Saturday, March 6, 2010




The arancinni balls... before they were cooked ... mmmmmm


Here is a platter of assorted food i made for Mr L and I.... feel free to ask what it all was :)
i am having a really bad day today.

Friday, March 5, 2010

food critic?

Hi everyone, for some weeks i have been thinking of blogging my food experiences, food critic style.

First let me say, as a londoner, Australians should be proud and grateful to have such an abundant land for good food and wines, alas though it seems we arent ...

The past few weeks has seen me travel a fair bit and eat ALOT!... what makes me sad though is the prices i am paying for what should be a decent meal ansd turns out to be crap wrapped in a trendy name and a rediculous price tag.

So here goes, my attempt at food critising... wish me luck. and please feel free to comment :)




The best place i have eaten at is a tough one, because Australia, and other places i have visited always have such a vast range of food. Ive narowed it dow to these tips.

  • always try something at least once
  • local, fresh produce cannot be beaten
  • looks arent everything, just because a place may have dodgey paint, or a crazy 1 eyed waiter, doesnt mean it wont be the best thing youve ever eaten.
  • ask the locals
  • ask questions!... dont feel afraid to ask your waiter anything you want to know, he/she should know and if they dont they should make the effort to find out.
  • dont be afraid to send a meal back. An establishment can only improve if you give feedback, sometimes youll even score a free meal!
  • chose organic where you can, if thats not an option, try free range, local etc, the point is , less stress on the environment, less food miles, less polution, you support a local, look after the planet and in the long run there are no real negatives.



Recently i ate at THE STRAND in adelaide http://www.cafestrand.com.au/

this place is Fantastic!.. I found it by accident , a few visits ago to adelaide one winters day, and its quickly become one of my most favourite places to dine. The service is fantastic, the establishment itself is well kept, modern , without being OTT and the food is devine. We ate 2 things , which between 2 adults , shared was PLENTY! One being
GRAZING Plate
assorted mezze including strips of salt & pepper squid with lemon aioli, chargrilled Chorizo sausage, babaganoush dip & bread, marinated artichoke, capsicum, olives, spinach & fetta frittata 32.9
The other being ARANCINNI , which is rissoto balls, rolled in polenta and deep fried, served with a gorgeous tomato salsa!

all up we spent , aprox $60 ish , inc a drink each, fantastic price! fantastic food!...




Worst lately would has sadly gone to 2 places, i live locally to one, the other is on the south side of brisbane...

First is the bellvedere hotl, at woody point, 2 mains, 2 cokes, and 1 entree, $88!!!
Their 'slogan' is
Experience the charm and charisma of Woody Point Village’s favourite landmark, the Belvedere Hotel. Sensational sunsets, idyllic sea breezes and famous views of Bramble Bay. Join your friends on the deck for fresh seafood and fresh fun.

All of this true except the fresh seafood part! Mr L ordered a mixed grill of assorted meats and heart attack material, i ordered a steak and morteon ay bug meal, and an entree of salt and pepper squid.

OK.... Mr Ls food was all kinds of cooked weirdly, his bacon perfect, his steak chewy ( shoulda been in a slow cooker not a plate) his lamb ok, his chicken dry, the best part being the chips LOL

My food was tough, for a wagyu, it was more like a discounted piece of rump from coles, was NOT impressed, the salad looked like my 6 yr old had thrown it together. seriously annoyed.
All was not lost with the salt andpepper squid, it was at least cooked great, with a great aoli and salsa, but still , over salted.

here is the menu and prices, cheeky to say the least, i for one wouldnt even go there for a friday arvo beer, after our stomach pains, empty wallet and crap meal

http://www.belvederehotel.com.au/uploads/Combine.pdf

i give it a 3/10, mostly for the view of the ocean.


Lastly, tonight we went out to see some friends, i had home cooked some beef and bean nachos for the kids, so the baby sitter chick didnt have to cook, but alas had runout of time to eat anything myself, so decided on eating while out.
We went to stones corner hotel, where we meet alot of freinds on a friday.

I ordered the lamb rack, on roast pumpkin with broccolini and a creamy herb sauce. Again, this was $30, so i expected something good, 40 minutes later, waitress saunters out, with my very awesome looking lamb rack. I take my knife and firk and proceed to cut, only to realise, this lamb is seared on the outside, and literally stone cold on the middle 3 inches. I was shocked to say the least, it was still 'baaaaiinnngg' at me..

I politely sent it back, only to have it sent back to me, not much better, it was sinuy, tough, cold and undercooked. I had 1 piece of pumpkin, and 2 stems of broccolini... impressed much? NO...

i cannot fathom how certainplaces are hiking up the prices, providing a half arsed attempt at good food and expect you to smile and eat this shit.

sorry but baked beans on toast ( gluten free for me im coelic) would of been a better option.

total points? for food, 4/10... because if cooked properly the flavours in the sauce would of been perfect with the lamb and veges, but the lack of attention or care upset me, the menu also does not say SERVED RARE...
http://www.stonescornerhotel.com.au/stones_corner_cafe.htm




Tomorrow night i have friends over for dinner, i shall take photos and report back.
take care, dani x