follow – Meal Concierge

Birthday Freebies in Sydney

If you’re looking for a birthday freebie, check out our list to see what is on offer.

We all want to have a birthday freebie when we are out enjoying a meal with family and friends to celebrate. Sometimes it’s hard to find places that offer this, so look no further than our list below to find your next birthday experience.

Four Frogs Creperie, Numerous Locations

If you sign up to Four Frog’s newsletter, you will receive a voucher for a free crepe or galette on your birthday. They have so many options to choose from too!

Four Frogs is from the French cuisine, and their crepes and galettes taste very authentic.

Don’t Tell Aunty, Surry Hills

If you choose to celebrate your birthday at Don’t Tell Aunty at Surry Hills, you will get 50 Cent’s ‘In Da Club’ played for you, with a free dessert and turban delivered to your table. Last time we went there, this was happening every 5 minutes so it seems like a popular place to celebrate.

Don’t Tell Aunty is modern Indian cuisine with delicious street style food and an amazing cocktail menu to match it.

Baskin Robins, Numerous Locations

Simply sign up to their mailing list and get a free ice-cream and special discount on their cakes on your birthday day. You can also register your family members to receive the same gifts on their birthday.

Baskin Robins is an ice-cream shop with plenty of flavours and cakes to choose from.

New Shanghai, Numerous Locations

Another newsletter to sign up to BUT you do get free dumplings on your birthday if you do! They will email you are the beginning of your birthday month to remind you.

New Shanghai is a Chinese dumpling bar with awesome decor.

Have you seen our latest blog on where to eat at Sydney Olympic Park before an event?

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Where to eat at Sydney Olympic Park before an event?

Looking for a restaurant to dine at before your next event at Sydney Olympic Park? You have come to the right place?

Most events in Sydney happen to occur at Sydney Olympic Park and before any event you need to make sure you eat right? See the list below of our top recommendations on where to stop and get a feed before your next event.

We would highly recommend you book when big events are on too!

1. Fishwave Poke Bowl

If you’re after a casual vibe and love poke bowls and sushi, you cannot go past this place. There isn’t much seating here but it is perfect if you’re in a rush to an event and need to eat on the go. The meal sizes here are generous and the ingredients always seem fresh!

2. Piccolo Roma

This restaurant has been around forever so they know their stuff when it comes to pre-event hospitality. A glass of wine paired with your favourite pizza, pasta or main is the perfect combo at this restaurant. We’ve been here before an event and found the service friendly and the meals were fresh and came out in a reasonable time.

3. P’nut Street Noodles

If you’re on budget, P’nut Street Noodles will fill your hunger needs before an event at a reasonable price. The portions are large and full of flavour and the staff are always friendly. Who doesn’t love noodles right?

4. Thai Palate

This restaurant has a nice casual vibe to it and has all your favourite Thai dishes sorted. The food comes our quick and fresh and tastes fantastic, plus the portions are also quite generous. Your Thai food cravings will definitely be satisfied here.

5. LouLou’s Cafe & Restaurant

Alfresco dining with woodfire pizza is the best way to sum up this restaurant. The staff are friendly and the dishes are delicious! Their garlic bread comes highly recommended too. This place gets extra brownie points as our dog is called Lou too haha!

Have you tried any of these places? Which one is your favourite?

Have you seen our latest blog of our review on Saddles at Mount White?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

New Cafes you must try in Sydney | April 2022

If you are looking for a new cafe to try in Sydney check out our list below.

We like to support new cafes that open in Sydney – it’s a tough market and so many are now popping up. We have selected a few we have come across on Instagram that deserve some attention. Check out our list below of new cafes in Sydney that you must try.

1. Malika Bakehouse, Botany

If coffee, all day brunch and baked goods brings music to your ears, you must try Malika Bakehouse at Botany. Just looking at their Instagram is making our mouth water. They opened late 2021 as our lockdown restrictions ended and seem to be thriving since! Some of the stand out items on their menu are the spiced potato pogaca (freshly baked every morning), home made kunefe, bagels and spinach feta and ricotta borek. We highly suggest you check out their Instagram! They also open nice and early during the week at 5:30 for your pre-work coffee fix.

Smoothie Factory, Rouse Hill

Smoothie Factory at Rouse Hill is an international juice bar from the USA! All their smoothies are made with fresh fruit, with no sorbet, fillers and they are also gluten free. They have just opened in January 2022 inside Rouse Hill Town Centre. Some of the stand out items on their menu include the Pina Colada (coconut, pineapple, banana, honey and protein) and Peanut Butter Power House (peanut butter, banana, soy milk, honey and protein blend.) There are so many smoothies to pick from, you may need to go back multiple times.

