Review: Aki's Fine Indian Restaurant, Woolloomooloo

If there is one cuisine that I consider to be the most often overlooked, it has got to be Indian. Most people I know have only ventured so far that their idea of Indian consists mainly of butter, and chicken. If they're a bit more adventurous, then maybe some sort of enterproteinhere korma.


However, tucked away near the corner of the entrance to the long sunfilled walk of Woolloomooloo wharf, sits Aki's Indian - a place where Terry Durack once referred to as the high point of Indian cuisine in Sydney.

Pappadums - aren't they just adorable?

The choice here was simple - a $55 per head banquet menu with an extra dish on the side (which I claimed to have ordered for research purposes). I will warn you now, this banquet isn't for the faint-hearted - it kept me filled for both lunch & dinner. A great bargain if you ask me!

Relishes - Cucumber & Yoghurt "raita", Tomato & Onion 'kachumber", Sweet Mango Chutney

The banquet menu comes with a basket of pappadums and a selection of relishes on the side, too!

Lycheeliscious

Mango Pash

Appletini - most definitely lesser on the 'apple' and big on the '-tini'

Clifford Bay '08 Sauvignon Blanc

Since JL, SK, AY and I were planning to go all out for the day - why not have a few luxurious cocktails with our meals? Make that a few cocktails and a bottle of wine, just for kicks.

Crab with Iddiapam - $23

First up was the Crab with Iddiapam. This was an extra which we ordered on the side of our banquet. Why? Because it is Aki's signature dish, and a dish which I frequently have terrible cravings for. The crab was so tenderly cooked, JL and I were so gobsmacked by the layers upon layers of flavour which was embedded that we straight away agreed that we would be happy eating this for the rest of our lives.

What's that brown bedding you ask? Tamil Brown Rice string hoppers. I liken it to the Indian form of rice vermicelli.

Palak Patta Chaat - $13

Did I mention that Aki's Indian has a brother restaurant? Oh my bad - blame it on my memory. Situated in North Strathfield is Aki's understated brother restaurant- Abhi's Indian (review coming up soon). This Palak Patta Chaat, a dish which is a revved up rendition of the humble spinach, is the signature dish of Abhi's. It consists of deep fried spinach leaves in a light, crispy lentil batter, doused with layers of yoghurt, tamarind and date and chilli and mint sauces.

Talk about flavour explosion much? It even had the non-vegie-eater (SK) hooked.

Namkeen Squid - $16

While we're on the topic of revving up humble dishes - here we have exhibit B. Aki's rendition of the ubiquitous salt & pepper squid. Immediately after I made my first cut into the squid, I noticed just how easy it was to pierce through the flesh. There were none of the usual criss-cross scoring - and yet...still so tender?I couldn't have been anymore pleasantly surprised. No doubt whatever the secret spices were in the "spiced tapioca flour", it worked like magic. The tamarind and ginger dipping sauce was also a huge hit with me, being a rather exotic and delicious alternative to the typical sauces you get presented with.

This one most definitely goes in the list of most memorable salt & pepper squid - along with Cantina, Darlinghurst.

Achari Tikka - $14

The Achari Tikka bore a resemblance to the usual Chicken Tikka - except with a slightly more natural colouring than the flaming red that we usually see. The chicken was most pleasantly moist, but a touch on the salty side for my liking. JL nommed it up good, though.

Post-writing-thought: Wouldn't it be funny if "Achari" meant "Chicken"? That would make the opening of this paragraph rather redundant wouldn't it?

Gola Kofta - $15

This is a must have dish for all you lamb-lovers out there. The lamb mince used in these balls are hand-minced, and you can most definitely taste the strong lamb-smell with every bite. I was sad to have only eaten one - despite how hot they were and how much they made me cry, they were simply divine with lashings of the cool cucumber yoghurt served with the pappadums.

Next, we move on to the mains.

Yeah, those were just the entrees. There's still another 2 courses to come.

Beef Vindaloo - $27

This is Aki's version of the "not-your-average-vindaloo" Beef Vindaloo. The beef was meltingly tender and fully imbued with the flavours of tomato and cumin sauce. Oh and did I mention that this one made your tongue catch on fire? Well, it did, but AY and I ate most of it anyway because it was just that dang-freakin' good!

Pilau Rice

The mains came with a serve of perfectly cooked Pilau Rice and a stack of plain Naan breads. Perfect for soaking up all the sauces!

Subzi Kofta Curry - $18

The Subzi Kofta Curry was probably my favourite main out of the 4 which were served. The list of ingredient generates eyebrow-raising first impressions, but the dish does not take long to convince even the biggest skeptics and that flavours DO indeed work hand in hand and that they couldn't be more wrong to have doubted it. So what's in there?

