It’s a running joke in our house that every time I go to a new Thai Restaurant I declare it the best Thai ever. But when I say that about Paste Mittagong, I mean it. Seriously, I swear that the food at Paste is next level, transcending the laws of food physics and flavour. I can almost guarantee I will not be able to find a better Thai Restaurant in Australia (though I’m more than happy to try).

One of the best restaurants in the Southern Highlands, Paste Mittagong was recently opened by Chef Bee Satongun, the proud recipient of a Michelin star and the title of Asia’s Best Female Chef for her sister restaurant Paste Bangkok. And while historic Mittagong is known for its old-world charm, Paste’s minimalist, Nordic vibe has zapped a little pocket of modern-day magic in to its mix. And don’t even get me started on their cool reclining chairs.

Before we even start to peruse the menu, I know I am going to like it here at Paste Restaurant. The staff are lovely, and incredibly fun, and as well as having an extensive knowledge of the food they serve, they keep us giggling.

Chef Bee’s menu is her interpretation of Ancient Thai cuisine using traditional methods but modernised with Australian ingredients and clever combinations of flavour. As we navigate our way through the menu the dishes all sound so incredible I fear may brain may explode having to choose just a few. But with some wise recommendations from our funny and chatty waitress (and a few tips from my mum who had visited in the Paste’s opening weeks), decisions are made for a meal that leaves me singing.

At mum’s insistence, we start with the roasted duck with rice cracker, and I am so glad she did. These are crunchy, soft, fresh and absolutely sublime with layer upon layer of rich and yet delicate flavours of nutmeg, curry paste and sawtooth coriander working with the shredded duck to create perfect harmony on my tastebuds. I would be happy to order another six courses of these but instead ready myself for the rest of this exquisite meal.

We fight over the salads so end up with two fragrant, herbal masterpieces. The first is
a roasted duck salad that is zingy, herbal and light, yet still delivers the gamey, earthy punch of the perfectly cooked chunks of duck. The sweet hits of lychee round out the dish perfectly.

The second is a breathtaking tropical pomelo salad. Now, I’m already a huge fan of pomelo but when their subtle, citrusy pops of flavour are combined with succulent slabs of slipper lobster, shredded betel leaves and a fresh chilli and herb dressing, you know I’m going to lick the fancy pants fine china plates clean, no matter how ill-mannered my mother tells me I am.

While we had planned on ordering their famous smoky southern crab curry, as it’s not on the menu today, we instead opt for a Penang chicken curry which was unlike any Penang curry I’ve tasted before.

The chicken practically leapt off the plate into my mouth. At least that’s what I told mum happened when I devoured it in a flash. You snooze, you lose, right? I reckon she would absolutely have loved the rich, earthy, almost floral flavours of the sauce and the beautifully moist chicken cooked on the bone. If only she was faster.

Our first slipper lobster was so good that greed overcame us and we decided on more, ordering a main of slipper lobster noodles in shell fish gravy.

This proved a worthy finale to our mains. The silky homemade egg noodles are bathed in a lusciously rich sauce of light soy sauce, chilli and pork stock and then topped with lobster in the shell. I cannot even begin to describe the awesomeness of this dish, which I have to say was a highlight of my meal.

Not quite finished with Paste Mittagong, we ordered dessert.

Chef Bee’s desserts are as incredible as her mains.  A chocolate dome served with a tangy passion fruit gel as well as blood limes to add a pop of freshness to what for me is a delicious but fairly rich dessert.

But a light and lovely Thai tea mousse served with a crispy crumb and an assortment of berries was the perfect way to finish off the meal.

If Paste Bangkok is even half as good as it’s little Australian sister, I can see why it has a Michelin star under its belt. If they keep doing the things they’re doing here, I’m sure the Aussie equivalent (a Hat) will be on its way to Mittagong very soon.

This meal was independently paid for.

Reviewed by Raff – Aged 12

Paste Mittagong
105 Main St,
Mittagong, NSW
PH: (02) 4872 2277

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The Southern Highlands is a cornucopia of culinary excellence and the gorgeous town of Bowral is its beating epicurean heart. With a high altitude and rich volcanic soils supporting some of Australia’s best produce, this has to be one of NSW’s best destinations for foodies.

But with so many sublime eateries serving up the freshest local produce, a weekend is never enough to taste all the temptations on offer. So, this food-fixated fam has learned to factor in eating, right alongside exploring, on our adventures and managed to cover a lot of ground and twice as many calories.

From clean eating cafes to high teas and fine diners, here, in no particular order, are a few of what we consider to be the best Bowral restaurants, cafes and snack stores for those dining with or without kids.

