Alex: The CBD can be a daunting place for many reasons but for me the most traumatic experience is generally based around what I’m going to eat on my lunch break! (Sad but unfortunately true)
Cafe Chicane is a surprisingly large venue that is nestled in the city’s financial district (Bond Street) which is opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Chicane is quite unassuming in its design. It doesn’t pretend to be some trendy hipster cafe like a lot of other places that ultimately don’t deliver with its products. The layout of the restaurant is simple but elegant and its main selling points are its accessibility to decent quality food while you’re potentially rushing around on your lunch break but also it’s size. A great venue for work meetings/conferences etc.
First up was the Fried crusted Arancini Balls $11. I did notice a subtle hint of truffle oil, to which I was told was quite a recent addition. Definitely a welcome one so keep that truffle oil in there!
Clearly prepping myself for the carb overload that was going to occur in Europe I ordered the Fusilli Crab, Blue swimmer crab with white wine cream cardamon pod sauce and chives $26. Surprisingly not as heavy as I thought it was going to be. The pasta was cooked well. I don’t normally enjoy crab but this didn’t have a lingering fishy taste like most crab I have tried, which was great!
Next up, the Steak sandwich served with tomatoes, caramelised onions, rocket, swiss cheese, and honey mustard dressing served with chips. $19. Okay, so… with a few changes this could be a killer dish. First and foremost the actual steak was cooked well. It wasn’t chewy, nor was it thick or awkward to eat BUT it had a few flaws. Which were its accompaniments. Swiss cheese already has a distinct flavour that I felt as though clashed with the honey mustard dressing and the caramelised onions. If they used a brie or camembert cheese I believe it would’ve been a much more balanced sandwich and maybe an extra couple of minutes in the toaster so the cheese could melt! The chips were average, again, maybe a minute or two longer in the fryer so they were more crispy and some amped up seasoning and they would’ve been better. The sandwich has great potential though!
One of the specials of the day was a Prawn & Basil Linguine. Strong flavours in the sauce making it quite an enjoyable dish especially during the colder months. Some chilli would be killer in this dish! The prawns were a little chewy, but the sauce definitely saved the dish.
The winner of the day was by far the Prosciutto Pizza with wild rocket and mozzarella cheese. $19. Great suggestion by the very helpful manager Faye who also gave great wine suggestions! The dough was phenomenal, and the quality of the prosciutto was out of this world. Definitely order a pizza while you’re there!
To finish off I sampled a few of the desserts available at the front of the restaurant. These can also be purchased with a coffee to take away
Chicane is a strong contender in the CDB dining scene if you’re looking for something quick, convenient or something for a big group of people. When last speaking with floor manager Faye, they were interested in hosting wine nights and other interesting events for the public to attend.
Can’t wait to see what’s to come!
Until next time!
Alex
#For Food’s Sake dined as a guest of Cafe Chicane, all opinions however are our own and independent.
I walk past this place almost every day, wondering what it may be like. I’ve gotta say, the pizza does look pretty good.
Oh I hadn’t heard of this place before! Thanks for bringing it to our attention 🙂
Prosciutto on pizza is always a winner!