Sunday, 4.30 pm: an unusually deserted Berkelouw's Cafe. A man sits quietly, attention keenly focussed on his Nana.
Nana slice, that is.
The cake cabinet at Berkelouw's is always rich with promise for cake connoisseurs such as Phil. On any given day, a man can be tempted by baked treats bursting with the yummy goodness of apple, fig, chocolate, pistachios ... But the one he turns to again and again is the humble, yet reliably delicious Nana.
The Nana is a buttery (and generously proportioned) shortcrust pastry slice layered with coconut and a rich berry jam. And she goes down very well with a flat white, or short black, or any of the other great cups of coffee served at this much loved addition to Eumundi's cafe culture. Here's a close-up of Nana's charms:
Look at the crema on that coffee. That's enough to tell me it's a decent cup. Of course, recommending coffee is like recommending cafes in general - it's all highly subjective. And even in the best of places, it can depend on who's behind the wheel of the milk frother. Berkelouw's, though, has yet to let me down. Most importantly (and like the bookstore) it's actually there to serve the locals, so that any day of the week, early or late, we have a place to call our own.
Which brings me to the other morning, when there was nothing in the fridge for brekkie. By the time I'd burned rubber to the cafe (7.30 am) the heady scent of freshly-baked berry muffins was wafting through the french windows. They were huge - and melted very satisfyingly in the mouth as I high-tailed it off to work.
On less panicked occasions, I've also enjoyed a couple of scrumptious sit-down breakfasts of eggs, and crunchy ciabatta, and succulent field mushies ... As always, it's about respect for top quality produce - and a whole lotta love in the preparation.
Berkelouw's Bookstore and Cafe
Open 7 days a week: 9-5.30
Posts
2 comments:
Yum. I'm off to Berkelouw's Cafe right NOW.
Regarding 'the Nana' . . this little treat originally came from NZ, where it is called 'Louise cake'. I will however, have to try one or two, just to make sure
Post a Comment