Green Peppercorn @ Farifield

As we all know, there has been a peak in the Thai cuisine all around the Sydney area. There is a relatively new restaurant in Fairfield, called Green Peppercorn! Green Peppercorn is a modernised twist to the traditional Thai restaurants, especially with their décor  They have the traditional statues in display windows, and yet along one of their ceilings they have bird cages. The greatest addition to their decor has to be the Tuk Tuk! People can hop inside and take photos, and it really adds a nice element to the restaurant.

Fruit Shakes

Gotta love those fruit shakes! Most of the Asian restaurants in the Canley Heights or Vale, Cabramatta and Fairfield area provide fruit shakes. They usually have some standard ones e.g. avcocado, durian, mango, or you can mix up 3 flavours for your liking. Fruit shakes are tasty, no matter the weather.

Satay chicken skewers

These are one of the better satay chicken skewers I have tried. I really enjoyed the fact that the chicken pieces were char-grilled, and not just fried and smothered in satay sauce. They come out extremely hot, and really succulent. 

Duck Curry

It was a cold night, and you can't eat Thai food without having a curry. We therefore chose the duck curry. I love the flavour that duck adds to all dishes, it provides a slight sweetness. The curry itself was delicious, and the duck was soft and broke apart in your  mouth. They put lychee in their curries, which I find a bit strange, it doesn't seem to sit right. 

Papaya Salad (Thai)

A traditional dish for all Thai restaurant goers, the papaya salad. They offer a Thai and Laos version, I don't know what the difference is. A part of the Thai eating culture, you can choose what level of spice you want. I always choose mild, because Thai really love their chilli! I don't think there has been a time where I have tried a papaya salad that has gone wrong. The crunch of the papaya, with the extra cabbage in the lovely fish sauce based marinade can't go wrong.

Ox Tongue

I used to hate ox tongue, and not understand the appeal of it. However, once you keep exposing yourself and eating it, you begin to really enjoy the taste. It is definitely a chewier meat. But, when it is cooked properly it should be relatively easy to bite into. The taste of ox tongue is hard to describe, but when dipped in its special sauce, it becomes very addictive.

Our little feast

Overall, Green Peppercorn is a great dining experience. The food is delicious and the decor is beautiful. Keep in mind, it is a busy restaurant where there tends to be a cue. Either get there early (6pm should be safe) or ask if you are able to make a reservation. The service was very mixed, where is seemed some knew what was happening, and others just had no clue. They also have an extensive dessert menu, however we had to cut our dinner short. The overall meal for 3 people cost about $70 with drinks.

Good food, good times!

Windows on the Park Restaurant @ Pullman Hotel, Sydney

As a belated birthday celebration for one of my closest girlfriends 21st birthday, we went to Windows on the Park Restaurant. The restaurant is located inside Sydney's Pullman Hotel. It is a relatively small restaurant, that provides a wonderful view of Hyde Park, with the ability to see part of Sydney's War Memorial Monument. 

Complimentary bread with flower shaped butter

 Entrées:

Roasted quail with baby beetroot, fried calvolo nero and puy lentils

Calvolo neo is a type of kale that provides a slight bitterness to a dish. The quail was succulent, filled with flavour and the roasted baby beetroot was delicious. 

Harvey Bay oysters with key lime sorbet and seawater pearls

An ample serving of oysters for an entrée which was strangely not served with lemon wedges. The sea water pearls were very salty. I think fresh oysters with lemon can't go wrong.

Slow cooked pork belly with tonka beans and red miso

This was my entrée  and I found the serving to be very generous. The pork belly was beautifully cooked, but my only wish would be for a crispier skin. The sauces accompanied the pork belly well, providing a subtle Asian twist.

Sherry vinegar cured Yellowfin tuna belly with Iberico ham, red capsicum and almond crunch

A refreshing entrée filled with flavour and texture. All the elements were fun to try, and delightful. It is very appropriate dish if you don't want a warm entrée.

Mains:

Rosemary infused Riverina lamb cutlets with baby gem lettuce and truss cherry tomato

One of my friends always orders lamb, just the same as how I always order duck. The lamb was juicy, and always goes well with rosemary. It was filled with colours and flavours of summer.

Roasted muscovy duck with braised Belgium endive

You can't go wrong with ordering duck as a main course. The duck was slightly overcooked, which made it a bit chewy but didn't disappoint the taste buds. I loved the carrots and mushrooms, made the dish much better.

Sage scented grain-fed beef eye fillet in red wine, softened chats and oyster mushrooms

The grain-fed beef was cooked to my friends request of medium, which is always a good thing when it comes to ordering steak. The caramelised mushrooms were succulent, and potatoes with steak can never go wrong.

