A Lux brunch on Hope street

April 4, 2013 2 Comments

Opening hours:
Mon – Fri : 7.30am- 4.00pm
Sat – Sun: 8.00am – 5.00pm

Coffee: Proud Mary, single origin

Mr LB:
“City planning is the lynchpin in making a city attractive, livable and creating that spark for a love affair. For any dreamy city like London, Paris or New York, the city plan must have the right vision to be relevant for today and tomorrow. Unlike some major European cities that remain in a time capsule and Asian cities that build their skyline with little consideration of its effects, Melbourne is progressing nicely. Sure, there is the undisputed fact that the city boundary lines continue to expand ever so quietly, but overall Melbourne is progressing nicely. Unique spaces such as old port sheds, warehouses and landmarks are being transformed into something unique whilst retaining its history, maintaining the progressive nature of our fair city. Lux Foundry is one such example, taking a decommissioned warehouse and transforming it into a cafe with the history still written on the walls.

Arriving at Lux Foundry, I was taken away by the external breath of the building. It stands very tall and proud around its industrial neighbourhood, with the original building name fading into the brick work. Surrounding the entrance is the necessary ‘cafe’ touches of outdoor settings and garden patches that rub away some of its industrial look, creating an attractive space. The same can be said about the interior, with the paint on the brick wall stripped back and decorated with war inspired decor of cabinets and vintage prints. At the same time there is a modern feel with carefully placed lighting and modern artwork that blends perfectly, creating a genuine old vs new ambiance.

While Miss SL was enthusiastically going around and taking happy snaps, I got myself settled in and ordered our coffees. As I tussled over what was the most appropriate meal before heading to work, my Single Origin long black [$3.80] arrived and it was pure gold. There was a nice clean, smooth taste with the typical and most welcome fruity flavours shining through. Miss SL’s short black provided the full impact of the fruity flavour, whereas my long black had a smooth balance which I enjoyed. Floral and nectar aromas swam through the coffee flavours. No matter the size of the portion, both coffees were of an excellent standard.

Being a lover of brunch, food selection at Lux Foundry was quite difficult – there were too many good options to choose from! While humans are notoriously known for making terrible decisions when presented with too many options, my gut was telling me to go for the Coconut crusted French toast with espresso mascarpone, berry compote, torrone + Canadian maple [$16.90]. While a sugar rush just before work could result in a disaster, I just couldn’t go pass trying the coconut-French toast.
The dish itself was well presented with all of the components neatly organised. The coconut and French toast was a hit on its own as the coconut flakes balanced the sweet egg-sugar batter. The bread was well-soaked, provide that desirable sweet crunch.

Coconut crusted French toast with espresso mascarpone, berry compote, torrone + Canadian maple

The sides were also a success by their own merit. Anything with an espresso flavour is an eye opener to a coffee lover like me and this mascarpone didn’t let the team down. It had been whipped, providing an espresso hit with perfect intensity. The mascarpone complemented the toast as it added an additional layer that maintained the overall experience of the dish. The berry compote, too, was rich in flavour heightening the sweet taste. I really love the innovation Lux Foundry brought to this dish. My only criticism (which is personal preference only) was that I found that having the mascarpone and berry compote combination a little overbearing at times.

I really enjoyed Lux Foundry, as this cafe had a really fresh approach to brunch. Whilst they supplied the usual menu items they also had other dishes that really pushed the boundaries. To dine in a cool, casual place that is full of history is something not only perfectly Melbourne, but also very unique. Lux Foundry has certainly crept into my favourite brunch places and I would recommend you give them a real good go.”

Miss SL:
“Gossip. It’s strange isn’t it? The he-says-she-says conspiracy that stems from suspicion or dislike and spirals out of control in the blink of an eye. It affects all of us no matter what life you lead, be it in your little social circle or the vicious world of large corporations. Like anything in this world, however, gossip can be wielded and manipulated into serving a positive purpose. For a lot of cafes and restaurants gossip is the main revenue generator, causing droves of on-trend Melbournians to their door. In the case of our latest find, gossip had reached the ears of my trendy co-worker from Sydney, Alison, who recommended we try Lux Foundry.

