On the way our journey took us to Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Mammoth Lakes, Las Vegas, Monument Valley, Chicago, Boston and New York.

Take this highway, now imagine staring at it for 6 hours at 160km/hr...

We didn’t drive the entire way, America is too insanely large to cover in only four weeks and as much as I wanted to drive along Route 66, I found out you actually can’t drive the entire way anymore!

I was a terrible blogger along the way, I took no notice of restaurant names, never wrote down any dishes or prices, ate at any random restaurant with a decent rating on Yelp and took photos of anything that took my fancy. It was four weeks of eating, drinking and messing around with friends and it was brilliant.

If I wrote about every restaurant and every stop on the trip I’d be writing for months, so instead I’m just showing off a few of my highlights.

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Read the rest of America! The Road Trip Part 1 (1,603 words)

© Minh for eatshowandtell, 2012. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: America! The Road Trip

Well, just a little lost (I walked into the restaurant next door and got a few curious stares) and felt a little silly when I finally noticed the (numerous) signs indicating where Moo was. Going through a narrow passageway and onto the second floor took me to Moo’s newest joint.

Moo Views

Moo at Manly is cozy, has two floors, really neat finishing touches and a balcony with a sweet beach view from the third floor (or rather Moo’s second floor); I love the rustic furniture (made from recycled materials by Bare Nature).

Chunky Hot Chips with Home-Made Sauces

I’ve never successfully finished the awesome chunky chips with my burger, which is really such a pity because they’re really quite awesome: the crispy shell giving way to the fluffy potato on the inside, never oily and always moist. So awesome I’ve used it twice in that sentence! A few of us have been to Moo before and so know to treat those chips with caution – must leave room for the burgers!

The chips came with four of Moo’s most popular sauces (and with good cause too): aioli, mayonnaise, chilli jam and tomato relish. The aioli was hands down the table’s favourite.

Wagyu Beef Burger

I always have a hard time trying to choose which burger to eat when I come to Moo, while F seems to gravitate to the Wagyu Beef Burger quite often and it’s really not hard to see why.

All the components of the burger, from the juicy Angus Pure pattie to the creamy Tasmanian brie and caramelised onions, harmonised so completely together that I totally forgot that we were going to be served a second burger and practically finished it.

Delicious Moo-verages

Do you find that once you find something you really really like, you latch onto it and order it all the time? The Mooteaser is my go-to Mooshake, but it was nice to try something different this time around.

The Beach Blonde, with its Crunchie bits and caramel and chocolate syrup, was as delicious as I remembered (though not as good as the Mooteaser hehe). We also got to try the traditional vanilla malted milkshake that is the foundation of all Mooshakes. It’s not surprising that the “base” is also delicious, simple and full of flavour, and I can see just how easily it can carry all the fancy trappings of the other shakes Moo has on offer.

I never really thought about getting a cocktail from Moo before but after having the Cow in Mud (as in, happy as a “pig in mud”… get it? hehe) I think I might be switching from the Mooteaser after this! The fantastic cocktail is the perfect blend of Frangelico, Baileys, chocolate sauce and Tim Tams (which I think is the secret weapon that makes the drink go from “yummm” to “kapow!”)… bother, I really would love one right now.

Moo has expanded their beer range to include the Moo Brew Pale Ale – a boutique beer made at the Moorilla Estate, Tasmania. I love the shape of the bottle (I don’t know why, there’s something about it that’s rather pleasing) and the light floral taste is quite nice.

Kangaroo Burger

The Kangaroo burger is a new addition to the Moo gourmet burger range. The succulent kangaroo pattie has a mixture of sage and garlic and wonderfully accompanied by caramelised onions, beetroot relish (to die for), fresh tomato and rocket, topped off with their home-made mayonnaise. Bliss. The burger comes in the usual sour dough bun, as well as a gluten free bun.

I could not, for the life of me, finish the burger so I was glad that I had cut (maybe “butcher” would be a better word) it in half. Our waitress kindly packed our leftovers in takeaway boxes and seeing my coworker lives right next door to Moo (so lucky!!), I popped over with a little present, which he absolutely loved.

Mookies and Ginger Ale

I have to confess, I’ve never tried Moo’s desserts as we’ve always been so full after the burgers, but I think we have to make room for dessert next time we come here for their Black & White “Mookies” (Moo cookies!). These mind-blowing cookies are made from scratch, daily, and we were served ones straight from the oven. Seriously, these are mind-blowingly awesome with its melted white and dark chocolate chunks, crunchy edge and doughy middle. Absolutely yumsters.

Moo Sign

Moo, it seems, has been going from strength to strength – churning out packed full of flavour burgers and now conquering desserts too! Their new place in Manly is so well placed to pop in for a take away burger and enjoy (perhaps rather messily) right on the beach. Something I have a feeling I’ll be doing this summer… then going back for a Mookie and sneak in some ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s nearby. Oh! It’d be a perfect day, I just know it – with such deliciousness how could it not?!

Eat Show and Tell dined as a guest at Moo Gourmet Burgers.

