Coffee Warehouse Cafe Deli Homebush

Some late night Italian food cravings saw me visiting Coffee Warehouse Cafe & Deli , located conveniently on busy Parramatta Rd. Upon entering, we are met with what seems to be a four in one café, as it is divided into four sections. On the left is the pizzeria, and straight ahead is the store which sells a variety of items including cheese and coffee. On our right is the delicatessen; loaded with a range of meats to choose from. The spaces in between is the café where we are seated.





As always, starting with drinks I order a green tea ($4.50). It comes in a teapot set that I had never seen before. The pot sits on top of the cup to release the tea, as shown by a quick demonstration from the waiter.



My boyfriend had cravings for some bruschetta, so we were eagerly waiting for our bruschetta pizza ($16). We were not disappointed. It was hot to touch, and it was fresh. The bread was lightly toasted, soft and warm in which the fresh tomatoes and onion provided a cool contrast to the doughy texture of the bread. The basil leaves were a great garnish, adding some minty flavour and a menthol aroma.



We were a bit more disappointed with the pear and parmesan salad ($12). If I could describe this dish in one word, it would be salty. The excessive amount of salt overpowered the entire dish, and after a couple of bites, we couldn’t eat anymore - which was a shame as it looked liked such an appetising and appealing entrée.



As they had altered the menu since the last time I visited, my usual pasta was no longer an option, and therefore I tried something different. I opted for the Gnocchi Al Pomodoro de Scamorza ($24) that, as they described it on the menu, was homemade light potato gnocchi with cherry tomato, fresh basil sauce, and fused with smoked scamorza. It wasn't the most appealing dish, but I was still willing to give it a go nevertheless. I took out the scamorza, which is cheese, as I forgot to tell them to leave that out when I ordered. The cherry tomatoes were a bit overpowering, and was quite strong in taste and smell, yet the gnocchi was freshly cooked and was soft and firm. The basil sauce was great and just tied the whole dish together as it had a delicate, subtle flavour, and was not too intense. While I still miss the usual pasta dish I regularly ordered; this was a nice, filling alternative. I was not too disappointed.



My boyfriend ordered the Petto D’Anatra ($32), comprising of some crispy skin duck breast accompanied by wilted Belgian endive, crisp snow peas and fig sauce. While the portion didn’t look too big on the plate, we were impressed with the simple, yet sophisticated presentation of the dish. According to my boyfriend, the duck was tender, yet the skin was crispy. The skin was also fresh and lean cut. On the other hand, the vegetables were a bit on the soft side. The vegetables were quite mushy...like baby food. He would have preferred a bit more of a crunch to them.



One thing prominent about the Coffee Warehouse is their pride in their brand name and their most popular product, coffee. While I am not a coffee drinker, they provide their customers with lots of information on hand about its origins, and the different types - of which is quite interesting to read.





The service is great. The staff are fast and efficient, and they ensured that we were happy with our meal. The atmosphere was great and suitable for both smaller parties and larger ones. The dishes were well presented, and the portions left us full and happy. This was not my first time visiting the Coffee Warehouse, nor will it be my last - as our Italian cravings were more than satisfied.

Rating: 8/10

Where: 17-35 Parramatta Rd Homebush NSW
Why: If you're craving Italian food, it's the place to go.
Cost: Ranges from $12-$32
When:
Restaurant: Open Monday - Sunday
Cafe: 7am - Late
Breakfast: 8am - 11:45am
Lunch: 12pm - 3pm
Dinner: 6pm - Late

Good for kids: Yes. Which kid doesn't like pizza?
Take away: Yes

Categories:

#_homebush
#_italian_restaurants
#_cafes
#_delis
#_coffees

%sydneyfoodlovers