T2 Cafe

Address: Macquarie Shopping Centre, Shop 440 Herring & Waterloo Rds, North Ryde NSW 2113
Tel: 9888 3665
Mon - Fri: 9am - 5:30pm
Thur: 9am-9pm
Sat: 9am-5pm
Sun: 10am-4pm

Other locations also in Hornsby (NSW) and Doncaster (VIC)

Website: https://secure.t2tea.com.au/flash/main.html

This cafe is located directly opposite the T2 Tea store (a kaleidoscope of colour, aroma and gift inspiration), tastefully decorated in a fashion that would put Alannah Hill to shame.

Below: Russian Caravan Hot Chocolate - do not underestimate the size of this drink! Or in other words, don't get greedy and drink it on a full stomach after a big lunch, with desserts to follow. Served in one of those dual-layered glasses (if you look closely, the glass you touch is a separate raised layer to the glass that holds the actual drink, so you don't burn yourself on the glass), the Russian Caravan tea gives this hot chocolate a distinct bitter taste. It is a very strange sensation, but also strangely addictive.


Below: I am a self-confessed stalker of these coloured macaroons. From left to right - chocolate, pistachio and strawberry. They are absolute heaven - a perfect chewy texture inside and foamy layer outside. Perfect amalgamation of coconut and flavour - I love the pistachio in particular!


Below: Some frangipani cake - name sounds great, but do not eat it! Taste like the vomit from a baby after they have eaten some fruit derivative baby food.

The Balkan

Address: 209 Oxford St, Darlinghurst (opposite Taylor Square/that parliament house/sandstone buildin)

*** Note there is another restuarant called "Balkan Seafood Restaurant" allegedly owned by rival family member, also located on Oxford St***

Below: This is the mixed meat/seafood grill for 3 people.

Seafood - prawns, octopus, calamari, fish, mussels

Meat - sausage, chicken, steak, possibly a minced-lamb patty of sorts.

Noteables: chicken was marinated and delightful! Lamb patty was also tasty - but everything else let me down - the seafood needed marinating (it literally tasted like it was fished out of highly salted seawater and chucked straight on the barbie) and the steak a little more consideration in the toughness.

In the background of the image, top right hand corner you also see the complimentary sauerkraut salad. This comes with most meat dishes, on our table of about 10 people we had about 4 bowls to share. I think I alone ate 2 bowls - I kept picking at it all night...and could do for the rest of my life (it's that good!)

Sauerkraut is a traditional dish from the Eastern European countries, made of fermented cabbage, and sour in taste. The Balkans' unique version also contains greens from lettuce, tomato & onion. And diced cooked potato (like a potato salad). I really do fantasize about this dish, more so than their mains!


Also tried the Kilpatrick oysters as entree - nice, not too metallic tasting - but not the best I've had.

Cabbage rolls - interesting texture, filled with some sort of minced meat which reminded me of something I can't quite put my finger on - possibly pet food (not that I've tried it)

Mezzapica Cafe & Cakes

Address: 128 Norton St LEICHHARDT NSW 2040
Tel: (02) 9568 2095
Fax: (02) 9560 3221

Open 7 days (but only during the morning on weekends)

Finally got back to this place to do a proper review! They are known for their cakes next door (chocolate cannoli!!!), but this is their cafe (which also sells their cakes, for double the price).

Below: This was a light lunch, for entree it was build-your-own bruschetta. I don't like having to make my own food in a restaurant, but at the same time the bread was incredibly fresh, crusty and warm and this would not be have been realised or appreciated had the bruschetta been pre-loaded.


Below: Lemon Pepper Calamari, served on a bed of rocket with fries. I didn't actually eat this because lately I've sold out and excluded deep-fried items from my personal palette, but was told it was a refreshing meal - calamari adequately but not overcooked (you can usually tell by the colour & texture) and it actually looked as though they have you more than 3 rings!

Below: Chicken pasta with gnocci (potato pasta) - potent flavours such as a grilled/smoked chicken was used, tomatoes, basil leaves, possibly spinach. Like a true pasta, it was sealed in an oil and the the oils from the meat rather slapping a sauce on the pasta.


Whatever you do, please try the pastas! This is real pasta, made with thought, and a fusion of flavours from the existing combination of ingredients. An aromatic & orgasmic pasta experience!

