Ph. 722-6720
I was not
expecting to see
Cora's is a
chain with restaurants in Atlantic Canada and
Cora’s at
Apart from
the view and light provided by the large windows, Cora’s decorative touches
added brightness. The walls featured cheerful colours from the pastel palette
as well as bright, professional signage that dotted the walls. Cora’s signage,
by the way, was designed to give the impression of being hand drawn by a good
amateur, no doubt to add to the warm and friendly atmosphere. On the piece of
wall above the open kitchen where 8 or 9 line cooks busily cut peel from
pineapple, sliced cantaloupe and cooked French toast, I saw a sign that said
“eggs and sausage.” It featured a rough drawing of the whitest fried eggs with
perfectly yellow yokes, paired with two brown sausages.
Cora’s
servers busily maneuvered around several booths with blue plaid covers and
tables for 2 and 4 people. They were a young staff that appeared to be doing
their best to please the diners at their respective tables. The servers wore
dark blue shirts with black aprons while the hosts wore shirts of light blue.
I began
with a tropical fruit smoothie instead of coffee. It featured mango, banana,
peach, pineapple, cranberry and a dash of yogurt. The pink liquid arrived in a
tall glass with a wedge of fresh pineapple on its rim and a slice of cantaloupe
on its serving plate. The drink was full of flavours; banana dominated. The
banana, along with the yogurt, gave the drink viscosity and smoothness.
One of my
guests had cinnamon toast topped with an over-easy egg. Her plate also featured
fried bacon and a mixture of freshly cut fruit. The fruit served included
watermelon, bananas, grapes and strawberries. All of it was exquisitely fresh.
She especially liked the cinnamon toast and was pleased that her egg was cooked
properly.
My other
guest had French toast topped with fried bacon. It was made with thick slices
of white bread that were crispy outside and tender inside. The bacon was crispy
too, as well as piquant. Maple syrup - added by guest - gave just the right
note of sweetness to bring out extra taste.
I enjoyed
my sausages wrapped in buckwheat crepes and covered with melted white cheddar.
The crepes were dark. They had that signature deep, slightly tangy, buckwheat
flavour. However, the addition of syrup was absolutely necessary, not only for
extra taste but also for extra moisture. The crepes were on the slightly dry
side.
I loved all of the various pieces of freshly cut fruit on my plate, almost too much to remember. There was watermelon, cantaloupe, orange, apple, pineapple, grapes, banana and possibly more, taking up more than half my plate. The fresh fruit was no doubt responsible for the approximately 10-dollar cost of the dish but it was well worth it to be able to enjoy such a treat in a local restaurant.
The
essential morning java flowed freely at Cora’s - both regular and freshly
brewed decaf. Servers kept busy topping up half empty cups. The coffee was hot
and fresh but not gourmet. Gourmet is not a word you’d use to describe anything
at Cora’s but try “fresh,” “wholesome,” “tasty,” “homemade” and you won’t go
wrong. My sources were right when they said I’d like Cora’s. It was a good
choice for breakfast, without a doubt, but for a nostalgia buff like me, the
St. John’s Cora’s experience had the added kick of reminding me of all the
enjoyable meals I’ve had in the past at harbourfront restaurants in St John’s.
They were restaurants with exactly the same view. Remember Bowring’s Captain’s
Cabin, The Light, Galley and Tickle and The Starboard Quarter? It warms my
heart to know that there’s at least one restaurant again operating from the
same vantage point as those from long ago.
Our meal
for 3 at Cora’s - including tip - cost approximately $53.
The noise
level at Cora’s was HIGH and it was wheelchair accessible.
Best
Points:
Fabulous
view and great fresh fruit.
Areas for
Improvement:
Be careful
not to dry out your crepes.
Ratings
Category:
Cora’s
Restaurant gets 8 points out of 10.