David Williams’s little slice of Brazil is helping bring people together through their love of food and community. (Image: Rocco Ventra)
By Rocco Ventra | @rocco.ventra
Amid the streets and sands of the coastal suburb of Grange in Adelaide’s west, you’ll find Bora, a breakfast/brunch café that opened earlier this year.
Located in the former Cook’s Pantry, Bora offers Brazilian-inspired dishes packed with South American tradition, and flavours that feel familiar, yet bold and exciting.
Humans exhibit a lot of differences as a species, yet we all seem to share one universal language: food.
While we may not all be able to agree on things politically or morally, the comfort and joy we experience when providing for each other and being provided for echoes throughout the world.
Bora owner David Williams has been a part of creating this experience many times and loves being able to do so, with 10-years’ worth of experience in the culinary industry.
“I’m a chef, and I love being a chef… I love cooking,” he says.
“That’s I feel like how I express myself, being a chef … making people happy.”
And if happiness is what you’re after, the dishes at Bora are sure to deliver.
From acai bowls to cheesy mushroom ragu, Bora gives you your pick of satisfaction and a new experience every time you visit.
I was lucky enough to try the pulled pork benny: spicy and tender pulled pork with a bodacious kick, topped with a freshly poached egg, a creamy and decadent hollandaise sauce, and rocket spinach all bedded on a toasted New York bagel.
Bora’s excellent Pulled Pork Benny. Image: Rocco Ventra
Bora’s benny is also garnished with micro-herbs and comes with a slice of lemon, providing welcome freshness and zesty fun that enhances the dish overall.
Williams moved to Australia from São Paulo, Brazil, making a stop in Sydney before finally ending up in Adelaide.
“When I moved to Adelaide five years ago, it was completely different than what it is now,” he says.
“I had like two friends only here, so the first year was tough.
“I thought of giving up so many times… I wanted to go back to Sydney or even question[ed] myself, what I was doing with my life in Adelaide.”
Even though there was a culture and language barrier, it didn’t take long for Williams to find a sense of belonging here.
“I think like since I first stepped in Australia, I felt something about this place, you know? This place is something special,” he says.
“I found when I moved to Australia, everybody is so open-minded about everything, you know?
“Everybody embrace[s] you, doesn’t matter who you are, what you are, [your] gender doesn’t matter or anything.”
Even before Williams thought up Bora, he always dreamed of opening a café in Adelaide.
“I never thought that it would be Bora and I never thought that it would be where it is now in Grange, but it was just like a dream, you know,” Williams says.
“I got this funny call from a random number, and I usually don’t answer random numbers … and he’s like ‘David, are you still looking to buy a café in the Grange area?’ and I’m like, ‘yeah!’
“It’s a good spot.”
Through hard work, including “60-to-70-hour weeks”, Bora “came to life”.
“It was a lot of work, so many nights without sleeping, worried about things … tradies not rock[ing] up to work sometimes … I just had to manage the stress,” Williams says.
Bora is now a staple of the Grange area, with Williams saying the community is “very special”.
“Everybody comes to Bora, they meet here … they love the place, you know?” he says.
“Everybody knows me, I know all of them already, you know, in such a short time we get to know all [of] the neighbourhood.
“They all come here, we have a chat every morning, have a coffee together… which is pretty good, I’m pretty happy.”
Bora’s coffee is made fresh in-house alongside other drink options including a plethora of cocktails and juices. Take the Bora Booster for one: a citrusy, refreshing blend of fresh fruit —perfect to compliment some of Bora’s heavier meals.
A small selection of Bora’s menu including their made in-house coffee and Bora Booster. Image: Rocco Ventra.
The dessert menu at Bora also doesn’t disappoint. Dishes like the pistachio dome: a sweet pistachio cream encased within a velvety, spongey pastry topped with pistachio icing, or the almond croissant: a flaky, buttery croissant filled to the brim with a delectable almond filling are perfect for ending a meal or satisfying any of your morning cravings.
Bora’s flaky almond croissant. Image: Rocco Ventra.
Williams wants to share his culture at Bora through Latin events such as traditional samba dancing, however, he isn’t “100 per cent” focused on the Brazilian community.
“I want to do a bit of everything. Of course, I’m Brazilian, I’m going to bring a lot of Brazilian stuff to the community as well,” he says.
From an aspiring newcomer in a foreign country, to a beloved member of his community, David acknowledges how far he has come.
“I feel like after 10 years I belong to here, you know? It’s funny… I go back to Brazil every year … my partner goes with me now and he’s like ‘mate, you don’t belong to here anymore, you’re Australian’,” he says.
“If you can dream, you can do it. You know, I talk for experience … I got in Australia [with] $2,000 in my pocket, look where I am now.”
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