Lunch at Cafe Ish, Surry Hills

Oh Reuben ish, you make me drool.

One of the Sydney places that was on our ‘to eat’ list from the start was Cafe Ish, in Surry Hills.

Owned and run by chef Josh Nicholls (@cafeish) and his wife Ai, Cafe Ish is a standout local lunch venue by day, and an Izakaya by night, offering a really unique spin on Japanese and native Australian flavours.

TFP visited Cafe Ish for breakfast on her last visit to Sydney and missed out on the Kara age Crab Omelette. With thoughts of crispy soft shell crab on the brain for over twelve months, she vowed that she had to have a Kara age Crab Omelette this time round. You can read about her last visit at her blog.

TFP and the Japanese Lemonade

A love of all things Japanese is evident throughout Cafe Ish’s menu, including the drinks. TFP enjoyed a somewhat explosive run in with a bottle of Japanese Lemonade (Ramune).

Ramune features a fun, but a little annoying, Codd-neck bottle, which uses a marble and rubber gasket to seal in the drink. You have to use the supplied pink ‘plunger’ to push down the stopper, which in turn pushes down a glass marble, opening the drink.

I chose a much less exciting, but still delicious, freshly squeezed orange juice.

With lots of interesting options on the cocktail menu, J eventually settled on an Aussie Geisha.

Kara age Crab Omelette, $24
(also available in a lunch set with rice and miso soup for $16.50)

Here’s the dish we all came to see. The famous Kara age Crab Omelette. Kara age soft-shell crab and chunks of soft avocado are swaddled in a light omelette, and drizzled with a garlic, chili, ginger and soy dressing.

I really enjoyed the chunks of beautifully beautifully crisp soft-shelled crab and the creamy avocado.

The light omelette was simple – a perfectly executed Asian-style omelette, with the eggs lightly beaten, helping to ensure a light (not rubbery) texture with the perfect crispy edges.

Ai’s Freaking Awesome Fried Chicken (lunch set), $14.50

J absolutely had to try Ai’s Freaking Awesome Fried Chicken. With a name like that, who could blame him?

Later, Josh told us that the recipe for this chicken was discovered by his wife Ai after a Chicken Kara age craving – it’s a dish he doesn’t make, so she was left to her own devices.

The recipe and resulting chicken was so good it’s become part of the menu at Ish, served with an extremely tasty mix of fried shallots and soft slices of vinegary pickled garlic. We asked for the scoop on the garlic (amazing), but unfortunately, it remains an Ish secret

Reuben ish, $9.50, with a side of fries and wasabi mayo, add $3.50

I love corned beef. I love sauerkraut. I have no idea where this love comes from, as these weren’t foods of my childhood, but there’s big love there.

Unsurprisingly, the first thing that jumped out at me from the menu was the Reuben ish, and I’m so glad I tried it!

Of course, I ordered the extra side of fries…because I couldn’t not have them. They were delicious dipped in the house made creamy wasabi mayo.

Cafe Ish’s version of this New York deli classic involves aniseed myrtle corned free range Wagyu sandwiched with braised cabbage, cheese, seeded mustard, and a light smear of bush tomato aioli.

The corned beef was oh so tender, with an unsual, but totally moreish tang from being simmered with the aniseed myrtle. I thought this really gave this Reuben an edge, cutting through the rich flavours.

I loved the braised cabbage, which was tender, sweet and slightly tangy, complementing the Wagyu perfectly.

We were pretty well stuffed after our meals, but we couldn’t turn down the offer of a hot chocolate or Cafe Ish’s signature Maccacino.

I’d be a happy girl if I lived in Surry Hills. This coffee was outstanding, and even after my amazing sandwich, I found myself contemplating another – it was that good. Cafe Ish uses a signature blend of wattle and macadamia in every maccacino, imparting a delectably rich, nutty flavour to their already great coffee.

Hot drinks come with a mini-Snickerdoodle, also made by Josh’s team – which we gobbled up greedily. (I love Snickerdoodles. Note to self: make Snickerdoodles!)

After hearing about Cafe Ish after TFP’s last visit, the bar was set high – I’m very pleased to report that my first experience lived up to the expectations!

If you notice the sign outside which proclaims ‘no sushi!’, you might find yourself second guessing.

Cafe Ish offers a completely unique take on cafe dining with their mix of native Australian and Japanese.

Unusual, yes. Delicious? You bet. Worth a try – definitely.

Read about our other food adventures in Sydney

Sydney day 1: BBQ King, Haymarket

Sydney day 1: Via del Corso, Westfield Sydney

Sydney day 1: Spiedo Bar and Restauran t, Westfield Sydney

Sydney day 2: Bills, Surry Hills

Sydney day 2: Becasse Bakery, Westfield Sydney