Potato rissoles and Avo
Nathan* drove down from Brisbane to see me on my last night on the Goldie. We strolled along the beach front during the Night Market, looking at crystals and sh*t, and donuts. We ate donuts, I bought crystals, but no sh*t. We talked, ate dinner, and slept.
In the morning he drove me to the airport, and knowing my passion for for all things eggs and benedict, he Goggled while I showered to find somewhere. We’d spoken the night before about how eating the ‘same thing’ was always an adventure, because it was never the same.
This café was on the corner of a residential/holiday rental building that had a shopping centre and business suites on the lower floor. We had an adventure finding it, including marvelling at fishbowleque nature of the language school on level 2.
Unlike other beach front cafes, this one had seen the sense in placing a glass barrier between the noise of the road and it’s walls. Meaning the only noise was the bustle and ambience of the place. Our table was stable, and chairs comfortable. Service was rapid and efficient with, Nathan counted, eight staff that we could see.
We sat down at 10.10am, I hypothesised we’d be out by 10.45, Nathan hedged his bets and said 10.50.
There wasn’t an Eggs Benedict on the menu, but they did have something on their ‘Classics’ menu that had an uncanny resemblance called ‘Potato Hash’ that I ordered the:
Avocado
Rocket (arugula)
Free range poached eggs
Hollandaise
Potato Hash (instead of bread)
…and then I added Smoked Salmon from a list of other options that included Double Smoked Bacon ($22) and Garlic Thyme Mushrooms ($22).
Nathan and I chatted about all the things we’d missed in each other’s live since we last saw each other and marvelled at the REAL plants in the this place. So many other QLD eateries cheat and go with plastic plants, but seeing as most ‘indoor’ plants are local, they would surely be an easier option as they would only need watering instead of dusting.
Food arrived. Piled high, but some element of deconstructed. The eggs hung of the sides like a parachuter who missed their landing spot and ended up hanging from a tree.
Sauce, out of a packet, but I got the sense it was spiced up with ground pepper due to the micro black specks throughout. The waiter confirmed when asked “oh no, not made in house”.
The potato hash was a nice change from rock hard sourdough. They were round, crispy on the outside and nicely hot in the middle.
The combination was delicious. With the coffee also being very good and even having it own information card, this would definitely be in my top 10 of places to eat, and specifically, eat something that resembles Eggs Benedict.
By the way, I won, we were in and out in n under half an hour. Out by 10.35am. That’s great if you’re in a hurry, but if we had wanted to luxuriate we’d have been sh*t out of luck.
Location: Elk Espresso
Address: 16 Chelsea Avenue, Broadbeach Queensland 4218
Web: Elk Espresso
EB Price: $25
*Name changed to protect the not-so-innocent.
