Ricaro's Cafe

Address: Jamison Plaza, Macquarie, ACT

Tel: (02) 6251 2666

Opening Hours: 7 days, for Breakfast - Afternoon Tea, close 5:30pm. 

Website: www.ricardoscafe.com

This place is definitely a little gem in Canberra's suburbs. Located inside a busy shopping plaza, I totally had no idea it existed - for 3 years! It is just bustling with atmosphere and all the staff were super patient & nice. That dessert cabinet is a bit Willy-Wonka-meets-the-Mad-Hatter! Absolutely love it - very Adriano Zumbo, or maybe better! I was there for salty treats (i.e. lunch) so didn't get to sample the desserts but honestly I'd had a very hard time choosing between the thing that looked like a bomb and that pineapple-looking meringue thing.

Below: Wagyu Sliders with Truffle Fries. Saw this on the menu and I knew I was a sucker. The fries are drizzled in truffle oil and shaved parmesan is added to give it more aroma & bite.  Also pictured is the 'Tony Montana' Foccacia with Turkey, Swiss Cheese, Lettuce, Avocado & Cranberry sauce - it works!

Cafe Portofino (Brisbane)

Address: 650 Brunswick St, New Farm QLD 4005
Tel: (07) 3358 4002'
Email: fabio@morganti.com.au

A best-kept secret in the trendy part of Brisbane - authentic Italian sweet delights and with a strong coffee if you are so inclined.

The overall vibe is quite boutique, flavours are not overly sweet (more a bitter, dark chocolate is used) so definitely caters to the more traditional European tastebud.

Balha's Pastry (Lebanese Sweets)

Address: 761-763 Sydney Rd, Brunswick VIC 3056
Tel: (03) 9383 3944
Website: www.balhaspastry.com.au

How do I describe Balha's? Find the bling-est marble stone building on Sydney Rd equipped with fancy columns and set on 2 levels, and you have arrived at your destination.

My favourite Baklava place - a long way drive to from NSW, but the serving sizes and balance of flavour is just perfect. The composition of sweet, nutty flavour encased in a sticky & flaky pastry is just superb. A must-do each time I drive through Melbourne and brilliant gift to share with those you love with a sweet tooth!

Adriano Zumbo Patisserie

Address: 296 Darling St, Balmain, NSW 2040 (there are also other locations in Rozelle & Manly, please see website for details).
Tel: (02) 9810 7318
Website: http://adrianozumbo.com

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:00am till 6:00pm; Sunday 8:00am till 4:00pm (Closed on Public Holidays).

I did not have the luxury of visiting the Zumbo fanclub Patisserie but I received these Macarons as a birthday gift from my beloved & thoughtful sister.

I'm sure all the Masterchef and cooking show fans out there are well acquainted with the scary but talented Adriano Zumbo and his sweet creations.

Flavours above include (in no particular order): Pandan (was a very subtle coconutty flavour), Chocolate, Chocoron (this was fantastic - think choc top soft serve - but over a macaroon!), Toasted white chocolate, Kaffir Lime & Ginger, Mint & Chestnut (I think the watery chestnut flavour overpowered), Salted Butter Caramel (My fave - the juxtaposition between sweetness & saltiness was dancing off my tastebuds!), Strawberries & Cream and lastly, Vanilla.

I really can't wait to go there myself and try that Milo-esque drink which was consumed on my behalf among other goodies...

Definitely a Sydney icon for those resident and travelling through!

Old Bus Depot Markets (Canberra)

Address: Kingston Foreshore, Canberra ACT
Website: http://www.obdm.com.au/
Trading Hours: Every Sunday 10am-4pm. See website for details of trading outside this time.

Being a skeptic of all-things-Canberra it took me 2 years to finally get motivated to go to the Old Bus Depot Markets out in Kingston.

The motivating factor was a work colleague ranting & raving about these Hot Cross Bagels - fresh, fruity and full of flavour. I am pro-bagel (if not a slave to carbs) so this is what got me out of bed on a sunday morning...



