Shore is hot
AS A fan of cafes serving Kokako coffee, I was pleased to belatedly discover Cafe Mimosa on the Shore. It’s been around for more than a year but I only just heard about it, so Boyfriend and I make a beeline there on a stinking hot Saturday before hitting the beach.
The cafe looks great inside with some lovely decor touches – potted plants, a vintage globe, wire basket lampshades and lots of cute toys to keep kids occupied.
It’s completely empty as we arrive though, and one staff member is busily sweeping the floor. I wonder if there had been more business earlier in the day, or if the still relatively new McKenzies Precinct up the road has been diverting attention away? It’s a shame if that’s the case – Mimosa is a Conscious Consumer cafe and only uses organic, free-range seasonal produce. The lunch menu has a couple of interesting Japanese influences, thanks to owner Mayumi Abe – an Osaka rosti and a Tokyo plate.
Once we’ve ordered and sat down at a large, communal table, we realise how uncomfortably hot it is inside. Outside is no better – no breeze – so we sit quietly, thinking how nice it would be to have some air-con on.
My Kokako flat white is hot, strong and creamy but Boyfriend’s mocha is served in an over-large cup and is quite watery. He’s also not overwhelmed by his big breakfast. While the portion size is good, the scrambled eggs are more of an omelette and he doesn’t like the homemade herby beans. I think he’s just being picky. I try them myself and find them much tastier than his preferred Heinz. The local artisan gluten-free sausage is delicious, however, and the grainy toast, mushrooms and potato rosti are all good. He is impressed with the sauces on the table – many, varied and all organic, even the ketchup (American Biologique brand). For a condiment fan, this is heaven.
I really enjoy my eggs benedict with bacon and spinach and am even more pleased to learn the hollandaise is low fat thanks to the use of tahini, rather than butter. Perhaps my palate isn’t discerning, but I wouldn’t have noticed any difference.
As well as the heat, we’re a little put off by the staff member continuing to clean up around us, sweeping floors and moving chairs on to tables, which doesn’t encourage us to linger. Perhaps that was her plan all along.