I've been spending a bit of time in Sydney for work lately - mostly hanging out around Randwick and Coogee, far from the veg delights of the inner-west. Dinners have been simple if unexciting, sampling the innumerable decent Thai restaurants in the neighbourhood (with the odd trip to Java to mix things up). But my real quest has been to find a good breakfast place - somewhere to stop off on my wander to work and get the day started right. I've had reasonable experiences at 22 Grams and OneSixNine, but it was only this week that I found somewhere I could be bothered blogging. Parc Cafe is tucked away on Clovelly Road in a small little strip with a few other cafes. It's heaving on weekdays, with lots of school drop-off breakfasters and commuters grabbing fortifying coffees.
The menu is brief but effective: there's your standard eggy options, a mushroom dish, avocado on toast, porridge, muesli, pancakes etc etc (plus a few other meaty choices). Vegans will struggle, but they do have plenty of gluten-free options available. On my first visit I was bafflingly in the mood for sweets, ordering the poached plum, ricotta and pistachio on grain toast ($14).
This was unsurprisingly delicious - squishy sweet plums, crunchy pistachios and some really lovely bread generously smeared with ricotta. I could probably have eaten two.
I figured I couldn't really write a blog post just about sweets, so I went back again the next day to try something else. This time: smashed avocado, radish, feta and black sesame on grain toast ($15).
Another success! Perfect avocado loaded up with chunks of creamy feta with a nicely dressed pile of rocket and radish on top. One slice of toast for $15 is a bit rich, but this was stacked pretty high and hunger didn't really bite until lunchtime, so it's hard to really complain.
Speaking of lunchtime, Parc do a nice range of pre-packaged meals (including a roast veggie and cous cous salad) plus sandwiches to takeaway. I grabbed a roasted eggplant, goat's cheese and tomato roll ($10), which hit the spot nicely.
Parc has easily been the best breakfast option I've turned up so far - the coffee is great, the service friendly and the food excellent. It's quite possible I'll be there again tomorrow morning.
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There are couple of other positive reviews out there of Parc - check out brekkie quest and petit macaron
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Parc Cafe
30 Clovelly Rd, Randwick
02 9398 9222
veg brekkies $7-17
facebook page
Accessibility: There are some footpath tables and then a flat entryway into a fairly crowded interior. You order at the table and pay at a low counter. I've yet to visit the toilets.
Hi Michael
ReplyDeleteI'm from Melbourne and I use your recommendations all the time so it'll be nice if I can shoot one back at you: try Eugene's in Bronte just down the road from Randwick. It's like a little piece of Melbourne in Sydney. Coffee's ace, buckwheat pancakes are out of this world and they've got the best selection of salads I've ever seen anywhere. I am kinda biased - it's a mate's mate's place - but I reckon you'll love it.
https://www.facebook.com/eugenesbronte?fref=ts
Holly
Excellent, thank you! It's a bit out of my way for an on-the-way-to-work brekkie, but I'll definitely check it out next time I'm around over the weekend (or having a late start).
DeleteCafe breakfasts are such an expensive, boutique type luxury. I get a little miffed at the idea of paying more than I would for lunch and getting less food and something I could easily make at home!
ReplyDeleteYour first brekky looks pretty special and worth the $... I might have a go at your second one tomorrow morning! I actually have everything I need (I was craving rocket like crazy yesterday), including my own macadamia based feta! Yay!
I've just embraced the bourgeois brekkie experience lately, but it does really feel like things are getting a bit out of hand. My problem is that if I'm at home I fall into an unshakeable weetbix and muesli routine, so going out even for avo on toast is worth it just for the variety.
DeleteTotally understandable :)
DeleteI can only justify the money when I'm out with my other half on a lazy Saturday/Sunday. It's a good post garage sale activity (yep - we're cheap and dorky! lol).
Black Pony on Coogee Bay Rd and X74 on Bream St - both in Coogee - have pretty good brekkies. Kürtosh in Randwick has good Hungarian cakes and great coffee. Lebanon and Beyond in Randwick has very good affordable traditional Lebanese food - the felafel are a bit dry though but the fried cauliflower with tahini sauce is delicious. But yes sadly the Randwick/Coogee area doesn't have any exceptional food despite having a lot of restaurants . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks! I went to Black Pony when I stayed down in Coogee last time - it was easily the best of that bunch of places on Coogee Bay Rd. I'll add X74 to my list for the next visit. And Kurtosh.
DeleteI actually went to Lebanon and Beyond on this trip and thought it was pretty mediocre - but then I ordered the felafel, so I should give them a second chance.
"I figured I couldn't really write a blog post just about sweets" <- my whole existence has been a lie.
ReplyDeleteMmm, pistachios.
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DeleteToast on avocado topped with anything is a winner. Looks like a really cool place. I love how they presented the takeaway sandwich.
ReplyDelete