Something for Jess, something for me

Posted by Kath - lover of cheese, wine and bunnies.

Not much gets me up early on a weekend. There's got to be something in it for me, like great food and coffee. That's what petite Abercrombie Street, Chippendale café, Something for Jess, offers week in, week out.

Side window at Something for Jess, Abercrombie Street, Chippendale

The venue is filled with recycled furniture that makes you feel like you're visiting your grandparents, and it's a consistent pleaser among the abundance of cafés sprouting up across Sydney's inner west.

Lemon meringue pie affogato

We decided to kickstart a sunny Saturday morning with dessert – well, sort of.

From the specials board, the Lemon Meringue Pie Affogato comprised a delicious lemon and meringue ice cream complete with bits of pie base throughout, drenched with a smooth espresso shot. It was definitely a great way to start the weekend on a sweet and strong note.

Chalkboard menu with weekly specials

While the menu at Something for Jess is small, the offerings vary depending on the produce of the week, which is rustled up from various suppliers from as close as Tempe to as far as Mudgee.

This translates to seriously fresh produce on every plate and a changing menu which highlights various seasonal goods on offer from week to week.

Bruschetta

A staple on the menu is Bruschetta, but what you'll get on top is a surprise every time. This dish never fails to amaze with the amount of colour and creativity that can be packed atop a slice of sourdough bread.

On this occasion the array of vegetables on the bruschetta surely helped me reach my weekly intake of greens. Blue goats cheese-infused quince puree joined Brussels sprouts, grated yellow zucchini, spice-roasted eggplant, garlicky yoghurt, roasted macadamias, grilled zucchini flowers and some mixed greens thrown in for good measure.

This tasted as vibrant as it looked, with a good hit of garlic from the yoghurt adding even more flavour on top of all the fresh vegetables, while the roasted macadamias added a lovely crunch to the whole bruschetta offering.

Slow-cooked beef brisket open sandwich

For those that prefer a little more meat on their plate, there are usually a couple of protein-packed sandwiches to choose from.

This day's selection was slow-cooked beef brisket with spicy organic pear jam, pickled red onion rings, rocket, braised mushrooms, grilled zucchini and Pepe Saya crème fraiche.

The beef was tender, and when combined with the pear jam, pickled onions and dollop of crème fraiche to balance out the flavours, what was on the plate was gone in a matter of mouthfuls.

Front counter display

If there's a hankering for even more to a substantial breakfast, there's also a selection of tasty sweet treats on the front counter to take away with you.

Something for Jess sign

What brings me back to Something for Jess is not only the flavoursome fare, which has been created with care and an obvious love of fresh produce, but also the hospitality with which all diners are welcomed with – and that's something for me.