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Sydney

GrazeMCA: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Circular Quay, Sydney

October 28, 2015 / CBD, Circular Quay, Sydney, Sydney Food / 12 Comments

On a sunny day in Sydney, the best place for brunch is a cafe with a harbour view. GrazeMCA has one of the best views in Sydney, right on the ground floor of the MCA, looking out at the Sydney Opera House. Local or tourist, this view is just stunning.

With our reservation made in advance, it was great to arrive and know our table was ready for us. All of the GrazeMCA tables are outside under umbrellas – some more in the sun than others. Request a particularly shady spot if you’re sun sensitive like we are.

I love outdoor dining for two main reasons: 1. The view. How amazing is it to be breathing in fresh air and looking out at the harbour? 2. I don’t worry about the kid as much. When we’re dining outdoors, the noise is less of a problem thanks to all the ambient sounds around, and there is also the space for my ever active daughter to run around outside the cafe if she gets too antsy sitting down.

GrazeMCA is situated in a part of town where it’s tough to get a good meal. Tourists abound, and so do overly priced tourist traps as a result. GrazeMCA stands out as one of the few high quality restaurants in the area. It’s the kind of place you’d go for a nice brunch or lunch out with the family and friends, which is exactly what we did on the day we visited.

Our dining companions were two of our close Australian friends who lived in New York at the same time that we did. Back in Australia together again, we love to get together and dine out in gorgeous Sydney locations such as this. A world away from our old New York haunts!

I really appreciated the helpful staff at GrazeMCA, particularly the one who, after I asked about iced tea (not on the menu) offered to have it made for me anyway. It was served New York style – ie very black and strong, with a lemon wedge in it – and enough caffeine to keep me going for the rest of the morning as a result. I so rarely get an iced tea in Sydney that I might have to keep coming back just for that one item.

Cute babyccinos are $1 (this one had a finger poked in it before I could get a picture).

We arrived in time to order from the breakfast menu. Our group tried: Honey Toasted House Granola & Goji Berries ($15, with vanilla berry compote and thick yoghurt), Eggs Benedict ($22, with double smoked ham, sauteed baby spinach and hollandaise on sourdough toast), Fried Egg (in coconut oil, $18, with raw greens and grains, dukkha, grilled flat bread and tahini yoghurt, $18, plus a side of avocado, $4.50), Free Range Eggs ($16, scrambled with sourdough toast) and the Vegie Heaven on Sourdough Toast ($16, with avocado, roasted roma tomatoes and ricotta).

The meals were delivered quickly, all freshly made with generous portions. My vegie heaven came with an accidental additional poached egg. I found the mix of components to be the prefect breakfast blend, with the creamy avocado and cheese, and the strong roasted tomato taste to cut through it, all on top of fluffy, lightly cooked sourdough. Delicious.

Cheese had the eggs on toast – a very simple dish she was happy to eat. Again, it’s a small thing, but really happy when we get bread that is soft and lightly cooked.

The house granola was an amazingly huge portion – enough for us to all give it a try. It was a delicious, light choice for breakfast.

After we ate we sat around chatting for quite a while, so thank you to the staff for graciously letting us linger.

The park out the front of the MCA is perfect for kids to burn off energy, which is exactly what Cheese did after her breakfast.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: No – one item for kids.

GrazeMCA
149 George St,
The Rocks NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9245 2452
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, Sat & Sun 9am-11:30pm, 12pm-3pm
Get Directions

Date Night In Sydney: Sheraton on the Park Conservatory Bar

October 26, 2015 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

Ahhh date nights aren’t what they used to be! One of the few things I really miss about my pre-kid life are the regular evening outings with just me and the hubbie. What used to be on-the-fly no-organisation-needed nights out have turned into carefully planned weeks in advance scheduled productions to lock in babysitters, restaurants and friends. As a result, we probably only have a night out once every few months these days.

So when Hubbie and I do get a night out alone, it’s special. This is where the Conservatory Bar at Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park comes into the story. We badly needed a bit more of a special night out after a rough few weeks on the home front, so a luxurious evening at the bar was a blessing.

The Conservatory Bar is on the second floor of the hotel, overlooking beautiful Hyde Park. As evening falls, the bar darkens and gets a really romantic vibe.

The bar has just launched a new Paired Menu that we sampled during our evening out. The tapas-style menu has been designed to match perfectly with handpicked wines and craft beers to compliment each small plate. That said, we went rogue when we saw the cocktail menu and decided to order some fancy sounding concoctions instead.

