A Mish Ate Review : Dos Senoritas

Dos Senoritas, Gladesville

Dos Senoritas has been serving a colourful array of Guadalajara Street Style favourites such as Quesadillas, Gringo Rolls, Tacos and Fajitas to Sydney’s Inner West since October 2010. Domingo Andre, owner and chef of Dos Senoritas, has created an authentic Mexican experience right down to the detail of restaurants’ decor. The atmosphere is vibrant and homely and by sounds of the buzzing clientele, dining at Dos Senoritas is all about the wonderful aromas, honest flavours and of course the native Guadalajaran chilli!

Outside Dos Senoritas

Once seated, we are presented with a bowl of complimentary tortilla chips and bowl of (very) spicy, tomato-based salsa. As huge a fan as I am of the ‘chip and dip’, I don’t want to ruin my appetite so I limit myself to a handful while I settle in and prepare myself for what was about to unfold…

Complimentary tortilla chips and bowl of spicy salsa

I order the Street Style Tacos described as being “from the streets of Mexico”. I am presented with 3 crispy corn tortillas packed with juicy marinated steak, topped with cilantro, onions and avocado salsa served with wedges of lime. Not to mention a generous serving of refried beans and mexican rice; my plate has been overloaded! I attack the tacos first, the flavours of the steak are incredible and the freshness of the lime really livens up the dish. It is ridiculously messy to eat, but even with beefy juices rolling down my arms, I can’t break the momentum. Well that and the fact that I can’t put down my half mauled taco as picking it back up again would be an all too dangerous task. By the time I get to the mini mountain of mexican rice my pace slows but that’s okay, I was happy to sacrifice the beans. Now i can’t breathe… easily. Dessert is off the cards for today.

Street Style Beef Tacos with Rice and Beans

Rebecca and Petra join forces to destroy the Chipotle Chopped salad. “Salad?” I hear you saying. Personally I don’t even like salad as a side dish, but Dos Senoritas’ salad is on a level of its own. Served in a tortilla bowl (innovation +), the salad consists of grilled chicken breast, iceberg lettuce, jack and cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, black beans and avocado tossed with Dos’ chipotle ranch dressing. I manage to pinch a piece of tender and perfectly charred chicken but apart from that, the girls inhale the salad in record speed. Their silence and chipotle covered grins means the food has been given the thumbs up.

Chipotle Chopped salad with grilled chicken breast

Ben opted for the Gringo Burro sans meat and dairy. The full pound of burrito was stuffed with chilli Verde, black beans, sautéed peppers, onions and rice topped with green Chile sauce. It of course also came with a side of refried beans and mexican rice. All of the ingredients are firmly encased in a soft flour tortilla and one bite sees the seasoned capsicums and onions bursting out at the seams. This extremely filling, Vegan burrito definitely doesn’t disappoint in delicious department.

Gringo Burro; One full pound of burrito goodness

Dos Senoritas is ideal for group dinners and it’s a good idea to make your bookings in advance to secure some territory. Also, you can BYO wine only and corkage is a small $1.50 per person, bargain! However, if you’re feeling brave, Tequila Slammers are available for $9. Starters range from $10 – $15 and mains from $16 – $29. There is a choice of Churros or Flan for dessert; $6 each or you can try both for $10.

Dos Senoritas Interior

You will find local favourite, Dos Senoritas, at 265D Victoria Road Gladesville and they’re open from Tuesday through to Sunday from and Monday by booking only. For more information, check out their website http://dossenoritas.com.au so you can scope out their incredible taste tantalising menu in advance. Conveniently, there is a small parking lot behind the building just off Pittwater Road.

A Mish Ate Review : Circa Espresso

Recommending a cafe or restaurant to a friend can be a completely nerve-racking experience. What happens if they don’t like it? Will we still be friends? Perhaps we have different tastes. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned anything at all! Try recommending a place you havent yet been to. And if that place happens to be Circa Espresso then you can’t go wrong.

After Circa temporarily closed its doors in December last year, the Twitterverse had been going crazy like a kid who has just inhaled an entire family-sized bag of candy. It had already built a great reputation, with loyal customers who constantly sung their praises (which are well deserved I might add) and anticipation was building. When Circa re-opened in January 2012 I had to see what all the hype was about.

