At the Windy Point…………………..

 

Its Elaine’s birthday and we are all up for a treat on this special day. Hence, the Windy Point Restaurant……

We are all ravenous……hence, we started off with some freshly baked sourdough…..which keep us sustained for a while, until the rest of the food came :

We’ve got ourself one serve of the organic sour dough loaf, accompanied with butter and olive oil, and another serve of Home made Olive Bread, served with goats curd. Both came as a comfort to a table of four hungry girls, and did I mention that the breads are warm when served……though the goats curd can be a tad less sourish (to my liking).

Entrees :

Beautifully presented above, is the grilled calamari strips served with a bed of salad. I couldn’t recall what exactly it’s called, but the herbs and lemon-grilled calamari with a bite of onion and grapes….tasted wonderful enough, to make me wonder what surprise will I get from the mains!

If memory served me right, this platter includes a tartare of salmon, roasted pork belly on a bed of celeriac, and the last bit…I have no idea what it is now. By now, you should know, that’s not what I’ve ordered…hence, the lack of “memory” of what’s served. Though I did get a bit of the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly.

 

Sue Ann’s grilled/pan fried haloumi on a bed of spinach…..and topped with a dollop of cranberry jam. Smells wonderful, if you like the smell of pan-fried cheese………

The mains :

A delightful palate cleanser – a scoop of raspberry  and yuzu sorbet each! refreshing…. We all are rather partial to the yuzu sorbet……

 

My selection :

Roast Chateaubriand of Beef (g)
350g Clare Valley Gold prime grain fed beef fillet
served with three traditional sauces, steamed English spinach,
leek and hand cut potato crisps

What can I say about my main? Its worth every bit of AUD$$ spent!!!!! Served medium rare, the choice of sauces that comes with it are really good….and if you are not into having any sauces, the steak is good on its own! Juicy, tender and cooked just right!

What did the rest of the girls ordered :

Slow-cooked Free Range Duck Breast
chicken and duck pastry cigar, turmeric yoghurt, braised witlof and strawberry ginger jam

Spiced W.A. Sea Pen Barramundi (g)
with nashi pear puree, beetroot relish, crisp speck and potato galette

Slow Braised Black Angus Beef Sirloin (served Medium)
served with gorgonzola potato compression, Dijon mustard,
asparagus and baby beetroot

Dessert :

When we can’t decide…..a selection of dessert is the best choice

Chocolate Mélange for Two
Mocca panna cotta
Hazelnut chocolate palet
White chocolate cheesecake
Chocolate mousse cornetto
White chocolate and butterscotch crème brûlée
Glace cherry and chocolate parfait

 

The 4 of us left a tad bit heavier……our tummy evidently filled with loads of goodies…..though I have to say, our pockets are much lighter than we wanted it to be.

Lovely meal, nevertheless….and the view is absolutely amazing………….

A trip down to the Barossa

MH : Wow...it feels really great. Its quites nice to have all the mountains surrounding us here.....
Michael : Mei, there's a reason they call this the Barossa Valley, you know? Does the word "valley" ring any bell??

This is the moment where I have no guilt what so ever, wagging my middle finger at Michael M!


The land where Michael came from. Not exactly where Michael lives, but that's the view where we took a picture from our visit at the Bethany's Vineyard down at Bethany Rd. in the Barossa Valley.

Can you see the MAS logo??? We are browsing around the Cellar of St.Hallett down at St. Hallett Rd in Barossa, and come across this vial. Apparently MAS used to serve St.Hallett wine inflight.....hmmm....

THe St. Hallett's signature. You can see that on their wine bottle......I say they fit quite well as wall decor.........not bad eh?

The "bar" for cellar tasting at St. Hallett. They took an old vine and stick it on the otherside of th wall for decoration. Not a bad "recycling" idea.

More recycling effort by St.Hallett. The walls are lined with wood from old wine barrels.....and those magnum bottles on top of th shelves....

You'll probably end up like this carving, if you get yourself a few bottles of St.Hallett wines.......