The dishes are designed to be shared, but unfortunately for us there was only one vegetarian dish, which meant I ordered the vego dish, the Gyoza (steamed Japanese dumplings in spicy soy, pork or vegetable, $18) and hubbie ordered Garlic Shrimp (shrimps sautéed in olive oil and garlic, $20) and Scallop Fritters (crispy deep fried battered scallops, tamarind chilli sauce, $22).

My dumplings were absolutely delicious. A plentiful serving, with fresh filling, and a tasty sauce on the bottom to dip them in.

The dishes were larger than we’d expected, and also more filling. According to my husband, the prawns were juicy, nicely garlicly without being too spicy, were perfectly cooked and went extremely well with the crusty bread they were served with. He also found the batter around the scallops to be a bit heavy for delicate seafood inside, but he still enjoyed the dish.

The cocktail I ordered, the Louisiana Jam (southern comfort, apricot brandy, aperol, pineapple, jam, lime, $20) was the best of my life. Honestly, I wanted to set up a mainline to this and just keep the good stuff coming. It was sweet without being sickening, and strong enough despite the ice. So. Good. Worth going back for this cocktail alone.

Hub’s cocktail was the Rum ‘n’ Rhubarb (7yr rum, liquor 43, rhubarb bitters, vanilla, $21). He liked the delicate flavours but found it a touch on the weak side.

As well as the food and drinks being top notch, the service was also extremely professional and friendly. Exactly the vibe we enjoy. With music playing in the bar and the lights going down around us, it was easy to forget our cares and enjoy each other’s company.

Sheraton On The Park Conservatory Bar
161 Elizabeth Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$$
Get Directions

We dined as guests of Sheraton on the Park. All opinions are our own. A big thank you for facilitating a rare date night out for us!

Foodcraft Espresso & Bakery: Sydney’s Best Milkshakes & Cafes

October 24, 2015 / Erskineville, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

Like the rest of Sydney, I’m a bit obsessed with milkshakes right now. I’m particularly partial to Nutella and have very fond childhood memories of making myself ill by eating entire jars of Nutella with a spoon.

Foodcraft Espresso & bakery have made a name for themselves recently with their Instagram-breaking Tella Ball Shake – basically a Nutella-filled donut stuck on top of a Nutella milkshake. Basically my dream food, with a straw shoved in the middle. Of course we had to go and get one.

I’d heard stories of long waits to get in due to the recent popularity, but when we arrived at 10am on a Saturday we only waited five minutes for a roomy table. The staff were some of the friendliest I’ve ever encountered at a cafe anywhere. All smiles, asking Cheese what her name was, really giving the place a friendly laid-back vibe that was incredibly welcoming.

Families and young couples alike were all there for the shakes. Diners with dogs sat outside with their pooches under the tables, with babies perched in highchairs at the table next door. The cafe really sums up this part of the inner west – a bit more family-friendly and chilled out. Not as much of a “we’re so hip you’re not welcome” attitude that makes erm, less hip people like myself feel out of place.

The food! What good is a great atmosphere if the food is rubbish? Luckily, the food was delicious and decently priced. The famous Tella Ball Shake was $10 – and really enough for two people to share. The milkshake was so full of Nutella and ice cold, with a big fluffy donut on top. Cheese eye’s lit up like it was Christmas day when she saw it.

For meals, we ordered the Smashed Avocado ($16, with poached eggs, marinated feta, fresh lime and sea salt) with extra salmon ($4), Eggs on Toast ($10, free range eggs, any way you like it), and the Haloumi Stack ($16, balsamic glazed tomato, poached eggs, baby spinach and avocado). The food was served pretty quickly, and was all spot on. Perfectly cooked eggs, great bread that was lightly toasted (don’t get me started on how hard it seems to be to be served toast that isn’t burnt these days!), and fresh, bright ingredients. Just delicious. Everything.

Right across the street from the cafe is a little park with some strange torpedo-shaped sculptures that kids were enjoying playing on before and after eating.

While we came for the Tella Ball Shake, we left converts of the cafe for completely different reasons. Incredibly kid-friendly and delicious, well-priced food: Foodcraft Espresso, we will be back!

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

Foodcraft Espresso & Bakery
33 Bridge St,
Erskineville NSW 2043
Phone: (02) 9557 8656
Prices: $$
Hours: Tue-Fri 7am-4pm, Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

The Tea Salon’s Katherine Sabbath High Tea: Sydney’s Best Afternoon Teas

October 23, 2015 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The promise of a high tea created in collaboration with the amazing baker Katherine Sabbath beckoned me to The Tea Salon in Sydney’s Wesfield this week. The limited edition high tea only runs until October 31st, so if this amazing tea looks good to you, make a booking post-haste!

