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!

Boon Cafe at Jarern Chai Asian Grocer - Central, NSW

Lately, the Mrs and I have been getting busier as we come up to the end of the year. If I haven't mentioned already, we're trying to plan and organise a relatively large event so our weeknights/ends have been taken up by planning, meetings and generally being super-exhausted. I'd like to apologise to the Mrs here and admit that in the midst of being stressed and generally feeling useless/not helpful, I've kinda neglected to acknowledge how wonderful she is and how much I love her. Luckily, the Mrs and I still managed to find the time to squeeze in a quick date night at a place she's been wanting to try for a while: Boon Cafe.

The most recent venture by the guys at Chat Thai: during the day, the menu is more cafe/brunch like but at night, the items change to more of what you'd find in the streets of Bangkok. The Mrs and I thought it'd be a nice idea to try it on a whim and we were lucky enough to grab one of the limited tables so I let the Mrs take charge and order away. We'd originally ordered the dessert to come later but maybe due to some minor miscommunications with the staff, the Pandan toast became the first to come...not a bad way to start a meal though. The toast was nice and fluffy but I'd have to say, the spread was mildly disappointing in that there wasn't a deep enough pandan flavor nor was it noticeably sweet...in my opinion, could have definitely have definitely benefitted from more sweetness/flavour.

Additionally, the Mrs had originally intended to order the Thai milk tea that she was accustomed to but had somehow ended up ordering Thai red tea which is essentially the same thing without the condensed milk. Due to that fact, the Mrs didn't enjoy it too much initially but I definitely did, the spiciness of the drink helped cool me down after a long day and regardless of what she had originally expected, the Mrs still grew to like the drink after a couple of sips. 

Soon after, our first hot dish came and boy, were we excited to dig in. The Mrs ordered a half order of the Gai Yang which is Thai style grilled chicken. The chicken here is marinaded really well and rather flavoursome which is good though the Mrs did say it was less juicy than another restaurant we frequent. I think it was an issue with the pieces she picked because each piece I picked was juicy and tender. It could have been a bit more charred but overall, very enjoyable. 

Next came the grilled sausages which was personally, my favorite. I love sausages from all cultures and cuisines and this one was very representative of the flavour profiles you'd find in Thailand. Intense and mouth-numbingly spicy, we identified some elements of chilli, ginger and potentially lemongrass mixed in with the meat. If you'd ordered this, be warned: have a glass of milky, sweet beverage ready as this dish is as authentic as it comes. It's so addictively spicy that the Mrs had to stop part-way and recuperate before she could continued eating it.

Shortly after our grilled sausage arrived, the beef salad also arrived at our table. At this point of the dinner, our mouths were burning from the sausages so it was a welcome and refreshing change of pace. The salad was still packed it's own punch but not nearly as intensely as the sausage did. The green leaves, onions and sweet dressing really helped calm our palates allowing us to enjoy the tender pieces of beef strewn throughout the salad.

Our meal was rounded off by the carbs that came last. At $5 a bowl, the Mrs thought it appropriate to order to separate bowls of noodles (one for me and one for her). I got the spicier Thai styles noodles which was great because I was used to eating similar noodles from Do Dee Pai Dang noodle cafe. Cheap and satisfying, you didn't get to choose the level of spice but for that price, you really wouldn't mind. I have to say, I really enjoyed the rice noodles they used a little more than the glass noodles I normally have at Do Dee and the soup I think was more sour and appetising than I was used to which was great.

The Mrs got the bowl of Thai style egg noodles which she seemed to relish because the sweet and savoury broth offered a much needed reprieve from the flames burning in her mouth. I didn't get to eat much of it but I assumed since the Mrs demolished most of it that it was delicious. From the small amount that I did get to have, the flavor reminded me most of the tiny microwavable bowls of wonton noodles you can get from Costco. 

