We began our recent meal with a pressed terrine of confit duck and foie gras – a combination that’s hard to beat, even more so with the addition of balsamic caramel and jellied consommé. I’m quietly amazed at the thin ribbons of king brown mushrooms, which add a whole different texture to the dish.

The dish I was most keen on trying was the snapper with crispy scales. Chefs normally groom each fillet meticulously for scales but Grant King has done the exact opposite and left the scales untouched. The scales are satisfyingly crisp and add a layer of crunchy perfection to the moist fillet of snapper. If seafood is King’s passion, then this dish is his homage to the sea. The odd splashes of murky ink sauce ties everything together beautifully.

Each course at Gastro Park is a piece of art, deserving a display case in MOMA than on a plate. The lamb saddle showered with flowers and cauliflower snowflakes looks more like a woodland forest in the autumn than a humble meat and veg dish. Mushrooms get top billing in this dish and there’s plenty to choose from, in all shapes and forms too (including the genius mushroom wires). The shantarelle, king browns, shimigi and enoki layered together add heady umami flavours to the soft buttery cuts of lamb.

We ended our meal with a chocolate, honeycomb and mandarin sphere. It wasn’t my first choice but rightfully swayed after a thumbs up from our waiter. The dish appeared swirling in dry ice, with the same sort of wonder as the opening scene of a Cirque du Soleil show. When we cracked open the sphere, a velvety cream poured out and enveloped the crumbs of gingerbread, the mini macarons and the salted caramel cubes in a custard landslide. It was bliss on a plate!

Go on, if you want to see what a home run looks like, give Gastro Park a buzz now. I’m now somewhat saddened that Gastro Park has ruined me for the rest of the year, I don’t think anything else will live up to it.

Gastro Park
5-9 Roslyn Street
Potts Point
# 02 8068 1017
www.gastropark.com.au

But boy, has this paid off for LL Wine & Dine.

Maybe it’s the recent culinary research trip to Shanghai or perhaps the gifted hands of chef Jin Kung, LL’s dumplings are pretty darn impressive. The skin, skillfully thin, envelops a hearty prawn and scallop filling with lobster broth. Though it’s closer to the yum cha breed, the dumpling is full of flavour and without the nasty sticky MSG after taste.

Steamed lobster bisque soup dumplings filled with prawn and scallop

Another dish LL does well is Peking duck – well, a more contemporary ‘jazzed’ up version that features shredded confit duck breast that’s far tastier than it’s Chinatown equivalent. While the homemade pancakes are a little eggy for my liking, I’m impressed with the taro chips which add a nice crunch. 

Confit crispy duck breast with five spices served with homemade pancakes

The standout dish for me is the sashimi nachos – which is actually a rather misleading label because they’re not really nachos at all. It’s a tricky dish to manoevur – trying to balance fish, corn salsa and sour cream is a challenge especially after a few cocktails – but the effort is rewarded with a scrumptious mouthful. There was something distinctly ‘Cantonese’ about the dish and it took me several nachos later to realise it was the drizzle of ginger and shallot oil on the bread. Genius!

Sashimi nachos of kingfish and ocean trout served with a spicy lime, capsicum and corn salsa, avocado, sour cream and black caviar

These gems, along with a handful of other dishes, feature on LL’s new winter menu. Don’t be fooled by LL’s swanky exterior, you’ll find some seriously bold flavours here. Just take the mint jelly that complements the lamb cutlets or the jumbo prawns in the Singaporean curry, LL’s chefs aren’t messing around.

Roasted lamb cutlet crusted with Massaman curry and lime leaf served with cucumber and mint jelly

Singaporean jumbo king prawn curry

I’m a little ashamed it’s taken me so long to visit LL, it’s a beautiful space to be in. It’s hard to believe this used to be a sex shop – though the retro porn collage on the wall is an amusing reminder.

