Butchers On The Chopping Block?

If there is one thing that really grinds my gears, it is great places upping their prices just that little bit too much. They start out young and ambitious, with enticing food and excellent value, wanting to draw you in like an unsuspecting fly into their web of deliciousness. Then, little by little, they get popular and up their prices go until you’re sitting there wondering what happened to your favourite brunch spot.

At this point you have a choice to make: you leave and never look back, huffing as you go with a flick of your hair, or, as often happens, they’ve hooked you and you can’t help but inevitably return despite the pricey produce. The latter is my experience of Wahroonga’s coveted The Butcher’s Block. As the local go-to café for the upper North Shore, it has a renowned reputation, with myself as well. I’ve been going there for years and it’s fair to say they’ve certainly earned their stripes, as on any given day you will find a full house. This is definitely helped along by their use of the oldest trick in the marketing handbook: cute wait-staff. Surely they don't discriminate in their hiring, but let's just say it's a noticeable trend.

Nonetheless, over these years I have been watching the prices creep, slowly but surely, and it was last Friday when I actually stopped and asked myself: ‘are they worth it anymore?’. Don’t get me wrong, I recognise that the food is delicious, but it’s the principle of the matter. Heading there with my best friend for a girls catch-up, we did the traditional couple's move and opted to share the dishes, looking for the perfect brunch balance of savoury and sweet. Picking two of my favourites, we ultimately decided upon the french toast and pulled pork benedict (with two cappuccinos, of course).

Well, my mother always taught me to have the bad news first, so let's begin with the pulled pork benedict. At a boldly priced $23 it seems a bit rich for breakfast or brunch compared to its younger self. Whilst the pork has been upgraded with a sumptuous hickory flavour, you now find yourself with less of it and only one slice of bread. It's certainly delicious, but I think it's safe to say the plate looks a little bare compared to other dishes you can order. At a rough estimate (my memory isn't quite up to snuff), the old version would cost you about $18, but it has been slowly getting more expensive and the differences just don't seem justified.

On the other hand, at a cheaper $18.50, the french toast was a beautifully presented interpretation of a classic. In the olden days, the french toast cost roughly $16 and was just as delicious (in fact, the nutella interpretation is much missed), if with slightly less inventive and courageous taste combinations. This small jump seems to this consumer easily justified, as I can see where my money is going. The new flavours, ample fruit adornments and featuring of the brioche bun make for a memorable french toast experience and I find myself content with my choice.

Of course, I hear some of you asking 'why not simply order the cheaper items on the menu?', but you would be missing the issue at hand. We should be able to choose whatever tickles our fancy with the secure knowledge that what we are paying for is good value, at least by that restaurant's standards. At The Butcher's Block, it's a mixed bag. You may very well be getting great value like the french toast, but after seeing the transformation of my favourite dish, I have had to take off my rose-coloured glasses.

All in all, this consumer just isn't as satisfied anymore. Newcomers could easily be bamboozled into thinking The Butcher's Block is just as fantastic as I once did, but that's due to the fact that they don't know any better. Ignorance sure is bliss. That said, this small but prickly thorn in my side won't stop me going, I'm trapped in this spider's well-seasoned web. I said it before and I maintain: the food is delicious. Yet, I think this establishment has lost the frequency of my business. Whereas before it was my go-to destination for any and every café occasion, I feel the price jump will keep me at bay, only heading there for special events or friends.

Rating: 7/10

#food #brunch #foodie #sydneyeats #yum #delicious