Reminiscent of our current lives and schedules, the dinner was a bit of a mess at the beginning but regardless, what mattered most to me was that I was able to sit down and have a nice, enjoyable meal with my beloved. Super sappy of me to say but I truly believe that no matter what life throws at me, as long as the Mrs and I have each other, we'll be fine and happy no matter what life throws at us. 

From the bottom of my heart: Thank you for everything that you've done for me and for us. We wouldn't come as far as we have and I definitely wouldn't be who I am today without your constant support, patience and guidance. I'm so excited for the future we share together and for the many meals and laughs we'll have in the future.

Love you always, turtle.

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.

Buttermelt Cafe - Strathfield, NSW

The Mrs and I really haven't had the chance to spend any quality brunching time together this week. She's been pretty inundated with the planning of a very special event we have coming up. Normally, I'd be a lazy one and just stay home cause my food buddy isn't with me but today, I decide to get off my butt and go out for a nice bite to eat and a haircut and boy, am I glad I decided on that. I will only ever get my haircuts from two locations within Sydney and since today, I'm not inclined to head into the CBD, I decided to head to Strathfield as see what was on offer.

Since I missed my partner so much, I decided that I wouldn't be boring and have what I always had (the deluxe set from Tomoya). No, instead I walked around a bit to assess my options and I stumbled upon Buttermelt cafe, situated in the old "Moochi" location. Upon walking past the cafe and seeing the outfit and staff, I decided to head in and grab some lunch...best decision I've made today. The cafe is small and in typical cafe-fashion, has an industrial outfit which lends to the simplistic atmosphere. the cafe if very open so you get to see all the action whilst still being detached and sheltered from it all in one of the cosy tables inside.

Although I missed my other half very dearly, I can't say I didn't enjoy myself because one of the benefits of not eating with your Partner is that you don't need to be considerate of her and you get to order what you truly desire. In my case, I'd spotted another cafe-goer eating a delicious looking mushroom pasta and that pretty much told me what I needed to order and trust me, I was definitely not disappointed. Aside from looking absolutely on point, the dish tasted delightfully fresh and was delicious to boot. I loved the fact that they included two slices of buttered bread to help you soak up all the sauce and I was really pleasantly surprised when the buttered bread turned out to be mildly sweet which helped enhance the moorish and creamy flavours of the pasta.

I'm a die hard carnivore and even I didn't miss the meat in this dish because the addition of the chunky king oyster mushrooms added a really nice textural bite to the whole package. The pasta was cooked al-dente and the bits of cheese and stringy enoki mushrooms made it a delight to eat. 

The coffee was also unexpectedly and amazingly good. Buttermelt stocks Sensory lab beans and whilst I'm not a big bean snob, I know good suppliers when I see them. After a deliciously satisfying meal, I'd normally just gulp down my coffee like it was water but the aroma and taste of the beverage actually managed to slow me down to little sips as I'd enjoyed it so much I subconsciously just wanted to sit there and enjoy the moment.

After my meal, I went off to grab my haircut and on the way to collect my car, I stopped by again to grab a drink for the road. I settled on the green tea smash which I saw someone else have earlier and again, was thoroughly impressed with how well they did it. A bit on the pricier side in terms or iced drinks but definitely well worth it, an intense matcha flavour permeates the whole drink and is well complemented by the mild sweetness of the vanilla ice cream. If you let the flavours just roll in your mouth, near the end, you'll notice a slight bitterness which helps round off the whole drink.

I actually cannot wait to bring the Mrs back to Buttermelt, not just because it's so accessible to the both of us but also because I can't believe that such a little gem was hiding under our noses the whole time. A sincere thank you to you guys at Buttermelt cafe, you'd given me a lovely lunch experience and set my weekend off to a great start.

Cafe Oratnek - Redfern, NSW

It's the weekend and it's brunch time again! This time, it's me who personally made the request to go for brunch (thanks for bearing with me Mrs). News on the grapevine is that there's a fantastic new cafe located in Redfern that's serving delicious katsu sandwiches...and I'm a sucker for katsu sandos. I was also quite intrigued because I knew that it was headed by Kenny Takayama ex-head chef of bills, Darlinghurst That's how we found ourselves driving through Redfern for a Japanese fusion brunch. Upon arriving, we were lucky enough to grab one of the last two tables available before the rush came in.

