Steamed Basted Egg Recipe

I love eggs. Who doesn't?

Unless you're living a dietary lifestyle which excludes egg, of course.

Or, you're simply that weirdo who don't.

Super versatile (think fried, poached, scrambled, hard/soft boiled etc.,) and it's a staple in most of our diet.

I like mine in most ways (omelette being my least favourite out of all the ways to cook'em), but some times I am just extremely lazy. You might be wondering to yourself: "What? It's not that hard to cook eggs. Da fuq you on about??".

Whilst it is easy to cook eggs in general - some methods require a bit more patience and caution if you want great results.

Poached: is nearly impossible in my kitchen. I also have no patience for this. Normally wait for a breakfast outing at a restaurant.
Over-easy: I tend to break the yolk when I flip'em. I have no patience for this.
Sunny-side up: When I really don't care. Easiest thing for me. Ever.
Scrambled: When I have milk & a bit more patience in the morning. Though easy for most, I like mine "creamy". Some some of effort required for me personally, since I add extra spices to mine.
Hard-boiled: Amazing, though I have to keep track of time to make sure the yolk is still runny. Over-cooked yolk is a major no-no. I aim for a Ajitsuke Tamago or "ramen-style" egg.
Soft/Half-boiled: When I am home-sick and want comfort food. Easy, but requires waiting aka patience. 6-8 some minutes is just too long. Someone else in the house doesn't like it either.
Omelette: Close to never, unless I am attempting omu-rice.

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That was up until I learned that Steamed Basted Eggs was a simple as hell technique. Don't get me wrong. Some of the few other ways I've listed above is easy as hell as well, but it doesn't always please the rest of the household - whether it's texture... mostly texture.

For me, this recipe is a perfect balance of: over-easy, poached & sunny-side up! Here's a video of what it looks like:

This requires a teeny-weeny bit more observation on my part, but the results are glorious!

Some days, I am too lazy to even worry about the presentation and add in the water before the sides turn white. Still ends up great, though not as pretty as the one shown in the video.

Also, I don't always add butter/margarine to my non-stick pan. I add for flavour. It sticks a tiny bit more if you don't, but feel free to omit this if you're using a non-stick pan as well.

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Season with salt & pepper (and other herbs, if you're like me) and serve!
Don't have any recent photos, so this old one will have to do.
[UPDATE: Thought I didn't make a post about this method. Apparently I did here]

What's your favourite "egg-cellent" breakfast method?

THE Perfect Egg Recipe

For a while, my partner has been snobbing me when it comes to cooking eggs. I've always made sunny-side up for myself in the past, ones with a somewhat crispy border. However, when we first started living together, he wanted the "over-easy" eggs that he was used to. 

I remember my grandparents making these for me as a child, with a tiny splash of soy sauce to complement the eggs. However, I just thought it was rather bothersome to risk breaking the yolk whilst flipping them over, therefore sticking with the sunny-side up option. 

As the years passed, I had a fascination ... an addiction to poached eggs as the "healthy" alternative for breakfast. I liked the fact that it was cooked without butter, had a funky shape but mostly still had the runny yolk I love. 

My partner said he didn't like my sunny-side up eggs, as they did sport rather crispy egg whites and if I were to rush making them, I end up with a bit of runny egg whites too (much to his disgust). Over many failed attempts in making his ideal over-easy eggs, I somewhat gave up and allowed him to take over the cooking of fried eggs. 

It was only recently that I stumbled upon a post on Pinterest, that boasted the perfect "over-easy" egg recipe. Upon further reading, I realised that it wasn't really an over-easy egg, as it wasn't fried on both sides, but it utilized steam to achieve results. With further research, I discovered that it used the Steam-Basted method which I had never heard of before. 

I just had to try this out for myself - like the results to me were the perfect combination of sunny-side, poached, and over-easy all-in-one! How could I not?

My first attempt resulted in this:

I made the mistake of taking off the lid just a little too late, when the white film had already developed on the yolk, and the residual heat overcooked the yolk slightly more than what we were used to. Nevertheless, I had never made an egg looking this good ever. 

