brekkie quest

Orto Trading ♥♥♥

2013-02-28T02:10:00.001-08:00

38 Waterloo Street, Surry Hills

Saturday 2 December 2012

3.33 'Hanging lamps and plants'

Hello Orto. Gosh I liked you. I'd visited you previously for a couple of vinos and vowed to come back for a couple of cappuccinos. And here I finally was - amongst your rugged brick walls with hanging plant-filled bottles and dim-lit lamps, seated at one of your fresh wooden tables, with eleven of my closest friends. You went above and beyond for us, tending to our every need. Your menu was definitely appealing. But tragically, when the food arrived, it was tasteless. And not just mine, the same sentiment was felt by many at my table with their respective dishes. How could something so colourful and pretty taste quite so bland? Perhaps it was just an off day for the chef? I sure hope so cause you are the sweetest little venue, perfect for group dining on a fresh sunny Sunday morning. I'll most certainly be back.

Coffee: 4

Eggs: 3 Beautifully prepared, but lacking flavour.

Toast: 3.5 Lots of variety.

Knife: 2.5 Nice, but not spesh.

Ambience: 4.5 Bright and open, lots of simple wooden tables, bare brick walls, greenery hanging from the ceilings and a chilled out vibe.

Price: 2.5 Eggs on toast are $11, which is pretty good given the meals are hefty sizes.

Thelma & Louise ♥♥♥

2012-12-03T02:27:00.002-08:00

1 Hayes Street, Neutral Bay

Saturday 1 December 2012

3.0 'Colourful harbour-side diner'

Hello Thelma and Louise. You are by far one of the most gorgeous little cafes I've been to in Neutral Bay. Literally on the ferry wharf, your balcony can't get much closer to the yacht speckled harbour. I felt like I was on holidays. Your furnishings and crockery are infectiously colourful. And yet your menu looks like its come straight out of an American diner. Nothing appealed on it at first, but I was very satisfied with my eggs on toast. Your portions are pretty sizeable and your coffee is large and tasty too. We liked you very much. Perfect way to kick off a sunny morning.

Coffee: 3 Yummo. Huge.

Eggs: 3.5 Gosh there were so many scrambled eggs. And so creamy.

Toast: 3 It was a little under-toasted. But there was lots of it. Lots.

Knife: 2 Average.

Ambience: 4 It's nice to sit by the harbour - I would've liked a seat on the balcony, but I was just as happy surrounded by your colourful furnishings. You've got gnomes and wine and flying cars and spotty mugs and crazy mis-matched chairs. You've also got groovy music.

Price: 2.5 Not cheap. Eggs on toast $10.50. But portion sizes and location considered, you're not bad.

Beach Cafe (Malabar) ♥♥♥

2012-11-28T00:57:00.000-08:00

59 Bay Parade, Malabar

Saturday 17 November 2012

3.0 'Basic beachside brekkie'

Hello Beach Cafe. I hear you're the rogue twin brother of Pool Cafe. You're almost identical, but located a little further down the coast and attracting far fewer brekkie questers. Given your menu was similar to Pool's, I opted for your crispy corn fritters with bacon and avo salsa. They looked delicious but alas, they were merely pancakes with a sour salsa mix, not one bit like Pool's. I wasn't a fan. Thankfully I had a nibble of Damien's eggs benedict with potato rosti to mitigate the disappointment - that dish managed to stack up against your twins. You're pretty quiet and out of the way, but you're a peaceful alternative to the usual bustle of the city. I liked you. I didn't love you.

Coffee: 2.5 Nice.

Eggs: 4 Damien's poached eggs were very gooey.

Toast: ? No toast today.

Knife: 2 Average. Nothing to write home about.

Ambience: 3.5 You're a quiet spot, just near tiny Malabar Beach, with a few tables out in the sun and some inside. I wouldn't put you down as a people watching beach hang-out, more the kind of spot for a quiet brekkie out of the way.

Price: 3 Pretty good actually, $8.50 for eggs on toast and nothing over $16.

