Braking for Breakfast: inner city

King Arthur Cafe

As a longtime fan of Merriweather Cafe, I was excited to hear that the owners were opening a new cafe in New Farm. I was even more excited when I found out that Andrew Tolley, previously at The Statler & Waldorf, was going to be the opening chef. Slowly, little nuggets of information about it started to appear online and King Arthur Cafe began to gain social media momentum. After chatting to L from Yelp on one of King Arthur's Instagram pictures, we arranged to meet there for a weekday breakfast a few days after it opened. Another fellow Yelper (L too but we will call her TS for easy identification purposes!) also liked the look of it so joined us.

Simple exterior

King Arthur is located on Arthur St, just off James St near the Leona Edmiston vintage shop. I couldn't recall what had been there previously but L informed me that it used to be a design shop. The view in from the large glass windows allows passers-by to realise that a cafe lives here but the simple gold lettered signage in the window identifying it is unobtrusive so look hard if you're driving by. As you enter, the space downstairs is minimal with four or five high bench tables and the gorgeously tiled counter and kitchen taking up most of the small space. The decor is simple with white and navy painted brick walls and the Mediterranean-style counter tiles being the main decorative feature. I passed several customers already enjoying their coffee and breakfast on my way towards the stairs which led to a space with a domed ceiling, timber floors and several small black plywood tables and stools as well as a large timber shared table.

Menu featuring seasonal produce and sustainable ingredients

L was waiting when I arrived so water had already been placed on the table and we were given menus and our drinks orders were taken. I opted for a long black with milk on the side and L deviated from her usual green smoothie chose the berry type instead. TS arrived shortly afterwards and ordered a latte. Similar to the Merriweather menu, King Arthur's features local seasonal produce and includes a few not-so-standard options as well a twists on old favourites. Instagrams of the Quinoa & Chai Porridge with cocoa nib gingerbread & fresh figs ($13) caught my eye but in the end the Locally Caught Charcoal Pilchards with preserved lemon & truffle mustard ($15.50) won my (hungry) heart because I loved the truffle mustard I'd had recently at S&W and I'm a fan of fish for breakfast. I added on an additional egg ($2.50) and gluten-free bread ($1). TS chose the Avocado on rye with bay leaf ricotta and pistachio ($14) and L went for my other potential choice - Local Slow Cooked Goat with tomato, oregano and sourdough ($18). Can I just say that goat is amazing and should feature on significantly more menus that it does! Sadly they weren't able to source goat that morning so it had been replaced with lamb.

Long black with milk on the side

Our drinks arrived shortly afterwards. L's Berry Smoothie ($8.50), made with raspberries, banana, pineapple and ginger, was a tall glass of frothy pink goodness. My Long Black ($4), made using Coffee Supreme beans, was smooth and rich with the milk provided in a mini milk bottle. I imagine TS' latte was similarly good. After some excellent intelligent conversation about the world, as we of course do, our meals were brought out. All attractively plated and each looking more delicious than the last. L's succulent looking shredded slow roasted lamb was draped over the thick slice of dark seeded Sprout Artisan sourdough with sauteed spinach interwoven throughout. The sauce was thick and described by L as 'rich but not too rich'. TS's slice of sourdough was topped with a generous amount of chunky mashed (not smashed) avocado and topped with an ample amount of bay leaf ricotta, parsley and crushed pistachio. My dish arrived with two slices of bread with the pilchards (sardines) and poached egg placed on top with a large dollop of the truffle-infused seeded mustard, several sprigs of parsley and thyme and a wedge of lemon.

Local slow cooked lamb with tomato, oregano, and spinach on sourdough ($18)

Avocado on rye with bay leaf ricotta, parsley, and pistachio ($14)

The charcoal grilled pilchards packed an intense flavour punch which I love in oily fish like sardines and mackerel. A slight smoky flavour from the charcoal was evident and the fresh lemon helped to cut through the rich flavour. I couldn't detect any preserved lemon but the fresh lemon provided enough. The truffle mustard added some nice heat and although it didn't taste as truffle-y as I'd had at S&W, that may just be because the other components of the dish meant it didn't stand out as much. The egg was absolutely perfectly poached exactly as I like it - complete cooked whites and a thick gooey yolk. As soon it I cut through the egg, the yolk slowly oozed out to thickly cover the toast without going over the edges. I know, I sound somewhat obsessed by egg yolks (#yolkporn) but seriously, gluten-free bread is crazy absorbent so when covered in anything overly wet it becomes a sad pile of mush. Although in saying that, this bread was definitely one of the better gluten-free versions I've had and similar to (if not actually) the Sol Breads pumpkin version. Throw in a bit of freshly cracked pepper and I was in breakfast heaven.

