Salvage Specialty Coffee, Artarmon

For someone who spends most of the week indoors, in an area without any windows whatsoever, Salvage is a delightful change of scenery. Imagine sitting outdoors under a big umbrella, soaking in the beautiful gorgeous sunshine, enjoying a delicious fresh meal and a good cup of coffee with a dear friend...such a relaxing start to the weekend!

Now with 'specialty coffee' in its name, you definitely expect some exceptional coffee. And yes, Salvage actually listed the origin for their coffee beans, displayed on a huge blackboard next to the coffee machine. When I visited, the blend was 66% Guatemala Santa Isabel and 33% Ethiopia Kolowa...which means nothing to me, other than the fact they are super keen to perfect the taste of their coffee with the right ratio of beans. And honestly, when my cappuccino arrived, I was rather disappointed that it was only just warm. Such a shame as it seemed like it was good roast and blend with beautiful latte art to match!

Cappuccino $3.50

I loved how Salvage offers so many weekend specials for food! I decided to try the Gobble Gobble, which sounded like it was inspired by the Christmas season with ingredients such as turkey, cranberry and red currant! Indeed the dish was just so delicious, fresh with a homemade feel. I loved the textural complexity of the dish - tender turkey meat, crunchy toasted pistachios...with a lovely prosciutto layer to finish. And I absolutely loved the homemade cherry and red currant jam! I am such a big fan of chunky jams with generous bits of fruit especially berries. May be a bit too sweet for some though but was simply amazing with the toasted crunchy seeded sourdough...yum!

Gobble Gobble: Turkey, cranberry & pistachio terrine, wrapped in prosciutto,
served with cherry & red currant jam & seeded sourdough toast $18

My friend decided to order the three little piggies which was pork cooked three ways. While bringing out the dish to us, the waiter was so eager to point out that the dish was arranged in the shape of a pig! He was like..see.. the tail and the snout made out of pork crackling, body of slow cooked pork and the salad leaves as the ears! Very adorable indeed. And besides presentation, this dish delivered! I loved the crunchy crackling contrasted by the juicy slow cooked pork and the delicate pork floss. The chutney and salad also added a good tangy taste to the dish to cut through all the meatiness.   

Three Little Piggies - pork three ways: pork rillettes, pork floss & pork crackling
served with apple & galangal chutney with nasturtium apple & radish salad. $18 

All in all, Salvage is an ideal weekend brunch cafe to be outdoors, enjoying the company of good friends in a relaxed environment. I would be keen to come back for the weekend brunch specials. However, Salvage may not be so ideal in rainy weather as there was only one bench for indoor seating...

Salvage Specialty Coffee
5 Wilkes Avenue, Artarmon
Mon - Fri: 6:30am - 2:30pm
Sat: 7:30am - 2:30pm
Sun: 8:00am - 1:00pm

Elbow Room Espresso, Chatswood

It's hard to miss a cafe like Elbow Room Espresso with its large glass windows opening into an airy place with lots of natural light and a mean silver coffee machine which resides at the very centre of the cafe. The decor is all about simplicity - black walls, wooden tables and pops of green succulents dotted throughout the cafe.

It was too early for the lunch menu, so we opted for the all day breakfast items. Options included many standard items including bacon and egg rolls, banana bread, granola and bircher muesli but my eyes were drawn to the french toast! I'm such a sucker for sweet items. I really liked the brioche made as a french toast as it was like eating a nice soft sponge cake with decadent maple syrup and berry drizzle. The house made cinnamon ricotta was lovely and creamy and paired well with the grilled bananas. I wish the banana was not as ripe though as I felt that it was way too mushy for me and that there was more pistachio, to give the dish a bit more crunchy texture to break through the all the softness.

French Toast with grilled banana on brioche $18

My friend ordered the grilled asparagus and prosciutto bruschetta and poached eggs. Call me boring but I still prefer the usual avocado on my sourdough than the broad bean and pea mash on this dish. Perhaps it was because I found it the mash a bit tasteless I was craving the creaminess of the avocado. But the prosciutto wrapped asparagus was particularly tasty - simply fresh, crispy, grilled asparagus spears firmly wrapped with salty meaty goodness...mmmm! And can't say no to the poached eggs which were cooked beautifully with perfectly runny yolks and fluffy whites.

