Milk Bar by Cafe Ish, Redfern

16 July 2012, 03:15


OH HAI JOSH AND AI! So like, I was pretty devo when news came that Cafe Ish in Surry Hills was closing, /insert weeping at the thought of no more soft shell crab omelets. But then word on the street was that Milk Bar by Cafe Ish was opening up at 1/105 Regents St, Redfern and so I managed to convince the other half to trek into the city with the promise of burgers and milkshakes.


I want caaaandy! Boop boop she boop boop (oh wow remember how terrible Aaron Carter’s version was? And oh geez has it really been 12 years since that song came out?) Ah those were the days… I remember sprinting to my nearest corner shop after school and pressing my face to the glass, staring at all the lollies trying to decide whether to get my money’s worth with the good ol gobstopper or head down the tried and tested waters of chocolate freckles… If only choosing what candy to eat was the hardest decision to make these days!



There’s a jukebox just begging to be played and funnily enough I was watching a girl choose her music selection and rocking out to Cyndi Lauper and then I realised that it was none other than Lee Tran Lam, who writes one of my favourite blogs The Unbearable Lightness of Being Hungry. Awesome to finally meet you and I challenge you to a game on the arcade machine next time! Also a shout out to Sarah who I spotted on the way out!


Drinks to start us off and I order a beautiful Piccolo ($3) to wake me up and Noods zeroes in on the Super Choc Shake ($7) which was truly incredible- rich chocolate ice cream + Lindt chocolate sauce and topped with a nice thick layer of Milo. Yep totally took sneaky slurps of the shake when he wasn’t looking! Also loved how we got the leftovers that couldn’t fit in the glass mmm more for me. (Here, let’s get another song in your head- Cafe Ish’s milkshake brings all da boys to the yard…)


I was totally gonna get the soft shell crab omellete but instead had to get some fried chicken action! Ai’s Freaking Awesome Chicken Wings ($13) really is FREAKING AWESOME, the lightly battered wings are golden and crisp and we chose the crab sauce over the other choices of vinegar & shallot sauce or hot sauce. Seriously that basket there was demolished in minutes. Totes coming back and not sharing heh.


Not sure why since I’m totes not a porridge type of gal but for some reason I just couldn’t resist ordering the Spiced Vanilla Milk Porridge ($9) which was satisfying with the motherlode of plump raisins studded throughout the creamy porridge and topped with stewed apples but best of all was the jug of jersey cream that I happily swirled in with the honey and chocolate buds. Ok I may have skipped the chocolate buds and eaten them separately…


Aaaaand we might’ve also ordered some burgers haha who can resist a Cheeseburger for only $5?? A juicy patty with grilled onion, oozy cheese and tomato sauce all sandwiched between a light and fluffy bun makes for a happy camper. I sent the pickle over to Noods’ burger who had added the option of turning his burger Japanese ($3 extra) which came with pickled daikon, carrot, cabbage and wasabi mayo. He gave it the thumbs up and then slumped over at how much food we had ordered and wouldn’t let me order any cake hmph


Pastries that I was oh so close to ordering! There be lemon tarts! And flan! And caramel slices! And upside down cakes! I will be back for you I promise!


But of course we couldn’t leave without hitting the arcade game for some PEW PEW time. Super tempted by Mappy, Joust and of course Dig Dug but eventually settled on the classic of Pac Man mainly because I like watching Pac Man chomp away… Milk Bar by Cafe Ish is a winner for me and we’ll definitely be back especially as we hear a peanut butter and jelly milkshake is in the works!

Milk Bar By Cafe Ish on Urbanspoon

 

 

  1. Peanut butter and jelly milkshake? Herro! The fried chicken looks delish and love the top pic of Josh and Ai!

    — Helen (grabyourfork)    Jul 16, 03:29 AM    #

  2. Hohoho! Milkshakes and pastries + pacman = love. I must try this place out soon.

    — Sophie @ teathymes    Jul 16, 04:14 AM    #

  3. Awesome photos yo! Those fried wings with crab sauce are pretty awesome. Pew Pew!

    — Ramen Raff    Jul 16, 06:27 AM    #

  4. Can’t wait to check this out, ESP for their PAC man table! Wakaka!

    — Food is our religion    Jul 16, 08:23 AM    #

  5. oh that aaron carter song totally rocked when it came out! LOL! What a nifty little place. Game on to pac man! Who wants a challenge?!?

    — Tina @ bitemeshowme    Jul 16, 09:08 AM    #

  6. Ooooo. How to make my boy happy in one easy step – combine yum food and pac man. That’s practically birthday outing worthy! ;)

    — Mary @ beyondjelly    Jul 16, 09:46 AM    #

  7. Mmmmm, wings…..

    — Tina@foodboozeshoes    Jul 16, 10:27 AM    #

  8. the chicken wings were definitely freaking awesome!!! came back again on the weekend – couldnt resist!

