Simple Food

It may be because I’m trying to do so in my head, but my mind is already in Japan.  Wouldn’t it better and more fun if I think about Japan a lot and tell myself “hey you are going to be there in few days!”  It’ll make myself feel more exciting once I arrive Japan.  :)

What certainly enhanced this feeling was this sekihan (red sticky rice)

Sekihan is sticky rice cooked with azuki beans, and it’s a traditional Japanese dish for celebrations.  My friend cooked it for me when I visited her house last week   As you can tell from the photo, it was so delicious…!  

Sekihan with soup and pickles: it may look like a tiny meal, but this is how I like the meal to be!  I always thought a meal in Australia is such huge portion.  I’m even happy to just eat a bowl of steamed rice with pickles and a bowl of soup every night!  (especially after watching Grave of Fireflies)

Too much is not a good thing, I believe.  ”Just right” or “little less” is the best. (腹八分目)  It’s not only for food, but other stuff as well such as toys, clothes, time, etc.  If there is a limit, whatever it is, you will appreciate it.

I’m seriously thinking to stay in a temple while I’m in Japan!  Even one day, experiencing monk’s life in a temple may clean up my mind and spirit.  … I don’t think staying in a temple will happen to me this time, but I hope to visit a temple and sit down there, listening to myself.  While I was a elementary school student, it was a school’s event that all students had to visit a temple to listen to a monk’s story.  Back then I kind of didn’t like it and thought “why we had to come here in such a hot day” etc.  I didn’t appreciate it.  So were other students.  Now, however, I miss it, and appreciate the monk who took his time to do even though we (students) weren’t keen to the story.

Wait until April

It’s been soooo… hot  :(  Summer is not my season, I’m so weak against the heat and my body has been really weird.  Headache, sleepy, tired, and annoyment…   I go out for walking in the evening so that I can feel cool air on my face and body.

I have been planning to go to Tenkadori in Subiaco (please see the comments on my old post) to try their yakitori, but I heard that they are still not opened at night.

I could talk to the head chef in this restaurant.  He told me that the boss (owner) is currently in Japan, and they are still waiting for the liquor license to be approved.  All the equipments and menu has been organised already, and they assume they will get the liquor license very soon.  So, they will start opening at night with Yakitori menu after the boss comes back (after 8th of March)

Too bad, I will be in Japan by then.  Well, I will go there after I come back to Perth :p

I was thinking which Japanese restaurant I should go to with my friend. Then I thought “hey I’m going to Japan in few days.  Maybe I shouldn’t go to Japanese restaurant in Perth.  I can enjoy lots of nice food in Japan.”  That is true…  I guess I will postpone the night out and try Tenkadori after April.

C 15 Applecross

This cafe is one of my favorite.  The food is nice, friendly staff and the atmosphere is good  Today was little cooler compared with the last few days, and my friends and I sit back and enjoyed the food at this cafe on this weekend.

Our favorite food there is .. pancake! Big volume, soft and fluffy and I love the sauce!

They, of course, make food on order and you will be so spoiled with this freshly made pancake..  Dusted cinnamon sugar and juicy blueberry compote is a great match.  2 of my friends ordered this pancake and one asked the staff to serve the blueberry sauce separately.  

I, on the other hand, ordered French toast this time.

This is also dusted with cinnamon.  It was so good, sweet, juicy and pretty filling

My friend really loved the freshly squeezed orange juice.  You can choose between 100% bottled juice, or hand-squeezed one. She chose hand-squeezed juice and it was delicious ♪

Ummm, what a perfect brunch  

We sometimes need a treat for ourselves, and for me this was it.

C15 Espresso.

15 Riseley St Applecross WA 6153      (08) 9316 4242

Cupcakes

It’s little late, but… my husband and nephew made cupcakes for me for my birthday.

They followed my recipe Moist and Fluffy Cupcake Recipe.

They found it’s difficult to pipe out the butter icing on the top of the cupcakes.  (by the way I was the one who prepared the icing in a piping bag for them so that they could just play around with it)

Well, they look good enough, and very delicious  Thank you guys!

High Tea at Duxton Hotel

The other day my friend and I went to Duxton Hotel for high tea.  We were actually thinking between Hilton and Hyatt, then we decided neither in the end and went to Duxton.

As the high tea hours at Duxton Hotel is for 3 hours, from 2pm to 5pm, my friend and I gathered at the lobby just before 2pm so that we could enjoy the whole 3 hours there.  I was driving and trying to find a parking spot in the city, then I noticed some of the parking spots are now not free until 6pm on Saturdays.  It used to be free after 12:30 on Saturdays before.  Anyway I could find a free spot just few meters away from Duxton, and ran to the lobby!

I guess we’re the first customer for high tea.  We sat down, and ordered chai tea and mixed fruits tea.

Although I was pretty hungry, I couldn’t finish the food.  It’s not only because we’re so busy talking, but also I found the food was very.. common.   I was little disappointed.  I felt like the tower of sweets and savories, except for the sandwiches, was just taken out from a box from suppliers.  And scone was little bit hard and dry.

I paid $28.00 for the food.  I don’t want to compare again, but you could enjoy dessert buffet at hotels in Japan with 1500 yen (about AUD$15~20.00) and it’s “all you can eat”.  $28.00 for a scone, tart, sandwich and a pot of tea was little too expensive, I thought.

<Duxton High Tea Menu>