The Naked Fig Cafe

The Naked Fig Cafe
278 Marine Parade
Swanbourne
(08) 9384 1222

1. Comfort & Surroundings

Alexander: Wow. How could you ask for a better location than this? With an expansive deck and floor to ceiling glass, The Naked Fig plays up its sensational surroundings to maximum effect. I was telling Lola at breakfast that I'm not really a beach-y person but I love the ocean in Winter. Yep, with unobstructed views of the crashing waves from the deck, I was in Winter beach heaven. I was a bit worried I was going to get chilly sitting outside, but my trusty hoodie kept the cold at bay and, in the end, I was too absorbed in the view and the food to notice. Close to perfection at 4.5.

Lola: When scoring this section of the reviews I always think to myself, "Well it's not perfect, there are no sea views." I, too, find the beach delightful in the colder months, the tables were suitably roomy for two, the chairs comfortable and the deck was a nice touch. I can't fathom a nicer setting than this so it has to be full marks! 5/5.

2. Service

Alexander: I would like to start with the positive and say that, overall, the service was top notch. We had a chatty but not overbearing waitress who was happy to give us as much time as we wanted. But, happily, she made herself sufficiently available that we were never waiting very long before she popped up. My only criticism is that when I walked in at 9.38am (8 minutes later than the scheduled reservation time), I was greeted with the following comment: "Good thing you arrived just now, I was about to give your table away". What do you say in response to that? "Umm thank you so much for being normal and not giving our table away after 8 minutes"? Sheesh! It's Sunday morning, cut a guy some slack! 3.5.

Lola: Yeah, I understand they are busy, busy but surely a courtesy phone call could be expected. Fortunately it didn't come to that and after arriving in the nick of time we were treated to polite, attentive service. Nothing too fancy though. While our orders were taken at our table, we had to pay at the counter on our way out, marginally inconvenient due to the amount of people coming and going and the counter being between the entrance and the start of the tables. I shouldn't nitpick about that though, a minor issue! 3.5 from me too.

3. Tastiness

Alexander: Let me just state for the record that I love sweet and salty flavour combinations. Peanut butter and jelly. Chocolate covered pretzels. French fries and soft serve icecream. Mmm... But I find that breakfast options overlook this delightful pairing. So you can imagine how excited I was to see the Grizzly Bear Pancakes on the menu: bacon and eggs (scrambled or fried) with pancakes and maple syrup. I went with the scrambled eggs and I was not disappointed. Two fluffy pancakes topped with creamy eggs and crispy bacon, then drizzled with just enough maple syrup. The tastebuds on my tongue that register sweet and salty went into overdrive and forced me devour this dish in a matter of minutes. A big 4.

Lola: Unfortunately I'm awarding a 3 for my dish. The 'eggs on fire' promised so much but let me down a bit. It consisted of eggs cooked to my liking, I chose fried, on a 'chilli corn cake' with bacon, avocado, spinach and a sweet corn sour cream. I couldn't taste a hint of chilli in the actual corn cake (that's not to say there was none there, I just couldn't find it) though there was delicious hot chilli sauce all over the plate. Could have done with some more of that sauce though! And the corn cake itself did appear a little tasteless, more like a vehicle for the topping than the main event. No complaints about the avocado, bacon and spinach, however brief mention should be made to the sweet corn sour cream. Others may have loved this flavour but for me this was way to sweet and overpowering. Eggs were nicely cooked, and the rest of the offerings on the menu sounded really great, so it wasn't so bad.

4. Drinks

Alexander: Seeking to do a bit of a comparison against my drink from the last breakfast blog outing, I ordered the Mad Monkey. Despite the ridiculous name, this was not a ridiculous drink. Think banana, coffee and chocolate, all blended up into a frothy, icy-cold smoothie. It was pretty delicious, and definitely on par with the Mocha Delight from MillPoint. 4 from me.

Lola: Of course I had to have one as well! Banana, coffee and chocolate is a heavenly flavour trio, I agree. Quite delicious though I think the MillPoint version was superior. But I really, really loved my Mexican chilli hot chocolate. Even better than a banana/coffee/chocolate combo is chocolate and chilli, for mine! The chocolate must be of high quality and luckily this one fit the bill. 4.5 here.

5. Fiscal matters

Alexander: I expected to be paying a premium for the view at The Naked Fig, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that nothing on the menu tops $19.50 - which is pretty rare for breakfasts at coastal locations in Perth. Of course, all of the substantial options start at $16.50, but there are still the usual cheaper items for those who don't believe breakfast has to be cooked. My dish cost $17, which I thought was only slightly higher than average. But my drink was $7.80, which I thought was a bit OTT. The same price applied to all of the cold milk drinks. Even the ice tea was $7.30, and we all know how much tea bags cost. I'll have to score it a 2.5.

Lola: Alexander has summed it up nicely, while the food sat at a fairly reasonable price point, it's the drink prices that have brought my score to a 2.5 as well. Though this wasn't relevant on our visit, it's worth warning you that there is a 15% surcharge on public holidays. On the other hand, they do donate their tips to a charity.

