Adelaide Trading Co

★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Licensed Delicatessen, 469 Adelaide Rd, Berhampore.

We’d heard . . . Nothing, but the chic glass facade caught was eye-catching.

The vibe . . . A bustling local spot.

We ordered . . . There are two kinds of people – those who think smoked fish is the perfect breakfast dish, and those who are wrong.

I ordered the ‘‘fish and chips’’ from the specials menu, which turned out to be a perfectly smoked piece of kahawai on a bed of fat sauteed spuds, and a julienne slaw of pickled red cabbage, carrot, courgette, and quinoa, with a tangy red relish ($20). It was rich, hearty, filling, and delicious. One of my dining companions struggled to choose between an enticing sounding corned beef reuben sandwich with sauerkraut and swiss cheese ($12) and the ham, cheese, gherkin and mustard ciabatta melt ($12). She opted for the latter. While it looked a little small on the plate when it arrived the size didn’t match the sarnie’s flavour. She raved about it.

My other dining chum was in the mood for something a little more substantial, so picked the warm smoked salmon and potato salad, with soft poached egg – a gorgeous looking dish at $20. To add to its civilised charm, the cafe is licensed, so she paired it with a glass of crisp white wine.

The food is so delicious you might not even notice that the back of the cafe is a glassed-off karate dojo where kids and adults practise the ancient Japanese defensive art several times a week. They kick off – literally – in the morning, so get in early if you want to check it out.

Ifyougo... Be prepared to share tables, and maybe get drawn into a conversation about karate with a member of the dojo.