Monthly Archives: July 2011

Cioccolato Espresso @ Applecross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

Some days I just get into my crazy spending mood. Though I know I should be saving up for a spending spree in September, I convinced myself that spending on food is okay…so long as it’s not fine dining. Today’s excuse for spending was muesli. Sick of having muesli (yet again) for breakfast at home I ventured out to the Applecross area again hoping to have a good breakfast. There is something about the cafe strip in Ardross St that just makes my day happier. It’s like I’m in a different world with all the shabby chic cafes, specialty stores and, of course, The Good Grocer.

I do love my Brookfarm’s muesli with milk, yoghurt and fresh fruits but I’ve been having the same thing for about 2 weeks now I’m bound to go insane. I needed something different and I am craving for savoury things these days. I tried to stay away from Sensations en Ardross (because I’m still waiting for pay day) so today’s cafe was Cioccolato Espresso. I was careful enough to check the prices first and they were reasonable enough so I decided to have breakfast there. The breakfast menu had nothing over $20 and coffee was about $4.10. I’ve never been to Cioccolato before so I really didn’t know what to expect of their food and the serving size. The menu was simple featuring simple and basic ingredients with, what I’d call, a creative twist. It’s not the usual bacon and eggs on toast but rather something like mashed avocados on toast with something something.

I had the roasted mushroom bruschetta with beetroot mash – 2 things I love in one plate, I can’t go wrong with that, can I? Very earthy flavours I must say. This was a pleasant surprise. I was half expecting to be served button mushrooms with toast with a side of beetroots but what I was given was very well presented and it also had a little balsamic glaze. I’m a sucker for balsamic glaze. I wouldn’t say that this was a very big breakfast. I was not left hungry but there was still room for dessert. I may just try making this at home (it looks simple enough!) Their coffee isn’t too bad either – smooth and at the just temparature for me. Overall, I had a good breakfast for under $19.

Cioccolato Espresso: roasted mushroom bruschetta with beetroot mash

Cioccolato Espresso is one of the smaller cafes on the strip (size wise). There were about 5 tables inside that can sit 3 people and 2-3 tables outside. The biggest table they had was one that could sit 6 people. Though small it may be it has a very good ambiance nonetheless. It is very modern looking yet it still feels homey. Staff is very friendly and almost everyone who goes there are regulars. The barista knew almost everyone who walked in after me and even the customers know each other. It was like there was a small Cioccolato community gathering this morning (or every morning, I would assume). The cafe has recently expanded its counter bench so now they could have more muffins and other sweets on display. The regular customers noticed this and they all loved it. Wow, the things I learn from my 40 minutes in Cioccolato.

If there’s one thing that annoyed me it was the glare of the sun. The sun was slowly rising when I got there and it was just reflecting on everything in the cafe! Good thing it’s winter.

My rating: 8/10
Cioccolato Espresso on Urbanspoon

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Sensations en Ardross @ Applecross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

Great start on a wet Tuesday morning, I finally managed to go to Sensations en Ardross (the correct cafe this time – my cafe confusion in previous post) in Applecross. I woke up a little earlier today to ensure I had time to check out google maps and locate the cafe. It’s funny how I still manage to get lost around the area I’ve been coming to for the past 5 years!

I fell in love with this gourmet cafe as soon as I walked in. The ambiance was definitely top notch with a rustic European feel and I could just sit there the whole day reading magazines while sipping my coffee. The breakfast menu was not too bad – few choices but enough variety. I ordered the “Breakfast Burger” with 2 fried eggs. bacon, spinach and mushrooms sandwiched between the softest bagel I have ever eaten. I’m not entirely sure if it was a bagel but it was round with a hole in the middle so I assumed it was a bagel. No, it was defintely not a doughnut. My burger also came with a balsamic glaze that went well with the burger but was too little. Then I reluctantly washed it all down with a cup of flat white that tasted bitter and burnt.

As I’ve said, I was off to a great start – found the cafe easily, loved the ambiance at first sight. Then I almost fainted when the staff told me the how much I owed them – a whopping $27.20 for a breakfast for 1!! I was still a little too drowsy from my lack of sleep the night before so I managed to skip the part of the menu where the prices are printed so I suppose that was a little stupid on my part. Just assuming that coffee is $4.90, that leaves $22.30 for my breakfast burger, which I think is seriously overpriced no matter how much I enjoyed and thought how lovely it was. The portion was not that big either. Yes it was filling but, being the super slow eater that I am, if I can finish the meal in half an hour then it’s definitely not that big of a portion size. The cafe being in an upscale suburb, their prices are definitely upscale too.

