Plum Cafe, Kenmore

I can't believe it's been exactly a year now that the Ladybird family has been back in Brisbane. A lot has happened this year, and Christmas is just around the corner. Things are just so busy these days, it's hard to get quality time with Mr Ladybird. Dinner dates are impossible, but brunch dates are much more feasible and so we schedule them in whenever we can and really look forward to them.

I am delighted to be posting about brunch at Plum in Kenmore, because it's one of my favourites. Located in Brisbane's western suburbs, Plum has built a name for itself since its opening. It is run by the very dedicated and experienced Lance and Christine Zhou, who took Plum over seven years ago.  Plum is always pretty busy, but weekend breakfasts are especially busy, and with good reason too. The food is excellent, as is the coffee and service.

The breakfast menu is diverse, with eight cooked breakfast options, as well as a number of lighter options including house-made muffins (sweet and savoury). It is also worth mentioning that Plum is also a deli with a wide range of gourmet pantry items, which also serve to whet the appetite when you are dining there alongside them!

But back to the breakfast... Mr Ladybird and I headed to Plum on Wednesday morning and started with coffees, which start at $3.60. A good coffee always sets the tone for breakfast, and these hit the mark. While sipping on our coffee I spotted a fellow patron starting on his house-made granola made with strawberries and yoghurt. It looked so good, I instantly felt order envy!

It wasn't long at all though before our own orders arrived. For me, the Mushrooms ($17.90)
oven roasted garlic and herbed mushrooms, sauteed spinach, cherry tomatoes, goat’s cheese with a drizzle of lemon infused olive oil and ciabatta toast. The mushrooms were just delicious, and that goat's cheese.. heaven!

For Mr Ladybird, the Vegetarian Breakfast ($19.90) poached eggs (substituted for scrambled in this instance), haloumi, mushrooms, roasted tomato, avocado, rosti and pesto & fresh spinach. This was one generous and delicious breakfast feast, so much so that Mr Ladybird needed a little help with the haloumi. No twisting of arm required, I was happy to assist! The rosti was excellent - I just love it when you get a proper rosti and not something out of a freezer packet, because there is simply no comparison.

With the most important meal of the day complete, Mr Ladybird and I set about our busy days. And I must say, with such generous portion sizes, this breakfast kept us going for hours! Nothing beats a good coffee and breakfast to set you up for the day. Despite prices being a little on the high side, I would say that Plum offer the best breakfast I have had here in Brisbane, so if you are looking for a place to eat in the western suburbs, Plum is worth checking out.

Ladybird & Mr Ladybird dined courtesy of Plum Cafe.

Plum Cafe
Shop 17, 841 Moggill Rd, Kenmore
Ph: (07) 3378 5422
www.plumcafe.com.au

Cockadoodle Cafe & Espresso Bar, Red Hill

Located at the start of Enoggera Terrace a few doors down from Botanica, you will find a quirky and cheerful looking establishment called Cockadoodle Cafe and Espresso Bar. In the area to collect some takeaway salads and with grumbling stomachs, my friend and I decided to stop in with little A in tow for an impromptu brunch.

Finding a nice shady table was easy enough for what is normally a busy time for such cafes on weekends, and pram access was also good. Although we didn't need one, we were offered a high chair which was nice, so I think this is a child friendly venue.

The feel of this place is quite laid-back and I loved the splashes of red in the tableware and décor.. my favourite colour! :)

With an all-day breakfast menu boasting 15 items, plus breakfast specials, there really is something for everyone here. First up though we ordered coffees. They were nice and strong, but a little on the bitter side unfortunately. Next time I think I'll order something from the extensive list of nice teas on offer.

Onto the food... I opted for the Haloumi & Mushrooms on Sourdough ($15.80), while my dining partner opted for the French Toast with Berry Compote and maple syrup (15.80). The French Toast was lovely, although would have been better had it been left to soak up more of the mixture before being put in the pan. The accompanying compote was delicious and not too sweet.

I really enjoyed my mushrooms and haloumi. The flavour was great and the splash of quality balsamic vinegar to finish the dish was perfect.

All in all a nice spot for a weekend breakfast!
xx

Cockadoodle Cafe & Espresso Bar
5 Enogerra Terrace, Red Hill
Ph: (07) 3369 0610

Botanica, Red Hill

This is my new favourite takeaway in Brisbane.

For me, it ticks a lot of boxes. It's quick; it's healthy; I can eat everything on the menu; and, oh.my.word... it is DELICIOUS! If you love feeling good about what you eat, then Botanica is worth a visit.

