cheese. This was her second cheese on a stick for the day. She would later have one more for a personal Show

Sydney Royal Easter Show 2009

Ahhh the Easter Show. It brings out the kid in all of us doesn't it?A celebration of agriculture and livestock, it's one of the few times in which we all earnestly celebrate our ties to the land.Whilst childhood memories are inevitably tinted with sentimentality, attending as an adult gives you free financial rein to create your own version of an idyllic day out. Deep-fried food included.Queuing

Recipe: Hot cross buns

There's something so satisfying about baking with yeast. The transformation of yeast and flour into something alive and growing is magical indeed, and there's a certain empowering pleasure in transforming a warm and fermenting blob of grey into great big pillows of fluffy bread that looks and smells fantastic.Hot cross buns are always a crowd favourite and homemade versions taste like no other.

Bodega Tapas Bar, Surry Hills

No reservations.Whilst I respect a restaurant's right to uphold a no-bookings policy, it does require the tedium of organisation, a willingness to dine early and a contract with friends to arrive on time (rah!) unless you're prepared to queue.That's partly why it's taken me so long to get to Bodegas Tapas Bar. Despite all the rave reviews and glowing endorsements, it had always seemed that

Chefs of Merivale Gala Dinner

Wow.After delighting in a backstage tour before the Chefs of Merivale Gala Dinner--sampling the canapes and talking to the chefs in the banquet kitchen downstairs--we food bloggers fully expected to be escorted out the door once the official dinner was served. At $300 a head, the six-course dinner would not only herald the conclusion of the first March into Merivale campaign, but would also be

One night of hot pot

Ahhh.... the onset of winter.As the last echoes of summer subside, I find myself looking forward to the cooler months. Cold nights mean bigger appetites and that paves the way for hearty portions of comfort food. Hurrah.Our latest Stomach's Eleven venture saw us descend on the home of M&L for a night of hot pot or steamboat. There's a little bit of prep work involved for the host, but for the

Behind-the-scenes at the Chefs of Merivale Gala Dinner

CanapesThe tides. They are a-turning.At the start of the month, Grab Your Fork, along with several other Sydney food blogs, reported on the March Into Merivale launch party. Open to anyone and everyone, it was a great evening. Free food, free drinks, lots of photos, a chance for some chef ogling and did I mention the free food? We ate, we photographed, we blogged the evening in all its glory.

Nonna's Gourmet Sausages, Brookvale

EDIT 11/08/10: Please note that Nonna's Gourmet Sausages have now moved from Chipping Norton to Brookvale. See the end of this post for updated address details. [Video notes: I originally edited this video to a soundtrack of Frank Sinatra's "I've Got You Under My Skin" - appropriate, no? Sadly, YouTube wouldn't allow this track due to copyright reasons, so I had to substitute an alternate song

Wagaya, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

I like wasabi. I really do. But there's a strange flutter in the stomach when you first come face-to-face with the sushi roulette game at Wagaya in Sydney's Chinatown.With its touch screen menus and ordering system, affordable bite-sized dishes and smart but groovy decor, Wagaya has been an instant hit with diners since its opening late last year. Designed in the style of an izakaya or Japanese

Ching Yip Coffee Lounge, Haymarket Chinatown, Sydney

Hong Kong cheese are the three words that come to mind when describing Ching Yip Coffee Lounge.I mean it figuratively and literally. For where else would you find the happy collision of East meets West in this Hong Kong-style cafe that brings you the culinary delights of spaghetti bolognaise grilled with shredded cheese; spaghetti with ham in white sauce grilled with shredded cheese; and fried

Grab Your Fork on 702AM Sydney

The 702 waiting roomPhew! Live radio is nerve wracking!EDITED 29 OCT 09: If you missed my interview on ABC 702 Weekends this morning, you can listen to the entire segment by clicking play on the embedded video below.




