The Vic

The Vic is so close to work, and was the perfect choice before heading to see Irish plays at the near community centre.

I've never been to The Vic, but I was surprised but how spacious it was, the open-plan does wonders for the pub. The menu was very extensive, making it rather hard to choose.

The girls decided to start with a plate of squid as their entree, followed by mains. Unfortunately I can't eat squid due to allergies but I was told it was very delicious, perfectly spiced and cooked; not rubbery at all.

They are definitely generous with their servings. I ordered the beef and pumpkin salad - the beef was well cooked, the salad was fresh, and the dressing went perfectly with it.

R ordered the smoked salmon with chirozo - again delicious and fresh

a couple of the girls had the pasta - which smelt absolutely delicious (and according to the girls the pasta was well made, wasn't too salty or oily, but apprently wasn't exactly 5 stars, but pretty good for pub food!)

A ordered the steak sandwich, which was rather hearty and although was suppose to be smaller servings, was definitely more than enough for dinner  

and then there was the chilli mussels - which wasn't too spicy but were fresh and plentiful (as seen above by the grinning L with the plate full of chilli mussels).

Overall, the Vic is a nice pit stop before heading off somewhere. It wasn't too busy, but the service wasn't brilliant, the food was a little delayed, but for pub food it wasn't too bad, it's filling and the serves are generous, and not too badly priced for Subiaco.

Gift from my love

I got very spoilt on my birthday. Loved all my presents from my family. Got beautiful flowers from S.

And of course a little surprise from my other half.

It's just so delicate and pretty. Diamonds in a heart. What's more romantic, and symbolic of love than that?

Rockpool Bar and Grill

M and I arranged a date night for a celebration of a couple things a few month ago and we decided to go to Neil Perry's Rockpool in Burswood for dinner. We made our reservation over a month in advance and after all the hype it caused after opening in late-January we were really looking forward to this meal.

Just from the entrance, you can tell that they have spent quite an effort jazzing up the place. The impressive double wooden doors opened up to a candlelit walkway leading into the restaurant. On one side there was a window displaying their fine-cut aged meats. It was quite magical.

The inside of the restaurant has a beautiful setting, with an open kitchen and a massive dining area. However, it was awefully dark. There were however, several waitstaff showing us the way. They were all quite attentive with our table which I thought was great, offering drinks as soon as we sat down, we settled for sprinkling water before we browsed through their very impressive wine list.

We ordered a glass of red wine each (unfortunately I can't remember what I ordered), then the lovely complimentary crusty bread and soft, lightly salted butter. The butter really was good - we wanted more bread, but the choice of a three course meal meant that we had to have self control and forego the bread and butter.

For our entrees, I grabbed the Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare with Moroccan Eggplant and Cumin Mayonnaise

The tuna was fresh, the mixed spices and herbs provided the right amount of kicks, the only disappointment was the dish being slightly salty.

M grabbed the salmon and tuna with goat's cheese on toasted ciabatta.

The salmon and tuna were differently fresh and the lime juice it came made it light refreshing taste.

For our mains we ordered their famous grills. M had the Cape Grim Dry Aged 36 Month Old
Grass Fed Rib-eye on the Bone 350g 80 days grilled rare.

The grill came out charcoaled on the outside, the pink-ness of the meat was seen when cut, but it wasn't oozing. The steak was well sealed, tender and was expertly grilled. Definitely one of the best steaks I've had in Perth and somewhere where I have to bring my bf to, who thinks Hippo's Creek still makes the best steaks. (Granted for the price range Hippo's Creek doesn't make bad steaks).

I, on the other hand had the David Blackmore’s Wagyu Chuck Braised in Dark Lager and Onions with Potato Gnocchi and Silverbeet. All the components of the dish were fabuously cooked. The gnocchi was fluffy, with a creamy centre, not too chewy, while the wagyu was tender and just melted in your mouth.But, the sauce was a little too much for me. Overall, it was delicous.

Then the dessert, who would have thought a grill can make mouth-watering desserts.

We ordered the Raspberry Mille Feuille - which came in a huge, very pretty bowl (much to our amusement) - it was sweet, creamy, with a hint of zest, the way a dessert should be.