Located in Red Hill, Botanica was opened by owners Ali and Brett Hutley at the beginning of this year. Not only has it become a hit with locals, but has become known as the place for salads in Brisbane. And don't let its size fool you.. although small, Botanica offers a lot for a small eatery! There are up to eight fresh, hearty salads daily, all of which are either vegan or vegetarian.

Botanica is takeaway only, and takeaway boxes come in three sizes. The family size feeds 4+ for $25; the medium 2-4 for $15; and the small $10. I opted for the medium size to feed Mr Ladybird and I for lunch, and was surprised with how much salad could be packed in so neatly! I opted for a little of each salad as they all looked so good.

From left to right, the menu was as follows:
Brown rice with roast vegetables, baby spinach and soy and coriander dressing
Raw beetroot with orange, mint and fetta
Shaved broccoli with cranberries, almonds and garlic cashew cream
Potato, pea and dill salad with green tahini
Red cabbage with parmesan and walnut crumb and Dijon vinaigrette
Kale and parmesan salad with sourdough croutons and roast garlic vinaigrette
Mougrabeh with roast sweet potato and onion, supergreen pesto and baby spinach

All were so tasty, bursting with flavour and with the perfect amount of seasoning and dressing. The kale salad was the winner for me. I could eat that every.single.day. Yum! The medium box filled us up for lunch, plus there were leftovers to have along with dinner.

Also worth mentioning is the beautiful selection of freshly baked gluten-free sweet treats on offer daily at Botanica. When I visited, there were cinnamon bundt donuts, Callebaut chocolate fudge cookies, cherry white chocolate and sour cream muffins... just to name a few! So tempting, but I declined on this occasion. I guess I'll just have to visit again, for salads and maybe more! ;)

Botanica
9/1 Enoggera Tce, Red Hill
QLD 4059
Ph: (07) 3367 3334
http://www.botanicarealfood.com.au

Breakfast at The Kenmore

This morning the Ladybird family made a Sunday breakfast outing to a local hotel called 'The Kenmore' that has recently undergone a complete refurbishment. The hotel bistro offers breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays until 10am and so we decided to give it a try.

The refurbishment is modern, classy and restrained. They have done a brilliant job in giving this establishment a facelift. The pictures speak for themselves!

The bistro's alfresco dining area is a real highlight - loads of natural light, and fans for the warm weather as well as outdoor heating for the cooler months (yes, they do exist here in Brisbane!)

The breakfast menu offers the usual fare. Unfortunately, there were no savoury vegetarian meals listed, however, the staff were happy to substitute to cater accordingly. Drink and meal orders are taken at the counter. After ordering, we noticed this cute miniature blackboard listing The Kenmore's coffee menu. I like my coffee, but to be honest, I have never even heard of some of these!

I opted for the Lemon and ricotta pancake stack with stewed strawberries, double cream and mint ($12.95). I'm afraid to say the pancakes were the least impressive pancakes I have paid for... The flavour was not great, and the pancakes were burnt underneath. And frankly, two pancakes doesn't make a 'stack'.

Mr Ladybird had the Light Breakfast with toast, eggs, roast tomato and bacon ($12.95). The staff happily substituted the bacon for a side of mushrooms, and he added two hashbrown add-ons ($2 x 2) to share with our little fella. We were a little disappointed to see that the hashbrowns were readymade and that the toast was regular white supermarket bread. Unfortunately the tomato seemed to have got forgotten as well.

The Emperor was a very happy little boy to receive his babycino, graciously provided on the house by the manager. We gave coffees a miss as we have a machine at home which gets a blurry eyed visit from us every morning nice and early.

I was looking forward to this breakfast... Alas, my search for a good local breakfast venue that is child friendly continues. The Kenmore is certainly a beautiful, child-friendly venue. On the plus side, there is parking close to the hotel, room for prams and there are high chairs available. Unfortunately though, food at The Kenmore was a letdown.. Will we be back? Probably not, but their coffee menu has piqued my curiosity so perhaps that might see me return some day.


The Kenmore
841 Moggill Rd
Kenmore
Ph: (07) 33780777
http://www.ourhotels.com.au/kenmoretavern/

Zucchini Cheesecake/Slice

A couple of months ago, I found myself browsing the book section of a department store one day when I picked up 'I Quit Sugar' by Sarah Wilson. While I am not one in favour of giving up sugar in all its forms, I am definitely in favour of consuming good things in moderation. For me, it's all about less and best. I am a conscientious eater, but when it comes to special occasions, I believe we should all be able to have a little cake. And if you know that that cake was made from scratch with love and the very best ingredients, then all the more reason to enjoy it guilt-free!

