After a very specific product I wanted for baking a birthday cake for my son, I stumbled across this delightful blog and online shop (thanks, Google!). I placed an order Around 1am Monday morning, and received my order Tuesday morning, with a sweet handwritten thank you note to boot! Well priced, more than fair shipping cost and wonderful service! I just have to add that for Hopper's natural (actually natural, cochineal free) food colouring, they're the best place for it. With their shipping costs, they're the most reasonably priced online business for it--ordering direct from the supplier recommended by the manufacturer costs almost double the cost. I would definitely buy from Sistermixin' again. So pleased with service and delivery!

Dropped into this hidden little cafe for a coffee, and WHAT A surprise. Hidden away in a suburban business park is this inner-city style trendy cafe, with a bushy-bearded barista producing one of the best coffees I've ever had the joy of consuming. The food looked terrific and fresh, though I didn't have a chance to eat. We'll bro if back for sure. The decor is modern and trendy, all concrete and distressed wood. The staff were very friendly and chatty, and I had my (six!) coffees quickly. Wonderful.

I was so disappointed with my experience here. With a 4 month old baby, I finally had my first chance for a hair cut in nearly 6 months. I wish I'd waited. While my hair was cut perfectly well, the hairdresser didn't ask what direction I part my hair, and cut it parted the opposite side I've warn it going on 8 years; when I asked for my fringe to be cut a certain way; the response was 'Really?!', as if it were an awful faux pas (I was so taken aback I mumbled an excuse and allowed her cut it how she thought best.

I was offered a lovely cup of tea (complimentary, and wonderful vanilla blend from T2 a few shops up!) There was a steady stream of very friendly conversation during the cut, but the stylist divulged some extremely personal information about one of the other employee's personal life which made me *very* uncomfortable. I was also given a very hard sell on special, salon-quality shampoo and conditioner (you know, the $20 for 250mL kind) and after I hedged 3 times, had to explain I just couldn't afford it. Awkward.

Cut was VERY expensive ($85 for a cut and blow dry).
The experience left a very bad taste in my mouth.

Like another reviewer stated--I was amazed to discover a place like Parramatta Park in the middle of a suburban city like Parramatta. And not just the park, but this wonderful cafe. Sitting beneath a canopy of some of the most magnificent Jacaranda trees I've ever seen, and overlooking the slightly less magnificent, but nonetheless pretty, parramatta river, the cafe is a real gem.

While it seems to be busy 7 days a week (suits on weekdays, families weekends), it never feels crowded, though the service, while unfailingly friendly polite, can be slow.

Their all day breakfast is my favourite. I love their omelette, but their big breakfast deserves a mention, all served with generous slices of yummy sourdough toast. They make their own Apple abd rhubarb jam, which is lovely; unfortunately, their coffee is pretty average (often scalded, but drinkable).

There is plenty of parking immediately *before* the cafe--Parramatta Park has a looooong, one way circuit, and if you miss this, there is a small car park immediately AFTER the cafe, but it's often full.

I really love this cafe. My favourite place to spend a lazy weekend morning.

Approximate cost: $10-25

I've eaten at Liza's a few times, both eat in and takeaway. During a recent interstate visit, we brought my MIL here, and were so pleased with the experience. The pizzas were fresh and tasty, the garlic bread was perhaps a little *too* garlicky, but the salad, of all things, was amazing. I want their recipe for Greek salad dressing! They're not the cheapest pizza place amongst the many in Regent's Park, by they're fairly priced and, I think, by far the best pizza in the suburb! The staff were friendly, and while not fancy, it's a perfectly comfortable place to enjoy an evening meal!

Approximate cost: $20-30

I ordered my very first woven wrap from Nurture Nest in May. Nikki was AMAZING. She answered my (way too many) questions via email quickly, kindly, and so, so helpfully!

She has a wonderful range of wraps and carriers available and, when the wrap j was desperately after wasn't available, she offered to order one in. Arrived so quickly, well priced, and couldn't recommeny Nurture Nest highly (or often) enough (and I do, often!).

A day out with my mum is simply not a day out with my mum until coffee has been had. It's an unspoken agreement and unbreakable rule.

So, our lunch eaten, and requiring additional fuel for our long Ikea trek, we found ourselves here. The place is pretty. It was busy (always a good sign) and the coffee smelled GOOD.

