Crane Bar Restaurant's first birthday party 2013 - The Golden Age

Thanks to Simon again, "My Hunger will go on" was invited to attend the Crane Bar's first birthday celebration. The Crane Bar Restaurant's location was actually just diagonally opposite of Buns and Balls! The theme for the party is "The golden age", and it was perfect for this party as gold colour always tend to represent wealth and prosperity.  The waitresses were in gold dresses, along with gold balloons floating all across the rooms and outside the bar.

The Crane Bar Restaurant was very crowded when we got there, with busy DJ and bartenders on the spot to bring joy and laughter. The whole bar had a warm glow with candle lights and gold decorations. The lighting behind the alcohol bottles at the bar just added an extra fancy touch to the evening.

We found lots of Sake standing neatly on the shelves, and the range at Crane Bar Restaurant was quite impressive. I wondered if they had Umeshu somewhere? (My favourite Japanese drink - Plum wine)

We saw a huge line behind the bar area, then we realised the live action of Sashimi making. They were really fresh and thick, which added the ultimate satisfaction of swallowing them. The chefs were quick and steady in cutting, slicing and arranging the Sashimi. We could see that the crowd were very pleased at these at the Crane Bar Restaurant, as the queue seems forever non-stop. The rice was very soft too, with just the right amount to give a good proportion.

We also found some skewers and fried chicken circulating around, and we decided to take a photo of this juicy one.

Unfortunately, we had to leave the event early and did not get a chance to explore as much as we would like to. Nevertheless...Happy first Birthday Crane Bar Restaurant!!! Now...why not have your own party/function here? And enjoy the delicate Japanese fusion cuisine and endless choices of cocktails and Sake :)

Here's is a short video clip of the night at the Crane Bar Restaurant:




It's getting extremely busy for us before Christmas time, but "My Hunger will go on" definitely have a few more exciting posts scheduled and looking forward to share with all of you soon!


Address:
32 Bayswater Road, Potts Point NSW

Phone number:
02 9357  3414

Opening time:
Mon & Tue Closed
Wed - Sun 5pm - 4am


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Hurricane's Grill and Bar - Top Ryde

It was our friend's birthday so we decided to visit Hurricane's Grill and Bar at Top Ryde for some awesome steaks and ribs! For super meat lovers (ie. Bun), this place is like a total heaven. The restaurant was about 95% full when we got there, and just when the giant Christmas tree started to lit up in front of Hurricane's Grill and Bar.

The waiters and bartenders were extremely busy, and diners inside Hurricane's Grill and Bar seemed happy and enjoying their meals. The atmosphere at Hurricane's Grill and Bar was vibrant and cheerful, quite perfect for the festive season coming ahead. We stood there a little to wait for our booked table, while the irresistible sights of ribs and steaks hovered around us a couple of times to make us swallow our own drool.

Garlic Roll $4.50

Finally after we sat down at our table, we decided to pick this starter to kick off our meal. The crust was quite crunchy, so I guess we all loved this as it was gone in a speed of light.

Natural Oysters (half $21.00 / dozen $38.00)

How can we ignore the oysters on Hurricane's Grill and Bar menu? As soon as we saw it, we decided to order a dozen. It comes with fresh lemon and Tobasco sauce for us to indulge, and the oysters lied neatly above the rock salts. I loved that moment when you gulp down the oyster, when the salty flavour hits you with a tiny sting, and they were so fulfilling.


Main dishes (drum roll):

Orders from our friends A and J (below), they seemed very happy with their meal...mmmm meeeeat!!!

Our orders for the night:

Junior T-Bone (400gm) $32.00 (either with chips or baked potato) with pepper sauce ($2.50)

Bun has always been a fan of T-bone steak (median rare), when I asked him why, he always says it had a different taste to other parts (yes, Bun has popped out again...). While he was imagining the steak talks back to him and admiring its juiciness, I managed to take a snap shot. One bite of this was good enough to make you dance around in joy, as it was extremely tender with a tiny bit of fat to compliment. We swear at Hurricane's Grill and Bar, you probably don't even need sauce to go with its meat, it was already so good just by itself.

