I Got Time To Kill!

Ubar On Campus

Sydney

After a long draining periods of listening to lecturers, tutors and fellow peers, all you want to do is wind down having a cold beverage, listening to sweet tunes or having a fantastic catch up with a friends. Well the good news is that Ubar offers this service for all Macquarie students and non- students. 

Activities to undertake while at Ubar

·      Enjoying a refreshing glass of wine, cocktails, beers or ciders

·      Partaking in a game of pool

·      Enjoying a hot cup of coffee from the café

·      Listening to upbeat rhythms and chatting with friends

·      Dancing the night away at some of the themed party nights

·      Watching the big screen TV, with live sport coverage

 It was Friday a bunch of friends usually go out for a quick bite to eat and some friendly banter. With all this choice, proximity and accessibility there was no reason why not to pick Ubar as the meeting point. Sitting down next to the big screen the four of us enjoyed some delicious pizza made from the Ubar staff, whilst also enjoying the music videos and vibrant energy the venue brings.

  

Overall Rating:

4/5 Stars

Recommendation: 

Overall I personally really enjoy the atmosphere, vibes and peaceful surroundings. The fact that this is situated with a lakeside view and overlooking a plethora of grass gives a sense of relaxation and allows university students to cool off from the pressures of academic life.

Services: 

1 Bars

Food Menu

Pool Table

Terrace

Couches

Address:
Balaclava Road, North Ryde NSW, 2109, Australia

Hours:

Thursday	12pm–2am
Friday	12–9pm
Saturday	Closed
Sunday	Closed
Monday	12–8pm
Tuesday	12–8pm
Wednesday	12–8pm

Price Range: 
$4-18

Check Out The Menu:
http://www.mq.edu.au/about/campus-services-and-facilities/food-and-shopping/food-and-drink/ubar

Kind Regards

Justin Aviet

Dessert For All!

Bondi Pizza 

Top Ryde City

Wednesday was at hand and with no where to be and no study to do an impromptu visit to

Taronga Zoo was in store. Rushing out the door to meet my best friend in the driveway the adventure was on. 30 minutes later we were at the zoo pumped and ready to see the giraffes.

Wandering around the zoo for hours visiting all the cute and wonderful animals we worked up quite an appetite.

Deciding the food at the zoo was not that exciting and way too expensive we headed to our nearest Bondi Pizza at Top Ryde City.

Craving something sweet we opted for the desert share plate and an ice chocolate each.

The ice chocolate was a tad bitter and could have had some cream on top, but all in all it went down well.

The desert share plate was a mixture of deserts, mini fondue, chocolate brownie, chocolate swirls and my personal favourite apple crumble pizzette.

It was delicious! A chocolate overload for sure, but the apple crumble pizzette cutting out the chocolate to bring  a fruity cohesiveness to the desert.

Overall Rating: 
5/5 Stars

Recommendation:

Definitely try the Apple Crumble Pizzette

Services: 

Lunch

Dinner

Desert

Coffee

Drinks

Address:

Top Ryde Shopping Centre

Piazza Level , Ryde

Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Friday - Saturday: 11:00am -  11:00pm

Sunday - Sunday: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Price Range:

$10-$40

Check Out The Menu:

http://www.bondipizza.com.au/

Talk soon,

Madison



Exotic and amazing!

Thai Food Love

Phuket, Thailand

A Thailand getaway meant that lots of authentic Thai food was to be consumed. Being in one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand, I was certainly not disappointed. With lots of authentic street food readily available and a cafe/restaurant one after the other amongst the main road it was a hard decision to make when it came to a dining choice!

After trying a few (very cheap! but) average places, we stumbled upon Restaurant Veranda.

With a Russian influence, the place provided an up-scale atmosphere with not only authentic Thai food, but also some western cuisine.

We decided to start of with Prawn fried rice in a pineapple to share as an entree, which seemed like the best seller through Phuket, and it definitely did not disappoint! The flavour balanced beautifully, with just the right amount of sauce and spices! The prawns were soft and tender and juicy!
Definitely a 10/10!

