Restaurant Review: Eathouse Diner, Redfern

A birthday dinner with a little bit of funk.

I decided to visit another place on my to do list on Thursday night, the Eathouse Diner in Redfern. Not being around in the 1950's I've no idea if Diner's were popular in Sydney, but Eathouse is seeking to bring back some of the glory days. The waitresses are wearing vintage clothing, there are retro food tins on the shelves and period magazines wallpapered on to the toilet walls.

It seemed fitting there was a portrait of the Queen above the gents loo the day before the Royal wedding.

I like that it's not pretending to be your generic American Diner. This place has style.

When we arrived all the tables were full so were seated at the counter. We felt a bit forgotten for the first fifteen minutes. Unsure if we'd been parked at the counter awaiting a table or were going to be eating there. When some of our companions at the bar were given cutlery we seized the initiative to select some dishes from the chalk board, flag down a waitress and order. An odd blemish on an otherwise enjoyable night.

Despite having retro decor the food is pretty 'Mod Aus'. Everything seemed to be cooked fresh and there were jars of homemade goodies on the shelves which I presume had been made by the kitchen.

We ordered the sugar cured kingfish with shaved fennel as a starter to share. It was a big serving of slightly sweet kingfish sashimi, which we thought was a little too thickly sliced. The shaved cucumber and fennel provided a nice extra dimension, but the lemon dressing could have been a bit more prominent.

For the main course I ordered the crispy chicken, creamed corn and slaw. I really enjoyed my food. The chicken had a good crunch and salty zing. The slaw provided a freshness to lighten the dish.

Marlina's crispy polenta with fennel was a bit of a contradiction. The Parmesan polenta and rich tomato sauce had a good flavour. Fennel is not a vegetable that shrinks into the background. However, the dish felt a bit flat. It was one of those meals that you are bored of eating by the end of the plate. I think the fennel and polenta would have made a good accompaniment to something else, rather than the main feature in themselves.

There has obviously been a lot of thought and effort that has gone into the concept behind the Eathouse diner. They are doing a lot right.

Restaurant Review: Twisted Noodle, Haymarket

Great noodles. A little more attention to detail and it could be perfect.

After the success of the Peking duck at Lao Zhao in Enflield I take recommendations from my Chinese colleague seriously. He's recently been making a bee line for Twisted Noodle on Dixon St for it's authentic Yunnan noodles. I still don't know exactly what Yunnan cuisine is, but think chilli and pickled vegetables and you heading in the right direction.

It was a hot day (hard to remember what they are like after the weekend of rain) so I decided to order an iced peach tea. I'm not a fan of the lane way fad for serving beer in jam jars, but somehow this glass come jar didn't offend me. The straw definitely helped. My first slurp resulted in a mouthful of strong black tea, which wasn't what I was hoping for. However, after a good stir the tea mellowed into the background and peach flavours came out.

The menu contains a range of noodle dishes. You select your noodles and then opt for chilli and sourness levels. Rather than the conventional mild, medium and hot you are slightly confusingly asked to indicate small, medium or large. Nothing to do with the size of your bowl of noodles, rather how much the hand slips with the chilli.

I decided upon the Yunnan Noodles, small chilli and medium sourness.  A big bowl of noodles containing beef, mushrooms and half a boiled egg. Fried Chinese sausage and a crispy chicken wing were served on the side. Despite ordering small chilli the noodles were a bit on the spicy side for me. The sourness comes in the form of picked vegetables added to the soup.

I would have preferred more sour to balance the heat. My dining companion also opted for medium sourness and definitely had more pickled vegetables in their soup. A annoying inconsistency. The flavoured breadcrumbs on the chicken wing made it one of the highlights.

Pretty good for $12 a bowl.

