The Grind Espresso Bar and Cafe, Surf Road, Cronulla - Sydney

Andy had been singing the praises of this cafe and I had to try it. Located on a side lane parallel to the main pedestrian mall in Cronulla in Sydney's south-east, it has a width of two shop fronts and faces the low rise single garages for units across the narrow roadway.  One can say it has a partly hidden location, but two streets away is the mall. The place may first look cluttered but there is a method to the buzz. The staff are cheerful on the morning the three of us dropped by. The lady who took our orders had a busy commencement in the cafe since that Saturday dawn, but she still had  the wit to say she is working "on the grind" around mid-morning. There is a sheen of brown about the decor, interrupted by graceful lights and unusual punctuations - I love the Ciry Rail time table board that lists the type of coffee available instead of suburban rail stations.

The coffee is wholesome, flavourful and makes me want to return. Chairs can be low or high, in disparate combos that reflect more of Sydney's Newtown or Melbourne's Chapel Street.  We can be shoulder to shoulder, or maybe thigh to thigh at times, but everyone seems to relish in their cuppa, especially when the sky is so blue outside.  The coffee has character but so has the place and delivery.  Snacks are practical and easy.  I felt as if I was in a fete and the village had all turned up to have a communal addiction fulfilled.

If there is such a thing as a regular gathering hole for coffee, mates and community, the Grind does measure up. It has the atmosphere of a place where you can meet up with new or old mates, bring the family or just have a quiet moment from the cares of the world.  The Grind seems to be a stop in the schedule of the customers. We went there after a breakky meal in another part of Cronulla.  We naturally joined in the liveliness of the place.  I did not notice if wifi was provided, but I reckoned not - and it was not necessary at all.  Would I return - yes at the next opportunity!

The Alley Break Cafe, Kingsway, Cronulla Beach - Sydney

When people are willing to queue and wait patiently for a seat, you do have something special.  Especially in the early morning. Surfers, babies on prams, cyclists, mates from other suburbs.  This is a cafe with competition from others nearby.  The sun is shining early and the bay is particularly Aussie blue. After luckily finding a car space nearby to park, the three of us stood on the rather clean pavements with a high degree of anticipation - and we were well rewarded.  We did not even have to wait for more than 15 minutes and we did not book ahead.  Every table and every seat was taken up, inside or outside.   Alley Break is sited in the right place or offers good menu choices or both.  The day has begun but it looks like the cafe has commenced even earlier on this April Saturday.

The scrambled eggs are fresh and lively. I loved my acai smoothie, not heavy and not dilute, but just right, with a juicy undertone and good texture.  Fellow breakfast goers are friendly, engrossed in conversation and digging into the food with an earnest zest. The energy of the customers seem to ooze into the place, with staff attentive and quick on their feet.   The young couple seated next to us were kind enough to let us share their pepper and salt shakers.

The Alley Break exemplifies the Shire of Sutherland, with iconic symbols of lifestyle, demographics and scenery that separates the Shire from other parts of greater Sydney.  I felt like being on the Gold Coast at certain moments, but without the unwanted commercialism and touristy traps that exudes through Brisvegas. With a high residential profile, organised retail outlets and a sense of community, Cronulla can provide a model for many developing beach towns in Australia.  The stereotype of the healthy Australian - surfer, fitness body and a cheeky smile - can still be seen in Cronulla.

With a view of the Promenade and bordering Dunningham Park, it is good to get there early.  The cashier attending to my group was a down to earth gentlemen from perhaps the old school with a hint of a country town touch.  People do move on after having their share of relaxation at the cafe, so I reckon it is worth to check it out even on busy days.

There can be increasing competition in coffee outlets and produce in the Cronulla area, especially clustering around the Mall area. Alley Break's prices are moderate.  Things can get real busy, as it did on my recent visit, but even when I did not insist, a female staff member took initiative to provide me a more comfortable chair.  The next time I am there, I must try the sourdoughs and also continue to take their juice offerings.

Above photo is a snapshot of my breakky choice that day - lots of spinach, a wholesome cut of avocado, a yummy portion of salmon and two fresh organic eggs.   This was a peculiar choice without sourdough, toast or the usual grain breads.  Outside, North Cronulla Beach beckons.

