Tag Archives: breakfast

Sayers Sister @ Northbridge

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

There’s a cafe my family and I have been frequenting since the start of this year for our Sunday breakfast sessions. Food we eat for breakfast can either make or break our day…in my case anyway.

This new find is none other than my other favourite breakfast spot’s (Sayers @ Leederville) sister cafe; hence the name Sayers Sister. I personally find Sayers Sister to be better in terms of space and ambiance. Both cafes have a similar trend when it comes to their food.

What I love about this cafe – it’s very open, rustic, and charming. I particularly like the communal table in the middle of the cafe with jars of lollies.

Sayers Sister: communal table

In addition to just wanting to come sit in the cafe and enjoy a cuppa my family and I most definitely come here for the food too.

Some items in the menu change from time to time but our breakfast favourites include:

Corned beef hash, fried eggs, sour tomato dressing, parsley and red onion salad. Corned beef mixed through the potatoes made even more delicious by the tomato dressing.

Sayers Sister: corned beef hash

Baked omelette with spec. Lots of eggs, lots of spec. The omelette is always light and fluffy and quite light on the seasoning, which is good because the spec adds the saltiness.

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Potato rosti, bramley apple & thyme chutney, poached eggs, bacon & rocket leaf. Another potato dish that will leave you happy and full.

Sayers Sister: potato rosti

Saffron brioche french toast with gravilax. I haven’t had a 100% savoury kind of french toast before (the most I’ve had was french toast with a side of bacon) so this is a nice surprise. Brioche was buttery and the Gravilax added a nice depth to the lightness of the french toast.

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Spinach, ricotta, and pinenut crepe, poached egg, white wine sauce. Oh this one looks almost as healthy as can be. It can be quite a heavy and filling meal though from all the ricotta. The crepe itself has got a nice “bite” to it.

Sayers Sister: spinach and ricotta crepe

And who says you can’t have cake for breakfast? You totally can specially when the cakes look this good! So one morning I treated myself to a cake for breakfast and chose the passionfruit cheesecake. A good piece of cheesecake cures everything. The cheesecake was not too heavy on the cheese so eating the whole piece did not give me that sickening feeling.

Definitely do yourself a favour and go check this place out, tucked away from the main hub in Northbridge (but stay away from their mocha).
Sayers Sister on Urbanspoon

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Melbourne edition: Babka Bakery Cafe

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

My ex-colleague swears by Babka Bakery (again on Brunswick Street in Fitzroy) so I knew I had to get some goodies from this place whatever it takes.

Babka is a very small cafe (cosy might be a more accurate description) that serves breakfast and lunch and sweets and that also sells specialty bread loaves, pies, and pastries. Not only that, they also have chutneys for sale. Go try the beetroot one.

Babka: bread trolley

Babka interior

Line is crazy long both for those eating in and for those just buying some bread. Luckily, a table for 2 usually doesn’t need much waiting time compared to big groups. We had our brunch here before heading off to a cider festival nearby – 3 thick slices french toast with a side of bacon.

Babka: french toast

The bread was nice but the french toast was dry and could do with more sugar on top. The bacon though was perfect and delicious. I know, it’s weird. Who doesn’t like bacon? But what makes bacon even more likeable is when it just just crisp enough without being dry and burnt.

I told Lily before we left that I needed to come back here to get some pastries before we fly back to Perth. I already received orders for some croissants from Auntie C, who raved about Babka the last time she visited Melbourne.

So I made it back to the bakery before they closed for the day and got myself a box full of pastries – almond croissants, escargot, and sweet danishes. A total of 11 pieces of pastries in the box.

Babka: pastries

Top left: escargot. Flaky and full of sultanas. I know some bakeries sting on those little buggers but Babka’s escargots are loaded with them and they tasted like they’ve been rehydrated with some sort of alcohol…even better.

Top right and bottom left: rhubarb danish and apple danish. Not too sweet and out of the 3 types of pastries the danishes are the only ones I had to eat 2 of.

Bottom right: almond croissant. So good yet so sinful, like sinful enough to give you a heart attack. The whole thing is very delicious and I specially liked it because it doesn’t have the custard in the middle but rather just a concoction of almond meal.

A week of eating these pastries for breakfast made me feel like I was about to have a heart attack. As good as they were, they are in fact too greasy. Too greasy but they’ve got a hold on me; I couldn’t resist taking another bite even though I know I should stop eating butter.

