Ashgrove Farm Traditional Cloth Matured Cheddar

Taste

This signature cheese from Ashgrove Farm is very labour intensive, requiring constant rubbing and turning, and has won a string of awards, including a gold medal and named Champion Cheddar of the 2002 Royal Hobart Show.

For all of that, I found it quite easy to melt, but it is a bit salty to be used as just an eating cheese. It tastes nice in a melt but I wouldn't eat it as is. The texture is quite hard and not crumbly, it doesn't quite melt in the mouth. There is a hint, but only very slight, of nuttiness to it. The cloth does give it a different flavour which I quite like.

Rating - 6.5

Look

Beautiful in its cloth bound ashy outer layer, I'm afraid it's a case of looks over function. All Ashgrove farm cheese are usually sold vacuum sealed instead of cut from the wheels.

Rating - 2

C-factor

$26/kg from the factory, it's their most expensive product, one I think is not really worth the money.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 8.5

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Maisys Cafe

Taste

After our dinner at Totoya, we stopped here for dessert since the gelato shop was already closed. I sampled the iced coffee ($4.50), which is served with a dash of cream. It wasn't too icy and wasn't sweetened so you can mix it with the cream. The coffee itself is slightly bitter and watery. The problem was that the place was freezing that I didn't feel like drinking anything cold at all.

Rating - 5

Look

Maisys is a 24 hour cafe, so at times when other shops are closed, you'll find it packed with people on a late night food haunt. It's a split level fitout, with seating downstairs, a kitchen upstairs, and an alcove on the split in between. We sat in the alcove as the downstairs and outside tables were all full. As mentioned before, they had the air-con on full blast, and when we asked the waiter to turn it down, he said he didn't have the remote. What a stupid answer. Someone must be able to turn that thing on and off, I don't believe they get the air-con run all the time right? (or maybe they do since the place is never closed). There are only about 6 or so tables in the alcove. It's a much more secluded spot. One advantage of sitting there is you get to watch the kitchen send down all their food via a dumb waiter. It seemed a bit dangerous sitting where we were, as they pull and lower this thing at lightning speed.

We didn't order any desserts but apparently they are the highlight of the whole menu. They certainly looked appealing. The rest of the menu is supposed to be pretty bad. I don't think I need to come back to find out.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

The prices are quite expensive for coffee. For other food the portions are supposed to be very small for what you pay.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 6.5

Available At

Shop 1,164 Military Rd
Neutral Bay
NSW 2089
Phone (02) 9908 4030

Totoya Japanese Restaurant

We were off to another birthday party, and another Japanese in Neutral Bay in 2 weeks.

Food

This is the favourite haunt of a few in the party, so we let them do the ordering. We started off with some skewers (yakimono) since we've been smelling them from the kitchen.

• chicken skewers with chilli roe - the chicken was a bit bland but the chilli roe was interesting, salty and hot, I think it's more a novelty than a culinary breakthrough
• pork skewers - well done, with a subtle sauce and the fat still on the meat, adding flavour
• chicken and shallots skewers - again bland chicken, a little tough too, the sauce a bit too strong and overpowering.

Our other entrees were:

• beef tatarki - beautiful slices of meat marinated in a fresh citrus sauce, but it was covered in shallots and onions, not a good date dish ;p
• deep fried oyster - I still don't see the appeal of frying oysters when you should have then au naturel! The batter was a bit thick and the sauce a bit too strong, masking the natural flavour of the oysters
• soft shell crab - which were meant to be the highlight on the menu, was good, but the size of it is quite small, meaning you are eating more batter than crab. This was done better at Kansai.
• agedashi tofu - again, the batter a bit thick and the tofu was very firm, but the sauce, laden with bonito flakes, was quite good.

By that time we were quite full, and our mains hadn't arrived yet! Never fear, when they did, they looked and smelled so good we found room for some more:

• grilled eel on rice - one of my all time favourite dishes. Soft pieces of eel laid on top of a bed of rice, all coated in a divine sauce. I just can't figure out why there are a bucketload of shallots and wasabi! in the bowl. It was certainly entertaining watching people accidentally swallowing chunks of wasabi...
• gyoza - pleasant enough with a good filling, the skin was ok but not the best
• sushi and sashimi boat ($25) - presented beautifully but arriving last meant that we were struggling to finish it. The sashimi slices were thick, fatty and fresh. The nigiri were good, with a perfect slice of fish on top of some ok rice. The maki and rolls were ok, but a bit tasteless, and the rice a bit hard. There were also pieces of eggs presented, which were sweet..

We washed all that down with some green tea, which was the proper stuff and tasted great.

Rating - 6

Atmosphere

Totoya is situated inside a shopping centre, so it's a bit hard to find. The decor is somewhat dated and very simple, Our tables were loosely banged together. There's a fish tank with some pretty tropical fish in the entrance, other than that, nothing special.

You don't come here for the decor though, as the restaurant bean filling up. Mainly families, some celebrating Chinese New Year. It's not somewhere to go if you want an intimate dinner for two, but for simple, honest food, it seems quite popular.

Rating - 1.5

Service

The service was...ok. They were a bit slow removing our dishes and clearing the table. We had to ask them to refill the teapot. But it's a cheap kind of place, so we didn't expect too much. According to the regulars though, they often get orders wrong so we actually kept tabs on what we ordered.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

$30.20 per person for our feast. We were all full by the end of it. There are so many Jap restaurants at Neutral Bay you know you won't get rip offed, and these prices are certainly fair. It's just that you can eat better and for cheaper at Kansai.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 10.5

Info

The Grove, Shop 13
166-174 Military Road
Neutral Bay
NSW 2089
Phone (02) 9908 7045

Serigo Espresso Coffee

Taste

My cappuccino ($3.50)is a bit more bitter than I am used to, but it's definitely strong! They use LavAzza beans which explains their bitterness. The cap was served in the proper cup with a heavy hand with the cocoa powder. The coffee wasn't too hot. Since this is now my new local I am getting used to the taste.

Yes I am usually a cappuccino drinker but I also tried the iced frappe ($4), which surprisingly was a shot of coffee, milk and ice, with no sugar. I actually quite like it, even if it does taste like drinking cold coffee...

Rating - 6.5

Look

Yet another cafe situated in the plaza of an officer tower. This one is actually quite big inside, with booths and a large selection of reading material. They have outside seating, which is only great if you don't want to talk, as the construction site across the road as well as the traffic makes conversation virtually impossible.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

It's pricey, especially the frappe, which is served in a very small glass.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 8

Available At

101 York Street
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9279 3050

Bar Biscotti Coffee

Taste

They have committed the ultimate sin, inconsistency. We ordered 2 cappuccinos, and even when made by the same person (the girl), one was much better than the other! The one that was well made was not too hot and was smooth, the other one, hot and bitter! They use Caffe Molinari beans which I quite like. I've had coffees made by the guy there before, and he is quite good, so, I might give this place another shot, as long as the girl is not making the coffees.

Rating - 5

Look

Another one of those to fit the mould of the typical cafe. White tables and chairs, with a modern fitout. They have displays of cakes and biscuits, lots of newspapers and magazines, and Al-fresco dining.

Rating - 2

C-factor

The prices sure beats the city. $2.50 for a small sized coffee is pretty good. Just make sure you get served by the guy.

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 8.5

Available At

24 George Street
North Strathfield
NSW
Phone (02) 9746 7333
Website

Chrysler Coffee

Taste

I've only ever been to the branch of this chain that's in Martin Place. I always thought their coffee is pretty average. It's usually not bitter but I always found it's a bit watery. I would put it as slightly above average. They have their own blend of Columbian and Brazilian Arabicas bean. One good thing though is that I find they are usually pretty consistent.

