Simon Food Favourites: 5/1/14

29 May 2014

Kingsford Chinese Restaurant: Chinese, Kingsford (10 May 2014)

426 Anzac Parade, Kingsford NSW 2032

Everybody Sang Tung tonight

Surviving the test of time Kingsford Chinese Restaurant has remained popular and consistent. Sang Tung Chicken ($12) is considered by many as their signature dish and is also a family favourite of mine. Tasty with crispy bits of yumminess. Deep Fried Calamari with Pepper & Salt ($12.80) is another favourite that's been a must order any time I visit. It's tender, tasty and crispy — what more could you ask for, oh yes it's reasonably priced as well for the portion size. This time I take a gamble on ordering the Pork Chop in Vietnamese Style ($11) for the first time and so glad I did. Tender and tasty as hoped and becomes another favourite. Can this place do no wrong? Well I guess the Chinese Mushroom with Seasonal Vegetable ($12.80) isn't the most pretty of dishes. It tasted OK in its foreboding gluggy sauce and if the bulbous and slippery mushrooms were sliced up would have made it a lot easier to share and eat with chopsticks. Always gotta have me Fried Rice ($8) which was good too.

Bill came to $56.60 for four which in my world is great value for the standard of dishes and the chinese tea is complimentary which is always a bonus for customers. I guess don't expect service to be overly friendly although this time around they were pretty nice and helpful but probably because our lunch time visit wasn't too crazy busy. Your toilet awaits through the back door, down the dreary and slightly smelly outdoor passageway, past the dirty mop drying against the fence and into the single stall complete with wonky hand gel bottle sitting inside previous wall mount ed soap dispenser. What more could you ask for besides the wall mounted paper dispenser perhaps being filled up if that's the norm.

Previous reviews of Kingsford Chinese Restaurant:
13 April 2009
http://simonfoodfavourites.blogspot.com.au/2009/04/kingsford-chinese-restaurant-13-april.html
15 Sept 2008
http://simonfoodfavourites.blogspot.com.au/2008/10/kingsford-chinese-restaurant-15-sept.html

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Reasonably priced, Efficient service, Tasty dishes, Complimentary Chinese tea, Free street parking in the area

CONS: Be prepared to wait outside when busy, You'll be the goldfish in the bowl if you sit at the front at night with waiting customers looking at you, I've seen nicer toilets

MUST TRY: Sang Tung Chicken, Deep Fried Calamari with Pepper & Salt, Pork Chop in Vietnamese Style, Fried Rice

VERDICT: Very popular for a cheap feed of tasty dishes

—

Complimentary Chinese tea — didn't seem to be a charge on the bill

Sang Tung Chicken ($12)
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Deep Fried Calamari with Pepper & Salt ($12.80)
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Pork Chop in Vietnamese Style ($11)
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Chinese Mushroom with Seasonal Vegetable ($12.80)

Fried Rice ($8)

SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Bill $56.60 — it's all Chinese to me

Prime spot for waiting customers outside to look at you

Watch out for the trip hazard

Thankfully the hand dryer worked as there was no paper towelling left

View Larger Map

25 May 2014

Blind tasting: Coca-Cola Coke vs Woolworths Select Cola (25 May 2014)

The cola wars

Any die hard Coke fans out there? I'm not talking about the white powdered stuff which used to be in Coca Cola but the drinkable kind you find all over the world. These days I'm not a huge soft drinker but when I was a kid I couldn't get enough of it. Did the Coke vs Pepsi Challenge many years ago although I think die hard fans can tell the difference with these products. On a recent shopping trip for the Mrs I was asked to buy some Coke from the refrigerated section. Woolworths was selling a 1L Coca-Cola Coke for $3.69 and was interesting to see you could get a 1.25L for less on the room temperature shelves for about $2.79 I think. I also noticed the Woolworths Select Cola for only $0.90 for 1.25L so thought I'd do a blind tasting. Back home I served up both with ice. After careful consideration the Mrs decide on which one she liked which she also thought was the Coke. In fact it was the Cola from Woolworths. Surprised at the result she now will probably buy the Cola for much less when craving that sugar hit.

I tried it myself and I found not a lot of difference in smell and taste of each but perhaps for some there is. Both seem to have the same ingredients although the Woolworths Cola sugar content is slightly higher with 11.5g per 100g compared to 10.6g in the Coke. Sodium content for Woolworths Cola is 4mg while Coke is higher with 10mg. My thoughts are if you're going to buy something that's bad for you you might as well pay less for it and save your money for other things. Personally I think you shouldn't drink either but I'd be interested to see if anyone can taste much of a difference in their own blind tasting. Some people will be more than happy to pay a premium price due to image association while others might actually be able to taste a difference in the products and prefer one over the other. I look forward to your thoughts.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Sugar hit guaranteed

CONS: Contains a lot of sugar you probably shouldn't be drinking

MUST TRY: Your own blind tasting and share your findings

VERDICT: I couldn't really taste a difference between Coke and Cola so for my money I'd be buying the cheaper version for future parties and mixing cocktails

—

Cola vs Coke

Coca-Cola Coke Nutrition Information — perhaps should be called Non-Nutrition Information

Woolworths Select Cola Nutrition Information

14 May 2014

Stanley St Merchants: IconPark Temporary Residence Restaurant, Darlinghurst (13 May 2014)

78 Stanley Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

http://www.iconpark.com/stanleystmerchants

https://www.facebook.com/stanleymerchants

Stone the forager

"Our award-wining internationally renowned chef Matt Stone is bringing his own unique brand of locally foraged produce to your table. From honey harvested in Neutral Bay, to paper bark sourced on the streets of Marrickville, let us show you how good locally sourced food prepared with care can taste."

Stanley St Merchants have opened their IconPark crowdfunded restaurant space this week and take temporary residence for the next 3 months as Season 1 champions. I popped by to check out the space and tried the Angasi Rock Oysters, finger lime ($5 each) which were large with good flavour from the natural brine. The Beef & Kim Chi Sesame Bun ($6) was tender beef tongue on a soft brioche style bun. Flavour combination was nice although I was expecting a chilli kick from the kim chi which wasn't particularly noticeable. Diners sitting next to me grabbing an afternoon cake fix let me try their Charcoal toasted marshmallow, ryeberries, flowers and ants ($10). Yes ants are sprinkled on top of this fine looking dessert and give it pops of citrus. Upstairs seating is still to be finished off which will help accommodate the crowds already flocking to this place. Service was efficient, friendly and switched-on. Menu looks interesting and adds something different to the dining scene for Sydney punters. For a quick take away fix there's house made cakes, cookies and muffins to tempt you at the door entrance — their Fresh Fruit & Baked Custard Tart looked pretty good.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Interesting menu, Locally sourced and foraged produce, Switched-on service, Buzzing atmosphere

CONS: Only open for 3 months so get in quick if you want to try, Upstairs still to open

MUST TRY: Angasi Rock Oyster with finger lime

VERDICT: Seems like a pretty cool addition to East Sydney

—

Real napkins make for a nice touch

Check out the size of these Angasi Rock Oysters compared to my slider

Angasi Rock Oysters, finger lime ($5 each) — large size, enjoyable flavour combination with the noticeable brine, lasting flavour finish
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Beef & Kim Chi Sesame Bun ($6) — tender tongue, soft bun, nice flavour combination, was expecting more chilli kick from the kim chi though
WORTH TRYING :-)

Those black things are the ants in the Charcoal toasted marshmallow, ryeberries, flowers and ants ($10) — I tried a bit offered by other diners sitting next to me, I thought was quite nice