What I remembered from Manchester Press was a Melbournesque room and coffee art of a man’s face. It is so Melbourne. The rubbish bin and graffiti filled laneway. The muted destruction of the interior, making it cool rather than old. The messy-haired, casually dressed girls waiting tables. Sometimes it is nice to be in the disputed most liveable city in the world.
I ordered a flat white while I perused the breakfast menu, seeing no vegetarian egg option and asking for the baked scrambled eggs without salmon. Yes, they are made fresh, so it is not a problem to remove the fish.
The coffee had barely any froth but was creamy and rich. A flavoursome, earthy coffee. There was no man’s face as coffee art.
As I waited for my eggs, a queue formed at the counter and the place filled with a lively crowd chatting away. I noticed that there were also many other lone females, reading and enjoying their own company. Sitting at the end of the table, a couple joined at the side and opposite corner to me, somehow managing to keep up their date of two without any distractions from me...I guess Melbourne is also used to sharing these days.
The egg dish was massive. The eggs were whipped and then baked like a light, over-cooked soufflé with yolk. Inside was lots of dill. On top were big rocket leaves and a chunk of fetta like the Danish one I like from the supermarket. Cherry tomatoes had been baked and squirted out juice over my note book as I tried to break it open with my fork. To the side was a white bagel on which I smoothed butter from the golden paper packets (the butter presentation could be improved).
Whilst pondering the odd mix of dill, tomatoes, rocket and fetta, I remembered that the dish was meant to be served with salmon. The textures were enjoyable, but the flavours did not match. It needed something else to bring them together...maybe mushrooms.
My breakfast was expensive at $19.50 for the eggs and coffee. I later wondered if I had been accidentally over-charged or if that was the real price.
For vegetarians wanting something savoury, I probably would not recommend the breakfast menu. But competing with Brother Baba Budan just around the corner, the coffee is rightly worthy.
Manchester Press
8 Rankins Lane
Melbourne 3000
03 9600 4054
I ordered a flat white while I perused the breakfast menu, seeing no vegetarian egg option and asking for the baked scrambled eggs without salmon. Yes, they are made fresh, so it is not a problem to remove the fish.
The coffee had barely any froth but was creamy and rich. A flavoursome, earthy coffee. There was no man’s face as coffee art.
As I waited for my eggs, a queue formed at the counter and the place filled with a lively crowd chatting away. I noticed that there were also many other lone females, reading and enjoying their own company. Sitting at the end of the table, a couple joined at the side and opposite corner to me, somehow managing to keep up their date of two without any distractions from me...I guess Melbourne is also used to sharing these days.
The egg dish was massive. The eggs were whipped and then baked like a light, over-cooked soufflé with yolk. Inside was lots of dill. On top were big rocket leaves and a chunk of fetta like the Danish one I like from the supermarket. Cherry tomatoes had been baked and squirted out juice over my note book as I tried to break it open with my fork. To the side was a white bagel on which I smoothed butter from the golden paper packets (the butter presentation could be improved).
Whilst pondering the odd mix of dill, tomatoes, rocket and fetta, I remembered that the dish was meant to be served with salmon. The textures were enjoyable, but the flavours did not match. It needed something else to bring them together...maybe mushrooms.
My breakfast was expensive at $19.50 for the eggs and coffee. I later wondered if I had been accidentally over-charged or if that was the real price.
For vegetarians wanting something savoury, I probably would not recommend the breakfast menu. But competing with Brother Baba Budan just around the corner, the coffee is rightly worthy.
Manchester Press
8 Rankins Lane
Melbourne 3000
03 9600 4054