Rating - 6.5

Look

Chrysler is all dark chrome and moody. I really like their staff uniform and their lettering. Their coffees? They don't do latte art but it's quite nice. The chain at Martin Place has mostly outdoor seating (but undercover) which can get quite cold on a windy day.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

The standard price around this side of the city. $3.30 for a standard sized coffee.

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 9.5

Available At

60 Martin Place
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9232 2355
Website

Bond Cafe Coffee

Taste

I have been going here for awhile since it's my development coach's favourite hangout. They use Allpress beans which is not quite as bitter as Segafredo, but the quality of their coffee is quite varied. The cappuccino is usually served hot and in the right hand, is smooth and creamy, but in the wrong hand...And we all know that consistency is very important for this product.

Rating - 7.5

Look

I've described the look of this place before...

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

$3.50 for standard sit-down and $3 for take-away. Ok for the city.

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 9.5

Available At

111 Phillip St
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9223 9332
Website

Coffee Club Burwood

I've had their coffees before, but I'd always been fascinated by their displays of cake, so we gave them a road test.

Food

We chose the New York Baked Cheesecake ($5.20), which is always a good choice to test cheesecake skills. I thought it was better than average. The base was quite firm and the cheese sweet, with a hint of lemon, but I thought it didn't taste that fresh, the edges of the cake was starting to harden. There's a dollop of cream on top and sweet chocolate to finish it off. The Cookie & Cream Cheesecake ($5.20) is more of a novelty. The base is thicker than the New York Baked, and is of course made from Oreos! The cake itself does not have much cheese taste but is more like a Cookies and Cream ice-cream. There's a good ratio between the cookies & the cream, and the little Oreo in top is yum!

Slokky ordered another Cappuccino ($3.10), made from their own "The Coffee Club designer blend", which incidentally tastes better than the one on the Gold Coast. I decided to try something different and went for the Chai Latte ($3.30). I have had some pretty decent Chai Latte before, but unfortunately this is not one of them. It was sickingingly sweet, and instead of a complex blend of fragrant spices to enhance the tea, all I can taste is cinnamon.

Rating - 5.5

Atmosphere

Yup, this one is in a shopping centre. We actually sat on a table right next to a set of escalators. It's kinda weird but kinda has its charms. All Coffee Clubs look the same, with dark wood and black the colour schemes. Their most attractive feature is their excellent display of daily cakes and savouries, which always draw me in to have a peak.

Our cakes look adorable, glossy and decorated with chocolate bits and Oreos. Too bad they were served in plastic containers with plastic forks as they were cleaning up.

Rating - 1.5

Service

We went to ask the girl what time they closed, a simple question we thought. She went on about all these other things irrelevant to the question, like the kitchen was closed but you can have coffee...etc before we finally got an answer out of her. She also couldn't handle our order request very well. In terms of service, well, you pay first, take a number, and they deliver your food, so really, it's not that difficult. Like I mentioned before, we had to eat off plastic takeaway containers and drink from takeaway cups... but the cakes still look cute!

Rating - 2

C-factor

I don't go out for cakes that often, preferring to make my own. I feel that $5.20 is a lot for a piece of cake, considering you can prob buy a whole cake for about $30 max. I am surprised that they don't have some coffee and cake deal going on though.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 9.5

Info

K23 Westfield Burwood
100 Burwood Rd
Burwood
NSW 2134
Phone (02) 9715 3844
Website

Sun Ming Coffee Lounge

This place has been a franchises in the Asian belts of Hurstville and Parramatta forever. I used to frequent the one in Hurstville quite a bit, as it was "the place" to hang out. Let me say before I review that Asian coffee lounges is not one of my favourite style of restaurants, but for those who haven't had the experience before, it's definitely worth checking one out to see how Asians interpret "gwo luo" food.

Food

We decided to order one Coffee Lounge favourite, Portuguese baked chicken rice ($10.40) with scallops and tomatoes and one special BBQ duck noodles ($8.90). Before we dug in, the complementary soup arrived. I actually didn't expect that especially for lunch. The soup was a warming carrot and chicken soup, and was a great way to start the meal. Before long, the noodles arrived. The noodles were quite silky and had great texture, however the sauce was just ok, and there wasn't much of the duck (which was a bit tasteless) at all.

The Portuguese rice was much better. For those unfamiliar. This is basically rice, covered in a creamy and coconutty cheese sauce, then baked. The aroma is beautiful. I found the sauce a bit sweet and not fragrant enough, but otherwise perfectly acceptable. I washed all these down with a hot lemon tea, which was...ummm, a hot lemon tea and not very special at all.

The food is quite acceptable at this place, but I still don't like Asian coffee lounges, as I've never had a good deal at one. Other offerings you are likely to find at a typical lounge include "doll" noodles, pasta, chicken wings, spam and toast, that basically sums up why I don't like coffee lounges.

Rating - 5.5

Atmosphere

It's actually quite spacious as far as Asian eateries go. The tables are still bare laminex, with menus stuck up around the wall. In the corner there's a BBQ section hung all with the daily roast selection. All part of the experience really.

Rating - 1

Service

Typical Asian eatery. The ladies were nicer to me since I spoke Chinese. They took our orders quickly, rattled off the list of availabilities, bought us bowls and spoons for sharing, all delivered efficiently and impersonally. You pay at the counter.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

It's more expensive than takeaway but it's not outrageous as the servings are pretty big.

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 10

Info

4/125 Church Street
Parramatta
NSW 2150
Phone (02) 9689 2178

Taro Milk Tea

Taste

At first I thought it tasted great, not too sweet and with a deep taro flavour, then some of the ice started melting and I realised there is no flavour at all! The pearls are standard and tastes of pretty much nothing, but I love their chewy texture, and of course sucking them up in that big straw! This one has been pre-made from powder, and just like all drinks that are pre-made, is not very good at all. I won't be coming back here.

Rating - 3

Look

Very cute. A light purple colour, with black pearls floating around the bottom. The top has been vacuum sealed, and you poke those big straws right through the middle. Half the fun is in the packaging really.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

A standard size for $3. You are really just getting ice and pearls, which in my eyes are a big rip off.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 5.5

Available At

Viva Bakers
Shop 1153, Zone G Westfield
Parramatta
NSW 2123
Phone (02) 9687 0405

Black Swan Dips

Taste

This was part of a Christmas Entertainer collection from Black Swan and included 2 dips. The Gourmet Hommus uses top grade ingredients and it shows. This is unlike all the cheaper quality hommus on the market. Instead you get a very nutty and not so oily hommus. The colour is also more natural too.

The Basil with Chilli and Pinenuts is also of top quality, but I found the basil a bit more bitter than I like. However, this dip is not as oily as some others out there so I like that. All in all, some pretty decent stuff for a very reasonable price.

I recently got the opportunity to dry the "normal" hommus for comparison, and apart from it being a little bit too lemony, was also very pleasant, not as good as the "gourmet" mind you, but you do get what you pay for. I was very interested in looking at the ingredients list which used canola oil and thickeners instead.

Rating - 7.5

Look

Great Christmas packaging, but it means they can't sell this after Christmas. The colour of the dips do look fresher.

Rating - 2

C-factor

2 150g dips, plus a dipping bowl, for the bargain price of $3, bought after Christmas. I should have got more!

Rating - 2

Swiss Points - 11.5

Ingredients

Gourmet Hommus

cooked chickpeas (76%), sesame seed paste, extra virgin olive oil (7%), garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, sugar, food acid (2%), herbs & spices

Basil with Chilli and Pinenuts

cashews, vegetable oil, spinach, basil (12%), pinenuts (10%), parmesan cheese (milk microbial rennet, lactic culture), extra virgin olive oil, garlic, chilli (1%), vinegar, salt, sugar, food acid, herbs & spices

hommus

cooked chickpeas (60%), vegetable oil (canola), sesame seed paste, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, sugar, herbs and spices, food acid, thickeneres

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Dried Black Beans

Taste

These were like one of the weirdest thing I've had in Japan. It's basically a bean that's been cooked then dried as far as I can tell. The outer skin is black and crunchy, but the inside is kinda like eating bean paste. It has a natural sweetness rather than being very sweet.

