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Gateway to the Hunter | A Weekend in Maitland

September 15, 2019Regional NSW, Travel2019, Maitland, NSW, Sponsored

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I'm Still Hungry - A Food & Travel Blog by Michael Shen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on the work at https://imstillhungry.net

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With the kind of Japanese restaurants I usually ea

With the kind of Japanese restaurants I usually eat at (no point denying it...it is what it is), it's all too easy to be overly Asian Dad-level critical of the vast majority of places that don't serve refined, omakase menus that cost half a week's rent. Marrickville's Kurumac is a good example of this: among the many dishes on its impossibly-varied menu (we all know about the must-order mentaiko toast & teishoku, right?), there's stuff you'd ordinarily only find at full-blown restaurants - mazesoba, chirashi being the examples on the latest visit. This kind of food at a cafe makes me really happy since I've long gotten over standard cafe fare. At Kurumac, it all passes the uniqueness test but importantly also the deliciousness test - plus, where else are you gonna get chirashi at 11am with a specialty coffee, notwithstanding that the two may not necessarily make a great combo? 🤣🤣🤣 . Yes, I nitpick Japanese food* more than other cuisines and I'm going to go out on a limb and assume I don't need to explain why. But when all's said and done, if I lived within walking distance (parking in the inner west during peaks is a concerted exercise in frustration), I wouldn't be surprised to see myself at Kurumac on a fortnightly basis at the very least - it's just that good. I still think about that crunchy juicy eggplant sando sometimes...You lucky Marrickville peeps! . Dishes: - Chirashi of scallops, salmon, unagi, prawn w/miso soup - Pork chashu & chilli sesame mazesoba - Eggplant katsu sando, egg tartare, tomato . *Nitpicks were in IG stories. Sorry if you missed those. #ISH_Kurumac (12 Feb; 3 visits) // $25-45pp

It’s well-established that Yoshii's and Sushi Oe

It’s well-established that Yoshii's and Sushi Oe are the sine qua non of high-end 🍣 in Sydney. In an unashamedly fabricated stat, for every 100 people to visit, 90 would pick one or the other as their favourite, controlling for factors like value for money. . But this is the real world, and who in their right mind controls for value – a very much real and meaningful influence on our dining behaviour? (If you’re made of money, skip this post…) In this respect, at $130, Yachiyo delivers it in spades. No to caviar bumps or make-it-rain counterside truffles. But yes to a complex meal resulting from Micchan (Matsuhiro Yashio’s) 12 years operating in the Sydney Japanese scene, plus many more under Michelin-starred Akai in Kyoto. To think he’s been doing omakase that entire time…how on earth has it stayed under the radar for so long? . Anyway, this genuinely is ‘omakase’ – there’s a printed menu, but its vagueness makes it about as useful as blank paper, which allows Micchan to serve whatever he wants, whenever he wants. 3 rounds of toro at the beginning of the meal coz the good stuff’s in season? Yup. Grilled garfish? Have you had this anywhere else? Satsumaage? If you don’t know what this is, then you now have another reason to visit. And I don’t even have the word count to talk about their special soy sauce (regulars know). Make no mistake: while there's very much a casual vibe and homestyle feel to the omakase, a lot of the thought and technique behind it is anything but. If you happen to uh, imbibe Micchan with a little something’ somethin’, you’ll get quite an education – no matter your level. . As an izakaya first and sushi-ya second, Yachiyo’s the opposite of high key: low-fuss, crappy lighting, and loud customers, all of which all adds up to the vibe of a laneway restaurant in a hidden Tokyo neighbourhood corner. This is also exactly why they can do a cheaper omakase – eg, they can (and do) buy whole tuna and use different parts for omakase vs a la carte customers, an option unavailable to omakase-only venues. . Easily the best omakase in Sydney under $180! . As usual, deets on specific courses in IG highlights. #ISH_Yachiyo (12 Jan; 2 visits) // $130pp

