Three Williams Redfern

One of the things I loved about working in Chippendale over the past year was that we had easy access to some ridiculously good eats. Some within walking distance and others a short drive away, my colleague Shayben and I had worked out exactly where to go depending on the hour of the day. Now that Shayben and I are completely freelance, we see each other less but try and set out the time to catch up on a weekly basis.

A few short weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that much loved Redfern hot spot Three Williams Cafe had revamped their menu. Being on the edge of Newtown, Broadway, Surry Hills and Central, It only just occurred to me that Shayben and I seldom ventured into the closest neighbourhood, Redfern. Considering we had both never been before, last week Shayben and I head over for our routine mid-week brunch and catch up.

"Why have I never been here?!" I asked Ben, as though he should know the answer. We took a few steps down to enter what felt like a basement hideaway. I was suddenly taken back to Fall in New York City - rusty tones, deep woody shades and raw brick facades sitting underneath an installation of overhanging wintery branches. We took a seat right by the window where beautiful light poured into the space. We ordered our coffees, and before too long, I started thinking about what I wanted for brunch. Ben decided rather quickly that he wanted something meaty (not at all surprised) - which is why he went for the newly added Chicken Schnitzel Burger. After much contemplation and while sipping on a fantastic coffee, I ordered my usual. The stuff that makes even the busiest of mornings feel like Sunday; sautéed mushrooms, marinated ricotta, truffled balsamic and parmesan on toast, with a poached egg on top.

Sometimes, it can be hit or miss with the use of balsamic in brunch dishes, I feel like one too many dashes of the stuff and it's goodbye to every other flavour on the plate. But in this case, the marinated ricotta took it to a new level for me, adding a soft and subtle flavour that worked perfectly with the acidity of the truffle balsamic - a perfect balance.

Ben loved his burger.

So did I. I tried in the fear that I was missing out on something truly awesome. The schnitzel was crispy and tender, the brioche bun was soft and fresh, but it was the wasabi and avocado mayo that set it apart. Definitely one for the chicken lovers to remember.

One of the new additions to the menu is the brioche french toast. We ordered one to finish on a sweet note. The options for toppings were either berries, yogurt and maple syrup, or belgian chocolate, caramel bananas and hazelnuts - of course, we opted for the latter. and by we, I mean me. Ben was too full to think about dessert.

Warning. This dish is not for the faint of heart. Everything about Three Williams' belgian chocolate french toast rich and sinful. The bananas sitting atop the french toast tasted much like something I tried in the US called bananas foster - bananas grilled in a pan of brown sugar, butter and a little rum for some big kid flavour. While I'm not certain about how they're prepared, these bananas definitely packed a flavour punch, especially when paired with the silky belgian chocolate on top.

Will we be back?

Yes. And next time, I'll tuck right into those Narnies that got everyone talking about Three Williams in the first place.