When it comes to chef’s knives, I tend to prefer the heavier, European knives, mostly because it’s what I’m use to. I have a similar mindset to knives as Boris the Blade does with hand guns (a character from the movie Snatch, if you’re wondering).

“Heavy is good. Heavy is reliable. If it doesn’t work, you can always hit him with it”.

Ok, maybe not that last part…

A number of food bloggers and other media types were invited to Carrick to not only test drive some European style knives from Wenger, but also to learn to cook some Southern Italian food from Antonio Ruggerino, owner & head chef of Verde Restaurant+Bar. Read more »

What sort of restaurant comes to mind when you see the above image? With a wood grained paneled interior such as this, the first thing that comes to mind for me is a steakhouse, with all the meaty, smokey goodness that lies within. In this case, it’s the Outback Steakhouse.

It’s the sort of place where manly men hang out with other manly men, or as the manly head of their family, to eat manly meals that are of man-sized portions.

So it’s kind of odd to admit that two men walked into this establishment to share a single entree, a single main and, for a moment, contemplated sharing a dessert. One of those men may have been me. Read more »

All-you-can-eat ribs. It’s such a beautiful concept that it almost makes me tear up at the thought.

Tender, succulent crescents of meat that slips effortlessly off the bone. The finger licking goodness of the slightly sticky sweetness of the flavourful sauce. As much as your stomach will allow, and then a little more.

I’ve been hankering for these all-I-can-eat ribs from Cafe Ish, ever since I’d first heard about them while on a holiday in Malaysia. Read more »

Nausea-inducing winding roads up a mountain pass leads to vast fields of strawberries literally ripe for the picking. A tea plantation, tranquil fields of green & yellow as far as the eye can see. Steamboat, fueled by charcoal. An unexpected but otherwise awesome food find, perhaps one of the most memorable of the trip. A new found perspective on karaoke (image included).

All this and more on Day 4 & 5 of the heart of Malaysia & Thailand, when a group of Sydney food bloggers visits the Cameron Highlands. Read more »

Malaysia, day two. The food tour group’s first day on the road leads us to a bubbling cauldron of meat, bones and end trails, with a little toil and trouble; a flash flood and a growing dislike for a deity; seafood with a lyrical name; and taking a fresh approach when facing an arch nemesis on its home turf. Read more »