Shenkin (Erskineville) ♥♥♥

2012-11-21T02:22:00.003-08:00

53 Erskineville Road, Erskineville

Sunday 11 November 2012

2.83 'Listen to Timeout, go for the Israeli salad'

Shalom, Shenkin. You are a groovy Israeli haunt with funky music, friendly service, great Mecca coffee and one heck of a breakfast knife. I thought I was on to a winner with you, until my eggs arrived. I know Timeout rate your brekkie (I even brought my fat-pants in eager anticipation) but I was bitterly disappointed with your food. Your omlette, despite being somewhat tasty with the chorizo and all, was dry and horrifying to look at. Your toast was also dry and not exactly toasted. I couldn't figure out if I was a satisfied or dissatisfied customer? I left, confused. Quite full, but confused.

Coffee: 4 Mecca. Good coffee.

Eggs: 1 I was saddened by my omlette. I wish I'd had the Israeli breakfast like Timeout told me to. Dammit.

Toast: 1 Your toast was comparable to dried cardboard.

Knife: 4.5 It was serrated and sporting a sturdy handle. If only I had toast that was worthy of the battle.

Ambience: 4 I liked your vibe. Your service was faultless, you had groovy tunes playing and three large spaces in which to file patrons into.

Price: 2.5 Price is good. Eggs on toast $8.50.

Gusto Espresso Bar (Bondi) ♥♥♥

2012-11-05T12:03:00.000-08:00

1/16 Hall Street, Bondi Beach

Sunday 14 October 2012

2.6 'Gustoso baked eggs and brew'

Hello Gusto. You're kind of like the other Gusto's, but not. You have an almost identical menu to the Randwick Gusto (minus all the pastry goodies) and a very similar beach-side feel to the Coogee Gusto. You've also got the mandatory killer brew; blackboard menu; and ghastly cutlery - inclusive of flakey knife. One thing your counter-parts don't have however, is your chillaxed Bondi vibe: you've got that little extra sand on the floor; a few more flat whites to make for wet-suited locals; and a larger portion of tired Bondi market goers to feed. You're not my favourite Bondi haunt, Gusto, nor are you my favourite Gusto haunt (I prefer the new joint in Randwick with its bakery treats), but I did enjoy my coffee and baked eggs. Thank you.

Coffee: 3.5 You do good coffee. I'll grant you that.

Eggs: 3.5 I actually really enjoy your baked eggs. They're spicy and colourful. "Gustoso", if you will (that's 'tasty' in Italiano).

Toast: 2 Didn't love your toast this morning.

Knife: 1.5 Awful. Lucky my toast was for dipping, and not slicing.

Ambience: 3 You're busy inside. I think I would've preferred a seat at one of your outside tables though, you're an ideal spot for people-watching.

Price: 2.5 Price is okay, given the size of the meals.

Luigi's Deli (Bondi Beach) ♥♥♥

2012-10-28T00:58:00.000-07:00

154 Glenayr Avenue, Bondi Beach

Sunday 21 October 2012

3.16 'Allpress coffee & simple delights'

Hello Luigi’s. You're just down the road from Bondi Picnic and up from Deli Bottega. You've got a simple set up - ten or so tables out the front and a small kitchen and barista out the back. Your coffee is Allpress. Your head waiter, charismatic. And your menu, wallet friendly. It seemed I was on to a winner this morning. That was until you served me a cappuccino without chocolate sprinkles (aka a latte). Thankfully, said charismatic waiter swooped over moments later with the cocoa tin. Lucky save. Your eggs were also hit and miss – they were uneasy on the eyes, they looked like they'd been cooked in a box? It was all very confusing, but strangely tasty and satisfying. My biggest delight of the morning however, came when I realized Aquabumps was sitting at the table next to me! As a hero of mine, I was suitably impressed that Aquabumps had brought his family to dine with you, Luigi. Maybe he came for your special eggs too.

Coffee: 4 For the tasty Allpress. And for salvaging my cappuccino.

Eggs: 3 Boxey. But tasty. And lots of them.

Toast: 2 I did not love your toast.

Knife: 2 Pretty average.

Ambience: 4 Chilled out, good for people watching, not pretentious.

Price: 4 Nothing over $14.50, eggs on toast is $9.

