CoffeeCat, Bondi Junction

Date Visited: Sunday 7 June, 2020

Many people are aware that there are heaps of great cafes and restaurants near Bondi Beach, but not so many may know about CoffeeCat, a hidden gem of a cafe basically located right at Bondi Junction train station itself. So convenient to get to by train, and very handy for those on the go for a daily coffee, but CoffeeCat also does so much more! It’s such an inviting cafe, whether you’re chilling solo or dining in a group – I loved the newspapers they had scattered around, the filled bookshelf, and even the game of Exploding Kittens I spotted.

I had the very refreshing ‘jungle juice’, which was such a perfect combination of mango, banana and coconut water, though the banana was definitely stronger than the mango. My partner also really enjoyed his mocha, and it was excellent value for the size.

Jungle juice – $6 (left), mocha – $3.8 (right)

It’s hard to go wrong with a big breakfast, and we were certainly impressed with this huge board! There was a great variety that would surely satisfy everyone, from bacon, sausages, hash browns, sautéed mushrooms, spinach and grilled tomatoes, as well as your choice of bread and eggs your way. They also do a vegetarian board that switches out the meat for avocado and halloumi. Most of this kind of food is pretty standard, but I especially loved the sausages and the tomato chutney – definitely made this a more memorable and incredibly satisfying big breakfast!

Big breakfast – $20

I also love a good burger, so the breakfast burger was absolutely my kind of dish. I really loved the combination of everything, especially with the fried egg and hash brown – which made it feel like the perfect breakfast burger. The wagyu beef patty, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar all tasted so good with the Japanese mayonnaise. I would love to try CoffeeCat’s other burgers considering how much I loved this!

Breakfast burger – $14

Another classic is the eggs benedict. We chose smoked salmon to go with this, though you can also choose bacon or ham. I always love how good poached eggs with smoked salmon tastes, and this one was no exception. Unlike other cafes, there was a lot of spinach served on CoffeeCat’s version, which is either good or bad depending on whether you like your greens. I personally didn’t end up eating all the spinach but I still think this is a super solid dish.

Eggs benedict – $17

The other surprise of the day was discovering how delicious crispy chips taste with Japanese inspired curry sauce! Though advertised as a ‘spicy’ curry sauce, it was not spicy at all, which worked better for my tastes. These chips were so wonderfully crunchy and lightly seasoned well and I highly recommend trying these addictive curry chips! The chips were also topped with mozzarella cheese which didn’t do much for me – it didn’t feel very necessary, and if it was going to be added, I think it might’ve been better with melted cheese.

Curry chips – $8

I’d happily recommend CoffeeCat for a great brunch in a cute, calm cafe. I love their logo, Chase the Cat, and the lighting decor! Of the dishes we tried, I especially loved the breakfast burger and having curry chips for the first time. The salmon eggs benedict and big breakfast was also so satisfying, and everything about this meal was honestly so enjoyable. If you’re looking for good food that will not disappoint, need a break while shopping at Westfield Bondi Junction or don’t want to wait at busier Bondi Beach eateries, this is the perfect place to go!

Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of CoffeeCat, but all opinions and photos are my own.

CoffeeCat | Tiffany Plaza, Shop 18/422 Oxford St, Bondi Junction NSW 2022 | Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Orto Trading Co., Surry Hills

Date Visited: Sunday 1 March, 2020

Sunny and warm enough to wear a dress but not too hot to be sweating every second – if that doesn’t sound like perfect brunch weather then I don’t know what is! The outdoor courtyard at Orto Trading Co was such a relaxing place for a Sunday meal and we were so spoilt for choice. Best to go in a group to try several dishes as it’ll be hard to pick just one! We kicked things off with several refreshing drinks, from various iced teas, fresh juices and even a classic mimosa.

I’d normally leave pancakes till last as dessert, but this dish looked so good I tried it first, and I was not disappointed at all. Everything about these pancakes was pretty perfect. I love the sweetness and indulgence of pancakes with ample maple syrup and lots of fresh berries between the layers. Nothing to fault about these pancakes and I’d certainly order them again!

