Earth To Table

I have recently started a clean eating diet. Not that what I was eating before was THAT bad, but there were definite improvements that I could make. Eating healthy meals at home or preparing healthy meals for the office isn't the issue, it 's more what I eat when I go out. This blog is evidence of my love for food, so I find it extremely difficult to choose clean meals that actually taste good when at a restaurant or cafe.

That is, until I cam across 'Earth to Table'.

Nestled on the busy Bronte Rd in Bondi is this small, organic and vegan cafe that absolutely blew me away for the following reasons:
1. I am vegetarian so the fact that they served vegan food meant that I could choose anything I wanted from the menu (WINNING!)
2. They use organic and raw ingredients in their cooking which meant that I was able to indulge in whatever I wanted (including desserts) - guilt free!

Luckily for my friend and I, the line wasn't too long when we arrived and as such, didnt have to wait too long to be seated. This was probably a good thing given the appetite that we were building, just by  looking at all the amazing food flying out of the kitchen and the decadent desserts in the shop front display.

After being seated, we spent a good amount of time browsing the menu, trying to choose what to eat. So many choices that each sounded so delicious! After much discussion, we decided to order the pasta with asparagus, baby peas and zuchini, the roasted mixed vegetables with tomato and quinoa bread, and the banana creme pie.

Given that all the food was organic and fresh, all of the dishes were served cold. Although the pasta was great as a cold dish, I felt as though the roasted mixed vegetables would have been better if the dish was served hot. The banana creme pie though...O.M.G. I would honestly go back to this cafe just to eat their dessers over and over again. How can something that is sugar free, dairy free and gluten free taste so good?!

The only downside to our experience at this cafe was the amount of time that we had to wait between our main meals and dessert. It seemed as though all the waiters that walked passed us did not see us sitting there waiting, and after a substantial amount of time, my friend had to go and let the waiters know that we were still waiting on our dish.

All in all, it was a great meal. I would definitely go back to try the other items on the menu, and have spoken very highly of this cafe to many of my friends. To top this day off, my friend and I spent the rest of the afternoon completing the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk - an activity I encourage everyone to do if they are going to be in the area.

For this cafe, I score 8/10

Copo Cafe and Diner

It's always a massive battle to get out of bed on cold and windy days, especially when it is the weekend. The laborious task of having to wake up at 5am every day for work means that I highly look forward to this break, not having to wake up to the haunting sound of my Samsung alarm. However, there is also a flipside to this. If I am not motivated to get out of bed and choose to stay indoors instead, I feel as though I am not making the most of the 2 leisure days a week I get to enjoy meeting up with friends and tucking into some amazing food.

So when my next food adventure took me to Drummoyne, I was determined to venture out into the unknown on this windy day. Meeting up with friends I had not seen in a long time was probably the biggest motivation, but the fact that we were to dine at Copo Cafe and Diner made the drive and effort all the more appealing.

If you had asked me where Drummoyne was a few weeks ago, I would not have known. My assumptions led me to believe that it was an affluent suburb in the Northern Beaches - well atleast I got the affluent right! It is actually located right next to Five Dock and situated along the Parramatta River. The cafe itself is quite confusing to find, as the address states that it is based on Victoria road, however the entrance is located on the back street.

It was a busy cafe, with areas to sit both upstairs and downstairs, and there was so much to choose from on the menu! Each of us started with a coffee, and soon after began to order our food. I chose to have the 'Moroccon eggplant baked eggs with labne, herbs and toast' (as did one of my friends - with a side of chorizo ofcourse), whilst the others ordered the 'Variety of mushrooms pan fried in butter and herbs on toast', 'Hotcakes with with Fresh Banana, Mascarpone, Hazlenut and Maple Syrup' and the 'Classic bacon and egg roll on seeded ciabatta with barbecue sauce'. The friend that ordered the bacon and egg roll has also started a little adventure of his own to find the best banana bread in Sydney, so decided to order this on the side to see if it compared with the others he has had in the past.

