Sydney Coffee Blog

Mamak – Chatswood

sonovaadmin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:11:08 +0000

We interrupt normal transmission for a special review. There are few things that can substitute for a really good coffee but in Malaysia and in some parts of Singapore the Indians and Malays have perfected a form of tea called teh tehrik. The literal translation means ‘pulled tea’. The name is given to the technique where the tea gurus transfer tea from one jug to another to cool the tea down along with forming a thick froth at the top. It’s quite the spectacle to see flowing hot tea seemingly defy gravity as they move from one vessel to another. The result is a frothy, creamy tea that is perfect accompaniment to goreng pisang(banana fritters) in the afternoon or an early morning roti canai with curry.
I am at Mamak in Chatswood. Mamak is a 1 hatted restaurant that pays homage to Malaysian street food. Since their humble beginnings at Friday night markets in Chinatown to their blockbuster restaurant in Chinatown with long lines at both lunch and dinner to rather more spacious restaurant here in Chatswood the Mamak juggernaut continues.
Their teh tehrik rendition is quite true to the original you would find in Malaysia. It’s frothy and lollipop sweet. Unlike normal milk teas, teh tehrik is made with condensed milk, with the milk adding a viscosity to the drink, and allowing for a frothy top. Mamak’s teh doesn’t quite deliver the punch of the great teh tehriks I have had in the street stalls in Malaysia but it is a good substitute when the best teh tahrik is 6000km and a $1000 air ticket away.

One particular item on the menu that captures the imagination of diners and I think is the signature item of Mamak, is the roti canai. At Chinatown Mamak, there’s a sense of theatre as the roti canai maker rolls and twirls the dough, showing of its elasticity and malleability. I can quite safely say that in 25 years searching for good roti canai in Australia, Mamak’s roti canai is the most authentic roti canai you will find. Each roti canai is delivered on silver tray with spicy dahl and curry sauce, along with spicy kick of chilli sambal. The roti canai has a crispy exterior yet is soft and stretchy inside. For $5 you only get one roti, but is the perfect starter to the Mamak experience.I try the wife’s Mee Goreng, which is spicy, sweet and tangy; a veritable disco of flavours in your mouth. It is delicious, and perhaps the Mee Goreng here, is a notch above the Mee Goreng in the original Chinatown store. I get that fried lard or pork flavour which is just perfect with all the other flavours.

I find the Chatswood store much more relaxing and comfortable. The Mamak team has thought out the layout really well and while it can get quite loud, it’s not uncomfortably so. I particularly am impressed, that Mamak has chosen to stay true to its roots, of quick service, sublime tasting street food, and very reasonable prices. For 2 dishes, a tea and ice kacang, our bill came up to $30. Fantastic value!

Recommendation : Everyone must try teh tehrik with roti canai once in their life, and if in Sydney, Mamak is the only choice!

The Book Kitchen Devonshire Street Surry Hills

sonovaadmin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:24:40 +0000

The Book Kitchen sits at the bottom of Devonshire Street and on the corner of Bourke Street, but only a couple minutes walk from the action on Crown St Surry Hills. With its pastel yellows and iron grilled windows, The Book kitchen has a decidedly rustic look to it and on a spring afternoon it’s a perfect place for lunch. There are a couple tables outside, but the main action is inside with a dark cosy room lined with books of a culinary nature. There’s a buzz to The Book Kitchen but it stays civil and doesn’t get too boisterous, a very welcoming atmosphere!
My cappuccino is served in an almost circular cup with an oblong side. The coffee has slight acidic bite to it, and has a strength but that quickly dissipates, almost too quickly. There are some fruity notes to it and there’s a nice aroma and texture to the cup. It’s a very pleasant cappuccino, and as the wife notes, I am quick to empty the cup, but for me does not the scale upper echelons of coffee in Sydney, but if there was my daily cup I would be more than happy. For me, it’s hard to nail it, but it’s just short of that complete coffee experience.

