Komeyui, Port Melbourne

Love the clean, sophisticated and sustainable fitout of the restaurant with the soft lighting along the wall. Stunning

Complimentary appetiser:

 Tuna and Seaweed topped with Goji Berry

Duck Breast Komeyui Style -- $16 (5 pieces)

Thinly sliced and delicately cooked duck breast with soy-based red wine sauce and potato chips

Breaded Prawn Plum Sauce -- $18 (6 pieces)

Carefully prepared prawn paste sandwiched in deep fried bread

Eel with Mascaporne Cheese and Dried Tomato -- $30

Grilled eel with Japanese flavoured mascaporne cheese and semi fried tomato

Uni Don -- $50

Raw sea urchins on Japanese rice 

Berkshire Pork Kakuni -- $22

Japanese braised Berkshire pork dish which literally means "square simmered", 10-hours slow cooking to achieve the melt-in-mouth tenderness

Complimentary rice:

Japanese rice cooked with ginger, soy, vinegar and chicken pieces

Chan Chan -- $37 (2 pieces)

Hokkaido specialty dish, foil wrapped grilled salmon with miso butter sauce and vegetables

Miso Marinated Black Cod "Saikyo-yaki" -- $35

Kyoto traditional dish, char-grilled miso marinated cod

Wagyu Sirloin Steak -- $55 (200g)

Charcoal grilled wagyu beef Sirloin with grated radish & soy based sauce

Soft Shell Crab Roll -- $22

Fried Soft Shell Crab with Avocado, Spicy mayonnaise, Flying fish roe, Lettuce

Complimentary dessert:

Sliced cantaloupe/rockmelon

The whole setting was so gentle and inviting from the moment we walked in. Then, came the food... WOW. Just, wow. We started on a high note from the very first course and it seemed like every dish that came after just kept getting better and better. All night long we found ourselves overjoyed at the sight of the food before savouring each bite with true enjoyment/gratitude whilst thinking to ourselves as to how we could be so lucky. It was some seriously good Japanese food we were getting.

Just imagine, the play of flavour/texture of that perfectly cooked duck breast, delightful melt-in-your mouth braised pork, silky smooth and deliciously sweet black cod, charcoal crusted and amazingly tender wagyu... Just to name a few. 

The 6 of us were really enthusiastic eaters and happily ate our way through the menu, sampling as much variety as we could. We came for a friend's farewell and had a blast sitting at the restaurant for hours just talking/laughing away. There were quite a few complimentary items last night and even when we had finished eating for a long time, the staff kept refilling our waters non stop and eventually brought out some free fruits to share too.

It's very, very rare I would pay $48 for a Jap dinner but I must honestly say you're getting your money's worth. After that sensational experience, I will DEFINITELY recommend Komeyui to everyone looking for honest, authentic and high quality Japanese food. Heck, even I can't stop thinking about this place and hope I get to come back for another meal. AMAZING.

Wince's Fave's: Big Mama, CBD

Kicking off with another "episode" of Wince's Faves... =)

Banchan aka Korean Appetisers

You'll notice that their banchans are more fried/savoury/tasty as opposed to the usual pickled selections

Korean Jap Chae 

aka potato noodles

Seafood and Spring Onion Pancake

LA Gal Bi

aka grilled beef ribs

The aftermath of one of my many, many catchup sessions at Big Mama

Korean Fried Chilli Chicken

Soon Du Bu Jigae

aka Soft Tofu and Seafood Stew

Korokke

aka Potato Croquettes

Agedashi Tofu

aka Fried Tofu...... BEST OF BEST!!!

Kimchi Fried Rice with Creamy Garlic Seafood

Deeeeeelicious...

It's no secret that I love Korean food. I think it's one of the best food to have when you're eating in the CBD. I really do. Even though there's a large selection of Korean restaurants, there's a number of reasons why Big Mama remains as my favourite for over 5 years.  

I know a lot of people who are really apprehensive or unfamiliar with Korean food, which is why I'm always keen to bring people to Big Mama. Why? It's all because of the TASTE of the dishes here that are simply outstanding and UNDENIABLE. Thus, making it perfect for an introductory/gateway meal to this wonderful cuisine. And I've tested this hypothesis on the most stubborn non-believers of Korean cuisines numerous times in the past who have all come around after a meal here. 

Great thing about suggesting this place is that I always get either one of the following reactions:

a) "What? Is it nice? I've walked past this place a thousand times but never thought of going in."

b) "Ohhh Big Mama!! I haven't been here for ages!"

But believe you, me, the food here is so delicious and you will NOT regret ordering the Kimchi Fried Rice with Creamy Garlic Seafood, Korean Fried Chilli Chicken, Seafood and Spring Onion Pancake and best of all... The Agedashi Tofu!! Everything here is pretty good but you have to order these top picks.

