Dex2rose Nitrogen Gelato

Are you a lover of gelato ? Have a penchant for boundary-pushing flavours ?  Well then, allow me to introduce to you Dex2rose, the newest nitrogen gelato kid on the block. Pronounced dex-trose, Dex2rose is a word play on dextrose - the dextrorotatory form of glucose, a monosaccharide, d-glucose monohydrate. Simply put, a vital ingredient for that oh-so-lusciously-creamy gelato.  

With head chef Jesse who trained with Gelato Messina’s Nick Palumbo constantly experimenting with new flavours, Dex2rose promises flavours that are fun, quirky and most importantly innovative and experimental. 

Cold Brewed Coffee

We started with a selection of drinks, with JJ having Dex2rose's Cold Brewed Coffee over ice. Brewed between 16 to 20 hours and containing up to 67% less acidity than hot brewed coffee, JJ's cold brew was naturally sweeter and super refreshing. 

Nitrogen Brew

Meanwhile, I had their Nitrogen Brew straight out of a beer tap, complete with a creamy head of foam. Charged with nitrogen, and infused with maple, rum and vanilla bean, the coffee was full bodied and went down a treat. 

Lazy Dinner

Onto the gelato shall we ? We began with the Lazy Dinner - a harmony of sage, burnt butter and caramel gelato drizzled with a sticky caramel sauce - entree, main and dessert all rolled into one. This was my absolute favourite with it's clever fusion of flavours.

Honey Stash

Next in line was the Honey Stash - a pistachio and honey gelato with hidden honeyed nut clusters adding in a lovely crunch. The addition of fresh raspberry cream was light and tangy, though didn't seem to work as a whole with the nutty gelato. 

Pink Flamingo

To finish off, we enjoyed the Pink Flamingo - a peach and rose moscato sorbet topped with rosewater coconut cream. Light, fresh and cheerful, just a spoonful of this instantly transported us to a tropical island. Nothing says summer like fresh coconuts or a glass or two of moscato by the water. 

With flavours changing every couple of weeks, Dex2rose has me constantly wanting to go back for more. I mean serisously, how can you say no to 'The Original Mr Grey' in all his hazelnut earl grey splendour or a sexy Black Plum and French Brandy gelato ?

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of Dex2rose Nitrogen Gelato

Dex2rose Nitrogen Gelato

377 Little Bourke Street  
Melbourne, VIC 3000
http://www.dex2rose.com.au 

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Combi

Combi needs no introduction. Famous for their gorgeous raw organise super food smoothies, there is no doubt they haven’t popped up on your Instagram feed. Cue hashtags #cleaneating #raw #organic #vegan #superfoodsmoothies

"In here, there’s always time to eat well, live well, love others, laugh at the small stuff, nourish your body, kick back, take a load off, eat organic, make friends, build community, laugh at the big stuff, roll with the punches, be cheeky, share a smile, waste time, be compassionate, admire others doing their best, dream a little dream, eat your way to beautiful, laugh at yourself."

Berry Beloved / Shine On

Velvet Cacao 

My Shine On was bursting with fresh colours and flavours – brimming with coconut flesh, banana, mango, chia seeds, passionfruit, spinach, mesquite, raw fermented vanilla protein powder, probiotic powder and house made nut mylk.

Maggie’s Berry Beloved was crammed with raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, acai, lucuma, raw fermented protein powder, coconut flesh, banana and house made nut mylk. Whilst Peach Water’s Velvet Cacao was packed full with raw cacao, cacao nibs, berries, coconut flesh, cinnamon, banana, raw choc fermented protein powder and house made nut mylk.

The Shine On was unanimously the winner of all three smoothies.

Raw Pizza

I’m not usually one for raw vegan foods, but Combi’s Raw Pizza was spot on. A crunchy base made of dehydrated sunflower, flaxseed and almond, spread with kale and basil pesto and heaped with shredded veggies, sprouts herbs and drizzled with a raw cheesy cashew sauce. Though the pizza was very on point, the timeliness was not so much. Someone please explain to me why it takes 75 minutes to bring out a raw pizza ? I mean, there’s not even any cooking involved, it’s raw!

Apple Crumble

We also dug into Combi's rendition of an Apple Crumble. Layers upon layers baked Granny Smith apples marinated in cinnamon and cardamom, topped with almond meal, shredded coconut, coconut oil, drizzled with organic maple syrup and served with organic vanilla bean yogurt. Unfortunately this one didn't do it for me, it just tasted a little too healthy for my penchant for apple crumbles.

With their philosophy of clean eating and healthy living, Combi has left Melburnians swooning. Super bowls full of goodness, raw vibrant foods, in-house raw treats, cold pressed juices to revitalise, vitamin rich kombucha on tap and jam packed super food smoothies to nourish.. Not to mention everything is guilt-free and most importantly, Instagram worthy. Get a move on to Combi today. Oh, Combi – you should get a move on too.

