Restaurant Review: Breakfast at Hudsons of Dickson

Granny said :

That’s how I look when I haven’t sucked the life essence from young virgins, peterh!

*chuckle*

In between fixes as it were ….

that’s me pretty well safe, then. growing up in charny sorted that out pretty quick…
and I am in no way young…

Danman!!

*sheesh*

Good thing I lost my V plates a while back eh ?

Me and my Type 0 Negative are safe…for now….

That’s how I look when I haven’t sucked the life essence from young virgins, peterh!

*chuckle*

In between fixes as it were ….

ant said :

Grumble. I’ll try to paste the url again (the code here is bizarre).

http://guides.news.com.au/television/guide/?action=event&event_id=24184105&refresh=&region_id=126

you know, that looks nothing like granny! The other granny on the link is waaay too old.

In dire need of sustenance this morning (and to get out of ‘Dodge’) I jumped in the car, told it to drive and find me breakfast, and I wound up outside Hudsons at Dickson. Well, I parked near the ANZ — parking outside Hudsons might attract the attention of the authorities and insurance companies.

Anyhoo, the older serving bloke who’s normally there wasn’t, which is a shame as he has the best ‘Good morning/afternoon, how are you?’ smile in the business. But I still got prompt, friendly service and the ‘Delish’ breakfast was superb: scrambled eggs with diced tomato and onion and thick-sliced mushrooms on a Turkish roll.

The mushrooms could have been pan-fried, and the coffee was good without being great. Overall, good value for money. Unfortunately the weather was not conducive to sitting outside, and I can only stay in a noisy inside atmosphere with its attendant noises for so long before my ears turn on me. So not the place to linger longer. Sitting outside when it’s fair weather is great value.

I’ve sent a pic through for JB to add above if he wants.

ant said :

Granny, there’s a show about you on tomorrow night:

Don’t miss it!

It looks extremely inspirational! And quite coincidental that I may be hashing on Wednesday ….

*chuckle*

I will try not to miss it!

Grumble. I’ll try to paste the url again (the code here is bizarre).

http://guides.news.com.au/television/guide/?action=event&event_id=24184105&refresh=&region_id=126

Granny, there’s a show about you on tomorrow night:

Don’t miss it!

Ari said :

Ok. But you have to cook the results!

I’ll cook ’em if you eat ’em ….

*guffaw*

Juniper berries are tough little buggers and I doubt being shaken would bother them. More to the point, Martinis are bloody awful things and a waste of good gin.

stirred, never shaken, or you’ll bruise the delicate juniper in the gin

Pish.

an excellent excuse for at least two martinis

Now you’re talking.

Ok. But you have to cook the results!

of course bond (fleming) stuffed up on the martinis – stirred, never shaken, or you’ll bruise the delicate juniper in the gin… in any case, it is an excellent excuse for at least two martinis at your next cocktail party giving it a go!

You can show us how it’s done, Ari!

*chuckle*

Ari said :

Granny said :

Where there’s a will there’s a way, you know!

The miniskips out the back of John James?

that is offal. really.

Granny said :

Where there’s a will there’s a way, you know!

The miniskips out the back of John James?

“Shaken or stirred?”
“Do I look like I give a damn?”
– James Bond, Casino Royale (2006)

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

… whisking continuously with a small egg whisk

I thought Bond preferred shaken, not stirred.

Ian Fleming’s recipe for scrambled eggs as included in 007 in New York:

Scrambled Eggs James Bond

For four individualists:

12 fresh eggs
Salt and pepper
140-170g fresh butter
Chives or fines herbes

Break the eggs into a bowl. Beat thoroughly with a fork and season well with salt and pepper. In a small copper melt 115g of the butter. When melted, pour in the eggs and cook over a very low heat, whisking continuously with a small egg whisk.

While the eggs are slightly more moist than you would wish for eating, remove the pan from heat, add the rest of the butter and continue whisking for half a minute, adding at the same time finely chopped chives or fines herbes.

Well I’m sure you could just go to the butcher and buy a llama placenta or something. Where there’s a will there’s a way, you know!

Granny said :

peterh said :

Granny said :

I also find egg-snot gross and disgusting.

double post, but anyway….

granny – this from a purveyor of offal??

