Devon Cafe - Surry Hills - Sydney, Australia

Devon Cafe is a casual eatery located in Surry Hills, only a short stroll from Central Station. It's a place that has had numerous rave reviews and a favourite among many. They are expanding their business and have recently relocated to Barangaroo after closing their popular cafe Devon on Danks in Waterloo.

We visited Devon Cafe on a winter weekend morning and it was packed. We anticipated a long wait time given the number of people standing outside but we managed to get a table in less than 15 minutes, only be squished together on a table meant for two when we were a party of three. Though, we didn't really mind.

From the outside, the cafe looks small but upon entering you'll be surprised as it goes all the way to the backyard.

There is plenty of natural light in the sun-drenched courtyard so I took more photos than I needed to.

Their menu changes seasonally and deviates from the usual dishes we see on typical brunch menus offering a fine dining twist to the traditional breakfast and lunch options. They pride themselves on using quality ingredients that are locally sourced or house made.

It was truffle season so that meant there were special offerings of dishes with truffles. Oh what a luxury!

The 'Ultimate Toastie ($33.00)' is an expensive dish but when you include truffles in anything, the price seems to skyrocket. This is for your mushroom lovers out there cause there was a whole load of mushrooms.

It's a heavy dish and not for the faint hearted. You got melted cheese on top of a heap of mushrooms and two slices of crusty sourdough bread. Then there's the double serving of eggs on top with a generous shaving of truffles. A dish made for sharing as it could be too much for one.

'Breakfast with Sakuma's ($26.00)' is a top rated dish here and has made its rounds through Instagram and I now know why. Just look at the beauty of it.

The 63 degree egg is poached perfectly leaving a translucent texture. The miso grilled salmon is well seasoned and cooked to perfection. The meat is moist and falls off easily. While I'm not a salmon fan, I found the fish to be fresh and not fishy as some have previously commented.

'Crab Gone Chili ($25.00)' is my dish of choice. Angel hair pasta with blue spanner crab, garlic oil and a zesty herb crumb is deliciously tasty and wonderfully balanced. The specks of chilli gave it a nice flavour hit.

The words fries and truffle caught our attention. The Super Fries ($18.00)' were served with gruyere cheese, garlic, tasty cheese and truffle. Unfortunately this was disappointing. The chips were moderately warm and soggy. With the addition of two cheeses, it was saltier than expected.

Coffee here is brewed well. A strong cuppa is a great start to the day.

The matcha latte is smooth and rejuvenating.

A nice cafe offering something different from traditional breakfast and lunch menus. While I do find that it is over hyped, the food combinations worked well together.

Where?
76 Devonshire St
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Australia

Phone  no: 02 9211 8777

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday 7:00am - 4:00pm
Saturday - Sunday 8:00am - 3:30pm
Public Holidays 8:00am - 3:30pm

Website
www.devoncafe.com.au

Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Sometimes do you feel like you've eaten way too much? I definitely feel like I over ate this week. Too much good food that I can't say no to. How could one resist right? This will be my last Hong Kong post before I go on a short hiatus to study for my pending exam, then I will be back with more catch up entries.

Mention the restaurant Yung Kee to any local Hong Kong resident and they would most likely know what you're referring to. It's acknowledged as Hong Kong's roast goose institution and is internationally acclaimed.

In the past few years it has made the headlines countless times due to the ongoing family feud over the ownership of the restaurant. Late last year, the court issued a winding up order to take effect for this iconic restaurant so we made it a point to visit before it eventually liquidates in the near future.

It's the only place in Hong Kong that still cooks their meat in a charcoal fired oven as the government no longer issues permits the use of this equipment.

The setting is classy and more formal than the regular barbecue joint that one is use to. This also means the food is much more expensive. It's a big restaurant that occupies a few floors but it does get busy so do place a reservation if you intend on going during prime times.

Having had a big lunch, we decided to order a select few dishes to try.

The 'Signature Charcoal Roasted Goose Leg (regular for 2-4 person portion)' arrived looking rather different to what we had in mind. This was not the leg but the breast! Indeed they gave us the wrong part of the goose so it was taken back to the kitchen promptly.

In a short span of time, the much anticipated goose leg arrived looking stunningly glossy. Hallelujah! They charge extra for the goose leg as it's the most popular part of the goose.

