A Mouthful of Fabs: Sam's Cafe

May i be damned if i do not introduce you to Sams Cafe - a hong kong style cafe in Epping and one of the best kept secrets in Sydney.

If chicken fillet with watermelon sauce, coke flavoured chicken wings, stuffed squid, tea flavoured ribs or souffle crabs tickle your tastebuds - congratulations, you have come to the right place. This is one of the best find throughout the many years of my gastronomic adventure.
As you enter this tiny hideout (seats around 10 tables) your eyes wander: the bright coloured walls, mismatched chairs, handwritten menuboards, colourful hanging lights and a wall plastered with pictures of various dishes you can try - makes you feel like you have just arrived at Happy Land.

This homestyle husband and wife team are not afraid to push the boundaries with their food creations. It has obviously proven a success as this place is usually packed and requires a booking in advance for special dates/occasions.

Having been here for many years, i usually start off with a seafood soup with puff pastry. The chef (husband) decorates the pastry with little heart cutouts served in a large mug.

Seafood soup with puff pastry

Lobster soup with bread and cheese

Stuffed chinese doughsticks

For mains you may be curious of the myriad of dishes on offer, hence why not take a look at the pictures ajourned on the wall?

My favourite has to be the stuffed mushroom with cream sauce and rice. The ginormous mushroom has been stuffed with chicken and the whole thing deep fried. It rests on a bed of rice blanketed with cream sauce.

Stuffed mushroom

Souffle crabs

Ox tail spagetti with cream sauce

Stuffed squid

Stuffed chicken wings

You can also venture here for your typical chinese noodles and rice dishes, however may be a bit dear price wise.

This place is dessert heaven *big smile*. Not only does it have souffle (durian, mango flavours), but also bombe alaskas, "heart-too soft" and chinese style dessert soups you cannot find elsewhere, and it has absolutely the best hotplate ice cream!!!

The hot plate icecream as the name suggests, is served on a hot plate. As soon as it arrives on the table, hot lava like caramel is poured on top which instantly bubbles. After you mesmorise over the bubbling and smoking of the caramel, you fight with your neighbour for the closest utensil. The creamy caramel is not too sweet that you can easily drink a whole bowl of it. The hot caramel sauce wraps itself around icy cold vanilla ice cream in your mouth, giving you the instantaneous burst of hot and cold. When the whole dessert has been devoured, you will be screaming for more whilst u lick off the remnants of caramel sauce.