Cafe Crusades: Mixed messages from Hobart Street Deli

I haven't done a review in a while. I am sorry. I really am, but these things happen. I was largely distracted by doing some other blog entries and a few other things. Okay, maybe I've also been a bit lazy.

So here's me making up for that and apologising: I'm sorry. Please accept this as my apology, one of my best discoveries for coffee and cake of late: Hobart Street Deli.

Hobart Street Deli is in suburban Mount Hawthorn, it's opposite a park and consequently a pretty family-orientated space.

Pram sized room between tables!

I had been to Hobart Street Deli on multiple occasions before with mulitple different friends for breakfast and I've had mixed experiences.

Rhubabr and something (maybe ricotta?) muffin with Brendan and Roz

 They have decent coffee and do the simple stuff really well, their big breakfast (called bratwurst playground) is reportedly tasty, though I've never had it. The french toast with coconut and marscarpone was pretty good...

the corn bread with salmon was pretty good...

 and the first time I had the haloumi fritters with beetroot pesto was delicious. However, every other time I've had it I've struggled to eat it.

A picture of the first one I had (delicious) the most recent ones haven't had the haloumi separate like this... :(

There was too much raw onion, not enough haloumi and the flavour was a little sour. It's very disappointing, because it really was so delicious the first time I had it. Consequently, even though Hobart Street Deli is near my house I'd kind of written it off as a consistently good cafe option, UNTIL...

We went there for coffee and cake. Oh MY GOODNESS. These cakes aren't necessarily as beautiful as some of the other cakes you'll see at cafes, but they are designed for taste and texture, CLEARLY. All their cakes were lovely, but the gluten free-options were my favourite. Their almond orange cake (which is very common in cafes Perth-over) was the best orange and almond cake we've had so far, unanimously. The texture was fantastic. 

The chocolate almond cake was also a sensation....

 The other cakes/slices we had were pretty tasty, this was the pistachio and lemon one...

This was a macadamia and chocolate one...

After coffee we took the boys (Ianto and Syd) across to the park across the road and lounged with the other parents and their kids, people there were drinking take-away coffees from Hobart Street Deli and it was lovely. If you have kids I totally recommend it... if you don't have kids it's a pretty lovely place for coffee and cake, and a good solid place for breakfast if you don't get the haloumi patties, or fritters or whatever.

Fooling around with iced coffees...

I know that Hobart Street Deli has some very passionate followers on urbanspoon, and I know it has some pretty vocal haters. 

I can understand both perspectives, but I agree with the former more, I don't think that a couple of inconsistencies is worth writing a place off entirely. They really are a great place for coffee and cake, they have nice décor, great natural light and TRUCKS above the doorway! 

And their cold drinks are served with the cutest PAPER STRAWS! Oh retro-ness!

The staff have always been perky and friendly with me and if the haloumi fritter thing is the worst thing they have going for them, then maybe we can just ignore it and eat cake instead.