Mr LB and I decided to visit on our way to work one day, and elected to bike ride as it was reasonably close to my new apartment. The first thing you notice is how large the space is from the outside. The building is quite majestic with its red-bricks and wide space. The courtyard almost has a commercial feel about it, but as soon as you enter this building you’re immediately transported into a much more intimate and relaxed atmosphere. The walls are artfully dilapidated and are made clean by extremely elegant over-sized light bulbs overhanging the front counter.

We sat down and had our coffee orders taken almost immediately, ordering the usual suspects. One thing that really drew me to come here was the menu. With items like Breakfast quesadilla with spiced frijoles, eggmont cheese, nopal cactus, chilli + tomatillo salsa verde [$13.50] and Prawn, zucchini + chorizo scrambled eggs with pea + mint puree on sourdough toast [$15] it’s hard to resist wanting to come back and try out the entire menu.

When my double espresso [$3.50] came out I couldn’t help but enjoy the full-bodied flavour of my coffee. It had a beautiful floral and fruity tone to it, emanating a peach flavour. It was the best coffee I’d had in a while and it was funny how Mr LB had picked it as a Proud Mary blend straight away!

For mains I decided to go for something different, opting for the Crispy poached eggs with chilli caramel jam + coriander with sourdough toast [$13.50]. I was envisioning son-in-law eggs when I ordered this dish and got something quite similar! The eggs were crumbed with what seemed like panko crumbs and were perfectly golden on the outside. My anticipation was building!

Crispy poached eggs with chilli caramel jam + coriander with sourdough toast

As my knife pierced the top of the eggs, a definite snapping sound could be heard as the skin tore and the yolk oozed out the centre of these perfectly round pieces of heaven. The sourdough was cooked perfectly and as I chewed these two elements together there was the definite crunching of the perfectly cooked crumbing. The chilli jam was a lot sweeter than I anticipated but seemed to balance the strong flavour of the coriander.

Something unexpected in this dish was the spicy bite found in the smashed avocado. This was due to lime being used instead of the typical lemon, resulting in sharp, fierce flavour that actually seemed to create a bit of heat on the palate. Something that was quite nice here was that the waiter (who we later found out was the owner) made the effort to stop by all the tables and check on the quality of the food and coffee.

Crispy poached eggs with chilli caramel jam + coriander with sourdough toast

As we finished up our brunch and headed to the counter we ended up chatting to one of two owners – Emilio Rogliano. Both Emilio and co-owner Daniel Amato opened up Lux Foundry nearly 4 years ago, and after a rocky start and a constant tweaking have built a reputation.

“It’s hard for us, because despite having such a big layout and looking like a big cafe, we actually really depend on good word of mouth. We’re actually really impacted by bad reviews because we’re actually still a small business. We’re certainly no Auction Rooms or Proud Mary. That’s why whenever we see a bad review we deal with it personally,” Emilio explained. As he talked it was really obvious how passionate he is about his business and how genuine he was being.

As we left Lux Foundry for our morning ride in to work, I couldn’t help but think how great it was to meet a cafe owner that cared so much for his patrons. The food here was beautiful and if this place had ever had a shaky reputation in the past, we can now confirm that they are rock steady and top quality. I honestly feel that Lux Foundry is a real gem of a cafe and I’m super glad to have found out about this treasure trove of a cafe. This is a cafe worth travelling out of your way for.”

Final thought: “A personable cafe with an exciting menu that delivers great food”

Lux Foundry on Urbanspoon

Filed under Eggs (Other), French Toast Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SoJo

April 2, 2013 Leave a comment

Opening hours:
Sun – Sat: 7:30am-5pm

Coffee: Coffee Supreme

Mr LB:
“Warehouse - [wârhous] noun or verb - A large building where raw materials or manufactured goods may be stored before they are exported or distributed.

