Harvest Espresso

Although winter weather has been quite cold and grey of late, this Saturday proved to be a sunny one, calling for a trip down to Victoria Park and a visit to Harvest Espresso. Harvest is much smaller than I had imagined and a line does tend to slowly gather outside as tables are fairly limited. There is a little of the shuffling and the sucking in of stomachs as you try to squeeze past people before and after your meal but this is a small hindrance considering the food and the matcha lattes are perfect.

I adore the cafe with its wooden tables and takeaway coffee cups that change every season and I sincerely look forward to the next season's menu. If the dishes on the menu don't quite tickle your fancy (but seriously come on, they're amazing) then you could request a look at their raw cakes and delights on offer, not to mention you could always just takeaway a latte and a freshly baked good.

I couldn't go past the Banana and Peanut Butter Toasted Brioche with toasted museli, mascarapone and of course chocolate sauce. Jason went for something a little savory and chose the House-cured Salmon Gravlax which had two poached eggs, watercress, potato hash, hollandaise and a few scattered togarashi croutons. I absolutely loved the brioche, with just the right amount of crunchy and soft, it was delicious and beautifully presented. The thing I think I like most about food is disassembling it and literally digging in. I would however have loved another little dollop of mascarapone but gee, it was beaut.

As soon as I had taken one sip of my matcha latte I made a comment to Jason saying I would be purchasing another because it was damn good, however I spoke too soon as I only just managed to finish my breakfast at the end of it. Safe to say I didn't have any room left in my stomach for a second matcha latte, however on retrospect I probably could have ordered another to take away and sip later when we drove up to the Zig Zag hill.

We were sitting right near the window (if you look in the last shot you can see the remnants of our brunch) and it gave me a good vantage point to take photos and see all of the neat little cafe. I'll be visiting again, perhaps will try the lamb meat balls and definitely aim to go every season from now on as each season the menu changes. Bring on Spring's!

Address:

629 Albany Highway, Victoria Park

Opening Hours:

Tuesday - Sunday 7am - 4pm

Closed Monday

Architects and Heroes

Architects was a cafe I felt I needed to visit with Matthew as it's just up his ally. Adventure Time? Adventure Time as part of a Perth Cafe's interior? He's there. On the walls are some great illustrations and designs (minus the incorrectly drawn snail from Adventure Time but we can overlook that) and the cafe itself is interesting and heralds yummy food, lovely staff and even sparkling water on tap!

Being nooblets we weren't sure if we had to wait outside for a table, give our name or stare into the back of unsuspecting diner's heads in the hopes of getting a table, but luckily a few minutes after we had arrived, a couple had finished and told us we could have their table. Perhaps we looked incredibly lost and they took pity on us but either way we had gotten ourselves a table.

There are baked goodies on the counter just near the entrance, a mix of peanut butter cupcakes, almond and orange gluten free slice to name a few. You can pick up a treat to take away with you in one hand and a warm and damn fine coffee in the other and you'd be good to go in this winter weather. There are window seats for those that like to people watch and for others, tables on the right of the cafe. The baristas weave their magic to your left and also in an area just at the back of the cafe which is stock piled with teapots and other brewing necessities.

I was itching for something sweet and picked the brioche french toast with apple and rhubarb compote, honeycomb parfait and vanilla labne. For those that didn't know, vanilla labne is a specially strained yoghurt. The dish was a wonderful combination of textures and mixes of sweet and tangy (courtesy of the rhubarb). I really loved the honeycomb and saved a bit of that for last.

Matthew ordered a savoury dish with saurkraut, chorizo, tomato, rosemary, spinach, balsamic vinegar - I can't quite remember what else, I was too busy chowing down on my own brunch. If I ask him I know he'll say "I don't remember, all I remember was deliciousness!" so I guess you'd all just have to go down to Subiaco and try it out for yourself.

Opening Hours:

Monday - Saturday 6.30am - 6.30pm

Sunday Closed

Address:

Shop 25, 17-31 Rokeby Road, Subiaco

Addison & Steele

I actually have a huge backlog of photos and posts but I thought I would quickly put this one up as it's still fresh in my mind and the coffee still fresh on my taste buds. Passing it on the bus rides to work every day (or rather, when the bus decides to deviate up through Angove Street) I thought it was about time I try Addison & Steele. Even if that meant going by myself.

