How I celebrated CNY - Meeting new "peng you" at Peng You （朋友）

What better way to celebrate the Chinese New Year than by spending it with a big group of "peng you （朋友）" （aka friends in Cantonese)?
 
And that's exactly what I did - I was fortunate enough to be invited to Peng You's CNY Eve Cocktail Lunch and met heaps of new peng you there.
 
What is most striking about Peng You is definitely the ambience - with its oriental red lanterns and grey cobbled walls, it feels as if you've travelled back in time.
 

 
And if that's not enough to make you impressed, Peng You organised lion dancers to ward off evil spirits and welcome the new year of the monkey!
 

 

 

 
The monkey in me couldn't resist the beautiful assortment of canapés served by the waiters. There's fried chicken, fried calamari, spring rolls, satay skewers, fish balls, fish cake, peking duck wraps with a generous dollop of hoisin sauce, gyozas, roast pork, steaming hot pork buns and more. The highlight was definitely the gyozas - there was so much pork broth in it that it exploded as soon as I bit into the beautifully panfried gyoza. Needless to say, I actually wet myself and everyone else around me - hopefully it didn't annoy my new peng you too much.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
And best of all - Peng You features an open kitchen so you can see the chefs in action.
 

 
Disclaimer: The Food Extinguisher was an invited guest of Peng You however this review is honest and unbiased. You can also read my previous experience at Peng You here

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.

 

~Hotel Urban (aka Gazebo) First Ever Insta-Eat~

In honour of their brand new menu, Gazebo decided to host their very first Insta-Eat.

To my delight, I was invited. I loved the food here so I knew I would be in for a wonderful night (you can read about my previous experience here).

We kicked off the night with a drink of our choice.

Mine was a passionfruit mocktail.

ENTREES:

1. Grilled chorizo and warm creamy halloumi, dipped with spicy sriracha aioli is definitely a winner at special events.

2. Caramelised Pork Belly with celeriac, nutmeg, Julienne apple, American bacon, cider reduction, micro herbs on a bed of creamy mash. Loved the combination of flavours - delicious!

3. Popcorn chicken with sweet and sour sauce.

MAINS:

1. Vietnamese Braised Beef Short Ribs with fresh crunchy slaw, coriander, fried shallots, and onion rings. Braised for 8 hours and coated with a sweet sticky Vietnamese sauce, these ribs basically melted in your mouth. The onion rings (which you can't see) were also to die for - sweet, sweet onions coated with an addictive light crunchy batter.

 

2. Churmoula Chicken Breast with kipfler potato, chorizo, burnt corn, capsicum, parsley and jus. I especially loved the kipfler potatoes - beautifully roasted with a dreamy fluffy/mashy texture.

3. Moreton Bay Bug & Prawn Fettucini - The flavours were so delightfully complex - I could taste hints of vanilla, lemon, confit garlic, chilli, prawns and fresh Moreton Bay Bug.

DESSERT:

1. Apple & Rhubarb Oat Crumble with grandfather port soaked raisins , fresh passion fruit and warm anglaise custard. Basically everything you want in a dessert - light creamy custard, crunchy oat topping, sweet tangy apples with delicious natural flavours.

2. A platter of decadent treats - dark calypso chocolate tart with white chocolate mousse, macarons, berries and more. Basically vanished right after I took this photo - so I guess that's an indication that it is scrumptious!

Verdict:
Gazebo's perfect for any special event - it's even got function rooms with spectacular views (and super clean toilets). Proof of what I've just said.

Disclaimer: The Food Extinguisher was an invited guest of Gazebo, however this review is honest and unbiased

Gazebo = Magnifico | 345 Wickham Terrace Hotel Urban Brisbane QLD 4000

Gazebo - it's Magnifico!

Furnished with lots of greenery and comfy couches, the outdoor terrace was certainly inviting - I basically sank myself into one of them in no time. Nothing beats a large plushy armchair after a looong looong week - it was sooo relaxing and satisfying!

So much green - feels like I am in the middle of a rainforest!

Open 7 days a week, Gazebo offers an array of culinary delights - traditional breakfast staples, gourmet café-style meals, decadent treats and more.

Our meals took a while to arrive so we waited (im)patiently for our meals. Quality dishes take time to prepare so we didn't really mind. We certainly weren't disappointed - it definitely exceeded our expectations. In fact, exceeds expectations is an understatement - it was absolutely scrumptious.

Doused in a dill vanilla crème with refreshing zesty flavours, the Moreton Bay Bug & Prawn Fettucine ($36) was amazing. The flavours were so delightfully complex - I could taste confit garlic, chilli, prawns and fresh Moreton Bay Bug. To top it off, crispy bits of kale was sprinkled on top - which definitely took it to the next level.

Moreton Bay Bug & Prawn Fettucine ($36)

I was also impressed by the Barramundi ($38) - it was perfectly cooked - the flesh was firm yet super moist, with a crispy golden skin. Add in coconuty laksa broth, lemongrass, coriander, vermicelli, and a juicy kaffir lime and you've got one delicious combination.

Barramundi ($38)

Even the water here tasted pretty amazing - I wonder why.

No wonder -

Sweet and citrusy

Verdict
Although we waited a little while before our mains arrived, it was well worth the wait. Each dish was packed with flavours which complemented the core ingredient very well.

Update: Fortunately, I was invited to try a few of their other dishes - you can read about them here.

Restaurant Two - 2 Edward Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

Don't expect to be full after a meal at Restaurant Two. But that's to be expected from a fine dining one-hatted restaurant which prizes quality (over quantity).

Who could possibly resist going in after seeing a sign like that?

A 2 course lunch with Sour Dough Bread & Cultured Butter and a complimentary glass of wine and unlimited sparking water for only $45!

Located in one of the most beautiful heritage-listed building on Edward Street, Restaurant Two offers a stunning view of Brisbane's Picturesque Botanical Gardens. Not to mention a stylish, modern dining space.

We started off with a slice of sour dough accompanied by creamy cultured butter topped with sea salt.

For my first course, I chose the Braised Beef Ribs. Juicy, tender ribs with an oh-so-good meat-off-the-bone texture, paired with a sweet red wine jus and a perfectly cooked stalk of broccolini. The accompanying polenta tasted creamy but felt a little gritty.

 

Braise Beef Rib, polenta, and gremolata

 

My Fellow Food Extinguisher had the Pumpkin Tortellini (normally $40). She really enjoyed it as the pasta tasted really fresh.

Pumpkin Tortellini, onion, walnuts, chevre, burnt butter ($40).

I was really excited when my Mandarin Cheesecake (Normally $19) arrived. A deconstructed cheesecake with sweet, crispy candied bacon, raw pumpkin and sticky mandarin syrup. I loved the different textures on the plate, but would have preferred it more if mascarpone or cream cheese was used rather than triple cream brie. Don't get me wrong - it was certainly a unique experience but I really like traditional cheesecakes made the good old-fashioned way. I also wish there was an actual slice of mandarin, fresh or candied, somewhere on the plate so that the main ingredient of the dish can be showcased.
 

Deconstructed Mandarin Cheesecake ($19)

Now this is how I like my brie - on a cheeseboard with crackers :). A delicious platter of gourmet cheese!

Farm House Cheese + Accompaniments

Verdict
With stunning views, fantastic service and a great inner-city location, what more can you want? If you're planning to host a special event and budget is not an issue, I will definitely recommend Restaurant Two.