Cute lunches

Hello! I thought I'll share this cute blog I stumbled upon. Jill, a mother of two, documents on Meet the Dubiens the amazingly cute lunches and snacks she prepares for her children! How lucky are her kids! Makes me happy just looking at them. I thought this also demonstrates that there is space for creativity everywhere :)

[Images: Meet the Dubiens]

[Sydney] - Hugos at Manly

Any kid will be able to tell you that the aftermath of playing in the pool or water is hunger. So, we headed to Hugos @ Manly for some food. This is a gorgeous restaurant that sits on the waters near the wharf. It was late afternoon when we arrived so only a few tables were occupied. Soft laughter punctuated the air occasionally. We had a spot facing the sea and watched the sun slowly set. 

 

 

I've never heard of figs pizza but we were adventurous and ordered it anyway. It was super delicious! The sweetness of the figs were subtle and it complemented the savoury cheese very well! Lovely thin crust. Mmm... Holidays ought to be like this :)

 

For dessert, we ordered pumpkin cheesecake. Once again, we were pleasantly surprised. Not your usual cheesecake. I loved the mix of textures in there. Haven't had such a good dessert in a while. 

We returned to the Sydney on the ferry. Picked the outdoor section and like kids, couldn't keep our butts to the seats. Excitedly took in the sights and felt the winds caressed our faces. 

[Sydney] - Day trip to Manly

T and I made a trip to Manly on one of the weekdays (no crowd) and we were thankful for the beautiful weather. Manly afterall is akin to what you see in the Billabong and Roxy surfwear ads. The sun, the sea, the waves, the sand, the seagulls and the cool dudes and babes. 

We arrived in the late morning via the bus (instead of ferry. There was a strike that morning) and decided we should charge up first. We randomly picked one of the cafes that lined the beach. I opted for pancakes and man, was I not disappointed!

I have a couple of times had pancakes cravings in Singapore. But what was served differed greatly from the image in my mind. Not to mention, they didn't taste much better than how they looked. But this! This was what I had envisaged. This was material that glossed magazines. And it tasted heavenly! If ever there was a moment to indulge, you got to make it worth it and this was it! I loved the imperfect look of these pancakes, the slightly burnt taste they had and the sweet blueberry toppings. 

The beach was of course beautiful and we strolled along it, watching the surfers do their thing, jogging mums with prams... Ah, is paradise something like this? T was so tempted by the sights that we got into one of the nearest shops, bought a pair of surf bermudas and within 10 minutes, he was playing with the waves. Cold, he later said, but totally worth it.

[Sydney] - Not Just Coffee

How can any of my travels not involve cafes? Here's one of my favourites that we visited. Hidden off the main road, this is Not Just Coffee. A small cosy establishment housed in what could have been a residence. What I really liked about this place was that it's so unpretentious. During our late Saturday morning there, we saw elderly folks with pets, families with kids, yuppies-- a good mix of people-- all with a sufficient dose of laid back attitude (Singaporeans really need to chill sometimes...). 

Of course, food was delicious as well. There were only a few service staff who were constantly kept busy but they maintained their friendly smiles and we didn't have to wait long for anything. Perfect start to a weekend, if you ask me. 

Ever since our London trip, T fell in love with the idea of eating porridge (oats, as we commonly refer to it here) for breakfast.

Croissant with ham and cheese sounds really normal to me. But I was so happy when this good-looking plate appeared before me.

[Taipei] - Shilin Night Market

For T and I, a visit to Taipei is not complete without a visit to Shilin Night Market. Shilin is filled with everything to titillate your senses, especially the gustatory. And so, eat we did! And of course, we weren't disappointed.

See how stuffed these are!

[London] - Polpo

T and I popped into Polpo for some drinks and food before we headed to catch The Mousetrap (which was EXCELLENT by the way). We loved the little candles, warm lighting and chill out music which filled the room. It was nice to know we were in a place with locals we came by after a day at work, as opposed to being in a tourist-filled restaurant. Food was once again yummy and they had amazing cocktails. Thumbs up! 