The food is immaculately presented with a vibrancy and freshness that is very appealing. I choose a trio of corn fritters. My first fritter is topped with an avocado salsa. The creamy avocado is nicely balanced by the Spanish onion and has a spicy kick to it. The second fritter is a poached egg which oozes over the rocket. The third fritter is generously topped with smoked salmon. The fritters are soft yet the crunchiness of he corns adds dimension and depth to the dish. At $20 it’s worth every cent. It reminds me of tasting plate and is very accomplished for cafe food. I try the wife’s spanner omelette topped with asparagus. The spanner crab is sweet and completed with enoki mushrooms again has a gourmet feel to the dish.
The service at The Book Kitchen is very efficient and friendly. Its website warns it gets busy on the weekend, yet despite a full cafe, the waiter is quick to clear our tables, our orders are promptly taken, our coffees and smoothie arrive without much delay, and our food again is promptly delivered. The team go about their work with a smile and are very courteous.

The open layout of the cafe, allows you to peruse the books, and many of the quintessential recipe books can be found on the shelf.

Recommendation : If you’re looking for a place that’s cool, serves delicious food and decent coffee only minutes from the city, The Book Kitchen definitely ticks quite a few boxes!

Fresh and Simple – 6/322 Annangrove Road Rouse Hill

sonovaadmin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:57:44 +0000

I turn into Fresh and Simple with a touch of trepidation. My initial thoughts when I heard of a cafe on Annangrove Road was perhaps of a little farm style hut of a cafe. Fresh and Simple instead is housed in an industrial block. The cafe is a relative oasis compared to the concrete and industrial steel just out the door. Beautiful wood paneled floors with solid farm style tables, comfortable chairs and leather lounges adorn the interior. The cosy interior transports you away into a world of comfort with a blackboard menu providing a half dozen choices in a few categories. There’s cooked breakfasts, lunches, rolls, pizza, and daily specials.
The philosophy behind Fresh and Simple is to source local ingredients as much as possible. To test it out we sample the ‘juicy steak sandwich’ and the scrambled eggs with bacon, sauteed mushrooms, and tomato. The steak sandwich is stunning, medium steak with deliciously sweet caramelized onions on generous pane di casa. The steak lives up to its juicy promise and oozes with flavour! The scrambled eggs are good as well, just cooked enough with a light fluffy texture. The eggs are sourced from a local farmer in Kellyville. It’s good to know that our dollars are going to local producers. The sauteed mushrooms and bacon are good partners. What is more extraordinary are the prices. Both our eggs and steak sandwich come in under the magical $10 barrier! To be quite honest, the steak sandwich is equal or even better than I had the Treehouse North Sydney a few days earlier. Although that came with chips, it was $21! Here at Fresh and Simple, it’s a mere $9! Similarly my breakfast in the city or beaches would come in at $12-15, here it was $9.50. Great value, and delicious, the magic combo!

My cappuccino is really quite good. The flavours are strong without overpowering the senses. There’s a nice aroma to the coffee and it is smooth.There are sweet fruity notes to coffee and makes for an almost refreshing experience. Fresh and Simple use a blend from a northern beaches roaster Caffe Di Gabriel, which is a boutique roaster providing beans to select restaurants and cafes throughout the country.

Fresh and Simple have recently opened and looking to make their mark in the north west of Sydney. For early risers the cafe opens at 6am and if you need your coffee fix even earlier they start churning out cups at 5:30am. At present, Fresh and Simple is open Monday to Friday til 3pm. Here’s hoping that the cafe really takes off and we see the cafe opening on the weekends. In speaking to the owner, the intent Fresh and Simple is to expand in the Hills area and utilise kiosk style setups to deliver their coffee and the fine food that I sampled on my visit.

