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Sydney Food

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.

Flour Drum: Kid-Friendly Restaurants Newtown Sydney

May 11, 2016 / Inner West, Newtown, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

A few weeks ago we stopped by Flour Drum in Newtown when we were looking at properties in the area. We were desperate for food to eat on the go, and were beyond delighted with the food Flour Drumm put together for us, including an egg and bacon roll that Mr Adventure devoured, and a yogurt parfait that they custom made for me, despite not being on the menu. They were so friendly and the food so good that we had been keen to get back there for a full meal every since.

Flour Drum’s motto is seasonal, simple and fresh. The decor is rustic with a side of hip, and the ambiance is warm and welcoming.

The menu is painted all over the walls, and includes all-day-breakfast and daily specials. They have a wide variety of meals, including plenty for this vegetarian to choose from. While there isn’t a designated kid’s menu, the team are happy to whip something up for little ones – in our case, it was a kid’s serving of scrambled eggs and toast.

Out the back is a little garden area filled with things for tiny guests to discover such as a pond with gold fish, a dollhouse, and a barbie campervan when we visited. The dollhouse is particularly interesting as it’s mounted on the wall rather than being on the ground. I looked it up online afterwards and read that the dollhouse was installed to appease a possible ghost of a young girl who’s spirit was said to visit the cafe.

We didn’t encounter any ghosts (I guess the dollhouse works!) but did enjoy the warm staff and delicious, wholesome food. Flour Drum sources ingredients from local suppliers including fresh eggs delivered straight from the farm, daily baked hand-made rustic breads, boutique artisan coffee, milk delivered directly from the farm and housemade muesli, jams, preserves, peanut butters and sauces.

The cafe is very kid-friendly – as well as being accessible for strollers and wheelchairs with disabled access, a disabled wash room, high chairs for babies and nappy change facilities.

During our visit we enjoyed Free Range Eggs with sourdough ($9), avocado ($5) and tomato relish ($5). The lovely waitress was a bit concerned I wouldn’t like the relish so gave me fresh tomato too, bless! Mr Adventure Enjoyed house-made Lasagna and iceberg lettuce salad which I think it making a comeback as the new popular lettuce on the block (move over, kale!).

Oh, and don’t forget the babyccinos – they’re FREE OF CHARGE and come in the cutest little smiley mug with a marshmallow. You can’t get more welcoming than that.

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

Flour Drum
531 King St,
Newtown
Phone: (02) 9565 2822
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-4pm, Sun 8am-4pm
Get Directions

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 Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan + Melaleuca House Cafe

April 25, 2016 / Mount Annan, South West, Sydney / 8 Comments

We are frequent visitors to The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney’s CBD, but had never been to the Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan, in Sydney’s south-west, until recently.

The gardens are massive! 416 hectares of botanic gardens set in a hilly area of the southwestern Sydney suburb of Mount Annan. I’ve driven past the gardens many times on my way between Campbelltown and Camden, and decided that it was time to see what beautiful plants they had on offer for myself.

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan are free to enter. They are popular place for families in Sydney’s west and south-west to visit for picnic lunches, due to their large grassed areas and excellent facilities. At the entrance to the gardens you can find the welcome centre (pick up a map!) and the public bathrooms, including a baby change/disabled toilet.

We had lunch at the on-site cafe, Melaleuca House. The prices were higher than I’d expected for a cafe inside a garden, but the food was excellent quality and apart from the “Vintage Tea Pyramid Selection” tea that I ordered for $3.90 that turned out to be a Twinings teabag dropped in water, I felt like it was a great meal.

As we arrived after the breakfast menu had finished, we ordered the Roast Pumpkin Salad (with zucchini, roast capsicum, goat’s cheese, oak leaf toasted pine nuts & pesto dressing, $20.90) Jumbo Scone (served with jam and cream, $4.90), Herb Crusted Chicken Tenders (with paprika lime dipping sauce, crisp garden salad & honey-lemon dressing, $19.90), Grilled Barramundi Fillet (served with bush tomato relish fresh lemon wedge & crisp garden salad & chunky chips, $24.90).

