Play: Exploring Western Australia in Winter (Day 3)

After spending 2 days in Fremantle, we checked out of the hotel and drove into the Perth CBD area... It is about half an hour drive and our first stop is to fill our stomach at Hog's Breath, highly recommended by my ex-colleague who used to study in Perth.

Rustic interior look

More seatings

Bar area

Hog's Breath specialise in Prime Rib Steak which they slow cook for 18 hours. Hubby and me both ordered their Prime Rib Steak (mine is original version and hubby's one is top with egg and bacon). 

They have 3 types of cut to suit different stomach:

1) Traditional cut-about 300g steak

2) Lite cut-about 200g steak

3) Mega cut-about 400g steak

While waiting, the kids got their colour pack... so they are enjoying themselves.

Cheerful girl... always ready for the camera

Our steak has arrived and they look wonderful!

My medium well Natural Prime Rib (Traditional Cut), with mushroom sauce

Hubby's Medium well Aussie Prime Rib (Traditional cut), with BBQ sauce and garlic cream sauce

The steaks are really nice, well cooked and marinated on the outside and still remains juicy inside. Served with crispy and yummy fries, we both enjoyed the meal very much. We even ordered extra chips cause they tasted so good!

After meal, we walked around Northbridge area and bought this huge apple strudel from Corica Cafe as recommended from my ex-colleague as well. The cafe is in this green and grey building... just a few minutes walk from Hog's Breath. The apple strudel is really huge so you might want to share among a few of you :p

Corica Cafe

Nice dessert on display

The huge apple strudel which are store in the fridge behind the cashier, they are too big to go into the display cakes area

See how big the apple strudel is...

We also bought some vegetable (brocollini, peas and tomatoes) to cook some porridge for the kids for dinner....

Check in at Novotel Langley Perth was quick and we got a room on the second level... wanted to get a room higher up but for family room (with two double beds), they are only located on 2nd and 3rd floor... Car park is available at the basement of the hotel at additional cost. There are also some roadside parking where you pay the parking fees using parking machine. 

Room are spacious, comfortable beds, bathroom with bathtub and a fridge. However, room doesn't come with a locked safe... Washing machine and dryer are located at the basement where guest could do their own washing if need to.

Room with double bed

Bathroom with bath tub

Mini bar

bathroom

Amenities

Hubby went to return the car as we will be in the city centre for a few days... and the kiddos can't wait to try the apple strudel.... both eagerly posing for pics because they know after pic time, they get to eat the apple strudel :)

And this is indeed the biggest apple strudel i have ever eaten...

Look at the boy's cheeky face....

While we eating, hubby walking back from city centre

After a satisfying dessert time, both took their nap.....and when daddy is back from returning the car, mummy went for a shopping spree at the city centre :) yay!!!

Sleeping well

I went to explore the city centre, find out where have nursing room etc but in the end, didn't have time to bring the kiddos to walk in the centre... we found ourselves other entertainment instead.

For those travelling to Perth with kids, there is nursing room at this David Jones outlet in the CBD area, it is quite big and have a few rooms for breastfeeding...its located on the first floor.

For dinner, i cook some porridge for the kids.. they have been eating outside food for the past few days and its time to detox.

To do that, I used my portable electric cooker. This is really one of my best investment. Its a electric pot and u can basically cook anything in it. I usually use this to cook porridge and also to boil hot water especially when the electric jug at the hotel is not that clean...

View from top

Portable electric cooker

Porridge for dinner

After porridge, they had a good time watching tv and drinking apple berry juice.

Satisfied... after meal, enjoying their drinks

Some play time cum tv time before sleeping :)

Tomorrow, its the time to explore the zoo :) Sweet dreams baby!

Day 4: Perth Zoo: http://eatplaycook22.blogspot.sg/2014/07/exploring-western-australia-in-winter.html

Cook: Tiramisu (egg-less version)

Tiramisu :)

Difficulty: 2/5

I was travelling for the past 2 weeks and came across this super yummy tiramisu from a restaurant in Perth called Ciao Italia. They serve the best tiramisu i have ever tasted.. So, came a thought to re-create the tiramisu during my trip. This is the first time i made desserts during travelling... it was fun, buying local ingredient and whipping up the dessert in someone else's kitchen... 

Although, i didn't manage to recreate the exact taste from the restaurant, but i am happy with my piece of work :) yummy! and love the feeling of cooking overseas :)

INGREDIENT:

(serves 4)

1. 12 sponge fingers

2. 4 teaspoon of coffee powder

3. 2 teaspoon of cocoa powder

4. 250g of mascarpone cheese

5. 6 tablespoon of thickened cream

6. 3 teaspoon of sugar

7. Half teaspoon of vanilla extract

8. Cocoa powder for dusting

Woolsworth Select Thickened Cream and Mascarpone Cheese

METHODS:

1. Add half cup of warm water into the coffee and cocoa mixture. Stir well and set aside.

2. For kids version without coffee, add half cup warm water into mixture of 4 teaspoon cocoa and 1 tablespoon of sugar.

3. Mix well mascarpone cheese, thickened cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Taste and see if the sweetness is suitable, if not, add more sugar.

