Baristas cafe, Sandyford... #brunchclub

I was up in the Beacon Hospital recently with a pal who was poorly... The Beacon is one of the nicest hospitals and honestly in reception you would think it was a luxury hotel but when your there for the not so fun stuff, and you need to get out of the building, it's nice to find a cafe to deflect any conversation of illness... So step up Barista's Cafe in Sandyford... this is just behind the Microsoft building and you could see a busy stream of various employees getting coffee and goodies but the morning we were there there were just a few sitting down... which was kinda nice because once the rush was over there was a nice lull to the place... 

All the usual suspects... 

Plenty of seating, I'm pretty sure they're very busy at lunch hours!

If you're on your own waiting there's a cute book stand with lots of variety... 

Sometimes the waiting part about hospitals is the worst bit... 

so it was perfect for me to stick around and read for a hour whilst she was busy...

Tangent: GLITTER LOO SEAT!!! I know! 

The coffee is excellent... and the juice cold... 

The tea drinkers get the cutest little pot and a top up of hot water isn't a problem... 

Herself had the small grill, 2 sausages, 2 eggs, tomato and bacon... 

I'm told it filled the hunger perfectly! 

I went for the eggs on bagels with bacon... 

all gooey like I like em... and everything was piping hot! 

If you're just passing or breakfast was over... 

they have a fab selection of teas, coffees and cakes... 

Paleo friendly cake... 

and they tempt you at the till to try a bit! 

This is a lovely little cafe in the middle of an industrial estates and lots of offices... 

Its comfy, the staff are lovely and it's a short stroll to the hospital or the luas

and if you had to wait for a service on your car it's very close to all the car garages too!

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Cool beans...

Sometimes you just get bored with the same old thing... I love beans... nothing like them on toast or a baked potato... but, like butternut squash soup, come this time of year you tend to get a but fed up with the same thing, so trying something new keeps you on track... these are 'Cool Beans!", I spotted 3 varieties...  Smokey, Chilli and Original! 

All work out at 9PP per pot or 2PP per 100g serving... 

Find out more 

FB - HERE

TWITTER - HERE

ONLINE - HERE

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The Wooden spoon...

OK the Wooden spoon in our house wasn't always a positive thing! In fact it was a regular threat when you got out of hand... and honestly it didn't do us any harm... THIS Wooden Spoon however is FABULOUS! A short stroll from Blackrock Dart station and right in the middle of Blackrock is this pretty little cafe with all the yummies! 

We arrived on a weekend of six nations games and were starving! Having watched one game and seriously needing fuel for the second, this was right around the corner from where we were!

Honestly I fell in love a little with the whole 'duck egg blue' and 'pink' tone of the place... 

The menu has ALL the usuals, with an AWESOME cake/deli counter... no really!

The window seat is the one to grab if you can... people watching is a fav of mine but the pretty pink cushions and a view out to the sea just make it perfect... 

Your 4 legged pals are welcome outside too... and it's a 60 second stroll to the 

Blackrock market or along the sea front (to burn off the cake you see!) 

which makes it a perfect spot for a weekend brunch...  

Love the 'Mrs Doyle' messages and 

honestly, just looking at the cakes will make you want one!

Since it was breakfast, lunch AND dinner... the full Irish was on the table twice... and the silence of grown men meant it was gooooood!  

I went for the mini breakkie... which was delicious! Sausage, bacon, egg and beans with potatoes which I swapped for a tomato off another plate! Family huh... 

They had a really cute tea menu too which saves the whole... 

'do you have... no .. what about...' drama 

LOVELY coffee and the tea came in a proper cup so you could bring the mammy

... and their takeaway mug is too cute! 

Take outs are available but if you have the time, sit in and enjoy it.. it's just lovely! 

I'll be the one hogging the window seat! 

Check them out... 

Facebook  HERE

Twitter HERE

or Online HERE 

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Feel Good Soup...

I'm bored of making soup... no I am... I had this very conversation with my weigh-in buddy Mary in class last week... who would have thought we'd be craving salads in March!?!? 

You just get a bit fed up of the same thing over and over... so no more butternut squash for me till autumn! Sadly the weather isn't exactly on our side at the moment and soup is SO filling... I've raved about the Fusion & Street Soups before... All the points and flavours are >>> HERE<<< and ready made soup can be a life saver when you're just in the door and starving! Great for heating up in work too! So check out Avonmores' Feel good range... VERY low points for really filling flavoursome soups! Available in Dunnes, Tesco and some Supervalu stores... 

Avonmore Feel Good Mediterranean Vegetable - 

100g - 1PP 

200g Serving - 1PP

400g carton - 3PP

Avonmore Feel Good Tomato and Basil, my favourite! 

100g - 1PP 

200g Serving - 1PP

400g carton - 2PP (for the lot!!!)

Avonmore Feel Good Garden Vegetable! 

100g - 1PP 

200g Serving - 2PP

400g carton - 4PP

Fusion and Street 'A taste of Mexico' 

Tomato soup with Coriander, red beans and corn 

100g - 1PP 

400g carton - 3PP

Fusion and Street 'A taste of Marrakech' 

Vegetable soup with put lentils, cumin and ginger

100g - 2PP 

400g carton - 7PP

Check out the other Fusion and Street flavours >>>

http://theskinnydollsjourney.blogspot.ie/2013/04/not-all-soups-are-created-equally.html

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The 105... Brunch Club...

Down near the Dodder in Clonskeagh you will find the 105 Cafe/Bistro... and what a lovely little find it is! A weekend work meeting finished with me treating my colleague to brunch and it ticks all the boxes! 

The menu is varied but has all the usual suspects...

and anyone following my 'poached egg' incident, knows how much I love them... eggs benedict is my treat when I go to brunch and here they are appropriately called 'Hair of the Dog eggs!'

The decor is charming... all the 'shabby chic' you could want without the walls screaming at you!

By the time we got there the place was packed but we got a table in minutes and by the window which is where you want to be if you're dining alone... lots of people watching to be had!

I went for the apple juice from Stameen Farm in Drogheda which is 100% Irish and 100% natural...

The coffee was perfick... and the little milk bottles are just the cutest...

There's a specials board too which is well worth a read!

and for those of you with fur babies.. they're very welcome... you'll be set up out side with your furry pal, water bowls and blankies provided! Considering the walks along the river, it's a great pit stop at the weekend whether your friends have 4 legs or 2!

My 'hair of the dog eggs' arrive like so.... I know.... *drools* 

(note to self never blog whilst hungry!)

Fear not, I asked for the sauce on the side, being all 'good' but it tasted delicious! 

Dippy enough?! You betchya just the way they should be... and FYI, the way I can now make them! YAY!

The worker bee had the full breakfast... it was a long morning to be fair and it was HUGE! I defy anyone to be hungry after trying this!

We were left to linger, no rushing you out the door whilst your still chewing! Beware at the counter when paying though... ALL the good stuff is there.. and the carrot cake in the background... looked AMAZING! Thankfully out of arms length!

The 105 doesn't just do breakfasts... they're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, check out their opening hours >>> HERE <<< If you're looking for a place to have a 'working lunch' or just a coffee after a stroll... OK fine, power walk! For the rugby types it's a nice walk to the RDS from here too so pre/post match munchies can be had! This is a great spot to drop into! Tell 'em I sent ya! 

You'll find them online...  

FACEBOOK >>> HERE <<<

Twitter >>> HERE <<<

Website >>> HERE <<<

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