Truly Scrumptious

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Gerard’s Bistro, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD

17 05 20

We wanted to go somewhere a bit special, and decided to go for Gerard’s Bistro because it had great reviews. The restaurant is in the vibrant James Street area, across the road from the markets and tucked away in Gerard’s Lane.
We arrived slightly early for our table and were seated at the bar while it was prepared. The wine and drinks list was quite impressive and I chose a glass of Harvest Sauvignon Blanc which was nice but not amazing.

Gerard 1

We were then seated, given menus and informed that our waitress would be with us soon to explain the menu. On looking through it there were items that I did not recognise like samke nayyeh, laham nayyeh, bekaa wings, and batata harra. It was quite a while before she came to our assistance and it seemed strange that other waiters seemed to be free but we had to wait for our particular waitress to explain the menu. When she arrived she was very pleasant and explained that samke nayyeh was a kind of ceviche white fish, laham nayyeh was a raw meat dish and bekaa wings were chicken wings in harissa. She also explained that the dishes were Middle Eastern style and designed to be shared, with small plates at the top of the menu and larger plates in the middle.
I love raw fish and imagined that it would be similar to a lovely Peruvian version that I had chosen before, so we went with the samke nayyeh and the bekaa wings to start. The samke nayyeh (with walnut milk, chamomile oil, grapefruit, green almond) came up first and it was quite frankly disappointing. A very small portion for $22. It was also very bland, and even though grapefruit was listed in the ingredients there was no nice citrus hit, which is probably what it needed. The walnut milk was not very plentiful and not very ‘nutty’. It also arrived on a chipped plate – not really acceptable for a top class establishment.

Gerard 2
Gerard 3

The chicken wings ($18 for 6 wings) came next and they were very very good. Lovely spicy harissa flavoured coating and yoghurt. Very tasty. They arrived with some dehydrated wet wipes which need to be rehydrated by placing them in water – I have seen them before, but most diners are puzzled by what they are, and I am not really sure why anybody uses them instead of regular wet wipes.

Gerard 4

Our plates were changed and the two main dishes arrived together. We chose suckling pig with roasted plum, morcilla (black pudding) puree, smoked almond and perilla (a mint like herb) priced at $39.

Gerard 5

The second main dish was whole smoked eggplant, turmeric, mint, kashk yoghurt, and blackened onions priced at $18.

Gerard 6

Both dishes lacked seasoning. The pork was tender but not as tasty as you would expect a slow roasted dish to be, the plums were not ripe enough, and the blood sausage puree was frankly unpleasant. I love blood sausage (or black pudding), however this version was thick, sticky and bitter tasting. With two pieces of pork each it was an expensive dish. The eggplant was very bland except for the blackened onions which just tasted excessively burnt and again were unpleasant. I have eaten charred foods before and I love a bit of charring on capsicum, chicken or steak, but the onions had been burnt beyond all recognition and left a bad aftertaste. The dish was advertised as a ‘whole’ eggplant but there was very little of the eggplant flesh to share, and it would have benefited from a really good twist of salt and pepper to give it some taste. No condiments were provided at the table.
Very disappointed at having one good dish out of four, we asked for the bill. I had been excited at the thought of trying the black fig dessert with aniseed ice cream ($16), but I didn’t want to waste any more money. The only dish that the waitress asked if we enjoyed were the chicken wings – which of course were great, and the only reason that we ate the other food was out of hunger rather than enjoyment. I still felt quite hungry after the meal which came to $124 in total.

I will not be returning to Gerard’s Bistro – it is expensive and pretentious. I have eaten at several ‘minimalist’ restaurants before and if premium prices are being charged for small portions, then the food has to be of outstanding quality. Our meal fell far short of this, the food looked good but did not deliver on taste.

UPDATE – I did write to Gerard’s to express my disappointment, however they chose to be rather condescending, suggesting that their menu was different and adventurous and ‘not for everybody’ !