Have you tried my placenta recipe from the other thread yet? Yummalicious!

would have, but it was sent into storage all 3 times for the kids in case of emergency. the storage facility wanted the placenta too. (buggered if I know why)

peterh said :

Granny said :

I also find egg-snot gross and disgusting.

double post, but anyway….

granny – this from a purveyor of offal??

Have you tried my placenta recipe from the other thread yet? Yummalicious!

Danman said :

Sorry, I would have thought you would have been intuitive enough to guess I meant plain flour.

Or did you mean zucchini flowers – stuffed and deep fried….. Yumm.

try stuffed zucchini with rabbit and chokoes – cannot describe recipe, but can cook it when I have got a couple of good bunnies and a large enough zucchini – almost a gourd pumpkin in size, lots of garlic and oregano.

chicken works well, too.

tomatoes may have been sprinkled with sugar? usually sends them to slushy hell…

Granny said :

I also find egg-snot gross and disgusting.

double post, but anyway….

granny – this from a purveyor of offal??

Sorry, I would have thought you would have been intuitive enough to guess I meant plain flour.

Or did you mean zucchini flowers – stuffed and deep fried….. Yumm.

Danman said :

<— Qualified chef – Sick of people fcuking up fundamentals

now was that plain pumpkin flowers, or the ground wheat variety?

I also find egg-snot gross and disgusting.

Thanks Danman, I share your hatred of egg-snot.

If you can scramble turkish delight, jakez will eat his hat, astrojax!

Gave up nigh on 6 years ago to get a job that pays well, has regualr annual leave and does not require me to work on weekend…

When I left the industry I was a +60 hours a week sous chef who wason a measly 38 000.

Now the 38 in the 38 000 is ho wmany hours I work and the +60 is how much I get paid.

That and regular annual leave – oh and dont think that in canberra if you are a chef and sick that you can have a day off.

Many times I have been threatened with the sack for having sick days off – kitchens are so understaffed in teh ACT that if I was sick at one place, it meant that the other chef had to work from 0600 until 2130

This worst being forced to work with conjunctivitis – that was at my last place of employ.

When your work rquires that you act against your own morals, its time to shuffle off.

scrambled turkish delight, granny? with cream or not?? ; )

and you oughta be more prescriptive, danman, on how to do things – there is only one way to do anything, the way ‘you’ do it! (isn’t that what riotact is for?) : ) must say, the sadly with us no longer michel, of chez michel, taught me that scrambled egg technique and i can’t say i’ve ever looked back. he is a loss to tastebuds the land over…

are you now not still cheffing?

and shall you tell overheard that pumpkin has a plethora of uses, especially pie, or shall i?

Actually, one chat later about music, festivals, radio and the relative merits of the Andi and George Band, she’s way cool!

That’s a real shame, JB, as I’ve only ever had really friendly service, good to very good coffee and great food there.

I can’t really compare fritter stories as for me, pumpkin only belongs in soup. Pie at a real stretch.

Despite the change of management, Hudsons @ Dickson remains one of my go-to places.

Though, for now, I’ve taken your other recommendation and am enjoying morning coffee and cheese and spinach something, and a catch-up from three days of e-wilderness at The Front, where the owner is a great bloke to have a quick chat to and about venues and knitting, the music is superb, and the chilled vibe is brilliant. (It just got momentarily shattered when young, blonde, shrill serving chick walked in and pierced the library-like atmosphere, but she’s pretty cool too, so vive le diversite.)

Poached eggs = very very fresh eggs (They hold together better), a good slosh of white vinegar in the water, bring water to boil, reduce to a slow simmer and crack egg, and open egg onto surface of water , minimising drop distance.

I have also seen a perfect poached egg that was wrapped in a parcel made of cling film sprayed with canola, but have not tried that one yet.

As for egg done-age for poached, try about 5 to 6 minutes for soft (Only just set but not powdery) and 7 to 8 for a hard set powdery yolk – or just go by intuition, no eggs are the same.

The main thing is to minimise egg snot factor – I hate egg snot with a passion – and sometimes poached eggs can look set on the outside, but the white is still snotty on the inside.

I think the main thing is it was just done very, very fast.

Works for some things. Scrambled eggs is not one of them.

… and don’t even get me started on the tomatoes!!

I second the comment earlier about Bill Granger’s recipe…luscious and foolproof. Maggie Beer also had the perfect recipe for soft-boiled eggs recently on the Cook and the Chef.

Now (maybe Danman can help me) if I could get a foolproof method for poached eggs I would be onew very happy bunny.

