Jessie's Pasta

Cream based pasta is one of the main contributors to my 18kg weight gain in my first few years in Melbourne. How i loved -and still love all the cheap and nasty carbonaras and cream based marinaras from Lygon St...

This is my first attempt at home made cream based pasta and must admit that it was one of the Best pastas i have ever had! yes, i'm not shy and would like to share with you my very affordable (costs ard A$7 per serve) and savoury recipe.

Salmon Spaghetti in an Avocado and Cream Sauce.
1) Boil Spaghetti (ard 300 grams serves 2 very hungry adults) and pull outta heat 1 minute before al dente texture is achieved
2) rinse spaghetti with cold water and set aside
3) fry one clove of minced garlic with a dash of olive oil in a large hot frying pan
4) when garlic is slightly browned, pour in thickened cream (ard 200ml)
5) put in diced avocado (1 whole avocado is way more than sufficient), and sprinkle some dried dill flakes, simmer on low heat
6) toss in spaghetti when cream is simmering, mix and coat spaghetti well with cream, simmer for another minute... you may wish to add some salt now but skimp on it as the smoked salmon will contribute a high percentage of sodium to this dish
7) fold in smoked salmon slices (300 grams or as much as you like) and turn off heat.
8) grind freshly cracked pepper and serve immediately.

A glass of chardonnay with this wouldn't hurt. -mi!

Jean Georges, New York

i've been following Vongerichten's blog before i even knew i would going to New York city one day. Of course i had to make the pilgrimage here.

EGG CAVIAR ~ Egg Lovers Fi and Le, you should try this

SEA SCALLOPS, Caramelised Cauliflower, Caper-Raisin Emulsion

YOUNG GARLIC SOUP with Thyme, Sauteed Frog Legs ~ I enjoyed this course more than je did even with her favourite frog legs

TURBOT with Chateau Chalon sauce ~ my first time trying turbot fish, really liked the firm texture

LOBSTER Tartine, Lemongrass and Fenugreek Broth, Pea Shoots ~ Yum

Broiled SQUAB, Onion Compote, Corn Pancake with Foie Gras ~ Squab not really my choice of meat but it was part of the tasting menu that night

APPLE - a selection of apple inspired desserts didn't quite inspire us

CHOCOLATE ~ we didnt quite 'get' the idea behind the lukewarm watery chocolate shot that was part of this set and the chocolate cake was only okay

Marshmallow and Petit Fours ~ i was particularly looking forward to their marshmallows as the whole glass jar of pretty colourful marshmallows have been pushed around the restaurant all night. these were apparently 'home made'.

for a 3 Michelin starred restaurant, we were a leeetle bit let down by the desserts finale. - mi!

home sweet rice

being a regular restaurant patron in an overflowing scene of convenient and tasty options, home cooked meals are so overrated. except for the ones prepared for mi at My home that is.

- rice and maize - note Not corn

- fried tofu with fried egg is my favourite combi

- all my favourite greens in one plate

- fish steamed with ginger

double boiled birds nest with ginseng. thanks dad and mum - mi!

Anada, Fitzroy, Victoria

This Spanish restaurant wins points over the other favourite in the city for having an outdoor dining area, oh and also no three months wait to get a table. No waiting doesn't mean it is less of a destination, the food here is pretty good. I would rate this as my second favourite Spanish eatery in Melbourne.


This night, we had the kingfish escabeche on crouton, salt cod and tomato croqueta, fried zucchini flower stuffed with pancetta and cheese,



chilled almond soup with grapes, tortilla de patatas,


seared tuna with herbs and cherry sorbet, scallop with squid ink migas - fancy word for crumbs,


almond and bulgur-type of cereal made from wheat- crumbed lamb cutlet, seafood and chicken paella,


rounded off with jugs of sangria and finished with churros and chocolate of course. -mi!

Peking Duck

Every now and then, I crave for Peking Duck. Most peking duck fans head straight for the roasted to a crisp skin of the duck. Unlike every other Peking Duck lover I know, my preference is for the thin flour pancake pastry , duck flesh sans skin and slivers of cucumber; opting to give up the skin of the duck to my other more appreciative skin dining companions.

Craving for peking duck, as i sometimes do; we went into DA HU Peking Duck chinese restaurant in Chinatown. They offer a standard duck banquet where you get four courses out of one duck.

