Sydney Food Archives - Page 9 of 37

Sydney Food

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.

Where To Find The Best Ice Cream & Gelato in Sydney

November 21, 2016 / Sydney, Sydney Food / 6 Comments

Let’s be honest, it’s always a good time for gelato in Sydney, regardless of the season! It’s hard to choose a favourite but these are a few we head to regularly all over Sydney.

Where To Find The Best Ice Cream & Gelato in Sydney

Gelato Messina
Renowned for their wacky flavour combination and fresh ingredients, Gelato Messina produce over 40 gelato and sorbet flavours in small batches daily. We love the Salted Caramel with White Chocolate and Yogurt Berry, but always try one of their wacky weekly specials too.
Gelato Messina: various locations

N2 Extreme Gelato
Liquid nitrogen is used to flash freeze gelato, right in front of your eyes. N2 favours innovative flavours and techniques such as their creme brulee where the top is torched, and others with a chocolate or caramel-filled syringe to inject into the centre of the dessert. The flavours change weekly so there is always something new in store to try.
N2 Extreme Gelato: CBD and Newtown

Aqua S
Famous for their blue Sea Salt soft serve, this Japanese-inspired ice creamery focuses on adventurous and innovative flavours, often with an Asian twist.
AquaS: CBD, Macquarie Centre, Chatswood

La Mamma Del Gelato Anita
Hand-made boutique ice creams, sorbet and frozen yoghurts. With over 150 flavours, it’s difficult to choose! Try their popular Cookieman or one of their innovative creations such as Pavlova, Banoffee or Mascapone Ricotta Strawberries.
La Mamma Del Gelato Anita: Central Park Mall, 28 Broadway, Chippendale

Cow & The Moon
This family-owned inner west gelataria won the title of the world’s best ice cream at the Gelato World Tour in Rimini, Italy, in 2014 for its Mandorla affogato-flavoured gelato. Sample a few of the 25 flavours on offer, all hand-made out the back of the store daily. A few favourites include blackcurrant and blueberry, strawberry and balsamic, salted caramel and passionfruit cream.
Cow & The Moon: 181 Enmore Rd, Enmore

Gelatissimo
Gelato is freshly made daily in store, with a rainbow of flavours available daily. Their mango sorbet is bright, refreshing and a firm favourite of ours, but there’s something for everyone with their wide variety of flavours that include dairy-free, nut-free and gluten-free options.
Gelatissimo: Various locations

C9 Chocolate and Gelato
Choose from a wide variety of freshly churned flavours and either have it drizzled with chocolate or sandwiched on a cookie. C9 likes to add a bit of chocolate to everything!
C9 Chocolate and Gelato: Newtown and Bankstown.

Riva Reno Gelato
Authentic Italian gelato, made daily in Sydney with fresh ingredients. Choose from the set flavours or try one of five weekly specials from a menu that includes gelato, sorbet, granita as well as waffles and crepes. Try the “Alice”: mascarpone, premium marsala “vergine soleras” and lashings of gianduia. Yum!
Riva Reno Gelato: Darlinghurst and Barangaroo

Bellingen Gelato
This colourful gelato bar in Sydney’s inner west serves up bright scoops of gelato made from natural ingredients, in a range of traditional and creative flavours. Bellingen also serves gelato-based desserts such as banana splits, waffles and gelato cakes.
Bellingen Gelato: 688 Darling St, Rozelle

Vito Gelato & Caffe
Italian gelato with a Japanese twist! Vito Gelato & Caffe is an inventive twist on traditional gelato, playfully blended with Japanese flavours. Traditional flavours like vanilla and mixed berry vie with matcha and earl grey latte for a place on your cone.
Vito Gelato & Caffe: 169 Wycombe Road, Neutral Bay; 6/314-322 Darling St, Balmain

Ben & Jerry’s
The iconic Ben & Jerry’s brand began in Vermont, USA, in 1972. Having now found their way to Australia, each Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop is locally owned and operated. We love this American-style ice cream that is thick and creamy and packed with add ins like chocolate brownies and cookie dough. You will find quintessential American flavours here, and a range of dairy-free options, too.
Ben & Jerry’s: Broadway, Bondi, Chatswood, Manly.

