My friend Suz runs a monthly workshop/jam-sesh called Melbourne Makers in Kensington and a few of us decided to meet beforehand for breakfast. At first we ventured to a very packed Social Roasting Company who didn’t have space for us (though the staff were lovely). Suz suggested we trot down the road to a place called Made Cafe.
Made Cafe do breakfasty basics and also have fair trade coffee. The menu is small and the staff are sweet. It’s very teensy and decorated wonderfully. In fact, there’s a Ghostpatrol work on one of their walls. We were all far too busy nattering for me to take a photo. I ordered tea to start with and boy do I love a good-looking tea service! Quaint spoons, saucer and teacup. The milk jug is just precious!
Suz had some toast with the standard array of condiments. I chose the bircher muesli in an attempt to pretend to be healthy. This can’t have been that healthy, it tasted far too good! Jokes. It hit the spot. Lots of yummy fruit and comforting oaty goodness. It recalls Ready-Brek warmth of my British childhood. Yes, I know, the British are weird but you would be too if you lived in such a cold country.
Tristan had the lemon avocado and tomato toast while I looked on jealously. I don’t know why my tummy and avocado have to be mortal enemies when they aren’t to my mouth. Instead of a plate, the toast was served on a wooden chopping board. Very sweet.
After a nice breakfast, some friendly staff and chatting, we were joined by another mate and we all set off for an afternoon of making things. Stop by sometime if you’re in the area. It’s reasonably priced, friendly and just near Newmarket Station. Thanks for the recommendation, Suz!
I admit it, foodies on Twitter chirruping incessantly about Earl Canteen, a new cafe in the CBD, led me to check it out. Peer pressure, yep. It was those damn lunchboxes – the offer of a sandwich, a small salad, then a sweet morsel, all for $13.50 and freshly made. I very rarely have lunch out but figured it’d be worth checking out with fellow food blogger Alex from the Melbourne Social Guide.
It’s a bit tricky to find at first – if you enter from the swinging doors at 500 Bourke St, then go through to the back and you’ll get to a courtyard and find it below Movida Aqui. Alternatively, despite its actual address, you can enter from Lt Bourke St, nearest to the corner of William St. Believe me, you’ll thank me for these elaborate directions!
There wasn’t much in the way of seating inside and it was all taken. Thankfully, Melbourne decided to grace us with a gorgeous autumnal day, so we sat outside in the courtyard. While I waited for Alex, I scoffed down two salted caramel macarons, brand new to the macaron line-up. Should’ve bought four more…Damned delicious. Alas, these beauties are no more. For now.
Whilst scoffing down my macarons greedily, I had the very unexpected pleasure of bumping into Claire of Melbourne Gastronome fame. Coincidentally, I finally got to give her a copy of a macaron zine I’d been holding onto for her. Naturally, we gabbed about food, macarons and serendipitous meetings. It was pretty lovely of her to make me not feel like that weirdo from the internet.
Alex then arrived, and serious business could then begin: the eating of the magical lunchbox. On the day we went, there was a salad of sweet pumpkin, a berry friand, and a baguette inspired by the Waldorf salad – chicken with a creamy but light dressing, with walnuts and finely chopped Pink Lady apples. Sadly, I have decided I am hopeless with baguettes. I know they’re supposed to be crusty, but my mouth and jaw has to work far too hard to chew the bread for it to be enjoyable. This makes me a sad foodie. I might ask if they can make up their sandwiches with a softer bread because I’m so lame. The only thing that made me feel better was that Alex couldn’t eat his salad on account of not liking pumpkin or sweet potato. Sorry chum, I outed you. Win for me – the salad was delicious and I love both pumpkin and sweet potato.
I returned for another ‘research’ trip and to have lunch with good mate Luke. Whilst there, we were joined by Steph (who is a consummate ‘cookie-foodie’ – check out her personal blog for the requisite evidence) and Lindsey who both made me give in to peer pressure – yeah, I had the pork belly sandwich. No, I had no regrets. Led by Jess, Lindsey and Steph all yelled at me for eating it incorrectly. I truly didn’t realise you can eat a baguette incorrectly. My crime? Attempting to use cutlery. The correct method of cramming the porky goodness into your mouth is to: shove the pork deep into the baguette, close baguette tightly and squeeze down, and then place into mouth and NOM (vb. intransitive). Consider me suitably chastised. No more impromptu sandwich parties for me!
Luke had the sticky lamb baguette and very kindly let me snap a shot of it. I am sorry to report that there was a sliver of bone in it – apparently due to the fact that lamb neck is bony. Poor Luke had pork belly lust as we all tucked into our sandwiches. There’s always next time, chum!
Of course I needed more macarons. This time the rose and coffee ones. Thanks Steph for letting me get a quick photo.
There has been some consternation about Earl Canteen’s prices and I have to confess I’m a bit over it. Earl Canteen have explained their philosophy and quite frankly all you haterscan suck some (meat)balls. I say meatballs because there’s a wagyu meatball baguette on Earl’s menu (it is alas mythical to me at present but fellow EDSer Ryan has tried it). Yes, Earl is a little pricey. I’m not particularly affluent but am not at all bothered because the prices reflect supporting a specific food philosophy somewhat antithetical to fast food culture (not that I’m above the occasional fast food burger…). Will it work? Ask the horde of regulars Earl have attracted in the short time they’ve been open. When possible, that’ll include me.
Even though it’s a fair trek from my edge of Melbourne, the specialty coffee roasting house St Ali in South Melbourne is absolutely worth the journey. Admittedly, I’m not a big coffee drinker (sadly, coffee doesn’t interact well with some long-term medication I’m on) so it always feels indulgent to have it.
Even more so at St Ali. I’ve tried three different blends (though rotation of blends is constant) and the aromas and tasting notes have always been markedly different from one another. I genuinely had no idea coffee could be so diverse – it’s like wine, beer and tea. Going to places like this inspires me to want to learn more.
It seemed an excellent idea to revisit for a birthday breakfast. My partner had a short black of an Ethiopian blend, and I tried the syphon. I was curious to know what was special about the syphon coffee and was told it was tea-like. Being a mad tea fiend, that was enough to convince me.
The syphon coffee is very mellow – as if all the harshness has been squeezed out of the coffee. It comes in a very fancy contraption.
The first time I had breakfast here, I went with the classic traditional breakfast – scrambled eggs, bacon and braised beans. Tomato relish and sourdough always comes with eggs (and of course you have the choice of poached, scrambled or fried).
Even though it looks simple, do not ignore fruit toast as a choice. This places does the breakfast basics beautifully.
For birthday breakfast, more recently, I nearly went the eggs again. I thought that would be silly and a little safe. I opted for the grilled salmon instead. I’m determined for a childhood of canned sardines not to get me down. These very adult sardines were served with slow cooked tomato, a pepper and apple compote with a dressing of mint, parsley and capers. Hiding underneath all that was rye bread. It sure sounds a mouthful, and a delicious one it was too.
My partner had the sultan’s eggs – eggs (poached or fried, the former being chosen) with sourdough soldiers, cumin salt, herb salsa and garlic yoghurt. Judging by the speed on consumption, it was very much enjoyed.
Would have loved to have gone to the Melbourne food blogger dinner St Ali are offering, but it booked out pretty quickly. However, there is an upcoming duck dégustation that I’ll be going to, and naturally hope to report on that.
Cheers St Ali for a great birthday breakfast, and some stellar service. It’ll be good to see you soon.
