Leo's Feast

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEO!

2012-02-14T14:26:00.000+11:00

Yes, thats right. It's my tenth birthday. I'm swelling with pride from you saying happy birthday into your computer screen. For my birthday (so far) I got a BRAND NEW BIKE (!!!!!!) a replica of a HARRY POTTER WAND (!!!!!!!!) and a book from my amazingly great brother Jed*. And to top it off my dad flew back from the Berlin Film Festival (yes thats right, halfway across the globe) for it AND I'm going to Billy Kwong for dinner tonight. And you might want to come back here because I'm pretty sure I'll write about Billy Kwong.

Pinetrees Lodge - Lagoon Road, Paradise

2012-01-16T13:10:00.000+11:00

In case you're wondering, no Pinetrees is not in a place CALLED paradise. It's in a place called Lord Howe Island which IS paradise. It is hard to believe that this place, with crystal clear waters, turtles that swim up to you and amazing wildlife is only an hour and half's flight from Sydney. In fact, it's VERY hard to believe. Now, to start, I would like to thank the owners, Dani, Luke, Jim and Rachael - the chefs, Paul, Mike, Adam and Josh and everyone else who worked there: the waiters/waitresses, the office ladies and men and the the chef's daughter, Madelaine who often worked at the bar and who I became good friends with. So now, I've talked about beauty, the lovely people, the location, what have I forgotten? Ah yes, the food. Here I go:

Pinetrees is great for relaxation, friendly people and great food. On the first day we arrived the lunch menu was a BBQ. There was beautiful Lord Howe Island Kingfish, Sausages, Chops and scrumptious garlic prawns. That night for dinner I had Thai Spiced Pumpkin Soup which was rich and creamy and the Lemon Scented Roast Chicken which was VERY juicy and tender. Now, I'm not going to post about everything I ate there but what I'm about to write about is the Fish Fry. If you go to Pinetrees for more than a week you can not miss the Fish Fry, which is on every Monday night. It starts of with the soup of the day. Then you can go and help yourself to some of the delicious sushi and sushimi that is made from the freshest of fish. After that you go and get fish and chips which is made right before your eyes.

Most great spots at Lord Howe have wood fire BBQ's. And so, because of that every morning someone from Pinetrees comes around and asks you what you are going to do for the day. You either stay at Pinetrees, have a BBQ or get them to pack sandwiches. Personally, if you want to go out, I think BBQ's are the best option because they pack delicious fish, chops, sausages, rissoles, salad and everything else you can think of. While dad cooked lunch, I went to swim with the turtle that swam up to me. I know, a completely normal thing to do.

I ADORE Lord Howe because of it's ocean, sealife, wildlife, flora and fauna and because of it's great places to stay (but none are as good as Pinetrees)...

Christmas Day

2011-12-27T10:50:00.000+11:00

When I think of Christmas I think of family, excitement, presents, FOOD, joy, FOOD, happiness, presents and then more food. And food, food and more food is exactly what I got on Christmas Day. It started off with crackers, homemade gravlax and my Grandma's DELICIOUS dill mayonaise. The sweet and saltiness of the gravlax went really well with the deliciously interesting flavour of the dill.
After that we were served with Prawns with crushed fennel seeds, garlic, salt, pepper and a dash of white wine. They were spicy, sweet, salty, strong, fishy and AMAZING (if you put all those words together you'd understand that it was quite a dish)... We also had heirloom tomatoes from the Everleigh Markets (post to come) with buffalo mozzarella and then fresh oysters.

Now for the best bit of Christmas, the mains...
My mum had been cooking away at the stove for the past few days to make sure our Christmas mains was perfect. And let me tell you, it WAS! We had orange glazed ham with my grandmas absolutely delicious Potato Salad and Rice and Mango Salad. The ham tasted like it had been cooked by angels. It was tangy with hints of star anise and vanilla which made it slightly sweet which went well with the mustardy, salty flavours. We also had duck from Chinatown which had tender, juicy meat.

And now I have to wrap my post up because I need to be somewhere, but before I go it's a requirement that i tell you about dessert...
My mum made a trifle. Yep, but it wasn't any ordinary trifle. It was a LEMONGRASS RASPBERRY TRIFLE. It was so good that not even I can describe it. THANK YOU NIGELLA LAWSON FOR THE GREAT RECIPE!!! :)

And then before everyone left we finished off with homemade mince tarts. We'd shaken them, refrigerated them, made our own pastry to put on them. And you know what? I think they turned out really well.

Back to Bourke St

2011-12-13T12:02:00.000+11:00

Today I went back to Bourke St Bakery, Surry Hills. I had a Choc - Raspberry Muffin. It had a beautiful blend of the sweet and sourness of the raspberry and the creaminess of the chocolate.

Ms G's

2011-12-10T09:18:00.001+11:00

As you walk in to the restaurant that used to be the Arthur's Nightclub you instantly get the feel of a warm, friendly vibe. The staff are all smiling and the eaters seem to be enjoying themselves a lot. Once you sit down and look at the menu you are instantly bewildered by the crazy and delicious sounding dishes. Everything is so different from each other, but they go together really well. Also, all the cutlery, crockery and even the chairs were different. Anyway, I've rambled on enough so now for the good part, the FOOD (so good every letter needs a capital)....

To start we got the Mini bánh mì or crisp pork belly which is like a Vietnamese hamburger, but with roasted pork belly and spring onions. All the flavours came bursting out at once and I never wanted it to stop.

Then we got the Buddha's Delight salad which had a sort of thin jelly noodle with seaweed extract in it. It was the most unusual thing I've ever had but one of the yummiest.

Another salad we had was the Salad of Grilled Calamari with Roasted Pork Belly and Bacon Chlli Jam which had flavours that are indescribable.

Now, for mains. Dun dun duuunnnn...

What I chose to order was Nigel's Famous Wok Fried Lamb Noodles which I think was a REALLY good choice (even if I say so my self). It had so much flavour and such a great aroma that my mouth is watering as I sit here, writing this.

The other main we got was Jow's Sweet and Sour Lamb Ribs. It had the greatness of ribs, but a sour touch to it which made it FANTASTIC. It was wholesome, flavoursome, and every other some in the world.

And now, for the most creative and flavoursome part... the Desserts............

We chose all the unusual ones, so basically all of them. There was the Blood orange ice cream & granite, crushed Oreo’s and mascarpone mousse which my brother loved so much that he wouldn't let anyone else try, there was “Breakfast” crunchy cereal, sticky rice, burnt honey ice cream, mango & cranberries which was like breakfast for dessert (we should have that every day) and then, last but most definitely not least, the “Stoner’s Delight 2.0” doughnut ice cream, peanut butter, raspberry jam,candied bacon, potato chips, mars bar slice and banana fritterwhich was, well... look at the name of it and you'll get what I mean.

I love this restaurant, not only because of it's delicious, weird and wacky food, but also because of it's great location, friendly staff, buckets instead of sinks and great vibe.

