Overview
Sydneysiders love their noodle soups. The city is loaded with pho, laksa and ramen shops, and we are not complaining one bit. But there aren't many joints solely focusing on fresh, produce-driven soups as a healthy, alternative winter-warmer. Mr Perkins, which is set to open in the Pacific Bondi Beach development — right near the new poké bar, Fishbowl — at the end of August, is looking to fill that soupy void.
Inspired by the popular soup shops of San Francisco and New York City, the house-shaped storefront will welcome patrons in for a big bowl of homely goodness. The menu will be seasonal and fresh, and classic soups like potato and leek and celeriac and crispy bacon will be accompanied by more intricate flavours, like mussel and clam chowder, spiced pumpkin and coconut and an especially tasty-sounding oxtail minestrone.
The home cooking, family vibe makes perfect sense considering Mr. Perkins actually is a family affair — siblings Chris and Candice Miller have teamed up with their father to make their dream a reality. "My brother is the entrepreneur of the family and he's been thinking of opening this place for years," says Candice. "We grew up eating soups at home and he's always wanted to open a place like this." The cafe's manager and fourth shareholder, Phil Ujdur, is also a good friend.
They may be opening late in the game for winter, but the seasonal menu won't solely rely on cold weather dishes, and summer will see gazpacho and other chilled soup additions. They're also sporting a seasonal porridge menu, with savoury and sweet options from oats, rhubarb and granola to black quinoa and mango. This focus on high quality ingredients extends to their coffee as well — Mr. Perkins will be supplied by Melbourne's infamous Seven Seeds.
Still thinking about the Asian noodle soups we mentioned at the start? Don't worry, Mr. Perkins is already considering ramen weekend specials too.
Mr Perkins will open in late August in the Pacific Bondi Development at 180 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach. They don't have a website yet, so keep checking back here for an opening date.