Cupping Up in Market Lane

February 20, 2011 5 Comments

Opening Hours:
Mon closed
Tues – Sat: 7am – 5pm
Sun 9am – 3pm

Coffee: Market Lane House Blend, Specialised Coffee Blends, Single Origin

Mr LB:
“There is no denying that coffee is an integral part of our lives.  We use it as a medium to catch up with friends, to wake ourselves up, to push through the working day or just to enjoy the depth that this beverage provides.  However, I pose the question to you - how much do you really know about what is in that magic cup of goodness?

Market Lane Coffee is not brunch place per se, but rather a coffee speciality cafe located in the heart of Prahran Market.  The outfit is beautifully open, with an assorted arrangement of tables, bench tops and a communal table which provide coffee goers a refreshing and comfortable environment.  They offer an extensive range of coffee blends from various origins which can be viewed from the counter blackboard which regularly changes with the season.  They also roast all of their beans and create a house blend which is unique and delightful.  You will not be comforted with a dull coffee here!

From Thursday to Sunday, Market Lane Coffee offers a free cupping session for either the coffee enthusiast or the beginner.  A cupping season simulates the process that coffee roasting groups go through when creating the perfect blend.  They first purchase a sample of a newly seasoned blend.  The sample is then roasted at different levels (low, medium or dark) which is analysed at three different stages. First the freshly ground fragrance. Second is the aroma where water heated to 90 degrees is applied. Lastly is the best part – tasting.

The cupping session involved seven different beans. Without sounding too pretentious, the depth to the ground coffee fragrances and aromas were incredible.  I had smelt nutty, citrus, chocolate and even caramel.  Then there was the tasting!  With many slurping actions, we had tasted a great range of coffee flavours.  What made the cupping experience even more interesting is the mystery to the origin of the beans.  Not even the demonstrator knew until the end.  Having a beginner/intermediate coffee palate, I could identify the “easy” tastes which a coffee beans embodied.  However, one of the baristas had arrived for a quick tasting , quickly identifying that one of the blends had an “old taste to it, as if it had been sitting in the plane too long”.   Impressive!  It was a fun experience to have where you could share with friends what you had tasted and guess where the beans had originated.

At the end of the cupping session, a proper coffee was needed.  As you wait to order, there is a very convenient coffee flow chart showing the various factors that go into considering what kind of coffee you feel like experiencing for the day. I’m an espresso man at heart and so my choice was easy, Long Black - Market Lane Espresso Blend [$3.50].  This coffee had a 50/50 of two different coffee beans, and with my newly improved palate I could definitely identify the sweat taste it embodied.

Market Lane Coffee is no ordinary coffee shop, but rather it’s a coffee experience. This is definitely a pre-requisite to attend if you consider yourself a coffee goer.”

Miss SL:
“Mr LB and I have been talking about attending a coffee cupping session for a long time, and when I was told about a free sessions held at Market Lane Coffee (Thursdays - Sundays, 10am) I jumped at the chance. Not just because of the experience, but also because of all the fantastic things I’d been hearing about Market Lane Coffee.

Upon arrival at Prahran Markets, we gathered our friend The Rabbit and headed straight to the cupping session. We were handed a grading sheet (based on various factors such as aroma, body, finish, etc) and 7 types of beans were presented to us. I won’t go into too much detail about the cupping process, as Mr LB has already provided a rather detailed description above. I will just briefly say that it was amazing to smell the difference between the coffee aroma (freshly ground beans) and the coffee fragrance (with hot water). Some where potent, some fruity and even one with spice. The experience was an interesting one, and something I would like to do again, if not just for the sake of fine-tuning my ability to identify coffee flavours.

After the session, my palate was a little muddled with all the different varieties of coffee that we had tried. We thought it best to have a pre-brunch coffee and snack, and I settled on a Fazenda Barreiro regular latte [$4.50] from Brazil. It was described as having sugarcane sweetness with notes of chocolate, date, fig and a lingering toffee finish. I also ordered a Plain Croissant with Jam [$4] to share.

