• Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA
  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra and rest of Australia

Sue's Fabulous Travels

~ around China and other countries

Sue's Fabulous Travels

Category Archives: Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

Centennial Vineyards Restaurant – Bowral – Southern Highlands – New South Wales – Australia – June 2020

22 Tuesday Sep 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Bowral, NSW, Southern Highlands

My last overnight trip out of Canberra was in June this year and during my stay in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, my friends Sharon, David and I went to lunch at a local winery.

Centennial Vineyards was a very short drive from our hotel and Sharon had made a reservation so we left with enough time to enjoy the lovely grounds leading up to the winery. The restaurant serves local produce which is great for the community.

When we arrived we saw a helicopter on the grounds with the pilot standing outside so all throughout lunch we played a game of ‘who in the restaurant owns the helicopter’. We all guessed different people for different reasons…but in the end we were all wrong, it didn’t belong to any of the diners but the owner of the winery. So much for our detective skills!

The restaurant’s atmosphere was pretty average I must say; a bit vacant and with very little character, but the food was very good so that made up for the absence of ambience.

The menu was brought after a short wait and there was a good selection of meals each of us could order.

Unfortunately none of the wine was vegan so Sharon and David enjoyed a couple of glasses but I stuck to sparkling mineral water.

David ordered a soup for entree which arrived in a glass all frothy with a feta and caramelised onion bruschetta. Such nice presentation!

For our meals, Sharon and I ordered the pear and candied walnut salad with a pomegranate dressing to share and for our main courses David ordered the dukkah crusted barramundi with vegetable pearl cous cous and harissa whilst Sharon ordered a parmesan and sage crumbed pork cutlet with apple and fennel slaw accompanied by a bacon and pumpkin relish. I ordered the lentil and vegetable shepherds pot pie with greens and thick cut chips. All meals were very good and enjoyed by the three of us.

After I finished my lunch I took a stroll out the back of the restaurant to take a few photos. I could imagine sitting out in the courtyard in nicer weather enjoying time with friends.

After this we decided to visit the little shop selling wine and a range of chocolates and condiments but none of us bought anything on this occasion.

It was then time to visit David’s home so we departed after a lovely afternoon.

A new restaurant – Dickson – Canberra – ACT – Australia – August 2020

18 Tuesday Aug 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

Australia, canberra, Chic Gourmet restaurant, Chinese cuisine, Dickson, dining with friends, Happy birthday

Chinese food in Canberra

fullsizeoutput_9fdThe other night it was my Chinese friend Peter’s 30th birthday so we decided to go out to dinner and Peter chose a new restaurant in Canberra which is about a five minute drive from my home.fullsizeoutput_a0aIt’s a Chinese restaurant, quite casual and with an unusual name Chic Gourmet which if I had heard the name before we went I would not of thought it was Chinese cuisine…I guess I am so used to names with a Chinese connection!!

The menu was large and whilst there were my usual favourites, there were a few dishes I had not eaten before.  So I ordered my usual dishes and the waitress was very helpful in checking which ones were vegan.  My choices were the salt and pepper tofu with chilli, the Thai style sweet and sour deep fried eggplant and something I had never seen before, hand-made fried mushroom buns in the shape of a baby Hedgehog.  These arrived looking so cute but I did eat them and they were truly delicious as was the tofu; so fresh and with just the right amount of chilli.fullsizeoutput_a09fullsizeoutput_a05fullsizeoutput_a02Peter ordered all the meat dishes and started off with the hand-made signature pan fried pork buns, hand-made pork wontons in a spicy sauce and a dish of stewed duck with beer and chilli oil. It’s a real shame those wontons were not vegan as I must say they looked fabulous.fullsizeoutput_a00fullsizeoutput_a01fullsizeoutput_9ffEvery dish really arrived very nicely presented and as with the majority of Chinese restaurants; food arrived quickly.