The district which takes in Kellyville, Rouse Hill and further to Annangrove is crying out for good coffee and food. Fresh and Simple to a certain extent answers that call with their attention to detail in the design of their cafe, and the well though out menu. While it’s placed in an industrial block, it was really easy to park and access the cafe. Even if you’re passing through, Fresh and Simple is only a couple hundred metres off Windsor Road.

Recommendation : If you live in North West of Sydney you are really missing out if you don’t go and check out Fresh and Simple in Rouse Hill. Good coffee and decent food and at a price that is just a little more than the fast food joints just around the corner, yet infinitely more healthy and tasty!

Coffee Warehouse – 17-35 Parramatta Road Homebush

sonovaadmin — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 05:26:49 +0000

Homebush has gone through a renaissance of sorts since the 2000 Olympics. Once a the heart of suburbia, Homebush can almost be classified as inner city now as the Sydney sprawl extends 50km in every direction. With that classification, new apartment blocks are reaching skywards, new shopping centers are springing up and now a brand spanking new Coffee Warehouse has opened on Parramatta Road providing residents with a cafe, a roaster, deli and pizzeria. For you first time visitors, the main parking area is behind the Coffee Warehouse. If you are coming in from the west, you will need to turn into Underwood Road for parking. If you are coming from the city, you would pass Coffee Warehouse and turn right onto Underwood Road.
There are few places where you can have breakfast or lunch and then walk around pick up your olives and other deli items, select your pasta, fresh vacuumed sealed meats and then proceed to collect you freshly ground and roasted coffee.
I am quite used to the cosy sometimes claustrophobic cafes in the city yet here at The Coffee Warehouse it’s the polar opposite with a spacious layout that can easily seat 50 people without you feeling you’re in someone else’s lap. The moulded metallic chairs are comfortable and a nice touch are the wooly wraps on each chair to keep you warm on a cool winter’s day.
My cappuccino arrives in a cavernous cup, much to my delight. My cappuccino is made using the house Caffe Di Stefano Fairtrade Organic blend which is a medium roast. The tasting notes suggest citrus flavours though I don’t get that coming through but I notice that it is smooth with a light lingering finish. It is a very pleasant coffee that has the perfect temperature and nicely balanced flavours. What I also like about Coffee Warehouse is you can request a specific blend for you chosen coffee.
Food options here at the Coffee Warehouse are exciting. Depending on the time of day there are a quite few tantalizing choices. I sample a Ranchio crab burger. For me this is the hero of the day. A crab patty that is sweet and full of the flavour of the sea. It is complemented by roasted sun dried tomatoes on a soft bun. It is case where less is more with this standout burger. I try the wife’s wagyu burger and it too is delicious. The burger patty is nicely spiced and seasoned. An open burger, it comes with a perfectly cooked egg, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, beetroot and bacon. Both burgers are priced at $15 but are great value.
Service is friendly and we don’t have to wait long at all for both our coffees and our food. The open kitchen is novel and is cool to see the efficiency of the crew as they tend to a busy lunch service.

The Coffee Warehouse, seems like an ambitious concept that I am is sure to succeed. I particularly like it’s one stop approach where you can dine and shop. It reminds me of Fratelli Fresh in that regard. The Coffee Warehouse also boasts a barista school, and speaking of barista, the resident coffee whiz is the 3rd best in state!

Recommendation : It is refreshing to see cafe ventures springing up in areas other than the city. The Coffee Warehouse is a great place to spend a morning, afternoon or evening at.

