tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74713085761439275872024-02-08T02:17:12.869+08:00The Frenchman's Food & Wine BlogThe Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-79106378755015077542017-02-12T11:24:00.000+08:002017-03-05T11:26:00.188+08:00Stellenbosch Wine Bar & Bistro, Windhoek, Namibia<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdPUW-OLmDS3y6MfYrOryMcyFQj6svr8L2_0KJe9ZXKphwjmN4qrh1sY-q7K5l9ULkMT1BgmcN6uuaKE5MZRSK-XK2gGY03UiqeC88sAEcsRHk0pdEquOJ24VisuVMhrgm8A3tdOsE8gK/s1600/Stellenbosch+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdPUW-OLmDS3y6MfYrOryMcyFQj6svr8L2_0KJe9ZXKphwjmN4qrh1sY-q7K5l9ULkMT1BgmcN6uuaKE5MZRSK-XK2gGY03UiqeC88sAEcsRHk0pdEquOJ24VisuVMhrgm8A3tdOsE8gK/s200/Stellenbosch+2.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTQNZkmtZZ3gEf5F4YIV1xBqGFCqk0opDv_PA5THoCNOYV-VqUIqc6xuj61ThKlNaTN_jb1hnhfKYMLAZxaDuPNXxevGm-npGAN8HAZo6U8MqFupv7Y56IZt8qWh91NBFch8rj52YAQbR/s1600/Stellenbosch+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTQNZkmtZZ3gEf5F4YIV1xBqGFCqk0opDv_PA5THoCNOYV-VqUIqc6xuj61ThKlNaTN_jb1hnhfKYMLAZxaDuPNXxevGm-npGAN8HAZo6U8MqFupv7Y56IZt8qWh91NBFch8rj52YAQbR/s200/Stellenbosch+1.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Namibia offers a true cornucopia of meat dining options. In addition to the usual staples of beef,
pork and chicken, you can also partake of more exotic options like African antelopes
(springbok, kudu and oryx), ostrich and even zebra! Joe’s Beerhouse is the go to place in
Windhoek for the more exotic meats, but sometimes, all you want is a damn good
steak. That is where The <a href="http://www.thestellenboschwinebar.com/" target="_blank">Stellenbosch Wine Bar & Bistro </a>comes in.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1ucQPLzajSqe3A6ytYbQbnwta6dc_ml2eqoAEgm7bls0RxvNeUoApVuy-_PYX7LisrvJSwzouQW4GZrzBWu74Lm6y9-ac6s_HzCzq0wpP_NSn983pIioziyF57C5apZ4XU0Fnf3cbB4s/s1600/Stellenbosch+tartare.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1ucQPLzajSqe3A6ytYbQbnwta6dc_ml2eqoAEgm7bls0RxvNeUoApVuy-_PYX7LisrvJSwzouQW4GZrzBWu74Lm6y9-ac6s_HzCzq0wpP_NSn983pIioziyF57C5apZ4XU0Fnf3cbB4s/s200/Stellenbosch+tartare.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Located at 320 Sam Nujoma Drive in the Bougain Villas
complex (enter off Hebenstreit Street), this is one of the top dining venues in
Namibia. The thing I love about Namibia,
though, is that top quality doesn’t mean silly prices. An entrée and main at Stellenbosch, together
a salad and their two most expensive wines available by the glass, altogether
costs less than a good steak in an Australian restaurant.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i0RdTy5aMN-5CoXv0JOMKhZPYQjXcGSuoQr16pcYwMxCn5L9m-PZPXlFVAMgnhKiORGyx6RgXQ8HBv8L_oFzF4rMK0XWVBbLaI_xWuyOAQj82zyRN9yAhfRQQ3Qz9g6UJekJrSMPBxlo/s1600/Stellenbosch+3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i0RdTy5aMN-5CoXv0JOMKhZPYQjXcGSuoQr16pcYwMxCn5L9m-PZPXlFVAMgnhKiORGyx6RgXQ8HBv8L_oFzF4rMK0XWVBbLaI_xWuyOAQj82zyRN9yAhfRQQ3Qz9g6UJekJrSMPBxlo/s200/Stellenbosch+3.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For my entrée, I ordered the Beef Tartare, topped with the
traditional egg yolk and accompanied by salsa (finely diced onions and tomatoes)
and potato crisps. The serving size is
on the generous side, and the succulent raw meat is nicely seasoned. Delicious to the last mouthful! This was washed down by a glass of the Rust
en Vrede Estate Vineyards Syrah, which at NAD97 is the most expensive choice
available on the menu.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPysHW8Mx3fLMP3X6YgaxRnllK8hMNCTncut-lQH2zPrDw0X7k35JnY9R8m-G-CNxzDbDYzMu9e1mnrr88Ka9hWpMjaziV6SVES47az6v_1SxgVO7BXXFOSUNVOJW1P6jOj09pPMgJlEw/s1600/Stellenbosch+ribeye.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPysHW8Mx3fLMP3X6YgaxRnllK8hMNCTncut-lQH2zPrDw0X7k35JnY9R8m-G-CNxzDbDYzMu9e1mnrr88Ka9hWpMjaziV6SVES47az6v_1SxgVO7BXXFOSUNVOJW1P6jOj09pPMgJlEw/s200/Stellenbosch+ribeye.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the main, I ordered the obligatory 350g Namibian Beef
Rib Eye, which had the bone carved out before it was plated, to make eating it
less work and more pleasure. Perfectly
cooked to medium rare, I love the fact that some flavoursome flame-charred fat was left on
the edges so that it wasn’t merely a meal of pure protein. There is no way to adequately describe the
flavour of a perfectly flame grilled rib-eye steak in words without
overindulgence in purple prose – you simply have to try it for yourself to understand
the ecstasy of taste. At NAD164, it’s
very well priced. Accompanied by a nice
dry glass of Stellenbosch Reserve Ou Hoofgebou Cabernet Sauvignon, I was happy to slowly savour one bite followed by one sip without regard for the time.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qaibibq19gDNWJ0qd_8ZZ6U4SIvs1W0cSOZfc-goBnaE6F5S_-29nexoSyyqfac0i9ZDY3QtQY-d0cQffTkw-5XW71lyoxdp7928M7WvmEhxCK8Sit-3C1DTqDoay3h57GwXwQdKeaDr/s1600/Stellenbosch+menu.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qaibibq19gDNWJ0qd_8ZZ6U4SIvs1W0cSOZfc-goBnaE6F5S_-29nexoSyyqfac0i9ZDY3QtQY-d0cQffTkw-5XW71lyoxdp7928M7WvmEhxCK8Sit-3C1DTqDoay3h57GwXwQdKeaDr/s200/Stellenbosch+menu.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was an excellent meal with very good and attentive
service – never did I have to wait to order something, or even to get the bill and
pay for it (often my pet peeve).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is not the top-rated Windhoek restaurant on <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Restaurant_Review-g293821-d1999433-Reviews-The_Stellenbosch_Wine_Bar_and_Bistro-Windhoek_Khomas_Region.html" target="_blank">Tripadvisor</a> by accident and it is not a tourist "trap" by any stretch – it is in fact a local
dining establishment. When you’re in
Windhoek and craving a good steak (<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">or even a meat sala<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">featuring smoked game meats</span>)</span></span>, <a href="http://www.thestellenboschwinebar.com/" target="_blank">Stellenbosch Wine Bar & Bistro </a>is the
place to go! Just make sure you book a
table beforehand to avoid disappointment, because it is always going to be
packed.</span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-38826231762397679862017-02-08T11:07:00.000+08:002017-03-05T11:35:11.957+08:00Slowtown Coffee Roasters, Namibia<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuo-CGnJm7NRyvjcexWfZrAsflARRH4I6hiGoSmeOPaBAccWdnAMv-HB3kFs0_nob3JFVsidQ-tL2EOnKIFkMXlm-QjdYqJDmFo2MEE8wvYwmcW_1RRXqQIcGXRenqv74cErEJlBeZRMwM/s1600/Slow+Town+Coffee+Front.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuo-CGnJm7NRyvjcexWfZrAsflARRH4I6hiGoSmeOPaBAccWdnAMv-HB3kFs0_nob3JFVsidQ-tL2EOnKIFkMXlm-QjdYqJDmFo2MEE8wvYwmcW_1RRXqQIcGXRenqv74cErEJlBeZRMwM/s200/Slow+Town+Coffee+Front.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In my early visits to the beautiful Sub-Saharan nation of Namibia years ago, I once <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2011/07/good-coffee-in-africa-oxymoron-no-more.html" target="_blank">lamented </a>the
lack of quality barista made coffee<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Y</span>ou may think <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span>rightly) that I'm being precious, but Australian café culture leads the world in the prowess of our almost ubiquitous baristas and the quality of the coffees they produce, so going cold turkey on readily available good coffee<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> - especially a well-made espresso<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, where mistakes</span> cannot be covered with loads of frothy mil<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">k</span> -</span> is painful.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
lament no more.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnkZR4pnrG2j5CDBDKi7xDNXMgGp3rlOdByr211svPn091Wh_Ydr4OMaSiHZ4sF6snAfS5zDMiGxYj3b1Fn9Cl8N6JwyMzheSNhRH7mzwbfug8M9LnyWnzCoZulWfCSq6BqzFiPeHuLzP/s1600/Slow+Town+Coffee+Espresso.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnkZR4pnrG2j5CDBDKi7xDNXMgGp3rlOdByr211svPn091Wh_Ydr4OMaSiHZ4sF6snAfS5zDMiGxYj3b1Fn9Cl8N6JwyMzheSNhRH7mzwbfug8M9LnyWnzCoZulWfCSq6BqzFiPeHuLzP/s200/Slow+Town+Coffee+Espresso.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.slowtowncoffee.com/" target="_blank">Slowtown Coffee Roasters </a>is an artisanal coffee roasting outfit based in Namibia's second largest city of Swakopmund. They have also
opened a Windhoek outpost; a modern café <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">sporting </span>Nordic-style furniture, mirrors and clean lines at the
edge of the CBD on Independence Avenue, just across the street from
the Wecke & Voigts departm<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ent store</span>. And most importantly, <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">real </span>baristas can be found behind the coffee machine, compl<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ete with hipster-ish regalia</span>!</span></span></div>
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</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5Z90v0pk9aLIY14Vb9nsfBfwi6DzTYS3dNc80lB9JLR0-EwkiI679EkjvadpYBGHa4G5EAE5UG8lSiWt6STIvnhqYND4n3zpGFeSo76MW85EdbBfpfXondPA2FHCn37xTSOLdl2ibkk-/s1600/Slow+Town+Coffee+Bag.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY5Z90v0pk9aLIY14Vb9nsfBfwi6DzTYS3dNc80lB9JLR0-EwkiI679EkjvadpYBGHa4G5EAE5UG8lSiWt6STIvnhqYND4n3zpGFeSo76MW85EdbBfpfXondPA2FHCn37xTSOLdl2ibkk-/s200/Slow+Town+Coffee+Bag.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One can order their <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">freshly roasted </span>Slow<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t</span>own blend, or a single
origin roast, to enjoy on the premises or as takeaway. The coffees are very
competitively priced by international standards (starting at NAD10 for a single espresso), and great value for the
quality that you get.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can also buy bags of coffee beans, and this is where the
attention to quality really shows through – instead of a use-by date, these bags
show the roasting date; anyone who is serious about their coffee knows that
this is an important factor in determining the freshness and quality of coffee
beans.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">While <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2016/12/ristretto-coffee-roasters-northbridge.html" target="_blank">Ristretto Coffee Roasters </a>in my hometown
will always be number one in my books, Slowtown is my go<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-</span>to place for a good
coffee whenever I’m in Namibia.</span></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-86654065721799977832017-01-07T14:45:00.000+08:002017-01-07T16:18:34.134+08:00Meat Candy - simple yet superb "Southern Comfort" food!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bZ8Pkb2TbALD5_e4Bv2DSIgGt4nR9RrPLxxIN_FC7MO7Ejmcg3pL9V0gBd-jsa-KWjQuPrz2DQGPBHCpF8P6QKzrOSjjLmoGRdufJQVRoYW3TzGnvuTRpCM6GEtQEIKqRtQCL_kLTjAZ/s1600/Meat+Candy+bar+%2526+kitchen.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bZ8Pkb2TbALD5_e4Bv2DSIgGt4nR9RrPLxxIN_FC7MO7Ejmcg3pL9V0gBd-jsa-KWjQuPrz2DQGPBHCpF8P6QKzrOSjjLmoGRdufJQVRoYW3TzGnvuTRpCM6GEtQEIKqRtQCL_kLTjAZ/s320/Meat+Candy+bar+%2526+kitchen.jpeg" width="240" /></a><br />
<a href="http://meatcandyperth.com.au/" target="_blank">Meat Candy</a>, located at 465 William Street (corner of William Street and Brisbane Street in Northbridge, Western Australia) is a compelling place.<br />
<br />
Having heard about it from a friend and then reading Max Veenhuyzen's write-up about it in <a href="https://www.broadsheet.com.au/perth/food-and-drink/meat-candy-opens-september" target="_blank">Broadsheet</a>, I jumped at the first opportunity to check it out, which was its first night of trading for the year on 7 January 2017; I thought it would be the perfect early (and quick) dinner before I headed over to the Ellington Jazz Club to listen to Perth saxophonist Jamie Oehlers play some old jazz favourites.<br />
<br />
The Broadsheet article mentioned that one of the owners, Ben Atkinson, used to be the chef at <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2014/08/the-old-crow-172-newcastle-street-perth.html" target="_blank">The Old Crow</a>, whose simple yet delicious food I have thoroughly enjoyed on many occasions!<br />
<br />
The place was well staffed and nobody waited to be served - in keeping with the American diner feel of the bar/entrance area, the staff were efficient and polite but not overly solicitous, which is how I like it. Dining solo, I sat at the front bar, which sported a stack of moscow mule copper cups, hipster hairstyles (mullets and male hair-buns) and an UberEats back awaiting collection.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-s2MPEpkbpsHKz1sNnZJ7DRxFqULGNJ5zJchfwKMxk5JqZ18scIKyzCXXUg6eR1IPhPS_wlDrr8yF-JJjJ23QRfcMb95D3oLhximBtQBU8VML1l8R2W7-ktGYlzrHArAn9zu-2y51Pyy/s1600/Meat+Candy+staff+shirts.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-s2MPEpkbpsHKz1sNnZJ7DRxFqULGNJ5zJchfwKMxk5JqZ18scIKyzCXXUg6eR1IPhPS_wlDrr8yF-JJjJ23QRfcMb95D3oLhximBtQBU8VML1l8R2W7-ktGYlzrHArAn9zu-2y51Pyy/s200/Meat+Candy+staff+shirts.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
What I love about this place is that it doesn't try to be all things to everyone - it's about "Southern Comfort" food (ironically, that's the one thing you won't find on the drinks list, although they have a range of seriously good rye whiskey), and the food menu only occupies one-half of an A4-size menu, with the remainder (and the reverse side) taken up by the drinks list.<br />
<br />
The fried chicken beckoned to me, so I ordered it hot (it comes in 3 heat choices: southern, medium or hot - no half measures for me). The Broadsheet article reported that there is a fourth secret "you're an idiot" heat level, but I decided to save that experience for next time.<br />
I'm not one for fruit drinks, but since I didn't feel like a beer and wine or spirits didn't feel right with a chicken, I went for the house-made watermelon soda spiked with a shot of vodka. Refreshing indeed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLb3tgn031yk_whlFRI49R7zA09ArhHvEM-0mUxh80QymC6CQTYHOReaGe1tDDNJBJ9DudBz25Kzhjure7GbLozJRVWp4wuFOvETDYX7xabTRumUZuIglyFrwMZxp5tPfp6Xt15JRjAUQ/s1600/Meat+Candy+Fried+Chicken.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLb3tgn031yk_whlFRI49R7zA09ArhHvEM-0mUxh80QymC6CQTYHOReaGe1tDDNJBJ9DudBz25Kzhjure7GbLozJRVWp4wuFOvETDYX7xabTRumUZuIglyFrwMZxp5tPfp6Xt15JRjAUQ/s320/Meat+Candy+Fried+Chicken.jpeg" width="320" /></a>The fried chicken was a sight to behold - a glistening, crunchy looking chicken haunch (well that's what it is isn't it?) served on a super-thick slab of white bread (which I understand as baked on-premise) and topped with three generous slices of pickled cucumber, impaled together by a bamboo skewer in the fashion of a hipster burger.<br />
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The first thing I have to say is that the skin on this thing was utterly perfect. No soggy bits, with every bite yielding a crisply satisfying crunchiness.<br />
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The chilli coating was indeed hot (I detected the tang of habanero?) albeit not hot enough to bring beads of sweat to my forehead (I'll have to see how heat level 4 measures up ...), and delightfully savoury.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYk1CQAzr20Zl9BOyd4sg05ZgwjVPVUG6oZwCcFVGIbSIQm_P2h47H21QZo3tJ9TK1it9PRm5XdZTBfHUN7rJyi0jt55dMstXuklEow31Mcl5pJLepm7ogD3I0Dhbc2ZzkGlarXTtqXCq/s1600/Meat+Candy+sign.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYk1CQAzr20Zl9BOyd4sg05ZgwjVPVUG6oZwCcFVGIbSIQm_P2h47H21QZo3tJ9TK1it9PRm5XdZTBfHUN7rJyi0jt55dMstXuklEow31Mcl5pJLepm7ogD3I0Dhbc2ZzkGlarXTtqXCq/s200/Meat+Candy+sign.jpeg" width="199" /></a>The meat beneath was tender and juicy, with the "real chicken" flavour of a chook that only had one bad day in its life.<br />
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As if that wasn't enough, the verde aioli was light, flavoursome and so delicious that on my first taste, I mentally vowed to wipe the saucer clean.<br />
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Since the slice of bread was drenched in the delicious hot sauce, the only right thing to do was to bid goodbye to my slow-carb dietary ambitions and save some meat and a pickle to make a chicken sandwich dressed with the remainder of the aioli. Delicious! Finger lickin' good indeed.<br />
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There will definitely be another visit in the near future, although I will have a scrounge around for a few friends to join me so that we can order all the other things on the menu.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-56615271096397378882016-12-10T15:58:00.000+08:002017-02-08T23:33:55.287+08:00Ramen Lab, Mount Lawley - best ramen in Perth?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfHcnDEjx4-U26gV-q9A-0v9i5639jPWmrw0ZYExedGXsAlA7OUAjauBxTtUZxPvKossUZ517dpb6OKsvK_a1AKzoMWFVQqPJ2kqMFzwLeqaob8cIN3lkLCWyKownGUFOGcDudgLVn2mT/s1600/Ramen+Lab+sign.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfHcnDEjx4-U26gV-q9A-0v9i5639jPWmrw0ZYExedGXsAlA7OUAjauBxTtUZxPvKossUZ517dpb6OKsvK_a1AKzoMWFVQqPJ2kqMFzwLeqaob8cIN3lkLCWyKownGUFOGcDudgLVn2mT/s200/Ramen+Lab+sign.jpeg" width="156" /></a>I heard about <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ramenlabperth/" target="_blank">Ramen Lab</a> from a good mate of mine, to whom iconic Perth chef Neal Jackson declared that Ramen Lab was the place to go for good ramen with technical excellence. With that kind of recommendation, how could I resist?<br />
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Located at 602 Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley (south of Walcott Street and north of Vincent Street), the decor at this small restaurant is a blend of modern glitz and traditional Japanese accoutrements; and the patrons an eclectic assortment of families, couples and single diners.<br />
