January 9, 2018May 6, 2018 by Helen Le

White Mojo Plus+

We’ve heard good things about this cafe in Glen Waverley for a while now so finally decided to check it out one weekend. Upon entering, the first thought that came to my mind was that this place was huge inside! Although there were plenty of tables, they were smart to maintain the spacious feel which I liked. The decor inside was white with pastel coloured chairs and lots of green plants, flowers and large, clear bulbs hanging from the roof, giving it a very elegant feel.

We were greeted by a friendly staff member and placed on a waiting list however was called in within a few minutes and seated fairly quickly. During those few minutes we managed to snap a some photos of their donuts and cakes in the window.

As soon as we were seated the staff member took our order of two lattes. We then perused the menu. Davin ordered the Mushroom Ragout which had seasonal mushroom, truffle oil dust, smoked almond and poached eggs on toast. This was really nice however my dish was the highlight. I ordered their award winning dish, the Double Cheese Chilli Scrambled Egg. The scrambled eggs had parmesan and chedder, smoked belly bacon, chilli mayo, toasted sweet corn and ink brioche. Oh my gosh, what a dish! The brioche bun was perfect and not overly sweet. The scrambled eggs were cooked just how I like it, still runny. With the melted cheeses and chilli mayo, they were top notch scrambled eggs. But the star of the dish was that smoked belly bacon. It was SO good! Soft, full of flavour but not too salty. It was really delicious.

So we were really pleased with the food. However when we heard the table next to us following up on their coffees we realised that we hadn’t got our coffees either! Davin had already finished his meal and I only had a couple of bites left. It was really strange for coffees to take that long. Generally you would receive the coffees before the food arrives given it was the first thing we ordered. Then we also noticed that staff were bringing out coffees to tables that didn’t order coffee! There just seemed to be a lot of confusion around he coffee orders. Anyway just when I was about to follow up on our orders they finally came around with it, after we had literally cleared our plates. The coffee turned out to be really good. Perfect temperature and decently strong. If it wasn’t for the very long wait for the coffees we would have rated this place higher. However it has to be taken into consideration.

Overall the food was really delicious, the coffee was good and staff were really friendly. If you do order coffee though, expect a bit of a wait!

White Mojo Plus+
Approx $30 AUD per person
Address: 83-85 Kingsway, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
Phone: +61 3 8522 2911
Website: www.whitemojo.com.au

March 4, 2017May 6, 2018 by Helen Le

Crux and Co.

South Melbourne seems to be one of our favourite places lately, as yet again we came across another lovely eatery there! As soon as I walked into The Crux and Co. I instantly loved the place. It has a nice modern, and clean feel to it with the light woods and white decor, making it feel really spacious inside. Staff were very friendly and let us choose where we wanted to be seated so we sat down at a table that had comfy cushions for our backs.

I started off with a latte which was pretty nice, it had the perfect level of bitterness and didn’t come out scorching hot, so I could drink it straight away. Davin got an iced coffee after seeing quite a few of them come out and that was really good too. It was not sweet at all and had a good balance of coffee and milk. I also ended up getting a fresh orange juice with my meal. We loved the glasses the drinks came out in.

Now onto the food. It was pretty amazing. Davin ordered the smoked salmon and ricotta on house-made croissant with fennel salad and balsamic reduction, which was delicious. The croissant was fresh and had a lovely crunch to it. Add the combination of the salmon and the ricotta cheese, it made it a really enjoyable dish. I ordered the scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, broad beans, bonito, with a tobiko and siracha mayonaise on squid ink toast. This was also a really yummy dish and I easily gobbled this up fairly quickly. The presentation of the dishes was also pretty without being pretentious and trying too hard, something we’ve seen at quite a few other cafes lately.

Finally we couldn’t pass on dessert because they had so many lovely desserts displayed in their glass cabinet. I settled on a lemon eclair which was so good and hit the sweet spot for me. Service was also outstanding and the staff were very friendly. We will definitely be back!

Crux and Co.
Approx $30 AUD per person
Website: thecruxandco.com.au
Address: 35 Albert Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004
Phone: +61 3 9820 1081

July 3, 2016May 6, 2018 by Helen Le

Mr Hendricks Cafe

It’s not often that we find a good brunch place in the burbs but I do get excited when we do! I could probably eat brunch food everyday if Davin would let me. So on one weekend, a quick search on trusty Zomato brought up Mr Hendricks Cafe in Balwyn, and off we went!

