Eugene's Cafe, Potts Point

It's time for takeaway and Eugene's Cafe in Potts Point is a new offshoot of the popular Bronte cafe of the same name. While there is dine in and outdoor dining, they are also making a fast trade with their takeaway meals. Which means that you can try their delicious English style fish pie from the comfort of home!

Eugene's head chef and owner is Sydney born Eugene Giesinger. He has worked across fine dining restaurants in London and Sydney (Pied à Terre in London, Orso in Mosman, Lucio’s in Paddington and La Goulue in Crows Nest). Eugene's Cafe is a 26 seater cafe located near the El Alamein Fountain with indoor and laneway and balcony dining. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and everything from the pastry to the muesli is made in house.

With the current COVID-19 situation escalating in Sydney we're hunkering down, a prospect that delights introverted Mr NQN so it's takeaway for us. Eugene's has been selling take away for over 9 years but since COVID-19 started, demand has increased by 50% . Customers can choose from Tuscan style pork & veal meatballs with lentil rice pilaf, spaghetti bolognaise topped with grated parmesan and chopped parsley or a classic beef lasagne.

All of the meals are made on-site in small batches of 40 serves and many of them are gluten free and use free range and wild caught ingredients. The style is home cooking and the ingredients list reads like what you would use at home with no additives or preservatives.

Eugene's signature dish is a traditional English - style fish pie in white sauce with celeriac, fennel and dill and mashed potato top. "There’s an 800-year old restaurant in Bethnal Green I worked at that I swear, if the Queen wanted a fish pie, that’s where she’d go to have it. I’ve spent years perfecting this recipe," says Eugene.

The fish base for this dish is Atlantic salmon and wild caught flathead fish poached in milk which are then combined with sauteed vegetables and a mashed potato topping. The result is a pitch perfect fish pie, perfectly seasoned with a creamy base with just the right amount of fish and a crispy, soft mashed potato topping.

All of the items that we are trying are gluten free and they're all easy to cook. The fish pie was baked in an oven for 30 minutes while these lamb tagine and curry are heated up with a little extra water on the stovetop for 10 minutes (there are also microwave instructions). The lamb tagine is an intensely flavoured tagine made with lamb leg and organic dates, apricots and sultanas with almonds.

My other favourite dish is the Thai style chicken and coconut curry with lots of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves and a nice, light chilli hit. There's plenty of curry sauce and tender free range chicken thigh. It's also plentiful with enough to feed 2 or even 3 people when served with steamed rice.

For sweet tooths, desserts are also available from individual serves to entire cakes. Most of the baked goods from the cakes, tarts, quiches, pies, pastries and preserves are made in house.

So tell me Dear Reader, have you increased the amount of takeaway you've been buying or are you cooking more at home?

Eugene's Cafe

1A Elizabeth Bay Rd, Elizabeth Bay NSW 2011

Sunday to Tuesday 7am–4pm

Wednesday to Saturday 7am–10pm