After a disappointing attempt at lunch, we drove towards the ocean and decided to give Barchetta a go at satisfying our tummies.

The parking gods were kind and I got a parking spot at the entrance to Barchetta. Entering the bustling, modest-sized beachfront cafe, we were immediately welcome by a friendly waitperson who provided us with menus and politely requested we be seated at a table of our choice. We settled at a table on the deck overlooking the ocean - the view absolutely stunning.

Barchetta has a wonderfully casual atmosphere with service that is absolutely on the mark. When you're ordering, when you're eating, when they clear your plates away, the waitpeople seem genuinely cheerful, patient and determined that you have a great experience. Our glasses were never empty in the hour and a bit we spent enjoying our meal at Barchetta.

I loved the crab spaghettini which was tossed with pine nuts, currents and chilli and topped with toasted bread crumbs. The serve was generous but not overwhelming; surprisingly light and a perfect dish for brunch. Timmeh had the chicken caesar style salad with parmesan, prosciutto, bacon, croutons and cos leaves. He found it a beautiful dish except for the minutes he spent picking out the bits on anchovies they'd secretly tossed through his salad.. poor anchovey hating Timmeh.

Barchetta is a cute little cafe with fantastic food, friendly and top-notch service, yummy coffee and magnificent views.