The second attempt was perfect, but I was too hungry to take any photos (we devoured ours within minutes), so here's my third:

Dudeee.... just look at that eggy perfection!

My personal preference will always be half-boiled eggs as it brings back great childhood memories. Otherwise, this has now become my next best favorite!

Ingredients:

Egg(s)

Butter/Margarine/Oil

Salt & Pepper (optional; to taste)

Frying pan with a lid

Water

Method:

1. Heat up your frying pan on high heat. Melt a tiny bit of butter/margarine/oil. Trust me, you will not need much. 

2. Crack egg(s) into the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high. Wait for the egg whites to cook to a point where it is opaque. 

3. I don't have exact measurements for the water, but I pour just enough to water where it reaches the edges of the egg whites. Cover frying pan with lid. 

 Don't know if you can see, but there's a slight water line if you must use this as an indication. 

Don't judge the over-sized lid. My frying pan did not come with one, so I had a substitute!

4. I highly suggest keeping an eye on the eggs as soon as you pop on the lid. I would say that in a couple of minutes or less, the egg yolk(s) will soon develop the thin white film on the yolk base. If you like your yolk runny (like me), quickly turn off the heat, take off the lid and remove from heat immediately. 

If you like your yolk a slightly bit firmer, wait until the yolk has clouded over and then immediately remove from heat. 

5. Serve immediately. Crack salt & pepper according to your preference. 

My boyfriend's serving. I already had mine when I made his lol. 

Eggs, wedges & Cretons on toast. 

I prefer my eggs on top of smashed avocado toast for a filling, satisfying brekkie! 

Enjoy & bon appetit!

Simple Asian Roasted Pork Shoulder Recipe

Ahhh, there's definitely nothing better than the taste of pork! Growing up in Malaysia, pork made its mark as one of the staple ingredients in our meals (for us Chinese mostly? Definitely non-halal lol). I would say that my favourite cut is pork belly *drools*

Since my relocation, my partner decided that instead of bumming around at home all day, he'd ask me to walk all the way to the grocery store (and for the much needed "exercise"). 

Walked over to the meat section, and I was just about to pick up some pork chops, but, I looked over to the other fridge and noticed pork shoulder picnic cuts for cheaper! Me, being greedy and somewhat a cheap-skate at times, want the best value for more meat. So, pork shoulder it was. 

I've prepared large slabs of pork belly in the past, but that chunk of meat is probably one of the thickest (heaviest, largest??) portion I've worked with, besides a whole chicken. 

Since I was walking home, I only bought a few other ingredients wholly unrelated to this pork dish. I realised this as soon as I got home - upon some of my research, if I wanted a tender pork dish, I have to have like either (a) twenty other ingredients which I do not have, (b) slow roast the shit out of the pork overnight, but I don't want an alarming electricity bill, or (c) pop it in a slow-cooker, again, which I do not possess. AHHHHH...

So, I thought to myself, why the heck not. Let's try slow-cooking it at a relatively low temperature and for longer. Turns out, it was a darn heck of a tender roast with awesome, awesome flavours. 

Job well done, Mesha. Job well done. *gloats*

Anyways, decided to keep a record for self-use or for anyone who happens to tumble upon this post. Keep in mind, when I mentioned "simple", its based wholly on a few staple ingredients I have in my pantry. Also, I have a convection oven.

Before I forget as well, I remember that I don't really do measurements either. Mostly a gut feeling.

Simple Asian Roasted Pork Shoulder Recipe

Cooking time: 5 hours

Ingredients: 

1 pork shoulder (picnic)

4 cloves of garlic (peeled, half-pressed, & halved)

1 Brown Onion (sliced)

1 tsp Sesame Oil

Chinese 5-spice 

Black Pepper

White Pepper (the one I am currently using is a white-pepper salt mixture. If it's plain white pepper, add salt)

*Salt

For the homemade teriyaki sauce 

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup mirin 

2 tsp white sugar 

Method:

1. Leave the pork out on a bench until room temperature (or slightly cold to touch if needed).

2. Preheat oven to 250F / 120C. ("Roast" setting)

3. With the pork, create little garlic "pockets", by making a deep slits in the pork. Depending on how big your piece is, you can try and evenly make slits. (I only made 5 slits, so the remaining garlic halves was stuffed into the slits which I had over cut). Stuff garlic halves into slits.