Peter also ordered two soups one was a stewed Barramundi in a hot and sour soup and the other was a boiled beef, Ling fish, king prawn and squid in a hot chilli sauce. fullsizeoutput_a08fullsizeoutput_a06Every time we go out with Peter, he always orders what we think are way too many dishes but they seems to get eaten, every time!  This evening there was five of us and I was the only one not eating meat so there was quite a bit of food to be eaten even lots of vegetable dishes.

Peter’s girlfriend Katie had been to the restaurant a couple of times before and knew that two vegetable dishes in particular were very good.  So she ordered them; the stir fried mixed vegetables with lotus root (probably the most delicious vegetables I have had for some time) and a dish of organic stir-fried pea sprout with garlic sauce (another absolutely delicious dish).  I now can’t wait to return to eat these delicious and very healthy vegetable dishes again.fullsizeoutput_a07fullsizeoutput_a04And just when we thought the dishes had finished Katie ordered both her and I a bowl of  traditional Peking style slow cooked pear and white fungus soup for dessert.  I thought this was very sweet of her as she had brought a cake from the local cake shop and as it wasn’t vegan she wanted to ensure I had something to eat.  Not my favourite dessert I must say but I took a few sips.fullsizeoutput_a0efullsizeoutput_a0bfullsizeoutput_a28And as you do when you are with much younger people, you find out about Apps (beautycam) that makes your skin look fabulously smooth and adds ears and other things to photos, so we engaged in some frivolity for a little while before ending the very lovely evening.

fullsizeoutput_a12
fullsizeoutput_a0f

fullsizeoutput_a03

Southern Highlands – New South Wales – Australia – June 2020

06 Monday Jul 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 26 Comments

Tags

Australia, Bowral, Ethos Restaurant, Links House, New South Wales, Southern Highlands, travelling with friends, Vegan wine

A lovely overnight trip out of Canberra

sitemgr_the_fold_southern_highlands-highlands_mossyFinally…we can travel…well domestically anyway.  My friend and I decided to drive about two hours out of Canberra to a beautiful area of New South Wales called the Southern Highlands which is also considered a wine region.  My lovely friend Sharon booked us a couple of rooms at Links House in Bowral.  Bowral is the largest town in the Southern Highlands and is known for its antique shops, cafes, house & garden stores and expensive homes similar to other areas in the Southern Highlands.

We had a nice drive; I drove and we chatted about anything and everything and before we knew it, we had arrived at our hotel.  Links House has a lovely frontage.  It was built in 1928 as a country guesthouse and still has all the charm of that era and style.  fullsizeoutput_9e8fullsizeoutput_9e9We drove up the side lane and parked the car and walked into the hotel.  We were greeted by the owner who offered us a small glass of locally made port. Sharon indulged but because I don’t like red wine I declined.  We were shown our rooms which were lovely with a country style; heated, clean and most importantly; a comfortable bed!fullsizeoutput_9e7We spent the next hour or so with a friend and his family in their beautiful home; an old schoolhouse – and so beautifully decorated.  No photos unfortunately as didn’t think it appropriate to be snapping at the home of people I have only just met!!!  Then Sharon, David and I went out to lunch at Centennial Vineyards, a local winery, located in the same suburb as our hotel (but more on that in an upcoming post).

That evening Sharon and I decided to eat at our hotel at Ethos restaurant as it was rather cold outside and we had a busy day driving/eating/chatting and meeting new friends.  fullsizeoutput_9eaWe met in the lounge area of our hotel which had a lovely fire and comfortable chairs.

HI560142480

source: courtesy of the internet

I arrived early to the lounge area so ordered a glass of wine.  As most of you will know I am vegan (over two years now) but something you might not know is it’s only been the last two months that I have decided to only drink vegan wine.  This means that any wine that has used egg white/fish or gelatine as a finishing agent (stops the clouding of the wine) I won’t drink.

vegan-wine-logo-BANNER

1672641_orig

source:  courtesy of the internet

 

I asked whether there were any vegan wines available and was told there was only one which was a rosé.  I am not a red wine or rosé drinker but the owner said this wine was very light and offered me a taste.  I took a small sip and it certainly was very light so ordered a glass.  By this time Sharon had arrived and after a few minutes we moved into the restaurant.  I ordered a mushroom risotto which the chef made vegan and Sharon ordered the pumpkin soup with truffle oil and home made grain bread.  Both very good dishes with lovely fresh local produce.fullsizeoutput_9ebfullsizeoutput_9ecBy this time we were feeling a little tired so moved back into the lounge area near the fire for a chat before heading off to our rooms where I promptly fell straight asleep.

