Din Tai Fung Dumpling Bar, Westfield Sydney

Din Tai Fung Dumpling Bar is the express version of the ultra-popular World Square haunt. It certainly was zippy when I was there on Thursday: there was zero queue and I handed over my order form with unexpected speed. So good news, the place has yet to inherit the long lines of its predecessor; let's hope that's 'cause it's ultra-efficient and streamlined and not due to it only being open a few days.

Helping to keep the queues short is the compact menu (and yes, Pork Dumpling Xiao Long Bao diehards should be happy to know their favourite made the cut). I like that you can get Vegetarian Wontons in Spicy Sauce ($6), something I didn't see on the World Square menu when I was last there (and, boy, is it way more exciting than the saintly Vegetarian Jiao Ze on offer). If you feel like you won't regret this decision on laundry day, you can also order the wontons in noodle soup, although as I much as I love the feisty, spicy-sweet sauce with its volatile splashback-levels, I'm sure my T-shirt would not.



Like at World Square, you can order the Dan Dan Noodles ($10.80), the Mango Pudding ($4.50) and the always awesome Lychee Mint Freeze ($5.80), although beware the weakling straws that are no match for the thick, near-unpiercable plastic cover for the latter beve! rage.
Oh and you still have spying capacity on the dumpling production process, too.

Like the rest of the overdesigned Westfield Sydney complex, it is tricky to find, but the circumnavigating is worth it. After several laps, you'll discover it tucked near the Stage Two food court options on Level 5. Hopefully without any long queue for easy identification.

Level 5, Westfield Sydney, Cnr Pitt St Mall and Market St Sydney, westfield.com.au/sydney

Stephane Reynauds 365 Challenge Mussels in Sauce Poulette

Oh Hi!! Have you missed me much? Lol Maybe not I guess.

There will be a series of posts fromStephane Reynauds 365 Good Reasons to Sit Down to Eat Challenge. Its a sweet challenge set by Murdoch Books, where a team of home cooks / bloggers / anyone completes the challenge of cooking all of Stephane Reynauds dishes in his book here. (The one Ive just won tee hee hee) You can check out the 365 challenge team and their blog posts, if youre interested to join, shoot them an email and theyll get in touch with you.

Just before I get started heres a littlequestionnaire.

Position : An executive somewhere in Kuala Lumpur.

How did I get here: I saw it first on Ellies post! (The one with bacon mayonaise ;P) It was rather interesting as Ive always wanted to do a challenge like this, but as with my failed Project 52 Ice Cream Mondays, I dare not put myself up for a year long challenge especially when I know Ill be moving some time soon. So this challenge came at the right time where its a team challenge, so I make however much dishes I want from the challenge.

The dish Im working on today, is Mussels in Sauce poulette (other than that, Im also working on some sets of cupcakes for a customer and a cake for my colleagues, and 5 carrot cakes

Im currently reading Julie & Julias but not quite frequently. I usually ! just jum p right onto bed after work (of course after my bath, some emails, some tv shows) So I can honestly say, Im not reading anything at the moment, unless browsing cookbooks counts ;P

My favourite dish. Oh my, this has to be the hardest question on earth! Apart from what to eat today Generally I love cakes and desserts, but Im very picky. But I also like my Nasi lemak, Curry laksa, and Bah Kut Teh ;P

If I were to rate my cooking abilities from 1-10, I would say 6. I can cook, but I dont cook much. But I bake darn lots! If I were to rate my baking abilities, then 8.5 . Lol.

OK lets get started.

Wheres the sauce!! Lol. Sauce Poulette was originally made from the cooking broth of a poule au pot. and this stock is used to be the basis of a creamy bechamel sauce. Indeed. But because I had not enough of white wine (which I thought I had) and cream to make em mussels swimming in a pool of creamy white sauce.

It is actually quite easy, all you need is 10 minutes of cooking time. Actually even lesser cause the mussels were already 1/2 opened and I made enough fr 2 servings. One for me for dinner, one for me (again) when I bring lunch to the office the next day.

Mussels in Sauce Poulette.

(adapted from Stephane Reynauds 365 Good Reasons to Sit Down to Eat)

Serves 2

1 garlic clove
2 shallots
1kg mussels (closed shells) or abut 800g 1/2 open mussels (or as much as you like)
1 bunch italian p! arsley15g butter
olive oil
100ml white wine
200ml cream
1/2 tsp corn flour (I didnt use any cause I find the sauce thick enough)

Method.

1. Peel and chop garlic and shallots. Clean the mussels. Roughly chop parsley

2. Heat pan with butter and a tad of olive oil, add in shallots and garlic. Stir.

3. Add white wine and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes. Add in mussels and toss toss toss.

4. Add cream and stir again. Close the lid for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then.

5. If using, mix corn flour with a little water and add into the mussels. Stir and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Otherwise if mussels are done, remove from heat and serve. If using closed shell mussels, they will open up when theyre cooked.