Rating - 8

Look

Like all things from Japan, the look is superb. Each bean is like an individual cracked egg, with little lines running along. The packaging is very cute, a white rice paper looking pouch contains these little beauties. The writing is all in Japanese so I don't know what they are saying either!

Rating - 2

C-factor

100g for a lot of money! Even in Japan these are expensive. I think they are like rare or hard to produce or something. Or maybe it's just the latest craze...

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 10

Available At

Japan!

McCain Ratatouille Vegetable Mix

Taste

This frozen meal from McCain tastes overwhelmingly of tomatoes. It's obviously been sweetened quite a bit. The tomato base actually masks the tastes of the other vegetables. And frozen vegetable never taste good.

Rating - 4

Look

Overwhelmingly red! Besides that, like squish vegetables you can't distinguish. Well, they win on the convenience front. You pop it out of the fridge, out of the box and straight into the oven. And viola, it's ready to eat.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

350g for $2 on special. I think I'll buy some real vegetables instead, even if I do have to wash and cut them.

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 6

Ingredients

tomato sauce (58%)(tomatoes ( tomato, tomato puree, acidity regulator, firming agent, water, tomato paste, onion, white wine, sugar, vegetable oil, thickener, salt, garlic, spice, herbs, vegetable (42%) (potato (potato, vegetable oil), capsicum, zucchini (zucchini, vegetable oil) eggplant

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Aida Valley Blue

Taste

This is saltier than other blues, but it's not really that strong. It has a pretty creamy texture though. I think this will be more suitable in a blue cheese sauce rather than to eat straight.

Rating - 6

Look

Like mouldy cheese! Cut into wedges and wrapped.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

$24.99/kg. It's probably a bit on the expensive side for a cooking cheese, there are much better blues out there.

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 8

Ingredients

pasteurised milk, starter cultures, salt, non animal rennet

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Arnotts Emporio Cafe selection

Taste

I've tried a few of Arnotts's Emporio Cafe selection. My favourite is definitely the Melting Moments. I really like that melting buttery crumbly and thick biscuit base and the sweet passionfruit crunch.

Rating - 7.5

Look

Like they say, just like the ones from the cafe really. Maybe a bit more yellow, but otherwise superb. The packaging is pretty nifty too.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

They are fairly exy compared to your run of the mill "family" biscuits, but they are cheaper than going to the cafe I suppose.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 11

Ingredients

wheat flour, sugar, butter, vegetable oil, milk solids, salt, natural flavouring, emulsifier, food acid, colours

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

SunRice Thin Rice Cakes

Taste

I have never been a fan of SunRice's plain rice cakes, but the barbeque and chicken flavours aren't all bad. It's a bit like eating chips, only it's less crunchy. I am sure this stuff contains loads of salt and msg but I'm sure it's better than eating chips. I don't think you need to put anything else on them as they are basically coated with seasoning, perhaps to disguise the plain taste!

Rating - 5

Look

A very thin rice cakes. These came in an individual pack and is very convenient for a snack on the go, as I found out.

Rating - 2

C-factor

22g. I don't know how much it costs though.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 8

Ingredients

brown rice (min 81%), seasoning,vegetable oil, antioxidants

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Outback Steakhouse

Walking home every day, I always get to smell that fume of burning meat. Since it's a local, I put my prejudices aside and stepped into this place for lunch.

Food

Unfortunately, they have decided to stick to the cliche. There are your standard steaks, ribs and burgers on the menu, as well as that lone chicken and fish dish for the semi-vegetarians. The dessert conform even more to the cliche, mud cake, cheese cake, ice-cream...

Since they call themselves the "outback" steakhouse, I decided to go for the "Aussie" thing on the menu, so we ordered their "famous" Bloomin’ Onion ($8.95), an "Outback original". This came as whole onions cut so that it looks like an echidna, coated in bread crumbs, and fried. It arrived looking very dramatic. All the golden tendrils surrounding a pot of creamy orange sauce. I'm afraid that's the only good thing about this dish though. The onion was raw inside, instead of having onion chips, we ended up having chunks as the onion wasn't cut properly. The batter was lumpy, greasy and salty, and I actually had to drown it with sauce to make it taste better. As a result, we ran out of sauce, but no matter, as there was no way even I who does not like to waste food, couldn't bring myself to finish this.

After that disappointment, we were looking for better things. The The Big Bugger ($13.95) - A ridgy didge works burger, served with bacon, egg, cheese, beetroot, lettuce, tomato, grilled onion & Outbacks special BBQ sauce didn't deliver. I should have known better than to order this when it says on the menu that "burgers are cooked well through and served with chips". The pattie was made with terrible meat, it was chewy, fatty and tasteless, dare I say it, even worst than Macca's patty. Their buns was also of the macca variety. The only difference is they seem to have toasted the bun. The rest of the ingredients was kinda forced down and not worth mentioning. The chips were the only thing that they did well. Crunchy and soft at just the right places...

Rating - 3

Atmosphere

All timber furnishing, booths and big tables. There are "Aussie" decorations around the wall. It's a blokey kinda place. I can see when this place is filled it would be quite atmospheric, if cliche. I think this is more of a family eat out rather than a foodies diner...the bar also serves some cliche drinks and classic cocktails. After the miserable meal, I don't think I can bring myself to try any of them.

Rating - 1.5

Service

Our "waiter for today" was a pimply faced 16 year old. He was a lot better than lots of older people. Even though he lacked experience and his timing was off, I could see he was trying very hard and was quite genuine. Here's hoping he get a job at a better place than this.

Rating - 4

C-factor

I can't believe I paid so much money to eat essentially Maccas! The only redeeming grace is that I get to tell Slokky off for wanting to order that disgusting onion dish.

Rating - 0

Postscript

I just learnt that this is actually an American chain, now that explains things...

Brownie Points - 8.5

Info

Level 1,
3 George St
North Strathfield
NSW 2131
Phone (02) 8756 5741
Website

Kansai Japanese Restaurant

Food

There are several all you can eat menus available, ranging in price from $25 to $45, where you get the whole hog of sashimi and seafood. For that you get to order anything you like off a standard list. We decided that the cheapest one would do. We started off with some miso soup, which was much better than I expected. We ordered some hot dishes to share. The teriyaki chicken was standard. The strips were a bit thin so the chicken was kinda try. The pork katsu was fried golden, but the sauce was dull and it was again a bit dry. Never fear, we weren't really here to eat that stuff, we want the sushi! (For those who like it, there are other hot dishes available too). We ordered a large sushi platter which had the standard salmon, tuna, egg, prawn, octopus, kingfish nigiri. The rice was soft and slightly sweet. The fish was not the freshest I've ever had but it's not bad either. The wasabi is quite mild too. We moved onto the various special Maki sushi rolls. The dragon roll, made up of eel, cucumber, avocado, was beautiful. The seaweed was a bit damper than I like but otherwise it was great. The volcano roll consisted of a shrimp tempura roll topped with eel and spicy sauce, and looked spectacular, if a bit messy. In terms of flavour it's a bit undistinguished. I surprised myself that I actually like the Italian roll, which had cheese and avocado. It must be because of that yummy Jap mayo they smothered on the whole thing!

