Can you imagine the look on that fella's face when he went to get his regular cut-throat face shave at the Barber of Seville in Richmond, only to be asked, "would you like sugar with that" instead of "would you like to come back in an hour?" I prefer my men with coffee moustaches anyway.
Since it opened in spring this year, the Old Barber Shop Café has filled an empty space on Church Street. Backed by Danny Klotz (owner of Torch on Swan Street), it's little wonder this is one of those cafés you are hesitant to share with your friends.
You'll spot it easily: look for the sun umbrellas and wooden decking out the front - most probably swarming with regulars who come for the expertly prepared Genovese coffee.
As you step inside the endearing Victorian building, a glass display cabinet stuffed with savoury goods battles for attention with the tantalising pastries, slices, cakes and cookies. Behind it, food is busily prepared in the tiny kitchen, which snuggles up to the cash register and extremely rare Wega concept coffee machine.
If you like boobs with your breakfast you're in luck. A modern nude of an alluring blonde keeps watch over the front counter. Tables for couples sit beneath her but through the arched wall there's room for more. A rustic, blue communal table takes up the majority of the space alongside smaller seating arrangements and a wooden bench with bar seats.
The Croque Madame was a knockout. It arrived, like all of the meals, on a wooden board with the addition of a mini terracotta bowl of dressed roquette... probably to try to lessen that guilt factor. It was humongous. The New York deli corned beef bagel maintained the standard. Accompanied by tangy mustard pickle and potato crisps, the sesame seed bagel was stuffed full of beef, onion and melted cheese. Simple but divine. Another basic but delicious dish was the tuna and mayonnaise toastie, served with a side of juicy cornichons. Also ordered was the crunchy house-made granola, topped with a blob of yoghurt and served with apple and rhubarb compote and a miniature glass milk bottle.
We will be back in a hurry to try the rest of the menu and to make the most of the seats in the sun. Just like in Rossini's Barber of Seville, when it comes to the Old Barber Shop Café, it was love at first sight. read more