As I entered the studio with fellow guests John Newton and Michelle Cranston, host Simon Marnie leant over to me and said "There's been a lot of interest in your interview by

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I've always had a bit of fascination with red velvet cake, a traditional Southern American specialty often referred to as "the chocolate cake of the south".The cake is so named because of its incredibly soft texture, the moist crumb arising from the use of buttermilk and its fluffy aeration a result of the buttermilk's reaction with vinegar. Most red velvet cakes use cocoa although there's not an

SWEETNESS The Patisserie store now open in Epping

SWEET MallowsSWEETNESS The Patisserie opened its new retail store and kitchen in Epping today. Located just up the road from the station, it's a gorgeous site that reflects Gena's commitment to homemade sweets and baking made with heartfelt passion and love.Whilst I haven't had a chance to see the final set-up, I did get a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen a few weeks ago, a totally new

How to host your own afternoon tea

Afternoon tea.We'd been meaning to host a girly afternoon tea at my place for some time now, an excuse to cook up all sorts of delicious morsels, and the chance to showcase the gorgeous tea cups I currently have on 'long-term loan' from a friend. I've been collecting all kinds of old-fashioned tiered stands and accoutrements from op-shops over the years as well. It's amazing what you can find in

Umami, Sydney

Sashimi bento box $14.50 (lunch special 11am-4pm) Served with agedashi tofu, croquettes, rice, salad and miso soupI hadn't realised until someone pointed it out reecntly that I tend to feature a lot of Japanese on this blog. It's no surprise, really. I tend to eat a lot of Japanese!When asked my favourite cuisine, I invariably nominate both Japanese and Vietnamese. However unlike Vietnamese

Taste of Sydney Festival, Centennial Park

"This nipple tastes funny."Oh yes, there was lots of fun and frolic to be had at the inaugural Taste of Sydney festival in Centennial Park. And what's an event without a quotable quote from the always loveable Chocolatesuze. But more on that later.Crown festival currencyAvailable in booklets of 20 crowns ($20) and 30 crowns ($30)I headed to the Taste festival on its opening night, Thursday, along

Arisun, Haymarket Chinatown

Grilled sausage $12

Now I don't mind a hot dog every now and then. There's a bit of guilty childlike pleasure in that fluoro red skin, bouncy fatty "meat and squiggles of tomato sauce and mustard, all encased in a soft squishy bun.

Frankfurters belong in buns don't they? It's like their natural housing. Even the Chinese bakeries wrap their frankfurts in sweet baked bread or steamed mantou bun.

Chocolate and ginger biscotti

As I get older [sigh], I find my sweet tooth isn't quite what it used to be [shock mingled with relief]. Sure there's still room for a big fat slice of banoffee pie, but I'm also starting to appreciate less sweet desserts, like salted chocolate and cranberry cookies and these chocolate and ginger biscotti.I was a little impatient with this batch, not quite waiting long enough for the baked logs

Regal Restaurant, Haymarket Chinatown

1. Steamed scallops with black bean sauceIf there's one thing I tend to avoid at Chinese restaurants it's the banquet option in the English menu. Often the dishes involve too much batter, bicarb and sugar for my liking, and besides I always think it's much more exciting and rewarding to choose and design your own array of dishes. Usually the bill is cheaper too.But when someone else is paying,

Roast Pork, Banoffee Pie and Black Sesame Cupcake Cones: Dinner Party at Mine

Stomach's Eleven were on the move, and this time it was my turn to host our travelling dinner party. I don't naturally like organising, but I do hate being stressed, which is why everyone always laughs when they spot the usual "dinner party to-do schedule" on my fridge. But planning ahead does pay off. It means I can cook certain dishes or elements thereof a few days beforehand, and there's less

Nakashima Japanese Restaurant, The Rocks, Sydney

Tataki $7.90
Thinly sliced slightly cooked raw beef with vinegar sauce

I kept hearing about Nakashima and its hidden location down an alleyway in The Rocks, and still I would wonder why I had never stumbled across it in all my travels. As I follow Billy up Argyle Street, in search of dinner after the March into Merivale launch party, he makes a sharp left just before the overpass and proceeds

