Shinwa Izakaya

I am very embarrassed to admit this, but boy, this post is way, way overdue. I won't say exactly how long ago, but a few months back, Raymond (my high school buddy and amazing self-taught baker) invited me along with Daisy and Nancy to dinner at Shinwa Izakaya.

Ray and Nancy are both friends with the founders of Shinwa, and were invited to dine as guests. Ray brought me along as his +1.

We were served with sake and edamame (salted, and chilli in the background) to snack on as soon as we were seated, and left the order for the evening to the owner.

I particularly also love the lotus roots chips. My mum usually boils them in soups and by then they'd lose all their delicious-ness, but the chips were crisp and I loved how it was a good variation of texture.

We kick started with this plate of sashimi which was fresh and very beautifully presented.

It was followed with sushi (I can't for the life of me remember which this is) and from hereon, the flow of food just did not stop.

Soon enough, I found myself in love with these thinly sliced premium wagyu tataki beef (marble 7 yo!!) topped with shredded onions, alfalfa sprouts and flying fish roe served with housemade dipping sauce!!

One of my favourites that night was the Kingfish Carpaccio; kingfish sashimi infused in really delicious, tangy housemade salad dressing of tomato, onions and grounded leeks, then topped with alfalfa sprouts.

You know what's the best kind of salad? Crispy soft shell crab salad served with sakura ebi and Shinwa's housemade yuzu dressing! Salad never tasted this good. Om nom nom...

Super tasty pork belly okonomiyaki!!! You can't find this anywhere else in Melbourne, only at Shinwa. I am drooling looking at my pictures and think I need to organise another trip back.

If I had to choose an ultimate favourite, it will have to be these chizu-fry!! Deep fried lightly battered cheese (3 types, uh-huh!) wrapped in Japanese oba leaf. So freaking good, my taste buds were crying tears of joy. I've never had anything like this before.

The Shinwa Tonkatsu was fried to a crisp perfection with the meat still succulent within, but the highlight for me was the housemade potato salad - it was so good, I can eat a whole bowl.

The lamb I found was a tad too salty for my liking and truth be told, this is probably the only dish I did not enjoy.

We proceeded with some yakitori thereafter. These were the cheese, yuzuwasabi and mentaiko yakitori. Basically chicken thigh topped with the respective housemade sauce which flew me right to yumtown. I really thought these were delicious... until...

...the buta lychee yakitori arrived! Lychee wrapped in sliced pork belly? OH MY GOD, IT WAS SO FREAKING GOOD! I wish I didn't have to share because I can easily have one whole skewer to myself.

I also really enjoyed the gyutan (premium ox tongue). It was very tender and flavourful. In fact, every single stick of yakitori that we had were good and had a good burst of flavours. Even the grilled saba fish you can see in the background, that was yum too.

We ended our meal with these fried mochi and goodness me, by then I was so full I felt like I was going to need to roll home. Thankfully Nancy and Ray were kind enough to give me a lift home.

All in all, I was really impressed with the food, and would definitely love to return. We don't venture out to Brunswick as often as I'd like to, but I've got Shinwa at top of mind for a while now and been wanting to bring The Boyfriend here. I bet he'll love that buta lychee skewer!

As I was invited to dine as a guest of Shinwa Izakaya, I am not too sure about the pricing, but it looks fairly reasonable if I'm basing it off their menu online.

The restaurant has a good vibe, and service was great. If you're in for some good izakaya (tapas) food and a drink with your mates, I'd highly recommend Shinwa. They have by far some of the best yakitori's I've had in Melbourne. ;)

tana cafe

Yay, it's a long weekend! The Boyfriend and I went out on a lunch date this afternoon to one of my new favourite go-to-place, tana cafe.

I first found out about 'tana cafe' when I-Hua and Shellie both raved about this little gem on Instagram. Boy, am I glad they did!