LL Wine & Dine
42 Llankelly Place
Potts Point 2011
# 02 9356 8393
www.llwineanddine.com.au

Thanks to Chris and the team at LL for the intro, I’m hanging for another Chee Chee Mule!

I recently met with Ghazaleh Lyari, the founder of Ghermez Cupcakes. Ten years ago, Ghazaleh was a high flying investment banker on Wall Street. Now she’s the head of a booming cupcake business, concoting new flavours and managing the day-to-day of her brand’s three stores.

“Having worked with so many entrepreneurs, I’ve always wanted the opportunity to be the girl in charge,” Ghazaleh tells me and admits that she explored several business models before settling on cupcakes. What prompted this decision was that serious businessmen in the US were investing in cupcakes.

Sydney is no stranger to cupcakes and Ghazaleh has cleverly identified a gap in the market. Ghermez caters for a different kind of consumer, one perhaps like Ghazaleh herself who doesn’t have a sweet tooth but will indulge in a seriously good piece of cake.

Having done her research, Ghazelah set out to make quality cupcakes with a variety of unique flavours set out in a stylish environment. Her cupcakes are baked fresh everyday, using wholesome natural ingredients. No thick slabs of fluro buttercream on her cupcakes, everything is made from scratch – including the strawberry icing which is made fresh daily with real strawberries.

Ghermez currently have 20 flavours on their menu, with new flavours added seasonally. Dulce de leche is one of these flavours as is the new gluten free orange and almond (with more to come!).

“My inspiration for new flavours come mostly from my mother’s cooking. She is an amazing cook, and I grew up in a household where fabulous, wholesome and delicious food was around no matter when you walked through the doors!” Ghazaleh says, “She makes a lot of beautiful sweets and uses a lot of ingredients from the east, including pistachios, rose water, orange blossom extract.”

I got to sample a few of Ghazaleh’s creations, which included Chocolate Honey, Chocolate Marshmallow, Red Velvet, Dulce de Leche and Strawberry.

The standouts are undoubtedly the two chocolate flavours, both fluffy and moist – a rare quality missing in most cupcakes. The flavour of honey in the Chocolate Honey cupcake is subtle, well-balanced and not too overly sweet. Meanwhile, marshmallow forms the gooey centre of the Chocolate Marshmallow and makes a very clever (and addictive!) combination.

Ghazleh has big plans for her brand in the years to come, “My objective with Ghermez is to make sure we are regarded as ‘best in class’. I am hoping that ‘Ghermez’ will be a brand associated with all things delicious and stylish.”

Expanding beyond cupcakes is definitely on the cards. Ghazaleh has her eye on the next venture, and we’re all excited to find out what it is!

Molecular gastronomy turns time old traditions about food on its head and combines the excitement of food and science in one undeniably mind blowing combination.

The leading chefs in this area are Ferran Adria of El Bulli, Heston Blumenthal of The Fat Duck and Grant Achatz of Alinea, who coincedentally all appear in the top 10 in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

While some Australian chefs dabble here and there in this style of ‘avant garde’ cooking, Tomislav is probably the first of its kind to build its entire menu around this premise. Describing itself as a ‘future bistro’, Tomislav is located on an easy-to-miss corner of Darlinghurst within direct view of the Coke sign.

Owner and head chef, Tomislav Martinovic trained under Heston Bluementhal and has also worked with the likes of Matt Moran, Guillaume Brahimi and Eric Chavot.

Tomislav is intimate, cool and understated. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, all within direct view of the kitchen – where the magic happens.

We began our meal at Tomislav with an order of crackers. Rice crackers to exact. Accompanied with a sea salt and vinegar atomiser, we are advised by our waitress that three sprays are the recommended amount. The crackers were tangy, crisp and wildy addictive. We could’ve easily finished off a whole bowl and taken home a bag each.

Rice crackers with sea salt & vinegar - 7

I originally had reservations about ordering the oysters. What luck that I persisted, the oysters at Tomislav turned out to be my favourite dish of the night. Freshly shucked, the oysters were very juicy and supple. The lemon ice and soy dressing was the perfect duo – both soothing on the tongue and well seasoned. I don’t think I can have oysters any other way now.

Freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters with lemon ice and soy dressing - $12/$24

As we waited for our entrees to arrive, we were handed a small basket of bread and a plate of butter. The waitress tells us that the butter had been churned on site and was topped with an onion powder. I grinned from ear to ear, this is exactly the sort of creation I came for. The powder had a very subtle roasted onion flavour and added a nice earthy flavour to the butter, which in itself was so soft – almost like the whipped butter you get with McDonalds hot cakes.

Butter with onion powder

The excitement didn’t stop there. Our next dish was the grilled salmon rolls, topped with wasabi crumbs. Don’t be fooled, they’re not as lethal as they look. The crumbs actually had a very creamy taste with very little harshness at all.

Grilled salmon roll toast with wasabi crumbs - 12

The poached comboyne hen’s egg reminded me of congee. Except, instead of century egg, pork, chinese sausage and pickles, this had peas, ham and warm potato cream. Topped with a wafer thin slice of ‘toast’, I think it would make an incredibly comforting breakfast.

Poached Comboyne hen's egg with peas & ham and warm potato cream - 18

The quail, with its glistening skin, had very distinct Thai flavours – corainder, chilli and roast pineapple. The glaze was very addictive – if I wasn’t in front of company, I would’ve picked up the quail and eat it with my fingers.

Roast Red Gate Farm quail with chilli, coriander and roast pineapple - 19

The risotto was unique in that it used basmati rice – as opposed to the stubbier and creamier arborio rice. This meant that the risotto wasn’t as rich as normal and the lemon zest added a nice balance to the dish.

Basmati rice risotto with poached Yamba prawns, chives and lemon zest - 18

To round out the entrees, we had the poached yellow fin tuna with egg linguine, parmesan and celery cress. This really was an interesting trio of ingredients: the poached tuna really tied the dish together, while the celery cress helped cut through the richness of the creamy parmesan sauce.

Poached yellow fin tuna with egg linguine, parmesan and celery cress - 20

With only a brief moment to recover from the entrees, we were shortly presented with our mains. The barramundi was a very sizeable portion and both juicy and rich in flavour. Meanwhile, the cauliflower and parsley crumbs brought some colour and texture to the dish.

Wild river saltwater barramundi with cauliflower, parsley crumbs and king browns - 31

The scotch fillet came with a roast bone marrow split down the middle and a dab of horseradish cream. Already pre-sliced, the scotch fillet was cooked to a perfect medium rare. Our piece of marrow on the other hand, appeared to be overcooked and a little shrivelled. This didn’t affect the taste too much, it was an indulgent touch to the classic steak.

O'Connor scotch fillet with roast bone marrow and horseradish cream - 32

The duck breast was beautifully presented, set against a bright swipe of beetroot. Again pre-sliced (which made sharing so much easier), the crisp skin perfectly rendered and encased a tender strip of duck. The olive oil sponge had a very subtle flavour, perhaps overwhelmed by the surrounding ingredients.

Pasture Burrawong duck breast with olive oil sponge and baby beetroots - 32

The egg linguine was too creamy and salty for our liking. The pasta tasted very similar to the entree dish, it almost felt like we had doubled up on the order.

Egg linguine with Jannei goat's cheese, broccoli and anchovy - 29

Terry Durack raved about how great the chips were. But we found them dry and overcooked. If you’re ever travelling through Canada, the best chips money can buy can be found at Wild Bill’s in Banff. How they get their chips so darn crispy, I don’t know!

Crinkle cut chips - 8

When it came to ordering desserts, I was very disappointed to see that the chocolate mousse dome was no longer on the Tomislav menu. I had looked at it longingly when I read reviews by Not Quite Nigella, Eat Show & Tell and FoodiePop. Alas, we persisted with the four desserts that were featured on the menu.

