E-A-Ting Tip #1

Working in a restaurant, I have realised people HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT TABLE ETIQUETTE! So... I am going to post some 'Eating Tips' up here. Of course no one wants to feel stupid in a restaurant, and you also don't want to look like an idiot! So... by taking into consideration a few simple pieces of advice, you too can be on your way to being a professional, smart looking diner in no time!

E-A-Ting Tip #1: When you order a bottle of wine, the waiter will present you with the bottle. It's not to show you how pretty the label is, but to ensure that they have selected the correct wine that you ordered. Your waiter will then proceed to open the wine. Sometimes, they will check the wine themselves first. This is to ensure that they pick up any faults in the wine and avoid presenting you with a dud.... NOT so they can have a free swig of your booze. Then, they will pour you a small taste to check. You are tasting to ensure there are no imperfections in the wine, eg. corked, oxidised, etc. This is NOT a 'Try before you buy' sort of taste.

To some, I know this seems obvious! But to be honest, I never knew these things until I started working in hospitality. Coming from a family where wine was brought out at New Years in the form of a bottle of 'Yellow' and mum would be drunk after drinking a 'West Coast Cooler', I totally understand that people would feel lost when it comes to wine! Don't be afraid to be honest and ask your waiter questions. If your waiter is worth their tip, then they will be more than happy to guide you through your meal.

Burger Ban

I've been eating way too many burgers lately! And not enough good food. Sooo... I've put myself on a burger ban! There was a phase I went through last week where I had a burger five days in a fow! Yikes... that is totally unacceptable! Ha! Unless they put burgers up for staff dinner, I am not allowed to eat them!

Insider Info.

Want to read about how it is in a waiters world? Read my other blog http://eatingandloving.blogspot.com/. I'll give you a few 'tips' on how to be a real diner...

Secret Squirrels

I got taken to a crazy little hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese tuckshop today! A fantastic little lunch spot that is only open five hours for lunch Monday to Friday... Miss Chu is full of wonderful little surprises! My fave would definitely have to be the Vegetarian Vermicelli Salad with Fried Net Spring Rolls... but their dumplings were terrific, and the Vietnamese coffee dripped into cups with condensed milk is soooooo delicious. What a surprise! Food feeds much more than the tummy... it feeds the soul. It strengthens faith! How can one have a good meal, and not believe in the goodness of humankind? Funny how eating a simple meal off a cardboard plate, can make one so happy...

Sepia

Went out for a girlfriend's birthday drinks last night at the newly opened Sepia. It was lots of fun and of course, we had to try out some of their bar snacks... We started off with a dozen oysters, which were deliciously fresh & fantastic. Then they sent out chicken liver parfait, sprinkled with konbu and served with bread sticks... sooooooooo yummy! Finally, we had the BEST BAR SNACK I HAVE EVER, EVER HAD. Being the cheese fiend that I am... how could I resist the Clarines baked in Champagne with toasted bread & bread sticks? Holy, moly... I almost cried. If this is not the most ingenious and moorish bar snack I have ever had... then I don't know what is? I was in heaven. Can't wait to try out their a la carte menu! How can people not eat out? When there are wonderful surprises around every corner....

Bankstown Bonanza!

The greatest thing about living in Australia, is that you've got the best of the world's cuisine right at your doorstep. The furthest you might have to go, is a drive to the suburbs... Today I went on a little trip with my sister & nephews and we visited some of our favourite places in Bankstown. Extremely rich in diversity and culture, you can find everything from Lebanese Cafe's with apple flavoured water pipes, to Greek deli's and Vietnamese grocers... walking through the streets of Bankstown assaults the senses in new and amazing ways.


We had lunch at my absolute favourite Pho restaurant ever. A legend in it's own right, 'Pho An' is cheap and delicious, serving up some of the best noodle soups this side of Saigon. Pronounced more like 'fur', this rare beef (with the other choice of chicken) noodle soup, with fresh lashings of bean sprouts and holy basil, is soooooo yummy and is the best thing on a cold day like today! Such clean and simple flavours keep you wanting more, and more... lucky it's never more that $13 a bowl!

We then took a walk down to the town square, lined with butchers, bakeries, grocers and delis. The amazing produce on display is as colourful as a rainbow, and the smells hit you all at once... We found a little 'juice bar' that serves delicious condiments with shaved ice & coconut milk. Now for any Filipino's out there, it's almost exactly like 'Halo Halo'. And even on a cold day, we couldn't resist! Even my nephew loved it... deliciously sweet, with what seems like a hundred different textures swimming around in your mouth... I don't think the three of us talked for a little while, both from the enjoyment of our treat, and from the brain freeze we were all trying to ignore so we could keep eating!

Such a fun day, and even though I grew up around this area, it continues to surprise me everytime I visit... finding some new and delicious treat every time!

A new adventure awaits...

Going for drinks at new restaurant Sepia later this afternoon! Very excited! Will post up some pics later on... yay!