March Into Merivale Launch Party, The Establishment

Forget busty wenches. The women of Sydney are much more interested in hot naked chefs.With economic doom and gloom reputedly just around the corner, trust Justin Hemmes to use his trademark business nous and marketing panache to create a month-long budget-friendly Food and Wine Festival that spans all nine Merivale restaurants. Convince the head chefs to get naked for an arty photo shoot. Give it

No ordinary steak dinner

Stuffed zucchini flowersSo Pig Flyin' had been gifted with a whole slab of scotch steak by K. He needed a few eaters to help him out, and boy, I always love to help a friend in need.I don't need to remind you that Pig Flyin' knows how to cook. In fact, as the G-man pointed out, Pig Flyin's amazing feasts have only served to make us dinner party snobs - it's increasingly hard to be impressed after

Eveleigh Farmers' Market

Is the farmers' market the new fooding social scene?It certainly felt that way on Saturday when I headed to the first official Eveleigh Farmers' Market . A weekly undercover growers market in the inner city is a much welcomed addition to the shopping calendar.There were plenty of people milling about at 9.10am (and I can tell you it's a mere seven minute walk from Redfern train station - I timed

Golden Sichuan Restaurant, Haymarket Chinatown

Professional trencherman. I think that's what I'd like to put on my next business card.It's the one word which is actually meaningful on the garbled Chinglish ode to Sichuan cuisine at the entrance to Golden Sichuan Restaurant. A trencherman, according to the dictionary, is a hearty eater, its origin explained by its medieval usage as some who "frequents another's table; a hanger-on or parasite".

Eveleigh Farmers' Market

Don't forget the Eveleigh Farmers' Market officially starts this Saturday. One presumes there'll be no suckling pigs on offer like last year's Christmas Market but an undercover weekly farmers market in the inner city is just what Sydneysiders want and need.View Larger MapEveleigh Farmers' MarketEvery Saturday 8am-1pm243 Wilson Street, Darlingtonnear the corner of Codrington Streetabout a ten

A quick trip to the US of A

Pop Tarts $8.95Growing up on a diet of Judy Blume, Trixie Belden, Paul Zindel and Robert Cormier novels, it was always the paragraphs about American food that intrigued the most.What were these magical treats called Tootsie Rolls, Twinkies and Kool-Aid? In an era pre-Internet--yes really!--these unknown mysteries could only be pictured in my imagination. For years I pictured a bowl filled with

Harry's Bar de Ville at Bay Tinh, Marrickville

Bo luc lacTender beef cubes sauteed in special sauceserved with pepper and lemon juice"Toto, I don't think we're in Marrickville anymore..."Except we are in Marrickville, and we're in a bar. A bar. With cherry red textured floral wallpaper, and wall-to-wall timber and fancy light fittings. Are you sure I'm not in Newtown?I say this because the change in Marrickville's landscape over the past

1000 posts prize giveaway: The lucky winners!

Everybody likes freebies, and it was clear that readers agreed with a flood of entries for the prize giveaways celebrating 1,000 posts on Grab Your Fork. A whopping 852 entries were received in total.I wish that everyone could win, but alas, there will only be eight lucky people shrieking over their emails this morning. Congratulations to all the winners - you should have already received your

Lowenbrau Keller, The Rocks, Sydney

Schweinshaxn $31Oven-roasted pork knuckle with sauerkraut, Löwenbräu bier sauce and mashed potatoYou've just had chocolate for breakfast. What would you have for lunch?Pork knuckle.Of course.Because I'm with chocolatesuze and if there's one thing I've learnt from my eating adventures with her, it's that she's always ready to move onto her next feast.There's a kind of wild woman crazy-eyed look

For the Love of Food: 50 of the World's Best Food Blogs

Food blogs are finally in fashion.After several years of having to explain a) what is a blog and b) why I photograph my meals, it seems that finally, finally, people get it. At least in the UK, anyway.On Wednesday of this week, the UK Times Online headlined their Food & Drink section with the article The Art of Food Blogging. Far from a quirky personality piece about eccentric foodies, Lynne

Boon Chocolates, Darlinghurst

I couldn't imagine going into business with my brother. Or any family member. But brother and sister team Alex and Fanny Chan have done just that, and look sheepishly happy for it.It's been a series of serendipitous events and deliberate detours that led to the creation of Boon Chocolates, one of the latest handmade chocolate boutiques to open in Sydney. Listening to her heart and making a

Origami 101: DIY Chopstick Rest

In case anyone was wondering, this is how you make a chopstick rest out of the chopstick paper wrapper...with thanks to the G-man for acting as hand model.Stylish, functional and a great time-filler whilst waiting for your food to arrive.

