A Man And His Monkey
The power of social media was in full force when a friend of mine uploaded a photo of their breakfast at A Man And His Monkey. Drawn into the sight of fresh fruit, toasted muesli and cold yoghurt, I quickly arranged a visit!
AMAHM opened its doors a few weeks ago and is the result of Eli and Tom joining forces while sticking to what they know best: acting as chef and barista/host respectively. They have experience in various Sydney cafés for about the last decade.
They have chosen their suppliers well. The Little Marionette and The Bread and Butter Project are an example of some of the quality foods that were evident in the dishes that I enjoyed while dining here.
This is quite a small location but while word is still making its way out, you should manage to find a spare seat before 9:30am. Comfortable cushioned chairs inside make it quite cosy while the two tables outside are perfect for pet owners or those who want to stretch out a bit more. Luckily there’s minimal traffic noise. Keep an eye on the mural inside as AMAHM has plans to change it every so often to “give the shop different faces.”
The menu is conservative but definitely has enough variety to suit most people. Due to limited kitchen space, the aim is to “offer simple food with some Mediterranean influences made with fresh products.”
Flat white
Decaf flat white
Short black
AMAHM chose The Little Marionette because they “loved the smooth, balanced and yet strong flavour of the coffee beans and the excellent service the company is providing.”
I can only agree. Our coffees ($3.50) were ridiculously good. One of my guests enjoyed his short black ($3) as it wasn’t too bitter which allowed him to enjoy the richness of the beans. The other appreciated her expertly made decaf flat white but she wasn’t won over (it was a decaf after all!)
Housemade coldpressed juice
Recently, AMAHM started making their own cold pressed juices ($7) with a different combination available each week. This has now become a daily event with the variations changing constantly. Today’s mix contained kale, ginger, lemon, green apple, cucumber, pear, silverbeet, celery. The apple and pear certainly did their best liven up the vegetables and while my guests enjoyed this version, I prefer summer fruits and berries in my fresh juices.
Other juices are also available and one that I haven’t see before on a breakfast menu is pomegranite ($7). One to try next time!
Chocolate milkshake
Chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut and caramel milkshakes ($7) are available. I was the envy of many at the table with my chocolate one. It was definitely one of my favourite milkshakes in recent memory. The flavour of the chocolate was spot on and the texture was perfect. A must-have for any milkshake aficionado.
Farmer Jo’s toasted muesli
Here we have the dish that started me on the journey to visit AMAHM. Farmer Jo’s toasted muesli ($10) offers a lot more than the name suggests. Fresh seasonal fruit, berry compote, yoghurt and natural date syrup. Not only was it presented outstandingly but it tastes delicious. You have the options of substituting in gluten free muesli ($1) or Coyo coconut milk yoghurt (which is dairy free, $2).
Bacon and egg panini
The counter consists of quite a variety of ready to eat options. The bacon and egg panini ($8) is an example of one of those and my guest loved hers. Luckily she is a ‘cooked yolk’ person so the fact that the egg was cooked through, suited her. She raved about this sandwich which is made up of bacon, egg, fresh tomato, Asiago cheese, hollandaise and spinach. My guest asked for hers without hollandaise so I can’t comment on the sauce!
Avocado & Danish feta smash
I ordered the avocado & Danish feta smash ($14) because it sounded as though it was the largest item on the menu with the most ingredients! The dish was much lighter than I expected (not a bad thing) with very fresh produce. The smash itself was different to normal in that it had the feta mixed through with a few large pieces here and there resulting in a great flavour. There was also mint thrown into the mix which also wasn’t expected yet worked amazingly well.
The small salad on the side consisted of rocket, fresh cherry tomatoes, sweet corn and balsamic vinegar. I would have preferred the prosciutto ($4) to have been grilled as I love it when its crispy but it still worked well with the smash. I added the free range egg for $2 and you can also substitute gluten free bread ($1). Once again, AMAHM is all about the options!
Brownie and babka
As a taster, we were offered a halva brownie and Israeli babka. Both of these are prepared inhouse. The brownie was outstanding and melted away in the mouth. The babka would be more suited (in my opinion) as an accompaniment to an afternoon tea or coffee. Most of the baked goods that you’ll find on the counter are prepared inhouse while the bread, croissants and Danishes are supplied by The Bread and Butter Project.
Other dishes available include croissant with leg ham, Swiss cheese and fresh tomato ($6.50, add free range poached egg for $1.50), smoked salmon on toasted sourdough with dill cream cheese, baby capers, lemon and avocado ($14) and a wide range of sandwiches including prosciutto toastie with bocconcini, grilled capsicum, rocket and balsamic vinaigrette on sourdough ($10) and the Cuban (with roasted pork loin, seeded mustard, leg ham, Swiss cheese, pickles mayonnaise and chimichurri on a baguette ($12).
To see what AMAHM is preparing lately, check out their Instagram. You’ll also find gluten free and dairy free options as well as health snacks from WellnessbyTess and almond or rice milk.
If a fresh, quality and healthy breakfast is what you’re seeking, then you’ve found it at A Man And His Monkey.
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Overall Rating: 19/25
Website: http://www.amanandhismonkey.com.au/ and https://www.facebook.com/amanandhismonkey
Phone: 8041 7466
Address: 80 Clovelly Road, Clovelly, 2031
Payment Options: Credit card, EFTPOS, cash
Sydney on Sunday 