Don’t get me wrong though. I wouldn’t mind dining here again but only after I’ve saved up for a bit and had extra cash to spare. This is definitely not something I am willing to fit into my weekly routine otherwise I’ll be penniless by the end of the month. It is better suited for those “one in while” occassions for the impovershed working mass like me or for the upscale people living in the upscale vicinity of Sensations en Ardross.

My rating: 7/10
Sensations En Ardross on Urbanspoon

Espresso 7 Seas @ Ardross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Chinese/Asian, Food by

The biggest lesson learned this morning is that waking up early so that I’m not rushing about every thing makes for a good morning. I awoke later than usual this morning only to find that there’s not much food left at home for me to make myself a substantial breakfast. So I decided to head out for a good breakfast despite running a little late for work. I was orginally planning to go to Sensations en Ardross (along Ardross Street apparently) but without checking the correct address I turned into the wrong street and ended up at Espresso 7 Seas.

It was awfully quiet when I went in. There was absolutely no one and for a minute there I thought they were still closed. The clock was ticking so I decided to just deal with my mistake and get something to eat so I can rush off to work. There wasn’t a lot of breakfast items to choose from – just the standards like big breakfast, eggs on toast, bacon and eggs. I opted for the big breakfast and a latte all for $18.50. Coffee was not too bad. It depends on who made it though. The auntie who made mine was not very skilled but one of the staff made a better looking one for another customer.

Espresso 7 Seas: big breakfast

And there was my big breakfast. It is filling but not satisfying. I asked for poached hard eggs but it came with 2 very runny eggs. Tomatoes were not roasted enough and the bacon was very dry and tasted funny. The cheese dog sausage was good though – a change from the usual chipolatas that other cafes serve and which I dislike. The toast could be improved too. I had the rye toast and it was thin as! They gave me just 1 piece of toast cut diagonally and it wasn’t even enough to soak up the runny yolks that they gave me.

Espresso 7 Seas is in a good quiet location but I wouldn’t dare say that I’d be back again to give their other dishes a try. Their concept is a Western and Asian cafe so, in addition to burgers and fish and chips, you’d be sure to find Malaysian dishes as well like laksa and curries. I’m not entirely sure how the name “Espresso 7 Seas” fits into the concept. One thing that majorly turned me off was the smell of the cafe. It’s the kind smell that you find in and should only be restricted to Asian/Chinese restaurants. Early in the morning I walked out and my hair and clothes already smell like curry. That’s definitely not how I’d like to start my day.

My rating: 5/10
Espresso7seas on Urbanspoon

Exploring Perth 1: Perth Zoo

Posted in Adventures, Perth, Travel by

Kicking things off with my commitment to exploring Perth, I have started with somewhere common; somewhere most visitors go to when they visit a new city – the zoo.

Having a zoo right in the middle of a suburban area seemed odd to me. I’ve always pictured zoos to be located somewhere in the mountains or jungles where you have to drive for hours to reach your destination – to me that seemed more logical because the mountains or the jungles are closer to home for the animals. Plus, the drive there is always an adventure in itself, specially when you are just sitting in the car enjoying and taking in the sights.

But now that I am the one doing the driving, I am very much thankful that Perth Zoo is so close to home that it’s a mere 15-20 minute drive without any traffic jam and is fairly easy to find. From the freeway just take 2-3 turns and you’re there. Located in, what some would say, a posh suburb that is South Perth, the zoo is just big enough that you won’t feel too overwhelmed and tired after a day spent there.

Bright and early on one Sunday during school holidays, I rounded up my troop and we arrived at the zoo just after 9am (opening hours: 9am to 5pm, every day of the year). The zoo was still fairly empty on this fine winter morning with no more than 20 families roaming around. For an additional $1 you get a zoo map which you can then give to the kids so they learn how to read maps and navigate. For the most part we did stay on track but with the occassional arguments about going right or left and heading up or down. I was more pre-occupied with snapping photos so I just went with wherever everyone’s going.

The zoo is divided into 4 main sections wherein animals from the same region are housed together. The African Savannah houses the ferocious lions and tigers; Asian Rainforest the playful primates; South American jungle the singing birds; and Australian Bushwalk the koalas and the kangaroos. These are just some of the animals that are in the zoo and I could give you a long list of the other ones but it would just be easier for you and me if you visit Perth Zoo’s website for a complete list. After all, they know more about animals than me and they can give you the correct names whereas I would probably just give you a description.

