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Pope Joan – Brunswick East – Sunday 10 August 2014 – Lunch

Doughnut with jam and cream

Doughnut with jam and cream

Pope Joan has changed over the years. Matt Wilkinson’s masterpiece started as a humble breakfast spot before doubling in size with a bar, adding a deli soon after, and doing lunch and dinner too.

I’ve noticed that when you get to the Pope after midday there can be a little confusion given the great selection of non-breakfast dishes. Being handed a wine list as you ask for a coffee and hearing amazing sounding specials when you feel like bacon and eggs is a little odd. Today we have actually come for lunch, but are here before we have started some breakfasts!

The Cornish

The Cornish

It is intentional. I feel like coffee and wine, mains and dessert! Devastation at the latest instalment of the Black Pudding based dish being sold out leads to a nice surprise with the Cornish chicken sandwich proving another fantastic find. The stuffing used gives it a certain luxury and the jalepinos are not overpowering at all.

The Cuban

The Cuban

Catherine opts for the Cuban which is their version of a pulled pork roll. It is spicy like it should be and full of flavour. The pulled pork is just special. It’s something we all know ridiculously well. It’s on every second menu in Melbourne and we keep going back. But trust me, Pope Joan’s is special.

The Heathcote rose we are drinking, using Nebbiolo grapes, is particularly good for washing down anything. It follows my long black, as always nicely made, and Catherine’s sparkling apple from Mornington producer Mock.

This cafe provides a unique experience. There is nowhere else that I feel so utterly compelled to order the rice pudding, or doughnuts to finish. Or the homemade ginger bread, or a macaron! Today it’s the doughnut with jam and cream. It never gets boring having fried dough with sugar, jam and cream. The main difference here is the quite tart jam which means you are having sugar overload without necessarily tasting it.

Whether you are there early or late there is great food and drink here. The staff are always happy and seem to understand they are working in a great place that is cutting edge. Brunswick East is extremely lucky to have Pope Joan to call its own.

Pope Joan on Urbanspoon

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Top Paddock – Richmond – Sunday 20 July 2014 – Breakfast

Crowds continue to gather for lunch

Crowds continue to gather for lunch

Another cafe where you need to do extensive planning and preparation before even contemplating breakfast on a Sunday morning is Top Paddock. Catherine and I were meeting my aunty and uncle so we got here twenty minutes early to put our names down.

Giving ourselves plenty of time meant we were happy to wait the extra ten minutes for a table inside while we chatted out the front with about 25 other people eagerly awaiting the sound of their name to be called. At 9.40am Catherine was the first person out front waiting while I parked. Not long after there was a constant throng of people who could fill another medium sized cafe. This had built to a crowd at 11.30am that looked like it was waiting to get in to Rod Laver arena.

Is it all worth it? I’d say about three-quarters of the time it actually is. Let’s get Catherine’s baked beans out of the way – in my experience it is a rarity, but not only were they watery and lacking in flavour, they were cold. They were quickly replaced by a toasted muesli that did the job well. Everything else was fantastic, and usually is.

Chilli scrambled eggs with local seasonal mushrooms and feta on toast

Chilli scrambled eggs with local seasonal mushrooms and feta on toast

I hadn’t tried the chilli scrambled eggs before and good first impressions lingered through to the last bite. Tasty sourdough topped with bright rich scram, delicious mushrooms, and plenty of chilli (but not too hot). The feta was not as generous as some similar dishes at cafes close by, but for my taste it was just enough to have a taste with each bite. I thought adding a side of Istra bacon was a good idea.

It might be a big call but Top Paddock has my favourite breakfast dishes in Richmond. Not one in itself, more as an overall menu. The coffee is the equal of the food. Excellent offerings on the single origin list keep it dynamic and the barista did a terrific job with both the Sumatran and Rwandan today. If you want a quintessential Melbourne coffee experience in Richmond without the frills (cold drip, syphon etc), this is it.

Top Paddock on Urbanspoon