Ichi Ban Boshi @ Sydney CBD

We've both been to Ichi Ban Boshi twice and have attempted to return several times but got turned off by the army of hungry customers waiting to be seated... even after a  20 minute walk around in Kinokuniya.

This time, we persisted, we got seated after a 40 minute wait - which is absolutely ridiculous.

 

 

So the salmon ramen set was really quite average.  I feel like after such a long wait, you'd expect gold and fireworks. Unfortunately there was nothing special about this dish and I would recommend everyone to stray away from Ramen dishes at Ichi ban boshi.

 Tantan-men $12.90

Spicy ramen topped with minced pork, egg and choy sum vegetables

My Tan tan men was hot off the chart. I was crying and sniffing the whole way though. It was really satisfying. The portion size was huge, so make sure you are hungry. This is definitely one for the chilli lovers!

I couldnt' decide whether they put foam or meringue on top of the drink. On it's own, it was quite bland and tasteless. However, once you add the sugar syrup in the little stainless steel container this bring will bring the party to your mouth! Super refreshing.

Worth Returning?

To be honest, I wouldn't line up for ramen, there are plenty of quality Japanese restaurants in the city (i.e., tenko mori) we didn't feel that this place was anything special. Unless the line dies down when we are near by, we probably wouldn't return again

One Tea Lounge and Grill @ Sydney CBD

Instagram marketing works, I got looped in after seeing all these amazing pictures from One Tea Lounge and Grill. It was a friday night, we had a stressful couple of weeks and decided to let loose. We didn't book a table (we tried and failed) and just rocked up, they sat us down at the bar and handed over the menu. The seats and tables in the restaurants were quickly filled with hungry peeps.

Started off with some green tea infused cocktails.

 

Splice up your life $18(Midori, green tea infused pineapple and whipped cream) to the left and So Pre-Tea $18 (Cucumber, elderflower, citron vodka, citrus and gyokuru green tea) to the right.

 Splice up your life was a sweet girly drink, perfect you wanted a sugar rush, while So Pre-Tea was calming, soothing and refreshing.

Matcha Fries $7

I was utterly disappointed when the chips came out looking like potato fries... for some stupid reason I thought the matcha chips were green.. don't ask. They were still quite yummy, I couldn't really taste the matcha, however seaweed flavour was present.



 

Designed Sliders (your choice of 3) $20

 

Left to right: Ramen slider with braised pork ribs

Rice burger with wagyu beef

Matcha baoger with Miso Tofu

The ramen and rice burgers were extremely oily, excellent for hang overs, a little overly oily if you're sober. The amount of oil really masked the flavour of the wagyu and pork. However, I thoroughly enjoyed my matcha baoger with miso tofu, it'll spice up your mouth.

Tofu White Chocolate Cheesecake $15

tofu white chocolate tube with crumbed polenta, lemon curd, assorted berry texture and edible flowers.

The was a winner, we went from sliders to gourmet. Plating was insane, just look at that beauty! Cheesecake texture was soft and creamy, it wasn't overly sweet but it was fulfilling. Polenta was quite crunchy, i would've preferred regular biscuit crumb only becuase I had a swollen gum. Loved the berry textures and lemon curd - it was extra zangy!


Worth Returning?
It's a place you need to go at least once, the service was excellent, we were well looked after. Overall, we had a really great night, with delicious food and excellent music (if you appreciate the 80s and 90s, you'll love their tunes). One thing to note is that the resturant gets quite busy so make sure you book ahead!

 

Sweet Infinity @ The Strand Arcade

After a long tedious and strenuous day at work I decided to head to The Strand Aracade to grab some baked goods to make myself feel better. It's true, you need to eat your way to happiness, I'm in flavour of gluttony.

I've past Sweet Infinity on countless occasions, this time, I finally decided to head in to check it out.
I cam out with two items, their infamous Creme Brulee Tart and Walnut Brownie.

Creme Brulee Tart approx $6.80

 

I try to steer away from creme brulee baked goods due to previous experience, however the shop owner kindly advised their tart is infamous. When it comes to food, I am easily sold, after all.. how would I know if I don't give it a go? This tart was even better than actual torch fire creme brulees I've had at authentic Italian Restaurants. The crumble wasn't as short as I expected, some fork work is required, but the taste was unbeatable. Creamy, vanilla, caramelised, crumbly explosion in my mouth. It is definitely a must have.

Chocolate Brownie with Walnuts approx $6.8

 



So I've realised that the walnut brownies were significantly smaller than their chocolate brownies, yet the same price was charged. I wasn't too impressed by that. but uh... I couldn't fault this brownie, it was rich, gooey in the centre (even though it was cold) and crunchy on the outside. I couldn't finish this brownie and had to share it with my mum.

 

 

Worth Returning?

Yes, sporadically. initially I thought "Bloody hell, $6.8 for a tart, $6.8 for a brownie!? It better be darn good"... well, it exceeded my expectations (although it's still expensive for baked goods!).



New York Metro @ Sydney CBD

We randomly went past this cafe while trying to get out of Town Hall station last week and thought the waterfall alfresco waterfall looked pretty cool. So we ducked in.

