[FOOD REVIEW] Burger Project, World Square

4 hours before I have to get ready to head off to the airport and fly to Melbourne! I've never been a fan of plane rides and so I always have a sense of excitement and fear every time I catch a plane. It's like the first day of school every semester haha. Since I might not have time next week to make a post, I thought I'd talk about the latest burger joint everyone's been going to before I leave! (I'm only going for 4 days but I get tired and lazy easily :p)

Yes, I went to the Burger Project (644 George St, World Square) which is right next to Din Tai Fung. To be honest, I thought it would be a gourmet burger shop but it's actually quite a casual burger joint where you order and then find your own table. Pretty much like a fast food place. Considering that Din Tai Fung is next to it, I really didn't expect this but no biggie! At least, it looks pretty clean! In addition, service is relatively fast.

TA-DA! First photo of food! This is the Chicken Dog ($8.90) that my sister ordered! I really considered getting this but I decided that if I'm going to the 'Burger' Project, why am I getting hot dogs? Lol. Obviously, I still took a bite from hers though. Pretty average hot dog. Soft bread and nice balance of lettuce and sauce but really nothing special.

I heard that quite a few people liked the House Made Chips ($4.90) here but when my sister's boyfriend got the chips, I was honestly disappointed at the appearance and the taste. It mostly consisted of small pieces that were like scraps and to be honest, I'd rather have Maccas chips instead. The taste wasn't overly salty or anything like Maccas can be sometimes but it definitely was disappointing. Apparently, if you actually get the good chips, they're pretty nice though. Sadly, I wasn't a lucky one.

If you're staring at the Crispy Hot Wing ($3.50 each/3 for $9), this is worth a try! Although the flavour is a bit overpowering, the chicken wing is very tender and juicy. Probably finger licking good.

Doesn't this look delicious!? The Spicy Pork Belly Burger ($9.90) with crispy free range pork belly, salted chilli, pickles, pickled slaw and lettuce is one to be recommended. Although the crackle was a bit more chewy than crunchy, the pork belly was very tender and matched very nicely with the sauce. Or maybe that's because it's pork belly. Who can resist pork belly!? The burger buns are pretty soft but I think it could be softer.

My Cheese and Bacon Burger ($9.50) filled with grass fed beef, bacon, cheese, onion, pickles (I took them out, I don't like pickles!), tomato, lettuce and secret sauce. I didn't realise this had a secret sauce, I don't really remember it being spectacular. But I really liked the beef, it was nicely grilled and had a strong taste of well cooked beef. It was soft but still retained its' texture and matched well with the cheese. There wasn't much bacon for it to be worth a mention and the cheese was pretty average as well. But, I like melted cheese, they're always good. It's like a better tasting cheeseburger, you'd probably like it if you love cheeseburgers like me haha!

Overall, the food was average with disappointing chips. But I believe it's worth a try if you would like a quick and easy meal. It's convenient and has  a busy atmosphere, so you definitely won't be bored listening in to other people's conversations. Hahaha, nah, it's busy but you can still hear your own voice and others. But I would relate it quite similarly to a fast food restaurant environment. Nothing spectacular but no harm in trying it, they're burgers after all!

[FOOD REVIEW] Oliver Brown, Auburn

I don't know if you've noticed but I have realised that recently wherever I go, there is an Oliver Brown nearby. A while ago, they came to my suburb, Auburn (Cnr Harrow Rd & Queen St Auburn Central Shopping Centre)! Now there's another place for chocolate and waffles here! It is really close to the station and other stores such as Woolworths and Big W. It is a good place to stop by for a drink or for a chat after buying groceries.

If you're curious about that finger, it's my friend Crystal's hahaha. She insisted on being a part of it lol. This is the Milk Hot Chocolate ($5.50) that contains Premium Belgian chocolate served with marshmallows. Well, in this case, one marshmallow. I love dipping marshmallows in hot chocolate and then eating it! They taste so much better! If you're looking for a thick hot chocolate, this will not be your cup of chocolate. It's rather light and milky and isn't overly sweet. Definitely not as chocolatey as San Churros. But I liked it. It wasn't overpowering and you wouldn't think it's too much chocolate in one cup. 