A warehouse is a barren land of boxes, shelves and products. It’s certainly not an appealing piece of architecture. However, if you take an abandoned inner-city warehouse situated in a hipster suburb, the ugliness provides a golden opportunity. The demand for an industrial space with potential for restaurant conversion is extremely high. SoJo is yet another cafe operating in a converted warehouse. Whilst you might think ‘argh, not another one!’, this space has a lovely ambiance that goes beyond the typical cafe standard.

As you enter SoJo, you get the sense that no corners were cut in its design. Walking through the dark, narrow hallway we were greeted by friendly staff who quickly got our names down, offering us a bar seat to order our coffees. The interior design and functional aspects have been perfectly executed with plenty of seating, well-placed lighting, unique décor and plenty of art work to gaze at. This attention to service and detail gave me a sense that SoJo was more like a cool restaurant than a café. I personally viewed SoJo as a well-execute hybrid that results in a very unique and very hipster vibe.

I really enjoyed the little touches, such as being able to have brunch on the bar table, having a lounge section to cater for the brunch rush and quirky diagrams depicting where SoJo gets it produce from in the bathroom.

Being a Sunday, coffee is a required sustenance for me to gain some necessary vision for the day. We noticed that their coffee was sourced from Coffee Supreme, who have always tailored their bean selection and roasting method towards a market that enjoys a bitter tasting coffee. My long black [$3.50] was smoother than usual and had a nice nutty after tone. I felt it struck the right balance for those who enjoy the bitterness with a smoother-than-usual texture.

French toast originated as a poor mans food (most noted by the Germans as ‘poor knight’) as a means of using stale bread. Whilst not being in a poor situation, SoJo‘s version – French Toast made with organic brioche topped with blueberry compote, mascarpone and toasted flake almonds [$16.90] had certainly caught my eye. When it had arrived with Canadian maple syrup, it looked heavenly.

French Toast made with organic brioche topped with blueberry compote, mascarpone and toasted flake almonds

The first striking element of this dish was the use of the brioche bread. It was an absolute winner, with its lovely glossy crust that had the right balance of sugar. It perfectly complemented the compote and mascarpone. The berry compote wasn’t as runny as I would have expected. The focus was more on the berries, creating the right fruity texture when combined with the vanilla-flavoured mascarpone. The only let down was that the brioche bread became completely soggy with the compote. Overall, however, the flavours complemented each other to deliver a fantastic and sweet-flavoured French toast.

SoJo is a warehouse cafe that is decked out appropriately and functions like a restaurant with a casual cafe vibe providing plenty of brunch options. Brunching at SoJo will have you fully covered, whether being a weekday or weekend.”

Miss SL:
“About one year ago, Mr LB and I sat down together with a very serious expression on our faces,

“We need to sort this out. We need to work out where we’re blogging for the year and what’s on our hitlist.”

With focus in our eyes, we trawled the internet and created a list of places we wanted to go to. Mr LB had suggested SoJo (“or Soho, or something like that”) and it had immediately come to the top of our list… except for the fact that we couldn’t find anything about it online! Not knowing the name or location made it particularly difficult to track down and as the year went on it stayed in the back of our minds.

In February, Mr LB and I took to separate living arrangements, both on the North side of town (queue celebration cheer for increased blog reviews on the North side!). As we were moving all our furniture we noticed a little cafe with wooden crates out the front and a long, narrow hallway. The sign was black on black and I had to squint to see the name. It was SoJo, or as it was properly known, South of Johnston. CLEVER! Having tacked down this cafe we made it our mission to try it out and we were there to review it within the week.

When we arrived we managed to get a park straight away near the entrance of the venue. There were hipsters milling about, slightly obstructed by the fruit trees growing out the front. Entering through what was once a valve-repackaging factory, I couldn’t help but admire the very dark wooden paneling in the hallway.