Visit Date – April 2016

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Jade, Fullerton Hotel, Singapore SG

17 05 20

Jade is a restaurant that I have been to twice before. I like it because it serves first class Chinese food and has a variety of good value, good quality set menus. Even though the menus say minimum 2 persons, the restaurant often allow you to choose different options even if there are only two of you dining.
The setting is within the grand Fullerton Hotel, a colonial, classic and beautiful building. The restaurant is stylish and sophisticated.
We chose the Nostalgic Flavours menu which was delicious throughout.
The three starters were Poached Fragrant Turmeric Chicken – subtle and tasty, Crispy Prawn coated with Chocolate Mayonnaise and Oatmeal – quirky but it worked, and Crispy Roast Pork Belly – classic and well executed.

jade 1

The next course was Spicy and Sour White Pepper Seafood soup – lovely rich flavours that worked well together with a slice of silken tofu on top.

jade 2

Next came Steamed Chilean Seabass served on a lotus leaf. For me this was the star of the menu, beautifully cooked and very satisfying.

jade 3

This was followed by Stewed Pork Ribs in Honey and Fermented Bean Sauce, beautiful ribs that fell away from the bone, tender meat and excellent flavour.

jade 4

This was followed by Wok Fried 5 grain rice with Roasted Duck, Kailan and XO Chilli Sauce. Unfortunately my photo failed, but this dish was a fitting and tasty end to the savoury courses.
Our dessert was Shaved Coffee flavoured Coconut Ice with Caramel Jelly and Honey and Avocado puree. A wonderful and not overly sweet finish where the flavours danced on my tongue.

jade 5

What a nice well-rounded meal at Jade. This place is always a Singapore favourite and one that I will visit again and again.

Last Visit Date – November 2015

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Les Bubbles, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, QLD

17 05 20

Les Bubbles 3

Les Bubbles is an imposing building on Wickham Street in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. It used to be a brothel, and has a downstairs bar with a jacuzzi tub for those who are brave enough to jump in.

Les Bubbles 4

In 2016 we were regulars here and the menu consisted of very little – steak and frites – but wow they know how to do steak and frites.

The meal usually started with a leafy walnut salad and bread, followed by a steak with frites and the sauce of your choice from:

Cafe de Paris
Bearnaise
Green Peppercorn and Cognac
Bordelaise

Steak is always perfectly cooked to your liking, good quality, and flavoursome, and the chips are great.

Les Bubbles 1

If you love a steak, this is the place to come to for a treat in Brisbane.
Oh and if you have vegetarian and pescatarian friends, there is usually a special on offer that will suit each diet.

Les Bubbles 2

Last Visit Date – August 2016

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Fox and Hounds, Hunsdon, UK

16 05 20

I went to the Fox and Hounds in Hunsdon which is a little village in Hertfordshire just north of Harlow. I didn’t expect much but was pleasantly surprised to find that it is a gastropub serving excellent steaks and seafood.
The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, a quaint village pub with a good sized car park at the rear.
Starters all seemed appetising and included:

- burrata (creamy mozzarella), tomato and rocket
- smoked mackerel, beetroot, watercress and horseradish
- lobster linguine with chilli, garlic and parsley
- black pudding, mushroom and fried duck egg
- melon and ham
- veal, rabbit and bacon terrine, chutney, pickles, toast

I chose the delicious crab tacos with mango salsa, guacamole and sriracha chilli sauce

fh 1

Mains included:

- Skate with spinach and brown shrimps
- Wild sea bass with pepperonata, borlotti beans and rocket
- Rabbit leg confit
- Chateaubriand
- Scotch black Angus cote de boeuf

I chose half a lobster with garlic and herb butter and chips

fh 2
fh 3

Some of my fellow diners had the steak

fh 4

Everybody enjoyed their meals. The only difficulty was that one of our group is vegetarian and the vegetarian options were quite limited, but the chef very obligingly provided a vegetarian pasta dish.
The lobster was fresh, good quality and seasoned beautifully, the steak was delicious, well rested, and succulent.
For dessert I chose the chocolate and hazelnut torte which was like a chocolate brownie with whole nuts in it. The texture was a little dry on the outside but gooey in the middle and there were probably too many nuts in it. I would have preferred a chocolate orange version.

fh 5

Some of my friends chose the strawberry sundae which by all reports was delicious strawberry sundae

fh 6

I loved the meal – the atmosphere was great and the food was top notch. The pub also has a comprehensive wine and beer menu. A great place which will see me returning very soon.