Wakana Yakiniku Restaurant, Artarmon

Kuriimu korotte $10.00Cream croquetteThere's always something happening when you eat yakiniku. Yakiniku, or grilled meat, involves a smoking hot grill, lots of dishes arriving on your already crowded table, and a frenetic pace of food photography. Argh!But when the food tastes this good, you want to capture each detail. We head to Wakana on the recommendation of M&L, a non-descript restaurant on

Interview rescheduled

Just a quick note that ABC Sydney will be broadcasting the Melbourne memorial service this Sunday, as part of the National Day of Mourning to honour those affected by the Victorian bushfires.As a result, the aforementioned interview segment on food writing has had to be rescheduled. I will advise the new air date and time in the week prior.If you would like to make a donation to the Victoria

Grab Your Fork goes live on air

EDIT: Interview has been rescheduled due to broadcast of the Victoria bushfires memorial service in Melbourne. Will advise new interview date/time if and when it happens.Grab Your Fork goes live!I'll be interviewed on 702 ABC Sydney this Sunday, along with John Newton and Chris Mansfield on a discussion panel about food writing.Simon Marnie, host of 702 Weekends and long-time follower of Grab

Salted chocolate and cranberry cookies

Sydney weather has turned of late. Is it summer or winter? From week to week, Mother Nature weather can't seem to make up her mind.This weekend has been cold and wet. Last weekend was hot and dry. Two weekends ago it was unbelievably hot. That dry suck-the-breath-out-of-you kind of hot where your body radiates heat and trees seem to shimmer in the distance.What did we do? We had a picnic of

The definition of romance

It's Valentine's Day today. I've never really bought into the whole overpriced-roses-on-one-token-day-of-the-year concept, but that doesn't mean I don't believe in romance. Because as much as men think that women are swayed by expensive jewellery, five-star dining and miniature carry bags in Tiffany blue, the best way to worm your way into any girl's heart is time and effort. Trust me on this one

Crocodile Farm Hotel, Ashfield

$10 rump steak specialwith mushroom sauce, salad and chipsYou wouldn't expect to find a swanky bar in downtown Ashfield, but here we are at the Crocodile Farm Hotel and the recent revamp is obvious. Upstairs there's a flood of natural light, a balcony with giant plasma screen, booth seating and sleek white tables and chairs. It seems a world away from Shanghai Night across the road, but that's

Passionflower, Sydney

Final Fantasy $14.00Black sesame and coconut ice creams accompanied by cool refreshing pieces of black jellydrowned in a shot of evaporated milkI remember when the cinema section of George Street was never-ending scaffolding, wooden board footpaths and giant long-abandoned holes in the ground. Now the area is filled with shiny buildings, trendy apartment complexes, and new restaurants and cafes

Tet Festival, Fairfield Showground

Fresh sugar cane juiceThe Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year. The Vietnamese call it Tet. Every year Tet is celebrated by Sydney's Vietnamese community, culminating in a huge festival open to all. For years this event had been held at Warwick Farm, but this year it made the move to the Fairfield Showground. Speedy and I headed over to check out all the action with friends - a first time visit for

Plan B by becasse, Sydney

EDIT: Plan B has now closed. Becasse and Becasse Bakery are now open on Level 5, Westfield Sydney
This little piggy went to Becasse.

This little piggy went to Plan B.

It's hard to tell which excited me more: the prospect of sinking my teeth into one of Justin North's famous wagyu burgers, or watching a delivery man hoist a whole pig onto his shoulder and walk past us into Becasse.

