Spring Hill Deli

Monday, August 25, 2014

It was a miserable rainy Saturday morning and I was still recovering from some sort of flu going around (the Ekka flu?) so riding to the West End markets did not sound appealing. C agreed and was nice enough to pick me up to still have our weekly market trip. Given that we had a car, we decided that we'd try somewhere different and less-rideable for breakfast. I suggested Spring Hill Deli on Boundary St as I don't get there very often and C had only been once. Unfortunately it was 7:45 when we drove past and were greeted with a very obviously closed cafe - it doesn't open until 9 so we decided to market up first and come back.

It was a pretty sad market trip, battling the rain and having half the stalls missing, so I was really looking forward to our breakfast! When we returned at 9:30, it was already looking packed but luckily we got a seat. Spring Hill Deli is a family-run cafe that uses local products and deli produce, some of which they sell in the small deli section in an off-shoot section of the cafe. They bake and make a lot of their food where possible, including some of their bread. It's located in a small converted red house and is hard to miss. Parking can be tricky around there but luckily C found a park just across the street.

After finding a seat, menus and water were brought out quickly. The menu, attached to a clipboard, is entitled 'Our Whole Food Brunch Menu' and is real comfort brunch food. The Baked oatmeal, drizzled w. maple and served w. berry compote & Greek yoghurt ($15) sounded appealing as did the House made organic grain bread, topped w. labna, avocado, Spanish onion, fresh smoked salmon & poached eggs, served w. dill creme fraiche ($22). But it was too hard to go past the same thing I always order - Israeli Shashuka w. poached eggs, topped w. feta & parsley & served w. toasted sourdough ($17). C decided the Braised Steak & onions, served w. fried eggs & toasted pane ($17). I also ordered my usual Long Black ($3.50) with milk on the side. It took a while for a waitress to come and take our order which was frustrating but they don't have a lot of staff and they were busy.

Long Black ($3.50)

My long black arrived quickly and was smooth. The Maleny Cows milk (Maleny Dairies?) added creaminess to the slightly acidic taste that I think Cup coffee has. Not a bad thing, just I've noticed it's one of the sourer blends I've had. I hadn't been feeling overly hungry before but after the market trip and seeing plates of other customer's breakfasts going past (the Eggs Benedict was a popular choice!) and luckily meals didn't seem to take too long to arrive.

Braised Steak & onions, served w. fried eggs & toasted pane ($17)

Israeli Shashuka w. poached eggs, topped w. feta & parsley & served w. toasted sourdough ($17)

C was served his steak meal first and it was a huge plate of two pieces of toast with chunks of steak mixed through a thick onion gravy sauce on top of several spinach leaves and two fried eggs on top. It was one hearty looking breakfast! My Shashuka arrived shortly afterwards in a cast iron pan atop a wooden board with two pieces of sliced sandwich bread on the side. It was as I fondly remembered, although I was disappointed that it no longer came with their homemade gluten-free grain bread! Still, the Shashuka was a super thick rich tomato sauce with perfectly baked eggs and a very generous scattering of creamy feta and parsley. The eggs were perfectly cooked with the whites slightly soft but crispy near the pan edge and the yolks were soft and gooey. Cutting into those yolks was complete yolk porn - if you are an egg yolk freak like me then check out @yolkporn on Instagram! The Shashuka was perfectly seasoned and the bread helped to cut through the intensity and richness of the sauce, which was incredibly tomato-y. Altogether it was absolutely delicious and remains my favourite Shashuka/Baked Eggs in Brisbane. C was equally happy with his meal. I had a bit of his steak and the meat was tender and the sauce was really flavoursome. The meals were huge and we both struggled to finish them.

Payment is at the counter and so I asked about the gluten-free bread, which they sold in loaves last time I'd been there. Apparently they hadn't made it in a while but the waitress promised to pass on my disappointment and compliments about the bread so hopefully it makes a comeback sometime! Some of the baked goods on the counter looked appealing but I was so full that I couldn't contemplate eating anything else. C and I left absolutely stuffed but very happy with our rainy day breakfast. It was the perfect place to go - warm, comforting and delicious! I wasn't hungry until dinnertime, which is very rare for me! I'll definitely be making a return trip soon.

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