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