big tree house cafe @ calder rd., rydalmere

So I'm starting to catch up on my blog but at the same time catching up on all the other food blogs that are out there. So much has changed in the space of the year - there are so many food blogs! Sadly a lot of my favourites are either no longer blogging or are only blogging intermittently but then a lot more blogs are morphing into lifestyle blogs which every now and then I toy with the idea of (yes I'm very tempted but we'll see). Excitingly, I also hand the baton over to two of my younger cousins (bunnybloggers - bunnybloggers.com and friedfoodfanatic - friedfoodfanatic.blogspot.com.au) who have started their own respective food blogs and who on a rare mid week which I had off work, I caught up with to check out Big Tree House Cafe in Rydalmere.

In a most unsuspecting location (nestled in amongst residential), Big Tree House Cafe joins the wave of hipster type cafes which seem to be popping up. When I say hipster, I refer to the meals served on chopping boards, milkshakes served in old fashioned milk bottles and the menu, of course, must have a pulled pork burger. This hipster trend can be a bit of a hit and miss but I think Big Tree House Cafe are doing a reasonably good job (this was actually my second visit and there's still items on the menu which are bringing me back).

What did I say - here's my chocolate milkshake in its signature milk bottle.

My choice of the pulled pork burger with fried potatoes.

My younger cousin Chris orders the Baked eggs with toast which is part of their breakfast menu. There's actually a lot more items on their breakfast menu compared to their lunch menu so might be an idea to check them out for breakfast/brunch if you're planning to head here.

The cafe appears to be Korean own/run and serves up the Gangnam style burger - a burger of bulgogi beef on a brioche bun.

The meals aren't overly generous so meant there was room for dessert. Between the three of us we shared this delicious slice of ricotta cake.

And just because - I felt like banana bread which comes served deliciously toasted with a side of whipped cinnamon butter. I've tried to make banana bread so many times at home now and nothing beats banana bread ordered out at a cafe (and of course toasted and with a generous serve of melted butter).

Big Tree House Cafe offers both indoor and outdoor seating (seating available out the front but also out the back). We had a sneak peak of the back as the cafe is meant to have a big tree for climbing (hence the cafe's name) but was a little disappointed to find that the tree wasn't all that big. Ah well - we had a lovely time sitting indoors and having managed to nab a spot out the front, we didn't have to waddle very far after our meal.

cumulus inc. @ flinders lane, melbourne

I'm a strong believer that a decent breakfast gives you a good boost to the day. My daily breakfast generally consists of toast, otherwise yoghurt - never really got into the cereal thing but over the years, I've learnt that keeping it healthy is the way to go. Healthy keeps the energy levels up and keeps you fuller for longer but saying that, I wouldn't say no to the occasional chocolate croissant or muffin (both are amongst my favourite!)

And when I go on holidays - finding great places for breakfast is always on the itinerary. On our recent trip to Melbourne, we were recommended Cumulus Inc. as one to try and when I get a recommendation, I generally make a commitment to check it out.

Starting the day with coffees and cannele (there's time when I've considered moving to Paris just so I could eat a cannele every day). At Cumulus Inc, they serve these in 3 sizes - of course I went with the big one.

The Full English Breakfast consisting of bacon, blood sausage on toast, fried eggs and smoked tomatoes.

I opted for the House made crumpets with whipped ricotta and rooftop honey. Rooftop honey seems to be the 'it' thing in Melbourne - this wasn't the first place we saw had it over the weekend we were in Melbourne.

All the cakes to be found near the coffee machine.

To sum up Cumulus Inc., expect really clean flavours and honest, good food. They're also open for lunch and dinner which I'd wished we'd stayed longer to try as the menu looks pretty awesome. And they have a cookbook too - which yes, I almost bought till the self control kicked in!

dulce luna @ king st., sydney cbd

Recently, two of my cousins started their food blogs and it's been with much excitement and gusto that they've been digging into their food and blogging away. These days, they know a lot more about what's going on in the food world and Dulce Luna was one that came highly recommended. I admit that I was a little bummed to discover Dulce Luna so late in the game; though better late than never!

At Dulce Luna, they serve up 'just the right size' croissants and savoury pasties. I'm very much a sweets girl and took my pick of the raspberry and the almond croissants; though I've been told the Dulce de leche is probably their best one on the menu.

There's only a handful of seats by the side of one wall so it's a bit of a squeeze but it's also prime viewing seats into the kitchen where they prepare their croissants. Be prepared for the thoroughfare of deliveries and people moving to and fro if you choose to take a seat.

