People Cafe

It feels strange to be writing a review for an establishment I’ve never set foot inside.
It’s even stranger when that establishment happens to be my favourite café in Sydney. And it’s strangerer still when I’ve only ever tried one menu item. Is strangerer a word? I don’t know, ask my lawyer.
I’ve been to Ciccio probably 40 out of the last 52 weekends. This is a conservative estimate. (I’m not sure what I was doing the other 12, if you were wondering).
Here’s why Ciccio straight up rules:
1) The long, wide wooden bench running down the outside of the café. Between 9am and 2pm this place gets more sun than the surface of the sun itself. That may sound improbable but any scientist will back me up here.
2) The one massive, old wooden table under the umbrella (if you’re an albino, or easily flammable, this is where you want to be sitting. Forget the little aluminium table-​and-​chair sets, they’re poxy and the tables lurch from side to side).
3) The caramel lattes (diabetically sweet, homicidally delicious) and the gyoza dumplings. Not technically a breakfast food, but I’ve never eaten anything else here. There’s a new menu now that I’m assured is very good, and Gyoza doesn’t feature on it — but the owner always keeps some on ice for me. I don’t know what I’d do if they said they didn’t have any one day. They’re very good, is my point. And it makes me feel like a big man on campus ordering something that isn’t on the menu — I suggest you try it .
4) The Japanese staff are cuter than Pokemons. In fact, I’m not sure some of them *aren’t* Pokemon. They don’t even insult me by giving me a menu anymore, they simply smile and bring me my coffee and gyoza. It feels good to be a regular. Reals good.
5) They’re dog-​friendly, bringing out bowls of water and little bone-​shaped cookies for our furry pals. One of the newer waitresses is scared of dogs, unfortunately, but watching her panic when a puppy tries to lick her is funnier than anything Judd Apatow does.
6) Never packed, always nice and relaxed. And the people-​watching is off the charts, if you’re into that sort of thing.
What I don’t like about Ciccio:

1) They tried switching from pork to prawn gyoza without telling me. I noticed immediately. They never made that mistake again.

Monday 8am in the suburbs and scavenging for a café brew. People was open — woo hoo. I ordered my soya mocha and sat down. «I’m so sorry we’re out of soya». Oh no, that’s all I can have.
The supermarket across the square was still closed yet five minutes later, voulor! the lovely Asian girl comes back with two cartons of soya, I suspect borrowed from the restaurant next door. The extra effort and the fact that it came in a mug rather than a glass which I prefer helped my Monday get off to a good start. The jazz — Sinatra, Sammy and co — playing subtly in the background eased me into a cheery morning too.
The Vittoria coffee was smooth — pretty standard flavor but well made. I asked for it extra hot and it came hot without burning the milk which is common.
They have a decent selection of scrumptious looking cakes and muffins but also have a breakfast and lunch menu. Breakfast picks are Double Smoked Ham and Gruyère Cheese Toastie ($ 8.50), Organic House Bakes Muesli ($ 11) and the Bacon and Egg Frittata with tomato relish ($ 11). Lunch picks are Chicken Katsu ($ 13), Pumpkin and Feta Filo ($ 8.50) and Chicken Burrito with chilli jam, sour cream and fresh lime ($ 12).
No Wifi. Light and airy with cushioned wall seats. High chairs and outdoor seating.