The next morning, I woke up early to see the sun rising and hopped out of bed to take a walk around the local area to check out the expensive homes.fullsizeoutput_9f0fullsizeoutput_9f6My walk took about an hour and whilst it was hard to see many of the homes from the street (I am definitely one of those people who loves to peer into other people’s homes!!), I could see driveways and parts of homes along from the footpath.fullsizeoutput_9f3fullsizeoutput_9f2fullsizeoutput_9f5The gardens were beautifully maintained also and one even had little ducks walking along the grass; very country I must say.fullsizeoutput_9f1Bowral has always been a place I would love to live but unfortunately now it’s way out of my price range…ah well it’s a lovely place to visit overnight or even for a few days.Autumn+leavesWe enjoyed a lovely breakfast at our hotel and then it was time to check out and head back to Canberra.  On our way home we stopped at another country town called Mittagong to look at the shops – I love the stores selling all things fabulous like facial creams/soaps and candles – a little bit expensive but gorgeous.  Sharon and I ended up buying a few things in one particular shop and I bought a present for my friends Ray and Nat who helped look after my dogs whilst I was away.  I bought them a jigger – now I had no idea it was called this but you might, it’s the stainless steel measuring cup used to measure alcoholic spirits…so I learnt something (mindless) whilst away.  fullsizeoutput_9f7We also went into a fabulous bread shop.  I must say I love good bread but whilst I didn’t buy any bread I did buy an Indian vegan pie to take home which I have since eaten and it was very good; great pastry!fullsizeoutput_9edSo as you can see we had a lovely time away and as it’s so close to Canberra it’s an easy place to visit regularly.  I must return soon!

Walking around Canberra – ACT – Australia – May/June 2020

21 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 30 Comments

Tags

ACT, Australia, canberra, Canberra walks, Lake Ginninderra, Street Art, walking with dogs, Watson Woodlands, Yerribi Ponds

Lovely walks during Canberra’s colder seasons

fullsizeoutput_9ceI love walking around Canberra; well anywhere really but because I live here in Canberra it’s nice to find new walks for both me and my dogs.  The other day I happened to be driving in a nearby suburb called Watson (named after our third Prime Minister) and came across a great parkland where in parts dogs are allowed off-lead.  I drove straight home, picked up the dogs and returned.  Watson Woodlands is actually eighteen hectares but there is a cleared parkland contained on one side of the road with lovely ponds, ducks, walkways and beautiful Eucalyptus trees scattered around.IMG_8739This area of the parkland has two walkways one out in the open with a well worn pathway and the other underneath a canopy of trees.  I love both walks but most people with dogs walk along the well worn path so I usually walk this way as it’s nice for my dogs to see and play with the other dogs.  The walk takes about twenty-five minutes one way then you turn around and walk back; simple!fullsizeoutput_9cc

