What does Frida Kahlo and a café in Redfern have in common? Strong women, strong coffee and strong flour (00 that is!). It’s a little known fact that Frida used a good meal to repair her lover and muse Diego Riveras foul moods. The café owner’s Yami and Lauren Yehezkel explain it’s no coincidence that Frida features in their café having being raised by brave women shaping their lives, Yami’s mother who was one of the first female Israeli police continues to have influence over the ethos and the food you’ll find at this lovely local Redfern café. We’re sure Frida would give a cool nod to the recent menu change that is now mid-eastern Mexican fusion.
The café is bustling, Lauren who is part chef and front of house helps us find a table with the right ambience, either under the auspicious mono-brow on the couch, in the middle of the bustle or up the front near the plants, dangerously facing the pastries. Organic fair trade Seven Miles beans are behind the brew and a coffee order is taken while choosing the table with pastry and pretzel vista. If coffee isn’t your thing, the sticky chai with almond milk dressed in rose petals is a perfect alternative.
If there’s a wind chill going on outside the best place to start is with the warming wild rose oat and chia porridge, lighter than usual with the addition of chai seeds, topped with a ruby red fragrant raspberry and strawberry compote. The new feature, Frida bowl is a rainbow of colour with spicy quinoa, fresh corn, refried beans, soft scrambled egg, pico de gallo and topped with avo. It’s delicious and even though it’s a generous serve, it’s total goodness so no need to hold back. You really should never go past the signature dish, especially a family recipe, you can literally taste generations of dedication in perfecting it. The shakshuka, a mid-eastern spiced tomato base with perfectly cooked oozy eggs on top, earn their reputation at this café. It is served with their other house specialty, the Wild Flour house made pretzel, which is as light as air encased in a crispy sesame shell.
Sure it’s brunch time but don’t let that put you off a little brunch dessert. After what has been guilt-free breakfast Frida herself would have endorsed a sweet treat to share or take-away of one the homemade pastries, donuts or cakes, to keep up the sunny mood all day.
Wild Flour
156 Abercrombie St, Redfern NSW 2016
Open every day, Monday – Friday 7am-4pm, Saturday – Sunday 8am-3pm
