August 2018 - Adventure, baby!

Month: August 2018

“Low Tea” at Daisy’s Milkbar Petersham, Sydney, Australia

August 18, 2018 / High Tea, Inner West, Petersham, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Low Tea at Daisy’s Milkbar in Petersham is reminiscent of a school fete or bake sale. It’s like every childhood party you attended in the ’90s before Pinterest and the rise of fancy desserts took over. In other words, it’s completely YUM and will take you right back to the 3rd grade with every sweet bite.

Daisy’s Milkbar has been a fave of ours since it opened, thanks to it’s cool 1950s vibe and extremely kid-friendliness. You can read about a previous visit to Daisy’s Milkbar here.

The Low Tea has got to be a new fave of ours both because of it’s fun, nostalgic design, but also because the food is delicious and the value is incredible.

The photos you see are of a Low Tea for two people. Thankfully we didn’t order for three, as we has to take most of the sweet stuff home with us as it was.

Each Low Tea costs $45 and includes a non alcoholic drink (tea, coffee, milkshake etc) and an alcoholic drink (cocktail or boozy shake) for each person plus a selection of sweet and savoury bite-sized treats.

The food in the Low Tea may change but at the moment it includes: mini sausage rolls, veggie quiche, mini pavlovas, cheese and tomato sandwiches, French onion dip and Jatz, mini mac n cheese, honey joys, chocolate crackles, pikelets, pink jam lamingtons, lemon bars, vanilla slice, rocky road, fairy bread and assorted iconic Aussie biccies like Iced Vovos.

As well as looking beautiful, the food tasted great. Highly recommend for freshness and flavour.

It’s worth noting that Daisy’s is a fantastic place for families in particular, and we saw a lot of mums, dads and their kids enjoying lunch together while we were there. There is a large selection of board games that can be borrowed and played at the tables, as well as card games (we spotted UNO) and drawing materials.

The Low Tea costs $45 pp and is on offer Fridays to Sundays, 10am – 2pm, bookings essential. Groups of groups of 2-8 people only.

Daisy’s Milkbar
340 Stanmore Road
Petersham NSW 2049
Ph: (02) 8065 3466
Prices: $$
Online: daisysmilkbar.com
Get Directions

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay Hotel High Tea

August 6, 2018 / CBD, Circular Quay, High Tea, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Enjoy traditional high tea in the understated elegance of the Sir Stamford Circular Quay Hotel. A Sir Stamford High Tea is the perfect afternoon indulgence and can be catered to suit all special diets.

The Sir Stamford Hotel is located at Circular Quay, a few steps from the Sydney Opera House and a short walk to the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. It’s an elegant hotel, full of old world charm.

Sir Stamford High Tea

The Sir Stamford high tea is unique in that several variations are offered. This makes it much easier when dining out with a larger group who have different dietary requirements. Our group ordered two traditional high teas, two deluxe Devonshire teas and one children’s high tea.

A gluten-free high tea is also available, as is a “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.

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.

Traditional High Tea
Served with a glass of Australian Sparkling Wine and coffee or tea

Savoury

Curry Egg Sandwich
Chicken & Shallot in Tomato Bread Pinwheel*
Tuna & Celery Sandwich*
Prosciutto & Persian Feta on Baguette*
Cucumber with Dill Cream Cheese Sandwich
* I was given vegetarian substitutes for these items

Sweet

Yellow Peach Yoghurt Dome
Blueberry Cheese Cake
Passion Coconut Verrine
Explosive Raspberry Marshmallows
Assorted Macaron
Lemon Scented Scones with Clotted Cream and Mixed Berry Jam

Deluxe Devonshire High Tea
Served with a cup of freshly brewed coffee or tea

Savoury

Curry Egg Sandwich
Chicken & Shallot in Tomato Bread Pinwheel
Tuna & Celery Sandwich
Prosciutto & Persian Feta on Baguette
Cucumber with Dill Cream Cheese Sandwich

Sweet

Brownie with Fresh Berries
Lemon Scented Scones with Clotted Cream and Mix Berry Jam

Kids High Tea (5-12 years old)
Served with a glass of juice or hot chocolate

Savoury

Ham & Mayo Sandwich
Cranberry & Turkey Sandwich
Roasted Chicken Pinwheel in Tomato Bread
Tomato and Cheddar Sandwich

Sweet

Chocolate Brownie
Strawberry & Lemon Cheesecake
Dark Chocolate Mousse Cup
Assorted Macaroon
Lemon Scones with Clotted Cream and Mix Berry Jam

We really enjoyed the Sir Stamford high tea. With many hotels and restaurants gearing their high teas towards a more modern audience, it’s really lovely to be able to enjoy a high tea that harkens back to a time gone by.

