Balderdash, Port Melbourne

August 23, 2015August 23, 2015 ~ 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

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

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.

Boundary Espresso, Preston

July 12, 2015 ~ culinaldi ~ Leave a comment

My desire to maintain my personal upkeep for less has led to my current obsession with the LivingSocial website and its bargain offerings. A recent purchase meant that I needed to be in Preston area to honour a commitment this past Saturday morning but more importantly it gave me a chance to explore somewhere new for breakfast. Looking at what cafés were located around the Bell Street and Plenty Road vicinity, I found Boundary Espresso on the map and planned my visit accordingly.

Boundary Espresso, Preston

Walking along a somewhat bleak and desolate strip of Plenty Road, I could actually smell something delicious in the air just before Boundary Espresso came into view. My timing couldn’t have been more perfect when I pushed open the door into the tiny dining area and made my way to the last vacant table available inside.

After being warmly greeted with a menu and my coffee order taken, I sat back to take in the surrounds. Although there are only several tables available for patrons inside, the interior is homely with warm wooden furniture, a striking blue feature wall and floor to ceiling windows to flood the space with natural light.

The breakfast menu is fairly concise with a Turkish influence. In addition to the availability of pide specialties and a Turkish Breakfast, there are several variations of baked egg dishes, homemade muesli, and a pear and date crumble. I must admit that I missed noting the pear and date crumble until it was served to the table next to me, together with a serving of “Green eggs and ham”, both of which prompted a serious case of food envy on my behalf. But given the predictions of artic blasts embattling Melbourne over the coming weekend, I opted for heart-warming description of Two-egg caramelised leek and goats cheese omelette – containing two free-range eggs, caramelised leeks and goats cheese topped with an olive tapenade, served with toast – to ward off the winter chills.

Boundary Espresso, Preston

My large, hot skinny latte was served in an exquisite ceramic tumbler and had a rich, roasted flavour. It’s easy to understand why there is a busy take-away coffee trade in addition to the constant throng of diners. The service is extremely friendly and obliging, with many of the regulars treated like long-lost friends.

It didn’t take all that long for breakfast to arrive at my table. The first order of business after taking a few obligatory photos was to take the thick wedges of butter and place them between piping hot pieces of toasted Turkish bread. While the wind and rain raged against the windows outside, there was nothing more comforting and delicious than tearing into warm bread dripping with melted butter.

I could discuss the nuances of omelettes as opposed to frittatas but whatever the outcome, the dish was extremely tasty and delicious. The salty flavours of the black olive tapenade were a perfect foil for the soft creaminess of the goats cheese found the in the centre of the egg dish. The peppery notes of the fresh rocket, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, cut through the rich textures of the egg and leek mixture. Needless to say all jealous thoughts of other dishes seemed to vanish upon consumption of my own breakfast but rather gave me something to look forward to upon my imminent return.

Square and Compass, East Melbourne

July 7, 2015July 7, 2015 ~ culinaldi ~ Leave a comment

When the headline of a feature article in last Tuesday week’s Epicure Good Food section of “The Age” newspaper announces “Melbourne’s best new cafes 2015”, I didn’t hesitate to greedily devour the descriptive text and stunning photos on my iPad, excited to discover potential new destinations for my Saturday morning breakfast adventures.

The top position for best new café was awarded to Square and Compass in East Melbourne. Apart from the fabulous looking photos of delicious food grabbing my undivided attention, when I looked up the café’s location in Clarendon Street, I was pleased to see that it was readily accessible via tram from home.

Located in a residential pocket of East Melbourne that is situated nearby to several private hospitals within the area, walking the short distance from the tram stop in Victoria Parade towards my intended address, it became apparent that it made smart business sense to establish a brand new eatery in this part of the city. The square and compass is widely recognised as the symbol of the Freemasons who also operate some of those same hospitals so the name of the café is a clever reference. Arriving at Clarendon Street, my heart almost sank … unfortunately for me, I think everyone else in Melbourne read the article too with a long queue of people waiting outside for a table to become available. I guess if you print it, they will come.

Square and Compass, East Melbourne

Square and Compass has a beautiful red-brick heritage frontage which contrasts the very modern interior fit-out with clean lines and soft pink accents once you set foot inside the front door. I confidently walked inside and stood by the counter for a few minutes to be able to put my name down on the list, but with every conceivable dining space fully occupied, I knew I was going to be in for a little bit of a wait before being seated.

Square and Compass, East Melbourne

So far I have been extremely fortunate in not having to wait for lengthy periods of time at most of the venues that I have been to so I’m not an expert in what constitutes a good or bad queue. My total wait time was fifteen minutes and I think that was partially due to the fact that I was a solo diner and made it a little easier for me to move up the list. Thankfully the sun was out and sitting outside to wait wasn’t too much of a hardship however I think there were a couple of groups who had been waiting for almost an hour for a table and their displeasure was becoming noticeable.

Square and Compass, East Melbourne

Just when I thought that I had been forgotten, my name was called and I was able to secure a place on the communal table towards the back of the internal dining area. I had no idea that there was also an outdoor section at the rear of the building which I could spy on through the floor to ceiling windows, looking just as comfortable and cosy as the inside although probably much quieter as the cacophony in the dining area from the volume of patrons packed inside was quite loud.

Flicking through the menu, there is a lot of variety to choose from including an impressive selection of ancient grains and super foods to enhance the average breakfast dish but it’s been a while since I indulged in something sweet so I ordered the Waffles, strawberry and rhubarb compote, vanilla crème, brandy snaps.

Waffles, strawberry and rhubarb compote, vanilla crème, brandy snaps - Square and Compass, East Melbourne — Waffles, strawberry and rhubarb compote, vanilla crème, brandy snaps – Square and Compass, East Melbourne

Understandably, there was a little bit of a wait on breakfast but surprisingly the food was served just before the coffee, despite ordering it when I was seated. The coffee was beautifully presented in a porcelain mug but the only thing hot about my coffee was the vessel in which it was served in, otherwise it was cool to drink and unremarkable.

There was a sense of déjà vu when the waffles arrived as they looked very similar to what I had ordered at Touchwood six months ago and then I realised that the two cafés have common ownership interests. The dish looked spectacular and drew lots of interest from fellow diners but the waffles were cold and rubbery and quite difficult to cut into smaller portions. The compote was nice as was the vanilla crème, fresh fruit and edible flowers but the hit for me was the brandy snaps to enhance the contribution in the flavour and texture stakes.

Square and Compass, East Melbourne

Waffles, strawberry and rhubarb compote, vanilla creme, brandy snaps – Square and Compass, East Melbourne

Kudos to the person on the door who kept his cheery disposition and capably managed the throng of people trying to get in through the doors. He was the only person willing to stop and take my order after hastily setting a place at the communal table for the arrival of another customer, otherwise I might still be sitting there waiting. There seemed to be a few staff running around to deposit meals and coffees from the kitchen with German efficiency but no one else in my section of the café who wanted to engage with general public.

To be honest, my experience at Square and Compass was okay … and only just okay. There have been some fantastic places that I have discovered over the last twelve months who have evolved without the same fanfare and media publicity and which I very much look forward returning to, but as for me Square and Compass haven’t made this list.

bonjourchickie

Can't wait for breakfast on Saturday!

Melbourne breakfast

Balderdash, Port Melbourne

Boundary Espresso, Preston

Square and Compass, East Melbourne

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