Menbou

Not long after arriving in Kyoto, we set out to do some exploring. And subsequently spent quite some time in the subway system going back and forward because I picked the wrong station… So, while I regrouped, we grabbed lunch at a subterranean outlet called Menbou. It was a good choice. We picked the tonkatsu lunch set, which came with pork katsu, udon, rice, pickles and salad. The tray was huge, and absolutely everything on it was delicious. The tonkatsu was perfectly crumbed, with really tender pork and a katsu sauce you just wanted to lick the bowl for (or maybe that’s just me?). The udon were particularly good, springy and in a light broth enhanced by the flavour of the seaweed and spring onion. I do believe that rice tastes better in Japan, and this bowl was the proof in the pudding – I ate every last grain despite being full. No sauce, just tasty white rice. The pickles were nice and tart and the salad went nicely with the tonkatsu. This place was seriously good! Unfortunately I was only able to find the address of their main store, which is much fancier and may have a different menu.

Menbou, East of Kiyamachi-dori-Oike-agaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto             http://menbo-foods.com

Salotto

I’ve been keen to try Salotto in Kingston since it opened last month, so when my friend came back from a long overseas trip, we headed there to catch up. We started with drinks – unfortunately my mojito, whilst a generous size, was like having a lot of rum punch you in the face – there was no subtlety and I couldn’t come close to finishing it, it was so alcoholic. We picked the gameroni all’aglio as our entree, prawns in garlic chilli oil ($18), with a side of Italian bread ($6.50). We were both quite disappointed that for the price, we only received three prawns. We did enjoy soaking the tasty oil up with the bread, but I would probably skip to the main next time. I ordered the saltimbocca for my main and this redeemed the food experience. The meal was very generously portioned and the veal was lovely and tender, perfectly matched with steamed asparagus, baby broccoli and lovely roast potatoes. Salotto does have a great atmosphere, and the staff were happy to let us sit and chat with plenty of time passing between courses, which was just perfect for the occasion.

Salotto, 25 Kennedy Street, Kingston ACT, http://salottobar.com/

Ivy & The Fox

As a big fan of Fox and Bow, I was very excited to try their new store, Ivy & The Fox, at ANU. Mum and I picked a table out on the lawns in dappled sunlight. We started with drinks – I picked the El Macho, a pineapple and pear juice with lemon, cinnamon, vanilla and nopal cactus. Take the time to mix this up – on first sip, all I got was cactus, cinnamon and vanilla, but once blended with the pineapple it was a beautifully balanced juice. To eat I picked the Reuben Gonzales, with house corned silverside, pickles, mustard, swiss cheese and fries – the portion was massive! The silverside was cut very thin, which is quite different to what I would have expected, and the mustard and cheese added a lot of flavour. I appreciated the bit of salad on the side, and whilst the fries were nice, I found them a bit underdone, but I prefer mine on the crispy side. Mum loved both her Oh Darla and Road Runner. The location was second to none – with glimpses of the lake all around and just the right amount of sun and shade, I can see myself spending plenty of time here.

Ivy & The Fox, Old Canberra House, ANU, Lennox Crossing Acton, ACT, http://ivyandthefox.com/

Fillos Souvlaki

Make way Canberra, a new venue has joined the ranks of food coma, meat sweat-inducing deliciousness. Welcome, Fillos Souvlaki! A recent addition to the Hamlet’s collective of food trucks, Fillos Souvlaki offers souvlaki as either a pita or a plate, with lamb, pork and vegetarian options. I went for the lamb pita ($12.50), and on reflection I probably should have fasted for some time prior to trying to eat it! My meal was prepared in two minutes flat – even the lady handing me the roll couldn’t believe it was ready so quickly! Inside the rather thick pita bread was a large amount of beautiful chunks of lamb, some serious chips, plenty of garlic sauce (yes!), and a nod to non-deep fried vegetables with some onion, tomato and lettuce thrown in for appearance’s sake. But we all know I’m here for the lamb. Whilst not melt-in-your-mouth, the cubes of lamb were really tasty and I didn’t mind the effort of chewing them a lot to extract the flavour. The chips were at just the right mid-point between crispy and soggy for belonging in a roll. I’d be keen to try the plate next time – bring it on!

Fillos Souvlaki, The Hamlet, 16 Lonsdale Street, Braddon ACT, no website

Local Press

Sometimes I feel like this blog is a bit of a love letter to Local Press. Every time I eat there I have a consistently excellent experience, and this time was no exception. Having not tried it before, I opted for the smoked leg ham toasted sandwich, while my friends tried the French toast and the porridge. The food came out quickly, and I was struck by the vibrant colours on the plate. The menu didn’t mention that the sandwich came with a salad, so that was a pleasant surprise. The fresh rocket and capsicum was a perfect way to lighten up the rich toastie. And what a toastie it was! The bread had obviously been pan-fried in butter – it oozed with deliciousness and the flavour was incredible. I chose to add a fried egg into the filling and it went really well with the thick-cut leg ham (slightly chewy, but really tasty), the fresh tomato and the tasty cheddar. The whole breakfast was so hearty and I think it would have still been super filling, even without the added egg. The other dishes looked great too – I’ll be back soon to try them out!

Local Press, 128 Trevellian Quay, Kingston ACT http://www.localpresscafe.com.au/

Mama’s Buoi

Mama’s Buoi sucked me in with its pretty menus – they’re repurposed old-fashioned photo albums with bright covers. Opening them just confirmed that this would be a good experience. I was dining alone for this meal, and the wait staff, while not super fast, were attentive and friendly. I started with a delicious lychee and gin cocktail, which was bright purple and served in a martini glass – I loved the slightly sweet, fruity flavour and sipped it slowly over the course of my meal. To eat, I ordered the Thit Kho – a caramelised pork belly hot pot. Mmm. The serving arrived in a lovely bowl and came with a large portion of steamed rice. The pork was fatty and tender, and it had absorbed the flavour of the stock, making it quite sweet. There was one flavour that I didn’t like amid the mix (might have been bamboo?) but I could mask it with the onion. I really enjoyed the stock, which I put onto my rice, but I couldn’t finish the bowl by a long shot, so this could be a good one to share. I’d love to come back and try their pho and grilled dishes.

Mama’s Buoi, G25 Melbourne GPO, access via Postal Lane, Melbourne VIC      http://www.mamasbuoi.com.au/

Chez Kimchi

Dinner at Chez Kimchi was my first taste of Korean Fried Chicken (KFC). I’ve had Japanese-style variants, but this was my first authentic experience. We were very excited to explore the broad-ranging menu. We ordered the kimchi pancake, the vegetable bibimbap and the “Incredible” fried chicken, and I started out with a cup of apricot tea served hot – it was beautifully sweet and warming. We sampled the five complementary appetiser dishes – kimchi, seaweed salad, potato in a sweet sauce, pickled cabbage and a bean sprout salad – then got stuck into the kimchi pancake, which seemed a bit more like an onion pancake with kimchi sauce in the batter. There were a couple of pieces of kimchi but it wasn’t quite as kimchi-flavoured as I expected, although the portion size was generous. The KFC was next – coated in an unctuous, soy-ginger sauce, the wings were nicely battered and had plenty of meat on them. This was definitely the highlight of the meal. We thought we’d left the bibimbap long enough to make the rice go crunchy on the bottom but it hadn’t quite – this dish needed the red sauce served with it to stop it being dry, but the veggies included were a good mix. A new favourite for sure.

Chez Kimchi, Shop 11, 70-86 Bunda Street Civic, ACT, no website