Combi
1/140 Ormond Road
Elwood, VIC 3184
http://combicoffee.com.au/ 

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A La Folie Patisserie

Are you a lover of decadent delights ? Well then, A La Folie is here to please. Located on Chapel Street, this little patisserie offers an extensive range of macarons, petits choux and other delicate French pastries. And who is the genius responsible for these pastry jewels you ask ? Paris-trained patissier, Mercede Coubard.

Pineapple, Coconut and Lime Petits Choux / Salted Caramel Macaron

Coconut Chocolate Petits Choux / Rose Delight Macaron

After careful deliberation filled with plenty of ooing and ahhing, we finally settled on a few standouts to share as we sipped our teas. The macarons were lovely - crispy egg-shell like meringue biscuits together with a soft, smooth cream centre. Our favourite macaron was the blush-pink coloured Rose Delight, an exotic Middle Eastern inspired macaron of rose water, raspberry and pistachios. But it was the petits choux that really impressed me ! Little bites of choux pastry perfectly balanced with a filling of silky smooth crème. We adored the daily special, a tropical paradise of fragrant flavours of pineapple, coconut and lime - truly an absolute bliss !

A La Folie Patisserie serves up exceptional French pastry creations with a modern twist. Perfect for quick catch up or as a thoughtful gift, these goodie guarantee smiles. 

confessions of a little piggy was invited to dine as a guest of A La Folie Patisserie

A La Folie Patisserie

589 Chapel Street

South Yarra, VIC 3141

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Chocolate Truffles

There is really nothing quite like the silky sensation of rich creamy truffles - little pieces of heaven slowly melting on your tongue. And we all know, one is never enough. So I decided to go ahead and make a few dozen.

• Recipe: 
• 
  
• ▢   200g good-quality milk chocolate, broken into small pieces
• 
  
• ▢   2/3 cup thickened cream
• 
  
• ▢   Icing sugar, to dust
• 
  
• ▢   Cocoa powder, sifted to roll

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, break chocolate into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the easier it is to melt the chocolate.

Step 2: Pour thickened cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Step 3: Immediately pour cream over chocolate.

Step 4: Stir and mix until the chocolate has completely melted. At this point, you have now made ganache.

Step 5: Set aside at room temperature until it has completely cooled. Cover, and place in refrigerator overnight to set.

Step 6: Use a teaspoon to spoon out bite-sized pieces.

Step 7: Dust hands with icing sugar to prevent the mixture from sticking, and roll mixture into balls in the palm of your hands. Roll in cocoa.

Step 8: Share and enjoy !

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Yo-zen

Yo-zen. [yoh-zen] - noun. An altered state of consciousness reached only when body, mind and yogurt become one.

Just a hop skip and a jump away from Camberwell station, this self-serve froyo can be found smack bang in the middle of the hustle and bustle that Camberwell brings.

We were warmly welcomed in by the team behind Yo-zen. As a family run business, the close-knit bunch of passionate froyo-goers are all about making the best of the best.

After sampling all 8 flavours (they're more than happy for you to try before you buy!),  we were ready to choose. 

For me, from the moment I tried the Macadamia and the Toasted Coconut, I was sold. Swirls of silky, buttery, nutty macadamia froyo, then twisted with tropical toasted coconut (with actual coconuts bits !). The frozen yogurt was satisfyingly creamy, with none of that icy business. Crowned with various fresh fruit, my cup was a perfect balance of nutrition and flavour.

T also enjoyed Macadamia and Toasted Coconut, and also adding in a generous helping of rich, melt-in-your-mouth Salted Butterscotch. Of course, she had to have some Asian marshmallows (mochi) in there too.

For the fussier eaters, you've not been forgotten - with French Vanilla as your go to flavour. Made with soy bean and vanilla bean, it's 98% fat free, gluten free and lactose free. Interesting flavours like dragon fruit also made an appearance, and I cannot wait to see what other flavours they plan to bring out in the future.

With loyalty cards and infectious smiles going all around, its hard to how you wouldn't become a loyal smiling customer yourself. 

confessions of a little piggy was invited as a guest of Yo-zen

Yo-zen

736 Burke Road 

Camberwell, VIC

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Frozen by A Thousand Blessings

There are a lot of things to like about Frozen. Both the frozen yogurt shop Frozen by A Thousand Blessings, and the Disney movie Frozen. Yes, I may just be slightly obsessed. Let it go.

At first glance, the movie Frozen seems to be just another Disney princess film. However, look a little deeper and you realise just how different it actually is - stepping away from the clichés of love at first sight and damsels in distress. And how can I not mention Olaf. 

Like the movie Frozen, frozen yogurt shop Frozen by A Thousand Blessings may look like just another froyo joint (cough - Yo-Chi). But, take a step inside and you'll see that it is much more. 

What stood out to me the most was that all frozen yogurts are made with Biodynamic unhomogonised full cream milk, and sweetened with Stevia - rather than sugar. On top of this, the calorie conscience can really appreciate the nutrition cards that specify what and how much of Frozen goodness that is scoffed down. And for toppings ? Help yourself to over 30 assortments and fill to your heart's content! Think Hello Pandas, mini meringues and green tea mochis. 

