Surfers Paradise Beach Cafe, Surfers Paradise QLD ($)

Address: 4 The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise, QLD

Tel: (07) 5527 6183

Website: http://www.thesurfersparadisebeachcafe.com/

* * *

The day after we visited Muse, MC and I stumbled across Surfer’s Beach Cafe on our morning walk to the beach.

Atmosphere

It was quite crowded as it was peak breakfast period and the cafe is located at an ideal spot, right opposite the beach.

In order to order we needed a table to sit at, so we stood around for a few minutes waiting.  We were a bit disappointed that there were about two to three tables of families that were taking up more space than they needed.  If they had moved down the table a bit we would have had plenty of room to sit.

Despite the wait for a table, we eventually found a seat by the entrance.

The cafe has a lovely laid back surfer atmosphere.  There are surfboards on the wall and lots of yellow, blue and white around the room.

The tables are a sort of old, worn white and the place gives off a very calm and chilled out vibe, except for the hustle and bustle of the busy diners.

Service

Service wasn’t very prominent as you have to order at the counter, which is probably a good idea given how popular the place is! Despite this, our food came out within about ten minutes and the staff were quick when we asked for things like serviettes and salt.

Food

I ordered a Tropicana Smoothie which was a very tropical combination of mango, pineapple, passionfruit and banana, some of my favourite fruits.

Tropicana Smoothie, $8.50

For breakky I had the Big Beach Breakfast and MC ordered the Stack of Pancakes.

The breakfast was great, it was colourful and tasted flavoursome, the eggs were perfectly poached, the hashbrowns were crunchy, the bacon crisp and the tomato fresh.

Overall it was a pretty darn good fry up.

Big Beach Breakfast, $19.50

MC’s pancakes were amazing, some of the best I have had.

I am a big fan of the thick, fluffy pancakes, the McDonald’s style ones that soak up all the syrup and just melt in your mouth. None of this crepe business.

These pancakes were all that and more.  They came with a side of butter, maple syrup and whipped cream and they were absolutely delicious.

Stack of Pancakes, $9.95

Summary

Surfers Beach Cafe is one of those great finds that has a great view, a lovely atmosphere and a fantastic menu.  The wait can be a little frustrating but it was worth it for the view!

Rating

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service-  4
• Food-  8
• Atmosphere- 8
• Value – 7.5

Euro Taste Cafe, Top Ryde ($)

Address: Corner Devlin Street and Blaxland Road, Ryde NSW

Tel: (02) 9808 1268

Website: http://www.toprydecity.com.au/dining-a-entertainment/restaurants/item/eurotaste-cafe

Opening Hours: 

8am – 11pm – 7 days a week

* * *

MC and I had originally been hoping to go to Hurricanes in Top Ryde. However, once we got there we found that it was packed out and we would have to wait one hour to get a table.

We decided it definitely was not worth the wait and walked around the restaurants and cafes looking for somewhere to eat. I had already been to Kazbah before, had eaten at Red Spoon Thai in Castle Hill the night before, and had tried The Poets and Sushi Roll previously. We wanted something different and eventually we settled on Euro Taste.

Despite the name, Euro Taste appears to be run by Asians. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but just don’t expect very authentic European food.

The fare is the typical Italian style foods with classics including pizzas, pastas, schnitzel, steaks and grilled salmon.

Atmosphere

There were quite a few people around and the restaurant was busy but as it was a cold night and the only source of heating were the patio heaters, I think most people were just trying to get warm. Euro Taste doesn’t really have much indoor space, it’s mainly outdoors but covered with a pergola. It’s not too bad but some better insulation and cool music would help (listening to Get Lucky by Daft Punk now and thinking that some of this wouldn’t be amiss there :p).

Service

Service was OK. Our waitress didn’t say much and was a bit inattentive. I did notice a male waiter who was very helpful to both his own customers and to us when we needed something.

Food

There was a special deal where you could get a free garlic bread or garlic pizza and we decided to take advantage of it by ordering one of each.

While the garlic bread was pretty average, the garlic pizza was surprisingly good. Not surprisingly because it was garlic pizza (everyone knows that garlic pizza is amazing), but surprising because I didn’t expect this small and (to be honest) pretty cheap cafe to have such great garlic pizza. It was hot, cheesy (could always do with more though- especially around the edges), very garlicky and had a delicious soft base.

MC ordered the steak with Pepper Sauce – which was quite peppery. The steak was tasty and quite well cooked, although perhaps a little too well done to be medium-well.

