Urban Jungle in Rhodes

I always love trying local cafes, especially when they make their food in-house.  There's something exciting about ordering a dish you haven't seen everywhere else.  But I have to admit, sometimes I get a little sceptical because some places put so much effort into making their dishes look pretty, but taste doesn't really live up to the presentation.

Thankfully, that wasn't the case at Urban Jungle in Rhodes.  Their food not only looks pretty, but it actually tastes good too.  The only downside is definitely on the pricier side, with most main dishes sitting around $25-$35.

Truffle fries

My absolute favourite is their truffle fries.  We order them pretty much every time we go.  They're crispy, packed with truffle flavour and honestly just hard to resist.  At $19, they're not exactly cheap for fries, but they're one of those things I keep coming back for.

Urban benny

We also tried their Urban Benny, their version of egg benedict, which comes with sourdough toast, poached eggs, herbed yuzu hollandaise, tempura field mushrooms, hash brown and sauteed spinach.  It was nice overall, especially with the yuzu hollandaise and the tempura mushrooms were very crispy, but I felt the $27.50 price tag was a bit much.  There were only three pieces of tempura mushrooms, so for that price, I expected a little more.

 

This was the first time we tried the fried chicken waffle, and the portion was pretty generous.  Out of all main dishes, this was probably my favourite.  The combination of crispy and juicy chicken and waffle and the creaminess from runny egg yolk just worked really well.  And it was easily the tastiest dish for me.

Udon carbonara

The Udon Carbonara was another standout.  It was super creamy and tasty, topped with crispy bacon, furikake and a little touch of chili oil, then finished with an onsen egg and Parmesan cheese. At $34, again it's definitely not cheap, but the flavour was there. The chili oil added just enough kick to balance out the creaminess.

Overall, I'd say Urban Jungle is one of those cafes where the food actually lives up to the Instagram-worthy presentation.  Everything looks beautiful, but more importantly, the flavours are there too.

Urban Jungle Rhodes

In Rhodes Waterside

43/1 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes

Ph: 0414 524 156

They have other branches: In Rooty Hill, Hurstville and Parramatta

Kaisendon Burwood

We've been seeing so many TikToks about this fresh seafood donburi restaurant in Burwood, so of course we had to go and try it for ourselves.

One Friday night, we got there just before 6pm, and lucky us, we managed to get the last available table.  No waiting for us that night, but apparently the queue here can get really long, especially because the restaurant itself isn't very big.

My husband went straight for his favourite fish, Bluefin tuna toro.  I ordered the salmon uni don, while my son got the assorted seafood don. 

And honestly... the seafood was super, super fresh.  It's definitely on the pricier side, but I can see why.  The quality of the seafood really shows.

The uni in my bowl was especially good.  It tasted like a better grade of uni.  It had a really nice, full texture rather than the type that just melts away in your mouth.  You could actually bite into it, and there was absolutely no fishy taste just sea smell.  The only problem?  There was literally just one piece of uni in my bowl.  Definitely NOT enough for me!  I wanted more!!

The eel was also cooked perfectly, tender, nicely done and full of flavour.

One thing to note: The restaurant is a little hidden in a back alley, so it can be easy to miss if you don't know where to look.  If you're coming from Burwood Road, go into Grace Lane, next to the tea shop and keep walking all the way to the end of the lane.  Then turn left and the restaurant is right there on the corner.

Kaisendon Burwood

Shop 7/180-186 Burwood Road, Burwood

Open: Thursday - Sunday 11am - 10pm

Chongdee Teahouse, BangkokB

Chongdee Teahouse has quickly become one of my favourite cafes! 

They do classic and fusion Thai drinks and snacks.  And it was their gorgeous two-tone drink, soy milk and black sesame, that lured me into the shop.  Of course, we ended leaving with quite a few sweets in hand.

Soy milk and black sesame frappe

Mini toast with condensed milk

We tried their mini toast with condensed milk and the pa thong ko with palm sugar & coconut milk sauce, and both were amazing.  The bread was so soft inside, while the toasted exterior had that delicious buttery aroma.  So simple, but SO Yum!

The pa thong ko was freshly fried and still piping hot when it arrived.  Crispy on the outside, fluffy inside and best of all, none of that strong ammonia smell you sometimes get with fried dough.

pa thong ko with palm sugar & coconut milk dipping sauce

We also ordered a chocolate drink that came with two complimentary sticks of khao mao.  I didn't actually get to try them because my kids chucked them straight into their mouth while I was busy taking photos.  They gave their official approval though.  Apparently, they were very yummy.

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They are plenty other drinks to try too, including non-milky options like chrysanthemum and kumquat, as well as Thai-style bingsu.

They have a few branches around, mostly inside shopping malls, so definitely worth keeping an eye out for one.  I'm already looking forward to going back and trying more.

Chongdee Teahouse

Level 1, One Bangkok Boulevard Lumphini, Pathum Wan Bangkok

There are other branches such as: Central World, Central Pinklao, Central Ladprao, Paragon, Circle Ratchapreuk and more

Talat Phlu, Bangkok for Foodies

If you're a foodie exploring Bangkok, Talat Phlu is definitely an area worth checking out.  It's basically a little paradise for street food lovers, with so many local eats packed into one area.  One of the unique things about Talat Phlu is that some of the food stalls and shops are right alongside the railway tracks.  So yes, you can literally enjoy your food while watching the train pass by!