Apparently these markets are 'award-winning' and honestly, I was delightfully suprised at the variety & quality of produce on show.

Here's a photoblog of my food 'haul':

Above & below: Freshly squeezed orange juice & lemonade. This guy must have been making a killing... the lemonade was like a really sweet lemon squash drink without the fizz, so the fresh orange juice was my personal preference (I think they juice the oranges whole so the bitterness of the rind was present in the flavour).

Alongside the cold beverages were a series of cauldrons with "mulled wine","ginger & lemon" and "hot lemonade".

Below: Churro - a Spanish doughnut dipped in chocolate sauce.

Below: Laosian Chicken & Prawn Rice Paper rolls, served with a homemade dipping sauce & crushed cashews. The flavour of the filling was fresh and pleasant, still a slight soapy flavour in the rice paper though but probably the most authentic rice paper roll you'll find in the Canberra region.



Above: Turkish Gul Borek - baked potato with a tomato-based relish. The pastry is a lot firmer & crisper than I anticipated (I thought it would be more like a filo pastry). Flavours of the filling was quite pleasant, but not mind-blowing.

Below: Chocolate pizza topped with lollies - this is the million-dollar idea that started in the mind of a school mum looking for a fundraising idea. At $25 a pop, its not a bad wicket to be on.

Below: Nut free, gluten free satay marinade - the flavour was really fragrant and lemongrass-y. I bought some because I thought it would go great on white fish. Really amazed how much flavour they got out of this concoction...

Below: I haven't had my favourite Pastilla & Nash Walnut & Prune log for awhile so I was keen to try this - Merlyn's version is much softer (more fruit) and I was told she uses dark chocolate and bakes them to control the texture. Can definitely taste the dark chocolate - lifts the flavour and emphasises the bitterness.


Above: Macaroons - Left to Right: strawberry, chocolate, lime & basil. pistachio, apricot. These are officially my favourite macaroons - just the perfect bite size, and potent with flavour. I particularly enjoyed the chocolate which was almost like a dark chocolate butvery riddled with cocoa. The lime & basil was like a cocktail captured in macaroon form while the apricot was the sweetest and creamiest.

Below: Chocolate brownie and White chocolate & macadamia brownie - that chocolate one had a deep, cocoa flavour and just the perfect amount of chewiness.
The white chocolate version was much sweeter and was reminiscent of a friand type texture.


If you are in Canberraon a weekend and strapped for time, I highly recommend a visit to the old bus depot markets - great local produce showcased at its best with an assortment of arty knicknacks to impulse buy.

Crumpet (Perth)

Address: 8/885 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park WA 6101
Tel: (08) 9355 0901

Ok brace yourselves - I am a self-confessed crumpet hater. I hate the flavourless, cardboard-like texture that doesn't seem to absorb the 0.5kg of honey you just poured on it. Oh whoops - then you discover they get soggy - like a failed pikelet.

That is - until I tried the homemade crumpets @ Crumpet here in Perth.

I stumbled upon this little treasure from one of my friends directing me to another food blogger called The Food Pornographer's website for Perth food ideas. Kudos to you - you have good taste!!!

Below: are the most scrumptious crumpets you will ever taste... on the top 5 list of things I'd like to eat before death row. Simple homemade crumpets served with butter & honey - they were fluffy, melt-in-your mouth yet slightly crispy around the edges to give that extra savoury texture.

That was just the entree - for mains: Beef & Bacon burger with caramelised onion, cheddar and house pickles, served with chips & aioli.


Above: It was about 30+ degrees and I just craved something lighter & more refreshing so opted for the Vietnamese noodle salad with poached chicken, chilli, peanuts & herbs tossed through sesame ginger dressing. This was a really lovely recreation of a classic Vietnamese dish - I loved the crunch of those carrots and the coriander & mint herbiness!

Give me an unlimited ticket around Australia and Crumpet is my Perth institution!

