Goodfields in Lindfield blurs the line between cafe and restaurant

In real estate terms, Goodfields is easy to describe.

To borrow a few phrases from the ads in the window of the property agent just up the road: "The living is easy in this outstanding, as-new, split-level property"; "light-filled stylishly renovated dining areas"; "just footsteps to excellent shopping and rail"; and "a premium offering with instant lifestyle appeal". Sold!

Father and son, George and Anthony Karnasiotis, who first honed their cafe craft at The Butcher's Block in Wahroonga, have done it again with this smart, comfortable, contemporary cafe-restaurant, high on luxed-up comfort food. With added truffles.

Space

Macrame is back, and not before time. A hand-knotted macrame screen, wicker lamps and a botanical theme add a decor update (perfectly pitched by the Giant design team) to mix 'n' match chairs, rendered concrete and white butcher's tiles. Beach house cushions soften the banquette, and the high walls are framed with baskets of greenery. It's a space designed by people who know their market – there's a separate street entrance to enable ease of access for prams and strollers.

Food

The dedicated truffle menu sees the prized black Tuber melanosporum from Robertson Truffles shaved over scrambled eggs, seafood pasta, and even bread and butter pudding. You can add truffle to any dish on the menu, at breakfast or lunch, including the kid's scrambled eggs. It's not a North Shore thing (Redfern's Three Williams Cafe and Surry Hills' Devon Cafe also truffle everything in sight); it's a celebrate-the-local-truffle-season thing – and a further blurring of the boundaries between cafe and restaurant.

The cafe's butter-roasted lobster tail benedict ($29) is as big a totem on the north shore as an Artarmon transmission tower. The fleshy Eastern rock lobster – none of that imported rubbish – is pan-roasted with butter and herbs, then piled onto a noticeably sweet toasted bagel with crushed peas and two perfect poachies, with lashings of rich, buttery sauce. The rest of the truffle menu, on until the end of August, is just as ridiculously creamy and rich. A wild mushroom sourdough toastie ($22) oozes with foamy truffled cheese sauce. Topping it with a fried egg ($4) is completely unnecessary, but you may as well. No going back now.

The healthy set can work out over the Goodfields' bowl ($22), with its green-is-good broccolini, roasted  brussels sprouts, kale and mortgage-busting avocado, with brown rice and vegan crumpets. Sweet options – and they are sweet – include a 'grammable fluffy hot cake with creme fraiche, sour cherry curd and raspberries.

Coffee

Coffee is well made, and clearly a priority. Five Senses Dark Horse blend is used for all milk-based coffee, and brings a scorched-almond quality to a piccolo latte. Plus there's cold-brew, batch and filter coffee.

Drinks

Everything from hot chocolate from Mork's to a tight wine list with beers and ciders. The all-day breakfast menu means you can have a glass of pinot gris and bircher muesli for lunch, or pair your beef short ribs and soft polenta with a chai tea. Not that you would.

The low-down

Goodfields Eatery

Open Daily 6am-5pm

Loving That macrame is back.

Not getting How pea sprouts ever became the garnish of choice

Vegan factor Not immediately obvious, but there are a handful of vegan dishes, and eggs can be avoided.

Caffe latte $4

Overheard "So I did that stress test, and I need to change a few things in my life as a result."