Expressoholic – https://www.facebook.com/espressoholiccuba/
Reviewed by FiFi, January 2019
The Place:
If you are looking for a modern, quirky cafe with funk and a groovy vibe then look no further. There is heaps of seating inside and an almost ‘secret’ outdoor nook to enjoy the sun in a sheltered courtyard environment. There is quite a bit of cabinet food to chose from, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free. There are four Bene options to chose from. The Benedict (with ham or bacon); the Florentine (with spinach) or the Montreal (with salmon) or the bacon Potato roastie which includes gluten-free venison sausage. Sides range from $2 to $5. The atmosphere is trendy and relaxing.
The Service:
The staff were very engaging and smiled which was a lovely nod to customer service. My coffee and bene came out quickly which was no surprise given there were minimal people in the cafe at the time. lovely.
The Presentation:
The token sprig of parsley showed that there was an attempt to garnish the plate. Although the food was layered I did feel that more effort could have gone into taking the dish from looking good to making it mouth-watering. Overall, it looked good, but not amazing.
- The Montreal – this delightful meal tantalized my tastebuds.
- The Eggs – the free-range eggs were warm, runny and delicious.
- The Salmon – was smoky and there was a generous portion.
- The Hashbrowns – were huge and tasty and were crunchy and basically just yummy.
- The Hollandaise– the house-made sauce was rich in colour and full of flavour and the highlight of the dish.
- The Muffins – were okay but nothing special.
Would We Go Again?
Yes. The service was great. I would definitely be keen to try the Bacon Potato Roastie.
Scorecard
Style: 6/10 – Classic.
Taste: 6/10 – the dish was scrumptious.
Originality: 6/10 – The bacon Potato roastie which includes gluten-free venison sausage sounds enticing.
Value: 8/10 – the Benes were very reasonably priced. The Benedict (bacon or ham) was $16.50, the Florentine (spinach) was $15.00 and the Montreal (salmon) was $16.50. The bacon Potato roastie was $18.00. Sides range from $2 to $5.
Eggs: 6/10
Overall score: 6/10
136 Cuba Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011