Innovations in shopping, not quite two steps forward

When Oyster arrived on London's Underground it was almost universally loved. For me the biggest improvement was the 'tap and go' functionality it introduced. How often had you been stuck behind someone at the barrier fumbling in their pocket for their ticket? Seemingly unable to feed their ticket into the barrier? Or, my personal favourite, a person standing there gormlessly waiting for the barriers to open having put their ticket in the machine. You have to take the ticket with you!

Not only did Oyster make my passage through the barriers faster. More importantly it did the same for everyone else. During rush hour you could have a decent improvement to your journey time. There is nothing more irritating than standing in a queue on your way to work.

I know Paywave has been around for a while, but my bank here in Australia has only just issued me with a Paywave card. Over the past few weeks I've been taking every opportunity to use it. Which isn't easy as Sydney's retailers seem to be slow adopters.

I'm a big fan. It is doing for shopping what Oyster's tap and go did for the underground back in 2003. When you are in a queue at the checkout; it seems to me that it's not the scanning of the items that takes time, but the exchange of money. From my unofficial survey cash is quickest, followed by chip and pin and finally we have the people that still like to sign for their credit card transactions.

Paywave is significantly faster than all the current alternatives. You'd think it shouldn't be a lot quicker than chip and pin, but it is.

There are the naysayers out there who are talking up the security concerns, but I don't buy their arguments. I of course reserve the right to change my mind if I'm the victim of uncompensated fraud.

One step forward.

Again, I know Australia has been a slow adopter, but self service checkouts have had a big push over the last six months. They are not just appearing in city centre outlets where you grab a few items, but in more suburban locations where the weekly shop is done too.

I use them every week. They are quicker than waiting in line for the manned checkouts and as supermarkets seek to cut costs are undoubtedly here to stay. The only thing that bugs me is that there is nowhere to put your trolley, which makes the whole experience quite awkward. Just as the manned checkouts are designed so that your trolley 'flows' through with you. They need to come up with an ergonomic solution of where to put your trolley when you are using the self service checkouts.

Only half a step forward.

A very English Bank Holiday....

It's been a long road...

Back in 2004 I hurt my knee out running on Hampstead Heath. I had to limp back home to where I was living at the time in East Finchley for a lie down on the sofa and a packet of frozen peas to reduce the swelling.

It's took me six years before I was able to run pain free again. Ever since that injury I've been very fastidious about my shoes. It was a bit of a revelation the first time I went to a running shop to have my stride analysed and a pair of shoes fitted. Now I wouldn't dream about getting a pair of trainers without one.

I believe my initial injury was partly caused by running in a pair of shoes that were well beyond their best. So I take seriously the advice that you shouldn't run further than 700 - 800km in any given pair before you throw them out.

As you can see my Mizuna's (middle pair) are now shot. My first pair of Brooks (on the left) are nearly done. I liked the Brooks so much that I've since bought two more pairs of the same shoe. My second pair (on the right) are entering their prime and I hope to run the Great Ocean Road marathon in them in less than four weeks time. I've got a shiny new pair waiting to be broken out any time soon.

I was quite surprised to total up that I've run one thousand seven hundred and sixty seven kilometres in the last year. Who'd have thought the gammy knee would have been able to manage that?

Sydney Fish Markets, Seafood School

The birthday festivities have started early this year with a trip to the Sydney Fish Markets Seafood School on Sunday to take their Seafood BBQ lesson. I hardly ever cook fish so it was great to get some hints and tips on what to do. Hopefully I'll be a bit more inspired going forward!

The four hour lesson started in a lecture theatre where we were given a demonstration on how to cook the five dishes that we would be tackling. The room was nicely decked out with four large TVs above the bench in case you weren't close enough to see what was happening on the chopping board.

Thai style squid salad

Our teacher was quite engaging and talked us clearly through each recipe. For someone reasonably unfamiliar with seafood it was good to get hints on what to look for when buying fish, which fish are in season and the best ways to cook them.

The best tip was how to de-vein a prawn without the need for butterflying it. The most random fact was how to tell the difference between a male and female mussel.

