Sugar Hit @ Shangri-la Hotel

This Sugar Hit had been three weeks in the planning. A couple of friends and I finally managed to find a night when all of us were free for some chocolatey goodness.

It's not difficult to see why the Shangri-la's Sugar Hit appealed to us:

Chocolate Lovers Plate - Trio of Rhubarb & White Chocolate gelato, 70% Excellence macaron with raspberry ganache and Roast Banana gianduja mousse on a coconut crisp.

Pretty much an menu item that purports to cater to the chocolate lover will get my attention.

The Lobby Lounge at the Shangri-la was by far the most comfortable Sugar Hit venue I've been to. The couches were huge and soft--perfect for, well, lounging about. When we walked in, someone was playing the grand piano. Definitely a great start to the night.

For the first time this month, I was offered a choice between the cognac and the dessert wine. One of my dinner companions--having been to numerous Sugar Hits already--asked what tyoe of Brown Brothers wine they had. It turns out that they had the Sienna, which was a red dessert wine. My friends were sold, while I chose the cognac for variety.

The drinks arrived first, and the cognac was strong. Over the course of the night, I don't think I even got halfway through the glass. My friends said the dessert wine was good.

Henessy Cognac VC (front)
Brown Brothers Sienna (back)

Of course, the main event of the night was the tasting plate. When it came out, there were looks of awe and grins of anticipation. The waiter named each dessert on the plate, but all I heard was "Blah, blah, blah," as we smiled politely and waited for him to leave so we could dig in. After he did leave, we contemplated the best order in which to tackle the plate.

Sugar Hit - $20

It was obvious we had to start with the strawberry (because it was sitting on the spoon). The fruit was firm, not sour but not too sweet either. I would have liked more chocolate, but it could have been swimming in melted Valrhona and I'd still want more, so maybe that's not saying much.

Then we tasted the mousse. It was sooooooo good. I had my doubts about banana and mousse together, but it wasn't banana-flavoured chocolate as I'd feared. A piece of sweet banana sat above the base and covered with the mousse. My friend, who ate the mousse from the top down, exclaimed, "Oh, so there's the banana!" Which was nothing compared to my dumb moment of the night:

Friend: The pear is nice.
Me: What pear? Isn't it a coconut crisp?
(Confusion all around as everyone stares suspiciously at their plates.I grab the menu.)
Me: It says "coconut crisp" on the menu!
(Silence, which I assume might have been my friends wondering what kind of airhead I am.)
Me: Um, or maybe it is a pear.
Other friend (managing to almost hide his sarcasm by not rolling his eyes): I think the mousse is on top of the coconut crisp.
Me (sheepish): Ahhhh...I was wondering! 'Cos didn't think it looked like coconut--coconut is white!

*sigh*

Anyway, I dug into the gelato after a few bites of the mousse, and the effect was almost like having a banana split. *g* The gelato was underwhelming after the mousse. We agreed it wasn't bad for something that was masquerading as chocolate even though it had no cocoa, but it tasted pretty much like vanilla gelato. There were swirls of rhubarb flavour, but mine didn't have enough for me to appreciate it (although I think my friend got an actual rhubarb bit).

We finished the plate off by savouring the macaron, which was airy and just delightful. The filling was surprisingly rich. While I would have liked more, more, more (it was a very small macaron), it was probably just the right size for the plate. Any more and the sweetness would have overpowered everything.

We sat around for another couple of hours chatting away. Did I mention how comfy the couches were? I wanted to take them home. The service was excellent. We pretty much overstayed our welcome, but we never felt like the staff were trying to bundle us out.

I had such a great experience that I'm planning to come back soon with my husband. I also hear their buffet upstairs is good, so it's on my list to try.

By far, this was the best Sugar Hit of the month for me. I hope they're back next year!

Lobby Lounge - Shangri-la Hotel
176 Cumberland St, The Rocks
02 9250 6198

Jeff de Bruges

I knew there was a chocolate shop next to the Theatre Royal, but every time I've passed by, I've been too busy to stop. Last week, I had some spare time, and I finally set food inside the Jeff de Bruges store, described on its website thus:

Our delicious chocolates are the result of the knowledge and creativity of a great Belgian chocolatier. Jeff de Bruges chocolates are made from exclusive and elaborate French recipes; smooth and delicate pralines, intense ganaches, light and sophisticated mousses, subtle fillings that make each chocolate an invitation to travel.

