Sani – My Best Brunch in Brunswick Yet

I was always fond of places where I had left a piece of myself, and Dumbo was one of them. It was at the end of 2018 that I started working a “rockstar shift” there every Saturday. I enjoyed working that shift so much that when they offered me a job, I accepted it in a heartbeat – but eventually, I had to give up the job because commuting for an hour each way had become too difficult.

So when I heard that they opened this new joint called Sani in Brunswick, I knew I had to visit. Not to mention my three colleagues from Dumbo were running the place, making it a no-brainer decision.

SANI BRUNSWICK

Like many other spots in Brunswick, Sani is a lunch meeting cafe by day and a dinner place with five to seven-course banquet menus by night. According to AGFG, the name itself comes from Nepal and means magnificent. What makes the name special is that it stems from the co-owner Raju Ghimire’s son’s name. 

Currently, it is helmed by Chef Sam Terranova with a global take on the menu. While the coffee is courtesy of Locale Espresso, an acclaimed Melbourne-based specialty coffee company.

Location

Sani is located at the site formerly home to Woodstock Pizza on Lygon Street. You can easily get there by a tram ride, just take the number 1 or 6 towards the north, and it will take you to the Lygon Street tram stop, which is only a two-minute walk from Sani.

Space

The dining area is 36 people capacity, and it can easily accommodate 100 in the precinct. The space itself is divided into three sections, each with its own distinct ambiance. When you walk in, you’ll find the open coffee bar, open kitchen, and a few small seats. In terms of layout, this area is comparable to a coffee shop. 

To the left of the entryway is the main dining area. The mood instantly changed and lifted in this heritage-inspired hall since there are plenty of windows that allow a lot of light in. 

And lastly, Sani’s lounge area is located on the right side of the precinct, and it only opens at night. This space is mostly decorated in a dark emerald velvet color scheme, it has a more intimate atmosphere, with an open bar and dim lighting, which makes it perfect for a date.

SaNI BRUNSWICK Menu

Coffee

I appreciate how Sani takes their cuisine seriously, not only do they believe in the quality of their food and service, but also in the excellence of their coffee! I really like how they have a separate menu just for pour-over and single-origin espresso.

For coffee, I opted for their pour-over coffee from Colombia which is produced using Anaerobic Natural Process, while Meg went for the Ethiopian made with CM natural process. Both are on the same flavor spectrum which is citrusy and fruity, and they both taste similarly great. 

Making pour-over coffee is an intricate process that requires time and focus. So for Sani to be able to provide pour-over coffee while also fulfilling takeaway and dine-in orders is exceptional. 

However, it does take a bit longer for the coffee to reach our table, but from an ex-barista standpoint, I could understand the struggle.

Food

I had the Wild Mushrooms for lunch that afternoon. I could never resist mushrooms on a menu, so I just had to try them at Sani’s as well.

This one in particular is amazing, and it’s gluten-free. I’m all for gluten, but this is new for me. Usually, we’d find a mushroom dish served with toast, but not this one. On the plate are a jalapeno, onion & feta cornbread, which gives a playful taste, with a bit of sweet, spicy, and savory.

The mushroom itself gives a lot of umami flavor with walnut pangrattato and deep-fried Enoki to top off the texture game. It also came with a perfectly poached egg, and instead of using the basic hollandaise sauce, they used onion soubise. 

My friend Meg had the Szechuan Chili Congee which I tasted with a tiny spoon. True to co-owner Darcy Thornycroft’s description on GoodFood: the menu is Dumbo on steroids, and this congee is indeed next level. 

The Asian staples got an Australian twist on them. This congee came with a confit duck leg, a soft egg, and wild fungi that give you a bit of a texture. What makes congee a congee is the Chinese doughnut, but Sani makes it extra by cooking it with a chips-like crunch. The dish is finished off with sprinkled furikake, crunchy chili oil, and freshly chopped spring onion. 

Conclusion

I totally had a blast here. Kudos to the team for making Sani an amazing choice for coffee & brunch, especially the Head Chef, Sam, whose cooking skills I adore. I enjoyed everything we had that afternoon. The vibe was immaculate, the service was top-notch. 

I might be biased here because I had worked with them before, but that’s exactly why I enjoyed working with them back at Dumbo. I understand the quality that they wanted to deliver, and it aligns with me as well.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this blog post and share this post to your friends or your potential date for your next culinary adventure. 😉 Thank you for being here, and I’ll catch you on my next one! xo

SUMMARY

• Sani, Brunswick
• Operation Hours :
• Mon – Fri : 7:00 AM – 03:00 PM
• Sat – Sun : 08:00 AM – 03:00 PM
• Type : Cafe / Bar
• Price : $$
• Coffee : Specialty
• Cuisine : Fusion
• Alcohol : Yes (Beers)
• Dessert : Pastry
• Indoor Capacity : +-70
• Outdoor Capacity : +-20
• RSVP : Available
• Waiting Time : 15+ minutes
• Toilet : Yes
• Wifi : Not sure
• Vegan / Vegetarian : Available
• GF Option : Available
• Low Dairy : Available