Four Friends - Meeting with Katze 2013

There was a Buddhist story about four friends including a bird, a rabbit, a monkey and an elephant, they then work together towards the benefits of all...

On the particular summer afternoon, "My Hunger will go on" was invited by Nicola from Polkadot PR to meet up the owners Katze and Jimmy of "Four Friends" at Crows Nest. It was indeed a wonderful and memorable experience for us.

Before you start reading more, we'd like to share a story with all of you. This is an ordinary yet beautiful story behind the creation of "Four Friends", and "My Hunger will go on" was very glad to have the opportunity to hear it from Katze (Apologies about the background noise as there were other customers there on the day).




Now let's have a look at this small yet unique café that's full of love, joy, and sweetness...

We found this café straight away with its banner displaying the animals from "Four Friends". The café was actually opened at end of 2012, and it was owned by a lovely couple Katze and Jimmy.

We were greeted by friendly staffs and a whole selection of Chocolates behind the glasses. The variety was so colourful and it certainly did grab our attentions.

We noticed they had some products made for the upcoming Christmas, and these will surely make a delightful treat for the kids.

At "Four Friends", they also have High Tea and it seemed just as amusing as its Chocolate selections :) I found the decorations at "Four Friends" very cheerful and fun, they almost reminded you of childhood, where things are so colourful and simple. We spotted this large print of the animals from "Four Friends", they seemed to have pointed out the direction of more features waiting upstairs.

Before we headed upstairs, I have noticed these Macarons, again they were colourful.

Also we couldn't stop admiring this box that's full of Chocolates with amazing designs, and it seems to be a cute Christmas gift for someone you love.

After heading upstairs, we realised the area was actually quite spacious. There were sofa, chairs and tables, and they all had piles of magazines on them for people to read. The back area had 2 smaller chairs and sofa, dedicated to the lovely kids who visit here with their parents.

Guess what this is? (Yes, it's the wall!)

We saw Jimmy first where he offered us to try their milk Chocolate drinks, they were soon delivered by the staffs in luxurious-looking cups and plates that came in golden stripes. Katze later told us she wanted them to catch people's eyes, they definitely have!

Here was our tasting plate at "Four Friends" for the day, and it was called "The planet" according to Katze. There were different desserts on the plates, some big, some small, they all came in different shapes and colours, yet they were all sweet and aimed to bring happiness. Katze believed this reflected our world and our planet, regardless of the differences in us, we shall be considered as one (A larger tasting plate is also available called "The galaxy"). Katze also emphasized on the importance of being stress-free and eating healthy these days, hence she strives to create their products with organic and natural ingredients.

See the lucky cat on the left hand side? Katze encouraged us to try it after we had a go on all the other sweets. Honestly, we didn't expect what was inside, and it turned out to be the biggest surprise of the whole plate. The inner core was covered in pieces of popping lollies, something to remind all of us of our innocence and happiness back in our childhood days.

Katze said the most important thing in life is "Happiness", where we shall stress less, respect each other, be ourselves, be grateful of what we have, and love and support the world we live in. She has seen so many busy people nowadays who perhaps already forgotten how to smile. Thus she wanted to create somewhere people can sit and relax, and somewhere calm and peaceful, somewhere just like home. She believes "Four Friends" is somewhere unique like this, somewhere she hopes to bring others happiness.

"My favourite animal is elephant", Katze said it when we talked about the four animals, I asked why. Her answer was very simple, as she sees elephant as the most gentle and peaceful animal in the world.

Next time you pass by Crows Nest, perhaps you shall stop by "Four Friends". Perhaps you shall sit there and just breathe in the friendly air, and forget all your worries and anxieties. Sometimes happiness is all about simplicity, so clear your mind and just pause for one moment. Then perhaps, you will feel the efforts that this young couple has put into "Four Friends" and learn to appreciate little things again in life.


Thank you so much to Katze and Jimmy for sharing their inspiring story with  "My Hunger will go on", we will certainly look forward to seeing them again sometimes in the future.

PS: WISH EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!


Address:
5/29 Holtermann Street, Crows Nest NSW

Phone number:
0415 068 881

Opening time:
Mon - Fri 7am - 5pm
Sat 9am - 5pm


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Batch Burgers & Espresso

There's something fascinating about the traditional American diner style, the New-York themed café and its giant sized burgers. With half of the area inside "Batch Burgers & Espresso" being occupied by the kitchen and constant sizzling aroma crawling to the street outside, the friendly waitress showed us our high bar seats right in front of our chefs for the night.

