The Colonel's Son

The Colonel's Son isn't large but this bayside cafe plays big, bold and beautiful. The menu spills with exuberant and innovative dishes like black rice and coconut pudding, superfood parfait with almond-milk-soaked chia seeds and beyond-boring egg brunches such as the amazing "Detox Board". Like many dishes here, it's served on a timber paddle and is an attractive wakey-wakey assembly of roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and asparagus, squeaky golden-fried haloumi, poached eggs, and quinoa and kale salad. Served with a carrot and ginger shot, it's the ginormous antidote to a massive night.

Kale and quinoa also feature in a fine roasted carrot salad tossed with candied nuts, feta and mint. The preponderance of Its ingredients suggests the Colonel's Son plays to a health-conscious crowd but there are plenty of dishes with other ideas. Rather too eggy rosewater-spiked hotcakes are served with fig mascarpone, and there's a flash burger with rich beef patty, brioche bun, streaky bacon, caramelised onion jam and a mini basket of chips.

Desserts have a bet each way: pina colada doughnuts are straight up indulgence while the raw, vegan brownies beg to differ. Many cafes run out of steam, space or inspiration when it comes to desserts but there's a pastry chef in-house and the engagement shows.

Coffee is approached with appropriate reverence, service is pretty good if not entirely intuitive, and the rear courtyard is a dog-friendly bonus.

But the food's the thing. Indeed, it's clear from go to whoa that this six-month-old cafe's culinary horizon isn't the kitchen wall but the more expansive view from the front window, scanning past the foreshore reserve that tumbles down to Black Rock Beach and the enormous expanse of bay. Not only is the offering creative and eager, the pay-off is there in striking, well-executed food.

Rating: Three and a half stars (out of five)