In one of the least expected locations thus far, and that is already saying something, what is behind some nursery doors is one cafe that is getting its fair share of popularity over the last little while. The contrast from outside to inside is striking, with the latter being the usual boring and bland inner-city street with the constant hum of traffic and the latter being a spacious, relaxing deck where an odd serenity is possible. All of this was noted from last week's outing, and what my dining buddy/house mate said stuck in my head.
Again, it was a Saturday and that means - for me - the usual routine of finding a place for breakfast before church. My dining buddy was giving me the choice this time around, and it was between two places in which both were pretty close to one another. Due to what I had heard about here, and comments from him from beforehand mentioning that it looks good, the Smug Fig was the go for this breakfast trip.
Shooting the gun from the start, what makes this place stand out is the setting mixed in with the location. When the gates are closed outside business hours, what it looks like inside is far from what I could imagine it to be. As it has already been mentioned, the Smug Fig shares its quarters with a plant nursery (as well as another couple of businesses) and some of the choices for decor and furniture are pretty apt. You have vintage tables and chairs to sit at, plus the real nice touch to it all are the murals which give it another characteristic touch. Completing this all is a shipping container out the front which is the where the business transactions are made (and coffee on the run can be purchased). There is just something fresh with this approach, from hearing running water to all the plants strewed around the shop to the big lot of breeze from the street. This definitely gets good marks in that regard.
Then when we get to the service now, it had some moments but didn't really hold together too memorably. Service would honestly rate around a C-grade if it needs any real indication. It was far from awful, but certainly is not memorable in any way. They seemed more to do things by the book, which makes it lack a necessary engagement in customer service - coming in early, fair enough but the curt attitude with having to wait might off-put some people. Additionally, it was not very busy during the meal and some engagement such as checking on the clients would definitely help. Look, I am not writing that to be nit-picky but the service often becomes part of the experience of dining out and a bit of it was missing - even in acknowledging the job done was competent in itself.
Now on the fairer side of things with the service, for the most part it was actually quite good. The staff were still pretty friendly, and when new clients walked in they were promptly seated. It is laid-back, maybe to a fault, making it feel somewhat welcoming as a whole. Taking the orders and whatnot is done via the usual counter service route, and the food is pretty quick to arrive onto the table. To make it more relaxing, there are newspapers to read while you sip your coffee during the break.
To their menu, a big credit is going to be given. This is one that is bound to change a lot as well, so what was here this time might be totally different upon visiting again - just as a head's up. At the time of writing, it is purely an all-day brunch which they have, and the selection is pretty eclectic. Among a few selections from the norm, sometimes they are turned on their head (e.g. like a bread-less Benedict), there are options more towards lunch than breakfast - and it did say brunch, mind you. Specialties are often the first ones to be seen on the menu, and French toast is often given some twists on it.
For something more sweet, they have a small range of cakes and such which comes with the option of having it with coffee as part of a deal. And speaking of coffee, that means the drinks and the range is the usual - coffee and its cousin drinks, tea plus juices, milkshakes, smoothies and sodas. This is an indication that it won't be too bad for taking kids here.
So the business as usual for breakfast will mean getting the coffee in. The coffee that they use is from Two Seasons, one coffee which I have tried a fair bit though not to the same extent as some others. It is rarely one of the ones that I consider among my favourites, but in saying that it does make a good coffee if a talented barista is at the helm. And the coffee I had was fairly decent. This was the standard doppio, and all that was needed was done right. It was what it was - decent extraction, it was slightly weaker than I usually like, and the crema on it was fairly thick. All in all, it was a coffee that did its job.
When it came to the main meal, I went for the pig and potato - since how could I not with how it sounded? We are talking about some pulled pork on top of potato hash and a fried egg all mixed with some barbecue sauce and watercress. Sure that does not sound gourmet in any way, but that won't detract from the fact that it was quite tasty. The pork meat was tender, had a decent amount of fat on it that was like butter, and soaked in both the marinade and the barbecue sauce readily. The potato hash was akin to home fries, which made it have a homely aesthetic and aroma to it. The egg on top was like a cherry on top, and the gooey yolk really brought it home. Eating this without being messy must be difficult. Overall, there is not a lot to it; that is not to say, I quite enjoyed it and it was pretty filling.
My dining buddy was in the mood for a burger as he always is, and got the pulled pork variety which had some coleslaw and rocket, plus it was basted in a jalapeno marinade. And he did want some fries to go with that. Similarly to my dish, the pulled pork was a big part of it and just as tender, just as tasty, and just as moreish - the meat had such a strong flavour, and it was like butter in my mouth. The bread was solid and crusty, and those were some mighty fine fries that they had on the side. Hot, crispy and fresh from the fryer, these were generously salted and came in the small fryer basket. When something as simple as this is done well, you don't need many words to say so, and that was the case here.
It does take doing something different to stand out nowadays, and with here they have gotten a few things right to do that. That is from the setting, to how different the food they have (at least this time) on offer is, and much of the aesthetics. All of this makes for something homely, and the nursery setting really brings that to the home base.
As for the 4.0 rating, a few vital aspects about it all - mostly due to the customer service - felt a bit off-center, which more or less prevented it from getting much higher. Really, it should be a better place since the food is distinct enough from most competition nearby and has it already been mentioned the setting? Not many places have such a custom-built design for a serene and relaxing brunch especially with being so close to the city center. Being behind such opaque doors, this is like a surprise waiting to happen. Nevertheless, there is enough to recommend visiting it.
TL;DR: To sum it up in only a few words is a bit trickier than normal, not because of how hard it is to grasp, but because it is not easily pigeon-holed. This is a home-style brunch place which has one great atmosphere that is helped by being in the same housing as a plant nursery. The brunch is not stock standard, and is represents something out of the kitchen of someone who simply wants to make a decent meal from what is available. The service holds it back a bit, since all the makings are here for one memorable visit. Look thrice, since that second look will be making sure it is what you see, and the third should confirm its draw.
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