4. The first layer of dry rub is the 5-spice. Evenly, but thinly coat the meat with this spice. It is a very strong spice, so depending on your preference, use more or less. (I coated mine with more!)

5. The second layer of rub is the white pepper, black pepper (*and salt). The best ratio is 2:1. More white pepper than black. *If you are using salt, evenly season it on the entire meat.

6. Drizzle top of meat with sesame oil

7. Put the well-seasoned meat onto a non-stick baking tray and transfer to the second rack of the oven for 4.5 hours.

8. After time has elapsed, take meat out, transfer to a plate and set aside. Re-set oven to 450F /232C

**OPTIONAL STEP**

On the baking tray, take a teaspoon of rendered pork fat and put aside. (I put mine straight onto the frying pan).  You can either keep the rendered pork fat/oil for other recipes or discard.

9. With the onions, layer it on the tray, focusing the amounts mostly on the middle. Take the pork and put it on top of the onions. Pop it back into the oven, middle rack, for another 30 minutes.

10. With the kept rendered pork fat, (if you decided to keep it), transfer to frying pan. Heat stove to medium - medium low. Pour in wet ingredients and mix.

11. Once the sauce is hot enough, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Leave it simmering until reduced, which should take about 30 minutes as well. 

12. Remove tray from oven. Let the meat rest. Carve to desired thickness and serve with the homemade teriyaki sauce.

Verdict:

Boyfriend-approved. He even dared to say that it was the best meal I've conjured up in a while @#$%! 

The 5-spice, white & black pepper rub is one that I am very fond of; I've tried this with osso bucco, pork belly, etc., Also, the smell of the spices fills the room. Win-win

In summary, this was a success: the meat was oh-so very tender and moist (dare I say, almost falling apart), whilst still maintaining that thin spiced-crust which had formed, which also provided a lot of flavor. The garlic was so soft, it almost became like a natural garlic butter paste. Additionally, I loved the teriyaki sauce with it as it added sweetness and further flavour depth to this dish. 

Lastly, I find this awesome as I am technically kitchen-ware impaired as I have yet to buy myself a slow-cooker and do not have many other spices or ingredient on hand!

** No photos cause we devoured it for dinner. Leftovers in fridge **

Mighty Mighty - Cue & Brew Review

Recently, James and I have been fascinated by an appetite-inducing American food reality television series, Man vs Food. Basically, the star of the show:Adam Richman, travels around America finding food challenges. It was definitely fun watching the series, only due to Richman's sense of humour. Most of the food shown are barbecued meat, sandwiches, burgers, hot wings, hot dogs and other American soul foods, and there's not much else to it other than Richman attempting some ridiculously gigantuan meal, mostly weighing 5 pounds or more.

Anyways, this spurred my desire to find an American restaurant here in Brisbane - which lead me to Mighty Mighty. 

"Like urban cowboys we've combined the best bits of American culture: southern smokehouse cuisine and soulful city beats. We're smitten with the American BBQ states.."

This description sounded like what I was looking for, and it was literally a short bus journey from home. Hallelujah!

Instead of dinner, I convinced James to duck down with me for lunch instead as I was too impatient. "Dinner? I want it now!"

Even James too, was impatient, so we took the express option: taking a cab (yes, I know... We're pretty darn impatient when it comes to hunger and finding food).

 Love the rustic-looking layout.

We were greeted by a smiling waitress, who seem to embody the restaurant's atmosphere: laid-back. James and I had almost free reign of choosing where we wanted to sit, so I chose the corner table. Albeit being slightly hungover, we couldn't resist the extensive drink menu so, we ordered this:

The food menu was shorter than the drinks, but I had a hard time choosing what to eat! Everything seemed delectable, but was definitely sold on the Jalepeno Poppers. James liked the sound of the Reuben Sandwich, so he went with that. I really wanted to have one of the meat sandwiches, but my eyes dwelled on the Mighty Mighty Hot Wings. 

