The Loft: Nuffnang Blogger Sydney Meet Up (23 Jan 2009)

3 Lime Street, King Street Wharf, Sydney

http://www.theloftsydney.com

This free event was organised by Nuffnang and was a good chance for me to catch up with fellow bloggers face-to-face and learn a bit more about what Nuffnang is. Here's an interview by Brenden Wood from Is It Possible to Make Money Online? with Nuffnang co-founder Cheo Ming Shen. Being a food blogger my main challenge was to photograph any food at this event. 3 platters were ordered and I managed to try a few things like the tempura prawn, spinach and ricotta zucchini flower, sticky mongolian pork rib and some of the dip which were all very yummy.

Trio of dips: Served with grissini, Italian crisp bread and toast turkish $19

Asian platter: Salt and pepper squid with chilli jam, tempura prawns, salmon and teriyaki chicken sushi rolls with soy sauce and wasabi, sticky mongolian pork ribs $38

Mediterranian tapas platter: Spinach and ricotta zucchini flowers, traditional tuscan meatballs in napoli sauce, merguez chipolatas served with spicy capsicum compote, grilled king prawns with a praia de luge butter $38

Nuffnang event attended by curious bloggers

Palace Chinese Restaurant: Yum Cha, Sydney (22 Jan 2009)

Shop 38 Level 1, Piccadilly Tower

133 - 145 Castlereagh Street Sydney 2000

http://www.palacechinese.com.au

I've enjoyed eating pretty much everything I've tried at this popular chinese restaurant during weekday yum cha. You can't book for yum cha so arrive by 12 noon to guarantee a table, as it seems to be full by 12.30 pm. I'm very fond of the scallop and prawn siu mai I tried today. I like to order the chinese broccoli as soon as I sit down because it can take a while and ordering a dish of salt and pepper squid at the same time is usually a good idea too.

Scallop and prawn siu mai

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Chinese broccoli (kai-lan) with oyster sauce

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Salt and pepper squid

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Char Siu So [like BBQ Pork pies]

Chee cheung fun with prawn and chinese broccoli

Peking duck

Vegetable spring roll

Mango and cream pancakes

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Dining area

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Home Cooking: Summer Berries with Fresh Cream (20 Jan 2009)

I love cooking up fresh berries with a liqueur and adding a bit of sugar. Always seems to bring out the flavours of the fruit and make them sweeter and softer. Serving anything in a martini glass will make it twice as special too.

Fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries slow cooked with Cointreau and Grand Marnier then topped with freshly whipped cream and shaved dark orange chocolate, Chef Leong :-)

'ntice Salad Sandwich (19 Jan 2009)

Shop F24, Level 1 Foodcourt, Chifley Tower
2 Chifley Square Sydney 2000
http://www.ntice.com.au

The basic salad sandwich always makes me feel like I'm having a healthy lunch and this popular place has been a long standing lunch option for me. Although I'm partial to getting a half sized portion of hot chips for $1.50 to top off my calories and warm up the tastebuds.

Rye bread with crumbed eggplant, avocado, salad (carrot, cucumber, lettuce, beetroot, tomato) and swiss cheese $7.40

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)


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Blueberry Pancakes (19 Jan 2009)

Blueberry pancakes topped fresh banana, raspberries and blueberries and lightly dusted with icing sugar, Chef Lozza

Ash's Cafe, Rushcutters Bay (18 Jan 2009)

Cnr Bayswater and Waratah Street, Rushcutters Bay NSW 2011

Phone: (02) 9361 5543

I chose the ash's style eggs to try but I think I preferred the eggs benedict. The hollandaise sauce was really nice and wasn't as heavy as I thought it might be. The eggs were plump and runny on the inside and complimented the ham and spinach very well.

Eggs ash's style: sautéed tomato, capsicum & basil mushrooms with scrambled eggs served with wholemeal toast $12.50

Eggs benedict, poached eggs on sourdough, spinach & hollandaise served with ham $13.00

Eggs scrambled with toast and smoked salmon $12.00

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David Jones: Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Sydney (15 Jan 2009)

Food Hall, Lower Ground, 65-77 Market Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Juicy red strawberries on steroids dipped in dark chocolate. What more can you ask for? Vitamins and Bliss by the bite full. They also sell chocolate dipped banana, fig and apricot and smaller sized strawberries at a cheaper price.

Dark chocolate dipped strawberry (extra large) $3.50

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

A big mouthful of bliss!

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Sushi Tei: Japanese, Sydney (15 Jan 2009)

1 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: 9232 7288

http://www.sushitei.com.sg

Fresh tasting Salmon Sashimi

I've visited this reasonably priced Japanese restaurant a few times and now prefer ordering dishes from the menu rather than ordering their set menu bento boxes which includes a couple of things I don't really enjoy eating. I particularly enjoy their salmon sashimi and now fond of their meat gyoza I tried today. Book ahead as lunchtimes seem very popular.

