More than toast

I'll admit - whilst I like to romantacize the idea of dining out on a lazy weekend for breakfast, more or often than not this turns out to be sadly disappointing. You see, whilst Perth has no shortage of breakfast spots, the majority are overpriced and offer up bland and boring takes on the first meal of the day.

Cue Toast in East Perth overlooking Claisebrook cove - a small, no frills addition to the popular waterside restaurant strip. Their menu is well priced and adds just enough of a spin to old favourites (think potato, mint and fetta pancakes with smoked salmon, poached eggs sour cream and chives or polenta toast with mushrooms, soft italian cheese and parsley). The service is warm and inviting - definitely an unpretentious breakfast spot that dares to be different and pleases even the breakfast romantics like myself who have fallen in love with it.

Toast
21/60 Royal Street
East Perth WA 6004
(08) 9221 0771

Sweety and Savoury

I love the contrast of sweet and savoury flavours - when perfectly balanced, its an addictive combination that is strangely moreish. A pumpkin risotto with crispy salty prosciutto... a juicy ripe tomato with a sprinkling of sea salt... or in the case of a brilliant breakfast dish - crispy bacon on french toast drizzled with maple syrup.

We found ourselves at Deli Chicchi in Mount Claremont over the weekend for a lazy breakfast with friends we had not caught up for a while. A beautiful spot for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch - it even has a section dedicated to cookbooks and produce you can purchase while you're waiting for your food.

This very cool breakfast spot perched on a street corner has simply but very tasty options for breakfast. From the zucchini and haloumi fritters to the roasted tomato, mozzarella and avocado bruschetta.

Oh - and of course the highlight of the day - the aforementioned french toast. Crispy bacon, fluffy french toast, warm maple syrup - yum!

Deli Chicchi

Strickland Street

Mount Claremont

What every cloud has...

Justs stopped over in Melbourne for two days for work and was a little disappointed initially because:
(A) The short stay meant I had little opportunity to pig out like I normally do in this fantastic city.
(B) Accomodation options were scarce because Tiger Woods was in town and that brought with it crowds that took up my usual hotel options. (Britney Spears was also in town but I seriously doubt that would have been a reason for my predicament).

In any case, I remained optimistic and tried to make the best of my 48 hours in the mighty Melbourne. As it turned out, the little serviced apartment that I managed to secure, whilst on the fringes of the city centre at the end of Flinders Lane, meant that I was strategically placed right next to one of the city's hottest up and coming restaurants, Cumulus Inc.

Named after puffy looking clouds (look up wikipedia for a more meteor-logical explanation) and run by Andrew McConnell (the Age Food Guide chef of the year), this very cool spot is famed for inventive food but also fantastic breakfasts.

I popped in in the wee hours of the morning on my second day (it starts getting busy from 8am onwards) and was immediately drawn to the smoked salmon, 65/65 egg, sorrel, apple and dill dish on the inventive breakfast menu. I am unashamedly an eggnophile - and the intriguing description meant I just had to order it.

A 65/65 egg is essentially a super slow poached egg, with its description indicating that it is poached in its shell at a controlled temperature of 65 degrees celcius for 65 minutes. What results is a textural delight - perfectly poached white and a creamy, almost gelatinous yolk of eggy goodness. Paired with the subtle saltiness of the Tom Cooper's smoked salmon, the "it just makes sense" combination of dill and capers, plus the acid from the refreshing batons of green apple, all served on a crusty buttered ciabatta toast, and you get one delicious breakfast dish.

Satisfied from a great first meal to the day, I decided that my initial reasons for disappointment were actually a blessing in disguise. Cumulus is a sophisticated and very smart dining experience, and as far as clouds go - this is one that has reminded me that every situation has a silver lining.

Cumulus Inc
45 Flinders Lane
Melbourne 3000
www.cumulusinc.com.au

Porgie & Mrs Jones

Alright - its been a while and its because I have just returned from the magnificent city of Melbourne. As usual, there is always a fantastic list of places that serve brilliant, well cooked food.

First up we have Porgie & Mr Jones, a very cool breakfast spot in Hawthorn that has a laid back warehouse feel to its space. We ordered the poached eggs on toasted grain bread with spinach, red pepper pesto and hazlenut dukkah as well as the smashed avocado with thyme buttered mushrooms, marinated fetta on whole grain toast.

Both were delicious, generous and a great start to our first day in Melbourne.

Porgie & Mrs Jones
291 Auburn Road
Hawthorn

Kumatoes on Toast

I have found a new addiction (and yes I have many with food)... black tomatoes... otherwise known as kumatoes. These black beauties have a dark green to brown tinge and possess an intensely sweet tomato flavour.

Previously quite rare, I've started noticing their appearance in growers markets as well as some supermarkets. And whilst just as versatile as its crimson cousin, I find that these tanned fellas are best eaten fresh sprinkled with sea salt which really accentuates the savoury sweetness of these delightful fruits.

I recommend the kumatoes simply sliced (then brought to room temperature for maximum flavour) and served on freshly toasted ciabatta smothered in butter. All that's left to do is a sprinkling of sea salt and possibly one of the best and healthiest breakfasts you could ever have is ready to be served!