The exterior of the cellar door..... Honestly, I think this will be a good spot for some horror movie scene. Put some eerie blue light shining on those vines on the the wall, in the dark....and imagine those vines creeping towards the damsel in distress...usually with blonde hair and super high heels. Damsel falls, and the vines twisted and wrap around her ankle and dragged her up the wall. The wall opens up and "ate" her.....wait, maybe she get "imprinted" on the wall...and become some sort of permanent "decor" on the wall. Hmmm...what weird thoughts......

Elaine and I were quitely approaching this flock of birds......but I guess we are not quiet enough...

Tasting notes from St.Hallett :

1) St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz

This is one of the more expensive one on the cellar tasting list. Really good stuff.....if you know what I mean. It have an interesting blend of taste, easy on the palate when you first take a sip. And when you let it glide down your throat, you can feel that slight tinge of spiciness, giving it a bit of an edge at the end. Rich...and smooth.

OK...fine, i don't know those fancy words you use to describe how the wine taste like, but its good stuff. Its either u trust me or you don't.

Some wine expert wrote on the tasting note "You'll sell your mother for the Old Block". That's how good it is.

I didn't taste much as the trip is mainly for Jean to find some nice wines for her brother's wedding. But the Old Block is one of the nicer Shiraz I've tasted so far.

Away from home : Brekkie with friends....

Its after Easter, and its a Tuesday. All of us girls are not working, so we decided to head out to Citrus on Hutt Street for brekkie. This is one place, that's capable of being fully booked during breakfast/brunch on weekend, so we decided to head there to see what's so great about Citrus.

The menu:

Our selection for the morning :

~The end~

My view : The place is quite nicely decorated, and we are seated inside the restaurant, which is really nice and quiet. Service is good too, and I think that should be the case. Food...its quite alright. There's nothing spectacular..coz how spectacular can a brekkie be??? I'm still wondering how the restaurant can be fully booked.....for breakfast!!! There's probably a handful of cafes and restaurant that can whipped up the same thing, but why Citrus alone is fully booked???

Away from home : Nothing cheers a Malaysian up like comfort food - Part 2

Its not everyday that we get to leave Shane out of the picture. Coz nice people like me and Elaine, don't have the heart to leave Shane alone....kakaakak...

But on days, where Shane has to work late, and both of us (me n Elaine) get to have dinner together, we'll head straight to Korean restaurants!! Coz Shane don't like sour and spicy food..!!

Dinner at Han Kuk Guan, Moonta St (Chinatown).

Korean Hot Pot. The soup is a bit bland for my liking, and I find it odd that they put sausages instead of pork slices in the hot pot. Dao Rae back in M'sia can do a better job, but I'm not complaining la....it stills a good hot pot.

Steaming hot on a windy and chilly night....

Elaine : There....we sapu everything~!

Away from home : Nothing cheers Malaysian up better than food......especially comfort food!

Nothing is easy, so as usual, our life in Adelaide has its ups and downs. If I have to honestly say, its really not all fun.....there's a lot of things that we need to face, a lot of challenges...that we wouldn't have to deal with, if we are in Malaysia. But then, this is what I call an adventure!!! While I was really optimistic when I first step feet into Adelaide...its not really what I've imagined. Not easy, but if by the end of the 2 years...I've manage to overcome these challenges, I think that'll make me a better person.

Meanwhile, to beat the blues....on a fine Thursday morning, the day before Good Friday...me and Elaine went out for a nice brekkie!! Did I mentioned that we have a 6-day break for Easter??? Well, 2 of the 6 days is "compulsory leave" but then, I'm not complaining la...

We wanted to go to Melbourne Street, but somehow, my sense of direction sort of guide me to O'Connel Street instead. Well, one thing for sure, if you are in North Adelaide...there's always food....so it doesn't really matter which street you are on.

And so, we have decided on Pellegrini...

