Brunch: Raven & Cook, Epsom

Raven & Cook Cafe, Epsom. Photo / Greg Bowker

Address: 565 Manukau Rd, Epsom
Herald Rating:

The menu was two pages on a clipboard, full of interesting and less-than-usual options, such as quinoa cooked in coconut water sweetened with fresh dates and local honey with slices of mango and coconut yoghurt ($15) or wagu mince on toast rubbed with smoked garlic, served with a poached duck egg and jus split with truffle oil ($24).

We ordered corn beef hash cakes, watercress and poached eggs with pickled red cabbage and wholegrain hollandaise ($22) and an omelette l'ancienne with sauteed chicken livers, onion jus, pain de mie and watercress ($22). We were both impressed with the presentation and thoroughly enjoyed the fare - lifting our iron levels no end, too.

The service was just the right level of helpful without being intrusive.

The coffee - Allpress- was so good as to require a second round and just had to be accompanied by a sample from the ever-so-tempting cabinet. A "very gingery gingernut", which lived up to its name, an Earl Grey tea biscuit (also tasty, washed down with the tea itself) and a slice of dark chocolate, pear and pistachio cake (decadently divine).

It was a first visit to Raven & Cook for me but my friend was a long-time convert to this little cafe tucked away in the Greenwoods Corner strip. I thank her for the introduction and will certainly return.

Overall Raven & Cook, set in what was once a butcher's shop, offers a range of interesting brunch options but their cabinet full of sandwiches, salads and baked goods is hard to go past, too.