Bao Stop

Bao Stop is definitely one of the most popular stalls at this year’s Night Noodle Market – we braved the queue to see if it lives up to the hype. For part one, we ordered the ‘Bao Trifecta’ ($20), choosing the duck, pork and chicken options (there is also a tofu choice). Compared to local establishment The Fish Can, the Sydney-based store is a bit pricier, but each serve was excellent value and packed with meat. The duck was probably my favourite overall, reminiscent of the amazing duck pancakes served at Chinese restaurants. The duck was plump and tender, and really a big piece, complemented well by the cucumber, Peking sauce and shredded spring onion. Tick. Next up was the braised pork belly, topped with roasted peanuts, fresh coriander and hoisin sauce. Again I was amazed by how tender the large serve of pork belly was, and the coriander really added a lot. Tick. Finally the Taiwanese fried chicken bao was packed with spice – hello chilli mayo, chilli jam and fresh carrot. The giant piece of chicken was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, and the flavours were fresh and absolutely delicious. Bao Stop, you can #cometocanberra anytime.

Bao Stop, Night Noodle Markets, Reconciliation Place until 13 March, http://www.baostop.com/

Lilotang

I adore Lilotang, one of Canberra’s modern Japanese restaurants, and was very excited to see that they’re offering lobster rolls as part of the Night Noodle Market. Stationed right by the entrance, the staff were proudly claiming to have Canberra’s best Japanese as we approached the stall. I ordered the lobster roll ($11) and Dad went for the pork belly bun ($10) beng offered by stall-partner Chairman and Yip. Both dishes were served within 5 minutes of us ordering them, which I was super impressed by! The lobster roll looked small, but don’t let that deceive you – there’s plenty of delicious lobster filling packed within the two sides of that sweet, soft brioche bun. The mixture was designed to bring out the lobster flavour, with chives and onion added as highlights. This ranks up there with the Supernormal one as a must-try. The pork belly bun had two huge, fat strips of boiled pork belly resting atop a simple coleslaw – Dad added some hoisin sauce (help yourself at the counter) and it really brought the whole dish to life. The pork pieces were perfectly fatty and tender – an indulgence indeed.

Lilotang, Night Noodle Market Reconciliation Place, Parkes until 13 March,        http://lilotang.com.au/

Gondola Gondola

Gondola Gondola is my new happy place. I started with the Weaboo cocktail ($18) – rum, yuzu liqueur, nashi pear shrub, lime, mint and soda. This drink was basically refreshment in a glass, well-balanced and perfect for a hot day. Up first  was the salt and pepper bean curd ($12), fried so lightly that it formed the thinnest, most perfect skin over the soft curd inside. It’s super salty (in a good way), and the salad it’s served on packs some heat and epic ginger action! There were a generous 6 pieces to enjoy. Next up was the banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake, $22) with pork mince, prawn and sprouts, served with lettuce, purple leaves, mint, coriander, carrot and pickled cabbage. Whilst it looked big, this was a fairly light dish – a bit like san choi bao in that you wrap the ingredients in the lettuce and add sauce. Messy, but a great mix of textures and flavours – the coriander in particular brings it all to life. Finally, we had the bun cha ($22), which was our pick of the night – the pork was utter perfection, with a super crispy skin and tender meat, plus the noodles were fabulous! Everything here is packed full of flavour and perfect – take me back!

