Campfire (Baked) Eggs
(chorizo, bacon, butter beans, chilli, parmesan, napoli)
★★☆☆☆
Roast Salmon and Quinoa Salad
(avocado, snow peas, rocket, saffron and elderflower vinaigrette)
★★☆☆☆
Overall:
A charming unpretentious cafe where the staff were lovely and provided great service. The menu was limited compared to many other cafes (which is perfectly fine), however the dishes we sampled were merely average which was a shame.
The Peddler Cafe
295b Springfield Rd, Nunawading, VIC
(03) 9877 4381
Thick cut bacon with gruyere cheese potato cake, poached eggs, beetroot relish, rocket, chipotle mayo
The thick cut bacon was delicious and had a lovely hint of sweetness. If only there had been more of it!
★★★★☆
Corn, black bean and smoked mozzarella tortilla with chipotle lime creme fraiche, fried eggs and pork belly
I would have preferred less beans however the pork belly was quite enjoyable.
★★★☆☆
Caramelised tiramisu french toast with espresso mascarpone, poached plums and a cocoa nib, cinnamon and nut dukkah
The sugar crust on the french toast was a nice touch, while the espresso mascarpone and poached plums made for an interestingly delightful combination of flavours.
★★★★☆
Chai latte
★★★★☆
Overall:
Great food, average service, definite hipster vibe.
Wide Open Road
274 Barkly St, Brunswick, VIC
(03) 9387 6079
House made grilled cured salmon – served with yuzu cucumber, salad, red onion, strawberries, blueberries, poached egg and toasted mulitgrain bread
Apart from the overly sweet salad, I really enjoyed this dish. The salmon was well cooked and the egg perfectly poached.
★★★☆☆
Pork belly potato hash – potato hash, sliced pork belly, enoki, shimeji mushrooms, capsicum, poached egg, creamy sesame sauce
Drowning in creamy sauce, this ordinary dish was extremely heavy and difficult to finish.
★★☆☆☆
Lamb burger – tzatziki, beetroot relish and cheddar cheese served with chips
Average burger, bland chips.
★★☆☆☆
Iced Hummingbird chai latte
★★☆☆☆
Overall:
Korean fusion at a place with a French name. Although the service was good, the food was sadly nothing out of the ordinary.
Le Miel Et La Lune
330 Cardigan St, Carlton, VIC
(03) 9043 9767
Wood Fired Salmon
Torn wood fired smoked salmon, caramelised onion, minted pea and caper frittata, rocket, avocado and tomato corn salsa, poached egg
Ample salmon, fresh ingredients and a perfectly poached egg made up this colourful dish.
★★★☆☆
Milawa Chicken
Poached Milawa free range chicken breast, organic soba noodle salad, nori sesame dressing
The chicken was slightly dry but overall this dish was light, fresh and very filling.
★★★☆☆
Orange, Watermelon and Apple Juice
★★★★☆
Iced Chocolate
★★★★☆
Overall:
A cheery comfortable cafe with flavoursome food and a newly revamped food menu. There wasn’t a drinks menu when we visited however the usual range of drinks were available along with a variety of juices that you can mix and match yourself. Service was friendly however we did have to wait a long time for our food to arrive (during a non busy period), so perhaps there are still some kinks in the kitchen that need to be worked out.
Scarvelli Cafe
143 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn, VIC
(03) 9816 8887
*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Scarvelli Cafe.
Stack It Up
Veggie fritter, spinach, smoked trout, avocado, poached egg, homemade hollandaise
★★☆☆☆
French Kiss
French toast, fresh strawberries, strawberry coulis, vanilla ice cream
★★☆☆☆
Overall:
Portions were generous however the food we sampled was nothing out of the ordinary. The atmosphere was relaxed and the service was average. What’s great about this place however is that $1 from every meal is donated to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Friends of Ours
1097 Mount Alexander Rd, Essendon, VIC
(03) 9374 2610
http://www.friendsofours.com.au/
Slow Cooked Honey and BBQ Pork Ribs with Apple, Cabbage and Coriander Slaw, Sesame and Lime
Tender fall-off-the-bones ribs with a disappointingly average sauce.
★★★☆☆
Breaky Board – Dukkah Poached Egg on Pumpkin Loaf with Hummus and Smashed Avocado, Muesli with Berry Yoghurt and Seasonal Fruit, Small OJ
I love menu options that allow you to have a little bit of this and a little bit of that. And of course it’s even better when everything tastes great, like it did here!
