The Carrington: Spanglish Weekend Breakfast Menu, Surry Hills (5 Aug 2012)

565 Bourke Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010

http://the-carrington.com.au

Brekky with a side of booze

Thanks to Charlotte Lattin from Folke for inviting me as a guest to sample the new breakfast menu at The Carrington now available weekends between 9 am and 1 pm. There was a nice amount of natural light entering the dining area to make it feel like a café and less like a dark pub but for those still a bit under the weather I noticed a few quieter and darker spots that might suit. Décor was nice and cosy although the round tables were pretty small which aren’t particularly conducive to reading a newspaper or magazine. The Ibiza Muesli with poached apple, rhubarb & quince, organic yoghurt ($12) was a decent portion with a nice mix of ingredients. A nice touch of apple on top and the only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the chewy bits of dried apricot — smaller pieces or softer in texture would be my preference. The Big breakfast with eggs any style, bacon, tomato, chorizito, rosti & mushrooms ($20) was also a decent portion for those with an appetite to satisfy. Mushrooms were the star for me and the homemade chorizito although I would have loved an even spicier flavour in the chorizito. The rosti unfortunately lacked flavour and needed more crispy bits for my liking. If it was a potato hash liked they do at Baffi & Mo or even your basic hash brown like at Roadies Cafe the dish would have been a favourite.

The recommended Morcilla & Potato with fried duck egg ($16) had great tasting morcillo with a nice fried outer crunch. The duck egg was perhaps just slightly undercooked because some of the white was still translucent. A simpler fried egg on top would have worked a treat as well like on the empanada. The morcilla is definitely worth considering as a side to try. I would have loved to see some included on the Big Breakfast. The beans worked OK in the dish but I kept thinking beans aren’t really a morning thing. Perhaps asparagus could also work as an alternative? The Torrijas with grilled banana & churros icecream ($16) was a sight for those with hungry eyes. This dish was on a timer though as the yummy tasting ice cream melts very fast due to heat of the fried bread and banana. I think the bread might have needed to be cooked just a tad longer as the egg mix inside was still a bit runny in parts. The favourite dish of the day was the Empanada Rancheros with ham hock, beans, creamed corn & a fried egg ($14). A good combo of flavours with nice flakey pastry. A bit more spice in the chorizito would have been welcomed. I wasn’t 100% sure about the use of the coriander. It seemed to work quite well and I couldn’t think of an alternative green that was more Spanglish and less Asian.

Not only does the breakfast menu include the usual ‘soft’ drinks like juices and coffees but there was a ‘hard’ drinks menu for those who don’t mind drinking spirits before lunch. The Mocha ($3.50) could have had a more noticeable hit of chocolate in the mix but the mini churros on the side was a nice touch. Hochata is available as Straight ($6), Hochata Dirty ($7.50) or Horchata Filthy with Coffee & Kahlua ($12). My pick is the filthy version which will make your dirty taste like milk and straight version taste like water. The Bloody Mary ($15) had no shortage on chilli spice and the quirky presentation offered a mini antipasto on top. A longer cut of celery would have helped to make it a good stirrer. For a semi-healthy drink the Beetroot lemonade ($6) made with ginger beer and pineapple juice might do the trick. Nice flavours that also go well with some Hendrick’s Gin or even Tequila I’m told for those who like it a bit more wicked in the morning. The Mimosa ($10) had quite an alcoholic kick if you need a good ‘hair of the dog’ beverage at a reasonable price. I wished the nice tasting Sourside Down ($15) was a bit more generously filled and the La Spritz ($10) was certainly a refreshing option with noticeable alcohol to please.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:

PROS: Interesting breakfast menu, Booze available, Cosy decor, Decent amount of seating, Quiet tables near the centre bar if you're feeling a bit fragile

CONS: No large table space to spread a newspaper or read a magazine with ease, Not a fan of the table supports, Alcohol for breakfast isn't the healthiest way to start your day

MUST TRY: Horchata Filthy, Empanada Rancheros, Torrijas with grilled banana & churros icecream, Morcilla (as a side)
VERDICT: If you're looking for a breakfast that's a bit different or require a 'hair of the dog' fix then this weekend breakfast menu could hit the spot

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Ibiza Muesli with poached apple, rhubarb & quince, organic yoghurt ($12) - decent portion, good flavour, nice touch of apple on top

Big breakfast with eggs any style, bacon, tomato, chorizito, rosti & mushrooms ($20)

Nicely done poached egg

Great tasting mushroom that was seasoned well

Rosti was a bit of a let down — lacked a decent potato flavour and would have liked more crispy bits

Morcilla & Potato with fried duck egg ($16) — loved the morcilla in this dish
WORTH TRYING :-)

The duck egg seemed to be just slightly undercooked as some of the white was still a bit translucent — a simple fried egg on top would have worked as well

Torrijas with grilled banana & churros icecream ($16) — eat it quick as icecream melts fast
WORTH TRYING :-)

The centre of the torrijas seemed to be just a tad undercooked for my liking

Empanada Rancheros with ham hock, beans, creamed corn & a fried egg ($14)
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Nice flakey pastry and creamed corn goes well with the dish — I'm not a 100% sold on the coriander but made for a tasty dish

Would have loved the chorizito to be even a bit more spicy and hotter

Mocha ($3.50)

Horchata Straight ($6) - slight rice flavour, Horchata Dirty ($7.50)

Horchata Filthy with Coffee & Kahlua ($12)
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Bloody Mary - Vodka, Tomato Juice, pepper, Tabasco, Worchestershire + More ($15)

Beetroot lemonade ($6); Mimosa - kava, Grand Marnier, fresh orange ($10)

Sourside Down - Aperol, pomegranate, fresh lemon & cranberry tea ($15); La Spritz - fresh apple, mint, fennel, vodka & sparkling ($10)

Beetroot Lemonade with Hendrick's Gin if non-alcoholic doesn't do it for you

Drinks Menu — Go hard or go home!

Food Menu

Head Chef Jamie Thomas (left) in the kitchen

You'll have a whale of a time with enough booze in you

If you're still recovering from a big night and feeling a bit fragile then head to the more quiet and dimly lit area of the centre bar

A friendly bunch of customers celebrating a birthday — thanks for the slice of your homemade ginger & honey cake

Homemade ginger & honey cake — moist, not too sweet and just the right about of icing thoroughly enjoy

If you fear dead animals best watch out for this one

A few cushions around the window area would help to support the back

Not a fan of these table supports which get in the way for me

Perhaps be careful of this cocktail

A bit of a rest before the lunch menu

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