This is Kiddo Coffee, a café specialising in Hong Kong-style coffee and buns, with Thai influences across its drinks and presentation. Hong Kong coffee culture meets Thai heritage, with the menu combining cha chaan teng-inspired drinks with Hong Kong-style polo bao and pandan buns.
Original Polo Bao with Pepe Saya ($9.90)
This featured a pineapple bun served with Pepe Saya butter, although the menu indicated honey.
The bun did not have the same lightness and airiness as one from a Chinese bakery. The interior crumb was dense, gummy and slightly wet rather than light and aerated, suggesting an undercooked and overproofed structure. The thick cookie topping was crisp around the edges but softened towards the centre.
The butter carried the flavour but did not mask the fermented, alcoholic yeasty notes or improve the gummy texture. At around 7 cm in diameter, the bun was also considerably smaller than the 10 cm-plus versions available from Chinese bakeries, which are sold for a fraction of the price. At $9.90, the combination of small size and poor execution made this difficult to justify.
See the dedicated review: Kiddo Coffee Momokawa
Overall, the café was defined by Hong Kong-style coffee and buns with Thai influences, with execution varying between the drinks and food. The Momokawa was the stronger item of the two reviewed, while the polo bao fell short on both texture and value.
Kiddo Coffee is located at 84-86 Mary St, Surry Hills NSW 2010.