Gami @ Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne

One of the first things we wanted to quickly find in Melbourne was for our Korean Fried Chicken joint. Most would have read about how we obsess over the version we get in Brisbane but since the owners has changed after the new year, we were disappointed. Hopefully, with the new owner settled in, the place is back to its full glory, still as memorable as the one in our mind.


Our first try was at Hallah and our benchmark is not the original one which I know most would say is the version to have but the spicy one and the sweet soy version. Sad to say, the one at Hallah was a big fail.


So it was left to Gami, so famous that it has one outlet on each end of Little Lonsdale Street. Will it pass our picky palate?


Like most good restaurants in Melbourne, if you don't eat early, make sure you have a reservation. We went in at 5.30 and took the last available table. Every other table was filled up or reserved.

It was a pretty hot day so a beer was a must. In any case, they sell the place as chicken and beer.

Some vegetable is provided to hide the fact that you will be stuffing yourself silly with high fat content chicken.

I presume it must have been the fact that the lady dropped a piece of chicken when serving the whole plate to us so she went back to the kitchen and gave us a complimentary plate of duk bokki which is like a hard rice roll. These were deep fried and served with a spicy sauce. I guess it was alright since it is free.

What we were waiting for. Now at first sight, we were slightly disappointed. The version we loved had a very dry coating but this had a pool of sauce at the bottom of the plate. Thankfully the flavours were close enough to the chicken we frequently feast upon in Brisbane, especially the spicy one. Their sweet soy which was more like honey soy was one dimensional and quite sweet. Looking around, a lot of people were digging into the original version, so it looks like the next time we are back, we know what combination to junk on.

After the excessive meal, the Wife suggested we walk back home and surprisingly we did the almost 5 km trot (hoping we would have burned off the calories but by my count, we would have barely scratched the surface of what we gorged upon).

If you are into chicken and beer, this is the place (until I find a better one).

Address and contact details:

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5 stars. Korean Fried Chicken, nothing more, nothing less. Perfect for the meal when we feel like jun! king (a term for gorging junk food).

Fondant fun, one for every occasion

Since this months Aspiring Bakers fall in the category of Fondant, Im more than happy to take part in it. Well, I make lots of fondant cakes n cupcakes. Initially it was a requirement to have recipes up together with the post, but there were so many and most had the same type of cake, I just didnt think it was necessary. (AB then removed the part about submitting the recipes, so here we go, 8 pictures!) But there are some tips you may need to be aware of with fondant especially if you live in a humid country.

For a princesss birthday! This was Princess Aurora, the sleeping beauty. Disney princesses are always a hit with young girls.

1. When making cakes with fondant, its better to make the cake a day before, so it cools and matures, and when u apply buttercream or ganache, it doesnt melt. Which makes it easier to cover the fondant over.

Leaving kindergarden? say thanks to the teachers with a cupcake tier and school related toppers.

2. Most fondant comes in white (nowadays, there are shops selling coloured fondant) So if youre attempting the Angry Bird or some Black Ninja characters, it will take ages to get to a deep dark red or black. It may be a little more expensive getting coloured fondant but it saves u alot of time kneading. (and energy as well)

Your man has been eyeing a sports car for the longest time ever. It may not seem right to buy a real car for your man, but you can get the edible ones and enjoy the ride

3. Fondant keeps well in air tight container (not in the fridge). If it hardens a little, you can pop in the microwave for 10 secs to soften it to a more pliable stage. If exposed to air for a long period, it hardens and its unusable. Well, you can try to microwave and see if it works.

Well, if you girlfriend has been eyeing on a few thousand dollars bag that you seem not necessary, maybe a fondant bag can ease the addiction. Lol, that saying, its hardly the case. Surprise your mom with a handbag

4. Cake bases for fondant cakes are more advisable to be butter based (as it can hold the structure better, stay moist longer) If youre planning to cover the entire cake with fondant, best not to use cakes that require refrigeration (example, cheesecake / sponge cakes). Fondant and refrigeration dont work along well unless they have dried and harden.

Ok, so Angry Bird is definitely a trend among children nowadays. Make sure you have flying birds!

5. If your place is really hot, its best to work fond! ant in a n air con room or, at least try at night. Its not that sticky to work with. If the fondant sticks on your hand or table top, you can dust with a little icing sugar or corn flour. That way, it prevents the stickiness. But try not to use too much as it will create an elephant skin. Super rainy days, are not your best friend.

Propose #likeaboss. The box (right) is actually removable.. so it probably is a very nice surprise or prop for your proposal. The ring was acrylic and its about 3 1/2 inches diameter. Huge!!!

6. Work fondant like how you would with play dough or modelling clay. Roll with a rolling pin, cut with a pizza cutter or a pairing knife, mould with your fingers or you can get some modelling tools. To stick / glue them, you can just use a brush with a little water.

Snake and Ladder life inspired cake with fondant. EAch square represents a year of the mans life.

7. Making fondant cakes actually need alot of time, especially if it involves flowers (which require drying time). So start early with the decorations or toppers, then cover the cake last before you send the cake out.

Hurray if your son likes watching F1 and supports the ferrari team. Th! e real f errari car may be 100 times bigger but you can have your own on your special day! Usually cars = boys

I am submitting this postto Aspiring Bakers #16: Fun with Fondant! (February 2012) hosted by Yvonne of iceamericanos

Jing-Si @ Tropicana

A cafe in Tropicana Shopping Mall seems like an unlikely spot to seek serenity, but this Buddhist-run outlet could be an oasis for the troubled & the restless.

Staffed by soft-spoken folks, the setting is spacious & silent, with sufficient privacy.

No food is available, but there's Genmaicha (Japanese green tea combined with roasted brown rice) to soothe both body & soul.

Organic Oat & Job's Tear cereal beverage, to nourish the spirit & the stomach.

Books to peruse & purchase.

Oh, what does "! Jing-Si" mean? "Still thoughts," apparently.

Jing-Si Books & Cafe,

Tropicana Shopping Mall.