Locally caught charcoal pilchards with preserved lemon and truffle mustard on GF bread ($16.50)

We stayed chatting for some time and I enjoyed being in the light and airy environment. We were one of few customers upstairs the whole time we were there but I expect that was due to the cafe being new and the midday late morning time and that soon, and especially on weekends, we won't be afforded that luxury again! L noted that despite the ceiling fan and air-conditioning she could imagine it could get quite warm and stuffy come Summer but right now, it's perfect. Reluctantly, I admitted it was high time I made it in to work and we went downstairs to pay. Payment is handled via an iPad system and the staff kindly let us pay separately, although I'm not sure that will be possible in busier times.

Freshly made tarts and Sprout Artisan pastries

Like Merriweather Cafe, King Arthur is already a new favourite of mine and I expect it to be popular amongst the Brisbane breakfasters (which is essentially everyone nowadays) so expect a wait on weekends. If you don't have time to sit around, they do takeaway coffee ($3.50/$4/$4.50) and have a range of pastries made by Sprout Artisan and some homemade items such as cacao & raspberry tarts. You can also purchase Coffee Supreme Roasters coffee, Bee One Third honey (very locally collected from James St. hives) and Merriweather Cafe condiments. King Arthur also has a small but delicious sounding lunch menu which I'd love to try soon too.

Scroll down for more photos

http://kingarthurcafe.com/

#yolkporn

Simple, modern aesthetic

Busy even for a mid-week morning

Coffee, preserves & honey available to take home

Wednesday, April 22, 2015
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Strauss FD

bircher

Strauss FD can be found tucked away, down an alleyway off Elizabeth St in the CBD, across the road from The Hilton. It is not clearly visible but there is usually a small sign on the street footpath. If yo peer down, you should see a neon sign indicating you're in the right place. Strauss has been around for a few years and while it's a quiet achiever, they serve up some of the best coffee in the area. Not surprising given it's owned by Josh Russell of Coffee Supreme Roasters ( formerly Cup Coffee).

I first visited Strauss when it first opened and they had a very minimal menu - four simple items. Unfortunately they didn't have gluten-free bread and they were out of Bircher muesli that day so I was a bit lost on what to order - avocado on toast minus toast is not really a meal, even with an egg as was offered. I've been back a few more times for coffee but it wasn't until recently that I decided to give it another go after seeing their menu had extended since my initial visit.

Inside the cafe

I arrived early one weekday morning to meet B. There are tables inside as well as a few small ones in the laneway, which we chose to sit at. When you're cooped up in an office all day, having the opportunity to sign outside is appealing, even if it us down a dim alleyway! Most of the tables were already taken and already a queue had formed of people waiting for their takeaway coffees. A waiter was with us shortly with menus, water and to take our coffee orders. B ordered her usual soy cappuccino and I went with my standard long black with milk on the side. Coffees are priced from $3 and mine was $3.50 for a small which is the standard but well worth it for quality coffee.

The seasonal breakfast & lunch menu changes regularly

Long black; Soy cappuccino

They still don't supply gluten-free bread but do say they can make substitutions. What with, I'm not really sure as the Bircher muesli with chia, local honey, fruit & nuts ($10) caught my eye before I could find out. The menu is still small but more interesting sounding than what I consider standard. B chose the Spring Bruschetta w broad beans, asparagus, mint, ricotta & sourdough ($14). Meanwhile our coffees arrived and my long black was as strong as I remembered the coffee there being with some acidity but not so much that I needed much milk to sweeten it.

When our meals arrived, I was impressed - the generous serve of muesli was plated attractively in a bowl with julienned green apple and luscious looking ripe strawberries adding pretty pops of colour with a drizzle of honey and toasted walnuts and black sesame seeds scattered on top. B's bruschetta was similarly attractive looking with plenty of green goodness atop two slices of sourdough. Starving as usual, we eagerly dug in after snapping the necessary photos.

bircher muesli with chia, local honey, fruit & nuts ($10)

My muesli was creamy with the swollen chia seeds adding an interesting texture. Not unpleasant but different in that it was a little mushier than a standard oat version. The muesli itself was unsweetened and with the tart apple, it wasn't overly sweet even with the sweet strawberries and honey. If you love sweet muesli, it might not be sweet enough but nothing a bit more honey couldn't help with! The walnuts and fresh fruit did add necessary texture to the muesli and overall I thought it was a perfect balance of flavour and texture. I could always use more fresh fruit and crunch in my Bircher but really it was just enough. B also really enjoyed her bruschetta and polished it off in no time!

spring bruschetta w broad beans, asparagus, mint, ricotta & sourdough ($14)

All in all, we both enjoyed our breakfast at Strauss and I definitely want to come back to try the rest of their menu plus the lunch options. Being so coffee-oriented, they also have offer coffee made in a range of ways including bottled cold press, which I want to go back to try. For an in-between snack, they also sell guilt-free, gluten-free sweet treats by My Clean Sweets. Strauss are also opened in the evenings for wine, beer and antipasto and I've been meaning to get a group together for that one Friday evening as an alternative to one of the busier drinking spots. Strauss is really a really lovely place with a surprisingly warm feeling, out of the way from the business of the more central areas. It's clearly popular as it was full both when we arrived and were leaving. The avocado & sourdough with chevre & lemon ($10) is a popular breakfast option, judging by the plates in front of the majority of the customers. Service was great with friendly waitstaff and our water constantly being checked and refilled. I will be returning!

Strauss is hidden down an alley

Sweets for the food intolerant by My Clean Treats

Inside bar seating

Our colourful Spring breakfasts

http://www.straussfd.com/

Thursday, January 08, 2015
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Statler & Waldorf

bircher

Gastropubs (or gastronomy pubs) have been making their mark on the Brisbane beer and dining scene in the last few years alongside the rise of the craft beer scene. The term gastropub refers to bars serving high-end versions of pub-style food and beer. The Villager in the CBD is one of the first self-proclaimed gastropubs that I recall opening but since then several others have joined, including some old Brisbane stalwarts which have become one as part of a makeover. Statler & Waldorf joined the gastropub crew just over a year ago along Caxton St, which is slowly changing from a street of seedy bars and strip joints to the location of some of Brisbane's best bars (Lefty's Old Time Music Hall) and restaurants (Black Hide Steakhouse). Named after the two old grumps from The Muppets (and the hotels in New York), it already had my interest piqued but after a post-soccer dinner one evening I was a fast fan.

In mid-November, I got an email announcing that Statler & Waldorf were doing weekend breakfast and with talk of items like lavender crumpets and so immediately teed up a breakfast date with Y - also a fan of both S&W and crumpets. We rocked up early at 7:30am on a Sunday morning and were rather chuffed to get a park almost directly outside. Parking in Caxton St can be a pain but perhaps that's more of a later-in-the-day issue. There were only a few other diners in the pub when we arrived so we had our pick of seats and chose to dine al fresco at one of the large tables on the sidewalk. We were brought menus and water immediately by our friendly waiter and he also took our coffee orders which was fortunate as Y had not slept well due to some rowdy housemates. Y ordered a soy cappuccino and I ordered my standard long black with milk on the side.

The menus were simply a piece of paper attached to a wooden board with rubber bands, which I really loved. No flicking between pages and easy to navigate! The menu states that seasonal produce which is local and ethically sourced where possible is used and that they use in-house baked bread or else source it from Chouquette in New Farm. All of the items listed on the menu sounded amazing and Y and I had a seriously tough time deciding! I love unusual menus and this one was up there as one of the more innovative ones I've seen in Brisbane. In the end we decided to share the Coconut Bircher Muesli with vanilla bean, verjuice poached stone fruit & pepitas ($12) and the House Cured Salmon with Dill Croquette with watercress & a poached egg ($16.50). All of the items are reasonably priced with the salmon being the most expensive item.

Love the adorable milk jug

Our coffees were quick to arrive and were accompanied by vintage spoons and raw sugar in a mini milk bottle. My milk arrived in the cutest mini glass jug I've ever seen. The coffee was good and strong without being bitter. Y was equally happy with her soy cap, although would have been pleased with anything containing caffeine at that point!

