Palomino

On this cold and wet Thursday morning 4 hungry champions decided Northcote was our area of choice for breakfast goodness! The lucky cafe was 'Palomino'.

Palomino - 236 High Street, Northcote

There was ample parking on the street, although it was all 1 hour parking, it might not have been so easy on the weekend either... BUT it is currently school holidays at the moment so really... I'm not a good judge. FYI we found a cheeky 2 hour park down a side street, no one likes a rushed brekky!

Breakfast time, Breakfast time!

Having attempted to call up earlier in the week and book (because we initially were a team of 6, they don't take bookings), I was a little worried, but for our adventure we became a four and found a ducky little table in the window fit for four champions.

We sat and a waitress said hello and told us she would be there in a moment

.... .... *10 seconds*.... ....

she pops up with menus and water (YAY) and grabs our coffee order.

Baked goods etc.

Menu of delight

I know what you're wondering now... Yep, what's on the menu?!

And what a choice, two pages to choose from, a specials board and a cabinet of sandwiches, wraps tarts, pies and BAKED GOODs... Mmmmm!

The waitress came back with our coffees... mmmmm coffee. Good coffee too, I could have happily enjoyed it without my usual honey addition, but my sweet tooth always wins out! Sal informed me her coffee wasn't as strong as she would have liked though.

mmmmmm CHAI!

Emma (school holidays edition champion) said her hot soy chai latte was great, not the sweet sort of chai but how chai should be, I think she threw in words like cinnamon and nutmeg... Christmas in a glass perhaps??

As a tribute to missing champion and fellow blogger Lisa we all shared a blueberry BAGEL with cream cheese and strawberry jam as a Brentree (Champion Lingo for Brunch-Entree).

Such a good bagel!

After having enjoying our bagel we all had high hopes for the main event and I'm telling you, we were not disappointed. :-D see, THAT is my happy face!

Spinach Baked Egg.

My breakfast choice was the 'Spinach Baked Egg' - with lemon, fetta and fennel seeds topped with pecorino pepato with organic pumpkin sourdough toast. I also ordered a side of chorizo. It was delicious and just the right amount of food!

Pancetta wrapped eggs.

Sal and Mads both ordered the same thing, nobody like food envy. 'Pancetta wrapped eggs' - with tomato basil and pecorino pepato, served with spicy baked beans and fetta on organic sourdough toast. They both liked the sound of the pumpkin sourdough toast so they ordered that instead (Awesome by the way) and they both had a side of mushrooms each too (also delicious). The Beans although spicy I think had just the right amount of spice!

The only down side to the meal was the eggs were overcooked, but they were mixed in with all the other delicious ingredients so it didn't really affect our enjoyment levels.

Bruschetta

Emma enjoyed a tomato and bocconcini bruschetta with basil on organic pumpkin sourdough toast. She told me it was delicious and it looks fantastic, if mine wasn't so good I would have had food envy.

BAKED GOODS.

Probably my favourite part of breakfast really. We decided with the cabinet and jars full or delicious treats that we had to do a bit of a cheeky share... AND WE DID!

Baked goods!

Sally's must have was the Chocolate and raspberry brownie, Emma's choice was the carrot cake, and we thought something a little different to top it off, number three was a rhubarb and pistachio friand. To be honest it wasn't anything spectacular, but it was still really nice, and the pistachio and rhubarb friand was a surprisingly good combination of flavours.

hehe edible palomino

My total bill came to $27.40 which included the spinach baked eggs ($11) plus the chorizo side, two coffees, one of the baked goods and a cute little gingerbread horse which I saw at the register and I couldn't resist getting it... In my opinion.. $27.40 is a REALLY good price for a good hearty brekky, I was happily surprised actually.

Happy champions after brekky!

Overall, I really really enjoyed 'Palomino'. The service was fast and accurate, the coffee was great, the food was delicious and the value for money, wow, I'm still a happy camper!

I would happily go back there, especially in summer because there is this beautiful court yard out the back that would be fabulous on a not so cold and rainy day!

Pillar of Salt (revisited)

Pillar of Salt has already been documented here on BOC (the inaugural post I believe, ahhh memories) but seeing as though I went in at a much later time, sat in a different area, had all different meals AND had a really nice experience to boot, I think it deserves another wrap. I did go with the same people though, my wonderful friends Todd and KT.

Check out the colanders for light fittings!

We were originally going to go to Amsterdam Café but it was sadly closed, and since we had enjoyed Pillar of Salt before we decided to go there again. Saturday was a balmy day for September and we sat out the back area to a truly cruisy late afternoon vibe. The staff were chilled out and helpful, and the menu selections were so good I could hardly decide, but I got there in the end. Phew!

The last time we were there, it was a busy Saturday morning and Richmond's trendiest folk were out in force. We felt out of place that we didn't have on heels and a faux rabbit skin vest on (all the rage a few months ago). Switch to the afternoon and the place has a much more relaxed feel.

So even though it was about 3pm, they had all day breakfast and I’m only human, I can’t resist that! Todd picked from the lunch menu but KT and I stayed in the realm of breakfast.