Beef Ribs (Half $31.90, Full 42.90) either with chips or baked potato (You can also pick lamb or pork ribs)

This was said to be Hurricane's most famous dish, so I knew I had to pick this to have a try. While everyone else on the table having fun eating their meal, I waited another half hour or so until it finally arrived. The waiter gave me one of those (shown in bottom right picture) to me to prepare me for the craziness later on (I can sort of imagine the bits and pieces from the ribs flying everywhere as I get too excited). This certainly entertained the others as I looked like a chubby baby trying to learn how to eat for the first time. I don't know what the "secret sauce" at Hurricane's Grill and Bar is, but it definitely hit the right spot! My hands were covered with this sticky sauce with that bit of sweetness, and I really couldn't resist licking the fingers like what people did on the other table. As you bite off one side of the rib, the beef just started hanging down to give you that amazing second to bite all the rest of the meat in one bite. Mmmm...200% SATISFACTION. Oh, the bonus point? Order it with the baked potato!!


All of us loved Hurricane's Grill and Bar, they were certainly one of the best places in Sydney for meat lovers! We noticed that they actually had burgers and skewers on their menu too...oh well...next time :D


Address:
Top Ryde City Shopping Centre
Shop R 3006 Ground Level
Cnr Blaxland Road & Devlin Street
Ryde NSW

Phone number:
02 9130 7101

Opening time:
Lunch:
Mon - Fri 12pm - 3pm
Dinner:
Mon - Fri 5pm till late
Sat, Sun & Public holidays 12pm - late


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Buns & Balls - 2013 Online influencers dinner

"My Hunger will go on" was invited by Simon from "SIMON SAYS" and Sian from "The Darlin Group" to attend the "Online Influencers Dinner" at Buns & Balls, this was certainly exciting for us to check out this new hang-out place at Kings Cross. Buns & Balls was a little bit away from the main street, so you do achieve that privacy if you wish to have a party or function here. Buns & Balls is said to be "casual and vibrant". With funky street arts on the walls, trendy lighting, pool table, live music, comfortable couches, happy hours and outdoor dining area, it no doubt will increase the heart beat of any individuals who seeks for a fun night out.


So on this particular night, we were allocated to our table outdoor. With colourful light bulbs hanging above our heads and the sun slowly waving goodbye, our intimate dinner at Buns & Balls kicked off.

Cocktails:
Pineapple, ginger beer, vodka & bitters (left), Watermelon, lime and vodka (right) - freshly squeezed, with or without alcohol

I picked the watermelon while Bun went with pineapple, we were not sure which one was better because they were very different in terms of sensation and flavour. I found the watermelon one was very refreshing, with that mixture of sweetness and tingling sourness, it would be a brilliant summer drink. While the pineapple one was rather a little creamy, with quite a strong taste of ginger beer and hints of sweetness from pineapple.

Gourmet Meatballs:
Beef & Pork

This was like one of those classic meatballs that straight away melts your heart. They were juicy, and full of flavours bursting with every bite. Buns & Balls certainly aced this one!

Crispy Tofu served with warm chilli nap sauce

I thought this idea from Buns and Balls was very creative and interesting, they were so soft that they collapse as soon as I lifted them up with my fork. The meatballs then broke down into little square pieces of Tofu, and they were indeed tasty.

Barrumundi Croquette served with Buns & Balls' tartare sauce

Comparing to the previous 2 meatballs, this one from Buns & Balls seemed a little more ordinary. The skin was very crunchy, with that stream of hot air flowing out after the bite with fresh aroma.