BBQ Garfish

After approximately an hour and a half of demonstrations we were led through to the kitchens. The kitchens were equally swish, with sweeping views of the trading floor and moody black walls. Divided into groups of five we were tasked with cooking all of the dishes we'd been shown before sitting down together to eat.

I thought it had been well planned with their being enough ingredients for us all to have a go at filleting and de-veining each fish. And what's the correct word for preparing a squid?

Yellowtail Kingfish

My only critique of the day would be that the cooking session was rather unstructured and one of the teachers floating round was pretty moody. We were left to our own devices quite a lot and I would have preferred if the teachers were around more to give us some hands on demonstrations / assistance at different points.

However, in all honesty the recipes were quite simple so we managed perfectly well on our own. And I didn't mind moody girl not being around and trying to sour the mood.

Blue mussels with garlic butter

After we'd cooked our lunch it was into the dining room to enjoy the food that we had prepared. Everything was very good. You could tell that we were eating top notch seafood, and even though I say so myself, we didn't cook it too badly either.

My favourite dishes were the prawns with charmoula (no photograph) and the BBQ garfish. The squid salad was also good, but I think I could zing it up with some more authentic Thai flavours that I learnt my Sailors Thai cookery lesson last year.

Restaurant Review: Marigold, Haymarket

Last Sunday I went for yum cha at Marigold. The place was buzzing with the weekend crowd and we had a fifteen minute wait before being seated. There may be white linen on the tables, but the silver service ends there. The grumpy men prowling the floor made it immediately obvious that you don't come for the service. Hopefully the food will be better!

It was great to go with a group of people as we were able to order a range of dishes. I'm all at sea during yum cha. It seems to me that you have to know what you want as there are no menus and the trolleys aren't very descriptive about what they contain. I find it easier to let everyone else do the ordering!

I decided a few years ago that I'd try anything, at least once. I don't go out of my way to order foods I think I won't like, but if I'm presented with them I'll give them a go. A dish I definitely wouldn't have ordered was the beef tripe in black bean sauce. However, I was surprised how tasty it was! The tripe had a bit of chew and the black bean sauce was good.

The overall standard of the yum cha was pretty good. A very enjoyable lunch.

Restaurant Review: Baffi and Mo, Redfern

One of the interesting things about moving country is that you approach everything with a fresh look. You can't buy your undies from M&S any longer, because they aren't sold over here. Ditto your favourite brand of breakfast cereal.

I've actually enjoyed comparing labels in the supermarket, trying a few different things and making my own decisions on what I like. It's interesting to contrast the decisions I make with those who have been here longer and subject to a lifetime of advertising. Or doing things they way they've always been done.

Most people seem to be pretty negative about the suburb of Redfern. Inspired by one of my favourite blogs I finally went to check it out for myself on Saturday. I found a suburb screaming of gentrification. Judging by the line of people waiting for a table outside Baffi and Mo, it isn't just me that has realised Redfern is on the move.

Luckily my breakfast companions had arrived a few minutes before me and already secured a table. The waitress seemed to want my order immediately so I quickly selected the Boston baked beans and sat back to catch up on the gossip. And take in the heady smells from the kitchen spiced with cumin and fennel.

When the beans arrived I was pleased with my impulse choice. A hearty portion of homemade baked beans was topped with a poached egg, half a chorizo and two sticks of sourdough. I was pleased to have the spice and smokiness of the chorizo to add an extra dimension to the beans. Which is my diplomatic way of saying I found the beans (only just) lacking in a bit of flavour.

The service was a bit erratic. However, it's hard not to like Baffi and Mo. The food is good and there is some of the same sense of fun that is also present at Revolver. Redfern is a suburb definitely on the move.

Jack Charles vs The Crown at the Belvoir Theatre

On Thursday night I went back to the excellent Belvoir Theatre. I've thoroughly enjoyed everything I've previously seen so had high hopes of Jack Charles v The Crown.