My latte was beautifully presented with a little collectors spoon. My first sip was interesting; the coffee was extremely distinct from almost all other lattes I’ve had, and there was a strange aftertaste which I don’t believe was attributed to toffee, but instead the fig. I’m not sure I enjoyed it 100%, but I wouldn’t say I disliked it either. Perhaps it was just adjusting to a bean with such prominent flavours coming through.

Fazenda Barreiro

My earlier post about St Ali gushed about my love for panela sugar, but at Market Lane Coffee they prefer Dulce – unrefined, dried sugarcane juice sourced from Spain. It was very unusual simply because I’d never seen it in any other cafe before.

My croissant to share came out and it was huge. The berry jam was freshly made, and the croissant had an excellent crust on the top of the pastry. I could tell it was going to be good even before starting. The crust made a crunching noise as I slit my knife through the top, dissecting a corner off and lathering it in jam. It was beautifully fluffy inside and the jam was magnificent. Not too sweet, but sweet enough.

Plain croissant w/ jam

It’s both a blessing and real shame that Market Lane Coffee doesn’t have a full brunch or even lunch menu - some sourdough with butter or pastries are on offer, but they keep their focus on the coffee. I’d love to come back here for an almond croissant and to try some of their other specialised blends. Market Lane Coffee is definitely worth the hype that surrounds them, but more than that, it’s somewhere fun to spend the morning that is a little different from norm.”

Final thought: “A pre-requisite for any coffee connoisseur”

Market Lane Coffee on Urbanspoon

Filed under Other Brunch Foods, Prahran Tagged with , , , , ,

Prahran Market & Mojitos

February 20, 2011 Leave a comment

Location:
Prahran Market (Market Square)
163 Commercial Road

Opening Hours:
Mon: Closed
Tue: 7am - 6pm
Wed: 10am – 10pm
Thur – Sat: 7am – late
Sun: 8am – 4pm

Coffee: Coffico

Mr LB:
“If you have been reading our blog, it’s fair to say that the majority of brunch places we visit are innovative, outstanding and deserving of their individual status. The people who visit such places are mostly ‘foodies’. Food lovers in their own right who appreciate the wait for that amazing French toast or the smoky tasting pork belly, complemented with crafted Australian roasted coffee blends. There is a lot of love when it comes to brunch. However, there is another sub-sector of people who also dine for brunch. These brunch goers are purely satisfied with plain, simple and unsophisticated dishes. Their enjoyment is yielded from the very fact that they are out having a meal which is edible and sustaining.

Mojito is a cafe, bar and lounge which offers a simplistic brunch menu, located in the midst of the Prahran Market cafe precinct. Having just had a cupping session at Market Lane Coffee and wander around the markets, we were hungry. Having had a quick peruse of what was on offer, the main reason for choosing Mojito was the brunch special, Breakfast Burger scrambled eggs, tomato, hash brown, garden salad topped w/ relish and on Turkish bread [$12.90].

Breakfast Burger - scrambled eggs, tomato, hash brown, garden salad topped w/ relish on Turkish bread

The meal did look like a real burger, but the overall experience was average. The salad was dry and a little lifeless, the scrambled eggs were tasty and moist but nothing to rave about. The hash brown were the highlight, being crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside without large bits of potatoes which you would find in pre-brought hash browns. The tomato relish complement the meal. I was not expecting anything flash, but it gave me the impression that it tasted and looked like a dish that I could make at home. With that said, it did fill me up which is always a positive.

If you enjoy a brunch out without the fuss of gourmet taste, plating and instead enjoy a simplistic, cheap meal, this is the place for you.  It’s not a place which I would take to preference, though.”

Miss SL:
“After spending the morning at Market Lane Coffee in Prahran Markets experiencing my very first coffee cupping session, I thought it best to get a wriggle on and do my grocery shopping and perhaps get a more filling meal. I made sure I showed both The Rabbit and Mr LB my most absolute favorite shop at the markets – Essential Ingredient. They’re largely popular for their high quality designer products and stocking of rather peculiar but key cooking ingredients. My favourites include the 1.5 kilo bags of Lindt chocolate, large assortments of oils you never knew existed and teracotta baking pots which are usually presented to you at good cafes upon ordering baked eggs.

We decided to eat in the Market Square, ordering some food from a place called Mojito. I didn’t order a coffee this time around, and decided on getting the Veggie Works w/ two eggs, spinach, roast capsicum, mushrooms, tomato, hash brown & toast [$14.50].

