Well sunny Sydney has not really lived up to its name this week. For the last 10 days the heavens have opened and flooded this great city of ours. The washing is struggling to dry, I spend my days in wet socks and the morning swims before work have well and truly ceased.
I am not usually one for indoor entertainment, however with the weather behaving like it has, I have been forced to sit inside and dream up future adventures, cook and try new cafes. Still, not a bad way to spend a rainy week.
This morning I got up early, battled the rain and drove into Surry Hills to the ever popular Reuben Hills cafe. The inner city was like a ghost town early this morning. A quiet calm that I have never experienced in the city before.
Reuben Hills has been whispered about in recent times by coffee freaks and more recently shot to fame after Tobey Maguire endorsed this roaster as his favourite cuppa-joe in Sydney.
Coffee Cupping laboratory.
Reuben Hills open their doors daily at 7am (except Sunday where they snooze in and open at 8am). This two storey, converted industrial space is usually jam-packed full of patrons but this morning it was just myself, my fiance and a friendly few staff members at 7am. As the city slowly woke up, the tables filled but it was nice to experience this place without it usual hectic pace.
First thing first. The coffee is amazing. By the time you are three sips into your desired brew, it becomes apparent that coffee is more of an art form for the these guys than a money-making, production line. It is also clear that the laid back attitude that these guys exude is due simply to the fact that their coffee is so good that regardless of what they do, the vast majority of us will always go back for more. This isn’t to say they weren’t good at their job but if stuffy wait staff with pressed white shirts is your thing, then maybe head someplace else.
Tried and Tested: Three of these will give you energy to get through a rainy day.
Starving as always, I decided to look over the menu after I ordered my second flat white. The All Day menu features such items as the “Really fucking great Fried Chicken” and the “Doggs Breakfast” (a salted caramel, ice-cream sandwich). The fried chicken was tempting as I was keen to put the name to the test, but it was early so I went for the “NOT reuben wagyu salt brisket, pickled slaw, manchego & horseradish cream on rye”. Not really breakfast food I know, but I could not pass this up!
Jam-packed full of briskety goodness!
We also ordered the Gluten-free version of the “Tradesman’s Brioche”, without the brioche of course (it was replaced with corn tortillas).
The sandwich was out.of.this.world! The horseradish and the crunchy tartness of the pickled slaw was offset perfectly by the tender, juicy brisket. And, like all good sandwiches, the bread was perfect.
The coffee at Reuben Hills is made to a temperature so it can be drunk instantly so beware of this if you like your coffee extra hot so you can let it sit while you chat.
The baristas run weekly coffee cupping at 10am every Friday in the upstairs section. While the menu states that no variations can be made, the waiter was more than happy to accommodate our gluten-free requests.
Reuben Hills has joined my list of top coffees in Sydney. If it is good enough for Spiderman, it is good enough for me!
It’s the small touches that add to the experience: Reuben Hills water jugs are old milk bottles.
Rainy day breakfast.
Photo courtesy of tara_tsw (Instagram).
LeftWithLouie 