Kids aged 10 yrs and under can order off the reasonably-priced kids’ menu, which includes Grilled Sausage & Chips, Toasted Ham, Cheese Sambo & Chips, Cheese Burger & Chips and Chicken Nuggets & Chips. All kids’ meals cost $12 and include a Pop-Top Fruit Juice.

When we arrived the table next to ours had been waiting a long time for their meals and we were a bit concerned that ours would similarly take ages, but the food all arrived quickly, and the unanimous agreement was that it was all delicious.

Just past the cafe is a fenced playground with decent shade. It includes several climbing structures, swings and a flying fox. We had a hard time removing Cheese to go and explore the gardens, but promised her lots of rocks to climb as an incentive.

The gardens are quite spread out, and if you have the time and inclination there is a lot of walking you can do. We did a shorter route through the main gardens up and down the main hill area, climbing over rocks and running down grassy slopes. Along the way we explored native Australian plants and wandered through flower beds with butterflies dancing around us.

A flat, cement path winds around the gardens making them fully accessible for strollers and wheelchairs (it’s worth noting that the cafe area, particularly the outdoor seating, is also very suitable for large strollers or wheelchairs, too).

A new addition to the garden is the Jurassic Garden Augmented Reality trail.

Download the app, pick up a map at Information, and take a journey back through time through the garden to spot Australian Dinosaurs and megafauna next to plants that were important to them.

Once you’ve downloaded the app to your smartphone or tablet, point your device at the Jurassic Garden AR marker and watch the creature come to life.

The Australian Botanic Gardens Mount Annan are just beautiful, and are a welcome place to enjoy the beauty of nature in the heart of southwestern Sydney.

The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan
Narellan Road, Mount Annan 2567
Australia
The Garden is open every day of the year.
Autumn, Winter and Spring: 8am-5pm
Summer: 8am-7pm
Prices: FREE
Online

Melaleuca House is open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat & Sun 8am-4pm.

Little Tastes Cafe: Kid-Friendly Restaurants St Peters Sydney

April 20, 2016 / Inner West, St Peters, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

CLOSED ——————

I knew we had stumbled on one of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney when we were greeted with “the kids can draw on anything!” at the door by the very friendly staff at Little Tastes Cafe St Peters.

Inside the cafe is the much-lauded play area. It’s a great size with loads of toys, and the walls and tabletops are covered in chalk paint, so kids are literally welcome to draw on the walls. I’ve heard that on Saturdays the cafe hangs paper on the walls for kids to paint on, but we arrived on a quiet Thursday during the school holidays just after a massive group, and had the playroom all to ourselves.

Our friendly server let us know that babyccinos were on the house, officially making it the best deal in Sydney. They usually come with a marshmallow, but had had an unfortunate incident on the day we arrived that deprived our kids of their marshmallow. Not like they even noticed, however, they were having so much for playing that we had to beg them to sit down to eat. As an indication of how this compares to our usual cafe outings – if a babyccino arrives without a marshmallow, it’s usually met with a turned up lip and serious attitude.

The cafe serves all-day breakfast and simple burgers, rolls and salads. They have a great kids’ menu with items like toast with jam, toasted sandwiches, the “Big Bubba Breakfast” with eggs, bacon sausages and toast, “Eggs with Toast Soldiers” and a fruit salad. All of the kids’ meals are under $10, with cheapest being $3 for the toast with jam, peanut butter or Vegemite.

All of the meals at the cafe are reasonably priced, which is another massive plus in my book. We love eating out, and often with kids you end up needing to eat out even if you hadn’t planned to, so it can seriously add up to be very expensive, very fast. With prices like these, however, we will be dropping by all the time rather than just on special occasions. The meals for adults at Little Tastes range from $6 for an egg and bacon roll to $10 for the “Budget Brekkie” (two eggs, bacon or spinach, feta on thick toast) and $17 for the most expensive dish on the menu, the “Big Breakfast” (two eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, haloumi, grilled tomato, toast).