Needless to say, I was extremely excited when the food came out onto the table, and was salivating. I had only tried baked eggs once before which I loved, so I had high expectations when ordering this dish. I was not disappointed! The eggs with the rich tomato base provided a delicious authentic flavour combination that elevated the dish from just an old baked eggs. The others around the table also seemed to really enjoy their dishes, with my friend who ordered the hotcakes stating "how do their bananas taste so good as well?!" Unfortunately, the eggs in the bacon and egg roll was a little overcooked, and did not lead to the runny yolk that my friend was expecting. His banana bread was also nice, however not the best he has tasted. Still on his search for the best banana bread in Sydney!

All in all, it was not only a great day catching up with mates, but also an amazing place for brunch. I would definitely consider going back to this cafe in the future to try the other items on their menu. For my experience at Copo Cafe and Diner, I score 8/10.

For more information about this cafe, visit http://www.copocafediner.com.au/

Janani's Sri Lankan and Indian Restaurant

It is not often that I dine at Indian or Sri Lankan restaurants. When eating out, I like to choose cuisines that are different to what is normally prepared at home. Having a South Indian background, most of the dishes that are cooked at home contain similar spices and flavours to what can be found in restaurants. However, recently for some strange reason, I have been craving Kothu Roti. There are not many restaurants that I know of in Sydney that serves this, however one place that does is Janani's in South Strathfield.

What is Kothu Roti you may be asking. It is traditionally a Sri Lankan dish which is made from roti that is diced up into small pieces, and tossed with a variety of vegetables, egg and meat. It is traditional to make this dish on a hot iron sheet, with two blunt metal blades used to cut the roti. In the past, the Kothu Roti I have had has always been a hit and miss. Sometimes it is delicious, with the right amount of spice and vegetables tossed together, and sometimes it is bland and tasteless. Given that I had been craving this dish for a while, I was hoping that it would meet my expectations.

Walking into the restaurant, there wasn't that many people there despite it being a Friday night and peak time for dinner. My friends and I were a little nervous about the quality of the food there as a result, but there were so many varieties of dishes on the menu that we were just excited to try them all out! (And not to mention staaarving).

The decision for me was quite easy, given that I knew what I wanted to order a week prior to us even visiting this restaurant. I ordered a vegetable Kothu Roti, and shared a Gobi Manchurian (fried cauliflower with sweet and sour sauce) for entree with the other girls. Some of the other dishes that were ordered by my friends included Butter Chicken with Naan, Lamb Kothu Roti and a Seafood Thali (a traditional dish where roti is served with a variety of small curries). To keep the meal authentic, we ordered a Faluda, which is a Sri Lankan drink made with rose milk, which also contains little balls of jelly. If you aren't a fan of the jelly, then a plan rose milk will also do the trick.

The meal was actually surprisingly delicious. The Kothu Rotti defintiely met expectations, and it was the best meal on a rainy Friday. The other girls were also very happy with their meals, and we left the restaurants with a severe case of food babies. On top of the taste, the serving sizes were also quite generous, with some of us having to doggy bag our meals as we couldn't finish them.

If I have cravings for Kothu Roti again, I will definitely consider visiting Janani's again. For this restaurant, I score 8/10.

Cafe Giulia

Sometimes, the best things often come when most unexpected. When going to new cafes, I always pre-plan where I am going to go, and have a look at the menu beforehand to not only get a better idea of what the place serves, but to also get my tastebuds excited. On a rainy Sunday morning, my friends and I drove to Chippendale to have breakfast at 'Brickfields Cafe', but where we ended up was most unexpected but such a nice surprise.

Brickfields is a small cafe in Chippendale that is known for its pastries and breads. I had heard and seen many good reviews about this small local joint, so I had to include it on my list of places to visit. However upon arriving, it was extremely busy, and there was not much seating within the small venue. Also, given that people can only dine on a first come first serve basis, the staff were not able to tell us when a table would be available next. As my friends and I were very impatient that day given that we were all starving, we decided to look elsewhere, so out popped trusty old Google maps to find a nearby cafe.

Whilst browsing the internet, I heard my friends mention that they were craving waffles, and coincidentally I found a cafe nearby that had some on their menu - the decision of where to go soon became incredibly easy. 

