In Short: The Corner Shop Cafe brings a little bit of city chic cafe experience to Quakers Hill. Excellent coffee and a contemporary menu. My tip; try the truffle mushrooms on toast.
Long suffering Quakers Hill coffee lovers, it’s over! The wait is finally over as The Corner Shop Cafe has come to our collective rescue, with great coffee and quality cafe food experience that would match anything you would find in Sydney city. The Corner Shop Cafe is located in the Farnham Road shopping centre. It’s a modern looking, Hamptons-style cafe; actually, it’s the best looking fit-out for miles! The design is by a lover of Tiffany blue for sure, with the walls painted in the infamous light, pastel blue colour. The ceilings are white-washed, and the dining area is filled with little details containing that distinctive hue of blue, including the dust pan! A white counter with a marble bench, and three distinctive, heavy set silver lamps are the most striking features of the cafe. Along with being bright, it’s spacious, and can comfortably seat 30 inside, and 5 couples can dine outside.
My coffee card had been previously stamped a couple times from takeaway coffee sprints, such was my enthusiasm to check out the cafe. I get that confirmation of goodness, as I take a sip from a proper cup of a flat white! The Panorama Coffee blend is perfectly extracted, and the expert working of the milk results in a velvety texture. Acidity is low and there is a nice body of flavour. I am also impressed to learn that Panorama Coffee is a local roaster too with operations in Wetherill Park. Good to see talent on the coffee front in the western suburbs.
On the food front, The Corner Shop goes with a softly, softly approach as they establish themselves. It’s a balancing act of how experimental you can get in an area that’s not accustomed to funky and delicious food you may get in the city. Still, there is an exception, or two. Truffled mushrooms on toast is akin to a Surry Hills menu item. Cute little baby brown mushrooms glisten, but it’s the perfume of the truffle that excites. Accompanying the mushrooms is kale, two poached eggs, shavings of parmesan and it all sits on a slice of sourdough. I love the earthy flavours on the mushroom, and of course that unmistakable, almost indescribable flavour of truffle. There’s just the perfect amount of seasoning, and of course, that perfectly running yolk of a exemplary executed poached eggs. I love how the shavings of parmesan on the bread, with the juices of the mushroom and yolk of the egg, make for an awesome toastie chaser.
To wash down the mushrooms, I sample a strawberry and lychee tea. Served in a hipster style mason jar, the pinkish-red strawberry settles on the bottom, while the lychee flavours floated on top. To enjoy the best of both flavours, I give the tea a quick whisk with the spoon so that the two flavours blend together, and you end up with a fragrant drink, with the sharpness of strawberry balanced with the tropical sweetness of the lychee. A sprig of mint and a twist of lemon add another dimension of flavour. It’s so good, I’d go as far to say that it’s more a delightful mocktail than just a tea.
I glance over to Mavis, and well, she’s not glancing back, because she has eyes only for the chicken burger in front of her. The burger is composed of chicken schnitzel, slaw, cheese and lettuce. I give her a call on the mobile. Just kidding! I eventually, am able to tear her away from the burger, and she lets me have a bite. I love the crispiness of the schnitzel; it’s lightly crumbed, with moist chicken. Honey mustard, and an aioli that has a nice heat, that slowly builds on the palate. A nice crispy slaw tempers the heat. The milk bun is soft, yet holds the contents of the burger exceptionally well.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable meal, but the whole experience its really made more enjoyable by the bright and cheery staff that are there to greet us, show enthusiasm when it comes to ordering, and efficiently serve food. I love that The Corner Shop Cafe has opened, and it’s great to have a coffee and cafe experience just 5 minutes from the front door!
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