Brunch at Koku Culture in Ashfield

Koku Culture, Ashfield

They say that most people don’t see the ten years of hard work behind an overnight success, and that has never been more apparent that on the menu of Ashfield’s newest (and best) cafe by the name of Koku Culture.

A busy Sunday at Koku Culture in Ashfield
Already a local favourite

Led from the front by two former Billy Kwong chefs and one from Lotus, their combined experience and pedigree have led to a tiny neighbourhood cafe that is now bursting at the seams with diners. The menu is a fusion of contemporary Aussie brunch dishes with Japanese flare and the result is well…my favourite current cafe and maybe restaurant period.

Let’s have a look at a few of the loves of my life shall we?

Japanese style corn, zucchini and nori fritters

I don’t want to start with something so corny, but where the Hell has this dish been all my life? Peep the bed of avocado that the tempura coated fritters are resting on, have a gander at the soft-boiled egg laced with yuzu sour cream and the rocket salad chilling on the side. Every bite is bursting with crunch, umami, flavour; it’s maddening how good this dish is and how many bad brunch dishes I had to wade my way through before arriving here.

Everything’s right it’s corn, I’m all filled with faith. This is how I feel.

Seared wagyu beef with mixed mushrooms

Another dish off the ranks is this wagyu beef bowl backed with a mix of mushrooms, rocket, buckwheat and topped with a highly educated 63 degree egg.

The beef is tender, the buckwheat nourishing and the overall dish is just mental institute level insane. Seriously? What inner-west cafe can bring the heat like what Koku’s dishing out at the moment?

Sauteed spicy miso butter mushrooms on sourdough

I love mushrooms more than most of my family members (shout outs to the cousins of my cousins who’ll say we grew up together when I make it big). I’m not sure how many mushroom dishes I’ve had that even approach the quality that Koku Culture put in front of me.

The key is the intoxicating nature of the miso butter, it just seeps through the bread and creates something so addictive that I was fiending for another fix as soon as I got through my first helping. Miso certain that this dish won’t be leaving my memory anytime soon.

Torched confit alpine king salmon fillet

I love noodles, I love green tea, I love that Koku COMBINED the two loves of my life into something that I couldn’t even fathom. It’d be like adding John Wick to the Fast & Furious franchise and then having them go to space.

Oh and why not add a fillet of fatty salmon belly to the mix? It’d be like adding John Wick to the Fash & Furious franchise, having them go to space where they meet the Guardians of the Galaxy.

It’s of-fish-al, this is Koku Culture’s galaxy and we’re all just living in it.

Brulee matcha pancake

My next match-up was some matcha brulee pancakes. The matcha pancake is so soft and fluffy and it’s topped off by some impeccably made brulee.

I don’t normally cap off breakfast with dessert but I would eat whatever the wizards in Koku’s kitchen would put in front of me. They could tell me that they had marinated some cement and I’d ask for a straw to sip on that bad boy.

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Here’s the TL;DR who wants to be part of the Koku Culture.

  • This is my favourite cafe at the moment and it might not be close.

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Koku Culture, Ashfield

355 Liverpool Road

Opening Hours:

Monday – Friday: 7am – 4PM

Saturday & Sunday: 8am – 4PM

Koku Culture Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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