Reuben Sandwich: House made pastrami, white flour roll, slaw, pickle, horseradish mayo, smoked au jus & fries. $17AUD

 (Top) Jalapeno Poppers: Jalapenos, Monterey Jack, House Smoked Belly Pork. $14AUD

(Bottom: left to right) Ranch & Blue Cheese dipping sauce for the Hot Wings

Admittedly, I did hesitate with the heat of the wings: politically correct mild or the holy roller, to which James asked why I hesitated - my love of spicy food is well-known- so at that point, I was like screw it, "I'll get the holy roller". 

NOW, PLEASE NOTE BELOW.

THE WINGS OF HELL: Holy roller Mighty Mighty Wings, served with Ranch & Blue Cheese sauce.

Contains pickled celery. AUD14

Here's one thing the waitress failed to mention to me. She mentioned that it is hot, which in most Australian restaurants mostly mean that it sometimes manage to tickle my taste-buds or it is bearably medium hot. 

What she failed to mention (I learned this after my meal) was that the sauce was made from 3 very, very hot chillies: Habanero, Ghost Peppers, and the Bird's Eye Chilli. 

Seriously, WTF!? There should be a mention of this somewhere on the menu at least! I can tackle the Bird's Eye Chilli, but add another two freaking hot chillies?! I love hot/spicy food, but my tolerance isn't that great.

Anyways, I seriously underestimated the heat level. I took two bites before I started to sweat and there was a point I was teary-eyed. I do not know if you have ever reached a level, of what I call a "Chilli High": a stage where your sight ends up a bit blurry, the world seems to spin slightly, with a slight case of light-headness, all whilst your mouth is on fire. On top of that, I start giggling because it is too ridiculously stupid hot for me to handle, but I go back for three more additional wings. 

Talk about self-torture. 

James laughed at me whilst I had my first wing, and didn't quite believe me, so he took one of the wings. Took a bite on a part which contains a lot of that hot sauce, and he was in agony as well. He finally understood the level of pain I was enduring. 

Water helped somewhat, and forget about having beer with spicy food (it amplifies the heat so much more), so my only relief was the Jabenero Poppers, which contained the only dairy-based product we had on the table. Did I mention somewhere that it was super yummy? 

James gave me a couple of bites of his sandwich, which I thought would help to ease the pain. However, due to the state I was in - "chilli high" - I could not fully appreciate the sandwich. It was like my taste-buds stopped working. 

Whoever thinks that the Holy Roller wings aren't hot, I salute you Sir/Madam.

Anyways, getting back to the review, here's what I think:

• Food/Presentation: 4/5 (Other than the ridiculously hot wings, the flavours were great and would love to go back and try the rest of the food)
• Ambience: 4.5/5 (Enjoyed the rustic, chillax atmosphere)
• Service: 3/5 (Could have been better. Waitstaff are friendly, but a bit more refilling of water when needed without having to ask for it aka observational skills, would have been great)
• Monetary value: 3.5/5 (a little pricey but seems to be the Australian standard)

Want to have a taste of American-style food, or take on the Hot Wings?

Shop 6/7, 100 McLachlan Street | Fortitude Valley

Queensland, 4006, Australia

(P): 07 3666 0184

(W): http://mightymighty.net.au/

Melbourne Mini Getaway! (30MAR14 - 01APR14)

I was quite excited about the trip, despite the fact that I was going down there for the sole purpose of renewing my passport and that I have been to Melbourne twice. It was only for three days and it was good for the boyfriend to visit another Australian city he had not seen before. 

Third time lucky was the charm for me, as I didn't like Melbourne too much - but then I never had a proper chance to check out the food culture that seems to be a rage everywhere in Melbourne CBD. Not to mention, we also decided to splurge and stay at a fancy accommodation: nothing less than a 4-star property. I have also my colleague to thank, due to his advice on using another wholesaler, whose prices are too darn cheap to pass-up on. After much research and digging around, I decided to book two nights at the Crown Metropol. I got a bit confused with the rating (on the wholesaler's page, it shows 5-star but on Google, 4 to 4.5?), but nontheless, it looked quite luxurious.

