Lauren Mangioni

The girls and I are heading to an afternoon of High Tea this weekend at The Victoria Room and I’m already trying to plan my outfit in my head. It will most certainly be a dress and heel combo of some sort (we will be in Kings Cross and post-tea dancing will happen) and while I can picture something pastel, the final result is still up in the air.

Thoughts?

(Click photos for sources)

This is where I rang in the new year. One word…paradise.

New Years resolution? Cook more from my wonderful copy of Donna Hay’s Seasons, a late Christmas present from myself.

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= the perfect Friday evening. (A more substantial update coming soon, promise).

I have been sick as a dog for over a week now; I’m surprised I’m still breathing as I am pretty certain I’ve coughed up both lungs during this time. Mum keeps telling me I probably be better by now if I hadn’t gone out on Friday and Saturday and drunk my weight in wine but I suspect she’s laying the guilt on a little thick. Nevertheless, sorry Mum!

The illness is nowhere close to Swine but has just led to an argument between the boyfriend and I over the final Lindt Cafe macaroons (macarons?) that I bought last week. If you don’t know, macarons (I prefer the French spelling) are the yummiest biscuit/sweet treat and since I got home from Europe I’ve been searching for them here in Sydney. I’d heard rumours the Lindt Cafes (Martin Place, Darling Harbour, George Street, Miranda and other locations I’m sure) sell them but only confirmed this last Thursday. Hooray! They had a great selection including pistachio (my favourite), coconut, chocolate, red fruits, champagne and more but they are nowhere near as delicious or perfect as Laduree in France (or London, if you go to Harrods). If you’re feeling daring and you’re a bit of a talent in the kitchen, Gourmet Traveller posted a recipe for macarons with white chocolate and rasberry ganache. Or perhaps you can try a recipe from television’s MasterChef. If you do try to make macarons, please tell me how they turned out! I’m afraid I’ll destroy my love for them with my mediocre cooking skills.

More on food! I’ve had dinner but I’m still hungry so I’m going to blog about food, food, food and the places in Sydney you need to go to for a great feed. And I had a great weekend with food so why not?

Friday night started at Martin Place’s GPO Cheese and Wine Room with two of their wicked cheese platters (you can choose your own cheese from their mind-boggling cheese room) and some lovely NZ wine. Then, on a whim, we decided to head to Libertine in the heart of Kings Cross where we found ourselves in a cushiony, warm, dimly-lit alcove with, you guessed it, more wine and what we like to call ‘frasion’ delicacies. Spicy red-curried corn cakes with an insanely spicy dipping sauce, fresh rice paper rolls with roasted pumpkin and tofu, deliciously tender lemongrass chicken skewers and simple, but filling, edamame beans. Unfortunately the night ended with some kind of dodgy yet satisfying takeaway Mexican food but hey, at least we resisted the late night glow of McDonalds.

Saturday I up earlier than I should have been but it was all for a good gastronomical cause as Katie, Jeremy, Yarran and I headed to Kam Fook at Bondi Junction for yum cha. Our last experience few experiences with yum cha had left us cold; we had been thrown in the corner, ignored by every trolley except those with the dumplings and on one memorable occasion, stood in line for two hours. This was different. For starters it was busy but we got a comfortable table in the middle of the restaurant without a wait. In seconds came the tea, the noodles, the pork, the spring rolls, the greens in a delicious soy sauce and within an hour of seating ourselves, we were stuffed. But somehow, during a screening of Borat Speaks Austrian, sorry Bruno, we managed to scoff the biggest BUCKET of popcorn we’d seen in a while.

Hours, hours later, when our waistbands finally shrunk back to size, and with more wine in front of us, we we re sitting local at the Oatley Hotel eating designer pizza. And by designer, the pizzas are ironically named after illustrious fashion houses. And by ironic, I mean after eating these pizzas you won’t be able to fit into any of the threads created by said fashionistas. But the highlight of the pizza was the dessert pizza. I’ve never been a fan of anything sweet on pizza dough but who can resist banana and butterscotch? Not I! Ah-may-zing!

I have so many favourite places to eat in Sydney and so many places that are just begging to be taste tested. Next on my list? Neil Perry’s latest haunt, Spice Temple. Where in Sydney do you go for your favourite meal? What’s next on your list? What’s your signature dish? Have any other foodie tips and tricks? Let me know!

Also, if you live in the food haven that has become of the Darlinghurst area, or frequent it often in the daylight hours (yes, there’s daylight hours in Kings Cross!), check out Darlinghurst Nights for a few local secrets and some inspiration for your next dining jaunt. My tip? Libertine on Kellett Street! Or, if you’ve got your eye on bigger things, why not try a Food Safari through Sydney? Greek and French, Thai and Peruvian or even Moroccan, Australian food personality Maeve O’Meara’s food safaris take its guests behind some of the tastiest places you never knew even existed. I’m keen to do the French tour so drop me an email if you’d like to join me!

If you know of any other great food blogs or tours or restaurants in Sydney, I’d love to hear about them!