For mains I chose a chicken Pad Thai, because who wouldn't! It was served on a bamboo leaf which added to the authenticity of the dish and smelt amazing! The dish itself was full of flavour but a little too much sauce for my liking and the chicken was a little dry, but thats just being picky! It was truly beautiful regardless of those two mishaps. The second dish was duck with blueberry and apple sauce. That was the absolute highlight of the evening! It was tender, juicy, full of flavour and honestly out of this world! 

The food was so delicious and filling we did not even consider having dessert!  The restaurant provides an extensive food and beverage menu, if fully licensed and has a great atmosphere! Highly recommend to all tourists and locals, including families, friends, bigger events or even dates.  

Overall Rating:

5/5 Stars

Recommendation:
Beautiful food, great atmosphere and a great drink selection, the ultimate unwinding destination!

Services: 

Bar 

Movies on numerous TV 

Entertainment

Kids Play Areas

Waiter table service
Free wifi
Outdoor seating
Takeout available
Cheap
Fresh food cooked to order
Wait time 10min-30min

Address: 
470/4 Pattak Rd, Karon, Phuket, Thailand

Hours: 
11am-11pm Everyday

Price Range: 
All meals range from $3 to $33

Until Next time, 

Monika

A Treat Well Earned

Chef's Gallery

Macquarie Centre

After a long week of double shifts and studying hard it was time to head out for a little treat.

Not wanting to head far from home Chef's Gallery at Macquarie Centre was the only place to go. A lovely fusion of modern Chinese it was hard to choose what to eat, the menu diverse with plenty to offer a choice was finally made.

Starting with a classic, Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, the feast was on. Best steamed pork buns I have ever had. Next was Peking Duck and Cucumber wrapped in Rotti, fresh and delicious!

Of course we had to have some noodles, we opted for the wok fried noodles with shredded pork and Chinese cabbage. Needless to say we were not disappointed.

But the real treat and worth the wait was desert. A combination of ice cream, fair floss and all things good this treat was quite an unusual combination but worked well and settled us for the night.

The mango and strawberry ice creams went down a treat, unfortunately after a small taste the green tea ice cream went untouched, not my cup of tea.

The fairy floss and sugar straps adding a little fun to the desert. The cookies were delicious taking me back to my childhood when I used to have hundreds and thousands biscuits. Finally the sundae cone holding the ice creams gave a savoury point to cut out the sweetness.

Overall a great night was had and would definitely go again.

Overall Rating:

4/5 Stars

Recommendation:
Definately try something new, this venue is all about challenging tradtion.
One of the roti dishes and the bqq pork rolls are a must for all!

Services: 
Lunch
Dinner
Interesting deserts

Location: 

Macquarie Shopping Centre

Shop 407, North Ryde

Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 11:00am - 9:30pm

Friday - Saturday: 11:00am -  10:00pm

Sunday - Sunday: 11:00am - 9:30pm

Price Range:

$12-$27

Check Out The Menu:

http://chefsgallery.com/our-food/

Talk soon,

Madison



Feast For All!

Wenty Leagues

Wentworthville

A Thursday night feed was at hand. Heading out to one of the biggest clubs in Western Sydney I was pleasantly surprised. Parking the car all four of us hop out, stomachs empty and ready to tackle all 5 restaurants within the vicinity. A gulf buggy raced around the car park offering lifts to the front reception, hopping on we go for a joy ride before entering. 

The choice of deciding where to eat quickly dawned upon us. 

 Lucido Italian Restaurant: Offering fine dining and an extensive menu

 Lawson's Bistro- Family friends, hearty meals

The Jasmine Asian Cuisine: Waiter Chinese focused restaurant

 Dragon Noodle Bar: Thai focused cuisine

Wenty Cafe: Quick easy, cheap meals. 

Wanting to experience everything that Wenty Leagues could offer, it was decided that a selection of food would be ordered from each dining options. 