Moo Gourmet Burgers, Manly
Levels 2 & 3, 33 South Steyne (btwn Wentworth St & The Corso)
Manly, NSW, 2095
Ph: (02) 9976 0948
Web: http://www.moogourmetburgers.com.au/

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2011. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Streets of New Orleans

We mainly hung around the French Quarter area, where the city was originally centered around. Now, the city has grown and gourmet & awesome restaurants, bars, b&b’s & cafes stretches out from Frenchman St, in the Maigny area (east of the French Quarter) to the Garden District.

The French Quarter was one of the few areas that was lightly affected by Hurricane Katrina. I read that it’s most of the outer suburbs which were highly affected and many still remain damaged and abandoned, even 5 year after the hurricane. But the French Quarter is still a hustle & bustling area, filled with hotels, restaurants, bars, strip clubs and masses of people walking down closed off streets, drinking gallons of alcohol out of plastic cups, otherwise called “to-go cups”. New Orleans is one of the few cities that allow drinking on the streets, only in plastic cups or bottles.

Streets of New Orleans

Other than great food, New Orleans is best known for Jazz music. I’m not a fan of jazz, or I mean I WASN’T a fan of Jazz music until I experienced New Orleans. I found the best place for Jazz music was on Frenchmen Street, especially at The Spotted Cat or dba. I went to The Spotted Cat twice to see the performances, and loved it both times! The upbeat energetic music really gave life to the area. People danced on the streets, strangers greeting one another, bead necklaces were exchanged. (Speaking of bead necklaces, New Orleans is second to San Francisco for gay friendliness. Mardi Gras bead necklaces were everywhere! In stores, the sidewalk, bins, etc… Leave a comment if you know what meaning of the Mardi Gras beads are.)

Let’s get back to the food… Trying to take advantage of the public holiday, I packed what most people would eat over a week, in just 3 days. For me, I had 3 things I NEEDED to eat in NOLA: jambalaya, crayfish & po-boys, all popular N’Awlins foods. I definitely ate more than my share over the 3 day eating adventure, so here is part one…

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Read the rest of Hello from NYC #6 – The Big Easy (New Orleans) Part 1 (2,261 words)

© teresa for eatshowandtell, 2011. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: cajun, Hello from NYC, New Orleans, Southern

Named for the dastardly Dip featured in ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit‘, this Dip features a hell of a lot of old school American goodness in the form of Hot Dogs, Tacos, Burgers and some damn fine beer. Tucked away in GOODGOD Small Club, with the magic of Andrew Levins and Bianca Khalil working behind the scenes it’s a welcome late-night addition to the Sydney scene.

I know why I’m here. I’ve been stalking Lev’s Dawg for a few weeks now, a tweet here and a teasing mention of it there on the menu means I have eyes for nothing else, even though that Pulled Pork sandwich is tempting! Sydney’s going through a Hot Dog love fest at the moment, but for now Lev’s Dawg reigns supreme in my opinion.

Lev's Dawg - Smoked kosher hot dog w/ chipotle mayo, fresh tomato salsa, grilled yellow peppers and american mustard on a steamed bun $12

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Read the rest of The Dip, GOODGOD Small Club, Chinatown (617 words)

© Minh for eatshowandtell, 2011. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Ever since discovering Momofuku, I’ve always wanted to try the Bo Ssam. In the Momofuku cookbook, the Bo Ssam seems very time-consuming to make, no wonder why it costs $200 for the Bo Ssam at the restaurant! Momofuku recommends 6-10 people, so I had to muster up some friends willing to eat enough pork that would turn us into vegetarians for at least the next week. Lucky for me, I have 7 food-loving friends willing to take the dive with me so I could share this experience with you.

Inside Momofuku Ssam Bar

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Read the rest of Hello from NYC #5 – Meat overdose @ Momofuku Ssam Bar (703 words)

© teresa for eatshowandtell, 2011. | Permalink | 17 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Hello from NYC

So it was a bit of a rude surprise that when we got to Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport, I realised that I wasn’t so organised after all. I had our friend’s apartment address, but not much else; no directions, no idea which part of Tokyo where it was. Nada! I think we spent 2 hours working out where we needed to go and trying to get there.

When we finally met up with our friend M, we were a little tired, but rather pleased we made it and maybe also a little bit hungry. Not really sure what we wanted to eat, we roamed around Akasaka for a bit before M made an executive decision and took us to “Watami”.

I actually don’t know where we ate (I stupidly lost their business card), but he said it was “Watami or something like that” and stated that it was a chain restaurant, not worth blogging about. R and I actually quite liked what we had, so I’m going to have to ignore his advice (even though I don’t really know what it’s really called).

Prawn and Avocado Spring Roll (523 Yen) and Salmon Sashimi (500 Yen)

I don’t know about the other guys, but I was a little surprised when the spring roll came out; I was expecting something fried, not wrapped up in what looked like tofu skins. Not that it was a bad thing, it was quite yummy and refreshing. Kinda like a healthy spring roll option.