There's something about chocolate shops that makes me feel giddy and light-headed. This store was no exception, especially since everything looked so ... pretty!

Beauty (and, I assume, taste) comes with a price, however, and if you're after something quick and disposable, you won't find it here. The Origine Tall Box (pictured above) will set you back $32.30 for 200g.

Since I'd just splurged on lunch, I had to decline, but I window shopped to my heart's content, looking longingly at the spring boxes (pictured right). In the end, I couldn't resist, and I picked up a tin of Chocolat en Poudre--powered vanilla-flavoured chocolate ($20.50 for 215g).

It's looking a bit overcast today. Perfect weather for a quick hot chocolate!

Caraque pyramid - 20pcs for $15.75 or 40pcs for $31.50)

Assorted chocolates

Alas, no chocolate pots. Perhaps they are now extinct.

Jeff de Bruges
106 King St, Sydney
02 9232 3875
info@jeff-de-bruges.com.au

High Tea @ Swissôtel

I had my not-a-baby-shower shower at the Swissotel's Crossroads Bar. The high tea buffet had been taunting my brain for a few months--cravings, anyone?--and it was the perfect opportunity to sample what I'd heretofore only read about and salivated on Grab Your Fork.

I wasn't disappointed, although I had baby brain at the time (at 36-and-a-half weeks) and didn't even think to take down notes on what I had. So I think I'll leave this as a kind of photoessay instead.

Caramel slices topped with pecans

Maccaroons

Fresh fruit for the chocolate fountain

Creme brulee and chocolate mousse

Lemon meringue tarts

Pistacchio, pecan and caramel tarts

Chocolate eclairs, strawberry shots, and a chocolate tart

I should mention that service was great at the start and miserable at the end. Considering we booked a table for 20 people, we expected some extra special lovin'. We settled for the chocolate fountain instead.

Chocolate fountain

Swissôtel High Tea at Crossroads Bar
68 Market Street (cnr George St), Sydney
02 9238 8888
$29 per head, 2pm-4pm

Chocolateria San Churro opening in Glebe

Walking along Glebe Point Road near the corner where you turn to go to Broadway, I spotted a sign saying the Chocolateria San Churro is opening soon. (I would have taken a picture, but I was walking with someone from my mother's group, and I didn't want her to think I'm weird.) I've tasted their wares in Melbourne, and even though I wasn't particularly impressed with their overfried churros, the hot chocolate was to die for. (I'm easy that way.) So bring it on. I just hope they hire people who actually know something about chocolate, because the folks in Melbourne just gave me a blank look when I asked them if they sold chocolate pots.

Easter egg extermination #2: Champorado

Use up uneaten Easter eggs in your pantry by breaking them up and using the pieces instead of (or as well as) chocolate squares when making champorado. You may need to use larger quantities, particularly if you're using milk chocolate eggs.

Champorado

One of my favourite home-made Filipino desserts is champorado. I'm not sure how this dish got its name, but in English I call it "chocolate rice". Which is pretty much what it is. (I suppose you can call it chocolate rice pudding.)

As a child, I loved the ritual of adding sugar to my bowl of champorado, followed by swirls of milk. My dad used to form our initials when he poured milk ... kind of like coffee art, but low-tech. *lol* I used to make swirls and curls and sometimes I'd try to fit more than one milky initial into my bowl, usually with disastrous effects. I used to love my champorado drenched in milk, but as I grew up, my taste buds adjusted themselves and now I very rarely add milk anymore--yes, even when we used top-notch cocoa and ended up with a very dark result (see below).

In the past few weeks, Mum has been coming over to help out with the new babies--yes, I had twins!--and what better time to absorb all her cooking shortcuts and tips? Yesterday she talked me through how to make this delicious concoction that even Rob, who usually declines chocolate fare--much to my delight since it means I won't have to share my dessert--has at least two helpings whenever champorado is being served.

The timing couldn't be better. Cupping a steaming bowl of champorado, inhaling its delicious aroma, and taking that first spoonful of chocolatey goodness ... what a delightful way to beat the winter chill.

