Although I have stayed in Brisbane for longish periods of time while touring with a how, I have not really checked out the cafe culture. It certainly isn’t peppered with places like Sydney or Melbourne, but I did manage to find a couple of gems. Shotgun Cafe is in the trendy West End precinct and looks the part with its bentwood chairs and exposed brick. The coffee is good but lacks a little edge. I have become accustomed to a double-shot espresso, and this needs a little more kick, but the flavour is well balanced and rounded.
The breakfast menu entices with thought-provoking fare such as lamb and ricotta polpette with tomato and rosemary sugo or prawn omelette with wakame seaweed salad. The lovely Tara is taken by the grilled polenta cake with sautéed Swiss mushrooms, asparagus, poached Mt Molar duck egg and Meredith farm goats cheese ($18.50). This is a breakfast of champions: full of flavour and punch.
I am swayed by the Middle Eastern fruit and fig toast with house made lemon curd ($8.50). Dripping in zesty canary yellow goodness, and not too sweet, this bread is rather luscious. It has a lovely texture, quite firm and substantial.
The Gunshop’s lunch and dinner menus are equally exciting, and offer a great range of Australian produce and culinary prowess.
