Red Brick Café

(22/5/12)

We have kept an eager eye on this corner of Mont Albert Road, as we sensed something was taking place ……… yes the birth of a new café – Red Brick Café!

Eager to check it out we had a coffee three days after it opened, very nice coffee and looked promising for a breaky/brunch but we would give it a couple of weeks to settle in.

Driving past to find a park it looked very busy, oh no :( but in luck a table for three/four waiting for us. Very friendly girl met us at the door took us to the table, asked if we would like coffee etc & if we were having breakfast? Coffee & juice would be good thanks & yes breakfast please, and then she was gone not to return.

Coffee came out and also the juices, one not quite orange juice that was ordered  but it was acceptable, no water or menus.  We actually had to ask for menus from a different girl that passed our table. Menus came, slightly soiled, well one more than the others (have only been open for couple of weeks so may have to look at better option of menu to preserve the cleanliness) not a huge menu or kitchen but very inviting offerings.

I decided on the Brekkie Salad, an interesting option. It was very nicely presented in a rectangular shaped bowl/plate. Lots of rocket, cherry tomatoes, which were some of the smallest ones I have seen. They were very cold & may have been little nicer if slightly cooked, fairly sure the roasted capsicum was the jar variety, which was acceptable, could have been little more of it.  The menu said a poached egg on top, I had two ….. my lucky day :)  Overall a tasty dish, the croutons added a nice crunch.

Roqutte (spelt with additional e in Brekkie Burrito), Bacon, Croutons, Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Capsicum and a Poached Egg on top.($11.5)

Second choice was the Breakkie Burritto, again very nice presentation and relatively quick to the table.  Dish was hailed a success, very tasty & substantial enough despite not having any avocado (he loves his avocado :))

Breakkie Buritto – Tomato, Roquette, Mayo, Spanish Onions, Tasty Cheese, Bacon and Eggs  ($14.5)

Last but not least was the Veggie Brekkie, with additional scrambled eggs (protein)  This was definitely a man size breakfast, potato rosti, mushies, roast capsicum (jar ?)  roast tomatoes. It was all consumed and stomach satisfied.

Veggie Brekkie – Potato Rosti, Roast Capsicum, Roquette, Roast Tomatoes and Mushrooms  ($14) + ($3)

We noticed that you probably had to ask for water, as we only saw one table with any, usually appears on being seated in 99% cafes!  

As we had to ask for menus and our cutlery came as our plates were being placed on the table we decided to be bold & ask for another coffee before the waitress had time to pick up plates and leave our table. We didn’t like our chances otherwise, coffee was however very enjoyable.

I am not trying to be picky, as I am not a super critical blogger, and I realise its early days for this lovely café (with loads potential). The food was really enjoyable and I would happily go back. Just a few easily fixed things, such as the staff member that seats you follows through with drinks, water, table setting & orders, not three different staff members that possibly don’t know what the others have done! Clean up the menus, stains, & food remanents not really appealing. Pop some sort of cover around the meter box inside on wall, & possibly the plants in window could be in some sort of uniform containers be it paper bags or just black pots all same size.

Other wise Red Brick Café you have a winning recipe/location, I will be back :).

The Pour Kids

(15/5/12)

The Pour Kids, amusing play on words!  An equally whimsical fit out, primary coloured chairs, walls adorned with large coloured art work depicting Kids poor/pour – maybe :). Greeted by a quite timid but polite girl & pointed in the direction of empty tables, we chose one quite close to the toilet (maybe not a good idea, as had read review about said toilet & the smell of airfreshner!)  Yes confirmed not maybe as bad as previously but a definite waft whenever someone exited :( Bad choice of tables, & vision from serving part of café was obscured by a wall which could mean you get forgotten if really busy. Lucky for us its  not too busy & we weren’t forgotten, even though there probably could have been an additional staff member on the floor. Menus & water in colourful metal jug delivered to table and orders for coffee/juice taken by waitress that almost looked scared to speak!

Coffee (Axil coffee)($3.5) was deemed enjoyable as was the freshly squeezed apple juice ($6) , which looked little funky but tasted nice.

The Menu is very creative in word & content, and will appeal to the child in you.

The Clark Kent of museli – toasted muesli with ancient ‘super grains’, served w organic yoghurt & pomegranate seeds ($11.5)  A bit o’ the old morning crumpet – toasted house-made crumpets, with your choice of spread or seasonal conserve ($9)  or Back off, Flipper – pan-fried sardines on toast w haricot-sopressa paste, shaved celery + fennel ($16.5)

We chose the ‘Google this’ which was Deep-fried, crumbed poached eggs, w chorizo, feta, friezee lettuce + extra virgin olive oil.  Sounds interesting if not cardiac material, but the healthiest amongst us chose it ……. and loved it, he added a side of exotic mushrooms! Verdict was very tasty & it looked great too.

Google this – deep-fried, crumbed poached eggs, w chorizo, feta, friezee lettuce + extra virgin olive oil  ($16) + Exotic mushrooms ($4.5)

I had the Smash and grab, which was  bruschetta of smashed avocado, marinated feta, slow-roasted tomatoes + balsamic reductions.  I also decided to add a poached egg. Well what a pretty looking dish, almost too good to disturb. But disturb I did and left not a crumb of bruschetta on the plate. The tomatoes were some of the sweetest I have tasted in a long time, proper tomatoes!, where ever you source them Pour Kids, please continue.   The balsamic reductions cut through the richness of the avocado & feta perfectly. Yum …..please can I have more sir!

Smash and grab – Bruschetta of smashed avocado, marinated feta, slow-roasted tomatoes + balsamic reductions($16 + $2.5)

The last breaky/brunch ordered was The Lego (build-a-breaky) which allows you to choose eggs your way, scrambled was the choice today on toasted sourdough bread.  With the addition of  avocado, exotic mushrooms and a hash brown. It was a substantial mansize dish, and the hash brown was a particular winner.