Duck san choi bao

Duck chef showing off his slicing expertise at your table

Duck sliced ready to be wrapped as you please with the pancake, hoisin sauce, spring onion shavings. they did not offer any cucumber strips like they used to - or maybe they forgot and i had to ask for some. Anyhow, this duck was all 'tough, wobbly and soggy' - if i may describe duck this way. there was no visible attempt on roasting the duck skin to a crisp and fatty white bits wobbled in between the soggy skin and stiff yet overall wobbly duck flesh.

Duck Fried Rice - i personally like fried rice and will generally eat them when placed in front of mi regardless of quality. this one here was pretty sub standard but scoffed it down as it came with baby corn pieces and bean sprouts - i like the addition of bean sprouts in fried rice. (as opposed to bean sprouts in fried noodles - don't you think the texture and shape contrast with the soft pillows of rice?)

Duck carcass soup - duck leftover from the duck carved at your table supposedly goes into the boiling of this soup. they threw in some tofu and lettuce also.

This restaurant has sure gone downhill since my last visit a year or two ago. it is not somewhere i go for a gastronomic experience but rather an affordable place for a quick peking duck fix but i dare say i wouldn't be coming here again in the next 5 years regardless of how affordable it is.
There is a sign outside Da Hu Peking Duck restaurant claiming to have the best duck in town but please do not believe everything you see.


QUANJUDE - another peking duck restaurant in melbourne
As this place boasts of a history dating back to 1864 (Qing Dynasty), you receive a certificate citing the nutritional protein value of duck upon order of a whole roasted duck here. on this visit, it was the 115210692 numbered duck to be sacrificed for my dining pleasure.
The skin of the top most part of the duck was shaved off and offered to us as the "best part of the duck". I swallowed the oil/juice/grease oozing out as i crunched down on a piece.

waitress dressed in scary costume demonstrated how to wrap a peking duck pancake once the rest of the duck was sliced up by the slicer/chef next to our table.

i believe the duck in Quanjude is much better than Da Hu's but my Dad rated this place a 5 out of 10 and he advised for mi not to eat here again.

Hmmm... Flower Drum is still my favourite place for Peking Duck. mmmmm... gotta go dine there again soon... - mi!

Rockpool Bar & Grill, Southbank, Victoria

i know my Dad appreciates a good piece of steak and i was finally able to introduce him to Rockpool on one of his rare visits here. This night, we had the dry aged 36 month old grass fed fillet {Dry aged beef is beef that has been hung to dry for several weeks. After the animal is slaughtered and cleaned, cuts are then placed in a cooler, stored at near freezing temperatures. The beef's enzymes break down and tenderize the meat, giving it a distinctive, memorable taste with a buttery, tender texture.} , dry aged grass fed yearling t bone steak, an appropriate selection of sauces and mustards to complement the steaks, seared crisp snapper with herb salad, onion rings, macaroni and cheese, sauteed zucchini with mint and garlic and a bottle of Reschke Bos Coonawarra Cab Sav. I couldn't say no to desserts and thus finished off with a strawberry salad.
p/s: Rockpool is a must try for any steak lovers in Melbourne. - mi!

Bottega, Melbourne, Victoria

If i had to pick, this would be one of my favourite Italian restaurants in the Melbourne city - way better than society and 'more italian' than the european. I brought cw here for his birthday and this is what we had:

Crispy spiced Yarra Valley quail, roasted beetroot & goat's fetta - cw almost always orders the quail when offered on menus


Seared scallops with fennel, cucumber and apple salad - tender scallops complimented by crisp juliennes of apple & cucumber


Risotto with prawn and zucchini - the picture looks like chucked up dinner from last night gone wrong but this risotto is almost as good as tutto bene's, maybe better!


Parmesan crumbed veal on slow roasted eggplant caviar - i have decided that fried breadcrumbed veal is the tastiest way to go for this politically incorrect meat


Char-grilled aged grass fed scotch fillet with marrow, pecorino, horseradish & parsley salad - the simple garnish contrasted with the rich meaty taste of beef


Tiramisu


Soft centred chocolate pudding, morello cherries, house made pistachio ice cream


chocolate...yummmy... - mi!