Brisbane has become the epicenter of modern and creative Asian cuisine. Incidentally, Brisbane’s Asian restaurants are also some of the best restaurants in Brisbane. For your road trips in Australia, these restaurants are a must-visit.
FantAsia
FantAsia Brisbane offers Asian fast food. By using traditional cooking methods and local, seasonal produce, FantAsia delivers fresh and authentic Asian flavors without the price and wait of typical Asian cuisine restaurants.
The main attraction at FantAsia is the Tokyo Beef entree, which complements the lemongrass and ginger tea.
Sake
Sake Restaurant and Bar focuses on contemporary Japanese cuisine with hints of California and European flavors. The restaurant offers private dining rooms as well as communal banquet dining area.
Sake’s signature dishes include steamed prawn dumplings and ‘glacier 51’ tooth-fish lettuce cups.
Asian-Szechuan Bang Bang Cuisine
Inspired by the traditional cuisine of the Sichuan Province, Asian-Szechuan has brought Southwest China flavors to Brisbane. Cooking methods that date back 2,000 years add to the customary tang.
Black fungus and tofu skin salad with garlic and chili oil is offered as an entrée. The less adventurous can opt for a classic dish like Sichuan beef hot pot.
Golden Barbeque
Focusing on classic Chinese BBQ, Golden Barbeque offers large portions and authentic flavors. This hidden gem offers a mom and pop environment with economic prices. Check out their staple dish of BBQ duck.
Taigum Gardens
Taigum Gardens has a vast array of Chinese cuisine options inspired by multiple Chinese delicacies. Large portions and high-quality meats can be expected from this quint restaurant, which is geared to adults. Must-try dishes include the crispy honey beef, the traditional roast duck, and the mango ice cream.
Happy Boy
Located on Mein St., this hidden gem focuses on Chinese cuisine with hints of French and Italian inspiration. Happy Boy offers a small, charming space in a converted warehouse. Recommendations include the dried fried green beans, salt and pepper prawns and pork belly sliders.
Bird’s Nest Yakitori & Bar
Bird’s Nest brings traditional Japanese Yakitori to Brisbane. Using solely fresh, free-range meats and organic produce, Bird’s Nest offers multiple gluten-free and vegetarian options. They specialize in skewers with beef, chicken, veggies, tofu and/or pork belly.
Paddington Curry House
Specializing in Indian and Nepalese cuisine, Paddington Curry House provides complementary rice with every curry order. Staples include paneer tikka, an Indian cheese marinated in tandoori spices then grilled to perfection, and traditional chicken malai tikka. Their goat curry is a staple for every curry fanatic.
Citron Restaurant
For anyone who enjoys modern twists to their Asian cuisine will fall in love with Citron. Owned and operated by Robert Foley, previously of Piccolo Restaurant, and notable chef Mark Newman. Citron is the only restaurant in town where eaters can find green tea salt calamari with ginger chili dipping sauce.
Fat Noodle Restaurant
Fat Noodle was created by famed chef Luke Nguyen, and includes a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai and Malay dishes. Nguyen’s signature dish is Fat Pho Noodles, which consists of a 20-hour beef broth, bean sprouts, fresh Thai basil, fresh chili and rice noodles.
After the first season of Food Hero, her name keeps rising to popularity. Yes, she is Michele Lean, one of the winners of the program. She is known for her passion in culinary world. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 1st of 1982, Lean spent most of her early life in the Capital City of Malaysia, Borneo, Melbourne, and Hong Kong. It is even difficult for her to answer the question, “We are you from?” since she considers them all her homes.
Michele Lean
Michele Lean is a passionate traveler, as she has traveled to different parts of the world, such as Indonesia, China, Canada, and Australia. She loves beach and marine life very much. For this hobby, she calls herself a beach girl, as she is always amazed with the beauty of sea, sand, and sun. The woman with full name Michele Yi Wen Samantha Lean is also fond of technology and architecture and crazy about cartoon characters, such as Stewie and Daria from Happy Tree Friends and Family Guy.
Michele Lean’s Education
As she has traveled and breathed in different cities for extended period, Michele Leans also studied in different countries. She studied as Island School Hong Kong, where her passion for television developed, thanks to CNN Hong Kong. In Malaysia, she studied at Garden International School. In her hometown, her talent in the world of selling consumerism was ignited. In Malaysia, she took internship programs at Herald Sun online department, CNN International Asia Pacific, and the Sun newspaper.
In Melbourne, Australia, she studied at University of Melbourne, from which she graduated with Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications in 2007. She had part time career in acting and modeling in this city. There, her camera experience begun and her knowledge of print and online media developed after working as editor-in-chief for Veeza magazine. Her acting skills were polished in New York Film Academy. In other words, Michele Lean is a perfect blend of different cultures and skills.