Coffee - the perfect accompaniment to a croissant!

There's a handful of food blogs out there with a much thorough review as Dulce Luna brought food bloggers into the kitchen when they first opened up (which I think is a rather smart way to start a food business - and yes, if you're a food business, please invite me into your kitchen as I'd love to be there!) But I digress -  I wish I worked closer to this part of the city so I could actually try the rest of the Dulce Luna menu but until next time, do let me know if you visit here and tell me what you think!

piccolo's @ darling st., rozelle

It's been a little quiet on this blog since I discovered Instagram and it seems like a fair few food bloggers have jumped on the Instagram bandwagon; much easier to post and well, it's addictive! In an effort to stop me from being addicted to my phone and liking pictures at all times of the day, I thought I'd make an effort to come back to this blog and catch up on a serious back log of posts. I've still being snapping away with my nifty Canon of mine and you can only call it ridiculous how many photos of food I have sitting on my computer ready to be shared.

Let me introduce you to a nifty weekend brunch haunt in Rozelle; a place called Piccolo's where coffee is served at all times of the day.

I usually love the idea of an all-day breakfast but the chicken panini was the one that caught my eye this particular morning we were there.  Perfectly toasted and very, very tasty. I've been wanting to buy a sandwich press for awhile now but apartment living has meant we've had little to no bench space - so hopefully when we move to a bigger place, I can finally get one and make a panini of my own at home.

The boy opts for the big breakfast which is generously portioned as any big breakfast should be. I hate it when places serve up a big breakfast and you only have about half of what you see in the photo on the plate.

My regular brunch crew; we're happy eaters!

Don't be turned away when you first come through the doors of Piccolo's; there's actually ample seating tucked at the back which you don't notice when you first come into the cafe. And can I just say that these guys know exactly how to bring customers back; just as we were paying, I noticed the most scrumptious tray of iced cinnamon scrolls by the register which I wish I'd known about earlier. And yep, I'm always thinking about food even when I've eaten :)

the grounds of alexandria @ huntley st., alexandria

There's been much on the grapevine about 'The Grounds of Alexandria' and I've been one of the slower ones to head over to check it out but when a friend came visiting from Melbourne, it was the perfect place to catch up!

Albeit it's a little hard to nab a seat on a Saturday; I hear you need to head there nice and early. For those there at around 11am, you'll find better luck grabbing your food to go and eating in the courtyard. If you ask nicely (which is what we did), a kind lady moved across slightly for us to seat the three of us at the end of a table.

Fruit yoghurt muesli and a Bacon & Egg roll. Coffee a must to start a weekend.

By our table they were serving freshly made donuts and how can one resist? Choice of nutella topping or berry topping.

The awesome K who I call the crazy cat bag lady. The last time I saw her she bought a crazy cat bag.

I felt a little bad about this piggy who was positioned nearby the bacon & egg roll stand.

These two make me laugh so much. They were trying to do a lover's entwined toast with their cups of fresh lemonade which didn't really work - you need to hold with opposite hands!

So much to see as you look around The Grounds of Alexandria.

A cute yellow tricycle.

Hoping we'll have better luck next time getting a table inside! There's much more on offer on the menu and well, I'd be happy just to eat all the things I ate on this visit. Actually, there's a muffin I bought which I ate much later and it was absolutely scrumptious! One of the bonuses of coming here is that there's ample all-day street parking nearby so breakfast can easily extend into lunch. Oh, and all the pots of jams you can buy - it's really quite a foodie's delight!

la cachette @ mitchell rd., erskineville

There's days when I have to admit I'm getting old; and usually I feel it more so when it's yet another younger cousins birthday; gone are the days when they were children and are now actually starting uni and doing all those grown up things; where did the time go? Happy Birthday cousin C!

This birthday called for a brunch celebration at La Cachette in Erskineville. Recently under new management and just happens so to be the auntie and uncle team of my one of my younger cousin's girlfriend. They're serving up Toby Estate coffee which is already a win.

The big breakfast which is a hearty feed and a great way to start the day.

Having had a bite to eat that morning, I opted for a lunch selection and went for the Chicken & Vegetable Pie. Looked good when it was sitting in the cabinet as a whole pie and tasted even better on my plate. Sources tell me that the pies are home mad so well worth a try.