Walking into the main dining area I was immediately impressed with the interior, developed by Carver Design. It was much larger than I expected and the reality of the cafes past was well-hidden by the white paint-job over the banisters and ceiling. There is seating to the left, backed by mountains of artwork that transported me to a seaside cafe I’d been to once. In the back of the cafe, there is a chill out zone for parents and those looking for a much less formal dining experience could take respite in modern chairs and sofas.

We took a seat at the bar while we waited for a table to be allocated to us. Before we even had a chance to order we were seated appropriately. By this point I’d decided on the Chorizo Eggs poached and served on a chorizo sausage, kalamata olive and napoli ragou with hollandaise, basil and sourdough [$17.90] and a double espresso [$3.50] to start my day. A good coffee is usually determined by a good barista, and in this case, they managed to make my espresso sing.

When my main came out I was intrigued. Hollandaise and chorizo is not a typical combination. The poached eggs were beautifully cooked – they were perfectly gooey on the inside, oozing all over the ragou and the chorizo. The hollandaise was less zingy and more creamy – a little bit boring on its own but it appropriately balanced the meal when combined with the other ingredients.

Chorizo Eggs poached and served on a chorizo sausage, kalamata olive and napoli ragou with hollandaise, basil and sourdough

The chorizo itself was… how should I put it? Pretty damn sexy. It was rich, smokey and spicy – beautiful when mixed with the sauteed onions and olives in the sauce. My only complaint for the whole meal would be the sourdough used. The bread was too thin and absorbent, becoming soggy and slimy on the palate from the ragou. Switching to something like Noisette or Zeally Bay Sourdough would really complete this dish.

Overall I really enjoyed South of Johnston. The staff were very professional and relaxed, and the cafe itself provided good food and coffee. A job well done to the team! “

Final thought: “Family-friendly with a relaxed atmosphere”

South of Johnston on Urbanspoon

Filed under Collingwood, Eggs (Other), French Toast, North Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

St Kildas new food Hub

June 21, 2012 7 Comments

Opening hours:
Mon – Fri: 6:30am – 5:30pm
Sat – Sun: 7am – 5pm
Public Holidays: 8am – 5pm

Coffee: Genovese

Blog [blawg, blog] a discussion or information site published on the world wide web consisting of discrete entries or posts.

Take a second and have a think about your parents. How the heck did they used to find great food out?? There was no internet, Twitter or Facebook. Our love for brunch in Melbourne was certainly developed through a little thing called food blogs. They described the ambience and quality of a place without you having to leave the comfort of your home. When you follow a blog long enough, you tend to become a bit intrigued by the person(s) behind the scene.
We were recently given the opportunity to visit the newest hotspot Hub in St Kilda with other established food bloggers and it was an opportunity not to be missed. Putting faces too much loved food blogs certainly had Miss SL upbeat.

When we finally arrived it was easy to spot the table full of bloggers – the Nikon cameras were out and everyone was huddled in nice and close on a communal table. One of the first things we noticed about Hub was how intimate the environment was. The interior was really warm with red brick walls and a small fireplace – perfect for winter. The decor was mish-mashed and had cool artwork on the tables of pirate ships with little odes to cafe living, such as hanging pots and espresso portafilter door handles. The layout clever and you wouldn’t notice that the cafe fronts their hotel arm, Urban Hotel.

Hub had only been open for two weeks when we went, and we have to admit that it certainly lifts the quality of the sometimes dated restaurants and cafes residing on Fitzroy Street. The general manager of Hub, Roger Fowler, emphasised the community spirit of this local cafe. They work closely with the local Primary School in maintaining their veggie patch, provide kitchen induction days with The Sacred Hearts Mission and were in the process of getting artwork done by local grade 5′s and 6′s to hang on the walls. Who doesn’t love a cafe with a little heart and soul?

The menu is split into two halves – The Classics featuring items such as Eggs Benedict – poached eggs, bacon, hollandaise on brioche muffin [$17] and The Modern Takes which included items such as Vanilla and nut muesli with banana, yoghurt and milk [$9.5].

