Pearl Cafe

Pearl Cafe was recommended as a good breakfast spot by a friend – sadly on my weekday visit the lovely interior was booked out for a function, but the staff happily set me up on an al fresco table outside. The menu has some delicious-sounding options, but I only wanted something light given the humidity. I started with a glass of fresh orange juice and ordered the eggs and soldiers with caviar. Yes, you read that right. Pearl Cafe’s menu has some serious class, and this stylish twist on a classic was the proof in the pudding (or the eggs, as the case may be). The toast was a gorgeous rye with that amost sweet nutiness that really dark bread has. Each finger was dense and filling, and both eggs were perfectly soft-boiled with runny yolks. But the highlight was the pop of saltiness with a hint of the ocean from the caviar – I know it sounds like an odd combination, but every bite with it was divine. The only shame was that there wasn’t more to mix in for the bottom half of each egg. A highly recommended local favourite with friendly staff and style to boot.

Pearl Cafe, 28 Logan Road, Woolloongabba, QLD

Brother Baba Budan

My stop in to Brother Baba Budan was delightfully spontaneous – after an afternoon browsing the shops, the buzz and an impulse drew me in to this hole-in-the-wall coffee den. Not being a coffee drinker, I chose peppermint from a minimalist tea menu, and then I spotted the donuts and my impulse was rewarded. I picked the choc-mint over the iced vovo, although both looked great, and took a seat at the bar at the back. I watched my tea being brewed while I started on the delicious donut. The donut itself was soft and not too dense, whilst the icing was evenly spread across the top and just a little bit melted (perfect!). There were sprinkles of mint sugar on top which flavoured the whole donut. The tea was made from loose leaves although the brand was not listed on the menu. It came out in a gorgeous iron teapot of just the right size, with a small cup that meant the tea didn’t cool too quickly. The brew itself was just the right strength and left a lovely peppermint aftertaste. The staff were happy to let me finish my tea even after they’d closed up for the day.

Brother Baba Budan, 359 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC http://www.sevenseeds.com.au

Bean & Grain

I do love a good pre-work breakfast, and that’s what my friends and I found at Bean & Grain. I couldn’t go past the breakfast burger, with bacon, spinach, fried egg and potato rosti – mmm, rosti. My soy hot chocolate come out first – it was served in a glass but didn’t come with anything to stop me burning my hands, so I had to wait a bit for the glass to cool before drinking it. The chocolate was nice although I could still distinctly taste the soy, so probably not the best soy hot chocolate in town, but warming and sweet for a chilly morning. The burger came out on a lovely round plate and when I cut it in half the egg yolk oozed everywhere – perfection! There was plenty of bacon, although I would have liked more of the tomato relish that sat in a tiny dollop on top. The rosti was a bit soggy and the grey colour looked a bit offputting, but it did add to the overall flavour, even if it wasn’t as visually appealing as the sweet potato rosti my friend got with her mushroom stack. We left very full (I couldn’t quite finish my meal) and warmed through.

Bean & Grain, Fyshwick Markets, 12 Dalby Street, Fyshwick ACT                            http://www.beanandgrain.com.au

Barry

This was my second attempt to have breakfast at Barry, and I’m glad I finally made it. Barry has a lovely corner spot with lots of windows, giving it a light and airy feel. We didn’t have to line up, but not long after we were seated the queue began outside. To start, I ordered the Blended Drink #1, which is a dairy free smoothie with banana, dates, cinnamon, almond milk and cacao nibs. The latter gave a fantastic crunch to the drink (chewing required) which was surprisingly thick for something dairy-free. The banana flavour wasn’t as strong as I was expecting but was still present – all the flavours worked together perfectly. I chose breakfast from the specials menu – poached eggs with mashed peas, shaved ricotta and lime on toast. The dish came out looking like spring on a plate; it was lovely and light, and the eggs were the runniest I’ve ever had. The toast was a bit crispy for my taste, but the bread was delicious, with sesame seeds crusting the outside. The lime was a stroke of genius with the citrus bringing the whole dish to life. The queues are there for a reason – well worth a visit.

Barry, 85 High Street, Northcote VIC                           http://www.barrycoffeeandfood.com

Zootz

The reviews for Zootz were mixed, so when we went for a celebratory dinner I was a bit worried about what might happen. Zootz has a fabulous location right near the jetty, and we were one of many groups seated outside. I’d heard it was a seafood place, but on arrival the menu didn’t actually have a lot of seafood options, and I couldn’t go past the call of a good steak. My friends ordered drinks and they took a while to come out – we had to ask after them twice before they arrived, which was a bit poor, even for a busy night. Our food arrived at the same time though, and I was amazed at the large cut on the plate. I’d ordered it medium-rare, which to me means pink in the middle, but sadly my steak was overdone. However, the flavours were incredible – the caramelised onion on top went nicely with the rich, smooth mashed potato and the sweet balsamic sauce drizzled on top. The steak itself was lovely and tender, although not melt-in-your-mouth, and both of us eating it agreed we would order it again. Don’t expect perfection, but Zootz offers a good value meal.

Zootz Kitchen Bar, 257 Seaview Road, Henley Beach SA                 http://zootzhenleybeach.wix.com/home

The Mess Hall

Wandering along Bourke Street in search of brunch, the buzz of people outside The Mess Hall caught my eye. It’s a welcoming space, stretching back to the kitchen and decorated with climbing plants on a wire mesh, soaking up the natural light pouring in from upstairs. The menu is fairly short, so I started with an orange juice, served in a generous sized glass, and ordered the green scrambled eggs. It came out quite quickly, and I was intruiged by the flavour combinations. Not your average scrambled eggs, this version had finely-sliced asparagus, pesto and truffle oil mixed in. Yep, truffle oil. Yum-o. The overall effect was fantastic – the pesto had a subtle flavour but the asparagus was crisp and juicy, and the truffle oil flavour lifted everything to a new level of deliciousness. The bread was a bit too toasted for my taste, but on balance this was made up for by the fluffy eggs. The staff happily left me to my book while they set up for lunch, and I appreciated not being rushed. I’ll be back to try their pasta and sit in the cozy upstairs room!

The Mess Hall, 51 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC           http://www.themesshallmelbourne.com

Steven Ter Horst

Adelaide has some fabulous independent chocolate stores, and Steven Ter Horst is one of the best. Craving something sweet after brunch, a friend and I dropped in to eye off the cakes on display. I was sorely tempted by the salted caramel tart, but seeing that they offered a ‘fruit de bois’ hot chocolate with strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, I was sold. They kindly made the mix dairy-free for me, using coconut milk and soy instead of milk. There was a short wait, but we sat comfortably at the large centre table, which was strewn with South Australian magazines. My mug came out and I was surprised at how thick the mix was – I adore true Italian hot chocolates and this was beautifully thick, apparently due to the berries. I ate it mostly with a spoon, to make sure I didn’t miss any. The dairy-free option in no way detracted from the flavour of the chocolate, which is an uncommon quality and reflects the care and talent that goes into their craft. The chocolate was rich, not sickly sweet, and given a delicate tartness from the berries. Well worth a visit.

Steven Ter Horst, 256 Rundle Street, Adelaide SA       http://www.steventerhorst.com.au/