But what I can tell you is that being in the zoo brings out the kid in me. I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a hardcore animal lover -the most animal loving thing I’ve ever done is cuddling other people’s dogs. There’s something about zoos, though, that excites and interests me. It’s probably because I get to see animals that don’t just randomly appear in the streets and you get to observe them knowing you’re at a safe distance. Actually, it does not just bring out the kid in me. It brings out the kid in everyone. No matter which way you look you will see both the young and the old all getting giddy about spotting an animal.

The only places in the zoo I’d try to avoid whenever possible are the indoor exhibits for nocturnals and reptiles. The nocturnal animals in the likes of bats and some sort of rats always give me an eerie feeling whenever I look at them. The red beam light also made it all the more difficult for me to appreciate them. I walked out feeling light headed and lost in space. As for the reptiles, well, they are not as eerie as the nocturnals but they do give me the goosebumps, specially that humongous python that was curled up into a ball at the corner of its housing. Mind you, though, that the kids absolutely loved those bats and snakes and spiders that I didn’t. What’s gross for me is fascinating for them.

The highlights of my day at the zoo included seeing the beautiful red panda and pelicans. Also there to make my day even better was the cheeky baby orangutan who was scarily almost exactly like a human toddler. It was really breath-taking to observe how human-like it is. For a good half an hour it played with a crate climbing on top of it and then falling over and then climbing again and falling over again. When it got tired it curled up beside its sleeping mother under a “blanket” that made everyone watching go naaaaw. That was such a heart-warming sight to see.

Towards the end of our adventure, we walked past this super cute kangaroo, who was sleeping in a very quirky position. I almost laughed out loud at the sight of this because, by nature, the kangaroo’s legs really can’t touch the ground when it’s lying on its back. This is how relaxed I want to be when I’m sleeping.

Perth Zoo is definitely a fun place to be for everyone. Whether you’re bringing the whole family or going alone there sure are activities for everyone to enjoy. The zoo also has a big picnic area where you can bring in your own food and have a barbie. If nature is not your thing then there are cafes around as well. For me, though, the $5 hotdog with onions on a bun was enough to keep me going for the rest of the day.

*more photos on Flickr

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge @ Karawara

Posted in Coffee & Desserts, Food by

…and yet another chocolate lounge in Perth. I’ve bought coupons for Theobroma Chocolate Lounge a few months ago even though I have never heard of this place back then. Seven dollars for waffles and hot chocolate seemed like an awesome deal so at the spur of the moment I bought 3 coupons. Now I wish I had been less selfish and bought only 1.

Located amongst the many shops in the newly renovated Waterford Plaza, the chocolate lounge’s ambiance is really good. Modern interior and tucked away near the parking lot so it’s quiet. It was actually very quiet for a Saturday night. I was expecting long queues and dirty tables when we got there but this wasn’t the case. They’ve only opened in February 2011 apparently and another chocolate lounge is opening soon in Freo I’ve been told. I presented my voucher to the staff, took a seat and waited for my waffles. They didn’t take long to come out and they looked absolutely delicious.

Two pieces of sweet waffles almost drenched in chocolate with strawberries and ice cream. Honestly, they only looked delicious. Once you take a bite there’s really nothing special about them. The waffles were too sweet and they tasted like the waffles I normally make at home, which are not the best. The chocolate sauce did not have enough chocolate richness to it. It’s probably milk chocolate judging by the colour but all I could taste was sugar of some form. The only good bit? The strawberries – big pieces and very sweet.

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge: waffles

The waffles came with a huge mug of hot chocolate that is kept warm by a warmer underneath. You can choose what kind of hot chocolate you wanted – milk, white, dark – or mocha made with milk, white or dark chocolate. I opted for the dark chocolate. It was big enough to be shared so I gave some to Auntie C. This one, too, is a disappointment.

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge: hot chocolate

Chocolate is not rich enough and it’s sort of like a chocolatier type of Milo. Quite frankly, the hot chocolate I make at home is better. The only fun parts were drinking it from a big mug and licking the chocolate drippings (if you trust the mug is clean) and also the fact that the drink stays warm.