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I ordered the gyoza (which I suspect is made daily fresh on-premise because it's limited to 50 serves per day) and the "Classic Hakata" ramen bowl.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21ylgpVUnHTNuVmgsrFwZTeXCB_OZddFa0BLIrRAKOW0n_oU5rTUnihiSh4F7KWZ6-NDQRJR68xeYWpxnkM2mh01aOTPLiPKSD9d2zYv__dngIaAMEsBAgJkommrf-z4VLbuPwjlPi0qv/s1600/Ramen+Lab+Gyoza.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21ylgpVUnHTNuVmgsrFwZTeXCB_OZddFa0BLIrRAKOW0n_oU5rTUnihiSh4F7KWZ6-NDQRJR68xeYWpxnkM2mh01aOTPLiPKSD9d2zYv__dngIaAMEsBAgJkommrf-z4VLbuPwjlPi0qv/s200/Ramen+Lab+Gyoza.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsx9OQizDb-gMaABeokZLr0voBAZK2EVgC9C6e9FBv59iwy8ApdEeoiAWk8FMGlAsRvBa4o3V_iNDrqre_x_LMxI4zaZR7FHqp6qB2domMRN2QAdFJg-qzzS-XggQWelzTtb9-eWJcEafM/s1600/Ramen+Lab+Gyoza+inside.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsx9OQizDb-gMaABeokZLr0voBAZK2EVgC9C6e9FBv59iwy8ApdEeoiAWk8FMGlAsRvBa4o3V_iNDrqre_x_LMxI4zaZR7FHqp6qB2domMRN2QAdFJg-qzzS-XggQWelzTtb9-eWJcEafM/s200/Ramen+Lab+Gyoza+inside.jpeg" width="150" /></a>The gyoza is served like nothing you've experienced before. Three delectable morsels arrive in a shallow bowl sitting in a pool of dipping sauce and garnished with herbs and micro greens; the filling is very clearly made from hand-chopped pieces of pork and mushroom - no food processed minced fillings here! Delicious umami flavours abound.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQ5yOAF1bSnyPJT9Xj8Q1XMy1Gvwiak0jhRM8nMOcM6P84Fkk9TcMK1CBvfNSgw9gmxrjgiRHAVligMJakSl0CPBn3IvefNy5R_3R5wCzw1TfycJbRvA3kUWppBEITw9KN0hYQLy47Z7A/s1600/Ramen+Lab+ramen.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQ5yOAF1bSnyPJT9Xj8Q1XMy1Gvwiak0jhRM8nMOcM6P84Fkk9TcMK1CBvfNSgw9gmxrjgiRHAVligMJakSl0CPBn3IvefNy5R_3R5wCzw1TfycJbRvA3kUWppBEITw9KN0hYQLy47Z7A/s200/Ramen+Lab+ramen.jpeg" width="150" /></a>The ramen (I order their "classic" Hakata version) itself comes beautifully presented, with the "chashu" (pork belly sliced razor-thin, yet so tender and soft that it falls apart if you pull a piece away from the whole with your chopsticks) presented in a neat row accompanied by half a soft-boiled soy marinated egg. All the ingredients, such as black fungus mushroom, seaweed and bamboo shoots, are presented in separate sections, so that you have to mix it all up yourself: part of the ritual of the meal. The broth is thick, rich, opaque and delicious.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcJTqO7zHSpM7HtWgDGdQZcPxXDzbJ2CnFYrIZgZ4YeR5wwUjJewZ9lPPeuFLDbtWPxia-2ZzjEJcowZg6PVTDzRdK2-gdKdnj2tCUYUNkPbrjmcRriEx6Bdhyphenhyphen_lkygZuVimR2WntbzwV/s1600/Ramen+Lab+kitchen.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcJTqO7zHSpM7HtWgDGdQZcPxXDzbJ2CnFYrIZgZ4YeR5wwUjJewZ9lPPeuFLDbtWPxia-2ZzjEJcowZg6PVTDzRdK2-gdKdnj2tCUYUNkPbrjmcRriEx6Bdhyphenhyphen_lkygZuVimR2WntbzwV/s200/Ramen+Lab+kitchen.jpeg" width="150" /></a><br />
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The true joy, though, is the hand-made ramen, which to my pleasant surprise was perfectly al dente, which introduces even more textural complexity to an already texturally rich dish. No soggy noodles here. All for $15.50 a bowl!<br />
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I do enjoy a good bowl of ramen, and am happy to declare that this could well be the best bowl of ramen you will find in Perth!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcJTqO7zHSpM7HtWgDGdQZcPxXDzbJ2CnFYrIZgZ4YeR5wwUjJewZ9lPPeuFLDbtWPxia-2ZzjEJcowZg6PVTDzRdK2-gdKdnj2tCUYUNkPbrjmcRriEx6Bdhyphenhyphen_lkygZuVimR2WntbzwV/s1600/Ramen+Lab+kitchen.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJesg-aKss39t3vMZfqLqOSAeJxpXeUd5uPZl6tZUDYQ7Yib3HJljVcTzkN9RvaVjrRXQI0lX6HgBPUa7-8l3f26BMGCZTv3aeVzIe_tmAOZRCuG-Lq0kOkQIM3V8lDVIHwQ0nUCWUBM1_/s1600/Ramen+lab+menu.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJesg-aKss39t3vMZfqLqOSAeJxpXeUd5uPZl6tZUDYQ7Yib3HJljVcTzkN9RvaVjrRXQI0lX6HgBPUa7-8l3f26BMGCZTv3aeVzIe_tmAOZRCuG-Lq0kOkQIM3V8lDVIHwQ0nUCWUBM1_/s200/Ramen+lab+menu.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-56220304375082018302016-12-05T18:30:00.000+08:002017-02-08T23:39:23.894+08:00Halo Espresso, South Perth - food that punches above its weight!<a href="http://www.haloespresso.com.au/" target="_blank">Halo Espresso</a>, located on 82 Angelo Street, South Perth, Western Australia, is a great coffee shop in the urban-village-style Angelo Street area. While they make a good coffee, you wouldn't at first glance realise that they've got a seriously good chef working in the kitchen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LN6FPXSCvIk7aG7f63a8ulNURueJo4yRYAYtCIWjDZvOu44t-sG49MlaN1009C81Kdxtc0hbeHVTRyVcBBW49lcWY6eIcAQNxw80jc2VGGMGnGC-yv2PBs0uJ0yZ99las-Y2Isi6V_4I/s1600/HALO+Cafe+18-12-16%252C+10+35+39+am.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LN6FPXSCvIk7aG7f63a8ulNURueJo4yRYAYtCIWjDZvOu44t-sG49MlaN1009C81Kdxtc0hbeHVTRyVcBBW49lcWY6eIcAQNxw80jc2VGGMGnGC-yv2PBs0uJ0yZ99las-Y2Isi6V_4I/s320/HALO+Cafe+18-12-16%252C+10+35+39+am.jpeg" width="320" /></a>As if the fact that 100% of their profits go towards charitable work isn't a good enough reason to choose to spend your money there, I recently discovered that one of the top young chefs in the world, Morgan Keyte, has started working there. In 2014, Morgan won the Western Australian and then the Australian national stages of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Young Chefs Competition to earn the right to represent Australia in the international Concours International des Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs, held that year in Durban; where he went on to win best in kitchen and make some invaluable connections with chefs from all around the world. A quiet, modest and hardworking fellow who takes his craft seriously, there is much to like about Morgan.<br />
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What could someone like that do to what is necessarily a limited and modest cafe menu? To find out, I ordered their Halo Burger, which is filled with chipotle pulled pork in a black sesame seed bun.<br />
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The bun alone tells you that this meal was designed by someone with an attention to detail: the sesame seeds impart a lovely toasted aroma and flavour, and the aioli is tasty with a distinctly delicious garlic flavour. The pork itself is flavoursome, moist and nicely seasoned. The rasher of bacon, which makes an already good burger even greater, together with red onions, are a nice touch which introduce additional layers of flavour.<br />
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The polenta chips are a nice change from the ubiquitous potato version you would normally see accompany a burger, and are also nicely seasoned to boot (while other restaurants may serve polenta chips/sticks, they are more likely than not to be bland and require dipping sauce to work from a flavour perspective). What's more, these ones maintain structural integrity and don't fall apart when poked with a fork (I dunno - I like structural integrity ...).<br />
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While it's one thing for a good chef to be able to create works of art with a generous budget/price-point on hand, I'd like to suggest that it is an even bigger challenge and achievement to successfully pull off something special when you have to create a burger at a $20 price point. Morgan has certainly done it here.<br />
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While I do hope that Morgan does eventually move onto a restaurant that allows him to develop his great potential, I look forward to my next delicious meal at Halo Espresso!<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-84396472763269052192016-12-05T11:00:00.000+08:002017-03-05T11:12:36.521+08:00Ristretto Coffee Roasters, Northbridge. Revisited. Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWTWVO6bhLzrvviUdZEFBZuI5UCej9w9NBxo48o9gyIBwf7bBHdncUl06JUfH_QWPrQZSdwQwtKLOoo9bJIH_8QuG2Zshw3w851uPVhMUImqCBx0yVMxuhXfL4NPCaYomVjn-hDvNviYX/s1600/Ristretto.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWTWVO6bhLzrvviUdZEFBZuI5UCej9w9NBxo48o9gyIBwf7bBHdncUl06JUfH_QWPrQZSdwQwtKLOoo9bJIH_8QuG2Zshw3w851uPVhMUImqCBx0yVMxuhXfL4NPCaYomVjn-hDvNviYX/s320/Ristretto.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
We are lucky to enjoy so many good coffee places in Western Australia today, with so many artisanal roasters and serious baristas opening coffee shops everywhere. Gone are the days when you had to make do with beans roasted in industrial quantities and bland blends, old oxidised beans and watery, over-extracted coffees because that's the best that was available.<br />
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However, I still think that the best in the West is one of the original pioneers of the Third Wave of Coffee in Perth: <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2012/10/ristretto-coffee-roasters-in-northbridge.html" target="_blank">Ristretto Coffee Roasters </a>in Northbridge (53 Aberdeen Street, at the corner of Hook Lane, near William Street). They don't have a working website per se, and their only social media presence is a <a href="https://twitter.com/RistrettoPerth" target="_blank">twitter account</a>, yet they enjoy a cult following and have expanded to several outlets in the CBD. I once met a bloke there who had driven 2 hours from the country to grab a coffee and his regular supply of beans; and on another occasion met one of the judges of the Australian Barista Championship, resplendent in urban cycling lycra, who taught me how judges taste test coffee in competitions.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrg8A4VfLYvGfZP_UlT2gqVGRfoJI7K_pwQxQWUMn0nHapge4jvJc5cULL31v_hKKyZHF9mIsiKLYwbhwU7MbEJuXkDk1hwLrQ7G3DrT1ukL_mMXgmD_qQeeQAISJzS0CkGc2iL6X6dWgQ/s1600/Ristretto+Roasting.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrg8A4VfLYvGfZP_UlT2gqVGRfoJI7K_pwQxQWUMn0nHapge4jvJc5cULL31v_hKKyZHF9mIsiKLYwbhwU7MbEJuXkDk1hwLrQ7G3DrT1ukL_mMXgmD_qQeeQAISJzS0CkGc2iL6X6dWgQ/s320/Ristretto+Roasting.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owner Emmanuel Muratore roasting away!</td></tr>
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My favourite regular ritual is still to make the trek to their hole-in-the-wall coffee shop and roastery in Northbridge, have a chat with Roxanne about her passion for tango, and enjoy an exquisitely creamy, complex and deliciously perfect espresso, washed down by a small glass sparkling water. Even better, they are now serving simple but tasty toasted sandwiches, so it's the perfect destination when you are looking for a quick light lunch and great coffee.<br />
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Don't believe me? Head down there and try it for yourself!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-54736808912993253342016-01-21T21:00:00.000+08:002016-04-19T21:03:01.260+08:00Wildflower Restaurant, Treasury The COMO, Perth, Western Australia<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZI8eSzK3Tjw_Jjv1S_Renaura6XSBw2eiZByoCdEe6HNvKKT07nW7_owAKo1IyHFm9TsDVYWDelfKMg1WhkbSvIoYblLdWSEWD_TbGjcyZuR5a7CWW50mf3ZjSRHFQiLCstj-gBrzNwZ/s1600/Wildflower+Andrew+Ogden+%2526+Wayne+Teo+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZI8eSzK3Tjw_Jjv1S_Renaura6XSBw2eiZByoCdEe6HNvKKT07nW7_owAKo1IyHFm9TsDVYWDelfKMg1WhkbSvIoYblLdWSEWD_TbGjcyZuR5a7CWW50mf3ZjSRHFQiLCstj-gBrzNwZ/s200/Wildflower+Andrew+Ogden+%2526+Wayne+Teo+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One of the great things about being a member of gastronomic
society La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is the opportunity to enjoy a special dish,
meal or experience before it becomes available to the public; or in some cases
would never become publicly available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One such example was the farewell dinner at renowned Perth dining venue
Jackson’s just before it shut its doors, where Chef Neal Jackson liked some of
the dishes he created for the dinner so much that he incorporated them into his
final degustation menu for the public.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpLqK4XcalkMRKitVSOPP0qYYBGLSBTCY2Pg6UBDP76E9TeVDnbZDFg5tpnfxADvjg4tVeoCM2YMzOrbTWXq-eC334_5u8oF0pay4C77KL9xzbBp9ESBlJO9so42YDEltg6jptL2sHGkC/s1600/Wildflower+Jed+Gerrard+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpLqK4XcalkMRKitVSOPP0qYYBGLSBTCY2Pg6UBDP76E9TeVDnbZDFg5tpnfxADvjg4tVeoCM2YMzOrbTWXq-eC334_5u8oF0pay4C77KL9xzbBp9ESBlJO9so42YDEltg6jptL2sHGkC/s200/Wildflower+Jed+Gerrard+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Executive Chef Jed Gerrard<br />(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Another example is the La Chaîne Dîner Amical at the latest
fine dining restaurant to arrive in Perth: <a href="http://wildflowerperth.com.au/" target="_blank">Wildflower</a>, located in Perth’s
newest boutique hotel COMO The Treasury in the Perth CBD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Held on 21 January 2016, it took place mere
weeks after the restaurant had first opened.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwxNaNtxtWHvY8SZuU2WXzXDKaDezkw8cEy4nDVQi_YLyAHGEJhK7zDWYllsI_zx8QvVQyy_81EsTGniTf2GSSn2Ms4ku_Lpx-I81U3dR7b1l0PKsi9r2l2UXtyyi79U7hVesv8NnGeZ4/s1600/Wildflower+Kitchen+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwxNaNtxtWHvY8SZuU2WXzXDKaDezkw8cEy4nDVQi_YLyAHGEJhK7zDWYllsI_zx8QvVQyy_81EsTGniTf2GSSn2Ms4ku_Lpx-I81U3dR7b1l0PKsi9r2l2UXtyyi79U7hVesv8NnGeZ4/s200/Wildflower+Kitchen+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">At this dinner, Executive Chef Jed Gerrard rolled out a 5
course degustation experience featuring dishes that were not available to the
public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Balingup boy, Chef Jed grew up
a few hours’ drive south of Perth but before Wildflower, he had spent his
entire career elsewhere in Australia and the world working with culinary greats
like Tetsuya Wakuda and Teague Ezard, as well as at Michelin-starred
restaurants in France and Switzerland. He told us that he had always wanted to
return to work in his hometown but there were few opportunities for the kind of
haute cuisine he wanted to practise, so he jumped at the opportunity at
Wildflower when it presented itself.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiSpD2Xn0N7Pzp1p7d03TEQMnh-9rrmiKzlbksiQm_0oNY0H5w8NySo6P_fOocecWt7HZPa74x_G2JAFf9i3OUN23qX3qV_X75-bv0rw5SM7Quk7WQ7dmPQMMoYdOXGThb1LJK0EpiOyo/s1600/Wildflower+La+Chaine+banner+-+Melvin+Yeo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfiSpD2Xn0N7Pzp1p7d03TEQMnh-9rrmiKzlbksiQm_0oNY0H5w8NySo6P_fOocecWt7HZPa74x_G2JAFf9i3OUN23qX3qV_X75-bv0rw5SM7Quk7WQ7dmPQMMoYdOXGThb1LJK0EpiOyo/s200/Wildflower+La+Chaine+banner+-+Melvin+Yeo.jpeg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Chef Jed and his team spend their day off foraging for wild
flora – from greens and flowers picked from open fields and found along the
Western Australian coastline – to enhance their truly special and delicious
culinary delicacies.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpzEg3WLqOUpxs-JXzvDsuhsKYRqw4xOZu1Otu2nqVQbVPpGdSBB6Jj-CIgCzBaw_6nKaI0Oi7LnaEpPhi_MOQuuoNCYTQudjuL4_3Dlb7hCBSO7DTVbDN77Hr_wB87C4aCi9-xprtm57/s1600/Wildflower+River+View+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpzEg3WLqOUpxs-JXzvDsuhsKYRqw4xOZu1Otu2nqVQbVPpGdSBB6Jj-CIgCzBaw_6nKaI0Oi7LnaEpPhi_MOQuuoNCYTQudjuL4_3Dlb7hCBSO7DTVbDN77Hr_wB87C4aCi9-xprtm57/s200/Wildflower+River+View+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Wildflower itself is also something different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One well-travelled diner was overheard
remarking that the venue made him think he was somewhere in Europe rather than
Perth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The expansive covered balcony, where
we enjoyed pre-dinner Taittinger Brut with bite-sized morsels of raw fish
garnished with caviar-llke finger lime vesicles perched upon a prawn crisp, was
also something special, overlooking the Supreme Court Gardens and the Bell
Tower at Barrack Jetty, and presenting a 180 degree view of Perth City around
it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMs_DPDg1sPagjoxjHRA8fdWQgwU68wPBkSuqJrtI2XPQljmUppwwG6wIIbzs5xg8MEOWVodTJuClW0wmQQnuDq09FGY_f0wFi83dII_jFD9jsl9x7Zllfl36eeheoKA4bcQiYWSYmIIb0/s1600/Wildflower+Private+Dining+Room+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMs_DPDg1sPagjoxjHRA8fdWQgwU68wPBkSuqJrtI2XPQljmUppwwG6wIIbzs5xg8MEOWVodTJuClW0wmQQnuDq09FGY_f0wFi83dII_jFD9jsl9x7Zllfl36eeheoKA4bcQiYWSYmIIb0/s200/Wildflower+Private+Dining+Room+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The private dining room seating 18 was spacious and well
appointed, featuring floor to ceiling windows along the South wall where we
enjoyed the magnificent sunset and the beguiling lights of Council House (which
incidentally uses energy efficient LED specifications developed and introduced
in Perth by Heritage Perth Inc., a not-for-profit organisation of which I am
proud to say I am one of the co-founders and a former Board member) and a
beautifully dreamy composite photographic mural by Melbourne artist <a href="http://www.valeriesparks.com.au/" target="_blank">Valerie Sparks</a> along the North wall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The highlight of the evening was of course the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A five course meal featuring only fresh
Western Australian produce looked nothing like what you would have expected
from their descriptions.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUpczMuNKEMe7CB-1zemKO3r0l3FFiwBTKF3XPzOf4LQsah7lSM36YQ6WtbSYVTXmv0CyUDD4EuZmfLD2a8sBgdJj8FAORhh_I5lbFzW9fMCgB5vWrL_NGf1inwmvu3wH3MQJulPLbonk/s1600/Wildflower+Course+2+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUpczMuNKEMe7CB-1zemKO3r0l3FFiwBTKF3XPzOf4LQsah7lSM36YQ6WtbSYVTXmv0CyUDD4EuZmfLD2a8sBgdJj8FAORhh_I5lbFzW9fMCgB5vWrL_NGf1inwmvu3wH3MQJulPLbonk/s200/Wildflower+Course+2+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The raw scampi from Point Samson looked like a winter
wonderland indundated with dry powdery snow of frozen horseradish milk in a
pool of wild fennel juice; an intriguing combination of flavours, textures and
temperatures.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJtC8tjl-246GiDZZqDzs24WWgGvy36QO22uw81vzu0QvAcigUZpESpkvMmflqtPGMm64WTMw5VZvxU1Wv8IjN3TTXISLMD2kmd69WQvllHOLQLWppFOn2lmmO7Q3jhMGH2ZULQUqmECF/s1600/Wildflower+Course+3+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJtC8tjl-246GiDZZqDzs24WWgGvy36QO22uw81vzu0QvAcigUZpESpkvMmflqtPGMm64WTMw5VZvxU1Wv8IjN3TTXISLMD2kmd69WQvllHOLQLWppFOn2lmmO7Q3jhMGH2ZULQUqmECF/s200/Wildflower+Course+3+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The kangaroo fillet cooked over jarrah embers with native
