Flavour Report with Derek Goforth: Going in blind for a breakfast with a difference at Geraldton’s Cafe Laian

Every now and then a cafe or restaurant takes you by surprise. You walk in completely blind, no recommendations, no reading of the online reviews, nothing — you just drop in one morning. This was my experience with Cafe Laian, on Cathedral Avenue in Geraldton’s city centre. We went with little to no expectations but very hopeful of a decent and perhaps out of the ordinary breakfast. First of all, parking and seating were in ample supply. There are plenty of spots outside the Cathedral and further along, since it’s attached to the heritage centre, they are used to high foot traffic. We were among a few patrons, but were seated and ordered within a few minutes of our arrival. The waitress (Austrian as it turns out) was helpful, polite and happy with our requests. We asked to share a breakfast, which she was happy to accommodate with an extra plate and set of cutlery. We opted for the “big breakfast”, some baklava and a couple of cappuccinos. At $44 it was well within the normal Geraldton price range. Our coffees arrived within a few minutes, but sadly (and yes, I know this will not affect everyone) they had no sweetener, no Stevia, no Equal. It was sugar or nothing. The staff apologised profusely and offered a couple of alternatives but we opted to go without. However, this lack of sweetener turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because what we had was perhaps the best coffee experience I have had, not only in the Mid West, but quite probably in my entire life. I was blown away by the flavour and the smoothness of the drink, it was simply out of this world. I am used to great coffee in Geraldton packed with flavour and decent value — Quiet life, Flowvitality and Salt Dish all do fantastic coffees. Perhaps we hit a really good day with Laian, but their efforts were right up there with the best and in my opinion exceeding them. I thought surely the big breakfast can’t compete with the quality of the coffee. But oh my, was I wrong. Now, the breakfast was far from your ordinary fare. We are not talking bacon, eggs, toast or pancakes and waffles — this was a Syrian breakfast with all the Middle Eastern trimmings. Flatbread, kebab, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and a delightful hummus. All topped off with an unusual but fantastic take on baked beans, which simply melted in the mouth. All the elements on the plate were seasoned with a complex blend of herbs and spices. I could pick out a few, and the flavours complemented each other wonderfully. From the tang of the mushrooms, the umami of the kebab, this was a breakfast like no other in Geraldton. After polishing off the breakfast we couldn’t even start the baklava due to the portion size. So we opted for a take home box, where the sweet treats were consumed with lunch. There is a cliche that you can tell when food is made with love, but that’s exactly how these filo pastry treats tasted — full of the chef’s passion for his craft. Crispy, chewy, sweet and tangy. Little pockets of heaven in a box. I could go on and on, but I honestly believe my words would not do the experience justice. What the staff at Laian have done with their food dream is something to be admired and supported. This is perhaps my first Flavour Report where I can think of zero negatives, even if I really search for them. I thought perhaps we had got lucky so after the visit I checked the online reviews for the cafe. What I found was amazing. More than 50 five out of five recommendations. Cafe Laian knows what it is doing. If you have not tried one of Geraldton newest eateries, I cannot recommend them enough. Go with an open mind and an empty stomach and prepare to have your taste buds well and truly blown away.