Bird & Bear Boathouse (Elizabeth Bay) ♥♥♥

2012-10-03T15:04:00.002-07:00

Ithaca Road, Elizabeth Bay

Sunday 30 September 2012

3.10 'Sunny Sundays, here I come'

Hello Bird and Bear. You're the perfect spot for a sunny spring morning. For sitting on the deck, by the harbour; for nibbling on toast and sipping on cappuccinos. Probably not so perfect for a rainy day given you don't actually have a roof. But for a day like this, you're the business. Your menu’s quite sleek. I had the avo toast with tomato, chilli and truffle oil. Gosh. Your quesadilla also looked tasty. Sadly your service wasn't as impressive - a bit slow and a bit cranky. And your knife didn't really cut it either. But heck, who can be sad in a set up like this? I also enjoyed my post-brekkie wander through the Cross markets, they have some very pretty flowers.

Coffee: 3.5

Eggs: ? Didn't have eggs today. But I'd give the quesadilla a go next time.

Toast: 3.5 It was cold when I got it. But the avocado, chilli, truffle concept was killer.

Knife: 2 Nothing to write home about.

Ambience: 4.5 4.5 in the sun. Probably a 0.5 in the rain. You're a superb location by the water, with an order and pay system at the small kiosk out front and a big deck for sitting by the water behind.

Price: 2 Not bad for price. But given your meals are small and simple, I wouldn't say it's great.

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Eugene ♥♥♥

2012-09-20T01:31:00.002-07:00

69 Macpherson Street, Waverley

Sunday 16 September 2012

3.10 'Tasty new kid on the block.'

Hello Eugene. With a name like yours, one might think you're the nerdy new kid on the block. But you're not. You're pretty sassy; pretty chilled; pretty suave for a nerdy-named-newbie. Your pancakes were killer. They were fluffy and soft and topped with cinnamon ricotta, strawberry compote, crushed pistachios and syrup. Wow. They were nearly on par with Black Pony's. I was also delighted with your simple but sensitive decor, including miss-matched tea spoons and little posies of daisies. For such a young lad, you knew a thing or two about putting on a good spread. Well, aside from an optimum knife - the blade you supplied would've been particularly useless if faced off against Iggy's toast. Gah, I can only imagine the anarchy that would've ensued. You'll learn Eugene. You'll learn.

Coffee: 3.5 Creamy and wonderful.

Eggs: ? No comment. I didn't do eggs today - I did pancakes.

Toast: 4 Iggy's, I like Iggy's. Four points.

Knife: 2 Good for pancakes, not so good for crusty toast.

Ambience: 3.5 Not too busy, not too quiet. Just right for a lazy Sunday morning read of the paper.

Price: 2.5 Appreciate that you're a little bit gor-met Euge, but $12 for eggs on toast? Please.

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Revolver ♥♥♥♥

2012-09-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

291 Annandale Street, Annandale

Sunday 9 September 2012

3.83 'We'll return (or revolve?) for more steak-knife joy.'

Hello Revolver. For a seemingly remote location, you draw quite a crowd. You're set on a quiet suburban street - in an old unassuming corner-store building - you've got super friendly wait staff, groovy decor (trundle library ladder included); and a killer menu to boot. I opted for your interpretation of bacon and eggs. It was delicious. And elegantly ensembled. I was also suitably impressed with your 'tea timer' - clever - and the speed at which our tables were served. My biggest surprise however came when your cutlery was laid - a hybrid steak / butter knife! You can imagine my delight. Finally, a serrated glint of toast-cutting hope for the Sydney cafe industry. Thank you, Revolver. We'll be back.

Coffee: 3.5 Strong. Powerful. Served in pretty red mugs.

Eggs: 4 Scrambled were good - none of that fluffy stuff. The baked eggs looked killer too.

Toast: 4 Sonoma breads are always a winner.

Knife: 4 Your hybrid butter-steak knife was impressive and has filled me with hope. Perhaps next time I visit you'll have a fully-fledged serrated knife?

Ambience: 3.5 For a busy place, you were relatively chilled.

Price: 4 Nothing over $16.50. Incredible value for such gourmet food.

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Joe Black ♥♥♥♥

2012-09-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

27 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills - Map

Saturday 1 September 2012

3.58 'Bunsen burner espresso? Yes please.'