House made crumpets with lemon and creamed honey

To kick off we were served with two share plates of the House made crumpets with lemon and creamed honey [$9.50] with our coffees. A normal serve would see you with two crumpets, perfectly made. We’re going to put it out there – these are the best crumpets we’ve ever had. Better than Earl’s Canteen. Light, fluffy and perfectly cooked, these little delights are worth the trip alone. The lemon spread creates this incredible zing and the creamy honey seemed like it was whipped to give it that extra smooth and rich flavour. YUM!

Hub sources their beans from Genovese. We’re use to our Genovese coffees being served slightly burned and bitter – and our coffee exhibited neither of these traits. It was surprisingly really, really good. Our coffees were sweet, full of flavour and very drinkable. They carried a lovely smooth taste that was very enjoyable.

Croque madam – Ham, gruyere, bechamel & a fried egg

Next up was one of the specials: the Croque madam – ham, gruyere, bechamel & a fried egg [$15] to share. The first thing we noticed about this dish was how incredible the bread was. Roger informed us that they sourced their bread from Zeally Bay Sourdough, all the way from Torquay! The crusts had a lovely crunch to them and the bread was a buttery gold colour. The cheese was powerful, salty and delicious, although it did mask the flavours of the lovely ham a little.

The meals started pouring out onto the table and all we could smell was eggs and bacon. First out was the Brioche French toast with caramelised apples & mascarpone cream [$16]. It looked incredible and we were both instantaneously jealous.

Brioche French toast with caramelised apples & marscapone cream

As our coffees were all done by this point we were offered to try their Freshly squeezed sunrise juice – orange, apple & pineapple [$6.50]. The presentation in little glass bottles was gorgeous and the juice was light, fluffy and refreshing.

Freshly squeezed sunrise juice – orange, apple & pineapple

Next up was the Avocado crushed, vine ripened tomato and feta on toast [$16]. It looked really lovely and fresh.

Avocado crushed, vine ripened tomato and feta on toast

The Cinnamon porridge, caramelised pears and oat crumble [$9.50] was next out and it looked really delicious.

Cinnamon porridge, caramelised pears and oat crumble

Lastly, out came our omelettes. Mr LB opted for the Grilled zucchini, feta, spinach and basil omelette [$16] and Miss SL went for the Chorizo, roast capsicum and potato omelette [$16].

Mr LB:
“I love omelettes. So much to say that after having a big Friday night out you will usually see me in the kitchen whipping up an omelette as my evening snack. Friday night omelette had turned into an early Saturday morning  and it was sure looked good. I cut into my omelette and inside the veggies look well prepared and had a great fresh taste. The basil was cooked inside the omelette which released a lovely taste, perfectly complimenting the feta. It was an all round success and the chutney certainly made my day.”

Grilled zucchini, feta, spinach and basil omelette

Miss SL:
“My omelette came out and it was packed full of goodies. As I excitedly tried the chorizo I have to admit I was very slightly disappointed and this was ONLY because the weekend before I’d tried Hawk & Hunters chorizo which had an incredibly smokey taste to it. The rest of the omelette was perfectly made – the potatoes were golden brown and soft, and the capsicum deliciously juicy. The egg itself was well-crafted and enveloped all the ingredients like a gentle pillowcase. Overall it was an extremely filling meal, made moreso with the appetisers we’d had beforehand.”

Chorizo, roast capsicum and potato omelette

Hub is a breath of fresh air to the cafe scene on their end of Fitzroy street. Made with love and community spirit, the passion of this cafe is well-reflected in the quality of their food. Hub is worth traveling for and when you go, don’t pass up the opportunity to try their crumpets!

