Nora: Melbourne's friendliest and tasty breakfast

Nora is like a foodie spa stripped of the pretentiousness of wannabes and a great haven for those looking for food that makes you smile and feel good afterwards. You get the feeling that people leave Nora with a smile on their faces.  It also avoids the problem of many modern restaurants in not feeling welcoming and being too busy.  I go here as much for the cleanness of the design and sense of calm. It is reflected in the food which looks like art. The coffee is also great with a smoothness which is welcome in the morning.  Jean's distinctive charcoal tarts are also always a delightful blend of surprising flavour combinations.

Nora is rare in that it is clear that it has a philosophy of food and this is translated in the whole dining experience.  They want you to recall good experiences especially from your childhood. Each person will have their own perspective but I can can certainly say that eating at Nora takes me back to happy thoughts and good memories!

I would recommend the signature 2010, a black rice porridge with southeast Asian fruits and nuts with the occasional burst of caramel sweetness from palm sugar.  This dish is invariably well balanced and satisfyingly so.

The menu is constantly changing and is wide enough to satisfy your breakfast, brunch or lunch needs. Whilst Jean and Tong are self taught the food is not lacking in technique and awesome presentation.

As you can tell from this review I always come here when visiting Melbourne and would recommend Nora to locals and visitors alike. 

 

Chat Thai, Westfield, Sydney

Chat Thai, Westfield, Sydney

Chat Thai is a well-known chain of Thai restaurants. It is perhaps however a victim of its own success since the usually consistent quality of its food has been absent for a few years now. The saving grace though is its Westfield Sydney branch which produces some of that consistency although not the customer service.

  

Chat Thai Westfield serves up a very good som tum with a very good balance of the saltiness, sweetness and spice. 

It is also very good value at only $10 which includes a serving of sticky rice. It has competition from Tum Zaap in Randwick in the som tum stakes but it is recommended if you fancy a quick gluten-free meal in the centre of Sydney. 

Tuum Zaap

Tuum Zaap offers great country style Thai  food at great prices and with home cooked love. 

If you want authentic tasting Thai food this is a great place to get an introduction. Although you are likely to fall in love with the food so the introduction will probably lead to a long term relationship!

Take the time to get to know the chefs and other staff and you will be rewarded with a warm welcome when you return. 

The menu is large enough to offer an option for everyone and has the advantage of catering for vegetarians, pescetarians and carnivores alike for most dishes.

Today we started off with a som tum which is a traditional Thai green papaya salad that showcases the balance between sweet, sour and spicy. 

Enjoyed with sticky rice the large portion can even be enjoyed as a light lunch between two people. The spiciness can be adjusted to taste when ordered. In our opinion the som tum offered up is comparable to the well established Chat Thai som tum. Since coming to Tum Zaap we have not missed Chat Thai.

Tum Zaap appreciate the subtle balance required for som tum and consistently deliver the tasty dishes.

We ventured out of our comfort zone to try the BBQ fish with chilli and tamarind sauce. This is the first time we ordered a Thai BBQ and we enjoyed the succulent fish even though it had to be made on the hop since the catfish was out of stock. 

The sauce was perhaps a bit of a let down though as we were perhaps expecting more of a sourness from the tamarind. The tilapia was tasty though even though the chefs were apologetic about their efforts. 

Tuum Zaap is a relatively new restaurant and is highly recommended for a visit and is well worthy of your support in an area with a wealth of Thai restaurants.

Gianni's restaurant - Gluten free Reggio Emilia

One of Mrs NMFS's dreams was to visit the famed Reggio Emilio pre-schools so I decided one day to make the 2,000 mile round trip across France, Switzerland to take Mrs NMFS to visit the pre-schools that she read so much about in her academic research.

The challenge when journeying through continental Europe is readily finding food that we could eat without compromising our intolerances. When visiting places where wheat is king and one has to resist the temptations of crusty French baguettes, delightful pastries and open fire pizzas. The local knowledge that those with a freefrom diet build up to source freefrom staples in their local shops just does not exist when country-hopping. Even internet access does not always make up for the shortfall in knowledge.