We gave the rolls a break and ordered individual hand rolls. The soft shell crab was very yummy, even though you can't really taste crab. The tempura prawns had a very hot prawn. The batter is a bit thick but otherwise it's lovely. At this stage we were quite full, but it's an all you can eat and I wanted to try everything, so we put in some orders for:

• scampi - my favourite for the night, basically a raw prawn atop some rice. It's so smooth and slimy. All prawns should be eaten raw!
• scallop - also raw and fresh
• salmon roe - just to finish off. This one is a bit too wet and not salty enough

All in all, a very good meal. We didn't go in expecting top of the range sushi, but these are very good for the price.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

It's a dingy little place at the bottom of the Hunter Connection. I'd walked past the entrance a couple of times and it looked kinda dodgy, but once you're inside, that all changed. The decor is still sparse, but you can actually watch the sushi chefs at work, and the setting is quite pleasant.

Rating - 1.5

Service

The owner came to serve us personally and delivered our free bottle of Sake. Sometimes the service can be a bit slow and it's hard to attract the attention of the staff. The owner knows how to please his clients though, and offered us a bottle of sake to share (we found out later that it's on offer for everyone if you bring in the ad from 9to5).

Rating - 3

C-factor

$25 for all you can eat is pretty good. Just don't go expecting top class sushi, but these are definitely better than your average takeaway.

Rating - 1.5

Brownie Points - 12.5

Info

Shop B1, Hunter Connection
7-13 Hunter St
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9231 5544

Ssamnara

There are loads of Korean restaurants in Strathfield, but this one has one distinguishing selling point that the others don't, that is the roll your own roll or "Saams". This is how the menu describes it: Cook at your table make yourself style rolls. Served with large basket of fresh veggies and side dishes. The place was packed so we took that as a good sign.

Food

As well as the "Saams", there are other more conventional Korean dishes on offer, but we decided to go for the specialty, the big bang. The Saam Nara Set ($25 p.p) - Menu Bul go gie Dwen jang jil gae Veggies Fish Etc.

Before the main meal of course, the side dishes arrived:

• Zucchini mushroom egg - oily, coated in eggs and fried
• Fried fish - has lots of bones but otherwise bland
• Pancake with shallot - don't know how to describe this but it was chewy and yum
• tofu soup - tastes like reconstituted miso
• Stir-fried beef - hot and chewy
• kim chi - less cabbage and hot as hot as usual
• Veg salad - yum
• Bean curd sheet - I love these
• Sesame rice cake - the cakes are plain but the sauce is fragrant sesame
• Dried octopus - yum, but you can't eat too much of it
• Whitebait - good and crunchy
• Pickled veggies - stock standard
• Vermicelli salad - I like these too, sweet and fragrant with sesame
• Dried preserved veggies - I don't see the point of these, the fresh ones are better
• Chilli crab - my favourite - there's not much meat but the sauce is excellent

It was quite funny watching them fit all our dishes on the table, together with our jug of water and bowls of rice. If that wasn't enough, they soon bought out a portable stove, which they then filled with water on the side. In the middle they tipped a whole pile of raw meat. A huge bowl of lettuce and whole chillis and some sauces followed, then they left us alone. We weren't' sure what we were supposed to do with all these stuff, and we couldn't quite see what other tables were doing, so we took some lettuce, wrapped it around some cooked meat, smeared on some sauce, skipped the chilli, and bit into it. Besides half the stuff falling out of the wrap, the meat was tender and marinated very well, and the lettuce was crunchy. At this stage we were already getting quite full so we didn't even manage to finish all the meat, but it was a very satisfying meal.

Rating - 7

Atmosphere

The room was decorated in aesthetic Korean style, with a traditional table, some bells and a bamboo screen framing the entrance. There was both traditional floor seating and the more comfortable tables and chair. Otherwise the room is pretty sparse. This little extra at the entrance does seem to add a bit of calm and peace to the chaos the waiters are creating. Maybe it's because they have to do so many dishes!

The clientèle is mixed, from big Korean groups, big non Korean groups to couples of all nationalities.

Rating - 1.5

Service

Well, like more than half of Strathfield, the waiters hardly spoke any English. They were juggling many many things at the same time, and looked very frantic. We couldn't get them to explain much to us, but they all acted very sincere. I give them credit for trying, but learning a little, just a little English would help a lot.

Rating - 3

C-factor

$50 for 2 for a meal that even Slokky couldn't finish. It's pretty good value but next time we will go for the $35 option that doesn't include the fish and veggies.

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 12.5

Info

121/20-34 Albert Road
Strathfield
NSW 2135
Phone (02) 8756 5775

Pringles

Taste

You know what they say about Pringles, "Once you pop, you can't stop", and I can't agree more. Recently there's been some sales, so we bought up big. Our stash included:

• Sour Cream & Onion - the most popular. This flavour made their name really. I find the new ones a bit too salty, but that flavour is addictive!
• Light Sour Cream & Onion - my favourite. Not as salty as the normal ones, but still has the flavour.
• Tomato & Mozzarella - which I haven't tried before but is excellent. Good balance of sweet and salty.
• Smokey Bacon - I can't taste smokiness and I can't taste bacon, but it was kinda salty and sweet too, and not too bad
• Salt & Vinegar - too salty and not enough vinegar, a pet hate of mine
• Light Greek Style Cheese with a touch of avocado oil - tastes pretty much like the light sour cream flavour, so it's ok. They must have very light touch as I couldn't taste any avocado flavouring at all.
• Light Spicy Thai with a touch of Coconut Oil - I love this one, it tastes very very different. You can taste the spice and the chilli, and even that touch of coconut. It's different and won't be do everyone's taste, but it reminds me of Asian style chips!

Rating - 7

Look

Well, the Pringles moustache man has had an update, and some of the colours have been refreshed, but otherwise it's the same old chips in a can that we've all come to love and everyone else has copied. And they should too. It's a great idea, and you can store the chips for later, if you ever get any left over that is...

Rating - 2

C-factor

R.R.P is $3.99 for a tin of 170g (160g for the lights - is that why they're less fattening?), which is quite a price to pay actually. That's why it's always so long between pops...

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 9

Ingredients

Smokey Bacon

dehydrated potatoes, vegetable oil, corn flour, bacon flavour, wheat starch, maltodextrin, emulsifier

Spicy Thai

dehydrated potatoes, vegetable oil, wheat starch, maltodextrin, cornflour, spicy thai flavour (sugar, wheat bread, coconut oil (0.39%), flavour enhancers, paprika powder, citric acid, chilli extract, ginger extract, lemongrass extract, milk proteins, spices, flavourings, garlic oil), emulsifier, salt, rice flour

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Emperor's Choice (Bond St)

Another day, another farewell, another yum-cha. I haven't been to this place for about 2 years, so I was very keen to see what has changed.

Food

Well, they have the usual suspects. Most food were fresh, but there was not that much choice, with the same 3 ladies pushing the same trolleys round and round.

We ordered quite a few dumplings. I can report that the fillings are generous, if somewhat bland. The wrapping however, was thick and chewy, a big no-no! The fried food had pretty average batter and were more on the cold side. Last time I was here the food was on par with Sky Phoenix, but it seems like the quality has deteriorated since. Their vegetables seem out of sorts and their BBQ offerings are nothing compared to Phoenix's...sigh, looks like another yum cha place that will be crossed off my list... there's nothing left in the city. I'll just have to venture to Chinatown every time.

Rating - 4

Atmosphere

On a Monday lunch, the restaurant was half full, which is not bad. This place follow the conventional method for decoration. The tables are closed together, there is an overwhelming feeling of pinkness. As I will mention in Service, those pushy people really annoy me, so I can't even eat in peace.

Rating - 1

Service

I couldn't believe how rude and pushy the trolley ladies were. They would literally take stuff off their trolleys, place it on our table until we had to tell them no. They came up every single time and kept going "fantastic food". I think they should let us be the judge of that.

