The Q on Harris has been on N and my radar for a while after we spotted a yuzu brulee tart on their Instagram in early 2017. We stopped by for lunch once, only to discover that they don’t have a lunch service on Mondays.
I’d visited the space when it was occupied by a different cafe and the interior space remains much the same with the addition of a coffee roaster on site.
I get the Free Range Scrambled Eggs ($10.00) with sides of Honey Yuzu Fried Chicken ($5.00) and Thyme & Miso Butter Mushrooms ($5.00).
The scrambled eggs are silky smooth and seasoned just right, while the mushrooms were deliciously moreish in their buttery and herby flavour.
The fried chicken was juicy and tender, although the coating was quite thick and together with the yuzu glaze that created a slight chemical-like flavour that left a bandaid-like aftertaste lingering. But that’s all right because a quick dip into N’s wasabi mayo masked it entirely.
N tries their famed Kabuki Waffle ($22.00) with ‘free range fried chicken, honey yuzu glaze, savoury waffles, cabbage slaw, shichimi salt, wasabi mayo’.
She enjoys the eggy brioche-like waffles and the fried chicken dipped in wasabi mayo. Some pieces of her chicken were just cooked through (some still pink but not translucent) and she also noted a chemical-like taste to the honey yuzu glaze on its own but didn’t make the same association I did. Overall, the waffles and the fried chicken were not enough to lift the dish with the undressed cabbage not adding much freshness.
And finally, the coveted Yuzu Brulee Tart ($7.00). It’s refreshing when cafes have their desserts listed on their menus so there’s no stumbling to the counter mid-order.
The tart has a beautiful caramelised top that cracks crisply provides pops of sweet crispiness texture to the yuzu custard. The custard is on the runny side – we’d prefer it to be firmer – with a flavour that’s distinctly yuzu but mellow without its sharper, uplifting notes. The base of the tart is perfectly thin and crunchy, providing textural contrast to the crisp top and the runny custard. All in all, an enjoyable tart.
We came for the dessert and we were satisfied!
2019
It was the yuzu tart that first drew me to The Q on Harris with N a few years ago and now it’s its convenience that drew me back.
The Q on Harris is also a micro roastery, so I was keen to try their coffee. This is an Iced Black ($5.50), which has a deep roasted flavour with notes of dark chocolate or cocoa that developed with a notable berry acidity mid-sip that are moderated well with light floral notes.
This is the New York Pastrami Tartine ($18.00), described as ’40-hours slow-cooked New York Pastrami, house pickled red cabbage, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and thick toasted [Sonoma] Miche sourdough’.
This is my first open sandwich in a long while and it did not disappoint. The pastrami was generous and melt-in-the-mouth with the beef holding its own smoky flavour over the seasoning herbs and spices, and complementing the smokiness of the soft and chewy sourdough. The dressing and the cabbage add a touch of acidity and textural crunch, while the Swiss cheese ties everything together with its savoury goodness.
This is H’s Nasi Q-Ning ($15.00), described as ‘yellow coconut saffron infused rice, tempeh, soft boiled egg, garlic crackers, seasoned coconut dressing with tomato chilli relish, and ‘urap’ (mixed steamed seasonal vegetables’. She enjoyed the mix of vegetarian proteins, which were flavourful and very filling.
The Q on Harris is located at 597 Harris St, Ultimo NSW 2007.