So tonight I drove over to North Perth on the way home from work. There was a free coffee tasting occurring when I arrived and at first felt a bit awkward, thinking I had crashed some sort of private event. The barista, whose name I forgot to ask but will from now be known as Mr Steele, told me that they usually have Public Cupping every so often and that it was the best way to try coffee in its purest form. He encouraged me to join but I felt like spectating instead. Besides, it was fun to watch them shift around the table like they were playing musical chairs, making the occasional slurping sound.

Their kitchen is small and open and so causes the staff to come up with utensil practical and interesting menus matching the seasons and different days of the week. They also have a designated espresso and filter bar where you can sit and watch them make your coffee as they explain to you what it is they're doing. It's a little bit like the coffee set up Gale Boetticher had in Breaking Bad. They had some pork in the oven when I visited which had been slow cooking all day, ready for some pork sliders the next. Today they had breakfast bruschetta, pumpkin soup and smoked salmon bagels on offer along with a few other specials. 

I myself couldn't go past a blueberry bagel with three different cream cheeses. Each bagel comes with its own selection of cheeses and spreads. The blueberry bagel was complemented by strawberry, blueberry and a peanut butter nutella cream cheeses with flavours you could eat alone or together. I think it was a peanut butter/nutella mix but whatever it was it was delicious. I elected a "comp style" tasting platter with an espresso and a cup of the Candyman. It's basically a brew with milk and one without. You can get a mix of these exotic coffees or go with a standard flat white, which I am sure they'll have no trouble brewing. The baristas will pour your coffee as they educate you about what is sitting and waiting in your cup.

Addison & Steele opens early and closes late on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays so be sure to try it out if you want coffee, to meet up with friends somewhere different, or a light bite to eat. They're closed on Mondays but open from 6.30am - 4pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays and other varying times, just check out Urbanspoon or take a peak inside.

Address:

Suite 1/448 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth

Opening Hours:

Tuesday - Wednesday 6.30am - 4pm

Thursday - Friday 6.30am - 7pm

Saturday 8am - 7pm

Sunday 8am - 4pm

Mrs.S Revisited

I've visited Mrs.S on more than just two occasions. I keep returning to this little bit of foodie heaven. (To be honest, it's also pretty girly so...) The menus are in Little Golden Books, and I really love it because I used to own a huge collection of these treasures when I was younger and they would line my wooden bookcase. I could also always pick out my favourite books from the bookcase without looking - just by carefully and closely examining the spine.

I do love the food at Mrs. S a lot. They have some items that have long remained on the menu for obvious reasons - they're favourites of course, but every so often Mrs.S mixes it up. For some reason lately I've been drawn to granola. I have all of the ingredients at home but find it incredibly hard to bring myself to pouring it into a bowl and eating it. I guess it becomes more appealing when you're not doing it yourself and rushing about on a work morning and when it's beautifully presented to you like this one was.

Their drink menu too remains unchanged. And that's completely a-okay with me. I know how to pick out my favourites. I love Peter Rabbit and their little homeage to Beatrix Potter would be sadly missed if they got rid of it. So I'm happy if the drinks menu stays as is. I went with my brother for brunch this Saturday morning and urged him to pick out the Citron Presse (more so so I could have a sip heehee) but also because I always crave and pick the Citrus and Earl Grey Ice Tea. And I would feel a bit cheated if I didn't at least have my drink when visiting.

Mrs. S is incredibly popular and I would suggest getting ready to wait as lines are long. As soon as someone in front of you looks like they've gone for a bit of a wander down the street, service tells you you're next in line. Place holders are little alphabets instead of numbers which is refreshing and fun. You can purchase bits and bobs off the walls and take home some cakes to go, but if you want to stay a while you can also read the menu and a Little Golden Book while you wait.

Sidney Loves Audrey

Sayers with Iris for a catch up brunch after a visit to Love Thy Neighbour was overthrown as it was shut, we decided to go somewhere cute and quaint for dessert and something to keep us warm. We discovered Sidney Loves Audrey on Fitzgerald Street, a combined store and cafe diner. I was completely taken up by the living earth jars and the other bits and bobs around the cafe. Unlike you first thought, Sidney and Audrey aren't the names of the two store owners, but rather the names of their two adorable dogs. I would definitely recommend visiting if you're into homely little cafes with upside down cake and hot chocolate.