thyme, onion and blue berries drew more exclamations of surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With an uncharacteristically medium rare
appearance and soft and tender texture (as anyone who has ever tried to cook
kangaroo will tell you, anything more than a slight searing on the surface will
result in a gamey and chewy experience), gaminess was non-existent.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OzmOZraq6C7xXMaCgi1XmX0xTQflX6lZg3Npws-PTDNh-0xN-j6TEiaRkvMT4pGxJBv_NRY7wh6etfEYdZv2VlBv3UyoItysumvV_VdCEOSU6gCPxZPtvoFeq5FdRxFz_SRxlBpjytwZ/s1600/Wildflower+Course+4+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OzmOZraq6C7xXMaCgi1XmX0xTQflX6lZg3Npws-PTDNh-0xN-j6TEiaRkvMT4pGxJBv_NRY7wh6etfEYdZv2VlBv3UyoItysumvV_VdCEOSU6gCPxZPtvoFeq5FdRxFz_SRxlBpjytwZ/s200/Wildflower+Course+4+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The soft and richly flavoured beef short ribs (without the
bone), topped by firm and succulent Shark Bay prawns on top of fermented red
cabbage and beach-foraged leaves was another symphony of complementary flavours
and textures which gave new meaning to the concept of “Surf n Turf”.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZlGr7FuEmEeqcJU4IYQXdzWZLoDzUY04IZpLzeoN8M7JP4sHlG-KHJW6c6zqpSNGMVhCQB0-TlOO5nwvns-TOLPL3zfa6JQlmbVtGO_qullzN-5mLcgP-0xWoT-cTG8K2xr_l5iW9JNC/s1600/Wildflower+Course+5+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZlGr7FuEmEeqcJU4IYQXdzWZLoDzUY04IZpLzeoN8M7JP4sHlG-KHJW6c6zqpSNGMVhCQB0-TlOO5nwvns-TOLPL3zfa6JQlmbVtGO_qullzN-5mLcgP-0xWoT-cTG8K2xr_l5iW9JNC/s200/Wildflower+Course+5+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) 2016 Matt Jelonek</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Dessert was an innocuous sounding but utterly delicious rhubarb mousse accompanied by
strawberries poached with pepper berries and a sorbet of river mint (yes, mint
foraged by the riverside), provided a delicious (but not overly sweet) and
refreshing end to the meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">While the food was sourced exclusively from Western
Australia, the accompanying wines ranged far and wide, from Bordeaux to
Tuscany, from the Hunter Valley to the Yarra Valley; selected by </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Maître
D'Hôtel</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">David Best (formerly of Rockpool
and who invited La Chaîne to dine here), whose team executed a flawless
performance in delivering the courses and ensuring that wine glasses were never
left empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favourite was the classic
Mount Mary Quintet, one of the 21 wines found in Langton’s top tier “Excellent”
classification (in good company with the Penfolds Grange and the Henschke Hill
of Grace).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpXlZkLMRlJac09IaCq4xSbDQY06o3839Pk_kpTa4IJfm49S0giHZWWMJ0KvMLdkNKlIflGnGI0VbMjl8MKMLqPMfm6ulI_3yJIhWZoPb5YD2vzlZBhByi9C3AACdqGxtLrT46svDC_6o/s1600/Wildflower+Jed+Gerrard%252C+David+Best+%2526+Wayne+Teo+-+Melvin+Yeo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpXlZkLMRlJac09IaCq4xSbDQY06o3839Pk_kpTa4IJfm49S0giHZWWMJ0KvMLdkNKlIflGnGI0VbMjl8MKMLqPMfm6ulI_3yJIhWZoPb5YD2vzlZBhByi9C3AACdqGxtLrT46svDC_6o/s200/Wildflower+Jed+Gerrard%252C+David+Best+%2526+Wayne+Teo+-+Melvin+Yeo.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">At the end of the evening, we enjoyed the traditional La Chaîne
presentation of the Chef and front of house team, including a question and
answer question where Chef Jed expounded on his cooking philosophy, which drew
inspiration from the six seasons observed by the indigenous Noongar Wadjuk
people upon whose traditional lands the City of Perth is located. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">With
no start or end date to each season, the passing of each one is something that
is felt. The Noongar people ebb and flow with the changes of Western
Australia’s environment, letting nature guide them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plants and animals have a special purpose in
the changing of each season and t</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">he Noongar traditionally hunted
and gathered different types of food based on these seasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The
creation of every dish at Wildflower celebrates the local resources.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> We were
in Birak (the “first summer”), which is when the winter rains subside and the
temperature starts to become warmer.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-71EJEt1Nl-Fg1WaW5qpgKmmxhO9r8k03WESafHaFRTYihTx68lftOVS0MVYBrC1O6pxrsRPE4zy0mhcnf-ImsZvPTbXhUL-XtbmZjJa-xoV9SFkw_KoA7H1iZLbyrJnoJ4FqxbmIQzdI/s1600/Wildflower+Amanda+Spencer-Teo+-+Melvin+Yeo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-71EJEt1Nl-Fg1WaW5qpgKmmxhO9r8k03WESafHaFRTYihTx68lftOVS0MVYBrC1O6pxrsRPE4zy0mhcnf-ImsZvPTbXhUL-XtbmZjJa-xoV9SFkw_KoA7H1iZLbyrJnoJ4FqxbmIQzdI/s200/Wildflower+Amanda+Spencer-Teo+-+Melvin+Yeo.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Chef Jed also answered questions on how some of the dishes
were prepared, but never fully giving up all of his secrets, as it should be! –
before a La Chaîne plaque was presented to Wildflower as a sign of our
appreciation for the special experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">That evening was made even more special by the fact that
these dishes were “one-offs” – while Wildflower may have subsequently launched
its five course tasting menu to the public, the dishes from that evening have
not been replicated exactly as they were, reflecting the changing availability
of produce, the change in seasons and the continuing evolution of Chef Jed’s
culinary practise.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_xioRZQM0fXrtLGxqLb7U7B5fNoFu6b28XSB2PZcHPozw88VMarOLRDkXcnmReRPNOzZECtEk75z1OBbdmwORvnZA-P9Kgxq1EbS1smKPGeyIuvcbcrYh0LXMQwUGPjbuA7CXcM_ALk6/s1600/Wildflower+Wendy+Ryder+%2526+Vonda+Pater+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_xioRZQM0fXrtLGxqLb7U7B5fNoFu6b28XSB2PZcHPozw88VMarOLRDkXcnmReRPNOzZECtEk75z1OBbdmwORvnZA-P9Kgxq1EbS1smKPGeyIuvcbcrYh0LXMQwUGPjbuA7CXcM_ALk6/s200/Wildflower+Wendy+Ryder+%2526+Vonda+Pater+-+Matt+Jelonek.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(c) Matt Jelonek</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">While the “official” part of the dinner may have ended, some
La Chaîne members had enjoyed the evening so much that they opted to continue
the evening, starting at the Wildflower bar featuring highly knowledgeable
barmen and a respectable array of whiskies, and ending in the Petition Beer
Corner at the bottom of COMO The Treasury, where limited run Australian craft
beers were enjoyed as a “cleansing ale” to end the evening.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>P.S. </b>I would like to thank professional photographer <a href="http://www.mattjelonek.com/" target="_blank">Matt Jelonek</a> for giving me permission to reproduce his superb photographs (credited accordingly) in this article. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial";">MENU</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial";">Wildflower La Chaîne Chef Experience
Dinner</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">RAW WILD FISH, FINGER LIME AND PRAWN CRISP</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial";">NV Taittinger Brut Champagne</span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">*****</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">RAW POINT SAMSON SCAMPI,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">frozen horseradish milk and wild fennel juice</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial";">2006 Tyrells Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter
Valley, NSW</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">*****</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">KANGAROO COOKED OVER JARRAH EMBERS,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">native thyme, onion and blue berries</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial";">2013 Valdipiatta Sangiovese, Chianti,
Tuscany</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">*****</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">BEEF SHORT RIB,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">fermented red cabbage, Shark Bay prawns and beach
greens</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial";">2013 Mount Mary Quintet, Yarra Valley,
VIC</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">*****</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">RHUBARB MOUSSE,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">strawberries poached with pepper berries and river
mint</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial";">2010 Les Lions de Suduiraut, Bordeaux,
France</span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">*****</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">PETIT FOURS,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">tea & coffee</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-88827124568425132742015-05-25T16:08:00.001+08:002015-05-25T16:08:25.636+08:00Stimulatte & Tommy Sugo, Hay Street (corner Axon Street), Subiaco<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3hNHMhWnnrWqOHq-3ZmhLmtP3mhVEIsz_-M7oiWMQON_QdvAYASFbVdh0lnMg9_9CfBIRUe3f-yrVhmODwpyedMMEgcgb5232JB6bPMWftweCmHjwu-nh_IAXJ9de68H887b96Gnm-5M/s1600/Stimulatte+14-05-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ3hNHMhWnnrWqOHq-3ZmhLmtP3mhVEIsz_-M7oiWMQON_QdvAYASFbVdh0lnMg9_9CfBIRUe3f-yrVhmODwpyedMMEgcgb5232JB6bPMWftweCmHjwu-nh_IAXJ9de68H887b96Gnm-5M/s320/Stimulatte+14-05-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Despite the proliferation of chic and high
quality small eateries popping up around Perth (and some would say some of the
best baristas in the world), I have long lamented the lack of truly great
breakfast places which are located near the places I frequent, and which don’t
cut off their breakfast menu at an ungodly hour.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Enter Stimulatte, an unassuming little joint on
Hay Street in Subiaco (near the corner of Axon Street).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only do they serve breakfast until 11.30am,
they offer excellent barista coffee all day, courtesy of the Stimulatte barista
crew.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_z_GCeUnsqUfBAKXzFxej3qH7euzXlQDu4VV0PIyCZ7GECO3Uz_9fqBpYi59TfKcOtlRLFRMIJoxGrtSxaIBEe2_UM2rxOTaShqPffVPVC9mIJyBfAOog-21sJWVbTMxX1GufI8va_tv/s1600/Stimulatte+23-04-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_z_GCeUnsqUfBAKXzFxej3qH7euzXlQDu4VV0PIyCZ7GECO3Uz_9fqBpYi59TfKcOtlRLFRMIJoxGrtSxaIBEe2_UM2rxOTaShqPffVPVC9mIJyBfAOog-21sJWVbTMxX1GufI8va_tv/s200/Stimulatte+23-04-2015.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Why am I raving about this place?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from the fact that you can enjoy a hot
breakfast without being a morning person, the quality of the fare is really
good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By that, I mean not just the
standard offering of bacon and eggs or eggs benedict (not that there’s anything
wrong with either of those).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cCWN-Dn2rBVZpc21xTOfR3aDVvA945KS1saOQK3N_s-JeGQW-F-uSmZF8hcH9gmB9ev5XM5o5FWbKoc28BmFvgj3xMDcml5iBTAb37ZwWBd_RkirC7XTOE46gIn1xO2KUNkjBZ0GPYUe/s1600/Stimulatte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cCWN-Dn2rBVZpc21xTOfR3aDVvA945KS1saOQK3N_s-JeGQW-F-uSmZF8hcH9gmB9ev5XM5o5FWbKoc28BmFvgj3xMDcml5iBTAb37ZwWBd_RkirC7XTOE46gIn1xO2KUNkjBZ0GPYUe/s200/Stimulatte.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">From the innovative <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Italian</i> featuring pesto-smeared slices of thick bread, slices
of prosciutto and perfectly poached eggs to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Green Eggs and Salmon</i> with pesto-scrambled eggs and smoked salmon,
you can now enjoy a hearty and fancy breakfast fix without the indignity of
waking up too early!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In fact, the coffee and food are so good you won't even realise that there's a funeral parlour next door ... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">While all this is in itself makes for a great
little establishment, there is a bonus!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBUcPYlJvjgrEMWEY61dsoyaA8xo079OKQhXaoUMO1N645SbaMKOc8oSAZbLuTjqSXVlvm0I3lJgiTRPlIlBVg-KPmTmQ60BdPzPrFY0bIxgu-VeTwJNq-XfG2cDVMzC7OsrbV-kLq3DM/s1600/Tommy+Sugo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBUcPYlJvjgrEMWEY61dsoyaA8xo079OKQhXaoUMO1N645SbaMKOc8oSAZbLuTjqSXVlvm0I3lJgiTRPlIlBVg-KPmTmQ60BdPzPrFY0bIxgu-VeTwJNq-XfG2cDVMzC7OsrbV-kLq3DM/s200/Tommy+Sugo+1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">At 5pm, the place transforms into Tommy Sugo as
a “pop-up” operation. If you’re looking for something quick and simple for
dinner (or indeed something to takeaway) but don’t feel like the traditional
takeaway fare of pizza or fish and chips, Tommy Sugo offers an alternative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The menu appears simple but there are a
myriad combinations to be had:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">first, you choose the pasta
out of a list of 13, including the usual suspects like linguine, penne and
spaghetti, to the more elaborate chicken or beef tortellini and even an exotic biodynamic lamb
spelt ravioli;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">then you choose a sauce with
clever names, from the eponymous (and delicious and surprisingly meaty) Tommy’s Sugo, to Miss Piggy’s Carbonara, the
Hulk Pesto and even the Italian Stallion featuring Italian sausage (go figure).</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoXxeKyPGXxag3dwHwKTcCX10qKl61T0C-BYypEXZbdrrLma83r0ozxDc4ejeo4zAIxdXiSY7sXn1w03YA14LkRb2w-kx1XSJ9LKCAf399dkSE5mL2cZdzhTO4TGt5GbhW06DcIdilrrt/s1600/Tommy+Sugo+14-05-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoXxeKyPGXxag3dwHwKTcCX10qKl61T0C-BYypEXZbdrrLma83r0ozxDc4ejeo4zAIxdXiSY7sXn1w03YA14LkRb2w-kx1XSJ9LKCAf399dkSE5mL2cZdzhTO4TGt5GbhW06DcIdilrrt/s320/Tommy+Sugo+14-05-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> Each dish comes in regular and large sizes, but
I’ve found that the regular size is more than enough to leave you with a full
belly, especially if you also scoff a few of their delicately delicious
arancini balls.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8GjNSSbUbOWRcmJjBNCnmbScxHPX_Jw2i0n8OplKz015VB8bJ8lG6xCJUAuESzAyFK3TMYabFxW47aDBqDZ8O4NJ_DVqZfVgpov24f0UI0LQ_gNsXH4xc4QpQkD0-MvVnD0H4V7sCqPS/s1600/Tommy+Sugo+-+arancini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8GjNSSbUbOWRcmJjBNCnmbScxHPX_Jw2i0n8OplKz015VB8bJ8lG6xCJUAuESzAyFK3TMYabFxW47aDBqDZ8O4NJ_DVqZfVgpov24f0UI0LQ_gNsXH4xc4QpQkD0-MvVnD0H4V7sCqPS/s200/Tommy+Sugo+-+arancini.jpg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The chilli that they provide in a little plastic cup for an extra 50 cents has a lovely fiery burn and adds an extra dimension of flavour to your pasta.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">You can either dine in, in which case your food is served in rustic tin plates and it's nice to sit at the rustic wooden tables on the sidewalk outside and enjoy the quiet Subiaco evening, or order takeaway, in which case you only need to wait a few minutes before your food is ready to go!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrxTEutfXMoeqL3UA2h_URD3MW193CInzcvIrf8t4jGmOACTnRSarm6_c8LYNf8viEX7mreM0d2uKcDG0m4Kcsx5Bf4ttop3qVfteKgMTKLlYBZ4gSNrdCq6e7tWPvwSS8O8f4mtc-z0a/s1600/Tommy+Sugo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrxTEutfXMoeqL3UA2h_URD3MW193CInzcvIrf8t4jGmOACTnRSarm6_c8LYNf8viEX7mreM0d2uKcDG0m4Kcsx5Bf4ttop3qVfteKgMTKLlYBZ4gSNrdCq6e7tWPvwSS8O8f4mtc-z0a/s200/Tommy+Sugo+2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">The pasta is nicely cooked and the sauces are
delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll certainly be heading
down there again when I’m next in Subiaco and feel like a quick and tasty dinner
which costs less than $15 (although some of the more exotic or elaborate pasta
and sauce combinations will take you above $15).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLKPoroYKkmb6eXysr21KJ73CBQkxn0HaFzRn_26V9ZWtVHLFJAER0hi-SAsMtMr_dCqOcVlJXqIv2z9_qQjGhSUh9WJiRnJNIfRryQpTSTYqYixxkgTlLuUIosb75V3VJ2gcQcumGztA/s1600/Tommy+Sugo+23-05-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLKPoroYKkmb6eXysr21KJ73CBQkxn0HaFzRn_26V9ZWtVHLFJAER0hi-SAsMtMr_dCqOcVlJXqIv2z9_qQjGhSUh9WJiRnJNIfRryQpTSTYqYixxkgTlLuUIosb75V3VJ2gcQcumGztA/s200/Tommy+Sugo+23-05-2015.jpg" width="200" /> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-64721478572038626562015-05-08T15:56:00.000+08:002015-05-08T15:56:00.621+08:00The Standard, Northbridge, Western Australia<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctYVMEXbCNtiE9NK-7E7q42BG6h9j6Fi4W88u1n1AVT3j2dZcp7ruYPDhcz35s2WTQMQo_dbMVYAKQLofNDOebmqpmpHMGTvTwCJ7d0YEM2xFqyhezHBF7S-5kMXsPLpYy9RPtoPyCi_e/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+2+48+57+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgctYVMEXbCNtiE9NK-7E7q42BG6h9j6Fi4W88u1n1AVT3j2dZcp7ruYPDhcz35s2WTQMQo_dbMVYAKQLofNDOebmqpmpHMGTvTwCJ7d0YEM2xFqyhezHBF7S-5kMXsPLpYy9RPtoPyCi_e/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+2+48+57+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGJq5zhtXa6QINRIgswzxTeDiz91GGLQbT4wkTJhiJfllNE6NRx13ILhgRgq1yXbv0ISNufdJaEwL5g8N7jHgw0RmQTTZoABa6K9rYBGj0vdOygnjtx9DhzDeIDFmx1nJQmjvDKg5sak3/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+1+24+54+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLGJq5zhtXa6QINRIgswzxTeDiz91GGLQbT4wkTJhiJfllNE6NRx13ILhgRgq1yXbv0ISNufdJaEwL5g8N7jHgw0RmQTTZoABa6K9rYBGj0vdOygnjtx9DhzDeIDFmx1nJQmjvDKg5sak3/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+1+24+54+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The dining and small bar scene in Perth, Western Australia has
been leaping forwards in variety and quality over the last few years, and one
of the latest additions to this scene is <a href="http://www.thestandardperth.com.au/">The Standard</a>, located on Roe Street in
Northbridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Occupying what used to be an old school “underground”
gambling house (so I’m told), The Standard boasts a large outdoor courtyard
area as well as a modern-looking indoor area with a long bar complete with