IMG_8731
IMG_8732

IMG_8735Another of my other favourite walks is the reasonably lengthy circular walk around Lake Ginninderra.  It takes about an hour and twenty minutes at a normal walking pace and my smaller dog Axel and I do the walk when we can.fullsizeoutput_9cffullsizeoutput_9d0The approximate seven-kilometre walk is reasonably flat and paved the whole way.  There is a variety of birdlife; swans, ducks and waterbirds and bbq areas, a large and small enclosed dog park and a lovely running stream which flows into the lake.fullsizeoutput_9d8IMG_8651 I love this walk as the trees are beautiful and it’s wonderful to see so many people out and about walking/playing or having picnics.fullsizeoutput_9d2fullsizeoutput_9d1And the final walk I want to mention today is a forty-five minute walk around Yerribi Ponds which is about a fifteen minute drive from my home.  Similar to Lake Ginninderra, Yerribi Ponds has a paved pathway around the whole of the lake making walking and bike riding very easy.  It’s another walk that I can take my dogs but they must stay on a leash.fullsizeoutput_9d6There is also a large variety of birdlife along the ponds and many young children like to feed the birds and fish.fullsizeoutput_9d4fullsizeoutput_9d7fullsizeoutput_9daAt one particular point along the walk there is some great street art created by John Voir which is found on pillars or columns that support the roadway.  fullsizeoutput_9ddfullsizeoutput_9dc

fullsizeoutput_9df
fullsizeoutput_9de

fullsizeoutput_9e0I find these ponds very children friendly as there is so much for children to do; an adventure playground, basketball court, double tandem flying fox and a pirate ship under a huge shade cloth.  There is also a swing (Liberty Swing)  that can be used by children in wheelchairs; now isn’t that just so lovely.

The trees are beautiful along the way as well as lovely water views and views of the local city centre’s buildings.fullsizeoutput_9e2fullsizeoutput_9dbfullsizeoutput_9e1fullsizeoutput_9e3And when the sun goes down, the weather gets cooler and the scenery changes; looking differently to what it did during the day but equally as lovely I think.  Time to go home – even the local men fishing decide to make it a day albeit without any catches!IMG_8679fullsizeoutput_9d3

 

Remembering eating out – Sage Dining Rooms – Braddon – Canberra – Australia – October 2019

16 Saturday May 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

ACT, Australia, Braddon, canberra, dining with friends, Sage Dining Rooms, three course degustation

Ah…the good ole days of eating out!

1439887925447This week I was working out how long its been since I have eaten out and the answer was ” it’s been a while”; not just for me of course but for everyone and I know how difficult it is for restaurant owners and staff – so I hope for their sake (and mine) that restaurants open soon.  Then came some good news a couple of days ago that restaurants and pubs here in Canberra are opening with limited patronage…yay!  Only ten people allowed inside to ensure adherence to social distancing but that’s fine as it allows me to go out and enjoy a meal with friends.sage-courtyard-810x608So…back to this post.  Last October my friends Ray and Natalie invited me to Sage Dining Rooms located at Gorman House in Canberra for lunch to celebrate Nat’s birthday.  Sage has an interesting history. The whole complex used to be accomodation for interstate public servants comprising small individual bedrooms with a series of lounges and a dining room.  The hostel was decommissioned in the 1970s and the communal dining and living rooms were refurbished to create Sage.  fullsizeoutput_9b7Sage is definitely one of Canberra’s best fine dining restaurants and has won many awards over the years.  The wait staff are extremely well versed with the ingredients of every dish and as they are serving, they provide that information.  The decor is lovely; fresh flowers on every table, linen tablecloths and napkins, cute chair and bench coverings and the place is spotlessly clean.fullsizeoutput_9b6We ordered the three course degustation with mine being vegan to cater for my dietary requirements.  There is also a five course degustation but I find it’s just too much food as the restaurant provides an amuse bouche with our first drinks (lovely glass of champagne) and then a complimentary small dish is also offered between each course – all delicious tiny mouth fulls but when you have five dishes and tiny bites between each you get very full very quickly!fullsizeoutput_9b8fullsizeoutput_9bbAll dishes are beautifully presented and food is absolutely delicious.
fullsizeoutput_9b9fullsizeoutput_9baAnd desserts are fabulous too…fullsizeoutput_9bdfullsizeoutput_9bcr0_0_1500_2000_w1200_h678_fmaxSage-dessertAnd then came a lovely surprise for Nat…fullsizeoutput_9beI am so looking forward to Sage Dining Rooms re-opening…

 

 

Sichuan Chinese Restaurant – Belconnen -Canberra – Australian Capital Territory – Australia -November 2019

