eggswithsides

The European

Some Sundays brunch at ‘the local’ just doesn’t do the trick. Kitsch mismatched crockery and linoleum decor have their place, but some occasions call for something a little more la-di-da. One such occasion is the engagement of two brunching connoisseurs of this very blog, whose refined palates for eggswithsides called for a celebratory brekky somewhere a little special. The European was the perfect location for such an event. 

The star of Spring St, The European is one of the CBD’s best breakfast haunts and with hordes of swanky tourists, Parliament politicos and other Paris-end types clamouring for a seat, getting a table can be a little tricky. Fortunately, The European’s boozy sister next door, City Wine Shop, will happily serve up a latte while you wait. 

Classic culinary fare is the order of the day - no gluten/dairy/fun-free polenta concoctions or fritter frenzies here. Instead, croque monsieurs and crispy bacon sides are all perfectly complemented by the french champagne our festive feast required. Indulgent eggs atlantic and benedict had lashings of rich hollandaise that was a buttery delight (even if a post-poached nap was required to recover from it after!). The goats cheese omelette is another delectable European treat of note. Quality and class all the way.

The meal was certainly enhanced by the bubbly, and whilst not a venue for those on a budget, it’s a luxury to be a little lavish, now and then. With swanky interiors, or street-side dining whilst spying on the bridal parties posing for pics at Parliament House, The European is the perfect spot for fancy breakfast dining.

The Brew: 7

The Grub: 8

The Mood: 9

The European on Urbanspoon

Seven Seeds

Carlton’s Seven Seeds may well be the Tony Soprano of Melbourne coffee haunts. The patriarch of one of the city’s most well-known espresso families (it’s younger siblings being Fitzroy’s De Clieu and the CBD’s famed Brother Baba Budan), it is renowned amongst its rival cafe mafia types (think of the St Ali’s posse and the like) for its superlative brew and effortlessly cool vibe.

And whilst it’s true that it may be the Godfather of the Coffee Bean, its breakfast options leave a little to be lusted for. It’s not that the quality of dishes is lacking - far from it; the heirloom tomatoes with feta, avocado and sauce vierge were bursting with top-notch produce - it’s that the options on offer are simply too limited. The absence of eggs with sides is not the worry, but the failure to adequately compensate for this omission leaves the diner scanning the menu in mild disappointment. This is not a locale where you will despair over which dish to commit to - it’ll be the granola, the french toast, the egg and bacon bagel or the smoked salmon with asparagus. All terrifically tasty but hardly an extensive list. Yet for those who are very decisive when it comes to avoiding decisions, it might just hit the spot. 

The truly awe-inspiring tricks for which Seven Seeds deservedly earns its stripes as ‘The Boss’ are the lure of its public cupping sessions (on Thursday and Saturday mornings) and the on-site roastery housed within its mammoth warehouse space. The mix of solo and communal tables, with bikes irreverently mounted on the walls and flawless details from the light fittings down to the KeepCups for sale, is what makes Seven Seeds such a pleasure to loiter in for a couple of hours. As a breakfast venue it’s a little below par, but for an afternoon coffee and cake pitstop, it’s sure to keep intimidating its foes for a long time to come. 

The Brew: 7

The Grub: 8

The Mood: 9

Seven Seeds on Urbanspoon

This one’s a lil different. One doesn’t think to venture to the CBD for a good breakfast, but Hoboken on Hosier Lane is as appetizing as it is kitsch. Here you’ll find a weird cross section of the Melbourne breakfast clientele: revellers from the night before, artistes on their way to something at ACMI or Fed Square and backpackers who haven’t yet ventured OUT of the CBD. It’s not your usual eggs with sides hang out. It’s more limited but more targeted than that. You have an array of gourmet toasties to choose from — which accounts for most of their menu, as well as some other offerings mainly containing beans. I had the mushroom toastie, which had nice notes of garlic, lemon and thyme — classic partners to mushrooms. I must also mention the very very understanding wait staff who enthusiastically cleaned up my large orange juice spill and even remade my toastie which had become soggy as anything! And at no extra charge! I left grateful… if not a little embarrassed. The Brew: 7.5 The Grub: 7.5 The Mood: 8

This one’s a lil different. One doesn’t think to venture to the CBD for a good breakfast, but Hoboken on Hosier Lane is as appetizing as it is kitsch.

