Nuts bout smoke salmon salad

I cant go on a full on salad diet as I still need to breastfeed my 2 months old baby. Therefore,  I have to make sure whatever I am eating contain a lot of protein and nutritious.
Salmon, eggs and nuts are great source of protein and packed with nutrition. I am using all these ingredients in my salad. My salad will be packed with goodness.

My salad recipe
- mixed salad from Coles
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- boiled eggs
- smoked salmon
- roast walnuts
-salt and pepper for seasoning

Bikram yoga

Bikram yoga and with a good diet might just do the trick.  Losing those "baby fat" is not easy especially my family has the fat gene.
Hmmm... well, I have to admit it is partly my fault too. I have been craving for hot chocolate (milo) and I down at least 3 cups a day. Maybe it is because of the cold weather or it is just me tempted to the devilicious chocolate.
Well, this might be the reason why I am still not getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  Always submit to temptation.  Food is my weakness. 
Bikram has been well known for the torturous room temperature and the demanding stretching positions that make me sweat like a pig.  I think that's why my bikram yoga instructor kept on saying it is good for detoxifying.  That's why I jave to drink a lot of water before, during and after the class to replenish what I have lost. I have been "googling" about yoga positions and it supposedly strengthen my core muscles.  Well, I am not so sure about that but the guys in my class (except for the fat ones) has eight packs, I think this has proven the theory. 
But, I did yoga before and I have seen the result. That is the reason I am not trying anything else and straight jump back to yoga when I can.

Quick and easy - chicken salad

My breakfast has to be nutritious, fast and easy. This is because my baby might wake up at anytime amd I have to be ready for him. So, this chicken recipe is quick and easy, and ready in 5 minutes amd plus 5 minutes shoving it into my mouth so I will be done in 10 minutes.  Welcome to motherhood. .. everything has to be fast and convenient. 
All these ingredients I purchased it from Coles.  Simple and easy

- Packet salad is all washed and clean
- Heinz chicken mayo lite
- 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
(Olive oil is really nutritious and taste real good in salad)
- 2-3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 2 cubes of fetta cheese
(The great thing about Atkins is that you can eat cheese and not afraid of oily food)
- Season with salt and pepper

Normally I make one big bowl and eat it throughout the day cause taking care of a baby is a full time job and I have to make sure I eat healthy and enough to breastfeed.

The whole 9 months and after

I was just married for about 3 months when I found out that I was pregnant. I was overjoyed and I was so thankful to God for such a precious little gift. I broke the news to my husband that night and he was so excited that he called the whole world to tell them of the good news.

Other than the morning sickness, feeling tired all the time (partly because I have to give up my coffee) and the roller coaster mood swing, the first three months was a bliss.

Then I started to realise that I can't fit into some of my clothes and the doctor told me that I have to give up my 6 inch shoes. That is just the first crack of my perfect little life that I have been living. The cracks branched out pretty quick, my body was changing dramatically too. I started from a petite body figure of size 6 and  my body gradually swelled into a size 10. My nightmare did not just end there, my feet were growing too and they swelled so much I hardly can see my toes anymore. I have to pack and kiss all my beautiful clothes and shoes goodbye. I hated my body and I stopped looking in the mirror. I was depressed at myself. The only thing that can cheered me up was knowing that all this is for a good course. There is something beautiful growing inside me. I told myself that I have to give up being a selfish little girl and learn to grow up. I am going to be a mother soon. It is no longer just "ME" in my life, I have to learn to use the word "WE". My little baby is coming into this world pretty soon.  

The labour process was difficult, I was exhausted battling the 36 hours contraction phase but my cervical just refused to dilate further from the 7cm. The mid wife tried all the tricks up her sleeves but my cervical just wouldn't give in. Then, the doctor decided to move me from the labour room to the operating theatre to perform the emergency caesarean. To be honest, I was terrified at that time as it was my first visit to the operating theatre. It might be a simple surgical operation for the gynaecologist, but I was so scared that I will not be able to see my baby. My precious little baby was born on the 12th of April 2013 at 8pm. Even though I was shivering hysterically from the side effect of the epidural, I was eager to see my little one. He looked really angry, he was crying very loudly and his face was all red, nothing like those peaceful little baby wrapped in the eiderdown that showed on the television.

My nightmare did not just end there, I did not expect what was coming next. I heard a lot of stories from other mummies talking about the pregnancy period was the easy part and the real nightmares starts when the baby drew their first breath. There are so many things that I have to learn. I am no longer a little girl anymore, I have to learn to take care of others now. I have to learn to be strong to protect my precious little one. I really struggled. I was not used to waking up at nights and breast feeding was a nightmare. I unable to provide him fully as my production was low. But, I did not give up, I gave what I could. I supplemented with formula. Sometimes, I feel really bad as failed to breastfeed him fully. I am so glad that God has blessed me with two wonderful helpers, my mum and my husband. They have been there to support me through this journey. It is not an easy road to travel. But, it is worth it.

