A friend had recently told me that a new Japanese cafe had opened up around the corner from the Adelaide Central Bus Station. Keen to see what they’re all about, I made my way to the new establishment.

The frontage is unique in appearance with numerous thin timber slats blocking the brunt of the northerly sun. There is natural light that flows in but the majority is through the uncovered front door.

Open for breakfast and lunch, their food offerings are a fusion of Japanese and Italian. The breakfast options consist of toast with 4 varieties of toppings, with one of those options being Pizza Toast. When it comes to lunch, there’s a bit more variety with pasta, sandwiches, salads, doria (French rice casserole) and onigiri (rice ball).

The timber and plant theme continues as you walk inside. It’s almost as though they’ve tried to create an outdoor feel inside. The majority of the seating is timber slatted, however, there are bar stools along the window sill. During the day, one half of the room does feel a bit gloomy, while the other half is light and airy.

For lunch, I ordered the Pizza Toast which simply comes with bacon, capsicum and mozzarella. The dish came out 10 minutes after ordering and was nicely presented on a wooden chopping board.

For me, this dish was too simple and something I could easily come up with at home. The green capsicum was crisp and sweet, which was balanced out by the slight saltiness of the lean bacon cuts. I felt the bacon could have been a bit more crispier and the cheese browned a little more. The amount of topping was satisfactory and evenly distributed on top of the bread. The tomato was base was sweet and tangy, while the bread was double the thickness of a traditional slice.

The staff were friendly and the service was good. Drinks arrived promptly and the board was taken away as I finished my meal. The atmosphere was relaxed, although it was before the lunch time rush.

The cost of the Pizza Toast was $8.90, which in my opinion was over priced. A thick piece of bread with basic toppings is $5 at most. The breakfast options range from $9-$12.90, while lunch ranges from $9.90-$16.90.

If I were to come back here, I would order the Doria next time, otherwise nothing else on the menu really appeals.

WHERE: 81 Franklin St, Adelaide