The place was bustling on arrival so we were placed on a waiting list. It probably only took about 10 minutes before we were called in so they were on the ball. The interior had the wooden, rustic feel that a lot of cafes are now going for. The space inside was cosy and I understand there is also a courtyard at the back. On this occasion we were seated on the wooden bench right up against the window.

I ordered my usual latte to start off with which was really good! It had the perfect temperature and bitterness to it. We then ordered the New England lobster roll to share which had butter lettuce, celery, apple, pickled shallots and kewpie mayo which was quite nice, there were good chunky bits of lobster which we loved.

For the main, Davin ordered the fried chicken burger which came with creamed corn, cabbage and corn salad, pickled green tomato and chimichurri dressing. The burger was really good! The fried chicken was nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The chimichurri sauce went really well with it too.

The highlight dish though was the one I ordered, the salmon breakfast, which came with heirloom beetroot, burnt butter hollandaise and poached eggs on dark rye bread. Oh my gosh this dish was amazing! The salmon was cooked well, the eggs were poached to perfection and I loved how the beetroot was presented in different ways such as fresh and in purée form. But it was the burnt butter hollandaise that I absolutely loved. At first when I saw it on the plate, I thought the quantity of the sauce was overkill as there was a lot of it on the plate. But because it was soo good I literally dipped everything in that sauce. It was delicious!

Overall, I would definitely come back. The quality of both the food and the coffee was exceptional and I would definitely order that salmon breakfast again. Thinking about it makes my mouth water!

Mr Hendricks Cafe
Approx $30 AUD per person
Address: 469 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn VIC 3103
Phone: +61 3 9830 7579

March 6, 2016May 6, 2018 by Davin Lee

ST. ALi

Since it’s the weekend, I thought I would write a review for you guys, to let you know about one of my favourite brunch places. There’s always been a bit of hype around the St. Ali coffee, but I found their coffee at the Church of Secular Coffee at Monash University a bit underwhelming. I was skeptical to say the least venturing all the way to South Melbourne at the risk of being disappointed again. Well what can I say, I too like to live dangerously, so off to St. Ali South Melbourne we went!

After driving around looking for parking a bit, we finally settled for a spot around 800 metres away. I don’t mind parking a little further sometimes as we’re usually stuffed to the max afterwards, and I’ll take any cardio I can get. If you insist on getting parking close to St. Ali, all I can say is, expect to be disappointed.

When I got to St. Ali I noticed it was just a massive warehouse, it reminded me of a place you’d pick up furniture from. When we walked in, we soon realised that this place was way cooler than any furniture warehouse, it was home to culinary goodness! I had to take a break from looking at all the nicely presented dishes flowing to the tables, and soak in the atmosphere a bit. The decor is very rustic and has a distressed furniture look about it. Other places need to deliberately make the inside look rustic, but with St.Ali being an old warehouse, it achieves this feel effortlessly. There were no consistency with the chairs and tables, as long as it looked old school, they were in! I personally loved the look of the place, the high ceiling makes air conditioning redundant.

The latte which we got here was a lot better than the one at Monash University. It was smooth and had the right amount of bitterness. It also wasn’t too weak and served at the ideal temperature. So much emphasis is placed on their coffee, but I actually found the food to be the standout! Presentation was top notch and the dishes had a certain finesse about it. The food tastes as good as it looked, I was very impressed indeed.

We got the Kingfish Crudo, My Mexican Cousin and a Bircher Museli. The waiter was nice enough to warn me that the Kingfish Crudo was raw, and I wouldn’t want it any other way! This dish was so appetising, acidity was bang on, the fish was fresh and the watermelon balanced everything out beautifully. Not that cheap for $22, but I’d say it was worth it. It wasn’t that filling as my first meal, so I also got myself a Bircher Museli. This was the best Bircher Museli I’ve ever had! The lemon cured labneh just did it for me. I had to google what labneh was, it’s just yoghurt strained to remove the whey. The lemony taste elevates this dish to another level, how can I possibly go back to other Bircher Muselis!?! Topped with berries and half a passionfruit also, it felt like this dish was custom made for me. It was my favourite dish and I highly recommend it. I didn’t get to eat much of the My Mexican Cousin. Helen said it was too good to share, she offered me a bite and it was pretty damn good also! None of the dishes we had could be faulted, perfecto!

