Morning After, West End, September 2015

For a place that only opened earlier in the week they have already nailed it. From the bright, fresh, yet not sterile, surroundings to the retro, yet futuristic, circular table that dominates the room this place is trendy yet not unwelcoming. It’s a great location and with its corner aspect the sunlight flooded interior and prime traffic watching pavement dining, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

I may need to return with 7 of my closest friends to secure the, aforementioned, round dining booth but I certainly wouldn’t object to sampling the menu further. Speaking of which, there were some refreshingly surprising items on said menu.

Even before we ate, we had sussed out that it was a family run establishment. We confirmed this as we paid for our meals and while this may seem to be an irrelevant detail, it cannot be underestimated. Often in these types of set-ups the sum of the parts is far greater than the whole and it was thus. The service was a little hit and miss but once the kinks are worked out you can tell it’s going to run like clockwork. The quality of the food on offer can only help smooth things over until they find that equilibrium. and they will.

So now, to the food, the most important part of any review. It was assured and somewhat sophisticated, while covering the basics there were some surprises there to whet the appetite. Not sure pasta is a breakfast dish for me but it looked good so it would be easy to overlook my reticence.

My sand crab omelette was every bit as enticing as it sounds. The sand crab was plentiful and the omelette was cooked with a deft hand, remaining light and fluffy so as not to overpower the sand crab. The chilli added the exact right amount of zing with the peanuts and lime lifting it to the sublime. Impressive right out of the gate.

Coffee was perfect. Aesthete was cool with just a hint of hipster. Service was fantastic, all things considered.

This time a 7.5 eggs out of 10 but fully expect their trajectory to propel them to at least an 8 in a very short timeframe. I'd expect they can keep the standard up, I just hope they don’t become a victim of their own success because I look forward to going back.

London Fields, Montague Road, West End. August 2015

This was certainly a serendipitous find, Foxy. I’m so glad we followed your nose to this little gem in the back blocks of West End. I have a feeling word is getting out, though, so am glad we had the opportunity to review this one now. So, where to start?
The food. Yes, we missed out on the trout, a meal I agree we all would have had tried if given the chance. Alas, as you've mentioned Foxy, this was not to be. I have since had the time to repent at leisure not ordering the blood sausage dish. A bold brekky choice, I know, but this place is definitely worthy of a second chance.
What I did have was somewhat pedestrian for what it promised. Perhaps I’m being a bit too harsh because it wasn’t bad… it just wasn’t great. My braised beans were bland and the poached egg on top didn’t add a whole lot to it. It was filling but that is feint praise, if any.
The coffee was excellent but the food should the be the highlight. Disappointingly, it wasn't.
You’re on the money with the service, though. The star of the show was our waiter, Morgan. This young lady is some kind of service sauvant, sensing exactly what you needed before you could even form the words, and I’m thrilled to say there was seamless service from all the staff so big props for that. It’s easy to forget what a very important component of any meal the service is, until you’re reminded by someone like her. I certainly hope they are paying her well.
The attached grocery store - and please understand the word grocery makes it sound so much more ordinary than it actually is - was fantastic. A gem of a find for foodies and home-entertainers alike. You will find plenty to impress all your guests with the curated offerings here and more than likely to pick up a few treats for yourself while you’re at it.
Beautifully situated in what I can only imagine is the outside bar area at night, seated al fresco, it is a bright and breezy space that had a very pleasant ambience. I’m sure the excellent service added to that overall vibe but if time had allowed we could have happily spent all day there.
The bar inside looks good but that’s obviously for the opposite end of the day so will try that another time. Price was literally remarkable at less than $25 a head and compared very favourably to our other choices. Sadly, only 7 out of 10 eggs for me but the right menu choice could have bumped that up considerably.

Billykart Kitchen, 1 Eric Crescent, Annerley - August 8

Not the first time we've tested the waters at Billykart.. Bubbles loves the Asian Eggs but we noticed a bit of a change in the menu this time. Celebrity chef, Ben O'Donoghue's funky cafe is off the beaten track in the Brisbane suburbs. The feel of the place is corner shop with a hint of arrogance. I enjoyed the soft boiled eggs, however my soldiers were a bit unmanageable. Billykart always delivers consistently so no surprises. I'll give a solid 8 out of 10 eggs - always good to come back to.

