La Bomba Cafe

TL;DR: Could be better, could be worse, but I really wanted to like it a lot more than I did.

This is a place which does have the potential to be a bit more strange and bold than it really is, serving up tapas at night along with a Tex-Mex theme - that alone should have the makings for somewhere that is much better than what it turned out to ultimately be. Standing in an old-style store-front in the middle of suburbia, the term hidden gem would resonate if they spruced up their service and decor a little bit. Not that anything from the Emporium is expected, but around these center fringes much can be done with a little.

It ended up being fine, something which should have been better than it was - it really was just at the strongest point it could have been with some of the technical issues of the experience, with nothing about the food to really detract it. In many ways, that might be the biggest disappointment that a place can give.

For quite a long time, to both my house mate/dining buddy, this was one that did have an inkling of having to get to - particularly with it being a local and serving something that is a bit different from the norm. These two combined is almost a given to be targeted by the two of us, and going here was on a whim. That one morning I was woken up a bit early by the house mate, and it was a surprise where we were going to - he pulled up here, and it has basically being crossed off the list.

Well we rock up here, and after thinking about it for a while, the first impressions might not be the best ones either. Behind the scenes it was apparent that he was doing alright, however on the front line there weren't any of those little touches that end up elevating a place - checking on how the food is, or explaining any kind of specials which they had that day, nor even offering waters or whatnot. Half the time, there may well have been the wonderment whether or not this was a restaurant or just a random place people could sit in - the vibe of a place counts on such service, and especially when there was only about one other person dining here; places packed to the rafters manage to have exquisite service with good attention, so that is definitely a major demerit against it. The guy was friendly enough, however it was notable the lack of engagement that he had with the clientele. He was competent, so it was not completely awful - but not too much to really go on about either way.

Also, the other lacking aspect about here - one which can make all the difference to a place, and tie it together when it is right on point - was the overall look and vibe of the place. Granted, it possibly comes alive during the night time so it does make some sense that it is quieter and less happening, but something could have been done in the midst of the morning regarding giving the place a good clean. A few touches here and there, and it could transform itself into looking distinct, to looking both distinct and inviting.  

Though I will reiterate, giving credit where credit is due - or at least acknowledging some touches and efforts that they have done. I thought it was pretty neat to have the table numbers be classic rock bands, and the wallpaper looking like something out of an old school ice cream parlour. In addition to that, the seating is that eclectic mix that is like something out of an antique shop - all sorts of tables and that, creating a slightly timeless vibe. It's touches like that which makes it a pity that it can't be more lauded with the aesthetic look.

Between the two times of day, morning time and later on, the menu is split into general breakfasts and tapas/raciones with a whole lot of drinks such as Sangria to compliment it all. The general vibe of the menu is going for a bit of a combination of Spanish and Tex-Mex, where meat has often got a starring role, and even the sides appear to be getting their due attention.

So starting off with the drinks, it was the usual order of coffee in the first order of business. That was the good old doppio. This is one area where you are in good hands, because they use the Genovese bean which often turns out to be the forgiving sort of brew to most places. This was where it did well, with a well-extracted shot, slightly mild flavour and smooth texture, plus a good drinking temperature. This was what hit the spot in the morning, and the coffee is worth a go.

For the breakfast I ordered, there was only one that sounded the part and it was called "El Salvador". This had similarities to a Full English (sorta hence why I got it) with bacon, hashbrowns, sliced up chorizo and black pudding, tomatoes, a couple of poached eggs - requested soft, a heap of croutons and sauerkraut. Each of these was passable, and cooked well enough. The bacon may have needed a bit longer cooking, but other than that the rest were without qualms - the tomatoes were sweet and juicy, both of the sausages were solid and even a bit spicy, as always the hash-browns were what they were, plus the sauerkraut and croutons were both unique and nice touches adding a respective vinegar bite and crunch. All of this was a decent serving size and it was one to go to and get it off the list. So overall, I did like the food and coffee here. It was not anything that stands out in the midst of all breakfasts that I have had out, but it was serviceable, a decent level of value, and did fill me up.

Keep in mind, this was about the breakfast as opposed to the tapas, so it might be a whole different vibe then. Hence, the benefit of the doubt will be given for now. But it still goes to stand a few of the sentiments I give to the place.

With that being said, this is a place which I wanted to like quite a bit more than I overall ended up doing. There was nothing wrong with the food in the classical sense of the word, it did what it needed to do. However, good food might be the keystone for a place to be recommended by to be memorable other aspects have to be present such as service which maketh the place or something about the vibe in the eatery. Neither of that was present to such a degree that it can be given good marks on that front, nor was it really anything that was incompetent and bad - at least with the service. What ties this together is there is something about somewhere that you look forward to in some way where it is disappointing to some degree, and that is more or less what my sentiments on La Bomba are.

And it really should have been half-decent as well.

Great service from Chris, the owner. Went here on a Sunday for brekkie with a scoopon. Coffee came quick and was great. They were sold out of a few items, but Chris managed to come up with good substitutes and in the end whipped up a fantastic, custom-made meal for me. Very fresh and full of flavours. Would recommend to anyone as a great breakfast option. If you decide to go - book it first, as the place gets quite busy and it is well-deserved. A+++!

Eggs Benedict comes with eggs poached as requested. This simple request is a true test of a restaurant’s attention to detail. Do the poached eggs come as ordered? Firm. In this instance, yes, which is a change from numerous cafes where I have had to send them back. Tiny fresh peas, sprigs of dill and shredded mint dot the plate, providing some texture and sweetness against the rich Hollandaise sauce. A side of black pudding is crisp on the edges with a lightly spiced centre that crumbles when cut.