It’s not a guarantee, but a trip to Appetite café could not
only get you a satisfied belly, but also a new partner or at the least a new
friend or two. ‘It’s true,’ laughs Appetite’s bubbly owner Leanne Fraser,
‘people meet here all the time, it’s the atmosphere we create, it’s very
comfortable, it’s not an “in and out” place.’ ‘Café owners are like hair
dressers, they have to know what’s going on around about, I try and keep up
with what’s happening in the area, because this is a place where people stop
for a chat.’ That’s not to say the food isn’t just as big a drawcard. Not with
indulgent light lunches like Appetite’s unique warm chicken salad, a dish
bursting with pear, almonds, blue cheese, avocado, grilled chicken breast and
mixed greens. Or, the delicious Lamb Burger served on a springy baps with
pesto, roast capsicum, rocket, caramelised onion, and a sweet chilli and mayo
sauce.
And of course, the famous Saturday breakfast special is always a pleasant voyage of
discovery. But when the lazy weekend is over and the weekdays come, drinks,
specifically coffee and Appetite’s famous Chai, become the brain drained
customers’ main focus.
And, as the mixed crowd of students, actors, FBI radio DJ’s,
office workers, and rockers from nearby Rolling Stone meander through, the
pleasant sound of Chai spices being carefully ground gently trickles up to meet
the beautiful high ceiling. It’s clear Leanne is very proud of the famous
reputation of her Chai – a blend of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and a
few special spices she refuses to tell me. ‘Very few café’s grind their own
Chai, they just buy a powder,’ she explains with her nose crinkled
incredulously as her customers recline on the funky furniture reading
newspapers, chatting and soaking up the chilled out tunes washing down from
above.
‘But I think it’s things like that which give café’s their
unique character, which in turn means people go out of their way to come here,
they feel connected and they almost expect to meet new people and have some
fun,’ she says, her eyes twinkling. It’s certainly a winning combination that
after seven years running seven days a week has made Appetite café an
institution, and one set to be around for many years to come.
Appetite Café – 82
Regent Street, Redfern.
[South Sydney Herald November 2006]