Because

Taste of Sydney Festival media launch

Does any city do al fresco dining better than Sydney?The Taste Festival finally comes to Sydney after its inception in London, and a rapid-fire international take-up in cities including Dublin, Dubai, Cape Town and Melbourne. The concept allows the public to sample some of Sydney's hottest and best restaurants in the outdoor sunshine of Centennial Park over four days in March.Jared Ingersoll of

Chinese New Year Banquet at Makan at Alice's, Thornleigh

Course #1: Yee sangIt's a family tradition of ours to celebrate birthdays by eating out together at a restaurant. The two Aquarians always get a combined celebration and at their behest, we headed to Makan at Alice's for their annual Chinese New Year banquet.Readers with good memories will remember that I'd already attended and blogged this banquet last year. Sadly the menu remains exactly the

Ten Ren Cha for Tea, Chatswood

Lemon green tea with ai-yu gelatin $7.50Green tea ice cream with red bean icee and qq $7.50Lemon green tea with ai-yu gelatin $6.50I'm hopeless when it comes to ordering from a menu. It's a serious undertaking that requires assessment, adventure and a little bit of intuition.So when I first open the menu at Ten Ren Tea in Chatswod, I'm a little taken aback. There are over 200 different drinks

El Jannah, Granville

You can smell the charcoal from a block away. Its smoky tendrils waft toward us, taunting us, calling us, whetting our appetite and making our footsteps to El Jannah just that little bit faster.El Jannah means paradise or heaven in Arabic. It's a spiritual destination that many of El Jannah's most loyal customers profess to visit. The friend who recommended it to me closed her eyes as she told me

Chinese New Year Parade, Sydney

Chinese lion dancersThe Chinese New Year Parade is always a highlight in Sydney's Chinese New Year celebrations. This year the parade was held at night-time for the first time, a move that brought a new dynamic of darkness and neon.We took up positions on Goulburn Street at 6.00pm. Originally advertised as starting at 7.30pm, the heaving crowds were getting restless and a little agitated by

Ocean Room, Sydney

Soft shell crab tacos Spiced, crispy fried served with pickled vegetables and crispy wafersSoft shell crab tacos. You may as well substitute those four words with "heaven in every mouthful". And whilst soft shell crab seem to be as ubiquitous as pork belly on restaurant menus, I think that Raita Noda's version is one of the best.Once his signature dish at former restaurant Rise (a dish I first

Mario mushroom cake and an R2D2 cake

Do you love Super Mario?Veruca Salt made not one, but two character birthday cakes last weekend. Pocahontas wanted a Super Mario mushroom cake, the special 1Up power up mushroom that gives you an extra life extra power/health in everyone's favourite childhood video game. [Thanks to fushmush and FFichiban for the correction]This cake was reasonably easy to construct - butter cake cut to size and

Maple walnut bread

I haven't always been confident with yeast. The thought of working with something that's alive, that grows, that expands, that could die if not treated carefully, it a petrifying thought for someone who has a reputation for being an accidental assassin when it comes to tending herbs and pot plants.But yeast is sturdier than you'd think. All it requires is time and a little TLC.It was Not Quite

Prize giveaway #8: A $200 dinner voucher for two from Ocean Room, Sydney

Grab Your Fork is celebrating 1,000 posts this week and you're invited to the party! This is the final day of a week-long competition frenzy, and it's concluding with a bang!It's lucky prize number eight, and the winner will be very lucky indeed. The final prize has been kindly donated by Raita Noda, owner and head chef at Ocean Room.PRIZE #8: A $200 dinner voucher for two at Ocean Room, SydneyIf

Prize giveaways #6 and #7: $50 home delivery vouchers from Menulog

Grab Your Fork is celebrating 1,000 posts this week and you're invited to the party! This is the fourth day of a week-long competition frenzy. Don't forget to check back here Friday lunchtime for the final prize worth $200!Today's competition is brought to you by Menulog, and it's ideal for anyone who has ever sighed at the thought of having to cook dinner.PRIZES #6 and #7: A $50 home delivery

