M's Food Find #55

An overdue food find post from a couple of weeks back. Anna and I decided to head back down to Burswood and this time we had made our reservation a week in advance for it. After our mixed Sirocco experience, we were hoping for a much better one at (A)lure Restaurant and Bar within the Intercontinental Hotel.

Lovely to be greeted with complimentary canape of a smoked salmon mousse in a little icecream waffle cone. It was just cute and the smoked salmon mousse was very mild. Not overpoweringly fishy.

Way better table settings and properly served with linen across our laps.

Presented with the bread plate. Two different ones to share. The lighter looking one was chock full of olives and gave the bread a boost of saltiness and flavour. The darker brown one in the foreground was pumpkin seeds (I think?) had a harder crust but the insides were moist in comparison. Tastes better with the butter.

Anna ordered the lamb rack, about AUD48?

With brie cheese and a mashed potato side. The lamb was perfectly cooked and tender. Lovely pink and properly done in medium. The brie cheese is a perfect touch to the lamb, just adds this garlicky creamy aftertaste.

I ordered the roasted pork belly. No-brainer because I love my pork belly. It was topped generously with a skewer of five AMAZINGLY sweet scallops and a side of mashed potatos with a crust.

Finished with mustard on the side.

price was about AUD42?



The skin was properly crunchy and the meat was properly layered with the right amount of fats. Tender and absorbed the braised flavour well. The sweetness of scallops properly complimented the salty pork.

After such satisfaction, we asked for the dessert menu and took us a while to decide.



The decision: The Bakewell tart with vanilla bean ice cream. I was sold on the ice cream bit.


What a pretty little sight. Don't let that unimpressive looking thin rectangular piece of tart fool you by the way.

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com
The tart was in the perfect temperature, warm and delicious. The vanilla bean ice cream was fragrant and creamy. I love the tart, so much. I wish I had the whole thing and more. The toasted almonds gave the cake-y bit a kick, and that is saying alot because I generally am not a fan of almonds. I would go back and pay AUD17 for it again.

The setting was very dim and very classy. The service was attentive and professional. Overall, levels above that of Sirocco in all aspects. Prices are abit more expensive but well worth every cent and penny more. We used the one-for-one deal for our maincourse with the entertainment book and paid about AUD32 per person. What a steal. I thoroughly enjoyed my alluring experience at (A)lure.

Till my next food find, Mayy xo

M's Food Find #2

Well, what's new? I'm on summer vacation and back at home. All I want to do is to enjoy the comforts of home and pig out. So the other day when Dad had to go out for the night, Mum, sis and I decided to head to the new megamall in Serangoon, NEX. I've never been and that night was buzzing with people. The crowd spinned my head terribly and I wasn't in much of a mood. Had Din Tai Fung for dinner: fried rice with pork chop, xiao long bao and golden friend prawn cake. All very tasty and crispy where it's supposed to be, soft where it's supposed to be.

Since we were all so bloated, we decided on dessert later. Besides at the bus stop, i smelt this guy's durian pancake. Yummy. I really wanted durian I guess. It's one of my favourite indulgences. Found the origin of that smell: Four Season Durians just outside the mega big NTUC Fairprice.

I surely remembered this one well. My aunt had bought me its durian pancakes before and I loved it. Full of real durian creamy goodness, its pancake was soft and complemented the durian filling well. The line at NEX was so long and unmoving. I gave up in the queue and bought durian tarts instead. Looked like pineapple tarts but so much more expensive at $4.20 for 6 tiny round balls.

Photo credits: http://www.fourseasonsdurians.com/
I popped one into my mouth immediately after purchase and found myself unable to speak. For the durian tart filled my mouth, the pastry melting and crumbling nicely and the filling so fragrant of durian. I proclaimed it to be (after I managed to swallow everything) so good, even better than pineapple tarts. I really would have liked to bring it back with me to Perth but the price is too high. It was like my popcorn. I couldn't stop.

So for those of you who love durians as much as I do or less whatever, find your nearest shop and go try one of their products. Any! I'm sure they are bound to satisfy a durian craving if you cant get the real fruit. ;)

Till my next food find, Mayy xo