The verdict...

Comfort & Surroundings: 9.5/10
Service: 7/10
Tastiness: 7/10
Drinks: 8.5/10
Fiscal Matters: 5 /10
TOTAL: 37/50

MillPoint Caffe Book Shop

MillPoint Caffe Book Shop
254 Mill Point Road
South Perth
(08) 9367 4567

1. Comfort & Surroundings

Lola: This week we headed to the MillPoint Caffe Book Shop in South Perth. I'd requested a table outside but under cover so we had leafiness and fresh air without having to try and avoid the sun. It's pretty crowded out the back there and neighbouring conversations did get entangled with ours, but luckily those sitting just behind me were quite witty. They've also used their space well, and a large wall blocks out much of the traffic noise from busy Mill Point Road. An above average 3.5 from me.

Alexander: What do you get when you combine tasty food and lots of books? Why, the MillPoint Caffe Book Shop of course! You can imagine how excited I was to be eating my favourite meal while surrounded by thousands of carefully constructed sentences. It truly was a combination of two of my greatest loves - eating and reading. So, right off the bat, this place gets high marks for surroundings. Even leaving the books aside for a minute, though, it was nice to be seated outside but without having to deal with a view of traffic or direct sunlight. Of course, the decor isn't exactly what you would call a triumph of interior design or style, but that's not what the Book Caffe is going for, and I'm okay with that. 3.5 from me.

2. Service

Lola: The team at the MillPoint are incredibly welcoming and extremely accommodating. From the phone call I made to book the table to the cheerful farewell, they were lovely to deal with. I have said I'll never give above a 4 without table service, but here I'm awarding an extra half mark for a 4.5. Here's why: I requested my dish be served without bacon and not only was that fine, but they asked what I would like extra of. Chipolatas please and thank you!

Alexander: I loved these guys! They were all so friendly. I am convinced they spend their free time reading customer service books (conveniently located on the other side of the café) because everything was spot-on in this category. But it was more than just by-the-book customer service, it was a genuine desire to make breakfast a happy experience. Which is so rare these days! As Lola mentioned, it wasn't table service, but I am willing to be a bit controversial and award a 4.5 as well.

3. Tastiness

Lola: My choice for the morning was a sausage and bacon bagel (sans bacon). A white bagel was topped with a few squirts (which happened to be just the right amount) of barbecue sauce, three halved chipolatas and a fried egg. A mound of greens with slices of tomato at the apex sat alongside. Now, the menu included fresh tomato and lettuce in its description of the dish and while it was technically true, on presentation it was more of a glorified garnish. I also feel you should know there was only one egg, though it was plenty for me. None of the above was particularly bothersome and the deliciousness of the chipolatas pleased me a great deal! What displeased me, however, was the bagel quality. Although bagel shaped, it was more akin to bread roll. Disappointing, and brought the dish down to a 2.5, I'm sad to say.

Alexander: I ordered the "new" chevre scrambled eggs (this is how the dish was described on the menu). Now I'm not sure if this item was actually new to the menu, or just quote-unquote new, but they eggs were goo-ood. Think fluffy, delicious scrambled eggs mixed with rich goat's cheese and savoury chives. It's a combination made in heaven. Perhaps the sort of thing you'd be inspired to make after reading a cookbook... Coincidence? I don't think so! My only problem with this dish was the accompanying toast. I just can't get on board with ciabatta as a breakfast option! Bread used in breakfast dishes needs to be dense (to absorb the liquid parts of the eggs) and moist (so as not to dry out during the toasting process). Sourdough comes to mind as the perfect option. However, the awesome customer service, I'm sure they would have swapped in some other type of bread if I'd requested it. I am awarding a 3.5.

4. Drinks

Lola: As soon as I walked in the sugary sweet counterhand was eager for me to grab a drink, which suited me just fine and I opted for a hot chocolate to tide me over until the main event. It was smooth and creamy but not overly chocolaty, suffice to say that it was suitably generic. It was the hot chocolate from the ski-trip special of an 80s-90s teen novel / television drama that is sipped in front of the fire while making eyes at the hunky college student who spends his winter break teaching beginners' ski lessons. It would have been at home in the hands of Donna Martin when she and David Silver briefly broke up in season 4 and she had an episode long interlude with a dreamboat. Or 'dreamboat'. Meanwhile, have you seen Brian Austin Green lately? I was pleasantly surprised when I saw him on The Sarah Connor Chronicles, that's all I'm saying. Anyhoo, transporting me to this place is pretty great but what was greater was my second drink selection, the mocha delight . I'll give Alexander the floor since he ordered it too, but I'm going with a 4 thanks to this treat.

