Looking for something a bit different, we came across Feast of Merit located on Swan Street. With an amazing story behind the name, this non for profit restaurant is run by YGAP, where profits from the restaurant are put towards youth educational programs in developing communities in Africa, Asia and Australia.
ATMOSPHERE & SERVICE
Walking in, you are welcomed by a beautiful warehouse style interior, which I am a huge fan of. Exposed white brick walls, unfinished concrete floors and mismatched tables & chairs fill the cosy restaurant. Hanging potted plants and funky light bulbs hang from the exposed beamed ceiling to create a more rustic vibe.
I was absolutely in awe by the interior from the moment we walked into the restaurant. The bar space was beautiful with bottles of spirits on display, copper detailing throughout and live greenery to match the rest of the space. The large oversized windows brought in an abundance of natural lighting to create a welcoming environment.
The only downfall of our entire experience here was the service and probably is the reason we will not be returning. I’m not sure if they were short staffed, but we had to wait so long for our orders to be taken, that I had to go up to the bar to see if we were supposed to order our meals at the bar or if it was table service (I already knew the answer!). Even after I had asked at the bar, it still took a while for our waiter to come over and take our orders.
Drinks weren’t refilled and we sat with an empty bottle of water on the table until we were about to leave when a new bottle was placed down. I understand when a cafe is busy, which is always a good thing, but for such slow service and no apology, it unfortunately leaves a bad taste in our mouths.
FOOD
The style of food is of a Middle Eastern influence which is showcased through their beautiful breakfast menu and their lunch menu focusing on a selection of fresh salads. Dinner consists of more substantial dishes like braised beef, slow cooked lamb and a selection of shared entrees like the ever so popular grilled flat bread.
Since we were here for breakfast, it was only fitting to start with our morning caffeine fix and order our first coffees of the day. Cute little coffee cups were placed down with warm milk on the side for our macchiato.
It was quite difficult to decide on what to order. I didn’t want to just go with bacon and eggs, I wanted to be able to try something new and with some Middle Eastern influence. After going back and forth on so many dishes, I decided to go with the ‘Warm Oats’ served with uncrystallised ginger, dry roasted macadamias, pistachios, organic puffed amaranth, toasted coconut flakes, barberries, organic currants, activated buckinis, raw buckwheat, raw cinnamon, quince, pear and rhubarb with a beautiful spiced almond milk. How could you not order this power house breakfast dish!
MC decided to build his own breakfast with bacon, poached eggs and avocado. The portion size seemed quite small, I think it was just served on such a large plate it didn’t look like you were getting much.
The food and atmosphere were absolutely amazing and they have such a great concept behind the name, however the service was an absolute downfall in my eyes. I’m not sure if we will be back any time soon, but will definitely recommend others to visit as it’s for such a great cause.
