Category Archives: Food & Drinks

Quite Possibly Australia’s Best Brekkies

28 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Tasmania

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Australia doesn’t have a whole lot of native foods – vegemite, anzac biscuits, aussie pies, and kangaroo steaks are part of a pretty short list of foods that originated down under.

The delicious Salmanca side of Hobart – home to many tasty breakfasts!

That being said, Australia does some pretty amazing takes on food staples – like adding beetroot to burgers. It sounds strange, but man is it tasty. Another food that Australia really excels at? Brekky.

With that in mind Mrs. Selfish and I set out to find the tastiest breakfasts that Hobart had to offer.

Zum – A great place for Ricotta Hotcakes

Our first stop was at Zum restaurant, which is located just off the wharf near the Salmanca market area of Hobart. Zum has a pleasant, neighborhood café kind of feel to it, and was packed with natives when we stepped in Sunday morning.

I ordered the Ricotta Hot Cakes ($17 AUD) while Mrs. Selfish tucked into the Trio of Mushrooms ($18 AUD).

The Ricotta Hot Cakes were served in a berry compote, with syrup and king island cream. The hot cakes were light and fluffy, and the king island cream was lighter than butter while adding a crucial moistening component. The real star of the show, however, was the berry compote, which was sweet, tart, and fruity all at once. For my money, the cakes were even better than Bill’s in Sydney!

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Fancy Dining in Ol’ Hobart

26 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Tasmania

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Mrs. Selfish and I ended our 6-day stint through Tasmania in Hobart, Tasmania’s largest city in Tasmania. That being said, it is a small city at just over 220,000 people. It is also a stunning city.

A common theme we noticed while wandering around Australia is that food is excellent. Even your worst meal is destined to be pretty good. I imagine this has to do with the size of the country, and the freshness of local food.

Tasmania takes that to the extreme. Everything is local. Every is fresh. Everything is delicious.

Staying at the Henry Jones Art Hotel

First we needed a place to stay. Since it was my birthday we decided to splurge and grab a room at the Henry Jones Art Hotel. Located near the harbor, the Henry Jones is a great jumping off point for some amazing meals – and is also close to the MONA ferry and Salamanca Market.

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Savoring the Wine, Cheese, Berries, and Oysters in Tasmania

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Tasmania

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Mr. Selfish and I were surprised at the quality of food in Tasmania. Everything that we ate was simply delicious. Since Tassie is an island, the vast majority of the food is local, which means that everything that you eat is fresh and in season.

The first stops we made were at two wineries in Tamar Valley. On our way from Hobart to Rosevears, we stopped at the Josef Chromy winery (370 Relbia Road, Relbia 7258) for lunch and a wine tasting.

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We enjoyed a yummy saffron soup, greens, and a salmon and fenugreek risotto. We also had a wine tasting. Tamar Valley is known for its white wines, which me and Mr. Selfish adore. We restrained ourselves and only purchased one bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc.

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The Good and Bad Eats of Bora Bora

19 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by in Accommodations, Food & Drinks, French Polynesia, Hilton, Oceania

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Editor’s note: This is the third of three posts on the Hilton Bora Bora. Check out our other posts here:

Like the rest of French Polynesia, Bora Bora has a rich food tradition with heavy French and Chinese influences. Unfortunately, the Hilton maintains the brand’s tradition of serving very average food at marked up prices – so what’s a hapless foodie supposed to do?

Eating at the Hilton Bora Bora – The Bad

The Hilton Bora Bora has three restaurants:

  1. Tamure Grill – serves breakfast and casual meals
  2. Iratai Restaurant – serves Polynesian cuisine or Mediterranean food (i.e. French)
  3. Upa Upa Restaurant – located at the Spa. Serves some sort of mystery cuisine.

After reading flyertalk posts, I figured the hotel food would be mediocre and over-priced. As it turns out, the prices were fairly reasonable (at least by hotel standards).

EATING AT THE TAMUR GRILL

Mrs. Selfish and I ended up eating a few meals at the Tamur Grill before we got wise. Since the menu is the same for lunch and dinner, I’ll post ‘em all here.

The Fish of the Day (2900 XPF – about $31) – a firm white fish served on top of a bed of vegetables with a side of fries and a vanilla sauce. Mrs. Selfish was excited to try the vanilla sauce, which was supposed to be a specialty of the region. Unfortunately, the hotel’s version was simply too sweet – the fish itself was decent, but at $30+ this was pretty disappointing.

VERDICT: Pass

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Random Yummy Bites in Sydney

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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Looking back on our time in Sydney, I will remember all of the good food fondly. This post is dedicated to some of our more yummy bites in Sydney.

Mamak for Mouthwatering Malay Food

Mr. Selfish and I started queuing up for Mamak (15 Goulburn Street, Haymarke) around 4:55pm. The restaurant opens at 5pm, and the line was already around the block. It was worth the wait though because the food is authentic and delicious.

