ISYS100 - Assignment 2 - Foodies Vlog

This is our video blog for ISYS 100 Assignment 2
We review some of the food on offer at the Macquarie University Hub




Director, Producer, Editor - Thomas Isles

Camera Crew - Damian Puopolo

Food Critics

Hung Hoang
Yagmur Guven
Frankie Ian
Damian Puopolo
Thomas Isles

Photos courtesy of http://www.mq.edu.au
Music courtesy of http://www.bensound.com

The competition for my favourite burger heats up!

Well after a delicious burger on Saturday to cure a hangover, I was on the hunt to see if something could compete. Enter Bar Luca, or BL Burgers, and their deliciously insane Blame Canada burger. Everything you could ever want in between two brioche buns, a juicy beef patty, maple bacon, cheese and the pinnacle so far for burgers, poutine. For those who are unaware, poutine is the goodness creation of french fries, gravy and cheese curds mixed together into an amazing mess.

Now if you fancy enjoying one of the most awesome burgers in Sydney, they are available from 3 locations around Sydney, Bar Luca near Circular Quay, BL Burgers Bondi and BL Burgers Darlinghurst.

Words by Thomas Isles

OxyShred - French Vanilla

Today i will be reviewing another unique protein flavoured protein shake, french vanilla by OxyShred. This particular source of protein shakes primarily focuses on the assistance of weight loss so with lower calories, i'd assume that this protein shake will possess a more bland taste. Upon opening the container, i could instantly smell a unique french vanilla hitting my nostrils with a faint of a sweet natural vanilla bean scent. The granules are much finer, almost salt like. It mixes well and i am very excited to taste this shake. Upon tasting, my taste buds instantly come alive after a craving all day for something sweet.

I am actually very suprised by this protein shake and would highly vouch for it. 5/5

Arnold Schwarznegger Iron Whey- Cinnamon bun

Today I will be reviewing another staple protein shake that is “Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Iron Whey” in a cinnamon bun flavour. I am really excited about testing this flavour as unlike your conventional flavours like strawberry or chocolate, this brand of protein shakes have incorporated an interesting dessert flavour that is sure to excite and hopefully satisfy your sweet tooth. Upon opening the container, unlike your other protein powders, this one seems quite unbroken and thick in size. Upon mixing, to be honest it does not mix very well and leaves a chalky film on the top. However, the tastes is quite nice but not outstanding as the chalky film leaves an undesirable after taste. I can definitely taste the cinnamon bun in this shake as it is subtly sweet and possesses a cinnamon aroma. I would rate this product a 3/5.

Birthday Cake!

Yesterday night I was attending a birthday party and the birthday cake was excellent. The cake was bought at La Vigne Bakery at Eastwood. It consisted of six flavours: Chocolate, Sweet potato, grape, strawberry, orange, and kiwifruit!

My favourite flavour was by far Chocolate. It was a light, fluffy sponge cake filled with a rich, chocolate ganache. The ganache was just so delicious!

For people who are not really a sweet tooth, I would recommend the Sweet potato flavour. It had a good balance of sweetness in the cream, and had a good natural flavour of sweet potato. It was a really interesting flavour.

Overall, the cakes are delicious and I would recommend people who are near Eastwood to pick up a slice to enjoy.

Birthday Cake!

Written by Frankie

A Burger to fix a hangover

After a long Friday night, the cravings for a something greasy were through the roof. Then I remember the new addition to the Macquarie Center, the renowned Burger Project. This new chain is the child of the great Neil Perry, and is built on the current burger craze that is sweeping Sydney. My delectable choice was the Bacon and Cheese, with an added fried chicken breast to round it out.

I am very pleased with my selection, and although the bun started to fall apart towards the end it was delicious and hit the spot that my hangover needed. So if you need some comfort food American style, and for only an extra $5 compared to other fast food chains, I definitely recommend this outlet.