Great place to start the weekend and excited to see what new items they bring to the menu in the coming months. Erskineville is conveniently placed for those who want to head out to Marrickville for one of their famous pork rolls; which is exactly what we did afterwards!

armory wharf cafe @ jamieson st., newington

This is my second visit to Armory Wharf Cafe; first time was with my bestie for a much needed catch up and second time, with the hubby after yet another week of house-hunting and making those important decisions in life. Armory Wharf Cafe is one of those places to rest and recoup and they serve up some top nosh too!

There's seating both inside and out. We called 30 minutes prior to make a booking and suggest you do so too because turning up expecting a table will probably have you sent away for a good half hour to forty minutes before a table might be ready.

One of the highlights on the menu are these jugs of sodas - here we have the Blood Orange & Cardamon (about 4 glasses of soda in one jug); refreshing and not all that sweet.

A steak sandwich for the boy.

 And the prawn baguette for myself.

A little overcast whilst we were eating but very grateful that the skies held up till we finished.

There's a huge park with some awesome play equipment just by the cafe (one of those places which I wished I had kids so I could actually play on the equipment myself without being called weird). Plenty of parking also and bike hire for those keen for an afternoon activity; though the boy and I started contemplating whether we might actually be able to ride all the way from home here (though sinking into a meal here overlooking the view might just make it a bit harder to get all the way back!)

euro taste @ top ryde shopping centre

I've just about tried all the restaurants at Top Ryde Shopping Centre and one that my friends and I keep returning to is Euro Taste; only a small cafe on the top floor but packs a punch in terms of food quality and value.

Take for example this extremely juicy Portugese Chicken Wrap. Yes it may get a little messy with all the juices seeping out as you eat but it beats dry chicken in a dry wrap which leaves you hiccuping for most of your meal (and yes, that does happen to me a lot).

The boys seems to come here for the steaks which are rather good value when you're paying less than $15 for your meal. 

One jolly customer!

The staff are really quite lovely. Food is always served promptly though there may be a wait if you try to get takeaway as one of my friends experienced but always better to dine in if you have the time. Aiming to get through the last of the restaurants which I haven't tried at the shopping centre this year so will let you all know if this place still ends up being the best value!

yama japanese cafe @ qvb

When we were sitting down going through our wedding cards, one of the messages that stuck out amongst the rest was a lovely reminder from Char that we shouldn't forget date nights; it's something she swears by with her hubby and something that I'd pass on to any soon to be wed. The last couple of months of married life have gone by in a bit of a blur and sometimes the boy and I really have to make a conscious effort to treat ourselves (sometimes being too good and eating home can get quite taxing!)

This particular weekend we treated ourselves in the city and stopped by Yama Japanese Cafe at the top of QVB for lunch; it was actually a chance find after seeing a sign for the Chinese restaurant that was next door but Yama managed to get our attention.

With a wide selection of teas on offer, a pot of sencha seemed to be fitting.

Hands down, the Green Tea Battered Fish and Chips was the dish that got our attention. Mildly flavoured by the green tea powder, this was a refreshing take on the classic fish and chips - definitely crunchy but could've done with some thicker fish fillets.

Second after the Green Tea Fish & Chips was this Teriyaki Beef Burger and yes, it looks as good as it looks - plenty juicy and well and truly touching the sides in serving size.

There's some more traditional Japanese dishes on offer including sushi and bento boxes so will have to go back and try at some point. It's actually quite relaxing sitting up the top of the QVB; it's a lot more quiet and also away from the hustle and bustle of the city crowds which you'll find if you head back downstairs. Let's just say it's an unsuspecting oasis dining at Yama Japanese Cafe.

tom n toms coffee @ top ryde shopping centre

There's two places I like to hang out at Top Ryde Shopping centre: one being Oliver Brown (open till late into the night and always great for a Chocolate fix) and the other is Tom n Toms Coffee (or what most people know as Starbuck's knock off - actually I thought Tom n Toms was Starbucks when I first came across their shop in the city) And well there's many reasons why I keep popping back into Tom n Toms. First and foremost would be their Green Tea Tomoccinos, second would be their thick toasts (which I actually have yet to try but always get my attention) and third would have to be a spot of tea and scones which I had this one Saturday afternoon.

Scones with jam and cream and a spot of tea. A range of teas are on offer - my default being English breakfast with the boy opting for a Chrysantheum Tea.

This is how big the scones are.

Take your pick of either Plain or Raisin Scones. My favourite of the two were the raisin ones. There's something about plump raisins inside a scone which make raisins extra tasty.