Visit Date – July 2015

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Prawn Puri

16 05 20

Have you ever tried prawn puri as a starter in an indian restaurant ? The puri does not refer to a ‘puree’ i.e. mashed food, but is the name of an indian bread which is flat and lightly fried – also called poori in some regions.

This picture shows prawn puri with dhal, raita, and salad.

It is remarkably easy to make.
For the puri bread you need 2 1/2 cups of chapatti flour (low gluten atta flour) and one cup of water. Mix them together to form a dough, knead the dough, then wrap it in cling film and leave it in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You can leave it for a few days if you want to make it in advance. Knead it again and divide it into 6 portions. Roll each portion into a round and fry lightly in a frypan which has been lightly greased with some vegetable or peanut oil. If you like them buttery, you can butter the breads while they are still hot.

For the prawn bhuna you need:
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp green masala paste
2 onions
3 tbsp tomato paste
approx 6 large raw prawns per person with shells removed

1. Blend one onion until mushy. Chop the other one into small pieces and fry it in oil and butter until soft.
2. Put the dry spices in a large pan and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add half a cup of hot water. Cook to reduce the water by half.
3. Add the green masala paste, tomato paste and mushy onion to the spice mixture.
4. Cook for 10- 20 minutes until the’ rawness’ of the onion has dissipated.
5. If the onions still taste hot, add half a teaspoon of sugar and stir well.
6. Add the fried onions and cook for a further 5 minutes.
7. Peel the prawns and rinse them. Stir the juice of half a lemon (or a whole lime) into the prawns, leave for a while to marinate, then when ready to serve add them to the curry sauce. Stir in some fresh coriander.

To assemble the prawn puri, place a puri on a plate, and spoon prawn bhuna over the top. If you like you can add some minty yoghurt sauce, onion salad or cucumber raitha. I often serve mine with some dhal. You can also serve the curry with chicken, crab, or vegetables instead of prawns.

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Raw Coconut Lemon Blueberry Balls

16 05 20

I have often seen raw food balls in the cafes that I frequent and they are quite expensive, often costing around $4 each.

balls

I am currently on a muscle strengthening plan and I have to eat protein every 3 hours throughout the day. Not wanting to eat huge amounts of meat every day, I decided to have a go at making these balls to give me a protein hit and to stave off mid morning and mid-afternoon hunger pangs. They are incredibly easy to make, very quick and they taste really good.
I also added some cacao powder to mine which I had in the cupboard, but it’s optional. You can also add things like chia and oats if you like, or try different nut varieties.

Ingedients:
30g Cacao powder (optional)
One and a half cups of cashews
Half a cup of shredded or desiccated coconut (plus extra for rolling)
Half a cup of dried blueberries (I found these in Coles with the home baking goods, but I am sure you can use fresh blueberries too)
Three quarters of a cup of fresh dates, chopped
1 lemon, you need the zest and at least half the juice
Half a teaspoon of vanilla essence
Stevia sweetener or raw brown sugar (optional)
A generous pinch of sea salt

Method:
In a food processor, whizz up the cashews, coconut and blueberries. Pour them into a bowl.
Put the dates and cacao in the food processor and whizz them up. Add them to the bowl.
Add half the lemon zest, half of the lemon juice and the salt and vanilla. Mix well and taste the mixture. Add more lemon juice if necessary. If you need it to be sweeter you can also add some Stevia sweetener or a teaspoon of brown sugar.
Using a spatula, mix the ingredients together until they bind into a dough.
Place some desiccated coconut and the rest of the lemon zest in a separate bowl – mix them well.
Now make small balls with the mixture (approx the diameter of a 50p or 50c piece, but it doesn’t matter if they are bigger or smaller). Roll the balls in the coconut/lemon mixture to coat them and store them in an airtight container.
This made about 14 balls but the exact quantity depends on the size.