Visits to Sushi Tei:

• 10 July 2009: Gyoza, Edamame, Soft Shell Crab, Tonkatsu

• 21 March 2009: Scallop, Asama, Edamame, Gyoza, Agedashi Tofu, Chicken Karaage

• 15 Jan 2009: Chicken Teriyaki, Gyoza, Agedashi Tofu, Salmon Sashimi

Salmon sashimi (5 pieces) $5.80

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Meat gyoza (homemade chicken and pork dumplings) $6.80

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Agedashi tofu $4.80

Chicken teriyaki $9.80

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North's Complete Sandwich, Sydney (14 Jan 2009)

Shop 1a, 2 Bridge Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Big Queues, Big Sandwiches

It's been quite a while since I've visited North's and it looks like they've had a change of management with the little Italian nonnas that used to pile all the lettuce and tomato onto the thick slices of bread been mostly replaced with Asian ladies. The fillings station seems to be alot more organised and less haphazard too and the sandwich makers seem to make up the sandwiches with a bit more care as well.

These sandwiches are huge and I generally start to feel my jaw ache half-way through the second half from all the bread chewing. I think you could comfortably share one between two but I like the challenge of trying to finish it. Get there early to avoid the long queues.

Other big sandwich shops:

• Big Bite on Pitt - Pitt Street, 6 Oct 2009

• Olive Italian Food Bar - Strand Arcade, 14 July 2009

• North's Complete Sandwich - Bridge Street, 14 Jan 2009

• Little Vienna - MLC Centre Pitt Street, 12 Jan 2009

Veal Schnitzel on multigrain sourdough (30 cents extra) with lemon chive mayo, roma tomatoes, mixed lettuce and North's dressing $8.80

The lineup which I've seen go up the stairs

I'm Starvin! lineup across the other side of arcade also very popular for sandwiches

The food arcade entrance

The size of my sandwich wrapped in foil

The slices of bread are usually cut about 2 fingers thick. Lots of crust for putting hairs your chest!

Red Spoon Thai Restaurant, Gladesville (11 Jan 2009)

198 Victoria Road, Gladesville NSW 2111

Phone: 02 9817 7188

http://www.redspoonthai.com.au

A popular restaurant with stylish decor and well-presented food which was fresh and tasty served by attentive and friendly staff. I'd be keen to try a few other things on the menu I spotted like the Salt and Pepper Squid, Beef Salad, Duck Salad and Grilled Lamb Cutlets next time. I prefer the Massamun Beef from Spice I Am though which is more tender from memory.

Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Papaya Salad $10.90

Chicken Pandan (4 pieces): Pieces of chicken marinated with Red Spoon's special recipe, wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves, deep fried, served with home made tamarind dipping sauce $6.90

Fish Cake (4 pieces) $6.90

Tom-Yum Prawns $8.90

Red Spoon Braised Pork Belly: Braised pork belly with sweet soy, cinnamon and star anise served with mixed Asian green vegetables $15.90 (Signature dish)

Gang Phed Ped Yang: A rich red curry made from a slightly sweet paste of galangal, kaffir limes, lemongrass, garlic and roasted red chilli. The paste is slowly pan fried with coconut milk, roasted duck and vegetables $24.90 (Signature dish)

Chicken Pad Thai $14.90

Tropical Fried Rice: Special Thai fried rice with mixed seafood, egg, tumeric, mixed vegetables and pieces of pineapple $18.90

Massamun Beef $15.90

Dining area

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Home Cooking: Leek, potato and zucchini puff pastries (10 Jan 2009)

I've never used puff pastry before but my new years resolution was to learn to make something with it. I had some leek left over, it was lunchtime, and thought of Leek and Potato Soup and then thought this should be OK perhaps in some puff pastry. So bought some Pampas Puff Pastry, added some greens of zucchini, baby spinach leaves and chives plus seasoning and some fresh rosemary. Cooked the mixture to soften and later added a bit of egg to bind. Carefully made my triangles, popped them in the oven, and prayed it didn't turn into a disaster.

Didn't know how long to cook for so kept checking every 10 mins until golden brown. Worked out to be roughly 20 mins at 220ºC. The egg wash certainly heaps to give a nice golden brown coating.

Leek, potato and zucchini puff pastries served with homemade tzatziki, Chef Leong :-)

Sea Bay Chinese Dumpling (9 Jan 2008)

372 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000

I've been wanting to retry Sea Bay dumplings for ages and finally made it there tonight. Cheap and cheerful as always with it's bright fluorescent lights and quick service.

Other visits to Sea Bay Chinese Dumpling:

• 14 May 2009 - Spring pancake, Pork and vegetable fried dumpling, Steamed meat filled buns, Fried handmade noodles with lamb

• 22 April 2009 - Pork and vegetable fried dumpling, Fried handmade noodles with lamb

• 9 Jan 2008 - Spring pancake, Pork and vegetable fried dumpling, Fried handmade noodles with lamb

Pork and vegetable fried dumplings $9 (dozen)

Spring pancakes $9

Fried handmade noodles with lamb $11.80