Sichuan cold noodles. A staple in, well, Sichuan,

Sichuan cold noodles. A staple in, well, Sichuan, this dish is all about the interrelationship between sweet, salty, hot, sour & earthiness. If you've ever eaten dan dan noodles (no, Japanese tantanmen is not the same), you'll instantly recognise this, albeit with some differences - mainly in the absence of ground pork and that the latter's served hot. But make no mistake, this is a hawwwwwt dish (and I don't mean spice either...well, unless you want it to be), one you'll find on almost every street corner in Sichuan as a ubiquitous snack. . It's dead simple to make, but admittedly does require a bit of effort since there are a number of different components & toppings - you'll get more mileage serving at least four people. You can take shortcuts and make all sorts of subs, like any homecook should be allowed to do, but one thing you really, really shouldn't skip is the chilli oil. In 20 years of eating this, I've come to realise it's really a way to showcase the power and individuality of a master's chilli oil - the dish is almost a flavoured vessel to transfer the good stuff directly to your mouth. For those that can't take spice, it's absolutely possible to make non-spicy chilli oils, but that's an adventure I leave to you. For my particular recipe, check out my IG story highlights. . As for the other components - the spiced soy, aroma water, sesame paste, toppings & spice-brined chicken - yes, you can just use store-bought versions without much further input, but like all things, there are trade-offs. But a tip: use store-bought noodles, something like spaghetti - handmade noodles are actually inferior for this usage (fresh is not always best) as you can't get the same type of clean, al dente mouthfeel that's absolutely critical to cold noodles. And hey, who doesn't want to save time? #ish_homecooked

For some time, I've been screeching - like overpla

For some time, I've been screeching - like overplayed vinyl - that sushi omakase in Sydney badly needs new players entering the scene. With demand constantly dwarfing supply, scoring bookings at the top shops is a task that makes obtaining a RAT look positively effortless. . I'm not so sure I think this way anymore. Despite the pandemic, economics did its thing - a flood of new shops have opened to sate the demand. 'New wave omakase', created by those who see the allure and potential margins in the low staff, low seats & high-cost pp model that exudes exclusivity. Coupled with the blessing that none of the existing shops have closed (notwithstanding the Sano-Sokyo bombshell), you could say that my wish was fulfilled. . It's just a shame that most of the new entrants aren't all that good - right now. Inexperience with 'omakase' - the depth & meaning of the offering, chefs that lack the necessary experience, and perhaps cynically, restauranteurs just out to turn a quick buck on what could be just a fad - these are all plausible, if unprovable explanations. Of course, we all hope that new-venue ‘teething’ will explain away most of the typical issues, but gosh, you can't really get around the fact that to be the best, to be able to charge upwards of $200+, you've got to have the pedigree, the cachet backing you up. . Having said all of this (cut me some slack with the verbosity - I haven't written in a while!), Bay 9 probably has the most potential I've seen out of all the new entrants. Chef Yul Kim's highly untraditional, almost sacrilegious take on the omakase format was an experience that shocked me with how much I enjoyed it. See my IG story highlights for dish details (might play with this format going forward), but suffice to say, despite the inevitable issues that come with this toddler of a venue, it's an experience enjoyable enough that it's the only newcomer I'd put on the repeat list. Throw in a few more nigiri and cut back on some of the more overzealous seasoning and it may well become a restaurant located in a touristy hotspot that's actually worth visiting. #ISH_BayNine (19 Jan; 1 visit) // $195pp

Even a collage of 30 pictures isn't enough. A fitt

Even a collage of 30 pictures isn't enough. A fitting metaphor of the bounty we've been lucky to have this year. Thank you for everything this year @oetoshihiko 今年はお世話になりました。来年も良い年でありますように！🙏 🙏 🙏 . #ISH_SushiOe (visited 8 December; 10 visits) // price pp - 180 AUD (increase to 230 AUD from 2022)

They say this is probably the most photographed di

They say this is probably the most photographed dish in the world. Probably not - can you imagine how many more grainy, blurry photos of Maccas cheeseburgers there are on people's phones? - but I think you get the point. When taking the passage of time into account, Tetsuya's confit of petuna ocean trout is very likely to be the most famous dish to have ever come out of any fine dining restaurant on the planet - no hyperbole. It was a time before the concept of chefs as celebrities, combining exacting French technique with Japanese sensitivity, or the idea you can cook fish without making it look cooked - preserving its unadulterated, scarlet hues. The only thing more famous than this dish, is the restaurant itself. . If you're subconsciously nodding to all this, you know what I'm getting at. If your face is scrunched up along the lines of 'what is this guy smoking, and how do I get some of that', further reading won't be amiss, as there's no chance a restaurant with a shadow as long & deep as Tets can be summarised in one random Instagram pontification. Of course, this is 2021, and it would be falsehood to say Tetsuya Wakuda's original flagship - one that for decades was an incubator for most of Australia's top chef talent - is still generating the same kind of waves. The baton inevitably passes, as it now has to many other capable venues and their illustrious executive chefs. Yeah, Tets is showing its age - in the restaurant as well as the food, but gosh, it's still exciting whenever I revisit. After all, how often do you get to experience history in the contemporary? . #ISH_Tetsuyas (visited 19 November 2021; 4 visits)

