Illawarra Food Reviews: featured

Showing posts with label featured. Show all posts

Vanessa Pike-Russell

The fourth segment of my article 'A Taste for the Gong' has been published on Tourism Wollongong's site, We Love the Gong. This entry is about 'Travelling the world within the Gong' and references some of my favourite foodie locations, shopping and restaurants

Port Kembla

Tonitto's Continental Cakes
(formerly Tonitto's Patisserie)
Email: info@tonittocakes.com.au
http://www.tonittocakes.com.au
169 Wentworth St Port Kembla NSW 2505
Phone: +61 (02) 42751977

Warrawong

Oscar's Deli
null

200 Cowper St,
Warrawong.

Open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm;
Sat, 8am-1pm
Photo: Sahlan Hayes
TEL: 42743080
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What's the buzz?

Vanessa Pike-Russell

One of my food reviews was featured on foodbuzz.com today.
Sweet! Curiously it was for whitebait aka chanquettes.
Whitebait tapas from La Marina Tapas Bar and Restaurant

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What's the buzz? My photo on the front page of food buzz

Vanessa Pike-Russell

I'm buzzing! A wonderful site for foodies recently selected two of my photos to feature. One today and another on the 4th of June (US time)

www.foodbuzz.com/

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Jordans seafood restaurant

Vanessa Pike-Russell

Australia Day lunch at Jordans was delicious. A seafood platter for two with a view of thousands of Australians walking past, enjoying the sights and sounds.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3232985767_47c5ae788a.jpg?v=1233142706

Jordon Hot Platter for two - $105.00
Deep fried perch fillets, salted spiced calamari, BBQ Octopus, spiced prawns, chips, spiced soft shell crab, baked scallops, kilpatrick oysters (we requested mornay but usually bacon), mussels steamed and tossed in a tomato sauce

Jordans Seafood Restaurant, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW Australia by you.

[Australia Day lunch at Jordans was delicious. A seafood platter for two with a view of thousands of Australians walking past, enjoying the sights and sounds.]

[ Lovely wood paneling in the bar ]

People flock to Darling Harbour for Australia Day 2009 by you.

[ Crowds flock to Darling Harbour for Australia Day ]

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Labels: Australia, Barbecue, featured, Fish and Seafood, Oyster, restaurant, restaurant review, Restaurant: Jordons Seafood, seafood, Shellfish, Squid, Sydney: Darling Harbour 0 comments | |

Fish of the day ($21) at Ocean Beach Hotel, Shellharbour Village

Vanessa Pike-Russell

Fish of the day ($21) at Ocean Beach Hotel, Shellharbour Village, originally uploaded by Vanessa Pike-Russell. It was such a lovely day it seemed a crime to spend it inside. We made our way down to Shellharbour village and enjoyed good food and a fantastic view at the Ocean Beach Hotel.

With such a lovely beach view fish of the day ($21) was the only logical choice. The fish of the day was flathead, one of my favourite fish and it was very sweet and flavoursome. The chips were beer-battered and delicious, as was the salad which included thin strips of freshly cooked beetroot, rocket, carrot and tomato. Not a slice of capsicum to be found, which was a nice surprise!

A prawn was added as garnish and whilst the photo shows some tartare sauce in a scallop shell we also indulged in the OBH' own seafood aioli made of garlic, cream, lemon and lime juice - divine!

What more can you ask than a great view, lovely weather and good food. Another great dining experience with the Ocean Beach Hotel.

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Labels: Australia, Cuisine: Seafood, featured, restaurant, restaurant review, Restaurant: Ocean Beach Hotel, Shellharbour City: Shellharbour 0 comments | |

Harbour View Thai - Shellharbour Village

Vanessa Pike-Russell

Shellharbour is one of my favourite spots in the Illawarra. Only an hour and a half from Sydney (100km) and half an hour south of Wollongong, it has a lovely seaside village feel with gourmet food and speciality shops certain to please.

It was my birthday and I was celebrating with friends and family. We decided to try out the new Thai restaurant that had opened across the road from the Ocean Beach Hotel and the harbour. I love the fresh flavours of thai food and when I saw that mussells were on the menu I just had to try them. And thankfully I wasn't disappointed!

Mussells Hotpot ($15.90) Tender, juicy mussels in a hotpot with basil, lemongrass, chill and sweet chilli sauce. Amazing! Mussels can often be overcooked and chewy or stringy but these just melted in the mouth and the juice was so good not a drop went to waste.

The next dish selected was Pad Kra Tium ($14.90) - Stir fried pork with garlic sauce, mushroom soy, dark soy and pepper. It was a very light meal for someone who had requested nothing too heavy and again was cooked to perfection. This is another favourite meal that will be purchased again.

Next was a meal for our curry lover, masaman curry (mild) with cubes of beef with potato, onion and peanut curry gravy. I had a taste of this meal and the flavours of peanut and a mild curry flavour were very pleasing. This is my favourite thai curry dish and great for diners who have trouble with the spicier curry meals.

Harbour View Thai, Shellharbour Village by you.

Musman curry $14.90

Last was my Mum's seafood salad

Seafood Salad ($19.90) Steamed seafood cooked with red onion, fresh chilli, cucumber, lime juice, mint & cherry tomato

Seafood Salad, Harbour View Thai - Shellharbour Village by you.

Lovely fresh flavours of the mint, cucumber and live affording a cooling zesty feel to this dish. The seafood included mussells, squid, prawns, fish and scallops and was cooked to perfection. Another favourite dish that pleased my seafood loving family.

