V Rating: VVV
Where: 465 Bronte Road, Bronte Beach
When: 7am - 10pm, 7 days a week.
Tel: (02) 9386 5001
Price: Breakfast: $6.50 - $16.50. Lunch: US$12.50-$34. Dinner: $28 - $32.

Swell restaurant is one of a handful of cafes on a short strip of road overlooking Bronte Beach. Like the local residents, each cafe is immaculately presented, with an easy charm and an appreciation for the finer things in life.

Arriving slightly sweaty and red-faced from the coastal walk, I was almost intimated by its breezy, beautiful look. Like a little piece of California in Bronte, Swell has an open, clean design, and friendly waiting staff with perfect tans set off by crisp white shirts.

However, we soon settled into our outdoor table and scanned the breakfast menu. The Swell menu reminded me a little of bills: simple food built around fresh ingredients and presented with flair.

There were plenty of options for vegetarians, including banana bread with berries and ricotta, an egg white omelette with mushrooms, roasted tomato and spinach, fresh fruit with vanilla yoghurt and muesli or granola. As with most breakfast menus, vegans had fewer choices, although the fresh fruit and muesli options seemed adaptable and you could make up your own meal from the extensive range of sides.

The menu was reasonably expensive, even by Eastern Suburbs standards, but it was clear from the food that you were paying for quality produce, not simply a view of the Bronte breaks.

My friend and Canberra reviewer, AC, chose the roasted pumpkin, spinach and feta on Turkish toast. It came with poached eggs, which he substituted for hash browns. He seemed very content with this choice.

Two other friends tried the swell granola with fresh banana and vanilla yoghurt, and the bircher muesli with a fresh fruit compote.

Andy had his typically spartan poached eggs on toast. He ordered a side of mushrooms, but received roasted tomatoes instead. Fortunately, I had ordered (and received) mushrooms, roasted tomatoes and avocado on toast, so could confirm that the tomatoes were the better option.

My dish was not off the menu - I put together three sides on toast. I debated this because the Swell dishes seemed carefully composed, but when a produce supplier walked through carrying a box of taut, plump avocados I couldn’t resist.

Lovers of soy milk will be pleased to know that Swell is a strictly Bonsoy establishment. They also offer a number of freshly squeezed juices, and smoothies.

By 9.30am on a Saturday morning, Swell was frantic. Their website warns that on weekends they only take bookings for groups of 4 or more, and this is advice well-heeded. It’s a lovely spot for a quality breakfast overlooking the beach.

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