Babka Bakery Café on Urbanspoon

The Tuck Shop Cafe @ Northbridge

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Food, Modern Australian by

Pork belly or slow cooked beef cheek with mashed potatoes for breakfast? Yes that’s possible here at The Tuck Shop Cafe. I am used to having the most random food for breakfast so imagine my delight upon seeing the menu!

This cafe on Newcastle Street in Northbridge is always bustling with people. Any time after 9am there’s already a queue forming outside and people don’t seems to care that the weather was insanely cold for a bright sunny Sunday morning. Arriving at 9:30am at The Tuck Shop Cafe and waiting for another 30 minutes our breakfast turned into brunch.

What I love about this cafe is the friendliness and efficiency of the staff. Sure it’s always busy and they are always running around here and there but customers who are waiting outside are never forgotten. They try to accommodate everyone as quickly as possible while still mainting their composure in the midst of this dining mayhem.

The decor is also refreshing. Simple colours with wooden tables and some plants. Space is tight inside but efficient. There is also a wall right by the entrance where you can hang your coffee loyalty cards. But it begs the question: How do you reach for your card if someone is occupying the table directly below the board of cards?

What I love most is the food. Taste and quality are beyond your typical cafe standards. And when you come here for breakfast or lunch it’s all about being filled up to your heart and stomach’s content.

Upon seeing the words slow cooked beef cheek with red wine and mashed potatoes, I knew instantly what I wanted to eat. But then they also had pork belly and Morrocan meatballs and their famous meat pies. Tough choice. In the end the beef won and I had no regrets.

The beef cheek literally melts in your mouth. I was sceptical at first about just how tender this beef is going to be but the proof is in their pudding. Then eat that with creamy mashed potatoes and wilted spinach. Then sitting on top is a perfectly crisp bacon. Needless to say I was filled up way beyond my tummy’s capacity.

Other dishes people on the table had are…

Cheese Kransky with grain mustard potatoes, spinach, and fried egg. A hearty serving of potatoes with a giant cheesy Kransky. Uncle J needed a separate serve of toast to go with his food.

Chorizo, paprika potatoes, peppers and spanish onion, crispy pork belly, and fried egg. Chorizo I wasn’t a big fan of but the pork belly is to die for. Very crispy skin and the meat melts in your mouth too, just like the beef cheek. This is the perfect way to enjoy pork belly. If you are not used to eating something really heavy for breakfast be forewarned that this dish can be quite greasy for your first meal of the day.

Hash brown with slow cooked lamb, mushrooms, spinach and herbs, and poached egg. Lamb is not my first choice for meat but I can tell you that the flavours in that slow cooked lamb is sensational. It was bursting with so much flavour that for a split second I have completely forgotten why I do not like lamb. I asked my little cousin if he liked his dish and he say yes, it was very good. Two thumbs up. And this is coming from a little boy who doesn’t like eating meat.

Last but not least someone’s gotta try their meat pies. Auntie C had the chicken and leek pie and I took a beef, bacon, and cheddar cheese pie home. This is not your ordinary $4 pie. It’s one hell of a pie for about $12. It needs to bea eaten with a knife and fork. Personally, the pastry could’ve been thinner. It’s perfectly cooked outside but it was a bit doughy inside. The chicken and leek filling was creamy with real chicken pieces. One would really wonder how Auntie C managed to eat that whole thing!

I saved my beef pie for the next day’s dinner and it had a similar taste to the beef cheek. Beef is very chunky but the bacon I find overcooked.

As much as we loved this cafe and their food, one thing we collectively agree to fault is their coffee. They use Toby’s Estate beans. The coffee is very weak and it’s almost got no kick. While the milk was crafted nicely a stronger coffee to go with it would’ve been better.

My rating: 9/10

The Tuck Shop Cafe on Urbanspoon

Sayers @ Leederville

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

Breakfast – the most important meal of the day. There’s no other way to enjoy my breakfast than going to places where good food is served and service is efficient. That’s my kind of lazy Sundays. Sayers is one such place. Time and again Sayers never fails to disappoint me or my companions. No matter who I drag with me to these early breakfasts they all have very positive reactions towards this food spot in Leederville.

I made it clear to my early breakfast “victims” the night before that we have to leave the house at 8am on the dot. The queue to Sayers gets really long the later you get there. Once, we had to wait for a good 40 minutes to 1 hour in summer heat. Now it’s winter and it’s cold; not many people are out on the streets that early but I am not taking any chances. Me waiting for a table with a hungry tummy is never a good combination. We got there half an hour later and the place is already full. All the tables inside were already occupied so we had to resort to sitting outside. Well, not that I’m complaining. The alfresco dining area has heaters on so the chilly day was bearable. This is one of the things I like about Sayers – sit in or sit out you would still get that cozy and homey ambiance. Where we sat it felt like I was in someone’s backyard just having a good time. I felt right at home.