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Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Sydney: Jamie’s Italian Trattoria Parramatta

November 5, 2016 / Parramatta, South West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

JAMIE’S ITALIAN TRATTORIA PARRAMATTA IS NOW CLOSED

This branch of Jamie Oliver’s popular dining chain is an excellent spot in Sydney’s South-West region for dining with the whole family. We’ve been to Jamie’s Italian Trattoria Parramatta a few times now, for both date nights and family lunches, and always enjoy the food and ambience of the restaurant, as well as it’s top location in Centenary Square, right next to the fountain.

The first Jamie’s Italian opened in Oxford, England, in 2008. Since then the brand has expanded to open more than 40 restaurants worldwide. The restaurant chain is designed to be accessible and affordable, providing “good food for everyone”, as is Jamie’s ideology.

We most recently dined with our family and enjoyed a number of dishes: the Mezzaluna Caprese (Buffalo ricotta & spinach ravioli tossed through tomato sauce with torn mozzarella & sweet baby basil – while I ordered a small size, a large portion is $23.50), Turbo Rigatoni Arrabbiata (A fiery tomato sauce with garlic, basil, Scotch bonnet chillies, vegetarian pecorino & herby breadcrumbs – this was also a smaller portion, with the regular sized priced at $19.90), Italian Hot Pizza (Crushed tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, spicy pepperoni & wild oregano, $24.50) and the Italian Steak & Fries (Flash-grilled prime beef steak with Italian-spiced skinny fries & rainbow slaw, $26.50).

Jamie’s Italian is renowned for their excellent kids’ menu. We ordered the Secret Seven Tomato Pasta (Homemade curly wurly pasta in Jamie’s seven-veg tomato sauce with pecorino cheese & crunchy, herby breadcrumbs).

It’s available in two sizes for kids of different ages and appetites and priced at $9.50/12.50. The meal came with a drink (my daughter chose milk) and the cutest salad. She was so delighted by how adorable the salad was that she actually ate it, which is a miracle for anyone who knows my vegetable-hating daughter.

If you want to order dessert, which we didn’t, they have some good and reasonably priced kid’s options worth mentioning: Ice Cream or Sorbet ($2.50, served with an Italian cookie and chocolate sauce), Seasonal Fruit ($2.50), Gooey Chocolate Brownie ($5, with vanilla ice cream, crunchy toffee popcorn & chocolate sauce).

We booked a table for our large group well in advance, but the restaurant is quite large so I would think you would be able to waltz in and grab a table for a small group at any time without a booking.

As well as the excellent kid’s menu, Jamie’s delivered the kid a really cute colouring in sheet and pencils. I really like when restaurants put in the little bit of effort to print their own colouring in sheets for some reason – maybe the effort shows they care that little bit more?

Anyway, while the salad was a hit, our fussy daughter wasn’t overly keen on the pasta. It was clearly handmade and while I thought it was delicious she prefers the store-bought kind she’s used to. I’ll have to take her to more places serving freshly made pasta!

As noted in the list of dishes above, Jamie’s Italian lets you order a small portion of the pasta dishes instead of the main size that is listed on the menu. I didn’t know this was an option as it wasn’t listed on the menu, but my cousin had dined there previously and let us know, which I appreciated. My Mezzaluna Caprese was excellent and I will order the larger sized version next time I go in, for sure. Creamy filling inside perfectly cooked pasta sheets. Delicious. The pizza didn’t get the best wrap, with the recipient saying it was a bit bland despite being spicy. Hubbie had the steak and liked it enough to hover it before I could ask him any questions, so that was clearly a success.

There are many restaurants in Parramatta, several Italian ones too, but Jamie’s Italian manages to hold its own among them, in part because of their excellent brand name, but also because the food is of a high quality while being decently priced. It will remain out go-to restaurant in the area, with and without our munchkin, but particularly with her, as it’s one of the best kid-friendly restaurants we’ve found in Sydney.

Want to let the kids run off some energy afterwards? The Parramatta CBD River Foreshore Park is nearby.

Jamie’s Italian Trattoria
Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Jamie’s Italian Trattoria Parramatta
Centenary Square, Church St,
Parramatta NSW
Phone: (02) 8624 6800
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thur 7:30am-11am, 11:30am-9:30pm, Fri 7:30am–11am, 11:30am–10pm, Sat 8:30am–10pm, Sun 8:30am–9:30pm
Get Directions

Sydney’s Best Eateries: The Tramsheds, Harold Park

October 1, 2016 / Forest Lodge, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

The sleepy inner west suburb of Forest Lodge has been undergoing a massive development over the past several years, with apartment blocks going up in droves. The old Rozelle Tramway Depot, originally built in 1904, has been beautifully refurbished to create the Tramsheds, a place for locals in this growing area a place to meet, eat and fulfil other vital day-to-day needs.

