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MCA Cafe & Sculpture Terrace: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Sydney

March 12, 2016 / CBD, Circular Quay, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

A kid-friendly restaurant in Sydney’s CBD is quite a find. We end up spending a lot of time around Circular Quay at the Sydney Opera House, the AGNSW and the MCA, so are always in search of Sydney’s best kid-friendly cafes in these areas.

On our recent visit to the MCA we tried their rooftop cafe, which I previously didn’t even know existed. To get to the cafe, enter through any of their regular entrances, then take the elevator to the 4th floor. Entrance to the general exhibitions at the MCA is free, so you won’t need to pay if you stop along the way to check out some art.

When you reach the top floor of the MCA, turn right to enter the cafe and sculpture terrace. Dining is casual, so grab menus at the front, choose a table, then order and pay at the counter.

The cafe currently has a British Grayson Perry-inspired menu, running at the same time as the gallery has the Grayson Perry exhibition on downstairs. I love themed menus, so this was a fun, unexpected bonus. The menu was a celebration of all things British, such as Devonshire tea & scones, crumpets, fish & chips, bangers and mash, or their Little Pretty Eton Mess.

I chose the Honeyed Oats, Summer Berries, Elderflower, Yoghurt & Pistachio ($12),
Alec had the Roasted Salmon (with green beans, roast potatoes & lemon, $28), and Cheese selected the Battered Fish & Chips ($14) from the kids’ menu.

While we were waiting for our meals, Cheese amused herself by checking out the giant sculpture on the terrace, while we admired the view. Not too shabby, eh?

My honeyed oats were really delicious, but I did find them to be a tad dry and would have liked more yogurt. I thought the dish was colourful and beautiful, and really tasty. Alec’s salmon was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, and Cheese’s fish and chips were also a winner. The portion was so big it would have done an adult who wanted a smallish-sized lunch.

After our brunch we strolled downstairs to take part in the free drop in craft session for kids. The MCA usually has a kid-friendly component to their major exhibitions where little ones can experiment with different materials in the spirit of the big show, which, in this case, was Grayson Perry’s “My Pretty Little Art Career”.

With the stunning view, free admission to the MCA plus the also-free art-making session, this was one extremely good value restaurant, perfect for kids, right in the heart of Sydney.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

MCA Cafe
140 George St,
The Rocks
Phone: (02) 9250 8443
Prices: $$$
Hours: Daily 10am–4pm, Thur 10am–9pm
Get Directions

La Mama del Gelato Anita, Chippendale

March 11, 2016 / CBD, Chippendale, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

Is it possible to ever have too much gelato? I thought not. La Mama del Gelato Anita, also known colloquially as “Anita’s” began in a small Mediterranean kitchen, almost 20 years ago, by Mama Anita. From selling ice cream out of her home with the help of her son, Anita progressed to an ice cream cart, local market, and then her first store. What started out as a little home run business is now an international chain, with stores from New York to Australia.

Mama Anita still gives every new flavour her stamp of approval before it’s sold in stores.

In Australia, Anita’s serves gelato and frozen yogurt. They have a range of classic flavours like pistachio, chocolate and strawberry, but the most popular are imaginative blends like pavlova and Cookieman, a mash up of chocolate, hazelnuts, meringue and biscuit.

If you like fruity gelato, you’ll be happy to hear they are all fat-free and made with 70% fruit with no added sugar or fructose. There is also sugar-free gelato available.

All of the gelato is churned daily on the premise, where they produce around 250 litres a day.

Past the gelato is the unlimited frozen yogurt section. There is one flavour of frozen yogurt available – plain – to which you can add as many of the 54 toppings as you like. You can eat all the toppings off and then go back for more. Options include house made jams, lollies and fresh fruit.

I ordered the Cookieman and Marscarpone with Blueberry (regular size, $8). The serve was pretty big so great value. I loved the Cookieman best. It was actually all of our favourite, which was surprising for Alec, who doesn’t like chocolate ice cream. All the flavours were light and fluffy, and not too sweet (even the chocolate one).

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

La Mama del Gelato Anita
Ground Floor, Central Park, 28 Broadway,
Chippendale, Sydney, NSW
Phone: (02) 8097 8508
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 7am-11pm
Get Directions

Where to Find the Best High Tea in Sydney

March 9, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 12 Comments

High tea in Sydney is an elegant affair. Choose from 20 tested high teas, each with its own twist on the traditional British tradition. From high tea with a view in Sydney, to modern high tea, vegan high tea and the best value high tea in Sydney, there is a delicious tea to suit everyone. After careful testing, I present to you a selection of the best high teas in Sydney.