Onto the breakfasts now their menu is interesting. Of course you can still get the usual something on toast, the big breakfast…etc. but Auntie C and I opted for food that we don’t usually have elsewhere. Although the cafe was full, our waiting time for the coffees and food was not long at all.

Uncle J and my little cousin shared a plate of the full breakfast presented the Sayers way; not sloppy and not greasy. Looks clean and simple and the taste does not disappoint.

Auntie C had the potato rosti with poached eggs, bacon, onion jam, and lemon scented wilted spinach. Everything about this dish is perfect. Rosti has a slight crunch on the outside, the amount of spinach is generous, and onion jam to bring it all together.

I had the charred sweet corn and pecorino cheese croquette with poached eegs, beetroot leaves, and bearnaise. Food was served straight after plating so when I dived into my croquette it was steaming and oozing with pecorino cheese. The taste of the cheese was definitely there and it went really well with the uberly smooth mashed potatoes. Bearnaise sauce I can’t fault either. It was so tasty Auntie C and Uncle J were fighting me for a bit of sauce for their own poached eggs. What I loved the most, though, was the little amount of corn salsa on the side. The dressing was sweet and tangy and it left me wanting for more corn salsa…and I don’t even usually like corn.

At the end of our breakfast I was very tempted to get sweets. The cakes on the counter looked divine and I want to eat a slice of every single cake and slices there. We were very full after all the potatoes we had and were so tempted to get the cakes for take away.

But I guess we’d save those sweets for another time. Some time soon I hope!

My rating: 9/10
Sayers on Urbanspoon

www.sayersfood.com.au

Blend Cafe @ Melville

Posted in Food, Italian, Modern Australian by

Whoa. I realise it’s been a while since I last posted something food related. With working and all that studying 24 hours in a day is seriously not enough. But rest assured I have been eating out quite a lot too since I don’t have much time to cook a proper meal so I shall get the blog up and running again with more restaurant posts for the weeks to come.

I’ll kick it off with Blend Cafe, a local neighbourhood cafe in Melville serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, home-cooked style. I say home-cooked because I find the food here to be unpretentious. It’s simple, fresh and tasty. I started coming here for those nighttime dessert cravings. They serve good coffee and one of the better tiramisus.

Left impressed with their coffee and sweets each time, my family and I finally made it for breakfast. It’s the usual breakfast menu with eggs and bacon, eggs hollandaise, muesli, etc but what really stood out for me was the baked beans. It’s not those canned baked beans for sure. I don’t even like baked beans but I found myself wanting more. The beans are cooked just right, not too hard but not mushy, and the taste was just divine – tangy with a hint of spiciness. The dish below is a potato cake with poached egg, hollandaise sauce and oozing lava of baked beans.

We enjoy coming to Blend so much that even my little cousin asked to have his birthday dinner here. And so we did. The cafe was pretty packed for a Monday night (but then again, this place is always packed) but we made reservations so we were seated straightaway. The dinner menu was not overly exhausting and nothing particularly special. Still, we were able to find something we like and something that suited everyone’s tastes.

Here’s a run down on what we had that night from the top, left to right -

* Gamberi - fettuccine with prawns in creamy tomato sauce; very fresh pasta with succulent prawns – you cant go wrong with that

* Copacobana pizza – with sausage, ham, pancetta and pepperoni; the boys loved it

* Salt and pepper calamari – served with an Asian style lime and fruit salsa as dipping sauce and I polished it off before anyone else could. It was very refreshing to contrast the heaviness of having deep fried squid

* Fettuccine alla vodka – pasta with chicken and spinach in creamy vodka rose sauce; very tasty pasta and tender chicken. Loved the sauce.

* Paella – finally a place where the paella rice is cooked just right. Serving a bit small to be shared but it was good nonetheless

* Prawns with rice – an item on the specials menu but was nothing really special about it. Rice used was the same as paella rice so it was basically a wet paella with prawns in tomato sauce

* Surf n Turf – scotch fillet steak with mushroom sauce and prawns. tThe mushroom sauce was good and steak was tender and tasty but it came short of a medium done steak.

Overall a gem in the suburb of Melville where you can have a great night out.

