Le Monde Cafe @ Surry Hills // Review

It's been a while since the last brunch but with the excuse to also see friends again - not sure if more excited for food or friends?! :P

Le Monde is a small cafe space where you and your friends can inhabit a corner by the cushions and talk for ages while the counter bustles with takeaway coffee and croissant orders. It's a nice mix!

It's nice and quiet during a weekday with the only sounds being nearby chatter and the grinding of the coffee. Natural light floods through the windows and along with some indoor lights, create a dim but well lit space for a sunny brunch! 

 

We ordered the Matcha pancakes ($16), Pulled pork ($18) and the Bacon Egg Roll Special ($10).

I'm a sucker for all things matcha so I loved the fluffiness of the pancakes with that slight bitterness of green tea! What totally completed the dish was that coffee expresso syrup. It was definitely one of the most delicious and different pancake flavour combinations I've had! Total winner! I now need this coffee syrup in my life!

 

And for the other dishes (on the Specials chalkboard), the pulled pork was just the right texture and softness but the bread was a little hard and a mission with the cutlery! Surprisingly the bacon and egg roll was pretty good for its price. The waiter took it out and it was so loaded!

Not sure if anything else on the menu will bring me back anytime soon since it doesn't have as many daring fusion choices as most modern cafes. But I still loved the oxymoronic quiet/bustling atmosphere on the two opposite sides of the cafe! They do a pretty good capucinno too!

Three word summary: Cosy, modern, detached
Ambience 4/5
Fare $-$$
Service 4/5
Foodwise 4/5

Have a fab summer
MVPD xx

The Little Snail @ Darling Harbour // Review

French food is one of those cuisines that I've been dying to try for ages! They're definitely not as common as your thai food joint in every suburb! Like "let's go get French" said no one ever! Not hating on crepes but they're too easy to come by nowadays! I mean your ratatouille, snails and more snails!

So getting treated at the Little Snail at Darling Harbour for my birthday was one of the most amazing intangible gifts you could get! I feel nowadays I'm more for experience rather than the materialism. My friend dines here often so he knew which dishes were en pointe!

Oui oui I felt like being adventurous with my menu choice and I definitely have no regrets!

Here's the breakdown:
Entree:
"Escargots de Bourgogne" aka marinated sea snails in a buttery sauce
How fittingly french, you use the pitch fork thing to twist it out of the shell and dip it in the pool of garlicky, buttery goodness. 10/10"Mushroom and Leek Crepe" (pronounce with French accent)
For a friend who vows never to be vego, this dish is the exception so enough said I guess?

Mains:
Kangaroo Fillet with Dijon and honey bordelaise sauce
I'm all for the 'well done' and almost got frowned upon for asking. Medium is as cooked as it gets and the thinly sliced kangaroo was amazing - soft and slightly crispy on the skin. Didn't take much convincing from the French waiter and I think I'm converted to medium cooked now!

"Cote de Veau" aka Veal Tenderloin with champignon and chardonnay beurre blanc
Lets also admire that potato croquette on the side please! All meat on point!

Desserts:
Belgian Chocolate Gateau No words for this gateau (it was out of this world) and the sweet candy sorbet complimented the dark choc so nicely with a fruity tang!
Kahlua Infused Chocolate MousseTwo questions: 1. How did the chef put this together and 2. How do you eat it like a lady without a deconstructed mess on the plate? (It is perfectly possible!!)Well not too shabby for my very first French cuisine experience. :P
The mango cocktail was a great choice to accompany the food. I'm not much of a wine enthusiast but that wine was definitely a winner too (but cocktails any day!)

The staff were so great you couldn't help blanking out and just admiring their accents! I can't imagine a better venue and interior design with the windows shedding sunset light onto the plates! We came at the early end of dinner so it was  a nice busy. So chuffed afterwards (and keen to burn some of that dessert off with a walk around Darling Harbour!!)

Three word summary: Transported, Delicate, Serene
Ambience 5/5
Fare $$$
Service 5/5
Foodwise 5/5

Ciao 

MVPD xx