As if an eight course degustation and two bottles of wine wasn’t enough, S and I decided to get brunch the next day at Ms Murray in CBD. Ms Murray is owned by the same operators of John Montagu in Woolloomolloo, which I still haven’t been to, despite hearing a multitude of delightful things about their 12 hour slow cooked beef cheek sandwich.
It was a Sunday morning, around 11am when we came in, and most of the cafe’s tables were occupied by diners, so S and I took seats at the bar top.
The ambience at Ms Murray has a clean, minimal aesthetic with white walls and a timber fit out and table tops. On the counter where we were seated, there was a small pot plant, and a stack of newspapers and magazines to peruse.
The wait staff took our coffee orders, and had them to us within 10 minutes.
The Bespoke Chai Latte had a strong, rich chai flavour, with a velvety milk texture. It was one of the better chai lattes that I’ve had.
The Moroccan Spiced Avocado was served first. On first impressions, it wasn’t the most appealing dish, as S picked it apart with his fork, and said that it was a halved avocado rolled in nuts. It also came with a mildly spiced eggplant and tomato relish (hidden behind the poached egg in the picture) which he said went well with the avocado. The eggs were also perfectly poached, with a runny centre.
I can clarify that the Beef Cheeks lived up to the hype. The beef was fatty and succulent, and the texture was slightly stringy, reminding me of pulled pork, but tasting like beef. The beef was embedded between two thick slices of buttered bread, rocket, spanish onions and cheese, with horseradish mayonnaise and a ‘house glaze’ which tasted like a cross between tomato and barbecue sauce. It was a delicious and heavy dish, which was glorious in the taste sensations it produced, and was the perfect dish for the morning after a night of semi-heavy drinking.
The service was attentive, friendly and pleasant. Overall, it was about time that they opened a hipster cafe in CBD, and I was so pleased with the food, I came back straight away the week after.
The Wagyu Benedict had been sold out the week previous, and for good reason. It was decadent and delicious. The wagyu was fatty and tender, served with a rich, heavy horseradish Hollandaise, sauteed kale, and poached egg on a sesame bun.
The House Yoghurt was a light and simple dish, good for people with small appetites. The yogurt contained honey, and was mildly sweet, with coconut chia pudding, oats and iced fruits. I liked the various textures that the cold fruits and oats added, and I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it, despite the simplicity of it.
Clearly, from the two consecutive visits, Ms Murray is my new favourite CBD cafe. I’ll look forward to returning and trying more of their dishes.
Rating: 9/10