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Mamak is known for its fresh roti and satay. We tried the plain roti canai ($5.50), the murtabak, which is roti filled with spicy chicken or lamb, cabbage, egg, and onions ($11.50), and the beef satay, which is served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce (1/2 dozen for $9.00). Everything was delicious but the standout dish was the plain roti canai. It was freshly made, crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside.

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Searching for the Best Aussie Pie in Sydney

12 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Searching for the Best . . ., Sydney

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One of the true Aussie specialty foods, Aussie Pies are like miniature chicken pot pies – a little bit of joy that fits in the palm of your hand. Aussie Pies come in a ton of varieties, though the most common types we encountered were Steak & Pepper, Chicken & Leeks, and Steak & Kidneys. You can find them at pretty much any bakery, pub, or grocery store. So good.

After our first encounter with an Aussie Pie Mrs. Selfish and I were hooked, so we set out to find the Best Aussie Pie in Sydney.

The Old Timer: Harry’s Café on Wheels

Our first introduction to Aussie Pies, Harry’s Café on Wheels is a mainstay in Sydney, having been in the city since 1945. Mrs. Selfish and I decided to try the Tiger, which is beef pie with mash & mushy peas.

The Tiger had excellent flavor, with the beef flavor blending sublimely with the gravy, mash and mushy peas. More mountain of food then hand-sized pie, I was surprised at how well the pie’s crust stood up to the gravy and peas – maintaining its crunch through the course of the (albeit short) meal.

VERDICT: Decadent & delicious, the Tiger was loaded with flavor – and mash & peas. We later tried the curry variation, which was excellent as well, but for a starter pie I would try their classic Tiger.

SCORE: 9.5

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Brew Pub Battle: 4 Pines v. Lord Nelson

10 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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Mr. Selfish and I are so glad to once again be in a country with a brew pub culture. At first, we were a bit skeptical as to the microbreweries in Sydney but were quickly won over by two brew pubs – 4 Pines and the Lord Nelson Pub.

The 4 Pines in Manly

During our first nine days in Sydney, we stayed at my cousin’s apartment in Manly. In order to get to Manly from Sydney city center, you have to take the Manly ferry, which takes around 30 minutes and costs $5.80 per single trip. Although taking an hour trip and paying $11.60 to go to a brew pub seems a bit much, 4 Pines (29/43-45 E Esplanade, Manly) is worth the trip, especially on a day with a beautiful sunset.

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Chomping Down in Surry Hills

08 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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Mr. Selfish and I suffered serious sticker shock upon our arrival in Sydney. We found the food prices to be quite high. I saw a plain glazed donut in the mall that cost $3. Yeah, one donut. On the bright side, the quality of the food is consistently better than average. Even when we ate at a random establishment (sans any research), we were typically content with the food quality.

Bills for Yummy Breakfast

Although we didn’t spend much time in the Surry Hills area, Mr. Selfish and I did manage to eat at some nice restaurants. First, we found the breakfast at Bills (359 Crown Street) to be rather tasty.

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The highlight of the meal was the ricotta hotcakes that came with banana and honeycomb butter ($19.50). The hotcakes melt in your mouth and the honeycomb butter adds a delightful texture. We also enjoyed the scrambled organic eggs ($14.50), which were the creamiest scrambled eggs I’ve ever tasted.

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Sydney’s CBD: Taking Afternoon Tea, the State Theatre, and St. Mary’s Cathedral

07 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Sydney

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Mr. Selfish and I were delighted to return to an English speaking country, particularly a former British colony. We immediately decided that we would go for afternoon tea and reacquaint ourselves with scones and clotted cream. Based on our Aussie friend’s recommendation, we decided to try the Tea Room at the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) in Sydney’s Central Business District (CBD).

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Searching for the Best Burger in Sydney

06 Saturday Jul 2013

Posted by in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Searching for the Best . . ., Sydney

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As soon as Mrs. Selfish and I hit the ground in Australia, we immediately started a search for Australia’s unique cheap eats. Surprisingly, this turned out to be southeastern Asian food. Apparently, Australia doesn’t have much in the way of a native food culture, there were some exceptions, however – pies and burgers.

The real kicker, however, is that food in Sydney is expensive. $3 for a donut expensive, or $5 for a chicken sandwich from McDonald’s expensive, or $20 for a sandwich from your local hipster joint expensive. The plus side is that pretty much anywhere you eat in Sydney is good. I’m half convinced you could walk down the street blindfolded and find a good meal – just be prepared to bring a load of cash.

With that in mind, Mrs. Selfish and I decided to find some of Sydney’s best “cheap eats,” starting with burgers.

Burgerlicious – the chain restaurant

Our first stop on the burger tour was Burgerlicious, located near Sydney’s Chinatown. We were expecting a cute sit down place, but the vibe was definitely more of a late-night post-drinking fast food joint. We later found out it was a local chain.

We ordered the “Jalapeso” as a meal for $14.90, which was filled with grilled onions, bacon, lettuce, avocado, jalapeno relish, and salsa. Since it was a meal it also came with chips, and a beverage.

