Category Archives: Cafe & Casual Eating

Mrs Sippy, Double Bay

mrs sippy double bay

At the risk of telling you my exact age it has been decades since I was last checked in by a bouncer outside an establishment. Although I should add that I only went to establishments that had bouncers when I was a teenager and therefore it was more exciting to get in when you were let’s say technically under the age limit. Ahem… so where was I?

mrs sippy double bay

Oh yes in Double Bay,  a place otherwise known as Double Pay where the latest criminal installment involved the theft of expensive flowers from a restaurant by a Louis Vuitton bag carrying, BMW driving Darling Point resident. I was whispered the name “Mrs Sippy” by dining companion Beau mistaking it for a place called “Mississippi” which got me all excited because I thought that it served food from America’s south. Not so said Beau but it had good food nevertheless and was one of his favouritest, newest places. And a bouncer whom I had mistaken for another guest (albeit a burly one-I am so out of touch with the clubbing scene) has just lead us the few metres to the restaurant area where we are shown to a table. There are no bookings at Mrs Sippy but we figure eating early-ish helps in this regard. And from the crowd gathered around it’s already a local haunt for Eastern Suburbites.

mrs sippy double bay

The decor is exposed brickwork, vintage looking Chesterfield banquettes on one side and nothing else really to note in terms of decor apart from a curious ceiling made up of slender slats of wood with one end looking like it has been dipped in red paint -and ghoul that I am I think of dripping blood (although non ghoul Mr NQN does too).

mrs sippy double bay

Crispy skin pork belly, spiced apple, mustard fruits $18

The menu has smaller bites all around the $20 mark such as salads and sandwiches (the tuna nicoise apprently flies out the door during lunch) and the mains never hit over $29 which is refreshingly at odds with Double Bay’s other name of Double Pay. The crispy skin pork belly is perfectly cooked-the lid a satisfyingly crunchy shell atop a soft, melted gooey base. The spiced apple is a puree and the sweetened jam like mustard fruit the ideal accompaniments to the pork.

mrs sippy double bay

Assorted sashimi, seaweed salad $21

The sashimi comprises of four slices of salmon and four slices of kingfish. It comes with a fantastic finely diced ginger which gives it a lovely heat and warmth with a touch of cider vinegar. I actually prefer it to the pickled ginger that you get with sushi and sashimi as there is a real warmth to this. And Mr NQN also likes the wasabi given too.

mrs sippy double bay

Crumbed veal cutlet, Jerusalem artichoke and green beans $29

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Joe Black, Surry Hills

joe black surry hills

I’m a firm believer in magic. Truly honestly I am and it’s the kind of thinking that makes my very scientific and logical husband just despair and roll his eyes with a tight, tolerant smile (think the same smile one gives to a potentially violent mental patient). So when I see an item on the cafe menu that says “Magic $3.50″ I point at the item in question and say to him “Look! I told you there was magic!”

joe black surry hills

joe black surry hills

We’re sitting at Joe Black which is a place near where Mr NQN works.  When I want Mr NQN to do something I go about it the wrong way. I do a version of a child tugging at their parent’s pants or skirt and repeat requests a lot. When Mr NQN wants to insist that we do something he simply mentions that “We really should go there” and he says it with such a serious tone that I know he means business. And several times he talked about the coffee at Joe Black and said “You really should go there” with that serious look replacing his usual impish countenance.

joe black surry hills

I have walked into Joe Black and have staked a place at the communal table while Mr NQN is parking the car. It’s a small cafe but with cosy service and they ask me if I would like a coffee while I am waiting. I’m uncertain and the barista holds up his palms and says “No pressure” while the girl behind the counter laughs and jokingly says “I’m just going to stare at you until you order” and pretends to stare avidly for a moment. I look around-there are walls full of memorabilia and just near the kitchen are four cookie jars suspended above the counter with cookies for $3  ranging from “chunky funky monkeys” to “giant rainbow cookies” and a rather amusing one called “Fresh Air” for $20-this of course being an empty cookie jar.

joe black surry hills

When Mr NQN arrives we take a seat at a table in a little further as its an unseasonably chilly Spring day. We face a wall of what look to be family school photos, along with a photo of what looks like someone’s first teenage car. Bags of moustache stamped coffee sit on the counter and a coffee siphon machine sits to one side. Mr NQN usually orders a long black but today he has the time to try a siphon coffee which takes time both to make and to drink as you usually let it sit for about 5 minutes. Both luxuries he can’t really afford on a busy work day.

joe black surry hills

They set down some enamel cups and brown beer bottles filled with water while we peruse the small, neat selection of menu items. There are five breakfast items available all day and four lunch items available after noon with a note that there is a “full menu coming soon (please be patient).” Items are described cheekily with items such as “granola with diced apple and berry compote (very fancy)” and “pikelet stack with stuff” and there’s a selection of sandwiches by John Daly randomly named after the notoriously unhealthy golfer.  We ask the waitress for her recommendations and whether we should get the steak sandwich or one of the sandwiches and she says “The steak sandwich, I can’t lie, it’s awesome.”