Our meals arrived sometime later and I loved the presentation. The muesli arrived in a wooden bowl on a thick wood board engraved with the Statler & Waldorf emblem with large pieces of poached peach and chopped almonds and pepitas scattered on top. The salmon dish was plated prettily on a cornflour blue plate as large pieces of the salmon and crispy fried croquettes atop watercress and a few vibrant slices of chioggia (candy striped beetroot) with a soft poached egg on top. The salmon was more cooked than I expected from cured salmon but I assume it was cured and then baked or smoked. We were also given a few bottles of chilli sauce to go with our dishes (primarily the salmon I assume!) but we thought it's probably more suited to some of the other breakfast items. Nice to have the option though!

Colourful presentation of dishes

After being given an additional plate to share, we set about splitting up the salmon dish which was a bit tricky with the perfectly poached runny yolk but we managed. The salmon flaked easily and was super tender and moist. The potato and dill croquettes were hot and creamy on the inside with a lovely crunchy exterior. It was a delicious dish and the flavours and textures really worked well altogether.

House cured salmon and dill croquette with watercress & a poached egg ($16.50)

The muesli was a generous serve and thick with a pure soaked oat base. It was creamy and had a texture similar to porridge but still having a good bite to it. It was only slightly sweet which suited both of us although the poached fruit and honey drizzle added to it. I'm not sure what flavour the verjuice added but the poached peach was lovely and added a nice fruity flavour to it and the seeds and nuts gave the dish a crunchy element. I don't recall the vanilla bean flavour but that's not to say it wasn't there amongst the rest of the flavours!

Coconut Bircher Muesli with vanilla bean, verjuice poached stone fruit and pepitas ($12)

We really loved our breakfasts at Statler & Waldorf and both agreed we had to return soon so try some of the other items. In particular, for me, the Chickpea Crepe with coriander, grains, sweet potato, yoghurt and a fried egg ($12) - I saw someone else having it and it looked fantastic! The service was great and our waiters were friendly and helpful. In the light of day, Caxton St is quite a pleasant spot to have as a view but it's nice to also have the inside table options as well. And they have fresh coconuts on the menu which I only spotted at the end! I continue to be impressed by Statler & Waldorf and it's good to see so many great options around the area.

Sidewalk dining area

Interesting menu - note you can always add bacon for $3

http://statlerandwaldorf.co/

Statler & Waldorf Gastronomy Pub on Urbanspoon

Monday, December 29, 2014
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Scout Cafe

breakfast

I'd been meaning to check out Scout Cafe on Petrie Terrace for some time but I just never seemed to think of it when the time came to choose a breakfast venue. Whenever I'd passed it, there always seemed to be a lineup of cute looking hipsterish young people outside, so I assumed it was popular and hopefully for good reason. I finally remembered it a few weeks ago when working out where to go to catch up with N and S.

N had been before and cautioned that it could be a long wait if we went late so we decided to meet at 8:30am on Sunday morning. I was the first to arrive (incredibly unusual for me!) and there were no available tables but I was told it should only be a short wait. Scout Cafe is in what looks like a converted house or shop, with a small room off the main front room. There isn't a lot of space but they've managed to squish in quite a few tables with several stools to allow perching at the counter and there are a couple more outside. As I was waiting, a table outside became available but the waitress who greeted me was busy and another one gave the table to a couple who just arrived. Luckily the original waitress saw what happened but as the others hadn't arrived yet, and I preferred an inside table as it was an incredibly warm morning, I told her I'd just wait for the next one. S and N arrived shortly afterwards, just as an inside table became available - great timing!

Counter-slash-bar area

We did have to squish into what was really a table for two but we made do. We were handed menus and given water and ordered our much-needed caffeine hits. Scout's breakfast menu rotates regularly but I believe that they keep a few favourites like the avocado toast and the standard breakfast bagel. Some of the other items change completely and a few are just modified. I'd intended to get the Breaky Bagel because I'd heard that Scout do a mean bagel and this one had Kaiserfleisch, a cured and smoked German ham, on it and I love smoked ham. But as I was waiting I saw a girl at the counter eating the Breaky Salad with kale, beet leaves, zucchini, farro, avocado, shallots, sunflower seeds, chilli lemon dressing, soft boiled egg & a slice of rye ($17) and it looked delicious so I decided on that. I wasn't overly hungry and the bagel sounded like too much that morning. N chose the Smashed Avocado with fetta, herbs, olive oil, lemon on pane ($12) and S went for the Spiced Pear & Walnut Loaf with vanilla marscapone ($8).

