by Buster the Bruncher
It’s all about the views. Some of our greatest views. Kings Park – fit for a king (and queen consort).
Elsewhere in the world such views would demand sky-high prices for privileged people supping at its edge, overlooking gardens, tranquil river and budding city.
Surprisingly, Kings Park’s Botanical Café is punch-for-punch on prices with cafés across Perth. Cheek-by-jowl with its posh sister, Fraser’s restaurant, Botanical Café is a little gem for breakfast and brunch.
Perhaps considered by Perthites only when visitors are in tow, Botanical Café is highly-suited to our casual use, especially if arriving early for brunch.
Brunch “brother” Professor Ken, was duly spot-on time for 9.30am arrival on a weekday and there were tables galore, inside and outside where generous umbrellas are propped.
Grabbing a menu, the good professor called for a coffee heart-starter, remarking on the sensible limited choices for brunch.
Just 11 items are listed on the breakfast menu (7am-11am) from toasted sourdough ($8) to eggs Benedict ($22) with coffees from $4. Ankle-biters can have a babycino at $2.
With such sensational views and conversations to be had, musing over a long list of munchies is a distraction.
We select an inside table near the entrance for views, light and air. We order the aforesaid eggs Benedict which came with shaved leg ham, baby spinach and a lashing of hollandaise (a tad excessive but tasty) on sourdough.
Just a word on sourdough. For those of us who have it as their daily bread, sourdough is a mouthful normally. The crust can take some tackling if thick-cut. Ten points to Botanical Café for thin-cut sourdough.
Smashed avocado ($22) came with crumbled feta, cherry tomato, dukkha and rocket on toasted sourdough. Add-ons are poached egg (+$3), bacon rasher (+$5) and smoked salmon (+$8). Tasty overall, not flamboyant, the food hit the right mark for the atmosphere.
Inside has plenty of seating but with its large expanse and solid flooring, it gets noisy when numbers increase. Acoustics with soft floor and window coverings are rarely engaged in the public eatery world. Music was also playing, unnecessarily.
Professor Ken set up an observation post to check outcomings from the kitchen and couldn’t fault food presentation nor meal sizes.
They included: granola (coastal crunch granola, almond and vanilla chai pudding, strawberry, toasted almond) at $15 and chicken bratwurst (house beans, chorizo, poached egg, with toasted sourdough) at $18
I was tempted to call for a bacon and egg roll (brioche, spinach and smoked barbecue sauce) at $14. It’s $1 over what I usually pay for a similar bite around town but judging these serve sizes, Botanical Café will make it a buck well spent.
We were amused by a couple of drink offerings under the heading of cold-pressed Juice by Squished WA.
At $8.50 a glass, we shared a nojito (granny smith apple, lime and mint) and a hakuna matata (watermelon, strawberry and seasonal apples).
Nojito had an exotic taste and hakuna matama provided a light taste-touch of watermelon.
Grandkids could get stuck into fruit toast or banana bread ($7) or share pancakes with ice cream for $14. Shakes and smoothies are from $8.50. Takeaway boxes are $1 and we took the opportunity to test a couple of pastries from a great selection in glass cabinets.
Full credit for service with a smiling crew.
Go early for brunch for good tables, easy parking and time to slip into the terrific souvenir shops which are a class act.
Botanical Café:
Open seven days from 7am.
Phone 9482 0122.
E: info@botanicalcafe.com.au
Details: www.botanicalcafe.com.au
5 Spoons
