“Please don’t give me a mullet, please please!” I pray silently to myself one afternoon sitting at the hairdressers. The reason apart from justifyingly fearing that particular haircut? I was speaking on a panel of the We Blog The World Event held by Klick Communications where my lovely friend The Second Wife works. I would be speaking alongside Ben Groundwater “The Backpacker” blogger from the Sydney Morning Herald and Tim Burrowes from Thumbrella. And the last thing I wanted was to have the haircut from hell.

Renee Creer, Trina (aka Foraging Otaku), me and Ben

Some pics from We Blog the World taken by Klick Communications. I didn’t take any photos as I was too busy being nervous…

At 6.20pm at the Sir Stamford we answered some questions from our fantastic moderator Kim who runs Klick and then fielded questions from the audience. And by 8pm we were done and dusted and retired to the bar. By 10:30pm we realised we were all starving and so a collective gaggle of us jumped into 3 taxis and high tailed it to BBQ King – stat! Yes we were starving and it suddenly hit us that we had to have food and have it now. Dining with me were Trina, The Second Wife, Naomi, Tess, Ben, Alice and Glen.

A food lovers version of an art gallery?

We’re shown to a large table on the ground floor set among a gallery of photos all celebrating BBQ meat and meaty goodness. There are some curious BBQ King Fashion photos with some models with China doll haircuts posing in the restaurant. But these are a mere distraction for us as we peruse the menu determined to try the best they have to offer. I have strange memories of BBQ king from many years ago when we were asked to share a large, round table with strangers and a Peking Duck that was expensive but not very exciting so I was a bit apprehensive but hunger got the better of me. And keen photographers take note, BBQ King has deceptively difficult lighting. It’s incredibly yellow and hard to photograph in so please excuse the photos.

Yes that’s a ceiling full of Ducks!

Complimentary watercreess and pork soup

To whet our appetites, they give us a big bowl of watercress and pork broth. It seems to be self service here and I have to apologise to my fellow diners for doing such a terrible job of ladling this up. It’s delicious and warming and certainly whets the appetite.

Spring rolls $12 ($6 for 4)

The Spring Rolls, an item I am usually hugely disappointed in are really tasty here with a great mix of flavours and they’re not too dry with a good amount of filling in them.

Braised Chicken Fillets in Scechuan sauce $19.80

This resembles sweet and sour chicken with the pieces of capsicum. It’s spicy and sweet but not particularly exciting.

Steamed Chinese broccoli with Oyster sauce $12.80

These are nicely steamed with a nice texture to them and simply flavoured with Oyster sauce.

“Suckling Pig” and Roast Duck $42.80

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Awards are controversial. Not only do people expect more but if it’s closely fought they tend to compare the contestants. And that’s exactly what I’m doing today when we’re dining at Palace Chinese restaurant this beautiful Sydney Sunday morning. And why was I up so early? Well I have to admit I set the alarm ready to go to an outdoor festival only to wake up and realise that it was next week. Yes embarrassing. So Teena, Philippe and baby Annabel and I make hasty alternative plans to Yum Cha in the city as Philippe wants to trawl the nearby luxury goods strip later.

Even though we are dining relatively late at 2pm (Yum Cha ends at 3pm) there is still a sizeable amount of people in there. Mr NQN and I usually prefer to eat a bit late as I hate queuing for a table and at this time we walk straight in and are seated. And a good thing as Philippe claims to be a “Starvin Marvin” and within minutes, our table is filled with all manner of delicious dumplings. The bamboo steamers are a little fancier and the service a little pushier. When we say “No” repeatedly to one who proffers up a single steamed basket in an effort to offload it, she proceeds to put it down on our table and then reach to stamp the card.

BBQ Pork buns

Har Gow

My favourite Yum Cha dumplings are the Har Gow. These are plump with prawns but a touch bland.

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“You just don’t know how to hold the reservation and that’s really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody can just take them.” A quote from Seinfled is usually how I like to begin my days and on this sunny Winter’s Day on Woolloomooloo wharf, my dining companion Carbon Debit has called me while I am on my way to China Doll for our lunch with Soph. They seem to have lost our reservation. Thankfully, unlike Seinfeld, there is no issue getting us a table outside. We deduce that they probably misspelt it and possibly have it under the wrong name. Seinfeld moment over.

It’s a long time coming this visit to China Doll. It was spurred on by the recent apperance of the chef Frank Shek on the Australian version of Masterchef.  I was not an instant convert to the show. I disliked the way they seemed to wring every bit of emotion or tears out of the contestants and play the sappy, emotional music to bring out what little emotion there was. Where was the cooking? Finally after the selection process, they started the real show and I’ve been glued ever since (did anyone catch the appearance of the Brad Pitt of the foodie world Adriano Zumbo the other week?). I’ve even gotten used to George Calombaris’s comments like “make the food look as if it had fallen on the plate like autumn leaves” and now find them endearing. Then there’s Matt Preston’s incongruous pleasure face – you know the one where when he eats his facial expression looks as though he’s repulsed by the food, only for him to say how wonderful it is.

I disgress, we’re back to China Doll on Woolloomooloo Wharf and for the Russell Crowe fans, yes Woolloomooloo Wharf is where his apartment lies (although we miss out on any Russ sightings). This is one of Sydney’s nicer looking Chinese restaurants and when I sit down I see familiar blue and white plates that just happen to be the exact ones that we use at home every day. This blue and white plate pattern is echoed throughout the whole restaurant with a wall in the same pattern and the small version of the plates on the toilet doors.

Our waiter is friendly and comes back a few times for our order as we’re busy catching up. We ask him for the specialties and he gives us about half a dozen and we choose among them. The menu is a pan Asian one with Japanese and Malaysian influences but since it’s supposed to be a Cantonese restaurant we try and go for the Cantonese dishes (with the exception of the sashimi). Service is good throughout the day from him although there is one waitress who seems determined to follow the Chinese waiter’s version of service and without finesse, dumps the plates on the table wordlessly.

Hiramasa Kingfish & Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi w Blackened Chilli Dressing  $25

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