Sydney High Tea served from
11 am – 4 pm Monday – Sunday

Sir Stamford Circular Quay Hotel
93 Macquarie Street
Sydney, NSW
Phone: +61-2 9252 4600
Online stamford.com.au/sscq/restaurant–bar/sydney-high-tea

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

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

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

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

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

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

Sydney Restaurants: Petty Cash Cafe, Marrickville, Australia

August 6, 2018 / Inner West, Marrickville, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

A cosy, retro cafe in Marrickville, Petty Cash has become a go-to for inventive vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes in Sydney’s inner west.

Petty Cash is a low-key spot, located directly across the road from the playground in leafy Enmore Park. As such it’s a great spot for families to dine in or pick up some take away and eat it in the park.

We dined in and enjoyed the vintage, mismatched chairs, tables and crockery. The cafe has a slightly hippy feel to it and is a bit disorganised. This either adds to its charm or can be irritating, depending on how hangry you are.

Petty Cash is a popular spot with locals, and the Sunday we visit it’s packed with diners. We nab a table inside but there’s a long line at the counter to order food. We’ve arrived at rush hour and the cafe is hectic.

As a vegetarian I find cafes that cater to vegan and vegetarians hard to find. I loved the menu at Petty Cash as I could eat almost everything on the menu. I would have liked to have seen a kids’ menu as well.

We chose the Big Brekkie with free range eggs on toast + avocado, tomato, hash brown, haloumi and house beans ($17.90), pumpkin & ricotta lasagne with burnt rosemary butter and salad ($17.90) and the free-range eggs on toast ($9.90).

When ordering at the counter we weren’t given a number or asked where we were sitting, so I was curious to see how our meals would find us. I was pleasantly surprised to see they they did find their way to us very quickly – the servers asked the person who took the order where to send the meals. What an incredible memory!

The playground across the road has some shade cloth over parts of the equipment, and a really cool space ship climbing structure. There are plenty of trees for shade and wide grassy spaces for running around. There are public restrooms at the nearby aquatic centre.

Petty Cash Cafe
68 Victoria Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204
Hours: Daily 7:30am–3:30pm
Phone: (02) 9557 2377
Prices: $$
Online: facebook.com/Petty-Cash-Cafe

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

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

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

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

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

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

Sydney Restaurants: The Cove Dining Co, Abbotsford, Australia

August 5, 2018 / Abbotsford, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

A busy road in a residential area is not the location you’d expect to find the beautiful Cove Dining Co cafe. Located inside the community hall of what was once the Abbotsford Nestlé factory site, the building is heritage-listed and gives a lovely insight into a time gone by.

Walk inside to find a spacious dining room with long tables perfect for big groups or sharing and meeting new friends. There is also an outdoor verandah with alfresco seating and a lovely view of the lush gardens surrounding the building. The verandah is my pick for seating if you’re visiting with kids as the gardens provide the perfect place for kids to play.

The Cove Dining Co is a small, family run business. Almost everything is prepared onsite, including smoked goods, cheese and jam. Free range and organic ingredients are used where possible.

The menu has a lot of variety as well as some familiar favourites to fall back on. The dishes we order arrive pretty quickly for a busy day and are fairly busting with colour and flavour.

Honey Spice Granola with Almonds, Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Coconut and Sultanas, served with Yoghurt and Preserved Fruit ($16).

Bubble & Squeak with Fried Egg, Speck, Cabbage, Peas, and Potato with Sourdough ($20).

Boiled Egg and Sourdough off the kids’ menu ($6).

There is a decent-sized kids’ menu with enough options for picky eaters as well as those who will try something a bit more substantial. Boiled Egg and Sourdough ($6), Pancake with Maple Syrup ($6), Scrambled Egg and Bacon on Sourdough ($8), Toasted Cheese Sandwich on Brioche with Fries ($6), Crumbed Fish and Fries ($14), Crumbed Chicken and Fries ($14).

This is one incredible family-friendly cafe, as evidenced by how accessible it is for strollers and wheelchairs, and provide use of highchairs, baby change tables, toys and colouring in equipment. There is also free wifi!

The Cove Dining Co
378 Great N Rd, Abbotsford, NSW
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-2pm, Sat & Sun 8am-3pm
Phone: (02) 9713 7896
Prices: $$
Online thecovediningco.com.au

More things to do in Sydney

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

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

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

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

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

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

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