Bringing Home The Bacon
Vegetarians avert your eyes! This review is definitely not for you! In my foodie adventures I have found the Newtown cafe that made my meaty morning dreams come true. With a limited time bacon based and inspired menu, I was in brunch paradise and I felt that I simply had to tell you all about it. Not for the faint of foodie heart, this cafe brought both great happiness and a small dose of disappointment, but I am a firm believer that the only way to know if you like something is to try it. Without any further ado, let's see what happened when we tried Cuckoo Callay.
One crisp morning, Mr Tonic and I were in high spirits as we decided to head to this much talked about spot. Nestled in near Newtown station, it is completely unassuming and altogether rather quaint. Whilst I have definitely been to cafes with a nicer sense of ambiance, the tables outside were nice and bright and gave us the perfect vantage point from which to practice our Parisian people-watching skills. Perusing the menu, there were plenty of options and Mr Tonic and I were having a tough time deciding just what to pick. In the end, we finally went with our instincts and although mine were spot on, it seems that Mr Tonic's went a little wayward.
Entitled the 'My Sweet Valenswine', we thought it would be love at first bite - well it wasn't, not quite. A gorgeous tower of bacony goodness, it was made up of a carrot cake waffle, maple bacon, bacon and cinnamon ice cream, caramelised walnuts, freeze dried mandarin and fresh blueberries. Although it sounds like an absolute winner, Mr Tonic simply wasn't feeling it. Perhaps it was too complex, but at the base of the dish I feel like the flavours of bacon and that home made ice cream were screaming out for a normal style waffle rather than the carrot cake, as when I was allowed a bite, the flavours didn't quite marry up. Whilst elements of this dish were deliciously spot on, I feel as though it was predominantly the decision to use the carrot cake for the waffle that let them down. This made for a rather disappointing meal for Mr Tonic, especially when compared to the marvel on my plate.
Get ready for this, for it is possibly one of the least healthy dishes I have ever had, but it was worth every single bite. This legendary brunch option is called the 'Bacon Mac Daddy' and it comprises the following elements - cheesy macaroni, bacon, a 63 degree poached egg and tomato relish all inside a toasty croissant. Sounds devilishly delectable, doesn't it? Well, it was! Mr Tonic was looking over, green with envy and deeply regretting the decision not to order it. Every bite was a savoury taste sensation. The crisp texture of the lightly toasted croissant contrasted perfectly with the cheesy macaroni and with the addition of bacon, who couldn't be in love? Unlike my usual self which would have scoffed it down in an instant, I was taking my time to savour every last bit. It was certainly a winner with me.
Overall, we concluded that our experience at Cuckoo Callay was a positive one. We enjoyed the nice locale, friendly staff and have put down the decision mishap to a difference in taste. However, my dear readers, I have been hiding a terribly dark secret from you all that I think must be brought to light at this point in the review. Steel yourselves - for this amazing menu has now since ended and the bacon brewfest has come to an end. However, I think that if you can put aside your devastation, this cafe can still serve up some incredibly tasty dishes (and they still have the Bacon Mac Daddy). If, like me, your interest has been piqued by what you read above, you should definitely give them a go. Perhaps you too shall become cuckoo for Cuckoo Callay.
Rating: 8/10