Scallops and Homemade Crispy Gyoza Dumpling (313 Yen)

After the odd scallops we ate in Niseko, I wondered what these scallops would turn out to be like (kind of hoping that it wouldn’t be too much like what we had). Happily they were pretty normal, if a little over done.

The gyozas made an impression on us when they came out.. they were upside down! They were also wonderfully crispy and piping hot.

Edamame (313 Yen) and Cheesy Rolled Egg with Mayonnaise sauce (523 Yen)

Funnily enough, we’ve been in Japan for a whole week already and we haven’t had what I consider to be an essentially Japanese dish: edamame. It was of course delicious with its light saltiness, though then again, I don’t think edamame can ever be bad.

Meanwhile, the cheesy egg roll was marvellously creamy and a total hit with the table. Definitely R’s favourite dish of the night.

Deep Fried Chicken Wings (363 Yen) and Barkeeper's Homemade Pasta Salad (373 Yen)

To be honest, I don’t think I’ve had so many deep fried chicken before… until I came to Japan and I’m starting to find that I miss the crunchy goodness and succulent meat.

I think the salad was more of an after thought than anything else, but it was quite nice and creamy.

Chocolate Fondant with Frozen Yoghurt and Ice Cream (600 Yen)

We had a little dilemma when we came to dessert. Ideally, three people dining usually means at least 2 different desserts, 3 at best. However, we all had our eye on the chocolate fondant and not really willing to try any other dessert just in case it wasn’t as good as the fondant (terrible, I know).

In hindsight, it’s always good to have a back-up. Not that it was bad – it was awesomely chocolate-y, just not oozing, gooey chocolate like we had expected and for some reason, that disappointed us more than I had thought it would. The fondant not only came with ice cream and cream, but frozen yoghurt! Yum. I thought that kind of made up for the non-gooey-ness… almost.

Walking into “Watami” was kind of funny – it felt like an international incident as I almost blundered into the restaurant with my shoes on and my friends behind me hissing, “Shoes! Shoes! SHOES!!!!“. The offending shoes were placed into a locker and we were given the wooden locker tag block thing before being ushered to a cosy booth; all of which I thought was rather interesting and cool (clearly I’m such a big tourist).

Studio Ghibli!

R and I are massive fan of Studio Ghibli’s works, so it was a no brainer that we would go to its museum in Mitaka (on Valentine’s day no less). We excitedly pointed out recognisable inspirations to each other (almost but not quite squealing) and were equally disappointed that we couldn’t go into the cat-bus; it was strictly for kids (toddlers, even). Although it was smaller than we expected, it was such an awesome experience – seeing the inspirations of our much adored Studio Ghibli animations, learning how they create them and appreciating just how much work goes into one feature. A definite must for any fans of animated movies / Studio Ghibli fans.

Museum of Nature and Science

The next day found us at the Museum of Nature and Science. We figured that it will take us about 2 to 3 hours to get through (like our Australian Museum back at home), but no… we were there for 6 hours. Yes, six!!! I know it sounds crazy, but the museum had more than six levels (across two buildings) and the amount of detail they put into their displays was amazing; half of one of the levels was modelled after a woodland scene (the bottom image), complete with stuffed animals and insects found in the woodlands like deer and warthogs. It was just insane. Also their collection of dinosaur bones (real and replica) was spectacular! There were so many dinosaurs… I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many ever!

Okay, okay… I’m likely to keep raving on about this museum, so I’ll leave it there.

Hatos Bar

That night, M took us to his favourite bar. He is currently obsessed with the ribs there, which he vows are the best he’s ever had. A pretty big claim, as I’ve had some pretty awesome ribs.

We travelled for what seemed like forever – going underground, through back streets – but we finally made it and feeling quite ravenous.

Chips and Salsa (700 Yen) and Baby Back Ribs (Half, 1000 Yen)

Hatos Bar’s menu doesn’t quite cater for pescetarians (or vegetarians), so R went with the chips and salsa, which wasn’t like the nachos she was told to expect, but it was still rather tasty.

Meanwhile, M and I tucked into the scrumptiously smoky, fall-off-the-bone ribs. It was seriously divine and crunchy shoestring chips were the perfect finishing touch to the dish. Did it meet my friend’s outrageous claim of it being the best? Mmm, almost; it’s definitely in my Top 3 in any case (and M’s probably feeling a little indignant after reading that haha… Sorry M! Just saying it like it is).

Pulled Pork with Cheese (900 Yen, 100 Yen for Cheese)

The pulled pork look absolutely fantastic and it tasted better than it looked, if that was possible. The pork was wonderfully moist and tender with the perfect amount of smokiness and then topped with that gooey cheese? Definitely yumsters.

M told us that this would be his standard order: half rack ribs with pulled pork and a glass of refreshing beer to chase it all down. It would be perfect had I the stomach space for all of that deliciousness – the ribs itself was surprisingly filling.

Corn Bread (500 Yen) and Brownie with Ice Cream (500 Yen)

To accompany the chips and salsa, R ordered corn bread, which she loved. It came out toasty and with the melted, creamy butter, the corn bread would make her moan with satisfaction (that sounded a bit dirty didn’t it? Sorry… totally unintentional, but it did!).