Circa Espresso exterior

It’s just after 9am and Ben and I meet two friends for breakfast. It’s a beautiful sunny morning so we decide to sit outside, where I can still smell the aroma of freshly ground coffee floating through the air. We are sitting a bit of a tilt however and the space is quite tight, but after a few shuffles we’re settled in and ready to go.

Circa Espresso interior and menu

Our two friends both order the breakfast wrap with scrambled egg, chilli jam and baby spinach. The wraps are completely jam-packed with perfectly cooked eggs, fresh leafy greens and just the right amount of chilli (so I’m told). Did I mention the size of these babies? If I were to place the halves together, it would exceed the circumference of my head – Enormous! So its safe to say it’s WELL worth the $8.

Breakfast wrap with scrambled egg, chilli jam and baby spinach

The baked eggs starring sujuk, the most succulent of spicy lamb sausages, has officially restored my love for breakfast and is now a close contender for my favourite meal of the day. Using the pan as a serving dish gave it a real rustic appeal, not to mention the balance of flavours was sensational. The lightly toasted sourdough was just the ingredient to wipe up the yolk and oily pan goodness. And for $13 even I know the baked eggs are an absolute steal.

Baked eggs with sujuk, danish feta, tomato and hint of chilli served in the pan

For only $4, Ben ordered the multigrain sourdough toast which was almost cake-like in consistency and was laden with a generous serving of peanut butter… It just oozed off the edges. But if peanut butter isn’t your thing, you can also choose from Hank’s jam, vegemite or nutella.

Sourdough toast with peanut butter

We ordered the house blend coffee however Single Origin, cold drip (extracted for 6-8 hours using Yama iced filtration) as well as the seemingly popular Honey Soaked Chai are also available. For those who enjoy a coffee at home, you can buy the Little Marionette beans (Circa’s house blend) in 250g, 500g and 1kg bags at a reasonable price. The menu describes the beans as light – medium roast; chocolate and caramel overtones, citrus overnotes and best of all they’re created favouring environmentally and farmer friendly green beans

My soy cappuccino

I think the atmosphere and decor really speaks for itself. Recently refurbished featuring both indoor and outdoor seating (which can get a little cramped), Circa Espresso takes you away from the craziness and commotion that is Parramatta and takes you to an urban laneway transformed into a colourful mecca for honest food and rich-flavoured coffee to compliment.

To wrap it all up, Circa Espresso has a funky Melbourne lane-way feel, knowledgable and sociable staff and to top it all off, the value for money here is sensational. When you’re next in Parramatta, escape the craziness of the not-so-glamorous Church Street and stop by to see the guys at Circa, it’s definitely worth your while.

You can find Circa Espresso at 21 Wentworth Street Parramatta and they’re open from Tuesday through to Friday from 7am – 4pm and Saturday to Sunday from 8am – 3pm. For more information, check out their website http://www.circaespresso.com.au. They’re located conveniently close to Parramatta Railway station and there is also paid parking only a few steps away so there’s no excuse not to go!

Mish Ate Cooks : Vegetarian Risotto with Leeks, Eggplant and Roasted Capsicum

This is my favourite (and only) risotto recipe. It isn’t adapted from anywhere in particular, but I have learnt the principles of making a great risotto from watching my dad cook from when I was young. My dad is a very passionate cook, not to mention so damn territorial over the (his) kitchen. Growing up I always wanted to cook; sure the only recipe in my repertoire was a packet cake mix, but it was virtually impossible to create anything without my dad sighing, swearing and complaining that I was making a mess or just simply doing it wrong. When my mum walked in the kitchen he’d virtually seize up like he’d lost all sense of movement in his limbs; and he wouldn’t continue cooking until she was at a 10 metre radius from where he was standing.
Making risotto takes time and patience, so if you’re in a rush, leave it for another time. It requires you to be at the stove, constantly stirring, to ensure each grain of rice cooks perfectly and that it doesn’t turn into a red, sloppy mess.
All up, including preparation, the dish takes approximately an hour to cook.

