Parkway Coffee brings back the BLT
Watch out avo on toast, the humble bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich is regaining its gourmet glory – and this Gold Coast cafe proves exactly why.
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How good is a BLT? The humble combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato layered between toasted bread oozing with creamy, tangy mayonnaise was popularised in the 1950s and ’60s, and is believed to have evolved from one of the world’s other great sandwiches, the club.
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After being bumped out of the spotlight like an ageing actress in favour of the over-hyped, overpriced, ubiquitous avo on toast, the classic sanger has been making a Winona Ryder-style comeback of late. And doing a cracking version is new Gold Coast cafe Parkway Coffee.
Opening early last month at the Robina Quays shopping complex, the eatery is from the owners of Palm Beach foodie hotspot Third Base, and continues their relaxed but conscientious approach to dining.
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Taking the corner spot at the centre, the cafe is Palm Springs-meets Gold Coast, featuring an expansive, sunlit courtyard shaded by large umbrellas and filled with a mix of banquette seating, large picnic tables, benches and small, deck-style tables and chairs.
Swaying palms, tropicalprint cushions and white render reinforce the coastal vibe, making this a spot you could easily while away a few hours.
Like at Third Base, the menu focuses on doing simple things well, running from smaller eats like crumpets, bruschetta and mushrooms on toast, to a ham-and-cheese toastie and a chipotle burger with bacon, fried egg, rocket and chipotle sauce.
The classic Benedict ($20) comes with fresh baby spinach, two tanned rashers of bacon curling over golden slices of sourdough, suspending a duo of just-set poached eggs, zigzagged with zippy hollandaise. A little dish of the sunshinehued sauce comes on the side, allowing guests to be as indulgent as they want.
It’s a crowd-pleaser, only to be beaten by that stellar BLT ($14).
Although the cafe has run out of the advertised Turkish bread, the charming and attentive staff offer to substitute it with plain, white bread, which may actually be better for structural support.
With a generous mix of ripe tomato, cos lettuce, salty pig strips and aioli, this is a deeply satisfying doublehanded experience that reinforces why this sanger has been around for 70 years.
A cold-pressed tropical juice ($7 reg/$10 lge) is its best companion, while coffee lovers can expect mild brews using Brisbane’s Kuhl-Cher beans.
They say it’s the simple things in life that bring the most pleasure, and Parkway Coffee is proving just that.
PARKWAY COFFEE
16B/361 Robina Pkwy, Robina
Open 6am-2pm daily
VERDICT
Food 8
Service 8
Ambience 9
Value 8
If you like this, try …
The Paddock Bakery
20 Hibiscus Haven, Burleigh Heads
