Anvil, Artarmon – Rating: 19/25

Anvil Coffee Co

~~As you drive through the peaceful Artarmon automotive district~~… wait let’s try that again…

~~As I sat down at the industrial-sized cable reel which has been converted into a table~~… Okay I’ve got it this time:

Following on from the raging success of Anvil in Kirribilli for one and a half years, Paul Makomaski and Rani Reddy have opened the Artarmon café which in all honesty would get most of its clientele during the week from the surrounding commercial and automotive workshops. It’s a fantastic spot to operate from. If you can bring outstanding food and (trust me) unbelievable coffee to an untapped location, why not?

Anvil’s decor and furniture is rugged and industrial yet comfortable and no-fuss. Most items are made from salvaged timber. You’ll need to be quite early or lucky if you want to grab one of the few sunny outside spots otherwise there’s plenty of seating inside.

Cakes and baked goods are made in-house with some items brought in daily from Luxe Bakery. Anvil is currently trialing weekends to see if that’s a viable time to stay open and I hope it’s a success (if only because I live reasonably close by)!

Flat white

Aeropress

Not only the best drop you’ll have in the immediate vicinity but some of the best you’ll find on the Northshore. Regular readers will know that’s an accomplishment due to the variety of beans that I try. No matter whether black, with milk, Aeropress or cold drip is your preferred method, you’ll gladly make Anvil your second home.

Sample Coffee Roasters supply the beans. Paul and Rani got to know the owner when he was head barista for Mecca and contacted him when they required a change of supplier as they knew that he maintains great quality control of his products. As I’ve mentioned, this was a fantastic choice and the fact that Aeropress ($7) and cold brew ($5) are available only improves the experience.

Buttered Arabian eggs

Anvil’s aim with its food is to keep it simple. They offer hardy meals with a small (refined) twist. The buttered Arabian eggs ($16) is an example of this philosophy. Take two perfectly poached eggs on toast, add chilli, housemade onion jam, Greek yoghurt, lemon and burnt butter with mint and you have a combination that works exquisitely. With a generous side of bacon, there was no heartier meal to be had on a brisk yet sunny morning.

Smithie Roll

Being the sucker for bacon that I am, I added it to the Smithie roll ($14). And Anvil certainly piled it on – there was a mountain of it! The roll comes with coleslaw, aioli, caramelised onion and a poached egg. The crunch of the slaw was a perfect accompaniment to the soft egg.

Interior

Other items on the breakfast menu include bircher (soaked oats, compote, apple and apricot, $12), bacon egg roll (with relish and greens, $12) and the house cheese burger ($14) which is available after 11am (and I have heard amazing things about it).

With a menu change planned in a week or two, you can be sure that I’ll be returning soon to see what Anvil has planned. I have no doubt that it will be worthy of another high score.

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