Yayoi Japanese Teishoku Restaurant, The Galleries Victoria

My sister got invited for the Grand Opening of the second Yayoi in The Galleries Victoria where Wagamama used to be. She asked me to come along and I gladly agree ;P
So it was a day before it is open to public, precisely on the 13th Aug.. We went there for dinner at around 6:30PM.

The ambiance of the place is really classy and inviting from the outside. Almost the same classy-ness as the one in Bridge st but here, what I love is the brightness of the lighting :) Been to the one in Bridge st for dinner and unfortunately got the table where the lighting was pretty bad, so I havent write any post on that up to now..
The ordering system here is electronic and that what makes us wanted to order for more ;p

The waitress politely came to our table to offer us drinks and she told us that we can order anything from the menu, like anything, literally ;P And so here it is...

First that we ordered is the Salmon Salad. Fresh Salmon with Japanese Greens and Yuzu dressing which has just the perfect balance of sweet-salty-sour. Thankfully, Mr.W, my sis Bf came along with us cause me and my sis don't like raw salmon ;P Otherwise there will be a pile of fresh salmon left on the plate in the end tee hee..

The one thing that cannot be missed in Japanese restaurant for me... Tamago Yaki! Those thick rolled sweetened egg is just my weak-on-the-knee! But in my opinion, Sushi Tengoku still serves the best tamago everrrrr ~~

Next is the Salmon Teriyaki. We loveeee the salmon teriyaki in the Gozen, so we ordered the A-la carte portion for an extra satisfaction ^^

My Favourite Dish of the night!! The Beef Sukiyaki. The sweet light broth is very addictive, the beef is rich in flavour, tender and a perfect match to the chewy udon!!

We also ordered the Mix Katsu Toji; Prawn, Pork and Beef Katsu with Dashi broth - soy based soup at the bottom and fluffy egg in between. I'm a bit disappointed cause the toji that I remembered from my previous visit at Bridge st is more crispy and flavoursome compare to this one.

The second must order dish if you ever visited Yayoi.. The Yayoi Gozen. A huge Bento box comprises with small tasting plate of what Yayoi has to offer. Salmon Teriyaki; Wagyu Sukiyaki, Pork Katsu, Salmon Salad, Miso Soup and Tofu Salad

To end our meal, we always need something sweet and so we got the Matcha Anmitsu.. Green tea ice cream served with Clear cibes jelly, red bean, fruits and a dash of sweet black syrup as the side.

The night has been great! Service for Japanese restaurant is undoubtedly the best one could ask for.. One thing though, the price of the foods here are slightly cheaper than the one in Bridge St. Taste wise, Bridge st is still better in my opinion..

Chiswick, Woollahra

Have been meaning to check this place out since a couple months ago and I finally got a reason to drag bebski into Chiswick! Our double date partner Mr.V and Ms.S is going back for good soon and Chiswick is in their bucket list, so there, my reason ;p

Made a booking on Sunday, really want to go for lunch cause the restaurant itself is located in the middle of a beautiful green garden and the building itself is build with see through glass all over :)

Thankfully 6PM in October is still pretty bright so we got to taste a bit of the scenery before darkness took over..

The waitress approached us and letting us know about the special menu they got that day and also this special drink  - Japanese Pear - Bevedex Vodka, Sake, St. German Liquer & fresh Pear Juice. Love the cocktail mix, it was refreshing and yet have quite a strong sake note.

Japanese Pear $17

From the small plates menu, we ordered the Pressed duck, Prosciutto, pickled carrots and grilled Sourdough to start with. It tasted like spam to me somehow, Ms.S agreed. 

Pressed Duck with grilled sourdough $22

I've read a lot about this Crab Slider so this dish is in my top list to order! The slider consist of crab patty, lettuce, gherkins and kewpie. Hmmmm kewpie, a secret weapon that made everything so delish! I know now why this slider is so pupular! The bun was soft and the patty was scrumptious. I really recommend this one.

Crab sliders $10ea

Ms.S wanted to try the Chicken parfait, Crispy Chicken crackling, Daikon and Date Chutney. Everyone loved it except me! The parfait taste weird to my palate, it's like eating raw blended chicken? But seriously I think its just me. ;p The crisp crackling, though, was indescribably yummy!

Chicken parfait 2pcs $14

From the mains, we got the Paccheri pasta, spanner crab and snow peas. The tomato based sauce was rich but lacks a bit of salt in my opinion to bring out the flavour and unfortunately the paste was a bit undercooked, it's still quite hard...

Next come the Wood Roasted Moran family Lamb, artichoke and Hawkesbury Broccoli. I know it doesn't look that appealing but oh boy, that lamb was really tender and juicy! It was dish of the night for me, even though bebski and Ms.S wouldn't agree ;p Loved the smokey note in the dish and also that salsa verde on top is just like an icing on a cake! The portion was geenrous as well, I think it can safely feed 4people provided you order other dishes as well.

Matt Moran family lamb $75

I'm keeping the best for last. The uhmazing Roast Pork Belly with toasted Barley and Shallot Dressing. I know, I know, I hate shallot, but that dressing is a perfect complement to the pork! Shame that pork has to be shared between the 5 of us, cause I can just finished it all by myself haha ;p Perfect roasting and perfect crackling ~~

And,... we love our carbs! So we got these fluffy Hand cut Chips as a side with Black garlic aioli to dip in. Didn't really taste the garlic. To me, it just tasted like gravy ;p

Hand Cut Chips $9

All fixed up from savoury side and of course, a meal wouldn't be complete without dessert! So we ordered Chiswick Hazelnut Rocher with Vanilla ice cream. Chocolate and vanilla combination is always a good old classic. The chocolate was rich and smooth with the ferrero crunch at the bottom and nuts on top, the texture was just right and bebski is lovin it! On the contrary, I didn't really like it cause it was too rich. But then again I was never a chocolate lover to start with ;p

CHISWICK Hazelnut Rocher $17

The second dessert that we could fit into out belly after those foods is the Passionfruit Pavlova with Mandarin and Blood Orange Sorbet. I'm in love with this dessert! The pavlova is fluffy and yet still have a bite to it, the passionfruit provide that crunch and the tanginess from the sorbet kinda binds everything together. I literally can finish the whole plate by myself :)

Passionfruit Pavlova $17

Overall dining experience..... Foods were good.. The service was average, they were attentive before and half way through the meal but when the place started to be filled with people, they lost track of us T.T I also found a small piece of rubber band in the Lamb but didn't got the chance to let the waiter know about it.
Hoping to see Matt Moran himself there, but I'm not that lucky haha.

Do I recommend this place? I would say, it's worth a try.. ! Considering the amazing view, the Pork, the Lamb and the Pavlova and Ooh the slider!!

Seven Lantern, Sylvania

Mr.M works as a chef in Seven lantern and invited me to come and enjoy their Degustation menu! I've been there before on Valentine's day last year but haven't got the chance to write a review of the place. So this time, I'll make sure I take a good pictures of the food and write a review!

If it wasn't for Seven Lantern, I think I will never visit Sylvania as it is quite far from where I live and I rarely hear anything exciting from that Suburb hehe.
Mr.M made the booking on Sunday cause that day is a more relaxing day so he can serve us fully and chat at the same time.

The design of the entrance looks like we're about to enter a Chinese Dynasty or something ;p

But inside is a modern table setting and decor, with few paintings on the wall and a good lightning.

The place have 2 floors but it is not so busy on Sunday so they close upstairs. The counter besides where bebski sits is the Teppan Station where Mr.M works those magic hands creating delicious foods for us.

To start with I order a cocktail called My Name is Ryan and I'm an Alcoholic , what a catchy name ;p It is actually a fresh strawberries and passion fruit based Sake Cocktail. It is sweet and refreshing, the alcohol note is not too overpowering.

$9

Then the Degustation starts of with Beef Tataki, fresh vegetables strips wrapped in a thinly sliced seared Angus Beef carpaccio drizzled with Nash Pear and Soy & Ginger reduction. I thought I wouldn't like them and Bebski was so ready to take it away from me but after a full bite of it, I was mesmerized by how flavourful the beef was with combination of those crunchy veggies and yummy dressing!

