Eating: Drunken Admiral

Our visit to the Drunken Admiral was a last minute family dinner where an impromptu pre-wedding council was held over a seafood feast.

The interior of the Drunken Admiral is decked out in excessive quantities of pirate paraphernalia. Since we were all asian tourists we loved it, especially all the attention to detail. Many great family group selfies were had. The layout of the restaurant is a little cramped with all the decorations, but the atmosphere was great.

I’ve been obsessed with mussels since I’ve eaten them at Preserve Kitchen in Glen Iris (VIC). If cooked correctly they’re tender, chewy with so much flavour, but the sauce is always the best part. The Drunken Admiral’s Steamed Southern Mussels are a generous portion size with a delicious broth of white wine, tomato, garlic and shallots. Here’s a tip, anytime you see white wine and garlic in a mussel dish, bets are it’s probably pretty decent. The best part of this dish was soaking up all that broth with that bread.

The ocean trout salad was a hit with the parents. They loved the generous smoked trout that was mixed well throughout the rocket.

The sea salt and pink peppercorn squid was a hit with myself and The Better Half. It’s cooked perfectly, soft with a slight crunch from the crumb.

Yachtie’s seafood mixed grill, came out exceeding my expectations. I was expecting the fish skewers to be overdone, but it seemed like Yachtie (whoever they are) had pulled through and all the seafood was perfectly cooked with nothing overdone. Those tender scallops, firm prawns and that slightly flaking fish, all well charred on the grill.

For dessert we shared “The Whisperings of Tuscany” and “The Captain’s Tart”. These are respectively the lemon syrup cake served with limoncello mascarpone and vanilla custard, and the almond milk pannacotta served with blackberries and turkish fairy floss. Both were delish, but my favourite was the pannacotta. I’ll always have a sweet spot (hohoho, pardon the pun) for that silky refreshing dessert.

In conclusion:

If you’re visiting here, you must keep in mind that it’s catered for the tourist and therefore you must adopt a similar silly attitude of coming here to have fun. I cannot fault the food, as we ordered quite a quantity of dishes, but they all came within a reasonable time frame and cooked well.

The personal favourites were the steamed mussels and salt and pepper squid, but all other dishes were just as tasty. Service was a little slow, but taking into account the peak time we arrived and the full occupancy, what they lacked in promptness they made up for in friendliness.

Drunken Admiral

17 Hunter St

Hobart, Tasmania

03 6234 1903

Eating: The Westend Pumphouse, Hobart

Dinner at the Westend Pumphouse is a busy affair. The large, repurposed industrial space is now an open plan dining hall that is filled with the energy of bustling patrons, either dining or grabbing a post-work drink.

Service here on a weeknight was excellent, taking into account the busy turn out they hadn’t been expecting. We were one of those pleasant surprises. Hi, surprise! Can we have a table for four please? All delivered with a slight tone of pleading and food desperation, while maintaining my cool aura, of course.

We were quite keen on the lamb shoulder but were told that it would take about forty-five minutes to an hour for it to be done. The Lamb here is cooked fresh, because the people here are serious about their food. After being told this how could we leave Hobart without eating this? So we settled in to wait and filled our time with some choice sharing plates.

The night did not start out strong unfortunately. Our first plate consisting of duck rillettes and pickles, which was disappointing to be honest. The smoky smell and taste was there, but other than that there wasn’t much flavour to the meat. Not one of our favourite rillettes. I would have liked some more pickles to help balance the meat a little more.

The evening started to improve with the arrival of the charred octopus, dried olive, lemon and potato. The texture and flavour of the octopus was superb, with a slight chewy texture but still very tender. With each mouthful you really got all those smoky charred aromas and flavours.

The star show of the night was the lamb shoulder. When the lamb came out it justified it’s own waiting time, even with just the smell it wore like a cloak. That lamb shoulder had it’s own confidence. Listen to me wax lyrical over a lamb shoulder!

The lamb was tender to the very bone. The sinew and tendon gave no resistance when any pressure was placed on it, it allowed itself to be dominated into a buttery soft mess. A spice rub consisting of cumin had been applied to the surface of the lamb, which enhanced the meaty fatty flavour of lamb. There was a slight char and crisp to the outer layer of the lamb.

There was pure genius applied to the lemon zesty sauce that was probably a reduction of the meat juices with added pepper. The flavours of the zesty sauce, the spice rub, and the fat in the meat melded well into a harmonious mouthful that very quickly became several mouthfuls. The coleslaw itself had it’s own fair share of secrets, with a friendly pairing between the pumpkin seeds and barley.

