Friday, 31 October 2014

Food, challenge accepted!

Hi guys!

Over couple weeks we met up and filmed this video with food challenges for you!
We all have heard "don't play with your food" sometimes in your life, well now...since we are responsible adults, we do what we wanna do, besides eating can be fun too (well it is actually always fun if food is good :D)!
Anyways, we present to you Oreo Challenge and traditional Chubby Bunny! If you haven't tried it before, definitely give it a go with your friends~!


Hope you enjoyed it!
Cheers,
Maya

Monday, 13 October 2014

Night Noodle Market - Noodlerella for a night?

Are you well?

Yesterday I left my cave for food searches with my friend, Nicole and we ended up visiting Night Noodle Market that is being organized by, I believe, Good Food. Overall, I can only say it is very busy. It is a good place to go to learn about Asian restaurants available in Sydney and also apparently there is notorious ramen burger stall (the line was massive), but overall...I think it is a fun place to go with your friends to just sit on the grass and chillax with couple of beers (or other alcohol beverages of preference). But when you are hungry, I don't think it is a very good option. Besides all the places that have long lines are actually good and well-established restaurants around Sydney, so I wouldn't bother lining up for it, besides I prefer sitting down and enjoying my food without being bothered by millions of people and a fear to get someone spilling their food all over you (not that I would 100% mind, but still).
This is like a small speck of how crowded it was
On a plus side, there was a huge inflatable cat - and cats are always a plus
So with this face (aka YSOCROWDED) we noped out of there
And that's why after checking it out (and fueling ourselves with some Xia Long Bao and Pork Buns from Taste of Shanghai stall, we decided to go to World Square and have more Xia Long Bao :D)
Xia Long Bao
Cold noodles and fried pork buns
So that was my experience with the night market (I generally like markets, but find it is a poor choice to go and try have a meal at the market :"D)

Until next time,
Maya


MISO very hungry again!

Miso is a Japanese restaurant in Sydney's CBD famous for their Tonkatsu (Fried Pork) that is quite popular in Japan and Australia. 
I just had to have their famous tonkatsu dish with their light and crunchy panko coating. 
Here's what I got.


Very nice and filling, for me I could barely stand up after this meal. This was the Tonkatsu loin and Udon set which was $17.80, which I think is a affordable for the amount you get. I especially liked the strawberry yoghurt. All meals are served with Japanese styled rice.

A mango smoothie which was approx. $4. Other drinks available included tea, soft drinks and other flavours of smoothies.


Staff was polite and efficient, however for the businessman next to us he waited for 10 mins after he was seated for a menu. I thought staff could of been more cheery and friendly. Otherwise, service was good.

I recommend Miso to any Japanese cuisine lover looking for a more modern appeal or a bit tired from the usual sushi.

Sunday, 12 October 2014

MISO HUNGRY!

Olla~
Story of my life, I am always hungry. And when I am not, I probably am just eating.

Well, let's get to food business, shall we?
During midsembreak, I finally caught up with my friends and we had food sessions in Strathfield and Hurstville, meccas of Asian food in Sydney. As for strathfield, we finally found the ONE Korean restaurant that suited our budget and was nice quality, so I present to you - Won Jo BBQ.
If you have ever been to Strathfield, you probably know about the overwhelming amount of Korean restaurants and it just happened that most of the times when I go to Strathfield for Korean food, my luck hasn't been very good. But this time, kami-sama was kind enough to let us have amazing tofu stews. We got three different types and shared between three of us and, oh gosh, it was amazing.
As always, I semi-forget to take photos, so the side dishes are half-gone by the time I remember
And we washed it off with froyo time~
Overall, Strathfield is a good place to go have chillax sessions with your friends and it is also close to my house (hehehe) and there is Hello Happy! there, too. Maybe I will talk about it next time?

As for Hurstville, it is a place to go for Chinese food, fabric shopping and... yea, sounds around right. We went down there to meet up with Holly bb and have meat skewers (that I forgot to take photo of), from I believe, some stand called Lamb Cumin (?). But most importantly we have satisfied our cravings of congee and Chinese fried doughnuts!
Trust me, the bowls are a lot bigger than they appear on the photo, we barely finished three bowls...Should have ordered 2 for 3 people, but oh well, no regrets
Overall, I hope you have a productive week, since it is Monday :"D If not, at least eat. Food before bae!