Here you’ll find a weird cross section of the Melbourne breakfast clientele: revellers from the night before, artistes on their way to something at ACMI or Fed Square and backpackers who haven’t yet ventured OUT of the CBD.

It’s not your usual eggs with sides hang out. It’s more limited but more targeted than that.

You have an array of gourmet toasties to choose from — which accounts for most of their menu, as well as some other offerings mainly containing beans.

I had the mushroom toastie, which had nice notes of garlic, lemon and thyme — classic partners to mushrooms.

I must also mention the very very understanding wait staff who enthusiastically cleaned up my large orange juice spill and even remade my toastie which had become soggy as anything! And at no extra charge!

I left grateful… if not a little embarrassed.

The Brew: 7.5

The Grub: 7.5

The Mood: 8

Hoboken Cafe on Urbanspoon

Manchester Press

Raved-about haunts in Melbourne’s CBD must strictly adhere to five cardinal rules:

1. Faultless coffee

2. Fresh, flavoursome produce with a unique twist

3. Edgy warehouse space 

4. Hipster waitstaff that are friendly enough, but often too distracted by adjusting their blunt fringes in the reflection of a latte glass to remember to take your order

5. Hidden location buried down the back of a trash-laden alleyway. 

Manchester Press follows this formula religiously, and as its city crowd fanbase will attest, its a sure-fire recipe for cafe success.

The menu is comprised primarily of varying bagel options. Choose from wholegrain, plain, poppy or sesame and a topping of chorizo, smoked salmon or a good old BLAT. We couldn’t go past the avocado, feta, tomato and pine-nuts version and it seriously hit the spot. If you’re not in the mood for a bagel brekky, you may find yourself disappointed though. The baked eggs we were lusting after vanish from the menu come 12pm sharp. So get in quick if you don’t feel like lunch cuisine. 

The Press also boasts coffee that’s a serious contender for the Best. In. Town. It’s strong and rich, and topped with quirky coffee art that makes the taste just that much dreamier. The layout is spacious and airy, and whilst it’s perennially buzzing it never feels overcrowded. 

Melbourne street-cred is directly linked to how many hip laneway locales one counts themselves as a regular at. Get in the loop and head to Manchester Press for a quintessential CBD treat. 

The Brew: 9.5

The Grub: 8

The Mood: 8.5

Manchester Press on Urbanspoon

Robyn’s Nest | St Kilda

I have had the pleasure of witnessing Robyn’s Nest slowly, but surely, flourish into a cosy haven of its own. Upon entering, one is instantly met with a warm energy, partly because of the friendly staff, but also the care which they have taken to decorate and dress the venue. Industrial drop lights, with paperback penguin classics hang from the ceiling. Bold striped wall-paper adorns the walls and makes you crave white wine sangria. Seating arrangements include indoor dining for anywhere between 2 and 8 people, in addition to a curb-side bar with high-stools- where attractive customers are perched (perhaps in a bid to coax new patrons).

 

‘I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel’

- Maya Angelou

The menu, in its early form was simple, tasty and very affordable (rest assured it’s still kind on the hip pocket). With time, the food has really come into its own- offering a wonderful variety of brekky/brunch options- which somehow magically appear from the cubby house kitchen built for one.

Our selection for the day: Sweet Potato hash with wilted spinach, grilled mushrooms, poached eggs, haloumi and tomato relish. The combination of flavours was really beautiful, with the hash making a delightful alternative to a bread heavy breakfast (pet peeve). The grilled mushrooms were possibly the best I’ve ever had. Other picks on the menu are the corn fritters with crispy bacon and the french toast with poached pear, marscapone and heavenly toppings.