I got a Hot Chcolate as it was a cold windy day, there was a nice dollop of cream in the hot chocolate and the foam was nice and creamy. When I got down to the actual hot chocolate... it was a different story... it was extremely watered down and didn't taste too nice overall.

My Partnered ordered a Caramel Milkshake, the first couple of sips were ok... I honestly think they put yogurt in this shake, it was slightly sour?! Again, I wouldn't order this again.



My partnered ordered from their lunch special. Salmon avo crepe with creamy sauce. I really disliked the salmon crepe, it possessed a off taste. the white sauce was flavourless. Chips were really average, they weren't crunch and lacked salt. Salad was nice, but you can't go wrong with garden salad.

I gave the Fish Burger a go, the fish was nice and tender on the inside and well battered on the outside. Buns were our average white buns you'd get from Cole - which was quite disappointing. Although I saw tartare suace lathered onto the top bun, I couldn't taste it. Chips.. well as I said they were less than average, it was stiff and wasn't crunchy

ServiceNot too bad, we were immmediately greeted our orders were taken promptly. We did however get the wrong drink delivered to our table, but that's ok we're all human and we make mistakes.

Worth Returning?
Unfortunately for me, I won't be returning. The food was just not up to scratch.

 

Chefs Gallery @ Sydney CBD

We headed out to Chefs Gallery for dinner at 5pm - late enough for an early dinner and early enough to still catch their lunch deals. We were generously greeted in Mandarin as we entered the restaurant.  Service was alright, and the food came.. well relatively fast. The stir fry came out in minutes, while the noodle soup required a 15-20 minute wait.

Watermelon Juice

This came with my noodle dish, freshly squeezed watermelon juice. I love watermelon and I love fresh juice.



Warm Cola infused with orange

Yes, warm coke...I was a little hesitant at first, but I might look to start warming up my coke for cooler weather.

Handmade Spinach Noodles with Seafood

This was better than expected, the noodles had a lot of flavour.. the seaweed flavour blew our minds! Seafood was fresh and tender.... this was just a win overall.



Wonton Noodle Soup

 

This was a really refreshing bowl of goodness. Very subtle flavoured soup. Wontons were lovely and flavoursome. You can amp up the flavours by adding some of their chilli sauce and vinegar for a change of palette.

Cheese and Mushroom Chinese Roti

 

This was so good.. but so oily! You can't go wrong with mushroom and cheese in deep fried pastry. I'm tempted to start making my own mushroom and cheese roti.

Noodles and Pork

 

I loved their pork chop. As an avid carnivore, this was a nice piece of meat. However, my second piece of the chop was quite dry and over cooked. A fabulous balance between the saltiness of the pork and the subtle flavours of the noodle soup. The dish was so big that I had a lot of trouble polishing it off. 

Worth Returning?
Yes definitely, quality food, value for money. We've become a regular at Chefs Gallery.
 

Aqua S: New Flavours @ Sydney CBD

We've made it a mission to try out at least one of Aqua S' new flavours every 2-3 weeks.
I must say, changing their ice cream flavours every fornight really does bring back repeat customers.
We are watermelon lover, after trying Black Star Pastry's amazing strawberry and watermelon cake, we wanted all things watermelon.

The new flavours of the fortnight... watermelon and creaming soda.

I am not a fan of creaming soda, it was a luxury drink to many of my friends while we were 8, but it tasted like food colouring and liquid popping sewage to me.

Without hesitation, we got sea salt x watermelon in a cone $3.80.

I saw a few reviews highlighting the sickening feeling after the ice cream, I too, felt sick after having a whole ice cream to myself shortly after their grand opening. My tip is, grab two spoones and share it.

I really liked the flavour combinaton, can't really fault the flavours. One thing I really disklike is the taste of the cone. It tastes worse than the cheap home brand cones I get from Coles. Having said that, I'm excited to see the new flavours to feature next fortnight.

 

Chanoma @ Sydney CBD

Matcha contains a significant amount of health benefits, from cancer fighting to anti aging. Personally, I enjoy the taste of Matcha, especially when it's refined and smooth.

This little joint is opposite to Aqua S. Lets see if it's worth while for you to pay a visit.

Fruit Parfait 

A combination of mochi, cornflakes, fruits, red bean syrup, matcha ice cream pocky stick and a crunchy ice cream cone. The matcha at Chanoma is exactly how I like it, smooth and refined! This is a well loved dish after a light hearty meal. It might be too much for one person after dinner, so you might want to bring a friend to share!

Left: Matcha Shiratama Float Right: Honey Yuzu Frappe

Bottom: Cream Shrimp Dog

Matcha Shiratama Float is a classic, a great match drink combined with 3 mochii and matcha ice cream, an all time favourite, it's refreshing and sweet. Yuzu Frappe had an interesting citrus taste, Yuzu is sour eastern asian fruit. It was interesting to see this fruit made into frappe. Shrimp Dog was rather average, it tasted more or less like  a long shrimp version of a fish finger in a bun with some dry salad and a rather egg-y tartare sauce. This dog was a disappointment, but I'm still keen to try their other hot dogs.