My Kiki Shop, Darlinghurst

My Kiki Shop in Darlinghurst recently opened in January 2022 as well. They are a dessert shop with a twist… they make desserts shaped as human body parts (we will let you check out their Instagram to see what we mean). We have seen this place all over Instagram so it seems to be taking Sydney by storm already! It would also be the perfect stop before your next hens night haha.

Botswana Butchery, Sydney

If you like a New York City vibe and roof top bars, Botswana Butchery may be the perfect new hot spot for you. Situated in Martin Place on level 8, they go by simple, locally sourced, incredible food. They opened in December 2021 and have a menu that you will never forget, the dishes are beautifully presented and it is a very premium dining experience (even the onion soup looks amazing!)

Wan, Mascot

Wan in Mascot opened in November 2021 and their food is influenced by Taiwan and Japan. They have some awesome items on the menu including Cheeseburger Rolls, Wagyu Somen and Salt and Pepper Prawns. Their drinks menu also looks fun and exciting and they live by their slogan ‘don’t let your drink get lonely’ which we love!

Let us know if you decide to go to any of these new cafes in Sydney and what you decided to order!

Have you seen our latest blog on our review of Saddles, Mt White?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

Review: Saddles, Mount White

Finding it hard to get a booking at Saddles Mount White? Our review tells you why it is so popular!

We came across Saddles at Mount White a while ago but always found it was completely booked up! We finally got an 8am booking a few weeks ago and now we understand why it is so popular. Keep reading to see our full review!

1. The food

The most important topic is the food and we have one word to sum it up… amazing! There isn’t a huge amount to pick from but the items on the menu all sound and/or taste divine. For breakfast we dined on the Cured Ocean Trout, Saddle’s Beef Pie and the Sizzle Steak. All the meals came out in a reasonable time, were fresh and were full of flavour. The service was also very nice and accommodating.

We couldn’t stop there, so we shared some sweets to finish off the morning. This included the Lamington, Cinnamon Brioche and the Almond Citrus Cake. All were the perfect amount of sweetness, fresh and complimented our main meals.

2. The atmosphere

Another big aspect riding for Saddles, Mount White is the atmosphere. It is positioned away from everything else and situated on a small dam. It is quiet, peaceful and you can bring your dogs along as well. The decor and interiors are beautiful and you feel like you are situated in a rustic barn with old school charm.

We would highly recommend Saddles, Mount White to anyone wanting a peaceful breakfast, brunch or lunch away from the hustle and bustle of Sydney. It is only about an hour away with mostly highway driving so it is still within easy reach. Of course, book well in advance so that you can get a decent time slot!

Let us know if you decide to go to Saddles, Mount White and what you decided to order!

Have you seen our latest blog on where to get high tea for Mother’s Day in 2022?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

Mother’s Day High Tea Spots 2022 – Sydney

In our family, we have a family tradition to take our mother to a different high tea every Mother’s Day. We have become quite the high tea experts over the years of doing this, so we have created a list of our favourite spots and whats available for Mother’s Day high tea in Sydney in 2022.

1. Avalon Restaurant, Katoomba

You will enjoy mountain views with your high tea at Avalon Restaurant in Katoomba. You will also get to enjoy a glass of bubbles, followed by a tasty selection of house-made savouries and sweet treats, plus fluffy lemonade scones topped with jam and cream plus there will be live music by Simon Watts on violin.
Price: $75 per person

2. Doltone House, Hyde Park

Tresillian’s is hosting a fundraising Mother’s Day Tea Party at Doltone House, Hyde Park. All guests will get a gift on arrival, a silent auction and raffles will also be available on the day. On the menu you will find sweet and savoury options, scones and unlimited sparkling wine.
Price: $110 person

3. The Alice Cocktail Experience, Potts Point

This 90-minute experience includes actors that take you on a journey of clues, cupcakes and curiosities! You’ll get to brew tea, solve riddles and enjoy some great entertainment. This is perfect for any theatre loving mothers out there!
Price: $30 per person

4. Sir Stanford, Sydney

The Mother’s Day high tea at Sir Stanford stands out this year because of its Elderflower and Raspberry Mocktail Shot. Also on the menu you will find scones, sweet and savory options plus a glass of sparkling wine. You can also use your dine and discover vouchers for this event!
Price: $94 per person

Let us know which Mother’s Day high tea in Sydney you decided to book for your mum this year in the comments!

Have you seen our latest blog on the top rooftop bars in Sydney?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

Top Rooftop Bars in Sydney

Are you looking for a rooftop bar? Check out our list below to see which one suits what you are after.

We have all dreamed of the rooftop bars we see in movies where our favourite characters mingle in Manhattan at venues overlooking the rest of the city. Sydney actually has quite a few of its own. See our list below of our top choices of rooftop bars in Sydney.

1. The Rook, Sydney

This place may not have the harbour views but it does have the decor done right and an open rooftop. This trendy bar is located on York Street and has the cocktail menu to die for. Our menu picks are the Prawn & Chorizo Fettuccine and Cali Fish Taco’s!

