Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day so when you get the opportunity to try out a relatively new place in the city centre, you say yes.
Situated in Belfast’s Callender Street, where — if you’re of a certain age — you’ll remember Skandia being located, Nova has been open a few months and has already attracted a significant following.
Though we were — cough — first through the door on a blustery Saturday morning (good to know: Nova opens at 9am for drinks and pastries but the kitchen doesn’t open until 10am) we were warmly welcomed in what was a sparklingly clean and inviting space.
We had a few minutes before being able to order, so we pretended to look at the menu we had already gazed at for a few days.
It’s much better to be organised.
White Beans on Toast at Nova
My friend hadn’t changed her mind and opted for the Apple Crumble French Toast, stated as baked apple with creme patisserie, honey crumble and mascarpone.
It absolutely did not disappoint. From the moment it was placed on the table, she was glad of her choice.
A generous portion, the apples were perfectly grilled, but without a sprinkling of sugar which meant the fruit kept its natural flavour and wasn’t overly sweet.
The brioche was well toasted, dusted with icing sugar, with ample servings of sweet and not-so-sweet creams.
It looked heavenly and a lot of care had been taken with plating. If you eat with your eyes then my friend was quids in.
Speaking of price, given how Belfast has gone all cosmopolitan and you’ve more chance of finding a flat white than a ‘regular’ coffee, £10 seemed a reasonable fee for what was on offer.
I love beans on toast — pretty much any type of bean, pretty much any type of bread. So it was no surprise that I chose the White Beans on Toast, which is described as sourdough (tick), braised beans (tick), creme fraiche (tick), spinach and lemon (double tick).
If you wanted to add to the dish, Nova recommends wild mushrooms or Italian sausage for an additional £1.50. I plumped for the latter.
Nova, Callender Street
It too was attentively presented, with plenty of beans sitting atop the slice of sourdough. Would I have liked another slice? Of course, but it was surprisingly filling, alongside the sausage (one), which again would have been ok if two had arrived. The mix of textures — soft, chewy bread, smooth beans, lemon tang and the durable sausage — was very pleasing.
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I couldn’t see any spinach on the plate and while it’d have been nice to be there, my enjoyment of the dish wasn’t compromised.
Because my friend is highly averse to mushrooms, I ordered the sausage. Full of fennel and heat, it added a lovely bonus to the dish. I’d have happily eaten it again (more toast, please).
At this stage, the restaurant was filling up nicely, with diners opting for the Orange & Ricotta Pancakes and the Baked Eggs, which is definitely on my return list.
We’ll be back, and soon, because the menu is not just intriguing, but delicious and delivers on what it’s promising.
The food Orange juice £4 Americano £3.25 French toast £10 Beans on toast £9.50 Extra sausage £1.50 Total £28.25 The rating Service H4/5 Food 5/5 Decor 4/5 Vegetarian 4/5