Herald rating: * * *
Occam 135 Williamson Ave, Grey Lynn
KEY POINTS:
We came here because we came here regularly a few years ago and wanted to see if anything had changed.
Parking was a short walk away and not hard to find.
We walked in and immediately thought why is there a line of people leading out the door and on to the footpath? Who has to queue at a suburban cafe? This place must be good, we thought, and joined the waiting hordes.
The most unusual thing on the menu was dukkah spiced lentils with cumin crust tomato, spinach and potato ($16.50). A tempting choice, but it was only 11am and we were feeling in a more traditional brunch mood.
We ordered pancakes with banana, bacon and maple syrup ($15.50); poached eggs on ciabatta with sides of homemade baked beans and field mushrooms ($14) and a bagel with a side of bacon ($9).
The food was fine, no complaints.
The service was not great. Sure, we picked possibly the busiest time of day and knew the kitchen was under pressure but that was no excuse for having to ask three times for a latte. The other coffee and smoothie arrived quickly but my order was lost - twice. They did give us a free coffee card, though, as an apology.
The coffee was great when it finally did arrive.
We recommend if you come here you are not in a hurry. Occam is a popular spot with locals and it can be hard to nab a table at peak times. If you run into a queue, head over the road to Foodtown and do your shopping first and try your luck here later.
Overall we thought the menu is interesting, the food is reliable and there is a great ambience, but they could do with more staff at weekends.