The cheesecake wasn’t really like cheescake at all. It was light, creamy and airy – almost like mousse. The rhubarb was the perfect accompaniment and it’s very seldom I see it used so well in a dessert dish (besides the obvious tart or crumble).

Vanilla cheesecake with cream cheese and rhubarb sorbet - 14

Seemingly a tribute to the Bounty Bar, the dark chocolate coconut bar was a rich and decadent reinterpretation of the classic candy bar. The coconut ice and chocolate sorbet really made the dish and the sprinkling of pomegranate was nice touch! This dish reminded me of the ‘gas station’ challenge on Top Chef, where the contestants had to make fine dining dishes usuing only ingredients found at a gas station.

Dark chocolate coconut bar with coconut milk ice and chocolate sorbet - 14

My least favourite dish of the dessert round was the caramel pudding, which is surprising because I am a huge caramel fan. The caramel pudding sat at the very bottom of the bowl, buried under mounds of caramel walnuts. While the yoghurt provided a nice acidity to balance out the sweetness in this dessert, there was something about the combination I just didn’t enjoy.

Caramel pudding with yoghurt sorbet and caramelised walnuts - 14

And the dessert I ranked highest on the night was the apple crumble. I loved the deconstruction of this classic dish as well as the creativity in Tomislav’s re-construction. The individual elements were just as vibrant and delicious as the crumble combined. That’s the beauty of deconstruction I guess!

Apple crumble, macadamia nuts and clotted cream ice cream - 14

If you’re tired of the ‘same old same old’, then Tomislav a try. It will be sure to surprise you with its trippy menu of weird and wonderful creations.

Tomislav
2/13 Kirketon Road
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
# 02 9356 4535
www.tomislav.com.au Open Tuesday to Saturday from 6.00pm – 10.00pm.

Headed by Darren Simpson (Aqua Luna, La Sala and Barrenjoey House), La Scala’s menu showcases the best of organic seasonal produce with an Italian twist. We sampled 10 or so canapes adapted from La Scala’s menu and each was a tasty morsel packed with bold flavours that were strangely familiar and new at the same time.

One dish I couldn’t get enough of was the deep fried dates, which were stuffed with almonds. The gooey caramelised centre, coupled with the crisp outer shell had me going back for seconds and thirds.

Deep fried dates, pancetta, celery seeds & almonds

Sydney rock oysters, shallot vinegar & lemon

Pasta Frolla – silverbeet, olives, thyme, crème fraiche

Goujons of flathead, tartare sauce & lemon

Goujons of flathead, tartare sauce & lemon

Prosciutto San Daniele - fresh rockmelon

Deep-fried Yamba prawns, celery seeds & lemon

Deep-fried saffron, mozzarella & basil balls / Crostini with smoked salmon crème fraiche, beetroot relish & dill

Seared sirloin of beef rolls, wild rocket, Parmesan & aged balsamic vinegar

Regrettably, I didn’t get to try Rose Gray’s legendary Chocolate Nemesis cake, a dish from Simpson’s days as Head Chef at the River Café in London. This flourless chocolate cake is as rich as it is decadent, and by the looks of the recipe, it’s one I have to come back for!

La Scala on Jersey
Corner Jersey Road & Melrose Lane
Woollahra NSW 2025
# 02 9357 0815
www.lascalaonjersey.com.au

Open Tuesday – Saturday 5.30pm till late

With fellow foodies Lisa and Andrew in tow, we made our way to Lotus after work on a Friday night. We were surprised by the size of the bistro, which was a small space seating only 10 or so tables. Like all Merivale restaurants, Lotus is stylish and very well furnished (I’m eyeing the wallpaper for my bedroom). The staff did seem a little frazzled on the night, perhaps a little disorientated by the heat and the busy night ahead – even Dan Hong zoomed past us, too quick for us to say hello.

We order four of the six entrees listed on the a la carte menu to start, which arrives promptly with our bread.