LuMi, like every other restaurant in Sydney, has h

LuMi, like every other restaurant in Sydney, has had to take its fair share of shaky steps in adapting to a post-lockdown world. It's still indisputably king of the Japanese-Italian fusion hill, though I'd certainly be lying if I said this was their best menu yet. Like a stock market correction, you gotta buy the dips in order to reach ever greater heights. Even so, it was unabashedly a delicious feed with almost every course delivering something I haven't had before. The croissant, king george whiting and pastas were exceptional standouts. But the most important opinion? The parents digged it - at that point, nothing else really matters. . #ISH_LuMi (visited 30 October 2021; 13 visits)

Chaco Bar may not be running their omakase right n

Chaco Bar may not be running their omakase right now (set menu notwithstanding), but I've always thought their a la carte game is so strong, it's actually a rare case of a restaurant whose omakase offering finishes 2nd place on the podium. . Besides, just look at our order - considering it doesn't even fit onto a 4x4 grid, it's pretty much a choose your own omakase adventure. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say...自分で任せる, ie omakase to you, from you. Be your gift to yourself and live your best life. Or something like that (whatever the kids say these days) 😂 😂 😂 . Dish details in story highlights #ISH_ChacoBar (visited 9 November; 4 visits)

My first visit to Casoni was in September 2019, ov

My first visit to Casoni was in September 2019, over 2 years ago. It was a promising - albeit risky - blend of Korean and Southeast Asian inspired-cooking, underpinned by Italian fundamentals. The pasta was handmade, the flavours were punchy, and the only other restaurant doing anything remotely like it was ACME (oh, how I miss ya). But fusion and risk are bedfellows, and well, you can probably guess what I thought. . The 'new' Casoni - well, not really, as it's still under the auspices of @jowoon_oh117, but new to me - hits different. The food is still very much in line with the intent of its head chefs - Italian, but not as your nonna would recognise, or even acknowledge. But gosh, do the boys continue to dare to be different, and for the most part, are handsomely rewarded. Where else are you going to find a typhoon shelter style spanner crab pasta that harmonises nduja, fermented chilli & konbu? Or a pacherri that's richly flavoured with the deep, almost pungently aromatic flavours of what is a sambal in all but name? Have you had acorn pasta? Potato gnocchi 'churros"? Black garlic sourdough w/miso cultured butter? Did I mention all the pasta is still made in-house? By 18yo @stevenpark_02 no less - he'll go far. . There's still plenty of rough edges, but maybe that's just the cost of admission to this kind of cuisine: there's so much unique goodness here, that even though it's highly unlikely you'll enjoy /every/ dish you order, when the dish slaps, it SLAPS so hard you might just get a concussion. Fusion and risk may be bedfellows, but excitement is very much a part of this ménage à trois. You wouldn't want to miss out, right? 😉 . Recommended orders: -Spaghetti alla chitarra w/uni & bottarga (2nd pic) -Agnolotti w/jerusalem artichoke, brown butter & sage (5) -Burrata w/chilli miso & black garlic sourdough (7 & 8) -Moreton bay bug pacherri (3 - if you think you can stomach the sambal) #ISH_Casoni

Received a beautiful pack of scarlet prawns from @

Received a beautiful pack of scarlet prawns from @derwooblegie recently which is probably a not-so-subtle sign to get me to cook something for once. Decided to go for an easy riff on butter XO noodles (except I used pasta, coz hey, make do with what you've got) that hit the spot...twice (dinner + breakfast the next day 😂). So many lessons learned but man, the principles and ingredients are so sound, even I couldn't stuff it up. 🦐🍝 . Seriously scarlet prawns are so, so good. It's not just the meat or the vibrancy of the red after which they're named, but I'd say the head juice is really where these shine. There's so much of it (the heads are massive) and really boosts the sauce when it's squeezed in. Omgosh 🤤

Last week before the first tranche of restrictions

Last week before the first tranche of restrictions lift. I won't miss much about lockdown, but Choji's hanami set + futomaki (look at how thicccccc they are!!) is going to be up there. Very happy they offered local pickup within 5km allowing me to try this for the first, and last time! 🙏 #ISH_Choji

