TL;DR: Great things come in the most unsuspecting of locations, which sums up Gas Espresso as best as I can do it. This is a coffee house, it is also an Asian-inspired breakfast locale (without getting thematic about it), it is the popular hang out within this suburb, and overall the ill-fitting location in turn gives it that advantage in its character. Events like this is why it helps keep an open mind, and look beyond the exterior. In the air, it ends up being about the character and the vibe, along with what unique aspect shines through.
For anyone who has traversed this route so many times, something about Gas Espresso will catch their eye out. In possibly one of Brisbane's most bourgeois suburbs, seeing the entire shopfront of a business be encased in astroturf is one way to stand out from the competition. This is possibly what gave this cafe entry point into my house mate's brain, with him taking note of it as a place to go down the track. There is the idea of making a good first impression, and what comes to mind is the first interaction; this was taking that idea, and having the first impression be by a profile photo. That level of detail is enough to show a deal of care behind the operations.
This was around the last few days before Christmas was coming around, and both me and the housemate had our plans with going elsewhere for the coming week. Putting that in mind, there was just one last hurrah beforehand to get a bite to eat for breakfast. He was being fairly vague with giving the clues, yet at the same time it would eventually be clear the closer the car got to the location.
The shopfront of Gas Espresso is good enough to stand out, but they weren't slackers with the inside either. Inside elements of semi-industrious workshops adorn the walls, with gas pump paraphernalia, road signs, and other bits and pieces. Taking the industrious aesthetic, it has a slightly artistic feel as well; in a way how some design student took something run down and gave it life. Plus, the lighting is at just the right balance. With its small size, you are never too far away from the kitchen; where the house mate and I sat, I could lean over and touch the counter. If that sounds claustrophobic, they got a few tables out in the sunshine.
They have managed to tweak their customer service into a streamlined, and efficient process. When you enter, they are quite keen and start asking what drinks you want before you're planted in your seat. While casually paced, you are not needing to wait long. That is a real perk when it is compact, everything is heard and communicated thoroughly. It was apparent this was a locale for some, with the conversation the owner was having with a group of bikers. You have yourselves a great location, and it seems well versed with the in-crowd.
When it comes to getting something to eat, the name of the game is an all-day breakfast. This time, as much as bikies might flock here on the weekend, and as much as it may be a stone's throw away from Sherwood, they tune down the pretension and prefer to just be earnest with what they are serving up from the kitchen. Everyone is accounted for, wanting a small bite or a big feast. From the cabinet, they have a range of sandwiches and sweet treats as per normal along with accounting for anyone whom is watching their health - they got it sorted well into a neat, tiny package .
Anyone who is the big eater among us, they get taken care of quickly as per the menu - not for a bad price either. It is a bit like a fry up, satisfying hungry customers. When it comes to the rest, the range of breakfast options is diverse and eclectic in composition. For quite a few of them, customers are able to build them up and customise them as they please. It has a bit of everything, a bit of this, and a bit of that. You can even see them put some Asian influence in with a couple of their dishes, and it is even apparent the way several breakfast favourites are approached. In the extras section, the range is something else. Come around to the later hours of the day, and everything is pretty straightforward. It is a range of sandwiches: bagels, breakfast wraps, burgers and the ilk.
Now where it gets special is with the drinks. Many places may use "coffee" or something similar in their name, but not bring that much to the table for the ardent fans of the beverage. Getting the obvious out of the way is tea and coffee. Aside from the usual espresso, what else gets served up is some specialty drinks - one I am almost kicking myself for not seeing sooner. This was a hidden gem, and definitely leans favour towards them - something a little different to the norm, and a keen eye for detail along with it all does wonders. Tea isn't cast to the side either; they don't give you any teabags, but actual loose leaf tea that is world's apart from those aforementioned portable concoctions. They also have fruit smoothies, fruits juices, and milkshakes.
I did say I was kicking myself for not seeing the coffee options beforehand, namely the cold press that they had. Sometimes they are a bit persistent - which I admire - and the choice is made to be efficient. It goes without saying after that, the choice was a trusty doppio. The beans this time are courtesy of Cleanskin, and we got a good one this time around. Whenever somewhere uses a less common kind of bean, it can go one of two ways. Firstly, there could well be a reason that it is not often used and that becomes apparent once you take a sip of the coffee. It is fortunate that I haven't come across this much, with no place coming to memory quickly on this front. The second way that it can be looked at - and Gas Espresso falls under this category - it can prove a gaining ground to the cafe. Think of this as risk to reward, making it possibly unique, standing out from the crowd, or even thinking more about the coffee crowd. When it comes down to it, the latter is something I will always admire.
Cleanskin is a fairly apt name for these beans, since whenever I am taking a sip with this brew that is the all-round idea that comes to my head. Most of the time, I get the taste of something fruit in the coffee when they use it - since this is a lighter blend, not really strong (until it hits you much later, but your mileage here might vary) and more soothing. It was smooth in texture, and well-extracted. This went down a treat, and at being just a bit tired it certainly perked me up in a gentle manner.
Out of the modest range of breakfast options, I went for the weird choice yet again. With the Asian influence going around the cafe, they manage to sneak in one or two of the classic dishes - even over there, they know that breakfast food is a subjective subject. This was Nasi Goreng, the Indonesian version of fried rice. This meal came with a generous portion of spiced rice, plus some tender chicken breast, cabbage,and fried egg with the usual garnish of cabbage, and a wedge of lemon for more garnishing. I'm not sure where it rests - in my opinion - with the classic south-east Asian dishes, but even the least of them is still pretty damn good in my book.
This was just that, and a reminder that fried rice is a good go-to meal to cook for breakfast when at home. Moving on from that, this was filling, and fresh. The rice was cooked well, and got coated in a good spice mixture to pep up the dish. Mixed along with it weren't just one or two token bits of chicken but actual large chunks which themselves were tender and could be cut with a fork. When cutting that fried egg, the yolk was still runny and thus helped add some sauce to the mixture. Combining all these, and maybe a bit of chilli paste if memory serves me correctly, The serving size was pretty generous, making it filling, and the whole affair simply tasted fresh. I wast most impressed.
I've got to give the guys here credit. This hidey hole has a number of contrasts which allows it to have a unique character. Much of it would not be out of place in one of the trendier areas of town, closer to the city center. If it were, part of the charm might be lost and have it be lost in the sea of competition. Since this is not the primary area people think about when thinking of getting a good bite to eat, that point is in its favour; Going from the blistering hot sun, and the buzzing traffic, and just not a whole lot for a couple of kilometers, Gas Espresso proves to be a small hidey-hole that is as comforting as it is compact.
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