mixologists standing behind it furiously shaking cocktail mixers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D1sEHH8Ts8e0-ThR1f2V3INQ6aKMrkE-WnjXDTnzu7U4bZScTDeKOwsjsxctnFRcnFLYtIsP6xQZ-QwOCp_Pgj93dw8j2pUFARxPvXRW30Wn2qNXa_ImfNt86v1xQCIbNj4hjQPY1lU_/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+1+34+50+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5D1sEHH8Ts8e0-ThR1f2V3INQ6aKMrkE-WnjXDTnzu7U4bZScTDeKOwsjsxctnFRcnFLYtIsP6xQZ-QwOCp_Pgj93dw8j2pUFARxPvXRW30Wn2qNXa_ImfNt86v1xQCIbNj4hjQPY1lU_/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+1+34+50+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3LpKM5S2pvG1vGMVfjTNvBoCRI21gRSe-rWG7_2XmKAoEMy7psmG9fWOPN3_VwMjAeRqMowK21s4ZZ2eKvjF8p9YQ1mZyMFPe04tdLxGpMo8S9cdfYoKmRWssqVnLf3CZdgZ4XlF72Hb/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+1+41+57+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie3LpKM5S2pvG1vGMVfjTNvBoCRI21gRSe-rWG7_2XmKAoEMy7psmG9fWOPN3_VwMjAeRqMowK21s4ZZ2eKvjF8p9YQ1mZyMFPe04tdLxGpMo8S9cdfYoKmRWssqVnLf3CZdgZ4XlF72Hb/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+1+41+57+pm.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I joined some friends there for lunch one lazy
Saturday afternoon and we were not disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drinks menu offered wallet-friendly yet
delicious wines from Australia and all around the world and a selection of local and international beers, and the food menu offered many sharing-style dishes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I couldn’t decide on what to drink, so I had
something of everything; and my favourite dish was the garlic clams in a creamy
cider sauce, although the house made potato and sweet potato crisps, as well as
the crispy chunky fava chips were also superb.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrlgveyAX5OWOkS_PTe0MKSVz1c4ZEl86C2H53aMYGl6ejpeZRO1DYo_Jq9q7tlyuwGvxEfB4ZQknPOIwXa665RtsAw9oikEQJyubbzrz4Z-K8C4DbiS7N6T7jdWgNdWtHZH76MqeAycD/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+3+19+31+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrlgveyAX5OWOkS_PTe0MKSVz1c4ZEl86C2H53aMYGl6ejpeZRO1DYo_Jq9q7tlyuwGvxEfB4ZQknPOIwXa665RtsAw9oikEQJyubbzrz4Z-K8C4DbiS7N6T7jdWgNdWtHZH76MqeAycD/s1600/Photo+4-04-2015+3+19+31+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">As you can see from the photos, the food was so good that my fellow diners didn't care to wait while I took some photos; and who can blame them? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Needless to say, lunch turned into a messy but
fun affair that went on for many hours ...</span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-76253508850880123522015-05-01T13:00:00.000+08:002015-05-01T13:00:00.963+08:00Milk the Cow licensed fromagerie, St Kilda & Carlton, Victoria<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlZOOTRQ58h1JYb14mPwNsxwp68X0iyWBedjGQFzbk3o4Eqp3PK9bQ-E4bZFp2wkT42Vh_38tnczbYK39fevhTX5z6DLZlY6FNy6l_IANmCQkKuSWh5pzTXqid4A9FbhUrqg128rrNi5L/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+45+16+am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlZOOTRQ58h1JYb14mPwNsxwp68X0iyWBedjGQFzbk3o4Eqp3PK9bQ-E4bZFp2wkT42Vh_38tnczbYK39fevhTX5z6DLZlY6FNy6l_IANmCQkKuSWh5pzTXqid4A9FbhUrqg128rrNi5L/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+45+16+am.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I heard about this amazing place from my mate
Kev who travels to Melbourne a lot on business, and when I was last in
Melbourne, I just had to spend some time there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was not disappointed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><a href="http://milkthecow.com.au/">Milk the Cow</a> is a unique proposition in the
Melbourne hospitality scene – a licensed fromagerie with two locations: on
Fitzroy Street in St Kilda (kinda across the road from the St Kilda Sports
Club) and Lygon Street in Carlton (across the road from the iconic Nova Cinema).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcESHMvVi-Ug330bb1pa6aTnkygBuNIfNeIKQHum4yVJ_um_Zfl4WUAZn6baSPHnMSPz6ZHkSV8hYq-cj8CwteTBfVwPzm5xH_I1ER157-k8NDKx1tPI3dDN-lzgHw7ztcSmgrXGWKGcQd/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+50+06+am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcESHMvVi-Ug330bb1pa6aTnkygBuNIfNeIKQHum4yVJ_um_Zfl4WUAZn6baSPHnMSPz6ZHkSV8hYq-cj8CwteTBfVwPzm5xH_I1ER157-k8NDKx1tPI3dDN-lzgHw7ztcSmgrXGWKGcQd/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+50+06+am.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Yes, you can buy cheese to take away from a
mind-boggling array of Australian and international delights (anything from an
entire wheel to a small slice of heaven), but because it is a licensed venue,
you can also sit there and order a bottle of wine from their extensive wine
list, or beer or spirits if you’re that way inclined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">But the most compelling offering by far is
their selection of tasting flights: 4 varieties of cheese paired with 4 varities
of liquor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can choose from a red
wine flight, a white wine flight, a sparking wine flight, a whisky flight, a
beer flight, and even a sake flight!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Each with a different selection of cheeses that complements the
particular beverages selected.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxR1-mGdWHcRtnziVK_UJEMFZ5qTMKi6ZIIFUfGfYqqFdThyphenhyphenGenQjxqYszHRtnrzuMyc-FMRmY4o9ffsTRQTIJI1nrW3T8VrMlZvA9TXg__x3VNsZwgTDdax6Z694l09mBVwlHyp9oorGT/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+50+39+am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxR1-mGdWHcRtnziVK_UJEMFZ5qTMKi6ZIIFUfGfYqqFdThyphenhyphenGenQjxqYszHRtnrzuMyc-FMRmY4o9ffsTRQTIJI1nrW3T8VrMlZvA9TXg__x3VNsZwgTDdax6Z694l09mBVwlHyp9oorGT/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+50+39+am.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Needless to say, I chose the whisky flight for a quick lunch ... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Both venues also boast alfresco seating on the
sidewalk, which is cigar-friendly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
fact, they have a small selection of cigars available on their menu although
your own cigars are welcome. In my case, I enjoyed a beautifully aged 1998 Le Hoyo du Roi from Wal Baranow's private collection (from iconic Melbourne cigar lounge Baranows, which has sadly closed because Wal has decided to move to Cuba - tough life indeed!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
happen to be squeamish about smoking, that is also fine: both venues have
plenty of comfortable indoor seating as well.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUrCjAebksuC1VEg58LqRV4v2U9FR6X8m9M_JZ_UUVJt3DJqFiAP8DogoVQLN4pTg2BkwW5Lu9cTF1A4hKFgNKXp39xROPh4amcC-JuGWzbQpk67fk5V91rmDOb9cIMo64jgm12STOudM/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+54+44+am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUrCjAebksuC1VEg58LqRV4v2U9FR6X8m9M_JZ_UUVJt3DJqFiAP8DogoVQLN4pTg2BkwW5Lu9cTF1A4hKFgNKXp39xROPh4amcC-JuGWzbQpk67fk5V91rmDOb9cIMo64jgm12STOudM/s1600/Photo+23-03-2015+9+54+44+am.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">While I was sitting on the sidewalk enjoying the various delights on my table, a couple of people walked past and started chatting to me - they too had come in search of this wonderful place! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">If you like cheese, make sure you set aside an
hour or two to savour the delights of Milk the Cow next time you have a chance
to visit St Kilda or Carlton! </span>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-66558265495913994242015-04-24T15:23:00.000+08:002015-04-25T10:34:07.027+08:00The Cobb Oven - review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span id="goog_381107589"></span><span id="goog_381107590"></span>Barbecues have always stymied me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was younger, I had a go at trying several
different models of wood or briquette fired barbecues, and the results were
always woeful ... more smoke than heat generated, my hands stinking of
firestarters, uneven heat leaving meat on the grill half-burned and half-raw,
or the heat just didn’t last long enough and went out before the meat was
finished cooking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">I don’t even trust gas fired barbecues: no
matter how fancy or expensive they might be, they always seem to end up being
too hot, even on the lowest heat settings (hey I don’t like burning my
cooking).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrURWYXprUn_kiZhIaPfwXwhA7iGVtq4sBZVXamBD9nlgDzZgYpq9AqOFwntCPjaY75d3t-P4vlQQHJDKoxe1tlBqB-pzf16ktXn8CjLgFdjuf6MPPivOzauxP-KehYwJuEQb06elZaVS/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+38+30+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrURWYXprUn_kiZhIaPfwXwhA7iGVtq4sBZVXamBD9nlgDzZgYpq9AqOFwntCPjaY75d3t-P4vlQQHJDKoxe1tlBqB-pzf16ktXn8CjLgFdjuf6MPPivOzauxP-KehYwJuEQb06elZaVS/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+38+30+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">So it was with some hesitation that I accepted
the gift of a Cobb Premium outdoor cooker from <a href="http://cobbaustralia.com.au/">Cobb Australia</a>, even though it
was on a no-strings-attached basis (the only deal was that I would write a
review, good or bad, based on my experience with the thing).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What an epiphany!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To call this a “barbecue” is to do it an
injustice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is so much more than that:
an outdoor cooker that doesn’t need gas, which comes with special
environmentally friendly pressed-bamboo briquettes that catch fire ridiculously
easily and burn evenly to generate a “Goldilocks” heat for around 2 hours,
which emits virtually no smoke (nothing that you would notice unless you were
paying close attention), super-simple instructions and most importantly of all, cooks things to
perfection!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HIim505D0Oag8YqZ1fx-Z1gENO3TiP7DMkhVTdCd-x2xN3JBQgb3JDADBnZG2PfsDtMMxcIJl3y06lG8K7AadaGPF2otnmTVmi7jqC85YpQ3PtBtlj9TTQBbUn7YzMLIpINuVr9HcqLF/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+38+53+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HIim505D0Oag8YqZ1fx-Z1gENO3TiP7DMkhVTdCd-x2xN3JBQgb3JDADBnZG2PfsDtMMxcIJl3y06lG8K7AadaGPF2otnmTVmi7jqC85YpQ3PtBtlj9TTQBbUn7YzMLIpINuVr9HcqLF/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+38+53+pm.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And all without any practice or dry-runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one sitting, I literally unpacked the
brand-new Cobb and assembled it together in a few minutes, then spent a few more
minutes reading the instructions before placing the special briquette at the
bottom and lighting it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It lit up with a
nice flame upon contact with my lighter, which spread across the entire
briquette to turn it into a pleasantly watchable red-glowing heat source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then put on the non-stick grilling plate,
added my meat and put on the dome cover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then forgot about it for two hours while I did other things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I did check in on it a couple of times
early on, but honestly did forget about it after that!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoN-m0dT7GbWtcjfBcK1RLb34ruj8dYVmRyr780efuGjaEcV0av3mSRbQBeWsaSOhJ3Ifacz8VzyebgRKRb_1_klhgL1q7EHBVbMFTk1HVM5kFuyeoemDrRWP5XkKunmV-1fOXbOKu-dA/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+52+31+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoN-m0dT7GbWtcjfBcK1RLb34ruj8dYVmRyr780efuGjaEcV0av3mSRbQBeWsaSOhJ3Ifacz8VzyebgRKRb_1_klhgL1q7EHBVbMFTk1HVM5kFuyeoemDrRWP5XkKunmV-1fOXbOKu-dA/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+52+31+pm.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblUmKspQThzqQhBZVvDk9uZVOZ4I1ax_XWIaXLOGGoU_-YK6rw-Uolt769j7NHGvgp8ig3UBn5RFmes7x5djA-NvrFvxSD1Sy-ESO_4QLdxrVPQT5sWFwhNUDBOTwb3gTzoMsf5Cz5ALl/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+58+16+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiblUmKspQThzqQhBZVvDk9uZVOZ4I1ax_XWIaXLOGGoU_-YK6rw-Uolt769j7NHGvgp8ig3UBn5RFmes7x5djA-NvrFvxSD1Sy-ESO_4QLdxrVPQT5sWFwhNUDBOTwb3gTzoMsf5Cz5ALl/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+58+16+pm.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAOtBJw7OcMqHLZ4cy4dEk7NvtC7en4iAEElH4tHBxCpYCoq7SSi08jIn7rypLsAkzuSNBo7UzJzZa_WAxoo_yvR63YzNm4kz5rxCyeJcXK4R-tjxWt4QRkhLEKoASXZGhAUtnOo8beyl/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+54+23+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAOtBJw7OcMqHLZ4cy4dEk7NvtC7en4iAEElH4tHBxCpYCoq7SSi08jIn7rypLsAkzuSNBo7UzJzZa_WAxoo_yvR63YzNm4kz5rxCyeJcXK4R-tjxWt4QRkhLEKoASXZGhAUtnOo8beyl/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+54+23+pm.jpg" height="148" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">So what did I cook?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2011/04/its-dinner-party-time-tuscan-fusion.html">My favourite pork belly recipe</a> which was
designed for cooking in a conventional oven – with the pork belly marinated
with olive oil, salt and various spices for a couple of days, before being
plopped onto the grill plate straight from the fridge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The Cobb also features a “moat” around the
briquette which I filled with water to ensure that the meat didn’t dry out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_M8rNb4PGd4KPO-VbnWg1XCvSlo7dhRliIpGdqbYBC-G_088wzItS3ATIcjnykrN_4-Gnhvz0NGab7cp4AszvW0-SQHZDPl6O6W0oKt7Zik4BVsNOOPRIMZPA2k2fB-HSeYvrzZuyjnh/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+7+03+10+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_M8rNb4PGd4KPO-VbnWg1XCvSlo7dhRliIpGdqbYBC-G_088wzItS3ATIcjnykrN_4-Gnhvz0NGab7cp4AszvW0-SQHZDPl6O6W0oKt7Zik4BVsNOOPRIMZPA2k2fB-HSeYvrzZuyjnh/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+7+03+10+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Around two hours later, when I took the pork
belly off the grill plate, it was just perfect – the flesh was soft, moist and tender,
and literally falling apart when handled (it would probably have been fine it I
had taken it off half an hour earlier).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The skin was soft and unctuous with a soft and easily chewable texture,
like a warm gummy bear left in the car during summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that some people are squeamish about
non-crispy pork skin, but this texture was just sublime!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nonetheless, after slicing off a few chunks,
I put the rest into the oven for 20 minutes to puff up the skin into crisp
golden joy, because even I can’t resist the siren call of crispy pork skin,
especially when it is only 20 minutes away.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnbmRE48aTGrDw5UyFLdgSItYRwnZAKt2TUNzyPtdtW5FI6837EEbrexhMb1yvNkNmyGtZElishXoZrha-9pDPndcZREAlzJBIpOwETYt8uGOIkQ84KrtjNiIGiP61EBIVAetEqPuTiKs/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+9+00+34+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnbmRE48aTGrDw5UyFLdgSItYRwnZAKt2TUNzyPtdtW5FI6837EEbrexhMb1yvNkNmyGtZElishXoZrha-9pDPndcZREAlzJBIpOwETYt8uGOIkQ84KrtjNiIGiP61EBIVAetEqPuTiKs/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+9+00+34+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Well, there’s nothing left to say – the pork
belly was perfect, the Cobb oven was perfectly easy to assemble and use, and
also ridiculously easy to clean!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
not just some rough and ready invention, and it’s not just something you use
for cooking sausages while camping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
perfectly handles recipes that are supposed to be cooked in a conventional
oven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am certainly looking forward to
more experiences with my Cobb oven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">I’ll leave the pictures to tell the rest of the
story ...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJratQ8rEDck_HdDadX1g3uc04TKnkGy9JLR938k_7CzETD8n61SA-OuJCgHjy_j6BQ7HeTiRzytShvXKAa19zDQ0AqyIzJAjEtbM5cLLOzRgLWsaG6WFU_sEk8xAEN9KVGqkOix8gkos/s1600/Photo+11-03-2015+9+12+00+am.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJratQ8rEDck_HdDadX1g3uc04TKnkGy9JLR938k_7CzETD8n61SA-OuJCgHjy_j6BQ7HeTiRzytShvXKAa19zDQ0AqyIzJAjEtbM5cLLOzRgLWsaG6WFU_sEk8xAEN9KVGqkOix8gkos/s1600/Photo+11-03-2015+9+12+00+am.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> </span>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-Alv98SfZrQk%2FVTntTjs15YI%2FAAAAAAAAA74%2FvTAiU2Br5Xg%2Fs1600%2FPhoto%252B10-03-2015%252B6%252B52%252B31%252Bpm.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIoN-m0dT7GbWtcjfBcK1RLb34ruj8dYVmRyr780efuGjaEcV0av3mSRbQBeWsaSOhJ3Ifacz8VzyebgRKRb_1_klhgL1q7EHBVbMFTk1HVM5kFuyeoemDrRWP5XkKunmV-1fOXbOKu-dA/s1600/Photo+10-03-2015+6+52+31+pm.jpg" --><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-48437339128310083472015-01-27T15:28:00.003+08:002015-01-27T15:32:36.376+08:00il lido Italian Canteen, 89 Marine Parade, Cottesloe, Western Australia<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7enCKmxws0D2IxEPkz0U2mo3irxn-f6DE2tfpImLMtj0A0fL8CRIrf9clRaLGPrd58Hi5aJh7LUz-08KZJaY7fVW-WPhFobsacu7NIkpe8CIR4a3fKin1GYczVmzatKe6wUe7hXxPSG8j/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+25+54+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7enCKmxws0D2IxEPkz0U2mo3irxn-f6DE2tfpImLMtj0A0fL8CRIrf9clRaLGPrd58Hi5aJh7LUz-08KZJaY7fVW-WPhFobsacu7NIkpe8CIR4a3fKin1GYczVmzatKe6wUe7hXxPSG8j/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+25+54+pm.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Western Australia is the land of an unending
stretch of coastline boasting some remarkable beaches, so if you like being at
the beach, it’s not hard to find a perfect patch of sand to park yourself upon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It is, however, a fair bit harder to find an
establishment along the beach which offers something more than just ice cream,
frozen yoghurt or fish and chips (not that there’s anything wrong with
that).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems, though that most
restaurants which do open up along the beach complacently rely on the mesmerising
azure views of the Indian Ocean to plaster over the indifferent or pedestrian
