Zondar! Nerds in Food Land

Would have to be one of the best views in Sydney. I was convinced by the barista to try soy, so that they could label me a ‘Soy Boy’ - weird… A delicious morning in a postcard setting. Is it unusual to find great coffee in a cafe that commands a monopoly..? Perhaps locals who prop up the winter trade demand a particular standard.

A conversation about the ‘best’ soy milk followed. I was informed it is Bonsoy, which most cafe’s unfortunately don’t use. Bonsoy has Kombu which im told makes a big difference.

Its supposed to be a Bondi standard and in many ways it is; hard to get a table, cliquey crowd, haphazard service depends on whimsical waiters , coffee looks OK but was too cold for my liking, prices were fair…

A friend of mine recommended the pancakes, I should have taken his advice cause the beans were not a patch on Barry’s.

This was posted on the wall at Mecca.

Waiting for the hype launch in July to know more…

Dark, thick crema, excellent temperature, not a hint of bitterness, and oh so smooth…

Mecca: fast, dice on the saucer to indicate table number, guys slot neatly into the barista image; 4-10 day growth, fitted black t-shirts, clearly very serious about good coffee.

I noticed ‘3rd place Australian barista’ award amongst others.

Mecca Espresso Bar must get hoards of morning punters more than willing to shell out 3 bucks, two big shiny machines to deal with that.

If I had an international guest to impress with good Sydney coffee, I’d bring them to Mecca.

More positive words on Mecca.

Alessandro, an Italian guy I met while backpacking in Spain, came to stay at our place and brought a Moka Express as a gift. It was a slow transition which may have begun out of poiliteness but I’ve not turned back. Pre Moka we used a plunger religiously. I guess the Moka feels more like a cafe coffee in preparation but what about the taste? I’ve read there may be health benefits of plunger Coffee over the Moka, is it worth turning back after so many years following Alessandro’s instructions? Pack well but not firmly, extinguish the flame as soon as it’s percolated, pour immediately, no detergent for cleaning…

Coffee Geek has some great instructions for making good plunger Coffee.

Interesting list on Web Worker Daily.

The only one we have out here is Starbucks, and the coffee there…? Though I heard on FBI last night Starbucks have a new compilation with a Sonic Youth track. Interesting angle from a chain like that…

Beans do. After my last post and plenty of  research I’ve decided a standard big breakfast must have them. If the out-of-the-tin baked beans are too English school dinner prison food for your cafe then do what Barry’s does in Bondi and make your own deliciously saucy little home made legumes. SoRMuiJAi’s post of her own big breakfast led me to the flickr full English pool, yeah! How many of these are free of bean?

I know what you’re thinking, the Aussie big breakfast doesnt have beans, it has bloody chips mate! The legendary Three Step Cafe on Bondi Road would agree with you there… And when it comes to a great value fry up they cant be beat. They cleverly avoid the bean dilemma by not having a standard big breakky, they list more than 10 different combinations. All under 10 bucks with a coffee.

A tough mission: Cafe in Hall Street Bondi that’s high on quality and low on attitude. Gertrude and Alice was our first stop but their new and slightly smaller (yet more attractive) premises was packed. We braced ourselves, shuffled down to Le Paris-Go and perched buttocks at a little table outside.

Settling in was mellowing, reggae tunes resonated; busy but under control. Le Paris-Go is not a place to be shy to order a soy piccolo, so we did, along with a couple of cappuccinos. First round of coffees was prompt and strong. Service stayed swift, the big breakfast arrived, no beans, it seems potatoes were preferred. Do the fit & fluffy Bondi set really demand those extra carbs?

‘Frenchness’ may extend beyond the wait staff but it wasn’t overly apparent. Its worth diving into Le Paris-Go, there’s a reason all those people inside look so smug.

Envy in Summer Hill may sound like a bad romance novel, but actually, it’s a good café.

I was once a baby in Summer Hill. I haven’t lived there since I was only a few years old but I still remember being pushed in a pram down Moonbie street.

The occasion of taking my three kids to the park is sometimes an opportunity to quietly sip a takeaway long black. At least for a minute or two, and then I get to practice my beverage balancing skills while pushing the swing or kicking a soccer ball.

Scoping out the location of my last pleasant Summer Hill coffee experience a year ago I was fairly sure this particular café had changed hands since I was last in town: now called Envy.

What really struck me was the stark contrast between the absolutely frenetic pace behind the counter (these people were like ninjas on speed) and the mellow conversations between the several elderly patrons sitting in the adjacent Edwardian parlour. I guess this is what a great suburban café is all about. Something for everyone.

I can’t vouch for how fine their food is (I didn’t try any), but the barista at Envy can make fine coffee. Pretty soon I was exiting with my long black in two paper cups (I’m told its because of the temperature). It’s the little things.

Big angry rain finally eased yesterday. I walked down to the Aquabar at Campbell Parade to grab breakfast, so did a thousand other people. Why didn’t I go to Bondi Road for an alternative? x-( Yah. They were polite and tried to squeeze our group in but we didn’t want to wait so just went next door to Bondi Kiosk. Not a grumpy face decision either. Super smiley staff and great beans! My theory: square plates = bad food, went out the door. The bloke at the next table had a Bacon Lettuce Advocado Tomato (BLAT), it was huge, he was a happy boy. Eating like a pig on a public holiday with two creamy coffees and a little tip set me back 25 bucks.