2. The Rooftop, Sydney

The name of this place says it all. Located near the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney’s CBD you will find this venue with its robust drinks menu. On Wednesdays, they have Half Price Winesday, where if you visit between 12pm-3pm you get 50% off wine by the bottle. They also have a Bottomless Brunch for $75 that includes 3 hours of Prosecco & Pizza!

3. Slims Rooftop, Darlinghurst

If you are looking for more of a casual vibe, then Slims Rooftop is the perfect place to visit. It is just up the road from Hyde Park and has some very instagram worthy looking cocktails to select from. Our menu picks would be the Popcorn Shrimp and Raw Salmon Poke Bowl (washed down with a mojito.)

4. Bar Ombre, Sydney

Bar Ombre automatically gets our tick of approval because it has Sydney Harbour Bridge views. So, if harbour views, pizza and cocktails are your thing, this is the place to be. They also have a DJ/live music too, which gives the place a nice vibe. Our menu item picks would be the Calamari Fritti and the Vegetariana Pizza

5. Babylon Rooftop, Sydney

Babylon Rooftop in Sydney’s CBD gives off the biggest New York City vibes. This venue is above Westfield Sydney and is a modern Middle Eastern style bar. The food is delicious and the bar menu is decently priced. On weekends they have 90 minutes worth of bottomless mimosas and meze for $68 per person!

Let us know if you decide to try any of these rooftop bars in Sydney!

Have you seen our latest blog on american style diners in Sydney?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

Our top recommendations for Pancakes in Sydney

If you are looking for pancakes for your next Sunday brunch, make sure you check out our list below first!

We have never met anyone who does not like pancakes… so there must not be many people out there who are not a fan of them. It does not matter what age you are, pancakes are always a go to at breakfast, lunch or dessert, especially when you are out with family and friends.

With that being said, here are our top cafes in Sydney where we would recommend you get your next pancake fix from!

1. Fig & Co

Fig & Co is located in the rural suburb of Kenhurst in Sydney’s North-West. They are open seven days a week and to top it off, they are pet friendly, so you will be able to bring the whole family! Their menu changes sometimes but there is usually some kind of variation of their fluffy pancakes on there. The last time we went, we got a four stack of pancakes with chocolate, strawberries, biscuit and cream!

2. Girdlers Cafe

Girdlers cafe has a few locations across the Northern Beaches – Dee Why, Brookevale, Manly and Avalon. They are open seven days a week and serve wholesome food and organic coffee. Their pancakes are known as ‘Pancake Revolution’ and includes fluffy buckwheat, banana and coconut pancakes with berry compote, organic coconut ice cream, pistachios and mandarin dust. You can then select if you want organic maple syrup, homemade chocolate sauce or homemade salted caramel sauce.

3. XS Expresso

XS Expresso has made quite a name for themselves when it comes to pancakes. They have 18 locations across Sydney and Newcastle so there is bound to be one close by to you. They are also open seven days a week and you will find them open until 10pm every night. They have quite a few different pancakes on their menu to pick from. They include their XS Ricotta Hotcakes, Maple Stack and Belgium Stack. All of them taste delicious, so it just depends on what you are feeling like on the day.

We hope you enjoyed our choices of the best pancakes in Sydney. Let us know if you try them out or if you have any other recommendations!

If you are not planning to venture out to a cafe for pancakes and prefer breakfast in bed, here is a pancake maker for home: Kambrook Pancake Maker.

Have you seen our latest blog on our top five doughnut places that deliver?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

Who is taking bookings for October 18 2021?

Have you booked your spot to eat out on October 18th? If not, we have made a list of places that are currently taking bookings.

We have finally been given a likely ‘date’ to enjoy the pleasures of eating out again. It looks like many restaurants and cafes are ready to take bookings for the first day back in business. We have all been dreaming of this day for so long with no end in sight. Now that is has arrived, we must make the most of it.

We did the research for you, so you do not have to search endless on Google to find somewhere to go. So, which restaurants, cafes and pubs can you book for October 18 2021? See our list below:

Aria Restaurant, Sydney (Fine dining)
Blossom Bar, Chippendale (Cocktail Bar)
Chiswick, Woollahra (Fine dining)
Chin Chin, Surry Hills (South East Asian)
Greenwood Hotel, North Sydney (Pub)
Barangaroo House, Barangaroo (Australian)
Verandah, Sydney (Bar)
Albion Hotel, Parramatta (Bistro and Beer Garden)
Chophouse, Sydney (Steakhouse)
Bank Hotel, Newtown (Pub)
The Golden Sheaf, Double Bay (Pub and Garden Bar)
Clock Hotel, Surry Hills (Pub)
Catalina, Rose Bay (Fine dining)
Doyles, Double Bay (Australian seafood)
Bodhi Restaurant, Sydney (Vegan)
Kings Cross Hotel, Kings Cross (Pub)
Amano, Leppington (Italian)
Bellevue Hotel, Paddington (Pub)
Rag and Famish Hotel, North Sydney (Pub)
Zimzala, Cronulla (Seafood)

We hope one of these 20 options will be what you are looking for. Let us know in the comments below if you know of any others that we should include – we are sure there must be plenty more.