We ordered toast with jam and a grilled cheese sandwich for the kids, and a Spanish Omelette ($14, three egg omelette with red onion, tomato, chorizo and paprika served with thick cut toast) and Smashed Pumpkin ($16, two eggs your way on a bed of smashed pumpkin and feta with bacon and tomato served with thick cut toast). They happily swapped my bacon for spinach which I appreciated too.

While we waited for the meals, the kids played and played and played. The kids’ meals arrived first, and they sat relatively peacefully at their table to eat. It was a bit of a wait for our meals, but with such a small cafe and only two staff members working there, it was understandable.

I really enjoyed my smashed pumpkin dish. It really hit the spot for me, and I loved the thick cut toast, plus the delicious pumpkin and feta. All of the dishes were very generous in portion size, too.

The bathroom is around the back of the cafe, and has a change table – hallelujah!

The cafe has both a fantastic and terrible location. It’s wonderful as it is right across the road from the massive Sydney Park, making it a great cafe to team up with a park visit. It’s also on a very busy road however, so keep a close eye on kids when you’re walking to the cafe. The cafe itself is quite small, so if you arrive on a busy day and need to sit outside, you’ll need to also keep a very close eye on little ones.

We loved our lunch at Little Tastes and can’t wait to go back.

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

Little Tastes Cafe
641 King St,
St Peters
Phone: (02) 8084 0015
Prices: $
Hours: Mon-Fri 6am-3pm, Sat 7am- 3pm, closed Sunday.
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
Get Directions

Mad Hatter’s High Tea at the Fairy and Frog Creperie

March 23, 2016 / Concord, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 18 Comments

“Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice, and also us, when we heard of a magical new cafe in Concord where, rumour had it, fairytales had been brought to life.

The Fairy And The Frog Creperie was opened in 2015 by couple Catherine and Guillaume (the “frog”), serving sweet and savoury crepes, old fashioned milkshakes and high tea, in an environment reminiscent of a Disney movie. Think “Alice in Wonderland” meets “Snow White” and you’ll get the gist.

While the cafe does not specifically cater to children, it’s become a very popular venue for parents to take their kids thanks to the whimsical world they’ve created in the tiny little space.

As a nod to kids who can’t get enough of the cafe, there is a private dining area for up to four children that can be reserved, and a delightful room out the back that can be hired for an extra special birthday party.

While the cafe usually serves authentic French crepes, I attended their first special event – a “Mad Hatter” themed tea party.

The special event was a bit on the pricey side for a high tea- adults were $60 and kids $45 – but I did think it was excellent value as not only was the food top notch (possibly my fave cupcakes ever), but there was also a roving Alice in Wonderland who chatted with the kids and then told them stories in the party room, gorgeous face painting and games.

I was super impressed by the food at the cafe. All of the high tea items were just delicious. As we sat down we were presented with scones and jam, the most gorgeous cupcakes (which were just incredible), home made iced coconut, a powerful fruit punch and tea.

After a while, out came delicious finger sandwiches, such as egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, salmon etc, and then even more pastries.

Fruit tarts, banana tarts, chocolate eclairs, petit fours, oh my! It was an extravaganza of epic proportions and we were so full that we had to ask for containers to take the food home in to finish later.

After we ate, the kids were whisked into the back for story time, face painting, and some games. It was a time of blissful peace for the adults to eat and enjoy chatting.

I can’t recommend this gorgeous cafe highly enough. Yes the pricing is a bit steep, but the quality is excellent, and so much effort as gone into the details not just in the cafe but also the events, parties, menu, decor, that this really is a special venue worthy of a bit of a spurge for a special treat.

The cafe is starting to run monthly high tea events for families, so keep your eyes peeled on their Facebook page for updates.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: No.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No. There is no bathroom in the cafe – please note that you will have use the bathroom in the cafe two doors down.
Kids’ menu: No.