And yes, that Agedashi Tofu trumps all others and also makes it to my list of Top 10 Dishes of 2012...... Ta!

Wince's Faves: Mabrown, Balwyn

First post of the year!

I was just having dinner with Bryan and I-Hua today and was just saying that it's funny how when once you've started taking a short break from blogging, it's really hard to snap out of it and get back into the swing of things.

A lot has changed in my life the past few months, which is also the main reason why you'll see a big difference in the way I write my posts from now on... 

Basically, Food Writing for me has gotten to a point where it's becoming quite forced to get through every single detail of a meal, when all I really care about is the lasting impressions about a place and also dishes that really stand out. By making this change, I'd be able to blog more frequently and continue to share my Food journey with you guys.

So, here we go... The Hungry Excavator v2.0 starting... NOW!

Signature Chilli Quail

Braised Pork Trotters

Steamed Fish with Shallots, Ginger and Soy Sauce

Signature Stir Fried Beef

Garlic Kai Lan

"Pi Pa" or "Chinese Banjo" Duck

XO Prawns on Egg Noodles

Claypot Tofu with Seafood

Mabrown is really famous for a few different reasons: 1) The signature chilli quail. It's amazing. You can't come here and not order this dish. Otherwise, it's like going to Maccas and ordering... a bowl of salad. What's the point, right?

This place is established, consistent and can produce no bad dishes. It's just that there are some dishes that are more famous and tastier that makes the others seem pretty ordinary. Notably, the signature chilli quail, fried tea smoked duck, xo prawns on egg noodles, claypot tofu with seafood. These are fantastic and highly recommended.

Besides being famous for the quails, Mabrown is just as famous or shall I say, notorious for the service. Especially that from the owner, which I like to refer to as "the angry Mabrown auntie". Instead of being fearful or taking great offense by this angry auntie, I personally find great humour in the whole situation and most people think I'm nuts. 

Why? Well, I love how a restaurant can be so famous for its food as well as an iconic angry auntie. Plus, my friends and I can't help but laugh when we share our personal encounters with this famous lady. So, guys. Please don't take bad service too seriously sometimes, especially at a Chinese restaurant. What else do you expect? Just laugh it off and have yourselves a good time. All in good fun. 

Till next time!

Wince =)

Top 10 Dishes of 2012

Hello!

A coupla weeks ago, Sharky (of Sharking for Chips and Drinks) e-mailed me about this post where he's approaching a few Melbourne bloggers to put together each of our Top 10 Dishes of 2012. 

I thought it was a fantastic idea. Never really thought of putting together a list like this, so I was kind of curious to know what my Top 10 dishes would turn out to be as well. Besides, it's always fun to collaborate and connect with fellow bloggers in the community =)

Just to clarify, this is list consists of my Top 10 favourite dishes to eat, and not what I think the Top 10 "best" dishes in Melbourne are (based on restaurant standards or whatever). It's more of a personal thing that basically showcases food that I was happily eating over and over again the past year, which I hope you'll appreciate too. Who knows, this Top 10 dishes thing might turn into an annual thing too... Eh? Eh...? 

Anyhoo, do expect a new post in the New Year where I'll be starting to take a slightly different approach to the way I blog on The Hungry Excavator, so stay tuned! I'm currently on holiday in my hometown of Kota Kinabalu but am very active on Instagram. Do add me (@winceeee) so we can stay connected! =)

Thanks again Sharky for thinking of me for this list. Definitely look forward to catching up with you sometime soon! Do check out the full post and see the Top 10 picks by the other awesome Melbourne food bloggers: here

__________________________________________

"My life as a full-time studying/part-time working student the past 5 years has really shaped me to become particularly passionate about searching the Melbourne food scene for food that are affordable, delicious and more importantly, value for money. 

Being a Chinese-Malaysian (and hence my affinity towards Asian cuisines), it is evident to see how my list of Top 10 dishes really does reflect who I am and where I'm from."

- Winston aka "The Hungry Excavator"

In no particular order:

1) Roast duck - Pacific House Richmond

Blog post to come

2) Salmone Pizza - Kaprica

Full post: here

3) Hamachi Sashimi - Pabu Grill & Sake

Full post: here

4) Korean Fried Chicken - Gami Chicken & Beer

Full post: here

5) Chirashi Sushi - Ume Sushi House

Full post: here

6) Claypot Fish Head Curry - Kuala Lumpur Restaurant

Full post: here

7) Deep Fried Lamb Spare Ribs - Chinese Spicy & Barbie

Blog post to come

8) Spicy Deep Fried Quail - Mabrown

Blog post to come

 9) Spicy Cod Roe Butter Pasta - Horoki

Full post: here

10) Agedashi Tofu - Big Mama

Blog post to come

Red Spice Road, CBD

Red Spice Road's interior cannot be beat...

