Our first visit to Faraday's Cage wasn't quite as successful as we'd hoped and it appears that owners Kim and John felt the same way after reading the review. Consequently, they took on board the comments with the most gracious of attitudes and very kindly invited Steve and I back to experience their improvements. Lots of respect to them for the way they take on feedback.

​The first review is below this one.

The warm hospitality started from the moment we sat down. Kim offered us a croissant to start proceedings accompanied by a choice of 3 jams from the Yarra Valley. The croissants are pretty big but they're not heavy on the tummy as they are super light and airy and aren't greasy or overly buttery. We've had the joy of sampling croissants from all round Fitzroy and our comments are that that the offering from Faraday's Cage don't have the gloss of Lune but they're still pretty damn good and there's no queue! Babka croissants have a bit of chew about them which depending on preferences can be appealing but they are more filling and greasier.

Like the previous visit the dishes were very prettily presented with lots of vibrant colours, They're also generous in size. This time the flavours were a lot cleaner and clearer. Sweetness and spice in the fritter dish really came through and that crispy cream cheese filled jalapeno popper was so delicious we were sad to have to share! If these make it on the menu as an extra, fill your boots and add them to every dish! In fact just order a bowlful...

The mushrooms were heady with truffle. I left my half of the crispy poached egg too long so it lost its crispiness and the coating became more gluey and gelatinous so if you go for this dish, eat the egg quick.

And then we were onto the final course...the pancakes were fluffy and light. I loved the pairing of the burnt white chocolate and the strawberries. In spite of having eaten so much, we were able to finish this off because it was so delicious.

We had a problem with the tea last time and I'm pleased to say this time it was piping hot and flavoursome. 

We were sent on our way with some more pastry goods and a baguette which Steve used to make sandwiches for his packed lunch and declared it good!

Thank you Faraday's Cage for inviting us back and treating us with such warm hospitality and to some great breakfast fare. We love the fact we can book a table which is rare for brunch places and will take advantage in the future. Thank you for receiving feedback so graciously and for acting on it. You deserve every success!

The review below reflects our first visit. We were invited back later and our thoughts on the second visit appears at the top of this page.

Faraday's Cage is really close to home but we've never quite made it there so we decided to try it out one Sunday morning after a pilates class. Peak time to rock up for brunch but we are able to secure an outside table underneath a heater so we settle in and order.

First drinks, orange juices arrive pretty quickly but our second drinks, English Breakfast teas take so long and I actually ask to cancel them as we're at the end of our meals but I'm assured they're on their way and it just takes a bit longer to make teas! I'm confused by that statement but I wonder if it's because they like to brew them longer but when the teas arrive, they are so weak that is far from the truth and it's hard to extract flavour as the water is not boiling hot. Fail on the tea front!

So onto the food:

• Eggs Benny - 12 hour pulled pork shoulder, poached eggs, chipotle hollandaise, bacon crumb and pickled chilli
• Chilli Scrambled Eggs, Persian feta, sourdough toast and bacon

The dishes are attractively presented and generous in portion size. Given how busy it is, they don't take too long to arrive. Steve and I both feel that they look better than they taste. My Eggs Benny could do with some better seasoning and just a general whallop of more flavour. And Steve says the chilli scrambled eggs could do with amping up on the flavour front. We conclude that the other neighbouring competition such as Sourdough Rustica, Addict, Sir Charles all fare better.

The waitress we had was very apologetic for the tea. She was also very apologetic to the neighbouring table as she had to convey the message from the very busy kitchen that there could be no alterations to dishes but for dietary requirements they would alter dishes...some flawed logic there I think or a situation that could be taken advantage of...Anyway she tried hard.

Unlike the waitress who took our money at the till. I'd heard so much about the sausage rolls here we decided to order some to take home and I also spied a pastry on the end but didn't know what it was and so I asked. The response was to the effect of that she didn't know or know how much it was and the chef had left for the day so there was nothing more she could really do or help on that front...strange situation! Again she was apologetic and friendly but it was a bit awkward and ineffective. 

So in all, I was a bit disappointed with Faraday's Cage. It's a nice space but the food and their tea making skills lacked lustre.

I have seen far too many pictures of Penta's Nutella panna cotta that it was inevitable we would one day cross the river and make it. Saturday was the day!

We arrived about 11:45 and there was no table available and a likely 20 minute wait so we put our name down and walked down the main street to kill some time. The 20 minutes went by reasonably quickly and we were soon seated at a roomy table and ready to order.

I opted for the grilled chicken shawarma salad with poached egg. The chicken breast was marinaded in spices and was deliciously tasty and juicy. Loved the grain salad with pops of pomegranate and creamy feta and yoghurt. There was probably a touch too much of the dairy goodness but I just left it to the side.

