The Petite Pair: Dining with the Pair: Sapore Espresso Bar

Red velvet pancakes? Gourmet thick shakes? Yes, please.

Sapore Espresso Bar is a trendy cafe located opposite the Belmont Forum Shopping Centre on Belmont Avenue. They incorportate seasonal local ingredients in their dishes and make their own baked goods, sauces and sides including baked beans and granola. Their dedication to making good tasting food and gorgeous pictures of their pancakes, it made it onto our must-try brunch places list.

Arriving just before lunch time, it was pretty quiet so we chose a cosy table in the corner. The breakfast menu is two pages long and full of interesting sounding dishes so we were spoilt for choice.

Our drinks:

Choc-peanut butter shake ($8.50)

I ordered the choc-peanut butter shake which was served in a glass mason jar with luscious swirls of chocolate sauce on the side of the glass, a mountain of whipped cream, vanilla ice-cream and topped with chocolate coated peanuts. Even though drinking out of mason jars seems like a trend of the past, it was perfect for appreciating the layered elements of the drink. With a light chocolate flavour and a hint of salty peanut butter, it tastes like a more creamy and less artificially sweet tasting reese's peanut butter cup.

Choc-peanut butter shake (left) and caramel popcorn shake (right) for $8.50 each

Sara had the salted caramel popcorn shake which was also topped with ice-cream and cream but with caramel popcorn instead of the peanuts. The flavour wasn't as strong as the chocolate peanut butter one and tasted like a slightly buttery version of salted caramel. The popcorn topping was crisp and tasty unlike the popcorn you can get at the supermarket that is thickly coated with too sweet caramel, which would go all soggy when used as a decoration. Both drinks were thick and creamy, not too sweet and well worth the price.

Our food:

Red velvet pancakes ($18.90)

~ with cream cheese ganache, berry compote and vanilla ice-cream

These pancakes are the ultimate birthday pancakes. They're more of a dessert but included on the breakfast menu so as we both have a love for all things sweet, it didn't take any convincing to order this. It is on the breakfast menu

The pancakes were thick without being dry and dense with a slight cocoa flavour. Overall the pancakes weren't that sweet so the ice cream added that note of sweetness which complemented the slightly sour berry coulis and delicious cream cheese ganache. I could not get enough of the cream cheese ganache! I just need a jar of that goodness and I'm set for life. The picture of utter decadence and beautifully presented, it tasted just as good as it looked and I highly recommend you giving it a try.

Red velvet pancakes (front)

Corn fritters with tomato avocado salsa and two poached eggs ($17.50)

A staple at many cafes, the humble corn fritters dish is not always done well. Thankfully, that was not the case today. Three well sized corn fritters that were packed with corn and not at all too doughy (a tragedy that occurs at many cafes) were also perfectly seasoned. You know it's a good dish when you can eat individual elements and it still tastes delicious. The fritters tasted even better paired with the fresh salsa and the smooth yolk that ran out from the poached eggs. Another stunning dish.

Overall

The service was friendly and efficient, the atmosphere comfortable and spacious and the food generously portioned and stunning. Like true food lovers, we finished everything we ordered. Altogether, this led to a satisfying brunch that left me well stuffed and put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. I'm already planning another visit to try those truffle scrambled eggs and the breakfast board that I had my eye on today.

Notes

~ Orders are taken for and paid for at the counter

~ Breakfast is served daily until 2:00pm, lunch is served daily from 12:00-2pm

~ Vegetarian and gluten free options are available

~ Toilets are available inside the cafe and are clean and well equipped

~ Free wifi inside :)