Sitting in Hx46, I always feel welcomed by the energy. There’s really good music, friendly staff, and an assorted range of customers – from friends going for brunch, to sweet families with toddlers, to lone diners, brought back by the delicious food. There is also a steady stream of takeaway customers coming through. The phone rings often, and as we come into the evening, people are constantly coming in to pick up their takeaway orders – a promising sign for the food. Hx46 feels like a respite from Harold’s Cross Road outside. Though the cars zooming by are still visible through the wide glass windows, and lightly audible, there is a distinct energy created within the cafe. The sounds of the kitchen staff and baristas are discernable but not bothersome, and add to the feel of the place. The interior decoration is minimal but well-thought out. There are several well-chosen paintings hanging on the white walls, and plants scattered around. There are fluorescent lights, and also hanging lights. The tables and chairs outside catch the afternoon sun. Depending on the time of day and the clientele, there is a different atmosphere – when it’s quiet, people’s conversations are maybe a bit hushed, but not in a way that makes you feel like they’re stopping themselves, more as though they are naturally catering to continuing this environment. When it is busy they are lively and lovely, not hushed at all, a pleasant cacophony. The tables are just close enough to each other, adding to the convivial nature of the place.
Hx46 is both a café and restaurant, marketing itself as pan-Asian cuisine. During the day they serve a brunch menu, which has items like pancakes and eggs benedict, which contrast with Asian-style wraps and noodles, all falling around the 10 euro mark. The French toast, which I have sampled, is underwhelming in its presentation – four little pieces of yellow bread, lightly sprinkled with blueberries and honey – but the taste of it is so delicious, the balance of flavours being just right. The noodle dishes are similarly underwhelming in their presentation, appearing just as a massive mound of noodles. While the focus is not on presentation, the noodles soon reveal themselves as an insane explosion of flavours, perfectly blended. The sweet treats on offer at the counter have a good range, from chocolate biscuit cake, lemon drizzle, and mixed berry crumble, to a range of gluten-free and/or vegan options such as Toblerone and almond gluten-free cake. The coffee is very affordable, ranging from one euro eighty for a tea, and three euro for the higher-end flat white. They have a range of alternative milks. The dinner menu is solely Asian-influenced and has a slightly higher price bracket. They are happy to make any dish possible vegetarian or vegan-friendly, or to accommodate other requirements.
Hx46 is a really good all-rounder – it has good food, is affordable, and is a good spot to check out, whether you are looking for a quick coffee, a place to settle for the afternoon, or a sit-down meal. It has a variety of foods to choose from, is conveniently located, and is very affordable, in particular for tea and coffee, and the brunch menu.
