Mousaka in all its glory

So after a cultural day of sightseeing and analysing ancient Greek lifestyles, I set off to find a place to eat. Nafplio, was well equipped for this with many restaurants on offer. I was so looking forward to eat a mini feast and indulge in a lot of "traditional" foods. I wanted to be transported to epicurean heaven. I found a place near the water's edge and ordered a few too many dishes and consumed them with hungry abandon! As usual, lots of bread arrived to accompany my choices. The menus were in Greek, English and German. I was really hanging out for mousaka. Even though the weather dial was slightly above average, I wanted to try this and see how its represented in modern day Greece. Mmmmm...perfect. Creamy bechamel sauce on top, covering a layer of fried eggplant, zucchini and potatoes. And let's not forget the mince meat with its slight aroma of cinammon.


Fried banana chillies

The dishes come out in no particular order. I was happy to pick a little here and there. The banana chillies were fried to a delightful crispness. Not too soggy and went well with the bread. I adore banana chillies! They are sweet and not spicy hot at all.


"Skordalia"...aka garlic mashed potato dip

The skordalia was next. This dish is usually served with fried "bacalao" or dried cod fish. Or sometimes its served with boiled wild greens. It's a blend of garlic cloves, mashed potatoes, sometimes bread and olive oil. I smothered mine hungrily on the bread. There are a few variations on this dish and each region tends to add or omit certain things.


Marinated octopus

Marinated octopus is another favourite. It lived up to all its expectations. "Htapodi Xidato" (try saying that a few times) as its known, is featured heavily in many seaside restaurants. Freshly caught octopus is tenderised and left out to dry. It is then boiled and left to "cook" in a mixture of olive oil, vinegar and oregano. It's during this process that it becomes soft, moist and oh so tender. Usually served in a tapas style serve or "meze" with pre dinner drinks. Dipping of the bread in the juices is compulsory!


Fried eggplant slices


"Yemista" or stuffed tomatoes and peppers

Let's not forget the vegetables. They play a huge part in the Mediterranean diet. And the Greeks have their own unique way of cooking and serving them. I mean how simple are fried eggplant slices. I've often ranted on about how the simple things are often the best ones to cook and the most tasty. And these were no exception. Simply slice your eggplant and salt it to remove the bitterness. Dip into some flour and fry in olive oil. The exterior has a nice crispness to it and the insides are warm and soft. I also couldn't go by the "yemista". I've also had them here, if you've dared to read that far back! Basically translated as stuffed vegetables, the "yemista" are also featured on a lot of traditional eateries' menus. Mince meat and rice are stuffed into hollowed out tomatoes and peppers, with a mixture of dill and parsley. They are then baked in the oven with olive oil and sometimes potatoes. Again, the accompanying juices are fantastic to dip bread in.


Grilled sardines

And last but not least I ordered a bit of seafood. Our waiter kindly explained that they had a great morning catch and the chef would prepare them for us, simply grilled. I was a bit hesitant when he mentioned sardines. All those childhood memories of icky canned sardines came rushing back! But this was a whole different kettle of fish, so to speak. The sardines were simply grilled and then doused with extra virgin olive oil and lots of lemon juice. They were not "fishy" at all. They were tender and soft and the flavours blended well. And they were definetly fresh. A great end to a very satisfying meal. I had indulged in so many foods that were so satisfying I couldn't move! It wasn't expensive either. All of the above, plus a few beers and water came to 50 Euro. (I can only imagine the peak summer prices though). All in all, a fantastic intro to greek foods and eating.

Kali orexi! (bon apettite!)

Pete

Tags:Greece

My favourite Thai restaurant

As you may have read previously, Thai food is an absolute favourite of mine. It's a cuisine which manages to blend all senses of the food spectrum and make it succeed. Having been spoilt over the years with my many trips to Bangkok, I held a particular snobbery to Thai food here in Australia. I always found the local Aussie version of Thai food to be too sweet and devoid of any character. Well wouldn't you know it. I discovered a place recently that transports me to Bangkok with every morsel off the menu.

Located in the CBD end of Surry Hills is SPICE I AM. (Don't you just love that play on words!!!). It's a smallish place and it has received rave reviews here in Sydney for its original presentation of Thai cuisine. Sujet and his very capable team pack them in every night. Start queing at 6 pm if you want to be sure of a seat. None of the dishes disappoint. All the favourites are there including a number of specials every night. Join me on another photo journey of beautifully created food.


