Sunday, 29 March 2015

Week 9: Highgate Hill to Saint Lucy Café (16.25km, 1:37:25)


I’m not sure if it’s because I’m starting to feel stronger, but the run this morning has been one of my favourites to date.  It was an extension of our week 6 run with the addition of a few kilometres from Indooroopilly to the University of Queensland (UQ) campus.  
We departed Highgate Hill and crossed over Gladstone road and dropped down to the cycle path under the Green Bridge at Fairfield.  The temperate autumn weather is starting to make for very pleasant running conditions.  It was an easy run along the Brisbane Corso, weaving our way from Fairfield, Tennyson, Graceville and Chelmer.  It is flat terrain with a tranquil Brisbane River snaking its way to the right of us. The only vigilance required was the monitoring of the numerous cyclists, mostly going the opposite direction to us, on their river loops.  Cycling is a great way to exercise but running pace ensures a more enhanced interaction with the local environment.  The subtle changes enroute can only be appreciated on foot. The last 4km from Indooroopilly Bridge are a little more undulating. We followed Lambert road past Indooroopilly High School on the left and St Peters Lutheran College on the right.  Laboured breathing heralded the little hill to the St Lucia Golf club where we joined a pedestrian path to the right with a sign for the Eleanor Schonell Bridge. The path shadows the golf course, and then enters the university campus, providing a tour of some of the accommodation options on offer at UQ before reconnecting with the river.    A sprint finish to the shadow of the bridge was met with light applause from some admiring cyclists who were assembling under the bridge (no doubt taking note of the excellent running styles!)

Saint Lucy Cafe is located in the UQ Tennis complex.  One only needs to walk in under the mixed canopy of trees and umbrellas to start feeling a sense of serenity.  I will acknowledge that the post run righteous satisfaction and endorphins may be a contributory influence to this sense of peace.
Saint Lucy is known for her Advent feast; however, one is able to feast on a variety of delicious options every day of the week at her namesake.  Caitlyn is clearly nominating herself to become Brisbane’s expert critic on the intricacies of “Smashed Avocado’ dishes as this was her choice again this week.  It was complemented with minted peas, toasted rye, persian fetta, fried pumpkin, poached eggs and tomato puree.  Bronwyn joined her in this choice and both rated it very highly, with Caitlyn declaring it the best smashed avocado interpretation to date!  The hero of the dish was, reportedly, the minted peas and rye bread. The only con, to be clutched at, was a less than generous portion of pumpkin and fetta.  I enjoyed the crisp potato roesti with grilled haloumi, corn fraiche, poached eggs and salsa verde.  I admit I did experience a little bit of plate envy:  my haloumi, while being a generous portion, was thick and the texture a little tough. The flavours were a lovely mix and the highlight would have been the roesti and corn fraiche.  For the $18:50 a second roesti and a thinner haloumi would have felt better value.  
Smashed avocado
Potato roesti
Whether you’re tennis tragic or not, Saint Lucy Café and its peaceful surrounds and delicious modern food, make it a perfect dining location.
This is one of those places where you could linger and while away the whole day

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