And that's what we had for brekkie.........french toast drenched in maple syrup, and topped with bacon. Perfect if you are a greedy pig like me, who want both sweet and savoury brekkie at the same time. Its not the best combo, but its definitely comfort food.....to wipe away negative thoughts from work and enjoy the rest of our Easter break....

Elaine giving her brekky the thumbs up!!!

Away from home : Better food is essential

After the "failure" of my pasta bake........I think its about time I "attack" the chicken thigh that's sitting in the freezer. And there's the bottle of infused olive oil, called Storm from Matchett Production, when we were visiting McLaren Vale 2 weeks ago. Think I got it at Hugh Hamilton's Winery......and I was sold, when this lady says its absolutely delicious , and we are talking about dipping bread with the olive oil ...and Storm is the best tasting one among all! Kekekekek...yea, so sucker me here bought it!


Scoured the net for recipes on chicken fillet, and I found this from a site called "For the love of cooking" and it look good and simple enuff to try and here's what I ended with :

Well, I didn't really followed the recipe 100% and make a gravy......coz I intent to eat this tomorrow for lunch, and gravy can be disgusting after a round in the fridge. Guess it will be good served it with some carrots and brocolli......maybe to go with some toast for carbs? Sigh...sometimes I think I eat more than my colleague Dave, who's prolly a 6 footer well built man......I mean, they are into being healthy....and he's having protein shake and vegs for lunch, fruits for snacks.....while me? Carbs (think pasta, rice, tuna sandwiches, quiches....).....

!!0_0

Prolly I should share it with Dave......kakakaak...share the "fats" a bit.......

Away from home : I think i'm very close to achievement contentment today....

First of all, unlike what most friends told me before I left for Adelaide, there is COCKROACH here. I know there's bug...because I had a battle with a huge bug (and Shane Loh, I dunno what kind of bug it is.....not an expert in this area...its this longish thin brown thingy, that crawl on the floor..no wings and its ugly).

And I caught this fella outside my living hall, at the balcony ....i think it got stuck on the carpet, and died from the summer heat. I cannot imagine it alive....coz I'll just freak out.....ugly icky creatures....

That aside, this week is really good. I wake up really early, like 5.45am (coz I need to snooze for 30 mins, before I feel like getting up), and reached my client's office by 7.45am.

Got my car on Friday, and I'm really game to do some travelling........and it feel good to drive again.....and I've decided to visit the beaches at Glenelg. Never been there since I've arrived in Adelaide and had heard lots of good things about it. So..here I am :

This kid really take "chilling out" to a whole new level...

They are so hot, aren't they??? What were you thinking? I'm talking bout the doggies la......

I'll like to do that, but i just hate to have darker shade of skintone....so no sunbathing for me... .....but it looks really relaxing to bake under the sun though.....

Even though its technically 15 of Feb, I'm still seeing "pairs" around.................

Overall, I really like Glenelg. There's a whole road (Jetty Rd) full of shops and cafes....and you can walk right to the end, and reach the town hall, and that's where the beach is. Walk further, and you are at the jetty............sigh, sea breeze is so calming......but just make sure not to wear skirts that prone to *ahem* being blown up ala Marilyn Monroe.....coz you'll be busy holding it down.

And there....there is my Sunday gone.....like that. Poof! And back to waking up early and work for another 5 days! But i don't have that "reluctant" feeling...coz i'm rested...and energised for another great week ahead! I'm optimistic, aren't I? kakakaka.....ok, lets hope its a great week ahead la.....

Away from Home : Episode 3

To me, its comfort to have food that's taste like home. As much as I complained about life in Kuala Lumpur, it still has a fond place close to heart.


On a hot summer morning, I was hit with a sudden craving for Pisang Goreng. Images of HY, Ah Boy, Din and myself indulging in the Pisang Goreng with Ice Cream at Madam Kwan kept flashing in my mind.......


To be honest, I felt like having Pisang Goreng since last week....but it was just too hot here to "fry" these banana fritters........until today. Mainly because the bananas that I've bought doesn't look like they can survive another week in the fridge......so I thought, why not?