Ingredients

4 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium brown onion, finely diced
1 large leek, sliced thinly
1 large red capsicum
1 large eggplant, cubed
¼ C pine nuts
1 C arborio rice
2 T vegetable stock powder (I use Vegeta)
1 L warm water (to dissolve stock powder)
1 L tomato passata
¼ C dry red wine (I used a Sangiovese Merlot which was nice)
Salt and dried chilli flakes to taste
½ C grated Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)
Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano to serve Salt (optional)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees C on grill setting.
2. Wash red capsicum, dry and place on top of a sheet of foil. Place on top shelf of oven and rotate capsicum until skin begins to darken and blister. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. While still warm, remove skin, seeds and slice thinly. Set aside for later.

Roasted Capsicum

3. Wash eggplant and slice into cubes (1cm x 1cm is a good guide). Add 1 T olive oil to a non-stick frypan and cook over a medium-high heat until tender and slightly charred. Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside.

Frying up the cubes of eggplant in a little olive oil

4. Pour remainder of oil in a heavy-based, non-stick saucepan, add garlic and stir for 30 seconds over medium-high heat.
5. Add finely diced onion and sauté until onion becomes translucent, then add the leeks and stir until soften.

Sautéing the garlic, onion and leeks

6. Add arborio rice and ensure each grain of rice is coated in the oil and onion mixture. Continually stir for 5 minutes to start the risotto cooking process. Reduce to medium heat and add salt, chilli and red wine.

Coating the rice in the oil and leek mixture

7. Add half a cup (about a ladle full) of the stock to the rice and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed. Then add half a cup of the tomato passata and stir until absorbed. Repeat the process (alternating the stock mixture and the tomato passata) half a cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next, for approximately 30 minutes or until the rice is al dente (tender yet firm to the bite).

Let the stirring begin!

8. In a small frypan, toast off the pinenuts so they darken in colour slightly and set aside.

9. Once cooked, remove from heat, add in grated Parmigiano Reggiano and stir until combined. To serve top with toasted pinenuts (for a great texture contrast) freshly shaved cheese.

The finished product, topped with freshly shaved cheese

10. Mangiare!

This dish can easily be adapted for people who are Vegan or Lactose-Intolerant; just don’t add in the cheese

To store, wait until risotto has cooled completely and place in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat place on high for 2.5 minutes in the microwave or warm in a frypan over medium heat. You could even use the leftovers to make arancini. If only I’d thought of that earlier!

A Mish Ate Review : Beautiful Byron Bay

It’s Day 2 of our road trip and we leave Port Macquarie early in hope to make it to Byron Bay for lunch. The journey is trying; the majority of the highway is single-laned, so over-taking the car in front who doesn’t know how to drive remotely close to the speed limit needs to be calculated carefully. You need to commit to the ‘over-take’ as soon as the second lane presents itself. It’s then petal to the metal (think Fast and the Furious minus the NOS) to ensure you leave ample room when the road suddenly merges back in to one lane. After a few hours, you have it down to a fine art. So much so you could even write a blog about it!

On to more important things… After checking in to Aabi’s at Byron on Ruskin Street, we are given a brief tour of the premises and are shown to our room. Ben and I are super pleased with our choice; Aabi’s is a relatively new boutique-like guest house with a refreshing Balinese theme. We estimate there to be 6 rooms, ours is quite spacious and modern. Best of all, no children are allowed. I can already feel myself starting to relax until I hear my tummy rumble which sounds eerily similar to Chewbacca.

Poolside - Aabi's at Byron Bay

We walk in to town in desperate search of food. As I’d done some pre-planning the night before, we make a semi-educated decision and head to WhyNot! cafe. We took what felt like only seconds to order despite the variety of dishes on the menu and we were very happy with what was placed down on our table. I ordered the Cajun chicken burger which was served with guacamole, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and aioli on a Turkish bread roll. The chicken was moist and well-seasoned with Cajun spice. I especially enjoyed the aioli and was scraping every last bit of it off the plate. Yum!

Cajun Chicken Burger at WhyNot!