Hello Joe Black. You're a little bit different. A little bit cool. A little bit hilarious. Your menu's worth a mention - I had your Stormin' Norman but was a hungover heartbeat away from ordering your Pirate Pancakes cause 'arrr be they with grog'. Brilliant. You serve water in old booze bottles; your cups are tin mugs; your meals arrive on tin plates; and you've got some groovy scientific distilling contraption for making killer coffees. Your wait staff are super friendly, your menu's simple and portions are quite small, but it's all tasty. You're about the experience of coffee - the science of it; the art of it - and the novelty of spending a meal at a traditional Aussie blokes kitchen table. You've definitely displayed some originality Joe Black. And I am coming back soon for one of your nifty espressos.

Coffee: 5 Yep, a 5. Not only for the creamy soy capp, but for the entertaining delivery of an espresso on a bunsen burner. Wow.

Eggs: 4 One poached.

Toast: 3 Sourdough.

Knife: 3 Ordinarily I wouldn't be impressed with a flakey camping knife, however given the theme, who am I to judge.

Ambience: 3.5 You're not a huge space. But you're kitted out with lots of entertaining items, including the scientific coffee show. Makes for an interactive breakfast.

Price: 3 Nothing over $14. However your portions are relatively small. Eggs on toast are $9.50.

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The Book Kitchen ♥♥♥

2012-07-21T22:16:00.004-07:00

255 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills - Map

Sunday 22 July 2012

2.67 'A bustling communal kitchen with a side of books'

Hello Book Kitchen. You were frantic today. Frantic. I had hoped to come and see you for a quiet read of one of your many books (or the paper) whilst I sat at the corner of your communal table and sipped a soy latte in peace. Instead, I was welcomed by hordes of hungry people; frantic wait staff and the sound of smashing plates. It was almost a bit much for my traditionally relaxed Sunday mornings. We stuck by you however and were handsomely rewarded with a hot coffee and a tasty bacon and egg roll with a heavy handed serve of relish. Yum. While you do offer communal dining, a lavish menu and not to mention books a-plenty, your buzzing environment wasn't overly conducive for my reading plans. You probably should've been called 'The kitchen for eating gourmet food with large groups of noisy friends'. That would've been more apt. Next time I will be better informed. Next time I will bring my friends and leave reading for the likes of Gertrude and Alice.

Coffee: 3 The coffee was good, but no larges.

Eggs: 4 For a fried egg, mine was particularly gooey.

Toast: 2 White bread. It was okay.

Knife: 2 Nothing to write home about.

Ambience: 3 Everyone wanted a piece of your action today. You were busy.

Price: 2 You're not cheap BK. Eggs on toast starts at $11 and sides are spenny. And your corn fritters can be as much as $25.50.

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X74 ♥♥♥

2012-06-30T23:24:00.000-07:00

10 Bream Street, Coogee - Map

Sunday 1 July 2012

3.08 'Service with a smile'

Hello X74. You are named after the X74 bus route from Coogee to the City which makes a stop just outside your front door. And you are new to the Coogee hood. You're an unpretentious spot, with down-to-earth Aussie bloke waiters, all dressed in your black polo shirt uniform and all of whom couldn't be nicer. Your owner, Tim, is super welcoming. He even went as far as purchasing the Sunday paper form the neighbouring newsagents for us to read. Just lovely. Your menu was simple but effective; your food also simple but effective; and your coffee, absolutely tops. In the 5 weeks you've been open you've already attracted a nice crowd of families, oldies and friendlies. Knife wasn't what I'd hoped, but you'll learn. Good luck X74.

Coffee: 4 Smooth Allpress brew.

Eggs: 3 Great poached and scrambled.

Toast: 3.5 Sonoma sourdough, either white or with linseed.

Knife: 3 Not flimsy but not serrated either.

Ambience: 3 You're no Black Pony with tattooed surfers grinding your coffees. You're more of a Kokkino, but with friendly Aussie dad's running the show. You've got paintings on the walls for sale, an open kitchen, Jack Johnson on the stereo and lots of happy people enjoying your friendly vibe.

Price: 2 The $8 eggs on toast are very reasonable. But $4 for a side of mini hash browns or a handful of mushrooms? Didn't quite cut it.

