It’s been a while. Sorry. The day job gets busy in May and June and restricts the time I have available to write things. This breakfast experience also happened a few weeks ago. I updated WordPress on my site as I was about to write this and the whole site disappeared on me. It took me a while to clear the headspace necessary to get onto my hosting service, Blacknight, to ask them to get it back. I did that yesterday and within minutes it reappeared. I couldn’t ask for quicker service. It was something to do with PHP values but the explanation very quickly went well beyond my level of technical competence.

This breakfast started with a blood test. I have an annual one to make sure that some nasty stuff that I had excised from my insides in 2012, hasn’t made a reappearance. (The subsequent good news is that it hasn’t.) It was a fasting blood test and I was hungry after it. I wanted to eat in Fallon and Byrne in the Swan Centre in Rathmines, in order to try to recreate a pretty sublime breakfast experience I had this time last year. Unfortunately, it wasn’t due to open for another half hour and I didn’t really have time to hang around waiting.

My next thought was to wander around to McDs and have an DSS&EMcM but as I was wandering through the Swan Centre, I passed The Art of Coffee, just opposite the wholefood shop. The sandwich board outside caught my attention, particularly the mention of Avocado Toast and Poached Eggs.

I needed no further persuading and in I went, to be greeted warmly by Victor (I think – at least that was the name on the receipt).

I ordered, took a few pics and sat down. The Art of Coffee is located in what I would say is a standard sized shopping mall unit. It seats about 30 and the decor is bright enough but doesn’t scream at you.

While I was there, there was a slow but steady stream of people, some ordering take-away coffees and others sitting in for their breakfast. Many seemed to be regulars. That doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s a quiet, comfortable, warm and welcoming place in which to start the day.

Here’s the proper menu …

My first coffee was delivered …

… followed shortly by my breakfast.

It kind of did what it said on the tin, with no frills beyond a scattering of parsley.

The eggs were satisfyingly soft, the tomato reasonably flavoured, the avocado smooth and fresh, and the chilli flakes delivered a satisfying tingle. My only quibble, although it’s not a complaint, was that the toast was a little under-toasted. I would have liked a little more texture or crunch, maybe, than it delivered. Not a big deal though.

I took my time, finished my eggs, had another coffee and thought about the day ahead.

The Art of Coffee seems to be a chain of coffee shops. Depending on whether you refer to the website or the Facebook page, it is in, variously, 5, 7 or 9 locations throughout Dublin. I have no idea what the others are like, but I’d visit this one again.

The bill came to a reasonable €12.05.