Hammer and Tong 412

Recently opened in February this year, Hammer and Tong takes over from Brix 412, the previous cafe in this space. The new owners met while working at Vue de Monde, so while they've retained the stylish interior design, they bring a whole new level of quality to the food - and the food at Brix was already pretty good!

When you boil it down, the menu options where pretty standard for breakfast, muesli, porridge, eggs benny, corn fritters, and baked eggs. But they were all described in such tempting language and the presentation of the food couldn't be faulted!!

I had the corn fritters with paoached egg, it was amazing! Reid's baked eggs looked great too, but weren't the best ever. 

The coffee was also beautifully presented, including stylish crockery. Coffee tasted good, although, I have definitely had better.

Reverence

There are a few cafe's opening in Ascot Vale on Union Street. And Reid is off to the Penny Arcade expo at the showgrounds so I thought we'd check out one of the local spots. 

Reverence is good on paper, and there are several individual components that are good, but overall it's a bit disappointing.

The staff are friendly but too efficient, in a chaotic type of way. High speed walking from table to table. 

The furniture is old style but it's all actually new so the vintage affect is lost.

The layout of the tables is a bit clinical so I felt a bit exposed. A better design might have created a more intimate setting. 

The menu is good, simple, but a bit pricey. I paid $19 for tomato, avocado, feta, and a poached egg. Reid's chilli beans were a bit lacking on the chilli side. 

It has potential but it doesn't seem to come together that well

More tequila

At Mesa Verde

Touché Hombre

Dinner & drinks 

Piano Piano

Piano Piano is a tiny cafe on Nicholson Street, but it churns out hearty sized breakfasts! 

Three super friendly chatty staff work the smallest of kitchens, and everyone seems to know each other.

If we lived in the area, this would make a really nice local. Good coffee too!

Backstreet Eating

Nicely styled with chilled jazz playing and a hearty menu. 

With a lingering hangover the extra salty pork belly bacon, roasted tomatoes & Brussels were a bit rich for me. Reid enjoyed his - fried eggs, black pudding, and cabbage.

Coffee was good!

Their appreciation of an animals offering to us was a bit self indulgent!! On the menu was a blurb about their selection of animals, what they're fed and how they're treated, and what they offer to us - like the animal somehow had a choice