It had been our plan for a long time to have a Middle Eastern DDT event, but with so many more continental (ahem, French ...) locations dotted around Sydney, we simply ignored the many potential funky Middle Eastern style cafes.
Cafe Mint is a bit of an institution in Surry Hills, on weekends it draws a sizeable breakfast crowd. This place fills up quickly for lunch too, yet those in the know (mostly locals) come back time and time again. While sitting there I noticed the waitress greeting customers by their names - clear evidence of happy returning customers, as well as Cafe Mint's welcoming hospitality.
It's a shame we were only here for sweets ... their meal menu looked so tantalising I had the urge to have a full 3 course meal here! Alas, we broke the "no savoury rule" at Pier last month ... can't make a habit of it!!
A strong black coffee was required to wash down the sweets - unlike French pastries, Middle Eastern desserts are often syrupy and sticky, and the only way to cleanse the palate would be with a black coffee. To be authentic it ought to have been a Turkish coffee but let's admit it - many of us aren't quite used to the intensity. A long back - thick with crema, full bodied and good to the last (cooled) mouthful - it accompanied me well throughout the sugar onslaught:
Rosewater custard topped with berry coulis and pistachio - I thought the coulis would overpower the custard but no, I could still taste the rosewater despite the tang. This was the least rich dessert today (except the walnuts and dried apricots).
Medjool dates with walnut are a great combination, nut reducing the rich sweetness of the dates, which has smooth flesh that sort of melts into a paste in your mouth.
I must admit I was not a fan of Turkish delights - my impression was always "sickeningly sweet, sticky, covered in icing sugar". I converted today - this was an authentic rosewater Turkish delight, covered with just enough icing sugar to stop it sticking, the texture chewy sticky, while it wasn't too sweet to allow the rosewater to come through! I am now a fan.... where have you been all my life!
Baklava - I'm not a fan of baklavas (geez aren't I finicky!) because it's always a rich mix of syrup and nuts. This was a good baklava, but still ... not converted like I was with the Turkish delight.
Saving the richest to last - a gooey, moist, chocolatey chocolate brownie that would give anyone a chocolate high after one mouthful. It was however one delectable chocolate brownie - Sorry KT ... this is up there in contention with yours!!!
Because of the sugar overdose, and that I have exhausted my cup of black coffee, I took the nougats to go ... will report back when I eventually have them :p
Upon departure the good lady gave me a muffin - breakfast for tomorrow! In the future (hopefully near) I will return to Cafe Mint to sample the mastic ice cream, the lemon yogurt cake, the extensive breakfast and lunch selection.......
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