Wednesday 29 February 2012

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Pillows


Following what’s most likely the last gloriously warm weekend of Summer, the new uni semester came around, along with an unseasonal downpour. So hopefully this sweet recipe can bring a ray of gastronomic sunshine into the lives of uni students and summer lovers everywhere.

Anyway, I was using StumbleUpon the other day, and I came across a recipe for these little babies. Not only did they sound delicious, but easy to make and low calorie too! Puff pastry and chocolate and peanut butter IS low calorie right?


So I decided to make a batch using M&Ms and peanut butter

 
But then I realised I had too much puff pastry so I decided to make some blackcurrant jam and peanut butter ones too.


And then I sealed them up so they looked like cute little raviolis, before popping them into the oven.

Peanut Butter and M&Ms
Peanut Butter and Blackcurrant Jam
 
Shame I didn’t seal the pastry properly and all the filling exploded out, but at least now you can tell which flavours are which!

Anyway, enough with the teasing, here’s the recipe:


Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pillows (adapted from Joy The Baker)
Makes as many as you want

Puff pastry, amount depends on how greedy you are, but 1 sheet makes approximately 18 pillows

Peanut butter

M&Ms/Jam/Filling of your choice

1 Egg-Weggy, lightly beaten

Granulated sugar for sprinkling (which I didn’t actually use)

---

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced)

Thaw the frozen puff pastry. Not too much though, or they’ll become sticky and hard to handle. 

Cut the pastry into little squares. The more even the squares, the better.

Dollop peanut butter on top of the pastry squares and top with chocolate or jam or deliciousness of your choice. As hard as it might be to do, don’t go overboard or you’ll end up with most of your filling seeping out when you try and seal them.

Top each square with another bit of square, and seal by pressing a fork into the pastry, crimping the edges. Do this well or they’ll look like they murdered a PB&J sandwich once they come out of the oven (like mine).

Ok this bit is important. Make sure you brush each pastry square with a bit of the egg before you pop it into the oven, it gives the pillows an irresistibly crispy top that stays that way for days. This is also where you sprinkle with granulated sugar but I didn’t have any. Boo.

Now bake those little darlings until they’re crispy and golden (about 10 minutes, give or take depending on your oven, so just keep an eye out).

Eat. And don’t share. Don’t forget to pop the uneaten ones into fridge. Cover tightly.

Sunday 26 February 2012

Grill'd

Level 3 Melbourne Central
Melbourne, VIC 3000



The gourmet burger. Up until a few years ago, it was still a niche concept. I mean, who would want a burger that isn’t dripping with artery-narrowing grease? It practically defies the very point of having a burger. Fast forward a few years however, it seems like more people would rather eat a burger with a knife and fork than with their bare hands, a concept I still don’t, and never will agree with. Point being, gourmet burgers have become so popular that there’s even, paradoxically, a fast food chain for it – Grill’d


Ushering the gourmet burger into the spotlight, Grill’d has been praised top to bottom for providing a casual gourmet burger with fresh ingredients at a reasonable price. Made to order, of course. The waiters are young, bubbly and attractive, flipping your burgers and handing back your change with a smile, and maybe just the hint of a wink.

Crispy Bacon and Cheese ($10.9)
Mustard and Pickled! ($9.9)

Chris and I (fun fact: this is our valentines date, unromantic-high-five!) ordered the Crispy Bacon and Cheese ($10.9) and the Mustard and Pickled! ($9.9) on wholemeal traditional buns. I’ll let you decide who ordered which. Both burgers tasted very similar, and very strongly of their signature herbed mayo and tomato relish. I wish that the mustard and pickles had more tang to them, and that the cheese and bacon were, well, more cheesy and bacon-y. That’s not to say they were bad burgers though. They were fresh, filling, and had a juicy, well-herbed patty. However it might be worth it to go with some of the more usual concoctions if you want something a bit different.

Chips ($3.3, snack size)

The Chips ($3.3, snack size) at Grill’d were still some of the best I’ve had. Generously sprinkled with sea salt and a herb mix, these golden batons were crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. I dare you to find a better plate of chips for that price, or even twice that price. 

