Vegemite polenta soldiers

A classic, Aussie breakfast of Vegemite toast soldiers taken to all new heights.  Kim had the brilliant idea of setting a layer of vegemite in polenta.  He let it set, cut it into soldiers and fried it.  Top off the decadence with a fine micro-planing of cheese and dip into free-range soft boiled eggs.  

Heaven!  

St Ali, South Melbourne

We head out on foot, in search of the tram stop no. 26 located out front of the Alfred Hospital. We then have to remember to get off at the little South Melbourne street side station. We are not headed out looking for the usual kind of tourist landmark, we are looking for St Ali for our morning breakfast... After just a few minutes stroll, we spot Yarra Place. We make a turn and feel we are transported into a little haven in the South of the city - warehouses, graffiti walls, people pedaling their bicycles and even some guys in lab coats?!



As we expected, they are quite busy. We approach the friendly looking lady with the clipboard, and she scribbles our name on the list and tells us it will be about 20 minutes. We are happy to wander this little alley, and find some cool galleries and a place selling clothes and jewellery. We head back just as our stomachs start rumbling, and our timing is perfect. We are ushered into a cosy little corner table in the front of the Cafe and order our coffees as we are seated.



Oh, Melbourne, how I love you and your culture and understanding of great coffee! Our morning Cappuccino hit the spot. Little pots of very raw brown sugar sit on the table, I don't add any to my coffee but cannot resist just trying a small spoonful - great texture, toasted and caramel flavors - yum! I also have a The Winter 3 Juice which is fresh squeezed pear strawberry and mint.



We also love that the water bottles are up-cycled Hitachino beer bottles, tres cute. The menu here reads so well, with catchy titles like from Chickens with Love, Hook Line & Sinker and the one that I choose for breakfast, My Mexican Cousin.



My Cousin is a plate full of Secret Recipe corn fritters, fresh baby spinach, haloumi and kasundi with a poached egg. I also add some bacon, for no reason other than loving bacon! The corn cakes are fluffy and full of flavor, the poached egg cooked to perfection and the spinach and haloumi round out the dish nicely. I find the spiced tomato kasundi way too sweet, and mostly push it to the side.

Kim has gone for the Corny Baby; creamed corn with poached eggs, green chilli relish, pinenuts & witloof/witloaf/wotlof whatever salad on light square tin loaf. Always throwing in a bit of character with their menu descriptions, I love that! This was also delicious, but also quite sweet - the little red dressing on the witloof/witloaf whatever was like a sticky syrup, lucky Kim also ordered a side of bacon to balance the dish out with some smoke & salty flavours.



We continue this lazy morning with a couple of bloody Mary's before vacating our table for the next waiting customers ....



St Ali
12-18 Yarra Place
South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
T +61 (0)3 9686 2990
stali.com.au


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lb (pound) Cafe, Chapel St Melbourne

Many many years ago we were those people who got a booking at Flower Drum, and flew from Sydney to Melbourne for a brief 2 night stay with the sole purpose of eating there in its prime. It was amazing. We still to this day talk about the peking duck, quail san choi bow, caramel apples, waiters in their bow ties and of course being lucky enough to tour the kitchen - all those wok burners, oh my! and the smell of the peking ovens in action, just amazing and unforgettable. That was of course many years before our blogging started, so you'll just have to take our word for it!;)

After that amazing dinner, we woke up a little late. We had plans of having breakfast at Pearl, so hitched a tram over that side of town worked out what station to get off and we were there. The place was full of staff, but not a single customer in site. Oh no, was it that awkward in-between-breakfast-and-lunch-time?! We poke our head in the door and a very nice staff member came to greet us. They were booked out for a private function, so there went out brunch plans! He must have seen our dismay, and instructed us the little staff favorite just up the road for awesome coffee and a great breakfast selection. We followed his directions, make a slight detour down Oxford lane and find ourselves at Pound, or Lb as you will see on the widow. All these years back we had a great experience, and on this trip our first morning was to be spent wandering down Chapel St. so Lb for breakfast was a given.

As we are staying at the gorgeous Cullen hotel in Prahan, Lb is closer than we think. Before we can decide whether it's Chap-pel or Sha-pel St we see the familiar glass windows.



We were so in need of our caffeine kick that it was absorbed within seconds of hitting the table. Now, just think of this place as the sort of awesome breakfasts you would like to make at home everyday, but likely won't. The produce is fresh & the combinations classic. Smashed avocado, fresh tomato & goats cheese on toast - yup, that's me!