Desserts:

Palette of chocolate with peanuts and popcorn ice cream

This serving was massive, and a great end to the meal. The popcorn ice cream was topped with popcorn and caramel and contained peanuts within it. The palette of chocolate was rich with flavour and enough to share between two people consideringthe size of the entrées and mains.

 

Dark ganache with pistachio soil and Malibu flavoured summer fruits

Spoonfuls of ganache with mango/coconut flavoured sauce. The pistachios added a subtle crunch.The ganache was intense, no one was able to finish all of this. 

Ricotta cheesecake with toffee glaze, walnut chutney and meringue

A light dessert for those not wooed by the power of chocolate. It wasn't as heavy as some cheesecakes may be. The nuttiness of the walnut chutney was delectable. 

The overall dining experience was delightful, with the staff assisting us in many ways possible. 

Good food, good times!

Peace Harmony @Sydney/Wynard

Peace Harmony is a Vegetarian Thai restaurant. Not only are they a vegetarian restaurant, but they also produce foods that have no onion, garlic or MSG which is an extra bonus for certain vegetarians of different faiths. The menu is abundant with traditional Thai dishes, and the use of mock meat.

Thai Papaya Salad

Vegetarian Thai Hokkien noodles

'Duck' Curry

The dishes are vibrant with colour and all the ingredients are fresh, and full of flavour. My favourite of all the dishes we had was the duck curry, I love the taste of vegetarian duck (which is a strange thing to say). The Thai papaya salad was a bit different, where it had a sweet taste that is more similar to a Vietnamese Nuoc Mam dressing, than a spicy Thai dressing. 

Overall, it is a great Vegetarian Thai option, and to my amazement contained the flavours of traditional Thai food.

Good food, good times!

The Bridge Room @ Sydney /Circular Quay

As a part of my birthday celebrations a friend took me to The Bridge Room.  The Bridge Room  is located in the heart of Sydney, just a few metres from Customs House at Circular Quay. It is considered to be a modern Australian restaurant, however the menu includes flavours of Europe and Asia with the use of seasonal ingredients. The restaurant has a sleek design, with modern furniture, basic design and each table had a lovely little green plant and a candle that set the scene of the whole dining experience. A bonus of The Bridge Room is that they provide a separate vegetarian menu (which was awesome considering a lot of fine dining restaurants don't have this option, and that my friend is a vegetarian).

Complimentary Bread

Ghost mushrooms with sliced potato and fresh herbs

A balance between the subtlety of flavours. The potatoes and mushrooms were cooked to perfection with great textures. I only recently realised the power of mushrooms in food, and how tasty they can actually be.

Raw wagyu shoulder, grilled enoki mushrooms, celtic sea salt, fresh horseradish and soft pickled chilli

This smell of my entrée was invigorating as the aroma of the horseradish was instant. The grilled enoki mushrooms were underneath the wagyu, and added a great bite to the dish. The soft pickled chillies were addicting. This was my first time trying raw wagyu, and with all the sides everything went together. The mushrooms and horseradish definitely made the dish for me.

Asparagus grilled over coals, tomato, black cabbage, capciscum, peas and cumin broth

The chef Ross Lusted likes to use charcoal to cook his dishes. This dish was filled with a lot of flavour. The asparagus had a crunch that went extremely well with the soft tender vegetables. There was a lovely tomato taste throughout the dish, due to the broth that provided a little spice. There wasn't a down side to this dish.

Ash grilled duck, pineapple, muscovado cane sugar with tuscan cabbage and anise

Duck on the menu? Yes please! The way the duck was cooked perfectly with an impeccable taste. There was a sweetness to the dish from the cane sugar, and when eaten with the pineapple there was a boost in flavour. If the skin had a slight crisp it would have made the dish that much better.

Chocolate chestnut mousse, campos caramel, toffee, butterscotch and crispy crepes

This was delectable, the crispy crepes is what made the dish. The fried bits of batter added a new level of flavour that had never been experienced. A combination of chestnut and chocolate within the mousse added an element of nuttiness. The dish just got better with every spoonful, another dish that didn't have a down side.

Burnt caramel cream, candied packman pears, pistachio crumb, mint and purple basil

A lovely smooth vanilla creme brulee with a burnt caramel top, pretty sure the best I've ever tried. The down side to this dish was that there were sultanas within the brulee (which is because I don't like dried fruit), lucky for me my friend likes sultanas so all works out well. The pears were a great choice for the autumn/winter season dessert, going by the chefs use of seasonal ingredients for great taste. The mint and purple basil added a freshness to the dessert.

The overall experience at The Bridge Room was wonderful. The restaurant provides exceptional service, and food that doesn't disappoint. Since they provide a vegetarian menu, the dining options can suit everybody's taste buds. A special mention to the friend that came along for a great way to celebrating my birthday!

Good food, good times!