Nook Urban Fresh Bar is an oasis bursting with colour, warmth, vibrance and life in the middle of an otherwise stoney CBD. Amongst the bustling traffic this cafe provides the perfect “nook” to escape from it all and rejuvenate with a hearty, organic feed.
Setting and Atmosphere
★★★★
Wow, this cafe is gorgeous! Everything comes together perfectly to create a farmhouse vibe that is cleverly contrasted with bright and colourful organic food displays. The natural woodwork compliments the aluminium and antique steel finishes that decorate the cafe. Everything about the atmosphere compliments the food and helps to created an overall wholesome and natural feel.
Food
★★★★.5
Sweeten Me Up | Lemon ricotta, honey caramelized fig and peach, smashed pistachio and fresh mint on organic fruit loafQuinoa Porridge | Served with apple custard, semi dried bananas, cranberries, caramelised figs and coconut chipsYogurt with MuseliChai Tea Latte
How best to describe the food at Nook Urban Fresh Bar? Natural, organic, fresh, homely, but on top of all that, indulgent. Every dish that hits the table is a piece of art, delicately constructed to look as good as it tastes. When my “Sweeten me Up” hit the table I knew that this would be the most beautiful breakfast dish I’d ever have. Another highlight of the breakfast was the chai tea latte. ninjaeats mentioned it was one of the best she’s ever had!
Service
★★★
The service here is your average order from the counter experience, so there’s not much involvement with the staff directly. Meals were a little slow to arrive to the table, however the place is very busy.
Pricing and Value for Money
★★★★.5
Great food at a great price. What more could you want?
If these photos haven’t peaked your interest to try Trad3rs, I’m not sure what will! Located in Top Ryde, Trad3rs are all about giving their customers a positive experience from their coffee, to their food, to their friendly waitstaff, to that cheeky drink you’re craving.
Setting and Atmosphere
★★★.5
Inside, this cafe is somewhat mix-matched in its style. The table setting however – AMAZING!! A bright, beautiful posy of flowers compliments the vibrant blue crockery against a dark mahogany table top backdrop. With this set up combined with our food and drinks, the tabletop was a burst of colour that was absolutely divine to dine amongst! My experience at the table alone bumped my rating for this section from a 2.5 star to a 3.5 star.
With that being said, the rest of the cafe seems to be a mix of vibes with parts of it’s interior design being similar to the cafe vibe I experienced in a lot of Korean cafes with pinned up polaroids and trinkets, to a sort of steampunk/industrial theme with the light fittings and other features, to an IKEA vibe with the plant hangings throughout the cafe. I definitely think the strong point of this cafe’s setting was displayed in their table decor and maybe this cafe would come together a lot more with a stripped back theme that focused around a dark backdrop accented with bursts of bright colours through it’s crockery, food displays and floral elements.
Food
★★★
Egg, Chicken Chorizo, Bacon & Sourdough Bread | $15.90Hawaiian Burger | $13.90From Left to Right: Lychee Beret and Pink LadyApple and Cinnamon Pancake | $13.90
What you’ll get at Trad3rs is good, simple food. The taste is good, the presentation is good and overall you’ll leave feeling full and happy. And while everything is good, it’s just not special or signature which is why this cafe didn’t score in the higher star ratings. If you’re looking for somewhere to rejuvenate and satisfy your stomach after a hard day of shopping, Trad3rs is a great place to come for some casual eats and a little R+R before heading home.
Service
★★★★.5
The service at Trad3rs is really friendly and easy going, instantly making you feel at ease. It was great to see the staff throughout the day seeking out and talking to every customer individually to make sure everything was okay with their order and experience. Our orders were taken shortly upon arrival and food was promptly served.
Pricing and Value for Money
★★★.5
With food here being simple but good, I found that prices are around $2-$3 dearer than other cafes you might go to and receive an equally good or even better meal.
The Details
Where: Shop G3025A, Top Ryde Shopping Centre, 129 Blaxland Road, Ryde NSW 2112
I’ve always been a boho fan, but gypsy vibes are a new thing I’m loving. I can’t help but want to be a magical, luna, gypsy, beach goddess alright!
I don’t know if you have noticed, but lately we’ve been kinda obsessed with Instagram. And thankfully so, because I happened to stumble across Lady Luna, an online fashion store based in Sydney with some serious boho and gypsy vibes.
