Reuben Hills, Surry Hills – Rating: 22/25 (re-review 2)

Reuben Hills

It’s four years after my initial reviews of Reuben Hills (review 1 and review 2). With a friend visiting from Brisbane and with my fond memories of this café, I figured it was as good a spot as any to show an out-of-towner what Sydney breakfasts have to offer.

Interior

The customer base is still booming but having said that, the premises is so large that you won’t be waiting too long for a table. And if you are, the sunny bench outside is a pleasant spot to sip a coffee. The interior may have that familiar concrete/copper pipe/urban warehouse feel but the heaters and smell of coffee from the roasters upstairs definitely give RH a cosy atmosphere.

Cappuccino

Flat white

Ginger & tumeric almond latte

RH has been offering outstanding coffee ($4.50) since they opened. It’s served hot, fast and in a big variety of options. After something different? Try an almond & macadamia milk capp ($5.50) or a ginger & tumeric almond latte ($5) which is warm and soothing with a big hit of fresh ginger. There’s a whole bounty of other hot tea and coffee based beverages so drop in for a taste!

Malted choc & roasted peanut shake

Salted caramel shake

There are two milkshakes ($8.50) on offer: malted choc & roasted peanut and salted caramel. My chocolate and peanut shake was very thick and even though it didn’t go overboard on the chocolate (which I normally love), the malt and chocolate combination was definitely sufficient. My guest adored his salted caramel shake and said that it was up there with one of the best he’s tasted!

Braised lamb

So the RH menu is a tad different to what you could normally expect. Each dish has something unique. And then there are offerings like the braised lamb ($18) which you probably won’t find anywhere else on a Sydney breakfast menu.

This rich slow cooked concoction (which you can just see in the right of the bowl in the photo above!) contains chunks of lamb that fell apart at the touch of a fork. It was accompanied by tumeric rice, hazelnut mousse, charred lime and topped with gingered carrot. Tortillas are served on the side. The mousse was certainly different and in my opinion it didn’t bring enough to the plate to warrant it’s inclusion.

French toast

The French toast ($17.50) was a reasonably small serving but very flavoursome. The toast itself was super soft and topped with berries. Half of a charred banana still in its skin sat on top. The banana was a great mix of fresh with an outer, caramelised layer. Your mind will then be blown by the candied bacon and bacon custard! Subtle flavours but it was glorious to taste bacon in two new forms!

Broken omelette roll

The broken omelette roll ($16.50) is once again a dish that’s slightly different from the norm. It’s a delicately folded omelette served in a soft bun. Within the omelette you’ll find fried shrimp and beneath it, a layer of sweet and delicious bacon jam. The saltiness from the seasoned omelette, the crunch from the rocket and the chewy bacon jam are heaven-sent when eaten together. Definitely recommended.

Pork arepas

My dish was the pork arepas ($17.50). The arepas themselves were thick, very light and served as a great base for the mountain of succulent pulled pork above. The pork was surrounded by a few interesting sauces. The jalapeno jam was very spicy but beautifully flavoured. When combined with the creamy chipotle aioli, the pork received a fiery blast that mixed well with it and the black beans. This was a scrumptious dish that, while I would want to order it again, there are just so many other items that would be worth trying…

Ancho poached pear with blackened pineapple, yoghurt, raisin syrup and candied almonds ($11), huevos divorciados (sof fried eggs, red & green salsa, charro bean, smoked terilla, tostada, $18.50), organic bircher muesli with pomegranate, pistachio, chilled melon and reosewater consumme ($12), beef broth sancocho with yuca gem, plantains, caramelised corn, tortiall, aji and alinos cream ($17) and really fucking great fried chicken with chilli in a basket ($19.50).

So it’s obvious that for the adventurous, the flavours of South America are alive and kicking at Reuben Hills. This was easily one of my favourite breakfasts in recent months so obviously it’s high time that you pay them a visit if you haven’t already.

Taste:
Presentation
Service:
Atmosphere:
Value: