Breakfast at The Gunshop Cafe

The Gunshop Cafe
http://www.thegunshopcafe.com/



I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've been dying to go to Gunshop for AGES. At least months, if not over a year. Maybe even 2 years now. It's reputably got Brisbane's best breakfast offerings. As a Brisbane girl, these claims impress me. Unfortunately, I am rarely up and about in time for breakfast (on the weekend, I'm generally awake at noon) so it's not easy to see for myself.

When a holiday rolls by, I tell myself that Gunshop is on my list of things 'to do' but it doesn't happen. In fact, once I actually went but the line was huge and I was starving so I went somewhere else instead. Not this holidays! Finally, we managed to check it out.


I got to Gunshop at the awkward time of 11am, which is 'late' for most people to have breakfast on a weekday but it was the earliest that I could drag myself out of bed. We had to beat 11:30am because that's when they stop serving breakfast (on weekdays that is, on weekends it's different - check their website).

Zucchini and Ricotta Pie

Zucchini and Ricotta Pie
Home Cooking



Grocery shopping last week, I loaded up on zucchini. The problem that follows is of course... what to do with it all? I had great success making cabbage pie from Nick Malgieri's 'The Modern Baker' so I thought I'd try his recipe for zucchini and ricotta pie. I had ricotta and onion at home so it seemed like the straight forward solution.

The Pineapple Hotel Steakhouse

The Pineapple Hotel Steakhouse
http://www.pineapplehotel.com.au/



Last weekend was spent house-hunting with my parents. We wound up around the Kangaroo Point region so I suggested lunch at the Pineapple Hotel. After driving around for ages, my dad figured out that he knew where this place was... and it was actually more towards the Gabba. Off we went.



It was Saturday lunch time but the Steakhouse was rather quiet.The seating area is expansive and you order your food at the counter. There's also a bar in the corner of the room.

Huo Fo Vegetarian Court

Huo Fo Vegetarian Court
K4 Sunny Park Shopping Centre, corner Mains Rd and McCullough St, Sunnybank



I've been slack. Uni has resumed and I'm finding less and less time for writing up blog posts. Nonetheless, the weekend is here and I wanted to put something up to let you all know I'm still active :). Sifting through my collection of food photos, I realize that there are so many things that I haven't blogged... I had quite a decision to make.



Since my previous post was all about how determined I was to go vegetarian for a month, I've decided to kick-start that era with an entry about a vegetarian restaurant. Keep in mind that there WILL be posts put up later on that will feature meat dishes and so on... they're all from BEFORE this vegetarian challenge and well, I gotta put them up sometime right? So please don't think I'm cheating. Besides, it gives you more variety to read about. After all, this isn't a vegetarian food blog - it's an EVERYTHING food blog. Just because I'm going vego for a while doesn't mean I'll force you along my journey.

Vegetarian for a Month

For various reasons, I've decided to attempt a meat-free diet for a month. I think I'll stay as true to that as possible, with minor exceptions of dairy products and POSSIBLY fish and eggs (not sure if I'll go all the way and exclude those too).

This may seem insane for anyone who knows me and the type of food I normally like (I'm one of nature's carnivores, through and through) but it's something I'm excited to do.

There are health benefits and of course, some moral compensation but to be honest, my reason behind doing this is predominantly out of curiosity and desire for change.

Fingers crossed that this will be a good experience and I'll document how I go along the way.

Grilled Haloumi

Grilled Haloumi
Home Cooking



Haloumi cheese is one of those 'it' produces that have gained spotlight with the increased popularity of tapas. Nowadays, you'll see it offered on many cafe and restaurant menus as a side or as a meat-replacement in salads etc. Though I love my meat, I can happily munch on a chunk of grilled or pan-fried haloumi without feeling like I'm missing out on anything.

Bretts Wharf Update

Bretts Wharf
http://www.brettswharf.com.au/



The last post I did on Bretts Wharf was nearly a year ago so time is ripe for an update. I dropped by again quite recently with a friend of mine. We were actually on our way to the Hamilton Portside Wharf but got rapidly distracted with thoughts of 'hey there's Bretts Wharf... why not?'

