Paramount Coffee Project - Surry Hills, NSW

The Mrs has been wanting to go to Paramount Coffee Project for years but we've just never had the chance. I mean, with so many new and exciting places opening up all the time, our list of ever expanding options just grows and grows right? Luckily, a couple of Sundays ago, we had a little breathing space to go out for a shopping spree. Since a majority of Surry Hills eateries weren't open for business, you're effectively left with the ones that are. As if following some kind of god given sign, we walked in, put our name down and waited for a table.

Paramount has been a popular lunch/brunch destination for some time now and you really see why when you walk in. I remember this being one of the first places I saw the minimalist white and wood industrial outfit that's become so popular recently.  The wide open space gives it a really inviting atmosphere and despite the frantic pace, you can feel comfortable tucked away in a corner having a private conversation.

As with any brunch, we ordered coffee as soon as we sat down. Maybe owing to how busy it was that weekend, our coffees didn't come out until we decided to order food (which was sometime after we'd seated and got comfortable). I wasn't sure if it was just me or if I was losing my palate but I really couldn't taste anything special or outstanding about the coffee at paramount. Granted, I remember it being creamy and nutty but it lacked depth for me.

We were seated right next to the little window where food went through the pass and so we could see when our dishes came out. The Mrs ordered the soft baked eggs which came out in a little clay ramekin. A good dollop of creamy labneh sat on top of a red chorizo sauce and green relish. This also came with a slice of sourdough toast, the Mrs at a bit and said that it wasn't suiting her palate as it was a bit too spicy. Good for me because I didn't much enjoy my dish so we swapped.

I ordered the southern fried chicken and waffles which on paper sounded like the most substantial and satisfying meal. I was rather disappointed with my first bite as the combination came across far too sweet for my liking. I suspect that there was maple syrup added to the waffles which in addition with the maple hinted gravy, overpowered the chicken a fair bit. I was also disappointed inthe batter of the chicken in that it lacked the crunch and spice you typically expect from southern fried chicken. The chicken itself was juicy and full of chicken flavour but the choice to use coloured meat may have affected the texture of the chicken. I knew I should have gone with my gut feeling and ordered the cheesesteak but, in the end, the Mrs ended up liking my dish more which meant it all worked out in the end.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I'm rarely this negative about food in general  (to be fair: it was still a good, hearty delicious meal) but I think the two years of anticipation really set us up for a bit of a let down. Though, that said, I'm also very willing to return since I'm convinced that the fault lied with me ordering the wrong thing. I've also recently had my southern fried chicken craving satisfied so if I do return, I'd be happy to try the other things they have on offer.

The Elevation - Parramatta, NSW

It's Saturday, just before noon and the Mrs and I have been diligently cleaning all morning. We start to get hungry, so we decide to walk to Church Street, check out Eat Street Vibes and possibly get a bite to eat. Along the way, we notice a new cafe had opened up right next to Coco Cubano and Rio Brazilian BBQ: The Elevation. My interest was immediately piqued by the hipster looking decor and clean environment. Fortunately, the Mrs was also convinced to try the place and so we decided to pop in on a whim and enjoy a nice lunch.

I personally think they did a wonderful job with the shop fitting. You have the almost-standardised industrial fit out but it's bright and clean. The light fixtures are hung up above the counter and all over the roof in criss-cross patterns. The simplistic tubes of fluorescent light shine upon the mostly wood and concrete coloured surfaces. Strewn throughout the cafe, there are separate terrariums that sit below the counter and around the front of the cafe which bring a little green into the mix. Overall, I'm really, really impressed with how this place looks as it's exactly the theme I want for our apartment. 

We decided on what we wanted to eat so I flagged down one of the helpful staff to order but I'm then reminded by the Mrs that it's specified on the menu to order at the counter... Silly me! I get up, place our order and we patiently waited for our food and drinks to come. It wasn't long before our drinks arrived at our table, the Mrs opting for an iced latte on a moderately hot day and me going for a cappuccino, my regular selection when I go to work. The coffee here is rather nutty and creamy which is great since it's exactly the way I like my coffee (I don't appreciate acidity much at all). The Mrs was also very impressed with her iced latte as it stayed robust in flavour despite the ice melting.