The Best High Tea In Sydney

InterContinental Sydney Double Bay High Tea

Indulge in a luxe high tea at the Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay. Choose from the Signature High Tea, Oriental High Tea or Kids’ High Tea. High tea at the Intercontinental Sydney Double Bay is an elegant affair. Located upstairs in the Stillery, high tea is served daily between 11am and 4pm.

The Signature High Tea comes with the perfect mix of savoury and sweet, with fresh sandwiches and pastries, warm scones and delicious sweets. The jam is sublime. The Kids’ High Tea features a chocolate pot and strawberries to dip in it.

Get more info on high tea at the InterContinental Sydney Double Bay here.

InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, 33 Cross Street, Double Bay

Burnt Orange

The perfect spot for afternoon tea on the Northern Beaches area of Sydney. Enjoy delicious square sandwiches, fluffy scones with plenty of jam and cream, with delectable sweet treats such as the salted caramel and chocolate tart at this Mosman, North Shore, cafe. The balcony wrapping around Burnt Orange offers stunning harbour views, so request a prime spot when making your booking. Sit back and enjoy the view at one of the best spots for afternoon tea in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at Burnt Orange.

Burnt Orange, 1109 Middle Head Rd, Mosman

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Indulge in a delicious high tea at the Four Seasons Sydney. Enjoy the perfect afternoon tea, offered at Mode Kitchen & Bar on the ground floor of the hotel.

The Four Seasons high tea includes a three tiered platter with the perfect bite-sized savoury and sweet delicacies, plus your choice of tea or coffee. Scones are served separately on cute little glass stands with covers.

Get more info on high tea at the Four Seasons.

Mode Kitchen & Bar, Ground Floor, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
199 George Street, Sydney

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney

You’ll find fluffy fresh scones with vanilla bean cream, delicious sandwiches and savoury pastries, plus delectable sweets at the Radisson Blu high tea. The tea is topped with a pair of salted caramel swans that you’ll be torn between eating and taking home as a souvenir. The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel also offers gluten-free, kids and vegan high tea.

Get more info on high tea, chocolate high tea and vegan high tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney, 27 O’Connell St, Sydney

Gatehouse Tea Rooms, Parramatta

Enjoy high tea in the historic Gatehouse, located in beautiful Parramatta Park. Choose from a traditional high tea, savoury high tea or kids high tea. Gluten-free high tea, dairy-free high tea and vegan high tea are available.

Parramatta Park is rich in colonial history. In 2007 the park and Gatehouse building were granted World Heritage Listing by UNESCO.

Built in 1887, the Gatehouse is one of the oldest high tea venues in Australia, and my favourite spot for high tea in Parramatta.

Get more info on the Gatehouse Tea Rooms here.

Gatehouse Tea Rooms, Macquarie St Gatehouse, Parramatta Park, Parramatta

The Cortile, InterContinental Sydney

A classic high tea served with a modern twist. High tea at the InterContinental is served inside the restored 1851 Treasury building, making it the most visually stunning building of all high tea locations. The sweets are tea-themed, such as the Jasmine Gold tea crème brulée.

Get more info on high tea at the InterContinental Sydney.

InterContinental Sydney, 117 Macquarie St, Sydney

Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park

Choose from a classic tea stand or the buffet high tea. Their high tea stands are often themed, such as the Fashion High Tea, or Christmas. The buffet is excellent quality and value at $49pp, and includes an ice cream station, fresh creme brulee, sandwiches, savouries, scones, crepes and platter after platter of sweet treats.

Get more info on high tea and the buffet high tea at Sheraton on the Park.

Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, 161 Elizabeth St, Sydney

Gunners’ Barracks

A classic high tea with the best view in Sydney. Ask for a seat on the balcony and watch out for kookaburras who like to swoop down and steal sandwiches. The scones are served fresh and warm, and the staff are outstanding. It’s hard to top this high tea, which is why you’ll need to book well in advance. The Gunners’ Barracks is known as one of the best high teas in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at the Gunners’ Barracks.

Gunners’ Barracks, Suakin Dr, Mosman

Westin Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea

Fall down the rabbit hole into a whimsical high tea land where all of the dishes are inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Enjoy delicacies such as the The Mad Hatter’s Hat (rich dark chocolate mud cake encased in chocolate icing) and The White Rabbit’s Pocket Watch (purple macaroon with a blueberry cream filling). Without a doubt, this is the most whimsical Sydney high tea!

Westin, Lobby Level, 1 Martin Place Sydney

The Langham Sydney

Dining at the newly renovated Langham is an elegant affair. I enjoyed their Afternoon Tea with Wedgwood for Mother’s day last year, where a sophisticated high tea is served in Wedgwood china specifically designed for The Langham hotel. The environment is opulent and serene, the high tea full of tarts, tasty sandwiches and savouries. Do yourself a favour and book into the excellent Langham spa downstairs for a treatment after your tea is finished. The Langham often does really cute themed kids’ high teas in the school holidays, such as this Barbie one.