And it was amay-zing!!

We bummed around and took our time unpacking a little bit before deciding to check the rest of the place out. As per fore-mentioned in my previous post, the hotel interlinked with the rest of the entertainment complex, so we scooted down towards the casino, passing by many retail stores and restaurants on the way. A wee look inside the casino before heading into the city, to show James around central Melbourne. Surprisingly, and luckily, it was considerably a warm, sunny day. The weather then prompted us (yes, I am using the weather as an excuse) towards a random bar, which for the life of me, I cannot remember its name. All I can remember that it was down a strip of various cafes/restaurants (if any Melbournite can help, the strip had a Vietnamese restaurant and a French crepe-place and plenty of other restaurants all on the same mini-street), and it had a sign saying: Roof-top bar now open. James and I, made our way up a few flights of stairs before entering a quaint little bar, which served some food as well. Nothing better than a couple of pints each and something to fill the tummy. As per usual, I always get to choose the food!

James, my waiter for the day. 

Rabbit & pork terrine, served with some pickles and toasted bread.

After a couple of beers each and in the heat, we got tipsy pretty damn quickly before making our way back to the casino for more drinks and James' try for luck at one of the blackjack table, leaving after losing $50AUD :( Long story short, that was pretty much the first day spent in Melbourne.

Day 2:
Feeling slightly less great after one-too-many alcoholic drinks in the system, we decided to head down to Mr. Hive Kitchen & Bar, for a buffet breakfast, where we stuffed ourselves silly (the waffles was the best I've had and it's not the average fluffy kind either. It has a somewhat biscuity style and taste). Next on the agenda, was the sole reason as to why we went to Melbourne in the first place: my passport renewal. Since the process took waayyy faster than I had expected, we then caught a cab back into the city for more exploration. My friend had recommended a place called MoVida prior to our little escapade, and it was by chance we found the other branch tucked in a little alley. We were still too stuffed from our breakfast, so a walkabout took place, which ended at Melbourne's museum. It was late afternoon by then, and my feet were sore from walking in shoes definitely not meant for walking in. It was also a great excuse to catch the free tram and a little side-sightseeing before getting off near MoVida.

News of air-dried wagyu beef dishes, and other great tapas spread quite quickly from one foodie to another and I had to check this place out for myself. I hate to admit, but I had missed out on the large food scene in Melbourne as I was a poor student and the second time, I had no opportunity to visit nice restaurants as well.

Hot, and sweaty, we both ordered beers and asked the waiter what he recommended. Found this awesome dark Spanish beer, which was light and easy to drink.

A perfect way to end a long, sweaty walk, with a bottle of Alhambra

Another item on the menu, which seemed to be my friend's craze, other than the air-dried wagyu beef, was the smoked mackeral, so I ordered that as soon as we had the chance to look at the menu. The waiter did mention that the "tapa" was bite-sized. He wasn't kidding.

Left to right: Gazpacho (Organic Corn Gazpacho with Spanner Crab & Salmon Roe) $6.00AUD each and Caballa Ahumada (House Cold Smoked Mackerel with Pine Nut Gazpacho Sorbet), also at $6.00AUD each.

I loved the Caballa Ahumada: it was a chilled appetizer, but with an instant hit of smoked fish whilst the sorbet really intensified the flavour. James' order of the Gazpacho was also quite interesting, as it was served in a chinese tea-cup. I had a sip (I found it okay, to be honest), whilst he insisted that the chunk of crab at the bottom of the cup was really yummy. Another dish I had ordered (but not displayed here) was the Mejillone Al Gazpachuelo (Spring Bay Mussel Enriched with an Almond Sauce) $3.00AUD each. What we thought was a little bit of a rip-off was the Patata Brava (Deep-fried potato with Spicy Aioli) $3.50AUD each. Why? See below:

Seriously? It's a single potato gem with some good sauce, but it is NOT worth $3.50AUD! I can buy an entire pack of potato gems at a local grocery store for a dollar extra!! 