Alexander: Oh the mocha delight! It brings back such delicious memories. This drink is effectively a banana smoothie with coffee and chocolate mixed in for good measure. It's an inspired combination of flavours. Not just taste, though, volume and temperature were both perfect too - a nice big glass and icy, icy cold. Plus, you could treat it as either a dessert or an energy shake! Maybe not something you would see being sipped at a ski lodge, but I could definitely see this drink fitting in well in the 90210 postcode - if it were made with non-fat milk. I am giving it a 4.

5. Fiscal Matters

Lola: Not much to say here as the prices are slightly elevated but typical for our city. Ten dollars for a bowl of muesli or fruit means budget options don't exist. My plate came in at around $14 I think, which wasn't so bad, so I'll give 3 marks.

Alexander: There might not be a big list of cheap items, but at the same time, the most expensive item is about $16. So, averaging things out, the prices sit fairly in the middle of the spectrum. I am awarding a slightly higher score because the quality of the ingredients doesn't seem to have pushed the prices out too much - 3.5 from me. You can probably find cheaper books at bookdepot.com though, so stick to the breakfasts if you're looking for a bargain!

The verdict...

Comfort & Surroundings: 7/10
Service: 9/10
Tastiness: 6/10
Drinks: 8/10
Fiscal Matters: 6.5/10
TOTAL: 36.5/50

The Silver Spoon

The Silver Spoon
691 Albany Highway, Victoria Park
(08) 9361 4220

1. Comfort and Surroundings

Alexander: For this review, let's break comfort and surroundings down and consider each one separately. First, comfort: The Silver Spoon is very comfortable with well-spaced, well-sized and well-apportioned tables. The bathrooms are clean and pleasant. You could sit in the seats for hours and not feel uncomfortable. So, yes, it's a comfy place. But turn to surroundings and things are a bit different. It's not that anything is particularly bad, just that some things seem a bit, well, awkward. The Silver Spoon is obviously going for a classy vibe with white table cloths and a sleek black, silver and white theme. But there were a few things that stood out: the cigarette butts on the veranda, the waiters in casual clothes (one of whom I originally mistook for a patron taking a bit too much interest in whether I had finished eating). Plus, it's smack bang on Albany Hwy, across the road from a car dealership, which doesn't make for the nicest view. (Some people might argue that there's not much you can do about that; well, what about a giant wall with a delightful trompe l'oeil painted on it? Problem solved!) All in all, I am going with a 3.

Lola: So Alexander has summed it up very well, The Silver Spoon just feels a little awkward. I'm a big believer in working within the space that you have and making the most of it, but this wasn't done here. Having said that, the hall to the bathrooms, including a water feature, is quite lovely. And I think the entire place would scrub up really well, sans cigarette butts. I'll have to give an ambivalent 3.

2. Service

Alexander: Table service at breakfast! Hooray! And pleasant service at that. My only complaint: no one refilled our water, and it ran out pretty early into the meal. A 3.5 from me.

Lola: The wait staff seemed to genuinely care about the food and how we liked it, which gave the feeling of one big Silver Spoon family, where everyone is passionate about the restaurant and their product. This is always wonderful! And I too enjoyed the table service, though it would have been more worthwhile had they been close to us during our meal, so we could request more water. A 3.5 from me too.

3. Tastiness

Alexander: I ordered the vegetarian breakfast and 5/7ths of it as a great experience. The poached eggs were cooked perfectly, I am happy to report, and the potato cake had a delicious crunchy exterior and soft, pillowy centre. The roasted tomatoes were sweet, roasted with a hint of garlic, the mushrooms weren't oily and the house made beans had a lovely rich flavour. So that's the five good parts. The two bad parts? The toast was a bit thick and very hard to cut into and there was a noticeable amount of grit in my spinach, making that part inedible. What a shame! I will give it 5/7ths out of 5, or in other words, 3.5.

Lola: Oh yeah, I could see the spinach grit on Alexander's plate from where I was sitting! For my meal I chose the Mt Cook smoked salmon with truffle scrambled eggs, asparagus and Turkish bread, and also a side of sausage (yes, it was a singular sausage when delivered). I'll award it a 3.5. The smoked salmon was abundant and superb, the asparagus cooked to perfection, but unfortunately my scrambled eggs were clumpy and overcooked. Really disappointing. And I'd heard such good things about the food here! The sausage was pretty tops though, I must say.

4. Drinks

Alexander: You can't get too much wrong with a long black and there was nothing awful about mine. But I am used to my long blacks coming out steaming hot and needing a few minutes to cool down, whereas this one was drinkable straight away. I'm not a coffee expert, but it seems like this is unusual? Perhaps a reader could enlighten me. Anyway, I am going to give my drink a 2.5.

Lola: Meh. Lukewarm coffees are not okay! And neither is a lukewarm, 'hot' chocolate. I couldn't resist trying the marble chocolate, a mix of milk and white, and the flavour was great but the milk was barely heated. Sure, it's better than burning the milk, but that's not a concession I'm willing to make. I also sampled a chai and that too was lukewarm. Sigh. Add some undisclosed soy milk to the mix and I'm giving a 1.