Carrot, raw banana, beans and fresh English spinach. Amongst other "ridiculously appetising ingredients" (says JL).

The kofta balls were incredibly moist, and almost makes one wonder how they retain their shape yet still manage to have a fall apart and dissipate effect in one's mouth. I couldn't begin to describe the myriad of flavours present.

Chicken Makhini - $25

Butter. And Chicken. I know I love it, and I know most people out there love it too. Aki's version definitely strikes the uncanny balance between tanginess of tomato with sensual creaminess and a hint of smokiness from the chicken cooked in a tandoor.

Once you taste this, butter chicken from the local food court just won't cut it. You have been forewarned.

Goan Prawn Curry - $29

The last of the mains was a dish of curried prawns. Black tiger prawns cooked in a sauce of coriander, cumin and freshly ground coconut - a must have for the seafood lovers. We all agreed that this was good, except that we were all so bloated by this point that we couldn't really bring ourselves to fully relish in its flavours.

Having said that, JL still mopped it up good.

Indian "kufti" Ice Cream - $13

Lastly, after requesting a LOOOOOOOONG, drawn-out break to allow us to digest (the peeps at Aki's are most definitely flexible with their service), we were finally presented with a light slab of Cardamom and Pistachio ice creams to cool our mouths downs. These were definitely flavours up my alley, but may be a hit and miss with others.

To me, the experience at Aki's was not only memorable, but rather the quality of dishes it produced was rather humbling for the palate, and reminded you of just how much of an art there is to match flavours with produce. The dishes which were served up not only fascinated and intrigued me, but it kept me wanting more and challenged my curiosity. You can bet your ____ that I'll be heading back there sometime soon.


Aki's Fine Indian Restaurant
1/6 Cowper Wharf Road
Woolloomooloo, NSW 2011
Tel: (02) 9332 4600
Website: http://www.akisindian.com.au/index.html

Review: Etch, Sydney

Christmas has rolled around once again, and I'm always sad once I reach the other side of the festive season. No more presents, no more decorations, and no more Christmas parties.

Above all else, there is a particular thing I look forward to during the lead up to Christmas, and it's the multitude of work parties and lunches that occur during the period. Sadly, I heard that many work parties were downsized this year as a result of the GFC, but luckily for me, I nevertheless had the chance to pick the restaurant to book for our midday feast this year.

There was one criterium and one only. That is, the place had to be located somewhere close to where SK is currently doing her vacation work so that she may be able to join us during her lunch break.


Because of the late notice, finding a place proved to be a little difficult. However, with a little luck, I rediscovered Etch - the brainchild of Becasse's Justin North. The restaurant was situated in the perfect place, and thus it did not take me long to pick up a phone and lock ourselves in.


As one walks into the restaurant, the immediate surrounding will undoubtedly strike you as a form of subdued elegance and pretty. There's a hint of playfulness in the quirkiness of design - it's almost like a place taken straight out of a page of Frankie Magazine.

The service here is attentive and professional. As we settled ourselves into the comfortable chairs, we sneakily eavesdropped another table to listen to a very well informed waiter carefully divulging the intricacies of each dish.


We first nibbled on a little ciabatta to satisfy the peckish. (Like me). The Ciabatta was soft and full of flavour. Definitely more interesting than your standard Foccacia.

6 hour braised beef cheek, baby vegetables, Madeira consomme - $34

We skipped entrees and dived straight into the mains. I have to say, however, that it was incredibly hard to resist the temptation to go for a 3 course lunch and stuff myself to the absolute brim.

The decision for the Boss was straight forward. It took her less than 2 seconds to decide on the Braised Beef Cheek - something which she has been dying to dig into since our visit to Mad Cow during the Winter Feast. She had tried to order this dish on a second visit, but sadly it was no longer on offer.

The cheeks were absolutely divine and melted away the minute it touched your tongue. The madeira consomme provided a really robust and flavoursome backdrop against the sweetness of the meat - I think I almost cried a little when I tasted it.

Provencal potatoes, aged prosciutto, smoked garlic mayonnaise - $9 (Please do yourself a favour and try this.)

Local sea bream, crumbed scampi, fennel puree, citrus a la grecque - $31

DW and JH both ordered the local sea bream, which was a beautiful piece of fish cooked to absolute perfection. Both were really taken away by the fennel puree (something which has given me motivation to slave away in the kitchen to perfect), and were overall just in gleeful happiness as they slid each morsel into their mouths.

