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Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing, Sponsored

Greatly Terrific Food Outing: Spice Theory, Turramurra

July 28, 2018 Talyssa 6 Comments

THE VERDICT

Setting & Atmosphere
Food
Service
Value For Money

3.9

OVERALL SUMMARY

Modern Indian Cuisine

With no other cuisine using more spices than the Indian cuisine, it’s quite fitting that Turramuurra’s new kid on the block Indian restaurant is named “Spice Theory”. So what can you expect from Spice Theory? A sensory experience that celebrates Indian culture, flavours and hospitality. The exotic menu aims to showcase the very best of Modern Indian Cuisine, so let’s see how the experience was!

SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE

Stepping inside Spice Theory, the first thing I noticed is how incredibly modern and chic it is – very sleek and minimalist in style. The restaurant is relaxed, cosy and not too loud, making it perfect for an intimate dinner for two and some good conversation!

To add to the cultural experience I would have loved to see a little more culture in the decor!

FOOD

Spice Theory’s menu is extensive and exotic filled with traditional dishes I’d never heard of, to fan favourites (like butter chicken mmm!) all with notes of modern twists. Not knowing where to start, Kailash happily suggested some of the restaurants signature dishes. I had brought my boyfriend with me – who is vegetarian – and we were very impressed with the variety of vegetarian options on offer.

To start we were served the Dahi Poori Chaat, the Mini Masala Dosa and the Mini Keema Dosa. Living up to ‘providing a sensory experience’ the dishes were a treat to the eye as much as they were to the tastebuds. The presentation of dishes at Spice Theory is one of the best I’ve seen amongst the Indian restaurants I’ve been to and all three dishes were flavoursome. The Dosa’s were perfectly crisp with a flavoursome filling and the accompanying chutney’s really made the flavours sing.

The Dahi Poori Chaat was definitely a highlight. It was a really unique dish and reminded me of a traditional Indian streetfood I’ve had. It was great to see how Spice Theory transformed this traditional Indian streetfood into a modern, restaurant-worthy dish.

For main, the vegetarian curry Paneer Saag was definitely a highlight and I absolutely loved Kailash’s suggestion to pair it with a Peshwari Naan – something I wouldn’t have tried otherwise. The sweetness of the Naan worked with the vegetarian curry beautifully and I am a definite fan of this combo! We were also served the Chicken Tikka Masala, which was missing the ‘wow’ factor for me in terms of taste, but I appreciated that Spice Theory did not hold back on the heat for this curry! (And for non chilli fans, don’t worry, you can ask for your curries to be non spicy).

Too cool the palette we finished with two deserts; the Rose Panna Cotta and the Payasam. These deserts were the perfect way to finish the meal being tasty and light for our already full bellies. The Panna Cotta was perfectly creamy with a light rose fragrance and the Payasam was subtly spiced. Both beautifully presented and delicious!

I would also like to make a special note about the house wine – I’m not a huge wine fan and I loved this one!!

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Dahi Poori Chaat — Dahi Poori Chaat (V) – Small crispy puffed bread mixed with boiled potato, chickpeas and topped with chilled yoghurt and various chutneys | $10.90

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Mini Masala Dosa — Mini Masala Dosa (V) – Crispy pancake filled with a traditional potato masala served with lentil broth, fresh coconut chutney and tomato chutney | $11.90

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Mini Keema Dosa — Mini Keema Dosa – Crispy pancake filled with minced masala lamb served with lentil broth, fresh coconut chutney and tomato chutney | $12.90

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Main Dishes — Peshwari Naan (back) – Desiccated coconut, sugar and sultanas | $4.00 Garlic and Cheese Naan | $4.50 House Wine – Bud Burst Barossa Valley

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Paneer Saag Curry — Paneer Saag (V) – Cubes of Paneer in purée of English Spinach | $16.90

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Chicken Tikka Masala — Chicken Tikka Masala – Tender morsels of boneless chicken marinated in a blend of freshly ground herbs, baked over charcoal, then cooked in the chef’s special masala sauce | $19.50

