DolceBunnie

Showing posts with label Asian. Show all posts

Junk Coorparoo | 9/300 Old Cleveland Road, COORPAROO QLD 4151

Get your tummies ready because Junk Boat has a new location with a new menu to impress!

I have no doubt that Junk is a lot of Brisbanites’ favourite joint for Asian food. And why not? The atmosphere is always super fun and the zero-fuss menu is filled with so many delicious dishes that are perfect for sharing… or not.

Anchored at the newly opened Coorparoo Square, we were invited to Junk’s opening night and I literally looked forward to dinner all day like a kid eagerly waiting for Christmas morning to arrive. I had tried the new menu prior to its release and so I had a pretty good idea of what’s good (trust me, your tummy is going to be very very impressed) and that’s the problem because I wanted to order everything. #nojudgement.

The system is simple. Once you’re ready to order, just head over to the counter, order, pay and you’ll get a numbered rattle drum. As you can imagine, the place was packed! It felt like the entire neighbourhood had gathered at Junk and surprisingly, food didn’t take long to come out at all as these guys are running a very smooth operation.

What to order, you ask. I would start the meal with some crispy prawn crackers which come with Junk’s own sweet soy dip and some pretty ah-mazing pork bao’s - made with pork belly, the actual bun itself it’s extremely fluffy and then you get the crunchiness from the crushed peanuts and that sweet, sticky soy sauce… The grilled king prawns with Singapore chilli sauce and crispy mantou buns are a must but so are the scotch eggs - those panko crumbed tasty morsels with gooey centres will have you wanting more. Truth be told, there’s something for everyone here at Junk and that’s what's cool about this place, it’s like being at a food market that’s filled with dishes highlighting Asian influences.

Now let’s break some fortune cookies and get eatin’.

Disclaimer: with thanks to Junk for welcoming DolceBunnie as an invited guest, please note that my opinion is as always, my own.

Junk Boat | Shop 11-12, Little Stanley Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Junk Boat knows how to throw a mean opening party, I know that for sure. Recently opened in the ever bustling food precinct of Southbank on Little Stanley Street, Junk Boat treated its guests to a spectacular visual feast of lion dancing, as well as a tantalising feast of Asian street food. I was lucky enough to be one of those invited guests and I just had to go back for more. So last Thursday night, when the other travel bunnie finished work, the three of us hopped across the river in our car and found ourselves at Junk Boat ready for a night of delicious treats.

They had kindly reserved a table for us next to the open plan kitchen bench, which in my opinion, is definitely the premium spot in the restaurant as it offers a perfect viewing point for the heated action happening in the kitchen and the chefs can present your dishes directly to your table (not to mention the lingering aromatic smell from the pans).

We snacked on some crunchy, slightly spicy lotus chips ($7) to start off with but it wasn’t long until we were presented with some steamed pork bao ($15 for 3). Filled with pork belly, quick pickled cucumber and peanut soy, the milky white buns were perfectly done - fluffy with every bite. Beef massaman ($19) and crispy pork belly ($19) soon followed. The beef was soft and flavoursome, but I had my heart set on the crispy pork belly. Cooked in a kaffir lime and dark palm sugar caramel, plated in a little paddle of laksa then served with green papaya and cashew nut salad, the crispy pork belly was every meat lover’s dream come true. The dish had great depth of flavours as well as providing different textures. We also tried their Gangnam fries ($10) - topped with house made kimchi, nacho cheese sauce, spring onion and nori. Warning, these spiced fries were unorthodox but damn good and highly addictive.

I’m thrilled that Junk Boat has joined Brisbane’s food scene. The team here have a fresh take on traditional Asian street food and the dishes are fun, delicious and very reasonably priced. So next time you visit the area, head in, grab a bubble tea, sit back and enjoy.

Disclaimer: DolceBunnie dined at Junk Boat as an invited guest, please note that my opinion is as always, my own.

Umami Restaurant & Bar | Shop 2, 624 Ann Street, FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD 4006

Umami

/uːˈmɑːmi/

noun. a category of taste in food (besides sweet, sour, salt, and bitter), corresponding to the flavour of glutamates, especially monosodium glutamate.

Umami, a word so foreign yet it’s already created a buzz amongst food lovers in BrisVegas. Allow me to introduce you to one of the Brisbane food scene’s newcomers - Umami Restaurant, a place that will allow you to explore that fifth taste with dishes presented in a share plate format curated by award winning Chef Minh Le, who rose to fame quickly with his talented creations at The Foraging Quail.