Professional Career
In 2007, she moved to China, where her professional career in television began to rise. In the same year, she was recruited by China Central Television for English-based CCTV-9, in which, she hosted an English language program in traveling, called Travelogue. Later, she hosted a music variety show called Centre Stage. With Travelogue, she gained much experience and knowledge about Chinese cultures, from the lives of Chinese ethnic minorities to the nightlife in the busy city of Beijing.
Michele Lean
Her broadcasting experience began when her Travelogue’s program was filmed in Xinjiang, China. The program, called Ethnic Odyssey, provided her with great opportunities to try the life of ethnic minorities. She lived with nomadic Kazakh in the mountains of Altay. She rode horse as the main transportation facility from one location to another. But overall, she loves the diversity, color, breathtaking scenery, music, and archeological sites in Xinjiang. Her adventurous experiences with Travelogue have been released on DVD version in China.
From the moment on, she appeared in different TV programs in different countries, such as Malaysia and Australia. She even hosted a special program, which was aired throughout Beijing Olympics in 2008. In 2011, she hosted Outlook English, a two-episode series in CCTV-10, Beijing. Then, since became a guest-judging panel of Star of Outlook 2011 for the same channel. In Malaysia, she appeared in Icon Magazine – a luxury and society publication – from 2009 to 2010.
Insights about Foods and Cultures
Her mother and grandmother are very good cooks. They love experimenting with different ingredients That is why Michele Lean loves culinary world. She was always involved in the process of cooking and serving foods during her childhood. Despite a little girl, she was taught how to make sophisticated dishes, omelet (particularly for her father, who loves egg very much), cereal, juice, and sandwiches. Her love for cooking developed formally, when she received a culinary scholarship – Culinary Trust 2012-2013 – offered by Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, Canada.
During her travel around the world, Michele Lean has tried different types of foods, whether Asian and Western. She notices how geography, history, and culture of a country influence the taste, particularly in the usage of spices. For her, the best way to experience a true culture of a place or a country is by eating the local foods. She believes that foods give us a universal understanding of a country’s culture, where language is not a barrier anymore. Without words, you can learn a country’s culture through foods.
For the 32-year-old TV presenter, a tasty food represents a balance between textures, use of spices, and flavor. This is only served by a cook, who cares and loves the food she/he serves. She finds that each country she has visited has some best foods, which cannot be found in any other countries. In Indonesia, she loves kek lapis, or layered cake, but she also found great foods in Malaysia, China, and Australia.
Vision of Culinary Industry
Michele Lean loves the culinary industry very much, as she has been forged by some culinary TV programs, which she hosted. After Travelogue, she hosted Foods Wars, where she took the contestants to a journey in cooking. As she loves food concepts, she may some day pursue a plan to open a restaurant as a business. In addition, she would like to challenge the misconceptions related to foods. Her principle is try every thing even though it is not physically appealing. “You will never know how it tastes before you try it.”
She has pursued her career in travel and food, as they are her greatest passions. That is why Lean has not had a plan to pursue another business in different sector. Even though she may someday have a different business, I should have something to do with culinary world and travel.
Finally, for those who are interested in culinary world or looking forward to being a chef, Lean advises you to try everything as long as you are not allergic to it. In addition, besides the talent, learning from the right source is important, whether it is a mentor, a restaurant, or a formal school.
Food Wars Asia Premieres on Food Network, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 at 8.00pm (7.00PM JKT/TH)
Food Hero Michele Lean, travel lover and passionate about all things food, sets out to find the most celebrated dishes in Singapore and Malaysia, food that defines destinations and create local rivalries spanning generations. From Singapore’s famous Fishball Noodles to Malaysia’s Nasi Lemak, Food Wars Asia pits nation’s most famous culinary rivals against one another for a final showdown, where a blind taste test will settle the debate once and for all on who makes the best dish in town.
Want to participate Food War TV Show?
Know two great places in your country that’s serving the same dish and you can’t decide who’s best? Leave your comments on www.facebook.com/foodnetworkasia!
After the first season of Food Hero, her name keeps rising to popularity. Yes, she is Michele Lean, one of the winners of the program. She is known for her passion in culinary world. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 1st of 1982, Lean spent most of her early life in the Capital City of Malaysia, Borneo, Melbourne, and Hong Kong. It is even difficult for her to answer the question, “We are you from?” since she considers them all her homes.
A passionate traveler, beach and marine life lover, Travelfore fortunately make a in depth interview with the woman with full name Michele Yi Wen Samantha Lean.