Steve had the Penta Benedict which is braised beef cheek atop sweet potato waffles with poached eggs and hollandaise and he enjoyed that very much too. He also added some mushrooms.

Our waitress was cheery and friendly and we were able to put the panna cotta on hold until we were ready for it.

And soon the anticipation was over and she arrived in her wibbly wobbly gloriousness! Her beauty is down to plating technique and burst of colour from the fruit and the flowers. It's definitely Nutella in flavour and the little dome of panna cotta is deceptively large so plenty to share. The strawberries were a delicious accompaniment cutting through the sugar. And the crumb was a welcome texture contrast. I'm not a huge fan of banana but I guess Nutell and banana are a classic combo that please many others so it makes sense. My personal preference would be more strawberry!

Penta certainly ticked all the boxes. Good strong tea served hot, friendly and efficient service, not too long a wait considering how busy they were for food and top quality dishes. It's a shame it's so far away! But yes, it's worth the drive!

Kinfolk was the venue for a team breakfast on Friday and one of my colleagues was able to book the larger communal table for us. The team at Kinfolk were very accommodating of us arriving in dribs and drabs. There were times when it was difficult to flag down someone such as when we wanted to order and to pay but we got there in the end.

The coffee was declared good. My English Breakfast tea could have done with being hotter to draw out more flavour from the the tea leaves as well as to be at my preferred drinking temperature.

I enjoyed the Egg Special which was a 63 degree cooked egg with greens and a capsicum smear and I added the maple bacon which was deliciously thick and sweet / salty.  The bacon was an extra $5 for one slice which I thought was expensive. 

We enjoyed our breakfast but I think the general concensus was it was 10% pricier than it should be or there should be an extra egg or slice of bacon in the dishes. I understand it's a worthy social enterprise and I'm not begrudging of the money they need to make but even at 10% less or the extra food item, I suspect there would still be profit and would be more aligned to other cafes so the margin needn't be as inflated as it is.

A dear friend took me out for a day in the South East 'burbs of Melbourne and we started off with a fortifying brunch at Second Home.

Strangely situated in the midst of an industrial estate, Second Home is a sympathetically restored warehouse that is airy and light but far from sterile. The cosy fireplace and wooden interior brings the much needed warmth to a wintry Melbourne. We arrived at peak time on Sunday and had to park up the road rather than in the little car park they have outside the building. We had to wait around 20 minutes before a table was available but we could order coffee in takeaway cups and the wait time just whizzed by.

I had the Charred corn, Manchego cheese and jalapeno hotcake with spiced pepper relish, corn salsa, avocade and a fried egg and of course I had to add the bacon. It's a bountiful bowl of colourful goodness; generous and appetising. My friend had the Hearty Home; essentially a traditional cooked breakfast. I saw the spaghetti on toast arrive at a neighbouring table and that looked pretty impressive too.

We very much enjoyed the relaxed experience; it's busy but not too loud or manic and it's roomy so it makes for comfort and well, like a second home!

So Hammer and Tong is no more and in its place is Nomada offering breakfast tapas. The layout is the same but it seems brighter and calmer. We secured two seats at the bar and service took a while but we got there in the end.

Offering a wide range of beverages and 'breakfast tapas', the menu can be a little daunting in terms of thinking what goes with what and how many dishes should we order. There are different sized plates costing $5, $9, $15 and $19. There are also some sweet dishes thrown in amongst the menu items too.

Don't worry about it or think too hard; just order what you fancy. We ended up ordering in two rounds and the couple next to us in three. The food comes out pretty quickly so just start with a few dishes and then add a few, throw in a drink or two and you'll come away pretty happy!
 
Our first order was for about 6 or so items. Actually we ordered two toasties, the one we got being the boquerones and the one that didn't materialise which was the jamon but we had enough to go on so didn't mind too much. The food was delicious so we ordered a second round of three dishes.

• Coal blistered tomatoes, sherry, herbs and manchego
• Chorizo with chilli powder
• Seasonal mushrooms and pickled celery
• Nomada bacon with potato sauce and mushroom powder
• Quail eggs with cumin salt
• Blue Eye croquetas with fennel emulsion
• Boquerones and Mahon toastie
• Jamon Serrano, cured yolk, fresh curd and pear
• Flinders saltgrass lamb on the coals, tomato, yoghurt, eggplant, garlic puree and chilli

We loved the bacon which were two thick cut bacon steaks and were quite mellow compared to the spicy chorizo so both pork but different. Yum! The quail eggs were creamy and rich. Loved the anchovies and Mahon cheese in a toastie; cheesy and umami and crispy and golden. Croquetas were plump and golden brown with a creamy tasty filling. Not one dish was a bad dish. There was oodles of respect for the ingredients and they came together like a symphony in spite of us just ordering haphazardly. Out of confusion came delight!