Nestled at the corner of Ann and Duncan Streets, Umami is dark and mysterious. Stepping inside the restaurant the first thing that you will notice is a glass panel which provides an insight into the action of the kitchen. Dark walls surround an intimate and sleek setting with touches of timber and copper accents. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the maître d’ and lead to my table, a circular booth cradled by wooden panels. I browsed through the drinks menu as I waited for rest of the party to arrive. Amongst other drinks, the restaurant has an impressive selection of both classic and modern cocktails with Asian influences, including the Vietnamese Espresso Martini which has condensed milk (yum!), and Ginger Bite. I asked for a lychee & rose mojito - white rum, lychee liqueur, rose syrup, lime juice and fresh mint topped with soda; it was deliciously refreshing.

Snacks quickly came out when the rest of the guests arrived. We were there to try the yet to be released new menu at Umami and Chef Minh Le had us intrigued all night as we had no idea what was coming out next. Before we received the share plates, we snacked on some coal grilled prawns with herb oil and dill, Nam Neung - grilled pork skewers as well as some lightly fried edamame with ponzu sauce; seasoned with nori and black salt. Those edamame beans were so addictive, the entire bowl was pretty much gone before our next dish. Although I must admit that I personally loved the grilled pork skewers as well.

The menu here is designed to be shared (but hey, no judgment here if you want the dishes all to yourself). As our culinary journey continued, we were presented with confit pork jowl, celeriac, eggplant, edamame, miso emulsion, salt bush lamb belly, young pickled vegetables, chilli jam, sweet potato, as well as the wagyu strip loin, duck fat potato, carrot, zucchini, with a chicken w’ Asian slaw on the side. All the dishes were presented in such an immaculately delightful way, and it was hard to pick a favourite as each dish had its own character. If one had to be picked, I’d go for the confit pork jowl, as the meat was incredibly tender, slightly sticky, rich but not fatty, and last but not least, extremely flavoursome.

If by the end of your main course, you still have room for dessert (I mean, who doesn’t?!) then the signature nine textures of chocolate is not to be missed; or if you would prefer something slightly more refreshing, try the piña colada cigar with rum pineapple gel, coconut panna cotta, spiced coconut ice cream.

I really couldn’t fault the experience, including the service that we received which was attentive and always with a smile. I’m already looking forward to taking the other travel bunnie there for dinner one night so he can share the same joy that I had when I devoured every single dish I had on the night.

Umami is a new era for Chef Minh Le. If The Foraging Quail was where this chef tested his skills and moulded his career, not to mention earned a Chef’s Hat, then Umami will only lead this Gault & Millau Awards Chef of the Year Finalist to something even more outstanding.

Disclaimer: with thanks to Umami Restaurant for welcoming DolceBunnie to the property as an invited guest. Please note that my opinion is as always, my own.

Mamasan Kitchen + Bar | 3 Oracle Boulevard, BROADBEACH QLD 4218

Recent one weekend, we took a trip down to the Gold Coast for a staycation and dined at Mamasan Kitchen + Bar.

The word Mamasan usually describes a woman in a position of authority, especially one in charge of a geisha house or bar, but on the Gold Coast, Mamasan is where you can find oriental flavours with a modern twist. Situated in the Oracle building in Broadbeach, the decor at Mamasan is dark and mysterious. We were seated at the back of the restaurant, to our left, was a private dining area with a big round table placed under the watchful eyes of artwork depicting an Asian lady dressed in a red dress who had her hands placed on armrests.

The menu is designed for sharing. We started off with Peking duck pancakes with sweet hoisin, cucumber and shallot ($29) as well as some pork and prawn wontons ($18). Both were delicious, but I would pick the duck dish between the two. The sliced duck breast had a slightly crispy skin with extremely tender meat, and it tasted fantastic with a slather of the sweet hoisin sauce; although the dish was a little pricey for what you get. We also ordered the crispy pork with caramelised chilli, dark palm sugar sauce, gem lettuce and Vietnamese pickle ($38). This dish was designed to feed 2-3 people and we struggled to finish it as the serving was very generous. The dish had a nice balance between the sweet, fatty meat and refreshing lettuce and pickles. Again, the skin was extremely crispy and the meat was tantalising and soft. It’s a dish that I would highly recommend but sadly the restaurant has changed their menu and this dish is no longer available. We finished our meal by sharing the ginger and lemongrass cheesecake with kaffir lime and Asian crisp ($18). Presented beautifully in delicate glass and decorated with edible flowers that looked like butterflies, the dessert was surprisingly light and refreshing.

Thanks, Mamasan, you fed us well. ♥

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $130

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