South East Asia Food Safari

Having just returned from a 3 week jaunt around Malaysia and Singapore, I thought it fitting to pay homage to some of the great food we discovered along the way - and reminisce about the old favourites that we loyally return to every trip.

So, watch this site for more updates in the forthcoming weeks.
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Happy New Year 2012!

Dear Readers,

Wishing you a Happy and Blessed 2012!  May this year be filled with joy, love and good health!  Looking forward to share more food adventures with all of you.


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The Pancake Manor - Garden City

Having visited the ‘Pancake Manor’ in Brisbane city a couple of times and having come away greatly disappointed on each occasion, we were somewhat surprised when another Pancake Manor sprung up in Garden City on the south side of Brisbane.

A lover of all things sweet, I couldn’t help but satisfy my curiosity by paying the new establishment a visit. Following a couple of failed attempts (you need to book) we made our way to the Pancake Manor one morning for brunch.

The wait-staff were pleasant enough but for the most part seemed to be fairly inexperienced and it took a while to get seated. There were only two of us so one ordered a sweet pancake whilst the other ordered a savoury crepe - both to share.

We had to wait quite a while again for our food to arrive (surprising since it’s all premixed) and when it finally did, we were somewhat perplexed at overall presentation of the meals.

We ordered:

• Mexican beef crepe with spicy beef, sour cream and tomato salsa served with a side salad

• Black Forest Cherry (Two chocolate pancakes served with cherries, in cherry brandy sauce, choc ice cream, cream and choc chips

The meals are reasonably expensive (circa $15 - $20) for pancakes and crepes but that’s forgivable if the quality is there. Sadly, based on our experience, this is not the case.

The crepe had very little filling and overall looked quite flat and unappealing. The meat sauce was tasty but was akin to something that had come straight out of a bottle.

In contrast the pancakes were quite large and one in particular was very thick. Whilst the taste of the pancake was quite enjoyable, the thicker sections were very heavy and gave us the sensation that we were just chewing on flour and water (which of course we were!) rather than a delicious stack of chocolate pancakes.

I know others that swear by Pancake Manor as one of their favourites but for us - 3 strikes and you’re out - next time we have a hankering for pancakes/crepes we’ll either fire up the grill at home or go elsewhere.


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Brents - The Dining Experience

With a name like “Brents The Dining Experience” you may be justified in expecting to be greeted by a pretentious over-the-top waiter who sneers at your menu choices. However, what Brents brings to the table is something very different.

We discovered Brents a few years ago quite by accident, when looking for somewhere new to dine. The restaurant is inconspicuously nested amongst a residential area in Toowong, Brisbane and the restaurant’s setting, like its surroundings, are the heart of simplicity itself.

But whilst the setting may be simple, the food carries a depth of flavour and sophistication the likes of which we have struggled to find elsewhere. Tempted by the degustation menu, we strayed from the path and decided to create a small banquet of our own.

The waitress (friendly and confident) took our orders and shortly returned to set our table from scratch based on what we’d ordered - a nice touch compared to others which simply remove redundant cutlery.

She returned shortly after with a surprise Amuse Bouche - a small glass containing fresh salmon, thinly sliced, with a chive crème fraiche and thin wafer biscuit. The salmon was delicious and the balance of flavours just right, a wonderful start to the evening.

Next came our appetisers, “wild mushroom cappuccino with truffle oil and ibèrico crumbs”. The mushroom soup was smooth and flavoursome and was complemented well by the accompaniments; all served in the cutest little cappuccino mug we’ve ever seen.

Following on, our entrees arrived -

• Blue swimmer crab, green apple granita, chive crème fraiche & baby herb

• Red claw yabby, citrus cured salmon, nasturtium, mandarin jam, melon & lemon oil

The blue swimmer crab was the definite winner of these entrees, stylishly served in a fishbowl, with an abundance of crab meat and supporting ingredients bringing out the full flavours of this dish. The red claw yabby with citrus cured salmon was also a lovely dish, but perhaps a little on the small side.

In preparation for the main course, out came the palette cleansers -

• Rockmelon, ginger & chilli

• Roasted pineapple & mint soda

Both worthy options, one of us preferred the rockmelon (a sorbet) whilst the other much preferred the soda, served in a retro but charming little flask.

Palettes now cleansed, it was time for the main course!

Mains:

• Slow cooked eye fillet & braised neck, mustard & herb crumb, parsnip & red wine jus

• Pork belly & cider glazed jowl, boudin noir, apple & basil sorbet, cinnamon jus

Sides:

• Duck fat potatoes, truffle cream & parmesan

• Radish stems, blue cheese, candied walnuts, compressed pear & aged balsamic

The mains were both lovely but the eye fillet (cooked 3 ways) stole the show through a combination of flavours and textures that made this dish complete. The pork belly was perhaps a little more cooked that we had expected but due to the flavour and accompaniments, completely forgivable.

The duck fat potatoes CANNOT BE MISSED. Based on experience, it would be a crime to visit Brents without experiencing the pure unadulterated joy of their duck fat potatoes with truffle cream.

With barely an inch of room in our stomachs (or belts) we embarked upon the final adventure for the evening - the mysteriously named ‘black forest floor’. This dessert was a lovely end to a lovely meal and was essentially a deconstructed black forest cake with some creative elements such as toadstools made from soft cherry meringue and chocolate logs.

Throughout the evening the waitress delivered a helpful narrative for each dish, including how the chef recommended it be eaten. Water glasses were regularly filled without need of asking and sufficient privacy given to keep the romance alive.

Brents “The Dining Experience” lived up to its name once again and endures as being in a class of its own. We will be back and recommend you take the journey as well next time you’re looking for some finer faire.


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Wagaya

Continuing on our quest to try new Japanese Restaurants in town, we ventured to Wagaya in the Valley. We had heard raving reviews about Wagaya, mainly centred on the new electronic ordering system. Being technology nerds, we decided to check it out for ourselves.

The touch screen ordering system is very impressive. Choose a dish, hit order, confirm, wait a few minutes and the food is delivered to your table. No kidding, that is how fast their service is! Of course, this presents a tendency to go overboard with your order, but the order history list will set you back on track. :)

We mainly ordered dishes to share, starting with Renkon chips (Deep Fried Lotus Roots with Spicy Salt), Takoyaki gratin (Octopus balls with Cheese topping) and Deep Fried Chicken Karaage. The Renkon chips were my favourite - addictively crispy and tasty. Takoyaki gratin was a surprisingly good combination of octopus balls with cheese. The deep fried chicken karaage was just mediocre; nothing spectacular.

Renkon Chips ($6.50)

Takoyaki Gratin ($7.30)

Deep Fried Chicken Karaage ($7.90)

We went on to order more dishes, but sadly it was downhill from here. :( Based on my experience, I would suggest staying away from the grilled dished unless you like overcooked, chewy meat. The Pork Skewer and Chicken Yakitori were both overcooked. Even the scallop (usually my favourite) was utterly disappointing, chewy and rubbery. What a waste of good seafood! The only saving grace for all 3 dishes was the tasty sauce.

Pork Skewer ($6.90)

Chicken Yakitori ($6.50)

Hotate Kushiyaki ($9.30)

Before we realised it, we had spent too much and were still left hungry. We decided to order a noodle dish to fill us up. Double thumbs up for Tantan Ramen. Spicy pork mince noodle soup - best dish of the night!

Tantan Ramen ($10.50)

We enjoyed the atmosphere but weren’t overly excited about the food. In saying that, I wouldn’t mind going back again to try their other dishes.


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