 

Dinner @ Ezard

http://www.ezard.com.au/

Tel:  +61 3 9639 6811187

Flinders Lane,
Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Lunch Mon - Fri, 12pm - 2:30pm
Dinner Mon - Sat, 6pm - 10:30pm

Ezard wins The Age Good Food Guide 2013 Diners' Choice Award

Rating:
Customer service: average, leaning to poor
Comments:
Reason I rated this restaurant service is not up to expectation is because I was not allowed to use the washroom at 5.55pm because the restaurant is only open at 6.00pm, and I was about 5 months pregnant at that moment and I really need to use the washroom.
However, they were quite considerate and they did change some of their menu to suit me as I was pregnant at that time.

Food: Japanese Thai fusion (Good , but not outstanding)
Comments:
Overall, the food is very Thai influence and I did not see much of the Japanese side of it.
If I to compare the food to other Thai restaurant, we can get better Thai food somewhere else. However, the dessert was really the highlight of the night.

Some of the dishes were replaced by other ingredient due to

 Japanese inspired oyster shooter
 (replace by tafu shooter)
The shooter taste good like what an oyster shooter should taste like. However, there is nothing outstanding about this entree.
Score: 6/10

Steamed spanner crab dumpling with yarra valley salmon roe, chervil cress and tom kha
I think this is the best dish of the night. The dumpling was juicy and it goes very well with the tom kha. I find that this dish taste good, but I was hoping for something different, something more creative. Overall, it is a dumpling dish with soup.
Score: 7/10

Crispy skin baby barramundi with caramelised eggplant, tomato and lime salad, yellow curry dressing                                           This is the most disappointing dish of the night. It is a fried barramundi with rice and curry. It is a very sinple dish and you don't need to go to a restaurant to have this dish. I was very dissappointed with this dish. It did not show any creativity at all. However, I must give them credit on the baramundi as it is cooked as described- crispy skin barramundi. Other than that, I was not amazed. Score : 5/10                                         

 

 

 

 

 

Slow cooked pork belly, five spice pear pudding, fennel salad, pressed apple, pedro ximenez jusAnother Asian dish, it is similar to the pork belly dish you can get from ChinChin (http://www.chinchinrestaurant.com.au/) except that at this restaurant you only get one pice of the pork belly whereas in ChinChin you can get more of it. However, I have to compliment on the pork belly is cooked to perfection. It melts in your mouth. Score: 6/10

However, I am looking for something outstanding from this restaurant. Not just about the food being cooked well, but something that can differentiate this resstaurant from others. Something that I can share with my friend and tell them that they only can get this from Ezard. But, so far none of the dishes really amazed me.

Eight score sher wagyu beef, white polenta, morels, red wine jam, sticky shallot jus and mache saladThe beef is well cooked,(well, you cant go wrong with an eight score wagyu beef, can you) the sauce is good. The best dish of the night. This is the last dish before we moved on to desset. However, this dish did not wow me at all. But, still a good decent dish. Score: 7/10

 

Ezard dessert tasting plate to share



I have to admit this is the best dish of the night. The dessert. This really wow me! I never been to any restaurant that serve such varieties. Not Jacque, not even Vue. I have to say I am pretty impressed with the dessert. It looks nice and it tasted great! Score: 9/10

Overall, I cant recommend my friend to go Ezard just for dessert, can I?

I have to comment, after all the awards and talks about this restaurant, in my opinion, it does not live up to my expectation.

Gypsy & Pig (Japanese restaurant), Melbourne

Gypsy & Pig (Japanese) Restaurant
Shop 3 391 Little Lonsdale St
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Tel : 03- 9640 0731

This is a Japanese restaurant that specialised in Kurobuta. Kurobuta, sometimes refer as black pig, is bred in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Unlike commercial pork, which lends itself favorably to a variety of sauces, kurobuta has its own intrinsic and distinctive sweetness.
Sweetness and juiciness are two factors that distinguish kurobuta from run-of-the-mill pork. This sweetness and rich flavor come from the high levels of intramuscular marbled fat – the very thing that pork producers have dramatically removed to produce pork that can be marketed as "the other white meat" for the health-conscious.This high degree of subcutaneous marbling is a result of special breeding techniques that are not very different from those applied to raising wagyu cattle. The only difference, perhaps, is that there is no massaging of the pig with sake as is the case with wagyu.

I think that should be enough for the "Kurobuta" history and what type of flavour and texture you are looking for when eating this meat. To be honest, what attracts me to this restaurant is the "black pig" as I never tried this meat before. I was suprised when I was served a white meat instead of a black one! Well, after further reading about Kurobuta, it is only the pig hair is black in coulour, and if the pig is bred in England, it will be called Berkshire pig instead of Kurobuta.

