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Afternoon Tea at Park Hyatt Sydney

October 3, 2017 / CBD, High Tea, Sydney, Sydney Food, The Rocks / 0 comment

With floor to ceiling glass windows overlooking Sydney Harbour, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better outlook for a high tea in Sydney than the Park Hyatt in The Rocks.

Afternoon tea is served daily from 2:30pm-5:00pm on an elegant three tiered platter, with a selection of teas by La Maison Du Thé.

Savoury
Smoked salmon with dill mascarpone and keta caviar
Beef pastrami with celery & green apple remoulade and watercress
Aged cheddar on malt bread with quince & toasted hazelnuts
Provencale quiche with sundried tomatoes, olives & pine seeds
Truffle & ham “croque monsieur”

Sweet
Valrhona chocolate crhunch
Raspberry choux
Lemon myrtle cheesecake
MakMak macaron
Freshly baked scones with homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream

We enjoyed the afternoon tea, particularly as it had a large amount of savoury items. The food was all delicious. Freshly made using high-quality ingredients. The scones were fluffy and fresh (although not warm).

As a vegetarian I received a slightly different list of savoury food including a mediterranean style of sandwich.

Hot water for tea pots and extra jam or cream is available upon request.

The Park Hyatt offers a high tea for kids which is the same as the adult one but for a slightly cheaper price. It would be ideal if instead they had some more kid-friendly sandwiches and pastries instead of serving the same tea.

We opted instead to have some extra scones and then regretted it as they were super expensive – we were charged $14 for two small scones. I found out when I emailed later that the charge was doubled and it should have been $8 for the two scones, but this is still too expensive in my opinion for the tiny scones received.

Classic Afternoon Tea
$55 per person including tea or coffee (or a Valrhona chocolate, served hot or cold).

Champagne Afternoon Tea
$70 per person including the above, plus a glass of NV Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Rosé.

Afternoon Tea at the Park Hyatt Sydney
Served Daily, 2.30pm-5.00pm
$55 per person, $70 with a glass of Champagne.
Park Hyatt Sydney 7 Hickson Road
The Rocks Sydney NSW 2000 Australia.
Telephone: + 61 2 9256 1234
Online

Beauty and the Beast High Tea and Stay at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth

April 11, 2017 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

A tale as old as time has captured the imagination of a new generation. I never thought when I sat down to watch Beauty and the Beast in a movie theatre in 1991 that 16 years later I would be sharing the same classic experience with my own daughter.

The Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel is heritage-listed 5-star hotel located in the heart of Sydney’s CBD and shopping district. We often stop by for high tea because they are brilliant at theming them to current cultural events such as the release of the new live action version of Beauty and the Beast. (In the past I’ve enjoyed their Sleeping Beauty and Archibald high teas, run in collaboration with the Australian Ballet and the Art Gallery of NSW).

This tea could not have been a more perfect fit for my little Belle-want-to-be. She is deep in the “Disney princess” stage and was enchanted at the beautiful decorating inside the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel.

I couldn’t hold her back as she fluttered from one themed area to the next – from the gorgeous rose inside the glass dome at the check in desk to the roses and books in the foyer and the gigantic rose inside the Soiree, where the high teas are served.

Our table was made up with exquisite attention to detail: rose-shaped napkins in the tea cups, themed menus and a gold leaf runner that all hinted at the enchantment to come.

A Beauty and the Beast activity pack kept the little one well and truly occupied until our food arrived. The look on her face when she saw the platters of rose-themed goodies? Priceless. The smile says it all.

Savouries
Tomato tartlet
Roasted Angus beef on whole wheat bread
Salmon gravlax and tomato on Viennese baguette
* Vegetarian alternative to these were two avocado and tomato sandwiches

Desserts
Strawberry tartlet
Rose and Raspberry Religieuse
Passion cheesecake
Berry macaron
White chocolate dome

Homemade scones
Cream and homemade jam

The children’s high tea was almost the same as the adult one, with one less sandwich and the white chocolate dome replaced with a more kid-friendly cupcake with a rose on top.

As the high tea is light on savouries with more of a focus on the sweets, I would recommend having this high tea as an afternoon tea rather than as a substitution for lunch.

We both really enjoyed the variety of sweets. My favourites were the passion cheesecake with its tart notes of passionfruit and the exquisite rose and raspberry religieuse topped with delicate gold leaf, while Cheese loved the berry macaron, the rose cupcake – not to mention the avocado and tomato sandwiches, of which she ate all, even mine.