4. Soak the fingers one by one in the coffee mixture until it is well soak. I mashed it a bit so that it can fit into the cup and wine glass.

5. Then add the mascarpone cheese mixture onto the sponge biscuit layer.

6. Repeat step 4 and 5. 

7. Sprinkle a layer of cocoa powder.

8. Repeat step 4 and 5 again.

9. Lastly, sieve a layer of cocoa powder on the top.

10. Chill in fridge for at least 4 hours to let the layers soak up together and serve :) Enjoy!

Nicely decorated in wine glass

Close up of the tiramisu layers

Play: Exploring Western Australia in Winter (Day 2)

After a good night sleep, we had some cereal and biscuit for breakfast. Then its time to shower and get ready to explore this little town called Fremantle. 

Early morning, little Justin already start his mischievous engine. He wanted to hide there at the corner with his mickey mouse.. doesn't want to come out

Finally, both showered and getting ready to go out. Say cheese to the camera :) Jaclyn wanted to wear her hello kitty skirt, so added more layers for her, scared weather too cold for her.

My princess and prince.

We strolled to the Fremantle Market which only opens from Friday to Sunday. Its Sunday today so we were lucky...

Entrance to the Fremantle Market

Opening hours: Friday 9am-8pm, Sat & Sun 9am-6pm

The market features 2 main areas- One area sells fruits, vegetables, some hot cooked food. And the second area sells more of clothing, jewellery etc. 

I find that the fruits vegetable side is more appealing, fruits are fresh and at reasonable prices, we bought persimmon and cherry. We were a little  hungry and we saw this lady eating a bowl of paella, it looks so yummy so we bought 2 shares. Its nice and warm, good to eat in this weather but taste wise, its normal.. nothing fantastic. And it cost $7 per bowl which is quite pricey cause its quite a small portion.

Mushroom Paella

Eating her favourite mushroom

Today is also the Sunflower's Dash by The Leukaemia Foundation, so we joined in the fun. Plenty of people running around, with a sunflower pin on them... that is quite a sight!

Saw a museum on our way to the Roundhouse, can't remember the name of the museum. We didn't visit the museum but we did make good use of the plot of grass in front of the museum for the kids to unwind the muscle....

The museum

Roaming freely

Running to mummy

Roundhouse is one of the historical building in Fremantle, its worth a visit but don't expect much. Its basically a roundhouse and one area with a canon and some flags, thats all.

Actually, although its called a roundhouse, its actually not round, its more of an optical illusion as the building is made up of 12 walls.... 

There is no admission fees to the roundhouse although donations are encouraged.

Time to rest our legs and have some hot food. Choose Vietnamese food cause has been eating western yesterday, so wanted to kids to have some rice. We checked on TripAdvisor and iPho has quite a good review so decided to give it a try.

Playing with cutlery

We had Com Tan, which is vietnamese rice (its a smaller grain compared to usual rice), it comes with a grilled pork, salad, soup, vermicelli omelet etc. This was a great dish... especially love the grilled pork, very yummy!

Com Tan

Qin wanted noodle, so ordered a chicken glass noodle. The soup base is flavourful and noodle is also nice. Thumbs up!

Chicken Soup Noodle

After lunch, we drove around the town and went to The Reject Shop and Woolsworth for some shopping. Bought some food stuff, muffin tray, kid's toothbrush, shampoo, body wash etc.. Jaclyn also bought a Barbie doll, its her FIRST barbie doll. Now having promotion at Woolsworth at $9 and its a steal, so bought one for her :) She is very excited and happy with her new barbie.. keep hugging it.

Jaclyn and her Barbie

Time for nap for the kids.... After napping, its dinner time. Its all dark outside again.... Decided to go for chinese for dinner, saw Joy Kitchen while we explore the surroundings this morning so went there to try...

Joy Kitchen

Its a nice cosy place, elegantly decorated with white table cloth. The service is also good and attentive. This is the first restaurant who placed paper beneath kids' high chair... i think this initiative is good, although it doesn't look nice but very very practical...So, doesn't need to worry that kids made a mess during meal cause they got it all covered. Haha!

While waiting for dinner...

Messing around again.

Dinner is here....

Chef's special- clay pot fish and mushroom with ginger.. nothing spectacular

Stir fry brocollini and snow peas with chopped almond. Nice and refreshing vegetable with a crunch. thumbs up!

Roast duck, covered in crispy batter, dip in duck sauce.... Very nice!

After a satisfying meal, went back hotel to have some cherry that we bought in the morning. Jaclyn loves them, Justin just playing and didn't eat much!

Exploring Western Australia in Winter (Day 3): 

http://eatplaycook22.blogspot.sg/2014/07/play-exploring-western-australia-in_13.html