Bondi Rescue HQ: Fresh Juices, North Bondi (27 Dec 2014)

128 Ramsgate Ave, North Bondi NSW 2026
https://www.facebook.com/bondirescuehq

Cheers to your health

Thought I'd treat myself and my 3 year old daughter to a healthy fresh juice while visiting Bondi Beach. And admittedly to also to help counteract the deep fried potato scallops and crumbed calamari I just had for lunch. Picked the 'Berry Bondi' with raspberries, strawberries, orange and blueberries ($9.50 large) as I thought it sounded pretty nice and also because berries are generally pretty expensive to buy so thought it would make it good value. The large size was pretty decent so was happy with it. If you sit at the front of the shop there's a nice view looking down towards Bondi Beach. Looks like they have lots of interesting and healthy suggestions on the chalkboard menus.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:
PROS: Healthy fresh juices, Fresh coastal breeze and view

CONS: A little bit out of the way from the main beach, Forget about free street parking in the area

MUST TRY: Berry Bondi was pretty good so I'd recommend
VERDICT: A good place to help counteract the battered fish and chips you might have just eaten at the beach

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Cooking tip: Use a wooden spoon to stop pots from boiling over (7 Dec 2014)

Simple and effective

Here's a simple cooking tip that everyone should know about. Use a wooden spoon to stop pots from boiling over. That's it. I've heard about this for a while but keep forgetting to do it so this is the first time I've managed to remember to try it. While cooking some pasta I watched the water come up to the top with a full boil and then pop down 3 times. The bubbles get popped by the spoon when it's about to boil over and then settles back down. I didn't think it would work so was quite excited to see it actually does work. I wish I knew about this so many times before. This is also my shortest blog post ever. I haven't had as much time lately to blog with a two year old and new born at home but I really needed to break the blogging drought. My Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are still very active and I'm finding by the time I've uploaded content to these it's back to family time or bed time. Here's hoping to blog more when I get a chance. Perhaps I need to keep my blogs short and sweet like they were when I first started blogging like my first visit to Kingsford Chinese Restaurant.

Make your own Magnum at Westfield Sydney (29 Aug 2014)

Westfield Sydney, Cnr Pitt St & Market St, Sydney NSW 2000

http://www.westfield.com.au/sydney/events/7734

https://www.facebook.com/MagnumANZ

Celebrating 25 years of pleasure

Who on earth is crazy enough to queue up and pay $8 for a Magnum ice cream these days? Sadly I am. And the reason why, well, because you can and it makes me happy. I do love my Magnum ice creams and of course I could have simply gone to a supermarket and bought a pack of 4 for less but then I wouldn't have had the chance pick my four customised toppings and make it all special-like with a drizzle of chocolate. My customised Dark Chocolate Coated Magnum topped with Roasted Hazelnuts, Roasted Pistachios, Honeycomb Pieces, Rose Petals and drizzled with White Chocolate ($8) was a winner in my eyes. Flavours thankfully worked well together but if they didn't work it would have been all my fault for picking them.

I visited last year when the Magnum Sydney Pleasure Store popped up in Westfield Sydney for the first time. Price then was $7 so it's gone up $1. Like last year I found the chocolate coating not as frozen hard and a bit soft so when you're biting into it it doesn't have that snap you get from a Magnum straight out of the freezer. A blast chiller for 60 seconds might do the trick. Toppings were more generous this time although it can make it more awkward and messier to eat. Magnum Sydney at Westfield Sydney runs 26 August to 19 October 2014 so this is the last week you'll have a chance to line up and make your own creation or just save your money and keep to those standard ones you can get anywhere.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Friendly and helpful service, Sugar hit yes please, Customise your own Magnum

CONS: Costs more than a normal Magnum, Limited time, Queues can be long

MUST TRY: Just for the fun of it

VERDICT: For those who simply must create their own magnum creation

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My Dark Chocolate Coated Magnum topped with Roasted Hazelnuts, Roasted Pistachios, Honeycomb Pieces, Rose Petals and drizzled with White Chocolate ($8)

The chocolate coating is a bit softer than normal so it can make it a bit messier to eat when it starts falling apart when biting

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Simon Food Favourites turns 6 years old (1 Oct 2014)

Cheers to 6 years and counting

Dear Lovely Readers,

Simon Food Favourites celebrates its 6th Blogiversary along with Good Food Month. Thank you for joining me in my journey of discovering lots of yummy eats around the world and inspiring me with all your foodie tips. Along the way I've had the absolute pleasure of meeting many amazing and passionate food bloggers and instagrammers, awesomely talented chefs and bartenders, and an abundance of lovely PR companies and restaurants that have been kind enough to invite me along to some pretty incredible events and dining opportunities. I feel truly blessed to be able to share my experiences with you and I'm always up for the challenge in recommending a place to dine when asked by my readers.

As any food blogger will know finding time to actually blog can be a true challenge. Personally for me it has been since having a daughter nearly three years ago and making sure there's some sort of balance with family commitments. My passion for blogging is still strong but these days you'll find more regular updates on my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook which is generally quicker for me but rest assured I'm always wanting to blog post when I get a chance of more comprehensive reviews. I've developed an obsessive compulsive disorder of needing to take photos of pretty much anything I eat and drink in the hope of sharing it if I think worthy and of interest. This has lead to a backlog of currently over 1000 places which most will unfortunately never see the light of day but they'll always be available to refer to if required. Such is life.

I wish you all the very best in finding healthy good food balanced with perhaps some naughty treats that make you happy and always feel free to let me know of any amazing eats you highly recommend which you think I should try. Hopefully I'll find the time to do so.

Happy Eating!

Yours sincerely

Simon Leong :-)

Simon Food Favourites

Connoisseur Ice Cream The Empire Collection Pop-Up Gallery at Blank Space Gallery, Surry Hills (20 Sept 2014)

374 Crown St Surry Hills, Sydney NSW 2010

http://www.blankspace.com.au

https://www.connoisseuricecream.com.au/ranges/empirecollection

We all scream for free ice cream

For those curious to try the new flavours from Connoisseur Gourmet Ice Cream will be well advised to swing by Blank Space Gallery to check out the free tastings. The pop-up is on from 17-21 September and I managed to visit on Saturday 20 September. Friendly staff are keen to let you try one or all the flavours. My favourite was the King Louis XIV followed closely by the Emperor Nero. 

Opening times:
Wed 17 Sept 12 pm – 8 pm
Thurs 18 Sept 12 pm – 8 pm
Fri 19 Sept 11 am – 9 pm 
Sat 20 Sept 11 am – 9 pm
Sun 21 Sept 12 pm – 8 pm

Flavours to try:
Emperor Nero: Decadent Coffee, Chocolate Coated Hazelnuts & Hazelnut Liqueur
King Cyrus of Persia: Divine Pistachio with Cinnamon, Honey & Date
Emperor Jing Zong: Exotic Red Bean with Coconut
King Louis XIV: Exquisite French Vanilla, Choc Flakes & Armagnac. 

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Free ice cream — enough said, Friendly service

CONS: Limited time only, No seating, Queues during peak times

MUST TRY: King Louis XIV

VERDICT: If you're curious about the new flavours then try them for free during the pop-up along with a bit of art around the room

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