House made mix berry and ricotta hotcakes – $18

I was pleasantly by the toasted granola, which was a fresh light bowl of goodness. A breakfast classic with a lovely combination of fruit, granola, Greek yoghurt and some honey to keep things sweet.

Toasted granola – $15

The star of the show was the southern fried chicken eggs benedict. I’ve never had such a dish before, so I loved the creativity and genius of the poached eggs and hollandaise sauce matched with deliciously crunchy fried chicken.

Southern fried chicken benni – $22

Another dish that impressed me was the pumpkin patch. I never knew a simple oven roasted pumpkin with some poached eggs and feta could be so brilliant. Well balanced flavours meant that I was certainly a fan of this unusual brunch dish.

Pumpkin patch – $18 – vegan option available

Moving onto the lunch dishes available only from 11:30am, Orto Trading Co’s tagliatelle bolognese is an order you can’t go wrong with. They really nailed this classic dish and the bolognese sauce was absolutely on point. I think this was the first dish our group finished as it was so hard to stop eating once you had a bit of the tagliatelle!

Our classic tagliatelle bolognese – $20, classic mimosa – $15 (right)

Next up is the house-made gnocchi. I personally wasn’t the biggest fan of this as the parmesan was a very dominant flavour. The gnocchi was accompanied with cherry tomatoes, black olive tapenade, fresh basil and creamy ricotta but I felt that it was lacking something to really tie everything in the dish together.

House-made gnocchi – $22

We also tried one of the specials, the chorizo risotto. The risotto definitely made chorizo the hero and I thought the flavours were super tasty. An easy dish to keep having spoonfuls of. Featured on the right is the pineapple, passionfruit, apple and lime juice, which I really enjoyed. The juice had been sitting on the table for quite some time as we were taking photos, so I gave it a good mix before drinking – it was such a refreshingly delicious combination, and something a bit different to the usual apple, orange or green juice.

Chorizo risotto in napoli sauce, PPAL fresh juice – $8 (right)

For the person craving a burger, there’s the Angus beef burger. It was a very standard burger, with only the addition of roasted capsicum making it a bit different. Unfortunately I’m not a fan of capsicum, but I loved the well seasoned crispy fries that went with this. The burger won’t compare to one you can get from a good burger joint, but it does a decent job as the token burger option on the menu.

Angus beef burger char grilled – $20

For the ultra healthy, Orto Trading Co also offers three salads. Compared to everything else on the table, I personally wasn’t that excited about this and didn’t really try much of it, but this warm mushroom and beetroot salad with roasted sweet potato might appeal more to you!

Warm mushroom and beetroot salad – $20 – vegan option

Last but not least was a side of polenta fries with buttermilk blue cheese sauce. At $2 a chip, it’s quite steep but I guess if you’re a fan of polenta you’ll enjoy this. Otherwise, it wasn’t really a dish for me.

Truffled polenta chips – $12

There were some dishes I really loved, and some not so much, but overall I really enjoyed my brunch at Orto Trading Co! They have delightfully refreshing drinks and some absolutely winning dishes with the southern fried chicken benni, pancakes and tagliatelle bolognese amongst my favourites. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this place before in Surry Hills, and being in such a lovely location despite only a short walk from Central station, this is certainly a hidden gem for brunch!

Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Orto Trading Co., but all opinions and photos are my own. Thank you so much Vivian (@vivifean) for extending the invite!

Orto Trading Co.| 38 Waterloo St, Surry Hills NSW 2010 | Facebook | Instagram

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Dizy’s, Smeaton Grange

Date Visited: Saturday 23 November, 2019

Dizy’s is an absolutely delightful cafe located in Smeaton Grange, a suburb I had never heard of until now. For reference, it’s about 10 minutes drive away from Campbelltown, and is fairly south west. If you’re not close, then just know that the terrific food is worth trekking for! They have indoor and outdoor seating to suit your preference, and a carpark shared with other nearby businesses. There were quite a few spots available even on a Saturday morning.