Seared scallops with duck ham, kale and yuzu brown butter - $23

The scallops are cooked pefectly, slightly firm on the outside and supple on the inside. The duck ham and kale adds a rustic earthiness to the dish, which was a nice suprise.

Lightly smoked ocean trout, horseradish, trout roe and apple vinaigrette - $19

Mr. Taste’s smoked ocean trout was my least favourite of the four, although due to no fault of its own. I’m not a fan of smoked salmon or trout, largely thanks to my old days as a travel journo where every lunch and dinner function started with a course of smoked salmon. I can’t touch the stuff now! Nonetheless, there are some great flavours in this dish and you can tell it has been thoughtfully put together.

Sashimi of yellowfin tuna, sweet wasabi, soy truffle dressing - $25

Tuna is a difficult fish to get right when ‘sashimied’. If not cut correctly or properly stored, you get a very furry texture that is rather unappetising. We’ve had bad tuna all too often, but the yellowfin at Lotus is fantastic – the fish is fresh and has a firm texture. The sweet wasabi paste that accompanies finishes off the dish very nicely.

Queensland spanner crab with sweet corn, coriander, crab consommé - $22

The highlight of the entree round was my crab consommé. There were so many great flavours happening on in this dish – pops of sweet corn, fresh coriander, pockets of crab meat – all of which were tied together nicely with the consommé broth (which tastes remarkably familiar to pho). I haven’t been this excited about a dish since the squid ink ravioli at Pendolino!

By the time our empty plates are whisked away, the restaurant is at full capacity. It takes a good 45 minutes before we see our waiter again, but despite the long wait, we were in a good enough mood to tolerate it.

Char grilled grain fed striploin, sautéed mushrooms, confit garlic, tarragon jus

Mr. Taste and Lisa’s order of striploin is a thick juicy cut and is very tender. The accompanying sauce was slightly sweet, while the sauteed mushrooms adds a richer, deeper flavour. The confit garlic was also a nice addition and Lisa had no issue eating it straight off her plate. Mr. Taste was not so game.

Char grilled grain fed striploin, sautéed mushrooms,
confit garlic, tarragon jus

Meanwhile, Andrew and I order the slow braised pork belly, which was equally (if not more) fantastic. The meat was meltingly tender, ready to fall apart at any given tug. The highlight of this dish was the pork crackling, which had a certain architectural quality about it. The accompanying celeriac puree was incredily smooth and the pungency from the mustard helped to break up the richness of the pork.

Slow braised pork belly, mustard celeriac puree, puffed pork crackling

Slow braised pork belly, mustard celeriac puree,
puffed pork crackling

With our mains complete, we were ready for our sweet course. I can’t say that I was tempted by anything on the dessert menu, but happily went along with my fellow diner’s choices.

Hot fudge sundae with raspberries and honeycomb - $14

Our hot fudge sundae arrives with hot fudge on the side, giving us the enjoyable job of pouring it over the ice cream. There is something wonderfully comforting about a hot fudge sundae, and Lotus’ rendition is unbelievably satisfying. Dotted with raspberries, there is also a hunk of honeycomb lurking in the middle.

Hot fudge sundae with raspberries and honeycomb - $14

Warm chocolate sponge, butterscotch, banana and yoghurt sorbet - $14

Sadly, the warm chocolate sponge falls a little short in comparison. It was very dry and lacked imagination. That said, it found a friend in Mr. Taste, who confessed it was his favourite.

Warm chocolate sponge, butterscotch, banana and yoghurt sorbet - $14

Overall, we had a fantastic meal at Lotus. The service may have been a little slow, but we were wowed by each and every dish. I know I’ll definitely be back, if for nothing else than that fantastic crab consommé.

Lotus
Challis Avenue
Potts Point
# 02 9326 9000
www.merivale.com.au

The March into Merivale promotion is on now until 14 April. Get in quick before you miss out! For more information, please visit www.marchintomerivale.com.au.

