'The Pie Tin' Review

Hey Nibblers!

         Oh, the good humble pie. Shared with great company and there's nothing in the world that you could ever ask for. Tucked away behind the bustle of King St, Newtown is one of the best places I've been. Despite being hidden away, it draws quite the crowd so don't be too hopeful for seating if you're thinking of going during peak hours. Great for a small gathering of 2-4 friends if you're lucky enough to grab a table as you can share the different sides and pies with each other
         'The Pie Tin' offers an amazing selection of sweet and savoury pies that are made fresh in store each day. Service is quick and friendly and side portions are so generous. It's a real bang in your buck.

'The Pie Tin'
Where: 1a Brown St, Newtown, Sydney                                  Website: http://www.thepietin.com.au/

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Pie and drink selections/ prices can be found on their website

Inside 'The Pie Tin'

             I ordered the 'Sicilian style chilli lovers sausage with white bean' with a side of 'Kumera' chips (Sweet Potato Chips). My foodies in crime Thao and Jacky ordered the 'Sweet roasted duck with seasonal vegetables' with a side of 'coleslaw' and 'potato salad' and the 'Slow roasted shredded pork with apple and bbq sauce' with a side of 'chips.' We also ordered the 'Whipped lime pie' and 'Snickers Pie' to share. All up it was $55.60 for the five pies and sides so great value for the gourmet quality.

'Sicilian style chilli lovers sausage with white bean' with a side of 'Kumera' chips (Sweet Potato Chips)

          There's self-serve sauces, napkins, cutlery and water which makes it a relaxed home-like atmosphere. My pie came out piping hot. The pie lid was flaky and had absorbed the spicy tomato based sauce filling. There's so much flavour packed in the filling that I don't think you need any extra accompanying sauces. There were visible sausage pieces in my pie so you can really see the ingredients that are going in. I only had a spoonful of Thao & Jacky's pies but, from their feedback, they definitely enjoyed their experience.

'Sweet roasted duck with seasonal vegetables' with a side of 'coleslaw' and 'potato salad

'Slow roasted shredded pork with apple and BBQ sauce' with a side of 'chips'

         In terms of sides, the 'Kumera' chips were crisp and perfectly seasoned. They fried our batch fresh so it really enhanced our experience. The normal potato fries were equally appetising. Great seasoning and really fluffy inside. If you're a fan of 'Potato' and 'Coleslaw' salads, you'll definitely like the ones at 'The Pie Tin.' Both are packed with flavours and taste extremely fresh.
        By this stage, we were all pretty stuffed but, we still had two dessert pie slices to pig through. The 'Whipped Lime Pie' was light and full of zesty flavour. The fruity flavour was great in countering the intense flavours from the savoury pies. Great for sharing and with a spot of tea because after about 5 spoonfuls, I was sugar overloaded.

'Whipped Lime Pie'

       The 'Snickers' Pie was sensational. Again, I would of loved it with some tea but, the peanut-caramel flavour was on point. Creamy and with peanut chunks in the mix, it's definitely one for the sweet tooth lovers. Melt-in-you-mouth goodness.

'Snickers' Pie

       I loved my experience at 'The Pie Tin' and would gladly go again and introduce it to anyone else. Portions are so generous that next time, sharing one side is enough if you want to do the whole sweet and salty taste test. Leave a comment down below with your favourite pie place or what your favourite pie filling is!

Nibble Away,

          Jo

'Hot Star' Review

Hey Nibblers!

         I have a confession to make. I am obsessed with fried chicken. So, when I heard of 'Hot Star' a Taiwanese-style fried chicken store taking Melbourne and Sydney by storm, I just had to give it a go. I didn't want to pig out all on my own so luckily for me, I was accompanied by another self-confessed fried chicken lover, my friend, Tree!