5. Fiscal Matters

Alexander: Prices are reasonable for Perth, coming in just slightly below the average price point. Toast is $5 and the priciest items are $18. My dish was $14 which I thought was quite reasonable (some breakfast places still try to charge the "big breakfast" price for a vegetarian breakfast, which is just ridiculous). I also like that there is not one set price for all sides; I find it strange that a side of tomato often costs the same price as a side of bacon. 3.5 from me.

Lola: Hmm, I thought it was still a little overpriced, my dish coming in at $18. While there was a good portion of smoked salmon, and it was really large, the price is not quite what I could call reasonable. And a $4 teeny sausage was a bit steep. However, the $5 toast and $11 eggs and tomatoes on toast on offer are both pretty good value. I'm even it out and awarding a 3 overall.

The verdict...

Comfort & Surroundings: 6/10
Service: 7/10
Tastiness: 7/10
Drinks: 3.5/10
Fiscal Matters: 6.5/10
TOTAL: 30/50

The Rose and Crown

Sunday 1 November 2009

Rose & Crown
105 Swan St, Guildford
(08) 9347 8100

1. Comfort & Surroundings

Alexander: The signs on the way to the Rose & Crown set the tone: "This way to historic site." Think it's strange that there are signs pointing to a restaurant? Not in historic Guildford! Dating back to 1841, the Rose & Crown is truly a gorgeous building, all exposed brick and wood beams. The setting for breakfast was the equally lovely courtyard next to the main building. On another day, it would have been perfect to enjoy delicious food and beverages amongst the manicured gardens and shady trees, however the gusty winds on this particular morning made things slightly uncomfortable. In fact, at one point I had to chase my menu across the courtyard and under another group's table. Still, for the most part, I was too busy soaking in the history to get too concerned, so I'll give it a 3.5. Which just goes to show, never judge a venue by the suburb in which it's located! Unless it's Girrawheen.

Lola: What's wrong with Guildford? Guildford has lovely connotations! Great antique stores, a large book exchange, an aesthetically pleasing post office, one of the best burger joints in Perth. Apparently there's a museum of taxidermy there too, somewhere. The Rose and Crown is another of my favourite Guildford things. There are a few places to sit in the hotel but I had booked for outside in The Garden. It's a really nice and relaxed place to sit back for a morning (and I can say from much experience that spending an afternoon there is just as pleasant) and the overlapping umbrellas make it pleasant even on a sunny day. The wind was the only problem, but there wasn't anything that could be done about it, so I'm going a 4.5.

2. Service

Alexander: I'm having trouble deciding how I feel about the service. It's not that the staff were unpleasant, but it sometimes felt as though their time management skills needed a bit of work. I stopped at the "Wait here to be seated" sign, and boy did I wait. Even as a number of the staff clearly noticed me. And we had water glasses on the table, but we didn't get water until we asked for it. That being said, it's nothing a couple of Oprah multi-tasking episodes wouldn't fix! Plus, I did enjoy the novelty of being asked in an eastern European accent, at WA's "most historic" pub, if I would like a coffee to "jump start" my morning. A 3 from me.

Lola: Alexander has summed the service up really well. The staff were nice, but not exactly efficient, and it was a pretty quiet on the morning of our attendance. I'm adding an extra half a mark for the fact of table service. 3.5.

3. Tastiness

Alexander: Maybe I was really hungry on this occasion, but the Rose & Crown delivered exactly what I was after. I went with the spring onion potato cake served with an organic egg and roast tomatoes. And I added bacon... because what dish isn't better with bacon? Not listed on the menu, I also discovered that the meal was served with toast. So it was a hearty breakfast, with some nice flavour combinations. The spring onion potato cake was the standout - hot and fluffy with just enough flavour - and acted as the perfect conduit between the other ingredients on the plate. My only issue was the fact that the gale force winds turned my food cold before I had finished eating it, but I guess I can't blame the Rose & Crown for the weather. A 4 from me.

Lola: I had absolute food envy as Alexander's potato cake was, indeed, delicious! That's not to say mine was sub-par though. I chose the 1841 Bali Breakfast (I'm not sure what the 1841 is for except that the hotel has been around since then): sweet, sticky fried rice topped with a fried egg. It was very tasty, but with the sweet capsicum combined with the strong sauce, it was a little too sweet for my taste. Having said that, I'd still recommend the dish, for sure. I'll give a 3.5 in this department.

4. Drinks

Alexander: The quality of the coffee is an important aspect of any breakfast venue, so I went with my standard - a cappuccino - to properly compare the Rose & Crown to other venues. Not bad, but I wouldn't drive all that way solely for the coffee. It's hard to give a great mark on this one, but that's not to say that a different drink choice wouldn't have scored higher. I'll go with 2.5.