Muah,
Maya


Blurred Limes

Nando's is famous for their 24 hr marinated chicken, their grilled never fried policy and spicy peri-peri sauce. You can enjoy whole grilled chickens, tenderloins, ribs pieces, churrasco thigh bits and other Portuguese styled dishes including paella, cous cous, spicy rice, pitas and burgers and salads. What I find most interesting is their sauces ranging from what they call ''Plain-ish'' to Peri-peri hot. I tried a meal with 4 grilled tenderloins, sided by a regular spicy rice and regular coke. However I didn't get my usual Mild sauce on my chicken but one called Mango and Lime. It had a heavy mango taste with a hint of zesty lime blurred in. It was a great combination with the chicken and I recommend it to those who can't handle the heat.

Saturday, 11 October 2014

Mmmmmmm Pizza

If your in the North Shore and around Northbridge then Borruso's pizza and pasta restaurant is a must stop for any of your favourite traditional Italian meals. From foccacia and bruschetta entrees to pasta's and wood fired pizza dishes there are meals for everybody. Borruso's has been a local Italian restaurant since 1994 and has not only offered great food and cuisine but also has contributed to the community by sponsoring events held around Northbridge and offering discounts to people on food throughout the week. It's menu consists of meals that can be eaten in their shop, if people wish to dine out, or can be home delivered in minimal time. This allows people to enjoy their signature pizzas however they want. Their pizza menu consists of classics including the Margherita, Rustica and Hawaiian pizzas however it also includes modern day favourites including BBQ Chicken, Supremo and Mexicana pizzas. At affordable prices, the meals on offer are too irresistible and good to ignore so I highly recommend anyone to go and try this great Italian restaurant!

D'oh Nuts


Donut King is the biggest donut franchise in Australia having a store in almost every major shopping centre. It serves the classic pink and sprinkle donut you may see in cartoons e.g. The Simpsons and also the cinnamon donuts you love for a $1 a piece. But Donut King doesn't just sell donuts, they sell a variety of other items like milkshakes, coffee, spiders, fruit juice, soft drink, hot dogs, ice creams and slushies. These items usually come in a deal with donuts and my favourite is with any hot drink purchase one can claim 2 cinnamon donuts for $1 in the same transaction. It’s a great deal for those who want to enjoy Donut King to the fullest. Children can also enjoy the variety of shapes the donuts are made in like dinosaurs and little people. It is a great place to bring the family and relax and D’oh nut worry.

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Cooking with mama! More like Maya

Are you genki (well)?
In today's episode of Cooking with Maya (Please, Nintendo-sama, don't sue me for this reference!), I will show us the results of my housemates cooking + my teaching (Just like Mama!)

So recently, my housemate learned how to use toaster, fry an egg and make a sandwich. According to her, she can fully get married now, so I expect a lot of requests on her behalf now, haha! You wouldn't believe me that I am actually younger than her...by quite a lot :D

Anyways, here is our food experiments, I think it is science and as we say in this house: it's MATHEMATICAL (Popo, back in the days (she stole it from Adventure Time))

Baby's first sandwich
Actually, she made it for me for lunch and I thought those brown round things were olives, but actually, they are chocolates with coffee beans :"D Can you imagine my surprise when I thought they were olives and i ate it before sandwich (it is with tuna btw :D)? Needless to say I was not impressed by the bitterness (I don't drink coffee and not really good with bitter things), but overall I am glad she made it for me!
In return for her hard work, I made french toast with kiwi (I also put Milo instead of cinnamon, since this household is not that sophisticated :"D) But overall, I am quite happy with how they turned out! If you need a recipe, just google...I took the first one and improvised from there (true talent, ayyyy)
Baby's first fried egg~ <3
At least it tastes like an egg :D
And her reward for being a diligent student, I made stir-fry, Maya's version of bibimbap :D
I think I can be a great teacher, haha (if someone teaches me stuff beforehand :D)

Until next time,
Maya




Sunday, 5 October 2014

Don't be chicken-ed out!

It is Maya again :D

I think, it is time for confession. I am Maya and I am a chicken-holic. I think I have an almost religious belief that if I eat the whole chicken, the chicken will get to the chicken heaven through my belly like a portal...so I have been working on being a guardian for a loooooooong time.

