DolceBunnie

Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Business Class | Brisbane to Abu Dhabi

We decided to fly with Etihad Airways on our recent trip to Europe because it would give us the perfect opportunity to see Abu Dhabi which we otherwise wouldn’t have visited as a travel destination.

Our flight was scheduled for departure at 10:35 PM and we got to the airport two hours prior so that we wouldn’t have to rush through things. There were two dedicated business class check-in counters and we were the next in line when we got there, so the check-in process was a breeze.

If you’ve flown with Etihad in the past, you might have had the opportunity to spend some pre-flight time at the Air New Zealand lounge, but this has recently been changed and we were directed to Plaza Premium which is located directly across from the Air New Zealand lounge on the Brisbane Airport’s lounge level. As Plaza Premium welcomes walk-in passengers flying with any airlines in any class of service at a cost, on the night of our visit the lounge was extremely busy and we were lucky to score the last available table big enough for the three of us as well as our carry-on items. For lunch and dinner, Plaza Premium offers a hot buffet, as well as a number of a la carte items, alcohol including beer, wine and spirits, can also be served in the lounge but given we are not drinkers, I decided to check out their extensive hot beverage menu and ordered myself a nice cup of salted caramel latte which was made by a barista instead of a Nespresso machine. Plaza Premium offers a range of facilities including dedicated working pods and as well as spa and shower facilities, but it is important to note about the lounge doesn’t’ make boarding calls so you need to keep an eye on the flight information screens in the lounge so that you don’t miss the boarding time for your scheduled flight.

Etihad Airways offers non-stop services from Brisbane to Abu Dhabi daily on their Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. There are 28 Business Studios onboard the aircraft, each complete with a privacy shell, a full-flat bed and an 18.5-inch LCD screen. The studios include both forward and rear-facing seats, with each seat providing direct aisle access, but if you don’t enjoy flying backwards, be sure to secure a seat that faces the front early. Upon our arrival, I was offered a cold towel and a refreshing watermelon juice, while the cabin crew took my order for the dinner service. Soon after takeoff, I was presented with a Cipriani Bellini and some warmed nuts. Served on a crisp white linen tablecloth, dinner for me started with a salmon tartare wit thyme crisps, cucumber and chive yoghurt dressing, followed by pan-roasted barramundi with Thai curry sauce, jasmine rice and stir-fried vegetables. I wasn’t expecting much but both dishes were actually quite yummy, especially the barramundi which had just the right amount of heat. As for dessert, I opted for the chocolate macadamia pudding served warm with vanilla sauce. It looked very plain and quite honestly, unappetising, but don’t let the look fool you, it was simply heaven. The chocolate was rich and creamy, and the crunchiness of the macadamia nuts mixed with the sweet vanilla sauce added a pleasant mouthfeel to each spoonful. I am not a very good flyer so when there is turbulence, I usually don’t eat anything onboard, which is why the dining service provided by Etihad Airways is really considerate as guests can also enjoy the airline’s Dine Anytime options and choose from their “all day” menu.

After dinner, I decided to head to the lavatory to brush my teeth and get ready for bed. I was quite excited when I saw my Aqua di Parma amenity kit, which included the brand’s signature fragrance, Colonia, together with hand cream in the same scent as well the basic comfort items you would expect including socks, eyeshade, toothbrush and toothpaste. The lavatory was also equipped with Aqua di Parma products. I don’t usually enjoy sleeping on planes, but I actually managed to get a few hours of decent sleep after watching a couple of movies and when I woke up, it was almost breakfast time. Breakfast began with a nice hot latte, followed by some passion fruit yoghurt with granola and a herb omelette with lamb sausages, potato rosti and grilled tomato.

The inflight entertainment available on board the plane was fantastic, there were plenty of movies and TV shows to choose from. If I had to nitpick, I would say that I found their signature Flying Nanny service to be slightly underwhelming. Minibun George received a bag packed with an activity book and some stickers at the beginning of the flight, but that was the only time we saw the flying nanny. Luckily for us, Minibun George behaved very well throughout the entire 14-hour flight (if I may say so myself). Other than that, the service throughout the flight was impeccable, and when paired with the food, inflight entertainment and the comfort of the Business Studio, it really made what I initially thought would be a dreadful long flight, very enjoyable.

