TL;DR: In that small stretch of road between Camp Hill and Carindale, it takes a fairy bit to catch the eyes but they have done it here. Urban Cocina. All of it is in how they present themselves, inviting with the al fresco option, a fresh and clean aesthetic that goes well with the already great level of service that will work wonders when it gets even better. By no means a game changer, it is merely a pleasant addition to this part of town, the local for the backstreets nearby.
It is in two parts with coming here, one that was on the fly to rectify a not-so-great dining experience in the previous week, and later on in the following week deciding to give it a more full go. That was in part due to how nice the menu sounded, along with service which was efficient in being welcoming to clientele. For the second half, the ball was in my court in deciding where to go, and with that opportunity in hand and the pleasant experience in recent memory it was time to put the money where the mouth is for real. So for breakfast, off it was to Carina for a Greek-inspired breakfast.
First time around it was getting some coffee. While the previous venture had a decent coffee as it was, what really maketh the coffee is the environment as a whole. In other words, I want to feel as good from where I chose to drink the coffee as much as the quality of the coffee makes me happy. It was all matter of scouting out the locale while driving back, and with lady luck my house mate thought this place did not look too bad. At the time, I was thinking it would be a one off - hence the idea I always have when going to a new place to review coffee, get something to go with the coffee in order to give it a decent enough review. For that, the sweet was a baklava finger. And with the kind of coffee, like always it came down to a doppio.
There is not much to describe these two that can't already be inferred from the words. The classical baklava treat is shaped like a cigar, which ain't a bad way to have them if I do say so myself. It had that usual semi-sweetness from the honey dripping through several layers of pastry, along with the nuts - particularly pistachios adding to the texture. Baklava is always a good treat, and no exception was present time this around. The coffee was also quite nice, just to say it right now in order to not repeat myself later on. It had a strong body, and a well-rounded taste. It comes out pretty hot and is a notch or two above being serviceable, and certainly compliments whatever sweet you get with it.
If it weren't for the service experienced with then and there, this time around would have been a one and done sort of deal. Walking right in, you felt welcome almost immediately. You are getting serviced by Greeks, which will more or less mean they will be friendly, and at the very least have somewhat quick service that is still at a leisurely pace. It is the standard counter service; you walk up to the counter, place your order, pay the bill, and then find a seat. They ask you which table you would like, and Bob's your uncle. Small aspects are not forgotten either - before you know it, water is on the table and I have made it clear before that that small aspect creates a difference in my impression of a restaurant. It sounds small, but the magnitude is suggests otherwise. Also on that note, it is in how they clear the tables. The waitstaff here make the rounds frequently, which means they can pick up small errands here and there to keep the area in order. One of these includes clearing the table, which might be one of the quickest I have seen yet - you are done, standing up and walking off, they spring into action.
A foundation has been put in place with regards to the vibe, and the decor. Location has suited them pretty well, being one of those places that struck lucky with ergonomics - undoubtedly present from the main road, they aren't short of parking either particularly with the suburban backstreets. Being right open to the world, al fresco dining is an addition that never goes astray either. It is clean inside, and I also like the design of a room to the side after the entrance way. That being said, through no faults given they can definitely afford to jazz up the place.A couple of suggestions might be some light music, and perhaps a plant here and there to freshen it up. It needs to really make the clients feel that they are being invited the whole way through. All this is said as a way to indicate nothing is being done wrong, and they can only go up with some improvements to the atmosphere.
With breakfast, and the menu as whole, they got it down to the art-form many cafes have been trying to replicate. The all day breakfast is present, which puts forward the general favourites for good measure. These can be added to with all the extras, and even the kids get a good go with a small menu for breakfast to their tastes. Following on, for those who like it a bit more adventurous or getting outside the box the next section becomes a real treat: the meals become more substantial, eggs are given a real tweak in flavour, and in the middle of it all their specialties are given their own box. Everyone becomes a winner with this variety.
Lunch is an affair that doesn't die down. You have a normal big lot of burgers, but the centerpiece of lunch are some yiros. Pretty much in the same vein; getting a hot sandwich, and having it with some fries. Outside of it all, it doesn't end there and the point of reference is to have a glance into the cabinet. All kinds of goodies - lots are sweet, some are still savoury - and this is where the real Greek character comes into play.
If wetting your whistle is the desired action, they have treats in store for you. Both tea and coffee are present, the general range of both aforementioned beverages. Cold drinks are also available, namely milkshakes and the ilk, some freshly made juices, and smoothies. For something that is slightly quicker, there is possibly the lot of sodas, waters, ice teas et al. All in all, figured out pretty well for a big number of clients.
Eggs Benedict is always one that can find a way to allure me back. Usually it is in the meat they use, where a different kind to normal gets used. This time, however, it was in the bread. In their version, it all starts with a hashbrown. This went the usual route from there: bacon, poached eggs, avocado, spinach,and hollandaise sauce. As far as a breakfast out goes, this did fairly well. The portion was generous, with each item being piping hot and delicious. The eggs were ordered soft poached - and they delivered there, which melded well with the hollandaise sauce creating a rich mixture. The bacon was then ordered crispy, and did they deliver on that or what? It was practically like a chip. Avocado is avocado, the spinach is a necessity to add that small bit of freshness, and those hashbrowns were as good as they could be. Eggs Benedict wins out again. The choice of beverage was doppio; second verse around as good as the first, maybe even a tad bit better. A third coffee was gotten, and this got complimented with a shortbread. These are nice in their simplicity - flavours of vanilla, textures of butter, and a soft, moreish base always mean they go down a treat.
By standards of decades past, Urban Cocina would have been a fantastic step up from the norm. Nowadays, the quality is still acknowledged when saying it is more or less fine. The basic aspects in making an enjoyable dining experience are present in their glory, and if it were getting graded like a report card the result would be around a B. I can;t talk for all, but I was one that was happy in getting a B - which can mean solid enough without anything distinct to grab a hold on to, or on the other hand some tweaks around the place would improve the score. I can gladly say for their sake, it is the latter.
They got decent sized portions, and the food quality is pretty good - fare is a combination of Greek influence and your standard cafe fare. The level of customer service was the main draw for me in deciding to try it again to give it a more fair assessment, that can be kept up and they will be good. Not so much where they can improve, but more so about what they can implement - getting more of an atmosphere to the cafe. Even if it would be a soft volume, some music would breathe life into the cafe, and some plants either on the tables, or putting a couple of bigger ones into the corner. Those small aspects which aren't given the focus so much, in spite of really helping shape the cafe as a whole.
The folks are onto something good here. When it boils down to it, this is the friendly neighbourhood cafe - which in itself perfectly fine. They have a nice setting, even on the busy road between places, and when it is on the weekends, Urban Cocina feels like the sort of place you can take it easy while having your coffee.
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in Brisbane
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes