St Ali

I’d heard a lot about St Ali in South Melbourne, and had missed a few opportunities to go there. So I jumped at the opportunity to go there with my friend Megsy on a lovely Friday morning when she had a week off. And I’m enjoying more leisure time at the moment which leaves my mornings open for lots of breakfast. Note to self: start counteracting breakfast out with exercise.

St Ali is rather nondescript from the outside - bare white painted bricks, no real sign, certainly no name declaring it to be what I was looking for. The building opposite it pretty standout, so perhaps look for that and then do a 180! Lucky for me, Megsy got there first and her waiting out the front was a giveaway that it was the location I was looking for. This lack of signage certainly isn’t hurting their business cause for a non-weekday day this pretty large establishment was pretty bustling. In a large converted warehouse, the inside has an airy industrial feel but there’s a few walls here and there, so it’s not like you’re eating in a big beer hall. It also has high ceilings, a courtyard of sorts and a surprising amount of natural light.

Now St Ali alleged has the best coffee in Melbourne. Then again so Tiffo heard that Mixed Business did too. And just this past weekend I was taken to Brother Baba Budan because I just had to try the coffee, apparently it's the best coffee in Melbourne.

My coffee at St Ali was really good, but it didn’t bowl me over like when I went to APTE (funnily enough Tiffo didn’t have a great coffee experience there – go figure). And I had that same “whoa this coffee is blowing my mind” experience with my coffee at BBB. I guess to put it into perspective, I’d go out of my way to get a coffee at St Ali if I was near the South Melbourne area, where as I’d probably go into the city just to get a coffee at BBB. You know, if I had nothing better to do, desperately needed coffee and could justify the trip.

The menu was pretty appealing, I was torn between at least three items and for me this is a good sign. I eventually went for the ‘My Mexican Cousin’, which was consisted of corn fritters, baby spinach, haloumi and kasundi with poached or fried eggs ($17.50). Naturally I opted for poached eggs. It was pretty great, I’ve been on a real haloumi kick lately so it hit the spot.

Megsy got the ‘Deconstructed NYC Bagel’, which had house cured sake salmon on toasted bagel with avocado and fetta mash and horseradish cream cheese ($18.00). I was pretty surprised when it came out looking so, well, deconstructed but when I think about it, how else would it be? I was drooling over the horseradish cream cheese.

All in all it was pretty great. My only bad experience was when parking and someone stole my spot by standing in it (as a pedestrian, what the?). But that can hardly be blamed on the restaurant. I’d definitely go back, although I hear it’s madness on the weekends, but that just says it all doesn’t it?

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.