So many home lockdown bakers, but so few - if any

So many home lockdown bakers, but so few - if any - with the in-your-face bravado of @bloodsbakery's products. This is pastry that unapologetically slaps with flavour, supported with enough butter to kickstart your own creamery. Don't be surprised if, thinking the @maximmushrooms & comté tart would make for a fine a starter, ends up being almost a full meal. In that sense, we're talking good value for money. . And then there's the houjicha custard-stuffed croissant: I'm pretty sure this is the richest, most unctuous example money can buy. Holeeee sheeeet I was buzzed after downing that one! . Definitely not your average pastry. #ish_bloodsbakery #ish_supportlocal

Picked up some tasty goodies from Nodaya the other

Picked up some tasty goodies from Nodaya the other day. Their signature curry pan (hear that crunch in the video) and @raitanoda's signature soft-shell crab tacos round out a couple of very solid dons. Other than some choice air frying, there's pretty much no 'finish at home' shenanigans here - the kind of delicious, no-fuss eating that's been a missing piece in the lockdown repertoire. #ish_nodaya #ish_supportlocalbusiness

It's so bloody difficult to get your hands on anyt

It's so bloody difficult to get your hands on anything @oetoshihiko creates during lockdown that when the chance finally arose to get my hands on what - to me - is a literal treasure box, I felt the urge, the COMPULSION, to try my hand at making sushi rice (i.e. shari). It's official: lockdown's finally gotten to me. . While the temptation to self-depracate the attempt as an utter why-did-I-even-bother-trying failure was stronger than the sharpness of the rice vinegar, the reality is that it turned out...much better than I'd have expected for a first time attempt. This was seriously good - distinct, near al dente grains, a smack of flavour that's overpowering in its lonesome, but married up perfectly with Oe-san's sublime sashimi. Never have I more appreciated the importance of rice here - as if this is any news. . Thank the seafood gods (i.e. @red_claw_seafoods) for @sushioe's sashimi and thank @omakasebyvan for guiding me along the path of shari making. Definitely doing this one again. #ISH_SushiOe

Tomorrow is 中秋节, or the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Tomorrow is 中秋节, or the Mid-Autumn Festival. I confess I don't really know all that much about it, other than its core meaning in thanking the moon(??) for a bountiful harvest. Yeah yeah, kinda shocking, considering this is the most important day in the Chinese calendar other than CNY. But hey, it's hard to focus on the (undoubtedly rich) history when, just like hot cross buns appearing on supermarket shelves before the Christmas decorations have even been taken down yet, so too does the avalanche of mooncakes begin dominating the entrance to every Asian grocer well ahead of the actual day itself. . Anyway I digress. Suffice to say, I've tried a fair few mooncakes, though I need to re-disclaim that I usually swipe left on the stuff (curb your surprise, this is well-documented 😝). Consider it my form of partaking in celebrating the tradition! In any case, some of the best would have to be from @silent.sift, who you probably already know as the perpetually sold out canele bakers. Well if you try their mooncakes, you'll find out why - assuming you can get an order in. Oh, and +100 points for the packaging. It's so cute, I'll even excuse the fact that it's not the year of the rabbit LOL 😂 🐰! . Mooncake types: Harmony - matcha crust w/red bean paste & chestnut centre (vegan) Togetherness - dark choc crust w/organic choc & white choc ganache Blossom - houjicha crust w/black sesame paste & salted egg yolk Jade Bunny - classic crust w/lotus seed paste & salted egg yolk #ISH_SilentSift

I think I've forgotten how to socialise. Can you h

I think I've forgotten how to socialise. Can you hug? What do you even talk about? The weather? Well, actually that was a great topic as at 45min, this picnic set a record for shortest ever, at which mother nature decided to take a dump on us all - the sashimi was barely out of its box! ☔ Undeniably a memorable first taste of freedom (that last pic tho 😂 😂 😂) . Not sure why we're able to enjoy these freedoms while locked-down LGAs with fewer cases & higher vax rates can't...hopefully everyone is allowed to on equal footing as soon as practicable. Until then, feel free to laugh at our misfortune (UPDATE: well that was quick! 😅) . Not a sponsored post or anything, but goods bought for the picnic (in case you needed some inspo): @gourmetlife_ caviar @sydneyfishmarket sashimi/oysters @vics.meat charcuterie @handpickedwines boooooooze @a.p.bread pastries @thida_jiggy tarts (blueberry, strawberry and The Date Tart) @caferumah various kueh @feedmepicnics foccacia charcuterie (gifted) Kimbap by unnamed Korean grocer (thanks @eilxrrr for the informative response) Picnic table by @frenchknothome (y'all eyeing this I know it!) #ISH_SupportLocalBusiness

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I'm Still Hungry - A Food & Travel Blog by Michael Shen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on the work at https://imstillhungry.net