i am number 10

I am number 10 decided to visit Bondi Pizza and do a group review of our meals for the final VLOG submission, we had fun doing it and got to know each other a little better! All in all this was a pretty fun time and we got to eat some good food in the process!!

Welcome to the food blog of ISYS100 group - I am number 10 .  Our group, from Ed Little's 7pm Wednesday class, is made up of Georgia Brown (41966554), Jacob Samuel ( 44849672), Matthew Gale (42343798), Maximillian Mitchell, and Nene Betham. With a mutual interest in good food and great dining experiences, we have put together this blog for readers to have access to comprehensive reviews of a variety of different establishments.  From fast food joints to fine dining, I am number 10 's collaborative food blog has got it covered.  Each review contains a rating based on the restaurant's service and ambience, quality of food and value for money. Bon appetit!

I've moved to lane cove just in the past few months, so the area is relatively new to me and I'm eager to find all the best food spots around my house. In particular stood out a tiny Spanish Tapas restaurant, Encasa. The Location: Located one the Lane Cove Village's main strip, Encasa Restaurant has a quaint charm to it's setting. There's a handful of outdoor tables setup, however the atmosphere is very vibrant within the restaurant itself. I believe during the day it functions sort of like a delicatessen, as they offer several high quality meats & cheeses in a display. The Service/Food Quality: I found the staff at Encasa to be overall very attentive however, they were completely overbooked and very crowded, as to be expected for a Friday night I suppose. We booked a table for 9pm, which we thought wouldn't be an issue since it was so late in the evening, yet the place was still completely packed. To make up for the fact that our table was not ...

I noticed this week that Snag Stand was running a student offer. Meaning as long as you're a student and show you're student card along with any purchase of a Snag will be a free drinks and chips. This was a great idea and as I was waiting for my 7pm class I thought why not grab a Snag with some free chips and a drink. I'd been to Snag Stand before but not in Macquarie. The Pitt St. Mall location was really nice so I thought it'd be just as great. I decided on the Wagyu Beef Snag which is A Wagyu sausage with butter & garlic mash, sautéed onions, crispy shallots, chives, herbed gravy in a brioche type hot dog bun. I presented my student card and got the free chips and chose a bottle of water as my drink. As the chips were free and I was really hungry I thought i'd give the onion rings a try. Rank out 5 with justification I'd give this place a total score of 3/5. It's a nice place to go once in a while. Taste I'd give this hot dog a ...

Mr Q's Chinese restaurant is located conveniently on the corner of Parramatta Rd and Norton St, Leichardt. For my girlfriend and I, this is our go-to takeaway store as it is a quick walk from her place and also has free local delivery for when you just don't wanna go out in the cold! The restaurant itself is quaint and comfortable, it has the feel that they really know what they are doing and have a lot of experience, this is most definitely reflected in their food!        I generally get delivery or  just takeaway, although the other night decided to have dinner in the restaurant. We were greeted with warm smiles and extremely quick service, which is my favourite thing when I choose to eat out. I ordered a serve of honey chicken, mongolian lamb and an enormous bowl of special fried rice. This has to be one of the most authentic and delicious Chinese restaurants I've ever been to, everything here was spot on, the only problem I had was almost not bein...

I've recently moved to the Lane Cove area, and while I really enjoy living here, heading down to the main restaraunt area can be a bit of a bother for a morning coffee/breakfast. There is however one tiny cafe just down the road from where I live, Bella Bacio Cafe offers a wide range of specialty coffee and brunch-style menu until 2pm. The Location: Located just below an apartment complex, Bella Bacio's location is not amazingly pretty, however extremely convenient for locals. There's plenty of parking out front and it's close to a bit of a nature walk, so you could even grab your coffee to-go and walk along that bush trail. The Service/Food Quality: I found the staff at Bella Bacio Cafe to be fairly friendly, however perhaps a little too busy for their own good. When you order food you order and pay at the same time, then seat yourself, no waiters etc... Unfortunately the gentleman who took my order was on the phone the whole time, but I understand, they s...

