Chez Dre, South Melbourne

Chocolate tart: chocolate ganache, peanut-cocoa nib tuile, 
chocolate mousse. Make sure you do not leave here without 
one of these babies!

I first came to this hidden gem while browsing for a new cafe for delicious cake and coffee.  After reading some online reviews I was hooked.  It is conveniently located near the South Melbourne Market and easily accessible by trams.  I love the decor, sort of revamp of an old industrial building with an open kitchen located in the heart of the restaurant.  There is a small outdoor area which is heated in the cold Melbourne winter - bonus!

One you passed through by the busy diners and hectic kitchen you will arrive at the cake display - oh wow what a selection!  There is a vast range of delightful cakes, petite macaroons and to die-for croissants available.  The first time I came here we shared cakes and quiche and later returned for brunch the second time.  To be honest that the cakes and the quiche were FANTASTIC, BUT...I was disappointed with the brunch food and their specialty hot chocolate (Ganache Chocolate is still the best in my personal opinion).  I suppose I was expecting more from their food with such good cakes available, this is why it is always dangerous to have high expectations...  If you're a fussy brunch eater like me this probably isn't the place for you.  However, I will definitely return for more cake and coffee once in a blue moon. The cakes are delicious but expensive, $8.50 per cake according to their menu online which I believe is an older version and think it was $9.00 when I went last week.  I will just have to add this place to the collection of my "treat list" for special occasions, since it is always so hard to resist delicious Gateaux!

Hazelnut-Praline Crunch: hazelnut dacquoise, gianduja mousse, hazelnut and chocolate crumble.  10/10 for desert.  Crunchy base, smooth creamy 
mouse and was definitely nutty from the hazelnut.
 YUMMY!

Quiche of the day: ham and cheese with salad. 

The pastry was so amazing my mouth waters just 

thinking about it.

Braised Mushroom Ragu: Swiss field and button mushrooms, soft polenta, poached egg & truffle oil.
This dish was delicious but lacked seasoning. I wish there was slightly more acidity to balance out the dish.  Towards the end of the meal it I found it was too rich to finish.

Brioche French Toast: caramelized pecan, vanilla mascarpone & berry compote.  The brioche was excellent and pecan nut were very delicious.  Individually they are fantastic but when you combined them it was sugar overload.  Maybe slightly more salt in the brioche, more acidic berry or more sauce could have helped.

OVERALL

FOOD: Coffee and cakes are delicious, not so convinced by their breakfast menu items.

PRICE: Cakes are expensive and brunch food price is on the high end or pricey.

SERVICE: Services have always been good with tentative and friendly staff members.
ATMOSPHERE: This is definitely a hip brunch place and it is also family friendly and a great place to catch up with friends on a lazy Sunday morning.

Summary:  Coffee and cake is all I need to say!

Cumulus - Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD

Cumulus is pretty high up there with the clouds and is by far the best find since I moved over to Melbourne, and brunch has gone from great to beyond amazing with Cumulus on a lazy Sat/Sun morning.  Just thinking about this place while writing makes me salivate and cannot wait for another visit!

This place has been jammed packed every time I visited but never had to wait long for a table. I love their decor and open plan-kitchen, there is just something sexy about open-plan kitchen that I cannot put into words. If you come here in small numbers, definitely sit on the bar stool facing the kitchen - so intriguing watching the chefs working away and if you are there when they changeover from breakfast to lunch service, you would be amazed how they transform the kitchen!  

Now about their food, the picture says a thousand words! But I will still talk a little about it. I have to-date sampled many of their delightful creations and I am absolutely head-over-heels in love with their "Grilled Lyonnaise sausage, parsley & shallot salad 65/65 egg". This scrumptious egg and haricot beans dish will hit the spot every time. If you enjoy grapefruit, they do freshly squeezed grapefruit juice here and is a fantastic combo with the grilled Lyonnaise sausage.

The thing that I look forward to the most is their delectable Madeleine with lemon curd. It is made-to-order so always freshly baked from the oven and filled with cooled rich lemony curd, the Madeleine is soft and fluffy and absolutely perfect with a cup of coffee and a fantastic way to finish the brunch.  Make sure you don't leave without sampling one of these babies!

OVERALL

FOOD: Fantastic!

PRICE: The cafe is on the pricey side, but their food is really worth it.

SERVICE: Friendly.

ATMOSPHERE: The open kitchen is fantastic.

Summary:  Great food and service, this place is lazy weekend brunch at its best.

House made crumpets, whipped ricotta & rooftop honey

Selection of fresh fruits and minty yoghurt.

Shakshouka-baked eggs with roasted peppers and shanklish

Toasted honey granola & poached rhubarb with vanilla yoghurt

Ooh La La - St Tropez Restaurant

I am very sad to say that my all time favourite French restaurant in Auckland has closed :( but Jean Christophe is now the head chef of the Orbit Restaurant at the top of Auckland Sky Tower so all are not lost there.  St Tropez was opened for 12 years and I've been their loyal customer for 6 of those 12 years, so now I have to venture to the Orbit to sample their latest and I am super excited about it :) though to be honest, I won't be going as often just because Orbit isn't as home-y and cosy as St Tropez was.

It was back in 2007 when I was first introduced to St Tropez, to celebrate the successful defense of a PhD Oral Exam from my laboratory.  As a large group, many quality things attracted us to choose the restaurant.  St. Tropez was in Parnell, Auckland.  It was an affordable cuisine with BYO, friendly staffs and AMAZING French food to die for!  My favourite part of the restaurant was their menu, which changed frenquently and meant I always get a pleasant surprise when I haven't been for a while, or alternatively find my favourite dish is not longer on the menu, but they always replace it with something equally delicious!

Their menu was short and concise, each dish is followed with detailed descriptions what will be on your plate - which is crucial as not all of us are equally familiar with the French Cuisine or read French..  I love when a menu includes their own native language, I get to learn French and eat delicious food - Bonus!  They use to share their delightful recipes on their website, since their closure, I'll share their amazing "Apple Tarte Tatin".

Without babbling on further, here is a trip down memory lane for me with a selection of dishes I sampled back in January 2012 before I went to Europe to sample the real French food, Enjoy!

	Poisson Cru Salad of Marinate White Fish in Coconut Cream, Coriander, Ginger
	Charcuterie Peppercon Chicken Liver Pate, Pork Rillettes, Red Onion Confit, Toasted Brioche
	Filet de Boeuf Eye Fillet with pate, red wine jus, vegetables and potatoes
	Porc Pork Medallions wrapped in bacon with Parmesan, chablis cream sauce, white haricots beans
	Apple Tart Tatin Upside down apple tarte served with vanilla ice cream and creme fraiche (my all time favourite!)
	Creme Brulee French pot of cream with caramlised coating served with vanilla ice cream