Vegetarian Spring rolls

Crispy spring roll pastry encasing a medley of vegetables. All perfectly cooked. served with a sweet Chilli dipping sauce.


Thai Fried Rice with Beef

My absolute favourite dish ever. Thai style fried rice. I had mine with beef. This dish is a staple of mine in Thailand. Presented with freshly cut limes and cooling cucumbers, I also add lashing of fish sauce with chilli or Prik Nam Plah as its known in Thailand.



Som Tum Salad

When I saw the Som Tum on the menu I was nearly emotional. This is another classic Thai food found almost anywhere. Grated green papaya mixed with peanuts, tomatoes, chillis, lime juice, dried shrimp and fish sauce. It was true to its origins and tasted exactly like the one in Bangkok. Mmmmm....


Baby Kai lan with oyster sauce

In order to balance out our eating we also ordered the baby Kai lan stirfried with oyster sauce, chilli and garlic.


Garlic Prawns

A Thai inspired dish of stir fried prawns with garlic and chilli. Spicy and mooreish. It was ravenously consumed. This was a featured special that evening.


Basil and Chilli Chicken

Another avourite. Chicken stirfried with basil and chilli. Succulent, moist, sweet, pungent, sour..all thesenses were being awakened. Man this stuff is good. All our dishes were accompanied with steamed Jasmine rice.


Fish sauce with chilli

I just had to feature my favourite Thai condiment. This stuff goes on just about most things I eat with Thai food. I love it. I love the way its presented here at Spice I am.

If you live in Sydney or if you plan on visiting here do yourself a favour and check it out. The best Thai food ever. Ever.

SPICE I AM
90 Wentworth Avenue
Surry Hills
Sydney 2010

Tags:restaurants Thai Sydney

You know you want it...

Mmmmm...fresh steamed dumplings ready to be devoured! Nothing beats Yum cha for that traditional Cantonese dining experience. There is so much going on! The fast paced action of the dining room floor. Trolleys being pushed to and fro. Everyone trying to decide on what to order. Bamboo baskets exchanged. Its a hectic environment but I find every bit of it enjoyable. And like most places in the world with a Chinatown, we here in Sydney are spoilt for choice. So off we went to Zilver in Chinatown ready for a midday treat of Yum Cha. It was just after 12 and the place was pumping. There was one table left and we snatched it before you could say "fried rice". So join me on this photo journey of Chinese delights. I hope your mouth waters...


Traditional steamed pork dim sum


Salt and Pepper Whitebait


Steamed prawn dumplings



Good ol' spring rolls


Golden fried prawn dumplings


Peking Duck


Stir fried beans


Washed down with jasmine tea



Only one dumpling left

As you can see we devoured a fair few items. It was all delicious. Yum cha is still a traditional Sunday gathering for a lot of people. I'm just glad they now offer it at all times of the week. Just make sure you get there early.

Zilver (formerly known as Silver Spring)
Level 1, 477 Pitt Street (Cnr Hay St)
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9211 2232
Fax (02) 9211 5670

Tags:restaurants Chinese yumcha

In a very quiet neigbourhood, in the Sydney suburb of Enmore you will find some of the best Lebanese food on the planet. A true "temple of tabouli". This little restaurant packs them in and there are a lot of people that want to eat here. In fact, you get to choose which sitting you want when you book. (I would not risk just showing up!). Its either 6.30 or 8.30 pm. A big long communal table sits right in the centre of the restaurant with a few smaller tables surrounding it. The decorations are tasteful with a very nice colour scheme.

I love Middle Eastern food. It is a region very close to Greece and there are many similarities with both the cuisines. I tend to find though, that a lot of Lebanese food here in Sydney has a certain bland "sameness" about it. Emmas definetly changes all that. I was begging for more after each bite and morsel. It was fresh and it felt like I was eating at someone's house as opposed to a restaurant. I cannot rave about it enough. There were 20 of us and we did the share option. There was so much food and it came to about $30 a head and that included a tip. (the staff deserve it) So let me lead you on a photogenic journey of tempting tabouli and luscious lady fingers!



First up, fresh warm Lebanese bread ready to dip in olive oil and zatar. Zatar is a zesty herb mixture that is used very much in the Middle Eastern region. There are a number of variations of this as there ways to spell the word!!! It contains toasted white sesame seeds, thyme, salt and ground sumac. How simple. Cut flatbread. Dip in oil, dip in zatar and eat.



Next up in our feast, ladyfingers and a fried lebanese bread chicken wrap. Delicious. The lady fingers were crisp with a perfect hint of pomegranite molasses. Not a hint of oiliness anywhere. The fried wraps were crunchy and filled with tender chicken pieces accompanied by a yogurt dip. They were garnished with freshly sliced red onions and sprinkled with paprika.



The dips arrived but I was only quick enough to snap the baba ghanoush. This was creamy and smokey with the right amount of garlic and tahini. This was followed by lamb mince on skewers. These were a tad dry but still moreish. They were drizzled with yogurt and garnished with fresh beetroot.



And finally we were brought some fried halloumi. Aaahh! another comfort food here at Souvlaki For The Soul. As you can see from a previous post here. It was garnished with fresh chopped flat leaf parsley and fresh lemon wedges.
After such a merry feast we could eat no more. Many desserts were on offer and from what I could see on the black board menu there were many favourites including that Middle Eastern specialty baklava. There was also an interesting take on Lebanese coffee with the added flavour of cardamon. Great food (actually the best I'd had in a long time), great prices and a fantastic modern take on Lebanese food. Go check it out for yourself.

Tags:restaurants Lebanese

Welcome back to me I say. I've been absent for a while as I had lots going on. I am back though with a whole lot of new information. First port of call in my travels is San Francisco. An absolutely amazing place and truly the culinary capital of America. In terms of food it has a lot to offer. I mean, for example, when you think of sourdough you think San Francisco. It's the best tasting bread and no one does it better. Apart from food, San Francisco has a great cultural scene and a lot of political and social history attatched to it. When I was there recently I heard someone say "San Francisco is the birth place of counter culture". I'll be posting a number of entries in the future about this place and its many gourmet eating establishments.

The one place on my to do list was Cafe Zuni. A restaurant with its own history and its very famous roast chicken signature dish. I had heard so much about this dish. I did not want to miss out. My colleague Louise had smartly made a reservation and asked me to join her. So we made our way over to Market St on a windy Sunday evening. (when isn't it windy there??!!!). The restaurant has huge glass windows facing the street, lots of exposed brick and a labyrinth of mini dining rooms in the upstairs area. My initial impression is "homey industrial" .



We started with fresh sourdough bread and butter. Delicious, scrumptious and very tasty. Louise ordered crostini with a fava bean puree and split peas and I ordered the salad made with frisee lettuce, avocado and grapefruit. It was the best sweet and sour experience I'd had in a long time.




As this medley of photos prove we indulged in the famous Cafe Zuni Roast Chicken. I hate to use cliches but yes, succulent and moist definetly come to mind. The chicken comes to our table all chopped. It sits on pieces of wood fired baked sourdough, tossed with pine nuts and baby red mustard greens. The dressing on the base salad ingredients is a champagne vinigarette. Its almost a salad but not. Its a meal in itself and its highly recommended that two people enjoy it. I cannot begin to describe what an amzing time my taste buds are having. Our very friendly and knowledgeable waitress explains the Zuni chicken secret. The chickens are sourced form a place north of San Francisco called Fulton. They are free range and are fed an organic diet. In the preparation process for this dish, the chickens are tenderised through a salt curing process, for approximately 24 hours (they are covered in saran wrap during this time). Apparently this is what makes them so tender. Hmmm...must try this at home. We finished our meal with some aniseed biscotti and a double espresso.

You must visit Cafe Zuni when you head to San Francisco. All those things you hear about it are true. Great value, good service and fantastic delicious food. Will certainly head back again.

CAFE ZUNI
1658 MARKET ST
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94102
PH: (415) 552 2522

Tags:restaurants San Francisco

Continuing with restauarant reviews, my mate Steven and I ventured out to Darlinghurst the other night to try some Japanese food. Him being the good friend, took me out for my birthday. We tried Zushi located in Victoria St, opposite that other Sydney institution Unas.

The vibe here is cool and I'm not talking about the weather. This strip of Victoria St is filled with eateries from every corner of the globe. With the humidity hitting somewhere near the uncomfortable 98% mark, it seemed that every Sydneysider wanted to escape their miniature apartments and get gastronomical.