America: The Rest

2011-12-04T06:24:00.001+11:00

I know I said that I'd do the rest of my America blogging some weeks ago but life and other food got in the way. Anyway the first night we went to Sushi Roku which had some of the best sushi ever. I'd usually say a bit more but I was SO tired that night I couldn't concentrate that much. The next night we went to Hillstone's Ribs which had the most sweetest, most tender ribs that you couldn't describe them in a sentence. And the servings were SO huge that even my mum and dad wanted to get the kids size (after they'd seen the regular size)... The next night we went to a restaurant which was right under our hotel room. It was called Buddha's Belly and it was amazing. It was a completely vegetarian restaurant and it had GREAT stir fried veggies, tofu and noodles. The next day we went to see one of my mums old friends and we patted his pet Iguana, Shane and had a ride on his Harley Davidson, you know, completely normal stuff. Then we went to see another of my mums old friends and she took us to Mexican (El Pollo Loco - The Crazy Chicken) which had GREAT Mexican food. The next night we went to Pizza Antica which had rich creamy sauces and GREAT pizza. Unfortunately, the next day was the end to our trip and my LA food journey. We went over to see one of dad's friends, Luke and he took us to a classic American diner called Fred 62 which had waitresses in fish - net stockings and a little bit of extra milkshake in case the serving they gave you wasn't enough. Well that was the end and it was short but it was great. We got a VIP tour of Paramount Studios, 11 hours at Disneyland and good food. So it was a good holiday.

Messina Gelato

2011-11-19T07:49:00.001+11:00

After A Tavola we went to Messina Gelato which apparently is considered one of the best gelato places in Sydney. They had the most weird creations with ice - cream, chocolate and candy in the window and the most delicious gelato. My dad's gelato came at the end because the server needed to go and get the ice - cream that had just been made.

PS. Click here to see my A Tavola review.

A Tavola

2011-11-19T07:18:00.001+11:00

Now, I know I said that I'd write about America on yesterday's post but last night I went to A Tavola in Darlinghurst a place I have been dying to go to so I have to write about it now. As we walk down Victoria Street (or Darlinghurst Road as my mum calls it) we see many different restaurants including Una's Hungarian and The Victoria Room. Now, A Tavola. We walk in and sit at the long marble table. The menu is all written on a blackboard up on the wall in Italian so the waiter/waitress translates for you. The selections weren't endless (which often is a good thing) but the selections did make your tummy rumble louder and your mouth water even more. Anyway, now THE FOOD!!! For entrees we got Burrata con Uva which was a mozzarella - y like cheese. It was smooth and milky. It came with a salad of grapes, tarragon, eschallot, and grilled ciabatta. We also got mozzarella and basil salad and mushroom and pea salad. They were all as yummy as they sound (or maybe even yummier. It depends on how good you think they sound)... For mains we got Pappadelle con Ragu di Vitello which had hand made, home made pasta with some rich braised veal. It was the best home made, hand made pasta ever. And the veal melted in your mouth. We also got the Rigatoni with house made bolognase which was very nice but not as good as my mums (said my brother. According to him nothing is as good as Mum's. PS. Mum's is really good). And now... last but not least the Braised Pork Neck with Prunes, Apple and celeriac which I didn't have (I was hogging the Pappadelle) but it looked REALLY good.

PS. You can look at the gelato place that we had dessert at in my next post. Click here to view.

FOOD IN AMERICA!!!!!

2011-11-18T07:16:00.001+11:00

As you may or probably won't know I've been in LA! Waffles, ribs, hamburgers, fries, shakes... You name it, they've got it and a lot of it! The servings there are abnormally HUGE! I was staying in sunny Santa Monica and there were SO many places to eat in the Santa Monica streets and in the Santa Monica open mall. One of our first finds was Le Pain Quotidien. It was SO good that we ended up eating there 5 other times (which is saying something since we were there for only 7 days)! I am very happy because there is another Le Pain branch in Westfield, Bondi Junction! Anyway, we also found a great Frozen Yoghurt (so good it deserves capitials) called Pinkberry. There were so many crazy selections of ice - cream and toppings that no one knew quite what to get - we had to get everything that tickled our peach! Next door to our hotel there was a real American breakfast place called Jinky's where we had breakfast before going to Disneyland (more about that later) they had the most delicious waffles EVER! That's the first (breakfast bit) keep checking over the weekend for the rest...

Fruit Salad

2011-11-10T08:17:00.001+11:00

My breakfast this morning (pictured above) was yoghurt with banana, mango, blueberries, orange and a dash of maple syrup. It was all different textures and colours and it was really yum!

Nina's Ploy Thai

2011-11-01T10:36:00.001+11:00

Nina's is one of my favourite places to go for a Sunday night dinner. I've been going here all my life with my family and my favourites are the Paw Paw Salad, Masaman Beef Curry, Drunk noodles and new discovery, the Honey Pork (or Chicken). Nina (the owner) is a lovely person and whenever we go she gives me and my brother a Thai kiss and hug. I reviewed a long time ago, so to see that review click here.

Paw Paw Salad (you can get this with or without chilli)

Me in front of the sign

Cooling down some Honey Pork!

Drunk Noodles (again with or without chilli)

Masaman Beef (Spicy!)

Vacanza Pizzeria

2011-10-25T14:35:00.001+11:00

Here is my short review of Vacanza in Charing Cross. This is the first of many short posts about food.

This is by far the best pizza in Randwick area. You can hardly see it but that doesn't stop it being great. On the menu it has some good Italian choices. A great salad is the Insalata Pere and Bresola which is tasty and they have picked the perfect flavours to go with each other. For pizza you can get Brandi Bufalina Margherita which is more than any old Margherita ! Another good one is the Presidente. I've also tried the Roma Baked Lasagne and the Gnocchi.

Samoa

2011-10-18T17:42:00.000+11:00

Hey guys,

Recently I've been to Samoa. Instead of doing the regular write-a-long-post-with-a-few-pictures-drill, I am going to have photos with a description of each one. Here goes:

View, oh beautiful view... (This photo was taken at Litia Sini Beach Resort, Lalomanu Beach, Upolu, Samoa)

Husking the coconut

Making the coconut cream

Cutting a coconut open to drink

The lit Umu (the traditional Samoan way of cooking)

Weaving the plates

Taro

Getting the Umu ready

The beautiful result (the meal was: coconut cream wrapped in Taro leaves, roast Taro and Breadfruit, Mackerel and Coconut soup and Corned Beef)

I need to explain something: the reason I went to Samoa was because my dad is distributing the first ever fully Samoan language film. Here's me, my brother, my dad and his business partner, Andrew at the premiere of the film, O Le Tulafale (The Orator).

Because of the film, us and some other cast and crew of the film were invited to the Head of State's house for lunch. In the photo there's the Head of State (and my Dad!!).

And here's my plate! It was delicious!

There's a pig under the table (that's not at the Head of State's House)!!

This is the menu board of the last place we stayed at. It was called Savaii Lagoon Resort and we loved it. In their cooking all the produce they used was local and fresh.

Well, that's my Samoa adventure and those photos weren't even half of it...

Leo

PS. I've worked out something new to do on my blog. At the end of each week I will post talking about my culinary adventures in that week.

Billy Kwong (with photos)

2011-09-08T10:21:00.000+10:00

Well, this is a place that I have been DYING to go to. We got there early so we were first in the queue. We had time to look at the sign on the window: makepovertyhistory.org. But, don't let the queue put you off. It's worth the wait! We were shown to our table and when I looked at the menu it was like a dream come true. There was Peking Pork Pancakes, Crispy Skin Duck with Organic Orange Sauce, Chicken Livers (!), Prawn Wontons, Vegetable Wontons and for dessert we had Poached Organic Pears with Organic Sour Cream, Crushed Brittle and Dark Chocolate on a little side plate. Well let me tell you everything was INDESCRIBABLE!!! But, now I come to think of it that is a describing word so I can describe it! Here we go: the Peking Pork Pancakes were juicy, crunchy and a little bit spicy. The Crispy Skin Duck (forgive me for repeating it) crunchy, flavoursome and delicious. The wontons were well, wontony (please say that that's a word. If it is it means the best dumplings IN THE WORLD!!!). Billy Kwong is great, not just because of the food but because of the clean, organic atmosphere that you get when you walk in. When I was going home I said that it was the best restaurant I'd ever been to. And I wasn't just saying that. I meant it!!

