These videos totally rock – they are intentionally awkward – and deliciously fun!
Thanks Luis Sal, the cockatoos, Newtown’s fabulous coffee culture and artison food stores!
I’m a long way from home, and this gave me great chuckles :-)
Today I needed to go to Carindale, and I don’t like malls but the Apple store is there.
Inside the mall and around the corner I found the Hardy Boys Cafe, which looks like a very busy place indeed, quite large, and across from Coles.
It’s always an adventure for me to go to a new cafe because I’m a bit finnicky about my lattes :-)
I hadn’t had breakfast so I ordered a Hardy Boys toasted sandwich, and at $12 I thought it must be substantial enough to do for lunch.
When it arrived, it looked like something I’d make in a hurry at home.
I couldn’t resist opening it up after I had my first bite, and saw a a very thin smear of avocado, with a small amount of chicken and topped with a thin slice of cheese.
It had very little taste and isn’t something I would recommend.
I understand the coffee is their own brand, and I would need to come back and try it again before I decide if I like it. It certainly looked great and the Baristas were both delightful.
Want to check it out?
I’m not sure when I last visited Cambridge Lane Espresso Cafe — maybe six to twelve months ago — I didn’t recognise any of the staff (which can be quite normal for many cafes).
The new staff were lovely, and as I always do, I asked which size of glass the double-shot latte would be in. From a distance the Barista showed me a glass and it looked like the normal size of a cafe water glass, so I said that would be fine.
When breakfast arrived, the serving of scrambled eggs on toast was small with one small piece of dry toast, and a little tomato relish on the side. If you like ground pepper, ask one of the servers who will bring it to the table.
The greenery on the plate was covered in balsamic sauce and it was one of those salad leaf types that doesn’t taste fresh or crisp — unfortunately one of the ones I don’t eat. I admit, I did take a bite but the leaves were not what I like, so I changed my mind.
Why is it that some chefs and cooks cover some food lavishly with balsamic? Bizarre.
The coffee was delivered in – you guessed it – a smaller glass than is usual.
Disappointed. Just a couple of mouthfuls, not enough to savour over breakfast.
The pricing of coffee is a deal breaker for me, and so this will probably be my last visit here.
$12.00 — eggs on one small piece of dry toast (ask for butter if you would like some)
$04.50 — smaller-than-is-usual double-shot latte
Lovely, friendly staff. Great location.
Air-conditioned, but luckily not enough to feel too cold.
61 Cambridge Parade, Manly QLD 4179, Australia
The opinions of course are mine — do pop in and try this cafe for yourself.
I’m in the process of designing new coffee mugs for 2021 – pop back soon and check them out!
If you have any requests or questions, please do send me a message and we can chat here >>
PS – all my coffee designs are LEFT-HANDED and RIGHT-HANDED, so everyone can enjoy the coffee fun!
Teena Hughes
If you’ve been visiting my blog, you’ll know that I don’t use a French Press to make my coffee — I much prefer my Italian Bialetti coffee pot which makes espresso on the stove, and gives me a stronger coffee than a French Press.
But — I do know many people love their French Press (and I did use one for years until I switched to the Bialetti), so here’s a great video I came across today which show how to clean the plunger coffee pot and dispose of the coffee grounds in the right way.
Here’s a bright pink Bialetti coffee pot like the one I use every day at home. I’ve been using Bialettis for years, but this hot pink one makes my heart sing every time I use it :-)
Please do share in the Comments below — I’d love to hear your coffee tips!
As always, I create an appointment in Google Calendar on my iPhone, so that Siri can give me directions as I drive to each new mystery location.
Carolyn has not disappointed me yet :-) and I’ll jump right in and say that this was THE BEST BREAKFAST I’ve had in a cafe in the past 18 months (and I go to a LOT of cafes!)
The location was superb, right on the north side of the river, with all the windows along the length of the cafe overlooking the beautiful water view and the fabulously colourful ferries which pulled into the wharf right at the front.
We sat at the bar along the window’s edge and looked out as we chatted our way through two hours of fun and laughter, and we both thoroughly enjoyed the breakfasts we’d chosen:
The tomatoes were absolutely delicious, and so was everything else! Such flavour – yum yum!
I also ordered my “double shot latte, thick and creamy, made with love” (and the Baristas always remember me!), and when it arrived it looked great — but the glass was smaller than many other cafes. The $5 price tag is a bit high, but it is a beautiful spot and I thoroughly enjoyed my delicious latte :-)
My drive from the beach took less than 30 minutes, and it’s a bit off the beaten track away from the busy-ness of suburban streets which is a great bonus; it’s also very close to Eat Street, the huge foodie market.
There is a huge free carpark next door, and this place would be great for hosting events.
285 MacArthur Avenue
Hamilton QLD
Australia
Open: 7 days, 7:00am to 11:30am, 11:30am to 2:30pm
Menu >>
Map:
Let me know what you think — I’d love to hear your thoughts:
Cheerio for now,
Teena Hughes
It probably wasn’t the BEST day to choose to walk along a wharf out to a little cafe/restaurant on the edge of Manly’s shore, but the rain has stopped temporarily and with belief that it would hold off, I headed out along the wharf to the Tide Wine Bar and Grill.