So today, I will share with you guys about the special chicken place in Sydney. I didn't really want to, since it is already as busy as it is...but I am kind today. Ok, maybe I will skip on the name, but I will tell you that it is in West Ryde.

I have liked korean fried chicken for a long time, as it is that perfect combination of crunch and juicy goodness and that place in West Ryde - perfected it! I haven't yet to find the place with even slightly as good chicken as there. The chicken is quite expensive, 25$ for the dish, but it should be shared between 2 people (at least) and I must say, every time I go back there - I have never regretted it! I think it is family-run business and even though they are all Koreans, as long as customer service is, I didn't really have much complaints (except they do treat their regulars/Korean customers better, but i guess it is a natural thing for family-run businesses).

Well, I think pictures speak better than words, so here we go - foodporn time!
*Please imagine some slow, sensual music and dim lighting*
the star of the night!
Our dinner, including tofu&beef stew - amazing during cold night!
It is indescribable perfection, but I hope you will be able to find it, please use your Google-Fu!
I believe in you! And maybe we can run into each other some time, because I go there at least once a month (it is more every fortnight haha)!

Chicken,
Maya


Saturday, 4 October 2014

Self-acclaimed chef

Hi people,
it is Maya. And I am self-acclaimed chef. More realistically, I don't cook, I eat. Foodie. But recently, with my move, I realised that even I can cook. Especially when the time calls. I think, I can become a Foodwoman, not Superman, but close enough.
SO,
the point is this post will be not be about the food review, but the showcase of my skills (please deal with this :"D).
The whole reason is, I don't cook but since my housemate has been pretty useless with this department, I have been cooking for both of us. And I think I am not too bad (well, let me know what you think, haha).
From thai food...
to italian food...

and soy chicken, because I love chicken? :D
I guess, they all look similar, after all...but I guess, I can survive on my own now? (After living independently for over a year, I can only say it now? pathetic, I know :'D)

What about you guys, do you cook often? Or you prefer to eat out? (like me, but I am too poor now)

Until next time,
Maya

P.S. you can follow me on instagram if you want, @miss_mq

Thursday, 2 October 2014

It is Adventure (food) time!

Hi again,

It is midsembreak and it means, time to study...actually cross that and it is actually time to eat! (Every day should be a food day!)

So today, I will talk about Dera-Uma/Oiden/Mappen corner in the CBD, Bay Vista down in Brighton-le-Sands.

So, shall we eat?
The first place is the chain of Japanese versions of fast-food - Mappen, Oiden and recent addition - Dera-Uma. Each of these restaurants have a range of cheap, yet delicious options, Mappen specializes on Udon and Soba noodles, Oiden on curry and Dera-Uma on other dons - rice dishes. I think they are all owned under on big company, because it seems they are very similar in structures. But, anyways, it is a heaven for poor students as you can get by with 5$ and have a feast with 10$. And quality is really good, too! My choice is usually curry from Oiden (small plain curry with extra cheese and ontama - egg). A bit about ontama, it is an abbreviation for onsen (hot spring) tamago (egg), which is the traditional way of cooking ontama, in hot spring water, which allows to slow-cook the egg to give it that unforgettable taste. Definitely have a try if you get a chance!
But this time, I went with Dera-Uma, since it is quite a recent addition to this family and I wasn't disappointed at all!
I got Ontama there as well! The beef steak set ~9.8$
Also, since I was on the break, I went down to visit my relatives down to Brighton-le-Sands. And you know what? My love, Bay Vista was waiting for me. If you don't know what Bay Vista is, it is a dessert bar and it is famous for its ice creams in the fishbowl-like glasses! It also opens till late (weekdays till 1am, Saturday till 3am), so it is a perfect place to chillax with friends. And that's basically what we did! We got two bowls to share between 4 (Ibiza and the-other-one-I-forgot-the-name-of) and it ended up costing as less than 10$ each. They also have cronuts, if you don't know what it is, it is deep-fried donuts made from croissant dough, turned into a craze because of Newtown's Brewtown - their cronuts are being raved about on every Sydney foodie blog!
Back to the topic, here is pic spam
Until next time,
Maya



Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Oh, you are the loaf of my life!

You think this is gonna be a review on the bakery?
No, it is about my love - ramen.

