Mischica Café is an unusual café. It not one of those places designed and stage-managed by a team of experts. Mischica Café is clearly the result of the owners’ eclectic taste and a lifetime of travels.
Mischica has a very homely feel as you walk in, there’s even a dresser with some of the owner’s family photos just to the left. The place is filled with cabinets of plates and trinkets and the owner is a friendly Korean man who stands behind the counter and welcomes you with a warm smile.
The coffee on offer is the Much and Moore blend which is well made and served quite strong. I would order a cup immediately, as that will give you plenty of time to order a refill as well.
The food on offer is relatively unsurprising, typical western dishes but sometimes offered with an Asian twist. The all-day breakfast (14.90) looks popular and they have eggs Benedict with smoked salmon (17.90) plus a vegetarian breakfast (14.90).
I am having the Caesar Salad with chicken (17.50) and my dining partner is having the Frittata (14.90).
The food arrives quickly and the salad is large and fresh. But here’s the quirky twist; the croutons are made from Raisin Toast! You know, somehow that works with the fresh chicken, eggs, bacon and parmesan flakes. I would have liked a few anchovies, but overall the salad is great for a midweek meal.
The Frittata is served as two small omelette-sized pieces rather than a slice from a larger dish. The salad is a masculine of leaves, with a single piece of strawberry buried in the middle and two serves of soy sauce. Quirky, but cool.
The meal is pleasant and the surroundings are good – we are sitting out on their small balcony overlooking Stanley Street people-watching the locals as they parade past, going about their business. Sitting inside on a cold day would be a treat, sitting amongst the owner’s treasures from a lifetime of living.
Expect to pay around $20.00 for a lunch and coffee.
Mischica Café is just off Mona Vale Road in St Ives halfway between The Stanley Street Café and Pattison’s Patisserie.
Mischica Café
235 Stanley Street
St Ives NSW 2075
