ladyironchef writes: The idea was to eat, eat, and eat, but plan b, or rather the lack of a proper plan, meant that we start at Plan B. We started off easy, but it was surely one of the best burgers that I’ve. It took everything that I got to resist ordering another burger for myself, and missed out on all the stuff that was about to come – and so three hungry dude shared one burger. Plan B by Becasse is famous for their wagyu beef burger, and at just ten bucks, you must try this burger! What is wagyu, anyway? When even the MacDonalds in Sydney sell wagyu beef burgers, you probably think it’s not a big ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: It’s that time of the year again. This is the time when we party & make merry, wear fanciful bunny ears, feast like kings & queens,  drown in lychee champagne – and get away with it. Did I mentioned party? Oh yes I did. Impromptu is our middle name, there’s nothing like a Christmas party that is planned just a few hours beforehand. Darling, lets skip the turkey, uh-uh, no baked ham either. And I don’t want any Yule log cake. So instead of all those, how about the perfect char siew sou, and a fresh-out-of-the-oven egg tart? Even better, top it up with a peanut-butter chocolate cupcake, and follow by a lemon meringue tart. This is ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: ‘You must go to the Sydney Fish Market – they have the freshest seafood & oysters there!’, gushed one of my friend. The fish market was around twenty minutes walk away from where I was staying, so I decided to take the lightrail instead. It was fascinating to watch how the bus conductor collects money from passengers; he’d ask everyone where they are heading and proceed to issue tickets to them. The process continues at every stop, and every time he’d notice the new passengers and approach them. It’s almost absurd to think that this traditional way of collecting bus far is still being used in this era. The calling of the sea gulls is the first ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: Central, Parramatta, Blacktown, Springwood . . . My thoughts drifted off as I read my book, and watched the station passed by. Soon, I lost count of them, and my eye lids became heavy as though she had sang a lullaby softly in my ears… I hit the blue mountain next, an area known for her magnificent scenaries. It’s a very beautiful place; fantastic view up in the mountains, with the three sisters being the highlight. There’s just something old fashion about Katoomba that seduces me, right from the start when I arrived on the train station, to the country-like signage and shops around; everything was so laid-back and time seemed to pause and slow down. I stayed in a ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: Do you believe in fairytale? I do. The story of the Paradise group isn’t exactly a rise from the rugs to riches one, but it’s close enough. For someone who started off with a cze-char stall in the industrial park Defu lane, to a group of restaurants that includes the fine-dining Taste paradise, seafood restaurant Seafood paradise, and middle-range Paradise inn, doesn’t it sounds like a fairytale ending? I have wanted to go to taste paradise for a very long time. But their original outlet at Mosque street does not serve dim sum, and so I waited until now for their new branch in Ion that has dim sum for lunch. Having tried the most expensive xiaolongbao, and ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: After bombarding you with so many posts (there’s still four more to go) from Sydney, let us take a break first and I’ll like to ask you this question: ‘Which local food will you miss the most if you go overseas?’ I often ask people this, and there’s always different answers: laksa, chicken rice, curry fishhead, satay, and the list goes on and on. By and large, No 18 Zion road Char Kuay Teow is one of the legendary hawker stall for this popular local food. Mention Char kuay teow and everybody will think of this place immediately. I like Char kuay teow because it has all my favorite ingredients like egg, beansprout & the Chinese sausage Lup ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: The sparkling mascot had that bubbly taste on the first instance it touches the tongue, i’ll like to call it the happy wine. There’s always the saying that white goes well with seafood while you have red for your meat, but it really depends on your own preference – the wine you like is the best wine. There was three wine boutiques that we went to in Hunter Valley; Wollombi wines, Mount View estate, and Savannah. Even though I have not been a big vineyard before, but I like the personal and homely vibe that the smaller boutique exudes. A simple damper sandwich can actually taste so good when you are sitting on ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: It’s always a good thing when visiting another country, especially when you are like me who usually do not research much on the place, to be in the company of fellow food bloggers. I was fortunate to have my Sydney food blogger friends to show me around, and it was so much fun to hang out with them, everyone connected and soon we were chatting like we’ve known each other for years. And the food was good of course, no restaurant in their right mind will serve bad food to a group of hungry food bloggers. Without Helen’s arrangement, I probably would never make it to Newtown, an suburb outside the ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: I wanted an adventure, and I wanted something different. Not those dressed-up-to-the-nines fancy dinners in the best restaurants – those are not really my type. There are other factors that will make a great meal, and I was determined to have a memorable time there. In the twelve days that I was in Australia, you’d not believe the amount of food that went into my stomach; I refused to stand on the weighing scale now – I probably gained an additional five kilos, everyday it was food, more food, and even more food. Besides stuffing myself full with everything that I can grab, and enjoying the magnificent scenaries there, I got to talk with  a lot of backpackers ...
read more | find similar

ladyironchef writes: The 7 folks that will get to go with me for the buffet @ Window on the Park restaurant are as follow: Danghl, Ling, Jan, Mae, Tesia, Jacelyn, Jason. I have already sent out the email to all of you, please give me a reply to confirm your attendance. As for the rest, it’s really a tough decision to choose just seven from so many of you, so I ended up tossing coins instead. There will be plenty of chances for tasting dinners, so I hope to see you next time! I just got back from Sydney last night, and I had so much food there! The posts will be up later, meanwhile stay hungry! . . . for ...
read more | find similar