In Short: Saga will blow your mind with beautiful mini cakes. Their savoury menu is brilliant too. Anzac granola has to be one of the best breakfast dishes in Sydney at the moment.
Walking down Enmore Road is like walking back in time. Young ladies in their Rockabilly dresses, comic shops, steel bicycles and afternoon autumn sun washing the retro signs with those nostalgic golden hues . If it weren’t for the cars, you could be in 1974. Enter Saga which sits on Enmore Road. It’s a bit more polished than its neighbours but isn’t ostentatious in any way save for the bold signage that alerts you, that you have made it to this little cafe on the western end of Enmore Road.
It’s a crossover cafe, where the beautiful little cakes creations try to tempt to you on one hand, and a well thought out savoury menu creates the conundrum. On this visit we decide to sample the savoury menu with the hope of sneaking in a cake, but alas, our meals were so generous, that a return visit has already been lined up! Saga is rectangular shaped cafe with benches that point to a relaxed dining experience. Service on our visit was warm and welcoming, we felt at ease from the moment we sat down until we departed.
Not long after settling in, my flat white arrives. A first sip gives me that whiz, bang, pop feeling on the palate. I love the explosion of berries, which then settles down as the creamy milk works its magic and there is luxe caramel finish. An exciting cup of coffee that awakes me mid-afternoon. Bring on the food I say!
If the coffee was eye opening, a salted caramel and bourbon milkshake is stuff of dreams if you are a milkshake fan. One sip and I was in heaven. It is creamy, rich and salty with the sweetness from caramel, the milkshake is elevated to the next level with a splash of bourbon that warms me through. The alcohol is not overpowering but just enough for you to know that this is not your usual kids milkshake and definitely not for the fainthearted. By my third sip, I was literally hugging the glass in my hand and the straw had not left my mouth for three whole minutes. Before I knew it the drink was almost gone and I was almost tempted to order a second. Yup, it was that good and addictive!
I could have gone with a number of choices and it’s not helped as beautiful dishes keep whizzing past me on their way to other diners, but by the end of the Anzac Granola, I was more than satisfied with my choice. Now you’re most probably thinking, not yet another granola bowl? Saga says no way! It’s a beautiful creation with layers of granola shards stacked with alternating layers of fresh pair. A whole pear that’s been poached and scorched, honey and yoghurt completes a delectable looking dish. The granola is crunchy, toasty and not too heavy. Eating it with the sweet poached pear is a delight. An added dimension, is the scorching of the pear which introduces a smoky caramelised flavour. Freshly sliced pear injects a freshness to the dish. I saved the part best until last, but that yoghurt! It’s a foamed yoghurt, that’s soft and silky yet still tangy. Slathered over either the pear or the granola and it like’s butter to bread or cream to strawberries. Pure perfection. I could takes tubs of this home if it were available for purchase. This alone has made the 50km drive worth it and even though you’re reading it here, I will be telling everyone else about it. So good!
Our little pocket full of sunshine is entertaining herself on the iPhone as I munch away on the food. At the start of the meal, I took her to the pastry and cake glass case, and she picks Saga’s version of pocket full of sunshine which is a Danish pastry with cheese, rosemary and grapes. The Danish pastry was really flaky and crumbly, as a Danish pastry should be. It has a creamy soft cheese filling and grape and rosemary topping. It’s a unique see-saw between dessert and entree as you go from sweet to savoury with each bite. Most importantly, our little one has no trouble finishing it, which is a great endorsement of the quality of the pastry.
Completing a trio of savoury delights is sandwich named, Donnie. It’s a corn and herb crusted chicken schnitzel, parmesan custard, passata, basil, melted mozzarella. The corn and herb crusting over the perfect elevates the schnitzel above standard bread crumbed schnitzels. It’s light, with that unmistakable schnitzel texture, yet it’s not oily either. The mozzarella cheese was creamy and enriches the passata. Speaking of passata, there’s a ton of it. A classic Italian sauce with sweetness and tang of the best tomoatoes of summer, and is just the perfect sauce for every bite of chicken. All this schnitzel goodness sits in a bun that’s soft yet with a crust of seeds that imparts a nutty flavour. It’s a sanga that both adults and children could both happily indulge in.
Stopping in at Saga was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, resulting in the loosening of a notch on our belts and walking the length of Enmore Road and King Street to pay for our indulgence. Every part of our meal was delicious, but I really enjoyed the innovation and flavour combinations that elevates each dish. We are definitely coming back to review the instagram worthy cakes.
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