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Rose Panna Cotta — Rose Panna Cotta – Rose-infused panna cotta | $6.00

Review: Spice Theory Turramurra - Payasam — Payasam (V) – Traditional south Indian rice pudding | $8.00

Service

The staff at Spice Theory were extremely welcoming. The floor manager in particular (I’m sorry his name has escaped me! ), was wonderful, if not one of the best floor managers I’ve come across. He instinctively knew the delicate balance between being attentive without being too attentive. He was extremely friendly, polite and provided excellent service. He knew who I was straight away when he welcomed me in to the restaurant and was really passionate about educating me on the menu and the restaurant. For this alone I would have rated the service 5/5 stars!

However…

One thing that made the night a little uncomfortable for me was that one member of staff asked multiple times about whether I would be writing a review, where I would post the review and if it would be published in the Newspaper as well. Asking multiple times throughout my dinner left me feeling like the experience became less about showcasing what the restaurant had to offer and more about what I would be writing in my review.

When invited as a guest, the best experiences are when the chefs and staff can’t wait to talk about how they came up with the idea for a particular dish and their mind is on their food and service so much that they completely forget about me writing a review.

As a suggestion, the PR agency should inform the restaurant who is coming, the style of reviews they write – for example I’ve never written for a newspaper – and also what they can expect from the blogger prior to their arrival. This will mean the restaurant can focus on their service and the passion behind their menu, which is what I really want to see!

VALUE FOR MONEY

Spice Theory is excellent value for money. The prices are really reasonable and the food is delicious overall. I would visit again!

THE DETAILS

Where:

1-3/1259 Pacific Highway, Turramurra NSW 2074

Contact:

(02) 99884242

Opening Hours:

Open 7 days: 5PM til late

Find Them Here:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Please note that this was an invited food tasting

Lifestyle, Sponsored

Review: Raven’s Landing Peshtemals

July 11, 2018 Talyssa 10 Comments

[better-reviews]

Quality & Design

The amazing thing about Raven’s Landing products is that they are handloomed by master craftsmen in Turkey. While everything is locally sourced and made in Turkey, the designs are done in Australia giving their products a modern twist to the otherwise traditional art. Raven’s Landing products are artisanal and handmade making every peshtemal unique. The fact that these peshtamels are not mass produced is something you can not only see, but you can feel it too. Compared to other Turkish Towels I own, this one screams of authenticity and quality.

I absolutely love the vintage linen look and feel to the peshtemal (I’m not sure of the material exactly, but I do know it’s made of natural fibers), and I believe it is this aspect that gives it its versatility, particularly when compared to other Turkish Towels.

Receiving this product in the winter months, it was too cold to take to the beach, so I opted to use it as a throw on my bed, and isn’t it gorgeous? The design and texture is so beautiful that it could easily be used as a fashion accessory – shawl, scarf or sarong or even a picnic blanket, and of course, a towel.

Colours & Care

I absolutely LOVE the colours of my peshtemal, they are beautifully pigmented. I chose the fire peshtemal and the colours were true to the pictures on site.

Being made of natural fibers means this product requires less laundering, space and drying than a typical towel. It is highly absorbent but without the extra weight, making it the perfect (and super stylish) travel companion. The product can be ironed and even becomes softer after a few washes – though I quite like the texture straight out of the packaging!

Customer Service & Shipping

The staff at Raven’s Landing are super friendly, and were very prompt with delivery. They are extremely passionate about their products and have done a lot of research into their product and Turkish craftsmanship.

Value for Money

Raven’s Landing Peshtemals retail for $55AUD, plus shipping (approx. $10) so you’re really looking to spend around $65AUD for this product. This is pretty pricey in my books.

Raven’s Landing are definitely setting their products up as a luxury item, and so they should – the quality is exceptional, it’s authentic and it truly is a beautiful product.

If purchasing artisanal, quality products is important to you, and you don’t mind paying a bit more to get them, you won’t be disappointed. The price is fair for the quality and time needed to create an authentic, artisanal product.

Get YOUrs here

This product was sent to The Hidden Thimble for this review.

5 tips on styling MYJS Mix Collection Jewellery

December 11, 2017 Talyssa 4 Comments

‘Great style is a display of each woman’s personality’

Show your personality with MYJS’ new Mix Collection. Playful and creative, this collection gives you the freedom to craft your own unique pieces that match your personal style. With a variety strands to mix, match and connect together, there’s absolutely no rules other than the ones you create!

Don’t know where to start? See my guide below:

1. Trust your personal style

To get started, choose strands that match your personal style. Do you find yourself drawn to an elegantly simple style? Does a bohemian or romantic style make your heart sing? Does your rock chic style suit your fierce personality perfectly? Whatever it is, choose staple strands that you find yourself naturally drawn to.

TIP: 5 strands are a good place to start, that way you’ll be able to create a few different jewellery variations.

My style is a mix of romantic and edgy, so I choose five strands that I was attracted to the most. I love rose gold, but the bracelets also come in a silver colour. Find links to my picks at the end of this post.

2. Get started with a simple click!

There’s something incredibly freeing about having no rules to your jewellery! MYJS have made their collection with freedom at its core. Choose from a variety of different strands that connect together and have fun changing your look at any time!

Each strand is approximately 17cm in length and is fitted with magnetic clasps so your standalone bracelet can become a choker, a long necklace or a wrap bracelet!

The MYJS Mix Collection clicks together with a magnetic clasp!

For the above look, I went with an elegant long necklace to keep things simple

3. Experiment with different looks

Connect multiple strands and layer them on top of each other to create a myriad of different looks.

To create a more bohemian feel, I created one long necklace and wrapped it around my wrist to achieve a layered bracelet look. I also did the same for my ankle.

4. Play with structure

To create a necklace with a bit more structure, combine a few of the same style strands together or alternate between two different strands. To create the doubled choker below, I alternated between two of my favourite strand styles.

Earrings: Rose Gold, Swarovski crystal Bella Earrings paired with a doubled choker necklace. Alternating strands can be found here: Strand One and Strand Two

Another option I love is creating a necklace with only one strand being different to the others. Use this strand as the “statement” piece of your necklace and feature it in the center of your chest.

TIP: To make your statement strand stand out, accompany it with simpler strands of the same style.

Here I’ve chosen the middle strand to be the hero of the necklace and accompanied it with two of the same strands for consistency. Connect all three together to create a more structured necklace.

5. Take your jewellery into the Night!

When choosing my strands, I also made sure I had a few glitzy picks in there to glam up my look for a night out. These pearls added an elegant and glamorous touch to my evening dress.

SHOP THE MIX COLLECTION HERE

Find my Mix Collection picks here:

Disclaimer: I was provided a free product in return for an honest review and style guide. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by the developing company, and/or it’s affiliates in any way.

Lifestyle, Sponsored

Review: iPhone cases.com.au – 50000mAh Powerbank

September 7, 2017 Talyssa Leave a comment

[better-reviews]

DESIGN

Sleek and lightweight, this powerbank is perfect for when you’re on the go. A great size to fit snug into your handbag, this powerbank comes in a stylish white colour. With two additional USB ports as well as a micro USB output, this is the perfect powerbank if you need to charge multiple items on the go. Best of all, it recharges super fast which significantly helps reduce the likelihood of ever running out of battery!

On the flip side, the powerbank is slightly heavier than other products on the market. It also comes with 2 LED lights which can be switched on and off, however I couldn’t really find a use for that feature.

PERFORMANCE

With 50000mAh of POWAAAA this powerbank is by far the longest lasting that I have ever used, which means longer battery life for me! I have always been quite disappointed with how little powerbanks have actually recharged my phone. More often than not I find the powerbank dies before being able to recharge my phone significantly. I was pleasantly surprised with the performance of iphonecase’s powerbank.

Customer Service and Shipping

Dealing with iphonecases was so pleasant. The staff were friendly and very prompt with their handling as well as email replies. As a result, shipping was super fast and I received my product in two days! Record time!

