Food News – My Little Cupcake

Dessert Eat & Drink Produce

Jackie McMillan
December 17, 2014

While some might argue that Sydney’s cupcake craze has been and gone, they clearly haven’t visited My Little Cupcake. Darlo’s newest kitsch cupcakery has to be one of the most charming stores I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. It’s decked out with pink planter window boxes and an interior featuring gorgeous chandeliers, carefully selected baubles, scented candles, fresh flowers and (of course) cupcakes. Beyond looking (almost) too good to eat in an array of pastel shades topped with sugar flowers, these beauties also really taste the part! The moist and fluffy vanilla hidden under vanilla butter cream frosting reminds me of the buttery pound cake I grew up enjoying. As the dashing, personable proprietor Tim Ball explains: “We don’t cook with oil, so it’s all the good old fashioned ingredients, baked fresh daily.” And if you don’t feel the love in the cooking, you will see it in the packaging, down to separating each cupcake in your box with coloured tissue paper. Certainly an improvement upon so many of Sydney’s cupcake stores, who have been disappointing on the nuts and bolts of the very item they’re selling – cake!
www.mylittlecupcake.com.au

REVIEW: Karen’s Diner Top Ryde

Arts & Entertainment Eat & Drink Scene

Swagatalakshmi Roychowdhury
June 28, 2022

I am not going to lie, walking into Karen’s Diner, which is reputed to have the worst customer service in the city, can be nerve-wracking. After several minutes of nervous pacing and scrolling through the reservation confirmation with clammy hands, a Karen turned to serve me. Rolling eyes and sass made up most of her demeanour, which finally put me at ease. As I looked around, I realised I was not the only nervous one in the diner. Many of customers were similarly hesitant to order their food, all of whom were understandably unwilling to invoke the Karens’ wrath but equally keen to experience what this place was all about.

An evening at Karen’s Diner was a fun experience indeed. From aggressive pushes of food on the table to constant f-bombs and booing at customers, Karen’s Diner was a vibe.

The diner decorations were also quite beautiful. Seated at a high-top table with a table full of has-beens next to a comic plastered wall we watched the customers heading out to play the Wheel of Misfortune. Misfortunes that could land you anywhere between model walks to the not-so-fun spicy shots.

I ate a meal called the “Royale Karen” alongside sips of a cocktail called the “Sour Karen” – listening to Good Golly Miss Molly playing overhead. The food was good, but it could have been better.