One thing that always crosses my mind when I stumble across a store on social media is one question; “if I buy from this store, what kind of quality clothing am I going to receive?” I’ve bought from a few online stores widely advertised on social media and have been somewhat disappointed with my purchase. All too often the pieces are made from cheap materials, messy sewing and/or an awkward fit – you know the drill.
You can rest assured with Lady Luna. The material for this dress in particular is delicate, non-itchy – in fact it feels really luxurious and soft, of a high quality and well sewn. On top of that, the dress is well lined over the important areas (bust and skirt), which is especially great because there’s nothing worse than buying a see-through dress and having to find the perfect bra and slip to wear underneath it. Being able to throw this on with no worries is definitely a big bonus!
The only negative with me was with the make of this dress. I found I couldn’t lift my arms up too high past my shoulders without threatening to tear the dress. Not too sure if this was an error on my behalf and reading sizing guides wrong. Regardless I love this dress to bits, so this small negative really doesn’t stop be from wearing it.
A shout out to Wanderlust + Co, my new obsession for magical gypsy jewellery. Can’t wait to add more rings to my collection. Oh, and if you’re always worried about rings never fitting your finger (like me) , Wanderlust’s rings come in different sizes. Sizes are super accurate as well, so you’re always bound to find a ring that fits!
So..I’ve always wanted to try a dark lipstick but well, I was terrified. I mean this is my face we’re talking about and it’s not like lipsticks are cheap. Would it suit me? Do I need to be more tan to pull off a dark lip? Would I look too gothic?
My advice? Just go for it – and don’t turn back!!
Colour: ✩✩✩✩
Mötorhead’s colour is a cherry red upon first application, but can be built upon for a more intense black cherry-red colour. For me this colour was the perfect vampy cherry-red I was looking for and it also meant on my more shy days I could wear it in a lighter shade, or build it up for a dark look when I was feeling more daring. So yup, I’m in love!
The matte colour is great – no shine and I’m also loving the minty smell. Mmmm…
Texture: ✩✩
Not going to lie, this lipstick is difficult to apply due to its texture. It’s just so patchy that the texture alone has even been enough for some people to search for an alternative lipstick in a similar colour. The swatches above will give you an idea of of how patchy this lipstick can be.
Upon application Mötorhead’s formula feels both dry and sticky and doesn’t glide on with ease. The formula is especially unforgiving to any kind of dryness on your lips and with Mötorhead gliding on patchy and uneven from the get go, it makes it difficult to get an even spread on your lips that you’re almost forced to build it up just to make sure everything looks even. Never fear though you can definitely get an even application, it’s just a lot more difficult to achieve than some other lipsticks – I also recommend a lipstick brush to help you get there.
Packaging: ✩✩✩✩✩
Mötorhead’s packaging is awesome. It’s edgy, textured and the triangle prisms that encase the lipstick capture the light so wonderfully that it’s always shining and looking stylishly chic.
One special mention: the colour selection on this range of lipsticks was fantastic. Maybe it’s my lack of knowledge in gothic-esque lipsticks, but I’d never seen a range of lipsticks in these colours! There is an amazing purple colour called Wonderchild, which I was too scared to buy, but next time I’ll be taking my own advice and just go for it!
Oh and if you were wondering, here’s how the lipstick looks on phone cameras!
My, my my, you guys are in for a treat! Swanky and sophisticated Lot.1 has unveiled the first of a three level establishment – a lush cafe – with soon to come, 2 underground bars and a restaurant. Boasting to be Sydney’s newest addiction, nothing says sophistication, affluence and opulence like a 3 level development and a capacity of 400 people!
Setting and Atmosphere
★★★★
Stepping inside Lot. 1, you can’t help but feel a little bit special. Maybe it’s the heritage sandstone, or the way the the liquor bottles stand illuminated against the back wall of the bar. Maybe it’s the friendly waitstaff, the charismatic chefs, or maybe, just maybe it’s the suspended timber spiral feature with purple backlighting. Yep, it’s definitely the timber spiral feature with purple backlighting.
The best thing about Lot. 1 is the space. Tables are well spread out, helping the dining experience to feel all that more private. Naturally, a sophisticated cafe, attracts a sophisticated bunch of people, and in saying sophisticated I don’t mean snobbish (Ivy), I mean well mannered and pleasant – definitely the kind you don’t mind sharing your dining space with.
Oh my gosh, I tasted flavours here that I never imagined existed. Let’s start with the hero and my favourite dish of the day, La Gallina. This glorified chicken salad was amazing, it was clever, well textured and one of those dishes where you combine everything together and suddenly, you believe in magic again, because that’s what the flavours taste like. Perfection on your tastebuds. If the whole review was based on this dish alone, I would have rated it 5 stars!
