Its been a long time between Ramen feeds. I had tried to take my family to Ryo’s noodles over Christmas but found it closed for the holidays so Your Honour, I did make a failed attempt. When your husband is ravenously hungry, ramen seems the logical choice to fill him up and have him slurping happily. After some shopping and browsing at the Borders “library” at Bondi Junction, I was reminded of a place I had walked past a few times that advertised the magical word… “Ramen”.

Its a lot sleeker and more modern looking than your usual quaint ramen joint and the fairly extensive menu offers not only ramen, but also udon, curry rice, fried rice and sashimi . I accidentally flip to the last page first and I see what I want to order straight away, Tonkotsu Ramen $10.90, a collagen laden pork stock boiled for 3 days along with 20 types of vegetables and dried foods, intensely flavoured and rich. How could one refuse the offer for a facial treatment while slurping on noodles?

Dithering on what to get for the other dish, we settle for the easiest option, a dinner box complete with a little of everything from the menu, seaweed salad, teriyaki chicken, sashimi, miso and rice $15.90. There is a choice of grilled salmon, pork or chicken katsu or fish teriyaki but I need the sweet salty comfort of chicken. We also choose the takoyaki octopus balls as a starter $4.90. Its scarcely 5 minutes before our takoyaki and mains arrive within minutes of each other and good thing too as we’re hungry.

Takoyaki Octopus balls 5 pieces $4.90

The takoyaki are crispy on the outside, crispier than we’ve ever had them and gloriously soft on the inside. They’re definitely a contender for the nicest takoyaki I’ve had, even the ones cooked fresh at market stalls don’t have this crispy an outer and the contrast makes the soft filling even more luscious than normal.

Tonkotsu pork soup $10.90

Fried shallots and garlic for Tonkotsu

I try the Tonkotsu ramen, a large steaming bowl filled with gelatinous rich fragrant soup. The soft velvety richness of the stock is instantly soothing whilst the pungent ginger aroma arouses the senses. Its like being lulled and then woken but not minding at all. The thin BBQ pork slices are fall apart good and the ramen themselves are good although of course, the actual noodles are better at Ryo’s. So far we haven’t come across a place that does the actual ramen better. If only I could have this heavenly Tonkotsu soup with Ryo’s ramen it would be Super Ramen!

Ramenkan Dinner box $15.90 (with miso soup not pictured)

I try the dinner box next, starting with my favourite item, seaweed salad. The thin bright green strands are flavoured with the lovely sesame and chili dressing. I don’t like the fatter darker green seaweed as it mainly taste of salt so I leave that. The chicken teriyaki is great when mixed with the rice, the teriyaki sauce pooling at the bottom of the compartment. The salmon sashimi is good, the pieces a little thicker than normal. I don’t like tuna sashimi so I leave that to my tuna sashimi adoring husband. I also leave the miso to my husband as I have scarcely the stomach space to fit in more.

My husband is protectively clutching the Tonkotsu ramen bowl, willing me to leave him to eat the rest in peace. No such luck.

Ramen Kan

Shop 3, 33 Bronte Rd Bondi Junction Sydney 2002
Tel +61 (02) 9387 5691
Open 7 days 11am-9.30/10pm

Bay Tinh is an old favourite of ours, a restaurant that was introduced to us years ago by my foodie friend Queen Viv. And if you love a good story, the chef who started Bay Tinh arrived in Australia as a penniless refugee from South Vietnam from which had a distinguished career as the chef to the South Vietnam’s Prime Minister Khiem Tran. Now retired well past the retirement age, in 2007 he sold the restaurant to another boat person who had previously cooked for him. Since its refurbishment, its lost a little of its homespun charm, it seems more like a serious business where tables are squeezed much closer together and there are men in charcoal shirts and ties overseeing the floor. One good thing however is that whilst some things have changed, the food and the menu hasn’t. The old favourites are still on the menu and there doesn’t look to be much of a price rise. Phew! We like handovers like this.

There are some items that we just have to order, its the law in our family. These are the Bonfire Prawns $18.50, Crispy Pancake Banh Xeo $10.50 and the Little Rice Cakes Banh Khot 6 cakes for $7.50. The last two are so popular that we always order two of these so that everyone gets enough. We also order the Prawns wrapped in sugar cane $13, Braised Duck with peas Bach Hac Hau Co $13.50, King Prawn Curry Tom Cari $14.50, Caramelised Fish Ca Kho To $14.50, Lemongrass beancurd Dau Hu Xao Xa $9.50 and Fried Rice $9.

Crispy Pancake Banh Xeo $10.50

The crispy pancakes arrive first and they’re cut into 4. The outer is crispy like an lacey crispy omelette and its filled with prawns, bean sprouts and pork and is delicious when the fish sauce is spooned over with the pickle accompaniments.

