Guacamole

Hola Chicas y Chicos

Today I am going to share a Guacamole recipe that is just fantastic.

Being a lover of all things Mexican I have long aspired to create the perfect Guacamole and I think i'm getting close. Its super easy to make and quick too.

Ingredients
Two ripe Avocados
teaspoon of pepper
2 teaspoons of salt
Juice from Half a lime
teaspoon of chilli paste (less or more depending on how you like it)
half a teaspoon of paprika.

Ok so basically spoon out the Avocado into a bowl and then just put all the other ingredients except for the paprika into the bowl.
Now much it all around and be sure to have it all nice and consistent, have a taste and add more of any of the above ingredients if you feel it is necessary.
After you have mixed it all together sprinkle the paprika on top.

Serve with your favorite edible scooper!

Peace

The Beresford

Yo Yo,

Pubs hold a special place in the heart of most men in Australia.

A place where you can have a few beers, catch up with your mates, maybe try chat up some ladies, its all fun at the pub. However, one's experience at a pub can vary greatly depending on the pub itself. Last night I went to one of my favourite pubs in Sydney, The Beresford on Bourke st.

Upon walking in you will first notice the lack of a pub-smell, that extremely dubious damp, mouldy aroma that plagues a plethora of pubs in Sydney, The Beresford smells just fine. The lighting is also perfect as is the furniture, comfortable but not too relaxing that you don't want to get up to grab another beer. Speaking of beer, the Beresford does that well, serving it in large Half-Steins that were perfect for clanging together the way they would have in the German Beer Barns of old. Service was amazing, at one point one of the barmen came up and asked if I wanted another beer and got up and poured it for me......table service! at a pub!...brilliant. Now unfortunately I didn't get to eat on this night, but keep in mind that their is a restaurant next door so the food would be very good.


Now so far we have seen all the elements of a great pub, good food, nice beers, great service, but I still haven't gotten on to my favourite part of The Beresford....the bathrooms!
Yes, these unisex toilets are amazing, really clean, architectually stunning with huge cubicles and an amazing urinal that just encourages urination. The hand dryers are also amazing, space age contraptions that actually work!

What a fucking stunner of a place.

I give this pub 8/10.

Peace

Dy Sizzling Hot Pot

Ah Harro!

Today I am going to review a Chinese restaurant that I go to about twice a week.

Dy Sizzling Hot Pot are two inter-connected, authentic Chinese eateries, that are so legit that you can be forgiven for thinking you are eating in Shanghai. Located on Broadway, just up the road from UTS, the no-nonsense design and cheap, plastic cutlery demonstrates that this place cares only about the quality of its food, and it sure does deliver on this.

With over 200 options on the menu their is a meal for everyone. From the basics like chilli chicken and fried rice, right down to the more exotic choices such as pig stomach or 'chicken with fungus in pot'. I have endeavoured to try every meal on offer here and am slowly, but surely working my way through.

Last week I had the best dish that I have ever had at this place. Service can be described as minimal albeit friendly. You go up to the counter, place your order with the heavily accented Chinese 'waitress' and wait to be called. I ordered the 'tasty lamb ribs', and for $8 it was a steal!

Once I had been summoned ("number thiwy Fwour pwease") I was presented with a dish that blew my mind. These guys weren't kidding around when they said tasty lamb ribs, in the immortal words of KFC, 'finger lickin' good'. Spiced with chilli, rosemary, pepper and cummin these ribs had me 'cummin' all over the place with their juicy texture and delicious flavour. This was true, no-nonsense, home-style cooking and it tasted delicious.

On a side note, the dumplings here are out of this world, I once devoured 14 of them! However you must be careful of the boiling hot dumpling juice....you have been warned!

Synopsis:
Ambience: nothing special, but doesn't try to be anything it's not....5/10
Food: Probably the best Chinese I have had....6.5/10
Value: Out of this world....9/10
Service: Friendly but don't expect too much...4/10

Overall: A great gem, this restaurant makes my life significantly more enjoyable...6.5/10.





I'm about one hour away from going to Claude's, soon my life will be complete...

Mickeys Mushies

Ok so I cooked up one of my favourite foods this morning....Mushrooms!