Rodizio Brazillian Churrascaria - Cronulla, Sydney

Bun bread on skewers. Tongs for each guest to help take off a meat slice hanging ready on the sword like skewer.  The last time I saw such skewers was at Santa Fe Portuguese in Wollongong CBD. This time, in a southern Sydney suburb in the Shire, I am surrounded by family groups and couples, with our table of five selecting the churrasco and tapas degustation menu.  The meats are cooked over hot charcoals and offered in a wide variety, from minted lamb to beef sirloin.  Above picture captures our starting blocks, with chorizo and chicken (which was my fav selection for the night, crispy and full of flavour).  A variety of condiments are utilised to marinade the meats - lemon, French mustard, herbs like thyme, garlic, honey, wine and chili.  These ingredients reflect the heritage of European settlers from more than a hundred years ago merging the availability of meats from an extensive animal grazing industry to the cuisine of their forefathers.

For starters, we loved the banana fritters with a touch of doughnut crumb and cinnamon icing (image above).  Interesting examples of tapas served are pork belly, cevice bianco (fish gougonettes with onion, tomato and capsicum) and a wild mushroom saute.  We had decent reds and whites on our table and they blended well with the various meats from the skewers. I did find a few of my sampled meats a bit over the top in saltiness.  There seemed to be only one guy circulating with the sword skewered meats and he (the passadore) was patient and attentive to the customers.  My group was also taken positively by the smiling engagement by the staff.  For example, they took the effort to let us know that the coffee machine was not producing sufficiently hot coffee that night, before they asked us to consider our orders.

Fresh pineapple grilled over charcoal was a new concept to me (above) and it took me a while to adjust to the different taste. Brazil lies mainly around the equatorial belt and so such fruits were not a surprise to us. We did have a few rounds of the bananas and pineapples.

The unique menu offered is food of the cowboys, or Gauchos, in a barbecue called churrasco. If you can recall those Hollywood movies of old, envisage the characters huddled around campfires on tough open terrain, having spit roasts and tall tales told.  Churrasco was born in such surroundings and most probably served in chunky sizes.   In modern day Cronulla, bite sized cuts and fancy salads are made available, together with modern day delights like mozzarella, olive oil and passion fruit juices.  On this occasion, we did not sample the cocktails, with names like Mojito and Cachaca (sugar cane based).  However, Frank was the usual entertainer and Murph poured the grog.

Interesting enough, beers are not accepted BYO, but you can bring in your own wines, subject to a corkage charge. The evening we were there, the atmosphere was sufficiently boisterous, despite a chilly night, and even at 10pm, the piped in music continued to entertain.   Some attention was paid to recreate a Rio Grande region street scene, with actual louvred windows facing inwards along the inner bricked walls and huge orange/red coloured piping running ostentatiously above, just below  the ceiling.  The kitchen had an open concept over a counter for guests to see the tools and ways of the grill trade.  Dining tables are made of solid wood and relatively spacious.  On Saturday nights, there are live performers bringing the vibes of Carnivale to the restaurant. I could see a McDonalds joint across the road but I was more than happy to be on this side instead.  The meatballs are lusciously tasty and the garden salad, refreshing (picture below).

Rodizio also operates in the inner city suburb of Leichhardt in Sydney.  My impressions of my visit to the Cronulla outlet of Rodizio are:

Atmosphere: Bustling.

Location: The Shire.

Taste:  Palate teaser and rewarding.

People Engagement:  Relaxing and attentive.

Service:  Responsive  even on a busy night.

Best Time to Visit: Saturday nights.

Fav Dish Experienced: Charcoal grilled Chicken,

Would I Return?:  Yes, I am already eyeing the

prawn and chorizo pasta.

Bundeena to Cronulla and back - Boat on the Bay

Captain Ryall ran the first ferry service in Port Hacking Bay from Jibbon Beach in Bundeena Village.

Between Horderns and Gunyah beaches lies the ferry wharf that today provides passengers (image above) a refreshing half hour ride to Cronulla Beach. The boat ride, run by the Cronulla and National Parks Service, is highly recommended. With boats called TomThumb and CurraNulla, they are the link between two different worlds and run every hour (on the half hour) from each destination. Below, the door to the captain's navigation deck.

I was impressed with the orderliness and housekeeping aboard the boat, noticeably the safety float vests stored above the passengers (above image) and the cleanliness of floors and seats. Below, a typical scenery passengers encounter along the ride - stand up board paddlers, swimmers and surfers.

Pets, families and backpackers are all welcomed aboard by the crew - one of whom collects ticket fares once the journey begins.

Above, the boat approaches the wharf at Bundeena Village.

Cronulla Beach, Sydney - What a Beaut Arvo