Gumshara Ramen

Garlic Ramen with soft boiled egg topping, $10.50 plus $1.50

It's been a while since I had a good ramen and I certainly hadn't found one in Sydney yet. I miss Tanpopo ramen in Singapore and their black pig tonkatsu. Anyway, I decided to consult Grab Your Fork for ramen and decided on Gumshara ramen in Eating World Harbour Plaza. The food court was just opening, so I could peruse menu leisurely. I debated whether I should try the pork spare rib ramen which they claim only to serve 20 per day or their tonkotsu ramen. I decided to get the garlic tonkotsu ramen with soft boiled egg topping. After all, its not complete without the egg. I was a little chagrined that it was an add on topping rather than being inclusive. When they serve it to me, they told me that if the broth was too thick or salty, I should let them know so that they can fix it.

The shop, quite slow at 11.45 a.m.

The garlic and tonkotsu smell were really good. The ramen were cooked just nice, not too hard but not to soft. The sliced pork were superb and the menma was crunchy. The broth was quite thick but I didn't mind it, however I did ask them to put more soy sauce. Then again, for those who knows me know that I have a savory tongue, not sweet toothed. Other Sydney food bloggers have mentioned that the soup is collagen rich, I suppose that should make me feel less guilty and think of how great collagen is for me! (strong and elastic skin!)

I loved the big piece of seaweed on my ramen too. So far, this has been the best ramen I have tried in Sydney. Especially with a name like 'Gumshara' which was one of my favorite word in Japan. I can't remember exactly what it meant, I will consult with a friend and get back on this. I think next time I will try the pork rib ramen and their gyoza.

Oh, before I forgot you should check out this video on how the Japanese government has decided to monitor their citizens' waistlines. I just came across it. I was thinking wow, I wouldn't mind eating traditional Japanese food everyday to lose weight. Then it dawned on me, ramen isn't exactly what the Japanese government had in mind for this program!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1hqHo6lyUU&feature=player_embedded#!

Gumshara

Shop 209, Eating World Harbour Plaza

25-29 Dixon st. (Entrance from Goulbourn st or China town area)

Haymarket, Chinatown.

Open Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Closed on Mondays.

Sick day comfort food

The weather in Sydney this last week has been downright disgusting; cloudy, rainy and windy. I still was caught off guard when I started shivering on Monday night with headache and tummy aches coming soon after. It lasted the whole night, till 5 a.m. and to top if off, my alarm didn't go off at 8 because my phone's battery died. Finally looked at 10.10 a.m. slightly panicky because I had class at 11 but I was totally drained. To save you from a long winded story, I skipped my lecture, went to class, my meeting got cancelled as my professor had an urgent personal matter and a friend was kind enough to drop me home. By that time, I knew I need to make some warm, bland but tasty and comforting food. One thing came to mind, a minced beef soup that I always have at home whenever I felt under the weather.

And here's the recipe:

150 g minced beef

4 cloves of garlic (pressed and minced)

a small bunch of coriander (chopped)

soy sauce

salt

pepper

1 tea spoon of sesame oil

1 table spoon of vegetable oil

3 cups of hot water

1. Place your pot and let it heat for 20 seconds before putting in vegetable oil. Let it heat for another 15 seconds then pop in the pressed and minced garlic stirring till they start to brown and release their fragrant.

2. Get the minced beef in and stir till brown.

3. Pour in water and add soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add in sesame oil

5. Add half of the chopped coriander

And, you're done! Just get your rice in a bowl or vermicelli and ladle in your freshly made soup. Use the remainder of the chopped coriander as a garnish. Grab a cup of warm chamomile tea, sit in front of you tv while you eat. Rest and get better.

Back to Basic: Fried egg and sweet soy sauce

I woke up to another rainy morning in Sydney. I had planned on tagging along a friend to Primo Italiano, the Italian Festival in Surry Hills. Well, that plan got scraped so I had to think of what to eat. My fridge has been quite empty since two weeks ago when projects started to pile up and I had been Chat Thai's VIP take out customer (to my opinion anyway).