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Globe ♥♥♥

2012-06-11T00:51:00.002-07:00

203 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee - Map

Monday 11 June 2012

3.42 'Grande coffees & warming meals'

Good morning Globe. It was horribly cold and rainy today. Which is why it was such a treat to sit inside your warm cafe, at your window bench, with a (huge) hot coffee in hand, whilst looking out at the rain, pelting itself down on Coogee Bay Road. Turned out lots of other people also thought they'd find sanctuary in your midsts. You were heaving with wet, cold, hungry, rejected beach-goers. And somehow, you managed to quickly cater for us all. I had your 'love eggs' for brekkie - lame name, but filling dish. It had poached eggs and bacon; tomato salsa and avo; aoli and spinach; all piled on top of your sourdough toast. I couldn't finish it. It was huge. Especially when coupled with your large cappuccino. Wowsers. Your cutlery was fairly useless and didn't entertain me with fancy trimmings or originality. But, that's cool, I was satisfied enough to be warm; dry; and pleasantly full.

Coffee: 3.5 Your coffees were huge. And tasty.

Eggs: 4.5 Perfectly poached.

Toast: 3 Chunky sourdough.

Knife: 2 Terrible knife. Terrible.

Ambience: 3.5 You were rather busy. But your service kept up well. I don't remember hearing any groovy music or noticing anything particularly exciting about your features. You were just a simple well rounded, well liked cafe.

Price: 4 Cheap as. $7.50 for eggs on toast. And three pages of menu items to choose from.

Reuben Hills ♥♥♥♥

2012-06-02T22:56:00.003-07:00

61 Albion Street, Surry Hills - Map

Saturday 26 May 2012

4.0 'No es tu desayuno normal'

Hola Reuben Hills. Me cai en amor con usted de forma casi instantanea. Your rustic-timber-meets-industrial-steel furnishings were packed to the rafters with groovy looking patrons and the smell of delicious South American cuisine. I was excited. I was very excited. And you didn't disappoint. For such a new cafe, you were a well oiled machine - seamlessly greeting, allocating tables, turning around orders before whisking customers out the door, only to bring in the next batch, yet still managing to make one feel at home. Your service was top notch. And so was your food. People don't come to you for eggs on toast. They come for your Baleada and Doggs Breakfast, your salt caramel milkshakes and single origin coffee. All of which is served on an eclectic mix of crockery accompanied by a variety of cutlery. Clever. Cazz and I liked you very much. Que fueron una sorpresa agradable.

Coffee: 3.5 Delicious.

Eggs: 4.5 The best baked eggs I've ever had. Ever.

Toast: 4 Crispy and warm - sensational.

Knife: 4 Not necessarily sharp, but definitely creative.

Ambience: 4 You had it going on Reuben. You were full of happy people, with attentive friendly staff.

Price: 4 Very reasonably priced.

Gnome ♥♥♥♥

2012-05-27T00:17:00.000-07:00

563 Crown Street, Surry Hills - Map

Sunday 27 May 2012

3.5 'Tasties on Crown Street'

Hello Gnome. I've always wanted to have brekkie with you. You're opposite Four Ate Five and seem to attract lots of fancy folk. You do big coffees and tasty toast. And I might even go as far as to say you offer the best jam, ever. Yep, I said it. It must have something to do with the juxtaposition of your creamy butter with your juicy sweet jam, atop your chunky toast. I would've liked to have tried a few other things on your menu, all of which offered real originality and were very reasonably priced, eg. the grilled polenta, asparagus, poached eggs, truffle oil and parmesan ($14) or the mini benny roll on brioche ($8.50). I also enjoyed sitting on Crown Street, people watching whilst idly chit-chatting with my buddy, Scotty. You weren't scoring quite as many goals in the knife department, however.

Coffee: 3.5 Very large bowls.

Eggs: ? No comment. Although Scotty's looked pretty tasty.

Toast: 4 Wowsers. Your toast, butter, jam combo was delicious.

Knife: 2 Dull.

Ambience: 4 Inside by the bustling shop-front or outside in the sun for people watching on Crown Street, happy days either way.