And it was. A little hot, but good. So were the delicious peanut butter muffin and individual handmade chocolates. And I was kind of dissapointed we didn't get to stay for one of their amazing looking iced drinks/frappes. The place was busy, and we didn't sit (which was a shame as, despite the business, it wasn't noisy, and it's a lovely location, nicely decorated and furnished with indoor/outdoor tables) but the line moved quickly, and staff were polite and efficient. Definitely our new Rhodes coffee stop.

Well played, Mr Brown. Well played.

Approximate cost: $5-10

Who doesn't love a good burrito. Or nachos. Or tacos... or... you get the point. I have a friend who SWEARS by Guzman Y Gomez, but being from 'out west', another, similar mexican food chain holds dominance--and retail contracts. So this weekend was my first experience with the brightly yellow-and-black signed chain.

And I was NOT dissapointed.

After a loooong morning, my mum and I decided to share some nachos. And wow were they good. Fresh tortilla chips, an explosion of flavourlful toppings, fresh, tasty guacomole I could have eaten a tub of--and fresh cheese. No nasty cheese sauce, people. And the food came out QUICK, brought straight to our table.

The service was friendly and perfectly satisfactory--nothing unexpected--but what Guzman Y Gomez Rhodes has going for it is something unmatched. The location. The interior of the restaurant is small, but what you can't see from the food court is the enormous, open-air exterior verandah, covered with cosy tables, plants, shade umbrellas and brightly coloured cushions. We chose one helluva day. The sun was shining, the air was clear, and seriously. I could have quite happily stayed for hours.

Will DEFINITELY be going back. If not for the food, the location alone. But the food was VERY good. Don't miss it after a day at Ikea :)

Approximate cost: $8-15

Hidden in a tiny shopping mall, tucked away in Bella Vista's twisty suburban streets, is Jag's. A not-so-little Italian restaurant I didn't know existed until 5 days ago. I'm now happily enlightened.

We went here for a family birthday and catch-up, and, arriving at 6, were surprised to find the quite spacious restaurant already busy, but by no means packed. That changed quickly. Despite the tables being filled, our waitresses were friendly and attentive, though never intrusive. Our orders were taken promptly when we were ready, and our food came out in good time.

And *drooooools*
the food was GOOD.

We ordered, predictably, for us, the cheese and garlic crust, and it was GOOD. Offered in 3 sizes, the medium/regular served 4 of us well. And then came the mains. Hubby and I each ordered fettucine (you can choose the style of your pasta--spaghetti, fettucine, tortellini, and penne, which is also gluten free and then your sauce). He had bosciola, which was hot, creamy, and tasty, and I ordered the creamy pesto, which was bursting with flavour, and I couldn't stop eating--despite being over-full less than halfway through my meal.

Our friends ordered differently, with chicken and salmon coming out, and attested to it being 'the BEST salmon [they'd] ever tasted.'

Big call, huh?

I was ready to skip dessert, but not hubby. Not when creme brullee was on offer. And I'm kind of glad, because it was GOOD.

We were really impressed with the restaurant, the service, and the food, and surprised at it's success, despite it's surprising location. The food was not cheap, though I can't complain about portion sizes in relation. Think about $20 for a bowl of pasta, and $35 for the amazing salmon. Still, a nice evening and meal, and not regretted in the slightest.

Approximate cost: $20-40

Salsa's--Parramatta's answer to Mad Mex and Guzman y Gomez is a fairly new addition to Westfield's enormous level 5 food court. And a very welcome one. Selling burritos, tacos, nachos, and 'salad' bowls, the food is tasty, hot, fresh, and quite reasonably priced given serving sizes.

I've had the vegetarian salad bowl and the nachos from here, and both are divine. The corn chips are 'home made' and, while I can't comment on the veracity of that, they are fantastic. Thin, crispy, salty, and delicious.

The salad bowls are bowls of rice cooked with coriander and other delicious things, beans, salsa, guacomole, mushrooms and zucchini and a very decent sized meal. The food's never stodgy, or seeming like it's been left sitting for an hour. It's genuinely fresh and tasty, and the guy who served me was very friendly and patient, waiting as I 'ummed' and 'ahhed' over the menu board for 5 minutes. DEFINITELY coming back here again.

Approximate cost: $10