Ben selected the Tofu Burger grilled marinated tofu, carrot, beetroot, cucumber, sprouts and tomato also on Turkish bread. It is usually served with mayonnaise, however our lovely waitperson mentioned it was most likely made with egg, so Ben went without. That didn’t stop him from enjoying his meal though.

Tofu Burger at WhyNot!

The only down-side to WhyNot! was when we came back for breakfast on New Year’s Day and were charged $7 (+15% for Public Holiday surcharge) for one very small piece of sourdough bread. What made matters worse was after we’d waited such a long time, my poor toast boasted a giant oily patch in the middle of it. Like an egg had been placed there and taken off. Unfortunately as much as we’d enjoyed lunch here, we didn’t go back after our not-so-fantastic breakfast experience.

For our first dinner in the gorgeous Byron Bay, where Ben and I seemed to be the only people lacking any resemblance of a tan, we chose to dine at Asia Joe’s on ‘Eat Street’ (Bay Lane). We start with the Vegetarian Plate which had Vegetable Curry Puffs and Spring Rolls as well as Salt and Pepper Tofu. Each was lightly fried, so the pasty was crisp and extremely moorish. Must. Leave. Room. For. Mains.

Vegetarian Plate at Asia Joe's

I order the Chicken Laksa and the soup is to die for! It does take a bit of rummaging around in my bowl to find some of the chicken, but it’s there. Amongst the mix of rice and hokkien noodles, each vegetable is vibrant in colour and oh so fresh.

Chicken Laksa at Asia Joe's

Ben went with the China Style Stir Fry Bowl. It smells divine! The flavours are simple; Hoisin, garlic and ginger but I like that. A lot. It doesn’t take away from the any of the other ingredients, so you can enjoy each of the beautifully prepared vegetables which almost looks like a rainbow in a bowl.

China Style Stir Fry Bowl at Asia Joe's

We’re so happy with our food at Asia Joe’s that we go back for a second night. It’s New Year’s Eve and the streets are packed, mostly with rowdy teenagers, so we’re happy to escape the craziness of Main Beach. This time I order the Chicken Pad Thai which has been rated as Asia Joe’s top 5 best-selling main courses. I don’t know about you but that was enough to convince me and it did in fact live up to all expectations. The serving was more than generous, the chicken was cooked perfectly and the tamarind peanut sauce was spot on.

Chicken Pad Thai at Asia Joe's

Ben decides on the Thai Style Stir Fry Bowl with a tasty soy bean, tamarind and sweat chilli sauce combo. He did mention he enjoyed this much more than the China Style Stir Fry, and as I take a few bites of my Pad Thai and place down my fork to take a sip of water, his meal has miraculously disappeared.

Asia Joe’s is open 7 days and they’re serving lunch from Noon – 3pm and dinner from 5:30pm until late. Check them out on http://asiajoes.com/

Thai Style Stir Fry Bowl at Asia Joe's

While we’re talking dinner, we checked out a few other local haunts during our stay including one of my favourites, St Elmo Dining Room and Bar. I was a little reserved; could Byron Bay be home to a trendy tapas and wine bar? There was only one way to find out. And it all started with a delightful cocktail by the name of Sweet Charlotte which consisted of Tanqueray Gin, Licor 43, lemon and passionfruit.

The Bar at St Elmo

Sweet Charlotte cocktail at St Elmo

Ben opts for the Vegetarian Catalan Flat Bread with caramelised onion, roast peppers spinach and grilled zucchini. It is also usually topped with Manchego for all those cheese lovers out there. It looks a little pizza-esque, the flavours are fantastic and really complement one another. The caramlised onions were superb.

Catalan Flat Bread (Coca con Vegetales) at St Elmo

I choose the marinated Chicken Skewers which are char-grilled topped with a silky labneh and served with a herb salad and chilli pickled cucumber. The chicken melts in my mouth and for someone who refuses to eat anything that is pickled; these were some amazing pickled cucumbers which matched the rest of the dish extremely well. We also share a bowl of Patatas Bravas; My must-have tapas dish! Beautifully fried Kipfler potatoes tossed in a spicy and aromatic tomato sauce. Need I say more?