I hadn’t thought to try a high tea at The Tea Salon until now as I was a bit put off by the thought of a relaxing high tea … in a shopping centre. Like I said, it took the promise of Katherine Sabbath goodies to draw me in with my fellow food-loving blogger friend Jayne Gorman of Girl Tweets World.

The Tea Salon is indeed right in the middle of Westfields, but the atmosphere was very quiet, and I forgot very quickly that I was in a shopping centre. The decor is whimsically playful and delightful – a little bit Alice in Wonderland with the cutesy pastel china and white furniture.

We ordered the Katherine Sabbath high tea for two – at $39.95pp for the basic tea, it’s pretty good value. Kids up to the age of 13 can order a children’s version of the Katherine Sabbath high tea for $19.95 per child.

I didn’t bring Cheese with me on this occasion, which is a shame as the venue is incredibly kid-friendly.

Onto the high tea! Each tea come with pot of Premium Loose Leaf Tea or Espresso Coffee. We chose tea, which arrived quickly in large pots. The tea menu was quite extensive with some interesting selections to be had. We chose the “Creme Brûlée” – a black tea with caramel notes. The tea was a bit on the sweet side, but not sickeningly so. It was a great accompaniment to the food, and we managed to get at least three cups out of the pots.

As I requested vegetarian substitutions to the regular menu, we were given our own three-tiered stands. The teas were identical with the exception of the sandwiches, and our choice of scone.

Tier 1: Scone
One scone per serve. I chose the Katherine Sabbath Blueberry & White Chocolate Scone with raspberry cream.

Pinwheel Sandwiches:
Smoked Salmon, Rocket, Lemon & Capers
Cucumber & Dill Butter
Savoury Tartlets:
Beetroot, Goats Cheese & Caramelised Onion Jam
Pumpkin Feta & Pesto
Vegetarian sandwiches:
Cucumber and Dill Butter
Pesto

Sweet Treats:
Rose & Pistachio Pannacotta with Persian Fairy Floss
Lemon & Raspberry Zig-Zag Gumball Donut
Banana Cupcake with fresh Raspberry Cream
Dark Chocolate & Orange Fudge Tart with Salty Toffee Shards

The verdict:
I really enjoyed my vegetarian sandwiches. They were light and soft, freshly made, and the pesto sandwich in particular was really tasty. The scone, while being very blueberry-y, was a bit cake-y and lacked the sharp flavour that Australian scones usually have. This one was a bit more like a sweet American scone. The desserts were super cute and nicely bite-sized. My favourites were the Banana Cupcake and Rose & Pistachio Pannacotta with Persian Fairy Floss. The Pannacotta in particular was amazing – it tasted quite like Turkish Delight. I found the chocolate tart a bit rich for my taste, and the doughnut a little dense.

I really enjoyed the service at The Tea Salon. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive, and our waitperson was very knowledgable in teas, which I really appreciated!

The size of the teas were actually perfect. We were both so full that we needed to take one of the sweet treats home for later (little plastic take away containers were brought to our table to help facilitate a smooth transition of the cakey goodness to our homes).

I highly enjoyed the high tea at The Tea Salon. For the price in particular, it is exceedingly good value. The Tea Salon has a very kid-friendly atmosphere – a lot more so than most traditional high tea venues – so I will definitely be back with my kid in tow next time.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The Tea Salon
Westfield Sydney, Lvl 4,
Cnr Pitt St Mall and Market St,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9233 2231
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 10am-6:30pm
Get Directions
Bookings recommended. Email: sydney@theteasalon.com.au

Sydney Opera House Open Day

October 18, 2015 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 6 Comments

Today we head on down to the Sydney Opera House their once a year open day. Even though this is the tenth year in a row the landmark has thrown its doors open to the public, this is the first year I’ve actually heard of the event.

For one day a year, the Opera House lets the public inside for free, to see areas of the house typically off limits to your regular Joe.

I had intended to get up early and get down before the crowds, but, like all good plans, ours went pear shaped, and we arrived at midday, along with about a hundred other locals and tourists.

After a very long wait, we finally were able to set off on the self-guided tour through the concert hall and other areas like backstage rehearsal spaces.

The Sydney Opera House is one of those Aussie things I take for granted as I see it all the time. Days like today remind me how special it is.