My rating: 8/10
Blend Cafe on Urbanspoon

www.blendcafepizza.com

Cafe 58 Espresso Bar @ Palmyra

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food, Modern Australian by

Right smack in the heart of Palmyra sits Cafe 58 Espresso Bar, truly a local cafe that seems to busy all the time. Palmyra is not included in the territorial lines where I’d consider myself a local but I will happily travel the 15 minute driving time to get to this cafe.

Most nights we come here for coffee and desserts. But, after much raving about the dinner menu, Auntie J took us there one night for a big family affair. We had reservations at 6:30pm; the cafe was dimly lit and the staff was just getting ready for the dinner rush. This I found strange, to be honest. I would have expected a cafe/restaurant to be fully ready and prepared if they take reservations for as early as 6:30. A few of us arrived first and were showed to our table but it took forever to be handed the menus. They seemed understaffed and everyone looked like they were on to something else other than minding the customers. There is a $25 2-course special on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and given it was a Wednesday night we were interested in knowing what the blackboard specials were. The blackboard was empty and we had to wait a good 15 minutes for the specials to be written on the board.

Three of us had the specials that came with an entree of a tasting plate of olives, chorizo and beetroot dip with 3 thinly sliced bread and a main of barramundi with mashed potatoes.

I am not a big fan of this kind of entree and this really just reinforced that. Nothing special except that it was a good start to fill the hunger and enough to keep us from going insane waiting for the mains.

An hour after we were seated, the mains finally appeared. This was really a ridiculous waiting for a cafe specially since we were among the first few tables to have ordered. Anyhow, the food did come and they were all devoured in 10 minutes because we were that hungry.

Here is the grilled barramundi with lemon butter and creamy mashed potatoes.

The fish was good, not too heavily seasoned and cooked perfectly. And that mashed potatoes were divine. Really one of the best mashed potatoes I have tasted. It was creamy, almost puree like, and seasoned just right.

Then we have the aglio olio pepperincino – al dente spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and parsley with a hint of anchovies and optional fresh cut chilli. This is a very tasty pasta dish. The only problem was that it was drenched in olive oil and I mean literally drenched. Given that K had this dish, she had to scoop out the pasta onto a plate. Otherwise she would’ve been drinking olive oil on the side too. A little cousin had the same pasta without the chilli but he was oblivious to the amount of olive oil. He probably thought it was sauce.

Uncle J, then, had the chicken parmigiana. This is the lowest ranking dish of the night. It’s not that it wasn’t good. It just there wasn’t really anything special about it. Crumbed chicken breast topped with Napolitana sauce and an oozing amount of mozzarella cheese. The layer of cheese was too much for him so he scooped off some. Other than that, the chicken was juicy and the side of Napolitana pasta was good too.

To save the best for last, out of all the dishes we ordered, I thought that I had the best dish for the night – marinated chorizo chicken. It was a grilled whole chicken breast with spinach, baby potatoes, sliced chorizo and grilled prawns. The chicken was succulent and the prawns were smokey. The jus made the dish even better. I loved and savoured every bite.

Onto dessert. The staple that we always have here at Cafe 58 is the sticky date pudding. It was love at first bite so we have been getting this pudding every time we drop by for coffee. It is sweet, sticky, date-y and just the right size for sharing. Served warm with ice cream. The best part is that you can hardly taste the sodium bicarbonate (that is usually evident in other cafes’ sticky date products).

I was feeling adventurous that night too so I got myself a choc avalanche tart. Oh my. This tart is very sinful. It looked harmless at first but a very rich chocolate filling was waiting for me when I dived into it. I am a big fan of the filling but not the pastry. There is something about it that did not go well with the chocolate. I think it was that eggy taste. It was so rich I only ate half an took home the other half.

Overall, Cafe 58 gives a good dining experience with the occasional mishaps that cafes experience from time to time. Staff are very friendly but some needs to be more attentive. Looks like we’ve found another place we can pig out at.

My rating: 7/10

Cafe 58 Espresso Bar on Urbanspoon

Zucchero Espresso @ Victoria Park

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Food by

I was in Victoria Park a few months back, after a job interview, when I stumbled onto Zucchero Espresso. I was shopping for a car back then at John Hughes and this cafe is conveniently located near the car dealer so that was where I had my brunch. It is a little corner cafe with limited space inside and a few tables on the sidewalk. For my first visit I sat outside enjoying the bright sunny day with my contadino poached eggs, tomato and onion reduction on sourdough toast.

