Brunching Joyously (Haven Cafe review)

I've never been to a cafe more than once than at Haven Joyously Tailoring Coffee in Surry Hills. Not only do I love spending a bright, sunny morning in Surry Hills with great company - the food is amazing and the staff are such sweethearts (I sound like someone's middle aged aunt right now). 

Black Sesame Egg Waffles
Source: http://havenspecialtycoffee.com.au/

I keep coming back for their fresh menu and this time we ordered the Matcha egg waffles, Morrocan Salmon with cous cous and Felafel Potato. I have absolutely zero guilt if it's MATCHA ice cream for breakfast! It's not common in Sydney to get egg waffles like these, especially when they feature in Taiwan and HK where my go to instafoodies travel! Ultimate disappointment at the overseas geotag until Haven saves the day!! Also shoutout to the salmon dish which was bursting with flavour and perfectly cooked (soft pink on the inside). Food never disappoints in flavour, innovation and aesthetics.

Source: Broadsheet

Source: Weekend Notes

What's a brunch at Haven without its unique brews! Would totally recommend the Dragon Oolong ice tea (great for the summer) or the nutty coffee brew. It features nutty and wine notes, minus the heavy alcoholic tang! 

Let's not forget the staff who know the coffee blends back to front and are always asking how your meal is going! They really go the extra mile and it's partly why I recommend this place all the time with friends! 

If you're planning the next catch up, give Haven a go! 

$$
Ambience 5/5
Fare $$
Service 5/5
Foodwise 5/5
Now back to the rinse repeat cycle of uni!
Don't forget to treat yourself..
MVPD

Dance Classes @ DUTI Studios for a self professed "White Girl" dancer

You'd think a hike earlier in the day would convince me I'd done enough exercise for the whole week (that uphill hike back from Jingga pools though) but what trumped that day was my 2016 promise to finally try a dance class.

Yes, I thought about my future that could have been - as a finalist on America's SYTYCD.

Maybe it was the excitement of spontaneity, or that my hiking girls were also keen or maybe (slightly more accurate) it was my lifelong endeavor to move like a graceful human being.

Source: DUTI Studios

Pu-lease...What's the point of a body roll in isolation if you don't have a routine to go with it?

Anyways, we went to a JFH (Jazz/Funk/Hip Hop) class in a Newtown studio called DUTI Studios. It's only been running for 4 months and I could honestly say, walking through the door I almost squealed. 

 

You want to live the dancing dream? This tumblr-worthy studio definitely plays the part. New York-esque, all white, minimalistic with bright spotlights just like the backstage of a designer runway minus Donatella Versace.

Mathew the owner of the studio teaches the JFH and Jazz classes and he's amazeballs. Talking to him I could see how the interior design reflected his vision, the vibes he wanted to capture.

Uni students regularly frequent the studio with other classes including African, Contemporary Dance, Heels and Yoga.

 

The JFH class itself (for beginners) was really enjoyable! Time flew and my only regret is that my limbs decided to forget all learned coordination. It was challenging but left me so determined to move more fluid and freely!

Beginners like me rest easy:

- the routine is taught and practiced in nicely timed chunks
- the counting really helps you keep up to tempo
- any questions are totally welcome during the class
- you get group and individual feedback (the latter you can ask for)

 

Splitting into smaller groups to perform the routine in sync is that added push to move with flair. You're stuck in your own world and everything is a whirl!

The routine changes after two weeks! As for now I can't sleep easy tonight until I nail it!

Take a peek through the big black door and do something for yourself this year!

Follow them on Insta, Facey, YouTube and on their website!

MVPD
Xx



 

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

Hakiki Turkish Ice Creamery @ Enmore // Review

Something about the name makes me think of tropical island flavors but those kind of ice creameries are so yesterday and we were feeling something more exotic and traditional!

Turkish ice cream looks like the 'normal', humble ice cream....until you take a spoon from it! It just keeps dragging out like I doesn't want to be eaten = The Australian Summer ice-cream-melting issue solved! Apparently Turkish ice cream is traditionally eaten with knife (no spooning here!) and fork.

 

1. You don't just go here and get some simpleton caramel flavour (even they're way too good for that).
2. You also don't just go in for one scoop especially when you have your eyes on four different flavours!

Here's our guide on what flavours were our favs:

Baklava: What's better than baklava? Baklava ice cream that's what. We loved the fillo pastry bits - just the way it soaks up some of the ice cream but still gives a chewy change in texture makes me feel so happy and zen!

Rock melon and feta: yes you read this right! Great balanced combination of salty and sweet I don't know how I didn't discover this before! Who even thought of this (next best after Bill Gates clearly)!

Grape molasses & tahini: the halva were amazing little crumbly chunks made from tahini that I just looked forward to throughout this whole flavour.