I’m not sure if the brownies are a fad in Japan right now or if they’ve always sold them, but they’re everywhere! And of course we couldn’t resist the chocolate goodness.

Old school smoker

To get that really authentic, smoky flavour, the guys at Hatos Bar uses a totally old school smoker, which I thought was pretty awesome. I think they said that they’re the only restaurant in Tokyo to use such an old style smoker.

Hatos Bar

Hatos Bar used to be a small art gallery displaying local artists until one idea lead to another and now it’s a cozy place where you can kick back with great food and interesting beer, surrounded by artwork that you purchase. Make that affordable artwork – some pretty neat looking pieces were going for 1,000 Yen! A must visit when you’re in Tokyo – I know I definitely will be back (in any case, I’m sure M would drag me there if I don’t hehe).

Hatos Bar
Prince Corp. 1F. 1-3-5 Nakameguro,
Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Ph: 03-6452-4505
Web: www.hatosbar.com

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2011. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dessert, pork

Yes, I’m still alive, just been MIA for a little while. The end of 2010 and early 2011 involved separate trips to Vietnam, Chicago and London, Thanksgiving, Christmas, NY and CNY celebrations and snow blizzards. Oh those snow blizzards were painful! Although the falling of snow is extremely beautiful, wearing 5 layers of clothing and walking through 12 inches of snow hoping I don’t come across any nasty “surprises” underneath is not too great…

So what will 2011 entail for “Hello from NYC”? Most posts for one! More on food-related life in NYC in general. So first up is something I’ve come across lately and wanted to highlight.

The Evolution of Gastropubs

Is this the next trend? Is pub grub becoming more gourmet? From Chicago to London to Sydney, pubs are not longer just pubs, they’re now called Gastropubs. In my opinion, I love this evolution. I’m not saying this is a new concept, I’m saying this is now a popular concept. A type of fine dining along with a pint. No longer can you get $10 steak and chips, but now you get $20 Angus beef burgers with foie gras and truffle shoe string fries. On my recent trips to Chicago and London, I came across a few delightful Gastropub places. In fact, I only dined at these places in those cities (not that I was there for that long).

I know there are lots of opinions out there on even the over-use of the term “Gastropub” by establishments. According to Wikipedia, a Gastropub refers to a bar and restaurant that serves high-end beer and food, originating from England. So has the term “Gastropub” been used too often and the meaning is now lost? I don’t know! But… I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

However, here is a preview of the Gastropubs I’ve visited in…

Chicago

I’ve heard Chicago is best in summer, but for some reason, I always end up visiting in the colder months of the year. From what I’ve experienced, Chicago IS the windy city!

The food culture in Chicago is ginormous. I’ve seen Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods – Chicago episode 3 times in the last 2 weeks (it’s always on travel channel). If you get a chance, definitely check it out! The Chicago-style hot dog is something from a difference world; the Mexican food is far from what we get back in OZ; and I don’t need to explain the work of Grant Achatz at his Alinea restaurant… two words: Bizzaro chemistry. But the growing trend in Chicago is what pubs are putting on their menus. Roasted bone marrow, eaten straight from the bone, dolloped on some bread with a sparkle of the finest sea salt. Dessert of Foie Gras Torchon w/ Apricot jam, Pine Nut Fritter and Powdered Licorice Root. This is just a brief intro to the food at Longman and Eagle.

Clockwise... (1) Seared Maine Scallops, (2) Foie Gras w/ short rib, (3) Roasted Marrow Bones, (4) Foie Gras on bread w/ chocolate dipping sauce

Longman and Eagle, presented with it’s first Michelin star in 2011, is an old-style pub hotel, serving some of the finest creative foods I’ve ever encountered. They even have rooms available for overnight stays. Each room is uniquely designed with a modern feel, far from the pub-hotel style of the whole complex. The service was super-friendly, the food creatively tasty and a great selection of beer to chug down with the delicious grub. If you’re in Chicago, this is one place to visit. So the question is… is this a Gastropub or a variant of one with hotel rooms upstairs and the fine-dining pub establishment downstairs?

Longman and Eagle

Another restaurant, more in the center of Chicago located on “The Magnificent Mile”, is The Purple Pig. Voted Bon Appetit’s one of 10 best new restaurants in the US for 2010 and awarded a Michelin “bib-gourmand” award in 2011, this place is reflects its tagline “Cheese, swine and wine“. With a half-communal style setting, The Purple Pig serves up some of the best Mediterranean-esque food in Chicago. Apologies, I really shouldn’t put this in the “Gastropub” category because this isn’t really a pub at all, but the food served here reflects a Gastropub-style. Also, I really wanted to showcase this place. Being on Michigan Avenue, you’d think this was another tourist trap. But The Purple Pig is far from that. It’s a destination for the food-tourist.

At The Purple Pig with Clams, Chorizo Stuffed Olives, Fried Devilled Egg and Panino con Nutella.

