Moonlight Cinema

Moonlight Cinema – www.moonlight.com.au Centennial Park, Sydney It’s on again!!

Winter Garden Eateries, Sydney CBD

 Check out the new Wintergarden food court located in the heart of the CBD.  WinterGarden is a great place for a bite whether it be grab and go, or a bit of a longer sojourn with a special someone. The eateries and sample food include:

Bowery Lane – Roasted snapper, slow cooked lamb shoulder, Charlie Chaplins, Brooklyn beer, wines.

CBD noodles – Chicken laksa and wonton noodle soup.

Chur express (Chur burger) – Chicken sliders

Crema from the Garden – Tea, coffee, and cakes.

Los Vida – Fish tacos, chilaquiles, quesadillas.

Sushi Hub – Bite-sized sushi plate.

Soul Origin – Baguettes, paninis, salads, freshly made chai.

Top Juice – Juices and fresh smoothies.

WinterGarden Deli – Pumpkin and feta frittata with kale and quinoa salad, Nutella frappé.

Check out my sample of Wintergarden

To start us off the Wintergarden Deli introduced the group to their Nutella frappe and savoury pumpkin and feta frittata with kale and quinoa salad.  Nutella frappé, you ask? The drink was absolutely delicious!

As for the frittata, the slight sweetness of the pumpkin and salty creaminess of the feta was a nice combination.  The salad being sweet from raisins, sour from the dressing, and crunchy complemented the frittata well in taste and texture. 

Next up was Sushi Hub with a genuine degustation sized plate. The plate that came out was superb in its simplicity.  A spicy tuna with brown rice roll and chicken and avocado roll were both great as bite-sized pieces.  The salmon sashimi rose was perfect – slightly chilled, soft, and juicy.  Two salads – seaweed and jellyfish, just the right amount of sweet and salty flavours to sate your tastebuds and just that bit of crunch to complete the sushi experience.

The sushi plate was paired with a light and crisp Brooklyn Lager.  It was also quite hoppy, I did think it contrasted well with the relatively smooth flavours of the sushi.

Following up the sushi was a tasting board made up of baguettes, paninis, and wraps adorned with various sides – not all boards were clones of each other.   This platter was made with breads from some of Sydney’s best artisan bread-makers and the sides were expertly prepared.

Made with a sourdough that is soft and chewy yet still firm enough to hold shape despite being manhandled by yours truly it adds just a hint of sour to the smoothness of the cheese, the saltiness of the salami, and the mixed leaf salad.

Fortunately there was a break at this point for a drinks break with both a smoothie and a freshly made chai tea with a “secret ‘spice fresh’ sprinkle” that from what I could taste, and smell, was just freshly ground cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg 

Time for Mexican and it started well with a fish taco.  A deep fried fish fillet on a shallow bed of vinegared cabbage topped with chipotle mayo and jalapenos three ways – fresh, pickled, and grilled.  I enjoyed this dish a lot as the flavours were very fresh and the fried fish and fried side salad added crunch to the usual soft taco texture.  Chilaquiles and quesadillas were shared amongst the group.  The chilli had a bit of heat tempered by the beans and cheese while the quesadillas were quite salty with more meat (pulled pork) than cheese - a bit more guacamole and chipotle sour cream would have helped.  Both were mouth-wateringly good and definitely a pairing I want to have the next time I’m watching sport with my mates.

At this stage everyone was well and truly stuffed so when the whole roasted snapper and slow cooked lamb shoulder it was with heavy hearts that we could not partake more than we did.  From the little I did have I can say for certain that the chef did an amazing job.  The fish was perfectly roasted and smothered in fresh Mediterranean flavours and while the lamb shoulder was tasty it was a tad dry.

Despite our full stomachs once the chicken sliders reached the table there was magically space for one, or two.  Sweet brioche like buns, chargrilled chicken, creamy mayo, hot sauce, with tart slaw.  They were so good one of the bunnies joined us.