21 Saturday Mar 2020

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 29 Comments

Tags

Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Belconnen, Chinese food, dinner with friends, Sichuan restaurant

Chinese food that tastes like Chinese food

fullsizeoutput_98aI absolutely love Chinese food!  My two gorgeous Chinese friends took me and my friend Jon to a Chinese restaurant here in Canberra.  It’s a Sichuan restaurant actually called Sichuan Chinese Restaurant which means that the dishes are all pretty spicy and clearly no great thought put into the name; guess you know what you are getting!fullsizeoutput_993fullsizeoutput_989The restaurant is located in a suburb about a fifteen minute drive from my home and on Lake Gininderra which is lovely to walk around during the day.fullsizeoutput_988My friend Peter selected this restaurant as it serves genuine Chinese food.  No crazy Aussie versions of Chinese food to be found here and thank goodness.  Peter always orders for us as he knows what dishes both Jon and I like.  I love the beans which are usually dry fried with garlic and chilli – yum!fullsizeoutput_990I also loved the chilli dry fried cauliflower and as you can see it certainly did have a lot of chilli.  Peter also ordered a plate of  white and brown buns (Mantou 馒头) which are steamed and soft; popular in northern China.  They came with some sort of creamy sauce but I didn’t have any of it.  fullsizeoutput_98efullsizeoutput_98cA beef and chicken dish was ordered; the beef made with an enormous amount of chilli  (loved by Jon).fullsizeoutput_98ffullsizeoutput_98bThe fried potato dish was so good; a bit too spicy for me as it made my lips numb but I couldn’t stop eating it.fullsizeoutput_991And something I absolutely love is the black sesame glutinous rice balls (tangyuan 汤圆) and glutinous rice sticks in soy…again delicious. fullsizeoutput_992fullsizeoutput_98dWhat a great meal.  I really love the food at this restaurant.  So much that I have been back about five times since my first visit.

 

 

Momoda Restaurant – Canberra – ACT – Australia – August 2019

30 Monday Dec 2019

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

ACT, Australia, canberra, dining with friends, Momoda Restaurant

Great find in Canberra

172-Momoda-ExteriorEarlier this year I saw a restaurant called Momoda as I was walking past on my way to meet friends for a drink and since then I have dined there about four times.  On this occasion, a few months ago, I arranged for a group of friends to join me for dinner.  I invited my Chinese friends, my friend Jon and another friend Anne (who I have known since school).  The menu is extensive with vegan and vegetarian options and also with lots of meat and seafood dishes.fullsizeoutput_946The name Momoda is Chinese slang meaning kiss-kiss which is an expression of affection used at the end of text messages similar to “mwah” in English. Cute! The food here is delicious; so many choices for me as a vegan and lots of great dishes for my meat eating friends as well as the many choices of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails and drinks.fullsizeoutput_945fullsizeoutput_93fI always order the cauliflower san choy bowl which comes with peanut satay and baby cos lettuce which allows you to make your own little parcels of deliciousness.  Also on my list is my absolute favourite – crispy eggplant with Chiang-Jiang red vinegar, roasted sesame and ginger chilli.  Now this is good!
172-Momoda-san-choy-bowl.jpgfullsizeoutput_94afullsizeoutput_94bI have also ordered the wild mushroom bun, with pumpkin seed, king mushroom and black pepper which was very good and there is a dumpling called the double cheeseburger dumpling – yes you read correctly; that is definitely a combination of West meets East – we didn’t order this.  All the buns and dumplings we have eaten here have been great!

