Outer Circle Social Club

Melbourne is in Stage 4 lockdown at the moment, so it's a very sombre mood everyone here is feeling. This is not a good time for business owners, and I hope that I won't see too many of our local favourites close down for good when we emerge from lockdown. Outer Circle Social Club is one of our favourites for coffee and brunch around here. It's tucked away from the main street in the middle of a light industrial area, and this is the closest cafe to our house that serves superb coffee and delicious food. The space is a cleverly converted warehouse with a bright and modern minimalist design. Service was genial and welcoming, and the coffee and food certainly warrant coming back for more. I loved the quirky names for the menu items. Although hubby has enjoyed a few coffees here since we first discovered this little gem, we only managed to squeeze in one brunch date here before the Covid-19 lockdowns happened. I miss dining out, I miss kid-free time, and we will most definitely revisit Outer Circle Social Club regularly once we can dine out again.

Ample outdoor dining space:

Converted warehouse interior:

Excellent coffee:

Pig In A Blanket - smoked pulled pork shoulder wrapped up burrito-style with slaw, avo and a black bean, corn, jalapeno salsa:

Old Mate Ruben The Reuben Is Still Here - house-smoked brisket piled high and toasted between rye bread with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing; served with crisps and a pickle:

Outer Circle Social Club
1/299 Arthur St
Fairfield VIC 3078
Australia
Tel. +61 3 9486 3119

Excellent brunch and coffee @ Bean Counter Cafe, Melbourne

It is so much fun trying out all the nearby places for brunch, something that I had sorely missed during the recent months of lockdown. Bean Counter Cafe was somewhere we had gone to have our brunch dates a couple of times, and the most recent revisit happened on the very last day we would be kids-free for the next two and a half months. Bean Counter Cafe is a great choice for excellent coffee and delicious food in a cosy atmosphere. Service is always friendly too!

Alfresco dining (a great option for social distancing):

The coffee doesn't disappoint here:

New Age Benedict - slow-cooked pulled lamb shoulder on two rosti's, poached eggs, sumac hollandaise and kale. I loved the rosti alternative to the usual English muffin, and the lamb was beautifully tender and flavourful:

Pulled Pork Stack - slow-cooked pork belly on a hash tower with poached eggs, spinach and hollandaise. Great presentation, and an excellent brunch choice that was ordered again on a revisit:

Bean Counter Cafe
15 Railway Pl
Fairfield VIC 3078
Australia
Tel. +61 3 9482 1170

Coffee and brunch @ Station Grind Cafe, Melbourne

Station Grind Cafe is a relatively newcomer to the dining scene on Station Street in Fairfield, and the name alone enticed us to walk through the door, with the promise of good coffee within. The bright and cheerful decor was welcoming as we were told by the equally cheerful staff to take a seat at any unoccupied table. I adore the play area at the back, and I made note of it for the unlikely event that we would want to dine out with our three children (I love our children dearly, but having a meal with all three of them anywhere but home is a great feat that is taxing both physically and mentally!). The coffee did not disappoint, and the food was lipsmackingly good. Station Grind Cafe is on our list of places to revisit once restrictions are lifted!

A little play area complete with a large blackboard. Safety could probably be improved with a playpen fence to prevent kids wandering into the path of waitstaff carrying hot foods:

I had a piccolo while hubby had his usual cappuccino:

Pulled Lamb Benny - a brilliant combo of pulled lamb and eggs on an English muffin:

Smash It Away - dill and mint infused avocado topped with feta cheese and eggs (poached was my choice) on a savoury waffle. I enjoyed this just fine with poached eggs, but others who prefer more flavours (like my hubby) may like it better with scrambled eggs:

106 Station Street
Fairfield VIC 3078
Australia
Tel. (03) 8488 9316

Brunch and coffee @ Fifteen Pounds Cafe, Melbourne

It's the truth that good coffee is never far away anywhere in Melbourne, and hubby and I have been enjoying our monthly brunch dates trying out different cafes near home. Fifteen Pounds is yet another winner for us, for good coffee and delicious food. It's very conveniently located next to Fairfield Station, on the quieter side of the rail tracks, and easy to locate. The interior is cozy and comfortable, and there are outdoor tables both out in front on the sidewalk and at the back. There are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options on the menu. This is definitely a place we will revisit frequently for our brunch dates.

Delicious coffee here:

Hash Stack 2.0 - homemade hashbrowns with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce served with half avocado and haloumi on a beetroot puree smear. This was a delicious vegetarian dish:

The Roman - rustica multigrain toast topped with fresh avocado, crispy prosciutto, wild rocket tossed with shaved parmesan, two poached eggs and homemade basil pesto. I enjoyed this version of smashed avo very much:

Fifteen Pounds
21-23 Railway Pl
Fairfield VIC 3078
Australia
Tel. +61 3 9482 4481

Revisit: Operator25, Melbourne

Happy new year to all! Last month was yet another incredibly busy month, with the end-of-school-year hustle and bustle including our eldest kid's graduation, and the usual busyness of the end of year festivities. We also hosted my in-laws from Brisbane who visited for a week to spend Christmas with us. One of our favourite places to bring our out-of-town guests is brunch at Operator25 and then a short stroll to the Queen Vic Market, which is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere. We first visited Operator25 a few years ago when we met up with a cousin, during a trip to Melbourne while we were still living in Hong Kong. We certainly didn't know that we would be back for many more visits, and we have enjoyed every visit. The drinks menu are as innovative and creative as the food, and I especially love the beautiful latte art that accompanies the hot drinks. The menu changes seasonally, so there's always something new to try everytime we visited. It is a very popular brunch joint, so I always make bookings on days that Operator25 accepts reservations (on weekdays only for groups over 6), which is essential whenever dining out with children. The benedict creations and burgers are always excellent choices, and all the other dishes we've tried have also been fabulous.