Out first stop was Tia Yentafo, a yentafo noodle shop that has been around for decades.  It sits right next to the railway, which makes the experience even more fun.  Slurping noodles while watching a train pass just a few steps away is definitely one of those experiences that seems to attract a lot of foreign visitors.

I have to admit, I'm not usually a huge fan of yentafo.  For those who haven't tried it, yentafo is a Thai noodle dish served with a pinkish-red fermented tofu sauce.  The sauce gives the soup its distinctive colour and a slightly sweet, tangy and savoury flavour.  Some places make it very pink, and honestly, it can sometimes look a little artificial.

Thankfully, the yentafo here wasn't overly pink, which I liked.  It looked much more natural, and the flavour was pretty good too.  The soup was slightly sour, and adding a bit of chili made it even better.  I also liked that there were plenty of fish balls and toppings - actually, there seemed to be more toppings than noodles, which is exactly how I like it.

Next, we moved on to a popular ice cream served with fresh egg yolk.  The ice cream itself was pretty average, but that egg yolk really changed things.  It added extra creaminess and richness, making the whole combination more interesting.

Would I come back just for the ice cream?  Probably not.  But is it something worth trying at least once? Definitely!

Ice cream with fresh egg yolk

Kanom wan Talat Phlu - Thai dessert

Right opposite the ice cream shop, there's a Thai dessert and sweet shop that is so popular you actually need to take a queue ticket.  They sell all kind of traditional Thai sweets, mostly in bite-sized portions.  You simply ask for whatever you like and choose how many pieces you want.  And the best part?  It's incredibly cheap!

Kanom chan

Talat Phlu is also known for its gui chai, or Thai chive dumplings.  Unfortunately, the famous one we wanted to try was closed that day, so we grabbed some from another vendor instead.  They were good, but personally, I much preferred the deep-fried version.  Crispy on the outside just makes everything better!

Before leaving, I couldn't resist getting a few more kanom Tokyo.  Think of it as a Thai-style mini crepe, usually filled with either sweet or savoury fillings.  The classic version is normally quite small, but here they make them bigger, generously filled and seriously satisfying.

And if you're travelling with kids, there's an extra reason to make a day of it.  Jurassic World is only around 15-minute drive away, making it easy to combine your Talat Phlu food adventure with a family-friendly outing.

If you're planning to visit, I'd recommend going on a weekday, as the prices can be quite different compared with the weekend.  They've really done this place well.

You get to walk through immersive Jurassic environments, see impressive life-sized dinosaurs up close, and enjoy interactive experiences that make it feel like you've stepped into the movie.  There are plenty of photo spots, fun activities for kids and adults and even a Jurassic restaurant, making it an easy place to spend a few hours and enjoy the whole experience.

Tia Yentafo

Therdthai Road, Talat Phlu, Bangkok

Open: Daily 8am - 2pm

Kanom Wan Talat Phlu

1129 Soi Thoet Thai 25 (Near Talat Phlu Railway Station)

Open: 11am - 8pm

Jurassic World: The Experience Bangkok

Asiatique, Charoenkrung Road, Bangkok

Taralga Wildlife Park: Our New Favourite Family Zoo Day

Taralga Wildlife Park has quickly become one of our favourite zoos.  It's definitely not as big as Taronga Zoo, but that's actually part of the charm.  It feels much more intimate, homey and relaxed.  It almost like visiting a big family-run animal park.  And despite its size, there are plenty of unique animals to see, including albino kangaroos, quokkas and of course wombats.

And let me just say it: wombats are officially cuter than koalas.  Sorry, koalas!!!

$15 extra for cuddling a wombat

The absolute highlight for us was getting cuddle a wombat.  These little fluffy creatures are just ridiculously adorable.  We were lucky enough to see several wombats awake and active, running around rather than sleeping the day away.  My kids were completely fascinated.

One funny thing we noticed, unlike holding a koala, there's no strong smell lingering on your hand after cuddling the wombat.  A definite bonus!

albino kangaroo

quokka

gala

The kids also loved getting to play with and cuddle the rabbits.  Honestly, between the wombats, rabbits and all the other animals, they just didn't want to leave.  I think we could have stayed all day.

chicken caesar wrap

And yes, we even sorted our lunch here.  The cafe keeps things simple with things like chicken schnitzel sandwiches or chicken Caesar wrap and it was really filling and yummm!  We also tried the hummingbird cake, which was delicious too.

chicken schnitzel

Pumpkin soup

hummingbird cake

Overall, Taralga Wildlife Park gave us such a lovely family day out.  It may be smaller than some of the big-name zoos, but the chance to get up close with some unique animals, especially those adorable wombats, make it really special.  The entry price is also quite reasonable for a family day out.

Taralga Wildlife Park

257 Bannaby Road, Taralga 

Open: Thursday - Monday 10am - 4pm (Daily during NSW school holidays)

Entry price: $25 for an adult, $15 for a children, or family pass (2 adults and 2 kids) for $55. 

Animal food: included in admission fee.

For cuddle and phot encounter with wombat is an additional $15/person (not for kids under 10yo)