Price: 4 $9.50 for poached eggs on toast. Nothing over $14.

The Shop ♥♥♥♥

2012-04-28T23:39:00.000-07:00

78 Curlewis Street, Bondi - Map

Saturday 28 April 2012

3.92 'A little shop with a big fan (me)'

Morning Shop. You are one of my favourite Bondi brekkie haunts. You're just so cute. So tiny and yet so self sustaining. The image below is quite literally the entirety of your kitchen facilities and somehow, you manage to deliver some of the most gourmet meals from here. You take real pride in your food presentation too. Today, I had your avo tomato and basil on toast, with an egg. But sometimes I'll simply get your toast or that banana bread combo. Your meals aren't huge, but they're suitably filling. You attract some of Bondi's finest folk, not only with your deliciously simple food, but with your friendly charm too. You rock my world, little Shop.

Coffee: 4 Tasty.

Eggs: 4 Perfectly poached today.

Toast: 4.5 You have all the toasts.

Knife: 2.5 Nothing exciting to write home about, unfortunately.

Ambience: 4.5 You probably couldn't fit more than 12 people inside and 10 people outside, but that's what makes you so special Shop. You're cosy; friendly; tasty and quirky.

Price: 4 Nothing over $13.50 for brekkie. Winning.

Bondi Picnic ♥♥♥♥

2012-04-27T23:20:00.000-07:00

Bondi Picnic, 101 Hall Street, Bondi - Map

Saturday 27 April 2012

3.58 'Better than the real thing'

Morning Picnic. You're the next best thing to hit Hall Street. And I really really like you. Your decor is probably your grooviest asset. Followed by your gourmet food. You're fresh and crisp; sunny and open; funky and friendly. You're a great cafe for a proper Bondi brekkie. And you know how to create and present food. Your menu covers everything from truffled eggs to pancetta and back to home made chutney. And you're fairly heavy handed with your servings. You're an absolute 'picnic' to spend an hour or so in. You're knife however could've been sharper to defeat my crunchy toast. And I think at the end of our time with you, one of your wait staff really butchered our bill. All resolved in the end though.

Coffee: 3.5 Cute mugs.

Eggs: 4 Tasty scrambled.

Toast: 4 Your sourdough is thick, crunchy and abundant.

Knife: 2 Nothing special.

Ambience: 4 Very chilled.

Price: 4 Great value. Gourmet food and nothing over $14.

M Deli ♥♥♥

2012-04-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

32A Fletcher Street, Tamarama - Map

Wednesday 25 April 2012

3.08 'Fine deli foods'

Hello M Deli. Funnily enough, you're a deli. A deli with ready made meals or brekkies to order. We ordered at your counter, from your options on the black board and were suitably content with your buttered toast, poached eggs and particularly your tomato chutney. You're a simple and friendly establishment with a variety of food options that keep your patrons coming back. That is all.

Coffee: 3 Not bad.

Eggs: 3.5 Pretty gooey.

Toast: 4 Quite delicious.

Knife: 2 Disappointing.

Ambience: 3 Bronte families and friends were catching up inside and others were ordering take-aways to share at home.

Price: 3 Fairly standard.

Cafe Japone ♥♥♥

2012-04-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

1 Canberra Street, Randwick - Map

Sunday 22 April 2012

2.58 'Fast and fresh. Cheap and cheerful'

Morning Japone. I had my doubts about you when I arrived - you're a Japanese restaurant playing at breakfast; you don't do table service; you were crawling with noisy children and puppies; and one of your waitresses was wearing hiking socks with crocs. Ghastly! Thankfully, everything you lacked was made up for with cheap and cheerful meals and ginormous coffees. $8.50 it was for our toast and bagels with smoked slmon and mini cheese omlette. $8.50? Incredible value. You're by no means the grooviest cafe around - and you don't have that je ne sais quoi, that finesse I look for in every brekkie establishment - but you're popular with the older folk and young families. I suspect for your fresh, easy food and great value. No surprises that your knives weren't up to scratch. Mind the pun(!).

Coffee: 3.5 Bowls of coffee. Bowls.

Eggs: 2.5 You don't do poached, but your mini cheese omelette was an interesting addition to my salmon bagel.