Setting ourselves up in the Bistro area, we studied the menu, strategically picking meals from each restaurant. A variety of drinks were offered on the menu but the group stuck to the classics. A jug of coke and a jug of Solo. Setting down the drinks we all left to order.
From Lucidos Italian Restaurant: A Garlic wood fire oven pizza.
From Lawsons Bistro: Our respective individuals meals. I opted for the Hawaiian Chicken Burger.
The Jasmine Asian Cuisine: A large bowl of Fried Rice
Dragon Noodle Bar: The classic Pad Thai

Within 10 mintues the Wood fire pizza arrived. And it did not disappoint. Drissled in garlic oil and covered in melted cheese this entree was devoured. 

The mains from the Bistro shortly followed. My  Hawaiian burger was stacked high. Tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, pineapple, bacon 2 chicken pieces and a side of chips. A Chicken Ceasar Salad for Anthony with a large portion size and tender chicken to Suit.. A THE BUTTA BING BURGER for Cameron ... A MUST TRY for all want to eat at the Bistro!Stacked with a 200g Wagyu beef pattie, bacon jam, crunchy peanut butter, American Jack cheese, pickles, tomato & lettuce this burger is sure to please. 

To end the feast for 4. Fried rice and Pad Thai. 

Full as a balloon we all headed down to the sports bar to watch West Tigers get a win on South Sydney ( finally). In review Wenty Leagues is a vibrant exciting multi layered club. Providing both members and non members with a wide range of choice in not only food and drink but comfort and entertainment.  An excellent dining spot for families, mates and gatherings.  

Overall Rating:

4/5 Stars

Recommendation:
Lawson Bistro for a family meal. Wanting to a wine and dine service head to Lucidos Restaurant. Great atmosphere best enjoyed with friends and family

Services: 

5 Bars 

Bistro

Sports lounge

Vip Lounge 

Terrace

Garden 

Movie Size TV 

Outdoor areas

Entertainment

Kids Play Areas

Waiter and non waiter services

Smoking Areas

Address: 

50 Smith St, Wentworthville NSW 2145

Hours:

Thursday	9am–4am
Friday	9am–6am
Saturday	9am–6am
Sunday	9am–4am
Monday	9am–4am
Tuesday	9am–4am
Wednesday	9am–4am

Price Range:

$6 to $45

Check Out The Menu:

http://www.wentyleagues.com.au/

Until Next time, 

Lauren

Blog Introduction

Firstly, lets consider two facts about food:

1. Humans are born craving sugar.

2. Chocolate was once used as currency.

Now with that in mind, when it came to deciding on a topic for a blog as a part of our assignment we decided to focus on food. It is not only an essential part of everyone’s lives, but also an indulgence to many, thus sharing our experiences and providing all readers with not only personal opinions but also descriptions of flavours of the foods, photos of the meals and surrounding areas as well as any other details of the cafes and restaurants we had a pleasure of visiting.

Who is “we” you ask? We are a group of six students at Macquarie University undertaking the “IT & Society” unit. Justin, Khai, Lauren, Madison, Monika and Patrick. And we would love to welcome you to our blog 

We have been assigned the task of creating a blog as a group on a topic of our choice and sharing it with the greater community. What made us think of food? We were brainstorming ideas on something people enjoy doing, isn’t too much of an effort and allows for anyone to easily relate to and feel welcome. Food can be considered a universal language that brings people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds together. Food encourages not only broadmindedness but also diversity amongst all countries and has successfully integrated well within all nations.

And let’s not forget the feeling of “home”, happiness and welcomeness that is associated with food. Family events, birthdays, Christmas, simple get togethers or weddings and even funerals. They all involve food because food brings people together in all kinds of situations and emotions.

And let’s be honest … everyone loves to spoil themselves either on a regular basis or every once in a while and it’s always nice to have an insight about a place and what to expect. 

WELCOME TO FOOD BLOG 2.0. 

Stay Tuned :)