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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X23 Cafe, Chippendale

Date Visited: Sunday 6 October, 2019

I’ve been meaning to visit this cafe for awhile, as I love the idea of an Asian fusion inspired brunch. With elements such as pandan, sambal, chilli crab and rendang on their signature menu, it’s enough to get anyone’s mouth watering! I went with a friend on a Sunday morning around 11am and was surprised that the cafe was empty aside from one solo diner. Though it’s a fair walk from Central station and at a fairly obscure location, it’s a beautifully designed modern cafe that deserves more visitors. It got more busy closer towards lunchtime though, with the place almost full by the time we finished up.

Starting off with drinks, I chose one of the X23 specialty drinks, a taro latte with soy. This taro latte was extremely flavourful and definitely one of the better ones I have had. I was also pleasantly surprised with the super cute paw that was on the top! It was similar to a marshmallow lolly and was a really sweet addition.

My friend opted to try the winter special Mandarin orange oolong tea. Unfortunately, this was far below expectations as it did not have much flavour. It was very watery and we both struggled to taste the oolong or the orange. There were lots of sago balls at the bottom but those were also very plain. Even though it looks really pretty, we did not feel that it was worth the $7.

Mandarin orange oolong tea – $7 (left), taro latte – $4 (right), with soy – $0.5

X23 have a specialty menu and a more standard menu of brunch classics. I always feel that it is better to try the specialty dishes at any restaurant, so one of our first picks was the X23 red eggs. This was probably the most generous scrambled egg dishes I have ever had. Flavoured with homemade spicy sambal sauce, the eggs were certainly the star of the dish. I am super weak with chilli but it barely tasted spicy at all to me. Adding sambal into the classic scrambled eggs was such a clever and unique flavour combination that worked so well.

The portion size was so generous. I wonder how many eggs went into this dish because it certainly felt like a lot. The egg was so filling that I didn’t even really eat that much of the croissant. The few crab pieces were also good but I did not pay too much attention to it compared to the egg. As this is such a heavy dish, I would definitely struggle to finish it myself, but it’s a great one to share.

X23 red eggs – $19.5

Having recently returned from a Singapore trip, I have fallen in love with salted egg yolk, so the salted egg yolk prawn pasta was a must order. The black squid ink linguine with butter glazed prawns and mushrooms was presented strikingly against the yellow salted egg yolk. I really loved this dish. The linguine was deliciously immersed with the glorious salted egg yolk – you could really taste it. I can certainly see why this was marked as one of the suggested dishes to get and I can see why you would pay $29 for this. This was one of the dishes that we pretty much universally saw every table order.

The dish was also marked as being chilli, but it was not chilli at all. The prawns were also quite big and lovely, even though there were only four pieces. It looks like quite a small dish but there is quite a good amount of noodles once it is all unravelled. However, my friend claimed that our dish had less noodles than two of our neighbouring tables. I can’t confirm if this was actually true or if we loved it so much we just wanted more. This was the favourite dish for both my friend and I, and we both wholeheartedly agreed that we would return just for this dish.

Salted egg yolk prawn pasta – $29

We ordered a third dish because I really wanted to try the pandan waffles as well and I didn’t want to not order the eggs or the pasta. These pandan waffles with homemade kaya jam and vanilla ice cream were delicious. Sometimes cafes put ice cream with waffles just to have something hot and cold, but the pandan and vanilla actually complimented each other really well. Admittedly, the kaya was very subtle and not really noticeable, but the consistency of the waffles were perfect and this was another winning dish for me. The lychee and seasonal fruits were lovely as well.

Pandan-lah – $19.9

Having not brunched in over two months, this was definitely the way to get inspired again from Sydney’s brunch scene. The specialty menu is truly original and I love how X23 have rejuvenated the standard brunch dishes with some classic Asian flavours. With such a diverse menu, it is a strong way to stand out from other cafes. There were so many delicious sounding dishes that I would love to have also been able to try. The three dishes we ordered between two was definitely more than enough and we were both struggling at the end with no regrets. I greatly enjoyed my brunch at X23 and am a huge supporter of the Asian fusion concept.

X23 Cafe | 102/18 Park Lane, Chippendale NSW 2008 | 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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Duck and Waffle, London

Date Visited: Saturday 6 October, 2018

Brunch can already be an extravagant affair, so you might wonder how one could possibly elevate it to the next level. The answer is Duck and Waffle, which offers the amazing experience of dining 40 levels above London. Open 24/7, it’s the perfect place to satisfy cravings at any time of the day, though reservations are definitely needed for peak dining times. Saturday brunch would have been the ideal choice, but since it was booked out, my friends and I settled for an 8am breakfast reservation.

On the morning in question, it was a little foggy, though fortunately it cleared up within the hour. There was still a decent view to appreciate, but I can only imagine how much more spectacular the Duck and Waffle experience would be with a beautiful sunrise. My group was lucky enough to be seated in one of the spacious and comfortable booths with a direct view of London’s skyscrapers, including the Gherkin.

It should come as no surprise that all four of us couldn’t resist trying the signature duck and waffle dish. Presented elegantly in a stack, the crispy leg confit rested above a plain waffle with the mustard maple syrup on the side. Though meant to be a savoury dish, my initial impression was that the accompanying syrup actually made the dish taste quite sweet. I personally have a huge sweet tooth, so it only made me enjoy the dish more.

One thing I would note is that we all felt the duck leg was a little dry inside, but the syrup was able to combat that slightly. It was still a tasty and unique combination of flavours that you can’t quite get anywhere else.

Duck and waffle – £16

Created to complement the duck and waffle dish was a Hojicha stem green tea pairing. I was hesitant about ordering this, considering the heavy £6 price tag, but I figured that I might as well give it a go while I was there. Made from Japanese Hojicha stems and bachelor button flowers, it sounded more exotic than it was. The tea was lovely and refreshing, but nothing too special, and there wasn’t anything outstanding that justified the price. Perhaps it’s because I’m not quite a food connoisseur, but I also struggled to appreciate how the flavours complemented the duck and waffle.

Hojicha stem green tea pairing – £6

I’m a huge sucker for apple desserts and anything cinnamon, so the toffee apple waffle with cinnamon ice cream sounded incredible. The presentation was on point, with the Granny Smith apple pieces and maple sauce arranged very artistically. Not the biggest serving size, it was so good that it left me wanting more. Upon first glance, it seemed that it might be a bit dry, but it ended up being perfect, with the ice cream being a delicious addition.

Toffee apple – £12 – v

For the last dish to share, I wanted to try one of their non-waffle dishes, so we settled upon the Colombian eggs. This was by far the most disappointing dish. It wasn’t actually a bad dish, it was just very basic and uninspired. The scrambled eggs were served with tomato and spring onions on a bed of avocado and sourdough toast. Usually a very classic combination, I had hoped that Duck and Waffle’s version would be superior to other cafes, but it was decidedly average.

To be fair, the eggs themselves were scrambled beautifully, though the taste of milk is quite strong. The thing that most let the dish down was the soggy sourdough, due to the residue liquid from the tomatoes. I wouldn’t order this again and would definitely recommend picking something else from the ‘Classics’ section of the menu.

Colombian eggs – £11 – v

My friend also ordered a cappuccino for the early morning caffeine hit. For 4 pounds, it was very average. It was good, but there was nothing particularly memorable about it.

Cappuccino – £4

This breakfast was basically an early celebration for my birthday the next day, and without my knowledge my friends had informed the team of this. I was therefore very pleasantly surprised when this cute birthday message plate came out. The little dessert was a lovely bite to end a good breakfast.

Birthday message plate – complimentary

I’m not sure whether it was because of the fact that we were there for a special occasion or just really lucky, but to our surprise we were not rushed out of our table after the hour allocated in the reservation. We had thought that we would be, leading us to scoff down our food faster than we otherwise would have. It would have been nice to have been advised beforehand that we could take our time so that we could enjoy the food and experience more.

