Foodies’ Diary: Boozy Brekky

Fully Customised Bowl
I’m starting my boozy brekky column this week with a breakfast that really has made me a convert – Muesli4Me! Not only is it fun to customise your own muesli, the products that arrive soon thereafter really represent the best mueslis I have tried! Mostly this is due to really stellar ingredients – though I don’t mind saying my own blends both turned out very well! I also tried out one of their pre-made Chocolate Lover ($10.20/470g) mixes with the assistance of two special guest reviewers. Miss Eva Pavela (12 years) said: “I would eat another bowl because it tastes nice and it is chocolaty.” Her sister, Mary (10 years) said “it was nice but there are too many nuts!” I could see what Mary was getting at – with nuts this fresh, there’s a whole lot of chewing to do! Making a family blend (or two) would be a great way to get your kids excited about a healthier alternative to the sugary breakfast cereals saturating the market. Matter of fact, I found them pretty exciting too.
www.muesli4me.com.au

Make Mine A Jug
Ease into the festive season with some good boozing practice at the new LotForty Sangria Club. They’ve got red and white sangria in ten buck jugs every Wednesday or Thursday night. If you need snacks, two plates of their tasty tapas with a jug will set you back a mere thirty bucks. My beautician can’t stop talking about this tucked away Darlo gem, so I am itching to get back in there for some Spanish style seduction myself!
www.lotforty.com

New Brekky on the Block
Unless you’ve had your head under a rock, by now you know all about Justin North’s famous Wagyu Burgers at the new Westfield Sydney. If you’ve already been there and done that, there’s a new enticement – midweek breakfasts from 8am. Pop in on the way to the office for a decent croissant from Le Pain Quotidien (I frequent the one on Norton Street); or a posh bacon and egg roll with homemade chutney from Michael Moore at Eat Deli Kitchen. If you’re on one of those ‘carb-free get a hot bikini body in five easy weeks’ diets, I hear Top Fruit does the best fruit salad in town.
www.westfield.com.au/sydney

Birthday, Booze & Brian
Down in The Rocks, Wine Odyssey Australia hit the two-year milestone late last month. If you haven’t gone and had your own self-directed tasting at their sophisticated wine taps, here’s another reason to check them out. They’ve just appointed Brian Villahermosa as Head Chef. I last saw him at Kirribilli’s Catalonia where he wowed me with a beef cheek dish set against parsnip and vanilla bean puree with a coffee soil, so I am sure he will come up with a cleverly enticing menu of small plates to match to the four hundred odd all-Australian wines on their list!
www.wineodyssey.com.au

Eat, Tweet & Win
You’ve got until Xmas Eve to eat for a good cause, Tweet about it, and hopefully win yourself a voucher to dine out again from StreetSmart! By adding a $2 donation to your bill, you’ll also be helping the homeless, using new social media technology for a good cause, and supporting your favourite restaurant with your own mini review. One of the reasons I am a keen supporter of StreetSmart myself is that every single dollar you donate in the 258 participating restaurants goes directly to support disadvantaged people.
www.streetsmartaustralia.org/TweetYourStreetEats

Beer & A Bite
While we’re talking about new technology, beer drinkers may like to know that Cascade Brewery Co have launched a free add-on for your iPhone that will help your drinking. Cascade Brewer’s Nose is ideal for the beer fan who has a thirst for knowledge, containing info about a whopping five hundred Aussie and international brews. So download it and put its beer and food matching skills to work next time you’re having some grub in a pub or restaurant about town!
www.cascadebreweryco.com.au