kin bin tin on bay eighty-eight in the land down under

- note -

my other half was in sydney in june. these are his musings on bay eighty-eight in sydney. he tweets @kinbintin

an eclectic self-composed breakfast

on a wintery sydney afternoon the perfect place to sip a flat white or a long black is bay 88. mk and i stumbled across it the day we arrived in sydney. it is located on rushcutters bay not far from where we were staying in kings cross. kings cross is an eclectic area of strip clubs and dubious looking establishments. the culinary options seem not too impressive at first with greasy glaring fast food outlets. but look around the back streets and you might come across a place like bay 88
for a quick afternoon coffee or a relaxed breakfast that runs until 4pm. the coffee is smooth and consistent, yet has an undoubted kick to it. the dessert and afternoon cake choices are relatively limited, but the exceptional quality does not disappoint. mk puffed away on his pipe tobacco and a short black while i tucked into a delicious brownie and a long black coffee. inside the place has plenty of newspapers and cosy seating space, however if you wish to brave the dry sydney winter there is nothing more pleasant than sipping coffee on the heated patio outside. 

the next morning we came back for breakfast and the staff were delighted to see us. the service is par excellence, the staff are friendly and courteous, attentive and engaged if one asks for recommendations. the breakfast menu is extensive in the sense that most choices look unique and promising. i decided to mix and match my own combination breakfast: poached eggs, avocado, tasmanian smoked salmon served with ricotta and sour dough. it is a slightly odd combination but having heard so much about tasmanian smoked salmon and australian avocados i did not want to miss out. i was not let down. tasmanian smoked salmon is soft and fresh with an almost buttery texture, quite different from the scottish smoked salmon consumed in europe. mk had the scrumptious corn fritters with bacon, poached eggs and avocados. i managed to steal some of his corn fritters and was thoroughly impressed. the only let down is that they are often out of corn fritters, but are well worth trying when they are in. we both had the mixed berries frappes that were fresher and sharper than any fresh fruit juice or smoothie one can ever have. the lunch and soup choices looked equally promising and we regret not being able to fit that into our schedule. finish breakfast with a large long black coffee (you have to ask for milk on the side) and you are well on your way to enjoying a lovely day on manly beach or by the harbour.