Kim has a heartier option of chorizo panini with rocket. Oh, the little touches like adding the greens AFTER the panini is toasted - that S*+# is always appreciated!



If you are in Melbourne, or more importantly down the Chapel St end of town, Lb is a perfect morning start or midday break.


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Lb
Shop 5, 566 Chapel Street
South Yarra Melbourne 3141
T: +61 (0)3 9826 1114

Open: Monday to Saturday 7:00am~3:00pm, Sunday 8:00am~3:00 pm

Bee pollen for breakfast, Radiance Restaurant, the Spa Samui

Bee pollen. These little granules contain a whole range of minerals and vitamins and are high in protein and carbohydrates. Perfect for starting off the day, really. We have now arrived in Koh Samui, and are staying at the Spa Resort on Lamai beach. After 6 weeks of travelling, indulging, heavy eating and drinking, we will be doing a little 5 day detox while we are here. We take a few days to be able to meet up with friends, and not be restricted on what we are eating (or, not eating for that matter..). Think it's a wise choice to at least give the body something vibrant, something healthy, just so it knows what's coming ....

Guy's breakfast at the Radiance restaurant is a bowl of fresh chopped mango & papaya with a Chiang Mai sheeps milk yogurt and bee pollen. It's delicious! The bee pollen really giving the whole dish a nice texture, each little granule popping in the mouth and the sweetness of the fruit being balanced by the rich, luscious yogurt.



Now, let's go eat some fried pork for lunch!

The Spa Resorts Koh Samui
P.O. Box #1, Lamai Beach
Koh Samui, 84310 Suratthani
Thailand
Tel: +66(0)77-230-855


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Holy mushrooms, breakfast at Kiosko Universal, La Boqueria Barcelona

Holy mushrooms, this lone platter of giant mushrooms on the counter at Kiosko Universal made our decision of breakfast on this morning an easy one.



We'll have those, sautéed, with a few eggs. Oh sure, throw some fried potatoes in there too!



All we need is a few slices of pan con tomate which are sitting on the counter and we are good to go.



Not a bad choice at all for a quick breakfast before taking to the streets, it's on the top end of the boqueria a few blocks over from Pinotxo bar.



Mercat Sant Josep, PUESTO 691
08002 Barcelona, Spain
933 178 286


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Whitebait and Beer for Breakfast, Fogon de Galicia, Grenada Spain

The tapas start early in Grenada. Well, early enough when you wake up at 10:30am ;) It's our first morning, and we initially venture out with a coffee and pastry in mind to start the day. We didn't have much luck finding anything of the sort .... We did notice a bunch of people drinking beer and eating a range of fried seafood delights at Fogon de Galacia while we were wandering around though. We end up tracing back down the little alley way, very pleased to start our day with 2 little Caña, or small sized beer and a plate of crispy fried whitebait with fresh lemon.

Morocc and roll

Surprisingly enough, the 45 minute ferry ride which takes you from Tarifa, the tip of Spain, to Tangier, the top of Morocco, was actually the easiest part of our trip. Immigration is done aboard the boat (which we found out as we disembarked, so had to run back onto the ferry and get our stamps) and money exchange is also done on board. We get off and are overwhelmed by the sea of taxi drivers ... there are little petite taxis, which certainly would not carry the 4 of us including H & Io as well as our luggage so negotiating a Grand Taxi is in order. We settle on 20€ to the train station. We could have of course spent 20 minutes negotiating our way down, but it's 5€ each which is still pretty damn cheap! The ride is scary ... we all have white knuckles by the end of the trip but we do make it in once piece. It's quite early, and we have an hour before the first train. The station is just beautiful, there's even WiFi ...



We check our mail, and have a quick snack before boarding the train. The little counter is bustling with people, we start the day with a couple of pastilla - crispy pastry filled with a spiced chicken and slightly sweet nut mix. I have a can of Hawaii, which is a fruit & coconut fizzy drink that is not to sweet.



We arrive at the platform a few minutes early and are ready for our journey to Fes.