Prize giveaway #5: A gift pack from SWEETNESS The Patisserie

Grab Your Fork is celebrating 1,000 posts this week and you're invited to the party! This is the third day of a week-long competition frenzy and it's perfect for all the sweet tooths.Today's competition is brought to you by SWEETNESS The Patisserie, the stall that is usually over-run with fanatic customers at the Pyrmont Good Living Growers Markets, desperate to stock up on Gena's award-winning

Chinese New Year dinner

Do you like pig?We love pigs, especially ones that come with crackling. Thin bubbling shards of crisp crunchy shattering crackling that cannot be eaten quietly. That's the kind of pig I love.One of three queues at Emperor's Garden on Chinese New Years EveIt was Chinese New Years Eve on Sunday, and you could feel the excitement in the air in Chinatown, particularly at Emperor's Garden BBQ House

Prize giveaway #4: Kei's Kitchen cooking class

Grab Your Fork is celebrating 1,000 posts this week and you're invited to the party! Yesterday's competition has spread like wildfire - seems like a lot of you want to win a Global knife, with 68 entries received already! The demand for the digital scales and the cupcake carrier isn't too far behind either.Today's competition is brought to you by Kei's Kitchen, a mother and daughter team whom you

Grab Your Fork reaches 1,000 posts - with a week of competitions to celebrate!

Congratulations dear reader. You are officially reading the 1,000th post by Grab Your Fork.It's been almost five years of feasting and what a delicious ride it's been. Having a blog has prompted me to explore all of Sydney, to embrace its multicultural flavours, to support local producers and to share it all with you.Not only have I relished the perfect justification to eat 'just a little bit

A Vietnamese engagement party

I feel like I'm back in Vietnam, even though I'm in a household in Sydney's inner west. It's not just the round folding tables covered with plastic tablecloths, the bottles of soft drink waiting on each table, or the collection of plastic stools. It's the fact that there are five tables of ten set up in the living room and the tantalising smells of seafood and hot oil coming from the

Food Blog Awards - GYF only 5 votes off the lead

Voting polls close in less than 24 hours and Grab Your Fork is currently running 2nd in Best Blog City, at this minute only 5 points off the lead.VOTE NOW if you think Grab Your Fork deserves to win Best Food Blog - City.Polls close at 12 noon Sunday 25 January 2009 (Sydney-time).Thank you for your support!

Caramel Banana Cake

So I have a bit of a thing for banana cake.But what's not to love? Moist cake, the creamy fragrance of banana and surprise crunchy nuggets of walnut. Bliss.This version takes banana cake to a new level of decadence with the addition of caramel icing. The icing isn't sickeningly sweet, but adds a slight toffee sweetness that matches well with the banana and walnut.With a healthy dollop of sour

Use your noodle: Top 15 Ramen Dishes in Sydney

Remember my post on the Top 15 Ramen in Sydney?Two wonderful Grab Your Fork readers, YZ and AN, have come to the rescue by translating the Japanese text within the article. So it turns out the article isn't talking about ramen houses overall, but specifically the Top 15 Ramen Dishes in Sydney.Want to know what they are? Click on the revised post to find out.Of course I must extend a public and

Food Blog Awards - vote now

The top 5 nominees in each category and have been announced and Australian bloggers are proudly carrying the flag. Yay!Show your support for Aussie bloggers this Australia Day long weekend by voting now. Voting ends 12 noon Sunday 25 January 2009 (Sydney-time).Congrats to all the Australian food blog finalists!VOTE Best Food Blog - City: Grab Your Fork and Not Quite NigellaVOTE Best Food Blog -

85 Degrees (85C) Bakery Cafe, Chatswood

Strawberry cardina $4.00Austrian-style cake covering with fresh strawberry flavoured milk mousse enables itself to be one of our most popular choices for satisfactionForget the economic downturn -- it seems as though chocolate and dessert are the new "me" indulgences to defend us from sorrow.The first 85 Degrees Cake Shop opened in Sydney just over two years ago. Its second fourth outlet (