I would love to come back Hobart, especially if it includes a visit to the Westend Pumphouse. Our portion of the lamb shoulder was generous on the night, and four grown adults couldn’t finish it. Be warned that there was a definite wait for the lamb, but armed with a glass or two of wine, the time does pass. Not that I’m saying you should get drunk while waiting for the lamb. That’s completely not what I’m saying at all.

The large open design with it’s exposed ceiling beams can lead to the noise level growing loud quite quickly. But it’s a place with great character and filled with a young crowd who probably don’t mind the noise at all.

In conclusion:

If you’re looking for a great place to chill and socialise at the end of a long day. If you’re looking for a place with great character and great food, then this is a good place to start. I would come back for the charred octopus and lamb shoulder if I had ample time. I’d still come back to try out all the other share plates and snacks. Be aware of the long-ish wait for the lamb to share, but the great vibe and cool people will distract you.

The Westend Pumphouse
105 Murray St
Hobart, Tasmania
03 6234 7339

Eating: Red Shallot

19/01/2015

One lazy night, when we felt like naughty food but our wallets were too slim, we dipped into the Entertainment book and decided on Red Shallot.

The interior is a little threadbare, with an attempt at a modern style. I noticed straight away a great example of design compromising functionality in the bowls they had set up with chopsticks threaded through, (please see above for example). I like things functional yet pretty so seeing this caused an eye twitch.

Since it had been a particularly long week at work, we both felt like being greedy, and decided on fried Basa fillet with coconut sauce to share, with one Pad Thai each.

The fish looked amazing, but was not as great as we had hoped. The Basa fillet had an excellent crunch but the flavour of the fish was spoiled by the overwhelming oil flavour from the batter on the outside. The quality of the fish was questionable as it felt mushy and undercooked right in the centre. It's like the consistency you would get if you didn't completely thaw out your fish before deep frying it. The coconut sauce was made of a generous amount of desiccated coconut, coconut milk and a few bits of chilli. The flavour was not one that improved with time, as the more you ate the more fatty it felt, without anything to help cut through the oil from the outside crumb.

Recently I've been preferring my vegetarian versions of my favourite noodles. Unfortunately this is one of the poorer versions of vegetarian Pad Thai I've experienced. The firm style tofu looked like it was meant to have a crunchy exterior but was gooey, and potentially undercooked. The Pad Thai sauce was tasty but was much too wet, making the noodles soggy.

My better half chose the seafood pad Thai, but half way through stopped eating the prawns. He described them as tasteless, and once again questionably undercooked. Do you notice the same pattern I noticed? Just to be clear we didn't experience any gastroenteritis after this dining experience, but I'm not one to place myself in a situation where there is the potential for illness.

In conclusion:

My one dinner experience at this restaurant was not one I would remember fondly. Other people seemed to have better experiences here, but based on my one night I wouldn't recommend this place to my friends or loved ones. The tastes here are average in the Basa fillet with coconut dish, and the two Pad Thai dishes. The quality of the food is questionable, as the texture is not one I would equate to food cooked to an acceptable eating standard.

Perhaps you might have a better experience here than I had, but it's not an experience I would personally repeat.

Red Shallots
680 Glen Huntly Rd 

Caulfield South, VIC 3162
Ph: 03 9528 4026

Eating: Beletti, Dandenong

24/10/14 
We decided on a whim to dine here once upon an early Saturday dinner. The restaurant is spacious and modern, but unfortunately due to our lack of a booking we were seated next to the entrance. Waiting staff were pleasant but service was a little slow, most likely due to our awkward seating location.

We started with the seafood skewers, served with cherry tomatoes and bocconcini cheese. The fish portions were well cooked, if that's the way you like your fish. I personally prefer it just done, not well done. The flavour was underwhelming, if there was more seasoning or a generous smattering of herbs it would have made it nicer. The prawns were the highlight for me, well seasoned with a good firm texture. The bocconcini did not belong on the dish, a different cheese would have given this dish more life. Overall, it gave the impression of a fresh light entree, which is perfectly fine in itself.

I wasn't too impressed with the Linguini di Mare. Maybe we ate on a night they just weren't performing well. The seafood was overcooked. Morton bay bug had the powdery texture, scallops rubbery. The pasta was overcooked and not the al dente I expect of most restaurants that offer anything pasta. The highlights of this dish was it's generous portion size, and the sauce. The sauce had strong hints of garlic, chilli, and parsley, but there just wasn't enough. The last few bites of linguini drenched in that sauce was delicious though.