HOT STAR 
Where: 96 Liverpool St, Sydney, NSW 2000                Website: http://hotstarchicken.com.au/

     

        We both stood there in front of the 'Hot Star' shop pondering over what we would order. Our stomachs were grumbling, the cashier guy was waiting slightly awkwardly for us to make a move and other customers were fluttering by. In the end we decided on the 'Original' large fried chicken, a 'Spicy' large fried chicken and 'curly fries with spicy mayonnaise sauce'.
         When they said large, I thought they were exaggerating. Turns out those fried chicken pieces were big. Tree and I gave each other a 'oh crap, it's huge' look and chuckled over the fact we may have over ordered. That aside, the chicken was placed in a paper bag that was about half its size and popped into the 'Hot Star' plastic bag we were given after ordering. The chicken pieces were relatively reasonable in price at $7.90 AUD each considering its size. They do also offer meal deals that come with a drink and a choice of one of their sides. One small problem I found with the packaging is that it's not very public transport friendly. The smell was pungent and the heat that came off the bag was pretty intense. We couldn't wait to tuck in though. But before we could, we had to make a short trek to Hyde Park as there are no seating facilities. Those silly Ibises were circulating us but we made it the best makeshift picnic we could.

From left to right: 'Original,' ($7.90 AUD) 'Spicy' ($7.90 AUD) & 'Curly Fries with Spicy Mayo sauce' ($3.90 AUD)

          First up, the 'Original' piece. Evenly coated with their special Chinese five spice-like, tangy seasoning, first bite was pretty amazing. I loved how the chicken was moist, boneless and the crunchy texture was on point. It was a very unique taste and the eating experience was enhanced due to it being freshly fried.

Open kitchen view at Hot Star

         However, the 'Spicy' piece was a different story. It had the same seasoning as the original with a generous amount of a sweet paprika like seasoning. Tree and I have pretty good spice tolerance but, as soon as we bit into this one, I had to reach for my water. The spicy flavour was intense and overshadowed the sweet, tangy taste of the original. While it was still a moist and had a great crunchy texture, it was not a very enjoyable piece of chicken. It left me sweaty and the oil began to build at my throat.
         I've had a few curly fries in my time and Hot Star's didn't cut it for me. Crunchy in texture but was soaked in an oily flavour. The fries didn't taste like they had soft potato insides and lacked their special seasoning. It's only saviour was the spicy mayonnaise that accompanied it.
         As much as I want to rave on about how amazing my first 'Hot Star' experience was, I have to say I'm quite disappointed by the whole experience. Tree and I both tried our hardest to finish our chicken pieces but while the first bites were amazing, the lust soon ended. Unfortunately, we also suffered several hours later with food poisoning. We have since recovered. However, the smell of Hot Star's fried chicken that waffles whenever we walk past no longer leaves tongues wagging.
         Have you tried 'Hot Star' and loved your experience? Leave a comment below, I would love to hear what you think.

Hope you're all having an amazing week,
Nibble Away,
                       Jo.

        P.S. I would love to thank my friend Tree for going on food safaris with me and being such a trooper after this 'Hot Star' experience. If you would like to see more of her adventures, she makes great easy-to-follow recipes on her blog 'The Quiet Kitchen.' Go check it out!

       

'Sushi Hotaru' Review (The Galeries Victoria)

Hey Nibblers!

        If you read my last post, you would have seen that I have a slight obsession with sushi. I have no shame when I say that I've had days where for breakfast, lunch and dinner I've eaten sushi. I never used to feel this way about sushi but ever since coming back from travelling, I've formed an attraction. It is weird though because in those five weeks, we only ate sushi twice and it wasn't even great.  I do love my sashimi  and I remember ever only allowed to eat it on special occasions. So, when I was first introduced to 'Sushi Hotaru' and saw I could have my own little serving of sashimi to myself, I knew I had found love. Since our first date, I've been here about eight times. Yes, you read correct. Eight. This is how much I love sushi and 'Sushi Hotaru.' So what has me coming back for more you ask? Let's get into the nitty gritty details then shall we?

'Sushi Hotaru'
Where: The Galeries Victoria RP1, 500 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000       Website: http://yesfood.com.au/hotaru.html

           First off, I love the set-up of this place. While narrow, it manages to fit a capacity of 80 people. The turnover is fast and everything is efficient. Staff are very friendly but, the 'Sushi Hotaru' can get really busy during peak hours and you do have to wait. The thing was when I took Kelly and my other cousin Kimberley we arrived at peak hour and didn't have to wait for more than 15 minutes which I say is pretty good. We could have been lucky but, I think it's more the way it all works. You come in to eat sushi with some friends for lunch or dinner and then you're out. It's loud and a tad crowded at times to have a nice catch up. This is definitely not large party friendly as there are not enough tables so I say travel in two, three or fours at maximum.