Second on my list of amazingness were the polenta chips! Now these were special – crispy, yet feather light on the palette. I haven’t tried anything more “moreish” in fact, I’m craving right now. And was it just me, or did I taste a subtle hint of truffle oil?
The Cassarecce tasted great, my only disappointment with this dish was in reading “pork cheek” on the menu. I was expecting large, tender chunks of pork intermingled with my pasta, but unfortunately we received small chewy pieces of meat. Not a big deal though, just not what I expected.
The Panza was simple in its taste. Whilst a good accompaniment to the other flavoursome dishes we ordered, for me this dish was a little lacklustre.
As with all good restaurants, tread carefully below – these deserts are irresistible!
Service
Rating: ★★★★★
The staff here were super friendly and made the whole experience well worth it. The food was prompt and the waitstaff took their time to explain the dishes to us and even recommend their favourites. The highlight of my experience at Lot. 1 was talking to chef Grant Croft. Besides being super friendly, it was great to talk to him about his inspiration behind my favourite dish of the day “La Gallina” and the different techniques he tried in order to create a perfectly balanced dish.
Pricing and Value for Money
Rating: ★★★★
Considering the sophisticated and indulgent vibes of Lot. 1, pricing is surprisingly reasonable. Yes portion sizes are on the small side where mains are concerned, but these dishes are created to share, tapas style. With 3 dishes plus a side serving of polenta chips between us, myself and @ningjaeats were full, leaving with two take away boxes between us!
If you’re in to hispter cafes then the Porch and Parlour’s cafe x night bar is for you. It’s creative, it’s got soul food, it offers vegan and vegetarian options and of course, it’s located in Bondi. Need I say more? Hipsters assemble!
Setting and Atmosphere
★★★★
If you’re anything like me, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief when you hear that the Porch and Parlour cafe is located on the quieter, northern side of Bondi. While the cafe does have open front windows for you to enjoy the ocean breeze, the beautiful view of the ocean is unfortunately obscured by the surrounding buildings – which is a bit of a shame. Nonetheless, the hipster interiors are pretty spech and the cafe plays homage to the all too familiar vibes of ‘refurbished warehouse’ and ‘open industrial roofing’, which actually, I still quite enjoy!
Porch and Parlour is small, cosy and not too overcrowded. I especially loved how all the tables were garnished with a small posy of fresh flowers – it’s the little things.
Food
★★★.5
Seared Chicken Breast with Steamed Greens: Broccoli, green beans, peas, fresh herbs, baby spinach, kale and herb pesto. | $22Raw Cosmic Salad with mixed herbs, lettuce, apple, fennel, beetroot, quinoa, sprouts, guacamole, raw sisterhood sauerkraut, sprouted crackers and ocean trout | $25Large Mocha
Both the seared chicken with steam greens and the raw cosmic salad tasted great, as did our mocha. The chicken was organic, cooked well and moist. The steamed greens were well cooked and well seasoned – deliciously lemony. The raw cosmic salad was well dressed, fresh and creative – I really enjoyed the combination of flavours in this dish.
While the dishes and drinks tasted great, unfortunately we couldn’t help but feel a little cheated for our money. The seared chicken dish at $22 was very small with the chicken portion being particularly underwhelming in size. Similarly adding ocean trout to the raw cosmic salad was an additional $7 and unfortunately, the size of the trout was also not the most generous. With the overall salad amounting to around $25 there seemed to be a bit too much lettuce and less of the good stuff – trout, beetroot etc – and for $25 I expect more of the good stuff. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the sprout crackers which for me took away from the otherwise pleasant taste of the salad, and most disappointing of all was the ‘guacamole’. Just because you smash avocado with a fork, does not make it guacamole!!!!
Lastly the “large” mocha would be a regular size in most cafes, especially since it seems to be the trend nowadays to serve mochas in those huge mugs – I like those mugs.
Service
Rating: ★★★★
Good service, fast and pleasant.
Pricing and Value for Money
Rating: ★★★
Quite pricey, small portion sizes, but the overall taste is good.
The Details
Where: 17-18/110 Ramsgate Ave, North Bondi NSW 2026
Run by two travel and lifestyle bloggers, The Hidden Thimble focus’ on creating truthful and in-depth travel guides, food & beauty reviews. Enjoy drool-worthy photography from around the world!