This also looks exactly like the Milk Hot Chocolate with Crunchy Balls ($6) in which I tried as well~ The added crunchy balls taste exactly like coco pops! However, unlike coco pops, it won't become soggy after being submerged in liquid. It remains crunchy and is a nice little treat when sipping your chocolate. It's like an extra tad of crunchy bits to eat!

Yes, it's another drink! Hahaha, I tried these drinks on different days, so don't mistake me as some sort of drinking machine! This is the Milk Iced Chocolate ($7.50) made from premium Belgium chocolate and served with chocolate flakes. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of this one. It had a lot of ice and tasted more like watery chocolate with some milk. It only had a subtle chocolate taste and it got even worse when the ice melted. The iced chocolate at Gloria Jeans is much better.

The other day, I tried the Mango Passionfruit ($7.80) which is mango & passionfruit puree blended with ice at the Chatswood branch and although I thought this one had a lot of ice as well, it was very refreshing and light. Slightly sweet with more of a mango taste than passionfruit. I couldn't really taste the passionfruit but you can see the seeds haha. It's a nice cold drink to go along with waffles!

Yay! It's waffles (and the finger)! The Frutti Waffle ($12.50) - Belgium waffle, strawberries, banana, ice cream and melted chocolate tasted wonderful! The strawberries and bananas were fresh and sweet and accompanied with ice cream made the waffles taste heavenly! The waffles were soft and moist, just the way I like it!

If you want a cheaper alternative and don't need ice cream or bananas (I love bananas!), the Belgium Waffle ($10)  which consists of two Belgium waffles, strawberries and melted chocolate would be the perfect choice! If you only want one waffle, it'll be $6 instead!

The Classic Fondue for Two ($17.50) with fresh strawberries, banana, marshmallows, banana bread, bread sticks was way too tempting to pass when I came here on another visit. However, the fondue chocolate was quite watery. It was still sweet and good but it would have been better if it was thicker. As for the fruit, they tasted fresh and sweet and having banana bread was an additional surprise I didn't expect to come along with fondue! They were all very well matched dipped in chocolate and made my stomach very happy and satisfied.

Since this is in my neighbourhood now, I will definitely come to visit occasionally for my dose of chocolate! It's really close and convenient for me and who can resist chocolate?! I'm more fond of the hot drinks rather than the cold though so I might try the coffee next time with churros or crepe! They both look so good on the menu!

[TRAVEL DIARY] Sculptures By the Sea, Bondi

If I recall, the last time I came to Bondi Beach was in Year 12 when we came on an excursion to watch a Hamlet play. That was the first time I had ever been to Bondi Beach. Now, for my second visit, I decided to come along with a few friends to see Sculptures By the Sea (Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk). Stepping in to this place really brought back memories of the time in high school and the burning sun. I highly recommend you to bring a hat, sunscreen and sunnies if you're planning on coming. As the forgetful idiot I am, I didn't bring a single one! Lol. My hands and legs were really red by the time I came home hahaha. Well, I've learnt the importance of sunscreen now!

Sculptures By the Sea will be on until the 9th of November and so remember to check it out this weekend if you're interested! There are apparently more than one hundred sculptures created by artists around the world and it's all free to look at! I missed photos of a couple and I probably didn't see the entire thing but I saw most of it. I was way too exhausted to continue anymore by that time haha. All I can say is that, the blazing sun makes me weak :p

By Janaki Lele (NSW) look who

My friend said this was an ant, I couldn't help but think it looks like a bee though haha! Also, there's like ten of them on the rocks. They all have different cute little faces and were wearing tiny shoes! If only they wore some socks as well, that would have been so adorable!

By Ian Swift (NSW) the boot pool

 This is my favourite one! It's so clever and cool! Gotta love the ones doing backstroke and the ones that are floating. They look so relaxed and happy! I thought it was really cute and funny hahaha. I could stare at this one all day and stay amused. Yeah, I'm weird like that.

