TL;DR: However you are able to cut this place, it definitely has something that the crew behind it want to make apparent, and whatever it is, with some small bits of work with customer service and the ilk, it could well get there. They would definitely like that to happen, since the food is good quality and the Asian-influence can easily be a selling point. There is a would-be friendly atmosphere that would do it well, and the whole set up and vibe is simply asking it to be a local watering hole. At the very least, it is great to dogs and kids.
Characteristically it could only exist in Paddington of all places, Cafe Bema has a quaint atmosphere simply invites whomever is walking by right in with not even a doorstep in the way of the pavement and the shopfront. That alone has it stand out, and it is only one of several aspects that simply make it what it is. While many well-loved places around the area have had a long time to peculate in people's minds, it is early days to say how this will go. Maybe with some tweaks here and there to finer details, it might get the attention that it deserves.
Coming up to one weekend, my elder sister was staying in town with her husband and daughter, and there was the proposal to find somewhere for breakfast around the Paddington area. Given the task of searching about the place for somewhere to eat, I managed to find a few places then whittle them down to basically a coin-toss - these two places had substantially sized menus, complete with several substantial meals. Giving the two ideas via message, the choice ended up being here and on the Sunday morning both my dining buddy and I were off to here to meet them.
This has one of the most vivid and distinct versions of decor that I have seen, with a mixture of the outlook being strange but also well spaced out using the oddities to their advantage. In saying that, what is meant is this: the courtyard centers around a massage parlour, with the kitchen wrapping itself around the outside off to the side. Using the aesthetics of the cottage to its advantage, there is the air of always being welcome here, helped by the walk-in nature of it all. It is cool and shady thanks to a whole lot of trees, and umbrellas above the tables.
Taking into account the aesthetics and decor, plus the way that it is positioned on the main road, everything here should be set in place for a welcoming environment with some great service. That is more or less the Achilles heel here, the customer service. It was not awful by any stretch of the imagination, but more or less just did the basics it could - and may have even done a little less since the water was self-service. Getting the orders ready, and bringing them out was not too bad - except for a couple of communication errors which needed direct rectifying. In addition to that, a bit more care towards their food would definitely be appreciated - as it will become apparent, this is well up there with some of the best quality breakfast yet, with the distinct character being a major advantage. To put it another way, they don't really come out and ask you how your meal is. When that happens, you know it is either a good place or one trying in earnest; the lack of it may well be apathy.
At the first glance, the menu is pretty much a standard sort of cafe with the fare that it offers. It is still that, with a distinct flavour of Asian throughout it. They have a bit of something for everybody at breakfast time including the healthy eating dishes, several classics which definitely include the hot ones, some sweet things here and there, specials for something a little different, and vegetarians are well catered for with their own section.
Onto the lunch time options, and it is in a similar vein again. Health nuts have a whole lot of salad, and sandwiches to choose from, along with a couple of burgers, and some Asian-style meals including a couple of curries, then there is a few simple finger snacks going for broke. Sweets aren't too abundant here, mainly just a few different muffins, scones and whatnot. Best yet - for this time around, for particular clientele - they have a small selection of options for the kids.
When it comes to the drinks, there is enough of a range to have the sense of choice. As per the norm, there is tea and coffee to start off with, plus several kinds of milkshakes - frappes, smoothies, shakes, the iced beverages - and for more later on, a few kinds of beer, wines both red and white, then the general range of sodas and juices. While it makes an effort in some parts, it still gravitates towards stock standard in several ways.
So the first things first, getting the rinks orders. Of course, that means one thing during breakfast time and that one thing is coffee, and when it comes to the coffee order the go-to order is the reliable doppio. Better yet with the coffee, the blend that they use is Genovese - and that is always a good sign. This is more of a forgiving bean if the barista is not among the best, easily providing a smooth and strong drink every time. In addition to that, often the notes are a bit chocolatey or have some caramel in them, making the coffee a treat.
You have yourself another place where the order was already known before entering the premises. Looking it up, the Nasi Lemak was too good not to order. On the plate was a bowlful of steamed coconut rice, a crumbed breast of chicken, a fried egg (requested soft), a mixture of peanuts and anchovies, plus on the side was a pappadam, some sambal olek, and a garish of both tomato and cucumber. It was a tad bit different than the variety than what would be available at a Malaysian place in a few ways, just as an observational point of view. The chicken was tender, plus the coating was thick and crispy. On the side, the bowl of rice was soft, steamy and definitely had many hints of coconut throughout it; mixed with the salty mixture of peanuts and anchovies, this made for a tasty concoction. Finally, with the sambal olek adding in some spice, this was a well-rounded, substantial, and good quality meal.
From a couple of the other plates, I managed to try some of the chili scramble on toast, and a bit of crispy bacon. The bacon was good and crispy, obviously coming from a quality cut of the pig, plus with the chili scramble - it proved how to do scrambled eggs. That mixture was light and fluffy, plus they were not kidding when mentioning chili was mixed through it. All on top of thickly-cut ciabatta.
In vein of getting some bits and pieces here and there, initially a smoothie was gotten for the little girl since it had mango in it. However, what it also had in it was pineapple which is not her favourite fruit just yet. This was cold, sweet and refreshing. In all honesty, the texture reminded me more of a frappe than a smoothie, but that is more personal association than anything.
At the end of the meal, the sister went ahead and ordered some pancakes for the little girl - as of this writing, it is at that stage where bits and pieces are offered to the child so that they try a wide of range of fare to develop their palates. Also as we know, that often means things are half-eaten at best, and many peckish, hoovering adults around are soon to swoop in and finish it off if need be. These pancakes were simple, some berries, banana and maple syrup were poured over a short stack of pancakes. The pancakes themselves were simple, yet effectively done with the fluffy texture and a bit of vanilla flavouring. They soaked up the generous amount of syrup, and the bananas that were there during the polishing off phase were sweet and just ripe enough.
In all honesty, the overall sentiments about Cafe Bema are that the sum of its parts might add up to more than the whole. With it being relatively new as a place (though there has been enough time for it to set in), and the crew learning the ropes, some slack is always going to be given as per usual. With that being said, the aspect that needs picking up relates to the service, which then will ultimately give the cafe more of an atmosphere; if that atmosphere was with either a professional or relaxed and friendly vibe, then it would fit here like a glove.
That is more or less why the 4.0 score is in place, though even with good service it would probably still be solid enough at that final grade. Without any doubt, the best aspect come down to the food - something unusual with the Asian influence - and location, location, location! Overall, it is fine is more or less the sentiments.
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