Lola: I began with a hot chocolate and while the flavour, strength and temperature were all pretty good, here's the thing: I am really turned off when drinks become hard work. The chocolate syrup and milk were not remotely mixed, it had clearly not even been tried. Maybe it's an attempt to make it look pretty? If that's the case, it failed a little, as a base of syrup topped with warm milk is not my idea of a pretty picture. After carefully stirring it together, trying hard not to make a mess, I did enjoy the drink, but the work certainly made it less enjoyable. I did, however, also enjoy a Bloody Mary which was one of the better ones I'd sampled. Alexander pointed out that he'd be disappointed by the lack of celery, but for me, absent celery is a bonus! Overall, a 3.5 again from me.

5. Fiscal Matters

Alexander: Maybe it's the fact that the Rose & Crown doesn't have to pay exorbitant inner-city rent, but the prices here are very reasonable. I was discussing with a friend the other day how breakfast add-ons (bacon, mushrooms, tomato etc) seem to cost $4 at most places in Perth. Which, when you think about it, seems crazy. Anyway, you don't have to worry about that at the Rose & Crown - my additional bacon came in at a modest $3. So my whole meal was only $12.90 for a substantial plate of food - you'd be lucky to find that in Mt Lawley! Nice, a 4.

Lola: Agreed! My generous dish also came in at $12.50. I'm usually never one to leave good food on my plate, but I really couldn't get through my whole dish this time, so that's not bad value at all! I also think it's deserved of a 4.

The verdict...

Comfort & Surroundings: 8/10
Service: 6.5/10
Tastiness: 7.5/10
Drinks: 6/10
Fiscal Matters: 8/10
TOTAL: 36/50

That Little Mexican Place

Sunday 20 September 2009

That Little Mexican Place
382 Fitzgerald St
North Perth
(08) 9227 5755

1. Comfort & Surroundings

Lola: That Little Mexican Place is sandwiched into one of the premises on Fitzgerald Street in North Perth, just around the corner from one of our favourite spots, The Flying Taco (also Mexican but they don't do breakfasts, I'm afraid). TLMP pack a lot of tables into a small space, but only a handful of them were seated at by patrons last Sunday morning. Said tables are small, however, and we had to use the empty one next to us to store the condiments and water jug. At least we felt comfortable enough doing so, I suppose! You do get a pretty relaxed vibe from the place, aided by the long wooden bench along one side of the room piled with cushions (I made myself comfortable, accordingly) and the large chessboard sitting on one of the tables. It wasn't bad, except for the ten minutes of whistling by the chef that I endured before Alexander arrived. Points off for his shrill, erratic and seemingly incessant tune, bringing it down to a 2.

Alexander: So you might not actually feel like you're south of the border when you step into That Little Mexican Place, but the nods to Mexican culture amidst the comfortable chairs are nice without feeling cheesy. Which is a good thing, because there is plenty of cheese on the menu! But more on that later... I agree wholeheartedly with Lola that the tables were a bit on the small side, which isn't so bad on a leisurely Sunday, but good luck getting comfortable if all the tables around you are taken! Annoyingly, a table and chair is situated right in the doorway too, making getting in and out a little inconvenient. Overall, though, it's hard to make too big a fuss, so I am going with 2.5.

2. Service

Lola: I'm really torn here. Once I arrived the waitress was immediately affable and welcoming, and her genial nature continued throughout our morning. She was not so attentive to our needs, however. Shortly after she seated me a couple walked in who were immediately brought menus. They were then able to order drinks and have them delivered before I was even offered a menu. It was certainly nice to have table service, though, even if it did come with a delay. So a 3 from me.

Alexander: We discovered that we were in for more than just a meal at That Little Mexican Place when our friendly waitress hung around our table for 5 minutes swapping stories. Not that it was a bad thing - we had finished our meals and it didn't feel like we were being interrupted - but those looking for a secluded discussion or intimate tete-a-tete may want to avoid making eye contact with staff members. A big extra thumbs up for table service at breakfast - how nice not to have to order at a counter for once! Service gets a 3 from me.

3. Tastiness

Lola: Okay I really dig this menu! The offerings of steak and cactus for breakfast really excite me, though today I chose the quesadilla desayuno. Inside a toasted tortilla I was treated with fried eggs, bacon and cheddar, which was served on a hash brown and some refried beans. It was very tasty and I'm craving another right now. I would have loved to see a vegetarian quesadilla option but I did enjoy my salty, meaty toastie. I'm giving a good 4.

Alexander: If you are looking for a breakfast that's a bit different from your usual eggs, toast and orange juice, this is the place to come! I absolutely love the variety of menu items, so much so that I was prevaricating about my choice until the very last moment! I ended up picking the huevos ahogados - that's drowned eggs to those who don't speak Spanish - and it was delicious. Two poached eggs cooked in salsa with hash browns (not your McDonalds variety), refried beans and corn tortillas. Mmmm. Based on a previous visit, I can also recommend the burrito desayuno - so good! Just writing this makes me want to head there again this weekend to try out something new. A 4.5 from me.