There was a tiny bit of a delay with our food coming out but I'm always okay with that as new kitchens need to be given some time to find their feet. The staff also apologised quite a few times which helped quite a bit (you tend to care less when a place acknowledges that something isn't ideal). When it did come, the Mrs order was the first to arrive and boy did it look delicious! The Mrs ordered avocados on toast with onsen eggs. This arrive in the form of two jiggly, barely cooked eggs sitting on top of two slices of rye bread with smashed avos mixed with chia dukkah and lightly dusted with matcha powder. The Mrs was rather impressed with the bread as it was fresh, doughy and the perfect vehicle for the other components. The chia dukkah provided a really nice nutty and smoky element and there was a nice textural balance from the crunch in the sunflower seeds which was mixed in with the avocado. The jewel on top of the crown had to be dusting of matcha powder which allowed it to stand out amongst the many smashed avocado dishes out there. It also provided a really nice bitterness at the back of your tongue, making the dish all the more savoury.

Me, being the carnivorous meathead that I am, couldn't bring myself to order anything but the ultimate breakfast: a smorgasbord of all the delectable items on offer. The plate is made up of maple bacon, chorizo, onsen eggs, miso mushrooms, blistered cherry tomatoes, wilted spinach and two slices of sourdough toast...try not being satisfied after that. To be honest, I was expecting more from the maple bacon as it ended up tasting like normal bacon...more of that sweet, maple goodness would have been better. Still a great dish though as there were the earthy, umami packed mushrooms and delicious chorizo to eat as well. The eggs were gooey, rich and buttery and the sweetly acidic tomatoes and refreshing spinach made it an awesome meal.

The Elevation also had many delicious looking cakes on display but unfortunately, the Mrs and I were stuffed once we'd finished our plates of food...oh well, we'll try it next time since we live so close! I honestly fell in love with this cafe instantaneously as the decor, staff and food were all amazing. In addition to that, their coffee game is strong. Luck for us, they sent us off with a complimentary bottle of cold brew! We had it as soon as we got home and it was delicious!!! Smooth and not a hint of acidity with a humble sweetness that made for an awesome, refreshing caffeine hit. Thank you guys at The Elevation, the Mrs and I will surely return for many more lunches and brunches in the future!

Chef's Palette - Strathfield, NSW

We've had quite a scorcher of a long weekend right? For some odd reason, these last couple days have been unbearably hot for spring but that's just Sydney weather for you I guess. As the warmer weather heralds the coming of Summer, most people would be heading to the beach to enjoy the surf and sand but the Mrs and I decided to go to brunch instead (obviously to avoid the crowds). We decided today to try a place that we hadn't yet had the opportunity to try: Chef's Palette.

Situated where My Sweet Memory "used" to be (more on that later), the cafe's quant looking but quite a bit more spacious than it used to be...mostly a result of doing away with the stationary section and replacing that with a kitchen. It wasn't as busy as we'd expected it to be which was great since we could have a pick of any table we wanted. The Mrs and I quickly seated ourselves and once we'd decided what to order, I got up and ordered our food and drinks at the counter.

As expected, the drinks came first: the Mrs' iced coffee and my iced monkey. The iced coffee was pretty standard...nutty coffee mellowed out by creamy ice cream and then chilled to a refreshing coolness which really helped fight off the heat. Definitely not the worst we've had but nothing all too spectacular either. My drink (the iced monkey) was like a blended chocolate frappe with banana powder in it which meant  it tasted like korean banana milk with a hint of chocolate...definitely something different and worth a try.

The food came after a short wait which was great because by this point, the Mrs and I were starving. The Mrs blew out and ordered a house made ricotta cheese dish with extra spinach, bacon, grilled tomato and eggs (she didn't know it came with one egg but the more the better right?). The house made ricotta was really nice and creamy which really worked well with that doughy sonoma toast and overall it was a delicious dish but my one criticism was that they were a bit light-handed with the truffle. As it was, we really couldn't taste any truffle (though we did choose to have the dish not as it was intended so that could be a factor). 