Fairy And The Frog Creperie
52 Mortlake St,
Concord
Phone: 1300 992 456
Prices: $$$
Hours: Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 8am-5pm (closed Mondays)
Get Directions

Tella Balls Dessert Bar: Sydney’s Best Dessert Spots

March 12, 2016 / Dulwich Hill, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 8 Comments

If you have a sweet tooth like me, then you might be similarly always on the hunt for the best dessert in Sydney.

I’ve been loving the Tella Ball shakes at Foodcraft Espresso & Bakery in Erskineville pretty hard since the Nutella-injected donuts perched on top of Nutella-flavoured milkshakes almost broke Instagram last year, so it was with great excitement that I heard the original creators of this delicious extravagance, Aki Daikos and Simon Kappatos, were opening a Tella Balls Dessert Bar in Dulwich Hill.

Tellaballs dessert bar “Gelat-dough” it’s the latest craze by Tella balls dessert bar! A fun way to combine your two favourite things; gelato & doughnuts! Gelat-dough is a doughy gelato that looks like a doughnut but tastes like the finest gelato on a stick. #gelatdough #gelato #doughnut #icecream #gelatostick #dessertheaven #sydneydesserts #sydneycommunity #innerwestsydney #dulwichhill #tellaballsdessertbar #sydney #australia @excusemewaiter?

A photo posted by Tellaballsdessertbar (@tellaballsdessertbar) on Mar 5, 2016 at 10:59pm PST

The Instagram pictures for the cafe have been killing me – particularly this gelato donut on a stick, which sells for $7. Sadly when I visited they didn’t have any for sale, but I guess that means there is a reason to go back next time?

There are no savoury dishes on the menu at the dessert bar – just sugar, sugar and more sugar. It is 100% a pure dessert bar.

As well as their signature Tell Balls and milkshakes, the dessert bar serves house-made gelato, Nutella layered lasagne, waffles, pancakes, and amazing sweets that feature Nutella heavily as a signature ingredient.

I visited on a week day before school let out to ensure we had a quiet dining experience. Even at midday on a Friday it was pretty busy, so I can imagine the cafe is a bit of a zoo on weekends.

My dining companion Jayne from Girl Tweets World and I ordered a few dishes to share between us. The Vanilla Tella Ball Shake with a Boston Custard Tella Ball on top ($10), the Ferraro Bowl (a smooth Ferraro Rocher mousse in a chocolate bowl served with vanilla bean gelato, $13), and the Ricotta and Blueberry Pancakes (2 stack buttermilk ricotta & blueberry pancakes topped with Canadian maple syrup and mascarpone, $16).

The vanilla shake was excellent, and the donut on top fluffy with a very tart custard inside. We were a bit regretful not to have ordered the Nutella one seeing as it’s the signature shake, but sometimes it’s good to brand out and try new things, right?

The Ferraro Bowl looked incredibly sweet, but surprisingly wasn’t. I really appreciated this, as even though I love all things chocolate, I can’t handle feeling ill after injecting myself full of dessert these days. I really particularly enjoyed the crisp chocolate shell with nut shards on it, and its pairing with the refreshing vanilla bean gelato.

I deliberately ordered the pancakes that did not have Nutella as I thought I couldn’t handle more chocolate after the Ferraro Bowl, and it was a good move when they were all on the table in front of us, with our dining companions looking on in … horror? awe? Who can tell!

The pancakes were excellent. Not super-fluffy, but a good size, and nicely soaked with maple syrup. I found the double serve of cheese a bit too much for me – I didn’t love the ricotta with this dish, and could have just done very nicely with the mascarpone and blueberries. I love fruit with my pancakes, so the huge amount of blueberries it was served with did me very nicely.

I would love to go back on another day to try more dishes from the menu. Tell me if you go and what you try.

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

Tella Balls Dessert Bar
372 New Canterbury Rd,
Dulwich Hill
Prices: $$$
Hours: Sun-Thur 11am-10pm, Fri & Sat 11am-11pm
Get Directions

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
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