So why would I get the book then? While I love making cakes, coming up with new flavours, and so on.. I do have to be careful. If I were to eat cake all the time not only would I be the size of a house, but I wouldn't feel too crash hot either. 'I Quit Sugar' offers lots of useful advice about how we can cut back on sugar in everyday eating, plus it has loads of great healthy recipes. There are lots of high-protein recipes too, which as we all know goes a long way in keeping us full longer and keeps us from raiding the cookie jar at 3pm. And as a vegetarian, I'm always thinking about my protein intake!

In the book this dish is called a zucchini cheesecake, but I prefer to call it a 'slice' as in my mind a anything ending in 'cake' ought to be sweet. Hrmmm... but then again, I suppose banana bread really ought to be banana cake, because there's nothing savoury or bread like about it, is there?! This slice is listed in the breakfast section of the book. When we have this at breakfast I love it with some thyme roasted tomatoes and wilted spinach. I have enjoyed this at lunch and dinner too. It's great alongside a salad with a zingy lemony dressing. Ricotta is a good source of calcium and protein, so not only is this yum, but it's good for you too!

After making this a few times myself, I suggest you to opt for a good quality full fat ricotta from a proper deli rather than a supermarket. It really does make the difference for this recipe. For those of you in Brisbane, try New Farm Deli, Ingredients Deli in Kenmore, or Fruity Capers Deli in Toowong Village. All three are purveyors of quality cheeses.

Zucchini Cheesecake
Recipe from 'I Quit Sugar' by Sarah Wilson. Serves 8

Ingredients
coconut oil, butter or ghee for greasing
2-3 large zucchini
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
550g ricotta
1/3 cup grated parmesan*
2 green shallots (or 'green salad onions' as they are called in supermarkets here in Australia), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped dill
zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs, well beaten
1/3 cup crumbled fetta**

* Original recipe calls for a whopping 3/4 cup of parmesan, but I found this much too salty.
** I think Dodoni or Bulgarian work well

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius and grease a 23cm cake tin or medium sized baking dish.
2. Grate the zucchini - you need 2 cups grated zucchini. Combine the zucchini and salt in a colander or sturdy sieve and let sit for 15 minutes, then use your fingers or a spoon to press out as much moisture as you can.
3. Combine the ricotta, parmesan, shallots, garlic, dill and lemon zest, then stir in the eggs and zucchini.
4. Pour into the dish and bake for 1 hour. Sprinkle with the fetta then return to the oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted. The slice is est when left to cool completely so that it sets properly. Serve at room temperature.

If you end up making this I hope you enjoy it! I look forward to bringing you some more of my favourite recipes from this wonderful book. Kudos, Sarah Wilson!

xx

A long overdue update

How. Time. FLIES!

I can't believe it has almost been one year since my last post telling you all about my little boy's first birthday! There is so much to catch up on I don't even know where to begin... There have been many many changes in the past year, and consequently my once well loved blog has fallen by the wayside. I apologise, dear followers, and will do my utmost best to bring it back to life with attempted regular care and attention!

Ahh, so where shall I start? Well, my family and I moved to Brisbane at the end of last year. We miss Sydney terribly, but the wonderful thing about being in Queensland is that I have family support here. As those of you with little ones will understand, sometimes having that kind of support is utterly precious! We have settled into life here in Brisbane's western suburbs, and although we do not eat out as much as we once did, have discovered some nice places for food and coffee here (which of course I have been meaning to, and most certainly will, now share with you through this blog!)

The second major change in my life, has been this beautiful little addition to our family - Ananya. The name 'Ananya' comes from Sanskrit and means 'one without equal'.

She was born at the Wesley Hospital in July. I developed a serious condition in my final trimester which posed a significant risk to her wellbeing, and so I need to be induced. Little Ananya arrived 3 weeks early but without any major issues. The care at the hospital was outstanding, and my obstetrician Dr Pauline Joubert was amazing both throughout my prenatal care and at the delivery. I can't believe our little girl is already three months old! She grows more and more beautiful by the day. 

The above photo was part of the newborn shoot we did with her when she was 7 days old. The photos are breathtaking... We had them done by Luisa Dunn Photography here is Brisbane. Luisa is one very talented lady, I highly recommend her if you are looking for someone to capture precious portraits of little ones.

Our other little person, Roman, is now two years old! We celebrated his birthday last weekend and I look forward to posting about that soon. He has grown into the most beautiful little boy. Very gregarious, inquisitive and loving, and so far a pretty good elder brother too!