Get more info on high tea at The Langham Sydney.

The Langham Hotel, 89-113 Kent Street, Sydney

The Tea Room QVB

Set in the historic Queen Victoria Building, afternoon tea at the QVB is a popular outing. The Tea Room is owned by the same company as the Gunners Barracks, which ensures that both teas are of a high standard. Be sure to arrive hungry as the extremely efficient staff offer extra sandwiches once yours have run out. The Tea Room was my first and one of my all-time favourite high teas in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at the Tea Room QVB.

The Tea Room QVB, 3, Queen Victoria Building, 455 George St, Sydney

The Tea Cosy

A family owned and operated cafe tucked into the historic Rocks district of Sydney, The Tea Cosy boasts “Scones and tea like Nana used to make”. Choose from a wide variety of teas and scones, which will likely be the best you’ve ever tasted. Scones are served warm and fresh with house-made jams (that are available for purchase).

While the Tea Cosy no longer has their high tea option, it’s worth visiting for a tasting platter that includes delicious finger sandwiches such as egg and cucumber and cream cheese, plus a variety of scones and jam. The tea pot cosies are so cute you’ll be tempted to buy one of them, too. The Tea Cosy is our number one spot to return for a Sydney afternoon tea. In fact, I would go so far as to say the incredible quality of the scones and sandwiches at the Tea Cosy make it the best afternoon tea in Sydney.

Get more info on high tea at The Tea Cosy.

The Tea Cosy, 7 Atherden St, The Rocks NSW

Parliament House of New South Wales

The most exclusive high tea in Sydney, served only on the last Friday of each month, this is also the only high tea in Sydney that you’ll have to pass through a metal detector to gain admission. Dine in the Strangers’ Dining Room that is usually off-limits to the public, overlooking Hyde Park. The bocconcini tartlet with chive coulis was a fave, as were the sandwiches – with a second plate being delivered after the first was finished.

Get more info on high tea at Parliament House.

Parliament House of New South Wales, Parliament of New South Wales, 6 Macquarie Street, Sydney

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth High Tea with Christina Re

The Wentworth hotel has partnered with High Tea and Lifestyle designer Cristina Re to create beautiful high teas presented on the designer’s vintage-inspired Signature High Tea collection, adorned in 24 carat gold finishes.

The high teas are often themed in collaboration with Sydney’s art and culture scene – for example, when we dined on previous occasions, we enjoyed their limited edition Sleeping Beauty and Archibald high teas, which were in conjunction with the Australian Ballet and AGNSW. The Wentworth has the best value kids’ high teas around – at $40 they might sound a bit steep, but they are virtually identical to the adult ones so two or three kids could easily share one. The Sofitel Wentworth is home to some of the prettiest high tea in Sydney.

Get more info on one of the themed high teas at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, 61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney

Shangri-La Sydney

Try the Traditional or Chocolate High Tea at the Shangri-La Sydney, created by their amazing Executive Pastry Chef, Anna Polyviou. As you’d expect from an innovative pastry chef, the pastries on this high tea stand are the most innovative and delicious you will find anywhere, including her famous carrot cake.

Get more info on high tea at the Shangri-La Sydney.

Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, 176 Cumberland St, Sydney

Coco Chocolate

Hard core chocolate lovers will enjoy this sweet-heavy high tea at Coco Chocolate’s studio and school location in Mosman. Sit outdoors and enjoy an informal high tea with a stunning view of the Sydney harbour. As befits a chocolate high tea, treats include a shot of hot chocolate, chocolate pistachio shortbread, florentines, scones with jam & cream, melting moments, flourless orange cakes, chocolate cakes, and, the star of the high tea, a selection of house-made chocolate. Bookings are essential as each tea is made to order.

Get more info on high tea at Coco Chocolate.

Coco Chocolate, Sydney Chocolate School and Coco Chocolate Studio, Past Burnt Orange and HMAS Penguin at Chowder Bay Rd turnoff, Building 21, 1110 Middle Head Road, Mosman

Vaucluse House Tea Rooms

Take a trip back in time and dine at historic Vaucluse House. The sandstone mansion was built in the 1830s and is set in 10 hectares of picture perfect gardens stretching down to the harbour. The high tea features a delicious array of savoury tarts and sandwiches, fresh scones, and sweets that include a sugar-covered donut and delicate fairy-floss. After your tea, wander through the building or meet the farm animals out the back. There is plenty of space to roam in solitude and enjoy the serenity. Bookings essential.

Get more info on high tea at Vaucluse House Tea Rooms.

