Concrete playground june 18 2014

Four Friends - Restaurants - Concrete Playground Sydney http://sydney.concreteplayground.com.au/restaurants/213904/...

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Concrete Playground

Four Friends

Where: 5/29 Holstermann Street, Crows NestOpening Hours: Mon – Fri 7am – 5pm, Sat 9am – 5pmPhone: 0415 068 881Website: www.facebook.com/FourFriendsCoffeeChocolateTea

In the chaos of the urban everyday, the pleasure of a quiet moment with tea and a treat is toooften forgotten in favour of a snatched takeaway cup on the run. The trouble with we townies —the forever frazzled, the phone-affixed — is we risk snatching not only at our lunchbreaks, but atlife in general.


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Perhaps this is a dramatic way to introduce Four Friends, chocolate shop and teahouse. Butsampling the divine delicacies on offer here is a near spiritual experience. Resolved to make theworld a decidedly sweeter place; owner Katze creates handmade chocolates and patisserieusing traditional methods, chemical-free organic ingredients and spoonfuls of yummy love.

Katze reminds us that chocolate offers — in a way no other food can — a sense of pleasure,comfort, respite and sheer delight. It is $tting then, that entering the store at Crows Nest is arestorative act in itself — beautifully coloured truffles gleam behind the glass counter and rowsof bespoke tea blends are housed in glass jars. With walls clad in chocolate-coloured pressedmetal, it feels like walking into a chocolate box.

If you can tear your eyes away from the excellently shaped bonbons (I couldn’t resist a caramelrobot), consider taking tea upstairs where chester$eld sofas, glossy magazines and kids seatinginsist on languorous lounging. Serving Pablo & Rusty’s coffee (from $3.50) and $fty types ofhouse-blended tea (from $4.50) in pretty china, Katze and husband Jimmy make bon viveurtheir business.

On my visit, a tasting plate of assorted treats arrived as if from a Willy Wonka-like dream (piecesfrom $1.80 each). Favourites were a gold-dusted aniseed macaron (meringuey within, cracklingwithout) and a bonbon $lled with homemade caramel that’s on the right side of salty. Palate-pleasingly, Katze uses minimal sugar in her sweets, allowing the aromas of the other natural,gorgeous ingredients to shine. A special mention to the vegan chocolate bars — with gojiberries and other goodies, it’s the type of treat that is so darkly, densely delicious you wouldnever guess it’s healthy.

Four Friends host international high teas ($45pp) — at the moment it’s French-themed — aswell as tea workshops and kids chocolate-making classes. This is honestly the kind of place thatPeople Who High Tea dream of, but really, why wait for an occasion? To quote the wise Wonkahimself: "Who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream, separate the sorrow and collect up all thecream?" Four Friends can.

By Zoe Bechara

Rating:7/10

Ideal Meal:Caramel Robot

Price Range:1/5

Cuisine:Coffee, chocolate and tea

Outdoor Seating:Yes

Good For Groups:Yes


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Delivery:Yes

Wheelchair Access:Yes

Takes Reservations:Yes


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Four Friends5/29 Holstermann Street, Crows Nest

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Concrete playground june 18 2014

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