At this shabby-chic café you'll find outdoor tables with comfortable banquettes for people-watching with a relaxed and unpretentious vibe. Service is prompt and efficient, if a little brusque, but the café is buzzing and so are the waitstaff who attend to everybody in a timely fashion. Caffeine addicts north of the bridge will be happy to know that the coffee here is kick-arse. Avenue Road uses Paul Bassett coffee.
The menu is succinct, with lots of killer and very little filler to be found, moving from inventive salads to heartier fare. There are also regularly rotating specials based on seasonal produce. The corn fritters with house-cured ocean trout topped with avocado salsa and a poached egg is a well-balanced dish. The fritters steer clear of stodgy territory and are light and crunchy on the outside. Squished between each fritter is the spicy, tart avocado salsa. This is all topped off with the smoky, salty cured trout - kudos to them for using something other than smoked salmon.
Winking suggestively from the menu is the roast pork belly sandwich with apple and mint relish, rocket and aioli; sounds heavy, tastes heavenly. The apples are caramelised and squished between the tender roast pork, slices of melted saracino (a sharp sheep's milk cheese) and balsamic-drizzled rocket. This is delicious, flavoursome comfort food. Unfortunately, the crackling isn't as crisp as it should be, but over all, it's a satisfyingly rustic sanga.
Avenue Road is all about good value daytime dining. Cheers to that.
Update: Avenue Road is also open nights now with a tapas menu.