4. Drinks

Lola: When I was finally able to order my first drink I was tempted by the promise of an espresso flavoured with chocolate and cinnamon, with a dash of milk: the cortodito. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be this way, or if I was required to stir it as I drunk, but what I received was a shot of coffee with some lumps of chocolate and sugar granules at the bottom. The flavours were good, but poorly executed. Fortunately the Mexican hot chocolate I sampled later was an improvement. Though it was unlike other Mexican hot chocolates I have had, and not what I was expecting, I enjoyed its malty flavour, bringing my rating up to a 2.5.

Alexander: The drinks menu is up there with the food menu in terms of variety and novelty. I chose the mocha de Mexico - a Mexican hot chocolate with a shot of coffee - and it was totally delicious. However, I can't help but feel that I should have tried something a bit more interesting, especially with the atoles and agua frescas on offer. Hmm, maybe next time. Drinks get 3.5 from me.

5. Fiscal Matters

Lola: There's a range of prices at That Little Mexican Place, from a $6 ham and cheese toasted quesadilla and $9 muesli to the $35 huevos divorciandos. My quesadilla was $18 and though my plate was quite large, I think overall their charging was a little steep. I'm also not too pleased with the drink prices, either. Below average I think, a 2.5.

Alexander: The average breakfast price at That Little Mexican Place is perhaps a bit higher than at other breakfast places, but the serves are massive and the quality and the freshness of the ingredients mean that it's hard to feel ripped-off. Come here for a special breakfast and you won't leave disappointed. A 3 from me.

The verdict...

Comfort & surroundings: 4.5/10
Service: 6/10
Tastiness: 9.5/10
Drinks: 6/10
Fiscal Matters: 5.5/10
TOTAL: 31.5/50

399 Bar

Sunday 16 July 2009

399 Bar
399 William Street,
Northbridge
(08) 9328 8006

1. Comfort & Surroundings

Alexander: I think it's important to highlight at the outset that 399 Bar is not your typical breakfast café. First and foremost, it's a bar that also serves coffee, but with an opening time of 10am on weekends in a nod to early-morning types. It adapts to the breakfast venue vibe pretty well with a tempting coffee aroma and large booth seating, but its layout with a ubiquitous view of the bar and spirits shelf means that you're under no illusion as to where you are at all times. That's not necessarily a bad thing; I'm sure there are lots of people out there who will be excited by the prospect of somewhat edgier and grittier breakfast venue. It's probably not the most child-friendly venue in town, but if you do want to bring one, there are three inexplicable high chairs that will keep your kid at eye level with the bar at all times. Now that's good parenting. 3 from me.

Lola: 399 Bar has popped up as a result of Western Australia’s new small bar licences and the product is a refreshing addition to the breakfast, and presumably evening, scenes. The bar is up the north end of William Street and, rather than juxtaposing the dreggy area, it embraces the grungy aesthetic. At the same time, 399 manages to remain clean and modern with its inviting booths, open plan and fresh fit out. After sampling another of the new small bars the night before, trudging into 399 was a fitting start to the morning and its relaxed and knowing atmosphere allowed us to wake up slowly. Points off only because the wide open doors made for a windier, chillier time than I would have liked, and the grandness of the booths means that had we come an hour later we would have shared our space with others, not the most desirable set up in a space that is otherwise so attractive to those waking up feeling a little seedy. 3.5.

2. Service

Alexander: Being seated within one metre of the bar at all times means that you don't have to go far out of your way to make an order. And you'll be happy to know that you get the cool, mild indifference from the staff that you'd expect from someone working behind a bar, but with a slightly more attentive vibe given that you're not shouting an order over loud music and a throng of other people. In keeping with the theme, we were brought two glasses of water without having to ask - but they came after we'd finished our meals. This sums up the service at 399 Bar perfectly; there's nothing to complain about, but they're not going out of their way to impress you. Which is probably how it should be. I'm going with 3.

Lola: Agreed. While the staff embodied the laid back vibe fitting for a bar in the morning, they were suitably attentive and polite. They did not have the sluggishness of having been out on the turps themselves, yet they were not disproportionately perky either. They settled into the surroundings perfectly and warrant a 3.5 from me.

3. Tastiness

Alexander: You get two food choices at 399 Bar: the "Bloody Bacon" or nothing. Let me explain. Food is not 399 Bar's specialty, but as an acknowledgment to hungry people, they have included one breakfast food item on the menu: a Bloody Mary/bacon & egg roll combo for $15. And if you keep in mind the context and don't mind the lack of choice, it's pretty good. Sure, the roll could be toasted and the fillings were a little undercooked for my taste but, in combination with the Bloody Mary (more on that below), it went down a treat. Plus, it's the ultimate hangover food for people who were at 399 Bar the night before and want to come back the next morning for more. Another 3 from me.

Lola: I really enjoyed this no fuss approach to morning ordering. Although it wouldn’t be my choice every Sunday, I think it’s ideal for the venue. 399 Bar also serve lunch and dinner, offering one option for each meal that changes daily. I really dig this idea! Like Alexander, I would have preferred my roll slightly toasted or warmed, but you can’t expect too much fuss here. I’m giving it a 3 as well.

4. Drinks

Alexander: Being a bar, the drinks category is 399 Bar's time to shine. And I wasn't disappointed. Lola and I took the opportunity to review two drinks again at this breakfast and both were of a high standard. I started with a cappuccino that was of a better quality than a lot of cappuccinos I've had from "coffee specialists". Then, as foreshadowed above, it was time for the Bloody Mary. I enjoyed it as the perfect accompaniment to the food - spicy and savory with cracked black pepper and a celery stick. I'm giving the drinks a 4.

Lola: A 4.5 from me, an extra half a point being awarded for the novelty of the Bloody Mary. What a perfect idea! My hot chocolate was, like Alexander’s cappuccino, above the standard of many cafés I’ve visited and the Bloody Mary was delicious. The staff really know what they are doing here.

5. Fiscal Matters

Alexander: The "Bloody Bacon" combo was $15, which is pretty reasonable considering you are paying upwards of that price just for meals at most breakfast venues. The coffee was very reasonably priced as well. However, despite the value for money, I can't give this a huge score because the lack of options means that there isn't really something for everyone. 3 from me.

Lola: I was more impressed by the value for money and am awarding a 4. I thought $15 was extremely reasonable, particularly compared with other local breakfast venues. If you're scraping your pennies together after a big night out, 399 Bar is definitely an option for morning nourishment. I look forward to returning on an evening before too long.

The verdict...

Comfort & Surroundings: 6.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Tastiness: 6/10
Drinks: 8.5/10
Fiscal Matters: 7/10
TOTAL: 34.5/50

The Imp

Sunday 28 June 2009

The Imp Café
863 Albany Highway,
East Victoria Park
(08) 9361 2600

1. Comfort & Surroundings

Lola: I've always had a soft spot for Vic Park. One mention of the suburb and my mind floats back to the mid 1980s when I would accompany my mother on visits to the bank, the post office and the big Sands & McDougall stationery store, for the family business. These afternoons were blissful and carefree, and were often rounded out by a visit to the old cake shop in Heart of the Park for a sweet treat. It's lovely to find a place with the potential to recreate such blithe memories. Inside, The Imp is comfortable and relaxed with its long bench seat down one side of the room overlooking a cabinet of cakes and smiling staff.

It was fortunate that we were able to move inside after a short stint sitting on the pavement. The tables outside were incredibly small and arranged so closely together that I felt like we had a party of four, not two, and the cigarette smoke wafting from the other tables was not at all conducive to enjoying food and drink. Although we were able to move and enjoy a lovely setting indoors, I have to consider the unpleasantness of our original seating arrangement and award a mark of 3.

Alexander: Vic Park has a special place in my memories, but for a much geekier reason. As a super cool 14 year old, I used to come to the Vic Park recreation centre every few months for collector fairs. You know, with toys and comics and stuff. Like I said, super cool.

Anyway, I was happy to be back in Vic Park but for cooler reasons this time, a breakfast with Lola for our blog! Running late, as usual, I arrived just as some tables inside were opening up, so I didn't have to spend much time outside. Which was fine; there's not much of a vista outside unless you like watching the cars drive by on Albany Highway. Inside, The Imp packs a lot of tables into a small space, but it manages to feel buzzy rather than cramped. I liked the exposed brick walls and condiment/water counter. Weighing it all up, I'll give it 3.5.

2. Service

Lola: I was incredibly pleased with the politeness and affability of the staff, and the speed of service. It is counter service, so I am giving a 4.

Alexander: I placed the order and the person behind the counter was friendly and fun - chatty, but not too chatty. There was no attitude in sight, so taking into account the fact it was counter service, it gets the highest it can get - a 4.

3. Tastiness

Lola: I loved this menu, with a variety of options from Coco Pops to a 'Hangover Roll'! I settled on the mushrooms and spinach on toast with mascarpone cheese and was presented with a generous portion of topping on two slices of my selected seven seed toast. One half of my meal was absolutely perfect, though the other half left a lot to be desired. Although I dug in straight away, one slice of toast was already soggy, and the promised mascarpone was absent (although a small, yet perfectly satisfactory, portion was present underneath the topping on the other piece of toast). I am sure this was just bad luck and due to the deliciousness of the good half, I'll still give my meal a 3.5.

Alexander: The menu at The Imp has some interesting features which makes it stand out a bit from the crowd. I ordered the Hangover Roll (although I wasn't hungover, I swear) and it hit the spot. An omelette with bacon, tomato and jalapeños, served in a fresh roll with spinach and relish, the Hangover Roll will definitely fill you up. I had no complaints, but it wasn't something I absolutely loved, so it gets a 3 from me.

4. Drinks

Lola: Our leisurely morning had room for us to sample a couple of drinks each, and it was a good thing we did. I began with a hot chocolate that was, unfortunately, lukewarm at best. My mocha granita, however, was a perfect marriage of chocolate and coffee in the refreshing iced form. It was fairly small but it was enough for me, and raised my score up to a 3.5.