 

The coffee on offer is a house blend, which is very nice indeed. The coffee is highly dependable- they generally use the one barista, which ensures greater quality control. Coffee making is a craft, an art-form and I’m pleased they take it seriously.

Probably the best aspect of the Nest is the genuine sense of community that has developed since its inception.

Robyn’s Nest ranks number one on my current St Kilda breakfast retreat list. Take a friend, or your Mother, or host a brekky reunion whilst you revel in the delight of this little sanctuary.

The Brew: 7.5

The Grub: 8

The Mood: 8

Robyn's Nest on Urbanspoon

The Bell Jar

‘So I began to think maybe it was true that when you were married and had children it was like being brainwashed, and afterward you went about as numb as a slave in a totalitarian state.’  

-Sylvia Plath | The Bell Jar | Chapter 7


A little further north - beyond the central buzz of Smith Street Brunswick, a hop skip and jump past the fashion warehouse outlets, beneath a sweet iron awning resides the very popular Bell Jar.

A beautiful tiered layout encapsulates rustic quirks and homely warmth to make for a lovely private dining experience. Cement floors buffed just enough to maintain the residue of paint layers from years gone by. Each piece of furniture thoughtfully selected and integrated to etch an eclectic history into the landscape of The Bell Jar’s aesthetic.

The staff are friendly, easygoing and very attentive. The atmosphere was largely informed by their efficiency, enabling customers to feel secure that all was in control. There is a feeling of genuine care for the customer’s experience here.

The menu is interesting and varied, with rotating specials and dependable stock choices - catering for the sweet and savory inclined.

The 90’s special with poached eggs, avocado and halloumi on multigrain bread and topped with pistachio dukkah / heavenly relish was very satisfying - as was the house beans with chorizo and Meredith goats fetta. Our only criticism was the density of the bread; when a bread (particularly a grain variety) requires focused and energetic mastication, it detracts from the pleasure of food consumption. Their flavour combinations were well considered and crafted - but lost impact due to the dominating bread. A thinner slice that showcases their produce would serve them well.

The outright winner from our selection was the corn fritters - namely the chipotle sauce, which added a new dimension to the standard fritter form. We might add that pricing was incredibly reasonable with most options floating around the $13 mark.

Coffee by 5 Senses: This is a lovely blend that is both rich and layered in its flavour. Given the busyness of the Jar on our day of attendance the coffee was good. Not mind-blowing, but highly satisfying nevertheless.

We would recommend maintaining a distance from the coffee machine - as each time the porta-filter was emptied, we braced for the orchestral clanging that ensued. The simple addition of some rubber or foam should see this muted to the right degree.

We really enjoyed The Bell Jar and highly recommend it for your next culinary adventure.

Truly delightful.

The Brew: 6.5

The Grub: 7

The Mood: 7.5

The Bell Jar on Urbanspoon

Here’s another dish this breakfast/brunch blogger has exceptionally high standards for: potato rostis. Why you ask? Well because more often than not in this volatile brunching landscape, one orders this off the menu and is invariably presented with a limp potato cake straight from the McCains freezer bag. So you can imagine my delight when the rostis at the Elwood Food and Wine Bar exceeded my expectations. The potato is delicately grated, not soggy in any way and scented with rosemary. You can see from the accompanying image… this is how a rosti should be! Hipster cafes of Melbourne, take note! The dish comes with roquette, Huon smoked salmon and poached eggs. The salmon is equally as satisfying, pre chopped for you and sprinkled with dill. The only quibble I had with the dish was the salsa verde, far too overpowering against all these delicate and complimentary flavours. It tasted like it had mint, basil, oil, lemon and a whole lot of other things in it. Thankfully it is on the side — and is only a very minor quibble. The down side to the Elwood Food and Wine Bar is the coffee, it’s nothing to write home about, but definitely something to blog about. It just doesn’t have any character or punch. It’s tepid and generic, something they ought to address. The decor is a bit coastal in its feel. If you can get over the fact that you feel like you’re in Surfers Paradise, the Elwood Food and Wine Bar is one worth visiting when you’re in… Elwood. Just have a coffee somewhere else beforehand. The Brew: 4 The Grub: 8 The Mood: 6.75 

