I am of two minds whether to keep using my Livejournal account for restaurant reviews or to switch to Facebook notes or even Google+.  So I consider this a bit of an experiment.

Friday night, the husband and I went to Osteria dei Sapori  Italian restaurant in Nedlands.  It's the beginning of the husband's birthday weekend (whereby I feed him and feed him well) and Osteria has been one of those places which we go past but never went in.  During the time we lived in Crawley, it was always on our list of places to visit but we never got around to it.  It also made it to the top 10 list of restaurants endorsed by the Italian consulate as authetic cuisine.  So it really begs the question, was it good?

( The review )
**no food photos in LJ post - see FB or Google+ if interested

The last week has been quite erratic in terms of eating out/in.  I was basically a zombie for much of the last two weeks, becoming quite a putrified mess by last Thursday.  However, am feeling a lot better now... lots of social activities and just knowing I've cleared a bit of work on my never ending list of things to do.

Now that I'm living south of the river, I've had some opportunity to try out a number of places which I normally wouldn't bother to head to (mostly because of the distance).  So for a brief update:

Hulme Court, Myaree
Many people know this place because of the number of restaurants located in this small street.  Plus the fact that Yee Seng is here and has a wide selection of Asian groceries available.  And the fact that it opens all weekend (barring one or two restaurants).  One of the first places we visited was Spice Express, which serves Malay/Indian meals.  It's very popular and thus very hard to get a seat on the weekends.  The thing I like about this place is the selection of deep fried snacks, such as chicken wings, sardine curry puffs, Indian fried doughnuts and spring rolls.  Next door to this is Sundays Everyday, which does not open on Sunday.  Yup, pretty odd name and misleading!  It's famous for its generous serving of karage chicken but other than that, Ohnamiya in Applecross is better and more authentic.  However, it makes a quick and filling meal if you're into fast food Japanese.

Across these two restaurants are a selection of Chinese style places.  Thus far, I've been to the Hong Kong one (can't remember its exact name), Happy Star and Utopia.  There's another two called ME and the Ipoh Garden Restaurant (not to be confused with the one on Canning HIghway, which I believe though both were opened by the same person, the one in Myaree is now run by another family).  There is also Nishi Japanese Restaurant and Cora Korean BBQ.  It's quite a little busy little area for food.  I've got Cora in my sights as I heard it's a charcoal bbq.  Mmmm...

Lee Palace
Last Tuesday, despite taking a leisurely walk to our local supermarket for pizza fixings, I decided that what I really craved was laksa.  So into the car we went, and I took a rather longish drive to Spencer Village.  Curse you Urbanspoon!  You said it was open seven days!  But when we got there, it was dark and very definitely not open.  Much disappointed, I decided that I'd cheer myself up by heading to Kanta, a little Japanese izakaya style restaurant in the middle of very middle class suburbia.  I had heard many good things about this place and in particular that bookings were highly recommended.  Obviously I was overly optimistic... no tables available at all that night.  *sigh*  Now on to Plan C... to Hulme Court, but on the way, harlzen recalled that we keep passing Lee Palace along Canning Highway near Bicton and thought we should try some 'neighbourhood' Chinese - as opposed to Northbridge Chinese, I suppose.

It was an unforgettable meal.  For all the wrong reasons.  It always seemed busy whenever we peeked in while driving by, so our experience seemed rather odd.  But then again, maybe we've also turned into more discerning eaters.  We only ordered two dishes: butter beef (one of their signature dishes) and ma po tofu (one of our favourites by which we tend to measure the standard of Chinese food we try).  We also ordered an entree of fried wontons and when that came out, we knew the signs were bad.  I mean, the wontons were battered.  Yup, though wrapped in the traditional wonton skins, an extra layer of batter covered it.  I had never seen anything like that before and it made me wonder if they were 'recycled' (refried, left out too long etc).  The butter beef came out and that lived up to its name to an extent.  It sat on a mound of fried mustard leaves (which was quite tasty.  I had seen the method on Iron Chef at some point).  The beef had a delicate butter flavour but that was about it.  Because, as I was soon to consolidate my opinion, much of the meat had been treated by bicarbonate of soda.  If it's one thing I really draw the line at it, the amount of bi carb and time that meat is allowed to soak in it. 