fare that they churn out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVZcv5e4dfBMurVftV31h4f6w9obgzzJblOdcv33l9TsQB8AFLONIkzUmdmTbLiNtumlBhaREUbccrigEg4ihc8_dClYj757PLx3wRnF2AN3kijAI006bCkVgQRTA17VjC4OXPgaaVn1h/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+2+09+39+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVZcv5e4dfBMurVftV31h4f6w9obgzzJblOdcv33l9TsQB8AFLONIkzUmdmTbLiNtumlBhaREUbccrigEg4ihc8_dClYj757PLx3wRnF2AN3kijAI006bCkVgQRTA17VjC4OXPgaaVn1h/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+2+09+39+pm.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I’m pleased to say that il lido, a
self-styled “Italian Canteen” is certainly not pedestrian or indifferent by
any measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Located in a nondescript old single-storey building on the corner of
Marine Parade and Forrest Street in Cottesloe, this establishment is renowned
for its excellent food and perfect coffees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even the alcoholic beverages are “cheaper” by Perth standards (although
the same can’t be said for the food, but the price is well worth it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is also one of the first eateries in
Western Australia to have long casual trestle tables (ubiquitous in hipster Melbourne and Sydney eateries) that diners have to share with each
other in the “canteen” part of the restaurant, as well as in the alfresco area
outside (which can be a variable experience depending on the combination of
heat and windspeed at any given point in time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are a few high tables at the entrance area of the restaurant which
are more suited to a casual coffee or more private-ish meal, if that’s what you’re
after.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_O5A7J5Tf15hoboXIZ2NBjTVh3xuuezEb9KeXdazy1vqnSxbKI37zeLVovJvDNSdIMZc7ncNkcJn7MdVuaZMliscuPrV8BggFdGndW6lNepFThyphenhyphensRFxVbn70Bcl051e89olnXOYnst60/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+09+39+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh_O5A7J5Tf15hoboXIZ2NBjTVh3xuuezEb9KeXdazy1vqnSxbKI37zeLVovJvDNSdIMZc7ncNkcJn7MdVuaZMliscuPrV8BggFdGndW6lNepFThyphenhyphensRFxVbn70Bcl051e89olnXOYnst60/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+09+39+pm.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">One of my favourite things to do on a quiet
day “at the office”, when there are no troublesome afternoon meetings to
interrupt the day, is to enjoy a lazy lunch at il lido sitting at one of the
high tables; looking out over the ocean and indulging in a bit of people
watching, with my view occasionally punctuated by the odd car driving by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lunch at il lido is also a lot more relaxed
than dinner; given its popularity, you will struggle to get a table at dinner time unless you turn up really early or have made a booking. On the other hand, you can just stroll in at lunchtime and be assured of getting a table.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Of course, the view alone isn’t enough to justify
braving the harrowing drive down Stirling Highway (a hopelessly overloaded road
that is no "highway" by any standard, and which is inexplicably terrorised by a
large number of reckless or feckless drivers), so it is for the perfectly
cooked hand made pasta that I come to this place.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IBfuamBCu__Pyijpl1pvHsoOdAAzQxgLvd8QJ_gbZuElWMuOrw2wjwxjqkbhoWnkGFUPtPRqrxsP6w0J2haPSUQ021FmYO-isDM-KDdyHl8ZyV6XyQNGMfpuTmw_esb_dgpqwjDrGfY2/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+18+46+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IBfuamBCu__Pyijpl1pvHsoOdAAzQxgLvd8QJ_gbZuElWMuOrw2wjwxjqkbhoWnkGFUPtPRqrxsP6w0J2haPSUQ021FmYO-isDM-KDdyHl8ZyV6XyQNGMfpuTmw_esb_dgpqwjDrGfY2/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+18+46+pm.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">My favourite is the crab linguine: a dish so simple,
yet boasting myriad versions all over Perth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>il lido’s version of the crab linguine is
exquisite in its simplicity, relying on the quality of its ingredients
to tell the story: perfect al dente linguine that is actually chewy (that’s
what al dente is after all), roasted halved cherry tomatoes for tangy acidity,
shredded fennel tips to counterbalance the flavour, tasty olive oil, enough
chilli to gently sting the tastebuds but without dominating the dish, and of course, large succulent chunks of
crab meat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This crab certainly didn’t
come out of a can – and you keep getting surprised by yet another massive chunk
of crab meat hiding under the linguine, until all you have left is more crab
meat, when the pasta is all but eaten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now that is a truly pleasurable experience!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsg3gcTt5tmmVChNw5hk977J723N_x_pHARjgpjO_geLEqWlF0_M84Tk8C7gZZeyvzLpymmf2Xd2QC9Sl0TGERKcJJOy2XxAZa9oEk5BTboqznEY7bB2YOMAgCMpkrG3kZvAiNH2P7Qryg/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+40+33+pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsg3gcTt5tmmVChNw5hk977J723N_x_pHARjgpjO_geLEqWlF0_M84Tk8C7gZZeyvzLpymmf2Xd2QC9Sl0TGERKcJJOy2XxAZa9oEk5BTboqznEY7bB2YOMAgCMpkrG3kZvAiNH2P7Qryg/s1600/Photo+27-01-2015+1+40+33+pm.jpg" height="200" width="148" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">If you happen to be at the beach and want to enjoy some simple but high
quality cuisine, or even just a good barista-made coffee, head down to il lido. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you don’t like it, then maybe you’ll
feel more comfortable at the fish and chips shop down the road (not that
there’s anything wrong with that …).</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-74514131878957673272014-12-23T17:33:00.002+08:002014-12-23T17:37:40.215+08:00L'Entrecôte de Paris in Hong Kong - No fuss, great steak<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYGRBmZ7EIKnDEXMi8-qRkyqkCTUnckJkM7K_TNRj6wkmsQGF3LKwNVTJMUlOw50omqHWpok5TeWu3wJSR95J17jzCNgbT0r44SK-05BD2_J1XNWqez8YUcMaYjo-6kWi52A10VIoln4S/s1600/%C2%A9+L'Entreco%CC%82te+de+Paris+HK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPYGRBmZ7EIKnDEXMi8-qRkyqkCTUnckJkM7K_TNRj6wkmsQGF3LKwNVTJMUlOw50omqHWpok5TeWu3wJSR95J17jzCNgbT0r44SK-05BD2_J1XNWqez8YUcMaYjo-6kWi52A10VIoln4S/s1600/%C2%A9+L'Entreco%CC%82te%2Bde%2BParis%2BHK.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(c) L'Entrecôte de Paris: http://lentrecotedeparis.hk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I had to go to Hong Kong for business earlier this year, a friend of mine, Eddie, suggested that I dine at <a href="http://lentrecotedeparis.hk/concept">L'Entrecôte de Paris</a> - the way he described it was so intriguing that I had to experience it for myself.<br />
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My good friend Big Con was also passing through Hong Kong on his way back home from a conference, and being a steak aficionado as well, he was game to check it out with me.<br />
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If we hadn't been specifically looking out for the restaurant, we would have walked straight past, because it's located on the third floor of a nondescript office-like building on Wyndham Street in Lan Kwai Fong (on Hong Kong Island), where the bright lights of streetside bars and restaurants (no doubt paying exorbitantly higher rents) beckon and jostle for your attention.<br />
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There was an eclectic group of fellow diners in the restaurant, ranging from business-like groups, families and couples.<br />
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This is a restaurant with just one dish on the menu, and that is of course its namesake (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrec%C3%B4te">Entrecôte meaning a premium cut of steak</a>).<br />
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Ok I lied - there is one other thing on the menu, and it's the grilled salmon, but it's really there in deference to the non-red-meat-eaters who got dragged along to the restaurant by the person who chose to dine there. There is also a selection of sides and desserts as well, for the Mr Creosotes among us.<br />
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The steak itself is a very simple concept - a prime cut of steak sliced into thick strips (the waiter will ask you how you want it done, but is there really any choice other than medium rare for good steak?) swimming in a deliciously rich special sauce (read secret recipe), brought to your table on a silver platter. It's served with all the french fries you can eat (at least it felt never ending to me).<br />
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They don't actually leave the platter of steak at your table - because it's such a massive slab of beef, in true French bistro fashion, they've already made the decision that you cannot eat it all in one sitting and you must certainly do as you are told if you know what's good for you. So they dole out half the steak onto your plate together with a generous serve of french fries and drizzling of special sauce.<br />
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The meat is sublimely tender and flavoursome - easily one of the best steaks I've eaten in my life (and I have spent a good part of it chasing amazing steaks), and the secret sauce truly kicks things up several notches.<br />
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The wine is short and full of interesting wines unknown to someone from the Antipodes. We thought we'd spin the chocolate wheel and order a Chinese red wine - the Chateau Nine Peaks Reserva 2011 from <a href="http://www.greatriverhill.com/en/">Qingdao Greatriverhill Winery.</a> It didn't say which grape varietal, but I'm pretty sure I tasted the trademark cassis of cabernet sauvignon. This was a deliciously fruity and voluptuous wine which matched up to the big flavours of the steak and rich sauce. It was also very reasonably priced! I can't remember exactly how much, but I think it was around the equivalent of AUD60-70 a bottle.<br />
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A short while after we finish our first serving (naturally to give us time to start digesting the first portion that we both wolfed down), our waiter reappears to deliver the remainder of the steak, and yet more french fries.<br />
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I ask for a third portion of french fries before my stomach realises how much food it is going to have to deal with and starts to protest.<br />
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The meal isn't cheap at HKD268 per person, but it was certainly worth it. There was so much food that we couldn't fit in anything from the tempting dessert menu. Even Big Con, despite his size, claimed that he was stuffed and couldn't eat anything more.<br />
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So there it is - L'Entrecôte de Paris in Hong Kong. If you love steak, you need to experience this (but make sure you have a light lunch). You also need to book a table in order to avoid risking disappointment - when we were there, the restaurant gradually filled up to capacity, and it looked like there were a few people who turned up without bookings and had to be turned away.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S. because the lighting was dim, my battered old iPhone didn't manage to take any decent photos, so I've cheekily appropriated one from the restaurant's website (with appropriate copyright acknowledgement of course) to brighten up this post.</span><br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-22158818132254054302014-08-11T12:00:00.000+08:002014-08-11T12:19:34.116+08:00The Old Crow, 172 Newcastle Street, Perth: the best brussel sprouts ever!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLF36KIeLp56kMChV-hR-PDcPkZ5k0JeHUQrNws-_c3UYMcYAe8rIvV8GNZEDg-lISDads2fT-sYsKmy3rVNEhA0ItXtAj4YsQJ6BQ98iE0pOiLX6J7mT1RyrE_sfWPg4CmGdWGsVVg3-/s1600/The+Old+Crow+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLF36KIeLp56kMChV-hR-PDcPkZ5k0JeHUQrNws-_c3UYMcYAe8rIvV8GNZEDg-lISDads2fT-sYsKmy3rVNEhA0ItXtAj4YsQJ6BQ98iE0pOiLX6J7mT1RyrE_sfWPg4CmGdWGsVVg3-/s1600/The+Old+Crow+1.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a>My mate Wayne (apparently a fashion industry icon back in the day, but now more closely associated with his calling as the Bailli of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs in Western Australia) is one of the few friends I have who also has the flexibility to catch up for an ad hoc (sometimes extended) lunch during the week that doesn't require pre-planning or involve spending 45 minutes in a food hall before having to rush back to the office.<br />
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For one of these lunches, we decided to head down to the <a href="http://theoldcrow.com.au/">Old Crow</a> on 172 Newcastle Street - the address tells you it's in Perth, but it's really in the Northbridge precinct.<br />
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From the outside, it looks like a simple, albeit trendy cafe, but don't let that fool you. These guys serve up some really good food.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbiT7kdk9ZoLpjGdNQ6iL_UtV84aKQrkS3zvKyFiLnP2FouCQ3jG1xUoRRIWzmCfY7G6yrtvREOFWyWjZtCG7Up_C-U8x16IE06fZM1zxqoKUXv6Pzg6HQqGDV2S1VW_gCO7wQCgJEKP0/s1600/The+Old+Crow+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbiT7kdk9ZoLpjGdNQ6iL_UtV84aKQrkS3zvKyFiLnP2FouCQ3jG1xUoRRIWzmCfY7G6yrtvREOFWyWjZtCG7Up_C-U8x16IE06fZM1zxqoKUXv6Pzg6HQqGDV2S1VW_gCO7wQCgJEKP0/s1600/The+Old+Crow+2.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a>Given the array of interesting dishes on the menu, we decided to order 3 to share between us (yes it's a bit gluttonous given that each dish is designed to be a meal on its own, so we took off our gourmet hats and put on our gourmand hats instead).<br />
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The first to arrive was the pulled pork sandwich, which came with their version of aioli and a cup of chips. Pulled pork. 'nuff said.<br />
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The next to arrive was the cheese kransky hot dog. The bloody spell-checker keeps trying to replace it with "cranky", but it is anything but that! Accompanied by a monstrous pickled jalapeño and smothered in aioli and finely grated parmesan and chives, this was a favourite (if there can be such a thing with three fine dishes to contend with).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdFeNMXwkLnCHt9rtluYFGEZ6T0SufxxyYmppT8_-ti6YkJnaSMpTjugmy5ii-vrFSegpmUZXizFKwSsrHMWzSgK5nYtWPCY5EnFRD2rzvP37WozS___K5ZzVJX5aKdk2BpqbWjMa2mFh/s1600/The+Old+Crow+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNdFeNMXwkLnCHt9rtluYFGEZ6T0SufxxyYmppT8_-ti6YkJnaSMpTjugmy5ii-vrFSegpmUZXizFKwSsrHMWzSgK5nYtWPCY5EnFRD2rzvP37WozS___K5ZzVJX5aKdk2BpqbWjMa2mFh/s1600/The+Old+Crow+3.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a>Then came the freshly made crispy brussel sprouts. If you suffer from brussel sprouts trauma when you were force-fed in your childhood with the over-boiled, unseasoned stuff by the fistful, ordering this dish is the best way to cure it. This stuff is just more-ish. Crispy on the outside and glazed in sweet balsamic vinegar, yet soft and chewy on the inside, it tastes nothing at all like the stuff that came out of your parent's kitchen.<br />
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In fact, Wayne and I were surprised that we kept unconsciously eating yet another one while chatting, until the entire plate was wiped clean and our guts were busting.<br />
<br />
As I waddled back to my car with my distended brussel-sprout-filled belly, I was thinking that these are the best brussel sprouts I have ever had in my life!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-65214520725023319172014-07-20T21:00:00.000+08:002014-08-15T15:15:50.718+08:00Kong BBQ, Richmond, Victoria<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXSVzoJEQAbgkadYPdy-I1KWeV-BTf-Na0ZF4VNgu3qO2WiUKSviAMx5vE1v7lMvDtRIysCf4HRNUigMn0Loq61wTw62LPqAowJXMFuAkbxZd94ZV4NOtJlou8DJQBKQCDMugxVMjo8p2/s1600/Kong+BBQ+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXSVzoJEQAbgkadYPdy-I1KWeV-BTf-Na0ZF4VNgu3qO2WiUKSviAMx5vE1v7lMvDtRIysCf4HRNUigMn0Loq61wTw62LPqAowJXMFuAkbxZd94ZV4NOtJlou8DJQBKQCDMugxVMjo8p2/s1600/Kong+BBQ+1.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a>It was on a quiet Sunday evening when I caught up with my chick bestie Jacqui while languishing in Melbourne (oh alright, it's not actually much of a hardship to languish in Melbourne). Jacqs, being a fellow foodie and a Melbourne resident for many years, knew to pick somewhere good for dinner.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55Veab6J2o7PCDO_Kd5zB2AkDsnFJ0ayUrgbaGIO3pF711VQF08sbu51TKIcN90SmO8Y6CH8dekCxGMdxteyjICU0W0LCI0BdZrOxF9udZnXlOgSDNq07eKyVpEdT62yhrZWXVSDRSGvo/s1600/Kong+BBQ.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55Veab6J2o7PCDO_Kd5zB2AkDsnFJ0ayUrgbaGIO3pF711VQF08sbu51TKIcN90SmO8Y6CH8dekCxGMdxteyjICU0W0LCI0BdZrOxF9udZnXlOgSDNq07eKyVpEdT62yhrZWXVSDRSGvo/s1600/Kong+BBQ.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a>So after a drink at the Botanical (love that place, including the bottleshop, where you can decide to crack open the bottle right there and then and get stuck in it, for a modest corkage fee), she took me to the back streets of Richmond (well it's 599 Church Street, but it felt like the back streets, deserted with the wind blowing through, when we turned up - hope there are no Tigers fans reading who take exception), where lay the new brainchild of the makers of Chin Chin: <a href="http://www.kongbbq.com.au/">Kong BBQ</a>.<br />
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Of course, Kong, like so many hip Melbourne eateries, doesn't take bookings; so we got there early at just after 5pm to beat the queue, and got a table almost straightaway.<br />
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What is up with this latest Melbournian obsession with fusing Korean cuisine into its culinary style? Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, and it is certainly a welcome addition of variety to the almost ubiquitous Pan-Asian style (i.e. Thai & Southeast Asian) that seemed to dominate modern Melbourne cuisine during the last decade. Naturally (so it seems), Kong's menu is heavily (some would say intrinsically) Korean influenced, starting from the cutesy panda sign ("It's not ordinary cabbage, it's fermented cabbage") to your left when you walk into the restaurant. Wait a minute - pandas aren't Korean??<br />
