Tandoori Hut, Enmore NSW

I have walked Enmore Road many times but have never paid attention to this restaurant. I was with Nadia this weekend and she said she has been here more than couple of times and it was given good recommendations by her Sri Lankan and Indian friends.

 The shop was empty but then it was only 5.30 pm when we visited it. Nevertheless, the phone kept ringing which I guessed must be phone orders coming in for dinner-time delivery. 

Tandoori Chicken (half for AUD11) lives up to the restaurant's name. Perfectly seasoned and cooked. Served on a bed of charred onions. Literally sweetened the whole tandoori experience. 

Saffron rice (AUD2.5), Garlic naan (AUD2.5), Palak paneer (AUD14)

Tasty Indian food at reasonable price, a sure-place to go when the occasional crave creeps in. And a definite top choice for tandoori chicken!

@ThaiLand, Bankstown NSW

Sydneysiders are spoiled with the abundance of Thai restaurants mushrooming throughout the city and suburbs. The good news is, a significant number of them are certified halal. They mostly serve authentic delicious Thai food but @ThaiLand has changed my view on what good Thai food is ;)

The restaurant must have delivered consistently as the three friends that I was with today have all been here on separate occasions and were never disappointed with the choices of their dishes.  

There is a big halal logo on the shop signage but if you are looking for the certificate, make way to the end of the shop and scour through all the certs that they jumbled together on display.

Extensive menu and classy ambiance are perfect if you are entertaining guests. 

Service was quick, we did not have to wait long to order and be served. We decided to have steamed rice and several main dishes to share. Ready to drool? :D

Yum Nuah - grilled sliced beef with Thai salad and lemon juice dressing (AUD15.50)

Love the lemon zing in each bite of the juicy meat strips, not overpowering the grilled beef taste. 

Vegetable Tom Yum (AUD13.50)

This is one tom yum soup done right. A must-have for the tanginess it adds to the whole rice and dish combination. 

Chicken and Veges in Creamy Sweet Chilli Basil Sauce with Coconut Milk (AUD14.50)

The star dish of the day. It's really extraordinary how they cooked the coconut milk with a slight charred after-taste. I wouldn't mind sipping the broth as a soup at any given day :p  

Banana Sticky Rice with Vanilla Ice Cream (AUD7.50)

This ambitious dessert combines the warmth of the banana and red bean in sticky rice with the frosty vanilla ice cream and whipped cream on its side. Sadly, one big chunk of the rice was hardened and inedible. 

It is unfortunate that our feast has to end with the disagreeable dessert but uprightly, they are forgiven because the main dishes were all superb! I enjoyed each of the main dishes that we ordered. Just thinking about it again makes me salivate :D Overall, @ThaiLand simply tops the list in my book.

The three ladies who were responsible for the big love and praise in this post :D Thanks for the recommendation!

Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, Sydney CBD

The Taiwanese has done it again. First it was bubble tea. Now, they are bringing in another of their popular street snack to the rest of the world. Giant-sized deep-fried chicken cutlet.

Originally operating at Shilin night market in Taipei, Hot Star is at present an international franchise available throughout Australia including Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane.

Sticking to street stall format, there is no seating provided. Order and pay at the counter, wait for your number to be called and collect your order.

Hot Star Sydney CBD store across the road from World Square

Halal certification and logo are clearly displayed. (Well done on this part!)

Super Star Combo (AUD12.50) consists of Large Fried Chicken (original flavour as shown), a choice of one sides and a can of drink. This is one very filling meal. If you want to add other sides, the fried chicken is best shared ;) I chose this Chinese-written canned tea and it goes perfect with the oil-laden deep fried everything else here. 

The chicken breast is juicy inside and crispy on the outside. The coating has just the right amount of spices, salt and pepper.

Sara claimed that the drink is indeed a wintermelon tea. And because today is her birthday, I'm gonna trust her on this :p Happy birthday gal!

Fried Mushroom (AUD4.90 on its own) - I enjoyed this but I prefer the more flavorful fried oyster mushroom that I used to eat back in my hometown.

Curly Fries (AUD3.90) - It's good! Sara's regular order and her top recommendation :D

Chicken Bites (AUD6.50) - We chose the normal non-crispy and agreed that this is not our favourite.

3pcs Chicken Wings (AUD3.90) - If you don't eat spicy food, stick to the original flavour!