My grilled salmon with chips and salad was delicious. The salmon was well cooked, hot and slightly buttery, if a little small. The salad was refreshing AND colourful on the plate and the chips were generous, well salted and crunchy.

Overall, a pretty good meal for under $50.

Rating:

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service- 5
• Food- 7
• Ambience- 6
• Value –7.5

Three Williams, Redfern ($$)

Address: 613a Elizabeth Street Redfern NSW

Tel: (02) 9698 1111

Website: http://www.threewilliams.com/

* * *

I was super excited to be invited for a menu tasting at Three Williams in Redfern, along with some of my fave food bloggers, Excuse Me Waiter, The Lamstock, Simon Food Favourites, VegeTARAian, Jugernauts, 84th and 3rd, Food is our Religion and Hillary and Dijon.

I’d heard a lot about the Three Williams and was keen to find out whether it lived up to my expectations.

Atmosphere

Three Williams is located in Redfern, in an area that is apparently “not in the dodgy part of Redfern,” I was told.

The easiest way to get there is to drive, and there is plenty of parking out the front.  MC kindly dropped me off right at the door of the cafe.

The cafe was busy but not quite full when I arrived at 9.30am for brunch.

By the time we left at 11.30 however, there was a steady stream of customers walking through the door and a serious queue forming of patient customers, waiting by the counter for a table.

The crowd at the Three Williams is a somewhat “messy cool” mix of mothers with screaming children, playing in the kids corner and trendy foodies casually enjoying a coffee and muesli.

The decor is simple and almost “warehousey” but still quite funky, with a mix of light wood and industrial grey paints.

Overall, the place oozes a trendy and hip vibe and is perfect for those looking for a quick, quality meal before heading out to the markets or going to explore the city.  That is, if you can get a table!

Service

Service during our tasting was quite good.

The staff were all polite and friendly but perhaps a little overwhelmed by the busy crowds and in particular, our fussy table of food bloggers!

This is what it is like to dine with food bloggers!

While I thought they did a great job with handling most of the orders, my Chai Latte did take a while to come out (I had to ask how it was going to remind them).

Overall however, service was quite good and I don’t have any major complaints.

Drinks

Upon our arrival we were served coffee and drinks.

There was a delicious jug of fresh OJ, which was sweet and bright orange, perfect for the warm weather.

Fresh Orange Juice, $5 a glass

The coffees were spot on. They were well presented and well made.

House Chai Latte, $5.00

We also enjoyed a delicious Pineapple and Mint Soda.

Pineapple and Mint Soda, $12.00 a jug

Some of the bloggers ordered the Peanut Butter Smoothie. I tried a little and oh my…. it was peanutty and creamy yet oddly (a little) bitter.  A strange mix of Reese’s Pieces and milkshake.

Peanut Caramel Shake, $6.00

I also noticed some other great items on the drink menu, including the Banana, Medjool Date and Walnut Praline Shake and Willie’s 100% Cacao Hot Chocolate.

Food

Chef Tim Bryan of Aria and Chiswick fame is the driving force behind the Three Williams menu.

To start off, we tried some items on the breakfast menu (available 7am until 3pm). VegeTARAian tried the Granola with Hibiscus Pear, a delicious combination of fruit toasted muesli with creamy yoghurt and a delicious deep red, sweet pear. I tried a little and absolutely loved the lightness of the yogurt and pear and the tasty, crunchy granola.  Perfect for the health conscious!

Granola with Hibiscus Pear, $12.00

The Spicy Smashed Beans with Avocado on Charred Toast was also delicious. The beans had the perfect amount of spice and were great combined with creamy avocado and crispy toast.  84th and 3rd also commented that she enjoyed this dish.

Spicy Smashed Beans with Avocado on Charred Toast, $13.00

The Merchant burger, chilli fried egg, crispy bacon, pickled slaw, ranch dressing on a warm brioche bun was an interesting idea but I have to admit that I couldn’t really taste any chilli in the egg, although I did enjoy the pickled slaw.

The Merchant, $12.00

The Poached Eggs, Marinated Bull Horn Peppers, Serrano Ham, Feta and Dukkah, on toast was quite tasty. The eggs were nicely poached (apparently in glad wrap from the lines on them), and the ham and peppers went really well with them, creating a nice balance of sweetness and saltiness.

Poached Eggs with Peppers, Ham, Feta and Dukkah, $16.00

To finish off the eggs feast, there was The Big William: bacon, fried eggs, nuremberg sausage, roma tomato, hash, onion relish.

