Hanabi Restaurant (Sydney)

I believed that Korean food carries only one theme – chili. Hence I have been avoiding Korean food for the couple of years as my stomach failed to stand the constant hit from the chili sauce.

Until now...

At the entrance of the Hanabi Restaurant in the Korean district of central Sydney was the picture of the galbi jim – a braised beef ribs dish served inside a pumpkin. And that’s what we ordered. The ribs were tender with a distinct sweetness, with the soft pumpkin absorbing all the juices from the meat. The meal complimented perfectly with a bibimbap.

Details:
Hanabi Restaurant
122 Liverpool Street
Sydney 2000
http://hanabirestaurant.com.au

Hana-JuRin (Sydney)

I was attracted by the sight of dining in front of the teppan grill every time I drove past Hana-JuRin restaurant. What differentiated it from its bigger brother JuRin a block away are the grilled wagyu steaks and Okonomiyaki. We had both and they did not disappoint. The pizza-size Okonomiyaki was packed with flavours from the pork, cabbage, 3 different sauces and fried egg.

The other dishes were also very good. I will recommend the Chawanmushi as a starter – smooth steamed egg custard full of seafood flavour. The warmth and comfort kicked off a wonderful meal.

Details:
Hana-JuRin
Shop 1, 300 Pacific Highway
Crows Nest
NSW 2065
http://www.jurin.com.au/hana_jurin/

The Fat Duck part 2 (Bray)

My favourite part of dinner at The Fat Duck was Sound of The Sea. The combination of sounds from the shell, fresh raw fish with sardine ‘sand’ took me out of the dining room and onto the beach. I felt like I was dining on my own and at the same time with anyone in the restaurant (through eye contact) eating/listening the same dish.

And the rest of the meal was full of highlights: the lamb, hot & iced tea palate cleanser, black forest gateau, whisky gums. The entire meal lasted 4 hours, but never a boring moment.

(of course!)




Details:
The Fat Duck
High Street 
Bray 
Berkshire 
SL6 2AQ

The Fat Duck part 1 (Bray)

(100 words are not enough…)

4 hours of continual re-dialing only got my friend in London to the cancellation line of Heston Blumental’s The Fat Duck. But talk about luck – we managed to secure a table for 3 on a Saturday night 2 months out due to a drop out.

The meal opened with a refreshing Sicilian lemonade with raspberry puree. All the famous dishes then rolled onto the stage. Snail Porridge was full of intense flavour from the herbs. We were truly amused by the story and setup before diving into the Mock Turtle Soup.

To be continued…

Details:
The Fat Duck
High Street 
Bray 
Berkshire 
SL6 2AQ

St. John Hotel (London)

I have decided to visit Fergus Henderson’s newly opened St John Hotel near Leicester Square in London, hope to experience the “Nose To Tail” eating approach at breakfast.

The recommended Devilled Kidneys on Toast did not disappoint. The kidneys were appropriately soft with the devilled sauce, absorbed into the sour dough toast, cutting through the fattiness of the kidneys. Do go for the St John breakfast tea to start your day.

I left breakfast just in time for the discount theatre ticket booth to open. Will make sure to book for a pre-theatre meal next time!

Details:
St. John Hotel
1 Leicester St
London
WC2H 7BL
http://www.stjohnhotellondon.com

The Ledbury (London)

I made a booking at The Ledbury in London prior the announcement of the World’s Top 50 Restaurants list. Placed at 34th with its head chef the newcomer of the year, I was certainly excited about having lunch there during my visit.

The elegant dining room was complimented by friendly and flawless service. And the food was top notch. Buffalo milk curd with truffle toast and onion consommé was intensely flavourful. The main course of Loin of Roe Deer Baked in Douglas Fir was melt-in-your-mouth and its strong game flavour worked perfectly with the roasted beetroot.

A must-go.

Details:
The Ledbury
127 Ledbury Road
Notting Hill
London W11 2AQ
http://www.theledbury.com


World’s Top 50 Restaurants
http://www.theworlds50best.com/awards/1-50-winners