If there is one food in this world I love more than anything it is definitely pizza. Little Caesars is a pizza store franchise originating from the U.S which began in 1959 in Detroit, Michigan. With so much time in the industry, I believe they have perfected the business balance of quality, quantity and service. The Leichardt store was recently opened in January this year and has seen a fantastic trade in its short time here on Marion street, their central location and excellent service has helped see this thriving business take off, with locals generally choosing it over other more popular pizza joints. The service for me has been exceptional every time I have been there, the guys and girls are all light-hearted and love to have a laugh and the pizza is always ready quickly. The option of a "Hot-n-ready" menu is brilliant as they have a selection of pizzas you can walk in and get straight away without having to wait any more than 5 minutes. They have a great selection of...

This week I popped into Inlakesh for lunch as I plan on reducing my meat intake. It's situated in the Macquarie Centre. The place serves as a cafe and a organic shop as they have a wide variety of health food available to purchase. I chose the alkalizing green veggie salad which had quinoa,broccoli, kale, beans, asparagus, avocado salsa, tamari and lime dressing. As this dish was lacking in protein aside from the quinoa i ordered p olenta coated silken tofu to go with it. First off I thought this dish would be cold as it was a salad but it was served warm which was really nice. The tofu was amazing and the coating made them crispy but soft and cooked in the middle.  In terms of price the salad is $16.50 and with the tofu on top it's another $5. Total $21.50. Quite pricey but you pay for fresh and this was all organic. I would definitely go there again and order this dish probably because I am hoping to eat more plant based foods. I'd give this place a 7.5/10. Serv...

The Milestone hotel located in Marion St, Leichardt, is a relatively quiet pub and bistro with the crowd there being mostly older people. I really wanted a beer and a pub meal so I decided as it was close to home to go check it out.  As it goes it was a pretty standard small pub layout with a bistro, bar, small liquor store, plenty of live sport and an outdoor beer garden. View of the bar and a few of the MANY tv screens! We took  little time to order, with fairly general pub food on the menu it was an easy choice for me, getting a grilled chicken burger with avocado, lettuce, bacon, avocado, aioli and a refreshingly spicy sweet chilli sauce. My girlfriend ordered the Angus rump steak with a generous side salad and serving of chips. The food was absolutely delicious, I was honestly impressed by the quality as I was not expecting anything that good! Everything was presented well and of high quality plus the nicest garlic aioli I have had in a long time!...

Recently I traveled roughly 4 hours south of Sydney to a quaint beach town, Durras. During this visit, there really weren't a lot of food options available, however our Airbnb hosts highly recommended the local Holiday Resort, in particular the Beachfront Bistro. We had eaten along the way so we really weren't overly hungry, but thought we'd stop in for a drink or two, and later we were tempted into a gorgeously presented dessert. The Location: Located on the beachfront of one of the most isolated and crystal clear beaches I've come across in Australia. I would say that the Restaurant's primary benefit is the gorgeous location it's situated in. The venue itself however may not be appealing to some due to it's rather integrated construction with the Hotel infrastructure. If you're looking for a place that truly feels like a "date" - this venue might not be ideal, as there were a fair few children who were staying with their parents for a c...

On Friday night I was a little pushed for time on my way to work and decided to stop at Newtown Chicken shop. Conveniently located just outside the train station, they host a great range of salads, burgers and other takeaway items. Hot food display, The southern style chicken is awesome! I ordered the "fire-breather" burger, grilled chicken breast and salad loaded up with house made chilli mayo and jalapenos, I unfortunately forgot to get  A photo of it as I was in a rush but as far as takeaway goes it was well made and well presented and quite delicious. Yummy salad bar, peri peri pasta, sign me up! In terms of service, receiving my meal was quick despite the number of other customers and volume of orders the cooks had to deal with. The only downside I could point out was that the girl serving me was quite rude and didn't really have a whole lot of customer service skills. All in all, I would recommend this shop to friends in need of a quick bite or befo...

This week I had not prepared much food for home so I thought I'd grab a quick meal with all the essentials - carbs, protein and veggies. I went to East West Gourmet located in the Mandarin Centre in Chatswood. This place has always been reliable for providing a quick meal that fills you up, in particular the Heinan Chicken Rice. There's 2 options for ordering. You can order the breast which is $10 or the thigh which is $11. I usually go for the breast as it's leaner, has more protein and the serving is bigger. The thigh costs a bit more as it is a bit fattier and Asian's tend to prefer thigh. The meal comes out in no less than 2 minutes with a large chicken breast, Heinese chicken rice and a soup with bok choi in it. The chicken rice is what really makes the dish as the rice has been cooked in the chicken stock giving it lots of flavour. The breast is actually served cold to preserve the tenderness as heating the breast can often dry it out. This also locks i...