We quickly ordered our coffees and shortly after, once the Mrs had decided on what she wanted, ordered our food as well. They stock Mecca coffee at Oratnek and being one of my favourite coffee roasters, I had no issues just sipping and waiting for our food to come. The Mrs however (grumpy from a busy night) was not nearly as patient. Still, kudos to her for sitting out in the barely risen sun waiting for food with me. Additional to her standard coffee, I also ordered her a detox water as compensation.

For food, the Mrs ordered the spicy pork stuffed chicken wings served with chilli jam, chips, green laver (aonori). In my opinion, the wings could have been coated a little better (I like my fried chicken with more crunchy/crispy bits) but in terms of flavour, the dish was spot on. Each bite yielded a piping hot mouthful of juicy chicken and a spicy porcine goodness. The wings are only made better when dipped into the sweet tasting chilli jam. The only issue the Mrs had was that there weren't enough wings after sharing with me.

Now...regarding my dish, I could effectively rant incessantly about it and even then I'd probably still have more to say... I was simply that impressed by it. I'd seen multiple pictures from other food-bloggers and I had wondered if it'd be a bit small for my appetite but that concern was quickly addressed when the sandwich actually arrived at the table. The portion was sized quite well and the juicy tonkatsu had an ample thickness to it. The combination of the slightly-thicker-than-standard bread and the mustard covered cabbage made for an excellent accompaniment to the delicious piece of fried pork. To me, this was heaven in a sandwich.

Overall, I'd say I had a really good time. I mean compared to most other times when I have brunch, this meal really satisfied me. The outside courtyard would make a wonderful place to sit and have a conversation in spring or summer and I can't wait to see what they bring to the menu when the season does change.

@ the corner - Peakhurst

It's been a bit of a dry week for the Mrs and I (mainly cause I'm limited by how much money I have left to spend until pay day) but also because the Mrs and I haven't been all too free. The next week is gonna be a good time (stay tuned) but for this week, bear with us a little. As you all know, the Mrs loves brunch and with the expansion of options in my area, I decided to take her to a new local place that came at the recommendation of a fellow insta-foodie, @ the corner.

Being that it's legitimately less than 3 minutes drive from my residence, it's a super convenient place to check out for a quick brunch. The Mrs and I also decided to bring along the mothership...you know, the more the merrier! They have plenty of parking on the street and the cafe was rather large so it looked like it could seat a number of people so that was good. Seating came immediately so that's another plus in my books. The menu is brief but not limited (which is the way it's supposed to be) with some seasonal specials on the blackboard. Sadly, I had missed the soft shell crab burger's run but I'm hoping that it makes a return for my next intended visit. The pastry selection is also rather wonderful with three flavours of cronuts on offer.

The mothership ordered coffee and the salmon sandwich which was a good choice as it was quite delicious. A soft boiled egg, flaky bits of smoked salmon and rocket encased in two slices of some of the best bread I've had. I'm always glad to eat with my mother because she rarely ever finishes her own food, which means more for me at the end of the day.

Would you like some??

Look at that egg!

The Mrs blew out and ordered scrambled eggs and toast with mushrooms, bacon, and avocado. According to the Mrs, the dish as a whole wasn't amazing (bear in mind this comes from an experienced brunch snob) but it was decently filling and satisfying. Appropriately sized for the price we paid for it. In all honesty though, I would have been glad to have her dish when compared to mine...