Big William, $17.00

Of all the breakfast dishes, my favourite had to be the French Toast.  The brioche toast was crumbly, almost like a cake, and was drenched in a gooey maple syrup and topped with pecans.  The tangy yogurt and fresh blueberries and raspberries complemented it perfectly.

Brioche French Toast, $14.00

If all that wasn’t enough we then moved on to the BEST HOT CHIPS I HAVE EVER TASTED. Crunchy. Salty. Crisp. Golden. Soft. AMAZING. These chips are the chips dreams are made of.  If you like chips, these are the ish.

Beer battered chips with house aioli, $6.00

We also enjoyed some creamy and cheesy fish croquettes with lemon juice.

Fish Croquettes with Lemon and Aioli, $3 each

We then tried some of the Caramelised Cauliflower Tabouli, a mix of cauliflower, pomegranate, quinoa, walnuts and preserved lemon. We had this dish without chicken for the benefit of the vegetarians at the table with us.

Caramelised Cauliflower Tabouli, $13 or $15 with chicken

The final brunch meals before dessert were the Narnies. Sarnies but narnies. These are basically sandwiches made with naan bread.

While I didn’t really like the naan bread (I found it a little tough to chew and difficult to cut up), I did enjoy the fillings.

The prawn naanie was a fresh and light almost “prawn taco-like” combination of avocado, corn, lettuce and prawns.

Prawn, iceberg lettuce, avocado and aioli, $14.00

The fried tempeh narnie was pretty spicy and tasted a bit like the filling for my Sri Lankan tuna fish pastries. It contained carrot, asian pickled vegetables, sriracha, and lime mayo. The tempeh was quite interesting, unlike anything I have had before, and I learnt that it was made of fermented soybeans, pressed into a pattie.

Fried tempeh narnie, $12.00

Finally, the most delicious of them all, the glazed beef narnie. This delicious brisket, gherkin and chipotle narnie was tender, tangy and colourful. The beautiful glaze on the beef and the delicious sweet yet spicy chipotle were a match made in heaven.

Glazed beef narnie, $14.00

Already full, we moved on to desserts, savouring the crispy glazed Grapefruit Donuts and Chocolate Brownies.

Brownies and Donuts

The Donuts were quite average, but the Brownie was heaven. It was slightly crispy on the outside yet fudgey and rich on the inside, the perfect consistency.

Although some of the other bloggers were too full by this stage and too “chocolate-d out” I happily devoured my share of the Brownies (and perhaps a little more!).

Overall

Overall I loved the experience at Three Williams. The menu is so different to any I have seen before and the standout dishes for me- the french toast, the brownie and the hot chips were fantastic.

I would most certainly recommend giving this place ago if you are in the area!

Rating:

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service- 6.5
• Food-  9
• Ambience-  7.75
• Value – 7.75

The TCFB dined as a guest of Wasamedia and the Three Williams.

SoCal, Neutral Bay ($$)

Address: 1 Young Street, Neutral Bay NSW

Tel: (02) 9904 5691

Website: http://socalsydney.com.au/

* * *

I had seen SoCal pop up on FB a few times and was pretty curious to find out what it was all about.

Sydney’s North Shore isn’t exactly a hip and happening spot for a night out.  A few places such as Blackout Cafe, Cabana Bar, the Greengate, Kipling’s and The Far North have improved the North’s nightlife, but apart from these you have to trek about 40 minutes on a train into the city to get a good bar.

I was super excited when I then got an invite from the lovely Jo at Pendulum Communications, inviting me to the SoCal launch on Tuesday.

MC and I caught the train to North Sydney after work and jumped on a bus for a 5 minute ride to SoCal.

It is pretty easy to get to on the way there but the irregularity and infrequency of buses on the way back makes it a little difficult to stay out very late if you’re not driving or getting a lift.

That said, Neutral Bay is a nice area and SoCal or even The Oaks would be great for a day time visit for lunch on the weekend.

Atmosphere

SoCal is a new initiative by Chef James Privett of Bistro CBD, and Hamish Watts and Ben Carroll of Applejack Hospitality (which also own Bondi Hardware and The Botanist).

The place has a 2.00am licence and can fit 100 diners inside and another 50 outside.

As we walked in and up the flight of stairs we were greeted by about three different ladies all dressed in various shades of yellow.

The girls were all friendly and welcoming and invited us to take a seat somewhere while drinks were being prepared.

We chose a seat outside at one of the little tables in the middle of the court yard and had a look around.

