FROM a small but well-liveried cafe in Newport (with life-saving outside seating), ComiCoffee's competent team has now opened a second branch in East Cowes, in a unit at the remodelled York Avenue Garage.

The outside space is plentiful and, although you might be staring up an exhaust pipe as you drink your milkshake, you are not actually breathing in its gasses.

ComiCoffee's signature waffles are present and correct. Cat chose her favourite; the photogenic mixed berries and Greek yogurt bubble waffle (main image above).

Creamy yoghurt coated the waffle's undulations, like Diana Dors in a clingy white negligee. Scattered on top was a medley of soft sweet fruit of various hues from redcurrant to blackberry.

The waffle retained a pleasing crispness, as it - and the heat of the day - warmed its toppings. A tasty light lunch.

Matt's hot griddled panini was a simple and satisfying Italian-style affair, with salami, mozzarella and red pesto which soaked enticingly into the bread. A tiny ramekin of vegetable crisps served as a garnish.

Isle of Wight County Press: ComiCoffee, East Cowes - Matt & Cat

Matt enjoyed his panini.

ComiCoffee is all about the coffee (and comics). Rather neglectfully we didn't actually drink coffee that day, but can report that the Earl Grey tea was hot and aromatic as expected, and Matt's 'Sidekick' salted caramel and toffee milkshake was splendidly sticky and sweet, just as one would hope.

No watery excuses for shakes here - ComiCoffee knows its core products well and East Cowes can deliver a shake just as excellent as the ones in the Newport branch.

Isle of Wight County Press:

The desserts are a perfect treat.

We lingered for quite a while, amid an orbiting community of young families; children safe to run around in the sunshine playing games with their dog and doing cartwheels.

The neighbouring barbershop and tattoo parlour seemed to be doing brisk trade. We saw several customers emerge; newly-inked arms tender and clingfilmed.

Although we've enjoyed the arrival of a delicatessen, vegan pizza restaurant and high street art gallery in our home town of Ryde, we couldn't have predicted the repurposing of an East Cowes car showroom into hipster central. All power to their inked elbows.

Hopefully this model will inspire others across the Island. Does the Isle of Wight need more out-of-town big box retail, or should it facilitate pockets of agile local enterprises like ComiCoffee and its neighbours? Time to wake up and smell the coffee.

Matt & Cat's bill:

Sidekick shake £3.95

Earl Grey tea £2.70

Salami panini £5.60

Mixed berry waffle £8.25

Doughnut £2.50

Total: £23.

RATING: Three stars — a decent place that we'd recommend.

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