The waiters weren't much better. Even though the restaurant was half empty, they didn't really come to refill our water, they left all these empty plates and steamers on our table. We had to stack everything ourselves and get them to remove it. When I tried to get one of the trolley ladies to take some of our stuff so we could fit more on the table, she was really rude to me and told me to hold on. Yeah, yum chas are meant to be rude, but in all my years in Australia, I've never had it that bad!

Rating - 0

C-factor

$20 p.p. so much more expensive than Chinatown, but for substandard service, a squish space and only passable food, a rip off!

Rating - 0

Brownie Points - 5

Info

20 Bond St
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9231 5032

Kenta

I have tried Koume Japanese House next door, which was pretty average. That's why, on any particular lunch time, you'll see Koume almost empty and everyone packed into this little eatery on busy Military Road, and with good reasons.

Food

Lunch Special ($9.90) which consisted of:

• sashimi - 4 slices of fresh fatty salmon
• chicken teriyaki - beautiful sauce, tender chicken, and plenty of it!
• deep fried flounder - a generous slab of flounder, lightly coated and fried to golden, I crunched this with greed!
• rice - ummm, it's fresh rice?!?
• miso soup - with nice tofu cubes and not too salty

The Lunch Set A ($7.90) had:

• tempura tofu - again, fried to golden and coated in a sweet and salty broth sauce
• chicken katsu - coated in bread crumbs and fried then paired with a nice sweet soy
• fish teriyaki - I love this one, the sauce was sweet, the fish was not the mushy mess and tasted fresh
• salad - standard mayo stuff. Japanese mayo tastes so good!
• rice - see above
• miso - see above

The food is extremely generous. You certainly won't go hungry here.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

Busy and buzzy. As well as diners, they also do a roaring takeaway trade.

Everything is basic and functional. There's a specials board with their daily specials as well. The decor is simple, there are only a few tables. The shop is taken up by the kitchen. If you really want you can watch the chefs at work. There are a bunch of Jap mags you can read too, which is always a good sign.

Rating - 1.5

Service

Hey, they're Japanese, so service was top notch! They actually apologised to use because they took too long before they came to get our order, but we'd only been waiting about 30 seconds! It's pretty casual, so you go and pay at the counter and all. If everyone had manners like the Japanese the world would be a much better place.

Rating - 4

C-factor

The servings are huge, the food of great quality for the price. I guess they'll have to with so many restaurants to choose from along Military Rd, but this one comes highly recommended!

Rating - 2

Brownie Points - 15

Info

Shop 4, 81-91 Military Road
Neutral Bay
NSW 2089
Phone (02) 9953 5422

Bean Drinking Coffee

Taste

Bean Drinking is actually a Coffee Club that sells beans to customer. Recently they branch out into coffee making with a shop in Wynyard. They use their own blend of "medium roast" beans. The result is a smooth and non-bitter coffee. One thing I really like about here is that they don't make their coffees too hot, but it's still hot enough.

Rating - 7.5

Look

They took over the DMC site at Met Centre. Nothing special about the shop, but the service is first rate, if a bit slow. Once they get into the run of things they might start adopting the couldn't care less let's pump out the coffees attitude.

Rating - 2

C-factor

$2.40 for a small, $3 for a regular. Great prices for great service. Plus, as an opening specials, they are having free coffee promotions.

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 11

Ingredients

Available At

Shop T12, Metcentre
Cnr George & Margaret Sts
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9247 0840
Website

Golden 28

Taste

My prawn laksa ($7) was choked full of prawns! Granted the prawns were of the small school, frozen variety, but I think I ate a whole school of them in my bowl! There were also a fairly large amount of rice noodles. The other ingredients, bean sprouts and 2 fried tofu, were more for garnish I think...Now, we all know the soup base make or break a laksa, so here's the verdict. Their soup is not too hot or too coconuty, but there's no special "wow" factor, unlike their prawn mee ($7.40) which has the best tasting soup base I've had.

Rating - 6.5

Look

Situated on the Pitt St level of the Imperial Arcade, a shopping centre that's past its use-by date. This is significant because you are actually sitting in the middle of the corridor. You go there for the food and not the decor. This place is very popular. You have to fight for a table. You order and pay at the counter, then they give you one of those raffle tickets. Then they bring out your food to you by calling your number very loudly. The bowls are plastic, the chopstick old, but the laksa looks orange enough!

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

Pretty cheap for Pitt St Mall. Can't compare with Chinatown or somewhere like Hunter Arcade.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 9

Available At

Imperial Arcade
Pitt Street Level
168 Pitt Street Mall & Castlereagh Street
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9231 1920

Ruiz Passionfruit and Mango Gourmet Spread

Taste

I'd never heard of "gourmet spread" before. Ruiz actually makes a range that includes chocolate and hazelnut, a bit like fresh Nutella really. I was curious so picked up this one to try. The serving suggestion is to spread it on toast, scones, pancakes or cakes. I found it a bit strange. It has the texture of a spread, is thicker than a dip, but tastes like a yoghurt. I thought it was a bit sweet and not really that suitable for its purpose. The chocolate is prob a good idea but I don't know about making a spread out of passionfruit and mango.

Rating - 5

Look

It comes packaged like a dip, in a tub with foil and plastic seal. The spead itself looks kinda strange. white with a tinge of orange and with bits of passionfruti pulp sticking out.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

200g for $2.39. I'll prob buy some fresh mangos instead.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 6.5

Ingredients

blended vegetable oils, passionfruit & mango (26%), light cream cheese, skim
milk powder, salt, vegetable gums, preservative, sugar, milk powder, food
starch-modified dextrose, preservative, natural colours

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Rhodes Phoenix

Another birthday, another excuse to eat. This time is to the newest member of the Phoenix family, located at Rhodes Shopping Centre.

Food

They are not very adventurous here. They seem to have a small range of the usual suspects, with some favourites not even appearing like the daikon cakes, fried rice sheets. I was sad that there was such a limited offering in steamed dumplings! There is none of the unusual offerings you get at some other yum cha places, (to those who cares - no mango pancakes on the dessert trolley!), but at least the basics are done well. The pastries of the dumplings are a bit thick, but the filling is great. Everything tasted fresh and are warm to hot. The test of the kitchen egg tarts are pretty nice. Not the best I've had, but with acceptable pastry and a not too sweet and not too hard filling.

Rating - 6

Atmosphere

Well, Phoenix departs from the stereotypical yum-cha places in that they pay attention to decor. This one has a black and red colour scheme going. There is a huge space with black walls, white table-clothed tables and black primary school classroom style chairs. Our private room also featured black walls, with a vibrant red painting and flower arrangements. The acoustics in that place is quite bad so you get all the noise of any other yum cha place. The point of difference though - space. We had a party of 15, and was spread out in two tables. You can eat there without jamming your elbow into someone else or poking their eyes out with your chopsticks.

Rating - 2

Service

The best thing about eating here is that you can actually book a table before 12pm. We had a booking and walked straight pass the crowd that was waiting anxiously for a table. The waiters are like other yum cha places. Harried and you can never get their attention. They were slow in refilling our water and didn't remove the empty steamers or plates from our table for ages. Their English skills? Who knows as I didn't speak to them in English!

The trolley ladies are actually pretty nice, they try to get you what you want and are helpful!

Rating - 3.5

C-factor

$22 a head is probably more expensive than the Asian places. You have to pay for the decor afterall. But as they say, getting everyone together to celebrate my b'day? Priceless!

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 12.5

Info

Level 5, Rhodes Shopping Centre
1 Rider Boulevard
Rhodes
NSW 2138
Phone (02) 9739 6628
Website

Verandah Bar

This was the place for my farewell lunch. I'd been here once before, when the place was packed, and this time was no different.