Vaucluse House Tea Rooms, Wentworth Rd, Vaucluse

Park Hyatt Sydney

Located on the waterfront and delivering a perfect view of Sydney Harbour, high tea at the Park Hyatt is the popular location for a groups such as a bridal showers. The high tea features finger sandwiches and quiche, warm scones with jam and cream, and mini cakes, tartlets and macarons. For larger groups, a private room is available.

Get more info on high tea at the Park Hyatt Sydney.

Park Hyatt Sydney, 7 Hickson Road The Rocks Sydney

High Tea at The Calyx, Royal Botanic Gardens

The only high tea in Sydney set among the flowers! Enjoy a delicate high tea set against largest indoor green wall and surrounded by vibrant flowers. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1:30-3:30pm, high tea lovers can indulge in finger sandwiches with smoked salmon and roast turkey, gourmet sausage rolls, fetta tartlets and sundried tomato arancini, plus sweet treats including French macaroons, mini cupcakes, chocolate brownies and warm scones with jam and cream. A glass of sparkling wine and a selection of T2 teas are included in the price. There’s also an option to upgrade to unlimited champagne. Cheers to that!

Read more about high tea at the Calyx here.

High Tea at The Calyx, The Royal Botanic Garden, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney

Thanks to my high tea taster Havewheelchairwilltravel.net for the pic.

Boronia House

Dine inside a Victorian mansion built in 1885 at Boronia House, situated on Sydney’s North Shore. The Classic High Tea Experience includes a selection of light breads, sophisticated savoury bites, house-made scones with double cream and jam, desserts and cakes, served with a choice of a T2 tea or coffee.

Kids aged 3-12 can enjoy the Little Ladies High Tea, which includes ham and cheese finger sandwich, scone with cream and jam, fairy bread, Remi’s homemade chocolate chip cookie, chocolate fondue with fresh fruit, homemade sweet treat of the day, mini pancake stack with maple syrup and a choice of T2 tea, hot chocolate, iced chocolate, fruit juice, pink lemonade or soft drink.

Boronia House, 624 Military Rd, Mosman

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay Hotel

Enjoy traditional high tea in the understated elegance of the Sir Stamford Circular Quay Hotel, located a few steps from the Sydney Opera House and a short walk to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney.

The Sir Stamford high tea is unique in that several variations are offered. Choose from a traditional high tea, deluxe Devonshire tea, children’s high tea or “guilt-free” high tea, served with fresh Vegetable juice & Dilmah Tea Selection. All items on the guilt-free high tea have low saturated fat (no butter, cream) and are low sugar. Gluten-free can also be catered for.

We really enjoyed looking at the curios around the dining room, such as a hand-made model ship. This is a hotel that embraces its history, and a visit is like a trip back in time.

Read more about high tea at Sir Stamford here.

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay Hotel, 93 Macquarie Street, Sydney

Are there any high teas I’ve missed? Have I included your favourite afternoon tea in Sydney? I’d love to know where to try next!

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids.

Find things to do in Sydney for free.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney.

Find the best high teas in Sydney.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney.

Cool down at one of these free water parks in Sydney.

Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney.

Get a list of the best playgrounds in Sydney.

Find the best ice cream and gelato in Sydney

Things to do in the Blue Mountains.

Plan amazing NSW road trips.

Pick your own fruit: fruit picking Sydney.

The best things to do in Western Sydney and Parramatta with kids.

Aqua S: Sydney’s Best Ice Cream

March 6, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Let’s begin by saying that Sydney’s ice cream game is strong. Aqua S burst into an already saturated market with its now famous aqua blue Sea Salt Soft Serve. It was an Instagram sensation, sending countless food bloggers to the tiny ice cream store to try their unusual flavoured soft served, and photograph it against the cloud-painted wall inside the shop. A new dessert sensation was born, and Aqua S has been holding its own as a solid dessert spot in Sydney ever since.

Aqua S has weekly flavours such as Pandan, Lychee and Green Apple. Mix them up with the basic Sea Salt for the gorgeoyus coloured twist, and add fairy floss, caramel popcorn or a toasted mashmallow for a truly Instagrammable dessert.

I found the soft serve to be very creamy and rich, and the sea salt flavour to taste more like salted caramel than anything else. There is plenty of seating inside and the store is easily accessible for strollers/wheelchairs.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Aqua S
27/501 George St,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 8668 5957
Prices: $
Hours: Daily 12pm-10pm
Get Directions

High Tea At Parliament House: Sydney’s Most Exclusive High Tea

February 27, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

On the last Friday of every month, at precisely 3:15pm, excited lovers of cake and tea are admitted into the rarely seen Strangers’ Dining Room at Australia’s first and oldest Parliament House to enjoy their High Tea in the House experience.

It’s a somewhat secret experience at the moment, as so few people are aware of this high tea. When combined with the limited seating option available, this high tea becomes Sydney’s most reclusive, and exclusive, afternoon tea experience.

To get to the Strangers’ Dining Room, overlooking the beautiful Domain park, requires walking through a metal detector and passing by some heavily armed guards. It’s a bit of a surreal way to enter a high tea room, that’s for sure.

With the only dining option for 3:15pm, a small crowd gathered in anticipation of the dining event about to take place.

After checking in with our names, we chose our table – by the window with the best natural light.

The china drew our attention immediately – it’s a special Wedgwood china pattern designed for Parliament House. I was hoping to be able to purchase a tea cup to take home, but sadly they are not available for sale.

There are three options available:
Traditional High Tea served with tea and coffee – $42 per person
Hope Estate Pinot Chardonnay NV Sparkling High Tea – $44 per person
Lerida Estate Lake George Brut Rose Sparkling High Tea – $52 per person

The High Tea in the House was created by Executive Chef David Learmonth and his team of expert chefs. While not every component was made in-house, every ingredient on the menu was sourced from NSW.

Scone tier
Lemonade scones with strawberry gel and cream

Savoury tier
Bocconcini tartlet with chive coulis
Smoked salmon and dill cream cheese crepe roulade
Cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches

Sweet tier
Milk chocolate aero squares
Flamed lemon meringue pie
Macarons
Mini cupcakes
Opera cake

I was somewhat perplexed when the tea stand arrived with the one type of sandwich, the salmon scroll and the bocconcini tarts after I had told them I was vegetarian, as usually I am given an alternative to meat. After confirming that this was the regular platter and there was no vegetarian option I was grateful that there happened to be two vege savouries for me to eat. After we devoured the savoury plate, another was brought over, which I loved. The hot weather had put me off eating too much sickly sweet stuff and I was craving savouries. I do appreciate when extra sandwiches are offered at all high teas, actually, as well as additional tea.

Speaking of tea, I chose an English Breakfast loose leaf tea which came in a beautiful silver pot. The handle was burning hot strangely, and the post only held enough water for two very small cups, but it was a really lovely tea.

The scones were excellent, even though they were not super fresh. I really love when scones arrive fresh out of the oven!

The dessert tier defeated me on this day. I enjoyed the lemon merengue tart, the opera cake and the tiny vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting, but I couldn’t eat any more!

On the whole, I enjoyed the high tea, in particular the savoury tier and scones. The desserts were good, but not very creative. I did think that this high tea was excellently priced. At $42pp it’s cheaper than the majority of high teas in Sydney, and in a location you’re likely to never be privileged to step foot in again.

NSW Parliament House
6 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 9230 2248
Bookings are recommended and can be made by contacting NSW Parliamentary Catering on 02 9230 2248 or by email to dps.catering@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Get Directions

Sheraton on the Park High Tea Buffet: Sydney’s Best High Teas

February 7, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 6 Comments

I’m a regular at the Sheraton for their amazing high tea offerings, but this was the first time that I’ve tried their High Tea Buffet. For the same price as the beautiful tiers that come around, on weekends you can choose the buffet if you so desire.

I’ve been curious about the buffet, but what encouraged me to book it for my dad’s birthday this week was how easy it made dining with people who have various food requirements. My dad can’t eat a variety of ingredients, which can make regular high teas hard. The buffet, however, meant he could pick and choose from a huge variety of food and find plenty of things to eat, with zero hassle.

The buffet had an absolutely mind blowing amount of choice. I was determined to try one of everything (ha!) and failed miserably, which has only increased my desire to return so I can sample more of the dishes I missed out on.

The foyer of the dining area was set up into stations – sandwiches, sweets, quiche and macarons (an interesting pairing!), scones, hot cross buns and crepes, DIY ice cream and cheese, nuts, crackers and creme brulee.

The creme brulee was so fresh that we watched the chef make it at the station and then place it onto the serving platters.

Sandwiches: As a vegetarian, I was only able to eat two of the sandwiches, which was a slight let down for me over the high tea stand, where I would usually get a vegetarian quiche plus three other vegetarian savory options.

I did enjoy the sandwiches though – an egg and cream cheese on fluffy white bread and a wrap with pumpkin and blue cheese.

Quiche: The only quiche available was salmon sadly, so I didn’t try it. I hope next time I go there is a vegetarian quiche on offer.

Sweets: It was impossible to know where to begin. There were so many sweets it hurt to look at them. I really loved the variety offered – everything from chocolate cake pops covered in pistachios to mango and raspberry pudding with white chocolate bubbles, tiny strawberry cheesecakes and deconstructed pavlova. I tried about 9 I think (yikes!), and went home thinking about all the others I didn’t get to. Next time!