Dizy’s has a huge menu, and I was so excited by the variety and all the choices available. Although it makes it difficult to pick as everything sounds so good, it is especially impressive for a small cafe to have such diverse dishes available, with several catering to the vegetarian and gluten free foodies.

As it was quite a warm day, we opted for a juice and smoothie to cool us down. The tropicool was definitely a very cool juice, with orange, pineapple, watermelon and coconut water. The pink berry blast smoothie was made with vanilla protein, berries, goji and apple juice and was my preferred of the two, though both were great!

Tropicool – $8.5 (left), berry blast – $8 (right)

It’s hard to go wrong with salmon, and Dizy’s Hawaiian salmon was an absolute winner! The grilled atlantic salmon was cooked perfectly with a crispy skin, and the soft tenderness of the salmon was so delicious with the mango salsa. I’m not the biggest fan of asparagus so it didn’t do too much for me, but I adored the salmon and mango salsa together – so fresh and different!

Hawaiian salmon – $21 – gf

We saw mi goreng on the menu and had to try it. With a very generous amount of mushrooms mixed in, this dish is the perfect hearty meal for the day. There’s actually a very good amount of noodles, and Dizy’s have certainly put their own spin on mi goreng with their own additional sauce. I enjoyed the dish, but the sauce was quite strong and needed to be toned down as it became a bit too much after a while. The two fried eggs weren’t anything special, but I always feel happy with some egg yolk with any dish. At the bottom of the mi goreng cup was also some kale and veggies – by that time we were too full to finish it but it’s definitely the mi goreng you want to eat anyway.

Dizy’s have a separate breakfast (7:00-11:45am) and lunch menu (12:00-3:00pm), so it’s best to keep that in mind if there’s certain dishes you want. It’s worth noting that this mi goreng dish is one of those breakfast dishes available all day.

Early morning mi goreng – $18 – gf, v

I always can’t resist pancakes and this was a lovely sweet treat to end the meal. This buttermilk pancake stack was so big! The pancakes were quite dense but balanced really well with the delicious cookies n cream ice cream, chocolate crumb and berries. I have a really sweet tooth so I would have liked a bit more of the syrup – maybe syrup served on the side would better cater to individual preferences. Nevertheless, this was a very respectable pancake stack that was also very filling.

Pancakes – $16 – v

Dizy’s is such a local gem, with so many different dishes to keep you coming back. The service was top notch and very friendly, and I liked how chill the outdoor seating was. You’re right next to bushland and you get the quiet relaxing vibes of being so far away from the city. I really enjoyed the whole meal at Dizy’s and was very impressed with the creativity and flavours, as well as the plating of each dish. This cafe is well worth a visit, whether you live close or far!

Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Dizy’s, but all opinions and photos are my own. Thank you so much Cynthia (@cynthiaeats_) for extending the invite!

Dizy’s | 4/73 Anderson Rd, Smeaton Grange NSW 2567 | Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Flower Child Cafe, Warringah Mall, Brookvale

Date Visited: Sunday 10 November, 2019

I feel like Flower Child Cafe is one of the OG (original) brunch places. It’s the Chatswood location that first became famous for its aesthetic food and aesthetic decor, but the second branch at Westfield Warringah Mall is just as good. It’s a great alternative for those living up north, and I was super excited about brunching here with a couple of friends.

Drinks first, with some classic juices and coffees. The tropical juice was my favourite, with the watermelon, pineapple and passionfruit definitely a super refreshing combination for the summer. For those who love their greens, the green juice with kale, spinach, celery and apple was a nice mix. We also tried the immunity juice ($9) with orange, carrot, lemon and ginger. Depending on how much you like ginger, you’ll either love this or not want too much of it.

In terms of coffees and lattes, the matcha latte with soy ($6.5) was a bit disappointing. The matcha was too subtle for my liking, and it is also priced a bit higher compared to other cafes. I did not try the cappuccinos or hot chocolate, so all I can say is that the latte art is beautiful.

Tropical juice – $9, green juice – $9

Can you get more classic than an eggs benedict? Loved the two poached eggs with a generous serving of avocado. You can also opt for prosciutto or house cured trout instead of avocado, or you can be like us and order house cured ocean trout as an additional side ($7). The croissant was flaky in a really good way, and I enjoyed how well everything tasted together, especially when you added in the beautiful ocean trout (bottom right in my flatlay above).

