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Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing

Greatly Terrific Food Outing: Flower Child Cafe, Chatswood

November 12, 2018 Talyssa 12 Comments

The Verdict

Setting & Atmosphere
Food
Service
Value For Money

OVERALL SUMMARY

For lovers of Victorian antiquity!

A garden oasis in the middle of a shopping centre…that serves food? Welcome to Flower Child, a Victorian Conservatory styled cafe that’s sure to create a memorable dining experience, even in a shopping centre!

Setting And Atmosphere

If I have to be honest, I’m not too fond of cafe’s that reside in shopping centres…I don’t know, I find them slightly claustrophobic, the artificial light gives off a sterile vibe that I don’t like eating my food under, and I miss the fresh air and natural sunlight of open windows…In saying this, I have to admit Flower Child managed to change my mind.

Hidden amongst Westfield Chatswood’s bustling shopping centre, there’s a secret garden oasis perfect for any introvert to carve out a little piece of tranquility and quiet. Styled with the antiquity of a Victorian conservatory, a rustic blue interior is complimented with distressed wooden accents and a myriad of hanging plants. It’s beautifully inviting and instantly calms the senses. In fact, where can I get one?

The seating area is perfectly situated in front of a glass windowed wall, ensuring full sunlight filters through. It was lovely to sit under. In fact the only negatives were that our table, along with a few others were particularly wobbly, making the dining experience a little dubious – no one wants a cup of coffee spilled all over them because of an unsteady table!

Food

The food at Flower Child is wholesome, rustic, beautifully presented and delicious. Each dish is filled with natural, well balanced flavours that work well together.

For brunch I had the Prosciutto and Asparagus Soldiers, because I am a mad fan of prosciutto and always get a little bit excited when I see it on a brunch menu. Served with a poached egg covered in burnt butter hollandaise, buffalo mozzarella, tomato dust and a freshly baked croissant, my first thought was…”it looks a little dry and flavourless…doesn’t it?” Regardless, I ushered a spoonful in my mouth and was pleasantly surprised. This dish wasn’t nearly as dry as it looked and the flavours complimented each other well. It was simple, yet tasty.

Next on the brunch menu was The Vegan Bowl..and boy was this dish a winner. Presentation, tick. Tastiness, tick. An excellent serving size, tick, tick, tick!!! The saltiness of the haloumi (added for $4 extra but totally worth it if you’re not vegan) in this scrumptious dish suited the sweetness of the beetroot hummus perfectly and these two elements alone made the dish a winner. Perfectly tender roast dutch carrots, moist falafel balls, avocado, cherry tomatoes and sweet potatoes accompanied the haloumi and beetroot hummus on a bed of quinoa. The dish was garnished with toasted almonds and crispy chickpeas, providing the perfect amount of crunch. Overall The Vegan Bowl was delicious, fulfilling and healthy! I’d go back just for this!

The drink menu was also great – the lychee and mint shake caught my eye and it was delicious. For coffee lovers, Flower Child proudly serves The Grounds Coffee.

Review: Flower Child Chatswood - The Vegan Bowl — The Vegan Bowl (v), (gf) – House made falafel, quinoa, avocado, truss tomato, baby spinach, sweet potato, crispy chickpeas, roasted Dutch carrots, toasted almonds, beetroot hummus, radish, sesame seeds | $19 ( add haloumi +4 / egg +3 )

Review: Flower Child Chatswood - Prosciutto and Asparagus Soldiers — Prosciutto and Asparagus Soldiers – Poached egg covered in burnt butter hollandaise with shaved prosciutto, charred asparagus, buffalo mozzarella and tomato dust served with a freshly baked croissant | $20

Review: Flower Child Chatswood - Cappuccino — Regular Cappuccino | $4 Lychee & Mint Shake (not pictured) | $8.5

Service

Flower Child doesn’t take bookings, so when we arrived, there was a waiting list. Turn over was fast however and the owner/floor manager was really friendly and took care of us while we waited. He seemed to really care about his customers.

Value for Money

In Sydney, I’d have to say a brunch for $20 is average, if not slightly erring to the expensive side of things. In saying this, the serving sizes at Flower Child were really decent and we left the cafe feeling full, which is always a bonus. Overall the food was delicious and we had a lovely brunch experience, so it was worth the price.

The Details

Where:

Westfield Shopping Centre Chatswood, Shop 391, 1 Anderson St Chatswood.

Contact:

lisa.k@flowerchildcafe.com.au

Opening Hours:

MONDAY – SUNDAY: 8AM – 5PM

( Kitchen closes at 3PM Weekdays, 3:30PM Weekends )

OPEN LATE THURSDAY: 8AM – 8PM

Walk ins only

Find Them Here:

Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing

Greatly Terrific Food Outing: Cuckoo Callay, Newtown

July 29, 2017 Talyssa 18 Comments

OVERALL SUMMARY

Setting & Atmosphere
Food
Service
Value For Money

4.4

Overall Summary

Ultimate Quirky-ness

In the midst of Newtown kitsch a coffee-cafe was born, striving for the perfect grub and coffee fix, their combo was second to none. With the perfect nook to cache, Ella and Ibby released their dreams to you, and so the tantalising of tastebuds began and the perfect coffee hit did too. Callooh Callay come eat today, like cabbages and kings!