After the kid polished off her food and completed the activity book we took a walk around the hotel to see the rest of the Beauty and the Beast theming. A Belle-inspired dress rests in the back of the foyer, near the entrance to the Wentworth Library, where a special corner has been set aside to become “Belle’s Reading Corner”.

We sat and read through all three versions of Beauty and the Beast that were available, then decided it was time to check into our room.

I’ve never had a hotel check in into a room feel like a special experience before, so it was a first for me, too, when we were presented with a gorgeous silk rose along with our room keys.

Inside our junior suite on the 12th floor, another surprise awaited us – a delightful display of rose cupcakes, a Beauty and the Beast book and activity pack, plus the masterpiece of the theming, an Enchanted Rose Bluetooth Speaker that played music from our phones and lit up like magic.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that we spent a lot of time that evening just playing with the speaker ….

After a night sleeping on some of the most comfortable beds ever, we head down stairs for breakfast in the Garden Court. A buffet breakfast is included in our package, as is a complimentary dinner for kids up to age 12. The buffet has a fantastic array of breads, cheeses, meats, cereals, fruit and yogurt, with a hot section where you can also order eggs, waffles, French toast and pancakes to order.

We check out of the hotel rested and enchanted after our special Beauty and the Beast night at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. Most of our hotel stays are purely functional, but this one has been special. As we walk out of the lobby, Cheese turns to us and says, “We have special memories here”. That we do.

Beauty and the Beast High Tea prices:

$69* per adult
$29** per child

$79* per person including a glass of sparkling wine
$89* per person including a glass of Veuve Clicquot

*Subject to availability and conditions apply. Available daily in Soirée 11am till 5pm until 30/06/2017. Bookings are required. Accor Plus discount does not apply.
**Available for children aged 3-12 years, includes “Beauty and the Beast” activity kit.

Offer available during the promotional period 9 March – 30 June 2017

Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney
Contact 02 9228 9188 for reservations

Thanks so much to Disney and the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth for hosting us for this magical experience. All opinions are my own.

Vegan High Tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney

March 27, 2017 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

I’m thrilled to be trying what I think is the first 100% vegan high tea in Sydney, at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. While I’m not vegan myself I am vegetarian and more than happy to eat vegan where available, so this high tea was an exciting one to try with a friend who is lactose and egg-free.

Eating high tea when you have a dietary requirement like this is often a major hassle (it’s even a major hassle if you’re vegetarian!) and it’s wonderful to see hotels like the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney cater to people of all dietary requirements (they also serve a gluten-free high tea and kids’ high tea!).

A new vegan chef is behind the additional high tea menu. Chef June Liu joined the Radisson Blu Plaza Sydney after working for several years in other iconic vegan restaurants in Sydney and Sydney’s Inner West. She is passionate about vegan cuisine and healthy eating, which is evident in the new menu.

High tea is served on an elegant three tier stand in the relaxing Lady Fairfax lounge area. We are first brought a “welcome drink” of watermelon and red berry that is delightfully refreshing and a touch fizzy.

Tea orders are taken and we select from a menu that includes classic choices as well as more interesting ones such as the Queen Of Hearts Tea that I select. The menu describes it as Light spice of delicate, young rose buds atop the sweet full ness of China black tea.

Soon after, both the tea and food arrive.

Savoury items
Spiced lentil pies
Stuffed Moroccan pumpkin flowers
Sweet potato and cashew empanada
Grilled zucchini, asparagus and hummus sandwich
Avocado, alfalfa sprout and Spanish onion sandwich

The savouries are excellent. I’ve commented before on how well the Radisson Blu does these, and the vegan delicacies were no exception. It was so novel to have three entirely different pastries I could eat! My fave was the empanada – a touch of spice and filled with creamy pumpkin. The sandwiches were delightful triangles of light produce on fresh bread, exactly what should be served with a high tea.

Sweet treats
Chocolate cake with beetroot frosting
Salted caramel cheese slice
Mango passionfruit cake
Chocolate and hazelnut slice with lychee and raspberry
Tutti-Frutti jelly

Roasted pumpkin and herb scones with soy cream and jam

I was pleased to see the scones were large and fluffy, with the same dry taste and texture that a scone should have. The soy cream was a wonderful addition as it’s rarely possible for people who can’t eat lactose or dairy to be able to enjoy whipped cream when dining out.