joe black surry hills

Flat white $3.50

The coffee as to be expected is very good and very drinkable with very little bitterness to it.

joe black surry hills

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Armchair Collective, Mona Vale

armchair collective mona vale

Mr NQN has his sporty thing. Every weekend or so he has to run around and get it out of his system. I have a similar thing and that involves shopping. Even grocery shopping to me is fun. So when I got the chance to sneak in a little shopping amongst a lunch I get very excited. Armchair Collective is a shop slash cafe that sells…well armchairs as well as all sorts of beach side items, cushions, cups, bowls and fresh flowers.

armchair collective mona vale

There is sometimes an unease when you walk into a place that is full of locals. They clearly know the place well and you (or at least I) feel like an interloper. Especially when shared tables are involved and large sprawling families occupy them or girls in groups huddle for warmth or gossip. So when Mr NQN and I arrived at The Armchair Collective I felt a bit out of place looking for a table. Like we were the last two standing in a game of musical chairs as we see group after group take the remaining empty tables.

armchair collective mona vale

armchair collective mona vale

We end up perching on the end of one of the large table but then move swiftly when we see a table free up. This five month old cafe is frightfully busy but it is also quite large with lots of tables. The food comes out quickly and so turnover is fast and I don’t think you would end up waiting for more than 10 minutes for a table if that. Ordering is at the counter where you also get a copy of the menu.

armchair collective mona vale

Lunch is served from 12pm-3pm and there are the usual cafe staples: soups, burgers, sandwiches and salads. I’m a bit smitten with the idea of an olive oil panini and specifically their version of a BLT-the BRT with rocket replacing the lettuce. The prices range from excellent to prices that Mr NQN gristles at ($25 for fish and chips, “they’d want to be good” he says and is not persuaded by the fact that they are Whale Ale beer coated ). Things seems to be mostly around the $15 mark except for the aforementioned fish and chips and the more substantial sounding lamb and trout.

armchair collective mona vale

armchair collective mona vale

The guy behind the counter is very friendly and asks how your day is going (and actually waits and listens for the answer!) and when I ask him he says that taking photos inside is absolutely not a problem at all. I take my large wooden number to the table and then do a bit of a walk around of the store. There are loads of gifty types of presents, a lovely range of candles by ZenDiva, mint balls which are a definite curiosity, delicious looking Australian honeycomb and lovely tea sets and glasses. Still, perhaps I was having an off day but nothing made it’s way onto my credit card. Perhaps Mr NQN has been practicising magic! ;)

armchair collective mona vale

Chai with milk $4.50

I’ve had my happy lap around and I look up and see that our food and drinks are being delivered to the table.  My loose leaf chai is a generous serving in a teapot boiled with milk the way it should be with a side of honey and cinnamon. It’s excellent with a delicious array of spices and even a slight hot cinnamon tingle at the end. And there was enough in the teapot to make 5 cup’s worth (this is where Mr NQN’s mum Tuulikki would beam up at the sky and express joy-she loves those “bottomless” teapots). Mr NQN had a long black, which we had to chase but was brought to us quickly. All he had to say was “Yeah it was alright” which means I should just taste it for myself next time ;)

armchair collective mona vale

BRT $12

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Clipper Cafe, Glebe

 

clipper cafe glebe

“I think life is essentially chaotic and meaningless” Queen Viv said to me one day.

“I disagree, I think everything happens for a reason. Like today!” I exclaimed gaily.

“OK Pollyanna” Queen Viv said with mirth.

clipper cafe glebe

You see it’s true. Only that morning Mr NQN had thieved my keys to our precious Purdie the Prius car on loan from Toyota (inadvertently, he had them in his jacket pocket) and I was left hailing a taxi to a facial appointment (hot wiring a Prius is way beyond my skill level). Mr NQN couldn’t grumble about the $80 taxi bill this time. While occupied taxi after taxi whizzed past I got a text message from Queen Viv asking me if I would like to have lunch with her as she was going stir crazy at home.

clipper cafe glebe

I rang her at home and explained my dilemma. Would she be able to pick me up after the facial and then we could have lunch and I could get dropped home? Turns out she was more than happy to do that given the relatively short distances between the activities and that’s how we found ourselves standing outside of Clipper Cafe in Glebe. We were tossing up between visiting the buttery goodness of La Banette or the eclectic charm of Clipper Cafe but as Queen Viv pointed out there was only one table available and it happened to be at Clipper Cafe. It’s that fate I tell ya ;) Plus I was testing out my fellow blogger Sally at Toffee Tomatoes’ new Sydney Cafe Culture iPad application which for $3.99 gives you an outline of 200 of Sydney’s cafes along with a brief outline and some images and can also search for results depending on your current location). When she picked me up I searched for any cute cafes nearby and this came up!

clipper cafe glebe

Despite the name and photos of Clipper ships, the theme inside is bicycles. Bikes on walls, bikes shaped out of wire, bikes in many, many forms. It’s after 1pm on a Wednesday afternoon and the place is brimming with university students from nearby Sydney University. Laptops are out taking advantage of the free wifi and it is bustling.

