Ramen O-San

Set in the depths of Dixon Food Court in Chinatown, amid an array of Asian stalls offering huge selections of delights, Ramen O-san is pumping out some very tasty ramen!

 

 

 

If you prefer a lighter dashi soy style broth or a thick creamy tonkatsu broth to a daring pungent black garlic broths, regardless of whether you are a beginner to this soup or a long time Ramen Head, you will find a steaming bowl of ramen that will appeal to your taste buds on the ramen spectrum. I must admit my mind was boggling over the broths you could choose from.

Tagging along as my dinner date tonight is a fresh newbie to all things ramen. He is eager to try this noodle soup and chooses a lighter option to ease his taste buds into what I hope will become an obsession! Roofood on the other hand opts for the Delux Tonkotsu ramen (or the original ramen). The staff are super friendly and will help with you deciding which broth to choose from if you are unsure!

 

When large steaming bowls arrive and I instantly take a sniff. Whispery tendrils of steam waft up and I take a moment for myself. Delicious!

The boy eyes off his bowl of Dashi Soy ramen which comes with a clear broth topped with slices of pork, shallots and bamboo shoots. The Dashi Soy broth is piping hot (beware of a burnt tongue) and the noodles are toothy, chewy textured noodles.

 

The Delux Tonkotsu is topped with slices of char siu, pork belly, a boiled egg, a piece of chicken kaarage (which is not very crispy from sitting in the broth), bamboo shoots, shallots, nori sheets and black fungus. The creamy tonkotsu broth is not nearly as hot as the dashi soy but it is thick and comforting and so flavoursome. The fatty slices of char siu melt in the mouth and the large pieces of pork belly are rich and tender and so very tasty. The noodles have some chewy bite to them and hold the thicker broth well.

 

This bowl is for a healthy appetite and it is a definite winner!

With a plethora of ramen places across Sydney nowadays Ramen O- san firmly have taken their place amongst the top ramen joints for good reason.

Looking forward to visiting again soon!


* Thanks Washokuo Lovers for the invitation to dine at Ramen O-san.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tasting the new menu @ Los Vida Mexican Westfields Sydney

For a restaurant that is on the (quieter) sixth floor of a shopping centre in the middle of the Sydney CBD, where food courts abound, bars surround and competition is fierce amongst restaurant space, particularly Westfields where there has been a turnover of restaurants in recent years, Los Vida is making a name for itself.

Many visitors to the centre may not even know that it exists, diners may stumble upon it or hear about it from word of mouth. I think that can be a great thing.  Organically growing for it's great food.  The restaurant has a chance to grow and strengthen their foundation and it does not become the restaurant flavour of the month before diners move onto something else. It’s a contender!  

Ever since Los Vida opened their doors in January of this year they have built a solid following of regulars that return again and again, me included.   I was hooked from my very first meal (read about it here), however I have dined here many times since and often recommend Los Vida to work colleagues and friends.  

Los Vida is not your atypical Mexican joint offering cheese and refried bean laden tortillas or artery clogging cheesy, spicy beef covered nachos (although that does hold a special place amongst the cuisine). Mexican cuisine is so much more than that. Los Vida embraces fresh, vibrant flavours while upholding an authentic modern presence in their dishes.

I'm back at Los Vida to discover new delights on their newly launched menu. We are seated at a booth out front of the restaurant in an airy space within Level 6. Table tops are tiled in rich blue hues, chulola chilli sauce sits next to salt and pepper and the area oozes ‘south of the border’ charm.
 
While firm favourites have been kept on the menu, some have been replaced and newly added dishes enhance and already mouth watering menu. There is a new selection of ceviches, an extensive tacos list, a few new mains and new salads to mix things up. For those that would like a cocktail or two there is an extensive cocktails menu with wine and beer too.

The menu is designed to share dishes and I note that are vegetarian/ vegan options and a great selection of gluten free options. Our waitress enthusiastically points out choice dishes and recommendations.  

We have ordered a vast selection of dishes and I find I am having food envy of other diners around us.

We begin with the Scallops Aguachile $13 - scallops with cucumber, red onion, jicama and Serrano chilli atop a crispy gordita.

There are only two in a serve but each bite packs a fresh zesty punch of lime, fresh cucumber and warming heat of chilli. This is fresh and exciting. Just a little disappointed on the serving size.

