Sunday, November 14, 2010

Overdued - Part I

Hi,

Anyway, sorry for my lack of updates. Haven't had a chance AT ALL the past 6 weeks what with the final weeks of uni and assignments and exams right after... It was seriously nothing short of crazy... Ask anyone in my course and they will testify... Oh gawd...

So, yeah... Got so much piks accumulated that I have no choice but to split it into two parts. Got another folder of piks up and ready to go so will hopefully update with them soon when my exams are over (hopefully by early next week!)

For those who're having their exams, hope you're keeping well. And to those who's finished, hope that you've got a productive and eventful summer ahead... Enjoy!


Much Love,
Wince.

P.s.
If you've been a loyal reader you'll realise that I've increased the size of my piks by just a "tad". Would appreciate comments about what you think of the new ULTRA big picture size of food! Too much? Do tell! =)


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(i) Dad's Homecooked meals

Tales of a Father who's never really cooked until the past few trips he was in Melbourne taking care of his children. Almost all of which are food were Dad's first attempts and every time my parents visit they'd finds a new favourite thing to cook from the market.

Could be from flounder, to quails, ox tongue, beef shanks and this trip it's fish head. This is why Dad loves eating in and enjoys his trips here without fail. I think I'm just like him in so many ways =)



Steamed pork patty with salted fish


ABC Soup with Been Shanks


Steamed snapper


Steak with Homemade Mushroom sauce for breakfast (lulz)


Penang Hokkien (or Prawn) Mee


Homemade Beef Noodles Soup


Crumbed Prawns


Steamed whole fish head with black bean sauce and garlic on top... YUM YUM YUM!!!


A beautiful piece of fish head and rice for dinner


White carrot and beef soup


Roasted Lamb ribs


Claypot Yee Mee with claypot that belongs to my friend, Chris


Fried drumsticks


Curry Fish Head with Rice



(ii) Random study snacks



McCain's Beer Battered Fries with Maggi Tomato Ketchup and freshly ground pepper


Special DIY/custom made/special combo Maccas burger that I brought after work. TIP: Try microwaving your burger COVERED for 30 secs. It's SO much better cause it steams the bun slightly and melts the cheese even more. MMM...



(iii) Bimbo's Midnight Pizza Run after studying with the Eng Boys on a Friday Night lulz

Since it's been too long, I can't remember the exact names and ingredients in each of the pizza but all I remembered was they were yummm...


Pizza with Prosciutto (my fave!)


Yummo~~~


Garlic seafood pizza... =]


Crispy pepperoni


With thinly sliced cucumber, really good too =)


Love my Pizzas with Hot Sauce. This tasted more like Chinese Chilli Oil lol



(iv) Lunch at Menya, Melbourne Central


The famous Gyu-Tan Don or Ox Tongue with Rice. Still as good as ever


Chasyu Ramen, I think?


Gyoza


My Unagi Fried Rice.

Likes: Nicely fried eggs, generous shrimps and use of Jap Rice
Dislike: Deep fried unagi which means no usual Unagi sauce so fish was dry =/



(v) Ken's 21st and Jade's 20th Birthday BBQ at City Point

Didn't take many piks that night cause was busy running up and down, cooking etc. Here's what I got anyway:


Always beautiful to have coloured veg and meat on a skewer


Skewers again with marinaded beef =]


Shin's Famous Sweet Potato Mash that inspired me to almost completely switch to use Sweet Potato instead of regular potatoes for mash


I LOOOOOVE Chikky Wings... Like, beyond words


Jeff's specially requested Fresh Mango Cream Cake adapted from a Hunger Hunger, a food blog that I've got in my favourites page


SO yummy! Huge hit of the night! Extra "light and fluffy" lol



(vi) Dong Que Vietnamese Restaurant, Footscray

First stop in an impromptu "mini food trip" to Footscray with my Eng Gang one rainy Friday afternoon. GOOD FUN! Really really loved this restaurant, which is very easy to get to as it's located at the familiar part of town, Hopkins St.