Peri Peri - Chicken Breast Fillets, Shallots, Roasted Capsicum, Caramelised Onions & Bocconcini, topped with Peri-Peri sauce $20 Large

Crust Gourmet Pizza is taking Australia by storm. With stores popping up in key surburbs all over Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Crust’s hook is in their fresh gourmet ingredients – take that! Pizza Hut. A few even have the Heart Foundation’s tick of approval (although I’m not so sure it’s such a great measure considering McDonalds, Milo and Fruit Fix are also on that list).

We are regular Crust go-ers – their piping hot pizzas are great for lazy nights in and when we have company over. There’s also plenty of flavours to choose from – our favourites so far have been the Aussie, Peri Peri, Magherita and Proscuitto.

At $20+ for a large pizza, it is not the cheapest takeaway pizza around but there is free home delivery thrown in!

Peri Peri - Chicken Breast Fillets, Shallots, Roasted Capsicum, Caramelised Onions & Bocconcini, topped with Peri-Peri sauce

Aussie - Ham, Bacon, Egg Large $15

Prosciutto - Prosciutto, Roma Tomatoes, Garlic, topped with Shaved Parmesan & Wild Rocket Large $20

For a slice of the action, visit www.crust.com.au.

Darlinghurst’s trendy Vietnamese eatery, Phamish is unique in that I’ve heard both extremes – while some adore it, others wouldn’t dream of going back. It wasn’t until my first visit there that I realised why.

Papaya and Beef Salad - $16.50

I have a pet hate for restaurants that don’t take bookings. Phamish is one of these restaurants. The first time I visited Phamish, my girlfriends and I arrived 15 minutes after opening and missed the first sitting – which meant that we had to wait an hour before getting a table. The second time, Mr. Taste and I made sure we were there 6pm on the dot. We figured it was worth killing ourselves to get there on time than face the agonising wait.

Front Counter

Both times I’ve visited, the service was unfriendly. I’ve also heard horror stories of customers getting screamed at for missing their spot in the queue. The staff don’t take orders, so you have to line up at the counter to place your order (on most nights, the line is as long as the restaurant itself). While the food does come out quite fast, you’re also expected to vacate your table just as quickly. Dishes are cleared almost as soon as you take the last bite.

Duck and Prawn Pancake - $14

Bad service or not, the food is definitely worth coming for. Some say Phamish is a mix of Vietnamese and Thai, but I think it’s more Chinamese fusion in that it takes a fresh approach to Chinese and Vietnamese cooking. The duck and prawn rice paper rolls here are sensational. These jumbo sized rolls combine duck pancake, banh xeo and rice paper roll all in one fascinating mix. They are definitely one of the first dishes to be taken off the menu on a busy night, so make sure you order these early!

Blue Swimmer Crab Dumplings (with dipping sauce) - $12

The Blue Swimmer Crab Dumplings are just as popular. These crispy wontons are stuffed with a crab meat filling with shitake mushrooms and corn. A word of warning, the dumpings are prepared fresh from the deep fryer, so be careful not to burn your tongue!

Papaya and Beef Salad - $16.50

The papaya salad is quiet mild in comparison to the ones Mr Taste’s aunts make. It’s still plenty tasty though, especially with the pan-fried beef slices.

Other signature dishes include the salt and pepper squid, lamb curry and the banana blossom salad.

Phamish

And one last thing….. For those of you who’ve been, what is up with the chairs? While I love the look, they’re awfully uncomfortable to sit on. After two hours on these seats, I’m in need a good back rub.

Phamish

Phamish
Shop 109, 50 Burton St,
Darlinghurst NSW 2010
# 02 9357 2688

For Mr. Taste and I, the answer is simple – the Terrace Lounge at Boon Chocolates.

Boon has become a bit of a local legend in the short few months it has been open. Run by brother and sister team Alex and Fanny Chan, the chocolate shop and lounge has a reputation for handmade sweets made from fresh quality ingredients sourced both locally and abroad. Boon is also passionate about giving back to the community through supporting such initiatives as Opportunity International Australia.