Paper Daisy at Halcyon House | Cabarita Beach, AUSTRALIA

I can still vividly remember my first dining experience at Paper Daisy some three years ago. We had checked into the then newly established Halcyon House that afternoon after a leisurely drive along the coastline, and I was so eager to try the dishes from Chef Ben Devlin, former head chef of the three-hatted Esquire (the root of many amazing food experiences of mine). It was a dining experience of which the memory still lingers in our minds. Since its opening, Halcyon House (now a Small Luxury Hotels property) has featured in countless magazines on account of its beautiful designer interior, with its iconic blue and white colour scheme fusing a mix of timber, brass and rattan to reflect blissful seaside life. The stunning interior carries through to the hotel’s restaurant, Paper Daisy, which has attracted an equal amount of attention as the hotel itself, and for a good reason too.

Last Saturday, we found ourselves at Halcyon House again, eager to try dishes from the award-winning restaurant’s newly appointed executive chef - Jason Barratt, whose CV includes one of Australia’s most renowned institutions, Attica. Anyone who comes to dine at Paper Daisy should first check out their extensive cocktail menu because it is only fitting to sip on pretty cocktails when you have a lust-worthy pool and the rolling sound of waves as your backdrop. I ordered a Tropicana ($23) made with Husk pure rum, spiced bam bam rum, Malibu, burnt orange, pineapple, mango and coconut. If you made a summer island escape into a drink, the Tropicana would be it. The other travel bunnie had an Ol’ Fashioned Fry Up ($25), a drink with a bit of theatre - presented on a wooden board, the drink was trapped under a heavy glass dome filled with silvery smoke, like the early morning mist covering the landscape, as the dome was gently lifted, the smoke danced and swirled, revealing the drink and a strip of maple syrup glazed bacon as a stirrer. The bacon, we were told, was sourced from Noosa based Voodoo Bacon, the brainchild of Mississippi-born chef George Francisco, which specialises in 100% nitrate and chemical additive free bacon.

The new menu focuses on refined Australian coastal cuisine and is heavily influenced by what is grown in the northern rivers region. Reflecting the chilled coastal vibes, the menu provides a slightly less formal fare with a seafood focus. At the restaurant’s recommendation, we started our two-course lunch with baby cucumber, stracciatella, pepita and basil ($18) and lightly cured fish, green apple, grapefruit ($23). To be honest, when they recommended the baby cucumber dish to us, I wasn’t taken by the sound of it, but the other travel bunnie found the idea to be intriguing and went ahead with it, and later proved that I was so naive in thinking that it would be a boring dish. It was the complete opposite of boring. There were so many layers of textures and flavours, the refreshing and crisp consistency of the sliced cucumber contrasted against the rich creaminess of the stracciatella and was the perfect marriage. If it wasn’t for the delicious cured fish that I was devouring, I would’ve been green with envy sitting across from the other travel bunnie. At that point, I just knew that all the dishes that followed would be just as wonderfully tasty. The main courses that followed were wagyu cooked in ash, mushrooms, sweet onion ($45) and grilled lettuce and charcoal chicken, tarragon, duck yolk ($39). The chicken was cooked for a day at 63 degrees and the word ‘tender’ doesn’t even begin to justify just how juicy and soft the meat was. As for the wagyu, it was every bit that which I had hoped for, perfectly melt-in-your-mouth, simply done to let the meat do all the talking, and it was a pure pleasure to eat. The mains were complemented by two sides of the day and we found the food to be plentiful.

The service that we received, which goes without saying, was top-notch. Our waitstaff, Hannah, was extremely informative and knowledgeable of the menu. Her eyes sparkled with passion every time she came over to our table for a chat about the food that we were devouring and the personable interaction that we had with her was truly the icing on the cake.

The new chapter of Paper Daisy reads like a delicious tale that I just simply can’t get enough of. If you are lusting after an escape from the city or if you simply want to have a good feed, a drive to Halcyon House might just be the answer.

Disclaimer: with thanks to the wonderful team at Halcyon House and Paper Daisy for welcoming DolceBunnie to the property as an invited guest, please note that my opinion is as always, my own.