At The Purple Pig, the menu ranges from Fried Brussel Sprouts with Thyme, Lemon & Chili Flakes (one of my favourites) to Salt-Roasted Beets with Whipped Goat Cheese & Pistachio Vinaigrette and Fried Devilled Egg to Roasted Bone Marrow with Herbs. There is something for everyone.

Clockwise... (1) Fried Devilled Egg, (2) Jamon Serrano w/ fried egg on toast, (3) (4) Roast bone marrow

London

At the beginning of January, I took a quick 3-day trip to London. Being only 6 hours from NYC, London has been on my “want-to-visit” places. London is known for it’s pub culture, so it wasn’t a huge surprise to me that at least one of my meals would be at a Gastropub. Unfortunately, on this trip I wasn’t able to go for Sunday Roast (big sob!) but there’s always next time!

The Princess of Shoreditch, located in near London’s Old Street, is known for it’s sunday afternoon roasts but I so happen to come here for dinner instead. This place reflects the true meaning of “Gastropub”, pub on the lower level, fine-dining restaurant on the upper level. I opt to dine on the lower level, to sample London’s finest and famous pub-style food. So what do I think about it? D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S.

The Princess of Shoreditch, London

After being away from Sydney for nearly a year now, I’m introduced again to a pub-style pie and an angus steak burger with hand-cut chips. Boy do I miss pies an hand-cut chips (and a whole lot of other foods…), so I felt some of my cravings were satisfied in London.

The food-scene in London really does do Gastropub-styles the best. Well I guess the term did originate from England, if they can’t do it well, noone else can.

New York

Unfortunately, New York’s gastropubs are really far from it’s meaning, or maybe I just haven’t come across the right ones. The Spotted Pig, a gastropub in the West Village, is probably the closest, but still lacks the “fine-dining” factor. They do, however, do a mean and tasty Chargrilled Burger with Roquefort Cheese & Shoestrings. (It was basically pitch black, so no photos).

A place with a very Gastropub-esque feel is The Fat Radish. The English cuisine establishment reflects the pub-style atmosphere, serving food like Brussel Sprout & Collard Green Bubble and Squeaky, or Eggs Purgatory with toast. The main concept of The Fast Radish is to serve simple and healthy dishes made from well-sourced, seasonal ingredients. The interior reflects London’s Convent Garden marketplace feel. The Fat Radish do not call themselves “Gastropub, but with their interior reflecting London’s Convent Garden marketplace feel, it definitely feels English.

The Fat Radish. Clockwise... (1) the English interior, (2) Full English Breakfast, (3) the table setting, (4) Collard Green Bubble and Squeak, Bacon and Poached Eggs

Brunch @ Nolita House

There’s a “Boozy Bluegrass Brunch” on every Saturday and Sunday from 10am-4pm (12pm-4pm on Sundays due to NYC law not serving alcohol before 12pm on Sundays) and they claim to have the “best” macaroni and cheese. Brunch in NYC mainly involves alcohol, that being mimosas or bloody mary’s, so with brunch at a pub, what an awesome mix!

So that’s the end of a quick look at Gastropubs in 3 major metropolitan cities. What are your thoughts on this trend?
And don’t worry, I’ll be back with more New York City eats!

Longman & Eagle
2657 N. Kedzie Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60647
Unfortunately, no reservations
Web: http://www.longmanandeagle.com/

The Purple Pig
500 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Ph: +1 312-464-1-PIG
Web: http://www.thepurplepigchicago.com/

The Princess of Shoreditch
76 Paul Street,
London, UK EC2A 4NE
Ph: 020 7729 9270
Web: http://www.theprincessofshoreditch.com/

The Fat Radish
17 Orchard Street,
New York, NY, 10002
Ph: +1 212 300 4053
Web: http://thefatradishnyc.com/

Nolita House
47 E Houston Street,
New York, NY 10012
Ph: +1 212 625 3242
Web: http://www.nolitahouse.com/

© teresa for eatshowandtell, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Hello from NYC

It’s Friday night and quite out of character for me I’ve come out on a Friday night with co-workers for an end-of-week drink up, when my friend C mentions that we’ve barely had a chance to chat lately I immediately make plans with the girls for dinner the following week.

While the rest of that night may have dissolved into a drunken haze (where I may or may not have been waxing lyrically about the walking abilities of the Sharktopus), come Monday we’ve arranged to meet at The Eathouse Diner, an American style diner that looks as though it could have been plucked from any decade from the 40′s to the 70′s.

Drinks? Don't mind if we do!

(...)
Read the rest of The Eathouse Diner, Redfern (1,066 words)

© Minh for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Here I am writing short features for different categories of eateries. As these places are ones I’ve found on-the-go, I had to use my iphone to take pictures, unless I had my camera with me that day.

This post is broken down into 3 features:

• Food-ist Attractions
• Snacks-On-The-Go
• Street Food

FOOD-IST ATTRACTIONS

#1 Lombardi’s

Lombardi's margherita pizza

New York style pizza is world famous, and what better to try some than at NYC’s first pizzeria, Lombardi’s. Located in Nolita, we ordered the classic style, “Margherita” pizza, a tomato based pizza topped with buffalo mozzerella cheese and basil.