Many people may not be aware that in most Chinese restaurants, meat is often treated in bi carb to soften it.  This could be due to the cuts of meat used (cheaper, more wiry and tough).  I don't mind the technique but over treatment leaves me gagging because the meat becomes tasteless and rubbery.  Just enough of it can leave it tender and juicy.  But I guess it's a fine line.  And the bottom line for any restaurant is cost, I guess.  Still, it is disappointing when my first bite doesn't fulfil the promise of the dish.  The ma po tofu utilised diced chicken which was also heavily treated by bi carb.  It was also rather sweet and not terribly spicey. 

All in all, it was a rather disappointing meal.  We won't be going back again as there's better Chinese food to be had.

We did eventually make it to Spencer Village but I'll leave that for another post.

We're back in Perth, but wow, what a whirlwind.  Barely were we back that we had to do some searching for a new home since the current landlord wants her old place back.  :/  It was very disheartening to get this news while we were in Japan, but what can you do? 

So the first weekend back was packed full of house hunting.  Well, it would have been the whole weekend except... we got a place by the end of Saturday.  For all that's being said about the tight rental market in WA, it was surprising and heartening.  I'd like to think it was harlzen and my trustworthy faces. *nod, nod*

We will soon be moving into a neat little 2 bedroom villa in Applecross.  It will be a new place to explore.  In fact, I drove around for a bit on Sunday and noted that the river front was about 600-700m away, with a lovely spread of cafes and shops at one intersection.  Public transport was also pretty easy to access.  A new neighbourhood will be fun!

But more importantly, we will be moving south of the river, where quite a few people seem to be moving to these days.

For now, the excitement of packing enthralls me (not).

We have finally arrived in Tokyo for the final leg of our Japan trip.  It's perhaps not surprising that after 2 weeks south and in the smaller cities/towns, the scale of Tokyo needs some adjustment.

Each place we have been to has had its own flavour and peculiarities, but I can say thus far that there are places we've been highly taken with, while others have been a bit on the 'meh' side.

I had never stayed in Hiroshima so this was a first.  Even though we only managed one night, we were able to explore the Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Park fairly thoroughly given the unremitting rain.  I admit to having a heavy heart when going through the museum and could not bring myself to walk through the exhibit detailing the scope of the human injuries.  But the museum itself is thoughtfully done and careful to avoid blame (neutral language and attempts to cover the events leading up to, including and after the tragic bombing of Hiroshima covering a number of perspectives).  It was a sombre moment which perhaps the grey weather contributed to.

We did have a lovely surprising moment when a group of about 6 Grade 6 students from Yamaguchi prefecture stopped us, and one young boy shyly read from a prepared script asking us if it was ok to talk to us (to practice their English and spread the message of peace).  Shy boy was occasionally prompted by a much more articulate young girl, especially when we asked questions that veered from the script.  ^_^  In any case, they gave us some hand outs about who they were and what they were doing, and a cute paper crane with each neat pack.  There's a return address to the principal of the school and the students, so I might send them back a little surprise when I get back to Perth.

Hiroshima will also be remembered for street side croquettes, which claimed to be the best in Japan!  Well, whether it was or not, they were yummy!  Had a minced meat variety that had very little potato.  It was also where we enjoyed okonomiyaki and the spectacle that made it quite a sight.  Our receptionist at the hostel we stayed at (Hiroshima Hana Hostel, for anyone who's interested) was most genki and recommended that we try a place not far away - which, on the 6 floor, was one of about 15 stores ALL selling okonomiyaki!  Good thing we asked for a recommendation then!  I had one called King of Rookie (spicey, with pork), while harlzen had the Yume (has squid and lots of spring onion).  They also added a heap of soba, which I understand is the Hiroshima specialty and thus sets it apart from other varieties.  And no batter at all.  As such, it was crunchy (with all that cabbage) and much more of a mound.  The chefs were really working hard at it as the tables were never empty.  A small group of school girls and their teachers, who had obviously reserved a seat, showed up as we started tucking into our dinner (which I failed to finish... sad when I think about it now, but I was fairly bursting at the time!)