Hot Dark Chocolate with Chocolate Mousse and Praline $7

During our particular visit, we choose the dark hot chocolate. It is wonderfully rich and chocolaty – not ‘watery’ like ones we’ve had at San Churro and Lindt Cafe. The mousse is just as smooth and has a beautiful emolient texture that leaves you wanting more (one shot just isn’t enough). Our praline du jour is the jewel toned ‘Mira’,  a white chocolate ganache infused by mountain pepper berry and strawberry. This has got to be my favourite chocolate at Boon.

Chocolate Waffles with Hot Chocolate Sauce and Ice Cream $10

My Choco-Art

Our order of chocolate waffles arrive with a side of warm chocolate sauce that you pour yourself. The waffles were a little stale for my liking, but the vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate sauce do pull the dessert together. That said, it still doesn’t compare to my favourite chocolate waffles at Max Brenner.

View from the Terrace Lounge balcony

While the desserts may be the highlight at Boon, enjoying a bit of sunshine and people watching sure completes the experience.

Take home treat - 5 chocolates $12

Boon Chocolates
251 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst
# 02 9356 8876
www.boonchocolates.com.au

Open from Tues – Wed (12 noon – 8:30pm)
Thurs- Sat (12 noon – 10:30pm)
Sunday (12 noon – 7pm)
Closed on Mondays

The communal table

Le Pain Quotidien has over 100 cafes in over 20 different cities worldwide – including three in our very city: Surry Hills, Leichardt and more recently Bondi.

While Sydney is no stranger to organic cafes and bakeries, it is Le Pain Quotidien‘s Belgian (and quasi French) heritage that sets it apart from the rest. Expect the same buttery soft pastries and crusty breads you might find in Brussels and Paris.

Le Pain Quotidien Bondi

The communal table

So when we were invited to a breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien‘s newest Bondi store, we simply couldn’t say no. Located on the Level 4 Oxford Street bridge in Bondi Westfield, the cafe is split into two dining areas flanked by communal tables. The cafe storefront is unmissable with all sorts of pastries, breads and tarts adorned in the display windows.

Bondi storefront

Daily pastry selection, baked fresh!

Bread selection

More bread!

We were served a delicious sampling of Le Pain Quotidien‘s menu at the Bondi breakfast. Raisin couque suisse, almond croissants, madeline tarts, caramel sugar topped muffins, organic yoghurt parfait, smoked salmon omelettes…. there were simply too many to list!

Couque suisse $4.50

Organic porridge with cherry $6.95

Organic omelette with smoked salmon $17

Organic omelette with tomato and avocado $14.50

Bread baskets with jam

Cappuccino in 'mug bowl'

The menu at Le Pain Quotidien is very well priced, considering the quality ingredients that go into all their food. While there is plenty of variety on the menu, it isn’t as extensive as some other cafes. We’d be keen to take a look at the Leichhardt store, which is the only one in the chain that serves dinner. Either way, we know will definitely be back for a fully fledged experience at Le Pain Quotidien!

PS – Thanks to the girls at Polkadot PR for hosting this wonderful event.

Le Pain Quotidien Bondi
Level 4 Oxford Street Bridge
Westfield Bondi Junction
# 02 9386 0840
www.lepainquotidien.com.au

Open 7:30am to 5:00pm from Monday to Saturday, late night shopping on Thursday and from 8:00am to 5:00pm on Sunday.

Le Pain Quotidien Surry Hills
Corner Bourke and Fitzroy Streets
Surry Hills
# 02 9360 8460

Open 7:30am to 5:00pm from Monday to Saturday and from 8:00pm to 5:00pm on Sunday.

Le Pain Quotidien Leichhardt
54 Norton Street
Leichhardt
# 02 9564 0099

Open 7:30am to 5:00pm from Monday to Wednesday, 7:30am to 10:00pm from Thursday to Saturday and from 8:00am to 5:00pm on Sundays.