Final Thought: “Best crumpets in Melbourne”

Hub Cafe on Urbanspoon

Filed under Eggs (Other), French Toast, Omelette, St Kilda, Vegetarian Breakfast Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Green Grocer that’s serving up a good meal

June 18, 2012 Leave a comment

Location:
217 St Georges Road,
Fitzroy North,VIC 3068
(03) 9489 1747

Opening hours:
Mon – Fri: 9am – 4pm
Sat – Sun: 8am – 5am

Coffee: Jasper Coffee

Mr LB:
“Growing up in the nineties was certainly an interesting time. There were mobile phones the size of bricks and the internet came at the speed of 56 kbit/s. During this time I was first introduced to food from my trusty mother. Interestingly enough, when I would shop with my mother the term organic was never used. The only principle to follow when purchasing your basket of goods was that the produce must be fresh. Fast forwarded to today and it would seem fresh is taking a back seat and organic is out and proud. This way of life has exploded with marketers using the buzz word to increase sales (organic zucchinis) to making judgements on social behaviour (apparently people who prefer organic food are more judgmental when it comes to food than others). Whether or not an establishment is truly organic or not, there is certainly a cafe in North Fitzroy touting the organic message. The Green Grocer is not only a supplier of organic food, but also a cafe worth visiting.

Walking into The Green Grocer is like entering a lovely food store. The aroma of the fresh fruit and veggies was certainly inviting and with their various food products, I was very intrigued to see their menu. The setting was very relaxed and informal. You could casually choose your table, either near the kitchen or down the very cute side alley. There’s also a fireplace which is a fantastic for winter. The interior design is perfect for groups of two or four with intimate tables for small groups.

Irrespective of having a $70 a monthly coffee habit (only counting weekdays), coffee is something I need. I jumped to the opportunity to order my long black [$3.50] from Jasper Coffee. The first thing that I noticed was the slight bitterness in my coffee. After my palate had adjusted there was a smooth flavour but it didn’t have that spark compared to other coffees. It would be an acceptable coffee for most people, but I wasn’t blown away by it.

My craving for sweet food was in overdrive and I when I saw the French Toast – with vanilla poached pears, cinnamon sugar and cardamom yogurt [$14] I was sold. What was delivered versus what I visualised was certainly different. The serving size was minimal and I was disappointed I didn’t get a full pear. There were two large slices of bread that, on the outset, looked more like they had been toasted than pan-cooked. The batter of the French toast was lovely with a slight citrus flavour which worked well with the cinnamon sugar. However, the batter wasn’t completely soaked through the bread, leading to a plain taste at times. The poached pear and yogurt was a well-needed fresh touch to the dish. I wasn’t truly satisfied with the French Toast and it may have been better had they used a better bread.

French Toast – vanilla poached pears, cinnamon sugar and cardamom

Whether you’re looking to eat organic food or buy it for your own cooking, The Green Grocer has you covered. There is definitely a lovely vibe to this cafe and the opportunity to eat truly organic food is worth the experience.”

Miss SL:
“Our planet is filled with amazing things – plants, wildlife and many man-made inventions. All things within our planet go through a cycle of life, death and re-birth and this process often takes time. As our finite resources dwindle, we have resorted to pumping them full of fertilisers and hormones to expediate the growth process. We do it so that we can sustain our lifestyles but we often ignore the potential side effects. These unknown side-effects have driven many people into strange diets and organic food crazes. The food trend of the noughties is organic food and The Green Grocer is a cafe that truly understands the need for natural produce.

The drive seemed to take forever but when we arrived we were welcomed by a humble shop front that burst at the seems with colourful produce the moment we walked through the front door. I’m pretty sure I actually squealed in delight. As we made our way passed the shop front, a large space towards the back revealed a homely cafe. We took a seat near the kitchen and perused the menu. It was a cold day and as winter had well and trully set in, I was in the mood for porridge ordering the Green Grocer Oat Porridge – made with fruits, nuts and seeds and served with spiced blueberries and yoghurt [$10] with my Banana, oats and honey smoothie [$7].

The smoothie was lovely. The flavour of the oats was subtle and extremely smooth – perfectly blended. The honey was the most dominant flavour but it wasn’t over the top. I’d finished my drink pretty quickly and ordered an additional espresso [$3] to go with my meal. Our food came out and we were a little underwhelmed. The serving size was a little small (particularly Mr LBs dish) and there was no….pizazz. Organic was the name of the game here though, so the flavours of the fresh produce were what was most important.