Grilled asparagus and prosciutto bruschetta $18

Elbow Room offered plenty of gourmet drinks to suit all tastes from cold pressed juices, teas and their special house blend coffee. But because it was a warm day, I decided to order the Green Freak smoothie which sounded like a refreshing clean drink. And indeed it wasn't bad - the avocado and almond milk made the drink rather creamy with the perfect balance of sweetness from the honey.

Green Freak - spinach, chia seeds, avocado, lemon, mint, almond milk, honey $8

If you're a peanut butter fan, you'll probably love the chocolate, pretzel and peanut butter milkshake offered here. Imagine a Reeses bar but made into an incredibly smooth and creamy drink with crunchy pretzel bits. Mmm...!

Chocolate, Pretzel & Peanut Butter Milkshake $7

All in all, Elbow Room does tick all the boxes for what customers want at a cafe - comfortable seating areas perfect for catchups with friends and lots of gourmet food and drink options. I can't say the food tastes extraordinarily amazing but definitely is fresh and honest.

Elbow Room Espresso
6a Spring St, Chatswood
Mon - Fri: 6:00am - 4:00pm
Sat - Sun: 7:30am - 4:00pm

Armchair Collective, Mona Vale

Gorgeous weather and a public holiday...what better excuse than to go for a drive to the beach and visit a cafe especially one which is only moments away from the beach!

The vibe at Armchair Collective is distinctly casual and relaxed yet retains a sense of homeliness with a huge range of stylish home decor and fresh bunches of flowers near the counter. Look out for the retro armchairs and lamp shades which they have beautifully re-upholstered in vibrant fabrics and gives the cafe its name!  

As always, we decide to order the more unique dishes on the menu. I'm normally not a huge fan of lasagne but the way they described it on the menu as '72 hour-beef' with 'massaman sauce' sounded like it was worth a try! And indeed it was absolutely delicious. So much so that my family members kept stealing bits of the pasta and beef from my sister! Imagine beef which was so moist and tender that it melted in the mouth with bursts of flavour from the creamy flavoursome massaman sauce. And the pasta - just perfectly cooked al dente.

72-hr-beef open lasagna with massaman sauce,
couscous corn, herbs and chick pea $19.00

The soft shell crab burger also sounded very enticing...I mean who doesn't like deep fried crunchy goodness?! I first tried it at the Paramount Coffee Project a few months ago which was amazing so had high expectations for this one! However, I found the burger a little underwhelming. Yes it was tasty but felt like it was missing some tang to cut through the greasiness of the soft shell crab. On the menu, the burger was supposed to have wasabi mayo but I couldn't taste the wasabi flavour at all. And maybe it was also because the soft shell crab wasn't as crunchy as Paramount's version. The thick cut chips were great though! Not oily but simply crunchy on the outside and soft creamy potato in the middle! It would have been even better perhaps if the chips came with an aioli dip or perhaps sprinkled with some chicken salt or spices for that extra kick! 

Softshell Crab Burger with housemade wasabi mayo, baby cos,
alfafa, danish feta and thick cut chips $19.00

Being a huge peanut butter lover, I couldn't go past the peanut butter and salted caramel smoothie! It came served in a huge glass with a drizzle of salted caramel syrup on the bottom. Yep, this drink was worth the calories - very peanut buttery in taste but well balanced with the slight sweetness of the salted caramel! A nice decadent treat to accompany a cafe lunch on a hot day!

Salted Caramel and Peanut Butter Smoothie $8.00

We also tried the chai tea here. I thought it was a bit off balance in flavour with a strange bitterness that needed a lot of honey...and also quite powerfully gingery in taste that it burns the throat...! Personally would not recommend ordering this. The one at Brewtown was much nicer! :)

Chai Tea with Milk $5.00

All in all, a beautiful cafe conveniently located super close to the beach with a unique array of homewares and a refreshing menu! Worth a visit if you're in the area!

