Cookbookmaniac
  • Banh Mi Thit – Vietnamese Pork Rolls – Miniature version
    Banh Mi Thit – Vietnamese Pork Rolls – Miniature version
    Asian Recipes

    I grew up in a small suburb in Sydney called Cabramatta. It is a thriving, family-oriented Vietnamese metropolis. Taking a stroll through the shopping centre can be best described as, "a cleaned up version of Saigon." The streets are lined with bakeries, sweet shops, tiny restaurants, grocery shops and many other places touting to make the best vietnamese products outside of the motherland. When I was in primary school mum use to walk my sisters and I home almost everyday. There were two different routes that we could take. One was a quick walk through suburban streets and the other was a longer walk through the shopping centre. I always secretly hoped that we would walk through the shopping centre. It gave me ample opportunity to put on the desperately-hungry-act so that I could weasel a few dollars out of mama's wallet to buy whatever sweetie that took my fancy.…

  • Dae Jang Kum – Korean BBQ without the smokey bits
    Dae Jang Kum – Korean BBQ without the smokey bits
    Asian Restaurant Reviews

    I always know what I want. Ask me what I like and you will more often than not get a quick straight answer. However, give me a menu with more than 150 items and watch me crumble with indecision. Throw in colourful photos for each item and a hungry partner... I could be buried in the menu for hours. Dae Jang Kum is not the kind of place to take your time ordering your food. They have a high turnover of customers and there is a constant flow of people - from all walks of life - walking in and out. Their menu includes countless items of sashimi, rice, noodle and soup dishes. There are interesting combinations of hot pots and a selection of An-Ju meals (recommended dishes to go with alcohol). However, the barbecue is the reason why we pay a visit. When Pizzaboy and I arrive at the…

  • Ramen Kan in Bondi – Errrr… What’s all the noise about?
    Ramen Kan in Bondi – Errrr… What’s all the noise about?
    Asian Restaurant Reviews

    A Funny Red-headed Guy once told me that his favourite restaurant is McDonalds. He wasn't a child. He is 29 years old, skinny, tall, handsome, prefers never to wear shoes and never shuts up. You see, I am the kind of person who always asks what people are eating or what are their favourite restaurants. I try and connect with people through food. When Funny Red-headed Guy told me this I couldn't help but screw my face up in judgement. "Oi. Don't bag out the Macca's. I grew up on the stuff. Now look at me." He strikes a pose. Who am I to judge? If eating McDonalds makes him happy, then good for him. He also told me that his favourite ramen is from Ramen Kan. He said that their ramen makes everyone else's seem like instant noodles. I immediately wrote the recommendation down in my mental checklist of…