Gumnut Patisserie Bowral

There are good reasons for the queue outside this bakery! And they all involve flaky, buttery pastry. Seriously, if their award-winning pies and savoury pastries hadn’t already won our hearts long ago, their sweet tarts and tortes would have. The kids have a particular affection for Gumnut Patisserie’s bulging lemon tarts and raspberry and meringue studded custard tartlets and we’re all keen to return to taste test their takeaway high tea.

Location: Shop 7, Grand Arcade, Bong Bong St, Bowral

Bowral Sweets & Treats

OK, so this is not strictly a café, but it’s certainly all about eating. From classic Aussie lollies to the best of British sweets and crazy candy creations from America, Bowral Sweets & Treats is a one stop shop for all things sugary sweet. Unfortunately, my kids wanted to stop for a very long time to stock up on all their favourites including lemon sherberts, sour lollies and giant chocolate freckles, before they turned their attention to a cabinet of delicate handmade chocolates items. They even managed to add a couple of bug-spiked lolly pops (yes, with real edible insects) into their shopping bags before I could wrestle them back out the door.

Location: High Street Arcade, 310-312 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Cheese Etc

My cheesy children sniffed out this wonderful cheese shop as we scampered through the arcades off Bong Bong Street and there was no way they were going to keep walking. Knowledgeable and friendly cheesemonger Hugh was on hand to help us navigate his carefully curated selection of fine Australian and imported cheeses and we stocked up on a bloomy-rind funky French Brie (for later). But with tasting plates, eat-in and takeaway dining plus wines and beers on offer, the kids wanted cheese now. So they demolished a couple of the decadent Cheese Etc three cheese toasties, declaring them a work of molten magnificence and rating them an 11/10 on the scoffability scale.

Location: High Street Arcade, 310-312 Bong Bong St, Bowral NSW 2576

Elephant Boy Café

With its bookshelf lined walls and elephant themed bric-a-brac, this quirky Bowral favourite is a warm and welcoming spot for great coffee and classic-café offerings. If the warm ambience isn’t enough to warm you up on a chilly highland day, their excellent coffee will. Breakfast at Elephant Boy Café is especially good with fruit-stacked French Toast and a thoroughly delicious smashed avo garnering the approval of my very hungry travellers.

Location: 329 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Raw & Wild Market & Cafe 

Raw & Wild is an organic market and whole food café specialising in nutritious and absolutely delicious food. This is one of the best Bowral restaurants for health conscious and dietary restricted food lovers as they cater for every diet – from vegan and lacto vegetarian to sugar and gluten free. While I got lost in the aisles of the market, my ever hungry offspring shared a hearty kale and broccoli frittata, served with a side of lush green salad, in the café. Oh, and Raw & Wild is pooch-friendly too, so four-legged family members are also welcome.

Location: 250 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Dirty Janes Tea Salon

Dirty Jane’s vintage and antiques emporium is packed to overflowing with cool and quirky collectibles, handmade jewellery, vintage furniture and artworks that will make your repurposed, restored and upcycled soul sing! But be sure to find time for a visit to Dirty Jane’s delightfully vintage inspired Tea Salon, where you can point your pinkie in the air as you sip tea from bone china and delicately nosh on gourmet sandwiches, tarts and cakes, or hunker down to indulge in Bowral’s best High Tea.

Location: 13 Banyette St, Bowral

Bendooley Estate Restaurant 

While not technically in Bowral, Bendooley Estate Restaurant is about an eight-minute drive form town in the Berkelouw Book Barn, the rustic rural home of thousands upon thousands of new, second-hand and antiquarian books.  I’ve long loved exploring the hidden literary treasures under the exposed timber beams but having undergone a substantial transformation since my last visit, the book barn now shares its space with a Cellar Door and the Bendooley Estate Restaurant, which serves up excellent pies and pastas and suitably rustic gourmet fare, for those who can tear themselves away from the bookstore’s splendidly stuffed shelves.

Location: 3020 Old Hume Highway, Berrima

Dos Hombres

This buzzy restaurant is one of the best Bowral restaurants for feeding families because what kid doesn’t love Mexican? Hidden away in an arcade just off Bong Bong Street, the staff are friendly and fun, the décor suitably colourful, the margaritas excellent and the food irresistibly spicy. Just two years old, Dos Hombres showcases spicy Mexican recipes using authentic ingredients. The kids and I filled up on some seriously good ceviche, tacos, and a bowl of top-notch nachos. But it is a moreish dish of crisp marinated cauliflower that takes me by surprise. And no matter how full we were by the end of our epic Mexican feast there was still room for a plateful of churros and ice cream.