And, why not indeed. We rocked up without a booking but were graciously seated. It took us a good chunk of the evening just to decide what to order. I was hesitating back and forth between 3 mains that sounded equally enticing. In the end, I decided to play it safe and went with something nice and classic.

Be Green Cafe

Be Green Cafe
Shop 2/8 Station Road, Indooroopilly



I was walking to Cold Rock near Indooroopilly Station when I spotted a cafe right near it. They had huge picture menus stuck on the windows and naturally, I had a peak. Be Green Cafe stood out to me because their menu contained EVERYTHING: lots of Korean-style dishes (I think the place is owned by Koreans) but also Mexican, Italian, burgers and more.

Dessert at Ara Beeka

Ara Beeka
76 Boundary Street, West End



I've been doing a lot of posts on big restaurants... time for a change. I want to talk about little things that make me happy. There's been 'things I like' posts in the past where I get to mention the specific items, flavors, products etc that I become obsessed with for at least a short while.

Baklava is an episodic obsession of mine. It can be almost unbearably sweet but so damn good. There is, however, a Super Dessert which enables baklava to be enjoyed without sugary head spins.



Ara Beeka is a tiny cafe along Boundary Street in West End. It caught my eye because it specializes in petite Turkish and Greek pastries. If you snatch a peek at the display cabinets, you'd be hard-pressed to stop yourself from going in.

Citron Modern Asian Restaurant

Citron Modern Asian Restaurant
http://www.citronrestaurant.com.au/



I read a recommendation for Citron online. When I Googled the restaurant and found their website, I naturally had a peak at their menu too. It was one of those menus that appealed to me right away. Even as I was perusing casually, I couldn't decide which dish I'd pick over another. Everything sounded good!

It's lucky then that I got to go to Citron as a big group with my family. Large numbers = more food to try and more opinions.


The restaurant is moderate in size and quite contemporary-looking. There is an indoor dining area as well as an enclosed outdoor area which is where we were seated.

Castelli's Fresh Pasta and Pizza at Indooroopilly

Castelli's Fresh Pasta and Pizza
http://www.castellis.com.au/



Not to be confused with Castelli's at Rosalie, which I've already reviewed. We've been curious about this Castelli's for a while. It just hasn't worked out... a few times we went, it was closed. Finally, a 'closed for renovation' sign was raised and we waited a bit more.

The other day, we wanted to get Indian food for lunch but every Indian restaurant we went to was closed during the day. When we drove past Castelli's, I noticed that it seemed open so we thought we may as well give them a go.

Edamame

Edamame
224 Hawken Drive, St Lucia



It seems that every day, we go through the same struggle. Usually, I have a fairly good idea of what I want to eat. We'll drive out and for some reason, the first line of choice never works out. Maybe that particular restaurant is closed. Maybe I change my mind halfway. We'll then drive all over the place, floundering as we work out what the alternative should be.

On this occasion, I bounced through phases of wanting Indian, Turkish, Mexican and then finally, Japanese. I wanted Japanese that wasn't too fancy but wasn't eatery standards either. I know, I'm insanely picky.

Strawberry Shortcakes

Strawberry Shortcakes
Home Cooking



In my collection of cookbooks, recipes for shortcakes are always pre-fixed with the term 'real' or 'traditional'. What is a REAL shortcake? Or, more curiously, what is a FAKE shortcake?

'Real' shortcake

I had never tasted shortcake before so you could fool me any day. The recipe I used is from Nigella's 'How to be a domestic goddess' and I trust her word. If Nigella thinks this is a shortcake, then so be it!

Hog's Breath take TWO (Paddington Branch)

Hog's Breath Cafe (Paddington Branch)
5 Petrie Terrace, Paddington



This might be a real boring recap for you guys. Firstly, almost everyone knows of Hog's Breath. At the risk of sounding like a jaded commercial, 'There's One Near You!'

Secondly, I've already done a Hog's Breath post, based on the Indooroopilly branch. On this occasion, we went there to find that it was fully booked (despite the fact that we saw maybe only 20% of the tables were occupied). Charlie had a rare moment of insistence - he's usually quite 'go with the flow' but on that night, was UNCOMPROMISING in his desire to eat at Hogs Breath. I have him to blame for being forced to write a repetitive post. However, it's not 'entirely' pointless. If you read on, you'll discover that my experience at the Paddington Hog's Breath is quite unlike my time at Indooroopilly, back a few months ago.