Toast: 2 The toasted bagel was quite tasty. Not sure what you're like in the way of toast though.

Knife: 1 Boring.

Ambience: 2.5 Families; oldies; puppies - anything goes here.

Price: 4 $8 for bacon and scrambled / fried eggs on toast. Our bagel meal was only $8.50.

Bondi Hardware ♥♥♥

2012-04-15T15:14:00.004-07:00

39 Hall Street, Bondi - Map

Saturday 15 April 2012

3.3 'Don't be fooled by their bar exterior, they do a bangin' brekkie'

Hello Hardware. You're one of a handful of Bondi hot-spots at the minute. And as such, you're always busy. I've struggled to get a table in your midst's on a number of occasions, but today Anna, Elena, Damien and myself got lucky. Wandering into your dark underground bar scene at breakfast time feels momentarily out of sorts. You're packed with people huddled around wooden benches on stools, with vegetation creeping about the walls and waitresses darting the floor - it's almost like a scene from Ivy Bar. I felt compelled to order a cider. But I didn't. I had a cappuccino and your BLAT with halloumi. It's the business. And I appreciate any meal served on a cheese board. Your knives were pretty sad looking, but you made up for it by delivering them to us in a 'hardware' box. Nice touch, Hardware. We liked you. You're particularly - for lack of a better word - bangin'.

Coffee: 3.5

Eggs: ? No eggs today.

Toast: 4 Sonoma breads are always a winner with me.

Knife: 1.5 Nothing special. But I like that it arrived in a 'hardware' box.

Ambience: 4 Buzzing with groovy tunes and packed with locals.

Price: 3.5 $9 for eggs on toast with tomato and rocket, great value. Nothing over $18.

Coogee Courtyard ♥♥♥

2012-04-14T02:11:00.000-07:00

1/260 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee - Map

Saturday 14 April 2012

2.83 'For a big basic brekkie'

Hello Courtyard. You're by no means as groovy as Katipo or as gourmet as BangBang or Clodeli. You're more of a Skinny Dip, but with a tad more taste. Your menu is lengthy. Your portions are huge. And it's all surprisingly tasty. As well as pleasingly cheap. You've got a big open space on Coogee Bay Road, a 'courtyard' if you will, to host an eclectic bunch of patrons - young and old, fit and dusty - all here for an unpretentious breakfast experience. Your knife was a diabolical disappointment. So much food and so little ability to cut through it. Shameful. You didn't blow my mind Courtyard, but you certainly didn't blow my budget either. You're just a friendly venue for a big brekkie bonanza in Coogee.

Coffee: 3.5 Coffees were large and tasty, and donned with a chocolate freckle which pleased me.

Eggs: 3.5 Surprisingly super soft.

Toast: 3 Lots of variety - gluten free, sourdough and more. Nice.

Knife: 1 Poor form from your blade.

Ambience: 2.5 Good service, chillaxed music, a variety of patrons, but nothing to write home about.

Price: 3.5 Cheap as chips. Huge portions. $9 for eggs on toast.

Kokkino Kafe ♥♥♥

2012-03-25T02:44:00.000-07:00

6 Perouse Road, Randwick - Map

Sunday 25 March 2012

3.16 'A tasty gem at The Spot'

Well well well Kokkino, weren't you a surprise. We stumbled upon you at The Spot early one morning. You aren't much to look at, but boy can you make a stack..! Your corn chilli fritters with almost everything were sensational. They had nine ingredients. Nine. All packaged up into a towering inferno known as 'the stack'. You're simple - you've got basic decor scattered around a small space, with a bench lining your open windows for patrons like me to lean on as we watch the world go by. You attract the Randwick locals who have clearly tuned in to your cheap, cheerful and delicious offerings. You may not be the coolest place in The Spot, but you've certainly proved yourself as a haven for good food and friendly service.

Coffee: 3.5

Eggs: 3.5 A big gooey egg was at the peak of our food mountain.

Toast: 3 And a crusty piece of sourdough was hiding at the base.

Knife: 2 It wasn't ideal.

Ambience: 3 It was nice to sit by the window and read the paper.

Price: 4 Super good value. $8 for eggs on toast - wow.

