1

BABYFACE KITCHEN

Chef Andy Burns blurs the lines between fine and

casual dining in this appealing hybrid with a spare,

Nordic-influenced interior and smart-casual vibe.

The tight menu leans towards Japan and Korea –

salmon with yuzu granita, white soy and pickled

kohlrabi, for instance – and is peppered with native

ingredients such as saltbush, samphire and sea lettuce,

the latter in a dish of yellowfin tuna, Tasmanian

wasabi and sea-lettuce furikake. Five house-made

misos, including chickpea and pistachio, provide

hits of umami, and the bar serves sake and an

all-Australian wine list.1/179 Keira St, Wollongong,

NSW, (02) 4295 0903, babyfacekitchen.com.au

BREAD, ESPRESSO &

It’s the laid-back vibe and attentive service as much as

the Allpress organic coffee and Thoroughbread loaves

that distinguish this new café owned by Norby and

Sandy Hewitt. Their crew remembers customers’ names

and coffee preferences, and serves caffeine with superior

almond croissants, cinnamon scrolls, Portuguese tarts

and gluten-free triple-choc brownies by Madhouse

Bakehouse. It’s dog-friendly, eco-friendly (they have

a keep-cup discount and takeaway coffee grounds for

composting), and just plain friendly.190 Lawrence

Hargrave Dr, Thirroul, NSW, breadespresso.com.au➤

Hargrave first lifted himself four metres off the ground
in his box kite) and climbing the Wodi Wodi track for
views from Sublime Point.
Thirteen years ago the old coast road between
Coalcliff and Clifton, which was prone to rockfalls and
mudslides, was replaced by the sinuous bends of the Sea
Cliff Bridge. Rising on giant concrete stilts, it rebooted
the appeal of this sleepy coastal stretch as a daytripping
destination for Sydneysiders, is and the perfect vantage
for sightings of migrating humpback and minke whales.
Sea-change gentrification, meanwhile, has picked up pace
from Stanwell Park to Bulli, as fibro shacks and miners’
cottages make way for architect-designed weekenders.
Still, the region remains almost defiantly resistant to
urban polish and pretension. This is a place where it’s
almost mandatory to enjoy a meal with sand between
your toes, your hair stiff with surf salt. Tellingly,
though, the quality of coffee and bread have improved
dramatically. So many cafés have opened in Thirroul
and surrounds it could have been called the Caffeine
Coast, and what was once white-sliced territory is now
sourdough central. A freshly risen batch of bakers
includes Wade Younger of Coal Coast Sourdough in
Port Kembla, and Daniel Watts, whose charcoal loaves
sell out quickly at his new Bread Circle bakery in
Austinmer. They’re among a rollcall of entrepreneurs
launching new ventures on the “near” South Coast.

GOURMET TRAVELLER 161