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Our friendly waitress told us about her Korean heritage and cheerfully explained the menu items to us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hTLSLx5lM18caB8E7jCTj1FT2eaJPS5-VG7jHFrWaqZ34tI3vIJZ8uCZIuhWPRQcfl9qX0Oi4yMleHWWaFGeRaoPlyb1kMiaq0DjEpU5Ewbvd6Zly8H9mKRHWJjiTLFd7VNV-XTO5f6C/s1600/Kong+BBQ+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7hTLSLx5lM18caB8E7jCTj1FT2eaJPS5-VG7jHFrWaqZ34tI3vIJZ8uCZIuhWPRQcfl9qX0Oi4yMleHWWaFGeRaoPlyb1kMiaq0DjEpU5Ewbvd6Zly8H9mKRHWJjiTLFd7VNV-XTO5f6C/s1600/Kong+BBQ+2.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a>We ordered a whole bunch of richly flavoured and spicy delights, such as spicy pork buns and crab buns (both utterly delicious), a chilli beef brisket cooked in their oven fired by chemical free charcoal made from sustainable Australian hard-wood (ahh a conscience free meal), and Dukbokki.<br />
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So what is Dukbokki? The menu described this dish as "rice cakes", so we were kind of expecting rice squashed into some kind of patty-like form, and were taken completely by surprise when it arrived, complete with whole chillies which I was unwilling to leave behind, and slathered with a rich, thick, spicy sauce. It was a spicy, richly flavoursome and interestingly textured experience! Apparently Dukbokki is a popular street food in Seoul, and I can understand why.<br />
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Jacqs and I had a great time - giving each other crap (which is what besties do best), mock-lamenting the fact that her husband Marc (poor fellow … not) who has been hanging out to eat at this restaurant missed out because he decided to go for a boozy trip into the countryside, and generally catching up on life.<br />
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So is this authentic Korean? I have no idea, but I rather suspect that it's a Melbournesque take on Korean cuisine. And with the cheerful, prompt service, great food and reasonable prices, you'll certainly enjoy it, particularly if you like richly flavoured, spicy cuisine. Even the price of having to carb-load (you can't escape it in this restaurant) to try some of its best dishes is a small one to pay.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-16012666879232789692014-07-20T11:30:00.000+08:002014-08-07T16:14:00.317+08:00The best laksa in Australia? At Chef Lagenda, Flemington, Victoria<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir53_eE7BNj2xkkyuKjMR9APBdECxfOtrxIM6EQHPyEXFqqLtlT-gIFtDUBhCvQgfOsUojhY4v8W3zpL3yVZWvJgE_xC4ZesW96cbCQTKJhpK1TV2vX6xrRzYGE6gClM5nGdITYgacG07e/s1600/Chef+Lagenda+Laksa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir53_eE7BNj2xkkyuKjMR9APBdECxfOtrxIM6EQHPyEXFqqLtlT-gIFtDUBhCvQgfOsUojhY4v8W3zpL3yVZWvJgE_xC4ZesW96cbCQTKJhpK1TV2vX6xrRzYGE6gClM5nGdITYgacG07e/s1600/Chef+Lagenda+Laksa.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a>Having had to spend a Sunday in Melbourne after my Saturday board meeting so that I could make a meeting on Monday, I took the opportunity to catch up with old friend Euj who now lives there with his wife and their two furry children.<br />
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Euj took me to this out of the way little lane way next to the Newmarket train station in Flemington for brunch.<br />
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Well worth the trek (good thing he was driving) - Chef Lagenda on Pin Oak Crescent in Flemington looks like a normal "dodgy" hole-in-the-wall Asian restaurant from the outside, but its two-storey tardis like interior is filled with tables that got filled up extremely quickly while we were sitting inside.<br />
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Being a laksa aficionado, I couldn't go past the laksa, which Euj had talked up quite a bit (just to set the scene).<br />
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Legend has it that their laksa stock has been brewing in the same pot for years, and I can certainly believe that.<br />
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A huge steaming bowl arrived filled with a rich broth brimming with a complex flavour of spices and chilli, with generous servings of meat and prawns (normally, you can count the number of prawns in an average bowl of laksa on one hand and still have spare fingers, but I kept fishing out prawns - was there no end?), complete with a roasted/fried slice of eggplant which added an additional smoky depth of flavour and texture.<br />
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I dare say that this might be the best laksa in all of Australia. I'm fully aware that this is a big call, but I'll say it anyway. Make the pilgrimage and decide for yourself.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-89385233532918749512014-07-18T22:00:00.000+08:002014-08-15T15:06:15.691+08:00Supernormal, another classic Andrew McConnell eatery in Melbourne<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquLHaFJ8lfkBHq_HFFDpnJ_EyLzA9XsVxkfCBHcPxnndO-iJSXPMlMou1cSG4ek5KYC2qUg_52dp-QTJ35wNQbTEd0sdav0GwKLc0bmJ37sizQL-JwsV9nW4E5xI_zbRwYeg_hDp4_Ejt/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquLHaFJ8lfkBHq_HFFDpnJ_EyLzA9XsVxkfCBHcPxnndO-iJSXPMlMou1cSG4ek5KYC2qUg_52dp-QTJ35wNQbTEd0sdav0GwKLc0bmJ37sizQL-JwsV9nW4E5xI_zbRwYeg_hDp4_Ejt/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fi6OLaXSu3NgttapzKpL6j6SPoSKuIaHYa3aVT9rF-bwL6DZ28MGqvz4VLvVuDeDVvl23PUOoHztqqAakLIu6o9qFnkxMGe4BjKiMmIFuBPfecG9ZCL-6OznQeAiAdDnhHB0TaX6gySo/s1600/photo+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7fi6OLaXSu3NgttapzKpL6j6SPoSKuIaHYa3aVT9rF-bwL6DZ28MGqvz4VLvVuDeDVvl23PUOoHztqqAakLIu6o9qFnkxMGe4BjKiMmIFuBPfecG9ZCL-6OznQeAiAdDnhHB0TaX6gySo/s1600/photo+7.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a>I recently had to go to Melbourne for the first time this year for a board meeting, so I decided to look up Google for a new quality Melbourne establishment to check out. At the top of the search listings was the name Andrew McConnell, and I couldn't go past that, having been a fan of Golden Fields and Cumulus.<br />
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Located at 180 Flinders Lane, <a href="http://www.supernormal.net.au/">Supernormal</a> is just around the corner from the Westin, the front is so quiet and nondescript that I would have walked right past it if not for the beguiling neon lighting and the fact that it was pumping.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIH5elLeXHynMr3ItruSrv52hZkK3sRcOgarJZDhrcmfyqXj3YfAEzAwyQjJZ-V_JkYYm3L-3o9WU6r_0M19MW6T4_PXtD83KC5mwFvXeT2f470kW2V7JCXzvzKqcJGBzBEyNWlJR5vpu/s1600/photo+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIH5elLeXHynMr3ItruSrv52hZkK3sRcOgarJZDhrcmfyqXj3YfAEzAwyQjJZ-V_JkYYm3L-3o9WU6r_0M19MW6T4_PXtD83KC5mwFvXeT2f470kW2V7JCXzvzKqcJGBzBEyNWlJR5vpu/s1600/photo+8.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a>I walk inside and get greeted with a fateful of classic minimalistic McConnell decor, with loads of kitschy (but in a good way) Japanese touches. And of course, the maitre d' - don't you love going to a restaurant where you don't have to stand around like an idiot hoping to get someone's attention so you can be seated? With an over-abundance of staff, you never have to worry about this at Supernormal.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2sjgXf_f8XJ2jVvGONkI83TadohyphenhyphenFhQoS12l3HeeOncC3oe5qZJGVOzcLREqb2YB9EC3sQmBcTTpH9KJmJ2zC37GkT_zB7KgdXaIzwX-vPEy4dwfewZECExGoayeGD-r6FejgkvqBYuX/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2sjgXf_f8XJ2jVvGONkI83TadohyphenhyphenFhQoS12l3HeeOncC3oe5qZJGVOzcLREqb2YB9EC3sQmBcTTpH9KJmJ2zC37GkT_zB7KgdXaIzwX-vPEy4dwfewZECExGoayeGD-r6FejgkvqBYuX/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a>As expected, there was a queue, but because my dinner companions had abandoned me due to a late and crappy flight into Melbourne, I didn't worry too much - there's always room for one. The friendly, chatty staff were surprised that I was from out of town, since they had only been open in this location for a few months.<br />
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By the time I finished my first glass of crisp, delicious Glaetzer-Dixon Uberblanc riesling, my seat was ready, and I too was ready for a feast of overindulgence!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxY__pmCXx_wVlGZnaaqiz8F8xXCtpObyD2usY4EguX2aQnnWwG_Hv1z8OaienbUoOLqQVqjmCkmqyxI-niLVOxpW0IC5hd_EdOL8v-M_HcE2hFA6CN_zWDydCV4by_LzMvMQMxo5zhlp/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxY__pmCXx_wVlGZnaaqiz8F8xXCtpObyD2usY4EguX2aQnnWwG_Hv1z8OaienbUoOLqQVqjmCkmqyxI-niLVOxpW0IC5hd_EdOL8v-M_HcE2hFA6CN_zWDydCV4by_LzMvMQMxo5zhlp/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a>The menu is predictably full of Asian influences, but it looks like the last decade's Melbournian Pan-Asian approach (read Thai, Southeast Asian, etc) has moved to predominantly mainland Chinese with Japanese and Korean touches (albeit complete with the classic Golden Fields lobster roll, which you can even takeaway, for those in withdrawal!), and the table setting at the bar included cutesy little touches like a sesame seed mill and a pot of chilli. And a limitless little saucer of more-ish soy-roasted seeds.<br />
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One of the many great things about this restaurant is that they will also do half-serves for the single diner, which is great for those of us lone travellers who want to try more dishes but don't want to pay the price of having to buy a new pair of larger pants.<br />
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I start with a dish from the raw menu: spicy tuna and ama ebi prawns, accompanied by the Junmai Genshu "Ine Mankai" sake, made from red rice which truly lived up to the notes on the menu - smoky with cherry flavours. I could have told you in excruciating detail about how the tuna and prawns tasted, but it was so good I scoffed it down too quickly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqFGPnV8eZU3h5Iucav76B6e_aXo9z38U8mhdTnZUEW_t75rl5NQuqi1qwJvKOfuAXcPtu8uy4aZ0SRrclMqBPxIX6hXDwCBgjehoP1AwcynxWNJ-w3elsBSbW7TudDoTzoGGwr_JuR19/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJqFGPnV8eZU3h5Iucav76B6e_aXo9z38U8mhdTnZUEW_t75rl5NQuqi1qwJvKOfuAXcPtu8uy4aZ0SRrclMqBPxIX6hXDwCBgjehoP1AwcynxWNJ-w3elsBSbW7TudDoTzoGGwr_JuR19/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a>Then of course, I had to order the duck bao - if you ever eat at a McConnell restaurant - you need to order the duck. A beautifully presented drumstick of twice cooked duck - presumably oven roasted and then deep-fried (so good) until the skin was crunchy, flaky and crispy. Kentucky Fried Duck, not that there's anything wrong with that. The idea, of course, is that you slather the little buns with the sauces and condiments, tear bits of duck off the drumstick for filling, and chow down. I couldn't help but eat some of the duck on its own before catching myself and doing it the "right way". The red rice sake really came into its own here, perfectly complementing the rich flavours of the duck and the over-slathering of hoisin sauce I liberally painted over each bun.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJES2OUHHBkysDI7yWntCsWPI2rmLd8zYmQiq7kmFeVC2L8dcclWxt0WElaNwkXDCkM0Q17RI3Dmru66dVnImj38lsiv_pJx_fmDd6RB14tOFZ39wsdu65WuddADHVBRHfWJUtTj_lCCpS/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJES2OUHHBkysDI7yWntCsWPI2rmLd8zYmQiq7kmFeVC2L8dcclWxt0WElaNwkXDCkM0Q17RI3Dmru66dVnImj38lsiv_pJx_fmDd6RB14tOFZ39wsdu65WuddADHVBRHfWJUtTj_lCCpS/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a>I then ordered the szechuan chicken with peanuts, chilli oil and house made noodles. Hmmm it must be a new Melbourne culinary style to serve noodles that don't actually look like noodles. Well, I guess they did look like those packing noodles you get in a parcel. But these were great - like an Asian gnocchi; soft pillows of chewy … err noodle-stuff. The balance of flavours was spot on - enough szechuan peppers to give you a slight tongue-numbing experience, but not so much that you felt like you were at the dentist for a root canal procedure. I washed down with the "River in the Sky" - the Junmai Ginjo "Nagarawa Tenkawa". The menu says it's "wonderful with spicy food", and it's right.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05dpzLQby4a0_-2RZE_IRAuBWBpQj5jP4-RPJIjM1oQsCIFari5Pk_Q3YBhvSRTIJJpnuFav75rZRjEuK0SOW3UgLyY9Vsh73_HWcy5CZZ7OBlLWxmVsXnhDDcZ-d-V43b-axzw5c3G0E/s1600/photo+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05dpzLQby4a0_-2RZE_IRAuBWBpQj5jP4-RPJIjM1oQsCIFari5Pk_Q3YBhvSRTIJJpnuFav75rZRjEuK0SOW3UgLyY9Vsh73_HWcy5CZZ7OBlLWxmVsXnhDDcZ-d-V43b-axzw5c3G0E/s1600/photo+6.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
And finally, on the recommendation of my fellow frequent traveller Kimmie, I ordered dessert despite the fact that I was now quite stuffed: the Peanut Butter Parfait. Even though I haven't eaten a Snickers bar in more than 10 years, I will tell you that it tasted like Snickers. Thick, rich, chocolatey, peanutey and thoroughly decadent.<br />
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Next time you're in Melbourne, do yourself a favour and pop into Supernormal for something special. Yes, you will have to queue, but being able to drink a glass or two of wine while you people-watch is quite painless.<br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-21641619719610536642014-07-05T17:31:00.000+08:002014-08-09T11:32:07.173+08:00Slowtown Coffee Roasters: Namibian Artisan Coffee Roasters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLUhHBwTERVmQznljDv_urvafn_FjZnv3PvW8PhEipyutR3y3fCJsUw7D35xdwWdOSfe2Dt8E5igdsZpZpoSGKWW73w-dyJU3FI65F2iHWUaIL1rq75cYYjiYTUCdCjEJlntSLfs8JO_f/s1600/Slowtown+Coffee+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLUhHBwTERVmQznljDv_urvafn_FjZnv3PvW8PhEipyutR3y3fCJsUw7D35xdwWdOSfe2Dt8E5igdsZpZpoSGKWW73w-dyJU3FI65F2iHWUaIL1rq75cYYjiYTUCdCjEJlntSLfs8JO_f/s1600/Slowtown+Coffee+1.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVRsDQGdX1TL4ekKHF9X8-aaMmNnlkoNl6U662xKuZE20q0xV497CERikM97ILaNce8GZltgqSWk1Txr1TUE1Be-8M7CpIwYRz131VNZReDoWwY40nzEfncICqfvKXAmmsluDnbKVYLOf/s1600/The+Joy+of+Food+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVRsDQGdX1TL4ekKHF9X8-aaMmNnlkoNl6U662xKuZE20q0xV497CERikM97ILaNce8GZltgqSWk1Txr1TUE1Be-8M7CpIwYRz131VNZReDoWwY40nzEfncICqfvKXAmmsluDnbKVYLOf/s1600/The+Joy+of+Food+1.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a>It's been a while since I reviewed the <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2012/09/the-best-coffee-in-namibia.html">quality of coffee in Namibia</a>; but I am glad to see that the Third Wave of Coffee has arrived on the shores of this great country.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_QqL-ZUhXXQhALJ7xxBelz24u0IRBxUN5XoDOVwVgq8g_mAfuxBYLBI1d2BKffy_r2f6i5NjzTCypfhwXYGhahA-SOFN6b3r0G9WcYPNwhHhWSQrSLSrRRk_hWUUZyh4mwOhUj7qwXFY/s1600/Slowtown+Coffee+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_QqL-ZUhXXQhALJ7xxBelz24u0IRBxUN5XoDOVwVgq8g_mAfuxBYLBI1d2BKffy_r2f6i5NjzTCypfhwXYGhahA-SOFN6b3r0G9WcYPNwhHhWSQrSLSrRRk_hWUUZyh4mwOhUj7qwXFY/s1600/Slowtown+Coffee+2.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9j1x_lM4VMPoEKzsHltupJEXVDO6iEE31fhMKINawhyk-eFClCedlbpt1Dc9-urdFixFYdE04resne4SG6mRdmrI6LOVPzq0_obNZlY4lpU02AG32CDmj9vS-IRPz11wMkj_JvJAUuV29/s1600/Slowtown+Coffee+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9j1x_lM4VMPoEKzsHltupJEXVDO6iEE31fhMKINawhyk-eFClCedlbpt1Dc9-urdFixFYdE04resne4SG6mRdmrI6LOVPzq0_obNZlY4lpU02AG32CDmj9vS-IRPz11wMkj_JvJAUuV29/s1600/Slowtown+Coffee+3.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a>On my recent visit to Namibia, I popped into The Joy of Food in Windhoek, which offers cheerful service and a great menu that is perfect for breakfast and brunch (located in the garden area right next to <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2011/08/breakfast-at-fresh-n-wild-windhoek.html">Fresh n Wild</a>). While there, I discovered a new Namibian delight, as the coffee they served was from <a href="http://www.slowtowncoffee.com/home/">Slowtown Coffee Roasters</a>, based in the coastal town of Swakopmund. What got me was the fact that their bags of freshly roasted coffee beans (which were on sale at The Joy of Food) had the roasting date written on instead of a "use-by" date (which many coffee aficionados know is useless for telling you how fresh, and therefore how good, the coffee will taste).<br />
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These guys source their own single origin green coffee beans from coffee farms all around the world, and roast them in small batches.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH6GmUIdhzmc7eH0PNQjvtf1zzREPL0vneN79mHxk5WTIysYYT-I2W1OZ1CsnBeJKk9aw1IJjr0L4F4gGhKqJ7FmMbBn1bgAMpCcn3h8Ksn8JvBls1GJJVRdf7o9ECLFV7qSVNy1VEdA0/s1600/The+Joy+of+Food+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH6GmUIdhzmc7eH0PNQjvtf1zzREPL0vneN79mHxk5WTIysYYT-I2W1OZ1CsnBeJKk9aw1IJjr0L4F4gGhKqJ7FmMbBn1bgAMpCcn3h8Ksn8JvBls1GJJVRdf7o9ECLFV7qSVNy1VEdA0/s1600/The+Joy+of+Food+2.JPG" height="149" width="200" /></a></div>
I tried an espresso made from organic Honduran coffee beans, just roasted slightly over a week earlier, and was delighted to feel the rich, thick crema on my tongue and taste the complex flavours of a great coffee: spicy and nutty with honey tones, and a crisp lemon finish (as promised on the label). It was so good I bought myself a bag of beans to bring home with me, which has sadly finished as I write this.<br />
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Yet another reason to go to Namibia!<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-3514683469607655712014-06-24T16:43:00.000+08:002015-05-30T15:45:39.650+08:00I love the Third Wave of Coffee! (a.k.a. single origin coffees & home grinders with burr mills)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-b1wPTR99ACfyRFQbarLTE42A772BBpiBhofSSapKR5YajYitwKglst6FeuKCo_jc_InPCAS9LcO5nizDh3RqCq2Ex0qe2yym5Wff73yW_EL1SwN-Lx2EAC13tAfdJXLMkjXP72KGOn_A/s1600/Guatemala+single+origin,+roasted+23+June+2014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-b1wPTR99ACfyRFQbarLTE42A772BBpiBhofSSapKR5YajYitwKglst6FeuKCo_jc_InPCAS9LcO5nizDh3RqCq2Ex0qe2yym5Wff73yW_EL1SwN-Lx2EAC13tAfdJXLMkjXP72KGOn_A/s1600/Guatemala+single+origin,+roasted+23+June+2014.JPG" width="150" /></a>The great thing about the so-called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_wave_coffee">Third Wave of Coffee</a> is the fact that you can consistently get top quality, freshly roasted single origin coffee from far flung owner-grower plantations from all over the world. Perth, being one of Australia's great coffee capitals (yes I admit Melbourne comes first), is privileged to host exponents in this field.<br />