The Enoki Mushroom Spring Rolls are really good and my friends chose the meat version; Mongolian Kangaroo Spring Rolls with Sichuan chilli salt, wombok and ginger salad.  I must say I have never heard of a Mongolian Kangaroo so who knows how both link but anyway they were good I am told.fullsizeoutput_942fullsizeoutput_947My friends shared quite a few dishes including the scallop and prawn dumplings topped with diced pickles, Grandma’s sticky pork belly; twice cooked pork with caramel lemongrass chilli jam, the pork and Chinese chive dumplings with black vinegar and ginger chilli dipping sauce and the BBQ pork Char Siu buns – all delicious I was informed.fullsizeoutput_943fullsizeoutput_949Momoda_1Momoda_3The restaurant’s interior is worth the visit; dimly lit with a really lovely decor that includes Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling, fans on the walls and unusual items like an old leather suitcase displayed on a shelf and non-Chinese lanterns hanging on the walls – all adds to the ambience I think.  20180825_121309-e1536565678678

fullsizeoutput_941
fullsizeoutput_940

fullsizeoutput_944The owner Irean is from Mainland China and has a wonderful sense of humour.  I love that she remembers you from previous visits. And to top it off, my Chinese friends Peter and Katie said to me at the end of the evening that they loved each of the dishes and because they are used to typical Chinese food they were so impressed with the quality and variety of the dishes.  I guess this is because the dishes are traditional Chinese but with a very modern twist.  Certainly not the Aussie/Chinese dishes like beef in black bean sauce or sweet and sour pork; both dishes my Chinese friends have never heard of.

Definitely a restaurant worth visiting.

 

 

Grazing Restaurant – Gundaroo – New South Wales – Australia – August 2018

12 Saturday Oct 2019

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Australia, Grazing restaurant, Gundaroo, Lunch with friends, New South Wales, Royal Hotel

Second visit to an old pub near Canberra

Image result for grazing at gundaroo long free photosAbout a half hour drive north from my home in Canberra is a lovely old town called Gunning which is located in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales.  The town has a population of just over 600 people and located inside the historic and refurbished 1865 Royal Hotel is a lovely restaurant called Grazing.  The restaurant serves decent size portions of food, made with fresh seasonal organic and local ingredients along with an extensive list of Canberra District wines.fullsizeoutput_8d2fullsizeoutput_8d0It’s a lovely drive to the township through country farms and bushland.  We arrived a little early and took the opportunity to walk along the main street and pop into a couple of stores.  Then it was time for eating (yay)…we were seated in the main part of the restaurant; there are smaller more private rooms but usually for more than six or so people.fullsizeoutput_8ddThe meals were as good as they were on my previous visit.  We started off with a salmon pate on crisp bread which I declined but my friends thoroughly enjoyed.  fullsizeoutput_8d4I ordered a risotto which the chef was happy to make vegan.  It arrived with Jerusalem artichoke and greens; beautifully presented and delicious.  One of my friends ordered the original risotto made with braised lentils, Wagu beef cheek, Jerusalem artichoke, chestnut and truffle dressing.fullsizeoutput_8d5fullsizeoutput_8dcAlso ordered was the Barramundi which was oven roasted and came with curried celeriac and crab crust, buttered cabbage and fennel velouté.  And we shared the baked eggplant with miso glaze, blackened Baba Ghanoush, sesame and labneh.  Again I must say all the meals were beautifully presented.fullsizeoutput_8dafullsizeoutput_8d9We also ordered a couple of other dishes but looking at them now I genuinely cannot remember what they are well apart from the Brussel sprout dish; guess it’s such a long time ago and the dishes are not still on the Grazing on-line menu.fullsizeoutput_8dbfullsizeoutput_8d8fullsizeoutput_8d7Gunning is a lovely little town to visit and Grazing is especially worth a visit with good friends.fullsizeoutput_8d1

 

Melbourne – Victoria – Australia – August 2019

23 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 24 Comments

Tags

Australia, Fatto Bar & Cantina, Melbourne, Royce Hotel, Smith & Daughters, Xi'an terracotta warriors