Todd got the coconut poached chicken salad, shredded vegetables, vermiceli noodles, asian herbs & nahm jim dressing ($15). It looked so great, it's times like these when it’s hard being a vego. Of course I didn’t succumb and had to take his word for it that it was excellent, especially loved the dressing. He also got some communal chips - that man knows the way to a girls heart, who doesn't love cafe chips!

mmmmm chips

Coconut poached chicken salad

KT, Todd's beautiful other half, got the homemade smoky borlotti bean bruschetta, with avocado & persian feta puree, served with a poached egg, parsley dressing & shaved grana padano ($16.50). I thought this sounded great but I don’t generally like smoky flavours so I passed on it. KT generously allowed me to sample a fair few bites and there was no overpowering smoke flavours, just delicious beans and cheese flavours so I think this is what I will get when we no doubt come again.

I got the corn fritters, smoked salmon, coriander & avacado salsa ($16 or with a poached egg $18). I asked for no salmon but the others jumped in, stating that they would kindly take the salmon off my hands. That is, after all, what friends are for. The helpful waiter said he’d put it on a side dish for for us, so it's not in this photo as it was eagerly plucked away by KT but I think you can see it in the chips photo above!

They forgot our coke but were mighty apologetic when it came out. The staff were preparing for an evening function but didn’t kick us out, nor did they mind when we stayed chatting for ages after our meals were finished. Overall a really nice afternoon with friends topped off by excellent food and relaxed atmosphere. Get yourself down there kids!

Chez Dre

My friend Linda who has her finger on the pulse with that’s going on in the land of, well everything, recommended Chez Dre to me, and clearly the girl knows her stuff.

Chez Dre is tucked away in a little alley off Coventry street and it kinda looks like not much from the outside, but once stepping inside I realized that was wrong. The place was pumping and BOC old hand Simon and were told we may have to wait 10 minutes for a seat. Not that we were fussed, as I had it on excellent authority that the éclairs were to die for. I took the opportunity to check out the facilities and when I came out, looking for Simon patiently waiting in line, he flagged me down from the seat he had already been given. While we were there I noticed that the many, many staff were super quick to wipe down empty tables and re-seat the next patrons.

We got there around lunch time but being loyal to breakfast had to stick to that menu. I got a really great soy cappuccino to start and Simon got an OJ.

I found it so hard to pick from the great menu, but eventually went for the breakfast sourdough with scrambled eggs. I’m all about the scrambled eggs lately. I also got a side of smashed avocado in order not to get food envy when Simon’s food came – see more below. The eggs were great, perfectly done and there was ample toast so that the egg to toast ratio was perfect. Plus, for something different, a little pile of grated carrot on the side. Different, but I love me some grated carrot, so I was happy.

I almost bagged out Simon, because the last time he featured on BOC that he got eggs Benedict. But he chose the slightly different Poached eggs on sourdough with house marinated smoke salmon and smashed avocado with goats cheese. And after I ate poached eggs for my first 10 odd breakfasts here, I would be the pot calling the kettle boring if I told him that var

iety is the spice of life! It did look lovely though, and once I heard he was getting the smashed avocado with feta I had to add that to my meal too, as the previous comment about food envy alluded to.

I don’t normally get a baked goods, Tiff and Sal usually look after that BOC tradition. But I was told Chez Dre had the best darn éclairs around so I had to. I sent Simon to the pastry case whilst I took one for the team and minded the tables. And bless his cotton socks, did he not make the best decision ever? Lemon tart to accompany our chocolate éclair.

This was one of the best lemon tarts I ever had I reckon (after my Mum’s of course!). The éclair was amazing, but soooo rich. Definitely for sharing.

Over all I was really impressed. The food was good, the place was getting heaps of people in and out but the service was prompt and the prices were pretty standard. Also, there was a cute French waiter. What’s with all these Melbourne breakfast hotties lately? (note: not complaining). Not our standard inner city funky small but well known Brunswickesqe café but sometimes that’s not always the best either *coughsnowponycough*. So well done Chez Dre! If I’m in South Melbourne I’ll definitely go back to try those Moroccan eggs. And have another lemon tart.

Balderdash

This is the first time I've been to Balderdash for food, but I’d been there for coffee many times before. This is due to the close proximity to my old stomping ground and the fact that it has pretty consistently great coffee. Also, and very importantly, they also have a totally cute waiter. Balderdash is set into the corner of Bridge St and Bay St in Port Melbourne and has a pretty low key look – fresh flowers, polished concrete floors, big centre tables and bars with stools lining the window. Pretty cool flying pig on the ceiling too!

It was a nice enough day with a small smattering of rain but mostly Sunny. So my friend Dave and I walked down there for a cruisy Father’s Day brunch with his son Otis:

Balderdash use my Bonsoy, which is a great drop. Checks out the lovely coffee art in an appropriately sized cup:

Dave sugared up his latte before I remembered to take a photo. And praise the Lord, after the last rubbish breakfast experience at Pope Joan, I was presented with a menu where there were loads of delicious sounding options and I struggled to pick just one. But I did, and that one was the ‘Feta basil pesto scrambled eggs with multigrain toast’. And just look at this presentation:

Hidden under the toast is rocket. It may have been a bit bland if not for the rocket and balsamic, which really made it. So overall I was pretty thrilled.

