Archive for May 2012

Home Archive for May 2012

Confit Bistro, 4/9 Doggett Street, FORTITUDE VALLEY QLD 4006

I don’t get the opportunity to eat breakfast at a chef hatted restaurant every morning, so when that opportunity existed, I made sure that sufficient food was consumed. *winks*

Confit Bistro is located on a corner street in the James Street precinct. I remember reading their menu the night before and was immediately attracted to the idea of a mixture of honeycomb, mascarpone, fresh berries and vanilla scented pancakes ($17.90) and to be honest, the price is no different to what most popular cafes charge these days.

The interior of this contemporary French restaurant isn’t fancy shmancy, if anything, it feels humble. We sat opposite each other in one of their booths next to the window; the warmth of the morning sun on my face felt so relaxing.

The kitchen had ran out of fresh berries and instead, the chef offered chocolate Persian fairy floss and malted milk ice cream, to which I immediately, without a single doubt, said yes, yes, yes!

The other travel bunny ordered a special of the day, which was eggs benedict on pork belly with confit potatoes and various other veggies (18.90) I saw a beaming smile on his face when he cut opened the egg, when the golden colour egg yolks slowly covered up pieces of these succulent pork belly. I’m sure that would make anyone smile.

As for my pancakes, they were the fluffiest I’ve ever seen. Everything tasted so good, I couldn’t finish my plate and yet I felt like I hadn’t eaten enough.

If you’re a regular breakfast goer like these bunnies and want to try something different, somewhere other than a hip, crowded café, perhaps you can check out Confit.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $45.00

Little Hong Kong, Shop 23A Market Square, SUNNYBANK QLD 4109

Little Hong Kong is an oldie, but a goodie. Every so often I get cravings for their menu item number 50. At $13.50, number 50 gives you the option to choose any two of the four types of BBQ meat that the restaurant has on offer and they include BBQ pork, roast duck, soy chicken and my favourite of them all, crispy pork belly. You can also choose between dry or soup noodle.

I must admit that I have tried a limited number of other dishes on the menu. I know what I like and I never get disappointed from having the same dish.

So yes, off we went last Sunday night and I went home with a belly-full of succulent, juicy BBQ pork. I think I had a dream of happy little crispy pork bellies dancing around too.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $30.50

Meet Fresh, Shop 123, Sunnybank Plaza, SUNNYBANK QLD 4109

So, this is my first blog post using photos taken by Instagram.

We unexpectedly found Meet Fresh in Sunnybank and without my trusty DSLR, I decided to use my phone.

We ordered their signature herbal jelly ($5.50) and taro balls dessert no.4 ($5.50) which was served with red beans, taro and pearls. I was slightly disappointed with the presentation as they looked nothing like the pictures on the wall, but then I realised that because we ordered “hot” desserts instead of cold, the jelly was liquified. Um, as to the taste, we could really put our fingers on it, but I quite liked the herbal taste of grass jelly.

I also saw a gigantic serving of Supreme Mango Crushed Ice on the table next to us and I personally can't wait to go back and give it a go.

Chinatown, Sydney AUSTRALIA

Chinatown . Sydney . Australia . Autumn

Four Seasons Hotel, 199 George Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000

Last time when the other travel bunny took me to Sydney as a surprise present, we stayed at Hilton Sydney, which is located right opposite the beautiful and elegant Queen Victoria Building.

This time when I took mum to Sydney for her Mother's Day weekend, I decided to stay at somewhere with a view of the Opera House. So, a Deluxe Full Harbour View in the Four Seasons was what I decided on.

We arrived in Sydney early in the morning and we were offered early check-in at 10am. The décor of the room seemed rather dated and the size isn't exactly impressive, but you probably wouldn't concentrate too much on the inside of the room, considering the amazing view it offered, from dawn to dusk. The hotel offers everything that that you would expect of its prestigious brand including marble bathrooms, comfortable bed and … did I mention the view?

The location of the hotel is great with a short stroll taking you to the central shopping district. However, I probably wouldn't stay at the Four Seasons again when I am next in Sydney as the property lacks the uniqueness that other newer boutique hotels offer.

Bunnies' travel notes:

Bunnies' Room Number: 1711

Number of Guest rooms: 531 (not including suites)

Swimming pool: Yes

Check-in/check-out times: 2pm and 12noon.

Price range: $340 AUD - $813AUD per night

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Neat Espresso, 276 Edward Street, BRISBANE QLD 4000

It may be hard to spot this tiny cafe located close to the busy intersection of Edward and Adelaide Streets, but during my short visit there, the cafe was occupied by non-stop coffee grabbers. It's a one man operation and the barista seemed really nice (and talkative, so don't be surprised if you end up standing there waiting for your coffee to be made while the barista takes his time and chats to others). Lunch that day consisted of toasted chicken and bacon sandwiches with two cups of coffee. The sandwiches reminded me of the ones I used to get from school's tuck shop, nothing amazing but comforting and at $5 each, they are pretty good value. My coffee tasted burnt, but given the number regulars, one would assume the something about the cafe is appealing.

Pablo, 893 Brunswick Street, NEW FARM QLD 4005

The morning after our affair at Urbane, we thought long and hard to come up with a place for breakfast. Pablo came to mind.

This quaint little venue in New Farm was pumping when we arrived but luckily we got the last table inside.

Coffee and tea were delivered to our table quickly and they tasted strong but very smooth.

It took me a while to decide on what to have for breakfast as every item on the menu sounded tempting. We ended up with Brioche French toast w' seasonal figs and homemade Turkish ice cream ($15) and savoury mince with smoked speck, cherry tomatoes and sourdough toast ($15). The Turkish ice cream was so yummy that I could eat a whole tub of it, but I think I left my toast soaking in the golden syrup for a little too long and it became soggy.

The savoury mince was definitely the star of the day. The portion was generous but the flavours presented in this dish drove us to finish every single bit of it.

If your looking for a cute little place to grab a nice coffee and a hearty, good value bite then Pablo is your place.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent :$37