RESTAURANT: Chan’s Garden

Type: Chinese, Asian
Location: 78 Burwood Rd, Burwood
Booking Required: Sometimes

I went here months ago. So why not do a review now? Sure, okay.

Not a lot to write home about. It’s a fairly standard suburban Chinese joint. Bigger than the norm and nicely laid out.

The service was a little patchy, with dishes either taking too long to arrive or all arriving at once. But it was friendly throughout.

Most importantly, the food. Quite good, but lacking anything special. We had a pretty wide selection and nothing jumped out at me too much.

If I lived in Burwood I’d get takeaway from this place, but I can’t see myself going there to dine again. Especially with so many other interesting Asian places in Burwood begging to be tried. And I certainly haven't felt any pangs to return in the months since I first visited.

RATING: Will probably not return to

WINE: JACQUESSON Avize Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs 1996

Type: Champagne
Origin: France
Approx Cost: $140
http://www.champagnejacquesson.com/eng/index.htm

The NV from Jacquesson impressed me enough to go out and try this. Quite glad I did.

From the moment this is poured you can see it’s going to be creamy and full of honey-like flavours. But there is a lot more than meets the eye with this one. Along with the honey are some delicious fruits like lemon and peach, a bit of nut and a toasty edge.

It’s REALLY foamy at the moment, so it could use a few years to cellar, but then it is going to be a fantastic wine.

Beautiful finish. I was still tasting it for a long time after the last drop had gone.

93%

RECIPE: The 12 Animal Pizza

I'm trying to champion the cause of extreme cooking. We have slow food, where the aim is to cook and savour food slowly, and I think extreme food fills the niche where every item made is an affront to God and every bite consumed is a triumph of human spirit.

This has led to the 12 Cheese Pizza and the 16 Chocolate Cheesecake (can't be bothered linking them, sorry) and now... the 12 Animal Pizza



Ingredients:
- Pizza dough (recipe stolen from Not Quite Nigella)
- 12 animals (cow, pig, chicken, turkey, lamb, buffalo, duck, quail, crocodile, kangaroo, venison and poussin)
- Pizza sauce
- Cheese
- Some herbage (garlic, oregano)

Recipe:
Make a pizza from the above ingredients.

The key to getting a crispy base is to make your pizza on baking paper, then slide it onto a tray that has already been in the oven on a high heat (around 220).

RESTAURANT: Ramen Kan

Type: Japanese
Location: Level 1, 90 Hay St, Haymarket
Booking Required: Rarely.

I very nearly didn’t go here. Someone had recommended it to Calypso and we were totally stumped trying to find it. Surely it’s not accessed by this extremely dodgy looking freight lift?

It is.

But once we got out of the creepy lift and got into the restaurant all was well. It’s actually an extremely handsome restaurant for what is essentially a ramen joint. Nice floors, nice tables, a little rock garden sort of thing running through the restaurant, tiers. Nice.

We got into gyoza and their special ramen. All was very tasty. I wouldn’t say exceptional, but very solid and well priced. In a nice, comfortable, relaxed setting this all adds up to a good meal.

They also have a store in Bondi which is apparently better, and I’ve heard there is another store somewhere. No idea where.

RATING: Okay, may go back