Banderilas de Pollo at St Elmo

Patatas Bravas at St Elmo

St Elmo was definitely one of my favourite stops at Byron Bay. We both walked out feeling content, not too full and still chatting away in excitement at how much we enjoyed our meal which was also Ben’s first tapas experience. To find out more about this hot-spot, check out http://stelmodining.com/

We tried to keep out lunches pretty low-key and I’m a big fan of ‘cheap and cheerful eating’. Byron Bay is home to a great variety of hidden gems that fall right under that banner.

Orgasmic Food, back on ‘Eat Street’ was fantastic for a quick pit-stop to refuel. It isn’t the cheapest place in Byron, but the Mediterranean inspired eatery definitely has customers returning and as it is close walking distance to Main Beach, it’s a great idea to grab some takeaway and have a picnic on the sand. During our first visit here I order the mixed dip plate with falafel.

Mixed Dip bowl with Falafel at Orgasmic Food

Ben ordered the Falafel Pita Pocket but due to the fact he basically inhaled his food like a Hoover, I wasn’t able to take a happy snap. Luckily on our second visit he ordered the Falafel Pocket again, and me the Marinated Beef Pocket. We both enjoyed the filling, but it may have been better in a wrap rather than Pita bread. The bread to filling ration was a little off for my liking. However, great for a casual bite to eat.

Marinated Beef Pocket at Orgasmic Food

I think our #1 lunch spot had to be The Cardomom Pod. It’s only a small place with limited seating, however takeaway is cheap ($10 for a large container) so I don’t feel it was an issue. What they do have a great selection of hot vegetarian dishes as well as gourmet salads and Lassi which seems to be a popular choice. From the outset I had my eyes set on the vegetarian ‘Kofta’ balls so I ordered a small serving with rice. They reminded me of giant-sized meatballs with a slightly different consistency and the tomato-based sauce was good, with a hint of spice.

Vegetarian Kofta Balls with Rice from The Cardomom Pod

Ben and I couldn’t believe our eyes when we spotted dairy-free Ice Cream on the menu. It’s the one thing I miss the most being lactose intolerant so we didn’t hesitate in ordering a bowl of choc-chip cookie dough, vanilla and chocolate ice-cream. All my wonderful memories of the iced treat came flooding back as I persevered despite the ice cream headache and emptied the bowl in record time. Not surprising chocolate was the best flavour, hands down!

Trio of dairy-free Ice Cream at The Cardomom Pod

Other than the Public Holiday when the cafe was closed, we went to DIP for breakfast everyday. What a discovery! With friendly staff, an extensive menu and mouth-watering meals, it’s no wonder we didn’t have to look elsewhere. DIP is open daily from 7am – 3pm and although we didn’t get to try the lunch menu, it too looked impressive as did their daily specials which I studied whenever I had a moment. We tried a few different items off the menu; the homemade spicy baked beans with sourdough and well as toast with DIP Cafe jam, but the photos I’ve chosen below are of our favourite dishes at DIP. And you’ll see why…

Sourdough wth sides of Smashed Browns and homemade Baked Beans

Ben discovered his perfect breakfast. Sourdough toast with a side of homemade baked beans and smashed browns. The baked beans were spicy but not over-powering and the smashed browns were lightly fried, crisp and fluffy kipfler potatoes. They were much tastier (and sophisticated) than hash browns in my opinion and not at all oily. I really enjoyed my free-range eggs. I chose to have them fried, but you could also have them poached or scrambled. The bacon wasn’t fatty as you can see by the photo and cooked just the way I like it, crispy but not burnt, and there was plenty of it!

Fried Free-range Eggs with Sourdough and a side of Bacon at DIP

Coffee at DIP

I loved the buttermilk pancakes here and the servings were nothing short of colossal. I don’t use that word often but there is really no other way to describe them. The stack of three pillow-like pancakes were covered in glorious Malibu strawberries surrounded in a beautifully sweet maple syrup. I was sad that I couldn’t finish the entire plate, but Ben and I both agreed that I’d put in a solid effort.

Buttermilk Pancakes with Malibu Strawberries and Maple Syrup at DIP

DIP also have dairy-free muffins which they bake daily. We picked up an Apple and Berry muffin for the road which was absolutely packed with fruit and was great as a snack, you know, to hold us over until our next meal.