Here’s another dish this breakfast/brunch blogger has exceptionally high standards for: potato rostis. Why you ask? Well because more often than not in this volatile brunching landscape, one orders this off the menu and is invariably presented with a limp potato cake straight from the McCains freezer bag. So you can imagine my delight when the rostis at the Elwood Food and Wine Bar exceeded my expectations. The potato is delicately grated, not soggy in any way and scented with rosemary. You can see from the accompanying image… this is how a rosti should be! Hipster cafes of Melbourne, take note!

The dish comes with roquette, Huon smoked salmon and poached eggs. The salmon is equally as satisfying, pre chopped for you and sprinkled with dill. The only quibble I had with the dish was the salsa verde, far too overpowering against all these delicate and complimentary flavours. It tasted like it had mint, basil, oil, lemon and a whole lot of other things in it. Thankfully it is on the side — and is only a very minor quibble.

The down side to the Elwood Food and Wine Bar is the coffee, it’s nothing to write home about, but definitely something to blog about. It just doesn’t have any character or punch. It’s tepid and generic, something they ought to address.

The decor is a bit coastal in its feel. If you can get over the fact that you feel like you’re in Surfers Paradise, the Elwood Food and Wine Bar is one worth visiting when you’re in… Elwood. Just have a coffee somewhere else beforehand.

The Brew: 4

The Grub: 8

The Mood: 6.75 

Elwood Food and Wine on Urbanspoon

Given that it regularly ranks amongst Melbourne’s top 5 brekkies, eggswithsides has been a little remiss in not reviewing Duchess of Spotswood sooner. It’s not that we haven’t had every intention of doing so, it’s just that sampling the Duchess’ royal goodies involves crossing a bridge that south and northsiders alike are loathe to do. Yes, going West(gate) may feel like venturing into the cultural unknown, but this culinary experience suggests it’s certainly worth the effort. Duchess boasts an impressively unique menu in the tradition of the full English gourmet breakfast. Whilst it might be a little scary to contemplate digesting crispy ox tongue with an accompanying deep fried smoked duck egg before midday, the dishes are delightful. My ‘Breakfast of Champignons’ - field mushrooms served on potato and barley hash with English stilton and poached eggs was rich but sensibly portioned to ensure it was satisfying, but not sickening. Our guest blogger similarly enjoyed his dish and the flavoursome spicy lamb sausages, which were quickly devoured. Next time we’ll have to try out the crispy pig’s jowl with truffle sauce (with a name like the ‘Duchess of Pork’ it’s sure to be special), and the scrambled eggs on a white anchovy fillet. Nothing run of the mill about the Duchess! The quaintness of the fit-out makes for a pleasant, and not too noisy, ambience. And the coffee is top-notch too. Go west and you’re likely to be wowed. The Brew: 8.5 The Grub: 9 The Mood: 8 

Given that it regularly ranks amongst Melbourne’s top 5 brekkies, eggswithsides has been a little remiss in not reviewing Duchess of Spotswood sooner. It’s not that we haven’t had every intention of doing so, it’s just that sampling the Duchess’ royal goodies involves crossing a bridge that south and northsiders alike are loathe to do. Yes, going West(gate) may feel like venturing into the cultural unknown, but this culinary experience suggests it’s certainly worth the effort.

Duchess boasts an impressively unique menu in the tradition of the full English gourmet breakfast. Whilst it might be a little scary to contemplate digesting crispy ox tongue with an accompanying deep fried smoked duck egg before midday, the dishes are delightful. My ‘Breakfast of Champignons’ - field mushrooms served on potato and barley hash with English stilton and poached eggs was rich but sensibly portioned to ensure it was satisfying, but not sickening. Our guest blogger similarly enjoyed his dish and the flavoursome spicy lamb sausages, which were quickly devoured. Next time we’ll have to try out the crispy pig’s jowl with truffle sauce (with a name like the ‘Duchess of Pork’ it’s sure to be special), and the scrambled eggs on a white anchovy fillet. Nothing run of the mill about the Duchess!