Much of the time you just make do with rice cakes and fruit which has a place in warmer climes but not when it is colder and you yearn for something different. We ended up having to make do most of the time with less than enjoyable meals although we did chance upon a gem just as we were about to leave Reggio Emilia.  

Gianni is about a 20 minutes drive from Reggio Emilia and it is well worth it. Located at Via del Bosco, 14, 42013 Casalgrande, Italy it is somewhat hard to find on the internet but it is one of those rarities - an Italian restaurant which serves up homemade gluten-free pizza and pasta with a passion.

Set in the middle of a residential area, Gianni's has built up a strong local following with its tasty servings of good Italian cuisine. Gianni has been serving up gluten free food for over 15 years now and in that time they have perfected their pizza and fresh pasta. They are able to offer most of their dishes gluten-free and they do not charge much extra for the privilege. Gianni's son was very accommodating spending time between the kitchen and running through what we could have from the menu whilst patiently answering our excited questions.

Their pasta was the best gluten-free pasta we have had in Italy or anywhere else for that matter. The gloppy alternatives that we sometimes experience was no comparison to the homemade pasta that was served up to us. The secret apparently was in not working on the pasta dough too much and keeping everything cold to avoid it breaking up. We would not have known that it was not 'normal' pasta!

If only we had found Gianni's before but hopefully anyone visiting the area will now know about this delight. We also tried the pizza as after so long without great home cooked food we felt like some comfort food. The pizza was great as well with its thin crust meaning it was satisfyingly crispy.

It was a great end to our stay in Reggio Emilia to enjoy local ingredients in dishes made with so much years of knowledge in a family restaurant with a relaxed ambiance. Gianni's have managed to make fresh Italian food accessible to those with a freefrom diet without compromising on taste or quality and without charging a premium!

So, fellow readers, can you recommend a great gluten-free restaurant?

Golden Pagoda, Chinatown, London

Golden Pagoda, Chinatown, London

Chinatown draws tourists visiting London with its colour and the offer of a taste of the Orient. It ought to be a showcase for the best that oriental cuisine has to offer. It is very unfortunate therefore that we are yet to find a stand-out restaurant there. In fact, the Golden Pagoda is the worst restaurant we have had the misfortune to have been to.

The only redeeming feature is the not offensive decor, the rest that it has to offer is bordering on offensive. The decor is standard fare in Chinese restaurants so nothing to shout about but it does not hurt the senses.

The food, service and menu though definitely hurts the senses. From the ‘in your face’ and inattentive, rude, patronising waiter who we had the misfortune to serve us and who we tried to go to great lengths to catch the eye of someone else to serve us to the food that tasted worse than a supermarket ready meal. We were actually wishing that we had bought a ready meal. Something we never usually buy!

We started off with vegetarian spring rolls as a starter. They were oily and over cooked. The dipping sauce was insipid and far from fresh.

I really enjoy sweet and sour prawn balls. This dish put me off it. The batter was oily and the sauce was tasteless.

Mrs NMFS liked the sound of the fried stuffed aubergine green pepper and bean curd with prawn paste. It sounds nice but when served up tasted very bad. The ingredients did not taste fresh and the sauce tasted unhealthy.

I did not want to give prices for these dishes as I in no way want to advertise this place. It is overpriced though. We paid relatively alot for food that was very poor. Somehow a service charge is mandatory which is probably the only way anyone would want to pay it. I did question it but was directed to the front of the menu which states as much.

A place to avoid even though for some reason it seemed to be busy. Our search for a good restaurant in China Town continues…

101 Thai Kitchen, Hammersmith, London

101 Thai Kitchen

101 Thai Kitchen, Hammersmith, London

101 Thai Kitchen has long established a large following amongst the Thai community and beyond in London and deservedly so. It is not just the consistently good authentic Thai food, but also the good friendly service at good prices. Despite Mrs MNFS’s claim that it was the pink decor which attracted me to the restaurant, but the pleasant encounter we had at a Buddhist festival where the restaurant had a stall serving up some 600 som tums over the weekend! Their enthusiasm and friendliness made it clear that they had an interest for their food.