Dairy-free Apple & Berry Muffin from DIP

You can find the DIP Breakfast Menu on http://www.wix.com/jp07eh/the-dip-cafe. Unfortunately it looks like the site is still being built, so check back regularly.

I wanted to included just a few snapshots that would round-up our trip to Byron Bay. On our last night, Ben and I decided to do the scenic walk to the Cape Byron Lighthouse which is most easterly point of Australia’s mainland. It was a humid afternoon and after what felt like climbing never-ending, very narrow (and tiring) stairs and hills the dramatic views at the top were definitely worth it.

Little Wategos Beach, Byron Bay

The Cape Byron Lighthouse

Six days in Byron Bay just flew by and before we knew it, we were back in the trusty Pulsar to begin our 10 hour journey back to Sydney. I am looking forward to visiting again soon so we can return to our favourite places but also check out some new scenes.

A Mish Ate Review: The Corner Restaurant, Port Macquarie

The sun is shining down on the freeway as my partner in crime, Ben, and I begin our road trip to the North Coast. Having a fairly low tolerance for the less-skilled drivers on the road (I didn’t beep the horn once) we planned to stay at Port Macquarie for a night before driving on to Byron Bay where we were going to bring in the new year.

We arrived at our hotel just after 2pm and after literally throwing our bags in our room, we were back out on the streets to check out all Port Macquarie has to offer. After circling the town and reviewing the menus of all the local haunts, we arrive back at the cafe next door to where we are staying. We are greeted by a friendly wait person and taken immediately to our seats. This place is busy for 3pm! Afternoon tea or cheeky drinks are popular here perhaps?

The Menu

For lunch I order the Grilled Chicken Burger on turkish. We had a little difficulty finding a Vegan dish for Ben, however, the wait staff were fantastic and suggested a few alternatives the kitchen could whip up for him. After making a list of Ben’s favourite ingredients, our order was whisked off to the kitchen and we waited in anticipation (and starvation).

Grilled Chicken Burger on turkish (front), Vegan Baguette (back)

Considering The Corner Restaurant was bustling, our food and delicious Campos Coffees were delivered to our table in good time. I’m extremely happy with my choice, it is much more flavoursome than any chicken burger I’ve been able to find in Sydney so far. Trying a piece of chicken on its own, it’s been nicely marinated which has also kept the chicken tender. The bacon is cooked to perfection and not too crispy, however, I am in love with the tomato chutney. It ties all the ingredients together so well and adds that something special. Ben enjoys his vegan baguette which is lightly toasted and packed full of fresh, colourful vegetables such as beetroot, asparagus, tomato and rocket. It also has some of the chutney to add some flavour and as we both agree how delicious it is, we decide to buy a jar to take home for ourselves.

The Corner Restaurant Tomato Chutney

Dessert brings with it a rush of excitement. I get a sugar high just by looking at the small mountain of chocolate cake. I waste no time stabbing the fondant with my spoon in hope that the centre is runny chocolate centre. And that is was. The warm chocolate oozed out like lava and nothing short of sublime. It is a decadent dessert so it’s perfect for sharing but I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted one all for yourself. Just be sure there’s someone to roll you out of the restaurant afterwards! Oh and I do have to apologise for the quality of the photo, I was in such a rush to try the fondant, I couldn’t keep my hands from shaking. Note to self: bring tripod any time chocolate is involved.

Chocolate Fondant with Organic Yoghurt Sorbet

We’re back early the next morning before continuing on our road trip. I would have usually gone to a different place to eat, however I’d spent a good hour the day before studying every item on their menu I had my heart set on the buttermilk pancakes (which are served with pistachio ricotta but I go without) and no one was going to take that away from me. Ben, who is easier to please when it comes to food than myself, selects the sourdough with The Corner Restaurant Strawberry Jam. There’s his serving of fruit for the day, so now I can’t tease him for being a bad vegan.