Thinking back on how much money I had spent these past two weeks in take outs and celebration of getting my NSW driver's license as well as the end of 2 projects, I decided that I need to save up. So, to the grocery I went. Then I had a flash of idea and a sudden craving of a childhood comfort food. Not surprising considering the weather and how exhausted I have been of late.

A peek to my sauce cabinet confirmed that I have some sweet soy sauce. So I took out the pan, butter, spam and egg. Rice cooker cooked Jasmine rice on the side. Ten minutes later, I was in front of my TV with my breakfast and grapefruit juice. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, more heavenly that the taste of warm rice drizzled with sweet soy sauce and freshly fried egg.

If you never try it, you are missing out big time. There's no recipe to this, just get a bottle of sweet soy sauce, fried some egg and eat it with warm rice.

*Note: some people are fanatical about which sweet soy sauce brand, I don't remember what my mom usually use, but I found that this one, ABC brand is quite nice. A little thick to my liking, but it was there.

Happiness is tortilla wrapped cheese and carnitas with guacamole on the side

I woke up today with a hungry stomach and one thing in mind, "burrito". It was a rainy Saturday morning in Sydney. Winter is definitely here. I just didn't want to get out of my warm and cozy bed, but I had to because I had a phone conference with my partner for a project at 10.30 am.I was so determined to have Mexican though, even if I had to go solo. Just after I hung up at 11.30, I remembered that there is one person who would 99% said yes, my new Colombian friend, J. Quickly dialing her number and worked on my most persuasive negotiation skill, ten minutes later I was in the shower getting ready.

We decided to go to MadMex in Darlinghurst as that is the closest Mexican food to our homes. I had to stare at the menu for a while because all of a sudden I wanted everything! Then at the end, I forgo Mexican rice and decided to have quesadilla with carnitas, pulled pork, with salsa, sour cream and picante. Then I decided to get some corn chips with guacamole. I wanted nachos, but it didn't seem that they had it, or I missed it on their menu.

Moments after I brought my chips and guacamole to my table by the window so that we could check out the scenery, my quesadilla came. It was warm and smelled so delicious. It made me miss NYC with its abundance of Mexican food, or even my small town, middle of nowhere university in Pennsylvania where Mexican food was a staple in the cafeteria. Here, Mexican food is what Indonesian food is like in NYC, not widespread.

Anyway, my quesadilla was warm, soft with just the right amount of pork. I was skeptical at first whether it would be enough. However with the chips that I ordered, my stomach was happy and full. It was bliss.

The only thing that I wasn't sure of was the guacamole. I thought it didn't have enough kick, but it was good. The other thing is that it was so expensive! Good Mexican food was never expensive in NYC... Oh well, Dorothy, we are not in Kansas anymore!

MadMex

241-247 Crown St.

Darlinghurst, NSW 2010

+61 2 9331 7788

Open Daily 11 am-11 pm

In Sydney now

It has been 6 months, 15 days and some hours since I last posted something. For those who have been waiting and wondering if I am ever gonna write again, you weren't alone! I, myself wondered the same thing. To sum up the last 6 months, 15 days and those some odds hours, I had quit my job in Singapore, head back to Jakarta - my beloved hometown, traveled around some part of Indonesia, spent time with my family and friends, traveled for a month or so in Europe then last but not least, relocated myself to Sydney - Australia.

If so far my blogging has been life is to munch, relocation to Sydney has been both life is to munch and life is too much. I've moved around the world four or five times before, you'd think that I'd get the hang of it by now. Unfortunately, even if you know your relocation process takes time, it still gets hard at times. If you happen to be Third Culture Kids, you know what I meant. If you're not TCK, google it up - it's an interesting framework.

Anyway, I haven't stopped taking pictures of my food and good news for those of you who likes to cook, I have been experimenting with some recipes. Albeit some simple ones! But hey, you could still try 'em. I will get around in posting them sooner or later. I figured if I get to post this one today, it's a baby step forward. One thing that I have been constantly updating though, is twitter. You can follow me: lifeis2munch for those short 130 outburst of thoughts also known as tweets.

Till next post readers (or I'll just pretend that you exist since I never know exactly if anyone read my blog - It's all good though).

Happy Friday!