Long weekend away from Canberra’s cold

fullsizeoutput_873I had made plans a few months ago to visit friends in Melbourne; really to get out of Canberra’s cold but also to just enjoy some time away whilst my friend looked after my dogs. This meant I could take my daily walks without two excited (but truly gorgeous) dogs pulling on their leads (maybe that means they (I) need additional training!!)…fullsizeoutput_87cI booked a boutique hotel near the city through Luxury Escapes and really got a great deal.  I had a suite at the Royce Hotel that included free mini bar snacks, breakfast every morning and a voucher for a drink in the bar..very happy with all that.fullsizeoutput_874My first evening I spent with two friends over dinner at Fatto Bar & Cantina overlooking the Swan River.  fullsizeoutput_87a.jpeg

fullsizeoutput_87b
fullsizeoutput_875
IMG_6581

Quite a casual evening but food was pretty good and great that the chef made the risotto vegan for me. I definitely could not eat it all but enjoyed half with a salad and a few glasses of wine.

fullsizeoutput_879
fullsizeoutput_878

The next day I took a walk through one of the local parks.  I think all parks in Melbourne’s CBD are fabulous so I enjoyed seeing firstly walking through a vacant park then seeing lots of people out and about exercising and walking their dogs.

IMG_6593
IMG_6600

On my second day I booked a vegan restaurant called Smith & Daughters in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy.  I heard about this restaurant from a friend so being a little excited, I arrived a early mistaking our reservation for 1230 when it was actually for 1pm.  Staff were very lovely and I was able to sit at our table early thus allowing me time to enjoy a glass of wine and pore over the fabulous brunch menu.  fullsizeoutput_87f.jpegfullsizeoutput_87dMy friends arrived and I thought I already knew what I wanted to order, having had half an hour to decide; firstly it was the Parmesan Scramble on sourdough but finally I decided on the Breakfast Pizza.  fullsizeoutput_883As I was looking at the menu I had to confirm with the waitress that everything was actually vegan as it all sounded very non-vegan.  But luckily it was!fullsizeoutput_880We all shared a garlic bread and the warm potato salad.  Bread was gone even before I had the opportunity to take out my phone to take a photograph…truly delicious as was the warm potato salad.fullsizeoutput_885My friends ordered the Meatball Sub, the Mushrooms & Ricotta and the Classic Italian Basil Pesto & Roasted Vegetable Frittata…each enjoyed enormously by all.fullsizeoutput_881fullsizeoutput_886fullsizeoutput_882And it’s not often I get to order dessert unless it’s sorbet so this time I definitley wanted something even thought I was a little full.  Three of us ordered the baby donuts filled with a vanilla bean masala custard. And when I say we ordered them..we all ordered our own bowl of six donuts…I couldn’t eat all but tried my hardest and we all loved them!!fullsizeoutput_887Another friend and I had booked tickets to see the Chinese ancient terracotta warriors at the National Gallery of Victoria the following day.  Having lived in China for three years, I had seen them several times in their hometown of Xi’an, but my friend wanted to see them so I was very happy to go along; they really are impressive along with other amazing items discovered in the tomb.IMG_6627fullsizeoutput_889There was also an exhibition by contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang who created a 10,000 porcelain bird exhibition within the gallery.  Amazing!fullsizeoutput_888IMG_6631fullsizeoutput_88afullsizeoutput_88bAfter observing the exhibition, it was time for lunch so we ate within the gallery and I ordered a delicious meal of a cauliflower steak and my friend and I shared a bowl of french fries (staple diet of mine I think).  The cauliflower was cooked to perfection and the accompanying lentils and sauce was delicious.fullsizeoutput_88fSo after another great weekend away it was time to return to Canberra to arrive home to two dogs that were incredibly happy to see me.  Love Melbourne!

 

 

Ulladulla & Braidwood – New South Wales – Australia – June 2019

30 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Abion cafe, Australia, Braidwood, dining with friends, Mollymook Golf Club, New South Wales, Ulladulla, whale watching

A weekend away down the south coast trying to spot whales!

fullsizeoutput_814I have known my friend Lyn for over thirty-five years so when she moved back to Australia from Canada I promised I would visit when they had built their new home.  It’s exactly what I did a couple of weekends ago.  The drive from Canberra to Ulladulla is exactly two and a half hours and is very pleasant.