Location: 283 Bong Bong St, Bowral

Onesta Cucina

Long considered one of the best Bowral restaurants, this is the spot for refined Italian. Onesta Cucina is a family owned and operated Bowral favourite serving up exceptional food using seasonal produce in a space known for its warm and welcoming atmosphere. It is one of those places you’ll want to come back to time and again. On my visit a house made Potato Gnocchi with braised lamb ragu packed a flavourful punch. Whether it will be on the menu frequently I can’t say as the menu changes daily. But the one guarantee is that whatever is on the menu d’jour will be superb. 

Location: 5 Boolwey St, Bowral

Paste Mittagong

This fabulous Thai Restaurant is just a ten-minute drive from Bowral’s main street in neighbouring Mittagong and is a must visit if you’re staying in Bowral. Recently opened by Chef Bee Satongun, the proud owner of a Michelin star and the title of Asia’s Best Female Chef for her sister restaurant Paste Bangkok, Paste Mittagong is all about elevated ancient Thai cuisine served in a modern minimalist dining space that wouldn’t be out of place in the most sophisticated city but feels perfectly at home amongst the antiques and heritage architecture of Mittagong. On our visit we indulged in a multi course fantasy feast of fragrant, herbal dishes that didn’t miss a trick.

You can read Raff’s rave review of Paste Mittagong here.

Location: 105 Main St, Mittagong

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Like most Aussie kids, I’ll never knock back the opportunity to scoff down a schnitty and chips. So, when I was told about the Feed the Family feast at The Bavarian – resplendent as it with four golden schnitzels – I whisked my family straight in to the nearest location.

Without trying to sound boastful, I have to say this was one of my most sensible decisions to date, because not only does The Bavarian’s Feed the Family feast cater for every member of the family, even fussy little sisters, the price had my parents singing. But more on that in a minute.

The share-style menu is for two adults and two children (aged 12 and under) of 12) and starts with traditional haüs-made pretzels. They are warm, soft and covered with a smattering of zingy salt then served with butter. And we devoured ours…. at least after playing with them.

Then they brought out the bowls of chips. I mean, I know it’s hard to make a bad chip, but a good chip is a thing of beauty and these were really good: perfectly golden, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

I have to mention the service too at the Bavarian Chatswood, where we test drove the Feed the Family feast, because it was so friendly and so good and we kids were made feel very welcome indeed.

To balance that out was a truly tasty salad, packed with leafy greens, chunks of roasted pumpkin, ruby hued beetroot and discs of crispy radish topped with soft gooey goat’s cheese and almonds for a little crunch.

Then there was the main event four golden jägerschnitzels: juicy crumbed chicken breast served with a yummy, creamy mushroom sauce that was so good I had to lick the bowl clean. Now I consider myself something of a schnitzel connoisseur, we even make our own at home, so I had high expectations.

The good news is The Bavarian’s schnitty more than met them. The bad news? My parents wouldn’t let me order a second.

But I quickly forgave them when they said dessert was coming. The Bavarian’s Feed the Family includes dessert of a classic apple strudel for them and vanilla ice cream for us kids. But because my lightweight parents were so full by this stage (and dad was more interested in taste testing another half-litre of lager) they let my sister and I have it all. Oh, happy day!

The strudel was amazing, served warm with flaky pastry filled with chunky apples, cinnamon, walnuts and raisins and the perfect end to my meal. At least in my opinion.

Mum and dad seemed to think the perfect end to the meal was the bill, because this enormous, amazing meal cost a grand total of $49. For all of us. Yep, you read that right. So, if you like schnitty (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?) and want to enjoy an enormous family friendly meal in a great venue at a parent friendly price, head to The Bavarian nearest you this school holidays (they have venues all over NSW, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT and South Australia) for their epic Feed the Family package. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

Me, I plan on sneaking back and sample one of their epic looking pork knuckles.

The $49 Feed the Family feast is available available until 30 January 2021 at The Bavarian’s numerous locations across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, ACT and South Australia. 

Reviewed by Raff – Aged 12

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When Mum first explained to me the concept behind Raclette, I thought it was far too good to be true.  Seriously, what could possibly be better than a variety of charcuterie, steaming potatoes, pickles and fresh salad…  covered in wads of oozing melted cheese?

I was drooling just talking about it, so when she told me we were heading to Hemingway’s Manly, one of my favourite French restaurants, for their new Soiree Raclette, I was out the door and in the car before Mum could even grab her keys. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I adore the relaxed vibe of Hemingway’s, with its floor to ceiling bookcases and pictures of the restaurant’s literary namesake, as much as I love the menu and the welcoming service.  As soon as we arrived we were escorted to a table complete with a Raclette grill by Sonia, one of the owners of the restaurant, who hails from the Alps of France and is one of the nicest people in Manly. OK I may be a little biased because she feeds me but trust me, she’s a star.

We’d barely ordered drinks when the goodies started piling up on our table: a platter of delicious charcuterie meats like prosciutto, pancetta, salami, chorizo and bresaola, bowls of pickles and gherkins, steaming baby potatoes, a fresh green salad, and, of course, thick slices of magical Raclette cheese. 

Then Sonia gave us the downlow on how to Raclette!  Basically you pile a little shovel-like tray with slabs of the Raclette cheese, place it in the grill, and then pour the molten and oozy result all over a heaped plate of charcuterie and spuds. It’s like a fondue on steroids, and yet unlike anything I’ve ever eaten. I mean, it is such a simple idea, and yet the result is one big plate of cheesy heaven.

The Raclette Soiree also includes a dessert called Dame Blanche, which is essentially a deep bowl of creamy vanilla ice cream smothered in a rich hot chocolate sauce topped, whipped cream and almonds. Sure it’s simple, but ice cream sure doesn’t taste that good when I lob it in a glass. There is some secret French sorcery going on here for sure.

I made the mistake of looking at the rest of the menu and saw it was full of other French faves like beef tartare, ratatouille and the week’s special, duck confit. Which means we’re now going to have to go back again for dinner tomorrow and the next day, so I can eat my way through the entire menu. Or just order another Raclette.

Hemingway’s Raclette Soiree is available on Thursdays, Friday and Saturday nights and is $45 per person. Which, when you consider we ate so much that we had to waddle out, I reckon is a bargain. 

Reviewed by Raffles – 12

Hemingway’s Manly
48 North Steyne, Manly

Disclosure: Raffles was a guest of Hemingway’s Manly.

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Yeah, yeah, I know everybody screams for ice-cream, right? But trust me when I say you have never screamed as loud as you will over the ice cream at Frugii Dessert Laboratory. In fact, I screamed so loudly after my first visit that we returned to Canberra two weeks later just for a fix. Yep, it is THAT good.

You see Frugii is no ordinary ice cream parlour, rather it is a Wonka-ish place of sugary wonder and magic for your tastebuds. It is a place where anything is possible, and weird and wacky ice cream flavours like seafood laksa and butter chicken (yes, butter chicken) sit alongside the usual chocolate and vanilla.

I would totally have tried them all but Frugii’s curry inspired selections weren’t available when I visited because they change the flavours every day (which is an epic excuse to keep coming back), but that didn’t mean there weren’t still some unusual flavours. There was Feijoa, home grown by the genius that is Mr Frugii, which was fresh and fruity and Soursop (which I’d never heard of before we visited) and it had quite a tangy kick. But I couldn’t resist the fresh and vibrant lemongrass ice cream, becasue it is one of my all time favourite flavours, or a lush cardamom creation that had my tastebuds singing. They were both flavours I had never seen in ice cream, which is a huge oversight because they both rocked and I could eat them by the bucketful.

The good thing about an ice cream adventure with my whole family along for the ride is I got to taste a few other flavours too. I almost wanted to wrestle the zingy raspberry cone off my sister because it tasted just like a mouthful of fresh raspberries. So good.

Then there was mum’s choice, a black truffle flavour bomb that had my sister and I in battle mode as we fought each other, and mum, to steal it form her. She caught on though and ordered it as an affogato on our next visit just so we wouldn’t steal it. 

But here’s the thing. It’s not just the incredible flavours that make Frugii what I think is Australia’s best ice cream. Every flavour and every ingredient is all-natural, and the silkiness of the ice cream, which is satisfyingly creamy without being too fatty and leaving that waxy coat on your teeth like some ice creams do, is texturally better than any ice cream I’ve tasted. And I’ve even had ice cream at what was voted the world’s best ice creamery in South Africa. Clearly the judges of that little contest didn’t make it to Canberra, because Mr Frugii would have totally slayed it. 

But that’s not even the best bit. Seriously, it gets better! Frugii Dessert Laboratory doesn’t just do ice cream, they do amazing ice blocks in flavours like durian and also offer an array of desserts and hand-made ganache chocolates that are equally worthy of the three-hour trip from Sydney. 

There was a multi layered French opera torte that was layers of heaven and slabs of New York style cheesecake, but it’s was a lemon meringue choux au craquelin that tickled my taste buds. Now I like to consider myself a bit of a junior lemon tart connoisseur (and by connoisseur, I mean greedy glutton who eats all the tarts) and this version was the best I’ve ever tasted.

The choux pastry was light and the oozy lemon filling was luscious. It was smooth and silky and had a tart bite that so many lemon fillings lack, which was balanced perfectly by a tower of fluffy, sweet Italian meringue. Man, just writing about them is making me crave a six pack of them.

But, despite the addictive ice cream flavours and amazing choux pastry, the thing that’s most special about Frugii Dessert Laboratory is its owner, Mr Frugii, who is one of the nicest and most lovely people I have ever met.

