Boscage

The guy behind Boscage’s incredible breakfast and lunch menus, Chowdhury Beizid, cut his teeth at Sydney’s Lox, Stock, and Barrel and Fish Face, and is bringing some of that Bondi charm to Surry Hills’ Bourke Street with his new spacious cafe and bistro. Boscage’s mandate is refreshingly simple: a considered menu of all the coffee, tea and fresh-pressed juices you could thirst for alongside food listed under headings like Something Small, I’m Hungry!, Sandwiches, and Other Dishes. Don’t worry, the food itself – while certainly not run-of-the-mill – is less than enigmatic: this is laidback, fascinating and accessible modern Australian cuisine at its best.

It all begins with coffee at Boscage, who’ve recruited the services of Five Senses to keep them in beans, a daily grind to help those in Surry Hills under the thumb of the daily grind get on with it all. For these sorry souls, express espresso is best; Boscage’s coffee counter and barista faces Bourke Street, along with some of the cafe’s famous fresh-pressed juices, shakes, sodas and baked goods – all made from scratch on site – for those who need something on the go. That said, Boscage is far more suited to those who want to find a spot in the spacious interior and really get stuck into a modern Australian menu that’s hard to beat in Sydney when it comes to imagination and value.

Something Small. Pear and walnut bread with lavender labne and fresh mint. Chai-infused Bircher muesli with red apple, nuts, poached rhubarb and pear. Where else but Sydney do you find cafes bold enough to combine Middle Eastern and South Asian flavours with staunchly European breakfast fare? This is the kind of nuanced cuisine that is Boscage’s stock in trade, and though it’s offering is simply simple breakfast and lunch, it’s menu is packed with similar combinations. If your appetite knocks up a notch, go for the chorizo Scotch eggs with braised beans and a herb salad – something that’s making a few waves in Sydney’s foodie scene. Lunch in Surry Hills has got better, if you can believe it, with Boscage’s gourmet sandwiches (packed with ingredients like smoked pulled chicken and housemade pastrami) and dishes like the housemade gnocchi with pork shank and oyster mushroom ragout, served with caramelised onion and a truffle salsa. Boscage’s quietly five-star offering gives many white-tablecloth-and-silverware restaurants a run for their money. Book a table before word gets out!