Appetite for fun

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]