Rosehip Cafe

By ELEANOR BLACK

Rosehip Cafe, a trendy little eatery near the Parnell Rose Garden, could be one of those. Its minimalist white decor, dolled-up patrons, and prominent display of nearly-too-pretty-to-eat sandwiches and sweet treats (Judy Bailey's Apple Cake, anyone?) follow a popular formula.


Lucky for hungry brunchers, there is more to Rosehip than meets the eye. I'm always slightly annoyed with counter service (there is something so decadent about flopping into a chair and letting someone else do the walking), but it certainly speeds up the process. No sooner had we ordered, than our drinks - a flat white ($3), latte ($3.50) and chai tea ($3.50) - arrived, hotly pursued by the meals.

Kath opted for the organic muesli ($9) which was served with an abundance of fruit - passionfruit, apricot, poached pear, banana, kiwifruit - and topped with plain yoghurt. It was tasty and filling but, disappointingly, a tad dry. She had to ask our server for some milk, which promptly arrived in a nifty silver jug.

The pancakes ($12.90) tempted Rebecca, who had taken note the week before when she ordered Rosehip's breakfast salad, a rich little number stacked with avocado, bacon and egg. They just about lived up to the anticipation, arriving fluffy and hot in a stack of three with maple syrup, Canadian bacon, but not nearly enough banana, which came cooked in its skin.

My choice, the scrambled eggs with salmon and sourdough toast ($14.90), like the decor, was clean and uncluttered. Although I would have liked a squeeze of lemon on the fish, and perhaps a dollop of hollandaise, or a similarly creamy sauce, next to the eggs, I can't fault the cafe for presenting a simple meal beautifully.

Basking in a patch of sunshine, we opted to extend our meal with more drinks; it's that kind of place. Next time, I'm after a piece of Judy Bailey's cake.

Ambience: Polite, well-dressed

Service: Minimal (you order at the counter) but fast
Parking: No problem

Open: 7am-3pm Tuesday-Friday, 8am to 3pm Saturday