Smashed Gero (on toast): The House Cafe & Play Centre review

When I saw Geraldton’s newest brekkie spot on Instagram, I was impressed by its spacious layout and on-trend decor. Little did I know it wasn’t just The House Cafe. Situated in the Sun City Christian Centre, it’s also in His house. Despite not having walls separating it from the play centre it sits next to, the cafe feels like its own space. It’s within earshot of playing kids, but the polished wood, stick-on brick feature wall and warm lighting feel starkly removed from the strikingly green play centre, lit with harsh fluorescent globes. My favourite part of the design was the tiny chalkboard sign — like something you’d see at a fancy inner-city venue detailing milk alternatives — reminding parents their kids had to wear socks in the play area. “Forgot? We have socks for $2 a pair,” read the sign. It sounded like a bargain to me. Food-wise, the venue offers sweets and paninis. If you’re going to put all your eggs in one food basket, a toasted Italian sandwich is a pretty safe and versatile choice. I ordered the caprese and a soy cap, and my date ordered the eggs benedict with a flat white. We both enjoyed our coffees. It wasn’t too strong, but it had a nice well-rounded flavour. I might spring for a double shot next time — ever since I started helping moderate the Geraldton Guardian Facebook page, I’ve needed my coffee a little stronger. My panini came out with a crispy grill mark, making it feel much more chic than a regular toasted sandwich. Inside was a roma tomato, mozzarella, pesto, basil, and a balsamic glaze. I love that the menu specified the type of tomato, because roma tomatoes are objectively the premium variety. The chef didn’t skimp on the basil, and all the produce was crisp. The bread was warm, crunchy and soft in the middle. My date’s eggs benedict panini with bacon, eggs, caramelised onion, spinach, cheese, chives and hollandaise sauce was also much better than your average sandwich. She said the caramelised onion added a sweetness that caused her to second-guess her relationship with the vegetable. Fresh ingredients and expensive-tasting bread impressed, but it was the hollandaise sauce that stole her heart, with a hint of spice and zesty flavour. The family-friendly venue’s offering is well priced and well made. I am not a church-goer, I don’t have kids, and I don’t live anywhere near Utakarra, but, I’ll probably inconvenience myself for another House Cafe panini. After all, they use much better bread than the priest at my Catholic school used to give out at morning mass.