PS. The photos are coming soon...

Silo Bakery

2011-07-27T13:56:00.002+10:00

Location: Canberra

Well, this is the end to our Canberra adventure and let me tell you, a Silo breakfast is a great way to end it off. Walk in and find two long rooms (the Cheese Room separating them). The glass cabinet right next to the counter displays numerous pastries, tarts and breads. They looked delectable and it was a shame it was breakfast time. We went past the cheese room (which we bought delicious cheeses from) and sat down on the long bench. The menu had everything from Museli to Toast to Breakfast Pastries to Truffle Scrambled Eggs. Well let me tell you there was a lot more delicious things which made it even more hard to choose from. I ended up having Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Bread and Roasted Tomatoes which were flavourful and delectable. My mum had the Scrambled Eggs with Truffle, my brother had Homemade Bread with Locally Made Jam and my dad had Fresh Fruit with Muesli and Homemade Yoghurt.

Italian & Sons...

2011-07-27T12:35:00.002+10:00

Italian & Sons has all the typicals – and yes, typicals is a word (at least I think it is) - of a fancy one hat restaurant. Waiters waiting to hang your coat at the door after coming out of the freezing Canberra air, a huge bar, escorts to take you to your table and candlelight dinners for two but behind all that there is a nice, friendly, homely vibe. I mean who wouldn’t like a huge chalkboard wall that all the staff wrote notes on and wood for the oven stacked under it? Anyway, I’ve rambled on enough, lets get on with the food.
Now before you do anything else you need to order the Focaccia Bread and get A LOT because it was VERY moreish. The bread is always fresh out of the woodfire oven. I ordered Beef Cheek with celeriac puree that just melted in your mouth. My brother ordered the Potato, rosemary, fiore di capra and truffle oil pizza and let me tell you – that wasn’t just a pizza. My mum and dad both ordered House – Made Pasta with Lamb Ragu which was fresh and well – delicious.
Then the desserts came out. The gelato plate was indescribable and the
Flourless Amedei chocolate torte with orange and pistachio gelato was gone in seconds. Literally seconds!

Check it out!

2011-07-12T12:36:00.004+10:00

If you absolutely LOVED me on the Today Show and you want to see it again or if you missed me on the Today Show and you're absolutely BUSTING to see it here is the link:

Click here (tis' linked)

La Dolce Vita

2011-07-12T12:15:00.003+10:00

A few days ago I went to Canberra. We explored a few sites (eg. Parliament House, Questacon, The War Memorial) but what we explored most was restaurants. So, on the first night we to local Kingston and we ate at La Dolce Vita. When we walked we saw people enjoying their food which varied from homemade Gnocchi and Ravioli to Fresh Woodfired Pizza. We were seated just near the kitchen and the woodfired Pizza oven. I ordered Ravioli with Ricotta and Spinach with a Cream and Bacon Sauce which was rich and lovely. My Mum and Dad ordered the same except theirs was with a tomato sauce. My brother ordered the Margarita Pizza and he said that it was delicious (that's what he said, I didn't try any).

East Timor: The Rest Of It

2011-07-06T12:38:00.003+10:00

I know, I've done too many posts on this subject but I just want to sum it up. Later that week we went to Hotel Esplanada for my aunt's 40th birthday drinks where she had invited all of her old Timor friends. There were lots of nibbles, drinks and by the looks of it really nice rooms. The next night we went to Ocean View which had mixed food including Fried Rice, Noodles and Fresh Seafood. That weekend we went to Atauro the island just off Dili. There we stayed at Trisan House. They were a lovely Timorese family and we had an authentic Timorese experience. Then we moved to Barry's which had lovely accommodation and amazing food.

The next weekend we went to Maubissi and had lunch at the Passada. It was really nice.

Sadly, the next week we had to leave and our journey had come to an end. Luckily, we got a few hours in Darwin. Read THIS post about where to go...

Thanks...

2011-06-26T15:16:00.002+10:00

Hey Everyone,

I would first like to thank Channel Nine for all their generous support. Some names include Elizabeth Grant (segment producer), Alex Thornton (a producer who greeted us and showed us round) and of course the hosts Leila McKinnon and Cameron Williams. I would also like to thank all the Mamak staff for their patience and support. If you want a waitress ask for Ji Yan. She was the waitress you saw on TV!

What A Day

2011-06-26T13:19:00.002+10:00

What a day it has been! I've been over to Channel Nine in Willoughby and then we visited our friends for pancakes down the road! I've gotten SO many comments and lots of them have said "Where is the restaurant?" and "What is it called?". Well, to save sending out loads of comments here are the answers. The restaurant is Mamak and it is at 15 Golburn St, Haymarket.

Hope that answers your questions.

Channel Nine

2011-06-25T08:34:00.001+10:00

The LAST post about this I PROMISE. Tune in Sunday at 9:15 for the interview.

I'm out...

The Change

2011-06-18T06:50:00.003+10:00

Hey Guys,

There is a slight change in plans. I'm going to be on the Today Show Sunday the 26th because this week they are going to follow me around to restaurants. Same time just the following Sunday.

East Timor: The Food: Part Two

2011-06-17T11:41:00.005+10:00

The second day we were there it was my aunts birthday (that was one of the reasons that we came).
That morning we drove to the complete other side of the island and climbed the Jesus statue. While climbing up we noticed that there were the 14 stages of the cross. Did I mention that there were HUNDREDS of stairs?

Well, after that we went round to the Caz Bar which is a restaurant on the beach. The water was right in front, the feeling was relaxed and we met some people who could speak some English. And listen to how mouthwatering this sounds...

I got NUTELLA PANCAKES WITH CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER!! Life was SO great. Everyone got some delicious pancake or omelet.

They also had DELICIOUS drinks. I had Papaya and Lime, Passionfruit Lime Crush and my baby cousin was tucking into a Banana Passion and a Coconut!

East Timor: The Food: Part One

2011-06-16T17:35:00.004+10:00

Ok. Some might say that I've avoided doing the numerous posts about Timor, but, I figured as I'm going to be on the Today Show (don't forget to tune in to Channel Nine on Sunday at 07:43am) I may as well get my butt on the chair and start writing.
So after I was picked up I was delivered to this Filipino restaurant that was my Filipino Uncle's aunt's restaurant.
We arrived looking at a table that was COVERED in food. There was Rice, Fish, Pork, Vegies, Soup, Chicken Curry and Various Sauces. It even made my baby cousin smile and she's VERY particular (and fat).
I just HAD to have everything. The fish was juicy, the pork was tender, the vegies were fresh, the soup was sweet and sour, the curry was spicy and the sauces went with it perfectly.
At the end of finishing this feast they brought out CREME CARAMEL and SHAVED ICE WITH ICE CREAM, JELLY AND A SLAB OF CREME CARAMEL.
Creme Caramel is a traditional Filipino dish so they made it PERFECTLY. It was creamy and sweet, just the way it should be. And don't get me started about the Shaved Ice with Ice Cream, Jelly and Creme Caramel.

I Can't Believe It

2011-06-15T13:49:00.004+10:00

OK. guys here is some HUGE news.
***SPOILER ALERT***
***SPOILER ALERT***
***SPOILER ALERT***
On Sunday the 19th of June I'm going on the Channel Nine 'Today Show'. There's going to be a Q&A with ME!!

