by Buster the bruncher
From the sidelines of Midland Junction’s mid-morning traffic, Crooked Spire Coffee & Art House hits us like a ray of sunshine.
The bright-yellow table umbrellas on Victoria Street are markers to the trendy eatery, with its “crooked” monicker.
Crooked Spire, says the blurb, “pays homage to The Crooked Spire in Chesterfield. Made from wood and lead, the spire was added to the church in 1362.
“Sun hit one side more than the other, causing uneven expansion and contraction of the materials and voila – twisted and crooked.”
Brunch buddy, Professor Ken, nods his approval to the alfresco setting with the sun-yellow brollies, bright wall painting and splashes of potted plants.
Inside, we immediately order large, long black coffees. Not cheap at $6.60 each but, sourced from around Australia, worth the price.
Over the tops of our menus, we note imaginative decorations in this warehouse-feel, expansive, open-plan eatery with its polished concrete floors and disco ball dangling just above us.
Monster-sized wall art includes a whale shark and a dinosaur. Shelves of paraphernalia include stuffed toys, gifts and souvenirs. Crooked Spire badge anyone?
With high ceilings, mixed seating, leather lounges, coffee tables to generously-spaced tables and chairs, plus reasonable music levels, there’s a buzz – a welcome vibe.
Mums with toddlers in prams, workers and a smattering of seniors are testament to the clever presentation of the place with its spotless toilets and snappy service.
Takeaway customers, queuing away from seated clients, file out with coffees, cakes and pastries.
Table service brings us – wait for it – “Magic Mushrooms”. Who could resist with its catchy title, firing-up the imagination of us Baby Boomers.
Our roasted mushrooms dish ($22) comes with two poached eggs, basil pesto, fetta and a dash of balsamic – ample for two to share. The fresh, lightly-cooked mushrooms need only a dusting of sea salt.
From the menu’s “something sweeter” section, we call for buttermilk pancakes ($19), presented with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a bowl of delicious, punchy berries – a flavour masterstroke.
Our unusual brunch mix of sweet with savoury proved positive. We didn’t get through the pancake stack – only a squadron of seamen or students could achieve that.
More traditional brunch or breaky choices included eggs your way, with bacon on sourdough ($14) and big breakfast with eggs, grilled chorizo, bacon, spinach and roasted mushrooms ($28).
For the lighter brunch, there’s toast with preserves, cream cheese or honey on sourdough ($8), hot chips ($8) or frozen acai with granola, coconut flakes and toppings ($16.90).
Colourful pressed juices ($7) lighten up the table including ginger ninja with carrot, apple, ginger and turmeric and “the hulk” amassing cucumber, apple celery, pineapple, spinach and kale.
A juice dubbed “suns out guns out” deserved a taste-test (orange, pineapple, coconut water) but maybe next time.
Smoothies, milkshakes and iced coffees ($7-$9) all looked imaginative and “for the tots” there’s babyccino and something called “puppuccino”.
Our bill, in an imaginative venue amidst the hurley-burley of Midland Junction came to a reasonable $69.18.
5 Spoons
Crooked Spire Coffee & Art House
71 Victoria St,
Midland Junction
Open: Weekdays 6am-2pm.
Weekends 7am-2pm.
http://www.crookedspire.net
