The Source- The Museum of Old and New Art Tasmania

During the mid-semester break, my Dad and I went down to Hobart. While we were there we visited the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and ended up having lunch at their restaurant which is called The Source. This is one restaurant I would never even dare to go to if my Dad was not with me, because it was so pricey. However, when we looked at the menu it sounded delicious and plus Tasmania is known for its produce so it is bound to be good. 

We both decided to share two mains so we could have a little taste of everything.  Dad ordered the godiveau of blue eye cod with Japanese spinach, clams, clam sauce and chorizo oil ($32) and I had the slow-roasted pork belly with spiced red wine, eggplant, apple sherbet and cider jus ($36). We also had some wine to wash it all down. 

The blue-eyed cod

The pork belly

Unfortunately, although the food looked and sounded amazing it was average at best. The blue-eyed cod was lacking in flavour, I think it could of done with a little bit more of chorizo oil for a bit of a kick. The fish itself was cooked properly but it was just a spectacular dish. Also the pork belly was not crispy. The main reason I wanted to get pork belly is because I love the crispy skin and it was just not up to standard. Especially since we were paying $36 for it!  

All in all it was an alright meal, there was not anything wrong with it but you would expect better for the price. I would definitely advise people to visit the museum but I would skip on the restaurant. It was probably 3/5.

Museum of Old and New Art
Hobart Tasmania 7011
655 Main Road Berriedale

PH: +61 (3) 6277 9900

Opening Hours: Wed-Mon (10am-6pm)

Bellyfish Cafe Terrigal

If you're someone who loves breakfast like I do, then you'll love the Bellyfish Cafe! Located on the Central Coast's Terrigal beach customer's are not only treated with an all day breakfast menu but also the cafe's waterfront view of one of the Central Coast's most famous beaches and a menu entirely made up fresh local produce.

View of Terrigal Beach 

Image not author's own, retrieved from:

http://www.ytravelblog.com/backpacker-travel-destination-terrigal-beach-australia/

Upon arriving at the locally owned cafe, my sister and I were greeted relaxed and friendly staff who kindly showed us to our outdoor table. However, for those who easily burn or are looking for somewhere indoors to escape the heat for a bit, the open architectural layout of the restaurant ensures that you are able to remain safely hidden from the sun while also being able to enjoy the restaurants beachside view and sea breeze.

The menu while predominantly showcased their extensive breakfast options, the Cafe also offered a small range of dishes for those who not interested in the main dishes showcased. While the menu offered dishes mainly served with ingredients such as "sweet toasted brioche" and  "pesto tossed roquette" it still managed to portray itself as family friendly by offering a children's menu for kids 12years and under. 

"Dukkah Eggs" from the Bellyfish Cafe

Both my sister and I opted for the "Dukkah Eggs" which consisted of Local poached, a salad of heirloom tomato, local fetta and fresh parsley on local sourdough with house hummus and served with dukkah and lime, that came with the fairly reasonable price of $16.50. When the dish was served (within a reasonable waiting time) we were both impressed by the presentation of the dish and were both happy to find out that it tasted as good as it looked!

Overall, the food, friendly staff and relaxed, easy-going atmosphere to the Bellyfish Cafe made it an enjoyable experience for all. If you ever find yourself casually visiting the Terrigal area I highly recommend you visit this wonderful little cafe for enjoyable dining experience!

To find out more about Bellyfish's opening hours, menu, location or local produce, 

visit their website at 

http://www.bellyfishcafe.com/

Din Tai Fung Chatswood

Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese Restaurant that is famous across the world for its specialty dumplings or xiaolongbao. It has restaurants in Japan, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, USA and Hong Kong. In Sydney there multiple stores in the city, such as at the World Square and the Centrepoint Westfield. However, recently they opened at store in Chatswood Westfield making it a lot more accessible to more people.

After having these dumplings in Shanghai, I have become obsessed. The beauty of the xiaolongbao is that it besides the pork filling, it is also filled with a delicious pork broth that oozes out once you have bitten it. But newbies beware, make sure you eat the dumpling in one bite because if you bite through the middle of it hot pork soup with squirt all over the place.

