11
Mar-2016

Dbl Ristretto, Springwood

If I lived any closer to Springwood I’d spend so much time at Dbl Ristretto I’d have to start paying rent. It’s very hard to find fault with the coffee, atmosphere and food here, and while I wish it had wifi I suspect there’s a reason it’s not offered… to deter people like me from lingering too long!

The café is named as such because each coffee is made with two ristrettos – the first and creamiest half of an espresso. Some would say this makes it strong; I would describe it as full and rich and yes I’ll have another one please…

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Dbl is cosy, seating about 20, with a handful of tables and benches and an Astroturf window seat that is coveted by mums and dads wanting to entertain (and contain) their little ones while they zone out for a moment on their iPhones (guilty!). One wall features an abstract streetscape mural; the other a chalk board that gets graffitied throughout the week by babycino kids testing out their handwriting skills. “Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth were here,” reads one note. (Tee-hee.)

This wall is also where café owner Angela Shields announces which charity the staff tips were donated to this month. Makes it extra worthwhile popping the change leftover from your coffee into the jar.

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Stars in the past on the menu have been the breakfast plate ($13) – boiled egg, prosciutto, avocado, roasted tomato, baby spinach, relish and sourdough toast – and the seasonal “Nourish bowl” ($15) – a giant dish teeming with fresh salady things. Summer’s version includes roasted sweet potato, quinoa, avocado, sprouts, green beans, boiled egg, peas, grated carrot and red cabbage – a consortium of crunchy and soft unified with a tangy lemon-dill dressing.

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The chia pudding ($8), served in a jar with a toupee of fresh fruit and toasted nuts, tastes as good as it looks; and the crinkle-pressed trusty toastie ($7) hits the spot every time with ham off the bone and a smear of mustard mayonnaise.

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My choice on this visit is the smashed avocado ($12) – lashings of avo muddled with persian fetta and strewn with balsamic cherry tomatoes, spanish onion, dill and a sprinkling of pistachio dukkah. It’s a combination I always mean to replicate at home but never do because there’s something about this one that’s inimitable.

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Sweets lovers will not be disappointed. You’ll find everything from vanilla cheesecake to lemon meringue tarts and spelt flour (gluten free) muffins; and for the health conscious there’s even housemade protein balls made with nuts, whey powder, cocoa and dates. I myself can’t go past the friands, which beckon with their golden crusty tops every time I order at the counter.

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The selection of teas is ample and the varieties alluring; plus – they’re all organic, which the price reflects (it’s $4.80 for a cuppa). My latest favourite is the liquorice – only a very subtle aniseed flavour – but I’m saving up for a pot of the tulsi and rose, which is said to foster a positive state of mind. But since I walk out of here beaming with satisfaction every time, I doubt I’ll need it.

  • Address: 212 Macquarie Road, Springwood, NSW, 2777
  • Phone: Contact via Dbl’s Facebook page
  • Web: Dbl Ristretto Facebook page
  • Opening hours: Mon–Fri 6am–5pm; Sat 7am–3pm; Sun 7am–3pm
  • Prices: Food is $6–$13
  • Cuisine: Café
  • Licensed: No
  • Bookings: No
  • Views: No
  • Wheelchair access: No
  • Cards accepted: All cards

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