The menus were almost like they were stamped onto the tables, displaying their impressive list of burgers with familiar names such as Brooklyn and the Miami, and as well as a whole range of side dishes. The workers smiled and greeted their customers, occasionally having a small chat about foot ball and Saturday night drinks. Multiple numbers of takeaway bags filled up the kitchen tables, lining up and shuffling in the speed of light. The chunky mince patties flashed right before our eyes, accompanied by a whole bunch of fries dancing in the frying spots. It was hot, and certainly appealing for a Saturday night dinner along with lively American Hip Hop beats on the background.




Snacks - Chilli Fries $7.00

We had never thought fries could come in this form, where it's covered by small and chopped up pieces of mince along with cheese and spicy sauce. The mixture turned out surprisingly zesty, and every mouthful was full of flavours. Bun loved it, so there goes 3/4 of the bowl. I would certainly recommend this, and it's probably more enjoyable when shared with someone.





Burgers - Spicy Mexican $14.00

While we sat there, I think we heard about 3 others ordering this same burger, so it got to be GOOD! This humongous burger contained chilli mince, smoked cheddar, tomato, Spanish onion, Jalapenos & sour cream with hot taco sauce, so it was an absolute masterpiece I must say. The burger was so big that I found it very difficult to fit into the bite of my little mouth, so I had to slice it apart and watched the precious cheese and mince fell and splat on the plate. The buns has done a good job trying to hold each layer properly in place, despite the obvious observation that the chunky mince patty wanted to shoot out desperately. The Mexican flavour has immersed into this burger perfectly in every single way, and it was just so satisfying to chomp it all down and enjoy that flame left in your mouth.





Very unfortunately, I was way too full after 3/4 way of the burger, and I felt so sad to leave that very little piece behind. We laughed at the mess that I have made on my plate, with bits of cheese and mince tangled together and looked as if they'd come alive in any minute and start wiggling. We were satisfied, more than 200%.

This place will be awesome to come with a bunch of friends to have a quick catch up before heading down to the town for a big night, and you can even start your pre-drinks here if you want. I imagined this place will probably be in a totally different atmosphere if you come for breakfast or lunch, and we have to say the breakfast menu looks pretty welcoming! (NEXT TIME!! ho hum)


Address:
2/3A Broughton Street, Kirribilli NSW

Phone number:
02 9929 8883

Opening time:
7days 7am - 10pm


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Chanoma Cafe

We first noticed the beautiful vine hanging down the window, and the light green chairs that appeared gently in the eye sights. So here we are, at this small but crowded Chanoma Café.

We heard this café had a lot of Matcha (green tea) related food, so we decided on this visit to try out their beverage and dessert. The café itself make you feel like you are outdoors, and somewhere near a secret garden.



Matcha Latte $4.50

I couldn't resist the sound of Matcha Latte, the craving for a combination of green tea and milk allowed me to make the decision in less than a second. I enjoyed that vegetal taste initially, with that freshness from the natural green colour. Then the bitterness hits in, with that milky mixture and tiny bit of sweetness. The taste lasted about 10 seconds or so, and I quickly took another sip without much hesitation. If there was something to be noted about, it had to be the amount of bubbles appeared on the surface of the Latte...




Matcha Anmitsu $6.50 (Agar jelly, Matcha soft ice cream, sweet red bean paste, rice cake and brown sugar syrup)

This was a bowl of dessert that Bun had ordered, and he was anticipating the soft ice cream. I loved how chewy the mini rice cake was, and the adorable taste after soaking it in the brown sugar syrup. Bun didn't like the Agar jelly as they had absolutely no taste except for its coldness, so we added those into the syrup as well. The soft ice cream remained a little bitter than the green tea ice creams we have tried elsewhere, but it mixed well with the sweetness of the red bean paste. There were also some small pieces of fruits inside, which compensated the lack of sweetness for Bun.


We felt it was a nice café with quite a fair range of Matcha related desserts and beverage. We actually quite regret that we didn't try the parfait, after seeing the next table ordered a huge one with fancy toppings. If you are not so much of a sugar fan, their soft ice cream can be a quite pleasant afternoon treat.