The Tramsheds, Harold Park

While the Tramsheds was obviously built to satisfy the need for services in this area (where previously there has been none), it’s also a gorgeous destination for people all over Sydney to drive to and enjoy as an outing.

The building is home to a variety of businesses, the majority being food-related, but also including a medical centre, nail bar, hair salon and supermarket. There are grab-and-go type of outlets and seating areas that look a bit like an upmarket food court, as well as table service cafes and fancier restaurants. Something, really, for everyone.

Tramsheds has free parking for under two hours onsite. We usually drive into their undercover parking area, particularly in summer. There is also street parking across the street – free for two hours.

Inside the Tramsheds you’ll notice a full-size restored tram as the centrepiece to the building. If you want to go inside, enter through the door for the Butcher and the Farmer cafe that is on the outside, next to the main entrance.

Butcher & The Farmer

If your kid is particularly enamoured with the tram you can eat inside it on the tiny tables. We found the tram to be fantastic entertainment for our daughter while we waited the 20 minutes for our table in the cafe.

We chose to dine at the Butcher & The Farmer mainly because it was next to the tram. The waitstaff seemed a bit overwhelmed at the large amount of people who had come to dine, but were friendly and helpful during our stay.

The breakfast menu we ordered from was on the small side, but had all the types of food we would regularly want to order – wholesome food with enough vegetarian options for me to choose from, and something plain for the fussy five-year-old.

My husband and I both ordered the Avocado, Tomato & Meredith Sheep’s Feta (with basil on farmer’s toast, $16), plus a coffee for the hubby ($3.5).

We ordered the little one the Poached Eggs (on farmer’s toast, $12) which they obligingly scrambled for her when we asked, plus a Blueberry, Strawberry & Raspberry Smoothie (with yoghurt and milk, $8).

The avocado on toast dishes hit the spot. Fresh soft bread, creamy avocado, tomatoes bursting with flavour. The coffee, according to my java-addicted spouse, was excellent, and he was thrilled with how large it was. Our daughter’s smoothie was similarly massive, so best shared between two. Her scrambled eggs were absolutely delicious – so good it’s a shame they’re not on the menu.

I did think the dishes were a tad bit expensive for what they were, however. Similar dishes cost a few dollars less in other up-market cafes in the inner west.

Bekya

We absolutely love this Middle Eastern restaurant inside the Tramsheds. There is a little dedicated kids menu featuring meat and falafel dishes with either Egyptian rice and noodles or chips, and a large regular menu that features lots of vegetarian options.

The dishes at Bekya are designed for sharing. We ordered Lady Fingers (haloumi in filo pastry, $13), the Grazing Plate (haloumi, roast cauliflower, beetroot, sweet potato with red cabbage salad, $25), Flatbread ($1 per piece), a side of chips ($10) and the kids’ Egyptian Falafel and Rice ($10).

The food is brought out when its ready rather than all at once, but it came pretty much one after the other very quickly. It was all piping hot, generous in its serves, and absolutely delicious.

Heritage Bakery and Pizzeria

We also dined on another occasion at Heritage Bakery & Pizzeria. The restaurant, tucked away at the back of the Tramsheds, serves up a brekkie menu plus an all-day menu featuring pizza, pasta, salads and antipasto. All bread, pizza and pastries are made with their own stone-milled BOK flour.

We ordered a Kids Margherita pizza ($8), Margherita San Marzano pizza (with tomato, buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil, $15) and a Margherita San Marzano pizza with added mushrooms.

The pizzas were delicious and reasonably priced. We will happily dine here again.

Garcon

Our fave spot thus far to dine at the Tramsheds! Garçon is a coffee centric espresso and wine bar with incredible French-influenced food and even a little kids’ menu. We ordered Wagyu Beef Burger (with American Melted Cheese, Fresh Tomato, Pickled Cucumber & Fries $22.5), Soft Eggs (with avocado, sprinkled fetta) and kids’ Eggs and Soldiers.

It was an incredibly busy day when we visited and staff were run off their feet. They let us know the food would be a wait before we sat down and we said we didn’t mind, yet they still apologised repeatedly for the wait and gave us complementary wine. Champion customer service.

Redline Kitchen & Taphouse

This addition to the Tramsheds is on the far side near the park. It has an outdoor seating area that is pet-friendly and an indoor area. They serve breakfast from 9am-3pm weekends as well as a lunch and dinner menu.