Tropical Fruit World

Address: Duranbah Road, Duranbah, NSW 2487
Tel: 02 6677 7222
Website: http://www.tropicalfruitworld.com.au/
Trading Hours: 10am to 4:30pm (QLD time); closed Christmas Day

If you are a foodie and think you know everything - think again! Tropical Fruit World will introduce you to some of the world's wildest fruit & vegetables including the refreshing scent of Lemon Myrtle, the curious tamarillo and the 'chocolate pudding fruit' called black Sapote.

Watch their "Miracle Fruit Show" which includes tastings of some of these varieties. Visit the theme park inside for an awesome tractor-led trailer ride and see how these edibles grow in their habitat! My personal favourite was the train & boat ride which amused kids and adults alike.

Finally, spend some time in the cafe and try the Black Sapote (chocolate) muffins - they are seriously the best chocolate muffin I've ever had! The muffin was soft, fluffy, not too sweet nor heavy. The secret is apparently coconut milk...

Pictured above is the Black Sapote Lamingtons which are also winner - the sponge cake is replaced with chocolate cake which is moist and fluffy similar to the muffin. The coconut shavings give the lamington extra body & texture. Yummo!

Spend some time in the gift shop where I recently picked up some abalone flavoured macadamia nuts, sweet chilli tamarillo sauce, papaya salad dressing and avocado mustard. Lemon Myrtle syrup is a great treat with simple soda water - a great alternative/substitute for the over-sweetened softdrinks commercially available.

Ginger Beer @ Eumundi Markets

Address: Eumundi Square, Memorial Drive, Eumundi QLD (Sunshine Coast)
Trading Hours: Wed & Sat 8:00am to 1:00pm; Sunday 8:30am to 1:30pm
Website: http://www.iloveeumundimarkets.com/eumundi-square-food-and-beverages


I love the taste of Eumundi Square's Homemade Ginger Beer. The taste is clear, light and refreshing with a very gentle ginger flavour which is not too sweet like most commercially bottled ginger beers on the market. This variety is brewed in a barrel rather than in the bottle, giving it a more consistent flavour. Great to wash down a German Sausage hot dog with!

San Churro Chocolateria

Address: 143 Acland St, St Kilda VIC 3182 (also in various other destinations across Australia, see website for more locations)
Tel: (03) 9534 9819
Website: www.sanchurro.com

Previously only in Melbourne (now everywhere, including Sydney) this is a chocoholic's haven. I thought I enjoyed chocolate but I couldn't even get through one third of the hot chocolate drink (pictured below)! It is so thick & dense & sweet I actually don't think they add milk to the beverage!

For the milder palate, at the very minimum sample their churros - thinly pressed, deep-fried doughy goodness! Good on their own or dipped in chocolate... you might want to get your own so you don't need to share :)

Chimmys Cafe/Bakery/Restaurant

Address: 342-344 Bridge Rd, Richmond VIC 3121
Tel: (03) 9427 1391
Website: www.chimmys.com.au

You can tell by the array of pastry/bakery awards plastered on the walls of Chimmy's that this establishment means business. Staff are always friendly and there is a vital buzzing energy about the place.

Bard’s Tempest Tea – similar to English Breakfast, with a slight reminder of Russian Caravan. Unique and fragrant but not too ethnic/overpowering with milk.

Breakfast (pictured below) – Field mushrooms, thyme, truffle oil, crumbled fetta & avocado on toast : a really good flavour, thyme maskes the potential conflicting flavours of fetta & mushroom


Note: Upon 2^nd visit I was bitterly disappointed with the mushroom breakfast – the mushrooms were served individually and not marinated well enough leaving a dirty, bitter aftertaste, fetta cheese was left in cubes giving the whole dish a slimy texture.

Big fry up (below):


Old School Omelette – Ham, cheddar cheese, tomato, spinach & relish on toast


Seasonal Fruit Salad – one does not often feel motivated to have fruit for breakfast, nor does it usually constitute a meal - but the presentation and mix of flavours you see below makes it suddenly very enticing.


Crumbed prawns with spinach, avocado, chilli & lime aoli - pictured below:


Almond Croissant – warm, floaty layers of puff pastry sprinkled with icing sugar and slivered almonds - bliss!

