The Pepper Lounge, Jindalee

lovely brekky at a nice little café in the 'burbs.

where // the pepper lounge, 19/62 looranah st, jindalee

it's easy to miss this café in the complex of shops on looranah st. it's a quiet area with a few neighbouring restaurants, homewares stores and a small supermarket. seating is inside or outside - not unpleasant, but i did find even outside quite dim on a sunny morning as well as feeling like you were sitting in the carpark. nonetheless, it was a nice spot for a catch-up with friends.

 when // early breakfast

what // the pepper lounge does breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks - rare and impressive for a suburban café. on this occasion we stopped by at about 8am for breakfast.

blueberry pancakes with strawberries, maple syrup and ice cream (16) i love my sweet breakfasts. these pancakes were fantastic - absolutely packed with blueberries. as far as pancakes go, these were pretty top-notch.

the pope's benedict (13) all of their eggs benedict variations have inventive names, with this one featuring ham as written on the menu. however, when it arrived bacon was served in its place - not that we don't all love bacon, but you expect to get what you order. it was still tasty with well-poached eggs.

coffees were pretty standard. the piccolo wasn't a piccolo as requested, but we let it slide.

verdict // the pancakes were stunning visually and delicious as well, while the rest of the meals were demolished without complaint. a few mistakes in service but nothing to write home about. the biggest fault i can find is the ambience, as it just doesn't have the pleasant feel of the nearby bare bones society or the nook. table was wobbly as well. all in all, not a bad option if you're looking for somewhere new for breakfast in the centenary suburbs.

info // open tues-fri 9-8.30pm, sat 8.30am-9.30pm and sun 8-2.30pm. plenty of parking. it's in the entertainment book with a 25% off voucher which makes for a well-priced meal. i think some of the iffy review on urbanspoon are for their lunches/dinners which i can't comment on, but breakfast wasn't bad!

links // www.thepepperlounge.com.au

Shucked, Newstead

beautifully presented, fresh food in a surprising location.

where // shucked, 9 creswell st, newstead

the café is hidden away in the street behind all the car yards at newstead, and is easy to miss just opposite the entrance to the VW carpark. the very unassuming exterior gives way to a spacious interior with high ceilings lending a light and airy feel to the whole space. the decor is gorgeous too - forgot to take a photo, but you'll be pleasantly surprised by the ambience in this industrial location.

 when // lunch on a friday

what // they have the one menu all day, offering a range of options suitable for lunch and dinner. the list of cocktails also sounds great, unfortunately for those of us driving!

harry's hash - sweet potato hash, wilted spinach, bacon and poached egg w tomato relish (18) their most popular dish, and a hard one to pass by. i did enjoy the sweetness of the hash, but it was pretty strong on the herbs for my admittedly non-adventurous palate (possibly fennel seeds?). the egg was also slightly overdone. it was a very generous serve and incredible to look at, but i would go for something else next time.

please peas me - minted pea and haloumi fritters w citrus yoghurt (16) + avo & egg (20) the sweet name definitely contributed to the choosing of the dish. i was jealous of my friend when it appeared, and quite rightly so, as it was apparently delicious and was polished off in record time.

espresso & vanilla shake (6.5) can't fault this, great strong coffee flavour and not too sweet. they do a lot of other yummy sounding drinks as well! the lychee & lemon smoothie was a hit as well.

verdict // although i wasn't really the herbiness of my meal, i do believe it was a personal preference issue (poor choice on my part). i am definitely keen to return and try out some of their other meals. it's not the cheapest meal around (they do offer a 5% discount for instagramming your meal on the go!), but definitely not the priciest either. loved the interior as well.

info // open wed-fri 7am-2pm, sat 7.30-2pm and sun 7.30-4pm. paid parking on surrounding streets, strictly one bill per table. they also do live music sunday sessions!

links // www.shucked.com.au
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Shady Palms Café & Bar

a quirky café with a hipster vibe that will take you effortlessly from morning til night.

where // shady palms café & bar, 427 logan rd, greenslopes

 the younger sibling of the popular lady marmalade, shady palms is located just around the corner at the end of a row of shops. it's a deceptively large space, with the open front bar area expanding backwards into an outdoor setting. the outfit of the café really makes for a pleasant vibe, with wooden furnishings and beautifully upholstered antique couches.

 when // brunch yet again. it was very hot!

what // we got there before 12 so the breakfast menu was still on. had a lot of trouble deciding what to order - the menu offers some unique breakfast options (tortillas, taco, croquettes).

sticky date, spiced pumpkin and ricotta hotcakes with pecan praline ice cream (12.5) how could you go past this? thought i was being a bit adventurous here - never have i ever had i had pumpkin as a breakfast food. it didn't disappoint, and i was salivating as soon as the dish got to the table (fairy floss!). the flavours were good - big chunks of sticky date, which i loved. you could definitely taste the pumpkin as well, but it wasn't as strange as i anticipated. ice cream is always a plus. in the end the portion size was too much for me - too much sweetness for me! a coffee would have helped.

pulled pork soft tacos (two) w chimmichurri, corn salsa, shredded iceberg and chiptole (14.5) beautifully presented little dish with vibrant colours. the sauce gave it a bit of a kick, a good way to wake you up for the day! the lettuce was nice and crisp. two thumbs up. warning: serving size not that big especially if you're voraciously hungry.

cherry, chocolate and oreo shake (6.5) after the amazingness that was pablo's shakes (3.5 for a drink about the same size) i feel my expectations have been unnecessarily raised. there was nothing wrong with the drink, but i was disappointed with the absence of cherry flavour. just a regular oreo shake. (p.s. also the wrong choice to go with the pancakes unless you like pure sugar running in your veins)

verdict // the food was a hit, and there are a few more menu items for both breakfast and lunch that i have my eye on for next time. i loved the interior and the fact that instead of table numbers, they use celebrities. it's also very well priced in my opinion. they also open late and offer lots of alcohol options (craft beers and ciders and the like). will be back!

info // open wed-sun 8am til late. breakfast is before 12 with the lunch menu going from then til close. parking is tricky around the area - might be a bit of a trek! 

links // www.shadypalmscafe.com