He spent ages chatting with me about all the secrets to his amazing ice cream (I’ll never tell) and it turns our he’s such a wizard he makes all his own bases, extracts and even chocolate. He extracts the flavours straight from fruits, vegetables and even cocoa beans, many of which he grows himself, like the fejoia. And then he uses them to create his creations which, just like Mr Frugii, make everyone feel happy.

Reviewed by Raffles – Aged 12

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You know that feeling when you want Thai so bad, and then find out that there’s a Thai restaurant boasting two consecutive Chef’s Hats from the Good Food Guide, only five minutes from where you’re staying? I do! And you can bet your life I wasn’t gonna let an opportunity like that slip away. So, I kinda booked us in for dinner.  And by kinda, I mean I made a firm booking at Morks Contemporary Thai Restaurant for four people at 6.30pm. And then reconfirmed it. 

Look, it’s not as cheeky as it sounds. Mum and dad did say we could go wherever we wanted for dinner during our latest stay in Canberra. And by we, they meant me, I’m pretty sure. And yeah, maybe I should have checked if everyone was happy with my choice but, in reality, I did everyone a huge favour and they should be thanking me. Because Morks is banging!!

It’s in a great spot on the sparkly Kingston waterfront and while it’s a little fancy and a bit schmancy, it has a really chill vibe and great music. They even played Hendrix! The staff at Morks were dudes too. And our personal dude gave us some awesome tips on the best things to order. They should give him a pay rise because he nailed it.

We kicked off with Morks signature sweet potato dumplings. The silky-skinned, sweet potato filled flavour bombs were served floating in a fragrant Penang​ curry sauce and were so amazing that everyone in my family had to acknowledge my genius in booking the restaurant. At least they should have.

Then came another signature dish, angel prawns, direct from heaven I think. They’re cooked and served in a rustic pottery dish. Each prawn sits on a base of kaffir lime custard and is drizzled with creamy red curry before having a cute little pottery hat placed on top! It’s very theatrical but so worth it. I could eat 100 of them without blinking.

The Pan roasted Hāpuku with green curry and bamboo shoots was soft, juicy and sweet and as well as the soupy green curry sauce had a great big punch of curry paste slathered on top of each of the fillets. The crunchy addition of bamboo shoots gave it texture and soaked up plenty of flavour from the luscious sauce, which we mopped up with the remains of with crispy paratha roti.

The duck fried rice was well, ducky and delicious with a touch of mint tossed through it to give it freshness and balance the fattiness of the duck. I had to fight my dad for this one, it was so good.

Morks Restaurant is dishing up their own unique take on Thai flavours with a next level twist and I recommend everyone in, or heading to, Canberra should get some Morks on their fork!

You can thank me later.

Reviewed by Raffles – Aged 12

Morks Contemporary Thai
18/19 Eastlake Parade,
Kingston ACT
PH: +61(0) 2 5134 6993

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Everyone knows how much I love food and while there are so many world cuisines I crave and adore; my love of Thailand and its food is large. Seriously, I love every sweet, salty, spicy, sour morsel almost as much as I love my mum. Maybe even more. (Just kidding, Mum). And while I’ve been lucky enough to shovel Thai food down my copious gob all around the world, from Brisbane  to Bangkok, my favourite is still Chat Thai, right here in Sydney.  In fact, I need a frequent eater card for Chat Thai Gateway at Circular Quay, because I am obsessed with their take on Thai!

It’s not just because the food at Chat Thai is great, though it is. It’s because they offer a whole bunch of unique dishes while still offering classics like Padt Thai and Green Curry, though they elevate them to a whole other level. It’s also down to the super nice staff, especially Head Chef Oat, who is a legend.

Before I tell you about the food, I have to tell you about Chef Oat, because he’s really inspiring to me. Chef Oat started cooking at a really young age with his mum and grandma, preparing and helping them in the kitchen, just like I do with my mum. When his family had some financial difficulty, his mother had to work two jobs, as a teacher, and a cook, so Chef Oat would go to the market after school to buy the food for her, and became his mother’s kitchen hand, preparing food and cooking food for sale alongside her for almost ten years.

When he finished college in Thailand, he started work in the agricultural chemical industry and knew that it wasn’t for him returning to his first love, cooking! He attended a cookery school and started cooking for a small income. During breaks, he would study cook books at books stores, then started to practice by himself, learned from his own mistakes and from other chefs, whether they were more or less experienced than him. He still loves to learn.

Chef Oat told me not to be afraid to ask what you don’t know. Which I reckon is pretty awesome advice for anyone! But what I love best is that he says, “Every time I cook, I feel like there’s music inside my head, because I really enjoy cooking.”

And you know what? That’s exactly how I feel when I’m eating!  So, I totally get it!

