All About…Romanas Cafe – Darling Street, Balmain
What first attracted me to Romanas was that little Campos insignia affixed to their sign; in addition, an almost full cafe on a Sunday morning was a promising sign as well!
Romana’s have 4 tables outside and capacity for about 30 inside and almost of the seating space is taken by 8:45am. Balmain residents and ‘out of towners’ sure love eating their breakfast in the cafes in Darling Street, as cafes opposite and to the side are bustling as well!
Along with my cappucino, I order stack of pancakes with fresh strawberries, ricotta, maple syrup and a strawberry sauce. I was worried at first that this decadent sounding treat, may have an ingredient too many, but I would give it a chance, and let my pallet pass judgment. Decadent is a recurring theme as M’s order is an Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise, smoked ham, home made hash browns and garnished with rocket. No skimping at Ramonas!
Funnily, my breakfast arrives before my coffee, but I am cool with that, as it can help wash down my delicious looking pancakes. Well the pancakes don’t stay on the plate, long. They are light and fluffy, the maple syrup and ricotta play along nicely, creating a harmonious balance between sweet and savoury. The strawberries are sweet as is the sauce. M with baby in her arms has no problems mopping her eggs benedict in near record time, a testament to the soft eggs with the yoke gushing out and the crispy hash browns to help mop up the sauce.
Midway through the meal, the cappucino arrives to help wash down my hearty breakfast. Being a Campos blend, Ramonas’ take on it, is impressive, kudos to the barista. I get that just perfect roasted taste coming through, just after that initial bite. It’s creamy, and complex, I love it. A little secret for you first time diners, they do mugs of cappuccino too! The cups while traditional, are so small, that you will be quickly clamouring for another, so go the mug!
Service is great, and has to be commended as it’s a busy morning and a small team mans the floor. We had our meals within 15 minutes, and the staff were at all times were attentive to our needs. An added bonus, is that Romanas are family friendly too!
If you are in Balmain and couldn’t get a table at Kazbah’s, I think you are in for a blessing in disguise, as All About..Romana’s delivers honest delicious food at a decent price, and coffee does not come second either! Highly recommended!
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Sydney Coffee Blog – thanks, it was great.