With such high expectations going in, Duck and Waffle can potentially lead to big disappointment. Fortunately, during my time there I thought that they were able to back up the good view with good food and lovely service. Whilst I did not love everything, the signature duck and waffle dish was enjoyable, and the dining experience itself was one worth visiting for. I wouldn’t dine here again for no reason, but for some kind of occasion I would love to try more of the waffles. Having said that, if I did have a craving for waffles, Duck and Waffle local could be an easier, and less busy alternative to keep in mind.

Duck and Waffle | 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY, United Kingdom | Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Naked Brew, Erskineville

Date Visited: Friday 6 July, 2018

You might not have heard of Erskineville before, but it’s home to Naked Brew, a cosy cafe that serves up some wonderfully creative dishes. With plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, my friend and I had our choice of tables on the Friday morning that we went. The cafe does breakfast and brunch all day, with a lot of trusty classics and unique twists. Though it was just the two of us, there were three dishes I was absolutely dying to try, so I was really happy that my friend let me order all three to share.

First up was the soft shell crab benedict. I absolutely adore poached eggs, and I also love soft shell crab. I’ve had one or two soft shell crab burgers before, but this was the first time I had seen soft shell crab incorporated in an eggs benedict. This was a pretty yummy dish, but I feel like all the flavours weren’t totally cohesive. The sriracha hollandaise that went with it didn’t completely appeal to me, but I still enjoyed the dish overall. The soft shell crab was fantastically crunchy, and the poached eggs were perfectly runny. Decorated with edamame, pickled daikon and fried shallots, the dish definitely felt a little Asian inspired and I liked how different it was.

Soft shell crab benedict – $18

On the menu, I saw pork belly, and I saw waffle, and it was a no-brainer. The crackling pork belly buttermilk waffle sounded like the perfect dish for me. I love the plating up of this dish, as it’s definitely very different and like nothing I’d seen before. Unfortunately, I suspect that because of the way they wanted to present the dish, it led to the bacon being too hard for my preference. The pork belly was juicy enough and cooked well, though for the $22 needed for this dish I might have liked to see another one or two pieces.

The waffle was also perfect in its texture and flavour. However, all the elements on this dish are pretty dry, so it heavily relies on the maple syrup to counter that. Since I have a sweet tooth, this was no problem, and I drowned the waffle with syrup which you can’t really go wrong with. I also thought it was funky how there was shreds of fresh green apple on the side, which didn’t add anything extra to the dish, but I didn’t mind them either. The menu also mentions that the dish includes wasabi mayo, but I don’t recall tasting it consistently throughout.

Crackling pork belly, buttermilk waffle – $22

The third dish was the apple crumbled brioche french toast. This was another good dish, but again fell a bit short. I was kind of expecting really strong apple crumble flavours, but it was quite a basic french toast. Though served with a few cinnamon poached apple slices that were flavourful, the dish overall wasn’t as mouth-watering as it looked. I enjoyed the hints of fruits and nuts included, and the presentation is definitely on point, but it was probably my least favourite of the three dishes.

Apple crumbled brioche french toast – $18

As for drinks, I went for my usual chai latte. This one was sticky chai tea infused with victorian honey, which I had with bonsoy milk. It was a pretty average chai latte, and I don’t recall tasting too much of the honey. For $5.5 it’s a bit pricier but that’s because you get a whole teapot, so in a way perhaps it’s better value and still a safe choice to go with.

Sticky chai tea – $5.5

A cafe that’s perhaps trying quite hard to become ‘instagrammable’, I felt that all three of the dishes sounded absolutely incredible, but missed the mark by just a little. I enjoyed eating them, and appreciated the unique flavour combinations, but they weren’t delicious enough that I would return solely to have the dishes again. The portion sizes were pretty okay, but at $29 per person for the three dishes, I don’t think either my friend or I were completely stuffed. However, we do both have huge appetites!

I hope I don’t sound too harsh on Naked Brew, because I did really enjoy my experience brunching here! It’s just that compared to some other Sydney cafes that are absolutely killing the game, there’s perhaps a tiny bit of catching up to do. Naked Brew’s menu is absolutely killer, with other special dishes like the spag bol on toast or a variety of burgers, sandwiches and salads as well, so it’s definitely still a wonderful local cafe to visit. The service was also top-notch and it’s a cafe I would keep on my list to revisit some day!

