Penny Fours - Leichhardt

I'd heard from somewhere that there was an awesome little patisserie in Leichhardt and couldn't wait to check it out. Located on the quieter part of Norton Street, Penny Fours is this tiny spot with just two small counters and a couple of tables. Behind the front, however, is a massive massive kitchen area - which I found really quite confusing because on this Saturday afternoon, the place was quiet as! Not a soul in sight - but we braved a try anyway.

Lucky for us, we were not disappointed. The chocolate tart ($4.50) was amazing!!! The tart pastry was crumbly and golden, and despite looks, the chocolate filling was really chocolately, light, fluffy ish and just delicious. So delicious that I couldn't resist but to also get their salted caramel chocolate. This was also really really yum! It took sooo much self restraint to not also get the chocolate croissant.

chocolate tart

salted caramel

So looks can be deceiving! Though a super quite small and quaint patisserie, it exceeded my expectations muchly.

Ratings:
Food - 8/10
Service - 7/10
Ambiance - 6/10
Value for money - 8/10
Overall - 29/40

Penny Four's
141 Norton Street
Leichhardt 
NSW 2040

Reuben Hills - Surry Hills

In the last few months, due to some family things, I feel as though we hadn't been able to get out much. So last Sat, when I had the chance, I made sure we made out eating out experience 'worth it'. I googled and researched and looked and searched and finally decided on the hip brekky/brunch place that everyone is talking about - Reuben Hills.

We got here and my heart sank a bit... there was an EPIC line! Funnily enough, we bumped into a friend in this wait list - she'd been there 30 mins prior. Nonetheless, we were here, we're not leaving without some good food and coffee so we waited. 15-20 mins later, we were seated (much to the dismay of our friend, who came as a group of 6). We were seated right at the window which looked out to our waiting friend - talk about a guilt-trip!

Hubby ordered an OJ and I a cappuccino. He swears that this is the best Freaking OJ he has EVER drank. It was like that asian-type of mild, slightly watery and sugary but still orangey type of OJ. He LOVED it and just had to order a second one, even after he complained about how full he was. My coffee was also divine. I don't know if it was just my need for a caffeine fix - but it was gloriously aromatic and smooth and delicious.

OJ

cappuccino

Food-wise, we had a lot of trouble making up our minds. Everything sounded delicious! In the end, hubby settled for the 'NOT reuben' ($16). This is a wagyu brisket toasted rye sandwich with fresh pickled slaw, manchego and horseradish cream. Hubby LOVED this too! It tasted fresh and gave off the illusion of healthy. It was tasty and filling and yum.

 NOT Reuben

I decided to stomach the 'Tradesmans Brioche' ($14). Yes - sounds like a blokey option, looked like a blokey option but it was absolutely devine and what I had hoped for. Sloppy, juicy, tasty and everything! Inside my sugary brioche buns was a thin layer of herby eggs (and oil), loads of thinly sliced Jamon, chunks of glorious avocado and a wet tomato relish. It was messy! But awesome! I'd have loved seconds of this if only my stomach allowed.

tradesman brioche

So yup -tick of approval from us. Would definitely revisit Reuben Hills. Warm hint - don't come here in groups. Come with just one or two other people. Our friend (in a company of 6) had to wait 1 1/2 hours before she could sample this yummy food.

Ratings:
Food - 9.5/10
Service - 7/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Value for money - 7.5/10
Overall - 31/40

Reuben Hills
61 Albion St
Surry Hills
NSW 2010
doesn't take bookings

Deans Diner - Newtown

Hubby and I have been on a crusade to find our old school corner store memories. We both remember going to the corner shop after school and getting a big batch of hot yummy chips wrapped in butchers paper and yet, after going to corner shop after corner shop, the butchers paper-wrapped chips appear to no longer exist. That is, until we randomly mentioned our vendetta to a friend who instantly replied "oh - we just went somewhere that served this!". So on Saturday, we went to check it out - Deans Diner.

Deans Diner

Deans Diner is like an old-school tuck shop. The blackboard menu is filled with burgers on a variation. It was definitely rocking retro style.

blackboard menu

Ofcourse, we had to order the chips! Out of the many versions of the burger, I opted for the 'Fantasy' ($6.50), which really, is just a cheeseburger, whereas hubby opted for the 'Original Sin' ($6)(ie. hamburger) and added beetroot (50c). All these things came in neat little takeaway packages. Nice, hot, toasty and waiting to be opened!

So sure - the chips weren't the best chips in town. No where near the awesomeness taste that we remembered as kids... but - it came in Butchers paper!!!! The burger, on the other hand, was simply superb. Definitely old school Aussie-style burger. The patty was juicy and succulent and absolutely delicious. The lettuce was just the perfect amount and balanced the burger out really well - with the dallop of bbq sauce and my melting cheese. It was amazingly yum! Hubby agreed that this is the place to go the next time we want that true Aussie burger~

hot chips

Fantasy - $6.50

Original Sin (with beetroot) - $6 + 50c

Ratings:
Food - 8/10
Service - 7.5/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Value for money - 7.5/10
Overall - 30/40

Deans Diner
385 King Street
Newtown
NSW 2042
Tel: (02) 9557 6085

Sails - Lavender Bay

We had a wonderful dinner at Sails one night. Spectacular views of the harbour was ever present with massive ceiling to floors windows all round. We has just missed the sunset/golden hour but in the night, luna park was lit up, harbour bridge was more than visible, and the opera house was a nice blueness (for autism awareness month) making it breath-taking anyway.