Agrum ($2.5)

And some Agrum ($2.5). Is it weird that I hate orange flavoured everything, but I love orange flavoured drinks... and oranges?

It’s a bit disappointing to find that the burgers at Grill’d lacked the wow-factor they had three years back, when gourmet burgers were the hottest things since maracons. However, I will say that it is a good, solid and fresh burger that won’t leave a greasy film of regret on your tongue. It may not be my first choice anymore, but it still makes for a damn-good backup burger.

Rating: 13/20 – backup burger

 
Grill'd on Urbanspoon

Thursday 23 February 2012

Secret Recipe

Store L03 308, 211 LaTrobe Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000

Somewhere, in a land far, far away, a land called Melbourne Central, there’s a little sort-of-hidden-away cafe serving an assortment of Asian and Western dishes. But more importantly, they also have a mysterious glass cabinet that may or may not be like all other cabinets, but full of cakes. Long story short, Ethan wanted cake, so we went to Secret Recipe on the third floor of Melbourne Central to get some.


For a shopping center cafe, they actually have quite an edgy seating area, full of leather booths and attractive decor.

Cakes

And an amazing selection of cakes!

Tiramisu ($5.9)

I totally wasn’t going to have any of the Tiramisu ($5.9), but then Ethan coerced me into trying a bite, and then lured me into conversation so I kept eating out of habit! The layers of sponge were a bit dense, but the mousse sandwiched in the middle had a robust bitterness from the coffee. The cream was light yet indulgent, and it was topped with the most sinful layer of chocolate ganache. Sure it wasn’t proper tiramisu, but what did you expect? 

Rating: 13/20 – yummy affordable cake


Secret Recipe - Melbourne Central on Urbanspoon

Monday 20 February 2012

Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana

10 Manchester Ln
Melbourne, VIC 3000


I love a good hidden gem, and now I’ve finally found one! Located in an unobtrusive alleyway, Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana is a very, very little slice of Italy relocated to down under. It’s cosy with barely enough seating for ten people, and tables that look like they belong to the seven dwarves. 


And chequered table clothes! They are so adorable, and so, so underused in restaurants; I absolutely love the casual homely feeling that they give off. The kitchen may be small, but it didn’t stop the tantalising scent of a rich ragu from wafting downstairs, past the shelves of wine and pasta, and into our nostrils. And on the surprisingly sophisticated menu, you’ll find a handful of starters, a generous selection of pastas, and a smattering of mains. There’s also a daily specials board, as well as an enticing cake cabinet out the front next to the whirring coffee machine.

Gnocchi Mushroom ($13.5)

Ethan likes creamy pastas, so he ordered a serve of Gnocchi Mushroom ($13.5), which came in a square bowl filled with pearls of pasta, and thick slices of mushroom. This was actually quite amazing, with a creamy white wine sauce that had a fantastic aroma from the simmering mushrooms, and the richness of the sauce was toned down just enough so you don’t feel sick after eating the whole bowl. The mushrooms themselves were meaty, toothsome, and generous. It was hard to fault the flavours of this dish, though I did find myself yearning for bigger, fluffier chunks of gnocchi. These were more like the little tapioca balls you find in bubble tea, though they were perfectly cooked with just a tiny bit of bite.

Lasagne Bolognese ($12.5)
 
It was with great difficulty that I turned down the legendary osso bucco for a slab of Lasagne Bolognese ($12.5), my favourite benchmark dish for a pasteria (if you can have pizzerias, why not pasterias?). A large rectangle of lasagne, still swimming in piping hot ragu, was placed smack-bang in the middle of a large rectangle plate. The pasta sheets were (predictably enough) slightly overcooked, but it was still a great comfort dish, and the excellent parmesan added some zing to the bold, rich flavours. And now I’m hungry; it’s 12am and there’s no food in the house. Darn it.