Sourdough with The Corner Strawberry Jam

Ben’s breakfast comes with two generous slices of sourdough and just enough strawberry jam. But let’s get back to the pancakes. I have a stack of not 2, but 3 perfectly golden brown buttermilk pancakes that only dreams are made of. I admit, I have a soft spot for pancakes, but wow, they were absolutely divine. The banana jam was incredible, I’d never tried it before and it matched the flavour of the maple syrup extremely well. The serving was more than enough, I was upset that I had to leave some behind as I had a long drive ahead. But I’d definitely go back for another round!

Buttermilk Pancakes with Banana Jam and Maple Syrup (minus the pistachio ricotta)

To wrap up, The Corner Restaurant provides a relaxed environment, fresh ingredients with staff who are passionate about customer service and best of all, it’s located a short stroll from the water (a great place to walk of your Chocolate Fondant)! So when you’re next on the Mid North Coast do pop in. It’s a great place for those who like to graze all day as there’s a wonderful variety of dishes on the menu boasting local seasonal produce.

You can find The Corner Restaurant at 11 Clarence Street, Port Macquarie. They’re open 7 days for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 7am until late. A point to note; there are car spaces located close by, however they are limited. For more information on this award-winning restaurant, check them out on http://www.portmacquarierestaurant.com.au.

The Corner Restaurant

Mish Ate cooks : Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting

I can just imagine people screwing up their face when they see the word ‘Vegan’. And I can understand why. I’ve tried many dairy-free, gluten-free and animal-free products which taste similar to a sheet of artificially sweetened cardboard. However I found a few different recipes on the internet earlier this year and have come up with the best possible combination of them all (a little less sugar here, a little more cocoa there). These cupcakes are a huge hit with everyone and if you don’t have time to fiddle around with cupcake trays, you can slap the mixture straight into a bar tin (after it’s been lined with baking paper of course) and presto. If you don’t dance around in the kitchen like I do, the preparation takes less than 15 minutes. It’s so quick and easy!

I need more practice with my icing kit, but they don't look too messy

Ingredients

1 ½ cups plain flour
¾ cup white sugar
⅓ cup cocoa powder (If you can find Dutch Cocoa Powder; I find that works best)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 cup water

A word for the wise; Baking Soda does not = Baking Powder. Unless you want your cupcakes dry, dense and tasteless; stay clear of the powder. (It’s been a long time since Hospitality studies).

Mocha Frosting
2 cups icing sugar
¼ cup dairy-free soy margarine (e.g.: Nuttelex), softened
2 tablespoons cup plain soy milk (you could also use almond milk if you prefer)
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 shot (30ml) espresso

If you don’t like coffee flavour, leave the espresso shot out. You can substitute with a few drops peppermint essence which would make a beautiful choc-mint or go all out and crumble some choc-honeycomb (e.g.: Crunchie® Bar) over the top and you could give the cupcake boutiques a run for their money.

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Line 12-cup cupcake tray with baking cups.

Lining the tray with colourful baking cups

3. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. Mix together with electric mixer for 3-4 minutes or until mixture is smooth.

Sifting the dry ingredients

4. Spoon mixture evenly among baking cups and bake at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes or until cooked. You can check if the cupcakes are done by placing a skewer into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean.

Dividing the mixture evenly... Well, attempting to!

5. Transfer to wire rack and allow cupcakes to cool completely (for an hour at a minimum) before icing.

Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, fresh out of the oven

6. Soften the vegan margarine. Placing it in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds should do the trick.
7. Using your electric beater, cream the sugar into the softened margarine. Then add the vanilla extract, soy milk, cocoa powder and shot of espresso.
8. Mix well until the frosting is light and fluffy. If the mixture is too thick, add a very small amount of soy milk. If the mixture is too thin, add more icing sugar.
9. Frost your cupcakes.

Cupcakes complete!

10. And this is the most important step in the process… Enjoy!

Cutting into the cupcake : Moist and rich.

To store, keep in an airtight container. Personally I don’t like keeping cake in the fridge, but it might be a good idea during the warmer weather.