Setting and Atmosphere

The heritage site of Newtown station provides the perfect facade for Cuckoo Callay to nest. Heavily inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky” (also the author of Alice in Wonderland), the quirkiness of this cafe begins with it’s interior.

Like the Queen of Hearts herself, Cuckoo Callay is lush and lavish decorated with royal blue button-backed seating, wooden tables and chairs and hot pink and gold trimmings – for some quirk, of course. It’s cosy, yet spacious and if you’re looking for a nice hit of sunlight, you’ll find comfortable seating outside.

FOOD

If the setting is anything to go by, the food at this cafe also brings it’s own quirky flair. Going cuckoo for bacon, this cafe specialises in creative bacon dishes with the goal to encourage Aussies to support local farmers who raise happy, healthy pigs.

And if you’re not a fan of bacon? Never fear, there are many bacon free and vegetarian options too.

Brunching at Cuckoo Callay is exciting, especially if the thought of unheard of flavour combinations gets you all giddy. My absolute favourite dish on the menu is the Sideways Shuffle. It’s different. Blue swimmer crab for breakfast, different. Every unique element of this dish compliments each other despite consisting of quirky flavour combinations. There’s the crab cake with corn and avocado salsa combined with crunchy watermelon and cucumber and lemon jelly. There’s also a slight kick of chilli somewhere in there too. All very different, all very unusual. And yet, it works. Excitingly well actually.

If your tastebuds prefer to play on the safe side, try the “Tribute to the Greatest Reuben.” This dish combines mouthwatering house made wagyu with gruyere cheese and Russian dressing, spiked with a cheeky kick of chilli. Ah-may-zing!

To wash it all down, you can’t go past the “Exotics” freshly squeezed juices. Perfect for an early morning, these juices have all the charm of a cocktail without the alcohol. Looking fantastic, they come in three delicious flavours – The NewZealander, One Night Stand and The Love Affair.

Cuckoo Callay - Exotic Freshly Squeezed Juices — Freshly Squeezed Juices – Exotics: From left to right The Newzealander: kiwi, apple, basil and lime. The Love Affair: strawberry, rose water, apple, mint and chia seeds. One Night Stand: passionfruit, raspberry, orange and chia seeds. | $8ea

Cuckoo Callay - The Sideways Shuffle — The Sideways Shuffle: Blue swimmer crab cake with corn & avocado salsa, watermelon, cucumber & lemon jelly with a 63° poached egg | $24

Cuckoo Callay - Tribute to the Greatest Reuben — Tribute to the Greatest Reuben: House-made wagyu corned beef, Gruyère cheese, Russian dressing and watercress on sourdough | $20

Service

Polite and prompt. One particular quality I have noticed at this cafe is that the food is served consistently throughout the entire cafe. I’ve also found food remains consistent on my repeat visits (i.e. dishes are served and taste the same).

Value For Money

The dishes here are definitely on the pricier side in comparison to most brunch places. In saying this, I love some of the dishes here so much that I have gone back and indulged more than once!

THE DETAILS

Where:

324A King St, Newtown NSW 2042

Contact:

(02) 9557 7006

Opening Hours:

Monday – Friday: 6am – 4pm
Saturday: 8am – 4pm
Sunday: 8am – 3pm

Find Them Here:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing

Greatly Terrific Food Outing: The Royal Hotel Paddington

April 27, 2016 Talyssa Leave a comment

While I usually avoid the cold and winter like a snowman would avoid the summer, one good thing about the changing seasons are….AUTUMN MENUS!! And as good menu’s go, today I’d like to share with you The Royal Hotel Paddington’s brand new Autumn Menu.

Setting and Atmosphere

★★★★

Loud and bustling, there’s nothing short of elegance at The Royal Hotel Paddington. Sit yourself down at one of their white marble tables and enjoy the provincial French decor and luscious floral displays that adorn each and every table.

Dim lighting accompanies your dining experience, which is great for an intimate night, but the worst when it comes to a blogger event – we need the light for our photos!! All in all though, dining at The Royal Hotel Paddington is a pleasure and the attention to detail helps the night feel just that little bit more special.

Food

★★★★

The Royal Hotel Paddington - Autumn Menu — Elderflower Rosé Punch – Le Chat Rosé, St. Germain, vanilla syrup, lemonade, blueberries, strawberries and lime,

Royal Hotel Paddington - Autumn Menu — Beef Carpaccio w/ olives, green tomato, rocket and sourdough toast | $19

Starting with entrees, the highlights on the palate were the Parmesan and Truffle Fries and the Tuna Tartare. While the other two dishes were also nice – the Vine Ripened Tomatoes were deliciously sweet -they just lacked a little flavour and seasoning.