Besides the xiaolongbaos, which you can get in a few different flavours, Din Tai Fung also has a wide selection of other dumplings, noodles, fried rice and vegetables. My favourite noodles is the dandan noodles, which has this sesame sauce which oddly tastes like peanut butter but its delicious. Also the beans with spicy pork mince is another standout.

Pork Xiaolongbao dumplings and DanDan Noodles

Unfortunately because the Chatswood store is new, I had to wait around 30 minutes to get a table. This will hopefully not be an issue in the long run once the novelty wears off. Also in relation to Shanghai the dumplings were so much more expensive. For two people, ordering two servings of dumplings (6 in each serving), two noodles and one beans, the entire bill was around $80. If you are obsessed with these dumplings as I am, you will be able to justify spending this much. If not then this is not the restaurant for you.

Pork xiaolongbao and spicy noodle soup

So if you are a dumpling fanatic and find yourself at Chatswood Westfield at lunch or dinner time head on over to Din Tai Fung to get your fix! Definitely a 5/5 from me!

SHOP 332-3361 ANDERSON STREET CHATSWOOD, NSW 2067 PH: ‎ (02) 9415 3155

Opening Hours
Mon-Sun: 11:00am - 3:00pm
Mon-Sun: 5:00pm - 9:00pm

La Capannina

There are unfortunately very few good italian restaurants  on the North Shore, so in a bid to finally find one I ventured to Milsons Point. Latched on to the side of the bridge hidden amongst trees covered in fairy lights is La Capannina. It is owned by an Italian family and is frequented by older generations. My boyfriend and I expected to hear the loud rumble of trains going by, however the buzz of happy dinner conversation and some very good sound proofing ensured our meal was not interrupted. There was a view of the harbour bridge through a gap in the trees which made for a special evening. On the Friday night it was very busy, would definitely require a booking (particularly for larger groups) on the weekend.  

We decided to share on entree of fried calamari, prawns and vegetables. It was a light batter, not too heavy or greasy. However I definitely didn't feel like anymore fried food afterwards. There were more vegetables of carrots, eggplant and squash, then there was seafood. There was a home made Tartar sauce which enhanced the dish. I was so excited to eat that i may have forgotten to take a photo for the purpose of the blog. 

 Spaghetti served with Balmain Bug, chilli and cherry tomato sauce $26.50

For mains I had a pasta with Balmain Bugs. The spaghetti was cooked to perfection. It was also quite thin for spaghetti, which I preferred. The sauce was very yummy, however the menu mentioned chilli and I was not able to detect any. Having not had many Balmain Bugs in my time i cannot comment on how well that was cooked, however as far as I could tell it was up to standard. It was a really tasty pasta dish that I enjoyed very much. 

I saw the fish special being delivered to another table which I was tempted with. I also managed to catch a glimpse of the lamb chops and the steak, which both looked appetising. 

 Rigatoni with prawns in a basil pesto sauce $28 

My boyfriend chose a basil pesto sauce with prawns and rigatoni. Again the pasta was cooked well and the seafood was fresh. It was quite a rich sauce, hence the smaller portion, however my boyfriend was hungry afterwards. This wasn't all bad as it meant we were able to have dessert.

 Nougat semifreddo with toffee and chocolate sauce $18

This was a great dessert. It was just the right size, not to sweat and the nuts in the semifreddo added some great texture. 

All meals came out with a some time in between courses, which I appreciate. All staff were very friendly and efficient. The prices were reasonable for the location and quality of food. It has an extensive beverage menu, however there weren't a large number of food options. The guests all seem to be frequenters of the restaurant which suggests that they maintain their high standard. I looked at the menu before going to the restaurant and was quite disappointed to find that it was substantially different from the menu on offer. Luckily I was able to find dishes that appealed to me however I was looking forward to some of the items that had been removed from the menu but not the internet. This is the best Italian i've visited this side of the bridge. I definitely recommend it.

4 out of 5

41 South Alfred St
Milsons Point, 2061
Sydney
Tel: 0299555928
Mon - Sat 6pm until late
Also open for lunch Mon - Fri