    — gastronomous anonymous    Jul 16, 11:09 AM    #

  9. Must head here on my next trip!

    and damn you for putting a terrible Aaron Carter song in my head shakes fist

    — Iron Chef Shellie    Jul 16, 11:31 AM    #

  10. Wow looks like an amazing place :) And i love the pic of the owners hehe ~ I’m definitely a porridge type of girl so gotta get that :) Can’t wait to go back to Sydney!

    — Daisy@Nevertoosweet    Jul 16, 11:51 AM    #

  11. Waaaaaaa~~~~ the food looks awesome!!!! :DDD Can’t wait till I have a day off to go try this place out!! :D

    — kiki @ simplykiki    Jul 16, 11:57 AM    #

  12. the proximity of this to redfern station is dangerous…. for my waistline and wallet.

    — milkteaxx    Jul 16, 12:06 PM    #

  13. This is pretty close to my office…will be making the trek over for lunch soon I hope.

    — Miss Piggy    Jul 16, 12:06 PM    #

  14. I so had the biggest crush on Aaron Carter back in the day…and his older brother blush

    — Eesh    Jul 16, 12:21 PM    #

  15. Love to try the ‘freaking chicken wings’.
    Love to be able to go there to try out… you’re lucky to be in Sydney… not much can be done in Adelaide

    — SaltySweetLover    Jul 16, 02:40 PM    #

  16. WHOA that porridge looks awesome, and I rarely like porridge!

    Also, want burgers, and peanut butter shakes.

    — Chanel    Jul 16, 02:47 PM    #

  17. There are not enough proper milk bars around – good on Cafe Ish for such great food and surroundings. And Dig Dug ftw!

    — OohLookBel    Jul 16, 03:33 PM    #

  18. That place looks great! I remember the days of lollies costing 1c at the milk bar… and of them being called lollies, not candy. Love the arcade machine too :)

    — vanessalillian    Jul 16, 04:53 PM    #

  19. I never made it to Cafe Ish in their previous form but will definitely need to go to the milk bar. Love myself some good milkshake action!

    — Katie    Jul 16, 08:01 PM    #

  20. arcade games are so fun!!

    — tastyfoodsnaps    Jul 16, 08:20 PM    #

  21. ooh candy bar! and that burger looks awesome too. love the photo of josh and ai at the top!

    — Jacq    Jul 16, 11:16 PM    #

  22. pickled daikon in a BURGER sounds like a dream to me! MUST GO. and have JAPANESE burger.

    — catty    Jul 17, 04:53 PM    #

  23. $5 cheese burgers AND table top games? I am rubbish at the games but this has to be a winning combo…just add tart(s).

    — Gareth    Jul 17, 05:20 PM    #

  24. I only got to try the fried chicken at Cafe Ish once before it closed, so I’m THRILLED that the chicken still exists in this world! Would have been a very sad development for Sydney if that chicken had disappeared!

    — SarahKate (Mi Casa-Su Casa)    Jul 18, 11:07 AM    #

  25. mmm sounds like a great cafe! I don’t live too far away so i’ll definitely be giving it a try :) Thanks Suze!

    — bella from www.sammyandbella.com    Jul 18, 08:20 PM    #

  26. wow so old school with the juke box and pac man!

    — sugarpuffi    Jul 19, 03:15 PM    #

  27. yay! another cafe that is near my workplace :)

    — Jenny (minibites)    Jul 20, 12:13 AM    #

  28. Look like a great place, for a coofee and a little bite of fun

    — Eat Online    Jul 20, 12:54 PM    #

  29. hehe nice shot of the newly weds! can’t wait to check out the milk bar, that porridge sounds like a real comforting breakfast.

    — Vivian - vxdollface    Jul 20, 06:20 PM    #

  30. Suze, promise me you’ll go back and have the soft shell crab omellete!

    — Amy @ Food Crush    Jul 24, 07:55 AM    #

  31. Whaaaaat when did Cafe Ish close? D: My bf and I went on Sat to find it closed and we weren’t sure why, so I guess this explains it :P definitely keen to try milk bar! :D

    — Becky    Jul 24, 03:01 PM    #

  32. OH HAI! I only noticed the shout out today!! How lovely :D

    How amazing is are the burgers! I went back again last weekend and tried the tofu burger. Yum.

    — Sarah@eateatplay    Jul 25, 10:22 AM    #

  33. I would eat there all my life I could! That cheeseburger looked to die for!

    — Jerry    Jul 29, 04:38 PM    #

  34. All hail Ish!!!! Josh and Ai’s food and drinks just keep getting better and better!

    — Trisha    Jul 29, 09:15 PM    #

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