Check out the latte art:

Kaya Matcha Latte - a sweet, beautiful combination of flavours from two different cuisines:

Hot chocolate:

Mocha:

Picolo latte:

Teriyaki Benedict - Teriyaki pulled pork on toasted brioche with yuzu hollandaise, mizuna leaves and wonton crisps:

Balinese Pork Burger - Balinese marinated pork belly, fried egg, chilli mayo, crispy shallots, coriander, cabbage and carrot slaw on brioche bun:

Citrus-cured Salmon with tapioca and polenta croquettes, yuzu dressing, compressed cucumber, fresh tomatoes, wasabi mayonnaise and pickled beetroot and a poached egg:

Japanese Open Omelette with octopus, wakame, spring onion, edamame, Japanese mayo and miso buttered toast:

Rendang Benedict - pulled beef brisket rendang on brioche toast, poached eggs, lime hollandaise and wonton crisps:

Korean Fried Chicken Burger - fried chicken on black brioche bun, soy garlic sauce, butter lettuce, kimchi mayo, pickled radish and spiced potato crisps:

Operator25
25 Wills St
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
Tel. +61 3 9670 3278

Brunch @ Mamma Says, Melbourne

I love the fact that we are spoilt for choice for good food and coffee near where we live. Hubby and I make it a goal to fit in a quick brunch date once a month when the youngest is in kinder, and it always has to be somewhere nearby because the kinder session is only 2 hours duration. Mamma Says is a favourite amongst the locals on Station Street, located opposite another favourite. The menu contained the usual brunch favourites featuring eggs like a few varieties of eggs benedict, omelettes, and the big breakfast, as well as a couple more decadent selections like pancakes and french toast. There were also lighter options like toast, muesli and yoghurt, and more substantial mains for lunch like chicken parma, grilled lamb and steak sandwich. There are plenty of choices to suit a variety of tastebuds and appetites. We have been to Mamma Says twice now, and can confirm that is consistently great, whether for a quick coffee or a proper meal.

Delicious coffee:

Avocado Smash (AUS$19) mixed with feta, lemon juice and mint, with a poached egg and jalepeno on toast:

Hashstack (AU$18.50) with 3 homemade hashbrowns, bacon and a poached egg topped with hollandaise:

Mamma's Big Breakfast (AU$22.50) with eggs your way on toast with bacon, tomato, chorizo, mushrooms, homemade hash brown and aioli:

Atlantic Benedict (AU$20.50) - poached eggs on toast with smoked salmon, spinach and hollandaise:

Mamma Says
120 Station St
Fairfield VIC 3078
Australia
Tel. +61 3 9489 1112

Brunching @ Three Locals, Melbourne

Now that the youngest does 3-year-old kinder for 5 hours a week (which is really not very much), hubby and I aim to have a kid-free brunch date once a month. Given our busy schedules, it actually works out to be closer to once every two months, but that is better than none. We are blessed to be situated close by the foodie offerings on Station Street in Fairfield, which makes it so easy to fit in an hour's date with delicious food and good coffee. We have yet to come across a place we don't like on Station Street, and Three Locals is no exception. My girls and I walk past Three Locals every day to and from school, and it's a popular choice for a coffee break with the locals, especially the parents after dropping off their children at school. The all-day menu offers a wide selection of dishes to suit all taste buds, and vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free diners are also catered for. We first visited Three Locals a few months ago with my mother-in-law who was visiting from interstate, and we liked it enough to return for a revisit on a brunch date.

Zucchini and pumpkin croquettes:

House-smashed Avocado on pumpkin sourdough and topped with two poached eggs, cherry tomato, feta, flaked almonds and balsamic glaze:

Wingrove Omelette - four eggs with mushrooms, red onion, tomato and mozzarella:

Maison Brekky - avocado, tomato relish, grilled ham and two poached eggs, topped with hollandaise and served on toast:

Mr Atlantic - Salmon Benedict with premium smoked salmon, sautéed spinach, two poached eggs & house hollandaise on toast:

Three Locals
127 Station Street
Fairfield VIC 3078
Australia
Tel. +61 3 9078 6579

Brunch @ The Hills Pantry, Melbourne

Earlier this year we signed the kids up to Saturday Chinese school, at a language school recommended by my cousin whose kids also attend the school. Our 10-year-old had received daily Mandarin lessons for five years at his school in Hong Kong, and I didn't want it all to go to waste. The school is also for his younger sisters to get a bit of exposure to the language, and the 3-hour duration allows me to get some productive work done without the distractions of childcare and household chores. When I first brought the kids to trial their respective classes, hubby came along for support, and when the 3-year-old was finally settled in the kinder class, we found ourselves with some time to spare, sans kids! We googled for the nearest cafe to have coffee, and found ourselves at The Hills Pantry for a quick brunch date. The location in a small shopping centre means that parking is easy to find, and it is a convenient place for a coffee break whilst getting the shopping done. The staff were friendly and the service was efficient. There was a decent selection of food to choose from, and the coffee was also fantastic. All in all, this is a great little cafe for good coffee and a bite to eat.

Hubby enjoyed his cappuccino and I loved my piccolo:

Hubby ordered the classic brunch dish, Eggs Benedict - poached eggs with ham and hollandaise. Can't go wrong with this one:

I could not resist the Smashed Avocado and Fetta on sourdough. There was the option to add poached egg, but it was delicious just as it was:

The Hills Pantry
Wheelers Hill Shopping Centre
190 Jells Road
Wheelers Hill
Tel. +61 3 9561 0022