Food

The bar is dominated by a huge BBQ, with the chefs cooking a number of wares on it. I'd tried the Piri Piri Chicken Burger with chilli, Saffron Mayo, Fries ($14) before and was quite impressed, so this time I thought I would test their kitchen skills. Big mistake. My Beer battered fish & chips with Tartare sauce($14) was only warm, the batter was a bit limpy, probably from sitting there for so long. The fish itself was ok, I didn't expect that much from a pub meal, but I DID expect them to serve their meals hot... The shoestring chips were also quite limp, and I prefer fat chips to these anyway. The rocket salad wasn't that fresh, the dressing was substandard. The tartare sauce was quite acceptable, but because the food was bad, I was using it to cover my food in...

Rating - 4.5

Atmosphere

It's a happening bar, and today was no different. We got a table out on the "verandah" today so it was quite nice. What I don't like is the way they squish everyone into one confined space. We were so close to the next party we could here all their conversation.

The look of the place is stainless steel high table with bar stools. There are also some highly prized booths with comfy red cushioning that you have to be very early to nab. There are TVs showing sports. There' not much light at all. I think it's a blokey sort of place, but there seems to be lots of females there, so what do I know?

Rating - 1.5

Service

It's a bar, so you order your meal at the counter, they give you a buzzer, and when it goes off, you get up to get your food, your sauce and your cutlery. Same thing with drinks. The bar staff come around to clear your plates and that's about it.

At least they don't shy away from their own mistakes. A few of the guy's chicken schnitzel(s) ($12) weren't cooked through, and each time it happened, (4 in total!), they were good-natured enough to replace the meal with an apology. At least they make up for their lack of cooking skills with their hospitality!

Rating - 3.5

C-factor

Price is just about on par with other pubs. The food could be just a little better though!

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 10

Info

60 Castlereagh Street Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9238 0888
Website

Manta

Manta was the setting for my 3rd Sydney Festival Fast Festival Feasts (FFF). I was looking forward to it as it had got some rave reviews, and because at one time, Steve Manfredi was at the helm.

Food

Their specialty is seafood, and for the festival, the menu was Tagliatelle with braised cuttlefish, pine nuts, currants and gremolata. The food did live up to my expectations. The pasta was fresh and had real bite. The cuttlefish was cooked expertly, so it was very tender. The slightly oily sauce matched the pasta and the cuttlefish perfectly, with the pine nuts adding crunch, the currants adding sweetness, and the gremolata adding colour. Too bad we didn't get our wines until we were halfway through our meal to enjoy.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

You know what they say. Woolloomooloo wharf is where the rich folks live. On a glorious Sydney evening, we watched people walking home from work, exercising around the wharf, and some people starting to dine. The whole strip was quite empty at this early hour though, I suspect it will get full later.

Manta itself is like all the other restaurants on the wharf, with the blue and white walls, a huge outdoor seating area, with awnings to block the harsh sunlight. We were seated outside, but unfortunately, it just got too hot and sunny. Because we weren't really enjoying ourselves, we didn't stay long, but I can see how you can lounge here and watch the day go by.

And finally, a bit about the restaurant decor itself. Whites and neutrals, the feeling is sunny and relaxed, suits the setting but nothing unusual about it.

Rating - 1.5

Service

We arrived just after 6pm to an almost empty restaurant, and was greeted by an immaculately dressed Maitre 'd. Upon informing him that we were there for the FFF, we were seated and asked if we'd like any drinks. We said we'll like some time, then they left us alone. We had decided on the drinks order, but they never came back, just kept chatting to themselves. If the restaurants says it opens at 6pm, I expect them to be ready to serve customers at 6pm, not still polishing glasses, lighting candles and setting tables while we were there. The waiters were very rude too. They never informed us if we'd actually ordered, and a waiter actually gave us food menus when we asked to order drinks. They asked for our choice of wine but after I ordered the red, they informed me that there was only white, so what was the point of asking at all? Needless to say, they didn't give us water and we had to ask for it, and they never bothered refilling our long empty glasses either. I wonder again, is this the normal service, or was it the service for FFF patrons?

Rating - 1

C-factor

Well, for $25, we got a great meal, an ok glass of wine, no bread or sides, and rude and incompetent waiters. They also charged our bill incorrectly. We were charged for the coke which substituted for the wine - it would've set me back $4 if I didn't step in to correct them. I think I would say the price is pretty good if only the waiters weren't so up themselves.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 10.5

Info

The Wharf Woolloomooloo
6 Cowper Wharf Road
Woolloomooloo
NSW 2011
Phone (02) 9332 3822
Website

Byron Bay Cookie Company Savoury Biscuits

Taste

I think I have mentioned here enough time by now for everyone to realise that yes I LOVE the Byron Bay Cookies. The Fennel Seed Parmesan Crackers is the first savory offering I've tried and I am addicted! The flavour is very complex. You get the strong hit of fennel, which leaves a pleasant aftertaste. The Parmesan then sends a salty sweet hand, the lovely smell wafting up. Finally the biscuit was thick enough for it to be crunchy but not crumbly.

I also got my hands on the Coriander & Jalapeno Pepper polenta cripss, which just blew my mind. Such wonderful flavour, and of course that hit from the jalapenos...I think I'm addicted.

Rating - 8

Look

Beautiful, each one baked to a dark brown, covered in fennel sweet with little golden yellow Parmesan blobs or brown coriander. They come in several different packaging so you can easily give them as gifts, but I kept to the basic, since this was all for me!

Rating - 2

C-factor

170g for $15.50 is pretty expensive, but like I've said many times before, I will pay for quality. Just try to get them when they're on special!

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 11

Ingredients

Fennel Seed Parmesan Crackers

organic white spelt flour, Parmesan style cheese (28%), Parmesan cheese, parmigiano reggiano (14%), canola oil, organic sea salt, fennel seeds (1%)

Coriander & Jalapeno Pepper polenta cripss

organic white spelt flour, polenta (25%), sugar, jalapeno peppers (12%), canola oil, egg yolk, organic sea salt, coriander seeds (0.8%)

Available At

David Jones Foodhall
Website

Puddings on the Ritz Vanilla Crescents

Taste

These almond vanilla shortbread from Puddings on the Ritz are as exquisite as the Speculaas cookies I tried earlier. It's subtly sweet, very fragrant and light. The light dusking of icing sugar only adds to its appeal.

Rating - 7.5

Look

I love the beautiful packaging, in a cute little box that can be resealed. The crescents are small and cute, and with that white icing sugar, look as heavenly as they taste.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

120g for $9.50, quite expensive, but I can tell that good quality ingredients have been used.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 11

Ingredients

plain wheat flour, unsalted butter, almond meal (40%), icing sugar, egg yolk, vanilla sugar, pure vanilla essence, fresh lemon rind.

Available At

David Jones Foodhall
Website

Max Brenner Block Equador

Taste

I am a bit surprised about this single origin block. I've had Max Brenner chocolates many times before, and even visited the shop! And they've always striked me as better than average, but not spectacular. However, this chocolate, containing 70% cocoa is very complex. When they talk about aromas in chocolate, I can actually taste it here. Don't get me wrong though, this is not one of those yuppy chocolate where it is all talk and no substance, the chocolate is pleasant all on its own, and even better when used to make some delectable chocolate truffles.

Rating - 7.5

Look

Max Brenner packagings are always interesting and this one didn't disappoint. It comes in a clear plastic container with a slide reseal. It's what it says on the packaging, a block. You can use it to grate small amounts, cut it up for cooking, or just eat it.

Rating - 2

C-factor

400g for... Expensive but worth it.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 10.5

Ingredients

cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, natural vanilla, emulsifier, cocoa solid 70% minimum

Available At

David Jones
Lower Ground Floor, Elizabeth Street
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9266 5308

Coffee Philosophy by Mocopan

Taste

I have walked past here a lot of times, and their coffee looks great. Unfortunately I only had $10 with me and because their food is so expensive and they don't accept credit card for <$20, I can't order a coffee. So... I can only report on their food.

