Troy McNaughtonFor the love of late night coffee...
April 14th 2006 05:20
Welcome to the first installment of Late Lattes, your first call for after hours cafes in Sydney!
Our inaugural pick is a tad suburban in Pennant Hills, but only really a stone's throw away from the North-western and North Shore suburbs (there's no traffic at 10pm - or you can catch the train). The aptly named Insomnia is open til midnight and easy to find at 114 Yarrarra Road, just off Pennant Hills Road and opposite Pennant Hills Station.
It gets very mixed reviews on the dubbya dubbya dubbya, but its all about careful choices: DO try the Chai tea (latte or "punjabi" - meaning, erm, "Indian"?!), the cappuccinos, the flavoured coffees, the double ultra turbo mega shake, and the burgers. DON'T order the iced chocolate (made with drinking chocolate - what were they thinking??) and although the bruschetta topping is very nicely prepared, the bread went a bit chewy and was buttered (WHAT?! I hear you say; yes, buttered). The jury is still out on the Caesar Salad. But the Chai, oh the Chai. It's flakey shavings in a transparent teapot - so fun to guess what's in it!
There has been a high turnover of staff in recent years (not to mention several changes of ownership) and I think it's destabilised its cult following. Never fear, though, I predict the new owners will have a better grip on the situation as the owner/manager is often there to supervise. Staff who were hired very young are starting to grow up and get better at their jobs, and for a café with a fair bit of table space, I've never had to wait long for my order.
Yes there are one or two tables too close to the café fridge, but on the plus side you can stare and salivate at them to your heart's content. Yes the lights are too bright for any real atmosphere, but it's well and truly the venue for a good old catchup/gossip/deep and meaningful so you're not there to smooch or slouch in a corner.
I looked around and the punters were so engrossed in their respective conversations I'm sure as far as they were concerned they might have been in a below freezing Guatamalan strip club watching a human sacrifice* and they wouldn't have noticed or cared.
Take your mum, take your boyfriend, take your long lost friend from primary school - it's the perfect coffee establishment while you argue, cry or reminisce about the ABC afternoon shows you watched when you were 10 (complete with theme tunes… "the power is yours!") at a time you would never have been allowed to stay up until when you were 10. Unless you have cooler parents than I do. Bet you had icecream for breakfast, had a pool and a Nintendo and a Barbie Dream Home too… bet you were a spoiled brat and now you've turned out to be a loser… *cough*
Whatever criticisms may or may not have been alleged tentatively or otherwise, it's cheap, it's clean, it's got a funky sign, and it's a damn sight better than having that late night chat in your car - depending, of course, on the context of the word "chat"...
Obviously if that's just what you told your parents, you kids better stay in the car.
Meanwhile, watch your diet and remember that "only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." (Alex Levine)
Finally, for the morbid among you, check out the guy who uses his dead wife as a coffee table! Only in America...
*Disclaimer: hypothetically… I'm sure Guatamalans are very nice people!
Our inaugural pick is a tad suburban in Pennant Hills, but only really a stone's throw away from the North-western and North Shore suburbs (there's no traffic at 10pm - or you can catch the train). The aptly named Insomnia is open til midnight and easy to find at 114 Yarrarra Road, just off Pennant Hills Road and opposite Pennant Hills Station.
There has been a high turnover of staff in recent years (not to mention several changes of ownership) and I think it's destabilised its cult following. Never fear, though, I predict the new owners will have a better grip on the situation as the owner/manager is often there to supervise. Staff who were hired very young are starting to grow up and get better at their jobs, and for a café with a fair bit of table space, I've never had to wait long for my order.
Look Mum no hands!
I looked around and the punters were so engrossed in their respective conversations I'm sure as far as they were concerned they might have been in a below freezing Guatamalan strip club watching a human sacrifice* and they wouldn't have noticed or cared.
Take your mum, take your boyfriend, take your long lost friend from primary school - it's the perfect coffee establishment while you argue, cry or reminisce about the ABC afternoon shows you watched when you were 10 (complete with theme tunes… "the power is yours!") at a time you would never have been allowed to stay up until when you were 10. Unless you have cooler parents than I do. Bet you had icecream for breakfast, had a pool and a Nintendo and a Barbie Dream Home too… bet you were a spoiled brat and now you've turned out to be a loser… *cough*
Obviously if that's just what you told your parents, you kids better stay in the car.
Meanwhile, watch your diet and remember that "only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat." (Alex Levine)
Finally, for the morbid among you, check out the guy who uses his dead wife as a coffee table! Only in America...
Coffee Irish Yoda likes!
*Disclaimer: hypothetically… I'm sure Guatamalans are very nice people!
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Comment by Lia
Also I am afraid. Very very afraid. That coffe table story is seriously disturbing, exceeded in ick factor only by the picture. Please tell me others promptly vomited into their mouths upon viewing!
Need Irish Coffee to wash away that taste.. ick!
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by rachel
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Tell me Rachel!
Tell me!
croissants at 4:30 am? Gotta get it, gotta gotta get it...
Comment by amy
Newtown isn't too far from Ultimo, and I can highly recommend the 24 hour bakery (yes sometimes you need that sugary, greasy, carbohydratey goodness): Crispy Inn, 203 King Street, Newtown. I can highly recommend their raisin scones, hot cross buns (how seasonal) and I have no doubt they have croissants (could even be freshly baked for your 4.30am hankerin'!).
Comment by Anonymous
I'd love to hear what you all think.