I absolutely adore tana cafe; this quaint little cafe is set up so well with the perfect ambience. The Boyfriend and I spent our mid-morning just talking, reading the newspaper and enjoying our brunch.

It's a tiny place, but I really love the quirky interior fit out - so simple yet very cosy and welcoming.

Of course I had to have one of the sweet matcha latte. The Boyfriend and I had a cup each, and it wasn't enough. I swear, I could have had two, maybe even three.

It was oh so creamy and delicious! I usually add a teaspoon or two of sugar into my coffee, but because this was already slightly sweetened, there was no need to add more.

But the best part is, they use bonsoy so there's no aftermath of tummy issues for me yay! Even though I am lactose intolerant, I don't usually like soy milk, but this was different, in a good way, of course.

I can't actually pinpoint how that's made possible, but I'll give the barista full credit for making such a great cuppa!

Today we had corn mayo toast to start. The Boyfriend and I both love Korean corn cheese, and this is quite the same, except that it's served on delicious sourdough toast. Oh, it was delish!

The Boyfriend said, "I'll happily eat this for breakfast every morning!" Okay, challenge accepted! I'm looking forward to recreating this dish at home for him.

Baked eggs with multigrain toast was on specials menu today so I thought we'd give it a try. We thought the baked eggs were cooked really well, with a mix of Japanese and Moroccan taste.

Absolutely beautiful! This dish was hearty and filling, but not overwhelmingly so. That's what I love best about tana cafe - their take on really tasty meals that's healthy and not too rich.

I also particularly love how the egg yolks were still gooey. Sorry, no #yolkporn as I was too busy digging in.

We've also had this beautifully presented Japanese rice gratana during our previous visit, several weeks ago.

Brown rice baked in miso flavoured béchamel sauce, tasty cheese, ham, egg, beans, and topped with salad, pickled ginger and dukkah. It looked too pretty to be eaten, don't you think?

It was so tasty, yet still quite light on the palate - and that's exactly what I love about Japanese food. Although having said that, I guess I would have appreciated a little more of the bechamel sauce and cheese. But that's just me because I love my rice with sauce.

And of course, I simply could not resist the Japanese inspired croque monsieur that caught my eye!

I was sold at "miso flavoured bechamel sauce", but unfortunately we could barely taste the miso as it was only just a slight hint.

It was still delicious though. I particularly liked the addition of caramelised onion, which added a kick of deliciousness.

This is possibly the first croque monsieur that I've had that didn't make me jelak upon finishing. In fact I think I'd happily have another slice.

I love everything about tana cafe; from the cute fit out, to the light yet tasty food with Japanese twist, the friendly, polite service. and most importantly, their delicious housemade sweet matcha latte. ;)

tana cafe has a small menu, but everything we've tried thus far has been nothing short of delicious. I also appreciate how everything is very well priced too.

For all the obvious reasons above, I can totally see us coming back time and again! I was just saying to The Boyfriend this morning, "Let's come back again soon so I can try their mocha."

Home-cooked Japanese Curry Udon & Negi Miso Chicken

Last weekend, I woke up craving sushi. Good sushi, to be precise. I knew instantly that my best bet would be Suzuran, which is just around the corner from The Boyfriend's.

I love that they make their sushi fresh to order, yum! I've had Suzuran's sushi a few times already now and they were always fresh and delicious. See below store details, if you're interested:

I also love that I got to do a quick run of Japanese groceries whilst I was there, waiting for the chef to prepare my sushi, which usually takes about 10 minutes or so.