The outdoor area is full of bright and summery colours, particularly blues, yellows and oranges.  The white furniture and planters contrasted strikingly with the colour and gave the place a very beachy and fun look.

I could definitely see the Southern Californian touches with the painted stools and South American influences such as habanero sauce on the table and palm trees around the courtyard.

The outdoor area also had a semi-covered pergola with coloured lights which looked beautiful at night time.

After a few hours outside, we began to get a little cold (summer hasn’t quite kicked in fully), so we decided to move indoors.

SoCal’s indoor section has beautiful cushions, high tables and a bar area with a DJ and stools around a tiled table.

It’s a cosy and fun setting and the chilled out atmosphere, combined with funky unique music and funny bar tenders makes for an awesome hang out spot!

Service

Once the place started to fill up a little, the staff came around with some drinks.

The menu on the table featured a variety of cocktails, wines, beers and spirits.

On offer were some of the American brands such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pacifico and the very Mexican, Coronas.

MC enjoyed both these beers and had quite a few!

I, on the other hand, went for the Del Martini, featuring vodka, peach liqueur and nectar, lime juice, sugar and peach bitters.

The martini was delicious, very sweet and fairly strong, just the way I like it.

The beautiful bright yellow and the refreshing mint leaf made it feel very tropical and I enjoyed pretending to sip on a cocktail and imagining I was at a beach house in Mexico.

Food

Once the food came around (past the other hungry scavengers waiting by the kitchen and the bar to grab some!), we were quite pleased with the variety on offer.

First up was a Hawaiian Tuna Poke. What is a “tuna poke” I hear you ask?

Well I thought the same thing. A quick Google informed me that it is a raw fish appetiser, served in Hawaiian cuisine.

This “poke” was served on a toasty corn tostada.

I really enjoyed the refreshing taste of the slightly oily tuna combined with a little lemon or lime juice and fresh herbs. MC, who is not really a fan or raw fish, and who only ate sushi for the first time a few years ago, actually had a second serving of this tuna poke when it came around AND he enjoyed it. Amazing!

After a loooong food drought during which one waitress kept serving food to the same crowd of people, leaving none for us, MC finally managed to pick up two hot dogs on his way back from the bar.

The hot dogs, SoCal Chilli Dogs, were mini frankfurts on a soft and chewy bun, topped with black beans, chilli, cheese, tomato sauce and mustard.

They weren’t my favourite thing on the menu (especially when I ate parts that weren’t covered in the chilli) but MC enjoyed them, so maybe it’s a dude food?!

Next up were the Crab and Sopressata Empanadas.

These tasted a bit too fishy for my liking, but the crunchy pastry and creamy sauce (I don’t know what was in it) were delicious!  The pastry reminded me a little of the pastry used in Sri Lankan patties.

We managed to pick up some Pollo Loco Pinchos – spiced chicken skewers on rice with sauce Mole.  The cute boats were perfect for this dish and made it look very beachy and exotic.

The chicken pieces were well cooked through without being too dry and the quinoa, pea, lemon and herb mixture was very fresh and light.

I really enjoyed this dish and would order it again.

Finally, for dessert, we had Churros with Chocolate Sauce. Of course, being a sugarholic, I loved this!

The churros were tasty and golden, cooked until crunchy and coated in cinnamon sugar.  The dark chocolate sauce was a little bitter for the churros but was a nice way to end the meal.

Overall

Overall, MC and I had a fun night out at SoCal.

We enjoyed the music and fun atmosphere, loved the funky and beachy decor, and enjoyed the interesting and unique food on offer.

This will definitely be one of summer’s hot spots on the Lower North Shore.

Rating:

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service- 6.5
• Food-  7
• Ambience-  8.75
• Value – 7

TCFB and MC were invited as guests of Pendulum Communications and SoCal.

Buns & Balls, Potts Point ($$)

Address: 33 Bayswater Road, Potts Point, NSW

Tel: (02) 9326 9054

Email: info@bunsandballs.com.au

Website: http://www.bunsandballs.com.au/

Opening Hours:

Tues – Fri: 18:00 – late
Sat – Sun: 15:00 – late

* * *

Reviewed by: Wicko

Buns and balls is a beautiful restaurant “in the heart of Potts Point”. True to its name it features a range of meatballs, and burgers, as well as a variety of freshly made cocktails to go with.

It advertises itself as “a burgers and booze joint with a twist in the heart of Potts Point”.

