Paddington Social review: Cafe/bakery by day and Thai restaurant by night
It’s the bold first venture of three mates, and this new eatery in Brisbane’s inner-west is smashing some serious goals. It’s not just the food that’s a winner.
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IT’S AMAZING what youth, determination, passion and drive can achieve.
Brisbane’s new Paddington Social is the ambitious first venture from friends and business partners Gibb Mookachonpan, Tyler Sargent and Alex Senee, operating as a cafe and bakery by day and pop-up Thai restaurant by night.
While the trio may have limited hospitality experience – Mookachonpan is a self-taught pastry chef, and Sargent and Senee have only a few years in the industry – their strong understanding of flavour, uninhibited creativity and sheer gusto has resulted in a package that not only far exceeds expectations, but rivals those with considerably more notches in their belt.
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Taking over the site formerly housing Sichuan Bang Bang and Pizzeria Violetta on Given Tce in Paddington, the three have completely transformed the space with a white and grey palette that includes bar seating that looks on to the street through a large, full-length window, a mix of contemporary and traditional furniture, and touches of greenery – both potted and hanging – to bring a fresh burst of nature inside.
They have also added an outdoor seating area with umbrellas sheltering guests from the sun in a gravel courtyard of picnic benches and tables.
Mookachonpan must never sleep because in between preparing everything from croissants and tarts to sandwiches and sausage rolls to fill the cafe’s glass cabinet, she also operates the till where guests order.
Her warm and charming personality helps overwhelmed diners decide which of her delicious baked treats to buy.
Go the passionfruit and marshmallow croissant she only makes on weekends, exploding with tart passionfruit curd offset by torched, sweet, sticky marshmallow meringue atop perfectly laminated pastry.
There’s also an all-day breakfast menu including everything from peach and apple crumble pancakes to shakshuka, and a lunch-style brunch menu encompassing the likes of beer-battered fish and chips, burgers (one is vegan) and porchetta.
The breakfast offering bears the most excitement, and the chorizo scotched egg ($21) is a winner.
So big it looks like it could hatch a dinosaur, it features golden, crisp breading around a gooey-centred egg and tongue-tingling chorizo guaranteed to wake you up in the morning.
The accompanying mashed avo and pillow-soft potato cakes help put out the inferno raging in your mouth.
Even better, however, are the crisp-edged, almost souffle-light corn, zucchini and ricotta fritters ($24). They are capped with a whole soft-shelled crab that has its natural sweetness amplified by a smear of pumpkin puree below, while squirts of sriracha-spiked mayo provide tang and balance.
Pair it with a seriously well made Campos coffee or a Probiotic Kitchen kombucha and you’ll be beyond happy. There’s also a concise and keenly priced wine list that boasts a couple of fitting accompaniments for that crab.
Paddington Social is a bold endeavour for the trio behind it, but as the saying goes, fortune favours the brave.
PADDINGTON SOCIAL
167 Given Tce, Paddington
3157 8225
Open Breakfast and lunch daily 7am-2pm and dinner Sun-Thur 5pm-9pm and Fri-Sat 5pm-9.30pm
VERDICT
Food 8
Service 8
Ambience 7.5
Value 8
If you like this, try …
Bam Bam Bakehouse
2519 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach
5526 5218
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