As with all of the plays I've seen at the Belvoir there was a very small cast. Just one in this case. The talented Jack Charles played himself. Showing that he is a potter, musician and a decent actor to boot. Jack was accompanied by an equally talented band who had a prominent position sitting on the stage.

I hadn't previously heard the story of Jack Charles and I'm not sure how many in the audience had. However, many of the themes of his life were consistent with the experiences of the 'Stolen Generation'. Removed from his family and placed in a home, where he was abused, during his childhood. As an adult he had dalliances with drugs and spells in prison before pottery became his salvation.

Unfortunately I didn't connect with the play. Perhaps it was my regular Thursday night tiredness (running disease) or the beer I had before the show? I didn't get on the emotional roller coaster or, I think, fully understand all the nuances story. I'm still a bit confused as to why the play is call "vs The Crown".

Speaking to a few people after the play I think there might have been a cultural divide going on. Born and bred Aussies have been brought up with more exposure to Aboriginal and white settler relations. They have a greater understanding of what is meant by the Stolen Generation. Where as those of us that have recently arrived in this fair land don't.

BRW Triathlon

Last Sunday I took part in the BRW Sprint Triathlon in Sydney. The chance to swim in the harbour under the shadow of the Opera house was just too good to turn down.

The course was generously measured as a 400m swim, 8km bicycle ride and a 4km run. I don't think the actual distances were anything like as far, but in a fun event it allows everyone to be flattered by their times!

I haven't done any serious swimming since I was eighteen years old so was a bit worried about the first leg. Before the day I'd done four training sessions in my local pool, but I was still a bit nervous treading water on the start line. Luckily the harbour wasn't too cold, but it was a lot murkier than the crystal clear pool I have been used to.

The swim felt like it took an eternity and I wasn't too excited about all of the splashing and nearly being kicked in the face. However, I kept on plugging away and although it felt like I exited the water near the back of the pack, I'm told I was comfortably in the mid field.

After the swim it was a long jog to get my bike. I quickly slipped on my shoes (I'd gone to the nerdy extend of buying some elastic laces to make it quicker) and pulled on my top before heading out of the transition zone with my bike. I was fearing that I'd have a lot of people over taking me on the cycle leg, but I was actually one of the quicker ones. The course was quite crowded and had a couple of sharp bends which made it tricky.

Back in the transition zone I couldn't find where to put my bike! I eventually worked out that someone else had stolen my rack! I shoved their bike out of the way and headed off on the run. I still had a horrible salty taste in my mouth from the swim so was grateful for the water station where I could try and rinse my mouth out. The run should be my strongest leg and I'm pleased to report that no one overtook me and I did quite a lot of passing of other people! I ran the supposed 4km run in just over 10mins. They either grossly exaggerated the distance or I just set a new world record!

One of the things I hadn't realised about the triathlon was all the hanging around there would be. We had to drop off our bikes before 7am. I had a three hour wait until my start time and then had to hang around until nearly midday before we were allowed to pick up our bikes again. I'm pleased it was a nice autumn day and we could hang out at the Opera Bar in the sunshine!

I was pleasantly surprised at my total overall time which saw me in the top fifteen per cent of finishers:
Swim Time: 0:06:52

Ride Time: 0:18:34

Run Time: 0:10:44

Total Time: 0:36:10

A fun day, but I don't think I've been bitten by the triathlon bug. There are some photos of me in my swim shorts from the day, but they're not something the blogosphere is ready for....

Happy birthday to my blog, I'm four!!!

It is my blog's birthday today. I can't believe that I've been writing for four years. That is a lot of nonsense that has been streamed out onto the internet!

I'm very grateful to all of you who stop by and read my musings. A special thanks to those that comment. It's a great feeling to know that I write something that prompts others to leave me a note.

