This tiny little café at Forest Lodge is offering more kale than we’ve ever seen on any one menu. They even put it in their smoothies. We’re dubious, but our waiter is confident: “No dude, you should totally do it.” We even hear chef Joey Astorga (last seen at the now closed El Capo in Surry Hills) yell, “yeah kale!”, while we’re ordering.They love it.
That smoothie sees kale, banana, coconut and chia blended together and served in a huge Mason jar dressed with an old-school striped paper straw. It’s fruity, coconutty and tastes very… green. There’s also a kale and fried-egg sandwich, which comes on a soft, golden bun, with a sunny, runny yolk and crisp edges on the white. Not green enough for ya? Order a side of Brussels sprouts.
It’s not all super foods. Annex also feature a chocolate, malt and caramel milkshake and a disconcerting-yet-strangely-delicious Hubba Bubba-flavoured lamington (big with the after school crowd, according to the guys behind the counter). The coffee is supplied by local specialty coffee roasting company Umami, and owner Edrick Santos is behind the machine. He’s good, too.
The open, breezy room opens out onto Ross Street. It’s all Etsy chic with homespun handicrafts, antique coffee grinders and seats made of old railway sleepers covered in big comfy bright cushions. Service, despite all the good vibes and friendly attitude, is on the slow side.T hat’s fine on a quiet Thursday morning when getting up to give the fellas a nudge to order coffee and clear plates is easy. But what would it be like on a weekend?
Anyway, that’s small potatoes. This is a sweet café run by nice guys. If great coffee, a wealth of green and delicious foods and Patti Smith on the speakers isn’t enough to sway you, maybe the reading material might. Lucky Peach’s apocalypse issue is lying around alongside a well thumbed Wonder Woman comic while Time’s cover this week is ‘How to Cure Cancer’. Kale?
