Cafe Kentaro - Surry Hills

Delicacy and care is infused in every aspect of this gem in Surry Hills. From their Japanese fusion creations on their plates, to their warm and friendly service, this cafe deservingly earns my 5 star thumps up. 5X ⭐️????????

I gave it 2 tries. I really wanted it to be good. The mushroom toast was not bad but slightly salty. The pork katsu sandwich was not as juicy as expected, though coffee was pretty good. The poutine was a miss for me. I might return for the their matcha desserts. I hope third time is a charm.

Apparently western resto with Japanese twist is currently become a trend in Sydney. I came here after got brunch in Medan Ciak, cause they still on same area, Surry Hills. I ordered matcha french toast, matcha cream puff and hojicha latte. Matcha french toast is good, matcha taste is balance not sweet nor too bitter, it made from brioche instead using regular bread so it's crunchy. Matcha cream puff is average, choux skin not softy. Price wise not really expensive.

Have been wanting to visit Kentaro since they opened and when they came out with this omurice rendition it was the final push I needed. Went all out and ordered a drink - it's my first time having a houjicha latte, but I've consumed houjicha before in the form of Kit Kats and soft serve ???? This houjicha latte was OK - the tea flavour was rather muted for my liking and perhaps not quite smooth enough. It comes unsweetened so you can add brown sugar to your discretion. The Kentaro style omurice ($18) consists of tomato fried rice with peas, bacon, cheese, wrapped in an omelette and ladled with dark miso mushroom gravy. The eggs are silky, with a salty bite from pieces of tasty cheese, and umami from the miso mushroom gravy. The miso gravy reminded me a lot of the black bean sauce used in jajangmyeon. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it - I certainly did - but I was just surprised that the flavour was not as unique as it sounded and in fact tasted very familiar. The fried rice was a bit one-dimensionally sweet because it's seasoned with ketchup - would've enjoyed a bit of acidity from real tomatoes or something else to make it more interesting. I opted for use of the cracked black pepper provided on the table. Hm, this experience now has me curious about Oratnek's omurice and whether it better caters to what I'm looking for. For our other dish, we got the Japanese poutine ($15) - pulled beef, teriyaki gravy, shallots, goat cheese, chips. Chips might typically be a side dish but this is a huge bowl (it is $15, after all) and would definitely be too much for a side unless you're a group of 4 or 5. Luckily we didn't make this mistake and ordered it as 1 of 2 dishes between 2 people. It's certainly satisfying enough. I love the fluffy chips that are just the perfect thickness. They're good even after they've turned soggy from the gravy. The teriyaki gravy has an interesting gelatinous quality that reminds me somewhat fondly of Cantonese stewed pig tails or chicken feet (but I assume it's just the work of corn starch in this case, rather than the beef). The gravy was just a notch too sweet. The sharp, tangy goat cheese and hot chilli flakes alleviate the heavy sweetness a little. Overall, the dishes weren't perfect but it was a pleasant meal in an amicable setting. Kentaro gives me the same comforting and familiar vibes as Oratnek (where I'll probably find myself next time sampling their omurice).

Have been wanting to visit Kentaro since they opened and when they came out with this omurice rendition it was the final push I needed. Went all out and ordered a drink - it's my first time having a houjicha latte, but I've consumed houjicha before in the form of Kit Kats and soft serve ???? This houjicha latte was OK - the tea flavour was rather muted for my liking and perhaps not quite smooth enough. It comes unsweetened so you can add brown sugar to your discretion. The Kentaro style omurice ($18) consists of tomato fried rice with peas, bacon, cheese, wrapped in an omelette and ladled with dark miso mushroom gravy. The eggs are silky, with a salty bite from pieces of tasty cheese, and umami from the miso mushroom gravy. The miso gravy reminded me a lot of the black bean sauce used in jajangmyeon. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it - I certainly did - but I was just surprised that the flavour was not as unique as it sounded and in fact tasted very... read more