Breakfast

Town & Country, Balwyn

~ culinaldi ~ Leave a comment

For the past five years, I’ve had a regular housesitting gig over the Australia Day long weekend, where I decamp from my apartment in the city and take up residence in a somewhat larger dwelling in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It’s my very own version of ‘Escape to the Country’ if you will, where I can get away from the familiar and discover what it is like to live in another part of my city.

So it felt kind of apt to kick-off the long weekend with a leisurely brunch at Town & Country in Balwyn. Sitting in the open front courtyard with the morning light filtering through the canopy overhead, I could have certainly been anywhere else in the world instead of having breakfast alongside a busy metropolitan road.

Town & Country, Balwyn
Town & Country, Balwyn

With a welcome cool breeze on my face, and my coffee order on the way, I got down to the difficult task of deciding what to order for breakfast. The current seasonal menu is heavily geared towards savoury options, but any dish that includes ‘Dr Marty’s crumpets’ usually seals the deal for me.

Albeit a slightly edgier take on Eggs Florentine, two substantial stacks laden with chargrilled asparagus, baby spinach, thick slices of smoked salmon, poached eggs topped with a careful consideration of hollandaise sauce, complimented with a large sprig of fresh and deliciously pungent dill, was a visually spectacular ensemble.

Smoked salmon with Dr Marty's crumpets, grilled asparagus, baby spinach, poached eggs and tarragon hollandaise - Town & Country, Balwyn
Smoked salmon with Dr Marty’s crumpets, grilled asparagus, baby spinach, poached eggs and tarragon hollandaise – Town & Country, Balwyn

And the taste didn’t disappoint either. The asparagus was a notable addition – it was so soft and tasty from the length of time on the grill that it only took a fork to pull it apart.

However the real hero of the dish would be the thick, doughy crumpets that absorbed all the moisture from the spinach, poached eggs and thick sauce and yet still held their shape and bread-like taste. My faith in Dr Marty’s creations continues to be justified.

Town & Country, Balwyn
Town & Country, Balwyn

The coffee is also full-bodied and delicious. Service is friendly and very attentive although it would be fair to say that the staff are quite busy, so patience is required.

Apart from the cafe, Town & Country also includes a nursery and homewares store, fully stocked with designer soft furnishings and unique decorator items, so make sure you exit through the gift shop. And why not? It’s a public holiday afterall.

Town & Country Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Mr Hendricks Café, Balwyn

~ culinaldi ~ Leave a comment

As much as I love the art of decluttering and adhering to organising and minimalist principles, I must admit that my iPad is in complete disarray; absolutely chock full of saved bookmarks from newspaper articles and random, unfiled notes on cafés across a multitude of apps, highlighting places that I should potentially go and visit for breakfast. Somewhere in all that mess, I happened to come across something that recalled to mind that there was a café called Mr Hendricks Café located in Balwyn on my must-go list. With the added bonus of staying in Kew this week and discovering that the café is also directly located on the #109 tram route, it would seem like a wasted opportunity to be in such close proximity and not make an effort to go there for breakfast.

Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn

Finding the location was easy enough and I seemed to arrive in the nick of time to be able to secure a table, because within fifteen minutes the place was busy and a small queue had started to form. It’s so exciting to see a unique breakfast menu with a number of original signature dishes, not often seen or replicated elsewhere. I’m always a sucker for French Toast at the best of times, particularly when it’s of the brioche variety, but I had already consoled myself with a couple of images from Instagram and moved on. The Francophile in me particularly warmed to the thought of indulging in a Cassoulet with braised beans, smoked ham hock, lamb shoulder, toulouse sausage, confit duck leg, persilade and fried egg. The description of the Prawn and Corn Fritters was beyond compare and even the Avocado on Toast sounded extraordinary with the inclusion of wekame, sesame, pickled cucumber salad and lemon gel as key elements within the dish. My coffee arrived and someone was keen to take my order, but inexplicably I needed another couple of minutes to arrive at a decision. After much deliberation, I finally settled on the Crispy Eggs with sweet potato puree, ham jock, salad of fennel, radish, red onion and candied walnuts.

Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn

The café fit-out is absolutely beautiful in its simplicity and elegance, almost a refined industrial décor that made the frustrated interior designer in me just sit back and admire the room’s composition in jealous admiration. Soft tan leather cushions on the banquette seating, attractive pendant lighting, glossy black Thonet chairs, elegant gold lettering on every door and window and beautiful polished wooden bench tops and tables in rich warm tones ticked all of my aesthetic boxes.

Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn

Coffee is available in a standard cup size, although after my spree of ordering larger versions, the glass seemed to have shrunk. My latte was creamy and delicious but after a couple of sips, another glass was definitely in order.