Sushi belt

        What I also love is the use of their electronic machines. They have their whole menu stored on an iPad which is located at ever bench top or table depending on where you are sitting. For certain menu items such as their amazing handrolls, they don't run on the sushi belt so you have to order them on the iPad and a member of staff comes to your table to deliver your roll. Or if you can't see what you're after on the belt, you can order it on the iPad and it comes freshly made for you.

           In terms of pricing, everything is $3 unless otherwise stated. If you're unsure, check on the iPad. For those that don't have a price tag next to their name I can assure you it's $3. It's a bit hard for me to explain it all as there is so much variety but on my past eight visits, I did take a couple of photos of some of the dishes I ate and review them for you. So here goes, I'll split them into sections to make it a tad easier:

Hand Rolls (All $3 each)

Spicy Tuna roll $3

Eel, Spicy Tuna Mentalko and Soft Shell Crab handrolls. Shark Fin Salad Gunkan (in the background) $3 AUD each

Up close and personal with the Soft Shell Crab hand roll

       As far I have tried, all the hand rolls I've had are absolute perfect. The spicy tuna/ salmon are awesome if you love the sashimi types and the seaweed is so crisp, it meets ever food texture you need. I'm not a fan of eel but if you are, it's as decadent. These are made fresh so everything is hot, generous in the sauce department and consistent it the rice to filling ratio. The soft shell is amazing! Crispy, perfectly seasoned and a great serving of Jap mayo and this is a winner.

       'Wagyu beef' / 'Wagyu omlette' is so juicy and flavoursome if you're into beef.

       I didn't like the 'Oyster Omlette' hand roll though. It tasted too much like the sea to me.

       'Seared Salmon' is good but, if you want perfection in your mouth choose the seared 'Nigiri Sushi' selection instead.

Gunkan Sushi (All $3 each)

From memory, I've only tried:

       The 'Flying Fish Roe' has a fun crunchy texture as normal but I found it to be too salty for my liking. They are generous with their roe servings though

       'Shark Fin' Salad is delicious. A bit sour and sweet and crunchy, it is definitely one of my favourites.

       'Lobster Salad' was again generous but nothing special.

       'Octopus Salad' was a tad salty for me and had wasabi infused in the mixture. My brother did like this though and would opt for it again.

       'Salmon Roe' are larger eggs but they lack the crunch that the 'Flying Fish Roe' had. Without that texture, it was not more than salty mush.

Roll Sushi (All $3 each)

        'Tempura Prawn' was a let down. I felt it was cold and the fried prawn tasted too much of oil

Tempura Roll

        'Soft Shell Crab' this place has it down packed for the soft shell crab department. It tastes amazing, always fresh and no taste of the greasy flavour. I love all variation sushi from them.

Soft Shell Crab Roll

        'Chicken Katsu' is like a standard sushi roll in the shops. While it was nice, it would not be a must here.

Chicken Katsu Roll 

        The first few times I've been to 'Sushi Hotaru' I did have a few dishes from the 'Roll Sushi' category but, recently while they look amazing I feel the 'Hand Rolls,' 'Gunkan' and 'Nigiri' outweigh the 'Roll Sushi.'

Side Dishes

       'Takoyaki' 4 pieces for $3. We ordered using the iPad and they always come out steaming hot and super crisp on the outside. 

Takoyaki! nom nom

       'Okonomiyaki' which was like a giant 'Takoyaki' except it lacked the crisp outside. The filling was just as flavoursome and steaming hot

Okonomiyaki $3

        'Spicy Chicken Wings' The first time I had these, they weren't salty. However, after that time, I've always thought they were too salty. While they are crisp, it's a bet to order these.

Spicy Chicken Wings $3

   'Crumbed Octopus' Generous serving for $3 but again was soaked in too much of the oil that it lacked the delicious octopus flavour. It was steaming hot when served though.

Crumbed Octopus

         'Crumbed Calamari' similar to the fried octopus above. Generous but, lacked flavour due to overpowering grease taste.

Crumbed Calamari

         'Gyoza.' I've also have had this twice but, while it's a good serving size, taste-wise there is nothing unique that wants you begging for more.