6. Scatter with chopped parsley and stir hot!.

And thats one of the reasons why I chose to work with this recipe. Fast, easy and simple. The only time Ive cooked with mussels is either scatter with cheese and bake them, remove the meat from the shell and make risotto, and thats it. Mussels are really a turn off if its over cooked, so I dont eat much of them out too. But this was so easy Im going to go get another bottle of white wine and some cream to finish up the rest of the mussels.

If you wish to join in the challenge, you can contact Murdoch Books, meetus@murdochbooks.com.au with 365 in the subject line and theyll get in touch with you.

Cheers,

Happy Easter

terms

Ms. Jazz Reviews: Hanare @ The Intermark

Hanare in TheIntermark was one of the newest Japanese eatery which was much hyped and gushed over by many re-known foodies, they are known for bringing in freshest ingredients directly from the fresh markets in Japan. Despite the worries of radiation infected possibilities, they still insist that their raw food is still directly imported from Japan but gave assurance that any imported food has been certified with clearance letter from both immigration- Japan and Malaysia. And are we assured? Hell no.

Despite it all (u know women being co-related to hypocrite and all) =P, we still ordered sashimi, tataki, and oyster (raw, raw, and raw) and ignored the nagging voice at the back of our mind.

Prices are exorcist. Do not come here without at least RM200 in your pocket (per person). The Zen-like ambiance with soothing brown tone and spacious tables signal quiet and slow dinners.

We started off with dozen of fresh oysters (RM70), Amayzing commented that it is one of the better ones she had in a long time. And I suggest you stick by her words. Ive ate with her dozens of times and never once she left a restaurant without complaining about the oysters =)

Moriawase (RM160) which Hanare proudly proclaim that its imported from Tsukuji fresh market. This is suitable for 2-3 pax and it consist of assorted sashimi such as salmon, tuna belly, scallop, yellowtail, and snapper. I cant quite say I enjoyed it as much as I wish to, because of that nagging tone behind my head screaming- radiation! Nevertheless to be fair, the raw cut was in thick slices and it tasted rather fresh. I had a good time with my chutoro

Wagyu Tataki (RM95) was lightly seared and mildly marinated. A dish that was simply carried out yet able to create the delightful melting sensation.

Negi Toro (RM95), I cannot justify the price of this dish given that it came with such measly portion, it is after all just tuna sashimi chopped up in small pieces, marinated with their special ingredients, and accompanied by spring onions and wrapped in seaweed. But to give credits, the few components goe! s really well together, its just the price (sigh!)

Shiokara (RM18), squid with was heavily salted; the traditional making of this dish is to fermented it for up to a month, hence creating a rare taste of fishiness that resembles anchovies. This is something different to my food context, and i must say that I quite like it.

On the hot plate, weve ordered the Kinoko (RM25) mixed mushroom, and chicken teppanyaki. Both are fairly forgettable.

Nothing spectacular with their Unagi Tamago, Japanese eel wrapped in cooked omelet. But anything to do with eggs, Im good to go.

Perhaps one of the most enjoyed dish of the night (probably because its not raw- i'm not too good with raw food in general) Inaniwa tsuke udon (RM35) was served cold with warm chicken and vegetable broth on the side. The noodles came with wonderful chewy consistency and are slightly soften when being dipped into the warm broth. A perfect marriage of flavor as the broth was light without overpowering the natural taste of the noodles.

For desserts, we had the rice flour dumpling, red bean with green tea ice-cream (RM24)

While I felt that the food in Hanare is somewhat overpriced, with nothing that wowed me thus far, I heard that their champagne brunch is quite a steal which is only available on Sunday. For RM298++, you enjoyed vast list of buffet items and hear this (its free flow of G.H.Mumms Champagne and Hakutsuru Sake all the way). I mean, whos complaining about the price now, I know I wont since I can eat all I want, and my friends all know how scary I could get with buffets (Kiasu is my first, middle, and last name). But for non-alcoholic options, RM150++ is all youve got to pay.


Considering their ala-carte with limited choices cost around that much, and most items in the menu is offered in the buffet spread, Id suggest you to consider the buffet instead when dining in Hanare.

Ratings:

Food: 6.5/10

(fresh, uncommon ingredients used. I heard they served fugu here on seasonal basis)

Ambience: 7/10

(suitable for those who looks for a quiet night out)

Service: 7/10

Presentationof food: 6/10

Overall: 6.5/10

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hanare Japanese Restaurant

Grnd Floor, The Intermark

Jalan Tun Razak, KL

! Tel: 03- 2164 2133

Review: Afternoon Tea @ Delicious Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur

If I had at least two weeks to spare after my study trip in the States, I WILL definitely make a stopover in KL. I miss my parents. I want to see how my mom is doing. And how good looking my dad has become (he had a makeover, by the way). I want to physically feel them in my arms, have my mom lie next to me and share the stuff I've been going through face to face, heart to heart.

It is not a lot to ask. Yet right now, this is an impossible task. Sigh.

This melancholy feeling takes over each time I blog about my memories when I was in KL. During my trip back, I managed to coerced my dad to bring to for tea at Delicious. It is NOT an easy task because he's the type of person who is cynical about Western oriented restaurants. He went like "So they serve pasta?"

T_T

Still, because my dad loves me like nobody's business (leading my mom to accuse me for being such a princess - If I am, I would be a princess who does her household chores diligently), he agreed. Inwardly, I screamed "YESSSSS...."

I'm no Delicious virgin, so I had an approximate knowledge of Delicious' food standards. In my first visit, I had the super huge duck confit. It was surprisingly decent, although not super delicious to the point that I would rate it 11 out of 10. So, I did not have sky high expectations in my next visit.



Three tier

This round, I had the Traditional English Afternoon tea for two. It costs RM 60 and by no means cheap when compared to the three tier sets one can get in hotels such as Shangri-La, Ritz Carlton and Hilton KL.

In this set, one gets two huge cups of tea of your choice, a choice of any cake on display - which is usually priced around RM 10 -, hot scones, assorted finger sandwiches, strawberry chocolate dip and handmade chocolate truffles, and rosemary and cheese cookies.

Huge mugs of tea
They use Twinings tea, the premium range ones. However, I feel that instead of serving them in a cup, they should serve them in pots. It was such a waste because one bag of Twinings can last for around 6 rounds of hot water in a pot.

Scones, rosemary and cheese cookiesThe scones were served piping hot. It was a good thing. Nevertheless, the texture of the scones were very inconsistent. Two of the scones were very fluffy and did not crumble upon cutting. They were perfect. The other one cracked into a million pieces upon cutting. Also, it tasted a little saltier than the rest.


Jam and scones
I felt a little cheated because it was said on the menu that fresh cream would be served. They did serve us with high quality preserves but cream in a plastic container? Well, that's fresh but it is not freshly prepared on the spot.


SandwichesThe finger sandwiches were quite creative. At least, they had the decency to serve wholemeal bread sandwiches. I prefer wholemeal over white bread anytime because first, there is this lovely aroma that wholemeal bread has that white bread does not. There were cucumber, egg and smoked salmon sandwiches. I liked all of them but would have loved them if they were to be a little stingy with the butter. Seriously, if there's one way to cut cost, don't let loose on the butter!

The duck confit in filo pastry was delicious. I loved them the most and when my dad refused to eat it, I helped him clear it up without hesitation! :D

Chocolate banana cake and strawberriesNow, onto the chocolate banana cake. It is a little on the sweet side but not to the point I would stop eating it after a single bite. It is in a way, a "safe" cake. Chocolate and banana will always work together no matter what. I don't see how it can go really wrong.

The strawberries were huge and fresh. According to my mom, they are American strawberries. Thank god they are not Victorian strawberries. Victorian strawberries taste like vegetables and are not fruits! Sometimes, one can find grass sprouting out from strawberries!

The chocolate dip was very decadent affair. It was nice how they used dark chocolate and not some sweet milk chocolate. The chocolate truffles had a generous dose of hazelnut and dark chocolate as well. The slight bitterness of the cocoa made it the perfect ending for the afternoon tea.

My dad di! d not ea t most of the items from the afternoon tea. Instead, he indulged himself in... PASTA! THE IRONY.

Spicy Seafood Spaghettini with Coriander (RM 24.90)

He enjoyed his seafood pasta immensely. The portion was a little too much for him, so my mom helped him out. According to her, the pasta was decent. I felt that they should include more mussels for the pasta though...

Yet another pleasant experience in Delicious. It's a foolproof place, with the exception of the scone glitch, to have an outing with your friends and family. The only complaint I had during that day was the poor air-conditioning. Apparently, the main air-conditioning was shut down by the mall! So, it was stuffy. Thankfully, the air-conditioning came back mid way or else, I do not think I would be able to enjoy my meal without feeling like Eyjafjallajkull.


Little things:

-Cuisine: Cafe, desserts, pasta, Fusion

-Ambiance: Blue and white decor dominate the place. Wood linings on the floor. If you go at a peak hour, it can be a little noisy

-Service: A bit slow during peak hours

-Portions: Reasonable. Some mains can be a little huge

-Budget: Quite pricey if you're a huge eater. Damage done was RM 80

-Information: Click herefor Delicious' website.