Sydney's Top 15 Ramen Dishes

Edited 21 Jan 2009: GYF reader YZ has kindly translated the entire article so it all makes sense now. The article is about Sydney's top 15 ramen dishes, each pictured and with an accompanying blurb. Translated text has been added in green below. Thanks so much YZ, and GYF reader AN, who also provided translations of the dish names. Been curious about the list of Sydney's top 15 ramen dishes we've

Zenya Noodle Bar, Eastwood

Gyoza, included in the $3 ramen upgrade for 3 gyoza & salad, (otherwise order separately for $5.80 for six)Pork and vegetable dumpling with Japanese soyand citrus dipping sauceThe ramen adventure continues.K & M are still making their way through their photocopied list of Top 15 Ramen in Sydney, photocopied from a Japanese community magazine. They've already eaten at Zenya and are keen to go back

China Grand Restaurant, Haymarket Chinatown

EDIT: China Grand has now closed and been replaced with The Eight.
It took me a while to realise that Dragon Star was no more. This behemoth of yum cha, characterised by huge crowds and female 'bouncers' calling table bingo at the top of Chinatown's Market City, used to be one of our favourite haunts on Sunday mornings.

So it's been about a year since Dragon Star closed and was reborn as China

Fortune cookies, this blog and Catholic Tibetans in China

A short anecdote.We snapped open our complimentary fortune cookies after our dinner at Rhodes recently. It was funny but each of our fortunes seemed highly appropriate. The pragmatic side of me, however, was convinced we were just gullibly buying into statements that could actually apply to anyone, a phenomenon also known as the Barnum effect. The above fortune was mine. Veruca Salt was convinced

Pomegranate syrup cake recipe

When it comes to cakes, I do like a bit of culture.I'm talking about natural yoghurt, that thick and somewhat sour dairy product, packed with good bacteria, which is so easy to make. I've only just discovered the joys of Easiyo, and a good friend let me in on the DIY recipe details. It's so cheap and easy to make your own!With a large tub of yoghurt and a few bottles of POM Wondeful pomegranate

The Sanctuary, Sydney

Oven-roasted kingfish $17.00with caramelised eggplant, garlic and tomato and chive vinaigretteIt's the little things.The Sanctuary Hotel has become a little like Old Faithful. Fast, affordable, reliable. And I've yet to endure an overcooked steak. In fact we find the steaks here are still so very good. No horrid bits of gristle, and the steaks are always seared to perfection.I had the

All About...Romana's, Balmain

Campos coffee - large flat white $4.00I'm not really a breakfast out person. I'd much to prefer spend breakfast asleep and wake up just in time for lunch. A late lunch is even better.But on a gorgeous summer's day, a weekday when most people are working, even I can appreciate the little bit of luxury that a cafe breakfast can bring.It can't start any better than with a Campos coffee. I'm

Temasek, Parramatta

Look! Look! Say hello to the crabs, kids!Master Four is silently petrified, shrinking back into his chair, but Miss Two is instantly alert and more than a little curious. I feel a little cruel about introducing the little 'uns to our soon-to-be-dinner but the waiter is more than obliging, beckoning Miss Two to come a little closer and touch its shell."Okay, now say goodbye..." The kids start

New Star Kebabs, Auburn

Oh I do love Auburn.

It's not a sentiment one often hears in the media, but sitting here, on an aluminium chair at a metal table amidst the hubbub of Auburn Road, I drink in the palpable energy and buzz about the place. The street is filled with passing kids and shoppers, the air is thick with the smell of charcoal and barbecuing meats, and middle-aged men all around me, sit, chat and

Ginger cupcakes with chai icing

I know. The icing does look a little poo-like.

I decided to use my plain icing nozzle on a whim. Next time I'll only use it for icing that isn't any shade of brown, even if it does bear a resemblance to the Japanese golden poo good luck charm.