And now we're in Tokyo, which rightly deserves its own post.  Later!

It's easy to forget just how comforting even a warm toilet seat is on a cold morning.  We've gone from warm, humid days in Osaka and Kyoto, to rainy, dry spells in Kagoshima and chilly grey mornings in Beppu.  For which I am eternally grateful for said warm seat.  :P

After 5 days in Kyoto, we left on a rainy day, where the rain just got heavier.  It was therefore rather nice to be ensconced in our warm shinkansen cabin.  I left harlzen to ooh and aah at the scenery (he loves train rides) while I lapsed in and out of sleep.  We did have a station bento though (another long held dream of harlzen 's which he finally got to fulfill).

We got to meet up with illusion_85 which was great!  Catching up was lovely and it was nice to see how she had settled into Kagoshima - the three years have really flown by.  And thanks to our lovely hostess, we got to try an izakaya in Japan, including shabu-shabu, kurubota and the region's famous shochu.

And now we're in Beppu.  The place we're staying at, Yamada Bessou was built in the 1930s.  We are upstairs in the room above the dining room.  Which is huge by today's Japanese standards.  It is in two sections, has a corridor that takes up two sides and an attached toilet.  We've tried the rotemburo, and ow, I had forgotten just how HOT it can get.  But even just after 10 minutes of soaking, my skin does actually feel softer.  We also had our first onsen dinner last night, which was tasty, albeit a bit surprising, with quite a bit of a western twist to how the food was prepared.  Our main dish was stewed beef that I found delish but harlzen found too similar to his mother's cooking!

Oh, and after sleeping on futons, our unanimous vote is that it's great only if someone sets it up and packs it up for you.  Like at this onsen.  It is quite comfortable though.  But I can see how storing it can be a pain and take up a lot of room, especially in small apartments.

Looking for Mandarake yesterday just about defeated me.  So very nearly.

For one thing, it didn't open till noon (I was there just before 11am) and the signage!  You had to look UP, like above 2nd storey, in order to see their signboard!  I know I'm not very tall, but yeah, what the?

I don't think the place has changed much at all.  When we walked into the doujin section, there was someone on stage belting out cutesy anime theme songs.  There was an entire section on dolfies.  With hair extensions and outfits.  I don't know.  Those dolls just freak me out a little.  I think it has something to do with their eyes.

Foodage pictures at FB, if you have the time.  Otherwise, I'll do a Flickr post when I get back for those not on FB.

Yes, eating well at the moment, except maybe last night when we did the 'take out' thing by heading to Isetan food hall.  We were late.  Well, by 8pm, it's late and all the good stuff had gone.  But they do discount food to clear around then.  Also got round to trying Iichiko distilled barley spirit.  It's around $35 a bottle back in Perth, but around $12-13 here.  Um yeah, I think we might be trying quite a few things while we're here.  ;P

This Easter has been a busy one!  Lots of eating involved and lots of catching up with people as well.  And house cleaning.  A holiday at home always involves house cleaning!  I don't love cleaning, but I do get a nice buzz out of things being in the right place, and everything neat and tidy.

Andrew and I finally got around to having dinner at the local Greek restaurant, Estia (836 Beaufort Street, Inglewood WA 6052, phone: 9371 5585, BYO).  For $45 per head, we got the mezze special.  It comes with shared entrees and mains.  Our entrees were delicious, with some anti-pasta, fetta, fried haloumi with preserved figs, three types of dips (babaganous, tzatziki and caviar).



Our mains, on the other hand, was just huge!  It's recommended that you come with a big appetite, but we were at least gratified to learn that not everyone finishes the big plate and they were quite happy to put what was left into a takeaway box for us.  I lost count of what was on there, but I think there were grilled prawns, souvlaki, hunks of slow cooked lamb, deep fried calamari, pan fried fish, all sitting on a bed of french fries (those confused us though... what part of Greek food is french fries?)  It also came with a side of Greek salad and an aoili sauce.