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Read the rest of Hello From NYC #3 – The Short and Sweet List (716 words)

© teresa for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: food trucks, Hello from NYC, street food

Happy Belated Independence Day!

Yes I know it was back in July and now it’s August. Independence Day in the US reminded me of how we spend Australia Day. It started off with a breakfast of homemade margaritas (with my new blender), sitting on the rooftop with my feet burning on the hot roof, beer and rice paper roll lunch then a night of burgers, cheese, wine and fireworks! As you see in the photo above, it feels like NYE in Sydney.

So for the past few months, I have been hard at work eating my heart out. Luckily I don’t own scales so I cannot say whether my body size has been affected by this, but I’m pretty sure it has. That’s one thing to watch out in NYC… the heaviness of the food!

Happy Independence Day!

(...)
Read the rest of Hello from NYC #2 – My Food Trail (1,898 words)

© teresa for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 21 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Hello from NYC, Momofuku

Naturally, F’s a drooling mess by the end of the episode and is insanely hungry for something (anything) as satisfying as what Adam’s just eaten.

In one of the episodes (episode 18 from season 1 to be exact), Adam visits Minneapolis in search of the birth place of the Juicy Lucy burger – the burger where the cheese is on the inside. There’s been of a bit of a debate on how to spell the burger’s name, one restaurant claims “if it’s spelled right, it’s done right!” and another: “if it’s spelled wrong, you’re at the right place!”.

Anyway, after watching the Minneapolis episode, F could not get the Juicy Lucy burger out of his mind. Not being able to travel to Minneapolis to try the burger, he did the next best thing: plot and plan on how to reconstruct it.

The Juicy Lucy Burger Experiment

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beef, burger, favourites, pork

Since my last blog, besides the monthly Daring Baker’s Challenges, I’ve been quite busy with work, going overseas, spending time with friends before they move overseas, and playing/teaching my puppy new tricks. I purchased Max as a Birthday gift for myself, I know it’s quite strange, but just within the week that I’ve had him, he has filled my days with so much joy and happiness.

He’s just too cute.Please say hi to Max.    

Now on to other important things. For my Birthday a couple of weeks ago, Howard purchased me a couple of Kitchen tools, namely a Kitchen Aid and a Food Processor. What better way to make use of my gift then re-ignite my flame for baking. It appears that the hottest name in the food industry right now is David Chang and his Momofuku restaurant and Cook book. Everything this man touches becomes an instant phenomenon, with nothing more popular at this stage then his “crack pie.” I’ve had the pleasure of sampling a couple of food blogger’s interpretation of his pie, and both time have been addicted to the rich buttery crust. Upon reading Squishies post on South Restaurant, I’ve been quite intrigued by the Pecan Pie. To enjoy the best of both worlds, I’ve decided to combine a pecan pie filling with the rolled oats crust.   

Pecan pie with rolled oats crust

Crust Recipe – Adapted from Los Angeles Times

The recipe is adequate for making 2 pies. Cookie for crust    

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (85gm) flour

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

1/3 cup (71gm) light brown sugar

3 tablespoons (35gm) sugar

1 egg

Scant 1 cup (100gm) rolled oats

Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
5. With the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined. Stir in the oats until incorporated.

Pie Crust

As I’m using the crust for a pecan pie, I’ve adjusted the original recipe a little. To the LA times recipe, I’ve added 1 cup of plain flour, and 60gm of butter.  

Crumbled cookie for crust

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 1/2 tablespoons (21gm) brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins

1. Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together).
2. Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins
3. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

Pecan Pie filling

Adapted from pioneer woman cooks

2 cup White Sugar

4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

1/2 teaspoons Salt

2 cup Corn Syrup

2/3 cups Melted Butter (salted)

6 whole Eggs Beaten

1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

2 cup (heaping) Chopped Pecans

1. Mix sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl.
2. Pour mixture into the crust
3. Liberally scatter pecans over the top of the mixtures, cover the top with a piece of foil before baking.
4. Bake the pies in a 190 degrees celsius pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
5. Dip a clean knife into the pie to check if it’s ready. Filling on the knife should be thick and caramel like texture. If mixture is still cream like, return to oven and check every 5 minutes interval.
6. When done, remove and leave to room temperature, serve with freshly whipped cream.

I was very pleased with the result, the gooey rich filling, combined with the toasted pecan nuts and the buttery crust was just perfect. So much so that my mum who absolutely dislikes desserts that are overly sweet has requested that I bake her a couple more for her friends to try. If you’ve never had pecan pie before, I’d recommend that you give this recipe a go, the rolled oats crust just gives it a bit of a decadent twist.       

Just before I go, here is another picture of Max who’s had enough for the day. 

© Linda for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: cake

But where in Sydney could one find such a place? I’m not too sure who recommended this restaurant first, but with a quick glance at the online menu, F and I agreed that this should be our next stop.

Upon entering the cosy-sized establishment we are greeted with a large mural of tabasco sauce and immediately I have a southern accent in the back of my head screaming ‘Hot Sauce!”.

It wasn’t for a while til we decided what to get, despite already perusing the menu online.