It all ended with a high tea style platter of cakes and an espresso for me.

My favourite dishes for the day were the tacos, chilaquiles (bean nachos), and the chicken sliders – probably a reflection of my penchant for casual food you can share with mates.  You must try the Nutella frappes AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY. I can’t say that there is anything to avoid, though the noodle dishes seemed to be weak in comparison to all the others.

Check out Winter Garden!!

Address: 1 O'Connell Street, Sydney NSW 2000

Opening Hours: 6:30am to 4:30pm

Please Note: Thanks to my guest writer who attended this special invite on behalf of Weekendfoodescapes by Lisa. Please note the guest writer was invited to the launch of Winter Garden. All words, photos, opinions are my own (Of the guest writer).

Pizza Hut, The Works, George St, Sydney (now closed)

I must confess the works at Pizza Hut is a guilty pleasure. It's great when you're broke and with a brother who can eat endlessly. The atmosphere is a bit stale and some of the food is dry when it's been out for some time but there's something homely about memories of my youth.

If you get the pizza fresh out of the oven, with a side of chips, pasta and my random favourite of corn mixed with pasta salad; you may be experiencing what I call the ultimate plate. The CBD restaurant is one of the very last standing restaurants and I wonder how long this could last.

I must admit I had a sneaky bowl of dessert as well of brownie, ice cream and chocolate sauce. Come here once every few years... to relive your youth and shout your kid brother when you are broke.

Prices: $18.95 for dine in, works dinner or weekend lunch/dinner

Location: 630 George St, Sydney

Buderim Ginger - Ginger Net

The Ginger Net has some amazing products for all you ginger lovers! 

At the product launch, I popped in it was a beeline to the Ginger Beer. I’m actually quite a ginger beer fan – and this version definitely lived up to expectations – it packs a decent ginger punch, and just the right amount of refreshing bubbles. Gotta love the classic sleek packaging and the sexy ginger gal in the background!

The food surprise of the night (picture below) was awaiting on the second floor – awaiting upstairs was the ultimate ginger dessert heaven with a lolly table full of ginger treats and cute lil ginger gnomes working their magic. The ginger popcorn with sweet caramelized pieces of ginger were moreish and by far my fave, though I managed to fit in my dessert stomach ginger cupcakes, ginger candy sticks, and chocolate and ginger marmalade tarts which packed a good zing and broadened my dessert horizons.

The festivities continued with a fun Ginger dress-up photo booth, a make-up bar where they applied a cute lil ginger streak to my hair, bowling, and then turned up the heat with a ginger doing some amazing fire-twirling and fire-breathing – hot!!

So all in all a fabulous fun rebrand launch - It wasn’t till I took home a fun goodie bag I realised the broad range of Buderim ginger products on offer. The Ginger Bears I highly recommend  along with the Naked Ginger – I ate these straight like a lolly and when was sick recently threw a few into my honey lemon tea like ginger marshmellows.

You can buy direct from their funky new website and their Ginger Factory.

http://www.thegingernet.com/

http://www.buderimginger.com/products

I’m a big kid so I was pretty excited to learn that their Ginger Factory on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland is actually open to the public, with tours, cute rides and even ginger gardens. Will have to check that out next time I’m up there.

Overall an extremely fun night and rebrand – I applaud Buderim’s Ginger’s playfulness and whilst staying true to some great flavours and products. Love that Buderim is a proud Aussie brand for over 40 years and hopefully many more. #Goginger

We were greeted outside with a funky ginger truck welcome party which set the fun and funky scene. I snapped a pic of another guy that looked more than ecstatic to be surrounded by a group of gorgeous ginger gals.

Note: I was invited as a guest of the exciting launch of an exciting rebrand for Buderim Ginger Beer and its broad range of ginger products – I walked in not quite sure what to expect, though boy was I in for a treat!  Buderim Ginger managed to spice up my Tuesday night by mixing a concoction of all things sexy, spicy and ginger, with a dash of fun old school nostalgia. 