Atmosphere

The restaurant is only a short walk away from the main street of Kings Cross, perched in a cozy corner underneath a nice looking apartment building.

The vibe of the place hit us instantly as we walked in.

The layout was nice, with an inside and outside area.

Having this option is always good.

The area was very comfortably decorated, and I felt it presented the character of the place very well.

The roof was decorated with writing, as were some of the walls.

I often found myself reading them with interest, had I perhaps been there with someone I had recently met, I can imagine these being very helpful conversation starters or points of discussion.

I was certainly impressed with the amount of people eating there, for a Tuesday night, it had gathered a considerable crowd, creating a buzzing yet relaxing atmosphere which contributed greatly to the mood.

This was helped by a relaxing mix of music which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I overheard that song requests could be made if you asked them online (most likely on their Facebook page).

Service

After being greeted straight away, we were guided to our table, where we were soon happily sitting with freshly made cocktails in our hands.

Watermelon, lime and vodka cocktail, $12

t was freshly made and tasted amazing. This cost $12 with alcohol and $7 without. Considering the freshness and quality of this, I feel that it is an appropriate price.

Pineapple, ginger beer, vodka and bitters, $12

This I did not like. I feel this is due purely to my personal dislike of the taste of regular ginger beer; it seemed only as if the bitters made it worse.

I found that the service was great, we were frequently checked on by the friendly staff, yet not in an annoying way, or during the middle of a conversation.

They seemed to have a great knowledge of all their products, and were very enthusiastic about what they were selling.

Food

Our food came relatively quickly, and was well spaced out, it seemed that each consequent part of our meal come exactly when we were about to move on.

Soon we were given all the flavours of meatballs that they had to try. All of them cost $9 for about 4-5 meatballs. This is quite expensive and would not be satisfying to order on their own.

The flavours were;

• pork and beef in a chunky sauce with shaved parmesan (tasted amazing, it was soft, had a crunch and seemed to have a punch of flavour)

• barramundi croquettes with tartare sauce (similar to the beef and pork in texture, but definitely my personal favourite)

• chicken in a spicy Louisiana sauce (I found it very tasty, however my sister though it was a bit too spicy so I can understand some people not liking it)

• tofu meatball (while this isn’t strictly a “meatball”, it was potentially the best tasting tofu I have ever had; the tofu was cut up very small and had some shallots in it).

We ate these with a side of garden salad.

Green Salad, $7.50

We also got Spicy Louisiana Chicken Wings, which I devoured happily.

They had an amazing crunch and taste to it, but admittedly I did have to reach for a drink for relief once or twice, however I overall felt that the reward outweighed the cost. A bit less chilli might make it more appealing to those who aren’t keen on the hot stuff!

Spicy Wings, $1 each (either 3, 6, 9)

Next came the main event, our burgers.

TCFB got a Grilled Chicken Burger with BB’s chilli sauce, while I got the Char-Grilled Cheese Burger.

TCFB really enjoyed the chicken burger and loved the sauce and texture of the chicken. We were told that the sauce is the original Oportos recipe which Gary, the owner of Buns and Balls kept when he sold Oportos, his previous business.

Chicken Burger, $10

I really enjoyed the beef burger.

It seemed as if the beef was just perfectly cooked and spoke for itself. In comparison I felt that the chicken’s sauce did the talking for that burger, which is fine as chicken often has less flavour than beef, I find.

Char-grilled Cheese Burger, $10

Last of all came our deserts.

Served on one wooded board was both an ice cream sandwich and doughnuts in chocolate. The doughnuts were amazing, they didn’t feel heavy or oily at all, but were simply crisp on the outside and soft on the inside; the chocolate sauce that we dipped them in complemented it perfectly.

TCFB preferred this; however my obsession was with the ice cream sandwich.

It was one of the best tasting cookies I had ever had, sandwiching in the ice cream between its choc-chips. The warmth of the cookie and the coldness of the ice cream contrasted well, and I was definitely a fan of this desert.

Donut bites, $8 and Ice Cream Block, $14 to share (with 3 sandwiches)

P.S Here are some pics of more food we tried when we visited another time:

Hand-cut and twice cooked fries, $8.00

Sweet potato fries, $9.00

Overall

The food tasted amazing and it was a great night with a great atmosphere.

The music was great and it was pleasantly filled with a good amount of people. Service was quick and friendly.

While some items may be considered slightly pricy, I feel it is a great place to go with friends or family for a tasty feed!

