LEFT OF FIELD | RHODES

What do you do when you finish work early on a Saturday around the area? Grab a few friends and head off to brunch- that's what you do :P On a rare occasion, I finished work at a particularly earlier hour than other weekends and I happened to be around the Chatswood area and since I haven't seen my friends in awhile I suggested a brunch catch up. My friend and I have been talking about Left Of Field for a very very long time so I made the decent down to Rhodes (only less than 30 minutes drive from Chatswood) to check out this new cafe that's gained a lot of popularity since opening.

Left of Field is located among the many apartment blocks and in the growing suburb of Rhodes and it is right next to the being constructed Homebush Bay Bridge that will connect Rhodes and Wentworth Point together. I think once that bridge is completed Left of Field and the surrounding restaurants and shops are going to be getting a lot business and attention. Left of Field has a spacious interior and exterior seating area, since it was a nice and sunny Saturday afternoon we chose to sit outside. The menu is full of different and creative options to suite and satisfy any taste buds! Since there was three of us we ordered a lot.... I mean A LOT! We ordered two main dishes, one dessert and a side (more like a big bowl) of fries and of course coffee to sip on.

Now to the food...... (what you came for right? :P)

Chai Latte | $3.80

The first time I tried Chai Latte was in an iced version and it did not please my taste buds, I found it very bland and watery. The second time I tried it hot and it was given to me by my friend from the cafe she works at and it was awesome!! So from that point I had a high expectation on every Chai Latte I had and unfortunately the one here at Left of Fields was not very good :( The biggest problem was that there was no Chai flavouring to it, it just tasted like hot milk. However, my friend's Soy Latte was very, very good- so maybe some of their drinks are a hit or miss.

Honey Glazed Pork Belly | w/ Sweet potato puree, grilled onions, snap peas & radish (gf) | $25

The honey glazed pork belly with sweet potato puree was definitely my favourite dish of the day! The pork belly was slow cooked to perfection- it just fell apart when cut through and it melted instantly in my mouth. The glaze gave a very nice sweet flavouring to the salty pork. For me, the best part of pork belly is the crackling and this one did not disappoint! The crackling was crunchy with a slight chewiness to it. I also liked the sweet potato puree on the side, it gave the dish a light and creamy texture. The edamame was the only downfall, I think it was either not very fresh or boiled for too long. Other than that, this dish is a must try and it is worth the amount you pay- trust me pork lovers!

Grilled figs | w/ Prosciutto, candied walnuts, Meredith goats cheese & nasturtium (gf) | $18.50

This was recommended by a customer that visited my friend's cafe, that raved it was extremely good so we went with the recommendations and did it impress it? It didn't wow us but it was delicious for sure! This dish is quite small, so the three of us got a sample of it. This dish is best with all the elements eaten all together at once. It is a very light and refreshing dish and it suitable for those who want to eat but are not wanting something heavy like the pork belly. This dish is quite simple and can be made at home so I don't think it was really worth the $18.50 we paid for.

Hotcakes | w/ caramelised bananas, early grey custard & maple popcorn (v) | $16

When you look up Left of Field on Instagram this is the dish that you will most like see because it is super ridiculously photogenic and everyone wants a piece of it! This dish for sure wins in the aesthetics category, it as three thick hotcakes stacked on top of each other with a waterfall of early grey custard dripping down its side with a confetti of popcorn and berries around and on top of it. The three hotcakes were evenly distributed among us and unfortunately my friend got a half raw one but the staff were extremely gracious and apologetic about it and gave her a freshly made one. I loved the early grey custard, it is something different from other hotcakes I have eaten and it had that rich and strong taste of earl grey which I love. The popcorn was there for more a decorative purpose because it did not add anything to the dish and did not fit with the other ingredients which were soft. The hotcakes were quite dry and dense when eaten alone, I wish there was more earl grey custard to make the hotcakes less dry.

Shoestring fries | w/ comeback sauce | $9 + add pecorino & truffle oil $3

These shoestring fries were a last minute addition to our order because my friend said he will still be hungry (looking into future..) and luckily we did order it because the carbs helped fill up our bellies. These fries reminded me of the Maccas fries which I admittedly love :P The comeback sauce had a nice tanginess to it which was a nice dipping sauce for the fries.

Overall, the dining experience at the Left of Field, Rhodes was very fun and enjoyable. The big thumbs up for me is the service- a big thank you to our waiter (I think his name was Andrew *waves*), from the moment we walked in he greeted us with a big smile and was very patient and kind throughout our time at Left of Field. Even though there was some fault in the dish, like the raw hotcake, the staff were very friendly and polite about it- I always love a place that has down-to-earth and happy staff, it definitely made my day!

The food is also created with care and thought and is packed full of flavour. I now know the popularity surrounding Left of Field and I hope they do very well and continue to grow and expand their concept and food.

Happy eating x