The goose is a much fatter meat compared to the duck and this is what gives it more flavour. You can see that there is a layer of fat beneath the skin. The flesh was wonderfully moist and succulent with a subtle smokey taste. The sweet braised sauce they added made it extra delicious. The skin wasn't very crispy which was disappointing.

A side of 'Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce' was a nice accompaniment to balance out our meaty meal.

These dishes are best eaten with a bowl of hot 'Steamed Rice'.

This was probably the most expensive roast meat meal we had in Hong Kong. In addition to the standard prices there is also a 10% service charge on top. I say go for the dining experience but we probably wouldn't go again unless it was for a special occasion.

Then it was off to McDonald's for their limited time dessert, the 'Sweet Potato Ice-cream Cone'. It was vibrantly purple and that was pretty much the only positive. I do like the regular vanilla ice-cream cones but unfortunately this was too sweet.

Where?
32-40 Wellington St
Central
Hong Kong

Phone no: (852) 2522 1624

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
11:00am - 11:30pm

Website 
www.yungkee.com.hk 

Tai Cheong Bakery 泰昌餅家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

A few minute walk up Wellington Street and you'll find Tai Cheong Bakery.

Tai Cheong Bakery is a traditional Hong Kong bakery famous for their freshly baked egg tarts. We actually stumbled upon it by mistake, only stopping to see what was inside after seeing a group of tourists standing at the front of the store.

We were only eyeing one item, the tarts. Look at that yellow hue.

The 'Egg Tarts (HKD 8.00)' are served hot, straight from the oven. Perfectly round with a shortbread type crust. It's buttery and crumbles after each bite like a cookie. The egg custard was firm at the top with a silky smooth and creamy inside. Delicious!

Affordable and worth a try if you're in the area.

Where?
G/F, 35 Lyndhurst Terrace,
Central
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 8300 8301

Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 7:30am - 9:00pm
Sunday: 8:30am - 9:00pm

Website
www.taoheung.com.hk

Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Wonton noodles are a iconic Hong Kong dish and there are so many variations available on this island. Mak's Noodles is a famous wonton noodle restaurant that has been established since the 1960's and a must-go to place if you're in Hong Kong. And yes it is also Michelin Starred. Its original outlet is located in Wellington Street, Central.

They have decades of experience under their belt and the food here is known to be legendary. So good that it has a reputation as having the best wonton noodles in Hong Kong. Now that's a big call. Look at all those articles! They have recently expanded and a number of locations have sprouted across Hong Kong and Singapore.

Once again we expected a queue during the lunch time rush but there was no queue. We walked straight in and didn't have to share a table. Sharing a table in Hong Kong is the norm when a restaurant gets busy.

It has got an old school noodle shop feel to it making it feel homely. The staff don't speak much English but a combined English and Chinese menu is available on all tables. Service was prompt and efficient and we didn't encounter any rude staff.

The piping hot bowl of 'Wonton Noodle Soup (HKD 39.00) is their specialty item and arrives no later than 5 minutes after ordering. It's served in a Chinese mini bowl that is usually used for rice and reminds me of the bowls mum use to have in her kitchen.

The wontons are hidden beneath the noodles. Plump pieces of wonton are filled with juicy shrimps.

The thin noodles are firm, with a springy and bouncy texture giving it a nice bite. The clear broth is fragrant and full of flavor, having a hint of sweetness. However, it's pricey. At close to AUD 7.00 a bowl, the serving size is really small and you'll probably need a minimum of two bowls to fill you up.

Seasoning and sauces are available.

Overall, a delicious bowl of wonton noodle soup. Truth to be told, I actually find that the wontons at my local favourite Chinese restaurant in Hurstville tastier.

Surprisingly, the restaurant opposite the road called Tsim Chai Kee Noodles was packed to the brim with customers. It's much cheaper compared to Mak's at HKD 28.00 a bowl. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to try it out. I did do some research online and the reviews say the taste is pretty much on par with Mak's, if not better according to some.

After finishing your meal, do check out Central. There is plenty to see and walking up and down those hills will give you a free workout.

Can't believe it's nearly the end of Sunday. Have a good week all!

Where?
G/F, 77 Wellington St,
Central,
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 2854 3810

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
11:00am - 10:00pm

Website
N/A