Gourmet burger: (you can order gluten-free buns too!!)
Char-grilled beef (Wagyu beef, cheese, grilled onions, tomato, lettuce, mayo & Buns & Balls' burger sauce)

When we eat a good burger, it makes us happy for many days. So when we heard that Buns & Balls was especially passionate about their burgers, our eyes glittered up. The beef burger certainly did not disappoint us from our expectations, it delighted us in so many ways! The ingredients were in perfect proportion, the patty was extra juicy along with the melting cheese and sauce. We loved this!

Sweet potato fries

This was something different, as we had so much experiences eating just potato fries. The sweet potato fries was somewhat more gentle in its taste, and they were less crunchy. I loved the dark brown parts as they provided a little bit of chewiness and sweetness.

Grilled chicken burger (Marinated & char-grilled chicken, cheese, grilled onions, tomato, lettuce, mayo and Buns & Balls' chilli sauce)

Bun said this one tasted a little like Portuguese chicken, for me, it reminded me of those Korean chilli chicken. The chicken was even juicier than the previous beef burger, which made me drool for more.

Fresh Salad:
Char-grilled chicken with a side of chilli sauce

Char-grilled steak with a side of steak sauce

We all agreed that the chicken salad was better than the steak one, I felt it was because the beef was a little bit dry comparatively.

Spicy Louisiana Wings with blue cheese sauce

Oh god, those chicken man...No doubt they were everyone's favourite from Buns & Balls, I swear we could just sit there and eat those all day. The spicy flavour totally sank into the chicken, so prepare to get your hands sticky on this one. I would absolutely recommend this to people if they come to Buns & Balls, they were totally delicious!



Now on the menu that was given us, it said dessert will be a sweet surprise, and indeed they were!

We received cookie and ice cream sandwiches and pieces of Krispy Kreme donuts with chocolate sauce. The funny thing about the cookie and ice cream sandwich was...because the cookies were very hard, the ice cream just creeps right out when you bite on them! That difference in their textures was somewhat amusing. Oh and everyone loves Krispy Kreme donuts :D

We bumped into Ando and Brenda from The Lamstock, so it was time for some happy happy photos~~~ smile!!


In addition, "My Hunger will go on" decided to shoot a short video of Buns & Balls for you to check out their fun atmosphere.




Thanks again to Simon and Sian for inviting "My Hunger will go on" to this intimate dinner, we had a great time. This is definitely somewhere we want to return to in the near future, and most likely with a group of friends for a quick drink to catch up!


Address:
33 Bayswater Road, Sydney NSW

Phone number:
02 9326 9054

Opening time:
Tue - Fri 6pm - late
Sat - Sun 3pm - late

Website:

www.bunsandballs.com.au

 

 

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Waitan - Media Launch Party Oct 2013 (含中文简介)

WAITAN: A NEW CONCEPT IN LUXE ASIAN DINNING WHERE EAST MEETS WEST AND OLD MEETS NEW LIKE NEVER BEFORE

Located at the heart of Sydney Chinatown, Waitan has emerged in Oct 2013 with a promise to deliver the ultimate Asian foodie experience. Waitan is the first Australian venture for Asian hospitality groups, Xiang Er Qing and Tung Lok, with Patrick Tian as the local managing director and Aaron Ching as the Chief operating officer. Together with over $10 million spending and a stunning 2,500sqm venue, Waitan has certainly set its impression to bring a new and exciting vibe to the old Chinatown.

"My Hunger will go on" was really grateful to be invited to this party at Waitan, and we knew what we were going to see on the night would be amazing and memorable. We arrived just before the sun went down, and there we saw the colourful Lamborghinis sitting glamorously at the entrance and attracting many attentions from the public. At that instant, we couldn't wait to walk up the red carpet and check out this new giant inside Chinatown.

With an overwhelming crowd, rows of red lanterns and the traditional antiques, we felt that we have been teleported immediately into the old Shanghai back in the 1930s where it was known as "The Paris of the East, the New York of the West".

