Sweet Delight

There's definitely something special about this place - I reckon the vast majority of customers are regulars and many of them know, and are known by, the staff. Nearly all the staff are great, from the manager, Thai, to baristas, Cindy and Mimi, and also Tuan, Elsa, the bakers, and all the other workers. I'm sure it must be good management that creates the right working environment. My only negative feeling is that sometimes they're a little over-the-top in looking after me. I'd like to be just an anonymous un-noticed customer. I had to stop going there for a while because I felt too much pressure from one particular member of staff. She doesn't seem to be around much any more, so I'm more comfortable there.

The focus is unequivocally on sweet (as suits me!), but there's a fairly good range of breads as well. Everything seems to me to be made with a degree of understatement that is a natural balance to my tendency to excess! Finger buns have only a modest amount of icing with a sparing sprinkle of coconut; fruit buns are light on fruit but there's enough there to keep my interest.

Although the raw materials for the coffee are only Primo (and you have to ask for a double shot when you order a long black or else suffer with the single shot default) , they do a very good job with it and I have enjoyed many a cup while reading a book after a long-ish Sunday run. My favourite barista is Cindy, but Thai, the boss, does a pretty good job with the coffee too.

They open at 05:30 every day except Sunday, when people like me have to run an extra 5 km to make the time pass until 06:00.

Furthermore, they're open nearly every day of the year...I mean where else can you get a quiet spot to read a good book with a coffee and bun or two around Chatswood at 6am on ANZAC Day, Australia Day, or Easter Day?

updated 20 april 2009