I also enjoyed the strawberry lemonade and the tea we had was also well made. 

Whilst we initially found the service a little offhand, it improved and we were rewarded with friendly smiles by the end.

We have found a new neighbourhood favourite. Nomada, yesmada!

A quick Sunday brunch date with friends that live next door to Seven Seeds made it a great location for us.​ Of course they are regulars but it was my first time and we thought it would be busy as our get together coincided with Mother's Day. And yes there was a line but when my friend suggested we eat outside (it wasn't a particularly warm day but it was dry and we were adequately dressed) we were offered a table immediately so that's what we did.

Everyone (except for me) had the Eggs and Waffle Benedict - Smoked ham and Cheddar waffle, poached eggs, chipotle hollandaise. I went with the Avocado Smash - Yarra Valley feta, saffron, lemon, 3 paprikas and coffee salt, coriander, pepitas, poached egg, toasted multigrain and a side of bacon.

The Avocado Smash sounded complex and fancy but it was just good old smashed avo with a poached egg. It was tasty and a good version but did the 3 paprikas and coffee salt elevate it to another level? The jury is out on that one.

The Eggs and Waffle Benedict went down very well with everyone. I get the impression it was pretty rich or that might have been the additional black pudding that was ordered to go with it!

The coffee is good, our waiter was pleasantly friendly and even though we were seated outside he still checked in with us frequently enough.

Not a bad breakfast joint and if I lived next door I reckon I'd be a regular too!

Higher Ground - a place of worship? Well I did drop in two days in a row for breakfast so almost a regular church goer! Undeniably a beautiful fit out, sympathetically done and with a calm zen about it; almost holy perhaps? It's great for solo diners who can share communal benches or tables but also good to for those that like to dine with a friend or two.

My first breakfast was the much lauded kale and cauliflower salad, miso, almond hummus, avocado, poached egg, puffed rice and I added the cured kingfish. I wasn't completely sold on fish for breakfast but I guess the Japanese do it so why not me...There's a lot of green on the plate with a splash of violet form the purple cauliflower. The textures of the veggies are crisp and the flavours clean, intense and fresh with the almond hummus adding creaminess and nuttiness. It's a good dish; simple but packed full of flavour and light on the tummy. It puts a spring in the step. And my cuppa tea was a good one too.

So after a successful breakfast, I found myself in the same place the next day and gave the Eggs Benedict a whirl. No photo I'm afraid. It was delicious. Served more like a toastie on sourdough rather than an English muffin and the vinegar powder adding a delicious piquant tang. This was clever and inspired and delicious.

I was impressed by the saintly offerings of Higher Ground although when I first read the menu I wasn't too taken as it's not the traditional fare that is on offer. Minced lamb fry up isn't the first thing on my list for breakfast but now that I've been there twice I'd happily give it a go a third.

Quick stop here on my way home from an appointment in Carlton. The coffee is good, the matcha latte is good, the service is warm, personal and friendly and the food arrived quickly. Ticks all the boxes. The Uncle Benne I had which was poached eggs atop pulled pork with a harissa hollandaise was small but had punch and zip.

A good local gem with the Melbourne hipster twist of lattes in green, gold and red (matcha, turmeric and beet red velvet). One to visit and adopt into the regular rotation of breakfast and coffee eateries.

Two tasty breakfasts. I think the chorizo could have been thicker slices or chunks. Service became less attentive as the place filled up but we managed to get a second round of coffee.

Decent laneway breakfast or coffee place. Meals are focused around bagels so if you don't like bagels, there's not much left to choose.

A cheeky mid week breakfast date meant that this popular Prahran premises was laidback and leisurely and the frantic, hectic weekend crowds were avoided. We were able to relax and smell the awesome coffee and enjoy an indulgent breakfast served by personable and friendly FOH staff - perfect!

Oh the Oscar Benedict! Truly a stellar choice; crispy potato rosti replaces the English muffin and beautiful bacon lies on a bed of mashed avocado for another Oscar twist on the classic. What remains true to textbook though are wonderful poached eggs with oozing, orange yolks and a tangy Hollandaise sauce that in spite of its creaminess cuts through all the richness.

It's just the perfect size to be a good breakfast that is a treat but won't leave you comatosed and unable to be productive for the remainder of the day. It's a true breakfast that provides fuel for what lies ahead.

Oscar Cooper, how nice to meet you! Let's be friends.