Scones: These were fantastic – super fresh and warm, with giant bowls of jam and cream. I had a blueberry scone and found it fluffy and light. Perfect cream, thick fruity jam. So good.

Ice cream: This was cheese’s favourite. Choose from chocolate or vanilla, then add a selection of toppings like chocolate curls, nuts, shortbread pastry crust and chocolate balls.

Tea selection: As part of the basic buffet you are offered a choice of tea or coffee. I chose English Breakfast, which came in a pot that gave me about three full cups of tea. The lovely hostess came around later to offer is a hot water refill, which I appreciated.

I don’t usually order Cheese her own dishes when we have high tea as she just doesn’t eat them, and I was concerned with this being a buffet that it would be an awkward situation. I had nothing to worry about however, as no one minded that she pecked at a few things here and there.

The service at the Sheraton on the Park is fantastic. As soon as we finished with a plate it was whisked away, often without me even noticing, by friendly, smiling staff.

I can’t recommend the Sheraton on the Park High Tea Buffet enough for your next high tea. You’ll probably be like me and want to go back to try everything you missed the first time!

The Buffet High Tea is $49pp and includes one coffee or tea per person. Additional cost for sparkling wine. Bookings recommended.

Sheraton On The Park High Tea Buffet
161 Elizabeth Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$$

Creperie Suzette: Kid-Friendly Cafes, The Rocks, Sydney

January 16, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food, The Rocks / 0 comment

This little creperie is a tiny piece of France tucked away in the historic Rocks area of Sydney. In an area chock full of tourist traps, Creperie Suzette brings a welcome touch of French soul food to the area – a welcome respite for visitors to the area who want top notch food without paying exorbitant prices.

We very much enjoyed our crepes from Creperie Suzette. During a trip to France many years back we loved the traditional French style savoury crepes, so it was wonderful to dine on flavoursome crepes that brought back memories of such a wonderful trip to the little town of Giverny, which is where we sampled French crepes for the first time.

We enjoyed: La Biquette (Goats Cheese, Fresh Pesto, Vine Ripened Tomatoes and Rocket
$12), La Tasmanienne (Smocked Tasmanian Salmon, Capers, Cream Fraiche and Fresh Dill $13) and La Fraise (Fresh Strawberries, Dark Chocolate Sauce, Double Cream and Walnuts $12).

Since our strawberry crepe was for Cheese, we requested it minus the chocolaye and walnuts, and they very kindly reduced the price for us to $10, as well as custom making it very happily.

When you’re dining with small kids, it’s really appreciated when cafes are happy to make small changes to menu items to accommodate little fussy diners. It’s tiny details like making families feel like helping them is no problem that guarantees repeat customers and word of mouth recommendations.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Minimal. Bring an umbrella stroller if possible.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Creperie Suzette
34 Harrington St,
The Rocks, Sydney
Phone: (02) 8220 9999
Prices: $
Hours: Sunday to Monday 7.30am-3.30pm
Get Directions

Quay Restaurant: 6th Anniversary Dinner

January 4, 2016 / CBD, Circular Quay, Family, Love, Sydney, Sydney Food / 5 Comments

For our 6th wedding anniversary, Alec and I dined at Quay Restaurant – Australia’s most awarded restaurant, and one of two Australian restaurants on the prestigious S. Pellegrino World’s Top 50 List. The menu, created by chef Peter Gilmore, is modern Australian with Japanese and Chinese influence.

Starters (same for both menus)

Goats curd with frozen sorrel and green tea.

Salad of summer squash, sheep’s milk feta, lemon jam, young almonds

Regular Tasting Menu

Raw smoked Blackmore wagyu,
horseradish soured cream,
fermented rye crisps,
raw funghi

Southern uni, koshihikari rice,
salted yolk, maw, sweet prawn,
caterpillar mushrooms, umami broth

Slow cooked abalone,
smoked confit pig jowl,
fermented shiitake chawanmushi,
bamboo, koji cultured grains

Crayfish, XO sauce, organic radishes

Roast masterstock duck,
scorched pickled cucumber,
sorrel, iceplant, agretti, karkalla

Vegetarian Tasting Menu

Eggplant tartare, horseradish soured cream,
fermented rye crisps, raw funghi

Green asparagus congee, egg yolk emulsion

Fermented shiitake chawanmushi,
hen of the woods mushrooms, bamboo,
koji cultured grains

Silken tofu, XO sauce, organic radishes

Stone pot organic green rice, mountain spinach,
spring cabbage stems, seaweed

Optional cheese course $25
Ours was an amazing swiss cheese cut into a flower shape, on top of a bed of grains and quince.

Desserts – same for both menus.

Snow Egg

Cream, honey, almonds,
muscovado, oloroso caramel, prune

Coffee, Tea and Quay Petits Fours

The staff surprised us with an adorable bonus cupcake to celebrate our anniversary.