Highly Recommended: Chocolate Cannoli (also available next door in cake shop for $2.50)

The cake shop was closed by the time we finished lunch, but have this as dessert! Cannoli is a pastry dessert, a square piece of puff/pastry with opposite corners rolled up, and made into a tubular shape. This tube is then filled with either chocolate cream, custard or whatever else people like to fill cannoli with, and dusted in icing sugar. Texture of the pastry is hard and crunchy, and probably coated in some orange-sugar water glaze to give it sheen & the pastry a sweet taste. Eat it fresh though because the oil tends to seep through the paperbags they come in by the time you get home...

La Paula (Chilean Cake Shop & Bakery)

Address: Shop 1, 9 Barbara St, Fairfield NSW (Also shop at Kingsford)
Tel: 02 9726 2379

Opening times: Mon - Sat 7am - 7pm
Sun 7am -5pm



"A Chilean cake shop and bakery that specialises in Spanish style pies and pastries ("empanadas") of very good quality. The other specialities are very good too."

Wagamama Noodle Bar

Address: The Galeries Victoria, level 1, 500 George St, Sydney
Phone : (02) 9264 9155
Website: www.wagamama.com.au


Pictured below: Wagamama Ramen - noodles in a vegetarian soup topped with seasonal greens, wakame, sliced chicken, grilled seasonal fish, fried tofu, prawn, marinated and grilled mushroom and kamaboko-aka. garnished with menma and spring onions

Below: Chicken katsu curry - chicken fillet deep-fried in panko breadcrumbs, served with a light curry sauce and japanese-style rice. garnished with a combination of mixed leaves and red pickles.
Verdict: I'm going to be perfectly honest here. The Wagamama Ramen was the worst $18 I've spent on a bowl of noodles, and made snap-frozen Lean Cuisine meals taste gourmet.

Although a good concept (health & cleanliness), I really think that overexpansion has really let this franchise down.

The staff were extremely attentive & friendly, but it really didn't make up for the bland-tasting food. I was full, but not satisfied. Could also be to do with the years' of killing my tastebuds with chilli, but this is definitely a white-washed interpretation of Japanese food that receives a miss.

Tart Cafe

Address: 106 Erskineville Road Erskineville, NSW

Tel:

Big bowls of cafe latte, fresh juices and passing foot traffic - Tart Cafe is a nice, quiet getaway.

It's literally situated behind the hustle-and-bustle of King St, Newtown - with homestyle meals and a friendly atmosphere.

Pictured below: Caffe Latte in a bowl

Below: Beef Nachos - I am totally addicted to this: ingredients are fresh, combine well and not overly oily. Baby Spinach leaves garnished on the top make a fantastic addition and the avocado dip is something special! Best nachos I've had to date!

Bagan On Boulevarde (Burmese Restaurant)

Address: Shop 4/41 The Boulevarde, Strathfield NSW 2135
Tel: (02) 8746 0666
Email: eat_bagan@yahoo.com.au
Trading hours: Lunch & Dinner, 7 days


Burmese food is what I would call a fusion between Vietnamese, Chinese and Indian cuisine. The love of chilli and spices is evident across all three cultures and this is none the different.


Pictured above: A three-word Salad that I can't remember the name of. Consists of tomato, various nuts & beans which have been roasted, dried and fried, shredded lettuce, fresh chilli and other herbs & spices. A lighter and savoury alternative. Entree sized - varying nuts & roasted beans give this salad a unique crunch and texture.

Pictured below: The Grapefruit Salad. Couldn't taste an inkling of grapefruit anywhere, but this is another interesting dish. Not overly large in size, it consists of spanish red onions (very strong flavour, even a little on the bitter side), curry powder, shallot/lemongrass, nuts, and maybe a meat. It certainly had a tang to it, but really different from anything I've ever tried. It's like a curry-salad.

Below: Pork Slice Garlic Noodle. The noodles on this are inbetween wavy wanton egg noodles and rice noodles found in pho. The perfect intermediary, laced with a light garlic buttery sauce (similar taste & texture to the bed of noodles served underneath a ginger & shallot lobster, Cantonese style). The sliced pork pieces are marinated and seem to come from like a knuckle area, with solid meat pieces and a trim of fat.

Below: Mango Curry - Extremely tender stewed beef pieces in a semi-sweet mango curry sauce. The Burmese tend to use the fat from meat and incorporate it into the curry which gives the curry more density and flavour.

I'm a fan of spice, and the potent flavours of South-East Asian cooking. The good thing about this restaurant is that they give you the option to add spice or to leave mild (unspiced). The staff are attentive, and the price is ridiculously reasonable. As my friend put it, its like they forgot to account for the rent when calculating the price of their dishes.