When it came to paying, they made no fuss about splitting the bill, which only deepened my love. The waitress who served us on that day was warm, attentive, and very very pretty. Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana may not have a huge following yet, so hurry up and get down there before it gathers one, as it seems to be slowly but surely picking up momentum on the blogosphere. Leave it too long and you probably won’t be able to saunter in for a lazy lunch anymore.

On second thoughts, don’t hurry, don’t even go at all – I think I’ll keep this little gem to myself!

Rating: 15.5/20 – very, very little slice of italy


Maccaroni Trattoria Italiana on Urbanspoon

Friday 17 February 2012

Chef Lagenda

16 Pin Oak Cres.
Flemington, VIC 3031


Laksa King or Chef Lagenda? The opinions on which restaurant does the best Malaysian hawker food is as divided as the opinion on where you can get the best pho in Melbourne. We personally loved Laksa King when we first tried it, but we thought that it’d only be fair to give its next-door rival a go as well. 

Unlike the canteen-styled Laksa King next door, the decor inside Chef Lagenda is a lot more subdued, with exposed brick and dark wood lining the walls. The only thing that seemed out of place were the chairs – as opposed to ones that matched the table, the patrons were either perched on colourful plastic stools, or heavy stainless-steel chairs. Luckily we got the latter. Hooray back support!

Curry Laksa ($9.2)
 
First up was of course, the Curry Laksa ($9.2). The broth here is quite heavy on the coconut milk, which muted the punch of the spices. The toppings were excellent, with generous amounts of fresh prawn and chicken, fish cakes and tofu puffs, and a lovely wedge of eggplant that soaked up the lemak-ness of the broth. The surprisingly addition of mint was cleansing, and very welcome. This bowl of noodles is only subtly different from the one served next door, but it’s more than enough to divide diners into two camps. As for myself, I prefer the laksa served at The King. The one here is good if you want a creamier noodle soup, but the richness got to be a bit too much by the end. 

Fried Koay Teow ($10.2)

My all-time favourite dish to order at a Malaysian restaurant has to be the Fried Koay Teow ($10.2), rice noodles stir-fried with Chinese sausage, prawns, egg, and a good dose of chilli. The most important thing about this dish is the wok-hei, otherwise known as the breath of wok, referring to the charred taste from being cooked at very high temperatures. This dish certainly had the wok-hei going; in fact, it’s so caramelised that it’s verging on bitter. I never thought I’d say this but, maybe the wok hyperventilated a little. That aside, it was a good plate of noodles, with the barely-cooked and still-crunchy bean shoots being a highlight, though it could have been improved by a heavier hand with the chilli. It’s not the best fried koah teow I’ve had, and it’s certainly not a meal for the calorie-conscious, but there’s something to be said about mouthful after addictive mouthful of luscious, slippery ribbons of noodle. 

Service is efficient and a bit perfunctory, but not unfriendly. I’d rather go to Laksa King for the laksa, but if I’m not in the mood for that, then it’s really a coin toss as to which restaurant I’d prefer. Maybe I’ll just do what most people do, and pick the one that has a shorter line out the door. 

Rating: 13.5/20 – hyperventilating wok.


Chef Lagenda on Urbanspoon

Wednesday 15 February 2012

Hanaichi

245 Little Lonsdale St
Melbourne, VIC
3000

I kind of see Hanaichi as Don Don’s deep-fried cousin. Whilst it’s like Don Don in terms of pricing (extremely cheap) and style (simple, fast, but good quality Japanese), it replaces the healthier options of Don Don with an assortment of oil-baptised delights, including tempura, katsu, and good ol’ fried chicken. 

Furnished like McDonalds and menu backlit like KFC, I would never, ever have stepped foot into Hanaichi if it weren’t for the fact that I’ve been eating their katsu don every since I was 7, all the way up in Queensland. So instead of it being tacky and off-putting, I actually found the familiar picture menus to be a welcome nostalgia trip.

Chicken Curry with Rice ($6.7)
 
Poor curry, so delicious yet so un-photogenic. If you look a bit closer, you can actually tell that this is a Chicken Curry with Rice (regular, $6.7), served with a side of my favourite red pickles. The pieces of crumbed and fried chicken were impressively crunchy, even when doused in the thick curry sauce. If I had to pick bones, I’d say that the sauce is a bit grainier and less robust that I’d like, but that’d just be mean, considering the price we paid.

