You face a big issue when heading to brunch these days. No parking. Brisbane must surely be the apartment capital of the universe. Where once there was one Queenslander (house) on a double block, there are now 15 units. Fifteen units with two cars per unit, half of which are parked on the street. Yes, parking is definitely an issue. Therefore, brunch in the ‘burbs has become more appealing than the crush of New Farm or West End. First world brunch problems…
A group of the usual suspects convened to celebrate a variety of birthdays at Gertrude & Mabel in the property developer neglected suburb of Dutton Park. More chic than shabby, this quirkily decorated venue that was probably once a corner shop and now has jars of fresh flowers on the table and friendly staff to greet you. G&M has a small menu that covers the usual territory with hints of the owners’ Greek heritage. Select from the menu and order at the counter when you’re ready.
That’s A Juicy Sausage You Have There…
Breakfast revolves around combinations of bacon, blistered tomatoes and eight minute eggs, supplemented by seasonal ingredients such as asparagus and avocado. Mr Tiffin and I shared a Breakfast Board that included homemade loukaniko or pork sausage. Small, juicy and bursting with peppery flavour, I was very happy that I didn’t have to share mine with Mr Tiffin. The eight minute egg suited my tastes. Regular readers would know I am not a fan of runny eggs but that doesn’t mean they have to be rubber bullets either. The eight minute egg was the perfect middle ground. A little dish of gigantes plaki or Greek Baked Beans were a surprise. They looked quite plain but were packed with flavour from slow cooked tomatoes, garlic and herbs. I’d love to try a huge serve of these on toast with an eight minute egg on top.
As we had shared a Breakfast Board it was only fitting to try something else on the menu. Cake. Made fresh daily, they have all the hallmarks of good home baking. Slightly wonky, little chewy baked edges and generous dollops of icing, they come in an array of flavours such as Lime and White Rum w Citrus Marscapone, Earl Grey & Lavender or Pistachio & Rosewater. My slice of choice was a heavenly slice of Chai with Cream Cheese icing. Very moist and so pretty with sprinkles of chai mix and blueberries. Unfortunately, I did have to split this one with Mr Tiffin and it took moments to polish it off between the pair of us.
Perfect!
Given the tiny kitchen and regular turnover of tables, Gertrude & Mabel did a great job of keeping things running smoothly with no major delays or hiccups. Breakfast + a coffee averages around $22 a head which is pretty much the going rate anywhere in Brisbane these days. Definitely worth a return visit if for no other reason than to check out the day’s cake options. Cake for breakfast? Yes we can.
Gertrude & Mabel
212 Gladstone Rd
Dutton Park Qld 4102
www.facebook.com/Gertrude-Mabel
Visited: Sunday 15th November 2015 – Breakfast Service
Sound and looks wonderful. I love the bright flowers.
It’s a very pretty shop. They always have fresh flowers.
I’m with you on having cake for breakfast 🙂
Why have I not thought about it before?
Yes, I would grab this cake too- I can almost taste it. And I am with you on the eggs too.
At last, a fellow firm egg aficonado!
cake for breakfast? absolutely! i have never understood the strictures on what people think should be eaten when. i eat anything at any time. cake for breakfast; toast for dinner. hell yeah! you can’t keep this little foodie down:)
anyways, yep brissie parking sucks. more and more units go up with less and less parking. wasn’t it funny in canberra how they all complained about the parking costs ? hilarious..
The parking situation really is poor. Even single houses normally only have one garage to it’s no wonder thatthe streets are crowded. It reminds me of the UK. As to cake for breakfast, I’m inspired!
Brunch is my favorite meal of the day! For a while we had brunch every weekend. Brunch is only now starting to become popular at restaurants in our small town, but I make it at home anyway. What better excuse to have dessert and a cocktail at breakfast?! Mimosas and other bubbly cocktails are a must at our brunches and fruit tart seems to be a favorite with the boys. This meal with a Greek twist looks delicious.
I’ve noticed that in the US, breakfast and mimosas are a classic mix. Interestingly, though we are a culture of big drinkers (some would say too much), champagne and orange are rarely seen at brunch (no one would even know what a Mimosa is here). Perhpas at Christmas a wedding breakfast but not really any other time. How curious.
I love brownies for breakfast!
I’ll look out for them next time I visit…