But the cupcakes were a hit anyway, a variation I made on Nigella's cupcake recipe. I've also started baking this recipe at a slightly lower

Basil pesto (and what my mother taught me)

My fridge is slowly breeding jars of pesto.No, I haven't found a magical cloning forcefield (hello Zumbo macarons!), but I have started a mini-processing factory in the kitchen - one that converts abandoned bunches of basil into that gloriously green paste: pesto.My mother always taught me to 'waste not, want not'. As a kid, it was an oft-heard lecture about starving children in China, about the

Growing your own oysters with The Oysterfarm, Wooli

They're here!The G-man's email was simple. Oysters. His place. Wednesday.I still remember the mobile phone call earlier this year. "Helen?" he'd asked, his constant smile audibly playing in his voice. "You like oysters, don't you...""Err... yes," I'd replied."Would you be interested in five dozen? Ones you grow?"It didn't take me long to realise he was talking about The Oysterfarm, a system where

2008 Food Blog Awards: Nominations now open

The Well Fed Network is running its annual Food Blog Awards.Nominations are now open so head over to nominate your favourite food blog/s across the 14 different categories.Nominations close 3.59pm Saturday January 10, 2009, Australia Eastern Standard Time (11.59pm Friday January 9, 2009 EST).To be considered a valid nominee, the blog must have at least 6 posts a month for a consecutive six month

High tea at the Swissotel Crossroads Bar, Sydney

Recently, I was entrusted with organising a Hens Day for a high school friend. With a range of girlfriends, sisters, and sisters-in-law attending, it was a case of juggling social calendars and babysitters for all involved. A buffet high tea at the Swissotel Crossroads Bar seemed like the perfect way to accommodate everyone's schedules as well as a delicious way to celebrate the sisterhood in

Rhodes Phoenix, Rhodes

Crispy skin chicken $18.80We'd forgotten it was Boxing Day.That's because we'd rocked up to Austrian Schnitzelhaus, ready for some pork knuckle and a shattering of crackling, only to find it closed. Doh! Or dummkopf!We piled back into the car and head to Rhodes Shopping Centre, figuring we'd catch a movie before dinner instead. By the time we get there, stomach growls have gotten more insistent.

Crab racing at The Court House Hotel Newtown

"I believe that children are the fuuuuu-ture... teach them well and leeeeet them lead the way... "Deny, the race caller, holds the tiny hermit crab aloft, convinced that his earnest croonings and Shirley Bassey's hopeful lyrics (yes, she recorded it well before Whitney) will coax the hermit crab out of its shell.After our liberal dousing with water during crab racing at Glebe's Friend in Hand

Kabuki Shoroku, Sydney

Premium wagyu marbled beef grilled on a hot rock $32

I know I'm a big kid at heart. That's why, even whilst I'm drooling a the sight of the fat-speckled slices of wagyu beef, I'm probably more excited at the prospect of cooking it on a rock.



And yet, Kabuki Shoroku is not really a restaurant for kids. It's a small and cosy eatery hidden within St Martins Tower, only a few doors up from

Adriano Zumbo, Balmain

Oh Zumbo, you are a funny one.We stopped in at Adriano Zumbo the other day, an always smiling Charles waiting behind the counter like an old friend. As I'd snapped a few photos, the guy beside me looked at me sideways and said "are you one of those foodbloggers?". Oh, the word is spreading. I remember when I had to explain what a blog was, let alone the concept of a foodblog.So if you weren't

Christmas presents for New Year intentions

Is someone trying to tell me something?In the lead-up to Christmas I received not one, not two, but three surprise packages in the post. First came an elegant black box showcasing half-a-dozen bottles of Vitamin Water. Trumpeting promises of "energy", "revive" and "triple-x", these sturdy bottles of flavoured water contain all manner of vitamins but "no juice", according to the disclaimer on the

Oscars, Pyrmont

400gm Rib eye on the Bone $30100 days grain fed Certified Angus served withgarlic chat potatoes and market vegetablesOh the misery of an overcooked steak.The signs were promising. Rib eye on the bone is usually a fool-proof cut of meat. A perfect harmony of tender flesh still married to the bone. Thick and hearty, it's perfect for the ravenous carnivore. But with the first incision, it became