Alfredo Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

Alfredo Chicken and Spinach Lasagna
Home Cooking



PRIMARY DISCLAIMER:

Let's all be honest here, the photos don't look too fabulous. I admit it myself. The lasagna doesn't look much more appealing than a blob on a plate. I had some trouble plating the thing and got impatient so I didn't bother trying to exhibit the nice layers and all that, let alone adding any garnish to pretty the dish up.

However, I want you to trust me when I say that this was a pretty awesome lasagna. The reason I got impatient was the lovely aroma, which really got the hunger juices flowing. I momentarily placed this blog at the back of my mind and switched my first priority to: eat eat eat.

Shanghai Noodle House

Shanghai Noodle House
Shop 13/ 341 Mains Rd, Sunnybank



Of late, I've been getting quite 'reflective' about eating out. I sat down and had a big think about all the restaurants I've been to and what experiences I enjoy the most. The thing is, it's not always the super expensive, fine-dining moments that leave a lasting impression. Well, that's not exactly my point. I think that fine dining IS an experience in itself - not just about the food but also the ambiance, service, presentation and the list goes on. However, once I've had the experience, I don't necessarily feel the urge to relive it.

This contrasts greatly with any good experience I have at an eatery. It's a fact of life that most of our meals aren't going to be grand and spectacular affairs. After an uneventful, average day, I tend to feel like a home style, hearty and inexpensive meal. Enter: reliable eateries.



There are a handful of restaurants that I circulate through for my basic food needs. That's not to say they're of LOW STANDARDS. No way! I don't settle for low standards. I'm talking about casual and cheap but great at what they do. If an eatery impresses me, I'm going to be their life-long friend.

Toffee Profiteroles

Toffee Profiteroles
Home Cooking



I've made profiteroles before and have already written a post about them. That was a good couple of months ago and I've since gotten the 'urge' again. 'Why?', you may ask.

Well, this is another one of those things that I must attribute to MasterChef Australia. Since their croquembouche pressure test challenge, I've been fantasizing about Matt Preston biting into his profiterole with that CRUNCH. This image has driven me crazy... not over Matt Preston but over the toffee crunch.



Toffee-coated profiteroles had always seemed like such a sugar overkill in the past but suddenly I was seeing them in a brand new light. No two ways about it: I HAD to try it.

Brents Restaurant

Brents Restaurant
http://www.brentsrestaurant.com.au/



I read about Brents somewhere but didn't think much about it until recently, a friend told me he had a really good experience there. I'm not one to ignore a recommendation from a fellow foodie so I immediately made a booking.

It so happens that we almost forgot about the booking. Luckily, we drove past Toowong sometime in the afternoon and I thought 'what's good to eat in Toowong?' and it hit me: BRENTS! I HAVE A BOOKING THERE TONIGHT!

Honestly, I'm going senile.

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins
Home Cooking



Part of my plan to kill time during the holidays is re-reading the Harry Potter series - right from book 1. I'm up to 3 so far and my goal is to finish book 6 before the movie comes out. What does this have to do with food? Well apparently, witches and wizards are keen on pumpkin. I'm not sure where that association comes from (maybe Halloween?) but Harry is always talking about pumpkin juice and pumpkin pasties so... it reignited my 'thing' for pumpkin.

I do have a thing for pumpkin. Can't really put my finger on WHY - I mean the flavor is quite mild and it's not very sweet and it's not exactly savory. It IS orange though, which is pretty cool.

Point of my story is: pumpkin muffins. I spotted the recipe in Bill Granger's 'Feed me now' and it pushed the right buttons: pumpkin + spices + healthy. Seemed like a guilt-free pumpkin pie but in muffin form, which is all good and no bad.

High Tea at Siggi's (The Stamford Plaza)

Siggi's Restaurant
http://www.siggis.com.au/



It seems like a long, long time ago when I made a booking for my family to dine at Siggi's. When we went in, we were ushered to a table - this table was the lone table in a large, homely room decked out with oil paintings and fresh flowers. It was like eating in the dining room of someone's mansion and felt VERY exclusive. The food was also amazing and I was left with an excellent overall impression of Siggi's.