Value for Money

Compared to in store prices in Australia, this Powerbank is priced around the same as others. To give you an idea of pricing, I bought a 40000mAh Powerbank for around about the same price of $39.90. This Powerbank however is slightly better value offering 50000mAh.

Where can you get one?

Website

Facebook

*Please note this product was provided to The Hidden Thimble for this review.

Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing, Sponsored

Greatly Terrific Food Outing: East Village Hotel, Darlinghurst

August 25, 2017 Talyssa Leave a comment

THE VERDICT

Setting & Atmosphere
Food
Service
Value For Money

4.3

OVERALL SUMMARY

Best Mulled Wine

A beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight, walkin’ in a winter wonderland… And psst… I know exactly where you can catch your own winter wonderland right here in Sydney! Escape the winters blues for a beautifully magical night under a sky adorned with over 4000 fairy lights. Enjoy rustic meals while sipping on mulled wine and let the world go drifting by…

SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE

The East Village Hotel has unveiled the perfect escape from the cold, with a winter wonderland themed rooftop garden and delicious winter inspired menu.

Located on a quiet street in Darlinghurst, The East Village hotel looks like your typical Aussie pub upon first glance. But don’t be fooled by appearances, for the hotel’s rooftop holds a secret only shared with those that venture inside.

Making your way up six flights of a winding staircase, a winter wonderland awaits with stunning decor, a warm and cosy atmosphere and a night sky filled with fairy lights. Inspired by the extravagant light displays in Europe throughout winter, the team at East Village hotel have worked hard to ensure their representation was as accurate as possible – and they succeeded. There is something so lovely about being able to experience a winter night outside in such a magical and cozy setting with views of the CBD skyline. Simply perfect.

FOOD

Serving modern Australian cuisine, the team at The East Village Hotel accompany their Winter Wonderland setting with a deliciously rustic and hearty winter menu.

But first. We need to speak wine. Mulled wine to be exact. Ordering the Gluhwein is a must and has got to be the best mulled wine I have ever tasted. This home brewed recipe is so perfect that a myriad of spices and winter berry flavours fill your mouth upon each sip. It’s complex, layered and delightfully sweet, without being sickly sweet.

To eat, start the night with the Grilled Haloumi Skewers. They are fantastic with perfectly balanced flavours. The saltiness of the cheese is accompanied by the sweetness of honey and balanced with a freshly squeezed lemon. Yum!

For main, I couldn’t go past the Honey Glazed Ham Board served with spiced pear chutney. This dish is delicious and just oozing with the essence of winter. Having invited the boy with me (he’s vegetarian by the way – I know how is a foodie to cope?) I was extremely delighted to see a number of vegetarian options available. He decided to go for the Zucchini Flower and Mint Orecchiette which was nice, but I was soooo badly hoping there would be some stuffed zucchini flowers on top!

Finally, we finished the night with the Hot Doughnuts. They were gorgeously crispy on the outside and amazingly soft on the inside. So soft in fact that they melted in your mouth – I kid you not. Coated in cardamon sugar and served hot with a dollop of Chantilly cream, they are the perfect indulgence for winter.

Gluhwein - Mulled Wine — Gluhwein – Mulled wine with Claret, Tawny Port, Martell VS Cognac, spices and winter berries | $8

Grilled Haloumi Skewers – Honey, lemon & oregano | $14

Honey Glazed Ham Board – Hand carved ham, spiced pear chutney, grilled sourdough | $19

Zucchini Flower and Mint Orecchiette – Shell pasta, pesto, broad bean, asparagus, pine-nuts, feta (v) | $20

Hot Doughnuts – Cardamon sugar, orange and honey syrup, Chantilly cream | $12

SERVICE

Really friendly and attentive. Service was a little slow at times (and sometimes forgetful – our second serving of mulled wine never came) but hey we’re all human and it definitely didn’t deter from the beautiful night! I’d definitely go back!

VALUE FOR MONEY

Great food at standard pub-style prices.

THE DETAILS

Where:

234 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010

Contact:

0431 622 944

Opening Hours:

Monday – Saturday: 11am – 12am
Sunday: 11am – 10pm

Find Them Here:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

*Please note that this was an invited event.

Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing, Sponsored

Greatly Terrific Food Outing: The Tiny Giant, Petersham

June 17, 2017 Talyssa 9 Comments

THE VERDICT

Setting & Atmosphere
Food
Service
Value For Money

3.8

OVERALL SUMMARY

Breakfast with a twist

You know what they say, good things come in small packages and The Tiny Giant is no exception. Yet what the cafe lacks in its physical size – there is nothing giant about it – it makes up for with its food. The breakfasts here aren’t for the faint hearted, packing a giant punch whether it be with interesting flavours or in sheer size – so ladies and gents, be sure to bring your giant appetite!

SETTING AND ATMOSPHERE

Considering the size of the cafe, I was wondering how the ‘Giant’ in the cafe’s name fit into the equation and upon arrival, it all became clear. The line of people waiting outside to get a seat was GIGANTIC and in hindsight, Saturday morning was probably not the best time to visit The Tiny Giant. Luckily, we had made a booking which meant we didn’t have to wait too long for a table.

Inside the cafe was busy, crowded and there was a wee bit of an uncomfortably tight squeeze getting in our chairs to sit at our table. It’s loud, bustling and quite chaotic, so if you’re looking for a peaceful breakfast getaway this is not it – instead try visiting on a weekday.

Apart from being really tiny, the cafe is quite nice with it’s white walls, industrial vibes and rustic finishings. To complete the look, the cafe is decorated with lush greenery and terracotta pots.

Food

Three words. ALL. DAY. BREAKFAST. #WINNING

The food at The Tiny Giant is beautifully decorated and visually striking. It was a gloomy Saturday, and wanting some vibrance and colour we naturally gravitated towards the “Famous Brioche Toast”. A mammoth sized sweet breakfast, you get a whopping four slices of thick brioche toast, topped with Persian pashamak and a generous scattering of fruit. Definitely a dish for two. The flavours were delicious, but the overall sweetness of the dish did get a bit overpowering after a while.

Needing something savoury on the palate, the “Pea Smash Parmesan” caught our eye. A unique breakfast dish, the saltiness of the prosciutto is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the peas and the burrata cheese adds a lovely creamy texture to the dish. Topped with a parmesan crisp, the dish is finished with some much needed crunchiness – I only wish we had a little more crisps!

Lastly, craving some homestyle cooking, we ordered the “Baked Hot Pot” and added some chorizo for some extra heat. While this dish was visually beautiful, it was unfortunately a little overcooked and dry – I would have loved to be able to dip that gorgeous piece of sourdough into the pot and soak up the aromatic stewed flavours.

Our Famous Brioche Toast – served with strawberries, mixed berries, canadian maple, salted caramel, mascarpone and Persian pashmak | $17.50

Pea Smash Parmesan – sourdough toast, burrata cheese, aged prosciutto, basil pesto, parmesan crisp and micro mint | $18.90

Baked Hotpot – slow cooked tomato sugo, common mushrooms, onion, danish feta & two free range eggs baked in an iron pan | $16.90 (added chorizo for an additional $4)

SERVICE

Staff are friendly but extremely preoccupied, likely due to the huge demand of crowds.

Value for money

The Tiny Giant is on the pricier end of brunch cafes with majority of the dishes costing upwards of $15. For some dishes, such as the Famous Brioche Toast, the pricing is fair considering the size of the dish, but I felt that the “Baked Hot Pot” wasn’t worth the price tag.

The Details

Where:

110 Audley St, Petersham, Sydney

Contact:

02 8065 4684

Opening Hours:

Mon – Fri: 6.30am – 3pm
Sat – Sun: 7.30am – 3pm

Find Them Here:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Please note that this was an invited event I attended on behalf of ningjaeats.

I’d love you know your favourite brunch spots – tell me in the comments below!

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!