A while ago, I went to the private opening event for the Central Park Ippudo with Melanie (another of the weirdoughs), so here is some saucy review for you guys!

It is a chain of restaurants originated in Japan, so you don't need to question their authencity. And even though it is on pricier end, it is so damn worth it! *throws the monies in the air*

On my way to fill my belly with food!
we were very hungry, so derp selfies to kill our time waiting for the ramen

The starters arrived! We got the salmon sushi (these guys are amazing! I would actually just go to Ippudo to get them...like 4 plates :D) and gyoza...well, they are quite normal as everywhere else
Mel's red ramen, Ippudo has a choice between red (Akai) and white (Shiro) types of broths, depending whether you like a more spices-taste or creamier-taste (similar to tonkotsu, I think?)
And this is my white (shiro) ramen with lots of meats
Overall, I totally recommend this place (I have been back there for 2 times already) and if you don't know, they have another place in Pitt's street mall as well!

Until next time, 
Maya


Thursday, 25 September 2014

Salsa Salsa, Give Me The News

Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill is a chain of fast-food Mexican restaurants around Australia with 49 stores nationwide, with 8 stores located in NSW in areas such as Bondi Junction, Hornsby and Chatswood Chase. Revolving around Mexican food, Salsa's menu and food available are able to incorporate traditional Mexican ingredients and meals including nachos, burritos, tacos and quesadillas that are able to successfully capture the essence of Mexican food. By using fresh Mexican ingredients, meals at Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill are a healthy alternative to people not looking to purchase greasy fast food meals with less quality ingredients. The fresh Mexican ingredients found at Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill include lime rice, tomato, onion, capsicum, black beans and of course classic Mexican dips, guacamole and different salsa's. Salsa's pricing for their meals as well are reasonably priced so that customers are not overpaying for a meal that is among the freshest available from fast food chains. This is why Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill is a great place to eat at when hungry throughout the day and I highly recommended everyone to go and try their fresh and traditional Mexican food!

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

To Pie or not to Pie

Hamlet’s Pies is located along the trendy corso in the heart of Manly. Their pies have rivalled local kebab shops for the honour of being known as the cornerstone of post-12am meals that many night lifers seem to crave every weekend. With their range and variety of pies, Hamlet’s offers something for everyone, which is why their popularity amongst locals is sky high. Of course you can walk in and expect a high quality vintage meat pie, but there are many other pies - including mexican, chicken and pasta - that you can sink your teeth into and be equally as satisfied with. It should be noted that these pies cannot only be enjoyed in the wee hours of the morning, they are just as tasty in the morning, in the afternoon, or in the evening. 



Hamlet’s Pies gets a 5.5/7

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

Please please! Take Your Booster Seats!

Boost Juice has grown into the premier thick shake company here in Australia. They’re renowned for their healthy variety of fruit and yoghurt-based thick shakes and when I visited the Boost at Warringah Mall they delivered on their reputation. On that day I ordered a tropical crush, and my god did it crush my taste buds in a good way. The second that cold, refreshing fruit drink his my tongue I was satisfied, and simply could not wait for that second sip. The fact that the day was 28 degrees outside certainly contributed to my satisfaction, so cudos to Boost Juice for recognising a need and providing what the customers want. Boost Juice received two thumbs up from me on this day and I will certainly be heading past there in the not too distant future. I’m already checking when summer will kick in later this year. 



Boost Juice gets a 6/7.

Monday, 22 September 2014

Nice Buns!

There’s nothing quite like the ‘Big Schnitty Burger’. Hailing from ‘Flame ’n’ Chicken in Narraweena, the Chicken Schnitzel burger - more colloquially referred to as the big schnitty burger - is hands down the best burger on the Northern Beaches. Made from pure chicken breast coated in scrumptious crumbs, along with cheddar cheese and secret sauce (probably mayonnaise), this burger will leave you satisfied beyond belief. Although the burger itself will satisfy your palette, what keeps you coming back for more are the deep fried chips with unlimited chicken salt. Chuck a bit of aioli sauce on there for an extra 40c and you’ve got yourself the best meal of your entire week. 



The Big Schnitty Burger gets a 7/7.   