A hefty serve of Enfrijoladas arrive. $15 

A choice of chicken, beef or mushroom we have gone with the more traditional beef with black beans sauce, cheddar, iceberg lettuce, queso fresco and sour cream. The crispness of the iceburg lettuce adds a fresh crunch to the refried black bean puree enveloped between a chewy textured tortilla. I like it.

Is your mouth watering yet?  Mine is...

Always a fan of a good taco, thankfully the taco menu hasn't been tampered with but embellished with to new ones. A Yucatan fish taco and a chipotle prawn taco.  Tacos range between $5- $8 or you can do a rack of 7 for $30.

Opting to try both we are happy.  The Yucatan fish taco has grilled barramundi with Yucatan style marinade, smoky rojo sauce, zesty lime cabbage and pineapple salsa. The Chipotle Prawn taco has tender prawns with poblano chilli, refried beans, chipotle sauce and avocado.  While they both have various degrees of heat from the different chillis, the fish is fresh and crunchy where the chipotle prawn is creamy with the avocado and bean puree.  They are both great additions to the menu, but I prefer the Yucatan one slightly more.

I’m intrigued by the sound of the Torta Ahogada - $16.  It's a ‘drowned’ spicy pibil style shredded pork roll and refried beans bathed with arbol chilli sauce.

It’s a wet style ‘burger’ and the shredded pork is smoky and tender with hints of earthy cinnamon. We like this a lot and it's a decent size.

One side that comes highly recommended is the Rajas. $5

 

It’s a small bowl  (bowl in the front above) of poblano chili, onion, potatoes, zucchini, corn kernels and sour cream.  It is served as a condiment side but I would have eaten the whole bowl and secretly between you and I...I would have licked the bowl clean if I wasn’t in public.….yep it was that good.

Every visit I always have to have a serve of the patatas bravas. $7

 

A mixture of fried potatoes, sweet potatoes, brava sauce and aioli w chives this is a huge serving but so addictive.

So full and satisfied I think we may have groaned a little at this point. I may have eyed off the bunelos and chocolate tart for dessert….but I will have to pass on Los Desserts…for today.

From a previous visit there are a few dishes that remain on the menu and are favourites.

Hibiscus Flower Flautas  - crispy hibiscus flowers with cheese and wrapped in a chunch corn tortillas with salsa verde and queso fresco.  these were nothing like I expected and was pleasantly surprised.

 

I can highly recommend the grilled corn. topped with coriander, butter, lim and chipolte cream with queso fresco.  These are another addictive side and very happy to see that it has stayed on the menu.

And lastly I leave you with a fish taco, beer battered barramundi with zesty lime, cabbage slaw and 3 styles of jalapenos (including deep fried) with chipotle mayo.

While I have always enjoyed my dining experience and the food at Los Vida but with the new menu they have just risen the bar.  Los Vida has done a great job in incorporating the change.  Thanks again for a fabulous lunch.

*Roofood dined as a guest of Los Vida and Cardinal Spin

 

Los Vida @ Westfields Sydney

 

Mexico sits high on the travel bucket list and I hope to travel there soon. Amongst many reasons, I have always loved Mexican food and the more I read about the regional specialities and delve into more traditional cuisine the more I want to go.  Mexican food is not all about burritos, enchiladas, nachos and cheese laden dishes or the odd margarita. That’s more Tex-Mex and holds it’s own up North  but in fact, true Mexican cuisine is extensive and regional and includes fresh, zesty, healthy salads, fruits and vegetables, long, slow braised meats and dishes with deeply flavoured layered sauces, chilli’s and fluffy tortillas.  It’s diverse and cultural and has kept its roots from the Aztecs and Spain, along with a few other cultures thrown in to the mix over the years.

 

So today, I just came back from a fabulous lunch with the girls.  We road tested a new restaurant that has recently opened on Level 6 of Westfields Sydney.  Los Vida (which means The Life in Spanish) is offering traditional, fresh, tasty Mexican food and at very reasonable prices and a sit down restaurant in Westfields. Perfect!

Our server is welcoming and friendly and we are seated in a booth outside the restaurant (inside Westfields) for a quick one hour lunch catch up.  We arrive at noon, so it’s not busy yet (but once word gets out I think it’s going to get busier).  We are positively drooling over the menu.  As there is so many dishes we want to taste, we decline one of my greatest loves, guacamole and corn chips, as a starter, but I do note it for next time. The list of tacos look enticing and we choose one each, with the idea of cutting each into three to taste each one.  On arrival we realise that would be messy and we just eat the one we chose. 