Mama's Buoi, Surry Hills The venue/location: Mama's Buoi (a play on the phrase "mama's boy") is a modern vietnamese restaurant. They have two locations in Sydney - Surry Hills and Crows Nest - and two others in Victoria. The venue has a funky vibe, is well designed and casual. It has booths for groups, small tables, large tables and window seats. It is always busy, but their seating options and speed of service means you never have to wait long for a table. The food/drinks: I have to admit, I'm a bit of a regular here and I can't go past the To Bun - a vermicelli noodle salad bowl. The lemongrass pork with pork spring rolls option is the best. It is fresh and filled with veges, delicious marinated pork and perfectly cooked vermicelli noodles. It is massive - very filling and the best combination of textures and flavours. And all for just $16. As for the other options on the menu, I have also had a duck curry and that was excellent too, ...

Sake Restaurant & Bar Restaurant Aesthetics Again I find myself in The Rocks for a Japanese Sake Restaurant and Bar, locate at 12 Argyle Street, The Rocks  2000 , Australia. Immediately this restaurant stood out to me as it gave the feel to someone who has travelled to japan the atmosphere of a real authentic Japanese dining experience. The lighting perfectly represented a typical Japanese restaurant and with visual displays not only on the walls of Japanese art but the simple layout of the tables articulated Japanese culture. That being the flower arrangement in the centre with the correct positioning of utensils and glass wear. The overall architectural design of the restaurant really personifies the Japanese lifestyle from the design of the roof to the thick wooden poles that come down from the roof. If you are seeking an authentic Japanese experience, just looking at the interior I can already recommend Sake Restaurant and Bar. Food and service Once entering...

Relish, Surry Hills The venue/location: Relish is a trendy sandwich shop/cafe on a quiet corner of Surry Hills. People who work nearby flock here  for lunch  every day, both to eat in and take away. There are two big communal tables and some seats at the window. Because of the location of the cafe, it is more likely frequented by locals and people who work in the area than by passersby. On this occasion, I went just after the lunch rush, at 2pm, so it was easy to find a seat at one of the tables.  The food: Relish has an array of food options, that are mostly healthy with some more comfort-food type options. They have a generous sandwich menu, four or five different salads on offer, gourmet pies, vegetarian quiche, and 'health boxes' which contain things like broccoli, grilled salmon and a boiled egg. I have been here a number of times and have tried quite a few things off the menu. This time I opted for the Relish Ploughman's sandwich. It had ham, gherkins...

The WaterFront Restaurant Aesthetics This week I travelled to the Rocks in Darling harbor to revisit on of my personal favourite restaurants of all time Waterfront , unlike the previous dining environments the owners of the waterfront present a upmarket and sophisticated dining experience, encompasses with highly trained waiters, chefs and a spectacular view of the Harbour Bridge. The outdoor environment allows for cool winds to pass through whilst also sheltering you from undesirable weather such as rain. Food and service Upon arrival we were quickly greeted at the front entrance with a minor but nice conversation about how we got there and if we were doing well, before being quickly allocated a table and greeted by a waiter. We were then given a brief explanation of the menu including specials and recommended dishes and wines that the waiter believed would suit our taste. The prices of the Waterfront range from $15 all the way up to $230 for a seafood plater how...

  Latitude 30 The venue/location: I stopped by Latitude 30 on my return journey from visiting Brisbane. This quaint little restaurant has a wonderful ocean-side view which fit's the primarily seafood menu quite well. Located in Coffs Harbour, the weather is suitable for outside seating most of the year. After eating you can take a rather nice walk up the cliff-side overlooking the ocean, which is absolutely gorgeous around sunset. Also there's an Ice Cream store nearby, so if you've still got some room left, it can be nice to have dessert whilst on an ocean-side walk.  The food and drinks: Overall I found it to be a little on the pricey side - however considering the view, I was okay with this fact. I ordered their crispy black pepper squid, as well as their Salmon Gravlax, each were roughly $18-22. I ordered a glass of White Wine also, a 2016 Riesling by Jim Barry Vineyards which paired rather nicely with the two dishes. Both of the dishes were presented quite...