By Kimie Kitamura (NSW) the lighthouse keepers

By Toshio Iezumi (Japan)

 I really liked this one. The shape, the transparency, I was lured in by it.

By Richard Tipping (NSW) wine talk

 Creamy velvet mmm.. I seriously thought of cake when I first read this. Then, I looked at the sign and I guess I'm not too far away, it was related to food and drinks :p

By Elyssa Sykes-Smith (NSW) the chase

  I don't know why but I feel like the left one is a girl and the right one is a guy. A chase to the death?

By Fiona Meller, wishboat III

By Cave Urban, save our souls

 I think I play games too much. This really reminded me of a jumping puzzle in Guild Wars 2. I started thinking whether it was possible to jump to the top. Then, I thought of sugar cane juice. Funny thing was, they really were selling sugar cane juice at The Grounds By the Sea.

By Wang Shugang (China) men playing with birds

 There is a feeling of peace and serenity when I stare at this man.

By Harrie Fasher (NSW) which way forwards?

 It really made me think about my life. Am I constantly rocking back and forth without knowing whether I am actually moving forward or not? Am I stuck in this spot forever? I really wonder.

By Julie Donnelly (NSW) sentinals

Not sure what this was referring to but I couldn't stop thinking about stockings. I'd take stockings with descriptions like these.

By NEON (VIC) house of mirrors

 I thought this was pretty cool. There's something about mirrors that amuses me.

By Philip Spelman (NSW) redtrumpet redtable

 Vibrant and beautiful.

By Hidemi Tokutake (Japan) grow

 My friends thought these were fungi and I didn't doubt them until I read about it in a tent showcasing miniature versions of the sculptures explaining what inspired the artists and what they are trying to portray. Apparently, they're reproductive organs. How? I don't know but I'm wondering what it means by grow...

By Mikaela Castledine (WA) gift of the rhinoceros

By Alejandro Propato (Argentina) permanent sunrise

 Rainbow! Sunrise! I think this one fits the beach nicely.

By Julie Collins and Derek John (VIC) evidence-based research - crossing the line

 Excuse my finger, it was really sunny and so I couldn't really see what I was taking a photo of hahaha. My friends believe these are blood vessels or nerves..

By Machine Green (NSW) sustainable food pyramid

 Cute! It makes me want to get a pot plant myself!

By Andrew Hankin

 A gigantic frying pan!! It looks exactly like the one I have at home! I wonder if this is a non-stick one too! Pretty cool. It really accentuates the idea that the beach was like a frying pan for me.

By Hannah Kidd (New Zealand) snakes & ladders

 Really makes me have an urge to play snakes and ladders. I loved that game when I was a kid. 

By Akira Kamada, suspended in time

 I loved how it wobbled and moved when the wind blew! It seemed like a cocoon waiting for the right moment to open and reveal its' contents.

By Ken Unsworth AM (NSW) my house is your home

There was music playing for this one! I was really surprised when I first heard it though! I was wondering where the music was playing from hahaha! I really like the name for this one. 

After all the walking, we finally stopped by to have some lunch! This is the Bondi pop-up store of The Grounds of Alexandria which to fit the theme of Sculptures by the sea was called The Grounds By the Sea. Pretty cute place. It was really really sunny when we sat down here though. If you're curious, it's at Marks Park which is close to most of the sculptures.

I saw Sugar Cane Juice ($8) and literally ran for it after ordering my lunch. It was really refreshing and sweet! There was an option to add pineapple, orange or lemon juice but I really only wanted it straight. Definitely less ice than the ones in Cabramatta but this is the most expensive sugar cane juice I've ever drank. However, the less ice, the more juice, so I don't really mind. Pricey but I loved it in this heat.

We missed out on breakfast and I didn't really want to eat salad or granola and thus I opted for the Bondi to Bronte Beef Burger (~$12) especially since I wanted meat! It had pickles, lettuce, ground beef and cheese. Really wished that it had more cheese. There wasn't much flavour to this besides the beef and the bun was a bit burnt. Sort of disappointed.