Huff Bagelry

Address: 112 Koornang Rd, Carnegie VIC 3163
Tel: (03) 9568 3866
Website: www.huffbagelry.com


Cauliflower frittata, cheese, tomato, rockets, mayo on a poppy seed bagel delightfully toasted to a crisp – there is something orgasmic about a crispy, dense bagel filled with ingredients that work and flavours that melt in your mouth!

They also render a more-than-acceptable coffee and some homemade treats for the sweet tooth.

A highly desirable Sunday brunch destination!

Zanetti Cafe Bar & Restaurant

Address: 132 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe VIC 3070
Tel: (03) 9499 1642
Website: www.zanetti.com.au

Came here primarily for coffee & after-dinner sinfulness, but they do serve breakast, lunch & dinner.

Have to comment on this Mars Bar Cake pictured below: a mixture of decadent chocolate with mousse, chocolate curls to give added texture with what tasted like caramel infused in the mousse with a slight tinge of liqueur. Absoultely amazing now a cake can emulate a chocolate bar!

Café Portofino

650 Brunswick St, New Farm QLD 4005
Tel: (07) 3358 4002

If Italy had a best-kept secret in Brisbane, it would be the cakes & sweet treats served at Café Portofino.

Family owned café, with delicious cakes & sweets of all variety.

Would photograph but the last time went there it was takeaway and it ate it almost instantaneously – was a dark chocolate nougat slice – typical foodgasm.

All Things Chocolate

Address: Shop 19 Cusack Centre, Eyre St, Kingston ACT 2604
Tel: (02) 6162 0881

Website: www.allthingschocolate.biz

This is a carefully tucked-away little café in the old-world part of Kingston. The atmosphere is friendly, warm & homely.

Being sat down & greeted with water is always a comforting motion in a Chocolate Café. It is a warning that whatever happens next, it will be ok because you have this glass of water to wash it down with so you will not get chocolate poisoning.

Highly recommended is the hot chocolate drink here – creamy, fluffy, heavenly sweet (but not as sweet as Max Brennar) and very reminiscent of being safe & warm in the midst of the cold winter’s day. (Pictured above - milk hot chocolate, pictured below white hot chocolate).

I also ordered the Gluten Free Chocolate cake (pictured below) which is a smoother, lighter version of mud cake. Served with a thick raspberry coulis & cream – this is the cake I’ve been mistaking in my mind for the overrated one eaten at Jaz Bar.

Also recommended is the chocolate brownie which is also served with raspberry coulis.

A great escape from over-priced & over-commercialisation.

Palazzo Versace (High Tea)

Address: Sea World Drive, Main Beach (Gold Coast) QLD 4217
Tel: (07) 5509 8000
Website: www.palazzoversace.com



If you can’t afford to stay at the Palazzo Versace, having a high tea there is undoubtedly the next best thing. Enjoy a view of beautiful architecture & furnishings and attention-to-detail, while sipping on tea and nibbling on cake & pastry items.

The high tea experience was not a cheap one, and I do feel that you are paying more for the maintenance of your surroundings than the quality of your actual food.

The top tier of the high tea tray was sandwiches – smoked salmon & cream cheese scrolls; ham & cheese rectangles; egg & mayo rectangles.



The mid tier consisted of bite-sized mini cakes: a mini cupcake, fruit tart, lemon meringue, sponge madeira cake, choc orange drop and chequered chocoloate mousse. Wasn’t the freshest tasting culinary sample…



No high tea is complete without scones and jam – I actually quite enjoyed this with cream & raspberry jam. Simple, effective & filling.

The Big Pineapple

Address: Nambour Connection Rd, Woombye QLD
Tel: (07) 5442 1333
Website: http://www.bigpineapple.com.au/


I came here to buy a souvenir (pineapple money box with face if anyone wants to sell me theirs), and learn about pineapples (and macadmias if that tickles your fancy).

We didn’t get to try any pineapples on this tour, but I learnt much about fruit and random facts about the locality.

