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

Cool Mac

I met a friend at Cool Mac for an early weekday breakfast during my training week in Kirribilli, and we were both very impressed with what they had to offer. We sat outside on the sidewalk, which is something I really liked about this place – that, and it was one of the only places at the local shops open at 7am. I started with a Botanica cold pressed juice (bottled in the cutest jar), which was both healthy and refreshing. The owner was very friendly and patient while we chatted away before ordering – eventually I chose the eggs benedict and added a side of avocado (why not?). I consider eggs benedict a good test of a place, and Cool Mac passed with flying colours. The eggs were beautifully poached, there was plenty of rich but not-too-rich hollandaise, the bacon was plentiful and crispy, and whilst the toast was a bit crispy for me, it didn’t spoil the overall deliciousness. The avocado I added was a full half, and went really well with the dish – I’ll definitely keep this in mind for future orders. Cool Mac is a fun, friendly and tasty breakfast venue.

Cool Mac Cafe, 2/34 Burton Street, Kirribilli NSW, no website

Hammer & Tong

Whilst visiting Melbourne I mentioned that I was keen to visit Hammer & Tong – luckily my friends were keen too, so off we went to try their adventurous menu. There is definitely an industrial/Soviet-style feel about the cafe, with plenty of unpolished metal and bare walls, which is also reflected in their communist flag-inspired logo. The menu draws mostly on Asian cuisines, with the unusual option of ‘breakfast ramen’ offered – I was so tempted but it was just too early. Instead, I picked the spanner crab egg crepe served with cucumber ketchup and charocal brioche, and the mango, passionfruit and pineapple juice. The juice menu said fresh but when the juice came out it had none of the hallmarks of a fresh juice (there was no froth and it had a watery texture), but was nonetheless delicious – the passionfruit’s tart flavour was a great wake-up aid! The crepe was heavenly – light and fluffy with plenty of crab inside, each mouthful was delightful with the cucumber ketchup, which tasted more like a cucumber pickle in liquid form. It matched perfectly with the charcoal brioche which was also quite light. The flavours and textures worked together so well – next time maybe I’ll be brave and try the ramen!

Hammer & Tong, 412a Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC       http://www.hammerandtong.com.au

Two for Joy

My friend and I tried to go to Penny University for a brunch catch up on Mother’s Day, but not having booked ahead, they were packed out. Instead we wandered up to Two for Joy, which neither of us had tried before, and we managed to get a table right away. It was particularly chilly so I started out with a soy hot chocolate – it had great flavour (i.e. it actually tasted like hot chocolate, not hot soy), and our food came out quite quickly, considering how busy they were. I ordered the Shakshouka – baked eggs in a tomato ragu with sausage, yoghurt and za’atar, plus flat bread for dipping. It was beautifully presented and when I cut into the eggs the yolks were deliciously runny = heaven! The whole dish was warming – the rich ragu had capsicum and onion along with tomato, but it wasn’t too rich. The spinach added some texture while the yoghurt mixed in with the ragu and egg yolk to make a beautiful sauce, perfect for mopping up with the flat bread. The sausages were really tasty and the whole meal was just the right amount to leave full but not bloated. Thanks Penny University – not fitting us in has led to the discovery of a new favourite!

Two for Joy, 27-29 Eyre Street, Kingston ACT

Local Press

An important part of Local Press is its emphasis on wholefoods, and this is reflected in their menu choices. The first item on their menu encapsulates this philosophy, and having tried the majority of other items, on this visit I decided to dive right in and try the ‘green breaky plate’. My only reservation was that it might not be filling enough – I shouldn’t have worried. The portions at Local Press are just right and I enjoyed walking away from breakfast without feeling bloated. The plate included hard boiled eggs coated in za’atar (a Middle Eastern spice mix), which were still steaming when the plate was served. The asparagus was beautifully soft and brought to life by the dill yoghurt and avocado. I haven’t jumped on board the quinoa bandwagon, but the quinoa tabouleh provided a great contrast of textures, complemented by the fresh kale. But the highlight of the dish had to be the almonds. Yep, nothing more than incredibly good quality, flavoursome almonds, which served simply on the kale showcased what the wholefood philosophy can do in the taste department.  There might just be something to this trend after all.

Local Press, 128 Trevellian Quay, Kingston ACT     http://www.localpresscafe.com.au/

Loading Zone

Melbourne no longer has a monopoly on laneway culture. There, I said it. Canberra is now able to hold its own on funky, out-of-the-way dining options, if you know where to look. Loading Zone is an open-air laneway cafe, and so isn’t really comfortable to eat at much of the year, given how cold Canberra gets, without seriously rugging up. But even then, when you’re served a steaming hot pan of baked eggs, the cold doesn’t seem so bad. My friends and I popped in to Loading Zone for a pre-flight breakfast on a weekday, and with the stenciled artwork on the walls, changing seasonal menu and low stools to sit on, the vibe is very Melbournesque. I was excited to see an unusual mix of fresh juices on offer – blood orange or mandarin! I picked the mandarin, and was delighted by the tangy freshness of the juice. Being a chilly morning, I ordered the baked eggs, which came out of the kitchen piping hot with crusty toast. The tomato sauce was beautifully spicy and complemented the rich, creamy beans. On a chilly Canberra morning this hit the spot perfectly!

Loading Zone, Odgers Lane, Civic ACT, no website

The Roastery Cafe

Brisbane has some really lovely little cafes, and the Roastery is definitely one of the lovely ones. I was amazed to see the huge coffee roasting/grinding? machine housed in the warehouse next door – obviously the source of the cafe’s name – and a funky mural on the long corridor wall leading out into the courtyard. The space is cozy and the tables have succulents on them (my favourite!). The breakfast menu is pretty extensive, so I went simple and ordered the eggs benedict – a standard test of the quality of a cafe. I also had their juice of the day, which was watermelon, apple, pear and passionfruit – such a great combination! The juice was served in a mason jar with a handle and it was a beautiful sunset colour. The meal itself was a little disappointing – the eggs had been overcooked and had pretty much solid yolks, and the hollandaise was a little chemically, but the bacon was beautiful and the bread was nicely toasted (my usual bugbear avoided). The cafe had a nice atmosphere with friendly staff, and despite its failings, was a nice change to the work-provided breakfasts we’d eaten all week.

The Roastery Cafe, 25 Glenelg Street, South Brisbane      http://www.rougecoffee.com.au