And a delicious Fried rice for everyone to share

The service at the Harbour View Thai was fantastic. Our waitress kindly allowed me to photograph her by the specials board. I love the vibrant colours of the decore and the view just can't be beat.

Today's Specials at Harbour View Thai Restaurant, Shellharbour Village by you.

7 Addison Street
Shellharbour, NSW 2529

(02) 4297 7033‎

Shellharbour is easy to get to from Sydney along the Grand Pacific Drive and Sea Cliff Bridge

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Labels: Australia, Cuisine: Thai, Curry, featured, Fish and Seafood, restaurant, restaurant review, Restaurant: Harbour View Thai, seafood, Shellharbour City: Shellharbour, Thai cuisine 0 comments | |

Seafood platter for one at Ocean Beach Hotel

Vanessa Pike-Russell

Another birthday celebrated at Shellharbour's Ocean Beach Hotel.
This time it was my Sister's birthday and since she loves seafood (like her big Sister) we decided to share the seafood platter for one. Luckily it is enough to feed three, as was evident when I ended up taking a third of it home with me.

My Sister chose an entrée of Crispy pork belly with fresh queensland sea scallops, confit of garlic and honey glaze ($18.90). I almost forgot to take a photo of it, hence the fact some has been eaten. I had a small taste of the pork and it was very sweet and flavoursome.

My Mother decided on her favourite - a mixed dozen of oysters. Raw, Kilpatrick and Gremolata ($32.90)

Finally the seafood platter for one ($70) arrived sand it was difficult to know where to start first.

The platter included fresh and cooked prawns, several oysters, two scallops, several varieties of fish, smoked salmon, spring rolls stuffed with king prawns, fresh crab, half a lobster (a little over cooked, grilled with a scorched flavour) and some summer fruits to cleanse the palate. The dipping sauces were very tasty and we left feeling very full and sated.

Dipping sauces included a green curry aoli, lemon aoli, thai sauce with fish sauce and coriander, and horseradish.

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Labels: Australia, Cuisine: Seafood, featured, food, NSW 2528, restaurant, restaurant review, Restaurant: Ocean Beach Hotel, seafood, Shellharbour City: Shellharbour, Special Events: birthday 1 comments | |

Shellharbour: La Marina Tapas Bar and Restaurant

Vanessa Pike-Russell

A little bit of Spain in the seaside village of Shellharbour, an hour south of Sydney and one of New South Wales' best kept secrets. La Marina spanish restaurant was the venue for Stan's 51st birthday and Australia Day celebrations.

Free almonds

La Marina restaurant, Shellharbour: Seafood platter

PARILLADA DE MARISCOS (Min. 2 persons) 36.00pp

BBQ'd seafood platter. A selection of grilled seafood including fish, scampi, king prawns, squid, pippies, and mussels served with chips and salad on the side.

La Marina restaurant, Shellharbour: Scallops

SEARED TASMANIAN SCALLOPS 11.90

In chilli & roasted sweet paprika with garlic & white wine

La Marina restaurant, Shellharbour: Pippies

ALMEJAS 11.50

Pan cooked pippies with white wine, garlic and parsley

La Marina restaurant, Shellharbour: Whitebait tapas

CHANQUETES 10.50

Lightly floured white bait deep fried, served with lemon wedge

CHORIZO A LA JEREZANA 10.90

Spanish sausage cooked in dry sherry and onion served in a sizzling dish

I love the decore of La Marina. It is like you have been transported to Spain. The warmth of the rich red t ones and colourful decorations. A joy to visit and while away an hour or two with good food, conversation and share the experience with friends and/or family.

La Marina restaurant, Shellharbour: I love the Spanish decor

La Marina Tapas Bar and Restaurant

(02) 4227 1033

126/130 Keira St, Wollongong NSW 2500

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Labels: birthday, Cuisine: Spanish, Cuisine: Tapas, featured, food, illawarra, NSW 2528, restaurant, restaurant review, Restaurant: La Marina Tapas Bar and Restaurant, Shellharbour City: Shellharbour, Wine 0 comments | |

Restaurant Review: Tandoori Junction, Shellharbour

Vanessa Pike-Russell

The next time you feel like some scenery, why not head down to Shellharbour, just half an hour south of Wollongong, NSW which is home to a small beachside village where there is so much to see and do. We had just watched the matinee session of the musical 'Hair' put on by the Roo Theatre and felt some indian food with a view sounded a perfect end to a very stimulating day.

The first course was Tandoori Chicken with butter naan $10.90 (half)

Tandoori Junction: Tandoori chicken by you.

The meat melted in the mouth and the marinade was spicy and full of flavour. We loved the dipping sauces and thought it was great value.

Tandoori Junction, Shellharbour: Garlic Naan

Tandoori Chicken $10.90

The second course was the restaurant's speciality, the 'Junction Platter' which was a combination of entrees which included Seekh Kebab, Fish Tikka, Chicken Tikka, and Onion Bhaji. Again the dipping sauces were a great accompaniment and there was much moaning of contentment from everyone, especially with regard to the Fish Tikka which was absolutely delicious.

Tandoori Junction: Junction platter by you.

Junction platter $16.90

Sauces platter was a wonderful surprise. The mixed pickles tasted liked it needed a little more sugar, leaning towards bitter but was very interesting. The chutney was very zingy, with ginger and mango which was a firm favourite. The cooling cucumber raita has always been something I look forward to.