I got heaps of stuff (which also included my first box of miso paste) and The Boyfriend was like "I thought you were only getting sushi?" when I returned to the car with a few bags. Opps! :P

I was very excited because I've been wanting to learn to cook Japanese food for a while now. *squeeeee!*

Japanese Curry Udon
Recipe adapted from Wen's Delight & modified by The Bakeanista

Ingredients:

• 2 packet of udon noodles 
• Half a leek (green parts only), thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 litre dashi stock (I used kombu)
• 120g S&B Golden Curry roux 
• Spring onion to garnish

Method:

1. Boil enough water in a sauce pan to blanch the udon. Once soft and cooked, drain and set noodles aside in two separate bowls.
2. In another pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil to saute leek and carrot on medium heat for approximately 3-5 minutes until wilted.
3. Add dashi stock to boil, and let simmer until carrot is soft or reaches the texture you desire.
4. Add in the curry roux, one tiny square at a time. I used 1 packet of 120g as I like my broth and curry thick so adjust accordingly.
5. Taste and season accordingly with salt or chilli powder, if you like. Mine was just right.
6. Serve curry broth over udon, then garnish with chopped spring onion. And tadah, you're done!!

It took me less than 20 minutes to prepare the curry udon. It is one of those dishes with a simple recipe yet taste so hearty and comforting.

The noodles were delicious on its own, but if you like, you could serve the udon with a side dish, like I did with the negi miso chicken.

The chicken was absolutely beautiful. I left it to cook a little longer as I wanted a charred effect, and boy oh boy, it was so unbelievably tasty! The Boyfriend gave me two thumbs up. ;)

I used this negi miso chicken recipe by one of my favourite Japanese recipe blogs - Just One Cookbook.

I have been following Nami's blog for a while now and have loved reading her recipes. They always look so enticing! *drools*

But what's best is that her recipes are very easy to follow. It is particularly great for beginners and amateurs as Nami shares step-by-step videos and pictures, along with clear instructions.

So yes, if you love Japanese food, but haven't already heard of Just One Cookbook, I urge that you do visit Nami's blog. ;)

As for me, I can't wait to cook the negi miso chicken again! It'll be great either with salad or Japanese rice, or even paired with soba. It was just absolutely divine, you really gotta try!

The Boyfriend and I both had a great meal and I am definitely a little more confident with attempting other Japanese recipes.

I hope if you too, have been wanting to try Japanese cooking, that you do give it a try. Good luck and happy cooking! :)

Fat Friday #3 - Yebisu & Yochi

TGIF! I'm back again with yet another Fat Friday post for you. ;)

Today I am sharing with you one of my absolute new go-to-place for when I've got no leftovers to pack to work for lunch.

*jeng jeng jeng*

I hereby introduce to you, Yebisu, a small Jap eatery on Carlisle Street with only 6 seats cramped together.

I could not wait to share this little Balaclava gem that I found, but I made sure I visited a couple of times to try more items off the menu before I did. Actually that's just an excuse. :P

I just simply love this place. In fact, I was quite ecstatic when Shell and I first discovered Yebisu.

They have a simple menu, but everything that we've tried thus far has been pretty amazing! Having just returned from Japan a few months ago, I am glad to report that Yebisu offers good authentic Jap food.

This was one of the most authentic chicken katsu don I've had in Melbourne in my 8 years I've been here. This donburi was not only hearty and filling, it was also very tasty.

Such a comforting dish with every mouthful a delight. That's how Japanese food is meant to be - leave you walking away satisfied.

Shell has never had katsu don before, so I offered her a bite of mine. I think it blew her mind away, because the next time we returned, she ordered this and finished it all up with a big smile.

I also loved the crumbed prawn sushi - it was so good. The sushi is made fresh to order on the spot, and served with the prawn still warm. Absolutely DIVINE. Shell actually ordered this two times in a row, over two weeks. That's how good it was. ;)

I found myself back again at Yebisu on another occasion, and tried the Kitsune Udon. It was so comforting and was what I really needed that arvo as I wasn't feeling too well. I loved the great umami taste of the broth and the smooth udon noodles which I happily slurped away.

As for the days when I am super duper hungry, I opt for the Bento Box with my usual choice of beef teriyaki.

The beef was tender, and reminds me very much of the amazing beef yakiniku bowl that I had at Yoshinoya in Japan.