I'd have to say the biggest disappointment to me was my dish: the cheeseburger. I mean, Sydney's new wave of hipster burger purveyors are both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, we have amazing, greasy burgers that rivals the states...but on the other hand, an otherwise standard cafe burger is detrimented in comparison. Make no mistake, it was a decent burger but for me, the patty was too "industry" and lacked the charred, beefy, grisly flavour and texture I desired. The lack of melty american cheese, sauce and pickles didn't exactly help either. The typical lettuce, tomato and slices of tasty cheese just doesn't do it for me anymore...the fries (more like wedges) were good though, fluffy on the inside and lightly seasoned.

Looks a little small cause of the angle, but it was decently sized.

Inside shot

Did I mention I also had a nutella thickshake?

@ the corner is a great place for what it is, local and accessible. It provides the proposition that you don't have to go all the way out to the inner city suburbs for good brunch. Ignore your previous experiences with other places, take @ the corner for what it is and you'll be able to appreciate this cafe for it's simplicity. It really is wonderful to see the local scene develop and grow.

Brewristas - Glebe

Hello everyone!

Firstly, we'd like to thank each and every reader who comes by our little blog, we've recently been trying to blog more frequently (so that we can get a into the habit of posting and so that our list of places to blog about doesn't grow any more) and we're definitely noticing the increased views we're getting so that's good! It's such a humbling experience knowing that people come and find genuine interest in our lives so we definitely appreciate you taking the time to read about our adventures. We hope that we can continue to consistently provide good content regularly so stay tuned!

As Autumn begins to get into full swing and the weather become a bit colder each and every morning, it becomes increasingly harder to wake up. That said though, I still managed drag myself out of bed and take the Mrs on a brunch date. She's always been so lovely and supportive that I thought that she deserved a bit of treat. With that in mind, we got dressed in our Easter Monday best and drove all the way to Glebe to try out a place that's been on our list for some time now: Brewristas.

Parking really wasn't hard to find as there's plenty of street parking all along Glebe Point Rd and on the off chance that you just can't find any parking, Broadway has free 2hr parking so that definitely helps (it's not a far walk either!). 

Walk in and you'll notice that the place is rather expansive with a back area that looks very comfortable. We opted to take the first seats that became available. That wasn't any detriment though as we got to see all the people come and go. The unfortunate result of visiting on a public holiday was that the staff would be exceptionally busy meaning it took some time before our coffee and food would arrived. I didn't particularly have a problem with it as I personally like watching people do their thing but the Mrs wasn't nearly as patient. 

*Action shot!*

The Mrs had ordered her standard coffee which was done spectacularly however I opted for a pour over with the house beans.

Quality takes time and attention to detail. That I understood and so when my coffee came, I was all the more appreciative of it. Brownie points for the impeccably dressed Kevin and his wonderful explanation of the coffee and the way to enjoy it!

Our food eventually came (the staff acknowledged the wait and apologised for it so all was well in my books) and boy did the dishes look pretty. The cold eggplant and vegetable stack was delightfully fresh which made it an appetizing Autumn dish as the flavor of the pesto wasn't all too overpowering and there was the balsamic glaze there to cut through it all. The bits of chorizo (an additional $3) and boccocini also complimented the dish well.

Now, Kevin's balls...oh so delicious. The flavor that these four small balls pack is immense. The combination of the tofu and pork which is deep fried and encrusted with bits of Shin Ramyun and covered in a good amount of spicy mayo....a match made in heaven if there was ever a more apt description. My only wish was that there were more of it to go around. I don't think any adjective I label it with could give it the justice it deserves so if you're ever visiting, trust me: order one order for each diner. You will fight over these.....or you might be smart enough to order more, I don't know. 

Brewristas is definitely a place to come and spend an afternoon, ideally you'd shoot for a day where it's less busy but with how these guys are doing, I honestly don't think their popularity with the Sydney crowd is set to fizzle anytime soon. 

Would we return? For the balls? yes. Most definitely yes.

Recommendations? Order the balls...make sure you've ordered enough so you won't need to share. Oh and sit in the back so you have a clear view of the brewing station.

Areas of improvement? If they provided more balls for the price that would be great but I guess that's just an indication of how impressive they were.