The best thing I did eat here was the freshly roasted macadamias here (sold in heated metal cabinet) in an apple / cinnamon flavour. The nuts are coated in this cinnamony batter and then roasted so it forms kind of like a shell – perfect pungent spice and not too sweet.

The macadamia nut tour was also quite a novelty – including a train ride in a cabin shaped like a giant macadamia. We got to sample fresh macadamia nuts, which were not at all hard, took a lot of effort to separate from shell, and tasted like coconut (in a fibrous sense).

Pamela's Pantry

Address: 65 Caxton St, Petrie Terrace Brisbane QLD 4000
Tel: (07) 3369 1953

If you can ignore all the nonsense and bad reputation the (league) pub opposite generates, you will really become smitten by this small, home-style cooking eatery. Reminds me of the type of meals an aunt or grandma would make, recipes passed down the generations and modified to bring a more international flavour and zing to it.

Upon entering this very pink store, the smell of sweetness and cookies fill the air. Pamela bakes, fries and cooks hearty meals including:

Homemade sausage rolls: tasty, and made with love – at least there aren’t any strange bits of aorta or sinew in it…

Creamy curried chicken (salad) – smooth, large & decent chunks of chicken fillet in a lightly curry sauce

Oriental brown rice & almond salad – has that popped/roasted rice feel of traditional brown rice Japanese tea, with a hint of ginger and cooked with lychees. Mix well otherwise you will bite into a hunk of crystalised sugar/ginger like I did.

Peanut choc cookies: not too sweet, have that cocoa powder bite and crunch of peanuts – crispy fresh! This is what sex & cookies are all about.

Rashay's Cafe & Restaurant

Address: 371 Macquarie St, Liverpool NSW 2170 (There is also another branch located in Liverpool, check website)

Ph: (02) 9600 9255
Fax: (02) 9601 0448

Website: http://www.rashays.com/

This place seems to be some sort of Western Sydney institution (On a Friday night anyway).
I was told to come here for the best steak and food ever by a fellow halal-meat-eating friend.
Western parts of Sydney is a cultural melting pot with an array of ethnicities spanning from Eastern Europe, Middle Eastern to South East Asia. Hence this restaurant caters for, and has a flavour which doesn't discriminate.

Drinks:

I am a huge sucker for fruit juice blends. This is the Berry Blast Mocktail: "Strawberries, Raspberries, Sorbet, Apple Fruit Juice".
Tastes like a non-syrupy version of a slurpee...nice childish-fruitiness.

Below: The display window of Rashay's is lined with these "Twist n Drink" - originating from Austria (according to the label). It is basically some water with sugar and flavouring. We were told by the waitress it was for children, but we insisted on ordering it anyway. The cool novelty about this is that when you tip the bottle upside down, it doesn't spill - you have to squeeze the bottle to release the liquid. Very child and idiot friendly.

Starters:

Oysters Kilpatrick - "Premium Sydney Rock oysters with beef rashes and worcestershire sauce". This was a very different take on Kilpatrick Oysters which I had to try. The beef gave it an interesting flavour but this combination with worcestershire sauce wasnt salty enough - I prefer the bacon for more smoky flavour. But it was good to get my halal peeps who couldn't otherwise try oysters kilpatrick style an introduction.


Grilled Garlic Butter Prawns - "Garlic buttered prawns with a wedge of lemon". This was actually my favourite. I could go on eating these forever. Done very well - butterflied prawns, grilled so the shell was smoky but gave the flesh a nice tender texture. Butter flavour was fluffy and garlic not overpowering (very light & subtle). Bliss.


Mains:

Beef Ribs - "Slow cooked rack of ribs with your choice of sauce on the side". We actually ordered this as an additional entree because it is a small rib serving - only 4 ribs. You see it served with the gravy sauce. The meat was very tender - in between a brisket and soft steak, almost melts in your mouth.


Barramundi - "Grilled boneless barramundi fillet with dill sauce and lemon". If you are sane, do not ever in your right mind order this dish. I was supposed to order the "Rashay’s signature filled barramundi - Filled with oven dried tomatoes, mushrooms & bocconcini, wrapped in potato
served with a lemon butter sauce" which already sounds and looks better, but who was to know a restaurant would serve 2 different types of barramundi? Lesson learnt - be specific and spell out the name of the dish you are ordering.

The barramundi tasted like it came straight out a metallic container of salt water. The dill sauce is out of this world - should be listed as a legal poison. This is my fault, but I know better now.

New York Cut & Lobster -"Grain fed 300g sirloin grilled to your liking and your choice of sauce". You can choose your half a lobster mornay (cheese) or garlic style.

The steak (tasted my friend's "well done" which I normally don't like because I find well-done too tough) was suprising good, and even better with the sauce.

The mushroom sauce here is really out of this world - great with steak, chips, and had I known I would have put it on my barramundi as well. Exceptionally creamy but tasty as well.

Potato mash is also a little different - very peppery.


Desserts:

Rashay’s Jumbo Brownie Sundae - "Rich chocolate brownie pieces in a layered ice cream sundae". This is a dessert within a dessert. Chocolate brownies have an initial slight coconut aftertaste. Then you get to the chocolate syrup and its just sugar hitting your brain from that point. A good challenge...


Mud Cake Sensation -Warm chocolate mud cake served with a scoop of vanilla icing. The centre is actually liquid, the icecream melts into the craters of the cake, fusing to form like a liquid chocolate icecream sensation.


All in all not a bad place. I've heard mixed opinions about this place. I probably wouldn't choose another Friday night to go there unless I wanted to be surrounded by teeny boppers and screaming kids, and the service can sometimes be shocking (we had a mix of exceptionally courteous and drugged-up waitresses/waiters).

Zefirelli Pizza Restaurant (Canberra)

Address: 5/55 Woolley St Dickson, Canberra ACT 2602
Ph: (02) 6262 5500

Opening hours (closed for lunch on public holidays):

Monday - Friday
11.30am - 2.30pm
5.00pm - 10.00pm

Saturday
5.00pm - 10.00pm

Sunday
12.00pm - 2.30pm
5.00pm - 10.00pm

Website: http://www.zeffirelli.com.au/


Dessert: Flourless chocolate torte w/ chocolate fudge

This is the closest to heaven that I'll get to in Canberra compared with Jaz Bar's chocolate cake.

Zefirelli's version is like a cross between a chocolate brownie, and a slice of chocolate fudge. It has a slightly bitter taste (so is not overly sweet/sickening), which is politely offset by the scoop of vanilla icecream.

The carmelised nuts at the top give the cake extra flavour and texual density (I suspect there are finely ground nuts throughout), the cake body is not quite chewy, but melts in your mouth.

Do give it a try!

Pancake Parlour (Canberra)

Address: Cnr East Row and Alinga St, Civic, Canberra City ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6247 2982

Website: http://pancakeparlour.com

This is similar to Sydney's "Pancake at the Rocks" (most overrated institution ever) without all the ridiculous queues at all hours of the day/night.

I eyed off my fellow co-eaters' dinner one of which was a cajun chicken salad generously supplied with pieces of marinated chicken (I was pretty jealous), and the other a cheese & potato pancake. Yes maybe next time.

I'm usually skeptical of these dessert do-it-all places, but settled for a recommended "Hot Ball". (Pictured below). And to date I still dream about it...

Who knew a simple scoop of vanilla icecream, some roasted almonds and hot choc fudge could be so unforgettable! That cylindrical wafer thing in the middle was a bit stale, but once that was out of the way, the rest was just heaven. I put it down to a simple but effective combination of ingredients with complimentary textures (e.g. peanuts are too sickening).

It's also a perfect size for when you've already eaten dinner but want to be a fatty and have dessert too. Or it's a great dessert for when you don't want to be a fatty but want something sweet to end your evening.

P.S. Don't believe their "closing time" of 10:30pm. I was met with great disappointment on another occasion during a weeknight when they were bringing the signs in at about 9:30pm.