With this, I'm wrapping up this London series. It's a short one, mainly because I was posting quite a number of images on my Instagram while I was there. I hope you've enjoyed the series. More travel posts coming up, I promise! *wink*

[London] - Mari Vanna

On a night when we managed to resist watching another play/musical at West End, our friends in London took us to a Russian restaurant, Mari Vanna. Upon entering, I was immediately smitten by the interior. It was so warm and lovely, it resembled someone's house. I felt like I was having dinner at a friend's.

Cute menu.

The one on the left we were told is like Russian Coke and the other is some fruity drink. Russian Coke tasted earthy. I quite like it. 

The bread platter was enough to make me happy. Love the black bread.

Our friends made sure that what we had were traditional authentic Russian food. And for the Singaporeans reading this, there was no Baked Alaska on this menu. I checked.

Weren't all our drinks colourful?

We all left the restaurant as happy diners.

[London] - The Breakfast Club

T and I stumbled upon The Breakfast Club one afternoon as we were looking for shelter from the sudden snowfall and respite from the cold. It looked warm and inviting from the outside and we weren't disappointed when inside! A place that serves all day breakfast can only bring happiness!

I love the warm colours and the retro magazine tear outs that were casually plastered on the wall. There was a laid back ease to this space. 

After our first meal in London, T and I learnt our lesson. Portions here are generally big, especially given that we eat more meals than we should here (can't help it!). So, we decided to share our pancakes. At first, I was skeptical about having pancakes (which I usually associate as a sweet food) with savoury items. When our generous serving of 4 pancakes came with an egg and lots of ham, I drizzled maple syrup over them as usual, took a bite, and was pleasantly surprised by how well they went together! No problemo, my taste buds said. We also accompanied our meal with yummy wedges. I don't know if you understand what I want to convey, but these were really potato-y :D! In all, a perfect comfort meal for cold and snowy days.

[London]- Borough Market

Hello! If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I was in London not too long ago. So, we'll be having a little series of blog posts on London over here :) I don't know why it took us this long but it was both T and my first time to London. Perhaps it's the distance (upon returning home, the jet-lag took forever to wear off)? Anyhow, we hopped on a crazy long flight to the capital city and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves there! Yes, the weather did get to us (once again proving to myself that I'm meant for the tropical climate). It was snowing! I mean, I was prepared for cold but snow? In March? Anyhow, we were determined not to let it deter us from the fun. 

One of the first things I knew I wanted to do when we first planned the trip was  to visit the markets. Vintage, flowers, food... I love markets. They are always so colourful, vibrant and who doesn't dig a good find or fresh produce and yummy food? 

On a cold, windy but thankfully "rain-less" morning, T and I checked out Borough Market. One of the things I will always remember about London is the fresh fruits and vegetables. Yes, you can taste the natural freshness, sweetness. And I can't believe this, but I'm going to say, they are cheap compared to what we pay here! Oh, I had the best bratwurst from one of the stalls there too. There was a lot to see and taste in Borough Market. It was buzzing with action! Other than the food, the nearby buildings had architecture with a charm to them. 

Masons

A while ago, T and I went for lunch away from the crowded central area. We found ourselves nestled amongst greenery and old houses. I found myself immediately in a more relaxed mode. 

Masons is housed in an old colonial style structure and I was quite smitten with the black and white square titles in its premises. 

I loved how the napkin was folded to resemble a shirt and was almost disappointed when the waiting staff flicked it open to lay in on my lap.

We opted for the set lunch. The starters were promising. The soup aromatic but not overly seasoned. The salad simple but fresh. The generous serving of goat cheese would delight cheese lovers. 

Bread and butter get me very happy and these did just that. The bread was crispy on the outside and cottony soft on the inside, just the way I love it.

Rather pleased with the dishes so far, I had my expectations set high for my entree. Perhaps that was why I was a tad disappointed with my prawn and snapper tortellini. T's crispy skin duck fared better though. Overall, I thought the portions were just right. I didn't walk out feeling I need to get on the treadmill as soon as possible. 

I might return for the ala carte menu. Plus, service was pleasant (which we know is getting harder to come by in Singapore).