With so many goodies to choose from, this was our result. 

How do you like your froyo ? 

Frozen by A Thousand Blessings
670 Chapel Street

South Yarra, VIC

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Jamie's Italian & Ladurée

Jamie's Italian was the name that popped up over and over again when I had asked for suggestions on where to eat in Sydney.  Jamie Oliver. Italian. Jamie's Italian - sounds good. With that said, it seemed like an obvious choice to check them out for lunch on the second day of our SydyCity trip. 

The lively ambience of Jamie's Italian was captivating - a narrow space that seemed to go on forever, dimly lit light fittings, and buzzing on a rainy Friday afternoon. 

Crispy Tomato & Mozzarella Arancini

I had been eyeing off these arancini balls 878 km away in Melbourne, and was ecstatic to try them. Stuffed with rich and creamy risotto, these great balls of fire sat on a bed of spicy arrabbiata sauce, topped with pickled red chillies. Wonderfully crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside, these were devoured in no time. We soaked chunks of ciabatta in the leftover sauce which left a warm sensation over our lips as we waited for our mains.

Black Angel Spaghetti

Freshly made on the premises every day, the squid ink pasta was black, rich and deeply flavoured. Its briny flavour was full bodied and highlighted with the sweet and plump scallops. The al dente noodles and scallops shared the stage with garlic, chilli, anchovies, wine and capers. With the anchovies and capers already dotted throughout the dish, they were perhaps a little too heavy on the salt.

Land & Sea Risotto

The rice itself was very well-cooked and plump which soaked up the lovely seafood stock. From the land came Italian sausage and pancetta. Hailing from the sea, were mussels and clams, which were all tossed with white wine, black olives, sweet baby tomatoes and field mushrooms. I liked that the mushrooms added hints of earthiness to the dish, however, again found the dish much too salty. We did finish the dish though, with plenty of water. 

Overall, Jamie's Italian did not wow me. Unfortunately, we either came at a bad time, chose the wrong dishes or perhaps I was just too ambitious. Though I may not have been blown away with the food, it was still a fabulous lunch with wonderful company in the heart of Sydney.

Jamie's Italian
107 Pitt Street
Sydney, NSW

A short leisurely walk later, we arrived at Westfield for a hit of sugar and caffeine at French luxury bakery, Ladurée.

Considered one of the best known makers of macarons in the world, Ladurée's Chocolate Coconut Marshmallow Macaron tasted exactly as it sounds like - a soft and spongey like marshmallow sandwiched between a crispy shell-like crust and soft chewy meringue. 

The question is, would I return for Ladurée macarons ? Most likely not - I find Zumbo, LuxBite and La Belle Miette offer much more consistent and interesting macarons at more reasonable prices. It also helps that they are much more closer to home.

Ladurée

Level 3 Westfield Sydney

Corner Of Pitt St Mall & Market Street

Sydney, NSW

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CHUR Burger & Gelato Messina

My first bite in Sydney was at CHUR Burger, and I would not have wanted it any other way.

Making our way through Surry Hills at 3.00pm, most other restaurants were so quiet that you could've heard a fly fart. On the corner of Albion Street, this was far from the case. Coupled with a lively vibe and atmosphere, CHUR Burgers were up and alive, churning out burgers for all. 

Fish Burger

The fish burger was balanced, delicious and a breath of fresh air . Each ingredient worked well together, the softness of the brioche, the crunch of the crumbled fish fillet and the crisp coolness of the pickled cucumber drizzled in lemon mayo and dill.

Pulled Pork Burger

On the other end of the table was one of the most vibrant and visibly appealing burgers I've seen in a while now. Loaded with crunchy red slaw CHUR BBQ sauce and fennel mayo, each element played a stellar role in supporting the tender pulled pork. The brioche buns were light, which soaked up the juices well. I do have to say that the pork and brioche together was a little too sweet for my liking though.

Sweet Potato Fries

To go with our burgers, we also nibbled on Sweet Potato Fries that were super fresh and fluffy. Dotted with garlic and lime, these were our cheeky way of being healthy. 

Voted the best burgers in Sydney, CHUR Burger is doing plenty right for fixing up those hunger pangs. $10 for a burger and $5 for sides, there isn't much to complain about. Chur, mate !

CHUR Burger

48 Albion Street 
Surry Hills, NSW

With bloated belly burgers, we were still keen to get something sweet to share. With Gelato Messina still top of mind, there was no better place to visit than the original Gelato Messina store at Darlinghurst.

Muum Maam & How Now Brown Cow

The Muum Maam was mm mmm mmmm. Sinful fried bits smothered in a creamy coconut custard gelato and completed with swirlings of banana jam. Every spoonful and every lick left me speechless. 

This is the place where diets go to die.

Gelato Messina

1/241 Victoria Street
Darlinghurst, NSW

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