Only a 3 min walk from Brickfields, Cafe Giulia is situated on Abercrombie st, Chippendale. It is quite hard to miss, given the artistic graffiti that has been painted onto the side of the cafe, giving it a very alternative vibe, and perfect for the area in which it is located. Walking in through the doors, there was a large blackboard on the back wall which was scribbled with dozens of meal options, so many of which I wanted to try that it took me a while to make a decision! After having been seated at our table, we proceeded to the front to make our orders. Some of the meals that were decided upon include French Toast with grilled banana, English muffin with sausage, bacon and a side of waffles, Bagel with haloumi, avacado and tomato and coffees/ice chocolates galore. 

I chose to order the bagel with haloumi and avacado, with a soy cappucino - standard. The wait was not too long despite the crowd which was great, and the food was absolutely delicious! The bagel was toasted to the right amount so that it was still soft enough to eat with the other ingredients, and didn't crumble away once bit into. The haloumi cheese had just the right amount of saltiness, and when paired with the avacado, provided a perfect balance. The coffee was also one of the best that I have had in a while. Unfortunately, I am not sure what beans they use, however would definitely recommend anyone in the area to pick up one of their coffees along the way.

My friends were all thoroughly pleased with their meals as well, and said that it was the perfect way to satisfy their hunger. One downside however was the waffles that were served. When the waffles arrived to the table, they were still soft and quite dry. They did not have that crispy toasted texture that one would expect of waffles, and were also quite cold.

Putting the waffles aside, everything else was great. This cafe was also great value for money, with nothing on the menu being too expensive and the portion sizes being quite generous. For Cafe Giulia, I woulds score 7/10.

Din Tai Fung

All of the food posts I have written up until this point have all been about brunch and afternoon tea, so this time, I thought i'd change things up a little and blog about a place I often frequent for dinner. Most days after work, I am too tired and lazy to venture out to new places that are not in close proximity to where I work, so often, my friends and i choose a location that is central to us all. One place I have found that I visit a lot, which is both close and delicious, is Din Tai Fung in World Square, on George st Sydney.

Being a vegetarian, it is often hard to find tasty vegetarian dishes at Asian restaurants, especially if it is a dumpling house or Yum Cha. Din Tai Fung does not boast a large range of vegetarian meals on their menu, but the few that they do are so delicious that I don't mind going back and back again to eat the same dishes.

There are three dishes that I can order when I visit Din Tai Fung which are the vegetable steam buns, the vegetable dumplings or the spicy vegetarian wonton noodle soup. However, on busy days they often cannot custom make the vegetarian spicy noodle soup, so i often resort to ordering a serving of the dumplings and steam bun. However I have to admit, I am more of a steam buns fan than a dumpling person. I love when the wooden steamer is placed on the table, and i break the steam bun in half to watch the steam rise out. Dipping the bun and dumplings in the ginger and chilli infused soy sauce adds an extra depth of flavour. I wish I could say that I have mastered the skill of using chopsticks, but unfortunately I am still quite uncoordinated when it comes to this. So you know that loser who eats their Asian dishes with a fork and spoon when everyone else is using chopsticks? That's me! :P

No matter who I go with, everyone leaves Din Tai Fung satisfied. For those who are not vegetarian, there is a plethora of dishes to choose from, each which I am told is just as tasty as the other. The service is also very quick, although it can become a bit frantic during peak hours due to the number of people who dine there. I have never had to wait a long time to be seated, however they will only allow you to enter once the whole party has arrived.

I will definitely be visiting this place once more in the near future, and would score it a 7/10.

If you are looking to visit this place, you can find more information on the following website - http://www.dintaifungaustralia.com.au/

The Tea Cosy

Scones. They are probably one of my favourite things to eat for afternoon tea. Add on some jam and cream, and I am in heaven! It's hard to find the perfect scone. I sure can't bake some even if my life depended on it, and most ones that I find at bakeries just don't meet my expectations. They are either too dense, or too dry, and always seem to disappoint. The last amazing scone I remember having was when I went on a road trip to Woollongong with my best friends for my 22nd birthday. These scones were not only large, but were also light and fluffy, and had the right amount of crispiness to the outside which I love.

So when I came across the 'Tea Cosy' on the internet whilst I was looking for a good afternoon tea spot, and they stated that they had "Scones like Nanna used to make them", I knew I was on to a winner!

