Girdlers, Dee Why – Rating: 16.5/25

Girdlers

There are plenty of breakfast options overlooking Dee Why beach and now you can add Girdlers to that list.  This café screams summer thanks to its open, spacious and breezy layout with sunbathed or shady seating both inside and out.

Ordering is done at the counter and it’s table service from then on.  The waitstaff that we encountered were quite new but friendly and helpful.

While there are other items on the menu, crêpes are the order of the day at Girdlers.  This isn’t as much a gamble as you may think as there isn’t currently too much competition in Sydney when it comes to cafés specialising in crêpes.

Flat white

Mocha

I was impressed by the coffee ($3.80).  The flavours are  robust and the cups were made and presented well.  All of the options are available including mocha ($3.80), piccolo ($3.20), strong (add 50c), decaf (add 20c), Bonsoy, organic almond milk or organic coconut milk (add 20c each).

Full bloom smoothie

“Super smoothies” the menu said… and they were!  Well, the full bloom ($8) was anyway.  Guava, kiwi, strawberries and milk with goji berries.  The consistency was smooth and flowing and very different to any smoothie in recent memory.  I would order this again.  Or perhaps the Pacific island (banana, mango, milk and chia seeds soaked in coconut milk), green and gold (kale, pineapple, mint, passionfruit and almond milk) or into the wild (blackberry, coconut milk, froyo and RAW energy powder).

You can add organic almond milk or bonsoy to any smoothie for 50c or RAW protein, energy or multivitamin for $1.

Sunrise crêpe

Primavera crêpe

Chorizo crêpe

So when the plates first arrives I was dubious as to whether they packed the flavour within to satisfy.  They are quite thin and I wasn’t sure what lay inside the outer edges of the plates.

I’m pleased to report though that the flavours do satisfy and even though I left hungry, I still left happy.  My sunrise ($13) contained smoked ham, gouda, hollandaise and a sunny side up egg.  The flavours were great and the hollandaise although slightly thick, tasted good.  I would have wanted to see a bit more of the cheese but overall, the classic combination won me over.  I could have eaten another one of these but didn’t fancy a $26 breakfast.

Another criticism I have that is crêpe related is that the tables are far too small for three or four people.  With three of us seated at one table, the large plates made it very awkward.  So if you’re in a group, grab the larger centre table inside or spread out to more tables.

The primavera ($13) crêpe offered scrambled eggs, smoked ham, gouda, tomato, onions and primavera sauce while the chorizo ($13) was bursting at the seams with buffalo mozzarella, tomato, avocado, mushrooms, onions, coriander, sour cream and salsa.  I question the flavour combination of the latter but my guest was completely satisfied.

Other crêpes include vegie patch ($13), prosciutto (bufallo mozzarella, tomatoes, caramelised onions and rocket, $13) and salmon (avocado, brie, shallots and toasted almonds, $15) on the savoury side or butter, sugar & lemon ($7), French caramel ($8) or mango, raspberries and maple syrup ($10) from the sweet offerings (among others).

Scrambled eggs with toast ($12) and sides are there for those who prefer something more traditional as well as sandwiches, home made breads (banana bread, pear and raspberry bread or chocolate, coconut and banana, $5.50 each) or bowls such as the organic acai bowl (organic acai, banana, strawberries and granola) or green bowl (kale, spinach, spirulina, banana, mango, almond milk, bee pollen, buckinis and goji berries ($11 each).

Phew!  So there’s plenty on offer and I’m willing to hear what you tried and what you thought.  The score can be improved and seeing as Girdlers is so new, I’m sure it will be.  Once some of the flavour combinations and service mixups are a thing of the past, I can see exciting things for this corner location.

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