Chicken Hanaichi with Rice ($6.9)
 
The Chicken Hanaichi with Rice (regular, $6.9) on the other hand is so pretty that it may as well have been air-brushed. Upon a bed of fluffy white rice rests a simple salad doused in an addictive soy and vinegar dressing, topped with crispy chunks of chicken and a scoop of tartar sauce. The highlight is definitely the chicken, which has an entirely different batter to the chicken katsu; it’s light, crispy, and tastes delightfully reminiscent of pork crackling.

Sure, this isn’t gourmet food (though I find it funny that Hanaichi advertises itself as Japanese Fine Food); this isn’t even extremely healthy food. But it’s hard to feel too bad when your biodegradable paper bowl contains an almost-balanced meal served at lightning pace, with change from a tenner to boot.   

Rating: 13/20 – deep fried don don


Hanaichi (Qv Sq) on Urbanspoon

Sunday 12 February 2012

RaRamen Glen Waverley

114 Kings Way
Glen Waverley, VIC 3150


Despite it having opened more than three years ago, I still haven’t managed to head to RaRamen in Glen Waverley. Uni meant that I had to spend most of my available hours studying, as opposed to going out for leisurely family dinners. It’s a bit of a travesty really, considering that the previous restaurant on this premise, Bob’s Kitchen, was one of my favourite neighbourhood eats. Luckily according to my parents, the new RaRamen is supposedly exactly the same as its predecessor, aside from a couple of price increases. So it was with high hopes that I finally headed there for dinner.

Free Stuff!

It turns out that my parents weren’t being entirely truthful after all. There were a few more changes than that of the prices. Let’s start with the good ones first. Number one: FREE SLURPEES. Sure they were kind of really grainy, and sure the cola didn’t taste like cola, and the orange didn’t taste like orange. But they were sweet, cold, and freeeeeeeee! Number two: the whole place is now cleaner, neater, and just better looking in general. Unfortunately the two good points come with a bad one – the authentic northern-Chinese menu had been diluted by dishes such as lemon chicken, curried beef, and to my intense horror, teriyaki chicken. Never trust a restaurant that dabbles in multiple cuisines I say.

Steamed Peking Pork Dumplings ($7.5 for 12)

My favourite thing from Bob’s Kitchen had to be the dumplings, so the first thing on our radar was some Steamed Peking Pork Dumplings ($7.5 for 12). Ignoring the fact that they price has gone up whilst the quantity has gone down, these weren’t half bad. If it weren’t for the fact that Bob’s Kitchen used to have the best dumplings in Melbourne, I would actually be quite impressed. Except now these dumplings are at best third, after Auntie’s Dumplings and David and Camy’s. Thank goodness their house-made chilli oil is as good as ever.

Stewed Beef On Rice ($8.5)

We also ordered a dish of Stewed Beef on Rice ($8.5). I would’ve ordered my old favourite of Special Chilli Beef on Rice to see how it compared, if it weren’t for Chris' issue with spicy things. The dish that we were served wasn’t pretty (though I didn’t expect it to be); a pile of rice came topped with chunks of lean beef, a generous handful of those Asian pickles, and some pickled cabbage. I wasn’t a big fan of the beef; it was lukewarm, a bit too sweet, and lacked the depth of flavour I’m used to. Hence it was a surprise when I found that it actually tasted quite good when paired with some of the crunchy pickles and a mouthful of rice. So that’s a win for RaRamen I guess?

Maybe time has given Bob’s Kitchen a rose-tinted glow, but I don’t care what anyone else says. RaRamen isn’t the same as Bob’s Kitchen. Not even close. It lacked the dirt-cheap prices, large portions, and authentic northern Chinese flavours its predecessor had, and no amount of free slurpees and clean tables can make up for that. 

Rating: 12/20 – bob’s kitchen, why did you leave me?!


Raramen Glen Waverley on Urbanspoon