A delicious serendipity
Being the well-organised person I am, I arrived at work last Monday with a delicious serve of pasta bake a la Jamie (Oliver) that I had made on Sunday. But after an unexpected lunch invitation from a close friend who I rarely get the opportunity to see, I left my lunch safely in the staff room refrigerator to be enjoyed another day. Come Tuesday lunchtime, I went to the fridge to retrieve my pasta bake. Horror of horrors awaited me though. My lunch was nowhere to be found. Bewildered, I stumbled out of my building in need of a lunch capable of making up for my disappointment.
The quaint, comforting environs of Sparrow’s Nest (95 Queen Street) fit the bill perfectly in my time of need. The small, but light and airy space, dotted with avian references and a row of sunny irises in milk bottles lining the window sill comforted me instantly. After perusing the cabinets of pizzas and baguettes and the menu of pies, bruschettas and a soup special, I settled on an avocado salsa and smoked salmon bruschetta ($8.90).
The soft green of the avocado against the orange-pink of the salmon made for a beautiful colour combination as my lunch was delivered to my table. The buttery texture of the avocado and salmon against the crunchy toasted bread was equally satisfying. A fine red onion dice, some coriander and squeeze of lemon juice tossed through the avocado raised the two key ingredients to hero status - enhancing the combination without overpowering their beautiful flavours.
On previous visits to Sparrow’s nest, I have enjoyed a cheese and spinach borek - which I suspect was not made in house, but delicious none-the-less- and a sensational creamy tomato soup served with fluffy potato dumplings. I have so far resisted the variety of cakes and pastries alluringly displayed on the counter, however I think my will-power may wilt when I next visit this delightful cafe.
My most recent visit has reassured me that I can always find a thoughtful, delicious and well-priced lunch to satisfy whatever mood I find myself in, making it a favourite lunch time destination during the working week.