The Pavilion, Berry

The Pavilion is in the main strip of Berry and is part of the Berry Village Boutique Motel. The Pavilion is a little restaurant with big hearty meals, it resembles the atmosphere and quality of a clean, down to earth pub.

Pictured above is the Black Angus eye fillet mignon 300gr- wrapped in smoky bacon & cooked the way you like, topped with Creamy Mushroom sauce.  This will set you back $35.  The meat was quite thick so it wasn't evenly cooked. Lucky for me, I don't mind medium rare or medium so I still enjoyed this meal. The sides were consistent.

The picture below is the Blackened chicken breast- pan fried chicken roulade with smoked salami, mini cornichons, coated in Cajun herbs and spices & a side dapper of smoked paprika aioli dipping sauce at $28. All the sides seem to overwhelm the plate and the main of chicken but it was still a solid, hearty meal.

Come by if you're looking for a casual meal. The prices are probably a little steep but there's not much competition around so supply v.s demand! Berry is in hot demand so you should book ahead of any restaurants. There are some quite highly rated ones.

Prices: About $30 per main

Location: 72 Queen St, Berry, NSW

The Famous Berry Donut Van, Berry

Fresh made donuts are warm, slightly crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and full of cinnamon, sugary flavours. The Famous Berry Donut Van delivers this in Berry. The donuts are very tasty but are probably comparable to fresh donuts from Donut King.  Both are very delicious.  But the difference is that the Famous Berry Donut Van guarantees fresh donuts even if that means a long wait.

But it's all about supply and demand and given there are no other competitors; the famous Berry Donut Van is famous!  People are willing to line up and wait for these donuts!  I only bought one donut for $1.20 with a lime drink.

Sydney Noodle Markets, Part 2

Hello, Sydney! Back to the noodle markets (early this time) to show you my favourite picks this year.

The very popular and fragrant Hoy Pinoy has bursted into full flavours at this year's Noodle Markets in Sydney.  For $10, you can get two mouth watering skewers with $3 rice being optional.  Your choices are the specially glazed chicken or the pork belly. Hoy Pinoy is a pop-up / market popular favourite with massive queues!



Last year's craze was the Ramen Burger and it does not disappoint this year. The Ramen burger (I choose beef) was perfection. I'm not sure how else best to describe this. The meat was so fatty and tender and melted in my mouth - it has a slight kick of chili to it - perfection. The noodle patties were soft and crunch which provided variety in texture. The small salad and watermelon were perfect sides.

The rice burger was also delicious (in pork) with heavily marinated flavours that were beautifully cooked. I got the combo (both Ramen and Rice burgers for $25) which did not disappoint. Saliva is coming out of my mouth as I am now thinking about both burgers. Awesome work guys!

Tea Bar and Grill were the producers of this year's ramen burger and will be opening late this year.

Prices: Most main dishes are about $12-$15

Location: Enter via Corner of Park and Elizabeth st or Market and Elizabeth streets, Sydney. If you are looking for the Ramen Burger from Ramen On then enter via Park St and Elizabeth St entrance.

Opening hours: 

Mon – Tue 5pm – 9pm
Wednesday 5pm – 10pm
Thursday - Fri 5pm – 11pm
Saturday 4pm-10pm
Sunday 4pm – 9pm

Ikea Restaurant, Rhodes

I love Ikea meatballs but I had lunch plans but could not resist... so I ordered the kids portion at $3.50.  WOWzer! 5 meatballs drenched in a white sauce and a sweet cranberry sauce with a side of chips.  To round off my snack, I also bought a carton of Dryck Lingon at $1.30.

According to the Ikea website,  "Lingonberries grow wild in many ancient forests throughout the Northern hemisphere. Serve this drink chilled as a thirst quencher, or with your optional meal. The product is organic."

Yum, Yum, Yum.

