In Short : Mr Mo’s is tucked away on Campbell Street with lots of light, intimate, friendly service, and an extensive menu. Vegetarians will love the many options on offer. Another bonus, they’re open ’til late, like 10pm late, on most days!
It’s easy when thinking of Surry Hills to automatically head for Crown Street. But, wander away from Crown Street and you will find some gems too! Mr Mo’s unassuming exterior on Campbell Street masks the magic that comes from the kitchen and the barista. This elongated café comfortably seats 20 patrons in a contemporary and comfortable fit-out. We spent 90 minutes in the café, after the peak hour rush, yet there was no shortage of patrons grabbing a quick bite under teardrop shaped lampshades and solid wood block tables.
Picking a dish from the menu is a challenge, a good type of challenge, as there are a myriad of options. The breakfast menu spans two pages alone! Keeping it healthy, and with a love for fruits and bircher muesli, I keep coming back to bircher muesli with berry compote. It presents differently to a traditional bircher bowl. The yoghurt is mixed through giving it a softened, almost porridge-like texture. The blueberries burst with juice, and their slightly tart flavour is perfect. The berry compote, is dark and rich; it reminds me of the texture of a good port. Berry compote is usually sharp, but I enjoy the balance of sweet and sharp in Mr Mo’s version. With simplicity it’s hard to hide, but it’s a faultless breakfast dish that replenishes the energy reserves.
Continuing with the berry theme, it’s the notes that comes through in my flat white. I appreciate the robust flavours of my brew. The acidic bite gives way to a creamy coffee, with expertly warmed milk ensuring each sip warms me through. Fellow Coco and Viner, Sonia gives me the nod of approval as her coffee delivers the goods as well.
Token vegetarian meals are a thing of the past in Sydney, thankfully! Mr Mo comes to the party, and I could count at least a half dozen vegetarian options! One of these is Mo’s vegetarian breakfast with spinach, Portobello mushrooms, roast tomato, avocado, poached egg and haloumi served with sourdough. The stars of the dish are the chunky portobello mushrooms with their meaty texture and rich earthy flavours. Squeaky haloumi with a charred outer and soft, squeaky inner, is one of my favourite things in the whole food world. With a poached egg and creamy avocado, it would fill up even the hungriest construction worker, of which there were a few with their high-vis jackets dining adjacent to our table.
Completing our little sojourn at Mr Mo is a soy chai. The perfume of the chai is the first facet of this drink I notice as it’s placed on the table. A sip reveals a nice creaminess with the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. The soy milk is warmed to a nice temperature so that the froth tingles the lip and each sip is a delight that takes me back to days spent in the hazy, tropical surrounds of Bangalore in India.
As our time came to an end at Mr Mo, I reflected on a thoroughly pleasant visit. What also struck me was that the service was attentive. We never had to wait, we were approached and checked in on throughout our stay, and tables were cleared efficiently without being intrusive. It’s these little 1% efforts that stick in your mind when I get the inevitable facebook message or SMS asking for recommendations of where to go when in ‘x’ suburb. Now when someone asks me for a recommendation for Surry Hills, I will be adding Mr Mo to the list.
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