Tuesday, August 08, 2017

Breakfast at Truth Coffee, Cape Town

Truth Counts
So, where next to go for breakfast? Lynne asked on a Facebook food site she belongs to. Several suggestions popped up, some of which we have already visited, some were out of town and some stood out. On checking on Trip Advisor and the menu on line, we settled for David Donde's Steampunk Coffee House in Buitenkant Street in town. And we were not disappointed
No bookings allowed, it's a first come, first served coffee house, with food. We visited a year or two ago when David installed Colossus, his vintage Probat coffee roaster and did a media launch. He is one of the people who has done a great deal to introduce Cape Town to the international coffee culture. Who can remember when all you were served was a cup of awful instant in most places? We have been meaning to return and did so at 9 am last Saturday morning. And yes, we are coffee snobs, grinding our beans at home
The quirky outfits worn by the staff are amusing and fun. This is the friendly and welcoming doorman with his staff and medals
Decoration is industrial madness with some bygones and lots of functional installations. Comfort is not a great factor, but then it is a coffee house
People come first for the excellent coffee and to chill and chat and perhaps eat something. Newspapers and laptops are allowed. 7 am to 6 pm and 8 am to 2 pm at weekends. Lots of friendly attentive staff
The first coffee of the day is always welcome. They don't serve cappuccino, this is their flat white
The coffee roaster in its protective cage. It's a bit chaotic and less untidy than first appearances lead you to believe, but it all adds to the charm and difference of this place
You can do a coffee tasting before you buy coffee to drink there or take home to brew. And they do Barista courses
We were celebrating, so took a bottle of Prosecca which they allowed us to enjoy with our breakfast. Corkage is R40 a bottle
We were seated in one of the comfortable u-shaped banquette alcoves next to the service bar
A knight in shining armour....
...no, a sugar dispenser
Steam punk blimp with cogs
Interesting plumbing
And some wicked cakes and desserts to tempt. The coffee is excellent, strong, hot and full of flavours. We had the Vengeance Americanos, and some had two each. R18 is good value
Shakshuka for our veggie friend, nice and spicy and served with good sourdough bread. Its on the All Day menu. A snip at R47
Who can resist truffled infused scrambled eggs topped with mushrooms and rocket on sourdough. Truly Funky at R74
Lynne decided to go for something she has not had for quite a while, a Croque Monsieur with Bayonne ham, an excellent béchamel and Swiss Gruyère cheese. You can taste the difference; it is so important to use the right ingredients. It was very good and very satisfying. But not sure what the onion marmalade was doing there.... She did move it to the side. The dish is served on a small salad of leaves, apple and walnuts, a nice counterpoint to a fairly substantial sandwich, R90 on the all day menu
John, who had had an awful cold all week, went down the "Feed Me Carbs!" route, unusual for him but necessary for his recovery. He had the French Toast. This was no ordinary French Toast but croissants dipped in their homemade eggnog and fried till crisp on the outside, squidgy soft inside, and topped with banana, bacon and rum and vanilla syrup. Sensational, we all wanted some and just right for a recovering invalid. R68, plus the bacon is an added extra at R15 a portion. Very happy bunnies. Our sort of place

No comments: