The Paramount Coffee Project, Surry Hills

There have been too many new cafes popping up all over the place as of late. One that I have been dying to visit for the crab po boy I've seen spamming my Instagram was Paramount Coffee Project. And that is exactly where we went after handing in our final studio portfolio for my bachelor degree. Yay - time to celebrate the good times!

Peanut butter & jelly milkshake, $8.00

Sigh, milkshakes on cafe menus these days are so expensive. But exxy it may be, the milkshake still tasted delicious! I couldn't discern much of the "jelly" but the peanut butter flavour was like a explosion in my mouth. Hooray for peanut butter! There's something so addicting about peanut butter, but I can never put my finger on why...

Crab po boy, $18.00

This is definitely a burger that I've not seen until as of late but boy was it tasty. The brioche was buttered and grilled so that it was slightly crispy. The crab itself was definitely not as oily as some deep-fried soft shelled crab and I didn't feel heavy eating it despite us ordering two deep-fried items. The coleslaw and ranch dressing definitely brightened up the burger providing an element of refreshing tang.

Double fried chicken, $16.00

Hooray for yet another deep-fried item! These boneless chicken pieces were tender and still juicy inside while retaining the nice crunchy batter. The hot sauce provided was nice enough, but I preferred it without as there were spices coating it anyway. My only complaint would be that the coleslaw was quite bitter.

Philly cheese steak, $17.00

I wasn't sure what to expect from this, but for some reason I had a Reuben sandwich pictured in my head. But it wasn't - it was like a cheeseburger only with crunchier bread and fancier ingredients! Yes to gruyere cheese and sourdough :D

Sweet waffle, $15.00

What was upsetting about this was that the waffle got soggy quick from the rapidly melting icecream, but it tasted amazing. Peanut butter icecream, dulce de leche and topped with a sprinkling of hazelnuts - how can it be disliked?

I loved the industrial atmosphere of Paramount Coffee Project. I must say that as an architect student, I was very impressed by the concrete table that was mounted in the centre. Concrete is absolutely beautiful! I would go back alone just for the concrete :P That combined with the awesome food, you have one pretty rad cafe.

The Paramount Coffee Project
80 Commonwealth St
Surry Hills, NSW, 2010

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 7:00am - 4:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8:00am - 4:00pm

MooBerry, Newtown

Froyo seems like it's all the craze these days with new stores popping up almost every other day! Will frozen yogurt continue to rise in popularity, or is it just a fad that will die down soon enough? Who knows, only time will tell. One store that has recently opened along the King Street strip in Newtown with a promise to be different is MooBerry. What really caught my eye was the bright colour scheme based upon purple. I admit I have grown a bit tiresome of the pink and sterile theme that resonates throughout many froyo joints. The purple really shakes things up a bit!

The walls are decorated with faux grass and DIY-style framed pictures, creating a very fun and kitsch atmosphere!

Is it just me, or do you also think that the heads placed haphazardly along the wall gives the image of deers peering out from a big maze? (No doubt in search for some frozen yogurt :P)

As soon as my friends and I entered, we were greeted with enthusiasm by the MooBerry staff. They were full of energy and eager to suggest the items they thought were fantastic on the menu.

After much ooh-ing and aah-ing, we decided on a few items to sample on the menu - there was a lot to choose from!

Mango Passion, $6.00 for regular / Mooberry Magic, $6.00 for regular

These smoothies were amazingly thick and very fruity! Both these smoothies were very refreshing and took me on a holiday to the tropics. While the passionfruit shone in the mango passion, the pick of the two had to be the MooBerry magic which stole the show with its mango and coconut frozen yogurt combination. The smoothie's were a popular choice with the customers and I can definitely see why! Boost Juice, you may possibly have a rival here.

MB Belgian Waffles, $12.95 for one

One of the items we sampled from the winters warmer menu was the waffles. Who doesn't love a good waffle smothered in a tonne of chocolate? We were also given two frozen yogurt flavours to sample on the side, with the original helping cut through the sweetness and richness of the chocolate with its tang and the coconut pairing well.

MB Churro Sticks, $8.00 for one

These churros were awesomely addictive. The crunchy exterior is achieved without deep-frying but by baking instead. It really did make these feel much lighter to eat! While I do love the San Churros' version, the oil that oozes out when bitten into puts them into the category of "rare treat" while the MooBerry version is less guilt-inducing!

Coconut Affogato, $6.50

Word on the street is that MooBerry's coconut affogato is to die for and I would absolutely agree. I am definitely not the biggest fan of coffee, generally preferring tea. However, even though the coffee was strong, it's bitter notes were toned down to a lovely fragrant aroma when eaten together with the coconut frozen yogurt.

And finally to what MooBerry is all about - the frozen yogurt! They have a fair array of toppings to choose from.

Pomegranate froyo with coconut jelly, lychee pearls and pomegranate / Biscottie froyo with golden gaytime crumble, mochi and reese's pieces, $4.50 for small with toppings at $0.70 each

Some toppings I have not seen at other froyo joints, such as the golden gaytime crumble and coconut jelly which I enjoyed immensely. The pomegranate froyo is so good! I think it has to be my favourite version of pomegranate froyo out of all the froyo chains that I've tried :)

I can see MooBerry thrive in Newtown with it's quirky interior and friendly, upbeat staff. I know I will be back for those smoothies and maybe seek refuge from the winter cold by sampling other items on their winter warmer's menu - the souffle sounds super yum!

Crystal Noir dined as a guest courtesy of John X of MooBerry

MooBerry
160 King St
Newtown, NSW, 2042
9557 4208
https://www.facebook.com/MooBerryFroyo

Opening Hours
Sunday - Thursday: 12:00 - 11:00pm
Friday - Saturday: 12:00pm - 12:00am

 

Cafe Bello, Burwood

Caught up with one of my best friends today, V, who I haven't talked to properly in person for ages because of our hectic uni lives! Damn uni sucking away our time.

We decided to have lunch at a local cafe in Burwood, right at the entrance of Burwood Westfield.

Lamb and mango salad, $19.90

I wish there would have been a bit more lamb and mango considering the price tag that came with this dish. The lamb filet was cooked pretty well though and was still pink in the middle. I particularly liked this flavour combination with the mango giving sweetness and counteracting against the slight bitterness of the lettuce leaves. There were also hidden cucumber pieces and some Spanish onion in there was well.

Banana waffles, $15.90

It's always nice to have something sweet after a main dish am I right? :D Banana waffles it was! Waffles were nice and crunchy, bananas were fresh, maple syrup was sweet, vanilla ice-cream provided extra creaminess and there was icing sugar dusted on top. What is there not to like?

It was nice being able to talk for a few hours about nothing and everything - catchups are the best!

Bello Cafe
Westfield Burwood
Shop 172, 100 Burwood Rd
Burwood, NSW, 2134

Opening Hours
Open 7 days a week