TL;DR: You have something here that - with full awareness of the owner - is a trial in hard work to get just that sweet spot with the fare on offer. It helps they use that aspect to combine the aesthetics of the Queenslander they have fitted out, making the whole experience be just that more homely. With that kind of planning and luck, the earnest desire from a reputable cook ought to bring Gramp's Kitchen into the realm of the local before you know it.
For the next week, the ball was firmly in my house mate's court. As per usual, he has many cards and tricks up his sleeve in knowing how to find a new place. It came down to the wire with two places, both of which from the imagery online look fantastic. From a split decision, Gramp's Kitchen became the next destination - too much of it looked so good.
The menu has distinct echoes of it, and it really comes alive when looking at the decor, some of the furniture, and it is definitely apparent all-round with the decorations, and art. They won't be too up front about it, but the two guys here definitely sensed the big Persian influence seeping through it all. That was one of the key reasons for choosing to come here, making itself have an aesthetic distinction from the rest. That itself becomes a hidden depth.
Service starts off quite nicely, and becomes really attentive due to the friendly nature of the waitstaff. It is by pure preference that I go for the table service if need be, and that is the case here. A big reason for that is that the meal becomes that bit more relaxed as a result, since you can perceive you are being taken care of.
As it has been said, there are whispers of Persian influence throughout the menu. For me, that is a massive selling point that will grab my attention pretty much immediately. They seep these into a round of breakfast favourites, using key ingredients like pommegranate, labne, dill, and the ilk. A huge range of cakes is in the cabinet to pair with the teas and coffees on offer. The whole-round idea is creating simplicity, but it is in the way someone who likes to cook and spruce the meals up would like to do it.
Starting off, it was time to get the drinks. To get it out of the way, the meal is being sandwiched with two coffee orders both practically the same beverage: Batch brew. First time it was cold, as they had it in reserve with no hot version being ready just yet. Hot day, making it more tempting, and always a good change of pace. Later on, it was sweets time and I checked again if hot batch was in reserve - yes it was.
When searching for the right beans to use in their coffee, they decided to head all the way down to Sydney for theirs. Not being overtly familiar with the takings in that town, not much general critique is coming this way. They use Single O as the bean source, from Surry Hills of all places. You know they will be particular in that area of the world, so it is no surprise that it was a pretty good cup of coffee.
There is something different about the batch brew, with it being almost akin to the characteristic filter coffee in diners. The longer process for brewing et al creates a softer kind of taste, and if the bean is a strong one that starts to become apparent over time. This is the kind of coffee where you are in for a long time, not just a quick visit. The cold brew is refreshing especially in the hot weather, while when it is done hot it is akin to a tea by being relaxing. Better yet, the hot keeps hot for a long time - a key reason to keep ordering it.
It came down to a flip of the coin by me, which is a much closer tie than usual regarding trying to chose something from the menu on my part. What one was their take on the classical savoury mince, one this time that was slow cooked. Anyone who has had extensive experience cooking mince dishes at home can tell the big difference between when it is slow cooked, and quickly on the stove. It was the former on here, and mixed with some legumes. Alongside the mince, there was a dollop of labne, some capsicum-chilli jam, an Asian-style slaw with plenty of purple cabbage, and a poached egg (which I ordered soft as always) which got served on a slice of sourdough toast.
What a meal this was! The savoury mince was rich, and flavoursome, using a good range of herbs to liven it up. Getting those beans in added that distinct flavour and texture that is uniquely distinct while being elusive for description. It was made all the better, with the fresh egg adding extra sauce with a soft yolk bleeding all-over the place. Both the labne and jam also contributed, with spiciness, a little bit of sweetness, and another unique flavour into the mix concerning the labne. Also, the slaw was not a token garnish on the side - it was crunchy and juicy. Oddly, coleslaw is one salad I will eat willingly. All of that went well on a thick bit of bread. You have yourselves a real winner on display right here.
My house mate was just as much impressed by his choice, opting for the house special - Grampy's Eggs. If a health-focused vegetarian were to make their attempt at a full breakfast, this would be close to it. Eggs come poached by default, and alongside those there is a hommous made of butter beans, a big wedge of spice pumpkin, then some sprinklings of both a nut crumble, and pickled fennel. If it weren't obvious beforehand, my house mate is no vegetarian. He likes some bacon with his breakfasts, though this time they offered ham as a default option - the ham it was. From the bits and pieces I had of this, the pumpkin was well-cooked to the right texture, and the ham must have been from a good cut. It all went together really well, and while it would certainly be a healthy option that did not detract from it being flavoursome - all items were fresh and contributed well, it was balanced, and the Middle Eastern influence could not be more apparent.
So far, not one aspect of the meal was disappointing in any way. My house mate thought that, and while it was filling there was room for a small bit of sweets. It is also the go-to test to check if a place is truly going to get that elusive 5.0-score. It put it up to the house mate to decide, and he came back with a brownie and the next coffee order. A moderately rich one it was, the chocolate taste was apparent, and the texture got a mixture of the soft cakeiness in the middle plus the finish crunch sandwiching it all. The slice was not too big, almost filling to boot, making it just the right fit for the cafe where it was served. As nice as this brownie was, with not complaints coming forth, it does not quite get that extra mile to the perfect score through no fault of its own. From start to finish, it was a nice and filling breakfast that ought to be tried out.
Final score: 4.5 - you won't find many places that attempt flexing cooking skills during breakfast and brunch, which gives a real advantage to Gramp's Kitchen.
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