Friends had raved about the breakfast at Cumulus Inc when we were last in Melbourne, so on this visit I made it my first stop. Like Akiba in Canberra, Cumulus is friendly to the solo traveller, seating me along the bar overlooking the kitchen where I could watch the chefs bustling away. I started with a glass of berry lemonade, which was beautifully refreshing and had the underlying bitterness of homemade lemonade. The berries added sweetness without being sickly. I chose the heirloom tomato dish to eat, and added the optional Serrano jamon. The dish was perfectly presented, with the straciatella cheese layered under the jamon and the seasoned tomatoes. A perfect mouthful had a bit of each element, including the divine bread which added so much flavour to the whole. The cheese had a distinctive flavour that matched the tomatoes really well and the staff were happy to let me enjoy it slowly while I read my book. To finish I treated myself to a canelle, which was done in the authentic French style – an almost burnt outer shell with a soft and delicate inside. I now see what everyone has been raving about, Cumulus is all class.
Cumulus Inc, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC http://www.cumulusinc.com.au
