Aubergine restaurant Griffith - 15 November 2017

 

 

Everyone was there except Megan who was down the Coast on a rock and fossil expedition.

 

Not many comments, but Ron said Yum.  The Friday morning group had a few more comments.  The main one was that we were not allowed to bring our own wine, but had to buy their really expensive wine (Clonakilla $400?  I don't think so).  Also more generally, food was nice but a bit fiddly and not really over the top.  Plus it was very noisy.

China Town, Weston 1 November 2017

 

 

Ron, Jim, Megan, John.

 

Andrew was tied up somewhere, Kim and Karen were not well.

 

We selected this restaurant at random at our previous coffee morning, while we were browsing google maps.  One of the reviews suggested that we ask for dishes not on the menu so we did that, and what a fabulous meal we had and what a find this little restaurant is.

 

Linda, the owner and chef came out and had a chat to us and then said leave it to her and proceeded to bring out some fabulous dishes one after the other.  She did ask us if we liked spicy and Ron said no, so none of the dishes were hot, but fabulous all the same.

 

First off was rock salt and pepper seafood, a fairly standard Asian dish but done to perfection.  Fresh seafood and absolutely to die for scallops, freshly fried, crisp with a light batter.  Best we've had for ages.

 

Then a chicken in black pepper sauce with potato, a recipe from Linda's grandmother in Laos.  Different, subtle, great pepper flavour with mushrooms and veges. 

 

The prawns in vermicelli and XO sauce was to die for.  Fabulous smokey flavour with pork mince, complex but simple at the same time.  Voted the favourite of the night.  And to finish we had seafood with ginger and broccoli in a light sauce.  A very subtle flavour also, but great with the ginger.

 

Linda's enthusiasm was infectious and was keen to get our feedback and praise.  She's been there for 35 years she said, and she seems to have a loyal following, most of the other people in the restaurant seemed to know her.  We'll definitely be back, next time to taste the duck with mushrooms and sprouts in oyster sauce.

 

She did say that she couldn't do a special menu for people on popular nights like Friday and Saturday nights though.

Regal Restaurant Belconnen 18 October 2017

Barbeque Nation Torrens - 4 October 2017

 

Jim, John, Karen and Ron.



Mix Platter – chicken tikka, seekh kebab, vegetable samosa, onion bhajee. Served with a green pesto like sauce and a red slightly sweet sauce. All were good.

 

Leg of lamb curry – sauce was nice, but lamb was very strongly flavoured.

Goan fish curry – fish was in nice big pieces, sauce was nice and a good texture, but was too salty.

Butter chicken – definitely the best to be found. 

Mango kulfi – really good. 

Gulab Jamun – nice and fluffy, not too sweet.

 

 

 

 

Chong Co Kingston on 20 September 2017

Attendees:  Kim, Jim, John and Andrew (scribe)

 

Entrée:     Crispy Crab Net Rolls.

Note:  Nice, but small, diminutive, ephemeral.  Lacked a strong taste.  Could not taste the crab, but could taste tarot.  Encased in a fine gauze like mesh

Mains

Kangaroo with Mixed Herbs Stir Fry

Note:  We ordered a toned down mild chilli heat version of this dish.  Which the staff graciously provided.  This dish is usually served with high chilli heat.    Lean thin cut tender moist slices of kangaroo meat which tasted beef like.  Slices of onions and vegetables.  Peppercorn clusters.  A moist stir fry.  Interesting and delicious

 

Crispy Soft Shell Crab

Note:   Sweet sauce.  Meaty crab pieces.  Very delicious

 

Beef Mussaman Curry

Note:  Great presentation. Sweet and delicious.  Flavour had soaked well into the meat.

Prik-Khing Moo Grob  (Crispy Pork Belly in Red Curry Paste)

Note: Spicy blachan like rich sauce.  Yummo

All the mains were good.  Good differentiated selection of mains.  No duds.  The attendees had no trouble in finishing all the mains.

 

 

Desserts:

Banana Fritters.

Note: Coconut shred encrusted banana pieces with a debatable hint of a toffee like coating.  Yummy.

Sticky Date Pudding

Note:  All pudding no date.  The pudding had a cake like texture..

Wine:   Provided by Jim.

Wood Park Reserve Zinfandel

Noise level of restaurant:  Noisy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China Tea House 6 September 2017

 

 

Jim, Karen, Kim, Ron, John, Megan

 

 

Duck pancakes: Very juicy pieces of shredded duck on a large thin pancake.  Okay, but the pancake tended to disintegrate fairly easily which made it a bit difficult to eat.

 

Tofu and Mushrooms: One of our favourites at this restaurant.  Beautiful flavour with a mix of mushrooms.  Ron was not in favour of ordering this one until he ate it, then was converted.

 

Slow cooked pork belly was the standout dish for the night, thin slices of pork in a sweetish sauce with a few chillies.

 

Sizzling prawns in Singapore sauce was a bit disappointing, it was too tomatoey and not much else in the flavour.

 

The Chicken with chilli and basil was fragrant, had a nice amount of chilli with a  lovely basil flavour.  It got a tick.

 

And the Seafood with Beijing sauce was only okay, it had an odd flavour and was not very special.

 

Overall, a good meal.  The restaurant was fairly crowded but not too noisy.  The car parking outside is a bit hectic, but the evening was finished off with a traditional visit to Goodberry's.