No-frills brekkie a real treat

A lot of people would refer to the offerings at Brunch Break Cafe as a “no-fuss breakfast”, but I’d argue husband and wife Ron and Donna Payne, who run the joint, fuss plenty about food. The cafe serves a classic hearty Western breakfast with gusto and expertise. Its decor and branding are miles from anything I’d call trendy, but the sound of chummy locals chit-chatting travels further than the smell of sizzling bacon. Brunch Break’s charm and character are crafted from something different than a curated Instagram feed. Veteran and boisterous personality Arthur Penn visits the cafe with his friends every morning. “We’ve been checking in with each other and eating breakfast together for 11 years. We’re like family,” he said. Mr Penn said he had travelled the country, but no breakfast on the road compared to an Arty wrap — the off-the-menu dish Brunch Break makes especially for him. I haven’t got a personal dish, so I ordered the pancakes. The woman behind the counter and I shared memories of eating pancakes with lemon and sugar as children, and she included a wedge on the side of my plate. The pancakes were thick like an American-style hotcake, soaking up every bit of the sweet, sour and buttery flavours on my plate. They tasted, looked and felt homemade — no frills or fancy presentation, but made with love. I’d imagine they were similar to something a small-town American group of friends would eat in a diner after the big game. The tall milkshake glasses our iced coffees came out in only made the experience more realistic. I began to wonder if my brekkie buddy would ask me to prom. The coffees were a tasty treat on a sticky morning, ordered just as the summer rain broke through the oppressive humidity. Basic coffees went well with the smell of hot wet pavement. My date ordered the super breakfast, with bacon, eggs, tomato, sausages, mushrooms, beans and toast. The sheer volume of food on his plate was impressive. It was the most expensive item on their menu, and it was under $20. It could easily have fed two people with moderately sized appetites. Most components were fried, but the dish was far from greasy. My date said each element was well made. He didn't manage to eat every last crumb, but he did a mighty good job. It looked very appetising. From the bread cut into triangles and placed on opposite sides to the tiny piece of parsley adding a pop of green, the presentation made me hungry and a little jealous. At the risk of being called a savage, miserable vegetarian again — just like Lisa Simpson, I am doomed to wed a carrot — I do have one piece of criticism. Why isn’t there a hot veggie breakfast on the menu? The venue serves up several veggie favourites with other meals, including baked beans, mushrooms and spinach. I’d even go so far as assuming they’d make me a breakfast if I asked. A lot of people feel like a bother ordering off-menu, and the friends and family of plant-based people will usually look up the menu online before suggesting a cafe as a place to meet. I’d hate to think Brunch Break Cafe would be passed up because of something so silly. Whinge aside, I recognise I am probably not their target market. After all, the cafe serves a no-fuss, no-frills brekkie — and by that measure, they do a bloody good job. BRUNCH BREAK CAFE 117 Marine Terrace, Geraldton DIETARY REQUIREMENTS Almond, soy, lactose-free. Gluten-free bread available on request. COFFEE Basic, decent brew. PRICE$41 for two people.