The staff here are extremely friendly and very welcoming. The menu reads of a who's who of Sushi and Sashimi. All the Japanese favourites are there including tempura and teriyaki. However, the menu is a little more creative than that reflecting a creative culinary team. You will find things like Zushi Spider Roll - an inside-out roll of soft-shell crab tempura with cucumber, topped with avocado slices and wasabi mayonnaise and Bonito Sashimi - seared slices of fresh bonito served on sliced onions with a ponzu dressing and John Dory Sashimi -  thinly sliced John Dory with a chilli ponzu dipping sauce!!! See what I mean...very creative indeed and it gets away with it quite nicely!



We started with endamame and gyoza. The endamame were steamed to perfection and seasoned just right. The gyoza were quite crunchy and came with a chilli hit. This was washed down with a grapefruit and sake cocktail. Delicious and delightful indeed.


Instead of gorging our selves to the size of sumo wrestlers we opted for a "little bit of this and that" with drinks. We chose the Kingfish nigiri, the california rolls with Spicy Tuna and some good ol' chicken teriyaki. Again I could not fault any of it. Delicious and made to perfection. I mean who needs to go to Tokyo when you have this at your doorstep.

This place fills fast and the atmosphere is quite eclectic. Lots of people walking up and down this part of the Sydney metropolis dropping in for a bite or two. Zushi even has a happy hour everyday between 6-7 and all sushi and sashimi is half price for the duration of happy hour. Hmmm...I need a new local to visit...

ZUSHI - Sushi + Sashimi Bar 239 Victoria Street Darlinghurst NSWMonday - Friday Lunch + Dinner Saturday - Sunday Dinner onlyLicensed (BYO wine only) Dine-in or Takeaway

Tags:restaurants Japanese

Yours truly turned 37 yesterday. It was a great day overall. I spent the best part of it doing what comes naturally to me. Eating!!! And what a place to indulge in. The north stretch of the iconic Bondi coast, right here in Sydney. A beautiful Italian restaurant opened there last year, serving everyday Italian food, without the pretence associated with modern eateries. The name of the place says it all...North Bondi Italian Food

Italian Food served in Bondi Beach. The views in this place have to be seen to be believed. With a beautiful outdoor decking facing Australia's most famous beach the scene was set to EAT. My dear readers, bear with me. Its my first restaurant review and I'm a little nervous. So here goes...

Fratelli Fresh extra virgin olive oil, accompanied with chargrilled sourdough chilli bread...scrumptious!!!


Crumbed lamb Brains served with lemon and aioli. Interesting but to be honest offal isn't my thing so I avoided this. A 2 year old Parmesan cheese and an Asiago Presato cheese served with fennel biscotti...delish. Warm Mortadella. This was my favourite. It was reminiscent of my childhood school sandwiches but taken up to the next level. An adult level. A sexy adult level!!! We also indulged in a dish of "4 salamis"...they included Calabrese, Soppresso, Salamini and Casalinga. All beautiful cured Italian meats. Served with simpicity. Nothing else. Nada. It was one of the best starters to a meal in a long time.

After a quick break on the beautiful verandah. It was time for these four little piggies to get down to the mains. I had the chargrilled Marlin fish coated in herb crumbs and served with a witlof, green olive, radicchio and orange salad. I'd never tried marlin before. It was similar to tuna and it was served rare. It was a perfect marriage of ingredients and flavours. Bravo!! Mark indulged in the "80's calssic" (shoulder pads not included) of baked veal scallopine served with duxelle mushrooms, smoked ham and Fontina cheese. Aaaahhhh!!!! the classics never die, they just keep on getting better.

Tony enjoyed the Angus Rib eye served with Rocket, green peppercorns, chilli and spring onions. Salvatore wolfed down the Pappardelle with slowb raised wild boar and Parmesan. Both these Italian boys enjoyed a little taste of their homeland on their plates. Salvatore especially who found nothing on his plate a bore!!! We also shared a borlotti bean salad and a basic Italian salad of butter lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. (sorry no photos!!!)

We ended our fantastic food fantasy with espresso. It truly was an amazing feast. Simple, beautiful food in a beautiful environment. At $75 a head, including tip, we had eaten a fair bit of food. Great service with knowledgeable staff, it was worth it. Happy Birthday to me....Happy birthday to me...

NORTH BONDI ITALIAN FOOD
118-120 RAMSGATE AVENUE
NORTH BONDI
(Right below the North Bondi RSL)
Tel: (02) 9300-4400

Tags:restaurants Italian