Revolver – 291 Annandale Street Annandale

sonovaadmin — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:22:14 +0000

After a morning spent at the Orange Grove organic markets the hunger pangs are kicking in, and my grumpiness meter from lack of caffeine is steadily rising. Luckily, Revolver on Annandale Street is not too far away. The Saturday lunch crowd mill around the front door, and as we walk up, we see the dreaded notepad with a waiter taking down names. Our arrival at Revolver coincides with Saturday lunch hour peak and it’s a 25 minute wait. The wait staff are extremely friendly, letting us know when our table is ready. With a rowdy child we are relieved to be offered a table outside. The exterior of Revolver, looks historic and its heyday, could have been a bar cum hotel. The inside has a real homely feel, and the outside is pleasant as well. Surrounded by residential housing, traffic is quite light, with much of the traffic attributed to arrivals at Revolver, for a take-way coffee or relaxing lunch.
Revolver’s menu is a stylish upmarket styled cafe menu with a range of delectable sounding choices. There are so many interesting choices, along with daily specials, and it’s hard to come to a decision.
My cappuccino is served in a cute bright red cup and saucer. The coffee is excellent. Strong coffee flavour fill the the palette with the right amount of acidity and creaminess. There is a reasonable depth of flavour and a very enjoyable cappuccino. Geographically speaking it is a hotbed of good coffee and Revolver’s coffee is definitely up there. Revolver use Morgans handcrafted coffee.
Our lunches are a while in arriving though the wait staff are around to check on us and get back to the kitchen to rush our meals. I try the sumac cured bacon with scrambled eggs. The bacon with it’s North African spice is delicious with the sumac partnering well with the salty bacon. My bread is accompanied with pesto relish that works well with the egg and bacon. Definitely a delicious lunch that is just the right size. I try the wife’s smoked salmon with corn fritters and it too is delicious and moreish.
Overall Revolver wins all fronts, with an extensive menu, and myriad of beverage options. The setting is relaxing with easy to find parking. Service is excellent despite the crowds.
Recommendation : Revolver is a little gem in the inner west, it has to be on your list on must visit cafes.

The Cooks Larder – 1/21-23 Old Barrenjoey Road Avalon

sonovaadmin — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 05:52:25 +0000

On a wintery afternoon I venture out to the Northern Beaches to escape the cold and search out a good coffee. Unfortunately my first choice closed its doors at 2pm. I, along with the half dozen or so people who walk by the cafe hoping for a coffee are disappointed. Luckily just up the road on Old Barrenjoey Road Avalon is The Cooks Larder. The Cooks Larder is part restaurant, part cafe and part providore. It has a very rustic homely feel. An open kitchen and open barista add to the open ‘living’ concept.
My cappuccino is delivered by the friendly barista. The coffee delivers an initial burst of acidity but it isn’t overbearing on the palette. The milk is a nice temperature and it is smooth and creamy. Perhaps the coffee could be a little stronger to overcome the creaminess of the milk, nevertheless it is a coffee that will appeal to many.
I am little too late for lunch and as I glance to the blackboard I am filled with a little regret that I lazed around too much at home. The seafood soup with blue eye trevally, tiger prawns and clams sounds delicious. A confit duck with braised red cabbage, green beans and walnuts sounds sophisticated!
I sample the banana bread. Not all banana breads are made equal. The banana bread at The Cooks Larder is gently spiced with cinnamon and balances out the sweet banana flavour, chunky pieces of walnut add texture. It’s a luxurious banana bread. At $5.20 it is pricy and small serving size is a small disappointment but good things do come in small packages.

Service is friendly enough but the ordering process is a touch fragmented, especially if you are looking at the cakes on offer before ordering. We ordered a cappuccino, and tea, but the tea never arrived. The issue was quickly remedied after calling out to a waitress. As we had arrived at 3, and with a closing time of 4, we felt a bit rushed at 3:45pm as the staff started cleaning up.

The Cooks Larder is a well laid out cafe with lots of seating. In summer, the outside tables would be perfect to take in the afternoon sea breezes. After a breakfast or lunch, you can peruse the warm at home dinners that are available for purchase.

Recommendation : On a Sunday afternoon, it is one of the few cafes on the northern beaches with good coffee that is open much past 2pm. The warm village atmosphere is preserved at The Cooks Larder which is armed with an interesting menu. If you’re up this far north on the peninsular, check it out!