We then moved on to the "Raciones", which is a much larger, to-share dishes:

 This dish would be my favourite so far at MoVida: Pate de Pato (Duck Liver Pate with Pedro Ximenez Foam & Toasted Brioche). $15.00AUD

Cecina (Air-dried Wagyu with Poached Organic Egg & Truffle Foam) $21.00AUD. Actually, the cream-coloured stuff is mashed potato. What happened to the truffle foam, IDK).

The pate dish, was so far my favourite dish served there - it was creamy, intensified duck-liver-flavour, and the slightly-sweet foam, added to the enhanced flavour. The melt-in-your-mouth toasted brioche was a good bonus too. However, the Cecina, was somewhat disappointing as we had our hopes built up based on my friend's personal feedback on the dish. I am going to assume that he had the proper stuff, as I would again assume that air-dried = slightly crunchier meat, rather than meat that tasted like a cross between Black Forest Ham and salami. Why it was served it mashed potatoes as opposed to truffle foam, is still a mystery. Don't get me wrong, it was still flavourful and interesting to eat, but not what we had in mind.

The last dish we ordered after this (again, not pictured) is a dish they had as a special of the day: grilled octopus & beef with chickpeas (the proper name of the dish evades my memory). That was pretty filling and wholesome, which finally satisfied our hunger.

What I thought:

• Food/Presentation: 4/5 (it was good, but yet there is a rustic charm to the served dishes. A little bit of a hit-and-miss situation in our scenario).
• Ambience: 4.5/5 (Rustic, quaintly located in an alley way full of graffiti.)
• Service: 3.5/5 (some of the staff were somewhat friendly, but left us alone a little bit too long. It is casual dining after all, but still...)
• Monetary value: 3/5 (depending how big of an appetite you have, the bill can rack up quite easily)

Check MoVida Out:

1 Hosier Lane (off Flinders Street) | Melbourne,

Victoria, 3000, Australia

(P): 03 9663 3038

(W): http://movida.com.au/movida/

After our fill, we walked back to the entertainment complex, had a couple more drinks before calling an end to the night.

Day 3:
Last day in Melbourne: slept-in as much as we could and packed as quickly as possible. The check-out service, again, was impeccable, where we dropped off our luggage for safe-keeping before wandering around, deciding which place to have our last meal in Melbourne. After much debate, consideration and discussion, we finally settled for Nobu.

We were literally the first ones there for our brunch. Our waiter, bless his soul, provided impeccable service - he was patient, introduced Nobu and the dining & cuisine style (Japanese fusion), offered recommendation when needed. The menu had too many delectable items to choose from and decided finally on getting a different bento box each - which featured a variety of dishes within a dish.

 Nobu Bento Box (Top left, counter-clockwise): Sauteed Vegetables with Spicy Garlic Sauce, Black Cod Miso (Nobu's Signature dish), Baby Tiger Prawns with Butter Ponzu, Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing, and the Chef's selection of assorted Sushi. $50.00AUD. Served with Miso Soup.

I ordered the Sushi Bento (Top left, counter clock-wise): Prawn Tempura Cut Roll (6 pieces), Yellowtail Jalapeno, Chirashi Sushi, and Sashimi Salad with Matsuhisa Dressing. $45.00AUD. Served with Miso Soup.

Everything in the bento box, was delightfully fresh and tasty. We could not have asked for more. The waiter also explained that with the dining experience in Nobu, he would serve the miso soup for starters before presenting the main meal.

I gulped down the soup as I was starving by then and as soon as the food came (the Nobu Bento came first), we dug in. Boy, oh boy: the prawns were fresh and tasty, the cod was melt-in-your-mouth tasty, and the dressing on the sashimi salad was my favourite!

The Sushi Bento came next and I shoved that down too. The "chirashi sushi", explained by our kind waiter, was like an "open" style sushi: more technically, sashimi on a bed of rice, which was what I was hoping for anyways.

Nobu had a restaurant launched Perth ages ago, but I had never taken the time or effort to try it. Man, I missed out!

