Restaurants

Here you will find local and global restaurants with lots of photos and mouth-watering descriptions. The thing about blogs is that we can include as many pictures as we like! Perfect for showcasing gorgeous dishes and enticing you to visit ASAP!

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Review: Bodean’s BBQ Smoke House Restaurant

Posted on February 21, 2008

[The Soho Special, Bodean's BBQ Smoke House Restaurant]

After a very busy morning shopping on Oxford Street, I thank my lucky stars I used to work in Central London, because I know exactly where the Soho locals go for a hearty feed. I slip off the main drag and into Poland Street where the best American style BBQ house is patiently waiting for me… behold, Bodean’s BBQ Smokehouse Restaurant. As I enter I notice the cute pig faced handle on the door, and I feel glad to be back.

I’m warning you, DO NOT go here if you are not absolutely starving (I think the picture above can clarify this). The portions are stupidly big, tasty and excellent value – if you like meat that is, lots and lots of meat.

On this visit, the Bear and I had our old favourite, The Soho Special. This is basically a massive soft white bun* filled with a mountain of slow cooked and shredded pork and beef (no, one type of meat is not enough!) mixed with barbeque sauce. It’s served with pickles and really crispy chips. The pickles are so good, I could even forgo the chips; they have a complex sweet and sour flavour that really compliments the meat. The Bear hates them, so I got his too. No complaints there.

Other than this delicious meal, I can whole heartedly recommend the ‘Pig out for a Tenner’ meal. I found it impossible to finish. But the guys that I went with last time had no troubles at all. For £10 you get 1/2 rack of spare ribs along with 200 grams of pulled pork served with coleslaw and fries and the choice of a house beer or soft drink. The coleslaw for me had a bit too much mayonnaise, but the ribs are fantastic, they have lots of meat on them and are really juicy and flavoursome.

The only downside is the blaring TV in the corner playing American Football. It’s loud and sporty and not my cup of tea. Oh, did I mention they have unlimited drink refills? Oh yes, as much Coca Cola as you can drink! Heaven for a sugar sensitive gal like me and reminiscent of trips to Pizza Hut when I was younger where the drink and dessert bar refills were disgracefully abused. Those were the days.

Bodean’s BBQ Smoke House Restaurant
10 Poland Street
London, W1F 8PZ
Ph: 020 7287 7575

*Now, you know I hate white bread. I think it’s the devil and never ever eat it if I have the option for wholemeal. But in this case, it’s the whole experience of hardening your arteries with all that meat, potato and fat that I may as well go the whole hog with some extra white bread. Besides, it’s my sacrifice for you, my dear reader. I’ll do anything to provide you with good content. Even eat white bread (very occasionally).

The best falafels in Sydney

Posted on January 23, 2008

It’s a big call, I know. But these are without a doubt the best falafels in all of Sydney. Perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and nutty on the inside – almost as good as my late grandmother’s, bless her soul.

The lovely people at La Roche Restaurant in Lakemba won’t part with their recipe (I don’t blame them!) so here is a recipe from one of my favourite websites Epicurious to tide you over. Or better still, take a trip to Lakemba, you won’t regret it (their address is under the recipe).

If you think you know a better place for falafel, or somewhere just as good, leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you and then we can all know a back up place to go!

Happy eating, Christie

Falafel
makes 6 main course servings

1 1/4 cups dried chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
About 6 cups vegetable oil

Soak chickpeas in cold water to cover by 2 inches in a bowl at room temperature at least 12 hours. Drain well in a colander.

Purée chickpeas with all remaining ingredients except oil in a food processor until as smooth as possible, about 2 minutes. Spread purée in a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan and let dry, uncovered, 1 hour.

Scoop 2 tablespoons of purée onto a long sheet of wax paper, then press and pat with your fingers into a 2-inch-wide patty. (Pressing the purée will help the patty hold together when frying.) Make a small hole in center of patty with tip of your pinkie finger (to help cook evenly). Make more patties in same manner, arranging them in 1 layer on wax paper.

Heat about 1 inch oil in a large heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) until a cooking thermometer registers 170C. Working in batches of 4, gently drop patties into hot oil, then fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 170C between batches. Serve falafel warm or at room temperature.

Original recipe from Epicurious can be found here.

La Roche Lebanese Restaurant & Takeaway
Shop 5, 61-67 Haldon Street, Lakemba NSW 2195
Ph: 9759 9257

Review: Fishy Fishy, Lennox Head

Posted on December 29, 2007

If you’re ever travelling along the northern NSW coastline, you must stop into a lovely little town called, Lennox Head. Here you’ll find a great fish and chip shop where the staff are friendly and the locals flock to. It’s a fishmonger, restaurant and takeaway, which means all the produce is as fresh as can be and top notch quality. The menu comprises all the usual suspects, cooked with skill, as well as a good range of other delicacies such as marinated skewered prawns, fresh scallops and local mahi mahi.

The floor to ceiling windows allow us to soak up the fantastic view while waiting for our meals. We sit on high chairs that lean against a long bench overlooking the main street and the beautiful beach. In no time at all, our warm salad of chilli salt squid and fish and chips arrive with a smile and we dive in.

The chilli salt squid is fantastic. The coating is nice and thin and has a good chilli hit without over powering the squid, which is perfectly tender. The accompanying salad is a clever combination of salad leaves, tomatoes, sweet potato crisps, feta and pickled ginger (I am so jealous I didn’t think of pickled ginger in a seafood salad, it is absolutely delicious).

The chips here are just the way I love them, crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. The fish, however, is the star – the batter is crunchy and well seasoned and the fish is so fresh and moist that I want to eat another piece (but luckily restrain myself).

I’ll be back Fishy Fishy, see you for my next beach holiday.