Naked Brew | 110 Swanson St, Erskineville | Facebook | Instagram

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Glück und Selig, Hamburg, Germany

Date Visited: Wednesday 3 October, 2018

It was a dreary, rainy day but I was not deterred from heading out for my first proper brunch in Germany. Glück und Selig is pretty highly rated so I had some moderate expectations for the food. It was quite busy when we arrived, but we didn’t have to wait too long before grabbing a table outside. Unfortunately, it started drizzling while we were ordering and waiting for the food, but we were then able to move inside when a table freed up.

The menu was drastically different from the brunches I’m used to in Sydney. Rather than complex fancy dishes of avo on toast, eggs benedict or multilayered colourful pancakes, the cafe offerings were a lot more simple.  We decided to order five different dishes to share amongst the five of us. The prices below are in Euros, keeping in mind that 1 Euro is roughly approximate to AUD $1.6 at the moment.

One of the main dishes we ordered was the Orient (Hausgemachter Brotaufstrich, Hummus, Kirschtomaten, Oliven, Schafs-und Ziegenkäse, Joghurt mit Honig und Walnüssen, Butter, Seele, Nussbrot, Ciabatta). The homemade spreads and hummus went deliciously with the bread, and I think I had more than my 20% share. I’ve never been a massive fan of the other elements, such as the sheep and goat cheese, olives or yoghurt, but they helped balance out the fairly healthy plate.

Orient – €10.6

It seemed like a no-brainer to order the Glück und Selig breakfast dish intended for two people (Käseauswahl, Wurstalswahl, Frischkäse nach Art des Hauses, geräucherter Lachs mit Honig-Senf-Sauce, Marmelade, Nutella, grieschischer Joghurt mit Fruchtpüree und karamellisierten Kernen, zwei Bio-Eier, Butter, drei Brötchen, ein Croissant, Ciabatta).

Considering the size and cost of the Orient dish compared to this 2 person plate, this one was pretty disappointing in the amount of food. Featuring some similar elements to the Orient, such as the cheese and Greek yoghurt, this also felt like a pretty healthy plate. I enjoyed the smoked salmon the most, but there wasn’t anything else that impressed me too much here.

Frühstuck – Glück und Selig für 2 Personen – €22

We had to ask for the bread, but they then provided us with this cute box. For both the Orient and the Frühstuck, it seemed like a pretty generous amount of bread, and I liked the variety provided. The bread definitely went well with everything else on the plates, and they were especially needed to go with the spreads and cheese, which some on the table thought were too strong to eat on its own.

Assorted bread/ciabatta – with the Orient and Frühstuck

I adore waffles so we went for the fresh waffles with powdered sugar. It was exactly what it sounded like, but because I’m used to really elaborately decorated and flavourful Sydney pancakes, I didn’t find this anything special. It was a decent waffle in terms of price and taste though, and others might find its simplicity more appealing.

Frische Waffeln mit Puderzucker – €3.4

Probably my favourite dish of the brunch was this crumble dessert-looking dish with vanilla ice cream. The streusel topping was the perfect amount of crunchiness while the inside was perfectly warm and delicious. I probably could’ve eaten one all by myself.

Warme Crumbles (Streusel) mit Vanilla-Eis – €5.5

We also tried the house made scones with clotted cream and marmalade. There isn’t anything bad to say about these, with the scones pretty much made to perfection. I haven’t had scones enough times to be able to judge how good this was relative to other scones, but I definitely really enjoyed eating these scones.

Hausgebackene Scones mit Clotted Cream und Marmelade – €4.9

For my drink, I was super excited to see that there was a chai latte in the menu, since they are nowhere near as common in Germany as in Sydney. I was really pleasantly surprised when it was brought out in a massive glass, rather than the normal coffee-sized cup I’m used to. I’m not complaining though – this drink was definitely good value for money! It was quite a nice chai latte but tasted a bit different from the usual flavour. I can’t quite articulate what it was specifically, though I do remember that the drink on a whole was very foamy, which was not ideal.

