Deep in the depths of ‘hanger’ in our maiden trip to Eastwood at midday, how on earth did the misses and I find ourselves so desperate for a good brunch? Can't speak for Lorie, but I went head-to-head with some beautiful but brutal trail runs the same morning.

The long long lead-up

We checked out Café Centro, a 'hole in the wall’ set-up discretely nestled amongst a rag-tag bunch of Asian noodle houses and grocers on the main strip. The interior is compact, clean and unassuming.

Actually the staff are top notch – attentive, quick service and happy to recommend dishes. I noted the petite figure of the waitress and conclude not to ask advice on portion size. Coffee looks good but $4 proves too big an obstacle for me.

Barista in action

Menu choices are plain-Jane but and well-priced ( under $16). I love it when what you read is what you eat - toast, benedict eggs, pancakes and fritters with various add-ons.

Lorie goes for deliciously sounding poached eggs on crispy potato cake with smoked salmon and watercress. Salmon portion is generous, watercress adds a ‘pepperiness’ but the potato cake lacks the crisp-factor. She likes it and texture-aside, I concur.

Poached eggs on crispy potato cake with smoked salmon and watercress - $15.50

I choose scrambled eggs with peas & speck - FYI ‘speck’ is just bacon. Maybe I'm boring but the idea of peas cooked in stock and roughly smashed is exciting. Floating bacon bits detract from what is a healthy option, but the saltiness helps some pretty ordinary scrambled eggs. Overall tasty, looks good but quite forgettable.

Scrambled egg with peas & speck on sourdough - $14.00

So today's lesson is this ... what's the best treatment for hanger? Fast service and a full stomach. How can I prove the kitchen delivered on both? Well, I was on talking terms with my wife by the end.

Food - 7.5/10 - clean flavours, not over-complicated and executed pretty well.
Value - 7/10 - reasonable, just like Eastwood house prices (relatively speaking).
Other - 8/10 - great staff, no frills setting but probably hard to relax with the bustle outside.
Overall - 7.5/10 - gut feel says this could be one of the better cafes in the area.

So despite an non-promiscuous menu, Cafe Centro gets my stamp of approval as a simple, satisfying feed if you happen to be in Eastwood. Personally, it's not worth revisiting nor driving out of your way just to try.