I've bought barley and candied wintermelon , as back up...in case this dose of Pisang Goreng give me sore throat.....and just in case I'm lazy, there's a bottle of concentrated citron tea ...just to cool down the body a little!


Well...here you are........my virginal attempt at making Pisang Goreng!!!

I think it look not bad.....eh? In fact, it taste really not bad too..........comparable to the makcik's stall behind my house in KL. Too bad I don't know how to make lekor...otherwise, i'll have keropok lekor too.... (but no point having that without the chilli sauce).

I have quite a bit of left over batter......and thought I'll send the wrinkly eggplant in the fridge to an frying inferno......and they look like this after I'm done with them :

Tempura Eggplant???

Away from Home : Episode 3 - Experiencing "liberation" in solitude?

Alone in a foreign city, yea..I've said this like a 1000 times...with not much friends (honestly, I'm the demise to my own social status coz I kept highlighting that), a long weekend will mean that I have time to clear away back log of housework...and then....FREE TIME....what do I do with all the FREE TIME??



It was close to non-existent when I was with .."ahem" ..my ex-employer back in Kuala Lumpur. Making time for friends and family takes an effort, but guess what....I have to leave my country, so that I can learn to use "FREE TIME" ? And now that I have that on hand, I have.....lets see....*counting my fingers*...eerr...less than a handful of friends and family?



The irony of life....



Anyway, this entry is about the act of being free.....to do anything with no plans in mind......alone.



I find it liberating......and because I have a choice of staying at home and mope.....trust me, I can do that very well. All I need is a laptop and internet connection...i can stay at home all day. But then, if I did that, I won't have a life, won't I?? So, its better that I go out, enjoy the sun (before it get too hot next week)....



The ad of this exhibition in the SA Art Gallery has been taunting me, everytime I come across it on the newspapers. Its an exhibition of Hans Heysen painting, and with the "Hans", you'll know its a German artist...which I know nothing of....but I thought, there'll be no harm checking it out and looking at beautiful things rite?


I did allow myself an optional detour..because..I'm not too sure if I'm good at appreciating work of art, and in my attempt to understand them, I might insult/offend those who really know about these stuff..........coz all I want to do is to look at pretty things. So the Plan B was t0 find that cinema along Rundle Street....and I'll catch Revolutionary Road.......if I decided to chicken out from visiting the Art Gallery alone.


And then......Elaine called. Shane wants to visit the SA State Museum...coz they are having an exhibition of Dinasours.........yup, Dinasours Exhibition, suitable for kids aged 5 and above?? Kekekekeke......


I've about 2 hours to kill, can't fit in a movie + lunch exactly...but lunch and a stroll down to the Art Gallery.....which is just next to the Museum is perfectly fine. So ...that's what I do.

Food : Scoozi (another of G's intro to dining in Adelaide...which reminds me...he owes me a proper list).





I decided to be healthy, so I ordered a Grilled Calamari Salad.....



Pretty decent...for a bed of "grass" or cow food....ya..that's my pet name for salad - the dose of fiber and taste of greens....which I'll usually be caught dead eating. There, another liberating move .....a change....in diet??? Coz, I think I kinda like it......the sourish dressing (balsamic vinegar?)...makes it so appetizing. Well, one healthy dish, is complimented with a unhealthy beverage?? Its fair....rite?? Kekeke....Ice Mocha with a scoop of choc ice cream....yum yum!


After lunch, its the walk....past the University of Adelaide.....along some decorated halls and buildings. You know the saying...something along the line of smelling the flowers?? I actually took time to read the Information board outside each building (ok...i exaggerate...2 building tops).

Yup, this is the info board thingy they have outside some of the buildings...giving u details on the architecture and the history. Most of the buildings were built with gothic influence, where in the next picture, you can see 2 gargoyles perching on top of building's entrance. (HY : Gargoyles pic for you!!)

