The Campos Cafe

This flagship outlet from Campos Coffee in Newtown, Sydney is neither spacious nor unusual. Yet customers flock to the cafe like

driven by some magnetic pull, the right business model and/or a real need to be there, crowding with fellow addicts for the specific aroma and blend of this product. It does not even open on Sundays. The service is quick, friendly and matter-of-fact from the six or seven assumed barristas on the other side of the counter.

There is a whole series of heritage and unique coffee grinders, plungers and related gadgets placed on

a long, wide shelf in the centre of the room. Visitors cling to their high top round tables or wait on the side facing where the action is - the making of their carefully articulated requirements. As they wait and watch, there are keep cups and coffee blends to consider taking home. The range of available accompanying bites and snacks seem to be intently limited. After all, the emphasis is on the coffee.

A Newtown Festival, Sydney

Every major suburb in Australia tries to offer one special day in a year, when its residents and visitors from near and far, gather in a community spirit of mingling, browsing and patronising its unique produce, products and businesses. Call it a spring festival, market day or fete, such occasions showcase a neighbourhood's pace, uniqueness and culture. In November this year, I had the opportunity to sample the flavours of Newtown on a warm and welcoming day.

Innovative businesses in Newtown do offer unique tribe culture experiences like Replenished Records, BurgerFuel (offering lamb steaks!), The Mexican Guzman Y Gomez, Correllis Cafe and the Campos Coffee outlet. Outside on the pavements, the atmosphere is casual, bohemian and relaxing. There is an anticipation in the air and in the hearts of strollers that one can chance upon something interesting, something unexpected and something delightful. There is literally music in the air.

Iconic Aussie pub hotels like the Coopers and Marlborough do provide relief from the new fangled
outlets like Max Brenner, Kunetos Bar, Crumpler, MagNation and the Dendy. The awesome variety and choice of meals range from African at Kilimanjaro's, through Macedonian and Argentinian meat grills, to lighter stuff like the chicken pho soup(above) offered by Tnanh Binh.

Above: There are quiet residential neighbourhoods behind the main strip, where

daily life is played out with family, mates and loved ones that contrast

with the hype and reality of shopping, dining out and alternative lifestyles that Newtown may project to some.

Above: Hanging out at a key junction in Newtown, soaking in the

buskers, street players and just taking it easy on a Sunday arvo.

An Evening in IndoChine

La Mint is nestled away on a hidden corner of Riley Street, with a nearby cul de sac that adjuncts Sydney CBD's William Street.  William is the very street that serves as the main thoroughfare to the giant Coca Cola sign that signals the start of the Kings Cross precinct. Standing in front of La Mint, and its neighbouring La Spoggotti, one can see the top of the Westfield building. From the restaurant, though, our eyes wondered across the road through louvred wood blinds to an unassuming residential block called the Hyde Park Apartments.

We had gathered for a birthday meal, organised by Ely and Ray. My best palate sensation was the five spice infused duck confit, followed by the melt-in-the-mouth crispy skin of the Saigon styled roast chicken. I am a fan of duck done in whatever cultural cooking style, from Austrian through French to Beijing and Espanol.  I must confess that the La Mint duck has influences of my own Cantonese heritage, so I am not impartial on this judgement.  The La Mint version was moist, spoke of the aroma of spices and yet was different from the Hong Kong inspiration.

Three outstanding guzmania plants,with their eye-catching red blooms, prettily poised against a wall at the back of the restaurant -and they were so easily spotted under focus lights.  Three obvious French expats gathered on another table, smartly dressed but suited to the humid Sydney summer climate, reminiscent of colonial times in 19th century Saigon or Hanoi. Fashion Tv channel played on mute from pay tv on the large lcd screen. The partitions surrounding the dining area was possibly made of teak, a sweet reminder of South-east Asia and more elegant times.

                                Above, the entree variety platter; below, the pork ribs with a spicy garnishing.

Deep fried ice cream after being flambeed and accompanied by fresh strawberries.

My group of six persons first tucked in for an entree variety platter of the usual Viet favourite selection of finger food,but this was surpassed by the delicate omelette's pancake as second serving.  The dining experience was topped by a flambee of fried ice cream. In between, the lows were the rather salty taste from the soy doused pork belly,which was otherwise perfect in texture and presentation. Another dish of  pork ribs were rather thin and looked more like deep fried calamari, but that was more than made up by the
barramundi, which was deep fried to a perfect crunch.  Overall, the menu we had were skewed towards Asian rather than French,but there was a viable variety of wines and the ambiance was enhanced by French inspired tunes and decor.

I would return.