Caramelized fig and walnut: what is a Turkish bazaar without the sweet, distinct perfume of figs of late summer afternoons?

 

Of course there are many other flavours but we didn't want to hit them all in one go! There needs to be an excuse for a second visit!!

Next time you brunch or dinner in Newtown we highly recommend you stop at the dinner menu and trek it past Gelato Blue (sorry), N2 and Cloud9 as your portal to Turkey awaits you!

10/10 ice cream! You can't really compare it to Messina and Cow and Moon in terms of flavour since they're so different (Hello feta + melon!?)!!

 

Buuut if my taste buds served me right, I think Turkish ice cream is traditionally a little sweeter! Who's complaining?

Our advice: 'go large or go home'

Where you'll find it:
Shop 1, 63-71 Enmore Rd, Newtown

MVPD xoxo

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

JTONE Launch @ David Jones // Adventures

 David Jones sure knows how to pamper the JTONE girl with a new set of Pjs (complete with kimono), male models serving cocktails, a confectionary servery and... Dumplings! Sister goals when you choose her as your “bestie” plus one to DJs private event (try topping that Michelle).

Champagne already in hand as we ride the elevator up :P

JTONE is DJ’s new exclusive line of all things made to be comfy – undies, sleepwear and workout attire. Running around the house, sleeping and gyming has never looked better. 

 

No FOMO (fear of missing out) for the Vogue Night Out happenings downstairs when we finally rode the elevator up. Well what else do you think when the doors open and you see strobing pink lights, derby gals, a ceiling of pink balloons and the periodic shirtless male strutting through the crowds (second mention was necessary). We kinda felt like Kayture’s Kristina Bazan lost in all the lights and exclusiveness etc (hopefully this isn’t the last :P).

So what’s to see besides pink? OPI nail painting, tattoos and hairdressing to your right, bar straight ahead (as it should be hehe) and candy land on the left. Did I mention a photo backdrop with hanging donuts – what is life?

Next level soft serve toppings: peanut brittle, rocky road, nougat and macarons!

 So the night’s itinerary involved canapés and drinks until Montana Cox and Allison Simpson graced the room for photos and to officially allow everyone to enjoy themselves sum mo’.

 

Now for me to put a “cake in it” or rather a donut because the night was for photos (and snapchat) and who wants to read my banter of the night anyways! Enjoy the montage!

Disclaimer: Prepare your eyes for a whole lot of pink!MVPD xoxo 

 

 

 

 

Photobombing everywhere!

The Eatery Review + Roaming Byron Bay // Review ~ Adventures

Splendour festival is hard work, especially when you give yourself 3 hours to wake, freshen up (so you don’t look like the zombie you woke up as) and roll up those pesky sleeping bags before getting stuck in traffic back to Byron!

 

A little birdie (a.k.a. local Byron gal) told us to hit up ‘The Eatery’ in our cafe search because apparently ‘Cafe Byron’s’ coffees weren’t on point.

So what a better way to refuel – the place was a cafe + bar + bistro (wow slaying) but we were here for the lunch. Afterwards was the time to explore all the surfy stores, boutiques and arcades peppering Jonson St (and the surrounding streets).

 

The order was a slider plate of smoked salmon, bacon and chorizo ($15) and two Coconut Chia Bowls ($11). I’m not one for sliders but the chorizo one was rather good. I thought it would be punch-to-your-throat spicy but no! The sausage was cut not too thick, the mayo was light and the thick grated carrot was a nice change of texture (a little fresh crunch).

 

For me, chia seeds need something special as they taste quite plane on their own. Sweetened with maple syrup was a bit basic I thought and would have much rather more stewed fruit and the sweet vanilla labneh to do that job. It was also topped with this “Magic dust” as they called it which was a sweet version of dukkah with goji berries. It wasn’t a stand out dish, even the dukkah was kind of lost in the stewed fruit and quickly lost its crunch. I feel that Aboutlife do better chia pudding (I’m sorry).

 

The magic dust also graced the banana smoothie which I think properly tasted like banana unlike other I’ve tried! No sneaky caramel flavour here!

 

 

So this was where we chilled (with our luggage too) to watch Byron locals do their thang listening to a really good singing busker across the road.

 

Sadly one major flaw was the service time (like how fresh can you get with all the elements of our dishes already premade). Even though we got seated and ordered immediately, ours and another fellow splendour table took ages to come out like the cookie monster ate our orders or something! L The staff were really lovely though but we were so hungry we had to inquire after our order. How they didn’t manage to notice two tables sitting around for ages - I don’t know.

 

Let’s not end on this bad note, the place had the atmosphere that I was needing at the time – lazy and quiet with bar tenders working softly away.

Three Word Summary: Relaxing, Lively, Local
Ambience 4/5
Fare $$
Service 2/5
Foodwise 3/5

MVPD

Xoxo