Spaghetti, sauteed prawns, peas, prawn bisque - $30

While I was tempted to try the Lobster Thermidore, I eventually decided to leave that dish for another day while I examined the particulars of prawn bisque. I know it was just a single element to the dish at large, but since the early days of foodie adventures, I've grown particularly fond of assessing individual elements of each dish in hope that I may be able to replicate them in my own kitchen one day.

Yes, some people have suggested that it would just be easier going to a culinary school...but I often prefer the scenic route.

Either way, I absolutely LOVED the prAWniness (hehe) of this dish. The bisque was an absolute explosion of flavour in my mouth. Then there was the Spring-freshness of the peas, then the satisfying bite of the spaghetti, and then the pure indulgence of a well cooked and flavoured prawn - all of which was then signed and sealed by an almost palate-cleansing taste of the cress.

Pear and Lillet blanc trifle - $15

While dessert had not been part of the original plan, as soon as we were handed the dessert menu, deep down we all knew that it was going to happen, whether we wanted it or not (but seriously, who wouldn't?)

Upon seeing the option of a trifle, JH cheerfully reminisced the times when her mother made her version of trifle back in Kiwiland. The next thing we knew, everyone was sharing the own visions and memories of a trifle made and enjoyed. It was interesting to see how a simple dessert, with its myriad of transformations, could spark a strange unity in a table of people from very different backgrounds. Spiced nougatine parfait, figs - $15

Lastly we happily shared a plate of Parfait - which was really one of the best dessert dishes I've ever had. The parfait was lusciously smooth and creamy - and only just mildly sweet. JH and SJ both commented on how this dessert simply wasn't sweet enough to their liking, while I happily nommed away on what I thought to be a dessert with the perfect level of sweetness. I had often discussed with JH (who is an absolute sweettooth) the Western vs. Asian dessert issue, and why if you enjoyed one it was always easy to be disappointed by another. It may just be the two of us and we are by no means a good sample for the entire population, but there are obvious differences between the two.

To be fair I would often point out my general apathy towards chocolate, and my utter dislike of dense and immensely sweet flavours. The confusing thing is, JH says the exact same thing about Asian desserts? So my gut feeling tells me that the problem probably lies in textural differences too, but I'm not too sure.

So I hand the problem over to you. What does it take to turn a "good" dessert into a "great" dessert?

Etch Restaurant
62 Bridge Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9247 4777
Opens: Monday to Friday 12pm - late, Saturday 5pm - late

Review: Plan B, Sydney

Hungry. That’s what we were. No…we couldn’t have that bothering us, especially if we had an afternoon of Christmas shopping ahead of us. We really needed to energise ourselves in preparation before we went to war. As always, especially preceding a likely spending spree, we were coating our wallets with as much armour as it could handle which landed us at a hidden gem that I’m ashamed to have not known about earlier. Thanks to WX’s knowledge, we made a short trip down to Castlereagh Street towards the two-hatted restaurant, Becasse, but stopped short by a couple of metres at a tiny hole-in-the-wall café called Plan B.

There was a small seating area with about five tables outside and we were lucky to get the last table just as we arrived. Having been here before, WX recommended that I try the 600-day Grass Fed Wagyu Beef Burger, and for a price of only $10, how could I refuse? When our identical orders came, my already groaning stomach only groaned louder at the sight.

Just looking at the burger, I was salivating. I love Wagyu - I thank the Japanese for having invented this national treasure of theirs. While WX attempted to be a bit more civilised by initially using her utensils, she quickly gave up when she saw that I hadn't even tried to go down that avenue but had instead taken a huge bite out of my burger using just my hands. The tenderness of the Wagyu was immediately evident - with the mix of beetroot the Wagyu just melted in my mouth - and at that moment I was in foodie heaven. When I was in Japan and cooked for myself on a daily basis, I sometimes rewarded myself with the expensive Wagyu packs from the supermarket and it was delicious. But at the quantities that I cooked with, the Wagyu was slightly overpowering with its dispersion of fattiness. With this little $10 gem of a lunch though, the burger had just the right amount of Wagyu to satisfy my craving but wasn't too much either. I can say that I'm definitely putting this on the list of lunch destinations when I start working in the city!


Plan B
204 Clarence Street
Sydney 2000
PH: 92833450

Review: Sushi Rio, Sydney

I think I've just found my favourite Sushi Train.

Last week MS and I decided to hit up town for a post-exam catchup. Both of us have been busy all semester with random tidbits here and there, (though I must say his busi-ness outtrumps mine in terms of importance by a billionfold), and so what better than to chill out in front of a a rotating train filled with delicious sushi right?

