NanGam - Sunnybank

Another pre lockdown post. We had a cozy girls night at NanGam, a highly popular Korean restaurant situated in the rather secluded area of Sunnybank that is near the train station. Open along a small strip of other Korean restaurants, you could smell fragrance of grilled meats from NanGam from far away. 

The restaurant itself was small and we grabbed the last table that evening. There were a couple of groups that had to be turned away that night so if you want a table, booking ahead would be prudent. The menu (which I forgot to take a picture of) was fairly short, consisting of a small amount of large meaty main dishes and some sides as well as combo sets. 

Ordering one combo and a side, food came very quickly and service was warm and friendly.

We ordered one combo to share. This was the half half set.

Of our two mains we chose the Bul Jokbal Korean spicy braised pork hock and Jokbal, Korean braised pork hock. Both pork dishes were super soft and tender with the collagen and meat melting in your mouth. The original one was wholesome and hearty whilst the spicy one was definitely very hot, only tempered by the melty cheese on top. 

Served with lettuce, kimchi, chilli, spicy miso and spring onions it was fresh and crisp with a hot zing to it. I definitely loved the combination of flavours that it offered. 

The main also came with some rice and nori which we rolled into rice balls. This was comforting and I liked the salty crisp seaweed on the outside.

Our side to share was the Gye Ian Jjim - Korean Steamed Egg. Much more coarse than the Japanese Chawanmushi, it had a lot of texture to it, reminiscent of overcooked tofu. Seasoned with spring onions and sesame oil it was fragrant and delicious.

Price Range: $20 - $40pp

Taste: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Environment: 7/10

Sharetea - Sunnybank

A little bit late to the party but we checked out Share Tea which had opened a couple months ago at Sunnybank Plaza before the lockdown occurred. Having seen it in Sydney a while back, I recall getting some egg waffles there but haven't had the chance to try their tea. Time to try it out then.

Considering the menu, it leaned towards a more traditional type of bubble tea with less fruity and cheesy options. The focus was more on milk teas, yoghurts and smoothies. Dirty milk tea was also quite popular apparently.

Not having seen crushes on the menu much, we got ordered some at the counter and got a seat inside. It was bright and really cute with charging ports for those who want to relax or work whilst enjoying tea. 

Wanting a refreshing drink, I ordered the Watermelon crush. Expecting a more water based drink, I was surprised at its solid pink colour. The taste was curiously milky and the watermelon flavour was quite artificial, it was also quite sweet. At least the texture wasn't bad and the ice wasn't too chunky.

My companion had the Mixed Berry Crush. Trying some of his, it was definitely more refreshing than mine with a hint of tangyiness. Sharp and still quite sweet, his was more enjoyable. Will definitely be back at a later point to try the milk tea though.

Price Point: $5 - $10pp

Taste: 5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 7/10
Environment: 8/10

Pablo - New Farm

 

Had brunch a while back, before the pandemic lockdown with longtime foodie Mistah J. Turns out the both of us were really big fans of Pablo before its unexpected closure, so we made some plans to go and check it out when it reopened at New Farm. 

With inside and outside seating, it was packed for a Saturday, peak brunch time. We got had a seat in the shaded area outside of the cafe. There were a lot of old favourites on the menu, which was largely plant based. We ordered via table service.

 

He had a smoothie whilst I had a Watermelon and Orange juice. Having already had a coffee fix earlier in the morning, it was a refreshing and nourishing way to begin the day.

As you would expect from a well run machine, food was served very quickly.

Mistah J had the Mushrooms on toast with stuffed chorizo, feta, herb crumb and scrambled egg on sourdough with beetroot relish, leafy greens and green goddess dressing. Wholesome and hearty without being too heavy, he said that he really enjoyed the dish.

Never one to forgo an opportunity, I had the Home Loan Avo with mango salsa, grilled haloumi and coconut tahini yoghurt. Definitely not your usual avo toast, this had a lot more tang than the comforting richness I am used to. The salsa was sharp and sweet with a light spice from the onions whilst the yoghurt was quite sour. Portions were a little small for one breakfast serve though.