Sunday, 21 September 2014

'Br eaking Br ead' - Bakers Delight

Bakers Delight is a chain of bakery orientated stores located all around Australia that specialise in delivering quality products fresh and made in store each day. Just like Heisenberg in the AMC program 'Breaking Bad', Bakers Delight are leaders in their industry in delivering high quality products to consumers fresh each day. Originally established in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Bakers Delight has today reached over 700 bakeries world wide with majority of its stores located in Australia. Bakers Delight not only offer consumers with variety and freshness, they are very interactive with their consumers and post recipes on their website to offer their consumers innovative ways to use their products in everyday meals.

Saturday, 20 September 2014

Don't you ig-nori me!

Sushi Hub
Various locations

Sushi Hub's motto says it all. "Fresh Sushi Everyday!" The menu includes Maki Rolls, Bento Boxes, Sashimi & Salad, Inari, Nigiri and Soup. Made to order Party Sets are also available for private functions and parties. Most popular dishes are Tuna Salad Roll, Fresh Salmon Roll, Crispy Chicken Roll and Tempura Prawn Roll. The Sushi Hub chain has almost 20 store locations in Sydney, delivering the freshest and top quality sushi to customers. Service is fast and sushi is perfect for on the run.

My personal opinion: Maki Rolls here are the best. Eat at Sushi Hub if you're in the food court and looking for the healthier option.

Friday, 19 September 2014

Slice Slice Baby

Royal Mail Hotel Braidwood
145 Wallace Street
 Braidwood NSW 2622
+61 2 4842 2488


The Royal Mail Hotel Braidwood is your typically country pub serving food and beverage, as well as providing accommodation. It caters for functions and everyday individuals with services such as the bushranger bistro, royal café, games room, beer garden and bottle shop. You simply can't go past a large 12” Mexican pizza at the pub, which contains capsicum, onion, ground beef, jalapenos, olives, chili flakes and ham from the bushranger bistro for only $18. The pizza is made fresh upstairs by chef Jo, with Toby on the bar serving beers on tap. Staff were incredibly friendly and easy to get along with, and locals were keen to flap their gums as well.

Thursday, 18 September 2014

Two Birds One Stone

KFC Marulan
LOT 20 Hume Hwy, Marulan NSW 2579
Contact Number: 4841 1280

KFC is a leading global fast food chain that specialises in fried chicken. Recently, I had the pleasure of dining at the newly refurbished KFC Marulan. The Family Burger Box is undoubtedly the go-to item to share with some friends. In this meal deal, you receive 2 burgers of choice, 2 twisters, two regular chips, popcorn chicken, nuggets and chips, with the total savings adding up to almost $18. The service was fast and polite, exactly what fast food service should be. The attendant was even kind enough to allow us to swap the chips for drinks, with no hassle whatsoever. As it was situated in such a rural location, questions about the quality and freshness of the food were raised. However, to our pleasant surprise, the food was cooked fresh which really heightened the experience in a positive manner.

Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Don't Go Bacon My Heart


Curly’s On The Corner
77 Pitt Rd, Curl Curl, NSW
9401 0195

Curly’s On The Corner is a delightful café situated on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, serving a wide variety of food and beverages suited to all. I ventured down on a Thursday afternoon and ordered a “Double bacon and egg roll”. When it arrived, I was surprised by the sheer quantity of food. There was easily 10 rashes of bacon, served alongside two eggs and a toasted bun. Although, the serving size was incredibly generous, the meal was still cheap as chips, setting me back only $10.

Here are some testaments provided by some regulars of the café:

Paul Russon says: “Paul and the Curly’s crew still serving your favourite brekkies, burgers and coffee at the original Curl Curl café.”

Teresa Burgess says: “What's not to love about Curlys, friendliest staff, fantastic coffee and tastiest food! Our favourite place to go anytime of the day”

Tuesday, 16 September 2014

Well, hello there. First post.

Well, hello there.

We are weirdoughs (*so punny*), a group formed to deliver you the food reviews in the non-conventional way. There are so many food blogs out there, from simple food diaries to sophisticated high-end reviews of dinnings...well, we decided to bring a little bit more fun in it and spread the puns over the reviews.

We are the group of six members, each with individual wits and skills and I hope you will enjoy the your stay here. Enjoy all the foodporn, guys (and girls :D)!

Muah,
Maya.

Monday, 15 September 2014

Design layout

For this blog, we decided to stick with the basic layout that was provided by Blogger with some inclusion of standard gadgets