Cafe Lenotre

Looking for an outdoor venue for my coffee, I dropped into Lenotre, in Centria Mall.  Lenotre Family Section has a large outdoor balcony which, on a glorious winters day is a great place to sit beneath large shade umbrellas and enjoy a selection of breads before tucking in to whatever main course you may have ordered.

La Vela

La Vela in Centria Mall on the corner of Tahalia and Ulaya is my choice of Italian for coffee and dessert after a wander up Tahalia Street.

The entrance can seem a little dark and mysterious, though the sweets displayed in the counter soon take your mind off that.  I find it hard to walk past the selection without stopping to go 'Mmmmmmm, that looks yummy!'  It helps that if we ask for a tester taste of something that looks delectable, we get one.  These sweets go perfectly with coffee, although they are not the only things  on the menu.

Further into La Vela you'll find a small dining area, a larger space for relaxing in comfy lounge chairs behind romantic strand curtains, the kind you love to run your hands through, and my favourite, an outdoor deck with wicker terrace furniture.

La Vela is open for breakfast (at 10am) - we enjoyed omelets and a spot of toast with juice and coffee - through to dinner (Glenn thought the chicken risotto was sensational).  

I like La Vela.  It's got a relaxing feel to it and they have managed to create an airy space with views out through large paned windows that gives the impression of  looking out toward an Italian terrace. 

The Noodle House

The Noodle House in Centria Mall on the corner of Ulaya and Tahaliah is a favourite of ours and a warm welcome is always extended.

Hubby's loves the chicken and prawn laksa.  I'm partial to the Wasabi prawns, but there is so much more on the Chinese influenced menu.  Ordering is easy, just tick the boxes and hand over the form.

The Family Section is large, roomy and airy with large wooden tables and bench seats designed for sharing so bring a group or there are a selection of booths for a more intimate dining experince. 

The view from the large windows to the road outside is a bonus if you're a western woman going stir crazy from only seeing the inside of four walls.

The Noodle House does not have a large selection of sweets so if you want to end the night with coffee and dessert skip across the mall to La Vela.

The manager is always keen to hear feedback on the menu, especially when new dishes are introduced, so don't be shy about making positive suggestions.

And if you fancy a browse here is The Noodle House website.