Loved Cumulus Inc so much that I went twice in 2 weeks. I'd been before but only for coffee so when the girls decided to have a Sunday brunch I was super keen. They don't take bookings so we were prepared for a wait but surprisingly it was only ten minutes or so. The place was busy though with lots of chatter and clattering of dishes.
We ordered some freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice which was delicious and browsed through the menu. It was such a difficult choice and I was torn between the smoked salmon croque monsieur and the shakshouka which is baked eggs with roasted peppers and marinated Persian feta. I consulted with the waitress and she persuaded me that the baked eggs was the way to go so Charlotte and I had those and Emma ordered Lyonnaise sausages and homemade baked beans on sourdough toast with a poached egg. They cook their eggs at 60 degrees for 6 hours or something like that so they come out gelatinous with the perfect runny yolk.
Food did take a little while to arrive but with catching up to do it didn't feel too long. Looking at what everyone else was eating was interesting and it all looked so good even the plain fruit salad which is described in a much more appealing way on the menu as a watermelon salad with strawberry, vanilla yoghurt and mint.
Conversation stopped as our food arrived. Oh my the baked eggs are a delight and I have been craving them ever since. The pepper, tomato and Persian feta mixture was rich and sharp and tangy and salty and the eggs were rich and gooey. I'd have liked a little more toast to mop up the sauce but that's just a minor request.
Emma made noises over her sausage and beans so thumbs up there. Another round of juice and a Russian Caravan tea (love that malty tea) and there was a brilliant brunch and one I am desperate to repeat!
I tried to repeat the experience this weekend with Steve. He had heard about my baked egg experience so much but sadly his new found relationship with his iPad 2 meant we were late to leave so arrival at Cumulus meant no brunch but the start of lunch.
We ordered some freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice which was delicious and browsed through the menu. It was such a difficult choice and I was torn between the smoked salmon croque monsieur and the shakshouka which is baked eggs with roasted peppers and marinated Persian feta. I consulted with the waitress and she persuaded me that the baked eggs was the way to go so Charlotte and I had those and Emma ordered Lyonnaise sausages and homemade baked beans on sourdough toast with a poached egg. They cook their eggs at 60 degrees for 6 hours or something like that so they come out gelatinous with the perfect runny yolk.
Food did take a little while to arrive but with catching up to do it didn't feel too long. Looking at what everyone else was eating was interesting and it all looked so good even the plain fruit salad which is described in a much more appealing way on the menu as a watermelon salad with strawberry, vanilla yoghurt and mint.
Conversation stopped as our food arrived. Oh my the baked eggs are a delight and I have been craving them ever since. The pepper, tomato and Persian feta mixture was rich and sharp and tangy and salty and the eggs were rich and gooey. I'd have liked a little more toast to mop up the sauce but that's just a minor request.
Emma made noises over her sausage and beans so thumbs up there. Another round of juice and a Russian Caravan tea (love that malty tea) and there was a brilliant brunch and one I am desperate to repeat!
I tried to repeat the experience this weekend with Steve. He had heard about my baked egg experience so much but sadly his new found relationship with his iPad 2 meant we were late to leave so arrival at Cumulus meant no brunch but the start of lunch.
Undeterred we decided to have a great Saturday lunch and save the brunch experience for another time. The non breakfast menu is designed to be shared and is reminiscent of St John Bread and WIne in London. We had to wait 15 minutes for a table and service was a little slow to begin with but it got better.
We started off with a smoked corn and mussel chowder each which came in a little tumbler. There didn't seem to be very much of it for $12 but by the time I'd finished it I declared it just enough. It was deep and delicious, velvety and rich but not creamy with crunchy corn, soft mussel and a taste of the sea in the background. The cayenne pepper sprinkled on the top warmed the cockles. Perfect for a wintry day. A great start!
Next came the kitchen charcuterie selection presented on a wooden board. All of it was such good quality. There was some Wagyu bresaola with beetroot and almond, some prosciutto on par with the stuff at Giuseppe Arnaldo, pork and pistachio terrine and some Sicilian salami.
We also had some bread - a sourdough nutty / seedy one and a delicious brioche type with the best crust ever. Truly delicious!
Next came roast rabbit saddle, grilled leg, braised beans, leeks and tarragon and we chose a rocket, cucumber, radish, dill and salted ricotta salad as well as some baby roasts to go with the rabbit. Everything was just done so well. The rabbit was tasty and the beans and leeks a perfect combination. The sauce was perfect to dip the potatoes in. The salad was fresh and green and crunchy.
We saw others order the most amazing looking tuna tartare with crushed green pea salad. Huge chunks of pinky purpley tuna with some bright green salad. Truly beautiful! Can't wait to order it myself.
In conclusion, we like Cumulus Inc a whole lot. It gets a whole lotta love from us!
We started off with a smoked corn and mussel chowder each which came in a little tumbler. There didn't seem to be very much of it for $12 but by the time I'd finished it I declared it just enough. It was deep and delicious, velvety and rich but not creamy with crunchy corn, soft mussel and a taste of the sea in the background. The cayenne pepper sprinkled on the top warmed the cockles. Perfect for a wintry day. A great start!
Next came the kitchen charcuterie selection presented on a wooden board. All of it was such good quality. There was some Wagyu bresaola with beetroot and almond, some prosciutto on par with the stuff at Giuseppe Arnaldo, pork and pistachio terrine and some Sicilian salami.
We also had some bread - a sourdough nutty / seedy one and a delicious brioche type with the best crust ever. Truly delicious!
Next came roast rabbit saddle, grilled leg, braised beans, leeks and tarragon and we chose a rocket, cucumber, radish, dill and salted ricotta salad as well as some baby roasts to go with the rabbit. Everything was just done so well. The rabbit was tasty and the beans and leeks a perfect combination. The sauce was perfect to dip the potatoes in. The salad was fresh and green and crunchy.
We saw others order the most amazing looking tuna tartare with crushed green pea salad. Huge chunks of pinky purpley tuna with some bright green salad. Truly beautiful! Can't wait to order it myself.
In conclusion, we like Cumulus Inc a whole lot. It gets a whole lotta love from us!
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