In support of Norway’s beach handball team, I ditched the bikini bottoms and wore baggy shorts to lunch at Fez Cafe.

It was a show of solidarity that not only pleased my wife, but the many diners and pedestrians in Mt Lawley.

As the name suggests, Fez Cafe serves breakfast and brunch dishes with a Moroccan twist, including dishes like Shakshuka, Chilli scrambled eggs, and Moroccan lamb salad.

Situated on the corner of Walcott Street and Raglan Road, the cafe’s slightly removed from the hubbub on Beaufort Street, with cafe blinds and heaters creating a warm and cosy vibe.

The decor was pretty standard – they don’t overdo the North African theme – and I like how the tables have paint splattered on them a la Jackson Pollock.

Right up until the waitress arrived I was going to order the Moroccan omelette ($18), but at the last minute I changed my mind and went for the Zucchini and Corn fritters ($21)

With the Olympics swirling around my subconscious, maybe zucchini sounded more healthy.

As I waited for my meal, I enjoyed a Cabala cold pressed juice ($9) – a salutary mix of beetroot, apple, carrot, celery and lemon.

The viscosity and balance was spot on – not too tart or thin – and I detected some ginger in there, adding a spicy reprise.

The juice was nicely presented in one of those heavy, old-school tumblers with a pattern on the side.

A very enjoyable overture to the main event, which conveniently arrived when I finished my juice.

The dish was well presented, with a swirl of beetroot relish framing two zucchini fritters and a poached egg.

The moreish fritters had a delicious soft zucchini filling that was nicely seasoned and piping hot. They went well with the egg, which had that perfect goey consistency.

Complementing the dish was a generous amount of sliced avocado, some greens and a crispy rasher of bacon.

It was a bit of a crazy fusion, but the flavours worked well together and combined in a delicious whole.

My only gripe was the avocado was ever so slightly firm, and the dish could have some mint yoghurt to refresh the palate, as there were lots of big flavours going on.

On a wet and miserable Tuesday, the cafe was busy with a diverse mix of young folk, oldies and people like me dining on their own.

There seemed to be a good camaraderie amongst the staff, with the chef and the girl behind the till enjoying a loud and lively conversation that reminded me of Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd in Moonlighting.

The cafe also does kids meals, salads, burgers and hot drinks, and is licensed with a decent range of wine, beer and cider.

Fez Cafe is a Mt Lawley stalwart and lived up to its reputation with tasty and filling cuisine.

I’m sure even Pink would approve, and wouldn’t give the food short shrift.

Fez Cafe
83 Walcott Street Mt Lawley

by STEPHEN POLLOCK