Southern Highlands NSW, Elephant Boy Cafe
Borwal (pronounced Barrel) NSW, in the Southern Highlands is a popular weekend get away for Sydnesiders looking for a bit of “country.” Lush shops, country markets, and slick cafe’s line the streets and surrounds just waiting to cater for the weekly influx of visitors. The landscape is green, mountainous, and cooler than the coastal regions. Called the “Highlands” because they are on top of a major rock escarpment, the climate and pace of the village are completely desireable year round. Borwal is also a popular place to move for folks from Sydney who are tired of the rat race and want to sloooowwww dooowwnnnn. The Elephant Boy Cafe is owned by one such group.
The Rangoon Racquet club was a Sydney institution in Indian food with a sense of colonial style. A completely different feel than any other Indian themed Resaurant I have ever been to- the cuisine was beautiful (often used in OZ as a word to describe food). The Elephant Boy Cafe in Borwal has carried on this tradition. Dark wood, glorious old hardback books, and great food. Trendy yet comfortable, the service was impeccable and the sauces on the curries were just as good as they were in Sydney.
They also had a generous selection of unique versions of the Aussie pie, sandwiches, tarts, and other cafe fare. The coffee was smooth and rich, and most importantly they served food in those dicey hours between lunch and dinner in the country.
Many an afternoon have I put off lunch, thinking to find something around 3, only to be thwarted and left hungry. Be Warned Travellers! The Aussies outside the major cities do generally close down food service between 3 and 6 even on weekends. The Elephant Boy Cafe, however, was a shining Oasis to a group of hungry travelers- our need for food was filled with flair and grace for about $10-14 each.
Extremely Food intolerance friendly- allergy information is available on all of their meals, and they even had gluten free chocolate almond meal cake with the thickest, richest, lushest whipped cream you’ve ever let hit your tongue! The first five minutes of our car ride home sounded like a dirty video as people ooohed and ummmmed over the gorgeous desert…which was supposed to be saved until we got home…