Bacon | bonjourchickie

Flopped on the couch after a long week on wintry Friday night and slowly succumbing to a head cold, the last thing I wanted to do was plan my Saturday breakfast escapade. Feeling somewhat miserable and sorry for myself, I just wanted to hibernate away from the world and try to get better but alas, with absolutely no food in the fridge, it was becoming increasingly necessary to find a café that was homely, tranquil and hopefully not too far away from home. Dreaming of all the fresh fruit and vegetables I wanted to buy from the Queen Vic Markets, I started looking for cafés in the North Melbourne area on my Urbanspoon/Zomato app and once captivated by the numerous food photos taken at Fandango, I knew I had a destination.

I hate to admit it but it’s been at least four years since I’ve headed to North Melbourne for breakfast … absolutely shocking, I know. Looking at all the new and busy cafés as the tram rolled along Victoria Street and then into Errol Street, I realised that I really been missing out and made a mental note to come back along this route as soon as I possibly can. Thankfully it was a brisk but sunny, beautiful autumn morning which lifted my spirits considerably and made me feel glad that I felt well enough to enjoy another breakfast adventure. What surprised me the most as I reached my intended destination, was that there were no queues of people waiting (despite the close proximity to Auction Rooms) and once inside, there were only five tables, of which three were empty, so it seemed that my prayers to find somewhere quiet and peaceful had come true.

Fandango, North Melbourne

Fandango really is a step back in time. Sitting with the sunshine on my face near the open window, surrounded by mission brown walls, caramel-coloured floor tiles, macramé plant holders and plush green velour curtains with a resplendent white fringe, I was starting to trip out on childhood memories of eating out with my family in the ‘70s, without even taking any cold and flu medication. Being in such a small space means that your arrival cannot go unnoticed which is great because I had a menu and coffee on its way in less than a minute of being seated.

Menu – Fandango, North Melbourne

The menu, also brown in colour, is concise but well presented. The daily specials were leaping out at me in big, bold print from the front page when I opened the menu cover. I must admit the French toast with bacon, whipped Bulgarian feta, grilled tomato and roasted red pepper relish ($18) gave me food for thought, but I wanted something a little more restorative so I chose the other fruit-driven version – French toast with bacon, cinnamon baked apple, maple butter and maple syrup.

Fandango, North Melbourne

More shades of brown came into view as my coffee arrived on its own brown-coloured saucer and complemented by a funky, retro brown sugar dispenser. The coffee is excellent but unfortunately it only comes in one small glass size if you are opting to dine in. But the sad thing is that after I had asked for a super-sized coffee, you would think that the same person who took your coffee order and then promptly swiped away the empty coffee glass a couple of minutes later, might actually ask if you would like another. Alas, no and despite being one of only six people seated inside, they actually didn’t come near my table again. I concede that this may be because I was a little under the weather but it’s an epic fail not to attempt to offer a second cup of coffee.

Waves of nostalgia washed over me when my breakfast arrived at the table. The plate on which the French Toast was served is the same crockery setting that my grandmother had in her home and I clearly remember helping to collect the Coles stamps for her to buy the whole dinner set, many moons ago. Breakfast looked absolutely spectacular and appeared to represent comfort food in the extreme. Whilst the coffee isn’t super-sized, the French Toast serving actually is. Made from fresh Turkish bread, there were four large pieces on the base of the plate which I made a small dent in.

The baked apple was soft and caramelised, smothered in maple butter and soothing to the soul. The serving of bacon was also very generous and very nicely cooked as well as presented. The handful of snow pea tendrils on the side was a nice accompaniment and helped cut through the richness of the bacon flavour.

A few more people were coming into the café and then being pointed back out around the corner to another area which I think is the courtyard so Fandango is highly regarded as a neighbourhood gem. Indeed, for me Fandango was a great find and filled the brief to find a place that was relaxed with a touch of familiarity and comfort.

When I moved to Melbourne six years ago, I had the romantic notion that on the weekends, I would jump onto a tram or train, and travel to places and suburbs that I had never been to before and discover the city. I didn’t want to say that I had lived in Melbourne, but only be familiar with a very small part of it. There have been on occasions, times where I have been able to do just that and explore an area that is unfamiliar to me and enjoy discovering somewhere new, but with weekend routines and commitments combined with the privilege of having so many wonderful places to eat within walking distance of where I live, I’ve let my adventurous spirit have a little bit of a rest.

That is, until now. The other night I realised that whilst I have friends who live in Brighton, I am not familiar with the area or have really eaten there. So with a destination in mind, I jumped on the Sandringham line and took a trip of discovery. Getting off at the Middle Brighton station, there is a café called Track Three Espresso, which is literally a metre from the train platform. The café was extremely busy and looked like it was the place to be, with a small queue of people waiting for a table, although I decided to keep walking and see what else I might find.

Across the road, I could see another busy café called “White Rabbit” with an inviting outdoor dining area, large canvas umbrellas and white wooden chairs, although once inside it seemed to be more of a bistro or restaurant than a café. The place was almost full with groups of friends catching up over coffee and young families enjoying breakfast together, however I managed to find a vacant table down the back and sat down to take in the surroundings and look at the menu.

White Rabbit, Brighton

There were lots of surprises in terms of breakfast options on the menu, with exotic savoury focussed dishes such as spiced coated sardines, fritters with goats cheese, a breakfast bruschetta and burrito on offer, and even moussaka. I have fond memories of my Mum making scotch eggs for dinner as a child, so I ordered the Walnut Eggs, which comprised of walnut spiced crumbed eggs, kataifi nest, kasundi, fresh herbs pickled cauliflower, house cured bacon and buttered fried solders.

Walnut spiced crumbed eggs, kataifi nest, kasundi, fresh herbs pickled cauliflower, house cured bacon and buttered fried soldiers - White Rabbit, Brighton — Walnut spiced crumbed eggs, kataifi nest, kasundi, fresh herbs pickled cauliflower, house cured bacon and buttered fried soldiers – White Rabbit, Brighton

When my breakfast arrived, it looked like the Easter bunny had arrived earlier than expected with two witlof leaves masquerading as rabbit ears. With a generous serving of bacon on the plate, it was cooked well and relatively lean with the fat and rind removed, so it was easy to eat and enjoy and was not too crispy. There was a lot of kasundi relish at the bottom of the plate, which was full of roasted tomato flavour. The toast was great, although in hindsight, I wish I had eaten it first before it fell victim to the sea of kasundi. The eggs had been hard boiled and coated in a thin crust of walnut, spices and flour and although they were the feature of the dish, it was hard to detect any real flavour and there wasn’t a textural element. The standout component of the dish for me, was the lightly pickled cauliflower florets, shredded red cabbage and rocket salad which formed a colourful and delicious salad within the kataifi nest. It was fresh and full of flavour and provided the crunch that the dish needed. The kataifi nest, which looked spectacular, was a clever addition however it had an overwhelming taste of vegetable oil so it remained on the plate.

White Rabbit, Brighton

While the barista may not win any awards for coffee art, my latte was delicious. The service at White Rabbit was good considering how busy it was. I was lucky enough to have been looked after by someone who was attentive and doesn’t mind engaging with the customers, although another team member dropped by my table later and silently deposited my second coffee without a sound, so it’s hard to make a definitive statement in that regard. White Rabbit is situated right next to the railway line and there is the occasional loud rumble of the train either coming into or leaving the station, so don’t sit too close to the wall if you don’t like unexpected surprises!

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