The menu has a New Orleans influence, with hush puppies, jambalaya, burritos and tacos on offer. The kids’ menu has plenty of options and most are vegetarian.

Tramsheds Businesses

We strolled around the rest of the Tramsheds to check it out and were impressed with the various businesses we saw. At the moment, they include:

Bekya
Middle Eastern spiced grilled meats, vegetables and exotic salads.

Belle’s Hot Chicken
Famous fiery chicken and natural wines from Australia and abroad.

Bodega 1904
Serving up simple and delicious Latin American and Spanish inspired tapas.

Boxing Works (gym)

Butcher and the Farmer
A paddock to plate restaurant, retail butchery and takeaway.

Chambers Cellars (bottle shop)

Fish and Co.
Connecting diners to the ocean, with a food story showcasing sustainable and local seafood.

Flour Eggs Pasta
Fresh authentic pasta made the original Italian way.

Garçon
By The Little Marionette, the perfect place for your morning coffee or afternoon pick me up.

Gelato Messina
My fave gelato of all time. Choose from 35 flavours on their regular menu, plus 5 daily specials.

Heritage Bakery & Pizzeria
An all-day menu featuring, pizza, pasta, salads and a range of delicious antipastos.

Harold Park Medical Centre
A family medical practice open 7 days a week for appointments or walk-in consultations.

Mama’s Buoi
An authentic Vietnamese restaurant.

Moe & Co. (hair salon)

Naked Foods
Organic bulk foods, nuts, seeds and spices.

Osaka Trading Co.
A modern Japanese menu with a seafood focus.

Redline Kitchen & Taphouse
Soul food, home-brewed and local craft beer and quality bourbon.

Sir Chapel
An Old World England-themed bistro and brewery.

Supamarket
Local, market and farm fresh produce, a delicatessen and daily supermarket staples.

The Depot Nail Bar

Harold Park & Playground

Right outside the front of the Tramsheds is the3.8-hectare Harold Park, which has been built on the site of a former paceway. The park features a custom-built playground, picnic and barbeque areas and lots of grass for running around.

Bathrooms

One final note about the Tramsheds: they have the fanciest parents’ bathroom I’ve ever seen. It’s massive, clean and, dare I say it, almost elegant! An absolute winner for all the families.

The Tramsheds
1 Dalgal Way
Forest Lodge, NSW 2037
Hours: Daily, 7am-late
Phone: 02 8398 5695
Online: tramshedsharoldpark.com.au
Get Directions

Access: The building is fully accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. The path leading to the Tramsheds, however, has some steps on the footpath, so strollers and wheelchairs will need to go up the main road instead. The cafes we dined in had tables that were very close together so not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. The rest of the Tramsheds, however, had wide spaces and seating that looked much more suitable.

Grumpy Donuts Store Opening

September 22, 2016 / Camperdown, Inner West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

Do you love donuts? Then get thee to the brand new Grumpy Donut store in Camperdown, opening 9am Saturday September 24th.

Grumpy Donuts Store Opening, Camperdown, via christineknight.me — Owner Elise

Grumpy’s began when husband wife, Scott and Elise Honeybrook, decided to launch a business together to bring quality, hand made donuts to Australia. The result has been a smash hit, with Sydney-siders clamoring for their massive yeast-raised donuts with fancy toppings.

I was invited to the grand opening of the store to check out the new place and try the donuts. While the Buttered Toast and Smores are favourites with Grumpy’s fans, I really loved the Pink Lemonade and whatever the pink one with sprinkles is called.

Light and fluffy with the perfect amount of sweet glaze, these donuts are just delicious.

Please note that the store is quite small and has very little seating. Your best bet is to get the donuts to go and eat them nearby.

Grumpy Donuts
72 Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Camperdown
grumpydonuts.com
Get Directions

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

XS Espresso: Milkshakes & Munchies in Wetherill Park, Sydney

September 7, 2016 / South West, Sydney, Sydney Food, Wetherill Park / 0 comment

A gem of a cafe in Sydney’s South-West, XS Espresso is situated in a busy outdoor shopping complex that looks more industrial than hip, but thankfully does have a lot of parking, unlike most inner city cafes.

We arrive at 12:30pm on a Tuesday and the cafe is quiet for the first half hour, when streams of people pop in, a mix of mums with little kids to a pair of 20 something men who both order the biggest milkshakes I’ve ever seen and polish them off completely.