Armchair Collective
9A Darley Street East, Mona Vale
Mon - Sun: 7am - 4pm

 

Daisy's Milkbar, Petersham

A visit to Daisy's Milkbar is like travelling back in time to the 'good old days' - the curious world of milkshakes, retro music and cute cafe booths. From the moment you walk in through the baby pink wooden door, the cafe exudes a sense of excitement and fun. Picture a giant plastic icecream cone hanging off the wall, free cordial station, splashes of pastel blues, pink and yellow and booths decorated with fruity patterns!

The menu here at Daisy's was quite extensive with options for breakfast, lunch, tea or dessert. I must say that the breakfast and lunch options here were fairly standard compared to other cafes in Sydney. However, if you're in a for a real retro treat, the desserts sounded amazing and simply ideal for a romantic sweet date with salted caramel banana split, icecream sandwich and sundaes on offer!  

The zucchini and corn fritters were a tad disappointing as I was expecting them to be crunchy. What I did get was like a wet corn and zucchini pancake. I did like the tangy tomato and onion relish and creamy smooth mint yoghurt...but it wasn't that spectacular.

Corn and Zucchini Fritters with tomato and onion relish, mint yoghurt
& roasted carrot ribbons $16.00

On the other hand, the banana pikelets were a delight! I've shared before that I'm not a huge fan of bananas but these won me over! These pikelets were fruity and fluffy and paired beautifully with the caramelised banana and raspberry coulis. What I loved most was the decadent luxurious smooth maple butter...I could probably spoon that on my toast each morning if I could. Simply delicious and cinnamony!

Banana Pikelets with raspberry coulis and caramelised maple butter $14.50

Daisy's Milkbar is also known for their milkshake specials. On the day I went, the special on offer was pancake which didn't sound that appealing as it reminded me of gluggy pancake batter mix! I decided to get the Double Roasters cappuccino instead which was creamy, smooth and had lovely fruity tones. 

Cappuccino $3.50

All in all, Daisy's Milkbar was a nice escape from the everyday with its old school and fun feel. A bit of hit and miss with the food but maybe it might be worthwhile to visit again for the desserts!

Daisy's Milkbar
340 Stanmore Road, Petersham
Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 4:30pm
Sat - Sun: 8:00am - 4:30pm

Paper Plane Cafe, Parramatta

Call it a first world problem but how rare is it to find a cute and cozy cafe with friendly staff and absolutely delicious food outside of Petersham/Newtown/Surry Hills/Marrickville/Redfern?! You can see why I was super excited to find a sweet cafe like Paper Plane! Imagine a space which immediately makes you feel relaxed the moment you walk in, as if it had always been a place familiar to you. Add a bunch of mismatched wooden and metallic chairs with a mixture of pine and black table tops complementing the pine shelving and blue coffee cups. Then add two vintage bikes, some fresh flowers and plants which line the ceiling and adorn the tables...all in all, the space was warmly reminiscent of dreamy spring days. I was particularly drawn to the back wall which doubled as a blackboard. It not only listed the breakfast specials for the week and an abridged version of the menu but also a fun space of a weekly tip board!

Another plus side of this cafe was the extensive menu with sooooo many burgers to choose from! There are the safe options such as the cheeseburger, vegie burger or beef burger with the lot. But what stood out were the more 'adventurous' options with ingredients such as a coffee rubbed beef patty and peanut butter! I decided to order the signature Paper Plane Burger. Honestly, I was a bit hesitant to try it at first because peanut butter has always been one of my favourite spreads and I definitely didn't want a bad experience with it! However, it turned out to be one of the most delicious and satisfying burgers I've had! Each bite was an absolute delight with well-seasoned, juicy grilled beef patty, crispy bacon, melted cheese, fresh tomato and lettuce combined with a lashing of peanut butter one half of the brioche bun and a dash of barbecue sauce on the other. The 'bad boys' turned out to be very crispy chunky chips similar to the texture of wedges which were seasoned with chicken salt. An excellent side to a very yummy burger!

