Dining To Die For

So I'm not one to really go out for dinner much. Partly due to my diet. Partly due to cost and having our things higher on my values. Partly due to having never really done it so it's not something I now miss.
Having said all that... I LOVE going out for dinner! And I wonder why I don't do it more. I should try too.

Anyway, last night I did infact go out for dinner. Brock said he wanted to take me out and that it was a surprise; although I did ponder on where he might be taking me and secretly hoped it to be this place... AGAPE

It's Sydney's first certified organic restaurant and bar and it is sensational! Their regular menu includes an array of tapas, homemade pizzas on spelt bases, other main courses, and of course organic wines, teas and coffees. Brock and I however get spoilt to a specially designed raw vegan menu (thanks to Brocks friendship with the head chef).

You may remember me talking about it once before and that's because it's where he took me for my birthday last year (indulge your senses and check out the mouth watering piccies here). With a smiliar menu this time round, we felt like royalty.

cherry tomato, saffron, parsley & radish sprouts

Not such a great photo so apologies there but this was what came out first and the colours were amazing. Saffron in with the oil drizzle was a stand out feature of this dish.

beetroot, olives, raw honey, broccoli sprouts & almonds

Second dish out; and we always think it tastes better than the first. Sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy, I loved the olives and sultanas combo here.

swiss brown mushroom, kale, thyme & salsa verde

This was my favourite hands down. I've never used thyme in my recipes (cooked or uncooked) so I'm looking forward to having a little play with it coz this was so damn good.

heirloom carrot, sesame, spring onion, orange & basil

Love the purple carrots here; they're coming back in season fellow purple lovers. This dish was so yummy but I have to say, it didn't follow the trend of the others; that is getting better each course. The shrooms and kale was still my fav up to here. Until...

granny smith apple, nashi pear, pineapple & blood lime

La piece de resistance!

Who doesn't love dessert? But can you compare it to dinner I mean really? It's in an entirley seperate category as far as I'm concerned. Now this was totally different to the dessert we had there last year. This was tangy and tart; green apples and blood lime. But the pineapple sorbet was subtle sweetness, and with nashi bits and mint throughout... my mouth is watering again just thinking about it again!

I love this restaurant. And I love getting dressed up to go there. Sorry no pics of me all pretty and posh. Guess the food was the highlight of the night anyways. So until next year...

My Birthday Week of LOVE

a-ga-pé: [ ah-gah-pey, ah-guy-pey, ag-uh ] from Ancient Greek agapé means

a. God's unconditional love for us
b. a pure selfless love of one person for another
c. a love feast shared as a sign of love and fellowship

And that's what my last week has been all about.

It was my 25th Birthday on Wednesday and I've been SPOILT ROTTEN everyday since!

I was surprised with a BEAUTIFUL bunch of flowers from my boss (who is currently on her honeymoon mind you) at work on Wednesday, and they were GORGEOUS! Orange gerberas and purple cabbages...




After an early start and a long busy day at work, then seeing a client, I was happy to get home on Wednesday night for an Indian-inspired-Feast.



Beautifully created by my mother, and my two sisters (one of which came down from Cairns especially). Lisa set the table with special plates, gold cutlery and crystal glasses. There were candles lit, music playing, lights dimmed and incense wafting...

Mum, Lisa, Nikki, Annabel, Chris and my grandmother were all delighting in different curries, rices and breads, samosas, chutneys and side dishes, while Brock and I were indulging on the following mouth watering dishes that were made especially for us both...





Sweet curry with sultanas, apple, spices, banana...


Cauliflower and parsnip rice - this one is a sweet sulatana and almond one, we also had a beautiful ginger cauli rice


Warmed marinated broccoli which was so good


Carrot salad with cumin, zucchini, red onions...


And my dinner plate (first of two serves)

Finished with a parfait glass with scoops of raw vanilla choc-chip ice cream Mum had bought - but Brock had my homemade coconut ice cream and said he liked it better!!

I was showered with gifts - including a basket of fruit and veg that I jumped up and down with excitement over! Best pressie ever. Way to a raw girls heart :)

Friday afternoon I spoilt myself to a colonic and infra red sauna! :) BLISSED OUT! I feel so unbelievably good after both I walk out BEAMING!
And then Brock came to pick me up and take me out for a SURPRISE DINNER!
We first wandered the streets of Newtown and into my favourite Health Food Shop for a browse. I get a BUZZ out of all things nutrition - working in a health food store myself, I was like a kid in a lolly shop, and Brock and I walked out with a few coconut date rolls as a pre-dinner snack :) Yum!

Then onto dinner...
AGAPE - a Greek word translated into LOVE, and the name of a stunning restaurant out in Botany using only ORGANIC produce where Brock had been waiting to take this special girl :)
We were so warmly welcomed and greeted with "Happy Birthday" at the door. Surrounded by candles, wooden furniture, pink roses and antique velvet couches, this place really does say LOVE. Absolutley beautiful.

Brock is friends with the very talented chef named Simon So sneakily set up something special. But never expected what we got. A 5 course raw menu for 2. The attention to detail was impeccable and the presentation divine. From start to finish...

Tomato and basil salad, crisp kale and apple balsamic

Beetroot carpaccio, olive, basil, almond, apple, blood orange vinaigrette

Marinated broccoli, carrot, sesame, silverbeet, lemon, garlic and chilli

Mushroom, salsa verde, rocket, honey and mustard

Golden delicious apple, raw honey, almond, sultana

As each plate came out the flavours got better and better - dessert being the winner for both of us.







An early morning sunshine run together on Saturday before I had a hair appointment in the city to pamper myself, and later met up with Lara for a very belated catch up, before doing my nails and getting ready for our night out.
And Saturday night dinner with the girls!
My sister had made raw bruschetta bread for Maya, Tamsyn and I but the restaurant COOKED IT! We ate the fresh tomato on top tho, had BIG salads and DELICIOUS cinnamon scrolls Maya so kindly made. Good food, great company and lots of laughs finished by dancing at the local til after midninght... an AMAZING end to an AMAZING week!

THANK YOU to EVERYONE that made my week MORE than special. I felt like a royal queen all week and LOVE each and everyone of you.

xxx