I thought it was hilarious when my friend looked at this and said "Attack of the babies!". My other friend and I looked at each other and totally thought of the anime Attack on Titan lol. 

By Frank Vetze & Suzanne Donisthorpe (VIC) the last resort

 This last resort made me think of it as the last enjoyable place before death. A prison showing you what freedom is but not giving you it.
I really wanted to sit inside :(

By Guan Wei (China) ocean 1-5

By Naidee Changmoh (Thailand) the ascetic

 So cute! I thought he was holding some mangoes (yes, all I think about is food or games). Or they could be potatoes I guess. I liked how we were both wearing thongs <3 

By Michael Greve (VIC) breaching

 The whaleeeee! Pretty awesome!

By Heini Nieminen (Finland) glacier depository

 This was my other favourite. These were buckets displaying different glaciers around the world. It shows the shape, the depth and the water level. It was like a glacier museum.

By Margarita Sampson (NSW) the grove

 Looks like a nice place to sit down right?! 

By Jane Gillings (NSW) thrown

Or maybe, this is the best place to sit down. It's made from all kinds of things like straws, spoons, toys etc. When I saw this from afar, I thought someone was giving out candy! I got a bit excited. But, sadly, it's a throne for you to sit down and put your crown (which looked like a brainwashing helmet)  on and hold your scepter like a king or queen. The footrest(?) even has the words "Kneel before me" written there hahaha!

Besides getting sunburnt and being constantly flared upon by the sun along with high school and primary school kids everywhere, it was a pretty enjoyable experience. If you're not fond of sculptures, there seems to be a bay run, since it tells you when it's the 2km mark and there's some outdoor gym equipment. If I lived around here, I would totally walk around here! It's a good and refreshing walk and everyone likes beaches!

[FOOD REVIEW] Mr Crackles, Darlinghurst

Last Saturday, my sister and I decided to walk to Mr Crackles (155 Oxford St, Darlinghurst) from Hyde Park because we thought, why not? It was a bit windy but we thought we'd like to do some exercise just to make ourselves feel better haha!

After all the hype about this on Instagram, I couldn't help but decide to try the Crackles Classic ($12) which was a roll containing exactly four pieces of crispy pork with Vietnamnese salad. It was basically a crispy pork belly version of a pork roll. It has all the carrots and lettuce pork rolls are stuffed with and a nice creamy sauce to complement it with. It tasted pretty nice but personally, it was a bit hard to eat without me being scared everything was going to fall out haha. There isn't much seating here as well so I was really glad that we at least had a place to sit and eat this. Not to mention, I'm a very messy eater and so not being able to fit and fully enclose the meat into the roll made it really annoying for me. Also, the crispy pork didn't taste very dense. It tasted like shredded pork which I'm not a fan of. In addition, the crispy skin was more hard than crunchy so it was rather disappointing. 

Personally, I think if Flemington is near you, it would be much more worth it and satisfying to purchase your own crispy pork and make a roll yourself because their pork is filled with its' juicy flavour and it's really crunchy! The saltiness varies from time to time but it's generally not overpowering and you'd always be able to enjoy the lovely whole texture of the pork.

My sister decided to go for the dive and try the Lamb Roll ($12) instead which had caramelised onions. I never thought I would say this, but I seriously thought this was overflowing with shredded lamb. It didn't have much veggies or sauce to really bring out the soft and delicious lamb. I really like lamb but I think it was a bit overpowering. Pretty average.

While we were at it, we picked up some Sweet Potato Wedges with Chilli Aioli ($7.50). These were really thick wedges! I think these could've been better though. The saltiness on the outside of the wedges didn't complement with the sweetness of the sweet potato. It felt like two completely distinctive flavours rolling around in my mouth as if I ate sweet potato and some fries at the same time. It tasted better with the aioli but I guess sweet potato wedges aren't my thing.

Maybe I should have chosen the Manwich since that had double the meat and half of the salad instead of the Crackles Classic haha. But I honestly don't think I'll come back again. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't anything exceptional. I'll admit that the pork was pretty good and soft even though I prefer Flemington.