Archive for July 2013

Home Archive for July 2013

Unearthing the d'Or of Culinary Excellence

For all the Brisbane foodies out there, I have some good news for you.

If you have space in your social calendar on August 25, why not join George Calombaris for a memorable night of culinary experiences at the Sofitel Brisbane Central, where the much loved celebrity chef will announce Australia's 2015 representative for the Bocuse d'Or.

Being one of the worlds most prestigious cooking competitions, Bocuse d'Or is often been referred to the culinary equivalent of the Olympic Games. The championship is named after the chef Paul Bocuse and the event takes place during two days in January in Lyon.

The upcoming gala dinner involves a decadent five-course menu to be prepared by chefs Patrice Falantin, Phillipe Mouchel, Alain Fabregues, Stephen Clarke and Pierrick Boyer who will kindly provide their time in support of the Australian Team. An auction will also be a feature at the dinner, where diners will have the opportunity to purchase a private dinner for ten people cooked by the winning candidate.

Foodies can now purchase single and group tickets at www.bocusedoraustralia.eventbrite.com.au. The bunnies note that all ticket proceeds will fund training, travel and coaching expenses for the crowned Australian candidate.

It promises to be a mesmerising culinary event for a worthy cause.

Moga Izkaya and Sushi | Shop 2/146 Baroona Road, ROSALIE QLD 4064

It's been a hectic week for me and I am so glad that I can finally get relax on the couch with the other travel bunnie and watch a match between Liverpool and Victory. As I sipped on the hot Japanese green tea, I suddenly remembered that I still haven't done my review post on Moga.

Moga is a fairly new Japanese izakaya style restaurant opened in Rosalie. We happened to be in the area last Tuesday night and decided to try it out.

The interior of Moga has the ability to make you believe that you are in a small eatery somewhere in Kyoto. We were told by the waitress that the kitchen was closed for renovation or modification and as a result, a la carte was unavailable. Our only options was to have their sushi train and a few grilled meat on skewers.

I'm a big lover for sushi and anything sashimi, but to be bluntly honest, the sushi at Moga were no better than what you can get from the Hanaichi Sushi Bar in the city. And to think that we paid $18 for two skewers of dry bland beef, I can't say that I was overly impressed.

I can only hope that their a la carte items are somewhat more appealing.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $82.10

Depo | 16 Horan Street, WEST END QLD 4101

We took a detour to Depo yesterday after an eventful day.

We were searching for some much needed caffeine to perk us up and we happened to find ourselves in West End. It was just after school hours and the cafe/eatery was occupied solely by mums with their little ones. We found a spot at the back of Depo, which I may add, is decorated with all sorts of knickknacks. Think nostalgia shop meets trendy hipsters. Coffee was, as one would expect, perfect. Good strength and extremely smooth texture. Unfortunately the kitchen had closed by the time we arrived there and the only food available was a croissant with jam.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $13.50

Isola Trattoria and Crudo Bar | New York City, USA

It was just before 7 in the morning when we arrived at the Mondrian SoHo. We had caught a red eye flight from San Francisco and with very little in our stomachs, it seemed like there was nowhere better for us to go to eat than Isola Trattoria, located right inside of the hotel.

I've always been skeptical about hotel restaurants, but I had no reservations in trying Isola Trattoria. I was lured in by its beautiful design as soon as I got to the door.

The delicious sounding dishes were accompanied by appropriately upscale prices. I thoroughly enjoyed eating my french brioche under the venue's sparking chandeliers and inside its heavenly heated walls. New York all of the sudden felt a lot warmer than I remembered when I got out of the cab.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $65 (exclusive of tips, and when the other travel bunnie gave the waiter a Benjamin, the waiter asked if change would be required. Hmmm...)

Isola Trattoria and Crudo Bar on Urbanspoon

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Mondrian SoHo | New York, USA

Our cab pulled up on Crosby Street just a little after the sun had risen, in front of a building hidden behind a passageway covered by fairy lights and crawling ivy. I gasped with excitement, Mondrian SoHo, a beautifully designed swanky boutique hotel that I'd been dreaming of so fondly. And finally, we arrived.

Inspired by Jean Cocteau's 1946 film “La Belle et la Bête”, I was charmed by the design of this hotel the moment when I set foot inside. Like most things at the Mondrian, our room was coloured in a palette of rich blue and snow white. As much as I loved the look of the room, the views from our room were even more incredible.

The decision is yours, shower in the marble bathroom with a view of the Chrysler Building, or sit on the lounge chair looking over to the Brooklyn Bridge, or perhaps both. And all of these options, are sixteen storeys above the roasted duck and dim sim restaurants in China Town and pizzerias of Little Italy. The hotel also offers Malin + Goetz bath products, an ultra plush bed and opening windows.

Mondrian SoHo, was my fairytale castle in the concrete jungle.

Bunnies' Travel Notes:

Bunnies' Room Number: 1603 – Deluxe King City View

Number of Rooms: 270

Swimming Pool: No

Check in at 3pm, check out at noon

Standard price: $450USD

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The Chelsea Bistro | 61 Petrie Terrace, BRISBANE QLD 4000

One sunny Sunday morning, both of us feeling rather lazy, the other travel bunnie and I headed to The Chelsea Bistro in The Barracks for brunch.

The Chelsea Bistro is one of those places where you could easily sit and chat for a long time while nomming on some good food. The dishes on offer are simple, but almost every dish has at least one element that you don't usually see on a menu.

On our recent visit, we had the BLT. Fried egg, smoked tomato relish and lemon mayo ($14.50) and savoury bread & butter pudding, dried tomato, prosciutto, pesto & smoked mozzarella ($18). Despite the long wait, both dishes tasted fantastic. I was extremely pleased with the BLT.

Expect contemporary cooking with fresh ingredients from this little slice of Chelsea in trendy Petrie Terrace, and get ready to be impressed.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $42.50