Gyoza $3. Served with a side of sweet soy sauce

      Sashimi $7.90 (All Gold dishes are 7.90.) Fresh, nicely cut and my favourite. Can't say more but that I freaking love this stuff. They have different variations. I went for the tuna, salmon and kingfish option. My favourite would be the salmon out of the three as it has the the least chewy texture. I do have to say for 6 pieces at $7.90 it is a tad expensive than places I've seen. But, does look/taste more fresh. Haven't had any food poisoning so it's a good sign.

Sashimi $7.90 AUD

          

Nigiri Sushi

      When I say try ALL things seared, I mean it. Seared scallops, seared salmon, anything you see on the menu, eat it. This is what I live for at 'Sushi Hotaru.' The smoky flavour just melts in your mouth and the juices that run through your mouth is such an amazing sensation. Every time I pop any of these bad boys into my mouth, I just want to moan at how amazing they are. It is a MUST here.

Seared Scallop $3

     I do also enjoy all the sashimi, spicy types but, I think that all falls down to personal preference.

Drinks

      If you love sesame you MUST order this drink. the 'Black Sesame Latte' is the most amazing drink ever. I don't know how to describe it but it's basically a milky sesame flavoured glass of awesome. It comes with a scoop of their black sesame ice cream. While the texture of the ice cream isn't at all creamy and nor dense, it saves on getting a dessert at the end. 

Black Sesame Latte $5.50 AUD

      I also tried the 'Green Tea Latte with Red Bean Ice Cream.' I've never been a fan of green tea flavoured things and this is no exception. The 'Red Bean Ice Cream' was quite flavourful though. It was much denser than the 'Black Sesame' scoop but nothing I would say is a definite order. Kimberley who loves green tea flavoured things, enjoyed hers so, I say if you do love the green, go for it!       All in all, I love 'Sushi Hotaru.' I'm certain I've tried more on their menu but, I'm usually so hungry and scoff through the plates that I forget to document what I had. I say look at the iPad menu and pick whatever tickles your fancy and experiment from there. I totally recommend this and every time I've taken a new friend to this place, they fall in love as well so, I think I've really hit a gem right here. In terms of pricing, if I stuff myself silly with a friend with similar eating capabilities as I have and include drinks, I say it'll be about $20 - $30 per person. Maximum $40. When I ate with my parents and Richard, we ate about $28 per person, with Kelly & Kim it was $28. It may sound like a lot now but once you're in there, it's well worth it!

Standard demolishing of sushi

Hope you're enjoying a good dose of blogging! Feel free to leave a comment if you have the same love affair or think I should try one your own hidden gems. 

Nibble Away,

          Jo x.

'The Wooden Whisk' Review

Hey Nibblers!

         Not long ago, Kevin and I set on a little adventure for some amazing cafe food. Word is 'The Wooden Whisk' is one cafe that is worth the trip! Of course, for some working/living across the bridge it may be just be a walking distance away but for us, it meant changing trains and an hour and a half travel time. We arrived at around 1030am which was perfect timing! It's just in between their breakky and lunch menu so we were able to order from both of them. SCORE!

The Wooden Whisk
Where: Shop 7 & 8 , 38 - 46 Albany St, St. Leonards, NSW 2065                        Website: http://www.woodenwhisk.com.au/

          From the breakfast menu, we ordered the 'Brioche French Toast,' from lunch, we ordered 'Our Ruben' and the 'Smoked salmon salad with potato.' It didn't stop there because we also ordered an 'Iced coffee' and fresh 'Beet juice'.

The 'Brioche French Toast'
     with fresh banana, strawberries, mascarpone and maple syrup ($13.50)

           This was perfection. We demolished it within minutes. The serving was generous, the fruit, fresh and the brioche was soft, slightly crispy around the edges and just soaked the delicious maple syrup. It wasn't too sweet which is where a lot of cafes get it wrong. No one wants to start their day with a sugar rush! But seriously, this dish was heaven and such a great introduction to the rest of our meal. 