Well, the irony of all things, I didn't go to the Hays Heysen thing...coz I got distracted by the paintings in err...other sections, when u first entered into the main entrance of the Gallery, where they display European Art. It ranges from paintings and ornaments, and yea, there's a few pieces of furniture too. To be honest, I know nothing about paintings, but I think I enjoyed myself a lot! I can feel....that I don't feel like rushing...I didn't even check my time......and I'm amazed at myself!! I don't feel irritated for wasting time (yes, I would have classified this as wasting time when I was in KL). .....I'm actually glad I'm doing this.....mind empty, looking at pictures, noticing that this guys (in the Renaissance era) wearing pearls and laces.....and the dresses that the ladies are wearing were so ornated....lovely.

no pics ...its not allowed inside the Gallery..

And...next post....our trip to the Museum.....

And I ended my day with Shane and Elaine with a quote : This is the nerdiest weekend I ever had, but I enjoyed it......and I think, I have a smile on my face?

Liberation? I can do this , can't I?? Maybe something more exciting than visiting museums and art gallery next time...........like our tai lo, Adrian....he suggest going out and have drinks.....he says its ok to look like dungu, sitting there alone wor......hmmm.....we'll see.

Away from home : Ah....life is as such!

Crazy weeks were gone (at least for now..), and i gave a sigh of release and a pat on my own back for finishing a half year review of 5 active companies, plus anothe 5 relatively dormant companies within Thursday and Friday! Yup, yesterday....while I was compiling the Balance Sheet and Income Statements for identification at 6.30pm....I was actually smiling.....

Both my manager and myself thought we'll be working over the weekend, and have a review on the 26th, which is Australia Day (public holiday!). But now, we both get to enjoy a long weekend, safely not having to worried about this reporting. Phew!! It may be nothing for my manager coz she's a Sri Lankan, but for me, I'm just reluctant to spend my Chinese New Year working! I mean, yes..I might not have as much CNY activities to do compared to back home, but...honestly, I have better things to do than work on a long weekend rite??? Here in Adelaide, I was given the time to get my priority right....kekeke...weekdays are for work (and it'll be best that no work after leaving the office, but in our line and during peak, its close to impossible), and weekend, its totally me time!!!!

Yeah..so I went back home yesterday, had a crap dinner of leftover lemongrass chicken breast (tasted ugly, not juicy and tasty like the one i made earlier...coz I used chicken thigh in the earlier one, which reinstate the theory "Healthy = Not Tasty").

And I went grocery shopping, thought I'll make some Pineapple tarts...so I get to feel a bit of CNY.......got home around 8.30pm, moped around.......and start cleaning the house a little (I really regret getting a townhouse, so much spaces to clean!!!) and kill off the first pile of clothes due for ironing in one of the sofa.....there's another pile in my extra room....sigh!!

And with that, I slept at 1.30am.......dead tired!!!

Woke up to a sunny morning, but with chilly breeze all around.....which is good!! You can feel the warmth of the sun, but you don't sweat as much...coz the air is cooling!!! Kakakakaak......NIce SATURDAY...and I FEEL GOOOOOOOOOD!! u know that song....I FEEEEELLLLLL GGGGGGGOOOOOOODDD........wheeeeEE!!!!!!!

YEa..so I cooked my own brekky.........and blogging about it now!!!


Got everything in my fridge since last Sat, but I was so busy that I didn't cook much........so, here's my BIG BREAKFAST.........prolly will cost me $15 if I eat out, but it's less than $10 bucks if you cook yourself!!

• Gourmet Sausage - I think this is Pork Sausage with Pepper
• A strip of streaky bacon
• A whole portobello mushroom, grilled with salt, pepper and olive oil and garlic!
• one tomato, sliced
• Slices of oven baked bread (this is a bit expensive la, $1.50 of a small roll, i can buy a loaf of whole meal bread for $2.60......., but buy already, so must eat lor)
• Poached egg

YUp!!! Lovely brekky......and I like the silence in the house.....so peaceful after a crazy week of adrenalin rush from work and stress..........

So, such is life......with its ups and downs.........coming next, my experiment of making my own pineapple jam for pineapple cookies......*fingers crossed*