Jamaica Blue

Not a good experience (my only experience at this café).
Right from the start, things weren’t too good. I stood at the counter for too long while the two staff talked.
I looked in the glass case, and the selection of mostly wholly or partly prepared food looked appetising enough. I asked for one of the sausage rolls I could see and a fried fritter of some sort. There were no explanatory labels or prices on anything.
I was in a mild hurry and would have been happy with the two items in a bag.
‘That will be $ 13.80,’ the staff member said.
I was surprised at the price, but I paid, and asked how much the fritter (about 8 cm diameter and probably 150 grams) was.
’$ 6.90,’ she said.
I replied that I thought it was expensive. The girl shrugged, gave me a number on a stick and said she’d bring it out to me. I was the only customer. I went to a nearby small table and sat to wait. Several other people were served coffee and the two staff had a bit of a chat. Neither seemed in any hurry to bring my order.
Ten minutes later, the girl showed up with the sausage roll and the fritter warmed over a bit and served with a little bowl of sauce and a small pile of salad. Apparently all orders are served as meals here, perhaps accounting for some of the high cost.
The sausage roll tasted average, and the fritter — it turned out to be feta and spinach, was bland. The sausage roll, by the way, was about the size of a standard ‘giant sausage roll’ (à la service station) but was cut in half. The cut was diagonal to make at least one side look longish. The high prices, small serves, unhappy staff and I suspect but I’m not sure, an open till (I got no receipt), all indicate a business going for a margin the hard way rather than building the business through customer satisfaction.
I left unimpressed. If Jamaica Blue is a franchise with any aspirations, the franchise manager should have a look at its Noarlunga Centre operation.

No no no no NO!
Just don’t do it.
It seems to be a recurring theme here at Colonnades. Places are just bleh.
Jamaica Blue is a very well know Australian franchise but this location is name only. Yes, they do the coffee and they have the menu but it’s nothing great, actually it’s nothing good.
Mum and I came here for lunch and I ordered the classic breakfast and a piccolo latte.
First off the table we were sitting at was still full of dirty plates yet the previous occupant had left a while ago. When my piccolo came out, it was in a large latte glass and almost full, nothing like a piccolo at all. The glass was filthy! Maybe the glass washer had broken and they are washing by hand, but if they were then they should’ve seen how gross the glass looked.
When our food came out, the plates looked poorly cleaned as well, and the food was just bleh. I know they have a tiny kitchen, but serving sliced white bread for the toast just isn’t on. And don’t get me started on the size (tiny) eggs.
Mum’s bruschetta wasn’t any better. Covered in balsamic vinegar, it was so strong I don’t know why they bothered with the tomato at all.
Do yourself a favour and give it a miss.

Go to the muffin break instead. I ordered a skim flat white and a smarties cookie for my 3 year old son. The staff gave me a hundreds and thousands cookie and a latte.
Mind you the cookie arrived before the coffee. I asked my son if that was ok and he said yes. But after taking a bite he didn’t want it anymore. Too late to return it, so it ended up going to waste.
The barrister called out for a latte. No one responded. I looks again and she was gesturing at me. I approached the counter and confirmed my order. She basically told me that it was tough luck. The lady entered latte so that’s what I get. She even said it was «pretty much the same as a flat white». I told her again I wanted a flat white and she made the comparison that they’re the same. Had no intention of making another one. It wasn’t her problem it’s what came up on the order.
I took the latte and left the café. I was embarrassed and didn’t feel like having an altercation over a coffee.
The next day I was walking past the café with a friend and the conversation of having a coffee popped up. I told her the story and explained I was a little uncomfortable with the staff there. So we ended up going to muffin break in the corner of the food court. Much nicer staff and coffees anyway.
I tried to contact Jamaica blue about my experience through their website. But the online enquiry form wouldn’t let me submit my enquiry. Once I posted all my information the website redirected me to a page saying I wasn’t from Australia and couldn’t proceed without selecting my country. Wtf.

Jamaica Blue, you let me down.
As I grabbed a seat and seen the menu they recommended a few pulled pork recipes on cards to take home and try which was fairly cute and looked delicious. Menu included a large range of breakfasts at a reasonable price.
I ordered a Chai Latte and Eggs Benedict (super addicted to poached eggs lately, crazy I know) after 10 minutes my Chai Latte arrived but another 30 minutes after was my Eggs Benedict, time management wasn’t the best thing at this café. Especially when you know you ordered before other customers and their meals arrive first, sad times.
Chai Latte was very sweet and got cold as I was trying to wait for my Eggs Benedict. Poached eggs? It was more like one poached egg and a boiled egg, served on burnt toast. It was a let down.
I may be judging Jamaica Blue a bit early as breakfast time is busy but I defiantly will update if anything has changed once I give it another chance in a couple of months.