Little Rice Cakes Banh Khot 6 cakes for $7.50

The servings of little rice cakes arrive and as always, they’re unfailingly delicious. Made from rice flour they’re crispy outside and very hot but we can never resist popping these little treats into our mouth. I had seen these made fresh at the buffet in our hotel in Bangkok once and they were one item that I couldn’t help but go back for (repeatedly!).

Prawns wrapped in sugar cane $13

Our prawns on sugarcane arrives, they’re two sugarcane sticks around which prawn mince is wrapped. We didn’t realise that there were only two pieces but they cut them into smaller pieces and we’re instructed to wrap them them in the lettuce leaves along with the salad and the tangy flavoursome peanut sauce. I think I may have just found another must have dish. The prawn meat is juicy and the mint and salad is refreshing against the sauce and half the fun is chewing on the savoury and salty sugarcane where the prawn flavour has absorbed into the cane.

Bonfire Prawns $18.50

Our Bonfire prawns are next. They’re cooked on the table and waiting for these babies proves an exercise in patience. We patiently wait and are rewarded with a jumble of juicy king prawns cooked with onion and garlic which we spoon into our rice paper along with the mint and salad and a different but equally as good fishy sauce.

Braised Duck with peas Bach Hac Hau Co $13.50

The rest of our dishes come out in quick succession, the braised duck with peas is unexciting and mostly bereft of duck, with some at the table not getting any duck pieces at all and assuming that its a mixed vegetables dish.

King Prawn Curry Tom Cari $14.50

The King Prawn curry is another matter though, its packed with juicy fat king prawns and a creamy coconut curry sauce. Instantly moreish and a favourite of many at the table. They haven’t skimped on the amount of prawns either unlike the duck.

Lemongrass beancurd Dau Hu Xao Xa $9.50

The Lemongrass tofu, which I find I either love or leave depending on who is cooking it, is leave tonight, the tofu dry and the lemongrass flavour almost non existent. When its good, its juicy and heady with lemongrass, when its bad is like eating a cubed kitchen sponge.

Fried Rice $9

The fried rice is good as it has small pieces of Lup Cheong, a chinese sausage, one of my favourite sausages and I’m always happy when I see the specks of this in a dish.

Caramelised Fish Ca Kho To $14.50

The last to arrive is the caramelised fish, a traditional Vietnamese dish, a slice of marinated snapper sits amongst a pool of rich caramel coloured gravy in a hot pot and is bubbling away. We order more rice as a sauce like this needs plenty of plain rice to soak it up. The tastes is wonderfully rich and flavoursome with the caramel and salty salmon combining beautifully. Yay, another must have discovered!

We rarely have room for dessert and that’s the case tonight. So I must forego my favourite sweetcorn pudding if I am to squeeze past the nearby tables to exit.

Bay Tinh

318 Victoria Rd
Marrickville, NSW 2204
Tel: +61 (02) 9560 8673
Tue-Sun 5.30pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 5.30pm-10.30pm
Licensed and BYO
Visa and Mastercard accepted

Yes I admit I have a minor unhealthy obsession with afternoon tea or morning teas. I love dainty little servings and a good cup of tea so I am sucker for anything vaguely constituting afternoon tea. The good thing about the Sheraton’s afternoon tea offering is that you can get a traditional afternoon tea with scones, finger sandwiches and tarts or you can go for the contemporary afternoon tea which comprises of delicious tidbits like Lobster slaw martini, swimmer crab omelette, Banana cheesecake, white chocolate brownie and the drool inducing list goes on.

We always order the contemporary afternoon tea. Whilst the traditional afternoon tea looks lovely, I cannot pass up the Lobster Slaw Martini or the Gallery Banana cheesecake. We know the menu so well ordering is easy. For $79 you can order any of the 12 dishes and 2 unlimited drinks are included (your choice of Twinings leaf tea, Vittoria espresso or Max Brenner Hot Drinking Chocolate). For $129 you get a choice of any of the 12 dishes but with two glasses of Moet & Chandon Imperial N.V. Additional dishes are available for $7 each.

We order the King Island Double brie with apple and Duchy of Cornwell Oat Cake; Lobster Slaw Martini, Tasmanian Smoked Salmon and lemon mascarpone crostini; Hoisin Duck Money Bag; Blue Swimmer crab and asparagus omelette; Gallery Tiger prawn Caesar; Pear and smoked chicken with verjuice and hazelnuts; Rice pudding and apple jelly; White Chocolate Brownie; Pannacotta with mandarin compote and, because they’re my absolute favourite and the idea of sharing one alarms me, 2 of the gallery Banana cheesecakes. Blythe’s favourite part of the afternoon tea is the endless top ups of Max Brenner White Hot Chocolate-usually $5.50 a cup, she can drink cup after cup of the rich milky liquid chocolate concoction so it feels like she is getting much more than her money’s worth. I order my usual standby, a pot of Earl Grey and settle back into the club chair and relax.

