IKEA Food for FREE!

I’m quite surprised to know that not many people are aware of IKEA’s current promotion – “I could eat an armchair” where the amount you spend at IKEA restaurant will be taken off your store purchase. (term & condition)  This offer ends this Friday, so if you are interested then rush to IKEA!!

I actually didn’t have anything particularly that I wanted to buy, but since sister-in-law is here from Jakarta we took her to IKEA for lunch yesterday.  We ate around $33 worth food, and got $33 worth IKEA items for free!

It’s not only IKEA, but many shops in Perth are starting Sunday trading from next week.  Perth is changing.  I remember when I came here in 2003….  I had a huge culture shock when I found out shops are closed on Sunday.  For me, weekends are the time people go shopping!

Hmmm…. by the way, I’ve already started shopping from Japanese online shops….  I’m gonna ask my dad to bring them to Bali then I can take them home here in Perth.  (thank you, dad)  I wasn’t gonna buy many things, but it’s so hard….  There are so many things that I want to buy from Japan!!  On my last homecoming trip to Japan, we had total of 50kg allowance for check-in luggage, but we had to leave half of what we bought there because our luggage were already over 50kg.  So, imagine how many things we bought during our stay there….  It’s crazy.

It’s kinda shame that there is no Daiso in Bali.  Well, but we are not going to Bali for shopping.  We are going there to RELAX and EAT  I can’t wait!

CN Mart in Myaree

Near the entrance of Hulme Court, just off Mc’Coy street, there is a new Korean grocery shop in Myaree.  This CN Mart (Corean N oriental grocer) is owned by the same owner as Hanaro Mart (just few minutese drive from CN Mart), and they have wide range of food, drinks and household items.

Most items are Korean, of course, but they carry lots of Japanese food as well.  I used to go to Hanaro Mart often to buy a tin of boiled azuki bean.  Korean one is much cheaper than Japanese one, and it taste the same.  My friends also go there to get some cosmetics and massage items.

Why they have 2 shops in the same suburb?  It’s because owner wanted to separate the items each shop carries.  CN Mart carries grocery items, and the original Hanaro Mart (address below) carries  only liquor, including Japanese sake and shochu.

I wanted to buy kinako (soy bean powder) but I couldn’t find anywhere.  Nippon Food in Subiaco always didn’t have it in stock.  So I called CN Mart and they said they have the Korean version.  They actually got 2 types, roasted and non-roasted.  I didn’t know the difference as we only have one type of “kinako” in Japan, but the staff said the roasted one is more common and is for mochi etc.  That’s what I was after!  So I bought it.

I also bought Korean sake (cooking wine).  Just wanted to try if there is any difference between Korean and Japanese.

The owner is super friendly and kind.  I’m sure I will be using this shop very often.

Hanaro Mart

7/67 North Lake Road, Myaree WA
0411 38 1101

CN Mart 

Hulme Court, Myaree WA
08 9317 4885

McValue with Free Newspaper

Have a Breakfast McValue Meal® and you can get a free copy of The Sunday Times!

This offer starts from the 11th of April for a limited time only, and is only available until 10:30AM.  McValue Meal®  includes Hash Brown and Small Espresso Pronto as well.

I saw this ad on The Sunday Times I was reading at McDonald’s yesterday.  It was late afternoon and I felt like something cold – perhaps frozen coke or thick shake –  but I got $2 Chicken McBites and a chocolate sundae in the end.  I still got to read The Sunday Times for free coz someone had left it on the table.

Was I the only person who didn’t know that McDonald had started showing the calories of the each food item on the menu panel?  It’s just like Japan – everywhere you go you get to see the calorie of each food on the menu.  I heard that other fast food chains (KFC, Hungry Jack etc) are also going to show calories of each item on the menu board.  You know, it’s good thing that you get to know how much calories you are getting by eating the food, but at the same time you just have to compare this item is lower calorie than others and sometimes chose the item that you weren’t planning to order.  That’s what happens to me every time I dine at family restaurants and cafes in Japan.  I feel like eating cheesy chicken and vegetable pasta, but I end up ordering a healthy wa-fu mushroom pasta instead.  It’s just because I see the calories on the menu.

Anyway, get back to the free The Sunday Times thing.  You can also get a free copy from Spud Shed when you spend $5 or more at one transaction.  I’m not sure if all Spud Shed do this, but Jandakot one does! Sometimes you need to ask for it at the casher though.  Oh, and McDonald’s free newspaper offer is only available in WA too!

Nippon Food Subiaco April Special

Sale items for April (01 – 30) 2012 at Nippin Food in Subiaco!

• Dashi powder 60g $6.80 → $5.40
• Inari skin 12P $6.80 → $5.40
• Frozen Japanese sweets Azuki 8P $8.00 → $6.00
• Frozen Japanese sweets Matcha Green Tea 8P $8.20 → $6.20
• Frozen Japanese sweets Mochi Azuki 8P $8.60 → $6.60
• Katsu Sauce 500ml $7.90 → $6.30
• Shiratama-ko Powder (dango powder) 200g $6.20 → $4.90
• Sticky Mochi Rice 2.27kg $12.50 → $10.00
• Goma-dare (sesame dressing/sauce) 500ml $5.90 → $4.50
• Ponzu with Konbu Dashi 600ml $8.70 → $6.90
• Chewing Gum (black/ume) 9P $2.80 → $1.50

New Items:

• Japanese Rice (made in USA) – New Crop
• Frozen Tuna for Sashimi $34/kg
• Mix & Serve Pasta Sauce

etc…

Nippon Food Subiaco

Shop 26, 180 Rokeby Rd
Subiaco WA 6008

(08) 9380 6783

Open:
Mon – Fri 10AM – 6PM
Sat 9AM – 5PM
Sun 11AM – 5PM
Closed on Public Holidays

Onigiri Molds

We got these plastic onigiri shaper from Japan, and made some onigiri (rice balls) last week.

They are very simple to use – just fill steamed rice and filling, then dress up the rice balls with nori sheet, sesame seeds, furikake (seasoning powder for rice) or thinly cooked omelet.

When making onigiri by hand the rice sticks to fingers and it gets messy, but using a mold makes all process easier

First, you need to season the steamed rice with salt.  Just a pinch.

Fill the steamed rice to the mold, and make a tiny hole.

Fill the filling, (I used tuna+Japanese mayonnaise … yum!)

and press it with the lid.

Wrap with nori sheet…

remove the plastic mold, and it’s done!

Another one…

You can do this way too.

Or use small cut nori sheet.

Or just sprinkle black sesame

I remember Nippon Food in Subiaco sells onigiri and sushi molds, if you are interested ↓↓

NIPPON FOOD SUBIACO
Shop 26, 180 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco
Mon – Fri 10am – 6pm / Sat 9am – 5pm
Sun 11am – 5pm
Closed on Public Holidays
(08) 9380 6783