The sweets section was a delight for the senses with the gorgeous chocolate cupcake topped with the most delicious beetroot (again, SOY!!) frosting, and a mango cake that packed an incredibly fruity punch. The jelly was a bit tougher than I had imagined it would be (not sure what it was made with – pectin perhaps?) I don’t eat gelatine and was happy to know I was able to eat the jelly, even if it was a bit unusual texture-wise.

The salted caramel slice was very much like a little mini banoffee pie with the banana on top – a delectable morsel that was also super creamy even with no dairy in it.

The vegan high tea at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is a fantastic addition to the Sydney food scene. I can’t say how wonderful it is to be able to sit down to a high tea and be able to eat everything on the menu, for people who don’t eat animal products for ethical reasons such as me, or for food intolerances and allergies such as my friend.

Traditional high tea
Served with tea and coffee, $54pp

Sparkling high tea
Served with a glass of sparkling wine, $64pp

Champagne high tea
Served with a glass of Moet & Chandon, $74pp

Please note that the vegan high tea requires advance booking. Walk-in guests with no booking who would like to order the vegan high tea may have to wait up to 45 minutes while the dishes are prepared.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney
27 O’Connell St, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 8214 0000
Online
Reservations required: communications@radisson.com or 02 8214 0400.
High tea is served daily from 10:30am-4:30pm
Get Directions

Produced in partnership with the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney. All opinions are our own. Additional images thanks to the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney.

The Tearoom QVB: Sydney’s Best High Teas

November 23, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

No high tea pilgrimage is complete without an afternoon tea at the QVB Tea Room. Located in what was once the original Grand Ballroom of the landmark Queen Victoria Building, The Tea Room oozes style and grace. The addition of custom designed Baccarat crystal chandeliers in 2014 gave the interior a burst of glamour and sparkle.

Tea at The Tea Room is served on on authentic British silverware and classic Royal Albert china. I particularly love the heavy silverware. It feels very old world and classy.

The Tea Room serves three kinds of afternoon teas – traditional, Oriental and gluten free. We chose the traditional, but with a twist. Mine had to be vegetarian, and my dad’s needed significant adjustments due to his dietary restraints. Our server was one of the kindest, thorough waitstaff I have encountered. He went back and forth between our table ad the kitchen several times to make sure that my dad was being given a full afternoon tea that suited his diet. I wish I’d asked for his name to commend him to The Tea Room afterwards. He made the experience hassle free, while also ensuring that my dad was able to enjoy the tea entirely. Most importantly, my dad wasn’t make to feel like his requirements were a hinderance or annoyance, so the whole experience was very enjoyable, before we’d even tasted the tea.

Speaking of the tea, it arrived quickly in large pots. Once we’d poured all of our tea, helpful staff returned sporadically throughout our meal to ask if we would like a hot water top up in our little teapots. Very thoughtful.

Our selection of savoury and sweets came shortly afterwards on tiered platters. My dad’s arrived on its own platter (pic above), and the others all combined on another.

The vegetarian tea was very similar to the regular one. The only difference was the sandwiches – mine were cheese and tomato chutney and cucumber and cream cheese, while the regular sandwiches included ham.

The sandwiches were delicious. Fresh, light bread, and tasty fillings. We were offered extra sandwiches later on and were given an entire extra serving, including egg (yay!). The egg was actually my favourite. Also on the sandwich plate were a little cup of XX and truffle oil, and a bite of pastry with explosively tasty tomato and avocado on it.

One large scone per person was allocated (my dad scored two with his special menu). The scones were a mix of plain and sultana.The scones were warm, right out of the oven and the delicious mixed berry jam and thick cream were generously portioned. Also on the scone plate were spinach bites in pastry. Freshly cooked and so good.

Onto the sweets. Four tiny perfect desserts: a berry macaron, chocolate mousse square, berry tart and mango and strawberry mousse square. All four were perfect. Light, elegant, beautifully presented, and all bursting with flavour.

I couldn’t fault anything about our experience. From the staff to the food, it was perfect. This is why we will be back, and keep on coming back, year after year. Thank you Tea Room for making this such a special afternoon for me and my family.