Address:
501 George St, Sydney (Regent place)

Phone number:
02 9767 5465

Opening time:
7 days  9am - late


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Black Star Pastry

Opposite of Newtown station, there was an open area which leads to Australia Street. If you walk a little bit more, you will find this small but incredibly popular place called the "Black Star Pastry". After winning so many awards and recognitions, it certainly gained a wide range of customers from all around the areas. So on this particular cloudy yet delightful day, Bun and I finally arrived here to hunt down that extraordinary-looking piece of cake...

Pretty much the indoor area was completely full once we arrived there, and the seats outside were also taken. We saw quite a few tourists going in and out with different types of cakes, and we got even more excited while waiting in the long line.

We saw a couple of interesting cakes, and some chocolate flavours almost tempted me to grab them. BUT NO! We were there for a reason...

Lamb Shank + Red Wine Pie $7.80

Before we go on with the cake, Bun started on the pie that made he fell in love at first sight. Yes, it was Lamb Shank, one of his favourite types of meat! I couldn't really tell the filling was actually Lamb Shank, it still tasted a little like beef, but the mixture was totally delicious! The pastry layer was great, with a few extra crunchy bits on the pointy edges.



Strawberry, Rose and Watermelon cake $7.00

Here it is! Our most wanted piece of cake from Black Star Pastry! Indeed like...OH MY GOD! Both me and Bun never really tried cakes with fresh watermelon (we have probably only tried mango, strawberry, kiwifruit etc), and not to mention the addition of flowery scent. The strawberries were huge and fresh, combined with syrupy tastes and naughty textures. The layers of cream and dacquoise created that contrast of nutty and soft sensation in the mouth, along with the boost of watermelon flavours. The overall combination was like a masterpiece, it was one of the most creative cakes we've ever seen. I would strongly recommend this to all the people out there, this unbelievably light-taste cake would be amazing for any type of occasion! (Hint: wedding cake? XD)



Address:
277 Australia Street, Newtown NSW

Phone number:
02 9557 8656

Opening time:
7 days  7am - 5pm


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The French House

Despite the fact that I am so busy lately, we still managed to find time to go for quick meals around Sydney. Recently I've been addicted to Cafe food for Brunch, just something really simple to start off the day.

We arrived at The French House almost at noon and we were very hungry. Just as it sounds like, its interior is inspired by Parisian style with golden frames, classic paintings, dark wood furniture and sparkling Chandelier. Unfortunately you can't take photos inside, so we can only use our imagination here :(



On the outdoor area, there were metal chairs with creatively twisted patterns. It was pretty nice to eat at this small veranda and the indoor area may be a bit too crammed.

We didn't manage to get the detail of the menu this time (it was quite confusing of where they were!?) so all the names below came from our memories...



Vanilla Black Tea

I ordered this purely because of the word "vanilla" LOL I can't resist tea with sweet aroma, it's almost like a gentle kiss that keep you mesmerized. Sadly, I found this tea a bit disappointing, or probably too ordinary. It was quite weak with light taste, even with the enormous amount of sugar cubes. But...I love the teapot set!! Especially the golden frame of the plates in which made them look so elegant.



Raisin Escargot

This has always been my favourite no matter where I go, I just love the pastry. It's like a snail shell, twisted around in anti-clockwise direction with light syrup between the gaps. It was perfect for brunch (or probably more for breakfast), I felt like I wanted more after I finished.




Acon, lettuce, tomato, fried egg with mayo tartine

This is probably one of those classic sandwiches you can find in a Cafe, I liked how the sauce combined with the rest of the ingredients. It's suitable for lunch as it was quite large in portion. Also something I like about it was that it wasn't oily, just something light.


It was a nice Cafe, but food there can be a little overpriced. The staffs there were polite, but not as friendly as other places we have been. Although I'd imagine this place to be quite perfect for girls to hang out, enjoying the sun and the tea, along with the atmosphere just like in Paris.


Address:
1 Danks St, Waterloo NSW

Phone number:
02 8399 2770

Opening time:
Mon - Sun  7.30am - 5.30pm


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85 Degrees Bakery & Cafe

85 degrees bakery and cafe has a large variety there, I loved going there due to the quality of the cakes and breads.