Paper Plane Burger - Beef patty, peanut butter, bacon,
lettuce & tomato on a brioche bun with a side of bad boys $12.90

This cafe also had a wide selection of cold and hot beverages from milkshakes to teas. I decided to try the peach melba ice tea which came served in a vintage glass.  It was a bit too sweet for me but definitely refreshing, slightly floral and very fruity!

Peach Melba Ice Tea - Peach pieces, hibiscus, apple pieces,
elderberries & sunflowers with fresh mint & mint leaves $5

So, I can see why this cafe is already listed in the good cafe guide, even though it only opened early 2014! Clearly, the owners understand what the public want - somewhere that is homely serving super tasty food! Now to recruit some friends so I can try more of the menu! Hehe :)

Paper Plane

5/2 Horwood Place, Parramatta

Mon - Fri: 8am - 3pm

Sat - Sun: 9am - 3pm

 

The Copper Mill, Alexandria

For many, a rainy winters day is best spent with a cup of tea indoors preferably under a blanket or by a fireplace reading a good book or watching a movie classic. There definitely must be a top notch reason  to venture out into the cold and wet weather! A visit to The Copper Mill in Alexandria is one such place. Although it was windy walking from St Peters station, the cafe was very inviting with the warmth and homely smells wafting from the open kitchen! I loved the decor of the wooden tables, concrete floors, exposed pipes which reflected the industrial area of Alexandria but also had the homely soft touches of fresh flowers on each table.

On Sundays, The Copper Mill offers an all day brunch menu offering a delightful mix of tantalising ingredients which are perfect for winter such as halloumi and mushrooms! 

The galette was incredibly flavoursome and simply the best comfort food. It was like eating a deconstructed pie with the flaky puff pastry of the galette gently balancing the soft (but not mushy!) spiced sweet pumpkin and halloumi . The creaminess of the yolk from the poached egg sitting on top brought the dish very nicely together.    

Galette - Puffed galette with spiced pumpkin, peas,
halloumi, coriander and a poached egg $13.50

The beef hash was also an excellent choice for comfort food. It looked so pretty with the assortment of fresh leafy greens on top, sweet baby radish which contrasted nicely with the beef and potatoes. The aromatically spiced flavoursome beef brisket had a slightly crunchy texture was a great combination with the perfectly soft potatoes. The dish simply made me just feel warm and fuzzy inside! 

Beef Hash - beef brisket, potato hash, caramelised onion, za'atar and a poached egg $15.00

Coffee here was good with the option of single origin coffee too. A rather pleasantly roasted flavour, not too strong or bitter.

Cappuccino

All in all, a delightful rustic cafe which serves simply delicious comfort food paired with good coffee. A much warmer and intimate feel to the cafe scene in Alexandria, perfect for a date or catchup. May be difficult for larger groups as there aren't many long tables.  

The Copper Mill
Suite B 338-356 Mitchell Rd, Alexandria
Mon - Fri 7am - 4pm
Sat 8am - 4:30pm
Sun 8:30am - 3pm

        

Manchester Press, Melbourne CBD

If I were ever to own a cafe, I would like to open one just like Manchester Press! I loved the chilled out, friendly and casual atmosphere of this cafe. I loved their consistent theme of a workshop feel with large shared tables that are old work benches and the staff wearing industrial aprons. And I loved that they are serious about their coffee, roasting their own beans!

Manchester Press is best known for their bagels with so many varieties to choose from whether you like yours sweet or savoury! On that day, the fruit and nut bagel sounded so appealing to me simply because I couldn't resist anything with berries and pistachio! And yes when I tried it, I was not disappointed at all. It was like eating a very fresh and fruity cheesecake (but with a bagel base). The mascarpone was deliciously creamy and smooth with the juiciness and sourness of fresh berries, perfectly combined with a spice laden bagel. The pistachio nut shavings added another level of texture of subtle crunchiness to the dish.  

