August

Auvers Cafe & Dining (CBD)
I remember their food improving post covid, but they've since added a lot of unusual dishes in a bid to stand out I guess. The sweet waffle cone with the beef in the 🚩Wagyu Torch was weird & did not work.

But the ⭐Lava Toast was the best French toast I've had (friend quote “life-changing”). It was a big fried cube of bread with fairy floss, ice cream, pink ganache, fruit & granola. Super yummy & serves 2-4 people.

Slow Breads (Roseville)
In essence they do traditional pastries, non-traditionally. None of the flavours sounded intriguing but the changes they made made sense.

Apart from lack of crispiness, another major flaw that pastries may have is dryness. The almond croissant had a kind of custard inside that kept it moist.

I've had many a dry croque monsieur but this ⭐Ham & Cheese had a dollop of creamy, savoury sauce inside. Greasy but tasty…

These pastries do not keep well in the shop & I recommended taking them home to an airfryer or asking them to reheat it. I could do a dissertation on this topic but I'll leave that for next time lol.

Juan Bowl & Tea (Redfern)
At this point a well-known spot amongst foodies but during a recent revisit I felt like all the dishes had improved so I was on a food high 🥰

The ⭐Unagi Hitsumabushi was savoury & saucy; it's known as one of the best unagi don in Sydney & it lived up to that this time. It's served with ochazuke implements but tbh is MUCH more flavourful without them, so I recommend not pouring the tea over.

The ⭐Wagyu was good as usual. The ⭐Matcha Tiramisu was smooth & delightful. The side special Menchi Katsu was good but the cheese was too greasy, I think a milkier cheese would have been great. Overall the dishes were very balanced & indulgent without feeling heavy.

Reign (CBD)
A brunch spot I picked for the aesthetic. I literally had zero expectations for the food, but everything was delicious. The Confit Salmon was good, you can't really go wrong with Potato (Pommes) Anna which tastes like a good hash brown, the Miche Bread was decent, the ⭐Rigatoni was especially flavourful.

It's on the more expensive side but the portions were surprisingly reasonable & we could’ve gone without one of the entrees. I will be back for the desserts & more 🤤

Flying Tigress (CBD)
There's something about Sydney's toast scene rn because this ⭐Coconut Pandan Toast was the best 'Honey Toast' I've had. Ugh, crunchy on the outside & the consistency of bread pudding on the inside. It seems like they inject a condensed milk-esque sauce into the centre.

Great textures & pandan sauce continues to be foolproof. I also loved the ⭐Wagyu Beef Salad. The way they serve grilled wagyu cold is a bit like beef tataki. The Lava Thai Omelette was yum too.

Cafe 0.6 (Alexandria)
A grammable cafe near Green Square I'd been meaning to try. They have a regular brunch menu & a 'seasonal' menu which rotates cuisines every year I believe. This year is Indonesian inspired.

We ordered the Chick Goes Nuts; fried chicken & waffles which was yum. The ⭐Gold Digger was really good, generously topped congee. The Forgotten Island dessert was fine but the pandan chiffon was a little dry; you're better off going to Tim Luk or Tuga nearby 😌

Bon Vin (Darlinghurst)
If you have asked you know that this is my personal fav French spot. The vibes are upscale romantic & the food is super consistent.

The must order + reorder is the ⭐Duck Ravioli entrée. The ⭐Crème Brulee dessert is beautifully rich with speckles of real vanilla. The ⭐Tarte Tatin was super flavourful.

Other dishes are generally solid but it’s hard to go wrong with their duck & seafood. I also tried elderflower liqueur which was magical. If unsure ask the waitstaff!