2204, Marrickville

 Orange juice and iced coffee ($4.50 ea)

 Beef burger and chips ($12)

Portuguese chicken burger w/ mayo, chilli, cheese, lettuce ($8)

As much as I love Envy, Plunge, Espresso Train, Sideways and Bean Tamperyed, I really really need to get out of my little Summer Hill/Dulwich Hill cafe bubble more often. So when I posed the options of Plunge or Sideways to my friend for a catch-up lunch, the response I received was an eye roll, sigh and "Really, is there nowhere else we can go?"

My friend and I ended up driving to Marrickville. Our plan: stop at the first cafe that looks half decent... and that's how we came across 2204 on Addison Rd.

2204 is a cafe by day, bar by night. The decor exudes warmth; with walls pared back to reveal stunning brickwork and comfy leather chairs to recline on as you lift your coffee off the rustic wooden tables. A blackboard menu showcases the food, which was sold to us by the waitress' friendly smile.

My Portuguese chicken burger was full of flavour and well-seasoned; the mayo and chilli melding together to form a tasty and just-right sauce that was neither too spicy nor bland. They serve Little Marionette coffee, a local blend and I could not fault the iced coffee; especially after the generous helping of ice cream it contained. The beef burger and chips also received rave reviews and, again, was great value for money.

2204 are currently renovating an outdoor courtyard- a much needed addition. At present, the only outdoor seating overloos a busy road, and plain wooden tables on a concrete pathway do not improve this unpleasant atmosphere. Every time a truck passed by or a plane flew overhead I could barely comprehend the words coming out of my friend's mouth.

2204, 106 Addison Rd, Marrickville