The quaintness of the fit-out makes for a pleasant, and not too noisy, ambience. And the coffee is top-notch too. Go west and you’re likely to be wowed.

The Brew: 8.5

The Grub: 9

The Mood: 8 

Duchess of Spotswood on Urbanspoon

Kotch Lane | St Kilda

Blink and you miss this cosy culinary treat. Located on Blessington St in St Kilda, Kotch Lane offers a warm atomosphere with eclectic, come industrial décor. A mish mash of printed china saucers, old styling lift top school desks for two and chalk board walls donned with the menu options make for a unique, homely experience.

The menu is ever changing and experimenting with new flavour combinations in a bid to stumble across a genius brekkie. We sampled a breakfast omelette with grilled zucchini, goats milk fetta, crisp bacon and chilli, choice two was poached eggs on rustic bread with a bean, tomato and herb salsa and choice three was polenta fritters with grilled mushrooms, pumpkin and mint mash and topped with Fresh shaved parmesan. All meals were very satisfying and reasonably priced: $13 - $19. I sincerely hope they continue to play with the menu, as it is a wonderful means of maintaining consumer interest.

The coffee blend that is used at Kotch Lane is provided by Melbourne based company ‘Rosso’. This imported bean hits all the right notes: Arabica beans, Rain Forest Alliance, Fairtrade and Organic certified farming communities. The barista did a wonderful job in honouring the beauty of this bean. Hats off.

Kotch Lance offers casual dining, which is somewhat removed from the hubbub of St Kilda proper. The service is friendly and relaxed. The only downfall is that KL can only accommodate a few patrons, maybe 20 at maximum.

Highly recommended for a quiet breakfast, lunch or coffee / muffin combo.

Definitely among the finest that St Kilda has on offer. 

The Brew: 8

The Grub: 7

The Mood: 7.5

Kotch Lane on Urbanspoon

Venturing to the Bayside suburb of Brighton for brunch is perhaps something you have never contemplated. Neither had we, until the irony of picturing our twenty something selves among a white sea of well kept bobs was too good to resist. All jokes aside, the Pantry demographic was rather varied; though their target crowd does seem to be young families. Nice touches like butchers paper table cloths accompanied by a tin of full colour crayons makes for easy entertainment (for adults and little ones alike) There isn’t a great deal in terms of selection on the menu- the choices available are all rather safe. That said, we must compliment the high quality of the produce they offer. The beautiful sourdough from ‘Victoria’s first organic bakery’ was a real treat. The simplicity in combining flavoursome, fresh ingredients, makes for a truly scrummy breakfast experience. The ambience of the venue is a little lacklustre, however the service is great. They run an incredibly tight ship. Efficient staff enabled our meals to arrive within 10 minutes of ordering. At the other end of this impressive spectrum sits the coffee. To begin with: La Vazza is not a quality coffee blend- it has no complexity in flavour nor a pleasant finish. Equally disappointing were the 3 coffees we ordered: I tasted each of them and the difference between a regular, strong and soy latte was marked. They ranged from burnt to bitter, then tepid in flavour. Pantry hosts regular Masterclass Cooking Demonstrations with a line up of world class chefs- I strongly recommend checking out their website for upcoming events. The business has also expanded in recent years to incorporate a deli, which boasts some of the aforementioned beautiful produce. Generally, a pleasant experience was had by all- but if Pantry can follow their own instinct to diversify as a business, they would do well to seek out a new coffee blend to balance the consumption quality of food and beverage alike. The Brew: 5 The Grub: 8 The Mood: 6.5

Venturing to the Bayside suburb of Brighton for brunch is perhaps something you have never contemplated. Neither had we, until the irony of picturing our twenty something selves among a white sea of well kept bobs was too good to resist.