Hot Royal milk tea $3.00

Occasionally I would get a cup of tea and this would be my favourite one. The milk was thick, enough to create that smooth mixture with the tea flavours. It's usually served at a very hot temperature so you probably have to be careful when sipping it in.



Snow milky $1.80

This was a huge bun with ice sugar covering the surface like snowflakes. The bun itself was very soft, and there were plenty of cream inside the bun.


Chocolate Almond Chips $2.20

I had no idea why we picked this one, as it doesn't even seem like Chocolate at first. The Chocolate cover was literally black, and it was hard and crunchy. I didn't really have much memory on this particular bread, except the fact it looked abit strange.
























Swiss Devil Chocolate cake $3.60

We picked this because of the HUGE strawberry on top, so it turned out the cake wasn't too special. The cream layers were cut neatly into columns, yet I couldn't really taste it as the larger portion of chocolate has overtaken the flavours.



US Cheesecake $3.60

This is my all-time favourite from 85 degrees, the cheesecake is almost indescribable! The top was covered with a syrupy layer, satisfying that sugar craving. Then the best part was the cake underneath, I always can't believe how milky it tasted and mesmerized by how such texture was formed. For anyone who loves cheesecakes, you got to try this one!


Some of the chains actually do Afternoon tea and other special deals, so it's probably worthwhile to try them out! What better ways can you spend a lazy afternoon than eating cake, drinking tea, chatting with friends, or relax with a book in your hand?


Address:
(I went to the one in Hurstville, there are plenty of other chains in places like City or Chatswood)

246 Forest Rd Hurstville NSW

Phone number:
02 9580 8889

Opening time:
Mon - Fri   7.30am - 9.30pm
Sat  8am - 9.30pm
Sun     8am - 9pm


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New Zealand Part 3 - Lake Tekapo

We couldn't believe the view that was presented infront of our eyes when we got to Lake Tekapo, the colour of the lake stunned me. It was so calm, blue, clear and absolutely pure. At first I almost thought it was artificial, or something is playing tricks with my eyes, that's how unreal it seemed like. For that one amazing moment, I actually thought we were in a completely different realm, like somewhere that doesn't even belong to Earth.

We decided to take different photos at different times from the Church of the Good Shepherd, just to reinforce the beauty of it. I loved the scent of the Lavenders, as they stood still under the sunset, glowing. We then stayed up until 1am that night, and managed to capture a few shots of the night sky. Trust me, this is the clearest sky you can ever find in the Southern hemisphere, and the wait was totally worth it.

In the morning, we saw this small cafe called Run 77 and decided to give it a try. Boy that was one of the best decisions we've ever made.

So here are what we have ordered for that lazy morning by the lakeside...


One thing I noticed was, the table actually formed a picture-perfect background for the food, I absolutely loved it!! Ok so um...I was staring at the Hot Chocolate with two marshmallows and really thought of doing a smiley face with it or something. It was sweet and rich, with loads of chocolate powder (yes I love them), I really liked it and it was one of the best I ever had.


Bun ordered the breakfast plate, full of eggs, potato, sausage, tomato, bacon and bits and pieces. It was neatly placed on the plate, and felt like it would seriously boost your energy level to start the day.

Ok, this was something I totally fell in love with. It was spinach and cheese, inside that amazing pastry. After I finished this, the plate was literally covered in golden flakes, and the taste of the combination was like throwing you next to the heater in cold winter, just what you wanted.


Address:
Village Centre State Highway 8
Lake Tekapo 7945, New Zealand

Phone number:
64 3 680 6900


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We also found this Japanese restaurant by the lakeside...

I liked the traditional decorations inside, like those handcraft objects or the curtains.



 I've ordered the typical lunch box (Tempura Bento Box) with tempura, tofu, vegetables, sushi, sashimi and chicken. Comparing to Australia, I have to say I felt $33.00 for this was a little overpriced. Though the food was still nice, but nothing too special or surprising. The good thing about this restaurant was its location, and you can pretty much see the Church of Good Shepherd and the lake without any interruption outside the window.



Address:
State Highway 8
Lake Tekapo 7945, New Zealand

Phone number:
64 3 680 6688

Opening time:
Lunch:
11am - 2pm

Dinner:
6pm - 9pm (closed on Sunday)


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*To Be Continued*

Coming next: Christchurch and Akaroa