'Our Ruben'

         served with shoestring chips, new york style pastrami, swiss cheese, pickled cabbage, mild mustard on light rye sourdough ($14.50)

              I loved the presentation. The chips were placed in a mini frying basket and I thought it was the cutest thing ever. Portion wise was again very generous. I have never had pastrami before so I don't have a base to compare it to but in terms of sandwiches, this was pretty amazing. The pastrami was juicy, full of flavour and combined with the rich, saltiness of the cheese  and the sour cabbage, flavours balanced each other wonderfully. The chips were crispy, crunchy and the potato insides were soft and creamy. 

'Smoked Salmon Salad with Potato'

          pickled cucumber, rocket, dill and creme fraiche ($15.00)

      

           I'm a sucker for all things with rocket and smoked salmon. If I had to eat only smoked salmon and rocket for lunch/ dinner for the rest of my like I would. I find it quite amusing that I ordered a salad to be 'healthier' but by looking at this bad boy, I'm pretty sure I just added on about 5 kilos extra. I'm not complaining because this was delicious. 'The Wooden Whisk' should be given an award for their generosity with portions. I struggled to gobble down the dish. The saltiness of the smoked salmon mixed with the lemon/mustard acidity to the bitterness of the rocket and soft creaminess of the potatoes was just divine. The flavours just melted to well together and you had both the crunch and softness in textures. I'm just salivating thinking about it. I totally recommend this dish if you have the same obsession as I do. 

'Iced Coffee'

          They didn't have the price on their website but it was approximately ($5.50).

                        

             I'm not much of a coffee drinker. I don't feel it works for me because I end up napping throughout the day even when I have a coffee. But sometimes, when I'm feeling a bit naughty/greedy I do crave the smell and taste of coffee. I love my cold iced drinks so I just to. This iced coffee was very rich in flavour so for those with sweet teeth, this is for you. While this may have been great with toast or a savoury pastry, didn't blend in well with the salad I ordered which was a shame.

The 'Beet Juice'

       Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact name of the juice but it had beetroot, ginger, apple as their main ingredients. Approximately ($5.50)

           Can't really say much about this juice except for if you love juice and the ingredients in it, this is for you. It's fresh and wasn't too sweet or overpowering against the dishes we had. Great start to the day.

           All in all, I loved and fully recommend 'The Wooden Whisk' if you're in around the area or willing to go on an adventure. For cafe style food with big portions, the prices were appropriate and you do get a lot for your buck. I was really impressed with their service and it's such an inviting place to bring friends and have a chat. Tables were clean, simple and the decorations were country chic. We hadn't exactly hit the peak of lunch time while we were there but there was a lot of people coming in and out ordering coffee and food so I expect their lunch hours to be bustling. Can't wait to go again!

The view from outside. Great natural light

Their old- school Specials board

Seating inside 'The Wooden Whisk'

      Hope you're all having an  amazing week!

Nibble Away,

               Jo x.

Meat Wine & Co. Review

Hey Nibblers!
       
           A couple of weeks ago, my amazing bestie, Lily turned 20. She wanted to have steak so we opted to try 'Meat Wine & Co.' There were 7 in our dinner group and we had reservations so there was no wait to get in.

Meat Wine & Co.
Where: L1, 31 Wheat Rd, IMAX Theatre Complex, Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour   Website: http://themeatandwineco.com/locations/australia/nsw/darling-harbour

           When we arrived, there was quite a bustle. People were chatting away and the atmosphere was great for a catch-up with friends or a night for romance.
            For our entree, we ordered the 'Tasting Plate' which consisted of 'Szechuan calamari and nam jim sauce, bruschetta, Louisiana chicken wings and Portugese prawns served with a cabbage, capsicum and brown rice pilaf.'
            The calamari was delicious. Crispy and flavoursome! I definitely wanted some more.
            The bruschetta was nothing special. They were very generous with their tomato and cheese but, nothing special where it would be a must.
            The chicken wings were surprising good. I thought they may have been dry inside because the pieces were small. However, it packed a heap of flavour and were moist, perfectly cooked inside.
            The prawns were my favourite starter. The nam jim sauce they cooked the prawns in was divine. It was spicy but not enough to overtake your taste buds. The prawns were cooked to perfection and I would definitely order this again.

Tasting Plate ($55 AUD)

         We also wanted some greens on the side so, we ordered the Meat Wine & Co. salad that consisted of avocado, sliced biltong, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red capsicum, mixed lettuce with a sweet ginger, garlic , citrus dressing.

