Dragonfly Cafe - Eden Gardens (Macquarie Park)

Another day back home in Sydney, another opportunity to catch up with a friend from long ago - in this case, from over 10 years (we think). She's a friend of mine from very long ago, when we first met in primary school and music classes. Unfortunately we've lost touch over the years: barely stayed in contact but never had a proper catch up until now!!

Where, I ask, would two artsy, funny and cheerful people go? My excuse for selecting Eden Gardens is that I used to live in the apartment blocks opposite this place on Fontenoy Rd, so I've always been PAST but never into this nursery. My friend's excuse: don't we all love pretty things - especially from a feminine perspective!! Well, that she's driven past here many times too but never had an excuse to go in...

Situated opposite Fontenoy Rd in Macquarie Park (off Lane Cove Rd/A3 motorway) with traffic light turning pockets, Eden Gardens is built over the site of an old brickworks, with all the excavation cleared and filled, and is now a garden-nursery with display gardens (for exhibitions and events/weddings), conference facilities and a cozy cafe: Dragonfly Cafe (see below). The rooftop layout is quite aesthetic, with the panes deliberate set at a descending angle from vertical to the horizontal!

Food time!

Below are:
Eggs Benedict with Salmon ($16): delightfully filling for the price, with two larger-than-expected hunks of Salmon =)

Hotcakes with vanilla gelato ($11): hot yumminess topped with a runny sweet trickle of vanilla. I put this simply: once I started, I couldn't stop =)

Hot chocolate ($4, cup) and coffee ($4, +1 = $5 for a mug-size)

Food Verdict:

Nothing overly special - would probably rate it a 6/10 for ordinarily nibbles for an acceptable price.

**Plus points: go for the outdoor dining facing the nursery or the courtyard, with an open airy feel overall. Food portions are slightly larger than expected for brunching, but fair for the price.

**Down side: Could have a little more variety, menus hard to find (grab it at the cashier's counter on the way in).

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Dragonfly Cafe @Eden Gardens, Macquarie Park
307 Lane Cove Rd
Macquarie Park, NSW, 2118

Open for brunch, lunch and tea most days - see website for details

To get here: driving only, with onsite and underground parking - easily found as "opposite Fontenoy Rd, 2118" with traffic light control for traffic from both directions. Situated just north of the A2/A3 intersecton.
Public transport: buses-only, that stop at "corner Fontenoy Rd/Lane Cove Rd", with services from Macquarie Centre and Epping, possibly to Gordon and Lindfield.




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Bonus: happy snaps from around the Gardens - enjoy!

Kitchen by Mike (Rosebery)

Another trip home to Sydney, another outing for catchups!

This morning was a long awaited catchup with my bestie... it is surprising how long (or short) 3 months feels like, and how much you can miss someone :( Mebbe I should find a posting back to Sydney soon...

Today began like any other: picked her up, and off to brunch we go - but someone forgot to tell the Grounds of Alexandria that we were coming: Sunday morning, and the place was packed by 8.30am !! :( All we saw from the outside were long queues and no car parking :(

So we relied on our favourite app (Urbanspoon) to look up an organic cafe nearby: Kitchen by Mike, which is only a 3min drive across to the next sector of Rosebury.

Situated within a warehouse on 85 Denning Ave, this is a place easily overlooked at first, with an exception: the numbers are painted on the door, so BOLO: be on the Lookout!!

We found plenty of street parking, and strolled in via the main entrance/ramp:

With a large open-space kitchen and a canteen style atmosphere, it is definitely a warm cosy place to enjoy brekkie with the family, and we watched as young couples, new families with a new bub, or those with a trio in tow all come in to enjoy a lovely Sunday brunch. As for ourselves: we found a cosy corner sofa to watch it all go by, nibbling away and catching up on everything that's happened in the past three months.

The nibbles: not cheap, but what do you expect for organic and speedily served?

Eggs Royale ($13) on smoked salmon: hot, gooey and yummy!

Sourdough pancakes with lemon curd ($14) - my favourite: three slices of hot yumminess with a tarty tang from the curd. Overpriced in my opinion, but I ain't complaining

Granola, yoghurt and stewed fruit ($12): our healthy compromise - and a little on the side for filling us up ;)

Oh, and not to mention my coffee!

Overall: good food, great vibe, cosy atmosphere... with a mild zap to the wallet. Worth the trip once here and there: 8/10 for what it's worth



PS: highlights of their homewares/arts store that opened at 10am...

Brisbane - ODMA Exhibition

You know you are somewhat bored, when one types this up during dinnertime, with four white walls, a table, and six chairs for company. Well... 5 really, cause you're sitting on the sixth.

It's a week on since my trip down to Brisbane: to attend the bi-annual Optometry trade expo known as ODMAfair 2013: the Optical Distributors & Manufacturers Association expo. I remember attending the previous expos as a student in their traditional hunting grounds of Sydney (ODMAFair 09 and ODMAFair 2011), but is closed for renovations this year - so up they come to Brisbane. Yippee! Just my luck: only a 2hr drive from Toowoomba.