The view! Doesn’t get any better than this.

Gorgeous cocktails with a stunning outlook.

Even my bag was well taken care of with a Quay branded purse holder.

We had such a wonderful evening at Quay. From the kind, thoughtful and efficient staff, to the amazingly created food and the snow egg dessert that was well and truly the best dessert either of us has ever tasted, Quay went above and beyond to deliver a dining experience that we will never forget. What a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary.

Quay Tasting Menu is $235 pp 8 course degustation

Quay Restaurant
3, Overseas Passenger Terminal, George St & Argyle Street, The Rocks NSW 2000
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Sheraton On The Park Christmas Edition High Tea

December 11, 2015 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

A high tea at the Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, is always a special event. On this occasion, we were sampling the new Christmas Edition High Tea, which promised to get us feeling festive (and full!) in time for the holiday season. Christmas is only 2 weeks away, so I’ve been embracing the holiday spirit this week, starting with an amazing high tea.

The Christmas High Tea comes with scones, sweets and savouries, and your choice of tea, hot chocolate (made with Lindt chocolate) or coffee. I chose the English breakfast, which arrived in a cute glass pot, and made at least three cups of tea.

Scones
Freshly baked chestnut scone and plain scone with strawberry jam, pure double cream and butter
Fois gras – apricot brioche

Savoury
Avocado, mozzarella, tomato open turkish sandwich
Vegetable wrap (vegetarian alternative)
Sandwich with cranberry, tomato, cheese (vegetarian alternative)
Fruit and cheese tart (vegetarian alternative)

Sweet treats
Gingerbread mille feuille with cranberry cream
Pistachio macarons
Orange tart with campari jelly
Black forest trifle
Lemon berry yule log
Warm cinnamon, orange chocolate drink
Almond stolen (on the scone tier)
English fruit cake (on the scone tier)

I really enjoyed the scones at this high tea. Sydney scones are often small and biscuit-like, but the Sheraton ones are bigger and fluffier than most. The jam was tart and not too liquidy (hey, I’m a mess jam-spreader!) and the cream was nice and thick.

The savouries were especially made for this vegetarian, which I always appreciate. I enjoyed the avocado and mozzarella on turkish toast best (which is on the regular menu too), with the delightful hidden pesto giving it a pop of flavour. The vegetable wrap had creamy sweet potato inside, with fresh greens, and the little sandwich has really fresh fluffy bread – again with a surprising spread of cranberry inside that made the flavours that bit extra vibrant.

There were a lot more sweets on this platter than on most high teas. I managed to fit one of everything in somehow (yes I’m still feeling full the day after), with my favourites being the very chocolaty trifle and lemon berry yule log. The trifle had three tiers of components plus grated chocolate on top, all of which, when scooped up together, made for a perfect chocolatey mouthful. The lemon berry yule log had one of my fave combinations of lemon and berries, wrapped in a little scroll shape.

The chocolate orange drink was a tiny sip of heaven (I love chocolate and orange together), and the gingerbread mille feuille was just divine. The crispy gingerbread wafers combined with the cranberry cream made for a light and refreshing treat – as well as being extremely pretty.

I also enjoyed the macaron with its fresh berry centre, and the little slice of fruit and nut Christmas cake, and the “almond stole”, which was kind of like a tea cake with almond inside. Light, fresh and sweet.

I highly enjoyed the Christmas high tea, and would strongly recommend it for a special outing in the lead up to Christmas. It’s only available until Dec 24, so get in quick!

The Christmas Edition High Tea Stand includes one coffee or tea per person. $109 for two. Additional cost for sparkling wine

The Christmas Edition High Tea is served Mon-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-2pm and 2:30pm-4:30pm until December 24th.

Sheraton On The Park High Tea
161 Elizabeth Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$$
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Thank you to Sheraton On The Park for hosting us.

Sleeping Beauty High Tea at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth Hotel

November 14, 2015 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 4 Comments

The combination of two of my favourite things makes for an irresistible outing. I’ve been a lover of ballet my entire life, and of high teas for a good 10 years or so. Together, they are a bit magical!

I’ve booked tickets this year to see the Australian Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty and also their children’s version of the Sleeping Beauty Storytime Ballet. An evening at the ballet has been a highlight of mine over the years. One of my dearest friends and I have been seeing attending the ballet every year since our university days, and recently have started taking our daughters to the Australian Ballet’s children’s performances too. When I saw the Sofitel Wentworth had a new high tea inspired by the Australian Ballet’s new Sleeping Beauty ballet, I knew we had to go, and take the girls too.