_____________

Anyway, if you guys are worried about how I'm doing, all I can say is, my skin has been rescued. I don't look domestically abused at the moment, thank god! However, my skin is literally peeling off in sheets. It feels slightly taut and I cannot eat properly because it's so hard to open my mouth. Fortunately, the skin underneath the peeling bits is not black in ! colour.< br>
My sister said that I'm a new hybrid of "Alien- Predator" and Domo is now my child because I'm a burnt alien. She even had the decency to call me a turtle with wrinkly skin! I know it sounds disgusting and that my sister may come across as nasty but her teasing is a nice way for me to break out a laugh amidst all this bitterness I've been undergoing.

Heavy Lunch @ Restaurant in Ningbo City

I'm back in Ningbo City and this time I'm taken by one of my colleagues to a brand new restaurant that just opened in Ningbo's new Commercial District for lunch. There were only the 6 of us but with so much food on the display counter and fresh seafood we ordered food that could feed a table of 12!







Braised Taro

The Taro was braised in a gravy whose flavors I can't describe. It was very soft almost mushy in texture.


Stir Fried Local Greens with Eggs

The Greens had a taste similar to Spring Onions but the texture of Choi Sum. It was very good especially with the eggs.


Stir ! Fried Lo cal Greens

The Greens tasted like Kai Lan but was a little soggier. It was fried with some Garlic.


Braised Cabbage

This dish I think is from Hunan. The Cabbage wasn't overcooked and had a nice crunch. The chef's use of chilies gave the dish a nice spicy flavor.


Shark Meat

This was my first time having Shark Meat. It was quite chewy in texture but was very good with the soy-based sauce which had some heat from the use of chillies.


Herbal Lamb Soup

The lamb soup was mediocre. The Lamb meat was a little chewy and the herbal soup was lacking in lamb flavor.


Pork Rib Soup

This was an attempt on a Cantonese Style Soup by Ningbonese Chefs. The Soup was a little too bland for my liking.


Peking Duck

The Skin was quite crispy but not very flavorful. The crepe however was way too chewy.


Stir Fried Noodles

A solid dish. Not too oily and the egg flavor was well drawn out into the noodles.


Braised Local River Fish

This was good. The River Fish was flaky in texture and their Ningbonese BBQ Sauce was savory and aromatic from the use of Ginger.


Overall the food was decent. The restaurant I felt featured way too many dishes from different regions of China which made it impossible for the chefs to master any of them except for their own local dish which was the Braised Local River Fish.


Food: 3.5/5
Ambiance: 3.5/5
Service: 4/5
Price: $$ (Under USD $20 per person)


Contact Information
Address: N/A
Tel: N/A

A Free Food and Travel Photography Class with Penny De Los Santos

The Power of Food Photography from Penny De Los Santos on Vimeo.

Penny De Los Santos moves people.

If you love food and travel photography like I do, watch the video above and tell me this isn't the most inspiring piece you have seen in a while.

I get this way every time I get to spend time with Penny. I was lucky to have her teach a workshop here last year and ever since, she has become a close friend. She is a constant source of inspiration for me, both personally and professionally. I have seen the effect she has on others as well.

Everyone is swept away by her passion and commitment. I witnessed it last year at BlogHer Food where she received a standing ovation after her session. Remarkable.



And all this to tell you that you could also be a part of all this, and for FREE!

Penny is teaching a FREE 3-day class in Seattle beginning on May 13th at 10am PST (hosted by Creative Live). She is looking for a few audience members to attend the class so if you are interested, please watch her video or visit her post for more details. The class will also be live-streamed, so if you cannot attend in person, you could follow online.



This really is a tremendous opportunity and a gift to all of us. I hope you can join!

All images courtesy and copyright of Penny De Los Santos and cannot be used without permission of the author.

Best Banana Bread

As a member of the 21st century, I get bored by classic things very easily. Which is why, I tend to favor new variations. I wanted to make my own banana bread, slightly healthier with yogurt and vegetable oil, but filled with wonderful things. Pistachios don't really go with banana all that well but the green is a nice sprinkle of color. The chocolate makes it more decadent. All together it makes the best banana bread. Ever.

Best Banana Bread

What you need:

1 1/4 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup yogurt

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 bananas mashed

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold in the chocolate chips, pistachios and coconut. In another bowl, mix together the vegetable oil, yogurt, eggs vanilla and lemon zest. Stir in the bananas. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until they are just combined. Spread the batter in the loaf pan and bake for 55 minutes.

P.S. In the Spring spirit, why not help a child that cannot enjoy the great outdoors? Check out the Fresh Air Fund for hosting opportunities.