So don't forget to tune in to the Today Show Sunday around at 07:43am. No eariler or later. Get your digital clocks set!

Darwin - Where To Go

2011-06-01T15:37:00.005+10:00

As you know I've just been in East Timor. And you also know that you have to spend time in Darwin before getting to East Timor, so what is there to do?
I'm glad you asked. As I don't live in Darwin I don't know that many restaurants but the restaurants that I do know are Hanaman and Saffron Indian Restaurant. They are both GREAT!
But the best place to go to in Darwin for food are the Parap and Rapid Creek Markets. The Parap Markets are best for food (savoury and sweet) while the Rapid Creek Markets are best for snacks (all though now I come to think about it there is a huge place out the back that has delicious food). Some of the food includes: PawPaw Salad, Satay, Banana Fritters, Coconut Cream and so much more.

Please don't pressure me, I will write those posts on East Timor but now I gotta go bake for the school's Cake Stall tomorrow.

Leo

Quite Some Experience!

2011-05-22T20:46:00.002+10:00

As of my previous post I've been in East Timor. It is quite some experience! And I don't mean that in a bad way. There will be reviews later but now here is a brief story of what has happened. We arrived in Dili and went to our house. My Uncle Gener's (pronounced Hen-air) picked us up and showed us to our house which was like a palace and then took us to his auntie's Filipino restaurant which was amazing (I did want to do a review of it with photos but this is the resorts computer). We have been to a restaurant called the Caz Bar with amazing pancakes and have tried good and bad restaurants. Another place I wanted to mention was Waterfront Restaurant which had AMAZING food.

On Saturday we (the family) traveled to Atauro which is island just out of Dili. We stayed at an Authentic Timorese Villa and then we moved to another lovely place.

Well that's basically all that's happened,

Leo

What's Been Going On And What's Going To Happen...

2011-05-17T19:17:00.002+10:00

Hey Guys,

Let me explain something.

You may have noticed (probably) that I haven't posted for around 2 months. Yes, I know and I'm ashamed of myself. But the thing is I've got a lot of other things on my hands. I've got school, homework and all my lessons. And so if I don't post quite regularly you now know why.

Now to tell you things that have been happening. I haven't been to many new places but there is a place that I've never told you about before. It's Natraj Indian Diner on Macpherson St, Bronte. It's saved my mum a lot of nights cooking!

Now what's happening now.

I'm going to East Timor for 10 days. Here's why:

My aunty used to live in East Timor. She has since moved to Darwin and had a gorgeous baby. Her friend wants to do a house swap with her and as it's her 40th birthday we thought it was a once in a lifetime experience.

So, here I am spending a night in Darwin before Timor typing this.

Pics and words to come about Timor - Leste.

Leo

THANKYOU!!!!!

2011-04-22T19:33:00.001+10:00

Hola People On The Earth And Beyond!
I was just looking at my stats and realised that I have had OVER 3000 VIEWS! THANKYOU SO MUCH.
Ciao,
Leo

Leo's Feast In The Beast

2011-04-15T12:28:00.003+10:00

I called James from The Beast (the awesome FREE magazine in the Eastern Suburbs) and guess what? I'm going to be in The Beast!!!!!! I am so pumped. So check out the June edition of The Beast and look for the Q&A with ME!!!!

Some more Adriano Zumbo???

2011-04-14T12:57:00.004+10:00

I know that I've already done a post on Adriano Zumbo. But way back then I'd hardly been to Adriano Zumbo. So now I have and I can say LOTS of things have changed! First of all he has opened 2 more shops. One in Manly and another one in Rozelle, just up the road from his other one. And the food has improved. I can get the Passionfruit Tart, the Chocolate Croissant and the whole range of Macarons. Plus more. And more. And more. OK I'll stop now. Basically there is so much it's really hard to choose. When I go to the Rozelle one (The Lab) I always have to stare at the kitchen. You don't know how my mouth waters. I really want to go in there.

Il Grapollo

2011-04-14T10:46:00.004+10:00

So after the boat we went and had dinner at a place that I have never been to in Balmain. It turns it was a beautiful Italian restaurant. We arrived and were shown to our table. I was dazzled by the looks and the people enjoying their food.
I ordered the lucious Mushroom Risotto which was deliciously delicious.
My Grandma ordered Scallops Wrapped In Pancetta.
My Grandpa had Tagliatelle With Ragu
And my brother and my Grandpa's friend had an Italian Meat Pizza.
For dessert we had:
Tiramasu (I didn't try it)
My brother had Chocolate Gelato
And I had a delicious Semifreddo with Nougat

Honey Soy Chicken On The Sea

2011-04-14T10:05:00.002+10:00

I am so lucky. I've got my own website, my own computer, an iPod Touch and grandparents who have a boat! And the boat is where I went. It's holidays and I knew I was going on the boat. You don't know how excited I was! Of course the food was very important so the night before I was dreaming about the type of food we might have. Maybe something Asian, maybe a BBQ. Hmm....
When I arrived I was basically still dreaming. I REALLY wanted to cook. So I decided that I'd ask my Grandma (so important I spelt it with a capital) if I could cook Honey Soy Chicken. And she is such a great grandma that she said yes. So here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
Chicken (whatever parts)
Soy Sauce (however much you think will cover the chicken)
Honey (enough to make the Soy Sauce sweeter and thicker)
Garlic (optional)

Method:
1. Put the chicken in a container.
2. Pour the Honey and Soy Sauce over the chicken.
3. Shake up all the ingredients.
4. Barbecue* your chicken!

It was SO yummy (even if I say so myself)!

*You can also cook the chicken but I can't give you direct information about that

The update on Leo's Feast

2011-04-09T08:04:00.002+10:00

Hey guys,
I can't believe it. I'm on holidays ALREADY! I'm really excited because it means a WHOLE LOT of new restaurants to review. I'm psyched! I'm going to lots of new restaurants like A Tavola in Darlinghurst and House in Surry Hills. Of course, I HAVE to visit all my old favourites because I don't know what I'd do without them. Reviews for all my new restaurants hopefully will be ready in a couple of weeks.
And now...
***SPOILER ALERT***
***SPOILER ALERT***
***SPOILER ALERT***
My new website is coming out SOON. Yes, that's all I'm giving you! He He!

Mount Tomah (AGAIN!!)

2011-03-16T09:25:00.007+11:00

As we were ending our Hour and Three Quarter Drive we stopped at Bilpin at the Apple Bar. Here's a little quote i wrote about it:
'On The Bells Line Of Road in Bilpin, Blue Mountains lies the Apple Bar. Restaurant, Bar, Meeting Place. It serves all kinds of foods including delicious Pizzas, Salads and Daily Specials. They use only local produce including fresh Bilpin apples and even produce from our friends farm!'
We had a lovely lunch there with Greg and Paul (who own the farm) and our other friends Carla and Gulsum.
When we arrived at the farm it was as beautiful as ever. And it was really a record because it wasn't misty!
At the farm they have a berry house, a herb garden, chickens, ducks... You name it, they've got it! That night Mum and Paul roasted a beautiful chicken and we had it with roasted tomatoes, salad from their garden and pearl couscous salad.
The next morning Gulsum, my brother and I cooked a scrumptious Turkish breakfast. Here are some pics:

They were REALLY yummy!

Well that's all for now,
Leo

Comments

2011-03-13T13:09:00.001+11:00

I have decided that I am going to answer comments that you have sent me starting from the Cafe Sydney post.

