Cafe Sopra by Fratelli Fresh , Walsh Bay

Fratelli Fresh Grocery Section  ; Cafe Sopra Blackboard Menu

After a non-fruitful shopping trip to Eveleigh Artisan Market on a Sunday afternoon, we decided to try out Cafe Sopra's new branch in Walsh Bay for a late lunch.
It's located opposite Sydney Dance Company Theatres so I would expect the cafe to be packed when there is a performance on :)

There is a small section of Fratelli Fresh where you can get imported products and local fresh produces.
How wrong was I that I thought we have beat the lunch time crowd, it was packed when we got there and had to wait for a table. Which is thankfully not too long at all (I've heard stories of long wait at the Waterloo cafe).
Reading the menu board can be quite dizzying *__* Even worse when you are trying to read it from across the room as I was waiting for our table @_@.
So many things are cramped into the blackboard !!
The waiter/waitress would occasionally go over and cross off the dish that has sold out for the day.

All of them sounded delicious and it took us a while to decide what to order...eeny, meeny, miny, mo....

House Wine

I'm not sure how much house wines usually cost, but Cafe Sopra's house wine is only $3.50 a glass !
Which I think is really cheap !
My two dining companions who had them said that it's a tad watery, but it's still okay.
Can't expect much for that price I suppose ?

Braised Beef Cheer Risotto

I know...it doesn't exactly look appetizing to the eye. It's a different story altogether when you put a spoonful into your mouth.
Even for someone who doesn't like risotto this is one amazing dish ! The risotto is cooked together with the braised cheeks and the rich beef broth.
It's packed full with warm flavours and it's just one of those comfort foods that's perfect for cold winter days like now.

Buccatini alla Carbonara

The buccatini is like a chunky spaghetti, "meaty" and cooked al dente. I was expecting a dish of pasta with white creamy sauce , but what we have is pasta with crisp bacon pieces resting on a small pool of raw egg yolk sauce.
You mix the hot pasta with the egg sauce and voila ! Delicious pasta ready to be tucked in !
I took a bite, and it was indeed delicious ! What I was expecting to be a heavy dish turns out to be quite light.

Shaved Brussel Sprout with Cavolo Nero, Poached Eggs, Crisp Pancetta

I opted for a lighter meal as I had a heavy breakfast earlier. I am very happy with my choice, it is super fresh ! The shaved brussel sprouts are sweet and so were the baby cavolo nero. The oyster mushrooms and crisp pancetta adds more textures to this dish.
And last but not least....the perfectly poached eggs !

Soft yolks - perfect !

It is definitely a lighter and healthier option and you still feel satisfied and guilt free at the end.

Afternoon Tea Coffee Time

By the time we finish our lunch, it's already time for some afternoon sugar rush.
To be honest, we have been eyeing the dessert menu since we sat down hehehehe ^_*
As the weather outside takes a drastic turn from warm sunny day to strong wind and heavy rain, it is a good excuse to stay in don't you think ?

Buttermilk Pudding with Fresh Berries

This is really good ! The texture is creamy like pannacota, but the buttermilk has a slight tang to it and lifts up the flavour. It is surprisingly, a refreshing dessert especially when served with fresh berries and coulis around it.
If you see this on the menu, do try it ^_^

Spiced Blood Plums, Rhubarb & Custard

I had a taste of this, and yep, confirmed once again, I don't like rhubarb :P
If you are fan of rhubarb & plum , like my friend, then you will enjoy this dish as she polished the plate clean ^_^

Eton Mess

I was not expecting to get an Eton Mess of this size 0_o
It was a mountain of what I know will be a sugar overload ! If it's a mess now, it's a wreck by the time I tucked into it LOL
Eton mess is a dessert made with crushed meringue, fresh whipped cream and fresh strawberries. I can see vanilla bean specks in the cream as well.  The cream is (thankfully!) not sweet and the freshness of the strawberries help to cut back the sweetness, just a little as it is still very sweet >_<
The portion is very generous and there is no way I could finish this on my own. Half-way through, I was flicking the meringue pieces off and trying to scrape the cream and strawberries off it.

As we are tucking into our desserts, there is waft of something good coming from the kitchen ( we were seated next to the kitchen) and spotted a pot of Macaroni & Cheese on the pass !!
It looked so damn good , big fat macaroni baked in three cheeses sauce - I WILL ORDER IT NEXT TIME !!

Cafe Sopra is perfect for a laid back lunch or just catch up time with some friends :)
Like the other Cafe Sopra locations in Waterloo and Potts Point, they do not take bookings.
First come first seated rules applies, so get here early on weekends !