Hot Chocolate Frenzy @ Kakawa Chocolates & Detour Espresso, Darlinghurst

I must make a confession. I will never stop loving hot chocolate. Whether it’s the powdered mix stirred into a hot mug of freshly heated (ahem..microwaved) milk, or an $8 cup of pure, decadent, real hot chocolate, give me a hot cup flavoured with the milky, dreamy creaminess that is chocolate and I’m a happy girl….

Why I love Asian Bakeries: Part 1

Step into an Asian bakery, it’s walls lined with plastic display cases that showcase neatly lined rows of golden baked goods, and it becomes clear that this is not the average run-of-the-mill Australian bakery. No, not the kind where a shop assistant is the main connection between the customer and the product. This is a…

Goshu Ramen Tei, Wynyard

Irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ) ! That’s a phrase you’ve probably heard often when eating at a Japanese restaurant, shouted above the sounds of the kitchen and buzz of diners by single or multiple sushi chefs as new patrons enter through the door. It means ‘welcome’, but what you probably didn’t know is that it’s also common for shop…

The Grounds of Alexandria

Nestled in amongst the outlet and furniture shops in the homemaker/industrial hub of Alexandria sits The Grounds of Alexandria, famous for it’s innovative ‘ground roots’ approach to food. You know you’re near when you begin to hear the hustle and bustle of crowds and begin to find it hard to find parking – on the…

Homemade Apple Pie

In America the homemade pie seems to be the standard dessert staple of every household. Americans love their pie – whether it be blueberry, key lime, chocolate cream, pecan, or even varieties like pumpkin that would seem a little unusual to us Australians. To add to this fascination there are even multiple varieties of pie…

Sokyo at the Star, Pyrmont

When I was little I always looked forward to reaching the age when I’d finally be old enough to go out to a fancy restaurant and order beautiful food and eat with multiple numbers of forks and knives. Sadly, that dream is one yet unfulfilled, but I have come pretty close in the way of…

Delmain Providore, Balmain

You know those kitsch, funky cafes that seen to be popping up everywhere these days? The ones that serve the perfect cup of freshly ground and blended coffee, have a crowd-pleaser all day breakfast menu and a lunch menu with absolutely drool-worthy sandwiches and salads so large in number that you can’t possibly choose what…

Pho Hoang Gia, Flemington

With the close or relocation of one of our favourite Flemington eateries, we were left bewildered one Saturday lunchtime as to where we were to eat lunch. Sure, there are heaps of cheap and fulfilling restaurants in Flemington where one can slurp down steaming bowls of pho or much away on stir fried noodles, but…

Italian Baked Ricotta Cheesecake

Papa’s Pasticceria in Haberfield is famous for its light, fluffy and unique Ricotta Cheesecake, a cake no sweet tooth (or anyone, for that matter) could ever resist. The cheesecake is not heavy or ‘cheesy’, per se, but is wonderfully spongey, creamy and airy. Unlike traditional cheesecakes, Papa’s cheesecakes is encased all around in a layer…

Chat Thai @ Westfield Sydney

Step into the grand, glass-fronted building of Westfield Sydney off Pitt Street Mall and it becomes clear that this shopping centre boasts the allure of retail therapy on a whole new level. From the concierge with its exquisitely marbled counter to the array of plush, lily-pad-shaped couches dotted around the 6 levels of tempting designer…