Last updated on March 15, 2016
Like a number of the new eating places popping up in SouthBank, the Merriweather Cafe is in the ground floor of a newish apartment block. There isn’t obvious signage out front, and I’d driven past it a few times and wondered what was under the awning.
It is furnished with plenty of light wood, set off against a polished concrete floor and minimalist black light fittings, giving it a modern, warm feel. They had Beatles tunes playing when we were there. There are some jars of in-house made relishes and jams on the shelves and on the counter available for purchase. One of the chalkboards informs customers that much of their produce comes from Food Connect. Altogether, it presents the sense of a place that wants to be tied in to a greater community.
We were quickly acknowledged when we approached the cafe entrance, and shown to seats. About half the seating is outdoors and half indoors. As it was a hot and humid day, we opted to be indoors, where there was a fan and at least a bit of cooling from air-conditioning (it was on, but not quite enough to properly offset the heat). It Water and menus were also soon brought to the table. It would have been nice if the water had been at least a bit cool, given how hot it was.
There were a few interesting options on the menu, which I gather changes seasonally. We settled on the chilli creamed corn and the board special of an omelette.
The chilli creamed corn was dense but smooth, with whole corn kernels in it, and almost a pudding or polenta-like texture. A far cry from the stuff that comes out of a can. There was a good serve of the slow cooked pork, which was savoury and spicy, and pulled apart easily with a fork. The polenta cheddar crumb added a nice crunch to the dish, and even to the end didn’t get soggy. All the elements stacked on a fork made for a delicious mouthful.
The omelette seemed a bit pricey at $18 on the board, but it was a good serving size, and had plenty of the goat’s cheese and pork lardons, so it wasn’t just a mound of egg. Zucchini was supposedly in there as well, but we didn’t encounter any discernable bits. The tomato relish went well with it.
The coffees were pretty good as well.
It’s tasty food with some different options in quite a nice, relaxed environment. Although, similar to some other places, I think you pay a location tax on the food, it feels like what you get on the plate at Meriweather Cafe helps to justify it.
Price point: $13.50 for granola to $19.90 for heartier dishes.
Value: Alright.
Details:
Address: 27 Russell St, South Brisbane
Phone: 07 3844 3609
Website: Merriweather Cafe