Based on George St at the Rocks, the Tea Cosy is known for its scones and high tea. It does not command a large space, as it is an old terrace house that has been converted into a cafe, however provides a very 'homely' atmosphere. Out the front of the cafe (where the lounge would have been), is a little store that sells some novelty items. Walking down the corridor toward the backyard is where the kitchen is situated, with some seating available close to the kitchen and in the backyard itself. However given that it was a hot day and there was not much ventilation, we chose to proceed upstairs to catch the breeze.

We were lucky enough to be able to snag a table on the balcony, from where we could see the hustle and bustle of the Sunday markets below. As both o
f us had not had lunch that day, we decided that in addition to the scone, we would also try some of their sandwiches. We ordered the cucumber and cheese along with the curried egg sandwiches. In addition to this we ordered a basket of scones (1 each). The great thing about this cafe is that they have a number of home made jams from which we could choose from. Tossing up between the rhubarb and the fig, we ended up settling on the fig and ginger jam and cream on the side. Although a hot tea or coffee would have been perfect to marry this meal, the weather was just too hot, so we decided to order the black ice tea with mint and berries.

First the drinks arrived, and they were amazing. Not the typical ice tea that you buy from some restaurants and stores that are full of sugar and taste like syrup. This version tasted authentic, with the intensity of the black tea allowing the flavours to really come through. Although it was hard to get to the berries at the bottom of the glass, they provided a refreshing burst of flavour to the beverage. And then the food arrived, and we were not disappointed!

On two separate plates arrived the two different sandwiches. Three layers of bread cut up into soldiers, with the right amount of filling and full of flavour. My favourite of the two would have to be the cucumber and cream cheese, but the curried egg fell just shortly behind. When the much anticipated scones arrived, I was super eager to break into them to see if it lived up to all the hype - and did it!

These are definitely how I pictured Nanna's scones would taste (If my grandma could actually bake or make scones :P). They were crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. And the jam? YUM! could have eaten a little pot of it! I'm glad that we went with the fig and ginger option,as the little seeds from the fig matched beautifully with the cream.

All in all, it was an amazing day spent in the city with my close friend, and an even better day having eaten here. We both left incredibly satisfied with our meal, and I would definitely go there in the future once more.

For the Tea Cosy, I score 9/10

Bar Biscotti

George St, North Strathfield. Sounds like just any old suburban street. But driving down this cobbled road, you soon learn that it is anything but that. More commonly known as the 'Bakehouse Quarter', George St is home to many of the most popular cafes and restaurants in the area.

There is something there to satisfy everyone's appetite. The quarter houses cuisines from all around the world, and has a few patisseries that will more than likely dispel any sugar cravings. Given that it was a Sunday morning and I was in the mood for brunch, my friends and I decided to pay 'Bar Biscotti' a visit, as we had all heard amazing reviews about it.

The great thing about the quarter is that there is a 2 hour parking lot right outside the cafe, so it did not take


long between reaching the location and settling into our meal. The menu was very enticing, and what caught my eye was the 'clean eating' section. When you eat as much as I do, it becomes difficult to find meals that not only satisfy the tastebuds, but also don't have too much of an impact on your waistline. Therefore, I chose to get the poached eggs with avacado on quinoa bread. To accompany this, and given that it was a sunny day, I decided to order a fresh juice of beetroot, carrot, celery, orange and ginger, much to the protest of my friends who believed that this was a bad decision. If I had left it up to them, they would have ordered me a chocolate thickshake with extra cream - no thanks! :P

Although the staff were incredibly friendly (and attractive might I add), the meal took some time to reach the table. My friends seemed to quite enjoy what they ordered, but if I was to be completely honest, I was slightly underwhelmed. Although the poached eggs were perfectly cooked, the bread was toasted a little too much so that it became quite carboardy, and the avacado was not ripe enough so it left a sour taste lingering in my mouth. As such, I ended up leaving the avacado to the side and eating the eggs with the toast, not quite what I was expecting. Everyone else around the table however seemed to enjoy their meal, so perhaps it was a bad choice on my behalf.The juice on the other hand was delicious - cant go wrong with a fresh blend of fruit and veg!

I might not have had the best experience this time around, however I am not ruling out potentially visiting this cafe in the future. There were a few other items on the menu that looked quite appetising, and I would be keen to try those out some time down the track.

However based on this experience, I would have to give Bar Biscotti 5/10.