London Fields, Cnr Montague Rd & Raven St, West End - August 22

Well, what a surprise. We ventured down Montague Road to stumble upon this little gem tucked away next to Queensland Ballet. Still relatively new, London Fields is a sophisticated Gastropub which fronts the entrance to The Stores West End. The venue is clean and crisp with a real "foodie" feel. I couldn't speak more highly of our server, Morgan. We were attended to immediately on arrival and weren't left waiting for our first coffee. Our order was taken almost as if Morgan had read our minds. So refreshing to see well trained staff in the hospitality industry. We seem to have seen a decline in standards over the years so it's nice to see the art has not been completely forgotten. I must also add that all the other wait staff were equally as attentive and well trained, 10 out of 10 for service here. The food was unremarkable and reasonably priced. Unfortunately, we were unable to order the trout which our eyes were drawn to straight up - sounds like another visit will be on the horizon. I ordered the mushrooms which were offset by a delicious, semi-caramelised spanish onion. The poached eggs were cooked to perfection and only 1 slice of sourdough accompanied the dish. I highlight this as I am not a big fan of bread with my meals and find most places tend to load up the bread and neglect the parts of brekky I enjoy. I cleaned my plate with no effort and felt no guilt after. With the bill out of the way, we took a stroll through The Stores. Delicious goodies were on offer to taste test as well as a Swiss cheese tasting in the Fromagerie. The Stores was filled with local produce, a bulk foods store at the back and a great selection of meats and small goods from Schulte's meats. I'm looking forward to a return visit - 9 out of 10 eggs, Kitty

Well, I agree, Kitty and would certainly say it was worth the wait. My choice was the French Toast which had a bit of a twist. Two croissants snuggled up under a blanket of raspberry jam, creme fraiche and orange curd, sprinkled with freeze dried raspberries. The little dish of honey on the side made for a scrumptious, not too sweet, treat. The coffee was good, especially as they use non-homogenised milk (I don't drink anything but at home) which, for the uninitiated, makes quite a difference to a cup of Joe. All in all, I would also give a solid 8 eggs

Jam Pantry, Greenslopes. August 2015

It must be said we had to try twice to get into this hot (in a good way) establishment. The first time we aborted the mission because it was very busy with a 30 minute wait for a table. This speaks to the popularity of the place and I don't think that is misplaced.

On entry it’s a bit generic in terms of suburban cafes, all hard wood floors and high ceilings. All very pretty but - and here’s a tip cafe proprietors - patrons hate the cacophony that comes with this combination of hard floor and high ceiling. It might be good for turning over tables but there is no acoustic dampening, whatsoever, so it's absolutely deafening.

This is in no way peculiar to this venue but as annoying as bad service. For those of you who like having their ears assaulted before 10am, you’ll enjoy it immensely.  To reassure you, though, the service and coffee were both very good here.

What we’re really here for is the food and that certainly did deliver, so to speak. My Milk Bar Sarnie (off the specials board) was sensational. Where do I start? The perfectly cooked sirloin - yes, sirloin and it was no miserly cut, either - zhooshed up with liberal garlic, fancy cheese and onion jam. This was accompanied by a formidable salad including grilled pineapple and avocado. There’s no escaping the avocado on toast (although making that comparison is probably a little unfair) but this was really a steak sandwich to write home about. All resplendent on 2 slabs of bread and topped with an egg.

My one and only tiny complaint, talk about first world problems, was that it was hard to eat. It was so big it required a reshuffle of the ingredients. While I’m a fan of eating with my hands, I doubt I would have even been able to hold it it was that large. Price was under $30 for 2 coffees and the meal, so reasonable value as well given the serving size.

All up, a step above; I’d definitely go back. Should have checked out the jams and conserves they retail (geddit?) but was on a time deadline so that will have to wait til next time and there will be a next time. A solid 8 eggs, Foxy. Your thoughts?

Putia Pure Food Kitchen, Banyo. July 2015

Having anticipated this breakfast for quite some time it was with delight I arrived to finally try the newest venture of Dominique Rizzo. Having been a fan for a while now, I was expecting all the sophistication of Mondo Organics, another breakfast favourite.

Fortunately, we had booked as it proved to be a very popular choice. The larger floor area of the cafe is the outside courtyard. One with a scenic vista of the street, partially covered by leafy trees and nicely situated on a corner within cooee of the Banyo train station.

