This is for the Foodies...

Alright guys, let's talk food. I bet you are wondering what an intern living in Australia must eat, and I will answer that question very simply: not much.

Carbs are my best friend because they are the cheapest, and I'm starting to wonder how much tuna my body can digest before I fall into a mercury-induced coma.  I have relapsed into eating Fusion noodles at least once every other day, and on the off days I have eggs - twice.  There is a nice little market in Kings Cross on Saturday mornings where I have gotten fresh, ripe bananas and apples - but that is basically as natural as my diet comes. I am going to blame this on "getting into a routine" and "not wanting to waste food because I am only cooking for one", but I promise I will get better at my grocery shopping, and I will update you all once that happens. [Don't hold your breath in the meantime]. 

Last week, my amazing friend Verena (whom I met when I studied abroad in Brisbane early last year), came down to Sydney from BrisVegas on a work trip SLASH hangout-with-Cary trip. It was great to reunite after almost 1.5 years! One of the best things about her visit - other than seeing her beautiful Canadian face - was that we went out on the town and ate REAL food. My tuna/noodle/egg diet was put on hold for two delicious nights, in which we ate like Queens (comparatively speaking, that is).  The first night we went over to her friend's house and were treated to a food platter full of assorted meats, cheeses, dips and more, which was also accompanied with a glorious chicken salad.  All in all, it was great food and great company! 

The next night, I met Verena after work and we went to an "authentic" Mexican restaurant - well, as authentic as you can get on this side of the world - for margaritas and, of course, guacamole and chips.  It's a hard life I live over here without Chipotle or Qdoba, so when I see guac on the menu, it's basically like Christmas morning. After margs and guac, we wandered the streets of Surrey Hills (not too far from Bashful, in a neighborhood next to Paddington) until we found Bodega, a super nice Argentinian tapas restaurant which is known to be always packed with happy restaurant-goers.  Spoiler alert: it was the best food I have had, and probably will have, in a very very long time... 

"So yum!"

Alright, Pavlov, ring the bell and cue the salivation...now: steamed milk bun, BBQ tongue, crab, salsa golf - first dish. Char-grilled calamari, broccoli, almonds, aioli, bottarga - second dish. Dutch carrots, fried cauliflower, smoked labna, tahini - third dish.  Lamb neck, BBQ radicchio, rosemary, anchovy, eggplant & pine nut puree - fourth...  I have NO idea what half of those ingredients are, but each dish was a different - yet equally exciting - burst of flavor which captivated my taste buds.  Like I said before: it was the best food I have had, and probably will have, in a very VERY long time... 

Verena left Sydney to go back to Brisbane, just as quickly as my tuna/noodle/egg diet came back into my life.  Which, really, I am content with because the more often I eat cheap, the more I can save up to go to treat myself to a good meal once again! 

Cheers!