Service
Limited service available as this is more or less a fast food... fast drink joint. The only time you'll interact with staff is during your order and when you go to pick up your food. Nonetheless, the joint is kept clean with staff constantly picking up finished cups and rubbish.

Worth returning?
Definitely, lovely staff, great food, excellent drinks and desserts. Value for money overall.

Rating
8/10

Sedap @ Sydney CBD

Regent Place is slowly growing on us, you have Sedap across from Chanoma, it can't go wrong.

Deep Fried Buttered Curry Calamari  will have you holding your stomach as you walk out the door. Perfectly crisp and buttery... I guess you can't really go wrong with butter and a deep fryer. The curry flavour must've escaped from my mouth, more curry sauce required.

Roti with Curry Chicken was a HUGE let down. The roti was hard... it wasn't fluffy, I couldn't use it to pick up my chicken. It was literally like a biscuit. The chicken was well flavoured the tender. this dish was approximately $12... I expect a little bit more on my plate for this price.

Milo Dinosaur is an all time classic. I've been wondering how and why this drink tastes so good... it's the sugar. Now that I know how to make Milo Dinosaur, I don't think I'll re-order again, at least not from Sedap. This drink was 50% ice.

Service
The service was ok, we got served and the correct food brought to us. Nothing really stood out.

Worth Returning?
Sadly I will not be returning. I've had many positive experiences at Sedap, unfortunately their quality and service had declined dramatically over time. My advice? Go to PappaRich instead. You'll get a bang out of your buck.

Rating
4/10

Redoak Boutique Beer Cafe @ Sydney CBD

RedOak is a renowned beer boutique in Sydney, probably not the best place for me since I'm not too fond of beer.

After seeing the disappointing food reviews online, I decided to test it out myself.
The interior was quite lovely, definitely a well known tourist attraction with their signature tasting boards and beer samplers.

Beer aside, lets get onto the food. You should note that their food menu is ever-changing.

 Egg Pappardelle Pasta $22

Roasted pumpkin, caramelised onions, ricotta cheese, rocquette leaves, walnut crumble and garlic oil.

A satisfying dish, the pasta was well cooked, however the pumpkin turned the dish into mush. 

Crispy Skinned Chicken Breast $29

 Sweet Potato stack, Brioche Stuffing, Cranberry infused jus with Baby Shiso

The chicken was tender and the sweet potato stack was appetizing. Two huge let downs, my brioche stuffing was non existent and the chicken skin was NOT crispy. The only thing that allured me to this dish was the crispy skin... Redoak should practise on refining this dish or consider changing the name - Chicken breast at it's best. 

 

Shared Dessert Plate $20

Chocolate Cheesecake, Merginue, Chocolate coated apricots, ice cream and some bliss balls

The most pleasing dish of the night. A part from the bitter bliss balls, every element of this dish was made with love and to perfection. Not to be missed by all my sweet tooth friends, the chocolate cheesecake is incredibly rich!

Worth Returning?

Potentially, for their starters and dessert, mains require a lot of refining.

Rating

6/10

  

Sushi Rio @ sydney CBD

Sushi Rio is one of my favourite Sushi Train restaurants in the CBD - $3 plates all day everyday. All orders are made on the spot, delicious fresh sashimi. Check the menu for more options and place an instant order. Take note that this place is often jam packed and crowded.

EVERYTHING was fresh and delicious, seafood was succulent - loved everything, minus the drinks.

Service was average, your orders will get taken and received at some point.

Scallops

Tuna and Salmon

Fried Salmon Skin

Soft Shell Crab Taco

Unagi (Eel)

  

Strawberry Calpis - Approx $5-6 - TOO MUCH ICE!

Worth Returning?
Definitely! Fresh, delicious, value for money. Just need some extra work on the drinks.

Rating
9/10 

Miss Chu Tuckshop @ Sydney CBD

Miss Chu, self proclaimed "Queen of Rice Paper Rolls", unfortunately, their paper rolls didn't blow me away. And their infamous pork belly stew made me want to spew 3/4 of the way in. Lets have a look to see what else they have on offer.

The Organic Chai Latte $4 was overly sweet. Taste wise, I can't tell the difference between organic chai or inorganic chai. Chai is chai.

Frozen Young Coconut Crushie with Banana and Mint $7.5

I'm bias in the sense that I never liked "crushies" I hate drinking ice and I hated this,  all I could taste was banana and ice, save your hard earned dough.

Vegetarian Curry (Approx $15)

Tofu was nice, too much seaweed. Curry was weak... I'm not sure if this is authentic "Hanoi" style curry. I didn't enjoy this, the curry was not smooth, there were tiny solid particles. The vermicelli was unable to absorb any flavour... actually this dish just lacked flavour overall.

Fish of the Day

This wasn't the most pleasant dish, the fish was tough, and I could smell and taste the fishiness. Most of Miss Chu's mains are too "heavy", I never feel like I can finish it and if I do, I'd feel sick.

Worth Returning?
I don't know why I keep going back, perhaps it's the venue and decor.. the "street eats" vibe...hoping there'll be a decent dish some where, if I dig hard enough.

Rating
4/10