For another $3.50, my friend wanted to have the almond slice which I thought was nice but if I only had $3.50 up my sleeve, I would have just bought the kids meatball meal!!!! I love it!

Great Bagel and Coffee Co, Macquarie Centre

Once a bustling and popular venue for a pre-movie lunch or dinner, the Great Bagel and Coffee can no longer compete with the eateries in Macquarie Centre.

Cheese Bagel, Angus Beef Burger with curly fries. Promotional price of $15

The meat was well cooked and the burger had all the trimmings of tomato, lettuce, cheese, gherkins and onion. The burger was nice and it was a good promotional meal. The burger was not quite as
luscious as a Grill'd burger which is a few door down.

A soft drink for adults. Cascade lemon lime bitters and ginger beer to wash down the salty goodness.

The concept is great, enjoy delicious bagels in delicious combinations like the angus beef bagel. What is lacking is customer service, revitalisation of modern times, lack of welcome and atmosphere.  With Chef's Gallery soon opening up along side heavy weights of Snag Stand, Lok Lok Dumpling and delicious gozemes; the Great Bagel Coffee will have to up it's game or I will seriously doubt how long this place will last.

This one is in the entertainment book for 25% off  (after a firm challenge from the customer service attendant).

Give it a go if you're curious.  This place has great potential but needs some work.

Prices: A promotional deal of Angus Bagel and fries for $15.

Magnum Pleasure - Pop Up Store - Pitt St Mall, City

The Magnum Pleasure Pop Up store in Pitt St is a touch of indulgence right in the middle of the CBD. For $8, you can go wild with Magnum ice cream.  The menu is pictured above.

Location: Level 2, Cnr Pitt Street Mall and Market Street, Sydney 2000

Price: $8 per ice cream

Duration: 27 August to 19 October, Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat 9.30am-6.30pm; Thu 9.30am-9pm; Sun 10am-6pm

In three easy steps, you can have the most satisfying ice cream.

1.You start off by choosing a milk, dark or white chocolate coated ice cream.
2. Then you choose from 3-4 toppings from a choice of 18.
3. Finally you finish off with a drizzle of milk, dark or white chocolate.

My beautiful creation (above) had hazelnuts, honeycomb pieces, dried strawberries and rose petals. It was drizzled with dark chocolate and there was also a white chocolate. It was delicious!

The bottom creation was amazing too which had hazelnuts, almonds, vanilla crumble and coconut flakes! It was drizzled with milk chocolate and topped with a vanilla magnum button.  I loved this creation!

This photo below speaks for itself....

National Association of Women in Construction Awards, The Star

I recently attended the National Association of Women in Construction Awards which was held at the event room at the Star. These awards recognise and celebrate achievement in the construction industry.  The Construction Industry is a challenging environment and NAWIC NSW does a lot of great work in advancing women in this industry.

It was a great night hosted by Deborah Hutton. Check out their facebook for more information.

The night started with a butternut pumpkin and ricotta agnelotti with asapragus, sage butter and toasted pumpkin seeds. The pasta was perfectly cooked I loved biting into those pillows of pumpkin.

This was then followed by a slowly roasted corn fed chicken breast, truffled cauliflower puree, silver beet, baby cherry tomato, crispy pancetta and tarragon jus.  I couldn't really taste the truffle in the cauliflower but the chicken was perfectly cooked. The sides had a lot of different textures including silver beet, cauliflower and tomato were perfect with the chicken.

For dessert, there was a selection of dessert canapes of new york cheese cake, passion fruit curd with caramelised pineapple, dark chocolate with salted caramel tart with raspberry marshmellow.  I had the pleasure of tasting the cheesecake and the passion fruit curd.  Very tasty.

I enjoyed this meal with a glass of the Bossa Barossa Shiraz which was from the Barossa Valley SA.

A great night for women in construction! Congratulations to all those that were nominated and the winners who have had great accomplishments within the industry.

The guys at the Star were great.