Hash Speciality Coffee & Roasters - CBD

Old post.. about a month ago

Went to brunch with J and T and decided to check out Hash as they're still quite new and I've been walking past here a lot. Overall the meals were great and we all enjoyed them however service seems to be quite a miss. Didn't feel like they were quite attentive as we had to ask to get our sparkling water changed to tap water at least 2-3 times. And honestly they didn't seem that busy to not notice us staring at them for attention. Other than that I would come again to try out more stuff on the menu but not any time soon.

Chorizo, scallops + eggs ($20.5)

Smashed peas and glazed bacon ($18.5)

Ocean trout rilettes ($19.5)

Hash hot chocolate

Honestly I purchased the hot chocolate for the theatrics, all 3 of us did. It was fun however way too rich and sweet for my liking. Going to stick to my chai lattes. 

Taste: 8/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 6/10
Value for Money: 7/10


 

Brace yourselves: Desserts from Japan

Being completely honest, I went to Japan to eat. I came back from my 10 day trip to Japan recently and visited some of the best patisseries I have ever been to. My boss gave me her list and I made sure we had to hit them all. Here are some photos of my visits.

La pâtisserie des rêves, Kyoto 
Absolutely amazing and hidden away in the Higashiyama district. The ambiance of the store and it's location just made every thing a touch more special. I absolutely loved it and one of the pastry highlights of my trip.

The apple was like a black forest inside and apple tarte tatin

A strawberry tart and the white ball was like a melon? meringue

Hidemi Sugino, Ginza- Tokyo

Awarded Asia's Best Pastry Chef of 2015, I had to go here. Unfortunately we came late and just before they were closing so these were the last two cakes available and I missed out on seeing the selection available. Nonetheless it was light, flavourful and amazing. 

B-Caraibe- Banana jelly, orange-chocolate chantilly and almond- hazelnut jaconde

Brésilienne- Coffee and caramel mousse

Laduree, Shinjuku Tokyo

Who doesn't love seeing Laduree cakes? I have tried the macarons from the Sydney store however I was keen on trying out the cakes. 

We got the Mont Blanc at the back, the strawberry shaped one is the La Fraise and the Saint Honore Rose on the left. I didn't enjoy the Mont Blanc as much as the other two as it was really just chestnut and cream.

Henri Charpentier, Ginza Tokyo

One of my favourite spots during the trip, I wish I was able to try more.

Honey & lime

Peach and crepes

*cries* Magnolia Bakery- Shibuya Tokyo 

Going to Magnolia Bakery in New York City has been a dream for me since forever. I'm absolutely in love with the creations and just stepping into the Japan store made me feel one step closer to NYC.

The most fluffiest frosting on the most delicious red velvet cake! The cupcakes were also amazing and lived up to their hype. So sad I was unable to try more flavours because we were so full from dinner.

The infamous banana pudding. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! So light and fluffy, it was one of the best tasting banana flavour desserts I have ever had, EVER.

Dominique Ansel Bakery Japan, Shibuya Tokyo

Dominique Ansel, the creator of the infamous cronut!! He recently opened a store in Tokyo, his original store being in NYC. Sadly we weren't early enough to try the original cronut however we had some other amazing, tasty treats. Definitely in my top 3 for patisseries from the trip.

Our frozen s'mores being freshly toasted

Frozen s'mores were of course amazing and perfect for Japan's 30 degrees summer. The lime tart was also beautifully balanced and the lychee and coconut pavlova was delicious too. 

Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI paris- Tokyo Midtown

Another gem in the list, there was so many to choose from so we opted for the set that had a little bit of everything. I wish I was able to take home some and just eat them all. They all looked vibrant and absolutely stunning.

Pierre Hermes, Omotesando Tokyo

Walking in it felt so exclusive and fancy. Unfortunately I was too full and broke to try more that one  cake. However the vanilla tart was so simple but so good. I also tried the salted caramel and jasmine macarons too which were nice but not as amazing as I hoped. Pictured below is also a green tea tart I purchased from Godiva.

I ate some amazing cakes and I don't regret any thing!!!!

Fukuryu Ramen - CBD

On a very cold Sunday, I caught up with a few friends over some ramen. After being a little indecisive, we decided to go to Fukuryu Ramen in Chinatown. The restaurant was down a poorly lit alley and tbh it looked just a bit creepy. However, we were there and there was no turning back now. The inside was pleasantly bright and had great artwork on the walls. I ordered the Signature Tonkotsu Ramen ($13.90). A lot of my friends ordered the Chicken Tonkotsu Ramen. K ordered the Curry Chicken Rice and A.B just went with some sides: Okonomiyaki Balls and Red Dragon Wings.

Chicken Tonkotsu Ramen

The Tonkotsu Ramen was just yummy goodness. I really liked the broth because it was flavoursome and morerish. I didn't even need to add any more condiments like vinegar, seasoning or chilli oil because it was delish on its own. The pork was just so soft and dissolved as soon as it hit my tongue. An extra piece of meat would not have hurt though.

Red Dragon Wings

Okonomiyaki Balls

This was actually pretty yum as a snack.

Chicken Curry Rice

K's chicken curry had the classic Jap curry flavour but the rice was a massive letdown as it was mushy and soggy. The chicken was crispy though which was nice. 