If Shanghai in the 1930s represented an era of class, style, elegance, romance and the classics, this world-class interior designed by Thuan Teh (previous works including Chef's Gallery and boutique hotels of The Kirketon and The Diamante) has certainly brought it all back. Waitan consisted of main dining hall with an exhibition-style kitchen, intimate laneway, 14 private dining rooms, Waitan's O Lounge, and even member-only spaces like the Library.

On every corner of Waitan, you can find statues that resembled people from ancient China. With a combination of red and blue lighting shinning down on them, it almost felt like they were to come alive in any minute and enjoy a delightful meal with you.

Going into the bar inside Waitan and staring at this faux opium bed, it reminded me of all the movies and dramas I use to watch about old Shanghai when I was a kid. My impression of nights in Shanghai was full of neon lights, melody notes floating inside the Paramount nightclub, gangsters with money to burn on cigars and beautiful women, and wealthy ladies walking on the street with Qi Pao and short curly hair. The voice of the live music band has dragged me back to reality from the chain of thoughts, and I quickly took a snap of this dark, mysterious, yet addictive scene. I wondered if the illustration on the wall was to depict a deep sea, where people drown themselves into their most fascinating dreams.

With John Rankin (worked for Quay, Astral and Sean's kitchen) taking on the lead of the kitchen, Waitan will offer something different to the crowd, something that redefines your expectations, and bring back the "French Gourmand tasting menu with a unique eastern twist".

With these in mind, we took a journey around the kitchen area to find little surprises that Waitan seeks to offer, and we spotted fresh oysters, fried buns, spring rolls, prawn sticks, Wagyu beef buns and the famous Peking duck pancakes.

The master Peking duck chef Mr Yuejin Ma has been flown to Sydney for this special night at Waitan, and prepared these ducks pancakes from the signature oven to please the crowd. We constantly heard "Mmm this is really good!", "I love it!", "Absolutely amazing!" phrases from the crowd, I guess a bunch of exclamation marks just popped out of everyone's head.

We loved the traditional dark wooden tables and chairs, the silky cushions full of flower patterns, and the flawless dinnerware.

If these weren't exciting enough, an amount of $10,000 will buy you a VIP ticket to access the second floor members-only areas, where Sydney's largest circular table measuring 5.2m is located, and the $50k bottle of cognac will be available to indulge.

This venue at Sydney Chinatown will be the first of an international chain of Waitan restaurants, the second of which will open in New York next year. There are two more planned for Australia including another one in Sydney and one in Melbourne.


用了千万*资金打造的Waitan，2013年十月在悉尼中国城开幕了。Waitan拥有占地两千五百平方米的豪华场地，其中包括了十四间私人包间，展览厨房，酒吧以及VIP会员专区等等。主厨是曾在Quay, Astral, Sean's kitchen工作过的John Rankin, 这让人很期待Waitan会带给我们什么惊喜。当我们走进Waitan时，感觉像是穿越时空来到了三十年代的旧上海，每一个角落都散发着古典美与神秘的气息。 在酒吧里还摆设了模仿旧时代的鸦片床，不由让人想起了那个灯红酒绿，纸醉金迷的老上海。当晚我们品尝到了生蚝，炸虾棒，Wagyu牛肉包，北京烤鸭等等的精致派对美食，值得一提的是Waitan的特殊烤鸭炉和准备了三天的烤鸭，很让人惊叹不已。如果这些惊喜还不够，Waitan还有会员费一万块*的VIP专用区，包括图书馆和悉尼最大的圆饭桌，人们还可以品尝到Waitan价值五万块*的白兰地。然而，这只是Waitan的一个开始，第二家Waitan餐厅准备明年在纽约开幕。(*澳币)


Again we are really thankful to be invited to this great event, and we can't wait to visit here for a delicious meal soon!


