The buzz: After many years’ experience running a petite café in Melbourne, Chef Sutinee Suntivatana has returned home to open this Aussie-inspired venue that’s a catering service and cooking school first, café second. The self-service café can be found on the ground floor of the brick façade shophouse and serves Western comfort dishes that work pretty well for a lunch break, as well as grab-and-go options such as liver pate and marinated goat feta.
The décor: Nestled in the Town in Town Place serviced apartment grounds, the place benefits from being sat in a peaceful soi. As such, there are a few tables outside to chill and watch the world go by. Inside is all about brick walls, black-framed windows and chalk drawings that lend the place a loft-like vibe. Upstairs there’s plenty of space for cooking workshops.
The food: Even though the food is priced generally at B110-B180, they say they’re not skimping on the quality, but rather sticking with local produce, with beef, cheese and vegetables sourced from the Royal Projects and almost everything else homemade. Some dishes are readied beforehand, such as the beef stew (B105) and pork balls (B105), while the everyday menu includes a few breakfast dishes like Moroccan baked eggs with onion chutney and bacon (B180), as well as chicken tikka sandwiches (B110) and chicken parmagiana (B180). Get messy with the hand-pulled focaccia (B120-B140) in toppings like homemade feta cheese, rosemary or roasted vegetables. Do call ahead for the special of the day as you might encounter something even more mouthwatering, like leek and blue cheese risotto. The place is always loaded with gluten-free cakes, something the owners picked up from Australia. Special occasion or big appetite? They do function dinners from the quite tempting price of B1,000 for 6-8 courses.
The drinks: Visitors to Australia might be familiar with the tea here which comes from that country’s much-loved T2 brand (B100 a pot). The coffee’s (B60-B80) focus is more on the espresso machine than the third-wave principles gaining traction across town and the beans are from an organic farm in Doi Chang. More refreshing options include the raspberry lemonade (B80) and Italian soda (B80).
The crowds: Crowds of workers at nearby production houses and those hunting for a new casual spot. Pieng-or Mongkolkumnuankhet