I've sat here several times now and chatted my afternoons away and the staff there seem to let you sit for as long as you like without disrupting you. A few others bring their laptops but most people who come here seem to come here seem to come here for the same reasons that I do - green tea tomoccinos, thick toast, a spot of tea and scones, all shared with friends and loved ones. And yes, I'm adamant on trying their thick toast - but it is awfully big which is why I never get round to trying it!

cafe grEat @ victoria rd., gladesville

I think I might just make Gladesville my local hangout - consistently finding some great eats in the area and just as well, I discovered Cafe grEat the other day. I'm actually not sure if its pronounced Cafe 'Great' or maybe 'gr-Eat' but I haven't typed incorrectly, that big E is in its name. For the sake of this post, let's just say call it Cafe Great to make things nice and easy.

Open for breakfast and lunch, this place serves up a range of cafe style items. Their speciality appears to be their homemade burgers which feature prominently on the blackboard outside and inside the cafe. There's about 6-8 types of different burgers, and after much deliberation, I decided on the Teriyaki Chicken burger.

The boy opts for the grEat burger which is a beef patty with egg and bacon - which ended up being our favourite of the two burgers order given it was much, much juicier.

I'm loving the coke cans with the personalisation! Have yet to stumble across my name (though I'm almost tempted every time I see a fridge full of cans to just go through each one to see whether there might be one!)

I'm about 99% sure that the cafe is Korean own and run. You'll find items on the menu like Dumpling Salad, Teriyaki Tofu Burger and Bulgogi beef burger which were rather enticing; but will have to be items I try on my next visit (if only I could eat a lot more then I could tell you how they were!) 

Very friendly service, an extensive menu, plenty of magazines and papers to accompany a late weekend morning brunch/lunch, parking just around the corner, I do say that the cafe does live up its name of being great!

danks street depot @ sydney international airport

So chance had it that the first meal of my trip was none other than Sydney's famous Danks Street Depot! It's long been on my list of places to visit and when I saw the sign (shortly after we checked in our bags), I made a beeline for the counter and told the boy that we were eating here...well it wasn't as if we were doing anything else and it could've been forever till I actually got my act together and visited the original Danks Street Depot. 

It's times like these which make me happy!

No busy queues on a Saturday morning; plenty of seating too. I'm one of those travellers who perpetually get to the airport too early so there's always plenty of time for a nice sit-down meal.

From memory, they were offering their burger for $12.50 (from a usual $19) so we snapped up one of those and also got ourselves the Reuben sandwich. Both came with chunky handcut wedges and I loved the tangy ketchup that came with the burger. Since I've seen the Reuben sandwiches which they offer over in the States, this one we ordered didn't have quite as much sliced meat in it but was still rather tasty.

It took about 10-15 minutes for the food to get to our table and about the same amount of time for us to chomp away. Ended up still being early and sitting there watching our plane being fuelled and prepared for our flight.

Definitely a high and mighty start to the trip! Mind you, we were served a meal shortly after boarding the plane so the Danks Street Depot meal (which we ate about 11.30am) really wasn't quite necessary but was pleasant nonetheless. I will definitely make an effort to visit the original Danks Street Depot but hey, it's just as convenient to pop in just before an international flight!

cafe sydney @ customs house, circular quay

June and July are the busy birthday months and when it comes to birthdays, it's always nice to celebrate over a meal. For Amz's birthday this year, she picked Cafe Sydney overlooking the harbour (it's a view you can't complain about, particularly on a sunny/blue skied Sunday afternoon), our meal was absolutely sumptuous and well, it's not often that we girls (and our respective boys) get to sit down and catch up.

A non-alchoholic Elderflower Smash - Fresh mint and coriander shaken with organic elderflower, clear apple juice and lengthened with tonic water. I heart this mocktail - delicately sweet yet refreshing with my meal.

Garlic Naan to share. You'd order naan at an Indian restaurant but who's to say you can't order it as a starter at Cafe Sydney.

Freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters on ice with eschallot and caramelised cabernet vinegar. I actually didn't think the oysters needed the vinegar sauce, they were simply perfect with a small squeeze of lemon juice.

There's non-seafood items on the menu but as we were looking over the water, it only made sense to give seafood a go. Here's my choice of W.A. barramundi with goat cheese ravioli, butternut pumpkin, pine nut, raisin and sage brown butter

The boy chooses the Grilled swordfish with tomato braised octopus, chorizo, borlotti bean, fennel cream and lemon.

Crunchy chips on the side to share.

I'd say the birthday girl made a good choice for a birthday venue. We had a live band to accompany lunch, sunny skies which showcased a spectacular view of the harbour and above all else, fantastic company to spend the afternoon. Hope you had a wondrous birthday chick!