We had decided against the degustation for this occasion. Instead,we had crystal bay prawns ($28) to share as an entree and a main each. To start the night, there was nicely warmed bread and an amuse bouche of arancini balls with parmesan and truffle. (Photos are really bad quality due to the mood lighting in the restaurant). The acancini balls were really flavoursome - crunchy golden outside, toast hot and creamy inside.

bread and butter

truffle and parmesan arancini balls

Our entree was nicely split into two plates for us. The prawns were de-shelled and butterflied and went hand in hand with sweet corn puree. There was a nicely crispy thin slice of pancetta , a crab and shallot pastille and some popcorn scattered. The popcorn was a bit unnecessary but everything else was delicious~

crystal bay prawns

For mains, I had the poached ora king salmon ($38). This was a big slab of medium rare cooked salmon which was super soft, fell off the spoon, and melt-in-your-mouth. It was deliciousness! It came on a bed of greens - I think it was spinach - cylinders of saffron potato, small calamari rings and a tasty salmon broth.

poached salmon

Hubby had a main of rib-eye on the bone. It was a massive chunk of steak cooked perfectly medium-rare and it came with a side of super yummy crispy hand-cut chips. The chips were amazing!!! Super crunchy an super fluffy! Some of the best chips I've had! The steak was also one of the best steaks we've had for a while.

rib eye on the bone

hand cut chips

On the side, we had a salad of cos and trevisio with avocado, baby capers and croutons ($12). The salad was alright - added some balance to our protein-loaded meals.

cos and trevisio salad

I eyed the dessert menu and contemplated for heaps long - but at the end, there was nothing I really wanted. So, we skipped it.

All in all, it was a lovely meal. The food was deliciousness and the view, breath-taking. Will definitely be back!

Ratings:
Food - 8.5/10
Service - 7/10
Ambiance - 8.5/10
Value for money - 7/10
Overall - 31/40

Sails at Lavender Bay
2 Henry Lawson Ave
McMahons Point
NSW 2060
Tel:(02) 9955 5998

The Bulgogi - Chatswood

A while back now, hubby and I went to this Korean/Jap restaurant in Chatswood - The Bulgogi. It houses a-la-carte as well as all-you-can-eat options. Knowing our massive stomachs, we went for the buffet. There's a range of small instant eats, sashimi, salads, as well as meats and seafoods to cook on the grill. There are 3 buffet options - the standard, the premium (which has sashimi), and super premium (which has wagyu beef). On this night, we went for the mid-range one. We completely feasted and were completely stuffed after. Amazingly, although the service was a bit slow, all the food was super delicious and quite fresh. Not a bad buffet at all!

pork ribs

ox tongue

seaweed salad and soft shell crab salad

beef rib

salmon, tuna and king fish sashimi

kimchi

beef skirt and squid

squid sashimi

beef galbi and beef yukke

salmon and avocado salad

takoyaki

crab nugget

beef on the grill

prawns on the grill

green tea, black sesame and vanilla icecream

I have to say - it was all deliciousness! When I'm up for another crazy feed, I will be back!

Ratings:
Food - 8/10
Service - 6/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Value for money - 7/10
Overall - 28/40

The Bulgogi
380 Victoria Road
Chatswood
NSW 2067
Tel: (02) 9410 3900

Zen Oasis - Berrima

Vegetarian buffet? Say WHAT?
The news did not go down very well for my meat-eating hubby when my parents had wanted us to accompany them to Zen Oasis - a vegetarian buffet in the countryside. We had braced ourselves for the worst but were pleasantly surprised by the lovely peaceful vibe the place exuded.

Opening only on Saturdays and Sundays for lunch (and you NEED to book), there was a bit of a crowd waiting for the restaurant to open at 11.30am. I for one, was pleasantly surprised at the huge array of food. The waitress politely emphasised the 'only get what you eat' policy which I thought was fair enough, and funnily enough, I think that all patrons respected that.

There was a bar for entree foods - all yummy, bettered and deep fried. My favourite was probably this seaweed mushroom ball (a button mushroom wrapped in crispy seaweed then gently golden-brownly deep fried), and their crispy seaweed crackers which was sweet, sesame seed coated, and very addictive. Other entrees on offer included the curry puffs, spring rolls, deep fried taro ball, a pastry thing and banana fritters. I tried everything (minus the banana) and was happy to go for seconds.

The middle section housed the mains. Encased around the three walls of mains was a little asian man making vegetarian sushi. His sushi was really fresh-tasting and delish! Loved it - and ate loads of sushi LOL. There were also some imitation meats (e.g. imitation prawns, beef, pork cutlet) all made from ingredients such as tofu, eggplant and mushrooms. Dumplings and fried rice was also available.

There was also a salad bar and a lovely tofu/mushroomy asian soup. Next to all this was a quaint little tea section - green tea (with some floral scent), milk tea (with matcha powder), gow gee tea, and some other floral one.

Last but not least - dessert time! There was a good selection of asian cakes, mochi, jellies and fruit. My favourite of the lot was probably the tiramisu. Definitely some hits and misses on the dessert table :P

I believe that it was an interesting experience. Personally, I wouldn't say no to a revisit but it is a bit out of the way and hubby did find himself longing for meat after the meal.

Ratings:
Food - 7.5/10
Service - 7/10
Ambiance - 7/10
Value for money - 7.5/10
Overall - 29/40

Zen Oasis
230 Medway Road
Berrima
NSW 2577

Tel: (02) 4877 1285