As a child, did you ever read those storybooks about fairy-folk who lived in towns built under hills and rocks and various other camouflaged bits of landscape? Mavis and Co is a bit like this.

The bleak-looking grey brick building, wedged between a video store and an accounting firm, suddenly transforms upon entry into a magical realm of cakes and coffee and small children fighting over caramelised onion and feta scones. It's also startlingly spacious inside, like one of those Harry Potter tents.

We manage to find an empty table amidst the hubbub. There are at least five staff members working out front this Saturday morning, and all of them are off their feet, but friendly as they can be in the mildly chaotic environment. We are even presented with complementary tasters of the apricot and almond oat cakes, which taste like muesli bars.

Nick orders the smoked fish hash with watercress, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce ($21). It's beautiful when it arrives, and the smoked fish cakes are generously sized, but it's a little under-seasoned and Nick douses it with salt and pepper.

My fruit toast comes with ricotta, medjool dates, jam and honey ($12). Aside from the fact that the ricotta appears to be home-made, which is lovely, this dish is essentially a waste of money. The toast is extremely dry and the "dates," which were the main reason I bought the item, are simply slivers of a single date used as a garnish. This, however, is our only disappointment of the morning.

Mavis and Co uses Caffe L'Affare, roasted in Wellington, and it's deliciously prepared. I order two long blacks ($3.70 each) because one isn't enough.

The real reason to stop in at this charming little eatery, though, is the unbelievable cabinet selection. A cheesy scone stuffed with feta and onions, a sticky pecan cinnamon bun and a velvety custard square made it home with us, though I have ambitions regarding a certain rolled baklava, billowy chocolate meringues, colourful salads, espresso éclairs...

Anyway, this is the place to go for coffee and cake. The cooked menu is nice, but nothing better or worse than you can get anywhere else. Yet the baker at Mavis and Co is almost certainly of magical blood, for there are spells being cast in that pastry cabinet. 

3 1/2 twinkling stars