A Mish Ate Review : BarPizza

I’ll be straight with you. I had my heart set on reviewing a Mediterranean Restaurant which has recently opened in Gladesville. We’d made a booking for Saturday night and I had a really positive feeling about this place. The reviews, although there hadn’t been many, had raved about the quality of the food, the excellent wait staff and someone had even raved about the numerous vegetarian options. Let me say we probably stayed about 5 minutes before we decided to leave. The only dish I was tempted to try wasn’t available (which hadn’t been crossed-off the menu mind you), they hadn’t received their liquor license yet (which they failed to mention over the phone) and we were seated in the main walkway next to the kitchen where demands seemed to be shouted at them regularly. My soul was sad. So Ben and I decided to leave and try our luck at one of our favourites, BarPizza.

BarPizza @ Gladesville

We order the same food at BarPizza religiously and this time is no different. The only thing that is different is we have just less than an hour to eat. It’s just after 7pm on a Saturday night during the Christmas season and we don’t have a booking. Luckily BarPizza’s accommodating (and extremely lovely) co-owner Nikos quickly finds a table for us. We’ve already deliberated and are ready to order when our waitress comes to ask us what we’d like to drink. And for someone who is usually very indecisive, I was impressed with myself. Just a little.

I’m going against the crowd tonight and passing on the vino which is almost unheard of. However recently I have found myself craving Sangria and I spot it on the blackboard in front of me. I hesitate for a second. I put in my order. It’s too late to turn back now. I am in love! This is definitely up there with the best Sangrias I have ever had. The base of the Sangria is made with red wine, a generous splash of triple sec, freshly chopped citrus fruit and is topped off with lemonade. It looks as good as it tastes! If time permitted I definitely would have opted for a couple more.

My gorgeous Sangria with fresh citrus

You simply can’t beat the woodfired pizza here, so we order three… Between two people. I’m no maths genius, but that’s a lot of food! And the pizza tastes just as good the next day so I alway cherish whatever (if any) leftovers I have.

For starters we share a Garlic Pizza. It’s cooked exquisitely; crisp and slightly golden on the outside yet still light and fluffy in the centre. It is generously brushed with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with freshly chopped oregano and laden with finely diced garlic. And the garlic is certainly not overpowering, but it does leave you wanting more. My mouth is watering just at the thought of it!

Wood fired pizza with garlic, rosemary, oregano & extra virgin olive oil

For mains, I’ve ordered the Parmigiana Pizza which has a tomato salsa base, eggplant, olives, pork sausage, shredded basil and Grana Padano. It is usually topped with mozzarella, but for the safety of stomach, I sadly go without. The combination of ingredients is exquisite, and the topping is abundant but not at all heavy. The pork sausage is the delicious hero and I always find myself hunting it down through the layers of perfectly cooked vegetables. Ben orders a Vegetariana Pizza which also has a tomato salsa base, eggplant, olives and shredded basil as well as capsicum and zucchini. He has to force himself to stop eating so he can have the rest for lunch the next day. Minutes later I catch him tearing most of the toppings off. I don’t blame him.

Parmigiana and Vegetariana Pizzas (minus the mozzarella)

I love the atmosphere of this place. It’s cozy but modern and very welcoming. I could stay here sipping on Sangria for hours. My favourite thing about BarPizza is that customers can leave comments on the walls and share their dining experiences with others. It definitely gives that personal touch and it’s always good to see such positive feedback and a massive appreciation for what Nikos and the team do here.

My take? I’ve been to BarPizza on many occasions and is a restaurant I wouldn’t hesitate recommending to anyone. The friendly staff are more than happy to accommodate any request and the food is consistently well presented, fresh and packed with authentic flavours. Not to mention, the wine list has been carefully selected and fails to disappoint. One thing to note, as BarPizza has a relatively small space, make sure you book – This place can get packed out!

You can find BarPizza at 186 Victoria Road, Gladesville. They’re open Tuesday – Sunday from 5pm until 10pm and are also open for lunch on Friday and Sunday from Noon until 4pm. There is plenty of parking close by and plenty of spots directly opposite the Gladesville RSL Club. You can find out more information by visiting http://barpizza.net.au where they also having a takeaway menu available.

As we only had a limited time at BarPizza, I will come back and upload some more photos very soon. Stay tuned!

BarPizza : Image from http://barpizza.net.au/