1606 Luis de Torres, Rhodes
Delightful cafe with an eclectic mix of cuisines
Located 7/7 Rider Boulevard, Rhodes NSW 2138
The name of this quaint café, 1606 Luis de Torres, offers more than meets the eye. The name evokes all things French but the food here is an eclectic fusion of Korean, Italian, Australian and Chinese. Located right next to Rhodes station, 1606 Luis De Torres sits alongside café giant — Lid and Jar.
What differentiates 1606 Luis de Torres from the ubiquitous Sydney café is in its unique interior design. The nautical theme wraps around the entire store with ship masts hanging as wall murals to thick sisal rope twisted around lamps. We made out way to the very back of the eatery and plopped ourselves down on the plush white sofas.
We started with some unique lattes — that paid homage to great Asian flavours. I tried the Taro Latte while my dining companion opted for the Matcha Latte. Both were deliciously milky but not so milk-laden that the flavours of the Taro and Matcha were lost in the beverage. My other friend tried out the Earl Grey Latte. It was a little too sweet for her liking but that being said — the strong tea fragrance and taste was prominent.
To accompany the drinks, we ordered a delicious appetiser. The Shoestring Fries were perfectly crispy and the side of lime aioli and tomato sauce gave the chips that hit of tangy and acidic flavour. It was also served in an adorable frying basket that gave the dish that gourmet look and feel.
After dusting off the drinks, we tried out menu items from their tasting menu. Their extensive menu features dishes from a variety of categories — from all day breakfast, lunch, dinner to their specialised tasting menu. After what felt like hours choosing the perfect dish having been spoilt for choice, I finally opted for the Sichuan Beef Pasta. The chefs used the spaghetti variation of pasta and garnished the dish off with a perfectly fried egg. The Sichuan spices were not too overwhelming that it gave you the sweats. The flavours were really well balanced and combining Asian flavours with Italian style cooking was surprisingly tasty.
My friend chose the Beef Bulgogi Omelette. The owners of this café are Korean, so you know this Korean style dish is not going to disappoint. The Omelette was accompanied with a cheesy stick, which was really just a slice of crunchy baguette slathered with oozy gooey cheese. The Omelette tasted more eggy than meaty, which is really how I prefer it. Sometimes omelettes can be stuffed with too many fillings that the natural flavours of egg are muted.
The final dish was the Chilli Gamboro. Omitting the sophisticated name, this was really just a seafood pasta with a decent helping of chilli flakes. The dish is rather spicy so please be weary of this before you go ahead and order it. There was a generous helping of prawn/shrimp so you’re really getting your money’s worth with this order.
After filling up on all these mains, we had the very brilliant idea of polishing off our meal with some cool ‘Ades’. The name is in a dire of the need of an edit but the presentation and taste of these beverages certainly do not. For a limited time only, these sweet and fizzy come in 1606 Luis de Torres branded light bulbs.
Overall
If you’re looking for a café that offers fabulous service, modern décor and creatively executed dishes, then look no further than 1606 Luis de Torres. It’s a lovely suburban cafe that is open from the very early morning to late in the evening. If you’re in the mood for some Asian cuisine, try their Bulgogi Omelette or Sichuan Pasta. If you’re keen for Italian, then try their signature pizza and pasta. There’s definitely something that hits the spot and satiates your cravings — whatever the variety of cuisine.
Rating: Yummy in my Tummy
Service: 4/5
Gourmet Gumbo dined as a guest of 1606 Luis de Torre.
