November 20th, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 4 Comments »
Here’s a sweet story about the new Kepos Street Kitchen in Redfern. Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley (both of Bathers’ Pavilion) were on Location Watch, looking for the dream spot to start a restaurant. On the way to Waterloo’s Aldi supermarket, they noticed the vacant Strangers With Candy site nearby and remarked that it would […]
July 16th, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 11 Comments »
You can expect “Burgers and Things” at The Milk Bar By Cafe Ish in Redfern, which opened on Thursday. The menu allows you to mastermind many variations on this classic order – you can “double up”, or even extension-build further and go for a three-level beef pattie/cheese/pickle/ketchup/grilled-onion combination (watch out for the lockjaw). You can […]
June 20th, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 3 Comments »
You can easily pick a fight over Fleetwood Macchiato’s name. In the week that this Erskineville joint has been open, I’ve already heard people slam its jokey title while others have hailed its punchline brilliance. What’s clear cut, though, is that this is a really good cafe. It’s partly run by Jai Pyne – a familiar […]
April 25th, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 8 Comments »
Choose lunch/breakfast – Trainspotting in Lewisham is a brilliant new cafe. I wrote about it this week for Good Living and, instead of me replaying all the same observations here, I’ll sneakily direct you to my review on the Herald site. Along with Flood Street Carousel in Leichhardt, Trainspotting definitely tops the list of places […]
April 6th, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 9 Comments »
The Grounds in Alexandria is perfectly named. The title evokes the establishment’s supercharged interest in coffee, as well as its beautiful surrounds – an expansive site that is adorned with eye-catching blooms, aromatic herbs and hanging plants. There’s even a hiding place for some well-accommodated chickens. On walking in, you can tell that The Grounds […]
March 7th, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 10 Comments »
There’s a J. D. Salinger story where a character gives someone an “unpretentious bouquet” of parentheses. They looked a little like this: {{{}}}}. In a semi-similar fashion, I’d like to say thanks with a picture of cheese (see above, and enjoy). Thanks to all the people who have left extremely thoughtful and lovely messages since […]
February 2nd, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 6 Comments »
Here are a few things that preoccupied me, appetite-wise, in the last week. The Lamington Affogato ($6) at Sample Coffee Bar in Surry Hills. It’s a 2-in-1 megahit of coffee and cake – and a fine enough reason to seek out this new-ish cafe. If you’re looking for (heart) trouble, try its custom Pacemaker blend […]
January 18th, 2012 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 6 Comments »
At Bread and Circus in Alexandria, you won’t see a thousand clowns jam themselves into a tiny car – instead, your attention may be redirected towards “life-alterating” Callebaut chocolate cookies, drinking coconuts, “circus soups”, brews chosen by a “tea neurotic” and defiantly good salads. If you think a “wholefoods canteen” is a total killjoy – […]
December 28th, 2011 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 10 Comments »
The first day that Cornersmith opened, the cafe managed to smoke out everyone I know from their nearby homes. Most new places are slow to be discovered, but this joint was full-blaze packed from the start. Maybe it says something about the pent-up hunger for a good new place to get coffee and breakfast in […]
October 25th, 2011 | by Lee Tran Lam | published in Cafes | 3 Comments »
The name is a giveaway – coffee is the lifeblood of Wedge Espresso. This new Glebe cafe also does a fine sideline in other sip-worthy drinks: there’s the Ice Milo ($5), with its crunchy landmass of malt grains afloat milk and ice-cream. At the bottom is a genius ground-level layer of Milo – so there’s […]