A couple of years ago, there was a little tranquil haven overlooking the lake at Royal Pines, a cute bakery and espresso bar named after its owner, Helena Jaffar.
But times change. Despite its merit, Helena’s Espresso was subsumed by redevelopment.
Now, eighteen months later, Helena has found a new site for her café in the LJ Hooker building, opposite Nerang Mall.
Former patrons who have followed Helena across the highway will be pleased that, although the venue has changed, many things have stayed the same. Helena has retained Mitch as her chef and, as they did in Benowa, each morning, Helena and her staff bake the goods for the day.
Home-baked cakes, muffins and biscuits sit under cloches lining the counter, as well as baked pastries from Brasserie Bread, who also bake the 52-hour proofed sourdough used in the café.
“The jars up there on display are our baking ingredients, so people can see what we use,” Helena tells us, adding that she’s using the wholesome recipes she grew up with as her base.
There’s an all-day breakfast menu as well as a lunch menu and food to go in the cabinet.
Wholesome, appealing dishes such as Eggs Bene, Brekkie salad and Smashed avo for breakfast and Pulled pork and slaw rolls or a hearty Vege stack for lunch are rounded out with choices of four different daily salads, freshly-made lasagna, ready-to-go sandwiches, pastries and quiches.
Choose from Helena’s baked or freshly made simple rustic fare, fresh and tasty with an emphasis on healthy. With meals well under $20, pricing encourages everyday dining or ‘meal snacks’ that many people enjoy.
With the new year approaching, Helena’s preparing a new fresh juice and smoothie menu with options of protein powder, coconut and almond milk as part of the mix.
Brewing rich earthy Toby’s Estate brew with a cocoa finish, it’s a bean especially blended to go with milk. For tea drinkers, Helena has added five varieties of premium Tavalon loose-leaf teas.
Although Nerang is a busier, more urban site than her previous café, Helena’s aim is to provide a casual venue to catch up, the relaxed and friendly sense of community ensuring that it will be a place ‘…where food brings people together’.
2 New Street, Nerang, Ph: 0401 146 959 Open: Mon – Fri 7am – 2pm