The chocolate lounge also serves savoury food like quiche, frittata, rolls and wraps. Just how good they are I wouldn’t know and I wouldn’t bother trying. As with any other so-called chocolatiers, they also have hand crafted chocolates that sell for $1.90 each. The range is not as wide as Koko Black or Chocolateria San Churro. At first glance the chocolates looked really pretty but when I walked over to the counter to have a good look I was quickly turned off by the bright colours on some of the chocolates. Some had bright green and bright yellow and they looked very artificial. I am not a fan of bright artificial colours on food so it’s safe to say that I wouldn’t bother trying any of those chocolates either.

Theobroma Chocolate Lounge: chocolates

Maybe I have expected too much but looks can be deceiving and if it weren’t for my remaining coupons I would not really make the effort to drive all the way there just for something so average.

My rating: 5/10
Theobroma Chocolate Lounge on Urbanspoon
www.theobromachocolatelounge.com.au

Exploring Perth: My commitment to discovering this city I call home

Posted in Adventures, Travel by

A little background…

I’ve always bugged my overseas friends that if they come to Australia they must come to Perth. Well number 1 reason is because I’m here; and number 2 is because Perth and other regions of WA are so beautiful. Sadly, even with my bugging and everything, those who do come to Australia always skip Perth in their itineraries because “there is nothing to do” here; or so they say. So I’ve reminisced about my journey in and with Perth and tried to look at it from my friends’ perspectives. Here is my non-scholarly general finding for what I think why some people are hesitant to come to this city.

I came from a city where “bustling” would not do justice to describe it. If it were up to me I’d say I came from a city where chaos abounds. There are tall buildings everywhere, shopping malls everywhere, restaurants everywhere, kids running amuck everywhere and traffic jam everywhere. As you can probably already deduce there is not a dull moment in the city where I came from.

Flashforward to some 20 odd years later, I suddenly found myself living in a peacefully quaint city; the most isolated city in the world, for that matter. For the 20 odds years of my life living in a chaotic city, the move to Perth required a lot of getting use to. I used to complain that there are no good restaurants anywhere within 20kms of where I’m staying. I also used to question why shops close at friggin 5pm. I used to find it strange that there are no Starbucks anywhere; and I found it strangely amusing that Burger King is called Hungry Jacks. But my worst conclusion of all was that this is a dead city after 5pm.

But over the years I’ve grown to love Perth. So much so that, up until I looked back on my intial feelings toward Perth, I couldn’t fathom why my friends would go everywhere else in Australia but the western bit. It’s true that it feels busier over to the eastern front in Sydney or Melbourne or Brisbane but I believe that what Perth offers is an escape from all those busyness and chaos. It is nature at its finest and relaxation at its best.

All that complaining I’ve done before I have now traded for an appreciation of the quiet life. It still can get busy if you know where to look for it but I prefer the smooth sailing laid back path. I’ve taken time to discover places to eat and cafes to hang out at. I have checked out most of the beaches (within the metropolitan area) that people from where I came from drive 4 hours or fly to get to. I have also taken an interest in photographing the flora, the fauna and the sceneries of this region because they are simply breathtaking.

Some may perhaps think that a trip to see the iconic Statue of Liberty is worth more than a trip to see the wineries and sample the wine. Well to each his own.

There are so many places in Perth and WA that I have yet to visit or revisit so I made a commitment with myself to do so over the next year or so. So just in case someone does actually come and visit me/Perth I would have A LOT of places to take them to.

Atrium @ Burswood

The only time I would dine in Burswood’s Entertainment Complex is when there is an event. Most restaurants there offer a discount tied up with your event so it is an opportunity not to be missed. Last night was such an event. A few friends and I were catching the musical “Wicked” at 6:30pm and, given the time, eating at Burswood would have been the logical choice. Everyone chose Atrium for our pre-show dinner and I must admit that I was hesitant at first. The last time I dined here was a few years back and it ended with a very unsatisfactory experience. As a buffet restaurant, there wasn’t really a lot of appetising dishes to chose from. And those that did look appetising enough were just mediocre. That plus the price they charged was enough for me to never go back.

Now flashforward to last night. The whole restaurant has been revamped (in fact, the lobby where the Atrium is located has been revamped) and I wondered to myself how long it has been since I was in Burswood. Not too long ago – just 2 years when ”The Phantom of the Opera” came to Perth – and that was when the renovations were happening.

Although I am not a very big fan of buffets in Perth, simply because I’ve had better buffet experiences elsewhere, I must say that the experience at Atrium this time around was Wicked! The buffet area has a new layout and is spacious enough to accomodate traffic and queue jumpers. There is also a wide array of dishes to choose from: japanese, chinese/asian, indian, continental. They even have dimsum but they certainly don’t compare tothe ones served in actual dimsum places in Northbridge.