Yogi Chai Latte – €3.4, mit Sojamilch – €0.3

When comparing to the Sydney brunch scene, Glück und Selig felt pretty underwhelming. However, it definitely felt like a very German brunch, which is probably the experience I should be focusing on. The major thing that struck me was that the main breakfast dishes all seemed super simple. There wasn’t really anything that required cooking, aside from perhaps the hard boiled eggs. Rather, both dishes simply involved assembling a variety of ingredients, which doesn’t seem too hard to do.

Looking at the bigger picture, the cafe itself definitely had a very cosy atmosphere, with pretty decent service. The waitresses were all fairly attentive and accomodating to our group. Whilst this was a nice and enjoyable brunch, it’s definitely a lot different from Sydney brunch and it made me miss the traditional brunch dishes I’m used to.

Glück und Selig | Heußweg 97, 20255 Hamburg, Germany | Website | Facebook

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Cafe Claire, Annandale

Date Visited: Tuesday 26 June, 2018

Ever since seeing a photo of their pancakes on Instagram, I was dying to visit Cafe Claire. It wasn’t the closest walk from the train station, but it was still an okay leisurely distance from Stanmore station for me. When I arrived, one thing that surprised me was how small the space was inside. There definitely aren’t very many tables at all, so I imagine the place would get fairly packed on weekends. Once we got our table, ordering was easy as I already knew the two dishes I most wanted to try.

I wasn’t as set on the drinks, but decided to try their ‘monster’s drink’, which basically seemed like lemonade presented in a really fancy way. That description ended up being pretty accurate – the drink wasn’t anything special, simply average lemonade, but it was served in a nice flask, accompanying a glass with a cute pink ball in it that makes it very ready for Instagram. Though I don’t regret giving it a go, it’s not a drink I would order again as I don’t think the value is there.

Monster’s drink – pink angel (grapefruit) – $6.5

Onto the main event, the pancakes! Now, I usually say pink is one of my least favourite colours, but these pink pancakes were gorgeous! The rose pancakes were served with walnuts, seasonal fruit, caramel, and maple syrup. Though the plating up of this dish is absolutely stunning, my first thought was actually that the portion was tiny. You might not be able to tell clearly from the picture, but the pancakes are really, really small. They are definitely the smallest pancakes I have ever had, and being someone with a sweet tooth who regularly has pancakes for brunch, I have definitely tried a lot of pancakes across Sydney.

Having said that, they tasted really delicious. I would have loved more on the plate. I wouldn’t have minded if they charged a couple extra dollars for it, say around $20-24, but made sure the serving size was actually filling. Despite how pretty and yummy these were, I’m not sure whether they are really worth $16 because it’s honestly like half a meal or even less. Great for sharing as an extra dish, but really not good as an individual dish as I don’t think it would fill anyone up.

Wholemeal rose pancake – $16

I was also super keen to try their duck waffle, because where else have you ever tried such a combination!? Consisting of a roasted duck breast, fried egg, waffle and homemade mustard and maple sauce, this was a really interesting mix of flavours that gradually won me over. When I first had a couple bites, the combination was initially a little strange, especially with the strong sauce, but as I had more, I really enjoyed the taste of this dish.

Again, I have to comment on the portion of this dish. Though much better than the pancakes, with the amount of food being just about acceptable, it’s still barely filling either. Compared to other cafes that also do pretty and delicious food, the portion size of the dish is one factor that Cafe Claire falls well behind on. For me, it relates back to whether the dish was worth the price, and unfortunately $22 is a steep price for the amount on the plate, despite how good it tastes!

Duck waffle – $22

Don’t get me wrong, this cafe was still a delightful place for brunch. The food really was delicious and lovely, not just pretty to look at. I love how they have put a unique twist on the classic waffle to bring a savoury version of the dish. I also like how they differentiated their pancakes by making them pink and serving walnuts with it. However, I’m hesitant at returning again due to the small portion sizes. I’m sure I could have ordered an extra dish or two to get full, but I don’t believe that should be necessary. Ultimately, great service, lovely atmosphere and excellent food, but if the portion sizes were bigger they’d have left a much better impression.

Cafe Claire | 3/2 Young St, Annandale | Facebook | Instagram

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