I’ll Brekkiefy You. Cafe Hopping Mischief Once Again!

It’s about that time! On this dreary Sunday, I bring you into my world of fantasy BREAKFAST – because I live, breathe it and sacrifice my well being for it with continual bouts of bloating.  So I hope you’ll be able to find some solace in a cup of coffee and a hefty dose of poached eggs at either one of the cafes mentioned after reading this post. Plus I haven’t gone cafe hopping in yonkers due of the lack of annual leave taken over the last few months since the trip to the US and judging by the email and twitter requests I’ve received (thank you!) asking that I post up more of my breakfast adventures, this is long overdue. It’s good to know I’m not the only one interested in what other people shove in their belly’s.

Anywho, the reason why this post was possible was I that got to go out for breakfast whilst I was moving house over the course of  3 days. I mean, I had to fuel myself at the crack of dawn each day for the cleaning, the packing, the unpacking, the repairs and the trips back and forth to various Bunnings outlets!

Just like how the X-Men battled with the mighty Apocalypse, the cafes my buds battled were:

Footscray Milking Station 35 Bunbury St Footscray, VIC 3011 Phone: 03 9029 9240 Website

Chez Dre 287 Coventry St South Melbourne, VIC Phone: 03 9690 2688

West 48 48 Essex St Footscray VIC 3011 Phone: 0402 171 791

Pillar Of Salt 541 Church Street  Richmond VIC 3121 Phone: 03 9421 1550

De Alleyway Espresso Shop 1A 318-322 Little Collins St CBD Phone: 0411 213 211

Demitri’s Feast 141 Swan Street  Richmond VIC 3121 Phone: 03 9428 8659

Baked Eggs and Quesadillas at Footscray Milking Station

Ex-milkbar now burgeoning cafe in my hood, Footscray Milking Station has been a real local trooper – situated in street I used to visit my friends in 15 years ago – offering a solid menu that isn’t several pages long minimising the dreaded procrastination induced “I’ll have the..umm…can you come back in 2 mins?” not too mention a decent up of Padre coffee. I’ve used their beans before on my espresso machine at home.

The green and white theme permeates throughout including the staff’s cool uniforms

Like Pint of Milk, both cafes were previously milk bars in a residential strip. I’d like to see more of this trend as they were once necessities and acted as a community hub back in their heyday. I loved visiting these family run gems as a kid pointing at the lolly window as I selected a couple of 5 cent milk bottles, coloured cars, musk sticks and a 30 cent golden rough. Now, since lattes and piccolos are vital to our existence, where many of us cannot function without our daily dosage of caffeine, now it’s the cafe’s turn to bring the local community together. Where neighbours can congregate. Another prime example of that happening is at Duchess of Spotswood.

I chose to improvise on tummy room by getting the baked eggs because I was hanging for the tomato sugo but resisting the bread and the Breakfast Quesadilla because I felt like eggplant and a poached egg on the side because it’s the only thing I enjoy eating that oozes as much as it does. Random I know, but it’s the honest truth. Stop judging!  Both were slammin but I’d probably recommend the baked eggs over the quesadilla for it’s sweet, red as hell tomato sugo littered with chorizo pieces that made it terribly hard to resist asking for a second piece of bread to mop it all up.

If you’re over in the west, also check out Wee Jeenie in Yarraville whose baked eggs are just as mop-worthy. TIP: Get it without the chorizo. The healthier version but just as good. *gasp* I know, I know – me? Giving health advice? Sit down.

Details:

Footscray Milking Station

35 Bunbury St
Footscray, VIC 3011
03 9029 9240

French Toast at Chez Dre

This must be the third time here at the always packed to the rafters Chez Dre. It was Wednesday and hump day was calling out for a mid week treat. I wanted French Toast and I wanted it bad and at a place I’ve never had it before. I walked in with one thing on my mind and early so I could get a seat fast and ordered zee  Brioche French Toast! You know how much I like cream, so I couldn’t help but eat the vanilla marscapone cream first only to find that I could have really used it to balance the sweetness of the caramelised apples later on. I’ll give this a Snooki inspired Waah!

Wah. I still wanted more sweets. So I got an eclair.

Details:

Chez Dre

287 Coventry St
South Melbourne, VIC
Phone: 03 9690 2688

Avocado on Toast and House Cured Salmon at West 48

Another newbie on the westside block near my joint. There is a small strip of shops but West 48 resides within largely, a residential and caffeine free area. They were also recently coveted the Local Hero Award by The Age Good Cafe Guide which is a great win for the area and for the owners who from the looks of it, have put in so much into the fitout of the premises. Very Melbourne standard and a very welcoming interior with little touches of nostalgia throughout like one the pin ups that read “If you’re not shaking, you need another cup”- Bwahaha.