Edit: I would like to point out, before I go on with my post, that I am pretty chilli intolerant and am pepper-sensitive too; the rest of table has no problems in dealing with the heat.

Corn Bread ($6 for 4, $1.50 for extra one serving)

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: chicken, Dessert, pork, Seafood

With a such a range of burgers to choose from, I found it difficult to choose the first time we went. I wished that we could have rallied more (i.e. any) of our friends to join us just so I could taste more than just two burgers. Sigh, if wishes were burgers and stomach space.(...)
Read the rest of Moo Gourmet Burgers, Coogee (1,574 words)

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2010. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beef, favourites, pork, vegetarian

This afternoon, I decided to do the new york-touristy thing and walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and have my first sample of what’s been voted in a number of circles as New York’s “best pizza” at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. A reputation such as this, comes with certain things (i.e. lines, long lines).

After braving the brisk early autumn weather to cross the bridge, my dining companion and I chose to brave the approximately thirty-minute long line outside for a chance to sample New York’s best.

The interior of Grimaldi’s is quaint and reminiscent of most old-school Italian pizzerias. Plenty of red and white checkered tablecloths and pictures of Old Blue Eyes (Frank Sinatra).

The seating was rather cramped with my friend and I sharing a a long table with a number of other diners. Service at the restaurant was prompt and helpful. The menu options at Grimaldi’s were small, 16-inch pizza, or a large 18-inch pizza. We went with a large pizza with anchovies and capers on half and sausage, mushrooms and black-cured olives on the other half and…a couple of Brooklyn pilseners.

The pizza’s are said to fire in a coal oven that blasts the food at 1000 F. Which is over two times as hot as your conventional oven. Fire makes pizza good, may be considered their philosophy. We’re kind of going out of my culinary depth here, to be honest, I’m just speculating. The pizzas are baked in the oven for probably about ten minutes, it’s hard to say, the sparkling conversation I was sharing with my dining companion made it hard to tell how much time had passed.

The pizzas were brought out to our semi-cramped tables and were placed on a pizza rack that left the pizzas nearly in our faces. We dug into our first slices of pizza, me starting with the sausage/mushroom/cured olive combination and my lovely dining companion digging into her anchovies and capers.

My first reaction to the pizza after the initial bite was “these olives taste strong.” I continued to think that halfway through the slice and by the end of my first slice of pizza I was picking off the olives. They are strong black olives with a bit of a bitter taste that permeates throughout the pizza. I don’t highly recommend ordering the olives on your first visit here unless you really love olives.

Anchovies and capers. Two technically salty ingredients did not overpower the other half of the pizza and we found it to be the better side of the pizza. The experience overall was good. The crust on the pizza was chewy, not crispy and the fresh mozzarella and basil they used on the pizza really made it something to remember. If I had to rate this pizza on my overall experience, I would say it’s good, but it’s not worth the wait. If you find yourself in New York City and are crossing the Brooklyn Bridge definitely give Grimaldi’s pizzeria a shot. Make sure to visit during off hours. Visit early and on weekdays. The reputation for this pizza was too tough for any food to live up to. If you find yourself in the area and you find the line’s not that long at Grimaldi’s pizzeria, give it a go, but remember New York has too many great restaurants to be waiting around for a good pizza, not a great pizza.

There are a few stores around the New York state area, but I hear the original one in Brooklyn is the best. Plus, what’s better than a brisk walk across the Brooklyn bridge then devouring over some warm tasty pizza.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
19 Old Fulton Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Ph:718.858.4300
Opens…
Sun – Thurs 11:30-11:00
Fri & Sat 11:30-12:00
Web:http://www.grimaldis.com/

© teresa for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Day 2, Moeraki to Wanaka

Our eating adventures in Moeraki at Fleurs Place took somewhat longer than expected, by the time we leave its almost 2pm! The decision is made to skip over Queenstown and head straight to Wanaka. Unfortunately our gorgeous weather has ended and things are looking decidedly overcast by the time we roll into town. Wanaka is essentially a ski town and driving around I’m immediately reminded of Jindabyne as the town is built around the shore of Lake Wanaka.

The Cow. Not sure what the Queen has to do with the Cow but I loved their menu!

A little eaten and worn out by the driving we decide to take a local recommendation and keep it simple with Pizza at The Cow. The directions seem simple enough, head down until you see the Post Office and take a right. Somehow we drive past 3 times before spotting a tiny alleyway and the entrance to The Cow. I’m immediately charmed by the exposed ceilings, the booths tucked along the walls and the sight of the open fireplace and we decide to relax and eat in rather than take away as per our original intentions.

(...)
Read the rest of The Cow, Wanaka, New Zealand (488 words)

© Minh for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Dinner, New Zealand, pizza

In the ring we have the newly found (i.e. we just found it) Red Star Luxury Burgers challenging the old favourite Fergburger for the title of EST’s Burger Champion of New Zealand.

The opponents are rearing to go, so… let’s get ready to ruuuummmble!

