Reviewed by FiFi, May 2019
The Place:
There is a lot of cramped, yet cosy seating inside and a few outdoor seats. There was quite a lot of cabinet food to chose from, salads, vegetarian, dairy and gluten-free. There were four Bene options to chose from. The Benedict (ham or bacon), the Montreal (with salmon), the Florentine (with spinach) or the Rosti. Sides range from $1.50 to $5. The atmosphere is welcoming and it had a busy, inner-city vibe to it.
The Service:
For such a busy place the staff are really inviting and welcoming.
The Presentation:
The rustic black potter plate gave a good basis to build the dish. Although you could tell there was some thought in to the plating it didn’t have the wow factor. There was a sprinkle of parsley but it was so minimal it made me wonder if they had run out or were rationing. Overall, it looked okay, but lack any va va voom.
- The Benedict – the meal was just okay but I was still feeling sorry for myself that they had ran out of salmon so I couldn’t have my beloved Montreal (salmon) option.
- The Eggs – the free-range eggs were okay, slightly overdone but still slightly runny.
- The bacon – there was a generous helping of smoky tasting goodness.
- The Hash browns – there were 3 which was quite a few for a side. They were crunchy but nothing special.
- The Hollandaise – was plentiful, however it was straight from the bottle.
- The bread – toasted sourdough was toasted perfectly and was pretty good.
Would We Go Again?
I wouldn’t go out of my way to go again, but I wouldn’t avoid this cafe. I would just take the time to try and find another nearby cafe to review first.
Scorecard
Style: 5/10 – Classic, but rather boring.
Taste: 5/10 – the meal was rather bland.
Originality: 7/10 – there was a Rosti on the menu
Value: 6/10 – the Benes were all $17.90. The sides range from $1.50 to $5. $4 for 3 hash browns was very reasonable.
Eggs: 5/10 – they were okay.
Overall score: 5/10