I arrived around 3pm and after a look around their beautiful home and garden we sat on the balcony enjoying a glass of bubbles whilst looking over the ocean hoping to catch a glimpse of a whale.  The girls did but unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to put on my glasses so no sighting for me.

Our first night we had dinner at a lovely casual Japanese restaurant.  I don’t usually like Japanese food but the tofu was very good.  The girls loved their meals though and intend to make this restaurant one of their favourites.fullsizeoutput_80f

fullsizeoutput_811
fullsizeoutput_812

fullsizeoutput_810 The next morning we took a lovely walk with the dogs; through bushland and along the beachfront where the dogs jumped immediately into the water.  It was about twenty-one degrees so no need for big jackets and gloves like I have to wear at the moment in Canberra.fullsizeoutput_816

IMG_6094
IMG_6092

fullsizeoutput_815The girls had booked a table for lunch overlooking the ocean at the Mollymook Golf Club but before we went there, we went to the local lighthouse where we walked along a pathway of interesting trees and shrubs to arrive at a viewing platform to see the ocean.fullsizeoutput_819IMG_6110fullsizeoutput_818fullsizeoutput_817fullsizeoutput_81cThe views from inside the golf club were also very beautiful and it was here I saw my first whale (well a spout of water and a side fin) and a mum dolphin and her baby.  Very exciting but no photos as it was too quick a sighting.fullsizeoutput_81bfullsizeoutput_81aI really had a great few days with the girls as they are such great company and it was so nice to stay in their fabulous newly built home, but it was time to leave.   I decided to stop at a lovely historic country town on the way home called Braidwood.  I parked up one end of the main street and walked up and down both sides to check out all the shops and pick a nice cafe for lunch.  There are some beautiful old buildings but wow it was so incredibly cold.40EDF8A9-D7F6-4305-B9A6-9DE5B62A2AC2fullsizeoutput_81efullsizeoutput_81fI decided on a warm and cosy cafe called Abion which was so pretty inside with its fresh vegetables on display as well as old aluminium cans and tins amongst many other things.fullsizeoutput_821fullsizeoutput_820I ordered a really delicious coconut, sweet potato and split pea soup with a pot of peppermint tea and of course a small bowl of chips and sat on the old wooden bench before an old wooden table!  A lovely environment to eat lunch on such a cold day.8EDC7554-FC5E-4FB0-94DC-E0DA8D8AC154And on the way back to my car I walk past more historic buildings and some street art next to a sign showing people their dogs cannot poop in the street!IMG_6132fullsizeoutput_824

← Older posts

Recent Posts

  • Visiting Orange – New South Wales – Australia – October 2020
  • Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – December 2020
  • Main Beach – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – October 2020
  • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – Canberra – ACT – Australia – October 2020
  • Canola Fields – New South Wales – Australia – September 2020

Recent Comments

Americaoncoffee on Visiting Orange – New So…
Little Miss Travelle… on Visiting Orange – New So…
JohnRH on Visiting Orange – New So…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…

Archives

  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney
  • Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com
Follow Sue's Fabulous Travels on WordPress.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,251 other followers

Recent Posts

  • Visiting Orange – New South Wales – Australia – October 2020
  • Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – December 2020
  • Main Beach – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – October 2020
  • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – Canberra – ACT – Australia – October 2020
  • Canola Fields – New South Wales – Australia – September 2020

Recent Comments

Americaoncoffee on Visiting Orange – New So…
Little Miss Travelle… on Visiting Orange – New So…
JohnRH on Visiting Orange – New So…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…

Archives

  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney
  • Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Recent Posts

  • Visiting Orange – New South Wales – Australia – October 2020
  • Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – December 2020
  • Main Beach – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – October 2020
  • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – Canberra – ACT – Australia – October 2020
  • Canola Fields – New South Wales – Australia – September 2020

Recent Comments

Americaoncoffee on Visiting Orange – New So…
Little Miss Travelle… on Visiting Orange – New So…
JohnRH on Visiting Orange – New So…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…

Archives

  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney
  • Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×