Eggciting breakfast options

Savior Cafe

Where: 203 Bulwer Road, corner of Ferguson Road, Glenwood

Open: Monday to Saturday 7am to 5pm, Friday evening until 8pm.

Call: 076 252 3195

I was joined by Joburg actor Tshepo Ncokoane and Cape Town actor Shoeman Smit at Savoir Cafe in Glenwood this week. The two are part of a star cast in the upcoming production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Elizabeth Sneddon, and we took the opportunity to have breakfast while chatting about the show (see opposite).

I’ve always liked the casual ambience of Savior. You can sit on the leafy verandah and watch the world go by, or just park off next to the bar and chat to the baristas at work. The inside dining room is coy and intimate. 

The menu is a list of simple breakfast and lunchtime cafe staples, the cooking well executed. I can also vouch for their very good carrot cake. By the way, it’s a slice big enough for two to share. Breakfast options are particularly interesting and include everything from smoked salmon and wilted spinach with eggs and Hollandaise, to simple avo on toast. There are croissants, and breakfast buns and even a breakfast burger. Options include savoury mince and spicy chicken livers. 

Lunch includes sandwiches and wraps, a steak roll and toasties. There’s also a selection of pizzas and pastas, salads and light meals like butter chicken and hake and chips complete the picture.

Schoeman is a man after my own heart who believes breakfast is made up with copious quantities of coffee. Good coffee at that. And the coffee is top notch. His coming in a glass big enough to hold a milkshake. Tshepo and I are prepared to get some egg on our faces. 

He opts for a Benedict (R125). Our waitress tells us that unfortunately they can’t make poached eggs after 11am (which is odd) but would he like them fried? He’s happy. I settled on the green omelette, spiced up with house mazavaroo and topped with coriander and avo (R85).

As Tshepo is busy showing us how to put on a corset, two pretty plates of food arrive. He says it’s different with the fried eggs but is very happy with his choice. I really enjoyed my omelette. It was lovely and light, the chilli adding flavour and not overpowering everything - my worry when ordering it. 

So a successful breakfast all round.

Food: 3 ½

Service: 3 ½

Ambience: 4

The Bill: R440

Hue Cafe

Open: Daily 7am to 4pm, 6pm on Fridays

Where: 24 Campbell Ave, Windermere

Call: 079 225 4359

I joined food writer Ingrid Shevlin and her brother Pierre on a quest this week to find Hue Cafe, a delightful gem popping up suddenly in conversations about the Berea coffee and dining scene.

The brainchild of Uzalo actor and foodie, Lindah Majola with his mom Zandile Ngcobo in the kitchen, it’s a fun and funky oasis in the heart of the bustling city. The set up is relaxed, the style vintage. It could be used for any number of artistic or event purposes. There’s art on the walls, books to read, games to play and a full bar with cocktail varieties.

But this is 10am.

First up the coffee impresses, a lovely rich espresso to wake me up and a good creamy cappuccino for Ingrid. 

The breakfast menu is fairly simple. Some egg options, some granola options. Ingrid wanting something light goes for eggs and avo on toast. I fancied the Benedict. Pierre on the other hand spotted a deliciously moist looking carrot cake under the glass dome on the counter. It was a substantial slice and offered good flavours as we helped him out with it. 

Breakfast took a while to come - at one point I wondered whether someone was making the Hollandaise from scratch - and when it arrived, we were now keen. The eggs had cooled a little unfortunately, but we still enjoyed.

The two will have to try the lunch time menu which can sometimes include the likes of mum’s mutton breyani or goat curry with dombolo. 

But a lovely cosy and comfy spot where we were made to feel at home.

Food: 3

Service: 3

Ambience: 4

The Bill: Ingrid picked this one up.