Just for the nostalgia

I’ve since been twice, but my fav would have to be the heirloom tomatoes with chunks of feta and avocado on toast. Everything went really well from the sweetness of the tomatoes to the overall presentation of the dish. All it took was one photo. Their menu may be short but what it lacks in length, they make up for in solid offerings from their house cured salmon (also amazing, pictured below) to smooth and more than decent coffees.

aaaahhh….

House cured salmon

Then out comes …

Details:

West 48

48 Essex St Footscray VIC 3011

Phone: 0402 171 791

Southern Omelette at Pillar of Salt

Conveniently near my work, Pillar of Salt has been my saving grace not only for their coffees but their breakfasts are innovative but not too experimental giving patrons an opportunity to try a little something different. Take the southern omelette with creamed corn, coriander, jalapeños & buttered toast. A perfect vegetarian option but the fat omelette is filled with their own creamed corn that’s beautifully sweet with little bits of juicy whole kernels.

This was perfect as I was in the mood for an omelette. I forgot the name of the movie, but there was a scene where one of the characters cooked it  as a midnight snack and ever since watching it the night prior, I woke up craving it!

Details:

Pillar Of Salt

541 Church Street  Richmond VIC 3121

Phone: 03 9421 1550

Pitstop: Baked Cheesecake at De Alleyway Espresso

Don’t you just love random finds? Don’t ya just?! I was workin the streets of the CBD (not in that way just in case you were thinking it, dirty minds) on the way back from treating myself to a hot chocolate from KOKO Black (inspired by Hannah) when I stumbled across some astro turf just off Little Collins Street in a block of shops I’ve never been to. Intrigued and lured by the smell of coffee beans being grinded, I followed the trail which lead to the latest addition to the block, De Alleyway Espresso.

To the right of the counter are the drinks on offer separating the Lights (lattes, piccolo, caps) from the Darks (short black, ristretto) along with the variety of teas. They use Mailing Room beans. Their coffee was smooth, creamy with a slightly gutsy finish. Meanwhile, what stood out was the housemade baked cheesecake. I thought that there must have been a reason why nearly every table ordered it!

It was light and so smooth atop a sweet crumbly biscuit base making this so indulgent especially when paired with the complimentary dollop jam that came in a takeaway coffee cup. They also do other snazzy desserts from Milo muffins to panna cotta in egg shells.

Details:

De Alleyway Espresso
Shop 1A 318-322 Little Collins St CBD
Phone: 0411 213 211

OUZO cured ocean trout at Demitri’s Feast

It had been a good 2 years since I last ate at Demitri’s Feast. I remember it being a sweltering summer’s day. This time round, it was the complete opposite awash with rain. Nonetheless,  I was determined to fill my belly with their Greek influenced brekkie once again. It’s been too long and way too many cafes in between.

Everytime the clouds make an appearance, I immediately want something fried. Something nasty. But one must resist that temptation once in a while and perhaps, compromise. So in this instance, I did just that. I ordered the zucchini & herb fritter. It came crisp atop with ouzo, yes, OUZO cured ocean trout, greens, lemon and ahuh a poached egg for yo hungry ass.

Think piping hot slivers of zucchini encased in a seriously crispy shell  all coming together with succulent pieces of their cured trout, flowing egg yolk and a dash of lemon all aiming for that gap of yours.

Got that right!

Cap Off

Usually by the end of my Breakfast Indigestion shenanigans, I’d be defeated, bloated and starfish’d on the couch. On this occasion however, I had more energy than ever. This was of course due to the fact that I burned off all that fuel during the move. Mind you, I didn’t count a breakfast at Pancake Parlour as well! LOL This post would have gone on forever if I did. I literally had to cut out a tonne of material to save you all from using your keyboard as a pillow. To cut straight to the chase,  most props would have to go to the zucchini & herb fritter from Demitri’s Feast. Do it.

I swear, this boy will not be shifting or even be thinking about property for at least another few years. It would take some sort of infestation to get me out. You should have seen me at work this week. I had to get by on adrenalin and a few bouts of hysterical laughter. Day..e….m…zzzzzzzzzz. Hopefully with more sleep, I can get back to gettin’ jiggy with it.

Zee Details