Our last piece of advise is to make sure you book as soon as possible as we are sure all these restaurants, cafes and pubs will be filled fast on October 18 2021.

Enjoy!

Have you seen our latest blog on the top places to get doughnuts delivered?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

Top 5 doughnut places in Sydney that deliver

Since lockdown has started, we have felt more of an urge to indulge in the finer things in life… dessert, more specifically doughnuts. Now the doughnuts from your local grocery store are decent but probably not the best, so we went on a quest to find the best doughnut places in Sydney that deliver. Find our list below!

If worse comes to worse and you can’t find a place that delivers to you, you can always make your own right? Here are some moulds and a recipe book 😉

1. Grumpy Donuts

Grumpy Donuts are based in Camperdown and have all your classic donut flavours. You’ll find your vanilla glaze, the famous strawberry or chocolate ‘Somer Himpson’, maple, salted caramel and banana and a few others. Their individual donuts cost between $5-6 each or you can get a 6 pack for $32. If you don’t feel like a full one, they also sell the holes of the doughnuts with cinnamon! And lastly vegan doughnuts are also available.

2. Rude Boy Doughnuts

Located in Surry Hills you will find Rude Boy Doughnuts, they do both pick up and delivery. We love the sound of their ‘Filled Boy’ doughnuts where you can select from 8 different options to fill your doughnut with. This includes grape jelly, cherry and strawberry jam, raspberry jam, vanilla custard, chocolate ganache, lemon curd or salted coconut caramel. All these options make it such a hard decision but we love it!

3. Down For Donuts Sydney

Down for Donuts Sydney are located in Guildford West and deliver Sydney-wide or you can pick up if you are nearby. Most of their doughnuts are not your usual round shape, however they look delicious and well worth a try. Some of their flavours include milo, Lotus Biscoff, jam, custard and Nutella. They also have DIY kits to decorate your own doughnuts, perfect for the kids!

4. Drip Donuts

Drip Donuts can be found in Camden, Newtown and Sydney, they offer both pick up and delivery and they sometimes pick locations with high order numbers to do drop offs. They have some amazing flavours including Snickers, triple malt and passionfruit. We love the idea of the cinnamon doughnut nuggets too, which looks like it is the doughnut holes.

5. Shortstop Coffee & Donuts

Shortstop Coffee and Donuts are based in Darling Square and Barangaroo and you can pre-order for delivery to your door. They have some really interesting flavours including earl grey and rose cake, triple matcha cake, Australian honey and sea salt and many more. Most of their doughnuts are around the $5 mark and they have a box of 12 for $64.

Do you have any other doughnut delivery services that deserve a mention? If you do, leave their name in the comments below.

Have you seen our latest blog on Kerbside Creamery?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!

Kerbside Creamery – Custom Cakes

Have you seen all the delicious cheesecake images on Instagram and want to know where people are getting them? We have all the information you need.

We have always eyed off Kerbside Creamery’s cheesecake on a stick but we have now realised they also added a new item to their menu – custom cheesecakes! You can of course also get one of their regular single favour cheese cakes BUT for the same price you can get ‘one of everyone’ that includes 10 different flavoured slices.

What flavours are there?

Cookies’n’Cream
Peanut Pretzel
Nutella Oreo
Reeses Peanut Butter
Biscoff
S’mores
Tella Berry
Raffaelo
Golden Gaytime

They are all on a vanilla cheesecake base and they also have the option to create your own combination in case you want more of your favourite flavours. Although we must admit if you do that it doesn’t seem to be as aesthetically pleasing haha!

Our favourites are the Biscoff and Reeses Peanut Butter cheesecakes!

How do your order?

You can order directly through their website in three easy steps. Simply select your cheesecake and flavours, select a delivery date (they are able to do the next day in Sydney Metro or same day if you order before 10am) and the third step is to enjoy your delivery.

What about cheesecake on a stick?

If you did not know, originally they were a food truck that served cheesecakes (1 slice) on a stick in Sydney’s south-west region. The truck also served strawberries on a stick with similar stoppings to the cheesecakes so it was a difficult decision on what to order.

Enjoy your cheesecake and let us know which was your favourite flavour. By the looks of their Instagram it looks like a new flavour will be coming out shortly as well.

Have you seen our latest blog on Sydney Lockdown Takeaway options?

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram to stay up to date with where are we eating: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehaloumi and subscribe to our newsletter for our next article!