Veggie Works w/ two eggs, spinach, roast capsicum, mushrooms, tomato, hash brown & toast

What came out was fairly average, but I’ll be honest, my hopes weren’t very high anyway. The scrambled eggs were very plain, but to their credit, not dry. The mushrooms were lightly sauteed but largely tasteless. The tomato was beautiful and sweet and perhaps carried the most flavour throughout the dish. The roast capsicum was like a giant steak in the middle of my plate – too much in quantity and needed to be more evenly distributed throughout the dish. It had a slightly pickled taste to it, and was delicious with the egg.

The hash browns were pretty tasty, with small cubes of potato that brushed my tongue when eating. I’m not sure if this suggests they were bought from Woolworth’s, but given how long it had been since I’d had some hash browns it was good none the less.

Would I go back to Mojito? Not likely. Did it do the job of filling me up? Yes, it did, and it wasn’t a bad experience either. I’m just saying that if you’re heading to Prahran Markets, your better off trying somewhere else.”

Final thought: “Filler, not thriller”

Filed under Big Breakfast, Burger, Prahran, Vegetarian Breakfast Tagged with , ,

The Dukes of Windsor

February 12, 2011 6 Comments

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 7am-4pm
Sun: 8am-4pm

Coffee: Dukes house blend, Single Origin, Siphon Coffee

Mr LB:
“There are cafes in Melbourne that try too hard to make themselves seem like they’re the best because of location or innovative decor, paying little attention to food and coffee.  Such cafes deserve a big metaphorical food slap.  Chapel Street is one location where such cafes exist.  Enter Dukes Coffee Roasters. Whilst located on the Windsor side of Chapel Street, is very deserving of its location.  As the name suggests, they roast their own beans which are complemented with an impressive brunch menu.

From the outside it doesn’t seem to be much, with subtle signage and black exterior which could be easily mistaken for ‘just another cafe’.  Inside, the decor and architecture is impressive and uses the minimal natural light to its advantage.  The tables are cleverly allocated to ensure brunch goers have enough light to see what they are eating, with an overall impression of an inviting, cosy cafe.

It was coffee time, and I had ordered a long black with the Dukes Espresso Blend.  When the coffee arrived I was quite impressed. It had a light tan colour with swirls, which is visually striking.  The coffee had a distinctively sweet taste which was initially prominent and pleasantly faded on the palate.  There was a nectar aftertaste which was addictive to drink.

I always like to start the working week with a good breakfast and with this in mind I selected the Zucchini and feta baked omelette, chorizitos, tomato and fresh herb salad [$18].  The plating of the dish was inspiring and unexpected.  The omelette was cooked perfectly round and layered atop a piece of circular-cut sourdough.  The chorizitos were stacked on top, with a herb salad making this dish look like a mountain. Olive oil with dots of balsamic vinegar circled the plate, adding an impressive finishing touch.  The egg had been infused with the feta – which, by itself gives a dry taste.  The herb salad married perfectly with the feta, giving an explosion of freshness that counter balanced the dryness of the omelette.  Surprisingly, the salad was made up of a large portion of dill, a personally new-found herb which I have definitely been adding to my own cooking.  Dill works well with eggs in general, but having it with the feta-infused egg was mind-blowing.

Zucchini and feta baked omelette, chorizitos, tomato and fresh herb salad

Dukes Coffee Roasters also offer a number of biscuits which seemed appropriate for Miss SL & I to indulge in brunch-dessert.  I had selected Garibaldi [$2.80], which is a rectangular biscuit with a fruity filling inside.  Upon biting into this biscuit, the top was slightly hard with a soft taste.  There was no overbearing sweetness or the feeling that it was too much.  It was very fitting end to a superb meal.

Dukes Coffee Roasters is an innovative cafe and well deserving of its Chapel Street location.  It provides a unique experience and their egg skills are second to none.  It’s definatly worth visiting again and again and can be easily seen as a new regular favourite.”

