Sweet Pumpkin Soup

Sweet Pumpkin Soup @ Eastwood

Where: Sweet Pumpkin Soup, 106-108 Rowe Street, Eastwood NSW 2122

Coffee Bean: ??

Sweet Pumpkin Soup is another little café/eatery in Eastwood, just a little way down the street from Café Cherry Bean (see our review below!). Its specialty, as you can guess from its name, is pumpkin soup, which is a little unusual and pretty cool. It also does coffee and cake (I heard their lemon tart is great, though I’ve never tried it myself), pizza and pasta, and “bingsoo”, which is a Korean dessert dish with shaved ice, mocchi, and either fruit pieces or black beans depending on what flavour you get.

Interior

It’s a pretty small café—two tables just outside, and a few seats inside. They have kept the unpolished concrete floor with chunky wooden chairs and tables, which creates a fairly effective café-like atmosphere. Their menus are hand-written on the wall and you order at the counter though they bring them out to you.

Pumpkin Soup & Garlic Bread

On a previous visit, a year or two ago, I’d tried their pumpkin soup, which comes with a basket of garlic bread for $9.50. It’s perfect for a light meal, maybe an early lunch—hot and thick and heartening, accompanied by warm buttery bread. In the photo, the bowl only looks half-full (or half-empty if you’re that kind of a person), but it’s also a big bowl and I found it nicely filling, especially with the garlic bread. Definitely worth a try if you happen to visit, especially in the cold winter months.

Flat white

On this visit, I didn’t have time to eat so I just grabbed a cup of coffee. I’d never tried coffee here before. A small flat white cost $3.60, which I thought was a tad pricey. But man oh man was it strong! I’m not sure what coffee bean they use, but it was about as strong as a double-shot—a bitter punch of caffeine to your mouth, especially if you weren’t expecting it!

If you’re fond of these kinds of coffees, then you might be pleased with SPS coffee. For me, it was definitely a bit too much. I did finish drinking it, but in the end I was wincing a bit at the powerful taste. If I ever drop by again, I’ll be sure to ask for a half-strength.

There is a reason the café is called ‘Sweet Pumpkin Soup’ rather than ‘Sweet Coffee’. Its specialty is definitely what makes it, well, special. In a street full of more popular and fancier cafés, it’s good to have a homey little place like SPS who stays true to what they are good at.

Yays:

• Pumpkin soup. It’s sweet.
• Variety in food/drinks

Nays:

• Coffee is a bit too strong for my taste.
• Coffee also a bit pricey.

Overall Experience:
70%--Credit!

Coffee: The Coffee Capital in Australia?

Greetings, bloggers!

An interesting article I found while procrastinating on uni assignment: Which city is Australia's coffee capital? 

"In an average three months, 63.3 per cent of Melburnians pay at least one visit to a café for coffee or tea, ahead of Hobart residents with 62.7 per cent and Sydneysiders with 61 per cent."

I wonder why Hobart residents aren't called "Hobartians" and Sydneysiders "Sydneyans"?

Coco Cubano

Where: Coco Cubano, Lower Ground Floor Piazza, Central Shopping Centre, 1 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale, NSW 2008

Coffee Bean: El Presidente Espresso blend

Lunch and coffee at Coco Cubano. This place is pretty well known. It’s the sort of hideout uni students flock to – not only because it’s a nice café and good restaurant, it also serves alcohol at midday. There’s a branch at UNSW Kensington campus. We went to the one at Central Park, across the road from the UTS Tower.

Decorated with plush leather armchairs, black and white old-timey photographs, carefully arranged knickknacks and showy hardcovers on polished wooden shelves, it’s ritzy and Cuban-inspired. You’ll find a number of Cuban specialties (we think?) on the menu: Cuban cigars, Latin American rums and tapas.

Cappuccino

We both had a coffee and gourmet burger. Julia had a Spicy Chicken Burger ($10.90) with a cappuccino ($3.70). Erin had a flat white and a Wagyu Classic Burger ($9.90).

The coffee was nice and strong, and decently sized for a small (though I suppose the price speaks for it). The cappuccino had a nice layer of chocolatey foam on top, but not too thick so you don’t miss out on the actual coffee. Smooth, slightly acidic flavours. The milk, though, was warm: it could have been a bit hotter, especially as it was ordered with a meal. Erin’s flat white was nice but, unlike the cappuccino, the top layer of foam was a bit too thick. There was no latte art, which was disappointing.

Spicy Chicken Burger

The burgers were tasty. They came with a cute flag-skewer holding it together, on a little red tray. For the Spicy Chicken Burger, the hint of spice on the chicken worked really well for the burger, though the bun was quite thick. Same problem with the Wagyu Classic Burger. The Wagyu Burger, though nice enough, was somewhat unremarkable and a bit bland.

If we’d been hungrier, ordering a side of wedges ($5) or sweet potato chips ($5) would also have been nice.

Coco Cubano is a great establishment with a unique atmosphere and vibe. Perfect for a uni crowd. It’s hard to feel stressed or anxious while you’re sitting listening to jaunty Cuban music, with a cup of coffee and your best friend, or munching on a tasty meal, having a chat. It’s the kind of place you find yourself returning to, every once in a while, and finding exactly what you want every time.

Yays:

• Nice food, items; some Cuban specialties 
• Lovely atmosphere 
• Great décor 

Nays

• Coffee temp – hot coffees are always better! 
• Some items can be pricey for what you get 

Overall experience:
75% -- Distinction!

Update: Uni's back

Eat. Sleep Caffeinate. Law.

Uni’s back and things have been crazy hectic for us both. But amid the assignments, readings, lectures and sleep-deprived madness we’re going to try and keep the reviews coming, so stay tuned.