We chose Sushi Rio because if you remember our trip to Takumi, MS was there when we ran into the big poster on the windows of Sushi Rio stating "$3 per plate Lunchtime special". Ever since that fateful day we've been waiting to come for a visit.

Grilled Scallop Roll

What really struck me as I stepped into the restaurant was actually the pleasant ambience of the place. Despite being stuck on the corner of two very busy streets in the middle of the city, the place felt somewhat secluded from the hustle and bustle. The place felt clean, and was thoroughly enjoyable to be in.

Another big bonus was the large variety available on offer. There's nothing worse than a sushi train where you just sit there and wait, and wait, and wait some more just for a particular dish you're after, or even sometimes just for something different. Sushi train is all about variety, choice, and feeding not only your stomach, but your eyes as well.

The Grilled Scallop Roll (pictured above) had a nice smokey flavour from the grill. It was juicy and moist still on the inside, definitely not overdone. As you will soon discover, I practically OD'ed myself on scallops in this place.

Eel Roll

This place has one of the NICEST cream cheese to go with their eel rolls. It is so incredibly smooth and creamy, and went perfectly with the almost melt-in-your-mouth texture of the eel. And this is coming from a person who usually picks out the block of cream cheese to have separately from the eel.

Salmon Nigiri

Jellyfish and Sharkfin

Even if it is not real sharkfin, I still love the stuff. It also rests better on my conscience than the real stuff. Bonus points to that.

Scallop Nigiri

The first time I ever tried scallop nigiri was at Sushi Tengoku in Kensington. It was one of the few left over from our Mixed Sushi Platter which JL and I were a bit reluctant about. I pawned half the plate off to him, and ended up with the scallop nigiri which, I must admit, I utterly, utterly, utterly fell in love with.

This one here at Sushi Rio hit my craving right on target. I could have probably had another 2 plates of scallop on my own...

Oh wait, I did do that.

Lobster Salad Sushi

MS loved the Lobster Salad which were on offer. I don't know whether it was the real stuff or not, but either way it was beautifully creamy and tangy.

Prawn Tempura Nigiri

My usual favourite made its appearance. The prawn was perfectly deep fried, but the tartare sauce which came with it was not as tasty as the one at Tomodachi in Rhodes. Definitely a more-ish dish.

Grilled Scallop Nigiri

I have no idea how it happened, but another plate of scallop nigiri somehow managed to find its way to my table. Despite being my 3rd plate of scallops, I demolished it good nonetheless.

By the end of our little adventure, both MS and I had eaten to be point of near-explosion, and the bill made barely a dent in our wallets. Overall the experience could only be described as excellent. I can't wait to come back.

Sushi Rio
Shop 7, 337 Sussex Street
Sydney, NSW 2000
Tel: (02) 9261 2388

Review: Ash's Table, Manly

Just a quick note that I’ve been overwhelmed with work and focussing on the organisation of setting up a brand new food blog server for all your readers out there so my posts are a bit delayed! Sorry! So anyway…=) I've lived in the Northern Beaches region for the large part of my life and but I've rarely eaten around the area. My frequent haunts are all around the Sydney CBD area or Eastern suburbs, especially when it comes to brunches and lunches. Everyone's been on hardcore exam study sessions lately, leaving me with no one to hang out and eat with! I chose all assessment based subjects this semester so I didn't have exams, which most consider to be lucky but at the same time, I have to spend all my free time with myself anyway! It just so happened that a large gap appeared in AW's exam timetable and since we live quite close to each other, we decided that Manly would be a nice place to satisfy our tummies.

As always, AW was running late, so by the time we found parking on the beach side of Manly, it was already 11am. Having both skipped breakfast - we were pretty much ready to devour anything. It was an overcast Sunday morning but there were plenty of people walking around in wetsuits, pushing prams and just enjoying the relaxed beach lifestyle - so it was only natural that every cafe or restaurant we could see in the distance was bustling with crowds of people. Briefly glancing at the menu, we were greeted warmly by the owner (I assume), who happened to be pinning up the lunch menu, and so not really wanting to keep walking in the rain we settled on eating at Ash's Table.

I'm always extremely grateful that when cafes, or any other eatery for that matter, keeps their breakfast menu available for most of the day. Well-cooked breakfast is something I think that I'd be willing to eat no matter what the hour! Going through the menu, AW and I were quick to decide that we would pick one breakfast item and one lunch item and with tummies madly grumbling at our neglecting them, we promptly selected a pizza most appropriately named The Meaty - tempting me with bacon, pepperoni, chorizo, mushroom and capsicum on a sweeeeet chilli jam base topped with mozarella cheese - as well as a classic Sausage and (Scrambled) Eggs served on sourdough.