Pink Galore!

The restaurant is easy to spot on King Street in Hammersmith, being the building resplendent in pink. Not a garish pink, but shades of pink that are not hard on the eye.

Food on the walls!

The decor is welcoming with nice photos of the food on offer displayed on canvas. Not the usual bad photos of unappealing looking plates of food, but vibrant well-taken photos of great looking food that makes you want to try it.

The menu is extensive but is loyal to authentic Thai cuisine and is a real treat for those wanting to experience Thai food. Its authenticity is reflected in the fact that the Thai name is written first (I assume this is the case since my knowledge of Thai cannot even be written on a grain of rice!).

All about 101

The menu reveals the homely feel of the restaurant in the explanation of its philosophy and it is clear that its specialty is the som tum due to the region of Thailand that the people behind 101 Thai Kitchen originate from.

Your choice?

The outbreak of summer that we have enjoyed recently made the smoothies on offer appealing with a range of exotic fruits such as dragon fruit and rambutan. Feeling adventurous and exotic we went for the dragon fruit and rambutan, having never tried these as smoothies before.

Rambutan and Dragon Fruit Smoothies (£2.25)

The Dragon Fruit Smoothie was not too sweet and whilst being an acquired taste, it was pleasant. The Rambutan Smoothie was sweet and naturally very similar to lychee.

So Many Som Tums

We wanted to try the som tum which takes pride of place on the menu with 11 different variations. Being som tum purists we opted for the Som Tum Thai.

Spicy heaven in a bowl

The som tum came with a reassuringly dark and rich sauce and a more than ample amount. This was very good som tum. In a nice traditional touch, it is served with a side plate of fresh vegetables and herbs.

Refreshing mint

The som tum was not as sweet as the one served up at Thai Garden Cafe but it was very yummy, with a nice heat. It was not as nutty but was packed with more papaya. It must be a regional preference but the som tum lacked the carrot found in the Thai Garden Cafe offering.

Thai Som Tum (£6.25)

Illustrating how even the basics can differ from restaurant to restaurant, the sticky rice was somewhat softer than the Thai Garden Cafe’s rice, which improved the dining experience as it was easier to enjoy the som tum.

Sticky rice (£2.50)

We were not too sure what to choose from the seafood selection and sought the advice of the waitresses. Special mention should be made of their level of service. Despite the place being busy to the extent that people were turned away, they were still happy to offer their advice based on what our preferences were. We went with the recommendation of the Fish Salad.

Seafood choices

This was the first time that we had tried this dish and it was a fantastic recommendation. It is unlikely to be a dish that will attract many neutrals, being on paper a cold salad, but this is a wonderful dish packed with flavour. Crispy fried fish mixed with lovely amounts of mint, coriander and chili with a subtle undertone of lemongrass. The dressing is to die for being related to the som tum dressing in many ways. You really do not notice too much that it is a cold salad as it is a warming dish. With the amount of herbs it also has the feel of a mojito, with one getting the sensation of a mouthful of herbs!

Fish Salad (£7.25)

The dessert menu is refreshingly different with Thai desserts not offered by many other places. This is a real bonus for me as it expands knowledge of a cuisine which offers so much simplicity with flavour. Feeling like something warm, we opted for the Baked Taro Custard.

Desserts!

The custard came beautifully presented since it could quite easily look unappealing. The custard was sweet with the contrast provided by the fried shallots which had a mildly sweet onion taste. Many Thai desserts offer this sweet and savoury combination which is not to everyone’s liking but certainly challenges the palate as far as desserts are concerned. I enjoyed it but will hope to try the other desserts soon.

Baked Taro Custard (4.00)

As befitting a family run restaurant, 101 Thai Kitchen has a very nice and friendly atmosphere and service to match.  I would recommend it highly and can see why it is immensely popular amongst Thai people and locals alike. Judging by the queues, I would also suggest booking in advance to avoid disappointment if you want great tasting Thai food.

Service with a smile!

So, would you choose pink to decorate your restaurant?