Here, Michele shares her insight about foods and cultures, discusses Food Wars Asia and offers advice on how to make the most of your culinary adventure. Read on:
Would you please share about your program Food Wars and how it differs to other food TV shows?
“There are cooking programs, there are eating shows and then, there’s Food Wars! I’ll take you with me on a journey where you’ll get to experience cooking and the eating in two different kitchens that serve the same dish. Together, we’ll meet the owners, the fans and wait in suspense while the panel of judges decide which of the two locations serves it best in a blind fold taste test.”
When you travel around the world, what are the basic differences between Asian and Western food?
“I’d have to say the usage of spices. It is very much dependent on the geography, culture and history of the country. Even within a country, you’ll find differences in the food just going from north-south or east-west.”
You have ever visit Indonesia. What is your favourite Indonesian foods? Please explain why?
“Kek Lapis. I love kek lapis. It always fascinates me how each layer alternates between light & dark so consistently. I’ve even gone through the trouble of googling ‘best kek lapis in Jakarta’ before a layover, called the baker and ordered it a few days before my flight and had it delivered to me just before my connecting flight. I took a 2 kg kek lapis with me on my travels and ate some every day.”
In your opinion, is there any correlation between food and culture?
“Definitely. I’ve always firmly believed that no matter how many sites you visit or how much time you spend in a country, you’ve never really experienced a place’s true culture until you’ve eaten local food from places frequented by locals. Unlike language, eating and food is universal. It gives us a better understanding of a country’s culture without the language barriers.”
What are heritage foods that have been cooked since thousand years ago?
“Haha…in 1015? I suppose something with meat and vegetables – depending on where in the world you were at the time. Definitely no fast or processed food.”
How can a food considered has good taste in your opinion?
“Taste is very subjective but in my opinion, balance is key. The right balance of spice, textures and flavour is what I look for. And soul – the best food is cooked by a cook who cares.”
You’ve stay for long time in Malaysia, Singapore and China. According to you, what country which has the most culinary richness?
“I’ve actually lived in Malaysia, Australia and China the longest and all of these places have a rich and diverse culinary heritage. To pick one would be like asking me to tell you which of my two sisters was my favourite – impossible. 😀 ”
Interview With Michele Lean
When did you start to cook and what food was being your first cooking?
“The first thing I ever made on my own was an omelete. I was 7 or 8 and wanted to make that for my dad because he loves eggs. Before that, my sisters and I always put together Mother’s Day breakfast for my mum but if I remember correctly, it was mostly made up of juice and cereal or sandwiches.”
Who influenced you to love cooking?
“My mum and my grandmother. They are fantastic cooks, love experimenting with different cuisines and they would always involve us. My sisters and I would watch and they’d teach us by getting us to help out with tasks that became increasingly more difficult as we grew more experienced in the kitchen.”
Have you ever learn cook formally?
“Yes, I trained in traditional French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa.”
Besides cooking and acting, what are your activities?
“I love scuba diving, yoga and I’d like to start longboarding soon. And travel – I travel a lot. I’m addicted to travelling and new experiences but I also love revisiting countries and getting to know them better.”
Have a plan to open a restaurant someday?
“Let’s see! 😀 Time will tell. I love food concepts and if the right opportunity comes along, I’d definitely pursue it.”
What is your next goal for culinary industry?
“I’d like to challenge the misconceptions that people have about food and get people to try things they wouldn’t normally eat or say they don’t like without actually having tried it.”
Have a plan to be a business woman that not in culinary industry?
“Up till now, I’ve dedicated my career to involve food and travel (my two greatest passions) and plan to continue to do so. Even if I were to go into a different industry, I imagine it will always encompass some form of travel and food.”
Please share your advices for them who interested in being chef?
“Experiment, keep learning and try EVERYTHING – unless you’re allergic to it, then stay clear. J Find a mentor, a school or a restaurant you like and absorb all the knowledge you can. Also, I suggest working out. It helps to build stamina in the kitchen.”
Michele Lean
Food Wars Asia Premieres on Food Network, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 at 8.00pm (7.00PM JKT/TH)
Food Hero Michele Lean, travel lover and passionate about all things food, sets out to find the most celebrated dishes in Singapore and Malaysia, food that defines destinations and create local rivalries spanning generations. From Singapore’s famous Fishball Noodles to Malaysia’s Nasi Lemak, Food Wars Asia pits nation’s most famous culinary rivals against one another for a final showdown, where a blind taste test will settle the debate once and for all on who makes the best dish in town.
Want to participate Food War TV Show?
Know two great places in your country that’s serving the same dish and you can’t decide who’s best? Leave your comments on www.facebook.com/foodnetworkasia!
