It's Saturday morning and Grace on Braid is in full rock 'n' roll mode: joggers stopping in for a bit of liquid energy, young couples playing footsy beneath their eggs bennes and elderly patrons nostalgically checking out the collection of vintage crockery on the wall.
Upon entering, you know immediatelythat you have walked into the soul of a neighbourhood; it's the kind of place where most customers are known by name and where you feel comfortable taking your shoes off at the table. I feel like I come here all the time. Only I don't.
Nick orders the mushrooms on toast, big juicy slabs of button 'shrooms, completely swamped in a drunken deluge of port, cream, mustard and garlic, served on five-grain toast ($13.50). The mushrooms are perfectly cooked and not too rich, but the portion is quite small. It's lucky he got a side of eggs as well, or he might have started in on my plate.
My French toast comes with banana and passion fruit "ambrosia" and a vanilla maple sauce ($13.50). I love the word "ambrosia," it makes me think of clouds and cream and fruity heaven, which is pretty much the way this plate tastes. Again though, the portion is small. I get three pieces of toast and the equivalent of about a half a banana, sliced. It's a good start, but the dish is so delicious I would have loved a bit more of it.
Grace uses Rocket coffee, roasted in Hamilton. Not my absolute favourite brand, though the espresso here is passable. Nick has a mocha ($4.70) and it's creamy and cocoa-ey and everything a mocha should be, but my long black ($3) doesn't have much flavour or depth, like a cup of Earl Grey where the teabag's been taken out too soon.
Parking is easy as the cafe is located in a small line of shops on a quiet street, and the staff are friendly. I wouldn't drive across town to come here, but if you are in the neighbourhood it's worth a peek. The sweet, slightly kitsch surroundings and tasty (though mildly over-priced) food make Grace on Braid a cosy spot, and their cakes looked good enough to warrant investigation.