Miss SL:
“Every time Mr LB mentioned Dukes Coffee Roasters in Windsor, I kept thinking of that Melbourne based Berlin band ’The Dukes of Windsor’ (understandably). While the boys may claim to be so, it’s rather hard for a cafe to claim that it’s of high nobility – taste speaks louder than words.

Albeit it was a Monday morning, but Mr LB and I arrived to a rather empty cafe with a few people scattered here and there having a coffee or a simple breakfast. I like to think that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I decided to eat for sustenance, ordering the Avocado hummus toast, poached eggs, honey candied bacon, dukkah [$18] and a house blend soy latte. When my latte arrived, it was clear that there was very little effort made on presentation. But really. Who cares on presentation when Dukes coffee blend was so damn good? The difference in taste to other blends was immediate. When combined with the milk, the flavour was magnificent, and nowhere near as sweet and overbearing as it was in long black form. There was no bitter aftertaste and the fruity hints of nectar were toned down, but not lost.

When my dish came out I was impressed. Maybe it was because it’d been a long time since I’d gone anywhere that provided weekend quality plating on a weekday, or maybe it was because when Mr LBs breakfast came out I wanted to swap immediately just from food envy – but regardless, it’s obvious that care was taken every day of the week to provide a great looking meal.

I started with nibbling the honeyed bacon on the side of my plate – chewy, soft and sweet. So lovely you’d forget what you’re eating. Next was the toast with hummus avocado. Bacon bits were spread in between, but I have to be honest; the hummus component of the dish didn’t do anything for me. It seemed to mute the flavours of the fresh avocado, which I think was a real pity. Next was the egg. I have to say that these eggs battle the best of them – Auction Rooms, Cumulus Inc, The European… these eggs were as good as any. Perfectly white, no hint of vinegar, trimmed and shaped to perfection, these little babies oozed out with yolk after careful perforation with my knife.

Avocado hummus toast, poached eggs, honey candied bacon, dukkah

I had a taste of Mr LBs dish, and I have to say it was rather nice. The feta was a bit overpowering, and I’m a little unsure about how much dill was used in the omelette, but when combined with the other ingredients on the plate, it was tasty.

Amaretti Espresso & Garibaldi

We decided on a to-go breakfast-dessert and I chose the Amaretti Espresso [$3.50], despite being intrigued by various other options such as the Pistachio and Cherry Amaretti and the Pomegranate Ameretti [all $3.50].
The first bite I took was a little dry, but as I continued my way through, the biscuit revealed the tasty chewiness which I love about Italian-style biscuits. Little bits of espresso beans, crushed, could be tasted within the biscuit making it textually interesting to eat.

Dukes Coffee Roasters cafe had a lovely vibe to it which could only be enhanced if enjoyed on the weekend. Food was great, service was lovely and the eggs were worth the trip.”

Final thought: “Egg craftmanship that rival the best”

Dukes Coffee on Urbanspoon

Filed under Brunch dessert, Eggs Benedict/Florentine/Atlantic, Omelette, Windsor Tagged with , , , , ,

Pope Joan Forgives All Sins

February 7, 2011 2 Comments

Opening hours:
Mon-Sun: 7.30am - 3.30am

Coffee: Allpress

Mr LB:
“A good brunch environment provides a warm atmosphere with a sense of delight. A fantastic brunch environment shouts out “amazing”, with the feeling you’re in for a treat.  Pope Joan is very much in the latter category, with a beautifully organised outfit, aspiring decor and amazing food.  The location itself is impressive and quite unexpected, being on the ever busy and industrial area of Nicholson Street, Brunswick.

Pope Joan is occupied in a long house-like structure.  In the front of the premise is the traditional cafe style setup.  There is the open kitchen and barista work station, with the usual assortment of table and chairs.  Walk outside and you are greeted with long row of seating arrangements and furniture designs, providing flexibility for group sizes.  We sat on park benches with a glass top table on synthetic grass, giving a real ‘backyard’ feel.  They even offer milk crates with comfy seating.

The coffee bean selection is quite unique, serving coffee by Allpress, a speciality espresso roasting company from New Zealand.  They offer a variety of beans to select from.  My long black was ordered and presented in a beautiful manner.  The colour of the head was an enticing tan wood colour, which was a delight on such a beautiful day.  The taste of the coffee was amazing.  The initial taste was clean and offered a sweet aftertaste.  It also embodied a strong and pleasant coffee aroma.  To be blunt, it was a pretty damn good coffee to start the day and had complemented the meal well.