Where to Eat, Play and Explore in Sydney – The Kid Bucket List

October 14, 2015 / Sydney, Sydney Life / 2 Comments

Sydney is such a huge city that it’s impossible to visit every amazing cafe or playground. To get another blogger’s suggestions on where to eat, play and explore in Sydney, I asked Leah from the wonderful Kid Bucket List.

Where to Eat
Sydney has such a diverse mix of options that you could close your eyes, spin around and place your finger on a map of the city and find a foodie delight nearby. Asking a Sydneysider for their top place to eat is liking asking a mother to choose her favourite child. It just can’t be done. I thought I would reveal three places that we seem to head back to again and again.

Earlier this year we discovered Daisy’s Milkbar in Petersham. It is on a main road which could be problematic for some families, but the milkshakes, sundaes and homemade cakes are to die for. It’s a great spot for an after school treat and a place the kids keep asking to visit.

Some weekends we travel out to Camden to meet friends and we almost always end up at the Italian Food Project (above). The kids both adore this vibrant and busy restaurant not only for the pizza, but for the dough they’re always given to play with between dishes.

The Grounds of Alexandria (above) is always abuzz and has enough room to accommodate even the most exuberant of children. The food never fails to delight the adults and the kids are kept busy with the animals, the cubby house and everything else. If you’re only in Sydney for a few days, make sure you visit for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Where to Play
Occasionally a weekend will sneak up on me before I can plan a trip to a new destination. On those days I am likely to head to the Blaxland Riverside Park in Homebush (pictured above). It’s the perfect park for all age groups and features almost every playground feature you will have favoured at your local park. There are swings, slides, climbing frames, a gigantic climbing tower, a water play area, bike tracks, nets…..everything! It’s free and has clean toilets, BBQ facilities, a small takeaway store and the divine Armory Café.

Where to Explore
Barrenjoey Lighthouse is one spot that intrigues and delights me every time we visit. Overlooking the famous Palm Beach, it is a bit of a walk but the view is the perfect reward especially during whale season when you can spot the cows and calves making their trek south for summer. If you make the climb on a Sunday you can access the Lighthouse for a small fee, which is totally worth it, and a real treat for the kids.

Leah is an award-winning family adventure blogger documenting her family adventures around Australia and overseas on her blog, the Kid Bucket List.

Sydney’s Best Chocolate Shops: Coco Chocolate Kirribilli

October 12, 2015 / Kirribilli, North Shore, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

I love chocolate sooooo much. I particularly love handmade chocolate made with high quality ingredients – it just tastes that much better.

One of my favourite places to buy chocolate in Sydney is Coco Chocolate in Kirribilli. Coco Chocolate specialises in handmade, graded organic chocolate of the finest quality.

If you stop by the Kirribilli shop front you can sample some of their chocolate that’s filled with amazing ingredients like lavender, nuts, fruits and liquors. You can also have what I think could be the best hot chocolate in Sydney. Coco Chocolate has 12 types of hot chocolate on offer, as well as Sacred Grounds organic, fair trade coffee.

My personal favourite is the May Gibbs collection. Coco Chocolate have the exclusive license to produce these amazing chocolates using Snugglepot and Cuddlepie images. Even better, every May Gibbs Box by Coco Chocolate sold raises donations to Northcott, providing services and support for people with disabilities, their families and carers

These pink champagne truffles run a close second. Amazing.

Near the store is Bradfield Park, home to this extraordinary view of Sydney, lots of room for kiddos to run around, and a covered, fenced in playground.

Coco Chocolate
3a/9B Broughton St,
Kirribilli NSW 2061
Phone: (02) 9922 4998
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-6pm Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

Ruby’s Diner: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Waverly, Eastern Suburbs

October 5, 2015 / Eastern Suburbs, Queens Park, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

This cute little cafe is the epitome of Eastern Suburbs chic. Tucked away in Queens Park, Ruby’s Diner is the kind of cafe you need to know about to be able to find.

Seating spills over the sidewalk edges, giving plenty of room to park strollers at the tables. The seating system is very democratic – write your name on the clipboard at the door when you arrive and the host calls you when your table is ready.

We dropped by Ruby’s on a busy, hot public holiday. There was a decent crowd and we were seated within 10 minutes. The turn over of tables is pretty quick.