All jokes aside, the Pantry demographic was rather varied; though their target crowd does seem to be young families. Nice touches like butchers paper table cloths accompanied by a tin of full colour crayons makes for easy entertainment (for adults and little ones alike)

There isn’t a great deal in terms of selection on the menu- the choices available are all rather safe. That said, we must compliment the high quality of the produce they offer. The beautiful sourdough from ‘Victoria’s first organic bakery’ was a real treat. The simplicity in combining flavoursome, fresh ingredients, makes for a truly scrummy breakfast experience.

The ambience of the venue is a little lacklustre, however the service is great. They run an incredibly tight ship. Efficient staff enabled our meals to arrive within 10 minutes of ordering. At the other end of this impressive spectrum sits the coffee. To begin with: La Vazza is not a quality coffee blend- it has no complexity in flavour nor a pleasant finish. Equally disappointing were the 3 coffees we ordered: I tasted each of them and the difference between a regular, strong and soy latte was marked. They ranged from burnt to bitter, then tepid in flavour.

Pantry hosts regular Masterclass Cooking Demonstrations with a line up of world class chefs- I strongly recommend checking out their website for upcoming events.

The business has also expanded in recent years to incorporate a deli, which boasts some of the aforementioned beautiful produce.

Generally, a pleasant experience was had by all- but if Pantry can follow their own instinct to diversify as a business, they would do well to seek out a new coffee blend to balance the consumption quality of food and beverage alike.

The Brew: 5

The Grub: 8

The Mood: 6.5

Pantry on Urbanspoon

Our visit to Northcote’s Red Door Corner Store provided a rare Melbourne breakfast treat - no table wait. To simply saunter into a cute cafe in hipster-ville without first purging your dignity standing hungrily in a single file line curled along the curb feels like star treatment. We were off to a good start.  Perhaps it’s the quiet locale on the residential strip of Mitchell St that keeps Red Door tucked away from the crowds. It’s a low-key place, with zero bump-in factor and plenty of room to spread out the weekend papers. The service was a little overzealous, if anything. Repeated enquiries asking if we were ready to order became a somewhat irritating, but I suppose it’s better than being ignored by some hungover bearded barista. The menu has some nice points of difference - a hard task in an increasingly gourmet breakfast culture. The creamed corn with paprika oil was certainly something we hadn’t seen before and received high praise. The smoked salmon and potato rosti was accompanied by horseradish creme - flavoursome, but a little too rich. The grilled semolina with portobello mushrooms was another unusual addition and whilst highly anticipated, proved solid but a tad disappointing.  Red Door Corner Store doesn’t have the intrigue that makes you long to cross town just to sample the eggs, but it’s good for the locals. If Northcote’s your regular stomping ground, be sure to give it a try. The Brew: 7 The Grub: 7 The Mood: 7.5

Our visit to Northcote’s Red Door Corner Store provided a rare Melbourne breakfast treat - no table wait. To simply saunter into a cute cafe in hipster-ville without first purging your dignity standing hungrily in a single file line curled along the curb feels like star treatment. We were off to a good start. 

Perhaps it’s the quiet locale on the residential strip of Mitchell St that keeps Red Door tucked away from the crowds. It’s a low-key place, with zero bump-in factor and plenty of room to spread out the weekend papers. The service was a little overzealous, if anything. Repeated enquiries asking if we were ready to order became a somewhat irritating, but I suppose it’s better than being ignored by some hungover bearded barista.

The menu has some nice points of difference - a hard task in an increasingly gourmet breakfast culture. The creamed corn with paprika oil was certainly something we hadn’t seen before and received high praise. The smoked salmon and potato rosti was accompanied by horseradish creme - flavoursome, but a little too rich. The grilled semolina with portobello mushrooms was another unusual addition and whilst highly anticipated, proved solid but a tad disappointing. 

Red Door Corner Store doesn’t have the intrigue that makes you long to cross town just to sample the eggs, but it’s good for the locals. If Northcote’s your regular stomping ground, be sure to give it a try.

