Il Cibo
http://www.facebook.com/pages/il-cibo-cafe/193223433181
2 Market Street, Fremantle WA
Tel: 08 9433 4900
Open: Mon – Sat: 6.30am – 4.00pm / Sun: 6.30am – 4.00pm
After a fairly big weekend my husband and I woke up on Sunday morning in desperate need of a little pick me up in the way of a cooked breakfast and some good quality coffee. Being too lazy to attempt the task ourselves, we packed our 17 month old son into the car and headed in the direction of Fremantle as I also needed to pick up some fresh prawns from Kailis for the Bill’s Basics Singapore Noodles I was set to try my hand at that evening.
We stumbled upon a bustling Il Cibo which we had sampled a few months ago for coffee and cake, and I remember it contained a lounge room-like area which would be perfect to sit down with our son (who currently has a broken leg and can’t fit in to high chairs with his cumbersome plaster cast).
Il Cibo is handily located across from the Fremantle train station, with ample parking next door. There is a pleasant shaded grassed area out the front, standard café seating inside, and a funky little ‘lounge-room’ tucked away at the rear of the building complete with boxes of toys to keep any kids amused (these got a thrashing whilst we were there).
There is no table service at Il Cibo, so once you’ve decided what you would like to order from the ample menu, or from the enticing array of home-made cakes and salads on display, it’s up to the counter to order, pay and receive your table number.
I ordered the breakfast roll which housed bacon, fried eggs, spinach, and Il Cibo’s ‘special sauce’. When the breakfast roll landed in front of me my eyes widened with disbelief, this was the biggest breakfast roll I had ever encountered, and I‘ve consumed my fair share over the years. However, the bread roll was so light and fresh that I managed to work my way through the whole vessel, much to my husband‘s surprise (the eyebrow lift he gave me as I finished the last mouthful said it all). The bacon was cooked to crispy (but not too crispy) perfection, the eggs, cheese and spinach were pretty much just along for the ride, but the special sauce was deserving of it’s special title and tipped the breakfast roll over into the realms of greatness.
My husband ordered the open breakfast sandwich which consisted of sourdough toast, poached eggs (poached perfectly), salsa and spinach leaves which was a flavourful twist on standard breakfast fare.
The only downside to our morning was that our orange juice and coffee arrived while we were halfway through our food. I will overlook this blight on our otherwise pleasant meal as the orange juice was freshly squeezed and served in cute little individual carafes (I am a sucker for a gimmick) and the Fiori cappuccino was pretty decent.
Il Cibo is also open for lunch, and I noticed that they serve wine (and possibly beer) if you feel so inclined. I would imagine a pretty enjoyable time to be had sitting out the front in the shade eating a fresh salad topped off with a glass (or bottle!) of wine whilst partaking in a spot of people-watching (which is always a fun pastime in quirky ol‘ Freo).
In Summary
Il Cibo has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, with fresh and tasty food (not to mention the home-baked goods) which we found to be good value ($50 for two breakfasts, a serve of sourdough toast, two fresh OJs and one coffee). Staff were efficient and friendly, clearing our plates promptly and having a chat to our little boy.
Depending on your mood there is a variety of places to sit whether it be enjoying the fresh air and sunshine outside, relishing in the hubub inside, or relaxing on a vintage lounge out the back.
The fact that this café is licensed also gives it an edge over other establishments of a similar calibre.
We look forward to returning and sampling their lunch (and wine!) menu. Thanks to Il Cibo for a thoroughly enjoyable lazy Sunday breakfast.
Food: 8/10 (this was a notch above your standard breakfast, but felt that more care could have been taken with the overall presentation)
Service: 7/10 (no table service, and food arrived before drinks, but staff were pleasant and efficient in clearing the table)
Ambience: 8/10 (bustling yet with a relaxed vibe, ample seating, and quirky decor make this a very comfortable venue)
Final Score: 7.5/10
ediblescapism 