We ordered an Iced Latte ($4 milk coffee over ice w/ vanilla syrup), the H BOMB juice ($8 pineapple, orange, watermelon), a kids’ Banana Smoothie ($5), kids’ Plain Scrambled Eggs On Toast ($6), Avocado & Roast Tomato (w/ apple balsamic on 5 grain $15, add poached egg + $3) and Ruby’s Organic Beef Burger ($19 w/ beetroot relish, vintage cheddar, tomato, rocket, pickles & brioche bun).

Ruby’s has a very thoughtful kids’ menu, with items such as ham, cheese and tomato toastie, milkshakes, juices, yoghurt cup, gluten-free weetbix and kid’s club sandwich. I really liked that the kids menu had vegetarian and gluten-free options. The main menu also had a lot of dietary requirements covered, with gluten-free and dairy-free options, plus plenty of things for vegetarians like me to choose.

Our food was well cooked and was delivered by smiling staff. The eggs on toast were a good size for kids, and the kiddie smoothie arrived in a takeaway cup, which is always a good idea. My dish had a great zing to it thanks to the balsamic dressing. My toast was a bit burnt however, and the poached egg was slightly undercooked – I prefer mine with the white solid and just the yellow yolk oozing out.

The staff at Ruby’s were very helpful and friendly, it’s worth noting – a small detail that encourages us to return again another day.

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

Ruby’s Diner
1/173-179 Bronte Rd,
Queens Park NSW 2022
Phone: (02) 9557 8656
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 7am-4pm
Get Directions

The Secret Life of Suitcases: Sydney’s Best Shows For Kids

September 29, 2015 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

It’s not school holidays without some amazing kids theatre to be seen. Today we had a fabulous time seeing The Secret Life of Suitcases, a show by the Monkey Baa Theatre Company.

I haven’t been to a show by Monkey Baa before – I was pleasantly surprised to discover this theatre company for kids is housed in The Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre, directly opposite the children’s playground in the Darling Quarter Precinct. The theatre is purpose built for young audiences, with activities in the foyer pre and post shows (we had options to dress up, colour in or read books), parking for prams and plenty of family friendly eating venues nearby.

Back to the show we came to see: The Secret Life of Suitcases tells the story of a puppet named Larry who like being “busy” at his office job. He is content in his business until a tiny suitcase arrives, on a mission to open his eyes to the life he is missing out on.

The suitcase takes Larry on a fantastical adventure and right back home again – where he has the choice to go back to life as it was, or to step away from his all-consuming business and join society.

It’s a message that is beneficial for both adults and children to come away with – how often do we “busy” ourselves with the internet and our phones, in particular, missing out on conversations, special moments and opportunities?

I say yes to stepping away from being “busy” for the sake of it and grabbing life before it passes us by, too. This enchanting, delightful show will appeal to children and adults alike – it will also encourage you to put down your phone for the rest of the day when you leave.

The Secret Life of Suitcases is produced by the Monkey Baa Theatre Company.
Dates: Daily 28th September – 2nd October
Times: 11am & 1pm
Venue: Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre (across from the Children’s Playground in Darling Harbour)
Prices: $25pp / $90 Family 4 / $110 Family 5
Call: 02 8624 9340

Thank you to the Monkey Baa Theatre Company for hosting us – all opinions and extremely enthusiastic fairy child are my own.

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.

Paradise Road Diner: Bondi’s Best Kid-Friendly Cafes

September 27, 2015 / Bondi, Eastern Suburbs, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

There are plenty of cafes in Bondi, usually super busy, over run with tourists, and serving very average food. We discovered a new cafe recently called Paradise Road Diner, which is on its way to becoming a new local favourite breakfast and lunch spot, particularly for families.

The diner evokes the feel of 1950s America, with its vintage interiors and classic menu. Plenty of burgers, shakes and eggs your way – all at very affordable prices.

We ordered a classic cheese and tomato omelette ($16, served with a half ruby grapefruit), bagel with cream cheese ($6), and a classic chocolate shake, $6.

The food came quickly and was spot on. The perfect size for breakfast on our way down to the beach. The shake was truly a classic, served in a stainless steel cup for the small one. No gimmicks here, just really simple, good food and shakes.

The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful, to us and all of the other families who were dining at the same time. Crayons were brought for toddlers to scribble with, furniture was moved to accommodate strollers, and welcoming smiles greeted every one at the door. The delicious food with no waiting, combined with the staffs’ welcoming attitude, ensured we will be back again soon.

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

Black Star Pastry and Cafe
296 Campbell Parade
North Bondi Beach
Phone: (02) 9557 8656
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 7am-10pm
Get Directions