Back from MIA: Straight to HAAN-SSIE

Bonsoir bons vieux amis!

It has been a while and I have missed writing in my food blog! I will try and improve the ways in which I write so that it will minimise the amount of time I require for editing! Food reviews will have a similar layout so hopefully you will get reviews more frequently - i.e. this means more food-ography!

When I don't have food reviews, I might be discussing more on the nutritional values of food, the importance of a well balanced diet, as well as some more general food topics - so stay tuned!

Date: 24 March 2012

Restaurant: Haanssie 

Cuisine: Korean

Location: Adelaide CBD East End

Pictures:

Galbi Jjim: Beef Short Ribs Stew

Gochujang Bulgogi: Mixed Seafood

Yangnyeom Tongdak: Korean Style Sweet & Chili Fried Chicken

Review: 

The staff were all extremely friendly and nice (definitely a bonus when you first walk into any restaurant). The positioning between tables were good - not too close together, therefore giving patrons between tables some privacy! From a quick glimpse around, the food looks extremely appealing and delicious! 

The waiters/waitresses gave us ample time to have a look at the menu, but came over very promptly when we had questions/decided to order. The menu was quite extensive and there were so many choices to choose from! 

Favourite dish of the night has to be the beef stew (first picture above) - it was sweet from the corn syrup and jujube (red dates), and the beef ribs melt away once it reaches your mouth. I couldn't stop eating it!

The fried chicken is definitely 500% better than any KFC I have ever eaten. The sweet chilli sauce gives it the slight sweetness that makes this dish delicious with a swig of beer! It was so crispy on the outside, yet the meat is moist and tender - definitely an impressive technique in cooking those chicken pieces ~!

Finally the seafood bulgogi, which is also very nice! The slight sweetness of the dish and the slight spiciness makes it very pleasant to eat (without too much of a spice, but I would've loved it a little bit more spicy, nevertheless, flavours were still there). The combination of seafood seems to be just right and nothing was overcooked - they were just right. 

Recommendation: Yes / Maybe / No - definitely heading back there to try more of the other dishes out.

Talk of the Town at the Press

Bonne soirée chers amis...

Around a week ago, I went to the highly recommended new-ish restaurant in Adelaide (the new talk in town!). The Advertiser gave them a really good review, and a few friends of mine (along with some harsher critiques) also gave good recommendations. If you do intend to dine here, I highly recommend that you book (I went on a Tuesday night with another friend of mine, booked approximately a week ago, and they only had a few tables remaining, and I could see why when I got there!).

The decor of the place is very nice and dimly lit (gives it that chic and cosy feeling). There are two levels, with the top level mainly as dining tables, whereas the bottom level (where you first enter) has a few more longer tables. This time around, my friend and I decided to try something out of the ordinary. We were quite impressed that this place actually serve offals, so that is in fact what we decided to go for. We did order 3 dishes with a dessert to finish off.

First up was lambs tongue:

Grilled lambs tongue, beetroot & horseradish

At first, I was a bit hesitant as this was definitely NOT an ordinary dish for my tastebuds, however, I did actually enjoy it! My friend said this was her favourite dish for the night, but mine is the next one coming up. The texture of the tongue was slightly chewy, but soft. The grilled flavours were quite nice and the beetroot was very nice; I wasn't a big fan of the radish though as some parts were slightly raw and there was evidence of the 'green taste'.

Next was my favourite dish!

Honey & anise roasted sweetbreads, turnip purée & parsley sauce

Absolutely loved the combination of flavours of the sweetbreads! The sweetness of the honey and slight spiciness of the anise, along with the sauce is just amazing! I could eat lots from this dish. The beans were nice and fresh as well (not overcooked), but my only criticism for this dish was once again, the slightly 'green' tasting turnips (not all, but some). 

The final big dish was the Press* mixed-grill:

(From top to bottom) - liver, caramelised onion, minute steak, poached egg, house-made sausage, apple slaw, brains

The liver was nice, but extremely rich in flavours (there should have been some sort of fresh salad or something light to go with it instead of more of the apple slaw). The minute steak was over-cooked in some parts, but not bad (could have better flavours). Poached egg was done perfectly, but it wasn't seasoned properly - having it with the apple slaw did improve it, but it could be better, and also would've preferred it slightly warm rather than cold. The house-made sausage was average; it was a bit fatty in some parts which created a nice soft texture, but I would have preferred if it has a bit more flavour rather than the "common" sausage flavours. I must say, I was a fan of the lamb brains - although the texture was a bit 'off-putting', the flavours of the coating of the brain and the apple slaw worked really well. I think the brains could be better if it was a bit more crispy, but I did like it. 

