Long Lost Friend - We Meet at Last

Long Lost Friend Cafe - 523 Magill Rd, Magill SA 5072

What's one to do on a lazy Sunday when the weather is perfect and there's no desire to cook up breakfast? Head to your local brunch spot of course, where the food is superb and the lines are as long as packed out concerts without the pushing and shoving; luckily this place takes bookings. Long Lost Friend has been on our radar for quite some time, and after all the glowing reviews from friends and family and at the prospect of finding the next best brunch spot, we set off on a 5 minute drive to discover what this place is about.

On arrival we were warmly greeted by one of the staff, the place was abuzz with activity, every table and chair was taken! Unknowingly we did not book a table (a mistake we will not make again), and were told that a wait of 40-50 minutes would get us a table. Being extremely hungry and not accustomed to waiting that long, we were going to sadly go down the road to the nearest maccas. Luckily for us, just in that moment, a couple who were sitting at the bench table by the window were getting up to leave! Faster than roadrunner, we had our bums on seats with menu's in hand.

Fresh Orange Juice $7 & almond milk cappuccino $4.80

To start with we ordered some drinks to tie us over, me (Sofia) being the almond milk enthusiast, ordered an almond milk cappuccino which was well prepared with a nice froth and nutty taste. While my foodie partner had the freshly squeezed orange juice, which got great feedback. While sipping our beverages we had some time to observe the surroundings, the interior of the cafe is neat and a little small, with tables placed quite close to one another, and with a number of tables spilling on the street outside. Although the space feels a little crammed, it's made up with the comfortable hustle and bustle of staff and patrons. The staff are warm and friendly and are knowledgeable of the menu, which helps to make our selection that much easier.

Haloumi, pumpkin, poached egg, wilted baby spinach on fresh crusty rye bread $18

After perusing the menu I decide to try the special which is fried haloumi atop roasted pumpkin and wilted baby spinach with a side of poached eggs and a balsamic glaze. This dish is absolutely delicious, from the soft and sweet pumpkin, to the perfectly poached eggs and the grilled haloumi I was in taste bud heaven. The balsamic glaze added a lovely sweetness to the dish while the toasted rye was a great accompaniment to mop up the egg yolk with and to act as a vessel for the haloumi. I could eat this dish everyday, the flavours and textures work wonderfully together and this meal leaves you feeling satisfied and well nourished.

The eggs benedict that came out looked and smelt divine. Atop fresh crusty bread sat baby spinach topped with chilli caramel pork, a soft poached egg and house made hollandaise. This dish almost has me feeling plate envy, almost but not quite! On tasting this dish, I knew what all the fuss is about for this new cafe - the pork, it's all in the pork. Sweet hints of chilli and caramel run through this pulled pork which is tender, meaty, with a great smokey profile. Incredibly tasty, paired with the running yolk of the egg and the light hollandaise sauce, it is a match made in heaven. I could not get enough of this, hats off to the chef who has turned the humble eggs benedict dish into something so flavourful and delicious.

Our Eggs Benedict - soft poached eggs, baby spinach, chilli caramel pork shoulder and house made hollandaise $19.50

With our hunger satisfied and curiosity quelled, we knew we had found our new brunch favourite. I know I'll be going back soon just to have the eggs benedict dish all to myself, not to mention the delicious coffees the cafe makes. And this time I will remember to book, as should you, this place is a hot spot for people that love to brunch, so don't miss out and book your table.

Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly: Lots of vegetarian options.
Child Friendly: Casual and with a simple menu easy to tailor for kids.

Ambiance: 4/5 - Casual and tight with many tables, large windows at the front of the cafe let in a good amount of natural light.
Service: 4/5 - Great staff, a bit of a wait for food but that's expected with such a busy place, staff come to your table to take your order.
Food: 9/10 - Great menu with a range of breakfasts, vegetarian friendly.

In total OTCB gives the Long Lost Friend 17/20 chops On The Chopping Board.