The menu was very impressive and innovative and when David’s pork belly, scrambled eggs, hazelnuts & watercress [$19] was served, I was quite excited to dig in.  The plating was magnificent – perfectly layered and very sophisticated.  The pork belly had a defined smoked taste which was very prominent and divine.  Mixing the pork with the hazelnuts and chilli sauce provides a delectable taste that not only marries well but makes you cry out for more.  The eggs were scrambled well and the baby spinach and poached tomato added a refreshing taste, which was needed to balance the prominent flavours of the pork.  I was a little concern that the dish may have been too heavy, however, apart from having one slice of toast, the portion size was perfect.

David’s pork belly, scrambled eggs, hazelnuts & watercress

Tasting Miss SLs meal, I felt I was experiencing an entirely different but terrific brunch.  It had a very summery taste, combined with cool and fresh ingredients.  The dish gives the impression of being light but it would without a doubt would have been filling.  It was creatively plated and thought out.  Even the toast was cooled before serving to ensure the heat didn’t compromise the meal.

Pope Joan is a special brunch place which I would recommend to anyone who is up for a fantastic experience.  The menu literary pushes the boundaries to give a unique brunch experience that incorporates fine dining and cafe style food.  Look out for Pope Joan, because they are serious in delivering top food!”

Miss SL:
“On a sunny Sunday morning, Mr LB and I set out to go meet our friend The Rabbit for an early morning breakfast at Pope Joan – the new establishment by Matt Wilkinson (ex-head chef at Circa, The Prince) and Ben Foster (ex- General Manage of Kent Hotel, Carlton). After circling Nicholson Street in the middle of an industrial area three times, we finally pulled over and realised that Google Maps had not being lying to us about the location.

The interior to Pope Joan offered a number of surprises - you walk in to what you expect is just a regular cafe, but head left and down a narrow garden path (astroturf and all) to find it strewn with tables, park benches and crates covered with tiles. We situated ourselves on a park bench and after waiting a good 10 minutes for a waiter to come passed, we finally ordered our coffees and meals. After waiting for what seemed a lifetime, I decided to explore the venue and found various families that had situated themselves at the end of the pathway. There were children playing make-believe next to the garden patch growing fresh herbs for the venue, lifting the vibe of Pope Joan instantly (although perhaps this was only because the kids were cute and not crying).

After about 10:30am the service at the venue seemed to pick up, with more waiters on hand and our water glasses constantly being refilled. When our meals finally came out I must say I was impressed. The plating of my Smoked tomato, zucchini, Meredith feta & poached eggs [$16] was delightful – it was effortless, colourful and all round tempting.

Smoked tomato, zucchini, Meredith feta & poached eggs

The toast was barely warm but crisp – and on a hot day, a cool breakfast was just what I needed. The cucumber and lightly spiced tomato were also cool, but not so much as the refreshingly chilled feta cheese. My first bites of the dish made me feel instantly relaxed; the soft cucumber mixed with gooey egg and creamy feta cheese were heavenly. The tomato had an interesting flavour attached to it, which I couldn’t quite pick but rather enjoyed regardless.

Smoked tomato, zucchini, Meredith feta & poached eggs

I was two down on the Allpress coffee – my compliments to the barista – and couldn’t help but think that this would be the perfect place to relax on a lazy day and read a magazine. I was already full when Mr LB suggested brunch dessert, and after perusing the cake shelves we decided on the Cherry Tart [$5.50] to share. This was definitely not the highlight of our experience here. While the cherries on top of the tart were amazing fresh, the tart itself was dry and unimpressive. It was also an odd coupling of flavours – the orange flavour of the cake and sweet glaze was a strange contrast to the sweetness of the cherries.

Cherry Tart

Despite the tart, I found Pope Joan to be inspirational – the menu was creative and clever, the produce was fresh, and the place had an amazingly relaxed vibe that was very family-friendly. The menu changes regularly depending on produce availability, ensuring that regulars never get bored and the chefs remain challenged and inspired.”