The Sleeping Beauty High Tea is available for a limited time only (Nov 1 2015 – Jan 31 2016) and is an excellent showcase of the skills of their talented Head pastry Chef Vai Hong Lo and internationally renowned Executive Chef Boris Cuzon.

Sleeping Beauty High Tea at the Sofitel Wentworth Hotel via christineknight.me

The high tea is timed to co-incide with David McAllister’s lavish reimagining of The Sleeping Beauty, performing at the Sydney Opera House from 01 November 2015 – 31 January 2016. I have tickets towards the end of November and I am counting down the days.

If you too are a ballet and high tea lover, then you too may enjoy a decadent afternoon indulging in both of your loves at the same time.

Another detail worth noting is the Sofitel Sydney’s collaboration with lifestyle designer Cristina Re. Her vintage-inspired exclusive Signature High Tea collection is now a part of the luxury high tea experience. I really enjoyed the delicate China in its beautiful pinks and purples with 24 carat gold finishes. A really modern China with romantic colours, a perfect fit for the ballet theme as you can see from the images.

The Sofitel Sydney has amazing attention to detail with their high teas. The menu for the special high tea was specially printed with a floral design, as were the colouring in sheets given to the girls to occupy them. The purple ribbons around the cutlery were a gorgeous touch.

The table was beautifully set up for our arrival, including a glass full of pencils for the girls to use to colour in. I really appreciated the thoughtfulness in regards to the girls, who, at 4 and 6, are on the young side to be taking to a high tea, mostly because they both eat like birds and also aren’t the best at sitting still for long periods.

Our tea choices arrived in individual pots, each contained at least 3, maybe 4 cups of tea. Much appreciated as I love, love, love tea.

Even though the children’s tea is advertised as coming with soft drink, Cheese was offered a more suitable hot chocolate option, which came with a sweet heart flower design (she loved it), and a little square of chocolate. The barista was particular to make it very lukewarm so as not to burn her little tongue. Cheese tipped a (hopefully clean) finger in and pronounced it perfect.

The teas arrived looking absolutely amazing. The children’s high tea is actually exactly the same as the adult’s high tea but is served with the soft drinks instead of a pot of tea. This makes it the best value children’s high tea I’ve ever seen.

Sweet layer 1:
Raspberry and white chocolate dome
Vanilla bean choux
“Kiss” chocolate tartlet

Sweet layer 2:
Macarons
Candy floss “spindle” – the feature element in the high tea is this “spindle in a glass” consisting of a spindle shaped chocolate with pink and blue fairy floss.
Fairy bread cheese cake

Savoury layer:
Scones, cream, jam
Smoked salmon, cucumber, multigrain bread
Roasted beef, mustard, tomato, brioche
Mushroom quiche
* Avocado, cucumber, tomato on brioche
* Vegetable pesto on multigrain bread

The highlight sweet for me was the raspberry and white chocolate dome and vanilla bean choux. I really love fruity desserts and the raspberry dome was lovely and tangy with its tartness. The vanilla bean choux was kind of like a profiteroles but better – light and fluffy and stuffed with the most amazing creamy custard.

Cheese loved the fairy floss in the cup. She actually ate all three of them before I could stop her. They were delicious from the tiny bit I managed to snaffle. Not sickeningly sweet like the commercial fairy floss you usually get. Both the girls loved the “lips” on the chocolate tart – playing with them more than eating them, but they did have a lot of fun and they were eventually eaten and enjoyed.

Out of the savouries I enjoyed the quiche the most – I am very partial to a good quiche! Nice buttery pastry on the outside, fluffy eggy centre with bits of leek and mushroom throughout. The sandwiches were made with lovely fresh bread and toppings. Sandwiches often get served hard edge to them that shows they’ve been out in the air too much, but these were so soft and fluffy.

The scones were on the smaller side, more like an American biscuit than an English scone. The petite size actually helped in that I could eat them both – the plain and current one – without getting completely full on just the scones. They came served with two good sized bowls of jam and cream. The jam was a burst of fruit flavour, but i would have liked it to be a tad thicker only to stop me from making a mess of it when I tried to spoon it onto the scones and failed miserably when I got the tablecloth instead. I enjoyed the thickly whipped cream.

Both the girls started to get restless towards the end and made their own “tea” out of milk, tea, hot chocolate and whatever else they could get their grimy little hands on. A massive thank you to the attentive and tolerant staff who didn’t blink at their “delicious” concoctions.

The Sleeping Beauty High Tea is available 01 November 2015 – 31 January 2016.

$59* per person including a glass of Veuve Clicquot

$65* per person including sparkling wine for the duration

$39* per child (5-12 years) inclusive of soft drinks

*Vegetarian substitutions

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
61-101 Phillip Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9228 9188
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Thank you to the Sofitel Wentworth for hosting us. All opinions and “adorable” children are our own.