Address:
405 Sussex Street Sydney

Phone number:
02 8218 1000

Opening time:
Mon - Sun 6pm - 12am


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Yebisu Izakaya

"An izakaya (居酒屋) is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. They are casual places for after-work drinking." (Wikipedia)



Most people probably already heard of this term "Izakaya", you can probably see lots of business men gathering up in such places after work in Japan. It's a good place for quick snacks, drinks and catching up with casual conversations. When "Yebisu" opened up in Regents place in Townhall, I was amazed of how much this corner has become so similar to what's really in Japan. There were huge paper lanterns, quirky graffiti (there was a giant Totoro!), neon light as shop signs etc. All of these attracted many people to surround this place over the weekends and evenings.

There was a long bench right outside with customers sitting there for a few drinks, just like the setting in Japan. The interior was tidy, and full of wooden furniture just like the traditional designs. Although with all these traditional looks, don't forget the high-tech aspect of touch-screen ordering menu, just like Japan, there will always be a mixture of the olds and new. The waiter and waitress are as polite as always, and they will always make sure the plates would be cleared away as soon as they are finished.


Sapphire Blue $6.80 and Tequila sunrise $8.80



Pork & Kimchi (Salt) $4.80

This is probably one of the best skewers we tasted so far, the combination was perfect in terms of taste and texture, and the sauce was incredibly flavoursome. I love how they rolled the Kimchi inside the pork, so that you get this layer of juicy fat pork and then the crunchy bits of Kimchi.




Pork belly (Teriyaki or Salt) $3.00

Both of us love Pork belly! However when this was compared with the Pork & Kimchi skewer, it seemed less appealing. They were still a nice little dish, and one thing I love about Japanese skewers is that they are never too oily.



Chicken meatball with Porched egg (Teriyaki or Salt) $4.80

This was something new to us, and it looked interesting. I couldn't quite figure out the correct way of eating this, but I tried eating the meatballs alone and as well as soaking it in the Porched egg. The meatballs actually didn't taste too much like chicken, but it was very fulfilling. The Porched egg was very cold, and fully slipped down my throat like a kid on a slide at the playground. Funny little dish I must say, and I'm just so obsessed with the bursting moment of Porched egg these days.




Takoyaki

We always seemed to have picked a Takoyaki dish whenever we eat Japanese food, it's becoming like a habit. The Takoyaki was extremely hot (always becareful when biting them!!) but full of octopus, it has always been a nice Entrée dish for us.

Yebisu Omelette rice $14.80

Mmmm...the scent of this dish has always been amazing. We loved how fresh the ingredients were and the perfect mixtures. The egg was a little bit runny, and I must say that is probably the perfect state to go with steamy rice. We quickly finished this whole bowl and it still felt like we needed more...mmmm....



Ice cream with Daifuku $3.80

Daifuku is a mochi (sticky rice cake) which is usually filled with red beans. But in this case, it's filled with ice cream!!!! Before I go into details, I must mention the purple fluffy candy floss on the top. We ate this and then found out there were those exploding lollies hidden inside the candy floss (I forgot what you call them, but I'm sure we all had one when we were kids), this made us laugh instantly and as well as having a bit of nostalgic moment. The combination of ice cream and mochi is a genius idea, and the Daifuku was extra soft and stretchy!



Cream puff ice cream chocolate $3.80

Comparing to the Daifuku, we didn't enjoy this as much. The texture of the puff and the cold ice cream didn't seem to go very well together. It was like eating ice cream with bread or toast, which diminished the taste of the ice cream.


The dining experience was wonderful, and we were impressed by their wide range of beverage selection especially the cocktails. We loved the atmosphere and surroundings, and it can get pretty crowded around dinner time. However, it was a little pricey comparatively, but a few skewers and a drink here would definitely be worth the visit.


Address:
Shop 7-10
501 George Street, Sydney

Phone number:
02 9266 0301

Opening time:
Sun to Thu  noon - 3pm, 5 - 11pm
Fri and Sat  noon - 3pm, 5pm - midnight


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