Bill Granger is famous the world over. So famous he is, in fact, that when word got out that a Bill’s opened in London’s Covent Garden, our hearts skipped a beat thinking that the famous ricotta hotcakes had migrated their way to the northern hemisphere. But… much to the huge disappointment of all, Bill’s in … Read More →
Almond & white chocolate parfait with roasted strawberries So, my night at Felix Bistro started off rather oddly. I arrived at 7.30pm to meet some friends for dinner. I knew I was the first to arrive, so I thought it was a little odd when the maitre d’ said that my friends were already there. … Read More →
I just want to say before I go and ruin everything, I actually really really like Hoochie Mama. Because, I mean, what a groovy name for a café, right?? Ok, that’s not the reason. I like them because they have an awesome breakfast menu, they have loads of outdoor seating and actually, they have loads of … Read More →
Two weeks ago, I was in Queensland and I ate too much. But um, that’s not really a surprise. When we came back to Sydney, I randomly decided to detox for a few days. Now, I’ve never dieted before and I have no understanding of what kind of diet does what, but basically I figured eating clean … Read More →
Saturday was a bit of an extremes kinda day. We bought some groooooovy bright red retro bar stools for the apartment (win!) then ate some pretty good Malaysian food for lunch (win!) and then… some biatch went and ran into the side of my car (lose). Don’t worry, Panu and I are both fine but … Read More →
confit of Petuna ocean trout with shaved fennel and unpasteurised ocean trout caviar I started writing this post and realised that I sound like a complete and utter snob and asshole. I was going to stop and you know, like “change my tone”, but then, when have I ever been known to censor my posts? … Read More →
Often on a weekday evening, you’ll find me huddled at my desk at work at some ungodly o’clock, cursing to myself about the late hours that I have to work. Sometimes, I take it out on the twitterverse. It’s just this job I have, and without saying too much and being dooced, all I’ll say … Read More →
I’m not sure if it’s public knowledge or relevant knowledge or even remotely interesting to any of you. I think maybe it’s one of those irrelevant pieces of factoids that I seem to regularly force upon you guys, but I’m giving it to you anyway. Over a decade ago – woah wait, over a decade … Read More →
garlic & herb barramundi, cuttlefish & calamari A few months ago, a PR emailed me asking for my opinion on the best fish and chips in the UK. I replied with “Morgans Seafood in Brisbane”. “No, in the UK,” she reiterated. “Oh. Well in that case, nothing.” Because honestly, after having grown up with Morgans … Read More →
Friday night. What’s on your Friday night wish list, to make it a perfect end to your week? For me, Friday night wish lists have evolved beyond recognition over the last few years. I used to hang out for Friday night, to hit 5pm and start guzzling alcohol with my friends and live by our “eating … Read More →
Friday night is a win all in itself, no matter where you are in the world, but I had three more wins on my Friday night. First win. Dinner at Ichi-ban Boshi where they serve matcha cappuccinos hot or iced. Second win? Dinner with the stunning Maria who laughs at my dodgy Finnish pronunciations but hey, I blame Panu. … Read More →
There is a certain sense of satisfaction you can get from having a delicious lunch. It breaks up your day, fuels you on for the afternoon and somehow, life ain’t so bad once you’ve had a good lunch. But what beats “just having a good lunch” is having a good lunch on the cheap. And … Read More →
2.15pm: touched down in Sydney. 6.00pm: dinner at Mamak, Chatswood. There’s pretty much no other way I would have wanted my first few hours back on home soil to go down. Every time I visit, Mamak is usually my first stop and also my last, enroute to the airport. I don’t know what it is … Read More →
A few weeks ago, I was sitting in my hotel room in Johannesburg coming to grips with the insufferably selfish and materialistic life I lead. I’d seen some poverty and spent time with a family of elephants. I was humbled, to say the least, and as I was sitting in my hotel room contemplating life … Read More →
I don’t often win at anything. Although I’m totally kiasu, by nature that means I never lose, but I don’t ever really win either. Don’t get confused now, the situations I engage in often involve more than two people. So there’s a winner, there’s a loser and then there’s me. And except for that one … Read More →
Panu got back on Friday. Single, double, triple, quadruple YAYS! We had one day to relax and stock up on cuddles (well, for me to stock up on cuddles) because bright and early on Saturday morning, we started the dreaded apartment hunting. Just for the record, I fricking hate apartment hunting. It’s the rushing between … Read More →
There’s something about getting all dressed up that still makes the girlie girl hidden deep within me flutter with excitement. I never wear proper dresses and heels in London (work clothes don’t count). The walking, the raining, the cobbled streets… unless you actually want to sprain your ankle or god forbid, to damage the perfectly … Read More →
oh ee kim chi (pickled cucumber seasoned in red chilli powder) There’s been a lot of talk lately about one of my most beloved fruits, the durian. And let me tell you, it hasn’t been so kind, this talk about my durian. It seems that more and more people (even Asians, dammit, you call yourself … Read More →
Sometimes I find a place so good in London that I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. Because I’m nice like that. Right? WRONG. Because when I find the places I reaaaaaally love, I just want to keep them all to myself. I mean, damn if I’m gonna be sharing all my secrets! … Read More →
On Saturday, my friends Brendon and Christine hosted a most fabulous BBQ down in the ghetto. Well, the term “ghetto” is used relatively here. Basically, they pretty much live across the street from the Ministry of Sound nightclub and back in my hey day (because yes I am old), that minuscule proximity to MOS would have totally … Read More →
hip hop roll – crab meat, avocado and lettuce, wrapped in seared salmon, topped with fried garlic My time in London has come and gone! Waaahhhhhh BIG SAD FACE (T.T) … I didn’t actually feel particularly sad until the very last night when I lay in bed and thought about everything that I was going … Read More →
Tick tock, tick tock, time sure is ticking fast! 16 sleeps to go and I’m well into my list of final visits to favourite eats around London. The Ledbury is done, Sushi of Shiori is done, Dinings and Hawksmoor are both lined up for next week. Excitements! Last night we went to Bocca di Lupo. … Read More →
I’ve been on a whirlwind of farewell dinners this week, my diary packed from last Saturday all the way through to this coming Sunday. For a wee little homebody like myself, this is tiring. Luckily, with the barrage of dinners, I’ve also had a huge array of gastronomic delights to power me on. Monday night … Read More →
Cumberland sausage and chive mash with caramelised onion gravy It’s now officially 8 sleeps to go before I bid farewell to these gloomy shores. Days like today – Sunday, dumping rain, windy, scattered sunshine (kind of like Melbourne, really) – makes me think I won’t miss London at all but who am I kidding? As … Read More →