Normally coffee on my way to work in Perth is via Hay Street’s Bench Espresso. However, Perth is in a state of grand development along Riverside Drive and as usual, where there is development, traffic flow stops as a result. Tired of coffee becoming an outlandish adventure through crosstown traffic, new options were needed.

Introduce Sprolo on Canning Highway in South Perth. Easy parking and the promise of some of Perth’s best coffee led me there but would the change bring rewards or regret?

Focussing on the coffee, it is indeed superb. The guys here seem to tag team as baristas and are both very good at their craft. There are several types on offer between blends and single origins. The long black comes in a small cup which is perfect for me, preferring not too much hot water in addition to the just extracted espresso. Normally in Perth I have to order “half full” but not here.

The barista chooses the coffee to match your order and in this case selected the Etude blend by Blacklist Coffee Roasters for my long black. It is almost like syphon coffee in its subtlety and continuity of flavour, without the robustness normally associated with black coffee. I came here two mornings in a row and was pleased to be remembered by the guys on the second morning, with the barista offering for me to try a single origin but such was the coffee the day before that I opted for the blend again.

Back to the first morning though and I was here early. The coffee machine was naturally on and ready as the opening time is 7am. However, the kitchen opens at 8am. Needing to eat at 8am or just after at the latest I asked whether the chef could organise my breakfast earlier if they were to arrive before 8am? I was a little bemused to hear that the chef was there out back but was prepping for the day. Sprolo is going well, but that is almost like throwing money out the door for someone who can’t wait. I can’t think of one place in Melbourne where I’ve been told similar.

I’m pleased to say that my scrambled eggs and toast arrived at 7.50am which is a credit to the staff for breaking the rule. Unfortunately in this coffee temple, the food in this case took a backseat. The toast is not buttered (a pet gripe), but worse than that, with the scrambled eggs presented in a side bowl, there was a watery residue surrounding them in the bowl that may have escaped had they been presented normally. The presentation was not bettered by the taste and even with the addition of a lot of salt and pepper, I just couldn’t finish. It was like eating scrambled eggs out of a buffet bain marie.

On the one hand this place has superb coffee that I will continue to go back for on future visits to Perth, but on the other, misses with simple breakfast dishes are unforgivable. It is time for the food to match the coffee without any exceptions.