Melbourne: Brunches of 2014 (Operator 25)

Operator 25 at Wills St, Melbourne CBD

If you do not like to queue but have no intentions on sacrificing on quality, where do you go?  Frequented by my fellow Melbourne residents, is Operator 25.  Coming in closer to 11am, it was barely three-quarters full and we easily got a sit inside. Wow, high ceilings and an airy sitting area too? Operator 25 just seems to have it all at that point.  But can the kitchen deliver?    

Greeted and served with no delay, the menu was soon in my hands.  A quick flick and I decided on the Balinese Pulled Pork and Coleslaw on Brioche roll with Sweet Potato Wedges ($19).  Why bother with the staples like the boring big breakfast no?

Biting into that soft buttery brioche was a familiar Balinese taste.  Not it was no Babi Guling or Naughty Nuri’s, instead it tasted like my very own ex-colleague Mei’s Indonesian pork dish with notes of fragrant lemon grass, turmeric and other spices pounded together.   The delicious and tender pulled pork made this roll simply irresistible.   Fresh coriander which also happens to be a favourite herb of mine was there to ensure that the meal never gets to overwhelming due to its meaty nature.  Also, do not forget about the yummy sweet potato wedges.  It was very, I repeat, very delicious. 

My friend KK on the other hand opted for his usual fix, the House Benedict with Grandmother Ham, eggs, and Hollandaise on a Rosti ($15).  Definitely would have ordered that if I knew they used a potato rosti instead of the boring English muffin. 

The Hollandaise here had a runnier texture than usual but was still every bit flavourful.  The Grandmother Ham tasted smokier than usual too but I was not sure whether it was just me being overly sensitive or it actually was.  Was it a yummy bite?  I surely think it was :)!

An eye catching dessert of Vanilla Custard Sago, Rhubarb, Raspberry Foam and Honeycomb/Meringue ($9) gave our brunch a sweet ending.  I do not remember seeing a dessert so pretty ever for a price below $10.  This might be a first in a very long time indeed! And boy did it taste good.

Mild in sweetness, the dessert was bursting from the natural sweetness of the rhubarb and honeycomb/meringue.  Pair it with the sour berry foam and it was all very well-balanced.  Bite into the bouncy textures of the little sago pearl, roll it around, have another spoon of the airy foam.  Repeat.  Nirvana achieved.

Operator 25 was a surprise candidate for me, but for my Melbourne friends it was simply another day in the big city.  If mainstream delights like the Hardware Société does not score well in your books, here is where you belong.  Not regrets for sure.  In fact, this was my top brunch in this big city.  For 2 people with a dessert to share would have costed no more than $26/27.  (No guarantee of queue-less weekends!)

Looking for Brunch?  Check out my Melbourne Brunches in 2014

Hardware Société, CBD

Hammer & Tong, Fitzroy

Seven Seeds, Carlton

LE MIEL et la lune, Carlton

Breakfast Thieves, Fitzroy

WenY

Melbourne: Brunches of 2014 (Hardware Société)

Ever since I visited Melbourne 7 years ago, I have envied the lifestyle here.  Shopping and eating usually came tops but after NYC, I found that exploring the little lane ways that divides the city into small navigable plots was an even more enjoyable thing to do as a tourist as you never know what lies behind the next corner.   Putting likes aside, my most recent trip here is proof to why Melbourne is easily the brunch capital of Australia.  If you plan on visiting Melbourne, this 3-part breakfast/brunch post is WenY's verdict on the city's 3 hot spots!  With queues out of the door by 8 at most of them, you have been warned.  Go or not to go?  Your choice ;)!

Hardware Société at Hardware Ln, Melbourne CBD

My first stop at 7.30 in the morning was Melbourne’s top brunch spot, the Hardware Société.  I scanned the little eatery and found that it was no surprise that this place had hour long queues during weekends as it only seats 30-40 people.  However, solo dining in this “French” spot is a breeze at that time and I was immediately seated at the bar.

My breakfast was quick to arrive that morning and no it was not their famous baked eggs (too boring!). Instead I opted for a dish of crisp pork belly .  Damn it was good. For starters, the pork belly had the right seasoning and was soft through with its the skin crisp just right.  It did not have that bubbled crackling but a smooth crisp shard which had no intention of sticking between your teeth.  For presentation which I press hard at times, the eggs were picture perfect with its runny yolk trickling down ever so slowly onto the plate.  Damn it was a sight to behold. But ultimately, pinching bits of the plate and having them together was simply yums.

Pork belly, polenta hash, fried eggs, caramelised onions and aioli $18.

A delicious breakfast and a pot of tea was the right kick-start to my first morning.   But fancy apostrophe naming paired with gargantuan publicity also meant that by 8.20,  queues were out of the door.  As Melbourne’s favourite spot, was it all hype?  Definitely not.  But if I had to queue for a long time, I would rather not.

Looking for Brunch?  Check out my Melbourne Brunches in 2014

Operator 25, CBD

Hammer & Tong, Fitzroy

Seven Seeds, Carlton

LE MIEL et la lune, Carlton

Breakfast Thieves, Fitzroy

WenY

Bites: Francoforte Spaghetti Bar @ William St. Arcade, Northbridge

Before jetting off to Melbourne last Tuesday, I enjoyed a  meal of pasta with my sister at the Francoforte  Spaghetti Bar located just a doorstep across from Super Star Waffles in the arcade on 189 William St, Northbridge.  7PM always seem like a bad idea but thankfully on a weekday, the congestion in this little pasta place clears quickly and it took them no more than 10 minutes to get us seated.

After being seated, we placed our orders and were given a complimentary serve of bread, with olive oil and balsamic.

Kale Pesto

Kale and lemon pesto, pecorino, caciatorre sausage, spaghetti

Porco Rosso

Sugo, pork sausages, spaghetti

Guanciale Carbonara

Cured pigs cheek, parmesan, pecorino, penne

Having picked at various pastas around the table, I could not fault with the pasta served at Francoforte.   If was cooked right, served right and the taste was pretty decent.  Do not expect lashings of creamy and American style trickery to hide the pasta.  

Whilst I was not expecting the flavours to overpower the pasta, I was not exactly bowled over by the flavour combination and wanted more bang for my buck.  For example, the Carbonara had great saltiness from the generous slices of crisp pigs cheek which was a nice touch, but the over all finish to the dish was lacking.  It did not have the silkiness or an even salt distribution.  Without a slice of pig’s cheek, it was bland.  Similar comments would apply to both the Kale and Porco Rosso pastas.  The kale pesto one had a homemade feel that enveloped the strand of spaghetti very well but still did not bring me to that level of nirvana a normal basil pesto one does.  

Was Francoforte Spaghetti a bad eat?  Definitely not.  In fact, if I went to Italy, I would be looking for the homemade feel which I get from Francoforte.  Reading the comments of other, I quickly found the error.  If in Italy, the flavour of the sauce are meant to compliment the homemade pasta.  But in the case of using pre-made pasta, does it still work?  I have absolutely no idea whether the spaghetti was homemade or not.  One thing for sure though is that it did not have the same silkiness of the one I had at Marea or Rockpool.  Then again, the two restaurants I mentioned are heavily accredited by the folks at the Michelin Guide or Australia Good Food Guide.  

  

Francoforte despite being hard to fault, the pastas here were more of an OK than a “wow”.   In saying that, I would not feel obligated to even bother queuing on a busy day.  But on any other day, it could be an automatic walk-in meal.

Weny