The last thing one would expect is 2/3rds of the brunch places in the touristy town of Dunsborough to be closed on a long weekend. But that was exactly what happened. Thankfully, none of those closed cafes were my intended destination. My sister’s skilled recommendation for breakfast was Artezen Cafe. Needless to say it was really busy. Before ordering, the waitress reiterated the situation with the huge weekend crowd and informed us that there is a long wait for food or coffee and it might take up to 30 minutes. We agreed as we were on our way home and had breakfast earlier in the chalet earlier so we were in no hurry anyway.
First up to share with a round of hot drinks was a slice of carrot cake to keep the boredom at bay. Rich in nuts, my main criticism was how the cake felt too dense for my liking. Its like biting into a mud cake except that its a carrot cake. I personally preferred something dense but not quite as dense. The layer of cream cheese was mediocre at best because it lacked the citrusy notes that usually strikes a balance with the sugar. It might be a really small issue but it distinguishes a fantastic cake and one that feels cloying in a few bites.
Putting cakes aside, the first dish to reach the table was the Spanish beans with Pita and Fried Egg. It was simply a joy to look at with its deep red colour looking ripe, and robust. Even the thought of how squeezing the wedge of lime would enhance the dish already brings a sense of excitement to the table. True enough, the dish unfolded really well. It tasted really good! It is simple but every bit comforting.
The Big Breakfast makes its appearance twice in 4 days! This time around I added a serve of Hollandaise. I have mentioned before on how hard it is to draw merits from such a common platter yet so very easy to pick out its shortcomings. It had to be perfect! This is precisely what I meant. So few elements leave very little room for error. But here, I got what I ordered that way I liked it. Bacon was crisped to perfection, eggs runny and Hollandaise silky. The flavours in the Hollandaise had a rich body of flavour with a mild acidity. Nice!
Artezen Cafe is a brunch spot that is godsend. The brunch is credible and is something I am more accustomed to. Was this a one off? Possibly not considering my sister’s previous experience here. A special mention goes out to the staff because despite the busy crowd that day, they were accommodative with my requests for cutleries and drinking glasses. So, I can assume that they were really nice or their boss told them that all food critics have camera and so all tourist were probably suspects. Regardless, for the purpose of this review I shall advance with the assumption that my camera played no part at all. Next time if you are around town, definitely consider stopping by! Artezen Cafe is a lovely place!
WenY