For Main, we were served the Beetroot Ravioli, the Spanner Crab Linguine and the Lamb Shoulder. Starting with the Beetroot Linguine one thing I can say is that if you’re a nut fan like me, this dish will be a highlight for you too. The best thing about this dish was it’s uniqueness and with all elements combined – blue cheese, beetroot and walnut cream – it tasted delicious.

Moving on to the Crab Linguine, I was slightly disappointed. It’s a nice pasta dish, but considering the price sets you back almost $30, I was hoping for more crab (there were only tiny little strings of it), and I really wanted to be able to taste the bold garlic flavours as described on the menu. As a result, the dish fell a little flat.

Visually, the Lamb Shoulder was gorgeous and for most guests, this dish was the favourite of the night. For me personally, I didn’t quite enjoy the flavours, however the lamb was cooked really well.

Finally, to sweeten our tastebuds we were served the Rhubarb Bombe Alaska and the Chocolate Lava Cake for desert. With it’s strong rhubarb and tart flavours, rest assured rhubarb loves, this Bombe Alaska will satisfy all your rhubarb needs.

I’ve never been a huge fan of chocolate, and usually when I see chocolate desserts on the menu I can’t help but think “boring.” I was surprised to find, however, that I quite enjoyed The Royal Hotel’s Chocolate Lava Cake which was the perfect balance of chocolate flavours and decadence without being too rich.

Service

★★★★

Service was good and attentive, but lacked a personal touch – which is not something that bothers me personally.

Pricing and Value for Money

★★★

Over all, the prices for the dishes are average. I felt that a few of the dishes were overpriced though.

The Details

Where: 237 Glenmore Road Paddington
NSW 2021, Australia

Contact: (02) 9331 2604

Opening Hours:

Mon–Fri: 11am–12am
Sat: 10am–12am
Sun: 11am–12pm

Website | Facebook | Instagram

Please note that this was an invited event courtesy of Ningjaeats

Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing

GTFO – Greatly Terrific Food Outing: Coffee Trad3rs

January 11, 2016 Talyssa 2 Comments

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

★★★

Trad3rs - Egg, Chicken Chorizo, Bacon & Sourdough Bread — Egg, Chicken Chorizo, Bacon & Sourdough Bread | $15.90

Trad3rs - Hawaiian Burger — Hawaiian Burger | $13.90

Trad3rs - Apple and Cinnamon Pancake — Apple 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

Contact: info@theCoffeeTraders.com.au | +61 (02) 9808 3313

Opening Hours: Sun – Monday, 7:00am – 8:30pm.

Website | Facebook

Australia Food Guide, Greatly Terrific Food Outing

GTFO: The Pool Cafe Maroubra

November 29, 2015 Talyssa Leave a comment

Renovated and refurbished, The Pool Cafe is back with a stunning new look, feel and menu. Opened May 2015 – that’s right so if you see bad reviews online that is pre ‘awesome reopen,’ – the pool cafe serves it’s guests an all day breakfast! Need I say more?

If that isn’t enough they also have an extensive lunch menu, serve quality and healthy food and drinks (without compromising on the taste might I add), all the while providing guests the ultimate ‘breakkie by the beach’ experience, with stunning views of the Maroubra rock pools.

Setting and Atmosphere

Rating: ★★★★★

I have to say that this cafe has been one of my favourite cafes to shoot and eat at – it is beautiful inside and out. The interiors are reminiscent of a ‘beach shabby shack’ vibe with modern finishings that are accented with a brilliant baby blue. Add this to the beautiful blue water view and you can’t help but want to sit and eat here all day. The view is gorgeous, the food is gorgeous and it’s not too noisy or crowded. A perfect cafe to go to if you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing, summers day.

Food

Rating: ★★★★

Baked Eggs Shakshuka | The Pool Cafe Maroubra — Baked Eggs Shakshuka: Tomato, Mediterranean spices & toast | $14

Avocado Stack & Poached Egg | The Pool Cafe Maroubra — Avocado Stack & Poached Egg: Bacon, tomato, goats cheese and pesto | $14

The food here I guess best reflects a modern Aussie breakfast, with bits from around the world thrown in. Naturally it all together equals tasty so that’s all that matters. My dukkah toast was delicious with my baked eggs and gave the dish that extra oomph needed to class this baked eggs dish over others I’ve tasted. The avocado stack with poached egg, seems to be a well-earned crowd favourite, and it’s no wonder with all elements combining delightfully on the palate.

The only disappointment of the meal was the berry smoothie (the mango one was delicious!) it was just a bit on the bitter side – possibly because frozen berries were used – but a dollap of honey should fix that right up – so make sure to request it!

Service

Rating: ★★★★★

Although the place was busy, service was fast and pleasant! No complaints.

Pricing and Value for Money

Rating: ★★★★.5

Great value for money. Not too expensive. Delicious meals with good portion sizes.

The Details

Where: 94 Marine Parade, Maroubra NSW 2035

Opening Hours: Mon – Sun: 7AM – 3PM

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!