She was probably pining away for some no-good rooster!

*guffaw*

That egg was definitely laid by a very miserable chook with few feathers.

By Jimminy, you’re fired up today, Granny!

But heck! Just look at that picture …. Regardless of whether or not the lady chook was happy the flippin’ egg never stood a chance!

Happy chooks make better eggs.

I like chives in my scrambled eggs, but being the main ingredient the most important part in good scrambled eggs is to use top quality eggs in them.

Its easy enough to stuff up good ingredients by having bad technique and end up with a less than memorable meal, but even harder to make a memorable meal if you dont have good ingredients to start with.

Eggs schmeggs, Danman …. Where the heck is my turkish delight!

Ari said :

Granny said :

What the heck was JB supposed to write?

Golly gosh darn it, Granny, do you have to bring such a potty mouth to this forum?

😉

Well, flip, Ari! There’s only one way to deal with some people ….

*chuckle*

Plenty of ways to skin a cat.

In my decade or so as a chef, I never got complaints about how I cooked, eggs, scrambled,poached, steames, fried, plenrt of ways to do each, to the contrary I recieved plenty of compliments on my abilities as a breakfast chef and had plenty of return custom.

It would be naieve of me to say my way was the only way, and the only style that appealse to anyone, but its the way that worked for me and it seemed to keep the customers returning.

I am sorry if anyone misconstrued my postings and thought I was trying to be holier than thou.

That was not my intention and I sincerely apoligies, and will sit the fcuk back down now.

I like a bit o grated mozzarella in me eggs, but it’s not traditional.

I too like these review/where do I get it/best/worst topics. Where else do you find these things out?

oh and don’t forget the parsley. Vital.

all this debate about scrambled eggs can be solved easily. Bill Granger taught me all I know.

2 eggs per person.
1/3 cup of cream per person
Salt/pepper

Beat it all together first, add to a heated non-stick pan (I learned that bit the hard way, although I love making them in my le creuset small pot) and gently move them around until just set. Take them off the heat before you think they are ready because they will set fast.

Best eggs ever. Sometimes I add butter early on just because I think if you’re going to have rich eggs, you might as well go all the way. Needless to say we don’t have them every week.

Granny said :

What the heck was JB supposed to write?

Golly gosh darn it, Granny, do you have to bring such a potty mouth to this forum?

😉

Indubitably!

*chuckle*

I happen to like the ‘restaurant review / where can I find the best cheesecake?’ threads, and anyone can see the toast and eggs look disgusting and even the tomato is black ….

What the heck was JB supposed to write?

I don’t think Spam Box has quite worked out the format of these forums quite yet.

Good on you #28, you keep grinding them out – Granny

Reply

**Why post any review? To share an experience for the benefit of all.**

Oh, of course, silly me – the benefit

Best way to make scrambled eggs is to indeed pre-beat them and then stir them in a s/s bowl suspended over simmering water. They won’t overcook (but cleaning the bowl is a hassle, you have to use steel wool).

For one person: three eggs, tbsp cream or dash of milk, use good butter.

Classy variant: scramble along with a slice of brie cheese – it will melt in. Delicious.

Boarding-school variant: scramble along with tinned or precooked fresh or warmed frozen corn niblets.

Best toast to accompany scrambled eggs: formerly Riga, Helga’s sweet’n’sour rye or That Bread sourdough.

Always top with parsley.

Best breakfast in Australia: Stephanie’s, Richmond Hill, Melbourne. Best in Canberra: the Hyatt’s breakfast.

That sounds suspiciously like Raw Scrambled Eggs.

Scrambled eggs should be cooked slowly over low heat, beaten (With double cream) initially so that there is still flecks of unblended white in it

beg to differ, danman & jas: scrambled eggs are constructed by cracking the eggs into a cold non-stick (preferably) pan, adding a dob of butter/cream/milk if desired, mebbe a crack of pepper, then placing on a low-ish heat, moving the yolks about while the whites cook and ‘scramble’ – when the whites are just nicely done, turn off heat, break the yolks and let the silky yellow deliciousness flow in think dollops through the whites, serve with tomato that has been drizzled in olive oil and had a good sprunkle of maldon sea salt rubbed in and let sizzle on a high heat, cut and oiled side down. yum. pre-mixing scrambled eggs is just a catastrophe.

best big breakfast I can remember is in Jindy, sitting out on the deck at that cafe in the new Snowy Mtns building, just before you get to Nuggets. Made of very well laid stone. That’s a good big breakfast, loaded up and tasty-as. Wilfreds! That’s the place.

and you used to be able to get actual proper french stuff at the funny little cafe in the old shopping centre, the one that’s sunk in right in the middle, where the stairs to Cherri Cherri Pow Pow are. Tehy did that thing with the bread soaked in a mild white cheese mix, with stuff in it. and cooked.