In the Red Corner…

Hailing from Wanaka, we have the challenger Red Star Luxury Burgers – a place that has just come onto our radar this year. I’m not sure how long it’s been around, but if it’s been there for a while I have no idea why we never noticed it before during all the years we’ve visited!

Our first day in New Zealand’s lovely South Island consisted of a very early morning wake-up followed by a 3-hour flight and a 6-hour drive. It was late by the time we drove into Wanaka, all bleary-eyed tired and hungry. We were going to settle for cooking instant noodles in the apartment once we checked in (but really didn’t feel like it) until someone pointed out the burger joint on the opposite side of the road.

Just as we trooped inside, the waitress came out with a couple of the burgers. Our eyes fairly popped out of our heads – the burgers were humongous! And oh they looked ever so tasty. With heightened expectations, we ordered and were not the least bit disappointed. We were all astounded by the freshness and deliciousness of the burgers.

I was too tired to take photos that night, so we went again – this time with some more friends in tow.

Virgin - Chickpea Patties, Salad, Sundried Tomato Hummus, Sweet Chilli and Minted Yoghurt ($12)

(...)
Read the rest of Burger Battle, New Zealand Style (1,890 words)

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: beef, vegetarian

There use to be a time when I didn’t feel too guilty eating Macca’s. Life was so much simpler as a kid, when Macca’s was a treat every few weeks. I use to get really excited when we we went for breakfast or for a meal after Thursday night shopping. There was a time when all the burgers came in styrofoam boxes too, ah those were the days. These days, Macca’s is more of something which I grab if I’m in a rush or if I’m after a snack after a big night out.

In recent years, Macca’s has come out with a few new burgers. Some have triumphed (McChicken) whilst others have not. This month, Macca’s introduce a new range using Angus Beef and I am luckily enough to try it before it hits the stores (though they have now started appearing on menus).

The Grand Angus

Grand Angus burger ($6.45)

All burgers have 100% Aussie angus beef. In between we have classic Macca’s cheese, spanish onion, baby salad, tomato, mustard, pickles and mayo. All this is served on soft sourdough bun, in a square like form.

My first impressions of the burger was good, it still had the element of classic ‘macca’s to it. The beef tasted less dry, but still retained the Macca’s beef taste because of the cheese. Whether this is a good thing or not, is up to individual taste buds but it was a winner for me. I did find the spanish onion a tad overwhelming, but onion breath cannot be avoided when having a good burger.

I’m quite surprised by the size of it too. For $6.45 you get a pretty good sized burger, I might even get away with having one burger instead of the usual two.

The Mighty Angus

Mighty Angus burger

The Mighty Angus burger is deemed a ‘blokier’ burger by Daniel Gould, Executive Chef of McDonald’s test kitchen. Out of the two, it is my favourite by far. Gone are the vegetables and in comes the bacon. This burger is filled with angus beef, two slices of Macca’s cheese, onion relish (caramalised onions) and spanish onions.

A few bites in and I am quite happy, it tastes like a real burger. It’s up there with the qtr pounders and the Whopper’s of the world, but whether it can stick around for as long remains to be seen.

For research purposes of course, it’s a tough life for some.

There you have it, another new range of burgers from McDonald’s. Is it just another burger which will come and go or will it embrace the burger loving public ? The prices are creeping up each year, but if the burgers are good then people will be happy to pay for it. Would I buy the new burgers ? I’d definately go for the Mighty Angus, but it’s a hard task to move me away from the classic qtr pounder.

Available in stores now at your local McDonald’s
For more info visit http://mcdonalds.com.au/#/angus-beef

eatshowandtell dined as guests of Zing and McDonald’s

© Howard for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 9 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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Mad Cow Outdoors Terrace

The decor is very charmingly full of canary yellow and whites almost making me feel as though I’ve stepped back into the 50′s. Our booking is for a relatively large group of 8 people and the Mad Cow staff ask if we’re alright with sitting outside on the terrace. As I’ve left the booking til fairly late in the week I’m just relieved they can fit us in. On the day Sydney seems determined to beat Winter, and the sun is shining down on us outside.

(...)
Read the rest of Merivale Winter Feasts, Mad Cow, Sydney (1,230 words)

© Minh for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: CBD, cheap eats, lunch, mad cow, merivale, steak, Sydney, wagyu

I adore burgers and although I know they’re not good for me, I sometimes have to sate my cravings with McDonalds or Hungry Jack’s / Burger King (all the other times I can hold out, but just barely).

When a couple of my friends recommended Paul’s Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania, I was pretty excited, but somehow I never got to actually go. Eventually the stars and planets aligned and I finally ended up visiting Paul’s, despite the terribly cold and windy night.

Inside

With their brazen claim of “You’ve tried the rest, now try the best!”, I have to be honest and say that whenever I see places (or books or anything else for that matter) that claims to be the “best”, I get a bit wary but at the same time slightly hopeful. Maybe this time around, it will be the best I’ve ever tasted/read/seen.(...)
Read the rest of Paul’s Famous Hamburgers of Sylvania, Sylvania (630 words)

© squishies for eatshowandtell, 2009. | Permalink | 16 comments | Add to del.icio.us
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