Chef Oat also told me that the most popular dish on the menu at Chat Thai Gateway is Padt Thai, because they we really care about the ingredients and make sure it tastes authentic.

They even grow some of the harder to find Thai ingredients at their Boon Luck Farm in Byron Bay. Chef Oat’s favourite dish though is padt kaprao gaI sub, a stir-fried chicken dish with Thai basil and a fried egg on top, served with steamed jasmine rice.

While I can attest that both are delicious, and you can even learn to make them, just like him, right here, thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand,  they’re just a few of my personal Chat Thai faves.

Seriously, I could legit eat my way dish by dish through their menu every day of the week, because it is ALL good, but I always start with their crispy crab fried spring rolls, filled with wads of crab meat, egg and soft green herbs.

I also really like the kuay kreab pak mor (steamed tapioca rice dumplings stuffed with dried shrimp, chicken and pickled turnip and served with a fermented chilli sauce) because there is no such thing as a dumpling I won’t devour. While these are not that well known here in Australia, I reckon they should be definitely added to your order.

On to the mains where there are several standouts. Gaeng Pu is a yellow curry of crab meat which I would happily swim in. This spicy soupy curry is packed with pillows of crab meat and served with soft rice vermicelli.  Gaeng Daeng Bped, is a luscious red curry of five spice roast duck with pineapple, lychee and Thai basil. And then there’s Mhu Grob Padt Prik Khing, crisp pork belly stir-fried with wild ginger in a hot and spicy red curry paste that makes my tastebuds dance.

Of course, we can’t leave until I’ve devoured a big plate of sticky rice with mango. The combination of the sweet, sticky, pandan-infused rice with salty coconut cream and fresh cut mango is the perfect finale!

And while Chef Oat told me that if someone gave him $1000 to eat one meal in Thailand he would go to Michelin-starred Sorn in Bangkok, I’d just save it to come back to Chat Thai, and order absolutely everything! If only they offered massages…

Reviewed by Raffles – Aged 12

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Pro tip: If you want really good Thai food, go to Fiji! Yes, I said Fiji! You see, Kah Restaurant at Pullman Nadi Bay Resort and Spa Fiji, has some of the best Thai food I have ever had the pleasure of stuffing my face with, even in Thailand.

I mean, I went to Fiji expecting to fill up on bowls of kokoda (Fijian raw fish salad) and tropical fruits, and I did, but by dinner time the call of Kah became impossible to resist. It is the resort’s “adults only” restaurant, though families are welcome to eat on the deck or eat from the Kah menu at the neighbouring Barefoot Bar. And I totally recommend that every family visiting Fiji should because the food is ridiculously good. Seriously, I don’t even have the words to describe the sheer awesomeness of the food and service here. I mean there’s good, there’s amazing, there’s oh-my-gosh-my-tastebuds-are-dancing, and then there’s Kah.

I have to start with a shout out to our waitress, the amazing Siteri, who was really sweet and made us all feel super special. Then there’s the menu, which was essentially a list of everything I could ever dream of eating. I had a hard time choosing because everything sounded so good but decided to go straight up traditional.

I started with a Pad Thai with tamarind sauce and fresh lime, which absolutely blew me away. It was quite honestly the best Pad Thai I’ve ever had. I mean I can’t even remember how many times I’ve had Pad Thai and the dish has been ruined by gloopy over-cooked noodles. But these noodles were perfectly firm and silky. And the whole dish was the perfect balance of sweet, savoury and sour with the zingy flavours of tamarind and lime shining through.

For my second entree (technically my mums, but she needs to move faster if she thinks she’s ever going to actually eat all of her meal with me around, so we’ll just call it mine, OK?)
She/I had smoky grilled local tiger prawns that were a-maz-ing. They came with an absolutely addictive sweet, sour and spicy tamarind and chilli sauce that was so good I drank the leftovers.

My third entree (again technically my dad’s, but you get the gist) turned my taste buds upside down. Confession time! I don’t usually like fishcakes due to their rubbery texture and I was initially reluctant to steal/try. But I am so glad I tried these fishcakes, because the intense pop of flavour blew my mind. But it was the more coarse texture that won me over, and the fact that it actually tasted like fish instead of manufactured muck. Plus the sweet and sour chilli sauce that accompanied it kicked butt!

There was a fourth bonus entree of chicken larb salad served up for us to share (not on my watch) and its light, limey flavours were just as heavenly.

After my extreme entreeing, I have to confess to being a little full. Ha ha, as if! You know me, I’m like the Da Vinci of eating and have made gluttony an art form. I don’t think it’s even possible to fill my copious belly. Lucky for said belly, the mains soon made their way out of the  kitchen in all their sizzling and spicy glory.

