Asian Restaurant Reviews

Ju-Rin – Someone give them a trophy!

By Amy @ cookbookmaniac

Plan B. This is what Ju-Rin ended up being for me this evening. I woke up in the morning and said to myself, "Today is the day that I will dine at Waqu." I called them at 2pm to leave a reservation on their answering machine only to receive an SMS at the last moment that they are fully booked. Damn! I should've known I was pushing my luck. Pizzaboy and I were left wondering around Crows Nest without any plans. We almost sat down at MuMu Grill when I confessed to him that I am now desperate to eat something Japanese. I suggest heading to Ju-Rin and trying our luck there. Pizzaboy is already upset by the Waqu situation and warns me about it happening again. "If we also get turned down by Ju-Rin we're going to McDonalds!" We walk into Ju-Rin without any reservations and the staff welcome us and explain that we must finish by 8pm. That's fine with me! We are shown to the sushi bar and get to choose where we sit. Pizzaboy plonks himself down in front of the Sushi Chef and I gladly follow. We are handed the menu and I'm completely distracted by the intricate knife skills of the chef. Pizzaboy constantly reminds me to pay attention to the menu, order and then stare at the sushi chef afterwards... I failed. Throughout the evening the sushi chef also nudges me to take photos of dishes that he makes for other patrons. The…

Asian Restaurant Reviews

Java Indonesian Restaurant in Randwick

By Amy @ cookbookmaniac

I was introduced to the many wonders of the Indonesian cuisine by a workmate from many years ago. Someone whom I affectionately call WuWu. She is the sweetest and most delightful person. I have to admit that I have not visited an Indonesian restaurant since her return to her motherland. Indonesian food just isn't the same without her. One day, my sisters unexpectedly asked if I wanted to go along with them to Java. Apparently it is one of the better Indonesian restaurants that is scattered around Kensington, Kingswood and Randwick. I immediately wanted to pick up the phone and call WuWu and ask for her help as to what to order, but she was too far away and an email just won't cut it. So I went along without any idea what to expect and had a wonderful time. This one's for you Wuwu. I miss you little lady. We started off with Otak Otak, a grilled fish cake wrapped in banana leaves. The fish flavour is very subtle, in fact, almost non-existant. The texture is quite soft, sticky and spongey. The coconut, chili, peanut sauce poured over it gives the fish cakes a necessary punch of flavour. The Martabak is a crispy fried pastry stuffed with beef mince, egg and shallots. We weren't sure what to expect when we ordered this surprisingly delicious dish. The pastry was thin and crunchy. The stuffing consisted mostly of a fluffy egg mixture and wonderfully crispy shallots. The Ayam Betutu is a…

Asian Restaurant Reviews

Tan Hung Vuong – This is how you roll it!

By Amy @ cookbookmaniac

The food courts in Cabramatta are unlike most food courts you will find in large shopping centres. There is no KFC, McDoanlds, Doner Kebab vendors or fake-chinese stalls. They are mostly fresh and authentic foods from Vietnam, Thailand, China and Laos. In fact, KFC once opened its doors here and only lasted 6 months. The locals preferred fresh and local produce and did not welcome the idea of frozen, msg-laden fried chicken. Our favourite Vietnamese vendor is Tắn Hủng Vướng in AA Supermarket. We come here quite often when we want fast and cheap food. Almost all of the menu items are $10 or less and they make great Vietnamese coffee. Their menu contains a vast array of Vietnamese dishes, mostly specialising in cold noodle items and wraps or rolls. They also have hot noodles like Bún bò Huế and Bánh canh. They make a great Bò kho too. Pizzaboy and I have our favourite. They make the best Bánh hỏi nem nướng in town. It is difficult to pass this up and try other things. I did cave in and order my second favourite Bánh ướt for the purpose of variety for this blog post. I ♥ my blog! Bánh hỏi nem nướng literally translates to steamed vermicelli noodles with bbq pork sausage. Like most vietnamese meals it comes with a large side dish of lettuce, fresh herbs and nước chấm. Here is an example of how to wrap these yummy bbq pork sausages: [1] Grab a lettuce leaf…