This may be one of the tastiest breakfast I have had. The tomatoes are rich and just acidic enough that is mellowed out by the poached eggs. The yolks were on the runnier side so I ended up essentially mixing the yolks with the tomatoes. It was a refreshing meal.

For the second visit I was very tempted to get the same contadino poached eggs because I enjoyed it so much but I decided to try something different. I got the Zucchero plate that consisted of bacon, mushrooms, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, sausage and sourdough toast.

Now this looks like any regular big breakfasts out there but let me point out 2 things that made it such a delight to have on a bright and breezy Tuesday morning. The scrambled eggs are the best ones that I have ever had in a Perth cafe – creamy and not overcooked; just the way scrambled eggs are supposed to be. Then there were the mushrooms. Unlike those served by other cafes – button mushrooms sauteed with just salt and butter - Zucchero Espresso went one step further and added cream and herbs to 2 kinds of mushrooms. They tasted divine! I won’t lie to you; this is one heart-stopping meal – heavy on the salt and grease from the bacon and sausages were not drained well. But it is worth a try. The serving was ginormous too so it was enough for sharing. I ate the whole plate by myself and could not finish it. Not only that, I skipped lunch as well because it kept me full until late in the afternoon.

My rating: 7.5/10

Zucchero Espresso Bar on Urbanspoon

JACS @ Applecross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

It’s been a while since I’ve last been to the Applecross breakfast scene. There’s just too many food places to check out in so little time. And like they say – too many choices too confusing. I was pressed for time this Sunday morning having woken up late and I originally planned on whipping up a cheese and tomato sandwich at home. But that did not appeal much to me anymore as soon as I saw the loaf of bread (I casually work in a bread bakery so go figure). So I ventured out somewhere closer to home and dragged Auntie C with me onto Ardross St.

JACS has been a family favourite of ours since the first time we went there. Good food, friendly service and very nice atmosphere. It was a very fine day with a cool breeze so we sat at the alfresco area. It’s always a good idea to head there early as the place fills up very quickly by 9:30am or so.

I would usually stick with the big breakfast and a skinny latte but this day I had something different and I was very happy with my choice – a toasted truffle brioche with mushroom ragout, poached eggs and spring onions.

I thought it was looked small when I first saw it but halfway through I felt very full already because the brioche was filling. I definitely underestimated the power of that brioche. The mushrooms were button mushrooms and enoki. The ragout had a strong vinegar taste at first but it mellowed out after a few bites so thought it worked well with the brioche. The eggs were poached too soft and runny for my liking. Overall, it was a good breakfast with my usual coffee. Would definitely order that again just to break away from the usual bacon and hashbrowns.

Auntie C had the salsa poached eggs made with 3 poached eggs, ham, tomato and avocado salsa, rocket and 2 sourdough toast. A very refreshing breakfast I must say. The salsa was just divine and the saltiness of the ham gave the whole dish that flavour.

We left with very happy tummies. And oh, our next mission is to dine for lunch.

My rating: 8/10

JACS Applecross on Urbanspoon
www.jacsapplecross.com.au

Recipe: Stewed tomatoes with ham and egg

Posted in Food, Recipes by

I have, admittedly, been eating a lot of tomatoes lately. Once in a while I get this craving for some acidic taste such as tomatoes hence I stock up on fresh tomatoes, as well as canned ones for those lazy days.

A few months back I bought these 2 mini tagines that I have yet to use. They are so tiny there’s hardly anything you can fit in them but I bought them regardless because they were so cute. It must have been a dream but I woke up one Sunday with this idea to make breakfast with the tagines. I was tossing back and forth in bed the night before thinking of what to use the tagines for and i think this led to me dreaming about the tagines.

I woke up all pumped up and fresh from my dream ready to make breakfast. I searched the whole house for those little ceramic cookware to no avail. Someone in the house has a habit of packing things up and then when you actually need it no one remembers where they have packed those things. Sigh. Everyone else was still sleeping so I was hesitant to wake them up for the sake of my little tagines.

But fear not. Due to my need of having the kind of breakfast I want (otherwise it’s going to be a very long and hard day) I rummaged the house and found a very tiny saucepan. It was bigger than the tagine I originally planned to use but it was better than nothing. And since it was bigger I had a fuller breakfast than I originally intended either. It made me so full and sleepy I swear I could’ve went back to bed.