They are open 7 days a week from 11am to midnight. On Fridays and Saturdays they operate up to 2am (Operating hours are as displayed at the shop). So now you know where to find food if you have a late night out at Darling Harbour or around the CBD area.

If you are looking for something to satisfy your fried food craving, Hot Star is perfect for you. Would I come back here? Yes, for the 'wintermelon' tea and non-spicy chicken wings!

Update: I later found out that the drink is called Wong Lo Kat, a Chinese herbal tea. Give it a go!

George's Cafe, Burwood NSW

Hello readers, my gastronomical adventure with Nadia today brought us all the way to Burwood! 

George's Cafe is a halal Italian restaurant serving from focaccia and pasta to steak and ribs.

It looked dark and quiet from the outside when we reached there at 11am on a weekday. However towards lunchtime, a handful of customers came in throngs to this Cafe-called restaurant ;)

I ordered Boscaiola Bacon, Mushroom, Shallot with Creamy Sauce ($20.90) and Nadia went light with Potato Wedges with Sour Cream and Sweet Chilli ($13.40). My pasta was so good I could almost  finished the whole serving had I have a bigger tummy capacity :p It was very creamy and flavourful, everything was just to perfection. 

Service was fast (no other way as we were their first customer of the day!) and staff were attentive despite the vast size of the place. 

I would definitely come again to get my hands on their char grilled beef ribs with barbecue, onion and herb sauce next time around! 

El Jannah, Granville, NSW

I went all the way to Granville for lunch today with Smitha and Lin to try the local's fav, El Jannah. 

We took a direct train from Central station and stopped at Granville ($6.80). From the station, turn left to get down and you will see the restaurant right across the road from the pedestrian walkway. 

It was almost 2pm when we arrived. The queue was quite long but fast-moving. We ordered, paid, took a number, and waited at our table. The waiting time was not too bad considering the big crowd. 

All three of us decided on the 1/4 chicken ($6.90). The charcoal chicken was served with 3 pieces of Lebanese bread, garlic dip and pickles (radish and cucumber). The chicken is perfectly cooked and harmonized well with the garlic dip when eaten with bread, but I find the pickles a tad too salty. Smitha and Lin enjoyed it though :D 

Smitha also ordered a regular bowl of chips ($4) and it was scrumptious! Love it! This is her second time here and she's really looking forward to come again. Right girl? :D 

Lord of the Fries, Sydney CBD

LOTF has made its way to Sydney! I first saw this in Melbourne years ago, so I was really excited to see it again here. The shop is located along George Street opposite Oporto across the road. No seats are provided so you order, pay, wait, collect and exit. You might want to eat by the roadside but I assure you the crowd along George Street doesn't make you wanna stand there long :D

Halal cert is displayed next to the cashier. 

I had a kid's size classic chips with Belgian sauce costing $4.70. 

Will definitely visit this place again for its burgers and hotdogs and maybe chips with Malaysian style sauce (sweet chilli with sour cream, don't know how Msian is this but it sounds yummy!).

Delima, Chinatown, Sydney

Hello readers!

It's the 18th day of fasting month, Ramadhan Kareem! I took a break from cooking in tonight and went out for dinner with my flatmate. Lin suggested a place in the City and we walked far to get there but alas it was closed! Wanting somewhere nearby to feed our hungry tummies, we walked back towards Haymarket and looked around in Dixon Street. There are several halal restaurants in the vicinity but we somehow settled for a fine-dining Indonesian restaurant called Delima. 

The entrance. Walk up the stairs to get to the restaurant.

The interior fits the exclusive theme. Staff is accommodating and efficient. 

Being on a strict student budget, we shared a plate of noodle that costs AUD18.90. On a lighter note, the restaurant serves complimentary snacks and fruits :D Taste of the noodle was rich and flavorful although a little bit too spicy for me. 

L: Mee Kangkung Belacan (stir-fried noodle with water spinach in shrimp paste sauce).
R: Lin helping herself :D

Complimentary prawn crackers and watermelon

Other meals served here are satay, ayam cabe hijau (green chili chicken), black pepper fish, belut cabe kering (deep-fried eel fillet with dry chili paste), and many other authentic Indonesian dishes and desserts.  Despite the price, I must say this is one place worth going to try several if not all the exquisite meals.  

Shalom, Sydney

Hello readers! 

