Copo Café and Diner, Drummoyne – Rating: 16/25

Considering Copo Café and Diner is located just off a major road overlooking a car park, business is doing very well.  It has two levels with the ground floor containing the barrista and plenty of tables.  Internal stairs lead to the kitchen and a sunbathed terrace with more seating.

Herb and topping garden

The terrace also plays host to several plant beds which contain herbs and other leaves & flowers for dressing Copo’s dishes.  We thought this was a fantastic personal touch.

The tables and benches are mismatched and there are a few old school chairs thrown in.  There are pots of succulents on the tables which compliments the natural tones of the benches.  We even spot a vice on one of tables, a nice throwback to its former life. Drummoyne is an area which is crying out for more cafés so be prepared to wait if you arrive at a peak time on a weekend.

Flat white

Soy flat white and skim cappuccino

Cappuccino

Upon arrival we were greeted by a line of about six seatings deep which meant Copo was either very popular or very slow.  It’s a bit of both – we waited for about fifteen minutes for a table and later on our food was a good twenty minute wait.  At one stage, looking around the interior, we couldn’t see one table with food on it.

The coffee is from Campos (regular $3.50, large $4.40) which is usually synonymous with quality.  Today’s feelings were mixed.  Some thought that it wasn’t anything special.  However one of our guests found her soy flat white smooth and creamy.  It didn’t have the bitter taste that some soy coffees have.  Another said that although not quite hot enough, the flavour of his cappuccino was lovely and it was presented nicely.

Strawberry and banana smoothie

Smoothies ($6.50) on offer include banana, blueberry, mango, raspberry or strawberry.  We were impressed with our banana and strawberry version which had loads of fresh fruit and was served in a much-admired glass.

Frappes ($6), milkshakes ($5.50), thickshakes ($6.50) and a huge assortment of Nudie and other cold drinks mean that Copo have the cold basics covered!

Moroccan eggplant baked eggs with labne, herbs and toast

The presentation of the Moroccan eggplant baked eggs ($18.90) was very impressive.  Look at those fresh herbs on top thanks to the herb garden!  Overall the dish was tasty but slightly dry, perhaps a little overcooked.  It was a perfectly sized serving and none was left on the plate at the end.

Bruschetta on miche with zucchini, mint and parmesan

The bruschetta on miche with zucchini, mint and parmesan ($10.90) was also beautifully presented.  We liked that it was a unique dish and also came with purple flowers/leaves scattered on top.  The combination of fried garlic, bread crumbs and soft zucchini was a winner!

Bruschetta on miche with mushroom and chevre

The other bruschetta on miche featured mushroom and chevre ($10.90).  It was very light, and the goats cheese added a tangy accompaniment to the herbed mushrooms.  A dish that had been prepared with care.

South American style baked beans

The South American style baked beans ($15.90) were a taste sensation.  The mixture of herbs combined with the assortment of different beans and bacon was an amazing combination.  There was a bit of bite to them as well thanks to the chorizo and other spices.  The serving was very large but the side order of egg ($3.50) did a lot of to break up the flavours and accompanied the beans perfectly.

Bubble and squeak

As with a few other menu items bubble and squeak ($15.90) is something we don’t see often in our exploits.  Copo’s version is served with speck, cabbage, peas, potato and a slice of toast.  The potatoes were dressed up with herbs and this was a great dish filled with some gorgeous textures.  The egg was slightly overcooked for our liking – it would have been nice if it oozed over the rest of the dish but overall for the price, Dane was happy.

Jaffa torte

It was hard to leave without sampling some of the delights on the counter.  The jaffa torte ($5.50) was sweet and moist.  There were strong notes of citrus which went well with the dark chocolate ganache.

Chocolate, macadamia and ricotta cake

The chocolate, macadami and ricotta cake ($5.50) was a little bit disappointing. We expected it to be more nutty and chocolately, however there was no dominant flavour nor a blending of what was promised.

Bottle chandelier

The interior of Copo is great to look at.  The chandelier (pictured above) made of old glass bottles and a winch, the Copo typewriter at the entrance, pre-loved tables and custom made herb garden all present a unique and exciting café surrounding.

If you’re in the area we recommend a stroll (beware it’s 7km in length) around the Bay Run, a swim at Drummoyne Pool or if you feel like a spot of shopping try the newly developed Birkenhead Point.

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