Champorado
1 cup glutinous rice
5 cups water
2 tbsp (heaped) cocoa
2-3 squares cooking chocolate or tablea (optional)
3-4 tbsp (heaped) sugar
milk

1. Put rice and water in a medium sized saucepan. Cover and place on high heat.
2. Mix cocoa and sugar in a small bowl. Add hot water to dissolve, and remove lumps. Stir mixture into the saucepan using a wooden spoon.
   
3. Add chocolate squares into the saucepan and stir.
4. When the water boils, reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is plump.
5. Add milk and extra sugar to taste just before serving.

Cooking tips
- The darker the cocoa, the more sugar and milk you'll need. You don't need to use high-quality cocoa. My mum uses the no-name brand and no one has ever complained about the quality of her champorado.
- Don't skip step 2 or the chocolate will be lumpy.
- The cocoa can be substituted entirely with chocolate squares or tablea (or vice versa), but it may affect the texture of the champorado. You may need to experiment a bit to get the quantities right.

This recipe is usually good enough for about 4 people, but if you love this dessert and haven't had it in a while then 2 people can probably go through the entire recipe within 24 hours. Rob and I fairly inhaled it in one sitting. The picture above shows what was left after we were done. Yes, after one sitting.

Fudge & kisses - Sugar Fix

Rob hasn't organised anything for my birthday, and he was sneaky enough to let me know this in advance. To manage my expectations.

But I've been expecting this, what with newborn twins in the nursery, and I was smart enough to let him know where he can get me some temporary love while he sorts himself out.

Thank goodness for Sugar Fix. When I discovered their store at Sydney Central Plaza, I nearly squealed with glee. I may have squeaked and quivered. I found a huge box of Toffifee and that clinched the deal--I was in lust. Unfortunately, they didn't have them anymore when I came back, but they do sell Hershey's Kisses and Reese's cups. Mmm...

But how to purchase these treats without feeling guilty? Easy. I told Rob to check out their marzipan, and now he goes there willingly...and buys me chocolate every time he gets his marzipan. :-)

And if you're reading this, thinking about what a selfless husband I have, you should know that he will probably eat at least half the fudge in that box. I may have to hide it.

Sugar Fix
Sydney Central Plaza, Pitt Street Mall
(in the food court, across from Mrs Fields and New Zealand ice cream)
02 9222 1491

Lindt warehouse sale

Easter egg extermination #1: Cafe mocha

So I'm now harbouring three jars and three boxed sets of Easter eggs. This is after I'd already discarded all the Easter eggs recovered from the traditional Easter egg hunt at my parents' yard, which had damaged foil and other exposed bits. Just in case they were, you know, taste-tested by insects and bugs. Ew!

But what to do with the remaining eggs? We could eat them all month, I suppose, but it's only been three days and I'm already gagging at the sight of Lindt bunnies. Yes, gagging. Over Lindt chocolate! There has to be a better way to consume these goodies without making me sick.

Today's experiment: Add a few Easter egg pieces to your morning coffee and stir vigorously until dissolved. Make sure you adjust your sugar and milk amounts accordingly or you might find your brew a little too sweet.

In the coming weeks, I'll be trying various creative ways to enjoy our Easter eggs and posting them here. If you have any suggestions, let me know!

Easter egg hijinks

The Jellybean was supposed to bring a hard-boiled egg to daycare so they can decorate Easter eggs. On Last night, I had eggs boiling in water...AND FORGOT ALL ABOUT THEM. When Rob got up this morning, he walked out to the living area and was confronted by the lovely smell of eggs and melted Teflon.

Panic, panic, I could have burnt the house down! Oh, my gosh, never do that again!!!!! Set the timer next time!!!! Blah, blah, blah. And meanwhile, he didn't even turn the stove off!

It really wasn't *that* bad--the smoke alarm didn't even go off!--but the smell is gross. Luckily, we keep our bedroom doors closed so our rooms don't stink. Or course, Rob had the bright idea of opening the bedroom door and balcony door to "circulate the air". Gah!!!

I'm also down one more saucepan. Though now that I think about it, it's a great excuse to go and buy a really, really good one. :-)

Luckily, I had a spare hard-boiled egg in the fridge so Jellybean still had something to bring to daycare.

