Food Archives | Page 37 of 68

Cafe: Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe (Chatswood, NSW)

22 November 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 1 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Deep Thoughts, Food, Restaurants

What do you do when the person you’re supposed to meet up is running late?

I’m not really patient by nature and I used to get annoyed when schedules run late but life has taught me that delays can be an opportunity for some unexpected “Me” times and discovering places I never thought existed.

Last week’s Thursday meet-up with the Husband at Chatswood was supposed to be at a Korean place that serves Korean fried chicken. And as I arrived at our meeting place on time, the Husband called to say that something came up at the office and he will be late for our dinner date.

I immediately went on “wanderlust” mode and walked around Chatswood and looked at shops and restaurants in the area. There was a Night Market at that time too but I had to go inside Westfield after a few minutes because it rained.

Since my legs were also needing rest from all the walking and I was craving for coffee, I went inside Westfield. Tucked in the corner of the 2nd level, I saw a cozy-looking cafe called Oliver Brown.

Cafe: Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe (Chatswood, NSW)

Oliver Brown is a Belgian Chocolate Cafe that serves great tasting chocolate and coffee. The cafe looks attractive with its contemporary design and iconic patterned tiling.

I just love it when restaurant owners are consistent with branding the little details inside their restaurant–like the cups and serviettes. It makes the service more personal. And yes, I always take note of these little things when I dine out.

I ordered a Cafe Latte and it was creamy and beautiful.

I love that they served a few bits of their Belgian Chocolate with their coffee. Their chocolates were delicious so I decided to buy some truffles for the Husband when he arrived.

I bought two dark chocolate truffles, two white ones and a nutty truffle. The truffles were not as expensive as the ones made by famous chocolatiers but they were good chocolate.

Another great cafe find during my unexpected “Me” time.

Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe
Level 2, Store 212
Westfield Chatswood
Phone: 9410 3774

Malaysian & Singaporean Restaurant: Temasek (Parramatta, NSW)

21 November 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 1 Comments Category: Food, Restaurants

I’ve been wishing to eat Hainanese Chicken in Sydney and I’m so grateful to one of my dearest friends for bringing us to Temasek Restaurant in Parramatta. On the Friday night we dined at Temasek, I discovered a love for Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine that I thought I never had. Why? Because Temasek made me a believer.

We made reservations for 6PM as we opted to meet up straight from work and to avoid the crowd. With the recommendations of our foodie friends, we ordered our preferred dishes in one go and in less than 15 minutes, our table was laden with delicious-smelling and mouthwatering dishes.

Sambal Prawns. Hot and spicy, this one surely throws a punch. Prawns were perfectly cooked and the sauce thick, flavourful and smooth.

Malaysian & Singaporean Restaurant: Temasek (Parramatta, NSW)

Kecap Manis Sotong (AUD$19.80). Lightly-fried Calamari in sweet soy and a hint of spice. This dish is addictive with or without the rice.

Sambang Balacaan Kangkong (AUD$16.++). Likened to the Filipino version of Kangkong with Bagoong (Shrimp Paste). A mountain of Kangkong mixed with fermented shrimp. A harmony of salty, sweet and spicy flavours all in one mouthful. A perfect partner to almost all the meat dishes in the menu.

Nasi Goreng (AUD$14.80). Packed with flavour and all the components that make this fried rice irresistible.

Chicken Curry (AUD$17.80). This is the only curry that I love because it does not overwhelm the palate and my sense of smell. An uncomplicated dish that gives you a kick of spice.

Hainanese Chicken (Half Boneless at $18.50). I think the reason why I love this dish is because of its simplicity. Served cold in its unpretentious “whiteness” with the thick soy sauce and chili sauce on the side to help in enhancing the chicken’s flavour. The chicken was tender and juicy.

We ate here two weeks ago and I can’t wait to try out all their other dishes next time.

Temasek Singapore and Malaysian Cuisine
The Roxy Arcade, 71 George St, Parramatta, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9633 9926

Open Tuesday to Sundays (closed on Mondays and public holidays)
Lunch 11.30am – 2.30pm
Dinner 5.30pm – 10.00pm (last orders 9.30pm)

Starbucks Toffee Nut & Christmas Blend

15 November 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 6 Comments Category: Charmed Life of a Mrs, Food

Knowing that their Christmas menu is already available, I dropped by Starbucks and had my coffee “Me” time with a tall Toffee Nut Frappuccino last Friday afternoon.

Starbucks was packed when I arrived. It was a warm day so most people grabbed a cup of frappuccino to go. I sat myself at the bar and watched people passing by while I have a quiet moment. Before I finished my drink, I made a call to one of my girlfriends in Manila and we had a bit of chitchat. It was like I was having coffee with her already. The “Me” time and my conversation with a friend was a good way to cap my busy week at work.

What’s in a Starbucks Bag?

The Christmas Blend is also available in stores right now so I went home with a Starbucks bag full of Christmas Blend beans. I was also happy that they have the Christmas Blend in Ready Brew so I grabbed a 12-pack box.

What’s also inside my Starbucks Bag is the Starbucks Re-usable Bag (last photo). It’s smaller compared to a normal-sized re-usable bag. A perfect bag for lunch boxes etc.

Have Starbucks Anywhere Via Ready Brew

13 November 2011 Ibyang Sanchez 6 Comments Category: Aussie Life, Food

Two Fridays ago, I dropped by Starbucks to know if they were already serving their Christmas specials (I want my Toffee Nut Latte!) but turned out that they weren’t. Not too disappointed as I was assured by their friendly barista that it will be served the following (this week…yay!) Plus, I discovered the new Starbucks via Ready Brew.

It comes in two flavours: the Italian Roast, strong and bold and the medium roast Columbia. It is available in two types of packaging: one that contains 12 sachets (AUD$9.95) and the other contains 3 sachets (AUD$3.95).

I bought the Italian Roast in 12 packs and the Columbia in 3 packs. The Barista reminded me that the Italian Roast is a very strong coffee and I told her I like my coffee strong.

-o0o0o-

Last week, I met someone who has never been to a Starbucks and have never tasted their coffee. It was refreshing to meet someone who hasn’t tasted Starbucks. But it’s actually no surprise. Here in Australia, we only have a few Starbucks branches and people are not dependent in Starbucks for good coffee. In Sydney, you can get great-tasting coffee in every corner.

Since I have Starbucks Ready Brew, I brought two sachets for my friend and she chose the Colombian blend.