We were similarly disappointed in the Beef Wellington. Once again the meat was under seasoned, and there was not enough sauce for the amount of pastry and meat. The pastry itself was thick, and got soggy very quickly. This offering was more like a beef parcel.

In conclusion:
Average Saturday night dinner. If you're in the area and looking for a place to eat food at and if you happen to also have the Entertainment book discount, then it's ok. There are other places who do this type of food in a better manner. Would not go out of my way to eat here. The best dish of the evening was the seafood skewer entree. 

Beletti
161 Lonsdale Street
Dandenong 3175
(03)9793 1600

Cooking: Japanese Curry with Rice

Japanese Curry

Golden Curry pack gravy

Date: 20/05/2014

The cold winter nights have started again in Melbourne, so tonight I wanted a belly warmer, and my tummy voted for curry.

Japanese curry is different to other curries like Indian, or Malaysian. It’s a thicker gravy with the spices having more a subtle peppery flavour. Don’t feel like you’re cheating by using the block of instant roux; from what I understand this is the method most households in Japan use. The recipe I used is pretty much what is recommended at the back of the packet. You should be able to find these Curry Roux sauces at most Asian groceries with a Japanese section. Even some larger supermarkets should stock them.

The method I use differs slightly from the directions on the packet. Despite it being really easy to make already, I wanted it to be done in Super fast time. So I use these cheats:

• cutting the carrots up slightly smaller than the potato cubes
• blanch root vegetables in the water intended to go into the final curry (keep the tasty vegie water!)
• slice meat into smaller pieces (if you buy the stewing kind, you will need to cook it longer to break it down

Despite buying the “Hot” pack, it wasn’t as spicy as I had expected but a few shakes of pepper added the extra edge I desired.

Freshly cooked rice is always a lovely accompaniment, conjuring up memories of home and mum’s cooking. But sometimes we just don’t have the time. I would love to say, that I always cook my fresh, but that would be a lie. For perfect rice every time, use a rice cooker. My confession is that tonight I partook of instant steamed rice. No way near as delicious, but edible and fast.
Let's go forth with the food!

Show those vegies who's boss, chop them up good.

 Give them some shock treatment. Blanch them out of their little lives.

Don't be afraid to use oil. Think of all those delicious flavours. 

Prepare yourself for some sautéing. Push those onions around. You're the boss here!

When onions are about 1/2 translucent, it's a good time as any to add your beef.

Put in celery in last, I like mine still crunchy.

Help all the ingredients get to know each other. Mr Beef, you'll get along well with Ms Carrot and Lady Potato.

Remember that water we blanched the vegies in? Hold onto it for this step!

Curry cubes, sealed for your pleasure.

We'll treat you well Mr. Roux cubes. 

See how it's slowly thickening? Wait a little longer and magical things will happen! 

At last the finale. Finish with a flourish of pepper.

Japanese Curry

Serving size: 4 (Despite pack stating 12 serves)

Ingredients:

- 2 medium sized potatoes

- 2 onions

- 2 carrots

- 4 stalks of Celery

- 4 tablespoons of cooking oil (either olive, canola, or vegetable, any is fine)
- 1 packet of Curry roux blocks (I used a "12 serves" pack size)

- pepper for seasoning to taste

- 5 to 6 cups of water (depending on how thick you want your curry sauce)

- 2 cups of rice

Process:

1. Prepare the rice first, wash it thoroughly and cook the rice according to the instructions. (Or use the microwave express rice bags.)

2. Prepare your vegetables and meat (on separate chopping boards! Do NOT cross contaminate). Chop carrots and potato into small chunks, about 1cm cubes. Celery chopped into smaller pieces, about 0.5cm by 1cm. Onions into small pieces, about 0.5cm by 1cm. Meat into strips of 2cm by 1cm.

4. Set water to boil, once it’s bubbling, blanch carrots first. Test one of the larger cubes between finger and thumb, until it is soft but not mushy. Once done remove with a large holed sieve. Repeat with the potatoes.

Tip: Depending on how fast you can cut, set the water to boil first, to coincide with you finishing up the chopping.

5. Heat oil into a different pot, large enough to accommodate all ingredients and stock comfortably. Stir fry onions until they go half translucent. Add beef and stir fry until half cooked. Add celery. Add the blanched carrots and potatoes.

6. Pour the previous water the vegetables were boiled in, into the pot and bring to the boil.

7. Once boiling, add roughly chopped cubes of curry roux. Stir until it melt and thickens. Simmer for 5 minutes.

8. Add pepper to taste and serve with white rice.