Words by Tom Isles

Coffee Review - Nescafe Instant Coffee

In continuing with the theme of the blog i will yet again be reviewing a brew that can be easily made at home. An old favourite enjoyed by nearly everyone in Australia,  a brew that takes less than a minute to make. You cant really beat a nice cup of instant coffee, it might not taste the best but the pure convenience makes it taste a lot better. When i have my cup of Nescafe, i like to have it with a drop of milk and 2 sugars, this ensures that the coffee is not too overpowering and allows you to enjoy the flavour. As it is instant coffee the taste is not too strong and a tad watery but you can adjust that depending about how much of the coffee mixture you put in

Writer - Damian Puopolo

Chocolate Fun!

After visiting Max Brenner the other day, I decided that I would come back again to try some of the desserts on the menu. What an experience, It was so fun to eat. Although the price of the desserts were a bit pricey, the experience and the atmosphere of the cafe was worth that extra bit of money.

First I will start with my first dessert, The Chocolate Fondant. This dish is a simple one. Pure dark and milk chocolate that was served with marshmallows and fruit. The dish was indeed delicious, although I had hoped that they would serve more fruits and sweets to dip!

Next and last dish that was served was the Chocolate Mess Party. This dish was far superior to the Chocolate Fondant. It was a light fluffy cake served with chocolate sauce, whipping cream, and ice cream. This was so good!!

Overall, the experience with Max Brenner is lovely! I would recommend the Chocolate Mess Party

Written by Frankie

Chocolate Fondant

Chocolate Mess Party

Eggs in Dinner

We all know and love the usage of eggs in our breakfast. But what about dinner? Aside from lazy days where one's dinner is ― what I like to call ― breakfast-dinner, eggs in dinner is not something that is discussed often. This is a shame, as my dinner today featured a delightful twist on the classic fried egg.

I put some earlier prepared spinach and onion into a pan (though you could use all sorts of greens here, like bok choy) with olive oil. I cracked three eggs into it, sprinkled mozzarella, feta, and finally sweet paprika on top. Paired with a side of couscous, I had a wholesome dinner whilst meeting my daily egg criteria.

By Yagmur

Coffee Review - Woolworths Select Colombian Expresso

To continue from my last blog post, i will continue reviewing coffees that one can enjoy in the peace and quiet of their own home. Using my Coffee machine, purchased from Aldi a few years ago i managed to create this beverage using Capsules purchased from my Woolworths. It was reasonably priced and the taste was better than expected. As an espresso it is supposed to be strong and smooth while also being full of body, and that's exactly what it tastes like. The texture was fantastic and the strength was just right just as to be overwhelming it really hits a perfect note which lets you fully appreciate the flavour. In conclusion, for a drink that was very cheap and took literally less than a minute to make, the Woolworth's Select Colombian Espresso represents fantastic value for money due to its surprisingly high quality.

Written by Damian

Chocolate Souffle - A Chocolate Surprise!

Yesterday night I decided to buy a luxurious dessert from Max Brenner, the chocolate souffle. Presentation wise, this souffle was extremely pretty and well presented. The look of it is irresistible!

Upon cutting open the souffle, I was greeted with a surprise! A gooey centre melts to my plate and spreads.

I have tried many souffle's from multiple locations before, but this one was by far my favourite. It was rich and delicate. The cake was spongy and moist, while the center was filled with chocolatey goodness that was smooth and superb.

A combination of fruits would been a good addition to the dish, and some vanilla ice cream. I would rate this souffle a solid 4.5/5 stars, with a few improvements that could be made to make the dessert even greater!

Written by Frankie

Today I will be reviewing “Gold Standard” by Optimum nutrition with a banana flavour. This brand is a staple amongst athletes and fellow gym goers, made popular due to not only their proprietary mix of ingredients to support recovery and growth, but also its flavour.  Today I will be testing another original classic Banana flavour. First impressions upon opening the container is the instant smell of a very strong and intense banana smell that does not seem artificial in contrast to other banana desserts or drinks. Upon tasting this banana flavoured shake with the only addition of water, it possesses an almost banana milk flavour, however not a rich and creamy but is sure to satisfy your cravings for sweets. This particular shake has pleased me as it does not contain any powdery after taste like some other brands, as well as the benefit of a nice silky smooth banana flavour.