Alexander: Two drinks! Who would have thought? My first was a cappuccino - completely acceptable but not all that special. My second was an iced mocha - deliciously, perfectly apportioned and satisfying. It seems as though cold drinks are done much better at The Imp, so maybe keep that in mind when making your own choices. I'll give the drinks experience a 3.5.

5. Fiscal Matters

Lola: This is where The Imp really stood out. Prices start at $3.50 for a muffin... okay maybe this doesn't count, but the way they put it on the printed menu makes it seem like it's a reasonable breakfast option! Regardless, you can enjoy some brand name cereal for just $4 or various toast options for $5.50. And my selection cost me $9.50, a price point around which most of the menu sat. It's so refreshing to see a well priced breakfast menu in our fine city! A 4.5 from me.

Alexander: I don't know if it's the location away from the more well-known breakfast strips, but The Imp is extremely reasonable. As Lola pointed out, there is a wide range of options to suit any budget. My food only cost $11.50, whereas I would expect to pay at least $16 in Mt Lawley or South Perth. Get in before the cool kids discover it and all the prices go up - 4.5 from me.

The verdict...

Comfort & Surroundings: 6.5/10
Service: 8/10
Tastiness: 6.5/10
Drinks: 7/10
Fiscal Matters: 9/10
TOTAL: 37/50

Toast

Sunday 24 May 2009

Toast
Shop 21/60 Royal Street, East Perth
(08) 9221 7553

1. Comfort and Surroundings

Alexander: My first breakfast in East Perth was a pleasant surprise. There were plenty of people in the area which provided for the right amount of bustle on an otherwise relatively sleepy street. Toast looks great - it has a distinct theme without feeling rigid or overdone. There are tables inside and outside. It's counter service but there weren't any difficulties ordering. The condiments tray was conveniently located. The table next to us was inhabited by rude people who didn't have any concept of personal space (with a chair continuously banging against our table), but even that didn't dent Toast's cool, casual vibe. 4 from me.

Lola: Having found the development of East Perth overly manufactured, I've previously avoided the suburb. There was nothing contrived about Toast. With its red vinyl chairs, antique Pastis bottles serving as water bottles and miniature blackboard table numbers, the decor proved fresh and delightful. I chose the comfortable bench seat across the back of the room and took advantage of one of the many cushions that were lying about. Toast was pleasant and inviting and deserves a 4 from me too.

2. Service

Alexander: It's counter service but the people working there were so nice that I can't really mark it down for that. Our drinks came out quickly (which is what you want), but the food wasn't rushed out, providing just enough delay to allow a decent portion of conversation before stuffing our faces. Perfect. Plates were cleared quickly and with minimal invasiveness. I'm going 4 again.

Lola: The staff here are delightful and incredibly good at what they do. The way the counter service works here makes for maximum efficiency, however, as a rule I won't give above a 4 for this kind of set up. Therefore they receive the maximum counter service score of 4.

3. Tastiness

Alexander: I ordered the cheesy scrambled eggs with chives, roast tomatoes and rye bread. It was good - enough food without being too massive. The eggs weren't super cheesy, but that was probably a good thing to avoid excessive richness. The tomatoes were sweet and well cooked. I was really excited when I saw rye bread on the menu, but unfortunately this was probably the least delicious part of the meal (the pieces being slightly tiny in size and a tad over-toasted). There was a good variety of innovative other things on the menu, and I look forward to trying some of the other options. A 3 from me.

Lola: My choice this Sunday were the corn fritters with scrambled eggs, avocado and hollandaise. I'm a big fan of the corn fritter and resultantly might be quite hard to please, but these were just the way I like them. With not too much unnecessary batter holding them together the focus was on the good stuff. Eggs were poached to perfection and the avocado was fresh and plentiful. The dish only fell short because I prefer my hollandaise with slightly more tang, but that's very much a personal quirk. Once again, a 4 here.

4. Drinks

Alexander: My iced mocha was pretty awesome. Sweet and strong without being overpowering. Cold. Served in a tall glass. Just the way I like it - 4.5.

Lola: Top marks! I couldn't fault my hot chocolate. With its great flavour, temperature and size, I was Goldilocks and it was baby bear's porridge. Since there was no room for improvement I have to give a 5.

5. Fiscal matters

Alexander: Prices are pretty standard and definitely reasonable. My food was $15 and my drink was $5.50, so I definitely didn't feel ripped off. Other items on the menu provided a suitable range of prices. Not much more to say on this front. I'm giving it a 3.

Lola: I feel similarly to Alexander on this issue as Toast offers average Perth prices and, accordingly, I'm giving an average 3.5. My fritters were a reasonable $16.50 and my hot chocolate $4.40.

The verdict...

Comfort & Surroundings: 8/10
Service: 8/10
Tastiness: 7/10
Drinks: 9.5/10
Fiscal Matters: 6.5/10
TOTAL: 39/50