Brunching Joyously (Haven Cafe review)

I've never been to a cafe more than once than at Haven Joyously Tailoring Coffee in Surry Hills. Not only do I love spending a bright, sunny morning in Surry Hills with great company - the food is amazing and the staff are such sweethearts (I sound like someone's middle aged aunt right now). 

Black Sesame Egg Waffles
Source: http://havenspecialtycoffee.com.au/

I keep coming back for their fresh menu and this time we ordered the Matcha egg waffles, Morrocan Salmon with cous cous and Felafel Potato. I have absolutely zero guilt if it's MATCHA ice cream for breakfast! It's not common in Sydney to get egg waffles like these, especially when they feature in Taiwan and HK where my go to instafoodies travel! Ultimate disappointment at the overseas geotag until Haven saves the day!! Also shoutout to the salmon dish which was bursting with flavour and perfectly cooked (soft pink on the inside). Food never disappoints in flavour, innovation and aesthetics.

Source: Broadsheet

Source: Weekend Notes

What's a brunch at Haven without its unique brews! Would totally recommend the Dragon Oolong ice tea (great for the summer) or the nutty coffee brew. It features nutty and wine notes, minus the heavy alcoholic tang! 

Let's not forget the staff who know the coffee blends back to front and are always asking how your meal is going! They really go the extra mile and it's partly why I recommend this place all the time with friends! 

If you're planning the next catch up, give Haven a go! 

$$
Ambience 5/5
Fare $$
Service 5/5
Foodwise 5/5
Now back to the rinse repeat cycle of uni!
Don't forget to treat yourself..
MVPD

Devon Cafe Review

I don't know about you but when fellow brunchers post and snap about this mysterious 'Aphrodite's Bowl' from Devon Cafe in Surry Hills, something ignites in me - a curiosity (duh) and part that likes 'pretty things'.

100% sure I was eating Happiness in a bowl....

With the havoc of uni exams and assignments forcing you to compromise with quick dodgy mascara, el-DAG attires and cycling between the same three shoes.... the time had come to finally 'feel pretty' hehe. (Not endorsing that this bowl has supernatural powers capable of solving all our issues - I wish)

Disclaimer: The sis had not finished exams yet so was not allowed to celebrate despite it being a 'Government Politics' unit.

So us superior second years went and brunched in style. Devon is one of those cafes that kinda surprise you the way it looks cause all you see from other bloggers and Instagram is table + food + beverages. But we loved the seating at the back - very courtyard garden-y minus actual foliage.

The only non-food picture evidence of actual Devon interior
since we were waay too engrossed with snapshoting our food
(I mean hello, Aphrodite's own bowl was in front of me)!

We ordered two 'Naked Bruschetta' (didn't come with diced tomatoes for all you tomato lovers out there!). But the goats cheese was juuuuust right (I swear cafes always get it right here - never too salty!) and don't we all love roasted beetroots with avo? Also- shout out to the egg (always the egg) and thinly roasted slices of beetroot and radish (yum yum in my tum tum).

While there were other items on the menu - in this episode I was again  'girl on a mission'. In a nutshell (description totally not doing it justice here) it's a rice pudding garnished with rose petals, pistachio and crunchy honeycomb with a dollop of chia jam. I think rose water may come into the equation somewhere but my senses don't tingle as well as Spidey's.

Please excuse the bruschetta at the back looking
like a dark star :P

 The ratio of rice to actually pudding-ness (I'm sorry if I'm politically incorrect) was a little low for my liking if I think of rice pudding past times. But with this said, garnishes on point! They add the right chew and crunch (and at the right time too- magical?) so you can be assured you're not just having bby food. Tops to Devon on their chia jam too, went great with each pudding spoonful! So Aphrodite's Bowl did deliver and now I literally want a little elf or something preparing me this every morning for breakfast in bed as I catch up on the newest GoT.

"Naked Bruschetta" with hiding walnut bread
- Sorry for the dark photo :( 

I don't go to Surry Hills enough but it's always been the best!
We learned the hard way that Devon doesn't get cronuts delivered from its other store during weekdays. So we jumped on the first train to Brewtown and also learnt the hard way (again) that brewnuts go like (literally) 'hot cakes' with this chick before us ordering 'one of each' - what a cruel, cruel world!

Somehow we always end up in Newtown?! Coincidence? I think not! :)

Three Word Summary: Bright, Modern, Cronuts
Ambience 4/5
Fare $$
Service 5/5
Foodwise 4/5


Ciao for now!
MVPD xo

Blacksmith Catch Ups

I can finally say I've visited the Surry Hills cafe scene after weeks of seeing blog reviews, the top Sydney cafe lists and of course every second foodgram from fellow brunch bloggers!

We hit Blacksmiths cafe on Chalmers Street and got hooked up with a small window table, ordered then were left in peace to admire the industrial decor. The creative menu is defs worth a mention too! Nowadays who wants to order from a simple, ordinary piece of paper! One look to our right (we didn’t ‘See a Hollywood sign’ like Miley Cyrus) was a green view of Prince Alfred Park to watch the day go by!

There's just something about Surry Hills that's so close to the bustling city but at the same time so slow moving and relaxing!

 

We came during the late lunchtime when it was winding down and ordered the chicken baguette ($13.50) and tricolor quinoa ($16 - because who doesn't love quinoa)! The lunch menu touches all tastes but doesn't dally on one sort of dish which makes for great choice of dishes that are uniquely different. The most choice you have is your baguette!

 

The quinoa - no offense baguette-  looked PERFF in all its tricolour glory!! It did come out looking slightly less in the terms of the actual quinoa versus other ingredients than I expected as I've had the pleasure to acquaint myself with quinoa dishes of other eateries at slightly lower rates - a bit of a player I know :P . But it was fresh and still the perfect serving size leaving me full but not heavy with the sweet pomegranate, non OTT salty goats cheese and amazing date vinaigrette. This was one of the best quinoa combination of ingredients that I have tried so I was happy inside and out by the end of it! 

 

The baguette was glitzed up with fresh salad and homemade sauce so you weren't just having chicken in a bread roll. The chicken was succulent and easy to eat with cutlery without making a large scene (always a plus!)

Fresh, healthy and fulfilled was how we left! We will definitely come again, this time for the cakes which looked so good as we were checking out (not sure if we'll be leaving with that same healthy feeling the next time)! It makes for such a good catch up place for friends towards the late lunchtime so you can update on all the gossip and what not, talk animatedly for ages (the food won't go cold and hard on you) and also good exercise for the neck as you look around at the decor! (The toilets were pretty cool too :D )

Walking past the counter towards the back are some pretty authentic and practical touches to the industrial theme with the sacks of baker's flour and strange machines and contraptions (my guess is something Blacksmith related?). If we weren't talking we spent most of the time checking out the cool ceiling in a non-awkward way - there's such a nice contrast with the greenery, hanging pot plants and the tin lights. 

 

To Surry Hills..... doing it right since the 1790’s

Three Word Summary: Rustic, Authentic, Contemplative
Ambience 5/5
Fare $$
Service 5/5
Foodwise 4/5


MVPD