clipper cafe glebe

Now Clipper Cafe seems to divide people and it seems much of the divide is with the service. For us today the service is fine, friendly enough and we never have to wait very long but perhaps that depends on when you go. The menu runs all day which means you know what I love. All. Day. Breakfast. Oh joy!

clipper cafe glebe

Which  means that when Queen Viv suggests the Eggy Crumpets with bacon we both coo that it sounds like a good idea. The baked eggs were also a contender for tummy space but some reports had them as overcooked. For good measure we also try another breakfast item and a salad as it is all about balance.

clipper cafe glebe

Chai Latte $4

The chai blend we are told is actually made by the owner’s mum who is Indian and we are pleased to find that it is steeped in the milk rather than in water giving it a rich texture and a full flavour. The chai blend is intoxicatingly fragrant.

clipper cafe glebe

Iced Chai $5

I felt like something chai flavoured but wanted to order something else so the Iced chai was my choice. The chai flavour is lighter and sweeter than the chai latte and yet we both enjoyed both of these.

clipper cafe glebe

Arabian bircher muesli $8

The bircher muesli is said to be Arabian style so it features the pistachios and a dollop of yogurt and honey on top. It’s filling and not too sweet despite the honey and the pistachios give it a nice crunch.

clipper cafe glebe

Eggy crumpets with bacon $12

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Hemingway’s, Manly

hemmingways manly review

The menu reads: “hemingway’s manly is a small bar and casual dining spot with it’s tongue planted firmly in your cheek… He (chef Ben Pichon) wishes to acknowledge his influences: the colonel, mr. mcdonald, school canteens, ikea hot dogs & carnivals across the globe.”

hemmingways manly review

If there’s one thing I appreciate in any human being it’s a sense of humour. I just cannot bond with you unless you have one. So when I read the above line about the chef’s influences at Hemingway’s in Manly I was tickled pink and had to laugh. It also made me settle right in.

hemmingways manly review

It’s a menu housed in a book, a volume of “Collier’s Junior Classic: Harvest of Holidays” to be exact. The liquor and food are earmarked and the pages feature a neat selection of eight entrees, seven mains and three desserts. There are spins on childhood classics such as “chip degustation”, “2 minute noodles” and “pb &j”. Cocktails features Cottee’s lime cordial and aeroplane jelly and there are drinks from Passion Pop to “rap-video-level champagne” while bar snacks include chip buttys.

hemmingways manly review

hemmingways manly review

Open for eight weeks already Hemingway sits right on the beach facing the water so it’s at a scenic location. Downstairs is the bar which is already abuzz at 7pm on a Saturday night. Upstairs is the restaurant, still noisy, where Louise and Viggo are waiting for us. There’s a warm, homey and quirky atmosphere and black and white pictures of Ernest Hemingway line the walls including a picture of him and his cats. And why Hemingway’s? Did Ernest Hemingway have a bent towards Antipodean childhood food? No, it’s because the three owners admire Hemingway’s lifestyle-he drank, he loved women, he survived two plane crashes and he was a very masculine sort of guy.

hemmingways manly review

‘c o r n ’ charred sweet corn cob, lime butter & manchego cheese $6

We enjoy dining out with Louise and Viggo because they are also of the same thinking-try as much as possible and share. So we go a little wild with the dishes which the waitress explains are meant to be playful and shared. The kitchen is very organised and all of our entrees come within a few minutes of each other. The corn comes as two corn cobettes blanketed with tangy, rich manchego cheese and rolled all over with a delectable lime butter. The corn has just the right amount of char and yet the kernels are still plump and soft and the manchego cheese and lime butter give it a tangyness to offset the sweetness of the corn. If you are a corn freak like I am, order one plate for yourself because it will hurt giving your other half the remainder.

hemmingways manly review

‘c h i p s ’ daily chip degustation, matching sauces $12

How could anyone resist the chip degustation and from watching the other tables, it looks like this is a popular order. Here there are three types of chips (which can change daily) paired with three types of sauces. Today the chips are potato chips, sweet potato chips and onion rings and the three sauces are a tomato & date, home made ranch and a home made bbq sauce. The potato chips that come in a cup are home made and more of a softer wedge variety and aren’t super crisp although they aren’t bad, the sweet potato chips have some soft edges but the onion rings are juuust right. The three sauces are excellent and cover the spectrum of tastes and it’s hard to choose a favourite although the garlicky ranch dressing is a favourite as is the bbq. Louise and Viggo note that the sauces have improved from their first visit here when it first opened.

hemmingways manly review

‘ s c h o o l’ crispy school prawns, green tea salt, citrus mayo $9

I make fast work of the school prawns which come well seasoned, fried and crispy. They’re moreish little buggers and I like the slightly different green tea salt and citrus mayonnaise on the side.

hemmingways manly review

‘ t i n n e d f i s h ’ salmon ceviche, angostura bitters, avocado $12

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