Crispy Eggs with sweet potato puree, ham hock, salad of fennel, radish, red onion and candied walnuts - Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn
Crispy Eggs with sweet potato puree, ham hock, salad of fennel, radish, red onion and candied walnuts – Mr Hendricks Cafe, Balwyn

Trying to capture an appropriate image for my food chronicle was no mean feat – there were so many colours and items on the plate that trying to fit them into one frame was a frustrating task. Photographic duties aside, I went straight for the ham hock which was simply delicious, slightly crispy yet soft and salty at the same time. There was plenty of meat on the plate, yet it was something I found myself wanting more and more of. The crumb on the boiled eggs came away easily and delicious with the sweet potato puree, but made for a bit of sport trying to scoop a mouthful onto my fork. “Slippery little suckers”, one might say.

I’m not a huge advocate of salad for breakfast yet surprisingly, I loved it and would say it was absolutely my favourite part of breakfast. From the crunch of the candied walnuts to the finely shaved fennel, the entire salad was beautifully dressed with a silky, smooth and slightly sweet honey mustard dressing, with every leaf glistening with the sheen of olive oil.

Completely satisfied with my breakfast, I even ordered a third cup of coffee just so I could sit and prolong the indulgence for just a little bit longer. A way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach, and Mr Hendricks, I’d have to say that you have certainly captured mine.

Mr Hendricks Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Balderdash, Port Melbourne

~ culinaldi ~ Leave a comment

Drinking copious amounts of alcohol mid-afternoon has the ability to make one believe that you are capable of almost anything. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of enjoying several new release Bress wines during a long lunch at Harry & Frankie’s wine bar in Port Melbourne. At last year’s Bress seasonal lunch, I made several vows that I was going to make a trip to their cellar door in Harcourt and re-stock my cellar and yet of course that journey never eventuated. So with the order form in front of me and a few glasses under my belt, I thought nothing of ordering half a dozen bottles of wine to pick up at a later date.

Naturally when the call came to collect my wines, only then did it dawn on me that it might prove to be somewhat difficult to lug six bottles home when using public transport as the preferred mode of transportation. Being the victim of my own senseless self-talk required me to return to Port Melbourne this weekend, and so it seemed a natural choice to head directly to the nearby Balderdash for breakfast.

Balderdash, Port Melbourne
Balderdash, Port Melbourne

Several friends who live in this locality have recommended this café to me and with the promise of warmer weather starting to eventuate, I started to feel glad that my crazy notions were taking me on random food adventures as I walked towards the café. When I walked inside, all the tables were occupied which left me with a seat in the front window to enjoy the brilliant warm sunshine.

The service at Balderdash is very friendly, attentive and definitely service with a smile. At first glance, the menu seemed to be a stock-standard café menu with a handful of typical breakfast dishes but when I stopped and took another look at the descriptions of each dish, I discovered another side to what was printed on paper.

Balderdash, Port Melbourne
Balderdash, Port Melbourne
Balderdash, Port Melbourne
Balderdash, Port Melbourne
Balderdash, Port Melbourne
Balderdash, Port Melbourne

I was intrigued about the description of the Pulled Pork Benedict although I wasn’t sure if it was served with toast, and as luck would have it, at that precise moment my coffee arrived. The person who served it saw the opened menu and was ready to take my breakfast order, but also took the time to explain in quite some detail what was included within the dish once I had asked the question. I was sold as soon as they said “brioche bun” but after politely listening to the spiel, I gave them the thumbs up to go ahead and locked in my order.

Enjoying a delicious hot, creamy latte and watching the morning traffic along Bay Street go by, I was shocked out of my reverie when breakfast was served within only what seemed several minutes after ordering.

Pulled Pork Benedict, Slow cooked pork shoulder with two poached eggs, hollandaise and prosciutto crumb - Balderdash, Port Melbourne
Pulled Pork Benedict, Slow cooked pork shoulder with two poached eggs, hollandaise and prosciutto crumb – Balderdash, Port Melbourne

A feast for eyes as well as being a substantial meal, the Pulled Pork Benedict consists of slow cooked pork shoulder with two poached eggs, hollandaise and prosciutto crumb, and is served on a brioche bun with fresh spinach. Although I had been leaning towards ordering the corn fritters when I had first arrived, I was glad that my inner voice again persuaded me to give this dish a try.

The shredded pork was extremely succulent and tender and also well-matched with the silky, creamy texture of the poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. The novelty factor was the smattering of dried and finely diced prosciutto over the eggs, to form a crunchy crumb and balance the abundance of soft textures throughout the dish. I have a deep and abiding love for any form of brioche at the best of times and the inclusion of the sweet and fluffy bread to this dish definitely brought a smile to my face.

While foolish talk can sometimes lead you on journeys that are unexpected, they can also be a source of fun and provide the opportunity to take the road less travelled. In the end, the belief in my own strength led me to towards a wonderful café and enjoy a fabulous meal that I might have otherwise overlooked. Ironically, I later discovered that carrying six bottles of wine home on a tram is actually an easy feat after all.

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