Ahhh... Red Spice Road... Why are you so good to me?

Your food, your setting... Oh, how it gets me so...

I came here with some friends a while back after wanting to eat here for the longest time. The whole vibe of the place was just amazing from the moment we stepped in.

I absolutely love the design of this part of the restaurant. 

How the massive, red lantern was majestically situated in the centre of the room with ultra high ceilings, surrounded by the semi-circle tables, and acted as the backdrop to everyone's evening... Simply beautiful...

What I also love about the whole restaurant's layout is how generous they are with space and that it's split to several very distinct sections, almost with an entirely different theme and decor of their own. It's great.

These were the biggest communal table I've ever seen at a restaurant, which was actually quite nice to sit at...

No matter which part of the restaurant you find yourself sitting in, you're sure to be surrounded by people happily chatting away and having a good time.

Now, I completely apologise for not getting the full name and price of every dish. I, err... Thought I could just refer to the menu on their website anytime, but had no idea the menu had changed since. Sorry! 

School prawns

DELISH! Light, crisp and could taste the natural sweetness of the prawns. Very addictive!

Quails

Nicely fried and pink with great flavours. I really enjoyed that they served it on a BED of coriander and not just use it as a garnish, very refreshing... The dressing also cut out a lot of the sharpness of the fresh herb so it was actually really enjoyable to eat with the fried quails.

Twice Cooked Lamb Ribs with Chilli jam -- $17.00

ZOOOOMG these were the best!! Braised till soft then flash fried, moist yet super crunchy on the outside... Awesome! Best part was the chilli jam, which tasted more like sambal than sweet, sticky, spicy jam. Never knew sambal could go so well with lamb ribs. 

Damn good with a big bowl of white rice. Totally went nuts over these...

Pork Belly with Apple Slaw, Chilli Caramel and Black Vinegar -- $35.00

YUM! Again, crispy on the outside while being moist and tender on the inside. Just like the lamb ribs. What I loved most was the sauce. Almost nectary sweet but carried the pork as well as the bountifully fresh vegetables very well. Kept spooning it onto my rice, so gewd... Another favourite for sure.

Soft Shell Crab Stir-Fried with Snake Beans, Wild Ginger, Basil and Black Pepper Sauce -- $34.00

Was definitely taken aback by this at the start... Soft-shelled crabs... STIR FRIED...?? Don't think I've ever had soft shelled crabs that wasn't deep fried.

But since the waitress recommended it, we decided to give it a go. In fact, I was totally wrong. Def a very tasty dish and loved how generous they were with the soft shell crabs.

Veal Shank Curry

Lots of fresh, flavour profiles (from the pineapples, tomatoes, etc) in this monochromatic curry. Veal was delicious and falling off the bone.

Lychee Filled Jam Doughnuts with Cinnamon Ice-Cream -- $14.00

Doughnut was quite dense, felt like it needed more sauce to help it go down. Still, interesting concept.

Lemongrass Panna Cotta with Mango Marshmallow -- $14.00

Ermm.... This was way too weird for me. Couldn't get past the strong lemongrass flavour in the dessert and it almost tasted like curry leaves! Pass...

Passionfruit Brulee with Puffed Wild Rice and Coconut Ice-Cream -- $14.00

Really liked the ultra thin crust at the top. Custard was delicious but only wish that it had set a bit more because it was a tad runny. In their defence, passionfruit was an AMAZING flavour to use for a creme brulee and now I want to make this at home too. That aside, BEST COCONUT ICE CREAM EVERRR!

Will just stick to this dessert from now on...

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this place is AWESOMEEE... First, the whole ambience of the place was fantastic. Lots of buzz but thankfully the high ceilings and wide open space drowned out the noise. Decor was simple, yet classy.  Again, that room with the massive red lantern in the middle... Stunning...

BEST part about this was that even though I expected to pay $35 per person for a meal at a place like this (which we did), I was surprised by how big the portions were (especially the mains). Hugeeee... Even if the portions were cut in half (which I sure as hell hope they won't), they would still be considered a fair quantity in many other similar Modern Asian restaurants. 

And, yes... The food was deliciously executed and we all enjoyed the entrees and mains very much. 

Another thing that we found to be a vital factor for the enjoyment of our meal was the unlimited supply of rice. I know, I know... Sound so Asian. No, really. The mains were really tasty and pairing it with white, fluffy Jasmine rice made it so much better. 

Would SO gladly come back here over and over again. IMHO, my experience here was WAY better than the one I had in Chin Chin or Longrain. Easy to book, nice environment, prompt food/service, delicious food and value for money. Again, that's just me. I came back here a coupla weeks later with my mate Adrian for a simple catchup one night after work and it was just as awesome.

Red Spice Road... You have definitely won me over (twice in a row). Now, I look forward to coming in to your new branch at QV for more lamb ribs awesomeness in January!