Fruit and Nut Bagel - with mix berry mascarpone, fresh raspberries and pistachio nut $13

My friend ordered the apple and muscatel bircher. Say goodbye to boring old breakfast porridge, this bircher was super tasty with a delightful mix of apples, almonds, sour rhubarb and crunchy sesame clusters.  

Apple & Muscatel Bircher - with stewed rhubarb and honey sesame clusters $12

Lastly the coffee. Definitely this place delivered the best coffee while I was in Melbourne. Robust and aromatic...it was a divine blend and roast indeed! Notice also the whimsical touches of latte art too, definitely felt like the coffee was made with such love! 

Cappuccino $3.50

So out of the three cafes I visited while I was in Melbourne, this was by far my favourite with delicious fresh food and rich coffee, chillaxed vibe and simply perfect for any occasion whether it is a date or a girly catchup! The downside is that some may find the menu rather limited as it's mostly all bagels! 

Manchester Press

8 Rankins Lane, Melbourne

Mon - Fri: 7am - 5pm

Sat - Sun: 9am - 5pm

Birdman Eating, Fitzroy

Experimental. Quirky. That's the menu at Birdman Eating which rethinks common breakfast dishes and transforms it into something delicious, drawing from influences around the world. Want porridge? Try it with coconut and quinoa, banana and dark palm sugar. Feel like toasted banana bread? Try it with a chocolate hazelnut emulsion. How about French toast....which will be served with kaiserfleisch, a type of German ham and orange pekoe, a type of black tea? Interestingly, the baked eggs for the day was a Thai chicken with bok choy! A huge difference from the mainstream tomato based sauces for baked eggs these days!

Walking into Birdman Eating was like stepping back in time to an old school yet familiar bar. Old wine bottles adorned the walls, cleanly matched with the dark wooden tables.

I decided to be a little adventurous and ordered the 'Gran Cerdo' Black Pudding, wishing to try how dried pig's blood might taste in a sausage! I mean, pig's blood is a common dish served at yum cha restaurants as a jelly with chives. I guess I just wanted to taste the difference in cooking style and see which one works better! The portion size of this dish was generous and came accompanied with poached eggs, apple and tomato chutney and 'bubble and squeak' (aka traditional British dish of shallow fried leftover vegies after a roast dinner). Black pudding was a surprise to my tastebuds - it was slightly gelatinous and sticky, probably because it retained the property of blood but the same time incredibly rich in flavour and comforting to eat. I still prefer how the Chinese cook their pigs blood maybe as the texture doesn't resemble blood as much! The highlight though of this dish was the delicious apple and tomato chutney that is made onsite! It was tangy and sweet and went beautifully with the toast! The 'bubble and squeak' consisted of cauliflower, potato and onion which were all beautifully caramelised and cooked perfectly - an excellent accompaniment to the bold taste of the blood sausage.

'Gran Cerdo' Black Pudding with poached eggs & 'bubble and squeak' $17

My friend had the ricotta hotcakes, ideal comfort food for a cold day. The hotcakes were fluffy with a nice balance of sweetness. Good combination of texture too with the creaminess of the peanut butter, crunchiness of the roast almond, sweetness of the banana and maple syrup. She didn't seem wowed by the dish though, saying she could have made better hotcakes herself. Looking at her small dollop of icecream, I probably would've wished for more because it was the best part of the dish!

Ricotta Hotcakes with confit banana, peanut butter icecream & maple syrup $15

My cappuccino had a rich flavour and enticing aroma but comparatively not as robust as I had hoped. And if latte art is an important factor for your coffee, this coffee was not as "pretty" as other cafes!

Cappuccino $3.50

All in all, I would recommend a visit to Birdman Eating, especially for the food and for an intimate setting, perfect for a catchup with friends!

Birdman Eating
238 Gertrude St, Fitzroy
Mon - Fri 7am - 5pm
Sat - Sun 8am - 5pm

Top Paddock, Richmond

So what's the big deal about Top Paddock which won The Age Good Cafe Guide Award 'Cafe of the Year' for 2014 and 'Best New Cafe' for 2013? A lot!