Rating:

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service- 8
• Food- 8
• Ambience- 7.5
• Value – 7

Product Review: Moo Poo Tarts

Product: Moo Poo Tarts –  also known as Cow Dung Tarts, UFO Tarts, Cream Tarts, Cow Pat Tarts

Available at: Bamboo Lounge Cafe, 336 Sussex St Sydney

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/moopootart

Price: $2.50 each, $15.00 for a box of 6, $35 for a box of 16
For larger quantities visit http://www.facebook.com/moopootart to order.

* * *

What is a “Moo Poo Tart?”

A Moo Poo Tart is basically a thin piece of browned cake topped with creamy yellow custard and fluffy meringue.

What is the story behind the Moo Poo Tart?

The Moo Poo Tart was created in 1955 when, in the small town of Sandakan in Malaysia a baker accidentally burnt a tray of his tarts.  As the tarts looked like cow poo, he named it “cow poo” (ngau si dui in Malasian).

They became very popular in Malaysia and are now very well known, but the original recipe no longer exists as the creator, Mr Fu Ah On never revealed the secret recipe and passed away suddenly from a heart attack, taking it with him.

The best Moo Poo Tarts are found in the town of Sandakan in Malaysia but Ms Davina Wong has tried to recreate the recipe in order to introduce Sydney-siders to the wonders of this Malaysian treat!

My review of the Moo Poo Tart

I was super excited when I was invited to taste these delicious tarts, with a box of 6 delivered to me at work, complimentary.

The tarts look really cute in the box, and travelled quite well in the container.

They are the perfect size for an afternoon bite and I think they would make an unusual but interesting gift or ice-breaker!

I was interested by the strange and unusual appearance of the tarts, with a muffin-top-like base, a very dark yellow centre, and white meringue around it.  My first taste of the tart revealed a combination of flavours and textures. The dense, sweet and thin cake contrasted well with the silky, rich custard and the light, fluffy meringue.

While the meringue part was a little flat compared to the pictures, it still tasted delicious and I enjoyed the unusual textures and flavours of the tart.  It was a strange mix between a cupcake, a lemon meringue tart and a custard tart, and I, along with the friends I shared it with at work, all enjoyed it.

I would give this new treat a go as it seems like something that will appeal to all sweet lovers!

Rating

I give the Moo Poo tart a 7.5/10.

Magnum Pleasure Store, Westfield Sydney CBD

Address: Westfield Sydney, Cnr Pitt and Market Streets, Sydney NSW

Opening Hours:

Monday – Wednesday 9.30am – 6.30pm
Thursday 9.30am – 9.00pm
Friday 9.30am – 6.30pm
Saturday 9.30am – 6.30pm
Sunday 10.00am – 6.00pm

* * *

What is it?

The Magnum Pop Up Pleasure Store was open from 16 July to 25 August 2013 at Westfield Sydney.

It’s a little ice cream bar in which you can choose different toppings to customise your Magnum ice cream.

MDS and I visited one lunch break to try it out.

Here’s how it works:

1. First, we paid at the counter and chose our toppings. The magnum (including toppings) cost $7.00 each.

2. Second, we walked past the topping bar where a friendly girl put scoops of our toppings into little metal cups, ready to go on top of our ice creams.

The toppings included (from the website):

THE CLASSICS: Hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, macadamias, crumbled biscuit, chocolate flakes, chocolate sprinkles, honeycomb pieces

THE SPECIALS: dried strawberries, dried raspberries, toasted coconut flakes, goji berries, crumbled meringue, rose praline, crushed chocolate-coated coffee beans

THE EXPERIMENTALS: rose petals, rock sea salt, popping candy and more!

3. Next, another girl unwrapped a vanilla ice cream from the fridge and dunked it in our choice of chocolate: dark, milk or white.  I chose milk (only the best).

4. Next, the toppings were poured over our ice creams.

I chose pistachio, rose petals and crushed meringue.

5. Our ice creams were then drizzled with another chocolate of our choice. My choice was white chocolate.

6. Finally, we chose a chocolate “M” button to go on top. I picked a white one.

The experience was quite a bit of fun and we both enjoyed picking our toppings and customising the ice creams.

Although a bit pricey for one Magnum, there were plenty of toppings on it and the ice cream itself, with a THICK chocolate shell, tasted amazing. Absolutely delicious. It ended up being our lunch as we were so full after eating it!