The Tea Room QVB
3, Queen Victoria Building,
455 George Street,
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9283 7279
Prices: $$$
Hours: Daily 10am-5pm
Get Directions

Reservations are recommended.

Sydney’s Best High Teas: The Radisson Blu Hotel

November 23, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 6 Comments

In the heart of Sydney’s CBD lies the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney, housed inside a gorgeous 1850s Beaux Arts property. It’s old world elegance at its finest, including the Lady Fairfax lounge area where we were seated for our high tea.

The room is lovely and spacious, with large windows allowing plenty of light to stream in. It’s the perfect spot for a quiet afternoon with family and friends.

We enjoyed sampling both the Traditional and Festive High Teas at the Radisson Blu, both served on a classic silver-tiered stand. The Traditional High Tea is available year-round, but the Festive High Tea is a limited edition, and only available until January 3.

Traditional High Tea

Savoury Items
Cucumber and dill cream cheese sandwich
Feta, ricotta and spinach roll
Smoked salmon toast
Chicken curry puff
Barbecue pork filo pastries
(Because I’m vegetarian, I was given an extra cheese sandwich, tomato and avocado sandwich and a mixed vegetable sandwich as a substitute for the meat pastries.)

The sandwiches and savouries were among the best we’ve had of any high tea in Sydney. They were just delicious, with fluffy bread, delicious fillings, and pastries that were mouthwateringly good. Often high teas are all about the sweet, but I find I really need the savouries to be a strong component too, or I get sugar overload.

Sweet Treats
Double chocolate cake
Citrus tart
Spiced cake
Salted caramel swans
Decadent chocolate mousse (with mint)

Vanilla scones with cream and preserve

The scones were served hot, fresh and fluffy with vanilla bean cream, which was a really refreshing change. Each of the sweets was a perfect bite-sized portion, with the salted caramel swans as the stand out item on the platter. Not only did they look amazing, they tasted exceptional, too.

Festive High Tea
Celebrate the Christmas season with a Festive High Tea from 1 December until 3 January.

Savoury Items
Roast turkey sandwich
Ham and cheese sandwich
Chicken curry puff
Pork, apple and thyme roll

Sweet Treats
Chocolate mint mousse
Fruit Mince Pie
Christmas cookie
Spiced cake
Christmas chocolate slice
Rum balls

Vanilla scones with cream and preserve

The sweet treats served with the Festive High Tea had the cutest hand-made sugar decorations attached, such as a santa or snowman. You can see my daughter’s delight as she spots them when they arrive.

We found the mint in the mousse a refreshing change, quite a bright, strong flavour, that was a good contrast to the sweetness of the other items on the platter. Often the sweets are all so sugary that you can feel quite ill after eating them, so having this mint mousse, and also savoury fruit mince pie on the Festive Tea and the salted caramel swans on the Traditional Tea, were very welcome components to balance out the sweetness.

Both high teas are served with a choice of handcrafted teas from La Maison Du Thé. There is wide range of teas to choose from, from a standard English Breakfast to some exotic varieties of black and white tea with fruity and flower flavours added in.

Prices:
$49 per person with tea or coffee
$59 per person with a glass of sparkling wine
$69 per person with a glass of Champagne

The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel also serves a Kids in the City High Tea which we will be trying on our next visit. It’s described as including ham and cheese sandwiches, dotty blue fairy bread, sparkling lemon meringue, laminations, mini sausage rolls, mini beef pies, seasonal jelly shots, a specially mixed ‘Out of the Blu’ mocktail, marshmallowy hot chocolate and freshly squeezed fruit juice for $25/per child.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney
27 O’Connell St, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 02 8214 0000
Online
Reservations required: communications@radisson.com or 02 8214 0400.
Get Directions

Produced in partnership with the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney. All opinions are our own.

Four Frogs Creperie and Gateway Sydney

September 18, 2016 / CBD, Circular Quay, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

Circular Quay finally has a reasonably-priced place to get a delicious bite to eat – the brand new Gateway Sydney complex has opened, with the first of the 25 planned eateries open for business.

Gateway Sydney is kind of like a fancy food court – think upmarket chain restaurants and takeout joints. It’s located directly behind Circular Quay train station, making it the perfect place to eat for tourists as well as local workers.

We ate at Four Frogs Creperie, the first of the restaurants to offer an eating area that is more cafe-like than food court, including full table service.