So with an interstate move, a rambunctious two year old, and a new baby, there has not been a great deal of time left for myself, my blog or my cake work. However, where there is a will there IS a way, and I am determined to find a balance for myself. My two little ones will always be my first priority, but now more than ever I feel it is important to reserve some 'me time' for things that I am passionate about. Whether it be taking a long walk, cooking a healthy meal, or creating a beautiful cake for a client - these acts all feed the soul and give me the energy I need! Many of my followers are regular bloggers in their own right as well as mothers and working women - I take my hat off to you, ladies!

Please stay tuned for my next post with lots from Roman's second birthday party - it was a blast!

Anna x

Campos Cafe & Roastery, Fortitude Valley

Happy new year my beloved readers and fellow food enthusiasts! May 2011 be a wonderful year for you all. I am really looking forward to the year ahead, particularly from a blogging perspective. I have an abundance of recipes and food experiences I can't wait to share with you, as well as a few other surprises I have up my sleeve ;) I'm sure there'll be lots of other food experiences to be had along the way this year, and I look forward to sharing them with you, and reading about yours too of course!

I am back in Sydney after a short break to Queensland for Christmas with my family there. While in Queensland, Mr Ladybird and I had the opportunity to eat out at both some new places, as well as places we used to frequent often while we lived in Brisbane. Revisiting what used to be our local areas was a good experience. It is amazing how some things change immensely while other things stay so much the same in a matter of just a few years.

On Christmas eve, we met up with family for brunch at Campos Cafe Roastery off trendy James Street in the Fortitude Valley. The cafe was recommended by one of my brothers who is quite the foodie and has his finger on the pulse for places to eat and get good coffee in the Brisbane/Gold Coast area so I knew it had to be blogged. It was only when I settled in Sydney that I learnt of just how good their coffee is, so I was excited by the fact that Campos coffee has now made its mark in Queensland!

Although Campos Cafe does not take reservations, the large group of us waited only a short while to be seated at the back of the restaurant where we had a great view of the roastery. I did not take any shots of this in accordance with cafe signage requesting patrons not to photograph this, but it was cool to see nonetheless. Once settled in our seats (or stools in this case), we ordered our coffees which were a warm and comforting during the crazy wet and cold weather Queensland experienced over Christmas.

We then ordered our breakfast choices. While there were relatively few vegetarian options on the menu, Mr Ladybird and I learnt from our friendly waitress that alterations could be made to some of the savoury dishes to accommodate for meat-free diners such as ourselves. It's that sort of flexibility with a smile (and not being made feel that you're a complete pain in the a**) that always makes me happy to recommend such places to others, vegetarian or not!

Unfortunately Campos Cafe's menu is not published online and I was somewhat in holiday mode so did not make notes on my visit, so I am unable to give you the exact descriptions and prices of dishes... So on this occasion I shall simply say it with pictures.

Campos Cafe's dishes aren't the cheapest in town at somewhere between $15 - $20... I would consider that quite pricey in Sydney let alone Brisbane, but if you are after an excellent coffee with your brunch too, perhaps it is worth the price. All-in-all an enjoyable brunch experience.

Campos Cafe & Roastery
11 Wandoo Street, Fortitude Valley
QLD 4006
(07) 3252 3612


Till next time!
Ladybird x

Les Amis, Brisbane

This morning I headed for the Fortitude Valley in Brisbane to catch up with my good friends Andrew and Anthony at a french cafe and restaurant called Les Amis. Meaning 'the friends', I thought it was a very appropriate venue :) It is always so great to catch up with them, and what better a way to catch up than over good food and coffee first thing in the morning!

Andrew ordered the French toast with crispy bacon and maple syrup ($10.50) and devoured every tasty morsel in no time.

Anthony had the Sweetcorn and potato hashcakes with wilted spinach and poached eggs ($12.50). He enjoyed it, but remarked that the cakes, although delicious and not oily, could have been a little crisper on the outside.

For me - the Pancakes with cherry compote and vanilla mascarpone ($12.50). They were good pancakes, but I felt that a little maple syrup could have helped as the cherries were quite tart and the mascarpone was unsweetened.

The coffee was excellent, so I asked a waiter what sort it was and I was delighted to hear it was Campos. I didn't know Campos had arrived in Brisbane so that was a nice surprise. We had 2 rounds of coffee - there was a lot of chatting and catching up to be done!

So, all in all a lovely breakfast at Les Amis avec mes amis!

Enjoy your weekend, everyone.

Ladybird x

Les Amis

http://www.lesamis.com.au/

Shop 1, Green Square North Tower 515 St. Paul’s Terrace

Fortitude Valley Q 4006
(07) 3852 6100