Cafe Sydney

2011-02-19T07:01:00.004+11:00

As you saw before I went to Cafe Sydney for my special birthday lunch. Now, Cafe Sydney isn't any normal restaurant. Oh, No. It is one of the snazziest, nicest place in the history of snazzy, nice places. Cafe Sydney is on the top of Customs House Building. Enter the lift select the 5th floor and you're away! When the glass lift doors open you look out on to a lovely drinking area. Your waiter takes you to your table that is most likely (if you requested it) looking out on to the harbour.

Of course I need to tell you about the food........

For entree I had the Prawns with Mayonaise. Others had oysters. It would take up my whole life trying to describe how delicious the seafood was I think I'll start later...

Our delicious main courses came out. This included:

Double Cooked Pork Belly, that melted in your mouth.
Salt and Pepper Squid, spicy but delectable

aaaand....

A seafood platter, perfect just for 2

Birthday Birthday Birthday AGAIN!

2011-02-19T06:56:00.002+11:00

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! It's my birthday! One of THE BEST birthdays ever in the history of GREAT birthdays. So now you may be thinking:

It's his birthday, he probably got some good presents.

No, I got THE BEST presents!

First of all I went to Cafe Sydney with a friend (review coming later).

Then my birthday came!

I got an iPod Touch and a Dell computer (not forgetting the tennis skills thingy)!

Cafe Sydney

2011-02-06T14:37:00.000+11:00

I'm STILL AT Cafe Sydney... Well i'm at the libary underneath. Still counts. Keep checking the website for a review.

Friends Gathering

2011-01-06T10:57:00.004+11:00

Friends gathering together - such a lovely idea. Well I have to say my family has lots of them. For example on New Years Day some friends came over and we had a lovely time together in the pool and eating. The party started when everybody jumped in the pool. Every kid (there were 7 kids plus a baby) was splashing about and refusing to get out (as it was such a hot day). The adults (and eventually some of the kids) were eating 'Befores' as my family calls them. Those 'Befores' included: fresh prawns, cheese, crackers and quince paste. Dinner came and we enjoyed: Sausages, Chops, Potato Salad, Leaf Salad and to finish off a Pavlova. That was followed by After Dinner Mints - apparently they are hard to find.

Merry Christmas!!

2011-01-05T16:34:00.003+11:00

I know it's a little late to be blogging on the 'Christmas' subject but I have been having a little break over December to get my thoughts back. Something new: I have created a Tumblr blog which will keep you updated on my personal life. You can venture to that site by clicking here: leosmind.tumblr.com. Now; every second year my Dad's family gets together for a HUGE Christmas lunch. I mean HUGE!! There is everything you can think of - from Ham to Turkey to Sausages to Potato Salad to Vietnamese Salad to Christmas Pudding to Butterscotch Shape to Custard. Before I get started on how yummy the food was let me get started by saying a few words of thanks to the people who took up their time making this DELICIOUS food for 58 people (!). Now - my favourite bit: the food!!!!! All through the morning my lovely aunt Sue with helpers due to the roster cleverly created by my cousin Emily. Lunch time eventually came at 3:00! When I walked into the buffet I felt my mouth water. I sat down and my mouth was filled with flavours. The ham was tender and juicy - the turkey accompanied by beautiful stuffing and salads with beautiful colours and flavours. The dessert was as rich and as nice as Main Course.
When the lunch madness finished and everything was a bit more calmed down I hosted what I hoped was a perfect Christmas Concert. The acts were lovely.
Well now Christmas is over and we have birthdays and holidays and Easter to look forward to.
Over the break I have been thinking about my plan for a new and easier website. Hopefully it will be ready late February - early March.
***UPDATE***
It's Not!
Just one more thing - I promise; Sharon Quill runs a website for Sydney Mum's. Check it out: sydneymum.wordpress.com

Food at the mansion

2010-11-12T15:45:00.005+11:00

Chefs at Bali: The Mansion

The chef at our friend's house was a lovely person, not to mention a great cook. If I entered the kitchen when she was cooking she always asked me if i wanted a cooking lesson. I said no because i knew that i was going to do a big cooking lesson with her. Now i must talk about the cooking lesson. We set off to the Morning Markets at about 8am. When we arrived there was the smell of fresh herbs and food. As we walked through the market i was introduced to lots of new foods and vegetables, like Snakefruit.
When we got home we started COOKING! We cooked a traditional Balinese dish with things like Jackfruit curry, Rendang, Crispy Sweet Tempe and Fish skewered on lemongrass.

I have to say thank you to Helfy (the chef) for such lovely food and cooking course.

The things about the mansion in Bali that are clearly in my mind

2010-11-12T10:03:00.007+11:00

Bali: A wonderful place to go to for the beaches, the sun, the relaxing but most of all: the food.
Well guess where I've just been: Bali! It was amazing, I could rave on about it for hours! There were so many places, so much food that I will have to do quite a few posts about it.
First things first, we went to stay with an old friend of my Dad's who lives in Bali and owns a restaurant La Luciola (pronounced Luchila). He was the most incredible and generous host. We were picked up from our hotel and were brought to a MANSION!! We had to drive past pig sty's, duck farms, chook farms... When we walked through the beautiful Balinese doors we saw an entrance pool with concrete stepping stones through the middle. We were greeted with warm smiles from the 14 staff (!) and looking out onto the infinity pool which looks likes it connected to the sea. Then we were asked to sit down and enjoy a beautiful Tuna Salad. It was indescribable!
For dessert (there was dessert for every lunch and dinner!) we had a Lime Curd Tart with Poached Tamarillo.
In the mornings, as I walked town the Spiral Stairway, I was greeted by a breakfast menu. You may think that is crazy, but to me it's not!! There was another great thing that the staff made and that was Granitas which are a frozen fruit ice drink.

Interesting Idea

2010-11-12T10:00:00.001+11:00

Here's an interesting idea if you are a teacher:
For homework say to your students: For homework I want you to cook something!

What HAVE I been doing??

2010-09-11T12:24:00.002+10:00

Hey guys,

I am REALLY sorry about not posting. Time flies by doesn't it??

This is whats been happening in the past few weeks:
I've still been enjoying my old favourite restaurants and I have also been to LOTS of new ones to review once my next project towards the website is finished.

I've been in Tournament of Minds and that went very well but we didn't win anything.

And I have also had a speech to write. I won the speech competition in Kindy.

Charlotte Cafe

2010-07-07T13:13:00.002+10:00

127 Rowntree St Balmain
NSW 2041 Australia

This cafe is tucked away into the heart of Balmain. The service is friendly so you can feel welcome. They used to be open for dinner but now they've stopped :( but don't that let that spoil it. When it was open for dinner i had a Spaghetti Bolganese which was truly wonderful. They make very good coffee's (i've heard because i at 8 years old don't drink coffee :). If you go there for lunch i would recommend the lamb wrap or the Tomato and avacado on toast. Now, don't go off thinking that there isn't anything else yummy, it's just i haven't had the time to try everything!!

Baked Beans

2010-07-07T11:57:00.001+10:00

Alot of you have been asking me for my mum's Baked Beans recipe. Well, here it is:

Quick Baked Beans - I change this every time I make it according to what I have in the cupboard, don't worry if you don't have some of the ingredients, you could easily make it without paprika or oregano. Play around with it and see how you go...It's yum with eggs for breaky or on toast for a Sunday night dinner. Leo even likes to take it cold and have it for school lunches!

