The Larder

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

133 Darlington Rd, Miramar.

We’d heard . . . The bustling Miramar staple is a hot spot for those looking to brunch outside the central city.

The vibe . . . We arrived early out of fear of missing out on a table – smart, as within 15 minutes of arriving, almost every table was taken. There was a low hum of chatter, and plenty of sunlight streaming through the large windows, making for a nice spot to relax.

We ordered . . . I went for the sweet option of the buttermilk crepes ($18) served with berries, apple yoghurt, roasted coconut, and coconut syrup.

The dish was very pretty and the crepes were delicious. The berries offered just the right amount of tartness to balance the sweet. The coconut flavours were subtle but welcome.

My dining companion, who suffered decision fatigue perusing the menu, took the waitress’ suggestion of the croque madame ($20), an open-top version of the French classic.

He said the sourdough toast topped with gruyere cheese, dijon mustard, smoked ham and a poached egg was ‘‘the fanciest ham, cheese and egg sandwich’’ he’s ever had. A little bit of extra sauce would have been welcome, but it was definitely a tasty bite.

To share, we also grabbed the hash browns with harissa mayonnaise ($8). Resembling Americanstyle tater tots rather than the large, flat Kiwi hash brown, these were a good sharing option and the mayo offered a perfect dose of spice.

The service . . . Couldn’t be faulted. Ifyougo... Grab a spot by the window or outside to catch a few rays and to people-watch.