Midam - Shop 3 | 21 Farne Street, Sunnybank Hills QLD 4109

Not sure where to take your guests? Why not charm them with Midam? Offers a wide range of a-la-carte Korean dishes and all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet for only $28.50.

The moment I stepped inside, I felt I was walking through a peaceful nature sanctuary - the bamboo and wooden décor creates a very calming soothing ambience. Perfect place to chill after a long long week!

Not to mention it even comes with its very own waterfall!

Fortunately, the bathrooms do not involve any trees or waterfalls and I was extremely relieved to see that it was very modern.

PS - Please don't ask me why I have my camera with me in there.

In fact, I was super impressed with how high tech the toilet was - it comes with a really cool washing function. Umm I should probably focus more on the food and stop talking about the toilets, shouldn't I....

Being one of the biggest gluttons on this planet, how can I resist the buffet after seeing this? Pity it's only offered on Monday - Friday nights :(.

True to its word, Midam uses good quality charcoal which really does make a difference to the taste of the meat - gives it a delicious smoky flavour.

The Banchan arrived promptly and we got a fairly standard selection - kimichi, fishcake marinated with soy sauce and sesame oil, and Nokdumuk (mung bean jelly).

There's a very limited vege selection - there's garlic, chilli, shredded cabbage, sweet potato and onion. So if you're vegetarian, I definitely won't recommend this place. Though would anyone go to an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ buffet just to eat vegetables? I certainly wouldn't, so I didn't really mind.

Yes I know octopus isn't considered a vegetable.

In terms of meats, there's Marinated Pork Ribs, Marinated Pork, Fresh Pork Belly, Marinated Chicken, Beef Tongue, Marinated Thin Beef Skirt, Wagyu Beef, and Marinated Beef. Although not all the items on the menu was available, it was still a good variety.

Given that the meats were from Thomas Meats (famous Korean butcher at Sunnybank), I had high expectations. I was definitely not disappointed - the Wagyu was very well marbled and the pork belly was sliced to the perfect thickness (or thinness) such that it crisped up deliciously after it was grilled. Just a word of warning - the pork belly may be a little too fatty for some.

I also loved the subtle sweet and tangy flavours on the marinated meats - the meats were very fresh so the original flavours really came through and you don't need to drench them in sauces.

What I didn't like, however, was that each table was only given one big plate to hold the meats. Probably to ensure there's no wastage. Not necessarily a bad thing -  I guess - because there's a $20 fine for diners with leftover food.

There's also Coffee and Brown Rice Green Tea available.

Verdict
At only $28.50, it's fairly reasonably priced for an all-you-can-eat buffet and no doubt it's one of the better Korean BBQ buffets in town. What struck me the most, however, was the was the wonderful sense of peace and serenity in the restaurant. And of course, I will never forget the toilets either - they are equally fascinating :D.

 

Peng You - 76 Skyring Terrace, Newstead Brisbane QLD 4006

What's a girl's best friend? Surprisingly, not diamonds, but rather, scrumptious food and good company. And that's exactly what I got at Peng You China Kitchen & Bar.

Together with its romantic oriental ambience and soothing jazz background music, you're definitely in for a good night. As soon as I walked in, I was taken away by the dimly-lit red lanterns, the old Shanghai girl posters and the colourful patchwork cushions on the vintage wooden chairs which gave the place a rather homey feel.

Not to mention that I certainly made a new peng you (aka friend in Chinese) on the night. The restaurant owner, Joyce, was extremely hospitable, and I was fascinated by her strong passion for food. You can even taste that passion in the food. Instead of drenching their dishes in strong Asian sauces, Peng You uses only the freshest ingredients and subtle garnishes to bring out the original flavours in the core ingredient.

The menu features traditional Chinese recipes with a modern twist - including Chinese favourites like the Peking Duck, Gyoza, Sung Choi Bow, just to name a few. You can view the menu here.

The Griddle Cooked Gyoza here is a house specialty, and I can certainly see why. Silky mince and crunchy bits of cabbage housed in thin dumpling pastry, bursting with a subtle yet flavourful pork broth. The Spicy Sichuan Pork was equally enjoyable - the spiciness was just right and the delicate spicy flavours tingled my senses.

I've never really been a fan of vegetables, but Peng You changed my mind. The Baby Bok Choy was sweet and cooked perfectly - giving it an addictively crunchy texture.

The mains were even more impressive than the entrees. Garnished with fresh curry leaves, onions and tender egg plant, the Malaysian style Roast Duck Curry ($35) looked so good that I couldn't wait to dig in! It tasted just as good as it looks - the roast duck was succulent and the spiciness in the curry was perfectly balanced by the creamy flavours in the coconut cream. Super moreish and goes really well with the soft silky eggplant which soaked up the rich curry sauce beautifully.

Unlike any other steamed fish that has been presented to me, our Baby Barramundi ($39.5) showed up tightly wrapped in banana leaves. Inside lay a perfectly steamed barramundi, dressed with bruised lemongrass, sliced red chilli, and Thai basil. The flesh was firm, yet oh-so-delicate, and the subtle flavours in the different garnishes complemented the barramundi very, very well. The best part - the fish is deboned right in front of you as soon as it was ready which means that the barramundi was served steaming hot!


Fish right after the banana leaf is unwrapped



How the fish looks exactly the same after it's deboned remains a mystery to me.


Verdict:
While the prices are a bit upmarket, it's totally worth it as you're in for a wonderful experience - traditional Chinese flavours infused with a modern twist. Not only do you get quality but also quantity as the portions are really quite generous.