HALLLLO

Overall, we were all pretty satisfied with our meals. It really hit the spot since it was bloody freezing outside. The music was actually on point. I would definitely come back again since I liked this place more than the few CBD ramen spots I've been to. By simply taking a photo and tagging myself on Instagram, I got a free green tea ice cream, SCOREEEEE!


Taste: 8/10
Presentation: 7.5/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Rudimentary - Footscray

Today was errand day and I managed to squeeze in some brunch with Q, K.K and T. We went to Rudimentary in Footscray at around 12:30pm. We grabbed the last available table in the corner and the cafe seemed to be alive and bustling. I had perused their menu on Instagram previously and was excited to try the trout scramble but unfortunately they had run out of the ingredients for it. Both T and I ordered The Burger which had buttermilk chicken, mayo, green apple celery slaw and jalapeños ($17) in it. K.K ordered the Organic Zeally Bay Bun served w/ smoked brisket, pickled cabbage and asiago ($11) and my sister got the Pork Belly braised w/ crispy pig's ear, chilli & tamarind, fried eggs and toast ($17).

My The Burger 

I was in love with my burger. The chicken was tender and crispy at the same time and the slaw complemented it perfectly. I am not a fan of celery and tbh didn't read that it was in the burger so it was a bonus I couldn't taste it but still get all the crunch I wanted.

Q's Pork Belly

My sister was a big fan of her pork belly as well. The sauce had a punchy but balanced flavour to it and the pork belly was well cooked with a satisfying crackling. It would have been perfect with some yolk porn but that was very minor.

K.K's Brisket Bun

K.K liked her brisket bun but said it was a tad dry. Bitch didn't offer me any so I can't comment on the flavours.

YUMMMMM

Overall, we had a great time and agreed it was one of the best brunch places we've had in a while. I would even go as far to say that it is now my favourite spot in the westside. Q said her chai latte was not creamy enough and too cinammon-y and T also mentioned her latte was not as strong as she preferred. Apart from that, the food was spot on. Goddamn, there was nothing rudimentary about this place. Loved it, loved it, loved it!


Taste: 9/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Chase Kitchen - Spotswood

As a post exam treat, Q took me to Chase Kitchen in Spotswood with Mingang. We got the House Onion Rings to share ($6). Mingang ordered the Locals Big Breakfast which consisted of free range eggs, crispy bacon, baked tomato, sauté mushrooms & cheese kransky on sourdough ($16.90). Q got the Mexican Burger with beef, onion rings, beans, avocado, lettuce, caramelised onion & fries ($16.50) and I ordered the Oven Baked Crepe wrapped up with pan grilled chicken breast, grilled mushrooms, three cheese & a side of greens ($15.50).  

House Onion Rings

The onion rings were nice and crispy. These were room temperature at the top and hot at the bottom so that was strange. We were also given a very small amount of sauce as well.

Locals Big Breakfast

Mingang liked her dish. The hash brown was 'perf' and mushrooms were good too. However her sourdough was just a little too hard and while the bacon was super crispy, it was on the salty side.

Oven Baked Crepe

The crepe was cheesy deliciousness which I loved and Q absolutely refused to touch. Who the hell hates cheese? My sister apparently... she's not right in the head... This was exactly what I needed after a stressful exam, a dish that is sinfully unhealthy but oh so good. The salad was a nice touch as it gave a very much needed refreshing taste in between bites of oozy cheese and creamy filling.

Mexican Burger 

Q said the meat in the burger was really flavoursome but it didn't exactly capture the Mexican flavour. It could be improved with guacamole, chipotle or some jalapeños, yummmm. The chips were sadly a bit stale.

Looks goooooooooood! 

Overall, we had a satisfying dining experience. Q and Mingang both finished White Chocolate Chai (which was amazing) during our longer than usual wait time. It is always a bonus when they offer split bills and I would come back since they have an extensive menu with dishes that sound promising.


Taste: 7.5/10
Presentation: 8/10
Service: 8.5/10
Value for Money: 8/10

Plough Hotel - Footscray

On a whim, Q and I decided to go to the Plough Hotel in Footscray. We ordered the Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomato & Fresh Basil Focaccia ($8) to start and a side of fries with aioli ($9) to share. Q ordered the Western Plains Roast Porchetta & Sticky Hock ($35) and I got the Braised Ox Cheek with mash & bourguignon garnish ($27).

Buffalo Mozzarella, Cherry Tomato & Fresh Basil Focaccia

This was actually amazing. We both agreed it was the best focaccia that we have ever tasted before.

Fries w/ Aioli

The fries were your standard frozen fries and we barely made a dent. In hindsight, we shouldn't have ordered this at all since we didn't even finish our own mains.

Braised Ox Cheek

I've never had bourguignon before and I was surprised that it was not unlike a beef stew my mum makes. The flavour of red wine was really strong though and at times it was too salty for my liking. The mash was great and there were massive chunks of meat that were super tender.

Western Plains Roast Porchetta

Q thought her dish was nice but not amazing. Her crackling was hard and chewy which was disappointing. The apples were a nice touch though.

Our setup!

Overall, we had a decent time. It started off really well which set our expectations high. The mains could have been better but they were still enjoyable and we completely stuffed ourselves. The portions were a good size for the price as well. The interior was more spacious than I imagined and the service was great.


Taste: 7/10
Presentation: 8.5/10
Service: 8/10
Value for Money: 7.5/10 (~$40 pp)