Busaba Eathai, Shoreditch, London

Busaba Eathai, Shoreditch, London

Busaba Eathai is a very successful chain of trendy Thai restaurants, located around central London with usually queues of people wanting to get in. They recently opened up a new restaurant in the trendy part of Shoreditch on Old Street. They have excited their customers with their modern and interesting approach to Thai food and just about keep their customers engaged with happy service and modern food. Like any successful chain though they do have problems maintaining their quality with some items on their menu but have some standout items such as the pad thai that ensure Mrs NMFS and I will come back.

Stylish

The decor is in keeping with the trendy location in Hoxton, with lighting and clean lines adding to the trendy ambience. We had to queue up for a while in a long line carefully marshalled by a friendly ‘bouncer’. He admired our patience though in also wanting to wait for a booth seat to become available. Much as I recognise the popularity of communal eating arrangements, the large tables with bench seating at Busaba Eathai can be a bit cramped and feel claustrophobic so we generally ask for seating by the window, which offers generally more space and comfort. Londoners can also be a bit too reserved for communal eating to work.

Romantic window seats

Once we finally got the window seats that we wanted, we were happy to be able to sit down and browse through the menu which is full of interesting combinations. The lighting is very good with nice lanterns adding a romantic feel to the place.

Busaba explanation

It was nice to see that the menu explains the philosophy behind the restaurant and this is seen in the quick service and choice of ingredients.

Tea better than the juice

We were intrigued by the juices, wondering whether the combinations would work so I decided to try the jasmine smoothie with passion fruit, banana, orange and yoghurt.

Too many bananas!

I had high expectations with the hope of trying subtle jasmine tones, but unfortunately this drink seriously disappointed since the banana was too overpowering and proved to be the dominating flavour. I could not really taste the jasmine, which for a jasmine smoothie is quite disappointing. Either the recipe is a bad one or someone did not taste it before sending it out

Great ginger tea

Mrs NMFS went for her favourite, ginger and honey tea served with cashew and coconut cookie. This drink is a success and reasonably priced. The cookie, unfortunately we cannot have due to the gluten, but we usually keep it to give to someone else. We get good reports on these cookies though as being light and tasty. Back to the tea, the reason why it works so well is due to its simplicity. It simply comprises of fresh shredded ginger with honey. Where the jasmine smoothie fails, the tea succeeds in relying on the ingredients to offer great flavours. The tea is also less sweet than traditional ginger tea.

Curry galore

For some reason we rarely go for the green or red Thai curries as often they disappoint and fail to deliver the sweet and sour flavours that we associate with Thai food following our love of som tum. Today I decided to go for the stargazer monkfish green curry with pea aubergine and corn as I fancied something hot.

Soup or curry?

The curry came in a large bowl with the fish swimming in the sauce. Some may not appreciate so much sauce and if you were to have it on your own with one serving of rice, it would just not be enough rice. In the end it was bit like a soup but a pleasant one. The curry packed a good amount of heat and whilst the fish could have been given more generously, it was a pleasant curry with the good addition of the pea aubergine and corn elevating the dish above merely a green curry. It is a dish that I would enjoy again.

Star of the show

Great pad thai!

The star of the show is the pad thai and this is what brings us back to Busaba Eathai.

The pad thai is done very well here and we usually go for the sen chan with the added crabmeat and green mango adding more flavour. It is disappointing to see pad thai done badly with sloppy, oily blobs of noodles offered as poor excuses for pad thai. Here you get it as it should be, tasty rice noodles mixed in a nice fresh dressing of soy, lime and fish sauce. The green mango and crabmeat are a combination which works very well. The dish is well presented and reasonably priced in relative terms.

Unmitigated disaster...

Mrs NMFS also wanted something spicy so she also ordered the tom yam talay. It was a big disappointment. The flavour of the pad thai before this was totally lacking. I could only muster two spoonfuls. The spicy sour soup was very bland with a hint of bad taste in the background. This dish did not have any redeeming features to mention.

Buzzing atmosphere

Busaba Eathai offers a good atmosphere with quick and friendly service with some good dishes but also some poor ones. If you want good pad thai with a nice ginger tea I would recommend it but be wary of some of the other items on the menu.

So, do you enjoy communal eating?