Sticky ham hock, fresh Asian herbs, chilli, black vinegar, tamarind hollandaise, and poached eggs on toasted sourdough

There are several places that have been on the extended list for as long as I can remember, but for one reason or another, fate has not aligned to allow a visit. In the case of this cafe, Catherine and I have attempted to eat there more than once, and it has always been closed when we’ve decided to try!

It’s funny sometimes when these visits don’t line up, and all of a sudden you have not tried a place years later, that is walking distance away. Cheerio is one such place. For this reason I’ve noticed consistently good reviews and high scores on formats like Zomato over that long period.

One reason cheerio is always full is that it’s tiny. So we were pleased to find a spot on the communal table for two on this particular morning.

Buttermilk coconut pancakes with mango, lemongrass ganache, kaffir lime cream, and toasted coconut

The menu is quite diverse with the dishes you would expect, but often with twist; some Asian influences especially noticeable. The dish I chose, is one that is infiltrating many cafe menus, and I find this to be an excellent thing. Traditional eggs Benedict with ham, is being taken over by indulgent pork hock as the dominant staring ingredient. Cheerio’s Asian influenced version is excellent, with Asian herbs, chilli and black vinegar, not to mention a tamarind slant to the hollandaise and perfectly poached eggs. We noticed around the cafe that it was popular choice for good reason.

Catherine was fairly envious of my dish, because she was not enjoying the texture you would ordinarily expect from pancakes. The reason was the strips of mango had their skin left on, and were dispersed through the pancake stack, making it unpleasant to eat. Having had a taste, the pancakes were nice, but trying the mango with its skin made each mouthful difficult to eat. She couldn’t finish, but we did notice several others around us did, meaning it could just be an acquired taste. However, it is not unreasonable to think the description on the menu would warn you about eating the skin of a fruit that is not traditionally eaten. While my research tells me it is generally healthy to do so, I couldn’t find anywhere that says it adds flavour through its leathery outer layer.

Coffee by Five Senses is well made, and service (besides not conceding that the mango skin should be identified on the menu) is good. It is a healthy business with an excellent following, and definitely worth a try. Hold the pancakes.