Paper Moon Cafe, Mairangi Bay

By PHOEBE FALCONER for canvas

Passports, visas and vaccination certificates all in order, we city-dwellers ventured over the harbour bridge one Sunday morning to meet friends and find sustenance. We found Paper Moon.

I don't know where cafe proprietors get the names for their establishments. Paper Moon brings to mind a 70s film starring (if that is the right word) a young Tatum O'Neal and her equally unappealing father. This moon is more alluring.

The cafe has a fresh, clean cream and grey decor, with seven tables at street level and two larger tables with high-backed benches at kitchen level, up a short flight of stairs. The slim young waiters (all that trotting up and down stairs, you know) arrived promptly with menus, and gave us a decent amount of time to make decisions before returning. Orders given, we chatted, sipped the iced water already on the table and watched the place fill up and the late-comers wander off disconsolately.

The coffees, good and hot, arrived quickly, as did our meals. Bill went for the french toast ($11.50) and announced it was the best he'd ever had. He was particularly taken with the fresh fruit that accompanied it, and the fact that the little jug of maple syrup had been warmed so it poured easily.

Judy scoffed down her bacon and eggs ($8.50), enjoying the wholegrain and white toasted breads that came with it. Peter's big breakfast ($13.50) almost overflowed the plate with bacon, eggs, sausages, hash browns and tomatoes, but, experienced trencherman that he is, he paced himself and downed the lot.

My eggs benedict ($12.50) were delicious. The spinach was lightly cooked, the eggs and salmon perfect and the sauce a tribute to the chef. My only quibble is that the bagel on which this all sat was difficult to cut, so the whole thing toppled sideways on to the plate. Toasted bread would make life easier.

I have a real dislike of hot food served on cold plates. At Paper Moon, they warm the plates.

On a nice day, and I believe they do have them on the North Shore, the front of the cafe opens up to provide a larger space, which would also make the interior a little lighter. On this not-so-nice day, the outside tables were protected by awnings.

The dessert menu featured treats such as creme brulee, pecan pie and chocolate brownie with hot fudge sauce. We were too full even to contemplate it.

Forget the movie, go to the cafe.

Parking: Plenty, behind the cafe

Hours: 9am to 9pm-ish, seven days. Licensed

Ambience: Casual

* Read more about what's happening in the world of food, wine, party places and entertainment in canvas magazine, part of your Weekend Herald print edition.