Haven’t really found a good breakfast around here yet. That place we went to in Civic for the inaugural Riotact brekkie served me liquid fried eggs. They wobbled, they sloshed. Ugh.

Why post any review? To share an experience for the benefit of all.

Well, I assume the next time you go there and “cough cough” remind them of this post,they will treat you better.

After all, why else would you post this?

Ah danman and old workmate from a few years ago

I-filed said :

Still … gotta be better than Carlo’s!

Couldn’t tell you, I’m still waiting to be served.

Those eggs aren’t scrambled! That’s overcooked strings of omelette. Yuk … that bread looks pretty dull … how much did they charge? Still … gotta be better than Carlo’s!

Who the bloodyelle is flying doormat ?

I am going to attempt to make Danman’s fritters.

: )

I love pumpkin anything.

Danman knows his shit when it comes to food – makes a wicked turkish delight

haha sounds all so rich and indulgent.. yum

Frittering pumpkin – but of course. It’s a standout in the Indian veg fritters dish …. whatever it’s called. Make sure you slice fairly thinly and steam/soften a bit first. Pea flour. Deep fry. Yoghurt and mint.

Made an eggy thing this morning, heavy on fungus. Mushrooms and blue cheese inside and a light slurp of truffle oil. Yum.

My house mates does some weird thing with seeded mustard… Although Jas I like the sounds of what you are suggesting.. All that double cream and milk business sounds like the reason why people are getting fat and the Canberra gyms do such a good trade lol

Hooray for high protein meals

The best scrambled eggs actually require no milk, cream or whisking at all. Simply crack the eggs in to a medium/high heat pan (with a tablespoon of butter not oil) and use a spatula to move the eggs around slowly, season with salt and pepper at the start and just continue to move the eggs around with the spatula, no beating or anything. The natural movement of the eggs will scramble them and mix the yolk and white up together in a marbled, tasty delight. Serve with whatever the hell you want or by themselves. Basta!

caramel slice can be so hit and miss 😛 Glad to know there is somewhere doing it decently

Bells,
The Hudsons at the Botanic gardens is different to the one in Dickson. They used to be owned by the same person, but the on in Dickson is in different hands.

I’ll put in a good word for their caramel slice though.

<— Qualified chef – Sick of people fcuking up fundamentals

I am over having to order at the counter, especially in popular cafes where leaving your table to order loses you the table.

Such the cooking expert 😉

I do hate seeing a decent big brekkie stuffed up… So many hang overs have been fixed by a big brekkie at a good little hide away cafe

Pumpkin could fritter quite well, just as well as potato one would expect – because potato and pumpkin are just as soft as each other when fully cooked.

If I was to make a pumpkin fritter, I would par cook chunks of pumpkin (Very important to only par cook), run them through a grater, as some egg, a little plain flower, salt pepper, then mix.

Form into fritters on the hotplate/frying pan.

Should come out firm but crunchy…

Maybe they attempted fully cooking the pumpkin first.

If you do this with pumpkin or potatoes, all you’ll get is moosh cakes.

I reckon I could fritter me up a punkin somehows.

; )

Oh that’s a shame. They must have gone down hill. We used them for our wedding reception at the Botanic Gardens and the food was excellent. Might skip them for breakfast though.

I can’t imagine pumpkin frittering well (is frittering even a word? It should be). Too soggy, I would imagine.

Given the tone of JB’s review – I would certainly expect him to see spit in his eggs if ever dines there again.

scrambled eggs are an art.

Because they are high protein, if you cook them too fast, the protein shrinks too quickly and you get rubber eggs with that lovely yellow liquid that they swim in.

Scrambled eggs should be cooked slowly over low heat, beaten (With double cream) initially so that there is still flecks of unblended white in it, and when you fork the eggs apart, there should be sections off egg that have a glossy coating resembling the consistency of baby spit (Thats how I was taught)

Tomatoes however, being tasteless, perhaps they should change suppliers, or buy non hydro crap.