Gondola Gondola, 1 Peel Street, Adelaide SA, http://www.gondolagondola.com.au

Ruby Red Flamingo

Ruby Red Flamingo (RRF) is a lovely hideaway in North Adelaide and was packed out when we went on a Friday night. The staff here are really friendly and welcoming! I started with a mocktail, the Cicciolina, with pineapple, orange, lemon and soda, packed with fresh orange, lemon and lime wedges for extra freshness. Dish one was the beetroot cured salmon carpaccio; elegant and fresh, although I would have liked a stronger salmon flavour. The fresh fennel on top went well. Things only got better with dish two – the BEST ARANCINI I’VE EVER HAD. Seriously. The perfect balance between crisp, moist, tasty, cheesy and with a really moreish flavour combination. Please go and eat many, many of these for me. Next up was the utterly heavenly eggplant pasta – thick, flat tubular pasta doused in a rich tomato-based sauce with perfectly-cooked pillows of eggplant throughout, and plenty of parmesan for bite. The only thing that could have made this better was some kalamata olives, for a salty boost. Last up was the whole chicken, splayed and served with amazing roast veggies. The chicken was tender and succulent, whilst the veggies (especially the potatoes) were super tasty. I know I over-ate, but when the food’s this good, I dare you to try and stop!

Ruby Red Flamingo, 142 Tynte Street, North Adelaide SA, rubyredflamingo.com

Pho @ Dickson

My friend and I had a craving for pho, so on a Monday night after work we headed up to Dickson to indulge our craving. Pho @ Dickson is unassumingly located on Woolley Street – if I hadn’t know it was there, I might have missed it. The restaurant was quiet on a Monday night and we received excellent service. I ordered the ‘bells and all’ beef pho ($14.50), which included rare beef, beef balls, beef tripe and cooked beef brisket (so, basically, all the beef). The bowl was huge, and this was my first time trying beef tripe – I didn’t mind the flavour actually, although the rare beef is always my favourite part of eating pho. The broth was suitably beefy and I could tell that this wasn’t going to be a need-to-down-a-litre-of-water type pho – it wasn’t outrageously salty and that left plenty of space to appreciate the broth’s flavour. The noodles varied in width, leading me to suspect that they make their own, and all of the usual accompaniments are offered (bean sprouts, Thai basil and lemon wedges, plus the sauces). At the end of our meal a sliced orange was brought out as a palate cleanser. I was impressed, definitely worth a visit.

Pho @ Dickson, 14 Woolley Street, Dickson ACT, no website

Monja-ya

My general love of Japanese food is well-known, but if I had to pick an absolute favourite, it would have to be okonomiyaki. Why? Well, it’s exactly what it name means – as you like it, so you can enjoy it with all the things you like most. We stopped in at Monja-ya for dinner in Shinjuku (as a chain store, they have various locations in Tokyo). Half the fun of this place is that you get to cook the food yourself, but if you don’t feel confident, the staff are very happy to help. We started with an order of the cheese okonomiyaki and the standard monja, which the waiter kindly cooked while Mum made the okonomiyaki (go Mum!). The portions here are good value, even better if you pick the all-you-can-eat option. Whilst the cheese okonomiyaki was good, we all devoured the round two choice of kimchi – the added spice was amazing! The monja took longer to cook, but was worth the wait – we loved the sloppier texture with crispy bits from the grill. The trick to a good okonomiyaki? Layering it up with the sauces – okonomiyaki sauce, kewpie mayo plus bonito flakes. Perfection.

Monja-ya, Royal Puddings Building 4F, 3-35-10, Shinjuku, Tokyo Japan   

Bread & Bone

I wanted to kick the new year off with a 10/10 post – a meal that I had completely, utterly loved. So, ladies and gentleman, here is Bread & Bone Wood Grill. I started with the Dark & Stormy cocktail ($12) – a perfect blend of rum, ginger beer and lime that packed a punch but at the same time was just right (so much lime!). On the waitress’s recommendation, I ordered the B&B Burger ($18), the house specialty. Cooked on their eponymous wood grill, the beef patty was done to perfection, blushing pink inside, and had fantastic flavour. To be honest, after my first bite, I didn’t deconstruct the burger in order to be able to give you a blow-by-blow – I devoured that sucker without another word. So, all I can tell you is that there is some sort of magic mayonnaise/sauce, lovely thin bacon and that the whole damn thing is so tasty you’ve made me want another one right now just thinking about it. The fries were also top grade, well-seasoned and super crispy. With flawless service, great atmosphere and heavenly food, add Bread & Bone to your must-visit list for 2016.

Bread & Bone Wood Grill, 15 Peel Street, Adelaide SA, no website