The Brew: 7

The Grub: 7

The Mood: 7.5

Red Door Corner Store on Urbanspoon

Batch in East St Kilda has been a stalwart of the Carlisle St brunching strip for quite a few years now. And for good reason… those Kiwis were onto something from the beginning. Brunch-goers far and wide flock to sample their much adored and famed avocado and feta mash, with its subtle hint of olive oil, lemon and mint.  Having sampled this dish several times, I decided to go for the corn fritters with feta, tomato and avocado salsa. I’m normally reticent about ordering corn fritters anywhere, as my standards for this particular dish are very very high. I like a high corn to batter/flour ratio, and most cafes just don’t measure up in this way. Batch does a good job in this regard, though the dish needed something to bridge the fritters together with the salsa. My brunching confidante had poached eggs with avocado and feta (seriously, this cafe should come to be known colloquially as Avocado and Feta), and though she said the mash was oversalted, she was pretty satisfied. The coffee here is good, not great. Solid.  As we’ve been on a brunch hiatus over the new year period, we regretfully forgot to photograph our dishes, so in honour of Batch’s predilection for avos, here’s a photo of one just for you.  The Brew: 7 The Grub: 7.5 The Mood: 7

Batch in East St Kilda has been a stalwart of the Carlisle St brunching strip for quite a few years now. And for good reason… those Kiwis were onto something from the beginning. Brunch-goers far and wide flock to sample their much adored and famed avocado and feta mash, with its subtle hint of olive oil, lemon and mint. 

Having sampled this dish several times, I decided to go for the corn fritters with feta, tomato and avocado salsa. I’m normally reticent about ordering corn fritters anywhere, as my standards for this particular dish are very very high. I like a high corn to batter/flour ratio, and most cafes just don’t measure up in this way. Batch does a good job in this regard, though the dish needed something to bridge the fritters together with the salsa.

My brunching confidante had poached eggs with avocado and feta (seriously, this cafe should come to be known colloquially as Avocado and Feta), and though she said the mash was oversalted, she was pretty satisfied.

The coffee here is good, not great. Solid. 

As we’ve been on a brunch hiatus over the new year period, we regretfully forgot to photograph our dishes, so in honour of Batch’s predilection for avos, here’s a photo of one just for you. 

The Brew: 7

The Grub: 7.5

The Mood: 7

Batch Espresso on Urbanspoon

Something a little strange happened upon brunching at Monk Bodhi Dharma. This was a return visit, our initial review attempt having been thwarted by the accidental deletion of our photographs. Unfazed, we were to happy to breakfast there again, our first experience having been so positive that we ordered the exact same thing second time around. But on this occasion, in the harsh light of Carlisle Street day, the shiny café veneer had started to scratch off.

Sure, it’s still a welcome treat to have a backstreet, North-style, vegan friendly, pop up café hidden unassumingly behind the Safeway carpark. A reprieve from the ‘see and be seen’ places nearby, Monk is a good hiding spot. There’s limited seating though, and a high bump-in factor around the communal table.

The menu is interesting and unusual, but the rich, heavy dishes were what proved to be our undoing on this second try. The Umami mushrooms are delicious on first bite, but by the end of the dish, the pumpkin polenta they are served with starts to overwhelm. Likewise, the Madagascan French toast with poached pear and lemon ricotta starts as a sweet treat but soon turns sickly. These plates would definitely benefit from lighter flavour combinations. Next time, we’ll try some of the simpler fare.

Be warned too – Monk is fully vegetarian and doesn’t offer eggs. 