Chopped bacon or chorizo (optional)
2 x can tomatoes
garlic
fresh oregano
2 cans cannellini beans or butter beans, drained and rinsed
dash worsteshire sauce
sweet paprika
brown sugar
maple syrup
salt & pepper

If you want to cook it with meatt fry up chopped bacon or chorizo in sausepan.
Add paprika and oregano.
Add tomato cans
Add chopped garlic clove, worsteshire sauce and a dessert spoon of brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
Allow to bubble and reduce a little.
Add beans and heat through.
Taste and adjust seasoning. When you take of heat add a dash of maple syrup to taste.
Yum!!!!

Recipes

2010-07-07T11:24:00.002+10:00

Lots of you, the viewers have been asking me when can you put more reicpes on the website. Don't fret, because i am going to start putting my most favourite recipes on the website.

I hope you will enjoy my recipes,

Leo

La Locanda

2010-06-28T18:07:00.007+10:00

65B Macpherson Street
BRONTE NSW 2024
(02) 9389 3666

What a wonderful little restaurant!! I went there with my brother, dad, grandma and grandpa. As you walk in you feel like you are in another world. A big picture is on the wall which makes you more interested as you walk in. Also, there is the choice to sit outside so if it is a warm summer night you are lucky. On the other wall there is a big board which lists all of the food and drinks you can order. When i sat down at my seat, as lots of the menu is written in Italian a waitress came over and translated all the delicious sounding food to us. We decided we would all share an entree and then get our own main course. All of us decided that we would share a Pork Belly. The pork was very tender, and all the flavours came bursting out. The hard part was choosing the main course. I finally chose the Parpadelle with duck ragu, along with my brother and dad We all agreed that it was a highlight. My grandma ordered stuffed calamari that she found really yummy and my grandpa ordered beef cheek that melted in your mouth. There are desserts but we decided that no matter how delicous they sounded we had to go home.

Din Tai Fung

2010-06-07T12:20:00.006+10:00

Picture 5
Picture 4
Picture 3
Picture 2
Picture 1
World Square Shopping Centre
Level 1, Shop 11.04, 644 George St
Sydney NSW 2000

Din Tai Fung's specialty is making Taiwanese dumplings. One of their quotes is 'The worlds tastiest dumpling'. In my opinion the dumplings are the tastiest in the world. It is in a weird place, World Square in the middle of the city. As you wait outside for a table of how many people you are eating with you can watch the chefs making all the delicious food. As you walk in through the sliding doors you realize, even though you haven't tasted the food yet how good it is because everyone is enjoying the food so much. The drink that i get is the Mint-Lychee drink which, surprisingly is a lovely blend. I like to get Noodles with meat and broad beans (picture 1), Steamed pork buns (picture 2), Soup dumplings that are Steamed Pork Dumplings on the menu don't be fooled into thinking that they come in a bowl of soup (picture 3), Shrimp and Pork Dumpling (picture 4) and last but not least, Steamed vegetable and fish dumpling (picture 5).
I've never tried any dessert dumplings but, it doesn't stop YOU for trying them!!

PS. Vinegar goes REALLY well with all dumplings
PPS. If you make a hole in the Pork Buns and pour soy sauce into them they will taste better

The Riverview Hotel Dining Room

2010-06-07T10:41:00.004+10:00

29 Birchgrove Road,
Balmain, NSW 2041
Ph: 02 9810 1151

The dining room of this lovely hotel is pretty nice. I recommend getting a small entree to share and then to get a main course just for you. It is not really a restaurant for kids, maybe from mature 8 year olds up. As you walk in downstairs you will see people enjoying nibbles from upstairs, live bands performing and people having the times of their lives. When you walk upstairs the atmosphere changes ALOT!! The music you can hear faintly and the tables are all lit by candles. Against the walls there are wooden benches with leather cushions on them. When i went it was Sunday so i decided to get a Sunday Roast which included a beautiful roast lamb, Cauliflower cheese, mint sauce and some roast veggies. The desserts were all delicious. So, if you are stuck in the area of Balmain with no food or you are at the pub downstairs maybe pop in and have something to eat.

Choc Chip Cookies video

2010-05-15T20:03:00.002+10:00

This is my first video post. Hope you like it:)

Ngaire's Cooking Class

2010-05-13T17:56:00.010+10:00

I was quite surprised when Ngaire picked my name out of a hat for a free cooking class. No matter how suprised i was that couldn't stop me getting excited. There were A MILLION things i had wanted to learn from a REAL CHEF!! But stop there Leo!! I could only choose about 2 things. Oh no :(. But my choices were good. There couldn't have been anything better. I chose how to make THE WORLDS BEST Chocolate Mudcake ever and how to ice pistachio and cardamom cakes (to see recipes go to Ngaire's blog cook2koto.blogspot.com.) The mudcakes i shared with friends that night were so delicious and when you bit into them the most wonderful flavours came out. The other cakes we iced with piped butter cream, smoothed butter cream or edible plasticine (!) that was flavourless, but it added wonderful effect. So i guess thats the end, and so just remember if you want a cooking course (or honest and reliable pet and house sitting or both) email Ngaire on ngairebooth@hotmail.com or simply leave a comment on her website cook2koto.blogspot.com .

Ngaire's Blog

2010-04-18T09:12:00.005+10:00

Hey everyone,

Just a little update: Ngaire has pulled my name out of a hat for a free cooking class. She has a blog and loves cooking, face painting and fundraising. I am a proud supporter of her and she is going to Hanoi in November to do a little cooking and helps the kids there. So please check her website out: cook2koto.blogspot.com I'm a chef who teaches cookery, a fulltime student at UNSW (BA/BEd), a facepainter, a fundraiser...in November I go to Hanoi to volunteer for 3 months teaching cookery. This blog is the journey...please join me... - Ngaire. I will tell you about this miraculous sounding class later with photos....

Cucina Italiana

2010-04-14T11:03:00.004+10:00

84 Johnston St,
Annandale 2038
Sydney
Australia

This, to the people who are wondering, is not a restaurant. It is a cooking course!! A lovely one though. The lady who runs it is called Luciana Samponga and she grew up in Italy, not even dreaming that she would run a lovely and sucessful business. Australia is such a nice country i just love it!! - Luciana Samponga. She has just distributed her first cookbook and it goes from the little baby to the Big Girl. At the cooking course we made Tuscan Anipasti - borlotti bean and olive antipasto, La Sfoglia - Pasta from scratch, Tortelli di Zucca - Pumpkin sauce for raviolli, Casunziei Ampezzani - which is beetroot filling for raviolli, Scallopine with herbs and Semifreddo Al Caffe - Coffee Semifreddo. Thank you Luciana!!

PS. Here is the link to the website: www.cucinaitaliana.com.au

Adriano Zumbo

2010-04-06T12:40:00.005+10:00

Whenever i go to Adriano Zumbo I am at my Grandma and Grandpa's place. I just LOVE it. It's store is a bit like Bourke Street Bakery: it looks like a small cupboard!! From the sweet to the savoury it is so delicious. I remember that the first time i went was when i turned 7 (last year). I was over at my Grandma and Grandpa's and they had bought 1 little passionfruit brulee/tart and 1 exactly the same but bigger. I have developed a large love to the shop ever since. As i am addicted to everything there (the macaroons would be at the top of the list) i just couldn't say my favourite. You will know where it is even it does look like a cupboard because the queues are going everywhere. So if you are ever feeling bored on Darling St please do me a favour and pop into Adriano Zumbo!!