Anyways, this is my perception:

• Food/Presentation: 4/5 (it was a Bento box, but still stylish nonetheless)
• Ambience: 4.5/5 (definitely feel like you're in a top restaurant)
• Service: 5/5 (Uh-May-Zingg)
• Monetary Value: 3/5 (Great food, but for top-end prices. Worth it if you're rich!)

Nobu:

8 Whiteman Street | Southbank

Victoria, 3006, Australia

(P): 03 9292 7879

(W): http://www.noburestaurants.com/melbourne/experience/introduction/

After brunch, I decided to bring James for a view of Melbourne from above, via the  Eureka Skydeck 88, where we had a quick look before heading back to the hotel's Skybar for more views, but with a drink in hand.

Over all, I was quite sad that the trip passed so quickly. Despite having been to Melbourne before, I wouldn't mind going back just for the food and hotel!

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Via Italia Mooloolaba Review

It has definitely been a while since I posted my last review since I've been so caught up with my new job! Creating an ideal holiday whilst meeting the client's expectations can be hard and so goddamn stressful at times.

Admittedly, I visited this restaurant mid-December 2013 but the food there was absolutely amazing that I cannot stop raving to anyone who may potentially visit the Sunshine Coast! 

Located on Mooloolaba Esplanade, it boasts quite a rustic, quaint look, which warmly welcomes you as a waiter takes you to an available table. 

 Rustic, right?

After being handed over the menu (on a clipboard), James, Diane and I really struggled through the menu - everything sounded so goddamn scrumptious. As scrumptious as it sounded, initially I was quite skeptical due to past experiences with other Italian restaurants with fancy menus but it never lived up to my expectations. Moreover, the prices at Via Italia, is definitely on the upper-market level. 

What originally caught my eye, was the pot of seafood: 

38.9/ A pot full of Seafood Marinara Fregula, Sardinian Cous cous, octopus, cloudy bay clams, Mooloolaba prawns, our smoked salmon, spicy tomato, our "crazy water" kombu crisps.

Nearing close to $40AUD, I was a bit skeptical and James took that option anyways. After flipping the pages back and forth for almost 15 minutes, I finally decided to order:

36.9/ Italian spiced Porcetta, slow cooked pork belly, popcorn milk, apple balsamic pork jus, baby carrots, roasted plums, fennel and chilli pork crackers.

On the other hand, Diane decided on:

36.9/ Our Hay Smoked Salmon Fazzoletti, silky pasta sheets, capers, dill, smoked dried tomato, cream, sea vegetable, anchovy crumble.

We also ordered a bottle of red wine and merrily chugged sipped at it until our food arrived.

 Behold! The Marinara served in a rustic cast iron pot. 

 The pork belly dish looking quite artsy fartsy.

 The Salmon Fazzoletti. The "sea vegetable"served on this dish (that long thin green veggie looking strips) is samphire! First time seen it served here in Australia!!

I definitely did not hesitate to dig into my dish as soon as it was served as I was starving ....

What. The. Hell?! This is sorcery!

How did you guys at Via Italia, manage to make pork belly that literally melts-in-your-mouth?!!!! I must know your secrets and will pester someone about this the next trip back to the coast!

Everything complimented one another on my dish: From the some what sour roast plums, easing the fatty, melty goodness of the pork belly, and the sweetness of deeply marinated baby carrots and the sauce. 

I thought mine was the best dish ordered on the table until I took a bite of seafood marinara dish James had ordered. Now, let me get this straight - I generally do not like tomato-based sauce and it has to be absolutely flavourful and rich before I can actually say that I like it. I've been to one too many supposedly "amazing" Italian restaurants and always have been disappointed. 

I can gladly say that Seafood Marinara pot is THE BEST I've ever tasted. Man, I did not know I was able to love a tomato-based dish so much! Even a slight mention of this pot, renders me into a drooling mess. 

Diane's dish was great too: The pasta was silky, and cream sauce on seafood pasta is my favourite, it simply cannot go wrong! Not to mention, I love sun-dried tomatoes (okay, I get that it is funny that I hate tomato-sauce but love semi-sundried tomatoes from a jar).

