Pilu Kiosk, Freshwater

We fancied a beach excursion a bit further than Clovelly so braved Military Road to get to Freshwater Beach, next to Manly. I had read that the hatted Pilu restaurant was now doing a smart little kiosk.

Freshwater was a breath of fresh air, a bit like a holiday spot up the coast, fewer people, more green, less concrete.

The Kiosk is a quaint little building on a bit of decking adjoining Pilu restaurant. Like the restaurant, the fare is Italian. It 's one of the few places I've found those Sicilian delights - sfogliatelle. They also do a Nutella pastry, home baked muffins and a nice looking selection of sandwiches including a roast suckling pork, apple and mustard one.

Stella had a great ham and cheese toastie called a Mantanella in which the 'toast' was a flaky Burek style pastry. Coffee was good, a roast called 'Florence'.

Not alot of space for prams, no high chairs and no toilets, but the amenities nearby, including two playgrounds, decent public toilets and a gorgeous beach more than make up for it.

The location of this little gem makes it a great place to take visitors to Sydney or even just refresh your own faith in our great metropolis by the sea.

The restaurant menu looked amazing and we will be back sans l'enfant.

http://www.piluatfreshwater.com.au/index.html

http://yourrestaurants.com.au/guide/pilu_kiosk/

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Deus Ex Machina, Camperdown

Heard rave reviews about this cafe cum moto bike shop so thought we'd make a dash over to Camperdown. We weren't disappointed with the space or sumptuous breakfasts.

Who would have thought a shop dedicated to two wheels could spawn a great cafe. It's big, airy and industrial, appropriate for its stinky Parramatta Rd location. Reminded me of a Belgian/Dutch cafe, big and functional with communal tables but with a distinct 'cool' factor with the artworks and buzzy atmosphere. We sat next to a big retro 2 metre tall speaker amplifying ambient music from a little iPod plugged in at the side.

Breakfast and lunch menus are displayed large format on blackboards behind the counter. Customers order and pay upfront - a bonus for people with kids who like to make a quick exit should things go pear-shaped.

We sampled the highly regarded Boston baked beans with AC Butchery sausages, poached egg (a little hard) and a side of crispy bacon; creamy scrambled eggs with dill speckled Tassie gravalax on toasted brioche accompanied by perfectly dressed watercress, and a bit of toast and jam for Stella.

Huge serves, fresh and very tasty. The other dishes coming out of the kitchen looked great too: strawberry crepes with burnt orange butter curd; prosciutto, asparagus and poached eggs, and classy looking pastries, made in-house by Chef Pierre.

Coffee was good and the babycino came in a little paper espresso cup which is handy for two year olds with butter fingers.

Deus is open for Italian-inpired dinners. Anyone tried it?

Parking was relatively easy and there is plenty of space and easy access for prams. Weird thing was that although they didn't have high chairs, the loo had a baby change table.

The shop next door was more interesting than expected, probably helped by the great sale they had on. I scored Stella a great little pair of batik Thai fisherman's pants for $10.

http://www.deus.com.au/