           For what we paid, I don't think it was worth it at all. The portion was tiny and the avocado looked great for presentation but were hard as rock and weren't ripe enough to eat. The dressing didn't taste as it was described. It more was a citrus and oil dressing with no huge hint of the ginger or garlic flavours. Would probably pass on this salad.

The MWC Salad ($19 AUD)

             For the mains, the girls all ordered the 300g Rump which came with a side of chips and optional side sauce. I didn't go for a side sauce for my Rump but, I did try the mushroom sauce and it wasn't bad. I won't say it was brilliant and a must but, it ties in well with the steak. 

             The rump was so juicy and moist. Cooked to the perfect medium - rare as I had asked them too and the grilled marks were fabulous.

             The side of chips was just as dazzling. The potato just melted in your mouth and the crisp outside added to whole experience.

Rump with a side of chips ($27 AUD) + Mushroom sauce ($4 AUD)

               The boys on the other hand shared three dishes. I didn't try much of it but, presentation was clean and inviting. The first dish was the 400g New York Monte Dry-Aged with a side of creamy garlic sauce. I didn't try the steak but when I saw it being cut into, it was cooked to a perfect medium-rare. The grill marks were amazing and chips were great. What I did try was the creamy garlic sauce. I'm a sucker when it comes to garlic flavoured dishes and this was one of them. It was delicious and had the texture of custard. The garlic flavour was pungent which is what you want.

400g NY Dry ($46 AUD) + Creamy Garlic ($4 AUD)

            Next was the 'Marinated Chicken Skewer.' I loved the presentation of this dish. And that pretty much summed up the 'wow' factor of this dish. Again, the flavours were there but it wasn't amazing enough to the point I would want to come back for the skewer. I say stick to the steaks.

Marinated Chicken Skewer ($29 AUD) served with a side of brown rice pilaf.

            The last dish they ordered was the full rack of pork ribs. This looked delicious! I had a rib and it was pretty good. The bbq marinate was sweet and salty at the same time which I loved. The meat was moist and easily peeled away from the bone which is what we want. I do have to say that 'Hurricane's Grill' ribs are better. Their portions are larger, and they're more generous on the marinade which leaves you with sticky, licking fingers.

Full rack of ribs and chips included ($54 AUD)

          Lastly, I want to make one comment on their drinks. There was a tomato juice ordered that night and if you love tomato paste you should order this because that's exactly what it tasted like. Drinking spaghetti. The pineapple juice on the other hand tasted like pineapples and was refreshing.

Tomato and Pineapple juice ($4.50 AUD)

          All in all, it was a good experience however, next time I would probably just stick to the prawns, steaks and creamy garlic sauce. 

          It was still a lovely 20th celebration and we spent the rest of the night singing our lungs out. Lily, the amazing bestie has also just started her own fashion blog. We recently just went to 'Fashion Weekend' together and took some great shots of her outfits. She also does quick posts on her outfits, nail colours and other bits and bobs. So, if you're interested click this link to her blog: http://startwelve.blogspot.com.au/ <3

          Hope you're all having an amazing week!

Nibble away,

Jo x.

'Mamak' Review

Hey Everyone,
       Tuesday has just passed and I missed my 'Travel Tuesdays' segment so, I thought a Sydney-based restaurant review is in order.

Mamak
Where: 15 Goulburn Street, Haymarket, Sydney               Website: http://www.mamak.com.au/

       Mamak has been the talk of the town for a while serving Malaysian cuisine and with my parent's anniversary/ Dad's birthday I thought I would take them here. It was a Saturday night and I knew there was going to be a massive line so, as soon as we hit Chinatown I power walked to 'Mamak' to grab a spot in the line. From the looks of the line, it was about a 30 minute wait and for 'Mamak' that's a pretty fast wait.
       When we reached the windows of 'Mamak' you were able to see how their famous hand-made roti in action. These chefs had amazing skill and to think how many roti breads they had to roll out individually each night is tiring labour. Truly admirable.

The Roti bread chefs hard at work.

          I love how Mamak is so brightly lit. There's not much in terms of decorations going on but its simplicity works. It makes for a very friendly and delightful experience whether it's a catch-up with friends or dinner before the night begins. It is a tad squishy but, understandable because the restaurant is quite small and there's customers waiting outside.

