Cafes of the suburban East
July 31st 2007 11:39
Coffee and cigarettes. That, these days, is usually what breakfast entails for one such as myself.
My first coffee from an espresso machine was from Bondi's oldest restaurant, the Gelato Bar.
Damn it was good. But it didn't provide me with that sense of locality one should have after living in one place all his/her life. So I found myself frequenting The Paris, around the corner in Hall St. I found being a familiar face in such a place was well-rewarded, even if no-one knew your name. It was here that I met a waitress named Jo, talking about what we were doing New Years Eve 2005-06. It ended up being one sided as she continued to let me ask questions without having a hint of interest in me, you know, being that she was a Swedish model and all.
This was the type of person you would have been served by at The Paris 2 years ago, but times have changed. The manager, Sue, is still there and is sweet as all get out - and one of the six or so waitresses that recognised my face back then is still there.
Its that kind of place. Somewhere to warm up your stomach and social skills for the day.
After a while I began wondering what was over the hill in Double Bay, and whether it deserved the moniker Double Pay. I was immediately attracted to Goldman Lane, provocative of an Eastern European lets-make-out-under-the lamp-post type of affair. And smack bang in the middle of it I found another future haunt, Bar Zeppa.
Michael, the owner/manager of this little cafe, is a chameleon who can be understanding of the environment - adding atmosphere to the already romantic setting - or get jocular with the fellas whenever we're in town. However you like it.
It was at Zeppa where I learned what a tremennzini was, and this guy does 'em well. And the friands may be the best in Double Bay. Unless, of course, you want to double pay. There's plenty of places here for that type of thing, but this place ain't one of em.
Around the same time I noticed another cafe in which the atmosphere seemed welcoming and sociable, this time on the outskirts of Bondi Junction. Bronte Rd to be exact.
Curious Cafe became another special kind of place for me, and I go there whenever I'm in the area. The owner/manager Barbara is a host to an art gallery inside the cafe and an award winning shopfront on the out. I could even say its design is the classiest of the three cafes mentioned here, and whether that reflects on the clientele you'll have to find out for yourself.
They've been through a fair few waitstaff over the years, but will usually keep one on his/her feet so often that you'll find yourself missing them when they're gone. After one settles in, they are generally good for a chat and a smile.
The above is worth taking note of. if you want to feel like a local in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, go to one of the three cafes mentioned above. Hey, you may even find yourself becoming a regular like myself.
I'll see you then!
My first coffee from an espresso machine was from Bondi's oldest restaurant, the Gelato Bar.
Damn it was good. But it didn't provide me with that sense of locality one should have after living in one place all his/her life. So I found myself frequenting The Paris, around the corner in Hall St. I found being a familiar face in such a place was well-rewarded, even if no-one knew your name. It was here that I met a waitress named Jo, talking about what we were doing New Years Eve 2005-06. It ended up being one sided as she continued to let me ask questions without having a hint of interest in me, you know, being that she was a Swedish model and all.
This was the type of person you would have been served by at The Paris 2 years ago, but times have changed. The manager, Sue, is still there and is sweet as all get out - and one of the six or so waitresses that recognised my face back then is still there.
Its that kind of place. Somewhere to warm up your stomach and social skills for the day.
After a while I began wondering what was over the hill in Double Bay, and whether it deserved the moniker Double Pay. I was immediately attracted to Goldman Lane, provocative of an Eastern European lets-make-out-under-the lamp-post type of affair. And smack bang in the middle of it I found another future haunt, Bar Zeppa.
Michael, the owner/manager of this little cafe, is a chameleon who can be understanding of the environment - adding atmosphere to the already romantic setting - or get jocular with the fellas whenever we're in town. However you like it.
It was at Zeppa where I learned what a tremennzini was, and this guy does 'em well. And the friands may be the best in Double Bay. Unless, of course, you want to double pay. There's plenty of places here for that type of thing, but this place ain't one of em.
Around the same time I noticed another cafe in which the atmosphere seemed welcoming and sociable, this time on the outskirts of Bondi Junction. Bronte Rd to be exact.
Curious Cafe became another special kind of place for me, and I go there whenever I'm in the area. The owner/manager Barbara is a host to an art gallery inside the cafe and an award winning shopfront on the out. I could even say its design is the classiest of the three cafes mentioned here, and whether that reflects on the clientele you'll have to find out for yourself.
They've been through a fair few waitstaff over the years, but will usually keep one on his/her feet so often that you'll find yourself missing them when they're gone. After one settles in, they are generally good for a chat and a smile.
The above is worth taking note of. if you want to feel like a local in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, go to one of the three cafes mentioned above. Hey, you may even find yourself becoming a regular like myself.
I'll see you then!
| 33 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
