Wandered in here on a Sunday afternoon, looking to try out a new coffee place. The place was very quiet, owing presumably to the fact it is a bit out of the way, certainly not an indication of quality.
First, the decor. The interior area is quite small, about 4 or 5 tables which are quite large so maybe for communal dining during busier times. A mixture of a couple of sofas with some chairs and stools in the mix made for a very cosy atmosphere. There is also an outside area out the front, seems this would be lovely on a nice sunny day, maybe even with a sneak peak of the canal.
So, service. As the place was empty bar one other person when I entered, I was unsure if they still served food. I was immediately greeted by the server/Batista in a friendly manner who assured me brunch was served until 3pm. Despite the sign on the till saying you must order and pay at the till before sitting, he handed me a menu cheerily as I was unsure, and told me I could sit while he prepared my coffee order. He then took my food order while I was still seated and didn't end up paying until leaving the cafe.
So, menu. They have a good variety of brunch options to choose from. If you're a vego however, I was unsure if some of the egg options had a veggie alternative, I didn't ask. I opted for the scrambled eggs and chorizo, it was a good call. Food was served on toast, all made fresh out the back, eggs were seasoned with some basil or some other herb. The chorizo was absolutely delicious. I complemented this with a flat white, good strong taste (though I opted for decaf). Their coffee menu is not overly fancy or extensive, just the usuals, though the tea options seemed pretty good with a wide selection.
Lastly, as the weather is starting to cool down, the heating was on and I happened to sit at the table by the radiator, it was delightfully warm.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience here. Not sure what it's like if/when it's busy, but it seems like a nice place to relax, close to ranelagh/rathmines/portobello but out of the way enough, so it seems, that you can chill out here nicely by the looks of it. The music soundtrack was also a nice chilled mix which I also really enjoyed. read more