So I'm not going to bore you with the exploits of Optometry, and get down to what's important: the FOOD!
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MOS Burger (Queen St Mall)

Now coming down to Brisbane usually means I meet up with friends, both past and present. And naturally, our usual apathy tends to digging out our iPhone/Samsung Galaxy S3 or S4 to seek a spot to nibble.

To me, Mos Burger seems to be the equivalent of Asian-McDonalds: order, wait, and eat your burger. Instead of skinny fries and a Coke, one gets fat chippies and an iced tea. =Asians=

=) The Menu

My choice was the last: Fish Burger for $4.45.
Slightly bigger than a Filet O'Fish, and more tang to the sauce... seek your own opinions. The one above are my friend's choice: Seafood Okonomi set with rice-cake inside your burger!

The choice is yours, younglings!
Value - on par with elsewhere
Varieties: Asian-ified - and enjoy!

Mos Burger (Brisbane CBD)
250 Albert St
Brisbane, QLD 4000
How to: Go down Queen St Mall to Albert St, turn 'up' towards King George's Square, and it'll be on your left

A Japanese-started rendition of a hamburger joint that has quite a number of locations in Hong Kong!



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Jojo's Restaurant (Brisbane CBD)

First MOS Burger for afternoon tea (well, we were slightly peckish after two hours of sitting still and laughing at Mike and Sully on Monsters University)... then dinner with another friend-from-long-ago. This time ABOVE Queen St Mall!

The entrance escalator is tucked on Queen St near the intersection with Albert St, and one ascends into a glossy, fluorescent-lit world away from the bustle and noise of Brisbane Centre. This Bar x Diner blend takes some getting used to at first, as you look around and admire how posh everything appears. The blend comes across in their menu as well: a confused debacle of steakhouse fare with Thai and Italian options as well.

Drink orders first: Number 8 Cocktail ($16, above) is a mix of passionfruit pulp, vodka, Vanilla Galliano, cherry juice, mint and lime and other thingamies too. Sip. Sip. and keep sipping.

Chocolate milkshake ($5.50, below): The usual fare for the faint-hearted.

Mains:
Penne Pollo ($25): Chicken breast on penne in a rose sauce with mushroom, spinach and avocado, with a touch of bacon. A fair sized main considering price and location and rather filling.

Eye fillet 275g steak with Dianne sauce, topped with greens in a mix called "Greek Salad" ($35). Cooked well, done well, and considering I haven't sliced and diced a hunk of meat in months... YUM!

Overall: I can't say I loved this place - the food is on par, but nothing to get excited over. Considering we spent $40 per person, then I'd peg this in the 'overpriced' category.

Jo Jo's Restaurant
Cnr Queen St Mall & Albert St
Brisbane, QLD 4000

Location: along the main aspect of Queen St Mall near Albert St, and look up until you see the diners along the balcony.



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Brew Cafe (Brisbane CBD)

Cosy little cafe that takes forever to find! If you follow Google Maps, it'll point you down Burnett Lane - but that's the WRONG WAY!

Assuming you were a confused tourist like us, and spend forever wandering into Burnett Lane... STOP! ABOOOOOOUT TURN!

Lower Burnett Lane is where it's situated, and down a little ramp near the 7-Eleven, you will be accosted by a defaced wall mural that guides you to this secreted lil'Paradise.

The main eating section is tucked underground into the Basement, and might be a challenge for those over 6 feet above-ground! Little wooden box tables and soft lighting give this place a trendy feel... and not to mention the hipsters and retro folk who pop in to set the tone.

Breakfast consisted of an hour-long chat and grumble about Optometry life, served with Hot chocolate and a coffee ($3.50 ea), Poached eggs on toast ($9) with a blueberry cake ($5) filling our mouths and stomachs for the morning.

I'd score this place a 7/10 simply for the ambience. Food was warm and filling, and $13 for noms and coffee isn't bad, and the service is good as well. Docking points for being hard to find, though =P

Brew Cafe & Wine Bar
Lower Burnett Lane
Brisbane, QLD 4000

Location: See above and read!



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Chilli and Spice (Brisbane CBD)

This place wrapped up my adventure: after spending the morning with my Perth friend at Brew, we walked around exploring with the aim of killing time - her flight left that arvo at 5. So up and down Queen St, then Charlotte St and Adelaide St we went, then gave up and went for a game of tenpin at Wintergarden Strike Bowling.

Lunchtime soon came around: in the mood for Thai! So whipping out the good ol'Urbanspoon, this place popped up as a reasonable suggestion... and only a block from our hotel! If only we had found this place sooner... *sigh*

The pictures speak for themselves: one Chicken Pad Thai and one Massaman Chicken with rice later, we were bloated and much satisfied.

The cynic in me will admit that I wasn't completely blown away, but it was close - I really enjoyed the food here =) A strong 8 (maybe a weak 8.5) from 10 from my noodle-loving stomach!

Chilli and Spice (Brisbane)
128 Charlotte St
Brisbane, QLD 4000

Location: walking from Queen St Mall, down Albert St, turn left onto Charlotte and it'll be to your left, opposite Sebel Suite Hotel.



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Well, that's all from me for now - end of my first Brisbane adventure =)
Hope my next faring will be more interesting than this!