Flat White ♥♥♥

2012-03-10T02:29:00.000-08:00

98 Holdsworth Street, Woollahra - Map

Saturday 10 March 2012

3.42 'Popular with Paddo folk'

Well hello Flat White. I visited you today with Cazz and Anna, for a girlie brekkie catch up to discuss all things new and exciting in our worlds of work, community projects and upcoming social events. Your space was ideal for this - open, fresh and kitted out with simple decor that had an air of fancy and was alive with others sharing similar brekkie conversations. You were a hive of activity and just about everyone in Paddington wanted a piece of the action. And why not? Your menu was vast; your ingredients, gourmet; your coffee, delicious; and your service, speedy. The thickness of your toast however, was borderline frightening. The poor girl next to us had to battle your towering inferno of banana topped chunky sourdough with a knife half its size. That wasn't very nice now was it, Flat White? If you're going to serve toast that size, you need to arm your patrons with the right equipment. The toast aside, you were refreshingly tasteful and full of energy, Flat White. We liked you.

Coffee: 4 Yummy coffees, as you'd hope with a name like Flat White.

Eggs: 4.5 Delicious and perfectly cooked.

Toast: 2.5 Not a huge variety, just white sourdough, and lots of it! Heaven forbid one was GF.

Knife: 2 Defenceless in its battle against your toast.

Ambience: 4 Alive with Paddington couples, families, friends and sporty folk.

Price: 3.5 $11 for eggs on toast is a little spenny, but your food is quality.

Le Petit ♥♥♥

2012-03-04T01:34:00.001-08:00

63A Dudley Street, Coogee - Map

Sunday 4 March 2012

3.2 'Crepes and Toast'

Bonjour Le Petit. You're a sweet little cafe in Coogee. Normally you're packed and one must sit on a curb-side bench like a loner at a school dance, before being offered a place at your recycled timber stools and tables. Today I thankfully did not have to re-live that school dance trauma - you were empty and we got a prime position at your window bench seats. Your menu is simplistic - toasts or crepes - all prepared in your underground kitchen, accessed via a ladder like staircase at the back of your teeny tiny space. I had your mushroom and spinach crepe, and Damien, your Breakfast crepe. Fresh, simple, classic. With your French music and very friendly staff, you're a tres bien spot for a light brekkie. You did make a pretty huge faux pas today though. You forgot our coffee order. Oh dear. It was only after we finished our meals that we brought it to your attention. Kindly, you apologised and arranged for two large coffees to go, free of charge. Well played Le Petit. Well played.

Coffee: 3.5 Great brew.

Eggs: 4 We had eggs atop our crepes - gooey stuff. Nice.

Toast: ? None today, but I suspect your toast would be quite a treat.

Knife: 2 Not great.

Ambience: 3.5 Not as good as usual today. I wonder where all your regular patrons are? Maybe at Black Pony. Ha.

Price: 3 Not bad, but the portions are a little on the small side.

Four Ate Five ♥♥♥

2012-03-04T01:32:00.000-08:00

485 Crown Street, Surry Hills - Map

Saturday 3 March 2012

3.25 'Timeout loves you'

Hello Four Ate Five. You are still the only cafe to have received 5 stars from Timeout. They just love you. Today was my second encounter with you. And I'm gutted to argue that you don't deserve Timeout's five star honour. Don't get me wrong, you're a bangin' cafe - you're always busy; your service is impeccable; your menu's top class; you've got your own coffee blend; and you're super chilled - but I wouldn't say you're any better than the Baffi & Mo's or BangBangs of Sydney. Plus, you made a couple of slips today - the coffees took over half an hour to emerge, your poached eggs were a little overcooked and (this may be my inner old lady talking, but) I found you to be quite noisy inside. I'm being critical. I know. But you've got to work for those 5 stars Four Ate Five.

Coffee: 4 Delicious.

Eggs: 2 Andy and Damien's were well overcooked. Not cool.

Toast: 4 Fresh, crunchy - a real challenge for that so called knife you gave me.

Knife: 2 Like I said, the toast won this battle.

Ambience: 4 Buzzing spot, but a little on the noisy side.

Price: 3.5 $9.50 for eggs on any toast.