Anyway, the breakfast I dreamt about consisted of tomatoes, ham and egg. I intended to stew the tomatoes with ham and then topped with egg. I was going for a rustic and chunky kind of breakfast and I was pretty happy with the results. You can, of course, eat this with Italian bread or sourdough or plain toast but I went on a bagel craze phase so I ate it with a bagel (and straight out of the pan might I add).

Ingredients

1/2 can Annalisa brand whole tomatoes
1 slice of ham, either left whole (fairly thick about 1/2-inch) or sliced into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup red wine
sprinkle of thyme (dried or fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 egg

Method

1. In a small saucepan sautee the ham in a little oil until browned. Then add in canned tomatoes, red wine and thyme. Let it simmer on low heat for about 1 minute.

2. At this point adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper before adding the egg.

3. Once you’re happy with the taste, add in the egg by gently cracking it in the middle of the pan. Cover the saucepan and let the egg cook until the yolk is to your desired doneness.

4. Serve and enjoy.

The Naked Fig @ Swanbourne

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Food by

A semi-swanky restaurant situated in one the best spots on the beach that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner…now that’s my kind of restaurant. Two things I come to The Naked Fig for – the rampant swan smoothie and the view of the ocean. And really, that’s all I come here for.

Let me start by saying that this is one of the better spots along the Cottesloe shoreline, but I guess The Naked Fig is technically in the Swanbourne precinct, because it feels secluded yet busy enough inside. The restaurant is located in a no through road so once you get settled in you won’t be bothered by cars driving past. But the restaurant is also busy enough to bring life to it. Every time I come here it’s always full. And every time I plan on coming here I forget to make reservations. The wait’s usually half an hour and they direct you to the comfy couches in the waiting area overlooking the ocean. Man, if I come alone I really do not need a table. I can just sit on the couch whilst sipping on my smoothie.

The Naked Fig: eggs on fire

I sometimes find that there is no consistency with the way they prepare the food and drinks. The first few times that I was there it was all bliss. No complaints whatsoever and staff was very knowledgeable. However, the last time I was here, which was last Sunday, things seemed to be a bit off. I can almost swear that there was an item missing from the menu which I was keen on ordering. Something with salmon. Either that or I was in lalaland. So instead I settled for my usual eggs on fire breakfast consisting of poached eggs, bacon, potato cake, corn relish and an avocado. I wanted to try something new but I find that the other items are too common – eggs benedict, pancakes, muesli – so I always end up ordering this. I love how the corn relish complements the potato cake; it gives more flavour to the potatoes and makes it less dry. The bacon I had though was way too fatty. Sometimes it’s perfectly cooked and sometimes they just don’t get it right. I’ve tried the pancakes too but nothing special with them. Better than Dome pancakes but not the best. I still don’t get why there is a need to serve the pancakes with eggs. Bacon I can understand but not eggs. You can have the eggs however you want them but they came sitting atop the syrup drenched pancakes. Yikes. Looks unappetising at all because the scrambled eggs looked like a big mush so I’m glad that was not what I ordered.

The Naked Fig: pancakes

So while we were seated on the couch waiting for our table, it was a good for them to take our coffee orders while waiting. Well it was a good idea at first…until they got confused. The staff had to ask us 3 times while in the middle of our meal – what did we get, where was our table, blah blah blah. Obviously there wasn’t a system in place for orders like that. That was a bit annoying. The coffee is on the stronger and more acidic side. Not my taste.

Also had lunch here with L. I have a thing for steak sandwiches so I ordered just that upon seeing it on the menu. A big disappointment. It was as bland as can be. The ones I make at home are definitely better.

Going back to the smoothie that I love so much – rampant swan smoothie made with cherries, berries, pineapple and mango. What I love is the refreshing sweet and sour taste. But last Sunday there was a huge block of ice that was not blended with the drink. A block that big I don’t know how they could’ve missed. If it were me it’s either I take out the block of ice or put it back in the blender. I was a smoothie maker in my past life and I can tell you now that it’s really not that difficult. For the price they’re charging you’d think that they’d pay more attention to what they’re serving.

The Naked Fig: rampant swan smoothie

If it really were not for the view and that smoothie there’s pretty much nothing more to this place.

My rating: 6.5/10
The Naked Fig Cafe on Urbanspoon
www.thefig.com.au

Coffea Fine Espresso @ Applecross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

My impracticality got the better of me yesterday so I ended up having breakfast in Applecross again. Having had good food in the various cafe along Ardross St previously, I ‘checked in’ to Coffea Fine Espresso next door to Cioccolato Espresso, for a change, expecting to have a good food to start my day. Oh boy, was I expecting too much.