Highly recommend it, was extremely enjoyable to eat something that was a slight change from the usual type of Vietnamese food that you order in most restaurants yet still remains just as tasty and authentic.



Specialty there: Fried Flour Cake with Egg (SO GOOD!!)


Diced Beef with Tomato Rice


Thick Noodle Soup with Fish Cake and Escargot


Pork Noodle Soup


Combination Beef Noodle Soup aka "Pho"


Last but not least, another specialty of the restaurant:
Egg and Crab Meat Noodles in Thick Soup

Absolutely LOVED IT!! I didn't realise it until after I started eating, but there was just SO much fresh crab meat in that bowl and in every bite. What a treat. Enjoyed the starchy soup as well and the broth made with it.


Random but the most neatly written bill I've ever seen lol


Good food, friendly staff and reasonable price. Definitely a place I will try and frequent whenever I'm at Footscray from now on. It's located almost directly opposite of Master Restaurant, if you know where it is



(vii) Nhu Lan Vietnamese Rolls, Footscray

Second stop, right after a satisfying lunch at Dong Que. Now, how is any trip to Footscray complete without its most famous Vietnamese Rolls????


Have your pick. I usually go with The Lot (chilli included)


Though the other meats look good, it's Char Siew or Roast Pork all the way for me!


The freshly baked rolls, such a pleasant sight and smell


What makes the rolls here so good is that EVERYTHING is fresh. The vegetables, garnish and even the bread. This is one of those times where using fresh ingredients really comes through in the taste and presentation (look at the colours!)


Yum yum yum.......


If you don't know which one it is. A short 2 min walk down Hopkins Street from Dong Que. How convenient for Round 2!



(viii) Victoria Bakehouse, Footscray

And again, RIGHT after that, we went to get what most people travel to Footscray to get, the Famous Pandan Chiffon Cake. You'll see why:


Durian Swiss Roll. Look at the yummy durian filling in the centre. Yummmmm


Durian Custard Bun. I love Durian. Of all sorts. Especially in cakes, buns and desserts


Low and behold, Footscray's most famous Pandan Chiffon Cake!


What I love about this cake and think that it's the best Chiffon Cake I've ever had:

1. Was lighter than air
Seriously, the whole cake barely weighed anything and you can easily eat close to half a cake at one go. So hard to share. Ask my friends, we were fighting for the last piece during study group

2. Springy and elastic texture
Cake can't seem to go out of shape. Each time you press it down, it springs back up. Not one of those crumbly cakes that easily breaks in half. Which makes eat more enjoyable to eat when you cut up a big piece, before tearing it with your hands to bite sized pieces to feed into your mouth

3. The moisture
This cake was far from the usual dry and grainy cakes that you get in most bakeries.
Don't call me crazy, but when you buy this cake, try and listen to it. When you press it down slightly with your fingers, you'll be able to hear soft "damp" sounds. It was hilarious cause I made all my friends press their cake while putting it close to their ears. They must've really thought I was out of it.

4. Simple, unadulterated appearance and presentation
I just love how this cake looks like the most average and boring cake on the outside, yet it tastes so surprisingly phenomenal! Though the flavour was there, to me this cake is ALL about the texture. So light, that you won't feel sick after having a huge slice. So springy, that it's much more fun to eat with your hands. And so moist, that it's so easy to swallow.

This cake can also be described as my favourite kind of people: Humble and "Low Profile". Nothing fancy on the outside. But a world of substance on the inside. Makes you look beyond outer appearance and appreciate people/things for who/what they are on the inside.


Victoria Bakehouse. Just less than 5 minutes walk from the previous stop, Nhu Lan. Next trip to Footscray, I want to eat at Huong Vuong. Another restaurant really close by that's recommended by my Vietnamese friend.

Looking forward to my next food trip to Footscray. Or shall I say, FOODscray? ;)

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