It seemed a little at odds with the elegant space. Music played over the speakers, bordering on hip hop. The eatery was air conditioned to a pleasantly cool temperature, which was nice as it was warm outside. We placed our order at the counter, which also had some pastries under a display glass, for those who might want something lighter to just accompany a coffee, then returned to the table to await our food. We had seen many photos of the Beef Tataki Bowl and were leaning towards that, but eventually decided to have the Pork Benny (it came with a waffle) and the Wild Mushroom Gnocchi. Quite a few had Asian flavour notes, particularly with Japanese and Korean influences, like the omurice and bulgogi. There were many dish options that looked appealing, despite the typos. The menus had food items listed on one side, and drinks on the other. We were told that we could sit at any available table, and should return to the counter when we were ready to order.
We approached the service counter, and were given menus by staff, and a laminated sheet with a QR code to sign in. A modified version of Michaelangelo’s classic. There were some injections of colour though, from the teal cushions topping the bench seats that ran along the outer arc of the space, and the mural at the far corner of the space that was a take on Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam, with the modification of the pouring of a cup of coffee (a latte or flat white?) being the point of connection between God and Adam. Quite a neutral colour palette was used overall, the grey and tan tones offset by the near-black colours of the tables, wishbone chairs, and sections of the ceiling. The light tiled floors had a slightly marbled effect, as did the tiles laid out in a herringbone pattern across the front of the service counter. It was actually reminiscent of a hotel lobby, with the long counter, high ceiling, and feature lighting running along the counter. It had a modern look, with the service counter taking up a prominent position in the space. There were also a large gold H and G on the glass door leading in, reminding us of Melbourne’s Higher Ground (also church-related). They were a little hard to see unless you caught them at just the right angle though, due to the reflective surfaces and lack of contrast. Large gold letters spelled out “Halo Ground” on the glass fronting the eatery. (Hallowed Grounds was already the name of a cafe in Mount Gravatt, so that was probably off the table.) The outside of Halo Ground as you come to it from the street entrance. It is located on the ground floor of a commercial office building, across the road from the Holy Trinity Church, and next to a former Methodist Church, the likely references which give Halo Ground its name. We managed to make it there one weekday though, and after eventually conquering the challenge of finding parking, made our way to the eatery. We had thought about visiting Halo Ground a number of times, but timing was a challenge, as you have to get to Fortitude Valley before their relatively early closing time of midday on weekdays, and they are not open on Sundays.