Eggs benedict – $19

For something a bit different, the crumbed barramundi fillet burger was an adventurous option that paid off. Sometimes a burger feels slightly healthier with fish instead of meat, and it certainly tasted fresh and tasty, though there were some comparisons made to McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish. Anyway, the sweet potato fries with this were the best! Even after spending ages taking photos, these fries were still perfectly crunchy, and seasoned generously the way I like it.

Barramundi burger – $22

I love how Flower Child Cafe has taken some really classic ingredients and changed things up, like this open sandwich with sirloin steak. It’s the little things that really elevate a dish and I loved how this was plated with the sauce served in the little onion cups! This was one of the favourite savoury dishes of the table, with a perfect match between the steak and sauce.

Open steak sandwich – $25

For something lighter, the fruit salad is an easy pick with a wonderful mixture of seasonal fruits, sweet yoghurt, watermelon orange granita, house baked granola and nuts. I enjoyed how fresh the fruit was, but otherwise this wasn’t my kind of dish, with the yoghurt a bit too creamy and overpowering for my personal taste.

Flower Child fruit salad – $19

A sweeter option is the hazelnut french toast, which is stuffed with Nutella and served with some lovely berries, sliced bananas and a heavenly hazelnut gelato. Not only is the plating impeccable, but this was one delicious french toast with unique chocolate and hazelnut flavours thrown in the mix. A generous portion size that is sure to fill you up as well.

Flower Child hazelnut french toast – $22

You also can’t go wrong with a crispy skin salmon at brunch, and this one was so refreshing, delicious and healthy. The salmon wasn’t dry at all, and complemented nicely with the French lentil salad – though we didn’t finish it all, as there were a lot of greens!

Tasmanian salmon and lentils – $27 – gf

Last but not least are these Belgium waffles with dulce de leche, crème Chantilly, vanilla ice cream, salted caramel sauce, berries and bananas. By far the sweetest dish of all, this was so indulgently delicious for the most part. The exception was having too much, as it then becomes extreme sweetness overload. I definitely think I have a big sweet tooth, but I wouldn’t be able to eat this dish by myself for a meal. I think it’s a perfect dessert option to share amongst a table though!

Banoffles – $21

This was a huge feast! Despite being pretty busy on a Sunday morning, the service was attentive and friendly and it was such a pleasant way to spend a brunch. There’s a huge variety on the menu at Flower Child, from super sweet to classic savoury dishes, and it’s no surprise that Flower Child remains a popular brunch choice. Definitely a great cafe to bring a couple friends along to share several dishes, with the option to shop afterwards to walk it all off!

Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Flower Child Cafe, but all opinions and photos are my own. Thank you so much Cynthia (@cynthiaeats_) for extending the invite!

Flower Child Cafe | Westfield Warringah Mall, Old Pittwater Rd and Condamine St, Brookvale NSW 2100 | Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Celsius Coffee Co, Kirribilli

Date Visited: Sunday 18 March, 2018

I feel like Celsius Coffee Co is one brunch place that almost everyone has heard of. Known for its beautiful location on Kirribilli wharf, where you can eat with a view of the sea, as well as for its stunning waffle, it’s taken me far too long to get here. When we arrived on Sunday morning, there was already a lot of people milling about outside waiting for a table. We put our names down and waited about 15-20 minutes before getting seated. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a table next to the sea, but rather one of the inside tables, but we could still appreciate the view, just from a little further away.

Obviously, we had to order the Celsius waffle, as it is any food blogger’s dream. Also, have you really been to Celsius Coffee Co if you don’t try the waffle? One of the most beautiful cafe dishes out there, it also tasted amazing. Definitely one of my new favourite waffles, and it was pretty perfect, even though I stayed clear of the peanut butter cream. Upon first glance I was worried it would be a bit dry, but the waffle had the right amount of maple syrup soaked into it, and combined with all the lovely fresh fruit, every bite was a delight. I can see why this dish is so popular, and if I return to this cafe again, it’s an absolute must order.

