Jean-Philippe Pâtisserie | Bellagio, Las Vegas, NEVADA USA

The benefits of staying at the Bellagio are not limited to its prime location and fantastic looking suites; I had my eyes on the Bellagio also because it holds the world's largest chocolate fountain. That is correct. The largest out there. The fountain belongs to Jean-Philippe Patisserie, and its executive pastry chef, Jean-Philippe Maury was awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Pastry Chef in France).

The place is constantly busy, filled with not only hotel guests, but also tourists visiting Las Vegas as well as regulars.

On the morning before we headed to the airport for San Francisco, we wanted something light for breakfast and Jean-Philippe seemed like the perfect option.

A chocolate crêpe and a smooth latte for me and a simple muffin for the other travel bunnie.

It was upsetting that I couldn't take a piece of Jean-Philippe with me to San Francisco but at least I kept some in my tummy.

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Ben's Alibi | 363 George Street, BRISBANE CBD QLD 4000

To end our SATC marathon, last night the other travel bunnie and I watched SATC The Movie No.2.

I’ve always wanted to go to somewhere exotic like Marrakesh or Dubai and by watching the movie, it just intensified my desire to visit the Middle East.

Sadly, our trip to the land of exotica probably won’t happen for another few years.  But hey, at least I can easily find places in Brisbane to enjoy the taste of Middle Eastern flavours.

I hopped over to Ben’s Alibi at lunch today and grabbed a quick bite of their roasted Moroccan lamb sandwich ($8.90).  It was simply delicious and the service was extremely efficient despite the hectic lunch time rush.

I can’t wait to take the other travel bunnie there for a Moroccan feast.

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $8.90

Bishamon Japanese | 500 Boundary Street, SPRING HILL QLD 4000

Every now and then I have cravings for my favourite Japanese restaurant on the Gold Coast, which is only located a few hundred metres away from my (now occasional weekend) unit.

After having been living in the city for almost two years, I found it difficult to spot a restaurant that specialises in Japanese cuisine in Brisbane that’s on a par with my favourite Japanese restaurant on the coast, both in terms of value and food quality.

That was until last night when I came across Bishamon in Spring Hill.

We went to the restaurant shortly after work and it was yet to open for dinner service.  When the doors finally opened, we were seated at a small table next to a window with a view of busy Boundary Street and I suddenly noticed the cosiness of the restaurant.  It doesn’t have the lavish décor of Sake, but the restaurant’s humble existence somehow make it unique and appealing.

We took a while to decide on what to have for dinner as every item on the menu sounded delicious. In the end, we settled on having wagyu beef tataki  ($14) to share for an entrée, salmon shoyu with miso and rice ($28.50) for me and a beef udon ($21) for the other travel bunnie.

The food was simply delicious and I knew that we were in for a good feast when I put the first slice of that thinly cut wagyu in my mouth.  The meat was silky soft with just the right amount of fat and it had a very faint smokiness to it. The salmon was generous in its servings and I had trouble finishing off all four fillets despite them being coated in crisp, buttery goodness.

The other travel bunnie’s dish was tasty as well and the clear broth tasted almost too good to be true.

I really enjoyed dinner last night, it was a decent meal and I think I have finally found my favourite Japanese restaurant in Brisbane.  

Total Bunnie Dollars Spent: $63.50

Bunnie's Birthday Post!

I recently said to the other travel bunnie that I feel as though time is getting way too quickly for my liking. When you're spending time with someone who enjoys the same things as you and whom you love so dearly to the point that it hurts, time flies by so quickly. On Saturday, I spent my birthday with the other travel bunnie for the third year.

Unlike prior years, I no longer feel the need to go to fancy restaurants or have lavish celebrations. I feel content and very grateful for having been surrounded by my loving family. Needless to say, with a casual dinner at Bistro One Eleven being the prequel, we had lots of food. Good food too, given that the ever so popular Greek festival was on and the other travel bunnie introduced Greek cuisine to my mum.

Oh and the presents, they were definitely the icing on the cake (which was from Le Bon Choix).

M&M's World | Las Vegas, NEVADA USA

If you're a candy addict like me, you would appreciate the existence of M & M World in Vegas. I've never been a big party animal nor do I enjoy the act of gambling. So when I saw M & M World, I felt like the happiest kid on the street (strip)... 

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