Happy Easter everyone!

Man-catcher brownies

A little Valentine's Day delight for brownie "purists". And if, perchance, you don't catch the man? Well, you get to keep the brownies for yourself!

Will attempt this very, very soon.

Why I bought Ferrero Rocher as back-up

So I had this bright idea of making sugar cookies for Christmas, to be shaped and decorated by KB. How cute! you say.

Well.

First, I don't know how to cream butter. So I doubled the recipe in order to incorporate the not-so-creamy stuff into the hopefully creamier stuff. Didn't work.

Luckily, I have Mum as a freelance consultant. Just go on with the recipe, she says. The flour should put everything back together.

Next, I discovered why I shouldn't attempt double recipes with a freaking hand mixer. Luckily, the dough looked relatively doughy so the effort was worth it.

Five phone calls and one broken plate later, I had everything mixed, bagged and tucked in the freezer. I forgot to double the salt content, but whatever.

Tonight, we will attempt to roll, cut, bake and decorate these suckers. Then, I'm going to recruit the hubby into bagging those babies, ready to be handed out tomorrow night.

Oh god, please let me survive Christmas.

Sugar Hit - Park Hyatt

After several failed attempts, I finally managed to snare a reservation at the Park Hyatt to sample their Sugar Hit. Yay, me! I had been looking forward to this Sugar Hit since Wednesday:

Chocolate and saffron infused poached pear, milk chocolate and caramel crème brulee, and white chocolate and coconut parfait

Saturday night parking at The Rocks is serious business and we considered ourselves lucky to nab a space near the Sydney Dance Theatre. It was a decent walk but the night breeze was refreshing and KB was quite happy to skip along the sidewalk so it wasn't a problem.

We arrived at the Park Hyatt a little after 9pm. I was expecting to be seated at the littlekitchen, but we were directed to a lovely table in the restaurant. KB was seated in a wooden high chair, which was great - I didn't have to act as a human shield between him and the cutlery...and the glassware...and the candle. Although he made quite a valiant attempt to blow out the candle from the other side of the table.

Sadly, the service was just downhill from there. KB kept me amused with his antics and so wasn't until Rob started grumbling that I realised we had been kept waiting. For a very long time. You know it's bad when your toddler looks around with a concerned expression and asks, "Where dessert?" No amount of polite head-straining could stop a waiter. We just couldn't make eye contact with any of them. Rob watched in annoyance as a table of four at the end of the room, who had been seated after us, enjoyed their cool drinks and what looked to be...dessert!

Finally, Rob had to pretty much raise his voice to get the waiter's attention and he told her in a very grave tone that we had been waiting for 20 minutes and watched other people being served, without so much as being offered any drinks. The waiter was suitable apologetic, service picked up considerably, and our Sugar Hits arrived within about 10 minutes.

Sugar Hit @ Park Hyatt - $15

Unfortunately, by this time we were both stressed - having argued over grumpy dining companions, slow service and general dissatisfaction with the world - and increasingly concerned that KB's good cheer would not last long once we passed the late bedtime threshold of 9:30pm. It did help that the waiters were very attentive now, and the maitre'd came over to apologise for keeping us waiting. Rob was quite easily appeased, although I still felt flustered. It's difficult being out so late with a toddler because you know that once you hit a certain time, you're facing all sorts of horrors that you'd rather not have to live through - tantrums, boredom, hyperactivity from sleep deprivation, dirty nappies - any of which are likely to cause an abrupt and probably noisy end to the night.

But back to dessert...

The parfait was delicious and I didn't really taste the coconut flavour at all. There was a lot of chocolate syrup so it ended up tasting a lot more chocolatey than it was probably meant to. KB loved it, though. He refused to eat anything else. Unfortunately, the parfait melted very quickly so I had to eat it first, by default. I would have preferred a much more solid construction because I think the flavour would have come out a bit better.

The wine was surprisingly yummy. I was expecting it to taste the same as all the dessert wines served at the other Sugar Hits I'd been to but for some reason, I found the wine not so sickeningly sweet this time around. It was really, really lovely - neither overpowering nor insipid.

The maitre'd approached us to apologise once again, then came back to ask us if there was anything she could do to make up for the initial stuff up. We were happy to accept her offer of flat whites. Hey, this is a coffee blog after all. :-)

The downside to all the attention was that our dessert was interrupted a few times. I felt quite rushed as the parfait melted and KB started showing signs of overtiredness. Stress before dessert is really not recommended.

The poached pear was suprisingly good. I say this because I am by no means a lover of pears. In fact, I usually find them bland and uninspiring. But this...this was lovely. I could kind of see the saffron but couldn't taste the chocolate at all. The pear sat on what I assume was either cream or mascarpone - if I hadn't been so focused on keeping KB amused, I probably could have taken some time to pay it a little bit more attention - and the amount on the plate was just right for the cute little pear.

I left the crème brulee for last. I was surprised to find it somewhat...pedestrian after the more subtle flavours of the pear and even the parfait. It was very sweet - dare I say it, perhaps too sweet? - but it earned points for having a relatively crackly cap, which is my favourite part of the crème brulee.

In the midst of all this came our free coffees and what I'm going to guess were brandy snap-ish pieces. This will sound pretty shameful for a food blog but I don't know what the nuts were! Honestly, I was so distracted it was all I could do to pay enough attention to whether or not I liked what was going in my mouth. Actually, if I concentrate really hard...I think they were macadamias. Yes, macadamias. Lock it in, Eddie. *phew*

I ended up stuffing myself with the brandy snaps. There was something about them that made me want to pick another one up and stuff it in my mouth. Or maybe the Filipino in me just couldn't bear to waste all the freebies we were given. *grin*

When KB started devising ways to get out of his high chair - "Stuck, Mama, stuck!" - we knew it was time to leave before we traumatised the people at the next table (who, incidentally, had been waiting for about 20 minutes without so much as a follow-up from a waiter). But again, our turtle impersonations and subtle attempts at eye contact got us nowhere with the wait staff. Fortunately, KB found us a waiter, who stopped by to flirt with him. While she was telling KB how gorgeous he was, Rob quickly asked for the bill.

The bill arrived fairly quickly and the freebies were indeed free, which was great. But in what seemed to be the theme for the night, we couldn't snare a waiter long enough to hand them a credit card. After about 5 minutes, I just walked over and handed it to one of the wait staff.

Later, Rob and I would muse over the fact that they interrupted us at least 3 times over dessert to ask us if everything was OK, but every time we actually needed some service, they were nowhere to be found. His theory is that their service is so personalised that for people like us, who are only there for dessert, lack of dedicated wait staff means that you're likely to be overlooked. I'm not sure if this would have happened had we been seated at the littlekitchen.

I'd love to come back for dinner one day. I cast very longing looks at some of the meals being served to people around us - and with all the waiting we had to do, I saw a lot of plates pass by. The portions were very generous and Rob said they smelled wonderful.

I was really disappointed that I couldn't enjoy this Sugar Hit more due the poor start we had. I do think that in terms of taste, it might well have been the best so far. For a tasting plate, I think it's pretty hard to beat. The flavours were subtle and there was enough variety and volumen to make it worth the spend.

Because I couldn't relax properly enough to savour my experience at the Park Hyatt, the Sofitel still gets my vote for best Sugar Hit. Rob is also sticking by the Sebel, which is really interesting because I have a feeling he remembers that night fondly more because of the company and conversation than the dessert itself. Which just goes to show what a difference good service and great conversation can make.

Park Hyatt Sugar Hit
7 Hickson Rd, The Rocks
02 9256 1437

For a round-up of Good Food Month in blogland, go and visit CucinaRebecca.
Technorati tag: gfm06

Darling's Treat Patisserie

I used to have a part-time job in Balmain while I was at uni and it was here that I discovered the profiterole stack and the Nutella pizza.

It's been a while since Darling's Treat Patisserie has sold profiterole stacks as a matter of course. Nowadays, they only make them to order. Which is a bit of problem for someone as organisationally-challenged as I am. After about two years of planning to order, I finally did it and picked up my stash this morning.

But before I knew it, Rob wanted morning tea so we all sat down for a little snack and I went home with my dessert box a little lighter. That's right - I ate one on the spot.

It was oh, so very good. But to be honest, not as wonderful as I remembered it. The old profiterole stacks were drenched in soft chocolate, whereas my ordered batch were drenched with cream. I did mention this to the lady at the counter but I was quick to add that it was still very yummy.

It probably just means that it will be some time before I risk buying another one again.

Profiterole stack - $4.50 (order the day before, minimum 2)

Darling's Treat Patisserie
355 Darling St, Balmain
02 981 2301

Sugar Hit - Sofitel Wentworth

My cousin and I had been trying for a couple of weeks now to hook up for a Sugar Hit. So when she told me she was free tonight, I was on the phone to the Sofitel to book us a table. I was no longer to content to leave my sugar cravings to the vagaries of fate. Which was just as well because when we turned up at 8:55pm, the hostess immediately asked if we had a reservation.

"Yes, we do," I smirked. I think we were first. Yay for us! We were seated at a table for two next to the well. Not very picturesque but I guess the better seats were reserved for bigger groups.

Dare I say it but the service at the Sofitel seemed a little...snooty. I'm not sure if the waiter was just very formal or if it's because I was wearing thongs (stylish thongs, mind you - with a long skirt). All the same, I didn't find the service warm and friendly. However, the desserts arrived relatively quickly and, from the way they were being brought out as the night progressed, the Sofitel either had a good assembly line of kitchen elves or they did a good job of preserving pre-prepared plates. And when it comes to dessert, I do value speed much more than friendly smiles.

I picked the Sofitel on purpose to try with my cousin because Rob is not a big chocolate fan and the dessert here was pretty much all chocolate:

Chocolate assiette - a delicious tasting plate consisting of white chocolate crème brulee, Valrhona bitter chocolate parfait and praline and a berry & milk chocolate terrine.

That description brings out all manners of drool in my mouth but does nothing for Rob. Luckily, my cousin is not a chocolate pleb so she was more than happy to try it out. And oh, what joy to have a dining companion who did not mind me taking pictures of the food AT ALL.

Even at first glance, we were not disappointed. No lonely white spaces on this plate.

Sugar Hit @ Sofitel Wentworth - $15

I was fully expecting to love the berry and milk chocolate terrine best but I found the berry just a little bit too sweet and overpowering. I would have preferred an all-chocolate terrine (which might actually just be a mousse, come to think of it).

Berry and milk chocolate terrine

The bitter chocolate parfait was divine but I made the mistake of eating it at the same time as the terrine. Again, the sweetness of the berry layer dulled the richness of the chocolate. In hindsight, I should probably have eated the parfait first.

Valhrona bitter chocolate parfait and praline (left)

And by the way, is it me or do parfaits normally come in a glass? I became very confused when what looked like a parfait tasted like berries and I was expecting bitter chocolate.

Anyway, my cousin and I agreed that we loved the crème brulee best. It was just so tasty and the sweetness was not overpowering. I would have preferred a cracklier crust but honestly, it didn't bother me too much. I could have eaten it all night.

White chocolate crème brulee

We tried to make this Sugar Hit last but alas, family gossip could only extend dessert so far before we found ourselves empty-plated. I gazed longingly at the other tables where people were just about to have their first taste of these yummy concoctions. Even after the last raspberry was consumed, our spoons continued to scrape our plates. At one point I seriously considered licking the decorative chocolate syrup clean. Discreetly, of course.

My cousin, who has been to three Sugar Hits thus far, pronounced the Sofitel's plate the best she's had so far. And I have to say, it's going to be pretty hard to beat.

Sofitel Wentworth Sugar Hit
61-101 Phillip St, Sydney
02 9228 9157

For a round-up of Good Food Month in blogland, go and visit CucinaRebecca.
Technorati tag: gfm06

Sugar Hit - Sebel Pier One

Actually, this was supposed to be a Park Hyatt Sugar Hit but when I rang to make a reservation, I was told that I didn't need one. "Are you positive?" I asked, not wanting to miss out. I was told that yes, I definitely did NOT need one. So of course, when my friends and I arrived at around 10pm for dessert, I was told they were sold out. And really, no amount of whingeing was going to create three more desserts, just for us.

So we dragged our sugar-deprived bodies across to the Sebel Pier One. They didn't need a reservation. Service was not quite with a smile but hey, they weren't sold out so already our night was improving.