Lindt Cafe

2010-04-06T10:31:00.004+10:00

53 Martin Place
(Cnr Phillip Street),
Sydney

Whenever i go to the Lindt Cafe it is after i go to a Apple Mac youth workshop. It is always a big treat. There is everything to do with chocolate in there. It is AMAZING!! When i go there i have the HOT CHOCOLATE!! I have never seen Hot Chocolate come in that way. It all comes separately. The foamy milk comes in one jug, the chocolate sauce comes in another and the marshmallows... well on second thoughts, i don't think there were any marshmallows!! I've only ever had the croissant with chocolate dipping sauce but friends i know have had the Chocolate milkshake, chicken sandwich, chocolate brownie and the salmon sandwich. So whenever you're waiting for the train at Martin Place or you've just got off it i do recommend (if you have got the time) to drop into the Lindt Cafe!!

Taste Festival

2010-03-18T15:37:00.003+11:00

Hi everyone!! Sorry i'm a little late updating: I was just home from school and I couldn't do anything on an empty stomach (who could??) Luckily, my grandma had brought some delicious pastries from Adriano Zumbo's YUM!!

Sunday 14th March:

I went to the Taste Festival of Sydney................

When i arrived in Centennial Park at the Taste Festival this is what I ate:

From Danks St Depot i had some delicious looking (not to mention tasting) Beef Ribs smoked in watermelon. (My Mum adored it!!) Then i went looking for Longrain. I had Yellow Curry of Byron Bay Berkshire Pork with pickled mustard greens. That was probably my favourite. I had a delicious Beef Cheek Pie from Bird Cow Fish. I had Wagu beef that melted in my mouth from Guillame at Bennalong. Aria was rich and delicious with their Smoked Trout and cucumber salad. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand.........
To finish off with it was back to Dank St for Saucy tart with chocolate mousse with liquid raspberry centre.

China Doll

2010-02-22T17:15:00.004+11:00

Shop 4,6 Cowper Wharf Rd

Woolloomooloo NSW Australia 2011

Tel. 02 9380 6744

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Leo, happy birthday to me!! Finally, Finally it was my 8th birthday!! From the moment i woke up to the moment I got to China Doll i was excited. My mum, brother, grandma, grandpa and my friend Martin all came. We ordered the most excellent choice of food. We were so hungry we had to order Chilli Salt Squid before everyone arrived!! We got Kurobuta Pork & Peanut San Choy Bau and Prawn Pork & Shiitake Wontons w Chinese Black Vinegar to start. Followed by BBQ Hoi Sin Chicken w Coconut Coriander & Lime, Free Range Thirlmere Duck Pancakes w Hoi Sin Cucumber & Shallots and Penang Curry of Braised Wagyu Beef Shin. I just loved everything but the things that stood out most were the San Choy Bau and the Duck Pancakes.

FOOD FOOD FOOD

2010-02-08T18:22:00.010+11:00

Stuffed capsicum/Dolma

My Plate!!

What decorative homous!!

The host/chef with all the food that she made

Thats one big sweet Middle Eastern Pie!!

On new years day i went with my aunty, uncle, mum, dad, grandma, grandpa and brother to Armenian cousins house for lunch. Well it didn't really end up as lunch. It ended up as BREAKFAST LUNCH AND DINNER ALL IN ONE there was so much food!! The desserts were never ending, they said "OK now i have got just one more dessert to come out". The food was too amazing to be true!! Thank you Stella for your hard work.

WOW WOW WOW!!

2010-01-19T11:12:00.011+11:00

In my holidays i went to Sean Moran's (Sean's Panorama) old farm as my Mums two friends bought it late last year. It is in "Mount Tomah", Blue Mountains NSW. Even though it was raining from the moment we arrived to the moment we left it was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! The names of the people who owned it were Greg and Paul. For lunch we had delicious prawns with noodles and salad. All the salad was from the garden of the farm. After that we had a tour of the garden. They had everything from plums to raspberries, from watercress to rocket. They even had something called chocolate mint that i had never even heard of until then!! It really even does taste like chocolate!! On the way up we stopped to buy some ducklings. They were the most beautiful things that could be seen. When we got to the farm it looked like we were in a dream. We saw gardens full of fruit, veges, chickens and who knows what other beautiful things!!

Longrain

2009-12-18T14:24:00.004+11:00

85 Commonwealth St Surry Hills NSW Australia 2010 +61 2 9280 2888

On Wednesday the 16th of December I went to Longrain for a graduation from school dinner. My cousin
came too as she was graduating from uni and has been babysitting my brother and i when she was there. (Lets hope she'll keep babysitting us now shes a lawyer!!) I finished school that day and there was a end of class party at the beach. We had to rush home to get ready and catch the bus. When we arrived it looked huge and EXPENSIVE!! There were tables that were long and shiny and everyone looked like they were enjoying their meals. We sat down at our own part of the shared table and now the fun part - ordering!! I was shocked at how delicious the food looked on the menu. I felt like i could taste the food already. We ordered Betel leaf topped with prawn peanuts roasted coconut & ginger. It was definitely something new!! It was spicy, sweet, sour and crunchy all at the same time so it made a very new taste. It was so amazing!! We had caramelised pork hock, which as always was delicious.(This is a good one for kids who don't really like lots of chilli). We had Braised Beef cheek, which just melted in your mouth and we had Eggnet with pork prawn peanuts bean sprouts
& sweet vinegar that was delicious and the actual net was a really new thing. The desserts i could just rave on and on about. The Coconut Caramel custard with grilled banana I can't find the words to describe it it was so good. The Durian Pancakes with Passionfruit ice - cream was just DELICIOUS!!

So happy holidays and i hope you go to Longrain to dinner sometime during them!!

Happy Birthday!!

2009-11-30T13:50:00.006+11:00

Saturday was my Mum's birthday. We all had a lovely day that included cookbooks to read (my mum's present) breakfast in bed, a swim in the ocean, and going to Sean's Panorama* for dinner. When we arrived we were early so we sat down on a bench. On the beach there were police horses and the police were trying to get the horses into the surf!!! We finally arrived after more waiting. It was delicious. I had Crispy skin duck leg for main course, we all shared stuffed zucchini flower and marron seafood cocktail for entree, and for dessert we shared chocolate moose and mango ice cream and granita. We sang for Mum in the restaurant and made her blush.'

*270 Campbell Pde Bondi Beach 2026 NSW Australia +612 9365 4925

What have i been doing?

2009-11-15T06:16:00.001+11:00

The weather forecasters say it is going to be boiling for the rest of the week and for once i believe them! It has been really hot! We've just got solar heating installed in our pool which is lucky and it has also extended our swimming time. A few nights ago our family friends (from my dad's side) came to stay the night and they had a little boy called Arlen and he was gorgeous! He loved water and he just needed a bubble on his back and he was off! His mum had just had a little baby boy (7 weeks old) and he was gorgeous too. Off to food now! On Saturday we had my 2ND cousin, my grandma, and the family friends kids grandma plus the family that stayed the night for lunch. Of course there were hugs an kisses and chocolates all around and finally everyone sat down and had a chat. But that was when the first course came out! There was crackers, cheese and quince paste and prawns and roasted capsicum with labne and pine nuts you name it! But it didn't stop there. For lunch we had smoked ocean trout, salad and bread but for dessert we had CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA WITH RASPBERRIES AND BERRIE SYRUP! But sometimes it is time to say good bye and after lunch and a swim and a little bit more of a chat that time was one of them.

Well goodbye for now!