Celsius waffle with berries, maple syrup, toasted nuts and peanut butter cream – $19 – v

Lately, I have also been quite into healthy vegetarian or vegan inspired dishes, so the super greens breakfast caught my eye. This dish included sautéed kale, asparagus, lime avocado puree, poached eggs, seeds and nuts on sourdough. This was also such a stunning dish, and I loved the presentation of it – it was definitely super green indeed! The mix of all the flavours wasn’t quite right for me, but it definitely ticked the box for making me feel healthy. The avocado puree was a bit strange and didn’t seem to complement the vegetables that well. I love that there was a poached egg in this though, as any dish with one instantly gets extra kudos.

Super Greens Breakfast – $18 – v

For drinks, I had one of their botanica cold press juices, and ended up picking the watermelon, apple and lemon one. $7.50 for juice isn’t the cheapest but it was really refreshing on the hot day. You can see a photo of my juice in the first flatlay photo above. My friend opted to try their cold brew coffee, which was a nice drink with a light caffeine boost that went well with the meal.

Cold brew coffee – $6

There are often really high expectations for insta-famous cafes like Celsius Coffee Co, but I felt like this was one cafe that really lived up to its reputation. I absolutely loved the waffle, and both that and the super greens breakfast was quite filling. Despite how busy it was, the service was also really good, and we did not have to wait that long to order or to catch the attention of a waiter/waitress.

Though Celsius Coffee Co is not the most conveniently located, it’s worth it for its unique ambience. The view below emphasises how it’s the perfect catch up place for any sunny day, and I feel like it won’t be long till I am back.

Celsius Coffee Co | Kirribilli Commuter Wharf, 1/2 Holbrook Ave, Kirribilli | Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Elbow Room Espresso, Chatswood

Date visited: Tuesday 19 June, 2018

It was very rainy and dreary when I decided to try this cafe with a friend, but it definitely did brighten up my day! Elbow Room Espresso can be found a short walk from Chatswood train station, and with so many other great Chatswood cafes, this cafe fits right in. They’ve got quite an extensive all day breakfast and lunch menu, and I’m sure there would be a dish for everyone. From your usual cafe staples, including avo on toast and eggs benedict, to their hot dog de elbow room and lamb taco, there’s so many to pick from!

I started off my meal with this super Instagram worthy drink called the sweet potato flossy. It’s basically a sweet potato latte with a whole lot of fairy floss. The presentation is really cool and the flask makes me think of science. Pouring the sweet potato drink into the cup with the fairy floss causes all the floss to melt. The result is an incredibly sweet drink. It tastes really nice at first, and I like how I can actually taste a strong sweet potato flavour. However, after I’ve had half of it or so, it’s too much for me to enjoy anymore, as it’s simply just way too sweet from all the dissolved fairy floss! Keep this in mind if you do try any of their flossy drinks – they’ve also got chocolate and green tea!

Sweet potato flossy with soy – $7.5

I decided to try the French toast, which was topped off with mascarpone frosting, dark chocolate, berries, sesame seed crunch, and maple syrup. The bread itself wasn’t anything special on its own. However, combined with the mascarpone, fruit and syrup it was a fairly enjoyable dish. There was a little too much mascarpone for me, but I really liked how generous they were with the blueberries and strawberries. The menu actually says its meant to come with marinated cherries, but I suppose it might not be in season. This dish is quite pretty as well, though I think it would have been even more stunning if it weren’t on a dark blue plate.

French toast – $18

My friend opted for the New York style bagel, which consisted of smoked ocean trout, avocado, jalapeno mint, cream cheese, poached egg, snow pea, and duke on a wood-fired bagel. Definitely a healthier option, the trout, avocado and bread went well together and the proportions of everything were well balanced. I feel like runny egg yolk makes every dish better as well! The bagel itself was a little hard and difficult to cut, but that might simply be the nature of a bagel. Definitely a lovely brunch dish overall.

