November 26, 2024
Some of best hang-outs in town
There are a couple of venues that provide that service in the city and two of the most popular are 40 Cork Road in Avondale and The Book Café upstairs at the Fife Avenue Shopping Centre. These places offer wireless internet access, coffee and drinks, food and an easy working environment without the overheads of an office.
Many regulars at the Book Café, unsurprisingly, are in the entertainment industry and various agents, armed with their laptops and mobile phones, have established virtually permanent offices at regular tables. Musicians, poets and writers pass through on a daily basis and there is always an interesting conversation to join.
Book Café coffee is very good, especially the cappuccino. The food menu is small all-day breakfast at US$4 and lunch specials are around US$7.
Recently, I have only sampled the coffee and sandwiches; so currently can only comment on the friendly, laid-back ambience and not the food.
My friend usually hangs out at Cork Road — where a pretty garden with a green lawn, old jacaranda trees and a water feature provides a soothing oasis to her nature loving soul.
Solid teak tables and chairs are laid out on the verandahs while picnic type tables occupy the shady brick patio and the lawn. It is a popular and tranquil space to meet, eat and also pick up a gift. The complex is expanding and in addition to the existing retail outlet which offers various home wear — ceramics, throws, rugs — and beauty and bath products, a trendy Italian ice cream shop has recently opened.
A local designer is refurbishing and decorating a gallery space, there are plans for other boutique shops and a conference room is used for larger events.
As a regular patron, my friend has by now sampled much of the Cork Road menu so I was ready to go with her recommendations. She often enjoys one of the many breakfast dishes — though complained one day that her French toast served with syrup and fruit salad was too sweet for her taste.
Breakfast offers a variety of egg dishes including one of my favourites — eggs benedict. I will have to try for a breakfast date one morning.
By noon the breakfast menu is no longer an option and one chooses from the wide range of lunch specials chalked up on the inside black board. There are various salads including smoked salmon, avocado, cheese and chicken and a variety of hot dishes.
Salads mostly around US$12 and hot main courses US$15 — include fish, steak and chicken dishes and a couple of vegetarian options.
I chose the deep fried haloumi with sweet chillie sauce (US$12), but was disappointed as I found the cheese overdone and rubbery and also quite salty. I love haloumi, but it needs to be really fresh — it gets hard very quickly — and to be treated a bit delicately in the cooking process. This one felt a bit roughed up.
My friend was tempted by the beef curry and rice (US$15) having seen it being served to another patron. It was flavoursome, served with chutney and a tomato and onion sambal, but a bit messy with lot of sauce to contend with on a flat plate. But it’s a nice place for conversation — business or otherwise. Food comes quickly, and service is pleasant and friendly.
