KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * * * * *
29 Church St, Devonport
We came here because we found it on the internet.
We walked in and immediately thought the building was a charmer. Ice It is spread over two halves of a split glass-fronted shop building - the kind you sometimes find in a street of old villas. Artfully scruffy decor and a quiet spot near Mt Victoria make for a pretty and comfortable setting.
Parking was plentiful.
The most unusual thing about the menu was that very little was ordinary. Almost every dish seemed to have a spice or vegetable added to set it apart from the usual. Three or four meals caught our eyes straightaway, and there was a healthy range of sweets for afterwards.
We ordered oriental eggs (with cashews, coriander and sweet chilli on ciabatta, $15.50) and devitos with salmon (poached eggs with hollandaise on a bubble and squeak pattie, $17). The first mouthful was a surprise - cabbage in the devitos and carrot in the eggs were unexpected at 10 in the morning - but we quickly came around. Plain eggs on toast are all very well, but it was nice to have a change.
The service was friendly, easy and quick enough. Full tables on a weekday morning were obviously no surprise to the managers, who had the place fully staffed.
The coffee was good, hot and about the right strength. The second cup was better than the first.
Overall we thought Ice It has it all - pleasant setting, lovely food and a menu we could happily work our way through. We really couldn't fault it. Full marks!
