Valentine's Day and the first time eating along Glebe Point Road in almost eight years. Little has changed, included the wife's stature...

4 ft 10 inch wife next to a 2 ft sign saying 'life is too short'

Brewristas has such an expansive drinks selection that food is almost an afterthought.

I fail to convince myself that the 'ultimate nutella frappe' with added coffee and cookies has the same post-run recovery powers as chocolate milk. Hence I start with quite a nice soy cap.

Soy cappuccino - $4.50

Five of seven food options are quite novel. Two Korean-inspired dishes hilariously include honey jam-filled pancakes (within which lies bacon) or ramen-crusted 'Kevin Balls'.

Like everyone, I love delicious-sounding food beyond a simpleton's DIY ability. Unlike many, I eat healthy and can vicariously enjoy certain dishes (e.g. pancakes with extra bacon) through my better half ....

My last quirk is I will always arrive famished and sporting an inexplicable infatuation with eggs. Any bad 'eggsperience' leaves me in a state of distress.

Coconut poached chicken salad is a specialty. Adding a $2 poached egg is my prerogative. This dish looks pretty good ...

Coconut poached chicken salad with spinach, fennel, coriander and watercress plus a poached egg - $16 + $2

An ice-cream scoop of coconut cream-infused chicken is plonked on top. 80% plate coverage, but still a 20% chance I'll leave satisfied..

This is no ordinary chicken-mayo. A strong coconut flavour is helped by lots of salt plus the creaminess. Quite flavoursome.

The egg on the side is mobilised on top and then burst with magical satisfaction...

An oozing egg yolk is a critical addition to the salad...

Two negatives:
-  undersized egg, implying a defective chicken or more likely, loss of my prized egg white in the poaching water.
- salad portion was so light that my stomach thought it was only eating a heap of chicken-mayo.

This is as tasty as a simple chicken salad could ever be. It is no match for say a crumbling of wood-smoked salmon, per LS&B in Bondi. I've repeated that dish below ....

My all time favourite smoked salmon salad from Lox, Stock & Barrel in Bondi

Onto the grilled eggplant stack, Lorie's choice.

Grilled eggplant stack with zucchini, tomatos, mushrooms, pesto, sweet potato puree, boccocini and chorizo - $14 + $3

Chunks of charred veggies atop potato mash seems to be a winning combo. Can anyone resist adding chorizo for a princely sum of $3?

I do ponder denying the missus the simple pleasure of such a salty Spanish sausage. Trying this on Valentine's Day is probably an automatic relegation to sleeping on the couch for a week.

A smile that can quickly turn upside down if chorizo is denied...

I was immediately shocked with how mild all the elements were. My fault for initially avoiding the (not so) optional chorizo.

Egg plant stack would be very lonely without the sausage accompaniment...

The issue is these veggies are simple 'carriers' for the pesto, which was lackluster. The heartbreak is not too dissimilar to popcorn without butter, or xiao long bao (pork dumplings) without the soup inside.

With a 1/10 pesto score, the saltiness from the chorizo became an overwhelming hero. Dish was moderately satisfying post the sausage.

Overall, the chefs get a pat on the head for good innovation, a wrap on the knuckles for bad execution and a poke in the eye for high pricing. Coffee was the only standout.

Smooth tasting soy cap takes dish (or mug) or the day...

Taste is king and today there was no castle, just a nice moat. If a simple cappuccino was so good, I can only imagine the delight of a nutella frappe with coffee and cookies.

Score summary below:

Food - 6/10 - eye opening combos that don't quite work.
Value - 6/10 - with not so optional 'add-ons', you lose $20 per person.
Other - 8/10 - good setup, fast service, nice waiter. Can't complain.
Overall - 6.5/10 - acceptable local spot for semi-hungry adventurers seeking a frappe thrill-ride.

I do admit all my reviews have one commonality. I'm almost always (and often unfairly) scathing on portions. Today I left hungry but not angry.

Leaving the cafe hungry, searching for my next meal.

Want proof there will be no repeat visit?

The moment I got home, I married a fresh sourdough loaf from the local market with a three-egg omelette. Only then did I smile for the first time ...

Bakery stand at the Saturday Glebe Markets.