Visited a local favourite, The Runaway Spoon, in Lindfield last Sunday for brunch. The atmosphere was buzzing and most tables were full. Managed to get a table for two and ordered their Mushroom & Calabrian Pesto Bruschetta with poached eggs, rocket & shaved parmesan. This dish was on their Weekend Brunch menu serving from7am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. I was very impressed regardless of the price - $19.30. Fairly pricey but it filled me up and what i liked most about it was that the pesto was tomato base instead of your typical basil. This gave a lot of flavour and blended in nicely with the eggs. Considering they were poached, the eggs absorbed all of the other ingredients particularly the parmesan. Service wise, fairly quick and the waitresses were very polite and efficient in having us seated and taking our orders baring in mind how many people were there. The place itself has a nice setting and very open. I'll be uploading more pictures shortly. One can sit ins...

Restaurant Aesthetics This week I headed over to Criniti's Darling Harbour located on the harbour walk facing the water, Critini's offers a high end dining environment which personifies a friendly and exciting environment. Critini's has become well known for its specialised and rather over the top, 2 metre pizzas. Critini's offers a large dining area with the options of eating insider or outside which has a opened view of Darling Harbour. The two main aestheti cs that differentiate this restaurant from ones I have visited in the past is the open kitchen for pizzas, customers are able to observe their pizza being made thus insuring the staff stick to a high quality production. Secondly the design of the bar, the bar encompasses a large motorbike above the alcohol, although it has no specific function it definitely adds a nice visual effect. Food and service One thing you will always be certain about if you eat at Critini's is that you will always find someth...

L'il Darlin, Surry Hills The venue/location: Li'l Darling is a funky little cocktail bar on Elizabeth St in Surry Hills - just a short walk from Central station. It is the perfect post-work drinks venue for a Friday night. Upon arrival, the host greets you at the door, points you to a table and hands you a menu.  The atmosphere is buzzing, though it is very busy and in turn very loud. You have to raise your voice quite a bit to have a conversation. The food and drinks: The best thing about this place is the cocktails, and from 5pm til 7pm each night it's happy hour - and the cocktails are $10 each.  After much deliberation, we order 1 x Bohemian Sour, and 1 x The Mad Hatter. We also order some sweet potato fries to snack on. The fries arrive first and they are honestly some of the best sweet potato fries I have ever tasted. Crispy on the outside and fluffy inside - and the aioli that comes with them is the perfect accompaniment. Not long after, the dr...

Friggitoria, Potts Point The venue/location: Nestled in among a row of casual eateries on Bayswater Rd, Friggitoria is a low-key restaurant offering Italian street food made fresh on the premises.   Equipped with a bottle of medium-bodied Shiraz, I approached the venue and took a seat at a table out the front. The takeaway-style restaurant is very casual, with only a handful of tables inside and out. However, eating in is encouraged, with friendly customer service and complimentary cups provided, free of corkage fees - albeit plastic. The ambience is relaxed and they have a great mix of music playing at an appropriate volume. The food: For an entree, I ordered a bolognese arancini which was very generously sized. It had excellent flavours and the contrasting textures were great. However, the outside was a bit too salty for my taste. Due to its size, I opted not to finish, so as to save space for my main. The arancini cost $8 each. The beauty of Frigittoria ...

On the 10th of April I visited TC brothers on Canterbury Road, the business is well known with its area for top of the line pizzas, kebabs and HSPs. As far as unbalanced diets go for university students mine ranks amongst the best, so immediately this sparked my interest. The businesses location is very easy to locate as it faces a very high traffic road which leads in and out of Bansktown whilst also connecting many other small suburbs. Upon entering the restaurant we were immediately greeted with  a friend face and a conversation sparked. The colloquialism of the staff was funny and it was clear that a sense of humor and commitment to customer satisfaction was important. The extensive menu covered all forms of meat, in styles such as pizzas, kebabs, HSPS and even offered alternative dietary options such as vegetarian. The prices ranged from as low as $8 for a basic HSP to $22 for a full sized family pizza (to which I naturally purchased...