The train journey was pleasant, we did of course splurge on a first class air-conditioned cabin. There was a little food cart that just went up and down the isles, which had drinks, snacks, yoghurt, delicious pomegranite juice & bread rolls filled with spicy roast chicken & garlic sauce which kept us amused for the train ride. The scenery went from picturesque to grotesque - quaint little villages with children kicking soccer balls, filled with beautiful colors & intricately designed buildings but on the outskirts just piles of garbage. Garbage that was decomposing in the sun, ferral goat's & dogs picking through the trash. Until you hit the next quaint little village ...

We arrive in Fes mid-afternoon, and are greeted by a member of staff who has come from our Riad to meet us at the train station. We say goodbye to Io & H for the day, with plans to meet them tomorrow afternoon after our solo adventures in the medina. We pile into a little petit taxi with our guide, and head to the Riad. We are welcomed into Riad Fes Yamanda as it is our own palace for the coming days ....



Upstairs to freshen up, we know we won't be going far tonight.

bidebide and Brunch Tapa's

We were up early one morning ... we would have been happy with a coffee & a pastry, but stumble across bidebide. It's bustling inside, the crowd enjoying everything from coffee to cava and everything in between.



2 x coffee & 2 x orange juice are ordered as we settle in at the bar. It's then we notice with amazement that the counter is lined with an array of different tapas. All themed around the morning brunch, most of them including eggs in some form. A potato tortilla sandwich between a crunchy little bread roll certainly whets the appetite.



A thinner omelet is next, two slices are sandwiching roasted peppers and crispy bacon and is sitting upon a grilled slice of bread.



The last breakfast tapas we enjoy is a very creative tomato-on-toast idea. Slices of ripe tomato, goats cheese, toasted walnuts and a drizzle of thick sherry vinegar sit on toasted white bread.



We enjoyed brunch so much that we do return later in the week for a quick lunch .... also very good, our lunch included a tapa of champignon mushrooms & foie



and grilled beef with roast peppers and potatoes.



Kim then chooses a boccadillo with Lomo, bacon, cheese, tomato, lettuce & aioli. 2 pork on 1 sandwich is already so much win !! The aioli packs a garlic punch and has specks of fresh herbs that lightens it up.



I can't resist another meat double-up, beef sirloin & crispy bacon with roasted peppers.



Open daily from 8am-1:30am, bidebide is perfect anytime of day whether for a coffee & breakfast tapas, a hearty lunch or a late night tipple ....

bidebide
Usabal Auzoa, 25 - 20400 Tolosa
Guipúzcoa, San Sebastian, Spain
T: 943577573

Chocolateria La Fama, Zaragoza

Could this just be the perfect breakfast? Fried dough sprinkled with sugar dipped into thick, hot chocolate.



We wandered past La Fama on our first night in Zaragoza, and it was still full at 8pm ... So it seems churros and chocolate can be enjoyed anytime of day. We had our hearts set on wine & tapas though, so we return first thing the following morning. The little churerria is full to the brim, people buzzing in and out - a coffee sipped at the counter with a churro or two, or people lingering over mugs of hot chocolate and mountains of churros if they were lucky enough to get a perch by the bar.



Lucky we were that morning, getting the last available table in the window, right next to where all the magic was happening. 2 hot chocolates & a plate of churros are passed over the counter. Wow! The smell of rich chocolate and the glistening sugar on top of the fried dough sticks .... we dive straight in, dipping the crisp doughnut-like treat into the chocolate.



We savor each bite ... enjoying how decadent a breakfast like this is, but thinking why it should not be done every single morning?! Just as we see a giant wheel of the fatter porra style churro being piped into the hot oil. It's coiled into a giant fried snail of dough, and it lifted out with such care. We catch the eye of the lady behind the counter and she must see the excitement in our eyes ...



She snips off a few pieces of porra, dusts them with sugar, and hands them to us. She warns us they will be very very hot, and we know they are going to be very very good. The temptation is too much, and I figure the chocolate is now cooling down, so dip the porra in and, mmmmm The porra still has a crisp outer shell, but is lighter and fluffy on the inside.



If only we could start every day like this, the world would be a much happier place.



Chocolateria La Fama
Prudencio 25
Zaragoza, Spain 50003

Boqueria breakfasts.

Our usual stop in Barcelona for a morning coffee Bar Pinotxo in the La Boquria also ran a mighty fine line of lunchy items. One morning after a little run in with a Dry Martini we felt the need for a little more than just a coffee and croissant. We still started off with the usual caputxi's and pastry's, but then it was on to the substance.



