Since moving office to the bustling district of Britomart, we Concrete Playgrounders have discovered a few new favourites in the area. One of these, L'Assiette is a cheerful slice of quirky Frenchness, a perfect little playful start of the day, or lunch break, for all the suits and general workers in the surrounding area.
The cafe's padded out with colourful painted garden chairs on the outside, a cheery piece of wall art on the inside and a cabinet full of ready-to-eat tasty treats. These people know their stuff. Not only do they do a damn good brew, but L'Assiette do what the French do best - pastries. I'm talking a cabinet selection of croissants, brioches, twists, as well as other pre-made sweets and condiments. Let's just say it's hard to walk out of L'Assiette with just a coffee.
On this occasion, I veered away from my usual eggs benedict and tried the wild mushrooms ($17) served on sourdough toast decked with a creamy thyme white wine sauce, which had a really nice balance of herby and creamy flavours. Something I quite like in my brunch options.
With the sunshine in full swing, and the pleasant laid back vibe that L'Assiette has, it's no wonder that the surrounding CBD workers are flocking to this spot.