At 12:30pm, the only sandwich choice left is the roast beef ($8.50), so I didn't have a choice really but to order that. The sandwich was toasted and paired with a side salad, but it was only kinda warm... The roast beef didn't seem fresh and the cheese wasn't even melted. The relish was quite nice but the Turkish bread was a bit hard and dry. The lettuce was limp...I am beginning to think that this is a leftover sandwich...Luckily the salad was fresh, with juicy tomatoes and FRESH lettuce.

I can't blame them really as their focus is coffee, and I'm sure I won't be back for the food. Here's hoping their coffee is worth it.

Rating - 4.5

Look

Located on the ground level of the Strand Arcade, with dark wood paneling and a huge coffee machine. Their coffee offerings look really good... their food display is lackluster. All the other coffee shops in the strand were packed with lunch crowds, except for this place, which still had a few seats of their like 10 seat shop left. The seats are also not built for lunch. You have to perch on stools, and the benches are very narrow, with no room to put your plates. There are inbuilt holes for sugar that you can't move out of the way either. I felt like I was an intruder and not meant to be there!

Rating - 1

C-factor

Ok, since they ARE in the Strand Arcade, they must be paying a bucket load for rent, but for a $8.50 sandwich, I expect a lot more. I mean, they don't even have table service! Plus, I was meeting my least favourite person in the world for a business transaction, so that's just sour on sour!

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 5.5

Available At

Shop 27, Strand Arcade
125 Pitt St Mall
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9231 3002
Website

Connoisseur Classic Vanilla Yoghurt

Taste

I didn't have a good experience lst time with Connoisseur's Peachy Mango Perfection, but this yoghurt surprised me. It was creamy, thick and not too sweet, perfect for pouring over fresh honeydew...

Rating - 7

Look

It comes in the sexy black tub that is easily resealable. The yoghurt is more yellow than normal but tastes great.

Rating - 2

C-factor

500g for $3.99. Not bad at all.

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 10.5

Ingredients

milk, cream, milk solids non fat, sugar, thickener, flavour, halal gelatine,
emulsifier, colours, cultures

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Farmers Union Natural European Style Yoghurt

Taste

I have to say this is not the best yoghurt I've had. It's got a tang to it, but it's not that creamy. Pretty ordinary performer.

Rating - 5

Look

Not very interesting at all, in a white tub with foil to seal the top. Once you open it you can't reseal it.

Rating - 0.5

C-factor

200g for around $2, so very expensive for its class.

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 6

Ingredients

skim milk, milk solids non fat, cream, live culture

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Vegetali Poached Turkish Figs in Honey & Hazelnut Syrup

Taste

The new range of "food from your fridge" products from Vegetali sound very appealing. This was quite nice, the figs were thick and juicy, except it's a little too sweet for me. I like my figs straight up, so I wasn't a big fan.

Rating - 5

Look

It comes in a handy plastic container that you can get "straight out of the fridge!", and it's easy to seal. The figs look wonderful and plum in their syrup.

Rating - 2

C-factor

220g for $7.99, very exy indeed!

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 7

Ingredients

figs, water, sugar, hazelnut syrup (sugar, water, natural plant extract), concentrated lemon juice, caramel preservative, honey cinnamon

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Summit Restaurant

I chose The Summit as my 2nd Sydney Festival Fast Festival Feasts, mainly because it's the closest place in between my new work building. Plus, I'd been here in late 2005 and while it wasn't the best food I've had, it was pretty good, so was looking forward to another great experience like at Glass Brasserie earlier. Well, the Summit definitely didn't measure up.

Food

We were offered drinks and our wines were delivered. They offered a choice of a red or white Preece, no idea what grape as they didn't specify, or a Crown Lager. I went for the white this time since we were having fish. I thought the white was pretty unspectacular, but not bad in any way, just not very memorable.

We ordered a serve of the Sonoma 5 hour sourdough loaf, three antipasto dips - warm ligurian and kalamata olives with roasted chilli artichoke paste, hand rolled sea salt grissini ($8). The Sonoma delivered but as regular readers will know, is not my favourite bread. I tried the dips, which were swimming in oil. They were passable but nothing to write home about. I know how expensive Sonomas are so at least this was not a rip off.

The mains were Paella spiced ocean trout with caramelised tomato tart and candied garlic eggplant ($25). The waiter came around with the dreaded pepper mill which I politely declined. The ocean trout was very salty, and slightly overcooked. However, I really liked the tomato tart. The tomato had been shrunk so that it was very sweet. The "candied" eggplant on the other hand, wasn't that sweet. Overall, the food was...average for the setting.

Rating - 6.5

Atmosphere

For those not in the know, this is a revolving restaurant, set on the 47th floor of Australia Square. In our 1.5 hrs there, we were through nearly one rotation. We saw the harbour bridge, opera house and all other famous landmarks around the harbour. It was a glorious day, and we could see very far.

The decor fitted the setting, very high class, a bit bland, but nothing to offend, and nothing too out there. They do bill themselves as a tourist attraction so I guess they have to be conservative.

Rating - 2.5

Service

For a restaurant that was almost empty, I found the service a bit slow. They asked for drinks order, but didn't take our food order for about 20 minutes after that. However, once we ordered, the meal arrived in good time. It was ok because we were chatting, but if we wanted to get out of there quickly it wouldn't be a good choice.

The waiter was doing a bit of hard selling, pushing first the mineral water, then the bread, then vegetables and dessert on us. I didn't like that. The waiter wasn't so polite and while efficient, was worst than I expect for the prices they charge at this place.

Rating - 3

C-factor

Any place that charge $9.80 for a bottle of water is a rip-off, no matter how beautiful the setting. They forgot to charge our bread so at least that compensated for it. In terms of the "C", I guess it has date potential, definitely a good show-off place. But since I'm a foodie, I won't be returning.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 12.5

Info

Level 47, Australia Square
264 George Street,
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9247 9777
Website

Katjes Fred Ferkel

Taste

I'd tried the Katjes Summer Fruit Frenzy Fruit Jellies before, and these are just as good, if not better. They are 99% fat free, in the shape of a bear face. The fruit gum ears are different flavours, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, although I really couldn't tell the difference, and the face is a soft fruity foam in grape. Katjes is still one of the best gummies I've tasted.

Rating - 8.5

Look

The bears are cute, the packaging is fun. This is great for kids and adults alike!

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

I got this 180g bag in a sample bag, so not sure how much they are. But hey, that means they were free for me!

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 12

Ingredients

glucose syrup, sugar, gelatine, fruit juice (3%) from fruit juice concetrates (orange, apple), acid:citric acid, gelling agentL pectin, fruit extracts (grape, elderberry ,currant), flavourings , glazing agentL beeswax white.

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Kasugai Gummy Candy

Taste

Kasugai gummies are popular in Asia, and for good reason. They are soft and juicy, have appealing flavour, and actually taste like the fruit!

I have tried a few flavours, including peach, mango, apple and grape, but this time I had the privilege to try the Kiwi. The label says "Kiwi gummy, super juicy", and they are absolutely right. It's like eating a sweet kiwifruit in each bite!

Rating - 7.5

Look

They come individually wrapped, I wouldn't expect anything less. Plus, each lolly is clear green but specked with little black spots, and they look very cute.

Rating - 3

C-factor

135g in a pack for around $5.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 11.5

Ingredients

sugar, corn syrup, kiwifruit puree, gelatin, oblate powder, d-sorbitol, acidulant, pectin, artificial kiwifruit flavour, palm oil, emulsifier, artifical colouring

Available At

Asian groceries

Kit Kat Chunky Honeycomb

Taste

Much better than I expected as I am not really a fan of honeycomb. This wasn't as sweet as I thought it would be, and the combination and quantity of chocolate to honeycomb was just right, and the signature crunchy wafer is as good as always.