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Like this Guatemalan beauty from Jose Fernando Valdes' Finca Manila plantation, which is located in Nuevo Progreso, San Marcos, a very remote region around 250km from Guatemala City, which was freshly roasted in <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2012/10/ristretto-coffee-roasters-in-northbridge.html">Ristretto Roasters' little roasting shop</a> in Northbridge (where you can also get a coffee and buy beans through the little window overlooking the laneway).<br />
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Notes of "juicy sugarcane and an elegant floral finish"? Yes I'm told that I should let the beans sit for around a week to hit their peak, but I can't wait to get home and crank this baby up in <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2010/09/my-new-obsession-miss-silvia-rancilio.html">Miss Silvia</a> tonight!<br />
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<b>Post-note #1: </b>After a few days of enjoying coffee brewed from these beans, I can confirm that it makes a great espresso - a mouth filling initial attack of almost pure dark chocolate (like drinking a melted square of one of those 99% Dark Chocolates from Lindt) with caramel aromas and flavours shining through the chocolatey denseness. The finish is crisp, without any noticeable citrus. The texture is almost powdery dry, like having a spoonful of cocoa powder in your mouth.<br />
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I'm looking forward to tasting and smelling how these beans evolve over the coming weeks!<br />
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<b>Post-note #2 (30 May 2015):</b> I believe that you should only grind your beans just before you make your coffee - this preserves maximum flavour, oils and freshness. No need to be precious about getting the best, fancy top of the range grinder, unless you're an über-aficionado of coffee who lives for all of the barely imperceptible nuances and dimensions of flavour and texture that us mere mortals could not even comprehend. Or unless you're running a cafe and need a serious industrial strength grinder - but this article is directed at the home coffee aficionado.<br />
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All you really need is to ensure is that your grinder has a burr mill rather than steel blades (the latter will heat up the coffee and degrade its quality before it even goes into your filter basket). You should also make sure that you can adjust the fineness of the grind, because different beans with different post-roasting ages will require a different fineness of grind. Generally, the longer it has been since roasting, then you should consider a finer grind - unfortunately trial and error is mandatory since every bag of beans will be slightly different).<br />
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A ceramic burr grinder will in theory generate even less heat than a steel burr grinder, but I'm not sure it will make a real difference if you only grind enough beans for one or two shots of coffee at a time.<br />
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Of course, you get what you pay for, so it's a bit of a balance between a lower price and acceptable durability/quality.<br />
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To save you some effort, I've done some searches: the Cuisinart (see my US Amazon Affiliate link below) is an example of something that will do the job, but which won't cost a huge amount of money. Unfortunately, it doesn't ship to Australia, but I hope that this example gives you an idea of what parameters to look for in selecting a coffee grinder for home use.<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-67304314157603505092014-06-11T16:59:00.000+08:002014-06-24T17:17:28.285+08:00West End Deli, 95 Carr Street, West Perth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx-XrkzwzGlLUZPuk2tEarWnBNgApuL3g3-kvJhJe8h8Hobhtg9X7PYq19PO3uOizJHzP34w0pIxfMOb7OY33kCVj6t7tVQhCnBFtoMCyWfxAOhBmEZYAL6dPYpm14t7fA73HHj3ghTZx/s1600/West+End+Deli+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx-XrkzwzGlLUZPuk2tEarWnBNgApuL3g3-kvJhJe8h8Hobhtg9X7PYq19PO3uOizJHzP34w0pIxfMOb7OY33kCVj6t7tVQhCnBFtoMCyWfxAOhBmEZYAL6dPYpm14t7fA73HHj3ghTZx/s1600/West+End+Deli+1.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>I caught up with old friend and veteran online wine auctioneer Lynton Barber of <a href="http://www.sterlingwine.com.au/">Sterling Wine Auctions</a> the other day for our annual(ish) lunch over some weird and wonderful wines.<br />
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Joining us was my good friend the Western Australian Regional Bailli of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Wayne Teo and Lynton's IT guru.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BK5RmyKdVOHcrAyg5-lSz3Vt76emGqYVbr2Il3SVlWtiJ6b1WnKn6KlNuqCtthbD_mIYQV-1_1TzxH19HzxC6x8SjmzHS8TX_7HTgoeZsj13CWMLxpM2XNg-hfECbj7bXw7HiBM0m3a8/s1600/West+End+Deli+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BK5RmyKdVOHcrAyg5-lSz3Vt76emGqYVbr2Il3SVlWtiJ6b1WnKn6KlNuqCtthbD_mIYQV-1_1TzxH19HzxC6x8SjmzHS8TX_7HTgoeZsj13CWMLxpM2XNg-hfECbj7bXw7HiBM0m3a8/s1600/West+End+Deli+2.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>I'd heard of this new little restaurant in a quiet street in (northern) West Perth going by the seemingly innocuous name of <a href="http://www.westenddeli.net.au/">West End Deli</a>, so we booked a table there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtazE3hud1Ces-UYUZ1eGSPDxq8NK_Ot1DccJes852P7q39zgTueZec43DhN36HXnKaHz2EKBPNdyjiqtmdvrABkbgmMHtOVnTJ2tJWoL5lJgqJBSZDTs_Ui33trsdTWFLUY7-zWqTAVm/s1600/West+End+Deli+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtazE3hud1Ces-UYUZ1eGSPDxq8NK_Ot1DccJes852P7q39zgTueZec43DhN36HXnKaHz2EKBPNdyjiqtmdvrABkbgmMHtOVnTJ2tJWoL5lJgqJBSZDTs_Ui33trsdTWFLUY7-zWqTAVm/s1600/West+End+Deli+3.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>The brunch menu was short and sweet, but packed full of amazing delights. Being unable to decide on what to get, we decided to order a bunch of main dishes to share. Everything from spiced lamb ribs, pillow-soft gnocchi, and even the simple-sounding cauliflower was unbelievably delicious and hearty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER0yXh2DOpHuU15LdBrbhwjPD9qDtd41i2F5l_zWQp5Oi_5xk297JwYO7MxsoN_ZYN-Bz9_tLfWdI4JIC5B2nsBrigEGnIC-8UhTUeaY6v_9bsj9U0t8BUIMBfiaDRGHQRu8GGppk6mpT/s1600/West+End+Deli+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER0yXh2DOpHuU15LdBrbhwjPD9qDtd41i2F5l_zWQp5Oi_5xk297JwYO7MxsoN_ZYN-Bz9_tLfWdI4JIC5B2nsBrigEGnIC-8UhTUeaY6v_9bsj9U0t8BUIMBfiaDRGHQRu8GGppk6mpT/s1600/West+End+Deli+4.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a>I have to admit that I was having so much fun trying the huge amount of wines and feeding my face that I didn't take many notes.<br />
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The dessert we shared was topped with pop rocks candy which provided a beautifully contrasting experience of textures - the smooth creamy thingamajig (sorry I forgot what it was) punctuated by the snap crackle pop of the pop rocks in your mouth.<br />
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A truly fantastic electic lunch accompanied by just as enjoyable eclectic conversation, ranging from wines, food, global politics, business and even IT.<br />
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The West End Deli also transforms into a fine dining establishment for dinner. I must certainly head back there to see what that's like!<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-10863867167177826632013-07-21T19:09:00.000+08:002013-07-23T21:53:31.095+08:00The Frenchman's Savoury Protein Salad for Blokes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMqaX6DjBFctsp-kRGIbhIdHhZbKNwjrvc85K-VADxOPkojHPVnkChyphenhyphenRdFCVQ0-VzH792wz_VIxwMPEV_xsePBAZ8Fn8GlSg5APvU4yTc6254loFG1jVOLdPO51pmOWLp6oeznTvEKsME/s1600/Bloke's+Salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidMqaX6DjBFctsp-kRGIbhIdHhZbKNwjrvc85K-VADxOPkojHPVnkChyphenhyphenRdFCVQ0-VzH792wz_VIxwMPEV_xsePBAZ8Fn8GlSg5APvU4yTc6254loFG1jVOLdPO51pmOWLp6oeznTvEKsME/s320/Bloke's+Salad.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I've been going through a strange and unusual healthy phase recently, so I decided that I would try eating salads for a change (just once a week - let's not get carried away). This of course meant that I needed to work out how to make a salad that I would enjoy.<br />
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Fortunately, it didn't take much experimentation to come up with the Frenchman's Savoury Protein Salad For Blokes. Okay okay, it's really just cos lettuce, quinoa and chicken, jumbled up with various condiments, seasonings and flavourings. But it rocks!<br />
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Quinoa and chicken gives the salad a great protein boost, and the rest of the ingredients are really just for flavour and texture, or to help you feel better about eating a salad.<br />
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<b><u>Main Ingredients</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Shredded chicken</b>. Just buy a roast chicken from the supermarket and rip up enough meat into bite-size pieces).</li>
<li><b>Quinoa</b> (thanks Kimmie H for introducing me to this great superfood). Just cook it like rice (or follow the instructions on the packet if you didn't know what "cook it like rice" meant). I find that white quinoa fluffs up a lot more, which means more volume to fill you up. I like to add black quinoa for a textural counterpoint (they tend to be smaller and crunchier, even when cooked). And of course, quinoa is super-rich in protein, has half the carbs of rice, and is gluten free!</li>
<li><b>Cos lettuce</b>. Break off a handful of leaves, give it a good wash, and tear it up into bite size pieces.</li>
<li><b>Extra virgin olive oil</b>. Drizzle this over the salad - as much or as little as you want.</li>
</ul>
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<b><u>Flavouring ingredients</u></b><br />
(use some or all of these, depending on what you've got sitting in the pantry/fridge or can find on the supermarket shelves)<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>A stalk of spring onion</b>. Chop it up into little discs and chuck it in for a nice bit of flavour.</li>
<li><b>Red onions</b>. Slice it up into half-moons, separate the layers and sprinkle it through.</li>
<li><b>Ikan bilis</b>. This is a great little South-East Asian ingredient, basically crispy dried little anchovies and nuts. Fantastic savoury flavour and crunchy textural counterpoint.</li>
<li><b>Vinegar</b>. Experiment with this! Try apple cider, red wine, malt, balsamic, or even more than one kind together. Adds a nice sharpness to the flavour and aroma.</li>
<li><b>Roasted pine nuts</b>. Just toss a handful of pine nuts into a dry pan on medium heat and regularly toss it, otherwise it burn up and become sad and bitter.</li>
<li><b>Sesame seeds</b>. Sesame seeds are a great addition to anything!</li>
<li><b>Sesame oil</b>. Imparts a delicious aroma to the salad.</li>
<li><b>Salt</b>. If you want to get fancy, try black lava sea salt, which will supposedly leach the toxins from that toxic nachos and beer meal you had yesterday.</li>
<li><b>Bonito flakes</b>. Yeah now I'm showing off, but if you can get your hands of these (from a Japanese grocery store, most likely), they are the bomb.</li>
<li><b>Japanese rice seasoning</b>. Contains sesame seeds, salt and bonito flakes, so it's a three in one flavour bomb. However, I suspect that it also contains MSG, which is why it tastes soooo good.</li>
<li><b>Cherry tomatoes</b>. Halve them before you chuck them in, otherwise things could get slippery when you try to fork one.</li>
<li><b>Chia seeds</b>. Some superfood to make your super salad even more super.</li>
<li><b>Garlic</b>. Mmmm. 'nuff said. If you're really lazy, you can buy pre-chopped garlic from the supermarket. Just don't go overboard if you're heading out after your meal.</li>
<li><b>Chopped chilli</b>. Not for the faint of tongue. But great for a zingy flavour hit.</li>
<li><b>Pamigiano Reggiano</b>. Or any hard cheese, really - just grate it or (if you're lazy like me and don't want to wash up the grater) snip slivers off with a good pair of scissors. I like parmesan because it provides a sharper, tangy flavour.</li>
<li>Or whatever the heck you can find lying around at home - chances are, it should work (fingers crossed).</li>
</ul>
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So as you can see, it's quick and easy to prepare, and you will feel healthy and gourmet at the same time!<br />
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And if you wanted to be extra-blokey, make this meal before a work out, and eat it straight after for a protein hit to bulk up those guns when you're still feeling the deep burn ...<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-22012451592671150652013-07-15T12:36:00.000+08:002013-07-22T12:40:02.071+08:00Pony Express, West Perth - great coffee revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy49U43_AVBZB8KoYDb3Jjtv_8QC9WROeFyAxYlAcfxw3WxePV-LBmpVm8TE1bR73L-4gFDB5qNgU2LXrJ8WYa4nNMvS5gkN25Pq7V5gDrX38ItRyojAQJtT5sKoKw0SbSXdEGdIH3FLJl/s1600/Pony+Express+-+Slayer+crema.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy49U43_AVBZB8KoYDb3Jjtv_8QC9WROeFyAxYlAcfxw3WxePV-LBmpVm8TE1bR73L-4gFDB5qNgU2LXrJ8WYa4nNMvS5gkN25Pq7V5gDrX38ItRyojAQJtT5sKoKw0SbSXdEGdIH3FLJl/s320/Pony+Express+-+Slayer+crema.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
When I had to meet up with someone for a coffee in West Perth the other day, I immediately chose <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2013/04/pony-express-west-perth-funky-venue-and.html">Pony Express</a>, and was glad to have done so.<br />
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This time, the Slayer was operational, and I ordered a single origin espresso. Their coffee roaster, Crema Gourmet Coffee Roasters, had left postcards on the tables expounding the virtues of this particular single origin from the family-owned Finca El Limonar estate in Guatemala's mountainous Huehuetenango region, which has been in operation since the middle of last century.</div>
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Check out the crema on this bad boy - occupying as much volume as the coffee itself, and every bit as delicious (or perhaps more so)! Beautiful, rich, creamy, soft, fruity textures and flavours abound, with my favoured lemon-crisp citrusy finish at the end.</div>
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When I chatted to Emmanuele of <a href="http://www.frenchmancuisine.com/2011/01/ristretto-howard-street-best-coffee-in.html">Ristretto</a> some time later about the monstrous head of crema I enjoyed, his view was that the volume of crema is a function of the freshness of the coffee beans, not the machine. And he then proceeded to make me a cup of Guatemalan La Esperanza (this one was the 2012 Cup of Excellence #7), which he had freshly roasted himself the previous week at his Northbridge roastery (is that what it's called? I dunno - I just made it up). And yes - massive head of crema all the way to the rim of the porcelain espresso cup, and tasting every bit as silky, fruity and citrusy as one would expect from a great coffee. I even got hints of ginger with the first few sips!</div>
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That's what I love about coffee - you learn a new thing everytime you ask, and everyone has a different approach and philosophy, but all roads still lead to great coffee.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-35155228164607627962013-06-28T13:09:00.001+08:002013-06-28T13:09:40.944+08:00The best Japanese food you will never get to eat - Sake House, Applecross<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvdw-p83aIxKRWf9I0ZtACkov3ApEgJqyIOjHlLHB4UG9rf0wZPpP4MZmrcdjuOh4mwiAiWccwF4FK8kAhiGimILQuD3rjg46JCPMdS10yKt6zeo8wlFfiS21yFM4Fk-SasOOdGSHm8Jn/s640/Sake+House+-+Octo+balls+and+lotus+root+chips.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvdw-p83aIxKRWf9I0ZtACkov3ApEgJqyIOjHlLHB4UG9rf0wZPpP4MZmrcdjuOh4mwiAiWccwF4FK8kAhiGimILQuD3rjg46JCPMdS10yKt6zeo8wlFfiS21yFM4Fk-SasOOdGSHm8Jn/s320/Sake+House+-+Octo+balls+and+lotus+root+chips.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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Sake House, tucked away in one of the carparks near the corner of Riseley Street and Canning Highway, is not a traditional Japanese restaurant, nor does it pretend to be a fine dining restaurant either.<br />
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But what they do offer is good. A combination of Japanese street-fare like octopus balls and okonomaki (Osaka-style seafood and vege "pancakes"), to the more ubiquitous deep-fried soft-shell crabs, sushi and sashimi selection, all the way to slightly more exotic and unique things, like the superb eel tempura and the sublimely soft and fluffy fried fish.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_g9nrIGLQVVfl0GPI8aQQh-WM5PGsXO5Amb099nLbRzpYFo-UACuGinNLvl7LbYFx6nRbgwMn50LwHK2vpxUiKR7GL5CmQW_fLr9oNJU0gbWQY3VRHfRm55elNWk2fGs8TseoXaKmk0l-/s640/Sake+House.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_g9nrIGLQVVfl0GPI8aQQh-WM5PGsXO5Amb099nLbRzpYFo-UACuGinNLvl7LbYFx6nRbgwMn50LwHK2vpxUiKR7GL5CmQW_fLr9oNJU0gbWQY3VRHfRm55elNWk2fGs8TseoXaKmk0l-/s200/Sake+House.JPG" width="200" /></a>It's really more of a tapas style menu, full of small plates which are designed for sharing, priced anywhere from $8-15 a plate on average.<br />
<br />
It's also a relaxed and cheerful place, usually with only one or two people to serve, decked out Japanese style, with upbeat Japanese jazz numbers playing in the background to complete the atmosphere. And BYO wine as well!<br />
<br />
