Not Just Coffee, Paddington – Rating: 21/25 (re-review)

Not Just Coffee

Seek and ye shall find. Behind the shopfronts of Paddington’s Oxford Street, Not Just Coffee is a food and drink haven offering some unique takes on common breakfast ingredients. Previous review here

Split over multiple levels, seating is mainly available in the sunny courtyard or the balcony upstairs. It’s a quaint and unusual layout but it works well You’re sure to find a spot that you like.

Flat white

Di Lorenzo beans are utilised here and I enjoyed my coffee but would have liked it a bit stronger. Also available are iced chai frappe ($6.50), Devil’s Lake iced chocolate (chocolate ice cream, chocolate and hazelnut sauce, milk and dark chocolate chips, $6.50) and milk chai latter ($5).

Chocolate milkshake

So it’s obvious that they like their milky, chocolatey drinks at NJC. After trying the chocolate milkshake ($6.50), I can say that it’s for good reason! My shake was small but absolutely delicious with a strong chocolate flavour and lots of ice cream giving it a fantastic consistency. Vanilla is also available as well as chocolate espresso for $7.

Pineapple and pear juice

Fresh juices ($6) available are apple, orange, carrot, celery, pineapple, pear, watermelon, ginger and mint. No ice will cost you 50c more.

Power Parfait

The Power Parfait ($13) contains house roasted granola at the bottom of the glass. It was well-toasted and sweet with a good variety of seeds and oats. This was layered with Greek yoghurt, all topped with fruit and white quinoa & honey. For the price, this was a great start to the breakfast with quality ingredients and well-crafted flavour combinations.

The Messy Mexican Mashup

Those looking for a savoury extravaganza whether it be vegetarian or not need look no further than The Messy Mexican Mashup ($17, add chicken for $2). Served in hard tacos, this mix of brown rice, spiced beans, corn and taco was scrumptious. The juicy tomatoes and topping of creamy avocado blended perfectly and even though I normally prefer soft tacos, the crunch was a great addition. Absolutely recommended.

Aussie Samurai Croissant

The Aussie Samurai Croissant ($13) takes a well-made croissant and adds NJC’s own flair. Scrambled eggs and a generous helping of smoked salmon were squeezed within. You’ll also find a small amount of miso mayo subtly applied as well as caramelised onion. The mayo added a creamy consistency and while the onion tasted good, it wasn’t necessary in my opinion. I added a side of crispy bacon ($4) which was cooked exactly as I had requested (and there was a mountain of it too)!

Other items on the breakfast menu that are worth trying include the 3 herb baked ricotta (poached eggs, avocado, baked ricotta with parsley, rosemary & thyme, cherry tomato, BBQ relish and sourdough, $18), citrusy fruit toast makeover (fig and raisin fruit toast, fresh Paesanella ricotta, mandarin zest, yuzu drizzle and fresh fruit, $13) and deluxe brekkie wrap (bacon, scrambled eggs, avocado, tasty cheese, house BBQ relish, $14).

I was once again very happy with my visit to Not Just Coffee. While I didn’t see as many dogs there as I have during previous visits, they’re very welcome and if I’m dining with a dog-crazed friend, this is one of my go to cafés! While the drinks fell just short of the mark in most cases for one reason or another, the food was delicious.

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