Monday, December 25, 2017

Brisbane - To Eat (23Dec2017 Miel Container)

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Brisbane - To Eat
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Miel Container Box
Recommended by others
650m/9min walk from Pullman




Miel container box is probably a top contender for burgers in Australia! It is a little bit further (350m/5min) from the usual Korean joint Madongsan II, but the few extra steps may be totally worth it!
Ordered on:
23Dec2017
Bulgogi burger AUD13.50 with add on Small serving of beer battered fries AUD2.90
*Wow! The char from the sweet bulgogi beef was amazing! It balanced really well with their lightly toasted, moist soft buns and top notch accompaniments. The fries were light and crispy with good seasoning. The fries here are also a contender for top fries which Grill’d (Chain in Australia) currently still holds at the moment.*
Fed 2 at about 17AUD each
 Ambience 4/5
Value 3.5/5
Food 4/5
Service 3.5/5
Trendy, hipster joint. It’s container box size so there isn’t much seating available. The burgers are aesthetically mouth watering as were their to-share onion rings (about AUD11) Looks great and imagined to taste even better.
They’ve got other unique burger options like Tandori chicken and Miso pork burgers that pique one’s interest. I cant speak how their standard burger compares to the rest but based on the amazing fries and soft bun pairing, it probably is a strong contender for top burger spot in Australia.
*Festive Period in Brisbane*

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Haneda - To Eat (Kipposhi - Blue Ramen)

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Haneda - To Eat
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Kipposhi
Blue Ramen

400m walk from Grand Prince Hotel
Came recommended by Fiona ex Jal Crew


Kipposhi is located right in front of Honzo-Ambabushi station or a very short 10min walk (550M) from either Tokyo Skytree or (1km) Asakusa temple. Asakusa especially so on the weekend which on that day had festivities on going. Loads of street eats, snacks and side alleys to fill up half a day outing!
Ordered On:
17Dec2017
Filling of Large Roast Chicken
Blue Ramen Large Bowl ¥1100

*Instagram Worthy Ramen that’s for sure. The rich clear chicken broth is given the blue coloring treatment and it looks, strangely picturesque. Its like dining from the clear blue waters as one attacks the most tender sweet chicken, and spot on onsen egg. Considering its probably breast meat, the way the chicken is prepared maybe similar to Hainanese chicken. That said, even Hainanese Chicken doesn’t deliver that level of natural sweetness of the chicken as had here.

The chicken on chicken broth with a dash of what I believe to be chicken fat brings the umami richness to the dish. Simple and a very strong showing. Probably best described conceptually like Chicken Rice Raman. A good experience and something different from the usual pork/soya based Ramen out there.*
Fed 1 at 1100Yenn
Get the counter seat as you watch the chef meticulously prepare and plate up each ramen. Their internet trend started of with the blue ramen but they do have a red and the traditional ramen dishes as well. Place is relatively small and was filled out within 15mins of opening on a Sunday. Something different and ought to be pork free.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Narita - To Eat (10Dec2017 Ramen Bayashi, 三芳家)

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Narita - To Eat
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Ramen Bayashi
(In Narita Village)

Ramen Bayashi is probably the original crew joint. Crew from all over have been signing in here over the years. Ramen Bayashi is a famous joint in the area and other shop owners immediately recognize it as the go-to place for Ramen.
 Google lists it to open at 11am, but they were already open at 10.30am on a Sunday.
Ordered On:
10Dec2017
Shoyu Ramen 880Yenn
*Went with the Shoyu recommended by the Tea House stall owner down the street. The noodles and pork were pretty good. Nice flavor and fat distribution for the pork, and noodles of a good springy consistency. The soup base was pretty light and finished. However it was found to be a little bit on the salty side. This was also confirmed by past diner who found it to be so as well. There are other soup based ones as well which can leave this place as a possible return to if in the mood for Ramen. The great thing here is that they have Ramen Vegetarian options!*
Fed 1 at 880Yenn
A decent Ramen stall especially if in the mood to have something warm and soupy. They have water and clean bathroom on site. The place has its charm with crew singing in the guestbooks and leaving warm wishes.
Click here for ABBA location of 三芳家 386-2 Nakamachi, Narita, Chiba Prefecture 286-0027Walk too fast and you might just past by this dessert/tea house completely. Just off the main walking street, hides this oasis of zen garden. I'll definitely try returning here for a tea and dessert, whilst enjoying the well kept serenity of the place.
Ordered by Chan.H.Y on previous visit

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Shanghai - To Eat (07Dec2017 Millennium hongqiao Dim Sum)

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Shanghai - To Eat
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Mellenium Hong Qiao
Dim Sum Buffett