Some highlights are:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rUZCkGMKm1FGHxnj4eSyILRdiRVu8FluvXytKj4ZkTeZ9AiYiiyoQdg9vFpL7PUjsaPermQX2qAn1DbBUPY7uLmqG-lNzDCt8uV-Nasn99l7PlLj214I9A1ohQSFSb_X0yo6nYK4Az7N/s640/Sake+House+-+enoki+beef+%2526+tuna+tataki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_rUZCkGMKm1FGHxnj4eSyILRdiRVu8FluvXytKj4ZkTeZ9AiYiiyoQdg9vFpL7PUjsaPermQX2qAn1DbBUPY7uLmqG-lNzDCt8uV-Nasn99l7PlLj214I9A1ohQSFSb_X0yo6nYK4Az7N/s200/Sake+House+-+enoki+beef+%2526+tuna+tataki.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>the little bundles of enoki mushrooms wrapped in a sliver of grilled beef, which is just unique, good to look at and delicious.</li>
<li>the Osaka-style seafood and vegetable pancakes, which doesn't really look like what you'd expect a pancake to be, but is generously drizzled with bonito flakes, satisfyingly filling and delivers a different textural surprise depending on whether the bit you've just put in your mouth contains seafood or vegetables.</li>
<li>the lotus root chips - unbelievably good!</li>
<li>the tempura eel, which is just amazing taste- and texture-wise. The chef has removed the fattiest bits of the skin, so that eel-flavour doesn't overpower your enjoyment of this delightful morsel.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwIbihlRInbmVPt_bqND2kYFjjHQPqb8oqmPDjEaGTx2xATt_4N1v6M8AyZOF4oompGXr6m4iXyNPn7eb6Rv2HjH-vktuZiUddPkC7Mddom2-biE4czdEWnIOqpOPJPr41ckCblfpzoJ7/s640/Sake+House+-+soft+shell+crabs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwIbihlRInbmVPt_bqND2kYFjjHQPqb8oqmPDjEaGTx2xATt_4N1v6M8AyZOF4oompGXr6m4iXyNPn7eb6Rv2HjH-vktuZiUddPkC7Mddom2-biE4czdEWnIOqpOPJPr41ckCblfpzoJ7/s320/Sake+House+-+soft+shell+crabs.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's left of the soft-shell crab ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But the prize must go to the fried fish: little bite size morsels which appear to be deep fried, but when I bite into them, I experience a warm, fluffy, cloud-like texture, the likes of which I've never had before. This is unbelievable stuff. Certainly a must try!<br />
<br />
Sadly, they are closing down on 30 June 2013 because the rents have gone up too high. I hear that they may have secured another place, but when I spoke to the owner, he mentioned that he might be taking a break for a while.<br />
<br />
They're open only for dinner from 6pm to 9.30pm on Wednesday to Sunday, so you may have one or two more days left before it's all over. So get in while you can. In fact, you might see me there tonight ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-43639420283693673062013-04-30T12:31:00.000+08:002013-04-30T12:31:25.637+08:00Chaîne des Rôtisseurs - Western Australian Jeunes Commis competition<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I feel privileged to have been a
tasting judge at the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs’ Western Australian Bailliage Jeunes Commis
competition on Wednesday 16 April 2013, my second year to have undertaken this
role.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">5 brave and talented young chefs,
some as young as 16 & 17, competed under great pressure in Crown Perth’s
commercial kitchen to design, cook and plate up a 3 course meal for 4 people
within 3 hours, to be served in one of the Crown’s ballrooms. This was not a case of all comers being
allowed to compete. Rather, care and
consideration went into selecting the competitors to ensure that the limited
spots in this event went to worthy challengers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjaidbNfxmw3XXhUTcN_fGK5gBDxDGkPM0B6KCCboBxkAtjQrU1Qa5ATUaqgczHEWPC4bGXdPswYNVhyphenhyphenKgQHO5an-4S5uyTGJiAVjH-_7b4to2yP58ifI7nf7oiSa1s8SRoECXVlgbaMI/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Jemima+&+Zak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPjaidbNfxmw3XXhUTcN_fGK5gBDxDGkPM0B6KCCboBxkAtjQrU1Qa5ATUaqgczHEWPC4bGXdPswYNVhyphenhyphenKgQHO5an-4S5uyTGJiAVjH-_7b4to2yP58ifI7nf7oiSa1s8SRoECXVlgbaMI/s200/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Jemima+&+Zak.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Michael Hull, Crown Perth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Zak Kinnear, Secrets Golf
Links, Mandurah</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jemima Evans, Harbour Fitness,
Secret Harbour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Melissa Spencer, Crown Perth
(patisserie)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oliver Scott, Salt on the
Beach, Fremantle</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This year, we had 4 kitchen
judges and 8 tasting judges, with the tasting judges staying out of the kitchen
and carrying out a blind tasting of numbered plates so as not to have their
judgment affected by what went on in the kitchen.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All of the judges were hospitality
professionals, except for WA Bailli Regional Wayne Teo and myself, who were
tasting judges.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The judges were:</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b>Kitchen Judges</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IEQg8P-Ee2pdHKRhv7b581J-lzNHvVHUDHd88zoKrvlV-osMPJFdHWXLwsyxSGcJVfHPvWZlKV6URHJNlYYCWJiThZYitAct68XqDHzgUi328WhvNUdPZS29x20N8URzLdAQGcCj7KXl/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Kitchen+Judges.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IEQg8P-Ee2pdHKRhv7b581J-lzNHvVHUDHd88zoKrvlV-osMPJFdHWXLwsyxSGcJVfHPvWZlKV6URHJNlYYCWJiThZYitAct68XqDHzgUi328WhvNUdPZS29x20N8URzLdAQGcCj7KXl/s320/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Kitchen+Judges.JPG" width="320" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Phil Westwood, Challenger
Institute</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Michael Canavan,
Challenger Institute</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Patrick Carter, Challenger
Institute</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Marco Bijl, Crown Perth</span></li>
</ul>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><b>Tasting Judges</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlaGVnyK20oRbZMVizagj1v67TKH64WeoUtkuMXTfp25dhpZZjXYGI5yO9vm-OfvAC0SZo5maky3qiFQ3Ih0gjBN2-TBR1zp5QemSOhy1Wp1nGVG8u73REjL5YTut1gMGjIg3IMt9W3aO/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+tasting+judges.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlaGVnyK20oRbZMVizagj1v67TKH64WeoUtkuMXTfp25dhpZZjXYGI5yO9vm-OfvAC0SZo5maky3qiFQ3Ih0gjBN2-TBR1zp5QemSOhy1Wp1nGVG8u73REjL5YTut1gMGjIg3IMt9W3aO/s320/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+tasting+judges.JPG" width="320" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bailli Wayne Teo</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Sean Marco, Crown Perth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Travis Simmonds, Crown
Perth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Ralf Vogt, Crown Perth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef Matt Horne, Crown Perth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tracey Ashman, Apprentice
Coordinator</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chef David Webster, Secrets
Golf Links, Mandurah</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Frenchman</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The black box of ingredients was
unveiled first thing that morning, and included some challenging compulsory
ingredients: lamb shoulder on the bone, mussels, eggplant, dried apricots and
bananas.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Competitors were also given a
wide range of optional ingredients to choose from – the snapper was a popular
choice.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8OFmJ4DjQDtMP9yMu-bsR3x_nljezSQmGJxWg24hI59bM7uHZhLeRWwvncCA5JJIzf9RqYopFtmlEJ16N7Q-EEeA5R3uPdTstMF2rryfEf1vvVnsxlkky_sjEGtttV9EuafSn6cUQ036/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull+entree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8OFmJ4DjQDtMP9yMu-bsR3x_nljezSQmGJxWg24hI59bM7uHZhLeRWwvncCA5JJIzf9RqYopFtmlEJ16N7Q-EEeA5R3uPdTstMF2rryfEf1vvVnsxlkky_sjEGtttV9EuafSn6cUQ036/s200/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull+entree.JPG" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The winner of the WA Jeunes
Commis is Michael Hull of Crown Perth, who led by a clear and convincing margin
in the eyes of both the kitchen judges and tasting judges.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">His entrée of perfectly cooked snapper and mussels
with a perfectly crisp slice of prosciutto and main course of deliciously
tender lamb shoulder on a bed of apricot rice and eggplant mousse were easily
the best executed and tasting dishes; his dessert of panacotta with lime zest
drew rave reviews from some tasting judges for the remarkably striking and
lively flavour of the accompanying lime jelly which perfectly complemented the
pannacotta, itself displaying a perfect balance of creaminess, texture and
firmness.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4QsydpdgEwnjB_RZQQOExEJyNQQ4Z2IvFX_pexMeOtFZgEsVsO4wBvoWZEJmGSYnC_zlEVEgWmQczuULy2CpPa2WksJwkLvQABxCKtcUwyIV3HpxUktRpBRguWaNGk_QPHB42xw0Lcuv/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull+main.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4QsydpdgEwnjB_RZQQOExEJyNQQ4Z2IvFX_pexMeOtFZgEsVsO4wBvoWZEJmGSYnC_zlEVEgWmQczuULy2CpPa2WksJwkLvQABxCKtcUwyIV3HpxUktRpBRguWaNGk_QPHB42xw0Lcuv/s200/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull+main.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="149" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Michael will now undergo
intensive mentoring and grooming in preparation for the Australian national
Jeunes Commis competition that will take place on the Gold Coast on 8 June 2018, utilising funds and resources that the WA Bailliage has set aside to be
spent on the development of young talent in the hospitality industry. This includes dining out at some of Perth’s
best restaurants to better understand the front of house experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn49AsidJlFFhyjdw36zU0H1luoNO1XY6DPNTW5veb7C5AwhAnep5Yg6jBsU_XEUnXQi1tjfYhZmpO1hD7wMDgD18A3HZ09Zsd8zoAvMbXP4vi3QUc0tq08rdostbzbAGFf7eYzhuBfNfV/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull+dessert.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn49AsidJlFFhyjdw36zU0H1luoNO1XY6DPNTW5veb7C5AwhAnep5Yg6jBsU_XEUnXQi1tjfYhZmpO1hD7wMDgD18A3HZ09Zsd8zoAvMbXP4vi3QUc0tq08rdostbzbAGFf7eYzhuBfNfV/s200/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull+dessert.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_u0pRbM81s3q5uiJikRx-FcHJx0RCsIUQGoelHpg9GqGMwerz-jU6HmNCdypDEjccU2e0ZEB9mPxTe3FzkvKirroRDubGgrvpoyPPsqFp2y6tttWbxjoowyA5XKD3Z10AYDQ2SCNZKb-/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_u0pRbM81s3q5uiJikRx-FcHJx0RCsIUQGoelHpg9GqGMwerz-jU6HmNCdypDEjccU2e0ZEB9mPxTe3FzkvKirroRDubGgrvpoyPPsqFp2y6tttWbxjoowyA5XKD3Z10AYDQ2SCNZKb-/s200/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+Michael+Hull.JPG" width="200" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">National Conseiller Culinaire and
WA Vice-Conseiller Culinaire Phil Westwood, remarked that everyone was a winner
– all competitors received a certificate of commendation, a Chaîne apron and
pin and a cooking book or recipe diary.
Michael’s prize also included the State winner’s medal, a cheque for
$300 and a magnificent Heston Blumenthal cookbook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ112RrIXPX5uApl-Y6iWI9JkrptB_5Cgf6apk0YW6VvrhFgeheO1-ouGAM_mzjy8YLq9sTmYCE5-QvGNg-nZPROYI8EFpGxIdDd4mA4muwQ8YNHnXcOvJWbnFjppcZ_durqAozfvBAY8Q/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+prizes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ112RrIXPX5uApl-Y6iWI9JkrptB_5Cgf6apk0YW6VvrhFgeheO1-ouGAM_mzjy8YLq9sTmYCE5-QvGNg-nZPROYI8EFpGxIdDd4mA4muwQ8YNHnXcOvJWbnFjppcZ_durqAozfvBAY8Q/s320/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+prizes.JPG" width="239" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">All competitors received valuable
advice from the judges, which included last year’s Australian Jeunes Commis
winner and Chef Rôtisseur Travis Simmonds – among Travis’s pearls of wisdom was
the need to integrate the compulsory ingredients into the dish, rather than just
sprinkling them on as a garnish or an afterthought. Chef Westwood also commented that all of the
competitors performed with remarkable composure, and that he had seen more
experienced young chefs crack under the pressure they experienced that day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Competitors were also encouraged
to compete again next year, armed with the new knowledge, experience and advice
gained from their participation this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The WA Bailliage wishes to express
its gratitude to Crown Perth for generously providing its world-class
commercial kitchen and cooking supplies for the competition, and especially to
Maître Rôtisseur Chef Sean Marco for his staunch support on this and other
Chaîne events and endeavours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCf0B4Vs5PuSdBjINNA-PxfFjUJEJCzx4NPcTc6lrhAkEs6pCiJmHaiuRmPvEQIwKIyPaz0R3lVZLgOIIJL7VD_6vVywx2iV1AHmwepEcN0Je9NhQ9KqZkz_sDUDeAtfFu7pKjVNUf7Qq/s1600/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+presentation.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCf0B4Vs5PuSdBjINNA-PxfFjUJEJCzx4NPcTc6lrhAkEs6pCiJmHaiuRmPvEQIwKIyPaz0R3lVZLgOIIJL7VD_6vVywx2iV1AHmwepEcN0Je9NhQ9KqZkz_sDUDeAtfFu7pKjVNUf7Qq/s320/WA+Jeunes+Commis+-+presentation.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Full credit and congratulations
for a successful and well-run event must also go to National Conseiller
Culinaire and WA Vice-Conseiller Culinaire Phil Westwood for his tireless
efforts in organising and running this very important culinary event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Vive la Chaîne!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7471308576143927587.post-59139856394727139432013-04-29T10:01:00.004+08:002015-05-30T15:46:19.929+08:00Why you should grind your own coffee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhWId9wlULUY-_jrWqjBiEFpEhNaZ6nLA-Aa2NGVGLXE-8CNEAxa6qlW4OTwf2ccqMsF9Ca6GpWOxS8qIeLq4QGcVeRA8sT76n9o_aSaDRNCE4JRZPYVWBFt0AHCPwFdSzXeOHo9hvEoo/s1600/Ristretto+La+Lagunila+CoE%233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhWId9wlULUY-_jrWqjBiEFpEhNaZ6nLA-Aa2NGVGLXE-8CNEAxa6qlW4OTwf2ccqMsF9Ca6GpWOxS8qIeLq4QGcVeRA8sT76n9o_aSaDRNCE4JRZPYVWBFt0AHCPwFdSzXeOHo9hvEoo/s320/Ristretto+La+Lagunila+CoE%233.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I woke up this morning, I groggily fumbled around with Miss Silvia for my morning espresso, but had to pause a moment when the coffee beans started grinding - so that I could enjoy the delightful, sweet aroma of caramel wafting up from the freshly ground La Lagunila Mexican Cup of Excellence #3 beans (locally roasted by Ristretto just 2 weeks ago - in the zone!) And the palate - crisp, fresh dried apples with a hint of vanilla. Wow. What a perfect thing to wake up to!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those of you who still buy pre-ground coffee from the supermarket, or even from the "gourmet" coffee shop - this is what you're missing out on. That's why the big chains stick all these weird flavours like vanilla and caramel and what-else into their pre-ground stuff. Or even their whole beans that are intended to sit on the supermarket shelves for months on end (once again, the dollar wins out over quality control). Because the beautiful natural flavours and aromas have long ago dissipated by the time you crack open the bag to make your first coffee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever drunk a freshly-ground, freshly-brewed coffee and marvelled at the natural caramels, vanillas, apples, citrus, chocolates or even coconut aromas and flavours? If not, then you're missing out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that folks, is why you should grind your own coffee, and also why you should use single origin coffee roasted by someone who cares about their art.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">P.S. The photo is of the same bag of La Lagunila, taken when the guys at Ristretto generously offered me a surprise taste comparison between the La Lagunila and the blend of the week (which incidentally was composed of two single origins from El Salvador and Indonesia). Both were marvellous.</span></div>
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<b>Post-note (30 May 2015):</b> I believe that you should only grind your beans
just before you make your coffee - this preserves maximum flavour, oils
and freshness. No need to be precious about getting the best, fancy top
of the range grinder, unless you're an über-aficionado of coffee who
lives for all of the barely imperceptible nuances and dimensions of
flavour and texture that us mere mortals could not even comprehend. Or
unless you're running a cafe and need a serious industrial strength
grinder - but this article is directed at the home coffee aficionado.<br />
<br />
All you really need is to ensure is that your grinder has a burr mill
rather than steel blades (the latter will heat up the coffee and degrade
its quality before it even goes into your filter basket). You should
also make sure that you can adjust the fineness of the grind, because
different beans with different post-roasting ages will require a
different fineness of grind. Generally, the longer it has been since
roasting, then you should consider a finer grind - unfortunately trial
and error is mandatory since every bag of beans will be slightly
different).<br />
<br />
A ceramic burr grinder will in theory generate even less heat than a
steel burr grinder, but I'm not sure it will make a real difference if
you only grind enough beans for one or two shots of coffee at a time.<br />
<br />
Of course, you get what you pay for, so it's a bit of a balance between a lower price and acceptable durability/quality.<br />
<br />
To save you some effort, I've done some searches: the Cuisinart (see my
US Amazon Affiliate link below) is an example of something that will do
the job, but which won't cost a huge amount of money. Unfortunately, it
doesn't ship to Australia, but I hope that this example gives you an
idea of what parameters to look for in selecting a coffee grinder for
home use.<br />
<br /></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Copyright (c) Melvin Yeo 2012</div>The Frenchmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851695787737341074noreply@blogger.com1