Daily available fresh juices

Coffee did take a while to arrive but when it did, it was excellent. My long black was strong but not bitter and I didn't even need the milk I requested on the side. When our meals arrived, I was delighted to see my salad look just as good as the one I had spied earlier. It was green and plentiful - fresh kale and beet leaves and grated raw zucchini on top of a bed of farro with a large dollop of smashed avocado and a boiled egg on top and two halves of toasted rye bread tucked in on the side. N's avocado toast included two slices of toast, one on top of the other, with a dollop of mashed avocado and feta with some herbs and a few stray green leaves on top. The amount of avocado served was disappointing - there really only looked like there was enough of it for one slice. S was served two toasted slices of the fruit loaf, dusted with icing sugar and with a large scoop of creamy marscapone on top.

(clockwise from top)
Pear & Walnut Bread, Breaky Bowl, Smashed Avo

My salad was delicious - fresh with a lemony oil dressing to give it zing and the boiled egg had the perfect gooey yolk which added creaminess along with the smashed avocado. The farro had a good bite to it which added texture and the raw zucchini and sunflower seeds added crunch. It was the perfect mix of textures and flavours and with each mouthful, I felt like I was actually getting just a little bit healthier. The rye bread was lightly toasted and had a nice slightly sour taste. I smeared bits of the mixed in salad on it, which worked really well. It was filling without making me feel stuffed at the end of the meal and I took significantly longer than the others to finish. It was the perfect warm weather option!

Breaky Bowl ($17) - full of healthy goodness

Overall I highly recommend Scout Cafe for breakfast, although it is a bit on the expensive side and I wouldn't advise you to order the avocado on toast! The menu isn't extensive but does cater for both sweet and savoury tastes, small and large appetites and with a range of optional sides including gluten-free bread and bagels. They are also open for lunch and do several types of bagels and salads and there are some baked goods available for dessert. I still want to get back for the Kaiserfleisch...

Street graffiti outside

Pear & Walnut Bread ($8) - a lighter sweet option

Avo Smash on pane ($12) - light on the avo smash

Outside seating area

Delicious looking friands kept company by woodland creatures

Watermelon - the fruit of the summer of 2014

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scout

Friday, December 05, 2014
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Bean.

bean cafe

It's always a tough decision when it comes choosing somewhere to eat - do I go to one of my favourite spots or do I risk having an average meal by trying somewhere new? #firstworldproblems As a food blogger, I try to go for the new option but I'm pretty picky when it comes to breakfast menus and plain old bacon and eggs don't often do it for me. However, I'm a sucker for cheap eats and so when I happened across Bean Cafe on George St advertising a new breakfast menu on their Facebook page with $5 breakfasts this week, I was sold. So I planned to meet B from Sunshine & Gin at their advertised 7AM opening time for an early morning catch up.

Down a well-signed alley

I happened to arrive a little early after riding in and taking a slightly different route through QUT and the Botanical Gardens. Nice ride but not the most efficient route and meant some slightly awkward dodging of trucks along George St. Anyway, I pulled up near Irish Murphy's which is next to Bean. Having been to Bean previously for coffee, I knew where to go but it isn't the most obviously located of cafes. Easily a contender for my hidden coffee spots post, Bean is located down a graffiti and bin-filled alleyway between The Villager and Irish Murphy's. Several signs will alert you to its existence but walking past multiple large bins towards what currently looks like a construction site could make you feel like you're lost. At the end of the alley and around to the left, you'll see a door through which a short set of stairs will lead you to the cosiest of underground cafes, full of couches, artwork and vintage-looking items.

I entered just before 7 and they were already open and the friendliest guy ever greeted me from behind the counter. I took a seat at one of several tables as I waited for B and had a look at the menu. Headed 'Market Style Breakfast bites', the first thing that I noticed was that the food is prepared by The Villager. The sizeable menu interestingly includes four clearly labelled vegan items - perhaps one of the owners or staff are vegan? Good to note for the vegans and vegetarians out there; there were no mentions of gluten or dairy free options however. The menu has several savoury options including with an Open Brekkie Taco, Bircher Muesli with Coyo coconut yoghurt, Tofu & Asparagus Wrap and Berry Pancakes with banana 'nicecream' being the vegan options. The more substantial non-vegan options include a Mediterranean Brekkie (balsamic roasted tomatoes with mashed avocado and feta on sourdough) and the Cypress Brekkie (oven baked haloumi, roasted garlic mushrooms and avocado on sourdough with capsicum relish). You can also get a bacon and egg Brekkie Wrap or Eggs Your Way on sourdough and a range of extras. The prices range from $12.50 to $17.50 and $4.00 for extras - not the cheapest of menus but I tried to reserved judgement until I saw the size of the meals.

