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Confessions of a Foodaholic

My mantra of the month has been: work, eat, drink, blog… then eat some more. Did ya notice that cook is non-existant?!

It’s mid Feb and my month has been going at a pace somewhat resembling Mad Max. F-A-S-T. Blink and you’ll miss it basically. My cooking is severely determined by time and has seen me abandon the gas stove for the trusty ol’ barbeque for the easiest meal I can make, my Asian barbeque chicken. Cause I haven’t had a chance to do a cooking post of late, I’m giving you this.

THIS IS MY VERSION OF A 4 INGREDIENTS NEVER FAIL RECIPE

Take equal parts soy sauce and oyster sauce and a tablespoon of sugar (I use white, but brown works equally as well) marinate your chicken joint of choice – for me it’s the thighs, for as long as you can wait really. Chuck these babies onto the barbie on a low to medium heat and baste regularly with the remaining marinade. After about 15 to 20 minutes, you will get a sticky, yummy, delectable dinner that makes your chicken go ahhh-and-charrr.

Make sure you serve your Asian barbeque chicken with a crisp fresh salad. Then bobs your uncle, and hopefully you’ve gained a new quickie in the kitchen. Now that I’ve covered cook, here’s the eat, drink and blog part of this month’s mantra.

Yeehaa, buckle up and find a seat in Shady Pines

These little peanuts, once you start you can't stop! I had a lot of trouble in this department

This ale was my absolute fav and it comes in a long neck *woohoo*

Did I mention the ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT-PIZZA for twenty five buckaroonies?! Four words, Mad Pizza, lotsa friends.

Petaling St for a cheap n' cheeky Malaysian with the always lovely Gastonomous Anonymous

I liked the Nasi Lemak - was it the best eva? Sadly, no

Our Mi Goreng was more sadly more satay like than soy saucey

The desert did combine my love for both green tea and black sesame with a pipin' hot waffle

This is the perfect way to start the weekend, smoked trout on rye with cucumber salad at Brasserie Bread

This is murmuring, "Eat Me, Eat Me", thankfully I snapped this before munching on it

And a lil' side pic, just to make you drool

These chicken wings from Chat Thai had my name all over it. Move over KFC wicked wings.

And the pork belly, let's just say we licked the plate clean

Finally The Norfolk's, deep fried avocado with corn salsa to finish things off


THE DEETS YOU WANT TO KNOW

SHADY PINES SALOON
Take your boots and scoot down to this downright drinking hole. Grab a beer or a cold cider and nibble on nuts whilst you share stories and get lost in the taxidermy as the sun goes down outside.
256 Crown St
Darlinghurst NSW 2010

MAD PIZZA
You must order the Polpette, meat balls on a thin crispy base topped with fresh rocket. The house wine also goes down a treat. If you are in the back room and it’s a hot night, bring a fan the air flow is a little non-existant back there. Other than that, eat-eat-eat.
241 Crown St
Surry Hills, NSW 2010

PETALING ST
Look it doesn’t go down as the best Malaysian in Sydney but it is cheap, there aren’t any lines and it is quick. If you’re hungry it will deliver. If you are roti-lover this isn’t your type of joint. Best go to Mamak and join the queue.
760 George St
Sydney NSW 2000

CHAT THAI
Incredible thai in the heart of Sydney. Although not the ‘original’ Chat Thai, this sister store does deliver in droves. The dishes do the sweet but salty n’ sour dance whilst leaving the lines behind – making this Thai fast, furious and full of flavour.
Westfield Sydney
Level 6,  Shop 6002 Pitt St
Sydney NSW 2000

BRASSERIE BREAD
For the most beautiful roast garlic bread that you must eat alone and for brekky that packs-a-punch with sweet and savoury options that will make you skip lunch and take a tart home instead.
1737 Botany Road
Banksmeadow NSW 2019

THE NORFOLK
Americana-mexicana in a little Australiana pub like setting. Head straight out to the beer garden, claim a table and order a taco or two, a few sliders and of course the crinkle cut chips with chilli salt. Nom-on.
305 Cleveland St
Redfern, NSW 2016


You’re Bacon Me Crazy

You and me both know that smell. It’s the irresistible wafting aroma of sizzling onions, snags on the barbie, smoky chorizo sausages being grilled or lap cheung (chinese sausage) being tossed in a hot wok. The other week it was bacon me crazy. The smell was so intense, it make me sniff uncontrollable, then delve into a-follow-that-scent-and-find-the-source so I could cure the craving.

I WHERE’S WALLY-ED THAT BACON

The smell-hunt lead me to Dalmain Providore on the main drag of Darling Street, Balmain. When I get to the source of the smell, I’m a little unsure, it looks more like a deli with one long surf sign table out the front surrounded by small stools and it’s not buzzing. I do the ‘it’s too hard’ and start to walk away because the menu looks only of breakfast options and the ordering register is unaccompanied. Round Eye drags me back and says, “if you want to try it, let’s do it – I’m starving”. The bacon must have got to him too.

Beside the chalk board menu offering only breakfast items, there is also a lunch menu filled with equally delicious options. The steak sandwich was tempting but how could I go past the bacon n’ egg roll with chilli relish and aioli – hellooo, it’s callin’ my name. Then I’m swayed and see the omelette filled with salami, olives and capsicum – that too, is talking my food talk. Hell, let’s get both.

Did it disappoint? Umm, not-one-incy-wincy-bit. The bacon n’ egg roll was one of the best that I’ve ever had. Being a crispy bacon lover, the bacon was cooked to perfection but not burnt. The eggs aren’t on the runny side, which I sway towards in a roll – so there are  no yolky sticky fingers. What I love the most, is that hit of tangy chilli relish – it’s genius! Not to mention that thin layer of aoili on a perfectly soft but crunchy Sonoma roll. It’s a zumba dance in my mouth.

Should I even talk about the omelette? I will say – it was just as good, the secret was the thinly sliced salami with a touch of chilli.

I’ll be back in a heartbeat for a cheeky bit of breakfast or brunch. Next time, I won’t need to hunt this down and I can put my red n’ white stripes away. Phew!

Blink and you could miss Dalmain Providore. But don't. Stop by and have a cheeky bacon n' egg roll.

Take a seat and people watch or do a wee bit of twottering - isn't it addictive?!

Watch the barista behind you make coffee after coffee or go inside and browse all the deli delights

And if you can't nab a seat out front, there is a long communal table amongst the relishes and jams

And cake goods too, so very tempting!

The bacon n' egg comes out on a large wooden board

Dalmain Providore only uses Somona bread, each bite is totally divine. The bacon is so crispy but not burnt, ten points.

I may even ask for double egg n' bacon next time

Just for a little quality control and to make sure the bacon n' egg wasn't a fluke

Just kidding, we are super hungry and add in the omelette as well

Filled to the brim inside, there is the salami that made this omelette magnificent

And a helping of crispy toasted sourdough to make this omelette even better

A second coffee to wash it all down, single origin of course! *whoop whoop*


THE DEETS YOU WANT TO KNOW

DALMAIN PROVIDORE
306 Darling Street
Balmain NSW 2041
P (02) 9810 5312