★★★★☆
Overall:
Tall Timber is a popular cafe that offers great food and friendly service within a bright and comfortable space. Menu options are unique and delicious-sounding and I can easily see why this place is a favourite for so many people.
Tall Timber
60 Commercial Rd, Prahran, VIC
(03) 9510 4111
Potato hash, double smoked bacon, poached egg, asparagus, bagna cauda (Italian sauce of anchovies and cream)
The shredded hash brown was wonderfully crispy and tasted fantastic with the bold bagna cauda and the warm golden yolk from the poached egg.
★★★★☆
Cotechino pork sausage, roasted mushrooms, poached egg, charred onion, zeally bay sourdough
This dish has definitely made me a fan of cotechino!
★★★★☆
Mork Hot Chocolate served with unrefined coconut blossom sugar
Not the best latte art in the world however the drink itself was rich and comforting.
★★★☆☆
Overall:
Proud Mary is a place that I can always count on for a great experience. The food is delicious and filling, the service quick and friendly, and the atmosphere very laid back. Waiting times can be quite long during the weekend so these days I prefer to avoid the crowds and visit on a weekday.
Proud Mary
172 Oxford St, Collingwood, VIC
(03) 9417 5930
http://www.proudmarycoffee.com.au/
Dukkah poached eggs served with roast pumpkin, spinach and goats cheese
Tasty, wholesome, and very filling.
★★★☆☆
Corn and zucchini fritters served with poached eggs, homemade guacamole and tomato relish
These fritters were a bit burnt and woeful looking, and were unfortunately nothing out of the ordinary.
★★☆☆☆
Berry Sensation Smoothie
(strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, apple, low fat yogurt, ice)
★★★☆☆
Banana Bomb Smoothie
(banana, honey, skim milk, vanilla yogurt)
★★★☆☆
Overall:
Located in a quiet shadowy corner within the bustling Showgrounds Village, Rye Cafe is often overlooked by many people passing by. However new owners Alanna and Eddie are in the midst of a revamp, so it won’t be long before we see a new and improved Rye Cafe that will undoubtably be noticed by all.
Rye Cafe
320 Epsom Road, Flemington, VIC
(03) 9376 3863
*Disclaimer: I dined as a guest of Rye Cafe.
Granola
House made coconut yogurt, fresh strawberry and orange, cinnamon, dried cranberries, raisins and apricots
★★★☆☆
Addict’s Pulled Pork Burger
12 hour cooked pork shoulder, slaw, jalapeños, gochujang mayo, salt and vinegar chips
★★★★☆
Grilled Cheese Kransky Big Breakfast
Bacon, fried egg, mushroom, smoked confit tomato, spicy apple and tomato chutney, gluten free toast
★★☆☆☆
Dark Choc Fondant Pancake
Wild hibiscus, strawberry, cacao crumble, mascarpone
★★☆☆☆
Overall:
I had a lovely experience but the food, service and atmosphere were nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps my expectations were set too high after reading so many glowing reviews about this place. Or perhaps we ordered the wrong dishes. Or perhaps we came on an off day. Perhaps perhaps perhaps!
Addict Food and Coffee
240 Johnston St, Fitzroy, VIC
(03) 9415 6420
Lobster donut burger, green mango and papaya slaw, cucumber jam, siracha kimpi mayo, salt and pepper
Talk about popular! Everywhere I turned, someone had a lobster burger sitting in front of them. And for good reason. The lobster was sweet and light, while the slaw and the sauces were perfect accompaniments. The only thing that spoiled this burger for me though was the donut bun. There was a lot of sugar on the already sweet bun, and each bite kind of confused my taste buds. I have nothing against mixing sweet and savoury but this burger just didn’t do it for me. Give me brioche any day!
★★★☆☆
Potato and goats cheese gnocchi, tomato and mint sauce, black cumin yogurt
Soggy gnocchi, sharp-tasting sauce, small portion size.
★★☆☆☆
Golden Gaytime panna cotta, honey comb, sablé biscuit, chocolate covered popping candy
The panna cotta had set a little bit too firm however it still tasted terrific.
★★★☆☆
Chai latte
★★☆☆☆
Soy latte
★★★☆☆
Overall:
This bright friendly place attracts quite a crowd with their inventive menu, attentive service and good coffee. So avoid peak times or expect a bit of a wait.
Mammoth
736 Malvern Rd, Armadale, VIC
(03) 9824 5239
DAMMIT JANET I LOVE FOOD 