Click here for ABBA Location of Millennium Hong Qiao 2588 Yan'an W Rd, Changning Qu, Shanghai Shi, China, 200336Millennium Hong Qiao offers a daily Dim Sum Buffet at 113RMB during the weekdays and a little bit more on the weekends. Located on the second floor, Yam Cha (Dim Sum) Sessions starts from 1130am till 2pm. 
Ordered On:
07Dec2017
 Marinated Fish Skin and Bamboo Shoot with Chilli Sauce
*Won't order again. A little boring after a while*
Salted Pork In Jelly in Shanghai Style
Marinated Seaweed
*A good pallet cleanser*
Honey Glazed Barebeque Pork and Peking Duck
 *The stand out for sure! Its SSSSOooooooooooooooooo good. Can fight with or even beat Hong Kong joints. Great fat distribution in the pork and the duck skin is crispy, with sweet tender meat. We had a good 4 orders of this and each wiped clean. This alone was totally worth! Maybe one could consider coming here for an a la carte order.* Deep-fried buns with condensed Milk
*A Hai Di Lau staple that's simple and easy to do. A must do at home next time!*
Stir-fried Bombay duck fish in spicy salt
*That what pictured bottom is. Don't order! There's nothing Bombay or Duck about it.*

Buns stuffed with Egg Custard*Pretty good standard*
 *Pretty standard*
Scrambled egg with barbecue pork
 *Boring* Durian Puff Pastry

*The durian flavors weren't strong enough. Subtle flavors but the
Steamed Rice Flour Roll with Dried Shrimp


*Horrible. Its like having food court chee cheong fun. Dry and hard*
Herbal Pudding
Soy-Bean Milk
Fed 4 at 113RMB Each on a weekday
Bad weather outside and haven't been to Hong Kong in a long while? This place is perfect. The BBQ pork, and Peiking Duck is amazing and totally worth it. The fried Man Tao with condensed milk was a great order too. Most of the standard stuff were good but there were definitely some fails.

None of the cold dishes we ordered were a hit and the fails were the Steamed Rice Flour with Dried Shrimp and the
Stir-fried Bombay duck fish in spicy salt. Don't even bother to order these two.

Great for their roasts and some of their Dim Sums. There's a huge variety and like most Dim Sum Joints, 3 to 4 people would be perfect.
Alternatively if willing to walk out a little bit more. Jardin De Jade Restaurant features celebrity chef ZhuJun, unique Chinese eats at around the same price range (About 125RMB/pax).
Click here for ABBA Location of Millennium Hong Qiao 2588 Yan'an W Rd, Changning Qu, Shanghai Shi, China, 200336

Sunday, December 3, 2017

London - To Eat 01Dec2017 (Bao)

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London - To Eat
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Bao
(Soho Branch)

Came recommended by others. 450m walk from Piccadilly Circus

 
 


Bao is a trendy/hipsterish Taiwanese bistro that has a modern take on fresh Baos using in house wheat flour and a tangzhong starter. The interior is small and has a nice Japanese feel to it.


The recommended order size is two Baos and probably one or two sides per person. There is a Lunch set menu going for £15. A discretionary service charge of 12.5% is automatically applied to each bill on check out.
Free wifi on site, tap water and a clean toilet facility.
Ordered on
01Dec2017
Classic £4.50
Braised pork, peanut powder, fermented greens, coriander
 
*A twist on the classic pork and bun. The use of sugar peanut powder was nice textually and the pickled vegetables often had with Gui Chap/Teo Chew Porridge added that sharpness to balance out the pork. A very slight twist on a classic.*
Fried chicke
n £5.0
Soy Milk Marinated chicken, Sichuan Mayo, Golden Kimchi, Coriander, Sesame Bao
 *Really loved this dish. Using pickled Kimchi was smart to balance the flavors with the crispy fried chicken and they all worked well together. Its a little bit spicy but a really good flavor combination*
 Yalkut Float £5.50Fermanted Pineapple, Soda, Yakult Float
*Am not one for mixers usually, but the 'sourness' from the Yakult with a dash of salt played off the sweet pineapple for a refreshing drink.*
Total £16.88 fed 1

Ambiance 4/5
Service 3.5/5
Food 4/5
Value 3.5/5

The place fills up incredibly fast. 5mins Before doors open on a Friday at 12pm, there's about 6 people in the queue. By 12.25pm the place was almost near capacity. Seating space is limited, but the Japanish cozy diner does add to the atmosphere. Go early and get a seat fast.

I'd return to try their other Baos which go more as sliders than full on burgers. The place also has sides which I didn't get a chance to try but, the Aged Beef Rump and the Peanut milk that were being served out looked like great order options as well. Asian dishes with a twist.
Flat Iron, for flank steak is located nearby.