Snug co-owners (and couple) Leaham Claydon and Jianne Jeoung met while working at Yoko and Greca respectively. “She was one of the senior chefs [at Greca], and I had just taken on the sous-chef role at Yoko,” Claydon tells Broadsheet.
Even though they worked in different restaurants, crossing paths seemed inevitable. Both restaurants are owned by Jonathan Barthelmess and are located right next to each other, allowing for close collaboration between the teams. Claydon went on to become head chef at Yoko while Jeoung left to run the kitchen at wine bar Niky.
Now the pair have launched Snug, a cosy cafe in Coorparoo that opened today. While they await their food licence (which they’re expecting to come around April 8) they are serving drinks and baked goods. For coffee, the pair have opted for St Ali’s Wide Awake blend, a dark roast with “full-on chocolate and caramel notes, with not a lot of acidity,” Jeoung says.
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SUBSCRIBE NOWOnce they can start cooking in the space they’ll introduce a brunch menu featuring Korean-inspired dishes such as scrambled egg brioche sandwiches, omurice with prawns and a twist on Korean corn cheese with artichokes and provolone cheese.
“We don’t want to do full-blown Korean food, but we want to incorporate some ingredients,” Claydon says. “It’s more about [giving Snug] a Korean personality that maybe some people won’t notice.”
In addition to brunch, they’ll offer house-baked goods like soft pretzels and salty butter rolls, inspired by their recent trip to Korea. “We went to this shop and they just do pretzels, like 10 different types, and killer coffee,” Claydon says.
“There are pastries that are really hard for us to find in Australia,” Jeoung adds. “[Like] this soft, salty butter roll with a chunk of butter inside that’s rolled out like a croissant. In Korea, we call it salty bread. You walk for 10 minutes and find three shops near you selling them.”
During their Korea trip, they handmade ceramic tableware with Jeoung’s aunties in Daejong, including plates, bowls, coffee cups and pour-over coffee makers – all of which have been put to use at the cafe. The space itself offers a timeless aesthetic with lots of timber – including a striking benchtop custom-made by Makimaki – complemented by olive-green features and plants.
Looking ahead, Claydon and Jeoung plan to open the cafe as a wine bar in the evenings. When that happens, you can expect a curated selection of lo-fi wines, alongside another menu of Korean-inspired eats. They’re also in the process of turning a garage out the back into a functions space that will double as a small wine shop.
Snug
321 Chatsworth Road, Coorparoo
No Phone
Hours
Mon & Tue 6am–3pm
Wed closed
Thu & Fri 6am–3pm
Sat & Sun 7am–3pm