For most part, the dishes were lovely – tasty, flavourful and cooked just right. The stand outs for me were the baked salmon, steamed barramundi, salmon sashimi and the salt and pepper pork chops.

Just don’t stuff yourself too much and save room for dessert because Atrium’s sweets are not ones that you’d want to miss. Their waffles were unbelievably awesome! You can wait for the staff to freshly make one for you but when in a rush the pre-made soggy ones that are kept warm are good enough. I loaded mine with whipped cream and both strawberry and mango jam. It was so good that I went for a second serve of waffles with even more cream.

The chocolate fountain is hard to miss too. Chocolate covered strawberries also went well with the waffles. The other dessert that we all enjoed was the berry friand. It was moist enough, not overly sweet and comes in a generous size. The only problem with the dessert section is that some sweets were placed on the upper shelf of the table. We were disappointed to see the limited choices for sweets because we did not even see the desserts on that shelf until much taller people around us started reaching over our heads. And even in tiptoes it was hard to make out what some of the desserts were.

Overall, Atrium has greatly improved from how it was a few years ago. What I experienced last night makes a trip to Burswood worth it, and not just when there is an event happening.

My rating: 7.5/10
Atrium on Urbanspoon

Angelo’s Pizza and Pasta @ Como

Posted in Food, Italian by

A little girl talked me into getting pizza for dinner. I suppose that is what I get for taking her along for a quick ride to the city and back. After already deciding to head straight home after our mini adventure for the day, something about sinking my teeth into a cheesy slice of pizza made me turn to the opposite direction of home.

As we already drove past Ciao Italia our next best option was to head down Canning Highway, towards Burswood, and search for a pizza place called Angelo’s Pizza and Pasta, which I always see when I drove along that street but never tried. I turned in a street too early so my little cousin and I had to walk a few meters in the freezing cold for pizzas. We didn’t know what to expect but, a few feet away from the pizza shop, the waft of pizza in the oven was coming towards us. A good sign indeed. If you ever get lost just follow the smell.

The place was totally not what I expected. Given the name “pizza and pasta” I expected a little restaurant with a few tables for dine-in customers. But no. This wasn’t the case. There were only 2 small park tables and benches and no one in his right mind would sit there in this weather. Basically, it’s 98% a take-away business. It’s a quaint little shop that needs renovating but I’d let this one pass because they make very good pizzas. There isn’t much to do when you’re waiting for your pizza. They have a few magazines for you to read or you can always watch them make the pizzas. For us, we went to the kebab shop next door to get some baklava and hedgehog slices for dessert.

Angelo's Pizza and Pasta: interior

It took about 15 minutes for our pizzas to be made. It was a busy night with customers walking in one after the other and even more people coming in to pick up their pre-ordered pizzas. We had the Stonecutter pizza topped with italian sausages, eggplant, spinach, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes and a sprinkle of cheese on a basil pesto base. Wow is all I can say. Everyone in the house absolutely loved this pizza. From the pickiest of the picky eaters to the die-hard veggie fan, we all agreed that this pizza was simply delicious. The basil pesto was a good change from the usual tomato sauce based pizza and it gave the pizza a nutty flavour. The only downside? It was quite greasy.

Angelo's Pizza and Pasta: stonecutter pizza

For a big family like ours, 1 large pizza is not enough so we also had a family size Marine Supreme pizza with prawns, crab, onions, olives, pineapples and cheese with a tomato sauce base. Auntie C said this is a bit too bland for her but for the rest of us it was tasty enough. There was hardly any grease on this pizza and the pineapples made it even tastier.

Angelo's Pizza and Pasta: marine supreme

Since dinner was already made when we got home, the pizzas became our after-dinner “snack” and we still managed to finish BOTH pizzas! Amazing, isn’t it? We will definitely consider Angelo’s again for our next pizza night. The Caribbean Crunch pizza is already calling out to me.

We all collectively agree to give this an 8/10 rating.

Angelo's Pizza and Pasta on Urbanspoon
www.angelospizza.com.au/index.htm

It’s freakily almost too accurate

Posted in People by

I went into Lynette‘s blog and the first post I see is a quiz from http://www.quizbox.com/personality/test102.aspx

Curious as George, I took the test too and the results below are, well, shockingly quite accurate.