Clockwise from left: Pear and smoked chicken with verjuice and hazelnuts; Tasmanian Smoked Salmon and lemon mascarpone crostini; Lobster Slaw Martini & Blue Swimmer crab and asparagus omelette

Clockwise from left: Gallery Tiger prawn Caesar; Pannacotta with mandarin compote; Hoisin Duck Money Bag & King Island Double brie with apple and Duchy of Cornwell Oat Cake

Clockwise from left: White Chocolate brownie; Gallery Banana cheesecake; Rice pudding and apple jelly and Gallery Banana cheesecake

Our drinks arrive first and 20 minutes later our three tier stand arrives with three large square plates each with 4 smaller plates on top. The savouries are at the top while the sweets are at the bottom.

Lobster Slaw martini

After a flurry of photo taking, I dig in starting with my favourite item, the Lobster Slaw martini. Four chunks of lobster sit on top of a creamy crunchy coleslaw which has shredded lobster throughout. If I didn’t love everything else I’d order 4 of these.

King Island Double brie with apple and Duchy of Cornwell Oat Cake

Next I select the King Island Double brie with apple and Duchy of Cornwell Oat Cake. I like milder cheeses and this King Island Double Brie is a creamy wedge of heaven, the sweet red apple a crisp and juicy contrast to the dry but rich in oat biscuit and rich cheese.

Gallery tiger prawn Caesar salad

Two salads are next, the gallery tiger prawn Caesar is first. I love Caesar salads provided the dressing is good and the bacon is small and crisp but not too crispy. The salad is perfect, the dressing creamy and parmesaney enough to satisfy and the small chunks of tasty bacon are fabulous with the addition of the sea salty tiger prawn.

Smoked chicken salad and pear salad with verjus and hazelnuts

The smoked chicken salad and pear salad is good and feels virtuous by comparison, the verjus providing a light tangy dressing, the hazelnuts a lovely nutty crunch and the chicken soft and lightly smokey and the paper thin pear crisp and juicy.

Hoisin duck money bag

The hoisin duck money bag, although looking quite adorable with its spring onion tie is not quite as successful being mostly devoid of any filling and the money bag being a crepe too thick to go with the light serve of duck.

Tasmanian Smoked Salmon and lemon mascarpone crostini

The Tasmanian Smoked Salmon and lemon mascarpone crostini is a folded over parcel of soft smoked salmon with a splodge of lightly lemon flavoured mascarpone sitting on top of a crunchy crostini. The salmon and lemon mascarpone are delicious together and the crostini gives a textural crunch.

Blue Swimmer crab and asparagus omelette

Last of the savouries is the Blue Swimmer crab and asparagus omelette. The omelette is sliced in half and the asparagus is a lovely complement to the delicate crab meat, never overpowering it.

White chocolate and macadamia brownie

Pausing for a moment, we contemplate our sweets and I try the white chocolate and macadamia brownie first. These brownies have inspired many a brownie batch baking as they are deliciously moist, the most moist of any brownie I’ve eaten and are studded thickly with roasted macadamias.

Gallery banana cheesecake

I’ve saved my favourite Gallery banana cheesecake for next. Its not a typical cheesecake texture as its fluffy and mousselike, more like a Japanese cheesecake. Its full of real banana, there’s no fake banana to be had here, and as always its delicate and melts in the mouth. I hold back from bursting into the kitchen and demanding a recipe although you can believe I googled my bottom off trying to find a recipe sadly to no avail!

Rice pudding with apple jelly

The adorable little shot glass of rice pudding has sweetened apple in jelly sitting at the bottom, then a layer of vanilla rice pudding upon which brown sugar crumble topping sits. As I am getting incredibly full, I take a tentative taste, the rice pudding isn’t quite as soft as I’d like it and the vanilla scent is faint, if non existent. If I were hungry I’d devour it still but as I’m full, its a good excuse to put it back.

Mandarin pannacotta

The Mandarin pannacotta is a new addition to the menu and upon tasting it, I only wish I had more stomach room. The creamy soft wobbly pannacotta is delicious with the marmaladey mandarin syrup. I manage to fit in as much as possible without bursting.

Afternoon tea buffet

Afternoon tea buffet

As we’re eating and imbibing, the chefs bring out the goodies for the afternoon tea buffet, a fig cake looking particularly luscious alongside moussey french style cakes, wraps and delicate finger sandwiches. We promise that next time, like every time, that we’ll order the buffet next.

Afternoon tea buffet

The Gallery Tea Lounge

Sheraton on the Park
Lobby Level
161 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000
Tel +61 (02) 9286-6650
Afternoon tea served from 11.30-6pm from $69 - $79 per stand (each stand for 2-3 people)
Weekend tea buffet served from 2pm-5pm $45 per person