Our second dessert to share was the Peanut, Caramel Chocolate Tart with affogatto - the tart was soft, gooey, sticky goodness. The chocolate poured out as we cut into it. The coffee was delicious - not burnt and was of high quality.

To compliment all this we ordered a glass of wine to share. The 2009 Xanadu ‘Cane Cut’ Semillon Sauvignon Blanc from Margaret River, WA. The fruity sweet flavour of the wine brought out the taste of the desserts even more, the perfect accompaniment.

To our horror, the night ended after 3 hours of wonderful eating, completely satisfied with the service, food and even the bathroom (they use Aesop soap!). We went home happy and promising each other that we won't tell anyone of the huge bill for the 3 course meal with 1.5 glass of wine each, oh and sparkling water. More importantly we promised to come back.

Sunday afternoon hunger pings at Brisbane Hotel

I love the chilled atmosphere of the Brisbane Hotel on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I think it's especially more epic when you've spent the morning scouring through the boutiques of Northbridge.

It's however very popular with the locals so tends to be packed out inside and on sunny days the courtyard and patio areas are filled to the brim.

We were lucky enough to get a seat outside in the back corner under some half shade provided by a tree. The seats lined with comfy cushion. We ordered our pimms with lemonade expertly made by our bartender - not too sweet and not too bitter with generous amount of strawberries and lime. It was the perfect drink on a warm day - the thirst quencher.

To balance out drinks we ordered a couple of snacks and seeing as it was for afternoon snack for two girls we decided not to go all out. We ordered the churros (little sweets) and of course savoury aranicini balls.

Little did we realize that the churros were massive and the arancini ball was definitely made for more than two to share! It definitely made sense why the waiter gave us a judgmental "uh really?" look.

Nevertheless, the arancini was golden brown, with the crunch at the first bite followed by the delicious taste of cheesy goodness and all things of delight.

The churros were also very crunchy on the outside but moist and fluffy dough on the inside. It was made more perfect by the melted chocolate sauce, although the white sauce - which definitely was not white chocolate nor was it cream but rather melted ice cream ruined it. They should have just presented it with two melted chocolate dips if they didn't have huge chocolate rather than trying to pass melted ice cream as anything. Melted vanilla ice cream just tastes horrible, especially when it's warm.

Other than that the Brisbane hotel is definitely one place to just chill out, have a few pints, eat a few dishes on a warm balmy spring/summer day.

missing you

Help someone QUIT.

I'm a big advocate of getting people to quit smoking. I don't think people realise what they put into themselves and the consequences of them smoking. I've heard smokers all say, "It's not affecting you, so why do you care?" etc. etc. etc."Tobacco use reduces not only your life expectancy but your quality of life. Many medical conditions caused by smoking can result not just in death, but in living for years with disabling health problems" (so this is also where you are affecting others!) I can tell you one thing passive smoking is just as bad, if not worse than smoking themselves. Especially smoking around children or preganant ladies (or they themselves smoking). There is substantial evidence that second-hand smoke is a serious health threat. Studies suggest that even brief exposure to second-hand smoke can be harmful and that regular exposure increases the risk of respiratory problems, heart disease, heart attacks, and cancer. Research into smoking in the home indicates that non-smokers who live with a smoker have a 25%-30% greater risk of developing coronary heart disease than those who live in a smoke-free environment. A developing baby can be affected by ETS if the mother smokes or if she is exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy. Exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy can reduce the growth and health of babies and increase the risks of a number of complications and illness for both mother and baby. Babies born to women who smoke during pregnancy have a greater chance of premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth and infant mortality. Smoking during pregnancy can also affect the development of baby’s lungs which increases the risk for many health problems.

Smokers don't think the health issues and problems related with smoking is not an immediate effect and the risk of cancers and health issues is just a chance. I don't think they realise that it's not a gamble as to whether or not they will experience it, chances are they have it but don't realise it.

So firstly, what are the issues? Apart from the physical appearances - looking older, yellow nails and teeth, bad breathe, your clothes smelling (what's the point of buying beautiful clothes if you are just going to stain them with ciggarette smell and ash?) etc.