I devoured an epic Penang duck curry, with the juiciest duck smothered in a creamy, spicy and earthy sauce and just the right amount of spice and heat. Mum went for something a little out of the ordinary, spangled emperor with smoked curry paste and eggplant. It was a real winner, not only because I got to scoff at least half of it. The fish had been baked in a banana leaf and was firm but super juicy and the eggplant chunks were like mini explosions of oozey, sticky loveliness. But it was the kick arse, smoky red curry sauce that had me entranced. In fact, this dish was pretty much a plate full of heaven.

The expression on my dad’s face when his main course arrived was almost as joyful as mine when I stole it from him. I mean, his whole crisp fried fish with three flavour sauce and steamed jasmine rice was enormous, and I knew that would mean there’d be plenty for me. Mind you, it was a bit of a battle! He wasn’t at all keen on giving up a single flake of that perfect fish. But it was a war he had no chance of winning and I greedily gobbled as much as I could. It was perfection, crispy, flaky, and moist and really brought alive by the tangy sauce.

We skipped desserts, mostly because my lightweight parents couldn’t handle another bite of food. Me, I could have eaten the entire meal again. And probably will, tomorrow night, because food as good as the stuff they’re whipping up at Kah Restaurant at Pullman Nadi Bay needs to be treated with slavish devotion!

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I’d heard so much about the award winning True South Dining Room at The Rees in incredible Queenstown, which made me a little worried, because sometimes these places just don’t live up to expectation. I needn’t have worried because True South Dining Room is everything it’s cracked up to be and so much more.

During the day the restaurant overlooks Lake Wakatipu and by night is all moody lighting, toasty fireplaces and just the right mix of upmarket and laid back. And Executive Chef, Ben Batterbury is not only a genius cook, he’s one of the nicest guys ever! But more on him later.

The open kitchen is dangerous though, because I could see all the incredible dishes come out for other diners and I got a severe case of foodie FOMO. In fact, the menu is so insanely good, I practically had a mid-tween crisis trying to choose. The starters alone had me in a fit of indecision.

Thankfully, I was given a little extra decision-making time as our waiter brought out a big chunk of sourdough with local olive oil, churned butter and salt. New Zealanders are confusingly nice at the best of times, but the staff here are extra! Our waiter even stopped for a chat (and by chat, I mean interrogation). I asked him about just about every dish and he patiently walked me through every little detail, making my decision that much easier.

I’ll just make mum order the dishes I don’t. And then I’ll eat them too. Why didn’t I just think of that in the first place?

While we’re waiting for our starters, an amuse bouche of crayfish bisque magically appears. It also magically disappears… down my neck.

It’s delicate, creamy and topped with a light, airy froth – like a crayfish cappuccino. It tastes intensely of crayfish and the ocean and is like nothing I’ve tried before. I wonder if they’d consider serving it by the bucket?

Then came the starters. My dish of seared scallops with pork belly gyoza was off the charts. It came with a soft creamy parsnip puree, crispy kale chips, apple dashi tender, seared scallops and shiitake mushrooms, which gave the whole dish a punch of umami goodness.

But it is the gyoza themselves, stuffed full of unbelievable pork belly filling that were totally kick ass (yeah mum, I know I’m not allowed to swear but they just were, OK).

Mum’s “edible compost heap” was utterly genius.

A huge slab of Ora King Salmon was buried under layers of quinoa and oats, soft pureed carrot, orange segments, pickled cucumber, almonds, sesame seeds and dry veggie crumbs. Every mouthful of this dish was an explosion of textures and flavour and had me utterly excited over what would come next.

I chose the slow-cooked Wakanui beef cheek for main, and it was the bomb. So meltingly tender and served with a creamy real truffle mashed potato and a fresh and zingy yuzu yoghurt that cut through all the richness. It was all topped off with toasted breadcrumbs flavoured with bone marrow butter which added an extra level of flavour and texture.

Mum’s venison was perfectly pink, super flavourful and served on a bed of spinach and Jerusalem artichokes two ways, both pureed as well as roasted, plus honey glazed tamarillo and a tamarillo and red wine puree. It looked and tasted spectacular.

I should mention that Sugarpuff also got to indulge! She gobbled down some amazing dishes off the kid’s menu, including jamon and melon, moist and juicy roast chicken and a delectable berry Sunday that had her grinning from ear to ear.

Speaking of desserts, True South’s were showstoppers. My vanilla and passion fruit cheesecake came with a tangy and acidic kiwi fruit sorbet that perfectly complemented the fruity sweetness of the cheesecake.

Sweet, tangy, rich and altogether incredible, Mum’s Hogarth 70% chocolate mousse with mandarin cremaux and mandarin sorbet was so pretty, it kind of looked like a seahorse in an underwater garden – at least it did until we demolished it. Both desserts left us wide-eyed and wowed.