New York style bagel – $19

This cafe was perfect for a catch up with a friend, and I left feeling very satisfied. They have so many food and drink options, and everything sounds really tasty. Atmosphere-wise, it was typical cafe vibes, where people came in to order takeaway coffee and where one would feel comfortable enjoying a meal alone with a newspaper. The service on the weekday was also very prompt, with the food being served really quickly. Portion sizes were decent – enough to satisfy both my friend and I, but not to the point where we were way too full. Despite perhaps not being as famous as other Chatswood cafes, namely Flower Child Cafe and Chimichuri, this cafe is a great place for a brunch or lunch!

Elbow Room Espresso | 6 Spring St, Chatswood | Website | Facebook | Instagram

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The Missing Piece Cafe, Macquarie

Date Visited: Saturday, 5 May 2018

Located right outside Uniqlo, the Missing Piece Cafe is a place I’ve known about for awhile. I’ve tried its more famous cousins before (Hattrick and Vogue Cafe), so I was happy to finally get a chance to try this cafe. It was very busy when I went for an early Saturday lunch, but we were seated quite quickly. The waiters were nice enough to move us to a table when I asked (better flatlay opportunities you know), as we were initially sitting at the bar.

When it came to ordering, the ‘air’ dish caught my eye as I feel like it’s quite rare to see a salad with duck at a cafe. Alongside the confit duck fillet was beetroot, baby spinach, rocket, parsley, walnuts, chickpeas and orange slices. The duck was really tasty, and went really well with everything. I really enjoyed the flavours in this one, but I feel like more orange and walnuts would have made me love it even more. The presentation of this dish was a little messy, and I feel like there would be a way to plate it in an even nicer way. One of the best things about this though was that the serving size was massive, and there was so much duck, spinach and rocket that it will definitely fill you up.

Air – $19

Next to be ordered was something a little different that other cafes might not have, but also something kind of healthy. The ‘sea’ dish caught my eye, as I haven’t really had many salmon salads before. What especially won me over was that it had a poached egg in it, while a lot of the other breakfast or main dishes didn’t.

This was a very refreshing dish, and I loved how generous the serving size was. There was a plentiful amount of the in-house smokehouse marinated wood-smoked salmon, mixed with a lot of kale, quinoa, chia seeds and almonds. There wasn’t an extra punch in the dish that really made it stand out, but I did really enjoy the natural flavours of all the ingredients. When I cut into the egg it made for perfect yolk porn and I especially liked how I had an almond or two in every spoonful, as it added a crunchy texture to the salad.

Sea – $19

We both couldn’t resist ordering a smoothie, since they make some very aesthetic ones. I was interested in trying their dairy free cacaonut smoothie, which consisted of cacao, coconut milk, organic maple and maca. This smoothie was exactly as described, but I think it reaffirmed for me that I’m not a big fan of cacao. Hence, I personally didn’t enjoy it that much, but I’m glad I tried it and my friend thought it was really nice. The other smoothie he opted for was one of the weekly specials called the superfood slam, which included raw cacao, banana and peanut butter. Apparently, it tasted great as well, with a stronger cacao flavour than mine, but it was also a tad thick, making it hard to finish with the straw.

Cacaonut smoothie – $8 – df, gf, v (front), superfood slam smoothie – $11

Whilst both dishes we had were salads, we left feeling incredibly satisfied! I struggled to finish my salad, and we both ended up leaving a bit of the greens behind. Having the two smoothies probably accelerated the process of getting full, but the food was definitely worth the price. The dishes were two of the most filling salads I’ve ever had, with tasty natural flavours and a very generous serving of duck and salmon.

Additionally, even though basically every table was filled when we went, the service was very prompt and attentive. I love it when I don’t have to use any energy trying to catch the eye of a waiter or waitress. I counted about 7 waiters and waitresses, and at least another 7 in their small kitchen, so the cafe definitely seems like a well oiled machine. I think Missing Piece Cafe is an awesome spot for food before or after shopping, and is a fantastic staple cafe within Macquarie Shopping Centre that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

The Missing Piece Cafe | Level 3, Macquarie Centre, North Ryde | Facebook | Instagram

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