 

 

I go with the Pork Taco – filled with pibil braised pork, caramelised pineapple, habanero & radish with pickled onion.  Anything ‘porky’ will always grab my attention but add caramelised pineapple and I’m sold!  I opted for the corn tortilla and this was a perfect wrap to go with the pork and pineapple.

 

The other two tacos are the Beef Taco with chipotle adobo, sesame oil, coriander, chives, red onion, lemon juice, guacamole and poblano chilli w sesame seeds and the Fish Taco with beer battered barramundi, zesty lime, cabbage slaw and 3 style jalapenos w chipotle mayo.  I nibbled on an escaped deep fried crispy jalapeno from the fish taco and it was delicious. Note that you can order a taco sampler for $30 (which includes 7 tacos). 

We do end of up sharing the rest of the meal. Next up we dig into a big bowl of Ancient Grain Salad with quinoa, broccoli, kale, butternut pumpkin, corn kernels, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, parsley, jalapenos and pomegranates with a Tequila dressing. This salad was so fresh and tasty and nourishing.  I was expecting the Tequila dressing to have more of a boozy zing to it, rather this was smooth and delicate and I wasn’t disappointed.  Really lovely salad.

 

 

It’s the Beef Ribs that grab my attention.  Two large meaty ribs, doused in a chipotle glaze (and very saucy) topped with radish, spanish onion and pickled habanero.  The flesh is fork tender and literally fell off the bones as we cut through it.  The sauce has a hint of heat.  I would highly recommend this dish.

 

 

For sides we go with the Farmers Grilled Corn, sprinkled with queso fresco, lime, chipotle crema and butter and coriander.  However, it’s the Patatas Bravas side dish that stops me in my tracks.  Crispy cubes of potato AND sweet potato covered in brava sauce and garlic aioli with chives.  Oh my this is a comforting dish and I take a moment to relish it.

 

 

 

Apart from always enjoying lunching with my friends and catching up with them, I really enjoyed Los Vida and the delicious food on their menu.

No room (nor time) to go with a  dessert….we sit back, bellies full and feeling satisfied and we all have little grins knowing that we will be back again for seconds!

Mucho Love!

Just pho fun

Tucked away in the upper levels of Hunter Connection in the CBD is a 'little known' food court.  You wouldn't know it was there unless you had happened to stumble upon it or someone told you about it. However, you wouldn't believe that statement when you see how crowded it gets at lunch time. It' seems half of the CBD knows about this little 'secret'!

It's predominately Asian flavour stalls however there is a couple of other fast food/takeaway shops. There are Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Sushi and Thai stalls and there is an Organic cafe, kebab place and a Subway and it's super dooper cheap!

For food court food it's pretty good.  I'm sure there is lots of MSG making its way into the dishes, but when you can get dishes for around $6.50 with rice it's a great budget lunch.  There is always a massive turn around at lunchtime because of the crowds and dishes don't sit around for hours and hours in bain maries. Yes, this food court has been criticised in the past for unhygienic practices (at a couple of the stalls) but it certainly hasn't hurt business. 

If you are dining with a friend(s) grab a seat before you order if you can because by 12.10pm there will be little to no seating and pouncing on tables or sharing tables with someone else is a must!

I have craving bowls of pho lately.  It's my go to soup.  Comforting and carb-y on cold winters days.  I have eaten pho at both Hong Hai and Pho Han oi in this food court a couple times (I have incidentally also introduced a friend to the pho culture at both of these places (he just happens to be a ramen head but now enjoys pho too)...I'm pleased to convert someone!

So for research purposes only (okay aways) I have recently eaten at both to decide which is better. 
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Hong Hai

Beef Pho

 

Piping hot broth, fresh noodles, smattering of coriander and shallots.  The beef got a little overcooked in the broth and was a bit overcooked and I didn't get the baggie of lime, herbage and bean sprouts (not sure if this was an oversight because I asked for takeaway) and didn't realise until it was to late.

 

 

Pho Ha Noi

Beef Pho

 

Clear strong broth, full of flavour, coriander and shallots, lots of rare beef slices and a baggie full of pho toppings, lemon wedge, fresh basil and crispy bean sprouts. 

 

Is is evident by just reading each review which one is the winner.  Pho Ha Noi, you will be pho ever my fav at this food court!

 

The slurping continues on my hunt around Sydney for great pho!