Lobo Plantation, Sydney CBD ($$)

Address: Basement Lot 1, 209 Clarence Street, Sydney NSW

Tel: (02) 9279 4335

Website: http://thelobo.com.au/

Email:  info@thelobo.com.au

Opening Hours:

Monday-Thursday 4pm – midnight
Friday 2pm – midnight
Saturday 4pm – midnight

* * *

The Lobo Plantation is a South American styled rum bar with a Caribbean influence, which has brought the grandeur and exoticism of Cuban sugar baron, Julio Lobo’s life to the Sydney CBD.

MDS, Mitch, Wallace, MattyCakes and I headed over to Lobo Plantation with some other friends for a birthday dinner.

I had never been to Lobo before, let alone heard of it, so I was intrigued by the unusual name and the interesting location in a basement in Clarence Street (not quite in the usual spots at Circular Quay, Darling Harbour or Kings Cross).

Atmosphere

After waiting in the queue for about 15-20 minutes, we were finally allowed in.  Our friends who arrived later waited 1 hour, so be prepared to stand outside if you arrive after 6.30pm on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night!

The place is pretty crowded and, as it is in the basement, it is probably not the safest place to be if there is a fire or emergency.  The only way I could see to get out was the windy, narrow and steep staircase that we came down on.

Most of the tables were taken up so we stood around the bar and ordered drinks before taking a seat at a red booth.

I ordered the Jamaican Julep ($18.00).  It contains Appletons VX, lychee and black tea syrup, passionfruit, mint and ginger beer.

While the cocktail was delicious and the range on offer is extensive, they are a bit pricey at $18 each.

That said, I would definitely suggest trying one if you come here as they all sound amazing and it is interesting to watch them being made.  I even saw the bartender using flames for one of them!

Service

Service was OK. I think that generally, the staff were friendly and I definitely noted that the bar staff were skilled and knowledgeable on their alcohol.

However, as it was so busy, I feel that we didn’t get as much attention as we would have liked, and the service seemed a little rushed.

Perhaps earlier in the week it would be better?

MDS and I having a bit of fun!

Food

As I had gone with some friends, one of the other members of the group decided to order for everyone.

She ordered a variety of dishes from the menu, which the eight of us shared.

I have to say that while the menu features some interesting and unusual dishes, the dishes were tasty but I did not think they were anything amazing.   This is the sort of food I would expect to see but I was not surprised or wowed by anything on offer.

We enjoyed the:

• Slow braised beef and chorizo meatballs in alcaparrado sauce, $9.00
• Ensalada de Lobo, $11.00
• Black bean stew, $11.00
• Cuban paselitos with beef, raisin and guava, $8.50 for four
• Ropa vieja, $13.00

The Slow Braised Beef Meatballs were tasty: slightly pink on the inside, with a rich and thick tomato sauce.

The Ensalada de Lobo.  By the time the dish came around to me there wasn’t any Cuban spiced chicken breast left.  We did enjoy the fresh salad but it was nothing special.

I am not a fan of black beans, but the stew was not bad. The chicken was delicious and cooked well, and the beans weren’t too mushy or starchy so I didn’t mind them.

I do enjoy a good Ropa Vieja, which I have seen before at an Argentinian cafe (see Boca).  The flank steak was soft and rich, and the chickpeas and cream added a bit of bite and lightness to the dish.

The crispy Paselitos were definitely my favourite dish, fried pastry with a sweet filling and a delicious sauce which was perfection.  It was a mix of sweet and savoury and had the crunchy of pastry and the softness of the beef filling.

Overall

The food here is reasonably priced for tapas, but probably better suited to groups of 4 rather than a large group of 8, as the dishes weren’t big enough for us all to share. Perhaps it would have been better to order two of each dish.

Cocktails are delicious but can be expensive.  They are worth a try but I would probably have pre-drinks before coming here!

Service is average as the place is quite busy, but staff are knowledgeable on the menu and drinks and are quite efficient.

Rating:

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service- 6
• Food- 6.5
• Ambience- 8
• Value – 5

Chur Burger, Surry Hills ($)

Address: 48 Albion Street Surry Hills

Tel: (02) 9212 7979

Website: http://churburger.com.au/

Opening Hours:

Mon 11:30AM – 5pm
Tues – Sat 11:30AM – 10PM
Sunday Closed

* * *

After some Thursday night shopping and a little Nespresso tasting at Westfield Sydney, MDS and I headed over to Chur Burger in Surry Hills.

I had heard good things about this place, a new Sydney foodie hotspot which has even been described as having Sydney’s best burgers (Good Food, SMH).

Atmosphere

MDS and I walked in, past some people who were sitting outside.

