Oishii Sushi Bar @ Sunnybank Hills

Oishii Sushi Bar is located in Sunnybank Hills where it sells a wide range of Japanese food from tempura, sushi, sashimi, curry to salads. However, their sushi is by far my favourite and I think it’s also worth the most when you go with a group of friends. I’d classify their sushi as Fusion because you don’t really find those types of sushi in Japan – they’ve mixed it all up with different kinds of ingredients to make it their own signature dishes with creative names like “Sunflower” rolls, “Spider” rolls and “Dragon” rolls.

Within the sushi category there are so many choices and here are some of my favourites:

Red Dragon – Avocado and raw salmon sushi roll garnished with mayo and black sesame seeds. This one’s a must for salmon lovers!

White Dragon – Lobster salad and cucumber sushi roll topped with raw scallops and fish roe – very delicious combination!

Black Dragon – Grilled eel, tamagoyaki (Japanese-style friend eggs) and cucumber sushi roll garnished with white sesame seeds.

Spider Roll – Battered soft-shell crab with cucumber and creamy salad rolled with an outer layer of fish roe.

Himawari “Sunflower” Roll – Deep-fried chicken with avocado paste rolled with an outer layer of thinly fried egg omelette and garnished with mayo and Japanese seasoning.

I met up with my friends yesterday for lunch and the four of us were very satisfied with the sushi. We were all very full and definitely would have tried a lot more dishes if only our stomachs would let us.

I will definitely come back to try their other Japanese-fusion style sushi rolls!

The Tea Centre @ Brisbane CBD

I’ve always walked past The Tea Center being fascinated by their teapot designs. A friend really recommended their scones and special blends of tea so I finally had the time to come here one afternoon!

I love tea. A nice warm pot of tea just makes your day that tiny bit better!

I tried the Stockholm blend and Gingerbread tea – both were amazing!

Their scones were not at all disappointing either!

Served warm, with fresh cream and strawberry preserve, they weren’t too dry nor too moist!

For those scone and tea lovers out there, their Devonshire Tea Set is a must try!

My friends also tried other desserts from their cabinet: Trifle cup with rose tea jelly and vanilla-custard tart.

Atomica @ West End

Atomica is located along the strip of busy cafes on Boundary St in West End.

The first time I visited Atomica was back in 2008 and I fell in love with it. I’ve been back 2, 3 times and it’s consistency was brilliant. They also made what-was-at-that-time the best Merlo coffee I’d ever had! The barista there was amazing they use Barambah Organic Dairy Products. It was because they used good quality and fresh local produce that you could really tell the difference even with just a simple Two Eggs on Toast.

Unfortunately, some of their staff members changed, their barista left and that’s when things started to go downhill… the coffees were too bitter, food portions sizes were smaller and service was not as good as before.

It saddens me how a place that used to be one of my favourite cafes has now disappeared. That being said, I do want to take you on a trip down memory lane and show you why I loved it so much to consider it a hidden gem in West End!

Buttermilk Pancakes with Caramelised Banana and Vanilla Ice-cream:

Thick pancakes drizzled with caramelised banana would leave you full but still wanting more!

Avocado and Tomato on Toasted Sourdough with Basil Oil:

Their signature blend of basil oil and other herbs is a must at Atomica!

Vego Breakfast:

Eggs, tomato jam, garlic-roasted Swiss brown mushrooms, spinach, grilled tomato, bubble and squeak, and toasted sourdough.

I loved their bubble and squeak, creamy scrambled eggs and homemade tomato jam!

Overall, Atomica is a unique and truly delicious place to eat at, with many homemade foods that just seem to have the power to lure you back for some more yumminess! Although the coffee’s gone downhill, food is still great (but just a tad smaller in portion size)! Apart from their breakfast and lunch menus, they also have daily specials written on the walls of the café.

Freestyle Tout @ The Emporium, Fortitude Valley

I’ve been to Freestyle on a number of different occasions, but only for dessert. My first experience at Freestyle was also on a café crawl with my friends. Freestyle Tout used to be located in both Fortitude Valley and in West End, but recently, the one in West End closed down.

Freestyle offers a wide range of desserts from Spanish churros to Turkish fairy floss, to ice cream and much much more.

Things I have tried from Freestyle include:

Sticky Date Pudding

This one’s a must for caramel sauce lovers!

However, because there was so much sauce, I got sick of it quite easily.

Passionfruit Curd Tart

The tart came with white-chocolate mousse-filled cannoli and blood-orange ice cream. An interesting and complementary selection of sides to accompany the curd tart, although I did find them to be more delicious than the curd tart itself!

Berry Deluxe Sundae

It came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and raspberry and strawberry sorbets, drizzled with berries, chocolate, and fresh cream. It was the right balance between creamy and refreshing tastes.

Sorbet Supremo

Mango, raspberry and strawberry sorbets balanced well with our other “heavier” desserts.

Overall, I think Freestyle would be an interesting place to try for those who haven’t been however, for the quality and amount of food you get with each dish, I think it is too overpriced. The average price for dessert there is $15.90! I would rather spend that on a big breakfast at another café! Also, the desserts were all overpoweringly sweet.

Kerith Brook Café @ West End

One of the most memorable café experiences I’ve had was at Kerith Brook Café located near Boundary and Vulture St in West End. It was my first “café crawl” with my friends and this was our first stop. Although it’s small, the interior was so nicely decorated with colourful chairs and cute wallpapers. As soon as you walk into the café, you can feel the warmth and cosy atmosphere that the café gives off.

The menu at Kerith Brook is simple with a selection of hot and cold drinks, hot breakfast options, salads for lunch and selection of cakes and muffins from their front cabinet.  We were all starving by the time we met up so we ordered quite a wide range of dishes:

Eggs Benedict

The eggs were cooked nicely and the amount of sauce was just right. Unfortunately the didn’t offer the alternative of smoked salmon with the eggs benedict but ham was still yummy.

Bagel with Blueberry and Walnut Cream Cheese Spreads

 

Probably my favourite – the cream cheese spreads weren’t too overpowering and with warm toasted bagel, perfecto!

Pistachio and Cranberry Slice accompanied with vanilla ice cream

 

The nutty aroma of the pistachios was a little overpowered by the sweetness of the rest of the slice. Would be perfect with a cuppa coffee! Nevertheless, still a yummy slice!

Butterscotch Muffin

 

Toasted with macadamia nuts, white choc chip chunks and oozing butterscotch sauce … mmm… exquisite!

Kerith Brook Café was really not at all disappointing!

Items on the menu are well-priced and they also offer different coffee-and-cake specials. The café also offers free Wi-Fi for those who like to surf the net a little while drinking their cuppa! Will definitely be back to try other things on their menu!

The Beginning.

I’ve been falling in love with something…. something that’s worth waiting hours for, something that’s worth all that exercise, something that strengthens relationships, something that we cannot live without…   food.

It’s been a year or so since I’ve become a foodie, constantly researching about cafes in Brisbane, compiling photos and ticking off “to-go” places.

I’ve really fallen in love with cafes, I must confess. I love Sunday morning strolls to cafes. I love how they have the power to make your day just that little bit better on a bright sunny morning with little birds dancing and chirping outside the window. I love the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans that penetrate every cell in your body as inhale deeply. Sweet, bitter or creamy, it’s a surprise every time. I love the seeing people who share the same passion for food as you. And most importantly, my heart just melts when I bite into that perfect soft-poached egg drizzled with creamy Hollandaise sauce.

Each café I visit is a new found treasure and I think now is the time for me to share these discoveries with you. So open your heart and be ready to embrace the gems in my new-found treasures!