We had a farewell dinner today for one of our fellow friends who is going back to Malaysia for good next week. They kindly obliged to go to a halal restaurant to accommodate me (thank you guys for changing the plan on the last minute ;D). We settled on an Indonesian restaurant named Shalom located at Sussex Street which is about 20-minute walk from Central station. To get there from the train station tunnel (on the CBD's end), walk towards Paddy's market and you can find Sussex from Hay or Thomas Streets. It should be near Chinatown area and the shop will be on your left. We arrived late at 8.30 pm and it was full house. Just our luck though there's one table for 4 vacant at the back. 

Look for this red signage

Halal certification is displayed at their front door

Order and pay at the counter

Tight space but loving the decor and ambiance

All of us had grilled chicken with rice but with different sauces. The menu states the spiciness level of each meal and please DO take them levels seriously. Levels 4 and 5 had my chili-lover friends sweating and burning their senses off haha. I had mine with non-spicy rojak gravy which has a hint of sweetness to it. Served with soft white rice, they were just simply amazing.

Clockwise from top: Level 4 something (I don't remember the name), Level 4 Red Onion Chili Sauce, my Rojak Sauce and Level 5 Fresh Chili Sauce. Each costs AUD10.

Us. Photo credit: Sharmila (not in picture)

Other meals offered here are entrees (fried tofu, spring rolls etc.),  side dish (spinach with chili, fried tempe etc.), soup (oxtail soup, beef ball soup etc.), noodle, satay, and dessert (durian ice, cendol etc.). Other than grilled chicken, you can have your rice served with fried chicken, duck and beef. Teh botol is available here for only AUD1! 

Hope you enjoy my semi-blurry piccas! :D

Bismillah Indian Cuisine, Surry Hills

Hello readers! I'm still in the final exam period and was done with one paper yesterday. Sharmila and I thought we both need to treat ourselves so to Surry Hills we went for lunch! Managed to find this shop after 25 mins of walking through the cold and wet weather. If you are from the Central tunnel, walk towards Surry Hills and keep going straight through Devonshire Street. Turn right at Crown Street and walk all the way down towards Cleveland Street. You will find the restaurant on your right. 

The food is ordered by set but a la carte is also available. We ordered mutton biryani (AUD12)  and an extra dish of chicken tikka masala (AUD8). Sharmila asked for another plate of mutton curry (without the meat) to go with the rice. I find the rice quite dry on its own but with the extra gravy that we have, it was nice and full of flavour (enough and not too overpowering).  

Few customers eat in, while mostly take-out. Only one guy manning the counter since there's not much crowd. Probably because it was a rainy Sunday. A lady came in and had a set of white rice with vege curry priced at AUD7.50 which is quite sensible I guess for a restaurant in this location. 

Overall, I would say that if you really want to eat biryani rice in Sydney, try Lakemba Street. I'm gonna do another post on that soon! Enjoy the pictures!

The restaurant is located at Crown Street

Variety of dishes to choose from (these pictures remind me of Mamak restaurants in Malaysia :D)

 

Our order, Mutton Biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala, and mutton curry gravy

N/B: The cashier did not charge us for the mutton gravy (without meat), so that was nice haha 

Malacca Straits, Broadway, Sydney

My friend and I went to this restaurant nearby our uni to unwind after finishing couple of assignments and mid-term papers. Food was great, we were both happy with our choices. It's also value for money, considering the price was standard throughout Sydney city. Service was good with friendly and attentive staff. Waiting time was acceptable taking into account the place was half full when we arrive. 

If you come from UTS tower on your right hand side in Broadway, walk straight ahead and look out for their sign also on your right. You have to walk inside the main entrance to finally see this joint. It is before Broadway Shopping Centre in Bay Street.

The menu consists of both Malaysian and Thai food. The friendly owner's wife mentioned that they have Thai chef to prepare Thai dishes. She is Indonesian while the husband is..Malaysian of course!

The halal logo :)

Patrons keep coming in while we we there. It was on a Tuesday night!

My friend had Laksa with Chicken (top) and I had Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang (bottom), both cost AUD10 each. 

Updated: On my second visit (15/5/2013) I had this appetizer for AUD6. They were fish cakes, curry puff and spring roll. Nyums!

N/B: The restaurant charges AUD0.50 for a container and plastic bag if you decide to take away your unfinished meal.