Delante, Waters Rd, Neutral Bay

Delante, Waters Rd, Neutral Bay

Sunday 25 March, 2007

After driving over to Maitre Karl this morning for breakfast and discovering that it was closed, my breakfast buddies convinced me that Delante was the place to go.

The latest review I could find stated,

As the food world becomes obsessed with the benefits of all things slow (slow food being the antithesis to the multinational fast food chains) there are a few establishments championing the cause by bringing slow food into the lives of the very busy.

This cafe/food store/home caterer is a haven of exquisite food – perfect for those seeking the indulgences of real home-style food (full of the flavour that slow and gentle cooking brings out), pre-packaged to take home, heat up and devour. The charming duo behind this cafe hail from the InterContinental Sydney (Albert Au was the banquet chef and Heinz Sehmieg the executive chef) their background and skill evident in every mouthful of their sensational lasagnes, soups, curries, osso buccos and slow braises.

For those too hungry to wait, take a seat at one of the tables and enjoy their breakfast (served all day, every day), or delight in the beautifully constructed lunch menu. The poached egg and leg ham on crisp rosti potatoes with hollandaise is a dish of local legend, while the dips and salads on the lunch menu (most available to take home too) are fresh and seasonally motivated. AC Butchery sausages and steaks are served with mash or fries and, if you prefer, you can take them to cook at home with Delante’s roasted veg or garlic mash and present your loved one with a feast – just don’t forget to hide the containers.

Always up to try somewhere new I readily agreed and followed them to Neutral Bay. Delante was full on this blustery morning and we only had to wait a short while for a table outside. Inside it's a cosy haven for food lovers offering a deli section, fresh bread, spices etc - you could browse aimlessly for ages but we were hungry and wanted brekkie.

The friendly staff cleared our table and took our coffee orders. We looked over the all day brekkie menu and I couldn't go past the unique eggs benedict that came with marinated vegetables, baba ghanoush and minted youghurt. My breakfast buddies chose more of the same with lots of sides such as baked beans, sausages, bacon etc. A breakfast feast had been ordered.

The servings were enormous and we were not disappointed - the poached eggs came very runny which was OK by me as they ran all over the sourdough and marinated vegetables. This created an orange coloured plate of food that was offset by the minted yoghurt and babe ghanoush that was spread across the sourdough. It was jumble of flavours and worked for me.

Judging from the constant flow of diners this place is popular for breakfast and also for foodies looking for specific gourmet ingredients. I know where I'll be going to buy my deli goods from now on.

Delante - Shop 1/12 Waters Rd, Neutral Bay - (02) 9953 1789