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Recipe, Vegan/Vegetarian

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Awesome Fried Chicken

16 05 20

I don’t have junk food very often, and when I do I am always a bit disappointed. It really is quite easy to make at home and tastes much better, and you know what goes into it – there are no nasty chemicals or preservatives. I have always wondered what the secret herbs and spices are in KFC, and I set about attempting to make the best home-made fried chicken.
This is the recipe that I came up with and it was really really good – I would have liked a bit of chilli, so I have added chilli as an optional ingredient. You can use either whole pieces of chicken leg, thighs, wings or breast, or you can make nugget sized pieces. If you want to minimise the frying time, you can always poach the chicken in advance (poach it in a nice flavoursome stock), and then you just need to fry it until the batter is nicely brown.

awesome fried chicken

This is enough batter to coat nuggets from 2 large chicken breasts – will serve 3 or 4 as a main course:

Half a cup of chickpea flour
1 cup of self raising flour
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
1 teaspoon of onion salt
1 teaspoon of powdered onion flakes
Half to 1 teaspoon of chilli or curry powder (optional – for the heat lovers)
1 1/2 tablespoons of caster sugar
Half a teaspoon of ground pepper
Half a teaspoon of smoky paprika
Half a teaspoon of cumin
Half a teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of sage
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon of ginger powder or grated fresh ginger
With the herbs you can use fresh or concentrate if you don’t have dried.

Method:
1. Mix all of the above ingredients together in a bowl.
2. Add 200mls of water (you can use cold soda water if you want a lighter batter). Mix well. The batter will be quite thick and gloopy – this is good as it will stick nicely to the chicken. It should be a thick dropping consistency so if you lift your spoon up it will slowly slide off the spoon. If it doesn’t slide at all, add a little more water.
3. Chop your chicken (raw or pre-poached) into the desired portion sizes.
4. Coat with batter.
5. Fry in approx 1-2 inches of hot oil – time depends on the size of the pieces. My nuggets took about 4-5 minutes. Turn frequently so that they cook evenly.

Serve with anything you like – I like the following options:

salad
corn
peas
home made potato wedges
fresh mayonnaise
tomato sauce
chilli sauce
chilli mayo

See my recipe for super quick mayo here

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Fried Chicken

Super quick fresh mayonnaise

16 05 20

All you need is a stick blender and you can make mayonnaise in seconds. It is so ridiculously easy that you will probably never buy mayo again because this method is simple – you can make it fresh every time.

mayo

You need the tall plastic beaker that comes with your stick blender, and the important thing to remember is to put the oil in last so that it covers the other ingredients.

Place the following in the plastic beaker:
1 egg (without the shell)
a generous pinch of salt
a twist of pepper
1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of either lemon juice or white wine vinegar (this is your acidic ingredient)
200ml of light oil (vegetable oil or light extra virgin olive oil)

Now use a stick blender to blend the ingredients – in approx 20 seconds you will have mayonnaise. Adjust the seasonings – you can add more of any of the ingredients if required.
If it seems too thin add more oil – this may seem like a strange thing to do but a touch more oil will thicken the mayo.

You can also add other seasonings – herbs, garlic, spring onions, wasabi, capers, horseradish, mint, paprika, garam masala are a few suggestions.

You can make a nice version of Tartare sauce by adding capers and a finely chopped gherkin to the mayo.

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Recipe, Vegan/Vegetarian

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mayonnaise

Apricot Sesame Balls

16 05 20

apricot sesame balls

These power packed balls are really soft and succulent, you can vary the ingredients to suit your taste, but mine are laced with warm Christmassy spices that are a nice contrast to the sweet apricots. This recipe makes approximately 10 ‘mouthful sized’ balls.

Ingredients (all approximate – adjust them to suit your own taste):
70g Dried apricots whole or shredded
Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg
Half a teaspoon of ground cardamom
Sesame seeds for coating (approx 15g)
1 cup of muesli of your choice – blitzed to make it finer in a food processor – not quite powder, but no big lumps

Method:
In a small saucepan simmer the apricots with a quarter of a cup of water and the
cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom until the apricots have softened (about 12-15 mins), add a little more water if they look dry.
Cool the apricot mixture to room temp, then stir it into the muesli to make a soft paste.
Roll the paste into balls and roll them in sesame seeds. If the paste is a little dry add some more water, if it is a bit too moist, add some more muesli or some ground nuts.
Simple ! Enjoy.

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Recipe, Vegan/Vegetarian