Willow and Spoon

It wasn't so long ago when I was bemoaning the lack of interesting cafes on Brisbane's Northside but I'm please to say that Willow and Spoon is another of these establishments working to fill the void. Despite Willow and Spoon being located on busy Samford Road, there is ample parking on side streets and you'll barely notice the traffic with the eclectic mixture of furniture and fresh plants.

Willow and Spoon continued to impress with its gorgeous menu. Presented on a wooden clipboard, Renee and I thought long and hard. Would we select 'Parlez Vous Franois?' A creme brulee french toast, raspberry and vanilla bean ice cream. 'Chloe's Wild?' Mushroom, garlic, spinach, tomato, haloumi and corn bread. 'The Swiss Miss?' Beef cheek, cauliflower gratin, tallegio cheese, foreign crumbs and poached egg. I really wanted to know more about these foreign crumbs ... but important business first, coffee! Willow and Spoon uses Blue Sky Coffee Beans and comes served in brightly coloured cups, with a unique collectible teaspoon and grated chocolate. I was impressed with the effort, but was I impressed with the coffee? It was serviceable but the milk lacked fullness and body. Renee wondered if it was cheap milk, I wondered if the steam wand was positioned too high, but we're giving the establishment the benefit of the doubt as we were later informed by the friendly and helpful staff that the coffee machine had broken down.

Renee ordered 'The Willow' consisting of bacon, eggs, tomato, braised red lentils and semolina toast. Though Renee was happy with her meal, though we both decided we were a little short on toast. I just love a poached egg between two slices of toast, so on one piece of toast simply won't do for me. But luckily, you can order toast as a side and my word it arrived fast. It was like magic!

I decided to order 'The Stateside' which consisted of shredded pork, pumpkin puree, home-style beans and a fried egg. Though I like a savoury breakfast, I prefer more retrained flavours in he morning so I have substituted a poached egg. Though the home-style beans were full of flavour it was tempered by the pumpkin puree. I really enjoyed this dish and I know I'll be back to enjoy this lovely local.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Address: 28 Samford Road, Alderley, QLD 4051.
Open: Tuesday - Friday: 7am - 3pm, Saturday: 8am - 2pm, Sunday: 8am - 12pm.
Phone: (07) 3855 9580.
Price: Breakfast: $15 - $18. Lunch: $14 - $17.