FoodieChat

The words “all you can eat meat” lights up the eyes of many males (that I know at least).  And how else to eat it – but barbequed.  But not just any barbeque - this is the table top version that Koreans enjoy – hot steaming charcoals with your meat sizzling on a metal plate on top.  But let’s start with the side dishes, including the ever popular potato noodles. Also on offer for yoru $27.80 were pancakes, pickled vegetables, some spring rolls, and of course, that Korean national staple food – kimchi.

The noodles were clear and slippery and not too oily. I’m not a fan of kimchi myself, but there were at least 9 different pickles – of cucumber, tofu, bean shoots.

And now, onto the meat – vegetarian’s worst nightmare (note: go somewhere else to eat if you are!).  The huge selection includes beef tongue, marinated beef, the ever popular bulgogi (marinated pork), chicken wings, plain pork anbd beef, pork ribs, beef ribs.

You just grab what you want, whack it on your hotplate and away you go, munching on the noodles and sides if you can’t wait for it to cook.  It gets a bit smokey and your clothes and hair are likely to smell afterwards – so don’t wear your Sunday best! A really good value feed, and judging by the clientele – authentic too!

There’s some fruit to cleanse your palate at the end and to introduce some vegetable matter to aide digestion. And notice the very helpful sign under the fume hood!  Free parking for 3 hrs at the Mandarin Centre makes this an easy place to get to.

A gift from my boss from Harrods – this posh round golden edged pink (my favourite!) box contained 8 perfectly rounded dreamy powdered strawberry and vodka flavoured white chocolate truffles…mmmmm

Some not so fresh strawberries in my fridge were begging to be given a second chance – a chance which manifest in Bill Granger’s strawberry souffle found in last week’s good living.  I halved the recipe with no trouble at all, and filled the ramekins to the brim – and then some.  Seventeen minutes later – woah!! These pink mushroom looking souffles emerged from the oven – so high I’m surprised they didn’t fall over!  It was a great recipe – easy peasy – but I realised I don’t like souffle! Oh well.  It’s like pavlova but without the crust – but the strawberry flavour was wonderful.

Oh well, onto the second dessert – an apple and rhubarb crumble.  I’ve made crumble before, but never cooked with rhubarb due to all those warnings of the leaves being poisonous – I sure didn’t want to kill someone or myself with a dessert! So, mustering my guts, I bought some leaf-less rhubarb, and crossed my fingers and chopped. Hmm. I realised that it wasn’t really necessary to cook the filling on the stove AND the oven because the rhubarb kinda dissolved into the apple.  Nevertheless – not bad. I’ll know for next time!

Bills’ souffle recipe can be found on the Sydney Morning Herald website here:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/recipes/ask-bill/2007/07/16/1184438207235.html

This petite bakery – in size but definitely not clientele – is as well known by the locals lucky enough to live nearby as the foodies and other followers who have heard of this secret (including Kylie Kwong apparently).  Be prepared – there will be a queue.  But it moves extremely fast as people generally know what they want.  Happily, no one wanted to sit at one of the three tiny tables indoors just inside the window; and we grabbed those and watched the beautiful people pour in.  We tried the pizza ($8) – vegetarian, or proscuitto, which the staff offer to heat up for you.  It gave a glimpse of the bread that it is very well known for; and wasn’t heavy at all.  Of the many gourmet pies and sausage rolls, we tried the chicken pie ($4.50), filled with tender braised chicken and vegetables with a slighty touch of spice.

But as we horsed down our savouries what we really had our eye on was the patisserie treats, which today were two varieties of creme brulee tart ($3.80 each)- ginger creme brulee, or strawberry and vanilla.  The ginger tart was dotted with pistachios and the top crispy and wafer thin, enclosing the creamy smooth filling which was delicately infused with ginger.  The vanilla and strawberry one was slightly less set in the middle but had a lovely strawberry surprise in the bottom.

And finally, the rhubarb and almond tart; or the quince tart beckoned in the window begging to be taken home to be enjoyed later.  The bakery has a set schedule of which breads are available when.  There is plenty of surrounding street parking.