Final thought: “Creative and inspirational menu”

Pope Joan on Urbanspoon

Worth Noting: In a few months “The Bishop of  Ostia” will be offering holy drinks next door to Pope Joan.

Filed under Brunch dessert, Brunswick East, Eggs (Other), Other Brunch Foods, Vegetarian Breakfast Tagged with , , , , , ,

Tuck in at The Tuck Shop

February 2, 2011 Leave a comment

Opening Hours:
Mon – Fri: 7am-5:30pm

Coffee: St Ali – Sensory Lab blend

Mr LB:
“As a person who studies and works in a city, I have noticed an abundance of space which city building lobbies provide.  Oddly enough there is more under utilised space than an executive suite and I wouldn’t be surprised if people started camping out to dine (comfy seating provided).  Luckily for me, I’m not the only one who is aware of such under utilised space, as The Tuck Shop has set up shop in the lobby of the NAB building.

This cafe is a cute little outfit of soft colours with nursery looking furniture.  There is even a little flower pots on the communal tables growing little cabbages.  The high ceiling is layered with transparent glass of leaf patterns to allow an abundance of natural light.  The cafe is carefully position to block all the city noise, providing an ambiance of relaxation and a non-city feel. While the deco is nice, they serve a decent punch of ‘to go’ food and brilliant coffee.

The coffee beans they source are from “Sensory Lab” which is owned by the coffee heavy hitters of Melbourne, St Ali.  The day before I had a ‘Big Day Out’, and a long black was required to recover – quick smart.  It was served with an inviting dark rich head.  There was a slight sweet flavour with no sign of a bitter aftertaste.  It was a good classic long black that tasted clean and simple.

The breakfast menu is limited, but it was very affordable for a weekday breakfast with the option of ordering on the run.  A healthy dish seemed fitting and I had ordered the Super Bircher (seeded organic oats, almond milk, raw honey, linseeds, sunflower seeds, chai seeds, shredded apple and berries) [$6.50].  The yoghurt was surprisingly light and very silky.  The apple flavour was prominent with the freshly assorted seeds giving a real muesli taste.  However, what really gave the dish a punch was the berry compote.  It provided a sweet taste to the muesli that wasn’t overpowering and actually quite delightful.

Super Bircher (seeded organic oats, almond milk, raw honey, linseeds, sunflower seeds, chai seeds, shredded apple and berries)

It’s worth the visit for a quick breakfast bite, but also having tasted their lunch menu, The Tuck Shop is quickly becoming established for providing serious quality food.”

Miss SL:
“On morning that seemed far too bright and far too early, Mr LB and I thought we would look for a cheap alternative for breakfast in the city. The Tuck Shop is a fairly new establishment which has opened up in the lobby of the NAB building in Melbourne CBD (like they need anymore great places with Earl Canteen, Cafenatics and Movida Terraza / Aqui at their fingertips).

As mentioned in Mr LBs blog, we ordered the Super Bircher because, let’s face it, the description sounds incredibly tempting. We took a seat as we waiting for our St Ali coffee blends to arrive, while enjoying the simplicity of the architecture within The Tuck Shop. It must be a St Ali coffee thing, but The Tuck Shop also provided panela sugar, which is my absolute favourite (so much so that I bought a bag at St Ali).

Panela Sugar

I mentioned in a previous blog about The Pound how fussy I am with yoghurt, so what I’m about to say might surprise you… I loved it! I’m really not a fan of bircher muesli, but the yoghurt used was creamy, smooth and not sweet at all. The linseeds and sunflower seeds added a beautiful crunch to the bircher, adding weight to the meal to fill you up. I also hate berry compote (I see it as a ‘cheap’ way for most cafes to garnish a dish), but in this instance the sweetness of the compote added flavour to the yoghurt, making the dish more exiting to eat. The strips of apple within the bircher were fresh and sweet – you actually taste the flavour of them and feel the slight crunch of it. I’m going to have to say that this is the best bircher muesli I’ve ever had, and it might make me consider trying it more often. Or maybe just ordering it again at The Tuck Shop, at least.”

Final thought: “Quality food for eating on the run”

The Tuck Shop on Urbanspoon

Filed under CBD, Yoghurt Tagged with , , , , , , ,

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