Redfern has changed so much in recent years with a lot of new businesses popping up and calling this neighbourhood home. I didn’t visit Redfern much as a kid, but in recent years it seems to keep coming up with all the amazing cafes in the area.
Let me take you to one particular one that a lot of people are raving about.
Here are all the details:
GIBBONS STREET CAFE
- ADDRESS
1/7-9 Gibbons St, Redfern NSW 2016
Gibbons street cafe is ran by Sam and Louris, a family owned establishment; serving some wonderful brunch options.
Sam, the owner has over 2 decades of experience in the food and beverage industry, where he worked his way up from washing dishes to working in the kitchen for the “godfather of Italian cooking”, Antonio Carluccio! (Google him, he’s pretty impressive)
With high expectations and excitement, I start this food journey with their prawn & squid ink spaghetti. This dish might seem Italian, but it’s actually more a fusion of Italian and Thai flavours with hints of chili, shiitake mushrooms and a heap load of fish roe.
Its a fun dish with a lot of different textures and I appreciate the spaghetti being al dente, which I think carries all the different components and textures together well.
Next up, we have a Shakshuka. A Tomato based, baked egg dish from the Mediterranean region.
Very tomato-y, very rich in flavour, slightly peppery and then the runny baked egg on top. Perfect with bread.
They also add a yoghurt dressing on top with rocket salad, which gives it a nice added layer of flavours. I think that’s a really smart move since a whole pan of tomato can get dull after a few bites, but the added flavours keep it interesting.
Then, I got their signature Gibbons street burger. A charcoal bun burger with creamy cheddar cheese injected right inside the meat.
The chips were really good, crispy on the outside but still fluffy and soft in the inside.
I think anyone who likes burgers won’t have any complaints with this one. It’s a solid burger that tastes great.
After having 3 mains, it’s time for dessert. I chose two of their desserts.
One was recommended to me by Louris herself, and the other that I’ve heard people recommend.
“our famous Gibbons street hotcakes” is a lemon ricotta hotcake served with berries, mascarpone and syrup.
I really enjoyed this one, and highly recommend the hotcakes if you ever visit.
The lemon flavour is present but not overpowering. The hotcakes were fluffy and airy. All the flavours worked. Nothing was redundant or hogged the spotlight. I really enjoyed these hotcakes.
And then lastly, we have Louris’ own creation “Knafeh style French toast”. This dessert used a few Middle Eastern influences such as the rose water syrup and pistachios.
It’s French toast, with fairy floss and ice-cream on top, served with rose water syrup and banana. A bunch of different textures and a overall sweetness to it.