 

What others see from your style

You tend to be a gentle and pleasant person. You love nature and at least some of the arts, and
derive great satisfaction from being helpful. You are stubborn and are not interested in wealth and power.

The first 2 sentences are very true. But not interested in wealth? Not too accurate. I’d like to have some wealth thank you very much. But power? Yeah, not interested at all.

 

What your nightclothes reveal

You’re in need of love. You want to be taken care of and panic easily. You have a strong wish for
security in your life.

True that!

 

What others see from your ties

You are a caring people. You are romantic, witty, and easygoing. You compromise rather than
confront, and love nature.

Yes, I really do compromise and I hardly ever confront.

 

What others see from your belts

If there’s not a single belt in your wardrobe, you like freedom and are opposed to all kinds of
rules. You are creative and very good at work that requires you to stretch your imagination. Your main downfall, however, is that you can be very moody.

The freedom and the moody bits are terrifyingly true, so much so that they get me into trouble sometimes.

 

What others see from your shoes

You are a person who loves simplicity and is sincere and open. You are pleasant to be with,
easygoing and always in a good mood. You neither want to control nor be under someone else’s control. You don’t care much about how you look, and know that it’s what’s inside someone’s heart that’s important.

Amen!

 

What others see from your earrings

You are attractive and unique. Wearing these sorts of earrings indicates that you are a
romantic and easygoing person. You like to have people pleasing you, and your personality is bright and cheerful.

Wow, such a comfort to know that I am pleasing, bright and cheerful – on most days :)

 

The last analysis

You are probably a clever and adventurous person. You love to learn new things, and enjoy socializing with friends. Although you enjoy your freedom, you cherish peacefulness and like to
spend time alone with your thoughts.

OMG. It’s like this test can see right through me.

 

Okay, I shall head back to work now.

Cimbalino @ CBD

Posted in Coffee & Desserts, Food by

One of my favourite cafes has a branch in the city right inside the food court in ENEX100 and even though I usually stop by ENEX when I’m in the city I have never noticed that Cimbalino is right there.

I hardly go to the food court area in ENEX100 but today was an exception. As I was rushing for a facial appointment, I finally went to the food court to grab a quick lunch. While waiting for my food buzzer to go off I looked around and, lo and behold, Cimbalino was standing majestically right in the middle of the food court. I quickly decided that I would come back after my facial for a cuppa.

I met up with Auntie J after my hour of relaxation and her hour of shopping. I placed our orders hoping the coffee would be just as good as Cimbalino @ Cottesloe, which I frequent. Just for a change from my usual latte I had a flat white this time around. The barista on duty also works at the Cottesloe cafe so the coffee definitely did not disappoint – perfectly smooth milk at just the right temperature.

As much as I tried not to get any sweets to go with our coffees I simply couldnt resist it. They have the same cake slices as the Cottesloe store although there were a couple of sweets that I have never seen before. It’s either they really don’t serve them in that store or those sweets are so popular that they sell out before I get the chance to eye on them when I go to Cottesloe late in the arvo. So we ended up getting the lemon and lime tart -

Cimbalino: lemon and lime tart

This was quite tangy with the slightest hint of egg curdle taste. The pastry was too thick and not flaky enough for me and did taste a little bit artificial. Their passionfruit curd that I’ve had in the Cottesloe store was definitely better.

And we also got the mini white chocolate cheesecake. Again, I had issues with the pastry, as above, but the filling was smooth, creamy and cheesy.

Cimbalino: mini white chocolate cheesecake

I’d really just stick to the coffee and the better tried and tested cake slices when I come here next.

My rating: 7.5/10

Cimbalino on Urbanspoon

www.cimbalino.com.au

Recipe: Pork chops with raisin and cranberry sauce

Posted in Food, Modern Australian, Recipes by

pork chops with raisin and cranberry sauce

Ingredients

8 pieces pork chops

1/8 cup raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 orange, juiced

2 cups chicken stock

dash of red wine

oil for pan frying

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and pan fry the pork chops until almost well done.

2. In the same pan, add in the raisins and cranberries and sauté for about 1 minute. Then add in the orange juice, chicken stock and red wine. Cook the fruits for about 5 minutes on low heat.

3. Transfer the fruit mixture to a food processor and blend until the mixture is smooth. Or you can use a blender or a hand-held blender if you don’t have a food processor. Pour the mixture back into the pan on low heat. Then add in the pork chops and simmer until well done. If the sauce is drying up or is too thick, add in more chicken stock or water.

4. Serve and enjoy.