Finally the dessert:

Raspberry ice-cream and raspberry soufflé 

I must say, throughout the night, I did enjoy the dinner, but the dessert was a bit of a let down. The coffee I ordered (short black) did take a LONG time to arrive, AND the temperature must've been too high as the flavours of the coffee were distorted and unpleasant (coffee-drinkers would know what I'm talking about...the semi-sourish flavour if the water is too hot). The soufflé looked amazing, but it wasn't great; the bottom was moist and wet which ruined the fluffiness texture of what soufflés are supposed to be like. The ice-cream was refreshing, but they could make things more interesting if they played up the raspberries a bit rather than just using ordinary raspberries (e.g. honeyed raspberries or gin-infused raspberries).

Apart from the dessert, it was a really good night. The waiters and waitresses were all really nice - excellent service I must say. I'd definitely be returning back there to try some of their mainstream dishes (as they did look amazing). The plating was pleasant and the price wasn't anything ridiculous. The place wasn't extremely upper class, but it was really quite nice (good place to bring dates, few friends, close family, small dinners). Highly recommended ;)

Chilling Out at Saldechin

Bonsoir! Sorry about not posting yesterday, but this is the follow up post.

Vendredi (Friday)... one of my favourite days (if I don't have to get to work on Saturday that is!). It is the day that for the majority, signifies the end of a hard working week and in some instances, when celebration for the weekend begins. With the Friday just passed, I was invited to a combined birthday (SL and TS, once again Happy Birthday...and yes the wrinkles are starting to show!) held at Saldechin. The location is perfect, especially for after work drinks (not that I had work that day, but you get the point). This is the place where you can wear a suit and NOT be pretentious, unlike some other places around the CBD.

For those of you who don't know, Saldechin is located on King William St, right in the heart of Adelaide's CBD. It is restaurant / tearoom / martini bar with some pretty chic decor. They are open 7 days, but what I believe is the main attraction is the Happy Hour $10 cocktails on Friday evenings (from 5pm to 8pm, which was conveniently when the birthday was held), and ALL DAY Saturdays and Sundays. They do have quite an extensive collection of cocktails (some quite unique and definitely tasty creations as well). I've snapped a few photos of what I ordered (unfortunately I did forget a couple of drinks), including a tapas selection.

Kublai Khan - vodka, melon liqueur and pineapple juice

This was a rather enjoyable drink (yes CY, I do make this quite often myself!), and they definitely did nail  this drink with the proportions of each component.

Hong Kong Martini - lychee black tea infused vodka, triple sec and lemon sours

Oh MY.... this was TASTY! I was tempted to gulp down this drink - the actual taste of alcohol was minimal, but it was definitely there (quite a number of people felt it!). The lightness of the infused vodka and the tanginess of the lemon sours made this a perfect summer martini cocktail creation.

Extra Dry Dirty Martini - gin & a splash of dry vermouth served chilled straight up with an olive garnish + splash of olive brine

This is a "real" drink if you ask me....loved it. They definitely made a very decent traditional martini (plus the additions which I requested for). The best way to judge how good a bar is in making cocktails is to order the basics and see how well the make it (and of course how well they deal with the tweaks you chuck in).

Socialite - bourbon whiskey, lime juice, grenadine, orange juice

Although the base alcohol for "Socialite" is bourbon whiskey, the juices of the citrus fruits made it very light and the sweetness from the grenadine syrup made it just right. Also another enjoyable cocktail.

Tapas tasting plate (from top): Saldechin Crab Cakes, Cajun Spiced Sweet Potato Fritters, Prawn Trumpets, Buffalo Chicken Wings

The idea of tapas platter to have with cocktails is amazing (the price isn't too steep either, which made it an excellent choice for something to nibble on as you are drinking). The crab cakes were alright, but the buffalo chicken wings were awesome. Similarly, the prawn trumpets were pretty good (it was surprising that the filling was garlic prawns, not just ordinary prawns) and the sweet potato fritters, although weren't crispy, tasted really good with the lemon aioli.

The mixologists were friendly, although it was hectic at some point (which was to be expected as it was Happy Hour on a Friday evening). The service towards the later part of the evening was quite good (apart from one of the staff who was a bit snappy, which dampened the mood slightly), but regardless of that, it was an enjoyable evening. The live jazz band also helped with the atmosphere of the whole place. I haven't tried the restaurant section of Saldechin, but from the perspective of the martini bar, I highly recommend that you drop by and have a martini (or a few!). 

Always remember, la bonne nourriture means excellent company (for the majority of times) ;)