Dave got eggs benedict, he had a hankering for it all day. And he was pretty happy with it – I tried to pick on the firmness of the eggs but he said he let that one sit for a while so overall happy with the food. He also found the balsamic really made the meal as well.

Having a dog is a license to talk to strangers. We had a lovely chat with the couple sitting next to us, of which ½ was vegan, although it was bad timing to discuss the perils of the dairy industry seconds before my scrambled eggs with feta came out – uh-oh, vegan fail. Good weather + friendly dog = easy new friends.

Downside: the cute waiter forgot Dave’s OJ which is the second time this has happened to him. Lucky the food was so delicious. The weather brightened up and we took Otis down to the beach. Good food, great company, mostly good weather = great day!

Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder

This fortnight, our crew of Champions braved the Melbourne rain for a trip out to Bridge Road Richmond. Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder was our destination. With a cheeky U-turn we found ticketed parking on Bridge Road ($5 for 2 hours though... eeek). I'm not sure how successful we would have been had it been the weekend, but I was told by fellow champion Sally that there is parking available behind the Bridge Road shops, so if you were combining shopping with a brekky adventure that could be the way to go!

Mmmm Breakfast!

We walked through the red doors and were instantly hit with an amazing cheesy smell. In front of us lay 'The Cheese Room' which according from their website is a 'purpose built maturation room', hampers are available for all those cheese connoisseurs. 

Room of cheesy goodness!

We were happily greeted by a waitress and seated on a roomy 4 seater table. Coffee orders were promptly taken and we were left to drool over the menu.

The 'Spring Breakfast' menu available till 3pm, had almost too many options. Our little crew of Champions were struggling to choose, with Maddy having the most trouble. But fear not, we made our choice and I for one was oh sooo satisfied.

Coffee coffee coffee!

Even though there was a slight hiccup with our coffee orders (a short macchiato instead of a latte was bought to the table), the mistake was promptly an apologetically rectified. Our breakfast orders were taken and we were left to enjoy our creamy and sufficiently strong coffees!

Linen napkin!

One little detail that I was particularly taken by was our LINEN napkins, yep you heard me, actually fabric, it wasn't even that 'linen feel' paper napkins. We are talking hand folded dry cleaned napkins, way to make a girl feel special over breakfast.

Breakfast time, and wasn't I a happy little camper that Sal and I ordered the same meal. I would have had major food envy otherwise!

Corn fritters with Chorizo!

Sally and I both enjoyed our Corn and coriander fritters with smoked salmon a poached egg (perfectly runny), spinach and a house made tomato and capsicum relish. I also got a side of chorizo which was just the right amount of spice. Sally ordered the house made spicy sausage as a side, I had a cheeky taste and admittedly would have been just as happy (if not more) with that tasty morsel. The Corn fritters had a great taste and the chefs were not skimpy with the corn. All the flavours overall worked well and I was smiling my happy smile at the end.

Maddy's Breakfast!

Maddy's Brekky looked absolutely fantastic when it came to the table, and I ALMOST found myself regretting my own breakfast decision. Almost.

Maddy's choice: Avocado and fresh tomato on Dench's sourdough with Meredith's soft goat's feta, chilli and basil. With a side of bacon of course! Maddy did enjoy her breakfast but was disappointed by the thickness (or thinness) of the toast slice. It was closer to a sandwich cut of bread and I'm told was really difficult to cut through. Nothing beats a good thick serve of toast with your breakfast and at $18.50 for the meal (not including the bacon) I can understand her frustration.

Mmmmm Baked Goods....

Assorted baked treats!

Looking at the above picture again makes my mouth water! The Champions all became a little excited at the options for our sweet treat to finish off our meal so we ordered three and had a big share!

First, the warm croissant with a house made chocolate and hazelnut spread, soft and fresh and melted in my mouth.

Second, A vanilla cupcake with spiralling chocolate  icing, light and fluffy, everything a cupcake should be.

Finally, the chocolate tart with light pastry base, dense (but not too dense) chocolatey goodness, my chosen final mouthful (always leave the best to last right??)

The price of the meal for me was $35.80, which I was happy to pay considering I really really really enjoyed it. It included, 2 coffees, the corn fritters, the chorizo side and a baked treat.  Coffee was above the standard at $3.90, although Bridge Road may have higher prices than what I am used to else where. It was probably the $5 side of chorizo that I would say was a little steep, but what price can you put on a delicious piece of sausage really?

I had a thoroughly enjoyable breakfast (cause I haven't that already). The service was prompt and their management of a mistake (which happens) was handled well. The meal was tasty and the size was generous. The atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed. Everything you want in a brunch really. I wouldn't hesitate to go back.

Also, I recommend looking at the Richmond Hill Cafe & Larder website, it is one of the more comprehensive cafe websites I have come across.