The cafe was casual and cheery, so much so that at times it was very difficult to hear yourself talk.  On the plus side, BYO was only $3 a bottle.  It's great if you're a big eater, but to be honest, I doubt I'll be going back there any time soon, more so because I'm not really capable of enjoying big plates of food any more.  It was just too much meat!  I think also a mezze mains has a major drawback in that food goes cold before you are halfway through since everything comes all at once.  The entrees worked fine because they can be presented chilled.

Definitely worth trying at least once.

Thank you to all who celebrated with me this week!  Rather than just the one day, I feel like I've been feted and fretted over for a week by friends, colleagues and family.  It has been wonderful though I doubt it has done anything to help my waistline!

Darlington Estate with my good friends was a blast.  My lovely basket was full of presents, and yes, love.  ;)  I noticed that there were a lot of food products in there for good measure!

On Monday night, my actual birthday, harlzen took me to Jacksons Restaurant.  In the last 12 months, I've been fortunate to eat at a number of fine dining venues, starting with Loose Box, and then the Long Lunch at the Mundaring Truffle Festival, Amuse and Bouchon.  But you know, I'm still a eggy hor fun sorta girl.

Jacksons was in itself quite a lovely place, and certainly the service was top notch.  Our sommelier was obviously enjoying her role, but call me a pleb, but I fail to distinguish between the 'grassy top notes' and 'hint of jasmine and fruitiness".  ^^;;  We both went with the normal set of matched wines, which was a mixture of Australian, Italian, Spannish and French.  Five out of these were lovely matches, but I thought the Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2008 from Yarra Valley was probably the most jarring of them all (strongly woody and acidic).

The food itself was quite delicate in flavours.  I do love the little bits and pieces they sneak in between, like our openers, which were yummy canapes (the wafer had anchovies in it!) with persian fetta. 



The only problem I did have with the meal were the mains, especially the plating of the mains - the PIGEON.



It just looked really sad, with the wiry wings and rather skeletal head.  :(  The body was deboned and made into medallions rolled into prosciutto.  Lean, and tasty but yes, I have to admit, not really visually pleasing.  Poor harlzen got the raw end of the deal as I wanted the lamb so he ended up with the pigeon.

The desserts were really lovely and Jacksons made a grade A effort in making my day memorable.

I must have used up any surplus energy I have this weekend already.  *yawn*

BUT, I do feel accomplished!  I have secured bookings for all accommodations in Japan, and I have worked out all my train schedules!  Thank you Hyperdia!  I just  have to remember that closer to the date of departure I double check the schedules.

So in 2011, our Japan travel route goes something like this:
Osaka -> Kyoto -> Kagoshima City -> Beppu -> Hiroshima ->Tokyo

The above is just where we'll be stopping overnight, but day trips should include:
Nara, Kobe (maybe Himeji, but I understand the castle is under renovations till 2015), Yokohama. 

Will probably slot in more places to visit, but I've been happily oggling at the photos here and wishing that May would come quickly!

Had a lovely time catching up with an old friend in Melbourne.  We had a wander through lots of little streets and she took me to the DFO up at South Wharf.  Must go back again as there are many bargains to be had!  I came away with lots of lovely things, and many a steal at a fraction of their usual prices.  I was in shopping nirvana yesterday!

A and I also caught up with his younger brother and his girlfriend to shop for our various family kris kringles.  But first we stopped off at Chockolait to have some yummy hot chocolate (ok, couldn't resist the jaffa flavour).  Then we moved rapidly throughout the city before having dinner at J-Pub Shogun, which tries to be a sort of izakaya.  There was happy hour, so much drinking of sake, umeshu and Japanese beer on tap to be had.  Food was ok.  No photos, nothing really spectacular.  We then moved to Kura Sake Bar.  We were the only people there at the time and the two staff had to start up their grill just for us, so that made us feel a little bad.  Kura had a full sized restaurant next door, so I think the sake bar and yakitori grill was just a small aside for people who only want to drink and nibble.  After that we went in hunt of some coffee and ended up at The European.  By the time I got home, I was ready to collapse in bed.

More outings today.  I think we are off to Victoria Markets later and A had a catch up with his mates tonight.