The Culinary Equivalent of a Clingy Ex

I spend enough time at Chardonnay Deli that I have to rotate between branches just to keep things looking casual. You know… pop into the OG one week, Dalebrook the next, then Uitsig after that. We simply cannot have them thinking I’m the culinary equivalent of a clingy ex.

Every Branch Has Its Own Personality

What I love, though, is that each one has its own personality. They’re all unmistakably Chardonnay Deli, but each has its own little mood depending on what you’re after.

“We simply cannot have them thinking I’m the culinary equivalent of a clingy ex.”

My Beach-Day Branch

Dalebrook is my beach-day branch. It’s the one I end up at when I want to slow things down a little. Sitting opposite the tidal pool, it feels more like someone’s beach house than a cafe. Cosy, relaxed and exactly the kind of place where one coffee somehow turns into two... and then suddenly it’s lunchtime.

More Local Than Customer

Being a regular also means the team knows me embarrassingly well. Half the time they know what I’m going to order before I’ve made up my mind, and I’m always greeted with the kind of warmth that makes you feel more like a local than a customer.

An Excuse to Break My Routine

This time, though, I finally had a reason to break my routine. Chardonnay Deli has recently introduced a few new breakfast and lunch dishes, so I had the perfect excuse to try something new. And naturally, to finish it all off with something sweet. #Balance.

Something Sweet Exists on a Spectrum

Before you start questioning my life choices, “something sweet” exists on a spectrum. It might be the last slice of toast with jam. It might be a biscuit with my coffee. Or it might be a warm dark chocolate fondant with a peanut tuile and vanilla bean ice cream. You know… something nice and casual.

Winter at Dalebrook

Winter somehow suits Dalebrook. Sitting opposite the tidal pool, you’d expect it to feel cold, but somehow it never does. It’s warm, cosy and exactly where I want to hide and watch the world go by on an overcast morning. It’s the kind of place where you arrive planning on staying for one coffee… and somehow you’re still there two hours later.

Doing the Unexpected

After the usual catch-ups and friendly hellos, I did something that surprised everyone… myself included. Instead of ordering my usual, I decided to spend the morning working my way through some of Chardonnay Deli’s newest breakfast and lunch additions.

The Croissant Eggs Benedict Debate

I started with the Croissant Eggs Benedict. And before anyone comes for me, I’m about to share what might be an unpopular opinion. I don’t think every Eggs Benedict needs bacon. Don’t get me wrong, bacon absolutely has its place.

But when you’ve already got a buttery croissant, silky hollandaise and perfectly poached eggs, I actually think smoked ham makes more sense. It just felt right. The croissant wasn’t trying to reinvent Eggs Benedict. It was just making a very good thing even better.

Making a Very Good Thing Even Better

The best part is it still tastes like a proper Eggs Benedict. The croissant modernises it without taking away everything that makes the classic so good. And here’s the funny part… most of us have become so used to bacon on Eggs Benedict that we’ve forgotten smoked ham was the OG. Turns out the traditional version is actually the modern one now. Who would have thought. Anyway… that’s enough of today’s history lesson before I start handing out homework.

My Apology to the Sensible Option

With breakfast behind us, it was time for lunch. And no, I wasn’t about to skip it just because I’d started the day with a buttery Eggs Benedict. Balance, remember?

Instead, I decided on something a little lighter, the Chicken Bowl. I’ll admit, this wasn’t the dish I was most excited about. Consider this my official apology to the sensible option. This is exactly the kind of dish that reminds me healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring. There was a lot going on, but nothing felt like it was there just for the sake of it.

The Perfect Forkful

I also loved seeing black rice on the menu. It’s something you don’t come across very often, and it adds so much more character than your standard grain. No mushy mess (kind of like me), slightly nutty (also kind of like me) and incredibly satisfying (well...). It gave the whole bowl a little more personality. 

Once everything was tossed together, each bite had that perfect balance. You know when every forkful tastes slightly different but somehow still works? You’d get little pops of sweetness from the tomatoes, a bit of saltiness from the feta and then that tahini dressing quietly pulling everything together without stealing the show. It was hearty enough to feel satisfying, yet still left me feeling energised rather than weighed down.

A Lunch That Feels Intentional

More than anything, this bowl felt intentional. If you’ve ever met Charmaine, you’ll know she’s always on the move, balancing multiple cafes while somehow still finding time for everything else. I don’t know if Charmaine designed it with that in mind, but it definitely feels like the kind of lunch she’d actually eat herself. It’s exactly the kind of meal that keeps you going without making you want to crawl straight back into bed afterwards.

It’s wholesome, colourful and genuinely delicious. Healthy food has somehow earned a reputation for being boring. I refuse to accept that, and this bowl is exactly why.

Why Have Coffee and Dessert Separately?

Which brings us to my sweet finale.

If someone offered me a teaspoon of sugar for my cortado, I’d politely decline every single time. Absolutely not. But hand me a coffee milkshake made with scoops of ice cream instead? Well… that’s just common sense.

Since I’d already committed to trying the new menu additions, swapping my usual cortado for Chardonnay Deli’s new Coffee Milkshake felt like the obvious choice. Some things change. My need for caffeine never does.

Whipped Cream Is Non-Negotiable

Watching it come together behind the counter immediately transported me back to those proper old-school diner milkshakes. A giant swirl of whipped cream included, obviously. Frankly, I don’t trust a milkshake that arrives without whipped cream.

It was exactly how a coffee milkshake should be. Sweet enough to feel like dessert, but still coffee-forward enough that it didn’t just taste like melted ice cream. Honestly, I don’t know why I’ve been drinking coffee and dessert separately all these years.

A Problem for Future Paige

Turns out trying the new menu didn’t help me narrow down my regular order at all. It just gave me more favourites. Future Paige can deal with that problem.

Until next time! 

And if you’d like to keep up with Chardonnay Deli’s new menu additions and what’s happening across their different branches, be sure to give them a follow on Instagram.