Euforia, Balmain East

“Opening a cafe is every guy’s dream,” Kevin Luu admits to me as he makes a coffee for me. For Kevin, everything fell into place by default. He was trained by Hazel de los Reyes at Coffee Alchemy and his passion for coffee grew from there.

Boutique brands form Kevin’s cafe philosophy at Euforia: quality. Bringing together Mecca coffee, Synesso espresso machine, Brasserie Bread, Gelatomassi, Antipodes water and Riverina milk, Kevin has created a cafe menu using only superior products.

The Euforia menu honours the classics. Take the American Bacon Breakfast, for instance. It’s a simple but delicious plate that’s always a favourite amongst regulars. What makes the difference is the quality of the produce. The American bacon is double-smoked, rindless, and sliced very thinly so that it’s very crispy and moreish. Accompanied by free-range eggs, sautéed mushrooms, Roma tomatoes and sourdough toast, it’s no wonder that the bacon plate is so popular.

I also get to try the Brioche French Toast with ricotta, walnuts, blueberry compote and honey. I mean, just look at it (check out the picture below). It’s seriously stunning! And it tastes absolutely divine. The freshness of blueberries with the richness of our brioche is just the perfect marriage.

Another favourite on the menu is the Atlantic smoked salmon with poached free-range eggs, fresh avocado, crumbled feta, Roma tomatoes and sourdough toast. Very fresh and healthy, Kevin says it’s a favourite with the ladies.

It makes complete sense that Kevin set up shop in Balmain. But it took him a year and a half to find the perfect spot – and boy, he sure did alright. With gorgeous views of the Harbour Bridge, the coffee focused cafe is effortlessly nestled in an area where branded coffee and high-quality ingredients are high in demand.

If you’re not quite as passionate about coffee as Kevin, I say go for the gelato milkshakes. On offer are classic flavours like vanilla bean and Belgian chocolate, but also strawberry cream or apple crumble for those who are feeling more adventurous. Kevin only uses Gelatomassi (a boutique gelateria in Newtown, which I love by the way) for his milkshakes.

When I ask what the inspiration behind the cafe name is, the euphoric effect of coffee isn’t the first thing that Kevin mentions. He wants customers to associate their experience at Euforia with happiness. After a cup of Mecca coffee and a sandwich (on Brasserie Bread of course ;)), they walk away happy and satisfied.

I’m here on a Friday morning, and I can see just how much the locals love Euforia and Kevin. They keep trickling in for a quick takeaway coffee, a bite to eat and a chat. I also meet Kevin’s Friday fan-club: a darling, little blonde girl who is perched on the counter and gobbles up a marshmallow off her babyccino straw.

Other than using our bread and rolls for sandwiches and breakfast dishes, Euforia also has a selection of our cakes, tarts and banana bread!

Follow Euforia on Facebook here.