           There were six of us and the menu is quite small so it makes ordering super easy. We ordered the 'Kari Kambing' ($16) which is a spicy lamb curry slow-cooked until tender. This stuff was delicious. It was spicy but the lamb was so tender, it basically melted in my mouth. It's not sweet like Thai curries but, the spices and chilli pack it with flavour. Of course, we also ordered rice to accompany the curry. They both came out quite quickly (10 mins after ordering) and steaming hot. The only thing is all the dishes come out in a random order so you just have to eat whatever's on your table. 

Kari Kambing ($16) spicy kick and tender lamb.

            Next, the roti is a must at Mamak. With every savoury roti, there are two accompanying curry sauces and a small dollop of spicy sambal sauce. We ordered the 'Roti Canai' ($5.50). It was steaming hot and so crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. The accompanying sauces were delicious and not too spicy. Especially seeing all of it being freshly made in the restaurant and by hand, it is a must at 'Mamak.'

Roti Canai ($5.50) 

          We also ordered their 'Mee Goreng' ($11.50). This dish incorporates spicy-wok hokkien noodles with eggs, fish cake slices, prawns and fresh bean sprouts. If you love noodle dishes with spice, this is it. The prawns were cooked to perfection. They weren't mushy and all the flavours just complimented each other. It's one of those dishes that leaves a taste in your mouth and I honestly drool just thinking about it. I'm a sucker for these carbs.

Mee Goreng ($11.50)

          We also ordered a dozen chicken satay sticks ($16) which is marinated in Malaysian spices and served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. The chicken on its own is pretty standard chicken skewers. There's no wow factor about them but, swirl them in the peanut sauce and they are amazing. The sauce is certainly as it's described. It is spicy but the sweetness from the peanuts balances it all out. Chicken satay sticks at any Thai restaurant are one of my favourite dishes but compare 'Mamak's' peanut sauce to a typical Thai sauce, the Thai sauce is usually much more sweeter. While that is still delicious, the Mamak peanut sauce has more depth in its flavour.

Chicken Satay ($16 for a dozen). They do go by the half a dozen as well.

             Another must form 'Mamak' is their traditional Malaysian dish, 'Nasi Lemak' ($8.50). This dish consists of coconut flavoured rice, sambal chilli sauce, peanuts, crispy anchovies, cucumber and half a hard-boiled egg. We added the fried chicken for an extra ($3). This dish is so different to everything I've ever eaten. Every component is boring on its own but mix this all up and it's a combination of crunchy textures, salty, spicy and sweet flavours and this dish is a winner. 

             The fried chicken is also a must. This came out steaming hot on the inside, crisp on the outside and with the best cut of the chicken. This was so delectable. I want more. While the crispy skin looked to have been marinate in amazing Malaysian spices, it wasn't as potent as I expected which is a bit of a let down. But, it is a great accompaniment to all their other dishes and I would definitely order this again.

Nasi Lemak ($8.50) + fried chicken ($3) = MUST TRY

           Of course, a piece of fried chicken was not enough so, we ordered another four pieces, 'Ayam Goreng' ($14).

Ayam Goreng ($14) delicious.

             Altogether, the bill totaled to $79.50. Which for a party of six equated to $13.25 per person. My mum wasn't feeling too well so she didn't eat to her full potential but even if she did, it'll only be another $15 on top of that. For a night out, that's a great deal! 

             I totally recommend 'Mamak.' Everything is quick, delicious and the staff were nice. It may be a bit hard getting their attention since they have so many people to attend to but, they're very quick about everything. It is loud, but the cosy small tables are enough for a conversation with friends and family. The only thing to keep in mind is it is quite spicy and unfortunately, there's no option to change the spice level. So if you're not too sure, drag a spicy eating friend along.

             'Mamak' in the city does not take reservations. But, if you want a table quickly I suggest going for a late lunch so around 1:30-2pm or an early dinner at 5-6pm. And, if you're there on a Saturday night, why not catch the fireworks at Darling Harbour from 8:30 - 9PM depending on the month.

           

Fireworks at Darling Harbour

             Hope you're all having a lovely week! I have a little special post coming soon so subscribe if you want instant updates. 

Nibble away,

        Jo x.