July 28th, 2015 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Latest | 4 Comments »
There are no boring diagrams or charts at Textbook Boulangerie-Patisserie in Alexandria – just sweets so good looking that they deserve their own catwalk. There’s a Jaffa Cake ($8.50) that feels like a high-gloss, silken Chanel version of eating the choc-orange candy found in supermarket confectionery aisles – thanks to the satiny mandarin cremeux, airy milk-choc mousse, chocolate crunch and pain de gênes. […]
March 26th, 2015 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Favourites, Latest | 1 Comment »
Dr Faustus in Surry Hills offers fast-acting relief against hunger, thirst and cafe-menu fatigue. With its inventive offerings – from an addictive Pulled Mushroom Bun ($14) to its Australian take on cereal milks – this establishment brings a booster shot of originality to the Sydney dining scene. In fact, it’s an excellent prescription for anyone […]
January 3rd, 2015 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Favourites | 3 Comments »
Let’s call Edition Coffee Roasters in Darlinghurst my favourite new cafe right now. Small in scale, but big on brilliance, this place offers immediate relief against all the samey establishments where eggs on toast is a protected species and every menu looks like a carbon copy of any other caffeine-dispensing joint. As you’d guess from […]
July 23rd, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 1 Comment »
Here’s a nice way to defrost from winter’s stubborn chill – head to the Bar Pho pop-up that’s currently on at Surry Hills. Once you enter the courtyard hosting this street-stall eatery, your attention is vividly intercepted by a three-part harmony of spice, smoke and stock. There’s a pho station in one corner, with slithery […]
July 20th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Latest | 1 Comment »
John Smith Cafe in Waterloo (which also masquerades under the tough-boy name of John Smith Rebel Roaster) has been a place I’ve been meaning to say good things about since it opened months ago. I’m liberating this one from my drafts folder because, if you haven’t been yet – you should go. Cracker breakfasts, good […]
July 3rd, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 3 Comments »
One Penny Red in Summer Hill used to be a post office and you could imagine the old declaration forms being put to good use by people who’ve enjoyed the brunch there (they wouldn’t have to stick such claims to a departing package, though). Mushrooms ($14) – slick with confit garlic butter and curls of pecorino […]
April 21st, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Latest | 2 Comments »
In Japan, there’s a minor thrill in finding a ramen bar in unlikely corners – unassuming alley ways, busy railway stations, the turn of a street corner. Here in Sydney, you might reloop your footsteps once you walk by Rising Sun Workshop in Newtown and realise that this communal motorcycle garage does double-duty as a […]
April 16th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Latest | 3 Comments »
Every week, Two Thousand singles out places worth trying; Brighton The Corner in Petersham made its honour roll in the recent edition. Major credit to the website for this discovery, because it’s a small-scale gem. The name holds a geographic clue, with this cafe sitting on a corner stretch of the inner-west suburb – right […]
January 6th, 2014 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Latest | 3 Comments »
Black Star Pastry has opened in Rosebery and it’s far from a carbon copy of the original Newtown store. The new space is beautiful: lines of copper wrap around the counter, like industrial layers of frosting, while suspended planters flirt with gravity and the neat stacks of timber remind you of what fuels and warms […]
December 24th, 2013 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes, Latest, Restaurants | 3 Comments »
Pinbone in Woollahra is a sharp, fresh shot of oxygen to the local dining scene. By taking over the old Buzo site, this establishment does more than just hit the reset button. Chefs Mike Eggert and Jemma Whiteman (Billy Kwong, Three Blue Ducks) and front-of-house whiz Berri Eggert (Cafe Paci) manage to sneak in redefinitions […]