Earth Food Store Bondi Beach – 81a Gould Street

sonovaadmin — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:44:38 +0000

Tucked within the larger Earth Store which sells organic produce, is a little cafe, which serves a really good drop of coffee. My first encounter with the folks at the Earth Food Store, was on a Friday evening, when baristas at Bondi Beach were wiping down their coffee machines, waitresses were washing coffee cups. I needed a coffee, and only Earth Food Store was still open. Not only was I rewarded with a caffeine hit, the coffee was really good. I made a promise to come back to sit down for a coffee, and here I am on a Saturday afternoon! One word of warning, if you’re looking for a cafe, where you can stretch out, this is not the cafe for you. Earth Store cafe is more espresso bar, with seating for about 5 in the main cafe area, and a bigger table within the food and produce area. Despite limited space, Earth Store does a roaring trade with takeaways accounting for a large part of their business.

My cappuccino arrives in a substantial cup. My first sip hits me with an acidic blast but it doesn’t linger, giving way to nutty and chocolate notes. It’s a nicely balanced cappuccino with nicely textured milk which makes it an easy drinking cup.

If you are a vegetarian, you’re in heaven, as Earth Food Store is just about all vegetarian. There are tonne of options, ranging from $2.50 rice paper rolls to patties, sandwiches, and wraps. I skip past the super healthy options, and try a spelt flour vegetarian pie. I am somewhat skeptical, but that skepticism is cast aside as soon as I bit into the spelt flour pastry. Spelt flour is quite different, with a biscuit type texture to it. I like it. The filling is great with spicy potatoes, pumpkin and beans doing an admirable job, so much so, I am not missing the meaty chunks which I usually associate with a good pie. You need to get in early though as the pies are quick to sell out. One pie which I constantly being heard ordered was a Gado-Gado. My spelt flour pie was similar to Gad0-Gado which is a popular Indonesian salad with tofu, potatoes, hard boiled eggs with a peanut sauce.

Recommendation : Looks are deceiving as this little cafe on Gould Street punches above its weight. Earth Store does really good coffee and delicious vegetarian fare. You can even do you fruit and veggie shopping next door when you’re finished. Coupled with friendly service, put Earth Store at Bondi Beach on your list when you are in the area!

Sugarbean Cafe – Hunter Street Sydney

sonovaadmin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:35:52 +0000

I sit at Sugarbean Cafe on Hunter St in the city resisting the allure of the aromas of Malaysia wafting in from Malay-Chinese next door. I am here after all, to try the coffee of Sugarbean Cafe. Sugarbean Cafe has an energy about itself as I hear the sizzles off the grill, the frizzle of coffee machine and shouts of cappuccinos and lattes.
First off I tuck into a hearty chicken tomato soup. Serving sizes are definitely on the ‘yummy I am leaving on a full tummy’ side. Lashings of chicken and small tubes of pasta make it an enjoyable lunch. Quite quickly those yearnings for laksa dissipate, as I struggle through the last few spoonfuls of thick, red, delicious soup. Having eaten soups on the northern side of the bridge over the past month, Sugarbean puts those joints to shame both in terms of quality and size. Yum!
Coffee is quite good, there is a touch of acidity but also lots of good flavour. Sugarbean use Grinders beans and I like the subtle intensity that isn’t all consuming in each sip. It’s an easy drinking coffee and a testament to its quality is the constant stream of coffee goers, seeking a post lunch caffeine boost, to ward the lethargy monster that usually accompanies a wintery lunch.
I found the service particularly warm and inviting. I sat down and despite the lunchtime rush my food and coffee was quick to arrive. Service staff are friendly, and go at their work with a smile.
Sugarbean doesn’t have a fancy facade sharing the frontage with Malay-Chinese, though their gold with red Sugarbean Cafe signage did attract my attention from 100m away.
Competition is tough in the city but judging by the clientele who are called by name as they enter the store, there seemingly is a loyal following.
The menu is basically split into three with gourmet sandwiches, burgers and specials making up the menu. Choices are aplenty with scotch fillet sandwich a standout. The hot menu bar also had a vibrant looking Thai chili jam on offer.