My dish was certainly a highlight: pull pork eggs benedict with a really well made hollandaise sauce and saucy pulled pork that made it a really satisfying dish. You get that moreishness from the eggs and that beautiful hollandaise sauce which gets cut through by that tart tomato based pulled pork. The abundant meatiness made the each bite more enjoyable. I can't say I was a big fan of the slaw though (mainly because the Mrs and I don't like apple) and I found it a bit too sour which really numbed my palette quite a bit. 

I normally really like to see and emphasise the good points of each restaurant I visit but for my experience at Chef's Palette, I unfortunately had to admit that it wasn't all too impressive. Don't get me wrong, the food was definitely not bad or anything but it definitely wasn't substantially different or impressionable either. The items were lacking in the refinement and ingenuity we normally see when we dine out and I was also a little shocked to see My Sweet Memory show up on my banking app after. I'm not too sure if this was a transitional thing or if Chef's Palette is really just a rebranding of MSM...regardless, if they really want to be competitive (especially with such a great little cafe just a little further down the road) they really need to get a few things that help them stand out.

Roastville - Marrickville, NSW

The Mrs has been a bit busy this weekend with the in-laws heading off on a holiday for a few weeks so she this morning, she had to get up early and help drive them to the airport. Knowing the Mrs, she wouldn't have been all too happy about that (she loves her sleep) but one definite benefit of going to the airport is that you're extremely close to where all the brunch action is. That's exactly what the Mrs had planned and as soon as she dropped off her parents, the three of us (the brother-in-law, her and myself) all headed off to Marrickville to checkout a place we've been hearing about: Roastville.

 

The original plan was to go there and check out their fried chicken and waffles which has been circulating instagram lately but unfortunately, upon arrival we'd learned that the waffles were only available from 11:30am onwards...shame. Still, that didn't deter us from having a great meal there so we promptly ordered coffee and food. The coffee beans are roasted in house and therefore, it's obvious that you have to try what they have on offer. The Mrs looked impressed so that's a good sign but I'll be honest, despite being great there really wasn't any outstanding or notable differences...then again, I'm really no coffee connoisseur.

Well, I really didn't come here for the coffee but for the epic looking food. The brother-in-law and I both ordered the dirty bird benedict (which I didn't actually know was their signature dish) and I have to say...it was amazing. The excessiveness of the dish is the first thing you'll notice...when you look at the dish, the first thing you ask yourself is "how am I even eating something like this in the morning?" but it totally works. There isn't too much hollandaise (a crime a lot of other eggs bennys are guilty of) but what you get really helps to accentuate the dish. It's a perfect amount of moorish creaminess and tartness with what a really delicious kick from that mild harissa. The chicken is super tender and juicy (so juicy) with ample tonkatsu-like crunch (the Mrs said they probably use panko bread crumbs). Finally, that bread...it was so moist and flavoursome that it was almost biscuit like in texture...definitely my highlight of the day.

The Mrs wanted to be different and ordered the eggs on toast with a side of chickpea, kale and tomato ragout as well as some chorizo...which surprisingly, totally worked. The toast is nice and rustic (just the way she likes it) and the beetroot relish really helped cut through the butter egg yolk and give it some sweetness. The ragout was delicious in it's own simplistic way with crunchy kale, chickpeas and a slight tartness from the tomato which to me, tasted like there was almost a middle-eastern spin on the ragout. The chorizo was also great in that they didn't use the smoked variety which at times, ends up a bit dry when cooked. Instead, they opted for the unsmoked kind which made it really sweet fatty and meaty.

Although I am admittedly slightly disappointed that I didn't get to try the fried chicken and waffles, today was definitely no loss as I got to try their spin on my favorite breakfast and we are extremely impressed with their execution of the food. They strike a very fine balance between healthy, raw ingredients and excessive yet satisfying and soulful dishes. Marrickville was already an amazing foodie destination but I believe it's now gotten even better with it's addition of this delightful cafe.