Four Frogs Creperie has an extensive menu of both savoury and sweet crepes, including a cute little kids’ menu that is very reasonably priced – on the menu are a ham & cheese galette (crepe) $7.50, ham, cheese & egg $8.50, bacon, cheese & egg $8.50.

We ordered a plain egg and cheese crepe and were charged an extremely reasonable $5.

For the adults, we enjoyed a Spinach, Feta, Mushroom and Avocado galette ($15) which came with a side salad, and a summer special with Feta Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes, Toasted Pine Nuts, French Dressing & Salad ($15) with added Avocado ($3).

The galettes arrived very quickly, cooked to perfection. The crepe base is made from home-milled Australian buckwheat flour and is naturally gluten-free.

If crepes don’t strike your fancy, you have plenty of other options to choose from:

Bekya (Egyptian street food)

Bread & Fill (roasts and sandwiches-style of food)

Burger Project (to come)

Chat Thai (to come)

Din Tai Fung (to come)

Espresso Room (speciality coffee)

Gelato Messina (best gelato ever?)

Hero Sushi Express & Train (amazing-looking sushi to stay or go)

Mad Mex (Baja-Mexican food)

McDonalds (located outside the main entrance)

Neptune Palace (Chinese and Malaysian dishes, located on level 1)

Oporto (Portuguese flame-grilled chicken)

Paragon Hotel (pub food from noon)

Quay & Co (to come)

Rolld (Vietnamese cuisine)

Schnitz (specialising in schnitzels)

Ship Inn (an informal restaurant and bar outside the entrance to the Gateway)

Spiced by Bilus (Coming soon)

The Golzeme Co. (Turkish golzeme)

Top Juice (fresh juice, salads and yoghurts)

Urban Orchard (wholesome, healthy food made from natural ingredients)

Workshop Espresso (Italian-style espresso bar)

Zumbo (delicious sweet treats)

There is a large area in the middle of the centre with general seating, as well as seating attached to each eatery.

Entrance is on ground level and the entire centre is wheelchair and stroller-accessible.

A note on bathrooms – while there was a sign leading to a parents’ room, we looked and couldn’t find it, so it’s unknown if the gateway has babychanging facilities/family room. I did however find the disabled bathroom which was completely accessible.

Gateway Sydney
Alfred St, Sydney NSW 2000
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-12am, Sat & Sun 10am-12am
Online: gatewaysydney.com.au
Get Directions

Sheraton On The Park High Tea: Sydney’s Best High Teas

September 4, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Sydney’s Sheraton On The Park has given their Gallery dining area a major refurbishment, and with it, their high tea offerings too.

Recently reopened to the public, the new Gallery dining area is modern and cool, with a silver backdrop representative of the adjacent Hyde Park. When ordering a classic High Tea stand at the Sheraton On The Park, you’ll notice an elegant twist on their traditional stands of old.

The indulgent High Tea is now served on a silver three-tiered stand that is elegantly designed to reflect a tree. It’s a thoroughly modern stand and quite a unique offering in the world of high teas.

The tree High Tea stand is served daily at Sheraton On The Park from 12pm. Included in the classic High Tea is a selection of savouries, scones and sweet treats, plus a choice of Vittoria espresso coffees, fragrant Dilmah teas or hot chocolate made with Lindt chocolate, milk, dark or white.

Sheraton On The Park have partnered closely with Dilmah to deliver a selection of quality teas. I chose the recommended Uda Watte from the Watte range – Sheraton On The Park are the first high tea establishment in Australia to offer this particular tea range to the public.

The Watte tea range is grown at different elevations in Ceylon’s central highlands. Strong, robust teas are supplied from the mid country, rich, rounded tea from the high country, with delicate, subtle tea found at the highest elevations.

My Uda Watte tea was classified as “high grown”, at 5000 feet above sea level, and described as “Rich and lively, with intense aroma and well-rounded flavour”.

The tea stand is served with the savoury and sweet treats first, the scones following after these are finished.

Quiche
Warm serrano ham, caramelized onion and ricotta dip (vegetarian substitute dried tomato)

Sandwiches
Red pepper hummus with pita – grilled zucchini, chickpeas & feta
Duck & currant pate brioche – cranberry, mache & orange (vegetables used instead of pate on vegetarian substitute)
Hot smocked salmon dark rye – avocado, fennel & chives (pumpkin used instead of salmon on vegetarian substitute)
Schinkenspeck schiacciata – bush tomato, fig & goat’s curd (zucchini used as substitute for vegetarian option).

