Bump 'N' Grind Central Cafe, King Street, Newtown

I stopped into Bump N Grind for a quiet coffee on Sunday morning, having walked past it so many times and it's almost always lively.

After being greeted by the smiling waitress, I sat outside and ordered a Soy Flat White and Toasted Banana Bread ($6.50). The service was fast and attentive, and both the waitresses were friendly and pleasant.

The coffee arrived first, and was pretty good. Nicely hot, not too bitter so I didn't need to add sugar, and good looking as well. I won't say it's the best coffee in the world, but it's not bad.

The Banana bread arrived shortly afterwards, sliced into three fat slices and garnished with a strawberry. Unfortunately the promised butter didn't arrive, but I didn't actually notice until I was almost finished because the bread was so moist anyway. It was still hot from the toaster when it arrived, just crisp on the outside. Good stuff.

All in all, I had few complaints - being sat on the pavement of King Street isn't that much of a pleasant experience, any quieter street would have been much better! The strawberry garnish wasn't very tasty; it was very sharp, not sweet and juicy. And finally, the lack of butter... it wasn't strictly necessary but do I like my butter. 

 

Next time I want a coffee and can't be bothered walking to Campos, I'm sure there's worse places to go than Bump N Grind.

B

Bump 'N' Grind
534 King Street
Newtown 2042
9516 2888

Burger Fuel, King Street, Newtown

Disclaimer: I apologise for the quality of the photos, I am currently camera-less so I've had to use a video camera and take snapshots of the film.

I'd been craving a good, meaty burger for a fair few days now and I wasn't really keen on going to Hungry Jack's. Having heard mixed reviews I thought I'd give Burger Fuel a go but I was sorely disappointed.

I arrived at 12.30 to find a typical burger bar, complete with requisite sticky tables, slightly too-loud music and extreme sports on the TVs. I ordered (according to the menu) a 1/3 lb Wagyu beef burger with Melted Swiss Cheese, Caramelised Onion, Sour Cream, Relish and Aioli ($14.90), Small Spud Fries ($3), Fresh Natural Aioli ($0.50), and a Diet Coke. In total it came to nearly $22 for a burger and chips. Hardly cheap.

The chips, served in an "award-winning eco-friendly carton", were pretty bad. On the plus side, they were hot when they arrived but they were neither crispy on the outside nor fluffy in the middle, in fact they were very dry and floury inside.

The Burger was also very poor. The bun was a low-quality and dry; the caramelised onion was not caramelised onion. It was chopped onion, mixed with a sweet, preservative-laden sauce. Seriously bad. The meat was terrible quality, especially considering it was labeled as Wagyu on the menu. It was cheap, processed meat, with little flavour or texture and it was served lukewarm, topped with cold cheese and sauces. The cheese was thick sliced and also processed, although the tomato relish was fairly good, a nice balance of sweet and sharp. I'd ordered Aioli on the side, and while the flavour was OK, it was too thick for my taste, and judging by everything else I'd assume it was bought-in and pre-packed, despite it being so easy to make great, simple aioli. The highlight, I think, was the Diet Coke. To be fair, it did come in a glass bottle.

Burger Fuel
172 King St, Newtown,
Sydney 2042
(02) 9519 4700

Gelatomassi, King Street, Newtown

Following my disastrous visit to Burger Fuel on King Street, I stopped into Gelatomassi, one of the best Gelato places in Sydney and winner of the Best Ice Cream and Gelato in SMH's Foodies' Guide to Sydney 2007.

This time I tried the Pannacotta flavour, labelled as Gelatomassi's signature flavour. It was stunning; a beautiful balance of sweet and creamy, and so magnificently smooth, since it had been freshly made. It was drizzled with a great sticky butterscotch sauce which complemented the flavour perfectly, although I must admit I felt a little sick by the end of my one scoop ($4.50). However, I reckon that's more to do with my lactose intolerance rather than the gelato!
As a foodie, and as a chef, it can really suck being lactose intolerant, but there are some sacrifices I have to make - I'm not going to avoid so many of my favourite foods just because I feel sick afterwards!

I've been to Gelatomassi several times, and I'm certain I'll be back again and again - I've never found a fault with the food or the service. I love every flavour I've tried, the staff are so friendly and attentive, yet it's so laid back. Today Mr. Gelatomassi himself was there, despite being in his mid-70s, and hearing the rapid Italian banter flowing behind the counter brought a real feel of authenticity to the experience, as if I was suddenly in Sicily.

Top Right; Pannacotta with Butterscotch Sauce

Gelatomassi
262 King Street,
Newtown
Sydney 2042
(02) 9516 0655