The second dish arrived, Chef's Selection - the dish differs every week depending on the outcome of 'conflict' between three chefs in the kitchen :) This time they serve a seared scallop with pea puree and topped with salmon roe. The scallop was fresh and cooked to perfection with some smokiness in it and complemented by that creamy puree, but one scallop is never enough for me! hahaha..

Third dish to come is the Huyau Pork, Crispy Pork Belly with Lemon, apple and Honey Fusion sour sauce and garnished with cold wasabi daikon. Those pork was just delish. Melts in the mouth and the crispy skin is a winner! I really can't get enough of the sauce as well, never tasted anything like that before, it made me salivate even more couldn't wait for the next dish to come!

Dish No.4 is the Tom Yum Salmon, The salmon was cooked to perfection and the tomyum sauce was tangy but I don't really get the idea of matching the two hehe.. To be honest it was an acquired taste for me but I don't mind trying new things together :)

The dish that Bebski and I was waiting for!! The Emperor's Prawn. Teppan grilled fresh King Prawn topped with a mixture of Japanese Mayo and Cheese Sauce and then blow torched to burnt brown! I can only say that the taste was just Divineeee ~~ I would really like to try making that mayo-cheese combo and blow torch it at home! And again, 1 is never enough for uss T.T It's just sooo gooooddd ~~

Next to come is a beef dish. You have a choice of Angus steak or Imperial Beef Rib but we are getting both! hehe. The Angus Steak was teppan grilled with butter, streaked with honey roasted soy sauce and served with steamed rice and teppan grilled veggies. The beef melts in the mouth and the sauce was just great!

The Imperial Beef ribs is made from Beef short ribs marinated overnight with garlic, shallot and sesame then cooked for hours in Soy reductions served with steamed rice as well. I meat was so tender and fell of the bone. The sauce however has a strong onion flavour and onion is never my friend so Bebski ended up cleaning the plate for me :) If you're wondering those 2 small balls, it was a carrot and a radish hehe!

Apart from the dishes that were included in the Degustation Menu, Chef M, aka my friend Mr.M gave us a couple of dishes from the A la carte menu such as this scrumptious Bork Goroke, Cream cheese encapsulated in garlic marinated mince beef and pork neck served with hoisin and gochujang sauce..

It was meaty and yet have that creaminess from the cheese, crunch from the veggies and tanginess from the sauce. A mouthful of pure yuminess! Would definitely back for this one little bomb! They sell it 4pcs for $17

Another dish that we got to taste is the Cuttlefish curls, the cuttlefish was lightly grilled on the teppan, dashed with their homemade Teriyaki sauce and served with a couple of heart-shaped potatoes :) The cuttlefish got that smokiness from the teppan and the sauce complemented it really well. From the A la carte menu, it costs $16 per plate.

A pic of Mr.M doing his thing while the other two kids were impressed by his skills hhehe

Finally, the dessert came! First let me describe this sexy Sticky date pudding. Warm, moist and springy pudding topped with fresh berries, covered in Caramel sauce and served with a dollop of creamy vanilla ice cream. A perfect dessert to end the night with smile :) Nothing beats a warm cake with ice cream!

Second dessert to come was Bebski's favourite and not mine cause it's all about chocolate. It was a Chocolate Mousse Fondue, the Mousse is made up from Belgian Belcolade Dark chocolate with creamy warm white chocolate sauce and shaved milk chocolate curls on the side. It is literally 3 types of chocolate in one plate ;p

Sometimes I'm glad that my palate is different from bebs so we don't have to fight over one dish! Well, pork belly is an exception though kekekke..

A pic with the chef of the night and the owner, David. He was a very nice and friendly guy. He will be in the restaurant almost everyday, going over to almost every table, greeting them and sometimes sits down chatting with them. He is a generous guy and always smile :) Mr.M always told me how fun his work place is and work almost never feels like work ;p

Picture compilation of the Degustation Set for the Valentine's Dinner back in Feb 2012/2013.

Overall, I had an amazing night with my friend, had alot of great foods and will definitely come back when they have a new Degustation menu :)

Thanks for the invite and hospitality Mr.M!!