Recently, I stumbled across an article describing the high tea offered at Siggi's Restaurant. It so happens that I've been mentally cataloging any Brisbane restaurant that offers high tea, with the intention of trying THEM ALL by the end of the year. When I found that Siggi's had a high tea sitting every Saturday (3-5pm), I jumped right on it and made a booking.

Lunch Special at Two Small Rooms

Two Small Rooms
http://www.twosmallrooms.com/



Two Small Rooms describes itself as 'boutique fine dining'. If you have no idea what that means, just walk in and it'll click. As soon as I stepped inside, it was like walking into someone's house. The dining area is literally - two small, side-by-side rooms. I was reminded of Bill's in Sydney since that place also has the 'home' vibe going.



Apparently, the people behind Two Small Rooms are also responsible for Restaurant II and Three Bistro (they clearly like their single digit numerals). I've had a degustation at Restaurant II before and it was quite a meal - perhaps my most 'fine' fine dining experience to date. Consequently, I went into Two Small Rooms with high expectations.

Gorgonzola, Spinach and Walnut Gnocchi

Gorgonzola, Spinach and Walnut Gnocchi
Home Cooking



One thing that's different about cooking during the holidays, as compared with cooking during term is that I'm choosing certain dishes FOR THE SAKE OF IT. I've never made gnocchi before and have nothing better to do with my time so I figured - let's give this a go.



As for the sauce, I liked the idea of a Gorgonzola and walnut sauce to toss my gnocchi through because although the sharp, pungent taste of blue cheese appeals to me, it's a bit too strong on its own. I added spinach because I need more greens in my diet.

Gardenway Restaurant

Gardenway Restaurant
http://www.gardenway.com.au/



There's something that just CLICKS when you combine a nursery with a gift shop and cafe. Growing up, my parents would always take me out to nurseries on the weekend - they love plants and gardening. Near my parent's house in the East, there's Hawken's Garden Center which is just huge: there's a fish shop (as in... pet fish, not the edible type), boutique gift shop, indoor and outdoor furniture, lots of plants and a nice outdoor cafe.

It so happens that we have a Gardenway in the West which is very similar in concept. Recently, mum wanted to check out the sale there so we went to the Gardenway restaurant for breakfast.

Roast Rack of Lamb

Roast Rack of Lamb
Home Cooking



I had some polenta chips left over that needed cooking so I started thinking about what I could serve them with. Roast lamb came to mind because I remember they did a class on how to cook lamb rack on MasterChef. That sounded good. Lamb is great! So out I went to buy a rack to roast.

There's no real 'recipe' behind this. Roasting the lamb was more of a procedural thing so I'll just outline what I did.

Rosemary Polenta Crisps

Rosemary Polenta Crisps
Home Cooking



I was really excited about getting my new Jamie Oliver cookbook, 'Jamie's Italy' because I've actually watched him cook a few recipes from it on TV and they looked REALLY good.

Leafing through it, one of the first things that caught my eye was the polenta crisps. A few months back, I bought a packet of polenta on a whim and haven't done much with it besides back a batch of corn bread. I also had rosemary at the ready and since that was part of the recipe, it just seemed ideal.

This was my first time cooking polenta on the stove with water. I wasn't really sure how anything was supposed to go. In his book, Jamie described the process quite dangerously - he mentions that polenta can be aggressive as it's cooking with all the spitting and spluttering. Well, cooking is an adventure so I heeded the warning and went ahead anyway.

Newway Karaoke Restaurant

Newway Karaoke Restaurant

Shop 30/358 Main Rd, Sunnybank

My parents and I used to have a routine. On the weekend, we'd go to a nice home-style Chinese restaurant and over-order so there was enough take away food to last at least 1/2 the week. This means I've been to ALOT of Chinese restaurants. The criteria that we went by was:

• Authentic Eastern Chinese flavors (we're from Shanghai, which has a different style of cuisine to Hong Kong or Taiwan)
• Reasonable prices
• Low to no MSG
• Good variety to chose from

Out of the many places that we tried, my dad has a resounding favorite: Newway. Nowadays, whenever we're unsure of where to go for lunch, he'll suggest it as a back-up plan.



We like Newway because it's relatively cheap, never really busy (i.e. our food comes out quickly and service is attentive) and has served us consistently good dishes time after time.