Eating in the past

There are a few things that I always come back for whenever I'm in Singapore - Bak Kut Teh for breakfast definitely makes the list as comfort food that reconnects me with my early memories of growing up in Singapore.

The combination of a potent, peppery pork rib soup and a full bodied pot of chinese tie guan yin tea which you brew at your own pace is the ultimate pick me up as the first meal to the day. Whilst many may cringe at the thought of having meat, rice and soup for breakfast - I love it.

My family and I have been coming to this eatery in Tiong Bahru for yonks - it may not serve the best bak kut teh around but we have seen it go through a few changes in its name and ownership. It's for this reason that we feel a strong connection from being witness to the passing of time at a shared table here.

The best time to come is as early as you can in the morning (breakfast is served from 6:30am) while a blanket of tranquil blue still envelopes the Tiong Bahru area. At this hour, your dining companions are more than likely the elderly who have been frequenting this eatery even before you were born. But just like me, I think they will keep coming back to gather at a table here... if only to keep eating in the past.

Old Tiong Bahru Bak Kut Teh
Blk 58 Seng Poh Lane

Cool as Hell

Hellenic Republic is the sister restaurant of the uber cool Press Club in Melbourne. Inheriting the family genes, this fresh faced dining room is understated in its delivery of modern Greek food in chic surroundings.

We stopped by for a weekend breakfast and were immediately drawn to the refreshing menu here. Nothing overly pretentious, you instead get an interesting range of breakfast items to give you that all important kick start to the day.

From a creamy spanakopita topped with poached eggs to a refreshing watermelon salad with chopped mint, fetta cheese and toasted almond flakes… the food here is simple but good. The modern Greek take on standard fare here was definitely evident in the lamb ham sandwich (cured ham, fried egg and cheese in sourdough) and the omelette of loukaniko sausage and potatoes.

I also enjoyed what was labelled on the menu as “yesterday’s gemista” – basically a baked tomato stuffed with rice. The use of rice that had probably been from a risotto like dish for dinner service the previous night actually meant that the flavours were deliciously mellow. Served on crunchy hot sourdough toast with crumbled fetta – this is a great vegetarian breakfast and one that’s sure to satisfy.

Our well informed waitress was also great in helping us navigate through the Greek translations of the menu – showing what a difference professional service makes. I glanced at the dinner menu on the way out and whilst I have had limited exposure to Greek food previously, I felt confident that the process of discovering it would be a pleasant one on my next visit... and I sure as hell hope there's going to be one.

Hellenic Republic
434 Lygon Street
Brunswick East

Breakfast in Perth: Lemon Lane

Its good to be back in Perth. Clean air, pristine beaches, friendly neighbours... and as much as I love this sleepy city, one thing that does disappoint is the variety of good dining options available. Compared to its sister cities of Melbourne and Sydney (and also Singapore where I've spent the past nine months), Perth struggles to provide hungry foodseekers like myself something to look forward to.

Thankfully, there are still a handful of worthy eateries that try to set themselves apart from the usual dreary establishments by serving up interesting and well prepared grub. Lemon Lane in Claremont is one of these places. Tucked away in a narrow alley in this affluent neighbourhood, Lemon whips up a great coffee (something that Singapore still struggles to do) and delicious fresh juice concoctions.

We skipped the usual big breakfast fry up and opted instead for their hash cakes and corn fritters. The first was a twist on eggs benedict - smoked salmon sandwiched between two freshly made potato patties, topped with wilted spinach and a perfectly poached free range egg. And instead of being smothered with sauce, the hollandaise was delicious and thoughtfully placed on the side.

The latter was just as good, a play on Canadian pancakes, it was instead freshly made corn fritters sandwiching candied bacon and drizzled with maple syrup. The roasted tomato and avocado salsa on the side was perfect in cutting through the richness of this dish. Sleek decor, good food, great coffee and chilled out vibe... my only gripe with this place is that the food does take some time and it probably does need to constantly update its menu to keep things fresh and interesting.

Perth may still be a sleepy city that has a long way to go in reaching the culinary diversity of the likes of Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore - but thanks to places like Lemon Lane, its still giving me something good to wake up to.

Lemon Lane
Bay View Terrace
Claremont, WA 6010

Osaka Part 4: Breakfast in the Rising Sun

If I had to eat one breakfast for the rest of my life – it would have to be the Japanese way. With the staples of a steaming bowl of quality koshikari rice, soothing miso soup, pickled vegetables and a grilled fish item – you get all the nutrition you need to ease you into your day without the grease and guilt that accompanies a breakfast fry up.

During this trip to Japan, we were blown away by the welcome meal to the day in hotels, ryokans and bento boxes on shinkansens. The highlight for me would have to be in Osaka at the Dojima hotel where we spent two nights.

Breakfast here next to a serene Japanese garden is a beautiful thing – aside from the staples previously mentioned, the breakfast tray was garnished with other tasty morsels, including hiyyakko tofu, a delicious poached egg in a yuzu infused dashi stock and the main event, a melt in your mouth wagyu beef sukiyaki. Everything was delicately balanced, stunningly presented and thoughtfully put together.

You finish a Japanese breakfast with a zen like sense of fulfilment. Knowing that you’ve fed your body the freshest ingredients packed with nutrition and having it taste darn good at the same time is just so satisfying… and at the beginning of the day that’s always going to be something worth waking up to.