Great atmosphere and outstanding food has shot St. Ali up to be one of my favourite brunch places. I admire the thought and creativity which has gone into their menu. A lot of brunch places tend to just follow one another and play it safe with their food. Full credits to St. Ali for breaking away and putting their own twist in the dishes. Make it your mission to check them out if you haven’t already been, because I’d hate for you to miss out!

ST. ALi
Approx $30 AUD per person
Website: www.stali.com.au
Address: 12-18 Yarra Pl, South Melbourne VIC 3205
Phone: +61 3 9686 2990

October 8, 2015May 6, 2018 by Helen Le

Spilt Milk

We discovered Spilt Milk a few weeks ago and ever since then I have been dying to go back. Located in Carnegie, Melbourne, it is a very small and cute cafe with small wooden furnishings and open windows that you can sit along and people watch while you enjoy some food and a coffee. We arrived around 2:00 pm for a very late lunch so was able to sit down straight away. Staff were very friendly and handed us the menus for our perusal which consisted of menu items named after animals. We immediately noticed the price which was a lot cheaper than other good brunch/lunch places which is always a plus.

Because of my love for potatoes, I instantly zeroed in on the Rhino which was a baked jacket potato with chicken (you can also opt for tuna), avocado, corn, sour cream, chives, truffle salt and chilli jam on the side. It was delicious! It felt like a very gourmet version of a spud but all the ingredients went so well together. I tried really hard not to scoff my dish too quickly as I wanted to savour every bite. Davin ordered the Salmon which had smoked salmon, smashed avocado, fetta, capers, red onion, dill, olive oil and lemon on toasted light rye. His dish was also very nice too and the ingredients were very fresh. We both agreed however that the Rhino was the highlight. I allowed Davin to have an extra bite of mine because I could tell he was longing for mine after the first bite. I also ordered a latte which was also quite nice and the temperature was perfect. Staff were also very friendly and efficient and were happy for a chat. They also asked us how the food was and made sure we were happy with everything when we were paying for the bill. Overall it was a very cute cafe with great quality food and prices were very reasonable. Definitey drop by if you are ever in the area, I may even see you there!

Spilt Milk
Approx $20 AUD per person
288 Neerim Rd, Carnegie VIC 3163
Phone:+61 3 9571 8880

August 6, 2015August 24, 2015 by Helen Le

Brunch at The Parlor

Ahoy there – poached eggs, house cured salmon topped with hollandaise served on a potato roesti

If you live around the South East Bayside area and you’re looking for a good brunch place without having to travel into the city, The Parlor Milkbar & Kitchen is worth the visit. I often sleep in pretty late on the weekends which normally means I wake up with my tummy growling and begging for food straight away. The Parlor is a short drive for us which means a faster satisfied belly! It is open for breakfast and lunch daily and for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. Staff are super friendly and very welcoming. On our most recent visit there were no more seats inside however staff were more than happy to turn on the gas heaters outside and give us a couple of blankets if we were happy to sit out on the outside deck. With the heater and blankets we were pretty toasty warm. I usually order the Ahoy there which has poached eggs, house cured salmon topped with hollandaise served on a potato roesti. The house cured salmon is super fresh and the potato roesti had the perfect crispiness to it. The servings are also quite generous.

My husband ordered the baked eggs with house baked beans, chorizo, fetta and sourdough which is always a favourite. Order it if you are exceptionally hungry as it is very filling! The coffee is great too and there are a selection of cakes available inside which you can peruse at your pleasure if you’re after something sweet. We have also tried items from the lunch and dinner menu and they are also exceptional. The roast chicken, quinoa, broccoli, grapes, mixed leaf, goat’s cheese and almond salad is a favourite of mine. The combination of ingredients makes it a high quality, tasty dish.

So if you live in the area or do happen to be around, do drop by!

Baked eggs, house baked beans, chorizo, fetta and sourdough

The decor is clean and modern and includes a fireplace inside to provide that touch of cosiness.

The Parlor Milkbar and Kitchen
Approx $25 AUD per person
Address: 40 Weatherall Road, Beaumaris Victoria 3193
Phone: +61 9515 4514
Website: www.theparlorkitchen.com