Ashamedly, I have to admit that I finished my dish, finished Diane's dish (as she was a small eater), and I finally scooped the remainder of James' dish when he couldn't finish his either, to a point that Diane said that I had a "good appetite". *I lost my dignity over food*

I got a little side-tracked over food and must say that we had a very lovely Swedish waiter who explained everything and was of great service!

Anyways, time for my verdict!

• Food/Presentation: 5/5 (I cannot stop thinking about that seafood marina pot. Seriously!)
• Ambience: 4.5/5 (Love the rustic feel, but it was a bit too busy/cramped for my liking for it to be 5/5)
• Service: 5/5 (Had an awesome cute/eye-candy Swedish waiter who was professional and provided a great service!)
• Monetary value: 4/5 (Yes, it is somewhat overpriced but that's pretty much what you pay for "fine dining" restaurants. Personally, I am happy to pay that again for the food I had. Money doesn't compare when your taste buds are having an orgasm).

If we had a car, I'd be making very regular trips to Via Italia! 

Pay them a visit if you are heading to the Sunshine Coast anytime soon!

Via Italia

Shop 13 Peninsula Apartments | Mooloolaba Esplanade,

Queensland, Australia

(P): 07 5477 7343 

(W): http://www.viaitalia.com.au/

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Queen Bean Espresso Review

It has been a hectic three weeks of training (who knew travel consultants had such intensive training programs!) at Flight Centre's head office in Brisbane. 

I must admit that I am a bloody lazy person by nature and prepping lunch is not my forte (I also do not like having sandwiches every single day for lunch; I enjoy variety). Thank heavens, that there is a well-situated cafe on the ground floor of the building! 

I like how the chairs have the honeycomb design and the honey coloured walls portray the actual name of the cafe! Somewhat themed.

Everyday, they have different lunch specials advertised on their tiny chalkboard out front. I remember the first time I went there for lunch about a couple a weeks ago for their $8.50AUD Bacon & Eggs Special, which came with a free small cup of coffee (of your choice). Normally, as a special, I was half expecting a small portion of bacon and eggs, but I was wrong! It was quite a generous portion of bacon and two eggs (cooked to your liking, although scrambled was probably extra), and four slices of toast. 

So, in following days, where I couldn't be fucked walking anywhere else for lunch, I either ordered the special or items from their display fridge.

As a heads-up, I did not take any photos of the Bacon & Egg dish :( Many apologies!

Chicken Parmigiana with fries and salad (Lunch special: $12.00 AUD)

Smoked Salmon & Dill Potato Cake 

Choice of 2 salads: Pesto Pasta & Sesame Soba with Chicken

Creamy Carbonara (Lunch special: $10.50 AUD)

This cafe does have a relatively nice ambience, often packed during rush hours (morning coffees and lunch time). However, standard of food, it is relatively normal - not bad, but not great either. The only dish which I actually enjoyed immensely was the Smoked Salmon & Dill Potato cake, WITH the requested Hollandaise sauce. 

Queen Bean definitely does appeal to those working in the same building as it is really convenient. With the relaxed, casual atmosphere and friendly staff, it is not a surprise that it is packed during the peak hours. 

Though I do like Queen Bean, it is definitely not a place for great food. Price-wise, it is quite expensive for some of the food they are serving. Mind you, the salad mix and lunch specials are often alright, due to the quantity of food they serve.

Anyways, verdict time!

• Presentation: 2.5/5 (So-so, nothing out of the ordinary.)
• Taste: 3/5 (Mediocre not spectacular)
• Service: 4/5 (Relatively quick service and some nice/friendly staff)
• Monetary Value: 3.5/5 (To be honest, there were some that were alright like the Bacon & Egg special that came with a coffee for $8.50AUD and the salad combo, which I find worthwhile price vs size. Other dishes, personally I find to be quite pricey for the standard of food)

It is a cute little spot to check out though, if you're around that area!

Queen Bean

545 Queen Street | Brisbane, QLD 4000 

(P): 07 3831 3119

(W): http://queenbean.com.au/