We didn’t know about the set up or how the whole reservation thing worked so we just waited near the door until someone came over to us.  We were told that we could get a table in 15 minutes, so we put our names down on the list and waited outside with the others.

We waited just 10 minutes before being shown to a high table with some stools around it.  While we had to share our table with two other groups, the table was pretty wide so we didn’t get in anyone’s way.

Inside, Chur Burger has a very hip hop warehouse feel to it. There is loud music playing in the background (Kanye West at the time) and a large kitchen area on one side. You order at a small window on the right side of the room, and pay upon ordering.

It was a bit of a different set up to anywhere else I have been and as I am a fan of hip hop, RnB and rap, I enjoyed the music and loved the chilled out atmosphere.

Service

Service was quite average and we didn’t have much interaction with the staff. However, the girl who put our names down for a table and greeted us was pretty friendly.

Our food came out quickly and with no fuss and our used plates and cups were soon cleared away.

Food

MDS and I ordered a burger each and decided to share chips.

I ordered the Grilled Chicken, Hot Sauce Mayo and Minted Slaw burger ($10.00).

The burger was pretty large and although I was hungry when I started, I couldn’t finish the whole burger. I ended up leaving the bun and eating the filling!

The sauce was not hot at all but it had a nice spicy tang to it. The slaw was tasty and fresh and the chicken had a lovely charcoal taste, which I enjoy.

MDS ordered the Pulled Pork, Chur BBQ Sauce, Red Slaw and Fennel Mayo burger (also $10.00).

She enjoyed this colourful burger, but she too could not finish the whole thing.

For sides we shared the Chips with Chilli Salt ($5.00) and the Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Lime ($5.00).

The chips were crunchy and hot and the added kick of chilli was great!

Sweet potato fries are healthier than regular fries, and the sweetness of the thick cut chips was nice.  I couldn’t really taste much of the garlic and lime though.

Overall

I definitely think these burgers are some of the best I have had. There is some great variety on offer here, the burgers don’t take long to cook, service is fuss-free and the atmosphere is great.

A very cool option for a late night dinner and there is also a dessert and milkshake menu!

Cost

Our burgers and fries came to $30.00 all up.

Rating:

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service- 6.5
• Food- 9
• Ambience- 8
• Value – 7.5

Lorraine’s Patisserie, Ivy, Sydney CBD ($)

Address: Shop 5, Palings Lane, 320 George St Sydney NSW

Tel: (02) 9254 8009

Website: http://merivale.com.au/lorraines-patisserie/

* * *

Atmosphere

Lorraine’s is a little Patisserie located in Palings Lane near the popular bar, the ivy.

It gets it’s name from Ms Lorraine Godsmark, formerly a Potts Point patissiere, who now delights Sydney CBD workers with her delicious treats, all from a small kitchen surrounded by glass windows.

The place itself is quite small with about a 2 metre by 1 metre area for customers to stand in. MDS and I found it quite cramped with all our winter baggage, maneuvering around eachother’s bags, umbrellas and coats to try to have a peek into the pastry cabinets and check out what was on the trays.

The kitchen area is much bigger and the glass windows on two sides make it quite open, allowing customers the chance to see how the sweet treats are made.

Service

There really isn’t much service involved as it is a patisserie with no seating. Everything is take-away so there was minimal involvement from the staff member who assisted us.

She was however quite patient considering our indecisiveness about which delicious treat to order (there are so many goodies!).

Food

As we walked in the store we were swamped with the smell of delicious chocolate, baking in the ovens at the back of the kitchen.

MDS and I immediately craved something chocolatey and I went for a cake, while MDS chose one of the delicious cookies.

We both ordered a passionfruit truffle to try, and I also got a marshmallow dipped in chocolate.

The chocolate cake was amazing. It had layers of ganache, mousse, nuts in a caramel sauce, and flaky pastry. So many textures and flavours in the one piece, it was exquisite and probably one of the best cakes I have ever had!

The passionfruit truffle was an odd combination of passionfruit tang and the sweet bitterness of dark chocolate. The shape was a little irregular but the flavour was great.

Finally, the marshmallow was gooey and soft, a perfect square with a Turkish delight base, which was hidden by a coating of chocolate. The Turkish delight was unexpected as I thought it was simply a marshmallow covered in chocolate! A nice touch!

Cost

The truffles and marshmallows were $2.50 each and the cake was $8.00.

Rating:

I would rate my experience (out of 10):

• Service- 5 (non-existent really)
• Food- 5
• Ambience- 5
• Value – 6