It's me, Eloise.

Twice in one day! 

Reuben Hills, Surry Hills. 

Brunch with AB - pretty in pastel
Sunglasses: Prada
Necklace: Lovisa
Shirt: Cotton On
Brooch: Kate Sylvester
Skirt: China Town
Handbag: Zara
Shoes: Shubar

I have been meaning to go to Reuben Hills for a while now but every time I attempt to go another cafe pops up and I say "oh, I'll go next time". Today I finally made it and I am sorry it took me so long to get there. As soon as I walked in I instantly knew I was in for a treat. AB accompanied me today. The first thing he said when we walked in the door was how much it reminded him of a cafe in the Meat Packing District in New York that we visited together on a recent trip.

We arrived at peak lunch hour and were quickly escorted by a young waiter in a flannel shirt. We followed him down the narrow corridor past the huge open kitchen and the trendy Surry Hills business crowd to the communal table out the back. We snagged the two last seats next to three managers from a popular fashion label (trust). The large table was located next to the big roller door which opened up onto a lane way. The table was topped with blue ceramic tiles and fresh flowers. Other assorted objects were scattered around the communial table. The other furnishings in the cafe were all quite sleek and modern with the big, open kitchen being the main feature. The walls featured quirky, illuminated, neon light artwork which intrigued AB tremendously. Juxtaposed with the sleek furnishings was mismatched crookery, which gave the standard hipster vibe. As we were seated near the big roller door we were offered blankets to keep us warm. I was very impressed with this as the wind was extremely icy and initially I had not been keen to sit so close to the open door.

Cappuccino 

We started with a cappuccino and an English Breakfast tea. AB was most impressed with his cappuccino. However, despite the cute mismatched cup and saucer my EBT was a bit disappointing as it was only luke warm. The pot only held enough tea for one and a bit cups. Not enough for an avid tea lover! I did however, love the cute old water bottles on each table which all said something different - my favourite being "please return to ... ". We originally only planned to meet for a coffee but we both couldn't resist the amazing looking food around us. We couldn't resist sharing the baked eggs with jamon, wilted spinach and sourdough($16 - quite reasonable)! Service was quick and more than satisfying. I am glad we shared as the portions were generous and despite being full I probably wouldn't have been able to resist eating it all! The baked eggs were perfectly spicy and when you cut into the yolk it oozed out. The jamon was succulent and juicy while the spinach was a nice contrast to the creamy eggs. Two pieces of toast was perfect for us. AB loves to pile his eggs on top of his toast but I like to eat them separately (so that my toast stays extra crispy). After finishing our meal I wanted to try the coffee that AB had been raving about. However, parking was almost up and we didn't have time. We were just about to leave when AB got a call from our friend asking to meet for coffee. Of course we knew the perfect place! 

Baked eggs with jamon and wilted spinach

Within half an hour the three of us we were back for round two! Thank god we got a different waiter, otherwise it could have been rather awkward! This time we tried the front of the cafe at our own table next to tables of people busy working on their laptops.  WIth a large skinny latte for me (extra hot) and two white chocolate, expresso milkshakes for the boys we whiled away the afternoon. The milkshakes appeared to be a favourite item as everyone was sipping them. When asked which milkshake was the favourite our waiter " the salted caramel milkshake but I prefer the white chocolate and expresso". The boys agreed, they were delicious! The sweetness of the white chocolate balanced out the bitterness of the expresso. AB and CA were slightly shaky from the coffee buzz after they finished it. My latte had a good amount of froth and was creamy. After tasting the milkshake I was a little jealous I didn't order one myself! 

AB and his white chocolate and expresso milkshake

As we were leaving the "dog's breakfast" was delivered to the table next to us. Reuben Hill's dog's breakfast is an ice cream sandwich and it looked delicious! I will definitely be back for that sooner rather than later and next time I am going to try the salted caramel milkshake - I think it will be a winner! 

Reuben Hills

61 Albion St Surry Hills

Overall: 8/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Food: 8/10

Coffee: 7/10