There are the unseen things. Your lungs for example are made up for small air pockets, every ciggarette smoked burns these little pockets up so the ability to exchange gases is more difficult, which means that it becomes harder for you to breathe. You get asthma like attacks, you cough more and eventually these pockets will be destroyed as the lungs cannot repair this damage, this is called emphysema. The main symptom of emphysema is a feeling of breathlessness that gradually becomes more severe over the years. Sufferers often say they feel like they're suffocating. Almost all smokers will get emphysema. The damage to the lungs occurs for many years before the effects are felt.

Inhaling the substances in any type of burning tobacco is harmful to the human body. The toxins in tobacco smoke can go everywhere in the body that the blood flows causing harm to nearly every organ and system of the body. Your throat gets burnt from dragging the chemicals down your throat this can eventually lead to throat cancer. There is risk of stomach cancers, prostate cancers and colon cancers. Smoking can also cause blindness, dental problems, erectile dysfunction, reduced fertility in women, sudden infant death syndrome, contributes to osteoporosis and increases the risks of pregnancy complications including premature birth, low birth weight, still birth and infant mortality

If this wasn't enough there is the money factor, you are spending more money on something that is shortening your lifespan than on other things that can enrich your life and your family lives. The amount of money you can save by not buying a ciggarette can probably take you and your family on a holiday. You might be able to get that new boat you wanted, or that car. AND if you think quitting is going to cost more or just as much as buying ciggarettes - essentially you are just replacing the cost of the packet of ciggarettes (sometimes the quit options are cheaper!) with something that is a short term cost but very long term gain.

After all if you are gone, it'd be the people you left behind that will be affected by it.
 Think about it, and quit.

HELPING YOU TO LIGHT OUT and QUIT:

http://www.quitnow.gov.au/ 

www.quit.org.au

Some benefits of quitting

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You will feel the benefits of quitting straight away as your body repairs itself. Depending on the number of cigarettes you smoke, typical benefits of stopping are:

• After twelve hours almost all of the nicotine is out of your system.
• After twenty-four hours the level of carbon monoxide in your blood has dropped dramatically. You now have more oxygen in your bloodstream.
• After five days most nicotine by-products have gone.
• Within days your sense of taste and smell improves.
• Within a month your blood pressure returns to its normal level and your immune system begins to show signs of recovery.
• Within two months your lungs will no longer be producing extra phlegm caused by smoking.
• After twelve months your increased risk of dying from heart disease is half that of a continuing smoker.
• Stopping smoking reduces the incidence and progression of lung disease including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
• After ten years of stopping your risk of lung cancer is less than half that of a continuing smoker and continues to decline (provided the disease is not already present).
• After fifteen years your risk of heart attack and stroke is almost the same as that of a person who has never smoked.

Warnings for a bridesmaid.

NOTE TO ALL BRIDESMAID TO BE:

Be wary of the BRIDEZILLA.
Be EXTRA wary of the other bridesmaid - the lazy one.
Be EXTRA EXTRA wary she will take credit for your work.
Be EXTRA wary x 100 that the BRIDEZILLA will call you a BITCH (even if you have done everything for her and given up pretty much majority of your weekends for her big day).


Get over it (to a degree) suck it up until the day and decide whether you want to talk to her again or not.
But definitely be assured you've probably lost respect for a few people and will look at them in a new light.

Little surprise

Bf and I went shopping for my birthday gift yesterday which turned out to be a birthday combined with Christmas gift.

It's beautiful, sweet, and dainty. I opted out on the elegant looking one because I don't think I would be able to wear it everyday. But this one we both chose is perfectly suited.

I just have to wait another 12 days to receive it.

Twilight street market

Look what I ran into in the city..Blogging live from the location.. I present...The twilight food market... The same sort of one as earlier in the year except instead of just one month like last time it's on every Friday 'til March of next year. How awesome and I'm glad it is extended. Hopefully they will have more stalls as Fridays go on or at least a variety of different foods offered at the stalls instead of the same foods every Friday. :)

There is music, food and dining under the stars. It's perfect!!

I had the Moroccan dish - soo good didn't even take a photo.. You can see the empty plate of satisfaction.

Oh there is also a macaroon stall with really nice lemon macaroon! So refreshingly sweet sour awesomeness! Sorry only three left. The other flavours seemed to be a bit of a cop out as the ganache did not match the flavour it was suppose to be, but rather just sweetened cream. Still not bad.

We ended up buying another box to try more flavours!

There was also many other stalls, pizzas, bratwursts, satays, Indian curries, spud sticks, churro stand etc.

I'm glad stuff like this is on. It brings a little something to the city and makes it feel warmer, slightly safer and definitely more like a city with a sense of community.

Watershed washout

So a couple months of ago the girls and I headed down to Margaret River for a weekend driving down at 730 in the morning stopping by at Busselton to walk the jetty before checking in and then heading to a winery, more specifically Watershed to grab some lunch and of course, bottles of wine.

The grounds of watershed, like most places in Margaret River was lovely. The restaurant overlooks the vineyard, which provided the perfect setting for the start of the girlie weekend. However, the view was about the only thing that was served right.

The vineyard at the back of the restaurant. It really was a lovely, idyllic view. 

The way weekend getaways should be.

For a Saturday afternoon, the place wasn't too busy so the lacklustered service seemed unacceptable. Water wasn't placed or offered for the table, the service was slow, we waited about 30 minutes for someone to take our order, than almost an hour for our mains to come.

Both O and A grabbed the beef fillet with mushrooms and truffle shavings, while I got the duck, and T wasn't hungry so got the entree of seafood croquette.

O's and A's beef fillet with musrooms and truffle shavings - beef was overcooked 

although the truffle shavings were generous it just didn't tie well with the sauce or the meal.

This was supposed to the Duck Confit - it was crispy (which I have no problems about) but I do have a problem when the duck meat itself is dry and almost tastes burnt - definitely overcooked.

This was probably the best dish - but really most deep fried food is.

The saving grace and probably the only good thing about going to Watershed was their wines. They are just fantastic. We ended up going to the cellar after taking a few photos and grabbed ourselves 6 bottles.

Holiday blues

My boyfriend drives me crazy. And not necessarily in a good way. Sometimes being stuck with just one person on a holiday sucks big time. I can tell you he wouldn't win the amazing race anytime soon. He can be such a sook!

Paris Marais Falafel

I'm spending my first night in the city of lights, one of the most romantic and idyllic cities in the world, Paris!

Despite having had a massive day I'm not sleepy and it's past midnight. Alas it means I must blog.

Instead of blogging about my trip I'm going to review tonight's very late dinner in Paris. We ventured into the heart and soul of Marais and i have determined to find the famous falafel restaurant (and of course the local's favorite dine in and take away venue, and the New York Time's and Rick Steve's favorite falafel restaurant), L'As Du Falafel.

The restaurant is just your local restaurant, almost hearty fast food like hawkers. Small, intimate, not necessarily 100% clean but packed to the brim with local French and some international diners. There is also a take away area at the front of the restaurant which had a line when we got there at 9pm. The restaurant itself was also packed out.

They served us with plastic plate and folk but that was only really needed to stop the spillage! Bf and I had the pita sandwich. I opted for a vegetarian falafel special while bf had it with lamb. It came out folded like a pocket in baking paper served by one the guys from the restaurant who just held the pocket in his hands.

The serving was generous, more than enough. There was plenty of falafel in the pocket of pita bread and plenty if lamb too!! Lots of vegetables and sauce (but not too much that it soaked through the bread.)

It really was delicious and definitely worth saying the best in the world. The falafel was cooked beautiful not dried out and the coating was not too thick that you lose out of actually tasting the falafel. The lamb was also cooked superbly and not dry or tough.

Although downside is that it's hard to eat, although I suppose that's also the excitement and the fun of it too!

To top it off I got to sit next to two very nice French girls who comes to the place often and recommended me their favorite dishes on the menu, one of which I tried tonight and if I get a chance again I might get the chicken that she recommended. One of them agreed that the servings are large but she is so used to eating and lives it so much that she always feels as though she should eat two!

I must say if I get peckish during the day and I'm around Marais or get peckish at night, I hope to make it down from our hotel and cross a few blocks and grab a take away! It's that hearty, yummy and satisfying! To top it off it's cheap-ish eat (7-8 euros) not snotty it's warm friendly and welcoming, although it feels a but rushed, but at least your food is served quickly.

Ps don't bother with sides of chips like we did. Although we did manage to finish the fries too, but it's just over kill.