The Lego (build-a-breaky) Two lovely free-range eggs (poached, fried or scrambled), on toasted sourdough bread ($7.8) + ($4.5) + ($3) + ($4)

There are also lunch items on the menu  such as Leeky coq, Knuckle sandwich, Piggy in the middle &  Identity crisis, but you will have to check them out yourself as they do not fall under the brunch umbrella :)

We possibly would have had a second coffee, but our timid miss didn’t ask when clearing table, and we figured it was going to be tricky to catch someones attention given the position of our table, so we decided to leave it there. It is a very striking yellow coffee machine :)

hobba coffee + kitchen

(8/5/12)

Another funky cafe fitout is hobba, in what used to be a mechanic's workshop, bare brick work,

 exposed cables, industrial type fittings etc.  Really good use of main  floor space by using wooden booths , which not only keeps the floor space tidy also makes it easy for staff to move around customers. One son felt the wooden bench seat was maybe in need of a cushion!, but that's probably not indie enough.  There were also some tables, bench seats in the front of the cafe looking onto Malvern road, and when sunny as it was this morning a perfect spot to be :-)

Had read varying  reviews about this cafe, some not

complimentary to staff, and some about the method of cooking their eggs. Well let me just say the staff couldn't have been more friendly or helpful in explanations of menu items! ... not sure what some people expect of staff? maybe has something to do with treating people the way you wish to be treated, enough said.

Breakfast is only until midday: but there were some egg dishes that were all day. Luckily we were

here well before midday, so we had the choice of the whole menu :-)

Started with coffee and organic apple juice.

The menu started with items such as hogan toast or currant & fruit bread, myrtleford butter, rice pudding, blood plum jelly, toasted oat crumble, stone fruit compote, toasted brioche. Sounded lovely but we moved straight to the eggs.

hobba breakfast ($18)

The hobba breakfast consisted of eggs cooked  62.5 c, which means they have a watery looking consistency and may not be everyone's taste, with out toast they have a viscous texture which can be an acquired taste! Tomato, bacon, mushroom, cumberland sausage, sourdough, chutney completed the dish. The boys would not normally choose sausage, but said it was indeed quite tasty.  They also felt it wasn't quite a substantial enough size serve to warrant the $18 price tag. But was very tasty & enjoyed by both.

chermoula braised chard baked omelette, kefalograviera, smoked tomato jam, dukkah 

($14.70)

This was such a tasty dish, I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone, it didn't come with the slice of toast, but helpful wait staff suggested adding. Perfect... it topped it off, and came in handy for getting the last bits of the smoked tomato jam off the empty pan. Both the boys tried and were in total agreement with me, a winner!

There was also a choice of poached egg, polenta, black pudding, smoked kaiser, tomato kasundi, breakfast radish or smashed avocado & yarra valley fetta, toasted grain sourdough, slow poached egg.

Empty plates cleared & more coffees ordered.  Coffee very agreeable & therefore beans for home

purchased with the offer from wait staff that if any dissatisfaction with them to return & discuss. :-) Out into the Melbourne Autumn sun with contented bellies.

St Ali

(26/4/12)

Birthday Treat ..... off to try out St Ali in South Melbourne. Have read & heard so much about this place. Lets just say St Ali trades on its very good reputation as you may find it a little tricky to find! Very minimal signage on the outside of the cafe & its tucked down a fairly nondescript side street that runs parallel to Clarendon Street.

 Half expecting to have trouble getting a table, but surprised by the size of the cafe, lots of tables of varying sizes,

including long multi person ones & smaller ones tucked in alcoves in the entrance way. Greeted by friendly staff seated, coffees & freshly squeezed apple juice ordered, water (small glasses!)

 & funky menus supplied. 

House Blend - Cult of Done! ($4)

Fresh Apple Juice ($8)

Decision time, the menu is a bit of a mix of Breakfast/Brunch & Lunch, from Breaking Bread ... (Dench, Chimmys & Alasya sourdough/ Wood fired pide/Wholegrain/Brioche/Gluten-free/Fruit Loaf) w St Kilda roof top honey/ vegemite/ peanut butter or house made jam. To Tribute to B.Cooper (Chinchin) - Roasted pork belly salad with betle leaf, wombok, coriander, Vietnamese mint, roasted peanuts & pickled carrot! With lots in between, Magic Mushrooms, Eating with Salvatore, Meredith, Mr Girello, Happy Ending, Lola Berry one & two, & Steak Sanga to name but a few, best to google cafe and check out descriptions on their menu, it will make you hungry looking at the choices :-)

My Mexican Cousin ($18.5)

This tasted as good as it looks, secret recipe corn fritters, fresh baby spinach, haloumi and kasundi with poached or fried eggs. Poached was the choice of diner one and everything was cleared from his plate. Extremely tasty was the verdict.

Omega Love ($18.5)

This was my choice and I was not disappointed, Pastrami style smoked salmon, poached egg, crunchy kipfler potatoes and seeded mustard mayonnaise.  I added some bacon as a birthday treat. The salmon was very fresh and the combination with the kipfler potatoes worked really well. Another winner.

From Chickens with Love ($10.5) + ($4)

Eggs any way, choice was scrambled with addition of Istra Bacon on pide, other choice was sourdough. The scrambled eggs were very tasty and a decent serve, and he particularly liked them on the pide.

Seems to be a lot of fairly happy staff working here, one of which cleared our plates but didn't ask if we wanted any other drinks !!!!!! ...... but another happy female came past almost immediately and asked the question .... confidence restored :-)  St Ali roasts coffee on site & you can see the roaster in action from your table, it looked like a labour of Love!