The Meaty (small) $18.00


Sausages & Eggs with Sourdough $12.00

On top of that, we also ordered a Mango Smoothie and a Latte :) For the amount of people in the cafe, I was quite impressed at the quick service we received. The waiters didn't stand there and leer at us, but did periodically check with us to see if we were ready as they rushed around serving other customers. My only criticism would be the relatively long wait for drinks to arrive - they were on our table with only a few minutes to spare before the food came which caused a slight raise of the eyebrow. Having said that, my Mango smoothie was yummy and refreshing (I love mangoesss!) and after AW's initial puzzlement over how to consume her piece of biscotti, she seemed quite satisfied with her latte.

Mango Smoothie $6.00

Latte $3.00

So what about the food? Well boys and girls, I am currently doing a marketing placement for a large bread company and just recently, happened to be involved in taste testing of various sourdough and let me tell you – the sourdough served here was really just plain bread. There was not even the slightest hint of a sour note – not in the first bite and it didn’t build up to anything either. The bread itself was also slightly stale. The only item I appreciated was the scrambled eggs which, although not brillant, still filled my tummy with protein goodness. And what of the pizza? Well it was indeed, extremely meaty. The layers of meat far outweighed any previous encounters I’ve had with self-proclaimed ‘meaties’ from the popular fast food pizza outlets and definitely satisfied my carnivorous yearnings. But…yes, there is another ‘but’…it was wayyyy too oily. Literally dripping with it. When something is that oily – you just feel sick. That’s probably why AW only ate a little and delegated the rest to my mouth and stomach.

I think I’ve been quite harsh with this little review. I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere, service and just the idea of a little lunch near the beach even in the dreary weather – but when it came down to the food…it just didn’t quite cut it. I will however, revisit that strip of cafes and try my luck at another one next time.

Ash's Table
93 North Steyne Road
Manly NSW 2095
PH: (02) 9976 3382

Review: Rhodes Phoenix, Rhodes

Once upon a time I read a newspaper article on how much lard goes into make all the individual dishes at yum cha. Being a young woman growing up in the 21st Century, I should be madly taking mental notes in order to live up to my supposedly image-obsessed self. To that article, there is only really one thing that could describe my reaction.

"Meh."


In fact, that's my reaction to most articles about which blame obesity on possibly every other factor except the one thing that really means - self-control. That's not to say that informative articles are a waste of time altogether - in fact, I think exactly the opposite. It's always good to know what you're eating, but when it comes to controlling obesity, I really think people should stop pointing the finger at KFC and Maccas and spend more time encouraging people to manage their eating habits and doing more exercise (something which I definitely need)...

/rant

Steamed Tripe

To be honest I don't know why I went on that rant. Perhaps someone could gather up some sort of quasi-Freudian explanation for me so that life makes a little more sense. Either way, some things just don't need that, much like steamed tripe. This is my mother's favourite dish. Chewy and slightly crunchy, it is little wonder why this is considered a delicacy to most Asians.

Steamed Rice Noodles with Prawns

Steamed Rice Noodles with Prawns makes the usual appearance on our table. The noodles are slippery and soft, and the prawns inside perfectly bursty. When done right, it's just one of those few things you can't really get sick off.

Eggplant with Minced Prawns, deep fried in Tofu Skin

This was actually my favourite for the day. It is eggplant with minced prawns, wrapped in tofu skin and deep fried. It bursts with a wonderful amalgation of flavours with every bite.

Deep Fried Savory Dumplings (Crescent Dumplings)

The Deep Fried Savory Dumplings are also regulars on our table at yum cha. I find the ones at Rhodes a tad poor with the dough-to-filling ratio. The dough is also sweeter than most other yum cha's that I've been too. Nevertheless it's still delicious.

The Banquet of Yumminess

This stuff I can only call Kuih, even though that's the Malaysian name and I could be very misinformed about the minor differences between real Kuih and what is presented here. Oh well, what's in a name anyway? Despite the green in this glutinous dessert, it is not made from Pandan, but actually Green Tea. For those who have followed this blog will note my strange lack of fascination for sweets in general, but AW and my mother both loved this very much.

Rhodes Phoenix once again did not disappoint. Being so close to where I live, this place will undoubtedly be revisited many times on future Sunday mornings.

Rhodes Phoenix
Level 5, Rhodes Shopping Centre
1 Rider Boulevarde
Rhodes, NSW 2138
Tel: (02) 9739 6628