I approached this place with a degree of optimism because it looked and sounded good. I was instantly impressed as I stepped inside and soaked up the minimal industrial decor, all polished concrete, steel and glass. Marring this sleek minimalism was a very prominent and unnecessary sandwich board: “For takeaway, please order from the right hand side of the counter” (with an arrow). It was very clear where to order and where to wait. I’ve been to cafes where it’s far less obvious and you know what? I figured it out. So I placed my order at the correct side of the counter, and you won’t believe this – the EFTPOS machine bore a neatly little printed sticker on the top: “Hold card over the screen until you hear a beep.” Mm, yep, I’m familiar with how to make a purchase. But in case you’d never bought anything in your life before, the good people at Either Or have spelled it out for you.
The coffee was nice enough, but it didn’t blow my mind. The banana bread, care of Marrickville’s Bread & Butter Project, was like a little dry slab of brick. The colour was right, but there were no discernible banana flecks or pieces. I think the batter had been overmixed to the point of being blended completely smooth, hence the invisible banana and over-dense consistency. Moreover, thanks to the wonderfully specific Either Or team, it was absolutely burnt into crumbly char on both sides of one of the edges. I’m usually ok with a bit of overtoasting, and I don’t usually factor it into judging the banana bread itself, but this was just ridiculous. It was by far the most burnt banana bread I’ve ever had. Perhaps they should put a little sign on top of their toaster: “Don’t burn things”.
Coffee: 0
BB: -1