Unfortunately, we were relegated to a table in what used to be the driveway of this former suburban house. Therefore, we had a view from behind the courtyard so not ideal but we eagerly awaited this meal regardless. This proved to be quite disappointing, though, as the location meant the smells from the close by bathroom and an (unsighted) bin wafted through our section a number of times.

Having arrived first I was seated, waiting for my companions. It would have been nice to be offered a coffee at that time but it was not to be. No biggie. I can’t say the service was any less for it overall but on our visit there seemed to only be one waitress for most of the time we were there.

I did enjoy my meal, sweet potato fritters with a side of mushrooms, beautifully poached eggs and a fresh rocket salad. While I never usually change a menu item, on this occasion, rather that waste the salmon this dish was meant to come with, I opted to swap it out for mushrooms. This brekky was substantial but perhaps poorer for the removal of the salmon. It just didn’t excite me on any level.

The fritter appeared a little overcooked and wasn’t overly tasty. The eggs were well cooked and the rocket salad was lovely but neither added anything to the fritter and sadly none of it elevated it to a great meal.

Coffee was good and the salted caramel slice was outrageously good so maybe it was my poor choice of meal. Price was in the top shelf bracket at nearly $40 for 2 coffees a meal and a slice to go. Overall only 7 eggs, sorry.

Buzz Bistro (now Fresco), Tennsyon. June 2015

On approaching this cafe, tucked away within the sporting complex that is the brand spanking new Queensland Tennis Centre in Tennyson, I was worried it was going to be one of those cyclist cafes where the food was utilitarian and the coffee basic. Fortunately not because the mix of patrons, from cyclists to the country club set, lent it more a sophisticated quality.



On arrival the sun streaming in was dazzling yet beyond was a very picturesque view of the Brisbane river. The seating area frames the view beautifully so we asked for, and luckily nabbed, a prime table right at the front. While the morning started off cloudy when the sun came out it did become a bit glare-y. However, with the assistance of the lovely Amanda who extended the awning for us, that problem was elegantly solved.



I’d ordered the corn fritters, a personal favourite, and they were solid. They were delectable if ever so slightly overcooked but the dish, complete with avocado smash and eggs certainly did deliver. Is it bad that I don’t remember the other accompaniments to the fritters? Not entirely, it was just that the fritters were very good as the hero of the dish should be.



Landing around the $30 mark, it’s a bit pricey, but you are getting a real meal plus the coffee was very good. Would I go back? Yes.



Should also mention our attentive waiter told us that they were on the cusp of a make-over and had undergone a name change. They are now known as Fresco. Not sure if it’s also a change of ownership, to her credit our waiter was discrete with the details, so I’d like to go back if only to try the new menu.



In conclusion the new name is a more suitable and gives a hint of the atmosphere. Seven out of ten eggs but only because of the influx status quo. What did you think, Foxy?

Balfour Kitchen, New Farm. May 2015

Hey Foxy Lady, what did you think of Balfour Kitchen now that we've had a few days to think it over? I'm gonna climb out on a limb and say it's easily one of the best breakfasts in Brisbane. It may not be the best but it certainly was right up there.

I thought the locale and the setting were superb. Having a comfy table out in a cosy, sun-speckled courtyard with New Farm life happening around you yet separate enough to feel secluded made the whole affair feel unhurried. I found this was surprisingly relaxing.

The service, as we discussed on the day, was exceptional. It may not be faultless, although I cannot think of one single faux pas, but the level of service was noticeable. This may well be due to the fact that it's a part of the Spicers' Hotel group but, as you know, I rate service as highly as the food.

And so to the food which was the highlight for me. Full disclosure I've eaten here before and I'd very much enjoyed the food the first time. Full points to the chef, Will Wallace and his kitchen.

It did not disappoint this time either. The Eggs Benedict on brioche was divine. The eggs were perfectly coddled and the ham was complemented by the rich champagne hollandaise, no less. The, aforementioned, brioche brought it to an unforgettable climax.

I'll definitely go back again, too, which is always a good measure of the menu. There were several other dishes I'd like to try so, being relatively local for me, I'll be happy to go back soon and often.

In fact, I could happily live there; breakfast in the courtyard, lunch on the deck and dinner in the bar.

The bar deserves a mention for its incredible view of Brisvegas, too. They've set the bar high, pun intended.

So, 9 out of 10 eggs from me. How was it for you?