Upon entering Top Paddock, it is easy to see that the owners understand what customers want at a café. Firstly, generous portions of fresh locally sourced produce incorporating refreshing combinations of flavour which excite the senses. While waiting for a table, my friend and I were both salivating as waiters carried the most colourful plates of food, all presented with care and precision. Secondly, a large airy open space which is both comfortable, a sense of community and bustling with life! This café is suitable for all occasions - there are some long tables for the large groups, round tables for those corporate or study groups, intimate small tables at the back for a girly catchup or date, or a bench perfect for those dining alone. Thirdly, unique decor - certainly achieved through the quirky detail on the stools which are based on familiar parking signs as well as plants throughout the café.

I had the gin and lime cured ocean trout which came beautifully presented. The ocean trout had a crispy skin with a tangy fresh flavour and creamy texture. The sweet, slightly sour baby beetroots helped to cut through the fattiness of the fish and nicely combined with the melt in your mouth potato galette. I particularly loved the goat curd, adding to the freshness and creaminess of the dish. Eggs were poached perfectly with a flavoursome delicious runny yolk.

Gin and lime cured ocean trout fillet with pickled baby beetroots,
potato galette, poached eggs, leaves, goats curd & toast $20

 My friend had the special for the day: pine mushrooms on flat bread topped with taleggio cheese. I only tried a little of hers, very aromatic and packed a punch of flavour with the mushrooms and melted soft cheese. But to be honest, after a few more bites, the dish was very oily and overpowering from the cheese and the dressing of garlic, chilli and parsley oil. It was like eating a badly made garlic naan bread as the bread eventually soaked all the fat.

Mornington pine mushrooms on house made flat bread
with taleggio cheese and a garlic, chilli & parsley oil $17.50

We didn't order any drinks this time but the café certainly were serious about their coffee with an imposing coffee machine and three grinders perched on the bench. There was also the option to choose single origin coffee.

I didn't feel this café had the warm service I expected, probably because the staff were super busy even on a Monday. However, the the menu seems to have many exciting options I would be eager to try when I'm next in Melbourne!

Top Paddock

658 Church Street, Richmond

Weekdays 7am - 4pm

Weekends 8am - 4pm 

 

Brewtown, Newtown

I am such a sucker for dessert especially pastry. So when I heard about this somewhat new fad called the cronut, I was very eager to try it! I mean, who doesn't love croissants with its enticing flaky pastry? And donuts as satisfying comfort food? That can only mean pure deliciousness in combination right?!

Brewtown is one such cafe which is pumping out the cronuts at a unbelievable rate. Tucked away from busy King St, this cafe stands out with a lively ambiance of customers all wanting to relax with a good coffee and food. Many customers were constantly coming into the cafe to order multiple coffees and cronuts for takeaway as well. 

The cronuts came in four different flavours: chocolate, glazed, cinnamon and jam. I tried the jam cronut first and it was divine! The pastry layers were buttery and well balanced with the sweetness of the icing sugar sprinkle and luscious strawberry jam. This was definitely a trade up from your everyday croissant or jam donut and worth the calories! On the other hand, the cinnamon cronut was still tasty with the same lovingly made buttery pastry but to me, the flavour and texture wasn't as sensational as the jam cronut. It was much like the Chinese egg puff (沙 翁) you get in yum cha with the same sugary coating.

Jam Cronut (L) and Cinnamon Cronut (R) $4.50 each

Coffee here also exceeded expectations. It was evident that a lot of care has been put into each coffee they serve simply from the beautiful latte art and more importantly the robust, aromatic and well rounded flavour.

Cappuccino $3.50

The loose leaf spiced chai was a delight and possibly one of the best I have ever had. Unlike the chai at Bread & Circus, this tea was gently spiced and homely in flavour and was a wonderful accompaniment to the cronuts.

Loose leaf spiced chai $4.50

All in all, Brewtown is a cafe that is worth trekking to just for the coffee and cronuts. The breakfast and lunch options look pretty exciting and tasty too so I definitely have to visit again in future for brunch!

Brewtown Newtown
6-8 O'Connell St, Newtown
Open 7 days 8am-4pm