Sheraton on the Park high tea via christineknight.me — Vegetarian savoury options.

The savoury food was delicious. Fresh, fluffy bread, a warm quiche and delicious ingredients. My favourite was the pumpkin sandwich, while my dining companion loved her quiche.

Sweet Treats
Green tea cake
Decadent passion fruit truffle
Pampa jelly tart
Hazelnut cream eclairs
Raspberry macaron
Carrot cheese cake

The sweet treats were the perfect size for sampling. I really enjoy the colour and variety of the treats, with a variety of ingredients highlighted, from creamy hazelnut to refreshing berry. Each treat was decadently good, with my favourites being the pampa jelly tart (I loved the bright fruit jelly in the centre) and the passion fruit truffle, with its layers of cream and jelly. Just delicious.

Scones
Fruit and plain
Strawberry jam and devonshire cream

The scones are served last, warm and fresh. They come with a variety of toppings – butter, jam and cream in plentiful amounts, but I find the scones to be a bit on the hard and dry side, more like biscuits than the big and fluffy scones I prefer.

The Sheraton on The Park is one of Sydney’s iconic high tea venues for a very good reason. Their consistently high quality of food and service make an afternoon in the Gallery a memorable affair.

The Gallery High Tea is served daily from 12pm and includes one coffee, tea or hot chocolate, $49 per person. The Sparkling Tea Stand includes one glass of sparkling house wine and is $59 per person.

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

Thank you to Sheraton On The Park for hosting us.

The Cortile InterContinental: Sydney’s Best High Teas

May 5, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

No longer missing from my adventures in high tea, is the very elegant high tea at The Cortile, InterContinental, Sydney.

This is definitely the most beautiful building of all the high teas so far. The InterContinental Hotel was built inside the restored Sydney Treasury Building of 1851. The outside facade of the building is just gorgeous, with sandstone blocks and even some lions to welcome you, and inside the atrium that is where The Cortile is situated,is a gorgeous blend of old meets new. Soaring ceilings, brick archways, with modern fittings and elegant lighting. Just beautiful.

The InterContinental is in a superb position too – just a few blocks from the Sydney Opera House and across the road from Sydney’s Botanic Gardens, it’s a wonderful spot to stay for a few days, or just to experience a high tea like we did.

High Tea at the InterContinental is a truly elegant affair. It consists of a plate of sandwiches, followed by a three tier stand filled with pasties, scones and sweets.

The Three Tier High Tea Stand is served Monday to Friday from 11am–5pm and costs $55 per person (including a glass of sparkling wine).

As a vegetarian I was given a seperate plate of sandwiches and pastries which i thought was very considerate of the staff to arrange.

Sandwiches
• Club sandwich, roasted chicken with crispy bacon & tomato
• Tasmanian smoked salmon, cucumber, horseradish & lemon on laugen bread
• Paprika prawns, chili, lemongrass, green shallots, thai basil, red quinoa

Vegetarian sandwiches included mixed vegetables, a tomato, cheese and basil salad.

The sandwiches were light and fresh. I really enjoyed the inclusion of the salad.

Hot Savoury Treats
• Tuscan chicken & roasted vegetable roll
• Caramelised onion & goat’s cheese quiche
• Beef and Guinness pie

Vegetarian savoury treats included the same quiche plus a pumpkin piece and Moroccan sausage roll.

Nice bite-sized treats. The pumpkin in particular was great – a slightly spicy mix with creamy pumpkin.

Tea Treats
• Lemon & herbal infusion tea cup
• Jasmine Gold tea crème brulée
• Punnet of passionfruit, Matcha Horai green tea & chestnut
• Hazelnut biscuit, crunchy praline & milk chocolate chantilly
• Lemon, lime & bitter macaron

My fave was the perfect creme brulee and the lemon and herbal infusion cup, with its light, fresh creaminess.

Hot Sweet Treats
• Buttermilk vanilla scones, vanilla whipped cream, cherry jam

Delicious, warm, fresh scones.

To Finish
• Green Tea Affogato; the classic Italian dessert with a twist.

The finale to this meal is a shot of Matcha poured over vanilla bean ice-cream. Our lovely waitress mixed the matcha in front of us and poured it, hot, over a large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The fresh ice cream was the perfect way to finish the high tea – refreshing and light.