We’re at the cafe for lunch, and order Free-Range Eggs on Sourdough Toast ($12), Avocado Crush (Avocado on sourdough with marinated feta and cherry tomatoes, $14) with extra poached eggs, $4, and the XS Stack (avocado, grilled halloumi, grilled tomato and poached eggs on sourdough, $17).

The food is cooked quickly, and arrives looking bright and perky with all those fresh ingredients piled on top. The stacks are a bit difficult to eat but are absolutely delicious.

The star of the meal, however, is the Monster Shake ($14), which is an Oreo shake topped with whipped cream, Oreos, Tim Tam and waffles in a tall glass.

The tall glass is important to note as the extra thick straws the staff give us to drink the shake with are not-so-tall – in fact, they don’t reach the bottom, leaving me in the unusual predicament of being unable to finish my shake (the horror!). I think they look fancy and very Instagrammable, for sure, but I would prefer the mason jar-style of glass that is easier to drink out of.

I really enjoy the creamy Oreo shake, but the toppings are too much, even for me, and it’s just too hard to get to the milkshake underneath with the narrow opening on the glass.

XS Espresso also serve more regular-looking milkshakes such as Nutella, and make kiddie-sized versions of the shakes on request. We ordered a kid-size Nutella shake to go and it was $4. Shakes all come with whipped cream on top (even the kids’ ones), so ask to skip the cream if it’s not your thing.

The cafe doesn’t have a bathroom inside – it’s a stroll of about 100m to the nearby Spotlight store which has the public restroom facilities next to it. It’s not far to walk but it is across a busy car park and, if you’re a toddler who needs to go, it can feel like it’s 10 times further than it actually is.

XS Espresso is the deliciously cool cafe the South-West suburbs badly needed. I love knowing it’s an excellent choice I can always fall back on when visiting that area.

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

XS Espresso
9a/1183-1187 The Horsley Dr,
Wetherill Park NSW 2164
Phone: (02) 9557 8656
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Fri 6am-10pm, Sat & Sun 7am-10pm
Get Directions

Envy Deli Cafe: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Summer Hill, Sydney

September 7, 2016 / Inner West, Summer Hills, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

The little inner west suburb of Summer Hill is often left out when one thinks of upmarket family cafe options. A lot of families, however, live in the area so it came of no surprise to hear about Envy Deli Cafe, an extremely kid-friendly cafe in the neighbourhood.

From the front, Envy looks like a regular cafe, but a closer look in the window reveals adorable teddy race car treats and tea cups made out of marshmallows. It’s a dead give away that they get a lot of local kids in here!

While there is seating in the front of the cafe, it’s the courtyard out the back with the massive jacaranda tree giving diners shade that is the prime seating area. While the courtyard can be accessed through the front of the cafe, it does have a very narrow door that might prevent strollers from entering. A few metres around the side there is a door leading directly into the courtyard.

While kids clearly rule at Envy, there are plenty of diners of all ages enjoying the gorgeous spring weather on the day we visit. A toy box, colouring books and tins of pencils are stashed near the bathroom for kids to grab and play with at the tables while awaiting their meal.

The kids meals are a bit light on the menu – just the one “kids breakfast” and a kid-sized version of the pancakes, but the three kiddos we are dining with are happy with the choices: The Kiddie Breakfast (1 scrambled egg, chipolata sausages and toast, $8.50) and Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes (with cinnamon ricotta and maple, and the blueberry swapped for strawberry, $10).

The adults order light lunches: The Roast Beetroot Salad (pear, fetta, crushed pistachios and cherry tomatoes, $16) and Smashed Avocado and Fetta on Toast ($9.50) with added roast tomato $4.

Our meals arrive quickly thanks to the friendly staff, who weave in and out of the tables, tree trunk and tiny guests darting to and from the toy box. It’s chaotic but in a contented way. There’s very little in the way of children wailing or whining thanks to so much entertainment to be had.

The food is delicious and quickly polished off, and we grab the kids, order kid-sized milkshakes to go in chocolate and strawberry, and head to the nearby playground on the far side of the shopping complex across the road.

With the playground gate safely locked behind us, we let the kids run off their milkshakes while we relax in the sun.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Minimal – bring a folding stroller and enter through the rear.
Easy access: No – a step and narrow door in the front.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Envy Deli Cafe
109 Smith St,
Summer Hill NSW 2130
Phone: (02) 9286 6000
Prices: $$
Hours:Mon-Sat 6am-5pm, Sun 6:30am-5pm
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.