Here’s a picture of my birthday present from Julia (if you needed proof as to how deep the addiction runs):

Beautiful. (Our loved ones are concerned.)

Steaming Mug

Steaming Mug @ Parramatta

Where: Steaming Mug Espresso Bar & Deli, 33 Argyle Street, Parramatta, 2150

Coffee Beans: no idea…

I’ve been coming to this little café for a while. Located just outside the big building housing various services for Aboriginal people, it’s only five to ten minutes’ walk from Parramatta train station and Westfield.

A fairly new business, Steaming Mug contains everything you’d expect to find in a café despite its size: handmade muffins and biscuits, sandwiches and toasties, various salads and, of course, hot and cold drinks variety. The staff are friendly and service is speedy; I have never seen it crowded, but it does a fairly brisk business in the mornings as office workers drop by for their morning dose of caffeine. Behind the café is a surprisingly spacious open seating area—though I’m not sure what they do when it rains.

Seating Area Behind Café

I usually order a small latté ($3.50) to takeaway. Though difficult to see in the picture (I had to take the lid off first before taking the photo, which smudged the coffee a bit), the latté comes with the classic latté art and is just the right temperature to be hot and drinkable. The first sip gives you a pleasant hit of coffee, and it has a sweet undertone that makes it perfect for a morning pick-me-up before work. In terms of size, taste and presentation, I was quite happy with what I got in my cup of coffee.

Latté

The only food I have tried at Steaming Mug is kale salad, which contains kale (duh), quinoa, pumpkin and feta. It was a crisp and refreshingly light lunch that I wish had a smidgen more flavour. There’s a limit to how long you can chomp on fresh kale leaves before you start feeling a bit like a rabbit. On the other hand, it was healthy enough to ease my vague guilt at having eaten an enormous blueberry muffin in the morning, so that somewhat balances things out.

Steaming Mug is simple. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not. There is no snobby or fancy atmosphere (with accompanying inflated prices) that some City cafés aim for. And, despite the roomy seating area, its real charm is in its quickly-served takeaway coffees to bleary-eyed office workers way too early on Monday mornings. In this, it certainly lives up to its slogan: I will start working when my coffee does!

Yays:

• Nice coffee; good temperature
• Quick and friendly service
• Reasonable prices
• Spacious seating area
• Cute slogan

Nays:

• Location can seem somewhat awkward
• Kale salad is for health-nuts only

Overall experience:

80% -- Distinction!

Caffe Cherry Beans

Where: Caffe Cherry Beans, 62/80 Rowe Street, Sydney, NSW 2122

Coffee Bean: some kind of Arabica bean.

Miserable, rainy weather cast a gloom over us when we met at Eastwood Station for our next cup of coffee. Having lived here for two years, Julia was familiar with Caffe Cherry Beans from previous visits.

Caffe Cherry Beans

Caffe Cherry Beans is on the ‘Korean side’ of Eastwood, at the entrance of a small recently built shopping plaza containing ALDI. Despite this, Cherry Beans retains a dim and warm ‘café-like’ atmosphere. Rough wooden panels and black walls, lit by low-hanging orange lights create that relaxing space ideal for solitary luncheons or afternoon tea breaks with coffee and a light snack. Cherry Beans has free Wi-Fi: just ask for the password, it’s a great place to catch up on some work while you eat.

Cherry Beans has classic café food options, with a variety of breakfast items, burgers, salads, sandwiches, pasta and desserts. Drinks are about the same, with some Asian touches like green tea latte or frappe, and occasional specialties like seasonal drinks and drip coffee.

Latte

Erin ordered a cappuccino ($3.50) and a plate of pancakes ($14.90).

Julia went with a latte and a slice of New York cheesecake. Yes, they have really good cheesecakes – creamy and soft. If you’re in the mood for a snack, I highly recommend them.

Coffees come out quickly, and with a cute little sugared shortbread resting on the spoon. The latte art was really something. The cappuccino was, in particular, beautifully done: the chocolate had blended with the silky milk on the surface. They could have been a smidgen hotter, especially given the chilly and overcast weather. On the other hand, the taste was mild but sweet, quite pleasant to the palette. The acidity of the coffee was well-balanced with the milk, such that it did not overpower the drink and become bitter. Overall, not outstanding coffees, but nice enough and well done.

Pancakes

Likewise, the pancakes are skillfully presented with a variety of sides. Caramelized bananas, fresh strawberries, ice cream, chocolate syrup and topped with chestnut cream. The pancakes themselves are fluffy and moist. Yet, beware: pancakes at Cherry Beans are definitely more a dessert than a breakfast food! It was hard to discern the taste of the buttery pancakes over the sweetness of the inescapable sides and toppings, especially that chestnut cream. The ice cream is at least contained in a little pot to the side. The rest is simply heaped on top, meaning you can’t really pick and choose what you want. The strawberries at least provided a little tartness to go some way in combatting the overwhelming sweetness.

If you’re after breakfast food, something savory with eggs or toast would probably be a safer option.

Caffe Cherry Beans is not exceptional or brilliant. You wouldn’t go out of your way to go to Cherry Beans. But if happen upon one of its many stores scattered throughout Sydney, know that they do decent coffee and good food at reasonable prices. Staff are happy for you to sit and linger, making Cherry Beans a good place to study or read the paper. For a local café, what more can you ask for?

Yays

• Good food – try the cheesecake
• Good atmosphere, despite the fact it’s in a shopping centre
• Coffees come with a cute little biscuit
• Great latte art 

Nays

• Coffees could be served better: a little stronger and hotter
• Pancakes are too much of a good thing

Overall Experience

75% -- Distinction!