If you dine at the InterContinental on weekends, you can try the Weekend High Tea Buffet. It’s served Saturday & Sunday from 1pm–2:30pm and 3pm–4:30pm. It costs $60 per person includes a glass of sparkling wine.

The Cortile, InterContinental Sydney
117 Macquarie St, Sydney
Phone: 02 9240 1396
Reservations reocmmended restaurant.reservations@interconsydney.com
Get Directions

The Junction: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Ultimo

April 15, 2016 / CBD, Sydney, Sydney Food, Ultimo / 0 comment

Inner city cafes that are kid-friendly with room to run are extremely rare. The Junction, a cafe attached to the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, is an oasis of space for families to relax, eat and take time to relax on a busy day in the city.

The Junction is located on the lower street level of the Powerhouse Museum complex, positioned so you can enter the cafe and enjoy the courtyard and playground without entering the museum. This means, of course, that you can drop by any time for a coffee, snack, play or bathroom break.

The cafe has a very simple menu. Burgers, fries, kids’ meals, milkshakes. It has a wide selection of snacks like fruit, yoghurt, pre-made sandwiches, banana bread, donuts, pretzel cups and a crazy amount of lollies.

Order at the counter and take your number to a table. I’m not sure what the numbers were for, however, as when the order was ready it was placed on the counter to be collected, rather than brought to our table.

The cafe has indoor and outdoor seating in a bright, open space. It’s a very light and airy environment, with open panels so the air flows freely, and there is plenty of ambient sound to cover the noise of cranky kids, but also no loud music to prevent conversation. My favourite!

The walls are glass or open to the courtyard so when dining inside there is a clear view of the playground – both from inside and outside the cafe. It’s a fantastic design so if you have young children you can sit at the end of the cafe outside, right next to the playground.

The playground itself is pretty big, with shade cloth covering. It’s clean, big and well-designed. There are several public bathrooms inside the courtyard including a disabled and baby change toilet.

I was impressed at how the entire set up was stroller and wheelchair assessable. The entry from the street into the cafe and courtyard is wide and smooth, and the cafe has plenty of space to enable wheelchairs and strollers to maneuver.

We had eaten lunch earlier when we visited, so we only tried the donuts ($4.50 each, delicious!) and milkshakes. The milkshakes were incredible value for Sydney – $7 for a massive shake.

The Junction is a great cafe to try if you’re in the area or visiting the Powerhouse Museum.

The Junction, Powerhouse Museum
500 Harris St, Ultimo NSW 2007
Hours: Daily from 8:30am
Online

Yots Cafe: Kid-friendly Restaurants, Darling Harbour, Sydney

March 31, 2016 / CBD, Darling Harbour, Sydney, Sydney Food / 1 Comment

We end up in the Darling Harbour area quite a lot due to its proximity to the Powerhouse Museum, excellent water playground and Maritime Museum. Finding somewhere to eat that is reasonably priced and also great for kids is a bit of a challenge. I’ve recently discovered Yots Cafe, a super cute nautical themed place attached to the outside of the Maritime Museum.

It’s almost impossible to drag kids past this cafe when they spot the giant connect four game that is out the front for its customers to use. I’ve also seen kid-sized tables and chairs out the front on previous visits, although they weren’t there when I dined recently myself.

The view from Yots is pretty stunning, which you do pay for in the prices of the menu. You can however get takeaway items for yourself and the kids if you prefer to grab a meal and eat it on a nearby bench or park.

We chose to dine in, and hubby ordered the Wild Barramundi (grilled or battered, with beer battered chips and house made tartare sauce, $20), while I struggled with no brunch/brekkie items for a vegetarian and settled for a yoghurt cup ($6). Cheese had just eaten and wasn’t hungry so we let her play and ordered her a takeaway lunch box for $7.50. Dine in options for kids start at $10 which is very reasonable for city lunches.

The lunch box was great value – a full-sized vegemite sandwich, a fruit cup, Nudie juice, chocolate coin and an eye patch.

One of the best bits about the cafe is it is right underneath the Maritime Museum, so it’s easy to duck out for lunch or a snack, and then go back inside for more fun. You get a break from the museum without having to go very far.

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

Yots Cafe
2 Murray St,
Pyrmont NSW
Phone: (02) 9298 3672
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily 9:30am-5pm
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