Van's Bondi Junction Vietnamese Cuisine

2009-11-11T12:10:00.000+11:00

96 Bronte Rd, Bondi Junction NSW 2022

(02) 9369 1828‎

This hole in the wall is tiny. If you didn't have a friend who knew about it you would miss out on alot! It has the most delicious food but because i don't have a menu i can't tell you about the food. Sorry :(it will be up soon. I have only been there once because i just came across this restaurant but i can assure you you it is great. One of the staff has a young girl and does fantastically at service! I will need to go there again to get more information but now i need to get some work done!

Bourke Street Bakery

2009-10-29T07:18:00.001+11:00

633 Bourke St
Surry Hills 2010 NSW
Phone: (02) 9699 1011

I go to Bourke St Bakery because my Dad works just up the street. He goes there every day for his coffee and when I am working there in the holidays I take the office order and go and get the coffees and treats. From the outside it looks like a fairly big cupboard with lots of people queuing to see what's inside. When you get inside it looks quite old fashioned but when you get to the counter you feel like you want to smash your hand through the glass counter and eat all the amazing food.
When I am working I usually get a hot chocolate and a delicious chocolate tart or a pear tart. If I am there for lunch I usually order a thin crust slice of Margarita pizza with ginger beer. They also do great salads, fantastic sandwiches and they are famous for their DELICIOUS sausage rolls and pies.

So remember, If you ever have to pass Bourke St look out for Bourke St Bakery!
PS. If you see a tall, grey headed man it might be my dad!

Uyen Vietnamese Restaurant

2009-10-29T07:11:00.002+11:00

27 Albion Street, Waverley 2024

Tel: 9389 5660

This little family restaurant brings out DELICIOUS food! The photos on the wall and the flower on every table is so lovely and welcoming. There is a toy box for kids and you should LOVE the owners! The owners are a friendly family and have two kids in high school. Out of them comes some really delicious food. The rice paper rolls are always a good starter. They have pork, prawn, noodle and herbs and a wonderful dipping sauce. You can have the sauce with or without chilli. Also you can it without pork or prawn. Add the softshell crab and vermicelli pork and it will make a lovely dinner for four. One more thing, the soft shell crab is a special (it's not on the menu) and so you need to ask if they have it.

Jimbaran

2009-10-29T07:09:00.001+11:00

Indonesian

129 Avoca Street, Randwick 2031

Ph: 9398 8555 Fax: 9399 7775

Jimbaran is a small hole in the wall but if you look out for it you will see it. It has delicious food and the Chicken Satay is a great hit. Add the Nasi Goreng and the Morning Glory and it will make a perfect meal for four. For dessert there is a selection of things but I would recommend the Ice Cream. The Mango and Chocolate Ice Cream are covered in Chocolate. But last but not least sit out in the courtyard because then you will have the feel that your in Bali!!

Enjoy,

The Leo's Feast Team!

Mamak

2009-10-29T07:08:00.001+11:00

Malaysian
15 Goulburn St, Haymarket, Sydney
T: (02) 9211 1668
F: (02) 9211 1669
No reservations

Mamak is a hole in the wall in Chinatown. It gets very busy and you have to queue. So that’s why I recommend to get there early. It is child friendly but for some meals you can order without chilli. A good dinner is to roti’s, a chicken curry , fried rice, lamb and chicken sate, kan-kun and for dessert either a banana roti or a sugar coated cone roti. Roti is a bread with flour, condensed milk, and an egg. Men make it at the front and kids can go and go and watch. Roti goes with everything! I love mamak and I hope you do too!!

Ninas Ploy Thai

2009-10-28T16:26:00.001+11:00

'a lovely place to go to on a sunday night that you don't have any food in the house'

Corner Wairoa Ave & Warners Ave

Bondi Beach 2026

Telephone: 9365 1118

Ninas Ploy Thai has a lovely dinner for a night when you don't want to cook. Nina is a lovely Thai lady and with herself and her staff you will feel welcome. When my brother and I go there Nina gives us a special Thai hug and a kiss! She loves kids! Now for dinner. There is drunk noodles, which is flat rice noodles with vegies, chicken and lots more. It does come with chilli and you can order it without. To go with that there is paw paw salad (we usually get two, one with chilli and one without chilli) and massaman beef curry. The soups are really nice and I can't list all of them! I love it and I hope you do too.

Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

2009-10-28T16:23:00.001+11:00

My cousin gave this yummy recipie to me! Thanks Jack! I went to a cooking class with a friend of mine today and this was one of the yummy things we cooked. Happy cooking!

185g Butter, melted
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour
Cheesecake
285g cream cheese, softened & chopped
4 1/2 tblsp caster sugar
2 eggs

Steps:
1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees. Place butter, sugar, cocoa, eggs and flour in bowl & mix well
2.Spoon into 20cm square slice tin
3. Process cheesecake ingredients in food processor until smooth
4. place large spoonfuls of cheesecake mixture on top of chocolate mixture & swirl w butter knife
5. Bake for 45-50 mins or until set, cool in tin & cut into slices

Chocolate Brownies

2009-10-28T16:18:00.001+11:00

Our favourite Chocolate Brownies - very easy! Thanks Nick!

125g butter

1 ½ cups castor sugar

3 eggs

1 tspn vanilla

½ cup cocoa

½ cup plain flour

Melt butter and sugar in a saucepan. Add eggs (lightly beaten with fork) and vanilla. Mix in cocoa, flour. Put into square tin lined with baking paper.

Optional – 1 cup walnuts added with flour.

Cook for 55 mins at 180 degrees

TOFFEE CRISPS

2009-10-28T16:16:00.001+11:00

This is great for afternoon tea. We served them recently at a family picnic down by the creek at Canowindra with the Beards, Little P's and Armah and they thought they were delicious! Thanks Nick (again)!

You will need:

90g butter

1 cup castor sugar

1/2 cup water

185g flaked almonds

125g dark chocolate

1.Cover oven trays with aliminium foil. Mark 5cm circles on foil, use scone cutter as a guide. Grease foil lightly with oil. Place almonds on separate tray, place into maderate oven for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Place sugar, water and butter into pan, stir over a low heat until sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Bring to boil, boil uncovered for 8 minutes or until mixture is dark golden brown.

2.Remove from heat immediatley, add almonds all at once, stir only to combine. Do not over-stir or mixture will become sugary.

3.Working quickly, place tablespoon-fuls of mixture onto circles, pressing out to edge of circles with back of a spoon. If mixture becomes too thick, return to heat for a few seconds.

4.Melt chopped chocolate in a saucepan or in the mircowave - allow to cool. Turn biscuits over and spread chocolate on the flat side.

Roso Pomodoro

2009-10-28T15:53:00.002+11:00

Italian
91/24 Buchanan Street
Balmain 2041
Tel: 9555 5124
www.rossopomodoro.com.au

Roso pomodoro is a hidden restaurant in the entrance to balmain. Roso pomodoro means "Red Tomato" in Italian. It is very child friendly and none of the meals have chilli! They do lovely salads and LOVELY pizzas! A lovely dinner is Roso Pomodoro salad, a Porchenie and procutio pizza, a margerita, a calzone and of course to finish off some GELATO!! Hope to see you there one day!

The Leo's Feast Team

Bacon and egg Fried Rice

2009-10-28T15:49:00.001+11:00

"I have cooked this for my family and they all loved it" Thanks Leo!

4 stalks chinese shallotts

2 eggs
2 cups of rice (cooked)
4 strips bacon
Method:

1. Fry chopped bacon until crispy and brown and then put in bowl
2. Keep heat on and add whisked egg
3. Add bacon again and add cooked rice
4. Serve with shallotts