We sat at the lounges as we waited for our sugar hits. In the middle of the floor, there's a large area made of see-through material which allows people to gaze into the running waters below. Rob and BottlaRed (yes, she chose her own pseudonym) pointed out the jellyfish to me and fancied they could see some fish swimming about.

"Hmm, imagine how horrifying it would be to suddenly find a dead body floating in the water," I mused. They looked at me, slightly horrified, but I do think that kind of set up is a bit of a risk. If you've read any decent detective novels lately, you'll know that serial killers like to tie their victims up to those pole things and wait for the high tide to swallow them up. That was the first picture in my head when I looked down.

It took a little while for our desserts to arrive but with BottlaRed getting married in a month, there was plenty of conversation to be had. The Sebel's Sugar Hit is described thus at the GFM site:

Dark chocolate pot with coconut ice cream and champagne strawberries

When I read "dark chocolate pot", I thought of a pot of hot chocolate and was looking forward to cupping this in my hands after the slightly chilly walk from the Park Hyatt. But I soon found out that the description was literally of a pot - well, a small cup - made out of chocolate in which the coconut ice cream sits.

Dark chocolate pot with coconut ice cream and champagne strawberries

I'm not sure why the plate was so big but the poor little pot of ice cream and mound of strawberries seemed dwarfed by big, empty white space.

Sugar Hit on lonely white plate

I'm not a big fan of coconut, so the fact that the coconut ice cream was the piece de resistance didn't do all that much for me. Rob, however, found it delicious. I found the strawberries slightly sour (although Rob claimed his strawberries were sweet) which balanced out the sweetness of the ice cream. The chocolate pot seemed a little pedestrian in the face of these other flavours and was totally overpowered by the ice cream. But maybe I placed too much importance on the chocolate. Maybe it was meant to be more decorative than tasty.

We all had the Orange Muscat Aperitif, which was sweet and delicious. It was a little too sweet for me but my dessert companions loved it.

All in all, it wasn't bad for a back-up hit but I'm definitely looking forward to bigger and better things in the next couple of weeks. Watch me cram sugar into my veins.

Sebel Pier One Sugar Hit
11 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
8298 9910

For a round-up of Good Food Month in blogland, go and visit CucinaRebecca.
Technorati tag: gfm06

Lindt Café, Martin Place

A couple of weeks ago, I was introduced to the glory that is the Lindt café. Yes, kiddies, read it and weep: Sydney has the very first, one and only Lindt concept store.

Before I wax lyrical, it's at 53 Martin Place (corner of Phillip St, behind Hotel Chambers). A nondescript brown building into which people disappear quite frequently. Don't bother reading the end of this post - just GO!

For the rest of you ... allow me to gloat as there are very few luxuries we actually get in Sydney, let alone have first! OK, so we have Tim Tams, but that's because we made them up.

S,o back to Lindt ... so far, I've tried the hot dark chocolate and the iced milk chocolate. Both were equally delicious. I need to taste them again to decide which is better.

I also had half a slice of their hazelnut gateaux--soooo divine, I can't even begin to describe it. I almost had a gastrorgasm at work while devouring it. Next time, I will buy a slice to eat in the privacy of my dining table. But first, I have to try the other cakes on offer. Cos, you know, I wouldn't want to be accused of not having an open mind ... or mouth, as the case may be.

This afternoon, after dreaming about it the entire day, I braved the chill to buy an Excellence 70% Tart. It's a chocolate tart filled with Excellence chocolate (70% cocoa). The tart is stashed away and hidden in our room because I really, really don't want to share it so I have to eat it when everyone else in the house is asleep.

At $7 each, the cake slices aren't cheap but if the hazelnut gateaux was anything to go by, it's definitely worth it. Even sharing it with one other person, there was more than enough to keep me happy--and that's saying a lot for a chocolate slut like me who will eat any half-decent brand (yes, I'm talking Cadbury, Nestlé, and even Goya) in great quantities.

My problem now is that the café is only a 5-minute walk from work. I can't stop thinking about it and the lovely, yummy goodness within. It beckons me, every minute of my working day.

It's lovely.
It's excruciating.
It's going to make me fat.

It's great to live Sydney.

Lindt Café
53 Martin Place, Sydney