With the notable exception of one good friend that inspired me to blog, the first three years felt like I was writing in isolation. Over the last year I've connected with other bloggers in a meaningful way. It's been fantastic to meet so many of the Sydney food community, several of whom I'm now honoured to call friends.

My top ten most read posts from the year were:
1. Restaurant Review: Fish & Co, Annandale - I was lucky enough to swing an invite to the pre-launch night of this new fish restaurant.
2. Cooking beer butt chicken - people love to search for Jamie Oliver recipes, especially when it involves sticking a beer can up the bum of a chicken.
3. Thai massage - the only post that has appeared in the top ten every year. Just proves that people really do search for smut on the internet.
4. Garmin Forerunner 110 Unboxing - people searching for reviews on the new(ish) Garmin GPS watch. And those looking to know how to use it indoors.
5. Nikon D3000 Unboxing - unboxing posts seem to be quite popular. Perhaps I should do more of them!
6. BBC iPlayer vs 4OD - a second regular in the top ten. A bit embarrassing really as it was a few notes scribbled down i a hurry, doesn't constitute a proper review and is now hopelessly out of date.
7. What does SOHO stand for? - answering people's questions.
8. Bangkok Fashion II: Eye enlarging contact lenses - a post about fashion from someone that knows nothing about fashion.
9. Cooking why didn't I think of that? - being linked to once by a mega food blogger can bring a surprising number of hit.
10. Cooking chicken and cannellini beans - another recipe proves popular.
 
The top three referrers of traffic were my friends Chocolate Suze, Blue Eyes and Almost Bourdin. I'm not quite sure how Suze sends me so much traffic, but I'm very grateful!

Restaurant Review: Menya Mappen, Sydney

I sometimes wonder if I could make my million by importing different food concepts to the UK.

Thailand's food courts or Singapore's hawker centres might be a little full on for London. However, Australia does a good line in westernised food courts. Then there was my ketchup idea. Now I have a new plan - the Japanese noodle shop.

Chatting to my friends in the know, these noodle shops are all the rage with Tokyo's business people. You arrive, pick up a tray, get some noodles and tempura canteen style, find a seat and then return your tray when you are done. The idea being it is a quick and cheap meal on the go. High turnover helps to keep prices down.

How did my first visit to Menya taste? Pretty good I thought.

 

I ordered the Ontama Bukkake Udon. Thick udon noodles, with a soft poached egg in a bukkake sauce. (I was quite surprised when I Googled bukkake, there seem to be alternate meanings out there!)

I picked up three pieces of tempura to go with my noodles. A seafood stick, sweet potato and chicken tempura. I often think sweet potato tempura is under cooked, but this one tasted pretty good. It was a big serving of chicken for the money.

It was excellent value at everything for under $10.

Would it work in the UK? Probably not is the answer. It only just works as a concept in Sydney's China town.

Nowhere else in the world has the Japanese sense of order. High turnover and an element of self service help keep costs down. Sydneysiders aren't quite as efficient. There are a few signs around asking you not to hog tables and telling you how things work. Perhaps it will take off once the masses are educated.

Even if it won't make me a million I do like knowing that there are cheap and tasty eateries on my doorstep with long opening hours.

It's marathon time (again)!

The curious amongst you may have wondered why I was buying trainers from the US recently. Or perhaps you've seen some of my running based tweets?

The Sydney marathon last year wasn't enough to put me off running so I've decided to run the Great Ocean Road marathon on 15th May. I must be nuts!

Last weekend I did my longest training run so far, thirty five kilometers from the city to Bronte, Watsons Bay and then back again. It was absolutely glorious to run along the coast. I haven't walked the stretch between Bondi and Watson Bay before and it has some stunning scenery.

Training has been going ok so far. The program is a lot more intense than my last one as I try to improve my speed. There was a much needed trip to the physio on Monday where I had acupuncture for the first time to relieve the knots in my leg muscles.