The Crows Nest cafe, which launched in 2016, took over a notorious dead spot on Willoughby Rd.

“The shop previously had six owners over a short period of time, and none of them did very well, so they were selling the shop for a really cheap price,” says Double Cross Espresso Bar co-owner Quinton Ng.

It didn’t take long for Quinton and his business partner Samuel Lee to break the curse, with Double Cross fast becoming one of the busiest spots on the block.

Since then, they’ve also launched a sister cafe in Chippendale.

Despite the competition in the area, it’s not hard to see why Double Cross has done so well, with their Asian fusion menu revealing fun and fanciful new flavours.

“My heritage is Hong Kongese with Australian and Samuel’s is Korean with New Zealander, so we decided to call the place Double Cross after these dual cultural influences,” says Quinton. The menu specialises in “unusual breakfasts” with quirky eats such as the karaage eggs benedict ($18), a lighter-than-air crab souffle omelette ($17) and a Japanese mentaiko pasta ($17) made from lemon, soy, chilli-marinated cod roe and a wobbly 63 degree egg.

Locals also love the breakfast toast duo ($15) which includes a slice of sourdough topped with basil pesto, avocado and chilli, and a slice of brioche slathered with mascarpone custard, fresh strawberries and sprinkled with granola.

“It’s essentially a sweet breakfast and a savoury breakfast, so you don’t have to choose between the two,” says Quinton.

Those loyal to sweet breakfasts will love their selection of mille crepe cakes, a French gateaux made from “thousands” of layers of crepes and cream. Flavours are also Asian-inspired, and include black sesame, matcha, taro and milo crush.

Double Cross’s coffee selection comes courtesy of Darlinghurst roasters, Edition Coffee Roasters, which Quinton describes as “pretty much the best coffee ever”.

They rely on a rotating menu of single origin beans for both black and white coffees, with the cafe also serving pour over and batch brew. “We get a lot of customers asking, what’s batch brew? What’s pour over?” says Quinton.

“We explain it to them and they usually give it a try. Then the next time they come in, they have it again. We’re finding these two types of coffee are really growing in popularity.”

For those serious about their caffeine intake, Double Cross Espresso Bar also serve a barista’s breakfast, which includes a black coffee, white coffee and pour over.