Recommendation : I doubt Sugarbean Cafe is afflicted with delusions of grandeur or of being hip, but what they do subscribe to is delivering fantastic coffee and equally impressive food at more than reasonable prices and with a smile!

Espresso Organica Majors Bay Road Concord

sonovaadmin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 09:44:40 +0000

On a Saturday morning the most happening place on Majors Bay road in Concord is Espresso Organica. A table is hard to come by as wait staff rush around with espressos, cappuccinos and plates filled with eggs, bacon and toast.
Espresso Organica is lined with hessian bags from Costa Rica and El Salvador and Indonesia that would have once held coffee beans, an encouraging sign. Small wooden tables and comfortable, solid cane chairs provide a warm cosy welcome.
Despite the frantic activity my cappuccino arrives without much of a wait. The coffee is smooth and understated. There are no big bangs of acidity but the mellow flavours keep delivering through each sip. I get nutty notes and a sweet aroma as work my way through the cup. A very refined cup of coffee.
There are a host of breakfast and lunch options. I opt for the breaky grande. The breakfast is huge with generous portions of scrambled egg, mushrooms, bacon, hash brown, toast and rounded off with delicious spicy sausage. Quite honestly the breaky grande at Espresso Organica is large enough for two. The breakfast is delicious with all the components well cooked. The wife tries the barramundi with mash and spinach. I sneak a couple bites and find the fish is perfectly cooked and seasoned. The spinach and mash are a nice combo.
I am impressed with the service as the kitchen churns out plate after plate of food. The two guys that serve us are extremely hospitable.
Espresso Organica is a standout on Majors Bay road. A good combination of coffee with generous and delicious food. Prices are reasonable with breakfast options ranging from the $12-$18 and lunches about the same price as well. While that might seem quite expensive, the amount of food you do receive, you really can’t question the value for money.

Recommendation : The coffee is as good as the food and for the gurus there are single origin options to sample as well. If you are in Concord, hands down, this is the cafe to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning. If you live in the area, I am pretty sure, it will become your coffee bar of choice too!

Le Monde – Foveaux Street Surry Hills

sonovaadmin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:27:32 +0000

When one thinks of food and Surry Hills an image of Crown Street is conjured up. That’s not always the case though with some great dining experiences such as Longrain and now Le Monde which is located at the lower end of Foveaux Street. The cafe is right next to a Gogas petrol station but despite it’s location it is packed to the brim with diners on Saturday morning.
I chose a table outside to enjoy the sunny winter morning.
Le Monde seats about 20 people inside and there’s 3 tables outside that accommodate another 10 patrons. I order a cappuccino and scrambled muffin. My cappuccino is quick to arrive along with my scrambled muffin. Coffee and muffin total $9 which is a bargain for a sit down breakfast. My cappuccino looks pretty neat. A uniquely divided pattern of chocolate and coffee looks very cool. As the powdered chocolate mixes in with the coffee it creates big ‘chocolately’ blobs which are yummy! The coffee is strong but does goes down easily. I love the flavour and no doubt one of the best ways to start the day if you live in the area. Le Monde is serious about their coffee and also serve single origin varieties of coffee to try.
My scrambled muffin is delicious, the egg has been taken off the pan just shy of being fully cooked and allowed to finish cooking on the muffin. The slight hints of basil and Parmesan are just enough to add flavour without it becoming too heavy. Since I am on own today I can’t try Le Monde’s breakfast tasting plate but can’t wait to come back to sample it.
Recommendation : Solid coffee and innovative food options coupled with friendly service are the hallmarks. Good thing Le Monde is off Crown Street otherwise the lines would be long! Check it out!