Well, the good thing about this pork is that it does not have the "pork" smell. In my opinion, the pork in Australia and Malaysia is very different. Correct me if I am wrong, a little birdie once told me it is the method of killing the pig that cause the smell. Somehow, the way the Malaysian way removes the pork smell. (Well, if you are in Malaysia, please try some of the Malaysian pork, and vice versa)
Like wagyu beef, because of the intense marbling, the way to prepare juicy and succulent kurobuta pork is to not overcook it. The good news, however, is that unlike wagyu,kurobuta lends itself more favorably to heat.

Tonkatsu style filled with cheese sauce - yum!

With kurobuta pork, you don't need much seasoning or thick barbeque sauce, the best way to savor it is to eat it on its own, with perhaps a dash of salt and pepper.
A traditional Japanese favorite is to eat it tonkatsu style – sliced thin, breaded and deep-fried, for which Kagoshima kurobuta pork comes highly recommended by top chefs in the preparation of this dish.

We ordered the pork to be cooked in different style; deep fried; braised; boiled in kimchi soup, and kimchi fried rice. The best of all is just plain deep fried style (first picture from the second row). The pocket cheese tonkatsu style shown on the picture above is good too. I find that the kimchi soup and the braised pork did not show off the quality of the meat. In fact, it kind of masked the original texture and flavour of the meat. Don't get me wrong, the food still taste good, but just not what I expected. It tasted like ordinary dishes we had in other restaurant.

Breakfast @ Auction Rooms

Looks might be deceiving

http://www.auctionroomscafe.com.au/

103-107 Errol Street, North Melbourne

Open Tues - Sun, 7am (8am weekends) - 4pm

Tel: 9326 7749

Auction room has been voted as one of the best cafe in Melbourne. They are famous for their coffee and they have a special counter with a barrista that serve their specialty coffee for all coffee lovers. I love food and I love coffee even more. Despite how busy this place is and how long I have to wait, I marched to Auction room to try out their food and coffee.

As Madison saying goes,

" Awesome breakfast will brighten up your day, and with a combination of a good cup of coffee, you will feel like paradise."



I went to Auction room on fine Saturday morning/afternoon, it was packed, I have to wait for 20 minutes to get a table. The customer service was alright, I heard rumours about their customer service, therefore, I did not expect much from them. Well, as I expected, their customer service on that day confirmed the rumours. (Unlike their neighbour, Fandango- my current favourite place, the customer service there is awesome. A friendly smile will really brighten up your morning). The floor staff looks so gloomy on a Saturday afternoon.

I ordered a cup of mocha. Well, it taste like a normal cup of mocha. It is not bad, but it did not make me jump up and down. It is really very normal standard cup of mocha that is not going to give you "paradise". (Unlike the one I had in Hardware Societe, just thinking about it makes me happy, they melted chocolate in the coffee tasted so good. It is like the combination of good and evil, the sweetness of the chocolate and the bitterness of the coffee, it explodes in your mouth)

I ordered the eggplant dish. It is like a grilled eggplant with chickpeas in tomato relish and topped with some "Kapai Puku".
Well, it really taste like how it looks. There is a lack of texture in this dish. It will be better if they could add a toast in it to contrast the texture. It leaves you feeling something is lacking and it is a really simple dish. If you asked me will I order this again. NNNNOOOOOO... not in a million years. Looks like ratatouille(Australia style). 

My husband ordered the duck eggs which he said it is alright. It really looks like fancy sausages on eggs with toast. It looks really simple and it taste like what it looks like. "Simple"
Nothing much can be commented on this as how hard is it to cook sausage and eggs with bread, even a 5 years old can do this. We saw this in Junior Masterchef, didnt we?











My friends, Cinvin ordered a chicken wrap and Tim ordered a pork dish. Cinvin dish looks like a normal chicken wrap that can be bought over the counter, nothing spectacular, not even worth to be post on a picture cause really, it just looks like a wrap from Mcdonalds cafe.
Poor Tim, he is a well built man and about 6 feet tall, ordered some pork dish. Well, we did read some blogs before ordering, and they did warn him about the portion. It was so small and I think he has to drive-thru Mcdonalds later to fill his stomach. Not just about the portion, but that dish look and taste weird too.

All in all, despite this cafe being well-known famous, my personal opinion and experience, I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. To be honest, I don't think I will be visiting this cafe again.Unless, it is by force.  Melbourne has tonnes of good brekkie places, why torture your wallet and your tummy on things that aren't worth it. But, dont get me wrong, the food is edible and the coffee is "averagely" good. It just that I personally think that it is not worth the money. Chinese doesn't mind spending, but it has to be worth spending.