Being in Applecross, I understand that the cost of food, among other things, can be really really really pricey. Usually, I’m happy to fork out a few extra dollars for those things that can be justified as having a higher-than-normal prices. For Coffea’s case, these extra dollars are certainly not worth it. Food is almost as expensive as Sensations en Ardross and certainly more expensive than Cioccolato Espresso but it just doesn’t compare.  I had the roasted mushroom, feta and onion jam omelette for $19.++. With that price I was expecting something tasty and beautifully presented. Instead I was given an almost overcooked peppery omelette loaded with mushrooms but hardly had any feta or onion jam sitting on top of 2 thin toasts that were over toasted and tasted a bit stale and that which took forever to be made. It was good that it had a lot of mushrooms but where is my onion jam??? This was the only thing that looked interesting on the menu and I am no longer interested in coming back.

Coffea Fine Espresso: roasted mushroom, feta, onion jam omelette

Coffea makes their own sweets – muffins, slices, cakes, etc – and you can see them baking in-house. The waft coming out of the oven is sensational – which was why I was sucked into stepping into this cafe in the first place. So after the mediocre omelette I had I decided to give their sweets a go. The person baking was certainly the unfriendliest having told me off for asking when the other muffins would be coming out of the oven. Wow, sorry for wanting to help your business by buying more muffins than I actually need. I ended up getting a 2×2 inches-sized brownie for $4. This is the fudgiest brownie I have ever eaten. It was very rich and full of walnuts but with the richness of the chocolate it really did not need as much sugar. The extra sugar just ruined it for me. Tried their orange and almond cake as well (for $6.50), which was very moist and tasty but, again, too sweet.

Might I suggest going next door. You’d get a lot more for the lesser amount you’d pay.

My rating: 6//10

Cioccolato Espresso @ Applecross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

Some days I just get into my crazy spending mood. Though I know I should be saving up for a spending spree in September, I convinced myself that spending on food is okay…so long as it’s not fine dining. Today’s excuse for spending was muesli. Sick of having muesli (yet again) for breakfast at home I ventured out to the Applecross area again hoping to have a good breakfast. There is something about the cafe strip in Ardross St that just makes my day happier. It’s like I’m in a different world with all the shabby chic cafes, specialty stores and, of course, The Good Grocer.

I do love my Brookfarm’s muesli with milk, yoghurt and fresh fruits but I’ve been having the same thing for about 2 weeks now I’m bound to go insane. I needed something different and I am craving for savoury things these days. I tried to stay away from Sensations en Ardross (because I’m still waiting for pay day) so today’s cafe was Cioccolato Espresso. I was careful enough to check the prices first and they were reasonable enough so I decided to have breakfast there. The breakfast menu had nothing over $20 and coffee was about $4.10. I’ve never been to Cioccolato before so I really didn’t know what to expect of their food and the serving size. The menu was simple featuring simple and basic ingredients with, what I’d call, a creative twist. It’s not the usual bacon and eggs on toast but rather something like mashed avocados on toast with something something.

I had the roasted mushroom bruschetta with beetroot mash – 2 things I love in one plate, I can’t go wrong with that, can I? Very earthy flavours I must say. This was a pleasant surprise. I was half expecting to be served button mushrooms with toast with a side of beetroots but what I was given was very well presented and it also had a little balsamic glaze. I’m a sucker for balsamic glaze. I wouldn’t say that this was a very big breakfast. I was not left hungry but there was still room for dessert. I may just try making this at home (it looks simple enough!) Their coffee isn’t too bad either – smooth and at the just temparature for me. Overall, I had a good breakfast for under $19.

Cioccolato Espresso: roasted mushroom bruschetta with beetroot mash

Cioccolato Espresso is one of the smaller cafes on the strip (size wise). There were about 5 tables inside that can sit 3 people and 2-3 tables outside. The biggest table they had was one that could sit 6 people. Though small it may be it has a very good ambiance nonetheless. It is very modern looking yet it still feels homey. Staff is very friendly and almost everyone who goes there are regulars. The barista knew almost everyone who walked in after me and even the customers know each other. It was like there was a small Cioccolato community gathering this morning (or every morning, I would assume). The cafe has recently expanded its counter bench so now they could have more muffins and other sweets on display. The regular customers noticed this and they all loved it. Wow, the things I learn from my 40 minutes in Cioccolato.

