In the line of beauty

Why go for average when breakfast can be fine-tuned into a work of art?

Acurled onion petal pools with a shimmering green puddle, like a leaf holding water after rain. Pan-fried ricotta and sage gnocchi rest like tiny pebbles in a puree of eggplant, with a scattering of za’atar akin to soil falling into every crevasse; while a snow pea tendril twists and twirls over the top.

This is, unquestionably, one of the prettiest breakfasts I’ve sat down to in a long time.

Mistakeable for an entree at one of Brisbane’s best restaurants, it’s from the new autumn menu at contemporary and minimalist cafe Sweetshop Specialty Coffee, in the leafy suburb of Bardon in Brisbane’s west.

While the eatery may have started with an intense focus on coffee – serving well-made Seven Seeds from Victoria as the house blend, complemented by a rotating line-up of harderto-find guest roasters from across Australia, which may include the likes of Perth’s Offshoot or Sydney’s Ickle for espresso and Brisbane’s Passport for filter – the new food menu may be just ready to steal the show.

In addition to the cabinet of Brisbane’s acclaimed Crust & Co pastries and house-made cakes there is an all-day line-up of brunch treats with options that are just a bit fancy, but not intimidatingly so.

Take the salmon gravlax ($21), starring house-cured salmon, confit fennel, a poached egg, dijon creme fraiche and beurre noisette on rye. Or perhaps the humble brisket burger ($18), pimped up with a coffee butter and za’atar mayo