Banana, oats and honey smoothie

The first thing I noticed about my porridge was the lovely oat undertones. There were different kinds of nuts used in this dish, adding a beautiful texture that made it delicious. As I crunched my way through my porridge, I couldn’t help but appreciate how such a simple addition made this dish a pleasure to eat. The poached pear was perfectly done – it was still firm but not not raw. It held all the natural, juicy flavours of the pear.

Green Grocer Oat Porridge – made with fruits, nuts and seeds and served with spiced blueberries and yoghurt

I had a cheeky taste of Mr LBs dish, and despite its average plating, the flavors were magnificent. The orange blossom could immediately be tasted on the bread and the cinnamon sugar shone through. YUM!

The Green Grocer offers a no-frills focus on brunch. They showcase honest favours and use subtle additions to impress the crowd. An additional benefit of doing brunch here is that you can do your sustainable, organic grocery shopping here once you’re done. “

Final thought: “Simple, organic food with a cheeky twist”

Green Grocer on Urbanspoon

Filed under Fitzroy, Fitzroy North, French Toast, Other Brunch Foods Tagged with , , , , , , ,

The Hawk & the Hunter

June 4, 2012 10 Comments

Opening hours:
Mon – Sun 6.30am – 8pm

Coffee: Red Star Coffee

Mr LB:
“Ripponlea is a tiny suburb within the Port Phillip area that is usually passed through when going from point A to point B. With a tiny population of approximately 2,000 people, you would think that this little suburb has nothing to offer other than gorgeous housing estates and majestic autumn leaves. However, you would be quite mistaken. Not only is there the impressive Ripponlea Estate, but it is also home to one of the world’s best restaurants, Attica. The only thing missing is a fabulous cafe and the boys that brought you The Little Ox have crossed the Nepean Highway to bring you Hawk & Hunter.

Upon first glance of the Hawk & Hunter space, it immediately resonated something special. There is no resemblance to The Little Ox here, with an impressively independent look of reinforced iron-made shelves that hang from the roof and plenty of table space for groups, singles and couples. There is a quirky side to the decor with various flower combination and impressive wall art of old newspaper clippings and a large cut up tree. It’s a cafe space that’s attractive, alluring and with an ambiance that makes you want to hang around and take it all in.

It was coffee time and I had order my long black [$3.50] from Red Star Coffee. It was a good, smooth coffee with plenty of fruity flavours. With a crisp taste it brought a unique coffee that all brunch goers would love. My only criticism was that there was a little too much water for my liking and in turn the flavours had been slightly diluted.

Mexican Spiced Tomato & Corn salsa hard tacos, avocado, coriander and Scrambled eggs + Chorizo

Having been situated at the end of the communal table and fascinated as to how the kitchen operated, it became quickly apparent that I was not only hungry but excited. The staff were nice enough to tell us that food had a wait of 20 minutes, but being its first weekend it was understandable. The menu itself was impressive with an extensive selection of brunch options with some individuality. I ended up going for the Mexican Spiced Tomato & Corn salsa hard tacos, avocado, coriander and Scrambled eggs + Chorizo [$15 + $4.5].

Our meals took a little while and this may be attributed to the small size of the kitchen in comparison to the sheer size of the cafe, however this shouldn’t be discounted. The presentation of my meal was good and still inviting enough to take a little piece of the salsa as I waited for Miss SL’s camera. I was given soft tacos instead of hard, which I think was better anyway. All the ingredient were well-balanced with a definite Mexican taste. The scrambled eggs were moist and went perfectly with the smokey chorizo. In fact, it was possibly the best chorizo I have tasted and it was definitely worth the extra $4.50. The only real fault would have been the lack of spices from the salsa. As with any good salsa there was a fantastic fresh taste but the tomato didn’t have that kick. Overall, it was a simple tasting meal that satisfied my Mexican brunch craving.

