Two Birds One Stone

(17/8/12)

Three Men One Bird, set off to try a new kid on the block in South Yarra, it was raining & Claremont Street is certainly not easy to get a park! After doing a trip around the block we scored a park in busy Toorak Road. Looking through the large windows we could see it was fairly busy .... would we secure a table for four?  The answer was no :-( we could take a seat on stools at the bench in one of the  windows until a table became available.  Not an ideal spot for four people to have brunch together as you can only comfortably talk to the person beside you, but coffee & juices ordered we checked out the menu & the cafe. 

 Breakfast is served all day,  with items such as House made bircher w/ poached honey pears, pistachios & cranberries ($11.5), Twice cooked marmalade French toast, oranges & vanilla mousse (16.5) sounds interesting, to more savoury like Baked beans, haloumi & coriander pesto ($14.5) or Blonde omelette w/ hot smoked salmon, fennel, chili & coriander (16.50).  Lunch is also served all day, & there were some very tasty items on offer!  The usual suspects - Extras from Egg, tomato relish ($2) to House smoked salmon ($5)

Orders taken we were still sitting in the window, & after watching a women w/ baby enter & take a vacated table with out waiting we felt the window was where we may be eating! A gentle little reminder to the floor staff who granted were busy (couple looked a little flustered), & we managed to secure one end of the lovely large communal table.  

Coffee ($3.8)

Pear & Apple Juice ($3.5)

Two birds: eggs, bacon,tomato, mushrooms, spinach , avocado & 

tomato relish (18.5)

Two birds: scrambled eggs, bacon, tomato, pork chilli & fennel

sausage, mushrooms, spinach & tomato relish

(18.5)

Two birds: eggs, bacon, tomato, pork chilli & fennel sausage, 

mushrooms, spinach & tomato relish

(18.5)

I wont comment on each of the three meals above separately as they are all takes on the Two birds,

they all enjoyed their respective dishes & commented that the bacon was cooked particularly well. Positive feed back on the sausages too, not something they would necessarily choose to have, but were a welcome addition for two of the three :-)

Roasted field mushrooms, toasted house made brioche, 

Meredith feta & watercress

(15.5)

Loving mushrooms almost as much as the avocado lover! the roasted field mushrooms were my choice I also added the poached egg just to give it a breaky feel. The mushrooms were on a toasted house made brioche (brioche - highly enriched bread of French origin, high egg & butter content which gives it quite a rich taste)  Personally I didn't really like the combination of the brioche with the mushrooms & feta, it was all a bit sweet for me, I think I would have rathered sourdough or multigrain. But that is just my palate, Im sure plenty of customers would love it. I did give the other brunchers a taste & I have to say they did all agree with me. However the mushrooms & feta, egg went down a treat :-)

White peony tea

($4)

Meals done, plates cleared by very efficient staff, we decided to order another coffee & a White peony tea, & a Jasmine pearls.  The tea came in the cutest teapots we have seen, the visual was quite striking!

Two birds one stone, is a very attractive space with some very usual & quite dominating lighting fixtures. Its clean, bright & polished which makes it a very attractive cafe & very much a hit with the locals of South Yarra. There are some outside tables, not inviting in the rain & unfortunately usually occupied by smokers! Hopefully one day that will be a thing of the past :-)  We would happily return to this cafe if not to try some of the other Breakfast items, one of the Lunch!