Hipster cafes are on the increase. This is a good thing if you're a vegan. The Annex on Waterloo Street, Glenelg, is a relatively new hipster cafe and does wonderful vegetarian and vegan nosh.
The service - I sent an email the night before to book a table. Responded to within 12 hours. Good start. I have sent many an email to many an eatery in the past that have gone unanswered--as though they're unattended. Nothing annoys me more. Have an email address? Use it!
The staff, hipsters as you'd expect, are friendly, chatty and have great taste in music. Paul Simon with brunch? I approve.
The ambiance - The Annex is quite wee. Three tables under the annex out the front. Double that and a bit inside. It doesn't hold many people but that's all part of the exclusiveness, right? The place is fitted out really nicely. Lots of art hanging around the place and creative bits and bobs. And, as you would expect in a place of this ilk, copies of Smith Journal for sale.
The food - I opted for the hash brown scramble, "The Gritz" they call it. Served with a side of toasted rye with basil and almond pesto, the scramble was oniony, mushroomy, hashbrowny and the toast garlicy. Man, they guys know how to make flavour. Cheery-oh, bland vegan food. Don't let the door hit you on the way out... My partner opted for the BLT: soy crisps, lettuce, tomato and what seemed to be a homemade mayo. It was wet with condiments--a mark of a good sandwich. There is nothing worse when the bread soaks up all the moisture. This BLT was oozing with fatty, vegetarian goodness. Top marks.
The coffee - Perfection. That is all. I had two.
I notice amongst the online reviews that the overall ratings, here and elsewhere on the interwebs, are impossibly high. I wondered whether they were rigged. Nah-ah. The Annex guys just know how to put on a good show. One of Adelaide's best new cafes. read more