Hawk and Hunter has done Ripponlea well. It has successfully delivered a unique and tasty brunch spot that is worth stopping in for. Being its first weekend in operation and hosting to a packed house, it seems that they can only improve from here on in. I’m already looking forward to my next visit and I think you will not be disappointed.”

Miss SL:
“It seems like it was the weekend of The Little Ox. On Saturday we’d ducked into their fine establishment for a cheeky coffee, running into a colleague from work who was battling the chilly temperatures outside while enjoying her coffee. On the Sunday, we’d organised brunch with Toy and her partner at the newly opened Hawk & Hunter – the sister cafe brought to us by the owners of The Little Ox.

In the quiet, unassuming streets of Ripponlea, you could barely tell that there was a hot new cafe that had just opened up. The electric environment was immediate as soon as we stepped inside. Mr LB and I were surprised at how many people knew this place had opened. The crowd seemed like a mix of food lovers and locals that were patiently waiting to be seated on one of the two large communal tables or more intimate tables for two. The interior was beautiful – a combination of wood, steel and quirky pops of neon mesh-sculptures created an interesting yet casual environment.

Within 20 minutes we were seated and ordered our coffees. I opted for a short black [$3] in my attempts to remain healthy and to steer away from lattes. It was beautifully made and had a crisp taste that was sharp enough without being overbearing. I just loved their bold colour combinations of the cups and saucers – too cute!

The menu admittedly caught me off guard – it was Mexican themed. Apart from the classics, breakfast consisted of eggs with beans and/or chilli. I guess these guys are hopping on the Mexican bandwagon, but I have to say I quite liked it. It was unconventional and steered away from the standard options. For my main, I went for the Honey French toast, caramelised bananas passionfruit & toasted coconut [$14.50] and ordered an additional Caramel milkshake [$6] to go with the meal.

The food took an extraordinary amount of time to come out (more than 40 minutes!), but given that they’ve just opened up and were still working out the kinks, they could be forgiven. The portioning of my French toast was generous – while the breadsticks were small, they were filling. It was incredibly sweet, which I must admit was a little hard to handle at first. As the meal went on, I came to appreciate the harmonic balance of the honey and caramel, blended together to make a thick sauce atop the banana and bread.

Honey French toast, caramelised bananas passionfruit & toasted coconut

The toast itself wasn’t soaked through all the way, but this was okay as the dish was bursting with flavour. The passionfruit was tasty, adding a great crunchy texture to the dish. The toasted coconut was a nice addition, but quickly got lost amongst the strong flavours of the other elements.

Big Ed’s scrambled eggs, bacon, chilli & basil, garlic toast & salsa verde

Toy had ordered my second preference – Big Ed’s scrambled eggs, bacon, chilli & basil, garlic toast & salsa verde [$17.50]. It looked gorgeous when it came out and her garlic toast looked well-made. She commented that the garlic was quite overpowering but overall enjoyed her meal.

“The San Swirl – MO” Argentinian steak sandwich with garlic aioli

Her partner had gone for more of an unch (the lunch side of brunch) option, opting for “The San Swirl – MO” Argentinian steak sandwich with garlic aioli [$19]. The multigrain bread he ordered looked so soft and fluffy.

Overall I enjoyed Hawk & Hunter. There needs to be some obvious ironing out around service, but the food delivered was pretty good and the coffee was excellent. I’d be interested to come back later in the year and try some of their other dishes, including their Smokey baked bean, roasted capsicums, spinach & warm Turkish toast [$15] + egg [$18] or their Hawk & Hunter spiced porridge, poached seasonal fruit and yoghurt [$9.50]. De-lish!”

Final thought: “An unconventional menu and much-needed brunch spot for Ripponlea”

Hawk & Hunter Small Batch on Urbanspoon

Filed under Eggs (Other), French Toast, Other Brunch Foods, Ripponlea, Steak Sandwich Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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