If there’s one thing that annoyed me it was the glare of the sun. The sun was slowly rising when I got there and it was just reflecting on everything in the cafe! Good thing it’s winter.

My rating: 8/10
Cioccolato Espresso on Urbanspoon

Sensations en Ardross @ Applecross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Coffee & Desserts, Food by

Great start on a wet Tuesday morning, I finally managed to go to Sensations en Ardross (the correct cafe this time – my cafe confusion in previous post) in Applecross. I woke up a little earlier today to ensure I had time to check out google maps and locate the cafe. It’s funny how I still manage to get lost around the area I’ve been coming to for the past 5 years!

I fell in love with this gourmet cafe as soon as I walked in. The ambiance was definitely top notch with a rustic European feel and I could just sit there the whole day reading magazines while sipping my coffee. The breakfast menu was not too bad – few choices but enough variety. I ordered the “Breakfast Burger” with 2 fried eggs. bacon, spinach and mushrooms sandwiched between the softest bagel I have ever eaten. I’m not entirely sure if it was a bagel but it was round with a hole in the middle so I assumed it was a bagel. No, it was defintely not a doughnut. My burger also came with a balsamic glaze that went well with the burger but was too little. Then I reluctantly washed it all down with a cup of flat white that tasted bitter and burnt.

As I’ve said, I was off to a great start – found the cafe easily, loved the ambiance at first sight. Then I almost fainted when the staff told me the how much I owed them – a whopping $27.20 for a breakfast for 1!! I was still a little too drowsy from my lack of sleep the night before so I managed to skip the part of the menu where the prices are printed so I suppose that was a little stupid on my part. Just assuming that coffee is $4.90, that leaves $22.30 for my breakfast burger, which I think is seriously overpriced no matter how much I enjoyed and thought how lovely it was. The portion was not that big either. Yes it was filling but, being the super slow eater that I am, if I can finish the meal in half an hour then it’s definitely not that big of a portion size. The cafe being in an upscale suburb, their prices are definitely upscale too.

Don’t get me wrong though. I wouldn’t mind dining here again but only after I’ve saved up for a bit and had extra cash to spare. This is definitely not something I am willing to fit into my weekly routine otherwise I’ll be penniless by the end of the month. It is better suited for those “one in while” occassions for the impovershed working mass like me or for the upscale people living in the upscale vicinity of Sensations en Ardross.

My rating: 7/10
Sensations En Ardross on Urbanspoon

Espresso 7 Seas @ Ardross

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Chinese/Asian, Food by

The biggest lesson learned this morning is that waking up early so that I’m not rushing about every thing makes for a good morning. I awoke later than usual this morning only to find that there’s not much food left at home for me to make myself a substantial breakfast. So I decided to head out for a good breakfast despite running a little late for work. I was orginally planning to go to Sensations en Ardross (along Ardross Street apparently) but without checking the correct address I turned into the wrong street and ended up at Espresso 7 Seas.

It was awfully quiet when I went in. There was absolutely no one and for a minute there I thought they were still closed. The clock was ticking so I decided to just deal with my mistake and get something to eat so I can rush off to work. There wasn’t a lot of breakfast items to choose from – just the standards like big breakfast, eggs on toast, bacon and eggs. I opted for the big breakfast and a latte all for $18.50. Coffee was not too bad. It depends on who made it though. The auntie who made mine was not very skilled but one of the staff made a better looking one for another customer.

Espresso 7 Seas: big breakfast

And there was my big breakfast. It is filling but not satisfying. I asked for poached hard eggs but it came with 2 very runny eggs. Tomatoes were not roasted enough and the bacon was very dry and tasted funny. The cheese dog sausage was good though – a change from the usual chipolatas that other cafes serve and which I dislike. The toast could be improved too. I had the rye toast and it was thin as! They gave me just 1 piece of toast cut diagonally and it wasn’t even enough to soak up the runny yolks that they gave me.

Espresso 7 Seas is in a good quiet location but I wouldn’t dare say that I’d be back again to give their other dishes a try. Their concept is a Western and Asian cafe so, in addition to burgers and fish and chips, you’d be sure to find Malaysian dishes as well like laksa and curries. I’m not entirely sure how the name “Espresso 7 Seas” fits into the concept. One thing that majorly turned me off was the smell of the cafe. It’s the kind smell that you find in and should only be restricted to Asian/Chinese restaurants. Early in the morning I walked out and my hair and clothes already smell like curry. That’s definitely not how I’d like to start my day.

My rating: 5/10
Espresso7seas on Urbanspoon