The Bento Box also comes served with a handful of edamame, salad, tofu, gyoza, croquette, tamago, a piece of karaage chicken and crumbed fried prawn. Everything was delish and filled me up so well.

What can I say about Yebisu? Reasonably priced tasty and fresh food, paired with friendly service, I cannot recommend Yebisu enough.

Definitely give Yebisu a go if you're around the area and you'll find yourself returning again and again. At least Shell and I will. ;)

And with Yochi just sitting right across to Yebisu, it is really hard to just go by without popping in for a treat! So more often than not, I find myself at Yochi pumping away at those machines.

My favourite combo? A mix of salted peanut butter and salted butterscotch froyo, topped with crumble and caramelised banana. So satisfyingly good! Perfect way to wrap up Friday lunch! ;)

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I hope you're all having a fantastic Friday afternoon. Have a good weekend ahead and I hope you guys have got something fun planned!

As for me, I'm off to see award-winning Once the musical courtesy of Nuffnang - my first time to a musical wheeeee! :D

Shizuku Ramen

I don't know about you, but I'm struggling to keep up with the ever evolving Melbourne food scene.

So many new restaurants and cafes popping up like mushrooms after the rain, and a lot of new trends too.

There was the K-food trend, donut trend, hot dog trend, froyo trend, yeah you get the drift... and now there's a ramen trend.

I used to think Sydneysiders were so lucky to be blessed with so many good ramen places. But watch out Sydney, we're slowly catching up! ;)

There are a few good ramen places in Melbourne now, and amongst them is Shizuku Ramen. Shizuku Ramen, as its name suggests focuses on ramen and, for alcoholics, you'd be please to know, craft beers too.

Shizuku Ramen offers a wide range of drinks for those who like their beers. ;) The Boyfriend and I, we're both totally boring awesome. We had soda. Calpis soda for me and Blue Hawaii soda for The Boyfriend.

We kick started dinner with these beautifully fried karaage popcorn chicken. The friendly Japanese wait staff very kindly put this dish forward as a recommendation which I am ever so grateful for.

It was very delicious. The batter was fried to a crisp perfection, and the meat was oh-so-tender and juicy - big thumbs up from us both.

And of course, we had to try the ramen. I love my gyoza's, and definitely could not go past the gyoza ramen.

Those gyoza's were good, and tasted quite like the ones we had in Japan. But I wasn't too sure about the broth, which plays as one of the most important part of the dish.

The Boyfriend, on the other hand, had the shoya ramen, which he enjoyed. "Pretty good", were his words, as he continued to slurp on. Clearly, The Boyfriend was enjoying his meal more.

Don't get me wrong, it was good and I did enjoy my bowl of piping hot ramen, but let's just say it wasn't the best I've had.

The ramen noodles had a distinctive chewy texture, but the broth, lacked some kind of a kick - what I'd call the "oomph" factor. I found the broth rather tasty, but lacking the richness I was expecting.

We then moved on to dessert. The Boyfriend had the almond tofu pudding while I settled for the espresso pudding.

The almond pudding had a very strong almond taste - and it's up to individual preference whether you like it or not. The Boyfriend didn't mind it, but I wasn't a fan.

The espresso pudding on the other hand was pretty good. I liked it, but The Boyfriend thought it was nothing out of the ordinary. We can be quite different sometimes, hey?

For those of you who love craft beers, you'd probably enjoy Shizuku Ramen more than we did. They have an impressive drinks menu and I'm sure you can all find something you like.

Overall, we thought the food was beautifully presented and although not the best ramen we've had, was still pretty good. The wait staff were very friendly, and for that they deserve extra bonus points.

If you're fan of ramen and beer, Shizuku Ramen is your go-to-place, especially on a Friday night. It is an ideal place to kick back, relax, and have a cold one after a hard day's work.

Thank you David for the invite, and to the staff at Shizuku Ramen for the great hospitality. I'll be back for more of the karaage fried chicken!