Price Range: $20 - $25pp

Taste: 7.5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 8/10

Agnes Bakery - Fortitude Valley

With the ongoing lockdown, new restaurant openings are few and far between. Previously anticipated opening of Agnes Restaurant by critically acclaimed chef Ben Williamson was delayed from its scheduled February launch and has instead pivoted to a pop up bakery instead. Constantly being drip fed pictures of their baked goods across all social media platforms, my curiosity finally got the better of me.

 

With its extreme popularity, I was given some valuable advice from friends to line up super early or risk missing out and a huge line. Determined, I set the alarm for 5AM and was second in line at 6.15AM for a 7AM opening. Thank goodness I lined up early though, because when I left the line was around the corner. The menu was made available on the day, I understand it changes daily so it was difficult to find one online. Prices were definitely steep for baked goods, even when considering competitor pricing. It was also a shame that there was no coffee nearby to keep us refreshed during the wait. Special mention to Iron Fist, the bestest friend ever to get up so early and stand in line with me and extra points for bringing coffee (making us the envy of all those in line).

Being second in line, it didn't take us too long to get in. I loved the array of baked goods and we definitely had a hard time making our choice.

Adding to our temptation was the newly baked goodies as they made their way past the counter to the shelf. 

With thanks to the patient staff, we eventually made our selection. They were carefully packed and we were on our way.

Getting home and enjoying them immediately, this was the Baghdad Eggs Pizzaette. With its delicious yoghurt, spicy herbs and runny egg yolk in the centre, it was my favourite of the whole haul. I really enjoyed the light fluffy pizza base and the complex herbal flavours of the pizza. Having said that, it was definitely pricey for what you get given it was considerably smaller than standard single serve pizzas.

This was the highly recommended Almond and Custard Kouign Amann. Originating from Brittany, France, and well known as the fattiest pastry in all of Europe, it was definitely decadent. Made from bread dough with layers of butter and sugar, it was flaky and crisp. I liked the comforting custard centre and it reminded me quite a lot of Portuguese Tarts.

Also trying another variation, this was the Freeze Dried Raspberry and Butter Cream Kouign Amann. The raspberry was nice and tangy whilst the butter cream added a light smooth texture to the pastry. A definite one to get again.

Also getting some doughnuts to go, this was the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut and Lemon Curd and Strawberry Gum Doughnut. Super light and airy, I really enjoyed the bounce when I bit into it. Crisp without being oily, I liked the plain cinnamon one more. 

These were the choux pastries, I had both the Milk Chocolate Choux and Yuzu and Meringue Choux. Obviously the meringue suffered from the trip home, it was too tall for the box sadly. Compared to other choux I've had at places like Sonder, it wasn't as crisp, with the filling having absorbed some of the moisture from the filling. The chocolate one was also more delicate and complex than the yuzu one which was very light on flavour.

By recommendation of Iron Fist, I also got a Basque Cheesecake to go. It was curiously burnt on the top but this was merely the outer shell. Cutting into it reveals a decadent liquid cheesy centre. It was very creamy and rich. I really liked it but was definitely grateful to share it with three others before I overloaded on the self indulgence.

Price Range: $20 - $30pp

Taste: 8.5/10
Value: 5/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 8/10

Pho An - Sunnybank

Checked out Pho An, a fairly popular Vietnamese restaurant in Inala, which has since opened a second store in Sunnybank Plaza. I have yet to try the original store, but since Sunnybank was close, we tried it out. Situated in the food court, it had some exclusive seating along with the standard food court seating. The menu comprised of rice and noodle options along with sides and Vietnamese drinks. Service was friendly, we ordered at the counter and was given a buzzer.

Our food came super quickly and even though we had a buzzer, food was brought to our table. 

My companion ordered a combination pork chop broken rice. It came served with a fried egg, some shaved pork rinds and cabbage salad. There were two small albeit well seasoned pork chops that were tender but a little dry. The rice was generous and the sides ample. 

 

Another companion and I both got the pho. She had special beef whereas I stuck with my usual rare beef. The beef in my bowl wasn't overly generous and was most definitely well done as opposed to rare. There wasn't too much beef either and the soup was fairly bland. On the other hand, I did really enjoy the tender wholesome noodles though.

 

We also ordered a serve of pork skewers on the side, these were mincey and seasoned with a good amount of lemongrass which we enjoyed although it was a little oilier than we would have liked.

Price Range: $10 - $20pp

Taste: 6/10
Value: 6/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 7/10