Wooden Spoon Bar & Restaurant, Cremorne

My first restaurant invite, excited! A week ago, I got an email from the owner of Wooden Spoon and Bar to do a review for their newly established restaurant. I never heard of the place before and so I looked up online and visited their website. It is located in the heart of Cremorne which is easy to find and I know the area pretty well cause my workplace is around there. On top of that, the menu looks appealing and I always loved Asian Fusion dining. 

Went there on a Wednesday night with Bebski. The booking was at 7PM and our meal was a 5 Degustation menu. The restaurant menu is the first thing at the front of the entrance and also showed their current Degustation event called "Be My Guest". Diners can enjoy the 5 course menu for just $55! (Check their other upcoming events on their website at the bottom of the page)

I was taking pictures outside of the place and the owner Livia saw me from inside and noticed that I must be the one she's expecting ;) So I went in with Bebski and was greeted with smile. She explained about the foods tonight and I am asked to rate the 5 dishes. 

The decoration of the place is modern and classy. It also gives you a comfy homey vibe when you're in there. I know sometimes Fine Dining place can be quite intimidating but this place somehow has that relaxing atmosphere, perfect place for chillin' out after work :)

I was seated at the end of the restaurant where there is plenty of light. Livia said that she knew I needed a spot with good lightning for my pictures , How thoughtful...  :)

The place was still pretty empty when we arrived but the crowd start later at around 8PM.

Not long after we were seated, a glass of water is served for each of us. We were offered wine but Bebski can't drink cause he needs to drive and I'm not a fan of wine. So water will suits us well.

To start with, we were given a board of freshly baked warm sourdough bread. The sourdough is soft and crusty complemented well by the creamy butter and flakes of salt.

Not long after that, they serve us a shot of shitake and wakame miso soup. It has a strong seaweed flavour and again some people might like it but to others such as Bebski, it can be quite a challenge to drink. At the bottom of the cup is a sheet of seaweed to provide some texture to the soup shot.

First course arrived. It is a sweet potato dosa puree with BBQ okra, Red grape tomatoes, Puffed cassava and served with Coconut & Lime dressing. I never tried Okra before and I must say, I like it! The puree is smooth and I think that having the crispy element such as the cassava is great as it gives a different texture to the whole dish.

Bebski & I were counting on the time for our next dish and we found out that it took 15-20 mins for the next dish to be served which I think is a reasonable amount of time. Some fine dining took longer than that.

The second course arrived and it is pan seared scallop with BBQ pork neck, beetroot puree, thin sliced cucumber, black sesame crumble and ponzu. I love ponzu! It is depth in flavour and the BBQ pork neck is juicy and melt in the mouth.. The scallop is fresh and cooked to perfection and the puree is creamy. Never thought that beetroot works well with ponzu and black sesame ^^

The third dish is my favorite! Barramundi on creamed kale, curry oil and cumin roast pumpkin, cauliflower puree,topped with crispy vermicelli noodle and roast vegetable jus. The skin of the fish is crispy, the pumpkin has a lovely flavour and aroma and all the element on the plate match perfectly well.

The fourth dish is Bebski's favourite...BBQ Mutton & Lamb, Pea Fricasse, Roast baby Capsicum, Mirin glazed Shallot, baby turnips and Taiwanese BBQ Sauce. The mutton and lamb are tender and the sauce complements the meats really well. Especially the pickled turnips, for me is a great addition to the plate for tanginess and freshness.

Lastly,,,, The Dessert! Chocolate Mousse cake with Coconut Custard, Toasted Rice, Cherry Sorbet and Hazelnut crumble. Chocolate and ice cream is the best dessert to finish up my meal, almost every time! The cherry sorbet is luscious and goes really well with the moist cake. The unfortunate thing is that I can't really find the toasted rice ;P

Pretty looking dessert,, Worth another shot ;P Black & red on a plate is classy *wink

That's the end of our meal. A pleasurable time and food, very good service and I think their aim to create a memorable dining experience is a success! I highly recommend this place for a romantic dinner celebration whatever the occasion is or private function and gathering ^^

Took a shot with the Owner, Livia Wang. A very nice and cheerful lady :)

The rating paper for the foods. I gave 7-8-9-9-8 for the 5 course in order :)

http://www.woodenspoonbar.com.au/