The flavor combination was interesting, but it was an otherwise standard burger. The bun was a little soggy, and the lettuce was slightly wilted. The fries were more “chip” style, which usually means they are bigger and blander than the french fry style of fry.

We also ordered the “Parezian,” for $10 which had onions, mushrooms, camembert cheese, mustard, salad mix, sour cream, and tomato relish.

Where the “Jalapeso” was different, the “Parezian” was just disappointing, and slightly dry.

VERDICT: While on the cheaper side of burgers in Sydney, Burgerlicious was definitely not worth the money. While some of the concepts were interesting, the execution was a little lackluster.

SCORE: 6.5

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Searching for the Best Ramen in Tokyo

29 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Searching for the Best . . ., Tokyo

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Mr. Selfish and I knew that as soon as arrived in Tokyo, we would start our search for the best ramen there. We went to three new ramen shops, as well as an Ichiran, which we loved in Fukuoka.

Kyushu Jangara

First, we went to Kyushu Jangara, which is located in Harajuku (located at Shanzeru Harajuku II 1-2F, 1-13-21 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo). They serve tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen with a boiled egg, pork chashu, and thick slices of pork belly.

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Verdict: The ramen was quite tasty, especially with the two different types of pork. The broth was porky and flavorful but the noodles were just standard.

Score: 8.0.

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Izakaya Showdown in Tokyo: The 35 Steps v. Gonpachi

23 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Tokyo

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Mr. Selfish and I certainly enjoyed dining at izakayas while in Japan. The casual atmosphere and the abundance of drinks and food undoubtedly lead to a good time. We visited two well-known izakayas in Tokyo to see which one was better.

The 35 Steps

First, we went to the 35 Steps (B1 Shibuya City Hotel, 1-1 Shibuya), which is located near the love hotel district in Shibuya. As you may have guessed, the 35 Steps is in the basement, and you have to walk down thirty-five steps to get to there. But it’s certainly worth the trek. The 35 Steps is known as one of the friendliest izakayas around, and it didn’t disappoint. The service at the 35 Steps was impeccable, and it was clear that the staff enjoyed their jobs.

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Other Eats in Kanazawa

21 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kanazawa

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While I would have gladly spent every meal at Otomezushi, sadly that option was not open to us.  Fortunately, Kanazawa has a number of good eateries around town.

The Omicho Market

Our first stop on Kanazawa’s eating extravaganza was the Omicho Market – an outdoor shopping arcade for fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and seafood.

Man those hairy crabs look good.

The market is also home to many small restaurants.  Since the seafood was a local specialty Mrs. Selfish and I decided to try a rotary sushi restaurant.  The fish was fresh, and tasty – though more expensive then the rotary sushi in Kyoto.

We ended up special ordering a few orders of tuna belly, since I couldn’t get enough after Otomezushi.  Unlike our last rotary experience, they added up the bill by a color-coded system.  The color of your plate indicated the cost.  While I’ve seen that done in a few rotary sushi joints, I’ve never seen them add it up via the use of a sushi-plate scanner.

The total came to around 1700 yen (~$17), which was pretty good for a sushi lunch.

Verdict: Tasty and well priced, but nothing special.

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Otomezushi: The Best Sushi in the World

19 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kanazawa

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When Mrs. Selfish and I started our Selfish Year, we decided we’d try to eat the best of what every country had to offer. After watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi, what better place to eat than Jiro Sushi in Tokyo?

After all, the man does have 3-Michelin stars. It’s gotta be good at $350 a head, right? That’s what I thought at first.  I even went as far as to make reservations via the Park Hyatt Tokyo.  But then we started talking to a friend about sushi in Japan, and she clued us in to Otomezushi in Kanazawa.

Nestled in between the ocean and the Japanese Alps, Kanazawa is in the perfect location for sushi.  The Pacific Ocean’s proximity ensures an abundant supply of fresh fish, while the alps provide the area with fresh spring water, and near-perfect conditions for rice.

Whatever the reason Otomezushi is good.  Really good. Wake up in the middle of the night like a food-crazed maniac good.

And man, that meal did not disappoint.

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Slurping Udon, Soba, and Ramen in Kyoto

17 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by in Asia, Food & Drinks, Japan, Kyoto

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Mr. Selfish and I certainly enjoyed our fair share of noodles while in Kyoto. We loved the variety of udon (thick wheat flour noodle), soba (thin buckwheat noodle), and ramen (thin wheat noodle) shops all around the city. In particular, we enjoyed the following three noodle shops.

First, we loved the customizable udon at Marugame Udon (located at Kyoto-shi, Nakagyo-ku, Kawaramachi-dori, Sanjo-sagaru, Daikoku-cho 54-1). The first step is to choose the type of udon you want from ten different types. Mr. Selfish and I tried three types: (1) udon with a raw egg and a dipping sauce, (2) udon with a curry broth, and (3) udon with broth. They were all delicious and made fresh on the premises.

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