Rating - 7.5

Look

Being "chunky" means that instead of the usual 2 bar or 4 bar which you tear apart, this one is a real chocolate bar and not made for sharing. All the better I say! The packaging departs from the signature red and white, but incorporates yellow and gold, to represent the honeycomb I guess.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

60g for 78 cents, not bad at all. I think this bar is discontinued, so grab it while you can.

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 10.5

Ingredients

sugar, milk solids, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, vegetable fats, wheat flour, glucose syrup,emulsifier, coca, raising agent, gelatine, flavours, yeast, salt

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Lindt Excellence Natural Mint

Taste

I am not really a fan of mint chocolate usually, unless it's the very good kind, but in my quest to try all the Lindt Excellence range, I had to try these. I have to admit, these are actually a bit worst than normal mint chocolates I have. Overall, the bar was too sweet, the mint taste was not overpowering but didn't add anything to the chocolate at all. I still like mint shouldn't be in chocolates except for in after dinner mints. Not a fan at all.

Rating - 5

Look

The packaging is not very appealing, haha, they drew a mint leave, but I still like that cardboard box!

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

100g for $2.99. I wouldn't buy this.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 6.5

Ingredients

cocoa solid 30% min, milk solids 20% min, sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, coca mass, butter fat, lactose, skimmed milk powder, malt extract powder, emulsifier, soya lecthin, flavouring, vanillin, peppermint oil

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Superior Gold Smoked Salmon

Taste

These are much better than your average supermarket salmon, but of course nothing compared to the fresh cured stuff. The salmon had real salmon taste. My only complain is that it's a bit more salty than I would like.

Rating - 6.5

Look

Very glossy red in sexy black and gold packaging. These are layered on a cardboard box for easy removal.

Rating - 2

C-factor

350g for $11.99. Not bad for this quality.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 9.5

Ingredients

oncornynchus mykiss, salt, natural wood smoke

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Glass Brasserie

Ever since Luke Mangan closed down Salt, Bistro Lulu and Moorish, I've been wanting to try out Luke's new digs, to see if the savage critics had been right in their criticisms. So when the Fast Festival Feasts, part of the Sydney Festival offerings came up, I jumped at the chance.

Food

We were off to see Telophaza at 8pm, so were after a quick dinner. The item on offer was the Confit duck leg served with cauliflower puree, pickled papaya and cucumber salad with star anise, paired with a merlot. We didn't have to worry about rushing as everything went smoothly and were timed perfectly. Our Preece merlots were delivered (which was very good so I was able to finish 2 glasses), then some warm baguettes from their open for all to see oven. The baguettes didn't quite have the crunchy crust I like, but the inside was soft, and paired with the excellent butter, quite acceptable.

We were still polishing off the bread when our mains arrived. I was happy to see that these cut-price meals are a decent size. The duck leg was a nice golden brown. The meat was tender and fell off the bone. The cauliflower puree was mixed with a heavy, slightly sweet reduction and was heavenly. The salad was different, the texture was excellent and quite refreshing with the duck. The meal was way above my expectations. I cannot fault this at all.

Rating - 8.5

Atmosphere

Well, the rumours when this place opened was that a LOT, and I mean a LOT of money has gone into the decor, and this place certainly looks impressive. It looks very different to normal restaurants. The colour scheme is still warm chocolate and neutrals, but impressive chandeliers, lots of "glass" creating interesting light effects, as well as some funky round booths and banquettes, make it a very inviting place.

Because we had to dine between 6-7, the clientele were older people or hotel guests. I didn't see many people enjoying the Special menu at all. When we left just after 7pm, the room had not filled up. I wonder if they get that busy normally, or was it because it was a Monday?

Rating - 2.5

Service

I couldn't fault the service except for one part. One waiter came to ask us how the meals were, before we'd even had a chance to take a bite!

Otherwise they were unobtrusive and very attentive. They cloaked our bags for us and returned them when we left, without us having to do a thing. Hey, even Luke said hello when we came in. He also stopped for a long chat at a table close to us, obviously regulars.

Rating - 4.5

C-factor

We walked out of there for $50 for 2, no hidden charges, it's just about the best value meal I've had!

Rating - 2

Brownie Points - 17.5

Info

Level 2,
488 George Street
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9265 6068
Website

Yea Creme Fraiche & Clotted Cream

Taste

These are the best cream I've ever tasted, even better than the King Island stuff. Rich and smooth and tasting like REAL CREAM!! Creme Fraiche is like sour cream but with more fat, while Clotted cream is like doulbe cream, but with more fat! They are excellent in cooking or in eat with scones.

Rating - 7.5

Look

These tubs make them easier to get out than the jars you get from the supermarket. I made sure I licked the containers clean.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

500ml for $4.99, very exy compared to normal cream. Is it worth it? Only for very special occasion, and only if you're not watching your weight.

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 9.5

Ingredients

cream, culture

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

King Island Black Label Brie

Taste

This is the top label Brie from King Island Dairy, and yes I can taste the difference! This is actually a lot creamier and doesn't have that waxy taste of the double brie. It actually reminds me of the Triple Cream Cheese.

It has won the following awards:Grand Champion 2006 Australian Grand Dairy Awards & 2006 Australian Specialist Cheesemakers' Association Show, Champion Cheese award 2005 Australian Specialist Cheesemakers' Association Show.

Rating - 8

Look

The cheese looks like the Triple Cream, but the packaging, in black foil with gold lettering, indicates it's in a special class.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

At $36.99/kg it's $ more expensive than the Double Brie, and $4 more expensive than the Triple Cream. I would stick to the Triple Cream.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 11.5

Ingredients

pasteurised milk, salt, enzyme (rennet), cultures

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

King Island Seal Bay Triple Cream Cheese

Taste

I can say it's my favourite cheese from King Island Dairy, and one of my favourite of all cheeses. I love creamy cheese with a bit of bite that is not too overpowering. This one is virtually oozing in its creaminess. It's perfectly balanced in saltiness too.

Rating - 8.5

Look

A soft white mold surrounds a very creamy yellow melting centre. It looks very inviting.

Rating - 2

C-factor

$32.99/kg, I would buy this anytime.

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 12

Ingredients

pasteurised milk, salt, enzyme, cultures

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Boost Juice 3

Taste

The Energy Lift is one of the best boost smoothie I have tasted from Boost. Prehaps it's the small ratio of bananas or maybe it's because these fruits are in season right now. This was a great balance of different flavours, and not at all watery or milky.

Rating - 7.5

Look

The same as always.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

R.R.P. is $5.95 as it's a premium smoothie, but I got a voucher to get it for $3.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 10

Ingredients

mango, banana, tropical juice, TD5 mango yoghurt, sorbet & ice + an energiser BOOST

Available At

Boost Juice Bar
Website

Confiland Assorted Swiss Chocolate

Taste

Someone bought these goodies, landscapes
napolitains from Confiland back from Switzerland. They were labelled "CH-2830 Correndlin". I tried 4 flavours:

• hazelnut - not much hazelnut taste, kinda just like the normal milk chocolate really.
• milk - a bit fake, too much vanilla perhaps? Not as melt in the mouth and smooth as I thought.
• dark - suitably bitter notes with a smooth chocolate.
• coffee - has a very strong and bitter coffee taste. The milk chocolate coating is quite smooth but quite sweet.

Rating -6

Look

Individually wrapped boxes with pictures of scenery from Switzerland. Cute and chic, better than the average souvenir, but only 'cos you can eat it.

Rating - 2

C-factor

I don't know how much this costs, but hey, it was free for me!

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 9.5

Available At

Switzerland