I remember walking past the
Jetty Café in Redcliffe a few times on Sunday mornings. The small café always had plenty of loyal customers waiting for a seat along the sidewalk, looking out at the jetty and the shimmering blue sea beyond. Due to impatience and not wanting to wait in the queue, I had never tried their famous breakfasts previously.
Enjoying a hot chocolate across the sea
Then, they moved to much larger premises and I knew they must have been doing something right. So I decided to give the café a go. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the café had been a regular to locals since 1932, a time when café patrons stared out at paddle steamers and ladies carried parasols; especially since the interior reflects a contemporary, modern dining experience.
The café has clearly moved with the times, renovating and changing to suit the changing palate. One thing is clear though. The café is definitely part of the social framework of Redcliffe, rich with history and memorable visits. And with little wonder due to its fantastic location. The beauty of the view of the coastline has not changed much through the years, and apparently neither has the superior quality of the food.
Smoked salmon with poached eggs on toast. Yum!
Service was great and prompt with friendly wait-staff. I ordered a hot chocolate in a mug and smoked salmon with poached eggs on toast with spinach and home-made hollandaise ($16). I enjoyed the creamy flavour of the home-made hollandaise sauce and gave the poached eggs a thumbs up when the egg yolk oozed out smoothly when my knife went through it; just the way I like it. The hot chocolate was a bit bland at first but I realized that it was due to the froth at the top. Once the marshmallows were added and the mug thoroughly stirred, the hot chocolate became very sweet with a strong chocolate flavour. For coffee addicts, Jetty café serves locally roasted Merlo Coffee.
potato cake with smoked salmon and horseradish cream
My dining partner tried the potato cake served with smoked salmon and horseradish cream ($15). He commented that his dish tasted very different; it had a bit of an asian fusion thing going on, the horseradish cream making the dish taste a bit Japanese. Nevertheless, he liked the unique vibe of the dish and the way the sweet sauce merged and combined with the saltiness of the smoked salmon and the familiar flavour of the potato cake.
Their breakfast menu includes interesting items such as black pudding served on toast with tomato, rocket and poached eggs ($12) and sago and coconut pudding with fresh bananas and palm sugar ($9) which is gluten-free.
Although we only sampled a tiny bit of their extensive breakfast menu, Jetty café is open for lunch and dinner as well. Their dishes are a fusion of modern Australian and Mediterranean inspired cuisine with a selection of pasta, traditional stone cooked pizzas and seafood. Try their wagyu beef burger for lunch with lettuce, tomatoes, caramelised onion, cheese, bacon & egg served with steak fries ($14) or fettucine gorgonzola with rich creamy blue cheese sauce and pine nuts topped with grana padana.