The wind was whipping around my clothing and my scarf was almost ripped off, but I powered on in the strong wind, sure that it would be worth it!
The flags atop the boats’ and yachts’ rigging were flapping wildly, the wind was howling, and anything metal was also rattling on this wind-crazy morning. All of these sounds created an eerie howling noise, which at first I thought was music coming from the cafe, but as I got closer I realised it was the music of the weather in the rigging etc.
As I stepped into this fabulous little haven on a storm-pending morning, I was greeted by gorgeous navy and white patterns on the beautiful wooden chairs (which looked very comfortable); I spotted my friend in the far corner and headed over.
The lovely ladies serving us were friendly and in no time we had our hot drinks and breakfasts in front of us.
We stayed for two hours, very happy with the service, food and drinks, and location, and I was so pleased to have found another cafe to pop into so close to home.
Just before we decided to leave, the heavens opened. With one umbrella between us, we walked back to the carpark, the wind and rain whipping around our legs and backs, and by the time we reached my car, we were both drenched.
I felt like I’d just gone through the washing cycle, but without the blessing of a spin cycle after it. As I climbed into my car, the only thing on me which was dry was my hair. Oh what a sorry sight I was!
I quickly changed my plan about running some errands, and instead I drove straight home and put on dry, warm clothes — bliss!! The squall outside was wet, wild and woolly, so I waited a few hours until it died down before ducking outside again to go run those errands.
All in all, this was a great place to have breakfast, and I can imagine it on a hot summer’s day — no doubt filled to the brim with happy customers.
10 out of 10!
Tide Wine Bar and Grill
1 Wyvernleigh Close
Tom Gunn Wharf
Manly Qld
Le Bistro Cafe in Manly Qld opened two days ago on Saturday 29th July 2017.
I was keen to check it out because (a) it has a French name! and (b) it’s a cafe :-)
Within walking distance of the Esplanade and the beach, the cafe looks cute – 5 little cafe-style tables and chairs on the footpath, and a hole-in-the-wall window where people can place their orders.
Be warned though :-) don’t step inside to place your order or you’ll be sent back outside — even if the beautiful ornate sofa and coffee table look inviting, you need to go outside first to place your order.
The Barista and other lady staff member were lovely and happy to chat.
I heard the Barista answering a question from another customer that this is a real estate agency who want to give back to the community by offering a cafe and pastries.
I ordered a plain croissant ($3.50) and a double-shot latte in a normal-sized latte glass (yes!). The coffee cost $4.50.
When the latte arrived it looked great, even though pale in colour. Unfortunately the taste was too weak for my liking, and I would need a triple or quadruple shot, but I have no doubt it will be perfect for many other customers.
The croissant was sprinkled with stardust (no, not really, but it did look delicious!), sitting majestically on a little wooden serving plate, and I broke off an end — I couldn’t wait to taste it.
If you live in the Wynnum / Manly area, and you like cafes, it’s worth visiting this new little spot on the map, just 3 doors up from Cambridge Lane Cafe and across from the Manly Hotel.
The frosted sliding glass door in a tiny alley at the end of Edith Street, Wynnum (the railway end) between buildings doesn’t really indicate what’s inside — the cafe-style umbrella outside only gave a slight indication :-)
Wow! When I walked in the door, I was blown away by this “hole in the wall” almost-secret cafe. The aromas and the music, the layout, the city cafe feel to the place — a real hidden gem in this beach-side suburb.
The feel is industrial, cement floor, wall of mesh (backed with large hessian coffee bags) has a multitude of plants and a few paintings hanging off it; a couple of large maps adorn another wall.
I’ve been told this cafe is owned by brothers who roast all their beans on the premises.
This place has a very lived-in feel, a variety of tables, benches, chairs, a few magazines on a table, a desert/cake glass-fronted cabinet. A rarity — power points high up on the walls to plugin laptops and smart phones – excellent!
TIP! If you like your coffee HOT, you need to ask for that when you order. The milk here is heated to a temperature which avoids burning, and which means it may not be as hot as you like.
As with all cafes I go to for the first time, I tried their latte to see where to go with the next one I order. The coffee cup was quite small, just a couple of mouthfulls, so I definitely did not need a double-shot. I did however wish I had at least twice the amount of liquid in a cup or glass :-)
The coffee was not hot enough for me, so now I know I need to ask for extra hot next time.
Price: I think it was $3.60 – tasted great, but too small for me. Next time I’ll order a more normal size.
When I sat down at one of the few tables left, I noticed the menu so I had a quick read. The bagel with chicken, avocado, tomato and mayo sounded quite good, so I ordered a rye one. I cut it into quarters when it arrived, and the avo and mayo were oozing out invitingly around the outside of the bagel. The taste was delicious! I highly recommend it!
Price: $9.00 — and quite filling!
All in all, an excellent find, a great new adventure — and definitely a place I’ll be coming back to!
94 Tingal Road (turn into the lane directly across from Edith Street)
Wynnum Qld
http://dramanti.com.au
(07) 3108 8338
Coffee in Paris