In the meantime, B arrived hungry and ready to eat. After clarifying with one of the staff that all breakfast items were indeed $5, we were told that they had to check that they could do food since The Villager kitchen door was closed?! They checked with The Villager and found out that the chef had just arrived and so they were running late and that breakfasts would be half and hour away. B and I were a bit concerned but decided to wait it out and ordered coffee in the meantime. Coffee is the main game at Bean and looking at the coffee menu ($3.50 small/$4.50 large) I noticed that they made their coldpress coffee ($5.50) fresh each day. They offer the coldpress black, with milk or with soy but after inquiring whether the black was sweetened or not (they all are) I was told that they didn't actually have any black coldpress in stock. B had also decided to go for a soy coldpress and I decided to try the same. We were told to just grab them out of the fridge to the side of the counter and were left to open them ourselves using the bottle opener on top of the counter - clearly there's a very casual vibe at Bean! The ingredients listed on the Bean labelled bottle included coffee, soy milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. It wasn't overly sweet and I really enjoyed it. Despite the bottle clearly saying 'shake me well!' we didn't realise until after we opened them and so the last bits of our coffees were stronger.

Soy cold-pressed coffee ($5.50)

After perusing the menu, B decided to try the Cypress Brekkie ($17.50) for something different from her usual choice of avocado and feta on toast. I was tempted to get the same (love haloumi) but chose the Bircher Muesli (apple juice soaked oats with an array of shredded coconut, apple, pistachio, sultanas and fresh berries, served with Coyo) ($13.50) instead. As we waited and caught up on each other's lives, the cafe began to fill up and soon all of the other tables were filled up. Whether Bean was usually that busy I don't know but it looked like a lot of other people were keen to try their new menu! About ten minutes after ordering we were told it would be about fifteen minutes for our meals. Fifteen minutes passed and there was still no sign of them. Soon afterwards we were told it would be five minutes. Ten minutes passed. By this stage we were getting rather hungry. I'd had first breakfast much earlier (yes, my day includes multiple breakfasts) so wasn't quite as ravenous as B. I then spotted one of the baristas walking in with a tray of food but alas none of the meals were for us. Then he disappeared and arrived with another....again none for us! It wasn't until at least the fourth delivery that our meals were delivered to our table and by that stage it was past 8am and the other tables who had gotten their meals were finishing up.

Bircher Muesli ($13.50)

Cypress Brekkie ($17.50)

My muesli arrived in a bowl on a rectangular plate with a generous serve of yoghurt on the side. I like a lot of yoghurt with my muesli and regularly ask for extra but this was plenty for me. The muesli was just soaked oats, sultanas and coconut therefore lacking the creaminess of regular Bircher and so I think it did need the serve of yoghurt. Several fresh blueberries and raspberries were scattered over the top and some sliced strawberries were arranged on the plate around the yoghurt. The yoghurt tasted more tart and less-coconut-y than I remembered Coyo tasting so suspected that it was just standard yoghurt but over time I could taste the coconut flavour. There was a lot of shredded coconut in the muesli already so it was a very coconut-y breakfast! While the menu description stated that there were pistachios, I didn't notice any in there. The tart yoghurt and berries were a good foil to the sweet muesli and the coconut and oats still had a good bite to them. I make my Bircher similarly and soak it overnight in apple juice and add yoghurt when eating so I was a fan of the style. Meanwhile B's meal arrived on the same sized plate but was absolutely packed with two pieces of toast, sliced avocado, large cubes of haloumi and some very garlicy looking mushrooms. Usually haloumi is cut into thick slices and pan-fried so it was unusual to see such large cubes of it on the plate and was missing the melting softness that it has when pan-fried. B commented that it was good that she liked garlic because the mushrooms were stuffed with it!

We quickly devoured our meals and got up to leave shortly afterwards to get to work. We were apologised to a few times by the staff and were given the meals on the house for the delay. We were also asked several times if we were enjoying our meals which was nice! Overall we did enjoy our meals and while excellent value for $5, I wouldn't be inclined to pay full price for them as I can get similar or better for cheaper elsewhere. However I would return to Bean for their coffee and atmosphere as it really is a lovely spot. It reminds me a little of Brew with it's underground-ness but without being packed. Bean is also open for drinks in the afternoon/evening so I'll have to check it out then.