But then our entire meal was surprise after tantalisingly tasty surprise and the dishes were so creative and exciting I left happy, but intent on eating and knowing more.

So, imagine how happy I was to find out that Executive Chef Ben Batterbury himself was coming over to our apartment the next night to teach me how to cook like him! It really doesn’t get better than this. Check out our video below with all his cool cheffy tips to make the BEST ravioli.

Reviewed by Raffles – Aged 11

True South Dining Room Queenstown
377 Frankton Rd,
Queenstown, New Zealand
PH: +64 3-450 1100

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Pop! Canton Kitchen has just opened in Castlecrag. I’m excited too because Head Chef Jason Chan is from Queen Chow, so it’s gotta be good! The restaurant itself is like a Cantonese pop art explosion of cool with retro posters papering the walls.

I was in  the birthplace of Cantonese cooking, Guangzhou, just a few weeks ago and just like the super cool city itself, the vibe here is super modern meets tradition. And the buzz and clatter make me feel like I am back there, and that’s a very good thing because I loved the city and there’s loads heaps of cool things to do, see and eat in Guanghzou.

The walls aren’t the only things that pop here, so does the food. I mean you can’t go wrong starting a meal with juicy xiao long bao right? Especially when the skin is perfectly thin and the soup rocks an extra kick of ginger.

But that’s just the tip of the dumpling iceberg. There were perfectly bouncy and delicious prawn har gau with a sneaky kick of spice, and mind-blowing king crab dumplings, which taste like wads of crab wrapped in crab with a slab of crab on top. Booyah!

The next dish was unique to Canton Kitchen Castlecrag. It was like nothing I’ve eaten before, here or in China. These little stacks of soft silken tofu came with a big dollop of vegetarian XO sauce topped with soy bean floss and were off the charts amazing.

I swear eating these dreamy tofu delights is like having a party in your mouth. I went back for seconds. Drool worthy prawns drowning in piles of roasted garlicky paste came next.

Then came hot and numbing chicken wings, which I have to say were exactly as advertised. Boom! These babies were literally covered in dried whole chillies and blew my head off. In the best possible way of course.

Once I got feeling back in my mouth I moved on to Typhoon Shelter tempura, slabs of sweet potato, capsicum and eggplant coated in the crispiest of tempura batters and slathered in roasted garlic crumbs and pepper.  Sweet and sour pork was a big surprise, mostly because it actually tasted like pork instead of mystery meat. Chef Chan used yummy Kurobuta pork and in place of the radioactive syrup that you usually get with sweet and sour, it rocked pickled lotus root and pineapple chunks to give it sweetness.

When a big plate of special fried rice studded with squid and chorizo came out my mum, lightweight that she is, conceded defeat insisting she was too full. I had no such problem of course and devoured it… and the platter of succulent fall apart sticky Mongolian lamb ribs that followed.

Black Angus Wagyu beef strips in black pepper melted in the mouth and a stir fry of mushroom, morel, tofu and truffle had my tastebuds doing cartwheels.

And Canton Kitchen’s epic dish of Singapore chilli king prawns was spicy and sticky and utterly brilliant! This is the kind of dish I could happily eat until I burst, which mum says I probably will at some point if I keep eating like an entire stable of sumo wrestlers.

But the best was yet to come. A killer seafood Ma Po tofu with lobster, Alaskan crab and king prawns sitting on a custardy ocean of tofu and sprinkled with crispy puffs of rice was so spicy and so good it practically made me weep with happiness. Even mum dove back in for this.

Ok, how could one 11-year old kid eat this much food – especially when his mother and all the adults around him were falling in satisfied heaps on the floor – you ask? Forget Spidey, Thor and Captain ‘Merica. You’re looking at a mealtime mutant. A dumpling devouring demi god. A super powered super muncher.

Seriously, if the Marvel Universe ever need a superhero whose superpower is eating, they’d sign me up on the spot. But… they’d have to wait until I’d finished dessert.

Especially at Canton Kitchen. I practically dived into the bowl of fried ice cream in coconut caramel sauce, which was crunchy, soft, hot and cold all at once, and irresistibly delicious.

But the coconut sago was the real revelation. It was a textural masterpiece of fruit, lychee, slippery sago, mango sorbet and fairy floss and no exaggeration one of the best desserts I’ve eaten.

It was the perfect poppy end to a bangingly brilliant meal. Unless of course I order seconds… of everything!

Reviewed by Raffles – Aged 11

Canton Kitchen 
100 Edinburgh Rd,
Castlecrag, Sydney
Australia
P: 02 9958 3288

Disclosure: Raffles was a guest of Canton Kitchen but all face stuffing, culinary heroics and opinions are his own.

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