CHECKING IN: W Brisbane | Brisbane, AUSTRALIA

When word broke that W was coming to town, I was working in the Santos Building at the time and I remember that every morning on my way to work, I would walk past the construction site picturing how amazing it would look. Let’s face it, Brisbane was in need of something like the W. Sure the addition of The New Inchcolm Hotel & Suites (now an Ovolo property) a couple of years back was pretty awesome but we needed something on a grander scale, something fresh and playful on the luxury hotel scene.

So, naturally, a staycation was booked pretty much as soon as the hotel opened its door to the public. W Brisbane takes up a prime riverfront location with dual-entrance on both George Street and North Quay, which means that out of the 312 rooms, chances are you'll get a room with a pretty decent view. Our staycation was on the weekend of the Riverfire and given the high occupancy; our room wasn't quite ready when we arrived. We took the opportunity to take a stroll to nearby Queen St Mall, had lunch and shopped before checking into our room on level 28. Being a Cool Corner room, the view was pretty spectacular, and it would comfortably fit a family of three as we had initially planned to bring Minibun George along, but he spent a weekend with yiayia and papou instead. The "Queensland" vibe can be found throughout the room, from the outback-inspired bathtub, the swirling sand patterns in the carpet, to the giant pink pineapple at the minibar and silver Mr.Crocodile by the bed. The bed was exceptionally comfortable not to mention that waking up in the morning felt like the best thing in the world when you're looking across the shimmering river and Southbank. The minibar was well stocked and if you're feeling thirsty, how about a Qld Martini that serves eight? You'll find the cocktail kit by the minibar. Oh, and W being W, you'll find a few cheeky products that you can purchase too...

After settling in, we decided to check out the WET Deck which unfortunately was swamped by kids with giant blow-up water toys. Given that we were on a staycation sans Minibun George, we decided to head to the spa for some tranquillity. The AWAY Spa provides a variety of sublime treatment options, and we enjoyed a 60-minute detox massage in the couple's room. It was heavenly. Afterwards, we decided to relax and unwind in the vitality pool which is available to both spa and hotel guests. We went back to the WET Deck at a different time, and it was a whole different scene; just a few couples relaxing on the sun lounges by the pool. Sunscreen, apples, fluffy towels and water were provided for guests’ comfort.

The hotel's signature restaurant - Three Blue Ducks, is an institution in its own right. We've been long-time fans of The Farm at Byron Bay and would always eat at the Three Blue Ducks every time we visit, so the restaurant's presence at the hotel is much welcomed. We had both breakfast and dinner here and staying true to its paddock to plate philosophy, the dinner menu here is very unpretentious and no-fuss. We found ourselves drawn to the sound of the grass-fed T-bone with burnt onions, chimichurri & jus ($60) and shared the succulent meat with a few sides: heirloom tomato, stracciatella, pangrattato & basil oil ($23), corn & lime miso butter ($9), carrots, citrus butter, honeycomb & salted ricotta ($12) and chargrilled broccolini, snow peas, almond cream & pickled chilli ($11). I had previously heard mixed reviews about the place, but I couldn't fault the experience, as every single dish was deliciously done. We loved it so much that we have since returned to the restaurant to celebrate my MIL's birthday. There's a menu for little ducklings too, which is always a bonus for us. The restaurant offers both a la carte and buffet options for breakfast. We had the full buffet breakfast as it was included in our package. The selection was pretty good - you can find all the familiar breakfast items from pastries, cold cuts & cheeses, to made-to-order egg dishes, although, I thought that they would’ve done better with the fruit station. Having said that, if you fancy something different for breakfast, they also have miso-glazed eggplant and corn soup as well as blood sausages, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

In addition to the Three Blue Ducks, we also had a great afternoon tea experience at the hotel’s Living Room Bar with some bubbles. The service was extremely friendly and the morsels were tasty, possibly one of the best afternoon tea experiences I’ve had in Brisbane.

Valet parking costs $58 per night which is slightly on the expensive side, but overall, our staycation at W Brisbane was pretty perfect, especially given that the hotel only officially opened not long ago. Would I go back again? You bet!

Bunnies’ Travel Notes

Bunnies’ room number: 2810

Room category: Cool Corner Room

Bath products: Bliss

Check-in/check-out times: 3pm - 11am

Time of stay: September/October 2018