The Brew: 7

The Grub: 7.5

The Mood: 8

Monk Bodhi Dharma on Urbanspoon

Suburban locals have perks that the hotspots of Gertrude and Chapel streets can only wish for. No table waits, spacious layouts and all-important peace and quiet. A casual spot like East St Kilda’s Little Captain has lots more in it’s favour too. Its sunny courtyard borders a lush park, there’s plentiful parking, and you can happily set up shop here for hours without fear of some impatient hipster waitress trying to clear your table for the next customer. The food’s pretty good too - and damn cheap. Basic eggs with sides combos at $10ish a pop. The fetta and avocado mash was simple and tasty, the roasted tomatoes lending it a rich flavour. The coffee is decent too. If you’re a southsider, make sure to check out Little Captain when you’re in the mood to bypass weekend cafe chaos. It’s kid and dog friendly too. The Brew: 7 The Grub: 7.5 (price to quality ratio considered) The Mood: 8

Suburban locals have perks that the hotspots of Gertrude and Chapel streets can only wish for. No table waits, spacious layouts and all-important peace and quiet. A casual spot like East St Kilda’s Little Captain has lots more in it’s favour too. Its sunny courtyard borders a lush park, there’s plentiful parking, and you can happily set up shop here for hours without fear of some impatient hipster waitress trying to clear your table for the next customer.

The food’s pretty good too - and damn cheap. Basic eggs with sides combos at $10ish a pop. The fetta and avocado mash was simple and tasty, the roasted tomatoes lending it a rich flavour. The coffee is decent too.

If you’re a southsider, make sure to check out Little Captain when you’re in the mood to bypass weekend cafe chaos. It’s kid and dog friendly too.

The Brew: 7

The Grub: 7.5 (price to quality ratio considered)

The Mood: 8

Little Captain on Urbanspoon

There’s something a little strange about venturing to a typically hip Gen Y cafe that happens to be smack-bang in the middle of St Kilda’s red light district. The latte-sipping inside is a world apart from the antics occurring on the street outside. Somehow this discomfort lingers at Dr Jekyll, mainly because this brunch spot is just trying so very hard to be cool. Don’t get me wrong, it has all the elements of a very trendy place indeed, but there’s an over-eager vibe that somehow makes it feel like your breakfast is arriving served with a side of anxiety.  There are charming touches though - the bright courtyard out the back has fleece blankets for diners to wrap themselves in if it gets a little nippy. This kind of detail gets big brownie points for thoughtfulness. The interior is a good size too, and with quick and attentive service the table-waits aren’t too long. The trade-off, of course, is that there is a high bump-in factor with so many small tables cramped in side by side. As for the food, it is definitely quality produce and widely appealing. The homemade baked beans were rich and flavoursome and nicely balanced by the chunk of accompanying goats fetta and poached egg perched on top. My brunch buddy’s mushroom, spinach, asparagus and parmesan eggs was also a hit. Dr Jekyll is a good cafe. It’s somewhere that you’re unlikely to have a bad experience and this consistency makes it an ideal catch-up social spot. The Brew: 7.5 The Grub: 8 The Mood: 7.5

There’s something a little strange about venturing to a typically hip Gen Y cafe that happens to be smack-bang in the middle of St Kilda’s red light district. The latte-sipping inside is a world apart from the antics occurring on the street outside. Somehow this discomfort lingers at Dr Jekyll, mainly because this brunch spot is just trying so very hard to be cool. Don’t get me wrong, it has all the elements of a very trendy place indeed, but there’s an over-eager vibe that somehow makes it feel like your breakfast is arriving served with a side of anxiety. 

There are charming touches though - the bright courtyard out the back has fleece blankets for diners to wrap themselves in if it gets a little nippy. This kind of detail gets big brownie points for thoughtfulness. The interior is a good size too, and with quick and attentive service the table-waits aren’t too long. The trade-off, of course, is that there is a high bump-in factor with so many small tables cramped in side by side.

As for the food, it is definitely quality produce and widely appealing. The homemade baked beans were rich and flavoursome and nicely balanced by the chunk of accompanying goats fetta and poached egg perched on top. My brunch buddy’s mushroom, spinach, asparagus and parmesan eggs was also a hit.

Dr Jekyll is a good cafe. It’s somewhere that you’re unlikely to have a bad experience and this consistency makes it an ideal catch-up social spot.

The Brew: 7.5

The Grub: 8

The Mood: 7.5

Dr Jekyll on Urbanspoon