I love mushrooms because their so good at soaking up flavour yet at the same time have an awesome flavour of their own.

I find that the more obscure and wild a mushroom is the more pungent and complex the flavour is.

Shitake, Oyster and other Asian mushrooms really fly kick their way through my mouth, and before I can say 'Arigato' the taste has bowled me over.

If you are into slow cooking, European forest mushrooms work really well in slow roasts, casseroles and stews. The all conquering Procini is by far my favourite European mushroom, it has a really strong fungal taste (kinda like a swimmers foot, but in a good way). Seriously buy this mushroom it will change your life for the better.

Anyway this morning I cooked up a simple yet fucking tasty dish using plain old Buttom shrooms, the type you can buy at normal supermarkets everywhere.
Here is the recipe I used.

Mickeys Mushies
-Like heaps of Mushrooms
-Butter (enough to get a sauce going in the pan)
-Chilli paste (to taste)
-Bit of olive oil
-salt, pepper (given)
-few rosemary sprigs
-fetta

Ok, the method
Heat up your pan and chuck in the butter, chilli, olive oil and rosemary.
Now start sifting/shaking the pan like your trying to get gold from a sift.

After the butter has melted, chilli has spread and rosemary has slightly browned, throw in all the mushrooms and cook for about 5-7 minutes until browned and spongy.

Then just before you take the mushrooms out add some fetta and fetta brine, cook for another minute or so, shake it all around and you will get a brilliant sauce.

I like to serve this with some hummos and more fetta.

Afterthought
I have a friend, known as M.F who loves mushrooms as much as me, although he rarely cooks them and believes you only need one or two to take you on a culinary adventure.

Peace

Dank St Depot Cafe

Dank St Depot cafe states on it's website that it was founded "on the principles of the Slow Food movement", too fucking right, the food took at least 40 minutes to arrive at our table, and for a busy cafe at 10AM that is simply unacceptable.

It was Mothers day and Dank St is full of families going out for a special breakfast, despite the wailing babies and general family noise the cafe keeps close to its industrial aesthetic roots, with high ceilings and bare cement floors contrasting with the family demographic in the dining room.

The menu had some interesting options including fried zucchini fritters with spinach and a tomato salsa, as well as slow cooked broccoli on sourdough. Upon seeing the menu I realised that their was only one choice: creamed eggs with truffle oil, chives, a portabello mushroom, roasted tomato and toast. This is a classic at Dank st and I fondly remember ordering it the last time I came about three years ago.

After we order we wait, and wait and wait. Coffees come after 15 minutes, at which time I was about to chuck a Cartman and say "Da Fuck?!" what kind of busy, high-end cafe makes the customer wait 15 minutes for coffee?

After the coffees we endured the long wait for our meals, but when they came they did impress.

The truffle oil shined through in the creamy scrambled eggs, perfectly cooked with an even texture, the eggs melted in your mouth and left that wonderful truffley glow on my palate. However as I was trying to savour the aroma and taste from the eggs I noticed that my mum was the only one on the table without food...Dank St...Da Fuck?!, for a cafe to serve the mother last on mother's day is just un-professional and shows a deep lack of attention to detail, and when her food did come it was not made as asked, Dank St wasn't looking to good.

However the truffle aroma brought my attention away from my mum and onto much more important things, my breakfast! Which suffice to say I enjoyed thoroughly.

When one pays $19.50 for a small amount of truffled eggs with sides it should be outstanding, which unfortunately it just quite wasn't. Dank St does put out some very nice dishes, however the service leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Synposis
Food, Good, 7
Service, Shit, 5
Value, Shit, 3

Overall I'll give it 5/10
Get your act together Dank St.

Introduction

Like many, I have always dreamed of becoming a food critic, however due to certain factors, real life being the prominent one, I have been forced to forsake this dream.

Just this morning as I was having breakfast, my parents of all people suggested I should start a blog where I review restaurants, cafes, bars and other places of hedonism. I thought it was a fantastic idea, so at the expense of being outed as a wanker from all my peers, I have started this mildly ambitious project and hope to waste lots of possibly productive time giving my opinion on various institutions to anyone who will listen.

Peace