A plate of the famed garbanzos, this little plate of legumes has sparked intense discussion on what gives this dish the intense robustness and depth. Some intense interwebs trawling brought forth many theories and recipes but this one from the Salty Olive looks the winner. Well be giving that a go shortly.



How bout a plate of pigs cheek braised with tomatoes,pine nuts and raisins? Oh hell yeah!!
The meat apologetically layered with unctuous pieces of fat, so rich and so hard to share. One of the stand out dishs of the trip.



A delicious omlette with eggplant and pan con tomate rounds us off. I think you could eat anything at Bar Pinotxo and it would be delicious.



We get the trademark thumbs up from the charismatic Juanito and reassure him we'll be back next time we're in Barcelona.



Bar Pinotxo
La Boqueria 466-467
Barcelona, Spain

Whipping up breakfast in Barcelona

We were very lucky to have a little apartment in Barcelona with a well equiped kitchen, and even a teeny-tiny little balcony that opened up and looked out onto Las Ramblas. When we arrived, it was coming into Easter weekend ... We were fortunate enough to think that through, and ventured out on Saturday to stock the fridge. What we hauled home you'd think the easter holidays ran for a whole week, and that we were feeding 7 people, but that's beside the point.

We barely make it through the afternoon before we crack into the stash. Chickpeas that are in a rich tomato & herb liquid, pepperdews filled with cheese & some baby chorizos along with a slab of pure honeycomb and an artesian goat's cheese.

Sunday is for sleeping in, as well as big hearty home-cooked breakfasts! We fry a few eggs and place them on some toasted sliced bread, along with some trompet & morel mushrooms which we have simply sauteed in butter and some little fried pork sausages. Oh, what a surprise these were! Tiny little chipolata's that were specked with fresh black truffle. A very decadent breakfast indeed ...

The dawn raid.

Suffering the plague of globe crossers everywhere, we were still wired to Japan time and were springing wide awake with the birds each morning.



Still at times like this you know there's one place that always has a seat, a coffee and a smile for you. Bar Pinotxo (pinocho-pinocchio) in La Boqueria is open as the providors arrive to start setting up for the day, which is very early am.



Run by the very friendly Juanito (a fantastic character), it's the best place to pull up a stool, grab a coffee and see the markets blooming into life, as well as the chefs at Pinotxo preparing the days food.



We enjoyed this morning show so much that even after we had time adjusted we still made the morning walk up the empty Ramblas to sit, drink, snack on a tasty crossiant, and watch life.



Maybe once or twice we sat for so long that breakfast became lunch and we were able to enjoy the delicios tapas offered at Pinotxos, such as braised garbanzos or rich unctious pork cheek. It's easy to see why Pinotxos is a favourite of many of Spains top chefs.

Maybe after coffee we'd swing by the bakery in the center of the market and pick up a couple of euros worth of Bunyols, a small sugary Spanish doughnut. The freshly cooked bunyols seem to round off the early morning coffee so perfectly.



Bar Pinotxos
La Boqueria markets
Barcelona

Saint Eustachio, a coffee institution in Rome

Saint Eustachio is a coffee instutition in Rome, and known the world over. It was started in 1938 - with the current mosaic's and furnishings still original. It is now run by brothers Raimondo and Roberto Ricci. They carried on the tradition by selection the best coffee varieties that are prepared with a legendary secret blend. There are 6 tables outside, where you can sit and watch the world go by.



Then inside, you can perch at the counter if you just want to drink on the run.



On our first of many visits, we try a the signature Caffè d'élite which is the Sant’Eustachio coffee. We also order a Gran Cafe, which is Sant’Eustachio Coffee, only larger and creamier. It's not known exactly what they do to the coffee, but I heard rumors that these mentioned brews see the first few drops of espresso whipped with sugar, and the remainder of the espresso drip then added. All of this is sheltered, and quite secret, so I can't tell you ... They are both definitely sweet though, and have the presence of sugar crystals.



We return most mornings for our coffee and pastry fix while staying in Rome, and mostly enjoy just being a part of everyday Italian life, which always starts with a pastry and a coffee.



Sant’Eustachio Il Caffé
Piazza Sant’Eustachio 82
00186, Rome, Italy
T&F: + (0) 39 06 68802048

Sunday to Thursday 8.30am - 01.00am
Friday 8.30am – 01.30am
Saturday 8.30am – 02.00am